thedailycaller--2020-06-20--FACT CHECK: Does This Photo Show A ‘Fight To Win’ Banner China Put Up In Ladakh?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a “ Fight to Win ” banner that China recently set up in the Indian-controlled territory of Ladakh in Kashmir .
The photo is more than 7 years old , and the banner was put up by Indian military personnel .
Social media users shared the photo of the “ Fight to Win ” banner amid recent tensions along the China-India border in the disputed Ladakh region .
Thousands of soldiers from China and India have faced off with each other in Ladakh ’ s Galwan Valley in recent weeks , with at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 16 confrontation , BBC News reported .
The image ’ s Facebook caption , which vaguely mimics the style of a breaking news alert , alleges that recently “ China # installed this banner in # Ladakh.
” The photo has also been shared on Twitter with similar claims .
( RELATED : Has India ’ s Government Banned People From Posting About COVID-19 On Social Media ? )
However , the photo isn ’ t recent , and China didn ’ t erect the banner pictured in it .
In October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the photo , which can be found on Getty Images .
It shows a banner put up by the Indian military in the disputed region , according to its caption .
“ An Indian Military banner post is seen on the road to Pangong Lake on October 5 , 2012 near to Leh , Ladakh , India , ” reads the caption .
“ Ladakh , nestled between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south , was once an ancient Buddhist Kingdom and for over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military outpost for India .
Ladakh , sharing borders with both China and Pakistan , has seen an increase in tourism over the last few years , an alternative to Nepali Himalayan treks .
”

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a “Fight to Win” banner that China recently set up in the Indian-controlled territory of Ladakh in Kashmir.
Verdict: False
The photo is more than 7 years old, and the banner was put up by Indian military personnel.
Fact Check:
Social media users shared the photo of the “Fight to Win” banner amid recent tensions along the China-India border in the disputed Ladakh region. Thousands of soldiers from China and India have faced off with each other in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in recent weeks, with at least 20 Indian soldiers dying in a June 16 confrontation, BBC News reported.
The image’s Facebook caption, which vaguely mimics the style of a breaking news alert, alleges that recently “China #installed this banner in #Ladakh.” The photo has also been shared on Twitter with similar claims. (RELATED: Has India’s Government Banned People From Posting About COVID-19 On Social Media?)
However, the photo isn’t recent, and China didn’t erect the banner pictured in it. In October 2012, Australian photographer Daniel Berehulak took the photo, which can be found on Getty Images. It shows a banner put up by the Indian military in the disputed region, according to its caption.
“An Indian Military banner post is seen on the road to Pangong Lake on October 5, 2012 near to Leh, Ladakh, India,” reads the caption. “Ladakh, nestled between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, was once an ancient Buddhist Kingdom and for over half a century now, a strategic military outpost for India. Ladakh, sharing borders with both China and Pakistan, has seen an increase in tourism over the last few years, an alternative to Nepali Himalayan treks.”


thedailycaller--2020-06-20--Seattle Police Say They Were Met With Resistance After Responding To Shooting That Left One Dead In

Seattle Police Say They Were Met With Resistance After Responding To Shooting That Left One Dead In ‘CHAZ’

At least two people were shot leading to one fatality inside Seattle ’ s “ Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone ” early Saturday morning , according to numerous reports .
The shooting was confirmed by police to Newsweek Saturday , the publication reported .
No further details were given by police , although a press release was issued Saturday morning confirming that the incident is a homicide investigation .
“ Homicide detectives are investigating following a fatal shooting that occurred early Saturday morning at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street , ” the Seattle Police Department ’ s Public Affairs office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deceased at the hospital and another male is being treated for life-threatening injuries.
” Officers responded to reports of gunfire early Saturday morning within CHAZ , which is a no-cop zone .
Police “ attempted to locate a shooting victim but were met by a violent crowd that prevented officers safe access to the victims , ” the department wrote .
Seattle Fire also reportedly arrived to help with treatment , but the victims had already been taken out of the area , according to the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog .
( RELATED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CHAZ Cause Angry Mob To Descend On Small Business ) “ Officers were later informed that the victims , both males , had been transported to Harborview Medical Center by CHOP medics , ” according to the announcement .
The victims were reportedly transported to a medical center by volunteers , according to the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog .
A spokeswoman confirmed to the Seattle Times that Harborview Medical Center had treated two unnamed gunshot victims .
The suspect or suspects are still at large and there is no description available yet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded and are conducting a thorough investigation , despite the challenges presented by the circumstances , ” police added .

At least two people were shot leading to one fatality inside Seattle’s “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” early Saturday morning, according to numerous reports.
The shooting was confirmed by police to Newsweek Saturday, the publication reported. No further details were given by police, although a press release was issued Saturday morning confirming that the incident is a homicide investigation.
“Homicide detectives are investigating following a fatal shooting that occurred early Saturday morning at 10th Avenue and East Pine Street,” the Seattle Police Department’s Public Affairs office wrote. “One man was declared deceased at the hospital and another male is being treated for life-threatening injuries.”
Officers responded to reports of gunfire early Saturday morning within CHAZ, which is a no-cop zone. Police “attempted to locate a shooting victim but were met by a violent crowd that prevented officers safe access to the victims,” the department wrote.
Updated information on overnight homicide inside protest zone. https://t.co/AcmOeR06ZW — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) June 20, 2020
Seattle Fire also reportedly arrived to help with treatment, but the victims had already been taken out of the area, according to the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS: False Reports Inside CHAZ Cause Angry Mob To Descend On Small Business)
“Officers were later informed that the victims, both males, had been transported to Harborview Medical Center by CHOP medics,” according to the announcement.
The victims were reportedly transported to a medical center by volunteers, according to the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. A spokeswoman confirmed to the Seattle Times that Harborview Medical Center had treated two unnamed gunshot victims.
The suspect or suspects are still at large and there is no description available yet, according to police.
“Homicide detectives responded and are conducting a thorough investigation, despite the challenges presented by the circumstances,” police added.


thedailycaller--2020-06-20--FACT CHECK: Viral Image Claims To Show Maryland’s Guidelines For Celebrating The Fourth Of July

An image shared on Facebook shows safety guidelines , purportedly issued by the Maryland government , for the Fourth of July this year .
No such restrictions are in place .
The Maryland State Fire Marshal debunked the claim on Twitter .
States have been gradually reopening their economies , allowing non-essential business to open to the public under certain guidelines and allowing gatherings of people , the New York Times reported .
( RELATED : Viral Image Claims Kentucky Teachers Will Conduct ‘ Bedroom Inspections ’ For Students ) The image , which has been shared more than 2,900 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ document outlining Independence Day restrictions such as limiting citizens to only two sprinklers and allowing citizens 30 minutes outside to celebrate .
It bears the signature of Democratic Gov .
Larry Hogan and Lt. Gov .
Boyd Rutherford .
“ Social Distancing must be practiced as always , for safety purposes , ” the alleged guidelines further state .
“ Hugging , kissing or touching of any kind will not be permitted .
Failure to comply may result in multiple fines up to $ 1,200 to be assessed per occurrence.
” No official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Maryland government website .
In fact , the website Visit Maryland , which operates under the Maryland ’ s tourism office , has compiled a list of various Independence Day celebrations being held throughout the state .
Many of these celebrations include fireworks and being outside , two of the things restricted in the alleged guidelines .
The Maryland State Fire Marshal also debunked the claim on Twitter .
“ STATE FIRE MARSHAL WARNS OF FICTITOUS ONLINE FIREWORKS POSTER – The OSFM is asking citizens to be aware of a fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” reads the tweet .
The tweet links to an official statement from the Fire Marshal ’ s office .
“ This poster is simply fake and was produced without the authority of the Governor ’ s Office or the Office of the State Fire Marshal , ” reads the statement .
“ We would not direct citizens on a specific time to be outside and recommend the latest CDC guidelines on how to properly socially distance .
”

An image shared on Facebook shows safety guidelines, purportedly issued by the Maryland government, for the Fourth of July this year.
Verdict: False
No such restrictions are in place. The Maryland State Fire Marshal debunked the claim on Twitter.
Fact Check:
States have been gradually reopening their economies, allowing non-essential business to open to the public under certain guidelines and allowing gatherings of people, the New York Times reported. (RELATED: Viral Image Claims Kentucky Teachers Will Conduct ‘Bedroom Inspections’ For Students)
The image, which has been shared more than 2,900 times, appears to be a government document outlining Independence Day restrictions such as limiting citizens to only two sprinklers and allowing citizens 30 minutes outside to celebrate. It bears the signature of Democratic Gov. Larry Hogan and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford.
“Social Distancing must be practiced as always, for safety purposes,” the alleged guidelines further state. “Hugging, kissing or touching of any kind will not be permitted. Failure to comply may result in multiple fines up to $1,200 to be assessed per occurrence.”
No official guidelines detailing such restrictions could be found on the Maryland government website. In fact, the website Visit Maryland, which operates under the Maryland’s tourism office, has compiled a list of various Independence Day celebrations being held throughout the state. Many of these celebrations include fireworks and being outside, two of the things restricted in the alleged guidelines.
The Maryland State Fire Marshal also debunked the claim on Twitter.
STATE FIRE MARSHAL WARNS OF FICTITOUS ONLINE FIREWORKS POSTER – The OSFM is asking citizens to be aware of a fake online information about Independence Day celebrations – https://t.co/M7Iru9Bb1w pic.twitter.com/EM9SjSURin — Maryland State Fire Marshal (@MarylandOSFM) June 16, 2020
“STATE FIRE MARSHAL WARNS OF FICTITOUS ONLINE FIREWORKS POSTER – The OSFM is asking citizens to be aware of a fake online information about Independence Day celebrations,” reads the tweet.
The tweet links to an official statement from the Fire Marshal’s office.
“This poster is simply fake and was produced without the authority of the Governor’s Office or the Office of the State Fire Marshal,” reads the statement. “We would not direct citizens on a specific time to be outside and recommend the latest CDC guidelines on how to properly socially distance.”


thedailycaller--2020-06-20--REPORT: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have Multiple Players With Coronavirus

Multiple members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reportedly have coronavirus .
According to ESPN ’ s Adam Schefter , “ at least two ” players on the team have tested positive for the virus .
A coach on the team already tested positive .
( RELATED : David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football ) The virus is already hammering college football locker rooms across America , and now it ’ s making its way around the NFL .
Hopefully , the league is ready to handle the pandemic because I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the last team with positive tests .
Luckily for the NFL , the league has more than enough resources to make sure players are kept safe and get proper medical attention .
The key is to isolate anyone who is sick , keep them away from the rest of the team and everything else should be fine .
The last thing these teams need is an infected player spreading it to the rest of the team .
Let ’ s all hope the Bucs have the situation under control .
Keep checking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world of football when we have them .

Multiple members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reportedly have coronavirus.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “at least two” players on the team have tested positive for the virus. A coach on the team already tested positive. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
At least two Buccaneers’ players now have tested positive for COVID-19, per sources. Earlier this week one Buccaneers’ coach tested positive and two other assistants were quarantined. So add Tampa to the growing list of teams and schools with positive COVID-19 tests. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 20, 2020
The virus is already hammering college football locker rooms across America, and now it’s making its way around the NFL.
Hopefully, the league is ready to handle the pandemic because I can promise you the Buccaneers won’t be the last team with positive tests.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@buccaneers) on Mar 31, 2020 at 10:08am PDT
Luckily for the NFL, the league has more than enough resources to make sure players are kept safe and get proper medical attention.
The key is to isolate anyone who is sick, keep them away from the rest of the team and everything else should be fine.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@buccaneers) on Mar 26, 2020 at 6:13am PDT
The last thing these teams need is an infected player spreading it to the rest of the team. Let’s all hope the Bucs have the situation under control. Keep checking back for more coronavirus updates in the world of football when we have them.


thedailycaller--2020-06-20--Black Bears Climb A Tree With Hunters Sitting In It

A video of black bears running up a tree is making the rounds online .
Barstool Sports tweeted a video of two black bears running up into a tree that had two hunters sitting in it .
At one point , a bear is literally staring one of the hunters down .
( SLIDESHOW : These Women On Instagram Hate Wearing Clothes ) Give it a watch below .
It ’ s pretty incredible .
( SLIDESHOW : 142 Times Josephine Skriver Barely Wore Anything ) Honestly , I don ’ t know much about bears , but I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good thing when a bear of any kind is in your grill .
( SLIDESHOW : 71 Times Samantha Hoopes Stripped Down ) Now , would it be substantially worse if it was a grizzly ?
Sure , but it ’ s still not ideal to have a black bear staring you down .
( SLIDESHOW : This Blonde Bombshell Might Be The Hottest Model On The Internet ) What do you even do in that situation ?
What do you do if a bear decides it wants to get in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( SLIDESHOW : 60 Times Abigail Ratchford Wore Almost Nothing ) I ’ m honestly not sure .
I feel like touching it is a really bad idea .
That seems like a great way to get yourself into some hot water .
Luckily , the bears just left .
What a wild and crazy moment !

A video of black bears running up a tree is making the rounds online.
Barstool Sports tweeted a video of two black bears running up into a tree that had two hunters sitting in it. At one point, a bear is literally staring one of the hunters down. (SLIDESHOW: These Women On Instagram Hate Wearing Clothes)
Give it a watch below. It’s pretty incredible. (SLIDESHOW: 142 Times Josephine Skriver Barely Wore Anything)
At that moment they all shit their pants @stooloutdoors pic.twitter.com/XxYMM2MLiC — Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 20, 2020
Honestly, I don’t know much about bears, but I’m pretty sure it’s never a good thing when a bear of any kind is in your grill. (SLIDESHOW: 71 Times Samantha Hoopes Stripped Down)
Now, would it be substantially worse if it was a grizzly? Sure, but it’s still not ideal to have a black bear staring you down. (SLIDESHOW: This Blonde Bombshell Might Be The Hottest Model On The Internet)
What do you even do in that situation? What do you do if a bear decides it wants to get in your tree and have a staring contest? (SLIDESHOW: 60 Times Abigail Ratchford Wore Almost Nothing)
I’m honestly not sure. I feel like touching it is a really bad idea. That seems like a great way to get yourself into some hot water.
Luckily, the bears just left. What a wild and crazy moment!


thedailycaller--2020-06-20--Ulysses S. Grant, Francis Scott Key Statues Pulled Down By Protesters In San Francisco

Protesters tore down the statues of Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Francis Scott Key Friday in San Francisco .
Grant , who led the Union army into battle against the Confederacy , and Scott Key , who wrote America ’ s national anthem , are just two of the latest statues to be ripped down by protesters on the Juneteenth holiday that marks the 155th anniversary since a federal order to liberate slaves reached Galveston , Texas , almost two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation .
Even though Grant is widely celebrated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the war that brought an end to slavery in the United States , some critics have pointed to his ownership of a slave for about one year as a result of his marriage , despite the future president reportedly working alongside him in the fields and setting him free before the Civil War began .
( RELATED : ‘ Not Doing Their Job ’ : Trump Criticizes DC Police As Confederate Statue Gets Toppled Right Outside Their Headquarters ) “ Whether or not Grant wasn ’ t a ‘ slavery man ’ by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ William Jones , ” Sean Kane , interpretations and programs specialist at The American Civil War Museum , wrote in an article .
“ He does not mention Jones in his memoirs or other writings , so the exact nature of their relationship remains a mystery.
” Many on Twitter pushed back against the toppling of Grant ’ s statue .
Key ’ s statue in Golden Gate Park was also brought down on Friday .
After witnessing an American flag being hoisted following a victory over the British during the Battle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Key was inspired to write a poem that eventually became the Star-Spangled Banner , also known as America ’ s national anthem .

Protesters tore down the statues of Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Francis Scott Key Friday in San Francisco.
Grant, who led the Union army into battle against the Confederacy, and Scott Key, who wrote America’s national anthem, are just two of the latest statues to be ripped down by protesters on the Juneteenth holiday that marks the 155th anniversary since a federal order to liberate slaves reached Galveston, Texas, almost two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
Even though Grant is widely celebrated as the general who led the Union into the war that brought an end to slavery in the United States, some critics have pointed to his ownership of a slave for about one year as a result of his marriage, despite the future president reportedly working alongside him in the fields and setting him free before the Civil War began. (RELATED: ‘Not Doing Their Job’: Trump Criticizes DC Police As Confederate Statue Gets Toppled Right Outside Their Headquarters)
“Whether or not Grant wasn’t a ‘slavery man’ by inclination, we know he briefly owned William Jones,” Sean Kane, interpretations and programs specialist at The American Civil War Museum, wrote in an article. “He does not mention Jones in his memoirs or other writings, so the exact nature of their relationship remains a mystery.”
Grant filed a manumission document freeing William Jones.
Many on Twitter pushed back against the toppling of Grant’s statue.
Grant did briefly own one slave he freed years before the war; but as a general he smashed the Confederacy, and as president he crushed the Klan. He presided over the ratification of the 15th Amendment. People going after Grant probably just want to break things. https://t.co/rVtPOcvyAN — Adam Serwer???? (@AdamSerwer) June 20, 2020
He was a “slave owner” in that he was gifted a slave, hated the idea, and freed him within a year. Then won the Civil War, prosecuted the KKK, and appointed African Americans to prominent roles in government. This might have gotten out of hand. https://t.co/5HdEDgodzm — Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) June 20, 2020
Key’s statue in Golden Gate Park was also brought down on Friday.
#BREAKING: Demonstrators topple statues in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. @hurd_hurd will have details on our News at 11. https://t.co/RvmlMqu73s pic.twitter.com/iUZE28AvdD — NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) June 20, 2020
After witnessing an American flag being hoisted following a victory over the British during the Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812, Key was inspired to write a poem that eventually became the Star-Spangled Banner, also known as America’s national anthem.


thedailycaller--2020-06-20--Former Florida State Linebacker Kendrick Scott Starts Petition To Change The Name Of Doak Campbell S

Former Florida State Linebacker Kendrick Scott Starts Petition To Change The Name Of Doak Campbell Stadium

Former Florida State linebacker Kendrick Scott wants the name of Doak Campbell Stadium changed .
According to CollegeFootballTalk , Scott has started a petition to change the name of FSU ’ s stadium , which is named after former university president Doak S. Campbell .
He wants it renamed after former FSU star Charlie Ward .
( RELATED : David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football ) The stadium at FSU was named after Doak Campbell a former FSU President .
While the tradition has been preserved , in reflection his non-inclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisive , therefore his name should be removed from a stadium that has been home to many Black football players helping to build the school and the tradition to what it has become today : a national treasure .
Should FSU change the name of their iconic football stadium ?
That ’ s up for the school to decide , but this is a dangerous road to travel .
Judging people from decades or hundreds of years ago by the standards of today is a very bad idea .
Under that standard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) historical figures will be in good standing .
The big beef here is that Campbell was a segregationist .
Obviously , that ’ s not acceptable and it ’ s not good .
However , does that mean the stadium name should be changed ?
If so , where does it end ?
Is there any ending at all or do we just purge history of anyone who did anything wrong ?
I ’ m not sure that ’ s a journey anyone wants to take .
As I said above , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to the good people at FSU to decide what they want to do , but I can promise you that judging historical figures by the standards of today is a dangerous game to play .

Former Florida State linebacker Kendrick Scott wants the name of Doak Campbell Stadium changed.
According to CollegeFootballTalk, Scott has started a petition to change the name of FSU’s stadium, which is named after former university president Doak S. Campbell. He wants it renamed after former FSU star Charlie Ward. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
The petition reads in part:
The stadium at FSU was named after Doak Campbell a former FSU President. While the tradition has been preserved, in reflection his non-inclusive views of blacks as a segregationist is divisive, therefore his name should be removed from a stadium that has been home to many Black football players helping to build the school and the tradition to what it has become today: a national treasure.
Should FSU change the name of their iconic football stadium? That’s up for the school to decide, but this is a dangerous road to travel.
Judging people from decades or hundreds of years ago by the standards of today is a very bad idea. Under that standard, very few (if any at all) historical figures will be in good standing.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by FSU Football (@fsufootball) on Apr 18, 2020 at 7:00am PDT
The big beef here is that Campbell was a segregationist. Obviously, that’s not acceptable and it’s not good. However, does that mean the stadium name should be changed?
If so, where does it end? Is there any ending at all or do we just purge history of anyone who did anything wrong?
I’m not sure that’s a journey anyone wants to take.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by FSU Football (@fsufootball) on Nov 9, 2019 at 6:41am PST
As I said above, it’s ultimately going to be up to the good people at FSU to decide what they want to do, but I can promise you that judging historical figures by the standards of today is a dangerous game to play.


thedailycaller--2020-06-21--BASTASCH: It’s Now Clearer Than Ever Before, Science Bends Itself To Fit Left Wing Politics

I don ’ t know if you heard , but according to the head of the International Energy Agency ( IEA ) , we only have six months left to prevent total climate change disaster .
“ This year is the last time we have , if we are not to see a carbon rebound , ” IEA executive director Fatih Birol told the Guardian on Thursday in an article with the headline : “ World has six months to avert climate crisis , says energy expert.
” Birol continued : “ If emissions rebound , it is very difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down in future .
This is why we are urging governments to have sustainable recovery packages.
” I ’ m old enough to remember when we still had 12 years left to save the planet just two years ago .
That dire prediction was just as laughable as what Birol is saying today .
The scientific “ consensus ” we used to hear so much about doesn ’ t support this alarmist claim at all .
What ’ s really going on is that Birol is using his cachet as a prominent “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further his political agenda .
Those goals also rather conveniently align with the wishes of Democrats and the liberal media .
We ’ ve recently seen a lot of this type of weaponizing of science for political purposes .
A couple weeks ago , we learned of one of the most egregious examples of this to date .
Late last month , one of the world ’ s most prestigious medical journals , the Lancet , published a huge study purporting to find that the decades-old anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all up , this observational study of 96,000 patients around the world found that treating COVID patients with hydroxychloroquine increased their risk of death by 34 percent , and there was a 137 percent increased risk for heart arrhythmias .
Since President Trump came out as supportive of using hydroxychloroquine to treat the coronavirus , the liberal media quickly pounced .
The study ’ s release also conveniently came after the Lancet put out a shockingly unusual editorial statement opposing Trump ’ s reelection .
“ Americans must put a president in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who will understand that public health should not be guided by partisan politics , ” the journal editorial board wrote .
All the pieces were in place for the media and medical establishment to set a new narrative — hydroxychloroquine kills !
And President Trump is responsible for those deaths .
Amid all the alarm , the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health temporarily halted clinical trials into hydroxychloroquine .
The hype also made it harder for doctors and researchers to recruit volunteers for hydroxy studies .
Given the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did anyone in the media or medical community really take the time to read the Lancet ’ s new bombshell study ?
Thankfully , curious reporters at the Guardian ( yes , the same Guardian that published the climate drivel I mentioned earlier ) did take the time to read it and found what they called “ glaring errors ” in the study ’ s data on Australia .
But that wasn ’ t all — the Guardian found more problems with the data , and then they raised serious questions about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Guardian reported : “ [ T ] he US-based company Surgisphere , whose handful of employees appear to include a science fiction writer and an adult-content model … has so far failed to adequately explain its data or methodology.
” After Surgisphere ’ s CEO refused to hand over his data to independent investigators , the Lancet , to its credit , withdrew the study .
Lancet editor Richard Horton called these revelations “ a shocking example of research misconduct in the middle of a global health emergency.
” What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s crack team of peer-reviewers missed all of this !
Hydroxychloroquine was approved by the FDA decades ago , and has a long record of safety .
Doctors around the world are also using the drug to treat thousands of COVID patients , mostly reporting positive results .
One has to wonder if the journal ’ s clear political bias and contempt for President Trump played a role .
And if it did , will they and the media lackeys who peddled this study apologize to the patients who may have been denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scientific misconduct didn ’ t end there .
After months of telling us the science demanded strict lockdown policies , which meant no large gatherings of any kind were safe , the scientific consensus all of the sudden shifted from pro-social distancing to pro-social justice .
“ White supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19 , ” over 1,200 experts wrote in an open letter released in the wake of the protesting , rioting and looting sparked by the tragic death of George Floyd , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody of police .
“ Protests against systemic racism , which fosters the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 on Black communities and also perpetuates police violence , must be supported , ” the letter continued .
Apparently , racism is the real public health crisis and the “ science ” demands that people march ( or loot or riot ) in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and its radical leftist political goals , which include defunding the police .
Somehow those types of protests are scientifically sound , but according to those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies of blue state governors is not just dangerous , but evil !
“ Those actions not only oppose public health interventions , but are also rooted in white nationalism and run contrary to respect for Black lives , ” they wrote .
All this was interesting given the heavy focus in the media on the coronaviruses ’ disproportionate impact on minorities , particularly African Americans .
Of course , this too was chalked up to racism .
Most notably , the media and the medical class completely dismiss any concerns that weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with many people crowded together and many not wearing masks — will cause a spike in COVID cases .
Meanwhile , these same experts have no problem helping the media hype the rise in coronavirus cases in Trump country .
It was also quite amusing to watch the liberal media trip over itself condemning planned Trump campaign rallies as dangerous .
Is it any wonder why American ’ s trust in the media has plummeted over the last few years ?
And the scientists , doctors and health experts will soon suffer the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science for partisan and ideological reasons .
Doctor Anthony Fauci , who ’ s on the White House COVID task force , lamented the lost faith in science , but he doesn ’ t blame the scientists , he blames the American people .
“ One of the problems we face in the United States is that unfortunately , there is a combination of an anti-science bias … they just don ’ t believe science and they don ’ t believe authority , ” Fauci said in a Department of health and Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone up in the White House , which has an air of authority to it , who ’ s talking about science , that there are some people who just don ’ t believe that — and that ’ s unfortunate because , you know , science is truth , ” Fauci added .
Is it the “ truth ” that white supremacy is a public health crisis ?
Well , scientists said it , so according to Fauci , it must be .
And going back to my first point , should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have six months left to prevent catastrophic global warming ?
We ’ re told that ’ s what the “ science ” says , and as we know , science is the truth .
People understand that science is a process and as we learn more it can change , but that ’ s not what we ’ ve seen play out over the past few weeks .
Instead we ’ ve seen the experts and media figures we ’ re supposed to trust invoke the word “ science ” to further their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be damned .

I don’t know if you heard, but according to the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), we only have six months left to prevent total climate change disaster.
“This year is the last time we have, if we are not to see a carbon rebound,” IEA executive director Fatih Birol told the Guardian on Thursday in an article with the headline: “World has six months to avert climate crisis, says energy expert.”
Birol continued: “If emissions rebound, it is very difficult to see how they will be brought down in future. This is why we are urging governments to have sustainable recovery packages.”
I’m old enough to remember when we still had 12 years left to save the planet just two years ago. That dire prediction was just as laughable as what Birol is saying today. The scientific “consensus” we used to hear so much about doesn’t support this alarmist claim at all.
What’s really going on is that Birol is using his cachet as a prominent “expert” to push bogus claims to further his political agenda. Those goals also rather conveniently align with the wishes of Democrats and the liberal media.
We’ve recently seen a lot of this type of weaponizing of science for political purposes. A couple weeks ago, we learned of one of the most egregious examples of this to date.
Late last month, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals, the Lancet, published a huge study purporting to find that the decades-old anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine increased the risk of death in COVID patients.
To sum it all up, this observational study of 96,000 patients around the world found that treating COVID patients with hydroxychloroquine increased their risk of death by 34 percent, and there was a 137 percent increased risk for heart arrhythmias.
Since President Trump came out as supportive of using hydroxychloroquine to treat the coronavirus, the liberal media quickly pounced. The study’s release also conveniently came after the Lancet put out a shockingly unusual editorial statement opposing Trump’s reelection.
“Americans must put a president in the White House come January, 2021, who will understand that public health should not be guided by partisan politics,” the journal editorial board wrote.
All the pieces were in place for the media and medical establishment to set a new narrative — hydroxychloroquine kills! And President Trump is responsible for those deaths.
SUPERCUT: The media fearmongered over the now retracted study from the Lancet that showed Hydroxychloroquine was dangerous to covid patients. pic.twitter.com/myKihDkYbj — Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 4, 2020
Amid all the alarm, the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health temporarily halted clinical trials into hydroxychloroquine. The hype also made it harder for doctors and researchers to recruit volunteers for hydroxy studies.
Given the real world consequences, we have to ask, did anyone in the media or medical community really take the time to read the Lancet’s new bombshell study?
Thankfully, curious reporters at the Guardian (yes, the same Guardian that published the climate drivel I mentioned earlier) did take the time to read it and found what they called “glaring errors” in the study’s data on Australia.
But that wasn’t all — the Guardian found more problems with the data, and then they raised serious questions about the U.S.-based company that provided it.
The Guardian reported: “[T]he US-based company Surgisphere, whose handful of employees appear to include a science fiction writer and an adult-content model … has so far failed to adequately explain its data or methodology.”
After Surgisphere’s CEO refused to hand over his data to independent investigators, the Lancet, to its credit, withdrew the study. Lancet editor Richard Horton called these revelations “a shocking example of research misconduct in the middle of a global health emergency.”
What’s really shocking is that the Lancet’s crack team of peer-reviewers missed all of this! Hydroxychloroquine was approved by the FDA decades ago, and has a long record of safety. Doctors around the world are also using the drug to treat thousands of COVID patients, mostly reporting positive results.
One has to wonder if the journal’s clear political bias and contempt for President Trump played a role. And if it did, will they and the media lackeys who peddled this study apologize to the patients who may have been denied this potentially life-saving drug?
Unfortunately, the scientific misconduct didn’t end there. After months of telling us the science demanded strict lockdown policies, which meant no large gatherings of any kind were safe, the scientific consensus all of the sudden shifted from pro-social distancing to pro-social justice.
“White supremacy is a lethal public health issue that predates and contributes to COVID-19,” over 1,200 experts wrote in an open letter released in the wake of the protesting, rioting and looting sparked by the tragic death of George Floyd, an African American man, while in the custody of police.
“Protests against systemic racism, which fosters the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 on Black communities and also perpetuates police violence, must be supported,” the letter continued.
Apparently, racism is the real public health crisis and the “science” demands that people march (or loot or riot) in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and its radical leftist political goals, which include defunding the police.
Somehow those types of protests are scientifically sound, but according to those same scientists, protesting the crushing lockdown policies of blue state governors is not just dangerous, but evil!
“Those actions not only oppose public health interventions, but are also rooted in white nationalism and run contrary to respect for Black lives,” they wrote.
All this was interesting given the heavy focus in the media on the coronaviruses’ disproportionate impact on minorities, particularly African Americans. Of course, this too was chalked up to racism.
Most notably, the media and the medical class completely dismiss any concerns that weeks of mass protesting in the streets — with many people crowded together and many not wearing masks — will cause a spike in COVID cases.
Meanwhile, these same experts have no problem helping the media hype the rise in coronavirus cases in Trump country. It was also quite amusing to watch the liberal media trip over itself condemning planned Trump campaign rallies as dangerous.
MEDIA HYPOCRISY ALERT: The liberal media praises the thousands of protesters for gathering, but thinks it’s dangerous for President @realDonaldTrump to do the same. pic.twitter.com/mx1l0MZC7p — NewsBusters (@newsbusters) June 18, 2020
Is it any wonder why American’s trust in the media has plummeted over the last few years? And the scientists, doctors and health experts will soon suffer the same fate if they continue skewing the science for partisan and ideological reasons.
Doctor Anthony Fauci, who’s on the White House COVID task force, lamented the lost faith in science, but he doesn’t blame the scientists, he blames the American people.
“One of the problems we face in the United States is that unfortunately, there is a combination of an anti-science bias … they just don’t believe science and they don’t believe authority,” Fauci said in a Department of health and Human Services podcast.
“When they see someone up in the White House, which has an air of authority to it, who’s talking about science, that there are some people who just don’t believe that — and that’s unfortunate because, you know, science is truth,” Fauci added.
Is it the “truth” that white supremacy is a public health crisis? Well, scientists said it, so according to Fauci, it must be. And going back to my first point, should we really be worried that we only have six months left to prevent catastrophic global warming? We’re told that’s what the “science” says, and as we know, science is the truth.
People understand that science is a process and as we learn more it can change, but that’s not what we’ve seen play out over the past few weeks. Instead we’ve seen the experts and media figures we’re supposed to trust invoke the word “science” to further their political ends — actual facts and evidence be damned.


thedailycaller--2020-06-21--Crowd Roars When Trump Tosses A Glass Of Water On Stage To Make A Point About The Media

President Donald Trump drank water from a glass , then tossed the rest of the water onto the stage at Saturday night ’ s rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
Media speculation abounded about the president ’ s health after he walked slowly down a ramp and seemed to have difficulty drinking water during last week ’ s speech at West Point .
Trump introduced the topic by jokingly relating a conversation he had with First Lady Melania Trump about him “ trending number one ” not because of a great speech , but because everyone thought he “ may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They say there is something wrong with our president , ” Trump told the booing crowd .
“ I will let you know if there is something wrong , OK ?
I ’ ll let you know if there ’ s something .
I ’ ll tell you what , there is something wrong with Biden .
That I can tell you.
” Trump went on to explain that he also didn ’ t “ want to get water on his tie.
” “ So I lifted up the water … and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ I have taken water and it spills down onto your tie .
It doesn ’ t look good for a long time , and frankly the tie is never the same.
” Trump put a glass of water to his lips using a hand to support it as he did last week , then said , “ And they gave me another disease .
They gave me another disease.
” ( RELATED : Richard Grenell Spars With CNN Anchor : John Bolton ‘ Made A Whole Bunch Of Stuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Book Deal ’ ) At which point the president took two sips normally , then tossed the remaining water onto the stage as the crowd roared .

President Donald Trump drank water from a glass, then tossed the rest of the water onto the stage at Saturday night’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Media speculation abounded about the president’s health after he walked slowly down a ramp and seemed to have difficulty drinking water during last week’s speech at West Point.
Trump introduced the topic by jokingly relating a conversation he had with First Lady Melania Trump about him “trending number one” not because of a great speech, but because everyone thought he “may have Parkinson’s Disease.”
WATCH:
“They say there is something wrong with our president,” Trump told the booing crowd. “I will let you know if there is something wrong, OK? I’ll let you know if there’s something. I’ll tell you what, there is something wrong with Biden. That I can tell you.”
Trump went on to explain that he also didn’t “want to get water on his tie.”
“So I lifted up the water … and I looked down at my tie,” he said. “I have taken water and it spills down onto your tie. It doesn’t look good for a long time, and frankly the tie is never the same.”
Trump put a glass of water to his lips using a hand to support it as he did last week, then said, “And they gave me another disease. They gave me another disease.” (RELATED: Richard Grenell Spars With CNN Anchor: John Bolton ‘Made A Whole Bunch Of Stuff Up’ To Get A ‘Big Book Deal’)
At which point the president took two sips normally, then tossed the remaining water onto the stage as the crowd roared.


thedailycaller--2020-06-21--EXCLUSIVE: Trump Isn’t Sending National Guard To Seattle — ‘I Think It’s Great Sitting Back And Watc

EXCLUSIVE: Trump Isn’t Sending National Guard To Seattle — ‘I Think It’s Great Sitting Back And Watching This Catastrophe’

President Donald Trump isn ’ t planning on imminently sending federal assets to reclaim the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle , Wash. despite repeatedly threatening to do so , he told the Daily Caller in an exclusive Oval Office interview .
Trump spoke with the Caller for more than an hour Friday evening on a variety of issues , including racial inequality , coronavirus , advertising boycotts , John Bolton , China , and the 2020 election .
In recent days , Trump has urged Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee to deploy National Guard troops to retake CHAZ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care of it ” if Inslee fails to act .
The president said Monday that he had discussed the situation with Attorney General Bill Barr .
When asked by the Caller what Barr is “ advising ” him to do , POTUS said he ’ s currently “ sitting back and watching this catastrophe.
” The Caller asked , if he indeed isn ’ t currently planning on intervening , why continue with the tweets and statements indicating he would do so .
“ Well , because we can do it anytime we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But when I watch , it ’ s showing how bad that city system of government is because they ’ re all leftist Democrats running all these places that have these problems.
” “ Seattle ’ s a disaster , ” he continued .
“ Minneapolis has been a disaster , and you know if I didn ’ t strongly tell them , ‘ get the National Guard in there , ’ Minneapolis would still be under siege.
” Again , Trump suggested Inslee “ should be able to take care of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a radical left too.
” “ The amazing thing is though that , think of it , they allow it to happen , and they ’ re actually considering ‘ ‘ isn ’ t it a wonderful thing ?
’ I watched last night where store owners , their stores have been taken away , their livelihood has been destroyed.
” Daily Caller will be publishing additional selections from the interview with the president in the coming days .

President Donald Trump isn’t planning on imminently sending federal assets to reclaim the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle, Wash. despite repeatedly threatening to do so, he told the Daily Caller in an exclusive Oval Office interview.
Trump spoke with the Caller for more than an hour Friday evening on a variety of issues, including racial inequality, coronavirus, advertising boycotts, John Bolton, China, and the 2020 election.
In recent days, Trump has urged Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to deploy National Guard troops to retake CHAZ and said that he himself “will take care of it” if Inslee fails to act. The president said Monday that he had discussed the situation with Attorney General Bill Barr. When asked by the Caller what Barr is “advising” him to do, POTUS answered, “right now, I think it’s great sitting back and watching this catastrophe.”
The Caller asked, if he indeed isn’t currently planning on intervening, why continue with the tweets and statements indicating he would do so.
“Well, because we can do it anytime we want,” Trump answered. “But when I watch, it’s showing how bad that city system of government is because they’re all leftist Democrats running all these places that have these problems.”
“Seattle’s a disaster,” he continued. “Minneapolis has been a disaster, and you know if I didn’t strongly tell them, ‘get the National Guard in there,’ Minneapolis would still be under siege.”
Again, Trump suggested Inslee “should be able to take care of it very easily, but he’s a radical left too.”
“The amazing thing is though that, think of it, they allow it to happen, and they’re actually considering ‘‘isn’t it a wonderful thing?’ I watched last night where store owners, their stores have been taken away, their livelihood has been destroyed.”
Daily Caller will be publishing additional selections from the interview with the president in the coming days.


thedailycaller--2020-06-22--John Bolton Reportedly Will Not Vote For Trump In November

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton reportedly will not vote for President Donald Trump this November .
“ In 2016 I voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton , ” Bolton told the The Daily Telegraph as reported by Axios on Sunday .
“ Now , having seen this president up close , I can not do this again .
My concern is for the country , and he does not represent the Republican cause that I want to back.
” “ The president does not have a philosophical grounding or strategy , ” Bolton said .
“ He does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the U.S. , and the interests of Donald Trump .
There is confusion over the national interest and his personal interest , which is very dangerous for the country.
” “ When you are in a senior position you have an obligation to tell the truth .
I was concerned after 17 months in the administration that he did not have the requisite competence to be president , and the American people need to know about that , ” he continued .
Although initial reports suggested that Bolton would vote for former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reportedly plans to “ write in the name of a conservative Republican ” instead .
Bolton ’ s upcoming book , “ The Room Where It Happened , ” is filled with criticisms of the president and questions his overall fitness for office .
One claim alleges that Trump makes every decision based on how it will affect his reelection chances .
However , former National Security Council Chief of Staff Fred Fleitz in a media appearance last week recalled Bolton ’ s “ turning point ” in his views about the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ disproves the whole book.
” Fleitz called Trump ’ s decision not to attack Iran after a U.S. drone was shot down because of the potential for casualties a “ principled decision ” not made to simply win votes .
“ This wasn ’ t to promote the president domestically , ” Fleitz told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum .
“ It reflected the president ’ s principle not to get America into additional wars .
And it was an act of leadership , because he bucked all of his national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense , so when we hear that the president does not have principles , he ’ s not qualified to lead , this incident that Bolton puts forward as the turning point for his relationship with President Trump in my mind it disproves the whole book.
” ( RELATED : Former Bolton Chief Of Staff Explains The ‘ Turning Point ’ That ‘ Disproves The Whole Book ’ ) Former U.S .
Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell , who also worked under Bolton for a time , accused him of essentially making up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton reportedly will not vote for President Donald Trump this November.
“In 2016 I voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton,” Bolton told the The Daily Telegraph as reported by Axios on Sunday. “Now, having seen this president up close, I cannot do this again. My concern is for the country, and he does not represent the Republican cause that I want to back.”
“The president does not have a philosophical grounding or strategy,” Bolton said. “He does not know the difference between the national interest of the U.S., and the interests of Donald Trump. There is confusion over the national interest and his personal interest, which is very dangerous for the country.”
“When you are in a senior position you have an obligation to tell the truth. I was concerned after 17 months in the administration that he did not have the requisite competence to be president, and the American people need to know about that,” he continued.
Although initial reports suggested that Bolton would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden, he now reportedly plans to “write in the name of a conservative Republican” instead.
Per @AmbJohnBolton Bolton spox: He will write in the name of a conservative Republican and will not vote for @realDonaldTrump or @JoeBiden https://t.co/zNv570OsVm — Margaret Talev (@margarettalev) June 22, 2020
Bolton’s upcoming book, “The Room Where It Happened,” is filled with criticisms of the president and questions his overall fitness for office. One claim alleges that Trump makes every decision based on how it will affect his reelection chances.
However, former National Security Council Chief of Staff Fred Fleitz in a media appearance last week recalled Bolton’s “turning point” in his views about the president as something that, to him, “disproves the whole book.”
Fleitz called Trump’s decision not to attack Iran after a U.S. drone was shot down because of the potential for casualties a “principled decision” not made to simply win votes.
“This wasn’t to promote the president domestically,” Fleitz told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum. “It reflected the president’s principle not to get America into additional wars. And it was an act of leadership, because he bucked all of his national security advisors, Pompeo, the secretary of defense, so when we hear that the president does not have principles, he’s not qualified to lead, this incident that Bolton puts forward as the turning point for his relationship with President Trump in my mind it disproves the whole book.” (RELATED: Former Bolton Chief Of Staff Explains The ‘Turning Point’ That ‘Disproves The Whole Book’)
Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, who also worked under Bolton for a time, accused him of essentially making up much of the book’s contents.


thedailycaller--2020-06-22--ANALYSIS: 8 Russiagate Investigators You May Not Have Heard Of

• Senate Republicans earlier this month voted to subpoena dozens of people as part of a sprawling investigation into the government ’ s surveillance of the Trump campaign .
• Many of the witnesses are well known to the public : James Comey , Andrew McCabe , and John Brennan , just to name a few .
• But several others not as well known to the public played key roles in the FBI ’ s probe of the Trump campaign .
The multiple investigations of the U.S. government ’ s intelligence-gathering activities against the Trump campaign have typically focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of former officials : James Comey , Andrew McCabe , Peter Strzok , Lisa Page , John Brennan , James Clapper and a few others .
But just as significant to the efforts to get to the bottom of the government ’ s Trump-related surveillance are a handful of current and former FBI and Justice Department employees whose names are not as well known to the public .
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to subpoena up to 53 current and former government employees as part of a sprawling investigating into the origins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Government Affairs Committee voted to subpoena another 35 individuals , some of whom are on the Judiciary panel ’ s list .
The investigations occur against the backdrop of a probe that U.S. Attorney John Durham is leading into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe .
Durham is reportedly investigated some of the information revealed in a Justice Department inspector general ’ s report that said the FBI made at least 17 “ significant ” errors and omissions in applications for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) warrants against Carter Page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Durham ’ s investigation is looking into potential criminal wrongdoing .
Some of the FBI and DOJ employees discussed in the IG report are identified as pseudonyms .
But the subpoenas from Senate Republicans provides clues as to who some of those FBI and Justice Department employees are .
The Daily Caller News Foundation has identified eight individuals on those lists who were key figures in the Trump-Russia probe .
Steve Somma , FBI counterintelligence investigator in the New York Field Office .
Somma is reported to be an FBI counterintelligence agent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in the IG report .
The report said that “ Case Agent 1 ” was “ primarily responsible for some of the most significant errors and omissions ” in the FBI ’ s applications for surveillance orders on Page .
Somma played a role in several key developments in the investigation .
He opened the case file on Page , he first proposed surveillance on the Trump aide , and was the FBI handler for Stefan Halper , a longtime confidential human source who was tasked with meeting Page and George Papadopoulos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January 2017 interview with the primary source for Christopher Steele , the former British spy whose dossier was a key aspect of the FISA applications .
( RELATED : FBI Agent Who Played ‘ Significant ’ Role Surveillance Abuse Wore Several Hats In Trump Probe ) The IG reported identified six areas where Somma withheld information from the investigation .
He failed to disclose exculpatory statements that Page and Papadopoulos made to Halper during secretly recorded conversations before the 2016 election .
He also received information from the CIA in August 2016 that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spy agency .
The IG report says that Somma did not divulge that information to others at the FBI .
Somma also withheld information that Steele ’ s source divulged in the January 2017 interview that undercut key allegations in the dossier .
The FBI relied heavily on the document to obtain spy warrants against Page .
The Steele source said that Steele embellished or misinterpreted information that was in the dossier .
He said that he provided Steele with information that was based on “ rumor and speculation , ” but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dossier .
David Laufman , former Justice Department chief of counterintelligence and export control .
Laufman was the DOJ official who arranged a January 2017 interview with Steele ’ s primary source .
Somehow , Laufman and other meeting participants failed to disclose in the FISA applications that Steele ’ s source disavowed aspects of the dossier .
Laufman , who retired in 2018 and has become an outspoken critic of Trump and Barr , also played a key role in the investigation of Hillary Clinton ’ s private email server .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who served as deputy chief of FBI counterintelligence .
Stuart Evans , deputy assistant attorney general for the National Security Division ’ s Office of Intelligence .
Evans is one of the few government officials discussed in the IG report who raised concerns about the effort to surveil Page and the decision to rely on Steele to obtain FISAs .
Emails cited in the report show that Evans asked FBI agents to provide additional evidence to back up claims in the report .
The IG report says that Evans ’ s “ persistent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to disclose potential bias in Steele ’ s information .
Evans “ placed a temporary hold ” on the initial FISA application while his office evaluated information regarding Steele .
Evans ’ s reluctance was offset by eagerness by Peter Strzok and Lisa Page to obtain the FISA authorization .
“ According to Evans , he raised on multiple occasions with the FBI , including with Strzok , Lisa Page , and later McCabe , whether seeking FISA authority targeting Carter Page was a good idea , even if the legal standard was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Evans said that he did not believe there was a compelling benefit to obtaining the warrant because Page was unlikely to put any incriminating information on email or in a telephone call .
Evans was not informed of several other red flags related to the dossier .
According to the IG report , Steele told FBI agents on Oct. 3 , 2016 that he believed that a key sub-source for his dossier was a “ boaster ” and “ egotist.
” The IG report says that a supervisory intelligence analyst played a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hurricane .
The analyst took part in the Oct. 3 , 2016 interview with Steele , and the January 2017 interview with Steele ’ s primary source of information for the dossier .
Both of those interviews yielded information that called the dossier ’ s credibility into question , but none of the interview participants disclosed the information in FISA applications .
The IG report does not identify Auten by name as the FBI analyst , but the Senate Judiciary Committee included him on its list of potential witnesses .
The DCNF reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI responded to decline comment on his behalf .
The IG report does not identify Pientka by name , but it says that a Supervisory Special Agent — “ SSA 1 ” — took part in a Jan. 24 , 2017 interview with Michael Flynn .
Pientka is also the FBI agent who the bureau sent into an Aug. 17 , 2016 briefing for the Trump campaign related to Russia ’ s election meddling .
The IG report said that Pientka was sent into the briefing in order to gauge Flynn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI added Flynn to the list of Trump associates who were targets of Crossfire Hurricane .
The IG report also said that SSA 1 supervised the Carter Page investigation and signed an authorization to submit the initial FISA warrant against the Trump aide .
Pientka was also responsible for confirming the completion of a document known as a Woods File , “ and for double checking the factual accuracy review to confirm that the file contained appropriate documentation for each of the factual assertions in the FISA application.
” The IG said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incomplete or unsupported by appropriate documentation , ” raising questions about how thoroughly Pientka reviewed the evidence .
Moffa managed the Crossfire Hurricane probe alongside Peter Strzok , the deputy chief of counterintelligence .
The pair also worked closely on the FBI ’ s investigation of Hillary Clinton ’ s use of a private email server .
According to the IG report , the analysts on the Crossfire Hurricane team reported up to Moffa .
The report also says that Moffa described Steele as “ reliable ” in a December 2016 email even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a confidential source and the FBI had information that called his credibility into question .
That same month , Moffa said the CIA viewed Steele ’ s reporting as “ Internet rumor ” Sean Newell , deputy chief of counterintelligence and export control at the Justice Department .
Newell may have been the assistant to Laufman who took part in the January 2017 interview with Steele ’ s source .
The IG report said that a deputy to Laufman conducted the second half of the interview with the Steele source .
Kevin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office of general counsel .
The IG report says that an FBI lawyer identified as Clinesmith altered an email in June 2017 to say that Carter Page was “ not a source ” for the CIA .
Page had been an “ operational contact ” for the spy agency until at least 2013 .
Clinesmith also played a key role in several aspects of Crossfire Hurricane .
He was also an attorney on the special counsel ’ s investigation .
He took part in a February 2017 interview with George Papadopoulos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI ’ s investigation of Hillary Clinton cited anti-Trump text messages that Clinesmith sent after the 2016 election .
Clinesmith wrote “ Vive [ sic ] le Resistance !
” in one message .
The New York Times has reported that Michael Horowitz , the Justice Department inspector general , referred Clinesmith to prosecutors for potential criminal charges .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact @ @ @ @

Senate Republicans earlier this month voted to subpoena dozens of people as part of a sprawling investigation into the government’s surveillance of the Trump campaign.
Many of the witnesses are well known to the public: James Comey, Andrew McCabe, and John Brennan, just to name a few.
But several others not as well known to the public played key roles in the FBI’s probe of the Trump campaign.
The multiple investigations of the U.S. government’s intelligence-gathering activities against the Trump campaign have typically focused on the actions of the same small group of former officials: James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, John Brennan, James Clapper and a few others.
But just as significant to the efforts to get to the bottom of the government’s Trump-related surveillance are a handful of current and former FBI and Justice Department employees whose names are not as well known to the public.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to subpoena up to 53 current and former government employees as part of a sprawling investigation into the origins of Crossfire Hurricane. The Senate Homeland and Government Affairs Committee voted to subpoena another 35 individuals, some of whom are on the Judiciary panel’s list.
The investigations occur against the backdrop of a probe that U.S. Attorney John Durham is leading into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Durham is reportedly investigated some of the information revealed in a Justice Department inspector general’s report that said the FBI made at least 17 “significant” errors and omissions in applications for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against Carter Page.
Attorney General William Barr has said that Durham’s investigation is looking into potential criminal wrongdoing.
Some of the FBI and DOJ employees discussed in the IG report are identified as pseudonyms. But the subpoenas from Senate Republicans provides clues as to who some of those FBI and Justice Department employees are.
The Daily Caller News Foundation has identified eight individuals on those lists who were key figures in the Trump-Russia probe.
Steve Somma, FBI counterintelligence investigator in the New York Field Office.
Somma is reported to be an FBI counterintelligence agent referred to as “Case Agent 1” in the IG report.
The report said that “Case Agent 1” was “primarily responsible for some of the most significant errors and omissions” in the FBI’s applications for surveillance orders on Page.
Somma played a role in several key developments in the investigation. He opened the case file on Page, he first proposed surveillance on the Trump aide, and was the FBI handler for Stefan Halper, a longtime confidential human source who was tasked with meeting Page and George Papadopoulos.
Somma also took part in a January 2017 interview with the primary source for Christopher Steele, the former British spy whose dossier was a key aspect of the FISA applications. (RELATED: FBI Agent Who Played ‘Significant’ Role Surveillance Abuse Wore Several Hats In Trump Probe)
The IG reported identified six areas where Somma withheld information from the investigation.
He failed to disclose exculpatory statements that Page and Papadopoulos made to Halper during secretly recorded conversations before the 2016 election. He also received information from the CIA in August 2016 that Page had a longstanding relationship with the spy agency. The IG report says that Somma did not divulge that information to others at the FBI.
Somma also withheld information that Steele’s source divulged in the January 2017 interview that undercut key allegations in the dossier. The FBI relied heavily on the document to obtain spy warrants against Page.
The Steele source said that Steele embellished or misinterpreted information that was in the dossier. He said that he provided Steele with information that was based on “rumor and speculation,” but that Steele passed it along as fact in the dossier.
David Laufman, former Justice Department chief of counterintelligence and export control.
Laufman was the DOJ official who arranged a January 2017 interview with Steele’s primary source.
Somehow, Laufman and other meeting participants failed to disclose in the FISA applications that Steele’s source disavowed aspects of the dossier.
Laufman, who retired in 2018 and has become an outspoken critic of Trump and Barr, also played a key role in the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server. He interviewed Clinton alongside Peter Strzok, who served as deputy chief of FBI counterintelligence.
Stuart Evans, deputy assistant attorney general for the National Security Division’s Office of Intelligence.
Evans is one of the few government officials discussed in the IG report who raised concerns about the effort to surveil Page and the decision to rely on Steele to obtain FISAs.
Emails cited in the report show that Evans asked FBI agents to provide additional evidence to back up claims in the report.
The IG report says that Evans’s “persistent inquiries” forced the Crossfire Hurricane team to disclose potential bias in Steele’s information.
Evans “placed a temporary hold” on the initial FISA application while his office evaluated information regarding Steele.
Evans’s reluctance was offset by eagerness by Peter Strzok and Lisa Page to obtain the FISA authorization.
“According to Evans, he raised on multiple occasions with the FBI, including with Strzok, Lisa Page, and later McCabe, whether seeking FISA authority targeting Carter Page was a good idea, even if the legal standard was met,” the IG report says.
Evans said that he did not believe there was a compelling benefit to obtaining the warrant because Page was unlikely to put any incriminating information on email or in a telephone call.
Evans was not informed of several other red flags related to the dossier.
According to the IG report, Steele told FBI agents on Oct. 3, 2016 that he believed that a key sub-source for his dossier was a “boaster” and “egotist.”
Brian Auten, FBI supervisory intelligence analyst.
The IG report says that a supervisory intelligence analyst played a key role in several aspects of Crossfire Hurricane. The analyst took part in the Oct. 3, 2016 interview with Steele, and the January 2017 interview with Steele’s primary source of information for the dossier.
Both of those interviews yielded information that called the dossier’s credibility into question, but none of the interview participants disclosed the information in FISA applications.
The IG report does not identify Auten by name as the FBI analyst, but the Senate Judiciary Committee included him on its list of potential witnesses. The DCNF reached out to Auten for comment, and the FBI responded to decline comment on his behalf.
Joseph Pientka, FBI supervisory special agent.
The IG report does not identify Pientka by name, but it says that a Supervisory Special Agent — “SSA 1” — took part in a Jan. 24, 2017 interview with Michael Flynn.
Pientka conducted the interview alongside his colleague, Peter Strzok.
Pientka is also the FBI agent who the bureau sent into an Aug. 17, 2016 briefing for the Trump campaign related to Russia’s election meddling. The IG report said that Pientka was sent into the briefing in order to gauge Flynn’s demeanor. Days earlier, the FBI added Flynn to the list of Trump associates who were targets of Crossfire Hurricane.
The IG report also said that SSA 1 supervised the Carter Page investigation and signed an authorization to submit the initial FISA warrant against the Trump aide.
Pientka was also responsible for confirming the completion of a document known as a Woods File, “and for double checking the factual accuracy review to confirm that the file contained appropriate documentation for each of the factual assertions in the FISA application.”
The IG said that the Woods File was “inaccurate, incomplete or unsupported by appropriate documentation,” raising questions about how thoroughly Pientka reviewed the evidence.
Jonathan Moffa, FBI Intel Section Chief.
Moffa managed the Crossfire Hurricane probe alongside Peter Strzok, the deputy chief of counterintelligence. The pair also worked closely on the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.
According to the IG report, the analysts on the Crossfire Hurricane team reported up to Moffa.
The report also says that Moffa described Steele as “reliable” in a December 2016 email even though the FBI had closed him out as a confidential source and the FBI had information that called his credibility into question.
That same month, Moffa said the CIA viewed Steele’s reporting as “Internet rumor”
Sean Newell, deputy chief of counterintelligence and export control at the Justice Department.
Newell may have been the assistant to Laufman who took part in the January 2017 interview with Steele’s source. The IG report said that a deputy to Laufman conducted the second half of the interview with the Steele source.
Kevin Clinesmith, former attorney in the FBI’s office of general counsel.
The IG report says that an FBI lawyer identified as Clinesmith altered an email in June 2017 to say that Carter Page was “not a source” for the CIA. Page had been an “operational contact” for the spy agency until at least 2013.
Clinesmith also played a key role in several aspects of Crossfire Hurricane. He was also an attorney on the special counsel’s investigation.
He took part in a February 2017 interview with George Papadopoulos.
A previous IG report about the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton cited anti-Trump text messages that Clinesmith sent after the 2016 election. Clinesmith wrote “Vive [sic] le Resistance!” in one message.
The New York Times has reported that Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department inspector general, referred Clinesmith to prosecutors for potential criminal charges.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-06-21--ANALYSIS: DOJ Investigators Involved In Antitrust Probe Don’t Appear To Be Scrutinizing Claims Of Bi

ANALYSIS: DOJ Investigators Involved In Antitrust Probe Don’t Appear To Be Scrutinizing Claims Of Bias In Google’s Search

• Investigators with the Department of Justice involved in an antitrust probe targeting Google do not appear to be scrutinizing claims that the company manipulates its search feature , leaks of the investigation and a source with knowledge indicate .
• Researchers and critics argue Google ’ s search feature is subject to manipulation and can potentially impact a national election or direct less traffic to the Silicon Valley giant ’ s competitors .
• DOJ investigators are instead focusing on Google ’ s ad technology and are considering whether to require the tech company to provide Android users a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media reports show .
Department of Justice investigators who are conducting an antitrust probe targeting Google do not appear to be scrutinizing claims that the tech giant manipulates its search function , leaks about the probe and a source familiar with it indicate .
Google critics argue that Google Search must be a focus of the investigation , pointing to the company ’ s sheer dominance in the market : Google consistently accounts for roughly 90 % of online information searches , and company employees have expressed a willingness to artificially manipulate search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not comment on allegations of search bias , or on the pending antitrust investigation .
“ We continue to engage with the ongoing investigations led by the Department of Justice and Attorney General Paxton , and we don ’ t have any updates or comments on speculation , ” Google spokeswoman Julie McAlister told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
The company ’ s goal is focusing on the kind of products that serve customers and support businesses , she added .
Google ’ s search feature can potentially skew a major national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Robert Epstein , a research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology .
Research he published in 2017 suggests Google ’ s bias affected the vote in the 2016 election .
Epstein believes investigating Google search is “ critical ” to preventing widespread search bias .
One Google competitor , Yelp , meanwhile , has claimed that the company gives preferential treatment to in-house products through Search , a move one of Yelp ’ s executives believes violates antitrust law .
Google has dismissed Epstein ’ s research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory-driven .
The company also characterizes Search as a way to help users obtain information quickly .
“ We build Google Search for our users , ” a Google spokesperson told CNBC in March regarding Yelp ’ s claims .
“ People want quick access to information and we ’ re constantly improving Search to help people easily find what they ’ re looking for — whether it ’ s information on a web page , directions on a map , products for sale or a translation.
” Will Chamberlain , senior counsel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Daily Caller News Foundation that the DOJ “ should look closely ” at possible search engine manipulation .
“ We are heartened to see the Department of Justice investigating Google for its anti-competitive practices , along with various state attorneys general , who are all doing excellent work .
In that investigation , DOJ should look closely at whether Google is manipulating its search algorithms : such manipulation would be the definition of anti-competitive behavior , ” Chamberlain said .
Despite concerns , it ’ s not clear that the DOJ is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A leak to the Wall Street Journal in May indicated that the antitrust probe is centered around Google ’ s advertising business , though the story noted the investigation is looking broadly at search .
Another leak to The New York Times in June indicated the probe ’ s interest in search is focused on Google ’ s partnership with Android , which makes Google the default search engine on its phones .
DOJ asked DuckDuckGo about requiring Google to provide Android customers a preference menu listing several potential service engines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its June 4 report .
Google provided a similar menu option to citizens in Europe in 2018 to comply with regulators who fined the company $ 4.9 billion for anti-competitive practices .
A source who has spoken with DOJ investigators told the Daily Caller News Foundation that their understanding is that the investigation is largely eschewing concerns about Google self-preferencing its products in its search engine .
The source , speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue , argued that Google will be free to manipulate search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t seriously probe search manipulation during the antitrust investigation .
( RELATED : Google Employees Debated Burying Conservative Media In Search ) Yelp , a competitor of Google , has argued that Google is engaging in anticompetitive practices by giving preferential treatment to in-house products in its search engine , particularly within local search results .
“ Google developed a separate algorithm whose sole function was to observe the organic results and ‘ trigger ’ Google services if links to Yelp or TripAdvisor were part of the ten blue links [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] , ” Yelp senior vice president of public policy Luther Lowe said in March while testifying before the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee .
He added : “ If a service like Yelp or TripAdvisor appeared in the top 10 results , it inferred the user must be performing a local search , so it triggered a map and Google ’ s in-house product to physically push down the merit-based results.
” Lowe pointed to a 2012 memo from the Federal Trade Commission which found that when “ Google ’ s algorithms deemed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s query , Google automatically returned Google Product Search — above any rival comparison shopping websites.
” Epstein ’ s research , meanwhile , suggests Google Search could negatively impact President Donald Trump ’ s re-election campaign .
Epstein and his researchers recruited 95 monitors in 24 states who captured more than 13,000 sets of search rankings and the 98,000 pages to which they linked .
Such searches were related to the election and were more likely to produce links to pages showing a favorable impression of former Secretary of State Hillary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Epstein said in 2017 when his research was published .
Epstein had another group of researchers use a point scale to rate the alleged bias of the articles found on the first page of the search results , CNN reported in 2019 .
A heavily pro-Trump article , for instance , would get a minus 5 , while a heavily pro-Clinton article would get a plus 5 , according to CNN ’ s report .
His group found that Google ’ s results were more pro-Clinton , in both red states and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research to determine that such searches could potentially affect up to 10.4 million votes .
“ Investigating bias or favoritism in Google ’ s search engine — however it might be caused — is critically important because extensive research shows the power that such favoritism has in shifting the opinions and votes and people who are undecided , ” Epstein told the DCNF .
“ Every serious investigation of bias in Google search that I am aware of has found overwhelming evidence of systematic bias that favors Google , ” he said before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2012 investigation into Google as an example .
Google has not responded to comments about Epstein ’ s claims .
The FTC concluded a 2012 investigation into Google ’ s search engine in 2013 , noting that “ we have not found sufficient evidence that Google manipulates its search algorithms.
” Documents later leaked to The Wall Street Journal in 2015 showed FTC staff recommended bringing a case against Google .
Tech website The Information reported later in June that the DOJ ’ s lawyers ’ “ specific target ” appears to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies use to buy , sell and place ads around the internet leads to higher prices.
” The Information argued that a probe focused on ad tech would play to the company ’ s advantage because Google is not dominant in that industry .
The DOJ didn ’ t respond to the DCNF ’ s repeated requests for comment , and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ’ s office refused to address questions about the agency ’ s handling of Google ’ s search engine .
Paxton is heading the attorneys general antitrust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Josh Hawley similarly said on Tuesday that the DOJ investigation into Google needs to focus on Google Search , adding that he has “ called on ” Attorney General Bill Barr to make sure that ’ s the case .
“ This is why Search should be included in DOJ antitrust investigation , and I ’ ve called on AG Barr to do so , ” Hawley tweeted Tuesday in response to reports that Google demonetized conservative website The Federalist .
The tech company later disputed that claim , arguing instead that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to address issues with its comment section before getting banned .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Investigators with the Department of Justice involved in an antitrust probe targeting Google do not appear to be scrutinizing claims that the company manipulates its search feature, leaks of the investigation and a source with knowledge indicate.
Researchers and critics argue Google’s search feature is subject to manipulation and can potentially impact a national election or direct less traffic to the Silicon Valley giant’s competitors.
DOJ investigators are instead focusing on Google’s ad technology and are considering whether to require the tech company to provide Android users a preference menu for potential search engines, media reports show.
Department of Justice investigators who are conducting an antitrust probe targeting Google do not appear to be scrutinizing claims that the tech giant manipulates its search function, leaks about the probe and a source familiar with it indicate.
Google critics argue that Google Search must be a focus of the investigation, pointing to the company’s sheer dominance in the market: Google consistently accounts for roughly 90% of online information searches, and company employees have expressed a willingness to artificially manipulate search results on the platform.
Google did not comment on allegations of search bias, or on the pending antitrust investigation.
“We continue to engage with the ongoing investigations led by the Department of Justice and Attorney General Paxton, and we don’t have any updates or comments on speculation,” Google spokeswoman Julie McAlister told the Daily Caller News Foundation. The company’s goal is focusing on the kind of products that serve customers and support businesses, she added.
Google’s search feature can potentially skew a major national election toward one candidate over another, according to Robert Epstein, a research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology. Research he published in 2017 suggests Google’s bias affected the vote in the 2016 election.
Epstein believes investigating Google search is “critical” to preventing widespread search bias. One Google competitor, Yelp, meanwhile, has claimed that the company gives preferential treatment to in-house products through Search, a move one of Yelp’s executives believes violates antitrust law.
Google has dismissed Epstein’s research in the past, calling it conspiracy theory-driven. The company also characterizes Search as a way to help users obtain information quickly.
“We build Google Search for our users,” a Google spokesperson told CNBC in March regarding Yelp’s claims. “People want quick access to information and we’re constantly improving Search to help people easily find what they’re looking for — whether it’s information on a web page, directions on a map, products for sale or a translation.”
Will Chamberlain, senior counsel for the Internet Accountability Project, told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the DOJ “should look closely” at possible search engine manipulation.
“We are heartened to see the Department of Justice investigating Google for its anti-competitive practices, along with various state attorneys general, who are all doing excellent work. In that investigation, DOJ should look closely at whether Google is manipulating its search algorithms: such manipulation would be the definition of anti-competitive behavior,” Chamberlain said.
Despite concerns, it’s not clear that the DOJ is scrutinizing whether Google Search can be manipulated.
A leak to the Wall Street Journal in May indicated that the antitrust probe is centered around Google’s advertising business, though the story noted the investigation is looking broadly at search. Another leak to The New York Times in June indicated the probe’s interest in search is focused on Google’s partnership with Android, which makes Google the default search engine on its phones.
DOJ asked DuckDuckGo about requiring Google to provide Android customers a preference menu listing several potential service engines, chief executive Gabriel Weinberg told TheNYT in its June 4 report. Google provided a similar menu option to citizens in Europe in 2018 to comply with regulators who fined the company $4.9 billion for anti-competitive practices.
A source who has spoken with DOJ investigators told the Daily Caller News Foundation that their understanding is that the investigation is largely eschewing concerns about Google self-preferencing its products in its search engine.
The source, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, argued that Google will be free to manipulate search results for political purposes if the DOJ doesn’t seriously probe search manipulation during the antitrust investigation. (RELATED: Google Employees Debated Burying Conservative Media In Search)
Yelp, a competitor of Google, has argued that Google is engaging in anticompetitive practices by giving preferential treatment to in-house products in its search engine, particularly within local search results.
“Google developed a separate algorithm whose sole function was to observe the organic results and ‘trigger’ Google services if links to Yelp or TripAdvisor were part of the ten blue links [on the front page of search results],” Yelp senior vice president of public policy Luther Lowe said in March while testifying before the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee.
He added: “If a service like Yelp or TripAdvisor appeared in the top 10 results, it inferred the user must be performing a local search, so it triggered a map and Google’s in-house product to physically push down the merit-based results.”
Lowe pointed to a 2012 memo from the Federal Trade Commission which found that when “Google’s algorithms deemed a comparison shopping website relevant to a user’s query, Google automatically returned Google Product Search — above any rival comparison shopping websites.”
Epstein’s research, meanwhile, suggests Google Search could negatively impact President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign.
Epstein and his researchers recruited 95 monitors in 24 states who captured more than 13,000 sets of search rankings and the 98,000 pages to which they linked. Such searches were related to the election and were more likely to produce links to pages showing a favorable impression of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton than to ones favorable to Trump, Epstein said in 2017 when his research was published.
Epstein had another group of researchers use a point scale to rate the alleged bias of the articles found on the first page of the search results, CNN reported in 2019. A heavily pro-Trump article, for instance, would get a minus 5, while a heavily pro-Clinton article would get a plus 5, according to CNN’s report. His group found that Google’s results were more pro-Clinton, in both red states and blue states. He extrapolated his past research to determine that such searches could potentially affect up to 10.4 million votes. “Investigating bias or favoritism in Google’s search engine — however it might be caused — is critically important because extensive research shows the power that such favoritism has in shifting the opinions and votes and people who are undecided,” Epstein told the DCNF. “Every serious investigation of bias in Google search that I am aware of has found overwhelming evidence of systematic bias that favors Google,” he said before listing the Federal Trade Commission’s 2012 investigation into Google as an example. Google has not responded to comments about Epstein’s claims. The FTC concluded a 2012 investigation into Google’s search engine in 2013, noting that “we have not found sufficient evidence that Google manipulates its search algorithms.” Documents later leaked to The Wall Street Journal in 2015 showed FTC staff recommended bringing a case against Google.
Tech website The Information reported later in June that the DOJ’s lawyers’ “specific target” appears to be “whether the Google technology that many companies use to buy, sell and place ads around the internet leads to higher prices.” The Information argued that a probe focused on ad tech would play to the company’s advantage because Google is not dominant in that industry.
The DOJ didn’t respond to the DCNF’s repeated requests for comment, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office refused to address questions about the agency’s handling of Google’s search engine. Paxton is heading the attorneys general antitrust probe alongside the DOJ.
Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley similarly said on Tuesday that the DOJ investigation into Google needs to focus on Google Search, adding that he has “called on” Attorney General Bill Barr to make sure that’s the case.
This is why Search should be included in DOJ antitrust investigation, and I’ve called on AG Barr to do so https://t.co/Lzliw7GMpu — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 16, 2020
“This is why Search should be included in DOJ antitrust investigation, and I’ve called on AG Barr to do so,” Hawley tweeted Tuesday in response to reports that Google demonetized conservative website The Federalist. The tech company later disputed that claim, arguing instead that the conservative outlet would be given an opportunity to address issues with its comment section before getting banned.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-06-21--Before And After Photos: Here’s What Seattle’s ‘CHAZ’ Has Done To The City

Seattle ’ s “ Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone ” ( CHAZ ) takes up roughly six blocks and includes the city ’ s East police precinct .
CHAZ , recently renamed “ Capitol Hill Organized Protest ” ( CHOP ) , is a no-cop zone that has entry points , a “ no cop co-op , ” porta potties and more .
The Daily Caller had reporters on the ground inside the zone for nearly a week between June 12 – 16 , and there are big differences within the area now that it ’ s run by protesters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anderson Park , which has tennis courts and an athletic field .
Previously used by Seattle residents to enjoy , it has now become an area for meeting and camping for those sleeping inside CHAZ .
Within CHAZ is Seattle ’ s East Precinct , which was abandoned by cops .
Occupants often gather in front of the precinct , which has been renamed the “ People Department.
” ( RELATED : EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS : American Flag-Bearing Demonstrators Cause Uproar Within Seattle ’ s Autonomous Zone ) CHAZ has numerous entry points that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put up makeshift barriers to block cars from driving into the area , and some , though not all , of the guards are armed .
One popular entry point is seen below .
The corner of East Pine Street and 11th Avenue used to be a regular road for cars as well as an entrance to the park .
While the entrance to the park remains , the road was closed off to traffic and a makeshift “ conversation cafe ” was set up between the sidewalks .
The “ conversation cafe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as tents .
The zone ’ s “ no cop co-op ” grew every day while reporters were on the ground .
The co-op has food and supplies and no money is allowed .
The co-op is manned by volunteers and has everything from feminine hygiene products , protective equipment and fruits and vegetables .
CHAZ , or CHOP as many now call it , remains – despite a shooting occurring there early Saturday morning .
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan previously referred to the area as “ more like a block party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The area has been an issue for some people whose homes are within or around CHAZ .
Some residents have temporarily moved out of their homes as occupants continue to have control over the residential area , according to KIRO 7 .
One man who spoke with the Daily Caller on condition of anonymity said he plans to move out of the city , adding that he is scared every day .

Seattle’s “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” (CHAZ) takes up roughly six blocks and includes the city’s East police precinct.
CHAZ, recently renamed “Capitol Hill Organized Protest” (CHOP), is a no-cop zone that has entry points, a “no cop co-op,” porta potties and more. The Daily Caller had reporters on the ground inside the zone for nearly a week between June 12 – 16, and there are big differences within the area now that it’s run by protesters.
The zone includes Seattle’s Cal Anderson Park, which has tennis courts and an athletic field. Previously used by Seattle residents to enjoy, it has now become an area for meeting and camping for those sleeping inside CHAZ.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Within CHAZ is Seattle’s East Precinct, which was abandoned by cops. Occupants often gather in front of the precinct, which has been renamed the “People Department.” (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS: American Flag-Bearing Demonstrators Cause Uproar Within Seattle’s Autonomous Zone)
BEFORE:
AFTER:
CHAZ has numerous entry points that are manned by volunteers. Protesters have put up makeshift barriers to block cars from driving into the area, and some, though not all, of the guards are armed. One popular entry point is seen below.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
The corner of East Pine Street and 11th Avenue used to be a regular road for cars as well as an entrance to the park. While the entrance to the park remains, the road was closed off to traffic and a makeshift “conversation cafe” was set up between the sidewalks. The “conversation cafe” has couches and foldable chairs as well as tents.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
The zone’s “no cop co-op” grew every day while reporters were on the ground. The co-op has food and supplies and no money is allowed. The co-op is manned by volunteers and has everything from feminine hygiene products, protective equipment and fruits and vegetables.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
CHAZ, or CHOP as many now call it, remains – despite a shooting occurring there early Saturday morning. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan previously referred to the area as “more like a block party atmosphere” than an “armed takeover.”
The area has been an issue for some people whose homes are within or around CHAZ. Some residents have temporarily moved out of their homes as occupants continue to have control over the residential area, according to KIRO 7. One man who spoke with the Daily Caller on condition of anonymity said he plans to move out of the city, adding that he is scared every day.