Monday, November 23, 2020

The AM Rundown: Some Republicans Social Distancing From Trump

Wall Street Journal 11/23/20


'A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT': Some prominent Republicans are edging away from President Donald Trump's continuing legal challenges of his November 3rd loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Trump ally, called the conduct of the president's legal team in challenging the election results "a national embarrassment." In an appearance yesterday on ABC News' This Week, Christie said the lawyers have made serious allegations of voting fraud that they have been not supported with any evidence. "Elections have consequences," Christie said, "and we cannot continue to act as if something happened here that didn’t happen." 

On CNN's State of the Union, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, also a Republican, said the president's continued challenge of the election results are "beginning to look like we're a banana republic."

Republican Senator Kevin Cramer, of North Dakota, said it's "past time" for the Biden transition to begin.

Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican, said the president "has exhausted all plausible legal options" in Pennsylvania, and congratulated Biden on his victory.

➤PENNSYLVANIA RULING APPEALED: In Pennsylvania, Trump's legal team has filed a notice of appeal over a lower court's dismissal of its claim of voter fraud. On Saturday, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann dismissed the Trump team's attempt to throw out all seven million votes cast in the state. The judge used harsh words in his dismissal. "This Court has been presented with strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations, unpled in the operative complaint and unsupported by evidence." He wrote. "…Our people, laws and institutions demand more."

In Georgia, all five million votes will be counted for a third time. The recount was requested by the Trump campaign on the grounds that the winning margin was narrow enough to justify it. Joe Biden won the state's votes by a margin of 0.26%. The first recount, last week, closed the gap by fewer than 300 votes.

President Trump attacked both Judge Brann and Senator Toomey in a single tweet in which he called it "all a continuation of the never ending Witch Hunt."


➤BIDEN CABINET TAKING SHAPE: President-elect Joe Biden is expected to name Antony Blinken, a veteran foreign policy professional, as his secretary of state, according to a report last night in The New York Times. Blinken was Biden's national security adviser when he was vice president and was his top aide on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Other announcements on cabinet picks are expected tomorrow.


➤NO SHOPPING ON THANKSGIVING DAY: Whatever your plans for Thanksgiving are, don't count on a shopping expedition this year. A number of major retailers that usually open their doors on the holiday will stay closed this year, partially as a thank you to their hard-working employees. Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Macy's all will be closed. Other big chains haven't opened on past Thanksgivings, and won't do it this year either. They include Costco, Home Depot, Nordstrom, Publix and Trader Joe's.

➤CA CURFEW RULES TIGHTEN: New restrictions including a curfew kicked in for Californians over the weekend, as coronavirus cases in the state hit a new high. The state recorded 15,442 new cases on Saturday, bringing the total numbers infected there to nearly 1.1 million. For the next month, a 10 PM curfew has gone into affect in most counties as a way to discourage social gatherings. In Los Angeles, indoor eating at restaurants is banned beginning Wednesday.
On the other side of the country, in Philadelphia, new restrictions related to COVID-19 have forced the closure of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center until at least January 1.

🎸GUITAR CENTER GOES SILENT: The Guitar Center, America's biggest musical instrument retail chain, is the latest victim of coronavirus. The retailer, which operates 269 stores, is filing for bankruptcy but hopes to make a comeback after renegotiating its debt.


🏈BAD DAY FOR JOE BURROW: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was carted off the field yesterday with an injury to his left knee, suffered in the third quarter of the Bengals game against Washington. Ryan Finley replaced him at quarterback. Burrow might not return this season. "Thanks for all the love," he wrote later on Twitter. "Can't get rid of me that easy. See ya next year."

🏈NFL SCORES -- WEEK 11:
  • Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 3
  • Los Angeles Chargers 34, New York Jets 28, 
  • Dallas Cowboys 31, Minnesota Vikings 28
  • Carolina Panthers 20, Detroit Lions 0
  • Denver Broncos 20, Miami Dolphins 13
  • Tennessee Titans 30, Baltimore Ravens 24
  • Washington 20, Cincinnati Bengals 9
  • New Orleans Saints 24, Atlanta Falcons 9
  • Houston Texans 27, New England Patriots 20 
  • Cleveland Browns 22, Philadelphia Eagles 17
  • Indianapolis Colts 34, Green Bay Packers 31 
  • Kansas City Chiefs 35, Las Vegas Raiders 31
Tonight's Monday Night Football game: 
  • Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers on ESPN (8:15 PM).

🏀TATUM WITH THE CELTICS FOR THE LONG TERM: The Boston Celtics are making sure that Jayson Tatum is with the team for the long term. They agreed to a five-year, $195 million deal that incudes a player option in 2025, ESPN reports. 

Donovan Mitchell reportedly agreed to a similar deal for five more years with the Utah Jazz over the weekend.

🏈COLLEGE PLAYOFFS STAY AT 4 GAMES: It's official. This year's College Football Playoff will remain at four teams this year. The announcement was released yesterday ahead of Tuesday night's first rankings release of the season.
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