Tipsheet: GOP uses debunked theory to downplay COVID-19 death toll

View in your browser     GOP uses debunked theory to downplay COVID-19 death toll BY PETER SULLIVAN   Top Republicans are seeking to downplay the heavy toll of the coronavirus, in part by pointing to a conspiracy theory that the number of deaths is much lower. President Trump, along with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Rep. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), who are both in competitive Senate races, have all pointed in recent days to the widely debunked theory that COVID-19 deaths in the United States total just 10,000 instead of the more than 180,000 recorded by health officials. The speculative remarks come at a time when about 1,000 people a day are dying from the virus, providing a grim backdrop to the final sprint to Election Day. Trump, meanwhile, has been trying to project an optimistic message, frequently pointing to rapid progress toward a vaccine and saying he thinks the virus is “going away.” Read the full story here     Harris on getting any COVID-19 vaccine before election: 'I would not trust Donald Trump' BY TAL AXELROD   Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris said she would not take President Trump’s word about the efficacy of a potential coronavirus vaccine released before the November election. Read the full story here     Trump lashes out at 'slimeball reporter' amid furor over alleged war dead remarks BY TAL AXELROD   President Trump on Saturday lashed out at the journalist behind this week's explosive report that claimed he had disparaged slain American soldiers buried in France, calling the reporter a "slimeball." Read the full story here     GOP lawmaker defends Fox reporter after Trump calls for her firing BY MORGAN GSTALTER   GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) on Saturday defended Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin after President Trump targeted the journalist on Twitter and called for her to be fired.  Read the full story here       Capt. 'Sully' Sullenberger slams reported Trump comments on war dead: 'No respect for the office he holds' BY MORGAN GSTALTER   Retired airline pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger on Friday condemned President Trump’s reported comments on fallen U.S. service members, saying the commander in chief has “completely failed to uphold his oath.” Read the full story here     Anita Hill says she'll vote for Biden BY J. EDWARD MORENO   Anita Hill vowed to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the November election.  Read the full story here     'Markeyverse' of online fans helps take down a Kennedy BY CHRIS MILLS RODRIGO   Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) began his victory speech on Tuesday night by thanking the people who made the primary win possible: his wife, his family, his campaign, its supporters and the “Markeyverse.” Read the full story here     Election officials prepare for new Russian interference battle BY MAGGIE MILLER   When Russian agents interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, government officials, election leaders, social media companies and the public were largely left struggling to respond. Read the full story here     NY attorney general to select a grand jury for the death of Daniel Prude BY J. EDWARD MORENO   New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) announced Saturday that her office will select a grand jury as part of its investigation into the death of Daniel Prude. Read the full story here     Protest groups clash outside of Kentucky Derby BY J. EDWARD MORENO   Demonstrators protesting racial injustice and police brutality clashed with armed supporters of law enforcement outside the Kentucky Derby Saturday, multiple outlets have reported.  Read the full story here     No more bailouts for state and local governments BY MICHAEL LAFAIVE AND JOE COLETTI   OPINION | Most states can meet their needs without another round of federal funds, and their lawmakers will spend every dollar they receive from Washington and justify it as entirely necessary. Congress, though, cannot know what states need. It’s better not to provide states with more money because overcompensating them will leave the country worse off. Read the full story here     Without public transit, there will be no economic recovery BY NICK SIFUENTES   OPINION | For a White House that has been singularly focused on reopening our economic engines, neglecting the transit that brings workers, tourists, shoppers and diners to our cities will doom a successful recovery. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Trump fixates on promise of a vaccine — real or not — as key to reelection bid BY PHILIP RUCKER, JOSH DAWSEY AND YASMEEN ABUTALEB The campaign gambit is aimed at improving his standing with an electorate that overwhelmingly disapproves of his management of the pandemic. A spokesman for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Biden is eager for a swift coronavirus vaccine, but not at the expense of safety. Read the full story here     The New York Times: How Trump draws on campaign funds to pay legal bills BY ERIC LIPTON   As he has done with other aspects of the presidency, Donald J. Trump has redefined the practice in ways that have unsettled even some Republicans. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Cohen memoir casts him as ‘star witness’ against Trump BY JIM MUSTIAN AND MICHAEL R. SISAK   Michael Cohen’s tell-all memoir makes the case that President Donald Trump is “guilty of the same crimes” that landed his former fixer in federal prison, offering a blow-by-blow account of Trump’s alleged role in a hush money scandal that once overshadowed his presidency. Read the full story here     Reuters: Portland protesters throw fire bombs at officers on 100th day of demonstrations BY KANISHKA SINGH   Protesters in Portland threw fire bombs at police on Saturday night and at least one person was injured, police said, on the 100th day of demonstrations in the Oregon city over racial injustice and police brutality. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: Amazon bans foreign plant sales to US amid global seed mystery BY JON EMONT AND JESSE NEWMAN Shift by the e-commerce giant comes as agricultural authorities investigate the delivery of thousands of packets of seeds. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for The Hill Tipsheet       Forward this Tipsheet   You Might Like       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2020 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

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