Oct 23, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Trump lawyer argues the president can't be prosecuted for shooting someone

Photo: Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images

William Consovoy, a lawyer for President Trump, claimed in federal appeals court that the president could shoot someone on New York City's 5th Avenue and not be prosecuted, Politico reports.

The big picture: Consovoy's comments were made on Wednesday during oral arguments over a subpoena for Trump's tax returns. Trump filed a lawsuit in New York last month to block the subpoena "on the grounds that as president, he has absolute immunity from criminal indictment or investigation," per Politico. A federal judge threw out Trump's suit to block the subpoena, and Trump filed an appeal.

What they're saying: Consovoy clarified he was not suggesting "permanent immunity," after Judge Denny Chin of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit asked, "Nothing could be done, that's your position?"

But as long as Trump is a sitting president, the attorney argued Trump could get away with the crime.

Flashback: The judge's question echoed a 2016 Trump campaign rally assertion that he could "stand in the middle of 5th avenue and shoot somebody" without losing voters.

Go deeper: The fight for Trump's taxes

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Rebecca Falconer

Updated 15 mins ago - Health

U.S. daily coronavirus cases top 50,000 for first time

A medical technologist processes test samples for the coronavirus at a lab in Tampa, Florida, on June 25. Photo: Octavio Jones/Getty Images

A record 50,655 tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the United States on Wednesday, Johns Hopkins data shows.

Driving the news: The pandemic is accelerating across the U.S., with the Sun Belt being hit particularly hard. Daily coronavirus case records were reported on Wednesday in Texas (8,076), Georgia (2,946), North Carolina (1,843) and Tennessee (1,806).

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Axios

Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of midnight ET: 10,667,217 — Total deaths: 515,646 — Total recoveries — 5,464,367 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of midnight ET: 2,685,806 — Total deaths: 128,061 — Total recoveries: 729,994 — Total tested: 32,827,359 — Map.
Federal government: Trump says he still thinks coronavirus will "just disappear" at some point, supports another round of direct payments to Americans.
Public health: Thanks to coronavirus, your home is now your gym — Former FDA chief says 500,000 Americans may be contracting coronavirus a day.
States: Georgia and Arizona report record new coronavirus cases — California shuts down bars and indoor dining for most residents.
1 ⚽️ thing: 6 players test positive for coronavirus before MLS comeback tournament.

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Rebecca Falconer

Updated 3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Biden outraises Trump again with record $141 million June haul

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden at Philadelphia City Hall in Pennsylvania in June. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Former Vice President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party raised $141 million in June, his campaign announced on Wednesday night.

Why it matters: It's the most the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has raised in a month. It's also more than the record $131 million President Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee raised last month.