JUICE - Florida Politics' Juicy Read -10.12.20 - Biden And Trump Focus on Florida - Rubio Scores Big - Allen West Rips False Allegations Against Trump

Socialism and the Democrats

The theme that Republicans are running with this election cycle is that Democrats are Socialists, love Socialists, and want to convert the U.S. into a Socialist state.

The ugly truth is that Republicans are partially right.

Democrats aren’t saying that he wants American to be a socialist state, but they are pushing a legislative agenda that does just that.

Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and now the “production and distribution” of food, are all reflections of economic Socialism. That’s just a fact.

The Trump campaign launched a four-city “Fighting Socialism” bus tour with Donald Trump, Jr, just as the president continues to accuse former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, of pushing a radical Socialist agenda. READ MORE

Congressional Democrats like Pam Keith are even going further than Medicare for All. Keith has put out a wish list of Biden Administration cabinet members and positions, two of which are literally pulled from the very definition of Socialism? MUST-READ

TOUCHDOWN!

Oh, how can we forget about Football? Sen. Marco Rubio's Miami Dolphins crushed the San Francisco 49ers, but even though the senior Senator from Florida could be heard jubilantly celebrating the victory, it was what happened on Friday night that really got him revved up. READ MORE

Rick Scott @SenRickScott-Democrats are just hypocrites. Republicans are fulfilling our constitutional duty to confirm a nominee that was rightfully nominated by @realDonaldTrump. Let’s end these political games and do our jobs.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz @RepDWStweets-As the proud representative of one of Florida’s most incredible LGBTQ+ communities, I want to wish everyone a happy #NationalComingOutDay! Coming out isn’t always easy, but it’s beautiful to see so many people free to live exactly as they are. You are loved.

Rep. Ted Deutch @RepTedDeutch -Gov DeSantis abandoned “Safe. Smart. Step-by-step.” & showed poor judgment attending indoor rally. What is his plan if we see new outbreaks?

Mario Diaz-Balart @MarioDB-It’s unconscionable that instead of focusing on providing further relief to families and small businesses, Speaker Pelosi is focused on a sham #25thAmendment Commission.

Rep. Matt Gaetz @RepMattGaetz-The Commission on Presidential Debates looks like more like a boring Washington, D.C. dinner party than it does real America. I would almost rather let the cast of "Love Island" set the rules for the next debate

Jimmy Patronis @JimmyPatronis-.@JoeBiden says voters 'don't deserve' to know his position on packing the Supreme Court with additional justices before the election. #Why

“Trump Resumes Campaign Rally Monday In Florida Since Coronavirus Diagnosis” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – President Trump plans to return back to the campaign trail on Monday after a week hiatus since testing positive for the Coronavirus, kicking off his first in-person rally in his home state of Florida. Trump’s campaign says the event will take place Monday evening in Orlando Sanford International Airport. “All attendees will be given a temperature check, masks which they are encouraged to wear, and access to hand sanitizer,” according to a press released detailing the event. He confirmed the event in a tweet, saying he’ll be in Sanford, Florida, for a “very BIG RALLY” on Monday. The White House Physician, Dr. Sean P. Conley, said in a memo Thursday that he “fully anticipates” that Trump would be able to safely “return to public engagements” as soon as Saturday. According to the memo of the president physical exam, Trump had a heart rate of 69 beats per minute, blood pressure of 127/81, a respiratory rate of 15-17 breaths per minute, and a pulse oximetry rate of 96-98%. “Since returning home, his physical exam has remained stable and devoid of any indications to suggest progression of illness,” the memo reads. “Saturday will be day 10 since Thursday’s diagnosis, and based on the trajectory of advanced diagnostics the team has been conducting. I fully the President’s safe return to public engagement at that time.”

“Allen West responds to “deranged and delusional” Escobar over Trump kidnapping claim” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Former Florida Congressman and Texas GOP Chairman Allen West has responded to Progressive Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar’s recent claim that President Donald Trump ordered the kidnapping of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), calling the freshman congresswoman “deranged and delusional” for making such a baseless statement. “The President tweeted “Liberate Michigan” and a right-wing militant group followed orders,” tweeted Escobar. Donald Trump’s dangerous and hateful rhetoric inspires domestic terror and it is the biggest threat to America. Tragically, El Paso knows that too well.” West told Texas Politics that “It’s clearly apparent that Rep. Escobar is a victim of the fake news of the progressive socialist media,” adding, “the individuals arrested and charged in Michigan were left-wing anarchists who have made disparaging comments towards President Trump.” West continued: “Foolish and dangerous rhetoric such as this from Ms. Escobar evidences her deranged and delusional state of mind. That’s why she and her fellow inept and incompetent leftist progressive candidates will be defeated in Texas. Texans will not be collectively subjugated to the rule of the progressive socialist mob, which is embraced by the Democrat Party.”

“President Trump to Iran : “If you f*ck around with us” you will feel America’s wrath” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Appearing on the Rush Limbaugh radio show on Friday, President Donald Trump used choice language to threaten the Islamic state of Iran with unimaginable retribution. “If you fuck around with us, if you do something bad to us, we are gonna do things to you that have never been done before.” — President Donald Trump The president’s threat comes as Iran continues to plot terrorist attacks against American and Israeli interests around the world, more so after Trump ordered the targeted killing of Iranian terrorist and Republican Guard Corps Quds Force General, Qassim Soleimani.

“Pelosi Unveils Bill To Create 25th Amendment Commission After Questioning Trump Fitness To Serve” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) introduced a bill on Friday invoking the 25th Amendment to establish a commission that will assess the president’s capacity to hold office that will allow Congress to intervene, insisting it’s not about President Trump’s despite questioning his fitness to serve. “This is not about President Trump. He will face the judgment of voters. But he shows the need to create a process for future presidents,” Pelosi said Friday morning unveiling the legislation. “This bill honors the duty by strictest creating a standing commission of top former executive officials and medical experts selected in a bipartisan, bicameral way. A president’s fitness for all of us must be determined by science and facts.” Dubbed the “Commission on Presidential Capacity to Discharge the Powers and Duties of Office,” the permanent body would consist of 17 members — 8 of those will consist of medical professionals of doctors, and psychiatrists with another 8 being former elected officials who will have the authority to request a medical exam to make the determination about whether a president was fit for office. “Let Congress exert the power the Constitution gave us,” Pelosi said standing next to a poster of the amendment. “This legislation applies to future presidents, but we are reminded of the necessity of action by the health of the current president. It’s not about any of us making a judgment about the president’s well-being.”

“Marines Support Crist in new ad” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Rep. Charlie Crist (D) is facing a tough reelection campaign against conservative firebrand Anna Paulina Luna, who has risen in the polls and gained veteran support because of her own service in the military. Now, a new advertisement is highlighting the veteran support for Rep. Crist, and it comes in the form of an advertisement titled “Two Marines.” In the advertisement, two marines, one older and one younger, assert their support for the former Governor of Florida. Antonio Planzo, the younger of the Marines filmed for the advertisement, argues that “no one fights harder for vets than Charlie Crist.” In turn, the Marines explain the reasons why they support Crist’s reelection bid, expressing that Crist “took on abuse at the VA,” that. Crist is “helping soldiers struggling with PTSD,” and that “Charlie got almost $2 million in benefits for our veterans.” In an email released to supporters, Crist assured that he’ll “always work to ensure we take care of our veterans.” In recent weeks, Rep. Crist has faced heavy criticism over being a highly-partisan member of Congress, and this has affected him in the polls. With an important swing state like Florida that’s up for grabs, the race between Crist and Luna is one of the most watched races in the sunshine state.

“Veronica Escobar says Trump ordered kidnapping of Michigan governor” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – After 13 members of the “Wolverine Watchmen” militia were arrested by Michigan state police for plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), Texas Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D) tweeted that the alleged kidnapping plot was being planned by order of President Donald Trump. Let me repeat that. Rep. Escobar has asserted that the militia group was going to kidnap Gov. Whitmer at the direction of President Trump. “The President tweeted “Liberate Michigan” and a right-wing militant group followed orders,” tweeted Escobar. Donald Trump’s dangerous and hateful rhetoric inspires domestic terror and it is the biggest threat to America. Tragically, El Paso knows that too well.” Escobar is referencing the mass shooting that occurred on August 3, 2019, when a white nationalist targeted and killed 23 innocent Hispanics at an El Paso area Wal-Mart. Democrats blamed President Trump for the mass shooting, pushing their longstanding narrative that he is a racist, anti-Hispanic, and a white supremacist. But while it is election season, and it’s easy to blame Trump for the heinous acts of others, the Associated Press has reported that there was “no indication in the criminal complaint that the men were inspired by Trump.” Escobar has been very vocal in calling Trump a racist and even voted to condemn the president for “his racist and hateful comments” he allegedly made against House Democrats.

“Waltz Pursues Investigation of FDP Accepting COVID Aid” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Rep. Michael Waltz (R) has rallied support in Congress by leading a letter with members of the Florida congressional delegation that calls for a federal investigation into the Florida Democratic Party’s Paycheck Protection Program application. As well, Rep. Waltz has called for all the documents, including the application, to be made available to the public. The program was created in March by Congress, and its goal was to assist small businesses in keeping staff employed through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, the FDP applied for a loan of $780,000 through the FDP Building fund. The fund has no employees, and the fund is accused of funneling the money to the FDP itself. However, political parties are explicitly excluded from being eligible in the loan program. The letter argues that “the fact that FDP – which was ineligible for PPP funds – applied for the loan via the Florida Democratic Building Fund, Inc. and the money was subsequently transferred back to support FDP’s payroll raises questions as to whether someone at FDP knowingly made a false statement on the PPP application in question.” The FDP confirmed the application for a loan that was needed to keep employees on its payroll. This is despite Terrie Rizzo, the Chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, criticizing the program by calling it a “disaster” However when pressed on the status of the money, there has been no confirmation as to whether or not it’s been returned. Moreover, there has been no confirmation as to who filed the application for the loan.

“Support to raise minimum wage in Florida not a sure thing, according to poll” by News 4 Jax – In just over 3 weeks, Floridians will decide if the minimum wage should be raised in the sunshine state. A new poll from the University of North Florida shows a thin margin of support for the measure. It needs the required 60% of voter support to secure passage. Amendment Two, if passed by Florida voters, would slowly raise the minimum wage from the current $8.56 to $10 on Oct. 30 of next year. It would then bump that minimum up by $1 each year, until it hits $15-per-hour in 2026. After that, Amendment Two would see the minimum wage go back to being adjusted for inflation each year. When you see the question on the ballot, the cost to the state will be in plain site. State employees on the current minimum wage will of course get the boost too. It’ll cost the state approximately $16 million dollars in 2022, and grow to $540 million in 2027 and on. The full impact is unknown, with the ballot’s own words saying, “government actions are to mitigate these costs are unlikely to produce material savings. Other government costs and revenue impacts, both positive and negative, are not quantifiable.” But they are quantifiable to local business owners like Andrew Oetjen, who co-owns the San Marco movie theater, part of an industry hit hard by the pandemic. Oetjen said he sees why the measure it attractive to some, but that it would pose a real challenge to many business already hurting. Support for the minimum wage hike appears to be sitting right at the 60% mark, which is the threshold needed to adjust the Florida constitution. 37% said they’d be voting against it.

“Joe Biden heading to Florida for campaign stop” by WTSP’s Jillian Olsen – Campaigning in the Sunshine State is really starting to heat up as Joe Biden will now pay Florida a visit for two events. The Democratic presidential nominee's press campaign says Biden will be in the state Tuesday, Oct. 13 with stops in Pembroke Pines and Miramar. During his time in South Florida, Biden is expected to discuss his vision for "older Americans" and encouraging Floridians to make a plan to vote. Times for when each event will take place have not yet been announced. Biden's visit to the battleground state comes as Real Clear Politics shows he currently has a +3.7 lead in Florida, seeing 48-percent in support over Trump's 44.3-percent. Ther data is the average aggregated by polling data Real Clear Politics has been tracking since May. And as the election draws nearer: time is precious. Something both candidates have noted as President Trump will hold a campaign event the day ahead of Biden. “Each day that passes more voters bank their votes, and there's no change in those votes, and there's no persuadable voters left," political analyst Dr. Lars Hafner said. "So that's why you're seeing them all come to Florida because Florida is voting as we speak.” As of October 11, just over 1.6 million mail-in ballots have already been submitted in the state.

“Jamaicans in Florida energized by Harris on 2020 ticket” by Associated Press’ Adriana Gomez Licon – President Donald Trump and Joe Biden are entering the final stretch of the campaign in a fierce battle for Latino voters who could sway the results in Florida and determine who wins the White House. But in this ultimate battleground state where nearly 10 million voters participate in elections often decided by a mere percentage point, other communities could suddenly become critical. That's where the booming Black Caribbean community centered in Broward County comes in. Voters in this Democratic stronghold are eager to defeat Trump, but say they are even more energized to turn out in support of California Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate whose father is Jamaican. "The fact she has a lineage means you are going to see a lot of Jamaicans voting even if they were not doing so before," said Antoinette Henry, director of corporate relations at the Dutch Pot Jamaican Restaurant, a company with several locations in South Florida. "Part of Jamaica will be in the White House." Broward County, home to Fort Lauderdale, is the county with the most Jamaicans in the United States. Florida has more than 974,000 people of West Indian ancestry — a Caribbean category that excludes Hispanic nationalities such as Cuban. That total includes more than 300,000 Jamaicans and more than 530,000 Haitians, according to census figures. A conservative estimate for the number of Jamaican voters in Florida stands at 91,000, because many may not report Jamaica as their country of origin. Haitian voters are estimated at about 115,000.

“President Trump set to make first visit to Florida since testing positive for COVID-19” by WTSP’s Jullian Olsen – Almost two weeks after his initial diagnosis of coronavirus, President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak Monday evening at an event in Sanford, Florida. This will be the president's first stop back in the Sunshine State since testing positive for the virus. He initially wanted to visit Florida this weekend but instead held an event at the White House speaking from the Blue Room Balcony. But, Trump's lack of ability to campaign himself in the battleground state did not stifle the efforts of others in his party. His eldest son Donald Trump Jr. made several stops across the state during the last few days, while Vice President Mike Pence held two campaign rallies Saturday. The second lady Karen Pence will also be in Florida on Mondy to make her case for a second term for President Trump. As for the president's plans? His reelection campaign said President Trump will deliver remarks at a "Make America Great Again" event at 7 p.m. at Orlando Sanford International Airport. While a White House doctor has both cleared the president for resuming public engagements and shared that he is 'no longer considered a transmission risk to others,' there has been no confirmation that he has tested negative for the virus. This sparks an area of concern for a local health expert ahead of a Florida rally. "Some percentage of people in that crowd are going to be exposed to some people who are positive and some of those people are either going to get sick or be in a position to transmit COVID to others," Dr. Jay Wolfson with USF Public Health said.

“Trump holds slight edge over Biden among Florida seniors, poll finds” by Fox News’ Nick Givas – The University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab released a poll of likely voters last week, which showed President Trump leading among seniors against Democratic nominee Joe Biden, but by a substantially smaller margin than he had in 2016 against then-rival Hillary Clinton. The poll was released on Oct. 6 and drew from 3,142 residents, 39 percent of which were Republican, 38 percent were Democrat and 22 percent had no party affiliation. The respondents were also 53 percent female and 47 percent male, according to the research lab's press release. One of the questions read, "If the presidential election were held today and the candidates were Donald Trump for the Republican Party and Joe Biden for the Democratic Party, who would you vote for?" Trump garnered 50 percent from voters 65 and older, with 47 percent going for Biden. Another question voters were asked was to compare their vote now, to how they voted in 2016 and the results showed Trump previously had a 14 point lead with voter 65 and older back when he faced Clinton. The same poll found 86 percent of Democrats believe the results from the November election will be fair, compared to just 58 percent of Republicans. The survey also found only 27 percent of respondents thought the first presidential debate held on Sept. 29, "was very or somewhat influential in their vote decision in the coming election."

“Equality Florida says Jason Brodeur is 'trying to rewrite history' on the anti-gay bill he sponsored” by Orlando Weekly’s Lillian Hernandez Caraballo – “Jason Brodeur made clear he’d rather deny children forever homes than see them placed with loving gay and lesbian couples,” Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization, said in a statement. “Now, with less than a month until Election Day, Brodeur is trying to rewrite history.” Equality Florida said it has made it its mission to disprove Brodeur’s claims. They responded with an announcement to spend an unprecedented $125,000 to launch their own counter-campaign against the former state representative. “Sorry @jasonbrodeur,” a tweet by Equality Florida said. “You led the fight against LGBTQ parents. You sponsored the bill that would have allowed discrimination. You don’t get to reinvent that record now.” Equality Florida is referencing Brodeur’s chief sponsorship of House Bill 7111 in 2015, aimed at protecting private child-adoption agencies by prohibiting any action against them if they refused placement of a child in a home that would violate their religious convictions. Meaning that, if a private adoption agency is against same-sex couples adopting children, under this bill, they would have been allowed to discriminate against them freely without legal or civil repercussions. The bill didn’t pass, but Brodeur did at the time fight for it, under the claim that “homosexuals” are not a protected class under the Constitution, but religious groups are. All the same, Brodeur, who was himself adopted, insists that the bill would have expanded adoption rights across the board.

“Florida Police Chiefs Association makes first-ever presidential endorsement, backs Donald Trump” by Fox News’ Peter Aitken – The Florida Police Chiefs Association endorsed Donald Trump for re-election in the organization's first-ever presidential endorsement. The association made its endorsement in a press conference, thanking Trump for his “support of law enforcement, public safety and law and order.” “President Trump’s support of law enforcement is unmatched, and he continues to support law enforcement by ensuring we have the tools, training and information we need to protect our communities,” a spokesman said during the announcement. The president called the association to thank it for the endorsement, saying they are “the bravest and best.” “It means so much to me, I really appreciate it,” Trump said on the call. The president tweeted out a video of the call, saying, "I was honored to receive the first ever Presidential Endorsement from the Florida Police Chiefs Association. Thank you, I will NEVER let you down!" Trump continues to challenge Biden’s endorsements, claiming that the former vice president has no backing from law enforcement, but Fox News reported on Sept. 4 that more than 175 current and former law enforcement officials endorsed Joe Biden. However, law enforcement organizations – unions, fraternities, orders – have largely endorsed Trump. The Fraternal Order of Police, which boasts 355,000 members nationwide, in September announced that its members voted unanimously to endorse Trump.

“Florida Department of Health doesn’t release daily coronavirus update Saturday” by Fox 13 News Staff – The Florida Department of Health did not release its daily coronavirus case numbers Saturday. Officials say that's because it received approximately 400,000 previously reported COVID-19 test results from Helix Laboratory, a private lab not affiliated with the state. According to the DOH, the large size of the data file and need to de-duplicate hundreds of thousands of results prevented the Department of Health’s automatic reporting system from processing Friday’s results as it normally does. The DOH says state epidemiologists are working to reconcile the data and it will take a day to complete and expects the daily report will continue on Sunday. The state says the reporting issue will not impact individuals waiting on test results. Individuals waiting on results will be notified by the lab or entity that performed the test.

“Biden is silent now on court-packing stance, but in 1983 he called it a 'bonehead' idea” by Fox News’ Bradford Betz – Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, have been mum on the question of court-packing should they win the November election, but in 1983 Biden was much more outspoken on the issue, calling it a “bonehead idea.” Biden, then a U.S. Senator from Delaware, made the comments during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in July 1983 regarding nominations to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. At the time, Republican President Ronald Reagan had stoked controversy for attempting to replace three members of the commission. Biden argued at the time that, although it was within the president’s right to do so, it risked damaging the credibility of the commission. He compared it to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s unsuccessful attempts in 1937 to expand the Supreme Court by six justices – in other words, pack the court. “President Roosevelt clearly had the right to send to the United States Senate and the United States Congress a proposal to pack the court. It was totally within his right to do that. He violated no law. He was legalistically, absolutely correct,” Biden, then 40, told the committee. “But it was a bonehead idea. It was a terrible, terrible mistake to make. And it put in question, if for an entire decade, the independence of the most-significant body … in this country, the Supreme Court of the United States of America.” The question of court-packing has been evoked in recent weeks amid President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Democrats have argued that the next Supreme Court Justice ought to be decided by the winner of the November election and that Barrett’s confirmation to the court – so close to the election, no less – would unfairly cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court.

“More than 7 million general election ballots cast so far” by CNN’s Adam Levy, Ethan Cohen, and Liz Stark – More than 7.3 million Americans have already voted in the general election, according to a CNN and Edison Research survey of election officials in 36 states reporting voting data. More than 4.3 million of those votes come from 12 of CNN's most competitively ranked states. And Democrats lead Republicans in all six of those states reporting returns by party.

This data does not predict the outcome of any race, as polling around the country shows Republicans strongly prefer to vote in-person on Election Day rather than early. The information contains insights and details about who is voting ahead of November 3. While the returns represent a small fraction of the expected number of ballots to be cast in 2020 -- Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton received about 130 million votes combined four years ago -- some states have reported that the numbers of ballot requests and returns have already set records. Ballot requests in 38 states, whether by mail or through some form of in-person early voting, surpassed 35 million this week. Pre-Election Day ballots cast across the country are expected to rise quickly as the country moves closer to the November 3 election. By the end of the week, the ballots will be available in all 50 states and Washington, DC. State snapshot: Iowa "More than 700,000 Iowans have requested absentee ballots for the 2020 general election, surpassing the state record for absentee requests in an election," Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate tweeted this week. "The previous high was more than 693,000, set in 2016."

“Investors Are Betting Corporate Earnings Have Turned a Corner” by WSJ’s Karen Langley – Investors are entering third-quarter earnings season with brighter expectations for corporate profits, a bet they hope will propel the next leg of the stock market’s rally. Profits among companies in the S&P 500 are still expected to decline sharply from last year, but analysts have been lifting their estimates over the course of the quarter—a move that goes against the norm. Typically, earnings expectations decline as a quarter progresses. With the economy continuing to slowly reopen, profits of the large U.S. companies in the flagship stock index are now projected to drop 20% from a year earlier in the third quarter. That is an improvement from the 25% decline anticipated at the end of June and the 32% drop reported for the second quarter. Money managers will see how those expectations match up with reality as earnings season kicks off in earnest this week. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is set to report Tuesday, followed by Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. Wednesday. Results from other bellwethers including Johnson & Johnson, Delta Air Lines Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH 1.68% are also on tap. “The actual numbers when they’re reported are going to be much more crucial for the market to interpret, to get a sense really how well this patient is healing,” said Frank Panayotou, managing director and private wealth adviser at UBS.

“Judiciary Dems say Amy Coney Barrett's supplemental questionnaire 'raises more questions than it answers'” by Fox News’ Nick Givas – Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee wrote a letter to the Attorney General's office on Sunday, arguing that Judge Amy Coney Barrett left out answers to the Senate questionnaire given to Supreme Court nominees prior to their confirmation hearing. The letter was authored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Dick Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Chris Coons, D-Del., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and vice-presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. "We write regarding additional omissions in the materials provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee by Judge Amy Coney Barrett in relation to her Supreme Court nomination," the letter stated. Committee members said this is their second letter requesting more information about Barrett's background and that the supplemental questionnaire she submitted, "raises more questions than it answers." The Senators took issue with Barrett taking part in public speeches and seminars where the issue of abortion and reproductive rights were discussed back in 2013. The lawmakers insinuated Barrett omitted these talks on purpose and only included them on her supplemental submission after reports of the talks were leaked to the media. The letter went on to criticize Barrett's ties to a pro-life advertisement she signed as a faculty member of the University of Notre Dame. Senate Democrats argue this -- and another pro-life advertisement Barrett signed as a member of the St. Joseph County Right to Life Organization in 2006 -- are worthy of further investigation and asked that she produce the 2006 ad at her hearings.

“Schumer calls on Barrett to commit to recusing herself from Affordable Care Act case if confirmed” by CNN’s Devan Cole – The Senate's top Democrat on Sunday called on Amy Coney Barrett to commit to recusing herself from a fast-approaching case on the fate of the Affordable Care Act should she be confirmed to the Supreme Court, one day before she will face the chamber's Judiciary panel for hearings. "President (Donald) Trump's self-imposed litmus test and Judge Barrett's own past statements criticizing the law and the court's decisions raise serious questions as to whether she can rule fairly at all," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said during a news conference Sunday, referring to a highly consequential Obamacare case the court is set to hear days after the November 3 election. "For that reason, Judge Barrett should pledge to recuse herself from the case involving ACA a week after the election if she is confirmed." The Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee is set to begin hearings on Barrett's confirmation Monday, with a potential for a full Senate vote to confirm Barrett just weeks before the court considers the landmark health reform law -- a key point of opposition for Democrats, who do not have the votes needed to block the conservative judge's nomination. Schumer said Sunday that Barrett's record "is filled with evidence demonstrating the need for recusal." "In a 2017 law review article she suggested she (viewed) as illegitimate the Supreme Court decision that upheld large portions of ACA. She directly criticized (Chief) Justice (John) Roberts," who penned the court's 2012 opinion upholding the law, he said. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also zeroed in on the health care law Sunday, with the Hawaii Democrat arguing that Republicans are working to get Barrett confirmed in the coming weeks so she can participate in the case. "We are going to be very focused on her state of use on the Affordable Care Act and the reason that the Republicans are so bound and determined to push her through with only about two weeks left before the election and millions of people already voting," Hirono told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union."

“Coronavirus Stimulus Talks With White House at Impasse” by WSJ’s Kristina Peterson and Andrew Duehren – The latest, beefed-up White House offer on a new coronavirus package hit resistance from both Democrats and Republicans over the weekend, deflating hopes that a bipartisan agreement was imminent. Democrats criticized the nearly $1.9 trillion offer from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as insufficient, particularly in its funding and strategy for coronavirus testing and tracing. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, balked at the offer’s cost and its proposed expansion of the Affordable Care Act. The concerns from both sides of the Capitol lowered expectations that had risen Friday when President Trump approved the most generous GOP offer to date in the negotiations. In a letter to House Democrats on Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said the new administration offer provided inadequate funding and no national plan for testing, contact tracing and treatment of the coronavirus. “This past week, the president demonstrated very clearly that he has not taken the war against the virus seriously, personally or nationally. This attitude is reflected in the grossly inadequate response we finally received from the administration on Saturday,” Mrs. Pelosi wrote. “Until these serious issues are resolved, we remain at an impasse.” House Democrats have pushed for $75 billion and a national plan for testing, tracing and treatment of the virus. Mrs. Pelosi said in her letter that the White House plan included about $45 billion in new funding, lacked a national plan for testing and tracing and didn’t address the virus’s disproportionate impact on minority communities. President Trump in brief comments on the issue said Republicans were still eager to reach an agreement. “Republicans want to do it. We’re having a hard time with Nancy Pelosi,” he said Sunday on Fox News.

“Navy veteran Joe Collins targets Democrat Maxine Waters' home in campaign ad” by Fox News’ Bradford Betz – U.S. Navy veteran Joe Collins on Saturday released a scathing campaign ad attacking Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., for living in a multi-million dollar mansion while representing a district plagued by crime and poverty. In the ad, Collins stands outside Waters’ $6 million California residence, noting that it is not even located inside the District she represents. “Do you know where I am right now? Maxine Waters’ six million-dollar mansion,” Collins asks. “Do you know where I’m not right now? Maxine Waters’ district.” Waters has represented the area that is now California’s 43rd District since 1991. Before that, she had served in the California State Assembly since 1976. Her home used to be within the boundaries of District 43 until redistricting shifted her neighborhood into the 37th District, which is represented by Democratic Rep. Karen Bass. Collins, a Republican who is campaigning to replace Waters and grew up in South Los Angeles, said the crime and poverty in the area have only increased under Waters’ 44 years in public office. “I survived a drive-by shooting in this house when I was a child,” Collins says in the video while standing outside a home in the area. “Gangs, drugs, violence, that was my upbringing. And where was Maxine Waters?” Having served more than 13 years in the U.S. Navy and having fought in the Iraq War, Collins also criticized Waters for not fighting “for her own district here in America.” Collins told Fox News he wanted his campaign ad “to show the contrast between how Maxine Waters lived and how the people in the rest of the community lived. “She has a very nice community, she has a really big house – and that’s just one of three or four house that she has," he said. "And meanwhile, she comes to the inner city and preaches the message of hatred, and a message of us vs. them.”

“CNN exclusive: Fauci says he was taken out of context in new Trump campaign ad touting coronavirus response” by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins – Dr. Anthony Fauci did not consent to being featured in a new advertisement from the Trump campaign touting President Donald Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the nation's leading infectious disease expert told CNN his words were taken out of context. "In my nearly five decades of public service, I have never publicly endorsed any political candidate. The comments attributed to me without my permission in the GOP campaign ad were taken out of context from a broad statement I made months ago about the efforts of federal public health officials," Fauci said in a statement provided exclusively to CNN when asked if he agreed to be featured in the ad. The Trump campaign released the new ad last week after the President was discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following treatment for Covid-19. The 30-second ad, which is airing in Michigan, touts Trump's personal experience with the virus and uses a quote from Fauci in an attempt to make it appear as if he is praising Trump's response. "President Trump is recovering from the coronavirus, and so is America," the ad's narrator says. "Together we rose to meet the challenge, protecting our seniors, getting them life-saving drugs in record time, sparing no expense." The ad then flashes to an interview with Fauci in which he says, "I can't imagine that anybody could be doing more." Though no date is provided in the ad, Fauci's quote is from an interview with Fox News in March. During that interview, Fauci praised the White House coronavirus task force's round-the-clock effort to respond to the pandemic, which he says included numerous White House meetings and late-night phone calls. "We've never had a threat like this. The coordinated response has been...There are a number of adjectives to describe it -- impressive, I think is one of them. We're talking about all hands on deck. I, as one of many people on a team, I'm not the only person," Fauci said at the time. "Since the beginning, that we even recognized what this was, I have been devoting almost full time on this. I'm down at the White House virtually every day with the task force. It's every single day. So, I can't imagine that under any circumstances that anybody could be doing more."

“Florida Doesn’t Have to Extend Voter Registration, Federal Judge Rules” by WSJ’s Arian Campo-Flores – A federal judge denied a request by voting-rights groups to further extend Florida’s voter-registration deadline after the state’s online portal crashed Monday, the final day to register. Calling his ruling an “incredibly close call,” U.S. District Judge Mark Walker agreed with plaintiffs that the website glitches deprived potentially thousands of people from registering to vote. But he said he had to weigh that impact against concerns raised by the state that another deadline extension would burden already overworked county elections supervisors. The state did extend the deadline until 7 p.m. the next day after the website problems. “Florida’s interest in preventing chaos in its already precarious—and perennially chaotic—election outweighs the substantial burden imposed on the right to vote,” Judge Walker wrote. The decision likely ends the latest fight over voting in Florida, the largest swing state in the U.S., where elections often are won by paper-thin margins. Absentee ballots already have been mailed out, and early in-person voting begins Oct. 19. Issues with the state’s online voter registration system surfaced ahead of the deadline of midnight Monday, as users encountered delays or were unable to submit applications. The problems stemmed from “unprecedented volume and traffic,” said Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee. As a result, Ms. Lee issued a directive to extend the deadline to register to vote to 7 p.m. Tuesday. People could use the portal or register in person at various locations, including county supervisors of elections offices. Mailed applications postmarked by Tuesday also would be accepted. Voting-rights and civic-engagement groups pressed for a longer extension, to allow time to inform people and give them an opportunity to act. When the state declined, several groups including Dream Defenders and New Florida Majority filed a lawsuit, arguing that the failure to extend the deadline would disenfranchise thousands of Floridians.

“Richard Spencer Backs Joe Biden, Says 'MAGA/Alt-Right Moment is Over'” by Newsweek’s Ewan Palmer – White nationalist Richard Spencer has said he will be backing Democratic candidate Joe Biden in November's election after previously distancing himself from Donald Trump. Spencer, who was one of the key figureheads of the alt-right movement, tweeted how he is "on Team Joe" on Monday, adding in a self-made campaign slogan, "Liberals are clearly more competent." In a series of tweets, Spencer further explained his reasoning for backing Biden. "The MAGA/Alt-Right moment is over. I made mistakes; Trump is an obvious disaster; but mainly the paradigm contained flaws that we now are able to perceive. And it needs to end," Spencer wrote. "So be patient. We'll have another day in the sun. We need to recover and return in a new form." In another tweet, Spencer added: "I will never flip on my fundamental principles. (My principles were never voting for the supposed 'the lesser or two evils' or 'stopping big government.') "Walking into certain defeat, even death, is not heroic. It's foolhardy. I have no sympathy for martyrs. I admire winners." The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Spencer as "a suit-and-tie version of the white supremacists of old." Spencer first rose to prominence in 2016 after shouting "Hail Trump!" and being greeted with Nazi salutes at an event in Washington shortly after Trump was elected. However, Spencer said earlier this year that he regrets voting for Trump, following the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Spencer feared that Trump's approved airstrike which resulted in the death of Soleimani brought the U.S. to the brink of war with Iran. "I deeply regret voting for and promoting Donald Trump in 2016," Spencer tweeted. "To the people of Iran, there are millions of Americans who do not want war, who do not hate you, and who respect your nation and its history.