Voter Fraud
With all the talk about voter fraud, and with growing allegations of instances of voter intimidation, suppression, and fraud being reported during the 2020 presidential election, because there isn’t a federal voting system in place (it's left up to each individual state), it was time that someone stepped up and introduced legislation to make set voting standards across the nation.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R) has stepped up and filed his Voter Act, a Senate bill aimed specifically to “ensure voters decide the outcomes of the election.”
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Georgia on Everyone’s Mind
Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott long with just about the entire Republican political universe are descending upon the Peach State to help raise money and awareness for the two Republican Senators embroiled in two separate run-off races against Progressive Socialist candidates.
One of the candidates, Rev. Raphael Warnock, went as far to put together a celebration for dad Communist Dictator Fidel Castro. Castro showed up and praised Warnock and attendees to the event.
Considering how Americans have rejected Socialism this past election day, Warnock is going to be dead on arrival come January 5th. The other candidate, Jon Ossoff, also has ties to Socialism, as it was recently learned of his financial tie to a Chinese government-run media company.
Ossoff, for whatever reason, did not disclose this tidbit of information on his May financial disclosure form.
THIS >>> College Democrats demand Florida Democratic Party bosses “resign or be fired”
No one is saying much today. Same old tired election stuff. Check back on Monday.
“Waltz Leads Bipartisan Fight for PTSD Treatment” by The Floridan’s Daniel Molina – Florida Rep. Michael Waltz (R) announced today that he and Virginia Rep. Elaine Luria (D) had issued a letter to conferees for the annual defense bill, and they requested the inclusion of their bipartisan measure that calls for research and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder for veterans. With their United States-Israel PTSD Collaborative Research Act, it would leverage research and assets from both Israel and the United States for the research, diagnosis and the treatment of PTSD in veterans. Moreover, the legislation also created a grant program for universities and for private non-profits to research PTSD. In the letter, the lawmakers write that “Israel, under constant attack from terrorist groups, has experienced similar issues with their veterans and civilian populations facing the symptoms of PTSD,” adding that “several leading Israeli hospitals, universities and non-profits have dedicated their efforts to researching and treating PTSD.” As well, the lawmakers concluded that “a better understanding of this disorder, along with treatment options, can help us better recognize, diagnose and treat those suffering from traumatic incidents.” So far, the bill has amassed 98 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. Rep. Waltz shared the news on Twitter, commenting that “as allies in combat, Israel & the U.S. must also fight for our military and veterans’ health off the battlefield.”
“Scott files VOTER Act to combat voter fraud” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – Republicans have been divided regarding the 2020 election results as President Donald Trump (R) has moved forward with a series of litigations to contest the results. The electoral college is set to meet on December 14th to formally vote for the next President, and a small number of Republicans have already moved forward with congratulating Vice President Joe Biden (D), calling on Americans to unite behind Biden. However, other Republicans have been vocally supporting of President Trump’s decision to not concede and to instead contest the results, and one of those Republicans is former Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) who, this week, took to Twitter to comment on the matter. On Twitter, the Florida Senator asserted that “the American people have lost confidence in our electoral process,” adding that his “VOTER Act aims to set standards nationwide to ensure voters decide the outcomes of elections.” He also provided a link to an Op-Ed he wrote for FOX News, discussing how trust in the voting process can be restored among Americans. In the article, Senator Scott slammed Democrats, accusing them of having “created an electoral system that Americans believe is not fair.” In response, he warned that “this is not what America is about, and now more than ever, we have to work to protect the integrity of our elections and then make changes necessary to preserve our democracy.”
“While Democrats Scoff At 2020 Recount, Biden’s Taps 2000 Recount King For WH Chief Of Staff” by Javier Manjarres – As Democrats continue to chide President Donald Trump and his campaign for ‘dragging’ the 2020 election results, filing multiple legal challenges in several key battleground states alleging widespread voter fraud while pushing for ballot recounts in races to close to call, former Vice President Joe Biden has named Democratic recount king and former aide Ron Klain to be his potential incoming chief of staff. Does the name Ron Klain ring a bell? For Floridians, it does. Klain was at the center of the infamous 2000 “hanging chad” Florida recount vote. He served as the head general counsel to Gore-Lieberman Democratic recount committee efforts, arguing before the Florida Supreme Court that resulted in the Supreme Court decision declaration of George W. Bush as the winner of the presidential election. “We obviously believe as we told the Supreme Court in our filing this morning that the balance of harms here weighed against a stay and wait in favor of allowing these counts to be completed,” Klain said in December 2000 as he continued to push ahead in calling for the whole state of Florida in recounting its votes. “We believe that the court’s decision to stay the counting of the votes was obviously one we disagree with and we wished the court had ruled otherwise.” While the Biden’s circle and Democrats decry Trump campaign push for recounts in battleground states Trump won in 2016 that apparently went for Biden, and its legal challenges on the claims of widespread fraud that rigged the election, Klain has done the same exact actions without getting any blowbacks.
“Biden Vowed He Wouldn’t Declare Victory Until All Votes Were Counted And Election Was Independently Certified” by The Floridian’s Mona Salama – It has been five days since former Vice President Joe Biden proclaimed he was the “clear victory” of the 2020 presidential election, but just five weeks ago, he pledged not to declare victory until the election was independently certified. During the first presidential debate, Fox News moderator Chris Wallace’s last question was to Biden, directly asking if he would “pledge not to declare victory,” and would wait patiently as votes were being counted and the final results once certified to declare the winner of the 2020 election. “Vice President Biden, final question for you. Will you urge your supporters to stay calm while the vote is counted? And will you pledge not to declare victory until the election is independently certified?” Wallace asked Biden. “Yes,” Biden firmly responded on September 29th. “And here’s the deal — We count the ballots as you pointed out, some of these ballots in some states can’t even be opened until Election Day. And if there is thousands of ballots, it’s going to take time to do it,” Biden continued. He added, “Here’s the deal. The fact is, I will accept it, and [Trump] will too. You know why? Because once the winner is declared after all the ballots are counted, all the votes are counted, that’ll be the end of it. And if it’s me, in fact, fine. If it’s not me, I’ll support the outcome.”
“Is Eskamani Eyeing a 2022 Gubernatorial run?” by The Floridian’s Daniel Molina – With the election results still being contested in courts nationwide, sights are set on upcoming races that will determine what the next two years will look like for the United States on a national level. In January, Georgia will host two important runoff elections for Senate seats, and in 2022 the political arena in the sunshine state will be hosting a Senate race for Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s (R) seat along with the gubernatorial race as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) looks to face his reelection bid. Democrats are expected to make a push to unseat Senator Rubio, and the same goes for Governor Ron DeSantis who won the gubernatorial seat in the 2018 midterm election. However, though a couple of Democratic lawmakers have been touted as potential candidates for each respective seat, one Democratic lawmaker has taken to social media to joke about a potential gubernatorial run. Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani (D) took to Twitter today to respond to two tweets from members of her district that shared their support for Eskamani’s gubernatorial candidacy. One tweet from a constituent noted that if she “DOES decided to run for governor in ’22 i [sic] will be voting for her, and for the better of our state with out [sic] a fu***** doubt and i [sic] hope non-democrats are willing to hear why.”
“With Obama-style strategies Republican Party might’ve turned Florida from swing state to solid red” by WMNF’s Daniel Figueroa IV – Joe Biden is the President-elect of the United States, even as some election officials count votes in states where victory seems assured but it is too close the call. In Florida though, President Donald Trump’s victory was swift and decisive. A group of panelists at a Tiger Bay meeting considered whether Florida can be considered a swing state any longer. Many things are certain coming out of the 2020 election cycle, including voters casting ballots in record numbers. But one thing that’s less certain is what role Florida will play in America’s political future. Speaking to during the club’s statewide meeting, Democratic operative Steve Schale said not only is Florida not a swing state, it hasn’t been since 2004. “People made this argument after George Bush won Florida by five points that Florida is not a swing state,” he said. Trump won Florida by nearly 400,000 votes. Republicans were able to keep control of the state legislature and even wrest a few seats from Democrats. “I would not dispute it’s a lean-red state,” Schale said. Poiltico’s Mark Caputo agreed. He attributed much of that to weak candidates and unreliable Democratic voters. Florida Democrats historically outnumber Republicans. But that hasn’t translated into party success. Republican voters tend to come out in larger numbers. “I don’t think it’s a swing state anymore,” Caputo said. It’s very difficult to win an election with an unreliable voter base especially compared to the Republicans.”
“Trump advisor Corey Lewandowski tests positive for coronavirus” by CNBC’s Kevin Breuninger and Dan Mangan – Corey Lewandowski, a top Trump campaign advisor who has helped lead efforts to undermine President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, has tested positive for the coronavirus. Lewandowski, 47, confirmed in a text to CNBC on Thursday that he tested positive for Covid-19 a day earlier. Asked if he was experiencing symptoms of the virus, Lewandowski told CNBC: “I feel great.” The New York Times first reported Lewandowski’s diagnosis. Lewandowski was recently in Philadelphia, where the Trump campaign is mounting legal challenges to election officials’ vote-counting procedures. He was reportedly also present at a news conference in the city on Saturday at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, alongside President Donald Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. While NBC News and other outlets have projected that Biden defeated Trump in the presidential race, the president has refused to concede and is falsely claiming himself the winner. The campaign has filed lawsuits in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona — all states where Biden either leads Trump or is projected to win. The legal challenges come as the number of Covid-19 cases reported in the U.S. hits record highs. More than 10.41 million cases have been reported in the U.S. and at least 241,907 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Lewandowski, who was Trump’s campaign manager in 2016, is only the latest person in Trump’s orbit to have contracted the virus. Just this week, multiple people who are with connected to Trump’s campaign or had attended an in-person, indoors election night party at the White House have tested positive for Covid-19.
“Florida Receives Environmental Restoration Funds” by Florida Political Review’s Shayna Schulman – On Oct. 28, $302 million was given to Gulf Coast states to be used for environmental restoration projects following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Florida received $73 million of these funds. In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig owned by BP Exploration & Production exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico. Four million barrels of oil flowed into the Gulf over a nearly three-month period. The spill damaged the health of marine ecosystems, killed marine life, and left a footprint of oil that is still present to this day. It was the largest spill of oil in the history of U.S. marine oil drilling operations. Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas suffered environmental and economic damages in their coastal communities. Of Florida’s 790 miles of coastline, 177 miles experienced effects of the oil spill. On Dec. 15, 2010, the United States filed a civil complaint in the Eastern District of Louisiana against BP Exploration & Production and several other defendants alleged to be responsible for the spill. In April 2016, a consent decree, which is a settlement that resolves a dispute without the defendants having to admit liability, was approved by the court. The consent decree was between BP Exploration & Production, the United States, and the five Gulf Coast states that were affected. As a result, BP Exploration & Production is required to pay over $20 billion. This was the largest settlement with a single party in U.S. federal law enforcement history.
“Florida firefighter finds his wife dead inside home during blaze” by New York Post – A Florida firefighter responded to a blaze at his own home but was unable to save his wife, who died in the raging inferno. Miami-Dade firefighter Corey Logan raced to the scene as smoke filled his Homestead home on Tuesday afternoon, the Miami Herald reported. “He was one of the first in. He was on the engine company that responded,” a source told the newspaper. He found his wife — who had long suffered from health issues — dead in her bedroom, unable to escape the smoke and flames, the outlet reported. Fire officials confirmed Wednesday that Logan’s wife died in the fire, though they did not release her name. “At this time, out of respect for the family, we kindly ask for privacy as they are dealing with this tragic loss,” spokeswoman Erika Benitez said. “We thank you for your patience and cooperation as we are focusing on supporting our firefighter and their family.” No further details were released about what may have sparked the blaze. A GoFundMe page said that Logan was working an overtime shift Tuesday when the agency received the call. “Shortly after lunch Corey received a Ring notification on his phone which showed a neighbor frantically banging on his front door which led him to believe something was wrong at his house,” co-worker Christopher Morales wrote.
“'Stand your ground' in Florida could be expanded under DeSantis' 'anti-mob' proposal” by NBC’s Erik Ortiz – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to amend the state's "stand your ground" law in a proposal that would expand one of the broadest laws of its kind in the country, worrying critics who say it could empower people to use violence during chaotic and tense confrontations at protests. The move is part of DeSantis' "anti-mob" draft legislation, which would target people accused of illegal acts during riots and looting. DeSantis, a Republican, presented his aggressive agenda in response to the months of large-scale racial justice protests across the country, which at times flared into violent clashes. "His proposal will only fuel racial unrest and violence, not dampen it," said state Sen. Randolph Bracy, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Orange County. "DeSantis is treating the law as a playbook for his next election, which is reckless and irresponsible." The draft legislation, which was provided to some lawmakers in late September, was first reported by The Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times this week. Florida's self-defense law would be updated to include looting, criminal mischief and arson "that results in the interruption or impairment of a business operation" as justifications for using physical force, including lethal options, against a person. Looting "means committing burglary within 500 feet of a violent or disorderly assembly," according to the draft legislation, which was shared with NBC News. Currently, the law permits use of force during the commission of several types of felonies, including murder, robbery, sexual battery and aggravated assault.
“Florida reports 5,600 new COVID-19 cases as country faces new, larger wave” by Click Orlando’s Thomas Metevia and Emilee Speck – American health officials are sounding the alarm as cases of coronavirus continue to climb -- and climb fast. Officials say a new wave appears bigger and more widespread than the surges that happened in the spring and summer. But experts say there are also reasons to think the nation is better able to deal with the virus this time around. “We’re definitely in a better place” when it comes to improved medical tools and knowledge, said William Hanage, a Harvard University infectious-disease researcher. Texas became America’s first state Wednesday with more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, as sporting events were canceled and the border city of El Paso added mobile morgues in anticipation of virus deaths overwhelming hospitals for weeks. Florida is more than 100,000 cases away from hitting the same grim milestone. Some governors made increasingly desperate pleas for people to take the fight against the virus more seriously. Experts say the short-term outlook is grim, with colder weather and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s ahead. Generations of family members gathering indoors for meals for extended periods “is not a recipe for anything good,” Hanage said. Below is information provided by the Florida Department of Health for Thursday, Nov. 12.
“Foreign Affairs Was Key to the Latino Vote in Florida” by Reason’s Daniel Raisbeck – For Republicans, catering to South Florida's Latino vote used to mean reaching out to the Cuban community in Miami-Dade County. This required a candidate to visit Café Versailles on Calle 8, whose denizens tend to like a cortadito—the Cuban version of an espresso—and a hard line against the regime established by Fidel Castro. In 2020, however, it became apparent to both Republicans and Democrats that the Cubans aren't the only game in town. Colombian Americans are now the second-largest Hispanic community in Miami-Dade County, according to the County's Commission, with 114,701 residents in the 2010 Census. In the state of Florida, Colombians rank third behind Cubans and Puerto Ricans in terms of Latin American voter registration according to Equis Research. Venezuelan-Americans rank seventh in terms of Florida voters of Latin American descent, but, as the Miami Herald reports, their numbers increased 352 percent nationwide from 2000 to 2017. As the Democrats in particular learned last week, these other Latin American blocs tend to dislike a lurch toward socialism as much as any long-established Cuban emigré. Thus, it was easy enough for Donald Trump to appeal to both communities in Florida by assailing "Castro-Chavismo." Latin American progressives despise and ridicule this term as an electioneering bogeyman, yet the Cuban regime and the cadre that misrules Venezuela act as one: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is in power thanks to help from a ruthless Cuban security apparatus, and Cuba's economy is kept afloat with Venezuelan oil subsidies.
“Florida’s top GOP leaders mobilize behind Trump’s long-shot bid to overturn the election. What’s driving them, and what does it mean for Florida?” by SKYLER SWISHER –
President Donald Trump’s political dominance in his home state isn’t fading with defeat. As the pandemic worsens in Florida, the state’s top GOP leaders -- led by Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio -- have turned their attention to Trump’s election fight, signing a legal brief in a Pennsylvania ballot dispute, raising money for Trump’s defense fund and making the case on Fox News for his long-shot bid to overturn the result on the basis it was tainted by widespread fraud. Another answer: The state’s leading politicians know Trump lost, but they want to keep the 5.6 million people who voted for him on their side, even if that means casting doubt on the central pillar of American democracy, said Mac Stipanovich, a political strategist who helped Republicans during the 2000 recount. Trump won Florida by more than 370,000 votes. “It is proof positive that we have no statesmen whatsoever in the higher reaches of government in Florida,” said Stipanovich, who supported Biden in the 2020 election. “They are worried about their next election. They are cowards and careerists who are willing to damage public confidence in the electoral process, which is the foundation of American democracy, in order to advance their own personal interest. It’s deplorable.”
“Florida Principal Who Wouldn’t Call Holocaust ‘Factual’ Is Fired Again” by Johnny Diaz – A high school principal in Florida whose refusal to acknowledge the Holocaust as a “factual, historical event” in an email led to a national backlash, his firing and then his rehiring has been fired for a second time. The Palm Beach County school board on Tuesday voted 7 to 0 to fire the principal, William Latson, who was removed from his post last year at Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton, Fla., after a 2018 email exchange with a student’s parent became public. In a revised final order approved on Tuesday, the school board said that “Dr. Latson’s actions did rise to the level of gross insubordination.” “Dr. Latson did commit misconduct in office, incompetency and gross insubordination, providing just cause for his suspension and termination,” the board added. A lawyer for Mr. Latson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Mr. Latson, who has worked for the district for 26 years, oversaw Spanish River High until he was reassigned in July 2019, after his remarks in an email with a parent drew a national uproar. “I can’t say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee,” Mr. Latson stated in one of the emails, which were obtained by The Palm Beach Post. Mr. Latson said he had to stay “politically neutral” and separate his personal views about the Holocaust from his job as a public school official.
“Senate Republican re-election arm touts ‘major investments’ in Georgia runoffs” by Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser – The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is spotlighting that it now has more than a dozen senior officials and staffers on the ground in Georgia. And the Senate Republican re-election arm is emphasizing that it's making “major investments” in communications, data, field and digital operations in the state’s twin Senate runoff elections, which will decide whether the GOP holds on to its majority in the chamber, or if the Democrats will control both houses of Congress and the White House. “This is a presidential level voter contact operation that is unprecedented and will be a key part of success for the campaigns in Georgia,” NRSC communications director Jesse Hunt told Fox News on Thursday. The NRSC touts that it and the campaigns of Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have hauled in over $32 million in fundraising over the past six days, as they gear up for the Jan. 5 runoff elections. The committee says that it was prepared for this scenario over a month ago, as NRSC leadership huddled in early October with the Perdue and Loeffler campaigns. "Our teams have been working in lockstep with one another to plan for this exact scenario that ended up unfolding. I think that just speaks to the preparedness and cohesion that we’ve seen from Republicans here in Georgia since we’ve moved to these two runoffs and it bodes well for our efforts to hold the Senate majority for Republicans,” Hunt emphasized.
“GOP lawmakers defend CIA Director Gina Haspel as Trump weighs firing her” by CNN’s Zachary Cohen, Kaitlan Collins, and Vivan Salama – Several GOP lawmakers have publicly defended CIA Director Gina Haspel in recent days as it has become increasingly clear that President Donald Trump is considering firing her as part of his post-election government purge. But outside of Capitol Hill, there are conflicting views about whether Trump should follow through with his threat to oust Haspel, and competing factions within the administration are lobbying the President accordingly. Some of the President's top advisers, including national security adviser Robert O'Brien, have urged him to hold off on firing the CIA director, siding with a host of congressional Republicans who have publicly voiced support for Haspel. But at the same time, several people inside the White House are pushing for her removal, multiple sources told CNN on Thursday, encouraging Trump to fire her as he did Defense Secretary Mark Esper earlier this week. Some Trump advisers believe Haspel has been "insubordinate" to both the President and Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, arguing she routinely circumvents the chain of command to further her own agenda and that of the CIA, one source familiar with the situation told CNN. A source familiar with internal discussions about Haspel's job status told CNN that some officials have taken issue with her for, at times, going to Capitol Hill and briefing members on internal executive branch discussions before the President or Ratcliffe had come to a final decision.
“Five U.S. Troops Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Egypt” by WSJ’s Nancy A. Youssef and Jared Malsin – Five U.S. service members on a peacekeeping mission in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula were killed when a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter crashed off the Egyptian coast Thursday, officials with the Multinational Force & Observers said. A French and a Czech service member also died, a senior official with the operation said. One U.S. service member survived and was medically evacuated, the officials said. Earlier Thursday, officials said six U.S. service members had perished. The troops were part of a multinational force that monitors the decades-old Israeli-Egyptian peace accord. The crash appeared to be caused by mechanical failure, the officials said. The crash took place on Tiran Island, off the coast of Sinai near the resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The island has been administered by Saudi Arabia since it was transferred to the kingdom by Egypt in 2017. U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East, declined to comment on the mission. The helicopter was a UH-60 Black Hawk, a senior Multinational Force & Observers official said. “At this point, there is no information to indicate the crash was anything except an accident,” the force said in a statement on the incident. The Israeli military scrambled a search-and-rescue team to help evacuate the injured to a hospital in Israel, but the operation was called off after Israel was told it wasn’t needed, an Israeli military official said. The U.S. has more than 400 troops stationed in the region as a part of the 13-country mission, which is designed to help implement the American-brokered peace treaty signed by Israel and Egypt in 1979.
“Lindsey Graham challenger Jaime Harrison eyed to be next DNC chair” by Fox News’ Morgan Phillips – Jaime Harrison, who lost a costly race to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is reportedly the favorite to be the next Democratic National Committee chair, after Tom Perez announced he won’t seek reelection. Harrison hasn’t announced a run for the seat, but he told The Atlantic he’d take a “good look” at running if asked. Perez’s term ends in February. If he’s elected by the committee as chair, he’ll be in charge of providing support for party candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, when Democrats will be fighting to hold onto a majority in the House and fighting to either keep or win a majority in the Senate, depending on Georgia’s two Senate runoff races in January. And he’ll be in charge of uniting the party and formulating a platform that can’t fall back on the message of defeating President Trump. He’ll also likely play a role in deciding which states hold the first presidential primaries in 2024. Some Democrats say they’d like to nix Iowa, which has trended Republican, from the No. 1 spot on the caucus calendar. Harrison, the former South Carolina Democratic Party chair, set a record among Senate candidates when he raked in more than $100 million for his race against Graham. Graham, however, won reelection by a wide 10-point margin. Harrison has the support of powerful Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn, Majority Whip, whose endorsement in the primary played a part in Biden clinching the nomination. Clyburn told The Atlantic he’d supported Harrison’s run for DNC chair in 2017. “I think he’s better prepared than he was when I supported him the first time,” Clyburn said.
“Time is running out for millions of Americans who still haven't gotten stimulus checks” by CNN’s Katie Lobosco – Time is running out for millions of Americans who still haven't gotten stimulus checks -- and they're likely the people most in need. The Internal Revenue Service is racing to reach these last recipients before a November 21 deadline, sending out nine million letters in September to people that may have potentially missed out on the $1,200 payments authorized by Congress earlier this year. While most eligible Americans received the money automatically during the spring and summer, very low-income people who don't normally file tax returns have to register online so the Internal Revenue Service knows how to reach them.
Roughly 12 million people fell into this category and it's unclear how many of them still haven't received their money. More than eight million people had registered online through October, but the Internal Revenue Service declined to say how many payments have gone out to non-filers or how many more have registered since it ramped up outreach. Volunteers across the country have stepped up attempts to reach homeless individuals who may be eligible for the $1,200 payment but might not be aware or have a computer or smartphone they can use to sign up. In Broward County, Florida, volunteer Richard Campillo spearheaded efforts that helped 220 homeless register online by setting up a computer lab at a meal center. But only about 30% of those have actually received the money, he said.
“Fed Chair Powell Says Rising Virus Cases Could Challenge Economic Recovery” by WSJ’s Nick Timiraos – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said it is too soon to say how progress in the global hunt for a coronavirus vaccine will influence the U.S. economy, particularly given concerning increases in infections that could weaken the recent economic recovery. “The next few months could be challenging,” Mr. Powell said Thursday during a virtual panel discussion with other central bankers. On the implications of a vaccine, he added, “From our standpoint, it’s just too soon to assess with any confidence the implications of the news for the path of the economy, especially in the near term.” Mr. Powell spoke Thursday alongside two of his foreign counterparts, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Bank of England Gov. Andrew Bailey. Fed officials left their policy stance unchanged last week at a meeting that took place before it was clear that President-elect Joe Biden had defeated President undefinedand before the latest positive developments on the vaccine front. U.S. stock markets flirted with record levels earlier this week after Pfizer announced a vaccine it is developing with BioNTech proved better than expected at protecting people from Covid-19, bringing closer a potential milestone in the global hunt to end the pandemic. Yields on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 0.957% on Monday after the Pfizer announcement from 0.821% at the end of last week. Yields stood at 0.918% shortly before Mr. Powell spoke late Thursday morning. Mr. Powell described the U.S. recovery as faster and stronger than officials had expected, even though it had slowed in recent months. He also said the rebound has been uneven and incomplete.
“Hillary Clinton under consideration for Biden's U.N. ambassador: report” by Fox News’ Sam Dorman – Former Vice President Joe Biden's transition team is reportedly considering installing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as his administration's ambassador to the United Nations. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that a person familiar with the matter said Clinton was "being discussed" as a potential pick because it would purportedly raise the prestige and standing of the U.S. after President Trump's time in office. News of Clinton's potential nomination came as Biden attempted to alter world leaders' perceptions of the U.S. in foreign relations. "I'm letting them know that America is back. We're going to be back in the game," he said. Clinton famously lost her 2016 presidential bid against Trump and has become a lightning rod for criticism of the left. During the campaign, she testified before Congress over her role in the 2011 attacks on a U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. That incident has stuck with her as a prominent point line of attack among critics. After her loss, Clinton has remained in the public eye by criticizing the president and alleging, among other things, that Russia contributed to her loss in 2016. More recently, she caught headlines when Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe declassified information indicating that former President Obama's administration knew of allegations she was attempting to tie Trump to Russia and distract from her email scandal before the 2016 election. Politico reported that Nick Merrill, Clinton's spokesperson, called the allegations "baseless b------t."
“DOJ review finds Alex Acosta used 'poor judgment' in Jeffrey Epstein deal” by CNN’s Kara Scannell – A Department of Justice review found that Alex Acosta, President Donald Trump's former Labor secretary, exercised poor judgment when, as a US attorney in Florida, he gave sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein a non-prosecution agreement. But the review did not find that Acosta or other prosecutors engaged in professional misconduct. The review from the department's Office of Professional Responsibility also found that Acosta had used "poor judgment" when he failed to notify the girls and young women who alleged they were sexually abused by Epstein about the decision to not prosecute the multi-millionaire on federal charges. Acosta resigned as Labor secretary in July 2019, less than a week after federal prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed an indictment charging Epstein with running a sex trafficking operation in which he sexually abused dozens of underaged girls in New York and Florida from 2002 to 2005. The new charges drew scrutiny of the Justice Department's handling of an investigation a decade earlier when Acosta was US attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Epstein died by suicide in a federal jail in August 2019. A Miami Herald investigation published in November 2018, which helped kickstart the New York inquiry, described the plea deal, negotiated by Acosta, as the "deal of a lifetime." In the 2007 deal, Epstein avoided federal charges and served only 13 months in state prison for state prostitution charges concerning his sexual involvement with underaged girls. The arrangement also protected "any potential co-conspirators of Epstein" and specifically named four women, whom victims alleged were involved in the sex-trafficking scheme.
“Runoffs in Georgia Draw Flood of GOP Cash” by WSJ’s Lindsay Wise – The National Republican Senatorial Committee has combined with the campaigns of Georgia Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler to raise $32 million over the past six days, as they prepare for two runoff elections that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee declined Thursday to share its fundraising numbers, but the group has said it would commit to spending millions to register Georgians for the Jan. 5 runoffs and to get out the vote. Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams’s voting-rights group, Fair Fight, said Tuesday that GASenate.com had raised about $9.8 million for the runoffs since 7 p.m. last Friday. The group didn’t provide The Wall Street Journal updated figures Thursday, but tweeted that in five days, more than 125,000 supporters had contributed to Democrats’ runoff efforts in the state. The voter-registration deadline for new voters for the runoffs is Dec. 7, and early voting will begin Dec. 14. Georgians already can apply for an absentee ballot, which must be received by Election Day. The partisan breakdown in the postelection Senate is 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats. Democrats would need to win both Georgia races to achieve majority control of the chamber, since Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, in her role as president of the Senate, could cast tiebreaking votes. The House is expected to remain in Democratic control, though with a slimmer majority.
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump- “REPORT: DOMINION DELETED 2.7 MILLION TRUMP VOTES NATIONWIDE. DATA ANALYSIS FINDS 221,000 PENNSYLVANIA VOTES SWITCHED FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BIDEN. 941,000 TRUMP VOTES DELETED. STATES USING DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS SWITCHED 435,000 VOTES FROM TRUMP TO BIDEN.”
Adam Schiff @RepAdamschiff-I"The president couldn't be doing all this, he couldn't have broken down so many of our norms and democratic institutions over the last four years, he couldn't be behaving the way he is today, if there weren't leaders in the Republican Party ... going along with him."
