Angry Carlitos Guillermo Smith
There are three weeks left to go in the 2020 presidential election and both Republicans and Democrats are saying the most outrageous, baseless, and hypocritical things about their opposing elected officials, especially in Florida.
Democrats are trying to demonize everything President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and every single dueling elected Republican in the state. Of course they are, it’s their job to do so.
Progressive Democrat state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith from Orlando reacted to a video clip of Gov. DeSantis running through and high-fiving a crowd of Trump supporters during the president’s Sanford rally.
A noticeably agitated Rep. Smith said DeSantis knew what he was doing, knew that cameras would catch his actions.
“Trump loyalists like him are happily complicit in super-spreading a coronavirus that killed 15,412 Floridians just so he can feel like he ‘OWNED THE LIBS,’ tweeted Smith.
Smith was on some anger roll or fix of some type. Commenting on another video clip, this one of President Trump saying that Biden’s plan to let in illegal immigrants would threaten the healthcare of seniors.
“Seniors aren’t afraid of immigrants YOU BIGOTED GHOUL." tweeted Smith. They’re afraid of how much more coronavirus you and @GovRonDeSanti’s insanely reckless Sanford rally is going to pump into their communities which could get them killed. 15,412 Floridians already dead from COVID."
Que?! What!?
DeSantis was spreading COVID-19 at the Sanford event? Is Smith saying that DeSantis is infected? How would he know that? How could he know that?
Such anger.
How does he know what “Seniors” are really afraid of? Does Smith speak for all “Seniors?”
Again, Smith’s job is to look for anything to use against his Republican counterparts. We get it. It’s fine, but making baseless accusations is unbecoming of the seat he or anyone holds, regardless of political affiliation.
Polls show that Biden is leading Trump, but if this is all they have to hang their hats on, Democrats may be in for a rude awakening November 4th.
We tried in earnest to find pictures or video clips of Vice President Biden high fiving or fist bumping supporters at one of his rallies but realized that Biden doesn’t have rallies, and if he did, attendance would probably only be a fraction of what Trump’s rallies nets.
In the meantime, Vice President Joe Biden forgot (again) what offices he was running for and said that "voters shouldn't" vote for him. No really, he said that. READ MORE
Rep. Carlos G Smith @CarlosGSmith-.@GovRonDeSantis knows what he’s doing. He knows cameras are rolling and that people are reacting. Trump loyalists like him are happily complicit in super-spreading a coronavirus that killed 15,412 Floridians just so he can feel like he ‘OWNED THE LIBS’. How did America get here?
Rep. Anna V. Eskamani @AnnaForFlorida -@GovRonDeSantis is giving maskless high fives at a @realDonaldTrump rally in Sanford, meanwhile we’re working on unemployment claim & trying to get people paid their benefits from a system that broke under his watch & is still broken.
Fabiola Santiago @fabiolasantiago-Here's maskless Florida governor Ron DeSantis arriving at Trump rally in Sanford, where no social distancing is being observed and few are wearing masks. Just when Central Florida was starting to see a downward trend in COVID. The irresponsibility is surreal.
Chris King @ChrisKingFL-Ron DeSantis showing up at today’s Trump super spreader event in Sanford with no mask and no social distancing is a smack in the face to the 15,000 Floridians who have died under his incompetence.
Gwen Graham @GwenGraham-Lil’Trump(aka @GovRonDeSantis) high fives a line of people at the @realDonaldTrump rally then wipes his nose with the same hand. His wife is trailing along behind him doing the same. Neither one of them have on masks. Over 15k Floridians have died from #COVID19. This is shameful.
Nikki Fried @nikkifried-Sometimes there are no words. Just Vote. Vote for the 15,411 Floridians that have died from #COVID19.
Annette Taddeo (She/Her/Ella) @Annette_Taddeo-15 THOUSAND #Floridians have lost their lives to the deadly #Coronavirus 2 MILLION Floridians have yet to receive #unemployment Meanwhile our maskless governor is giving high fives. CLUELESS
“Trump Tested Negative For Covid-19 On Consecutive Days” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – President Trump before heading to Florida Monday evening for his first campaign rally since his positive diagnosis has tested negative for Covid-19 on consecutive days, according to the White House physician. In a memo released to reporters Monday afternoon, White House physician Dr. Sean Conley wrote that Trump has “tested negative on consecutive days using the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen card” test. Dr. Conley added that “repeatedly negative antigen tests” were taken alongside comprehensive data including “additional clinical and laboratory data, including viral load, subgenomic RNA, and PCR cycle threshold measurement” aligned with the Center for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) guidelines determine that the president is “not infectious to others.” These results indicate that Trump is progressing since testing positive on Oct. 1 with the virus. Trump is set to return to the campaign trail with a jam-packed schedule this week, starting Monday night at Sanford, Florida. This week, Trump is scheduled to have events in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Iowa. Trump 2020 Campaign Manager Bill Stepien told reporter that the president is “raring to go.” “I’ve spoken with the President every single day since he entered Walter Reed. He is strong, he is energetic, he is raring to go. I think his campaign calendar reflects his health and well-being and enthusiasm to get back on the trail,” Stepien said, adding that Trump’s return will be a “big shot in the arm for the campaign.”
“Like Joe Biden, Lois Frankel incorrectly says ‘200 million’ Americans have died from COVID” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – When Vice President Joe Biden, America’s walking gaffe machine, stated that 200 million Americans have died as a result of catching the COVId-19 virus, it was hard to believe that anyone else could make that same slip of the tongue or mistake. Well, Democrat Rep. Lois Frankel had a Biden moment and slipped during a Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce candidate’s forum. “More than 200 million people dead from COVID, millions out of work..,” said Rep. Frankel. Frankel’s Republican congressional opponent, conservative journalist Laura Loomer was quick to pounce on Frankel’s gaffe but called Frankel a liar for making the claim that so many Americans have died from COVID-19. “Today during the Delray Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, Lazy Lois Frankel not only showed up more than 30 minutes late, but she blatantly lied and said 200 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM COVID IN THE UNITED STATES,” stated Loomer on her Parler account. Loomer, whose campaign has received the endorsement of President Donald Trump and has been garnering unprecedented grassroots support throughout Florida’s 21st congressional district, has relentlessly been critical of Frankel for the congresswoman’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement and for her refusal to denounce the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish remarks that Muslim American Rep. Ilhan Omar (D) has made over the past couple of years.
“Biden: Barrett’s Faith ‘Should Not Be Considered’ During Senate Confirmation Hearing” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden told reporters Monday that Judge Amy Coney Barrett faith “should not be considered” during her Supreme Court confirmation hearings. “No, her faith should not be considered,” Biden said in response to a reporter’s question Monday morning in Delaware before heading to Ohio. “I don’t think there’s any question about her faith.” The question of Barrett faith has become a focus, as Republicans warn that Democrats would try to use Barrett’s faith that they believe will affect her decision in her ruling to disqualifies her nomination. Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) made headlines in 2017 after criticizing Barrett’s Catholic faith during her Appellate court hearings for the seventh circuit, telling the nominee “the dogma lives loudly within you.” “When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you and that’s a concern,” Feinstein said in 2017 to Barrett. Biden mentioned the 2012 election when he as Vice President and former President Obama were running for a second term against then GOP-presidential nominee Mitt Romney, whose Mormon faith was brought up as an issue during this time. “You may remember, I got in trouble when we were running against Senator, who was a Mormon, he was a governor, OK? And I took him on, and nobody’s faith should be questioned,” Biden stated while forgetting Sen. Mitt Romney's name in trying to make his point.
“Read: Amy Coney Barrett’s Opening Statement” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – Chairman [Lindsey] Graham, Ranking Member [Dianne] Feinstein, and Members of the Committee: I am honored and humbled to appear before you as a nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. I thank the President for entrusting me with this profound responsibility, as well as for the graciousness that he and the First Lady have shown my family throughout this process. I thank Senator [Todd] Young for introducing me, as he did at my hearing to serve on the Seventh Circuit. I thank Senator [Mike] Braun for his generous support. And I am especially grateful to former Dean Patty O’Hara of Notre Dame Law School. She hired me as a professor nearly 20 years ago and has been a mentor, colleague, and friend ever since. I thank the Members of this Committee—and your other colleagues in the Senate—who have taken the time to meet with me since my nomination. It has been a privilege to meet you. As I said when I was nominated to serve as a Justice, I am used to being in a group of nine—my family. Nothing is more important to me, and I am so proud to have them behind me. My husband Jesse and I have been married for 21 years. He has been a selfless and wonderful partner at every step along the way. I once asked my sister, “Why do people say marriage is hard? I think it’s easy.” She said, “Maybe you should ask Jesse if he agrees.” I decided not to take her advice. I know that I am far luckier in love than I deserve.
“South Florida-based firm shows the kind of leadership it will take for the Panhandle to recover” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Here in South Florida, many of us still bear the emotional scars of Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 killer that came ashore near Homestead and decimated the area. That pummeling still feels fresh – even though it was 28 years ago. South Florida wouldn’t have made it through that traumatic event without the sustained support of our entire region, the state, and the nation. Now imagine if the world had quickly moved on once the daily headlines started focusing on other things. Unfortunately, we don’t really have to imagine it – just look at our neighbors to the north still desperately struggling in the Florida Panhandle. The even more powerful Hurricane Michael tore through some of the state’s poorest counties two years ago, and sadly the world HAS moved on, leaving residents there still trying to pick up the pieces. To South Floridians, the Panhandle can seem like a foreign land, one populated by more rolling hills, pine trees, and farms than people. But they’re part of the same Florida as those of us who call 305 our home, and their forests have been replaced by trees shorn in half and debris still piled up from two years ago. The region’s economic base has crumbled, and they can’t even get rid of the remains of Michael as they try to build a new future. Fortunately, there are some individuals, organizations, and companies that haven’t forgotten about them and are working hard to make sure no else does.
“Voters see Trump as “Decisive Leader” in new Gallup poll” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – A Gallup poll taken between September 14 and 28 is shedding some light on how Americans view both former Vice President Joe Biden (D) and President Donald Trump (R). When compared on eight character dimensions, Americans differ the most in terms of their perception when discussing the likeability of each candidate. It’s reported that 66% of Americans believe that Vice President Biden is likeable while 36% of Americans believe that President Trump is likeable. In addition, more Americans are reported to perceive Biden as being honest and trustworthy along with caring for the needs of the people over President Trump. However, Trump only surpasses Biden when it comes to being perceived as a strong and decisive leader. In contrast, a slim majority also believes that Vice President Biden would be able to manage the government effectively while 46% believe that the Vice President would keep his promises. The poll indicated that Americans are evenly divided when it comes to the idea of President Trump managing the government with 48% saying that he can while 52% say that he cannot manage the government. As well, 47% believe that President Trump can bring about positive change that the country needs while 53% believe that he will not. Though the President does stagger with some characteristics, leadership has always proven to be a relative strength for the President.
“15-Year-old Attacked for Wearing Trump hat” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – A 15-year-old High School student is making headlines this morning after being attacked at his school for wearing a Trump hat. The incident took place early in September when schools were scheduled to return in-person. The student, not named because of his age, was wearing a mask and a Trump hat, and his mask was taken off by a female assailant. The mask was thrown away in the female bathroom, and it’s when the female assailant exited the bathroom that she is seen on film attempting to steal the Trump hat while spitting at the 15-year-old student. The student’s mother, Meshyalah McElhaney, was interviewed shortly after regarding the incident, and she has informed that the female in question has been expelled and that she will likely be criminally charged. She commented that “he has not attended public school since 1st grade, he has attended charter schools and was doing fine.” “This year he was taking two electives at public school and this happened just two weeks in,” she added, noting that “he is solely doing online now.” McElhaney then praised her son, saying that she is “so incredibly proud of him for holding his ground and not giving into her and retaliating.” Two girls, both tenth graders, according to McElhaney, will be charged. One will be charged with a felony and the other will likely face a misdemeanor or felony.
“Trump returns to Florida’s campaign trail: ‘I feel so powerful’” by Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Contorno – President Donald Trump, eager to put his coronavirus hospitalization behind him, returned to the campaign trail Monday night in Seminole County, a critical battleground in the state most important to his reelection chances. Trump emerged on the stage beaming, pointed and then — six days after walking out of Walter Reed as the world’s most famous COVID-19 patient and two weeks after hosting a super spreader event at the White House — he tossed face masks wrapped in plastic into the crowd. “I went through it. Now they say I’m immune. I feel so powerful,” Trump said, his voice sounding strained but energetic. “I’ll walk into the audience. I’ll walk in there. I’ll kiss everyone in that audience. I’ll kiss the guys and the beautiful women. Everybody. I’ll just give you a big fat kiss.” Trump spoke for more than an hour, and at times mocked the health precautions taken by his Democratic opponent, former vice president Joe Biden, who has followed the guidance of Trump’s administration more closely than the president himself. “When you’re the president, you can’t lock yourself in the basement,” Trump said. “You got to get out.” Trump said he had been energized by his fans and humbled by their support as he returned to the campaign trail on the evening that hearings on Judge Amy Coney Barrett, his third Supreme Court nominee, began on Capitol Hill.
“Team tries to limit COVID-19 risks in Florida Capitol” by News 4 Jax / News Service of Florida’s Christine Sexton – In a little more than a month, the doors of the Florida Capitol are scheduled to swing open as 160 legislators get back to work. The looming question is whether the closed-door, window-free spaces used by lawmakers and hundreds of staff members will be safe amid the coronavirus pandemic. It’s up to Seetha Lakshmi and her team to help figure out how to draw up a plan to accomplish that goal --- especially since legislative leaders have already said they are required under law to do their business in person and not remotely. Lawmakers are scheduled to hold a constitutionally required organization session Nov. 17, when new members will be sworn in and new leaders will be formally selected for the next two years. It’s usually a high-profile event that attracts the governor and other top state officials. Lakshmi makes it clear: She can’t guarantee that when the House and Senate reopen for business that there will be no risk of contracting COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus. “There is never going to be zero risk,” said Lakshmi, an assistant professor of infectious disease at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and an epidemiologist for Tampa General Hospital. “We have to learn to live with this. We are essentially aiming at protecting lives and livelihoods in many ways. It’s been such a moving target. The best we can do is look at the science, look at what we can do successfully and spread the word. That is pretty much what TPRO (the program) is doing every day.”
“Florida 2020: Biden Holds Slight Edge Three Weeks Out” by Emerson College Polling – With just over three weeks before the election, President Trump is trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in Florida by three percentage points, 50% to 47%. Two-percent of voters are undecided, and one percent plan to vote for someone else. When it comes to how voters plan to cast their ballot this November, 35% plan to vote in-person on election day, 30% plan to vote by mail, 20% plan to vote in-person before election day, and then remaining 14% have already voted. Of those supporting Biden, 20% have already voted, 44% plan to vote by mail, 19% plan to vote in-person early, and 17% plan to vote on election day. Of those supporting the President, 53% plan to vote on election day, 23% plan to vote in-person early, 15% plan to vote by mail, and 9% have already voted. Spencer Kimball, Director of Emerson College Polling said “while it looks like voters are shifting away from election day voting and toward early voting, only 4% of the sample reported voting for the first time suggesting that the Florida turnout should not look considerably different from 2016.” Voters in the Sunshine State are evenly divided regarding who they expect to win in November, with 50% saying Trump, and 50% saying Biden. The economy leads as the most important issue for voters in deciding their vote for president with 38%, followed by healthcare with 15%, COVID-19 response at 14%, social justice at 11%, Supreme Court at 7%, and climate change at 5%. Nine percent (9%) of those polled said something else was their most important issue. For Biden voters, healthcare ranks as the most important issue at 26%, followed by the COVID-19 response at 22%. For Trump voters, a majority of 64% say that the economy is the most important issue, followed by 13% who say the Supreme Court.
“At Central Florida Rally, DeSantis Praises Trump as "Law and Order" President” by Spectrum News’s Pete Reinwald – Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared Monday at President Donald Trump's Sanford rally, providing support to the president in the country's biggest battleground state. Surrounded by thousands of Trump supporters who had waited in line for hours, DeSantis said Republicans wouldn't let Democrats "shut down the country." "Florida people can go to school. You can go to a store. You can do those things," DeSantis said less than hour before the president was scheduled to appear at Orlando Sanford International Airport. DeSantis has pushed policies that promote opening up the state amid the coronavirus pandemic. He praised Trump as a "law and order" president. The governor also said that Republicans need to "answer the call and fill that seat and confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court." Barrett on Monday began her first day of contentious Senate confirmation hearings.
“Florida voting organization accused of changing voter’s party affiliation on registration form, election official says” by WFLA’s Mahsa Saeidi – Many voters say they have concerns about the integrity of our elections. With Nov. 3 right around the corner, 8 On Your Side is tracking fraud complaints from the August 2020 primary. There are more than 21 million people in Florida. However, only 12 Floridians reported alleged fraud in the primary election held on Aug. 18. The numbers show fraud is not widespread but still, 8 On Your Side is digging into every single allegation. One of the complaints came from Mark Earley, the supervisor of elections in Leon County. “It does look like fraud was involved to change the party affiliation,” Mr. Earley said. Right now, there’s an investigation into an organization called New Florida Majority Education Fund. Mr. Earley reported the group, claiming one of their field workers changed a voter’s party affiliation from Republican to Democrat on a registration form. This initially caused problems in the August primary. “We managed to actually get it fixed and the voter did vote on the correct ballot,” said Mr. Earley. 8 On Your Side Investigative Reporter Mahsa Saeidi asked if this has been a problem in the past with this organization. “I have received other complaints from voters for this organization,” Mr. Earley confirmed. According to Mr. Earley, there have been fewer than 10 complaints. That’s out of the thousands of voter registration applications that have been received from the group. 8 On Your Side called, emailed and left online messages for New Florida Majority Education Fund on Monday to see if they had a response to the complaint. In the meantime, Mr. Earley and other officials – including Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren – want to stress fraud is rare in our elections.
“Florida tops 4 million unemployment claims processed since mid-March” by News Service of Florida – The state has topped 4 million unemployment claims processed since mid-March, when the COVID-19 pandemic slammed Florida’s economy. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity posted numbers Monday that showed 4,006,847 claims had been processed since March 15. The department, which administers the unemployment system, had received 4,242,954 claims, with 4,088,202 confirmed as “unique” claims. As of Sunday, 2,036,735 claimants had been paid. In all, $17.25 billion in state and federal money had been paid out, with about $3.44 billion in state money.
“No 'opportunity to be wrong': Officials manage voter expectations for election night” by Tallahassee Democrat’s Jeffrey Schweers – With more people voting by mail this year than ever because of the coronavirus pandemic, don’t expect Election Night to be Results Night, warned two county election supervisors during a 90-minute chat with the media today. Conducted by Common Cause, with the help of researchers from the Strategies 360 polling group, hosted the discussion with Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley and Marion County Supervisor of Elections Wesley Wilcox. The theme of the briefing was "managing expectations" and the need for an accurate and transparent count. “Even though we report election results Tuesday night, it is not the final official count,” said Wilcox, also president-elect of the Florida Supervisors of Elections. Supervisors have until noon Saturday this year to file the first set of unofficial results, added Earley, the association’s vice president. During the August primary, both supervisors received a huge dump of mail-in ballots on election day, which meant mobilizing extra workers to open envelopes and match signatures. “I’ve got to expect that trend to continue,” Wilcox said. “I am prepared. I added more people to that side.” All supervisors have the same goal: To be done by 11 p.m., he said. “But we have to give it time. We want to make sure everything we produce is 100% accurate. We don’t have an opportunity to be wrong.”
“Lab company cleared in COVID-19 data problem as Florida adds 1,533 cases” by News Service of Florida – The Florida Department of Health said Monday that a private lab was not at fault for a problem Saturday that delayed the release of statistics about the COVID-19 pandemic. The department said Saturday that it had received about 400,000 previously reported test results from the Helix laboratory company and that it would need to “de-duplicate hundreds of thousands of results.” After months of releasing daily statistics about the pandemic, the department did not put out a report Saturday, before resuming Sunday. On Monday, however, the department released a statement clearing Helix of blame for the problems. It said Helix’s submission of test results was “significantly lower” than 400,000 and that a technical issue caused the data’s repeated replication. “This was not the fault of Helix or the Department of Health,” Monday’s statement said. “We are working with technical experts to ensure this does not happen with subsequent data submissions.” Meanwhile, Florida on Monday reported 1,533 additional coronavirus cases and 47 more deaths. Eight of the deaths recorded Monday were in Northeast Florida: four in Duval County and one each in Alachua, Clay, Columbia and Putnam counties. Since March, the state has reported a total of 736,024 COVID-19 cases and 15,599 deaths.
“Jamaicans in Florida energized by Harris on 2020 ticket” by Associated Press – 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. “These naturalized citizens vote. They turn out,” said Dan Smith, a University of Florida political science professor. “We also know that there is a lot of mobilization that goes on in these communities.”
“Florida citrus production again forecast to drop” by News Service of Florida – Florida’s signature citrus industry is facing another production squeeze, while growers might soon be asked to pay more to help market their products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday forecast a 15 percent decline in orange production for the recently started growing season as compared to the last harvest. Grapefruit production is projected to be down 7 percent. That translates, in part, to a projected 57 million 90-pound boxes of oranges during the new 2020-2021 season, down from 67.3 million boxes in 2019-2020. If the projection holds, orange production would decline for the second straight year. But state leaders offered encouragement Friday about the industry, which has been hammered in recent years by factors such as a deadly bacterial disease. “Since late spring, the Florida citrus industry has anticipated the 2020-21 citrus crop to be smaller than the prior season, and today confirms that assumption,” Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said in a prepared statement. “However, Florida citrus production is a marathon, not a sprint, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stands committed to help strengthen and promote Florida-grown citrus.” Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, said the forecast might reflect “factors beyond grower control.”
“Michigan Supreme Court denies Gov. Whitmer's request for 'pandemic executive orders' extensions” by Fox News’ Bradford Betz – The Michigan Supreme Court on Monday denied Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s request to extend emergency powers that she invoked to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The conservative-majority court rejected the Democratic governor’s request to delay the effect of its decision striking down a law she had used to keep intact sweeping orders amid the pandemic. The justices voted 6-1 against halting the precedential effect of its Oct. 2 opinion until Oct. 30. They reaffirmed their initial 4-3 ruling that declared unconstitutional her use of the 1945 emergency powers law. Executive orders issued under the law “are of no continuing legal effect. This order is effective upon entry,” the court wrote. Whitmer had asked the justices to give her administration, lawmakers and local health departments 28 days to transition in the wake of the major decision. Last week, her administration quickly reinstituted mask requirements, gathering limits and other restrictions with orders issued by the state health department under a different law. Separately, legislators and Whitmer are negotiating legislation related to other orders negated by the decision, including an extension of unemployment benefits to 26 weeks from 20 weeks. The ruling caused some confusion because it reached the Supreme Court in an unconventional way. A federal judge overseeing a lawsuit that makes state and federal claims about Whitmer’s powers asked for an opinion on the constitutionality of two laws related to gubernatorial emergency powers.
“Kamala Harris, the tenacious former prosecutor, faces a complicated role as she questions Barrett” by CNN’s Maeve Reston – With Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearings underway, many Democrats will be eagerly awaiting Kamala Harris' turn as the Senate Judiciary Committee's star prosecutor, hoping she can create one of those pin-drop moments that made her an irresistible pick to be Joe Biden's running mate. But as this week's proceedings approached, close allies of the California senator cautioned that viewers tuning in shouldn't expect those kind of fireworks from the vice presidential candidate.
This time, Harris is playing a much more complex dual role, a Judiciary Committee member valued by her party for her courtroom skills, but also the running mate of a Democratic presidential nominee who has condemned the divisive, angry politics of Washington and is promising to be a president to people all political persuasions. In her opening statement on Monday, Harris did not even mention Barrett's name, instead accusing President Donald Trump and Republicans of threatening the health and safety of millions of Americans with their effort to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, telling the story of a child named Myka whose parents were hit with enormous health care costs after she was diagnosed with a "congenital heart defect." She also argued Barrett could undo the legacy of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who Barrett would replace. During her four years on Capitol Hill, Harris' star rose through her sharp interrogations of a long parade of Trump administration nominees -- most notably when she stared down Kavanaugh in 2018 and asked him whether he could think of any laws giving government the power to make decisions about the male body.
“Georgia’s Two Senate Races Face Prospect of Runoffs” by WSJ’s Cameron McWhirter and Lindsay Wise – Two simultaneous U.S. Senate races in Georgia have Democrats and Republicans stockpiling cash and lining up election lawyers for what is expected to lead to at least one runoff, possibly two, that could decide control of the U.S. Senate in January. The potential showdowns come after years of tightening elections in a state where Republicans have long dominated. An influx of nonwhite residents, as well as young transplants from Northern states, to metro Atlanta has resulted in more Democratic voters, especially in key suburban counties that once were Republican strongholds, and recent polls show the presidential contest tight as well. “There’s a chance that we could be 49-49 November 4th, with two seats in Georgia in a runoff,” Georgia Republican Sen. David Perdue said of the makeup of the Senate. “I mean, my goodness. Oh, it’d be Armageddon.” His Democratic opponent, Jon Ossoff, said Georgia is “at the tipping point” of turning purple, or even blue. “The youth and diversity and dynamism of Georgia—and the clear, undeniable failure of Sen. Perdue and President Trump—has made this the top Senate battleground in the country,” Mr. Ossoff said. Mr. Perdue, 70 years old, a close Trump ally, calls Mr. Ossoff, 33, too radical for Georgia. Mr. Ossoff says Mr. Perdue “has sold his soul to Donald Trump.” Libertarian Shane Hazel, who also is running, could prevent either the senator or Mr. Ossoff from securing an outright majority.
“Biden spotlights Obamacare in Supreme battle over Barrett” by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser – Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is making it clear that his opposition to the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court centers on the possibility that President Trump’s high court nominee could potentially cast the decisive vote to strike down the national health care law. The former vice president – speaking Monday at a campaign event in Toledo, Ohio as the nearly week long confirmation hearing got underway in the Senate Judiciary Committee – rhetorically asked why “in the middle of this pandemic, why do Republicans have time to hold a hearing on the Supreme Court instead of providing the significant economic need for localities?” Answering his own question, Biden said “I'll tell you why. It's about finally getting his wish to wipe out the Affordable Care Act.” Biden was referring to a case the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a week after the election which could determine the fate of the landmark national health care law passed under the Obama-Biden administration and best known as Obamacare. The president last month nominated Barrett to the Supreme Court to fill the seat vacated following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The conservative Barrett, 48, currently serves as a judge on the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The death of the 87-year old Ginsburg – a liberal-leaning justice who was a trailblazer and a strong advocate for gender equality and civil rights -- has sparked a fierce partisan fight. Trump and Senate Republicans are moving quickly – with Election Day just over three weeks away – to confirm Barrett and tilt the high court ideologically further to the right. Biden and fellow Democrats have made the threat to the Affordable Care Act – and the ossibility that millions of Americans could lose their healthcare amid the worst pandemic in a century – the public focus of their opposition to Barrett’s confirmation.
“American Bar Association rates Amy Coney Barrett as 'well qualified'” by CNN’s Chandelis Duster – The American Bar Association on Sunday rated Judge Amy Coney Barrett as "well qualified," its highest rating, an important endorsement ahead of what are expected to be contentious confirmation hearings on her Supreme Court appointment this week. Democrats have suggested in the wake of Barrett's nomination that she holds extreme views on abortion and that the future of the Affordable Care Act is in jeopardy if she is confirmed. The ABA's rating will be cited by Republicans to blunt those criticisms, even though the group's importance is regularly dismissed by Republicans when it has criticized some judicial nominees. "A substantial majority of the Standing Committee determined that Judge Barrett is 'Well Qualified,' and a minority is of the opinion that she is 'Qualified' to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States," Randall D. Noel, chair of the ABA's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, wrote in a letter. The ABA focuses on a person's "professional qualifications" and does not take into consideration their "philosophy, political affiliation or ideology" when making its determinations. "While these criteria -- integrity, professional competence and judicial temperament -- are the basis for the Standing Committee's evaluation of all federal court nominees, the Committee's investigations of Supreme Court nominees are particularly rigorous," according to the group. "The significance, range, and complexity of the issues considered by the Supreme Court demand that nominees appointed to the Court be of exceptional ability."
“Tech Stocks Power Markets Higher” by WSJ’s em Bartholomew and Caitlin McCabe – U.S. stocks jumped sharply Monday, propelled by technology stocks that led major indexes to their highest closing values in nearly six weeks. All three major U.S. indexes climbed for the fourth consecutive session. The S&P 500 rose 57.09 points, or 1.6%, to 3534.22—its second-highest close in history. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 250.62 points, or 0.9%, to 28837.52. The Nasdaq Composite surged 296.32 points, or 2.6%, to 11876.26, its third-highest close. All three indexes are closing in on their early September highs after a recent stretch of volatility. Megacap companies including Apple and Amazon.com were among the strongest performers, jumping 6.4% and 4.8%, respectively. Apple is set on Tuesday to unveil a 5G-enabled iPhone, which some investors hope could fuel the kind of sizable growth that stemmed from previous technological advancements for the iPhone. Amazon is kicking off its Prime Day of shopping deals Tuesday. The robust gains build on last week’s rally, during which stocks jumped on signs that next month’s presidential election could have more of a decisive result than originally expected. National polls have showed a growing lead for former Vice President Joe Biden over President Trump. This week, election expectations are likely to remain a focus among traders, though many will also be parsing the beginning of third-quarter earnings season. Investors are betting that the results will show corporate performance has turned a corner. With the economy continuing to slowly reopen, profits of the large companies in the S&P 500 are projected to record a drop of 20% from a year earlier, an improvement from the 25% decline anticipated at the end of June.
“Plurality of Americans think SCOTUS is ideologically balanced, Gallup poll finds” by Fox News’ Nick Givas – A plurality of Americans said the Supreme Court is ideologically balanced as currently constructed, in a Gallup poll which asked random citizens across the country about the high court. Of the 1,019 adults age 18 and older living in the U.S, 42 percent said the court is evenly split, while 32 percent felt it was too conservative and 23 percent said it was too liberal. When it came to the Democratic party, 58 percent said the court has shifted too far to the right. The annual Governance poll was conducted by telephone between late August and early September for two weeks. The margin of error is plus or minus four percentage points, "at the 95 percent confidence level." This news comes as President Trump's SCOTUS nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, begins her confirmation hearings to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who passed away earlier this year due to complications from cancer. The polling data was concluded just days before Ginsburg's passing and prior to her seat becoming vacant. "If [Republicans] succeed in placing a sixth conservative-leaning justice on the nine-member court, they will be doing so at a rare time when the Supreme Court's job approval rating shows a very small partisan divide," Gallup wrote. Political independents are most likely to say the ideological leaning of the court is balanced, at 48 percent, however, one in three (32 percent) said it is too conservative.
“Johnson & Johnson pauses Covid-19 vaccine trial after 'unexplained illness'” by CNN’s Maggie Fox – Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson said Monday it has paused the advanced clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in one of the volunteers. "Following our guidelines, the participant's illness is being reviewed and evaluated by the ENSEMBLE independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) as well as our internal clinical and safety physicians," the company said in a statement. ENSEMBLE is the name of the study. "Adverse events -- illnesses, accidents, etc. -- even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies." Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine arm is developing the shot. The company did not say what the unexplained illness was, but one point of clinical trials is to find out if vaccines cause dangerous side effects. Trials are stopped when they pop up while doctors check to see if the illness can be linked to the vaccine or is a coincidence. "Based on our strong commitment to safety, all clinical studies conducted by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson have prespecified guidelines. These ensure our studies may be paused if an unexpected serious adverse event (SAE) that might be related to a vaccine or study drug is reported, so there can be a careful review of all of the medical information before deciding whether to restart the study," the company said. "We must respect this participant's privacy. We're also learning more about this participant's illness, and it's important to have all the facts before we share additional information," the company added.
“New U.S. Coronavirus Infections Fall but Remain Elevated in Midwest” by WSJ’s Ted Mann and David Hall – The U.S. reported fewer than 50,000 new coronavirus cases for the first time in five days, while cases remained elevated in several states, particularly in the Midwest. In Wisconsin, the seven-day average of new coronavirus cases hit 2,510 as of Sunday, the highest level since the pandemic began, according to the state’s Department of Health Services. Wisconsin’s daily tally was more than 2,600, down from a peak of more than 3,000 reached Thursday. Indiana reported more than 1,500 new cases for Sunday, down from a single-day record of nearly 2,000 cases reached Saturday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Illinois reported more than 2,700 new cases, slightly lower than the heightened levels of recent days. State-level data showed a surge in cases among younger people, including Wisconsin, where nearly a quarter of the state’s more than 150,000 cases involved adults between the ages of 20 and 29, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. In Indiana, the same cohort accounted for more than 20% of cases. Nationally, more than 44,000 new cases were recorded for Sunday, according to Johns Hopkins data. The country’s total number of confirmed cases stands at more than 7.76 million, about a fifth of the global tally. As cases nationally have risen, so too have hospitalizations. The number of hospitalized patients was up 13% on Sunday, to 34,028, compared with 29,948 one week earlier, according to data from the Covid Tracking Project. Those data showed a sharp uptick in recent days in the Midwest, where more than 9,000 patients were hospitalized as of Sunday.
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump- Save your 2nd Amendment. Vote Trump!
Rep. Val Demings @RepValDemings-Ways that President Trump has been cheating on his taxes:
- paying his children as consultants
- writing off personal lifestyle expenses
- writing off campaign spending
- inventing false spending
The IRS needs to investigate.
