Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts indicated law could be upheld even if court deems one part of it unconstitutional
Two conservative supreme court justices have suggested the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could be upheld, as oral arguments began in a suit backed by the Trump administration which threatens the healthcare of millions amid a global pandemic.
Continue reading...
US politics
Joe Biden says Trump’s refusal to concede defeat ‘an embarrassment’ – live
- President-elect says he has not spoken to Trump since Saturday
- Biden decries ‘rightwing ideologues’ for trying to wreck Obamacare
- Justices’ questions suggest skepticism of Republican arguments
- British PM Boris Johnson congratulates Biden
- Pompeo promises smooth transition to ‘second Trump administration’
- Sign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email
Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, has drafted “anti-mob” legislation that would expand the state’s Stand Your Ground Law that would allow citizens to shoot anyone they suspect is engaged in looting, the Miami Herald reports.
The legislation is a reaction to anti-police brutality, The Herald’s Ana Ceballos and David Ovalle report:
“It allows for vigilantes to justify their actions,” said Denise Georges, a former Miami-Dade County prosecutor who had handled Stand Your Ground cases. “It also allows for death to be the punishment for a property crime — and that is cruel and unusual punishment. We cannot live in a lawless society where taking a life is done so casually and recklessly.”
The draft legislation put specifics behind DeSantis’ pledge in September to crack down on “violent and disorderly assemblies” after he pointed to “reports of unrest” in other parts of the country after the high-profile death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a white Minneapolis police officer.
Since election day, Donald Trump and other Republicans have filed a smattering of lawsuits in battleground states that have provided cover for Trump and other Republicans to say that the election still remains unresolved.
Legal experts have noted these suits are meritless, and even if they were successful, would not be enough to overturn the election results. Indeed, judges in several of these lawsuits have already dismissed them, noting the Trump campaign has failed to offer evidence to substantiate allegations of fraud.
Related: Trump's longshot election lawsuits: where do things stand?
Continue reading...
Barr tells prosecutors to pursue ‘clear’ fraud claims, without evidence – as it happened
- Attorney general says investigations ‘may be conducted’ in some cases
- President announces ‘Mark Esper has been terminated’
- Biden gets to work as president-elect while Trump refuses to concede
- US coronavirus cases surpass 10m as Ben Carson tests positive
- Republicans back Trump challenge to Biden election victory
- Sign up to receive First Thing – our daily briefing by email
4.02am GMT
Here’s a r...
We were told Joe Biden was the ‘safe choice’. Why did he barely scrape through? | Naomi Klein
A great many people did not vote for Joe Biden, they voted against Trump. We have to recognise how narrow this win was
- Naomi Klein delivered her election analysis at a Haymarket event on Friday night. This is an abridged transcript of remarks. You can watch the event here
These have been a harrowing few days. And these days have been more harrowing than they should have been. As we all know, Joe Biden won the Democratic primaries based on the claim that he was the s...
We were told Joe Biden was the ‘safe choice’. Why did he barely scrape through? | Naomi Klein
A great many people did not vote for Joe Biden, they voted against Trump. We have to recognise how narrow this win was
- Naomi Klein delivered her election analysis at a Haymarket event on Friday night. This is an abridged transcript of remarks. You can watch the event here
These have been a harrowing few days. And these days have been more harrowing than they should have been. As we all know, Joe Biden won the Democratic primaries based on the claim that he was the s...
Nancy Pelosi: ‘We’re able to say that we have held the House’ – video
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the Democrats have held the majority in the House of Representatives as counting continues in the US election. Pelosi says campaigning on healthcare helped the Democrats retain their majority, with their message amplified during the coronavirus pandemic. 'Our purpose in this race was to win so that we could protect the Affordable Care Act and that we could crush the virus,' she says
Continue reading...
Supreme court to hear Obamacare case that may lead to 20m losing insurance
Court will hear a case a week after election day that could result in the law being overturned – or only one provision eliminated
For more than a decade, Republicans have sought to destroy the signature achievement of the Obama administration – the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.
Exactly one week after election day, they might succeed.
Continue reading...
Lone Star turn: Kamala Harris campaigns in Texas in bid to flip state
Vice-presidential nominee headed to area hit hard by Covid-19 and attacked Republicans’ efforts to undo Obamacare
Jesus Quintanilla, 20, from San Juan on the US-Mexico border, and his family had packed into their car and lined up outside the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus to hear vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Continue reading...
Lone Star turn: Kamala Harris campaigns in Texas in bid to flip state
Vice-presidential nominee headed to area hit hard by Covid-19 and attacked Republicans’ efforts to undo Obamacare
Jesus Quintanilla, 20, from San Juan on the US-Mexico border, and his family had packed into their car and lined up outside the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus to hear vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Continue reading...
Trump repeats claim ‘Covid, Covid, Covid’ dominates news to undermine his campaign – live
- 26 states currently at or near record numbers for new infections
- Trump’s election day director waging war on Philadelphia
- What would the first 100 days of a Biden presidency look like?
- Trump aide preparing second-term immigration blitz
- Sign up for Fight to Vote – our weekly US election newsletter
5.05pm GMT
Biden has concluded his remarks on the coronavirus pandemic and the Affordabl...