crooksandliars--2020-07-11--Elie Mystal: 'The Law Is Coming For Donald Trump'

MSNBC has made some terrific decisions , lately .
First , we learn that Joy Reid will take over the 7 pm evening anchor spot that Chris Matthews vacated — HUZZAH !
Second , I have seen the inimitable Elie Mystal appear as a guest on the network twice in the last 2 weeks !
This morning , those things converged as Mystal appeared on AM Joy to talk about the gross corruption reflected in Trump 's commutation of Roger Stone 's sentence .
He also had some perspective for Democrats on how they could use their power , once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of the segment , Reid 's panel discussed the Stone business , and the potential for a second impeachment , should Trump win a second term .
MYSTAL : I mean , I know Democrats too well to ever believe that 's going back .
Right , as Joyce said , she 's absolutely right .
This pardon was telegraphed a long time going .
There 's a reason — Roger Stone knew — it 's not just Lindsey Graham .
Roger Stone knew he was going to get a pardon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ walking around with the same `` My Daddy owns your Daddy '' smirk since 1976 .
This was a pardon of self-preservation , and everybody knew it was coming .
The only relevant question is , what are Democrats going to do about it if they ever take power again ?
Right .
And it 's not about Stone or Trump .
It 's not about trying to grab Stone out of Mar-a-Lago before he gets the Trump tattoo on his shoulder .
On his last day in office , Barack Obama pardoned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a great work .
That was great work by the Obama/Biden administration .
But there are 78,000 federal nonviolent drug offenders .
You want to show Republicans what a fully operational pardon power looks like ?
Pardon them ALL on day one of the Biden administration .
What are Republicans going to say ?
We do n't like the process ?
No , no , no .
Republicans forfeited forever their right to complain about the pardon process .
Personally , I think Biden doing something so bold as pardoning 78,000 nonviolent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Dems ginning up for another impeachment — of either Trump OR Bill Barr .
But I could not agree with Mystal more , here , both in sentiment and intensity .
Then , there was an exchange between Reid and Anthony Scaramucci wherein the Mooch acted ridiculous , and as if he had n't ever watched AM Joy to notice that they 've been on to Bill Barr and Donald Trump since forever .
So we can skip right over that part .
But when Scaramucci suggested that in order to defeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , Reid picked up on that thread and asked Mystal to attempt to predict what Trump might do to hang on to power .
MYSTAL : You do n't need a flux capacitor to remember that not two weeks ago that Donald Trump or Bill Barr was busy trying to hire the head of the SDNY in the press .
And then we saw Geoffrey Berman basically kick and scream to get his deputy appointed to that post , as opposed to Trump 's hand-picked golf buddy , Jay Cohen .
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinking , `` Oh , Joy , I do n't know ! ''
It 's because , I believe , SDNY has ongoing investigations into Donald Trump , into his corrupt family , into his corrupt businesses .
That will be coming the minute he is no longer clothed in American military power .
The way that I link up — not the Stone thing but the other big legal news this week — the fact that Supreme Court said that Cy Vance 's District Attorney subpoena can go forward , after Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit , that portends , to me , additional legal , umm , exposure for Donald Trump in 2021 , should he lose in November .
So I think the law is coming for Trump , but he has to lose .
You have to beat him in November for us to have laws .
I mean , it would be nice to live in a country where we still had laws , right ?
Remember what that was like ?
I know , it 's hard .
Because do n't look now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Geoffrey Berman at SDNY ?
He actually accomplished that very thing last night in EDNY .
Yeah , Biden losing in November is just not an option , people .

MSNBC has made some terrific decisions, lately. First, we learn that Joy Reid will take over the 7 pm evening anchor spot that Chris Matthews vacated — HUZZAH! Second, I have seen the inimitable Elie Mystal appear as a guest on the network twice in the last 2 weeks! This morning, those things converged as Mystal appeared on AM Joy to talk about the gross corruption reflected in Trump's commutation of Roger Stone's sentence. He also had some perspective for Democrats on how they could use their power, once they get it back.
At the beginning of the segment, Reid's panel discussed the Stone business, and the potential for a second impeachment, should Trump win a second term.
MYSTAL: I mean, I know Democrats too well to ever believe that's going back. Right, as Joyce said, she's absolutely right. This pardon was telegraphed a long time going. There's a reason — Roger Stone knew — it's not just Lindsey Graham. Roger Stone knew he was going to get a pardon. That's why Roger Stone's been walking around with the same "My Daddy owns your Daddy" smirk since 1976. This was a pardon of self-preservation, and everybody knew it was coming. The only relevant question is, what are Democrats going to do about it if they ever take power again? Right. And it's not about Stone or Trump. It's not about trying to grab Stone out of Mar-a-Lago before he gets the Trump tattoo on his shoulder. On his last day in office, Barack Obama pardoned 330 nonviolent drug offenders. And that was a great work. That was great work by the Obama/Biden administration. But there are 78,000 federal nonviolent drug offenders. You want to show Republicans what a fully operational pardon power looks like? Pardon them ALL on day one of the Biden administration. What are Republicans going to say? We don't like the process? No, no, no. Republicans forfeited forever their right to complain about the pardon process.
Personally, I think Biden doing something so bold as pardoning 78,000 nonviolent drug offenders is about as likely as the Dems ginning up for another impeachment — of either Trump OR Bill Barr. But I could not agree with Mystal more, here, both in sentiment and intensity.
Then, there was an exchange between Reid and Anthony Scaramucci wherein the Mooch acted ridiculous, and as if he hadn't ever watched AM Joy to notice that they've been on to Bill Barr and Donald Trump since forever. So we can skip right over that part. But when Scaramucci suggested that in order to defeat Trump, one has to think like him, Reid picked up on that thread and asked Mystal to attempt to predict what Trump might do to hang on to power.
MYSTAL: You don't need a flux capacitor to remember that not two weeks ago that Donald Trump or Bill Barr was busy trying to hire the head of the SDNY in the press. And then we saw Geoffrey Berman basically kick and scream to get his deputy appointed to that post, as opposed to Trump's hand-picked golf buddy, Jay Cohen. Why? Was that happening? We are thinking, "Oh, Joy, I don't know!" It's because, I believe, SDNY has ongoing investigations into Donald Trump, into his corrupt family, into his corrupt businesses. That will be coming the minute he is no longer clothed in American military power. The way that I link up — not the Stone thing but the other big legal news this week — the fact that Supreme Court said that Cy Vance's District Attorney subpoena can go forward, after Trump complains again about it for a little bit, that portends, to me, additional legal, umm, exposure for Donald Trump in 2021, should he lose in November. So I think the law is coming for Trump, but he has to lose. You have to beat him in November for us to have laws.
I mean, it would be nice to live in a country where we still had laws, right? Remember what that was like? I know, it's hard. Because don't look now, but that thing Barr attempted with Geoffrey Berman at SDNY? He actually accomplished that very thing last night in EDNY.
The EDNY line of succession, to Bill Barr's pick rather than the U.S. Attorney's deputy, is the exact protocol that Geoffrey Berman told Congress a day earlier would have been “unprecedented, unnecessary and unexplained."
EDNY declined to comment on that protocol. https://t.co/GaCxPSuo6z — Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) July 11, 2020
Yeah, Biden losing in November is just not an option, people.


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--Tiffany Cross Hilariously Analyzes Melania Trump’s Einstein Visa

On AM Joy this morning , host Joy Reid discussed Trump ’ s cruel effort to make foreign students choose between risking their lives with in-person classes or being kicked out of the country .
Reid noted that Harvard and M.I.T .
have sued the Trump administration over the policy .
Then she turned to guest Tiffany Cross for commentary .
Cross ’ response was one for ages : CROSS : I think this is more red meat that he 's throwing to his cult-like following that he desperately needs this November .
… [ H ] e 's using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ xenophobia that helped get him elected with this anti-immigration attitude .
Let 's just revisit the story of Melania Trump .
When she came to this country , under mysterious circumstances , she was granted the Einstein visa , which is reserved for people who have some marvel achievement , some accomplishment .
Now I ’ ve googled Melania Trump and there are some salacious imagery out there of her .
So I can imagine what Donald Trump may have thought her skill was , I don ’ t know .
But no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the question , what was her unique skill that she was able to leapfrog over actual geniuses and land in this country ?
Let 's revisit chain migration [ which ] the Trump administration hates so much .
Well , this seems to be how Melania Trump ’ s parents are making their way to this country .
So , I can imagine the outrage the MAGA cult-like following feels for this landscape right now , right ?
Not at all .
They elevate her , they exalt her .
They reinvent her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone she is blatantly not .
They are aided in this effort by the media .
So , I think it ’ s very disrespectful to the students who come here , who have more patriotism than people who would help elect someone who is proven to be colluding with foreign adversaries .
I know the results of the impeachment hearings were foggy but if you read that [ Mueller ] report , there is clear evidence there that something is afoot .
I think it 's ridiculously hypocritical that this administration would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most cruelest way , deny students .
Most of these students have n't been in their country forever .
Some of them have only been gone two weeks at a time since they were children .
So , this is awful , as we see on one hand .
On the other hand , looking at Melania Trump parade around in the white house with jackets that say `` I really do n't care , do U . ''

On AM Joy this morning, host Joy Reid discussed Trump’s cruel effort to make foreign students choose between risking their lives with in-person classes or being kicked out of the country. Reid noted that Harvard and M.I.T. have sued the Trump administration over the policy. Then she turned to guest Tiffany Cross for commentary.
Cross’ response was one for ages:
CROSS: I think this is more red meat that he's throwing to his cult-like following that he desperately needs this November. … [H]e's using this as an opportunity to perpetuate the xenophobia that helped get him elected with this anti-immigration attitude.
Let's just revisit the story of Melania Trump. When she came to this country, under mysterious circumstances, she was granted the Einstein visa, which is reserved for people who have some marvel achievement, some accomplishment.
Now I’ve googled Melania Trump and there are some salacious imagery out there of her. So I can imagine what Donald Trump may have thought her skill was, I don’t know. But no Republican has ever been able to answer the question, what was her unique skill that she was able to leapfrog over actual geniuses and land in this country?
Let's revisit chain migration [which] the Trump administration hates so much. Well, this seems to be how Melania Trump’s parents are making their way to this country. So, I can imagine the outrage the MAGA cult-like following feels for this landscape right now, right? Not at all. They elevate her, they exalt her. They reinvent her history. They paint her to be someone she is blatantly not. They are aided in this effort by the media.
So, I think it’s very disrespectful to the students who come here, who have more patriotism than people who would help elect someone who is proven to be colluding with foreign adversaries. I know the results of the impeachment hearings were foggy but if you read that [Mueller] report, there is clear evidence there that something is afoot. I think it's ridiculously hypocritical that this administration would now at this point, in the most cruelest way, deny students.
Most of these students haven't been in their country forever. Some of them have only been gone two weeks at a time since they were children. So, this is awful, as we see on one hand. On the other hand, looking at Melania Trump parade around in the white house with jackets that say "I really don't care, do U."


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--Police Confiscate Weapon From 'Ken And Karen' Who Threatened BLM Protesters

Remember a couple of weeks ago , when a racist couple of white-privileged , gun-toting , wingnut @ sswipes pointed their guns at Black Lives Matters protesters in their neighborhood ?
Yeah , they have names , and I guess I should use them , since there are so many of these criminally racist entitled douchenozzles running around armed and triggered in this country .
Mark and Patricia McCloskey are the ones in St. Louis to whom I am specifically referring , and I darken your memories with their visages for at least a decent reason .
The police searched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rifle The Mister was threatening peaceful protesters with has been confiscated .
Sources told 5 On Your Side that police seized one of the weapons , the rifle , from the couple and they told police their attorney has the pistol seen in photos .
5 On Your Side is not aware of any charges against the McCloskeys at this time , and the warrant served Friday evening was just for the guns .
Remember , these are the folks who went on CNN to say that THEY were the victims of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the oppressed , and those peacefully demanding equality they 've been denied for centuries , of course ... remind me again how that constitutes terrorism , again ?
So they gave up their rifle to the police , and claim their former attorney has the pistol .
They have a new attorney , who says he does n't know where the pistol is , and of course , does not believe his clients should be charged with any crimes .
And they have n't been .

Remember a couple of weeks ago, when a racist couple of white-privileged, gun-toting, wingnut @sswipes pointed their guns at Black Lives Matters protesters in their neighborhood? Yeah, they have names, and I guess I should use them, since there are so many of these criminally racist entitled douchenozzles running around armed and triggered in this country.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey are the ones in St. Louis to whom I am specifically referring, and I darken your memories with their visages for at least a decent reason. The police searched their property Friday night, and the rifle The Mister was threatening peaceful protesters with has been confiscated.
Sources told 5 On Your Side that police seized one of the weapons, the rifle, from the couple and they told police their attorney has the pistol seen in photos. 5 On Your Side is not aware of any charges against the McCloskeys at this time, and the warrant served Friday evening was just for the guns.
Remember, these are the folks who went on CNN to say that THEY were the victims of "terrorism" — at the hands of the oppressed, and those peacefully demanding equality they've been denied for centuries, of course...remind me again how that constitutes terrorism, again?
So they gave up their rifle to the police, and claim their former attorney has the pistol. They have a new attorney, who says he doesn't know where the pistol is, and of course, does not believe his clients should be charged with any crimes. And they haven't been.
Yet.


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--IG Report — SharpiGate Edition: Trump Pressured NOAA To Lie About Their Hurricane Dorian Report

SharpieGate is a prime example of how unfit Donald Trump is to lead this nation , or serve in any capacity of leadership ( except for using corrupt actions for self interests ) — whether it 's on a Board of Education , City Council , Congress or as lead dogcatcher .
Trump took a black Sharpie and marked up an official National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map , which he displayed during an Oval Office press conference , to make himself appear correct .
What transpired was so monumentally embarrassing to our country , and the National Oceanic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only deranged narcissist would 've attempted it .
To refresh your memory since Trump continues to be the most corrupt president in our nation 's history , and it 's overwhelming , here 's the reason the Inspector General was investigating in the first place .
( Time has a nice timeline of these events . )
When hurricane Dorian was pelting the Bahamas , and possibly targeting the U.S. , Trump tweeted out the following lie : Then , a few days later , to the surprise of many , the NOAA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written and unsigned statement .
From Wednesday , August 28 , through Monday , September 2 , the information provided by NOAA and the National Hurricane Center to President Trump and the wider public demonstrated that tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama .
This is clearly demonstrated in Hurricane Advisories # 15 through # 41 , which can be viewed at the following link.The Birmingham National Weather Service ’ s Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a delayed and harshly critical report laying out how political pressure originating from the White House resulted in the issuance of a poorly crafted and unsigned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) statement on Sept. 6 , 2019 .
That statement , the inspector general found , damaged NOAA ’ s reputation for issuing apolitical guidance and eroded public trust in an agency tasked with protecting life and property .
The report , however , contains no recommendations for punishing officials or major changes to department policies and procedures .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government — acting general counsel Michael Walsh , and then-acting deputy general counsel David Dewhirst — tried to suppress any information that pointed to Trump 's culpability in SharpieGate by claiming privilege , which delayed the IG report from being released .
The release of the inspector general ’ s report was delayed due to a stalemate between the Commerce Department and the inspector general ’ s office over issues relating to what information is internal to the government and should not be made available to the public .
The department asserted broad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , leaving the inspector general ’ s office with the choice of releasing an unredacted report and risking potential blowback from the administration .
Walsh and Dewhirst are unfit for any position in the federal government , though Walsh is awaiting confirmation by the Senate .
Sen. Maria Cantwell ( D-WA ) , ranking member of the Senate Commerce , Science and Transportation Committee , came out hard against acting NOAA administrator Neil Jacobs ’ pending nomination for the position .
The House Science Committee is now taking up the cause of investigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of our federal government that Trump has n't tried to corrupt .
Too often , he has succeeded .

SharpieGate is a prime example of how unfit Donald Trump is to lead this nation, or serve in any capacity of leadership (except for using corrupt actions for self interests) — whether it's on a Board of Education, City Council, Congress or as lead dogcatcher.
Trump took a black Sharpie and marked up an official National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration map, which he displayed during an Oval Office press conference, to make himself appear correct.
What transpired was so monumentally embarrassing to our country, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA,) that only deranged narcissist would've attempted it.
To refresh your memory since Trump continues to be the most corrupt president in our nation's history, and it's overwhelming, here's the reason the Inspector General was investigating in the first place. (Time has a nice timeline of these events.)
When hurricane Dorian was pelting the Bahamas, and possibly targeting the U.S., Trump tweeted out the following lie:
In addition to Florida - South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2019
National Weather Service (NWS) Birmingham replied.
Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east. #alwx — NWS Birmingham (@NWSBirmingham) September 1, 2019
Then, a few days later, to the surprise of many, the NOAA took Trump's side in a poorly written and unsigned statement.
From Wednesday, August 28, through Monday, September 2, the information provided by NOAA and the National Hurricane Center to President Trump and the wider public demonstrated that tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama. This is clearly demonstrated in Hurricane Advisories #15 through #41, which can be viewed at the following link.The Birmingham National Weather Service’s Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time.
Wow!
The Washington Post now reports:
The Commerce Department inspector general issued a delayed and harshly critical report laying out how political pressure originating from the White House resulted in the issuance of a poorly crafted and unsigned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) statement on Sept. 6, 2019. That statement, the inspector general found, damaged NOAA’s reputation for issuing apolitical guidance and eroded public trust in an agency tasked with protecting life and property. The report, however, contains no recommendations for punishing officials or major changes to department policies and procedures.
As usual, Trump's flunkies in the government — acting general counsel Michael Walsh, and then-acting deputy general counsel David Dewhirst — tried to suppress any information that pointed to Trump's culpability in SharpieGate by claiming privilege, which delayed the IG report from being released.
The release of the inspector general’s report was delayed due to a stalemate between the Commerce Department and the inspector general’s office over issues relating to what information is internal to the government and should not be made available to the public. The department asserted broad privilege claims without specifying text to redact, leaving the inspector general’s office with the choice of releasing an unredacted report and risking potential blowback from the administration.
Walsh and Dewhirst are unfit for any position in the federal government, though Walsh is awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, came out hard against acting NOAA administrator Neil Jacobs’ pending nomination for the position.
Unfortunately, the report released today makes it crystal clear Neil Jacobs is not that leader, and he failed to protect scientists from political influence. Therefore, I oppose Neil Jacobs’ nomination to be the Administrator of NOAA, and I urge my colleagues to join me.”
The House Science Committee is now taking up the cause of investigating this atrocity. There isn't any part of our federal government that Trump hasn't tried to corrupt. Too often, he has succeeded.


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--Trump Campaign Headquarters Gets Its First Disinfection Cleaning

The picture above is from February , but I imagine if Trump took the same photo today it 'd look similar .
They just do n't believe in wearing masks , and especially not when Dear Leader is around .
The campaign ’ s headquarters — located on the 14th floor of an Arlington , Va. , office building that shares space with multiple businesses — is normally packed with dozens of staffers , often sitting in close proximity to conduct phone calls and other urgent campaign business , said three people with knowledge of its operations .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep cleaning in weeks after a senior campaign official tested positive for the virus .
The decision to conduct the cleaning came after two months of flouting the Trump administration ’ s own public health guidance : There are no face coverings or temporary barriers between desks at headquarters , and leaders have limited efforts to implement social distancing .
And what happened before Kimberly Guilfoyle got her positive test ?
Facing no threat of enforcement , the Trump campaign has continued to make its own rules on coronavirus protections , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freely .
For instance , staff have been told to wear masks outside the office , in case they ’ re spotted by reporters , but they ’ ve been instructed that it ’ s acceptable to remove them in the office , the individuals said , adding that staff also publicly joke about the risk of coronavirus and play down the pandemic ’ s threat .
“ You get made fun of , if you wear a mask , ” said one person .
“ There ’ s social pressure not to @ @ @ @

The picture above is from February, but I imagine if Trump took the same photo today it'd look similar. They just don't believe in wearing masks, and especially not when Dear Leader is around.
Source: Politico
The campaign’s headquarters — located on the 14th floor of an Arlington, Va., office building that shares space with multiple businesses — is normally packed with dozens of staffers, often sitting in close proximity to conduct phone calls and other urgent campaign business, said three people with knowledge of its operations. But the office was shut down for its first deep cleaning in weeks after a senior campaign official tested positive for the virus. The decision to conduct the cleaning came after two months of flouting the Trump administration’s own public health guidance: There are no face coverings or temporary barriers between desks at headquarters, and leaders have limited efforts to implement social distancing.
And what happened before Kimberly Guilfoyle got her positive test?


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--COVID's Painful Side Effect: Deep Budget Cuts At State And Local Levels

Nationwide , state and local government leaders are warning of major budget cuts as a result of the pandemic .
One state – New York – even referred to the magnitude of its cuts as having “ no precedent in modern times.
” Declining revenue combined with unexpected expenditures and requirements to balance budgets means state and local governments need to cut spending and possibly raise taxes or dip into reserve funds to cover the hundreds of billions of dollars lost by state and local government over the next two to three years because of the pandemic .
Without more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of money ( like reserve funds or borrowing ) , government officials have made it clear : Budget cuts will be happening in the coming years .
And while specifics are not yet available in all cases , those cuts have already included reducing the number of state and local jobs – from firefighters to garbage collectors to librarians – and slashing spending for education , social services and roads and bridges .
In some states , agencies have been directed to cut their budget as much as 15 % or 20 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared budgets for a new fiscal year that began July 1 .
As a scholar of public administration who researches how governments spend money , here are the ways state and local governments have reduced spending to close the budget gap .
State and local governments laid off or furloughed 1.5 million workers in April and May .
They are also reducing spending on employees .
According to surveys , government workers are feeling personal financial strain as many state and local governments have cut merit raises and regular salary increases , frozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees .
Washington state , for example , cut both merit raises and instituted furloughs .
A survey from the National League of Cities shows 32 % of cities will have to furlough or lay off employees and 41 % have hiring freezes in place or planned as a result of the pandemic .
Employment reductions have met some resistance .
In Nevada , for example , a state worker union filed a complaint against the governor to the state ’ s labor relations board for violating a collective bargaining statute by not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of the employee cuts have been made in education .
Teachers , classroom aids , administrators , staff , maintenance crews , bus drivers and other school employees have seen salary cuts and layoffs .
The job loss has hurt public employees beyond education , too : librarians , garbage collectors , counselors , social workers , police officers , firefighters , doctors , nurses , health aides , park rangers , maintenance crews , administrative assistants and others have been affected .
Residents also face the consequences of these cuts : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff in the city ’ s water and sewer departments to talk about their bill ; they can ’ t use the internet at the library to look for jobs ; their children can ’ t get needed services in school .
Most of these cuts have been labeled temporary , but with the extensions to stay-at-home orders and a mostly closed economy , it will be some time before these employees are back to work .
As another way to reduce costs quickly , a National League of Cities survey shows 65 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporarily , or completely , capital expenditure and infrastructure projects like roads , bridges , buildings , water systems or parking garages .
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In New York City , there is a US $ 2.3 billion proposed cut to the capital budget , a fund that supports large , multiyear investments from sidewalk and road maintenance , school buildings , senior centers , fire trucks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are potentially serious consequences for residents .
For example , New York housing advocates are concerned that these cuts will hurt plans for 21,000 affordable homes .
Suspending these big money projects will save the government money in the short term .
But it will potentially harm the struggling economy , since both public and private sectors benefit from better roads , bridges , schools and water systems and the jobs these projects create .
Delaying maintenance also has consequences for the deteriorating infrastructure in the U.S .
The costs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It can cost more to replace a crumbling building than it does to fix one in better repair .
In many states , the new budgets severely cut their aid to local governments , which will lead to large local cuts in education – both K-12 and higher education – as well as social programs , transportation , health care and other areas .
New York state ’ s budget proposes that part of its fiscal year 2021 budget shortfall will be balanced by $ 8.2 billion in reductions in aid to localities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts were referred to in the budget as “ not seen in modern times.
” This money is normally spent on many important services that residents need everyday –mass transit , adult and elderly care , mental health support , substance abuse programs , school programs like special education , children ’ s health insurance and more .
Lacking any of these support services can be devastating to a person , especially in this difficult time .
As teachers and administrators figure out how to teach both online and in person , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – not less – to meet students ’ needs .
Libraries , which provide services to many communities , from free computer use to after-school programs for children , will have to cut back .
They may have fewer workers , be open for fewer hours and not offer as many programs to the public .
Parks may not be maintained , broken playground equipment may stay that way , and workers may not repave paths and mow lawns .
Completely separate from activists ’ calls to shift police funding to other priorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slashed just for lack of cash to pay the officers .
Similar cuts to firefighters and ambulance workers may mean poorly equipped responders take longer to arrive on a scene and have less training to deal with the emergency .
To keep with developing public safety standards , more maintenance staff and materials will be needed to clean and sanitize schools , courtrooms , auditoriums , correctional facilities , metro stations , buses and other public spaces .
Strained budgets and employees will make it harder to complete these new essential tasks throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , state and local government officials are trying a host of strategies including borrowing money , using rainy day funds , increasing revenue by raising tax rates or creating new taxes or fees , ending tax exemptions and using federal aid as legally allowed .
Colorado was able to hold its budget to only a 3 % reduction , relying largely on one-time emergency reserve funds .
Delaware managed to maintain its budget and avoided layoffs largely through using money set aside in a reserve account .
Nobody knows how long the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last .
In the worst-case scenario , budget officials are prepared to make steeper cuts in the coming months if more assistance does not come from the federal government or the economy does not recover quickly enough to restore the flow of money that governments need to operate .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Carla Flink, American University
Nationwide, state and local government leaders are warning of major budget cuts as a result of the pandemic. One state – New York – even referred to the magnitude of its cuts as having “no precedent in modern times.”
Declining revenue combined with unexpected expenditures and requirements to balance budgets means state and local governments need to cut spending and possibly raise taxes or dip into reserve funds to cover the hundreds of billions of dollars lost by state and local government over the next two to three years because of the pandemic.
Without more federal aid or access to other sources of money (like reserve funds or borrowing), government officials have made it clear: Budget cuts will be happening in the coming years.
And while specifics are not yet available in all cases, those cuts have already included reducing the number of state and local jobs – from firefighters to garbage collectors to librarians – and slashing spending for education, social services and roads and bridges.
In some states, agencies have been directed to cut their budget as much as 15% or 20% – a tough challenge as most states prepared budgets for a new fiscal year that began July 1.
As a scholar of public administration who researches how governments spend money, here are the ways state and local governments have reduced spending to close the budget gap.
Cutting jobs
State and local governments laid off or furloughed 1.5 million workers in April and May.
They are also reducing spending on employees. According to surveys, government workers are feeling personal financial strain as many state and local governments have cut merit raises and regular salary increases, frozen hiring, reduced salaries and cut seasonal employees.
Washington state, for example, cut both merit raises and instituted furloughs.
A survey from the National League of Cities shows 32% of cities will have to furlough or lay off employees and 41% have hiring freezes in place or planned as a result of the pandemic.
Employment reductions have met some resistance. In Nevada, for example, a state worker union filed a complaint against the governor to the state’s labor relations board for violating a collective bargaining statute by not negotiating on furloughs and salary freezes.
Most of the employee cuts have been made in education. Teachers, classroom aids, administrators, staff, maintenance crews, bus drivers and other school employees have seen salary cuts and layoffs.
The job loss has hurt public employees beyond education, too: librarians, garbage collectors, counselors, social workers, police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, health aides, park rangers, maintenance crews, administrative assistants and others have been affected.
Residents also face the consequences of these cuts: They can’t get ahold of staff in the city’s water and sewer departments to talk about their bill; they can’t use the internet at the library to look for jobs; their children can’t get needed services in school.
Most of these cuts have been labeled temporary, but with the extensions to stay-at-home orders and a mostly closed economy, it will be some time before these employees are back to work.
Octavio Jones/Getty Images
Suspending road, bridges, building and water system projects
As another way to reduce costs quickly, a National League of Cities survey shows 65% of the municipalities surveyed are stopping temporarily, or completely, capital expenditure and infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, buildings, water systems or parking garages.
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In New York City, there is a US$2.3 billion proposed cut to the capital budget, a fund that supports large, multiyear investments from sidewalk and road maintenance, school buildings, senior centers, fire trucks, sewers, playgrounds, to park upkeep. There are potentially serious consequences for residents. For example, New York housing advocates are concerned that these cuts will hurt plans for 21,000 affordable homes.
Suspending these big money projects will save the government money in the short term. But it will potentially harm the struggling economy, since both public and private sectors benefit from better roads, bridges, schools and water systems and the jobs these projects create.
Delaying maintenance also has consequences for the deteriorating infrastructure in the U.S. The costs of unaddressed repairs could increase future costs. It can cost more to replace a crumbling building than it does to fix one in better repair.
Cities and towns hit
In many states, the new budgets severely cut their aid to local governments, which will lead to large local cuts in education – both K-12 and higher education – as well as social programs, transportation, health care and other areas.
New York state’s budget proposes that part of its fiscal year 2021 budget shortfall will be balanced by $8.2 billion in reductions in aid to localities. This is the state where the cuts were referred to in the budget as “not seen in modern times.” This money is normally spent on many important services that residents need everyday –mass transit, adult and elderly care, mental health support, substance abuse programs, school programs like special education, children’s health insurance and more. Lacking any of these support services can be devastating to a person, especially in this difficult time.
Rob Kim/Getty Images
Fewer workers, less money
As teachers and administrators figure out how to teach both online and in person, they and their schools will need more money – not less – to meet students’ needs.
Libraries, which provide services to many communities, from free computer use to after-school programs for children, will have to cut back. They may have fewer workers, be open for fewer hours and not offer as many programs to the public.
Parks may not be maintained, broken playground equipment may stay that way, and workers may not repave paths and mow lawns. Completely separate from activists’ calls to shift police funding to other priorities, police departments’ budgets may be slashed just for lack of cash to pay the officers. Similar cuts to firefighters and ambulance workers may mean poorly equipped responders take longer to arrive on a scene and have less training to deal with the emergency.
To keep with developing public safety standards, more maintenance staff and materials will be needed to clean and sanitize schools, courtrooms, auditoriums, correctional facilities, metro stations, buses and other public spaces. Strained budgets and employees will make it harder to complete these new essential tasks throughout the day.
To avoid deeper cuts, state and local government officials are trying a host of strategies including borrowing money, using rainy day funds, increasing revenue by raising tax rates or creating new taxes or fees, ending tax exemptions and using federal aid as legally allowed.
Colorado was able to hold its budget to only a 3% reduction, relying largely on one-time emergency reserve funds. Delaware managed to maintain its budget and avoided layoffs largely through using money set aside in a reserve account.
Nobody knows how long the pandemic, or its economic effects, will last.
In the worst-case scenario, budget officials are prepared to make steeper cuts in the coming months if more assistance does not come from the federal government or the economy does not recover quickly enough to restore the flow of money that governments need to operate.
Carla Flink, Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Policy, American University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--Sending International Students Home Saps US Influence And Hurts US Economy

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement , or ICE , made a decision on July 6 regarding international students in the U.S. that will affect far more than just the roughly 870,000 international students themselves .
Based on what I know about the power and influence of higher education in the U.S. , this decision could increase the tuition American students pay , cost thousands of jobs throughout the nation and erode America ’ s stature in the world .
Under this new rule , international students may stay in the country only if they attend a college or university offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they won ’ t be able to get visas , enter the country or stay here if they plan to attend one of the many schools that are teaching students entirely online .
In effect , thousands of students from other countries who attend schools that do not plan any in-person instruction this fall may have to immediately transfer to another school or leave the country .
Otherwise , they could face deportation .
Against the backdrop of what top U.S. public health officials describe as an out-of-control virus , this new immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Schools must choose between bringing students together on campus to comply with the immigration restrictions , or adhere to public health precautions related to physical distancing .
It may be hard to do both if the online option is off the table when it comes to international students .
Which means U.S. colleges and universities could take a significant financial hit in the form of lost tuition revenue beyond what they were anticipating as a result of COVID-19 .
As of July 6 , more than 1,000 colleges and universities have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those , 60 % plan currently plan to offer in-person classes , 24 % plan to offer hybrid and 9 % plan to offer courses online .
The remaining colleges are still undecided .
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Now , some institutions will have to scramble to develop alternatives that can enable international students to remain enrolled without breaking the new rule .
Schools must report how they plan to proceed by Aug. 1 , based on the ICE announcement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just limited to the hundreds of thousands of international students enrolled at U.S. colleges , who represent 4.39 % of the 20 million people who currently attend U.S. colleges and universities .
It also affects their institutions , their faculty and the local communities as well .
Consider that colleges and universities , which are the largest employers in 1 in 5 states , are already reeling from heavy financial losses associated with the pandemic .
While many schools have had to slash budgets due to refunds issued to students in the spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ canceled athletic events and cuts to state funding , others are still waiting to see whether or not they will meet their enrollment targets for fall .
Still , more than 200 colleges and universities have already announced layoffs , furloughs or contract nonrenewals .
At a time when the U.S. is trying to overcome record unemployment and manage its biggest public health crisis in a century , international students seem to be caught in the middle of a partisan divide on reopening the country .
The new guidelines could place many colleges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Increase the number of in-person classes and risk that COVID-19 will spread further .
What they bring to the table Given how much international students contribute to the economy , you might assume ICE would find a way to keep them in the U.S .
The students affected by the new rule are the same people who help support about 460,000 American jobs .
The higher tuition and fees they pay helps keep tuition lower for American students .
But their contributions transcend economics .
Their academic talents help advance scientific discoveries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation ’ s ongoing battle against COVID-19 .
The fallout will be severe should these students choose to study in other countries instead .
Australia and New Zealand , for example , have recently made their policies more welcoming .
Booting international students would surely reduce America ’ s influence in the world as well .
According to the State Department , the alumni of educational and cultural exchange programs include more than 75 Nobel Laureates and nearly 450 current and former heads of state and government .
Having established personal ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unofficial ambassadors for the U.S. International alumni are more likely to look to the U.S. for ideas and trade agreements and to otherwise exert influence abroad that benefits U.S. interests .
While the share of international students studying in the U.S. has steadily declined – from 28 % of the world ’ s 2.1 million international students in 2001 to 21 % of the world ’ s 5.3 million international students in 2019 – other countries have made significant gains in attracting global talent due to national strategies .
Most notably , China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who study abroad globally , including more students from Africa than the U.K. and U.S. combined .
One reason for China ’ s rise as a study destination is its leaders ’ realization that it is lagging behind the U.S. in terms of soft power with only a few world leaders having graduated from Chinese institutions .
In my view , ICE ’ s new guidance is only the latest step in a steady retreat from global engagement that clears the path for other nations to attract more of the students that might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

David L. Di Maria, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, made a decision on July 6 regarding international students in the U.S. that will affect far more than just the roughly 870,000 international students themselves.
Based on what I know about the power and influence of higher education in the U.S., this decision could increase the tuition American students pay, cost thousands of jobs throughout the nation and erode America’s stature in the world.
Under this new rule, international students may stay in the country only if they attend a college or university offering in-person classes this fall. Otherwise, they won’t be able to get visas, enter the country or stay here if they plan to attend one of the many schools that are teaching students entirely online.
In effect, thousands of students from other countries who attend schools that do not plan any in-person instruction this fall may have to immediately transfer to another school or leave the country. Otherwise, they could face deportation.
Against the backdrop of what top U.S. public health officials describe as an out-of-control virus, this new immigration rule puts U.S. colleges in a jam. Schools must choose between bringing students together on campus to comply with the immigration restrictions, or adhere to public health precautions related to physical distancing.
It may be hard to do both if the online option is off the table when it comes to international students. Which means U.S. colleges and universities could take a significant financial hit in the form of lost tuition revenue beyond what they were anticipating as a result of COVID-19.
Colleges must scramble
As of July 6, more than 1,000 colleges and universities have already released plans for fall instruction. Of those, 60% plan currently plan to offer in-person classes, 24% plan to offer hybrid and 9% plan to offer courses online. The remaining colleges are still undecided.
[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.]
Now, some institutions will have to scramble to develop alternatives that can enable international students to remain enrolled without breaking the new rule. Schools must report how they plan to proceed by Aug. 1, based on the ICE announcement.
Far-reaching impact
The impact of this rule is not just limited to the hundreds of thousands of international students enrolled at U.S. colleges, who represent 4.39% of the 20 million people who currently attend U.S. colleges and universities. It also affects their institutions, their faculty and the local communities as well.
Consider that colleges and universities, which are the largest employers in 1 in 5 states, are already reeling from heavy financial losses associated with the pandemic.
While many schools have had to slash budgets due to refunds issued to students in the spring of 2020, disruptions to research, canceled athletic events and cuts to state funding, others are still waiting to see whether or not they will meet their enrollment targets for fall.
Still, more than 200 colleges and universities have already announced layoffs, furloughs or contract nonrenewals.
At a time when the U.S. is trying to overcome record unemployment and manage its biggest public health crisis in a century, international students seem to be caught in the middle of a partisan divide on reopening the country.
The new guidelines could place many colleges and universities in an impossible position: Increase the number of in-person classes and risk that COVID-19 will spread further.
What they bring to the table
Given how much international students contribute to the economy, you might assume ICE would find a way to keep them in the U.S.
The students affected by the new rule are the same people who help support about 460,000 American jobs.
The higher tuition and fees they pay helps keep tuition lower for American students. But their contributions transcend economics.
Their academic talents help advance scientific discoveries, which are more critical than ever given the nation’s ongoing battle against COVID-19. The fallout will be severe should these students choose to study in other countries instead. Australia and New Zealand, for example, have recently made their policies more welcoming.
Giving ground to other nations
Booting international students would surely reduce America’s influence in the world as well.
According to the State Department, the alumni of educational and cultural exchange programs include more than 75 Nobel Laureates and nearly 450 current and former heads of state and government. Having established personal ties, international students often return home as unofficial ambassadors for the U.S.
International alumni are more likely to look to the U.S. for ideas and trade agreements and to otherwise exert influence abroad that benefits U.S. interests.
While the share of international students studying in the U.S. has steadily declined – from 28% of the world’s 2.1 million international students in 2001 to 21% of the world’s 5.3 million international students in 2019 – other countries have made significant gains in attracting global talent due to national strategies.
Most notably, China now hosts nearly 1 in 10 students who study abroad globally, including more students from Africa than the U.K. and U.S. combined. One reason for China’s rise as a study destination is its leaders’ realization that it is lagging behind the U.S. in terms of soft power with only a few world leaders having graduated from Chinese institutions.
In my view, ICE’s new guidance is only the latest step in a steady retreat from global engagement that clears the path for other nations to attract more of the students that might otherwise study in the United States.
David L. Di Maria, Associate Vice Provost for International Education, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--Will Reporters Ask If Barron Trump Is Returning To Rapidly Reopened Schools?

Published with permission of PRESS RUN , Eric Boehlert ’ s new must-read media newsletter .
Subscribe here .
Trump , Fox News , and the entire conservative movement are moving aggressively to politicize the re-opening of America 's schools during the pandemic .
Trying to turn the topic into a partisan one , they 're demanding schools across the country not only open for in-person education , but that 50-plus million American students be forced to sit should-to-shoulder in classrooms .
`` We 're very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing alongside his wife , Melania .
He then threatened to cut off federal funding if schools do n't fill their classrooms with students.The push is part of the right wing 's deeply misguided crusade to `` re-open '' America at a time when Covid-19 is not only not under control , it 's raging across the country .
The move is also plainly tied to Trump 's re-election campaign , and the GOP fear of him running against the cultural backdrop of shuttered schools across the country .
`` SCHOOLS MUST OPEN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he shrieked on Twitter .
Given that context , it 's imperative that news outlets find out what the education plans are for Barron Trump this coming semester , find out if he will be attending school in-person , and if not why the double standard ?
This is not a case of trying to politicize a First Family member or dragging the underage Barron into the spotlight .
It 's a simple question of whether Trump is demanding American children be put in harms way within a matter of weeks while he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Barron currently attends St. Andrew 's Episcopal School in Potomac , Maryland .
As No More Mister Nice Blog points out , the prestigious school is still deciding on what the fall semester will look like for students .
St. Andrews might offer a mix of on and off-campus learning , which is precisely what the Trump administration says is not acceptable .
Meanwhile , what are the education plans for the children of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner , who both serve as senior advisers to the president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , Jr. ?
If the White House wants to turn school children into political pawns this fall , the Trump family needs to explain their schooling plans .
`` School [ s ] must reopen , they must be fully operational , '' announced Education Secretary Betsy DeVos this week , specifically rejecting plans by some school districts to offer a hybrid schedule where students show up at school two or three days a week and learn at home the other days .
Today , a majority of Americans are concerned about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There are children who have died ; I mean , it 's out there , the information is out there , so it 's just blatant disregard for students lives and their parents , '' one Florida parent recently complained , after the state 's Republican education commissioner signed an executive order demanding all schools re-open with full in-person classes next month as the states posts 10,000 new virus cases each day .
Parental concerns have n't stopped Trump from demanding students be put at risk , or from criticizing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for safely reopening schools , which he claims are too restrictive .
On Fox News , Brian Kilmeade says children should be sent back into crowded classrooms in order to teach them lessons about `` risks '' in life .
Note that Fox News will not allow its hosts to share the same on-set couch because that breaks the company 's social distancing rules , yet Fox News hosts demand students sit shoulder-to-shoulder in classrooms this fall .
Meanwhile , Tucker Carlson 's likely getting people killed by urging his four million viewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , dismissing the face coverings as having `` no basis of any kind in science . ''
In terms of re-opening schools , the Trump administration has no plan .
That should surprise nobody since the administration 's hallmark for this once-in-a-century public health crisis has been to do virtually nothing to protect the country , or help it through the other side of the virus .
Re-opening schools and welcoming back tens of millions of students safely in a social distancing environment represents a Herculean task of logistics and money , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in dealing with either .
It s demanding schools re-open without providing a blueprint or the money necessary .
And that brings us back to Barron Trump .
“ If `` everybody wants '' schools fully reopened in the fall , then Barron should attend in-person classes five days a week , '' notes No More Mr. Nice Blog .
`` If his school wo n't commit to that , the Trumps should send him somewhere that will .
Right ? ''
Great question .
Reporters need to start pressing the White @ @ @ @

Published with permission of PRESS RUN, Eric Boehlert’s new must-read media newsletter. Subscribe here.
Trump, Fox News, and the entire conservative movement are moving aggressively to politicize the re-opening of America's schools during the pandemic. Trying to turn the topic into a partisan one, they're demanding schools across the country not only open for in-person education, but that 50-plus million American students be forced to sit should-to-shoulder in classrooms. "We're very much going to put pressure on governors and everybody else to open the schools," Trump said on Tuesday, standing alongside his wife, Melania. He then threatened to cut off federal funding if schools don't fill their classrooms with students.The push is part of the right wing's deeply misguided crusade to "re-open" America at a time when Covid-19 is not only not under control, it's raging across the country. The move is also plainly tied to Trump's re-election campaign, and the GOP fear of him running against the cultural backdrop of shuttered schools across the country. "SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!" he shrieked on Twitter.
Given that context, it's imperative that news outlets find out what the education plans are for Barron Trump this coming semester, find out if he will be attending school in-person, and if not why the double standard? This is not a case of trying to politicize a First Family member or dragging the underage Barron into the spotlight. It's a simple question of whether Trump is demanding American children be put in harms way within a matter of weeks while he protects his son from being exposed to the virus.
Barron currently attends St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland. As No More Mister Nice Blog points out, the prestigious school is still deciding on what the fall semester will look like for students. St. Andrews might offer a mix of on and off-campus learning, which is precisely what the Trump administration says is not acceptable.
Meanwhile, what are the education plans for the children of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, who both serve as senior advisers to the president, and the children of Eric and Donald Trump, Jr.? If the White House wants to turn school children into political pawns this fall, the Trump family needs to explain their schooling plans.
"School[s] must reopen, they must be fully operational," announced Education Secretary Betsy DeVos this week, specifically rejecting plans by some school districts to offer a hybrid schedule where students show up at school two or three days a week and learn at home the other days.
Today, a majority of Americans are concerned about schools opening their doors during the pandemic. "There are children who have died; I mean, it's out there, the information is out there, so it's just blatant disregard for students lives and their parents," one Florida parent recently complained, after the state's Republican education commissioner signed an executive order demanding all schools re-open with full in-person classes next month as the states posts 10,000 new virus cases each day.
Parental concerns haven't stopped Trump from demanding students be put at risk, or from criticizing the Center for Disease Control over its guidelines for safely reopening schools, which he claims are too restrictive.
On Fox News, Brian Kilmeade says children should be sent back into crowded classrooms in order to teach them lessons about "risks" in life. Note that Fox News will not allow its hosts to share the same on-set couch because that breaks the company's social distancing rules, yet Fox News hosts demand students sit shoulder-to-shoulder in classrooms this fall. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson's likely getting people killed by urging his four million viewers not to wear masks during a run-away pandemic, dismissing the face coverings as having "no basis of any kind in science."
In terms of re-opening schools, the Trump administration has no plan. That should surprise nobody since the administration's hallmark for this once-in-a-century public health crisis has been to do virtually nothing to protect the country, or help it through the other side of the virus. Re-opening schools and welcoming back tens of millions of students safely in a social distancing environment represents a Herculean task of logistics and money, and the Trump team has shown no interest in dealing with either. It s demanding schools re-open without providing a blueprint or the money necessary.
And that brings us back to Barron Trump. “If "everybody wants" schools fully reopened in the fall, then Barron should attend in-person classes five days a week," notes No More Mr. Nice Blog. "If his school won't commit to that, the Trumps should send him somewhere that will. Right?"
Great question. Reporters need to start pressing the White House for answers.


crooksandliars--2020-07-11--In Other SCOTUS News, Nearly Half Of Oklahoma Still Native American Territory

Indigenous leaders on Thursday hailed the U.S. Supreme Court 's decision in McGirt vs. Oklahoma as a victory for tribal sovereignty for affirming that the U.S. government 's treaty with the Muscogee ( Creek ) Nation must still be recognized by Congress and that nearly half of what is known as the U.S. state of Oklahoma is actually Native American land .
In the 5-4 decision , Justice Neil Gorsuch sided with the liberal-leaning justices and wrote the majority opinion , ruling that since Congress has not stated otherwise , the land promised to tribes in the 19th century remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal law .
`` On the far end of the Trail of Tears was a promise , '' Gorsuch wrote .
`` Forced to leave their ancestral homes in Georgia and Alabama , the Creek Nation received assurances that their new lands in the West would be secure forever ... Because Congress has not said otherwise , we hold the government to its word . ''
David Hill , principal chief of the Creek Nation , said the ruling marked `` a historic day . ''
`` This is amazing , '' Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's never too late to make things right . ''
Rebecca Nagle , a Cherokee writer based in Oklahoma , said that Native people in the state will `` be talking about today for decades . ''
The decision to recognize nearly half of the state—home to 1.8 million people and including much of Tulsa—as Indian Country controlled by the Creek Nation as well as four other tribes came after the court heard a case pertaining to the state 's criminal justice system .
Jimcy McGirt , a member of Seminole Nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is currently serving a 500-year prison sentence .
McGirt argued that Congress never officially denied the Creek Nation sovereignty over the area where the crime took place and said the state had no right to prosecute him .
Following the court 's ruling on Thursday , the federal government will have jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by tribal members in the half of Oklahoma now recognized as a reservation , but the state will not .
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter and the leaders of the Creek , Cherokee , Chickasaw , Choctaw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement Thursday saying they were working on an agreement regarding taxation , zoning , public safety , and other regulations .
`` Many folks are in tears , '' Jonodev Chaudhuri , ambassador for the Muscogee ( Creek ) Nation told Indian Country Today .
`` Despite a history of many broken promises , as is true with many tribal nations , the citizens feel uplifted that for once the United States is being held to its promises . ''
In the majority opinion , Gorsuch strongly disagreed with the other conservatives on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dissent that the ruling `` profoundly destabilized the governance of eastern Oklahoma '' and created `` significant uncertainty for the State ’ s continuing authority over any area that touches Indian affairs . ''
`` Unlawful acts , performed long enough and with sufficient vigor , are never enough to amend the law , '' Gorsuch wrote in the opinion .
`` To hold otherwise would be to elevate the most brazen and longstanding injustices over the law , both rewarding wrong and failing those in the right . ''
John Echohawk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Native American Rights Fund , congratulated the Creek Nation on its victory .
`` In holding the federal government to its treaty obligations , the U.S. Supreme Court put to rest what never should have been at question , '' Echohawk told Indian Country Today .

Indigenous leaders on Thursday hailed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in McGirt vs. Oklahoma as a victory for tribal sovereignty for affirming that the U.S. government's treaty with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation must still be recognized by Congress and that nearly half of what is known as the U.S. state of Oklahoma is actually Native American land.
In the 5-4 decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch sided with the liberal-leaning justices and wrote the majority opinion, ruling that since Congress has not stated otherwise, the land promised to tribes in the 19th century remains a reservation for the purposes of federal criminal law.
"On the far end of the Trail of Tears was a promise," Gorsuch wrote. "Forced to leave their ancestral homes in Georgia and Alabama, the Creek Nation received assurances that their new lands in the West would be secure forever... Because Congress has not said otherwise, we hold the government to its word."
David Hill, principal chief of the Creek Nation, said the ruling marked "a historic day."
"This is amazing," Hill told the New York Times. "It's never too late to make things right."
Rebecca Nagle, a Cherokee writer based in Oklahoma, said that Native people in the state will "be talking about today for decades."
The big news at the Supreme Court today will be Trumps taxes. But for Indians in Oklahoma, we’ll be talking about today for decades. After a century of #Oklahoma not following our treaty rights, the Supreme Court said no more. Eastern Oklahoma is Indian Country. — Rebecca Nagle (@rebeccanagle) July 9, 2020
The decision to recognize nearly half of the state—home to 1.8 million people and including much of Tulsa—as Indian Country controlled by the Creek Nation as well as four other tribes came after the court heard a case pertaining to the state's criminal justice system.
Jimcy McGirt, a member of Seminole Nation, was convicted of sex crimes and is currently serving a 500-year prison sentence. McGirt argued that Congress never officially denied the Creek Nation sovereignty over the area where the crime took place and said the state had no right to prosecute him.
Following the court's ruling on Thursday, the federal government will have jurisdiction to prosecute crimes committed by tribal members in the half of Oklahoma now recognized as a reservation, but the state will not.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter and the leaders of the Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole nations issued a joint statement Thursday saying they were working on an agreement regarding taxation, zoning, public safety, and other regulations.
"Many folks are in tears," Jonodev Chaudhuri, ambassador for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation told Indian Country Today. "Despite a history of many broken promises, as is true with many tribal nations, the citizens feel uplifted that for once the United States is being held to its promises."
In the majority opinion, Gorsuch strongly disagreed with the other conservatives on the court, who said in their dissent that the ruling "profoundly destabilized the governance of eastern Oklahoma" and created "significant uncertainty for the State’s continuing authority over any area that touches Indian affairs."
"Unlawful acts, performed long enough and with sufficient vigor, are never enough to amend the law," Gorsuch wrote in the opinion. "To hold otherwise would be to elevate the most brazen and longstanding injustices over the law, both rewarding wrong and failing those in the right."
John Echohawk, a Pawnee member and executive director of the Native American Rights Fund, congratulated the Creek Nation on its victory.
"In holding the federal government to its treaty obligations, the U.S. Supreme Court put to rest what never should have been at question," Echohawk told Indian Country Today.
Republished from Common Dreams (Julia Conley, staff writer) under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.


crooksandliars--2020-07-13--Mueller's Retort: Roger Stone Remains A Convicted Felon Forever

Donald Trump rewards loyalty , sometimes , when he feels like it , and convicted felon Roger Stone is the most recent beneficiary of the Racist in Chief ’ s inconsistent and conditional generosity .
Disgust at Trump ’ s commutation of Stone ’ s federal sentence ( before the latter served a day of his 40 months ) has been widespread since the move was announced late Friday , even if surprise is a bit harder to find .
Trump , of course , can ’ t resist Twitter , finding time to ramp up his cries of witch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and retweeting 2019 Misinformer of the Year John Solomon .
In an uncharacteristic break from his signature ( and necessary ) silence on the matter , Robert Mueller took to his own computer Saturday to defend his work and his team , and remind us just how dirty Roger Stone is .
In a pointed op-ed for The Washington Post—titled “ Roger Stone remains a convicted felon , and rightly so ” —Mueller tackles the Oval Office Occupant ’ s obsessive misinformation campaign against him and the massive investigation that made him a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summary of that investigation as it pertains to Stone and his crimes combines with an unflinching rebuke of both the commutation and Trump ’ s continued insistence that it was all a hoax—and comes in at exactly 725 words .
Sure , that ’ s not as short as a tweet , but Saturday ’ s Mueller op-ed is a whole lot more accessible than the 2019 Mueller Report .
You really should read the whole thing , if only because in Trump ’ s America , it ’ s hard to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Again , Mueller recaps the investigation , with a focus on Stone , in an extremely snackable way after conceding that he felt “ compelled to respond both to broad claims that our investigation was illegitimate and our motives were improper , and to specific claims that Roger Stone was a victim ” of the Special Counsel ’ s Office .
After reiterating that “ Roger Stone remains a convicted felon , and rightly so , ” Mueller quickly establishes the facts .
After briefly explaining the basics of the Russian interference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that took two years of his life and gave Robert DeNiro a recurring cameo of Saturday Night Live , Mueller minces no words when he zooms in on Stone , noting that he “ communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers , and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks ’ release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers.
” Mueller then catalogues the end results of the investigation , noting that Russian interference was found , even if the SCO never could quite prove that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the indictments and convictions and plea bargains .
In a few broad strokes , Mueller then details what the sartorially-challenged Stone did .
Congress also investigated and sought information from Stone .
A jury later determined he lied repeatedly to members of Congress .
He lied about the identity of his intermediary to WikiLeaks .
He lied about the existence of written communications with his intermediary .
He lied by denying he had communicated with the Trump campaign about the timing of WikiLeaks ’ releases .
He in fact updated senior campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tampered with a witness , imploring him to stonewall Congress .
Mueller wastes no time listing the convictions , either , reminding us that just because Trump made sure his loyal buddy Stone wasn ’ t punished doesn ’ t make Stone any less a criminal .
In closing , Mueller endorses the work of his team , and leaves no room for debate .
“ The women and men who conducted these investigations and prosecutions acted with the highest integrity , ” Mueller writes .
“ Claims to the contrary are false.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mueller had said what he had to say .

Donald Trump rewards loyalty, sometimes, when he feels like it, and convicted felon Roger Stone is the most recent beneficiary of the Racist in Chief’s inconsistent and conditional generosity. Disgust at Trump’s commutation of Stone’s federal sentence (before the latter served a day of his 40 months) has been widespread since the move was announced late Friday, even if surprise is a bit harder to find. Trump, of course, can’t resist Twitter, finding time to ramp up his cries of witch hunts and hoaxes in between threatening schools and retweeting 2019 Misinformer of the Year John Solomon.
In an uncharacteristic break from his signature (and necessary) silence on the matter, Robert Mueller took to his own computer Saturday to defend his work and his team, and remind us just how dirty Roger Stone is. In a pointed op-ed for The Washington Post—titled “Roger Stone remains a convicted felon, and rightly so”—Mueller tackles the Oval Office Occupant’s obsessive misinformation campaign against him and the massive investigation that made him a household name. Mueller’s concise summary of that investigation as it pertains to Stone and his crimes combines with an unflinching rebuke of both the commutation and Trump’s continued insistence that it was all a hoax—and comes in at exactly 725 words.
Sure, that’s not as short as a tweet, but Saturday’s Mueller op-ed is a whole lot more accessible than the 2019 Mueller Report.
You really should read the whole thing, if only because in Trump’s America, it’s hard to keep track of all of his bad acts. Again, Mueller recaps the investigation, with a focus on Stone, in an extremely snackable way after conceding that he felt “compelled to respond both to broad claims that our investigation was illegitimate and our motives were improper, and to specific claims that Roger Stone was a victim” of the Special Counsel’s Office. After reiterating that “Roger Stone remains a convicted felon, and rightly so,” Mueller quickly establishes the facts .
After briefly explaining the basics of the Russian interference and the decision to launch the investigation that took two years of his life and gave Robert DeNiro a recurring cameo of Saturday Night Live, Mueller minces no words when he zooms in on Stone, noting that he “communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers, and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks’ release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers.”
Mueller then catalogues the end results of the investigation, noting that Russian interference was found, even if the SCO never could quite prove that the Trump campaign was involved. He adds up the indictments and convictions and plea bargains. In a few broad strokes, Mueller then details what the sartorially-challenged Stone did.
Congress also investigated and sought information from Stone. A jury later determined he lied repeatedly to members of Congress. He lied about the identity of his intermediary to WikiLeaks. He lied about the existence of written communications with his intermediary. He lied by denying he had communicated with the Trump campaign about the timing of WikiLeaks’ releases. He in fact updated senior campaign officials repeatedly about WikiLeaks. And he tampered with a witness, imploring him to stonewall Congress.
Mueller wastes no time listing the convictions, either, reminding us that just because Trump made sure his loyal buddy Stone wasn’t punished doesn’t make Stone any less a criminal.
The jury ultimately convicted Stone of obstruction of a congressional investigation, five counts of making false statements to Congress and tampering with a witness. Because his sentence has been commuted, he will not go to prison. But his conviction stands.
In closing, Mueller endorses the work of his team, and leaves no room for debate. “The women and men who conducted these investigations and prosecutions acted with the highest integrity,” Mueller writes. “Claims to the contrary are false.”
And then, just like that, Mueller had said what he had to say.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-07-12--South Carolina Man Arrested After Being Seen Pointing Gun At Black Lives Matter Activists

A South Carolina man is facing charges after being accused of pointing a firearm at people demonstrating for the removal @ @ @ @ @ to WIS , the incident occurred on Friday as demonstrators were marking the five year @ @ @ @ @ being removed from South Carolina 's State House grounds in Columbia .
Protesters said that @ @ @ @ @ and argued with them .
Before driving away , the man was said to have @ @ @ @ @ video of the incident , protesters can be heard calling police to the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ Peter Matulis was reportedly arrested on charges of pointing a firearm at a person .
@ @ @ @ @ is a driver for Uber .
Watch video of the incident below .

A South Carolina man is facing charges after being accused of pointing a firearm at people demonstrating for the removal of Confederate-era symbols.
According to WIS, the incident occurred on Friday as demonstrators were marking the five year anniversary of the Confederate flag being removed from South Carolina's State House grounds in Columbia.
Protesters said that the man stopped his vehicle and argued with them. Before driving away, the man was said to have brandished a gun.
In video of the incident, protesters can be heard calling police to the scene.
On Saturday, 64-year-old Walter Peter Matulis was reportedly arrested on charges of pointing a firearm at a person.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that Matulis is a driver for Uber.
Watch video of the incident below.


crooksandliars--2020-07-12--Ohio Man Dies Of COVID-19 After Saying Masks Were Hype

Richard Rose , 37 , was n't buying the `` hype '' about masks in April .
and laughed about going to a water park in mid-June .
He died from complications from the coronavirus a few weeks later .
An Ohio man is serving as a cautionary tale after posting on Facebook that he refused to wear a mask — and subsequently dying of COVID-19 .
Back in April , Richard Rose of Port Clinton , Ohio , made his thoughts on masks known : “ Let [ ’ s ] make this clear , ” he wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ f—king mask .
I ’ ve made it this far by not buying into that damn hype.
” Two months later , he posted a photo of a semi-crowded pool party he attended , captioned “ It ’ s not that packed lol.
” Within another two weeks , Rose shared that he was awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test , which ultimately came back positive .
He shared in a comment that he believed the pool party was where he contracted the novel coronavirus , though his Facebook suggested he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similarly crowded locations .
Either way , by July 4 , Rose was dead .

Richard Rose, 37, wasn't buying the "hype" about masks in April. and laughed about going to a water park in mid-June. He died from complications from the coronavirus a few weeks later.
Source: Daily Dot
An Ohio man is serving as a cautionary tale after posting on Facebook that he refused to wear a mask — and subsequently dying of COVID-19.
Back in April, Richard Rose of Port Clinton, Ohio, made his thoughts on masks known:
“Let[’s] make this clear,” he wrote. “I’m not buying a f—king mask. I’ve made it this far by not buying into that damn hype.”
Two months later, he posted a photo of a semi-crowded pool party he attended, captioned “It’s not that packed lol.”
Within another two weeks, Rose shared that he was awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, which ultimately came back positive. He shared in a comment that he believed the pool party was where he contracted the novel coronavirus, though his Facebook suggested he was also spending time at bars and other similarly crowded locations.
Either way, by July 4, Rose was dead.


crooksandliars--2020-07-12--Betsy DeVos Refuses To Say Whether Schools Should Follow CDC Guidelines For Reopening

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had a train wreck of an interview on this Sunday 's State of the Union on CNN , refused to say that schools should follow CDC guidelines to safely reopen this fall , and offered no national leadership from her department on how to do so .
DeVos was repeatedly pressed by host Dana Bash on how schools should proceed without making the pandemic worse , whether there should be exceptions for areas that have been particularly hard hit by the virus , and on whether the Trump administration plans to continue to threaten funding for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't feel they can do so safely .
DeVos ' response was to basically double down on her boss ' push for all of them to open up for in-person learning , health consequences or advice from the CDC be damned .
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Sunday refused to say whether schools should follow guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on reopening , saying those guidelines are meant to be `` flexible . ''
The CDC guidelines for schools to reopen contain steps to keep children safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart and for children to use cloth face coverings .
The CDC suggests the closing of communal areas like dining rooms and playgrounds and the installation of physical barriers like sneeze guards where necessary .
`` There is nothing in the data that would suggest that kids being back in school is dangerous to them , '' DeVos said , when asked by Bash if she can assure parents and students that schools will be safe and pressed on health guidance that says children are at highest risk when meeting in full-sized , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar comment she made last week .
The comments from the education secretary come as she and other members of the Trump administration push for US schools to reopen this fall amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic .
President Donald Trump and the White House recently pushed for the CDC to revise its school reopening guidelines , but the agency 's director , Dr. Robert Redfield , said last week that they will not be loosened .
`` Kids need to be in school .
They need to be learning , they need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't -- we can not be paralyzed and not allow that or not be intent on that happening , '' DeVos said .
Pressed repeatedly on whether schools should implement remote learning in the event that there is a flare-up of coronavirus cases in their district , DeVos said : `` I think the go-to needs to be kids in school , in person , in the classroom . ''
`` Where there are little flare-ups or hotspots , that can be dealt with on a school-by-school or a case-by-case basis , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for what schools should do if outbreaks occur .
`` Little flare-ups . ''
Tell that to the residents of Florida , Arizona , Texas and California where the number of coronavirus deaths are now on the rise following record explosions in the number of cases and hospitalizations .
This reckless administration has made this pandemic worse every step along the way , from denying it and refusing to act quickly in the beginning , to not having a national coherent policy in place , to pushing states to reopen too quickly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as simple as wearing face masks .
Now they 're bound and determined to politicize school reopenings and do the same exact thing they did with business reopenings and their complete disregard for the life , health and well being of the Americans they 're supposed to be protecting .

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had a train wreck of an interview on this Sunday's State of the Union on CNN, refused to say that schools should follow CDC guidelines to safely reopen this fall, and offered no national leadership from her department on how to do so.
DeVos was repeatedly pressed by host Dana Bash on how schools should proceed without making the pandemic worse, whether there should be exceptions for areas that have been particularly hard hit by the virus, and on whether the Trump administration plans to continue to threaten funding for schools that refuse to reopen if they don't feel they can do so safely.
DeVos' response was to basically double down on her boss' push for all of them to open up for in-person learning, health consequences or advice from the CDC be damned.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Sunday refused to say whether schools should follow guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on reopening, saying those guidelines are meant to be "flexible." The CDC guidelines for schools to reopen contain steps to keep children safe, including keeping desks placed six feet apart and for children to use cloth face coverings. The CDC suggests the closing of communal areas like dining rooms and playgrounds and the installation of physical barriers like sneeze guards where necessary. "There is nothing in the data that would suggest that kids being back in school is dangerous to them," DeVos said, when asked by Bash if she can assure parents and students that schools will be safe and pressed on health guidance that says children are at highest risk when meeting in full-sized, in-person classes -- doubling down on a similar comment she made last week. The comments from the education secretary come as she and other members of the Trump administration push for US schools to reopen this fall amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic. President Donald Trump and the White House recently pushed for the CDC to revise its school reopening guidelines, but the agency's director, Dr. Robert Redfield, said last week that they will not be loosened. "Kids need to be in school. They need to be learning, they need to be moving ahead. And we can't -- we cannot be paralyzed and not allow that or not be intent on that happening," DeVos said. Pressed repeatedly on whether schools should implement remote learning in the event that there is a flare-up of coronavirus cases in their district, DeVos said: "I think the go-to needs to be kids in school, in person, in the classroom." "Where there are little flare-ups or hotspots, that can be dealt with on a school-by-school or a case-by-case basis," she said, without providing any recommendations for what schools should do if outbreaks occur.
"Little flare-ups." Tell that to the residents of Florida, Arizona, Texas and California where the number of coronavirus deaths are now on the rise following record explosions in the number of cases and hospitalizations.
This reckless administration has made this pandemic worse every step along the way, from denying it and refusing to act quickly in the beginning, to not having a national coherent policy in place, to pushing states to reopen too quickly, to refusing to even push for something as simple as wearing face masks.
Now they're bound and determined to politicize school reopenings and do the same exact thing they did with business reopenings and their complete disregard for the life, health and well being of the Americans they're supposed to be protecting.


crooksandliars--2020-07-12--Surgeon General Defends Mask Attacks: 'Once Upon A Time We Prescribed Cigarettes For Asthmatics'

Dr. Jerome Adams , the United States Surgeon General joined Face The Nation today and refused to take any responsibility for telling Americans that wearing masks had no effect on either being infected or spreading the coronavirus just a few months ago .
Dr. Adams joined the CBS program wearing a mask and host Margaret Brennan noted how Adams was wearing one this time when he previously did n't wear .
Brennan explained that up until April , the Trump administration refused to promote face coverings as a preventive measure .
`` But just the last time you were with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 8th , you said this .
Let 's listen , '' Brennan reminded him .
DR. ADAMS : Stay safe by washing your hands , by covering your cough , by staying home if you 're sick .
Masks do not work for the general public in preventing them from getting coronavirus .
She continued , `` And the week before that , you tweeted in all caps , `` SERIOUSLY PEOPLE , STOP BUYING MASKS . ''
You said they were not effective .
Do you regret saying that ? ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , but wanted Americans to stop buying them so medical professionals could have them .
Does that make sense ?
Nope .
Instead of simply apologizing for the blunder , Adams characterized today 's medical community as doctor 's using old wives tales to cure our ills in bygone eras .
Dr. Adams replied , `` Well , it 's important for people to understand that once upon a time , we prescribed cigarettes for asthmatics and leeches and cocaine and heroin for people as medical treatments .
When we learned better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the CDC -- `` Yea , cigarettes were used ages ago as a remedy and it 's true that in the middle ages leeches and bloodletting were used to suck the disease right out of a person too .
Brennan tried to get Dr. Adams to explain why their `` mixed messaging '' on masks and many other issues revolving around the pandemic has created so much confusion .
Brennan asked if he said those disastrous words because the U.S. had a shortage of masks for our medical professionals which would make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to keep cutting her off .
`` Because there just was n't enough equipment ? ''
she asked .
Dr. Adams claimed he said that then because they did n't know any better about the virus at the time that has killed over 130K Americans and is still spreading like wildfire today .
It 's one thing to be unsure in the early stages of a pandemic , it 's another thing entirely to willfully decry something like mask wearing as ineffective just to protect and get approval from Trump .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven years .

Dr. Jerome Adams, the United States Surgeon General joined Face The Nation today and refused to take any responsibility for telling Americans that wearing masks had no effect on either being infected or spreading the coronavirus just a few months ago.
Dr. Adams joined the CBS program wearing a mask and host Margaret Brennan noted how Adams was wearing one this time when he previously didn't wear.
Brennan explained that up until April, the Trump administration refused to promote face coverings as a preventive measure.
"But just the last time you were with us here on FACE THE NATION, March 8th, you said this. Let's listen," Brennan reminded him.
DR. ADAMS: Stay safe by washing your hands, by covering your cough, by staying home if you're sick. Masks do not work for the general public in preventing them from getting coronavirus.
She continued, "And the week before that, you tweeted in all caps, "SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, STOP BUYING MASKS." You said they were not effective. Do you regret saying that?"
The Surgeon General claimed masks didn't work, but wanted Americans to stop buying them so medical professionals could have them. Does that make sense? Nope.
Instead of simply apologizing for the blunder, Adams characterized today's medical community as doctor's using old wives tales to cure our ills in bygone eras.
Dr. Adams replied, "Well, it's important for people to understand that once upon a time, we prescribed cigarettes for asthmatics and leeches and cocaine and heroin for people as medical treatments. When we learned better, we do better and the WHO, the CDC-- "
Yea, cigarettes were used ages ago as a remedy and it's true that in the middle ages leeches and bloodletting were used to suck the disease right out of a person too.
Brennan tried to get Dr. Adams to explain why their "mixed messaging" on masks and many other issues revolving around the pandemic has created so much confusion.
Brennan asked if he said those disastrous words because the U.S. had a shortage of masks for our medical professionals which would make the Trump administration look negligent as he tried to keep cutting her off.
"Because there just wasn't enough equipment?" she asked.
Dr. Adams claimed he said that then because they didn't know any better about the virus at the time that has killed over 130K Americans and is still spreading like wildfire today.
It's one thing to be unsure in the early stages of a pandemic, it's another thing entirely to willfully decry something like mask wearing as ineffective just to protect and get approval from Trump.
In Trump years, two months is like seven years.


crooksandliars--2020-07-12--Giuliani Tries To Link George Soros To Subpoena For Trump's Tax Returns

Rudy Giuliani , an attorney for President Donald Trump , on Sunday attempted to connect liberal billionaire George Soros to a prosecutor 's effort to subpoena the president 's financial records .
The president 's lawyer also claimed that `` all '' of Trump 's tax audits had been `` settled . ''
During an interview on Fox News , Giuliani said that a Supreme Court case which found that the president does not have `` absolute immunity '' against prosecution was `` terribly decided . ''
`` They have no reason to believe that there is anything wrong with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's lawyer insisted .
`` All of them have been audited and all of them have either been passed on or settled . ''
Trump has said that he would release his tax returns when they are no longer under audit , although the president has never provided proof that the IRS is auditing his financials .
`` There should be some finality in tax returns , '' Giuliani continued .
`` In other words , we get audited , we make a deal , we pay the government -- you do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And also , this is the president of the United States . ''
Giuliani warned that up to 4,000 prosecutors can now `` come after '' Trump 's financial records .
`` Look at the DAs we have now , '' he continued .
`` We have Soros-elected anarchist DAs .
They 're not there to prosecute the law .
They 're there to undermined the law .
He put them there . ''
`` I mean , why would Soros pay for DAs other than to undermine our government ? ''
Giuliani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soros has been funding these and nobody paid attention to it , '' Giuliani added .
`` But he had a reason .
It 's to undermined our government . ''

Rudy Giuliani, an attorney for President Donald Trump, on Sunday attempted to connect liberal billionaire George Soros to a prosecutor's effort to subpoena the president's financial records. The president's lawyer also claimed that "all" of Trump's tax audits had been "settled."
During an interview on Fox News, Giuliani said that a Supreme Court case which found that the president does not have "absolute immunity" against prosecution was "terribly decided."
"They have no reason to believe that there is anything wrong with his tax returns," the president's lawyer insisted. "All of them have been audited and all of them have either been passed on or settled."
Trump has said that he would release his tax returns when they are no longer under audit, although the president has never provided proof that the IRS is auditing his financials.
"There should be some finality in tax returns," Giuliani continued. "In other words, we get audited, we make a deal, we pay the government -- you don't come after me forever for that. And also, this is the president of the United States."
Giuliani warned that up to 4,000 prosecutors can now "come after" Trump's financial records.
"Look at the DAs we have now," he continued. "We have Soros-elected anarchist DAs. They're not there to prosecute the law. They're there to undermined the law. He put them there."
"I mean, why would Soros pay for DAs other than to undermine our government?" Giuliani asked.
"Wow!" Fox News host Maria Bartiromo exclaimed.
"For five years, Soros has been funding these and nobody paid attention to it," Giuliani added. "But he had a reason. It's to undermined our government."