Politics
Wisconsin Recount, Requested by Trump, Gives Biden Another 87 Votes
Published
2 months agoon
By
Lili Stenn
- The recount of votes in Wisconsin’s two largest counties ended Sunday, solidifying Joe Biden’s lead in the state by around 20,600 votes and also giving him an additional 87 votes.
- The recount, which cost around $3 million, was both requested and paid for by Donald Trump’s campaign.
- Before the final totals were even announced, Trump said he would be taking legal action in the state, though that is yet to be seen.
- The news comes amid a series of sweeping legal losses for Trump, who continued to push unproven and debunked claims about voter fraud over the holiday weekend.
Wisconsin Recount Ends
A recanvass of ballots in Wisconsin’s two largest counties concluded Sunday, firmly solidifying former Vice President Joe Biden’s lead in the state.
In fact, the new tally even gave Biden another 87 votes in the $3 million recount requested and paid for by President Donald Trump.
The Trump campaign asked for ballots to be re-tallied in the two Democratic strongholds, Milwaukee and Dane Counties, which are home to Milwaukee and Madison respectively. The request came after the Wisconsin Election Commission estimated it would cost nearly $8 million to recanvass the whole state.
The two recounts changed very little from the initial count, maintaining Biden’s statewide lead of around 20,600 votes. In Milwaukee County, both Biden and Trump’s totals increased very slightly from the original count, though Biden still won by a hefty majority of 317,527 votes to Trump’s 134,482.
Meanwhile, in Dane County, both candidates actually saw minor decreases in their totals, with Biden losing 91 votes and Trump losing 46. While that is a net gain of 45 votes for Trump, he still ended up losing the county pretty handily with just 78,754 votes to Biden’s 260,094.
Those numbers are by no means surprising. Instead, they solidify some important elements of recounts: that they usually only change the final tally by just a few dozen votes, and that they almost never change the original outcome of an election.
These facts remain true despite the president’s repeated insinuations that recanvassing ballots will change the outcome of the election in his favor.
The finalization of the recounted ballots also marks another big loss for Trump, who has seen a series of sweeping upsets in the multitude of legal cases his campaign and allies have filed. In fact, according to Democratic voting-rights lawyer Marc Elias, as of Saturday, Trump’s legal strategy had given him a 1-39 loss record in various state and federal courts across the country.
Trump/GOP started the day 1-38 in court.🥳
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) November 29, 2020
Trump/GOP ended the day 1-39 in court.🥳
Goodnight.😴
Notably, the vast majority of those lawsuits do not even make any kind of allegations that voter fraud or other irregularities occurred as the president continues to claim.
On top of that, as more states continue to certify their results, Trump’s legal opportunities continue to dwindle.
Once a state has certified its election, it makes it much harder for any new legal challenges to be brought, and with the Wisconsin Elections Commission scheduled to meet Tuesday, the state is expected to fully certify its election for Biden very soon.
Despite that, Trump said on Saturday, before the recount totals were even announced, that he would continue to fight the results in Wisconsin.
“The Wisconsin recount is not about finding mistakes in the count, it is about finding people who have voted illegally, and that case will be brought after the recount is over, on Monday or Tuesday,” he wrote. “We have found many illegal votes. Stay tuned!”
The Wisconsin recount is not about finding mistakes in the count, it is about finding people who have voted illegally, and that case will be brought after the recount is over, on Monday or Tuesday. We have found many illegal votes. Stay tuned!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2020
Fox News Business Interview
No such lawsuit has materialized, and with the clock ticking, it is unclear what such a challenge would even look like. Trump has not provided any evidence of voter fraud or illegal votes being counted in either Wisconsin’s first tally or the recount, which were live-streamed in both counties and where officials reported zero irregularities.
Regardless, Trump still has continued to spout endless conspiracies and baseless claims about fraud all over the country, claiming in numerous tweets over the weekend that were flagged by Twitter as misinformation that the election was rigged.
On Sunday, in the first interview he has given since the election was called for Biden, the president went on Fox News Business where he repeated his unproven allegations, and even accused the FBI and the Department of Justice of rigging the election.
Maria Bartiromo's facial expressions as Trump pushes obscene lies about election fraud are priceless pic.twitter.com/xdt5aflm2W
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 29, 2020
The president did, however, appear to acknowledge that his own legal team and other experts have said many of his lawsuits will not stand, and that it is unlikely any of his cases will go to the Supreme Court, though he faulted the legal system for these factors.
“You mean as president of the United States, I don’t have standing?” he asked. “What kind of court system is this? And the judges stay away from it.”
Notably, Trump did not answer questions as to when he would end his legal challenges, but during a press conference Thursday, he did say he would leave the White House if Biden won the Electoral College.
His comments marked the closest the president has come to saying he will accept the results of the election, at least in practice. Still, he added that “a lot of things” would happen between now and the Electoral College on Dec. 14 that could change the results of the election.
“Certainly I will. But you know that," President Trump said when asked whether he would vacate the building if the electoral college does elect Biden.
— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) November 27, 2020
DETAILS: https://t.co/FI3c6Fykjo pic.twitter.com/WGmBJ6QBC8
See what others are saying: (The New York Times) (NBC News) (Business Insider)
Politics
Biden Signs 17 Executive Order During His First Day in Office. Here’s What You Need to Know
Published
12 hours agoon
January 21, 2021By
Lili Stenn
- In the first hours of his presidency, Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders and proclamations, many of which focused on rolling back Trump administration policies regarding immigration, the environment, and protections for minority groups.
- Biden also implemented several measures to tackle the coronavirus, including requiring masks to be worn on federal property and by federal employees. He is also expected to announce a new national strategy aimed at restructuring the federal response to the pandemic.
- On Thursday, Biden will also invoke the Defense Production Act, which would speed up the development and distribution of vaccine-related equipment.
Biden Rolls Back Trump Policies
President Joe Biden signed 17 executive actions and proclamations Wednesday afternoon. Many of his first acts in office are focused on rolling back several policies implemented by former President Donald Trump that Biden’s aides said have caused the “greatest damage” to the country.
“I thought there’s no time to wait, get to work immediately,” Biden told reporters present during the signed of several of the orders.
Here is a breakdown of some of the key measures Biden implemented.
Immigration
Biden immediately ended all construction on the border wall by overhauling the national emergency declaration Trump had enacted to divert billions in federal funds to his central campaign promise.
The new president also expanded protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) and overturned a Trump policy that made immigration enforcement more strict and
In similar actions, he also ended the travel ban on multiple Muslim-majority countries and revoked a Trump administration order that would have excluded non-citizens from the 2020 Census count.
The Environment
One of the most significant actions Biden took was signing a letter to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. It will take 30 days for the return to go into effect.
The president also issued a sweeping order that reversed a number of the Trump administration’s environmental policies, including revoking the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, re-establishing a working group to look into the social costs of greenhouse gasses, and temporarily banning oil and natural gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Justice for Minority Groups
In one far-reaching order, Biden directed all federal agencies to review equity in their programs and policies. They are required to issue a report within 200 days that, among other things, details how each will remove barriers to opportunities and ensure all Americans have equal access to federal resources.
Biden also ended Trump’s policy that limited federal agencies, contractors, and other organizations from holding diversity and inclusion training. The same order also disbanded the 1776 Commission created by Trump to study his claims that the education system was too liberal in its teaching of American history.
In a separate order, the president issued changes that will broaden federal protections against sex discrimination to include LGBTQ+ Americans, reversing a previous action by Trump.
Government Accountability
As part of a broad measure aimed at general accountability in the executive branch, Biden issued an order that will establish ethics rules for all people in his administration. The same order will also require all executive branch appointees to sign an ethics pledge.
Separately, the president additionally froze all new regulations Trump had put in place during his last few weeks in office until they can be further evaluated.
Economy and Coronavirus
Chief among Biden’s first acts in office were his plans for the coronavirus pandemic and the damage it has caused to the American people.
In terms of financial relief, Biden extended the ban on evictions and foreclosures and paused student loan payments until September.
As for direct actions concerning the pandemic, the president imposed a mask mandate for all federal employees and anyone on federal property. He also signed an extensive order aimed at restructuring the federal response to the pandemic.
Biden is expected to enact more policies in regards to the coronavirus in the coming days, including taking more executive actions to ramp up testing and vaccine distribution, safely reopening schools and businesses, and provide more money to states to help carry out those efforts, among other things.
To achieve these goals, he will also invoke the Defense Production Act, which will compel American companies to manufacture supplies for the pandemic response such as PPE and other items needed for vaccines.
See what others are saying: (The New York Times) (ABC News) (The Washington Post)
Politics
U.S. To Join WHO-led Vaccine Distribution Plan as Biden Implements a Flurry of COVID-19 Executive Orders
Published
13 hours agoon
January 21, 2021By
Cory Ray
- Dr. Anthony Fauci indicated Thursday that President Joe Biden will join COVAX, a World Health Organization-led COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.
- Fauci’s announcement comes one day after Biden signed an executive order reversing former President Donald Trump’s plan to remove the United States from the WHO.
- Among other orders, Biden plans to implement a mask mandate for airports, planes, trains, and other forms of interstate travel. He has already ordered masks to be worn on all federal property.
- Biden is also expected to invoke the Defense Production Act on Thursday, which would speed up the development and distribution of vaccine-related equipment.
U.S. To Join COVAX
Just one day after President Joe Biden signed an order to keep the United States in the World Health Organization, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the country will join its global COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.
That plan, COVAX, is a collaborative effort between 92 countries to ensure that COVID vaccines aren’t only distributed in wealthy countries.
The idea behind the plan is that establishing a global herd immunity will be much more effective at curbing the spread of the virus than just establishing herd immunity in countries that can afford to buy large quantities of the vaccine, especially when international travel picks back up.
The plan is not without its shortcomings. Earlier this week, the WHO stated that some countries participating in COVAX have been disregarding the plan and buying large quantities of vaccines for themselves.
Nonetheless, in a video conference call Thursday morning with the WHO’s executive board, Fauci — now chief medical advisor to the president — said the Biden administration believes it can inoculate every American while also helping people in other countries.
Biden’s plan to join COVAX is a stark contrast from the Trump administration, which refused to participate in the program.
Fauci said Biden will issue the directive to join COVAX later Thursday.
Additionally, Fauci noted that the U.S. once again “intends to fulfill its financial obligations” to the WHO.
In his attempt to leave the organization, Trump cut off payments from the U.S.; however, his administration never got the chance to fully cut ties with the organization because the U.S. wasn’t scheduled to officially leave until July of this year.
Biden Signs Mask Mandate, Other Orders To Come
Among other COVID-related executive orders signed Wednesday, Biden implemented a national mask mandate for people on federal property.
Sometime Thursday, Biden is also expected to sign another order requiring masks to be worn in airports, as well as on airplanes, trains, and other interstate transit systems.
Also on Thursday, Biden is also expected to sign an order that will establish a COVID-19 testing board. Once implemented, the board will be responsible for increasing testing rates, addressing supply shortfalls, and determining the rules and regulations for international travelers coming into the U.S. It will also have the power to distribute resources to minority communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
On top of that, Biden plans to sign an order that will direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse states and Native American tribes for their emergency response efforts. Notably, those reimbursements include costs related to reopening schools.
Finally, Biden is expected to invoke the Defense Production Act on Thursday. Such a move would speed up the production of masks and other equipment needed to help administer vaccines.
See what others are saying: (Business Insider) (Reuters) (CNBC)
Politics
Trump Issues Over 140 Pardons and Commutations Ahead of Biden’s Inauguration
Published
2 days agoon
January 20, 2021By
Lili Stenn
- In his last moments in office, now-former President Donald Trump granted clemency to more than 140 people at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.
- Among the notable pardons and commutations were rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, and Trump megadonor Elliott Broidy.
- Trump’s final round of clemency did include several nonviolent drug offenders whose requests had been supported by criminal justice reform advocates.
- Still, many also condemned Trump for overlooking people wronged by the justice system or those who have been rehabilitated. Instead, critics feel he was focused on giving out political favors to his allies.
Trump Grants Clemency
Former President Donald Trump issued more than 140 pardons and commutations at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, just hours ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
The move marks Trump’s final major act before the end of his term. Many of the most notable pardons and commutations were given to people whose names had been circulating in reports earlier this week, including rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, as well as former adviser Steve Bannon.
Bannon’s pardon is especially significant because he has not yet stood trial for the charges he faces. The charges against Trump’s former right-hand man center around allegations that he defrauded half a million people who donated to a crowdsourcing campaign to fund the construction of the border wall.
The leaders of the charity, aptly named We Build the Wall, had claimed that the more than $25 million they had solicited in donations would go to their goal, but prosecutors claim that Bannon took $1 million for his own personal expenses.
Bannon’s pardon is also significant because, according to reports, the reason the clemency announcements were late was because Trump could not decide whether or not to pardon him. However, as The Washington Post notes, Trump’s ultimate decision “underscores how Trump has used his presidential power to benefit allies and political backers.”
Trump has recently granted pardons to several of his former top aides, many of whom seem to have a knack for committing crimes for him.
At the end of last year, he pardoned his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and his close friend and adviser, Roger Stone. All three had been convicted of crimes during the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In this newest batch of clemency grants, the former president also pardoned Elliott Broidy, a top Trump campaign fundraiser. Broidy pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws and accepting millions of dollars as part of a secret campaign to lobby the administration for Malaysian and Chinese interests.
Trump additionally pardoned a number of politicians who have been indicted for corruption, including three former Republican members of Congress and one former Democratic mayor.
Those Left Out
Trump’s last round of pardons and commutations did include several nonviolent drug offenders whose requests had been supported by criminal justice reformers. One of those individuals was Chris Young, a man who had been sentenced to life for drug conspiracy, and whose commutation Kim Kardashian West had lobbied.
But in general, Trump has largely been condemned by criminal justice advocates for overlooking people wronged by the justice system or those who have rehabilitated. Instead, they feel he was focused on giving out political favors to his allies.
Despite the attention some of his pardons have received, either because they had celebrity power behind them or were controversial, Trump has actually approved fewer clemency requests than most previous presidents who served one term or less. Until this week, he had only granted clemency to 95 people.
Also of note are the controversial pardons that Trump was reportedly considering but ultimately decided against. These included WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and “Tiger King” star Joe Exotic, the latter of whom was so sure he would be pardoned that he had a limo waiting for him outside his prison.
Trump was also reportedly considering preemptively pardoning himself and his children, but he apparently decided against the move. In addition to a self-pardon being questionably unconstitutional, any clemency for the former president and his family would require them to admit they committed crimes they have not yet been charged with.
While Trump decided against becoming the first president to ever pardon himself, the fact that he decided to give clemency to so many of his allies might pose some issues.
President Bill Clinton faced both congressional and criminal investigations for giving out 140 pardons and commutations on his final day in office in 2001, though notably, no wrongdoing was ultimately found.
See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN)

Biden Signs 17 Executive Order During His First Day in Office. Here’s What You Need to Know

U.S. To Join WHO-led Vaccine Distribution Plan as Biden Implements a Flurry of COVID-19 Executive Orders

Accusations Against Chinese Actress Shine Light on the Nation’s Surrogacy Laws

JoJo Siwa Fans Caution Against Labeling the Star’s Sexuality

Amanda Gorman Wows the Nation With “The Hill We Climb”

Trump OUT. Biden IN. What Happens Now? Inauguration 2021, Last Second Pardons, & More News

American Influencer Kristen Gray To Be Deported From Bali

Trump Issues Over 140 Pardons and Commutations Ahead of Biden’s Inauguration

Netflix Passes 200M Subscribers as Other Streamers Struggle With Retention

Google Investigates Top AI Researcher Who Was Looking Into a Previous Firing

Dear Jamie, BE HONEST! ARE YOU KILLING THOSE CATS?! Also Barstool, Cody Ko, MrBeast, Navalny, &

Cosplay Instagram Star Belle Delphine Trolls Followers With PornHub Account

Mia Khalifa Shuts Down Death Rumors, Sparks Conversations About Plastic Surgery and Adult Film Industry

Instagram Users Tell Skai Jackson to Stop Posting About Cameron Boyce

Billie Eilish Fans Call Out Twitter User for Sexualizing the Underage Singer

Ace Family’s Austin McBroom and Team Accused of Rape

Joe Rogan Denies Spotify Censorship Rumors, According to Alex Jones

Man Kills 17-Year-Old Bianca Devins and Posts Photos Online

YouTuber MrBeast Responds to Criticism of Massive Tree Planting Project

Netflix Apologizes and Changes Marketing Materials for “Cuties” After Backlash

YouTuber Coffee Break Accuses Kurzgesagt of Being Untrustworthy, Founder Responds

The Onision Controversy Explained

Trump OUT. Biden IN. What Happens Now? Inauguration 2021, Last Second Pardons, & More News

Dear Jamie, BE HONEST! ARE YOU KILLING THOSE CATS?! Also Barstool, Cody Ko, MrBeast, Navalny, &

Why Joe Rogan is Scared, Strange Armie Hammer Allegations, Justice League, Flint, UFOs, & More News

Banned From Youtube! Belle Delphine Outrage, PewDiePie, AOC, Trump Impeached Again, & More News

HOW ARE PEOPLE THIS STUPID?! New Arrests, Rumble, The Rock, Ryan Reynolds, TheGrefg, & More News

This is so Dumb & Scary! Zendaya, Corpse Husband, Bitcoin, 25th Amendment, Parler Sues, & More News

WOW! David Dobrik Scam Accusations, Horrifying Exposé Sparks Deletion, & More Cyberpunk 2077 Fallout

DISGUSTING! What They Aren’t Telling You About This New Ban & Today’s Ws and Ls: Valkyrae, SCOTUS, &

WHO IS LYING? Video Exposes Controversial Florida Raid & Olivia Jade Felony Scandal Redemption Tour

The Truth About Logan Paul: The Most Successful Loser Ever. Gal Gadot, HBO Max, Georgia Runoffs, &

WOW! THIS IS A TRAIN WRECK! Joe Rogan, MatPat, HBO Max, & Melissa Carone’s “Election Fraud” Mess…

Belle Delphine Responds To Outrage After Tweeting Out Graphic Photos

Capitol Officer Used Himself as a Distraction To Lead Mob Away From Elected Officials During Insurrection Attempt

FDA Recalls 11,000 Ice Cream Containers and Sportsmix Pet Food Products

Netflix Will Release a New Movie Every Week in 2021

Vogue Faces Backlash for Using Casual Photo of Kamala Harris on Print Cover

House Impeaches Trump By Largest Bipartisan Margin in History

Petition Calls for Ban on Sexualized Fanfiction in South Korea

Multiple Capitol Police Officers Have Been Suspended, Other Officers Now Under Investigation

Signal and Telegram Downloads Surge After WhatsApp Announces It Will Share Data With Facebook

Italy Begins Largest Mob Trial in Decades

Twitter Will Force Biden To Start From Zero on Official POTUS Account

Biden Signs 17 Executive Order During His First Day in Office. Here’s What You Need to Know

U.S. To Join WHO-led Vaccine Distribution Plan as Biden Implements a Flurry of COVID-19 Executive Orders

Accusations Against Chinese Actress Shine Light on the Nation’s Surrogacy Laws

JoJo Siwa Fans Caution Against Labeling the Star’s Sexuality

Amanda Gorman Wows the Nation With “The Hill We Climb”

Trump OUT. Biden IN. What Happens Now? Inauguration 2021, Last Second Pardons, & More News

American Influencer Kristen Gray To Be Deported From Bali

Trump Issues Over 140 Pardons and Commutations Ahead of Biden’s Inauguration

Netflix Passes 200M Subscribers as Other Streamers Struggle With Retention

Google Investigates Top AI Researcher Who Was Looking Into a Previous Firing

Dear Jamie, BE HONEST! ARE YOU KILLING THOSE CATS?! Also Barstool, Cody Ko, MrBeast, Navalny, &

Trump OUT. Biden IN. What Happens Now? Inauguration 2021, Last Second Pardons, & More News

Dear Jamie, BE HONEST! ARE YOU KILLING THOSE CATS?! Also Barstool, Cody Ko, MrBeast, Navalny, &

Why Joe Rogan is Scared, Strange Armie Hammer Allegations, Justice League, Flint, UFOs, & More News

Banned From Youtube! Belle Delphine Outrage, PewDiePie, AOC, Trump Impeached Again, & More News

HOW ARE PEOPLE THIS STUPID?! New Arrests, Rumble, The Rock, Ryan Reynolds, TheGrefg, & More News

This is so Dumb & Scary! Zendaya, Corpse Husband, Bitcoin, 25th Amendment, Parler Sues, & More News

WOW! David Dobrik Scam Accusations, Horrifying Exposé Sparks Deletion, & More Cyberpunk 2077 Fallout

DISGUSTING! What They Aren’t Telling You About This New Ban & Today’s Ws and Ls: Valkyrae, SCOTUS, &

WHO IS LYING? Video Exposes Controversial Florida Raid & Olivia Jade Felony Scandal Redemption Tour

The Truth About Logan Paul: The Most Successful Loser Ever. Gal Gadot, HBO Max, Georgia Runoffs, &
