Page 25 - HOH September 2nd, 2020_Neat

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 2 september 2020
Mnuchin says Trump still wants virus deal with Democrats

Continued from Front sulted in widespread mail
delays and fears that the
The staff investigators said agency will not be able to
in a report that a lack of handle an expected surge
government oversight and in mail-in ballots this fall as
accountability for the pro- a result of the coronavirus
gram "may have led to pandemic.
billions of dollars being di- Democrats also want to
verted to fraud, waste and learn more about Mnuch-
abuse, rather than reach- in's role. The Treasury chief
ing small businesses truly met with members of the
in need." With bipartisan Postal Service Board of
agreement, Congress en- Governors while the selec-
acted an unprecedented tion of the new postmaster
$2.3 trillion pandemic res- general was underway.
cue package in March. Mnuchin said he knew De-
Now the Trump administra- Joy, a former supply chain
tion and top congressional CEO and a top Republican
Democrats have been in a donor, from the 2016 Trump
monthslong stalemate over campaign. But he said he
new relief legislation, with had not seen or spoken to
the two sides trillions of dol- DeJoy before he was hired
lars apart. Lawmakers left to lead the Postal Service
Washington for the August Committee Chairman Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., makes his opening remarks during a House this spring.
recess without an agree- Oversight and Reform Subcommittee, on the Trump administrations response the the Coronavirus "I had no specific conver-
ment. The impasse left crisis, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. sations with him about that
millions of jobless people Associated Press job until the (search) com-
without a $600-per-week where Democrats and Re- and even agreed, under negotiating table with the mittee updated me that
pandemic bonus unem- publicans are most likely prodding from Rep. Maxine speaker with no condi- he was one of the finalists,''
ployment benefit that had to agree. In sometimes Waters, D-Calif., to phone tions whatsoever any time," Mnuchin said. "I was quite
helped families stay afloat, sharp exchanges, he and Pelosi right after the hear- Mnuchin said. surprised when I found out
left state and local govern- Democrats on the panel ing. He said he doesn't Pelosi this week said the that he was a candidate.
ments seeking fiscal relief disagreed over the state of support the Democrats' talks faltered because ad- Again I had no involve-
high and dry, and held the economy and traded position for $2.2 trillion in ministration officials "do ment in that process what-
back a more than $100 bil- blame for the impasse over spending in the next pack- not understand the grav- soever.'' The Small Business
lion school aid package. new rescue legislation. age, which contrasts with ity of the problem" facing Administration's Paycheck
An estimated 27 million Mnuchin pinned the blame Republicans' stance of $1 the country. Under ques- Protection Program was a
people are receiving some on a refusal to compro- trillion. He added, however, tioning from Democrats on key piece of the govern-
form of unemployment mise by House Speaker "What's more important is ... the panel, Mnuchin again ment's economic aid pro-
benefits, according to the Nancy Pelosi and Senate getting money to American denied any involvement in gram responding to the
Labor Department, though Democratic leader Chuck workers, American families, the hiring of new Postmas- pandemic. The nation's
the figure may be inflated Schumer. While touting the kids. There are tremendous ter General Louis DeJoy. small businesses received a
by double-counting by economy's partial recov- areas of agreement, and Democrats are looking into gut punch in the spring as
states. ery, he acknowledged that that's what we should be how DeJoy was hired as huge swaths of the econo-
Mnuchin identified addi- "we have more work to do." doing right away." they scrutinize a series of my were shut down, millions
tional spending on aid to Still, Mnuchin showed some "I would publicly say I am operational changes at the lost jobs and consumers
small businesses as the area openness to negotiating willing to sit down at the Postal Service that have re- curtailed spending. q

Court blocks release of Trump tax returns amid latest appeal

By MICHAEL R. SISAK lawyer William Consovoy Circuit Court of Appeals
Associated Press said. "Will the president be last month after a district
NEW YORK (AP) — A feder- given an opportunity to court judge rejected their
al appeals court on Tues- appeal that ruling before renewed efforts to invali-
day blocked a New York his personal records are date a subpoena issued to
prosecutor from obtaining disclosed to the grand jury his accounting firm. Judge
Donald Trump's tax returns and the status quo is irre- John M. Walker Jr. said at
while his lawyers continue vocably changed?" Tuesday's hearing that the
to fight a subpoena seek- Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow subpoenas cover 11 enti-
ing the records. The three- said they were pleased ties engaged in business
judge panel ruled after with the ruling. A mes- dealings as far away as
hearing brief arguments sage seeking comment Europe and Dubai.
from both sides. was left with Vance's Trump has blasted the
Trump's lawyers had asked spokesperson.A hearing long-running quest for
for a temporary stay while In this Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, file photo, Manhattan District on the merits of Trump's his financial records as a
they appeal a lower-court Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., speaks at a news conference in latest appeal will be held "continuation of the most
New York.
ruling that granted Man- Associated Press on Sept. 25 after both sides disgusting witch hunt in the
hattan District Attorney agreed to an expedited history of our country" and
Cyrus Vance Jr.'s office office had argued that "The question at this junc- schedule. predicted the case would
access to Trump's tax re- further delays would only ture is quite simple but also Trump's lawyers ap- again end up before the
turns. A lawyer for Vance's impede their investigation. quite important," Trump pealed to the 2nd U.S. Supreme Court.q