Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was booked into the Travis County Jail on a charge of driving while intoxicated just after midnight Tuesday, the Austin American Statesman reports.
Sanders and Biden Cancel Rallies Over Coronavirus
Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders both canceled rallies planned for tonight due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
Billionaire Secretly Recorded Bribing State Officials
A secret recording caught a billionaire bribing North Carolina officials with millions of dollars in political money — funneled through a dark money group — in return for the removal of a regulator who was responsible for overseeing his companies, the Charlotte Observer reports.
The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress
Just published: The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress by Jennifer Steinhauer.
“In November 2018, the greatest number of women in American history entered Congress. From Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and ‘the Squad’ to ‘the Badasses’ with national security backgrounds, from the first two Native Americans in Congress to the first two Muslim women, all were swept into office on a wave of grassroots support, diverse in background, age, professional experience, and ideology.”
- Hardcover Book
- Steinhauer, Jennifer (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 272 Pages - 03/10/2020 (Publication Date) - Algonquin Books (Publisher)
Gaetz Tested Negative for Coronavirus
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said he tested negative for the coronavirus after entering self-quarantine Monday due to contact with an individual at CPAC who was confirmed to have the illness.
Bonus Quote of the Day
“It will go away, just stay calm. Be calm. It’s really working out. And a lot of good things are going to happen.”
— President Trump, quoted by CNN, on the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump Wants Payroll Taxes Waived Through Election
“President Trump told Republican senators on Tuesday that he wants a payroll tax holiday through the November election so that taxes won’t go back up before voters decide whether to return him to office,” Bloomberg reports.
“Democrats have expressed reluctance about a tax cut to address the economic impact of coronavirus and several Republican senators also held back from endorsing the idea before Trump’s visit to the capitol.”
Quote of the Day
“We are the captains of the ship. We are the last to leave.”
— Speaker Nancy Pelosi, quoted by Politico, shutting down suggestions of allowing lawmakers to vote remotely.
White House Mulls Aid to Shale Companies
“The White House is strongly considering pushing federal assistance for oil and natural gas producers hit by plummeting oil prices amid the coronavirus outbreak, as industry officials close to the administration clamor for help,” the Washington Post reports.
“White House officials are alarmed at the prospect that numerous shale companies, many of them deep in debt, could be driven out of business if the downturn in oil prices turns into a prolonged crisis for the industry.”
Dutch PM Shakes Hands After Warning Against It
“The Dutch prime minister undermined his own public health advice in record time this week by shaking hands with a medical expert immediately after warning people against doing so,” The Independent reports.
“Mark Rutte, the Netherlands’ PM, had just gone on live TV to tell his country’s 17 million residents to stop shaking hands in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus when he made the mistake.”
New York Sets Up ‘Containment Zone’ In New Rochelle
“New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Tuesday announced schools and places of worship within a one-mile zone of the city of New Rochelle will close their doors for 14 days, and National Guard troops will help deliver food and disinfect common areas inside the zone,” the Washington Post reports.
Acting Spy Chief Declines to Meet with Congress
“Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell has declined to appear before Congress on Tuesday to speak about foreign election threats, citing apprehension about his preparedness to address sensitive subjects that tend to upset the president,” the Washington Post reports.
“The top intelligence community official asked President Trump to be excused from the briefings because he anticipated pointed questions from Democrats about politically volatile subjects — such as intelligence assessments that Russia is once more interfering in American politics, two of the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe private discussions.”
Court Rules Mueller Evidence Must Be Given to Congress
A federal appeals court ruled the Justice Department must release to congressional Democrats secret grand jury evidence lawmakers are seeking in ongoing investigations into President Trump, the Washington Post reports.
“The divided ruling, which can be appealed, is a victory for Democratic lawmakers in one of a set of separation-of-powers lawsuits filed before the House vote to impeach President Trump and his acquittal in the Senate in February.”
Kansas City Mayor Turned Away at Polls
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) tweeted that he was turned away from the polling station because he wasn’t on the voter rolls.
Said Lucas: “Even though I’ve voted there for 11 years including for myself four times!”
He added: “If the mayor can get turned away, think about everyone else… We gotta do better!”
Trump’s Friends Convince Him He’s Not at Risk
Washington Post: “Some friends have told Trump that the coronavirus does not seem like a major threat, noting that they don’t know anyone in their communities who has been infected. Some also have sought to flatter Trump by saying that unlike the two septuagenarians running for the Democratic nomination — Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders — Trump, 73, is so healthy that he is not personally at particular risk, according to a senior administration official.”
Jonathan Chait: “Right, the president who doesn’t exercise, has to be tricked into eating vegetables like a toddler, and had to use a golf cart rather than accompany fellow world leaders on a short walk is just so monumentally healthy he has nothing to worry about.”
Trump Faces Backlash on Plan to Stabilize Economy
“President Trump plans to travel to Capitol Hill on Tuesday and meet with Senate Republicans as he struggles to rally support for a large economic plan that he has said is needed to stabilize the economy in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic,” the Washington Post reports.
“Many Republicans are uneasy about Trump’s proposed payroll tax cut, and Democrats are focused on other ideas, such as ensuring paid sick leave.”
Biden Gets Into Heated Debate Over Guns
In a heated argument caught on video, Joe Biden rejected a worker’s claim that Biden was “actively trying to end his second amendment right.”
Biden told the worker “you’re full of shit.”