10 things you need to know today: May 13, 2020

1. Fauci says states risk uncontrollable outbreaks if they reopen too soon

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday warned of unnecessary "suffering and death" if governors reopen state economies before implementing adequate safeguards against a renewed surge in coronavirus infections. "There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control," Fauci said, testifying by video before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Fauci and two of the other witnesses — Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Stephen Hahn, the head of the Food and Drug Administration — testified under self-quarantine after possible exposure to the virus. The hearing came as the U.S. death toll from the pandemic surpassed 82,000, with a total of nearly 1.4 million infections nationwide.

The Associated Press

2. House Democrats unveil new $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill

House Democrats on Tuesday released their latest proposed relief package to help stimulate the economy and support the health-care system during the coronavirus crisis. The proposal includes nearly $1 trillion in relief for state and local governments, and a second round of direct payments to Americans of $1,200 per individual and up to $6,000 per household. The bill also seeks to extend the $600-per-week federal unemployment insurance benefit, and provide $200 billion in hazard pay for essential workers who have been required to continue reporting to their jobs despite stay-at-home orders. Even if the legislation passes the House, it is expected to face a challenge in the Republican-led Senate due to its more than $3 trillion cost.

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CNBC

3. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Trump financial records cases

The Supreme Court on Tuesday began hearing three landmark cases involving President Trump's effort to fight subpoenas from the House and a New York prosecutor for Trump's income tax returns and other private financial records. The cases involve demands for access to records from Trump's accounting firm (Mazars USA) and two banks, Capital One and Deutsche Bank. Trump's lawyers argue that prosecutors have no constitutional right to demand his records while he is in office, and that lawmakers have no legitimate need for the material. The justices' questions suggested a split between the court's conservatives, wary of presidential "harassment," and liberals, who said presidents shouldn't be above the law. Any handover of documents could be delayed until after the 2020 presidential election if the high court decides lower courts must continue working on the cases.

The Washington Post

4. Judge puts DOJ move to dismiss Flynn guilty plea on hold

A federal judge on Tuesday held up the Justice Department's motion to drop charges against Michael Flynn, President Trump's first national security adviser. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said he expected independent groups and legal experts to challenge the Trump administration's determination that Flynn should never have been charged with lying to the FBI. Flynn pleaded guilty two and a half years ago to lying to federal agents, who were investigating Russia's election meddling, about his contacts with Russia's ambassador. He later tried to get out of his plea agreement, and the Justice Department last week took the highly irregular step of reversing its effort to uphold the plea. Critics have called that move politically motivated.

The Washington Post The New York Times

5. Democrats open door to remote voting at convention

The Democratic Party's rules committee on Tuesday opened the door to allowing remote voting at the party's presidential nominating convention as a safety measure during the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic National Committee is still waiting for further advice from public health experts on what other precautions to take to reduce the risk of infection during the event. The Democratic convention, which will be held in Milwaukee, already has been pushed back by a month due to the coronavirus crisis, with former Vice President Joe Biden as the presumptive nominee. It is now scheduled for the week of Aug. 17. President Trump has already said that the Republican convention will be held the following week as planned in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Reuters

6. California university system cancels in-person fall classes

California State University, the nation's largest four-year public university system, announced Tuesday that it was canceling in-person classes at its 23 campuses for the fall semester, and continuing offering courses online due to the coronavirus crisis. The California system is the first among major universities to decide against allowing students to return to campus this fall. Most U.S. colleges are working toward reopening while preparing backup plans for remote learning. Many schools already have financial troubles, and face possible tuition shortfalls if large numbers of students decide to take the semester off, or demand big tuition cuts. Experts say a $14 billion bailout Congress approved in the spring won't be enough to make up for tuition losses if enrollment drops sharply.

The New York Times

7. Republican leads Democrat in California special congressional election

Republican Mike Garcia led Democrat Christy Smith in preliminary results in a special congressional election in California's 25th district, north of Los Angeles. With about three-quarters of precincts reporting, Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot endorsed by President Trump, had 55.9 percent of the vote, while Smith, a longtime state legislator, had 44.1 percent. If Garcia's lead holds up, he will take the seat vacated last year by former Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.), who resigned after admitting to an inappropriate sexual relationship with a campaign staffer. Garcia would become the only Republican in Congress from a district that Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election with more than 50 percent of the vote. The winner will serve out Hill's term, and both candidates plan to run again in the fall.

Politico Reuters

8. Gunmen dressed as police kill 16 at Afghan hospital

Gunmen disguised as police officers killed 16 people Tuesday at a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. Two of the victims were newborn babies in the maternity clinic, which is run by the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders. On the same day, a suicide bomber attacked the funeral of a police commander in Nangahar province, killing at least 24 people and injuring 68. Islamic State Khorasan, the Afghan ISIS affiliate, claimed responsibility for the bombing, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the hospital attack in Kabul. President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attacks and ordered the military to start offensive actions to "thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned "the two horrific terrorist attacks" and said the Taliban had denied responsibility.

Reuters

9. April federal deficit reaches record $738 billion

The federal government on Tuesday reported a record $738 billion budget deficit in April, more than triple the previous monthly record of $235 billion set in February. The 12-month deficit widened to $1.94 trillion, nearly doubling compared to the 12 months through March. The gap widened after Congress passed a $2.3 trillion rescue package to help individuals and businesses get through the coronavirus crisis, which shut down much of the economy. April marked the first month reflecting the massive stimulus spending, which came as tax revenue fell. The federal government normally runs a surplus in April, as Americans send income tax payments by April 15, but this year the filing deadline was pushed back to July 15 because of the public-health crisis.

Reuters The Wall Street Journal

10. Disney to stream Hamilton this summer

Disney announced Tuesday that it would stream a filmed performance of Hamilton featuring the original Broadway cast on Disney+ this summer. The entertainment giant said earlier in 2020 that it would release a Hamilton performance that was recorded back in 2016 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, but the original plan was to screen it in theaters in October 2021. Disney said Tuesday in a surprise announcement that it would stream the performance on Disney+ on July 3. Disney has said this Hamilton movie will combine "the best elements of live theater and film." Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger told Good Morning America on Tuesday that "in these times, to tell a story of people uniting together against forces of adversity I think is quite relevant and actually quite important." The company reportedly paid $75 million for the worldwide rights.

Good Morning America Deadline