This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/sep/27/donald-trump-amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court-debate-joe-biden-latest-updates
The article has changed 20 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 16 | Version 17 |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump claims New York Times tax returns report is 'fake news' – live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Paper says Trump ‘paid $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency’ and another $750 in his first year in power | Paper says Trump ‘paid $750 in federal income taxes the year he won the presidency’ and another $750 in his first year in power |
| Trump is pressed further on his tax information. Asked if he could give the American people a sense of what he pays in federal income tax, he says: “First of all, I’ve paid a lot and I’ve paid a lot of state income taxes, too. ... It’ll all be revealed. It’s going to come out, but after after the audit. They’re doing their assessment. We’ve been negotiating for a long time. Things get settled, like in the IRS. But right now when you’re under audit, you don’t do it. You don’t do that. So we’re under audit. But the story is a total fake.” | |
| Donald Trump has dismissed the New York Times revelation of his tax information as “fake news”. | |
| “It’s fake news,” he says. “It’s totally fake news. Made up, fake. We went through the same stories, you could have asked me the same questions four years ago, I had to litigate this and had to talk about it. Totally fake news. Actually, I paid tax. And you’ll see that as soon as my tax returns – it’s under audit, they’ve been under audit for a long time, the IRS does not treat me well, they treat me like the Tea Party, like they treated the Tea Party, and they don’t treat me well. They treat me very badly. You have people in the IRS that treat me very, very badly. But they’re under audit. And when they’re not, I would be proud to show you. But that’s just fake news.” | |
| Trump says he didn’t know the story was going to be published today, but “somebody said they were going to a negative [story].” | |
| President Trump says he did not discuss the November election with his third supreme court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, as he thought it would not be appropriate. | |
| He’s then asked whether he was joking about demanding Joe Biden take a drug test before Tuesday’s debate. | |
| “I’m not joking,” he says. “I’m willing to take a drug test and I think he should, too. Because he’s had a very uneven – I watched him when he was debating Pocahontas and Harris, who treated him so badly – but I watched him and he was out of it.” | |
| Donald Trump has spent more than 10 minutes riffing on an array of baseless conspiracy theories: Hunter Biden, the impeachment “hoax”, widespread voter fraud and more. | |
| “These are all things that are very big on the internet,” he says. | |
| He has yet to acknowledge the New York Times expose. | |
| “We have noticed some comments made in the media about my incredibly qualified nominee, Amy,” Trump says in opening Sunday afternoon’s news conference from the White House podium as Rudy Giuliani and Chris Christie look on from the wings. “I’m sort of waiting for the New York Times and the Washington Post, ABC, CBS NBC, CNN, MSDNC – I’m waiting for them to endorse me.” | “We have noticed some comments made in the media about my incredibly qualified nominee, Amy,” Trump says in opening Sunday afternoon’s news conference from the White House podium as Rudy Giuliani and Chris Christie look on from the wings. “I’m sort of waiting for the New York Times and the Washington Post, ABC, CBS NBC, CNN, MSDNC – I’m waiting for them to endorse me.” |
| The briefing has immediately taken on the tenor of a campaign speech. | The briefing has immediately taken on the tenor of a campaign speech. |
| New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet has written a note explaining the newspaper’s decision to publish Trump’s tax information. | New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet has written a note explaining the newspaper’s decision to publish Trump’s tax information. |
| “We are publishing this report because we believe citizens should understand as much as possible about their leaders and representatives – their priorities, their experiences and also their finances,” he writes. “Every president since the mid-1970s has made his tax information public. The tradition ensures that an official with the power to shake markets and change policy does not seek to benefit financially from his actions.” | “We are publishing this report because we believe citizens should understand as much as possible about their leaders and representatives – their priorities, their experiences and also their finances,” he writes. “Every president since the mid-1970s has made his tax information public. The tradition ensures that an official with the power to shake markets and change policy does not seek to benefit financially from his actions.” |
| Baquet continues: “Mr. Trump, one of the wealthiest presidents in the nation’s history, has broken with that practice. As a candidate and as president, Mr. Trump has said he wanted to make his tax returns public, but he has never done so. In fact, he has fought relentlessly to hide them from public view and has falsely asserted that he could not release them because he was being audited by the Internal Revenue Service. More recently, Mr. Trump and the Justice Department have fought subpoenas from congressional and New York State investigators seeking his taxes and other financial records.” | Baquet continues: “Mr. Trump, one of the wealthiest presidents in the nation’s history, has broken with that practice. As a candidate and as president, Mr. Trump has said he wanted to make his tax returns public, but he has never done so. In fact, he has fought relentlessly to hide them from public view and has falsely asserted that he could not release them because he was being audited by the Internal Revenue Service. More recently, Mr. Trump and the Justice Department have fought subpoenas from congressional and New York State investigators seeking his taxes and other financial records.” |
| As we wait for Donald Trump to take the podium in the White House briefing room, the New York Times reveals it has obtained the US president’s tax return data for thousands of personal and corporate returns going back more than two decades. | As we wait for Donald Trump to take the podium in the White House briefing room, the New York Times reveals it has obtained the US president’s tax return data for thousands of personal and corporate returns going back more than two decades. |
| The Times report also reveals the financial pressure on Trump is mounting as he is personally responsible for loans and other debts totaling $421m, with most of it coming due within four years. | The Times report also reveals the financial pressure on Trump is mounting as he is personally responsible for loans and other debts totaling $421m, with most of it coming due within four years. |
| “Should he win re-election, his lenders could be placed in the unprecedented position of weighing whether to foreclose on a sitting president,” it reads. | “Should he win re-election, his lenders could be placed in the unprecedented position of weighing whether to foreclose on a sitting president,” it reads. |
| The Washington Post has published an investigation on Donald Trump’s seizure of his father’s estate while the future US president faced personal financial ruin in 1990. Notably, Michael Kranish’s piece does not rely on any anonymous sources, rather audiotaped conversations, depositions and other public documents: | The Washington Post has published an investigation on Donald Trump’s seizure of his father’s estate while the future US president faced personal financial ruin in 1990. Notably, Michael Kranish’s piece does not rely on any anonymous sources, rather audiotaped conversations, depositions and other public documents: |
| Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, said on Sunday she thinks a deal can be reached with the White House on a coronavirus relief package and that talks were continuing, Reuters reports. | Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, said on Sunday she thinks a deal can be reached with the White House on a coronavirus relief package and that talks were continuing, Reuters reports. |
| “We are having our conversations. And when I have a conversation with the administration, it is in good faith,” Pelosi said on CNN. “I trust (Treasury) Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin to represent something that can reach a solution. And I believe we can come to an agreement.” | “We are having our conversations. And when I have a conversation with the administration, it is in good faith,” Pelosi said on CNN. “I trust (Treasury) Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin to represent something that can reach a solution. And I believe we can come to an agreement.” |
| Formal talks between Pelosi, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, Mnuchin and the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, aimed at hammering out a relief package broke down on 7 August with the two sides far apart. Pelosi and Mnuchin have since spoken by phone. | Formal talks between Pelosi, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, Mnuchin and the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, aimed at hammering out a relief package broke down on 7 August with the two sides far apart. Pelosi and Mnuchin have since spoken by phone. |
| With formal Covid-19 relief talks stalled for weeks, the house ways and means committee chairman, Richard Neal, on Thursday said Democratic lawmakers were starting to draft a bill totalling at least $2.2tn. | With formal Covid-19 relief talks stalled for weeks, the house ways and means committee chairman, Richard Neal, on Thursday said Democratic lawmakers were starting to draft a bill totalling at least $2.2tn. |
| Pelosi on Sunday said it was “definitely a possibility” that she would offer legislation in the coming days if the impasse with the Trump administration continued but said she would rather have a deal with the White House than a “rhetorical argument”. | Pelosi on Sunday said it was “definitely a possibility” that she would offer legislation in the coming days if the impasse with the Trump administration continued but said she would rather have a deal with the White House than a “rhetorical argument”. |
| Any legislation the Democratic-led House might approve would be unlikely to advance in the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. | Any legislation the Democratic-led House might approve would be unlikely to advance in the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans. |
| Pelosi and Schumer had originally sought a $3.4tn relief package but have scaled back their demands. Meadows has previously said that Trump would be willing to sign a $1.3tn bill. | Pelosi and Schumer had originally sought a $3.4tn relief package but have scaled back their demands. Meadows has previously said that Trump would be willing to sign a $1.3tn bill. |
| The White House has announced Donald Trump will hold a news conference in the Brady briefing room at 5pm as the US senate prepares to begin the confirmation process for Amy Coney Barrett. Republican lawmakers have floated 12 October as a possible start date for Senate judiciary committee hearings. | The White House has announced Donald Trump will hold a news conference in the Brady briefing room at 5pm as the US senate prepares to begin the confirmation process for Amy Coney Barrett. Republican lawmakers have floated 12 October as a possible start date for Senate judiciary committee hearings. |
| We can also expect to hear about debate drug-testing protocols and how Hobbs & Shaw was overrated. | We can also expect to hear about debate drug-testing protocols and how Hobbs & Shaw was overrated. |
| Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, who will moderate Tuesday night’s first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, will not be tasked with fact-checking the candidates in real time, the co-chair of the debate commission has confirmed. | Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, who will moderate Tuesday night’s first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, will not be tasked with fact-checking the candidates in real time, the co-chair of the debate commission has confirmed. |
| “We don’t expect Chris or our other moderators to be fact checkers,” Frank Fahrenkopf, co-chair of the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), said Sunday on CNN’s Reliable Sources. “The minute the TV is off there will be plenty of fact checkers.” | “We don’t expect Chris or our other moderators to be fact checkers,” Frank Fahrenkopf, co-chair of the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), said Sunday on CNN’s Reliable Sources. “The minute the TV is off there will be plenty of fact checkers.” |
| He added: “When we choose moderators, we make very clear to them that there’s a vast difference between being a moderator in a debate and being a reporter who is interviewing someone. When you’re interviewing someone, if they say something that is in direct opposition to something they said a week ago, your duty is to follow up and say, wait a minute, you didn’t say that a week ago. But that’s not the case in the debate. If one of these candidates says something on the stage Tuesday, it’s the role of the other person in a debate to be the one to raise that and say, wait a minute, you’re changing the position and so forth rather than the moderator.” | He added: “When we choose moderators, we make very clear to them that there’s a vast difference between being a moderator in a debate and being a reporter who is interviewing someone. When you’re interviewing someone, if they say something that is in direct opposition to something they said a week ago, your duty is to follow up and say, wait a minute, you didn’t say that a week ago. But that’s not the case in the debate. If one of these candidates says something on the stage Tuesday, it’s the role of the other person in a debate to be the one to raise that and say, wait a minute, you’re changing the position and so forth rather than the moderator.” |
| Fahrenkopf went on to say the CPD would not comply with Trump’s demand – which he reiterated in a tweet on Sunday morning – that both candidates be drug-tested before Tuesday’s meeting. | Fahrenkopf went on to say the CPD would not comply with Trump’s demand – which he reiterated in a tweet on Sunday morning – that both candidates be drug-tested before Tuesday’s meeting. |
| “One of my daughters is a doctor and I’m sure she doesn’t want me taking anybody’s drug test,” Fahrenkopf said. “So, no, that’s not – that’s not within our bailiwick that the commission is going to do or consider.” | “One of my daughters is a doctor and I’m sure she doesn’t want me taking anybody’s drug test,” Fahrenkopf said. “So, no, that’s not – that’s not within our bailiwick that the commission is going to do or consider.” |
| Donald Trump departed Trump National in the presidential motorcade shortly before 2pm after spending the morning at his private golf club in Virginia. | Donald Trump departed Trump National in the presidential motorcade shortly before 2pm after spending the morning at his private golf club in Virginia. |
| As has become customary during the president’s visits to the Loudoun county property, groups of supporters and protesters gathered outside were there to make themselves heard as Trump left the property. | As has become customary during the president’s visits to the Loudoun county property, groups of supporters and protesters gathered outside were there to make themselves heard as Trump left the property. |
| According to a White House pool report: | According to a White House pool report: |
| I’ve been meaning to post this all day, so indulge me. | I’ve been meaning to post this all day, so indulge me. |
| At the White House on Saturday, Donald Trump made a rather unlikely appeal for civility (reminding me if no one else of Monty Python’s appeal for sanity), regarding forthcoming confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett. | At the White House on Saturday, Donald Trump made a rather unlikely appeal for civility (reminding me if no one else of Monty Python’s appeal for sanity), regarding forthcoming confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett. |
| “This should be a straightforward and prompt confirmation,” the president said, “should be very easy. Good luck. It’s gonna be very quick. I’ll sure it’ll be extremely noncontroversial. We said that the last time, didn’t we?” | “This should be a straightforward and prompt confirmation,” the president said, “should be very easy. Good luck. It’s gonna be very quick. I’ll sure it’ll be extremely noncontroversial. We said that the last time, didn’t we?” |
| That was a reference to the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, which wasn’t noncontroversial. Some reading follows, if you can bear it: | That was a reference to the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, which wasn’t noncontroversial. Some reading follows, if you can bear it: |
| I’ve said this before and I’ll no doubt say it again, but if there is going to be a #ButHerEmails hashtag for this election, it should be #ButTheJudges. | I’ve said this before and I’ll no doubt say it again, but if there is going to be a #ButHerEmails hashtag for this election, it should be #ButTheJudges. |
| The Trump administration has not just appointed (probably) three supreme court justices – it has appointed around 200 federal judges, a hugely consequential achievement with the power to shape US society for decades to come. | The Trump administration has not just appointed (probably) three supreme court justices – it has appointed around 200 federal judges, a hugely consequential achievement with the power to shape US society for decades to come. |
| Senate majority leader Mitch “Mule Piss” McConnell deserves more credit – in the sense of giving the devil his due, if you’re a Democrat or a progressive – than Trump. | Senate majority leader Mitch “Mule Piss” McConnell deserves more credit – in the sense of giving the devil his due, if you’re a Democrat or a progressive – than Trump. |
| But if there is one person connected to Trump who should be doing victory laps right now it is Don McGahn, the former White House counsel and Federalist Society mover and shaker who put up with no end of what is technically known as shit, in order to see the judges project through. | But if there is one person connected to Trump who should be doing victory laps right now it is Don McGahn, the former White House counsel and Federalist Society mover and shaker who put up with no end of what is technically known as shit, in order to see the judges project through. |
| And he is doing victory laps, telling CBS Face the Nation earlier Trump “made a number of promises on the campaign trail, one is his judicial selection, which he’s done. He’s had a record number of judges out there – on the circuit courts.” | And he is doing victory laps, telling CBS Face the Nation earlier Trump “made a number of promises on the campaign trail, one is his judicial selection, which he’s done. He’s had a record number of judges out there – on the circuit courts.” |
| The New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt wrote an extremely good book about all this. In response to McGahn’s interview on CBS Face the Nation earlier, he tweeted: | The New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt wrote an extremely good book about all this. In response to McGahn’s interview on CBS Face the Nation earlier, he tweeted: |
| It really is the case that the Republican establishment has decided to put up with everything Trump can fling at it – temptation to make a King Kong-related gag about what apes often fling at the bars of their cages … resisted – because he has delivered, in the words of former White House chief of staff, treasury secretary and secretary of state James Baker, “conservative judges, tax cuts and deregulation”. | It really is the case that the Republican establishment has decided to put up with everything Trump can fling at it – temptation to make a King Kong-related gag about what apes often fling at the bars of their cages … resisted – because he has delivered, in the words of former White House chief of staff, treasury secretary and secretary of state James Baker, “conservative judges, tax cuts and deregulation”. |
| I can’t say often enough that Baker is a man whose best friend was George HW Bush, the head of a family Trump has trashed, trampled and traduced. Baker rubbed Bush’s feet as he died. And yet Baker will vote for Trump. | I can’t say often enough that Baker is a man whose best friend was George HW Bush, the head of a family Trump has trashed, trampled and traduced. Baker rubbed Bush’s feet as he died. And yet Baker will vote for Trump. |
| McGahn was subject to truly astonishing pressure, stress and abuse before he finally left the White House. He’ll vote for Trump too. | McGahn was subject to truly astonishing pressure, stress and abuse before he finally left the White House. He’ll vote for Trump too. |
| Amazing what power can do. | Amazing what power can do. |
| Biden returned to his theme from earlier remarks about the process for replacing Ginsburg, lamenting Republicans’ determination to rush Amy Coney Barrett on to the court in defiance of their own precedent, if not of any actual constitutional provision. More in hope than expectation, surely, he also repeated his call for Republican senators to “step back from the brink” and pause the rush to confirmation. | Biden returned to his theme from earlier remarks about the process for replacing Ginsburg, lamenting Republicans’ determination to rush Amy Coney Barrett on to the court in defiance of their own precedent, if not of any actual constitutional provision. More in hope than expectation, surely, he also repeated his call for Republican senators to “step back from the brink” and pause the rush to confirmation. |
| Two, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – both supporters of abortion rights, as it happens – have said they do not think a justice should be confirmed before the election. That leaves Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, with a 51-49 vote to confirm – more than enough. | Two, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – both supporters of abortion rights, as it happens – have said they do not think a justice should be confirmed before the election. That leaves Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, with a 51-49 vote to confirm – more than enough. |
| In Wilmington, Biden insisted: | In Wilmington, Biden insisted: |
| More from Joe Biden’s speech in Wilmington earlier: | More from Joe Biden’s speech in Wilmington earlier: |