White House documents show that senior Trump administration officials in June privately warned seven states about dangerous coronavirus outbreaks that put them in the highest risk “red zone” while publicly dismissing concerns about a second wave of Covid-19, Politico reports.
Appeals Court Won’t Enforce McGahn Subpoena
“A federal appeals court on Monday dismissed a House lawsuit seeking to force President Trump’s former White House counsel Donald McGahn to comply with a Congressional subpoena, saying Congress has not passed a law expressly authorizing it to sue to enforce its subpoenas,” the Washington Post reports.
“The divided 2-1 ruling dealt a blow to Congressional oversight powers and came three weeks after the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirmed that Congress had standing to sue — that is, it had shown that the Trump administration’s refusal to allow to McGahn to testify harmed the House’s long-standing right to compel government officials’ testimony.”
Postal Service Chairman on Board of McConnell Super PAC
In newly-filed paperwork, USPS Board of Governors Chairman Robert Duncan is listed as Director of the Senate Leadership Fund, a $130 million super PAC backing Sen. Mitch McConnell’s priorities.
Biden Will Accuse Trump of Fomenting Violence
Joe Biden’s speech in Pittsburgh today “will attempt to draw a contrast between himself and President Trump on the issue of law and order, arguing that there would be more violence in America if Trump is re-elected,” Axios reports.
From his prepared remarks: “This president long ago forfeited any moral leadership in this country. He can’t stop the violence — because for years he has fomented it… Does anyone believe there will be less violence in America if Donald Trump is re-elected?”
Ex-Friend of Melania Trump Talking to Prosecutors
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend and adviser to Melania Trump, told ABC News she is working with multiple prosecutors on investigations into potential financial crimes committed in connection with President Trump’s inauguration.
Said Wolkoff: “I’m working with three different prosecutors, and it’s taken over my life.”
Wolkoff is the author of Melania and Me, a tell-all book about her relationship with the First Lady.
The Presidential Playing Field Is Massive
Medium Buying, which tracks television ad reservations, says the playing field for the presidential race is “massive.”
Here’s where Joe Biden has future ad bookings: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Here’s where Donald Trump has future ad bookings: Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Chris Cillizza: “Viewed broadly, the size of the playing field — and the states included in it — suggest that Biden is a) playing more offense than defense and b) sees a massive Electoral College victory as a genuine possibility.”
Trump to Talk Civil Unrest With Barr, Wolf
President Trump will meet with Attorney General Bill Barr and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Monday ahead of his trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, Bloomberg reports.
“Federal law enforcement personnel were deployed in Portland, Oregon, last month to try to suppress protests there, but Democratic state and city officials say the agents only heightened violence in the city’s streets and demanded they leave.”
Biden Edges Trump In Georgia Poll
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Georgia finds Joe Biden edging Donald Trump in the presidential race, 47% to 46%.
Project Orange Crush
An anti-Trump Republican group led by a former aide to Gov. Jeb Bush will spend millions targeting independent and “soft” Republican voters in Florida, the Miami Herald reports.
The campaign is dubbed “Project Orange Crush.”
Appeals Court Keeps Michael Flynn Case Alive
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has decided in an 8 to 2 ruling to keep former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s criminal case alive.
How Saudi Prince MBS Played Trump
The Daily Beast runs an excerpt from Blood and Oil: Mohammed bin Salman’s Ruthless Quest for Global Power by Bradley Hope and Justin Scheck.
“Only months on the job, the upstart prince had figured out exactly what to do to get Mr. Trump’s attention: big deals, audacious praise, and treating the elected president of a republic like a visiting king.”
- Hardcover Book
- Hope, Bradley (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 368 Pages - 09/01/2020 (Publication Date) - Hachette Books (Publisher)
New Book to Focus on Presidents’ Love of Sports
Chris Cillizza has inked a book deal to write a book — aimed for Father’s Day 2022 or sooner — about how the sports presidents played, and watched, help us understand the men who have run our country, Axios reports.
Markey Outflanks Kennedy by Running as Bold Insurgent
New York Times: “It wasn’t supposed to be this way — at least not in the minds of Massachusetts Democrats, who have spent a lifetime watching a parade of Kennedys win elections against little opposition. When Mr. Kennedy first considered leaving his House seat last year to challenge Mr. Markey in a primary race, some in the party wondered if the 74-year-old incumbent would step aside for the 39-year-old political scion.”
“Instead, Mr. Markey, who was elected to the House before Mr. Kennedy was born, has harnessed the energy of the ascendant left and wielded his rival’s gilded legacy against him. And he has used his support from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whom he featured in an ad, and their joint authorship of the Green New Deal to establish himself as the clear front-runner.”
Biden Forced to Play on Trump’s Turf
“The chaotic scenes in Kenosha, Wis. and Portland, Ore., are redefining the contours of the presidential race — shifting the immediate debate over how to quell the clashes, who should own the unrest and which candidate is better suited to lead the nation through strife,” Politico reports.
“Donald Trump, who’s planning to visit Kenosha on Tuesday, is claiming the mantle of law and order even as he stokes conflict between protesters and his supporters. Trump is trying to take credit for restoring order by loudly calling for an influx of National Guard troops and painting Democrats as too fearful of alienating their base to denounce violence.”
“Joe Biden last week called for a halt to the violence, though it took him longer than many Democrats wanted. The Democratic nominee decided over the weekend that he would not travel to the pivotal battleground state on Monday ahead of Trump’s visit. Instead, the Biden campaign plans to ramp up messaging that Trump’s rhetoric has only inflamed hostilities on the streets, beginning with a speech in Pennsylvania Monday.”
Quote of the Day
“Do you seriously wonder, Mr. President, why this is the first time in decades that America has seen this level of violence? It’s you who have created the hate and division.”
— Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D), quoted by The Atlantic.
Democrats Have Registration Edge In Key Battlegrounds
NBC News finds that Democrats have a voter registration advantage in four battleground states: Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona and North Carolina.
It’s Crunch Time for Voting Litigation
CNN: “Several major courts cases over voting in multiple states have trials set in September or may have decisions soon, spotlighting legal disputes among state elections officials, Republicans, Democrats and voting access advocacy groups in the next few weeks.”
“With 10 weeks until Election Day and ballots in several states going out well before then, the clock for courts to decide is already ticking loudly. September brings major court hearings and possible decisions on voting access disputes in large states like Texas, Pennsylvania and Minnesota, with some voting rights groups involved in trials across the country on the same days or within a week.”
A Big Difference from 2016
First Read: “One of the major differences between 2016 and 2020 is that this year’s presidential contest features a smaller third-party vote than four years ago, and Gary Johnson/Jill Stein voters from 2016 are breaking more toward Joe Biden than they are Donald Trump. And given Trump’s narrow win four years ago, that movement – if it holds – is a big deal.”
“The combined national NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls from this year have interviewed 215 voters who said they backed either Johnson or Stein in 2016, and Biden holds a 2-to-1 advantage among them.”
“Forty-seven percent say they’re voting for Biden, 20% are supporting Trump, and 33% are unsure or say they’re backing another candidate.”