Veterans see historic expansion of benefits for toxic exposure as new law nears anniversary
Hundreds of thousands of veterans have received additional benefits in the past year after President Joe Biden signed legislation expanding coverage for conditions connected to burn pits that were used to destroy trash and potentially toxic materials.
Democrats punt same-sex marriage vote until after election
Democrats are punting a vote to protect same-sex and interracial marriages until after the November midterm elections, a blow for the legislation that comes days after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to put the Senate on the record on the issue โin the coming weeks.โ.
New step to curb tech giants' power advanced by Senate panel
Congress has taken a new step toward reining in the market dominance of Big Tech. Bipartisan legislation advanced by a Senate panel would bar the dominant online platforms from favoring their own goods and services over those of rivals on the platforms.
Lawsuit: NRA illegally funded Trump, other GOP candidates
A federal lawsuit accuses the National Rifle Association of violating campaign finance laws by using shell companies to illegally funnel up to $35 million to Republican candidates, including former President Donald Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri and others.
Another Trump on the ballot? Lara Trump eyes Senate seat
The former president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is eyeing the North Carolina Senate seat being vacated by Republican Richard Burr. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)RALEIGH, N.C. โ A Trump may be on the ballot next year โ but not Donald Trump. The former president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is eyeing the North Carolina Senate seat being vacated by Republican Richard Burr. The answer to that question has implications that extend far beyond Lara Trump's political future. The 38-year-old Lara Trump is married to the former president's son, Eric.
Impeachment vote becomes defining moment for GOP senator
But the North Carolina Republicanโs vote to convict former President Donald Trump should not have come as a shock. AdWith Burr retiring at the end of his term in 2022, itโs a vote that could end up defining his career. Exactly a year later, as the Russia investigation was wrapping up, Burrโs time leading the committee came to an abrupt end. He sided with most Republicans in a vote to dismiss the trial, creating an expectation heโd also vote to acquit. AdSo when Burr stood up to vote for Trump's conviction, many in the chamber wondered if there would be other surprises.
Impeachment isn't the final word on Capitol riot for Trump
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)WASHINGTON โ Donald Trump's acquittal at his second impeachment trial may not be the final word on whether heโs to blame for the deadly Capitol riot. โPresident Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office, as an ordinary citizen, unless the statute of limitations has run,โ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said after that vote. Federal prosecutors have said they are looking at all angles of the assault on the Capitol and whether the violence had been incited. A phone call between Trump and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy emerged during the impeachment trial in which McCarthy, as rioters stormed the Capitol, begged Trump to call off the mob. AdIt's possible federal prosecutors will decide not to bring charges, and if Trump were indicted in one of the many other separate investigations, federal prosecutors could decide justice would be done elsewhere.
Impeachment isn't the final word on Capitol riot for Trump
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)WASHINGTON โ Donald Trump's acquittal at his second impeachment trial may not be the final word on whether heโs to blame for the deadly Capitol riot. โPresident Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office, as an ordinary citizen, unless the statute of limitations has run,โ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said after that vote. Federal prosecutors have said they are looking at all angles of the assault on the Capitol and whether the violence had been incited. A phone call between Trump and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy emerged during the impeachment trial in which McCarthy, as rioters stormed the Capitol, begged Trump to call off the mob. AdIt's possible federal prosecutors will decide not to bring charges, and if Trump were indicted in one of the many other separate investigations, federal prosecutors could decide justice would be done elsewhere.
Biden, Yellen say GOP virus aid too small, Democrats push on
President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, in Washington. Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen joined the Democratic senators for a private virtual meeting, both declaring the Republicans' $618 billion offer was too small. As the White House reaches for a bipartisan bill, Democrats marshaled their ever-slim Senate majority, voting 50-49, to start a lengthy process for approving Biden's bill with or without GOP support. โPresident Biden spoke about the need for Congress to respond boldly and quickly,โ Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the lunch meeting. AdWhile no compromise was reached during the late Monday session, White House talks with Republicans are privately underway.
Biden meets Republicans on virus aid, but no quick deal
President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, in Washington. AdRepublicans are tapping into bipartisan urgency to improve the nation's vaccine distribution and vastly expand virus testing with $160 billion in aid. Psaki said earlier Monday there is โobviously a big gapโ between the $1.9 trillion package Biden has proposed and the $618 billion counteroffer. It also includes $20 billion to reopen schools compared to $170 billion in Biden's plan. Biden himself has been on the phone to some of the Republicans, the official said.
9 important people who werenโt at President Joe Bidenโs inauguration
President Joe Biden delivers his inaugural address on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. We saw many recognizable faces Wednesday at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, but there were many people -- some quite notable -- who were not in attendance. President Donald Trump: He announced on Twitter ahead of the inauguration that he would not be attending, and he stuck to his word. Heโs the first outgoing president who chose not to attend the ceremony since President Andrew Johnsonโs refusal in 1869. Sen. Marco Rubio: Rubio conveyed he would be hard at work instead.
Biden's agenda at stake, battle for Senate pushes to January
Instead, the sprint to the Jan. 5 runoffs for two seats in Georgia will determine whether the Senate becomes a Republican-held check on Biden's agenda or a Democratic partnership with the new White House. With a Democratic Senate, Biden would have allies to easily confirm his nominees, including for cabinet positions, and shape passage of legislation. If Republicans keep control, Senate Majority Mitch McConnell can block Biden's agenda. Senate Republicans need Trump โ and his voters โ on board for the Georgia race. Loeffler and Perdue stunned many this week when they jointly called their own state election system an โembarrassment" as Biden was leading over Trump.
The Latest: Trump backs McDaniel for another RNC chair term
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)WASHINGTON โ The Latest on President-elect Joe Biden (all times local):7:15 p.m.President Donald Trump is endorsing the chair of the Republican National Committee for another term, despite his electoral defeat. Cunningham conceded the race on Tuesday, saying that โthe voters have spokenโ and that it was clear Tillis had won. His Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, was declared the winner of the presidential election on Nov. 7 after flipping Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Trump won those states in 2016. ___11:05 a.m.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called Donald Trump the โprevious presidentโ of the United States and said it was โrefreshingโ to talk to President-elect Joe Biden.
Cunningham concedes to US Sen. Tillis in North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. โ Democrat Cal Cunningham conceded to incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina on Tuesday, saying โthe voters have spokenโ and it was clear Tillis had won. With votes still uncounted and the races in North Carolina and Alaska still too early to call Tuesday, the Senate remained tied 48-48. Alaska GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan is favored for another term against Al Gross, an independent running as a Democrat. In North Carolina, Tillis led Cunningham by 94,500 votes, from among more than 5.4 million votes counted so far. North Carolina counties had yet to process about 27,500 absentee ballots and about 23,000 provisional ballots.
GOP lets Trump fight election for weeks despite Biden's win
The delay has the potential to upend civic norms, impede Bidenโs transition to the White House and sow doubt in the nationโs civic and election systems. Trump would need to produce ample evidence of impropriety to undo Bidenโs lead, which appears unlikely. During a closed-door lunch, Vice President Mike Pence told Senate Republicans about the legal strategy. Trump and his GOP allies havenโt offered evidence of election fraud, and their legal challenges have largely been rejected by the courts. McConnell noted the potential turmoil during the transition in praising ousted Defense Secretary Mark Esper, whom Trump fired on Monday.
McConnell, Schumer to lead, but Senate majority uncertain
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., won another term as Republican leader, his office said, cementing his role as the longest-serving GOP leader in U.S. history. But itโs still to be determined whether McConnell will retain his role as majority leader or cede it to Schumer as the final races for the U.S. Senate play out. Republicans brushed back Democratic challengers in several states, but failed to lock down the seats needed to retain their majority. The math has become more challenging for McConnell because the vice president of the party holding the White House casts the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. A Democratic majority in the Senate, the party that also controls the House would give the party a firm grasp on power in Washington.
Fight for Senate control awaits in Georgia after Biden's win
WASHINGTON โ Control of the Senate likely wonโt be decided until a January runoff in Georgia, even after Democrat Joe Biden won the White House on Saturday. That post-election cliff-hanger will determine the balance of power in Washington, as neither party appears to have a lock on a Senate majority right now. If Democrats fall short, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, could wield the power to check Biden's ambitions. And Republican Sen. David Perdue, a top Trump ally, will face Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. โItโs all on the line in Georgia,โ said Steven Law, the president of Senate Leadership Fund, the outside group aligned with McConnell that spent big trying keep Senate control.
Fight for Senate control awaits in Georgia after Biden's win
WASHINGTON โ Control of the Senate likely wonโt be decided until a January runoff in Georgia, even after Democrat Joe Biden won the White House on Saturday. That post-election cliff-hanger will determine the balance of power in Washington, as neither party appears to have a lock on a Senate majority right now. If Democrats fall short, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, could wield the power to check Biden's ambitions. And Republican Sen. David Perdue, a top Trump ally, will face Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff. โItโs all on the line in Georgia,โ said Steven Law, the president of Senate Leadership Fund, the outside group aligned with McConnell that spent big trying keep Senate control.
Senate control hangs in balance with a few races undecided
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., speaks with reporters during a press conference in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. โWeโre waiting โ whether Iโm going to be the majority leader or not,โ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Wednesday. There already is a Jan. 5 runoff in the state's other Senate race. Securing the Senate majority will be vital for the winner of the presidency. John Hickenlooper defeated GOP Sen. Cory Gardner, and Arizona, where former astronaut Mark Kelly beat Republican incumbent Martha McSally.
Election splits Congress, GOP bolstered as Democrats falter
Speaker Nancy Pelosi was on track to keep control of the Democratic House, but saw her majority shrinking and her leadership called into question. By evening, Pelosi had all but declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner, saying House Democrats โwill now have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progressโ on party priorities โ lowering health care costs, providing jobs through new infrastructure and others. โI know folks are anxious,โ Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy told followers on a live Twitter video. McConnell also warned of the continued problems Republicans face in the Trump era as voters turn away from the GOP. โItโs time for a different approach,โ said Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former governor who unseated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in Colorado.
Trump's Election Day surge powered by small-town America
With the race unsettled in several key battlegrounds, Trump's strong Election Day surge may not be enough to overcome a Democratic operation that also turned out its vote. But the tight presidential races and unexpected Democratic losses in congressional races demonstrated the resilient power of Trumpโs appeal with rural, white voters and a growing polarization that may outlast his leadership. โBut in this election we found itโs not ticking fast enough for the Democrats.โEven as the winner of the White House was unclear, Republicans had victories to celebrate Wednesday and white, rural voters to thank. Trump held one of his final, largest campaign rallies in Butler, drawing an estimated 54,000 people two days before Election Day. State Republicans spent months signing up new GOP registrants in the county โ the GOP netted 11,000 voters over Democrats since Trump's 2016 election.
Election splits Congress, GOP bolstered as Democrats falter
Speaker Nancy Pelosi was on track to keep control of the Democratic House, but saw her majority shrinking and her leadership called into question. By evening, Pelosi had all but declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner, saying House Democrats โwill now have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progressโ on party priorities โ lowering health care costs, providing jobs through new infrastructure and others. โI know folks are anxious,โ Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy told followers on a live Twitter video. McConnell also warned of the continued problems Republicans face in the Trump era as voters turn away from the GOP. โItโs time for a different approach,โ said Democrat John Hickenlooper, a former governor who unseated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in Colorado.
Did social media actually counter election misinformation?
The social media platforms have been working for months, if not years since the last presidential election, to prepare for Trumps unsubstantiated claims of election fraud and premature victory declarations. (AP Photo)Ahead of the election, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube promised to clamp down on election misinformation, including unsubstantiated charges of fraud and premature declarations of victory by candidates. For the most part, what they said they would, which primarily meant labeling false or misleading election posts in order to point users to reliable information. But Google placed an โinformation panelโ beneath the videos noting that election results may not be final and linking to Googleโs election results page with additional information. It labeled Trumpโs tweets declaring premature victory as well as claims from Trump and others about premature victory in specific states.
Democrats' Senate drive halted by GOP; key races undecided
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said President Donald Trumpโs campaign helped his GOP allies, but that state election officials were still counting ballots. Key Senate races in North Carolina, Alaska and Georgia remained undecided. Democrats contested seats from New England to the Deep South and the Midwest to the Mountain West, reaching deep into GOP strongholds. North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis has struggled against Democrat Cal Cunningham, despite the married challengerโs sexting scandal with a public relations strategist. GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler will face Democrat Raphael Warnock, a Black pastor at the church where the Rev.
EXPLAINER: Why AP called North Carolina for Trump
WHY AP CALLED NORTH CAROLINA FOR TRUMPThe Associated Press declared Donald Trump the winner in North Carolina on Friday after concluding there were not enough ballots left to be counted that would allow Joe Biden to overtake his lead. Friday was the deadline for counties in North Carolina to certify their results. Following updates from most counties in the state, Trump was leading by about 73,690 votes, or 1.3 percentage points. But a few individual contests, including North Carolina, remained too early to call. Now that Trump has been declared the winner in North Carolina the only state yet to be called is Georgia, which is conducting a hand tally of the presidential race there.
Democrats losing paths to Senate control as GOP hangs on
Republican Senate candidate Sen. Mitch McConnell, second from right, and his wife, Elaine Chao, right, look on as aides show him the election results in Louisville, Ky., Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)WASHINGTON โ Hopes fading for Senate control, Democrats had a disappointing election night as Republicans swatted down an onslaught of challengers and fought to retain their fragile majority. Democrats contested seats from New England to the Deep South and the Midwest to the Mountain West, reaching deep into GOP strongholds. The Democrats' gains were in Colorado and Arizona, where former astronaut Mark Kelly beat GOP incumbent Martha McSally. Republican Cynthia Lummis, the former congresswoman from Wyoming, won the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Mike Enzi.
GOP tries to save its Senate majority, with or without Trump
Republican senators are fighting to save their majority against an onslaught of challengers in states once off limits to Democrats that are now hotbeds of the backlash to President Donald Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)WASHINGTON โ Senate Republicans are fighting to save their majority, a final election push against the onslaught of challengers in states once off limits to Democrats but now hotbeds of a potential backlash to President Donald Trump and his allies on Capitol Hill. With it, a reelected Trump could confirm his nominees and ensure a backstop against legislation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. With the chamber now split, 53-47, three or four seats will determine Senate control, depending on which party wins the White House. Swooping in to fill the gap for Republicans is the Senate Leadership Fund, tapping deep-pocketed donors.
Barrett swearing-in differs markedly from 'superspreader'
Barrett was confirmed to be a Supreme Court justice by the Senate earlier in the evening. It's been only a month since President Donald Trump's Rose Garden event to announce he was nominating Amy Coney Barrett to serve on the Supreme Court. Mike Lee and Thom Tillis โ tested positive after attending the earlier White House celebration. Indiana Sen. Todd Young told reporters that he had told the White House he would attend, but was reconsidering. She said people need to be careful about gatherings as illnesses have been rising, but stopped short of calling the White House event a mistake.
Cunningham keeps low in NC Senate race marked by his affair
FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2020, file photo, Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham talks during during a televised debate with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., in Raleigh, N.C. Cunningham inched back into the public sphere on Wednesday, Oct. 7, a day after The Associated Press reported the he had an intimate encounter this summer with a public relations consultant. Within hours of the military disclosing that it is investigating Cunningham, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, he rejected the idea that the race with Tillis had turned into a referendum on his character, even while expressing remorse for extramarital activity. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool)
Cunningham keeps low in NC Senate race marked by his affair
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool)RALEIGH, N.C. โ North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham is bypassing uncomfortable questions about his extramarital activities in the final days of his closely contested race with GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Tillis' campaign also says he's given more than two dozen interviews since Cunningham's lone news conference. Groups from the Human Rights Campaign to the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters to unions are coming to Cunningham's side. Cunninghamโs campaign didnโt make him available for an AP interview. โIt's troubling for sure, but I donโt think that those actions will change what he can do for North Carolina,โ Hall said.
Parties' late spending on Senate races shows GOP's jeopardy
Less than two weeks from an Election Day that will determine Senate control, each party is throwing late money at an up-for-grabs Democratic seat in Michigan. The Senate Majority PAC, a political committee aligned with the chamber's Democratic leaders, has canceled its remaining $1.2 million in spending against GOP Sen. Cory Gardner in Colorado, sensing victory. He's getting outspent 3-1,โ said GOP Sen. Pat Roberts, whose retirement is making the seat available. Besides Alabama, Michigan is the GOP's best chance at gaining a seat and thwarting Democrats' drive to a Senate majority. โIt matters," agreed Poersch of Democrats' Senate Majority PAC, citing a shift in voters' sentiment over the final weeks of the 2016 campaign that helped Trump edge to victory.
GOP-led Senate panel advances Barrett as Democrats boycott
Never has the Senate confirmed a Supreme Court nominee so close to a presidential election. As the Senate committee met, protesters, some shouting โStop the confirmation!โ demonstrated outside the Capitol across the street from the Supreme Court. Unable to stop the confirmation, Democrats have been trying unsuccessfully to stall the process so the winner of the White House race could name the new nominee. With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, Trumpโs pick for the court is almost certain to be confirmed. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, called Barrett a โclear and present dangerโ to the values Ginsburg fought for on the court.
GOP, Dems hope Supreme Court fight bolsters Senate prospects
(Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP)WASHINGTON โ For Republicans, the nomination fight over Amy Coney Barrett is a chance to seal conservative control of the Supreme Court for decades. โInstead, they're rushing through this nomination.โAround a dozen Republicans defending their 53-47 Senate majority in next month's voting face difficult reelections. Either way, both sides are using the Supreme Court battle in fundraising appeals and other ways that underscore its political potency. Four GOP senators in competitive campaigns are on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which wrapped up hearings Thursday on Barrett's nomination. That contrasts with the 2018 confirmation fight over Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of a decades-old sexual assault that he denied.
Tied to Trump fate, Ernst walks tightrope in dead heat Iowa
Trump finds himself locked in a close race in Iowa with Democrat Joe Biden, and Ernst is as well against Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield. Walking the tightrope between pleasing the Trump base versus attracting other voters is challenging," said John Stineman, a Iowa Republican strategist unaffiliated with the Ernst or Trump campaigns. โYou have the road of the radical left,โ she said while introducing Vice President Mike Pence at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in August. Trump carried Iowa by 9.4 percentage points in 2016 and Ernst surprised four-term Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley by nearly as much in 2014. The National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee has spent $11.3 million supporting Ernst, according to Kantar.
Barrett faces senators on health care, legal precedent
โI think Amyโs doing incredibly well,โ he said at the White House departing for a campaign rally. Allowing Trump to fill the seat with Barrett โposes a threat to safe and legal abortion in our country," Harris said. Democrats warn that she would be a vote to undo the law and strip health coverage from millions of Americans. "I'm not hostile to the ACA,โ Barrett told the senators. โYou would not be getting Justice Scalia, you would be getting Justice Barrett,โ she declared.
Barrett vows to interpret laws โas they are writtenโ
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut was among several Democrats demanding that Barrett pledge not to take part in any election case. โHealth care coverage for millions of Americans is at stake with this nomination,โ said Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the committeeโs senior Democrat. Among Republicans, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, dismissed warnings Barrett will undo the law as โoutrageous.โTrump himself seemed to be watching, tweeting several times about the hearing. In one message, he tweeted that heโd have a โFAR BETTERโ health care plan, with lower costs and protections for preexisting conditions. But he has not, as yet, discussed an actual health care plan.
Graham, Harris share spotlight as Barrett hearings begin
Hearings before the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee will begin Monday, Oct. 12, for President Donald Trumps Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. SEN. KAMALA HARRIS, D-CALIF.Harris, Joe Biden's running mate in the presidential election, will again be in the spotlight as Democrats question a Trump nominee for the Supreme Court. Harris and other key Democrats said the hearings should not move forward without plans to test people attending, including senators, for coronavirus. In a sign of the heightened scrutiny, Vice President Mike Pence tried to get Harris to reveal whether she and Biden support expanding the Supreme Court, as many liberals advocate. In just three years on the 7th Circuit, Barrett has twice argued for approval of abortion restrictions that violated Supreme Court precedent, Hirono said.
McConnell tries to salvage Senate majority with court vote
Confirmation hearings are set to begin Monday for President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee giving Republicans one last chance to salvage their Senate majority by wresting attention away from the White House and its COVID-19 response and onto the GOPโs longtime goal of fashioning a conservative court. Only two GOP senators balked at quick confirmation. This time, it's much about securing his own legacy reshaping the judiciary into what allies call the โMcConnell Courtโ as giving his majority a landing pad after a tumultuous four years with Trump. Having already bent Senate rules to allow 51-vote threshold to advance Supreme Court nominees, rather than 60 as was tradition, McConnell is now poised to usher a third Trump justice to confirmation. โItโs not going to be remembered as the McConnell Court,โ said Stevens.
Republicans see 'grim' Senate map and edge away from Trump
โThe Senate map is looking exceedingly grim,โ said one major GOP donor, Dan Eberhart. (It's only three if Biden wins the White House.) As Trumpโs fundraising has plateaued in recent months, it has spiked for Republican outside groups that are supporting House and Senate candidates. In 2016, Republican Senate candidates lost in every state Trump lost and won where Trump won. Even in red states, Republicans are starting to make clear they aren't following Trump when it comes to the pandemic.
Cunningham inches back into public as Army confirms probe
RALEIGH, N.C. โ North Carolina U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham inched back into the public sphere on Wednesday, a day after The Associated Press reported the Democratic contender had an intimate encounter this summer with a public relations consultant. โThe Army Reserve is investigating the matters involving (Lt. Col.) James Cunningham,โ Lt. Col. Simon Flake said in an emailed statement Wednesday morning that cited Cunningham by his official first name. โHe owes North Carolinians a full explanation,โ Tillisโ campaign account tweeted Wednesday. โThe truth still matters in North Carolina, Cal.โCunningham also made his first quasi-public appearance Wednesday night โ speaking briefly at an environmental awards ceremony. The Tillis-Cunningham race is closely contested and the most expensive Senate race in the country in terms of campaign spending.
Democrat's personal scandal roils N. Carolina Senate race
Yet the text messages and interviews offer a glimpse that is at odds with the image of a devoted family man. A week ago, a conservative website, NationalFile.com, published text messages between Cunningham and Arlene Guzman Todd, a public relations strategist from California, that suggested a personal relationship. In a series of interviews late Monday as well as in the text messages, Guzman Todd described two in-person encounters with Cunningham. One was in March in Los Angeles that she said did not include intimate contact, and a second was in July in North Carolina, where she said they were intimate. โIโm just going to send to his opponent his naked photos,โ Guzman Todd wrote.
White House virus testing couldn't protect Trump
And variations on that message were the White House ready response any time critics questioned the president's lax approach to following guidelines for avoiding the novel coronavirus. Trump demonstrated in dramatic fashion that relying on testing alone isnโt enough to create a safe bubble. Mask wearing and social distancing are other key ingredients for preventing the spread of COVID-19, and both have often been in short supply at the White House. The White House says the president is also tested regularly, as are his most senior aides. There were also several indoor receptions, where Barrett, her family, senators and others gathered in the close quarters inside the White House.
Infected senator vows 'moon suit' to vote Trump's court pick
Many alumni have posted a letter on social media expressing their opposition to Barrett's nomination to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the U.S. Supreme Court after Ginsburg's death last month. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)WASHINGTON โ Shuttered by COVID-19 infections, the Republican-led Senate is refusing to delay confirmation of President Donald Trump's pick for the Supreme Court. With Trump trailing Democrat Joe Biden in polls and their own Senate majority at risk, Republicans hope a Supreme Court vote in the week before Election Day will save their jobs. The Judiciary Committee is planning four days of hearings ahead of a final Senate vote by Oct. 29. However, McConnell could have the full Senate vote to force the committee to discharge the nomination to the floor for final voting.
The Latest: Trump tweets that heโs leaving hospital Monday
___6:40 p.m.President Donald Trump pumped his fist as he departed a military hospital after a three-day stay for the coronavirus. Others who came down with the coronavirus include President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah. The president says he's leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday evening after a three-day stay for the coronavirus. Earlier, Trump tweeted that he would be leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday evening after a three-day hospitalization with the coronavirus. ___2:40 p.m.President Donald Trump says he's leaving the hospital Monday evening after a three-day stay to treat symptoms of COVID-19.
What we know and what we don't about Trump's COVID illness
Doctors say that Trump will continue to receive his treatments from the White House. WHAT WE DONโT KNOWWe donโt know how sick Trump got. With treatment still evolving in the pandemic, Trumpโs doctors concede they themselves donโt know everything about the interplay of the medications he is taking. The White House also is withholding details on what steps it is taking to stop the spread of the outbreak underway in Trumpโs circle. Trump on Sunday insisted on a drive outside Walter Reed to wave to supporters, heightening risk of infection for those guarding and driving him.
What we know, and what we don't, about Trump's diagnosis
Conley was evasive when asked whether Trumpโs blood oxygen level had dropped below 90%: โWe donโt have any recordings here on that.โ The level currently stands at 98%, Trumpโs medical team said. WHAT WE DONโT KNOW: TRUMPโS MEDICAL CONDITIONTrump's medical team continued to dodge many questions Sunday, such as the specific timing of the presidentโs dip in oxygen and the impact of the disease on his lungs. WHAT WE DONโT KNOW: WHEN TRUMP FELL ILLConley declined to say when Trump had last been tested before Thursdayโs test confirmed COVID-19. WHAT WE DONโT KNOW: HOW TRUMP WAS INFECTEDThere's no way to know for sure if the Rose Garden event was where Trump โ who typically shuns a mask and has kept holding big public gatherings during the pandemic โ was exposed. The administration says a White House medical team is tracing contacts.
Trump greets supporters following new details of his illness
Still, the doctors said Trumpโs health is improving and that he could be discharged as early as Monday. In a short video released by the White House on Sunday, Trump insisted he understood the gravity of the moment. It was the second straight day of obfuscation from a White House already suffering from a credibility crisis. He was evasive about the timing of Trump oxygen drops. At the time of the briefing, Trumpโs blood oxygen level was 98% โ within normal rage, Trumpโs medical team said.
GOP seeks to call off Senate work, but not Barrett hearings
WASHINGTON โ The coroniavirus reached further into Republican ranks on Saturday, forcing the Senate to call off lawmaking as a third GOP senator tested positive for COVID-19. โThe Senateโs floor schedule will not interrupt the thorough, fair and historically supported confirmation process,โ McConnell wrote Saturday. Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who like McConnell is running for reelection, added that senators can attend the hearings remotely. Republicans in the Senate who had attended GOP events began announcing that they too had tested positive. The news about Covid's march into the White House didn't let up and wasn't flattering after months of complaints that Republicans weren't approaching the pandemic in a serious or organized way.
The Latest: Kellyanne Conway tests positive for coronavirus
WASHINGTON (AP) โ The Latest on President Donald Trump testing positive for the coronavirus and being hospitalized (all times EDT):10:25 p.m.President Donald Trumpโs former adviser Kellyanne Conway said late Friday that she has tested positive for the coronavirus, days after attending a White House event with several others who have since come down with COVID-19. Conway attended the Rose Garden announcement Saturday where President Donald Trump announced his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Mike Lee and Thom Tillis, the president of the University of Notre Dame, as well as Trump himself tested positive Friday for the coronavirus. __8:35 p.m.Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina has tested positive for the coronavirus. He issued the statement as President Donald Trump was being treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the same illness.
Cunningham admits sending sexually suggestive texts
FILE - Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham speaks during a televised debate with U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Raleigh, N.C. Cunningham has admitted to sending sexual text messages to a California strategist who is not his wife. Cunningham apologized but said he would not drop out of the race in a statement to multiple news outlets late Friday. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool, file)
GOP Minnesota congressmen criticized for flight
President Donald Trump has been hospitalized with the virus and Biden was potentially exposed during Tuesday nightโs presidential debate in Cleveland. ___6 p.m.President Donald Trump has told his longtime friend and sometimes lawyer Rudy Giuliani that heโs โgoing to beatโ the coronavirus. ___5:30 p.m.With President Donald Trump in the hospital, his campaign is launching an effort itโs calling โOperation MAGAโ to maintain momentum. One by one, President Donald Trump and a series of GOP lawmakers have fallen ill with the virus that has killed more than 208,000 Americans. ___12 p.m.President Donald Trumpโs doctors say the president is doing well, is fever-free and isn't having difficulty breathing after contracting the coronavirus.
Official: Next 48 hours โcriticalโ for Trump in virus fight
And yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen,โ Conley said. Meadows himself had insisted Friday morning that Trump had only โmild symptoms" as the White House tried to project an image of normalcy. โPresident Trump remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms and has been working throughout the day,โ press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said late in the day on Friday. The first word that a close aide to Trump had been infected came from the media, not the White House. R-Wis.,One of the presidentโs personal assistants, Nick Luna, tested positive after having traveled with Trump several times recently, a White House official said Saturday night.
N. Carolina Senate race upended by sexting, virus diagnosis
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool, file)RALEIGH, N.C. โ North Carolina's intensely competitive and expensive U.S. Senate race has been upended by personal and health disruptions that sent sharp tremors and uncertainty through the campaigns and an electorate already casting ballots. McLennan and Gary Pearce, a longtime state Democratic consultant, said it's unclear how much of an effect the text messages will have on the election. Petri said Cunningham tested negative for COVID-19 on Saturday and will be tested again Monday. The Tillis campaign, citing its own health concerns, deferred on Saturday questions about the text messages to Cunningham. Tillis' campaign hasn't announced his third quarter fundraising totals.
The Latest: In video, President Trump says he hopes to โbe back soonโ
Victoria reported only 12 new coronavirus cases and one death Sunday, well down on the peaks of winter. ___MILAN โ New coronavirus cases in Italy maintained a trajectory above 2,500 on Saturday, with about 119,000 people tested. ___SKOPJE, North Macedonia โ North Macedonia has recorded 243 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily number since the pandemic began. Facing a recent spike in cases, health authorities are considering imposing new restrictions, including banning public gatherings and limiting working hours for bars. ___ATHENS, Greece โ Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says authorities would use local lockdowns to keep a recent surge in coronavirus cases under control.