Donald Trump says likely presidential rival Joe Biden is "against God" as he upped his attacks on the Democratic nominee. Speaking to a crowd at Cleveland airport in Ohio, Trump told supporters Biden is " following the radical left agenda. Take away your guns, destroy your Second Amendment. No religion, no anything, hurt the Bible, hurt God." The president continued his criticism against Biden, saying "He's against God. He's against guns. He's against energy, our kind of energy". Biden has repeatedly pledged his support for second amendment rights and owns a shotgun. He is also a practising Catholic.
Continue reading...Category Archives: US elections 2020
New York attorney general files lawsuit to dissolve NRA – live
- Letitia James says her office uncovered ‘years of self-dealing’
- Another 1.18m Americans file for unemployment
- Deutsche Bank gave Trump records to New York prosecutors - report
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At her press conference, New York attorney general Letitia James said NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre is the “central figure” in the alleged fraud and abuse crimes committed by the gun rights group.
New York AG Letitia James says NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre is the "central figure" in the organization's suspected financial schemes, and she details instances of him allegedly using millions of dollars in NRA assets for personal and family expenses https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/kkJ3ZCihfY
New York attorney general Letitia James is seeking to dissolve the NRA after an investigation by her office uncovered “years of self-dealing and illegal conduct,” the Democratic official said.
#BREAKING: I filed a lawsuit to dissolve the National Rifle Association for years of self-dealing and illegal conduct.
The @NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse.
No organization is above the law.
Sexism casts shadow over Biden’s search for a female running mate
Leading VP contenders have had to endure the usual criticisms men often direct at women – which has undermined a historic selection process
The final weeks of Joe Biden’s search for a running mate have had all the usual trimmings: leaks from unnamed Democratic party officials, last-minute suggestions of outsider names and a trail of vague hints from the candidate himself.
But this year is different. Biden promised to select a female running mate, setting up a historic nomination process that many prominent Democratic women say is being overshadowed by the increasingly nasty – and unmistakably sexist – debate over who he should choose.
Continue reading...Coronavirus US: Biden tells Trump ‘step up and do your job’ over Covid-19 death toll – live
- Negotiations on bailout package stuck as parties dispute
- Biden: coronavirus is failing to ‘just disappear’
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Donald Trump refused to praise the late John Lewis, the Georgia congressman and original Freedom Rider, during his latest one-on-one interview, and also questioned the value of the pivotal Civil Rights Act of the 1960s, which Lewis fought and almost died for.
When asked how history would remember the civil rights leader, the president replied, “I don’t know. I really don’t know” and brought the point back around to himself.
Related: Trump refuses to praise late civil rights leader John Lewis
“Veep” the hit politics satire series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus found seven seasons of success on HBO.
Louis-Dreyfus does not like the new HBO material:
God, I wish this was just a dumb show like ours. https://t.co/n3edLDiqiq
Continue reading...‘They’re dying … it is what it is’: key takeaways from Trump’s shocking interview
President floundered in conversation with Axios, claiming Covid-19 was ‘under control’ and attacking mail-in voting
Donald Trump stumbled through his second damaging interview in as many weeks, floundering in a conversation with the news website Axios over key issues he is tasked with responding to as president.
It’s been just over two weeks since the president made a series of shocking statements in a one-on-one interview with Fox News, but he packed another host of extraordinary claims into a 37-minute interview released on Monday night by Axios.
Continue reading...Donald Trump flounders in interview over US Covid-19 death toll
President again says he is doing ‘incredible job’ fighting pandemic and casts doubt on Jeffrey Epstein’s cause of death
Donald Trump visibly floundered in an interview when pressed on a range of issues, including the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the US, his claims that mail-in voting is fraudulent, and his inaction over the “Russian bounty” scandal.
The US president also repeatedly cast doubt on the cause of death of Jeffrey Epstein, and said of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite who has pleaded not guilty to participating in the sex-trafficking of girls by Epstein, that he wished her well.
Continue reading...Trump and his company under investigation by New York district attorney, filing suggests – live
- Filing suggests Vance is investigating possible fraud
- Trump calls Birx’s dire warning on coronavirus in the US ‘pathetic’
- Join us for an online event with Eric Holder to discuss voter suppression in the 2020 election, Thursday at 5pm ET. Register now
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New York prosecutors argue they are justified in seeking Trump’s tax returns because of public reports of “extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.”
Expanding on our earlier post, lawyers from the Manhattan district attorney’s office argued that in court on Monday.
Manhattan District Attorney District Attorney Cyrus Vance is seeking eight years of the Republican president’s personal and corporate tax records, but has disclosed little about what prompted him to request the records, other than part of the investigation is related to payoffs made to women to keep them quiet about alleged affairs with Trump.
In their court filing Monday, though, attorneys for Vance said Trump’s arguments that the subpoena was too broad stemmed from “the false premise” that the probe was limited to so-called “hush-money” payments.
Trump just answered questions from reporters at the White House, expanding on his threat to ban Tik Tok, disagreeing with Fauci, and again promoting hydroxychloroquine, even as top administration officials acknowledge that there is no evidence the drug is an effective treatment for the virus.
Responding to a handful of questions on Monday afternoon, Trump said the social media platform Tik Tok must be sold to Microsoft or another company by 15 September or it will be shut down in US. He also said the Treasury should receive payment as a portion of any deal between the social media platform and a US company.
Continue reading...Media to be banned from Republican convention due to coronavirus restrictions
In a modern first, the press will not be present when the GOP votes to renominate Donald Trump for president
The media will be barred from the Republican national convention where Donald Trump is set to be renominated as presidential candidate later this month, a spokeswoman said on Saturday, citing coronavirus restrictions.
While Trump called off the public components of the convention in Florida last month, citing spiking cases of the virus across the country, 336 delegates are scheduled to gather in Charlotte, North Carolina, on 24 August to formally vote to make Trump the GOP standard-bearer once more.
Continue reading...Obama and Trump highlight two Americas as election draws nearer
Analysis: as the former president eulogized a civil rights hero, his beleaguered successor seemed intent on undermining faith in democracy
- Join us for a live digital event with the former US attorney general Eric Holder to discuss voter suppression in the 2020 election, Thursday at 5pm ET. Register now
They were six hours that defined two Americas as well as exposing the magnitude of the decision facing voters in November.
At 8.30am on Thursday, the US government announced that gross domestic product had suffered the biggest decline on record because of a coronavirus-induced shutdown. Minutes later, Donald Trump warned on Twitter that “2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history” – and suggested that it should be postponed.
Continue reading...Will Trump actually pull federal agents from Portland? – video explainer
Federal agents accused of behaving like an 'occupying army' are said to be pulling out of Portland, Oregon, in an embarrassing climbdown by the White House, but many protesters are sceptical over whether the agents will actually withdraw from the city.
The force, which have been dubbed by some as 'Donald Trump’s troops', were sent in by the president a month ago to end what he called 'anarchy' during Black Lives Matter protests sparked after the police killing of George Floyd.
The Guardian's Chris McGreal looks at what Trump was hoping to gain by sending paramilitaries into the city, if and how they will leave, and how their presence has fuelled anger among most residents
Continue reading...Joe Biden’s running mate – none will satisfy all sections of the party
Kamala Harris? Val Demings? Democrats speculate but no single candidate will be able to satisfy all the interest groups and sectors of the party
It doesn’t matter who Joe Biden picks as his running mate – somebody will be disappointed.
The former vice-president and de facto Democratic presidential nominee on Tuesday said he would make a selection in the first week of August.
Continue reading...Joe Biden’s climate bet – putting jobs first will bring historic change
The presumptive Democrat presidential nominee is picking a path through the perilous politics of the economy and the climate crisis
Faced with a disgruntled climate voter during the primary season who wanted him to be tougher on the oil and gas industry, Joe Biden shot him one of his infamous “why don’t you go vote for someone else” responses.
But that was six months ago.
Continue reading...Russia used English-language sites to spread Covid-19 disinformation, US officials say
Intelligence services reportedly targeting American and western audiences to exploit crisis ahead of US presidential election
US officials say Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November.
Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow’s military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort reaching American and western audiences, US government officials said on Tuesday. They spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Continue reading...US nears 150,000 Covid-19 deaths as Republicans and Democrats pitch opposing plans – live
- Republicans are proposing $1tn while Democrats want closer to $4tn
- How the global climate fight could be lost if Trump is re-elected
- Inside the elite border patrol unit Trump sent to Portland
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On Friday, the US supreme court ruled against a Nevada church which said coronavirus-inspired limits on attendance were unconstitutional. Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the court’s four liberals on the case, causing further angst on the right.
Now, the Associated Press reports that “more than 40 people were infected with the coronavirus after attending a multi-day revival event at a north Alabama Baptist church, according to the congregation’s pastor.
“The whole church has got it, just about,” Al.com quoted pastor Daryl Ross of Warrior Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Marshall county as saying.
The pastor says the churchgoers, including himself, tested positive after the congregation held a series of religious services featuring a guest pastor over several days last week.
Related: John Roberts sides with supreme court liberals over Nevada church Covid opening
There has been another night of trouble in Portland, where protesters for policing reform and against structural racism have been out every night since the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis at the end of May.
Once again, confrontations centered on the federal courthouse in downtown Portland, where agents sent in by Trump are based.
Ammunition and destructive devices recovered at Lownsdale Square Park (Photo) https://t.co/k4ZmvTzlh6 pic.twitter.com/xHaLZM8uWi
Related: Portland: protesters bring down fence as confrontation with Trump agents rises
Continue reading...The US election is in 100 days: what are the biggest threats to it?
Fears that voter suppression would keep significant numbers of voters from the ballot box have been exacerbated by Covid-19
The 2020 election is shaping up to be a presidential contest unlike any other in American history.
Even before the pandemic, there were deep concerns over how voter suppression would shut significant numbers of Americans out of the ballot box. Covid-19 has exacerbated those fears as states rapidly ramp up their vote by mail apparatus to curb long lines and crowds at the polls.
Continue reading...‘White as hell’: Portland protesters face off with Trump but are they eclipsing Black Lives Matter?
On another night of confrontation with federal agents, activists said their message was in danger of being forgotten
- America ‘staring down barrel of martial law’ – Oregon senator
- ‘Made-for-TV fascism’: how Trump’s ploy could backfire
Teal Lindseth surveyed the sea of mothers she was about to lead into the firing line.
“I look at this crowd and I don’t see many black people,” lamented the 21-year-old African American activist. “Oregon is white as hell. Whitewashed.”
Continue reading...White House says ‘schools are essential places of business’ in push to reopen – live
- Kayleigh McEnany defends Trump’s push to reopen amid pandemic
- President says he ‘often’ regrets his tweets
- Ice’s ex-acting head: Trump is using federal agents as his ‘goon squad’
- Trump claims bases named for Confederate generals won’t change
- Florida hospitals stretched to capacity by outbreak
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Donald Trump signed four executive orders related to prescription drug pricing at a White House event with HHS secretary Alex Azar and Florida governor Rod DeSantis, among others. Most attendees at the event wore masks, but Trump did not.
The executive orders come as Trump appears to have all but given up on controlling the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 145,000 people in the US – by far the most of any country.
Hello everyone, this is Julia Carrie Wong in Oakland, California, picking up the live blog for the rest of your Friday afternoon.
Yesterday, a judge in King County, Washington ordered five Seattle news outlets to comply with a subpoena and turn over unpublished video and photos from a 30 May protest.
Michele Matassa Flores, the Seattle Times’ executive editor, said the paper strongly opposed the subpoena and “believes it puts our independence, and even our staff’s physical safety, at risk.
“The media exist in large part to hold governments, including law enforcement agencies, accountable to the public,” Matassa Flores said. “We don’t work in concert with government, and it’s important to our credibility and effectiveness to retain our independence from those we cover.”
This ruling enforcing the subpoena is beyond disappointing. The right to protect sources and material exists so the press isn't used as an arm of law enforcement.
Journalists' work is protected, which is why we supported the challenge to this subpoena.https://t.co/OQEVLENdXz
This turns journalists into an arm of the government. We are not here to do surveillance for police. https://t.co/wlu4XAEgo3
Continue reading...Trump abandons plan for Republican convention events in Jacksonville, Florida – live
- President says it is ‘not the right time’ for big event in city
- US coronavirus cases surpass 4 million
- Federal agents’ actions draw Portland into national debate
- AOC condemns culture of accepting violence against women
- Trump ties climbing Covid-19 cases to protests
- Trump announces ‘surge’ of officers into cities
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From me and Joan E Greve:
For coronavirus updates from around the world, follow the Guardian’s global blog:
Related: Coronavirus live news: US cases top 4m as WHO chief chides Pompeo for 'untrue' claims
Continue reading...Trump announces ‘surge of federal law enforcement’ in US cities – as it happened
- President plans to send hundreds of officers to Chicago ‘immediately’
- Mayors ask Trump to withdraw officers from Portland
- Federal agents retreat to Portland base as protesters control streets
- US daily deaths surpass 1,000 for first time since June
- US agrees to pay Pfizer $2bn for vaccine doses by end of year
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From me and Joan E Greve:
As the federal government pledges to send federal law enforcement to cities, and Donald Trump and William Barr connect Black Lives Matter protest against police brutality to alleged spikes in violence, here’s some more context to keep in mind: this isn’t the first time people have pointed to an increase in crime following protests against unjust policing.
It happened in 2014, after the police killing of Michael Brown sparked national protests. Police called it “the Ferguson effect” and argued that protesters had made police afraid to do their jobs.
Continue reading...Kim Kardashian requests compassion for Kanye West’s bipolar disorder
The rapper’s recent string of erratic tweets prompted his wife to comment on his mental health for the first time
Kim Kardashian West has spoken for the first time about her husband Kanye West’s bipolar disorder after he posted and deleted a string of erratic tweets regarding his family life after the launch of his presidential campaign in Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday.
“Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words sometimes do not align with his intentions,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories.
Continue reading...