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u.s. news Diabierna 6 november 2020

Senate control hangs in balance with a few races undecided

(AP) — Control of the in Georgia, where GOP Sen. disappointing election night bama, and Republicans held Senate including Warnock,
Senate hung in the balance David Perdue was trying to when Republicans defeated their own in one race after drawing an outpouring of
Thursday, a cliffhanger af- hold off Democrat Jon Os- multiple challengers. another — in South Caro- national support in a year of
ter Republicans trounced soff in a multi-candidate race In Michigan, Democrats lina, Iowa, Texas, Kansas and racial reckoning, enthusiasm
Democratic challengers in that could also go to a runoff were spared a loss when Montana. That dramatically that will be tested again in
crucial states but failed to if neither candidate clears the Sen. Gary Peters withstood limited Democrats' hopes to 2021.
lock down the seats need- 50% threshold to win. a strong challenge from Re- make inroads. In Maine, Sen.
ed to retain their tenuous publican John James, a Black Susan Collins' victory over “This is the most impor-
majority. There already is a Jan. 5 run- Republican businessman. Democrat Sara Gideon was tant race in the country right
off in the state's other Senate But Republicans held on to especially important for Re- now," Warnock said in a fund-
One race in Georgia is headed race. GOP Sen. Kelly Loef- Susan Collins in Maine and publicans, holding a seat in raising appeal.
to a January runoff. A second fler will face Democrat Ra- other key seats. a state where Trump was not Securing the Senate majority
contest in Georgia and races phael Warnock, a Black pas- expected to win. For Collins, will be vital for the winner of
in North Carolina and Alaska tor at the church where the McConnell, who secured it was the hardest-fought race the presidency. Senators con-
remain undecided, leaving Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a seventh term for himself of her career. firm administration nomi-
the chamber now deadlocked preached, after they emerged in a costly campaign against Democrats had tried to tie nees, including the Cabinet,
48-48. An outcome may not as top vote-getters, but failed Democrat Amy McGrath, a the moderate to Trump and and can propel or stall the
be known until the new year. to clear the majority thresh- former fighter pilot, has said criticized her for her vote to White House agenda. With
old. he he felt “pretty good” about confirm Justice Brett Kava- Republicans now controlling
With the presidential race In North Carolina, GOP the remaining contests. naugh in 2018. the chamber, 53-47, three or
between President Don- Sen. Thom Tillis hoped to But Democrats remained Many races attracted an un- four seats will determine par-
ald Trump and Democrat prevail over Democrat Cal hopeful. Strategist Zac Pet- precedented outpouring of ty control, depending on who
Joe Biden also undecided, Cunningham, whose sexting kanas said the 2020 election small-dollar donations for wins the presidency.
the Senate is in limbo be- affair with a public relations “was going to be an awful, Democrats. The Democrats' gains were
cause the vice president of specialist has clouded the ugly, dirty slog until the bit- "You wasted a lot of money,” in Colorado where former
the eventual winner's party race. ter end.” said White House ally Sen. Gov. John Hickenlooper
would serve as a tie-breaker Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., af- defeated GOP Sen. Cory
in a split chamber. “We’re Republicans were confident Election night jarred Demo- ter defeating Jaime Harrison, Gardner, and Arizona, where
waiting — whether I’m going they would keep Alaska, crats and enthusiastic backers despite the Democrat's stun- former astronaut Mark Kelly
to be the majority leader or where GOP Sen. Dan Sulli- who were eager to counter ning $100 million haul for beat Republican incumbent
not,” Senate Majority Leader van was challenged by Dem- Trump and his party’s grip on his upstart campaign. Martha McSally. But Demo-
Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., ocratic newcomer Al Gross, a the Senate. While Democrats crats couldn’t hold on in Ala-
said Wednesday. doctor. Democrats faced long picked up must-win seats in But Harrison energized vot- bama: Former college foot-
That was still the case Thurs- but not fully impossible odds Colorado and Arizona, they ers, among several Black ball coach Tommy Tuberville
day. The counting continued to take a slim majority after a suffered a setback in Ala- Democratic candidates for defeated Sen. Doug Jones.

Judge rejects moving trial of ex-officers in Floyd's death

(AP) — A judge on Thurs- it impossible for the four But Cahill said he was unper- ensure the defendants' right Keith Ellison, whose office is
day rejected defense re- men to get a fair trial in Min- suaded that moving the trial to a public trial and the pub- prosecuting the case, praised
quests to move the trial of neapolis. They also cited a would improve security, and lic's right to access during this the rulings as "another sig-
four former Minneapolis Sept. 11 hearing in which the that he believes the jury can time when spacing restric- nificant step forward” in the
police officers charged in men and their attorneys were be protected from outside in- tions due to COVID-19 leave pursuit of justice for Floyd
George Floyd's death, and confronted by angry protest- fluences. little to no room for specta- and the community. So did
also ordered that all four ers outside the courthouse, “No corner of the State of tors. Ben Crump and Antonio
will be tried together in- raising safety issues. Defense Minnesota has been shielded Defense attorneys had also Romanucci, attorneys for
stead of separately. lawyers had argued that wit- from pretrial publicity re- argued that the men should Floyd's family. They said
nesses could be intimidated, garding the death of George face separate trials, as each Black defendants rarely are
Hennepin County Judge Pe- and jurors could be affected Floyd. Because of that perva- officer tried to diminish their granted change-of-venue re-
ter Cahill ruled after defense by chants from a crowd out- sive media coverage, a change own role in Floyd’s arrest by quests, and keeping the trial
attorneys had argued that side. of venue is unlikely to cure pointing fingers at the other. in Minneapolis is right be-
pretrial publicity had made the taint of potential preju- But Cahill rejected that too, cause the officers "should
dicial pretrial publicity,” he saying the complications of rightly face a jury of their
wrote. separate trials were too great peers in the city where this
and that trying the officers tragedy took place.”
Cahill said he was willing to together would “ensure that Floyd, a Black man in hand-
revisit the issue later if cir- the jury understands ... all of cuffs, died May 25 after Der-
cumstances warrant. Moving the evidence and the com- ek Chauvin, who is white,
the trial away from Minne- plete picture of Floyd's death. pressed his knee against
apolis to a less diverse area Floyd’s neck as he said he
of the state also likely would “And it would allow this com- couldn’t breathe. Floyd’s
affect the makeup of the jury, munity, this State and the na- death sparked protests in
though the judge didn't ad- tion to absorb the verdicts for Minneapolis and beyond, and
dress that issue. In a separate the four defendants at once,” led to a nationwide reckoning
order, however, he said the he concluded. Cahill said the on race. All four officers were
names of the jurors will be critical evidence in the case is fired. They are scheduled to
kept confidential, and that ju- the same for all men, and one stand trial in March.
rors will be fully sequestered trial would keep witnesses
during deliberations and es- from having to testify mul- Chauvin is charged with un-
corted to the courthouse as a tiple times. intentional second-degree
group during the trial. Defense attorneys either had murder and second-degree
no comment on Cahill's rul- manslaughter. The three
The judge also ruled that ings or did not return mes- other former officers, Thom-
the trial can be televised and sages seeking comment. as Lane, J. Kueng and Tou
streamed live from the court- Thao, are charged with aid-
room, saying cameras will Minnesota Attorney General ing and abetting both counts.