talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-08--Trump Describes Himself As A ‘Perfect Physical Specimen’ Amid COVID Recovery

President Donald Trump on Thursday continued to offer false statements about the seriousness of coronavirus , suggesting that “ when you catch it , you get better , then you are immune.
” “ I ’ m back because I am perfect physical specimen and I ’ m extremely young , ” Trump joked to Fox News ’ Maria Bartiromo , floating that a sparkling health record was the reason for his quick recovery .
“ I ’ m lucky in that way.
” The President bragged that he had none of the comorbidities that have put many Americans at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have caused serious complications in treatment for the disease — at times ending in death .
The President repeatedly gushed to Bartiromo that he was “ in good health , ” suggesting that his worst health problem was a few extra pounds .
Trump insisted that he hadn ’ t really needed drugs , even after his doctors disclosed over the weekend that the President had been administered steroids , supplemental oxygen and an experimental antibody treatment .
“ I could have been out of the hospital in one day , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump shared a video on Wednesday , saying that getting COVID-19 was possibly a “ blessing from God , ” even as more than 210,000 people who contracted the virus in the United States have subsequently died from it .
Although he has been widely criticized for flouting the guidance of scientists to mitigate the spread of coronavirus , Trump appeared to throw his hands up on Thursday — further shirking all responsibility for mocking masks and refusing to wear one himself by suggesting that even lawmakers he ’ s seen who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” have been infected with coronavirus .
“ Remember this , when you catch it , you get better , then you are immune , ” Trump said .

President Donald Trump on Thursday continued to offer false statements about the seriousness of coronavirus, suggesting that “when you catch it, you get better, then you are immune.”
“I’m back because I am perfect physical specimen and I’m extremely young,” Trump joked to Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, floating that a sparkling health record was the reason for his quick recovery. “I’m lucky in that way.”
The President bragged that he had none of the comorbidities that have put many Americans at risk, including heart problems and diabetes that have caused serious complications in treatment for the disease — at times ending in death.
The President repeatedly gushed to Bartiromo that he was “in good health,” suggesting that his worst health problem was a few extra pounds. Trump insisted that he hadn’t really needed drugs, even after his doctors disclosed over the weekend that the President had been administered steroids, supplemental oxygen and an experimental antibody treatment.
“I could have been out of the hospital in one day,” Trump said.
The comments come after President Trump shared a video on Wednesday, saying that getting COVID-19 was possibly a “blessing from God,” even as more than 210,000 people who contracted the virus in the United States have subsequently died from it.
Although he has been widely criticized for flouting the guidance of scientists to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, Trump appeared to throw his hands up on Thursday — further shirking all responsibility for mocking masks and refusing to wear one himself by suggesting that even lawmakers he’s seen who “wore a mask all the time” have been infected with coronavirus.
“Remember this, when you catch it, you get better, then you are immune,” Trump said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-08--Report: Trump Plans To Hit The Campaign Trail Again As Soon As Monday

President Donald Trump , fresh out of the hospital and currently still infected with COVID-19 , reportedly aims to return @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
According to Bloomberg and ABC News , the Trump campaign has begun hammering @ @ @ @ @ visit Pennsylvania that day .
Bloomberg reported that Trump is also planning to stop in @ @ @ @ @ Florida on Friday .
Those exact plans have reportedly not been finalized .
However , @ @ @ @ @ announced on Thursday morning that the President will be holding a rally instead of participating @ @ @ @ @ Democratic candidate Joe Biden on October 15 in response to the Commission on Presidential Debates @ @ @ @ @ debate to a virtual format out of safety concerns .
Several hours after leaving Walter @ @ @ @ @ , Trump vowed he would be “ back on the Campaign Trail soon !
!
@ @

President Donald Trump, fresh out of the hospital and currently still infected with COVID-19, reportedly aims to return to the campaign trail on Monday.
According to Bloomberg and ABC News, the Trump campaign has begun hammering out plans for Trump to visit Pennsylvania that day.
Bloomberg reported that Trump is also planning to stop in Michigan on Tuesday and potentially Florida on Friday.
Those exact plans have reportedly not been finalized. However, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien announced on Thursday morning that the President will be holding a rally instead of participating in the upcoming debate with Democratic candidate Joe Biden on October 15 in response to the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) changing the debate to a virtual format out of safety concerns.
Several hours after leaving Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday, Trump vowed he would be “back on the Campaign Trail soon!!!”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--Trump Camp Claims There Is ‘No Medical Reason’ For Virtual Debate

The Trump campaign has called for next week ’ s presidential debate to take place in person as it had originally been planned after a statement from White House physician Dr. Sean Conley appeared to clear him for a return to public engagements .
The statement released late Thursday said that there was “ no medical reason why the Commission on Presidential Debates should shift the debate to a virtual setting , postpone it or otherwise alter it in any way.
” “ The commission must stop protecting Joe Biden from this in-person debate and allow the event to proceed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Trump ’ s reelection campaign said .
“ The American people can see through this obvious attempt to shield Biden from another shellacking like he got two weeks ago in Cleveland and the CPD must reverse course and let the debate proceed.
” The statement comes after President Donald Trump told Fox News early Wednesday that he would not participate in a virtual debate after the commission said the two candidates would join the second presidential debate remotely while its moderator and town hall participants convened in Miami in consultation with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and safety of all involved.
” “ I ’ m not going to do a virtual debate , ” Trump told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo on Thursday morning dismissing a measure that was installed after Trump staffers and his family appeared at the debate hall in Ohio last month and largely refused to wear masks .
Days later the President tested positive for coronavirus and a ripple of cases have spread throughout the White House .
The Biden campaign later on Thursday scheduled a town hall with ABC News on Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled town hall debate with Trump .
But in a statement on Thursday night , Conley said that Trump “ has responded extremely well to treatment , ” adding that Saturday would mark 10 days since Trump ’ s diagnosis last Thursday .
“ Based on the trajectory of advanced diagnostics the team has been conducting , I fully anticipate the President ’ s safe return to public engagements at that time , ” Conley said .
But it ’ s still unclear whether Trump has formally tested negative for COVID-19 since he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a key indicator — identified by the CDC — to determine whether or not a person previously infected with coronavirus remains contagious .
Conley ’ s memo did not explicitly say if a negative test had been obtained and Trump dodged a question from Fox News host Sean Hannity on the issue when asked directly about it on Thursday night .
Conley ’ s comments also appeared to contradict earlier statements made by the White House doctor , who on Monday suggested that President Trump might be at risk through Saturday and Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this weekend , ” he told reporters during a news conference at that time .
“ If we can get through to Monday , with him remaining the same — or improving , better yet — then we will all take that final deep sigh of relief.
” The sudden shift in Trump ’ s recovery timeline points at the possibility of White House pressure to medically clear the President for public activity again amid the President ’ s resistance to a virtual debate where he is unable to rely on familiar bullying @ @

The Trump campaign has called for next week’s presidential debate to take place in person as it had originally been planned after a statement from White House physician Dr. Sean Conley appeared to clear him for a return to public engagements.
The statement released late Thursday said that there was “no medical reason why the Commission on Presidential Debates should shift the debate to a virtual setting, postpone it or otherwise alter it in any way.”
“The commission must stop protecting Joe Biden from this in-person debate and allow the event to proceed as it was agreed to months ago,” Trump’s reelection campaign said. “The American people can see through this obvious attempt to shield Biden from another shellacking like he got two weeks ago in Cleveland and the CPD must reverse course and let the debate proceed.”
The statement comes after President Donald Trump told Fox News early Wednesday that he would not participate in a virtual debate after the commission said the two candidates would join the second presidential debate remotely while its moderator and town hall participants convened in Miami in consultation with the Cleveland Clinic “to protect the health and safety of all involved.”
“I’m not going to do a virtual debate,” Trump told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo on Thursday morning dismissing a measure that was installed after Trump staffers and his family appeared at the debate hall in Ohio last month and largely refused to wear masks. Days later the President tested positive for coronavirus and a ripple of cases have spread throughout the White House.
The Biden campaign later on Thursday scheduled a town hall with ABC News on Oct. 15, the night of the originally scheduled town hall debate with Trump.
But in a statement on Thursday night, Conley said that Trump “has responded extremely well to treatment,” adding that Saturday would mark 10 days since Trump’s diagnosis last Thursday.
“Based on the trajectory of advanced diagnostics the team has been conducting, I fully anticipate the President’s safe return to public engagements at that time,” Conley said.
But it’s still unclear whether Trump has formally tested negative for COVID-19 since he began his recovery. The test is a key indicator — identified by the CDC — to determine whether or not a person previously infected with coronavirus remains contagious.
Conley’s memo did not explicitly say if a negative test had been obtained and Trump dodged a question from Fox News host Sean Hannity on the issue when asked directly about it on Thursday night.
Conley’s comments also appeared to contradict earlier statements made by the White House doctor, who on Monday suggested that President Trump might be at risk through Saturday and Sunday.
“We’re looking to this weekend,” he told reporters during a news conference at that time. “If we can get through to Monday, with him remaining the same — or improving, better yet — then we will all take that final deep sigh of relief.”
The sudden shift in Trump’s recovery timeline points at the possibility of White House pressure to medically clear the President for public activity again amid the President’s resistance to a virtual debate where he is unable to rely on familiar bullying tactics.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--Trump Says He Plans On Holding Rally On Saturday, Won’t Say If He’s Tested Negative

President Donald Trump on Thursday night mentioned a possible campaign rally on Saturday but got cagey when asked whether he ’ d tested negative for COVID-19 since he was diagnosed with the virus a week ago .
When Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Trump if he had taken a test recently , the President merely said he had seen his doctors earlier that day , who “ think I ’ m in great shape.
” Trump flatly ignored the question and launched into a speech touting the wonders of the antibody he had taken created by the biotech company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President stated he planned on returning to the campaign trail as soon as Saturday “ if we have enough time to put it together.
” “ We want to do a rally probably in Florida on Saturday night .
We might come back and do one in Pennsylvania the following night , ” Trump told Hannity , claiming he feels “ so good.
” Hannity tried again one last time : “ Have you had a test since your diagnosis a week ago ?
” Trump dodged again , saying only that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a test on Saturday , which he called “ the actual test , ” and argued that “ there ’ s no reason to test all the time.
” The President then said doctors had found “ found very little infection or virus , if any , ” though he wasn ’ t clear on when exactly that test was taken .
“ I don ’ t know if they found any .
I didn ’ t go into it greatly with the doctors , ” Trump told Hannity .
A potential rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first in-person rally since he was diagnosed on Thursday .
However , Trump also plans on doing a “ virtual rally ” during conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh ’ s program on Friday .

President Donald Trump on Thursday night mentioned a possible campaign rally on Saturday but got cagey when asked whether he’d tested negative for COVID-19 since he was diagnosed with the virus a week ago.
When Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Trump if he had taken a test recently, the President merely said he had seen his doctors earlier that day, who “think I’m in great shape.”
“Did you test negative?” Hannity inquired.
Trump flatly ignored the question and launched into a speech touting the wonders of the antibody he had taken created by the biotech company Regeneron while he was hospitalized.
Then the President stated he planned on returning to the campaign trail as soon as Saturday “if we have enough time to put it together.”
“We want to do a rally probably in Florida on Saturday night. We might come back and do one in Pennsylvania the following night,” Trump told Hannity, claiming he feels “so good.”
Hannity tried again one last time: “Have you had a test since your diagnosis a week ago?”
Trump dodged again, saying only that he’ll “probably” take a test on Saturday, which he called “the actual test,” and argued that “there’s no reason to test all the time.”
The President then said doctors had found “found very little infection or virus, if any,” though he wasn’t clear on when exactly that test was taken.
“I don’t know if they found any. I didn’t go into it greatly with the doctors,” Trump told Hannity.
A potential rally on Saturday would be the President’s first in-person rally since he was diagnosed on Thursday. However, Trump also plans on doing a “virtual rally” during conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh’s program on Friday.
Listen to Trump below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--As Vaccine Before Election Fades, Trump Falsely Touts New Drug As COVID “Cure”

Trump calls it Regeneron , though that ’ s the name of the company , not the drug , and claims that it not only “ cured ” him of COVID , but it ’ ll “ cure ” you as well .
The President has shifted from hyping a vaccine to the drug he himself was treated with : a monoclonal antibody treatment designed to prevent the virus from infecting human cells .
The huckster-in-chief ’ s little-noticed shift from a rushed vaccine to a new elixir comes as hopes for a pre-election vaccine began to fade this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shot that would push any approval past the November election .
“ I think we should have [ a vaccine ] before the election , but frankly the politics gets involved , ” Trump lamented in a video this week .
By Friday morning , Trump was pumping it up to Rush Limbaugh : “ We have a cure .
More than just a therapeutic , we have a cure.
” Regeneron ’ s cutting-edge drug isn ’ t a vaccine , nor is it a cure .
It ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though promising .
But that hasn ’ t stopped Trump from touting it , and making himself Exhibit A for the false proposition that it ’ s a cure .
Presidential son Eric Trump went so far on Wednesday in a Georgia talk radio interview to describe Regeneron ’ s drug as a vaccine , saying that “ there ’ s never been vaccines created so quickly.
” “ My father was just on one of them , ” he added .
“ It knocked it out in 24 hours.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , scientists say , holds high hopes treating COVID patients .
Regeneron asked the FDA for emergency approval on Thursday , while Eli Lilly , which has a similar treatment , asked for the same emergency authorization on Wednesday .
The FDA has yet to verify data around the new drugs , and they have yet to undergo large-scale trials proving that they work safely .
Within a day of the FDA announcing that it would use criteria to evaluate a COVID vaccine that would push its approval until after the November elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure the FDA to accelerate approval of the Regeneron treatment .
The Washington Post reported that both the President and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows have been pressuring FDA head Stephen Hahn to approve the emergency use petitions from Regeneron and Eli Lilly .
Trump also told Limbaugh on Friday that “ hundreds of thousands of vials [ of Regeneron ’ s antibody treatment ] are being sent to hospitals around the country.
” That appears to be a Trumpian version of an announcement that officials with Operation Warp Speed , the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a Friday morning press call .
On the call , Warp Speed official Paul Mango said that the government had bought “ a couple of hundred thousand ” doses of the drugs , and would have 1 million ready to go by the end of the year for distribution , should they prove effective .
It ’ s not entirely clear why Trump thinks the drug is so effective .
Some of the government ’ s top advisers have repudiated him , including Dr. Tony Fauci , who told MSNBC on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you can ’ t make the determination that that ’ s a cure.
” “ You have to do a clinical trial involving a large number of individuals compared either to a placebo or another intervention , ” he said .

There’s a new pre-election COVID miracle in town.
Trump calls it Regeneron, though that’s the name of the company, not the drug, and claims that it not only “cured” him of COVID, but it’ll “cure” you as well.
The President has shifted from hyping a vaccine to the drug he himself was treated with: a monoclonal antibody treatment designed to prevent the virus from infecting human cells.
The huckster-in-chief’s little-noticed shift from a rushed vaccine to a new elixir comes as hopes for a pre-election vaccine began to fade this week when the FDA announced criteria for evaluating a shot that would push any approval past the November election.
“I think we should have [a vaccine] before the election, but frankly the politics gets involved,” Trump lamented in a video this week.
By Friday morning, Trump was pumping it up to Rush Limbaugh: “We have a cure. More than just a therapeutic, we have a cure.”
Regeneron’s cutting-edge drug isn’t a vaccine, nor is it a cure. It’s a treatment, and one that remains unproven, though promising.
But that hasn’t stopped Trump from touting it, and making himself Exhibit A for the false proposition that it’s a cure.
Presidential son Eric Trump went so far on Wednesday in a Georgia talk radio interview to describe Regeneron’s drug as a vaccine, saying that “there’s never been vaccines created so quickly.”
“My father was just on one of them,” he added. “It knocked it out in 24 hours.”
The actual drug is an experimental treatment that, scientists say, holds high hopes treating COVID patients. Regeneron asked the FDA for emergency approval on Thursday, while Eli Lilly, which has a similar treatment, asked for the same emergency authorization on Wednesday.
The FDA has yet to verify data around the new drugs, and they have yet to undergo large-scale trials proving that they work safely.
Within a day of the FDA announcing that it would use criteria to evaluate a COVID vaccine that would push its approval until after the November elections, Trump and his advisers began to pressure the FDA to accelerate approval of the Regeneron treatment.
The Washington Post reported that both the President and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows have been pressuring FDA head Stephen Hahn to approve the emergency use petitions from Regeneron and Eli Lilly.
Trump also told Limbaugh on Friday that “hundreds of thousands of vials [of Regeneron’s antibody treatment] are being sent to hospitals around the country.”
That appears to be a Trumpian version of an announcement that officials with Operation Warp Speed, the administration’s vaccine development program, made on a Friday morning press call.
On the call, Warp Speed official Paul Mango said that the government had bought “a couple of hundred thousand” doses of the drugs, and would have 1 million ready to go by the end of the year for distribution, should they prove effective.
It’s not entirely clear why Trump thinks the drug is so effective.
Some of the government’s top advisers have repudiated him, including Dr. Tony Fauci, who told MSNBC on Thursday that “when you only have one, you can’t make the determination that that’s a cure.”
“You have to do a clinical trial involving a large number of individuals compared either to a placebo or another intervention,” he said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

ICYMI: Your TPM Weekend News Roundup

The President And The Virus • President Trump has kept a low profile this week as he continues to confront his coronavirus infection .
But his Twitter account has been unusually active — even for him .
• Trump started the week by going on a tear of mostly all-caps tweets , leading to some speculation among medical experts that the steroid drug treatment he was receiving resulted in a form of mania .
• The President left Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday , returning to the White House to stage a maskless , strongman stunt on the balcony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , we haven ’ t seen Trump in person .
He has posted a number of videos on Twitter boasting about how great he feels , and has called into Fox News on a number of occasions .
• After White House physician Dr. Sean Conley cleared the President to hold in-person events as early as Saturday , Trump told Hannity that he expected to hold a rally over the weekend .
But the White House poured cold water on Trump ’ s travel plans .
Instead , Trump will reportedly appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , where he plans to stage another of his infamous balcony moments .
• You ’ d be forgiven if the only exchange you remember from the the vice presidential debate on Wednesday was between a rogue fly and Vice President Pence ’ s head .
• But the more conventional affair — at least compared to the Trump-fueled chaos during the first presidential debate — produced a number of revealing moments .
Pence borrowed a line from his boss and refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Pence also drew on his experience as a talk radio host .
Instead of answering the questions posed to him by moderator Susan Page of USA Today , the veep simply changed the topic time and time again .
• Speaking of debates , the future of them remains in doubt after Trump refused to participate in the second debate , scheduled for next week , which was moved to a virtual format as a safety precaution .
For obvious reasons .
• The FBI thwarted an alleged right-wing militia plot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authorities announced on Thursday .
• One of the alleged plotters described the operation as a “ snatch and grab , ” and the plot allegedly involved surveilling Whitmer ’ s vacation home .
• A total of 13 people face charges for the alleged plot : six men face federal charges and seven men face state charges .
• TPM ’ s Matt Shuham published this helpful explainer on the still-unfolding story .
• In her first public comments after news of the alleged plot broke , Gov .
Whitmer went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy .
She linked Trump ’ s rhetoric to the alleged plot .
“ Hate groups heard the President ’ s words not as a rebuke but as a rallying cry , as a call to action , ” Whitmer said .
Is this feature useful ?
Let us know .

Start your day with TPM.
The President And The Virus
President Trump has kept a low profile this week as he continues to confront his coronavirus infection. But his Twitter account has been unusually active — even for him.
Trump started the week by going on a tear of mostly all-caps tweets, leading to some speculation among medical experts that the steroid drug treatment he was receiving resulted in a form of mania.
The President left Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday, returning to the White House to stage a maskless, strongman stunt on the balcony of the White House.
Since then, we haven’t seen Trump in person. He has posted a number of videos on Twitter boasting about how great he feels, and has called into Fox News on a number of occasions.
After White House physician Dr. Sean Conley cleared the President to hold in-person events as early as Saturday, Trump told Hannity that he expected to hold a rally over the weekend. But the White House poured cold water on Trump’s travel plans. Instead, Trump will reportedly appear live on Saturday at an event at the White House, where he plans to stage another of his infamous balcony moments.
The VP Debate … Flies By
You’d be forgiven if the only exchange you remember from the the vice presidential debate on Wednesday was between a rogue fly and Vice President Pence’s head.
But the more conventional affair — at least compared to the Trump-fueled chaos during the first presidential debate — produced a number of revealing moments. Pence borrowed a line from his boss and refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he and Trump lose in November.
Pence also drew on his experience as a talk radio host. Instead of answering the questions posed to him by moderator Susan Page of USA Today, the veep simply changed the topic time and time again.
Speaking of debates, the future of them remains in doubt after Trump refused to participate in the second debate, scheduled for next week, which was moved to a virtual format as a safety precaution. For obvious reasons.
A Terrifying Plot Thwarted
The FBI thwarted an alleged right-wing militia plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, authorities announced on Thursday.
One of the alleged plotters described the operation as a “snatch and grab,” and the plot allegedly involved surveilling Whitmer’s vacation home.
A total of 13 people face charges for the alleged plot: six men face federal charges and seven men face state charges.
TPM’s Matt Shuham published this helpful explainer on the still-unfolding story.
In her first public comments after news of the alleged plot broke, Gov. Whitmer went after Trump for his refusal to condemn white supremacy. She linked Trump’s rhetoric to the alleged plot. “Hate groups heard the President’s words not as a rebuke but as a rallying cry, as a call to action,” Whitmer said.
Is this feature useful? Let us know.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--In Alleged Plot To Kidnap Guv, Confidential Sources Captured Every Word

The alleged ringleader of a plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan gathered several other men at his business .
They were there to discuss plans for storming the state ’ s capitol using firearms and Molotov cocktails .
But before the planning began , the ringleader opened a trap door hidden under a rug .
He led the group to the business ’ s basement .
And then he collected everyone ’ s phones in a box and took it away .
It was an elaborate attempt to cut off any eavesdroppers .
An unnamed “ confidential human source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recording device and captured the meeting on tape , according to an FBI agent ’ s affidavit describing the events .
The spectacular downfall of an alleged kidnapping plot highlighted the central role of anonymous players : Undercover law enforcement officers and confidential human sources .
As a result of their work , six men now face federal charges for the alleged kidnapping plot , and seven more face a slew of terrorism , firearm and gang-related charges at the state level .
According to the affidavit , a member of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI source first flagged the militia ’ s potential to target law enforcement offices all the way back in March .
In June , when alleged ringleader Adam Fox and others began discussing plans to attack the capitol building — and later , to kidnap the governor from her vacation home — confidential human sources were present almost constantly .
“ They had multiple confidential human sources , they had undercover agents involved in this , they felt comfortable enough letting this play out while they monitored it , ” James Gagliano , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to work undercover , told TPM .
The confidential human source in Fox ’ s basement , referred to as CHS-2 in the affidavit , is one of two cited in the report and is cited dozens of times : The sources were there at the earliest meeting between several ( eventual ) alleged kidnapping plotters in Ohio , where several in attendance allegedly mused about “ taking ” a sitting governor .
The sources attended field-training exercises with militia members and meetings in which they allegedly plotted their attack of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources were there when members of the conspiracy allegedly assembled and tested improvised explosive devices .
The data collection happened over the phone as well : Fox allegedly told CHS-2 in a phone call in June that he needed 200 men to storm the capitol building , take the governor hostage and put her on trial for “ treason ” before the November elections .
A month later , he allegedly expressed frustration to CHS-2 that he had not heard back from the “ baker ” and mused “ maybe we should just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them out ” — apparent references to explosives .
The confidential sources even recorded the group ’ s concern about being infiltrated by confidential sources .
The plotters at one point switched to a new encrypted messaging app , but CHS-2 was still with them , reading and responding to the messages .
Eventually , multiple undercover law enforcement employees , UCEs , are also described in the affidavit as being present overnight on Sept. 12 , as the plotters allegedly surveilled Whitmer ’ s home , tested an IED , checked out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and discussed the schedule for final training exercises .
UCEs are generally viewed as more credible on the witness stand than CHSs , who aren ’ t law enforcement officers , but it takes time to find the right undercover cop — with the right accent , regional knowledge , and specialties — to get the job done .
“ A case like this would absolutely be fast-tracked , ” Gagliano said .
“ Yes , this is going to get attention , yes resources are going to be pushed toward it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult it is to introduce undercover agents.
” “ Those types of steps , they are methodical and you ’ ve got to be exceedingly careful , ” he added .
“ These people know they are breaking the law .
They know that they ’ re advocating for sedition .
They know if they get caught they ’ re going to be facing long jail terms .
So , they ’ re going to be exceedingly cautious , so the last thing you want to do in a situation like this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realm to the undercover agent realm.
” The confidential sources represented a big investment on a high-profile case , Gagliano told TPM .
He said he couldn ’ t “ fathom ” that Attorney General William Barr wasn ’ t briefed on the developing investigation .
( A DOJ spokesperson told CNN Thursday that Barr was briefed on the imminent case earlier this week . )
And authorities and experts have noted the immense scope of the operation : More than 200 law enforcement officials were involved in the case , Michigan ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement Thursday .
A spokesperson for the Michigan State Police told TPM that service of arrest and search warrants Wednesday constituted “ the largest single-day operation that the MSP had been involved in.
” Mark Pitcavage , an extremism researcher at the Anti-Defamation League , noted that he couldn ’ t recall another militia-related incident in which 13 people were arrested .
In this case , the confidential sources were there until the end .
In a group chat on Oct. 7 , according to the affidavit , several of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with someone “ to make a payment on explosives and exchange tactical gear.
” That someone turned out to be an undercover officer , too .
Within a day , the plotters were behind bars .

The alleged ringleader of a plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan gathered several other men at his business. They were there to discuss plans for storming the state’s capitol using firearms and Molotov cocktails.
But before the planning began, the ringleader opened a trap door hidden under a rug. He led the group to the business’s basement. And then he collected everyone’s phones in a box and took it away. It was an elaborate attempt to cut off any eavesdroppers.
He failed.
An unnamed “confidential human source,” or CHS, was wearing a recording device and captured the meeting on tape, according to an FBI agent’s affidavit describing the events.
The spectacular downfall of an alleged kidnapping plot highlighted the central role of anonymous players: Undercover law enforcement officers and confidential human sources. As a result of their work, six men now face federal charges for the alleged kidnapping plot, and seven more face a slew of terrorism, firearm and gang-related charges at the state level.
According to the affidavit, a member of an unnamed militia who later became a confidential FBI source first flagged the militia’s potential to target law enforcement offices all the way back in March. In June, when alleged ringleader Adam Fox and others began discussing plans to attack the capitol building — and later, to kidnap the governor from her vacation home — confidential human sources were present almost constantly.
“They had multiple confidential human sources, they had undercover agents involved in this, they felt comfortable enough letting this play out while they monitored it,” James Gagliano, a retired FBI supervisory special agent who used to work undercover, told TPM.
The confidential human source in Fox’s basement, referred to as CHS-2 in the affidavit, is one of two cited in the report and is cited dozens of times: The sources were there at the earliest meeting between several (eventual) alleged kidnapping plotters in Ohio, where several in attendance allegedly mused about “taking” a sitting governor. The sources attended field-training exercises with militia members and meetings in which they allegedly plotted their attack of the governor’s vacation home. The sources were there when members of the conspiracy allegedly assembled and tested improvised explosive devices.
The data collection happened over the phone as well: Fox allegedly told CHS-2 in a phone call in June that he needed 200 men to storm the capitol building, take the governor hostage and put her on trial for “treason” before the November elections. A month later, he allegedly expressed frustration to CHS-2 that he had not heard back from the “baker” and mused “maybe we should just make a bunch of cupcakes and send them out” — apparent references to explosives.
The confidential sources even recorded the group’s concern about being infiltrated by confidential sources. The plotters at one point switched to a new encrypted messaging app, but CHS-2 was still with them, reading and responding to the messages.
Eventually, multiple undercover law enforcement employees, UCEs, are also described in the affidavit as being present overnight on Sept. 12, as the plotters allegedly surveilled Whitmer’s home, tested an IED, checked out a bridge they were considering blowing up, and discussed the schedule for final training exercises.
UCEs are generally viewed as more credible on the witness stand than CHSs, who aren’t law enforcement officers, but it takes time to find the right undercover cop — with the right accent, regional knowledge, and specialties — to get the job done.
“A case like this would absolutely be fast-tracked,” Gagliano said. “Yes, this is going to get attention, yes resources are going to be pushed toward it — but you have to understand how difficult it is to introduce undercover agents.”
“Those types of steps, they are methodical and you’ve got to be exceedingly careful,” he added. “These people know they are breaking the law. They know that they’re advocating for sedition. They know if they get caught they’re going to be facing long jail terms. So, they’re going to be exceedingly cautious, so the last thing you want to do in a situation like this is rush to move it from the CHS realm to the undercover agent realm.”
The confidential sources represented a big investment on a high-profile case, Gagliano told TPM. He said he couldn’t “fathom” that Attorney General William Barr wasn’t briefed on the developing investigation. (A DOJ spokesperson told CNN Thursday that Barr was briefed on the imminent case earlier this week.)
And authorities and experts have noted the immense scope of the operation: More than 200 law enforcement officials were involved in the case, Michigan’s attorney general’s office said in a statement Thursday. A spokesperson for the Michigan State Police told TPM that service of arrest and search warrants Wednesday constituted “the largest single-day operation that the MSP had been involved in.”
Mark Pitcavage, an extremism researcher at the Anti-Defamation League, noted that he couldn’t recall another militia-related incident in which 13 people were arrested.
In this case, the confidential sources were there until the end.
In a group chat on Oct. 7, according to the affidavit, several of the accused plotters indicated they planned to meet with someone “to make a payment on explosives and exchange tactical gear.” That someone turned out to be an undercover officer, too. Within a day, the plotters were behind bars.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--WaPo Details Security Firm’s Plans To Send Ex-Special Ops Personnel To Polling Places

Election officials in Minnesota learned of a private security firm ’ s plan to deploy ex-U.S. military special ops personnel to polling places only because a Washington Post reporter reached out to ask the officials about it .
Anthony Caudle , the chairman and co-founder of security firm Atlas Aegis told the Washington Post that he was recruiting the private security forces on behalf of a consortium of businesses and “ concerned citizens ” that Caudle refused to name .
Caudle said they were being hired to make sure that the “ Antifas don ’ t try to destroy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post that voters would not be intimidated by the sight of former military personnel at the their polling places .
Minneapolis ’ top election official Casey Carl disagreed , and told the Post the private security forces were not authorized to be at polling places .
Secretary of State Scott Simon , likewise , said the presence of private security forces would make “ things more difficult ” in the event that there was some sort of unrest at a polling place .
“ It ’ s not a good use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arm themselves or others at or near a polling place , ” Simon said , according to the Post .
Neither Simon nor Carl were aware of the recruitment effort , which was advertised on a defense industry job listing site , SpecOpsNet.org , when the Post reached out about the plans .
The listing sought specifically a class of ex-military officials designated for the most elite special forces , the Post said .
Longstanding concerns about vigilante poll watchers and the threat of voter intimidation they present have been taken to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has doubled down on rhetoric , which he also employed in 2016 , calling for his supporters to show up to polling places to watch for supposed fraud .
His campaign has sued in court to expand its abilities to deploy poll watchers to voting sites .
Meanwhile , November ’ s election will be the first presidential contest where the Republican National Committee can participate in poll watching activities without first getting the permission of a judge , after the 2018 expiration of a decades-old consent decree .
The decree stemmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops to patrol minority neighborhoods during a 1981 New Jersey gubernatorial election .
The Trump campaign denied to the Post any awareness or involvement in the Atlas Aegis effort .
More broadly , the campaign and the RNC have stressed that they plan to diligently follow the rules around poll watching , which can serve a legitimate function for campaigns to monitor that election procedures are being followed .
Atlas Aegis ’ plans appear less geared at observing vote casting itself , according to the Washington Post report , which quoted its job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election polls , local businesses and residences from looting and destruction.
” It is against state law for anyone besides voters , election officials , and those certified to serve as “ challengers ” to be within 100 feet of a Minneapolis polling place , according to the Post .
The Post also pointed to voter intimidation laws that the private security force may be in violation of , depending on its activities .
Caudle would not tell the Post where exactly his firm planned to send the “ large contingent ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was focused specifically on recruiting ex-special ops personnel because “ they have a better understanding of how to defuse a situation .
”

Election officials in Minnesota learned of a private security firm’s plan to deploy ex-U.S. military special ops personnel to polling places only because a Washington Post reporter reached out to ask the officials about it.
Anthony Caudle, the chairman and co-founder of security firm Atlas Aegis told the Washington Post that he was recruiting the private security forces on behalf of a consortium of businesses and “concerned citizens” that Caudle refused to name.
Caudle said they were being hired to make sure that the “Antifas don’t try to destroy the election sites,” while insisting to the Post that voters would not be intimidated by the sight of former military personnel at the their polling places.
Minneapolis’ top election official Casey Carl disagreed, and told the Post the private security forces were not authorized to be at polling places. Secretary of State Scott Simon, likewise, said the presence of private security forces would make “things more difficult” in the event that there was some sort of unrest at a polling place.
“It’s not a good use of people’s time and money to arm themselves or others at or near a polling place,” Simon said, according to the Post.
Neither Simon nor Carl were aware of the recruitment effort, which was advertised on a defense industry job listing site, SpecOpsNet.org, when the Post reached out about the plans. The listing sought specifically a class of ex-military officials designated for the most elite special forces, the Post said.
Longstanding concerns about vigilante poll watchers and the threat of voter intimidation they present have been taken to the next level this election cycle.
President Trump has doubled down on rhetoric, which he also employed in 2016, calling for his supporters to show up to polling places to watch for supposed fraud.
His campaign has sued in court to expand its abilities to deploy poll watchers to voting sites. Meanwhile, November’s election will be the first presidential contest where the Republican National Committee can participate in poll watching activities without first getting the permission of a judge, after the 2018 expiration of a decades-old consent decree. The decree stemmed from accusations that the GOP deployed off-duty cops to patrol minority neighborhoods during a 1981 New Jersey gubernatorial election.
The Trump campaign denied to the Post any awareness or involvement in the Atlas Aegis effort. More broadly, the campaign and the RNC have stressed that they plan to diligently follow the rules around poll watching, which can serve a legitimate function for campaigns to monitor that election procedures are being followed.
Atlas Aegis’ plans appear less geared at observing vote casting itself, according to the Washington Post report, which quoted its job listing seeking security staff to “protect election polls, local businesses and residences from looting and destruction.”
It is against state law for anyone besides voters, election officials, and those certified to serve as “challengers” to be within 100 feet of a Minneapolis polling place, according to the Post. The Post also pointed to voter intimidation laws that the private security force may be in violation of, depending on its activities.
Caudle would not tell the Post where exactly his firm planned to send the “large contingent” of ex-military officials. He said his firm was focused specifically on recruiting ex-special ops personnel because “they have a better understanding of how to defuse a situation.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--Sheriff Shrugs Off Alleged Whitmer Kidnapping Plot, Suggests It Might’ve Been Citizen’s Arrest

Sheriff Dar Leaf of Barry County , Michigan downplayed an alleged far-right scheme to kidnap and “ try ” Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ( D ) for “ treason ” during an astonishing interview on Friday .
Leaf was seen sharing the stage with William Null , one of the 13 men who have been charged by the feds over the alleged terrorist plot , during a protest against Whitmer ’ s stay-at-home order in May .
Asked by local media outlet FOX 17 if he has any regrets about rubbing shoulders with Null earlier this year , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a charge.
” Then he tried to suggest the whole thing might ’ ve merely been an attempt by the defendants to do their civic duty .
“ Are they trying to kidnap ?
‘ Cause a lot of people are angry with the governor and they want her arrested , ” Leaf said .
“ So are they trying to arrest , or was it a kidnap attempt ?
” “ Because you can still , in Michigan if it ’ s a felony , you can make a felony arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Michigan law on citizens ’ arrests .
“ Doesn ’ t say if you ’ re in elected office , you ’ re exempt from that arrest .
So I have to look at it from that angle , ” he said .
“ I ’ m hoping that ’ s more what it is .
In fact , these guys are innocent until proven guilty , so I ’ m not even sure they had any part in it.
” HuffPost reported later on Friday that Leaf is affiliated with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is founded on the belief that sheriffs outrank state and federal officials in their counties .
The group has ties to right-wing militias .
An FBI affidavit and statements by law enforcement this week painted a chilling portrait of 13 men who were behind the alleged kidnapping scheme , some of whom were members of a right-wing militia group known as the Wolverine Watchmen .
The men allegedly devised an intricate conspiracy to “ snatch and grab ” Whitmer at her vacation home and put her on “ trial ” in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They allegedly believed she had committed “ treason ” with her emergency restrictions on businesses and schools to protect against COVID-19 .
Whitmer called the suspects “ sick and depraved ” and said that she “ never could have imagined anything like this .
”

Sheriff Dar Leaf of Barry County, Michigan downplayed an alleged far-right scheme to kidnap and “try” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) for “treason” during an astonishing interview on Friday.
Leaf was seen sharing the stage with William Null, one of the 13 men who have been charged by the feds over the alleged terrorist plot, during a protest against Whitmer’s stay-at-home order in May. Asked by local media outlet FOX 17 if he has any regrets about rubbing shoulders with Null earlier this year, the sheriff said the alleged conspiracy was “just a charge.”
Then he tried to suggest the whole thing might’ve merely been an attempt by the defendants to do their civic duty.
“Are they trying to kidnap? ‘Cause a lot of people are angry with the governor and they want her arrested,” Leaf said. “So are they trying to arrest, or was it a kidnap attempt?”
“Because you can still, in Michigan if it’s a felony, you can make a felony arrest,” the sheriff continued, citing a Michigan law on citizens’ arrests.
“Doesn’t say if you’re in elected office, you’re exempt from that arrest. So I have to look at it from that angle,” he said. “I’m hoping that’s more what it is. In fact, these guys are innocent until proven guilty, so I’m not even sure they had any part in it.”
HuffPost reported later on Friday that Leaf is affiliated with the extremist “constitutional sheriffs” movement, which is founded on the belief that sheriffs outrank state and federal officials in their counties. The group has ties to right-wing militias.
An FBI affidavit and statements by law enforcement this week painted a chilling portrait of 13 men who were behind the alleged kidnapping scheme, some of whom were members of a right-wing militia group known as the Wolverine Watchmen. The men allegedly devised an intricate conspiracy to “snatch and grab” Whitmer at her vacation home and put her on “trial” in a “secure location” in Wisconsin. They allegedly believed she had committed “treason” with her emergency restrictions on businesses and schools to protect against COVID-19.
Whitmer called the suspects “sick and depraved” and said that she “never could have imagined anything like this.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--Judge Nixes Trump Camp Bid To Send Poll Watchers To PA ‘Satellite’ Voting Sites

A state court judge in Philadelphia rejected Friday a request by the Trump campaign that it be allowed to send poll watchers to so-called “ satellite ” election sites , where voters can simultaneously apply for and then submit mail-in ballots .
The lawsuit was filed against the Philadelphia County Board of Elections after President Trump complained that Philadelphia election officials blocked his supporters from observing voting at one such site .
“ Bad things happen in Philadelphia , bad things , ” Trump claimed during the first presidential debate , as part of his broader rhetoric stirring baseless fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign had yet to certify any of its poll watchers at the time of the episode , the Philadelphia Inquirer reported at the time , and Friday ’ s opinion backed up a widely-held interpretation of state election law that said election officials were not obligated to allow poll watchers to observe voting at satellite sites .
The satellites sites were created in a sweeping election overhaul bill passed last year that reformed several aspects of voting in Pennsylvania , well before the pandemic .
The satellite sites , which can open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a one-stop shop for Pennsylvanians to register to vote , apply for mail-in ballots , fill out those ballots and then submit them .
In his opinion Friday , Judge Gary Glazer said that satellite sites did not fit into the clearly defined categories in state law for poll watching activities .
Glazer noted that in the 2019 legislation , as well as in the more recent voting reforms enacted this year because of the pandemic , lawmakers showed they were aware of poll watchers and even gave watchers the ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots .
But neither of those bills gave poll watchers the permission to watch the “ ministerial activities ” around mail-in voting that happen at satellite sites , the judge said .
“ For this court to read into Election Code the right of watchers to be present in Board of Elections ’ offices , which the Legislature did not expressly provide , would be the worst sort of judicial activism , ” Glazer said .
“ This court will not engage in such improper conduct , which would be a clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A state court judge in Philadelphia rejected Friday a request by the Trump campaign that it be allowed to send poll watchers to so-called “satellite” election sites, where voters can simultaneously apply for and then submit mail-in ballots.
The lawsuit was filed against the Philadelphia County Board of Elections after President Trump complained that Philadelphia election officials blocked his supporters from observing voting at one such site.
“Bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things,” Trump claimed during the first presidential debate, as part of his broader rhetoric stirring baseless fears of fraud in the election.
The Trump campaign had yet to certify any of its poll watchers at the time of the episode, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported at the time, and Friday’s opinion backed up a widely-held interpretation of state election law that said election officials were not obligated to allow poll watchers to observe voting at satellite sites.
The satellites sites were created in a sweeping election overhaul bill passed last year that reformed several aspects of voting in Pennsylvania, well before the pandemic.
The satellite sites, which can open several weeks before Election Day, serve as a one-stop shop for Pennsylvanians to register to vote, apply for mail-in ballots, fill out those ballots and then submit them.
In his opinion Friday, Judge Gary Glazer said that satellite sites did not fit into the clearly defined categories in state law for poll watching activities.
Glazer noted that in the 2019 legislation, as well as in the more recent voting reforms enacted this year because of the pandemic, lawmakers showed they were aware of poll watchers and even gave watchers the ability to watch the processing and the counting of mail-in ballots. But neither of those bills gave poll watchers the permission to watch the “ministerial activities” around mail-in voting that happen at satellite sites, the judge said.
“For this court to read into Election Code the right of watchers to be present in Board of Elections’ offices, which the Legislature did not expressly provide, would be the worst sort of judicial activism,” Glazer said. “This court will not engage in such improper conduct, which would be a clear usurpation of the legislative function.”
Read the opinion below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--The Mess In Missouri: Our Pandemic-Election Risk Assessment Looks At MA, MO, MS, RI

Our journey through America ’ s varying levels of pandemic-voting preparedness continues this week with looks at Massachusetts , Missouri , Mississippi , and Rhode Island .
Every week , we ’ re looking at what states have done — or not done — to make voting easier during the coronavirus outbreak , where the fights over those moves have been the most contentious , and which states feature the kind of competitive races that could make things extra messy and volatile come November .
Here ’ s this week ’ s installment of our survey , and check out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All things considered , the Bay State seems to have actually pulled off a relatively smooth transition to pandemic voting .
In July , the state passed legislation allowing every registered voter to cast a ballot by mail .
Every registered voter also gets an application for a mail-in ballot sent to them .
The state also expanded early voting to include the primary , and doubled the early voting period for the general election .
The result ?
Record turnout during the September primary , which saw a contentious race for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.7 million people voted , the highest turnout as a percentage of population in 30 years , observed Pam Wilmot , executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts .
The general election is expected to smash that number .
As of Monday , nearly 1.6 million voters had requested mail-in ballots , just under a month before Election Day .
“ In terms of election preparedness , I think that Massachusetts is probably in a better place than many states , ” Wilmot told TPM .
“ Our election officials really handled it well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s record turnout .
The state shares some of the same concerns that have taken over the nation as of late : Will there be enough poll workers ?
Will everyone remember to sign their mail-in ballot envelope ?
Will voters manage to mail their ballots on time ( postmarked by Nov. 3 , arriving no later than the following Friday ) ?
A fairly new online portal , which voters can use to request their mail-in ballot , is another question mark : Will state officials be able to handle the tsunami @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channels ?
The state is a lock for Joe Biden .
It ’ s nine congressional races and one U.S. Senate race are considered safe Democratic wins across the board .
Perhaps the most closely watched contest will be the ballot initiative known as Massachusetts Question 2 , which gives voters the opportunity to institute ranked choice voting for state and federal legislative races in the primary and general elections .
An August WBUR poll found Massachusetts voters split 36-36 % on the matter .
Missouri is currently embroiled in a flurry of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they say confuse voters and strip them of their right to vote .
Many of the legal challenges focus on a new vote-by-mail system passed into law by the state legislature in May .
It allows anyone who wants to vote by mail , but who does not satisfy the state ’ s strict absentee voting excuses , to do so — with caveats .
Anyone using the new vote-by-mail method must get her ballot notarized and return it via the mail , with no in-person drop off options .
Most people voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their ballots notarized too , though they can drop it off in person at a local election office .
People who have fallen ill with COVID-19 , or are at risk of falling ill to it according to a list of carefully defined factors like age or underlying conditions , can skip the notarization requirement .
One case — brought by the Missouri NAACP and Missouri League of Women Voters , and currently before the state Supreme Court — targets the notarization requirement .
A lower court already sided with the defendants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters having to seek out a notary is a risk to their health .
The advocacy groups appealed that decision .
Another lawsuit brought in federal court by groups including the Organization for Black Struggle targets Missouri ’ s prohibition on no-excuse mail-in voters dropping off their ballots in person , an option available to the absentee voters who meet one of the state ’ s excuses.The suit also seeks to extend the ballot deadline to the Friday after Election Day , as long as the ballot was postmarked by noon on Election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count ) , and to give voters notice to correct ballot mistakes .
Finally , the group American Women and some individual voters sued on the state level , targeting the notarization requirement and ballot deadline .
The confusing rules may have contributed to the relatively low share of absentee and mail-in votes the state saw in its August primary : only 16 percent .
While still up significantly from the six percent that voted by mail in the 2016 primary , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically low-vote by mail states saw this year .
There were some in-person voting problems as well , especially in St. Louis County , the state ’ s most populous county .
The electronic poll books used to check people in malfunctioned , affecting about 50 of the country ’ s 400 polling sites in the first hour or so of voting .
President Donald Trump is up in Missouri , though not by as much as one would think given his 18 percentage point landslide win over Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other competitive races this year .
The Cook Political Report reclassified the gubernatorial race to “ lean Republican ” from “ likely Republican ” last month , with state Auditor Nicole Galloway , the only statewide elected Democrat left , mounting a competitive bid against Gov .
Mike Parson ( R ) .
The race for a U.S. House seat in the 2nd congressional district is also competitive , after the DCCC put it on their target flip list .
Mississippi is in for a tough election .
The state ’ s absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account for COVID-19 , and what tweaks were made were invalidated by the state Supreme Court .
The state consistently sees GOP results , though an electoral system designed to suppress the largest black population by percentage in the country contributes to that .
The upshot is that the Democratic Party is not seriously contesting the state ’ s U.S. Senate seat or presidential electoral votes this cycle .
It also faces election lawsuits seeking to expand access to the polls amid virtually no action by state lawmakers on how to vote during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the few that requires voters to provide a reason for why they need an absentee ballot .
There are limited exceptions , including those 65 and older .
Over the summer , the Mississippi legislature added a provision for those under “ physician-mandated quarantine.
” But an ACLU lawsuit pushing the state to expand the quarantine exception to all Mississippians backfired once the state Supreme Court found that the exception did not apply to those at higher risk of COVID-19 but who never received a doctor ’ s quarantine order .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t suffer delays in counting absentee ballots given that local law has effectively prevented there from being many more votes by mail than a usual general election during non-pandemic times .
Those who do vote by mail ( requesting an absentee ballot is a complicated process involving notarization ) must ensure that the envelope is postmarked within a day of the election .
And though the state did not expand its voting-by-mail regimen for the election , election precincts will come equipped with hand sanitizer and poll workers in PPE .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rhode Island ’ s witness requirements for absentee voting was a rare example of the high court ruling in favor of voter access in pandemic election disputes .
That decision , coupled with recent election reforms , has put the state ’ s voters in a good place for dealing with the pandemic .
Rhode Island had no-excuse absentee voting well before the pandemic , but its use has skyrocketed this year .
The number of votes cast by mail in the June primary more than doubled the number of mail ballots in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous record for mail in voting .
This year ’ s general is expected to quadruple the 2016 record .
Rhode Island absentee voting typically requires the signatures of two witnesses , but that mandate was waived for the outbreak as part of a court agreement the state reached when it was sued over the requirement .
( The Supreme Court refused to reinstate the requirement in part because the Republican Party , rather than state officials , were requesting that the justices throw out the agreement . )
The state offers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deficiencies on their ballot that might otherwise cause their rejection .
It also has a deadline for requesting mail ballots that gives the U.S .
Postal Service plenty of time to get ballots to and from voters .
To help deal with the uptick in vote by mail use caused by the pandemic , state election officials have also sought to centralize the task of processing and tabulating absentee ballots , so to alleviate local officials of that burden .
For the general , the state is also continuing its practice during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot applications .
For those who still would prefer to vote in person , there is also an option for early in person voting , which became available only this year , though Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea had been pushing the legislature for it well before the pandemic .
Democrats hold the vast majority of the state legislative seats , and Republicans have put up candidates in fewer than half of the Democratic seats being decided in November .
The bigger electoral action happened in the primary , when 10 Democratic incumbents @ @ @ @ @ @

Our journey through America’s varying levels of pandemic-voting preparedness continues this week with looks at Massachusetts, Missouri, Mississippi, and Rhode Island.
Every week, we’re looking at what states have done — or not done — to make voting easier during the coronavirus outbreak, where the fights over those moves have been the most contentious, and which states feature the kind of competitive races that could make things extra messy and volatile come November.
Here’s this week’s installment of our survey, and check out the other states we’ve examined.
Massachusetts
All things considered, the Bay State seems to have actually pulled off a relatively smooth transition to pandemic voting. In July, the state passed legislation allowing every registered voter to cast a ballot by mail. Every registered voter also gets an application for a mail-in ballot sent to them. The state also expanded early voting to include the primary, and doubled the early voting period for the general election.
The result? Record turnout during the September primary, which saw a contentious race for the Democratic Senate nomination. More than 1.7 million people voted, the highest turnout as a percentage of population in 30 years, observed Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. The general election is expected to smash that number. As of Monday, nearly 1.6 million voters had requested mail-in ballots, just under a month before Election Day.
“In terms of election preparedness, I think that Massachusetts is probably in a better place than many states,” Wilmot told TPM. “Our election officials really handled it well,” she added of September’s record turnout.
The state shares some of the same concerns that have taken over the nation as of late: Will there be enough poll workers? Will everyone remember to sign their mail-in ballot envelope? Will voters manage to mail their ballots on time (postmarked by Nov. 3, arriving no later than the following Friday)?
A fairly new online portal, which voters can use to request their mail-in ballot, is another question mark: Will state officials be able to handle the tsunami of ballot requests coming in across multiple channels?
The state is a lock for Joe Biden. It’s nine congressional races and one U.S. Senate race are considered safe Democratic wins across the board. Perhaps the most closely watched contest will be the ballot initiative known as Massachusetts Question 2, which gives voters the opportunity to institute ranked choice voting for state and federal legislative races in the primary and general elections. An August WBUR poll found Massachusetts voters split 36-36% on the matter.
Missouri
Missouri is currently embroiled in a flurry of lawsuits from voting advocacy groups challenging measures they say confuse voters and strip them of their right to vote.
Many of the legal challenges focus on a new vote-by-mail system passed into law by the state legislature in May. It allows anyone who wants to vote by mail, but who does not satisfy the state’s strict absentee voting excuses, to do so — with caveats. Anyone using the new vote-by-mail method must get her ballot notarized and return it via the mail, with no in-person drop off options. Most people voting the traditional absentee way need to get their ballots notarized too, though they can drop it off in person at a local election office. People who have fallen ill with COVID-19, or are at risk of falling ill to it according to a list of carefully defined factors like age or underlying conditions, can skip the notarization requirement.
One case — brought by the Missouri NAACP and Missouri League of Women Voters, and currently before the state Supreme Court — targets the notarization requirement. A lower court already sided with the defendants, claiming that there is no proof that voters having to seek out a notary is a risk to their health. The advocacy groups appealed that decision.
Another lawsuit brought in federal court by groups including the Organization for Black Struggle targets Missouri’s prohibition on no-excuse mail-in voters dropping off their ballots in person, an option available to the absentee voters who meet one of the state’s excuses.The suit also seeks to extend the ballot deadline to the Friday after Election Day, as long as the ballot was postmarked by noon on Election Day (currently, ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count), and to give voters notice to correct ballot mistakes.
Finally, the group American Women and some individual voters sued on the state level, targeting the notarization requirement and ballot deadline.
The confusing rules may have contributed to the relatively low share of absentee and mail-in votes the state saw in its August primary: only 16 percent. While still up significantly from the six percent that voted by mail in the 2016 primary, it’s not the explosion in absentee voting other typically low-vote by mail states saw this year. There were some in-person voting problems as well, especially in St. Louis County, the state’s most populous county. The electronic poll books used to check people in malfunctioned, affecting about 50 of the country’s 400 polling sites in the first hour or so of voting.
President Donald Trump is up in Missouri, though not by as much as one would think given his 18 percentage point landslide win over Hillary Clinton in 2016. The state is also hosting a couple other competitive races this year. The Cook Political Report reclassified the gubernatorial race to “lean Republican” from “likely Republican” last month, with state Auditor Nicole Galloway, the only statewide elected Democrat left, mounting a competitive bid against Gov. Mike Parson (R). The race for a U.S. House seat in the 2nd congressional district is also competitive, after the DCCC put it on their target flip list.
Mississippi
Mississippi is in for a tough election. The state’s absentee voting processes have seen meager updates to account for COVID-19, and what tweaks were made were invalidated by the state Supreme Court. The state consistently sees GOP results, though an electoral system designed to suppress the largest black population by percentage in the country contributes to that. The upshot is that the Democratic Party is not seriously contesting the state’s U.S. Senate seat or presidential electoral votes this cycle. It also faces election lawsuits seeking to expand access to the polls amid virtually no action by state lawmakers on how to vote during the pandemic.
The magnolia state is one of the few that requires voters to provide a reason for why they need an absentee ballot. There are limited exceptions, including those 65 and older. Over the summer, the Mississippi legislature added a provision for those under “physician-mandated quarantine.” But an ACLU lawsuit pushing the state to expand the quarantine exception to all Mississippians backfired once the state Supreme Court found that the exception did not apply to those at higher risk of COVID-19 but who never received a doctor’s quarantine order.
More broadly, the state likely won’t suffer delays in counting absentee ballots given that local law has effectively prevented there from being many more votes by mail than a usual general election during non-pandemic times. Those who do vote by mail (requesting an absentee ballot is a complicated process involving notarization) must ensure that the envelope is postmarked within a day of the election. And though the state did not expand its voting-by-mail regimen for the election, election precincts will come equipped with hand sanitizer and poll workers in PPE.
Rhode Island
The Supreme Court’s refusal to reinstate Rhode Island’s witness requirements for absentee voting was a rare example of the high court ruling in favor of voter access in pandemic election disputes. That decision, coupled with recent election reforms, has put the state’s voters in a good place for dealing with the pandemic.
Rhode Island had no-excuse absentee voting well before the pandemic, but its use has skyrocketed this year. The number of votes cast by mail in the June primary more than doubled the number of mail ballots in the 2016 general election, which set the previous record for mail in voting. This year’s general is expected to quadruple the 2016 record.
Rhode Island absentee voting typically requires the signatures of two witnesses, but that mandate was waived for the outbreak as part of a court agreement the state reached when it was sued over the requirement. (The Supreme Court refused to reinstate the requirement in part because the Republican Party, rather than state officials, were requesting that the justices throw out the agreement.) The state offers a process for voters to fix other deficiencies on their ballot that might otherwise cause their rejection. It also has a deadline for requesting mail ballots that gives the U.S. Postal Service plenty of time to get ballots to and from voters.
To help deal with the uptick in vote by mail use caused by the pandemic, state election officials have also sought to centralize the task of processing and tabulating absentee ballots, so to alleviate local officials of that burden. For the general, the state is also continuing its practice during the primaries of mailing to all voters absentee ballot applications.
For those who still would prefer to vote in person, there is also an option for early in person voting, which became available only this year, though Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea had been pushing the legislature for it well before the pandemic.
Democrats hold the vast majority of the state legislative seats, and Republicans have put up candidates in fewer than half of the Democratic seats being decided in November. The bigger electoral action happened in the primary, when 10 Democratic incumbents were ousted by progressive challengers.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--A Key State Trump Needs To Win Is Battling A Massive COVID Outbreak

For years , political operatives have been waging war over Wisconsin : Republicans scrambling to keep the upper hand in a key state that secured Trump ’ s 2016 victory , and Democrats trying to bring the one-time progressive powerhouse back into the fold .
But now , the pandemic that has killed 210,000 Americans and come to define the final year of Trump ’ s first term is flooding hospitals in the state ’ s reddest regions and killing scores of Wisconsinites .
Before getting sick himself , President Trump was set to visit Green Bay and La Crosse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sudden surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations .
The President ’ s associates dismissed concerns about the spread as a bid to restrict his freedom and that of Wisconsinites as several hospitals in the area began to fill up .
“ The President believes that people have a First Amendment right to political speech ; he is having a rally , people can choose whether or not to come , ” said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Oct. 1 .
That same day , Trump himself tested positive for the coronavirus , forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus has continued to spread in the area , with Governor Tony Evers ( D ) ordering a field hospital to be built to manage patient overflow .
The story is an ironic one that would seem overwritten were it not reality : the COVID-19 catastrophe that Trump has made a point of playing down is now overflowing hospitals and killing the citizens of a state that , pollsters say , President Trump absolutely needs to win to secure his re-election .
To Paul Casey , emergency department director at Green Bay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is partly a reflection of misinformation around basic COVID-19 safety measures .
“ There ’ s a very strong feeling in the more rural , conservative areas that this is still all a hoax , that these measures violate our constitutional rights , ” Casey told TPM , adding that rural hospitals in the region had begun transferring patients to the already-stricken Green Bay .
Casey painted a now-familiar but dramatic picture of the outbreak , with rural hospitals nearing capacity and patients being treated in hallways due to those infected with COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have tripled in Wisconsin over the past month .
“ If this is not a crisis , I don ’ t know what a crisis looks like , ” said Dr. Imran Andrabi , CEO of ThedaCare , a regional hospital system .
Wisconsin went for Trump in 2016 by a margin of around 22,000 votes , or 0.77 percent of all votes case .
Of the so-called “ blue wall ” of upper midwestern states that President Obama secured but which went to Trump in 2016 — including Wisconsin , Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the most contentious .
But polls suggest the state is vulnerable for Republicans and likely to return to Democrats .
The state ’ s northern portion , polling and electoral history suggest , leans further to the right .
The region ’ s officials have been reluctant to enforce social distancing and mask-wearing measures , with some local sheriffs stating that they would refuse to enforce the mandate set by Governor Evers .
Casey attributed some of the spread in Northern Wisconsin to regional county fairs held over the past month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shawano county just to the north of Green Bay , preceded a situation at the local hospital in the county that , Casey said , is now 85 percent full of COVID-19 patients .
He added that the head of that local hospital had begun asking to transfer patients out , sending a message to doctors that read “ please start transferring patients to Green Bay.
” “ Those of us working on the front lines see a clear connection between these public events and all of these cases , ” Casey added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump had been scheduled to hold a rally before cancelling it due to his own infection , students at the local university and Oktoberfest revelers are suspected of helping spread the virus , a local health official said .
Sen. Ron Johnson ( R-WI ) himself attended an Oktoberfest fundraiser last Friday while awaiting the results of his own coronavirus test , which came back positive .
“ I ’ m not sick .
I have no symptoms , ” Johnson told local media .
“ I certainly did not anticipate testing positive.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @

For years, political operatives have been waging war over Wisconsin: Republicans scrambling to keep the upper hand in a key state that secured Trump’s 2016 victory, and Democrats trying to bring the one-time progressive powerhouse back into the fold.
But now, the pandemic that has killed 210,000 Americans and come to define the final year of Trump’s first term is flooding hospitals in the state’s reddest regions and killing scores of Wisconsinites.
Before getting sick himself, President Trump was set to visit Green Bay and La Crosse, both of which were battling a sudden surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
The President’s associates dismissed concerns about the spread as a bid to restrict his freedom and that of Wisconsinites as several hospitals in the area began to fill up.
“The President believes that people have a First Amendment right to political speech; he is having a rally, people can choose whether or not to come,” said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Oct. 1.
That same day, Trump himself tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing him to cancel the trip. But the virus has continued to spread in the area, with Governor Tony Evers (D) ordering a field hospital to be built to manage patient overflow.
The story is an ironic one that would seem overwritten were it not reality: the COVID-19 catastrophe that Trump has made a point of playing down is now overflowing hospitals and killing the citizens of a state that, pollsters say, President Trump absolutely needs to win to secure his re-election.
To Paul Casey, emergency department director at Green Bay’s Bellin hospital, the outbreak is partly a reflection of misinformation around basic COVID-19 safety measures.
“There’s a very strong feeling in the more rural, conservative areas that this is still all a hoax, that these measures violate our constitutional rights,” Casey told TPM, adding that rural hospitals in the region had begun transferring patients to the already-stricken Green Bay.
Casey painted a now-familiar but dramatic picture of the outbreak, with rural hospitals nearing capacity and patients being treated in hallways due to those infected with COVID-19 filling up the wards. COVID-19 hospitalizations have tripled in Wisconsin over the past month.
“If this is not a crisis, I don’t know what a crisis looks like,” said Dr. Imran Andrabi, CEO of ThedaCare, a regional hospital system.
Wisconsin went for Trump in 2016 by a margin of around 22,000 votes, or 0.77 percent of all votes case.
Of the so-called “blue wall” of upper midwestern states that President Obama secured but which went to Trump in 2016 — including Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — Wisconsin has been seen as the most contentious. But polls suggest the state is vulnerable for Republicans and likely to return to Democrats.
The state’s northern portion, polling and electoral history suggest, leans further to the right. The region’s officials have been reluctant to enforce social distancing and mask-wearing measures, with some local sheriffs stating that they would refuse to enforce the mandate set by Governor Evers.
Casey attributed some of the spread in Northern Wisconsin to regional county fairs held over the past month.
One fair in particular, held in Shawano county just to the north of Green Bay, preceded a situation at the local hospital in the county that, Casey said, is now 85 percent full of COVID-19 patients.
He added that the head of that local hospital had begun asking to transfer patients out, sending a message to doctors that read “please start transferring patients to Green Bay.”
“Those of us working on the front lines see a clear connection between these public events and all of these cases,” Casey added.
In La Crosse, where President Trump had been scheduled to hold a rally before cancelling it due to his own infection, students at the local university and Oktoberfest revelers are suspected of helping spread the virus, a local health official said.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) himself attended an Oktoberfest fundraiser last Friday while awaiting the results of his own coronavirus test, which came back positive.
“I’m not sick. I have no symptoms,” Johnson told local media. “I certainly did not anticipate testing positive.”
This story has been updated.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--Trump Wants To Do COVID Stimulus Again! No He Doesn’t. Yes He Does!

The COVID-19 stimulus talk ship , steered by a mercurial and influenceable President Donald Trump , has careened from progress to near wreckage over and over again this week .
Now , days after a convalescent Trump proclaimed on Twitter that he was walking away from the negotiations , Politico is reporting that the White House is “ completely set ” on striking a deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) .
National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow said Friday that the President had approved a “ revised package.
” The ship again lurched towards open waters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s ( R-KY ) grim prognosis that a stimulus package is “ unlikely in the next three weeks.
” That Friday stop-and-start mirrors the stimulus dynamic that ’ s been playing out all week : lots of movement , flurries of calls and meetings and Trump demands , but little progress .
Trump made the first big move this week on Tuesday , publicly walking away from the negotiations amid a manic post-hospital tweet storm .
Pelosi jumped on the tweet at once , blasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willingness to abandon the talks , leaving first responders , teachers , children , out in the cold .
For her , it was a blunder heaven-sent : a perfect way to take sputtering negotiations that opened up both parties to criticism and shift the blame solely to a President who made clear he was acting on political motives .
Pelosi ’ s spokesperson tweeted that she and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin — her preferred negotiating partner ( the Democrats find Chief of Staff Mark Meadows impossible to deal with ) — spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed that the President had walked away from the negotiations .
Trump may have wised up to his 3D chess maneuver gone awry , and reversed his position hours later .
The next day , Pelosi and Mnuchin held phone calls on airline relief .
Airlines have been threatening tens of thousands of layoffs in recent weeks , saying they desperately need funding to offset huge losses from reduced travel during the pandemic .
During a Thursday morning interview on Fox Business Network , Trump sounded back in the game .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they weren ’ t working out .
Now they are starting to work out , ” he said .
“ We ’ re talking about airlines , and we ’ re talking about a bigger deal than airlines .
We ’ re talking about a deal with $ 1,200 per person .
We ’ re talking about other things.
” But even that progress was muddied by mid-morning when Pelosi made clear that she would not green-light standalone stimulus bills without a larger , comprehensive package .
“ The only point about negotiations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no stand-alone bill unless there ’ s a bigger bill , and it could be part of that or it could be in addition to that , ” Pelsoi said at her weekly press conference .
“ We want to continue the conversation , ” she added .
White House communications director Alyssa Farah staked out the opposite position soon after , saying that “ we ’ ve made very clear we want a skinny package , ” according to the pool report .
Pelosi brought up the contradiction on an afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timeline to Friday , where quotes about Trump ’ s eagerness to deal and McConnell ’ s skepticism about anything coming to fruition fly around in equal measure .
The real sticking point is that Trump ’ s enthusiasm isn ’ t enough — the two sides have been miles apart on how much they want to spend and which pieces of relief to prioritize for months .
If Trump really has signed off on a package Pelosi will accept , it will have to be many billions of dollars more expensive than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far .
And the runway for coming together on the deal is running short .
The election is less than a month away , and Senate Republicans have already committed their limited pre-election floor time to getting Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett confirmed .
That doesn ’ t leave a lot of latitude for the blood , sweat and tears that goes into dealmaking and bill writing — and all of this is predicated on the assumption that Trump doesn ’ t change his mind .
Again .

The COVID-19 stimulus talk ship, steered by a mercurial and influenceable President Donald Trump, has careened from progress to near wreckage over and over again this week.
Now, days after a convalescent Trump proclaimed on Twitter that he was walking away from the negotiations, Politico is reporting that the White House is “completely set” on striking a deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow said Friday that the President had approved a “revised package.”
The ship again lurched towards open waters, only to ram into a sandbar minutes later with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) grim prognosis that a stimulus package is “unlikely in the next three weeks.”
That Friday stop-and-start mirrors the stimulus dynamic that’s been playing out all week: lots of movement, flurries of calls and meetings and Trump demands, but little progress.
Trump made the first big move this week on Tuesday, publicly walking away from the negotiations amid a manic post-hospital tweet storm.
Nancy Pelosi is asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run, high crime, Democrat States, money that is in no way related to COVID-19. We made a very generous offer of $1.6 Trillion Dollars and, as usual, she is not negotiating in good faith. I am rejecting their… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
Pelosi jumped on the tweet at once, blasting out a statement bemoaning Trump’s willingness to abandon the talks, leaving first responders, teachers, children, out in the cold. For her, it was a blunder heaven-sent: a perfect way to take sputtering negotiations that opened up both parties to criticism and shift the blame solely to a President who made clear he was acting on political motives.
Pelosi’s spokesperson tweeted that she and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin — her preferred negotiating partner (the Democrats find Chief of Staff Mark Meadows impossible to deal with) — spoke on the phone, and that Mnuchin confirmed that the President had walked away from the negotiations.
The stock market plunged.
BREAKING: Stocks slide to lows of the day after Trump tweets that he is rejecting the Democrats stimulus proposal and adds: “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election” https://t.co/jn8limUSe7 pic.twitter.com/bdudqRotZm — CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) October 6, 2020
Trump may have wised up to his 3D chess maneuver gone awry, and reversed his position hours later.
The House & Senate should IMMEDIATELY Approve 25 Billion Dollars for Airline Payroll Support, & 135 Billion Dollars for Paycheck Protection Program for Small Business. Both of these will be fully paid for with unused funds from the Cares Act. Have this money. I will sign now! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2020
The next day, Pelosi and Mnuchin held phone calls on airline relief. Airlines have been threatening tens of thousands of layoffs in recent weeks, saying they desperately need funding to offset huge losses from reduced travel during the pandemic.
During a Thursday morning interview on Fox Business Network, Trump sounded back in the game.
“I shut down talks two days ago because they weren’t working out. Now they are starting to work out,” he said. “We’re talking about airlines, and we’re talking about a bigger deal than airlines. We’re talking about a deal with $1,200 per person. We’re talking about other things.”
But even that progress was muddied by mid-morning when Pelosi made clear that she would not green-light standalone stimulus bills without a larger, comprehensive package.
“The only point about negotiations is, ain’t gonna be no stand-alone bill unless there’s a bigger bill, and it could be part of that or it could be in addition to that,” Pelsoi said at her weekly press conference. “We want to continue the conversation,” she added.
White House communications director Alyssa Farah staked out the opposite position soon after, saying that “we’ve made very clear we want a skinny package,” according to the pool report.
Pelosi brought up the contradiction on an afternoon call with Mnuchin.
The Speaker pointed out that, unfortunately, the White House Communications Director contradicted that assertion during their call. The Speaker trusts that the Secretary speaks for the President. (2/2) — Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) October 8, 2020
Mnuchin reportedly confirmed the President’s interest in a comprehensive relief package.
That brings the timeline to Friday, where quotes about Trump’s eagerness to deal and McConnell’s skepticism about anything coming to fruition fly around in equal measure.
The real sticking point is that Trump’s enthusiasm isn’t enough — the two sides have been miles apart on how much they want to spend and which pieces of relief to prioritize for months. If Trump really has signed off on a package Pelosi will accept, it will have to be many billions of dollars more expensive than what the Republicans have put forth so far.
And the runway for coming together on the deal is running short. The election is less than a month away, and Senate Republicans have already committed their limited pre-election floor time to getting Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett confirmed. That doesn’t leave a lot of latitude for the blood, sweat and tears that goes into dealmaking and bill writing — and all of this is predicated on the assumption that Trump doesn’t change his mind. Again.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-10-09--Trump Sign In MI Lined With Razors Slices Town Worker’s Fingers, Requiring 13 Stitches

A worker in Commerce Township , Michigan was injured this week while trying to remove two Trump-Pence signs that were too close to the road and , unbeknownst to him , had razor blades taped to the bottom .
According to local news outlet WDIV Detroit , the township worker ’ s fingers began bleeding when he picked up one of the signs .
He was attempting to move them because they violated a prohibition on political signs closer than 33 feet from the center of a road .
Commerce Township Supervisor Dave Scott told WDIV Detroit that the worker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he drove himself to the hospital .
Scott also said the worker first believed he had been electrocuted by the sign when he first picked it up .
“ He jumped and let go of it , looked at his hand and realized he was bleeding aggressively , ” Scott said .
The homeowner told the local news station that she was unaware that the Trump signs had been rigged with razor blades and that several of her signs had been stolen , then returned back to her .
The incident is currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office .

A worker in Commerce Township, Michigan was injured this week while trying to remove two Trump-Pence signs that were too close to the road and, unbeknownst to him, had razor blades taped to the bottom.
According to local news outlet WDIV Detroit, the township worker’s fingers began bleeding when he picked up one of the signs. He was attempting to move them because they violated a prohibition on political signs closer than 33 feet from the center of a road.
Commerce Township Supervisor Dave Scott told WDIV Detroit that the worker required 13 stitches on his fingers after he drove himself to the hospital.
Scott also said the worker first believed he had been electrocuted by the sign when he first picked it up.
“He jumped and let go of it, looked at his hand and realized he was bleeding aggressively,” Scott said.
The homeowner told the local news station that she was unaware that the Trump signs had been rigged with razor blades and that several of her signs had been stolen, then returned back to her.
The incident is currently under investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s office.