Three things for October 13
1. White House doctor clears Trump for campaigning
President Donald Trump removes his face mask to speak from the Blue Room Balcony of the White House to a crowd of supporters, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
On Sunday, Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley said the president has recovered from his COVID-19 diagnosis, noting he is no longer contagious.
According to AP News, Conley said Trump met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for safely discontinuing isolation, and by “currently recognized standards,” he was no longer considered a transmission risk.
The CDC cautiously recommends those who have been diagnosed to take even further precautions to recover. The wearing of masks, remaining socially distanced and following recommended guidelines is still highly encouraged following negative tests.
2. Tennessee officials investigate police shooting
On Monday, an impaired driver led police officers in a car chase through two counties, resulting in the fatal shooting of Anthony Jones.
Jones, 24, was shot in McNairy County after police in neighboring Chester County tried to stop the vehicle Jones was driving, said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Shortly after 1 a.m., police received a call about a possible impaired driver and located the vehicle. Jones wrecked the vehicle in Bethel Springs, got out of the vehicle “and portrayed, with actions and statements, to have a firearm,” the TBI said.
He disregarded verbal commands from two Henderson officers, and an electroshock weapon was ineffective reports AP News.
One of the officers fired two shots, hitting Jones, according to the TBI. No firearm was recovered at the scene, and officers involved were not identified by TBI. No officers were injured in the shooting.
Jones died at a hospital in Corinth, Mississippi.
3. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett begins hearings
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett arrives to her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett presented her approach to the law on Monday at her confirmation hearings.
On Monday, Barrett declared Americans “deserve an independent Supreme Court that interprets our laws as written,” according to AP News.
Barrett described her experience and her judicial philosophy.
“Courts have a vital responsibility to the rule of the law, which is crucial to a free society. But courts are not designed to solve every problem of right or wrong in public life,” said Barrett. “The policy said decisions and value judgments must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people. The public should not expect courts to do so, and courts should not try.”
Barrett also told Senators she is “forever grateful” for how the late Justice Ginsburg paved the way for women in court.
Barrett’s religious views raise interest in the hearings as Democrats pose questions about her views on abortion, LQBTQ+ marriage and other social issues.
If confirmed, Barrett could be on the court a week after the presidential election. According to AP News, the Senate is pushing Barrett’s nomination to a quick vote before Election Day, Nov. 3, and ahead of the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act, which the Supreme Court is to hear a week after the election.
