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/oct/12/amy-coney-barrett-senate-hearings-donald-trump-covid-coronavirus-joe-biden-us-election-live-updates

The article has changed 31 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Amy Coney Barrett Senate hearings set to begin in Washington – live Amy Coney Barrett supreme court nomination hearings begin in Washington – live
(32 minutes later)
Barrett to deliver opening statement on first of four days of hearings before Senate judiciary committeeBarrett to deliver opening statement on first of four days of hearings before Senate judiciary committee
Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate judiciary committee, focused her opening statement on her concerns that Amy Coney Barrett would vote to scrap the Affordable Care Act.
The California Democrat noted the supreme court will be holding oral arguments on a case involving the ACA one week after the November 3 elections.
Feinstein pointed to past writings from Barrett criticizing supreme court Chief Justice John Roberts for voting to uphold the law in 2012.
Democrats on the committee are expected to hammer this theme of the ACA being in jeopardy for the rest of the week.
Meanwhile, senator Kamala Harris has arrived on Capitol Hill, where she will participate in Amy Coney Barrett’s hearings virtually from her office.
The Democratic vice-presidential nominee said her opening statement today would be focused on “establishing the context of this hearing.”
As a member of the Senate judiciary committee, Harris has become well-known for her tough questioning of Trump’s nominees, including supreme court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Lindsey Graham closed his opening comments by predicting this would be “a long, contentious week.”
The Republican chairman of the Senate judiciary committee asked members of the panel to keep the hearings “respectful” and “challenging.”
“Remember, the world is watching,” Graham said.
Lindsey Graham acknowledged the nomination hearings were unlikely to change the minds of anyone on the Senate judiciary committee.
“This is probably not about persuading each other unless something really dramatic happens,” the Republican chairman of the committee said.
Graham said he expected all Republicans to support Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination and all Democrats to oppose it.
Lindsey Graham justified the timing of Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation hearings, even though they come about three weeks before a presidential election.
The Republican chairman of the Senate judiciary committee said it was fair to confirm Barrett when both the White House and the Senate were controlled by Republicans.
No supreme court nominee has ever been confirmed between July and November of a presidential election year.
Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, laid out the schedule for Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination hearings.
Today will be dedicated to opening statements from Barrett and the members of the committee, followed by two days of questioning.
Graham said the panel would likely vote on her nomination on October 27, followed by a full Senate vote on October 27 -- one week before the elections.
Supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has taken her seat in the Senate hearing room. The nomination hearings are now underway.
Supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and her family arrived on Capitol Hill for the Senate hearings moments ago.
This is Joan Greve in Washington, taking over for Martin Belam.
We are moments away from the start of the nomination hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, who could become the sixth conservative justice on the supreme court.
Barrett and members of the Senate judiciary committee are expected to deliver their opening statements this morning.
In a surprising turn, Republican senator Mike Lee, who tested positive for coronavirus 10 days ago, said he would be attending the hearings in person.
Back to the Amy Coney Barrett Senate hearings, which will be beginning very soon. Republicans have been moving swiftly to get her confirmed before the election, in order to try and pack the court with a 6-3 conservative majority ahead of any dispute that arises after the results of the 3 November vote.Back to the Amy Coney Barrett Senate hearings, which will be beginning very soon. Republicans have been moving swiftly to get her confirmed before the election, in order to try and pack the court with a 6-3 conservative majority ahead of any dispute that arises after the results of the 3 November vote.
Zalman Rothschild writes for us this morning on how he surveyed 74 court rulings on religious freedom and Covid lockdowns in the US in recent months, and was staggered by the partisan divide. His conclusion: Judges’ politics absolutely sway how they decide casesZalman Rothschild writes for us this morning on how he surveyed 74 court rulings on religious freedom and Covid lockdowns in the US in recent months, and was staggered by the partisan divide. His conclusion: Judges’ politics absolutely sway how they decide cases
Read more here: Zalman Rothschild – Judges’ politics absolutely sway how they decide cases. I crunched the numbersRead more here: Zalman Rothschild – Judges’ politics absolutely sway how they decide cases. I crunched the numbers
I’m not entirely sure that I ever thought in my lifetime it would be my job to bring you the news that the president of the United States has announced that the state of California is going to hell, but here we all are…I’m not entirely sure that I ever thought in my lifetime it would be my job to bring you the news that the president of the United States has announced that the state of California is going to hell, but here we all are…
New York, apparently, has already got there.New York, apparently, has already got there.
To add to the general mire of confusion of disinformation that the US president Donald Trump has been spreading about mail-in ballots, it emerges that the California Republican party has been installing unofficial ballot drop-off boxes. State officials say they’re illegal. Katie Shepherd writes for the Washington Post:To add to the general mire of confusion of disinformation that the US president Donald Trump has been spreading about mail-in ballots, it emerges that the California Republican party has been installing unofficial ballot drop-off boxes. State officials say they’re illegal. Katie Shepherd writes for the Washington Post:
For their part, Republicans have defended the practice, saying it is only a form of “ballot harvesting.”For their part, Republicans have defended the practice, saying it is only a form of “ballot harvesting.”
In some states, ballot harvesting rules allow campaign volunteers to collect ballots door-to-door and return them to be counted on behalf of voters, and a law was passed permitting it by Democrats in 2016. The Republicans have defended the drop-off boxes on Twitter.In some states, ballot harvesting rules allow campaign volunteers to collect ballots door-to-door and return them to be counted on behalf of voters, and a law was passed permitting it by Democrats in 2016. The Republicans have defended the drop-off boxes on Twitter.
Read more here: Washington Post – California GOP installed unofficial ballot drop-off boxes. State officials say they’re illegalRead more here: Washington Post – California GOP installed unofficial ballot drop-off boxes. State officials say they’re illegal
Kenya Evelyn reports for us in Jacksonville, Florida:Kenya Evelyn reports for us in Jacksonville, Florida:
With one in 1,000 Black Americans having died of the coronavirus, progressives such as Angie Nixon are rallying voters ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Running uncontested, she’s the next state representative for Florida’s 14th congressional district representing Jacksonville and its outer suburbs.With one in 1,000 Black Americans having died of the coronavirus, progressives such as Angie Nixon are rallying voters ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Running uncontested, she’s the next state representative for Florida’s 14th congressional district representing Jacksonville and its outer suburbs.
“I think it’s really important that we work on legislation that addresses systemic racism and that is not just Band-Aids,” she said. “I’m pregnant. Yes, I have a degree. I have a good-paying job and I have healthcare, but I’m still concerned that if I go into the hospital, will I be listened to?”“I think it’s really important that we work on legislation that addresses systemic racism and that is not just Band-Aids,” she said. “I’m pregnant. Yes, I have a degree. I have a good-paying job and I have healthcare, but I’m still concerned that if I go into the hospital, will I be listened to?”
As cases surged in Jacksonville, Nixon’s canvassing evolved into community wellness checks. Shortly after, she contracted the virus while pregnant before transmitting it to her mother. She said her “most mentally taxing experience” is a wake-up call for Democrats to get aggressive in facing the issues affecting their most loyal voting bloc.As cases surged in Jacksonville, Nixon’s canvassing evolved into community wellness checks. Shortly after, she contracted the virus while pregnant before transmitting it to her mother. She said her “most mentally taxing experience” is a wake-up call for Democrats to get aggressive in facing the issues affecting their most loyal voting bloc.
“I don’t want [my daughters] to continue to fight for the same things that my mom and my grandmother had to fight for,” she said. “We’ve been the ones that have been turning out for the longest and we are going to lead this movement,” she said.“I don’t want [my daughters] to continue to fight for the same things that my mom and my grandmother had to fight for,” she said. “We’ve been the ones that have been turning out for the longest and we are going to lead this movement,” she said.
Nixon is part of a record number of Black women and women of color to run for office across the country. While she called on more to claim their political power and demand “a seat at the table”, she acknowledged that not all Black voters move left.Nixon is part of a record number of Black women and women of color to run for office across the country. While she called on more to claim their political power and demand “a seat at the table”, she acknowledged that not all Black voters move left.
Read Kenya Evelyn’s report in full here: ‘We’re going to lead this’: a call for Black women in Florida to claim their political powerRead Kenya Evelyn’s report in full here: ‘We’re going to lead this’: a call for Black women in Florida to claim their political power
As well as tweeting about Portland and coronavirus, the president has repeated his claim that the 2020 US election is being rigged against him. The legal wrangling over Republican attempts at voter suppression meanwhile continues in the courts.As well as tweeting about Portland and coronavirus, the president has repeated his claim that the 2020 US election is being rigged against him. The legal wrangling over Republican attempts at voter suppression meanwhile continues in the courts.
In Minnesota, Associated Press report, a federal judge has upheld a state court agreement that extends the states’s deadline for counting absentee ballots by seven days.In Minnesota, Associated Press report, a federal judge has upheld a state court agreement that extends the states’s deadline for counting absentee ballots by seven days.
Republicans had asked US District Judge Nancy Brasel to block the seven-day extension that Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon agreed to after a citizens’ rights group cited concerns about voter safety due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But Brasel ruled late Sunday that the plaintiffs in the case – a pair of Republicans serving as electors in the presidential election – don’t have standing and denied their motion for a preliminary injunction.Republicans had asked US District Judge Nancy Brasel to block the seven-day extension that Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon agreed to after a citizens’ rights group cited concerns about voter safety due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But Brasel ruled late Sunday that the plaintiffs in the case – a pair of Republicans serving as electors in the presidential election – don’t have standing and denied their motion for a preliminary injunction.
Previously, ballots had to be received by 8pm on election day but a consent decree allowed ballots postmarked on or before election day to be counted if they were received within the following seven days.Previously, ballots had to be received by 8pm on election day but a consent decree allowed ballots postmarked on or before election day to be counted if they were received within the following seven days.
Brasel’s decision to keep the extension intact comes just days after a federal appeals court blocked a similar extension in Wisconsin in a win for Republicans who have fought attempts to expand voting across the country.Brasel’s decision to keep the extension intact comes just days after a federal appeals court blocked a similar extension in Wisconsin in a win for Republicans who have fought attempts to expand voting across the country.
Meanwhile, in Georgia, a federal judge on Sunday expressed serious concerns about the state’s new election system, but declined to order the state to abandon its touchscreen voting machines in favor of hand-marked paper ballots for the November election.Meanwhile, in Georgia, a federal judge on Sunday expressed serious concerns about the state’s new election system, but declined to order the state to abandon its touchscreen voting machines in favor of hand-marked paper ballots for the November election.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by voting integrity activists that challenges the election system the state bought last year from Dominion Voting Systems for more than $100 million. The activists argued that the system places an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote because voters cannot be confident their vote is accurately counted.The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by voting integrity activists that challenges the election system the state bought last year from Dominion Voting Systems for more than $100 million. The activists argued that the system places an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote because voters cannot be confident their vote is accurately counted.
One of the unknowns of this election, which is taking place with unprecedented levels of mail in and absentee ballots during a global pandemic, is just when we might find out the result. It is sure to be disputed, whatever happens, but Zach Montellaro and David Siders think the picture could be clearer than anticipated on the night. They write for Politico:One of the unknowns of this election, which is taking place with unprecedented levels of mail in and absentee ballots during a global pandemic, is just when we might find out the result. It is sure to be disputed, whatever happens, but Zach Montellaro and David Siders think the picture could be clearer than anticipated on the night. They write for Politico:
They go on to outline several scenarios where Biden could be confident he had bagged 270 electoral college votes on the night – nearly all of which rely on him winning Florida.They go on to outline several scenarios where Biden could be confident he had bagged 270 electoral college votes on the night – nearly all of which rely on him winning Florida.
Biden visits Ohio to campaign later today.Biden visits Ohio to campaign later today.
Read more here: Politico – How Biden could end 2020 on election night — and why Trump’s path is unlikelyRead more here: Politico – How Biden could end 2020 on election night — and why Trump’s path is unlikely
President Donald Trump has tweeted about the rising numbers of coronavirus cases being reported in Europe, promising that “it will run its course” if the US is strong and vigilant.President Donald Trump has tweeted about the rising numbers of coronavirus cases being reported in Europe, promising that “it will run its course” if the US is strong and vigilant.
Yesterday the US recorded 44,614 new coronavirus cases and 398 new Covid deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker. Here are the latest figures showing the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in the US.Yesterday the US recorded 44,614 new coronavirus cases and 398 new Covid deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker. Here are the latest figures showing the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in the US.
Erwin Chemerinsky writes for the Los Angeles Times this morning on “How the Senate should question Amy Coney Barrett to show the threat she poses”Erwin Chemerinsky writes for the Los Angeles Times this morning on “How the Senate should question Amy Coney Barrett to show the threat she poses”
Read more here: Los Angeles Times – How the Senate should question Amy Coney Barrett to show the threat she posesRead more here: Los Angeles Times – How the Senate should question Amy Coney Barrett to show the threat she poses
The president has awakened, and his first tweet of the day is about overnight events in Portland, where protestors have toppled statues of Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln [see 6:43].
Some of the drama of today’s Senate judiciary committee hearing into the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett has been taken away by the fact that her opening statement has leaked. In it she will give a great deal of thanks to her family, teachers and to her legal mentors – notable Judge Laurence Silberman and Justice Antonin Scalia.
She will then go on to talk a little of her philosophy of applying the law:
Harry Enten at CNN has a look at some dispiriting numbers for the Trump campaign today, noting that Joe Biden is polling better than any challenger since 1936.
Some word of caution, of course. Polls can be wrong and as Enten reminds us, it’s the Electoral College, not national share of vote that matters. But, he says:
Read it here: CNN – Joe Biden’s polling better than any challenger since 1936
Joe Biden will be in Ohio today, in a move which Julie Carr Smyth and Thomas Beaumont of the Associated Press say signals the former vice president’s hopes of winning the state Democrats lost by a significant margin in the 2016 election.
Biden plans an afternoon campaign speech in Toledo, then will head to Cincinnati for a voter mobilization event.
Vice president Mike Pence also plans a “Make America Great Again” campaign stop in Columbus on Monday, as he fills in for Trump before the president returns to the campaign trail later today with an even in Florida.
The Trump team are bullish about holding Ohio, which they won by 8 points last time around. “While Joe Biden and Democrats fumble to find Ohio at the 11th hour, Trump Victory never took the Buckeye State for granted and developed the strongest grassroots operation in the history of our state,” spokesman Dan Lusheck said in a statement Saturday. “We look forward to a big win for Team Trump on November 3rd.”
Biden extended his advertising presence in Ohio last week, adding money notably to radio in rural western counties and in the state’s eastern and southeastern Appalachian counties, where Trump won big four years ago.
Polls show the race in Ohio close, with Trump just about retaining an edge. Trump’s support has declined in suburbs across the state this year though, notably in and around Cincinnati, according to surveys by Republican legislative strategists, worrying them about whether Trump’s plan to turn out more voters than 2016 in the rural parts of the state can compensate for the losses.
You can keep up to date with the polling in the crucial swing states with our US election polls tracker.
There’s some dramatic images in from Portland, Oregon this morning, the city that has held over 100 consecutive days of #BlackLivesMatter demonstrations in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.
Overnight protestors have toppled statues of Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
Shane Dixon Kavanaugh reports for The Oregonian/OregonLive:
Kavanaugh said that the group were around 200 strong, and targeted a bronze sculpture officially titled “Theodore Roosevelt, Rough Rider,” by putting chains around it and rocking it from side-to-side as others took a blowtorch to its base and splattered it with red paint.
Roosevelt’s plinth was daubed with “Stolen Land”, while the base of the Lincoln statue was spray-painted with “Dakota 38,” a reference to 38 men executed after the 1862 Dakota-US War. It was the largest mass execution in a single day in American history.
After the statues were toppled, protestors unfurled a banner that read “Stop honoring racist colonizer murderers.”
ABC News have published some new polling data this morning about the rush to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as a new justice on the supreme court.
Read more here: ABC News – Majority says wait on the SCOTUS seat; 6 in 10 favor upholding Roe: POLL
The last Senate confirmation hearings for a supreme court justice nominee were for Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, but you might need a refresher on the format of this week’s events. Deirdre Walsh at NPR has you covered:
The 22 senators on the committee?
For Republicans, it is the chair, Graham, plus Chuck Grassley (Iowa), John Cornyn (Texas), Michael Lee (Utah), Ted Cruz (Texas), Ben Sasse (Nebraska), Joshua Hawley (Montana), Thom Tillis (North Carolina), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Mike Crapo (Idaho), John Kennedy (Louisiana) and Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee).
For the Democratic party, it is ranking member Dianne Feinstein (California), Patrick Leahy (Vermont), Dick Durbin (Illinois), Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Christopher Coons (Delaware), Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Cory Booker (New Jersey) and Kamala Harris (California).
Harris has come off the campaign trail this week to participate in the sessions. It all starts in the Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216 at 9am ET, and Joan E Greve will be along around that time to provide in-depth coverage for the blog.
Of all the cornucopia of tone-deaf and offensive remarks made by the president of the United States in almost four years in office, one proposition he made to the American people last week must surely rank among the top 10.
“Don’t be afraid of Covid,” he said in a tweet. “Don’t let it dominate your life.”
Donald Trump posted those words at 2.37pm on 5 October from the luxury of his four-room suite in Walter Reed medical center. He was surrounded by a team of a dozen world-class doctors infusing him with a unique cocktail of experimental drugs for Covid-19 that would have cost an ordinary American hundreds of thousands of dollars to procure.
About an hour earlier, data scientists at Johns Hopkins University released their latest figures for the pandemic. They showed that at least 7.5 million Americans had contracted the disease, and that 209,881 had died – a death rate towering over most developed countries and 2,000 times that of humble Vietnam.
Read more here: ‘He just thinks about himself’: America’s reckless, ill president
On that row over the mis-use of a clip of Dr Anthony Fauci in the Trump campaign ad, here’s what he actually said versus how the segment was used by the president’s team.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of US politics for Monday, the day that Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to fill the supreme court seat vacated by the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg moves on to the next stage. Here’s a catch up on where we are, and what we might expect to see today:
The nomination hearings for Amy Coney Barrett begin at 9am, with opening statements by Senate judiciary committee members and the nominee herself.
Barrett’s opening statement has been leaked and reveals she will say she would apply the “law as written”. Her faith is expected to feature heavily in the Senate examination.
Donald Trump has started to say that he is “immune” to Covid-19, contradicting evidence people can get it more than once and ignoring the lack of research about how long antibodies are effective. Twitter flagged his tweet claiming immunity, saying it contains misleading information.
Dr Anthony Fauci spoke out against a Trump campaign ad that used his words out of context.
A new national poll from ABC News and the Washington Post showed Joe Biden maintaining a 12% lead over Trump.
The president will hold a campaign rally in Sanford, Florida, at 7pm ET, marking his return to the campaign trail after being hospitalized with coronavirus.
Biden will be in Ohio, delivering remarks in Toledo on “building back the economy better for working families.” After that, he will attend a voter mobilization event in Cincinnati.
We’re hosting an online discussion panel on the US election on Tuesday 20 October, featuring senior political reporter Daniel Strauss; political correspondent Lauren Gambino; columnist Richard Wolffe; and Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland. There’s more details and tickets here.
I’m Martin Belam, and I will be with you for the next couple of hours…