Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
September 29, 2020
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
Trump and Biden prep for debate . . . With less than five weeks to go to the Nov. 3 election, President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday will face off live on the same stage for the first of three debates, one that is sure to be dominated by the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, the coronavirus pandemic and the violent protests that have rocked cities across the United States. Trump said
he’s been too busy being president to do much debate preparation, but revealed Sunday that former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani have been helping him, while Biden has been holed up for days in his Wilmington, Del., home prepping for the contest. “I’m running a country. I don’t have the luxury,” Trump said at a White House briefing on Sunday. “Sometimes, you can go too much in that stuff, you know. Sometimes you can go too much.” Biden has been holding mock
sessions, with Bob Bauer, a senior aide and former White House general counsel, playing the part of the president. New York Post
There are three debates. At some point, and probably at multiple points, Biden is going to screw up badly. Biden gaffes and confusion are most likely toward the end of the debates, when he gets tired. So stay tuned. The question is whether it will be bad enough to ensure Trump's reelection.
Covid deaths officially at 1 million but toll could be double . . . . The world officially recorded 1 million deaths from Covid-19 in one of the most sobering milestones of the pandemic, but the real tally might be almost double that. Actual fatalities from the worst outbreak in a century may be closer to 1.8 million -- a toll that could grow to as high as 3 million by the end of the year, according to Alan Lopez, a laureate
professor and director of the University of Melbourne’s global burden of disease group. Even in countries with sophisticated health systems, mortality is difficult to accurately gauge. Tens of thousands of probable Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. weren’t captured by official statistics between March and May, a study in July found. Bloomberg
US Coronavirus cases average 40,000 per day . . . Coronavirus cases in the United States are currently averaging 40,000 per day as infections increase in 21 states and health experts warn Americans not to become complacent as the weather gets colder. The average number of COVID-19 cases per day has hovered at the 40,000 mark for just over a week now. There was an uptick in national infections in mid-September, which health experts
have partly attributed to Labor Day weekend gatherings and the reopening of some schools. Prior to the increase, cases had been trending downwards nationally since July when about 70,000 infections were being reported daily. Daily Mail
Trump says states will receive 150 million tests . . . President Donald Trump, under fire over his handling of the coronavirus epidemic, announced on Monday the federal government would ship 150 million rapid tests to U.S. states and warned an increase in positive cases is likely in the
days ahead. Trump, at a Rose Garden event, said the tests would largely be used for opening schools and ensuring safety at centers for senior citizens. He has been pressuring state governors to do more to open schools for in-person learning. Reuters
Fauci, Redfield say Atlas giving Trump bad information . . . Two senior U.S. public health experts have raised concerns that White House adviser Scott Atlas is providing misleading or incorrect information on the coronavirus pandemic to President Donald Trump, according to
media reports on Monday. Anthony Fauci, told CNN on Monday he was concerned that information given by Atlas - a late addition to the White House coronavirus task force - was “really taken either out of context or actually incorrect.” “Everything he says is false,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield. Reuters
|
|
Pelosi says House could decide election . . . Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to her Democratic colleagues on Sunday warning them that the 2020 Presidential election could be “stolen” from them, adding that it is possible Congress determines the outcome of the election. Pelosi mentioned they must win enough seats in the House in order to ensure the presidential election can be handled by them if there are any issues. The 12th
Amendment says congressional delegations decide the next president if neither receives the 270 Electoral College vote majority in order to win the election. Daily Caller
Pelosi calls Trump taxes a national security issue . . . House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday called a report that President Donald Trump has more than $300 million in loans coming due in the next few years a “national security issue” and argued it raises questions about whether foreign nations or individuals could have “leverage” over the president. Trump has refused to disclose his tax documents, but The New York Times
reported on Sunday that that financial documents seen by the newspaper show he is personally responsible for repaying the loans. NBC News
Biden campaign moves quickly to capitalize . . . Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign didn’t waste any time to quickly spotlight a viral report from the New York Times on President Trump’s taxes. The report – which Trump labeled “fake news” – details how the president didn’t pay federal income taxes in 10 of the past 15 years. Just a few hours after the release of the report on Sunday, the former vice
president’s campaign started selling merchandise – T-shirts, buttons, and stickers – that say “I paid more income taxes than Donald Trump.” Fox News
Voters across Queens getting military mail-in ballots . . . Voters in New York City have received mail-in ballots for the 2020 presidential election marked for military use despite never having served in the armed forces — causing confusion and concerns over whether the ballots can or should be used. The misprint makes it appear that the voters received a “Official Military Absentee Ballot” instead of a “Military/Absentee
Ballot,” leaving several borough residents who received the documents worried that their votes might not be properly tallied. “I believe that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” said City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, referring to the constituents in his Sunnyside district who have reached out to him about receiving the ballots. “It appears that everyone has gotten this particular ballot.” New York Post
Democrats go on offense in House races . . . House Democrats started off the 2020 cycle looking to protect roughly four dozen vulnerable members, including 30 whose districts voted for President Donald Trump four years ago. Now as they enter the final month, Democrats are scaling back defensive spending and funneling their remaining millions to knock out vulnerable Republicans and expand their 34-seat majority, according to a POLITICO
review of recent advertising data. Politico
Ilhan Omar investigated for ballot harvesting . . . The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating claims by right-wing activist group Project Veritas that individuals tied to Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., engaged in illegal ballot harvesting before the election. The investigation purports to show a ballot harvester claiming that he received money to obtain ballots. It also highlights an alleged harvester who boasts
about the number of ballots he's collected for a local official. PV also claims to have spoken with a former campaign worker who indicated that Omar's team paid voters for ballots. Fox News
Looks like some people did something.
Cops seize weapons from Parscale's home . . . Cops seized an array of weapons from Brad Parscale’s home last night. The demoted Trump aide had ten firearms at his Fort Lauderdale mansion, according to police records released after Sunday afternoon’s standoff. Uniformed and plain clothed officers entered the waterfront properly around 4:30pm and emerged carrying an assortment of boxes. Police raced to Parscale's Fort
Lauderdale, Florida home Sunday afternoon after his wife Candice fled screaming into the street in just her bikini - before telling a passerby: 'I think my husband just killed himself.' Daily Mail
|
|
China says drill shows US may attack South China Sea outposts . . . The United States has staged a simulated island assault exercise featuring a red silhouette of China on air personnel’s uniforms, in what Chinese state media described as a provocative gesture. The drill, to be completed on Tuesday, was being conducted in California, but triggered warnings from Chinese state media that China would fight back if the US attacked it in
the South China Sea. Patches on uniforms made for the exercise featured an MQ-9 Reaper drone superimposed over a red silhouette of China. South China Morning Post
|
|
Dozens killed in clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia . . . Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Tuesday of firing into each other’s territory, far from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, as the worst spate of fighting since the 1990s raged for a third day and the civilian death toll mounted. Dozens have been reported killed and hundreds wounded since the fierce clashes between Azerbaijan and its ethnic Armenian
mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh broke out on Sunday in a new eruption of a decades-old conflict. Reuters
|
|
Democrats unveil slimmed down $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief proposal . . . House Democrats on Monday night unveiled a scaled-down $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package in an attempt to revive long-stalled talks with the Trump administration on the measure. The package, $1.2 billion less than the version that passed the lower chamber in May, would include a second round of $1,200 checks to most Americans and bring back a
$600-a-week jobless benefit. Previous coronavirus relief packages were negotiated between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. New York Post
|
|
Wine country fires kill three . . . Thousands of fire-sapped California residents were forced to flee a pair of new blazes on Monday that have killed at least three people, torched nearly 70,000 acres and prompted a state of emergency in three counties. The breakneck Zogg Fire had burned through 31,200 acres near Redding in Northern California, while the Glass Fire had charred more than 36,200 acres in
the Napa and Sonoma wine country north of San Francisco, according to Cal Fire. Both fires were at 0% containment as of Monday night. The fires, driven by gusty winds, burned several structures on Sunday night into Monday morning, including homes in Santa Rosa, as well as the Chateau Boswell winery and the nearby Black Rock Inn in the Napa County town of St. Helena. The area contains more than five dozen wineries. USA Today
Officer pleases not guilty to charges related to Breonna Taylor shooting . . . Brett Hankison, the only officer to be indicted in the Breonna Taylor case, pleaded not guilty to his charges during a telephone court appearance Monday afternoon. Hankison, who was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June, was hit with three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree last week for shooting into the apartment of Taylor's
neighbors during the March 13 incident. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. ABC News
Pennsylvania mother and daughter plead guilty to killing five family members . . . A Philadelphia-area mother and daughter have pleaded guilty to killing five family members -- including three children -- over two days in their apartment last year, authorities said Monday.
Shana Selena Decree, 47, and her 21-year-old daughter Dominique Kiaran Decree will serve five consecutive life sentences after pleading guilty but mentally ill to five counts of first-degree murder and one count of criminal conspiracy. Prosecutors said between Feb. 23 and Feb. 25, 2019, the pair killed Shana Decree’s
children, Naa’Irah Smith, 25, and Damon Decree Jr., 13, both of Morrisville, her sister, Jamilla Campbell, 42, of Trenton, N.J., and Campbell’s 9-year-old twin daughters Imani and Erika Allen. Fox News
County schools in Virginia spend hundreds of thousands on critical race theory . . . The Loudoun County, Virginia, Public School district has spent $422,500 in taxpayer funds since 2018 on diversity training inspired by critical race theory, which claims racism is inherent in nearly
every aspect of America. The school district spent $314,000 in 2019 on coaching and training sessions hosted by The Equity Collaborative, a California-based business that works with schools to "create educational equity and social justice by addressing bias and oppression." The business also offers six different services for schools, including a two-day "racial equity institute," "culturally responsive practice workshops," and "equity focused" coaching—each with a hefty price tag. The
firm's educational tools, meanwhile, include an introduction to "Critical Race Theory" and call for discussions about "oppression and education." Washington Free Beacon
Cream of Wheat guy joins Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben in cancellation . . . Add Cream of Wheat to the list of brands that are getting a makeover due to “offensive” advertising. B&G Foods, the parent company of Cream of Wheat, released a statement confirming the move on Monday. “For years, the image of an African American chef appeared on our Cream of Wheat packaging. While research indicates the image may be based upon an actual Chicago chef named
Frank White, it reminds some consumers of earlier depictions they find offensive,” the company told “Good Morning America” in a statement. “Therefore, we are removing the chef image from all Cream of Wheat packaging.” Washington Times
Tampa Bay Lightening win Stanley Cup . . . In April 2019, the Tampa Bay Lightning skated off the ice, victims of a stunning first-round sweep by the Columbus Blue Jackets after a 62-win season. Monday, they stayed on the ice after the end of Game 6 to lift the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history. A 2-0 victory against the Dallas Stars completed the redemption tour as the Lightning went 16-6 after the round robin to win
the NHL championship for the first time since 2004. USA Today
|
|
Kamala Harris refers to Ginsburg as "Notorious BIG . . . Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris mistakenly referred to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the “Notorious B.I.G.” during a Monday speech.
“She was part of our culture,” Harris said. “Yes, we wear those Notorious B.I.G. t-shirts with a lot of pride, but since she passed, there are parents reminding their children that she helped their lives.” The California senator and running mate to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was likely attempting to
refer to Ginsburg’s pop culture nickname, “The Notorious RBG,” given to her as a testament to the late justice’s tenacity and grit. Daily Caller
|
|
Do you love Cut to the News? Let your family and friends know about it! They'll thank you for it. Spread the word . . .
By Email - use the message that pops up or write your own. On Facebook - On FB, write your own message
Have a great day.
Keith
Keith Koffler
If you enjoy Cut to the News, please help support it. You can make a single contribution or set up regular payments, like a voluntary subscription. Donate here today. Thank you for your generosity.
Got this from a friend? Subscribe here and get Cut to the News sent to your Inbox every morning.
|
|
|
