crooksandliars--2020-09-13--Fox News Twists Arson Arrests In Western States To Smear Liberals

The West Coast is on fire , and there is no question whatsoever that these fires are out of control and raging because of climate change .
This is true regardless of what sparked the fires , but leave it to Fox News to distort current arrests for arson into ways to politicize the destruction and cause .
Here are Jedidiah Bila , Pete Hegseth and Will Cain `` reporting '' on some arrests for arson , as outlined in the FoxNews.com article about the arrests for arson .
In that article , it 's made clear that authorities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the raging fires after a whacko Clackamas sheriff 's deputy was caught on video blaming Antifa for setting the wildfires .
That deputy has been placed on leave for those remarks , and the FBI was forced to take time to investigate and debunk the claims .
The first man they singled out was a homeless meth addict .
The alleged arson he was arrested for was unrelated to the major Oregon fires raging , but they did n't bother to point that out , instead trying to tie him to `` defund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a claim which is not actually substantiated by anything that I could find from official sources .
Not content to stop there , they plowed on to California to claim that Governor Gavin Newsom was too hasty in his attempt to blame climate change for the fires if they were possibly started by arson .
Of course the origin of a fire is less important than the climate in which they started .
Record heat and scant rain mean out-of-control fires , whether started by arsonists , dry lightning , Edison equipment or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flacks whine , `` There 's no tragedy , there 's no moment too soon to jump and advance your political agenda and pin awful events on your political opponent , '' I 'll just come back with this : Fox News never misses an opportunity to lie to their viewers and scapegoat others when it suits their political goals .
BILA : And there 's another big story that we 're also following this morning , the deadly wildfires on the west coast because at least 31 people have died in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump set to visit California tomorrow to assess the damage and meet with first responders .
CAIN : Police arresting four people for alleged arson connecting to the wildfires .
BILA : Authorities say Michael Bakla was seen lighting a fire behind a house in Phoenix , Oregon .
Another man is accused of setting a fire near a Washington highway .
A report says he 's a regular attendee of defund police rallies in Seattle ... that last detail unfolding , pretty amazing .
It 's really incredible to see .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible about what it is we do not know yet .
These arsonists , as of yet , we do not know exactly their ties to any extremist organization or what their motivations might be , but I think one thing is clear .
We now know many of these fires in the west were set intentionally .
What does that reveal Pete ?
What it reveals is , the brazen , political , monopolization of a tragedy by people like Gov .
Gavin Newsom , who quickly jumped out and blamed these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no tragedy , there 's no moment too soon to jump and advance your political agenda and pin awful events on your political opponent .
What this reveals , at the very least , without any information about their motives , is these were intentional fires , and Gavin Newsom attributed it to his political position .
HEGSETH : And almost immediately , to your point Will , and who do you blame then for that ?
You can blame everyone , he should blame himself for the gas guzzler he drives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In this case , as you mentioned , we 'll learn more about , whatever lunatic motivation goes into contributing to the arson and these fires , again , as we mentioned , that local affiliate reporting that one of the members at least , was a regular attendee to Seattle 's defund the police rallies and riots .
But again , as we get more information , we pray for people on the west coast who are under siege from this on a daily basis

The West Coast is on fire, and there is no question whatsoever that these fires are out of control and raging because of climate change. This is true regardless of what sparked the fires, but leave it to Fox News to distort current arrests for arson into ways to politicize the destruction and cause.
Here are Jedidiah Bila, Pete Hegseth and Will Cain "reporting" on some arrests for arson, as outlined in the FoxNews.com article about the arrests for arson. In that article, it's made clear that authorities have dismissed political motives for the cause of the raging fires after a whacko Clackamas sheriff's deputy was caught on video blaming Antifa for setting the wildfires. That deputy has been placed on leave for those remarks, and the FBI was forced to take time to investigate and debunk the claims.
The first man they singled out was a homeless meth addict. The alleged arson he was arrested for was unrelated to the major Oregon fires raging, but they didn't bother to point that out, instead trying to tie him to "defund the police" rallies in Oregon, a claim which is not actually substantiated by anything that I could find from official sources.
Not content to stop there, they plowed on to California to claim that Governor Gavin Newsom was too hasty in his attempt to blame climate change for the fires if they were possibly started by arson. Of course the origin of a fire is less important than the climate in which they started. Record heat and scant rain mean out-of-control fires, whether started by arsonists, dry lightning, Edison equipment or idiotic gender reveal stunts.
When these flacks whine, "There's no tragedy, there's no moment too soon to jump and advance your political agenda and pin awful events on your political opponent," I'll just come back with this: Fox News never misses an opportunity to lie to their viewers and scapegoat others when it suits their political goals.
Partial transcript below, via Heather:


crooksandliars--2020-09-13--Lemmings In MAGA Hats

Lemmings In MAGA Hats

The myth of periodic mass suicide for the arctic rodent persists in our culture .
It does n't really exist , but some say they saw it yesterday at the Minden-Tahoe airport with Trump 's maskless MAGA rally .
Scopes did that ultimate debunking of this myth , which dates back to 1958 with the release of Disney 's `` White Wilderness '' , but for the sake of brevity , here 's a shorter version .
If you know anything about lemmings , it 's probably their reputation for plunging off cliffs in acts of mass suicide .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they 'd tell a different story : that this claim is bogus .
No one knows exactly when the myth started , but a 1958 Disney video called `` White Wilderness , '' which won an Oscar for best documentary feature , has emerged over the years as the likeliest suspect .
Here 's a key shot of the lemmings from the now-infamous film : The problem ?
The `` documentary '' was faked .
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game 's blog , Disney filmmakers deliberately threw the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animal 's reputation in the process .
The epic `` lemming migration '' was staged using careful editing , tight camera angles and a few dozen lemmings running on snow covered lazy-Susan style turntable .
Which leads us to this , seen yesterday in Minden , Nevada .
At least someone saw the humor in this event .

The myth of periodic mass suicide for the arctic rodent persists in our culture. It doesn't really exist, but some say they saw it yesterday at the Minden-Tahoe airport with Trump's maskless MAGA rally.
Scopes did that ultimate debunking of this myth, which dates back to 1958 with the release of Disney's "White Wilderness", but for the sake of brevity, here's a shorter version.
Source: Business Insider
If you know anything about lemmings, it's probably their reputation for plunging off cliffs in acts of mass suicide. But if the puffy little rodents could talk, they'd tell a different story: that this claim is bogus. No one knows exactly when the myth started, but a 1958 Disney video called "White Wilderness," which won an Oscar for best documentary feature, has emerged over the years as the likeliest suspect. Here's a key shot of the lemmings from the now-infamous film: The problem? The "documentary" was faked. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's blog, Disney filmmakers deliberately threw the lemmings off the cliff and ruined the animal's reputation in the process. The epic "lemming migration" was staged using careful editing, tight camera angles and a few dozen lemmings running on snow covered lazy-Susan style turntable.
Which leads us to this, seen yesterday in Minden, Nevada.
LMAO check out the maskless MAGA cult run to get a spot for their dear leader as the gates open in Minden, Nevada pic.twitter.com/3uPe1joA8v — Icculus The Brave (@FirenzeMike) September 13, 2020
Another view of the MAGA stampede to get a front row seat for the dear leader pic.twitter.com/7sK9hPKkMo — Icculus The Brave (@FirenzeMike) September 13, 2020
Today’s presidential superspreader event comes to you from Reno, Nevada pic.twitter.com/fvfLgtpGtn — Steve Lookner (@lookner) September 13, 2020
🚨𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐍𝐎𝐖‼
President @realDonaldTrump speaking to Great American Patriots in Minden, Nevada at a MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY!#TrumpPence2020 #MAGA🇺🇸🦅 pic.twitter.com/R0klHgUEfb — Dan Scavino🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) September 13, 2020
At least someone saw the humor in this event.


crooksandliars--2020-09-13--Ted Cruz Accuses Barack Obama Of Profiting Off Of 'Child Pornography' On Netflix

Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) sought on Sunday to smear former President Barack Obama while accusing Netflix of potentially distributing child pornography .
During an interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo , Cruz explained that he was upset over commercials for the Netflix program Cuties because he said it `` sexualizes 11-year-old girls , has them dancing like strippers , has them in very suggestive sexual roles . ''
`` And it 's frankly disgusting , '' the senator continued .
`` I do n't even want to show the video , '' Bartiromo said after airing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` And you know , Netflix is an incredibly profitable U.S .
company ! ''
Cruz exclaimed .
`` Barack Obama makes a ton of money from Netflix and they are profiting , they are making money by selling the sexual exploitation of young kids . ''
`` And so I asked the Attorney General to investigate them because federal law makes it a crime , it is a felony to distribute child pornography , '' he added .
`` We arrest and put in jail people every year for movies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have kids engage in sexual activity , if you produce it , if you distribute it , you face criminal penalties and Netflix is making a ton of money . ''
`` I guarantee you every pedophile in America is going to watch this movie and Netflix is sitting back fat and happy and making money on it , '' he concluded .
`` That 's not right . ''
At the time of publication , there is no evidence Netflix 's Cuties contains child pornography .

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) sought on Sunday to smear former President Barack Obama while accusing Netflix of potentially distributing child pornography.
During an interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo, Cruz explained that he was upset over commercials for the Netflix program Cuties because he said it "sexualizes 11-year-old girls, has them dancing like strippers, has them in very suggestive sexual roles."
"And it's frankly disgusting," the senator continued.
"I don't even want to show the video," Bartiromo said after airing a trailer for the program alongside Cruz speaking.
"And you know, Netflix is an incredibly profitable U.S. company!" Cruz exclaimed. "Barack Obama makes a ton of money from Netflix and they are profiting, they are making money by selling the sexual exploitation of young kids."
"And so I asked the Attorney General to investigate them because federal law makes it a crime, it is a felony to distribute child pornography," he added. "We arrest and put in jail people every year for movies. If you have child pornography, if you have kids engage in sexual activity, if you produce it, if you distribute it, you face criminal penalties and Netflix is making a ton of money."
"I guarantee you every pedophile in America is going to watch this movie and Netflix is sitting back fat and happy and making money on it," he concluded. "That's not right."
At the time of publication, there is no evidence Netflix's Cuties contains child pornography.


crooksandliars--2020-09-13--Trump Tweets Out Four-Year-Old Photo To Show How Popular He Is

We all know that Trump is full of shit , with virtually everything that comes out of his mouth a lie , a misrepresentation of facts , or a con .
So when Alec MacGillis of ProPublica called him out in real time it was n't especially surprising , but it did elicit a small bit of schadenfreude in this otherwise dreary time .
As he prepared for a campaign rally in Nevada , President Donald Trump tweeted several photos showing homes and vehicles decorated with his name and logo by his supporters — but one photo was from 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him out for the apparent deception .
Trump ’ s tweet Saturday evening showed a home with dozens of Trump yard signs in rows covering the entire lawn .
“ WOW — THANK YOU !
# MAGA , ” tweeted Trump .
ProPublica ’ s Alec MacGillis tweeted an hour later that the photo was “ from four years ago ” — a date he knew because he was the original photographer .
“ Where ’ s my credit ?
?
” he tweeted .
Although the pic is from March , 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as relevant to 2020 in this way .

We all know that Trump is full of shit, with virtually everything that comes out of his mouth a lie, a misrepresentation of facts, or a con. So when Alec MacGillis of ProPublica called him out in real time it wasn't especially surprising, but it did elicit a small bit of schadenfreude in this otherwise dreary time.
Source: Mediaite
As he prepared for a campaign rally in Nevada, President Donald Trump tweeted several photos showing homes and vehicles decorated with his name and logo by his supporters — but one photo was from 2016, and the original photographer quickly called him out for the apparent deception.
Trump’s tweet Saturday evening showed a home with dozens of Trump yard signs in rows covering the entire lawn. “WOW — THANK YOU! #MAGA,” tweeted Trump.
ProPublica’s Alec MacGillis tweeted an hour later that the photo was “from four years ago” — a date he knew because he was the original photographer. “Where’s my credit??” he tweeted.


crooksandliars--2020-09-13--George Stephanopoulos Demands Symone Sanders Explain Why Biden Didn't Do More To Stop COVID-19

ABC host George Stephanopoulos grilled Symone Sanders , a surrogate for Democratic nominee Joe Biden , about why the former vice president did not do more to stop the coronavirus pandemic even though he was not in office at the time .
Following an interview in which he gave Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller little pushback , Stephanopoulos told Sanders that Biden did not have a `` significantly different response '' from President Donald Trump .
`` Can you point to statements in January and February where the vice president called for travel bans , social distancing , wearing masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can do you one better , '' Sanders replied .
`` In October 2019 , Vice President Biden warned that we were susceptible and vulnerable to a pandemic .
In January of 2020 , he wrote an op-ed that warned and cautioned that Donald Trump should talk this seriously .
On March 12 , he put out his plan for a COVID-19 response that spoke of widespread testing , making sure everyone had the proper personal protective equipment , that called for operationalizing the Defense Production Act . ''
Sanders added : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this public urging and President Trump was speaking privately to at least one reporter saying that he knew the virus was deadly . ''
At that point , the ABC host interrupted .
`` I asked you about January and February , '' Stephanopoulos said .
`` You said in March the vice president put out a plan , but he also put out a tweet that day saying a wall will not stop the coronavirus , banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world will not stop it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call for travel bans or social distancing or wearing masks , '' the host pressed .
`` Look , George , in January and February , Joe Biden was not being briefed by the national security experts , '' Sanders pointed out .
`` In January and February , Joe Biden did not have the knowledge that President Trump did . ''
`` But I will tell you if Joe Biden were president in January or February , he would have taken proper precautions , '' she continued .
`` He would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have told folks to social distance .
He would have modeled good behavior and wearing a mask . ''
`` Donald Trump had information that could have made a difference , '' Sanders concluded .

ABC host George Stephanopoulos grilled Symone Sanders, a surrogate for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, about why the former vice president did not do more to stop the coronavirus pandemic even though he was not in office at the time.
Following an interview in which he gave Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller little pushback, Stephanopoulos told Sanders that Biden did not have a "significantly different response" from President Donald Trump.
"Can you point to statements in January and February where the vice president called for travel bans, social distancing, wearing masks?" Stephanopoulos wondered.
"I can do you one better," Sanders replied. "In October 2019, Vice President Biden warned that we were susceptible and vulnerable to a pandemic. In January of 2020, he wrote an op-ed that warned and cautioned that Donald Trump should talk this seriously. On March 12, he put out his plan for a COVID-19 response that spoke of widespread testing, making sure everyone had the proper personal protective equipment, that called for operationalizing the Defense Production Act."
Sanders added: "While Vice President Biden was doing all this public urging and President Trump was speaking privately to at least one reporter saying that he knew the virus was deadly."
At that point, the ABC host interrupted.
"I asked you about January and February," Stephanopoulos said. "You said in March the vice president put out a plan, but he also put out a tweet that day saying a wall will not stop the coronavirus, banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world will not stop it."
"He didn't explicitly call for travel bans or social distancing or wearing masks," the host pressed.
"Look, George, in January and February, Joe Biden was not being briefed by the national security experts," Sanders pointed out. "In January and February, Joe Biden did not have the knowledge that President Trump did."
"But I will tell you if Joe Biden were president in January or February, he would have taken proper precautions," she continued. "He would have warned the American people. He would have told folks to social distance. He would have modeled good behavior and wearing a mask."
"Donald Trump had information that could have made a difference," Sanders concluded.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Whistleblower Reveals How Trump Has Unleashed Another Plague: White-Supremacist Terrorism

While much of the media this week has been focused ( appropriately ) on the revelations in Bob Woodward ’ s interviews with Donald Trump that deliberately downplayed the virulence and lethality of the COVID-19 pandemic , the second damning disclosure this week—a Department of Homeland Security whistleblower ’ s complaint that intelligence assessments had been altered or shelved in order to protect Trump politically—is horrifying for much of the same reason : It revealed that Trump will manipulate information to the public allowing a plague to be unleashed on the public for his own political gain .
The report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claims that DHS chief Chad Wolf and others in the department attempted to manipulate official DHS intelligence by downplaying concerns about Russian interference in the 2020 election—but even more disturbingly , by ordering threat assessments to dilute concerns about white nationalism while playing up the right ’ s concocted bogeyman , ‘ antifa.
’ The spread of toxic white nationalism and its always-attendant violence has become , as Renée Graham at the Boston Globe observes , another kind of pandemic that Trump has downplayed and allowed to spread .
Predicated by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2015-2016 campaign , Trump ’ s election to the presidency unleashed a Pandora ’ s box of white-nationalist demons , beginning with a remarkable surge in hate crimes during his first month , and then his first two years , in office .
Its apotheosis has come in the form of a rising tide of far-right mass domestic terrorism and mass killings , as well the spread of armed right-wing “ Boogaloo ” radicals and militiamen creating mayhem amid civil unrest around the nation .
Trump ’ s response all along has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after sending out a signal of encouragement ( such as his “ very fine people on both sides ” comments after the white-nationalist violence in Charlottesville in August 2017 ) , he follows up with an anodyne disavowal of far-right extremists that is believed by no one , least of all white nationalists .
Whenever queried about whether white nationalists pose a threat—as he was after a right-wing terrorist ’ s lethal attack on two mosques in Christchurch , New Zealand , answering : “ I don ’ t really , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people that have very , very serious problems ” —Trump has consistently downplayed the threat .
The whistleblower ’ s complaint reveals the depth of the rot that Trump has inflicted on the law-enforcement agencies tasked with dealing with the threat in his administration .
It claims that Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II , DHS ’ s second-highest-ranking official , ordered Murphy to modify intelligence assessments in order to make the white-supremacist threat “ appear less severe.
” He also wanted the assessments to include information on “ left-wing ” groups and antifa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Wolf blocked the release of a March threat assessment of future dangers to the nation that highlighted white-supremacist violence and Russian election interference , saying it was blocked because of the way it might “ reflect upon President Trump.
” “ Mr .
Cuccinelli stated that Mr. Murphy needed to specifically modify the section on white supremacy in a manner that made the threat appear less severe , as well as include information on the prominence of violent ‘ left-wing ’ groups , ” the complaint says .
When Murphy made another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early July , the complaint says , Wolf reiterated Cuccinelli ’ s complaints and asked for it to include “ information on the unrest in Portland , Ore. ” Murphy noted that he believed such information would undermine the gathered intelligence .
Michael German , a national-security analyst for the Brennan Center for Justice and an expert on domestic terrorism , noted that this kind of manipulation of intelligence at top federal levels has profound consequences for all levels of law enforcement nationally .
“ The whistleblower 's allegations document how explicit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement and undermines the veracity and reliability of terrorism intelligence that goes out to state and local police , ” German told Daily Kos in an email .
“ If police are misinformed about threats facing their communities from the top , we ca n't be surprised when those same biases affect their street-level work.
” Former DHS terrorism analyst Daryl Johnson noted that Murphy was later demoted within the agency after it emerged that he had overseen the collection of data on journalists involved in publishing leaked data about the Portland protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists there .
It seems likely that his complaint is at least partially a product of having been punished for following his superiors ’ emphasis on leftist activists after having previously been asked to undermine intelligence assessments with specious information about them .
For Johnson—who authored the now-infamous 2009 DHS bulletin warning of increasing far-right organizing and recruitment , including returning war veterans , that set off a right-wing media reaction resulting in the gutting of the DHS section responsible for monitoring far-right terrorism—this is all too familiar .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ten years ago—just being overly sensitive to people ’ s civil rights and holding up something in which nobody ’ s rights are being violated or anything like that , ” he told Daily Kos .
“ This is a government bureaucracy , ” he added .
“ It ’ s a department that is gunshy because of what ’ s happened in the past , and it ’ s also people in the department who I guess are reluctant to acknowledge that threat and do something about it .
So they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This recalcitrance manifests itself in the data on domestic terrorism during the Trump years , which shows that—while a misplaced emphasis on Islamist terrorism diluted and occluded the response of law enforcement to far-right violence during the Obama administration—a similarly wrongheaded focus on a virtually nonexistent antifa and leftist threat had taken its place in more recent years , even as far-right terrorism has both grown significantly in numbers and risen in lethality .
“ The positive thing is that there are people higher in the department at higher levels who see that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy is an issue and a national-security concern , ” Johnson observed .
“ But they ’ re being offset by these people that don ’ t want that to happen.
” Some of those people , however , are also leaving the agency .
Earlier this month , the former assistant secretary of DHS ’ counterterrorism and threat-prevention unit who resigned in April , Elizabeth Neumann , gave a series of media interviews describing how Trump is “ pouring fuel on the fire ” of far-right extremism .
“ A very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Does the president ’ s rhetoric make your job harder ?
’ And the answer is yes , ” she said in an ad for Republican Voters Against Trump .
“ The president ’ s actions and his language are , in fact , racist .
… And I do think that the president ’ s divisive language is indirectly tied to some of the attacks that we have seen in the last two years.
” She told NPR ’ s Steve Inskeep that a responsible national leader would recognize the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Johnson noted that a central concern of responsible officials within the agency such as Neumann is that Trump is using the department for political purposes—namely , to come down on the left .
“ He used a DHS agency , Customs and Border Protection and their Border Patrol Tactical Unit , to go after the leftist protesters in Portland , and was quick to label them terrorists , but yet he doesn ’ t say anything about white supremacy or even the militias , ” Johnson said .
“ And he just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whistleblower ’ s complaint “ also highlights how willing law enforcement leaders are to punish internal dissent , which is deadly to objective analysis of intelligence .
Everyone in the system learns to ‘ go along and get along , ’ which became a mantra in the FBI .
Law enforcement intelligence becomes an echo-chamber of erroneous and biased information as a result , ” he told Daily Kos .
The result , he says , is a police culture at all levels—federal , state , and local—that is innately biased and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Training police to treat dissent as dangerous then alters their relationship with the communities they serve , opening a rift between law enforcement and the public , which we 're now seeing play out in the streets every night , ” he said .
“ One of the reforms we recommended is to strengthen whistleblower protections in law enforcement because those on the inside can see the problem every day and need to be encouraged to root it out , ” German added .
“ We also need to hire law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials who report the racist behavior within the ranks.
” Neumann notes that this kind of culture actively misleads law enforcement during periods of civil unrest such as the current one .
“ If you look at the people that have been arrested for that , by and large , I mean , it 's the Boogaloo movement or it 's an association with QAnon .
It 's the right side of the spectrum .
It is not antifa , ” she told NPR .
`` The threat of domestic terrorism is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing movements . ''
Johnson believes that the ongoing blind spot within law enforcement leaves it ill-equipped to deal with the violence he believes is going to be unleashed in the coming year .
“ I ’ m expecting things to escalate not just up to the election , but beyond the election and into next year , because I don ’ t think this election ’ s going to be finalized until weeks after because of mail-in ballots and everything , and I also think there are going to be lawsuits filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counts or contest them , ” he said .
“ So that , plus the pandemic plus the civil unrest , suggests we ’ re going to have increasing confrontation and violence .
”

While much of the media this week has been focused (appropriately) on the revelations in Bob Woodward’s interviews with Donald Trump that deliberately downplayed the virulence and lethality of the COVID-19 pandemic, the second damning disclosure this week—a Department of Homeland Security whistleblower’s complaint that intelligence assessments had been altered or shelved in order to protect Trump politically—is horrifying for much of the same reason: It revealed that Trump will manipulate information to the public allowing a plague to be unleashed on the public for his own political gain.
The report, from demoted intelligence-division chief Brian Murphy, claims that DHS chief Chad Wolf and others in the department attempted to manipulate official DHS intelligence by downplaying concerns about Russian interference in the 2020 election—but even more disturbingly, by ordering threat assessments to dilute concerns about white nationalism while playing up the right’s concocted bogeyman, ‘antifa.’
The spread of toxic white nationalism and its always-attendant violence has become, as Renée Graham at the Boston Globe observes, another kind of pandemic that Trump has downplayed and allowed to spread. Predicated by his mutual embrace of the far right in the 2015-2016 campaign, Trump’s election to the presidency unleashed a Pandora’s box of white-nationalist demons, beginning with a remarkable surge in hate crimes during his first month, and then his first two years, in office. Its apotheosis has come in the form of a rising tide of far-right mass domestic terrorism and mass killings, as well the spread of armed right-wing “Boogaloo” radicals and militiamen creating mayhem amid civil unrest around the nation.
Trump’s response all along has been to dance a tango in which, after sending out a signal of encouragement (such as his “very fine people on both sides” comments after the white-nationalist violence in Charlottesville in August 2017), he follows up with an anodyne disavowal of far-right extremists that is believed by no one, least of all white nationalists. Whenever queried about whether white nationalists pose a threat—as he was after a right-wing terrorist’s lethal attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, answering: “I don’t really, I think it’s a small group of people that have very, very serious problems”—Trump has consistently downplayed the threat.
The whistleblower’s complaint reveals the depth of the rot that Trump has inflicted on the law-enforcement agencies tasked with dealing with the threat in his administration. It claims that Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, DHS’s second-highest-ranking official, ordered Murphy to modify intelligence assessments in order to make the white-supremacist threat “appear less severe.” He also wanted the assessments to include information on “left-wing” groups and antifa.
The complaint also claims that Cuccinelli and Wolf blocked the release of a March threat assessment of future dangers to the nation that highlighted white-supremacist violence and Russian election interference, saying it was blocked because of the way it might “reflect upon President Trump.”
“Mr. Cuccinelli stated that Mr. Murphy needed to specifically modify the section on white supremacy in a manner that made the threat appear less severe, as well as include information on the prominence of violent ‘left-wing’ groups,” the complaint says.
When Murphy made another push for the report’s release in early July, the complaint says, Wolf reiterated Cuccinelli’s complaints and asked for it to include “information on the unrest in Portland, Ore.” Murphy noted that he believed such information would undermine the gathered intelligence.
Michael German, a national-security analyst for the Brennan Center for Justice and an expert on domestic terrorism, noted that this kind of manipulation of intelligence at top federal levels has profound consequences for all levels of law enforcement nationally.
“The whistleblower's allegations document how explicit bias infects the top echelons of law enforcement and undermines the veracity and reliability of terrorism intelligence that goes out to state and local police,” German told Daily Kos in an email. “If police are misinformed about threats facing their communities from the top, we can't be surprised when those same biases affect their street-level work.”
Former DHS terrorism analyst Daryl Johnson noted that Murphy was later demoted within the agency after it emerged that he had overseen the collection of data on journalists involved in publishing leaked data about the Portland protests and the use of DHS agents against activists there. It seems likely that his complaint is at least partially a product of having been punished for following his superiors’ emphasis on leftist activists after having previously been asked to undermine intelligence assessments with specious information about them.
For Johnson—who authored the now-infamous 2009 DHS bulletin warning of increasing far-right organizing and recruitment, including returning war veterans, that set off a right-wing media reaction resulting in the gutting of the DHS section responsible for monitoring far-right terrorism—this is all too familiar. “It’s the same thing that was going on there ten years ago—just being overly sensitive to people’s civil rights and holding up something in which nobody’s rights are being violated or anything like that,” he told Daily Kos.
“This is a government bureaucracy,” he added. “It’s a department that is gunshy because of what’s happened in the past, and it’s also people in the department who I guess are reluctant to acknowledge that threat and do something about it. So they’re still dragging their feet.”
This recalcitrance manifests itself in the data on domestic terrorism during the Trump years, which shows that—while a misplaced emphasis on Islamist terrorism diluted and occluded the response of law enforcement to far-right violence during the Obama administration—a similarly wrongheaded focus on a virtually nonexistent antifa and leftist threat had taken its place in more recent years, even as far-right terrorism has both grown significantly in numbers and risen in lethality.
“The positive thing is that there are people higher in the department at higher levels who see that it’s a problem, that white supremacy is an issue and a national-security concern,” Johnson observed. “But they’re being offset by these people that don’t want that to happen.”
Some of those people, however, are also leaving the agency. Earlier this month, the former assistant secretary of DHS’ counterterrorism and threat-prevention unit who resigned in April, Elizabeth Neumann, gave a series of media interviews describing how Trump is “pouring fuel on the fire” of far-right extremism.
“A very common refrain that I was asked was, ‘Does the president’s rhetoric make your job harder?’ And the answer is yes,” she said in an ad for Republican Voters Against Trump. “The president’s actions and his language are, in fact, racist. … And I do think that the president’s divisive language is indirectly tied to some of the attacks that we have seen in the last two years.”
She told NPR’s Steve Inskeep that a responsible national leader would recognize the threat and speak up prominently about it:
If you had a very clear voice at the top, from the president, from other senior leaders in the Republican Party, denouncing this and warning conservatives — warning Republicans — that these groups are trying to recruit you based on things that might sound like a typical conservative belief, but behind it is this insidious, ugly, evil thing, if we had more clear voices talking about it — it would somewhat inoculate people from that recruitment and that radicalization. But instead, we have the opposite effect. We have the president not only pretty much refusing to condemn, but throwing fuel on the fire, creating opportunities for more recruitment through his rhetoric.
Johnson noted that a central concern of responsible officials within the agency such as Neumann is that Trump is using the department for political purposes—namely, to come down on the left. “He used a DHS agency, Customs and Border Protection and their Border Patrol Tactical Unit, to go after the leftist protesters in Portland, and was quick to label them terrorists, but yet he doesn’t say anything about white supremacy or even the militias,” Johnson said. “And he just kind of encourages them.”
German said the whistleblower’s complaint “also highlights how willing law enforcement leaders are to punish internal dissent, which is deadly to objective analysis of intelligence. Everyone in the system learns to ‘go along and get along,’ which became a mantra in the FBI. Law enforcement intelligence becomes an echo-chamber of erroneous and biased information as a result,” he told Daily Kos.
The result, he says, is a police culture at all levels—federal, state, and local—that is innately biased and thus ill-equipped to serve diverse communities. “Training police to treat dissent as dangerous then alters their relationship with the communities they serve, opening a rift between law enforcement and the public, which we're now seeing play out in the streets every night,” he said.
“One of the reforms we recommended is to strengthen whistleblower protections in law enforcement because those on the inside can see the problem every day and need to be encouraged to root it out,” German added. “We also need to hire law enforcement leaders who welcome internal dissent and reward officials who report the racist behavior within the ranks.”
Neumann notes that this kind of culture actively misleads law enforcement during periods of civil unrest such as the current one. “If you look at the people that have been arrested for that, by and large, I mean, it's the Boogaloo movement or it's an association with QAnon. It's the right side of the spectrum. It is not antifa,” she told NPR. "The threat of domestic terrorism is not from antifa. It is from these right-wing movements."
Johnson believes that the ongoing blind spot within law enforcement leaves it ill-equipped to deal with the violence he believes is going to be unleashed in the coming year.
“I’m expecting things to escalate not just up to the election, but beyond the election and into next year, because I don’t think this election’s going to be finalized until weeks after because of mail-in ballots and everything, and I also think there are going to be lawsuits filed by each political party to prolong vote counts or contest them,” he said. “So that, plus the pandemic plus the civil unrest, suggests we’re going to have increasing confrontation and violence.”
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Trump Trying To Calm The Public By Lying About Antifa Mobs Attacking The Suburbs

One of the most idiotic Trump excuses for being exposed by Bob Woodward for lying to the American people about the severity of the coronavirus was his claim that he did n't want to panic Americans .
Panic and fear is something Trump lives , breathes , and campaigns on .
It is his only campaign strategy .
On September 11th in Michigan , during a rally , Trump uttered these horrific words to fear monger about the possible election of Joe Biden .
Joe Biden 's surrendered your jobs to China and now he wants to surrender our country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 're seeing that every night .
If Biden wins , China wins .
If Biden wins , the mob wins .
If Biden wins , the rioters , anarchists , arsonists , and flag-burners win .
Trump 's calming tactics include targeting Mexicans he called rapists in 2015 , and migrant caravans he claimed would cross the border and eat your babies after that in 2018 .
And it is exemplified in the Trump campaign 's latest fundraising efforts .
Forbes reports , `` The Trump campaign has embraced the “ Antifa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through a text message with the subject “ ( 1 ) ANTIFA ALERT , ” which told supporters “ they ’ ll attack your homes if Joe ’ s elected .
Pres Trump needs you to become a Diamond Club Member.
” Only a fool would believe that Trump has been honest with them during the pandemic and would realize his only care in the world is himself and his reelection at the expense of hard-working Americans that he gladly sacrifices to get infected and die from Covid .

One of the most idiotic Trump excuses for being exposed by Bob Woodward for lying to the American people about the severity of the coronavirus was his claim that he didn't want to panic Americans.
Panic and fear is something Trump lives, breathes, and campaigns on. It is his only campaign strategy.
On September 11th in Michigan, during a rally, Trump uttered these horrific words to fear monger about the possible election of Joe Biden.
Joe Biden's surrendered your jobs to China and now he wants to surrender our country to the violent left-wing mob, and you're seeing that every night. If Biden wins, China wins. If Biden wins, the mob wins. If Biden wins, the rioters, anarchists, arsonists, and flag-burners win.
Trump's calming tactics include targeting Mexicans he called rapists in 2015, and migrant caravans he claimed would cross the border and eat your babies after that in 2018.
And it is exemplified in the Trump campaign's latest fundraising efforts.
The Trump campaign is now sending “Antifa alerts” to supporters.
“They'll attack your homes if Joe's elected. Pres Trump needs you to become a Diamond Club Member.” pic.twitter.com/WTINJZXjm6 — Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) September 12, 2020
Forbes reports, "The Trump campaign has embraced the “Antifa” narrative as well, most recently through a text message with the subject “(1) ANTIFA ALERT,” which told supporters “they’ll attack your homes if Joe’s elected. Pres Trump needs you to become a Diamond Club Member.”
Only a fool would believe that Trump has been honest with them during the pandemic and would realize his only care in the world is himself and his reelection at the expense of hard-working Americans that he gladly sacrifices to get infected and die from Covid.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Matt Cartwright Is A Strong Progressive In A District Trump Won

In 2012 , Matt Cartwright waged a strong primary campaign against reactionary Blue Dog Tim Holden ( one of the `` Democrats '' who joined with the GOP to vote against ObamaCare ) .
Hoyer and Pelosi warned that a progressive like Cartwright could not win that red a seat in northeast Pennsylvania .
Matt was one of Blue America 's top candidates that year and we were in the trenches with him , while Hoyer ran around the district with a pack of lobbyists begging `` people '' to vote for Holden , a pro-frack-maniac : Matt won -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 42.9 % and then went on to beat the Republican Hoyer and Pelosi said he could n't do by even more : 161,393 ( 60.3 % ) to 106,208 ( 39.7 % ) .
Matt then joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus and worked his way up to the caucus ' whip .
He was immediately appointed vice chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Caucus .
Even before the election , he endorsed marriage equality , a position that the DCCC recommended that swing district Democrats stay away from .
since then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting record from the Human Rights Campaign .
This week , Matt told me that when he first ran for Congress , '' I promised to be a Roosevelt Democrat -- someone who stands up for the ordinary working people of the United States , for their safety , their economic security , their access to healthcare , their clean air and water , and their civil rights .
I promised to be someone who isn ’ t afraid to take on what FDR called the 'economic royalists , ' the powerful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drawing on the words of the late Paul Wellstone , I ran as a proud member of the 'Democratic wing of the Democratic Party . '
It was my belief that , as Democrats , we do not ever need to forfeited these principles , even in so-called difficult districts.I have never abandoned these values , or hidden them , and I believe my voting record reflects that .
My congressional story is a demonstration that when we have the courage of our convictions , and stand for them in a forthright manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a consistently progressive message .
If it means working a little harder , we ’ re not afraid of that . ''
He was reelected in 2014 and in 2016 , while Trump won his district by 10 points , Matt also won -- by 7.5 points .
In 2018 the GOP threw a self-funding Wall Street crook up against him ( who spent $ 1,687,182 of his own money on the race ) and , even with the district gerrymandered against him , he beat the Republican by over 9 points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fringe nut , Jim Bognet , who won the crowded Republican primary on one message : claiming he is the `` Trump candidate '' .
Lately , as Trump 's approval continues to sink in northeast Pennsylvania , Bognet is trying to back away from his Trump-adhesion .
And , this year , Matt 's district is rated a `` toss up . ''
A few days ago Ted Lieu called me and asked if Blue America could help raise campaign funds for Matt , who he told me needs some help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is their # 1 target among House incumbents .
Ted told me that he and Matt are co-chairs of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee , and that he had gotten to know him well .
`` He is an amazing Member of Congress who has advanced strong progressive values in a district that Trump won by 10 points , '' said Lieu .
`` Matt has shown remarkable courage , determination and grit .
He is in a tough race again and we must bring him back to Congress .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a bonus , every Democratic voter that Matt turns out in his district is also very likely to vote for Biden over Trump in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania . ''
Another strong and activist Democrat who Matt serves with in the House , Jamie Raskin ( D-MD ) , wants us to let Blue America members know that , in his words , `` Matt Cartwright is the lucid , passionate and unmistakable voice in Congress of every victim of asbestos poisoning , every community fighting toxic contamination of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his or her rights against big money , big business and big government .
If you give a damn about the survival of democracy in America , do something right now to keep Matt Cartwright in Congress . ''
Please consider making a contribution to Matt Cartwright 's campaign .
Along with Ted Lieu and Jamie Raskin , he 's one of only an even dozen incumbents we 've endorsed this year .
The other men and women we 've endorsed are in blue districts .
Matt 's PVI is rated R+1 .

In 2012, Matt Cartwright waged a strong primary campaign against reactionary Blue Dog Tim Holden (one of the "Democrats" who joined with the GOP to vote against ObamaCare). Hoyer and Pelosi warned that a progressive like Cartwright could not win that red a seat in northeast Pennsylvania. Matt was one of Blue America's top candidates that year and we were in the trenches with him, while Hoyer ran around the district with a pack of lobbyists begging "people" to vote for Holden, a pro-frack-maniac:
Matt won-- by a lot: 57.1% to 42.9% and then went on to beat the Republican Hoyer and Pelosi said he couldn't do by even more: 161,393 (60.3%) to 106,208 (39.7%).
Matt then joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus and worked his way up to the caucus' whip. He was immediately appointed vice chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Caucus. Even before the election, he endorsed marriage equality, a position that the DCCC recommended that swing district Democrats stay away from. since then, he's had a 100% voting record from the Human Rights Campaign.
This week, Matt told me that when he first ran for Congress,
"I promised to be a Roosevelt Democrat-- someone who stands up for the ordinary working people of the United States, for their safety, their economic security, their access to healthcare, their clean air and water, and their civil rights. I promised to be someone who isn’t afraid to take on what FDR called the 'economic royalists,' the powerful, the moneyed, and the connected. Drawing on the words of the late Paul Wellstone, I ran as a proud member of the 'Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.' It was my belief that, as Democrats, we do not ever need to forfeited these principles, even in so-called difficult districts.I have never abandoned these values, or hidden them, and I believe my voting record reflects that. My congressional story is a demonstration that when we have the courage of our convictions, and stand for them in a forthright manner, we can win districts like mine with a consistently progressive message. If it means working a little harder, we’re not afraid of that."
He was reelected in 2014 and in 2016, while Trump won his district by 10 points, Matt also won-- by 7.5 points. In 2018 the GOP threw a self-funding Wall Street crook up against him (who spent $1,687,182 of his own money on the race) and, even with the district gerrymandered against him, he beat the Republican by over 9 points.
This year, the GOP has a fringe nut, Jim Bognet, who won the crowded Republican primary on one message: claiming he is the "Trump candidate". Lately, as Trump's approval continues to sink in northeast Pennsylvania, Bognet is trying to back away from his Trump-adhesion.
And, this year, Matt's district is rated a "toss up." A few days ago Ted Lieu called me and asked if Blue America could help raise campaign funds for Matt, who he told me needs some help to overcome the Republican onslaught. Matt is their #1 target among House incumbents.
Ted told me that he and Matt are co-chairs of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, and that he had gotten to know him well. "He is an amazing Member of Congress who has advanced strong progressive values in a district that Trump won by 10 points," said Lieu. "Matt has shown remarkable courage, determination and grit. He is in a tough race again and we must bring him back to Congress. I hope you can help Matt. And as a bonus, every Democratic voter that Matt turns out in his district is also very likely to vote for Biden over Trump in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania ."
Another strong and activist Democrat who Matt serves with in the House, Jamie Raskin (D-MD), wants us to let Blue America members know that, in his words, "Matt Cartwright is the lucid, passionate and unmistakable voice in Congress of every victim of asbestos poisoning, every community fighting toxic contamination of their water, and every citizen fighting for his or her rights against big money, big business and big government. If you give a damn about the survival of democracy in America, do something right now to keep Matt Cartwright in Congress."
Please consider making a contribution to Matt Cartwright's campaign. Along with Ted Lieu and Jamie Raskin, he's one of only an even dozen incumbents we've endorsed this year. The other men and women we've endorsed are in blue districts. Matt's PVI is rated R+1.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Huckabee Threatens Lawyers Who Want To Count Every Vote

Republicans like Mike Huckabee are counting ( pardon the pun ) on a close election this November , so they can cheat .
This is nothing new on the right .
They 've been pushing this line that `` votes counted after Election Day ought to be invalid '' for weeks on end now .
So should we just stop counting if Biden is ahead ?
It 's all cool with them as long as they assume they 'll be disenfranchising Democratic voters only .
Mike Huckabee was on Fox 's Outnumbered with Emily Compagno and Melissa Francis : MELISSA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a massive legal team that it calls `` the largest election protection program in presidential campaign history . ''
The New York Times reports the campaign has brought into company former solicitors general , and hundreds of lawyers for its so-called `` special litigation unit . ''
It will focus on legal battles already underway in multiple states that could decide how people vote and how ballots get counted this year .
Joe Biden , earlier today , was asked whether he is confident all votes will be counted this November .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am confident that Trump will try to not have that happen , but I 'm confident that the American public will put its foot down .
MELISSA FRANCIS : Emily , let me ask you .
Is there any hope that it wo n't come to this on either side for Americans who would like to have this election done , done fairly ?
We want all the votes counted , but we do n't want it to drag on and on .
Or do you see it as a foregone conclusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a legal battle post-election ?
EMILY COMPAGNO : There 's always hope .
I will say that .
But I think it is , realistically speaking , a foregone conclusion .
Maybe it 's the attorney in me speaking , but of course Biden is creating a legal war room and a legal team that is gearing up for this huge fight .
If anyone wants Trump to win , they better hope he 's doing the same thing .
2020 will be the year 2000 on steroids .
There will be contemporaneous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they 'll be taking place in over a dozen crucial battleground states .
The delayed results will create a media vacuum that needs to be filled , but it 'll also create a whole host of opportunities for legal actions that will be designed to certify the results , delay a result certification , or trigger a recount , and the like .
I 'm not always proud of my attorney brethren , but yes , rest assured , there will be fights coming .
Melissa : Governor , if you were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , what would you do to try and protect the election in your state , or to try and have it be as fair as possible ?
What would you be doing right now ?
HUCKABEE : The most important thing is to make sure you have poll watchers at every election site .
I get it , that this is going to be full employment for lawyers , period , during all of this .
The tragedy would be if the elections come in on Election Day and there is clearly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work and try to disrupt the winner by saying , `` we found a few ballots here , a few here , '' and it changes the results .
Then I think we 've got a real problem .
I hope the lawyers will do what lawyers should do .
Make sure everyone is following the law .
I do n't care who you voted for .
If they try to use the law to circumvent the way people voted , or to somehow go capture and harvest ballots after they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process where lawyers out to be applauded .
They ought to be disbarred .

Republicans like Mike Huckabee are counting (pardon the pun) on a close election this November, so they can cheat.
As my colleague Heather notes,
This is nothing new on the right. They've been pushing this line that "votes counted after Election Day ought to be invalid" for weeks on end now. So should we just stop counting if Biden is ahead? It's all cool with them as long as they assume they'll be disenfranchising Democratic voters only.
Mike Huckabee was on Fox's Outnumbered with Emily Compagno and Melissa Francis:
MELISSA: The Biden campaign is reportedly setting up a massive legal team that it calls "the largest election protection program in presidential campaign history." The New York Times reports the campaign has brought into company former solicitors general, and hundreds of lawyers for its so-called "special litigation unit." It will focus on legal battles already underway in multiple states that could decide how people vote and how ballots get counted this year. Joe Biden, earlier today, was asked whether he is confident all votes will be counted this November.
JOE BIDEN (VIDEO CLIP): I am confident that Trump will try to not have that happen, but I'm confident that the American public will put its foot down.
MELISSA FRANCIS: Emily, let me ask you. Is there any hope that it won't come to this on either side for Americans who would like to have this election done, done fairly? We want all the votes counted, but we don't want it to drag on and on. Or do you see it as a foregone conclusion that there is going to be quite a legal battle post-election?
EMILY COMPAGNO: There's always hope. I will say that. But I think it is, realistically speaking, a foregone conclusion. Maybe it's the attorney in me speaking, but of course Biden is creating a legal war room and a legal team that is gearing up for this huge fight. If anyone wants Trump to win, they better hope he's doing the same thing. 2020 will be the year 2000 on steroids. There will be contemporaneous public opinion battles and legal battles, and they'll be taking place in over a dozen crucial battleground states. The delayed results will create a media vacuum that needs to be filled, but it'll also create a whole host of opportunities for legal actions that will be designed to certify the results, delay a result certification, or trigger a recount, and the like. I'm not always proud of my attorney brethren, but yes, rest assured, there will be fights coming.
Melissa: Governor, if you were in your former seat as the governor, what would you do to try and protect the election in your state, or to try and have it be as fair as possible? What would you be doing right now?
HUCKABEE: The most important thing is to make sure you have poll watchers at every election site. I get it, that this is going to be full employment for lawyers, period, during all of this. The tragedy would be if the elections come in on Election Day and there is clearly a winner, and then the lawyers go to work and try to disrupt the winner by saying, "we found a few ballots here, a few here," and it changes the results. Then I think we've got a real problem. I hope the lawyers will do what lawyers should do. Make sure everyone is following the law. I don't care who you voted for.
If they try to use the law to circumvent the way people voted, or to somehow go capture and harvest ballots after they were legally due, that is not a process where lawyers out to be applauded. They ought to be disbarred.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Trump Happy-Talks Climate Change: 'It'll Get Cooler'

During a California wildfire briefing in Sacramento , Trump claimed that scientists are clueless about climate change and the Earth 's temperature is going to get much cooler -- with no proof .
During the roundtable that included Gov .
Gavin Newsom , as well as FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor , acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf , Wade Crowfoot , Newsom ’ s secretary for Natural Resources , and Cal Fire Director Thom Porter , Trump showed everyone how stupid he really is .
Wade Crowfoot explained that this summer California has broken world records with temperatures up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LA , 120+ degrees and we 're seeing this warming trend make our summers warmer but also our winters warmer , '' he explained .
`` But we want to work with you to recognize the changing climate and what it means to our forests . ''
`` And actually work together with that science , that science is going to be key and if we ignore that science and sort of put our head in the sand and think it 's all about vegetation management we 're not gon na succeed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump smiled and said , `` Okay .
It 'll start getting cooler . ''
`` You just watch , Trump said .
`` I wish science agreed with you , '' he shot back .
Then Trump laughed , `` Yeah , well I do n't think science knows actually . ''
Climate change is a big joke to Trump and his acolytes , but it 's a serious matter in California and the rest of the West Coast .
Fires are burning out of control , causing huge cascades of smoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state , suburbs are in danger of burning in California and Oregon , and forest management is not the answer , as Governor Gavin Newsom points out here : Ed .
Note ( Karoli ) : The DNC War Room just released this video which shows the hell these fires have caused against Trump threatening to withhold federal aid from California and nattering on about raking forests :

During a California wildfire briefing in Sacramento, Trump claimed that scientists are clueless about climate change and the Earth's temperature is going to get much cooler -- with no proof.
During the roundtable that included Gov. Gavin Newsom, as well as FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, Wade Crowfoot, Newsom’s secretary for Natural Resources, and Cal Fire Director Thom Porter, Trump showed everyone how stupid he really is.
Wade Crowfoot explained that this summer California has broken world records with temperatures up to 130°.
"Even in greater LA, 120+ degrees and we're seeing this warming trend make our summers warmer but also our winters warmer," he explained. "But we want to work with you to recognize the changing climate and what it means to our forests."
"And actually work together with that science, that science is going to be key and if we ignore that science and sort of put our head in the sand and think it's all about vegetation management we're not gonna succeed to protect Californians." he continued.
Trump smiled and said, "Okay. It'll start getting cooler."
"You just watch, Trump said.
"I wish science agreed with you," he shot back.
Then Trump laughed, "Yeah, well I don't think science knows actually."
Climate change is a big joke to Trump and his acolytes, but it's a serious matter in California and the rest of the West Coast. Fires are burning out of control, causing huge cascades of smoke covering the northern and southern parts of the state, suburbs are in danger of burning in California and Oregon, and forest management is not the answer, as Governor Gavin Newsom points out here:
Quite an interaction between President Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom just now. pic.twitter.com/b0k0KPQmcm — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) September 14, 2020
Ed. Note (Karoli): The DNC War Room just released this video which shows the hell these fires have caused against Trump threatening to withhold federal aid from California and nattering on about raking forests:


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--'Uterus Collector': Whistleblower Alleges Mass Hysterectomies Performed On ICE Detainees

In Donald Trump 's America , not only are families separated and children deported , but apparently in at least one ICE detention facility , one doctor is performing experimental mass hysterectomies on women .
Law and Crime reports on a whistleblower complaint filed by Project South , Institute for the Elimination of Poverty and Genocide which alleges that one specific doctor performed numerous hysterectomies on women detained in an ICE facility -- the Irwin County Detention Center ( ICDC ) in Georgia .
According to the complaint ( embedded below ) , numerous women came forward to say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were subjected to partial or full hysterectomies , by one specific doctor .
“ When I met all these women who had had surgeries , I thought this was like an experimental concentration camp .
It was like they ’ re experimenting with our bodies , ” the detainee said .
According to Wooten , ICDC consistently used a particular gynecologist – outside the facility – who almost always opted to remove all or part of the uterus of his female detainee patients .
“ Everybody he sees has a hysterectomy—just about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , “ everybody ’ s uterus can not be that bad.
” “ We ’ ve questioned among ourselves like goodness he ’ s taking everybody ’ s stuff out…That ’ s his specialty , he ’ s the uterus collector .
I know that ’ s ugly…is he collecting these things or something…Everybody he sees , he ’ s taking all their uteruses out or he ’ s taken their tubes out .
What in the world.
” Wooten also confirmed that many of the detained women have told her that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were being forced to have the procedure , explaining that some of the nurses obtained their consent “ by simply googling Spanish .
One woman got three different reasons why she was going to have surgery .
First , she was told she had a small ovarian cyst and just need holes drilled into her stomach to drain the cyst , then was told she was going to have a full hysterectomy while on the way to the hospital .
Her COVID-19 test came back positive for antibodies , so she was transferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where she was told the procedure was a dilation and curettage procedure .
Finally , she was told the procedure was necessary to mitigate her heavy menstrual bleeding , a condition she does not have .
If the allegations in this complaint bear out , Donald Trump and his ICE thugs are no better than Hitler and Mengele .
This detention facility is a concentration camp , no different than those Hitler used to hold Jews in Nazi Germany .
It is a crime against humanity and the world and Trump should stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the full complaint below , via Project South :

In Donald Trump's America, not only are families separated and children deported, but apparently in at least one ICE detention facility, one doctor is performing experimental mass hysterectomies on women.
Law and Crime reports on a whistleblower complaint filed by Project South, Institute for the Elimination of Poverty and Genocide which alleges that one specific doctor performed numerous hysterectomies on women detained in an ICE facility -- the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC) in Georgia.
According to the complaint (embedded below), numerous women came forward to say that they knew of women in one facility who were subjected to partial or full hysterectomies, by one specific doctor.
“When I met all these women who had had surgeries, I thought this was like an experimental concentration camp. It was like they’re experimenting with our bodies,” the detainee said. According to Wooten, ICDC consistently used a particular gynecologist – outside the facility – who almost always opted to remove all or part of the uterus of his female detainee patients. “Everybody he sees has a hysterectomy—just about everybody,” Wooten said, adding that, “everybody’s uterus cannot be that bad.” “We’ve questioned among ourselves like goodness he’s taking everybody’s stuff out…That’s his specialty, he’s the uterus collector. I know that’s ugly…is he collecting these things or something…Everybody he sees, he’s taking all their uteruses out or he’s taken their tubes out. What in the world.” Wooten also confirmed that many of the detained women have told her that they didn’t understand why they were being forced to have the procedure, explaining that some of the nurses obtained their consent “by simply googling Spanish.
One woman got three different reasons why she was going to have surgery. First, she was told she had a small ovarian cyst and just need holes drilled into her stomach to drain the cyst, then was told she was going to have a full hysterectomy while on the way to the hospital. Her COVID-19 test came back positive for antibodies, so she was transferred back to the Irwin County Detention Center where she was told the procedure was a dilation and curettage procedure. Finally, she was told the procedure was necessary to mitigate her heavy menstrual bleeding, a condition she does not have.
If the allegations in this complaint bear out, Donald Trump and his ICE thugs are no better than Hitler and Mengele. This detention facility is a concentration camp, no different than those Hitler used to hold Jews in Nazi Germany. It is a crime against humanity and the world and Trump should stand trial in an international court.
Read the full complaint below, via Project South:
OIG ICDC Complaint 1 by Karoli


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Fox News Survey Shows Trump Losing To Biden On ‘Mental Soundness’

Likely voters believe that Democratic nominee Joe Biden is more mentally sound that President Donald Trump , according to a @ @ @ @ @ The survey of likely 1,191 likely voters found that 51 % believe that Biden “ @ @ @ @ @ serve as president.
” Only 47 % of likely voters told Fox News that President @ @ @ @ @ soundness ” to be commander-in-chief .
The current president has made his mental stability a @ @ @ @ @ The same voters preferred the compassion of Biden over Trump , 62 % to 44 @ @ @ @ @ .
In all , the Fox News survey found that 51 % of likely voters @ @ @ @ @ % of likely voters would pick Trump if the election were held today .
The @ @ @ @ @ error of ± 2.5 percentage points .

Likely voters believe that Democratic nominee Joe Biden is more mentally sound that President Donald Trump, according to a recently-released Fox News poll.
The survey of likely 1,191 likely voters found that 51% believe that Biden “has the mental soundness to serve as president.”
Only 47% of likely voters told Fox News that President Trump has the “mental soundness” to be commander-in-chief.
The current president has made his mental stability a cornerstone of his campaign.
The same voters preferred the compassion of Biden over Trump, 62% to 44%, the poll found.
In all, the Fox News survey found that 51% of likely voters would choose Biden and 46% of likely voters would pick Trump if the election were held today.
The poll has a margin of error of ± 2.5 percentage points.
Read the entire poll from Fox News.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--'It's Here And It's Real': Joe Biden Speaks On Deadly Wildfires And Climate Change

There are hurricanes bearing down on the Southeast and wildfires burning through California , Oregon and Washington .
Climate change @ @ @ @ @ a crisis .
It 's hard to breathe here in California and harder still to @ @ @ @ @ Trump continues to deny what 's right in front of him , Joe Biden is @ @ @ @ @ it .
From the campaign : Joe Biden speaks from Wilmington , Delaware about the @ @ @ @ @ , & Washington .
Both fires and extreme weather conditions are a direct result of @ @ @ @ @ threat to Americans everywhere .
Joe Biden talks about how together we can tackle climate @ @ @ @ @ good-paying , union jobs that build a more resilient infrastructure .
I 'll add his @ @ @ @ @ when they send them out .
For now , please watch with us .

There are hurricanes bearing down on the Southeast and wildfires burning through California, Oregon and Washington. Climate change is here. It's a crisis. It's hard to breathe here in California and harder still to see the devastation. While Trump continues to deny what's right in front of him, Joe Biden is ready to do something about it.
From the campaign:
Joe Biden speaks from Wilmington, Delaware about the wildfires in California, Oregon, & Washington. Both fires and extreme weather conditions are a direct result of climate change and pose a threat to Americans everywhere. Joe Biden talks about how together we can tackle climate change through the creation of good-paying, union jobs that build a more resilient infrastructure.
I'll add his remarks as prepared for delivery when they send them out. For now, please watch with us.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Right-Wing Flips Out As Drudge Promotes 'Trump Is Going To Jail' Article

Two articles in New York Magazine today point out that Donald J. Trump is in deep legal trouble : That Trump made it to 2017 without being personally convicted of a crime is itself a testament to the ineffectiveness of white-collar-criminal-law enforcement .
That Trump has not been charged since taking office is owed to the privileges of being president of the United States .
Because the Justice Department has a policy against charging the president with crimes , it did not indict him for the same crime Cohen went to jail for — even though Trump had ordered Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held back Robert Mueller from officially describing the many actions Trump had taken to obstruct the FBI ’ s investigation as “ obstruction of justice.
” And his standing as president has allowed him to keep his tax returns out of the hands of New York prosecutors .
But at some point , the impunity will end .
The law is coming .
It may seem unlikely that Trump will ever wind up in a criminal court .
His entire life , after all , is one long testament to the power of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class in criminality without consequences , even before he added presidentiality and all its privileges to his arsenal of defenses .
As he himself once said , “ When you ’ re a star , they let you do it.
” But for all his advantages and all his enablers , including loyalists in the Justice Department and the federal judiciary , Trump now faces a level of legal risk unlike anything in his notoriously checkered past — and well beyond anything faced by any previous president leaving office .
... State laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they cover a host of crimes beyond those committed in the White House .
When it comes to charging a former president , state attorneys general and county prosecutors can go places a U.S. Attorney can ’ t .
Such scorn from the mainstream press obviously yields chants of `` fake news ! ''
from Trump acolytes .
And then Matt Drudge promotes one of the articles .
That leads to a meltdown , starting with Mark Levin and of course ending with you-know-who :

Two articles in New York Magazine today point out that Donald J. Trump is in deep legal trouble:
Jonathan Chait's "Lock Him Up?"
That Trump made it to 2017 without being personally convicted of a crime is itself a testament to the ineffectiveness of white-collar-criminal-law enforcement. That Trump has not been charged since taking office is owed to the privileges of being president of the United States. Because the Justice Department has a policy against charging the president with crimes, it did not indict him for the same crime Cohen went to jail for — even though Trump had ordered Cohen to commit it. The same protection held back Robert Mueller from officially describing the many actions Trump had taken to obstruct the FBI’s investigation as “obstruction of justice.” And his standing as president has allowed him to keep his tax returns out of the hands of New York prosecutors. But at some point, the impunity will end. The law is coming.
...and Jeff Wise's "The People V. Donald J. Trump"
It may seem unlikely that Trump will ever wind up in a criminal court. His entire life, after all, is one long testament to the power of getting away with things, a master class in criminality without consequences, even before he added presidentiality and all its privileges to his arsenal of defenses. As he himself once said, “When you’re a star, they let you do it.” But for all his advantages and all his enablers, including loyalists in the Justice Department and the federal judiciary, Trump now faces a level of legal risk unlike anything in his notoriously checkered past — and well beyond anything faced by any previous president leaving office. ...State laws aren’t subject to presidential pardons, and they cover a host of crimes beyond those committed in the White House. When it comes to charging a former president, state attorneys general and county prosecutors can go places a U.S. Attorney can’t.
Such scorn from the mainstream press obviously yields chants of "fake news!" from Trump acolytes.
And then Matt Drudge promotes one of the articles.
🇺🇸 It is just striking to see how the Drudge Report, a key voice in the American conservative media landscape, is taking on Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/JeOYKNk9VK — Michael Knigge (@kniggem) September 14, 2020
That leads to a meltdown, starting with Mark Levin and of course ending with you-know-who:
Drudge promoting leftwing campaign for criminal prosecution of President Trump if he loses election — first time in American history. — Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) September 14, 2020
Our people have all left Drudge. He is a confused MESS, has no clue what happened. Down 51%. @DRUDGE They like REVOLVER and others! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2020
...
Can’t imagine why Trump is mad. pic.twitter.com/IkeFr3yeH1 — Schooley (@Rschooley) September 14, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Fox Host Confronts Trump Official Over Nevada Superspreader Rally

Mango Mussolini held an indoor rally in Nevada this weekend , with barely a mask to be found there .
Trump 2020 organizers refused to adhere to the rules of his own administration , the CDC , and the orders of Nevada 's governor by holding an indoor rally with thousands of unprotected supporters .
Trump 2020 Campaign Comms director Erin Perrine used what-about-ism to compare a Trump rally to a Black Lives Matter event .
Civil rights !
( Black Lives Matter marches are held outdoors and nearly every protestor wears a mask . )
Host Sandra Smith immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said , `` Erin it 's like two wrongs do n't make a right . ''
Trump is taking a lot of heat for holding a super spreader event in Nevada over the weekend and even Trump apologist Ari Fleischer slammed Trump for it .
Perrine joined Fox News ' America 's Newsroom earlier and was confronted by host Sandra Smith .
SANDRA SMITH , FOX NEWS : I have to ask you about this rally over the weekend , last night in Nevada .
Clearly when you look at the videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you see that people are not social distanced , they ’ re indoors against the governor ’ s orders in that state to not gather in groups of more than 50 people .
You see that and you think about the enormous sacrifice that we ’ ve made as Americans to stop the spread of this virus and to tackle this pandemic , and I ’ ll just ask you as a member of the president ’ s campaign why you saw this as a risk worth taking to crowd those people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be a superspreader event , she added and said , `` The governor has called it shameful , dangerous , and irresponsible to do this .
Why do it ?
” Perrine responded like many MAGA supporters who have been claiming their freedoms have been infringed upon regardless if the infect their friends , neighbors or family members .
“ Under the First Amendment we ’ re allowed to have a peaceful assembly of people and we brought … we had hand sanitizer readily available , masks handed to every individual , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorite tactic for Trump-officials .
Justify actions that threaten the safety of the American people by saying , whataboutthem .
Smith came back and correctly said it sounds `` like two wrongs do n't make a right . ''
She continued , `` I mean , this goes against the president ’ s own administration guidelines .
It goes against the CDC guidelines when it comes to coronavirus.
” Perrine replied , “ The American people can make the choice to join us in person or join us online .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are reopening this country and safely doing so .
We have health and safety precautions where you don ’ t see those at any of those violent protests or riots . ''
There was nothing safe about Trump 's rally and it is inexcusable .
The Trump campaign should be prosecuted for purposefully spreading a disease to citizens with no regard for their health and well-being .
Betcha Trump 's people had everyone there sign a waiver ( again ) preventing lawsuits against the campaign if anyone there contracts COVID .

Mango Mussolini held an indoor rally in Nevada this weekend, with barely a mask to be found there.
Trump 2020 organizers refused to adhere to the rules of his own administration, the CDC, and the orders of Nevada's governor by holding an indoor rally with thousands of unprotected supporters.
Trump 2020 Campaign Comms director Erin Perrine used what-about-ism to compare a Trump rally to a Black Lives Matter event. Civil rights! (Black Lives Matter marches are held outdoors and nearly every protestor wears a mask.)
Host Sandra Smith immediately disarmed her like an elementary school child and said, "Erin it's like two wrongs don't make a right."
Trump is taking a lot of heat for holding a super spreader event in Nevada over the weekend and even Trump apologist Ari Fleischer slammed Trump for it.
Indoor rallies are irresponsible. Covid-19 is real and this was a bad idea. https://t.co/JGto1F5suc — Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 14, 2020
Perrine joined Fox News' America's Newsroom earlier and was confronted by host Sandra Smith.
SANDRA SMITH, FOX NEWS: I have to ask you about this rally over the weekend, last night in Nevada. Clearly when you look at the videos, when you look at the pictures, you see that people are not social distanced, they’re indoors against the governor’s orders in that state to not gather in groups of more than 50 people. You see that and you think about the enormous sacrifice that we’ve made as Americans to stop the spread of this virus and to tackle this pandemic, and I’ll just ask you as a member of the president’s campaign why you saw this as a risk worth taking to crowd those people?
Joe Biden made the case this could be a superspreader event, she added and said, "The governor has called it shameful, dangerous, and irresponsible to do this. Why do it?”
Perrine responded like many MAGA supporters who have been claiming their freedoms have been infringed upon regardless if the infect their friends, neighbors or family members.
“Under the First Amendment we’re allowed to have a peaceful assembly of people and we brought … we had hand sanitizer readily available, masks handed to every individual, and temperature checks.”
Perrine then blamed BLM protests to excuse Trump's despicable behavior.
That's a favorite tactic for Trump-officials. Justify actions that threaten the safety of the American people by saying, whataboutthem.
Smith came back and correctly said it sounds "like two wrongs don't make a right."
She continued, "I mean, this goes against the president’s own administration guidelines. It goes against the CDC guidelines when it comes to coronavirus.”
Perrine replied, “The American people can make the choice to join us in person or join us online. That’s their right as the American people. We are reopening this country and safely doing so. We have health and safety precautions where you don’t see those at any of those violent protests or riots."
There was nothing safe about Trump's rally and it is inexcusable.
The Trump campaign should be prosecuted for purposefully spreading a disease to citizens with no regard for their health and well-being.
Betcha Trump's people had everyone there sign a waiver (again) preventing lawsuits against the campaign if anyone there contracts COVID.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--Joe Scarborough Pushes Fake Story About Chanting Protestors. He Should Apologize

Joe Scarborough amplified a rumor this morning related to the shooting of two L.A. deputies .
`` I wanted to just bring that up , '' he said to Rev .
Al Sharpton .
`` And I know that you are going to have harsh words for the protesters that blocked the entrance of the hospital and were shouting they hoped that these police officers , these young police officers with children at home , they were chanting they hoped , these protesters were chanting they hoped that they died .
How sick , how absolutely sick some people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message be from those 25 million peaceful protesters , the Black Lives Matter protests , to those people shouting those sick , vile comments about men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving , not just the people of Los Angeles but all of America ? ''
Except that is n't what happened .
No one 's verified that anyone other than this ONE PERSON said this : The wingnut media immediately turned up the Mighty Wurlitzer and turned it into a screaming mob who were not only chanting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but was blocking ambulances .
( There was video of what appears to be one person standing in the way , and he got arrested .
No mob that I could find . )
The sheriff 's department also pushed an apparently fabricated story about an NPR journalist without credentials interfering in the arrest .
Looks like that did n't happen , either : As you can see , no chanting mob in sight : No interference with an arrest -- and of course , she was wearing her press credentials : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently lie , especially when they get a chance to make it look like they 're the victims .
( Remember the alleged tampon in the LAPD cop 's coffee ?
The `` poisoned '' milkshakes from Shake Shack ?
The Kansas City cop who claimed a McDonald 's worker wrote `` f*cking pig '' on his coffee cup ?
The Utah cop who accused a Subway worker of spiking his drink with THC and meth ? )
People in the news business know this , and should be careful about taking cops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not just lazy journalism -- it 's dangerous and inflammatory .
Now , I do n't actually think of Joe Scarborough as a journalist , but he sometimes plays one on TV .
He should take it more seriously when he does .
P.S .
Just as I was finishing this up , Hallie Jackson just repeated the `` chanting protesters '' story .

Joe Scarborough amplified a rumor this morning related to the shooting of two L.A. deputies.
"I wanted to just bring that up," he said to Rev. Al Sharpton.
"And I know that you are going to have harsh words for the protesters that blocked the entrance of the hospital and were shouting they hoped that these police officers, these young police officers with children at home, they were chanting they hoped, these protesters were chanting they hoped that they died. How sick, how absolutely sick some people are out there.
"What should the message be from those 25 million peaceful protesters, the Black Lives Matter protests, to those people shouting those sick, vile comments about men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving, not just the people of Los Angeles but all of America?"
Except that isn't what happened. No one's verified that anyone other than this ONE PERSON said this:
Black Lives Matter activists confront law enforcement at Los Angeles hospital where wounded officers were taken after they were shot.
"To their family: I hope they f**king die.”
pic.twitter.com/bPgatQZYRI — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 13, 2020
The wingnut media immediately turned up the Mighty Wurlitzer and turned it into a screaming mob who were not only chanting, "We hope they die," but was blocking ambulances. (There was video of what appears to be one person standing in the way, and he got arrested. No mob that I could find.)
The sheriff's department also pushed an apparently fabricated story about an NPR journalist without credentials interfering in the arrest. Looks like that didn't happen, either:
(2/3) During his arrest, a struggle ensued at which time a female adult ran towards the deputies, ignored repeated commands to stay back as they struggled with the male and interfered with the arrest… — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
(3/3) The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person. Both individuals have been arrested for 148 P.C. — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
To the protesters blocking the entrance & exit of the HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM yelling "We hope they die" referring to 2 LA Sheriff's ambushed today in #Compton: DO NOT BLOCK EMERGENCY ENTRIES & EXITS TO THE HOSPITAL. People's lives are at stake when ambulances can't get through. — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
As you can see, no chanting mob in sight:
A tense situation developing in Lynwood as a handful of protesters on sidewalk shout at deputies outside St. Francis medical center where 2 deputies are recovering from surgery after being shot tonight in Compton pic.twitter.com/wwpcnVFvOI — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
No interference with an arrest -- and of course, she was wearing her press credentials:
After the press conference, I went to my car in the hospital garage and was tying things up on the phone with 1 of my editors. It was almost 11 pm. Then I heard loud shouting outside the garage, so I went to check things out. I had on a lanyard around my neck with a press ID. — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
A handful of men were on the sidewalk. A couple were carrying large flags. Others were filming deputies and taunting them. One deputy pointed a weapon at the protesters.
I started filming on my phone, standing off to the side. No one took issue with me being there. pic.twitter.com/ibanS1seyP — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
I texted video to editors. When I looked up from my phone, the small group of men had dispersed & deputies were following at least 1 man down the street.
I walked behind, using the zoom on my camera so I could keep physical distance. A couple deputies looked at me as I filmed. pic.twitter.com/q5Qdf4IY3N — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
Here’s more of the video, the zoom is still on.
I saw a commotion ahead of me. Deputies rushed one man and chased another.
I was filming an arrest when suddenly deputies shout “back up.” Within seconds, I was getting shoved around. There was nowhere to back up. pic.twitter.com/Y0amc46NZr — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
After my phone drops, it keeps recording and it captures two deputies damaging my phone by kicking and stepping on it. I can hear myself in the background shouting: “You guys are hurting me” and “Stop it.” It feels very out-of-body to play this back. pic.twitter.com/8o1kdjqlA9 — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
Somehow I was able to start a new video right away. You see my phone clatter to the ground and I start shouting “I’m a reporter...I’m with KPCC.” I scream for help from the TV reporters I know are around the corner doing their 11 p.m. live hits pic.twitter.com/O9CZNuSrQI — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
I can't stress this enough: Cops frequently lie, especially when they get a chance to make it look like they're the victims. (Remember the alleged tampon in the LAPD cop's coffee? The "poisoned" milkshakes from Shake Shack? The Kansas City cop who claimed a McDonald's worker wrote "f*cking pig" on his coffee cup? The Utah cop who accused a Subway worker of spiking his drink with THC and meth?)
People in the news business know this, and should be careful about taking cops' words at face value. It's not just lazy journalism -- it's dangerous and inflammatory.
Now, I don't actually think of Joe Scarborough as a journalist, but he sometimes plays one on TV. He should take it more seriously when he does.
P.S. Just as I was finishing this up, Hallie Jackson just repeated the "chanting protesters" story.


crooksandliars--2020-09-14--This Is A Climate Change Crisis And This Election Is Our Last Chance

For the 2nd time on record , the Atlantic has 5+ tropical cyclones ( tropical depression ( TD ) or stronger ) simultaneously : # Hurricane # Paulette , TD # Rene , Tropical Storm # Sally , Tropical Storm # Teddy and TD21 .
Other time was from September 11-14 , 1971. pic.twitter.com/9ET1OoxE6f This election is n't just about politics .
It 's about survival .
The West Coast is burning , we 're hit with numerous massive storms and tornado outbreaks , pandemics incubated by global warming , animals becoming more aggressive .
Climate change is already making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And Trump has shredded what 's left of environmental protections .
This is our last chance to mitigate the damage and no , you do n't get to sit this one out .
This is the climate crisis election : No , your eyes are not deceiving you .
You are seeing , count 'em , FIVE different Tropical Cyclones in the Atlantic at the same time .
This is something that has only happened one other time in recorded history !
# Sally # Paulette # Rene # Teddy # TD21 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) pic.twitter.com/meUY0BKAxy I 've spent all day trying to compose a tweet to go with this image , but the truth is I have no words for it .
The entire West Coast is on fire and covered in poisonous air .
We 've debated climate change for decades .
This is the result of our failure to act .
https : //t.co/46jrJUdZFi pic.twitter.com/SNUkyLt38v “ We are not at the point where people need to look at graphs , data , or take expert opinions to know that climate change is real .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ All you need to do is look outside and read the news.
” https : //t.co/e1Ql7CL1ak More than 90 % of the otters in Alaska ’ s Aleutian Islands are gone .
Their disappearance means the rest of the local food web has started to crumble — a process that ’ s been accelerated and compounded by climate change.https : //t.co/jwWPNdPr7N The most disturbing story I 've ever reported .
My stand back story on how climate change is linked to the fires in Brazil 's Pantanal wetlands and how giant fires are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City .
https : //t.co/14vCeWy6Ed Proud of the @ latimes for telling it like it is .
Climate change is happening now .
It is , indeed , a disaster .
It should be on the cover of all our newspapers .
Every .
single .
day .
pic.twitter.com/ZHn9emlmVq Gov .
Jay Inslee says it ’ s “ maddening ” that Trump is denying climate change : “ The only moisture in eastern Washington was the tears of people who have lost their homes ... and now we have a blow torch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is climate change.
” https : //t.co/fkPZIT353n pic.twitter.com/DNnmK2iCpX

This election isn't just about politics. It's about survival. The West Coast is burning, we're hit with numerous massive storms and tornado outbreaks, pandemics incubated by global warming, animals becoming more aggressive. Climate change is already making our lives harder in so many ways.
And Trump has shredded what's left of environmental protections. This is our last chance to mitigate the damage and no, you don't get to sit this one out. This is the climate crisis election:
Joe Biden is pushing by far the most aggressive plan to address climate change in U.S. presidential history. His path reflects the convergence of science, energy and activism trends. https://t.co/GkKT0WKMnK — Axios (@axios) September 14, 2020
This photo is from Salem today.
It was taken at noon.
With absolutely NO FILTER. #OregonFires pic.twitter.com/vckrxCDXqB — Ref. Odie Brown 🇺🇸🇯🇵 (@odie1kenodi) September 8, 2020
No, your eyes are not deceiving you. You are seeing, count 'em, FIVE different Tropical Cyclones in the Atlantic at the same time. This is something that has only happened one other time in recorded history! #Sally #Paulette #Rene #Teddy #TD21 (could be #Vicky later today) pic.twitter.com/meUY0BKAxy — Alex Wallace (@TWCAlexWallace) September 14, 2020
I've spent all day trying to compose a tweet to go with this image, but the truth is I have no words for it. The entire West Coast is on fire and covered in poisonous air. We've debated climate change for decades. This is the result of our failure to act. https://t.co/46jrJUdZFi pic.twitter.com/SNUkyLt38v — Adam Conover (@adamconover) September 14, 2020
“We are not at the point where people need to look at graphs, data, or take expert opinions to know that climate change is real. We are far past that point. All you need to do is look outside and read the news.” https://t.co/e1Ql7CL1ak — MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) September 14, 2020
More than 90% of the otters in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands are gone. Their disappearance means the rest of the local food web has started to crumble — a process that’s been accelerated and compounded by climate change.https://t.co/jwWPNdPr7N — The New York Times (@nytimes) September 14, 2020
The most disturbing story I've ever reported. My stand back story on how climate change is linked to the fires in Brazil's Pantanal wetlands and how giant fires are creating biodiversity graveyards the size of New York City. https://t.co/14vCeWy6Ed — Jake Spring (@jakespring) September 14, 2020
Section of Arctic's largest remaining ice shelf shatters in Greenland - evidence of rapid climate change scientists say https://t.co/C0kJXksMAK pic.twitter.com/1xkRTqGdWX — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 14, 2020
Green groups have been pushing for years to get farmers to reduce their use of ammonium nitrate. Now some are starting to listen https://t.co/q3h5fjvP2A @climate — Bloomberg (@business) September 14, 2020
Proud of the @latimes for telling it like it is.
Climate change is happening now. It is, indeed, a disaster. It should be on the cover of all our newspapers. Every. single. day. pic.twitter.com/ZHn9emlmVq — Leah Stokes (@leahstokes) September 14, 2020
Tucker Carlson argues that climate change is like "systemic racism in the sky" in that it doesn't exist but liberals want you to believe its there. pic.twitter.com/dMaZ1QOtqy — nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) September 12, 2020
I’m with The Guardian on this one. Climate change sounds far too benign and ambivalent for what we are facing. It’s a climate crisis. https://t.co/K103kOf3qi — Geraint Preston (@_geraint) September 14, 2020
Gov. Jay Inslee says it’s “maddening” that Trump is denying climate change: “The only moisture in eastern Washington was the tears of people who have lost their homes ... and now we have a blow torch over our states in the West, which is climate change.” https://t.co/fkPZIT353n pic.twitter.com/DNnmK2iCpX — ABC News (@ABC) September 14, 2020
“Climate ‘change’ isn’t just a change in the climate. It is a transformation in the geographical and temporal world, against human habitability.”https://t.co/puWsApUUbJ — ❤ (@umairh) September 14, 2020
💔💔💔💔
California 2020 Hell
fire twister
🤦♂🤦 pic.twitter.com/SHVbQ3m6JA — TheRealDWoo 🚣♀🏡 (@TheRealDWoo) September 14, 2020