1 Trump Attorneys Have A “Supreme” Day In Court
President Trump's attorneys are trying to persuade the Supreme Court to keep his client's financial records hidden. As we’ve been telling you, there are two cases in play as the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether President Trump has to turn over his tax records. In both cases, lower courts have ruled against the President. The first case involves Democratic-led committees in Congress seeking financial records as they investigate if Trump wasn't telling the truth before he was President about his financial situation. Historically, candidates have always release their tax returns, Mr. Trump is the first to decline. The second case centers on subpoenas brought forward by the Manhattan District Attorney against the President. At issue are the hush money payments given to two women and the investigation into whether any New York State laws were broken. Speaking during oral arguments, President Trump's attorney Patrick Strawbridge called the House subpoenas "unprecedented." Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg mentioned that President Trump refused to turn over his tax returns unlike other presidents. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said there's a long history of Congress asking for records and receiving them from Presidents. Arguing on behalf of the president with respect to the New York case, attorney Jay Sekulow said the President is himself a branch of government and should be immune from such snooping. Justice Sotomayor said she's not sure why the President should be given extra immunity for actions taken while a private citizen.
2 Fauci: Aggressive Work Well Underway On Fighting Coronavirus
When it comes to dealing with the coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci says we’ve come a long way in a short time, but that there’s much more work to be done. That said, he says “aggressive” work is well underway on finding a vaccine – and possible treatments – for the deadly coronavirus. Testifying via video conference in a Senate hearing on the issue, the NIH veteran also warned about being too hasty with vaccines. Here are the highlights of the hearing: Opening the hearing, Tennessee Republican Lamar Alexander said all roads back to work and school "run through testing." Fauci said there's a possibility that "negative consequences with certain vaccines can actually enhance the negative effect of the infection." He noted that progress on current vaccine trials could be known by the late fall or early winter. CDC Director Robert Redfield testified that the nation's "public health infrastructure" must be rebuilt. He also said the U.S. must remain vigilant about social distancing. He called it “an imperative.” Fauci warned against reopening too quickly, saying there’s a "real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you might not be able to " Fauci was pressed about students returning to campuses in the late summer and early fall. He said it's unrealistic to think that a coronavirus treatment or vaccine will be available, calling it a "bridge too far." Senator Alexander called U.S. testing capability impressive, but said it's still "not nearly enough." Washington state Democrat Patty Murray accused Trump of not telling the truth about the ongoing coronavirus threat and slammed the Trump's administration for "delays and missteps" as the crisis has grown. That was a sentiment echoed by Utah Senator Mitt Romney, who said he finds the U.S. testing record "nothing to celebrate whatsoever." Kentucky Senator Rand Paul pushed back on the doom saying that more pushing forward seems to best serve the masses. "If we keep kids out of school for another year,” he mused. “What's going to happen is the poor and underprivileged kids who don't have a parent that's able to teach them at home are not going to learn for a full year?” Fauci demurred saying he is but one voice in a chorus of experts. He later noted that the U.S. is headed in the right direction on the coronavirus. "I am very careful, and hopefully humble, in knowing that I don't know everything about this disease," Fauci added. "And that's why I'm very reserved in making broad predictions.”
3 Pelosi Pitches New, Massive Stimulus Package
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pitching another stimulus package...and it’s a big one: totaling more than three-trillion dollars. Speaking at the Capitol, Pelosi called the ongoing coronavirus crisis the biggest catastrophe in U.S. history and says more spending is the key to righting the ship. In short, the Democratic bill provides more money for state-and-local governments, rent and mortgage relief, hazard pay for frontline workers and expanded mail-in voting programs. Here’s a rundown of some major points: Nearly $1-trillion in relief for state and local governments A second round of direct payments of $1,200 per person, and up to $6,000 for a household About $200-billion for hazard pay for essential workers who face heightened health risks during the crisis $75-billion for coronavirus testing and contact tracing — a key effort to restart businesses An extension of the $600 per week federal unemployment insurance benefit through January 2021 (the currently approved provision is set to expire after July) $175-billion in rent, mortgage and utility assistance. Subsidies and a special Affordable Care Act enrollment period to people who lose their employer-sponsored health coverage. More money for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, including a 15% increase in the maximum benefit. Measures designed to buoy small businesses and help them keep employees on payroll, such as $10-billion in emergency disaster assistance grants and a strengthened employee retention tax credit. Money for election safety during the pandemic and provisions to make voting by mail easier Relief for the U.S. Postal Service