Where are Democrats? Where are Republicans”
Florida’s emergency response poobah, Jared Moskowitz (D), is all up in arms over the anti-Semitic rhetoric that came out of the mouth of FSU student body president Ahmad Daraldik.
Moskowitz (pictured) wants the Palestinian-American canned as president of the student body and is wondering why more Democrats haven’t chimed in on the matter. What is more telling about Moskowitz recent Twitter posting denouncing Daraldik is his mention of Paw Patrol.
The father of two appears to very upset that many Americans are more concerned with removing Paw Patrol, the SWAT program of all cartoons, than worrying about a Holocaust-denying anti-Semitism. Ruff! Ruff! READ MORE
BIG RON Steps Up To Plate, Gets Hit By Pitch
Gov. Ron Desantis (R) can’t seem to catch a break these days. The Media and Democrats are blaming the current spike of COVID-19 cases on the first-term governor, saying that he rushed to open up the state.
The fault for the increase in cases is not DeSantis’ fault, rather the fault of all those incredibly dumb Floridians who refuse to cover up. The average age of those newly infected by the coronavirus is around 30-years-old.
Now, DeSantis is getting beaned again, this time by a pro-Life group that says he has betrayed unborn babies. DeSantis, who has three munchkins of his own, is as pro-baby as they come, but his pro-Life bona fides were questioned when he signed Sen. Lauren Book’s ‘Fertility Fraud & Pelvic Exam’ Bill bill into law. READ MORE
FLORIDA’S TRAIL
Expect the GOP primary race in Florida’s 19th congressional district to continue to heat up, but as that race has already seen its first exchange of mud, the race in FL CD 3 is also only warming up.
Consultants for the Kat Cammack and Judson Sapp congressional campaigns exchanged barbs over the weekend, signaling that more of antics were sure to continue. READ MORE
A day later, Cammack’s consultant took a shot at another Republican primary opponent Gavin Rollins after The Floridian first reported that Rep. Ted Yoho’s son took a big swipe at Cammack in support of Rollins. READ MORE
Oh, activists are trying to push a story that Dr. William Figlesthaler, who is considered the GOP frontrunner at the moment in CD 19, is being sued for money laundering. Total BS. How does someone get sued for money laundering? Wouldn’t state and federal law enforcement have a say in any possible criminality that may have happened? We check for any possible case against “Dr. Fig,” but none exists. Again, total BS.
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Rick Scott @SenRickScott- If everyone takes steps to buy products "Made in America" it will ensure America remains strong as a leader of the global economy. I’m proud to lead a bipartisan resolution to encourage Americans to #BuyAmerican and stop buying products from Communist China.
Rep. Matt Gaetz @RepMattGaetz -Nestor is the light of my life. I couldn't imagine loving him any more if he was my own flesh and blood. I'm proud of him. I've raised Nestor to believe we treat everyone equally. It doesn't matter what their background or race is. We treat every American with respect.
Rep. Anna V. Eskamani @AnnaForFlorida -@GovRonDeSantis continues to suppress the ability of returning citizens to vote, this time saying it would "corrupt" elections. SMH.
Rep. Carlos G Smith @CarlosGSmith -New York may or may not impose a mandatory quarantine on travelers from Florida into their state, but what stands out to me isn't the bickering between Governors. It's how quickly the surge in new cases has gotten out of control in Florida. #WearADamnMask
Shevrin Jones @ShevrinJones -The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards JUSTICE.
Debbie Mayfield @debbie_mayfield- Work search and registration requirements for reemployment assistance claimants has been extended through July 4th. Additionally, the waiting week requirement will continue to be waived through August 1, 2020.
Senator Lori Berman @loriberman -#DACA recipients are Americans. They've attended our schools, served in our military, opened new businesses, and employed their fellow Americans. They deserve a life here, free from the threat of deportation.
“Mucarsel-Powell address climate change, sides with Rubio on oil drilling moratorium” by By The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Drilling of the Florida coast is a non-starter with every single member of the Florida congressional delegation, so any effort by the Trump administration to push for offshore drilling off the Florida coast will be met with significant opposition from both sides of the political aisle. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D), who represents the majestic Florida Keys, recently penned an op-ed in the KeysWeekly newspaper addressing the need for Americans to accept climate change and for legislators to write legislation that specifically outlines “comprehensive ocean climate action” that begins with “addressing ocean acidification.” Like Senator Marco Rubio (R), Rep. Mucarsel-Powell supports a moratorium on offshore oil drilling, a measure that Rubio’s office says is more likely to pass than an all-out ban. Rep. Mucarsel-Powell’s tweet of her op-ed mentioned the possibility that the Trump administration may look to drill off of Florida’s coast even though just about everyone in the state opposes offshore oil exploration. “The Trump administration is threatening to drill off our coasts, But I’m fighting to protect our ocean because it’s the heart of our diverse, vibrant culture. The ocean is crucial to our state, from tourism to fishing. We have to protect it,” tweeted Mucarsel-Powell.
“Rep. Ted Yoho’s son says Kat Cammack was fired as Chief of Staff” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – The contentious Republican primary race in Florida’s 3rd district to replace retiring Rep. Ted Yoho (R) continues to heat up as a video of Zoom that could prove damaging to Kat Cammack. Tyler Yoho, son of Rep. Yoho (both pictured with President Trump), attended a virtual fundraiser for Gavin Rollin’s congressional campaign, took the opportunity to lob a grenade at the political campaign of Kat Cammack. When the event host asked the younger Yoho why he was supporting Rollins over his father’s former Chief of Staff, Yoho replied, “it’s more about why I‘m supporting Gavin rather than why I’m not supporting Kat.” “So, it’s more about why I’m supporting Gavin rather than why I’m not supporting Kat, but you know I’ve known Kat since the day she got to Florida,” said Yoho. Yoho continued, questioning Cammack’s integrity and saying that her alleged comprised integrity was the reason “she was fired or replaced or reassigned, or whatever the heck you want to call it.” Yoho also stated that his father has not endorsed Cammack and that her mentioning his name did not constitute an endorsement. Rep. Yoho told The Floridian back in December 2019 that he would not be endorsing in the race because there were quite a few good candidates running to replace him.
“Twitter Disables Trump Tweet Video Featuring CNN Chyron” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Twitter is back waging war against President Trump tweet, this time disabling a video on a tweet he posted earlier Friday after initially flagging the clip as “manipulated media” that included a clip of a black toddler and a white toddler edited with a CNN chyron reading “terrified toddler runs from racist baby.” “This media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner,” the message reads a message when users try to view the video. The video, created by pro-Trump satirist Carpe Donktum, begins by showing a black toddler running away from a white toddler with a CNN chyron that reads, “Terrified toddler runs away from racist baby,” followed by another chyron right after, “Racist baby probably a Trump voter.” The video then reverts to the original clip midway showing the two toddlers run toward each other and hug with excitement to the tune of Harry Connick Jr.’s version of the song “Close to You” with a graphic reading “what actually happened.” After the original clip, it plays into a title reading “America is not the problem… Fake news is. If you see something, say something. Only you can prevent fake news dumpster fires.”
“Pro-life group accuses DeSantis of betraying unborn babies” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – No sooner than Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed state Senator Lauren Book’s ‘Fertility Fraud & Pelvic Exam’ Bill (SB 698) into law, the pro-Life group Florida Voice for The Unborn punched back, publishing a scathing press release that states DeSantis “chose to betray the unborn” by signing the bill. The bill championed a measure that requires that the Florida Department of Health “suspend the license of certain health care practitioners under certain circumstances” who perform pelvic exams on a patient without getting consent first. “Florida Voice for the Unborn is deeply disappointed that pro-life Governor Ron DeSantis chose to betray the unborn by signing Senate Bill 698 into law late on the night of Thursday, June 18, 2020, which was the deadline for him to take action on this deeply-flawed legislation,” stated Executive Director Andrew Shiryell. The group has been calling for DeSantis to veto the bill since it first passed in the Florida Legislature last March, but those calls had obviously fallen on deaf ears. “Governor DeSantis betrayed the unborn. Florida Voice for the Unborn will not turn a blind eye to this betrayal and will be sure to inform as many Florida pro-life activists as possible about it – so that nothing like this happens again.”
“New internal poll shows tight race between Cammack and Sapp” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – A new internal poll conducted by the Kat Cammack for Congress campaign shows that both Cammack and businessman Judson Sapp are “in a statistical dead heat” in the contentious and crowded Republican congressional race to replace retiring Rep. Ted Yoho (R). According to the live telephone operator interview poll, which was commissioned to WPA Intelligence, and carried a margin of error of ±4.9%, of the 405 Republican primary voters surveyed, 12% supported Sapp and 10% supported Cammack, while 60% were still undecided. The other six names on the ballot all polled in single digits. Here is a snapshot of Cammack poll with some favorable claims the campaign makes. A previously internal poll released by the Judson Sapp for Congress campaign showed that Sapp was leading Cammack by 12%. Sapp’s poll also showed that 71% of the 400 surveyed were undecided and Cammack was only polling at 2.5%. So, which poll is the most accurate? Which poll is off? Here are some more claims the Cammack campaigns makes: Self-identified Trump Republicans favor Cammack(15%) over Sapp (12%); Cammack is known by over a third of Republican primary voters (36%) and is viewed favorably by 14%; Cammack has an 18% favorability among primary voters who have voted in 4 of the last 4 primary elections; Republicans strongly support President Trump in the district, with more than four-in-five (88%) Republican primary voters approving of the job Donald Trump is doing as President.
“Shalala accuses Trump of funding border wall with seized Venezuelan funds” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Rep. Donna E. Shalala (D) took to Twitter to slam the Trump administration as new reports have surfaced claiming that funds seized from Venezuela’s dictatorship were used to fund President Trump’s wall. Commenting on the matter, the freshman Florida lawmaker, currently involved in a closely-watched reelection campaign, expressed that “the Trump administration may have used $600 million in assets seized from Maduro & his thugs to pay for his border wall.” She added that “this stolen money belongs to the Venezuelan people!” before concluding that “it should be used to restore democracy – not further a xenophobic agenda.” At the end of last year, Congress passed the bipartisan VERDAD Act, which calls on President Trump’s administration to return the assets to the “future democratic government in Venezuela.” United States officials have confirmed that the government holds at least $450 million in assets linked to Venezuela with much of the assets being seized in South Florida. Aside from that, federal agents also seized an estimated dozen multimillion-dollar condos and homes, which extend from downtown Miami’s Brickell Avenue area to the Cocoplum neighborhood in Coral Gables. Senator Bob Menendez (D), who sponsored the VERDAD Act, is currently getting ready to question the Trump administration on whether or not any of the assets that were seized were used to fund the border wall. In an email sent to Andres Oppenheimer, the writer of the op-ed that Rep. Shalala shared on Twitter, Menendez asserted that “instead of using these funds to support Venezuelan people desperately in need of humanitarian aid or the future reconstruction of Venezuela, I am dismayed to learn the Trump administration may be wasting them on President Trump’s shameful border wall.”
“Florida sees rise in background checks for gun ownership” by Associated Press – More Floridians are considering buying guns, according to state records that show a dramatic rise in the number of background checks its processed since the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Florida has processed 30,657 background checks in the week after Floyd’s May 25 death, after a police officer pressed his knee against the black man’s neck. The number of background checks was twice the number for the same period last year. To purchase a gun in Florida, buyers must usually undergo a background check.
“As COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Florida, doctor breaks down 3 things to do right now” by WTSP’s Madison Alworth – New COVID-19 cases in Florida have exceeded 3,000 for the fourth day in a row on Sunday, a worrying sign for the summer months ahead. "I'm frightened for myself, my family, my patients, for the citizens of Florida," said infectious disease doctor John Sinnott. With the current trajectory the state is on, he worries where cases will be in July. He said now is the pivotal moment -- the time to act, "There's no treatment for this disease, okay. "There's only prevention." Many of the new cases in the Tampa Bay area are among younger people, but being younger does not mean there is no risk. The long-term effects of COVID-19 are not known. "So the idea that you get this and just get over it, is not known, but I'm deeply concerned that that is not the case," Sinnott said. To help stop the spread, Sinnott said we have to follow the three W's: Wear your face covering, wash your hands and watch social distancing. "If we don't do this, if we don't pay attention to these three W's, okay, we have 115,000 dead in America now, but it will be 200,000 by Sept. 15," Sinnott said. He argues that wearing masks in particular needs to be observed. "I'm deeply troubled by the fact that masks have become somewhat politicized. This should not occur. We are all in this together," Sinnott said. "Someone else might have a totally different religious viewpoint, a different political viewpoint, the virus doesn't care.
“Organ Donors In Demand In South Florida, As Waiting List Grows” by WLRN’s Veronica Zaragovia – Transplants from both living and deceased organ donors are back on at the Miami Transplant Institute after a partial hiatus of living-donor donations because of the pandemic. Still, the Institute faces a persistent problem: not enough organ donors. More than 112,000 people awaiting transplants around the country are in need of a donated organ, but finding the right organ for the right recipient can be tricky and you only have so much time. "Before that organ goes to trash, basically, nobody is going to use it, they call us," said Dr. Rodrigo Vianna leads the Miami Transplant Institute, an affiliation between Jackson Health System and the University of Miami Health System. Those calls usually come from organizations that work a bit like an old-school matchmaker, figuring out who needs what, where. "And they say, look, this already has been turned down for a lot of centers, you know, they don't believe they could be good. Would you guys be interested?" Last year the Institute performed more transplants than any other hospital in the U.S. but Vianna says they could still do more if more people were willing to be donors, even upon death. "People don't think about this until there's somebody close to you that needs one, and then you're like, 'Oh my God, why people are not donating?' Well, you know, you're also not donating until somebody close to you needs one," he said. Vianna also says people who need transplants shouldn't avoid hospital treatment because they're afraid of a coronavirus infection. Having failing organs puts you at higher risk of infection on its own.
“Florida Department of Health issues additional advisory recommending masks, limited interaction” by Fox 13 – On Saturday, the Florida Department of Health issued an additional Public Health Advisory in response to COVID-19, which includes wearing face-coverings, limiting interaction in groups larger than 50 and encouraging elderly and vulnerable populations to limit interactions outside of the home. Governor DeSantis also directed the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to increase inspections to ensure that businesses are adhering to applicable Phase 1 and Phase 2 guidance. The Public Health Advisory provides the following recommendations: -All individuals in Florida should wear masks in any setting where social distancing is not possible unless any of the following apply: -A child is under two years of age; -An individual has one or more medical conditions or disabilities that prevent wearing a face covering; -An individual is obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face-covering is necessary to perform the service; -An individual works in a profession where the use of a face-covering will not be compatible with the duties of the profession; or -An individual is engaged in outdoor work or recreation with appropriate social distancing in place.
“ZAC ANDERSON: Top 10 races in Sarasota and Manatee counties” by Palm Beach Posts’ Zac Anderson – It’s not all about President Trump and Joe Biden this year. Sarasota and Manatee counties have plenty of competitive races for everything from Congress to the state Legislature and local school board seats. With qualifying over, the playing field is now set. Here are my Top 10 races to watch in the two-county region for the 2020 election cycle. Sarasota County ‒ District 72 State House seat: Sarasota state Rep. Margaret Good drew national attention when she won a special election for a state House seat covering much of northern Sarasota County that Trump carried. Good’s victory, which flipped the seat from GOP to Democratic control, established District 72 as a key swing seat for Florida and a bellwether for the national political climate. Now Good is running for Congress and Democrats are eager to hold onto the seat. But Democratic attorney Drake Buckman has only raised $44,017 so far. He has a long way to go to match Good’s fundraising totals in two races. Meanwhile, Republicans are hoping to reclaim the seat. Three of them — Navy veteran Fiona McFarland, business owner Donna Barcomb and attorney Jason Miller — will square off in the August primary for the right to take on Buckman. ‒ District 1 County Commission: Republican Commissioner Mike Moran is seeking a second and final term in a district that includes much of northern Sarasota County. Moran, an insurance company owner, faces a Republican primary opponent, Mike Hutchinson, who already has loaned his campaign $30,000 and raised $5,020. The winner will take on Democrat Mark Pienkos. Moran has raised $43,869 and has broad support among local GOP and business leaders, but could be vulnerable because of his leading role pushing through a redistricting plan that he benefited from.
“Trump Space Coast boat parade draws enormous fleet of watercraft to Intracoastal Waterway” by Florida Today’s Nick Neale – Seen from Cocoa Village, the approaching President Donald Trump boat parade looked like a countless mass of vessels and white water across the Indian River, stretching from one end of the distant Beachline Expressway bridge to the other. "It's an armada right there. Reminds me of D-Day, when thousands of boats were going across the English Channel toward France," said spectator Bob Socks, who served on the Titusville City Council during the 1990s. Socks and perhaps 200 spectators watched the massive Trump boat parade pass from the Lee Wenner Park shoreline. Waving U.S. and Trump flags, shooting photos and video, they occasionally chanted, "Four more years!" and "USA!" Starting at 11 a.m. from the power lines north of State Road 528, the colorful Trump flotilla motored southward down the Indian River to Dragon Point. That's where most boaters planned to turn around the southernmost tip of Merritt Island and head back north up the Banana River to the Barge Canal. Recommended speed: 8 knots. Jupiter resident Carlos Gavidia, a key organizer of Saturday's boat parade, hoped that more than 1,000 watercraft would participate. Two helicopters hovering above will provide an accurate count later, he said.
“Andrew Gillum PAC now has spent $1 million on legal fees since 2018 election” by USA Today, Florida Capital Bureau’s Jeffrey Schweers – The political committee set up to finance former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum's unsuccessful bid for Florida governor has spent more than $1 million on legal fees since his defeat, most of which was in connection with a federal subpoena. Meantime, Gillum has continued to stay out of the public eye after an incident in March. Miami Beach police found Gillum too intoxicated to talk coherently in the same hotel room as a man reportedly overdosing on crystal meth. Campaign finance reports turned into the Florida Division of Elections on Friday show that Forward Florida, the political committee still chaired by Gillum, a Democrat, spent another $89,000 for legal services from June 1 to June 12. A federal grand jury subpoenaed Gillum's campaign and committee records. The international firm of Perkins Coie received $65,274 while the Florida-based firm of Stearns Weaver got $23,672 out of the almost $109,000 in reported expenditures. That leaves Forward Florida with $1.27 million left of a total $38.9 million raised. Since the November 2018 election, Perkins Coie has received a total of $274,000 and Stearns Weaver has received $764,000 from the Forward Florida political committee.
“DeSantis hits back at Cuomo's plan to quarantine Floridians, asking they avoid nursing homes” by Fox News’ Peter Aiken – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis hit back Saturday at New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over a possible coronavirus quarantine for visitors, asking that he “not quarantine any Floridians in nursing homes.” In a rare Saturday news conference, DeSantis, a Republican, made reference to a now-adjusted policy that Cuomo, a Democrat, had pushed, which allowed nursing homes to admit COVID-19 patients despite how vulnerable the elderly population has been to the virus. DeSantis was an outspoken critic of the decision: in his state, nursing homes refused to admit residents who had tested positive. “I think governors are going to do what they need to do,” DeSantis said. “I would just ask them if that’s done, just please do not quarantine any Floridians in the nursing homes in New York.” Over 6,200 elderly residents may have died from COVID-19 in New York nursing homes, state health department statistics showed -- a figure that sparked criticism against Cuomo. The comment from DeSantis follows Cuomo’s suggestion that New York may instate a mandatory two-week quarantine for any visitors from other states, specifically naming Florida. “You want to talk about a full 180 for those people,” Cuomo said. “Florida and other states imposed quarantine on New Yorkers. If you went to Florida, you had to quarantine for two weeks because they were afraid that New Yorkers were bringing the virus to their state.” “Fast forward 100 days now,” he continued. “We’re afraid they’re bringing the virus to our state.”
“Bolton, in interview, says Democrats 'almost as bad and somewhat equivalent to Trump'” by Fox News’ Gregg Re – Former national security adviser John Bolton warned in an interview airing Sunday night that President Trump's White House poses a "danger for the republic" -- but cautioned that congressional Democrats were "almost as bad" in their efforts to unseat him from office, which Bolton called a "partisan catfight." Speaking to ABC News' Martha Raddatz, Bolton further broadened his attacks beyond just the president, accusing the Defense Department of "obstruction" concerning the administration's response to suspected chemical weapons use in Syria. The interview aired just days after a federal judge determined that Bolton's decision to publish his upcoming tell-all memoir on the Trump administration had "exposed his country to harm and himself to civil (and potentially criminal) liability," and that Bolton had "likely jeopardized national security by disclosing classified information in violation of his nondisclosure agreement obligations." "There really isn't any guiding principle that I was able to discern other than what's good for Donald Trump's reelection," Bolton told Raddatz. He added: "The very first thing that I encountered on my opening day was, of course, the chemical-weapons attack by the Syrian government against innocent civilians in Syria. We responded by the end of the week. But, I have to say, it was a very disappointing process we went through. I felt there was obstruction from the Defense Department." Specifically, Bolton said, "what we thought we should get from the Defense Department was a series of heavy, medium and light options for the president to choose from. We got, instead, a series of options that were apples and oranges."
“Federal judge denies Trump administration's attempt to block release of Bolton's book” by CNN’s Katelyn Polantz – A federal judge has denied the Trump administration's attempt to block the upcoming publication of a book by former national security adviser John Bolton. Judge Royce Lamberth of the DC District Court wrote in a 10-page decision Saturday morning that the Justice Department's arguments weren't enough to stop the book's release. He cited how the book, which is scheduled to be released Tuesday, had already been widely distributed, and could easily be distributed further on the internet, even if the court said it could not be.
"For reasons that hardly need to be stated, the Court will not order a nationwide seizure and destruction of a political memoir," Lamberth wrote. The judge's ruling Saturday quickly dispels a long-shot attempt by the Trump administration to stymy the book's release -- an attempt roundly condemned as antithetical to the First Amendment. But Lamberth's decision also keeps alive major risks for Bolton, such as the administration's effort to claw back proceeds from the book, including from any movie and TV rights, and other consequences for disclosing classified information. Lamberth also noted Bolton could still be exposed to criminal liability. President Donald Trump praised Lamberth on Saturday ahead of his departure for his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, saying the judge was "indignant at what Bolton did." "We had a very good decision in the John Bolton book case, and the judge was very powerful in his statements on classified information and very powerful also in the fact that the country will get the money, any money he makes," Trump said. "I think the judge was very smart and very indignant at what Bolton did. I think it was a great ruling.
“More Stocks Are Driving Market Rally, Decreasing Reliance on Big Tech” by WSJ’s Caitlin McCabe – High-flying technology companies have helped the U.S. stock market claw back most of its losses for the year. Now, other stocks are helping to carry the load. Some market-breadth indicators have hit new highs this month, a sign that the stock market’s comeback is widening after weeks of concentrated outperformance this spring from large-cap technology stocks. Finally, after brief periods of rotating leadership, a wider-ranging group of stocks is rising in lockstep. Stocks from Clorox Co. to Eli Lilly & Co. to Danaher Corp. set new highs last week, pulling the S&P 500 up 1.9% and trimming its losses for the year to 4.1%. For investors who found themselves caught in the midst of the choppy trading days, it was a respectable outcome in the face of looming coronavirus uncertainties. Yet for those who parse the internals of the market, things looked much more optimistic: Technical measures are suggesting that stocks have more room to run in the months ahead. Signs of market breadth have been expanding lately, and earlier this month, indicators flashed their most bullish sign yet: More than 97% of the stocks in the S&P 500 traded above their 50-day moving averages, a measure that analysts use to track momentum and breadth. That marked a high since at least June 2010, according to Dow Jones Market Data, and almost doubled the percentage of stocks that were trading at such levels in early May.
“DACA, LGBTQ decisions leave some conservatives with Supreme Court buyers' remorse” by Fox News’ Chad Pergram – Now we see why there are pitched battles over Supreme Court nominees. The Supreme Court decision in the LBGTQ case and the DACA ruling last week underscored why the nominations of justices and the political fights in the Senate over their confirmations are so monumental. Supreme Court appointments are for a lifetime. Only 114 persons have ever served on the Supreme Court. Most justices used to serve for a little more than a decade but the average tenure now tops 26 years. Presidents covet the possibility of these appointments. Many presidents are lucky if they get to nominate a couple of justices. A Supreme Court vacancy never materialized while President Jimmy Carter held office. But Gerald Ford, who was not elected and only served as president for two-and-a-half years, got one appointment: Justice John Paul Stevens. This is why Senate Democrats threatened to filibuster the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch in 2017. Senators filibustered the promotion of Associate Justice Abe Fortas to chief justice of the United States in 1968. But never before had a nominee – who wasn’t already on the Supreme Court – faced a potential filibuster of his or her confirmation. And then there was Gorsuch. So, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took the extraordinary step of establishing a new Senate precedent to short-circuit a filibuster and usher Gorsuch’s nomination to confirmation.
“Nadler says Attorney General Barr deserves to be impeached but that it would be a 'waste of time'” by CNN’s Sarah Westwood – House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said Sunday that he believes Attorney General William Barr deserves to be impeached, but that pursuing it would be a "waste of time" because of the Republican-controlled Senate. Nadler, a New York Democrat, told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" that House Democrats would instead work to withhold $50 million from the Department of Justice in an effort to punish Barr. "I don't think calls for his impeachment are premature any more than calls for the President's impeachment were premature, but they are a waste of time at this point," Nadler told Tapper of Barr, whom he criticized for removing Geoffrey Berman as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York. "We've seen a pattern of...Barr corruptly impeding all these investigations, so this is just more of the same," Nadler said, noting Berman's office was looking into several cases involving associates of President Donald Trump. Nadler called the Republican Senate "corrupt" over its decision earlier this year to acquit Trump on on two articles of impeachment, and he stressed there was nothing to be gained from pursuing Barr's impeachment because it would likely end in the same not guilty vote. "We're instead going to do what we have to do without that, and including barring $50 million from his own personal budget," Nadler said. Nadler's committee has invited Berman to testify before it, and told Tapper that he is confident the former US attorney will do so, though he wouldn't say when that may happen.
“SEC’s Jay Clayton Thrust Into Political Minefield” by WSJ’s Dave Michaels – When Jay Clayton emerged as the Trump administration’s pick to run the Securities and Exchange Commission three years ago, Wall Street embraced the idea of having a top regulator who didn’t come from politics or government enforcement. Now Mr. Clayton, a former deals lawyer on Wall Street, appears headed for the ultimate merger of those worlds. President Trump and Attorney General William Barr have picked him to replace Geoffrey Berman, whom, according to Mr. Barr and at his request, Mr. Trump fired on Saturday as the U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Mr. Berman said he would leave office immediately. The move inserts Mr. Clayton into the kind of political drama the securities lawyer has avoided during a career mostly spent advising some of the biggest companies in the world. If the Senate confirms him, Mr. Clayton will take over the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, which has led investigations into some of Mr. Trump’s closest allies. Mr. Clayton told SEC staff late Friday that he plans to remain at the agency until he is confirmed by the Senate, according to an email sent to agency employees. Little in Mr. Clayton’s career—which colleagues say is exemplary—foreshadowed the move announced Friday night, which looks to drag him into the partisan warfare he has mostly avoided while at the SEC. Friends had expected him to move back to Manhattan at the end of Mr. Trump’s first term and perhaps return to Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he was a partner before entering government in 2017.
“Biden campaign adviser weighs in on why former VP hasn't held news conference in nearly three months” by Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer – Former Vice President Joe Biden's senior campaign adviser Symone Sanders dodged a question of why the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has not held a news conference in 80 days. Biden has maintained a relatively low profile on the campaign trail during the coronavirus pandemic, holding occasional virtual events, but has not addressed questions from national media either in person or online. When asked about this by "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace, Sanders began by pointing to Biden's interactions with voters, not reporters. "Just because we're campaigning virtually does not mean we are not meeting actual voters across the country," Sanders said. "Vice President Biden has campaigned in Michigan and Florida. Dr. [Jill] Biden has campaigned in Colorado and Texas. So the reality is what we have been doing is following CDC guidelines." When asked a second time why Biden has not held a news conference in 80 days, Sanders said that Biden and his campaign "take pride in prioritizing local media." "And so the vice president is doing local media interviews, he's doing national media interviews, and he is taking questions from reporters," she said. Earlier in the interview, Sanders took President Trump to task for holding a campaign rally during the pandemic, while defending Biden's support for large-scale protests after George Floyd's death. Sanders insisted that there is no double-standard, then proceeded to explain to Wallace why it is OK for people to protest en masse, but not for Trump to hold big events. "There is no double-standard here,” she said. “Protesting is an American right. The American people have the right to go out and raise their voices. The difference here is, Chris, we are talking about the president of the United States -- whose vice president, by the way, heads the White House coronavirus task force -- holding a rally not following their own precautions that his own public health officials have put out."
“Crowded field of challengers hopes to take on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar” by CNN’s Clare Foran – A former television news anchor. A retired New York City police officer and high school civics teacher. An attorney who runs a mediation practice and serves as a volunteer minister. These are just a few of the candidates -- Democrats and Republicans -- who have lined up to challenge three of the most high-profile freshman House Democrats: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. It's not easy to unseat a sitting member of Congress, and the three members of the progressive "squad" have a number of built-in advantages as they run for reelection. All three have unusually high name recognition for freshmen members of Congress and devoted national followings. They have the ability to raise significant amounts of money with Ocasio-Cortez and Omar ranking among the top fundraisers in Congress, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And all three represent heavily Democratic, reliably blue congressional districts. But they have become high-profile targets of criticism during their relatively short time in office so far. All three have faced controversy over outside-the-mainstream political positions, frequently facing attacks from President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. On a national level, Republicans have worked to turn their outspoken support for progressive politics into a liability for the Democratic Party.
“Stimulus Options Create Election-Season Quandary for Senate Republicans” by WSJ’s Andrew Duehren and Richard Rubin – The choice before Senate Republicans pondering the need for additional economic stimulus couldn’t be more fraught. Joining Democrats and the White House to pass another bill could help speed a rebound from recession in an election year that is shaping up to be challenging for the party. But the prospect of more aid has started to alienate conservative supporters wary of large-scale spending. That has pushed some Republican senators to hope that the economy recovers without more fiscal support, even as Covid-19 cases are rising in some states. “It could turn out that we need another bill. But we’ve got to make doubly sure that we need it,” said Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.). “And what’s a few weeks when there’s been a lot of money pumped out there?” Republicans have postponed deliberations until mid-July, just weeks before unemployed Americans are scheduled to stop receiving the extra $600 a week in jobless payments that the $2.2 trillion Cares Act gave them. That leaves little time to forge a consensus and reach an agreement with Democrats and the White House. “It’s a push and pull between conservatives that don’t want spending and vulnerable Senate Republicans who probably need to have some type of stimulus going to constituents who truly need it," said Ron Bonjean, a former spokesman for House and Senate Republican leadership who is close to the White House. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and economists associated with both parties have urged Congress to avoid prematurely pulling back on spending, which was blamed for the slow recovery from the 2007-2009 recession.
President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump-RIGGED 2020 ELECTION: MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND OTHERS. IT WILL BE THE SCANDAL OF OUR TIMES!
Nancy Pelosi @SpeakerPelosi -The President and his cronies have chosen to protect Trump’s personal & political interests over those of the American people by interfering in numerous criminal investigations involving the President & his associates
