Wednesday, October 14, 2020

The Rundown: Barrett Declines Specifics

NY Times 10/14/20

Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett repeatedly declined yesterday to give specifics about her legal views on hot button issues like the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade, and even the presidential transfer of power as she answered questions on the second day of her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. While clear about her conservative views, Barrett said she wouldn't bring a personal agenda to making her decisions, stating, "It’s not the law of Amy. It’s the law of the American people." However, when speaking about the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, Barrett declined to characterize it as a, quote, "super-precedent" that should not be overturned, comparing it to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision the desegregated schools that she said is a super-precedent. 


As Democrats continued to focus on what they said is the threat to the Affordable Care Act if Barrett is confirmed, she told the senators, "I'm not hostile to the ACA," distancing herself from her past writings critical of the law by saying they weren't addressing aspects of the law as she would as a Supreme Court justice. 



➤COVID TREATMENT STUDY PAUSED OVER SAFETY CONCERN: Enrollment in a study testing an experimental antibody therapy for the coronavirus plus the Covid-19 drug remdesivir has been paused by independent monitors over safety concerns. Eli Lilly, which is developing the antibody therapy, said the pause was made, quote, "out of an abundance of caution." The study began in August and has the goal of enrolling 10,000 hospitalized Covid patients. All are given remdesivir, which has been authorized as an emergency treatment for Covid, plus either the antibody or a placebo. Such pauses are not uncommon in long clinical studies.

➤SUPREME COURT RULES ADMINISTRATION CAN END CENSUS FIELD OPERATIONS EARLY: The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the Trump administration can end U.S. Census field operations early, after they'd been extended amid the pandemic to help reach minorities and other hard to count communities to make sure they are counted in the 2020 Census. After the decision was announced, the Census Bureau said field operations would end Thursday. Even though those who brought a lawsuit challenging the administration's decision to end the count early lost, they were able to get nearly two extra weeks of field operations as the case made its way through the courts. The administration had asked the Supreme Court to suspended a lower court's order extending the Census count through the end of this month because of pandemic-related delays, contending it needed to end to give the Census Bureau time to meet a year-end deadline.

➤WOULD-BE MICHIGAN GOV. KIDNAPPERS ALSO DISCUSSING ABDUCTING VIRGINIA GOV.: The six members of anti-government paramilitary groups arrested last week who are alleged to have been plotting to kidnap Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer because of their opposition to her measures against the coronavirus also discussed abducting Virginia Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, also over lockdown orders, FBI agent Richard Trask testified yesterday during a federal court hearing. Trask said the potential kidnappings were discussed during a June 6th meeting in Dublin, Ohio, attended by some 15 members of anti-government groups from several states. 



➤'UNMASKING' PROBE TASKED BY BARR ENDS WITHOUT CHARGES: An investigation assigned by Attorney General William Barr into the "unmasking" done by Obama administration officials around the 2016 election has ended without any charges being brought, The Washington Post reported yesterday. U.S. Attorney John Bash found no evidence of substantive wrongdoing in his probe, according to the Post, which said no public report was issued on the results. President Trump and other Republicans have long blasted the unmasking that was done, claiming it be a huge scandal. Unmasking refers to the process of revealing the names of U.S. citizens caught up in National Security Agency foreign intelligence reports. The names of U.S. citizens in the NSA reports are always redacted, but certain government officials have the authority to request to have the names unmasked to better understand the reports. Senate Republicans earlier this year released a list of Obama administration officials who may have received the unmasked identity of Michael Flynn, who was a senior adviser on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign before becoming his first National Security Adviser. A campaign spokesman for Joe Biden, who was on the list, had said the documents, quote, "simply indicate the breadth and depth of concern" about Flynn's conduct. Unmasking requests are a routine part of intelligence work, and there's no evidence the requests were made for political purposes.

Tampa Bay Times 10/14/20

⚾RAYS DOWN ASTROS 5-2, NOW ONE WIN FROM WORLD SERIES: The Tampa Bay Rays downed the Houston Astros 5-2 last night to take a 3 games to none lead in the American League Championship Series, putting them just one win away from reaching the World Series. The Rays last played in the World Series in 2008, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. Game 4 will be played tonight.

⚾BRAVES DEFEAT DODGERS 8-7, TAKE 2-0 NLCS LEAD: The Atlanta Braves defeated the L.A. Dodgers 8-7 last night to take a 2 games to none lead in the National League Championship Series. Atlanta held on for the win after the Dodgers closed the gap on the Braves, who went into the seventh inning leading 7-0. Game 3 is tonight.

The Tennessean 10/14/20

🏈TITANS BEAT BILLS 42-16 IN RARE TUESDAY GAME: The Tennessee Titans beat the Buffalo Bills 42-16 last night (October 13th) in a rare game played on a Tuesday because a coronavirus outbreak on the Titans led to it being postponed. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was 21 of 28 for 195 yards with three passing touchdowns and ran for another touchdown. Cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted two passes for Tennessee.

🏌TOP-RANKED MEN'S GOLFER JOHNSON POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS: American Dustin Johnson, currently the world's top-ranked men's golfer, has tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing him to withdraw yesterday from the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek. The PGA Tour said in a statement that Johnson told officials he was experiencing Covid-19 symptoms and tested positive. Johnson is the most prominent of the 12 players who've tested positive since the PGA Tour resumed on June 8th.

➤JETS RELEASE BELL LESS THAN TWO YEARS INTO FOUR-YEAR DEAL: The New York Jets released running back Le'Veon Bell yesterday, less than two years into his four-year deal, ending a relationship that never really meshed, particularly between Bell and head coach Adam Gase. A frustrated Bell reportedly spoke with Gase and general manager Joe Douglas Monday about wanting out. Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million deal in 2019.

➤FLORIDA PAUSES TEAM ACTIVITIES AFTER CORONAVIRUS INCREASE: Florida's football team paused all team activities, including practices, Tuesday after an increase in positive coronavirus tests among players, with AP citing a source as saying the Gators had 19 positives after testing yesterday morning. The outbreak has put Florida's scheduled game at home Saturday against defending national champion LSU in jeopardy.

➤SAINTS MAY PLAY HOME GAMES AT LSU'S TIGER STADIUM: The New Orleans Saints began discussions with LSU officials yesterday about the NFL team possibly playing its upcoming home games as LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Saints official Greg Bensel told ESPN. At issue is having fans, in limited capacity, at the game, which New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has repeatedly refused amid the pandemic because the Superdome, where the Saints play, is indoors. Tiger Stadium is an outdoor stadium. Currently, 15 NFL teams are allowed to have fans in limited capacity.
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