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Good morning, Portland! If you woke up and saw an eerily familiar haze outside your window, don't panic—it's probably fog, not wildfire smoke, and it should clear up soon!
Here are the headlines.
• After the sobering death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, a lot of things—including the Affordable Care Act, abortion rights, DACA, and trans rights—are now in danger of being struck down by a more conservative Supreme Court. Donald Trump plans to introduce a new Supreme Court nominee on Friday or Saturday, though at least a couple moderate Republican senators have said they'd rather wait until after the presidential election. (If enough Republicans grow a spine, Trump won't have the majority of votes for his nominee.)
But of course, Trump is determined to go full steam ahead, and will stop at nothing to get there:
Trump on RBG's reported dying wish that next pres fills her seat: "I don't know that she said that, or was that written out by Adam Schiff and Schumer and Pelosi. I would be more inclined to the second ... But that sounds like a Schumer deal or maybe a Pelosi or Shifty Schiff." pic.twitter.com/zE979kK2Q3
— The Recount (@therecount) September 21, 2020
• According to a new report from the Washington Post, American doctors and nurses still don't have reliable access to N95 masks—even though we're more than six months into the pandemic.
• After taking a brief hiatus due to the hazardous wildfire smoke, protests against racial injustice and police brutality have started back up again in Portland. Last night, protesters staged a sit-in at a Portland house where the Black-Indigenous residents are at danger of being evicted.
• Oregon continues to make progress on beating back the devastating wildfires that have been plaguing our state. As of this morning, the Clackamas County fire is 25 percent contained.
• Fantastic:
Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s top pick, believes a “legal career is but a means to an end…and that end is building the Kingdom of God."
I’m a Christian but this is terrifying
RT if you care about the separation of church and state 🚨https://t.co/eZ7fnUF7kb
— Lindy Li (@lindyli) September 20, 2020
• In case you missed it: The Portland City Council race between Mingus Mapps and Commissioner Chloe Eudaly got a key endorsement last week—in Mapps' favor.
• A head's up to all my 'Couv heads: The northbound portion of the Interstate Bridge is closed for construction through this Sunday, September 27.
Today is the first weekday morning rush hour during the I-5 bridge trunnion project. pic.twitter.com/dzQFfmAK3q
— Anthony Macuk (@anthonymacuk) September 21, 2020
• A socially distanced Emmys—in other words, a Zoom party full of theater kids—were held last night. Succession, an exceedingly relevant HBO show, won best drama series, while the beloved Schitt's Creek took home the trophy for best comedy series.
• We'll close out today's post with some footage from Ginsburg's 1993 Senate confirmation hearing, which showcases her sharp legal mind, keen sense of humor, and passion for doing the right thing. Brett Kavanaugh could never!