As concerns flare over federal law enforcement agents’ actions in Portland in recent days, the feds are reportedly planning to deploy new federal force — this time in Chicago.
Continue reading “Trump Admin Now Reportedly Deploying Federal Agents In Chicago”
With the Senate returning this week, negotiations are heating up around the next coronavirus package. Among the possible flash points is what additional funding will be provided for election officials to implement the changes the outbreak requires. The proposal passed by the House sets aside $3.6 billion for election officials. The National Democratic Redistricting Committee and Let America Vote announced Monday it was launching a $500,000 digital advertising campaign calling on the Senate to take up the House measure. Meanwhile, a Senate committee chaired by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), an influential appropriator, is holding a hearing Wednesday on election preparations.
Anonymous federal forces are occupying Oregon’s largest city against the wishes of local officials. They’ve snatched people off the street and shoved them into unmarked cars, beaten peaceful demonstrators and filled Portland with the haze of tear gas.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson suggested on Friday that he would pardon Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple that aimed their guns at Black Lives Matter protesters in their neighborhood, if they were to be convicted for the incident.
No charges have been filed.
Continue reading “Missouri Guv Hints At Pardoning St Louis Gun Couple If They Get Convicted”
President Trump is rebooting his reality tv-style coronavirus briefings, months after backing away from them and as COVID-19 cases spike across the country.
Trump announced on Monday morning that he is bringing back the White House briefings, which came to a halt after he suggested during one in April that people infected with COVID-19 should take an “injection” of disinfectant to recover from the virus. Since then, Trump has repeatedly downplayed the coronavirus and complained that increased testing is to blame for spiking cases (it’s not). Continue reading “He’s Baaack: Trump Announces Reboot Of ‘Very Successful’ WH Coronavirus Briefings”
Quite a lot happened over the weekend in Portland, Oregon. I’ll likely have a few posts and TPM Reader accounts to share with you over the course of the day. But first a bit of overview. I’m no expert on Portland. And I’d want ask TPM Readers in the city and region to keep sending me their accounts to help me and our team deepen our understanding of the situation and on-going developments.
The following gives, I believe, a good overview of the basic dynamics of what’s happening and the latest events.
It remains important to understand that quite apart from all the Trump shenanigans, there really is an issue in Portland. There have been on-going protests in the city since the nationwide protests starting in late May. But as the protests have dissipated nationwide they’ve continued, albeit in smaller numbers, in Portland. As the protests in Portland have gotten smaller they’ve also become more militant. There’s a subset of the protestors who have repeatedly over the last six weeks resorted to low level violence (throwing objects at police), minor vandalism and even arson, all focused on this one federal court house complex.
Congress is back in session and if lawmakers are able to band together to pass some sort of COVID-19 relief package in coming weeks, it might be the last major piece of legislation we see before the 2020 election.
Which means: things could get ridiculous. There’s too much at risk to expect any different.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Monday threw his support behind Dr. Anthony Fauci following recent efforts by the White House to discredit the infectious disease expert. Continue reading “Hogan Defends Fauci Amid WH Attacks: ‘Never Let Me Or People Of Maryland Down’”
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams begged those who were watching him on “Fox and Friends” on Monday morning to wear masks as President Donald Trump, who enjoys a friendly audience at Fox News, constantly dismisses the importance of mask-wearing.
LONDON (AP) — Scientists at Oxford University say their experimental coronavirus vaccine has been shown in an early trial to prompt a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot.
British researchers first began testing the vaccine in April in about 1,000 people, half of whom got the experimental vaccine. Such early trials are designed to evaluate safety and see what kind of immune response was provoked, but can’t tell if the vaccine truly protects.
Continue reading “Early Trial Of Coronavirus Vaccine In UK Shows Positive Results”
