Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
October 9, 2020
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
Militiamen sought to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer and start a civil war . . . The Wolverine Watchmen militia group didn't just plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, but they were on a mission to attack the state Capitol and target police officers at their homes as part of a broader mission to instigate a civil war, authorities said Thursday in announcing felony charges against 13 militia members accused in a
sensational case of domestic terrorism. Attorney General Dana Nessel referred to the accused as "extremists" who are hoping to recruit new members "by seizing on a moment of civil unrest" to wreak havoc on the country. She identified the militia group as the Wolverine Watchmen, whose members are accused of, among other things, conducting surveillance outside Whitmer's vacation residence, using code language and encrypted messages to throw off police and planting a bomb under a
bridge to divert law enforcement. Detroit Free Press
Trump outraged by Whitmer attack . . . President Donald Trump lashed out at Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for attacking him after six people were arrested for planning to kidnap her. Trump tweeted, “Rather than say thank you, she
calls me a White Supremacist—while Biden and Democrats refuse to condemn Antifa, Anarchists, Looters and Mobs that burn down Democrat run cities.” Daily Caller
Being overweight, not just obese, a risk for the coronavirus . . . People who are overweight, and not just obese, are at a higher risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now concluded - meaning that over two thirds of Americans are of concern. The new warning was posted on the agency's website on Tuesday. It had previously been known that obese people - around 40 per
cent of American adults - were at greater risk from the virus. Now, the CDC believes that even overweight people - about 32 per cent of adults - are also more susceptible to coronavirus. Daily Mail
A third of Americans believe virus was sent by God . . . As people reckon with the global upheaval that the coronavirus pandemic has caused, the vast majority of the United States believes that there is a lesson to be learned from everything the virus has wrought this year. A survey from the Pew Research Center found that a resounding 86% of respondents "believe there is a lesson or set of lessons for humankind to learn from the
coronavirus outbreak." Slightly more than one-third, 35%, of all respondents took that statement a step further and said that the coronavirus was a lesson sent by God. Only 13% of respondents said that there was no lesson to be learned from the coronavirus. Washington Examiner
Covid-19 outbreak kills thousands of minks on Utah farm . . . A coronavirus outbreak has killed thousands of minks in Utah fur farms over a ten-day window beginning in late September, forcing cautionary quarantines at nine farms in the state. The virus was likely transferred from workers to the
animals, though there are no signs that the minks have infected any humans, according to Dr. Dean Taylor, the state veterinarian investigating the outbreak. “We genuinely don’t feel like there is much of a risk going from the mink to the people,” Taylor said. New York Post
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Confusion clouds remaining debates . . . After the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates said Thursday that next week’s debate, set for Oct. 15, would be virtual “to protect the health and safety of all involved,” Trump abruptly pulled out, calling it “ridiculous” to “sit behind a computer and do a debate.” After his campaign then called for revising the debate schedule -- one on Oct. 22, as scheduled, and a new
one on Oct. 29 -- the Biden campaign rejected their proposal, saying it was the president’s choice to pull out of next week’s event. As for the final debate on Oct. 22, “Donald Trump can show up, or he can decline again. That's his choice,” said Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield in a statement. The
Hill
Few Covid safeguards as Trump campaign restarts rallies . . . While President Donald Trump recovers at the White House, Vice President Mike Pence, members of Trump’s family and other proxies are fanning out to battlegrounds like Arizona, Florida, Nevada and North Carolina. Many state and local officials say they’ve gotten little to no notice from the campaign about these events. And while many events are outdoors, not all of them are –
Donald Trump Jr. on Thursday held a shoulder-to-shoulder indoor rally at a Holiday Inn in Panama City Beach, Fla., where few in the crowd wore masks. Meanwhile, some events have not followed state and city limits on large crowds, the campaign isn’t requiring face coverings and social distancing doesn’t appear to be enforced, even though Trump officials with recent exposure to the virus will be speaking. Politico
I understand people have free choice. But attracting people to rallies where thousands congregate without social distancing or masks is wrong, and it's killing people.
Trump considers holding rallies in Florida and Pennsylvania this weekend . . . Trump on Thursday night said he will attempt to hold a rally in Florida on Saturday in what could be his first public engagement since contracting the coronavirus. “I think I’m going to try doing a rally on Saturday night if we have enough time to put it together,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity. The president added he’s eyeing another rally in
Pennsylvania the following night. “It’s incredible what’s going on. I feel so good,” Trump told Hannity. New York Post
Experts worried about early Trump return . . . White House physician Dr. Sean P. Conley predicted in a memo released Thursday that President Trump could safely “return to public engagements” on Saturday, based on the date on which he tested positive for the coronavirus and his response to treatments. The document said that the president had completed his “course of therapy for Covid-19” and had “remained stable and devoid of any
indications to suggest progression of illness.” But news of Mr. Trump’s potentially imminent return to public appearances or the campaign trail was met with skepticism and alarm from medical experts, who suggested it was premature and questioned whether the end of his isolation met guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New York Times
Trump to hold virtual town hall on Rush Limbaugh show . . . Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said President Trump will be holding a “virtual rally” on his show Friday. “I’m thrilled to announce that our commander in chief, President Donald Trump, will be right here tomorrow hosting the largest virtual rally in radio history,” Mr. Limbaugh announced Thursday. Mr. Limbaugh said more details would
be available later on his website, where he said listeners would be able to submit their own questions for the president. Washington Time
Trump handling of pandemic hits new low . . . Americans are steadily losing confidence in President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with his net approval on the issue that has dominated the U.S. election hitting a record low in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The poll taken Tuesday through Thursday, after Trump’s COVID-19 infection and weekend hospitalization, found 37% of American adults approved of the president’s handling
of the pandemic and 59% disapproved. Reuters
Pelosi launches commission on using 25th Amendment to remove Trump . . . Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to form a commission to evaluate President Donald Trump's mental health and his ability to hold the office of the presidency, she announced on Thursday. The commission would be part of the process to invoke the 25th amendment and comes amid fears the medication Trump is taking for his COVID treatment is affecting his mental health.
Trump, meanwhile, claimed Pelosi is crazy, should be under observation and accused her of plotting a government coup. Daily Mail
Kamala Harris lied about "Honest Abe" Supreme Court appointment
Trump tells Barr he should prosecute Obama and Biden . . . President Donald Trump said in a televised interview that he has spoken to Attorney General Bill Barr about the high-stakes Durham probe and received assurances the government has 'plenty' of evidence to
bring charges against his main political rivals.
He made the extraordinary statement – which if accurate would be a breach of normal firewalls between prosecutors and the executive in a politically charged investigation – in an appearance on the Fox Business Network, where he also pronounced himself cured of the coronavirus. Daily Mail
AOC to Pence: "It's Congressman Ocasio-Cortez to you"
It doesn't take people long to become full of themselves once they get to Washington.
Trump coughing during Hannity interview . . . Trump coughed at least once during a 30-minute phone interview on Thursday night, and appeared to mute his mic at another point after clearing his throat. The interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity came nearly a week after Trump
revealed his coronavirus diagnosis, and in it he revealed that he has yet to test negative for the virus. First, a few minutes into the interview as he was discussing the presidential debates, Trump began to sound hoarse and cleared his throat. Several seconds of silence followed, before Trump said 'excuse me' and continued speaking. Daily Mail
Cruz says he raised concerns with Trump about Kavanaugh and Gorsuch . . . Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said Thursday that he raised concerns with President Trump in 2017 and 2018 over plans to nominate Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme
Court, foreshadowing criticisms that conservatives have had with Trump’s first two nominees. But with the president’s third high court nominee -- Judge Amy Coney Barrett -- Cruz said he has made a study of her record and now feels very comfortable with Trump’s “exceptionally qualified” pick. The Hill
Former Hunter Biden business partner headed to jail . . . A federal appeals court ruled this week that a former business partner of Hunter Biden’s must face sentencing for his role in a scheme to defraud a Native American tribe in South Dakota. The three-judge panel overturned a
lower court’s decision to throw out charges against Devon Archer, the former Biden business associate. Devon Archer will face sentencing on Jan. 21, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday. Daily Caller
Trump 2020 sign boobytrapped with razor . . . A Michigan city worker was injured by a Trump 2020 political sign that had razorblades fastened along the bottom of it. The 52-year-old Commerce Township building inspector was removing the campaign signs along a roadway. The signs were in violation of the town's ordinance that requires them to be 33 feet from the road. Deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the victim reached
down to grab one sign when three of his fingers were sliced by the razorblades. Daily Mail
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Navarro accuses China, Democrats of working together to beat Trump . . . White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro on Thursday night said the Chinese government censored Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate in a “calculated” effort to deceive people.
Navarro made the claim in a Fox News interview when asked by host Martha MacCallum to comment on reports that feeds of debate stopped working in China. “What China does is they regularly monitor international broadcast,” Navarro said. “You got your seven or 10 second delay. And this was quite calculated on their part . .
. What we have is the Democrat Party and the Chinese Communist Party effectively making common cause in the defeat of Donald J. Trump,” he said. New York Post
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United Nations World Food Program given Nobel Peace Prize . . . The United Nations’ World Food Program on Friday won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity around the globe. The announcement was made in Oslo by Berit Reiss-Andersen, the chair of the Nobel Committee. The Nobel Committee said that the coronavirus pandemic has added to the hunger faced by millions of people around the
world and called on governments to ensure that WFP and other aid organizations receive the financial support necessary to feed them. USA Today
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Rich Americans protecting their fortunes from Biden . . . Wealthy American families are being told by their advisers that they should act now or risk losing millions of dollars later. That’s in case Democrats win back the White House and U.S. Senate in November. Former Vice President Joe Biden has proposed substantially higher taxes on the rich, including making it much harder to avoid a 40% levy on large estates. By
transferring fortunes to the next generation now, the wealthy can exploit the generous estate tax rules ushered in by President Donald Trump. Bloomberg
Of course they are. Democrats always assume the rich are stupid and will just pay their new taxes. And then when they don't Democrats have to collect from the middle class.
Weed stocks surge as Harris vows to decriminalize pot . . . U.S.-listed shares of major cannabis producers surged on Thursday after Democratic vice president nominee Kamala Harris said marijuana would be decriminalized at a federal level in the United States under a Biden administration. During Wednesday night’s debate with Vice President Mike Pence, Harris said she and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden would also expunge the criminal
records of people convicted of marijuana-related offenses in the past. Reuters
Good news for Tegridy Farms.
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Hurricane Delta presents worst-case scenario for Louisiana . . . Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall on Friday after roaring across the Gulf of Mexico as a havoc-wreaking storm that strengthened to a 120-mph Category 3 "major" hurricane. Delta's latest path presents a "worst-case scenario" for Lake Charles and southwestern Louisiana, a city and region still broken by Hurricane
Laura six weeks ago, though its effects will be felt all the way into Mississippi. People along the coast spent Thursday boarding up their homes, filling up their cars with gas and stocking up on food. USA Today
Trump administration sues Yale over race-based admissions . . .
The Trump administration sued Yale University on Thursday, accusing the school of violating federal civil rights law by discriminating against applicants based on their race. The Justice Department lawsuit is the most drastic action the Trump administration has taken to combat the use of race in university admissions, a practice that
has repeatedly been upheld by the Supreme Court. But race-based affirmative action is considered vulnerable under the conservative majority on the high court, which would expand further if the Senate confirms President Donald Trump’s nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. Politico
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Priest arrested for alleged threesome on church altar . . . A Louisiana priest who was arrested for obscenity last week was allegedly caught having sex with two dominatrices on the altar of his church, court documents revealed, according to reports. A
witness in Pearl River, northeast of New Orleans, called police on Sept. 30 after allegedly viewing Rev. Travis Clark, 37, through a window in a state of undress on the altar romantically engaged with two high-heeled, corseted women. Clark was allegedly partially dressed in his priestly attire. The group had allegedly set up stage lighting and appeared to be recording the encounter on a cell phone. Fox News
Biden-Harris fly swatters quickly sell out . . . The buzz around the fly that landed on Mike Pence's head during Wednesday night's vice presidential debate led to the Biden-Harris campaign selling – and then selling out of – "Truth Over Flies" fly swatters. Nearly 35,000 of
the fly swatters were sold after the debate, the Biden campaign confirmed. The campaign's online store listed the swatters as sold out Thursday. USA Today
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Keith
Keith Koffler
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