Today’s edition of quick hits:
* I’m guessing Trump won’t be tweeting about this one: “U.S. stocks on Thursday marked the worst day since the height of the coronavirus-induced rout, amid signs of a re-acceleration of cases of COVID-19, and as investors digested Wednesday’s sobering economic outlook from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.”
* According to NBC News’ tally, the number of confirmed U.S. coronavirus cases has now topped 2 million.
* DOJ: “More than 1,250 former Justice Department workers on Wednesday called on the agency’s internal watchdog to investigate Attorney General William P. Barr’s involvement in law enforcement’s move last week to push a crowd of largely peaceful demonstrators back from Lafayette Square using horses and gas.”
* Speaking of Main Justice: “Brian Benczkowski — the Justice Department’s criminal-division head, who was involved in several high-profile cases and made the decision last year not to open a campaign finance investigation into President Trump over his Ukraine-related dealings — will step down from his position next month.”
* And in still more Justice Department news: “Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco, the Justice Department official responsible for defending the Trump administration before the Supreme Court, has told the department that he plans to leave, a person familiar with his decision said late Wednesday.”
* The White House’s broader agenda has not changed: “The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled a proposal that would make it harder for immigrants to claim asylum in the U.S., even after the COVID-19 pandemic. If enacted after a public comment period, the rule would allow immigration judges to throw out asylum cases before holding a hearing.”
* A brutal story: “Newly released body camera footage from an arrest in Oklahoma City last year shows a suspect saying ‘I can’t breathe’ before he died at a hospital.”
* An important perspective: “Some members of the D.C. Guard — comprising more than 60 percent people of color — have not told family they were part of the crackdown. Guard leadership, concerned about public opposition, even warned against buying food from vendors.”
* Another key excerpt from that article: “Along with the troops, National Guard units from other states brought weapons and ammunition. Tens of thousands of rifle and pistol rounds were stored in the D.C. Armory and partitioned in pallets, labeled by their state of origin, to be used on American citizens in case of emergency.” * Keep an eye on stories like these: “Amazon said on Wednesday that it was putting a one-year pause on letting the police use its facial recognition tool, in a major sign of the growing concerns that the technology may lead to unfair treatment of African-Americans.” * Seems reasonable: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called for the removal of nearly a dozen statues in the U.S. Capitol depicting Confederate leaders, the latest step in a racial reckoning taking place following the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis last month.” * Quite a story: “Kennedy Mitchum knows the power of words. So much so, that she fought to update the definition of ‘racism’ — and won.” See you tomorrow.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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