What A Day

Arizona Senator Martha McSally said she will support a Senate vote when Trump nominates a Supreme Court Justice, but she might not have a chance to participate if she loses her race against Democrat Mark Kelly in November. Since McSally is an appointed Senator instead of an elected one, she could be replaced by Kelly within the year if she loses. We take a look at the race, and what else is at stake. A new report from the Congressional Budget Office forecasts more than a doubling of the national debt by 2050, largely due to COVID-19. In Europe, a second wave of coronavirus is hitting Spain, France, and the UK, and could be worse than the first. And in headlines: Louisville expected to announce grand jury decision in Breonna Taylor case this week, leaked financial documents reveal banks work with warlords and Paul Manafort, and Microsoft buys Bethesda. Show links:  votesaveamerica.com/verify votesaveamerica.com/everylastvote

Supreme Court Justice and gender equality pioneer Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at the age of 87 on Friday. The immediate response online and elsewhere was a mix of grief, fear, gratitude and determination. Within 24 hours of her passing, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump both said they would move forward to replace her, despite her dying wish as well as past precedent set in 2016. We talk to constitutional law professor Leah Litman about Ginsburg’s legacy and what’s next for the court.  And in headlines: Tiktok and WeChat live to die another day, the US passes 200,000 Covid-19 deaths, and why people are buying flights to nowhere. Show links: votesaveamerica.com/getmitch strictscrutinypodcast.com

Two pharma companies released information about their vaccine trials, including details on their timelines and specific metrics they’ll be using to assess efficacy in early data. It’s all part of a push to gain public trust. We explain what to expect, and when.  While Congress is still stalled on another relief bill, Republicans in the Senate are busy confirming federal judges nominated by Trump. And in headlines: Bill Barr says all the wrong things, the USPS wanted to send us masks but was stopped, and Banksy loses out to a greeting card company. Show links: www.votesaveamerica.com/getmitch

Concerns about whether the Biden campaign is doing enough to speak to Latinx voters have grown in recent days following polling that suggests weakness among this group, particularly in Florida. Political consultant and former Bernie Sanders advisor Chuck Rocha joins to discuss. The director of the CDC says that a vaccine for Covid-19 might not be available until the summer or fall of 2021. He also said that wearing a mask could be more important in fighting the spread of the virus. Trump disagreed. And in headlines: Hurricane Sally drenches Alabama and Florida, Big Ten football is back on, and a former data-scientist for Facebook blows the whistle on Zuck.

The city of Louisville, Kentucky has come to a $12 million settlement deal with the family of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police officers in her apartment six months ago. The agreement also includes several police reforms. We explain. Over 5 million acres have now been burned across the West. We discuss the poor air quality caused by the smoke, how it's measured, and the effects it can have on our health. And in headlines: the key witness in an ongoing investigation of sexual assault by guards at an ICE detention center has been deported by ICE, Trump’s health spokesperson fearmongers on Facebook Live, and some updates on mail-in voting. Show Links: "Breonna Taylor's Life Was Changing, Then Police Came To Her Door" https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/30/us/breonna-taylor-police-killing.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article

Extreme weather continues in the US, with over 4.5 million acres burned across the West Coast and a Category 2 hurricane bearing down on the Gulf Coast. Scientists say two Antarctic glaciers are breaking off and could contribute to large-scale sea level rise, underscoring the need for aggressive environmental policy in the US and abroad.  Oracle is close to taking over TikTok’s US operations following scuttled negotiations between Microsoft and ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok. Oracle would be a “trusted tech partner,” meaning the deal isn’t a full-on sale—instead, Oracle would manage TikTok’s US data.  And in headlines: a whistleblower at a privately-run ICE detention camp in Georgia, comparing the pandemic’s economic consequences to the ’09 financial crisis, and scientists discover a perfectly-preserved cave bear in Serbia. Show Links... "The Trump Administration Is Reversing 100 Environmental Rules. Here’s the Full List." https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/cl...

Wildfires raged on over the weekend in the West, with millions of acres burned, thousands displaced, and dozens of lives lost. Aside from fighting climate change, one of the most effective ways to manage these fires is regular controlled burns, which is something indigenous tribes were doing for centuries.  Two meat processing facilities were fined a measly total of $29,000 after government regulators at OSHA determined that the plants didn’t do enough to protect workers. OSHA has gotten almost 10,000 Covid-related workplace safety requests so far, and these are the only two companies that have been cited and fined.  And in headlines: controversies surrounding Disney’s “Mulan,” Israel imposes a second nation-wide lockdown, and Mike Bloomberg pledges to donate 100 million to Joe Biden’s Florida campaign. Show links: "They Know How To Prevent Forest Fires. Why Won't Anybody Listen?" https://www.propublica.org/article/they-know-how-to-prevent-megafires-why-wont-anybody-listen "To Manag...

Viral videos of police brutality against Black people have generated outrage, protest, and sustained national attention this year. We talk to Bijan Stephen, a reporter at The Verge, about his latest project called “Capturing The Police,” which examines the impact these videos have on the people who film them. Another 884,000 people filed for unemployment last week, which is more than economists were expecting. The Republicans failed to pass their “skinny” relief bill in the Senate, and it’s not clear whether another deal will be reached before the election. And in headlines: the NFL kicks off their season, Microsoft announces election hacks, and Mike Pence gets friendly with QAnon. Show Links: https://www.theverge.com/21355121/new-civil-rights-movement-police-brutality-protests-film-videos-black-lives-matter

Recorded interviews of Donald Trump by Bob Woodward show he understood the threat of coronavirus in February, while he insisted in public it would “disappear” and was no worse than the seasonal flu. Trump addressed these revelations at a press conference yesterday, confirming that he intentionally downplayed the virus because he’s a "cheerleader" for the country. Wildfires are continuing to burn across the West, leading to mandatory evacuations for tens of thousands of people, and a blanket of smoke covering much of the Bay Area. High temperatures resulting from climate change have set the perfect conditions for this year's unprecedented rapid scale and spread of fires.  And in headlines: the largest refugee camp in Europe was almost totally destroyed, Caster Semenya lost her appeal to compete in the next Olympics, and a whistleblower alleges that DHS downplayed the threat of white supremacy and Russian election interference. Links: Christian Cooper's comic book "It's A Bird" rb.gy/...

The Rochester, NY police chief and other high ranking officers all resigned or took demotions yesterday, following protests over the police killing of Daniel Prude. Prude’s case, along with other recent violent incidents, are leading some to propose alternatives to police intervention for mental health emergencies.  Republicans in the Senate are back in session with a new coronavirus relief bill, which is itself a pared down version a bill they proposed earlier this summer. For now, Democrats are rejecting it because they believe a larger, more comprehensive bill is necessary. While aid is held up in Congress, state and local governments are facing severe budget shortfalls.  And in headlines: two ex-soldiers from Myanmar’s army say they were ordered to commit atrocities against Rohingya villagers, the Trump administration is ordered to stop winding down the census, and nine drug companies say they won’t seek vaccine approval without doing rigorous testing.

College students have returned to campuses, and so has coronavirus. Northeastern University suspended 11 students for partying, and will not refund them tens of thousands of dollars in tuition payments. At University of Kansas, students are striking and demanding that the university shut down the campus and give hazard pay to workers.  Extreme weather over the past few weeks has underscored the need for an extensive environmental policy overhaul, the kind that is championed by Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey. We look at how Markey worked with the Sunrise Movement to court young people in his primary race last week. Plus, we speak with Sunrise’s political director Evan Weber about lessons that Biden and other Democrats can learn from their movement. And in headlines: protesters in Rochester demand justice for Daniel Prude, India now second in Covid cases, and Trump courts the racist White vote over the weekend.

Joe Biden will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin later today, where he’ll meet with the family of Jacob Blake. We check in on the continued protests happening there, plus the protests that are continuing in Lafayette, Louisiana, where Trayford Pellerin was killed by police just two days before Blake’s shooting. The Trump administration said it’s not going to take part in a global effort to develop a COVID-19 vaccine because the World Health Organization is leading it. The CDC recently told public health officials in 50 states and five major cities to prepare to distribute a vaccine as early as late October. And in headlines: protests in Belarus, survivors of the Tulsa Massacre seek reparations, and John Boyega reflects on Star Wars.

The CDC and the Health Department are moving to ban evictions through December for people who can’t pay because of the pandemic. New York City caved to pressure from teachers unions who threatened to strike over school reopenings, pushing back the start of in-person to later this month. Legal battles over mail-in voting saw major developments in Texas, Iowa, and Georgia. An audit from the Inspector General of the USPS looked at primary elections over the summer, and found that over a million mail ballots didn’t get to voters on time.  And in headlines: Sheriff’s deputies in LA fatally shoot Dijon Kizzee, Breonna Taylor’s ex-boyfriend was offered a plea deal if he implicated her in July, and Facebook and Google threaten to ground Australia from the news.

Joe Biden spoke in Pennsylvania yesterday, where he condemned violence of any kind at recent protests. Trump spoke at the White House yesterday, where he declined to tamp down violence among his supporters and suggested instead that Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old Wisconsin shooter, had acted in self-defense.  Coronavirus outbreaks are continuing to pop up at colleges and universities in the US as the fall semester starts. Bars have been ordered closed in Alabama and Iowa after hundreds of students tested positive, and other schools are weighing the decision of whether to send students home if there are cases on campus. For more on schools, check out this week's episode of Hysteria: Crooked.com/Hysteria And in headlines: New York City will pay $5.9 million to the family of Layleen Polanco, Lebanon has chosen its designated Prime Minister, and Trump and his allies “fix it in post.”

One man is now dead after a weekend of violence in Portland, Oregon, in which pro-Trump demonstrators drove through the city’s downtown taunting Black Lives Matter protestors. Jay Bishop was a member of a group called Patriot Prayer, a far-right group with ties to white supremacists. Massachusetts holds its primaries on Tuesday. Alex Morse is a 31-year-old, Justice Democrats-supported mayor of Holyoke, whose campaign against the incumbent Representative was hit with a false, homophobic smear. And in headlines: Shinzo Abe steps down as Japan’s prime minister, Novak Djokovic starts an all-male tennis player’s union, and Bella Thorne says sorry for her OnlyFans.

Trump closed out the RNC last night, with a meandering 70-minute long speech that saw him paint a rosy picture of his administration’s handling of COVID-19 and promise a vaccine before the end of the year. Trump also tried to suggest that Biden would usher in chaos, while tending to ignore or misrepresent the chaos that’s happening under his administration. Later today thousands of protestors are expected to gather in Washington, DC, bringing the energy of this year’s many racial justice protests to the nation’s capitol. Jacob Blake’s father is set to speak at the event, along with other family members of people who have experienced police brutality. And in headlines: early impact of Hurricane Laura, an update on coronavirus in Europe, and Bon Appétit hires Dawn Davis as its editor-in-chief.

Police arrested 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse yesterday for killing two protestors and injuring a third at demonstrations in Kenosha, Washington against police brutality. Professional athletes joined in calling for justice for Jacob Blake, with teams from the NBA, WNBA, MLB, and more going on strike. Biden and Trump are averaging a near tie at the moment in North Carolina, which is sort of the site of the RNC this week. North Carolina is also a state where Republicans have repeatedly practiced voter suppression, through voter ID laws and gerrymandering. We discuss the state’s role in the 2020 election.  And in headlines: Hurricane Laura makes landfall, the CDC gets USPS’d, and the MTA needs billions to keep running on time. Sign up for Vote Save America's weekend of action: votesaveamerica.com/adoptastate

Last night’s Republican National Convention brought more speeches from Trump’s employees and family members, including First Lady Melania Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The topic of “school choice” has been referenced often during the RNC—that’s part of a major push from Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to privatize education.  In Portsmouth, Virginia, Vice Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke has been charged with a misdemeanor for calling for the resignation of the city’s police chief. She’s not alone. We discuss how the legal system in Virginia and elsewhere is being used against activists and elected officials, who are mostly Black, to suppress political speech.  Mass Defense Fund: www.nlg.org/massdefenseprogram/  And in headlines: updates on Jacob Blake, California farmworkers face grueling work conditions made worse by extreme weather, and the Whitney Museum does fake activism.

Protestors gathered for a second night in Kenosha, Wisconsin following the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, who is reportedly still in intensive care. The three cops that participated in Blake’s shooting have been put on administrative leave, and a state investigation is ongoing.  Milwaukee Freedom Fund: https://bit.ly/mkefreedomfund The Republican Party officially renominated Trump and Pence on the first day of the RNC. The night’s offerings included speeches given live from the same podium in Washington, DC, Kimberly Guilfoyle projecting her voice, and a version of America where the pandemic is basically solved.  And in headlines: it’s been 15 years since Hurricane Katrina, Zoom problems on the first day of school, and Jerry Falwell Jr. resigns over a sex scandal.

The Republican National Convention begins tonight, predominantly featuring speakers who are Trump’s employees or blood relatives. This weekend, Trump announced that the FDA granted emergency use authorization to a blood plasma treatment for COVID-19… we discuss what that means.  Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified to the Senate on Friday in his first appearance since the abrupt changes to USPS's operations. On Saturday, the House passed a bill that would give the postal service emergency funding. DeJoy is set to testify to the House today.  And in headlines: police shootings in Louisiana and Wisconsin, California wildfires continue with less prison labor than normal, and Tennessee’s governor makes some forms of protest a felony.

Last night was the final night of the DNC, featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, former 2020 presidential candidates, and most notably, Joe Biden’s acceptance speech. In a stark contrast to his campaign thus far, Biden barely mentioned Trump by name, talking instead about the enormity of the situation America faces.  The state of Michigan announced a $600 million fund to compensate Flint residents who were harmed by lead-tainted drinking water. This fund comes after years of litigation and more than 18 months of negotiation.  And in headlines: 1.1 million people filed for unemployment this week, a former USPS Board of Governors member reveals how Louis DeJoy got his Louis DeJob, and boat-man Steve Bannon gets arrested.

Last night was the third night of the Democratic National Convention, featuring marquee speeches from VP pick Senator Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama. Overall, programming was more focused on issues, with segments on immigration, climate change, gun violence, and more.  New coronavirus antibody data from nearly a million and a half people in New York City showed an infection rate of 27 percent, ranging significantly depending on neighborhood. And in headlines: a Native American man faces federal execution despite tribal objections, Apple is worth 2 trillion, and Germany will introduce a dog-walking law.

Last night was the second night of the DNC, featuring beautiful shots of delegates across our gorgeous country, as well as speeches from AOC, activist Ady Barkan, and Dr. Jill Biden. We talk to Crooked’s own Jon Favreau about speech writing for the first digital DNC.  Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said yesterday that he would suspend cost-cutting changes at the USPS, but it’s unclear whether the postal service will reverse changes made this year that are leading to delays. House Democrats still plan to vote on legislation that would outlaw changes to the USPS and provide emergency funding.  And in headlines: the president of Mali announces his resignation, Uber and Lyft may suspend operations in California, and Trump pardons Susan B. Anthony.

This year’s socially-distanced DNC began last night, with speeches from former First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders, and more. Joe Biden went into the convention with a 7-9 point national lead against Trump, but the next few months are still full of unknowns. Watch the convention along with us every night this week at crooked.com/convention UNC Chapel Hill has decided to pivot to online-only instruction after 130 students test positive for Covid-19. Los Angeles' public schools start remote classes today, and are launching a large-scale testing system for students and staff.  And in headlines: Lebanon sees a Covid-19 surge after the explosion in Beirut, California experiences one of its worst heat waves on record, and the Trump administration finalizes plans to drill in the Arctic.

The DNC was set to begin today in Wisconsin, but instead, it’s beginning in Zooms across America. We talked to Wisconsin Democrats Senator Tammy Baldwin and party chair Ben Wikler about the state’s recent electoral history and how Biden can win there this year.  The USPS warned that it may not be able to accommodate last minute mail-in ballots. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to call the House back early to counter recent changes at the Postal Service, and is calling for Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to testify next Monday. And in headlines: more people are facing food insecurity, pro-Democracy protests in Thailand, and Apple angers gamers.

This was the first week since March that the number of new unemployment claims in the US fell below one million. Tens of millions remain jobless and the start of Congress’s August recess means it’s unlikely we’ll see new relief legislation before September. Trump said the quiet part out loud yesterday, admitting that his refusal to provide emergency funding to the postal service would make universal vote-by-mail impossible. We discuss Republican efforts to make voting-by-mail more difficult in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, and whether they’re succeeding. And in headlines: a peace deal between Israel and the UAE, Mike Bloomberg to speak at the DNC, and the two bubbles of “Jurassic Park: Dominion.”

The last time we spoke with Monise Seward, a 6th grade special education teacher in Georgia, it was April and schools had just begun to tackle remote learning. It's now the new year, and her class remains completely online. We spoke to her about the challenges of the new normal and her thoughts on in-person classes. Senator Kamala Harris and VP Joe Biden made their first appearance as running mates yesterday. Harris has already begun laying out the case against Trump. And in headlines: anti-government protests in Bolivia, Ilhan Omar wins her primary, and Trump will not let up on showerheads.

Senator Kamala Harris was announced as Biden’s VP pick yesterday, which will make her the first black woman and first Asian American to be a on major party ticket. We discuss her record on the 2020 campaign trail, as an incisive presence in Senate hearings, and as California’s attorney general.  The Big 10 and the Pac 12 college conferences announced yesterday that they will postpone their fall sports seasons due to the pandemic. A group of student athletes have formed an informal union, and say they want to play this season: but only if schools institute universal health and safety standards.  And in headlines: Russia approves a Covid-19 vaccine, TSA seizes more guns than ever at security, and gaiters might not be good medical masks.

Five states hold primaries today, including Minnesota, where Rep. Ilhan Omar is running to keep her seat in Congress. The elections come a week after another progressive, Cori Bush, won a major upset in her race against a longterm incumbent in Missouri. We speak to Bush about her path to politics and check in on Justice Democrats, the political group that backed Bush, Omar, and a handful of other progressive Democrats since 2017. Read our full interview with Cori Bush at crooked.com/articles/cori-bush-democratic-party/ Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced his resignation yesterday, following mass protests after the chemical explosion in Beirut. Protests continue in the country with demonstrators demanding that other top leaders resign as well. Donate: ImpactLebanon.org And in headlines: protests in Chicago and Belarus, a big loss for Uber and Lyft, and Nikki Haley tries to cancel popcorn. To read more of Gideon's reporting on primary races, check out: https://crooked.com/art...

Trump signed a bunch of executive orders and actions over the weekend that he presented as a fix to our economic problems. But the reality is much less transformative. We explain what his actions do (cut unemployment) and what they don't do (protect renters from eviction). ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, is planning to sue the Trump administration over its ban on US companies doing business with the app. The executive order against TikTok also bans US dealings with WeChat, another Chinese-owned app. And in headlines: a massive oil spill in Mauritius, protests in Beirut, and Amazon goes to the mall.

New York’s Attorney General filed a lawsuit yesterday seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association. AG Letitia James alleges that the NRA has engaged in years of corruption. In the absence of a federal testing strategy, seven governors have formed a purchasing agreement in attempts to get faster COVID antigen tests. In California, problems with the state’s data system may be creating inaccurate coronavirus data.  And in headlines: Minneapolis won’t vote to dismantle the police department, an exiled Saudi intelligence officer says MBS tried to kill him, and Nintendo reports a huge earnings boost.

Joe Biden is no longer traveling to Milwaukee for the DNC, and neither are other primetime speakers like President Barack Obama. A sized-down RNC will be held in Charlotte, with Trump planning to deliver his speech from The White House.  Six of the seven largest school districts in the country will begin the school year entirely online, with New York City as the only holdout. One Yale student is suing his school for charging full tuition for an online education he considers inferior.  And in headlines: today is the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, more updates on the disaster in Beirut, and Facebook blows minds by inventing TikTok. Plus, Crooked's own Jon Lovett fills in for Akilah.

The Minneapolis City Council voted to disband the Minneapolis Police Department over a month ago, but achieving that goal requires getting a ballot initiative in front of residents. We discuss that effort and more with Oluchi Omeoga, a co-creator of Black Visions Collective. And in headlines: a deadly explosion in Beirut, the census is ending early, and a whole lot of new Miami Marlins. Black Visions Collective: blackvisionsmn.org Reclaim The Block: reclaimtheblock.org

The school year is officially beginning in some states and there have already been disruptions due to students and staff testing positive for Covid-19. A huge number of students will learn remotely for now, with only 6 of the nation’s 25 largest school districts saying they will do in-person teaching. Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington all have primaries today. We highlight some noteworthy races and ballot initiatives to watch out for.  And in headlines: several parts of the world face extreme weather, thousands of Germans protest Covid-19 restrictions, and some thought-provoking updates from the first cruises to set sail since the pandemic began.

Disruptions and delays to the postal service have prompted concern since so many people are planning to vote by mail this year. We break down what’s behind the delay, and how to ensure your vote is counted.  Congress still can’t agree on how to structure unemployment benefits in the next relief bill. Midwestern states like Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin are emerging as coronavirus hotspots.  And in headlines: NASA astronauts safely return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s shuttle, three hackers charged in July Twitter breach, and over 750 criminal cases are under review after LAPD officers are charged with falsifying documents.

The Biden campaign says they will announce his VP pick any day now. According to reports, over a dozen women are being vetted — some more seriously than others.  We talk to Crooked Media’s Alyssa Mastromonaco, who helped President Obama select Joe Biden, about what goes into the process in the final days and the importance of this decision.  To hear more from Alyssa, check out That’s The Ticket, her Pod Save America bonus series with Dan Pfeiffer on the VP selection process, as well as her weekly pod with Erin Ryan, Hysteria:  Crooked.com/Hysteria

Rent is due next week, but we still don’t have a new relief bill to extend federal unemployment assistance and eviction protections. Negotiations have stalled, with Senate Republicans, the White House, and Democrats far apart in negotiations.  Federal agents will withdraw from Portland after a deal was reached between Oregon’s governor and the Department of Homeland Security. When this will happen is unclear, but it’s clear that state troopers will replace them.  And in headlines: retail workers are left to enforce mask rules, Snapchat’s terrible diversity numbers, and Madonna’s bad IG post.

The CEO’s of Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Alphabet will testify before Congress today in hearings that will examine whether their companies hurt consumers and stifle competition. The Trump administration isn't getting rid of DACA (yet) but it is trying to restrict it. And the country’s second largest teachers union says they’ll support their members if they want to strike rather than go back to schools that are unsafe.  And in headlines: China suspends their extradition treaty with three countries, Trump’s supporters don’t want to vote by mail and that could be bad if he wants their votes, and a man in Florida goes on PPP spending spree.

Pharmaceutical company Moderna entered phase three trials of its Covid-19 vaccine, and plans to test the efficacy of their drug on 30,000 healthy participants. The director of the NIH said they plan to reach out to communities that have been hardest hit by the virus to form that sample group.  Major League Baseball has already announced that it’s postponing two games after players and coaches tested positive for Covid-19. Vietnam moved to evacuate 80,000 tourists from one city after a man there tested positive for the virus.  And in headlines: Kyrie Irving commits to cover salaries of WNBA athletes, Chainsmokers wreak havoc in the Hamptons, and Melania Trump’s goth rose garden.

Florida has now passed New York in total known coronavirus cases, making it the second worst-hit state behind California which is nearly twice its size. In Europe, the UK is imposing a two week quarantine on anyone who’s been in Spain after an uptick in virus spread there.  Republicans are set to propose their bill for the next round of coronavirus relief today. As federal unemployment benefits expire, we examine how we got to $600 per week in federal aid, and why Republicans want to reduce that going forward. And in headlines: the 30th anniversary of the ADA, a reduced-capacity Hajj, and more info on a government UFO program.

The federal eviction moratorium from the CARES Act expires today, leaving up to 12 million people vulnerable to eviction if they can’t pay rent. Trump cancelled the Jacksonville portion of the RNC, after he moved the event there from North Carolina.  The Justice Department’s Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security will investigate federal law enforcement actions in Portland. This comes days after Portland’s mayor was tear gassed by federal agents along with protestors in the city.  And in headlines: Trump repeals and replaces the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, Michael Cohen will be released from prison again, and virtual Matrix baseball fans.

NBA games start next week with just 22 qualifying teams finishing off the season that the pandemic put on hold back in March. We interview Tania Ganguli, who covers the Lakers for the LA Times and is reporting live from the Disney World basketball “bubble” where games will be held. The world passed 15 million coronavirus cases yesterday, with the US accounting for a quarter of that total.  And in headlines: Trump announced he’ll be sending more federal officers to Chicago and Albuquerque, the US Army backs away from its twitch channel, and 7,000 QAnon devotees get kicked off Twitter.

Trump signed a memo yesterday that aims to omit undocumented immigrants from the census count. It seems like a way for Trump to side-step a Supreme Court ruling that removed citizenship questions from the census, and it's unclear how or if he'd even be able to do it.  Protests in Portland have only increased in response to the presence of federal agents. Democrats in the House are working to take powers away from these so-called “rapid deployment teams." And in headlines: a Michigan judge denies the early release of a student jailed for not doing her homework, Joe Biden’s plan for caregiving, and big-city corruption from Ohio state Speaker Larry Householder.

Trump says he’s bringing back coronavirus briefings starting today. The largest teachers union in Florida is suing Governor Ron DeSantis for using an emergency order to compel public schools to fully reopen next month.  Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at record high rates early on in the pandemic. Food stamps were set to be gutted by the Trump administration in March, but the pandemic led Congress to expand benefits temporarily.  And in headlines: State Senator Nikema Williams will replace late Rep. John Lewis on the ballot in Georgia, more delays for Chris Nolan’s “Tenet,” and the latest moon hex updates from WitchTok.

Civil rights activists Rep. John Lewis and Minister CT Vivian passed away on Friday. Democrats in Congress are urging lawmakers to honor Lewis by passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2020, which would restore voter protections struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013.  Federal agents in camouflage are patrolling streets in Portland, Oregon,using tear gas and other violent means to control protestors. The agents reportedly came as a result of Trump’s order to have federal agencies protect federal property, statues, and monuments.  And in headlines: a study found that older children spread Covid-19 at the same rate adults do, more info about the massive July 16 Twitter hack, and Minnesota police use drones to catch sunbathers. To read more about the Strike for Black Lives: j20strikeforblacklives.org To follow events out of Portland: oregonlive.com and opb.org

The US, Canada, and Britain are alleging that Russian cyberspies are trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research. In more upbeat pharma news, the biotech company Moderna is making progress with its vaccine, which will soon undergo Phase 3 testing.  Last week was the 17th week in a row that new unemployment claims have exceeded 1 million countrywide. A new study showed that high unemployment has resulted in over 5 million people losing their insurance coverage between February and May.  And in headlines: a culture of sexual harassment at Washington’s NFL team, the Supreme Court will allow Florida to enforce a poll tax, and Trump switches up his campaign manager. Donate to Florida Rights Restoration Coalition: FloridaRRC.com

All 5,300 plus Walmarts and Sam’s Clubs nationwide will begin requiring shoppers to wear masks next week. On the state level, half of the governors in the US have now instituted at least some kind of mask requirement in public settings.  New safety recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering,and Medicine say schools should prioritize younger children and children with special needs where it is safe and possible. But the committee offered no guidance on what level of infection makes in-person learning unsafe.  And in headlines: verified Tweeters get hacked, RBG out of the hospital, and an update on Goya’s Beangate.

We talk to The Atlantic’s Ed Yong about how public health workers and officials are fighting the pandemic, and what we're now learning about the potential long-lasting effects of Covid-19. The Trump administration is now asking hospitals to send data on Covid-19 patients directly to them and not the CDC.  And in headlines: Joe Biden announces new climate change proposal, Trump administration backs off plan to revoke some visas from international students, and Jair Bolsonaro gets pecked by rhea.

California is re-closing many of its businesses as cases continue to rise. LA County and San Diego County schools have agreed to cancel in-person learning this fall in favor of going back online.  White House advisors to the president have been criticizing NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci in recent days. It definitely seems like retaliation for Fauci’s refusal to back down in the face of Trump’s bad pandemic policies.  And in headlines: a judge orders federal executions delayed, AMC finds a way to stay solvent, and Australians caught KFC-handed in Melbourne. Check out America Dissected to hear Dr. Abdul El-Sayed's complete interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci: crooked.com/americadissected

Arizona’s governor pushed back the start of the school year from early-August to mid-August since his state has the worst Covid-19 numbers in the nation. Teachers unions don’t think that a two-week delay is enough to keep students, staff, and faculty safe.  The Biden-Sanders joint task force put out policy recommendations last week, and left-leaning members seem happy with the direction things are moving. The next step is getting these recommendations into the official Democratic party platform next month.  And in headlines: Dov Charney’s Los Angeles Apparel factory sees deadly coronavirus breakout, a new way to calculate dog years, and Tucker Carlson’s racist writer resigns.