All Eyes on Florida
To win the presidency, Biden needs to win Florida, just as Florida political consultant Steve Schale or anyone with knowledge of how important the state is during an election,
Biden’s potential VP pick, Rep. Karen Bass (D), would be a huge headache for “Sleepy Joe” in Florida due to her past support for the Castro regime.
But her past support for Fidel Castro does not hurt Biden with Cuban-Americans, but also with the growing Colombian and Venezuelan communities that sympathize with the exile community that has lived here since the beginning of the Cuban Revolution over five decades ago.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R) has called Bass’ recent excuse for supporting Castro as simple Fubar.
He’s not buying it, saying that Bass’ support for the Communist regime stems back several decades and is not about just the comment she made. READ MORE
Voting is happening.
From today until August 18th, Floridian will be heading to the polls vote early, but will COVID-19 keep many of them home?
Florida could see a very low turnout this primary election cycle, but that could be more to do with the fact that there aren’t a big names like Trump or DeSantis driving people to the polls, than with the virus.
What's worse, it appears as if turn out will be very low for Republicans. Not good for Trump.
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***Your morning JUICE is also sponsored by Fran Flynn. Fran Flynn is a Republican running for Congress in Florida's 22nd congressional district. She's Pro-Trump, Pro-Gun, Pro-Life.***
Commissioner Nikki Fried @NikkiFriedFL -With natural gas prices set to double in the next decade, Florida must increase investments in sustainable and renewable energy sources to power our communities. Our @FDACS Office of Energy is working to improve statewide energy efficiency and expand renewable energy production.
Rep. Anthony Sabatini @AnthonySabatini -Barack Obama is one of the worst Presidents in American History
AG Ashley Moody @AGAshleyMoody -I am urging the Senate to pass @SenRickScott and @MarcoRubio s “Cut Profits to the Cuban Regime Act” to put an end to the Castro dictatorship's #HumanTrafficking scheme. I am proud to stand up for survivors who now call Florida home.
Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell @RepDMP-Today we celebrate the 55-year anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. For thousands of seniors, individuals with disabilities & families in South Florida, it’s made all the difference in the world. I will continue fighting to protect Medicare and Medicaid from any attacks.
US Rep. Al Lawson Jr @RepAlLawsonJr -More than 4.3 million people. That’s how many confirmed cases there have been in America. Children are going hungry & families are struggling to make rent. In what world do business lunches rank as more important than helping our most vulnerable?
Rep. Ted Deutch @RepTedDeutch -#Medicare & #Medicaid have been crucial lifelines for older Americans, women, children & the disabled for 55 years and are especially critical during COVID-19. We must continue our fight to #ProtectOurCare and preserve these programs for future generations.
Gus Bilirakis @RepGusBilirakis -I recently spoke with our local Supervisors of Elections @votepasco & @VotePinellas I am confident that Florida will be ready to #vote come November 3rd.
“Trump Gives Microsoft 45 Days To Finalize TikTok Deal” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – President Trump on Monday said he approves Microsoft buying the Chinese social media platform TikTok, giving them or a “very American company” 45 days to negotiate the acquisition, and if a deal doesn’t go through, TikTok must end its U.S. operation on September 15. “I don’t mind if, whether it’s Microsoft or somebody else, a big company, a secure company, very American company buy it,” Trump told reporters during a meeting at the White House with U.S. tech workers Monday afternoon. “I set a date at around September 15th, at which point it’s going to be out of business in the United States. But if somebody, and whether it’s Microsoft or somebody else buys it, that’ll be interesting.” Trump emphasized that whether Microsoft or another company closes a deal on TikTok, “a very substantial portion of that price is going to have to come into the Treasury of the United States because we’re making it possible for this deal to happen.”
“Trump Criticizes Dr. Birx Over Response to Pelosi’s Criticism” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – President Trump for the first time publicly criticized White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx for taking “the bait and hit us” in regards to her response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) criticism, calling it “pathetic.” “So Crazy Nancy Pelosi said horrible things about Dr. Deborah Birx, going after her because she was too positive on the very good job we are doing on combatting the China Virus, including Vaccines & Therapeutics,” Trump tweeted. “In order to counter Nancy, Deborah took the bait & hit us. Pathetic!” Dr. Birx on Sunday was asked about Pelosi criticism, in which the House Speaker was reported to trashed the task force doctor as “the worst” and adding that they were in “horrible hands” with her, during a closed-door meeting with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. “I have tremendous respect for the speaker. And I have tremendous respect for her long dedication to the American people,” Birx told CNN’s Dana Bash on ‘State of the Union,’ before criticizing a New York Times article that accused her tailoring her data analysis to suit the Trump Administration.
“Trump Campaign Relaunches Three New TV Ads Slamming Biden In Early-Voting States” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – The Trump campaign has resumed its television adverting, releasing three new 30-second spots set to run in 4 key states Monday morning that cast presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden as a tool of the radical left, after going dark on television airwaves for several days last week as it reevaluated its advertising strategy. The new strategy for the Trump campaign is to target voters in early voting states of North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Arizona as absentee voting starts in September or October. Two of the new ads will run on local broadcast and cable outlets as well as on Spanish language channels, defining Biden as an “empty vessel” being used by those from the extreme left to advance the radical “policies of the far left.” The third ad will run only in Spanish and in Florida. “The countdown clock may show 91 days left in the race, but in reality, the election starts a lot sooner than that,” Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement announcing the two new ads. “In many states, more than half of voters will cast their votes well before Election Day and we have adjusted our strategy to reflect that. Joe Biden is continuing to spend millions of dollars a week in states that won’t come online for two months and we encourage him to keep at it.”
“Democrat Nadler criticizes Trump over crackdown on China’s TikTok” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Over the weekend, President Trump (R) drew criticism over his focus on wanting to ban the social media platform TikTok, calling the platform a spying apparatus for China. This comes during a time when Republican lawmakers have largely condemned China over the technological threat it poses to the United States, and as Democratic lawmakers continue to criticize the president over COVID-19 and the economy. In response, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D), who played a large role in the impeachment process, took to Twitter to criticize the President’s focus, questioning that “with more than 150,000 dead due to COVID19, our economy is a free fall, and federal unemployment benefits lapsing for millions of Americans, does President Trump really have nothing better to do than take down a social platform he does not like?” Rep. Nadler’s statement is questionable and solely political as many Democratic and Republican lawmakers have already confirmed China’s efforts to compromise U.S. national security, so Trump’s move to ban Tik Tok is widely seen as a move to protect national security.
“Rick Scott calls HEROES ACT A “Grab-Bag For Liberal Special Interests”” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Since the moment it was introduced, the HEROES Act has received much criticism from Republican lawmakers, and that criticism continued during a Fox News interview where Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) discussed why he opposed the legislation. Sharing a portion of the interview on Twitter, the former Florida Governor commented that “Democrats need to stop playing politics & focus on a responsible spending package that will help Americans & businesses in need during… this pandemic.” Moreover, Scott argued that Democrats have only offered “a grab-bag for liberal special interests and a bailout for mismanaged states.” However, in response to his comments, Florida Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D) took to Twitter to share why she believes Senator Scott is wrong in his understanding of the HEROES Act. In her response, Mucarsel-Powell expressed that what Scott calls “a grab-bag, YOUR constituents call life-saving support during the worst economic and health crisis in our generation.” And, “instead of insulting hardworking Americans,” the Florida Rep. argued that Scott should focus his attention on passing the legislation.
“States crowd into Florida voting rights case as election nears” by Politico’s Gary Fineout – A contentious fight over voting rights in Florida descended into a nationwide brawl Monday, when a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general lined up on the side of people with felony convictions and against the battleground state's Republican governor. Nineteen states and Washington D.C., led by attorneys general in Illinois and Washington, filed a legal brief asking the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to uphold a May ruling that struck down provisions of a Florida law that restricted the voting rights of former felons. That law required people who have served time for a felony to pay off any court debts before they can register to vote. New York, New Jersey, California, and Pennsylvania were among the states that joined attorneys general Kwame Raoul of Illinois and Karl Racine of the District of Columbia in the filing. “Voting is a right. It is not a privilege only for those who can afford to pay a poll tax,” Raoul said in a written statement. “Pay-to-vote laws are discriminatory and serve mainly to suppress Black and other minority voters. Individuals who have completed their sentences deserve a second chance, which includes having the right to participate in our nation’s democracy.”
“Florida Man Charged for Fraudulent Unemployment Benefits Claims Intended for Those Affected by COVID-19” by United States Department of Justice – Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed by Congress and signed into law on March 27, 2020, provided protections to the American people from the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19. 44. Among other things, the CARES Act expanded unemployment benefits to people affected by COVID-19 by expanding eligibility for unemployment benefits, and increasing the dollar amount of unemployment benefit payments. According to allegations in the criminal complaint, Joel Bellegarde used the stolen identities of numerous Oklahoma residents to submit fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits with the State of Oklahoma. The complaint alleges that that from April 23 through June 23, 2020, Bellegarde accessed the Oklahoma unemployment website over 100 times to submit fraudulent claims. Oklahoma distributed these unemployment benefit funds in the form of direct deposits onto prepaid debit cards, which were subsequently mailed to Bellegarde in Florida.
“Polls open early for Florida primary election” by WCTV’s Emma Wheeler – Polls are open for the Florida primary as voting kicks off five days early because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early voting will be open at 10 locations across Tallahassee through August 16. But voters can expect a few changes as they cast their ballots. Extra safety measures will be in place, like practicing social distancing. While they will not be required, all voters are encouraged to wear masks. “It’s really just a way of saying thank you to our poll workers who have the courage to come out and work for democracy, and work to make sure your vote is tabulated,” Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said. “It’s a simple courtesy just to say thank you by wearing a mask.” There’s also an extra push for mail-in ballots this year. Each of the 10 early voting locations have a drop box placed outside. It allows people to drop off mail-in ballots directly at the polling places, rather than waiting on the mail. Earley says as of Monday, the office had already received more than 17,000 mail-in ballots, more than the county received throughout the entire last election. Mail-in ballots need to be in the election’s office by 7 p.m. on election night, August 18, in order to be counted. These boxes are meant to minimize concerns about the mail getting ballots delivered in time.
“Florida’s top Democrat unveils ads aimed at mask wearing” by Associated Press – Florida’s agriculture commissioner unveiled a public awareness campaign Monday urging Floridians to keep their distance and wear masks to lower the risk of coronavirus infections. It’s the latest pressure tactic aimed at Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ resistance to ordering a mandatory mask requirement. “Not enough people are doing the small things to slow down COVID-19,” said Nikki Fried, Florida’s only Democratic statewide officeholder, at a news conference in Tallahassee. “To reopen our state and our economy safely, we must all be in this together.” The series of videos feature famous Floridians, including the Miami Heat’s Alonzo Mourning, U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez — a Republican. In a 16-second clip, Suarez is seen with his nose and mouth covered. He says he’s doing his “part by wearing a mask and keeping my distance,” and ends the spot with “be smart, Florida.” Fried’s announcement came after DeSantis launched a series of videos meant to shore up his standing amid criticism over his handling of the pandemic. Critics have said DeSantis should have shut down the state sooner last spring as the virus was spreading and should order a mandatory statewide mask requirement.
“Florida shows 737% increase in COVID-19 cases since DeSantis reopened state” by Villages-News’ Larry D. Croom – In the two months since Gov. Ron DeSantis greenlighted Phase Two of his plan to reopen Florida, the Sunshine State has seen a whopping 737 percent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. As of Monday morning, 491,884 cases had been identified across the state. On June 3 when the governor made the announcement that bars and pubs could reopen at 50 percent capacity inside and full capacity outside, the state was reporting 58,764 COVID-19 cases – a difference of 433,120. Under Phase Two, bowling alleys, movie theaters, arcades and auditoriums also were allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity. But a portion of that plan was short-lived, as DeSantis reversed his decision on bars and ordered them closed again on June 26 when the state was reporting 122,960 cases. And in The Villages, movie theaters shut their doors on July 5 after being open for just 19 days. The number of deaths and people hospitalized also are quite different today than when DeSantis decided to reopen the state. On June 3, the state was reporting 2,566 deaths and 10,525 people hospitalized. On Monday, those numbers had jumped to 7,279 deaths and 27,366 people being treated in area hospitals.
“$5M in stimulus funding to help some Northeast Florida residents” by News4Jax Staff – The Northeast Florida Community Action Agency will begin accepting applications Tuesday for programs designed to help households in Northeast Florida. The agency was awarded an estimated $5 million in CARES Act funding. The funding is designed to assist residents and households with rent and utility payments. People who can apply are those who live in Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties. Those interested in applying must schedule an appointment online. Click here for more information on how to apply.
“Florida Department of Education approves school reopening plans for Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties” by WPTV’s Monica Magalhaes – The Florida Department of Education has approved the reopening plans for schools in Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties. In Martin County, the 2020-2021 academic year will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Students will begin the school year participating in either traditional in-person classroom learning or distance learning from home, depending on the option selected by their parents or guardians, the district said. In St. Lucie County, the school year is scheduled to start Monday, Aug. 24., and the school district is offering students three learning options:
· Traditional in-classroom instruction
· MySchool Online, a distance learning model in which students will follow a real-time bell schedule with live teachers
· Mosaic Digital Academy
The school district has taken extra precautions to keep students and staff members safe, including requiring everyone to wear a face-covering in schools, urging people to practice social distancing whenever possible, offering frequent hand washing breaks, and limiting visitors into schools.
“Minneapolis’ Frey accuses Walz of dragging feet during early unrest” by Fox News’ Edmund DeMarche – Mayor Jacob Frey, the Minneapolis Democrat who faced sharp criticism over his handling of the George Floyd riots in June, on Monday seemed to place much of the blame on Gov. Tim Walz, another Democrat, for failing to act quickly on early requests from the city for state intervention, a report said. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune published a detailed report that shed light on the interaction between the mayor's office and Walz in the early days of the protest. The governor's office made it clear that National Guard Troops were ready within 24 hours of the mayor's informal request, but Frey seems to be unconvinced that the governor's office took the unfolding crisis as serious as the moment demanded. The report also shows clear fissures in Frey’s relationship with Walz. Frey told the paper that he remembered a press conference that the governor held outside the smoldering Third Precinct when he called the city’s response to the unrest the night before an “abject failure.” Frey said watching the press conference was “definitely a hit in the gut.” “Not just for me, but for so many in our city that were doing everything they could…Everyone was pouring themselves into stemming the violence,” he said.
“Judge temporarily blocks Virginia attempt to remove Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond” by CNN’s Chandelis Duster – A Virginia judge temporarily blocked an attempt to remove a monument honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond on Monday. Judge William R. Marchant of the Richmond Circuit Court prevented an effort to pull down the statue for 90 days while a lawsuit over whether doing so would violate a 19th century agreement is litigated.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs say removing the monument would violate a 1890 deed, in which Virginia, having been transferred the land on which the statue sits, agreed to "faithfully guard and affectionately protect it." They also argue that removing the monument could result in the area losing its national historic landmark designation, a "loss of a priceless work of art," and would lead to "loss of favorable tax treatment and reduction in property values." The plaintiffs include several owners of property in or near Monument Avenue in Richmond. Marchant also dismissed a different lawsuit brought by a Virginia resident in June that attempted to block the monument's removal. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, has filed a motion requesting the suit is dismissed. Monday's decision is the latest in an ongoing fight over the monument's removal since Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced in June that the monument would come down "immediately" and be moved into storage as they "work with the community to determine its future." It also comes amid ongoing protests against racism and police brutality in the aftermath of George Floyd's death.
“Trump Says U.S. Should Get Slice of TikTok Sale Price” by WSJ’s Bob Davis, Alex Leary and Kate Davidson – President Trump said he was ready to approve a purchase of the U.S. operations of the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok, but only if the government receives “a lot of money” in exchange—an assertion of presidential power that appeared to lack precedent. Microsoft Corp. MSFT 5.62% said it hopes to acquire TikTok’s business in the U.S. and three other countries. Mr. Trump said he told the company’s chief executive, Satya Nadella, that “a very substantial portion of that price is going to have to come into the Treasury of the United States because we’re making it possible for this deal to happen.” The White House had been pushing for a sale to U.S. owners, citing national-security risks that the Chinese government could exploit the personal data the app collects. The software giant Microsoft MSFT 5.62% sees the deal as an opportunity to absorb a new universe of users, although leveraging a youth-focused platform into a company heavily focused on serving corporate users could be difficult. TikTok would bring another 100 million or so U.S. users, most of them young, and a business focused on digital advertising. Microsoft does have an existing pool of younger users through its Xbox videogame business. And, though it gets scant attention, Microsoft has a substantial advertising business, thanks to its Bing search engine.
“Cruz, ahead of Antifa hearing, describes riots in US cities as ‘organized terror attacks’” by Fox News’ Adam Shaw – Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is aiming to highlight the role Antifa and like-minded groups are playing in riots across the country, convening a Senate hearing Tuesday on the issue while alleging that radical left-wing groups are engaging in "organized terror attacks" designed to tear down government institutions. “Across the country, we’re seeing horrific violence, we’re seeing our country torn apart. Violent anarchists and Marxists are exploiting protests to transform them into riots and direct assaults on the lives and safety of their fellow Americans,” Cruz told Fox News in an interview. On Tuesday, Cruz will chair a hearing of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution to investigate groups such as Antifa, which, while active for years, have recently escalated their presence in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody. The hearing is called "The Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble: Protecting Speech by Stopping Anarchist Violence.” Speakers will include Acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, journalist Andy Ngo and law professor Jonathan Turley. It comes after two months of protests and violent riots hit downtown Portland, where rioters have attacked the Hatfield Courthouse and clashed with federal law enforcement protecting it.
“US firearms purchases skyrocket during pandemic, according to FBI records” by CNN’s Josh Campbell – As the nation has grappled with a global pandemic and images of some rioters causing damage after hijacking peaceful protests demanding racial justice, more and more Americans appear to be arming themselves. In July 2020, the FBI conducted more than 3.6 million firearm background checks, making it the third highest month on record for checks since the bureau began keeping statistics in 1998, according to new data released on Monday by the agency. By comparison, the bureau conducted just over 2 million checks in July 2019.
Background checks associated with the sale, transfer or permitting of firearms set an all-time record in June when the FBI conducted more than 3.9 million checks, followed by March 2020 when the agency saw 3.7 million checks. One other enduring pattern in 2020 has been the order of states topping the list, with Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, Florida and California continually seeing the most background checks for the sale, transfer, or licensing of guns. Under US law, federally licensed gun dealers must run checks on every buyer, whether a purchase is made in a store or at a gun show. A buyer presents his or her identification to the seller, fills out a form from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives -- which lists the buyer's age, address, race, and any criminal history -- and then the seller submits the information to the FBI for checks against databases in order to ensure a criminal record does not preclude the purchase.
“With Potential TikTok Deal, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Looks to Expand Audience” by WSJ’s Aaron Tilley – If there is one trait that would link a TikTok acquisition with the other big deals Microsoft Corp. MSFT 5.62% Chief Executive Satya Nadella has done, it is his willingness to pay big bucks to expand the software giant’s universe of users. Getting new users is one thing, linking them into a cohesive business strategy is another. As Microsoft negotiates with TikTok’s Chinese parent over a possible deal to buy the app’s operations in the U.S. and a few other countries, Mr. Nadella and his lieutenants also must plan how to leverage the youth-focused video-sharing platform into a company heavily focused on serving corporate users. Analysts point to several ways they could do that. Since taking over six years ago, Mr. Nadella has paid $2.5 billion to buy the maker of the “Minecraft” videogame, about $26 billion for the professional networking site LinkedIn, and $7.5 billion for the coding-collaboration site GitHub Inc. Those deals collectively included hundreds of millions of users. TikTok would bring another 100 million or so U.S. users, most of them young, and a business focused on digital advertising. Microsoft does have an existing pool of younger users through its Xbox videogame business. And, though it gets scant attention, Microsoft has a substantial ads business, thanks to its Bing search engine: the company said $7.7 billion of its $143 billion in total revenue for the fiscal year through June came from search advertising.
“MSNBC producer resigns from network with scathing letter: They block 'diversity of thought' and 'amplify fringe voices'” by Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn – A former MSNBC producer wrote a scathing open letter explaining why she recently left the cable news network. "July 24th was my last day at MSNBC. I don’t know what I’m going to do next exactly but I simply couldn’t stay there anymore," Ariana Pekary wrote on her personal website. "My colleagues are very smart people with good intentions. The problem is the job itself. It forces skilled journalists to make bad decisions on a daily basis." Pekary provided a number of examples of why she wanted to leave the cable news network. "It’s possible that I’m more sensitive to the editorial process due to my background in public radio, where no decision I ever witnessed was predicated on how a topic or guest would 'rate.' The longer I was at MSNBC, the more I saw such choices — it’s practically baked in to the editorial process – and those decisions affect news content every day," Pekary said. "Likewise, it’s taboo to discuss how the ratings scheme distorts content, or it’s simply taken for granted, because everyone in the commercial broadcast news industry is doing the exact same thing. But behind closed doors, industry leaders will admit the damage that’s being done." She then quoted someone she described a "successful and insightful TV veteran" who said: "We are a cancer and there is no cure... But if you could find a cure, it would change the world.”
“Trump uses campaign email to ask supporters to wear face masks” by CNN’s Carolina Kelly – President Donald Trump on Monday sent a campaign email, typically used for soliciting donations, to make a different request of his supporters: consider wearing a mask. "We are all in this together, and while I know there has been some confusion surrounding the usage of face masks, I think it's something we should all try to do when we are not able to be socially distanced from others," the email, sent by the Trump campaign and signed by the President, read. The rare move comes after Trump avoided wearing a mask in public for months until he tweeted a photo of himself wearing one in a stark messaging pivot in July -- though footage later surfaced of Trump not wearing a mask later that day. The shift to encouraging mask-wearing was primarily motivated by floundering poll numbers, a source familiar with the President's thinking told CNN last month, and came nearly three months after he publicly announced new mask recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- and two months since he mocked his election rival Joe Biden for wearing one.
In Monday's email, Trump highlighted mask wearing as a potential means of accelerating a return to normal life, lamenting the effects of the coronavirus using a stigmatizing and inaccurate term for the virus.
“Democrats, White House Upbeat After New Talks on Coronavirus Aid Bill” by WSJ’s Siobhan Hughes and Andrew Restuccia – Democratic leaders and White House officials sounded cautiously upbeat notes after another round of talks Monday on a new coronavirus aid package, under rising pressure to strike a deal as millions of Americans go without a $600-a-week federal jobless supplement, while President Trump floated potential executive actions. The two sides remain at odds on whether to cut the jobless supplement or provide aid to financially strapped states and localities, how much money to allocate for controlling the virus and for food stamps, and myriad other issues. But they have signaled progress in recent meetings. On Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), along with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, emerged from an hours long sit-down to say their conversation had been the most productive to date. After two hours of more talks Monday, Messrs. Mnuchin and Meadows left Mrs. Pelosi’s office to brief Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) and said discussions would resume Tuesday. “We are really getting an understanding of each side’s position and we’re making some progress on certain issues, moving closer together,” said Mr. Schumer, while saying the sides remained far apart on other issues. “I think there is a desire to get something done as soon as we can.”
President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump-People are not happy that players are not standing for our National Anthem!
