Biden news: Trump ‘got vaccine while president’, as New York AG set to probe Cuomo harassment claims

Even after Donald Trump publicly hinted in his first post-presidential speech that he’ll run again in 2024, his own niece isn’t buying it.

“There’s no way that he is going to put himself in the position of losing again,” Dr Mary Trump told Mehdi Hasan on MSNBC on Sunday. 

Dr Trump, a psychologist and author of a bestselling book criticizing her uncle, spoke just minutes after the former president finished his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.

During that speech, the former president once again falsely claimed that he won the 2020 election, adding, “Who knows, I may even decide to beat them for a third time.”

Nathan Place reports.

A waterfront mansion neighbouring Mar-a-Lago has hit the real estate market, with the ownership company linked to Donald Trump asking for $49m for “The Beachouse”.

That asking price would be a 165 per cent return on the $18.5m the property last sold for in 2018, when the limited liability company associated with the Trump family bought the eight-bedroom home from the ex-president’s sister, Judge Maryanne Trump Barry.

The sale comes as Mr Trump is settling into his new permanent digs at Mar-a-Lago following a recent eviction from the White House.

Justin Vallejo has the details.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to send the Biden attorney general nomination of Merrick Garland to the full Senate for a full confirmation vote.

In a 15-7 vote, Republican senators Grassley, Cornyn, Tillis, and Graham joined Democrats in voting yes.

Senators Lee, Cruz, Sasse, Hawley, Cotton, Kennedy, and Blackburn voted no.

Bloomberg’s Steven Dennis reports that ahead of the vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Ted Cruz said he was not happy that Merrick Garland would not meet with Republican senators and that he refused to answer questions on policy such as the Durham investigation, guns, and immigration enforcement.

Senator Dick Durbin said that he understood Mr Garland offered to meet with Mr Cruz via Zoom, but the Texan rep wanted an in-person meeting. Sheldon Whitehouse said that a Zoom meeting had been good enough for him.

The barbed wire surrounding the US Capitol is coming down and the area around the reflecting pool (immediately west of the congressional complex) will be reopening soon.

Both former president Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump received the Covid vaccine back in January, an adviser confirms to journalists.

The Trumps both fell ill with Covid-19 in early October 2020. Ms Trump remained in the White House, whereas the president required hospitalisation at Water Reed medical centre.

During his speech on Sunday at CPAC, Mr Trump for the first time said that “everyone” should get the vaccine.

Trump alienates more people than he attracts, and he scares the hell out of the rest, writes Sean O’Grady.

The White House has named Chris Meagher as the new deputy press security.

Mr Meagher has worked for a number of prominent Democrats including as national press secretary for transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.

He followed Mr Buttigieg to the Transportation Department, but will now report to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

“We’ll miss Chris at the Department of Transportation, but it’s great news that he will serve in a new capacity as this administration works to build our country back better,” Mr Buttigieg said.

Mr Meagher also spent six months working for Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer after the Buttigieg campaign wrapped up.

“I am honored by this appointment, and look forward to supporting the important work President Biden and his team have been getting done on behalf of the American people over the last six weeks,” Mr Meagher said in a statement.

He replaces TJ Ducklo who resigned last month after reports he threatened a reporter.

The Biden administration has announced its support of HR1, the “For The People Act” — a sweeping set of reforms to protect democracy and end gerrymandering.

A statement reads: “In the wake of an unprecedented assault on our democracy, a never before seen effort to ignore, undermine, and undo the will of the people, and a newly aggressive attack on voting rights taking place right now all across the country, this landmark legislation is urgently needed to protect the right to vote and the integrity of our elections, and to repair and strengthen American democracy.”HR1 contains a number of provisions to protect the right to vote and make it more equitable and accessible for all Americans to exercise that right.

Reform of redistricting rules is aimed at curtailing gerrymandering. Modernisation of elections is intended to make them more secure. 

Consistent with the administration’s commitment to racial equity, the bill would also expand the tools available to the Justice Department to enforce the voting rights of all Americans. Reform of the campaign finance system seeks to “amplify the voices of the public, not the powerful, and establish stronger ethics rules for all three branches of government”.

These provisions are intended to ensure that government works for the people and to guard against corruption across the highest levels of government.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says that the upper chamber of Congress will take up the $1.9 trillion Covid relief package — the American Rescue Plan Act — this week.

There are two weeks until unemployment payments for many Americans will expire.