talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-24--GOP Rep Tears Into Trump For COVID Bill Complaints: ‘Either A Lie’ Or ‘In HIS Budget’

A Republican congressman tore into President Donald Trump Wednesday night for finding fault with parts of the COVID-19 stimulus and government package that were also in the White House ’ s budget proposal .
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez ( R-OH ) specifically took issue with the President ’ s claims — which Trump made in the same secretly-filmed Tuesday night video in which he suddenly supported $ 2,000 stimulus checks — that Congress should not have designated certain funds for foreign countries in the package .
The stimulus bill was part of a broader omnibus spending bill , and as Gonzalez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed some of the same funds that Trump attacked in his remarks Tuesday .
“ The covid deal had none of the pork that is being discussed , ” the congressman said .
“ It was , however , combined with the omnibus .
The omni had tons of pork .
Again , though , this was Trump ’ s pork.
” The congressman didn ’ t say whether he supported increasing per-person checks to $ 2,000 , as Democrats support and Trump recently announced he would as well .
Gonzalez also called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s words on Tuesday , that “ the bill also allows stimulus checks for the family members of illegal aliens , allowing them to get up to $ 1,800 each .
This is far more than the Americans are given.
” In fact , the bill merely allows for the citizen or green-card-holding family members of undocumented people to get stimulus money themselves .
The $ 1,800 figure Trump cited would be the same as what citizens get — the $ 1,200 allocated in the CARES Act earlier this year , plus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ package .
The CARES Act prohibited American citizens who have undocumented family members from collecting the $ 1,200 given to everyone else .
The new stimulus bill would compensate for that , in the form of a tax rebate .
The House GOP “ has stood by him for 4 years , ” Gonzalez said of Trump .
“ If he thinks going on twitter and trashing the bill his team negotiated and we supported on his behalf is going to bring more people to his side in this election fiasco , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I guess we ’ ll see , ” Gonzalez said .

A Republican congressman tore into President Donald Trump Wednesday night for finding fault with parts of the COVID-19 stimulus and government package that were also in the White House’s budget proposal.
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) specifically took issue with the President’s claims — which Trump made in the same secretly-filmed Tuesday night video in which he suddenly supported $2,000 stimulus checks — that Congress should not have designated certain funds for foreign countries in the package.
The stimulus bill was part of a broader omnibus spending bill, and as Gonzalez correctly noted, the White House had proposed some of the same funds that Trump attacked in his remarks Tuesday.
Also, the @HouseGOP has stood by him for 4 years. If he thinks going on twitter and trashing the bill his team negotiated and we supported on his behalf is going to bring more people to his side in this election fiasco, I hope he's wrong, though I guess we'll see. — Anthony Gonzalez (@anthonygonzalez) December 24, 2020
“The covid deal had none of the pork that is being discussed,” the congressman said. “It was, however, combined with the omnibus. The omni had tons of pork. Again, though, this was Trump’s pork.”
Finally, people are conflating 2 things. The covid deal had none of the pork that is being discussed. It was, however, combined with the omnibus. The omni had tons of pork. Again, though, this was Trump’s pork. — Anthony Gonzalez (@anthonygonzalez) December 24, 2020
The congressman didn’t say whether he supported increasing per-person checks to $2,000, as Democrats support and Trump recently announced he would as well.
Gonzalez also called Trump out for saying, in Trump’s words on Tuesday, that “the bill also allows stimulus checks for the family members of illegal aliens, allowing them to get up to $1,800 each. This is far more than the Americans are given.”
In fact, the bill merely allows for the citizen or green-card-holding family members of undocumented people to get stimulus money themselves.
The $1,800 figure Trump cited would be the same as what citizens get — the $1,200 allocated in the CARES Act earlier this year, plus the $600 in the new stimulus package. The CARES Act prohibited American citizens who have undocumented family members from collecting the $1,200 given to everyone else. The new stimulus bill would compensate for that, in the form of a tax rebate.
The House GOP “has stood by him for 4 years,” Gonzalez said of Trump.
“If he thinks going on twitter and trashing the bill his team negotiated and we supported on his behalf is going to bring more people to his side in this election fiasco, I hope he’s wrong, though I guess we’ll see,” Gonzalez said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-24--Fauci Says He Has A ‘New York Bond’ With Trump When Calling Him Out On Falsehoods

Dr. Anthony Fauci insisted that he maintains a cordial relationship with President Trump even as the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert would call the President out for spewing falsehoods on the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 320,000 Americans thus far .
In an interview published in the Washington Post on Wednesday , Fauci said he “ really wants to find out ” more about the unpredictable nature of the novel coronavirus .
Fauci added that he is focused “ like a laser beam ” and is transparent about what he knows as well as what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this year that he might fire Fauci , whose grave warnings on COVID-19 starkly contrasted those of the President , the White House coronavirus task force member maintained that they have remained cordial this year .
Recalling how Trump asked him why he couldn ’ t paint a rosier picture of COVID-19 , Fauci said he replied by saying he is “ trying to give a correct interpretation of what ’ s going on.
” Even after Trump griped that “ people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump remained friendly .
Citing the day after the President mocked the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert for his botched ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day at Nationals Park , Fauci compared his interactions with Trump to both of them being native New Yorkers .
“ We ’ ve kind of had a little bit of a New York bond , if you want to call it that , ” Fauci told the Post .
Fauci stressed that although he ’ s not fond of media coverage that pits him against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit back and let Trump get away with the rosy picture he ’ s tried to paint on COVID-19 .
“ When [ Trump ] started to say things that were outright incorrect , I could not just stand there and shake my head and say it ’ s okay .
I had to go to the microphone , ” Fauci told the Post .
Fauci said that he “ didn ’ t intend to be anti-Trump ” and that he maintained his “ apolitical position.
” “ But I couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being complicit in things that were completely untrue , ” Fauci told the Post .
Earlier this month , President-elect Joe Biden tapped Fauci to be his chief medical adviser in his incoming administration .
Unlike Fauci , fellow White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Deborah Birx said on Tuesday that she will retire , citing concerns about the treatment of her family after reports surfaced that she traveled to join family over Thanksgiving weekend after publicly discouraging Americans from making trips during the recent holiday .
Last week , Birx , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disputing Trump ’ s suggestions of unproven COVID-19 treatments during White House coronavirus task force briefings , insisted that she made “ very clear ” to Trump her “ interpretation of the epidemic ” in private remarks .

Dr. Anthony Fauci insisted that he maintains a cordial relationship with President Trump even as the nation’s top infectious disease expert would call the President out for spewing falsehoods on the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 320,000 Americans thus far.
In an interview published in the Washington Post on Wednesday, Fauci said he “really wants to find out” more about the unpredictable nature of the novel coronavirus. Fauci added that he is focused “like a laser beam” and is transparent about what he knows as well as what he doesn’t.
Despite Trump signaling earlier this year that he might fire Fauci, whose grave warnings on COVID-19 starkly contrasted those of the President, the White House coronavirus task force member maintained that they have remained cordial this year.
Recalling how Trump asked him why he couldn’t paint a rosier picture of COVID-19, Fauci said he replied by saying he is “trying to give a correct interpretation of what’s going on.”
Even after Trump griped that “people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots,” Fauci claimed that his rapport with Trump remained friendly.
Citing the day after the President mocked the nation’s top infectious disease expert for his botched ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day at Nationals Park, Fauci compared his interactions with Trump to both of them being native New Yorkers.
“We’ve kind of had a little bit of a New York bond, if you want to call it that,” Fauci told the Post.
Fauci stressed that although he’s not fond of media coverage that pits him against Trump, he can’t just sit back and let Trump get away with the rosy picture he’s tried to paint on COVID-19.
“When [Trump] started to say things that were outright incorrect, I could not just stand there and shake my head and say it’s okay. I had to go to the microphone,” Fauci told the Post.
Fauci said that he “didn’t intend to be anti-Trump” and that he maintained his “apolitical position.”
“But I couldn’t stand there and not say anything and being complicit in things that were completely untrue,” Fauci told the Post.
Earlier this month, President-elect Joe Biden tapped Fauci to be his chief medical adviser in his incoming administration.
Unlike Fauci, fellow White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Deborah Birx said on Tuesday that she will retire, citing concerns about the treatment of her family after reports surfaced that she traveled to join family over Thanksgiving weekend after publicly discouraging Americans from making trips during the recent holiday.
Last week, Birx, who has come under fire for not disputing Trump’s suggestions of unproven COVID-19 treatments during White House coronavirus task force briefings, insisted that she made “very clear” to Trump her “interpretation of the epidemic” in private remarks.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-24--Dems Say They’ll Hold Vote On $2,000 Checks Monday As GOP Rejects First Attempt

Congressional Republicans on Thursday rejected Democrats ’ initial attempt to bump up direct relief checks to $ 2,000 in response to President Donald Trump ’ s demands .
In less than a minute on the House floor , Rep .
Rob Wittman ( R-VA ) rejected the unanimous consent request , HuffPost reported .
The move wasn ’ t a surprise — Republicans only begrudgingly accepted that the COVID-19 stimulus package would include $ 600 direct checks because of the crucial runoff elections in Georgia — but it underlined the turmoil into which Trump has thrown Congress .
Democratic House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the $ 2,000 question to a vote Monday , forcing Republicans to go on-record opposing what their party leader has called for .
“ Today , on Christmas Eve morning , House Republicans cruelly deprived the American people of the $ 2,000 that the President agreed to support , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA . )
said in a statement .
“ If the President is serious about the $ 2,000 direct payments , he must call on House Republicans to end their obstruction.
” “ To vote against this bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families face and to deny them the relief they need , ” Pelosi added .
The consequences of inaction are severe : Federal supplemental jobless benefits for Americans , $ 300 per week , is set to expire on Saturday .
The compromise stimulus bill would extend them through mid-March , on top of additional money for businesses , the direct checks to individuals , an extension of the federal eviction moratorium , and billions for food assistance , vaccine distribution and other measures .
Some Republicans openly voiced their frustration at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money .
“ Why didn ’ t the president say this before ?
” outgoing Rep. Peter King ( R-NY ) said in a radio interview Wednesday .
“ Why did his administration say it had to be $ 600 ?
They were the ones driving this.
” In Georgia on Wednesday , runoff candidate and megamillionaire Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) squirmed , declining to commit to supporting more relief money for Americans .
Democrats on Thursday also blocked a Republican unanimous consent request , that to reexamine some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after-the-fact speech panning the stimulus bill .
The figures Trump cited would equate to an extra $ 14 on Americans ’ stimulus checks , the American Prospect calculated .
As Trump left Washington Wednesday , White House aides received “ an avalanche of angry messages from GOP lawmakers and consultants , ” the Washington post reported .
A private conference call with House Republicans , quotes from which were leaked to various reporters , showed the bitter mood .
“ This bill has been tainted , ” McCarthy acknowledged on the call , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t know if we recover from this , ” Rep. Virginia Foxx ( R-NC ) said separately , per the Times .
“ We will have a hell of a time getting this out of people ’ s head.
” Rep. Don Bacon ( R-NE ) , who according to several reports said on the call that Trump had thrown Republicans under the bus , said afterward that the White House “ was updated on this bill every step of the way by GOP Leadership .
The COVID Supplemental is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take it .
”

Congressional Republicans on Thursday rejected Democrats’ initial attempt to bump up direct relief checks to $2,000 in response to President Donald Trump’s demands.
In less than a minute on the House floor, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) rejected the unanimous consent request, HuffPost reported.
The move wasn’t a surprise — Republicans only begrudgingly accepted that the COVID-19 stimulus package would include $600 direct checks because of the crucial runoff elections in Georgia — but it underlined the turmoil into which Trump has thrown Congress.
Democratic House leadership said Thursday that they would bring the $2,000 question to a vote Monday, forcing Republicans to go on-record opposing what their party leader has called for.
“Today, on Christmas Eve morning, House Republicans cruelly deprived the American people of the $2,000 that the President agreed to support,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA.) said in a statement. “If the President is serious about the $2,000 direct payments, he must call on House Republicans to end their obstruction.”
“To vote against this bill is to deny the financial hardship that families face and to deny them the relief they need,” Pelosi added.
The consequences of inaction are severe: Federal supplemental jobless benefits for Americans, $300 per week, is set to expire on Saturday. The compromise stimulus bill would extend them through mid-March, on top of additional money for businesses, the direct checks to individuals, an extension of the federal eviction moratorium, and billions for food assistance, vaccine distribution and other measures.
Some Republicans openly voiced their frustration at the President’s last-minute demands for more money.
“Why didn’t the president say this before?” outgoing Rep. Peter King (R-NY) said in a radio interview Wednesday. “Why did his administration say it had to be $600? They were the ones driving this.”
In Georgia on Wednesday, runoff candidate and megamillionaire Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) squirmed, declining to commit to supporting more relief money for Americans.
Democrats on Thursday also blocked a Republican unanimous consent request, that to reexamine some of the foreign aid money Trump targeted in his after-the-fact speech panning the stimulus bill. The figures Trump cited would equate to an extra $14 on Americans’ stimulus checks, the American Prospect calculated.
As Trump left Washington Wednesday, White House aides received “an avalanche of angry messages from GOP lawmakers and consultants,” the Washington post reported.
A private conference call with House Republicans, quotes from which were leaked to various reporters, showed the bitter mood.
“This bill has been tainted,” McCarthy acknowledged on the call, per The New York Times.
“I don’t know if we recover from this,” Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said separately, per the Times. “We will have a hell of a time getting this out of people’s head.”
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who according to several reports said on the call that Trump had thrown Republicans under the bus, said afterward that the White House “was updated on this bill every step of the way by GOP Leadership. The COVID Supplemental is a good compromise and the President should take it.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-24--Republicans Block A Plan By Dems For $2,000 Checks, Despite Trump’s Demand

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — House Republicans shot down a Democratic bid on Thursday to pass President Donald Trump ’ s longshot , end-of-session demand for $ 2,000 direct payments to most Americans before signing a long-overdue COVID-19 relief bill .
The made-for-TV clash came as the Democratic-controlled chamber convened for a pro forma session scheduled in anticipation of a smooth Washington landing for the massive , year-end legislative package , which folds together a $ 1.4 trillion governmentwide spending with the hard-fought COVID-19 package and dozens of unrelated but bipartisan bills .
Thursday ’ s unusual 12-minute House session @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to Trump ’ s veto musings about the package , which was negotiated by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Trump ’ s behalf .
Rep. Steny Hoyer , the No .
2 House Democrat , sought the unanimous approval of all House members to pass the bill , but GOP leader Kevin McCarthy , who was not present in the nearly-empty chamber , denied his approval and the effort fizzled .
If Trump were to follow through on his implied veto threat , delivered via video clip on Tuesday , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutdown of the government starting on Dec. 29 .
It would also delay delivery of the $ 600 direct payments that the bill does contain .
Senate Republicans , led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , have opposed larger $ 2,000 checks as too costly and poorly targeted .
Democrats are supportive of the direct payments and now plan to vote on the $ 2,000 check proposal on Monday .
House Republicans are expected to block the vote , but Democrats may try again Monday .
The president ’ s last-minute objections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own Republican Party in his final days in office .
Rather than take the victory of the sweeping aid package , among the biggest in history , Trump is lashing out at GOP leaders over the presidential election — for acknowledging Joe Biden as president-elect and rebuffing his campaign to dispute the Electoral College results when they are tallied in Congress on Jan. 6 .
The president ’ s push to increase direct payments for most Americans from $ 600 to $ 2,000 for individuals and $ 4,000 for couples splits the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including for GOP senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , fighting to retain their seats in the Jan. 5 special election in Georgia .
Republican lawmakers traditionally balk at big spending and many never fully embraced Trump ’ s populist approach .
Their political DNA tells them to oppose a costlier relief package .
But now they ’ re being asked to stand with the president .
On a conference call Wednesday House Republican lawmakers complained that Trump threw them under the bus , according to one Republican on the private call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most had voted for the package and they urged leaders to hit the cable news shows to explain its benefits , the person said .
Democrats were taking advantage of the Republican disarray to apply pressure for a priority .
Jon Ossoff , Perdue ’ s Democratic opponent , tweeted simply on Tuesday night : “ $ 2,000 checks now.
” The relief bill Trump is criticizing would establish a temporary $ 300 per week supplemental jobless benefit , along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses , restaurants and theaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providers and renters facing eviction .
Even though Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin represented the White House in negotiations , Trump assailed the bipartisan effort in a video he tweeted out Tuesday night , suggesting he may not sign the legislation .
Railing against a range of provisions in the broader government funding package , including foreign aid mainstays included each year , Trump called the bill a “ disgrace.
” Trump did not specifically vow to use his veto power , and there may be enough support in Congress to override him if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be severe if Trump upends the legislation .
It would mean no federal aid to struggling Americans and small businesses , and no additional resources to help with vaccine distribution .
To top it off , because lawmakers linked the pandemic relief bill to an overarching funding measure , the government would shut down on Dec. 29 .
The final text of the more than 5,000-page bill was still being prepared by Congress and was not expected to be sent to the White House for Trump ’ s signature before Thursday or Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the schedule ahead .
If Trump vetoes the package , or allows it to expire with a “ pocket veto ” at the end of the year , Americans will go without massive amounts of COVID aid .
A resolution could be forced Monday .
That ’ s when a stopgap funding bill Congress approved to keep the government funded while the paperwork was being compiled expires , risking a federal shutdown .
Democrats are considering another stopgap measure to at least keep government running until Biden is sworn into office Jan. 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discuss the private talks .
The House was already set to return Monday , and the Senate Tuesday , for a vote to override Trump ’ s veto of the must-pass defense bill .
Democrats may try again at that time to pass Trump ’ s proposal for $ 2,000 checks , as well as the temporary government funding measure to avert a shutdown , the aides said .
The push for bigger payments to Americans drew rare common cause between Trump and some of the most liberal members of Congress .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the higher stipends during protracted negotiations only to settle on the lower number when Republicans refused .
Pelosi is set to offer the president ’ s proposal Thursday under a procedure that allows just one lawmaker to object to its consideration .
It will be pushed forward during a so-called pro forma session , with few lawmakers expected to attend .
McCarthy and Republicans are poised to object .
Republicans have been reluctant to spend more on pandemic relief and only agreed to the big year-end package as time dwindled for a final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Democratic leader , said that “ Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open , ” and Congress would step up for more aid after .
The Senate cleared the huge relief package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved it by 359-53 .
Those votes totals would be enough to override a veto should Trump decide to take that step .
Biden applauded lawmakers for their work .
He described the package as far from perfect , “ but it does provide vital relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said more relief would be needed in the months ahead .

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans shot down a Democratic bid on Thursday to pass President Donald Trump’s longshot, end-of-session demand for $2,000 direct payments to most Americans before signing a long-overdue COVID-19 relief bill.
The made-for-TV clash came as the Democratic-controlled chamber convened for a pro forma session scheduled in anticipation of a smooth Washington landing for the massive, year-end legislative package, which folds together a $1.4 trillion governmentwide spending with the hard-fought COVID-19 package and dozens of unrelated but bipartisan bills.
Thursday’s unusual 12-minute House session session instead morphed into unconvincing theater in response to Trump’s veto musings about the package, which was negotiated by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Trump’s behalf. Rep. Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, sought the unanimous approval of all House members to pass the bill, but GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who was not present in the nearly-empty chamber, denied his approval and the effort fizzled.
If Trump were to follow through on his implied veto threat, delivered via video clip on Tuesday, the government would likely experience a brief, partial shutdown of the government starting on Dec. 29. It would also delay delivery of the $600 direct payments that the bill does contain.
Senate Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have opposed larger $2,000 checks as too costly and poorly targeted. Democrats are supportive of the direct payments and now plan to vote on the $2,000 check proposal on Monday. House Republicans are expected to block the vote, but Democrats may try again Monday.
The president’s last-minute objections are setting up a defining showdown with his own Republican Party in his final days in office.
Rather than take the victory of the sweeping aid package, among the biggest in history, Trump is lashing out at GOP leaders over the presidential election — for acknowledging Joe Biden as president-elect and rebuffing his campaign to dispute the Electoral College results when they are tallied in Congress on Jan. 6.
The president’s push to increase direct payments for most Americans from $600 to $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for couples splits the party with a politically painful loyalty test, including for GOP senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, fighting to retain their seats in the Jan. 5 special election in Georgia.
Republican lawmakers traditionally balk at big spending and many never fully embraced Trump’s populist approach. Their political DNA tells them to oppose a costlier relief package. But now they’re being asked to stand with the president.
On a conference call Wednesday House Republican lawmakers complained that Trump threw them under the bus, according to one Republican on the private call and granted anonymity to discuss it. Most had voted for the package and they urged leaders to hit the cable news shows to explain its benefits, the person said.
Democrats were taking advantage of the Republican disarray to apply pressure for a priority. Jon Ossoff, Perdue’s Democratic opponent, tweeted simply on Tuesday night: “$2,000 checks now.”
The relief bill Trump is criticizing would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.
Even though Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin represented the White House in negotiations, Trump assailed the bipartisan effort in a video he tweeted out Tuesday night, suggesting he may not sign the legislation.
Railing against a range of provisions in the broader government funding package, including foreign aid mainstays included each year, Trump called the bill a “disgrace.”
Trump did not specifically vow to use his veto power, and there may be enough support in Congress to override him if he does. But the consequences would be severe if Trump upends the legislation. It would mean no federal aid to struggling Americans and small businesses, and no additional resources to help with vaccine distribution. To top it off, because lawmakers linked the pandemic relief bill to an overarching funding measure, the government would shut down on Dec. 29.
The final text of the more than 5,000-page bill was still being prepared by Congress and was not expected to be sent to the White House for Trump’s signature before Thursday or Friday, an aide said.
That complicates the schedule ahead. If Trump vetoes the package, or allows it to expire with a “pocket veto” at the end of the year, Americans will go without massive amounts of COVID aid.
A resolution could be forced Monday. That’s when a stopgap funding bill Congress approved to keep the government funded while the paperwork was being compiled expires, risking a federal shutdown.
Democrats are considering another stopgap measure to at least keep government running until Biden is sworn into office Jan. 20, according to two aides granted anonymity to discuss the private talks.
The House was already set to return Monday, and the Senate Tuesday, for a vote to override Trump’s veto of the must-pass defense bill. Democrats may try again at that time to pass Trump’s proposal for $2,000 checks, as well as the temporary government funding measure to avert a shutdown, the aides said.
The push for bigger payments to Americans drew rare common cause between Trump and some of the most liberal members of Congress. Pelosi and Democrats said they fought for the higher stipends during protracted negotiations only to settle on the lower number when Republicans refused.
Pelosi is set to offer the president’s proposal Thursday under a procedure that allows just one lawmaker to object to its consideration. It will be pushed forward during a so-called pro forma session, with few lawmakers expected to attend. McCarthy and Republicans are poised to object.
Republicans have been reluctant to spend more on pandemic relief and only agreed to the big year-end package as time dwindled for a final deal. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said that “Trump needs to sign the bill to help people and keep the government open,” and Congress would step up for more aid after.
The Senate cleared the huge relief package by a 92-6 vote after the House approved it by 359-53. Those votes totals would be enough to override a veto should Trump decide to take that step.
Biden applauded lawmakers for their work. He described the package as far from perfect, “but it does provide vital relief at a critical time.”
He also said more relief would be needed in the months ahead.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-24--‘Loathsome, Disgusting Crimes’: A Look Back At What Jared Kushner’s Dad Actually Did

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. ( AP ) — Former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie called it “ one of the most loathsome , disgusting crimes ” he ever prosecuted as U.S. attorney .
After Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities , the wealthy real estate executive and father of President Donald Trump ’ s son-in-law , Jared , hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation .
Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law , then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man ’ s wife .
The scheme didn ’ t work .
Kushner later pleaded guilty to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations in a case tailor-made for tabloid headlines .
On Wednesday Trump pardoned Kushner as part of a late-hour clemency spree during the final days of his presidency that has included a slew of campaign aides and allies , among them four of the six Trump associates convicted in the Mueller investigation .
He has granted clemency to nearly 50 people in the last week .
The White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charitable work since he completed his sentence in 2006 as the reason he deserved clemency .
“ This record of reform and charity overshadows Mr. Kushner ’ s conviction and 2 year sentence for preparing false tax returns , witness retaliation , and making false statements ” to the Federal Election Commission , the White House said , adding that Kushner ’ s case had been championed by Matt Schlapp , chairman of the American Conservative Union , and others .
Not mentioned : Kushner ’ s relationship to Jared Kushner , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s eldest daughter , Ivanka , and who , inspired by his father ’ s time in prison , pushed Trump to back criminal justice reform legislation and has been an integral part of the administration ’ s clemency efforts .
Christie did not respond to a request for comment on Trump ’ s decision to pardon a man he ’ d sent to prison .
But Christie , who headed Trump ’ s transition and has informally advised the president for years , has made clear that he believes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kushner pled guilty .
He admitted the crimes , ” Christie told PBS last year as he promoted a book that blamed the younger Kushner for his firing from Trump ’ s transition team .
“ And so what am I supposed to do as a prosecutor ?
I mean , if a guy hires a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law , and videotapes it , and then sends the videotape to his sister to attempt to intimidate her from testifying before a grand jury , do I really need any more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I mean its one of the most loathsome , disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney .
And I was U.S. attorney in New Jersey.
” Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering .
He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal , but less than Christie had sought .
Kushner also agreed to pay $ 508,900 to the FEC for violating contribution regulations by failing to obtain an OK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500,000 in contributions were credited .
He has since resumed his career in real estate , including purchasing the famed Watchtower complex along the Brooklyn Bridge , the former headquarters for the Jehovah ’ s Witnesses .
The younger Kushner has talked openly about how deeply his father ’ s imprisonment impacted his life .
He was in his early 20s and a law and business school student in the mid-2000s when his father was sentenced and suddenly found himself having to run the family ’ s businesses while shuttling back and forth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alabama .
“ When you ’ re on the other side of the system , you feel so helpless , ” Jared Kushner said in 2018 .
“ I felt like , I was on this side of the system , so how can I try to do whatever I can do to try to be helpful to the people who are going through it ” and deserve a second chance .
But Charles Kushner told The New York Times in 2018 that he wasn ’ t interested in clemency , saying he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pardon ” because it would garner publicity .

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called it “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes” he ever prosecuted as U.S. attorney.
After Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities, the wealthy real estate executive and father of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared, hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation.
Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife.
The scheme didn’t work. Kushner later pleaded guilty to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations in a case tailor-made for tabloid headlines.
On Wednesday Trump pardoned Kushner as part of a late-hour clemency spree during the final days of his presidency that has included a slew of campaign aides and allies, among them four of the six Trump associates convicted in the Mueller investigation. He has granted clemency to nearly 50 people in the last week.
The White House in its announcement cited Kushner’s charitable work since he completed his sentence in 2006 as the reason he deserved clemency.
“This record of reform and charity overshadows Mr. Kushner’s conviction and 2 year sentence for preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation, and making false statements” to the Federal Election Commission, the White House said, adding that Kushner’s case had been championed by Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, and others.
Not mentioned: Kushner’s relationship to Jared Kushner, the senior Trump adviser who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka, and who, inspired by his father’s time in prison, pushed Trump to back criminal justice reform legislation and has been an integral part of the administration’s clemency efforts.
Christie did not respond to a request for comment on Trump’s decision to pardon a man he’d sent to prison. But Christie, who headed Trump’s transition and has informally advised the president for years, has made clear that he believes the senior Kushner deserved it.
“Mr. Kushner pled guilty. He admitted the crimes,” Christie told PBS last year as he promoted a book that blamed the younger Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team. “And so what am I supposed to do as a prosecutor? I mean, if a guy hires a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, and videotapes it, and then sends the videotape to his sister to attempt to intimidate her from testifying before a grand jury, do I really need any more justification than that?”
He added: “I mean its one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney. And I was U.S. attorney in New Jersey.”
Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than Christie had sought.
Kushner also agreed to pay $508,900 to the FEC for violating contribution regulations by failing to obtain an OK from partners to whom more than $500,000 in contributions were credited.
He has since resumed his career in real estate, including purchasing the famed Watchtower complex along the Brooklyn Bridge, the former headquarters for the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The younger Kushner has talked openly about how deeply his father’s imprisonment impacted his life. He was in his early 20s and a law and business school student in the mid-2000s when his father was sentenced and suddenly found himself having to run the family’s businesses while shuttling back and forth on weekends to see his father in Alabama.
“When you’re on the other side of the system, you feel so helpless,” Jared Kushner said in 2018. “I felt like, I was on this side of the system, so how can I try to do whatever I can do to try to be helpful to the people who are going through it” and deserve a second chance.
But Charles Kushner told The New York Times in 2018 that he wasn’t interested in clemency, saying he “would prefer not to have a pardon” because it would garner publicity.
___
Long reported from Washington.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-24--Studies Find Having COVID-19 May Protect Against Reinfection

Two new studies give encouraging evidence that having COVID-19 may offer some protection against future infections .
Researchers found that people who made antibodies to the coronavirus were much less likely to test positive again for up to six months and maybe longer .
The results bode well for vaccines , which provoke the immune system to make antibodies — substances that attach to a virus and help it be eliminated .
Researchers found that people with antibodies from natural infections were “ at much lower risk … on the order of the same kind of protection you ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of getting the virus again , said Dr. Ned Sharpless , director of the U.S. National Cancer Institute .
“ It ’ s very , very rare ” to get reinfected , he said .
The institute ’ s study had nothing to do with cancer — many federal researchers have shifted to coronavirus work because of the pandemic .
Both studies used two types of tests .
One is a blood test for antibodies , which can linger for many months after infection .
The other type of test uses nasal or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or bits of it , suggesting current or recent infection .
One study , published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine , involved more than 12,500 health workers at Oxford University Hospitals in the United Kingdom .
Among the 1,265 who had coronavirus antibodies at the outset , only two had positive results on tests to detect active infection in the following six months and neither developed symptoms .
That contrasts with the 11,364 workers who initially did not have antibodies ; 223 of them tested positive for infection in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Cancer Institute study involved more than 3 million people who had antibody tests from two private labs in the United States .
Only 0.3 % of those who initially had antibodies later tested positive for the coronavirus , compared with 3 % of those who lacked such antibodies .
“ It ’ s very gratifying ” to see that the Oxford researchers saw the same risk reduction — 10 times less likely to have a second infection if antibodies were present , Sharpless said .
His institute ’ s report was posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research and is under review at a major medical journal .
The findings are “ not a surprise … but it ’ s really reassuring because it tells people that immunity to the virus is common , ” said Joshua Wolf , an infectious disease specialist at St. Jude Children ’ s Research Hospital in Memphis who had no role in either study .
Antibodies themselves may not be giving the protection , they might just be a sign that other parts of the immune system , such as T cells , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus , he said .
“ We don ’ t know how long-lasting this immunity is , ” Wolf added .
Cases of people getting COVID-19 more than once have been confirmed , so “ people still need to protect themselves and others by preventing reinfection.
” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

Two new studies give encouraging evidence that having COVID-19 may offer some protection against future infections. Researchers found that people who made antibodies to the coronavirus were much less likely to test positive again for up to six months and maybe longer.
The results bode well for vaccines, which provoke the immune system to make antibodies — substances that attach to a virus and help it be eliminated.
Researchers found that people with antibodies from natural infections were “at much lower risk … on the order of the same kind of protection you’d get from an effective vaccine,” of getting the virus again, said Dr. Ned Sharpless, director of the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
“It’s very, very rare” to get reinfected, he said.
The institute’s study had nothing to do with cancer — many federal researchers have shifted to coronavirus work because of the pandemic.
Both studies used two types of tests. One is a blood test for antibodies, which can linger for many months after infection. The other type of test uses nasal or other samples to detect the virus itself or bits of it, suggesting current or recent infection.
One study, published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine, involved more than 12,500 health workers at Oxford University Hospitals in the United Kingdom. Among the 1,265 who had coronavirus antibodies at the outset, only two had positive results on tests to detect active infection in the following six months and neither developed symptoms.
That contrasts with the 11,364 workers who initially did not have antibodies; 223 of them tested positive for infection in the roughly six months that followed.
The National Cancer Institute study involved more than 3 million people who had antibody tests from two private labs in the United States. Only 0.3% of those who initially had antibodies later tested positive for the coronavirus, compared with 3% of those who lacked such antibodies.
“It’s very gratifying” to see that the Oxford researchers saw the same risk reduction — 10 times less likely to have a second infection if antibodies were present, Sharpless said.
His institute’s report was posted on a website scientists use to share research and is under review at a major medical journal.
The findings are “not a surprise … but it’s really reassuring because it tells people that immunity to the virus is common,” said Joshua Wolf, an infectious disease specialist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis who had no role in either study.
Antibodies themselves may not be giving the protection, they might just be a sign that other parts of the immune system, such as T cells, are able to fight off any new exposures to the virus, he said.
“We don’t know how long-lasting this immunity is,” Wolf added. Cases of people getting COVID-19 more than once have been confirmed, so “people still need to protect themselves and others by preventing reinfection.”
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-26--Judge Delays Execution Of Only Woman On Federal Death Row

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — A federal judge said the Justice Department unlawfully rescheduled the execution of the only woman on federal death row , potentially setting up the Trump administration to schedule the execution after President-elect Joe Biden takes office .
U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss also vacated an order from the director of the Bureau of Prisons that had set Lisa Montgomery ’ s execution date for Jan. 12 .
Montgomery had previously been scheduled to be put to death at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute , Indiana , this month , but Moss delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visiting their client and asked him to extend the amount of time to file a clemency petition .
Moss prohibited the Bureau of Prisons from carrying out Lisa Montgomery ’ s execution before the end of the year and officials rescheduled her execution date for Jan. 12 .
But Moss ruled on Wednesday that the agency was also prohibited from rescheduling the date while a stay was in place .
“ The Court , accordingly , concludes that the Director ’ s order setting a new execution date while the Court ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in accordance with law , ’ ” Moss wrote .
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Under the order , the Bureau of Prisons can not reschedule Montgomery ’ s execution until at least Jan. 1 .
Generally , under Justice Department guidelines , a death-row inmate must be notified at least 20 days before the execution .
Because of the judge ’ s order , if the Justice Department chooses to reschedule the date in January , it could mean that the execution would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 20 .
Biden “ opposes the death penalty now and in the future ” and would work as president to end its use in office , spokesman TJ Ducklo has told The Associated Press .
But Biden ’ s representatives have not said whether executions would be paused immediately once Biden takes office .
Montgomery was convicted of killing 23-year-old Bobbie Jo Stinnett in the northwest Missouri town of Skidmore in December 2004 .
She used a rope to strangle Stinnett , who was eight months pregnant , then a kitchen knife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ womb , authorities said .
Prosecutors said Montgomery removed the baby from Stinnett ’ s body , took the child with her , and attempted to pass the girl off as her own .
Montgomery ’ s legal team has argued that their client suffers from serious mental illnesses .
“ Given the severity of Mrs. Montgomery ’ s mental illness , the sexual and physical torture she endured throughout her life , and the connection between her trauma and the facts of her crime , we appeal to President Trump to grant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to life imprisonment , ” one of Montgomery ’ s lawyers , Sandra Babcock , said in a statement .
Two other federal inmates are scheduled to be executed in January but have tested positive for coronavirus and their attorneys are also seeking delays to their executions .

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge said the Justice Department unlawfully rescheduled the execution of the only woman on federal death row, potentially setting up the Trump administration to schedule the execution after President-elect Joe Biden takes office.
U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss also vacated an order from the director of the Bureau of Prisons that had set Lisa Montgomery’s execution date for Jan. 12. Montgomery had previously been scheduled to be put to death at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, this month, but Moss delayed the execution after her attorneys contracted coronavirus visiting their client and asked him to extend the amount of time to file a clemency petition.
Moss prohibited the Bureau of Prisons from carrying out Lisa Montgomery’s execution before the end of the year and officials rescheduled her execution date for Jan. 12. But Moss ruled on Wednesday that the agency was also prohibited from rescheduling the date while a stay was in place.
“The Court, accordingly, concludes that the Director’s order setting a new execution date while the Court’s stay was in effect was ‘not in accordance with law,’” Moss wrote.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under the order, the Bureau of Prisons cannot reschedule Montgomery’s execution until at least Jan. 1. Generally, under Justice Department guidelines, a death-row inmate must be notified at least 20 days before the execution. Because of the judge’s order, if the Justice Department chooses to reschedule the date in January, it could mean that the execution would be scheduled after Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
Biden “opposes the death penalty now and in the future” and would work as president to end its use in office, spokesman TJ Ducklo has told The Associated Press. But Biden’s representatives have not said whether executions would be paused immediately once Biden takes office.
Montgomery was convicted of killing 23-year-old Bobbie Jo Stinnett in the northwest Missouri town of Skidmore in December 2004. She used a rope to strangle Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant, then a kitchen knife to cut the baby girl from the womb, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Montgomery removed the baby from Stinnett’s body, took the child with her, and attempted to pass the girl off as her own. Montgomery’s legal team has argued that their client suffers from serious mental illnesses.
“Given the severity of Mrs. Montgomery’s mental illness, the sexual and physical torture she endured throughout her life, and the connection between her trauma and the facts of her crime, we appeal to President Trump to grant her mercy, and commute her sentence to life imprisonment,” one of Montgomery’s lawyers, Sandra Babcock, said in a statement.
Two other federal inmates are scheduled to be executed in January but have tested positive for coronavirus and their attorneys are also seeking delays to their executions.
___
Follow Balsamo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-26--Trump Fiddles As Unemployment Benefits Are About To Expire For Millions

WEST PALM BEACH , Fla. ( AP ) — Unemployment benefits for millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet were set to lapse at midnight Saturday unless President Donald Trump signed an end-of-year COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his sudden objections .
Trump ’ s refusal to sign the bipartisan package as he demands larger COVID relief checks and complains about “ pork ” spending could also force a federal government shutdown when money runs out at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday in the middle of a pandemic .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Lanetris Haines , a self-employed single mother of three in South Bend , Indiana , who stands to lose her $ 129 weekly jobless benefit unless Trump signs the package into law or succeeds in his improbable quest for changes .
Washington has been reeling since Trump threw the package into limbo after it had already won sweeping approval in both houses of Congress and after the White House assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it .
Instead , he has assailed the bill ’ s plan to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans — insisting it should be $ 2,000 .
House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session .
But Trump has not been swayed .
“ I simply want to get our great people $ 2000 , rather than the measly $ 600 that is now in the bill , ” Trump tweeted Saturday from Palm Beach , Florida , where he is spending the holiday .
“ Also , stop the billions of dollars in ‘ pork.
’ ” President-elect Joe Biden called on Trump to sign the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment aid were set to expire Saturday .
“ It is the day after Christmas , and millions of families don ’ t know if they ’ ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump ’ s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority , ” Biden said in a statement .
He accused Trump of an “ abdication of responsibility ” that has “ devastating consequences.
” “ I ’ ve been talking to people who are scared they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their homes , during the Christmas holidays , and still might be if we don ’ t sign this bill , ’ ’ said Rep. Debbie Dingell , a Michigan Democrat .
Lauren Bauer , a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution , has calculated that 11 million people would lose aid from the programs immediately without additional relief ; millions more would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks .
Andrew Stettner , an unemployment insurance expert and senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank , said the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joblessness has spiked since Thanksgiving .
“ All these folks and their families will suffer if Trump doesn ’ t sign the damn bill , ’ ’ Heidi Shierholz , director of policy at the liberal Economic Policy Institute , tweeted Wednesday .
How and when people are affected by the lapse depends on the state they live in , the program they are relying on and when they applied for benefits .
In some states , people on regular unemployment insurance could continue to receive payments under a program that extends benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threshold , Stettner said .
About 9.5 million people , however , rely on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expires altogether Saturday .
That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers , gig workers and others who are normally not eligible .
After receiving their last checks , those recipients will not be able to file for more aid after Saturday , Stettner said .
While payments could be received retroactively , any gap means more hardship and uncertainty for Americans who have already grappled with bureaucratic delays , often depleting much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting for payments to kick in .
They are people like Earl McCarthy , a father of four who lives in South Fulton , Georgia , and has been relying on unemployment since losing his job as a sales representative for a luxury senior living community .
He said he will be left with no income by the second week of January if Trump fails to sign the bill .
McCarthy said he already burned through much of his savings as he waited five months to begin receiving his unemployment benefits .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , McCarthy reached out to the South Fulton mayor ’ s office , then to his state legislative representative to ask for help .
He finally started getting payments in November .
“ The entire experience was horrifying , ” said McCarthy , who is receiving about $ 350 a week in unemployment insurance .
“ For me , I shudder to think if I had not saved anything or had an emergency fund through those five months , where would we have been ?
” he said .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t sign this bill.
” The bill awaiting Trump ’ s signature would also activate a weekly $ 300 federal supplement to unemployment payments .
Sharon Shelton Corpening had been hoping the extra help would allow her 83-year-old mother , with whom she lives , to stop eating into her social security payments to make their $ 1,138 rent .
Corpening , who lives in the Atlanta area , had launched a freelance content strategy business that was just taking off before the pandemic hit , prompting several of her contracts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about $ 125 a week under the pandemic unemployment program and says she will be unable to pay her bills in about a month .
This , despite her temporary work for the U.S. census and as an elections poll worker .
“ We on the brink , ” said Corpening , who lobbies for Unemployment Action , a project launched by the Center for Popular Democracy to fight for relief .
“ One more month , if that .
Then , I run out of everything.
” Trump , meanwhile , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ golfing and angrily tweeting as he refuses to accept his loss to Biden in the Nov. 3 election .
On Saturday , he again lashed out at members of his own party for failing to join his quest to try to overturn the results of the election with baseless claims of mass voter fraud that have been repeatedly rejected by the courts .
“ If a Democrat Presidential Candidate had an Election Rigged & Stolen , with proof of such acts at a level never seen before , the Democrat Senators would consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight to the death , ” he railed .
He said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his Republicans “ just want to let it pass .
NO FIGHT !
” Trump also lashed out at the Supreme Court , the Justice Department and the FBI as he seemed to encourage his supporters to gather in Washington on Jan. 6 , the day Congress tallies the Electoral College vote — even though a similar event last month devolved into violence , with multiple people being stabbed in the capital ’ s streets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s lack of action on the bill would lead to the expiration of eviction protections and put on hold a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses , restaurants and theaters , along with money to help schools and vaccine distribution .
The relief is also attached to a $ 1.4 trillion government funding bill to keep the federal government operating .

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Unemployment benefits for millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet were set to lapse at midnight Saturday unless President Donald Trump signed an end-of-year COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his sudden objections.
Trump’s refusal to sign the bipartisan package as he demands larger COVID relief checks and complains about “pork” spending could also force a federal government shutdown when money runs out at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday in the middle of a pandemic.
“It’s a chess game and we are pawns,” said Lanetris Haines, a self-employed single mother of three in South Bend, Indiana, who stands to lose her $129 weekly jobless benefit unless Trump signs the package into law or succeeds in his improbable quest for changes.
Washington has been reeling since Trump threw the package into limbo after it had already won sweeping approval in both houses of Congress and after the White House assured Republican leaders that Trump would support it.
Instead, he has assailed the bill’s plan to provide $600 COVID relief checks to most Americans — insisting it should be $2,000. House Republicans swiftly rejected that idea during a rare Christmas Eve session. But Trump has not been swayed.
“I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill,” Trump tweeted Saturday from Palm Beach, Florida, where he is spending the holiday. “Also, stop the billions of dollars in ‘pork.’”
President-elect Joe Biden called on Trump to sign the bill immediately as two federal programs providing unemployment aid were set to expire Saturday.
“It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority,” Biden said in a statement. He accused Trump of an “abdication of responsibility” that has “devastating consequences.”
“I’ve been talking to people who are scared they’re going to be kicked out from their homes, during the Christmas holidays, and still might be if we don’t sign this bill,’’ said Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat.
Lauren Bauer, a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, has calculated that 11 million people would lose aid from the programs immediately without additional relief; millions more would exhaust other unemployment benefits within weeks.
Andrew Stettner, an unemployment insurance expert and senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank, said the number may be closer to 14 million because joblessness has spiked since Thanksgiving.
“All these folks and their families will suffer if Trump doesn’t sign the damn bill,’’ Heidi Shierholz, director of policy at the liberal Economic Policy Institute, tweeted Wednesday.
How and when people are affected by the lapse depends on the state they live in, the program they are relying on and when they applied for benefits. In some states, people on regular unemployment insurance could continue to receive payments under a program that extends benefits when the jobless rate surpasses a certain threshold, Stettner said.
About 9.5 million people, however, rely on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that expires altogether Saturday. That program made unemployment insurance available to freelancers, gig workers and others who are normally not eligible. After receiving their last checks, those recipients will not be able to file for more aid after Saturday, Stettner said.
While payments could be received retroactively, any gap means more hardship and uncertainty for Americans who have already grappled with bureaucratic delays, often depleting much of their savings to stay afloat while waiting for payments to kick in.
They are people like Earl McCarthy, a father of four who lives in South Fulton, Georgia, and has been relying on unemployment since losing his job as a sales representative for a luxury senior living community. He said he will be left with no income by the second week of January if Trump fails to sign the bill.
McCarthy said he already burned through much of his savings as he waited five months to begin receiving his unemployment benefits. After leaving weekly messages with the unemployment agency, McCarthy reached out to the South Fulton mayor’s office, then to his state legislative representative to ask for help. He finally started getting payments in November.
“The entire experience was horrifying,” said McCarthy, who is receiving about $350 a week in unemployment insurance.
“For me, I shudder to think if I had not saved anything or had an emergency fund through those five months, where would we have been?” he said. “It’s going to be difficult if the president doesn’t sign this bill.”
The bill awaiting Trump’s signature would also activate a weekly $300 federal supplement to unemployment payments.
Sharon Shelton Corpening had been hoping the extra help would allow her 83-year-old mother, with whom she lives, to stop eating into her social security payments to make their $1,138 rent.
Corpening, who lives in the Atlanta area, had launched a freelance content strategy business that was just taking off before the pandemic hit, prompting several of her contracts to fall through. She is receiving about $125 a week under the pandemic unemployment program and says she will be unable to pay her bills in about a month. This, despite her temporary work for the U.S. census and as an elections poll worker.
“We on the brink,” said Corpening, who lobbies for Unemployment Action, a project launched by the Center for Popular Democracy to fight for relief. “One more month, if that. Then, I run out of everything.”
Trump, meanwhile, has been spending his final days in office golfing and angrily tweeting as he refuses to accept his loss to Biden in the Nov. 3 election. On Saturday, he again lashed out at members of his own party for failing to join his quest to try to overturn the results of the election with baseless claims of mass voter fraud that have been repeatedly rejected by the courts.
“If a Democrat Presidential Candidate had an Election Rigged & Stolen, with proof of such acts at a level never seen before, the Democrat Senators would consider it an act of war, and fight to the death,” he railed. He said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his Republicans “just want to let it pass. NO FIGHT!”
Trump also lashed out at the Supreme Court, the Justice Department and the FBI as he seemed to encourage his supporters to gather in Washington on Jan. 6, the day Congress tallies the Electoral College vote — even though a similar event last month devolved into violence, with multiple people being stabbed in the capital’s streets.
In addition to freezing unemployment benefits, Trump’s lack of action on the bill would lead to the expiration of eviction protections and put on hold a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters, along with money to help schools and vaccine distribution.
The relief is also attached to a $1.4 trillion government funding bill to keep the federal government operating.
___
Olson reported from New York.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-26--Emergency Systems Still Offline After Christmas Day Explosion In Nashville

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — Sweeping communications outages continued to plague large swaths of Tennessee on Saturday after a recreational vehicle exploded early Christmas morning in sleepy downtown Nashville .
Police emergency systems across Tennessee and Kentucky , as well as Nashville ’ s COVID-19 community hotline , remained out of service due to an AT & T central office being affected by the blast .
The building contained a telephone exchange , with network equipment in it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted .
AT & T said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which include a fire that “ reignited overnight and led to the evacuation of the building.
” This has forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power .
“ Our teams continue to work around the clock on recovery efforts from yesterday morning ’ s explosion in Nashville , ” the company said in a Saturday statement .
“ We have two portable cell sites operating in downtown Nashville with numerous additional portable sites being deployed in the Nashville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bill Lee asked the White House on Saturday for federal assistance due to the “ severity and magnitude ” of the explosion ’ s impact .
At least 41 buildings were damaged , and communications systems — including residential and cell phone service and 911 call centers — failed across the state , he said .
Kentucky and northern Alabama were also affected , he said .
The outages had even briefly grounded flights at the Nashville International Airport , but service was continuing normally as of Saturday .
According to Metro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers responded on Friday to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes .
Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad .
The RV exploded shortly afterward .
Law enforcement officials have said they believe the blast was intentional but don ’ t yet know a motive or target .
“ This morning I toured the site of the bombing , ” Gov .
Bill Lee tweeted Saturday .
“ The damage is shocking and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed .
( First lady Maria ) and I continue to pray for those who sustained injuries from the blast.
” Lee had been in quarantine due to his wife contracting COVID-19 .
However , the Republican said that he and Maria had both tested negative , allowing the two to visit downtown Nashville .
Lee said the first lady had “ fully recovered.
” On Friday , Drake told reporters that investigators at the scene “ have found tissue that we believe could be remains , but we ’ ll have that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time.
” No new information regarding the tissue was made available Saturday .
Three people taken to area hospitals for treatment were in stable condition Friday evening .
The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation , agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said .
Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives are also involved in the investigation .
The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes , such as explosives violations and acts of terrorism .
Mayor John Cooper has enforced a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes the heart of downtown Nashville ’ s tourist scene , an area packed with honky-tonks , restaurants and shops — until Sunday .
The curfew was implemented via executive order to limit public access to the area as investigators continue to canvass the scene .

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sweeping communications outages continued to plague large swaths of Tennessee on Saturday after a recreational vehicle exploded early Christmas morning in sleepy downtown Nashville.
Police emergency systems across Tennessee and Kentucky, as well as Nashville’s COVID-19 community hotline, remained out of service due to an AT&T central office being affected by the blast. The building contained a telephone exchange, with network equipment in it — but the company has declined to say exactly how many people have been impacted.
AT&T said restoration efforts are facing several challenges, which include a fire that “reignited overnight and led to the evacuation of the building.” This has forced their teams to work with safety and structural engineers and drilling access holes into the building in order to reconnect power.
“Our teams continue to work around the clock on recovery efforts from yesterday morning’s explosion in Nashville,” the company said in a Saturday statement. “We have two portable cell sites operating in downtown Nashville with numerous additional portable sites being deployed in the Nashville area and in the region.”
Gov. Bill Lee asked the White House on Saturday for federal assistance due to the “severity and magnitude” of the explosion’s impact. At least 41 buildings were damaged, and communications systems — including residential and cell phone service and 911 call centers — failed across the state, he said. Kentucky and northern Alabama were also affected, he said.
The outages had even briefly grounded flights at the Nashville International Airport, but service was continuing normally as of Saturday.
According to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake, police officers responded on Friday to a report of shots fired when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. Police evacuated nearby buildings and called in the bomb squad. The RV exploded shortly afterward.
Law enforcement officials have said they believe the blast was intentional but don’t yet know a motive or target.
“This morning I toured the site of the bombing,” Gov. Bill Lee tweeted Saturday. “The damage is shocking and it is a miracle that no residents were killed. (First lady Maria) and I continue to pray for those who sustained injuries from the blast.”
Lee had been in quarantine due to his wife contracting COVID-19. However, the Republican said that he and Maria had both tested negative, allowing the two to visit downtown Nashville. Lee said the first lady had “fully recovered.”
On Friday, Drake told reporters that investigators at the scene “have found tissue that we believe could be remains, but we’ll have that examined and let you know at that time.” No new information regarding the tissue was made available Saturday.
Three people taken to area hospitals for treatment were in stable condition Friday evening.
The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation, agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said. Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are also involved in the investigation. The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes, such as explosives violations and acts of terrorism.
Mayor John Cooper has enforced a curfew in the downtown area — which includes the heart of downtown Nashville’s tourist scene, an area packed with honky-tonks, restaurants and shops — until Sunday. The curfew was implemented via executive order to limit public access to the area as investigators continue to canvass the scene.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-26--Republicans Plotting New Ways To Make It Harder To Vote

ATLANTA ( AP ) — Changes to the way millions of Americans voted this year contributed to record turnout , but that ’ s no guarantee the measures making it easier to cast ballots will stick around for future elections .
Republicans in key states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden already are pushing for new restrictions , especially to absentee voting .
It ’ s an option many states expanded amid the coronavirus outbreak that proved hugely popular and helped ensure one of the smoothest election days in recent years .
President Donald Trump has been unrelenting in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to challenge the legitimacy of an election he lost .
Despite a lack of evidence and dozens of losses in the courts , his claims of widespread voter fraud have gained traction with some Republican elected officials .
They are vowing to crack down on mail ballots and threatening to roll back other steps that have made it easier for people to vote .
“ This myth could not justify throwing out the results of the election , nor can it justify imposing additional burdens on voters that will disenfranchise many Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law .
An estimated 108 million people voted before Election Day , either through early in-person voting or by mailing or dropping off absentee ballots .
That represented nearly 70 % of all votes cast , after states took steps to make it easier to avoid crowded polling places during the pandemic .
A few states sent ballots to every registered voter while others dropped requirements that voters needed a specific excuse to cast an absentee ballot .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting options .
The changes were popular with voters and did not lead to widespread fraud .
A group of election officials including representatives of the federal cybersecurity agency called the 2020 presidential election the “ most secure ” election in U.S. history , and U.S. Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press there had been no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election .
Nevertheless , Republicans in Georgia have proposed adding a photo ID requirement when voting absentee , a ban on drop boxes and possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail voting , such as illness or traveling for work on Election Day .
Early supporters of the ID requirement include Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , Republicans who were criticized relentlessly by Trump for failing to back his fraud claims after losing in Georgia .
A top deputy for Raffensperger has said the ID requirement would boost public confidence and refute any future claims of fraud .
The state ’ s two U.S. Senate runoffs next month will take place under current law , which requires local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots .
In Pennsylvania , Republican lawmakers have been writing legislation to address what they claim are problems with the 2020 election and mail voting in particular , even though courts and elections officials have found no evidence of widespread problems .
“ We ’ d like to tighten it up as soon as we can , ” said Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward .
Republicans hold majorities in both legislative chambers , and their support was instrumental in a year-old state law that expanded mail voting to all registered voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ far as to repeal that law and force voters to state an excuse to receive a ballot in the mail .
Previous elections have shown that voters appreciate mail voting , no matter their party affiliation .
Republican candidates down the ballot did very well this year , even as a record 81.2 million voters cast their ballot for the Democrat in the presidential race .
In Michigan , Republicans held every congressional seat and kept control of the legislature despite Trump losing the state .
Yet Republicans still held a legislative hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were widespread irregularities without explaining how these somehow affected only the presidential race but not other contests .
“ Just like we have seen a lot of legislators making ill-advised decisions to hold hearings that ended up being more political theater than policy debates , we can similarly expect legislators to further this hyper-partisan agenda to restrict the vote , ” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson , a Democrat .
Benson said lawmakers should instead look to the high turnout for the presidential election as a guide to improving what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections officials , such as providing more time for clerks to process mail ballots .
Michigan does not allow that work to begin until the day before Election Day .
Lisa Schaefer , executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania , said her organization also would like to see lawmakers focus on reducing the strain facing local election officials .
“ The more time that we spend in debating other issues , the less time that we have to do something good with changes to the election code , ” Schaefer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already begun pushing back , saying Republicans should be focused on protecting voter access to the polls and not feeding into conspiracy theories launched by Trump and his allies to undermine the Nov. 3 election .
They say ID requirements accomplish little , but have a high cost .
“ It ’ s a solution in search of a problem , ” said California Secretary of State Alex Padilla , a Democrat who was recently tapped to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris .
“ It will undoubtedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people without necessarily improving election security.
” Voter fraud does happen , but studies have shown it ’ s exceedingly rare .
Numerous safeguards are built into voting systems to ensure that only eligible voters cast a ballot .
Election officials say when fraud does happen , people are caught and prosecuted .
Not all Republicans are seeking to add restrictions .
In Ohio , Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his legislative priorities are to expand early voting locations , increase oversight of election vendors , add an online option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over drop boxes .
“ Ohio ’ s got a good thing going , but we don ’ t want to rest on our laurels , ” said LaRose , who would have to get his changes through a Republican-dominated legislature .
Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said the pandemic forced the state to implement early voting , which proved popular among voters of both major parties .
The Republican said he thinks it ’ s likely state lawmakers will create an early voting policy for subsequent elections and has heard of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislature .
“ It just makes voting easier , ” he said .
Izaguirre reported from Lindenhurst , New York .
Associated Press writers Marc Levy in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania ; Ben Nadler in Atlanta ; and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus , Ohio , contributed to this report .
Associated Press coverage of voting rights receives support in part from Carnegie Corporation of New York .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

ATLANTA (AP) — Changes to the way millions of Americans voted this year contributed to record turnout, but that’s no guarantee the measures making it easier to cast ballots will stick around for future elections.
Republicans in key states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden already are pushing for new restrictions, especially to absentee voting. It’s an option many states expanded amid the coronavirus outbreak that proved hugely popular and helped ensure one of the smoothest election days in recent years.
President Donald Trump has been unrelenting in his attacks on mail voting as he continues to challenge the legitimacy of an election he lost. Despite a lack of evidence and dozens of losses in the courts, his claims of widespread voter fraud have gained traction with some Republican elected officials.
They are vowing to crack down on mail ballots and threatening to roll back other steps that have made it easier for people to vote.
“This myth could not justify throwing out the results of the election, nor can it justify imposing additional burdens on voters that will disenfranchise many Americans,” said Wendy Weiser, head of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law.
An estimated 108 million people voted before Election Day, either through early in-person voting or by mailing or dropping off absentee ballots. That represented nearly 70% of all votes cast, after states took steps to make it easier to avoid crowded polling places during the pandemic.
A few states sent ballots to every registered voter while others dropped requirements that voters needed a specific excuse to cast an absentee ballot. Many states added drop boxes and expanded early voting options.
The changes were popular with voters and did not lead to widespread fraud. A group of election officials including representatives of the federal cybersecurity agency called the 2020 presidential election the “most secure” election in U.S. history, and U.S. Attorney General William Barr told The Associated Press there had been no evidence of fraud that would change the outcome of the election.
Nevertheless, Republicans in Georgia have proposed adding a photo ID requirement when voting absentee, a ban on drop boxes and possibly a return to requiring an excuse for mail voting, such as illness or traveling for work on Election Day.
Early supporters of the ID requirement include Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Republicans who were criticized relentlessly by Trump for failing to back his fraud claims after losing in Georgia. A top deputy for Raffensperger has said the ID requirement would boost public confidence and refute any future claims of fraud.
The state’s two U.S. Senate runoffs next month will take place under current law, which requires local election officials to verify signatures on absentee ballots.
In Pennsylvania, Republican lawmakers have been writing legislation to address what they claim are problems with the 2020 election and mail voting in particular, even though courts and elections officials have found no evidence of widespread problems.
“We’d like to tighten it up as soon as we can,” said Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward.
Republicans hold majorities in both legislative chambers, and their support was instrumental in a year-old state law that expanded mail voting to all registered voters. One bill being discussed would go so far as to repeal that law and force voters to state an excuse to receive a ballot in the mail.
Previous elections have shown that voters appreciate mail voting, no matter their party affiliation. Republican candidates down the ballot did very well this year, even as a record 81.2 million voters cast their ballot for the Democrat in the presidential race.
In Michigan, Republicans held every congressional seat and kept control of the legislature despite Trump losing the state. Yet Republicans still held a legislative hearing in which Trump’s lawyers argued there were widespread irregularities without explaining how these somehow affected only the presidential race but not other contests.
“Just like we have seen a lot of legislators making ill-advised decisions to hold hearings that ended up being more political theater than policy debates, we can similarly expect legislators to further this hyper-partisan agenda to restrict the vote,” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat.
Benson said lawmakers should instead look to the high turnout for the presidential election as a guide to improving what worked and then make changes sought by elections officials, such as providing more time for clerks to process mail ballots. Michigan does not allow that work to begin until the day before Election Day.
Lisa Schaefer, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said her organization also would like to see lawmakers focus on reducing the strain facing local election officials.
“The more time that we spend in debating other issues, the less time that we have to do something good with changes to the election code,” Schaefer said.
Democrats and voting rights groups have already begun pushing back, saying Republicans should be focused on protecting voter access to the polls and not feeding into conspiracy theories launched by Trump and his allies to undermine the Nov. 3 election.
They say ID requirements accomplish little, but have a high cost.
“It’s a solution in search of a problem,” said California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat who was recently tapped to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. “It will undoubtedly have the net effect of disenfranchising a lot of people without necessarily improving election security.”
Padilla supports sending registered voters a ballot in the mail.
Voter fraud does happen, but studies have shown it’s exceedingly rare. Numerous safeguards are built into voting systems to ensure that only eligible voters cast a ballot. Election officials say when fraud does happen, people are caught and prosecuted.
Not all Republicans are seeking to add restrictions.
In Ohio, Secretary of State Frank LaRose said his legislative priorities are to expand early voting locations, increase oversight of election vendors, add an online option for requesting absentee ballots and address confusion over drop boxes.
“Ohio’s got a good thing going, but we don’t want to rest on our laurels,” said LaRose, who would have to get his changes through a Republican-dominated legislature.
Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams said the pandemic forced the state to implement early voting, which proved popular among voters of both major parties. The Republican said he thinks it’s likely state lawmakers will create an early voting policy for subsequent elections and has heard of no opposition to that in the GOP-controlled legislature.
“It just makes voting easier,” he said.
___
Izaguirre reported from Lindenhurst, New York. Associated Press writers Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Ben Nadler in Atlanta; and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
___
Associated Press coverage of voting rights receives support in part from Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for this content.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-12-27--Officials: Nashville Bombing Suspect Died In Christmas Day Blast

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — The man believed to be responsible for the Christmas Day bombing that tore through downtown Nashville blew himself up in the explosion , and appears to have acted alone , federal officials said Sunday .
Investigators used DNA and other evidence to link the man , identified as Anthony Quinn Warner , to the mysterious explosion but said they have not determined a motive .
Officials have received hundreds of tips and leads , but have concluded that no one other than Warner is believed to have been involved in the early morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Nashville is considered safe , ” said Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake .
” There are no known threats against this city.
” In publicly identifying the suspect and his fate , officials disclosed a major breakthrough in their investigation even as they acknowledged the lingering mystery behind the explosion , which took place on a holiday morning well before downtown streets were bustling with activity and was accompanied by a recorded announcement warning anyone nearby that a bomb would soon detonate .
Then , for reasons that may never be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recording of Petula Clark ’ s 1964 hit “ Downtown ” shortly before the blast .
Investigators have not uncovered a singular motive for the act nor was it revealed why Warner had selected the particular location for the bombing , which damaged an AT & T building and has continued to wreak havoc on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service .
Warner , who public records show had experience with electronics and alarms and who had also worked as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been regarded as a person of interest in the bombing since at least Saturday when federal and local investigators converged on a home in suburban Nashville linked to him .
Federal agents could be seen looking around the property , searching the home and the backyard .
A Google Maps image captured in May 2019 had shown a recreational vehicle similar to the one that exploded parked in the backyard , but it was not at the property on Saturday , according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as being under investigation .
Officials said their identification of Warner relied on several key pieces of evidence , including DNA found at the explosion site .
Investigators had previously revealed that human remains had been found in the vicinity .
In addition , investigators from the Tennessee Highway Patrol recovered parts from the RV where the bomb was detonated among the wreckage from the blast , and were able to link the vehicle identification number to an RV that was registered to Warner , officials said .
“ We ’ re still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no indication that any other persons were involved , ” said Douglas Korneski , special agent in charge of the FBI ’ s Memphis field office .
“ We ’ ve reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle .
We saw no other people involved.
” Police were responding to a report of shots fired Friday when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes .
Suddenly the warning stopped , and Clark ’ s hit “ Downtown ” started playing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ black smoke and flames billowing from the heart of downtown Nashville ’ s tourist scene , an area packed with honky-tonks , restaurants and shops .
Buildings shook and windows shattered streets away from the explosion near a building owned by AT & T that lies one block from the company ’ s office tower , a landmark in downtown .
Forensic analysts were reviewing evidence collected from the blast site to try to identify the components of the explosives as well as information from the U.S .
Bomb Data Center for intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement official who said investigators were examining Warner ’ s digital footprint and financial history , as well as a recent deed transfer of the home they searched in suburban Nashville .
The official , who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity , said federal agents were examining a number of potential leads and pursuing several theories , including the possibility that the AT & T building was targeted .
Korneski said Sunday that officials were looking at any and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s to try to determine what may have motivated him .
Earlier Sunday , the officers who responded provided harrowing details , at times getting choked up reliving the moments that led up to the blast .
“ This is going to tie us together forever , for the rest of my life , ” Officer James Wells , who suffered some hearing loss due to the explosion , told reporters at a news conference .
“ Christmas will never be the same.
” Officer Brenna Hosey said she and her colleagues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby apartments to warn people to evacuate .
She particularly remembered a startled mother of four children .
“ I don ’ t have kids but I have cousins and nieces , people who I love who are small , ” Hosey said , adding she had to plead with the family to leave the building as quickly as possible .

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The man believed to be responsible for the Christmas Day bombing that tore through downtown Nashville blew himself up in the explosion, and appears to have acted alone, federal officials said Sunday.
Investigators used DNA and other evidence to link the man, identified as Anthony Quinn Warner, to the mysterious explosion but said they have not determined a motive. Officials have received hundreds of tips and leads, but have concluded that no one other than Warner is believed to have been involved in the early morning explosion that damaged dozens of buildings.
“Nashville is considered safe,” said Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake .”There are no known threats against this city.”
In publicly identifying the suspect and his fate, officials disclosed a major breakthrough in their investigation even as they acknowledged the lingering mystery behind the explosion, which took place on a holiday morning well before downtown streets were bustling with activity and was accompanied by a recorded announcement warning anyone nearby that a bomb would soon detonate.
Then, for reasons that may never be known, the audio switched to a recording of Petula Clark’s 1964 hit “Downtown” shortly before the blast.
Investigators have not uncovered a singular motive for the act nor was it revealed why Warner had selected the particular location for the bombing, which damaged an AT&T building and has continued to wreak havoc on cellphone service and police and hospital communications in several Southern states as the company worked to restore service.
Warner, who public records show had experience with electronics and alarms and who had also worked as a computer consultant for a Nashville realtor, had been regarded as a person of interest in the bombing since at least Saturday when federal and local investigators converged on a home in suburban Nashville linked to him.
Federal agents could be seen looking around the property, searching the home and the backyard. A Google Maps image captured in May 2019 had shown a recreational vehicle similar to the one that exploded parked in the backyard, but it was not at the property on Saturday, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene.
On Sunday morning, police formally named Warner as being under investigation.
Officials said their identification of Warner relied on several key pieces of evidence, including DNA found at the explosion site. Investigators had previously revealed that human remains had been found in the vicinity.
In addition, investigators from the Tennessee Highway Patrol recovered parts from the RV where the bomb was detonated among the wreckage from the blast, and were able to link the vehicle identification number to an RV that was registered to Warner, officials said.
“We’re still following leads, but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved,” said Douglas Korneski, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis field office. “We’ve reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle. We saw no other people involved.”
Police were responding to a report of shots fired Friday when they encountered the RV blaring a recorded warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. Suddenly the warning stopped, and Clark’s hit “Downtown” started playing.
The RV exploded shortly afterward, sending black smoke and flames billowing from the heart of downtown Nashville’s tourist scene, an area packed with honky-tonks, restaurants and shops.
Buildings shook and windows shattered streets away from the explosion near a building owned by AT&T that lies one block from the company’s office tower, a landmark in downtown.
Forensic analysts were reviewing evidence collected from the blast site to try to identify the components of the explosives as well as information from the U.S. Bomb Data Center for intelligence and investigative leads, according to a law enforcement official who said investigators were examining Warner’s digital footprint and financial history, as well as a recent deed transfer of the home they searched in suburban Nashville.
The official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, said federal agents were examining a number of potential leads and pursuing several theories, including the possibility that the AT&T building was targeted.
Korneski said Sunday that officials were looking at any and all motives and were interviewing acquaintances of Warner’s to try to determine what may have motivated him.
Earlier Sunday, the officers who responded provided harrowing details, at times getting choked up reliving the moments that led up to the blast.
“This is going to tie us together forever, for the rest of my life,” Officer James Wells, who suffered some hearing loss due to the explosion, told reporters at a news conference. “Christmas will never be the same.”
Officer Brenna Hosey said she and her colleagues knocked on six or seven doors in nearby apartments to warn people to evacuate. She particularly remembered a startled mother of four children.
“I don’t have kids but I have cousins and nieces, people who I love who are small,” Hosey said, adding she had to plead with the family to leave the building as quickly as possible.