Oct 8, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Meadows hosted daughter's 70-person wedding during May lockdown in Atlanta

Photo: Oliver Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows hosted his daughter's 70-person indoor wedding in Atlanta in May, despite major coronavirus lockdowns and local ordinances blocking large gatherings, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported on Thursday.

Why it matters: Spring saw waves of Americans canceling major life events, including weddings and graduations. Meadows circumventing lockdown rules is sure to strike a chord with those who obeyed authorities and missed out.

  • Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was in attendance.
  • No one was wearing masks.
  • An order by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) at the time blocked gatherings of more than 10 people.

The big picture: The news also comes amid the White House's own coronavirus outbreak, which has included positive tests for President Trump and first lady Melania Trump.

  • Accountability watchdogs have turned to Meadows for answers. Under his leadership of staff, the virus has spread significantly throughout Trump's circle, reaching over a dozen people and hindering Trump's re-election activities.

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Pence to continue traveling despite aides testing positive for COVID-19

Marc Short with Pence in March. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, tested positive for the coronavirus Saturday and is quarantining, according to a White House statement.

Why it matters: Short is Pence's closest aide, and was one of the most powerful forces on the White House coronavirus task force. Pence and second lady Karen Pence tested negative for the virus on Sunday morning, according to the vice president's office.

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Pre-bunking rises ahead of the 2020 election

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

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Why it matters: Experts argue that pre-bunking can be a more effective strategy for combative misinformation than fact-checking. It's also a less polarizing way to address misinformation than trying to apply judgements to posts after they've been shared.

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Locker Room wants to reinvent how fans talk sports

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The state of play: The company behind Locker Room, Betty Labs, has raised $9.3 million in seed funding led by Google Ventures with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Axios has learned.

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