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A28 u.s. news
Diasabra 21 November 2020

Biden wants Congress to pass emergency COVID aid this year

erning agenda, but so far, he as he vowed to rise above
has focused his congressio- politics in a unified front
nal outreach on his leading against the virus. “There’s a
Democratic allies. real desire for real partner-
ship between the states and
The meeting comes two the federal government."
days after House Democrats
nominated Pelosi to be the The Trump administration's
speaker who guides them Health and Human Services
again next year as Biden be- Secretary Alex Azar said Fri-
comes president, although day on "CBS This Morning”
she seemed to suggest these that Biden's charge that the
would be her final two years transition delays would cost
in the leadership post. The American lives is “absolutely
California Democrat, the incorrect."
first woman to be speaker, "Every aspect of what we do
already has served six years is completely transparent —
in the job, but the next two no secret data or knowledge,”
loom as her toughest. Azar said.
(AP) — President-elect Pelosi told a news conference tive vaccine, and Biden is just President Donald Trump Trump, meanwhile, is inten-
Joe Biden is calling on Friday that she and Schumer days away from unveiling continues to block a smooth sifying his brazen attempts
Congress to enact billions would be talking with Biden the first of his Cabinet picks, transition of power to the to sow doubt on the election
of dollars in emergency about “the urgency of crush- which are subject to Senate next president, refusing to results. The outgoing presi-
COVID-19 assistance be- ing of virus,” including the confirmation. allow his administration to dent's unprecedented cam-
fore the year's end, ac- lame-duck session of Con- cooperate with Biden's tran- paign to spread misinforma-
cording to a senior aide gress, legislation on funding Psaki said that Biden, Pe- sition team. Specifically, the tion now includes pressuring
who warned Friday that the government and COVID losi and Schumer are already Trump administration is de- Michigan officials to block
“there's no more room for relief. working “in lockstep” to nying Biden access to detailed the certification of their
delay.” push for an pandemic relief briefings on national security state's election results.
But prospects for new virus bill before Congress adjourns and pandemic planning that Biden won Michigan by
Biden transition aide Jen aid this year remain uncer- for the year, a period known leaders in both parties say more than 150,000 votes, a
Psaki delivered the remarks tain. Pelosi said talks with as a lame-duck session. are important for preparing margin 15 times larger than
ahead of Biden's first in- Senate Majority Leader Biden to govern immediately Trump's when he won the
person meeting since win- Mitch McConnell and GOP “They’re in lockstep agree- after his Jan. 20 inauguration. state four years ago.
ning the election with House leadership on Thursday did ment that there needs to be Trying to bypass the Trump
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and not produce any consensus emergency assistance and aid administration altogether, Election law experts see
Senate Democratic leader on a new virus aid package. during the lame-duck ses- Biden on Thursday met Trump's push as the last, dy-
Chuck Schumer. The in- sion to help families, to help virtually with a collection ing gasps of his campaign and
coming Democratic presi- “That didn’t happen, but small businesses," Psaki said. of leading Republican and say Biden is certain to walk
dent will host the top Demo- hopefully it will,” she said. "There’s no more room for Democratic governors. into the Oval Office come
crats in the House and Senate Biden's new governing team delay and we need to move January. But there is great
Friday afternoon at his make- is facing intense pressure to forward as quickly as pos- “Unfortunately, my adminis- concern that Trump’s effort
shift transition headquarters approve another COVID-19 sible.” The president-elect tration hasn’t been able to get is doing real damage to public
in a downtown Wilmington, relief bill, come up with a has also promised to work everything we need,” Biden faith in the integrity of U.S.
Delaware, theater. clear plan to distribute mil- closely with Republicans in told the National Governors elections.
lions of doses of a prospec- Congress to execute his gov- Association’s leadership team

Protesters sue Chicago Police over 'brutal, violent' tactics

(AP) — Activists who protested and backpacks. clothes to hide their identities, and and its Community Justice and Civil
in Chicago over George Floyd's It lists the city, Police Superintendent people who threw bottles and other Rights Clinic, and others. The at-
death and the killing by police of David Brown, and several named and projectiles at officers put up umbrel- torneys say the mistreatment of the
other Blacks across the U.S. filed dozens of unnamed officers as defen- las to shield them from recognition, protesters is part of a history of police
a lawsuit Thursday accusing city dants. Brown said. brutality and abuse that dates back
police officers of brutally attack- well over a century, including race
ing and falsely arresting them The police department referred “From what I saw, they only took ap- riots in 1919 and the violent confron-
during the demonstrations. questions to Chicago's law depart- propriate action when confronted tations during protests at the 1968
ment whose spokeswoman, Kathleen with violence,” he said of the police Democratic National Convention.
In a 205-page lawsuit filed in federal Fieweger, said in a statement that the response.
court, more than four dozen people office has not yet been served with According to the lawsuit, police also
say officers responded to lawful dem- the lawsuit. The department is under intense used excessive force and made false
onstrations "with brutal, violent, and But, she said, “it is important to re- scrutiny for the actions of police dur- arrests in March 2016 during protests
unconstitutional tactics that are clear- member that these are allegations ing protests this spring and summer. outside an auditorium at the Univer-
ly intended to injure, silence, and in- at this stage and not proof. We will Earlier this month, the Civilian Of- sity of Illinois-Chicago where then-
timidate Plaintiffs and other protest- review the complaint thoroughly, fice of Police Accountability (COPA), presidential candidate Donald Trump
ers." and each allegation it contains, once which investigates allegations of po- was scheduled to speak. His appear-
we have been served and respond lice misconduct, said it has received ance was canceled due to security
According to the lawsuit, police beat through the courts as appropriate.” more than 500 civilian complaints concerns.
the protesters with batons, often strik- related to protests.
ing them in the head; tackled and beat Over the summer, Brown defended “CPD’s response to the summer 2020
protesters while on the ground; used the actions of his officers who re- COPA has said 170 protest-related protests is consistent with the CPD’s
chemical agents against protesters; sponded to what he called a “concert- investigations are ongoing. longstanding policies and practices
and trapped protesters in enclosed ed effort” by crowds of protesters to The plaintiffs are represented by the of using abusive tactics and excessive
areas. The lawsuit says officers also provoke a violent confrontation with attorneys with Northwestern Uni- force against protesters.” the lawsuit
destroyed or confiscated protesters' police. Video footage shows some in versity's law school Roderick and says.
belongings including glasses, cameras the crowd donned gas masks, changed Solange MacArthur Justice Center