Trump admits virus getting worse, press pans him anyway – Fox News
Trump admits virus getting worse, press pans him anyway – Fox News
Video

Trump calls in federal agents to fight crime in Chicago

Fox News contributors Jason Chaffetz and Richard Fowler weigh in.

President Trump has now done what his critics have been demanding, focusing squarely on the pandemic, offering a downbeat assessment and no longer insisting it will magically disappear.

And he still got pounded for it.

Now the return of the coronavirus briefings was hardly flawless. It had the feel of an intervention by presidential advisers who wanted to stop the political bleeding over Covid-19, with Trump reading from a prepared script before taking a few questions.

In the past, when aides have pushed him onto the prompter, the president usually rebels within a day or two. He’ll revert back to his previous rhetoric in comments to a reporter or by firing off tweets. And that can’t be ruled out.

But isn’t it a positive step for Trump, after many weeks of playing down the coronavirus, to say “it will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better”?

TRUMP RIPS DEMOCRATS IN CONTROVERSIAL CRACKDOWN ON URBAN VIOLENCE

Isn’t it a step in the right direction for the president to stop talking about little “embers” around the country and say we also have “big fires,” naming Florida as an example? Especially with a surge in new cases in the South and West, and the country surpassing 1,000 deaths in a single day?

It’s no secret that Trump wanted to move on from the virus and pivot to reopening the economy, along with other issues like urban crime. That’s why he canceled Season 1 of the meandering White House virus briefings, where he spent plenty of time sparring with reporters and which even his inner circle concluded was hurting him.

Season 2 is a tighter production, with both Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s shows lasting about half an hour, but does put the pandemic back at the top of the White House agenda.

Why Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx were not included is hard to fathom. These aren’t really briefings, and Trump had no little information to announce. They are news conferences.

The president was a bit more optimistic yesterday, talking about helping senior citizens, seeing light at the end of the tunnel, again sticking to a prepared script, and was even subdued in responding to reporters. Well, except for the part where he talked about doing more for blacks than anyone except Abraham Lincoln.

But some of the session had nothing to do with the virus as journalists asked about the controversy over his dispatching federal law-enforcement agents to Portland.

The wide-open format also meant that when a reporter asked about Ghislaine Maxwell on Tuesday, Trump answered the question. It would have been better if he had deflected it. When Trump said he wished her well–they know each other from Palm Beach society–it sparked a wave of criticism (including from some Republicans) about sympathy for a woman who helped Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse young girls.

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The president also changed gears on the long-running debate over masks. “I have no problem with the masks…Anything that can potentially help, and that certainly can potentially help, is a good thing.” He told reporters that “you saw me wearing it a number of times, and I’ll continue.”

Actually, reporters have seen Trump wear a mask exactly once. And there’s no need for the press to play along with revisionist history. Trump was ambivalent to skeptical for months and is just now catching up with Mitch McConnell and other Republicans who have been strongly advocating for mask-wearing.

CNN, by the way, talks about Trump and the virus all the time, but did not air the Tuesday briefing until he started taking questions.

We are in the midst of the greatest threat to the health of Americans in a century, with more than 140,000 deaths so far. We need the president to lead an aggressive response for as long as he’s in office. It’s fine for the press to hold him accountable for past mistakes, but that shouldn’t be the obsessive focus.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-admits-virus-getting-worse-press-pans-him-anyway

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US and UK accuse Russia of launching new space weapon – CNN
US and UK accuse Russia of launching new space weapon – CNN

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Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/23/politics/us-accuses-russia-space-weapon/index.html

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Portland Mayor Hit With Tear Gas Deployed by Federal Agents – The New York Times
Portland Mayor Hit With Tear Gas Deployed by Federal Agents – The New York Times

“It’s got to stop now,” he declared.

But the Democratic mayor, 57, has also long been the target of Portland protesters infuriated by the city police’s own use of tear gas, which was persistent until a federal judge ordered the city to use it only when there was a safety issue. As Mr. Wheeler went through the crowd, some threw objects in his direction and others called for his resignation, chanting, “Tear Gas Teddy.”

Mr. Wheeler joined the crowd at the front of the protest, against a barrier around the federal courthouse. As a first volley of tear gas wafted over them, Mr. Wheeler stayed put, watching the actions of federal agents.

After another large wave of tear gas sent Mr. Wheeler away from the scene, some protesters mocked him, asking how it felt. Mr. Wheeler said that joining the protesters at the front of the line was just one way he was going to try to rid the city of the federal tactical teams.

“A lot of these people hate my guts,” Mr. Wheeler said in an interview, looking around at the crowd. But he said they were unified in wanting federal officers gone.

The mayor has called for federal agents to leave the city after they arrived to subdue long-running unrest. Dressed in camouflage and tactical gear and unleashing tear gas, federal officers have clashed violently with protesters and pulled some people into unmarked vans in what Gov. Kate Brown called “a blatant abuse of power.”

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/23/us/portland-protest-tear-gas-mayor.html

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Mnuchin says GOP plan for unemployment extension will be based on ‘70% wage replacement’ – CNBC
Mnuchin says GOP plan for unemployment extension will be based on ‘70% wage replacement’ – CNBC

Pelosi told reporters that she will push to continue the $600 weekly payment. 

“I go to the table with a commitment to the $600,” she said. 

Speaking to CNBC after Mnuchin’s comments, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said 70% wage replacement is not “the policy we ought to pursue.” He said that “if we’re going to ratchet that down, it ought to be over time.” But he added that “it’s not a dealbreaker.” 

The developing GOP bill is only one step in what could be an arduous process to pass a package to boost a health-care system and economy devastated by the pandemic. As Democrats and Republicans try to hash out a range of disagreements — and Republicans try to come to a consensus even among themselves — millions of Americans wait to see whether they will have enough money to pay for food and housing. 

Mnuchin spoke just before the Labor Department said initial jobless claims topped 1.4 million last week, the 18th straight week they totaled more than 1 million. 

Here are other provisions of the Republican plan, according to Mnuchin: 

  • $105 billion to help schools reopen, with funds partly dependent on schools reopening
  • A targeted additional round of the Paycheck Protection Program, with “second checks” for certain companies whose revenues are down more than 50%
  • $16 billion in new funding for coronavirus testing
  • Tax credits to encourage companies to hire workers 
  • More flexibility for state and local governments in how they spend federal relief, but no new aid 
  • Direct payments to individuals (though he did not specify the amount paid or eligibility)

Hoyer said not approving additional aid for states and municipalities jeopardizes jobs and essential services in areas where governments have lost significant revenue and incurred huge expenses because of the pandemic. Democrats included nearly $1 trillion for state and local governments in the $3 trillion rescue package the House approved in May. Republicans did not take it up in the Senate. 

The GOP will need Democrats to sign off on any plan, as they control the House and have the ability to block the Republican proposal in the Senate. 

Republicans want the package to cost roughly $1 trillion. Pelosi has called that level of spending insufficient to address the health and economic crisis created by the pandemic. 

Congress appears unlikely to meet a deadline to extend the $600 per week enhanced unemployment benefit passed in March, which expires at the end of the month. The weekly sum has helped to buoy tens of millions of jobless Americans while many businesses are closed to slow the outbreak’s spread. 

The scramble to pass more relief legislation comes as U.S. Covid-19 cases approach 4 million and deaths from the disease top 143,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Its unabated spread has forced many states to either pause or roll back their economic reopening plans. 

Mnuchin noted that the administration would consider an additional relief package if the spending in the developing plan does not go far enough to combat the crisis. 

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Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/23/coronavirus-stimulus-gop-unemployment-plan-would-have-70percent-wage-replacement.html

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Michael Cohen will be released from prison to home confinement, judge rules – CNN
Michael Cohen will be released from prison to home confinement, judge rules – CNN

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Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/23/politics/michael-cohen-will-be-released/index.html

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Video Of AOC On Yoho’s Insults: ‘I Could Not Allow That To Stand’ – NPR
Video Of AOC On Yoho’s Insults: ‘I Could Not Allow That To Stand’ – NPR

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, seen here in March, spoke on the House floor Thursday to address vulgar and sexist comments directed at her by a Republican colleague.

Win McNamee/Getty Images


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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, seen here in March, spoke on the House floor Thursday to address vulgar and sexist comments directed at her by a Republican colleague.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Updated at 1:26 p.m. ET

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., took to the House floor Thursday morning to admonish the insults hurled at her by Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., earlier this week.

Yoho confronted Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez said, calling her “disgusting” for linking poverty to crime rates in New York City.

“I was minding my own business walking up the steps, and Rep. Yoho put his finger in my face. He called me disgusting. He called me crazy. He called me out of my mind. And he called me dangerous,” she said.

The congresswoman said she told Yoho his comments were rude and walked away to cast her vote. Then, as The Hill first reported, Yoho was overheard using a vulgar insult often aimed at women.

“There were reporters in the front of the Capitol, and in front of reporters Rep. Yoho called me, and I quote, a ‘f*****g bitch,’ ” she said.

Ocasio-Cortez said Yoho was accompanied by Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, who did not interject on her behalf but instead joined in on insulting her. Williams has denied hearing or participating in the incident.

Ocasio-Cortez, a key voice in the progressive movement and a frequent target of Republicans, said that kind of verbal abuse isn’t new and she’s concerned about an increasing acceptance of dehumanizing and misogynistic language toward women.

“This issue is not about one incident. It is cultural. It is a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting of violence and violent language against women and an entire structure of power that supports that,” she said.

Watch her remarks here. (Note: The video includes the profanity.)

Yoho reflected on his comments a day earlier on the House floor. Without naming Ocasio-Cortez, Yoho apologized for the “abrupt manner of the conversation I had with my colleague from New York.”

He said he “cannot apologize for my passion” over the issue of poverty, having experienced it himself.

On the allegation that he used a pejorative, Yoho said, “Having been married for 45 years with two daughters, I’m very cognizant of my language. The offensive name-calling, words attributed to me by the press, were never spoken to my colleagues, and if they were construed that way, I apologize for their misunderstanding.”

Ocasio-Cortez said Yoho’s comments on Wednesday prompted her to address the controversy. She described his remarks as making “excuses for his behavior.”

“I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls that I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse, and worse, to see that. To see that excuse, and see our Congress accept it as legitimate and accept it as an apology and to accept silence as a form of acceptance. I could not allow that to stand,” she said.

She reprimanded Yoho for using his family members as a “shield” for his foul language.

“Having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man. And when a decent man messes up, as we all are bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize,” she said.

“I am someone’s daughter, too. My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter,” she went on to say. “My mother got to see Mr. Yoho’s disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television. And I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.”

Following Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks, Democratic colleagues joined in condemning Yoho’s comments and called on him to issue a formal apology.

“What my colleague from Florida did was unacceptable,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. “It was violent. It was sexist. And I do believe he needs to apologize. Not because it’s going to make our colleague Ms. Ocasio-Cortez feel any better, but because he too needs to learn what unacceptable behavior looks like and rise to the level of the office that he has been elected to.”

Speaking to reporters later on Thursday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said he thought Yoho’s response was sufficient.

“In America, I know people make mistakes. We’re a forgiving nation. I also think when someone apologizes, they should be forgiven,” he said. “I don’t understand that we’re going to take another hour on the floor to debate whether the apology was good enough or not.”

Asked if his party had a “women problem,” McCarthy said there are more women in the Republican Party running for Congress than at any other time in history.

In her weekly press conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Yoho’s comments a “manifestation of attitudes in our society” and noted that she has been called offensive names for the past 18 years.

“The word I use for them is ‘condescending’ in addition to being disrespectful,” Pelosi said.

“There’s no limit to the disrespect or the lack of acknowledgement of the strength of women and nothing is more wholesome for our government, for our politics, for our country, than the increased participation of women and women will be treated with respect,” she said.

Source Article from https://www.npr.org/2020/07/23/894596598/i-could-not-allow-that-to-stand-ocasio-cortez-rebukes-republican-for-vulgar-insu

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Biden campaign clarifies claim Trump ‘first’ racist president, after past slave owners noted – Fox News
Biden campaign clarifies claim Trump ‘first’ racist president, after past slave owners noted – Fox News
Video

How long can Joe Biden go without taking questions from the press?

2020 Democrat hopeful Joe Biden once again avoids answering questions as he unveils more details of his economic plan; media reporter for The Hill Joe Concha reacts.

Joe Biden’s campaign has clarified a statement from the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee that President Trump is the “first” racist president.

“We’ve had racists, and they’ve existed, and they’ve tried to get elected president. But he’s the first one that has,” Biden said during a virtual town hall event on Wednesday.

BIDEN SAYS ‘PEOPLE’ DON’T MAKE DISTINCTION BETWEEN CHINESE, OTHER ASIANS WHILE KNOCKING TRUMP’S CHINA ATTACKS

Biden campaign senior adviser Symone Sanders later issued a statement clarifying Biden’s comments.

“There have been a number of racist American presidents, but Trump stands out — especially in modern history — because he made running on racism and division his calling card and won,” she said. “He deliberately foments both, intentionally causing indescribable pain because he thinks it advantages him politically. The George Wallaces of our country’s history who have run on these hate-filled themes have lost.”

Setting aside Biden’s assessment of Trump, his remark drew instant criticism, given the known histories of past presidents, a number of whom were slave owners. That history, in recent weeks, has driven controversial efforts to take down and deface statues and monuments dedicated to them.

OBAMA, IN DISCUSSION WITH BIDEN, SAYS HE ‘COULDN’T BE PROUDER’ OF OBAMACARE

In addition to the known record of presidential slave ownership, including by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, early in the country’s history, other presidents from the last century also have come under fire. Princeton University decided just last month to remove President Woodrow Wilson’s name from its public policy school and a residential college, citing Wilson’s “racist views and policies” as the main factor in the decision.

Wilson, who served in the early 20th century, supported segregation and imposed it on several federal agencies. During his presidency, the notoriously racist film “The Birth of a Nation,” which glorified the Ku Klux Klan, was screened at the White House.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

Former President Andrew Jackson refused to enforce a Supreme Court decision protecting Cherokee rights in Georgia, and the U.S. later forced Cherokees and other tribes to resettle further west in a migration known as the Trail of Tears, which resulted in thousands of deaths.

The Trump campaign also hit back at Biden on Wednesday, calling the attack “outrageous” and noting the Democrat’s own past controversies including warning in the 1970s about kids growing up in a “racial jungle” without an “orderly integration.”

“President Trump loves all people, works hard to empower all Americans, and is supported by more Black voters than any Republican presidential candidate in modern history,” campaign senior adviser Katrina Pierson said in a statement. “No one should take lectures on racial justice from Joe Biden.”

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-campaign-clarifies-claim-trump-first-racist-president-after-past-slave-owners-noted

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California Has Passed New York in Coronavirus Cases – The New York Times
California Has Passed New York in Coronavirus Cases – The New York Times

And he applauded “the president and others” for wearing a mask — what the governor has repeatedly described as the most effective “non-pharmaceutical” intervention to help prevent the spread of the virus.

[Look back at early hypotheses about why the virus affected California and New York so differently.]

While California has overtaken New York in reported cases, it’s tough to know which state has actually had more total infections. Both had significant outbreaks very early on, when testing was severely limited, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that huge numbers of infections went undetected, dwarfing the number of known cases.

For example, in a recent study of antibody prevalence, the C.D.C. found evidence that as many as 2.8 million people in the New York City area had been infected by May 6 — 10 times the number of cases reported by then. The figure for San Francisco in late April was nine times.

New York remains by far the hardest-hit state by another measure: It has recorded 32,218 deaths related to Covid-19, according to a Times database — more than the next three states (New Jersey, Massachusetts and California) combined.

As of Wednesday, California had recorded 7,893 deaths.

Still, Mr. Newsom cautioned against becoming inured to the deaths of about 90 people per day, on average over the past week.

“We should be very sober about the loss,” he said.

[See The Times’s interactive look at the expansion of testing. It’s not what’s driving rising case counts.]

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/23/us/california-coronavirus-new-york-cases.html

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Biden and Obama team up to take aim at Trump’s coronavirus response – CBS News
Biden and Obama team up to take aim at Trump’s coronavirus response – CBS News

Watch CBSN Live

Source Article from https://www.cbsnews.com/video/biden-and-obama-team-up-to-take-aim-at-trumps-coronavirus-response/

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Judge rules to unseal documents in 2015 case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged accomplice – CNN
Judge rules to unseal documents in 2015 case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged accomplice – CNN

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Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/23/us/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein/index.html

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Portland mayor tear gassed after speaking with protesters on presence of federal agents – CNN
Portland mayor tear gassed after speaking with protesters on presence of federal agents – CNN

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Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/23/us/portland-protests-mayor/index.html

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Biden says ‘people’ don’t make distinction between Chinese, other Asians while knocking Trump’s China attacks – Fox News
Biden says ‘people’ don’t make distinction between Chinese, other Asians while knocking Trump’s China attacks – Fox News
Video

Geraldo Rivera slams Joe Biden’s claim that Trump is first ‘racist’ president

Fox News correspondent at large Geraldo Rivera says Joe Biden’s charge is ‘unhinged from reality.’

Former Vice President Joe Biden blasted President Trump for repeatedly blaming China for the coronavirus outbreak and suggested that ‘people’ don’t distinguish Chinese from other Asians.

During a virtual campaign event on Wednesday speaking with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Biden praised the U.S. as a “nation of immigrants.”

“Don’t let anybody convince you you’re not American in every single way,” Biden told home care provider Suk Kim, who migrated from South Korea 40 years ago. “It’s an idea. We’re an idea. It’s not based on an ethnicity or race. I’m sorry I get so worked up about it, but it makes me so angry when I find people based on the color of their skin or their national origin are somehow viewed in a different way.”

The Democratic candidate then pivoted to Trump’s attacks on China, something critics have alleged is xenophobic, particularly when he refers to COVID-19 as the “China virus.”

PELOSI CALLS CORONAVIRUS THE ‘TRUMP VIRUS’ FOLLOWING REVIVED WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE BRIEFING

“Look what he’s doing now. He’s blaming everything on China. He’s blaming everything on the Chinese… and people don’t make a distinction, as you well know, from a South Korean and someone from Beijing,” Biden continued. “They make no distinction, it’s Asian. And he’s using it as a wedge.”

Biden also accused Trump of being the “first” racist to be elected president.

“No sitting president has ever done this. Never, never, never. No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. We’ve had racists and they’ve existed and they’ve tried to get elected president. He’s the first one that has,” Biden said.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP

Critics pushed back against Biden’s claim, citing 12 presidents who were slaveowners as well as Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delanor Roosevelt as examples.

President Trump responded to Biden’s remark at Wednesday’s coronavirus task force briefing, claiming he’s done more for Black people than any president, with the “possible” exception of Abraham Lincoln.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-rips-trump-for-blaming-pandemic-on-china-people-dont-make-a-distinction-from-a-south-korean-and-someone-from-beijing

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New Stimulus Package Expected Today—$1,200 Second Stimulus Checks, Unemployment Benefits May Be Included – Forbes
New Stimulus Package Expected Today—$1,200 Second Stimulus Checks, Unemployment Benefits May Be Included – Forbes

Senate Republicans are expected to introduce their long-awaited, proposed stimulus package Thursday—and here’s what’s likely inside.

Here’s what you need to know.

Second stimulus checks

How much is the second stimulus check? According to the Associated Press, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) wants second stimulus checks of $1,200 included in this proposed stimulus package. However, McConnell and White House negotiators, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, have not confirmed the amount of the second stimulus checks or the criteria to receive a second stimulus check.

The first stimulus check under the Cares Act was up to $1,200 for each individual, $2,400 for married/joint filers and up to $500 for dependents. If you earned less than $75,000 (individuals) or $150,000 (married/joint filers), you could receive $1,200 for the first stimulus check. The first stimulus check phased out above those income limits until $99,000 of adjusted gross income for individuals and $198,000 for married/joint filers. Since the Cares Act, there have been countless proposals about second stimulus checks, including keeping the same $1,200 one-time stimulus check to $2,000 a month second stimulus checks. Previously, McConnell suggested that second stimulus checks may only be available to Americans who earn up to $40,000 a year. However, that $40,000 threshold likely won’t be the in the proposed stimulus.

Unemployment benefits / return-to-work-bonus

The Associated Press reports that Senate Republicans are leaning toward a proposal of $200 per week for unemployment benefits, rather than the $600 a week that Congress authorized under the Cares Act. Why? Many Republicans have believed that the $600 a week unemployment benefit creates a disincentive for recipients to return to work. They also argued that some recipients can earn more than unemployment benefits than from employment. So, Republicans settled on extending unemployment benefits without creating a disincentive to return to work. Unemployment benefits would be extended through December 31, 2020 in this stimulus proposal. Without congressional intervention, unemployment benefits expire this weekend. Congress may use a stop-gap measure while they finalize terms for unemployment benefits after July. Will there also be a return-to-work bonus? Senate Republicans and the White House had rallied around Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), who proposed a $450 a week cash return-to-work bonus.

Payroll tax cut

President Donald Trump said he would consider vetoing the stimulus package if it does not include a payroll tax cut, which he believes is a pro-growth strategy to stimulate the economy. A payroll tax cut would reduce or eliminate Medicare and Social Security tax. Both employees and employers can benefit, since employers contribute as well. The payroll tax cut may be structured as a payroll tax deferral (rather than an upfront tax cut). A payroll tax deferral could mean the payroll tax could be owed at a later date, which would provide upfront savings. It’s unclear if legislators eventually would forgive the payroll tax before it’s due, or if Americans would be required to pay it in the future. Senate Republicans appear to be leaning toward direct payments to Americans rather than a payroll tax cut. However, Republicans could propose other financial incentives or tax breaks to businesses in lieu of a payroll tax cut.

State and local aid

Republicans plan to propose $105 billion to open schools and $15 billion for child care centers, according to the Associated Press. This includes $70 billion for K-12 schools to reopen, $30 billion for colleges and universities and $5 billion for governors to spend at their discretion. The funding will be available to schools that open for both in-person and remote instruction. In contrast, Democrats are targeting approximately $1 trillion for state and local aid, and $430 billion to open schools. Both parties in Congress understand that state and local governments have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Senate Republicans are not proposing any new state or local aid. Why? They believe that authorization in prior stimuli is sufficient. Without federal support, however, many Democrats argue that some states and localities will face dire financial circumstances, budget cuts and potential bankruptcy.

Liability protections for businesses

McConnell made liability protection his top issue for the new stimulus. Businesses, hospitals and schools would receive five-years of liability protection, retroactive to 2019. Liability protection is expected to be included in the Republican stimulus proposal.

Student loan forgiveness

Don’t expect student loan forgiveness in the new stimulus. House Democrats passed a weakened student loan forgiveness plan in the Heroes Act that would provide $10,000 of student loan forgiveness only for borrowers who are “struggling financially.” While the Heroes Act provides for an extension of these benefits, Senate Republicans (or Senate Democrats) have not made student loans a top issue of the next stimulus.

Payroll Protection Program

The new stimulus legislation is expected to extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which is scheduled to expire on August 8. Republicans propose to use the unspent $134 billion that was previously authorized to make PPP loans.

Coronavirus testing

Senate Republicans plan to propose $25 billion for Coronavirus testing and contract tracing. According to the Associated Press, the $25 billion is equal to the $9 billion already authorized in a prior stimulus plus $16 billion of new spending.

Final Thoughts

McConnell says he will introduce the stimulus package in multiple bills, rather than a single legislative proposal. The total amount could increase as Democrats demand higher funding for their legislative priorities, such as extending unemployment benefits and increasing aid to states and localities, among others. What is the timeline for the new stimulus? Congress has until August 7 to reach a deal on the new stimulus when members leave for summer recess until September. House Democrats proposed $3 trillion for the Heroes Act (their proposed stimulus bill which hasn’t passed the Senate) and is more than double McConnell’s proposed legislation. Senate Republicans hold 53 seats in the U.S. Senate, and will need Democrats to secure a bipartisan stimulus package. If Congress does not finalize legislation in July or August, then the new stimulus could be delayed until after Labor Day. However, if Congress finalizes the new stimulus before August 7, it’s possible that second stimulus checks could be sent as early as late August.

Related Resources

Second stimulus checks may be less than $1,200

Second stimulus checks: your questions answered

Don’t expect a second stimulus check

15 secrets to refinance student loans

5 student loan changes for 2020

What Trump and Biden think about your student loans

Trump wants at least $2 trillion for next stimulus

Don’t expect student loan forgiveness in next stimulus bill

Navient settles lawsuit — what it means for your student loans

Student loan refinancing rates are incredibly cheap

Source Article from https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2020/07/22/second-stimulus-checks-new-stimulus/

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Fact check: Trump falsely suggests kids don’t transmit coronavirus and that US case surge is due in part to protests and Mexican migration – CNN
Fact check: Trump falsely suggests kids don’t transmit coronavirus and that US case surge is due in part to protests and Mexican migration – CNN

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what’s happening in the world as it unfolds.

Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/politics/fact-check-trump-coronavirus-briefing-july-22/index.html

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Chinese consulate in Houston ordered to close by US – BBC News
Chinese consulate in Houston ordered to close by US – BBC News
Media captionMen are filmed using a hose and closing rubbish bins at China’s consulate in Houston

The US has ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, by Friday – a move described as “political provocation” by Beijing.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the decision was taken because China was “stealing” intellectual property.

China’s foreign ministry condemned the move on Twitter, saying its embassy in Washington had received death threats.

Earlier, unidentified individuals were filmed burning paper in bins in the Houston building’s courtyard.

Tensions have been rising between the US and China for some time. President Donald Trump’s administration has clashed repeatedly with Beijing over trade and the coronavirus pandemic, as well as China’s imposition of a controversial new security law on Hong Kong.

Then on Tuesday, the US Department of Justice accused China of sponsoring hackers who had been targeting labs developing Covid-19 vaccines. Two Chinese nationals, who allegedly spied on US research companies and got help from state agents for other thefts, have been charged.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Trump said it was “always possible” he would order the closure of more Chinese consulates.

Why did the US say it was closing the consulate?

Mr Pompeo said the Chinese Communist Party was stealing “not just American intellectual property… but European intellectual property too… costing hundreds of thousands of jobs”.

“We are setting out clear expectations for how the Chinese Communist Party is going to behave,” he continued. “And when they don’t, we’re going to take actions that protect the American people, protect our security, our national security, and also protect our economy and jobs.”

The consulate is one of five in the US, not counting the embassy in Washington DC. It is unclear why this one was singled out.

In a separate statement, the State Department accused China of engaging “in massive illegal spying and influence operations”, interfering in “domestic politics” as well as having “coerced our business leaders, threatened families of Chinese Americans residing in China, and more”.

How did China react to the order?

In a series of tweets, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying described the reasons given by the US for closing the consulate as “unbelievably ridiculous”.

She urged the US to reverse its “erroneous decision”, or China would “react with firm countermeasures”.

Media captionLiu Xiaoming: China is not the enemy of the US

“While Chinese diplomats are promoting mutual understanding and friendship, the US embassy in China publicly attacks China’s political system,” she said.

“As a result of smears and hatred fanned up by the US government, the Chinese embassy has received bomb and death threats.”

Chinese state media outlet the Global Times began running a poll on which US consulate to close in response. Beijing officials said the US has far more staff at its missions in China than vice versa.

The foreign ministry has posted a warning to Chinese students in the US, asking them to “be on guard” as “US law enforcement agencies have stepped up arbitrary interrogations, harassment, confiscation of personal belongings and detention targeting Chinese international students in the US”.

In danger of a spiralling battle

This is clearly a significant development in the diplomatic sparring between Washington and Beijing.

The closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston comes soon after news emerged of the unsealing of a US indictment against two men accused of spying on US vaccine development on behalf of China’s security services. It is not clear if the two episodes are linked. But it is clear that the Trump administration is determined to step up its very public calling out of Beijing.

In the midst of a presidential re-election campaign and with the US economy and society battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Trump has determined that there is political advantage in playing the China card.

It is hard to see how Beijing can avoid some equivalent response. The danger now is of a spiralling tit-for-tat battle, driven in part by US domestic considerations, which can only make the complex and developing tensions between the US and China even worse.

What is happening at China’s consulates?

The first signs something unusual may be happening at the Houston consulate emerged on Tuesday, when people overlooking the building’s courtyard noticed several bins on fire.

Footage shows people throwing what appears to be paper into the bins. It is not known who they were. People were later filmed appearing to pour water on the bins.

Emergency services were called to the building on Tuesday evening. However, the Houston police force said on Twitter officers “were not granted access to enter the building”, but did see smoke.

Mr Wang did not directly address the fires in the consulate’s courtyard, simply saying it was operating as normal.

Meanwhile, China’s consulate in San Francisco has also come under scrutiny after the FBI alleged that a Chinese researcher accused of visa fraud for hiding her affiliation with the military had taken refuge there.

According to court documents filed this week, Juan Tang claimed she had not served in the Chinese military when trying to obtain a US visa, but an open source investigation uncovered photos of the University of California researcher wearing military uniform and a search of her home found further evidence of her affiliation with the People’s Liberation Army.

“The FBI assesses that at some point following the search and interview of Tang on June 29, 2020, Tang went to the Chinese consulate in San Francisco, where the FBI assesses she has remained,” reads the court filing, first reported on by the Axios news site.

China has not commented on the claims.

What is stoking tensions between China and US?

There are a number of flashpoints between Beijing and Washington currently. Some of the most serious are:

  • Coronavirus: President Trump has repeatedly referred to Covid-19, the first cases of which were reported in Wuhan in late 2019, as the “China virus”. He has also alleged it originated from a Chinese laboratory, despite his own intelligence officers saying it “was not manmade or genetically modified”. In response, Chinese officials have suggested that Covid-19 might have originated in the US, without evidence.
  • Trade: Mr Trump has long accused China of unfair trading practices and intellectual property theft, but in Beijing there is a perception that the US is trying to curb its rise as a global economic power. The US and China have engaged in a tit-for-tat tariff war since 2018 as a result of the dispute.
  • Hong Kong: China’s imposition of a sweeping new national security law in Hong Kong in June led the US to revoke the region’s preferential economic treatment. Mr Trump has also signed a law to impose sanctions on officials who cracked down on rights. Beijing has accused the US of “gross interference” in its domestic affairs, promising it would retaliate.

Source Article from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53497193

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ACLU sues federal agencies, Portland police for attacking volunteer medics at protests | TheHill – The Hill
ACLU sues federal agencies, Portland police for attacking volunteer medics at protests | TheHill – The Hill

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Wednesday filed a lawsuit on behalf of volunteer medics alleging that local and federal law enforcement officials have targeted and attacked them at protests in Portland, Ore.

“In well-documented incidents, police and federal agents brutally attacked volunteer medics with rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray, batons, and flash-bangs,” the ACLU said in a release announcing the lawsuit. 

The lawsuit argues that law enforcement attacks on the volunteer medics violates the First and 14th Amendments, and the ACLU is seeking a court order prohibiting law enforcement from targeting and attacking medics again. 

Savannah Guest, a volunteer medic and plaintiff in the case, was seen in a video “being attacked by federal agents as Guest provided aid to an incapacitated bystander,” according to the ACLU. Guest called the interaction “terrifying.” 

“Every human being deserves help, but the federal agents showed no humanity or concern,” Guest said in the ACLU release. 

Spokespeople for the Portland Police Department, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Marshals Service were not immediately available for comment. 

This is the second lawsuit the ACLU of Oregon has filed against the city of Portland and the Trump administration over the officials’ response to the protests. The ACLU filed a lawsuit last week after DHS and the U.S. Marshals services deployed agents to quell demonstrations in Portland.

Democrats, including Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, have condemned the use of federal agents in the city. Wheeler has argued the federal officials are leading to more violence in the city. 

Source Article from https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/508601-aclu-sues-federal-agencies-portland-police-for-attacking-volunteer

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Sheriff Judd on murders of 3 Florida fishing buddies: ‘It was horrible. And there was absolutely no reason.’ – Fox News
Sheriff Judd on murders of 3 Florida fishing buddies: ‘It was horrible. And there was absolutely no reason.’ – Fox News
Video

Two men, one woman arrested in connection to Florida fishing murders

Top suspect has 230 felony charges; Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd speaks out.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Wednesday he simply could not explain why a suspected ringleader arrested in connection with the brutal murders of three Florida friends during a fishing trip had been on the streets, rather than behind bars.

In an interview on “The Daily Briefing,” Judd explained that 26-year-old Tony “TJ” Wiggins had 230 felony charges already under his belt.

“And, he’s out on bond for jumping on a guy and breaking his arm with a crowbar,” he said. “This guy is evil in the flesh. And, he murdered, he massacred three guys simply going fishing on Friday night near Frostproof, Florida.”

THREE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH TRIPLE MURDER OF FLORIDA FISHING BUDDIES

Wiggins, his 21-year-old brother William “Robert” Wiggins, and Robert’s 27-year-old girlfriend, Mary Whittemore, were all charged in last week’s Frostproof killings. Damion Tillman, 23, Keven Springfield, 30, and 27-year-old Brandon Rollins all died.

Wiggins’ criminal history dated back to when he was 12 years old. He had 15 convictions and has two stints in state prison on his record.

His brother has been charged with tampering with evidence and accessory. Whittemore has been charged with accessory after the fact of capital felony.

“Why, sheriff, is this guy on the streets?” host Trace Gallagher asked.

“I have no explanation for that,” Judd replied. “He has — you look at Florida statute… he’s done it all. He recently broke someone’s arm.”

Tony “TJ” Wiggins, 26, (left) was the alleged ringleader behind the “massacre.” His girlfriend, Mary Whittemore, 27, (center) and his brother Robert Wiggins, 21, (right) have also been arrested. (Polk County Sheriff)

“At the end of the day, he had a happenstance meeting with a young man, Damion that was going fishing. And, Damion mentioned: ‘I’m going fishing with Kevin.’ So, he told his brother Robert, ‘follow him to the lake.’ When he got there, he took his gun out and murdered all three of the people,” the sheriff added.

Judd said the killings seemed to stem from an argument over the elder Wiggins’ truck.

Investigators said Tillman apparently arrived at the lake first to meet his friends. When Rollins and Springfield arrived, they saw their friend being beaten. The attackers then turned on them and began shooting.

Rollins was still alive when the attackers left and called his father for help.

His father rushed to the fishing spot about 10 minutes away but forgot his cellphone in the hurry to help his son. He drove to a nearby convenience store, and the clerk helped him call the cops but, by the time they arrived, Rollins had died.

The other two men died shortly afterward.

Video

Following the brutal assassinations, the three suspects drove to McDonald’s, where they ordered 10 double cheeseburgers and two McChicken sandwiches, investigators said. In addition, the next morning, Robert Wiggins took his truck to a car wash in Lake Wales to wash the clay from it.

There was an intense manhunt for the killers and a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case had already ballooned to $30,000.

TJ Wiggins had been arrested in March for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was released on bond. However, because he allegedly killed Tillman, Springfield, and Rollins while he was out on bond, he violated his pretrial release conditions and is therefore not allowed to bond out on the new charges.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP 

“It was violent. It was horrible. And there was absolutely no reason,” Judd said.

“This was a happenstance meeting. He just heard that Kevin was going to fish with Damion, and this — and he snapped. He showed up. He had Robert, his brother, drive him there. And, Robert and his girlfriend Mary tried to hide evidence. But, our detectives — who are simply the very best — solved this case with the work and help of the community,” he concluded.

Fox News’ Barnini Chakraborty contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/media/grady-judd-florida-triple-murder-ringleader-fishing-buddies-suspect

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California to obtain more masks, gear as it becomes state with most COVID-19 cases – Los Angeles Times
California to obtain more masks, gear as it becomes state with most COVID-19 cases – Los Angeles Times

On a day when California became the state with the most coronavirus infections in the U.S., Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that officials are redoubling efforts to secure protective gear and are preparing to expand the number of available hospital beds to handle a surge in patients.

With more than 409,000 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the state, California on Wednesday exceeded the number reported in New York by about 700 cases, according to data provided by Johns Hopkins University.

After leading the nation in the number of coronavirus cases, New York has since experienced a decline in infections, deaths and hospitalizations as numbers have climbed in California.

“We are a state the size of 21 states combined, so its not surprising now that as we have begun reopening key sectors of our economy and people continue to mix … that our numbers would start to go up, in total the highest in the nation,” Newsom said, calling it “a sober reminder of why we are taking things as seriously as we are.”

On Wednesday, Newsom said that 12,807 people tested positive the day before, “the highest reported number in our state,” and that 115 Californians infected with the virus died in the last 24 hours.

“It’s just another proof point of how deadly this disease continues to be,” Newsom said.

At a news conference held in a Sacramento warehouse housing personal protective equipment, Newsom said he is extending a contract with Chinese firm BYD to buy 300 million more surgical masks and 120 million additional N95 face masks to protect medical workers and others, while he also seeks bids from companies that can provide protective gear in future months. The so-called bridge contract is worth $315 million.

The governor said the step is necessary because California is sending out 46 million masks per month and has an inventory of 111 million N95 masks.

“We were able to bend the curve many months ago in the state of California,” Newsom said. “That bought us time to purchase and procure the kind of equipment you see behind me and put together our plans.”

As one sign of the surge, Newsom announced Wednesday that Butte County has become the 35th county on a state watchlist of jurisdictions with high infection and hospitalization rates. Those counties on the list for three days must close many businesses where people gather, including restaurant dining rooms and movie theaters.

Newsom’s comments come on the heels of a new, urgent warning from the statewide organization representing hospital administrators that only about 5,000 hospital beds are available statewide, with shortages likely in some of the hardest-hit regions.

“They’re looking at nontraditional places in hospitals” to set up additional beds, said Carmela Coyle, president and chief executive of the California Hospital Assn.

California

California shatters another record for new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations


California

California shatters another record for new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that 12,807 new coronavirus infections had been reported statewide in the past 24 hours — a record high.

More Coverage

While the state has established additional locations to handle a surge of an additional 20,000 coronavirus patients, Coyle said Wednesday that current transmission rates also pose risks for staffing nurses with critical care training.

The hospitals association is asking the Newsom administration to seek additional federal help in providing staff and to rethink existing nurse-patient ratios as conditions worsen.

“We are looking at a far, faster race of increase than previously,” Coyle said.

Newsom said the state has a strategy “to address the prospect of a surge in hospital utilization, the need to develop alternative care sites outside of our hospital system to help isolate and quarantine individuals.”

The governor acknowledged that he continues to hear complaints from medical workers who are not getting enough medical masks and other protective equipment despite increased deliveries by the state.

He said one advocate for nurses told him recently that many are getting only two or three masks a week, although medical standards require more.

“That’s unacceptable,” Newsom said. “We still hear those stories and we have got to address that issue.”

With federal subsidies of unemployment benefits expiring this month, Newsom also said he hopes more federal help comes for residents who have lost work, noting there is “a growing recognition in Washington, D.C., that we are walking toward the edge of a cliff.” He said he may use executive powers to extend protections against evictions and to extend sick leave to Californians.

Newsom issued a stay-at-home order on March 19 that forced many businesses to close and initially kept a lid on the number of new infections caused by community spread.

When it appeared the curve of infections had flattened, the governor, faced with political pressure to reopen the economy, began rolling back the restrictions in early May, allowing Californians inside more stores and to eat inside restaurants.

But coronavirus cases began to spike, and on July 1 the governor ordered a return to restrictions on indoor activities for most of the state, including a ban on visits to indoor restaurants, bars, wineries, entertainment centers, movie theaters, zoos and card rooms.

The tougher rules apply to counties facing a surge in cases and hospitalizations, including Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino.

In addition, Newsom announced last week that schools will remain closed for in-classroom instruction in 32 counties where the spread of coronavirus remains a significant public health risk, forcing districts to prepare for online learning for their students.

Times staff writer John Myers contributed to the report.

Source Article from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-22/coronavirus-cases-rise-newsom-ppe-masks-gear

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Biden: Trump is the first racist elected president – POLITICO
Biden: Trump is the first racist elected president – POLITICO

Several of the country’s early presidents owned slaves while in office, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Zachary Taylor. Woodrow Wilson was an adamant supporter of segregation in the federal government, and his racist legacy has led to calls for the removal of his name from Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs. The school was renamed following a decision late last month.

Symone Sanders, a Biden campaign senior adviser, tried to clarify the candidate’s remarks in a statement later Wednesday.

“There have been a number of racist American presidents, but Trump stands out — especially in modern history — because he made running on racism and division his calling card and won,” Sanders said. “He deliberately foments both, intentionally causing indescribable pain because he thinks it advantages him politically.”

“The George Wallaces of our country’s history who have run on these hate-filled themes have lost,” she continued, referring to the segregationist former governor of Alabama who ran unsuccessfully for president.

The Washington Post first reported Biden’s Wednesday comment.

Biden has repeatedly cast Trump as a uniquely divisive president who frequently employs racist tropes in his rhetoric. Trump has come under fire for referring to nations with majority-Black populations as “shit-hole countries” and barring travel from several Muslim-majority countries early in his presidency. He has also routinely used racist nicknames for his Democratic opponents, including calling Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts “Pocahontas.”

The White House has denied that Trump’s characterization of the virus is racist. During a news briefing later on Wednesday, Trump responded to Biden’s comment by claiming no other president had done more for Black, Latino and Asian employment than he has, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic. He went so far as to say he had “done more for Black Americans than anybody, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln.”

“Nobody has even been close,” Trump said.

Source Article from https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/22/biden-trump-first-racist-president-378834

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Ex-DHS secretary skewers Trump’s ‘reality TV approach’ of sending federal agents to cities – CNN
Ex-DHS secretary skewers Trump’s ‘reality TV approach’ of sending federal agents to cities – CNN

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what’s happening in the world as it unfolds.

Source Article from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/politics/tom-ridge-trump-protests-cnntv/index.html

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Painting Bleak Portrait of Urban Crime, Trump Sends More Agents to Chicago and Other Cities – The New York Times
Painting Bleak Portrait of Urban Crime, Trump Sends More Agents to Chicago and Other Cities – The New York Times

“The deployment of unnamed special secret agents onto our streets to detain people without cause and to effectively take away their civil rights and civil liberties without due process — that is not going to happen in Chicago,” she said.

Most cities have experienced a drop in crime during the coronavirus pandemic — people staying at home meant fewer opportunities for assaults, rapes, domestic burglaries and other violence, according to criminologists. At the same time, homicides and shootings were up in numerous cities and began to rise during the summer, traditionally the peak crime season because people are outdoors for longer and boil over more readily in the heat.

The sharp rise in shootings in major cities like Chicago and New York have captured most of the attention, but the pattern has been repeated in many cities across the United States, including those run by Republican mayors — a point that Trump administration officials usually do not mention. Jacksonville, Fla., the site of the Republican National Convention next month, is experiencing one of its most lethal years in decades, with more than 100 homicides as of last Monday, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department. Fort Worth, Texas, has had 51 murders this year compared with 36 at this time last year, its Police Department said.

While some of the largest American cities are on track to hit higher numbers this year than they have in decades, criminologists also say that murder rates and other violent crimes are significantly lower now than they were in the early 1990s.

Raven Smith, a 21-year-old Chicago native who started a clothing line, Straight From the Go, to promote a positive image of her hometown, said she welcomed anything that might help her city battle its violence. But she said that if Mr. Trump really wanted to make an impact, he would be better off coming to town and speaking with community leaders.

“Maybe coming to Chicago and talking to Chicago leaders about things we can do to change the narrative, not just like, ‘Oh, we’re going to send the troops there,’” she said. “I think we need to fix the actual root of the problem.”

Neil MacFarquhar and John Eligon contributed reporting.

Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/us/politics/trump-federal-agents-cities.html

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