Trump Tests Positive
No sooner than the news broke that President Trump and First Lady Melania tested positive for COVID-19, CNN and other mainstream media reporters and Twitter trolls, rejoice at the news.
One CNN reporter even had to call him “74 years old obese.”
Can you imagine what would happen to her if she called President Bill Clinton obese because he was?
White House Aide Hope Hicks first tested positive, along with a few other staffers, and traveled with the president this past week. The First Couple is now quarantined.
Expect more death wished from Leftists.
And then there are good Democrats like Kevin Cate, who are wishing the president and First Lady a “quick recovery.”READ MORE
Rep. Lois Frankel @RepLoisFrankel-@
Rep. Ted Deutch @RepTedDeutch-Sure, because for @GovRonDeSantis.the pandemic is over, no one is suffering anymore, and everyone can pay their rent and mortgage. He really should get out more.
Shevrin Jones @ShevrinJones-You will never be defeated by what they say about you. You will be defeated by what YOU say about YOU! #GM #happyTHURSDAY #speakwellofyourself
Janet Cruz @SenJanetCruz-The CDC’s order is not only being challenged in federal courts, but doesn’t apply to those w/o a federally backed mortgage.This comes right after massive layoffs at Disney and throughout the tourism industry. Florida continues to leave people behind in the midst of a crisis.
Audrey Gibson @SenAudrey2eet-Trump mails his ballot but he wants you to think yours is not safe. #poppycock
Mario Diaz-Balart @MarioDB-@realDonaldTrump has kept the promise he made in Miami in 2017 to end financial transactions with the Cuban military. No president has done more to support the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom than President Trump, who has vigorously denied revenue to their oppressors.
Rick Scott @SenRickScott-Today, I introduced a resolution condemning the human rights abuses in Communist China & demanding the IOC move the 2022 @Olympics games.
Unfortunately, @SenatorMenendez & @SenateDems chose to play politics & blocked it. Human rights isn't partisan & we must all stand up for it.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz @RepDWStweets-I'm happy to see money flowing out the door to build necessary ecosystem restoration projects in our beautiful River of Grass after I worked so hard with my colleagues on @AppropsD to deliver historic funding for the Everglades.
“Sen. Scott belongs to elite group of senators who have appointed judges” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – Very few sitting U.S. Senators have ever had the privilege of appointing Judges to the bench, so former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R) finds himself in a very unique position as the upcoming Senate confirmation hearings of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court begin on October 12. During his 8-years as governor of Florida, Sen. Scott appointed 407 judges. Scott has released a video he narrates outlining his support for President Trump’s judicial pick to the Supreme Court vowing to support her nomination after meeting with her earlier this week. “I pointed 407 judges in Florida and there’s only one issue I cared about,” said Scott. Do they understand which branch of government they’re in? They’re not in the Executive Branch, they’re not in the legislative branch, they’re in one branch, Judiciary. And are they going to want to make law or interpret law? If they want to interpret law, I think they’re great.? Scott warned that if Senate Democrats “refuse to engage” the judicial confirmation process, Republicans in the Senate would “just be able to confirm judge Barrett faster.”
EVERYONE'S POINTING THE FINGER >>> Democrats and Republicans blame each other for Venezuela TPS failure in Senate
BIG NO NO >>> Election Complaint Filed Against Daniella Levine Cava
“Rubio says Biden refuses to “criticize Antifa or the Marxist elements that are in the street”” by The Floridian’s Javier Manjarres – With the media and Democrats still focused on what President Donald Trump didn’t apparently say about white supremacists at the first presidential debate with Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Marco Rubio (R) has pointed out that Biden still has not denounced “Antifa or the Marxist element” that has been causing of the ongoing civil unrest, rioting, and murder that has plagued many American cities. During an interview with Radio Talk Show host Hugh Hewitt, Rubio repudiated Biden’s claim that Antifa was just “an idea” as he refused to “criticize,” let alone condemn the “mishmash of groups” that have “organized around the catchphrase that we call Antifa.” “Joe Biden wouldn’t criticize Antifa or the Marxist elements that are in the street,” said Rubio. “He called them a thought. It may be a thought. I don’t know what they are. I’ll tell you, they burn things down. They don’t simply want to reform the country. They want to overthrow our system of government, and I think they’re pretty transparent about that.” Earlier on Thursday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tussled with the press corps, as she made the case for President Trump’s continued condemnation of racist groups.
“DeSantis Notes First Small Business Bridge Loan Recipient” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced today that the first Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan was approved for a business that was greatly affected by Hurricane Sally. It was announced that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity would provide the loan to Brett Hinely, the owner of Bluewater Bay Marina, located in Niceville, Florida. In a statement, the Florida Governor commented that “supporting businesses and helping employees get back to work is an important step toward helping Florida families, businesses and communities recover from the impacts of Hurricane Sally.” Dane Eagle (R), the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director, praised the Governor’s efforts, saying that “Governor DeSantis’ leadership and focus on supporting businesses and communities impacted by Hurricane Sally has been essential to helping Northwest Florida return to normal.” He added that the DEO is appreciative of the “partners at the Florida SBDC Network and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, who have helped us review and approve these loans quickly to ensure those businesses are able to access this critical funding.” Eagle concluded by assuring that “our team will continue to do all we can to help small businesses and families recover.”
“Diaz-Balart Says Trump “Kept Promise” he made in Miami on Cuba” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – With the conclusion of the first presidential debate this week, the candidates will now take a trip to Miami on October 15th to continue the public discussion on how the country should move forward. As both President Trump (R) and former Vice President Joe Biden (D) are vying for the Hispanic vote, the sunshine state is not only a swing state, but it’s also a state that Democrats hope will vote blue after President Trump took Florida and its 29 electoral college votes in the 2016 presidential election. Under the Trump administration, the President has often condemned communist regimes around the world, and this has included both Venezuela and Cuba. This is something that Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R) highlighted in a tweet, supporting the President and highlighting why Floridians should vote for the President once again. The Florida lawmaker expressed that President Trump “has kept the promise he made in Miami in 2017 to end financial transactions with the Cuban military.” He added that “no president has done more to support the Cuban people in their struggle for freedom than President Trump, who has vigorously denied revenue to their oppressors.” Diaz-Balart, in the past, has drawn a distinction between Trump and Biden, once slamming the former Vice President by expressing that “Biden’s dangerous & irresponsible policy would legitimize the Cuban dictatorship & weaken sanctions on the very regime that sends thousands of intelligence agents & other means of support to the Maduro regime.”
“Democrats Block Rick Scott’s China’s Human Rights Violations Resolution” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – China has received heavy criticism from a number of lawmakers, who have slammed the threat they pose on the United States from a technological perspective, China’s handling of COVID-19 while also pointing out that China has been expanding its detention camps that are directly affecting Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, China. In response to their blatant human rights violations, Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) introduced a resolution condemning China for its continued human rights abuses, but this week the former Governor of Florida was met with pushback as Senate Democrats blocked this same resolution. Aside from condemning the human rights abuses enacted in China, the resolution also called for the International Olympic Committee to move the 2022 Games out of China. The reason being not only because of the treatment Uighur Muslims are receiving but also because of the arrests that have been made concerning protestors in Hong Kong. In a statement released after the vote, Senator Scott commented that “today, I introduced a resolution condemning the indefensible human rights abuses in Communist China and demanding that the IOC host the games in a country that respects fundamental human rights.” The Florida lawmaker then slammed Senate Democrats, admitting that “unfortunately, Senator Menendez and the Democrats blocked it, because they can’t pass up an opportunity to play politics,” specifying that “the Democrats wanted us to choose between protecting Venezuelans and holding Communist China accountable – but if my colleagues were willing to work with me, we could do both.”
“Florida judge rules police can keep guns from former Trump campaign boss Brad Parscale” by CNBC’s Dan Mangan – A Florida judge has ordered that police can keep nearly a dozen guns from Brad Parscale, the former head of President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, who was taken into custody Sunday after an armed standoff at his home. Parscale, 44, poses “significant danger of causing personal injury to themselves or others in the near future,” cops had reportedly said in a request for the order, which allows them to keep Parscale’s guns for at least two weeks. A Broward County judge granted the request by cops and it has been served on Parscale, a police spokeswoman told CNBC on Thursday. Police have the option of asking a judge to extend the order by up to one year. The order comes a day after Parscale said he was resigning from Trump’s campaign, where he most recently was serving as a senior advisor for digital and data. Cops seized 11 guns from Parscale’s home after Sunday’s standoff, which ended when SWAT officers dramatically tackled the shirtless and shoeless digital guru outside his Fort Lauderdale home. He was taken to a hospital that same day under a state mental health law that allows for involuntary admittance to a health-care facility. Police had gone to the house following a 911 call reporting that Parscale had loaded a round of ammunition in front of his wife, Candice Parscale, after a verbal altercation inside. Candice fled the house and heard what seemed to be a gunshot, a realtor who saw Candice outside the house told police during that 911 call.
“First-Time Unemployment Claims Drop In Florida” by News Service of Florida’s Jim Turner – First-time unemployment claims in Florida dropped nearly 25 percent last week, as bars and craft breweries served drinks again and Gov. Ron DeSantis moved forward with the third phase of his coronavirus economic-recovery efforts. However, tourism, travel and retail companies continue to advise the state they are shedding workers. The U.S. Department of Labor estimated Florida had 29,360 first-time unemployment claims during the week that ended Sept. 26, down from 39,028 the prior week. The state on Sept. 14 ended a more than 2 ½-month prohibition on many bars and craft breweries selling alcohol for on-site consumption. DeSantis followed up Sept. 25 by moving into the third-phase of recovery efforts, including lifting restrictions on the numbers of people who can dine in restaurants. “We did go to the formal Phase 3 the other day, but quite frankly we’ve been open pretty much the whole time, certainly in the last four months,” DeSantis told the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors on Wednesday. “And we’re going to continue to try to build the momentum that we’ve been able to regain. I think we’ve seen a lot of good things happening in the economy, people are still buying homes, they’re building homes. So, a lot of people want to come to Florida, probably more so than even before the pandemic in some respects.” DeSantis added that while tourism has been “OK” in some parts of the state, “there’s other parts that it’s lagging.” On Tuesday, Walt Disney Co. advised the state that 6,700 non-union employees at properties in Orlando, Lake Buena Vista and Celebration will face layoffs in December.
“Mail-in ballots already being returned in Central Florida” by Click Orlando – With vote by mail ballots being sent out to voters, election supervisors have said they’ve already started to receive some back. Osceola County Supervisor of Elections Mary Jane Arrington said they’ve had a ton of people registering in the past 48 hours. “We are overwhelmed with new registrations; a lot of people are registering online and that’s great,” Arrington said. She said they’ve been exceptionally busy this week, which she attributes partially to the debate, and partially to people procrastinating. Arrington said they’ve mailed out more than 85,000 vote-by-mail ballots, and said thousands have already been returned, totaling about 10% of what they’ve sent out. She told News 6 she’s noticed a trend. “We’ve seen an unprecedented amount of people walking in and dropping theirs off, just to make sure we have it,” Arrington said. Arrington said, so far, about 37% of the electorate in Osceola County has requested vote-by-mail ballots and added that hundreds more are requesting vote by mail each day. It’s a number that she expects to grow from now until the Oct. 24 deadline, which is the last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to you. In terms of some of the other counties, Orange County said more than 33% of the electorate have requested vote-by-mail ballots as of Thursday. In Lake County, that number is 29% and in Marion County it’s 31%.
“Florida’s eviction moratorium has expired, now what?” by Fox 35 Orlando’s Robert Guaderrama – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis did not extend the moratorium on evictions Wednesday, which has many renters worried that in a few days, they will be smacked with an eviction notice. One of those renters is Jackline Badra. She is fearing the worst, telling FOX 35 that “I’m about to be homeless with my kids.” The mother of three is barely surviving off $125 per week from unemployment benefits. She said that “I’m trying to be strong, I’m a single mom, I’ve always had to hold it together but I don’t know for how long, I don’t know." Badra cannot go back to work because she just beat cancer. She explained that "I’m very much the most high-risk person, you could be, I’m still in remission." She’s behind in rent and is now missing doctor’s appointments to keep the lights on. “My mom thinks I went, my youngest thinks I went, I’m not going to tell them I didn’t go, it’s $60 to see my oncologist -- Where am I going to get that money? So, I just stayed home. I called him and he’s like ‘Jackie’ you can’t keep doing this,’ and I’m like, ‘what else am I supposed to do?’ I need that $60 right now,” Badra said. If that wasn’t enough, the cancer survivor is now fearing being kicked out of her apartment. Luckily, the CDC has issued a nationwide order but renters have to take action, filling out a declaration of their financial situation. “They have to sign the declaration. They have to be eligible. So, it has to be something related to potential loss of income -- COVID-related. But once they serve that on the attorney of the landlord, it will stop the eviction until December 31st,” Jeff Harvey, CEO, Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida explained to FOX 35.
“Florida Supreme Court rejects Orange County sexual abuse lawsuit” by News Service of Florida’s Jim Saunders – The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a statute of limitations bars two women from pursuing a lawsuit against an Orange County church and other defendants over allegations that the women were sexually abused by a church worker when they were children. Justices upheld lower-court decisions against the women, identified by the initials S.B. and R.R., who alleged they were molested between 1996 and 2005 by Daniel Heffield, an employee of New Life Community Church. The issues in Thursday’s ruling involved negligence-based civil claims filed in 2014 against the church, affiliated church organizations and Heffield’s parents, Ron and Priscilla Heffield, who also worked at the church. It did not involve claims filed directly against Daniel Heffield, who is in prison on unrelated child-pornography charges, according to the ruling. S.B. alleged that she was molested multiple times from 1998 to 2005, when she was age 4 through 11. R.R. alleged she was molested once in 1996, when she was 4. The Supreme Court ruling does not detail the relationship between S.B. and R.R. and has posted online few documents in the case. The court’s majority opinion pointed, in part, to a four-year statute of limitations in state law and focused heavily on when that time period began to run —- what is known as “accrual.” It said state law did not allow for a delay of the accrual period, which means that the statute of limitations on the alleged abuse ran out before the lawsuit was filed in 2014.
“Wasserman Schultz on Proud Boys controversy: ‘Plain and simple, I think Donald Trump is a racist’ by Sun Sentinel’s Anthony Man – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the prominent South Florida Democrat, said Thursday that President Donald Trump is a racist and his racism is clearly “embedded within him.” Wasserman Schultz made her comments during a video news conference held by the three Jewish members of Congress from Florida. They joined to condemn Trump for his reluctance to denounce white supremacism — something they said he embraces — and his signal of support to the violent, far-right Proud Boys organization to “stand back and stand by.” Wasserman Schultz, and U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch and Lois Frankel, also Democrats, represent parts of Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. They have never been fans of Trump, and they have criticized in the past what they’ve seen as tacit endorsements of anti-Semitism. But they said Trump’s comments during and since the presidential debate Tuesday night forced them to speak out about that they said is a troubling, and especially egregious, continuation of a pattern. Still, in response to a question during the news conference, none termed Trump a white supremacist. Wasserman Schultz was the most direct: “Plain and simple I think Donald Trump is a racist. I think he’s repeatedly demonstrated he’s a racist. You have only to listen to what he said on Tuesday night and what he said repeatedly throughout the peaceful protests that have been occurring around the country following the George Floyd murder. I think his actions and his words point to the racism that is I think embedded within him.”
“Missing mom Leila Cavett investigation leads FBI to landfill” by Local 10’s Michelle Solomon, Terrell Forney, Amanda Batchelor – More than a dozen investigators in protective gear spent hours at a Northwest Broward County landfill on Thursday where they also positioned tents and multiple vehicles. It is Day 1 of a search that could take some time. FBI spokesman James Marshall confirmed the canvassing is part of the investigation into missing mother Leila Cavett. Agents from the Miami field office of the FBI were spotted digging around a specific area at the Monarch Hill landfill at 2700 Wiles Road. Marshall did not disclose what led agents to search the landfill. Cavett, 21, was last seen July 25 in surveillance images from a RaceTrac gas station on Hollywood Boulevard near State Road 7. The next day, her 2-year-old son Kamdyn was found wandering alone outside of an apartment complex in Miramar. Shannon Demar Ryan remains in custody, not for the disappearance of Cavett, but for the kidnapping of the two year old boy. In court documents filed by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Court of Florida, the attorney said "the weight of the evidence against the Defendant (Ryan) is substantial. Government witnesses will testify that on the morning of July 26, a two year old child was found wandering alone in an apartment complex in Miramar. . . Video surveillance footage of the Miramar apartment complex where (the child) had been found showed a vehicle which appeared to be the Defendant’s Lexus, which is distinctive because it is missing its front bumper, in the vicinity only minutes before (the child) was found. Video of footage of the RaceTrac gas station shows the Defendant’s Lexus leaving the gas station at 8:15 a.m. and returning at 8:38 a.m., the time frame within which (the child) was discovered in the parking lot.
“Does South Florida’s presidential debate need a mute button? Trump campaign objects to rule changes” by Sun Sentinel’s Skyler Swisher – President Donald Trump is objecting to possible debate rule changes that could leave him muted in Miami. Trump is set to clash with Democratic challenger Joe Biden on Oct. 15 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in the second of three presidential debates, putting the nation’s political eyes on South Florida. Pundits widely panned the first debate in Cleveland as a chaotic shoutfest filled with interruptions. In response, the Commission on Presidential Debates issued a statement that it is mulling rule changes “to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues.” Those changes haven’t been unveiled, but one idea that has been floated is a mute button that would cut off the microphone if a candidate doesn’t adhere to the rules. On Thursday, Trump and his campaign pushed back against changes. "Why would I allow the Debate Commission to change the rules for the second and third Debates when I easily won last time?’ Trump tweeted. In a call with reporters, deputy campaign manager Max Miller said the Biden campaign suggested adding opening and closing statements to the debates, reducing the time for “open-discussion” to “almost nothing” and providing the moderator with a mute button. Trump “fully intends to participate” in the second and third debates but “doesn’t want any changes to what has already been laid out and agreed to,” said Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the president’s campaign. “It didn’t turn out the way they wanted,” he said. “That is why there is discussion of changes.”
“Biden campaigning on 'return to normalcy' but some Dems eyeing radical changes to political system if they win” by Fox News’ Megan Henney – Joe Biden has staked his presidential campaign in a pledge to restore "normalcy" if he unseats President Trump in the November election, even as some Democrats pledge to make radical changes should they win control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. Biden has repeatedly pushed back against Republican efforts to tie him to the party's progressive wing — "I am the Democratic Party right now," he declared Tuesday night during the first presidential debate in Cleveland — yet other Democratic leaders have endorsed policies that have the potential to reshape the country, including eliminating the filibuster, granting statehood to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., and expanding the Supreme Court. "As far as the filibuster, I'm not busting my chops to become majority leader to do very little or nothing," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday during an interview with MSNBC. "We are going to get a whole lot done. Everything, everything is on the table." The question of eliminating the filibuster has created new fissures within the Democratic Party that are not along the familiar progressive-moderate faultline. For instance, Sen. Jon Tester, a moderate Democrat from Montana, signaled last week that he would be open to eliminating the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, a marked reversal from a position he held just last year. “I didn’t come here to not do anything. I came here to get things accomplished,” Tester told National Review. “I think the filibuster’s very important, and I think it makes for better legislation, and I still believe that. I still support the filibuster, but, like I said, we’ll see what happens with the other side. Who knows what’s going to happen?” But Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Joe Manchin, D-W.V., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., still reject the idea of filibuster reform. “I think the filibuster serves a purpose,” Feinstein, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said last week. “It is not often used, it’s often less used now than when I first came, and I think it’s part of the Senate that differentiates itself.”
“Trump campaign says it doesn't want changes to debate format” by CNN’s Kate Sullivan and Betsy Klein – President Donald Trump's reelection campaign said Thursday it opposes the Commission on Presidential Debates making changes to the format of the remaining debates after the commission said it would be adopting changes. Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told reporters that the campaign "(does) not want any changes to what has already been laid out and what has been agreed to for the second and third debate, period, point blank." He said Trump "fully plans" on participating in the remaining debates, as does Vice President Mike Pence. "Why would I allow the Debate Commission to change the rules for the second and third Debates when I easily won last time?" Trump tweeted on Thursday. The CPD did not specify what changes it would be making, but said Wednesday it would be adding "additional structure" to the format of the debates "to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues." A person close to the CPD told CNN that it has "not ruled out" anything about what changes it may enact in the wake of Tuesday's debate. The person emphasized that no decisions have been made by commission members as it considers various options. The commission is aiming to announce the changes it will enact within the next 24 to 48 hours, the person said, because "the quicker we do it" the better it is for all parties involved in the process to know the rules. Joe Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates told CNN that Biden would participate in the next debates "under the CPD's rules." He added, "The only real question left is whether the President will start following the rules in the next two debates."
“Trump Tax-Return Report Fuels Democrats’ Drive to Tax the Rich” by WSJ’s Richard Rubin – President Trump’s apparently minuscule tax payments are pumping new energy into Democrats’ plans to raise taxes on rich people and beef up the Internal Revenue Service. But raising tax rates wouldn’t necessarily make the president or others in similar situations pay more, because he reportedly claimed unusually large business losses to lower his taxable income. And Mr. Trump’s tax situation doesn’t automatically yield a list of tax breaks to be eliminated, because he seems to be making aggressive use of common deductions that help many businesses. Mr. Trump paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 and no taxes for many other recent years, according to a report by the New York Times. That result stemmed from money-losing businesses, various tax credits and questionable deductions, according to the Times. The president has derided the report as fake news and says he has paid millions of dollars in taxes, but he has provided no documentation or details. The Times report couldn't be independently verified, and Republicans are seeking government investigations into the disclosure. The report put a renewed spotlight and a face on tax avoidance by wealthy people, a problem that can be addressed both by changing the law and by improving enforcement. Former Vice President Joe Biden cited Mr. Trump’s tax payments during Tuesday’s presidential debate as a reason why he’s trying to reverse some of the 2017 tax cuts. “Donald Trump is kind of the new poster child for the need to invest in an IRS that’s going to be capable of capturing high-wealth evasion,” said Natasha Sarin, a University of Pennsylvania professor who has been pushing for more IRS funding.
“Return to sender: DC voters are being sent mail-in ballots for ex-residents” by Fox News’ Tyler Olson – The Washington, D.C., Board of Elections (DCBOE) is instructing residents who receive mail-in ballots for previous residents of their apartments or homes to mark the ballots "return to sender" and put them back in the mail after numerous reports of voters getting such ballots in error. The misaddressed ballots are a symptom of a common problem for many boards of elections around the country -- outdated voter rolls that include people who are dead or have changed addresses. The DCBOE responded on Twitter Wednesday to several tweets from voters who said they got mail-in ballots addressed to previous residents of their dwellings. Some people, including David Closson, who works for the conservative Family Research Council, reported getting up to five incorrectly addressed ballots. A spokesperson for the DCBOE told Fox News it is asking voters to "do your part" and "don't take advantage" of ballots that were sent to them in error. When voters return such ballots to sender, the DCBOE will update its records, the spokesperson said. When asked whether it is taking any proactive steps to prevent more misaddressed ballots from going out, the spokesperson said the DCBOE is not doing anything beyond asking citizens to return misaddressed ballots. "That's our procedure," the spokesperson said, emphasizing that the DCBOE is "asking citizens to help us." The spokesperson added that D.C. verifies signatures on its ballots. So when it is counting votes in November, if a signature on a ballot does not match the one on record it will reach out to the voter.
“Political spending in presidential and congressional races projected to hit nearly $11 billion, shattering records” by CNN’s Fredreka Schouten – This year's political spending to elect a president and Congress is on pace to hit nearly $11 billion, smashing all previous records, according to a new estimate by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. That far exceeds the $6.5 billion that candidates, political committees and outside groups spent to influence presidential and congressional elections four years ago. The 2020 election "is going to absolutely crush anything we've ever seen -- or imagined -- before," Sheila Krumholz, the center's executive director, said in a statement. "The unanswered question is whether this will be the new normal for future elections." The presence of two free-spending billionaires in the Democratic presidential primary -- former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and California hedge-fund founder Tom Steyer -- along with a wave of small-dollar contributions helped drive spending to new highs. The center's estimate of $10.8 billion in overall spending is based on trends it has studied from past elections, but its researchers say an 11th hour gusher of campaign money could send the final total even higher. There already are signs of increased enthusiasm among Democratic donors as Election Day draws closer. ActBlue, the online fundraising platform for liberal donors, said Monday it had raised $300 million for Democratic candidates and causes since Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death on September 18. Former Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, reported collecting nearly $10 million in a three-hour window Tuesday night as he and President Donald Trump faced off in their first debate. Biden's campaign went on to collect $21.5 million online on Wednesday -- the best fundraising day of the 2020 race, a campaign aide confirmed to CNN.
“Judge Partially Blocks Trump Administration From Enforcing Visa Ban” by WSJ’s Michelle Hackman – A federal judge in San Francisco has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing its ban against many of the biggest U.S. companies bringing in foreign workers under H-1B and other employment-based visas. The ruling applies to workers for companies represented by the plaintiffs in the suit: the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation and TechNet. Together, the four organizations represent hundreds of thousands of companies, including major Silicon Valley technology employers, significant names in manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, and some small businesses. The order, in effect until the end of the year, is national in scope, though it doesn’t apply to employers not represented by one of the four plaintiffs. “We are competing with the rest of the world to find and develop top talent to support innovation in our industry,” said Linda Kelly, senior vice president and general counsel at the National Association of Manufacturers. “Today’s decision is a temporary win.” The temporary ban, which Mr. Trump issued in June, bars foreigners on H-1B or other work visas from coming to the U.S. through the end of this year or longer, should the president extend it. Mr. Trump said he took the step to safeguard unemployed Americans, who could take jobs not filled by foreigners. The H-1B visa is an employment-based visa for highly skilled workers. The administration has argued that the coronavirus pandemic requires limits on immigration to prevent sick people from entering the country and to ensure that Americans get jobs first as the economy rebounds.
“Sen. Feinstein, Dems formally ask for delay in Amy Coney Barrett confirmation” by Fox News’ Marisa Schultz – Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., led a group of Democrats to formally call for a delay in the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett until after the presidential inauguration, saying the process is too rushed to properly vet President Trump's pick. Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, wrote Wednesday to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the chairman of the committee, to challenge the Oct. 12 date he set for Barrett's confirmation hearing. “The timeline for consideration of Judge Barrett’s nomination is incompatible with the Senate’s constitutional role," Feinstein wrote. "We again urge you to delay consideration of this nomination until after the presidential inauguration. The Senate and the American public deserve a deliberative, thorough process, and this falls far short.” Graham and Senate Republicans believe Barrett is supremely qualified and there's enough time to vet her, especially since she recently went through the rigorous process when she was confirmed in 2017 to become a judge on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. "The question for the country is, is [Judge Barrett] ready to be promoted? I think the answer is yes," Graham said this week. "I think she’s done everything anybody could hope a nominee for the Supreme Court would do in their life.” “I think [Judge Barrett] is one of the most qualified people to ever be nominated to the Supreme Court," he added.
“Trump signs spending bill to keep government open until December 11” by CNN’s Kyle Feldscher and Clare Foran – President Donald Trump early Thursday morning signed a spending bill to keep the government open until December 11, according to a tweet from White House spokesman Judd Deere. The President signed the bill upon returning to the White House from campaign stops in Minnesota. Trump did not sign the bill before the midnight deadline to keep the government open, but no federal operations were expected to be affected by the shutdown that lasted less than an hour. The bill breezed through the Senate on Wednesday after having been approved by the House last week and had been sent for Trump's signature just after 6 p.m. The President had left the White House for campaign stops about three-and-a-half hours before that vote. By funding the government only until mid-December, the legislation still sets up the possibility of a funding fight and potential shutdown after the election and just before the start of a new Congress. The continuing resolution, while far short of bipartisan full-year funding bills, is the product of bipartisan negotiation and an agreement between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin -- one that had initially appeared to fall apart just a few weeks before the deadline. The deal to avert a shutdown has so far proved to be a rare spot of bipartisan agreement at a time when partisan tensions are running especially high amid a high-stakes battle in the Senate over the confirmation of Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. The agreement clinched by Pelosi and Mnuchin includes a provision that will likely send tens of billions of dollars to the Commodity Credit Corporation -- a priority for Republicans and bipartisan members from agricultural states and districts -- which will replenish crucial aid to farmers. It includes some restrictions, after Democrats raised concerns that the money was being utilized by the Trump administration to distribute funds to favored political interests.
“Biden Campaign Launches Door-Knocking Campaign” by WSJ’s Eliza Collins – Joe Biden’s presidential campaign will begin door-knocking this week, a reversal after some Democratic groups in battleground states expressed concerns that its caution about social distancing was closing off a vital tool for reaching voters. Hundreds of volunteers will start hitting the streets this week in Nevada, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, according to a Biden campaign official, with an expansion planned for next week. Unlike President Trump’s campaign, the Biden campaign had previously kept its focus on organizing digitally and by phone, saying it didn’t want to risk the health of supporters, volunteers and staffers amid the coronavirus pandemic. But campaign staff say they have been working on a strategy to engage voters in person since the Democratic convention in August. “We’re now expanding on our strategy in a targeted way that puts the safety of communities first and foremost and helps us mobilize voters who are harder to reach by phone now that we’re in the final stretch and now that Americans are fully dialed-in and ready to make their voices heard,” Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement. Ms. O’Malley Dillon said the campaign would continue its virtual organizing program, which she said has been successful at expanding Mr. Biden’s path to victory. Mr. Biden leads consistently in national and most battleground-state polls. The Associated Press earlier reported the new approach. Until now, Trump campaign workers have had door-to-door canvassing mostly to themselves. Though many governors restricted public interaction for three months early in the coronavirus pandemic, the workers have been active in most states since June.
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump- Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
Adam Schiff @RepAdamSchiff-It was a simple question: Will you condemn white supremacy? Trump repeatedly refused.
Stand by for what?
His own FBI said far right extremist groups are the most serious domestic terrorist threat to America.
Trump’s coddling them is dangerous and disgraceful.
