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Joe Biden jokes about inappropriate touching complaints – live
Trump arrives at US-Mexico border – live updates
(about 3 hours later)
Former US Rep. Anthony Weiner has been ordered to register as a sex offender.
Hello everyone, this is Julia Carrie Wong in San Francisco taking over the live blog for the rest of your Friday afternoon.
A judge ruled he’ll be designated a level 1 sex offender after completing a prison sentence for sexting an underage girl, the New York Post reports. It’s the level deemed at the lowest risk of committing further crimes.
Donald Trump is here in California today, visiting the border with Mexico. Trump delivered remarks at a recently replaced two-mile section of border barrier in Calexico that is decidedly not, the AP points out, newly built border “wall”.
The former Congressman’s serial sexting habit has had an outsized impact on US politics, in addition to tanking his own run for mayor of New York. The investigation into Weiner led to investigators finding emails belonging to his now-estranged wife, which prompted the FBI to reopen the probe of Hillary Clinton just before the 2016 election.
In addition to claiming that the country is “full”, Trump said that his administration is “letting people know this is an absolute emergency”.
White House Correspondents Association president Oliver Knox responds to Donald Trump’s announcement that he won’t attend the group’s annual dinner and will hold a rival rally: “We’re looking forward to an enjoyable evening of celebrating the First Amendment and great journalists past, present, and future.”
Meanwhile, a statement from the Southern Border Communities Coalition calls the visit “trite political theater to extract more funds to fulfill his obsession with building deadly walls”.
#WHCA President Olivier Knox on President Trump’s decision not to attend the association’s annual dinner April 27. “We’re looking forward to an enjoyable evening of celebrating the First Amendment and great journalists past, present, and future." @OKnox
Donald Trump headed for Calexico, California to visit the US-Mexico border, saying before he departed that he backed off his threat to close the border because Mexico “has been absolutely terrific” about apprehending migrants, but threatening again to slap tariffs on Mexican cars. Trump also abruptly withdrew his nomination to head Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying he was looking for someone “tougher.”
Donald Trump, in apparent response to former Vice President Joe Biden’s speech to the electrical workers’ union, claims the workers support him.
Twenty states filed a motion seeking to block Donald Trump from diverting federal funds to build a border wall.
I’ve employed thousands of Electrical Workers. They will be voting for me!
Former vice president Joe Biden, at his first public appearance since allegations by women that he touched them in ways that made them uncomfortable, made light of the controversy, hugging a union leader and cracking that he had permission to do so. He later told reporters he was sorry he did not better understand the impact of his behavior, but not sorry for his intentions, which were never disrespectful.
Former vice president Joe Biden, answering questions about his ideological orientation, declared, “I’m an Obama-Biden Democrat, and I’m proud of it.”
Democratic presidential candidates including Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, John Hickenlooper, Amy Klobuchar and Tim Ryan addressed Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network. The field largely said they would sign a bill to create a commission to study reparations for slavery.
Biden says his views are in line with the mainstream of the party, despite the recent attention paid to leftist insurgents. Essentially, he’s a traditional liberal, he said.
While in California, Donald Trump plans to have dinner tonight at his golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, the Washington Post reports.
“I wish I had been labeled in Delaware the seven times I ran as a moderate. I was never labeled as a moderate,” Biden told reporters, according to footage aired on CNN.
He’ll be joined by his son Eric Trump, city council members and dozens of supporters.
The definition of progressive, Biden said, seems to be shifting - now, it’s “are you a socialist?” Which he is not.
Senator Cory Booker is the latest presidential candidate to speak to the National Action Network.
“The vast majority of the members of the Democratic party are still basically liberal to moderate Democrats in the traditional sense,” he said, asking to be defined by his views on race, women’s rights, gay rights and civil liberties. “I’ll stack my record on those things against anyone who has ever run.”
We’ve talked about racial and economic disparities in this country long enough. It’s time for real action. Watch live: https://t.co/F8dvnWCVCK
Most of the candidates who successfully defeated Republicans have been from his wing of the party, Biden said.
Booker says the answers to many of the problems in this country "cannot be color blind or race blind," because the causes of those problems weren't color blind or race blind either
“Show me the really left, left, left wingers who beat a Republican,” he said. “So the idea the Democratic party is kinda stood on its head, I don’t get.”
Donald Trump is speaking at a roundtable on immigration and border security in Calexico, California.
Biden made clear he is all but certain to launch a presidential bid, saying he was avoiding make it explicit on the advice of lawyers to avoid triggering fundraising rules. He said he hopes to be the last in the field to announce.
To potential immigrants, Trump said: “Our country is full,” according to Bloomberg News.
Biden gaggle right now might as well be a campaign launch. “I’m an Obama-Biden Democrat and I’m proud of it,” he says.
Trump at the border in California with a message for potential immigrants: "our country is full."
Joe Biden faced questions about complaints from women who say he touched them in a way that made them uncomfortable.
“We have a system that’s full. It’s just full,” Trump also said. “We have to say, ‘I’m sorry, we can’t take you.’”
“I’m sorry I didn’t understand more,” he told reporters when asked about requests that he apologize, according to footage aired on CNN. “I’m not sorry for any of my intentions. I’m not sorry for anything that I have ever done. I’ve never been disrespectful intentionally to a man or a woman.”
A lawyer for Donald Trump is fighting a Congressional request for his tax returns, saying it is “misguided” and “will not succeed,” per the New York Times.
Biden answered questions after appearing at a union event where he joked about the allegations, hugging the union president and noting that he had permission to hug him. The comment has already been criticized as tone deaf but Biden said he was sincere.
Trump has new counsel helping on the congressional tax demand. Here’s their response: pic.twitter.com/8wjO5wbd7m
“I literally think it is incumbent upon me and I think everybody else to make sure that if you embrace someone, if you touch someone, it’s with their consent - regardless of your intentions, if you’re trying to bring solace, if you’re trying trying to welcome them,” Biden said.
Letter from Trump lawyers to Treasury pic.twitter.com/8xd1X4BTze
He said he wasn’t surprised to see Donald Trump post a video mocking him about the allegations. “It doesn’t surprise me. He doesn’t have time to do his job. But look, everybody knows how Donald Trump is,” he said.
They sent a letter to the Treasury Department formally opposing the request, saying the committee has no legitimate purpose for obtaining them.
Biden said the criticism from some women will change the way he interacts with people on the campaign trail. “I think it’s going to have to change,” he said.
pic.twitter.com/B5xm8k6cuy
Attorney General William Barr will testify before Congress on Tuesday, the Hill reports.
The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, which advocates for hostages, has reversed plans to give an award to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo due to his handling of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, AFP reports.
He’ll be there to testify about the Justice Department’s fiscal year 2020 budget request, but is likely to face questions about special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia report, which he faces increasing pressure to release.
“In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad, the protection of free speech and promotion of journalists’ safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle,” the foundation, named for a journalist killed in Syria, said in a statement.
The hearing is set for the House Appropriations Committee at 9:30 am Tuesday, according to the Hill.
Indicted California Rep. Duncan Hunter is among those greeting Donald Trump at the southern border, per a pool report.
Joe Biden has been spotted in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania with a camera crew, CNN reports. It could be a sign he’s preparing for a presidential campaign launch.
Rep. Duncan Hunter—who was indicted in August on charges that he used campaign funds for personal expenses and filed false campaign records, and was subsequently re-elected—is among those greeting Trump and the border today, per pooler @vmsalama.https://t.co/Y9kHIvEOMZ
A very unfavorable book review in the Washington Post for “Healthy Holly,” the book by Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh that has sparked scandal and led to the mayor taking a leave of absence.
Trump tweeted video of his arrival.
In "Healthy Holly," the godawful children's book by the Baltimore Mayor, random street lamps and clocks come to life, nothing ever goes wrong, and characters say things like "You are jumping rope!"(The mayor still sold thousands of copies. B/c it ain't about the book). https://t.co/WLzxqqYHSu
Just arrived in Calexico, California! pic.twitter.com/lTChNxsHj6
A new poll finds that most voters say uncomfortable touching allegations against former Vice President Joe Biden should not disqualify him from being president.
A source tells CNN Donald Trump is willing to fight all the way to the Supreme Court to block a House Democratic request for his tax returns.
In the Hill-HarrisX poll, 56% said Biden’s conduct should not be viewed as disqualifying, while 23% said it should be and 21% were unsure.
“This is a hill and people would be willing to die on it,” the official said.
Former Vice President Joe Biden kicked off his appearance at a union event with a crack about the criticism of his touchy tendencies.
House Ways and Means Committee chair formally requested the returns this week from the IRS, using a provision of law that allows the head of that committee to obtain any citizen’s taxes.
He came on stage and hugged IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson, BuzzFeed reports. “I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie,” he said.
California has filed its 50th lawsuit against the Trump administration. This one targets the feds’ withholding of data on the weakening of car emission standards, CNBC reports.
Biden comes on stage and hugs IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson."I just want you to know I had permission to hug Lonnie," Biden says, to uproarious applause from the (mostly male) crowd.
California files 50th lawsuit against Trump administration - Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom just announced state is suing fed govt "for withholding data on efforts to weaken vehicle emission regulations that place the health of millions of kids, families and communities at risk."
This is Biden’s first public event since several women said he has touched them in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.
The United States has cancelled the visa of the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, according to NPR.
Putting his arm around a young boy in footage aired on CNN, Biden also said, “By the way, he gave me permission to touch him.”
The U.S. has canceled the visa of the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, who had been looking at a potential investigation into alleged war crimes committed by U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/Tg5TkgIh0Q
.@JoeBiden now inviting kids up onstage from the crowd. "All those kids, you want to come up on the stage, you can come up, it’s okay.” Gives them handshakes before putting an arm around the nearest boy. “He gave me permission to touch him."
