Reuters US Domestic News Summary
Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.
Pfizer says it has second doses of COVID-19 shot on hand, expects no U.S. supply problems
Pfizer Inc has been holding on to second doses for each of its COVID-19 vaccinations at the request of the federal government and anticipates no problems supplying them to Americans, a spokeswoman said in a statement on Friday. Pfizer's comments run counter to a report in the Washington Post that the federal government ran down its vaccine reserve in late December and has no remaining reserves of doses on hand.
Retired doctors and more syringes: Biden lays out plan to get America vaccinated
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Friday said he would order increased production of syringes and other supplies to ramp up vaccinations against COVID-19 and improve upon the Trump administration rollout that he called a "dismal failure." Under Biden's plan, federal disaster-relief workers would set up thousands of vaccination centers, where retired doctors would administer shots to teachers, grocery store workers, people over 65 years old and other groups who do not currently qualify.
As inauguration nears, law enforcement scrutiny drives U.S. extremists into internet's dark corners
Shortly after rampaging Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, a fan of the president posted a message on the pro-Donald Trump website TheDonald.win. Inspired by the mob's attempt to stop lawmakers from confirming President-elect Joe Biden's electoral win, user CONN_WYNN said in an all-caps message, replete with an expletive, that it was "TIME TO LEAVE THE KEYBOARD" and "FIGHT FOR MY...COUNTRY." Two days later, agents from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's San Francisco field office came calling, according to another post by CONN_WYNN on the same website.
National Rifle Association files for bankruptcy, seeking to escape New York lawsuit
The National Rifle Association on Friday filed for bankruptcy, a sudden development that could help the gun rights group escape a lawsuit by New York's attorney general seeking its dissolution. The NRA filed for Chapter 11 protection in federal bankruptcy court in Dallas, and said it plans to reincorporate in Texas to escape "a corrupt political and regulatory environment" in New York, where it is now incorporated.
U.S. urges immunity for Trump from rape accuser's lawsuit
The U.S. government on Friday said President Donald Trump should not be forced to defend against a defamation lawsuit by the author E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of raping her a quarter-century ago, and that it should be substituted as the defendant. In a filing with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, the Department of Justice said Trump qualified as a typical "employee of the government" entitled to immunity under federal law from Carroll's claims, and was also shielded because he spoke about her in his capacity as president.
Vaccine shortages arise across U.S., halting inoculations in some places
Scattered vaccine shortages cropped up on the frontlines of the U.S. battle against the coronavirus pandemic on Friday, prompting at least one large New York healthcare system to cancel a slew of appointments of people hoping to be inoculated.
The supply-chain blips arose as the country struggles to speed up the pace of vaccinations. Only 12.3 million doses have been administered, with only 10.6 million people having received at least one of the two required shots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Trump plans to depart Washington the morning of Inauguration Day: sources
President Donald Trump now plans to leave Washington on the morning of Inauguration Day next Wednesday after considering a departure on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday. Trump, who had already said he will not attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, is planning a ceremonial farewell at Joint Base Andrews, the base outside Washington where Air Force One is headquartered, the sources said.
Facebook blocks new events near key locations before U.S. inauguration
Facebook Inc said on Friday it was blocking the creation of any new Facebook events in close proximity to places such as the White House and U.S. Capitol in Washington, as well as state capitol buildings, through Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. In a blog post on Friday, the social media company also said it would conduct a review of all Facebook events related to the inauguration and take down events that violated its rules.
U.S. now says no evidence of 'kill capture teams' at U.S. Capitol
The top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. said on Friday there is no "direct evidence" to suggest that rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol had formed "kill capture teams." The comments by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin appeared to be an effort to walk back claims federal prosecutors in Arizona had made in a court filing late on Thursday, in which they alleged there was evidence that rioters intended "to capture and assassinate elected officials."
U.S. closing landmarks, announces vehicle checks in Washington for inauguration
The nation's capital on Friday continued to boost security by shutting down access to iconic landmarks and erecting vehicle checkpoints at a security perimeter surrounding central Washington ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's Jan. 20. inauguration. Presidential inaugurations are always tightly secure events with operations led by the U.S. Secret Service, but this year's measures have been amped up after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 in a bid to prevent the final certification of Biden's victory. Law enforcement officials have warned of threats and armed groups in all 50 states.
