US Chamber of Commerce set to endorse 23 House freshman Democrats

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is endorsing 23 House freshman Democrats this election cycle, according to a memo first obtained by The Hill. The pro-business advocacy group is also endorsing 29 freshman Republicans.

The committee that voted on the endorsements reached an overwhelming majority consensus in favor of members on both sides of the aisle. The committee voted 75 percent in support of the full set of recommended freshmen for political endorsements, according to the memo.

Of the approved freshmen who received the most votes against them, the committee as a whole voted by almost five to one in favor of endorsing them.

“We do not comment on internal processes at the U.S. Chamber,” a spokesperson for the Chamber told The Hill.

The Chamber produces an online public scorecard for all members of Congress.

Twenty-three House freshmen received over 70 percent on their score cards, according to a review by The Hill.

Those members include Democratic Reps. Joe Cunningham (S.C.), Abigail Spanberger (Va.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Xochitl Torres Small (N.M.), Kendra Horn (Okla.), Colin Allred (Texas), Andy Kim (N.J.), Antonio Delgado (N.Y.), and Abby Finkenauer (Iowa).




https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/514528-us-chamber-of-commerce-set-to-endorse-23-house

Cher raised $2 million for Biden campaign at LGBTQ-themed fundraiser

Singer Cher raised nearly $2 million for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in an LGBTQ-themed virtual fundraiser on Monday.

“So ask yourself, do you believe in life after Trump?” Cher asked the audience in a nod to her famous single, “Believe.”

The event featured former South Bend, Ind., Mayor and presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg and other openly gay politicians, such as Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).

Cicilline announced at the beginning of the event, which was attended by 500 people, that they had raised nearly $2 million.

During the fundraiser, Biden pledged to sign the Equality Act in his first 100 days in office.



https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/514675-cher-raised-2-million-for-biden-campaign-at-lgbtq-themed-fundraiser

House Democrats' campaign arm releases ads hitting 10 Republicans on health care

The House Democrats’ campaign arm released a new ad blitz Tuesday hitting Republicans in 10 competitive races over health care, a sign the issue will feature prominently up and down the ballot in the sprint to Election Day.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) new ad offensive argues that the GOP is working to take away Americans' health insurance during the coronavirus pandemic, noting Republican lawmakers' efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and contributions to Republicans from pharmaceutical companies.

“House Republicans are waging war on Americans’ health care during a deadly pandemic. House Democrats will continue to remind voters that Republicans are fighting to rip away protections for Americans with preexisting conditions like COVID-19,” said DCCC spokesperson Robyn Patterson.

The DCCC did not immediately respond to an inquiry regarding how much money was spent on the new ads.

The ads will be featured in some of the most contentious House races in the country, going after vulnerable GOP incumbents and hitting Republican challengers to Democratic lawmakers.


https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/514684-house-democrats-campaign-arm-unleashes-ads-hitting-10-republicans-on

Biden launches new ad condemning Trump's stoking of violence (VIDEO)

IA-SEN: Ernst Suggests Iowa Doctors Falsifying COVID Cases For Money

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst seemed to embrace on Monday a thoroughly-discredited QAnon conspiracy theory about U.S. deaths from COVID-19 being a mere fraction of what has been reported. As the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier wrote, Ernst said she was “so skeptical” of the official death count when asked by an attendee if the government was over-reporting coronavirus deaths.

“They’re thinking there may be 10,000 or less deaths that were actually singularly COVID-19,” Ernst said, seemingly referring to the debunked conspiracy theory that only around 6% of COVID-19 deaths were due to the virus. “I’m just really curious. It would be interesting to know that.”

Going even further, however, Ernst also suggested that doctors were intentionally falsifying coronavirus cases in order to receive more money for caring for the patient.

“These health care providers and others are reimbursed at a higher rate if COVID is tied to it, so what do you think they’re doing?” she questioned the crowd.




https://iowastartingline.com/2020/09/01/ernst-suggests-iowa-doctors-falsifying-covid-cases-for-money2/

Man allegedly tied to Boogaloo movement accused of stalking Dr. Sara Cody

GILROY, Calif. (KTVU) - Authorities believe an alleged member of the “Boogaloo” movement is responsible for stalking and harassing Santa Clara County's top health official.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday that 55-year-old Alan Viarengo was arrested and charged with sending threatening letters, emails, and phone calls to Dr. Sara Cody over the course of several months.

The Associated Press reports that Viarengo is a professor within the Gavilan Joint Community College District.

Cody started receiving threats in March, not long after she issued a stay-at-home order for all residents of Santa Clara County to inhibit the spread of the rampant coronavirus . The health department confirmed in June that the health officer's COVID-19 restrictions may have made her target.

Cody was under the protection of the sheriff's office. Security detail documented and processed any threatening correspondence she received, authorities said.



https://www.ktvu.com/news/man-allegedly-tied-to-boogaloo-movement-accused-of-stalking-dr-sara-cody

Sobering comment from Obama's pollster.

Obama pollster Cornell Belcher went on Pod Save America and said that, right now, all of our specific policy issues are secondary because the election is 'literally a matter of life and death for our democracy' and nothing is going to matter if Trump wins a second term.

DLCC had best fundraising day in its history yesterday.

Illinois exceeds 1.1 million mail-in ballot requests for November election, state may break previous

More than 1.1 million Illinois voters have requested a mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3 general election following a new state law aimed at enhancing vote-by-mail efforts in response to concerns about COVID-19, state election officials said Friday.

The number of applications indicates the state will break its record for voting by mail set two years ago, when 430,000 votes or 9.3% of the total ballots were cast by mail, State Board of Elections officials said. In 2016, 370,000 votes or 6.5% of all ballots were through the mail.

The 1.1 million figure cited by state elections officials includes 291,874 applications from Chicago, 188,941 from suburban Cook County, 116,031 from DuPage County, 72,489 from Kane County, 26,656 from Lake County, 37,526 from McHenry County and 82,238 from Will County.




https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-illinois-mail-in-balloting-november-20200828-2kvddzklzvc6vmjvq47wlrkdle-story.html

Biden Shatters Fundraising Record

Joe Biden is expected to report a record-breaking haul of donations for August, raising more than $300 million between his campaign and his shared committees with the Democratic Party,” the New York Times reports.

“The sum would shatter past monthly records as small donors have poured money into Mr. Biden’s coffers, especially since the selection of Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, and big contributors, from Silicon Valley to Wall Street, have given checks that can be as large as $620,000.”




https://politicalwire.com/2020/09/01/biden-shatters-fundraising-record/