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/2021/feb/23/joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-riot-senate-hearing-covid-coronavirus-live-updates
The article has changed 27 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Senate to hold hearing into 6 January Capitol attack by Trump supporters – live updates | Senate to hold hearing into 6 January Capitol attack by Trump supporters – live updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Law enforcement officials will give witness testimony about day pro-Trump mob stormed Capitol | Law enforcement officials will give witness testimony about day pro-Trump mob stormed Capitol |
| We are expecting some better news about vaccine manufacture supply to be delivered in Congress today. As Tim Stelloh reports for NBC News, executives with Pfizer and Moderna will say they are able to ramp up supplies in the coming weeks. | |
| Read more here: NBC News – Executives with Pfizer, Moderna say they’re ramping up vaccine supplies | |
| With the US having reached the grim total of over 500,000 Covid deaths, Sam Levin in Los Angeles reports for us on issues with the vaccine roll-out: | |
| California, the largest state in the US, has administered more than 7.3m vaccine doses but is lagging behind other states in vaccine administration. Eligibility is due to dramatically expand in March, but with supplies limited and many doses being used for second shots, essential workers could likely be waiting weeks or longer to get appointments. | |
| The lack of access is particularly frustrating for workers who have faced increasing risks over the last month, as California has moved to reopen parts of the economy and remove restrictions. While infection rates are significantly improving after a catastrophic winter surge, an average of more than 6,000 new cases and 320 deaths are still reported each day. | |
| Facing severe economic strain eleven months into the pandemic, low-wage workers across the state say they can’t afford to stay home from dangerous jobs – and can’t afford to lose income if they get infected. They are exhausted with stressful work conditions and customers who refuse to comply with Covid rules, and are struggling to get basic information on when they might get vaccines. | |
| Dominique Smith, a 33-year-old rideshare driver in Silicon Valley, said he regularly checked his Uber app in hope of an update about vaccine eligibility. He fears he could lose his housing if he contracts Covid from a passenger and then has to stay home: “I do not have enough money saved up to weather three weeks of being sick and out of a job.” | |
| Dr Yvonne Maldonado, a professor of global health and infectious diseases at Stanford, said the Trump administration had not made significant investments in infrastructure to administer vaccines, making the initial rollout especially challenging in a state like California, which has 58 counties and two dense metropolitan regions. | |
| The state has broad guidelines to prioritize immunocompromised people and those with occupational risks, “but the problem is that it’s such a high-level framework that how you operationalize it becomes really tricky”, Maldonado said. “These are tough choices … because you’re judging whose life is worth more. You could make an argument for all kinds of groups.” | |
| Read more of Sam Levin’s report here: ‘We’re risking our lives’ – California’s slow vaccine rollout leaves essential workers exposed | |
| The hearing into appointing Merrick Garland as US attorney general will continue today. Alex Rogers and Jeremy Herb for CNN identified six key takeaways from yesterday, of which this is perhaps one of the more significant for a certain former president: | |
| CNN also suggested that Garland’s disquiet over the death penalty, pledge to ‘protect’ the Justice Department from political pressure, and his suggestion that there is no reason special counsel John Durham’s investigation of the FBI’s Russia probe wouldn’t continue were all important moments. | |
| Read more here: CNN – 6 takeaways from Merrick Garland’s confirmation hearing | |
| I mentioned it was a busy day in Congress today, here’s how Chuck Schumer laid out the agenda last night. | |
| Mike DeBonis and Karoun Demirjian write for the Washington Post that what it is at stake today in the Senate is who gets to write the narrative of what happened on 6 January. While there has been a push to make the hearing as bipartisan as possible, it is inevitably going to surface divisions. They write: | Mike DeBonis and Karoun Demirjian write for the Washington Post that what it is at stake today in the Senate is who gets to write the narrative of what happened on 6 January. While there has been a push to make the hearing as bipartisan as possible, it is inevitably going to surface divisions. They write: |
| Today’s hearing is not likely to be the last, either: | Today’s hearing is not likely to be the last, either: |
| Read more here: Washington Post – At stake in Senate hearing Tuesday: The story of the Capitol riot, and who is responsible | Read more here: Washington Post – At stake in Senate hearing Tuesday: The story of the Capitol riot, and who is responsible |
| You might think that an impeachment trial was enough of an investigation into the events of 6 January and to put them on the record in Congress, but today there will be more delving into what happened. Here’s a reminder of the video montage that Democrats used when presenting their evidence that Donald Trump was responsible for what unfolded. | You might think that an impeachment trial was enough of an investigation into the events of 6 January and to put them on the record in Congress, but today there will be more delving into what happened. Here’s a reminder of the video montage that Democrats used when presenting their evidence that Donald Trump was responsible for what unfolded. |
| The session today will start at 10am EST (1500 GMT) and we are expecting four witnesses: | The session today will start at 10am EST (1500 GMT) and we are expecting four witnesses: |
| Robert J. Contee III, the acting chief of police of the Metropolitan Police Department in DC | Robert J. Contee III, the acting chief of police of the Metropolitan Police Department in DC |
| Steven A. Sund, former chief of the Capitol Police (2019-2021) | Steven A. Sund, former chief of the Capitol Police (2019-2021) |
| Michael C. Stenger, former sergeant at arms and doorkeeper of the Senate (2018-2021) | Michael C. Stenger, former sergeant at arms and doorkeeper of the Senate (2018-2021) |
| Paul D. Irving, former sergeant at arms of the US House of Representatives (2012-2021) | Paul D. Irving, former sergeant at arms of the US House of Representatives (2012-2021) |
| You’ll notice a lot of 2021 dates in that list – Sund, Stenger and Irving all resigned after the Capitol attack. Neither Stenger or Irving have spoken publicly about the 6 January assault before. | You’ll notice a lot of 2021 dates in that list – Sund, Stenger and Irving all resigned after the Capitol attack. Neither Stenger or Irving have spoken publicly about the 6 January assault before. |
| Welcome to our live coverage of US politics for Tuesday. Here’s a catch-up on what is happening, and what we might expect to see later today… | Welcome to our live coverage of US politics for Tuesday. Here’s a catch-up on what is happening, and what we might expect to see later today… |
| The Senate will begin a hearing on the 6 January Capitol attack, with witness testimony from law enforcement officers, three of whom have subsequently resigned over security failings on the day. | The Senate will begin a hearing on the 6 January Capitol attack, with witness testimony from law enforcement officers, three of whom have subsequently resigned over security failings on the day. |
| It’s likely to be contentious – among those on the Senate panel are Republican Ron Johnson, who has said the events did not amount to an armed insurrection, and Sens Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, both of whom continued to dispute the election result and chose to discount states’ electoral votes after the riot. | It’s likely to be contentious – among those on the Senate panel are Republican Ron Johnson, who has said the events did not amount to an armed insurrection, and Sens Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, both of whom continued to dispute the election result and chose to discount states’ electoral votes after the riot. |
| Yesterday, president Joe Biden held a ceremony at the White House to mourn those lost to Covid as the US reached the grim milestone of over half a million deaths, the first country in the world to do so. | Yesterday, president Joe Biden held a ceremony at the White House to mourn those lost to Covid as the US reached the grim milestone of over half a million deaths, the first country in the world to do so. |
| The US recorded 56,044 new cases and 1,413 further deaths yesterday. The total US death toll, according to figures collated by the Johns Hopkins University, stands at 500,071. | The US recorded 56,044 new cases and 1,413 further deaths yesterday. The total US death toll, according to figures collated by the Johns Hopkins University, stands at 500,071. |
| The supreme court agreed that Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr could obtain years of former president Donald Trump’s federal tax records. | The supreme court agreed that Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr could obtain years of former president Donald Trump’s federal tax records. |
| The court also said it would not hear an appeal from Pennsylvania Republicans trying to disqualify mailed ballots in the 2020 presidential election. | The court also said it would not hear an appeal from Pennsylvania Republicans trying to disqualify mailed ballots in the 2020 presidential election. |
| Emma Coronel, the wife of El Chapo, was arrested in Virginia on drug trafficking charges. | Emma Coronel, the wife of El Chapo, was arrested in Virginia on drug trafficking charges. |
| In Joe Biden’s diary today he will be meeting with Black essential workers at 1.15pm EST (1815 GMT). | In Joe Biden’s diary today he will be meeting with Black essential workers at 1.15pm EST (1815 GMT). |
| Biden will then host Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau at 4pm. It is the new president’s first time hosting a foreign leader, and there might be a little bit of frostiness in the air after his Keystone order halted work on the pipeline between the two countries, although you expect Trudeau will find Biden easier to work with than Donald Trump. They are expected to give a joint statement at 5.45pm. | Biden will then host Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau at 4pm. It is the new president’s first time hosting a foreign leader, and there might be a little bit of frostiness in the air after his Keystone order halted work on the pipeline between the two countries, although you expect Trudeau will find Biden easier to work with than Donald Trump. They are expected to give a joint statement at 5.45pm. |
| Jen Psaki will give the White House press briefing at noon today. | Jen Psaki will give the White House press briefing at noon today. |
| It’s a busy day in Congress. Today will see further hearings in the lengthy process of confirming Joe Biden’s cabinet – Xavier Becerra and Deb Haaland will be up today. It is also the concluding day of the Senate hearing into appointing Merrick Garland as US attorney general. | It’s a busy day in Congress. Today will see further hearings in the lengthy process of confirming Joe Biden’s cabinet – Xavier Becerra and Deb Haaland will be up today. It is also the concluding day of the Senate hearing into appointing Merrick Garland as US attorney general. |