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Former Minneapolis cops want separate federal trial from Derek Chauvin after conviction in George Floyd case

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.) — Three former Minneapolis police officers facing federal charges of violating George Floyd’s civil rights have filed motions asking that their cases be severed from Derek Chauvin’s, arguing they won’t get a fair trial if they have to go to court with the convicted murderer of the 46-year-old Black man.

Attorneys for J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao filed separate requests in U.S. District Court in Minnesota. Thomas Lane’s attorney filed a motion to join his two former colleagues in their requests to be tried separately from Chauvin.

“There is a conflict of interest between the defendants. The conflict flows from Mr. Chauvin’s level of culpability,” Kueng’s attorney, Thomas C. Plunkett, argued in court papers filed on Monday. “Due to this conflict, the jurors will not be able to follow the Court’s instructions and compartmentalize the evidence as it related to Mr. Kueng.”

Thao’s lawyer, Robert M. Paule, made a similar argument in a motion he filed on Tuesday, but added that he wants Thou to be tried separately not from just Chavin but also Kueng and Lane.

“Mr. Thao will obtain a fair and more impartial trial [if] he is tried separately from his co-defendants,” Paule wrote, arguing that a jury “will have insurmountable difficulty distinguishing evidence presented on one count from that evidence presented on the other counts, and will inevitably consider the evidence cumulatively.”

In May, a federal grand jury indicted Chauvin, 45, Thao, 35, Kueng, 27, and Lane, 38, of federal civil rights crimes for their roles in Floyd’s May 25, 2020, death as they attempted to place him under arrest on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a convenience store.

The three-count indictment alleges Chauvin, Thao, Kueng and Lane deprived Floyd his rights when they saw him lying on the ground “in clear need” of medical care but “willfully failed to aid Floyd, thereby acting with deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm.”

All four former officers are scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 14 on the federal charges. A trial date has yet to be set.

During the encounter, Chauvin held his knee on the back of Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Floyd, who was handcuffed and in a prone position on the pavement, repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe before falling unconscious and losing a pulse, according to evidence presented at Chauvin’s state trial. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Video footage — from police body cameras, security cameras and civilian witnesses — played at the trial showed Kueng and Lane helping Chauvin hold Floyd down, and Thao keeping away witnesses who were expressing concerns for Floyd.

Floyd’s death triggered massive protests and prompted police agencies across the nation to promise reforms.

On April 20, a state court jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced on June 25 to 22 1/2 years in prison by Judge Peter Cahill.

Cahill cited four aggravating factors in the case that allowed him to give Chauvin a longer sentence than the 12 1/2 years recommended under state sentencing guidelines. The aggravating factors included Chauvin abusing a position of trust and authority as a police officer, his treatment of Floyd with “particular cruelty” and that he committed the crime as part of a group with at least three other people in front of children.

Chauvin was tried separately from his co-defendants in the state case due to COVID-19 restrictions that limited the number of people allowed in the courtroom.

Thao, Kueng and Lane are awaiting a joint trial in state court scheduled for March 2022 on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder, and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

What’s next for Cuomo after sexual harassment report?

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo vehemently has refused to step down after the release of a report that found he sexually harassed multiple women and created a hostile work environment.

The blistering report, by New York Attorney General Letitia James, was released on Tuesday after a four-month investigation. Cuomo has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct.

Here’s how the political saga could continue:

While James said that the state attorney’s probe would have no criminal referral, district attorneys in Manhattan, Albany, Westchester County and Nassau County have now requested the investigation’s materials to look into the accusations, which allegedly took place in those jurisdictions and could lead to criminal charges.

Albany District Attorney David Soares said Tuesday his office is reviewing the report’s findings to see whether criminal charges should be filed and encouraged more victims to come forward. He called the matter “developing” and said his office would be reviewing the documents.

On Wednesday, the Westchester County district attorney’s office also asked for the investigative materials to conduct a criminal investigation into Cuomo’s alleged conduct.

“As this is an ongoing investigation, we will not comment further at this time,” Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah said in a statement.

The Westchester District Attorney intends to review the governor’s alleged interactions with the female state trooper at his Mount Kisco home, while the Albany district attorney plans to review Cuomo’s alleged interactions with female staff members in that county.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance also said in a statement that the office requested materials pertaining to incidents that occurred in Manhattan.

Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce A. Smith slammed the report’s findings as “deeply disturbing” and said the office requested documents for incidents that occurred in Nassau County to “investigate any potential crimes.”

In a recorded video, Cuomo responded to the report on Tuesday by again denying the allegations, saying that “the facts are much different than what has been portrayed.”

Cuomo has fielded calls to resign, including from President Joe Biden, formerly a close political ally.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday, “The president believes Governor Cuomo should do the right thing, resign, and leave space for future leadership in New York.”

The governor insisted, yet again, that he “never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances.” His video message displayed a series of photos of him kissing his parents and other figures, male and female, on the cheek as he said that such touching and kissing were a part of his culture and nature.

The State Assembly in Albany said it’s moving “expeditiously” to wrap up up its own impeachment investigation into the sexual harassment allegations, which began in March.

Speaker Carl Heastie said in a statement Tuesday, after the Assembly had gathered to discuss the report, “It is abundantly clear to me that the Governor has lost the confidence of the Assembly Democratic majority and that he can no longer remain in office.”

The Assembly has the power to bring impeachment charges against Cuomo. To impeach the governor, a majority of Assembly members must vote to impeach, after which the case would move to the impeachment court, where a two-thirds vote would be required to convict and oust Cuomo.

James, the state’s attorney general, also is investigating whether Cuomo broke the law in having members of his staff help write and promote a book on his leadership in the pandemic, for which he was set to rake in more than $5 million, The Associated Press reported. Federal investigators also are probing the state’s handling of data on nursing home deaths during the pandemic. The State Assembly is also investigating Cuomo for the book deal and nursing home deaths.

Despite the probes, Cuomo could still run for a fourth term as governor if he’s not impeached. He’s already begun to fundraise for the 2022 race, and no Democratic challenger has been announced for the primary. U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin and Andrew Giuliani may run as Republicans.

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.

Obama scales back 60th birthday bash amid COVID questions

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — After plans to host hundreds of guests at his Martha’s Vineyard estate for a 60th birthday bash drew news media scrutiny, former President Barack Obama has decided to “significantly scale back” the affair, a spokesperson said Wednesday.

“This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with COVID safeguards in place. Due to the new spread of the delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends,” Hannah Hankins said. “President Obama is appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon.”

She declined to give a new estimate of how many guests will attend the gathering.

A COVID coordinator had been slated to work the party, ensuring that all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local guidelines were followed, and collect proof of negative test results from guests, who would also attest their vaccination status.

Despite those measures, a source familiar with the decision-making process said the fast-moving COVID developments over the past week, such as rising cases fueled by the delta variant, and new CDC masking guidance for even vaccinated individuals, led to the downsizing in party plans.

“Even last Monday, things looked different than they do today,” the source said.

Obama is turning 60 on Wednesday.

Overall, the Obamas did not want to become a distraction from the Biden administration’s efforts to encourage Americans to get vaccinated, the source said.

According to the New York Times, some party guests had already arrived on Martha’s Vineyard when word of the scaled-down plans was shared.

President Joe Biden was not planning to attend the party.

“While President Biden is unable to attend this weekend, he looks forward to catching up with former President Obama soon and properly welcoming him into the over 60 club,” a Biden administration official said Monday.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the change of party plans.

Alabama offering $5 in canteen credit to prisoners who get vaccinated

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(MONTGOMERY, Ala.) — As coronavirus cases in Alabama prisons continue to rise, the state Department of Corrections is offering incarcerated individuals incentives to get vaccinated.

Both inmates who get the vaccine and those who’ve already gotten it will get $5 in canteen credit.

The initiative comes as the Alabama Department of Corrections reports a total of 27 people — nine inmates and 18 staff members — tested positive for COVID-19 last week, more than four times the amount of cases reported the previous week. The department said no inmates have participated in the prison’s free vaccination program since July 23, and the vaccination rate for Alabama inmates inside correctional facilities is 62%.

“A confined correctional environment in which social distancing is challenging and all communicable diseases, to include COVID-19, spread more easily is — put simply — starkly different than a community environment,” department spokesperson Kristi Simpson told ABC News, adding that incarcerated people don’t have the “freedoms available to free citizens to ensure public safety.”

Along with this new initiative, Alabama correctional facilities have taken other measures to decrease infection rates, Simpson said, including restricting visitation and non-essential entry into facilities, quarantining new inmates and rescheduling non-emergency medical appointments.

Alabama isn’t the first state to offer incentives to incarcerated individuals. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision randomly selected vaccinated individuals to receive a care package valued up to $75 last month. In Pennsylvania, inmates were offered $25 in commissary credit.

Forrest Behne, policy director at the COVID Prison Project, an organization dedicated to tracking COVID-19 data and policy in correctional facilities, said that while incentives can help increase vaccination rates, the “high prioritization of vulnerable individuals and early vaccine distribution is really essential.”

“It’s not nothing. Right?” Behne told ABC News of the Alabama incentive, though he also noted that it’s “not as generous” as some other places. “We want to see as many people afforded the opportunity to take a vaccine as possible.”

Prisons aren’t the only entities in Alabama trying to incentivize its community to get the jab. Auburn University rolled out its own vaccination program, offering big-ticket items such as a $1,000 scholarship, priority class registration and a lunch for four with Auburn President Jay Gogue.

President Joe Biden endorsed offering incentives in a briefing last week, encouraging states to use federal COVID-19 relief funds to provide $100 payments to individuals who get vaccinated. States such as Ohio and New York have adopted this approach, but it’s unlikely Alabama will follow suit.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has continued to say there is no need for a statewide incentive program for all residents.

“Let’s focus on encouraging people, educating people about the benefits of taking the shot,” she said during a press conference last week. “That’s all we need to do.”

In a statement to ABC News, the Alabama Department of Corrections said it and its representatives “stand behind Governor Ivey and her statements.” When asked about the different approaches to increasing vaccination rates, the department added, “Governor Ivey recognizes that measures appropriate to advance the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine within a correctional environment are different than those most appropriate for the general population.”

Dr. Karen Landers, area health officer with the Alabama Department of Public Health, told ABC News the department is still researching available options for the use of federal funding to provide vaccination incentives.

According to the CDC, 34.3% of Alabama’s population is fully vaccinated and 43.2% have received one dose.

One year after Beirut blast, Lebanon suffering economic and political crises

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — One year after the blast that destroyed the port of Beirut and a large part of the city, the families of the dead are still looking for answers.

In the aftermath of the huge blast at a warehouse in the port of Beirut, where 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer which can also used as an explosive, had been left there for years, the authorities promised the results of an investigation within days. Instead, not only has the investigation barely advanced, the area around the port blast has barely been repaired, serving as a metaphor for the Lebanese capital’s recent woes.

At least 218 people were killed in what has been described as one of the largest non-nuclear blasts ever recorded, causing billions of dollars in damage. A report by Human Rights Watch published on Aug. 3 has pointed the finger at some government officials, saying some “foresaw the death that the ammonium nitrate’s presence in the port could result in and tacitly accepted the risk of the deaths occurring.”

The caretaker government issued a statement saying the report was “faulty” and “deviates from the truth.”

The country’s problems run far deeper than rebuilding the city, once nicknamed the “Paris of the Middle East.” According to the World Bank, Lebanon is in the midst of an economic crisis that ranks in the top 10, and possible the top three, experienced in any single country since the mid-1800s.

Last year Lebanon entered hyperinflation — and each week the Lebanese pound depreciates in value, leaving goods unaffordable for the once affluent middle class, which has now, according to experts, ceased to exist.

According to the World Bank data, overall poverty in Lebanon was estimated at 27% in 2011, before the Syrian Civil War. Now, however, more than half the population is living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. Over the past two years alone, the level of extreme poverty has risen threefold, according to the U.N. — and the price of food and drink has risen by 670%. That has left 1.5 million people in need of humanitarian and financial aid.

“For over a year, Lebanese authorities countered an assailment of compounded crises — namely, the country’s largest peace-time economic and financial crisis, COVID-19 and the Port of Beirut explosion — with deliberately inadequate policy responses,” according to the World Bank’s latest report in April 2021. “The inadequacy is less due to knowledge gaps and quality advice and more the result of a combination of (i) a lack of political consensus over effective policy initiatives; and (ii) political consensus in defense of a bankrupt economic system.”

The World Bank describes the collapse as a “deliberate depression,” and on the streets of Beirut Lebanese cannot hide their disdain for the ruling classes.

“This explosion was a disaster for all people,” Raghda Tawfik El-Ashry, 57, a clothes seller, told ABC News. “I was here when it happened, and I saw what nobody had seen. All my goods were damaged because the fire and the ashes fell on them. Where was the state?”

“They are all a bunch of criminals and it’s all about nepotism,” she said. “I won’t remain silent.”

The government, according to Maya Yahya, director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, a think tank, has created “no policy” since the Beirut blast. In the aftermath of the 1975-1990 Civil War, a political settlement was reached that has allowed sectarian groups and political actors to all be represented in government, “which basically took away oversight,” Yahya said.

“The militia heads [were allowed] to simply move into government positions,” she said. “They treated the state and its institutions as a war booty. They turned to state institutions into extensions of their own fiefdoms.”

That legacy has plagued the country to this day, she said, while political assassinations, beginning with the killing of Rafic Hariri in 2005, have become a regular feature of political life, she said.

“The message is quite clear. If you raise your voice too much, the threat of physical violence is an instrument we’re always ready to use,” she said.

Most families rely on backup fuel generators, medicine is increasingly scarce and long queues at gas stations are now a fact of daily life in the country.

Elie Jabbour, 24, a recent graduate with a civil engineering degree, told ABC News that of his class of 100, only two had gone on to find meaningful work, and around half at left the country. Each day comes a period, he said, there are hours without electricity, which has become a daily routine.

“We are fully relying on these generators, which are very toxic for the environment,” he told ABC News. “And they are they cannot stand this 24-hour supply of electricity. And this is affecting us since we are living in a [pandemic-induced] lockdown, kind of a lockdown. So our life is highly dependent on the Internet. And in the time where there’s no electricity, there’s no Internet, and there’s in this time, we cannot do anything.”

“[The Lebanese people] have lost hope,” he added. “They are trying to fight with whatever is remaining, they are losing money by the day and there’s no middle class anymore.”

Many young, educated Lebanese are now fleeing the country in search of “dignity,” Rani, a 25-year-old resident of Beirut, told ABC News. He is planning to join abroad.

“The situation right now in Lebanon is beyond horrendous,” he said. “We have multiple crises. We have the crisis of the pandemic, an economic crisis, an ethical crisis, a cultural crisis. Education is going down. Finding food — basic necessities — being able to supply yourself with basic necessities is growing more and more difficult.”

The decline has been rapid, although according to independent Lebanese economist Roy Badaro, can be attributed to decades of mismanagement from the political class. Particularly consequential was the pegging of the value of the Lebanese pound to the U.S. dollar, Badaro said, which hid the country’s structural imbalances and fiscal deficit.

“The demand is very high because of the crazy prices of the necessities,” Soha Zaiter, Head of the Lebanese Food Bank, told ABC News. “A lot of people lost their jobs in the crisis so they don’t have any income; on the other hand, for people that still have their jobs, the value of the salary is very low in comparison to the prices. People are in need of everything, literally everything. From the smallest things to the most important items, like milk, diapers, oil, rice.”

According to independent Lebanese economist Roy Badaro, Lebanon requires new leadership — a single unitary government that can navigate the competing interests of various groups, in order to pave the way out of the crisis.

“You have the Shia/Sunni problem. You have the Ottoman/Arab problem. You have the East and West issue. You have the Europeans and the U.S. All these interactions. I think that Lebanon suffers from that,” he told ABC News. “We need to be rowing in the same direction. At the moment we are in a boat where each oar is rowing in a different direction.”

COVID-19 live updates: Nearly 72,000 kids tested positive in US last week

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The United States is facing a COVID-19 surge this summer as the more contagious delta variant spreads.

More than 614,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and over 4.2 million people have died worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 58.2% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC last week, citing new science on the transmissibility of the delta variant, changed its mask guidance to now recommend everyone in areas with substantial or high levels of transmission — vaccinated or not — wear a face covering in public, indoor settings.

Here’s how the news is developing Wednesday. All times Eastern:

Aug 04, 10:01 am
WHO chief: No booster shots until at least end of September

The World Health Organization is calling for a moratorium on booster shots until more people from low-income countries have received a vaccine.

Low-income countries have only been able to administer 1.5 shots for every 100 people due to lack of supply, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said Wednesday.

A moratorium on boosters until at least the end of September will “enable at least 10% of the population of every country to be vaccinated,” he said.

Aug 04, 9:20 am
Alabama hospital sees deadliest day of pandemic

Four COVID-19 patients at Regional Medical Center in Anniston, Alabama — all unvaccinated — died within 24 hours, marking the hospital’s deadliest day of the pandemic, The Anniston Star reported.

As delta surges, patients are now getting sicker faster, a doctor at the hospital told the newspaper.

Only 28% of residents in Calhoun County are fully vaccinated, according to The Anniston Star.

Aug 04, 8:24 am
Obama to ‘significantly scale back’ 60th birthday party

Former President Barack Obama has decided to “significantly scale back” his 60th birthday party on Martha’s Vineyard due to the spread of the delta variant, according to a spokesperson. Hundreds of guests were expected to attend.

“This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with covid safeguards in place. Due to the new spread of the delta variant over the past week, the President and Mrs. Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends,” spokesperson Hannah Hankins said in a statement.

Obama’s office did not give a new estimate of how many guests will attend.

Former Cuomo aide Charlotte Bennett reacts to AG investigation findings: ‘He’s a danger’

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Charlotte Bennett, a former aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and one of the 11 women accusing him of sexual misconduct, is calling for the governor’s immediate impeachment.

“September is not soon enough,” Bennett, 25, said Wednesday on Good Morning America. “This needs to happen now. He’s a danger.”

On Aug. 3, a months-long probe by New York State Attorney General Letitia James found that Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, including current and former state employees. Following the announcement, Cuomo released a recorded video in which he denied any sexual misconduct and addressed Bennett directly.

“It wasn’t an apology and he didn’t take accountability for his actions,” Bennett said. “He blamed me and said that I simply misinterpreted what he had said.”

After working with the governor last year, Bennett lodged a harassment complaint, saying that the governor asked her inappropriate questions and made her feel uncomfortable.

“His line of questioning was not appropriate,” she said. “He was coming onto me and he insinuated that survivors of trauma and sexual assault can’t tell the difference between mentorship and leadership and sexual harassment itself — which is not only insulting to me but every survivor who listened to him yesterday.”

She added, “The victim blaming is not OK.”

Bennett’s complaint was the second of two sexual misconduct accusations against Cuomo at the time and it sparked the attorney general investigation. The first person to accuse Cuomo, Lindsey Boylan, tweeted her allegations in December 2020.

“I actually DM’ed her on Twitter and we had a private conversation in which I told her what I was experiencing and why I left public service earlier that same year,” Bennett said. “And, you know, when there are two women, there are more than two. We know from experience that it’s not just one person and that’s why we need to believe every woman who makes these allegations.”

After watching Cuomo’s response to the attorney general’s findings, Bennett said she felt “overwhelmed but mostly vindicated.”

“I had just listened to the New York State attorney general tell me and the 10 other women that we were believed … that was powerful and so much more important than anything the governor had to say,” she said.

Republicans face incomplete debate lineup, donor apathy in California recall race

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Ahead of a debate that’s missing a few key candidates, Republicans hoping to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom in September’s recall election have attracted relatively few sizable donations, according to data from the California secretary of state reviewed by ABC News.

The Richard Nixon Foundation, which is hosting the debate on Wednesday night, said in a news release that four candidates are participating: John Cox, Kevin Faulconer, Kevin Kiley and Doug Ose.

But Newsom did not reply to the foundation’s invitation, the group said, while deep-pocketed reality show star and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner and talk-show host Larry Elder have scheduling conflicts. The foundation said in a news release it would hold spots for Newsom, Jenner and Elder in case any decided to participate.

The foundation is also planning a debate for Aug. 23.

The debates are not the only challenges facing the candidates. Dan Schnur, a professor at the University of Southern California and a former chairman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, told ABC News that “the traditional Republican donor base doesn’t appear to be convinced yet that the recall is a viable exercise.”

But that could change due to recent polling showing “considerable grassroots support for recall,” he said.

Here’s what the Republican candidates invited to the debate have raised in large-dollar donations, according to data available on Tuesday:

John Cox: About $8.7 million across his 2021 and 2022 campaign committees — including roughly $7.6 million in monetary and non-monetary contributions and loans from himself — from at least 1,667 contributions
Kevin Faulconer: Approximately $3 million from at least 1,422 contributions
Larry Elder: About $990,000 from at least 574 contributions
Caitlyn Jenner: Approximately $747,000, from at least 1,581 contributions
Doug Ose: About $400,000 from at least 230 contributions
Kevin Kiley: Approximately $214,000 from at least 100 contributions

Only donations from an individual that add up to $100 or more are itemized in the data from the secretary of state, thus excluding those “small-dollar donations” in the donation counts.

Individuals donating to a gubernatorial candidate can give up to $32,400, according to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. According to the Federal Elections Commission, candidates have no limit when donating to themselves, but must still report those contributions.

Even if those numbers present an incomplete picture, as they only range from the start of 2021 to Tuesday and exclude the small-dollar donations, they still appear to be a relatively small number of donors for such a large state.

“The candidates … haven’t set the world on fire,” Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at the Carey Institute for Governmental Reform at Wagner College, told ABC News.

Regarding the candidates, Spivak noted that “there seems to be a wide disconnect between interest in Caitlyn Jenner from media and online sources and social media and voters.”

The California Republican Party is currently gearing up to vote on whether it can endorse a candidate at all, though it is expected to be approved. An endorsement from the state party may spur fundraising.

Newsom has criticized the recall as a partisan effort and waste of taxpayer money, but he “has his work cut out to raise Democratic interest in the recall vote. And if he fails on that front, an unusual off-year electorate might be just Republican-leaning enough to boot him out of office,” according to FiveThirtyEight.

Voters in the election will respond to two questions: do they want to recall Newsom; and if most voters elect to do so, who should be his replacement?

Republicans face incomplete debate lineup, donor apathy in California recall race

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The Richard Nixon Foundation, which is hosting the debate on Wednesday night, said in a news release that four candidates are participating: John Cox, Kevin Faulconer, Kevin Kiley and Doug Ose.

The foundation is also planning a debate for Aug. 23.

But that could change due to recent polling showing “considerable grassroots support for recall,” he said.

Here’s what the Republican candidates invited to the debate have raised in large-dollar donations, according to data available on Tuesday:

John Cox: About $8.7 million across his 2021 and 2022 campaign committees — including roughly $7.6 million in monetary and non-monetary contributions and loans from himself — from at least 1,667 contributions
Kevin Faulconer: Approximately $3 million from at least 1,422 contributions
Larry Elder: About $990,000 from at least 574 contributions
Caitlyn Jenner: Approximately $747,000, from at least 1,581 contributions
Doug Ose: About $400,000 from at least 230 contributions
Kevin Kiley: Approximately $214,000 from at least 100 contributions

Only donations from an individual that add up to $100 or more are itemized in the data from the secretary of state, thus excluding those “small-dollar donations” in the donation counts.

“The candidates … haven’t set the world on fire,” Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at the Carey Institute for Governmental Reform at Wagner College, told ABC News.

Regarding the candidates, Spivak noted that “there seems to be a wide disconnect between interest in Caitlyn Jenner from media and online sources and social media and voters.”

Voters in the election will respond to two questions: do they want to recall Newsom; and if most voters elect to do so, who should be his replacement?

Republicans face incomplete debate lineup, donor apathy in California recall race

August 4, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The Richard Nixon Foundation, which is hosting the debate on Wednesday night, said in a news release that four candidates are participating: John Cox, Kevin Faulconer, Kevin Kiley and Doug Ose.

The foundation is also planning a debate for Aug. 23.

But that could change due to recent polling showing “considerable grassroots support for recall,” he said.

Here’s what the Republican candidates invited to the debate have raised in large-dollar donations, according to data available on Tuesday:

John Cox: About $8.7 million across his 2021 and 2022 campaign committees — including roughly $7.6 million in monetary and non-monetary contributions and loans from himself — from at least 1,667 contributions
Kevin Faulconer: Approximately $3 million from at least 1,422 contributions
Larry Elder: About $990,000 from at least 574 contributions
Caitlyn Jenner: Approximately $747,000, from at least 1,581 contributions
Doug Ose: About $400,000 from at least 230 contributions
Kevin Kiley: Approximately $214,000 from at least 100 contributions

Only donations from an individual that add up to $100 or more are itemized in the data from the secretary of state, thus excluding those “small-dollar donations” in the donation counts.

“The candidates … haven’t set the world on fire,” Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at the Carey Institute for Governmental Reform at Wagner College, told ABC News.

Regarding the candidates, Spivak noted that “there seems to be a wide disconnect between interest in Caitlyn Jenner from media and online sources and social media and voters.”

Voters in the election will respond to two questions: do they want to recall Newsom; and if most voters elect to do so, who should be his replacement?

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