Shaq Confirms that WrestleMania Match Against Big Show Likely Won't Happen

December 5, 2020 KANKENNEWS

— On his podcast today, Shaquille O’Neal appeared to confirm that his match against the Big Show at WrestleMania 33 is in doubt. When asked to comment on the rumors running rampant suggesting that the match is off, Shaq said that “it’s probably right” that it won’t happen and that “it’s not my fault” and “that’s all you need to know.”

— He went on to say that it’s “not totally off yet” but that it’s also “not looking good”. Shaq said that he’s still working out and “looks way better than Big Show” and that he’s ready to meet him whenever he wants. He said that he’s still going to proceed as if the match is going down.

— To listen to the podcast, click here and move forward to about the 23:30 mark to hear his comments.

Senate Intelligence Committee leaders warn of Chinese threats to national security

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

The top Republican and Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee on Friday warned of Chinese national security threats due to Chinese government efforts to “exert its global dominance.”

The joint statement from Acting Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioSenate to vote next week on blocking Trump’s UAE arms sale GOP urges Trump not to tank defense bill over tech fight Pressure builds for coronavirus relief with no clear path to deal MORE (R-Fla.) and Vice Chairman Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerDefense policy bill would create new cyber czar position Sweeping financial crimes bill to hitch a ride on defense measure Bipartisan, bicameral group unveils 8 billion coronavirus proposal MORE (D-Va.) came a day after Director of National Intelligence (DNI) John RatcliffeJohn Lee RatcliffeHillicon Valley: Government used Patriot Act to gather website visitor logs in 2019 | Defense bill leaves out Section 230 repeal, includes White House cyber czar position | Officials warn hackers are targeting vaccine supply chain Government used Patriot Act to gather website visitor logs in 2019 DNI Ratcliffe: China ‘greatest threat’ to freedom since World War II MORE penned an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal describing China as the “greatest threat” to the U.S. since World War II.

The senators’ remarks also came a day after House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffBarr taps attorney investigating Russia probe origins as special counsel OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Trump pardons Flynn | Lawmakers lash out at decision | Pentagon nixes Thanksgiving dining hall meals due to COVID-19 Democratic impeachment leaders blast Trump’s pardon of Flynn MORE (D-Calif.) put out a similarly strong statement warning of Chinese threats.

“We agree with DNI Ratcliffe that China poses the greatest national security threat to the United States,” Rubio and Warner said. “Our intelligence is clear: the Chinese Communist Party will stop at nothing to exert its global dominance. Beijing’s infiltration of U.S. society has been deliberate and insidious as they use every instrument of influence available to accelerate their rise at America’s expense.”

The committee leaders accused China of threatening U.S. “democratic values” through the Chinese Communist Party’s alleged targeting of “our free speech, politics, technology, economy, military, and even our drive to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.”

They said the U.S. must “stand its ground” in the face of threats against allies.

“We will not stand idly by as the Chinese Communist Party attempts to undermine our economic and national security,” Rubio and Warner said. “The message to Beijing and the world is that China’s behavior will not be tolerated and will be contested by democratic values, in close partnership with our allies and partners.”

Relations between Washington and Beijing have become more adversarial over the past four years, as the Trump administration has increasingly sought to push back against Chinese threats to U.S. technology and intellectual property, along with imposing tariffs.

Schiff, in his Thursday statement, said “it’s imperative the Intelligence Community rebalance its focus and funding to more effectively address the vast array of challenges that China poses to our national security.”

The House Intelligence Committee put out a report in September warning that the U.S. intelligence community is not equipped to handle evolving threats from China in the fields of technology and geopolitics.

Schiff this week emphasized that while threats from China were important to the committee, it was “critical not to lose sight of challenges posed by other actors, including Russia, Iran, North Korea, and transnational issues, such as terrorism, global health, and climate change.”

China is considered among the four nations that pose the biggest threat to the U.S., alongside Russia, Iran and North Korea.

The 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment compiled by former Director of National Intelligence Dan CoatsDaniel (Dan) Ray CoatsNew federal cybersecurity lead says ‘rumor control’ site will remain up through January Biden soars as leader of the free world Lobbying world MORE listed China as one of the top global threats to the U.S. in fields like cybersecurity, election interference, weapons program, space and counterintelligence.

Britain will compensate citizens for any COVID-19 vaccine side effects

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Britain is set to provide payments to any citizen who experiences adverse side effects as a result of taking a coronavirus vaccine, the country announced Thursday.

Pfizer and BioNTech will begin distributing their vaccines in the country soon, prompting the British government to line up precautionary measures.

The country is making plans to add COVID-19 to its list of diseases that are covered under its Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS), which typically covers vaccines that are administered as part of a childhood immunization program. An exception is being made for the coronavirus vaccine due to the fact that it will be given to many adults, according to a press release.

VDPS has been around since 1979 and has provided coverage of side effects of vaccinations for HPV, Meningitis B., H1N1, as well as several others.

“We are extremely confident in the effectiveness and safety of our immunisation programmes. We will not be rolling out a COVID-19 vaccine unless it has met robust standards of safety, effectiveness and quality and authorised for use by the medicines regulator, the MHRA,” Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, said in a release.

People who are covered under VDPS will receive a tax-free lump sum of up to £120,000 (about $161,676) in the event that they can prove that a vaccine caused a severe disability, the release states.

All of the claims that are fielded through the VDPS program have to be vetted before they are accepted.

Germany concerned about potential attacks on mass vaccination centers

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Germany indicated on Friday it is concerned about potential attacks on its mass coronavirus vaccination centers.

The country is setting up six mass vaccination cites in Berlin ahead of the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) approval of a vaccine, the Associated Press reports.

The EMA said on Tuesday that Pfizer and German company BioNTech filed for conditional approval of their vaccine candidate. The U.K. approved the vaccine for emergency use on Wednesday.

Albrecht Broemme, who was tasked with setting up the agency, said security details still need to be resolved, according to the AP. He plans to have “intense conversations” with police and security firms about protecting the centers, though he acknowledged that no concrete threat has been made.

“With the centers it’s indeed possible that people opposed to vaccination or others willing to use violence might say ‘Let’s set this on fire because we think vaccinations are stupid,’” Broemme reportedly said.

Markus Lammert, a spokesman for Germany’s Interior Ministry, told reporters that security agencies were alerted to the issue, but he is not aware of any “concrete threat scenario.”

“In any case, we can’t provide information about operational details and facts,” Lammert said.

People have staged regular protests in Germany against the country’s coronavirus restrictions, arguing that they infringe on their rights. Opponents of the restrictions overlap with members of anti-vaccination groups who claim that COVID-19 vaccines will be compulsory.

The EMA’s Committee for Human Medicinal Products is expected to complete its review of Pfizer’s vaccine by Dec. 29. The committee is also expected to finish a review of Moderna’s vaccine by Jan. 12.

Tenants sue Trump over scheme that increased their rent: report

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Tenants of various rent-controlled apartment buildings in New York have filed a lawsuit against President Trump and his siblings in the State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, claiming they are the victims of a longtime rent scheme run by their father Fred Trump, The New York Times reports.

The scheme, uncovered by The New York Times in 2018, reportedly involved tacking at least 20 percent onto the cost of building materials or appliances for buildings owned by Fred Trump, with the family then splitting the resulting profit. The family would allegedly then record the false number on an invoice, which they would submit as part of their rent increase application, according to the report.

The scheme then affected tenants, as New York law allows landlords to raise rents in rent-controlled apartments if major upkeep is done to the home. The price difference between what the Trump family paid for the materials and what they claimed they paid therefore ended up costing tenants, the Times wrote.

The new lawsuit involves over 14,000 units spread across 30 apartment complexes belonging to Fred Trump between 1992 to 2004. The plaintiffs are seeking the extra rent paid, plus interest and triple damages, for former and current tenants alike, as the rent current tenants pay is a direct result of rent increases made during the Trump’s time, according to the Times.

“You try so hard, and to hear something like this, it breaks my heart, because I believe they are just taking advantage of poor people,” Leonie Green, a Westminster Apartment tenant for more than 22 years, told the Times.

The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment, however a Trump family spokesperson called the accusations outlined in the lawsuit “completely frivolous.”

Facebook says it will begin removing coronavirus vaccine misinformation

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Facebook announced Thursday that it will begin removing misinformation about coronavirus vaccines as the immunizations are poised to be rolled out globally.

Posts containing false claims about “safety, efficacy, ingredients or side effects” about the vaccines can be taken down, the social media giant said in a blog post.

“For example, we will remove false claims that COVID-19 vaccines contain microchips, or anything else that isn’t on the official vaccine ingredient list,” it said.

The policy change comes as vaccines from three companies – Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna – near approval by health authorities.

Facebook has already been removing more general coronavirus misinformation and the company in October also banned ads discouraging all kinds of vaccinations, although it allowed ads that advocate against government policies around vaccinations to stay up.

Despite these efforts, Facebook has been a fertile breeding ground for all kinds of vaccination misinformation.

Those falsehoods appear to have spilled into the real world, with research finding that online anti-vaxx communities have contributed to widespread hesitancy to take a coronavirus vaccine.

It is unclear why Facebook had not already been aggressively taking down vaccine misinformation generated by users.

Rejection of the coronavirus vaccine based on online misinformation could be especially dangerous given that many experts believe something in the ballpark of 60 percent of the population would need to get vaccinated to stop the virus’s spread.

Krebs describes threats to election officials as 'undermining democracy'

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Christoper Krebs, the nation’s former top cybersecurity official, said Wednesday that recent threats against election officials were “undemocratic” and “undermined democracy.”

“I’ve received death threats, a number of these officials have received death threats, and to me, there aren’t good words to describe how un-American and undemocratic it is that the actual individuals responsible for the process of this most sacred democratic institution of elections are the ones that are getting the blowback here,” Krebs, the former director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said during a virtual event hosted by The Washington Post.

“We are actively undermining democracy. We are actively undermining confidence in the electoral process,” Krebs said.

Krebs was fired by President TrumpDonald John TrumpFederal watchdog accuses VOA parent company of wrongdoing under Trump appointee Lawsuit alleges 200K Georgia voters were wrongly purged from registration list Ivanka Trump gives deposition in lawsuit alleging misuse of inauguration funds MORE last month after pushing back against Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud and election interference through CISA’s “rumor control” webpage, and after CISA signed on to a statement with state and local officials calling the 2020 election the “most secure in American history.”

His comments came two days after Joe diGenova, an attorney for Trump’s reelection campaign, appeared on “The Howie Carr Show” and called for Krebs to be “drawn and quartered” and “taken out at dawn and shot” due to Krebs’s comments backing the high security of the election.

The attorney later walked back his comments and said they were made “in jest,” according to a statement given to the National Review, though Krebs in a separate interview on NBC’s “Today” threatened legal action.

Other election officials have also been threatened, with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) criticizing Trump on Wednesday during a press conference for not taking steps to quell the threats against Georgia election workers.

“Even after this office requested that President Trump try and quell the violent rhetoric being born out of his continuing claims of winning the states where he obviously lost, he tweeted out: ‘Expose the massive voter fraud in Georgia.’ This is exactly the kind of language that is at the base of the growing threat environment for election workers who are simply doing their jobs,” Raffensperger said.

Krebs pointed to these kinds of threats as potentially having a “chilling effect” on recruiting workers to run the polls during future elections.

“This has got to stop, it has to stop. We have to let the professionals do their jobs, and it’s well beyond time for everyone on both sides of the political spectrum to call for an end and to call for our certification process and move on to the next administration,” Krebs said.

Krebs also reiterated the security of the 2020 election, and praised the changes made to enhance the security and coordination around the election process over the four years since Russian agents interfered in the 2016 election.

CISA, established by legislation signed into law by Trump in 2018, served a key role in securing the recent elections, and is the agency charged with coordinating election security efforts with state and local officials, along with private sector groups such as social media platforms and election equipment vendors.

Krebs pointed to the enhanced coordination between federal, state and local officials as being key to pushing back against threats during the recent election cycle.

These efforts included Iranian and Russian interference efforts. Director of National Intelligence John RatcliffeJohn Lee RatcliffeTop intelligence official says China targeting foreign influence at incoming Biden administration Krebs describes threats to election officials as ‘undermining democracy’ Schumer meets with Biden national security picks MORE and FBI Director Christopher Wray announced in October that both nations were seeking to sway the election, with Iran accessing voter data in three states to send threatening emails to potential voters.

Krebs said Wednesday that the Russian efforts were more “broad” and involved the probing of networks for vulnerabilities, similar to efforts in 2016 that enabled Russian agents to successfully access voter registration databases in multiple states.

“We did see Russia, over the course of the late fall, undertake a really broad scanning campaign, and that is what Russia does,” Krebs said. “This wasn’t just elections, it was state and local, private sector, federal government agencies.”

He noted that the decision was taken to disclose the attempted foreign interference to the American people “out of an abundance of transparency and out of an abundance of caution.”

“That was a much broader Russian cyber campaign, scanning campaign, and as far as I can tell it is still underway,” Krebs said.

Krebs was one of three CISA officials forced out by the White House over the past month, with former Deputy Director Matthew Travis and Bryan Ware, a top cybersecurity official at the agency, resigning after being asked to step down. Former CISA Executive Director Brandon Wales now serves as the acting director of the agency.

When asked if he would consider serving under the incoming Biden administration in some capacity, Krebs, who was nominated to his former position by Trump, said he would consider it.

“Anytime you get asked by the leader of the free world to come in and take on an important role, you have to give it all due consideration,” Krebs said.

“There will be a series of considerations and conversations that would have to happen around that, but I am just so proud of the CISA team. I’m proud of the fact that we are maybe a household name right now but for a good reason, the right reasons,” he added.

Health experts warn of tough holiday season for seniors

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Health experts are warning that the holiday season poses an increased COVID-19 threat to older Americans, who are already one of the most vulnerable demographics.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 million coronavirus cases have been reported since Nov. 23, despite recommendations that people forgo traveling for Thanksgiving and limit celebrations to members of their household.

But many are still holding family gatherings outside the CDC guidelines with people in the high-risk 65-and-up age group.

“As a geriatrician, it really scares me,” said Mariah Robertson, a Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center geriatric medicine and gerontology educator fellow. “We’re going to see a lot more older adults in the hospital and a lot more older adults dying as a result of some of these gatherings and some of this travel that people are doing.”

“I anticipate that we’ll see in the next two weeks [after Thanksgiving] an even higher spike in cases across the country because people are gathering and traveling,” she added. “We’ll see something similar near the Christmas holiday for similar reasons.”

She noted there is usually a two-week lag before the effects of social gatherings on infection rates are shown.

According to the CDC, eight out of 10 of the coronavirus deaths reported in the United States have been in adults 65 and older. Seniors accounted for 190,964 of the 240,213 reported coronavirus deaths as of Wednesday, the CDC said.

Christine E. Kistler, an associate professor of geriatric and family medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and research committee member of the American Geriatric Society, identified large gatherings as a key risk factor in the upcoming holiday season that will contribute to an increase in cases.

Even mitigation efforts like getting tested beforehand may not be effective, she said.

“I think this idea that testing is going to help make holiday travel safe is really false,” Kistler said. “Testing is a snapshot. It is a photo, not a movie.”

She added that people may catch the virus a few hours before they get tested, but the test will not register that they have COVID-19, allowing the virus to spread.

“If you imagine a family coming together for a dinner and you have cousins that haven’t seen each other or been in the same space, any person who you come in contact with at that gathering, you’re assuming and taking on their sphere of influence in their pod as well,” Robertson said. “It just exponentially increases the number of chances you’ve been exposed to people who have COVID.”

When tough choices have to be made, she said, there are steps that families can take to lessen but not eliminate the chances of spreading the virus.

She said having college-aged adults returning home to a multigenerational household is preferable than several separate families meeting in-person over the holidays.

“I would still feel better about a scenario where one person is coming back from college and going into a home where everyone else has been safe than a family gathering of 15 people who haven’t been spending time together traveling and then gathering together,” Robertson said. “That is actually way more dangerous than one person coming back from college.”

The United States is now in its ninth month enduring the pandemic, with many states and municipalities reimposing coronavirus restrictions to deal with the fall surge in cases.

Those case counts prompted the CDC to warn against holiday travel.

U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow argued that “pandemic fatigue” was contributing to recent spikes in COVID-19 infections.

“It’s extremely important to not become complacent about our health and safety practices,” he said. “If we do, the longer this pandemic will go on.”

But until there’s an effective vaccine that’s widely distributed, health experts say preventive measures will need to be taken.

Robertson added that while “social isolation is bad for anyone…we still need to find ways to connect during these really important holidays” through alternatives such as virtual meetings or house drive-by greetings.

“Can you do other creative ways to help make sure that you’re not going to socially isolate older adults and still do our best to keep them safe?” she asked. “There’s just no zero-risk scenario and people are going to have to make their own internal calculations. And remember that there are ways to still celebrate these holidays and have important, meaningful connections and not just be at the dinner table with 20 people.”

Hillicon Valley: Salesforce to acquire Slack for $28 billion | Uber completes $2.65 billion Postmates acquisition | Federal agencies warn that hackers are targeting US think tanks

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.

Welcome! Follow our cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech team, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills) and Rebecca Klar (@rebeccaklar_), for more coverage.

SLACK FOR SALE: Salesforce announced its intention Tuesday to acquire workplace messaging service Slack for $27.7 billion in cash and stock.

If completed, the deal will be one of the biggest software mergers in recent memory and the latest in a series of bets on remote work by tech companies.

Stewart Butterfield, who founded Slack in 2010, will stay on as CEO of the company.

“Stewart and his team have built one of the most beloved platforms in enterprise software history, with an incredible ecosystem around it,” Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, said in a statement. “This is a match made in heaven.”

The deal is scheduled to close sometime in the middle of 2021, pending shareholder and regulatory approval. Salesforce noted in its press release that it has the backing of Slack shareholders representing 55 percent of shares.

Read more here.

UBER ACQUIRES POSTMATES: Uber completed its $2.65 billion acquisition of delivery platform Postmates, the companies announced Tuesday.

The announcement came about five months after Uber said it reached an agreement to acquire Postmates in an all-stock deal.

Uber said on Tuesday the consumer-facing apps of Postmates and Uber’s food delivery platform Uber Eats will continue to run separately but will be supported by a combined network of merchants and delivery drivers.

“Uber and Postmates have long been committed to powering delivery services that support local commerce and communities, all the more important during crises like the one we face today.

“We’re thrilled to bring these two teams together to continue to innovate, bringing ever-better products and services for merchants, delivery people, and consumers across the country,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in the announcement.

Read more here.

THINK TANKS TARGETED: The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned Tuesday that major hacking groups are targeting U.S. think tanks.

The agencies put out an alert noting that advanced persistent threat (APT) hacking groups were mainly targeting think tanks and individuals involved with international affairs or national security policies.

The targeting involved malicious phishing emails, and attempted to exploit vulnerabilities in remote networks and other internet-connected devices.

“Given the importance that think tanks can have in shaping U.S. policy, CISA and FBI urge individuals and organizations in the international affairs and national security sectors to immediately adopt a heightened state of awareness,” the agencies wrote in the alert.

The agencies noted that the move to increased teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic had increased the threat surface for attackers, including through the ability to target virtual private networks used to access secure work networks remotely.

“When successful, these low-effort, high-reward approaches allow threat actors to steal sensitive information, acquire user credentials, and gain persistent access to victim networks,” the agencies wrote.

Read more here.

CISA DRAMA CONTINUES: Matthew Travis, the former deputy director of the nation’s top cybersecurity agency, on Tuesday defended former top cybersecurity official Christopher Krebs after a lawyer for President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump alludes to possible 2024 run in White House remarks Trump threatens to veto defense bill over tech liability shield Tiger King’s attorney believes they’re close to getting pardon from Trump MORE’s reelection campaign called for violence against Krebs.

Travis’s comments came after Joe diGenova said during an interview this week on “The Howie Carr Show” that Krebs, who was fired by President Trump last month after pushing back against Trump’s claims of voter fraud during the recent election, should be “drawn and quartered” and “taken out at dawn and shot.”

“It’s egregious, I’m at a loss for words at how absurd those and offensive those comments were, I think that’s got to violate some type of code of professional conduct for the DC Bar, and I hope they look into it,” Travis, the former deputy director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said at the Aspen Institute’s virtual Cyber Summit on Tuesday.

“He’s a small man with a small mind and bad mustache,” Travis said of diGenova, adding that he hoped diGenova would “take back those words, apologize and recognize that maybe the hot lights of the studio got to him.”

Krebs on Tuesday also responded to the threat from diGenova, saying during an appearance on NBC’s “Today” that he and his legal team were “taking a look at all our available legal opportunities” as a result of diGenova’s comments.

“We are a nation of laws, and I plan to take advantage of those laws,” Krebs said. “I’ve got an exceptional team of lawyers that win in court, and I think they’re probably going to be busy.”

The Trump attorney, diGenova, has since said that his remarks were meant as a joke and hyperbole, and that he wished Krebs no harm, according to a report in National Review.

Read more here.

AMAZON REPORTS BLACK FRIDAY SALES: Amazon announced Tuesday that independent businesses on its platform received more than $4.8 billion in sales worldwide from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.

The company said in a press release that this revenue marked a more than 60 percent increase from this time last year, with more than 71,000 small- and medium-sized businesses around the world surpassing $100,000 in sales to date this holiday season.

It added that American small- and medium-sized businesses have so far sold an average of 9,500 products per minute in recent weeks.

Amazon said that amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is seeing “record demand” from customers, making it the company’s “biggest holiday season to date.”

“In a holiday season unlike any other, it’s clear that customers still want great deals on gifts for their loved ones or a little something extra for themselves, and we’re glad to help deliver smiles throughout the season,” Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer, said in the press release.

Read more here.

NAME CHANGE: The Facebook-backed cryptocurrency project Libra is changing its name to reflect adjustments made by its designers to “meet regulatory expectations,” according to a statement released Tuesday.

The Libra Association announced its new title is Diem Association, named for the Latin word for “day.” The digital currency will be called the Diem Dollar.

The group said the renaming represents a “new day” for the project and maintains the goal of creating a secure and straightforward platform to conduct quick and low-cost transactions worldwide.

The renaming is an effort by the company to gain a foothold in the emerging market and win over regulators and lawmakers, according to Bloomberg.

Read more here.

Lighter click: Friction never makes that noise

An op-ed to chew on: With Chang’e 5 launch, China takes a giant leap forward in the race to the moon

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:

Facial Recognition Company Lied to School District About its Racist Tech (Motherboard / Todd Feathers)

Ossoff campaign turns to TikTok and Snapchat ahead of special election (The Verge / Makena Kelly)

Tech Companies Won Big in California, but the Gig Worker Battle Isn’t Over (The Markup / David Bradley Isenberg)

McConnell, Schumer spar as pressure grows for coronavirus deal

December 4, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHillicon Valley: GOP chairman says defense bill leaves out Section 230 repeal | Senate panel advances FCC nominee | Krebs says threats to election officials ‘undermining democracy’ On The Money: Funding bill hits snag as shutdown deadline looms | Pelosi, Schumer endorse 8 billion plan as basis for stimulus talks | Poll: Most Americans support raising taxes on those making at least 0K Nearly one-third of US adults expect to lose employment income: Census Bureau MORE (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerPelosi, Schumer endorse 8 billion plan as basis for stimulus talks Funding bill hits snag as shutdown deadline looms Trump supporters could hand Senate control to Democrats MORE (D-N.Y.) sparred over coronavirus relief on Thursday as pressure grows for leadership to cut a deal.

McConnell, speaking from the Senate floor, said he believed a deal on coronavirus relief was “within reach,” but didn’t embrace a bipartisan proposal gaining steam within his own caucus.

McConnell argued Congress should pass a coronavirus relief bill that covers areas on which both sides agree, including more small business aid through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and extending soon-to-expire programs created through the March CARES Act.

“The solution to this impasse has been in plain sight for a long time now for anyone willing to see it. Agree where we agree. Back that progress. Make law … and then keep debating the areas where we don’t agree,” McConnell said.

“Compromise is within reach. We know where we agree. We can do this. Let me say it again, we can do this and we need to do this. So let’s be about actually making a law,” McConnell added.

Pressure is growing on Capitol Hill for more coronavirus relief as cases climb across the country, states and cities reinstate lockdown measures and public health experts warn of a brutal winter.

A bipartisan, bicameral group released a framework this week for a $908 billion bill and are expected to release text by Monday. That bill included more PPP funding, a $300 per week beefed up unemployment payment and more money for state and local governments.

In a hat tip to McConnell, it also included a short-term federal protection from coronavirus-related lawsuits until states can come up with their own protections. But Democrats have been cool to the idea over concerns that it could be used to bludgeon worker protections.

McConnell on Thursday referenced the legal protections, saying that “liability protection should be able to pass the Senate today.”

But McConnell seemed to cool to the proposal on Tuesday and didn’t embrace it during his floor speech on Thursday.

Instead, he referenced his own GOP-only proposal and his staff, after his speech, blasted out a release touting the bill as something President TrumpDonald John TrumpFederal watchdog accuses VOA parent company of wrongdoing under Trump appointee Lawsuit alleges 200K Georgia voters were wrongly purged from registration list Ivanka Trump gives deposition in lawsuit alleging misuse of inauguration funds MORE will sign and questioning if Democrats will let it pass.

“Here in the Senate, I put forward a serious and highly targeted relief proposal including elements which we know the president is ready and willing to sign into law. Why should these impactful and noncontroversial life-preservers be delayed one second longer?” McConnell asked.

McConnell has touted his proposal as a measure that can become law. But it can’t pass the Senate or the Democratic-controlled House.

Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsMark Kelly sworn in to Senate seat Biden brushes off criticism of budget nominee Scammers step up efforts to target older Americans during pandemic MORE (R-Maine), who is a member of the bipartisan group, warned that a GOP-only proposal can’t become law and that the benefit of her proposal is that it has support on both sides of the aisle.

“We’ll see what the leader introduces but if it’s identical to what he brought forward this summer then it’s going to be a partisan bill and that’s not going to become law,” Collins said.

McConnell’s proposal doesn’t include additional help for state and local governments—a top priority for Democrats but an issue draws strong pushback from members of the GOP caucus.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiOn The Money: Funding bill hits snag as shutdown deadline looms | Pelosi, Schumer endorse 8 billion plan as basis for stimulus talks | Poll: Most Americans support raising taxes on those making at least 0K Battle heats up for House Foreign Affairs gavel Nearly one-third of US adults expect to lose employment income: Census Bureau MORE (D-Calif.) on Wednesday embraced the $908 billion bipartisan proposal as a starting place for negotiations.

That means Democratic leadership has been willing to reduce its price tag from the $3.4 trillion initially passed by House Democrats then to $2.2 trillion and now to the bipartisan group figure.

“We believe with good faith negotiations we could come to an agreement,” Schumer said on Thursday.

And Schumer said that while McConnell talked about compromise, he then reiterated “a long list of Republican demands and blaming the Democrats for everything.”

“For some reason, in the midst of this generational crisis, Republican Leader McConnell does not seem inclined to compromise to actually get something done. But what he wants to do is posture, to put partisan bills on the floor and say, take it or leave it,” Schumer said.

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Monthly Archives: December 2020

Shaq Confirms that WrestleMania Match Against Big Show Likely Won't Happen

Senate Intelligence Committee leaders warn of Chinese threats to national security

Britain will compensate citizens for any COVID-19 vaccine side effects

Germany concerned about potential attacks on mass vaccination centers

Tenants sue Trump over scheme that increased their rent: report

Facebook says it will begin removing coronavirus vaccine misinformation

Krebs describes threats to election officials as 'undermining democracy'

Health experts warn of tough holiday season for seniors

Hillicon Valley: Salesforce to acquire Slack for $28 billion | Uber completes $2.65 billion Postmates acquisition | Federal agencies warn that hackers are targeting US think tanks

McConnell, Schumer spar as pressure grows for coronavirus deal