Election 2020 Today: VP debate night, US cautions voters
Vice President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger, California Sen. Kamala Harris, are set to face off in a debate Wednesday night that'll offer starkly different visions for a country confronting escalating crises
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Here’s what’s happening Wednesday in Election 2020, 27 days until Election Day:
HOW TO VOTE: AP’s state-by-state interactive has details on how to vote in this election.
TODAY’S TOP STORIES:
DEBATE NIGHT: Vice President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger, California Sen. Kamala Harris are set to face off in a debate that will offer starkly different visions for a country confronting escalating crises. The debate in Salt Lake City is the most highly anticipated vice presidential debate in recent memory. Pence will likely have to defend the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic, while Harris is expected to address racial injustice and explain her views on law enforcement.
VOTER BEWARE: U.S. officials have issued a series of advisories in recent weeks aimed at warning voters about problems that could surface in the election, as well as steps that Americans can take to counter the foreign interference threat. The issues identified in the public service announcements run the gamut from the spread of online disinformation about the electoral process to cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure.
TRUMP'S TAXES: An obscure function of Congress may have once put President Donald Trump’s tax information in the hands of congressional staff. But even if it did, that doesn’t mean staffers can give access to Trump’s tax returns to lawmakers, at least not legally. The audit of Trump’s taxes, The New York Times reported, has been held up for more than four years by staffers for the Joint Committee on Taxation, which has 30 days to review individual refunds and tax credits over $2 million. When committee staffers disagree with the IRS on a decision, the review is typically kept open until the matter is resolved.
FLORIDA VOTERS: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the state’s voter registration deadline after he said heavy traffic crashed the state’s online system and potentially prevented thousands of people from enrolling to vote in next month's election. Several progressive groups are suing for an additional extension.
BY THE NUMBERS: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. revealed how rare it was for anyone to get the experimental COVID-19 drug it gave Trump outside of studies testing its safety and effectiveness. The drug, which supplies antibodies to help the immune system clear the coronavirus, is widely viewed as very promising. Fewer than 10 of these requests have been granted, a Regeneron spokeswoman says. The drug is in limited supply, the priority is using it for the ongoing studies, and emergency access is granted “only in rare and exceptional circumstances,” she wrote in an email.
ICYMI:
Countering Trump, US officials defend integrity of election
Democrat’s personal scandal roils N. Carolina Senate race
Barrett lived in house owned by co-founders of faith group