Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday

Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday

Oct 26, 2019

Secret Service interviewed rapper Eminem over Trump lyrics

Rapper Eminem. Photo: Kevin Mazur / Contributor/Getty Images

Secret Service agents interviewed Eminem about lyrics "threatening" President Trump, according to documents newly obtained by BuzzFeed News.

The state of play: The lead track on an August 2018 album attracted social media buzz because of the lyrics, in which Trump critic Eminem claimed he was visited by the Secret Service: "'CauseAgent Orange just sent the Secret Service / To meet in person to see if I really think of hurtin' him / Or ask if I’m linked to terrorists / I said, 'Only when it comes to ink and lyricists.'"

Fast-forward: The agency overturned documents this week that illustrate agents interviewed the rapper, describing him as "exhibiting inappropriate behavior" and suggesting his music, "threatens protectee."

What they found: Per the documentation, on the day the musician's album was released "a concerned citizen reported Marshall Mathers the rapper 'Eminen' had a new song called 'Framed' with an inappropriate comment towards President Donald Trump and a threatening comment towards Ivanka Trump."

The documents indicate the "concerned citizen" was a TMZ employee.
Hours before the complaint, TMZ published a story about Eminem’s lyrics criticizing Trump.
The agency's Protective Intelligence and Assessment Division completed a background check on the artist and an interview took place in early 2018 with Eminem and his legal team.

The impact: "[I]t was determined that this case will be NON-REFERRED" to federal prosecutors, per the documentation.

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Shawna Chen, Kadia Goba

15 mins ago - Politics & Policy

House passes sweeping election and anti-corruption bill

Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images

The House voted 220-210Wednesday to pass Democrats' expansive election and anti-corruption bill.

Why it matters: Expanding voting access has been a top priority for Democrats for years, but the House passage of the For the People Act (H.R. 1) comes as states across the country consider legislation to rollback voting access in the aftermath of former President Trump's loss.

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Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

House passes George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Photo: Stephen Maturen via Getty Images

The House voted 220 to 212 on Wednesday evening to pass a policing bill named for George Floyd, the Black man whose death in Minneapolis last year led to nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice.

Why it matters: The legislation overhauls qualified immunity for police officers, bans chokeholds at the federal level, prohibits no-knock warrants in federal drug cases and outlaws racial profiling.

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Alayna Treene, author of Sneak Peek

3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Senate Republicans plan to exact pain before COVID relief vote

Sen. Ron Johnson. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Republicans are demanding a full, 600-page bill reading — and painful, multi-hour "vote-a-rama" — as Democrats forge ahead with their plan to pass President Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package.

Why it matters: The procedural war is aimed at forcing Democrats to defend several parts the GOP considers unnecessary and partisan. While the process won't substantially impact the final version of the mammoth bill, it'll provide plenty of ammunition for future campaign messaging.

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