Florida’s primary election is over and so is Bernie Sanders
Vice president Joe Biden absolutely crushed Sen. Bernie Sanders last night, clobbering the Fidel Castro- loving senator in Florida by more than 50 percentage points.
Biden also defeated Sanders in Arizona and Illinois and just about sealed the Democratic presidential nomination.
It’s all over for Bernie, his bros, and his “Squad” chicks that have been pushing his socialist agenda at nauseam.
Now, looking forward to the more pressing issue that is the Trump vs. Biden presidential debates.
Can you imagine how they are going to go down?
Trump will have a full arsenal of political backhanded swipes, groin kicks, and spinning elbows to throw at Biden. READ MORE
Coronavirus update
By the numbers in Florida (SOURCE):
Tested: 2294
Negative: 1017
Positive: 216
Pending: 1061
Dead: 5
Expect more Floridians to test positive for the virus as the results of the pending cases begin to come in.
The threat is so real that Gov. Ron DeSantis called for the closing of all bars and clubs for 30 days. READ MORE
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“Trump, American companies key to rebuilding Venezuela” by Floridian Press’ Javier Manjarres – As President Donald Trump eyes reelection in 2020 and looks to “Keep America Great,” the administration may be afforded the opportunity to “Make Venezuela Great Again,” if and when dictatorial President Nicholas Maduro is either ousted from power or resigns. The Trump administration foreign policy directive with Venezuela has imposed significantly effective and crippling economic sanctions against the Maduro regime, something the Obama administration failed or refused to impose on the Hugo Chavez/Maduro government. But as the world waits for Maduro’s demise and for the U.S.-recognized President Juan Guaido to take control of the oil-rich nation, more and more political pundits, economic and business leaders, are pointing to the existing and growing Russian and Chinese energy threat that exists in Venezuela. Russia and China are in position to completely take over Venezuela’s oil industry, an industry that Maduro has used to bolster his nation’s biggest and most profitable business endeavor – Narco-Trafficking. “It’s no secret that Maduro has been using petroleum profits to prop up his narco-authoritarian regime, and these types of sanctions have been necessary for a long time now,” said Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D). Even though Maduro has managed to force out most of America’s oil companies, there is still a small American presence, and if Guaido and a new Venezuela are to fully and quickly recover from the decades-long damage Chavez and Maduro have caused, an American energy presence is vital for the recovery effort.
“Trump breaks voting record in Florida as Biden crushes Sanders” by Floridian Press’ Javier Manjarres – As expected, Vice President Joe Biden absolutely crushed Senator Bernie Sanders in Florida’s Democratic presidential primary race. The race was called early, and as of 9pm Tuesday night, Biden had handed Sanders a 61.6%-22.8% shellacking. After Sen. Sanders double and tripled down on his support and praise for Cuba’s late communist leader Fidel Castro, a swift move to support Biden began within the Democratic Party as many House members condemned Sanders’ comments praising Castro. Miami-Dade County with its huge Cuban-American population appears to have rebuked Sanders, voting for Biden by a margin of 59.9% to 21.88%. Crushing. Rep. Donna Shalala (D) went as far as to call Sanders “unacceptable.” What’s worse for Sanders is that he also lost Illinois by a large margin and is expected to lose Arizona once those polls close out west. Sanders says that he will see it through to the end, but according to the latest delegate count, Biden is almost within striking distance from clinching his party’s nomination. Sanders’ chances of overcoming Biden been compromised after losing Florida. But whether its Biden or Sanders who wins the Democratic presidential nomination, the latest Univision poll shows President Donald Trump besting both men. Florida Republicans can out in droves to vote for President Trump, who shattered voting records for total votes cast and voting percentage.
“Rep. Steube Endorses Spano in his Reelection bid” by Floridian Press’ Daniel Molina – Florida Rep. Ross Spano (R) has picked up another endorsement, which appears to make his reelection bid stronger in the sunshine state. It was announced today that Florida Rep. Greg Steube (R) had formally endorsement his fellow Republican Congressman, which adds to 15 endorsements that Spano has received as he looks to keep Florida’s 15th Congressional District red. Steube’s endorsement is considered a strong one because he is a staunch supporter of President Trump and the 2nd amendment. In the 2016 presidential election, President Trump won the state of Florida, and he’s looking to do so again in the upcoming 2020 presidential election. Rep. Spano has served as the Representative for Florida’s 15th Congressional District since 2019, and he looks over Eastern Hillsborough, Polk and South Lake County.
“Andrew Yang in Contact With White House Over Stimulus Check Proposal” by Floridian Press’ Mona Salama – Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang praised President Trump for proposing to offer Americans financial relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying his team is in contact with the White House and is “eager to offer” resources. “I’m pleased to see the White House adopt our vision of putting money directly into the hands of hard-working Americans,” Yang said in a statement posted on Twitter. “It’s unfortunate to see this development take place under the current circumstances, but this is exactly what Universal Basic Income is designed to do — offer a way to ensure that Americans can make ends meet when they need it most.” At Tuesday’s Coronavirus Task Force, Mnuchin said the administration wants to send checks to Americans within the next two weeks as part of a huge bailout package. “We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Mnuchin told reporters. “What we heard from hardworking Americans, many companies are now shut down whether bars or restaurants, Americans need cash now and the president wants to get them cash now. I mean now in the next two weeks. The stimulus is designed to help Americans cope with the economic disruption brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. Sen. Mitt Romney(R-UT) proposed on Monday the idea of giving every Americans $1,000 to help meet financial obligations. During his presidential run, Yang signature proposal, branded “Freedom Dividend,” which is now known as Universal Basic Income was the central theme of his campaign. He called for every American adult to receive $1,000 a month to cover basic needs and help them deal with the changing economy.
“Trump Proposes Sending Checks to Americans Immediately” by Floridian Press’ Mona Salama – The Trump administration on Tuesday said they are “looking at sending checks to Americans immediately” – possibly within the next two weeks to help workers cope with the economic effects of the coronavirus. “We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters at the White House briefing room alongside President Trump. “What we heard from hardworking Americans, many companies are now shut down whether bars or restaurants, Americans need cash now and the president wants to get them cash now. I mean now in the next two weeks. “You can think of this as something like business interruption payments for the American workers. We want to make sure Americans get money in their pockets quickly,” he said, adding that more details would be revealed later today. When asked on how quickly this could come together, Mnuchin responded, “The president has instructed me, we have to do this now. This is now.” President Trump said he initially supported a payroll tax cut as one of the payment method, but the administration stated it would take “six to eight months” for Americans to get the money. “We’re looking at payroll tax and we’re looking at other various forms of getting money to people,” Trump said. “Payroll tax is one way, but it does come over a period of months, many months. We want to do something much faster than that. So I think we have ways of getting money out pretty quickly and very accurately.”
“Last Call! DeSantis closes all bars and clubs” by Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – The Coronavirus’s impact in Florida just got very very real. With the infection count hitting 173 patients, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has decided to declare “Last call” at all bars and clubs, ordering them to shut it down today at 5 pm for 30 days. Considering how important the tourism trade is to Florida, and how much revenue the state stands to bring in during Spring Break, this announcement is nothing more than a crushing blow to the state’s economy. Rep. Ted Deutch (D) applauds DeSantis’ actions, saying that the move was an “important step in protecting public health,” but warned that Floridians needed to continue to “avoid all non-essential crowded public spaces,” adhere to the call for “social distancing,” and “practice good hygiene.”
“FL Health Department Launches Coronavirus Update Map” by Floridian Press’ Daniel Molina – The Florida Department of Health has just released a Coronavirus update website that lets Floridians know which areas are affected, how many cases of COVID-19 there are in the state, how many cases there are in the United States and the areas that are currently being monitored. As well, provided is the number of cases per county, and the website will have up to date information for anyone that is interested. So far, Broward County and Miami-Dade County have the most reported cases with 38 and 23 respectively. Governor DeSantis (R) and Florida’s leadership have been working around the clock to properly respond to the growing threat of the Coronavirus, and the Sun-Sentinel is reporting that the Florida Governor will address Floridians at 5:00 pm, calling for all bars and nightclubs to close after a 77-year-old man was the fifth reported death in Broward County as a result of COVID-19.
“Biden takes Florida” by POLITICO’s Matt Dixon and Gary Fineout – Joe Biden dominated Florida’s Democratic presidential primary, an anti-climactic end to an Election Day marked more by coronavirus concern than political intrigue. With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Biden had 61.7 percent of the vote to 22.8 percent for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. The layup was consistent with the nearly 40-point lead the former vice president had in a Real Clear Politics average of polls going into Election Day. The ballot, which the party finalized in December, had 16 Democratic candidates. “It’s a great victory,“ said Bill Nelson, a Democrat and former U.S. senator. “If the Democratic nominee wins Florida, there is no path to victory for the Republican nominee.” President Donald Trump won the state’s Republican primary, where he faced only token challengers. A broad network of Florida elected officials helped prop up Biden’s campaign even as it hemorrhaged momentum and cash in early nominating contests, ultimately delivering him a strong win in a battleground state where Trump will need to triumph to win reelection. After Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada, Biden was on the ropes and his campaign was running on fumes. As a result, he was never able to build staff or office infrastructure in Florida, where 219 delegates were up for grabs. Sanders spent $5.9 million on television advertising in Florida, compared to Biden’s $4.9 million, hardly enough to make a dent in Florida’s expensive media markets.
“Lakeland Commissioner files to challenge Rep. Ross Spano in GOP primary” by Tampa Bay Times’ William March – Lakeland City Commissioner Scott Franklin has filed to challenge U.S. Rep. Ross Spano, R-Dover, in a Republican primary. The filing by Franklin represents another difficulty for Spano as he tries to hold onto the East Hillsborough-Lakeland congressional seat he won in 2018, despite investigations by federal authorities of financial irregularities in Spano’s campaign. Franklin, elected to the Lakeland City Commission in 2017, is head of Lanier Upshaw Inc., a Lakeland-based insurance agency. He’s a retired Naval aviator, a graduate of Lakeland High School and the U.S. Naval Academy, with a master’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He’s married with three children. Two Democrats, Adam Hattersley and Alan Cohn, are competing in a primary to challenge Spano. The district leans significantly Republican, but Democrats have thought they had a chance to unseat Spano because of the campaign finance investigations. They arose from his borrowing $180,000 from friends and lending the proceeds to his campaign, claiming in campaign finance reports the money was his personal funds. Spano’s fundraising in this campaign, meanwhile, has not been strong. He finished 2019 with $124,684.11 cash on hand, compared to $85,312 for Cohn and $171,314 for Hattersley. Having to fight a primary battle will be another hurdle. Spano criticized Franklin for joining the race. “I find it unsettling that Scott Franklin would choose to launch a campaign on the same day the City of Lakeland declares an emergency,” he said in a statement. I remain focused on serving my community: working with President Trump, talking to pastors, healthcare providers, constituents and small business owners from across the district - and politics is the last thing on everyone’s minds. Focusing on anything else right now does not reflect the values of Florida’s 15th district."
“Florida students won’t be back in classrooms until at least April 15 and won’t have to take standardized tests” by Sun Sentinel’s Victoria Ballard and Brooke Baitinger – Florida’s public school students won’t have to take standardized tests this year, and they’ll remain out of school buildings until at least April 15 because of coronavirus. Gov. Ron DeSantis canceled Pre-K and K-12 testing, such as the Florida Standards Assessment. At a news conference in Tallahassee, he said that even if disruptions from the coronavirus have died down by next month, the state still won’t hold testing. “Let’s say that this thing is arrested and things get better, in April maybe kids are back. It’s our position ... that we’re not going to ramp then and do the testing. That’ll be true whether it’s virtual or they are back in school," DeSantis said. Most students will start virtual learning on March 30, after spring breaks. Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach schools are closed this week, and on spring break next week. Four districts — Duval, Collier, Union and Sumter — will start virtual learning on March 23, said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. Their spring breaks were earlier. The state will re-evaluate when to let kids back on campus later, Corcoran said. Students and teachers are still expected to complete required coursework. Teachers will evaluate requirements for course grades, grade promotion and graduation. It will be up to parents to decide whether they want their children to repeat the grade in 2020-21 school year. The Florida Department of Education will use testing funds to help low-income students with virtual instruction, DeSantis said.
“Florida governor calls out spring breakers for ignoring coronavirus warnings: 'That's not what we want'” by Fox News’ Talia Kaplan – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called out students on spring break Tuesday for not practicing social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak. “The universities with the spring break … a lot of students have just been congregating at the universities and going out and doing things there, and that’s not something we want,” DeSantis said during a news conference on Tuesday. Despite official encouragement of social distancing, some are still soaking up the sunshine on beaches in the state. On Clearwater Beach, Monday just appeared to be another day in the Spring Break calendar. Speaking on “Outnumbered Overtime” as part of a medical panel on Tuesday, Dr. Daniel Bober, a psychiatrist, said, “When you’re young, you’re invincible. You have the whole world at your feet, you think nothing will ever touch you, nothing will ever hurt you.” He went on to say that “your brain isn’t even fully matured yet so you’re not really able to weigh the future consequences of your actions so trying to tell a young person to be careful, to use care is very difficult.” “We just need to educate them about the importance of using caution, of being vigilant so they don’t spread this virus to more vulnerable members of the population," Bober added. During Tuesday's news conference, DeSantis also said all bars and nightclubs in Florida will be closed for the next 30 days starting at 5 p.m. The governor said the decision was made in an effort “to heed the president’s call" one day after President Trump announced a set of guidelines that he said Americans should follow for 15 days to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus. Officials recommended that large swaths of the population isolate themselves and everyone avoid social gatherings or groups of more than 10 people.
“Biden Sweeps Tuesday’s Primaries as Voters Confront Coronavirus Fears” by WSJ’s John McCormick and Ken Thomas – Joe Biden won all three primaries held Tuesday on a day filled with anxious voting, building a lead in the Democratic presidential nomination race that appears increasingly difficult for Bernie Sanders to overcome. The two-man race lurched forward against major disruptions triggered by the coronavirus pandemic as the first balloting was held—in Florida, Illinois and Arizona—since the crisis engulfed the nation. After all of the day’s votes are counted, the former vice president is likely to have a majority of the delegates awarded so far—and as of late Tuesday, already had secured more than half of the 1,991 needed to win the nomination. In Florida, a critical battleground state in the general election, Mr. Biden won nearly three times as many votes as the Vermont senator and carried all 67 counties. With 85.7% of Illinois precincts reporting, Mr. Biden had 59.1% of the vote versus 36.2% for Mr. Sanders. While in Arizona, with 3.3% of the vote in, the former vice president had 42.9% against his rival’s 29.9%. The latest large victories for Mr. Biden are likely to place more pressure on Mr. Sanders to exit from the race so the party can focus on President Trump. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released Sunday showed Mr. Biden was favored nationally, 61% to 32%, among those who have already voted in the Democratic primary or plan to do so. Mr. Biden, speaking from his home in Wilmington, Del., said his campaign is moving closer to winning the nomination as he reached out to his rival’s supporters. He delivered his address via a live stream to avoid gathering supporters during the pandemic. “We’ve moved closer to securing the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, and we’re doing it by building a broad coalition,” he said.
"Andrew Yang in Contact With White House Over Stimulus Check Proposal” by Hispolitica’s Mona Salama – Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang praised President Trump for proposing to offer Americans financial relief in response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying his team is in contact with the White House and is “eager to offer” resources. “I’m pleased to see the White House adopt our vision of putting money directly into the hands of hard-working Americans,” Yang said in a statement posted on Twitter. “It’s unfortunate to see this development take place under the current circumstances, but this is exactly what Universal Basic Income is designed to do — offer a way to ensure that Americans can make ends meet when they need it most.” At Tuesday’s Coronavirus Task Force, Mnuchin said the administration wants to send checks to Americans within the next two weeks as part of a huge bailout package. “We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Mnuchin told reporters. “What we heard from hardworking Americans, many companies are now shut down whether bars or restaurants, Americans need cash now and the president wants to get them cash now. I mean now in the next two weeks. The stimulus is designed to help Americans cope with the economic disruption brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. Sen. Mitt Romney(R-UT) proposed on Monday the idea of giving every Americans $1,000 to help meet financial obligations. During his presidential run, Yang signature proposal, branded “Freedom Dividend,” which is now known as Universal Basic Income was the central theme of his campaign. He called for every American adult to receive $1,000 a month to cover basic needs and help them deal with the changing economy.
“Trump Proposes Sending Checks to Americans Immediately” by Hispolitica’s Mona Salama – The Trump administration on Tuesday said they are “looking at sending checks to Americans immediately” – possibly within the next two weeks to help workers cope with the economic effects of the coronavirus. “We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters at the White House briefing room alongside President Trump. “What we heard from hardworking Americans, many companies are now shut down whether bars or restaurants, Americans need cash now and the president wants to get them cash now. I mean now in the next two weeks. “You can think of this as something like business interruption payments for the American workers. We want to make sure Americans get money in their pockets quickly,” he said, adding that more details would be revealed later today. When asked on how quickly this could come together, Mnuchin responded, “The president has instructed me, we have to do this now. This is now.” President Trump said he initially supported a payroll tax cut as one of the payment method, but the administration stated it would take “six to eight months” for Americans to get the money. “We’re looking at payroll tax and we’re looking at other various forms of getting money to people,” Trump said. “Payroll tax is one way, but it does come over a period of months, many months. We want to do something much faster than that. So I think we have ways of getting money out pretty quickly and very accurately.” Sen. Mitt Romney(R-UT) proposed on Monday the idea of giving every Americans $1,000 to help meet financial obligations. A group of Senate Democrats, led by Michael Bennet of Colorado, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sherrod Brown of Ohio are proposing as much as $4,500 to each American.
“US and Canada preparing to suspend non-essential travel between the two countries” by CNN’s Jeremy Diamond – The United States and Canada are preparing to issue a joint statement in the next 24-48 hours to suspend non-essential travel between the two countries, a Trump administration official tells CNN. The agreement is not yet finalized and officials are still working to define "non-essential travel," but the official stressed that the new restrictions will ensure that business and trade between the two countries can continue. The joint agreement would be the latest effort by the US and Canada to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, following decisions by both countries to restrict some international travel. Part of the discussions involve what types of vehicles and individuals would still be allowed to travel between the two countries and for what purpose, the official said. The restrictions will likely allow for significant flexibility. Unlike travel restrictions on Europe and China, this would be a mutual agreement between the two countries. "The Canadians have been our friends throughout this and many other crises, and they continue to be honest brokers," the official said. When Trump was asked at the coronavirus task force briefing whether he was considering closing the US land borders on Tuesday, he said, "I don't want to say that, but we are discussing things with Canada and we're discussing things with Mexico, quite honestly, and again, the relationship is outstanding with both, outstanding. We just signed our deal, the USMCA, and the relationship is very strong."
“Senate pushes deal over coronavirus bills to Wednesday” by Fox News’ Morgan Phillips – Though Majority Leader Mitch McConnell directed the Republican majority to pass the House coronavirus package despite its flaws, the Senate could not come to an agreement and will take up the bills on Wednesday, along with an amendment from Sen. Rand Paul, R.-Ky. The bill needed 60 votes to pass the upper chamber, and McConnell originally said the Senate would not take a recess until the bill was passed. "We're going to move here in warp speed for the Senate, which almost never does anything quickly," McConnell said Tuesday. "A number of my members think there were considerable shortcomings in the House bill. My counsel to them it is to gag and vote for it anyway," McConnell said Tuesday after lunching with his fellow Republicans. A senior GOP source told Fox News over the weekend not to “underestimate the challenge the Senate could face passing this bill.” Some GOP lawmakers worried that the paid leave portion of the bill would hurt small businesses. The House bill would cap paid leave at companies with 500 employees, and businesses with fewer than 50 employees could apply for a waiver. The Senate remained in session all day with the measures without agreement after Paul objected to the measures. Now the Senate will try to approve the coronavirus packages sometime Wednesday, and to vote on the amendment by Paul. The House bill, which has the support of President Trump, would make coronavirus testing free, expand unemployment aid to states, offer 14 paid sick days and extend emergency leave for workers dealing with the coronavirus. Paul’s amendment would require a Social Security number for those who may get aid and would end U.S. involvement in Afghanistan by the end of the year. The Senate hopes to vote at noon on Paul's amendment, though it will likely fail, and then the Senate will move to vote on the House package after that. Paul was the sole “no” vote on the $8.3 billion coronavirus spending bill the Senate passed earlier this month.
“Roger Stone is charging $50 for personal shout-outs on Cameo” by CNN’s Paul LeBlanc – Roger Stone is trying out a new line of work while he challenges his recent conviction. The longtime showman, political strategist and friend of President Donald Trump has joined Cameo, the website that allows users to pay for personalized video messages from celebrities, sports figures or musical artists. For $50, you can hear from Stone himself. "This is Roger Stone, that's right, the Roger Stone. And I'm right here on Cameo," he says in a greeting video on his page. "So if you want a special greeting, say a birthday greeting or an anniversary greeting, maybe a special greeting for your club or organization, I'd love to hear from you." "And yes, we'll get you Roger Stone," he adds in a nod to the popular 2017 documentary "Get Me Roger Stone." The website lists him as an "American Political Consultant." Cameo did not respond to CNN's request for comment. Stone -- who was sentenced to 40 months in prison last month -- joined the website while he challenges his conviction by claiming juror misconduct.
He was convicted last fall of lying to Congress and threatening a witness regarding his efforts for Trump's 2016 campaign. Prosecutors initially asked for seven to nine years in prison but Attorney General William Barr retracted that recommendation hours after Trump criticized it on Twitter for being too harsh.
“To Track Virus, Governments Weigh Surveillance Tools That Push Privacy Limits” by WSJ’s Kirsten Grind, Robert McMillan and Anna Wilde Mathews – As the country scrambles to control the rapidly spreading coronavirus, government agencies are putting in place or considering a range of tracking and surveillance technologies that test the limits of personal privacy. The technologies include everything from geolocation tracking that can monitor the locations of people through their phones to facial-recognition systems that can analyze photos to determine who might have come into contact with individuals who later tested positive for the virus, according to people familiar with the matter. Data-mining firm Palantir Inc., which was credited with helping to find Osama bin Laden, is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to model the virus outbreak. Other companies that scrape public social-media data have contracts in place with the agency and the National Institutes of Health, documents show. The push is in part being coordinated by a task force working in conjunction with the White House, and includes startups as well as tech giants such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google unit, Facebook Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. The task-force discussions involving the White House and tech companies were reported by The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. Other efforts are more grass-roots, with tech companies pitching state agencies and governments. Tech and government officials are struggling to find a balance between deploying technology and keeping patients’ data—particularly medical information—safe. Some privacy advocates worry that little has been disclosed about what is being planned or implemented.
“Biden crushes Sanders in primary sweep of Florida, Illinois, Arizona” by Fox News’ Gregg Re – Joe Biden swept another round of delegate-rich contests Tuesday – winning in Florida, Illinois and Arizona – further cementing the former vice president as the dominant front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination over Bernie Sanders as the coronavirus threat scrambles the primary calendar for the foreseeable future. Florida and Illinois will award a hefty 219 and 155 pledged delegates, respectively, while Arizona is worth 67 delegates. Together, the contests are likely to only add to the pressure on Sanders to reconsider his presence in the race. "Our campaign has had a very good night," Biden told supporters in Wilmington, Delaware, before the Arizona race was called. "We've moved closer to securing the Democratic Party's nomination for president. And we're doing it by building a broad coalition that we need to win in November, with strong support from the African-American community, the Latino community, high school-aged people, educated people ... labor, teachers, suburban women, veterans, firefighters and so many more." Once again, he extended an olive branch to Sanders in a nudge to convince him to step aside, though as recently as their debate on Sunday, Sanders showed little inclination to accept. Last week, Sanders vowed to press on after a string of defeats, signaling he wants to continue to pressure Biden to embrace more progressive policies.
“As U.S. Tries to Slow Coronavirus Impact, Europe Hunkers Down” by WSJ’s Jennifer Calfas, Jim Carlton and Sam Schechner – Cities, states and Washington sought ways to mitigate the blow of the novel coronavirus as businesses closed, the European Union planned to shut its borders, and fears of a pandemic-induced recession kept markets on edge. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is pitching Senate Republicans on a $1 trillion stimulus plan that would include roughly $250 billion in direct payments, according to a White House official. The Federal Reserve also took steps to prevent further strains in short-term commercial debt markets. The moves helped push U.S. stocks higher Tuesday following a punishing selloff a day earlier. The Trump administration also began weighing a plan to close the U.S. land borders to foreigners without permission to enter the country, including asylum seekers, because of the coronavirus concerns, people familiar with the plan said. Around the country, disruptions to daily life continued unabated. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was considering a shelter-in-place order requiring residents to stay at home for a period, while officials in Hoboken, N.J., ordered residents to self-isolate. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated the state’s National Guard, as the number of infections there grew, and the state reported its first coronavirus-related death. More states, including North Carolina, added restrictions on bars and restaurants. And state and federal courts suspended trials and other legal proceedings. States including Ohio and Maryland delayed their primary elections. Florida, Illinois and Arizona forged ahead with their contests, but last-minute changes to polling locations caused confusion among some voters.
“US Citizenship and Immigration suspends in-person immigration services” by CNN’s Geneva Sands – US Citizenship and Immigration Services is suspending its in-person services, including all interviews and naturalization ceremonies, to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus, according to the agency. The suspension is effective Wednesday until at least April 1. It includes all field offices, asylum offices and Application Support Centers, which collect fingerprints and biometrics. Employees will continue to work on services that do not require face-to-face contact with the public, said the spokesperson. USCIS is responsible for administering the nation's legal immigration system, including green cards, citizenship and asylum and refugee processing. It also administers naturalization ceremonies across the country -- one of the most public and cherished duties the agency carries out. Field offices will send notices to applicants with scheduled appointments and naturalization ceremonies impacted by the closure. Asylum interviews will be canceled and automatically rescheduled with a new date and time. The move comes after the union representing USCIS employees called on the agency to cease conducting immigration interviews and naturalization ceremonies amid the growing coronavirus pandemic. The agency's response to the outbreak had been ad hoc, differing across the country as some offices remained open, others closed and others reduced in-person interviews, according to members of the AFGE National CIS Council 119 which represents around 14,000 federal employees nationwide.
President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump - The world is at war with a hidden enemy. WE WILL WIN!
Chuck Schumer @SenSchumer - This crisis is going to demand more from us all More from an administration & president that has been far too slow in waking up to the scale of the challenges we now face More from a Congress that must set aside partisan squabbles & work together
Marco Rubio @marcorubio -A week ago tonight we had 760 cases of #COVID19 in the U.S. As of tonight we have over 6400. Do not be discouraged. It takes 3 weeks from the start of social distancing measures to start seeing the rate slow down. Don’t be discouraged #StayHomeStaySafe
Rick Scott @SenRickScott - Just spoke with the President of the @NationalGrocers, Their supply chains are still working. I want to thank everyone in the grocery industry for all of their efforts to make sure Americans have everything they need. Remember to buy what you need, not necessarily what you want.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz @DWStweets - Florida voters emphatically said tonight that they want @JoeBiden's trusted, proven leadership in a time of fear, uncertainty and crisis. I’m so proud my home state overcame adversity to vote in force for a man who can bring unity in overcoming this crisis.
Rep. Ted Deutch @RepTedDeutch - This is a difficult time for everyone, but healthcare professionals and first responders are working hard to tackle this outbreak. Thank you to all the heroes who are working diligently to keep our communities safe and healthy during this crisis.
US Rep. Al Lawson Jr @RepAlLawsonJr -Thank you to all of our health care professionals during these trying times
Rep. Matt Gaetz @RepMattGaetz - America will beat coronavirus.The American people, armed with information and a government supporting our response, can be confident that we are going to prevail against COVID-19.
