PBS News Hour - Politics

Can states punish presidential electors for bucking a pledge to vote for their state's winner? That was the question at the heart of Wednesday's Supreme Court arguments, held once again by phone. Some states sought to invalidate the votes of these so-called "faithless electors" after the 2016 election. The electors sued, and the case has major implications for the next election. John Yang reports.

On Tuesday, top U.S. public health officials testified virtually about the coronavirus pandemic before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is one of two medical doctors within the group. He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss strategy for COVID-19 testing, Dr. Anthony Fauci and why he is now "more confident" about the crisis response.

As more states lift restrictions put in place to slow the coronavirus, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is hearing from health officials on the pandemic response. One of the country's earliest outbreaks of COVID-19 was in Washington state. Its senior senator, Patty Murray, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss her concern about lack of transparency in testing for the virus.

In our news wrap Tuesday, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, disputed President Trump's claims that anyone in the U.S. can get tested for COVID-19. The former vice president charged that Trump has demonstrated "needless complacency" in his response to the crisis. Also, in Moscow, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin has been hospitalized with the coronavirus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed over 80,000 people and infected more than 1.3 million in the U.S. -- including some in the White House, where several officials are isolating after possible exposure. But the movement to lift restrictions is gaining steam, even though health experts say testing is still not adequate. Yamiche Alcindor reports and joins Judy Woodruff and William Brangham to discuss.

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including how the spread of COVID-19 inside the White House complicates the administration's pandemic messaging, whether Americans will feel safe returning to work and what voting looks like during the pandemic.

With just six months until November's presidential election, states across the U.S. are trying to determine how to safely collect and count ballots during a national health emergency. And while there is a patchwork of coronavirus election plans, dozens of states allow mail-in ballots or absentee voting. But some states are more restrictive than others. NewsHour Weekend's Christopher Booker reports.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including the Department of Justice's request to throw out the case against Michael Flynn, the politicization of American government institutions and how President Trump's reelection ambition is driving his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two and a half years after former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contact with Russian officials, the Justice Department has asked a federal judge to drop the case against him. Judy Woodruff talks to Neal Katyal, who was acting solicitor general in the Obama administration, and Brett Tolman, a former U.S. attorney for the district of Utah.

Congress is divided over whether the next coronavirus relief bill should fund cities and states reeling from the economic impact of the pandemic. Democrats and some Republicans cite governors and mayors who say aid is needed to stave off additional layoffs, but Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others call such funding "Blue State Bailouts." Here's what some state and municipal workers think.