memeorandum: Despite Navalny's absence, Russian elections test his strategy (Eva Hartog/Politico)

9:30 AM ET, September 13, 2020

Top Items:

Michael Scherer / Washington Post:

Mike Bloomberg to spend at least $100 million in Florida to benefit Joe Biden — Former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg plans to spend at least $100 million in Florida to help elect Democrat Joe Biden, a massive late-stage infusion of cash that could reshape the presidential contest in a costly toss …

Discussion: Fox News, NBC News, The Guardian, Florida Politics, ABC7, Raw Story and New Yorker

Axios:

Bloomberg to spend $100 million to help Biden win Florida — Billionaire Mike Bloomberg plans to spend at least $100 million to help Joe Biden win Florida in November's election, the Washington Post reports. — Why it matters: Taking Florida would be a knockout blow for Biden …

Discussion: Politico

Zachary Petrizzo / Mediaite:

Roger Stone Wants Daily Beast Reporters To Be Arrested Over ‘Seditious’ Activities — Longtime President Donald Trump advisor and convicted felon Roger Stone floated the idea of arresting Daily Beast staff members and shutting down their offices if the news organization engages in “seditious” …

Mary Papenfuss / Yahoo News:

Roger Stone Calls For Trump To ‘Declare Martial Law’ To Seize Power If He Loses — Roger Stone said that the president should declare “martial law” to seize power if he loses what Stone characterized as an already corrupt election. — The results will only be legitimate if the “real winner” …

Timothy Johnson / Media Matters for America:

Roger Stone calls for Trump to seize total power if he loses the election — Stone also said federal authorities should seize all Nevada ballots, federal agents and GOP state officials should “physically” block voting, that Trump should nationalize police forces, and that Trump should order widespread arrests

Discussion: Althouse, The Guardian, CANNONFIRE, Raw Story, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Balloon Juice, Washington Monthly and Political Wire

Capi Lynn / Oregonian:

The desperate fight to save his family ends in tragedy — SALEM — Chris Tofte blew past the blockade, his green Jeep Cherokee aimed for the bowels of the raging Beachie Creek fire. — It was around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning, and he was desperately searching for his wife, son and mother-in-law.

Meredith Deliso / ABC News:

All Michigan State students asked to quarantine due to ‘exponential growth’ of COVID-19 — Cases rose once students returned to the area for the fall, officials said. — All local Michigan State University students have been asked to self-quarantine immediately for the next two weeks to contain the …

Discussion: The Hill

Kendall Karson / ABC News:

Deep skepticism for Trump's coronavirus response endures: POLL — Trump's approval on the coronavirus lands at 35% in a new ABC News/Ipsos poll. — Most Americans are skeptical of President Donald Trump's performance on the coronavirus pandemic — disapproving of his response …

Dana Blanton / Fox News:

Fox News Poll: Biden-Trump a 5-point race in post-convention poll — Both tickets have secured the backing of their key voting blocs — The Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket is ahead of the Donald Trump-Mike Pence ticket by a 51-46 percent margin. That 5 percentage-point advantage sits right …

Megan Messerly / The Nevada Independent:

Trump sows doubt on election integrity with false assertions at Douglas County rally amid coronavirus pandemic — President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Minden-Tahoe Airport on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020. (Trevor Bexon/The Nevada Independent)

Discussion: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Washington Times and The Hill

Shannon Pettypiece / NBC News:
Trump tries his luck in Nevada

Discussion: Reuters, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, POLITICUSUSA, The Nevada Independent, The Hill and Associated Press

Rebecca Hersher / NPR:

Longtime Climate Science Denier Hired At NOAA — David Legates, a University of Delaware professor of climatology who has spent much of his career questioning basic tenets of climate science, has been hired for a top position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Lisa M. Krieger / Mercury News:

Stanford doctors take aim at former colleague Scott Atlas, Trump's new adviser on the COVID-19 pandemic — The former chief of neuroradiology is harming public health, according to public letter health — In the tight-knit world of academic medicine, scientists pride themselves on presenting …

Siena College Research Institute:

Biden Favorability Rating Outpaces Trump's in Four States — The New York Times / Siena College Battleground Polls: — Minnesota: Biden 50% - Trump 41% — Nevada: Biden 46% - Trump 42% — New Hampshire: Biden 45% - Trump 42% — Wisconsin: Biden 48% - Trump 43%

Discussion: Breitbart, New York Post, The Daily Caller, The American Spectator, Yahoo News, IJR and Twitchy

Washington Post:

Warmer. Burning. Epidemic-challenged. Expensive. The California Dream has become the California Compromise. — SAN FRANCISCO — The cityscape resembles the surface of a distant planet, populated by a masked alien culture. The air, choked with blown ash, is difficult to breathe.

Hiroko Tabuchi / New York Times:

A Secret Recording Reveals Oil Executives' Private Views on Climate Change — At a meeting last year, industry leaders contradicted public claims that emissions of climate-warming methane are under control — Last summer, oil and gas-industry groups were lobbying to overturn federal rules …

Eva Hartog / Politico:

Despite Navalny's absence, Russian elections test his strategy — NOVOSIBIRSK, Russia — On the outskirts of Russia's third-largest city, 19-year-old Anna Lapty is doing her best to convince an elderly man to accept a flyer for the opposition candidate in his district.

Discussion: TheJournal.ie, One America News Network and BBC

Politico:

The surprise religious group that could decide Trump's fate — In 2016, Mormons rejected Donald Trump in numbers unheard of for a Republican nominee — viewing the thrice-married, immigrant-bashing Republican as an affront to their values. — In 2020, the president is going all-out to change …

Discussion: Raw Story and Rolling Stone

Meerah Powell / opb:

Clackamas County deputy placed on leave after sharing antifa wildfire rumors in online video — A Clackamas County sheriff's deputy was placed on administrative leave Saturday after a video was posted online of the deputy claiming anti-fascist activists had been starting fires in the area.

Discussion: Oregonian, The Daily Beast, Fox News and KOIN-TV

New York Times: Wildfires Live Updates: Dozens Missing as States Look to Weather for Relief

Scott Bauer / Star Tribune:

Judge: Kanye West stays off ballot in battleground Wisconsin — MADISON, Wis. — Rapper Kanye West does not qualify to be on the presidential ballot in battleground Wisconsin after missing a filing deadline, a judge ruled late Friday, upholding a bipartisan decision by the state elections commission.

Amy Gardner / Washington Post:
Pending Wisconsin Supreme Court decision on whether to add Green Party ticket to the presidential ballot upends election preparations

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and Slate

Annie Karni / New York Times:

Trump to Visit California After Criticism Over Silence on Wildfires — The announcement came after the president acknowledged a wildfire season that so far has claimed 17 lives and destroyed millions of acres of land in California, Oregon and Washington. — WASHINGTON — After weeks …

Discussion: The Guardian, Daily Kos, Conservative Review and FOX 11 Los Angeles

Carla Marinucci / Politico:
Trump to visit California amid criticism for silence on fires

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, Axios and NBC Bay Area

Blake Montgomery / The Daily Beast:

Trump Campaign Solicits Donations With Desperate Text Claiming Antifa Will ‘Attack Your Homes’ if Biden Wins — ‘ANTIFA ALERT’ — President Donald Trump's campaign solicited donations Saturday with a fear-mongering text warning of impending violent attacks by anti-fascist activists under …

Discussion: Breitbart and Mediaite

BBC:

Navid Afkari: Iran executes young wrestler despite global outcry — Iran has executed a wrestler accused of murder, defying international appeals for him to be spared. — Navid Afkari, 27, was sentenced to death over the murder of a security guard during a wave of anti-government protests in 2018.

Discussion: Radio Free Europe/Radio …, middleeastmonitor.com, Townhall and Just The News