WHAT'S BREWING
SCHUMER HAD 'LONG AND SERIOUS TALK' WITH DIANNE FEINSTEIN Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he had a “long and serious” conversation with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) after progressive groups decried her meek performance at last week’s confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called the hearings “one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in” and at one point credited Barrett for her testimony, undercutting Democrats’ attempts to portray the hearings as a “sham” being rushed by Republicans on the eve of the upcoming presidential election. [HuffPost]
DOJ THROWS THE BOOK AT GOOGLE The Justice Department and 11 states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet Inc.’s Google on Tuesday for allegedly breaking the law in using its market power to fend off rivals. Google, which had revenue of $162 billion in 2019 -- more than the nation of Hungary -- didn't respond. Coming just days before the U.S. presidential election, the filing’s timing could be seen as a political gesture since it fulfills a promise made by Trump to his supporters to hold certain companies to account for allegedly stifling conservative voices. [Reuters]
TRUMP'S BILLION-DOLLAR CAMPAIGN GETS IT ALL WRONG Trump’s sprawling political operation has raised well over $1 billion since he took the White House in 2017 — and set a lot of it on fire. Trump bought a $10 million Super Bowl ad when he didn’t yet have a challenger. He tapped his political organization to cover exorbitant legal fees related to his impeachment. Aides made flashy displays of their newfound wealth. Now, just two weeks out from the election, GOP pollster Frank Luntz said Trump and his team are emphasizing all the wrong issues, calling the political campaign the worst he’s ever seen. [AP]
IF TRUMP LOSES, HE MAY GO TO PRISON Trump’s activities in recent years ― from paying hush money to a porn star to his claiming of a massive tax refund to obstructing an investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia ― combined with a ticking statute of limitations clock potentially make Election Day far more consequential for him than it had been for his predecessors. If Trump wins a second term, the time limit for starting a prosecution would run out in the next four years for a number of those activities, given Justice Department guidelines not to prosecute a sitting president. If Trump loses, indictments could quickly follow. [HuffPost]
NEW BILL SEEKS TO REDUCE POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS Four years ago, the neighbors of 66-year-old Deborah Danner, a Black woman with schizophrenia, called the police to report that she had been behaving erratically. Minutes after arriving at her New York City apartment, a police officer fatally shot Donner. The officer claimed he acted in self-defense and was acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges. A new bill introduced by Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) seeks to reduce the risk disabled people may face in police encounters by allowing trained mental health professionals to respond to such calls instead of law enforcement. [HuffPost]
EPSILON STRENGTHENS TO HURRICANE Epsilon has strengthened into a hurricane, the 10th of the Atlantic season, as it approaches Bermuda. Epsilon is expected to make its closest approach to the island on Thursday night, and there is a risk of a direct impact, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Bermuda and residents have been urged to closely monitor the storm. The Miami-based hurricane center said Epsilon had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and was located about 545 miles east-southeast of Bermuda as of 11 p.m. [AP] | 
