10 things you need to know today: July 21, 2020
1.
President Trump on Monday defended his administration's deployment of federal law enforcement agents in Portland, Oregon, to target protesters, and threatened to send agents to more cities. "We're looking at Chicago, too. We're looking at New York," he said. "All run by very liberal Democrats. All run, really, by the radical left." Three Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed to The Washington Post that the agency was preparing to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Chicago. The Chicago Tribune, which first reported the news, said as many as 150 agents would go to the city. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) pushed back at Trump, saying: "This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. We cannot have secret police abducting people in unmarked vehicles." [The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune]
2.
Florida's largest teachers' union on Monday filed a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) saying that his push to fully reopen all public schools despite spiking coronavirus cases violates a state constitutional mandate to keep schools "safe and secure." The Florida Education Association is asking the court to block DeSantis' reopening plan. The suit names several other defendants in DeSantis' administration, including state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, the state Education Department, and the State Board of Education. The union said the governor needs to accept that the virus is spreading out of control in the state. "Gov. DeSantis needs a reality check, and we are attempting to provide one," Florida Education Association President Fedrick Ingram said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. [NBC News]
3.
Missouri prosecutors said Monday that they had filed a felony charge against Mark and Patricia McCloskey, a St. Louis couple who made national headlines by pointing guns at a group of protesters walking past their house in a gated community. "It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest," said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner, "and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis." Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said he would push to dismiss what he called a "political prosecution." Defense attorney Joel Schwartz called the charges "disheartening," saying, "no crime was committed." [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
4.
Three laboratories on Monday released promising results in early human trials of potential coronavirus vaccines. Two of the vaccine developers — one a partnership between Oxford University and the British-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca, and the other a Chinese company, CanSino Biologics — published peer-reviewed studies in the British medical journal The Lancet. All three teams said their vaccines had produced strong immune responses in their subjects, with minor side effects. Scientists cautioned that the responses did not guarantee immunity. "What this means is that each of these vaccines is worth taking all the way through to a Phase III study," said Dr. Peter Jay Hotez, a vaccine researcher at the Baylor College of Medicine. "That is it. All it means is 'worth pursuing.'" [The New York Times]
5.
Self-described "anti-feminist" lawyer Roy Den Hollander, who was found dead Monday, has been identified as the "primary subject" suspected in a fatal shooting at the home of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey said Monday. Salas' son, 20-year-old Catholic University student Daniel Anderl, was killed in the shooting. Salas' husband, lawyer Mark Anderl, was wounded and hospitalized in stable condition. Den Hollander, who was believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, had received media coverage, including appearances on Fox News and Comedy Central, for lawsuits he argued challenging perceived violations of "men's rights." He once argued — and lost — a case before Salas that challenged the all-male military draft. [CNN, The Associated Press]
6.
President Trump, who in the past downplayed the importance of wearing face-coverings to prevent coronavirus infections, said Monday that it is "patriotic" to wear masks, as an increasing number of states are requiring due to spiking COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. "We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance," Trump tweeted, posting his first photo of himself wearing a mask. Trump, facing flagging poll numbers, also said the White House would resume daily coronavirus briefings. The news came as seven states — Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Kentucky, North Dakota, Arkansas, and Montana — and Puerto Rico reported new record highs for coronavirus hospitalizations. [The Washington Post, Johns Hopkins University]
7.
European Union leaders reached a deal early Tuesday on a huge stimulus plan for coronavirus-ravaged economies. The $2.1 trillion budget agreement, which came at the end of a four-day summit in Brussels, included a $857.33 billion recovery fund to help lift the continent out of its worst recession since World War II. French President Emmanuel Macron, who pushed for the deal with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, called the agreement "truly historic." Summit chairman Charles Michel called the agreement a "pivotal moment" for the 27 countries in the trading bloc, after the threat that the fractious summit would fail to yield a deal raised concerns about the EU's viability after Britain's departure. "This agreement sends a concrete signal that Europe is a force for action," Michel said. [Reuters]
8.
Georgia Democrats on Monday selected Nikema Williams, a state senator and party chair, to replace the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who died Friday, on the November ballot. Williams was one of five finalists under consideration to fill Georgia's fifth district House seat as the party's executive committee raced to choose a nominee under a legal deadline. Williams was the frontrunner and was chosen by an overwhelming vote. She described herself as a protege of Lewis, a civil rights icon, and said she would put herself on the line for her constituents "the same way Congressman Lewis taught us to do." Williams is expected to defeat her Republican challenger, Angela Stanton-King, easily. [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bloomberg]
9.
Former Fox Business associate producer Jennifer Eckhart said in a lawsuit filed Monday that she was raped by ex-Fox News anchor Ed Henry. The suit claims that Henry "preyed upon, manipulated, and groomed Ms. Eckhart" for a sexual relationship, and told her she would face "punishment and retaliation" if she did not go along with his sexual demands. The lawsuit also includes sexual harassment allegations by frequent on-air guest Cathy Areu against network hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Howard Kurtz, and political analyst Gianno Caldwell. Areu said she also received lewd messages from Henry. Fox News said that based on an outside law firm's investigation Areu's claims were "false, patently frivolous, and utterly devoid of any merit." Henry's attorney denied the allegations against him. [BuzzFeed News, The Associated Press]
10.
The Washington Nationals invited Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday when the defending World Series champions host the New York Yankees for Major League Baseball's opening night. In a statement, the Nationals said Fauci, who is a big fan of the club, "has been a true champion for our country during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished career." The Nationals and Yankees will kick off a 60-game season that was shortened because of the coronavirus pandemic. Fans won't be in attendance to watch the Nationals mount their title defense due to public health and safety concerns. [Washington Nationals, ESPN]
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