Lock and Load!
With Black Lives MatterĀ militants and Anarchists rioting and looting across the nation, gun sales are up, but not in West Palm Beach. Why?
Ā West Palm Beach Mayor Keith JamesĀ has banned the sale of guns and ammo for 72 hours do to the rioting. Is this even Constitutional?Ā MUST READ
DeSantis just canāt catch a break
With Florida seeing a big spike in COVID-19 cases just a couple weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis started to open up the state, itās only a matter days before his detractors once again begin to blame him for the increase in infections and subsequent deaths.
DeSantis phase-in approach to restarting Floridaās economy is working, but as expected, people are still coming down with the virus.
Why the spike in cases?
Again, this surge was expected.
Ā Itās important to outline that deaths related to the virus have significantly declined.
Testing for the coronavirus is way up, so the increase in reported cases is also up. Makes sense, right?
This is not DeSantisā fault. On any given day in Broward County, one of the counties considered to be āground zeroā for the deadly virus, hoards of irresponsible and self-serving idiots from all walks of life can be found fraternizing along Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale Beach, and other similar places without covering up.
Floridaās 2020 Economic Windfall
President TrumpĀ has bailed out of North Carolina, so it only makes sense that the RNC convention should be held in his home state (biggest swing state), right? To quote the Rhodes scholarĀ Arthur āThe FonzāĀ Fonzarelli of āHappy Daysā fame, ācorrectomundo.ā
DeSantis has already spoken to Trump about it, as have other Republican legislators. The lobbying firm of Mast, Posey & Waltz has also pressed Trump to bring the convention home to Florida. READ MORE
Floridaās Trailā¦
Biden is running civil unrest ads in Florida. Geesh.
Visit The Floridian
Ā āMattis In Fiery Statement Says Trump Wants āTo Divide UsāāĀ by The Floridianās Mona Salama ā Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis slammed President Trump for his handling to the nationwide protests in the wake of George Floydās killing, saying in a fiery statement his former boss wants āto divideā the American people. āDonald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American peopleādoes not even pretend to try,ā he wrote. āInstead, he tries to divide us,ā Mattis writes in a statement to The Atlantic. āWe are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership.ā He went on urging Americans to āunite without him.ā āWe can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society,ā he continued. āThis will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.ā The former general also offered a full-throated endorsement of the demonstrations that have unfolded across the nation, saying the protesters are ārightly demandingā equal justice under the law and we all should get behind.
āFlorida Mayor bans gun and ammunition salesāĀ by The Floridianās Daniel Molina ā West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James announced that the state of emergency declaration he made on Sunday, which bans the sale of guns and ammunition and prevents store owners from displaying weapons, would be extended along with extending the curfew. After a tense weekend that saw many riots break out across the United States, Florida Sheriff Grady Judd made headlines when he warned looters that āthe people of Polk county like guns, they have guns, I encourage them to own guns, and theyāre gonna be in their homes tonight with their guns loaded.ā As well, Judd warned the looters, āif you try toā¦ stealā from homes, āIām highly recommending they blow you back out of the house with their guns.ā However, with the extension of the state of emergency in West Palm Beach, it means that there is a halt to the buying of weapons. In addition, there is a halt on purchasing alcohol, and people are only allowed to travel to and from work. In response to the decision, Florida Republican congressional hopeful Laura Loomer, currently running to unseat former City of West Palm Beach Mayor and Florida Rep. Lois Frankel (D), released a statement slamming the decision. In her statement, she expressed that with the decision ācomes an AUTOMATIC ban on the sale or display of firearms of ammunition and the ban of carrying firearms in public!ā
āTrump Criticizes New York City āLiberal Mayorā For Resisting National Guard Help To Quell Widespread LootingāĀ by The Floridianās Mona Salama ā President Trump threatened to intervene and āsolve it fastā the violent protest in New York City, criticizing Mayor Bill de Blasio for resisting calling in the National Guard, saying the āliberal mayorā is having a ālot of troubleā to quell the widespread rioting that have occurred over the last few nights. āThe National Guard can solve that problem in New York. And in fact, if they donāt get their act straightened out I will solve it. Iāll solve it fast,ā Trump said in an interview with Brian Kilmeade on Fox News Radio. āYou have a liberal mayor in Minneapolis that frankly was having was having a lot of trouble and you have a liberal mayor in New York City too and you notice that all of these places that have problems are not run by Republicans, they are run by liberal Democrats, so there is something into that philosophy.ā The president has turned up the pressure on New York officials in the last few days to call up for additional help in activating the National Guard to crackdown the ongoing violent demonstrations that have devolved into a rash of break-ins in business across the city while viciously attacking NYPD officers. āYou look at what happened in Minnesota, they were getting decimated and then after three days of watching it I demanded that the National Guard be utilized and in one day it was over. You saw the police were running in Minneapolis and they were running away from their precinct, which is something I have never seen before,ā Trump said. āWashington is in great shape. We called out the National Guard after the first night, which was a little bit rougher, but then after that we called up and we have had no problem at all last night.ā
āCharlie Crist thanks DeSantis for extending evictions moratorium, butā¦āĀ by The Floridianās Daniel Molina ā With Governor DeSantisā announcement that he would be extending the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, both Republicans and Democrats praised the decision as a step forward to help Floridians transition back into an effective and productive life as Floridaās economy opens up once again. One of those lawmakers that praised the decision is Florida rep. Charlie Crist (D), who took to Twitter to voice his support on the moratorium extension. On Twitter, Rep. Crist called the extension āa necessary measure until all Floridians unemployed from #COVID19 are receiving the benefits guaranteed to them by CARES Act.ā However, the praise did not last long as the Florida lawmaker criticized the Florida Governor because Floridians are still facing issues receiving their unemployment benefits. On Twitter, the lawmaker shared several stories of Floridians who are undergoing financial duress because they have not received the benefits offered to them by the CARES Act. In a series of tweets, the former Florida Governor shared anecdotes and pictures of Floridians, providing a glimpse into the struggles that some Floridians are still trying to overcome.
āTrumpās firing of North Carolina, puts Florida in pole position to host RNC conventionāĀ by The Floridianās Javier Manjarres ā After President Donald Trump announced that the Republican National Committee (RNC) convention was not going to be held in North Carolina because Gov. Roy Cooper refused to guarantee the use of the Spectrum Arena in Charlotte, the thought of moving the RNC convention to Florida became a real possibility. āHad long planned to have the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, a place I love. Now, @NC_Governor Roy Cooper and his representatives refused to guarantee that we can have use of the Spectrum Arena. Spend millions of dollars, have everybody arrive, andā¦.then tell them they will not be able to gain entry,ā stated President Trump. Vice president Mike Pence has already expressed his support for the move to the Sunshine State, and with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) having already spoken with President Trump about having the RNC land in Florida, the cities of Jacksonville and Orlando are now in the running to possibly hold the convention. Rep. Brian Mast (R) told The Floridian that he would āloveā for Florida to host the event. Rep. Mast (pictured) also said that just last week, he and Reps. Michael Waltz (R) and Greg Posey (R) brought up the move to Florida while they were traveling on Air Force One.
āMiami-Dade Circuit Among 5 Florida Courts Chosen to Test Virtual Civil Jury TrialsāĀ by Law.comās Michael A. Mora ā Five trial court circuits have been chosen to test remote technology for in-person civil jury trials across Florida as a safer alternative to comply with the coronavirus social distancing safety measures. These locations for the pilot projects of civil jury trials are at the Fourth Judicial Circuit in Jacksonville, the Seventh Judicial Circuit in Daytona Beach, the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orlando, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County and the Twentieth Judicial Circuit in Fort Myers, according to Craig Waters, the public information officer for the Florida Supreme Court. The selected sites were chosen by the COVID-19 Workgroup, which is chaired by Orlando-areaĀ Judge Lisa Taylor Munyon. Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles T. Canady created the group in April to advise him on court operations in response to the coronavirus public health emergency. Just one month before, Canady had suspended all jury trials in the state to protect the health of the public, court staff and officials. Waters stated that the members of the workgroup selected the five circuits based on their different approaches, which range from fully remote operations, to combinations of remote and in-person activities. Criteria cited for the selection are geographic diversity, the local severity of the coronavirus infections and the technological capacity within each of the trial courts.
āDeSantis sends Florida National Guard to help with protests in DCāĀ by News Service of Florida ā Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday said 500 members of the Florida National Guard were en route to Washington, D.C to assist during the police-brutality protests that have gripped the nation's capital. āThe federal government has helped out Florida in a number of different ways since Iāve been governor and obviously before. So, when they had a request, I feel like it was important to step up and to help out with that,ā DeSantis said during a news conference in Orlando. The request was made by U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, DeSantis said. It came less than two days after law-enforcement officers drew national headlines by forcibly dispersing a crowd of peaceful protesters outside of the White House so that President Donald Trump could walk to St. Johnās Episcopal Church to take a photo. Maj. Caitlin Brown, a spokeswoman for the Florida National Guard, said the guard members will assist local law enforcement efforts in response to the protests, but their exact mission has not been determined. DeSantis has activated up to 700 members of the National Guard since Saturday, when protests began to flare in various parts of Florida. So far, guard members have assisted law enforcement officers in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale at the request of local officials, Brown said.
āBars, pubs set to reopen Friday as Florida enters Phase 2āĀ by Action news Jaxās Christy Turner ā Florida is moving into Phase 2 of reopening this Friday, except for Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. The move to Phase 2 means bars, movie theaters, bowling alleys and other entertainment establishments can reopen at 50% capacity. Friday canāt come quick enough for Gingerās Place, a Jacksonville Beach staple. The family-owned dive bar has been in business since 1976. Owner Candy Breidert said the bar has dealt with flooding from hurricanes or storms, but the coronavirus may have been the hardest storm to weather. āI can make it through storms and weather and all kinds of other things, but here I am completely helpless,ā Breidert said. āYour whole 44 years of business could be down the drain.ā Bars were ordered to close March 17. Breidert said the bar did packaged orders to-go, but it wasnāt sustainable. āWe couldnāt make it another week of making $65 a day. Thatās just not feasible,ā Breidert said. Breidert said she feels bars were left on the backburner of Floridaās reopening plan. āWe were left out of the mix,ā Brediert said. When restaurants reopened with restrictions, Breidert said the barās sales dropped down to 10%. Since Gingerās Place didnāt have a restaurant license to sell food, they had to remain closed. Breidert said she applied for a restaurant license. āWe are working on starting on a snack bar in here, so that if this happens again weāre not going to be stuck with being closed,ā Breidert said.
āCentral Florida law enforcement gets federal help for community policingāĀ by WFTVās Myrt Price and Adam Poulisse ā Several Central Florida law enforcement agencies have received federal funds to help with community policing. The Department of Justice recently gave out almost $400 million in grant funding through the Community-Oriented Policing Hiring Hrogram. The Orange County Sheriffās Office and police departments in Orlando, St. Cloud and Palm Bay recently received federal grant money to hire more officers in hopes of strengthening relations in the community. āIt will allow us to hire officers that we want to put in our neighborhood patrol unit program,ā Orlando Police Chief Orlando RolĆ³n said. āIt was a program that I was a part of. Itās a program that assigns officers to specific neighborhoods, so they are then in charge of that neighborhood to engage with the community, to connect with the community and enhance the conditions there.ā The $1.25 million awarded to his department will help hire 10 more officers, Rolon said. The Orange County Sheriffās Office received $2.5 million, which will create 20 new positions.
āFlorida officer who shoved protester was reviewed over forceāĀ by Associated Pressā Adriana Gomez Licon ā A police officer who was suspended for pushing a kneeling black woman to the ground at a George Floyd demonstration in Florida has been under review numerous times for pointing guns and using force on suspects, and at least once for racial profiling, a review of his personnel files shows. The files, obtained by The Associated Press in response to an open records request, also reflect that Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Steven Pohorence, 29, received several commendations over the years for helping people in need and was named Trooper of the Month once while employed by the Florida Highway Patrol. Video of Pohorence pushing the woman to the ground on Sunday was shared widely on social media as protests against police violence and racial injustice erupted across the country. Pohorenceās shove escalated a clash in which bottles were thrown and tear gas fired. Most of the files that detail Pohorence's scrutinized encounters with suspects do not specify the suspects' race, and none of the incidents, all of which were reviewed by Internal Affairs, resulted in disciplinary action. Investigators concluded there werenāt any department policy violations, according to reports in the files.
āFlorida would welcome a relocated Republican National Convention with open armsāĀ by The Center Squareās John Haughey ā The Republican National Committee is looking for a new city for President Donald Trump to accept the partyās nomination for a second term after the president Tuesday night said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper āforcedā him to cancel the GOP convention in Charlotte. If so, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that North Carolinaās $100 million loss could be Floridaās $100 million gain. āBoy, I think we should want to have things like that,ā DeSantis said during an Orlando news conference, noting heās spoken with RNC about relocating the convention to Florida. āIt looks like North Carolina missed its chance. I know there are other states that want to (host the convention), but we have a good chance of being able to do this.ā The governor said heās spoken with Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, who both confirmed their cities could host the convention. Tennessee, Georgia and Las Vegas also have expressed desire to do so. āThis isnāt a partisan thing,ā DeSantis said. If presumed Democratic challenger Joe āBiden called me and said they wanted to do the (Democratic convention) here, Iād support that, too.ā There will be issues in hosting 50,000 people for the Aug. 24-27 event during the COVID-19 emergency, DeSantis acknowledged. āNorth Carolinaās position is a default ānoā and āmaybe, weāll see.ā My view is it should be a definite āyesā and, as we get closer, weāll figure out how to do it,ā DeSantis said. āIf you need to call an audible, thatās when you do that ā not almost three months out.ā
āMcEnany reads list of fallen police officers during White House briefingāĀ by Fox newsā Morgan Phillips ā White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in her Wednesday briefing called attention to the 45 police officers who have been killed in the U.S. so far this year, including the late St. Louis officer David Dorn. McEnany said that before the former Missouri police officer was shot and killed by looters in St. Louis, he served 38 years on the cityās police force. His wife Ann Marie, too, was a sergeant on the force. David Dorn, 77, suffered a gunshot wound to his torso about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and died on a sidewalk in front of the looted Lee's Pawn & Jewelry shop. The violent death was captured on video and circulated on Twitter. āMy heart breaks for two women in particular,ā McEnany said, naming Officer Breann Leath, who served in the Indianapolis Police Department before she was shot and killed on duty in April, and Officer Tiffany Enriquez, who served the Honolulu Police Department before she was shot and killed in January. Leath left behind one child, and Enriquez left behind three and one grandchild. āThese are our heroes, thank you so much,ā McEnany said. āMany have been shot, some have been killed. It's a travesty and let us stand with law enforcement."
āHow Barr's experience as AG during the LA riots previewed Trump's actions against protestersāĀ by CNNās Maegan Vazquez ā In the wake of George Floyd's death, Attorney General Bill Barr has found himself in a similar place he was in 28 years ago -- serving as the country's chief law enforcement officer and trying to quell a demonstration rooted in racial strife, using a similar type of force against Americans who had watched video of a black man brutalized by police. After nearly three decades of societal change, Barr's approach to protests sparked by concerns of racism hasn't budged, focusing largely on putting an end to the violence -- and not the peaceful message advocating for wide-reaching law enforcement reform. It was Barr who on Monday evening ordered authorities -- clad in military-grade guard and head shields, using some of the SWAT-like policing tactics generally considered to have been developed within the Los Angeles Police Department -- to clear a crowd of protesters that had gathered near the White House, according to a Justice Department official. Soon after, Trump addressed the press from the White House Rose Garden, threatening governors and local officials to quell the protests in their states or he would move to involve US military -- something he doesn't have the absolute legal authority to do. He subsequently walked past the area where protesters had just been cleared to take a photo with a Bible at a church damaged by demonstrators.
āDerek Chauvin and Three Other Ex-Officers Face New Charges in George Floydās KillingāĀ by WSJās Douglas Belkin, Joshua Jamerson, Eliza Collins and Joe Barrett ā Minnesotaās attorney general added an upgraded charge of second-degree murder against one former police officer and charged three others in the death of George Floyd, in a fast-moving investigation of the killing that has sparked nationwide protests. As protesters gathered in cities across the country Wednesday night, at times flouting curfews, some cheered the charges but said the development wouldnāt dissuade them from continuing to rally. āItās great that that happened, we can all rejoice,ā said Westenley Alcenat, 32 years old, at a protest in Brooklyn, N.Y. āBut I donāt think the black community and people more generally will let the fight rest.ā In Los Angeles, thousands marched through downtown, and the crowd erupted into cheers when a speaker announced the new charges. āItās a step in the right direction,ā said Creshaun Sanders, a 30-year-old actor, of the new charges in the killing of Mr. Floyd. But he said he wants to see broader changes and added that the fact that so many protesters have turned out during the coronavirus pandemic shows the importance of the issue of police brutality and racism. Responding to that pressure, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday night that he and the city council had identified $250 million in cuts that would be made from departments including the police, whose budget many protesters have said should be slashed, and invested in jobs, education, and health, with a focus on minority communities. The Democrat also announced changes to police policies including requiring officers to intervene when they see inappropriate uses of force.
āLos Angeles to slash up to $150M from LAPD budget, reinvest into communities of colorāĀ by Fox Newsā Edmund DeMarche āĀ Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Wednesday that he tasked the city to āidentify $250 million in cutsā to invest more money into the black community, communities of color,Ā women and āpeople who have been left behind." The Los Angeles Times reported that the city will try and cut between $100 million to $150 million from its police budget alone. Garcetti said it is incumbent on the city to āstep up and say, āWhat can we sacrifice?āāThe mayor said that the city will not increase its police budget of $1.8 billion. Deadline reported that Garcetti said that he will offer more specifics at a later press conference but said the money will be distributed ānow, not years from now.ā āItās time to move our rhetoric towards action to end racism in our city,ā he said, according to Deadline. āPrejudice can never be part of police workā¦It takes bravery to save lives, too.ā Police departments across the country have had to respond to looting and arson in the wake of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis last week. One police officer faces second-degree murder charges and the three others were charged with aiding and abetting murder. More than 3,000 people have been arrested in Los Angeles County since protests began last week, most accused of curfew violations. Los Angeles District District Attorney Jackie Lacey has been criticized for reluctance to bring charges against police officers for misconduct. At some Los Angeles protests demonstrators have chanted for her to be removed.
āSenate approves House-passed Paycheck Protection Program reform billāĀ byĀ CNNās Ā Clare Foran, Lauren Fox and Ted Barrett ā The Senate on Wednesday evening passed by voice vote a House-passed Paycheck Protection Program reform bill, clearing it for President Donald Trump's signature. Earlier in the afternoon, GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin objected to a prior effort to pass the bill via unanimous consent, blocking approval. But Johnson agreed to let the bill pass after getting a letter entered into the record clarifying the authorization period. The bill, which passed the House last week, gives business owners more flexibility and time to use loan money and still get it forgiven as part of the Paycheck Protection Program, set up to help struggling small businesses with emergency loans during the pandemic. "We can't wait any longer. Businesses are really suffering for lack of these changes," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier in the day on the Senate floor, adding, "We must get this done. Businesses are going under every day." The vote in the House approving the legislation was nearly unanimous at 417-1. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the sole member to vote against the bill. The legislation -- titled the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act -- was introduced by Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas and Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota. It is intended to make loans more accessible under the program by making its terms of use more flexible. The legislation would give small businesses more time to use emergency loans under the program by extending the eight-week period in which they must use the money to qualify for loan forgiveness to 24 weeks.
āU.S. Plans to Block Flights by Chinese AirlinesāĀ by WSJās Alison Sider and Ted Mann ā The Trump administration threatened Wednesday to bar mainland Chinese airlines from flying to and from the U.S. starting later this month, saying Beijing has failed to approve resumption of these routes by U.S. carriers. The threat of a ban was the latest sign of souring U.S.-China relations that are at their worst in more than three decades. Some U.S. airlines have sought to resume service to China this month after suspending flying there earlier this year, as the coronavirus pandemic took hold. The U.S. Transportation Department, led by Secretary Elaine Chao, said Wednesday that the Civil Aviation Administration of China hasnāt approved requests by United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. to resume flights. The DOT accused China of violating an agreement that governs air travel between the two countries. The transportation agency said it would reconsider its planned ban, if Chinese regulators adjust their policies to allow U.S. carriers to return. āOur overriding goal is not the perpetuation of this situation, but rather an improved environment wherein the carriers of both parties will be able to exercise fully their bilateral rights,ā the DOTās order said. āShould the CAAC adjust its policies to bring about the necessary improved situation for U.S. carriers, the Department is fully prepared to revisit the action it has announced in this order.ā The Civil Aviation Administration of China said Thursday that it would permit foreign airlines that arenāt currently able to operate flights to China to fly one route a week, starting Monday. Under the previous rules, the only U.S. planes permitted to fly to China were those carrying cargo.
āTrump fires back after Mattis condemns his 'mockery' of Constitution: 'Glad he is gone!'āĀ by Fox Newsā Gregg Re ā James Mattis, who served as President Trump's first defense secretary, excoriated the president in a statement to The Atlantic published on Wednesday -- urging Americans to "reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution." Trump issued his own blistering condemnation on Twitter late Wednesday, pointing out that then-President Obama removed Mattis as head of U.S. Central Command in 2013. "Probably the only thing Barack Obama and I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the worldās most overrated General," Trump wrote. "I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it. His nickname was 'Chaos', which I didnāt like, & changed it to 'Mad Dog.' His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom 'brought home the bacon'. I didnāt like his 'leadership' style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone!" Mattis has largely stayed out of the public eye since resigning in December 2018, when he opposed Trump's abrupt troop pullout from Syria. The retired Marine Corps general had said he wanted to give the administration an "opportunity" to govern, rather than criticize the president in the press. On Wednesday, though, Mattis made clear that Trump's response to the nationwide protests over the in-custody death of George Floyd had spurred him to act. Specifically, Mattis appeared to object to authorites' decision to clear away protesters in Washington D.C.ās Lafayette Park on Monday before Trump's visit to the historic St. Johnās Church, which rioters had burned the previous night. The United States Park Police denied using tear gas to disperse the protesters, despite various media reports, and authorities have said they cleared the park because of violent outbursts and not to make room for Trump.
āPentagon chief on shaky ground with White House after breaking with Trump over protest responseāĀ by CNNās Zachary Cohen, Kaitlan Collins, Kevin Liptak, Vivian Salama and Jim Acosta ā Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is on shaky ground with the White House after saying Wednesday that he does not support using active duty troops to quell the large-scale protests across the United States triggered by the death of George Floyd and those forces should only be used in a law enforcement role as a last resort. Speaking from the Pentagon briefing room podium, Esper noted that "we are not in one of those situations now," distancing himself from President Donald Trump's recent threat to deploy the military to enforce order. "The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act," he told reporters. Esper also distanced himself from a maligned photo-op outside St. John's Church. Wednesday's press briefing by Esper went over poorly at the White House, where his standing was already viewed to be tenuous, multiple people familiar with the matter said. "Should the President lose faith, we will all learn about that in the future," she added. Late Wednesday night, three sources told CNN that Esper will stay on the job for now. He was at the White House for a little under three hours earlier, where he had several meetings, including one in the Oval Office with Trump.
āU.S. Stocks Climb as Hopes Build for More StimulusāĀ by WSJās Karen Langley and Caitlin Ostroff ā Stocks rose as social unrest across the U.S. showed signs of calming and investors bet economic activity will improve with the ebbing of coronavirus infections and additional government stimulus. Investors favored shares that have been battered during the market turmoil this year, suggesting their growing optimism about economic prospects. The S&P 500 advanced 42.05 points, or 1.4%, to 3122.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 527.24 points, or 2%, to 26269.89. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 74.54 points, or 0.8%, to 9682.91, off 1.4% from Februaryās all-time high. Stocks have rallied from their late March lows, a rebound most analysts attribute to the stimulus offered by the Federal Reserve and Congress to keep the economy afloat. The S&P 500 was led higher Wednesday by the energy, financial and industrial groups, which have sustained the deepest losses in 2020 of the broad stock indexās 11 sectors. All three groups rose at least 3%. Shares of small-cap companies, which tend to be sensitive to the economy, also rallied, with the Russell 2000 index gaining 2.4%. āThe fact that weāre seeing broader participation right now is indicative of increasing risk appetite among investors and more confidence in the equity market rally,ā said Ed Campbell, portfolio manager at QMA. Investors are looking ahead to the U.S. jobs report Friday for insight into the state of the labor market. In a potential bright sign Wednesday, the ADP National Employment Report showed nonfarm private- sector employment in the U.S. decreased by 2.76 million jobs in May, a smaller loss than economists expected.
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President Donald TrumpĀ @realDonaldTrump-Our highest respect to the family of David Dorn, a Great Police Captain from St. Louis, who was viciously shot and killed by despicable looters last night. We honor our police officers, perhaps more than ever before. Thank you!
Andrew CuomoĀ @NYGovCuomoĀ -Ā There are those who want to intentionally blur the lines between peaceful, legitimate protesters and looters.
The president is among them.
They want you to watch the videos of the looting ā not the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered.
Don't fall for it
Rep. Carlos G SmithĀ @CarlosGSmithĀ -Ā So very proud to see Orlando coming together in peaceful solidarity against police brutality and callous disregard for black lives. Please no tear gas tonight,
Commissioner Nikki FriedĀ @NikkiFriedFLĀ -Ā FARMERS: Make sure to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program ā this direct support from theĀ @USDAĀ is available for producers impacted byĀ #COVID19.
Marco RubioĀ @marcorubioĀ -All across America authorities & protest organizers are saying extremists are taking advantage of demonstrations to instigate violence We should be focused on justice for Mr. Floyd & addressing the broader issue of racial equality And we must stop these extremists immediately
Debbie Wasserman SchultzĀ @DWStweetsĀ -As we fight bigotry at all levels, it is satisfying to see the removal of graves depicting swastikas and praise of Hitler from VA cemeteries. No families of American soldiers who fought against hatred and intolerance should be confronted with that.
Jimmy PatronisĀ @JimmyPatronisĀ -We are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Cristobal as it is forecasted to move into the Gulf of Mexico this weekend. I encourage all Floridians to monitor weather reports & prepare now by visiting
US Rep Kathy CastorĀ @USRepKCastorĀ -Transparency and accountability are vital to protecting Floridians and combatingĀ #COVID19. At today'sĀ @EnergyCommerceĀ hearing, I asked bipartisan governors about national coordination for COVID-19 testing.
