Politics Election category, Page 303
Trump says he’ll restock stockpile for future pandemics
ALLENTOWN — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he intends to prepare the country for future pandemics by restocking the national stockpile and bringing critical manufacturing back to the U.S. His comments came the same day a whistleblower testified that the Trump administration had failed to properly prepare for the...
Sen. Lindsey Graham to probe origins of Russia inquiry; won’t call ObamaVideo
WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said Thursday his committee is opening a wide-ranging investigation into the origins of the Russia investigation, but rejected President Donald Trump’s call to bring in former President Barack Obama to testify. “I am greatly concerned about the precedent that would be set...
Obama emerges as central figure in 2020 presidential race
WASHINGTON — Nearly eight years after he was last on the ballot, Barack Obama is emerging as a central figure in the 2020 presidential election. Democrats are eagerly embracing Obama as a political wingman for Joe Biden, who spent two terms by his side as vice president. Obama remains the...
Trump faces emoluments lawsuit after court tosses his win
President Donald Trump must face a lawsuit accusing him of illegally profiting from his Washington hotel, a federal appeals court ruled, reviving a case that was dismissed last year. The decision on Thursday by the U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, sets up a fresh fight over the president’s...
Trump, GOP launch broad attack on Russia probe foundations
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and Republicans are launching a broad election-year attack on the foundation of the Russia investigation, including declassifying intelligence information to try to place senior Obama administration officials under scrutiny for routine actions. The effort has been aided by a Justice Department decision to dismiss its...
FBI serves warrant on North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr in stock investigation
WASHINGTON — Federal agents seized a cellphone belonging to a prominent Republican senator on Wednesday night as part of the Justice Department’s investigation into controversial stock trades he made as the coronavirus first struck the United States, a law enforcement official said. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, chairman of...
Trump presses for schools to reopen, makes dig at Dr. FauciVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump called on governors across the nation Wednesday to work to reopen schools in their states, pointedly taking issue with Dr. Anthony Fauci’s caution against moving too quickly in sending students back to class. The president accused Fauci of wanting “to play all sides of the...
Republican Mike Garcia claims victory in special California House vote
LOS ANGELES — A former Navy combat pilot claimed victory Wednesday in the fight for an open U.S. House seat north of Los Angeles, a win that would mark the first time in over two decades that a Republican captured a Democratic-held congressional district in California. “I’m ready to go...
Flynn case boosts Trump’s bid to undo Russia probe narrative
WASHINGTON — When Michael Flynn was forced from the White House, Vice President Mike Pence said he was disappointed the national security adviser had misled him about his talks with the Russian ambassador. President Donald Trump called the deception unacceptable. Now Pence says he’d welcome Flynn back to the administration,...
Pleasant Unity man charged with threatening Gov. Wolf over business closures
A Pleasant Unity man has been arrested and charged with threatening Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, officials in York County announced Tuesday. Rocco Anthony Naples, 28, faces a third-degree felony charge of threats and other improper influence in official and political matters and related misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and harassment,...
U.S. judge to hear outside advice on any dismissal of Michael Flynn’s guilty pleaVideo
A D.C. District Court judge asked by the Justice Department to dismiss its prosecution of ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn said he will receive written arguments on whether he should do so from people not involved in the case, several publications reported late Tuesday. Judge Emmet Sullivan said he’ll set...
Supreme Court appears divided over Trump’s tax and bank recordsVideo
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court justices sounded open Tuesday to shielding President Donald Trump from broad demands by House Democrats to obtain many years of his tax returns and financial records, while stopping short of giving Trump the kind of absolute protection he is seeking. During more than three hours...
Chatty Congress learning to respect mute button
WASHINGTON — Hey, everyone on the call? We can hear a dog barking. Could senators please make sure you are on mute? It was a serious meeting on a frightening global pandemic. But as the Senate health committee Tuesday convened by video conference, the session became a reminder that the...
Pelosi unveils $3 trillion coronavirus aid package for Friday vote
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a more than $3 trillion coronavirus aid package Tuesday, encouraging Congress to “go big” with aid to cash-strapped states and struggling Americans. The Heroes Act provides nearly $1 trillion for states, cities and tribal governments to avert layoffs and another $200 billion in...
Trump casts doubt on mail voting. His campaign promotes it.
While President Donald Trump claims mail-in voting is ripe for fraud and “cheaters,” his reelection campaign and state allies are scrambling to launch operations meant to help their voters cast ballots in the mail. Through its partnership with the Republican National Committee, Trump’s campaign is training volunteers on the ins...
Pennsylvania lawmakers’ spending on their own operations
HARRISBURG — The Associated Press combed through more than 6,000 pages of line items to get a clearer picture of how the Pennsylvania General Assembly spent taxpayer money on its own operations during the fiscal year that ended June 30. Highlights of the findings: • Total spending: The 253-member Legislature...
From frames to furniture to food, here’s how Pa. lawmakers spent millions of taxpayer dollars
HARRISBURG — It takes hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars a year for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to maintain one of the country’s largest legislative staffs, a small army that needs food, shelter, transportation, office supplies and modern electronics. An Associated Press review of invoices and more than 6,000 pages...
Supreme Court could reshape congressional subpoena power in Trump caseVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and House Democrats don’t agree on much these days, but both sides will tell the Supreme Court during oral arguments Tuesday that the fate of four committee subpoenas could redraw the limits of congressional investigative power. Trump’s personal lawyers and the Justice Department have warned...
Trump abruptly ends briefing after contentious exchangesVideo
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump abruptly ended his White House news conference Monday following combative exchanges with reporters Weijia Jiang of CBS News and Kaitlan Collins of CNN. Jiang asked Trump why he was putting so much emphasis on the amount of coronavirus tests that have been conducted in...
Former Justice Department official says AG Bill Barr ‘twisted’ her words
WASHINGTON —A former career Justice Department official said Attorney General William Barr misused her statements to justify the department’s decision to drop the criminal case against Michael Flynn. Mary B. McCord, the Justice Department official overseeing the early stages of the Russia investigation, said in a New York Times opinion...
Pence, task force members isolate after virus exposureVideo
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence was self-isolating Sunday after an aide tested positive for the coronavirus last week, joining three of the nation’s top scientists in taking protective steps after possible exposure. An administration official said Pence was voluntarily keeping his distance from other people in line with guidance...
As Trump pulls back from virus, Congress races to fill void
WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump tries to moves on from the coronavirus, Congress is rushing to fill the void and prepare the country for the long fight ahead. Jolted by the lack of comprehensive federal planning as states begin to reopen, lawmakers of both parties, from the senior-most senators...
2 members of White House virus task force in quarantine
WASHINGTON — Two members of the White House coronavirus task force placed themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, another stark reminder that not even one of the nation’s most secure buildings is immune from the virus. Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for...
Trump administration tightens visas for Chinese reporters
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is tightening visa guidelines for Chinese journalists in response to the treatment of U.S. journalists in China, as tensions flare between the two nations over the coronavirus. The Department of Homeland Security has issued new regulations, set to take effect Monday, that will limit visas...
California Gov. Newsom formally endorses Biden for president
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom formally endorsed Joe Biden for president on Friday, praising the former vice president for his “deep compassion and empathy” during a virtual high-dollar fundraiser in partnership with the Democratic National Committee. “I just couldn’t be more proud of you and the prospects of...
