Fox News host mocks election fraud claims

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Tuesday, November 10

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BARR BACKS TRUMP As top Republicans refuse to speak against President Donald Trump's false claims of mass voter fraud, Attorney General William Barr sent a memo to U.S. attorneys authorizing them to “pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities prior to the certification of elections in your jurisdictions in certain cases.” The Justice Department’s top official overseeing voter fraud investigations resigned hours later. Meanwhile, 30 Republican former members of Congress called on Trump to recognize Joe Biden as the election winner, saying Trump's allegations of fraud "undermine the legitimacy of the election and are unacceptable.” [HuffPost]

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TRUMP FIRES DEFENSE SECRETARY Trump tweeted he fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper, after months of speculation that Esper was on his way out for defying the president's demand to order troops into U.S. cities in response to racial justice protests. Christopher Miller, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, will serve as acting defense secretary. “Mark Esper has been terminated,” Trump tweeted. “I would like to thank him for his service.” National security experts say the upheaval creates the potential for international chaos. [HuffPost]

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DEMS URGE TRUMP APPOINTEE TO AUTHORIZE TRANSITION The General Services Administration, headed by Trump appointee Emily Murphy, has resisted Democratic calls to sign the paperwork that would give President-elect Joe Biden and his team access to millions of dollars in transitions funds, as well as official access to government officials and equipment to prepare the incoming administration. Until Murphy formally ascertains that Biden has won, he cannot access government funds or communicate with federal agencies. The Biden team meanwhile is considering legal action over the delay in recognizing the transition. [HuffPost]

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WHAT PFIZER'S VACCINE BREAKTHROUGH MEANS The big COVID-19 news from Monday is Pfizer’s announcement that its experimental vaccine looks to be highly effective at preventing the disease, with no apparent safety problems. The announcement got attention around the world, sending financial markets up on hopes that a proven vaccine would soon be available. Experts, meanwhile, were quick to sound cautionary notes, including one from Pfizer itself. Meanwhile, the FDA on Monday cleared an experimental antibody drug from Eli Lilly. [HuffPost]

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TRUMP ADVISER LEADING ELECTION LEGAL FIGHT HAS COVID A coronavirus outbreak continues to infect people who attended Trump's election night party, with David Bossie, an outside adviser leading the legal fight against the election result, testing positive. Others who have fallen ill after the White House party include Housing and Urban Development chief Ben Carson -- a member of Trump's coronavirus task force -- and chief of staff Mark Meadows. [Bloomberg]

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FAUCI HAS 'NO INTENTION OF LEAVING' HIS JOB Despite Trumps' hints that he wanted to fire him, Dr. Anthony Fauci said he has no plans to leave as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “I have no intention of leaving,” Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “This is an important job. I’ve been doing it now for a very long time. I’ve been doing it under six presidents.” This comes as a member of Biden's new virus task force warns that the U.S. is about to "enter COVID hell," and Biden implored Americans to wear masks. [HuffPost]

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WHAT'S BREWING

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FOX CUTS AWAY FROM TRUMP CAMPAIGN MISINFORMATION Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto cut away from footage of a press conference held by the Trump campaign Monday. “We want every legal vote to be counted, and we want every illegal vote —” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, falsely suggesting there was fraud before Cavuto said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa" and cut away. “I can’t in good countenance continue showing you this,” he told viewers. Meanwhile, Fox News host Sandra Smith was caught on a hot mic showing disdain for a caller's voter fraud claim. [HuffPost]

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MCCONNELL: TRUMP 'WITHIN HIS RIGHTS' TO CHALLENGE RESULT Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) rallied Republicans firmly behind Trump as the president continues to raise baseless allegations of voter fraud in an election he has refused to concede. The Kentucky Republican said Trump is “100% within his rights” to look into allegations of “irregularities.” This comes as Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on Monday became the fourth Republican senator to publicly congratulate Biden on his election victory. [HuffPost]

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STORM ETA DRENCHES FLORIDA Cities in South Florida mopped up after Tropical Storm Eta flooded some urban areas with a deluge that swamped entire neighborhoods and filled some homes with rising water that did not drain for hours. It was the 28th named storm in a busy hurricane season, and the first to make landfall in Florida. This year tied the record with 2005, when Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma struck the Gulf Coast. But that was before Theta formed late Monday night over the northeast Atlantic, becoming the basin’s 29th named storm to eclipse the 2005 record. [AP]

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PROGRESSIVES AREN'T TEMPERING THEIR EXPECTATIONS Citing key Democratic victories spurred by progressive activists and liberal-leaning voting blocs in swing states like Arizona and Georgia, progressive leaders say Biden must lead with an eye toward the people largely responsible for helping him win the White House. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez repeated her advice to the Biden administration against hiring Rahm Emanuel, the former Obama White House chief of staff who as Chicago mayor withheld footage of a Black teen being shot by police. [HuffPost]

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GEORGIA RUNOFFS Two January runoff elections in Georgia will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate for at least the next two years, after no candidate in either of the state's Senate elections secured a majority last week. These two elections will decide whether the Republicans will maintain control of the U.S. Senate, giving them the power to obstruct legislation under a Biden administration, or whether the chamber will swing to the Democrats. [HuffPost]

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