thedailycaller--2020-07-12--Trump Wears Mask For The First Time Publicly During Walter Reed Visit

President Donald Trump wore a mask in public for the first time Saturday during a visit to Walter Reed National Medical Center , near Washington , D.C. Trump took a helicopter to the hospital to visit wounded military personnel , health care workers and coronavirus-infected patients , the Associated Press reported .
Leaving the White House , Trump indicated that he would be wearing a mask in the interest of public safety , telling reporters , “ When you ’ re in a hospital , especially … I think it ’ s expected to wear a mask.
” Trump apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the base and his entrance into the hospital .
( RELATED : Michigan AG Bans Trump For Not Wearing A Mask , Calls POTUS A ‘ Petulant Child Who Refuses To Follow The Rules ’ ) The president reportedly has worn a mask at another event : when he visited a Michigan Ford plant in late May .
One of the company ’ s executives revealed that Trump was wearing a mask while he was briefed about Ford ’ s latest vehicles .
Unlike most Democratic politicians , Trump has eschewed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic and he has not insisted that supporters attending his rallies wear them .
But his attitude has shifted in recent weeks — even though he still maintains that there should not be a national policy requiring that masks be worn in public , even in enclosed places .
The president said during a Fox Business interview that he “ would have no problem ” with putting a mask on at public events but didn ’ t think he could demand that of all Americans .
“ If I ’ m in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not 10 feet away and — but usually I ’ m not in that position and everyone is tested because I ’ m the president , ” he stated .
“ They get tested before they see me.
” ( RELATED : Rally Goers Will Receive Temperature Checks , Hand Sanitizer And A Mask , Trump Campaign Says ) Trump issued an executive order in March that prevented the selling of masks at inflated prices .
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been critical of Trump ’ s reluctance to wear a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lead by example .
And I watched the president yesterday wearing no mask , you know , and some making fun of the fact I wore a mask , ” Biden told CNN .

President Donald Trump wore a mask in public for the first time Saturday during a visit to Walter Reed National Medical Center, near Washington, D.C.
Trump took a helicopter to the hospital to visit wounded military personnel, health care workers and coronavirus-infected patients, the Associated Press reported. Leaving the White House, Trump indicated that he would be wearing a mask in the interest of public safety, telling reporters, “When you’re in a hospital, especially … I think it’s expected to wear a mask.”
Trump apparently donned the mask sometime between his arrival at the base and his entrance into the hospital. (RELATED: Michigan AG Bans Trump For Not Wearing A Mask, Calls POTUS A ‘Petulant Child Who Refuses To Follow The Rules’)
The president reportedly has worn a mask at another event: when he visited a Michigan Ford plant in late May. One of the company’s executives revealed that Trump was wearing a mask while he was briefed about Ford’s latest vehicles.
Unlike most Democratic politicians, Trump has eschewed the wearing of a mask throughout the coronavirus pandemic and he has not insisted that supporters attending his rallies wear them.
But his attitude has shifted in recent weeks — even though he still maintains that there should not be a national policy requiring that masks be worn in public, even in enclosed places.
The president said during a Fox Business interview that he “would have no problem” with putting a mask on at public events but didn’t think he could demand that of all Americans.
“If I’m in a group of people where we’re not 10 feet away and — but usually I’m not in that position and everyone is tested because I’m the president,” he stated. “They get tested before they see me.” (RELATED: Rally Goers Will Receive Temperature Checks, Hand Sanitizer And A Mask, Trump Campaign Says)
Trump issued an executive order in March that prevented the selling of masks at inflated prices.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has been critical of Trump’s reluctance to wear a mask.
“I think you have to lead by example. And I watched the president yesterday wearing no mask, you know, and some making fun of the fact I wore a mask,” Biden told CNN.


thedailycaller--2020-07-12--Mueller Defends Investigation Of Roger Stone After Trump Commutes Prison Sentence

Former special counsel Robert Mueller defended his investigation of Roger Stone on Saturday after President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence for his longtime friend .
“ We made every decision in Stone ’ s case , as in all our cases , based solely on the facts and the law and in accordance with the rule of law , ” Mueller wrote in an op-ed at The Washington Post .
“ The women and men who conducted these investigations and prosecutions acted with the highest integrity , ” he continued .
“ Claims to the contrary are false.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance .
Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes .
He remains a convicted felon , and rightly so , ” Mueller added .
Trump commuted Stone ’ s prison sentence on Friday , days before he was set to begin a 40-month stint at a federal prison in Georgia .
Stone , 67 , was convicted on Nov. 15 on charges that he made false statements to Congress about his discussions related to WikiLeaks , the group that released emails hacked from Democrats during the 2016 campaign .
Stone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obstructing a congressional investigation and witness tampering .
( RELATED : Trump Commutes Roger Stone ’ s Prison Sentence ) The White House took a direct shot at Mueller ’ s team of prosecutors in an announcement of the clemency for Stone .
“ Mr .
Stone was charged by the same prosecutors from the Mueller Investigation tasked with finding evidence of collusion with Russia , ” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEneny said in a statement on Friday .
“ Because no such evidence exists , however , they could not charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she continued .
“ Instead , they charged him for his conduct during their investigation .
The simple fact is that if the Special Counsel had not been pursuing an absolutely baseless investigation , Mr. Stone would not be facing time in prison.
” Mueller said that “ Stone became a central figure in our investigation for two key reasons.
” He said that Stone “ communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers , and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks ’ release of emails stolen by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not identify the Russian intelligence officers who were allegedly in communication with Stone .
He may be referring to Guccifer 2.0 , who is believed to be an online persona that Russian intelligence used to release some of the emails hacked from Democrats .
Stone had two known exchanges with Guccifer 2.0 in August and September 2016 .
The messages were seemingly benign , with no discussions about stolen emails .
In an Aug. 14 , 2016 message , Stone congratulated Guccifer 2.0 on being reinstated after a Twitter suspension .
Two days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an article in The Hill about the election .
Mueller noted in the Post article that his team did not find evidence of a conspiracy involving any Trump associates and Russians .
Mueller also said in a report of his investigation that there was no evidence that anyone affiliated with Trump was involved in emails hacks or releasing stolen emails .
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 , @ @ @ @ @ @

Former special counsel Robert Mueller defended his investigation of Roger Stone on Saturday after President Donald Trump commuted the prison sentence for his longtime friend.
“We made every decision in Stone’s case, as in all our cases, based solely on the facts and the law and in accordance with the rule of law,” Mueller wrote in an op-ed at The Washington Post.
“The women and men who conducted these investigations and prosecutions acted with the highest integrity,” he continued. “Claims to the contrary are false.”
“The Russia investigation was of paramount importance. Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes. He remains a convicted felon, and rightly so,” Mueller added.
Trump commuted Stone’s prison sentence on Friday, days before he was set to begin a 40-month stint at a federal prison in Georgia.
Stone, 67, was convicted on Nov. 15 on charges that he made false statements to Congress about his discussions related to WikiLeaks, the group that released emails hacked from Democrats during the 2016 campaign. Stone was also convicted on a charge of obstructing a congressional investigation and witness tampering. (RELATED: Trump Commutes Roger Stone’s Prison Sentence)
The White House took a direct shot at Mueller’s team of prosecutors in an announcement of the clemency for Stone.
“Mr. Stone was charged by the same prosecutors from the Mueller Investigation tasked with finding evidence of collusion with Russia,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEneny said in a statement on Friday.
“Because no such evidence exists, however, they could not charge him for any collusion-related crime,” she continued. “Instead, they charged him for his conduct during their investigation. The simple fact is that if the Special Counsel had not been pursuing an absolutely baseless investigation, Mr. Stone would not be facing time in prison.”
Mueller said that “Stone became a central figure in our investigation for two key reasons.”
He said that Stone “communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers, and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks’ release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers.”
Mueller did not identify the Russian intelligence officers who were allegedly in communication with Stone. He may be referring to Guccifer 2.0, who is believed to be an online persona that Russian intelligence used to release some of the emails hacked from Democrats.
Stone had two known exchanges with Guccifer 2.0 in August and September 2016. The messages were seemingly benign, with no discussions about stolen emails. In an Aug. 14, 2016 message, Stone congratulated Guccifer 2.0 on being reinstated after a Twitter suspension. Two days later, Stone sent a link to an article in The Hill about the election.
Mueller noted in the Post article that his team did not find evidence of a conspiracy involving any Trump associates and Russians. Mueller also said in a report of his investigation that there was no evidence that anyone affiliated with Trump was involved in emails hacks or releasing stolen emails.
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--2020-07-11--‘Counter To Science’: Dr. Scott Atlas Makes The Case For Reopening Schools In The Fall

Dr. Scott Atlas , a former chief of neuroradiology at Stanford University Medical Center and a senior fellow at Stanford ’ s Hoover Institution , joined the Daily Caller ’ s Stephanie Hamill to share his views on the reopening of schools in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ It ’ s inexplicable to not open the schools , ” said Atlas .
“ It ’ s completely contrary to the data to keep the schools closed , it ’ s counter to science , it ’ s almost on the border of absurd to require a limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to explain that the risk of death is “ infinitesimally ” small for children , with the risk of hospitalization and risk of spread being much lower than seasonal influenza .
( RELATED : ‘ Population Immunity ’ : Dr. Atlas Explains Why We Shouldn ’ t Freak Out About The Spike In COVID-19 Cases . )
Atlas also discussed the harms of school closures for kids and parents .
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of The Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fantastic videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel to avoid missing out .
NOW CHECK OUT The Daily Caller ’ s most popular shows : Would You Rather Date A Trump Supporter or MS-13 Gang Member ?
New Details About The ‘ Muslim Extremist ’ Compound In New Mexico

Dr. Scott Atlas, a former chief of neuroradiology at Stanford University Medical Center and a senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, joined the Daily Caller’s Stephanie Hamill to share his views on the reopening of schools in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s inexplicable to not open the schools,” said Atlas. “It’s completely contrary to the data to keep the schools closed, it’s counter to science, it’s almost on the border of absurd to require a limit in the schools.”
He went on to explain that the risk of death is “infinitesimally” small for children, with the risk of hospitalization and risk of spread being much lower than seasonal influenza. (RELATED: ‘Population Immunity’: Dr. Atlas Explains Why We Shouldn’t Freak Out About The Spike In COVID-19 Cases)
Atlas also discussed the harms of school closures for kids and parents.
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Fact Checking White House ‘Truth Seekers’ On North Korea


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey Says ‘We Are Running Out Of Time’ To Save Football

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sounds incredibly concerned about the future of the college football season .
As we continue to wage war against coronavirus , the Big 10 and PAC-12 have already canceled all non-conference games , and there ’ s serious reasons to believe the season is in big trouble .
Well , you can add the man running the SEC to the list of people concerned .
( RELATED : David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football ) “ We are running out of time to correct and get things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday interview on “ Marty & McGee ” on ESPN radio .
He also added that the concern surrounding America ’ s favorite sport is “ high to very high.
” You can read his full quotes in the tweet below .
I wish I could sit here and disagree with Sankey .
I wish I could sit here and tell you all that everything is going to be okay .
I wish I could paint a picture of optimism and hope .
However , that ’ s all it ’ d be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than false hope at this point in time .
Sankey is 100 % correct .
We ’ re not just running out of time .
We might already have passed the point of saving the season .
Turn on a TV , look around you , open your eyes and realize what ’ s happening in the world of college football .
It ’ s an unmitigated disaster right now .
I ’ ve been one of the most vocal supporters of football happening , and I really truly want it to .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have that the season will occur ?
Do we have any at all ?
Say a prayer because we ’ re going to need all the help we can get to save the 2020 season .
Things aren ’ t looking good at all .

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sounds incredibly concerned about the future of the college football season.
As we continue to wage war against coronavirus, the Big 10 and PAC-12 have already canceled all non-conference games, and there’s serious reasons to believe the season is in big trouble. Well, you can add the man running the SEC to the list of people concerned. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Myles Brennan (@mylesbrennan12) on Aug 27, 2019 at 7:40am PDT
“We are running out of time to correct and get things right,” Sankey said during a Saturday interview on “Marty & McGee” on ESPN radio.
He also added that the concern surrounding America’s favorite sport is “high to very high.” You can read his full quotes in the tweet below.
I wish I could sit here and disagree with Sankey. I wish I could sit here and tell you all that everything is going to be okay.
I wish I could paint a picture of optimism and hope. However, that’s all it’d be. It’d be nothing more than false hope at this point in time.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Graham Mertz (@graham_mertz5) on Sep 8, 2019 at 9:34am PDT
Sankey is 100% correct. We’re not just running out of time. We might already have passed the point of saving the season.
Turn on a TV, look around you, open your eyes and realize what’s happening in the world of college football. It’s an unmitigated disaster right now.
I’ve been one of the most vocal supporters of football happening, and I really truly want it to. Having said that, what signs do we have that the season will occur? Do we have any at all?
Say a prayer because we’re going to need all the help we can get to save the 2020 season. Things aren’t looking good at all.


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--Charlie Sheen Shows Off Impressive Swing During Batting Practice

Old Row Georgia Tech tweeted a video of the “ Major League ” star taking in some batting practice at Georgia Tech ’ s Russ Chandler Stadium , and his swing looked good .
( RELATED : David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football ) When thrown a pitch , the Hollywood legend crushed the ball .
While you can ’ t see how far it went , from the sound of contact it ’ s clear it was a good hit .
Honestly , I ’ d like to say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great swing , but I ’ m not at all .
Charlie Sheen being good at baseball just makes sense .
After all , we are talking about the guy who starred in “ Major League.
” I don ’ t think you ’ re allowed to star in a movie titled “ Major League ” and suck at baseball .
Imagine being at batting practice with your college buddy and Charlie Sheen just walks in like it ’ s no big deal at all .
What would you even do ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about “ Red Dawn , ” but I ’ m also a gigantic nerd .
Props to Sheen for still getting after it after all these years .
You love to see it !

Charlie Sheen has a solid batting swing.
Old Row Georgia Tech tweeted a video of the “Major League” star taking in some batting practice at Georgia Tech’s Russ Chandler Stadium, and his swing looked good. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
When thrown a pitch, the Hollywood legend crushed the ball. While you can’t see how far it went, from the sound of contact it’s clear it was a good hit.
Watch the awesome video below.
Charlie Sheen taking BP at Russ Chandler is a coke fueled home run derby @OldRowOfficial @OldRowSports pic.twitter.com/uBYYqQuugi — Old Row Georgia Tech (@OldRowGATech) July 10, 2020
Honestly, I’d like to say that I’m surprised Sheen has such a great swing, but I’m not at all. Charlie Sheen being good at baseball just makes sense.
After all, we are talking about the guy who starred in “Major League.” I don’t think you’re allowed to star in a movie titled “Major League” and suck at baseball.
Imagine being at batting practice with your college buddy and Charlie Sheen just walks in like it’s no big deal at all.
What would you even do? I’d start quizzing him immediately about “Red Dawn,” but I’m also a gigantic nerd.
Props to Sheen for still getting after it after all these years. You love to see it!


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--REPORT: MAC Football Teams Will Lose More Than $10.5 Million After The Big 10 Cancels Non-Conference

REPORT: MAC Football Teams Will Lose More Than $10.5 Million After The Big 10 Cancels Non-Conference Games

MAC football teams will reportedly lose a shocking amount of money this upcoming season .
According to USA Today , the Big 10 canceling non-conference games during the coronavirus pandemic will cost MAC teams at least $ 10.5 million .
( RELATED : David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football ) In total , the Big 10 would have paid out more than $ 22 million in non-conference games .
It ’ s honestly hard to put into words how badly these canceled non-conference games are going to impact the athletic departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBS teams depend on those games to earn money .
Those non-conference games against major opponents result in huge paydays .
Smaller schools don ’ t have monster TV contracts that they can cash in on and they don ’ t sell out 100,000+ seat stadiums .
So , they depend on money games where they get paid to play a P5 team , are almost guaranteed to lose but they get a big check that funds the department .
Now that money isn ’ t rolling in anymore .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s only going to get uglier as more and more teams cancel games .
I honestly have no idea how they ’ re going to rebound , but it sounds like MAC teams are in huge trouble .

MAC football teams will reportedly lose a shocking amount of money this upcoming season.
According to USA Today, the Big 10 canceling non-conference games during the coronavirus pandemic will cost MAC teams at least $10.5 million. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
In total, the Big 10 would have paid out more than $22 million in non-conference games.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wisconsin Football (@badgerfootball) on Jan 9, 2020 at 11:40am PST
It’s honestly hard to put into words how badly these canceled non-conference games are going to impact the athletic departments of Group of Five schools.
Smaller FBS teams depend on those games to earn money. Those non-conference games against major opponents result in huge paydays.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Central Michigan Football (@cmufootball) on May 19, 2020 at 4:44pm PDT
Smaller schools don’t have monster TV contracts that they can cash in on and they don’t sell out 100,000+ seat stadiums.
So, they depend on money games where they get paid to play a P5 team, are almost guaranteed to lose but they get a big check that funds the department.
Now that money isn’t rolling in anymore. It’s an ugly situation, and it’s only going to get uglier as more and more teams cancel games.
I honestly have no idea how they’re going to rebound, but it sounds like MAC teams are in huge trouble.


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--‘Powerful Enough To Do Whatever We Want’: A Journalist’s Escape From Socialist Venezuela, Part 1

This piece is the first installment of a two-part story .
These articles document a Venezuelan journalist ’ s struggle to flee the failing state and survive in a place where journalists are often under serious threat of bodily harm .
Some names have been changed in order to protect those involved .
It all started in 2014 on a rainy night in the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo , a couple of months after the detention of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez .
The nationwide protests and the violent events were a turning point in the country ’ s modern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I worked , I received a text message from a friend who knew the leader of the anti-regime resistance in the city .
He gave me her “ safe ” phone number and said she was interested in an interview .
She was apparently a high-ranking member of a group whose main goal was to end Nicolas Maduro ’ s socialist regime and achieve a democratic transition .
That same night , I called her to schedule a meeting .
She told me she had to leave her family behind and live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Guard and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service ( SEBIN ) .
We kept talking until we finally agreed on a rendezvous at a restaurant in the center of the city .
We worked to make sure our text and phone conversations weren ’ t detected by any security force of the regime , which was already jailing and killing demonstrators all over the country .
During the interview , she explained that the SEBIN was “ disappearing ” members of the resistance .
She claimed some of the officers were targeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rape them and sometimes put them in jail .
Our meeting lasted for hours , before she asked me to take her to her safe house .
Once we arrived , she went inside to look for a tablet she said she ’ d stolen from a National Guard soldier during a protest that had taken place a month before our encounter .
“ I was kidnapped with two other female members of the resistance .
The National Guards raped the two of them , ” she said .
“ They were recording @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since they were quite wealthy.
” She stated the event took place in the apartment of Mario Vega , son of a famous regime politician .
She told me they didn ’ t do anything to her because she claimed at the time that she had AIDS .
At one point in the video she took the tablet and jumped through the apartment ’ s second-floor window , breaking her ankle in the process .
“ You have to look for a way to publish this , ” she told me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and determined it was indeed Vega ’ s house after comparing it with some of the Christmas photos he had published to his Facebook account .
I went back to my apartment and tried to determine how to properly publish the material .
I refused to give it to a coworker , even when my main focus was the resistance leader and the anti-regime protests .
It took two days for me to discern my first step .
But shortly before getting to the newsroom to show the video to the editor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street battle between protesters and paramilitary members , also known as “ colectivos.
” Some of these blocked my car , took me out of it , pointed a gun into my head and took everything I had inside , including the bag containing the tablet .
Three days later , I started to notice a grey Jeep following me every time I drove to the newsroom and when I went back home .
This lasted for a month , even a couple of days after the resistance leader told me they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ torture of dozens of their members .
( RELATED : ‘ A Major Disinformation Campaign ’ : US Denies Involvement In Alleged Coup Attempt In Venezuela ) My contact eventually escaped to Paris .
I decided to stay in Venezuela .
I didn ’ t care about the famine , the genocides or how most of the people I knew at that time were starting to leave the country .
I was foolish enough to think that being a journalist would save me from the reality of this socialist dystopia .
A couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-regime ’ s massive protests , the gay lover and former security escort of socialist lawmaker Robert Serra decided to brutally kill him .
The Venezuelan regime had always hid Serra ’ s sexual orientation and embarked on a censorship crusade after his killing .
It didn ’ t stop with the arrest of a Colombian thug , framed for the crime and forced to confess to a homicide he didn ’ t commit .
It extended to national news outlets and perhaps especially social media , where the regime arrested those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corpse at the Caracas ’ morgue .
The most outrageous act of censorship was levied against Alicia , a famous Twitter user who mocked Serra ’ s death and whose life was destroyed because of it .
A day after making these remarks on Twitter , members of the SEBIN got into her apartment , beat her and her mother to unconsciousness , and took her to one of the sites the intelligence agency had all over Maracaibo to hide those they detained .
I started to cover the case when Alicia had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main source was Arelis , a lawyer of the famous Foro Penal group , who I knew when I was covering the massive protests because she provided legal support for the detainees .
After I published the first article about Alicia , the grey Jeep reappeared .
I began to feel frightened again and asked Arelis if she knew anything about it .
She said she would investigate and tell me , but we agreed that our main focus needed to be Alicia ’ s case .
My responsibility to this story was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist in the country in covering it .
Arelis told me that the few reporters that were interested in it eventually decided to stay away since it was “ too risky.
” She also told me that “ the regime is taking Serra ’ s case quite seriously .
It is making all efforts to make people buy its narrative about his death and then forget about everything.
” While the court in charge of Alicia ’ s case ordered her release , the SEBIN refused to do so and instead took her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where almost every political prisoner in Venezuela is detained , tortured and killed .
A source inside the intelligence agency told me she was being psychologically tortured , stating this was part of the “ adaptation process , ” a term used by the SEBIN to refer to mentally breaking detainees .
( RELATED : Venezuela Captured Two Americans Running A Coup , Maduro ’ s Government Claims ) Even when I started to publish each of these details and my articles gained notoriety on social media , none of the major news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any mention of it .
The grey Jeep appeared regularly .
I started to receive phone calls where a distorted voice asked me to stop writing about the case .
Arelis told me she received the same calls and that members of the SEBIN were already spying on me .
“ Apparently , the SEBIN is spying on us .
However , the thing they have against you is not only because of Alicia .
It has something to do with a tablet , ” Arelis said .
For some reason , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew I needed comment from Alicia ’ s mother in order to continue covering the case , since the story was at a dead end .
She had , however , consistently refused to make any comments about the case .
Two weeks after Alicia had been moved to the Helicoide , her mother called me and said she was willing to tell me everything that happened the night of her daughter ’ s detention and the abuses committed by the SEBIN .
She even said she had some proof that would confirm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call took place on Wednesday morning .
We scheduled an interview on Friday night .
When I got to her apartment for the interview , the grey Jeep emerged from one of the garages and a blonde man exited the vehicle .
“ Nice to meet you Luis , I have to say that while I ’ m a huge fan of your articles about Alicia , this interview is not going to happen , ” he told me .
Instead of replying , I called Alicia ’ s mother in front of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t going to do any interviews with any news outlets .
Once I hung up , the man said : “ You should be happy that you ’ re not at the bottom of the lake right now .
Some people are mad at you for the tablet , but we all decided not to do anything .
There ’ s no need of killing a journalist , but I have to say you better stop writing anything about Alicia or even posting a single world on social media ever again , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He then gave me his phone to watch a video of my girlfriend sleeping in her room .
The man — or someone who was under his command — had managed to get inside her house and film her sleeping .
The video lasted nearly five minutes .
“ Me and my boys could have a lot of fun with that girl , ” he said .
“ It ’ s obvious that if you don ’ t want this to happen , all you have to do is forget about Alicia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and forget about using social media .
If you ever use any of your social media accounts to reveal this situation or simply criticize the government , you know we are powerful enough to do whatever we want with the people you care about.
” He then got into the grey Jeep and left .
I called Arelis to tell her what happened , and she told me “ they were definitely serious.
” I then called my contact at the SEBIN and he said he had heard Mario Vega had “ some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tablet , but he can ’ t do much since he don ’ t have any kind of political influence.
” After that day , Alicia ’ s story was buried .
No one made any comment about it .
She spent nearly two years enduring torture , even losing some of her organs .
She barely survived but eventually escaped to the United States .
I stopped using social media and eventually broke up with my girlfriend .
Over the next few years , I started working for different U.S. outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching my country being devoured by a violent political ideology that had turned one of the wealthiest nations in the western hemisphere into a Latin American version of Syria .
The persecution against me stopped until 2019 , the year I was forced to escape .
Luis Francisco Orozco is a Venezuelan journalist and political analyst .
Find Luis on Twitter at @ LForzco .

This piece is the first installment of a two-part story. These articles document a Venezuelan journalist’s struggle to flee the failing state and survive in a place where journalists are often under serious threat of bodily harm. Some names have been changed in order to protect those involved.
It all started in 2014 on a rainy night in the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo, a couple of months after the detention of Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. The nationwide protests and the violent events were a turning point in the country’s modern history.
Right before leaving the newsroom where I worked, I received a text message from a friend who knew the leader of the anti-regime resistance in the city. He gave me her “safe” phone number and said she was interested in an interview. She was apparently a high-ranking member of a group whose main goal was to end Nicolas Maduro’s socialist regime and achieve a democratic transition.
That same night, I called her to schedule a meeting. She told me she had to leave her family behind and live in secret to avoid being detained by the National Guard and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN).
We kept talking until we finally agreed on a rendezvous at a restaurant in the center of the city. We worked to make sure our text and phone conversations weren’t detected by any security force of the regime, which was already jailing and killing demonstrators all over the country.
During the interview, she explained that the SEBIN was “disappearing” members of the resistance. She claimed some of the officers were targeting girls and women of the group to rape them and sometimes put them in jail. Our meeting lasted for hours, before she asked me to take her to her safe house.
Once we arrived, she went inside to look for a tablet she said she’d stolen from a National Guard soldier during a protest that had taken place a month before our encounter.
“I was kidnapped with two other female members of the resistance. The National Guards raped the two of them,” she said. “They were recording everything to blackmail them in the future, since they were quite wealthy.”
She stated the event took place in the apartment of Mario Vega, son of a famous regime politician. She told me they didn’t do anything to her because she claimed at the time that she had AIDS. At one point in the video she took the tablet and jumped through the apartment’s second-floor window, breaking her ankle in the process.
“You have to look for a way to publish this,” she told me.
I watched the 23-second video three times and determined it was indeed Vega’s house after comparing it with some of the Christmas photos he had published to his Facebook account. I went back to my apartment and tried to determine how to properly publish the material. I refused to give it to a coworker, even when my main focus was the resistance leader and the anti-regime protests.
It took two days for me to discern my first step. But shortly before getting to the newsroom to show the video to the editor, I got in the middle of a street battle between protesters and paramilitary members, also known as “colectivos.” Some of these blocked my car, took me out of it, pointed a gun into my head and took everything I had inside, including the bag containing the tablet.
Three days later, I started to notice a grey Jeep following me every time I drove to the newsroom and when I went back home. This lasted for a month, even a couple of days after the resistance leader told me they had decided to stop following the arrest and torture of dozens of their members. (RELATED: ‘A Major Disinformation Campaign’: US Denies Involvement In Alleged Coup Attempt In Venezuela)
My contact eventually escaped to Paris. I decided to stay in Venezuela. I didn’t care about the famine, the genocides or how most of the people I knew at that time were starting to leave the country.
I was foolish enough to think that being a journalist would save me from the reality of this socialist dystopia.
A couple of months after the end of the anti-regime’s massive protests, the gay lover and former security escort of socialist lawmaker Robert Serra decided to brutally kill him.
The Venezuelan regime had always hid Serra’s sexual orientation and embarked on a censorship crusade after his killing. It didn’t stop with the arrest of a Colombian thug, framed for the crime and forced to confess to a homicide he didn’t commit. It extended to national news outlets and perhaps especially social media, where the regime arrested those who published photos of Serra’s mutilated corpse at the Caracas’ morgue.
The most outrageous act of censorship was levied against Alicia, a famous Twitter user who mocked Serra’s death and whose life was destroyed because of it.
A day after making these remarks on Twitter, members of the SEBIN got into her apartment, beat her and her mother to unconsciousness, and took her to one of the sites the intelligence agency had all over Maracaibo to hide those they detained.
I started to cover the case when Alicia had been missing for three days. My main source was Arelis, a lawyer of the famous Foro Penal group, who I knew when I was covering the massive protests because she provided legal support for the detainees.
After I published the first article about Alicia, the grey Jeep reappeared. I began to feel frightened again and asked Arelis if she knew anything about it. She said she would investigate and tell me, but we agreed that our main focus needed to be Alicia’s case.
My responsibility to this story was substantial, since I was the only journalist in the country in covering it. Arelis told me that the few reporters that were interested in it eventually decided to stay away since it was “too risky.” She also told me that “the regime is taking Serra’s case quite seriously. It is making all efforts to make people buy its narrative about his death and then forget about everything.”
While the court in charge of Alicia’s case ordered her release, the SEBIN refused to do so and instead took her to the Helicoide headquarters in Caracas, where almost every political prisoner in Venezuela is detained, tortured and killed. A source inside the intelligence agency told me she was being psychologically tortured, stating this was part of the “adaptation process,” a term used by the SEBIN to refer to mentally breaking detainees. (RELATED: Venezuela Captured Two Americans Running A Coup, Maduro’s Government Claims)
Even when I started to publish each of these details and my articles gained notoriety on social media, none of the major news outlets or radio and TV stations made any mention of it. The grey Jeep appeared regularly. I started to receive phone calls where a distorted voice asked me to stop writing about the case. Arelis told me she received the same calls and that members of the SEBIN were already spying on me.
“Apparently, the SEBIN is spying on us. However, the thing they have against you is not only because of Alicia. It has something to do with a tablet,” Arelis said.
For some reason, I ignored what Arelis told me. I knew I needed comment from Alicia’s mother in order to continue covering the case, since the story was at a dead end. She had, however, consistently refused to make any comments about the case.
Two weeks after Alicia had been moved to the Helicoide, her mother called me and said she was willing to tell me everything that happened the night of her daughter’s detention and the abuses committed by the SEBIN. She even said she had some proof that would confirm each of her claims. This phone call took place on Wednesday morning. We scheduled an interview on Friday night.
When I got to her apartment for the interview, the grey Jeep emerged from one of the garages and a blonde man exited the vehicle.
“Nice to meet you Luis, I have to say that while I’m a huge fan of your articles about Alicia, this interview is not going to happen,” he told me.
Instead of replying, I called Alicia’s mother in front of him. She screamed she wasn’t going to do any interviews with any news outlets.
Once I hung up, the man said: “You should be happy that you’re not at the bottom of the lake right now. Some people are mad at you for the tablet, but we all decided not to do anything. There’s no need of killing a journalist, but I have to say you better stop writing anything about Alicia or even posting a single world on social media ever again, or we could do some funny things.”
He then gave me his phone to watch a video of my girlfriend sleeping in her room. The man — or someone who was under his command — had managed to get inside her house and film her sleeping. The video lasted nearly five minutes.
“Me and my boys could have a lot of fun with that girl,” he said. “It’s obvious that if you don’t want this to happen, all you have to do is forget about Alicia, forget about the video on the tablet and forget about using social media. If you ever use any of your social media accounts to reveal this situation or simply criticize the government, you know we are powerful enough to do whatever we want with the people you care about.”
He then got into the grey Jeep and left.
I called Arelis to tell her what happened, and she told me “they were definitely serious.”
I then called my contact at the SEBIN and he said he had heard Mario Vega had “some kind of vendetta against you because of a tablet, but he can’t do much since he don’t have any kind of political influence.”
After that day, Alicia’s story was buried. No one made any comment about it. She spent nearly two years enduring torture, even losing some of her organs. She barely survived but eventually escaped to the United States.
I stopped using social media and eventually broke up with my girlfriend. Over the next few years, I started working for different U.S. outlets as a news and opinion writer, watching my country being devoured by a violent political ideology that had turned one of the wealthiest nations in the western hemisphere into a Latin American version of Syria.
The persecution against me stopped until 2019, the year I was forced to escape.
Luis Francisco Orozco is a Venezuelan journalist and political analyst. Find Luis on Twitter at @LForzco.


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--‘Historic Corruption’: Mitt Romney Rips Trump’s Decision To Commute Roger Stone’s Sentence

“ Unprecedented , historic corruption : an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president , ” Romney tweeted .
Trump on Friday decided to commute Stone ’ s 40-month prison sentence .
The former Republican operative and Trump confidante was convicted last year of obstruction , lying to Congress , and witness tampering related to former special prosecutor Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 election .
The president called the sentence an “ abomination of justice ” in February .
Last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a victim of a corrupt and illegal Witch Hunt ” and expressed a desire to pardon him .
The commutation keeps the original conviction in place but gives Stone the ability to pursue an appeal through the courts without going to prison .
( RELATED : ‘ Just So You Know The Rules In This Country ’ : Tucker Contrasts Treatment Of Roger Stone With That Of Jeffrey Epstein ) “ The president has saved my life , ” Stone said Friday night , “ And he ’ s given me the opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @

Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney called President Donald Trump’s decision to commute Roger Stone’s federal prison sentence “historic corruption” in a Saturday morning tweet.
“Unprecedented, historic corruption: an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president,” Romney tweeted.
Unprecedented, historic corruption: an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president. — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) July 11, 2020
Trump on Friday decided to commute Stone’s 40-month prison sentence. The former Republican operative and Trump confidante was convicted last year of obstruction, lying to Congress, and witness tampering related to former special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The president called the sentence an “abomination of justice” in February. Last week, he argued that Stone was “a victim of a corrupt and illegal Witch Hunt” and expressed a desire to pardon him.
The commutation keeps the original conviction in place but gives Stone the ability to pursue an appeal through the courts without going to prison. (RELATED: ‘Just So You Know The Rules In This Country’: Tucker Contrasts Treatment Of Roger Stone With That Of Jeffrey Epstein)
“The president has saved my life,” Stone said Friday night, “And he’s given me the opportunity to fight for vindication.”


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--CCW Weekend: AR Vs. AK For Home Defense

CCW Weekend: AR Vs. AK For Home Defense

Most semi-auto rifles on the market are either in the AR-15 or AK-47 families , as they are the most profligate military rifles on the planet .
There are some others , of course , but they are less common in stores and often more expensive , but never mind all that .
Which is going to be better ?
The quick version goes something like this : The AK has simpler controls but requires more practice to operate efficiently and most models aren ’ t ready for optics or attachments out of the box .
The AR-15 is easier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not all !
– models are much more adaptable for use with optics or attachments such as a light or a laser , but again , not all of them are .
Both rifles are more than adequate for home defense when it comes to the standard cartridge that both fire , but careful selection of ammunition is essential .
Both 7.62x39mm and 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington ( the standard chamberings for these rifle platforms ) are potent cartridges and will go through drywall like a hot knife through butter , as will any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ball ( “ green tip ” NATO ammunition ) and 7.62x39mm FMJ .
Therefore , be sure to select proper ammunition for the task .
Soft-point projectiles are one of the most appropriate choices , such as Remington CoreLokt ( please don ’ t make me say the mushroom thing again ; it ’ s such a cliche ) and similar projectile designs .
Ammunition costs are comparable , but the word on the street is 7.62x39mm is slightly less affected by current ammunition demand .
However , it is also imperative that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home defense distances .
Missing the target will send a projectile at very high speed through walls .
So , let ’ s go ahead and get into some of the specifics .
The AR-15 is more ergonomic due to the controls .
The bolt release lever is on the left side of the rifle , which is used to close the bolt and thus load the rifle .
The safety lever on most rifles is on the left side of the rifle , in easy reach of the shooting hand thumb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle is on the top of the rifle instead of being just on one side .
The magazine release is within easy reach of the trigger finger , and the magazine is inserted straight into the magazine well .
What this adds up to is a rifle that has a lot of controls that are on both sides of the rifle .
This seems intimidating to the total newbie , but once you start handling it a bit reveals itself to be very easy to run .
If you ’ re a complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s actually a benefit .
The AK-47 ( or more accurately the AKM ; almost every AK-pattern rifle on the market is actually an AKM , since most are made with a stamped rather than milled receiver , but who cares ? )
has simpler controls , but requires more practice to master them .
There ’ s a bolt handle , a safety lever , and a magazine release paddle just ahead of the trigger guard .
The controls are simpler , but again require more practice to gain proficiency .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ left side of the rifle , the shooter has to come over or under the receiver to operate the bolt handle with the support hand or break the shooting grip to do so with the strong side hand .
The magazine has to be inserted with the rock-and-lock method to lock the magazine in place , which also means the magazine does not drop free if the padde release is depressed .
The shooter has to push the magazine forward to free it from the magazine well .
AK-pattern rifles also lack a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t know you ’ re out of ammo until you hear or feel a “ click.
” Point being that the AK is going to have more of a learning curve for the total novitiate .
If you ’ re completely new to firearms , it isn ’ t so much that “ AK is not for you , comrade ” but more that you ’ re going to need to put in some time with it to learn how to run it efficiently .
If your intention is just to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the factory , then the customization aspect is perhaps not as important .
However , for those who want to add some upgrades and extras , there are a few things to be aware of .
The AR-15 platform is easily customized or altered , with little more than hand tools required for changing many components .
The AK platform can be easily altered albeit in fewer ways than an AR-platform rifle .
A modern AR-platform rifle , with a quad rail , MLOK or KeyMod handguard , can easily have a light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want added to it .
If the rifle has a railed receiver , adding optics is a piece of cake and – since many optics these days come replete with their own mounting system – often enough rather cheap .
However , it ’ s a little more difficult if not , and then you ’ ll have to deal with the ginormous height over the bore of a handle-mounted optic , which creates its own problems .
A more classic handguard on an AR is not thusly accommodating , but can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for AK-pattern rifles ; the classic furniture can ’ t really accommodate any accessories but an upgrade to a different handguard will give you those capabilities .
Furniture is easily changed on both rifles , but adding optics to an AK is a little more complicated .
Doing so requires use of a side rail mount , or adding a railed gas tube , handguard or dust cover that will allow mounting of an optic .
Unless the rifle you purchase has them already installed – and most of the inexpensive ones don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to buy that RS Regulate mount , Ultimak rail , Texas Weapons Systems dog leg or railed handguard and then install it , and get the optic as well .
So what ’ s the point of all that ?
AR-15s can be slightly easier to customize and add optics to , but you can do pretty much all the same stuff with an AK if , that is , you ’ re willing to put a little money into it .
One area in which the AR has capabilities the AK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to changing calibers .
You can simply install a different barreled upper receiver and change , say , a rifle in 5.56mm with , say , a 16-inch barrel to an SBR in .300 Blackout by pulling a couple of pins and dropping the new upper on so long as it fits the lower .
The AK platform , however , lacks the same modularity ; the barrel is set into the trunnion ( which itself is riveted into the frame ) and then the barrel is pinned in place using a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can swap uppers with an AR if you decide you ’ d like to do something different with it .
With an AK , you need to buy a whole new rifle .
Which also informs upgrading the internals .
With an AR , you can easily change pretty much everything .
With an AK , the barrel trunnion , barrel , and rear trunnion are set ; you can change almost anything else , but those aren ’ t going anywhere .
Want a better barrel ?
Unless you have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plus the labor of a competent gunsmith will add up to about what you ’ d pay for just buying a rifle with a better barrel .
Incidentally , that is also the case with other rifle platforms such as the HK G3/HK91/CETME family as well as the FN FAL and others .
Ultimately , if you plan to not change anything or make minimal changes just for the purposes of adding a light or an optic , both will work .
If you anticipate using the rifle like a LEGO set , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is .
Whichever you choose , learn to shoot it .
Click here to get your 1911 Pistol Shopping Guide .
Click here to get The Complete Concealed Carry Training Guide Sam Hoober is a Contributing Editor to AlienGearHolsters.com , a subsidiary of Hayden , ID , based Tedder Industries , where he writes about gun accessories , gun safety , open and concealed carry tips .
Click here to visit aliengearholsters.com .

By Sam Hoober, Alien Gear Holsters
Most semi-auto rifles on the market are either in the AR-15 or AK-47 families, as they are the most profligate military rifles on the planet. There are some others, of course, but they are less common in stores and often more expensive, but never mind all that.
Which is going to be better?
The quick version goes something like this:
The AK has simpler controls but requires more practice to operate efficiently and most models aren’t ready for optics or attachments out of the box. The AR-15 is easier to operate efficiently and many – but not all! – models are much more adaptable for use with optics or attachments such as a light or a laser, but again, not all of them are.
Both rifles are more than adequate for home defense when it comes to the standard cartridge that both fire, but careful selection of ammunition is essential. Both 7.62x39mm and 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington (the standard chamberings for these rifle platforms) are potent cartridges and will go through drywall like a hot knife through butter, as will any ammunition designed for penetration such as M118 ball (“green tip” NATO ammunition) and 7.62x39mm FMJ.
Therefore, be sure to select proper ammunition for the task. Soft-point projectiles are one of the most appropriate choices, such as Remington CoreLokt (please don’t make me say the mushroom thing again; it’s such a cliche) and similar projectile designs. Ammunition costs are comparable, but the word on the street is 7.62x39mm is slightly less affected by current ammunition demand.
However, it is also imperative that you be able to hit the target at home defense distances. Missing the target will send a projectile at very high speed through walls.
So, let’s go ahead and get into some of the specifics.
The AR-15 is more ergonomic due to the controls. The bolt release lever is on the left side of the rifle, which is used to close the bolt and thus load the rifle. The safety lever on most rifles is on the left side of the rifle, in easy reach of the shooting hand thumb unless one is left-handed. The charging handle is on the top of the rifle instead of being just on one side. The magazine release is within easy reach of the trigger finger, and the magazine is inserted straight into the magazine well.
What this adds up to is a rifle that has a lot of controls that are on both sides of the rifle. This seems intimidating to the total newbie, but once you start handling it a bit reveals itself to be very easy to run. If you’re a complete and utter newbie with guns, that’s actually a benefit.
The AK-47 (or more accurately the AKM; almost every AK-pattern rifle on the market is actually an AKM, since most are made with a stamped rather than milled receiver, but who cares?) has simpler controls, but requires more practice to master them. There’s a bolt handle, a safety lever, and a magazine release paddle just ahead of the trigger guard.
The controls are simpler, but again require more practice to gain proficiency. Since the controls are entirely on the left side of the rifle, the shooter has to come over or under the receiver to operate the bolt handle with the support hand or break the shooting grip to do so with the strong side hand.
The magazine has to be inserted with the rock-and-lock method to lock the magazine in place, which also means the magazine does not drop free if the padde release is depressed. The shooter has to push the magazine forward to free it from the magazine well.
AK-pattern rifles also lack a bolt hold-open feature, which means you won’t know you’re out of ammo until you hear or feel a “click.”
Point being that the AK is going to have more of a learning curve for the total novitiate. If you’re completely new to firearms, it isn’t so much that “AK is not for you, comrade” but more that you’re going to need to put in some time with it to learn how to run it efficiently.
If your intention is just to keep the gun as it came from the factory, then the customization aspect is perhaps not as important. However, for those who want to add some upgrades and extras, there are a few things to be aware of.
The AR-15 platform is easily customized or altered, with little more than hand tools required for changing many components. The AK platform can be easily altered albeit in fewer ways than an AR-platform rifle.
A modern AR-platform rifle, with a quad rail, MLOK or KeyMod handguard, can easily have a light or vertical grip or whatever you might want added to it. If the rifle has a railed receiver, adding optics is a piece of cake and – since many optics these days come replete with their own mounting system – often enough rather cheap. However, it’s a little more difficult if not, and then you’ll have to deal with the ginormous height over the bore of a handle-mounted optic, which creates its own problems.
A more classic handguard on an AR is not thusly accommodating, but can be easily changed. The same is true for AK-pattern rifles; the classic furniture can’t really accommodate any accessories but an upgrade to a different handguard will give you those capabilities.
Furniture is easily changed on both rifles, but adding optics to an AK is a little more complicated.
Doing so requires use of a side rail mount, or adding a railed gas tube, handguard or dust cover that will allow mounting of an optic. Unless the rifle you purchase has them already installed – and most of the inexpensive ones don’t! – you’ll need to buy that RS Regulate mount, Ultimak rail, Texas Weapons Systems dog leg or railed handguard and then install it, and get the optic as well.
So what’s the point of all that? AR-15s can be slightly easier to customize and add optics to, but you can do pretty much all the same stuff with an AK if, that is, you’re willing to put a little money into it.
One area in which the AR has capabilities the AK just doesn’t is when it comes to changing calibers. You can simply install a different barreled upper receiver and change, say, a rifle in 5.56mm with, say, a 16-inch barrel to an SBR in .300 Blackout by pulling a couple of pins and dropping the new upper on so long as it fits the lower. The AK platform, however, lacks the same modularity; the barrel is set into the trunnion (which itself is riveted into the frame) and then the barrel is pinned in place using a hydraulic press.
In other words, you can swap uppers with an AR if you decide you’d like to do something different with it. With an AK, you need to buy a whole new rifle.
Which also informs upgrading the internals. With an AR, you can easily change pretty much everything. With an AK, the barrel trunnion, barrel, and rear trunnion are set; you can change almost anything else, but those aren’t going anywhere. Want a better barrel? Unless you have the necessary equipment, the cost of parts plus the labor of a competent gunsmith will add up to about what you’d pay for just buying a rifle with a better barrel.
Incidentally, that is also the case with other rifle platforms such as the HK G3/HK91/CETME family as well as the FN FAL and others.
Ultimately, if you plan to not change anything or make minimal changes just for the purposes of adding a light or an optic, both will work. If you anticipate using the rifle like a LEGO set, the AR is really the only option there is.
Whichever you choose, learn to shoot it.
Click here to get your 1911 Pistol Shopping Guide.
Click here to get The Complete Concealed Carry Training Guide
Sam Hoober is a Contributing Editor to AlienGearHolsters.com, a subsidiary of Hayden, ID, based Tedder Industries, where he writes about gun accessories, gun safety, open and concealed carry tips. Click here to visit aliengearholsters.com.


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--BEHRENS: Green New Deal 2.0 Doesn’t Make Biden Look Any Less Radical

Meet the “ new ” Green New Deal…same as the old Green New Deal .
When House Democrats introduced their new climate plan it ’ s clear they did so not as a serious proposal , but to give cover to Joe Biden .
Their problem ?
Not even their own members are buying it .
You might recall the first version of the Green New Deal met with disaster even among Democrats .
Despite her prime role as a media darling , AOC has never had the ability to bring her Green New Deal to a vote in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pelosi , never signed on to it and the bill was so radioactive not a single member of the Senate voted in favor of it .
For all the attention the eco-radicals and the media garnished for the first Green New Deal , it seems like not a single leader in Washington was eager to actually vote for it .
Of course they had good reason , they know it spells catastrophe .
Now Democrats are taking the lemon-with-a-new-coat-of-paint approach to their environmental policy by hoping you won ’ t notice their new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of touch as the old one .
The goal is clear : Democrats are betting this proposal will appear more reasonable than the original Green New Deal and Biden won ’ t look like an AOC climate puppet .
However , it ’ s just as much a threat to America ’ s middle class families , or even worse .
Under the plan , every American will need to budget for a new electric vehicle in the years ahead .
They will also need to prepare for skyrocketing electric bills that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy market .
Families already struggling to make ends meet will have to grapple with electric bills increasing 17 percent and forced to pay thousands to come into compliance with the law .
All this at the same time millions of their neighbors lose their job in energy producing states like Pennsylvania , Louisiana and New Mexico .
That ’ s exactly why not all House Democrats are on board with Green New Deal 2.0 .
New Mexico Democrat Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small , who represents an energy rich district , has come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ out of touch with the reality on the ground in New Mexico.
” Without a doubt , more representatives in other energy rich states will reach the same conclusion .
Of all the descriptions of the House Democrat climate plan , “ out of touch with reality ” might just be the nicest .
The dirty little secret of both Green New Deal plans is that neither is a serious proposal designed to actually pass Congress .
They are designed for one reason : to help Joe Biden appease radical environmental special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Democrat plan allows Joe Biden to pretend he ’ s flexing green muscles while also distancing himself from the first Green New Deal .
The problem for Biden and House Democrats is that no one was fooled by the original Green New Deal , and not even his own party will buy into this one .
No matter how much new paint they throw on it .
Larry Behrens is the Western States Director for Power The Future , an organization fighting for America ’ s Energy Workers .
He is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Director for New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez .
You can find him on Twitter at @ larrybehrens and @ PTFNewMexico or email at larry @ powerthefuture.com

Meet the “new” Green New Deal…same as the old Green New Deal.
When House Democrats introduced their new climate plan it’s clear they did so not as a serious proposal, but to give cover to Joe Biden. Their problem? Not even their own members are buying it.
You might recall the first version of the Green New Deal met with disaster even among Democrats. Despite her prime role as a media darling, AOC has never had the ability to bring her Green New Deal to a vote in the House. Democrat leaders, including Speaker Pelosi, never signed on to it and the bill was so radioactive not a single member of the Senate voted in favor of it.
For all the attention the eco-radicals and the media garnished for the first Green New Deal, it seems like not a single leader in Washington was eager to actually vote for it. Of course they had good reason, they know it spells catastrophe.
Now Democrats are taking the lemon-with-a-new-coat-of-paint approach to their environmental policy by hoping you won’t notice their new “plan” is just as out of touch as the old one. The goal is clear: Democrats are betting this proposal will appear more reasonable than the original Green New Deal and Biden won’t look like an AOC climate puppet. However, it’s just as much a threat to America’s middle class families, or even worse.
Under the plan, every American will need to budget for a new electric vehicle in the years ahead. They will also need to prepare for skyrocketing electric bills that are the result of government restricting the open energy market. Families already struggling to make ends meet will have to grapple with electric bills increasing 17 percent and forced to pay thousands to come into compliance with the law. All this at the same time millions of their neighbors lose their job in energy producing states like Pennsylvania, Louisiana and New Mexico.
That’s exactly why not all House Democrats are on board with Green New Deal 2.0. New Mexico Democrat Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small, who represents an energy rich district, has come out against the new plan calling it “out of touch with the reality on the ground in New Mexico.” Without a doubt, more representatives in other energy rich states will reach the same conclusion.
Of all the descriptions of the House Democrat climate plan, “out of touch with reality” might just be the nicest.
The dirty little secret of both Green New Deal plans is that neither is a serious proposal designed to actually pass Congress. They are designed for one reason: to help Joe Biden appease radical environmental special interests and … Bernie voters.
The House Democrat plan allows Joe Biden to pretend he’s flexing green muscles while also distancing himself from the first Green New Deal. The problem for Biden and House Democrats is that no one was fooled by the original Green New Deal, and not even his own party will buy into this one.
No matter how much new paint they throw on it.
Larry Behrens is the Western States Director for Power The Future, an organization fighting for America’s Energy Workers. He is a former journalist and previously served as Communications Director for New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez. You can find him on Twitter at @larrybehrens and @PTFNewMexico or email at larry@powerthefuture.com


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--Indiana Hoosiers And Michigan Wolverines Have Positive Coronavirus Cases

The Michigan Wolverines and the Indiana Hoosiers both have positive cases of coronavirus .
According to Brett McMurphy , the Hoosiers conducted 299 more tests for coronavirus , and four of the tests came back positive .
( RELATED : David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football ) Dustin Schutte reported that 375 Michigan athletes were tested for coronavirus , and only four came back positive .
No Michigan staff members had the virus .
All things considered , these results are incredibly manageable , and they ’ re pretty good news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both programs isn ’ t a big deal at all .
It ’ s not even known if the positive tests are from the football teams or not , which is obviously the most important part of the situation .
If Michigan and Indiana can keep the numbers super low like they currently are , then the season might be trending in a positive direction .
Obviously , that ’ s probably easier said than done , but there ’ s no reason to panic over these numbers .
There ’ s no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the two Big 10 programs can continue to contain the virus and we can start taking serious steps towards having football in the fall .
Trust me , this country needs football and we need to beat this damn virus .

The Michigan Wolverines and the Indiana Hoosiers both have positive cases of coronavirus.
According to Brett McMurphy, the Hoosiers conducted 299 more tests for coronavirus, and four of the tests came back positive. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Updated Indiana update: Hoosiers student-athletes, coaches & staff have had 295 negative tests for COVID & only 4 positive tests — Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 10, 2020
Dustin Schutte reported that 375 Michigan athletes were tested for coronavirus, and only four came back positive. No Michigan staff members had the virus.
University of Michigan latest COVID-19 test results: Student-athletes tested: 375
Positive results: 4 Staff members tested: 139
Positive results: 0 4 positive tests out of 514 total screenings — Dustin Schutte (@SchutteCFB) July 10, 2020
All things considered, these results are incredibly manageable, and they’re pretty good news. Having only four positive tests in both programs isn’t a big deal at all.
It’s not even known if the positive tests are from the football teams or not, which is obviously the most important part of the situation.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Indiana Football (@indianafootball) on Jul 10, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT
If Michigan and Indiana can keep the numbers super low like they currently are, then the season might be trending in a positive direction.
Obviously, that’s probably easier said than done, but there’s no reason to panic over these numbers. There’s no reason to panic at all.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Indiana Football (@indianafootball) on Apr 25, 2020 at 7:20pm PDT
Hopefully, the two Big 10 programs can continue to contain the virus and we can start taking serious steps towards having football in the fall.
Trust me, this country needs football and we need to beat this damn virus.


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--‘Huge Mistake’: Ted Cruz Blasts Trump Plan To Create ‘Road To Citizenship’ For DACA Recipients

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted Friday that it would be a “ huge mistake ” for President Donald Trump to use “ executive fiat ” to create a pathway to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) recipients .
“ There is ZERO constitutional authority for a president to create a ‘ road to citizenship ’ by executive fiat , ” Cruz tweeted .
“ It was unconstitutional when Obama issued executive amnesty , and it would be a HUGE mistake if Trump tries to illegally expand amnesty.
” “ I ’ m going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration bill … I ’ m going to do a big executive order .
I have the power to do it as president , and I ’ m going to make DACA a part of it , ” Trump told Telemundo ’ s José Díaz-Balart in a Friday interview .
“ But we put it in , ” Trump continued .
“ We ’ re probably going to be then taking it out .
We ’ re working out the legal complexities right now .
But I ’ m going to be signing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive order.
” Trump contended that the Supreme Court ’ s decision on DACA “ has given me the power to do that.
” “ One of the aspects of the bill is going to be DACA , ” he said .
“ We ’ re going to have a road to citizenship.
” One of the major arguments against President Barack Obama ’ s creation of the program in the first place was his use of executive fiat instead of the legislative process .
( RELATED : Tucker Carlson : America ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ) Former Obama appointee Eric Columbus knocked the president for conflating a “ bill ” with an “ executive order , ” contending that DACA was never meant to create a pathway for citizenship .

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted Friday that it would be a “huge mistake” for President Donald Trump to use “executive fiat” to create a pathway to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
“There is ZERO constitutional authority for a president to create a ‘road to citizenship’ by executive fiat,” Cruz tweeted. “It was unconstitutional when Obama issued executive amnesty, and it would be a HUGE mistake if Trump tries to illegally expand amnesty.”
There is ZERO constitutional authority for a President to create a “road to citizenship” by executive fiat. It was unconstitutional when Obama issued executive amnesty, and it would be a HUGE mistake if Trump tries to illegally expand amnesty. #TellTheSwampNO #RuleOfLaw https://t.co/RLWuCgcNU6 — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 10, 2020
“I’m going to be over the next few weeks signing an immigration bill … I’m going to do a big executive order. I have the power to do it as president, and I’m going to make DACA a part of it,” Trump told Telemundo’s José Díaz-Balart in a Friday interview.
“But we put it in,” Trump continued. “We’re probably going to be then taking it out. We’re working out the legal complexities right now. But I’m going to be signing a very major immigration bill as an executive order.”
Trump contended that the Supreme Court’s decision on DACA “has given me the power to do that.”
“One of the aspects of the bill is going to be DACA,” he said. “We’re going to have a road to citizenship.”
One of the major arguments against President Barack Obama’s creation of the program in the first place was his use of executive fiat instead of the legislative process. (RELATED: Tucker Carlson: America’s Elites Want ‘Immigration Without Limit’)
Others, including Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy, agreed with Cruz’s sentiment:
Correct. Having been part of litigating this for Texas, this would be an abandonment of the rule of law. https://t.co/n9gLwgYF8y — Chip Roy (@chiproytx) July 10, 2020
Again, @tedcruz taking the Constitutional, principled position against executive amnesty. https://t.co/Wke2zs3JEy — Ron Nehring (@RonNehring) July 10, 2020
Trump’s getting all the wrong advice. A road to citizenship for DACA people is going to lose him way more votes than he will gain. This is an unmitigated disaster. https://t.co/ebHNdYTmcP — Raheem Kassam (@RaheemKassam) July 10, 2020
Former Obama appointee Eric Columbus knocked the president for conflating a “bill” with an “executive order,” contending that DACA was never meant to create a pathway for citizenship.


thedailycaller--2020-07-11--Trump Calls For Dossier Author Christopher Steele To Be ‘Thrown In Jail’

President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his decision to commute the prison sentence of his longtime friend , Roger Stone , and called for the extradition of another Russiagate figure : dossier author Christopher Steele .
“ This man should be extradited , tried , and thrown into jail , ” tweeted , referencing a story about a British court ruling against Steele in a lawsuit in London .
“ A sick lier [ sic ] who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC !
” Trump continued .
Steele , a former MI6 officer , wrote the infamous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engaging in a “ well-developed conspiracy of cooperation ” with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election .
Steele ’ s dossier also alleged that the Kremlin had blackmail material on Trump in the form of a sex video of him with prostitutes in Moscow in 2013 .
( RELATED : British Court Rules Against Christopher Steele , Orders Ex-Spy To Pay Damages Over Dossier ) The FBI relied heavily on the dossier in its investigation of the Trump campaign and considered him a confidential human source ( CHS ) .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information in applications to conduct surveillance against Carter Page , a former Trump campaign aide .
But the dossier has been severely undercut in the past 18 months .
The special counsel ’ s report found no evidence of a Trump-Russia conspiracy .
A Justice Department inspector general ’ s report said that Steele ’ s primary source disavowed Steele ’ s description of events in the dossier .
The report also said that the FBI had evidence that Russian intelligence operatives fed disinformation to Steele .
Trump did not specify what crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But two Republican senators , Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , referred Steele to the FBI in January 2018 for possible criminal investigation over his statements to the FBI .
They asserted that Steele may have lied when he denied to FBI agents in October 2016 that he had shared information about his Trump investigation with reporters .
Steele acknowledged in 2017 in a British court filing that he met in September 2016 and October 2016 with journalists from The Washington Post , The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yahoo !
News .
It is unclear if the FBI is investigating Steele for any wrongdoing .
On Wednesday , a British judge ordered Steele to pay damages to two Russian bankers who he accused in the dossier of having illicit ties to Vladimir Putin .
The judge said that Steele ’ s allegations were “ inaccurate or misleading.
” 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 @ @ @ @ @

President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his decision to commute the prison sentence of his longtime friend, Roger Stone, and called for the extradition of another Russiagate figure: dossier author Christopher Steele.
“This man should be extradited, tried, and thrown into jail,” tweeted, referencing a story about a British court ruling against Steele in a lawsuit in London.
“A sick lier [sic] who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC!” Trump continued.
Steele, a former MI6 officer, wrote the infamous report that accused the Trump campaign of engaging in a “well-developed conspiracy of cooperation” with the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. Steele’s dossier also alleged that the Kremlin had blackmail material on Trump in the form of a sex video of him with prostitutes in Moscow in 2013. (RELATED: British Court Rules Against Christopher Steele, Orders Ex-Spy To Pay Damages Over Dossier)
The FBI relied heavily on the dossier in its investigation of the Trump campaign and considered him a confidential human source (CHS). The bureau also extensively cited Steele’s information in applications to conduct surveillance against Carter Page, a former Trump campaign aide.
But the dossier has been severely undercut in the past 18 months.
The special counsel’s report found no evidence of a Trump-Russia conspiracy. A Justice Department inspector general’s report said that Steele’s primary source disavowed Steele’s description of events in the dossier. The report also said that the FBI had evidence that Russian intelligence operatives fed disinformation to Steele.
Trump did not specify what crimes he thinks Steele is guilty of committing. But two Republican senators, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, referred Steele to the FBI in January 2018 for possible criminal investigation over his statements to the FBI. They asserted that Steele may have lied when he denied to FBI agents in October 2016 that he had shared information about his Trump investigation with reporters.
Steele acknowledged in 2017 in a British court filing that he met in September 2016 and October 2016 with journalists from The Washington Post, The New York Times, ABC News, Mother Jones and Yahoo! News.
It is unclear if the FBI is investigating Steele for any wrongdoing.
On Wednesday, a British judge ordered Steele to pay damages to two Russian bankers who he accused in the dossier of having illicit ties to Vladimir Putin. The judge said that Steele’s allegations were “inaccurate or misleading.”
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--2020-07-11--The PAC-12 Will Only Play Conference Football Games During The Coronavirus Pandemic

The PAC-12 will only play conference football games during the coronavirus pandemic .
Following the footsteps of the Big 10 , the PAC-12 announced Friday night that the conference was canceling all non-conference football games .
( RELATED : David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football ) Well , I think we all saw this coming , and I highly-doubt the PAC-12 will be the last conference to make this decision .
The ACC might pull the trigger on doing the exact same thing at literally any moment .
We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games seems like it ’ s going to happen everywhere .
This honestly sucks so much .
It ’ s incredibly frustrating , and it means Alabama and USC won ’ t play to open the season , which was supposed to be a great game .
Instead , the PAC-12 will just stick to playing other teams in the conference .
I ’ ve honestly had enough of the coronavirus pandemic .
It ’ s destroying sports , and college football is on the verge of getting decimated .
This much is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be anything like a normal year .
That much is crystal clear .
Keep checking back for more updates on the state of college football when we have them .

The PAC-12 will only play conference football games during the coronavirus pandemic.
Following the footsteps of the Big 10, the PAC-12 announced Friday night that the conference was canceling all non-conference football games. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Pac-12 CEO Group announces decision to schedule conference-only play for several Fall sports & to delay move toward mandatory athletics activities. Full announcement ➡ https://t.co/A6PNFSeZ5d — Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) July 10, 2020
Well, I think we all saw this coming, and I highly-doubt the PAC-12 will be the last conference to make this decision.
The ACC might pull the trigger on doing the exact same thing at literally any moment. We’re on the brink, and canceling non-conference games seems like it’s going to happen everywhere.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kedon Slovis (@kedonslovis) on Nov 24, 2019 at 6:19pm PST
This honestly sucks so much. It’s incredibly frustrating, and it means Alabama and USC won’t play to open the season, which was supposed to be a great game.
Instead, the PAC-12 will just stick to playing other teams in the conference.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kedon Slovis (@kedonslovis) on Jun 16, 2020 at 4:52pm PDT
I’ve honestly had enough of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s destroying sports, and college football is on the verge of getting decimated.
This much is for sure, the 2020 season won’t be anything like a normal year. That much is crystal clear.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kedon Slovis (@kedonslovis) on Dec 19, 2019 at 11:48pm PST
Keep checking back for more updates on the state of college football when we have them.


thedailycaller--2020-07-13--Here Are Examples Of The Media Claiming The Protests Are Peaceful

There have been numerous examples of media members claiming ongoing protests in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death are peaceful – despite video evidence , deaths and more from on the ground in cities across the country .
Seattle ’ s “ Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone ” – later renamed “ Capitol Hill Organized Protest – resulted in two men dying and more being injured in shootings .
A former police officer died in St. Louis after protecting a store from looters .
Multiple children have died amid the protests , as well .
Despite 23 people dying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , media has pushed the narrative that the events are largely peaceful .
“ I want to be clear on how I characterize this , ” MSNBC ’ s Ari Velshi said in May while standing in front of a burning building .
“ This is mostly a protest .
It is not , generally speaking , unruly but fires have been started and this crowd is relishing that.
” “ And I just want to reiterate , most of the protests that we saw this weekend were peaceful , ” ABC correspondent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ” on June 1 , according to Newsbusters .
“ One woman told me she couldn ’ t help but notice how beautiful it all was but she , like many , says she was worried about what would happen , when the sun went down .
Other networks have proven guilty of this narrative as well .
NBC News saw “ Today ” co-anchor Craig Melvin push the “ largely peaceful narrative , ” Newsbusters added .
“ It should be noted that the demonstration here in Washington and this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well , ” according to Melvin .
“ Those demonstrations were largely peaceful .
In fact it was peaceful here until the sun went down.
” Media Research Center ’ s ( MRC ) Dan Gainor explained to “ Fox & Friends ” June 25 that some in the media were ignoring the violence plaguing Seattle ’ s CHAZ .
During this segment , host Jillian Mele cited research indicating that prime time shows on CNN and MSNBC “ failed ” to cover the area after reports of how peaceful it allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ re pretending that it ’ s peaceful , ” Gainor said .
“ One reporter even called it ‘ chill.
’ ” “ Meanwhile , they ignore the violence in a situation where it is supposed to be black lives mattering , they ignore that a young African-American was killed in the violence .
The chief of police says that there ’ s rapes and robberies , and , meanwhile , the media are saying , ‘ Oh it is cool.
’ ” Activist Deray McKesson appeared on CNN to push @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were the only ones being violent .
McKesson said that “ there has been no violence from the protestors , ” despite many videos indicating otherwise .
“ I ’ m tired of hearing about violence and non-violence , ” McKesson told CNN ’ s Christiane Amanpour .
“ The only violence I have seen in the street is the police .
That ’ s the violence … I have a friend who is now permanently blind in one eye because the police shot her in the eye with a rubber bullet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been no violence from the protesters , there has been property damage .
And that property will return.
” Amanpour did not push back on McKesson ’ s claims .
( RELATED : Here ’ s A List Of Media And Politicians Who Downplayed Violence And Looting ) Some reporters on the ground at protests across the country have pushed back on this narrative , including journalists from the Daily Caller .
Seattle , Washington , D.C. , New York City , Portland and more have all seen consistent violence on the streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s claim that they are mostly peaceful or nonviolent .
Furthermore , government statistics and some media reports indicate that violence has spikes in cities around America following anti-police protests after Floyd ’ s death .
( RELATED : Violent Crime Explodes Across American Cities Following Nationwide Protests )

There have been numerous examples of media members claiming ongoing protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death are peaceful – despite video evidence, deaths and more from on the ground in cities across the country.
Seattle’s “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” – later renamed “Capitol Hill Organized Protest – resulted in two men dying and more being injured in shootings. A former police officer died in St. Louis after protecting a store from looters. Multiple children have died amid the protests, as well.
Despite 23 people dying since violence and protests erupted across America, media has pushed the narrative that the events are largely peaceful.
“I want to be clear on how I characterize this,” MSNBC’s Ari Velshi said in May while standing in front of a burning building. “This is mostly a protest. It is not, generally speaking, unruly but fires have been started and this crowd is relishing that.”
WATCH:
“And I just want to reiterate, most of the protests that we saw this weekend were peaceful,” ABC correspondent Eva Pilgrim said on “Good Morning America” on June 1, according to Newsbusters. “One woman told me she couldn’t help but notice how beautiful it all was but she, like many, says she was worried about what would happen, when the sun went down.
Other networks have proven guilty of this narrative as well. NBC News saw “Today” co-anchor Craig Melvin push the “largely peaceful narrative,” Newsbusters added.
“It should be noted that the demonstration here in Washington and this is the case around much of the country as well,” according to Melvin. “Those demonstrations were largely peaceful. In fact it was peaceful here until the sun went down.”
WATCH:
Media Research Center’s (MRC) Dan Gainor explained to “Fox & Friends” June 25 that some in the media were ignoring the violence plaguing Seattle’s CHAZ. During this segment, host Jillian Mele cited research indicating that prime time shows on CNN and MSNBC “failed” to cover the area after reports of how peaceful it allegedly was, Fox News reported.
“They’re pretending that it’s peaceful,” Gainor said. “One reporter even called it ‘chill.’”
“Meanwhile, they ignore the violence in a situation where it is supposed to be black lives mattering, they ignore that a young African-American was killed in the violence. The chief of police says that there’s rapes and robberies, and, meanwhile, the media are saying, ‘Oh it is cool.’”
Activist Deray McKesson appeared on CNN to push for peaceful protesters, claiming that police were the only ones being violent. McKesson said that “there has been no violence from the protestors,” despite many videos indicating otherwise.
“I’m tired of hearing about violence and non-violence,” McKesson told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “The only violence I have seen in the street is the police. That’s the violence … I have a friend who is now permanently blind in one eye because the police shot her in the eye with a rubber bullet. That is violence.”
“There has been no violence from the protesters, there has been property damage. And that property will return.”
Amanpour did not push back on McKesson’s claims. (RELATED: Here’s A List Of Media And Politicians Who Downplayed Violence And Looting)
WATCH:
.@deray: “I’m tired of hearing about violence and non-violence. The only violence I have seen in the street is the police… I have a friend who’s now permanently blind in one eye because the police shot her in the eye with a rubber bullet. That’s violence.” pic.twitter.com/0IKfIYwtJz — Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) June 1, 2020
Some reporters on the ground at protests across the country have pushed back on this narrative, including journalists from the Daily Caller. Seattle, Washington, D.C., New York City, Portland and more have all seen consistent violence on the streets amid protests, despite liberal media’s claim that they are mostly peaceful or nonviolent.
Furthermore, government statistics and some media reports indicate that violence has spikes in cities around America following anti-police protests after Floyd’s death. (RELATED: Violent Crime Explodes Across American Cities Following Nationwide Protests)