Pence's Biggest Test: a Break with Trump
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Did IRS send your stimulus Mystery of 604 unmarked Playoffs: check to wrong account? graves on Clemson campus A question Some Americans are surprised to discover the Professor works to identify Black people for all 14 NFL money isn’t where they expected. In Money who helped build the university. In News teams The first “Super Wild- Card Weekend,” as the league puts it, starts USA TODAY Saturday with three games, followed by three THE NATION'S NEWS | $2 | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021 on Sunday. In Sports TOM BRADY BY KIM KLEMENT/USA TODAY SPORTS CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Vaccine is on shelves but not in the arms US fails to deliver 2020 goal of 20 million doses Karen Weintraub USA TODAY If the pace of COVID-19 vaccine de- livery into people’s arms stays the way it has been for the past few weeks, it could take years rather than months to vaccinate Americans, and the out- break will continue to dominate lives. Federal officials overestimated the speed at which vaccines could be giv- en, making delivery a disappointment in an otherwise successful develop- ment effort. Doses have been distributed behind the government’s initial schedule – 15 million, instead of the 20 million doses promised to be delivered by the end of 2020. About 70% of those doses are sitting on pharmacy shelves, ac- cording to government data, and only Pence’s biggest test: about 14% of doses destined for nurs- ing home residents and caregivers have been injected. It’s not too late to turn the situation around, according to experts such as A break with Trump Kelly Moore, deputy director of the Im- munization Action Coalition, an edu- cation and advocacy group. VP in tough spot as Senate receives electoral votes The vice president’s constitutional To do so will require a host of im- role as presiding officer in the U.S. provements, including more money, Maureen Groppe The rules also may not matter to Senate means Mike Pence will additional staffing and greater experi- USA TODAY Trump’s supporters, some of whom ap- announce Joe Biden as winner of ence with vaccines shown to be safe parently believe Pence can do as he the presidential election. and effective but not so easy to use. WASHINGTON – Vice President wants. MEGAN VARNER/GETTY IMAGES Mike Pence began the Trump admini- “We need you to do the right thing See VACCINE, Page 4A stration tasked with investigating Don- Jan. 6!” a Trump supporter yelled at ald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims Pence during a rally Monday for the that millions of illegally cast ballots cost Senate runoff races in Georgia. him the popular vote in 2016. In addition to prevailing in the Elec- The “election integrity” commission toral College, Biden won the popular Pence headed quickly faded from view vote by more than 7 million votes. and disbanded months later after un- The Supreme Court twice refused to covering no evidence of widespread take up Trump-endorsed lawsuits that voter fraud. sought to overturn the results of the Now, Pence is ending Nov. 3 election. Federal and his tenure with an even A history major state courts dismissed bigger test of whether to Trump’s claims of voter support Trump’s spurious who reveres the fraud more than 60 times. election claims. Constitution, And recounts in Georgia and Protests began Tuesday in the capital ADRIA-JOI WATKINS VIA AP If he fulfills his consti- Wisconsin upheld Biden’s with thousands of pro-Trump and tutional role as presiding Pence is likely victories in those states. far-right demonstrators who will No charges in Wis. police officer of the Senate and hyperaware of Breaking with Trump continue to march Wednesday. More announces Wednesday could hurt Pence’s chances on Page 2A. JASPER COLT/USA TODAY shooting of Jacob Blake that President-elect Joe how history will of inheriting his mantle to Biden received more Elec- run for president himself in The decision by the Kenosha County toral College votes than judge his four years. district attorney subverts “the will of Live: Ga. Senate runoffs Trump, it will be the ever- But Pence – a history ma- the people,” Blake’s lawyer says. 3A actions. loyal Pence’s biggest jor who reveres the Constitu- decide balance of power break with Trump. tion and said he gets “chills” when he Unprecedented voter turnout in The law doesn’t give Pence the option visits Independence Hall – also has to Tuesday’s runoffs for two U.S. Senate of rejecting the state-certified results be hyperaware of how history will judge seats will determine whether when Congress convenes a joint session his actions. Republicans can hold onto power in to formally receive the count, which Even if Pence stays within the law, he QIJFAF-03005x(a)L ©COPYRIGHT 2021 Washington, or give Democrats USA TODAY, showed that Biden defeated Trump in will share with Trump the blame and control over both chambers of A division of Gannett Co., Inc. the Electoral College, 306-232. criticism for a manufactured crisis be- Congress and the White House. HOME DELIVERY That’s unlikely to matter to Trump, cause he did not counter the president’s Get the latest news and analysis from 1-800-872-0001, USATODAYSERVICE.COM who continues to argue without evi- disinformation campaign about wide- dence that he won the election – and to spread election fraud, said Timothy the USA TODAY Network’s coverage in falsely assert that Pence can unilateral- Naftali, a presidential historian at New Georgia, as well as live updates when ly reject electoral votes. York University. Congress begins counting Electoral “I hope Mike Pence comes through “It’s not enough to say President College votes on Wednesday, at Many will wait past for us,” Trump said at a rally in Georgia Trump has put Vice President Pence in a usatoday.com. their turn for vaccine Monday night. “He’s going to have a lot Americans on when they’ll get to say about it.” See PENCE, Page 2A the COVID-19 shot once it’s available to them: I’LL GET IT ASAP: 40% COVID-19 sparked flood of workplace lawsuits I’LL WAIT A BIT: OSHA received more ployees sued over disputes over work- cases as of mid-December. 44% place safety, how they’re paid while The lawsuits represent just the lead- than 9,000 complaints working from home, and family and ing edge of an even bigger wave that’s I’LL NEVER medical leave. expected this year, says Gerald Maat- GET IT: Paul Davidson In 2020, the pandemic led employees man Jr., a Seyfarth partner. Many were 15% USA TODAY to file 1,005 workplace lawsuits in state filed after employees were laid off dur- and federal courts, according to Chi- ing the pandemic, he says. The COVID-19 pandemic spawned cago-based law firm Seyfarth Shaw. “COVID is now a driver of filings and more than 1,000 workplace-related Another law firm, Littler Mendelson, is significantly impacting workplace SOURCE: ABC News/Ipsos survey lawsuits last year and drove a record based in San Francisco, says the figure AMY BARNETTE, BILL CAMPLING/USA TODAY number of class-action cases as em- was even higher. It estimated 1,425 such See LAWSUITS, Page 4A 2A ❚ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021 ❚ USA TODAY NEWS Trump supporters gather in DC President promises to “If you count the real votes, he won stir debate and draw out what would the election,” Swinney said, referring to otherwise be a procedural vote, their ef- address crowds at rallies an unproven claim that many votes for forts aren’t likely to change the results of Biden were illegal or cast late. “You’d the election. Ryan W. Miller and Trevor Hughes have to have your head in the sand to not Trump promised to attend the rallies USA TODAY know there was cheating going on.” Wednesday and promoted the events on Election security experts, state offi- Twitter. “I will be there. Historic day!” WASHINGTON – Crowds of Presi- cials, judges and independent observ- Trump tweeted Sunday, sharing a tweet dent Donald Trump’s supporters gath- ers across the USA have found no evi- from a rally organizer. ered Tuesday, a day before planned ral- dence of widespread voter fraud. D.C. authorities took precautions lies and protests likely to attract con- Swinney’s friend Marcus Wren, who against potential violence at the rallies. spiracy theorists and far-right waved a “Don’t Tread On Me” flag, said The Proud Boys, a far-right extremist extremists to the nation’s capital. patriots like them would keep Biden group, said members would attend, but Fervent Trump supporters are con- from taking office. Trump supporters gather in their plans may be complicated by their vening in D.C. this week to contest what “Enlightened patriots will stand up Washington on Tuesday, a day before chairman’s arrest Monday. they call a rigged election, despite a lack and say, ‘This will not stand,’ and they planned protests against the Electoral Enrique Tarrio was on a phone call of evidence of widespread voter fraud. will be forced to stop it,” said Wren, 67, College count in Congress certifying with a USA TODAY reporter when the The rallies coincide with a congression- who owns a bottled water company in Joe Biden’s win. TREVOR HUGHES/USA TODAY call was interrupted by sirens and he al vote to certify President-elect Joe Bi- Louisiana. “If someone doesn’t stand was arrested. He was charged with de- den’s win in the Electoral College on up, our republic will be gone.” struction of property in connection with Wednesday.