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LIVE Updated
Reporters wait in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber during negotiations Tuesday night. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
10:27 North Dakota senator apologizes for tweet calling Nancy Pelosi ‘retarded’
09:42 Sanders to take part in April democratic debate
09:02 Congress reaches stimulus deal overnight
11:20
Joan E Greve
Senate coronavirus bill includes $400mn in election assistance
The Guardian’s Joan E Greve and Sam Levine report:
The Senate coronavirus bill includes $400 million in election assistance, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The funds are meant to ensure states can continue to hold fair elections as the country grapples with the pandemic.
A number of states have had to delay their presidential primaries in recent weeks out of fear of spreading the virus at polling places.
Democratic lawmakers and progressive groups have called on states to expand no-excuse absentee voting and vote by mail to protect Americans’ right to vote while respecting the social distancing guidelines outlined by the CDC.
The $400 million allocated in the Senate bill will assist those efforts, but the figure is well short of the $2 billion that the Brennan Center for Justice has said will be needed to ensure the November elections take place on time and in a fair manner.
The figure is also a fraction of the $4 billion House Democrats proposed in their own stimulus package, but it marks an increase from the $140 million originally suggested by Senate Republicans.
Tammy Patrick, a senior advisor at the Democracy Fund who works closely on election administration, said the money would likely be enough to cover some vote by mail costs for sending ballots, such as printing and postage for states scaling up.
She said she wasn’t sure if the money would cover central tabulation for states without it as well as signature verification and voter education.
“It is far too little to fully enable states to do what should be done, but probably enough to do what has to be done,” she said.
11:08
Trump claims to be in ‘good conversation,’ cooperation with Cuomo
Donald Trump is rejecting rumors of growing tension with New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
Despite previous quips at state governors who’ve questioned his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, the president tweeted Wednesday that cooperation with the governor, including the construction of hospitals to treat the infected, are ‘good.’
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
The four hospitals that we (FEMA) are building in NYC at the Javits Convention Center are moving along very well, ahead of schedule. Many additional ventilators also delivered. Good conversation with Governor Cuomo!
March 25, 2020
The remark comes ahead of the Cuomo’s daily briefing, which has developed into the more authoritative alternative to the president’s often disjointed, misinformation-filled press conferences.
Cuomo had received so much praise for his response to the pandemic, some have likened him to a “beacon of hope” amid the Trump administration’s chaos.
10:27
North Dakota senator apologizes for tweet calling Nancy Pelosi ‘retarded’
North Dakota senator Kevin Cramer apologized Wednesday for a late-night tweet in which he used an offensive term to describe Nancy Pelosi, claiming to be “really sorry it happened.”
Overnight Tuesday, the Republican senator responded to a video clip of his Democratic rival speaking on the coronavirus relief bill. In it, Cramer referred to the US house speaker as “retarded.”
“It’s a word I just don’t apply to people,” he said. “I can be pretty tough in my rhetoric, but that’s not a word I apply to people for really good obvious reasons.”
Cramer first blamed autocorrect, claiming he meant to type “ridiculous” instead. He said he didn’t notice the actual tweet until he went to draft another tweet.
Congressional negotiators struck a deal on a $2tn package after days of intense negotiations. Pelosi has yet to respond to the tweet or apology.
Updated
10:18
US Commerce: Manufacturing up before coronavirus outbreak
The US Commerce Department said Wednesday that orders to American factories for big-ticket goods rose by solidly in February, but the gain came before the coronavirus had shut down much of the country.
Durable goods orders rose 1.2% last month, rebounding from January when orders had shown a tiny 0.1% gain. However, with all the shutdowns that have occurred as authorities try to deal with the coronavirus, economists are looking for weak reports in coming months. (AP)
Some analysis suggests the country has already delved into a recession due to the coronavirus outbreak. The most pessimistic forecasts show the gross domestic product plunging by 20% or more in the April-June quarter.
Analysts said they expected a sharp deterioration in orders to show up in the March report.
10:04
Donald Trump shuttered his own properties while publicly defying calls for businesses to do the same. The Washington Post reports 6 of the president’s top seven clubs and hotels were shut down due to public gathering restrictions.
The move potentially deprived Trump’s businesses of millions of dollars in revenue. From the Post’s David Fahrenthold:
David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold)
I didn’t realize until today how corona closures have hit @realdonaldtrump’s biggest revenue generators. Six out of the top seven. (And the one that’s open is doing pretty bad, too). pic.twitter.com/9i6Sn97udm
March 24, 2020
Critics are calling it no coincidence that Trump’s calls to reopen America come as his businesses begin to feel the economic impact.
09:51
Wall street opens with boost from late-night stimulus news
Stocks opened higher on Wednesday following the overnight announcement that US senate leaders and the White House reached a deal to stimulate a slumping economy from the coronavirus outbreak with nearly $2tn in aid.
From the AP:
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2%. The gains came a day after the Dow had its biggest percentage gain since 1933. Stocks [had] been falling sharply over the past month, erasing one-third of the value from some indexes.
The AP added that “market volatility is likely to continue both up and down until the severity of the outbreak eases.” Stay up-to-date on the latest business news by following our business live blog.
09:42
Sanders to take part in April democratic debate
The Bernie Sanders campaign wants to remind you:
“Senator Sanders is still running for president.”
Mike Casca, campaign official
The Vermont senator will take part in an upcoming primary debate, if it isn’t cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
As the Washington Post’s Sean Sullivan reported, it’s former US vice president Joe Biden’s timid responses to the growing outbreak that may be the reason why Sanders remains in the race.
Sean Sullivan (@WaPoSean)
Per a person w/knowledge of the situation: There is a growing sense among some in the Sanders camp that Biden’s response to the coronavirus has been shaky and that could justify Sanders’s continued presence in the contest, especially since Trump’s approval rating is ticking up. https://t.co/cDMP62VVbY
March 24, 2020
March 15’s debate between Sanders and frontrunner Biden was held without a live audience. It’s unclear, however, if and when the next debate, scheduled for April, will happen at all.
Updated
09:25
Trump celebrates Romney’s negative coronavirus test on Twitter
Donald Trump’s has taken his defiance to coronavirus fears to another level, mockingly commenting on the statuses of former rivals and political figures on Twitter.
Early this morning, the president tweeted a sarcastically congratulatory note for Utah senator Mitt Romney, who announced he’s tested negative for the virus.
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
This is really great news! I am so happy I can barely speak. He may have been a terrible presidential candidate and an even worse U.S. Senator, but he is a RINO, and I like him a lot! https://t.co/42zpWW9vzy
March 25, 2020
Also in Trump’s crosshairs was Michael Avenatti, the former attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels, who sued the president over a non-disclosure agreement related to a hush, $130,000 payment for her silence over an extramarital affair.
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Gee, that’s too bad. Such a fine guy. Presidential aspirations you know! https://t.co/MgOWgAzMxs
March 25, 2020
Perhaps Trump is emboldened by a new gallup poll showing 60% of Americans approve of his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, 49 % approve of his job performance overall.
09:02
Congress reaches stimulus deal overnight
Overnight, the White House and US senate leaders struck a deal for a $2tn economic stimulus package amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Ladies and gentleman, we are done,” White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland announced shortly before 1am ET. “We have a deal.”
From CNN:
The full details have yet to be released. But over the last 24 hours, the elements of the proposal have come into sharper focus, with $250 billion set aside for direct payments to individuals and families, $350 billion in small business loans, $250 billion in unemployment insurance benefits and $500 billion in loans for distressed companies.
09:01
Good day, I’m Kenya Evelyn kicking off the our US politics/coronavirus liveblog.
We’re following the latest out of Washington as Donald Trump congratulates his former rival Mitt Romney for testing negative.
Plus we’re covering the outbreak as nationwide criticism of the administration grows as the number of people who test positive grows.
