Republicans’ top priority is giving corporations the freedom to let their workers and customers get sick, former Republican Justin Amash explores a third party bid for president, and new reporting emerges about an allegation of sexual assault against Joe Biden. Then Congressional candidate Christy Smith talks to Jon about her May 12th special election in California’s 25th district.

Show notes

GOP Picks a Side

• Daily Beast: Jared Kushner Calls Coronavirus Response ‘a Great Success Story’ as Death Toll Nears 60,000 (4/29)
• NBC Chicago: Iowa Tells Workers to Return to Jobs or Lose Benefits (4/28)
• The Hill: States tell workers they’ll lose unemployment benefits if they refuse to return to jobs (4/28)
• AP: Researchers warned Iowa governor not to relax virus limits (4/28)
• Des Moines Register: University of Iowa researchers warn ‘a second wave of infections is likely’ if COVID-19 prevention efforts are lifted (4/28)
• Daily Beast: Iowa Gov. Announces Plan to Reopen, a Day After Biggest Increase in Coronavirus Deaths (4/24)
• NYT: Trump Declares Meat Supply ‘Critical,’ Aiming to Reopen Plants (4/28)
• Politico: Trump orders meat plants to stay open as worker deaths rise (4/28)
• Bloomberg: Trump Orders Meat Plants to Stay Open in Move Unions Slam (4/28)
• CNN: Meat plant workers to Trump: Employees aren’t going to show up (4/29)
• Mother Jones: This May Be the Real Reason Trump Is Throwing a Bone to Meatpackers (4/28)
• The Hill: Meat and poultry industry groups applaud Trump for keeping processing plants open (4/28)
• CBS News: McConnell calls for liability protections in next round of coronavirus relief (4/29)
• WSJ: Mitch McConnell Wants to Shield Companies From Liability in Coronavirus-Related Suits (4/29)
• The Hill: McConnell draws ‘red line’ on coronavirus bill: It won’t pass without ‘liability protection’ (4/28)
• Politico: McConnell dangles aid to states — with a catch (4/27)
• Reuters: U.S. consumer groups urge lawmakers against shielding businesses from coronavirus-related lawsuits (4/29)
• Popular Information: Corporate shield leaves workers exposed (4/29)
• WaPo: White House faces internal debate over ‘liability shield’ for firms seeking protection from coronavirus lawsuits (4/24)
• Manu Raju tweet (4/28)
• NYT: Businesses Seek Sweeping Shield From Pandemic Liability Before They Reopen (4/28)
• NBC News: Nursing home industry pushes for immunity from lawsuits during coronavirus emergency (4/27)
• Quartz: US businesses want immunity from coronavirus lawsuits (4/24)
• Reuters: Corporate America seeks legal protection for when coronavirus lockdowns lift (4/21)
• Vox: Mitch McConnell is gaslighting Democrats (again) (4/29)
• WaPo: House and Senate on collision course over coronavirus response as leaders map out conflicting agendas (4/27)
• Erica Warner tweet (4/27):
• WSJ: Trump Questions Whether to Aid States in Next Coronavirus-Stimulus Legislation (4/29)
• The Hill: Pelosi: Democrats will not back business liability protections in CARES Act (4/29)
• Roll Call: Democrats, tort lawyers pan McConnell’s liability immunity idea (4/29)
• WaPo: Mitch McConnell cries ‘Uncle!’ (4/28)
• CNN: Schumer accuses McConnell of ‘putting barriers in the way’ of funding state and local governments (4/28)
• Politico: Democrats dismiss McConnell’s ‘sad’ new coronavirus offer (4/28)

Amash

• The Hill: Amash on eyeing presidential bid: ‘Millions of Americans’ want someone other than Trump, Biden (4/29)
• NPR: Michigan Rep. Justin Amash Takes Step Toward Libertarian Presidential Bid (4/29)
• Politico: Justin Amash announces exploratory committee for president (4/28)
• NYT: Justin Amash Moves Toward a Third-Party Bid for President (4/28)
• Trump tweet (4/29)
• Politico: Trump eggs on Amash third-party White House run (4/29)
• WaPo: Justin Amash could have a big impact on the 2020 presidential race. But how? [Analysis – Aaron Blake] (4/29)
• WaPo: Justin Amash’s run is a bad idea. But is he relevant? [Op-Ed – Jennifer Rubin] (4/29)
• WaPo: Joe Walsh: You can’t win, Justin Amash. You can only help Trump get reelected. (4/29) [Joe Walsh op-ed]
• The Bulwark: Justin Amash Should Not Run for President (In 2020) (4/15)
• The Detroit News: Potential Amash bid could hurt Biden in Michigan (6/4/2019)
• Nate Silver tweet (4/28)
• Axios: Amash dismisses concerns that his candidacy will help re-elect Trump (4/29)
• Manu Raju tweet (4/28)
• CNN: 2 competing theories about how Justin Amash changes the 2020 race (4/29)
• CNN: Justin Amash’s effect on 2020 looks minimal [Analysis – Harry Enten] (4/29)

More 2020 info/stories

• NYT: Live: Ohio State Primary Election Results 2020 (99% reporting 4/29)
• The Hill: Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty beats back progressive challenger to win primary (04/29)
• Washington Post: Joe Biden wins Ohio’s mail-in primary delayed by coronavirus (4/28)
• Politico: Andrew Yang sues over New York’s shutdown of presidential primary (4/28)
• The Hill: Sanders adviser: NY presidential primary cancellation a ‘blow to American democracy’ (4/27)
• Bernie Sanders twitter (4/27)
• The Hill: Ocasio-Cortez blasts New York elections board for canceling presidential primary (4/27)
• Politico: New York cancels Democratic presidential primary (4/27)

Latest Biden Allegations

• The Intercept: NEW EVIDENCE SUPPORTING CREDIBILITY OF TARA READE’S ALLEGATION AGAINST JOE BIDEN EMERGES (4/24)
• Mother Jones: A New Account Bolsters Tara Reade’s Allegation Against Joe Biden (4/27)
• WaPo: The sexual allegations against Joe Biden: The corroborators – Fact checker (4/29)
• Axios: Timeline: Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden – Joe Biden is facing growing scrutiny over sexual assault allegations made by a former Senate staffer. (4/28)
• Vox: A sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden has ignited a firestorm of controversy (4/29)
• USA Today: Former staffer Tara Reade says Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. Here’s what we know. (4/28)
• Slate: The Witness Who Saw Nothing – Reporting on sexual assault too often relies on
• testimony from people who weren’t there. (4/28)
• WaPo: Democrats react to Biden assault allegation with pleas for explanation- or with silence (4/28)
• CNN: Kirsten Gillibrand on Tara Reade allegation: ‘I support Vice President Biden’ (4/29)
• HuffPo: Me Too Founder: Biden Could Show ‘What It Looks Like To Be Both Accountable And Electable’ (4/28)
• Politico: Tara Reade allegations stir Democratic unrest (4/29)
• Business Insider: Prominent Democratic women, including Stacey Abrams and Kirsten Gillibrand, are standing by Joe Biden amid sexual assault accusation (4/28)
• The Root: Tarana Burke, Stacey Abrams, Weigh In on Sexual Assault Allegations Against Joe Biden (4/29)
• CNBC: Key Democratic women rally behind Joe Biden as he faces sexual assault allegation (4/29)
• NY Mag: The Biden Trap As the candidate faces credible assault allegations, his progressive female colleagues are being offered a poisoned chalice. (4/27)

More

• NY Mag: Feminism Should Make You Uncomfortable (4/29)
• NYT: Democratic Frustration Mounts as Biden Remains Silent on Sexual Assault Allegation (4/29)
• BuzzFeed: Democrats Will Have To Answer Questions About Tara Reade. (4/28)
• ABC News: At women’s event, Biden navigates around lingering sexual assault allegation (4/29)
• WaPo: Trump allies highlight new claims regarding allegations against Biden (4/27)
• Fox News: Hannity calls on Biden to ‘be transparent and release those records’ that could boost Tara Reade claims (4/29)
• Fox News: Timeline shows media, Dems’ different approach to Tara Reade accusation after Kavanaugh free-for-all (4/29)
• Federalist: Why Joe Biden Can’t Survive His Sexual Assault Allegations Like Brett Kavanaugh Did (4/29)
• The Hill: Trump campaign official says mainstream media can’t be trusted with Tara Reade coverage (4/29)
• Yahoo: Ronna McDaniel compares Biden sexual assault allegations to Kavanaugh case (4/29)
• Daily Beast: Team Trump Debated How to Weaponize Biden Assault Allegation (4/19)
• Politico: No, the Media Isn’t Burying the Biden Allegations (4/29)