The Topline

The confluence of the top two news stories—the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests—brings into sharper focus the disparities in how COVID-19 affects people of color. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have braved the virus risks to march for equality, and the daunting reality is that the communities fighting for justice also disproportionately face the greatest danger from the virus. Though COVID-19 cases have declined in initial hotspots like New York City, they're still on the rise in many states, including populous states such as Texas and Arizona. We can only hope that the fresh air, the warm weather, and the masks that many (if not most) are wearing will keep the viral spread to a minimum among protesters. Stay safe, everyone. —Mindy Finn

Top Ten

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1. The return of the MAGA rally

Trump-supporters will be breaking out the red MAGA hats soon, because President Trump is going back on the road in the next two weeks to resume his raucous campaign rallies. It marks a major turning point in the coronavirus pandemic, as traditional campaigning has all but ceased since March due to state lockdowns. While Trump is likely to face blowback for resuming in-person events while the pandemic is still ravaging the country, his advisers contend that the recent massive protests will make it harder for critics to denounce the decision. Trump's advisers are still determining where the rallies will take place and what, if any, safety measures will be implemented. —Politico More: The secret plan to unwithdraw from the WHO after Trump’s "bizarre," "ruinous" exit (Vanity Fair)

2. Policing may get a national overhaul

As George Floyd is laid to rest today, lawmakers are pursuing legislation that could prevent similar tragedies in the future. Yesterday, Congressional Democrats unveiled a bill aimed at police reform, making it easier to prosecute officers for misconduct, collect national data, establish new training programs to counter racial bias, and mandate the use of dashboard and body cameras. The legislation was assembled by the Congressional Black Caucus and backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Senate Republicans have indicated they are open to discussing legislation governing police practices. The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to hold a hearing on June 16 on Floyd's death. More: Attorney General William Barr contradicts Trump's claim that he was taken to the White House bunker for an 'inspection' during protests over police brutality (Business Insider)

3. Sloan: What happens next to the economy?

"It's been a great 10 weeks for people who own U.S. stocks. The market rose about 45% in the 53 trading days from its March 23 low through Monday, adding almost 9,000 points to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and more than $11 trillion in value to the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index. This enormous positive run has prompted cheerful predictions that the stock market is telling us that better days are near at hand, despite more than 109,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic; tens of millions of recently unemployed people, last month's reported employment gain notwithstanding; civil unrest in cities and towns throughout the country; and political and social divisiveness, which I suspect may be our country's biggest problem of all." —The Washington Post

More: Recession in US began in February, official arbiter says (The Wall Street Journal)

4. Is Georgia a November preview?

Voting in Georgia's primary election is proving to be difficult today. Polling locations didn't open on time; lines snaked out doors and around buildings; and in at least four counties, there were no working voting machines in the first hour. The state also rolled out new ballot-marking devices, replacing the state's "insecure and unreliable" paperless electronic voting system, and election security experts are concerned that officials weren't sufficiently trained on them—demonstrating the importance of time and preparedness. —The Washington Post More: Iowa legislature advances felon voting rights, but with expensive caveat (The Fulcrum)

"[M]oving elections to the internet poses huge risks that the U.S. is unprepared to handle—endangering voters' privacy, the secrecy of the ballot, and even the trustworthiness of the results. The problems: The internet is riddled with security flaws that hackers can exploit. So are voters' computers, smartphones, and tablets. And the U.S. has never developed a centralized digital identity system like the one in Estonia, a tiny, digitally savvy nation that has held its elections online since 2005. ...

In fact, it may be a decade or more before the U.S. can safely entrust the internet with the selection of its lawmakers and presidents, according to some experts. Still, a handful of states are pushing ahead, with the encouragement of one politically connected tech entrepreneur—and the tempting logic of the question, 'If we can bank online, why can't we vote the same way?'" —Politico

More: Study finds vulnerabilities in online voting tool used by several states (The Hill)
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6. New Trump appointee has bigoted past

Merritt Corrigan, the new Trump appointee as deputy White House liaison at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has made a series of controversial online remarks. A former Republican National Committee staffer, she once claimed the country was under the control of a "homo-empire" that enforced a "tyrannical LGBT agenda."

8. Russia recruiting Syrians to fight in Libya

Russia is staying busy projecting military power and staying involved in regional conflicts across the Mediterranean. A Russian state-backed private military contractor, the Wagner Group, is now recruiting hundreds of Syrians to fight in Libya's civil war.

10. An American Story: A reunion amid pandemic

When nurse Deirdre Taylor was four years old, firefighter Eugene Pugliese saved her life when he rescued her from a burning apartment building. For years, Taylor has kept the New York Daily News article from Dec. 30, 1983, in hopes that she would one day get to meet Pugliese and thank him. Ed. Note: We are spotlighting ways that Americans are helping each other through the coronavirus crisis and recent unrest. Would you like to suggest an "American Story" from your local news? If so, please forward a link to the story to [email protected]. Thank you!
What's Your Take?

Immediately convene Congress and impeach Trump for abuse of power and violation of civil rights for his abuse of citizens. —Aurelio P., California

So how do you get through to Evangelicals who hold Trump in the same regard as Christ? They seem to have lost their moral compass. I don't believe they can be reached unless it affects their lives directly. —Jim M., North Carolina

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Got feedback about THE TOPLINE? Send it to Melissa Amour, Managing Editor, at [email protected].

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