Naya Rivera search, Trump's tax returns, Berman's testimony: 5 things to know Thursday

Editors, USA TODAY
·5 min read

Search for actress Naya Rivera to resume Thursday morning

The search and rescue operation attempting to locate actress Naya Rivera after she disappeared from a rented boat in a California lake will resume early Thursday morning, the Ventura County Sheriff confirmed on Twitter late Wednesday. Rivera arrived at Lake Piru, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles, around 1 p.m. and rented a boat with her 4-year-old son, a spokesman for the sheriff's office said. Around 4 p.m., the boat was found with the boy inside but Rivera missing. Rivera is presumed drowned in the lake and a search is ongoing for her body, the spokesman said. Rivera started her career in entertainment at the age of 4, and is best known for playing Santana Lopez on the Fox musical dramedy "Glee," which ran from 2009 to 2015.

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Supreme Court decision on President Trump's tax returns expected

The Supreme Court will rule on President Trump’s attempt to keep his tax returns and other financial records away from congressional investigators and prosecutors on Thursday. Trump has refused to comply with subpoenas from three House committees controlled by Democrats, as well as Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., seeking information from his accounting firm and banks. The long-awaited decisions are important for several reasons: They could result in Trump's finances becoming public in the midst of his re-election campaign. They could redefine the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. And they could determine if a sitting president, unlike other citizens, is above the law.

Ousted prosecutor to testify before House committee

Geoffrey Berman, whose firing as head of the Justice Department's most prestigious office remains clouded with questions, will speak to lawmakers Thursday about the circumstances surrounding his ouster. He will testify behind closed-doors before the House Judiciary Committee, which has been investigating allegations of political interference within the DOJ. The testimony from Berman could raise further questions about the DOJ's independence from a White House that has purged watchdogs, whistleblowers and others seen as disloyal. Berman was fired last month after a clash with Attorney General William Barr, who had announced that Berman was stepping down to make way for Trump's new nominee to lead the Manhattan office. Berman, however, insisted he had no intention of resigning until the Senate confirms a nominee. Trump later fired Berman at Barr's urging.

Weekly jobless report may look similar to other recent reports

The Labor Department will release its weekly report on unemployment benefits Thursday and it could look similar to recent reports. The department reported 1.43 million people applied for unemployment benefits for the first time the week of June 21-27. That was the fourth consecutive week between 1.4 and 1.6 million workers filed new claims – considerably higher than before the coronavirus pandemic took hold on the U.S. The economists MarketWatch polled predict that 1.4 million new claims were filed the week of June 28-July 4. The news comes on the heels of last week's announcement that the U.S. economy added a record 4.8 million jobs in June as states continued to allow businesses shuttered by the virus to reopen and more Americans went back to work. But the comeback is likely to slow in the months ahead, economists say, with the recent spike in coronavirus cases being a significant factor.

Biden to deliver remarks at plant in Pennsylvania

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden plans to travel Thursday to Pennsylvania, where he will detail the first leg of an economic package that his aides pitch as a preview of policies he would pursue if he wins in November. He'll visit a metal works plant in Dunmore, according to local reports. Biden is expected to emphasize American manufacturing and labor policies, including how government can aim its buying power to bolster U.S. manufacturing. Biden's appearance will come a day after he released the proposed Democratic Party platform, which included recommendations that Biden embrace proposals to combat climate change and institutional racism while expanding health care coverage and rebuilding a coronavirus-ravaged economy. The policies came from task forces Biden formed with onetime rival Bernie Sanders as they sought to develop a road map to best defeat President Donald Trump.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Naya Rivera search, Trump's tax returns: 5 things to know Thursday