10 Senate Republicans seek meeting with Biden on Covid relief - POLITICO

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The letter is a clear attempt to head off Democratic efforts to pursue budget reconciliation as the pathway to the next round of coronavirus aid. This week, Democrats in both chambers are planning to pass budget resolutions allowing the party to approve Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus plan without GOP votes.

Still, that path has little room for error: All 50 Senate Democrats would need to be on board, and House leaders could afford few defections. And Republicans in a bipartisan negotiating group have urged Biden to squash the effort to move forward without them, though Democrats are skeptical they will ever come on board with the large spending plan they say is needed to revive the economy.

The Biden administration said it would see what the Senate Republicans had to offer. “We’ve received the letter and we certainly will be reviewing it over the course of the day,” Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council, said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Deese elaborated on NBC's "Meet the Press": "We've been engaging with members of Congress from both parties and both houses over the course of the last week or two. We’ll continue to do that as we go forward. And the president has said repeatedly he is open to ideas, wherever they may come, that we could improve upon the approach to actually tackling this crisis. What he's uncompromising about is the need to move with speed on a comprehensive approach here."

The Republican senators will release more details of their plan Monday, according to a Republican aide. Sunday’s letter indicated it will also extend unemployment benefits that expire in March, match Biden’s request for nutrition assistance and send a new round of payments to “those families who need assistance the most, including their dependent children and adults.” It will also address child care, small business aid and school funding.

Republicans and some Democrats have complained that high-earning people would be eligible for the next round of $1,400 payments. And no Republicans have indicated even tepid support for Biden’s $1.9 trillion topline spending number. That’s led Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to say they will move forward if Republicans are an obstacle to their plan.

In addition to Collins, the letter was signed by GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Mitt Romney of Utah, Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Todd Young of Indiana, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Mike Rounds of South Dakota. They say that if Biden is willing to hear them out, Congress doesn’t have to pass a partisan coronavirus bill.

“In 2020, members of the House and Senate and the previous administration came together on a bipartisan basis five times,” they wrote on Sunday. “With your support, we believe Congress can once again craft a relief package that will provide meaningful, effective assistance to the American people and set us on a path to recovery.”

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January 31, 2021 at 09:25PM
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10 Senate Republicans seek meeting with Biden on Covid relief - POLITICO

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Pence plans to form fundraising group as he moves beyond Trump, Capitol riot - NBC News

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WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Mike Pence is beginning to build a political future without Donald Trump, including making plans to form a policy-focused fundraising committee that would help him maintain a relationship with donors, according to multiple sources familiar with his plans.

Pence, who left Washington and took a post-inauguration vacation with his wife in St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, ahead of resettling in Indiana, is expected to announce his new venture in the coming weeks, sources said.

To say the end of his time in office was rocky would be to put it mildly. His relationship with Trump has been virtually non-existent since a mob of the former president's followers stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to assassinate Pence and overturn the outcome of the election. Before the Jan. 6 riot, Pence's time with Trump had been defined by the vice president's role as a loyal soldier.

Jan. 20, 202101:39

After Pence and his family had to be rushed from the Senate chamber and hidden from the rioters, it has raised questions about whether he might testify in Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial, which will consider whether the former president was guilty of insurrection for encouraging his supporters to go the Capitol.

However, there have not been signals from lawmakers who will conduct the impeachment trial that Pence could be called as a witness, such discussion of conducting depositions or preparing a statement.

And those close to Pence think his lawyers would argue he can avoid testifying by invoking executive privilege, according to one Republican source. Executive privilege is a doctrine that has been used to prevent the legislative branch from compelling testimony from the executive branch.

But it remains unclear whether the staff members who were with Pence on Jan. 6, and who experienced the riot as well, would also be able to invoke executive privilege.

Pence also seems prepared to start a new chapter and move on.

Within the next month, he is likely to announce the formation of a non-profit social welfare organization to amplify his positions on a “consistent conservative philosophy,” as one person familiar with the plan described it. Such groups, known as 501(c)4's, can be active on political issues, but are not allowed to engage in campaigning, and can attract millions of dollars by keeping their donors secret.

Starting his own group would give Pence a foothold in the fundraising world, allowing him to maintain relationships with donors in case he decides to run for president in 2024.

Pence is not expected make an announcement about his own future campaigns until after the 2022 midterms, and advisers caution he has not made a final decision about whether to run.

Pence may write a book. And he’s expected to hit the campaign trail ahead of the 2022 races to support Republican candidates, particularly in gubernatorial races.

Trump has been suggesting to allies he’s eager to get involved in primaries against Republicans who feel have wronged him, according to sources familiar with those discussions. But Pence sources say the former vice president hasn't discussed the potential of backing incumbents in opposition of Trump.

“That’s a long way off,” said one of the people familiar with Pence’s thinking.

Pence is opting to remain out of the public eye for the moment.

The Pences don't own a home after having spent the previous four years living in the vice presidential residence and the four before that in the Indiana governor's residence.

He plans to stay temporarily with a family member in Indiana until he buys a home in the state later this year and plans to make that his permanent home.

He remains protected by the Secret Service, which is typical for former vice presidents, but takes on added significance after the attempts on his life.

Pence allies remain furious that Trump never reached out to Pence while he was hidden in the Capitol, and by most accounts the relationship between the two is significantly diminished.

But the two men may take the same stage once again later this spring: the Republican National Committee has invited Trump and other 2024 hopefuls — including, potentially, Pence — to their spring meeting in Palm Beach in April.

Hallie Jackson

Hallie Jackson is senior Washington correspondent for NBC News.

Monica Alba

Monica Alba is a White House correspondent for NBC News.

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January 31, 2021 at 05:00PM
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Pence plans to form fundraising group as he moves beyond Trump, Capitol riot - NBC News

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Dear Abby: I sent condolences, and relative replied with terrible family dirt - Chicago Sun-Times

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DEAR ABBY: I reached out recently to the daughter of my cousin who had just passed away. I offered condolences and a picture of her great-grandfather, who was my grandfather. I also shared some warm memories of her dad, my cousin.

She shot back with some seriously negative information about her dad’s dad, my uncle. It really shook me. I didn’t want to know that information. I barely knew my uncle, but my memories of the family all involved happy times together.

What she said shocked and saddened me. I wish I didn’t know. I think people should speak well of those who are gone or say nothing. Don’t you? — UNPLEASANT IN THE WEST

DEAR UNPLEASANT: Most people tend to omit the unpleasant details when talking about someone who has passed on, but I do not think there are any hard-and-fast rules. I’m sorry you were upset about the dose of truth you received in exchange for your warm memories. But understand, I have read obituaries and listened to eulogies that were so sanitized I didn’t recognize who was being discussed. Perhaps there is a happy medium.

DEAR ABBY: I am a 59-year-old man who was engaged to a 46-year-old woman. She told me she was going to leave for work on Friday, but I found out she was actually going on a vacation. She was pretending to go to work but driving to Georgia to meet a married man she met on a dating site instead.

We live in New Jersey, and it’s a 13-hour drive. I found her phone the day before and deleted all his info, but she still drove down there to meet him. I am devastated and crushed. Any help or suggestions? I wish people who do this stuff could be tattooed on the forehead to warn other good people. — HURT IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR HURT: I sympathize with your pain, which I am sure is considerable. I do have some advice, which I hope you will heed. Please realize that finding her phone before her departure was a gift to you from above. Thank your higher power that you now understand exactly who this woman is and didn’t marry her.

The time has come to move forward resolutely. There are better days — and better women — ahead. I say this with certainty because you can’t do worse than this one.

DEAR ABBY: I’m a 13-year-old with an addiction to screens. I sometimes pull overnighters on my phone. I’m starting to realize my limits. Sometimes I cannot trust myself with my actions, and I think I may need help. Do you have any advice? — SEEING THE LIGHT IN MARYLAND

DEAR SEEING: It takes a brave person to admit they have a problem and be proactive in accepting that it may be something they can’t solve on their own. I congratulate you for admitting it. You are not the only teen with this issue. Many people your age and older struggle with it, too.

Your next step should be to talk to your parents about your concerns and ask for help in breaking your screen addiction. This can sometimes involve more than going “cold turkey,” and they may need to seek a referral from your doctor.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price.

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January 31, 2021 at 07:00PM
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Dear Abby: I sent condolences, and relative replied with terrible family dirt - Chicago Sun-Times

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Inside Out | East Central Illinois' annual struggle with mighty snowstorms - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

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Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, my parents and relatives regaled me with tales of the mighty snowstorm of 1967.

This blizzard dropped a massive 23 inches of snow in 29 hours and effectively shut down the Chicagoland area.

When I moved to Champaign County, I expected to find old articles that showed how the 1967 blizzard had similarly affected this area, but I found that it was a different storm, in fact, a trifecta of annual storms, that truly defined the area’s struggle with blizzards.

From 1977-1979, each January saw an immense amount of snow blanket the area, with each year impacting the world of central Illinois in a myriad of ways.

Like the Chicago blizzard of 1967, cars were abandoned, businesses closed, babies were born at home and folks across the area were stranded, some staying with friends and others with strangers.

On the night of Jan. 26, 1977, only a couple inches of snow fell, but wind gusts of over 50 mph pushed newly-fallen and previously-accumulated snow across Champaign County, creating snowdrifts as high as 14 feet in areas, with 5- to 6-feet snowdrifts across I-74, I-57 and other local highways.

Plowed roads were recovered as quickly as they were cleared, and temperatures were so low that salt and sand had minimal effect.

Windy conditions returned Thursday night, and the county effectively shut down Friday, with schools and businesses closed and motorists stranded on roads throughout the area.

Local citizens and emergency crews used snowmobiles to rescue stranded drivers.

An Illinois Central Gulf Railroad freight train stopped along its path to C-U, picking up at least eight people whose vehicles were stuck in the snow.

At Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, the base hospital reopened its obstetrics ward for the first time in four years for three pregnant women who could not make it to another hospital.

In 1978, January conditions were nearly the same. Five inches of snow fell on Jan. 25, but high winds again created massive drifts. Like 1977, the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad and snowmobiles rescued stranded motorists.

An estimated 8,000 people were stranded throughout the 16 counties of central Illinois.

In addition to stranded motorists, power outages occurred, with Illinois Power reporting approximately 5,000 customers without electricity.

Some were stuck at local businesses due to the storm. The Racquet Club in Champaign hosted eight people overnight.

They made the best of the circumstance and played tennis into the early hours of the morning.

Willard Airport was also shutdown with at least 50 stranded travelers at the airport from Wednesday through Friday.

Although local papers described the storm of ‘77 as much worse than ‘78, the winter of ‘77-‘78 remains the record holder for most snow in a single season in Champaign County, with 67.2 inches.

By 1979, central Illinois residents and emergency services were prepared when they were hit with another massive blizzard.

Five inches of snow fell on Jan. 24, but again high winds and previously-accumulated snow resulted in massive drifts.

Rather than the 8,000 estimated stranded motorists of 1978, though, there were only 500 across central Illinois in 1979.

Again, power outages and school/business closures occurred and continued into the weekend.

1979 was also a record-setting year with the longest stretch of time with snow on the ground in C-U at 62 days.

Memories of these mighty storms remain with many of our residents who lived through them.

For those who did not, the Champaign County Historical Archives preserves this history through numerous articles in our newspaper collections.

We also have an impressive collection of photographs from the 1978 and 1979 blizzards that show the impact of these storms in Champaign County.

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January 31, 2021 at 10:00PM
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Inside Out | East Central Illinois' annual struggle with mighty snowstorms - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

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10 GOP senators offer COVID-19 relief counterproposal, request meeting with Biden - Buffalo News

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A group of 10 Republican senators on Sunday called on President Joe Biden to throw his support behind their own Covid-19 relief package framework, asking the President to work with them on drafting the legislation.

In a letter sent to Biden, the lawmakers -- including Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah and Rob Portman of Ohio -- told Biden they "welcome the opportunity to work with (him) in a bipartisan manner to combat the Covid-19 virus and provide continued support to families struggling during the pandemic."

"In the spirit of bipartisanship and unity, we have developed a Covid-19 relief framework that builds on prior Covid assistance laws, all of which passed with bipartisan support," they wrote.

These are the 10 Republicans who signed onto the letter to Biden:

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine 

Melina Mara/The Washington Post via AP, Pool

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah

Graeme Jennings/Pool via AP

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska

Jim Watson/Pool via AP

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio

Joshua Roberts/Pool via AP

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.

Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.

AP FILE

Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.

Greg Nash/Pool via AP

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.

Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.

Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

Leigh Vogel/Pool via AP

The senators said their framework includes a total of $160 billion for vaccine development and distribution, testing and tracing, and treatment and supplies, including the production and deployment of personal protective equipment.

The framework also includes $4 billion to bolster behavioral health and substance abuse. It would also include a new round of direct payments for "families who need assistance the most" and extend enhanced federal unemployment benefits at the current level.

Brian Deese, the director of the White House's National Economic Council, confirmed on CNN's "State of the Union" later Sunday that the White House had received the letter.

"We've received the letter and we certainly will be reviewing it over the course of the day," Deese said. "What I will say is that the provisions of the President's plan, the American Rescue plan, were calibrated to the economic crisis that we face."

A group of 10 Republican senators have called on President Joe Biden to throw his support behind their own Covid-19 relief package framework.

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

The President, he added, is "uncompromising when it comes to the speed we need to act at to address this crisis."

The proposal comes as Biden has suggested he's open to passing major portions of his $1.9 trillion Covid relief proposal through a procedural tactic known as reconciliation if Republicans refuse to move on the measure. The maneuver would mean the package would just need a simple Senate majority of 51 votes, rather than 60.

"We request the opportunity to meet with you to discuss our proposal in greater detail and how we can work together to meet the needs of the American people during this persistent pandemic," the group wrote to Biden, adding: "We recognize your calls for unity and want to work in good faith with your Administration to meet the health, economic, and societal challenges of the Covid crisis."

The letter's other signatories are GOP Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Todd Young of Indiana, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

Biden's proposed package, meanwhile, expands on many of the proposals in Congress' $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill from March and the $900 billion legislation from December, which was scaled back to garner bipartisan support in the Senate.

While Biden has said he is willing to consider less than $1.9 trillion in relief, White House officials made clear they are not interested in splitting up the legislation by getting a bipartisan vote on some aspect and then passing a separate package along party lines using reconciliation.

Here is Biden's $1.9T virus relief plan

Intro

President-elect Joe Biden is proposing a $1.9 trillion plan to expand coronavirus vaccinations, help individuals and jump-start the economy. The plan, which would require congressional approval, is packed with proposals on health care, education, labor and cybersecurity. Here's a look at what's in it:

AP

$20 billion to establish community vaccination centers

A $20 billion national program would establish community vaccination centers across the U.S. and send mobile units to remote communities. Medicaid patients would have their costs covered by the federal government, and the administration says it will take steps to ensure all people in the U.S. can receive the vaccine for free, regardless of their immigration status.

AP

$50 billion to expand testing

An additional $50 billion would expand testing efforts and help schools and governments implement routine testing. Other efforts would focus on developing better treatments for COVID-19 and improving efforts to identify and track new strains of the virus.

AP

$1,400 stimulus checks to Americans

Stimulus checks of $1,400 per person in addition to the $600 checks Congress approved in December. By bringing payments to $2,000 — an amount Democrats previously called for — the administration says it will help families meet basic needs and support local businesses.

AP

Unemployment benefits and eviction moratorium extension

A temporary boost in unemployment benefits and a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures would be extended through September.

AP

Paid sick leave requirement

An emergency measure requiring employers to provide paid sick leave would be reinstated. The administration is urging Congress to keep the requirement through Sept. 30 and expand it to federal employees.

AP

Child care tax credit

The child care tax credit would be expanded for a year, to cover half the cost of child care up to $4,000 for one child and $8,000 for two or more for families making less than $125,000 a year. Families making between $125,000 and $400,000 would get a partial credit.

AP

$40 billion for child care subsidies, centers

$15 billion in federal grants to help states subsidize child care for low-income families, along with a $25 billion fund to help child care centers in danger of closing.

AP

$15 per hour federal minimum wage

The federal minimum wage would be raised to $15 per hour from the current rate of $7.25 per hour.

AP

$130 billion for K-12 schools for reopening

$130 billion for K-12 schools to help them reopen safely. The money is meant to help reach Biden's goal of having a majority of the nation's K-8 schools open within his first 100 days in the White House. Schools could use the funding to cover a variety of costs, including the purchase of masks and other protective equipment, upgrades to ventilation systems and staffing for school nurses. Schools would be expected to use the funding to help students who fell behind on academics during the pandemic, and on efforts to meet students' mental health needs. A portion of the funding would go to education equity grants to help with challenges caused by the pandemic.

AP

$35 billion for public colleges and universities

Public colleges and universities would get $35 billion to cover pandemic-related expenses and to steer funding to students as emergency grants. An additional $5 billion would go to governors to support programs helping students who were hit hardest by the pandemic.

AP

$15 billion in grants to small businesses

$15 billion in grants to more than 1 million small businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic, as well as other assistance.

AP

$350 billion for front-line workers

$350 billion in emergency funding for state, local and territorial governments to help front-line workers.

AP

$20 billion for public transit

$20 billion in aid to public transit agencies.

AP

Cybersecurity updates, expansion

$9 billion to modernize information technology systems at federal agencies, motivated by recent cybersecurity attacks that penetrated multiple agencies.

$690 million to boost federal cybersecurity monitoring efforts and $200 million to hire hundreds of new cybersecurity experts.

AP

CNN's Devan Cole contributed to this report.

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January 31, 2021 at 09:45PM
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10 GOP senators offer COVID-19 relief counterproposal, request meeting with Biden - Buffalo News

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Trump Parts Ways With Five Lawyers Handling Impeachment Defense - The New York Times

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During various investigations while he was in office, Mr. Trump has struggled to find — or retain — lawyers to defend him, and the announcement of Mr. Bowers’s hiring capped weeks of frantic searching.

Mr. Trump’s lawyers from his impeachment trial last year are not expected to be involved this time. They include Jay Sekulow, the former White House counsel Pat A. Cipollone and his deputy, Pat Philbin, and another lawyer who worked in the West Wing, Eric Herschmann.

Rudolph W. Giuliani, who worked as Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer during the special counsel’s investigation into whether the Trump campaign in 2016 had colluded with Russian officials, has made no secret of wanting to defend Mr. Trump in the second impeachment trial.

But Mr. Giuliani is a potential witness because he spoke at a rally of Trump supporters on Jan. 6, hours before hundreds marched to the Capitol and rioted. Almost all of Mr. Trump’s advisers blame Mr. Giuliani, who encouraged Mr. Trump’s desire to find ways to overturn the election results and to call their legitimacy into question, for the latest impeachment.

They also blame him in part for Mr. Trump’s first impeachment, which was driven by the former president’s interest in pressuring Ukraine to investigate the Biden family. Mr. Giuliani repeatedly encouraged Mr. Trump to believe baseless allegations related to Mr. Biden’s son, Hunter, and his business activities in Ukraine.

The second impeachment trial is set to begin on Feb. 9. This week, 45 Republican senators voted in support of a measure brought forward by Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky calling the trial unconstitutional because Mr. Trump is no longer in office. That all but five Republican senators voted to challenge the constitutionality of the trial suggested a likely acquittal for Mr. Trump.

Democrats have pushed back, noting that Mr. Trump was impeached by the House while still in office.

Still, the question of constitutionality is likely to be a key part of Mr. Trump’s defense. And his advisers were buoyed by the show of Republican support for the Paul measure, believing it was an indication that Mr. Trump would be spared a conviction.

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January 31, 2021 at 09:44AM
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Trump Parts Ways With Five Lawyers Handling Impeachment Defense - The New York Times

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Former Orioles pitcher Scott Erickson charged with reckless driving - Baltimore Sun

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January 31, 2021 at 08:44AM
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Former Orioles pitcher Scott Erickson charged with reckless driving - Baltimore Sun

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