911, What’s Your Emergency?
The asinine movement to defund or abolish police around the country has gained steam among the radical wing of the Democratic Party, as more and more House Democrats are joining the extremist ranks that want to rid the country of any police force. READ MORE
Rep. Val Demings (D), a potential vice presidential candidate, expressed her support for dismantling the Minneapolis PD. Oh, she’s a former police chief. READ MORE
President Donald Trump held his ground in support of law enforcement, reiterating that we need to reinforce and throw more money at police. READ MORE
Batten Down the Hatches
Hurricane season is upon us and Floridians are now having to face dealing with COVID-19 and stocking up with supplies in the event that another storm makes landfall.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced that at his direction Florida’s state emergency office has been securing supplies of PPE in preparation for hurricane season. DeSantis has stockpiled some 22 million masks.
The Florida Trail…
Kat Cammack, a congressional candidate in FL CD 3 (Yoho’s seat) has garnered another grassroots endorsement. Cammack has landed the support of gun rights poobah Mike Weeks.
In the same primary race, Florida state rep. Stan McClain has endorsed GOP congressional candidate Ryan Chamberlin.
Jason Brodeur (R) has qualified in his state senate race by petition. Big deal.
Brodeur is not alone, GOP state representative candidate Rhonda Rebman Lopez has also qualified by petition in state house seat 120. Rebman Lopez is the hands-down favorite to win the Republican primary race in that district.
Visit The Floridian
“Demings Calls Disbanding Police Departments “Thoughtful”” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Over the weekend, Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar (D) took part in the protests and addressed constituents, commenting that “the Minneapolis Police Department is rotten to the root and so when we dismantle it, we get rid of that cancer and we allow for something beautiful to rise.” Moreover, Lisa Bender, the Council President, announced at a Black Visions Collective and Reclaim the Block rally at Powderhorn Park on Sunday that the city council plans to “end our city’s toxic relationship with the Minneapolis Police Department,” adding that “it’s our commitment to end policing as we know it and recreate systems of public safety that actually keep us safe.” In response to the call for lawmakers to tackle police reform, Democrats have created the “Justice in Policing Act of 2020” that would ban chokeholds, it would create a National Police Misconduct Registry that would deliver misconduct complaints, discipline and termination records to the federal government, it would develop a grant program allowing state attorneys general to create an independent process that would investigate misconduct or excessive use of force along with other guidelines that have gained support since the protests began. Now, the conversation has made its way to South Florida, and Florida Democrats are voicing their support. Florida Rep. Lois Frankel (D), who cosponsored the “Justice in Policing Act of 2020, released a statement arguing that “America is experiencing a moment of national anguish, as we grieve for those killed by police brutality and racial injustice,” affirming that “our police should be guardians, not warriors.”
“Democrats Unveil Sweeping Police Reform Proposals” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – House and Senate Democrats unveiled a comprehensive sweeping national proposed package Monday morning aimed at police reforms in response to protests over the death of George Floyd that seeks to hold police departments accountable, end the use of police chokeholds, create a national database to track officers with record of misconduct, and outline ways for law enforcement to change their tactics across the country. The bill, dubbed the “Justice in Policing Act of 2020,” would ban chokeholds, the creation of a National Police Misconduct Registry that would send misconduct complaints, discipline and termination records to the federal government, develop a grant program that would allow state attorneys general to create an independent process to investigate misconduct or excessive use of force, and make it easier for individuals to seek damages from a police officers by limiting the qualified immunity doctrine that protects law enforcement from civil lawsuits, according to the five-page summary of the draft proposed bill. Crafted by the Congressional Black Caucus, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee and Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, the proposal also imposes mandatory racial and implicit bias training programs while incentivizes states and localities to teach police officers about their “duty to intervene.” The bill sets certain restrictions on the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement and requires federal uniformed police offers to wear body cameras.
“De Blasio Joins Calls to ‘Defund The Police’ Vows to Cut NYPD Funds For Youth and Social Services” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has joined the nationwide calls to defund the police in response to the death of George Floyd, pledging for the first time after a week and a half of mass protests and violent riots to cut the New York Police Department (NYPD) funding to reallocate the funds to unspecified number of youth and social services programs. “The details will be worked out in the budget process in the weeks ahead,” de Blasio confirmed during a news conference on Monday after first unveiling the plans on Sunday. “But I want people to understand that we are committed to shifting resources to ensure that the focus is on our young people. We will be moving funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services, that will happen literally in the course of the next three weeks, but I’m not going to go into detail because it is subject to negotiation.” The New York City Mayor declined to say exactly how much funding he planned to divert to social services, saying the details is being worked out at the moment and will be finalized with the City Council before the July 1 budget deadline. In 2019, the NYPD’s budget was nearly $6 Billion, about 6 percent of the de Blasio’s proposed $90 billion budget. Last week, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer sent a letter to de Blasio calling for a $265 million a year or $1 Billion over the next four fiscal years used for NYPD uniformed workforce through attrition, scaling back overtime and trimming Other Than Personnel Services (OTPS) and put the scaled back funds towards vulnerable communities most impacted by police violence and structural racism.
“Democrats, Progressives call for abolishing police departments” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Since the protests began in late May regarding the murder of George Floyd, the conversation has since shifted around the argument that police departments should be disbanded. This weekend, the protests seemed to draw bipartisan support as both Senator Mitt Romney (R) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D) were both photographed taking part in marches. However, on Sunday, it was reported that the Minneapolis city council majority was going to back the idea of disbanding or abolishing the police force, so the question on everybody’s minds is now how will people be kept safe? In speaking to marchers, Rep. Omar commented that “the Minneapolis Police Department is rotten to the root and so when we dismantle it, we get rid of that cancer and we allow for something beautiful to rise.” And, that’s exactly what the city council plans on doing as Lisa Bender, the Council president, made an announcement at a Black Visions Collective and Reclaim the Block rally at Powderhorn Park Sunday, saying that the goal is to “end our city’s toxic relationship with the Minneapolis Police Department.” Bender added that “it’s our commitment to end policing as we know it and recreate systems of public safety that actually keep us safe.” As well, over the weekend, Steve Fletcher, a Ward 3 councilor, released an op-ed that provided some details as to what alternatives could be, noting that mental health professions could be dispatched to crisis calls regarding mental health situations, fire department EMTs could be dispatched to respond to opioid overdose calls and traffic-related offenses could be dealt with through an increase in camera coverage and dispatching the city’s street parking teams.
“Florida gas prices expected to jump again” by News Service of Florida via Jacksonville Business Journal – With coronavirus-related restrictions lifting and Floridians beginning to travel more, gasoline prices are the most expensive they have been in nine weeks. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida is $1.90, up 2 cents from last week and 14 cents from a month ago, according to the AAA auto club. Also, the price of crude oil is at a three-month high, due to increased demand and production cuts. AAA spokesman W. D. Williams said he expects prices will top $2 a gallon in the next week or two. “The economy is rebounding,” Williams said. “People who were working from home are now starting to go back to their normal place of work. So, those daily commutes consume a lot of gasoline systemwide. So, the demand is increasing. We all know that as the demand increases, the prices are going to increase as well.” Gas prices are still down 70 cents a gallon from a year ago. Florida’s most expensive gas is in West Palm Beach, at $2.019 a gallon, with the cheapest in Orlando, at $1.865 a gallon. Jacksonville is near the cheapest, at $1.874 a gallon. “The bottom of gasoline prices are behind us, and we are going to see continued increases coming up in the future,” Williams said. “We expect to see a $2-a-gallon Florida average, probably within a week or so.”
“Sheriff Mina: Defunding law enforcement wouldn't work in Central Florida” by Fox 35 Orlando’s Holly Bristow – While protesters and even some city leaders in Minneapolis and other large cities are asking to defund police in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Orange County Sheriff John Mina doesn’t think it’s a good idea."I think it makes absolutely no sense at all," Sheriff Mina said. "I talk to many citizens every single week and they want more police, more deputy sheriffs in their neighborhood." The Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) responds to over a million calls every year, according to Sheriff Mina. He says local history proves why defunding law enforcement is not something that would work here. “So incidents like Pulse are a prime example of why agencies need the proper equipment and proper funding. There were items and equipment used at Pulse that saved many, many lives. Without the proper funding, without the proper equipment, many more lives could have been lost,” Sheriff Mina said. The sheriff says he does believe there is a need to spend more money on social services. “I certainly think there needs to be more funding for mental health for a variety of social services, for youth programs in our community, but I don’t think we should take away from law enforcement to do that,” Sheriff Mina said. Since George Floyd was killed two weeks ago, Sheriff Mina has been receiving emails from citizens and activists with suggestions for his agency.
“New York Sen. Schumer leads call for federal probe into Florida’s unemployment system” by The Center Square’s John Houghey – Florida and New York politicians have been trading barbs for weeks about how leaders in both states have handled the COVID-19 emergency. Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has said New Yorkers fleeing Democratic Gov. Anthony Cuomo’s quarantine restrictions flooded the Sunshine State in March, dramatically swelling the disease’s outbreak in south Florida. Cuomo blamed open “beaches in Florida” for inspiring youthful protesters in New York City to not wear masks. Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a former two-term Florida governor, vocally has been opposed to a proposed $3 billion COVID-19 bill that includes assistance for state and local governments, which has been referred to as a “blue state bailout.” Cuomo responded by accusing Scott of “playing the American people” by claiming New York receives more than it pays in federal taxes, noting it is among “donor” states that contribute far more in taxes than it receives in federal services. On Monday, the Florida-New York dispute surfaced in the U.S. Senate, when Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s minority leader, called on the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate Florida’s much-maligned unemployment system. In a letter to Inspector General Scott Dahl, Schumer joined Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon in requesting an inquiry into U.S. DOL oversight of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), which administers the state’s unemployment system. DEO’s CONNECT unemployment website collapsed in March, when it was deluged by newly jobless applicants, creating a backlog that persists.
“Florida’s small municipalities await their cut from $1.275B in CARES Act money” by The Center Square’s John Haughey – As Congress debates a proposed $3 trillion COVID-19 package that would include billions of dollars for state and local governments, smaller municipalities in Florida are wondering when – or if – they’ll receive a share of previous federal assistance allocations. Congress approved $150 billion for state and local governments in March when it adopted the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Florida received about $8.3 billion from the CARES Act for government assistance. Under the bill, 55 percent was reserved for the state, and 45 percent was reserved for direct payments to municipalities. Of the $3.75 billion earmarked for counties and cities, more than $2.47 billion was distributed in direct payments from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to 12 counties with populations greater than 500,000. But $1.275 billion has remained in state coffers for more than two months, and local officials representing the state’s other 400 municipal governments said they need the assistance to cover COVID-19 expenses and loss of revenues from emergency shutdowns. In a letter sent last month to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) and the Florida League of Cities (FLC) requested “this $1.275 billion be earmarked to provide necessary resources to local governments that were not direct beneficiaries of CARES Act dollars.”
“Florida Judge 'Regrets Her Conduct' After Pretending to Be Her Son's Lawyer, Which Sparked Slew of Ethics Charges” by Daily Business Review’s Raychel Lean – A Leon Circuit judge who reported herself to the Judicial Qualifications Commission for pretending to be her son’s lawyer after he was arrested filed a response to ethics charges Friday. Leon Circuit Judge Barbara Hobbs said she regretted lying to investigators on July 30, 2019, after they told her that only her son’s attorney could see him and participate in his interrogation. “She acknowledges that she should not have presented herself as her son’s lawyer and regrets her conduct,” the filing said. It was an incident that resulted in a domino effect of ethics charges. Hobbs’s son was arrested for allegedly shooting an acquaintance. He has been charged with attempted second-degree murder, according to the JQC’s filing, which accused Hobbs of trying to arrange unmonitored access to him in jail. The judge denied those allegations, arguing she never asked for any preferential treatment. Hobbs did not appear in court on behalf of her son at any time. The jurist also claimed she later followed protocol by telling court security that she wanted to visit her son, but she didn’t go through with it after being advised, “that was not a good idea in that she was on the criminal felony bench, and that she had received death threats in her judicial position,” according to Friday’s filing. Hobbs then reportedly went to the sheriff’s office, which shared the same concerns over safety. The office tried, but failed, to set up the technology necessary for her to speak with her son remotely. Hobbs has still not been able to visit her son, according to her filing, but has talked to him via monitored phone calls.
“Florida sheriff hits 'dangerous' calls to defund police: 'The majority of cops are here for public safety'” by Fox News’ Yael Halon – Pinellas County (Fla.) Sheriff Bob Gualtieri joined "Outnumbered Overtime" Monday to respond to growing calls to defund police departments around America, warning that such a move would be "unrealistic" and "dangerous." "That means cops, that means boots on the ground," Gualtieri told host Harris Faulkner. "That means the people you call at 3 a.m. when you call 911 and someone is breaking into your house. "So to those people, I say what will it feel like when you call 911 and somebody says 'We are on a 30-minute delay because we don’t have the people?' "We all support the notion we can do better," Gualtieri added, "but this notion of defunding employees or eliminating police departments frankly is just a bunch of political rhetoric. It’s unrealistic. There are bad guys out there that want to hurt people and we need to make sure that doesn’t happen."Gualtieri's comments come amid growing calls to weaken law enforcement in the wake of George Floyd's May 25 death while in police custody. Days after Floyd, who is black, died after a white officer knelt on his neck, Black Lives Matter announced a “call for a national defunding of police." Notable Democratic politicians as well as celebrities have echoed the sentiment. Gualtieri agreed that while "there's always room to do better," much of the public is unaware of the existing policies already in place in Florida, including a ban on the use of chokeholds.
“Candidates qualifing for Florida legislature, sheriff, other offices” by News 4 Jaxs Steve Patrick and Mike Vasilinda – Dozens of legislative candidates began qualifying Monday for this year’s elections in which 21 Senate seats and all 120 House seats could draw contests. Candidates are also signing up for many county races, including sheriff, county commission, school board and other local offices. Among the higher-profile races in Northeast Florida that will be the sheriff’s race in Clay County, where several people are expected to challenge incumbent Darryl Daniels, and St. Johns County, where Sheriff David Shoar is not seeking re-election after five terms in office. The formal qualifying period began at noon Monday and will continue until noon Friday. Qualifying was held earlier this year for congressional races. Democrats remain a minority in the State Legislature, but are hoping moderate gains can help level the partisan playing field. A dropbox replaced the traditional parade of candidates waiting to qualify. It didn’t stop Rodney Long from Gainesville coming to make sure his paperwork to run for a State House seat got delivered in person. “So my stamp of approval would be that I personally brought it up here, and I put in the box, so I know it got here,” said Long. Long shot GOP State Senate candidate Benjamin Horbowy arrived doing his own Facebook live announcement. “We have to do what no man has ever done before,” said Horbowy. For the first time since Democrats lost control of the State Legislature in the mid 1990s, a Democrat has filed to run in each and every one of the state’s 120 House seats. But GOP consultant Brett Doster doesn’t think it will matter. “It depends on the district, and it depends on the candidate, but the reality is I think the GOP is still in a very good position to hold the State House,” said Doster.
“Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey rejects city council's push to defund police, despite veto-proof majority” by Fox News’ Gregg Re – Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Sunday reiterated that he doesn't support abolishing the city's police force, hours after a veto-proof majority of members of the Minneapolis City Council said they want to take that drastic step in the wake of the in-custody death of George Floyd. Frey, who ordered a police station to evacuate as rioters burned it to the ground last month, was shouted down by a large gathering of demonstrators near his home on Saturday when he defied their demands to shutter the city's police forces. "I'll work relentlessly with Chief [Medaria] Arradondo and alongside community toward deep, structural reform and addressing systemic racism in police culture," Frey said in a statement to KARE. "We're ready to dig in and enact more community-led, public safety strategies on behalf of our city. But, I do not support abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department." Before the crowd outside his home, Frey had prefaced his comments by saying he was "coming to grips" with his "own brokenness," and by promising to put the police union "in its place." But, many protesters clearly were unconvinced, yelling, "It's not about you!" and "Go home Jacob, go home!" On Sunday, nine city council members spoke at a protest at Powderhorn Park, a neighborhood in Minneapolis. The number of supporters in attendance represented a veto-proof majority to push the measure through, Fox 9 reported.
“Joe Biden wins enough delegates to secure Democratic nomination” by CNN’s Kate Sullivan – Former Vice President Joe Biden has earned enough delegates to officially secure the Democratic nomination for president, CNN projected on Saturday. Biden has been the presumptive Democratic nominee since April, when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the primary. His electoral victory in Guam on Saturday allowed him to surpass the necessary 1,991 delegates to claim the nomination on the first ballot of the party's convention, set to be held in August. Biden currently has 1,992 delegates, according to CNN's tally. "A little more than three months ago I stood on stage in South Carolina and told the American people that ours was a campaign for everyone who has been knocked down, counted out, and left behind. Those words take on an ever greater resonance today, at a time when so many Americans are hurting and have suffered so much loss," Biden said in a statement. "So many feel knocked down by the public health and economic crisis we are weathering. So many feel counted out and left behind by a society that has for too long viewed them as less than equal, their lives as less than precious." He added, "It was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of candidates the Democratic party has ever fielded — and I am proud to say that we are going into this general election a united party. I am going to spend every day between now and November 3rd fighting to earn the votes of Americans all across this great country so that, together, we can win the battle for the soul of this nation, and make sure that as we rebuild our economy, everyone comes along."
“Trump’s Order to Pull U.S. Troops From Germany Alarms European Allies” by WSJ’s James Marson and Thomas Grove – U.S. allies in Europe expressed dismay over President Trump’s plan to slash the number of American troops in Germany by more than a quarter, saying it undermined NATO and boosted adversaries such as Russia. Mr. Trump’s order, reported by The Wall Street Journal on Friday, surprised allies, who hadn’t been officially informed, according to European diplomats. The proposed cut to 25,000 from 34,500 would reverse recent increases in U.S. troops in Europe designed to deter Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2014 and has bolstered armed forces on its western flank. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Germany would take note of the decision, if confirmed. “We value the cooperation with U.S. armed forces, which has grow over decades,” he told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. “They are in the interests of both our countries.” Asked about German relations with the U.S., he replied: “It’s complicated.” Allies of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the German Parliament assailed Mr. Trump more forcefully. “The plans show once again that the Trump administration neglects an elementary leadership task: the involvement of allies in decision-making processes,” said Johann Wadephul, deputy leader of Ms. Merkel’s ruling conservative bloc in Parliament. “All benefit from the cohesion of the alliance, only Russia and China from discord.”
“Trump withdraws National Guard from DC now that 'everything is under perfect control'” by Fox News’ Danielle Wallace – President Trump announced Sunday the National Guard would withdraw from Washington, D.C., saying that “everything is under perfect control” following nearly two weeks of peaceful protests and violent rioting and looting in response to the death of George Floyd. “I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, D.C., now that everything is under perfect control," Trump tweeted. "They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!” Army Sec. Ryan McCarthy said Sunday that within the next 48 to 72 hours, all out-of-state National Guard will be withdrawn from D.C. Mississippi, Utah and Indiana National Guard will begin leaving at 5 p.m. and will be gone by 5 p.m. Monday. Maryland and New Jersey National Guard left D.C. Saturday. D.C. National Guard, which consists of about 1200 troops, will support the Metropolitan Police Department Sunday. Unveiling the newly minted "Black Lives Matter Plaza" just steps from the White House, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Friday she would evict the National Guard from hotels, citing a “budgetary issue.” In response, Trump tweeted: “The incompetent Mayor of Washington, D.C., @MayorBowser, who’s [sic] budget is totally out of control and is constantly coming back to us for 'handouts', is now fighting with the National Guard, who saved her from great embarrassment over the last number of nights.
“White House is considering a Trump speech to the nation on race and unity” by CNN’s Kristen Holmes and Sarah Westwood – After a weekend of massive peaceful protests around the country, White House officials are currently deliberating a plan for President Donald Trump to address the nation this week on issues related to race and national unity, as Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson hinted in an interview with CNN on Sunday and a senior administration official said was under serious consideration. Many allies of the President spent the last week distraught as they watched Trump fumble his response to the police killing of George Floyd, only to follow his perceived silence on the resulting racial tensions with a federal law enforcement crackdown on the protesters near his fortified doorstep. Aides and allies were not comforted by the backlash over his decision to have federal officers aggressively clear Lafayette Park in front of the White House to facilitate a widely-panned attempt at a photo-op in front of St. John's Church. And the rest of the week continued on a downward spiral, as protests across the country grew and Trump faced an onslaught of well-known conservatives, generals and former Trump administration officials who excoriated his response and called for new leadership come November.Carson suggested during an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" that the President this week would further address Floyd's killing and the tensions it exposed.
“As New York Reopens, Mayor de Blasio Faces Boos—From Within City Hall, Too” by WSJ’s Laura Kusisto and Katie Honan – After more than a week of protests that have led to violent clashes with police, the mayor of the nation’s largest city is struggling to regain the confidence of his constituents and staff, as the city teeters on the brink of the worst economic crisis in four decades. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has been unable to either command or soothe a city consumed by unrest following the killing of George Floyd, current and former aides and advisers say. At the same time, the city is trying to reopen Monday after being in lockdown for more than two months as one of the U.S. cities hit hardest by the new coronavirus. The pandemic is estimated to have killed more than 24,000 people in New York state, including over 17,000 in the city, and devastated the economy. The city lost some 885,000 private-sector jobs in April, its largest decline in history, according to the state Department of Labor. “There’s a lot of people and a lot of people in city hall that are worried that whatever good the mayor did is going to be overshadowed by this,” said Alicia Glen, who served as Mr. de Blasio’s deputy mayor for housing and economic development for five years. Current employees said the mood at city hall has been one of heartbreak and near despondence over the past week, which has seen large-scale protests over Mr. Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who was killed while in police custody. The mayor imposed an 8 p.m. curfew in response to the violence and looting that followed the mostly peaceful demonstrations. The curfew was in effect for six nights before he lifted it Sunday morning.
“Colin Powell says he 'cannot in any way support' Trump; announces he will vote for Biden” by Fox News’ Andrew O’Reilly – Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday became the latest member of the Republican Party’s old guard to announce that he will not be voting for President Trump in November’s general election. Powell’s admission comes amid rumors and speculation that a number of establishment Republican heavyweights have sworn off voting for Trump in favor of Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden. The New York Times reported former President George W. Bush – under whom Powell served as secretary of state – and frequent Trump critic, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, will not be voting for the current Oval Office occupant come November. “I certainly cannot, in any way, support President Trump this year,” Powell said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We have a Constitution and we have to follow that Constitution and the president has drifted away from it.” Powell instead made clear that when he heads to the ballot box this fall he will be casting his vote for Biden. "I'm very close to Joe Biden in a social matter and in a political matter," Powell said. "I've worked with him for 35, 40 years. And he is now the candidate and I will be voting for him." Powell added, however, that despite his backing of Biden’s White House run, he will not be hitting the campaign trail in support of the Democratic nominee.
“Carson says 'reserve judgment' on Trump's remarks in aftermath of George Floyd's death until President speaks again” by CNN’s Chandellis Duster – When Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson was pressed on Sunday about President Donald Trump's retweet of a post attacking the character of George Floyd, Carson said to "reserve judgment" until the President speaks on the topic this week. "I believe you're going to be hearing from the President this week on this topic in some detail. And I would ask you maybe to reserve judgment until after that time," Carson told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union." The White House has declined to comment to CNN about Carson's comments on the show. Carson's remarks come amid criticism over Trump's response to nationwide protests in the wake of Floyd's death at the hands of police. Over the weekend, the President retweeted a post from former Fox News host Glenn Beck that quoted conservative commentator Candace Owens saying, "The fact that (Floyd) has been held up as a martyr sickens me." "You talked about how you don't like to demonize people," Tapper said Sunday. "I know you didn't retweet this, but the President did. Does that help the nation heal?" "What will help the national heal is if we engage in dialogue together," the Trump Cabinet member said. "Let's not make the solution be a Democrat solution or a Republican solution. Let's make it be an American solution and recognize that our country is extraordinary." The President, who has also been criticized for invoking Floyd's name during an address touting the latest jobs report, last week called on the nation's governors to dominate protesters. And police tactics were used to clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square ahead of the President's walk to St. John's Episcopal Church for a photo-op on Monday.
“Major Fixes Made to Small-Business Loan Program” by WSJ’s Yuka Hayashi – President Trump on Friday signed into law a bill giving companies more time and flexibility to spend funds from the federal aid program to help small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. The new law overhauls the Paycheck Protection Program, which provided $660 billion to help companies generally with fewer than 500 employees. While credited with helping save millions of jobs, business owners have questioned whether they could meet the requirements to have the loans turned into grants—and thus forgiven. Restaurants and other businesses that have largely been unable to operate this spring were among the biggest critics. The latest fixes allow businesses 24 weeks to spend the loans, up from eight weeks under the original rule and ease a requirement to spend 75% of funds to pay workers to gain loan forgiveness. The new threshold is 60%. While the June 30 deadline for new loan applications remains unchanged, borrowers now have until the end of the year to restore their payrolls to precrisis levels in order to have their loans forgiven. Borrowers are also given more time to repay the portions of funds that aren’t forgiven. Mr. Trump signed the bill following a news conference celebrating surprisingly strong jobs data announced Friday morning. After two months of steep declines, the Labor Department said employers added 2.5 million jobs in May, improving the jobless rate to 13.3% from April’s 14.7%. Administration officials said PPP has helped to keep some 50 million workers with their employers.
President Donald Trump @RealDonaldTrump - I have retained highly respected pollster, McLaughlin & Associates, to analyze todays CNN Poll (and others), which I felt were FAKE based on the incredible enthusiasm we are receiving. Read analysis for yourself. This is the same thing they and others did when we defeated...
Nancy Pelosi @SpeakerPelosi -The President must immediately reopen Lafayette Square to the public. This unique park should be a symbol of freedom & openness, not a militarized zone behind which President Trump cowers in fear of protesters who are crying out for justice.
US Rep. Al Lawson Jr @RepAlLawsonJr -We helped to feed more than 500 families in #Jacksonville at last weekend's #FarmShare. Thank you to our community partners, Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church, BOAT (Blessing Others All the Time) and a host of local organizations.
Commissioner Nikki Fried @NikkiFriedFL - With restaurants opening up, we're reminding Floridians that the @FDACS Farm To You Commodities List is still working to connect Florida farmers with consumers.
Rick Scott @SenRickScott -Today’s 31st anniversary of Tiananmen Square shows that little has changed under Communist China’s control. We cannot allow human rights violations to continue and we cannot allow the people of #HongKong to live in oppression.
Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell @RepDMP -.@HouseDemocrats worked swiftly to pass legislation to give our small businesses more flexibility & time to use #PPP funds. I’m glad to see the Senate finally passed our legislation. Now POTUS must sign it into law immediately to get our local businesses the help they need.
Bob Rommel @bob_rommel -Yeah millionaire players and billionaire owners need you to protect them how about the small business owners that you are destroying. Just because you went to Harvard and made hundreds of millions at Goldman Sachs doesn't mean you're smart.
Rep. Ted Deutch @RepTedDeutch -I'm very happy to hear of Michael White's release from Iran, & I encourage the Admin. to continue to bring home Siamak & Baquer Namazi & other Americans held abroad. But during these negotiations, do not forget about Bob Levinson and his family, who deserve closure and justice.
