crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Don Lemon: 'No One Wants To Hear From The Birther-In-Chief'

On Thursday , U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald held a news conference to ask people to keep the peace and promise they were working hard on investigating the actions of the four police officers who killed George Floyd .
The FBI says they need more video before they can make a determination about whether it was murder , because apparently watching 8 minutes of a cop 's foot on Mr. Floyd 's neck while he pleaded with them and said he could n't breathe is n't enough .
If you 're not angry about that along with being angry about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passing a bogus $ 20 bill , you should go watch that video a few more times .
It 's disgusting .
Don Lemon had thoughts about the pace at which justice comes to white cops with their foot on a Black man 's neck , as well as Donald Trump 's sudden interest in justice for Black people .
Rather than paraphrase , I 'll just quote the transcript , which I have verified : So people want to know , these officers , one of them with 18 complaints against them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another one that had 6 .
I know people complain and it 's false sometimes , but 18 complaints .
Are they going to be arrested or are they not ?
Is the justice system going to work with these officers the way it works with the general public ?
Someone accuses you of something , the police come to get you , they arrest you and you have to deal with the legal system .
Are we going to have the same legal system for police officers that we have for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General , I watched and I know she has a tough job .
As long as we are being honest right now , nobody wants to hear from the White House or the Attorney General right now .
No one wants to hear from the man who wanted the death penalty to come back from the Central Park Five .
No one wants to hear from the man who says that the former president was not born in this country .
No one wants to hear from the man who said there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do you understand what I am saying ?
No one wants to hear from the person they perceive as contributing to this situation -- situations like this in this society .
Not directly , but allowing people like that to think they can get away from this .
No one wants to hear from the birther-in-chief , from the sons of bitches-calling person who said that when athletes are kneeling for this very reason .
No one wants to hear from that .
The justice system should work for everyone .
The Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same system in place for everyone .
That should be a given and you should not have to announce that at a press conference .
No one wants to hear that .
Unless you 're going to come out and say I understand how African-Americans feel in this country , I understand the mistakes I have made with African-Americans in this country .
I understand there is an election coming , but I just do n't want your vote , I want you to understand that I know where you 're coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear that .
That is the God 's honest truth .
So that was a misstep on her part .
To come out and say I want this investigated to the fullest extent of the law , we do n't want to make any mistakes , amen sister or brother .
But we do n't want to hear all of that .
But why do n't you have the same urgency that you have for all of those people out there , most of them protesting , but some out there who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores .
I do n't know if it 's by accident or what .
Raiding stores .
Fine , that should not happen .
But how about the urgency for telling those people to calm down , we need peace , how about that same urgency when it comes to people being abused by the system , who are being abused by police officers , who are experiencing racism in this country and people are denying it .
Where is that urgency ?
I understand the anger of the people who are protesting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota .
I do n't - I am not condoning their actions .
I do n't understand the actions , but I do understand their anger .
When you have nothing else , when you do n't have a platform like a Don Lemon or a Wolf Blitzer or Laura Coates to protest , then what do you do ?
You act out in the way that you act out .
These people are upset , they 're sick of it and I would imagine people around the country are sick of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for telling people to calm down and do n't be violent and do n't go out and loot stores for racism and bigotry !
Take the mask off .
Maybe a different metaphor at the end would be better .
I want people to keep their face masks on right now , but shed their racism .
And so does Don Lemon .
Really , maybe we could stop asking Black people about what they think when these situations arise .
I mean , surely Wolf Blitzer knows that Don Lemon is livid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police against Black people .
Maybe it 's time for him to say `` I understand how African-Americans are feeling , I understand how angry they are at this police abuse . ''
Maybe stand with them instead of forcing them to once again tell us how utterly miserable it is to see racists constantly get the breaks when it comes to justice .
Here 's Elie Mystal to explain why Black people are at the limit of their patience with racists : And then the stories of the killings started .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was lynched , on video .
Breonna Taylor was killed by police in her own bed , offscreen .
And George Floyd was choked out on the street in broad daylight by police while strangers literally begged for his life .
Imagine you ’ ve been black this whole time and watched all of this happen , and you show up to protest and , instead of being met with docile , restrained police like the white Confederates get , you are confronted by police in full riot gear who use tear gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your crowd .

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald held a news conference to ask people to keep the peace and promise they were working hard on investigating the actions of the four police officers who killed George Floyd. The FBI says they need more video before they can make a determination about whether it was murder, because apparently watching 8 minutes of a cop's foot on Mr. Floyd's neck while he pleaded with them and said he couldn't breathe isn't enough.
If you're not angry about that along with being angry about what took place against that man for ALLEGEDLY passing a bogus $20 bill, you should go watch that video a few more times. It's disgusting.
Don Lemon had thoughts about the pace at which justice comes to white cops with their foot on a Black man's neck, as well as Donald Trump's sudden interest in justice for Black people. Rather than paraphrase, I'll just quote the transcript, which I have verified:
So people want to know, these officers, one of them with 18 complaints against them, I think 16 still open, another one that had 6. I know people complain and it's false sometimes, but 18 complaints. Are they going to be arrested or are they not? Is the justice system going to work with these officers the way it works with the general public? Someone accuses you of something, the police come to get you, they arrest you and you have to deal with the legal system. Are we going to have the same legal system for police officers that we have for the average adult? Now for the Attorney General, I watched and I know she has a tough job. As long as we are being honest right now, nobody wants to hear from the White House or the Attorney General right now. No one wants to hear from the man who wanted the death penalty to come back from the Central Park Five. No one wants to hear from the man who says that the former president was not born in this country. No one wants to hear from the man who said there are very fine people on both sides. Do you understand what I am saying? No one wants to hear from the person they perceive as contributing to this situation -- situations like this in this society. Not directly, but allowing people like that to think they can get away from this. No one wants to hear from the birther-in-chief, from the sons of bitches-calling person who said that when athletes are kneeling for this very reason. No one wants to hear from that. The justice system should work for everyone. The Attorney General of the United States should have the same system in place for everyone. That should be a given and you should not have to announce that at a press conference. No one wants to hear that. Unless you're going to come out and say I understand how African-Americans feel in this country, I understand the mistakes I have made with African-Americans in this country. I understand there is an election coming, but I just don't want your vote, I want you to understand that I know where you're coming from, we don't want to hear that. That is the God's honest truth. So that was a misstep on her part. To come out and say I want this investigated to the fullest extent of the law, we don't want to make any mistakes, amen sister or brother. But we don't want to hear all of that. But why don't you have the same urgency that you have for all of those people out there, most of them protesting, but some out there who are actually ravaging and pillaging, burning down stores. I don't know if it's by accident or what. Raiding stores. Fine, that should not happen. But how about the urgency for telling those people to calm down, we need peace, how about that same urgency when it comes to people being abused by the system, who are being abused by police officers, who are experiencing racism in this country and people are denying it. Where is that urgency? I understand the anger of the people who are protesting, who are upset in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I don't - I am not condoning their actions. I don't understand the actions, but I do understand their anger. When you have nothing else, when you don't have a platform like a Don Lemon or a Wolf Blitzer or Laura Coates to protest, then what do you do? You act out in the way that you act out. These people are upset, they're sick of it and I would imagine people around the country are sick of it as well. Have that same urgency for telling people to calm down and don't be violent and don't go out and loot stores for racism and bigotry! Take the mask off.
Maybe a different metaphor at the end would be better. I want people to keep their face masks on right now, but shed their racism. And so does Don Lemon.
Really, maybe we could stop asking Black people about what they think when these situations arise. I mean, surely Wolf Blitzer knows that Don Lemon is livid and tired of the constant violence of police against Black people. Maybe it's time for him to say "I understand how African-Americans are feeling, I understand how angry they are at this police abuse." Maybe stand with them instead of forcing them to once again tell us how utterly miserable it is to see racists constantly get the breaks when it comes to justice.
Here's Elie Mystal to explain why Black people are at the limit of their patience with racists:
And then the stories of the killings started. In the past three weeks: Ahmaud Arbery was lynched, on video. Breonna Taylor was killed by police in her own bed, offscreen. And George Floyd was choked out on the street in broad daylight by police while strangers literally begged for his life. Imagine you’ve been black this whole time and watched all of this happen, and you show up to protest and, instead of being met with docile, restrained police like the white Confederates get, you are confronted by police in full riot gear who use tear gas and rubber bullets to “control” your crowd.
Imagine.


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Gov. Beshear: I Won’t Be Bullied By RW Extremists Who Hung Me In Effigy

Appearing on CNN Friday , Beshear was clearly still shocked and angry about the incident – and who could blame him ?
He called it “ a celebration of assassination ” and said , “ That was a day I never expected as governor.
” He also noted that the protesters made their way to the porch of the governor ’ s mansion , “ heckled and demanded that I come out.
” He said that is where his young children usually play and it was extremely fortunate that they were not home .
A member of the right-wing Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hideous action has since been fired .
But Beshear blamed extremist politics , not any one individual or even one group .
This particular incident was an effort to terrorize Beshear out of his efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic .
But he drew parallels to white nationalism and other right-wing militancy .
And he called on all of us to stand up to the bullies .
BESHEAR : With everything going on in the country , I know this is one day of me seeing hate , fear and a direct attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get their way .
But I also know that that image is something that was also meant to be a message to others that have had to feel that same type of fear and terror , maybe even their whole lives .
And while I ca n't -- I ca n't fully understand how that feels , let me just say , it is wrong , it is vile and it is evil and it ’ s time that we do not let these militant groups lead our politics .
Just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elected state representatives and senators standing in front of them throwing out red meat .
talking about people murdering babies and being dictators and things like that .
What do you expect to happen in America when you do that in front of folks that you know are gon na to react ?
It ’ s time for responsibility .
It ’ s time that we do not let our policy and our politics be driven by extremists that use fear and terror .
It ’ s time to stand up and say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not going to be afraid .
I am not going to let these folks bully me or bully the state of Kentucky .
We 're more united than we have ever been in how we are addressing this virus .
We have saved tens of thousands of lives .
I 'm committed to doing what I can to address this healthcare inequality moving forward and I will not let these folks that want to ultimately try to force or pressure and really create fear and terror , which is what they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong things .
They will not intimidate me or us .

Appearing on CNN Friday, Beshear was clearly still shocked and angry about the incident – and who could blame him? He called it “a celebration of assassination” and said, “That was a day I never expected as governor.” He also noted that the protesters made their way to the porch of the governor’s mansion, “heckled and demanded that I come out.” He said that is where his young children usually play and it was extremely fortunate that they were not home.
A member of the right-wing Kentucky 3 Percenters who allegedly carried out the hideous action has since been fired. But Beshear blamed extremist politics, not any one individual or even one group.
This particular incident was an effort to terrorize Beshear out of his efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. But he drew parallels to white nationalism and other right-wing militancy. And he called on all of us to stand up to the bullies.


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Look Of Leadership: Biden Or Trump?

Look Of Leadership: Biden Or Trump?

On Friday afternoon , Joe Biden and Donald Trump each made statements to the press .
Joe Biden addressed the nation with a calm and unifying message of hope , compassion and optimism , while acknowledging the need for us all to do better on a variety of issues , but mainly race relations stemming from the horrific murder of unarmed black men in the United States .
Unifying , hopeful and calm .
That was Joe Biden .
An hour later , Donald Trump started his Friday afternoon press conference - a full 50 minutes late .
He ranted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong , the `` Wuhan Virus '' ( aka COVID for non-racists ) and the WHO , in which he said the U.S. was terminating their membership .
He then stormed off the stage without taking a single question .
He said nothing about unifying the country .
Not a word about COVID .
Not a word about Minneapolis .
Just an unhinged rant where he read ( poorly ) a pre-written speech he had obviously never read before .
Squinting , weak and scared .
That was Donald Trump .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the WHO in the midst of a pandemic : This sums it up : There is only one man running for office that is fit to lead our country .
That man is Joe Biden .

On Friday afternoon, Joe Biden and Donald Trump each made statements to the press. Joe Biden addressed the nation with a calm and unifying message of hope, compassion and optimism, while acknowledging the need for us all to do better on a variety of issues, but mainly race relations stemming from the horrific murder of unarmed black men in the United States. Unifying, hopeful and calm. That was Joe Biden.
An hour later, Donald Trump started his Friday afternoon press conference - a full 50 minutes late. He ranted for 8 solid minutes about China, Hong Kong, the "Wuhan Virus" (aka COVID for non-racists) and the WHO, in which he said the U.S. was terminating their membership. He then stormed off the stage without taking a single question. He said nothing about unifying the country. Not a word about COVID. Not a word about Minneapolis. Just an unhinged rant where he read (poorly) a pre-written speech he had obviously never read before. Squinting, weak and scared. That was Donald Trump.
Here's where he decides we're leaving the WHO in the midst of a pandemic:
President Trump says U.S. is terminating relationship with World Health Organization, blaming Beijing and WHO for coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/NH1mMqtlC7 pic.twitter.com/Sa1VQjJO7x — NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) May 29, 2020
Twitter noticed the change.
Vice President Joe Biden has spoken with the family of George Floyd and offered them his personal assistance and comfort.
Donald Trump tweeted threats to mass murder Americans using the military. — Travis Akers (@travisakers) May 29, 2020
2020 splitscreen:
Biden delivers remarks telling #GeorgeFloyd's family: "I promise you we’ll do everything in our power to see to it that justice is had in your brother, your cousin's case."
Trump then holds news conference and leaves without saying a word about George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/rnsv3FUz04 — Will Steakin (@wsteaks) May 29, 2020
My God the contrast between Donald Trump giving a flippant, careless 10 minute press conference and Joe Biden's sincere address to the nation on the killing of George Floyd... — Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) May 29, 2020
If you watched Trump ranting about China just now with not a WORD about Minneapolis and then saw Joe Biden giving a heartfelt press conference earlier, you see the clear difference in leadership:
One man is presidential. One man is a coward.#Biden2020 — Red, Noble Committee Director (@Redpainter1) May 29, 2020
I just finished listening to Joe Biden give a speech that was accurate and healing.
Now I’m listened to Trump whine about China after he spent months tweeting what a great job they were doing.
Easy choice in November #Biden2020 🇺🇸 — Rhonda (@RhondaBarket) May 29, 2020
Stunning.
President Trump says nothing about Minnesota as the nation is on edge and leaves the Rose Garden without taking questions. — Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) May 29, 2020
America is on fire right now. Trump just held a press conference to announce he's cutting funding to WHO. No questions, no mentions of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or the global pandemic.
Joe Biden is a national treasure by comparison. https://t.co/cy4yL3gHrx — Kerry Eleveld (@kerryeleveld) May 29, 2020
This sums it up:
Donald Trump holds a press conference and only bitches about china.
Joe Biden comes out on t.v. with a message for George Floyds family and tries to comfort the american people.
Joe Biden has already met with the family.
Tell me who's the real president?!? — Dilan Resists!! 😷🌊🦋🌊 (@DilanResists) May 29, 2020
There is only one man running for office that is fit to lead our country. That man is Joe Biden.


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--CNN Legal Analyst Nails Why 3rd-Degree Murder Is Not Enough For Derek Chauvin

CNN legal analyst , Joey Jackson outlined in plain English why the arrest of Derek Chauvin is a good step in the direction of justice , but still a far cry from the treatment us regular folks would receive if we had done the same thing .
The standards for police officers who allegedly commit murder in broad daylight in front of a crowd who films them are apparently much higher for arrest .
Brianna Keilar asked Jackson for his reaction to Chauvin 's third-degree murder charge .
It implies that George Floyd 's death may not have been intentional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , given that according to the charging documents , he had his knee on Floyd 's neck for more than two-and-a-half minutes past when he 'd become unresponsive .
JACKSON : I make of it that it 's a very good first start , Brianna , good afternoon to you .
The fact is that it 's all about accountability .
I have to say , when someone else in the community engages in what 's deemed to be or seemed to be a criminal act , there 's not a full scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence to prove someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before you move forward .
The standard is , is there probable cause ?
In English , is there a reason to believe a crime occurred ?
And if you look at the video tape , do n't have to go into all of that again , it 's sickening for all of us to see , but clearly that is what we appear to see .
But in the event we can split hairs and say it was n't intentional , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing , even though George Floyd was saying he could n't breathe , you had bystanders telling him , the man ca n't breathe , what are you doing , he 's cavalierly there , you do n't have to establish intent .
You do n't have to demonstrate that you did it on purpose , that you knew what you were doing and you tried to kill him .
Is there probable cause ?
Reason to believe a crime occurred ?
Jackson is telling us anyone viewed that video should be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and ( me talking , here ) that it took four days to charge Chauvin is purely a function of the sick protection police officers enjoy when they feel like extinguishing the life of another Black person .
Then Jackson went further to discuss other charges not only Chauvin , but the other three officers can and should face .
JACKSON : Now you get into when you talk about other charges and state charges , other levels of criminality .
Like what ?
Like you were careless ?
Did n't you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and believe that this is what the result would be when you obstruct someone 's breathing ?
Like recklessness — are n't you consciously disregarding the risk that someone would die when you have your knee on their neck ?
So at the end of the day what we 're left with is this .
In any one of the people that I 've ever defended , Brianna , what ends up happening is they 're arrested on that standard .
The standard is , `` Hey , Mr. Jackson , why am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police believe you did something wrong .
They do n't have all the evidence .
They 're investigating .
You can arrest , you can upgrade charges , you can modify charges , you can alter charges , you can supersede charges .
What you do n't do is leave it alone .
However , we 're at the place now where there is the arrest .
Now we move forward to determine whether the evidence establishes his proof beyond a reasonable doubt of guilt , and I think the videotape along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to that .
Final point , Brianna , and that 's this .
It 's a good first start , but anyone and everyone who was accountable for this death here , including the officers who attended and did nothing , I think that would be further accountability .
Not just as to firing but as to criminal charges as well .
The truth is , prosecutors are reluctant to charge someone with a crime that they know they will have a harder time proving .
But in this case , do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra mile to try ?
Do n't they owe this to the community ?
For anyone besides a police officer , the only standard is probable cause .
Why should people with so much more power than the common man — lethal power — be given more leeway when they abuse it , rather than more consequences ?

CNN legal analyst, Joey Jackson outlined in plain English why the arrest of Derek Chauvin is a good step in the direction of justice, but still a far cry from the treatment us regular folks would receive if we had done the same thing. The standards for police officers who allegedly commit murder in broad daylight in front of a crowd who films them are apparently much higher for arrest.
Brianna Keilar asked Jackson for his reaction to Chauvin's third-degree murder charge. It implies that George Floyd's death may not have been intentional, which is extremely hard to fathom, given that according to the charging documents, he had his knee on Floyd's neck for more than two-and-a-half minutes past when he'd become unresponsive.
JACKSON: I make of it that it's a very good first start, Brianna, good afternoon to you. The fact is that it's all about accountability. I have to say, when someone else in the community engages in what's deemed to be or seemed to be a criminal act, there's not a full scale wholehearted investigation, when you get all the evidence to prove someone guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before you move forward. The standard is, is there probable cause? In English, is there a reason to believe a crime occurred? And if you look at the video tape, don't have to go into all of that again, it's sickening for all of us to see, but clearly that is what we appear to see. But in the event we can split hairs and say it wasn't intentional, or he didn't know what he was doing, even though George Floyd was saying he couldn't breathe, you had bystanders telling him, the man can't breathe, what are you doing, he's cavalierly there, you don't have to establish intent. You don't have to demonstrate that you did it on purpose, that you knew what you were doing and you tried to kill him.
Is there probable cause? Reason to believe a crime occurred? Jackson is telling us anyone viewed that video should be able to determine right away that there was, and (me talking, here) that it took four days to charge Chauvin is purely a function of the sick protection police officers enjoy when they feel like extinguishing the life of another Black person.
Then Jackson went further to discuss other charges not only Chauvin, but the other three officers can and should face.
JACKSON: Now you get into when you talk about other charges and state charges, other levels of criminality. Like what? Like you were careless? Didn't you or wouldn't a reasonable person know and believe that this is what the result would be when you obstruct someone's breathing? Like recklessness — aren't you consciously disregarding the risk that someone would die when you have your knee on their neck? So at the end of the day what we're left with is this. In any one of the people that I've ever defended, Brianna, what ends up happening is they're arrested on that standard. The standard is, "Hey, Mr. Jackson, why am I being arrested?" Because the police believe you did something wrong. They don't have all the evidence. They're investigating. You can arrest, you can upgrade charges, you can modify charges, you can alter charges, you can supersede charges. What you don't do is leave it alone. However, we're at the place now where there is the arrest. Now we move forward to determine whether the evidence establishes his proof beyond a reasonable doubt of guilt, and I think the videotape along with other types of testimony will be telling as to that. Final point, Brianna, and that's this. It's a good first start, but anyone and everyone who was accountable for this death here, including the officers who attended and did nothing, I think that would be further accountability. Not just as to firing but as to criminal charges as well.
The truth is, prosecutors are reluctant to charge someone with a crime that they know they will have a harder time proving. But in this case, don't they think they can go the extra mile to try? Don't they owe this to the community? For anyone besides a police officer, the only standard is probable cause. Why should people with so much more power than the common man — lethal power — be given more leeway when they abuse it, rather than more consequences?


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Chuck Todd: Trump 'Afraid To Lead' After He Refused To Mention Minneapolis Unrest

With Minneapolis on fire , Donald Trump made a short statement to the press .
Instead of discussing the incendiary situation in Minnesota , where he sent the National Guard in to protect private property from protesters , he used his 8-minute statement to only bash China over their treatment of Hong Kong .
Trump read off of a teleprompter and his remarks were very , very short .
After he finished his recriminations of China , he took no questions from the press , ignored Minnesota and hightailed it away from the podium with his posse following close behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've ever seen a sitting US president hold .
It was more of a televised rant than a presser , actually .
Chuck Todd and Katy Tur manned the response desk on MSNBC to discuss his remarks .
They immediately expressed their disbelief that Trump never mentioned the volatile situation which took place directly after the policeman who killed George Floyd was arrested and charged with manslaughter .
Todd said , `` Look , it 's not lost I think on a lot of people to see , # 1 Katy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He went right to that -- stuck to teleprompter and walked right out . ''
`` There 's a city that 's smoldering right now , there are people across this country , the black community is in pain , '' Tur agreed .
`` There 's a pandemic and the president tried to clear it all up , or at least clear his part in potentially inflaming those tensions with a tweet earlier today .
Did n't want to take any questions from reporters , '' she said .
`` I got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lead right now ? ''
Todd wondered .
`` I mean he just seems -- that 's -- to not engage at all , to not - I just -- that seemed like he was just afraid of this , '' he continued .
`` He does n't know what to say and we 're struggling as a country right now and that 's -- no matter what you think -- the president of the United States ca n't bring himself to say anything about a midwestern city that 's smoldering.
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's leadership failures since the news of the coronavirus was reported .
`` The country is hungry for leadership .
Hungry for it .
They want clarity .
They want clarity when it comes to this pandemic , '' she said .
`` What should I do ?
Should I wear a mask ?
What rules do I need to follow ?
Is it safe to leave my house ? ''
`` There 's an entire community of people that have been hurting for 400 years in this country and they want a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't understand it , then to say , 'Yes , I ca n't understand it but I hear you and I will right that wrong , or at least I 'll try , '' she explained .
A disgusted Chuck Todd made some sense : `` Yeah , yeah .
well , in some ways maybe they decided he would n't be credible as a spokesperson on some of this stuff either . ''
Trump 's whole political instinct is to find somebody , something or some other country to blame in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Donald 's horrific tweet about shooting protesters said it all .
Trump can not lead , he can only whine .

With Minneapolis on fire, Donald Trump made a short statement to the press. Instead of discussing the incendiary situation in Minnesota, where he sent the National Guard in to protect private property from protesters, he used his 8-minute statement to only bash China over their treatment of Hong Kong.
Trump read off of a teleprompter and his remarks were very, very short. After he finished his recriminations of China, he took no questions from the press, ignored Minnesota and hightailed it away from the podium with his posse following close behind.
That was the most cowardly presser I've ever seen a sitting US president hold. It was more of a televised rant than a presser, actually.
Chuck Todd and Katy Tur manned the response desk on MSNBC to discuss his remarks. They immediately expressed their disbelief that Trump never mentioned the volatile situation which took place directly after the policeman who killed George Floyd was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
Todd said, "Look, it's not lost I think on a lot of people to see, #1 Katy, he had nothing else to say. He went right to that -- stuck to teleprompter and walked right out."
"There's a city that's smoldering right now, there are people across this country, the black community is in pain," Tur agreed.
"There's a pandemic and the president tried to clear it all up, or at least clear his part in potentially inflaming those tensions with a tweet earlier today. Didn't want to take any questions from reporters," she said.
"I got to ask, is the president afraid to lead right now?" Todd wondered.
"I mean he just seems -- that's -- to not engage at all, to not - I just -- that seemed like he was just afraid of this," he continued. "He doesn't know what to say and we're struggling as a country right now and that's -- no matter what you think -- the president of the United States can't bring himself to say anything about a midwestern city that's smoldering. "
Tur then took apart all of Trump's leadership failures since the news of the coronavirus was reported.
"The country is hungry for leadership. Hungry for it. They want clarity. They want clarity when it comes to this pandemic," she said. "What should I do? Should I wear a mask? What rules do I need to follow? Is it safe to leave my house?"
"There's an entire community of people that have been hurting for 400 years in this country and they want a president to acknowledge that and if they can't understand it, then to say, 'Yes, I can't understand it but I hear you and I will right that wrong, or at least I'll try," she explained.
A disgusted Chuck Todd made some sense: "Yeah, yeah. well, in some ways maybe they decided he wouldn't be credible as a spokesperson on some of this stuff either."
Trump's whole political instinct is to find somebody, something or some other country to blame in order to hide his own deep inadequacies.
Donald's horrific tweet about shooting protesters said it all.
Trump cannot lead, he can only whine.


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Officer Who Put His Knee On George Floyd's Arrested, Charged

Derek Chauvin , the police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd until he was dead , has @ @ @ @ @ charges .
This post will be updated as more information is available .
UPDATE : @ @ @ @ @ been charged with 3rd degree murder UPDATE 2 : The full complaint against Chauvin is @ @

Derek Chauvin, the police officer who knelt on the neck of George Floyd until he was dead, has been taken into custody pending charges.
This post will be updated as more information is available.
UPDATE: The prosecutor says Chauvin has been charged with 3rd degree murder
UPDATE 2: The full complaint against Chauvin is here.


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Joe Biden Speaks On George Floyd Killing: 'We Are A Country With An Open Wound'

Joe Biden will deliver remarks on the killing of George Floyd .
Earlier today , Biden tweeted this : This is not abstract : a black reporter was arrested while doing his job this morning , while the white police officer who killed George Floyd remains free .
I am glad swift action was taken , but this , to me , says everything .
I will not lift the President ’ s tweet .
I will not give him that amplification .
But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you should be too .
I will be speaking more about the events in Minnesota later today .
President Obama tweeted out his statement a few minutes ago : My statement on the death of George Floyd : pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R In a short speech , Biden said , `` We are a country with an open wound . ''
`` The pain is too immense for our community to bear , '' Biden went on .
He also aimed at Trump for inciting violence .
UPDATE : Here are his remarks as prepared for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can ’ t breathe.
” An act of brutality so elemental , it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and his human rights .
It denied his very humanity .
It denied him of his life .
Depriving George Floyd – as it deprived Eric Garner – of the one thing every human being must be able to do : Breathe .
So simple .
So basic .
So brutal .
The same thing happened with Ahmaud Arbery .
The same with Breonna Taylor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ve spoken their names aloud .
Cried them out in pain and horror .
Chiseled them into long suffering hearts .
They are the latest additions to an endless list of lives stolen -- potential wiped out unnecessarily .
It ’ s a list that dates back more than 400 years : black men , black women , black children .
The original sin of this country still stains our nation today .
Sometimes we manage to overlook it , and just push forward with the thousand other tasks of daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
And weeks like this , we see it plainly .
We are a country with an open wound .
None of us can turn away .
None of us can be silent .
None of us any longer can hear those words — “ I can ’ t breathe ” — and do nothing .
We can not fall victim to what Martin Luther King called the “ appalling silence of the good people.
” Every day , African Americans go about their lives with constant anxiety and trauma , wondering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if every time your husband or son , wife or daughter , left the house , you feared for their safety from bad actors and bad police .
Imagine if you had to have that talk with your child about not asserting their rights — and taking the abuse handed out to them — just so they could make it home .
Imagine having the police called on you – for just sitting in Starbucks or renting an Airbnb or watching birds .
That is the norm for black people in this nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imagine it .
The anger and the frustration and the exhaustion — it ’ s undeniable .
But that is not the promise of America .
And it is long past time we made the promise of this nation real for all people .
This is no time for incendiary tweets .
This is no time to encourage violence .
This is a national crisis , and we need real leadership right now .
Leadership that will bring everyone to the table so we can take measures to root out systemic racism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take a hard look at uncomfortable truths .
It ’ s time for us to face the deep , open wound we have in this nation .
We need justice for George Floyd .
We need real police reform that holds all cops up to the high standards that so many of them actually meet — that holds bad cops accountable , and that repairs the relationship between law enforcement and the community they are sworn to protect .
And we need to stand up as a nation — with the black community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and come together as one America .
And it will require those of us who sit in positions of influence to finally deal with the abuse of power .
The pain is too immense for one community to bear alone .
It is the duty of every American to grapple with it — and grapple with it now .
With our complacency , our silence — we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence .
Nothing about this will be easy or comfortable .
But if we simply allow this wound to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the underlying injury — we will never truly heal .
The very soul of America is at stake .
We must commit , as a nation , to pursue justice with every ounce of our being .
We have to pursue it with real urgency .
We have to make real the American promise , which we have never fully grasped : That all men and women are not only equal at creation , but throughout their lives .

Joe Biden will deliver remarks on the killing of George Floyd. Earlier today, Biden tweeted this:
This is not abstract: a black reporter was arrested while doing his job this morning, while the white police officer who killed George Floyd remains free. I am glad swift action was taken, but this, to me, says everything.
I will not lift the President’s tweet. I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many. I’m furious, and you should be too.
I will be speaking more about the events in Minnesota later today.
President Obama tweeted out his statement a few minutes ago:
My statement on the death of George Floyd: pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R
In a short speech, Biden said, "We are a country with an open wound."
"The pain is too immense for our community to bear," Biden went on. He also aimed at Trump for inciting violence.
UPDATE: Here are his remarks as prepared for delivery
Once again — the words “I can’t breathe.”
An act of brutality so elemental, it did more than deny one more black man in America his civil rights and his human rights. It denied his very humanity. It denied him of his life.
Depriving George Floyd – as it deprived Eric Garner – of the one thing every human being must be able to do: Breathe.
So simple. So basic. So brutal.
The same thing happened with Ahmaud Arbery. The same with Breonna Taylor. The same thing with George Floyd.
We’ve spoken their names aloud. Cried them out in pain and horror. Chiseled them into long suffering hearts.
They are the latest additions to an endless list of lives stolen--potential wiped out unnecessarily.
It’s a list that dates back more than 400 years: black men, black women, black children.
The original sin of this country still stains our nation today.
Sometimes we manage to overlook it, and just push forward with the thousand other tasks of daily life. But it’s always there.
And weeks like this, we see it plainly.
We are a country with an open wound.
None of us can turn away.
None of us can be silent.
None of us any longer can hear those words — “I can’t breathe” — and do nothing.
We cannot fall victim to what Martin Luther King called the “appalling silence of the good people.”
Every day, African Americans go about their lives with constant anxiety and trauma, wondering — who will be next?
Imagine if every time your husband or son, wife or daughter, left the house, you feared for their safety from bad actors and bad police.
Imagine if you had to have that talk with your child about not asserting their rights — and taking the abuse handed out to them — just so they could make it home.
Imagine having the police called on you – for just sitting in Starbucks or renting an Airbnb or watching birds.
That is the norm for black people in this nation — they don’t have to imagine it.
The anger and the frustration and the exhaustion — it’s undeniable.
But that is not the promise of America.
And it is long past time we made the promise of this nation real for all people.
This is no time for incendiary tweets. This is no time to encourage violence.
This is a national crisis, and we need real leadership right now.
Leadership that will bring everyone to the table so we can take measures to root out systemic racism.
It’s time for us to take a hard look at uncomfortable truths.
It’s time for us to face the deep, open wound we have in this nation.
We need justice for George Floyd.
We need real police reform that holds all cops up to the high standards that so many of them actually meet — that holds bad cops accountable, and that repairs the relationship between law enforcement and the community they are sworn to protect.
And we need to stand up as a nation — with the black community, and with all minority communities — and come together as one America.
That’s the challenge we face.
And it will require those of us who sit in positions of influence to finally deal with the abuse of power.
The pain is too immense for one community to bear alone.
It is the duty of every American to grapple with it — and grapple with it now.
With our complacency, our silence — we are complicit in perpetuating these cycles of violence.
Nothing about this will be easy or comfortable. But if we simply allow this wound to scab over once more, without treating the underlying injury — we will never truly heal.
The very soul of America is at stake.
We must commit, as a nation, to pursue justice with every ounce of our being. We have to pursue it with real urgency. We have to make real the American promise, which we have never fully grasped: That all men and women are not only equal at creation, but throughout their lives.


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--New COVID-19 Spike, Courtesy Of The Wisconsin Supreme Court

Two weeks ago , the Wisconsin Supreme Kangaroo Court ruled in favor of the coronavirus pandemic and let the virus run rampant across the state .
Anyone and everyone with a minimum of two working brain cells feared for the worst and took what precautions they could to protect themselves and their loved ones .
Those that did n't meet the two brain cell requirement went out and packed the bars , what restaurants decided to open , barbershops and hair salons .
And now , the predictable and utterly unavoidable results have happened .
Wisconsin is seeing a spike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deaths : Wisconsin saw a record number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported in a single day on Wednesday , two weeks after the state ’ s Supreme Court struck down its statewide stay-at-home order .
The state reported 599 new known COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 22 known deaths , according to Wisconsin ’ s Department of Health Services , the highest recorded daily rise since the pandemic began there .
As of Wednesday , the state had more than 16,460 known cases and 539 known deaths , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus cases was 528 the week prior .
But wait !
There 's more !
There 's always more .
A second lawsuit against the stay at home orders had been filed with the state supreme court just days before they had rendered the decision .
One of the complaintants in this second lawsuit just so happened to be a big time donor to Rebecca Bradley , the judge who called keeping people alive and healthy to `` tyranny '' and compared the stay at home order to the Japanese internment camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court ruled in favor of Speaker Robin Vos and Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald in their challenge to the “ Safer at Home ” extension , the Court has been considering another challenge to “ Safer at Home.
” One of the individuals in that second lawsuit challenging Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers ’ stay-at-home orders contributed $ 20,000 to a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice ’ s campaign .
Jere Fabick , of Oconomowoc , owner of FABCO Equipment , contributed the maximum $ 20,000 to conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley ’ s campaign in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10-year term on the court .
Rebecca Bradley is part of the high court ’ s 5-2 conservative majority .
Fabick , who is also on the board of directors of the Heartland Institute , a rightwing Illinois think tank , is a loyal GOP donor .
Fabick contributed about $ 355,900 to mostly GOP legislative and statewide candidates between January 1994 and December 2019 .
Conveniently , the Supreme Court then decided to not hear the second case , so as to avoid the obvious conflict of interest involved , although Bradley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do and ruled in her donor 's favor .
So what if a lot of people get sick and possibly die ?
It 's what she got paid to do .

Two weeks ago, the Wisconsin Supreme Kangaroo Court ruled in favor of the coronavirus pandemic and let the virus run rampant across the state. Anyone and everyone with a minimum of two working brain cells feared for the worst and took what precautions they could to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Those that didn't meet the two brain cell requirement went out and packed the bars, what restaurants decided to open, barbershops and hair salons.
And now, the predictable and utterly unavoidable results have happened. Wisconsin is seeing a spike in new COVID-19 cases, new hospitalizations and deaths:
Wisconsin saw a record number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported in a single day on Wednesday, two weeks after the state’s Supreme Court struck down its statewide stay-at-home order. The state reported 599 new known COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 22 known deaths, according to Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, the highest recorded daily rise since the pandemic began there. As of Wednesday, the state had more than 16,460 known cases and 539 known deaths, according to the department. The previous record in new coronavirus cases was 528 the week prior.
But wait! There's more! There's always more.
A second lawsuit against the stay at home orders had been filed with the state supreme court just days before they had rendered the decision. One of the complaintants in this second lawsuit just so happened to be a big time donor to Rebecca Bradley, the judge who called keeping people alive and healthy to "tyranny" and compared the stay at home order to the Japanese internment camps of WWII:
While the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in favor of Speaker Robin Vos and Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald in their challenge to the “Safer at Home” extension, the Court has been considering another challenge to “Safer at Home.” One of the individuals in that second lawsuit challenging Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home orders contributed $20,000 to a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice’s campaign. Jere Fabick, of Oconomowoc, owner of FABCO Equipment, contributed the maximum $20,000 to conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley’s campaign in 2016 when she was elected to a 10-year term on the court. Rebecca Bradley is part of the high court’s 5-2 conservative majority. Fabick, who is also on the board of directors of the Heartland Institute, a rightwing Illinois think tank, is a loyal GOP donor. Fabick contributed about $355,900 to mostly GOP legislative and statewide candidates between January 1994 and December 2019.
Conveniently, the Supreme Court then decided to not hear the second case, so as to avoid the obvious conflict of interest involved, although Bradley had already done what she was paid to do and ruled in her donor's favor.
So what if a lot of people get sick and possibly die? It's what she got paid to do.


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Friday News Dump: White People Notice America Is Racist AF, And Other News

Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https : //t.co/IY0H1Lc77E pic.twitter.com/s9XmwVfabP Things have always been bad for black people in America , but now it 's being documented on camera .
Even white people are starting to notice !
My other colleague @ joshscampbell is also on the scene in Minneapolis .
He just reported that police approached him , asked him who he was with , he said CNN .
And they say “ ok , you ’ re good.
” This is minutes after Omar , who is black and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump does is a distraction .
He wants you to focus on anything other than the pain of 100,000 U.S. deaths and the 41 million jobless claims since the start of the # coronavirus crisis .
He 's been an astronomical failure and a terrible example who must be voted out .
pic.twitter.com/FfJbUA8eql Another way to say this is that the Trump administration is still using a drug *pushed by Trump 's donors* to treat veterans , even after discovering the drug *kills COVID-19 patients* and has no therapeutic benefit .
At any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a major scandal .
https : //t.co/wxAZxjJi2t Why is Georgia appearing to do so well with COVID-19 ?
Because its government is lying .
Georgia improperly inflated its testing numbers by 78,000 and is counting COVID-19 hospitalizations only of people who tested positive WHILE HOSPITALIZED .
https : //t.co/qNJRKSGFKd Lots of talk of agents provocateurs on here .
Evidence is needed but I would n't dismiss it .
During the `` Battle of Miami , '' I personally saw a hoodie-clad protester throw a can at a line of riot cops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ badge on a lanyard and run behind a police line .
New by  @ RepValDemings : “ As a former woman in blue , let me begin with my brothers and sisters in blue : What in the hell are you doing ?
” I ’ m speaking to Rep. Demings today at noon ET .
Join us : https : //t.co/0SPDBMd86c # demandingwomen https : //t.co/mF2DvhxnyG This is really important .
Florida is cooking the books on COVID-19 deaths .
Look at the excess death rate .
In Florida the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely 3200 more than they are saying .
I suspect other states are also doing this , particularly those with GOP control .
https : //t.co/zU8c3a6Td0 '' The beast is as American a product as Spam or a Model-T Ford .
We should not be shocked .
We should be as familiar with this beast as we are with the veins in our arm , as Ahab says to Starbuck .
`` https : //t.co/uu2CPOhX4V DEPT .
OF FUNNY , INTERESTING , OR JUST PLAIN HEARTWARMING God , what a week .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of today 's tweets and come directly to this part !
Remember Sake ( first one ) , the kitten who had to be admitted to the emergency hospital the other day ?
Well , she ’ s doing much better , and her two siblings , Kimchi and Noodle , are keeping her company to make sure she ’ s recovering quickly and smoothly .
How cute is this trio ?
?
😻 pic.twitter.com/gZkDNPqNig In his first season with the Phillies , Bryce Harper homered 35 times .
Here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pic.twitter.com/GGmUkjLhhT — Did the Phillies lose ?
( @ DidthePhilslose ) May 29 , 2020

This is really important. Florida is cooking the books on COVID-19 deaths. Look at the excess death rate. In Florida the number of deaths from Covid so far are likely 3200 more than they are saying. I suspect other states are also doing this, particularly those with GOP control. https://t.co/zU8c3a6Td0
— Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) May 28, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--CNN Reporter Arrested, The Other One Left Alone. Guess What's Different!

Reporter Josh Campbell described the situation in Minneapolis where a reporter was arrested live on camera .
`` Josh Campbell , John Berman here .
Have you been approached by police where you 're standing ? ''
Berman said .
`` No , I can tell you my experience has been the opposite of what Omar just experienced there .
Talking to police , I identified myself .
I told them who I was with .
They said okay , you 're permitted to be in this area .
As a vehicle came by , they asked me to step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I could move back in .
They said yeah , you 're good to go .
What happened to Omar was clearly a lot different and just something that we certainly have n't seen , where a journalist identified himself covering a story has been taken into custody by the police , '' Campbell said .
`` Again , the police knew who our crew was , who they consisted of .
They saw the camera and the live shot in progress .
Omar identified himself very politely , yet they took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` Josh , I do n't know if you can see what was happening to Omar from your perspective , '' Berman said .
`` I know that our audience ca n't see you right now .
Let me just say something .
It is a statement of fact .
You , Josh Campbell , are white .
Omar Jimenez is not .
I do not know if that played into it .
But did you see what happened to Omar and his team ? ''
`` I did not , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you said crossed my mind as well about appearances here .
I was treated much differently than he was .
I 'm sitting here talking to the National Guard , talking to the police .
They 're asking politely to move here and there .
A couple times I 've moved closer than they would like .
They asked politely to move back .
`` They did n't pull out the handcuffs .
Lot different here than what Omar experienced . ''

Reporter Josh Campbell described the situation in Minneapolis where a reporter was arrested live on camera.
"Josh Campbell, John Berman here. Have you been approached by police where you're standing?" Berman said.
"No, I can tell you my experience has been the opposite of what Omar just experienced there. Talking to police, I identified myself. I told them who I was with. They said okay, you're permitted to be in this area. As a vehicle came by, they asked me to step out of the street. I asked if I could move back in. They said yeah, you're good to go. What happened to Omar was clearly a lot different and just something that we certainly haven't seen, where a journalist identified himself covering a story has been taken into custody by the police," Campbell said.
"Again, the police knew who our crew was, who they consisted of. They saw the camera and the live shot in progress. Omar identified himself very politely, yet they took that decision to make that arrest."
"Josh, I don't know if you can see what was happening to Omar from your perspective," Berman said.
"I know that our audience can't see you right now. Let me just say something. It is a statement of fact. You, Josh Campbell, are white. Omar Jimenez is not. I do not know if that played into it. But did you see what happened to Omar and his team?"
"I did not," Campbell said. "Obviously, what you said crossed my mind as well about appearances here. I was treated much differently than he was. I'm sitting here talking to the National Guard, talking to the police. They're asking politely to move here and there. A couple times I've moved closer than they would like. They asked politely to move back.
"They didn't pull out the handcuffs. Lot different here than what Omar experienced."


crooksandliars--2020-05-29--Trump Decides To Toss Some Gasoline On The Fire In Minneapolis

In light of the protests in Minneapolis , Trump decided to throw gasoline on the fire .
Here 's what he tweeted late last night : Twitter removed it for a short time , but it 's back : So protestors are `` thugs '' who should be shot -- for property crimes .
Because apparently Trump has decided that 's now a capital crime .
And I 'm sure the bad guys will be the ones with the black skin , even though it was reported last night by his ex-fiance that it was a white undercover cop who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ca n't confirm her statement , we wo n't give his name here . )
And those who monitor Discord servers report many of the same people who want a civil war were headed to Minneapolis : The nascent boogaloo movement is not monolithic , Friedfeld said , and it draws from spectrum of groups from the right wing to the far right , from militias and anarcho-capitalists to white supremacists .
An internal struggle is underway to define the movement ’ s relationship with race , he said .
[ ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a steady stream of stern warnings against making common cause with boogaloo .
“ It ’ s a right-wing thing ; it ’ s a neo-fascist thing , ” said Daryle Lamont Jenkins , a veteran antifascist organizer based in New Jersey , in a Twitter video .
“ And they ’ re trying to use what ’ s happening in Minneapolis as a jump-off .
Do not let them .
They are not our friends .
”

In light of the protests in Minneapolis, Trump decided to throw gasoline on the fire. Here's what he tweeted late last night:
I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
....These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
Twitter removed it for a short time, but it's back:
You want to talk about THUGS let’s talk about this Time for a new president. This man don’t have a clue. Let’s get somebody in the White House who know what’s going on Joe Biden we need you more than now.. We need a new President. #Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/5CbLVOhkOG — Juicyshade (@RealJuicyshade) May 29, 2020
So protestors are "thugs" who should be shot -- for property crimes. Because apparently Trump has decided that's now a capital crime.
And I'm sure the bad guys will be the ones with the black skin, even though it was reported last night by his ex-fiance that it was a white undercover cop who was breaking store windows? (Since we can't confirm her statement, we won't give his name here.)
Here you go https://t.co/Ql80rcmdpB — Timothy Hughes (@THughesPhoto) May 28, 2020
It appears that Trump took his "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" Twitter tag line this morning from Miami Police Chief Walter E. Headley's 1967 announcement of a "get tough" policy in black neighborhoods. https://t.co/l3dXNtpyMX pic.twitter.com/ngah6MJZxB — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) May 29, 2020
And those who monitor Discord servers report many of the same people who want a civil war were headed to Minneapolis:
The nascent boogaloo movement is not monolithic, Friedfeld said, and it draws from spectrum of groups from the right wing to the far right, from militias and anarcho-capitalists to white supremacists. An internal struggle is underway to define the movement’s relationship with race, he said. [...] Antifascist Twitter accounts on Wednesday issued a steady stream of stern warnings against making common cause with boogaloo. “It’s a right-wing thing; it’s a neo-fascist thing,” said Daryle Lamont Jenkins, a veteran antifascist organizer based in New Jersey, in a Twitter video. “And they’re trying to use what’s happening in Minneapolis as a jump-off. Do not let them. They are not our friends.”
.
Compare and contrast, folks:


crooksandliars--2020-05-30--Police Exposure And Other Hazards

Police Exposure And Other Hazards

Donald Trump gave an 8-minute ranty statement in which he did not mention Minneapolis , George Floyd , or the @ @ @ @ @ He did , however , say he 's cutting off the WHO in the midst @ @ @ @

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crooksandliars--2020-05-30--The SpaceX Delay Was Not Political, Until It Was

I 'm so disappointed that Mitch Miller 's `` Rocket to Uranus '' record is a fake .
cc : @ tengrain via @ Gizmodo pic.twitter.com/g6FuGbLBb3 The SpaceX failure to send Americans into space yesterday really isn ’ t a politics story… until it was .
NYTimes ( emphasis mine ) : At Cape Canaveral , Trump ’ s Search for a Heroic Narrative Is Thwarted “ For President Trump , it was a chance to rewrite the story line from tragedy to triumph .
Even as the United States reached the grim milestone on Wednesday of 100,000 dead from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mark the nation ’ s trailblazing return to human spaceflight from American soil .
“ But Mr. Trump ’ s hopes of demonstrating that America was back with the verve of a rocket ’ s red glare were doused by lightning-filled storm clouds that forced flight controllers to scrub the long-awaited launch of the SpaceX rocket even as the president watched helplessly from the Kennedy Space Center .
“ Only minutes after heralding what was to be the first launch of NASA astronauts into orbit from the United States in nearly a decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks and made a hasty retreat to Air Force One to fly back to Washington and the misery of the health crisis .
”

I'm so disappointed that Mitch Miller's "Rocket to Uranus" record is a fake. cc: @tengrain via @Gizmodo pic.twitter.com/g6FuGbLBb3
Failure to Launch:
The SpaceX failure to send Americans into space yesterday really isn’t a politics story… until it was. NYTimes (emphasis mine):
At Cape Canaveral, Trump’s Search for a Heroic Narrative Is Thwarted
“For President Trump, it was a chance to rewrite the story line from tragedy to triumph. Even as the United States reached the grim milestone on Wednesday of 100,000 dead from the coronavirus pandemic, he would help mark the nation’s trailblazing return to human spaceflight from American soil.
“But Mr. Trump’s hopes of demonstrating that America was back with the verve of a rocket’s red glare were doused by lightning-filled storm clouds that forced flight controllers to scrub the long-awaited launch of the SpaceX rocket even as the president watched helplessly from the Kennedy Space Center.
“Only minutes after heralding what was to be the first launch of NASA astronauts into orbit from the United States in nearly a decade, a disappointed Mr. Trump scrapped planned remarks and made a hasty retreat to Air Force One to fly back to Washington and the misery of the health crisis.”


crooksandliars--2020-05-30--Michael Flynn Is The Traitor To America We Always Thought He Was

Remember that time President Barack Obama followed the rules and did n't break any laws but Trump tried to still create scandals about him and blame him for all the sh*t Trump ca n't get right himself ?
Well , in the most recent fiasco where Trump did that , his pathetic `` Obamagate '' tantrum , he could n't help but make things even worse for himself — and Michael Flynn , the convicted felon who admitted to lying to the FBI .
During Phase 1 of Trump 's attempt to launch `` Obamagate '' into the news cycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grenell released classified documents related to Flynn 's case that showed ... wait for it ... Obama had done nothing wrong .
During Phase 2 of the launch , Trump was aided by his brand newly-confirmed Director of National Intelligence ( DNI ) John Ratcliffe .
In order to prove the Obama administration 's keeping an eye on Flynn was a witch hunt of the highest order — a conspiracy to destroy Trump !
— Ratcliffe released the transcripts to Flynn 's conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak !
That 'll show 'em @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prove nothing except that Flynn was most definitely a traitorous conspirator with Russia , working to undermine free and fair elections in the good ole U S of A. Michael Corn , of Mother Jones wrote : In these calls , Flynn beseeched Russia not to over-react to Obama ’ s sanctions , noting that would make it tougher for the incoming Trump administration to work with Russia .
[ ... ] But what is most scandalous and damning in these transcripts is what Flynn did not say .
At no point does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervention in the 2016 election .
He does not confront the Russian ambassador for Putin ’ s covert operation to subvert American democracy .
He does not tell Kislyak that Moscow will have to pay a price for hacking the Democrats and using the stolen information to influence the election for Trump ’ s benefit .
Flynn , a former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency , does not warn Kislyak against any further Russian information warfare targeting the United States .
As the Obama administration was trying to impose a punishment on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on behalf of the Trump gang , was sending an utterly different message : We don ’ t care about that .
Think about this perverse set of interactions : the incoming national security adviser was essentially telling a foreign adversary that the new president wasn ’ t concerned about an attack on the United States and , moreover , indicating that Trump didn ’ t intend to do anything about it .
In fact , Flynn was signaling to Putin that once Trump took office , Trump wouldn ’ t be pursuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reaching out to Russia as a partner .
( A few months later , Trump , in the Oval Office , would tell Kislyak that directly . )
This certainly makes it harder to explain why in any legal universe the Department of Justice should drop the charges against Michael Flynn .
Tragically , though , we are living in the legal universe of Bill Barr 's Department of Justice .
Things just are n't the same there .

Remember that time President Barack Obama followed the rules and didn't break any laws but Trump tried to still create scandals about him and blame him for all the sh*t Trump can't get right himself? Well, in the most recent fiasco where Trump did that, his pathetic "Obamagate" tantrum, he couldn't help but make things even worse for himself — and Michael Flynn, the convicted felon who admitted to lying to the FBI.
During Phase 1 of Trump's attempt to launch "Obamagate" into the news cycle, Trump's acting DNI, Richard Grenell released classified documents related to Flynn's case that showed...wait for it...Obama had done nothing wrong. During Phase 2 of the launch, Trump was aided by his brand newly-confirmed Director of National Intelligence (DNI) John Ratcliffe. In order to prove the Obama administration's keeping an eye on Flynn was a witch hunt of the highest order — a conspiracy to destroy Trump! — Ratcliffe released the transcripts to Flynn's conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak! That'll show 'em!
Except...oops.
It turns out, those conversations prove nothing except that Flynn was most definitely a traitorous conspirator with Russia, working to undermine free and fair elections in the good ole U S of A. David Corn, of Mother Jones wrote:
In these calls, Flynn beseeched Russia not to over-react to Obama’s sanctions, noting that would make it tougher for the incoming Trump administration to work with Russia.
[...]
But what is most scandalous and damning in these transcripts is what Flynn did not say. At no point does Flynn castigate Kislyak for Russia’s intervention in the 2016 election. He does not confront the Russian ambassador for Putin’s covert operation to subvert American democracy. He does not tell Kislyak that Moscow will have to pay a price for hacking the Democrats and using the stolen information to influence the election for Trump’s benefit. Flynn, a former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, does not warn Kislyak against any further Russian information warfare targeting the United States. As the Obama administration was trying to impose a punishment on Putin for that attack, Flynn, on behalf of the Trump gang, was sending an utterly different message: We don’t care about that. Think about this perverse set of interactions: the incoming national security adviser was essentially telling a foreign adversary that the new president wasn’t concerned about an attack on the United States and, moreover, indicating that Trump didn’t intend to do anything about it. In fact, Flynn was signaling to Putin that once Trump took office, Trump wouldn’t be pursuing the matter and, instead, would be reaching out to Russia as a partner. (A few months later, Trump, in the Oval Office, would tell Kislyak that directly.)
This certainly makes it harder to explain why in any legal universe the Department of Justice should drop the charges against Michael Flynn. Tragically, though, we are living in the legal universe of Bill Barr's Department of Justice. Things just aren't the same there.


crooksandliars--2020-05-30--Keith Ellison: White Supremacists May Be Sabotaging George Floyd Protests With Violence And Arson

During this morning ’ s press conference , Minnesota Governor Tim Walz , Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey all said that the criminal actors in this week ’ s protests seem to be from outside the community .
Walz is now consulting with the Department of Homeland Security about the possibility of foreign intervention .
MSNBC host Joy Reid broke away from the presser to discuss the issue with Minnesota 's Attorney General Keith Ellison .
In addition to the fact that Carter said that every person arrested last night was from outside the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of outside infiltration , too .
ELLISON : My reaction is that just a few days ago , on like the second day of protests , there was a man who was dressed in all black , he was a Caucasian person .
He had a gas mask , black gloves , an umbrella .
It was not raining , and he was smashing windows and apparently throwing incendiary devices into businesses that had nothing to do with the tragedy around Mr. Floyd .
And so people , protesters photographed this .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
And they confronted him , who are you and he just walked away .
That led me to believe that there is real legitimate evidence that this is a very serious operation being done to tarnish the legitimate protest that is going on .
We need an investigation on who these people are and their identity and I will just say as I close , that when Jamar Clark protest was going on , a group of white supremacists went on Facebook announcing they were going to attack the protests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot people .
They were caught and then they were prosecuted .
So , we know that this kind of thing happens , it ’ s planned .
We have no good reason to believe that it 's not happening now .
It needs to be a separate and independent investigation .
REID : Do you believe this is an organized operation against the protesters and against the city of Minneapolis and against the state ?
ELLISON : I have every -- and against civil society .
I have every reason to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation and I will say this .
The people who would go out on the street to protest for justice for Mr. Floyd are not going to burn down the historic social justice advocacy groups that are for the Native American community .
The Bengali vegan restaurant , they ’ re not gon na do that .
That 's not what these kind of folks do .
They 're not gon na leave the south side of Minneapolis , come all the way to the north side and attack the only grocery store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to get foods and as well as the Walgreens .
It does n't make sense at all .
This violence is widespread .
The people appear very well organized .
There are pictures of these folks .
We need to identify them and hold them accountable and prosecute them and we need to remember the Jamar Clark case where organized white supremacists were caught , committed assault , attempted murder and criminally prosecuted for attacking the protest .
I think that there 's ample reason for us to investigate that and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that that is a critical factor of what 's going on here .

During this morning’s press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey all said that the criminal actors in this week’s protests seem to be from outside the community. Walz is now consulting with the Department of Homeland Security about the possibility of foreign intervention.
MSNBC host Joy Reid broke away from the presser to discuss the issue with Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison. In addition to the fact that Carter said that every person arrested last night was from outside the state, Ellison said there is video evidence of outside infiltration, too.
ELLISON: My reaction is that just a few days ago, on like the second day of protests, there was a man who was dressed in all black, he was a Caucasian person. He had a gas mask, black gloves, an umbrella. It was not raining, and he was smashing windows and apparently throwing incendiary devices into businesses that had nothing to do with the tragedy around Mr. Floyd. And so people, protesters photographed this.
The video is existing and you can see it. And they confronted him, who are you and he just walked away. That led me to believe that there is real legitimate evidence that this is a very serious operation being done to tarnish the legitimate protest that is going on. We need an investigation on who these people are and their identity and I will just say as I close, that when Jamar Clark protest was going on, a group of white supremacists went on Facebook announcing they were going to attack the protests, did so, but -- and then shot people. They were caught and then they were prosecuted. So, we know that this kind of thing happens, it’s planned. We have no good reason to believe that it's not happening now. It needs to be a separate and independent investigation.
[…]
REID: Do you believe this is an organized operation against the protesters and against the city of Minneapolis and against the state?
ELLISON: I have every -- and against civil society. I have every reason to believe that the facts exist to launch that investigation and I will say this. The people who would go out on the street to protest for justice for Mr. Floyd are not going to burn down the historic social justice advocacy groups that are for the Native American community. The Bengali vegan restaurant, they’re not gonna do that. That's not what these kind of folks do. They're not gonna leave the south side of Minneapolis, come all the way to the north side and attack the only grocery store that low-income African Americans use all the time to get foods and as well as the Walgreens. It doesn't make sense at all.
This violence is widespread. The people appear very well organized. There are pictures of these folks. We need to identify them and hold them accountable and prosecute them and we need to remember the Jamar Clark case where organized white supremacists were caught, committed assault, attempted murder and criminally prosecuted for attacking the protest. I think that there's ample reason for us to investigate that and I absolutely urge that we do and I think that that is a critical factor of what's going on here.


crooksandliars--2020-05-30--Trump Plans To Sell Yet More Armaments To Saudi Arabia

As first reported by The Daily Beast Wednesday , U.S. officials are eager to sell more arms to Saudi Arabia despite continuing objections from both Democrats and Republicans over Riyadh ’ s killing of civilians in the six-year-long war in Yemen .
Indeed , lawmakers were furious last year when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed 22 deals totaling $ 8.1 billion more in weapons to the Saudis after declaring a bogus emergency over Iran designed to circumvent the will of Congress .
Donald Trump vetoed the congressional vote to block those sales .
Two weeks ago , at Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress he would fire Steve Linick , the State Department inspector general who was in the final stages of investigating whether that “ emergency ” had been declared illegally .
In January 2020 , the White House informed Congress that it plans to sell $ 478 million worth of precision-guided missiles to the kingdom , and to approve licenses to allow missile-maker Raytheon to expand its manufacturing operations inside the kingdom .
The foreign affairs committees of both houses of Congress have withheld support for the moves , which blocks them for now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will complete the deal anyway .
Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey , the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , wrote in a CNN opinion piece Wednesday that the emergency “ was a fabricated tale to reward an eager and unsavory customer of US arms.
” The American people have the right to know that while the Trump administration can not seem to be bothered to build a political coalition to combat the biggest pandemic in a century , the administration has recently managed to find a way to double @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embrace of Saudi Arabia 's murderous regime .
And as usual , it involves arms .
The administration is currently trying to sell thousands more precision-guided bombs to the President 's `` friend , '' Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman .
[ ... ] As inconvenient as the President and the Secretary might find Congressional oversight or Inspectors General , we will continue doing our jobs .
The question remains : why is the President and his top diplomat working so hard to prop up one of the world 's worst despots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the answer is that Trump is hoping for another big party like the one the Saudis gave him shortly after he lied the oath of office three years ago .
The arms problem , however , predates the Trump regime .
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute , the United States sells more armaments than any other nation .
Between 2014 and 2018 , more than one-half of U.S. arms exports went to the Middle East , where one-third of all the world ’ s arms exports wound up .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exports in that period .
There is no end in sight to this deluge .
Not surprisingly , Trump ’ s son-in-law Jared Kushner , who also likes to pal around with the Saudis ( including the crown prince ) , is a big advocate of more arm sales , as is Peter Navarro , Trump ’ s trade adviser .
The New York Times reported two weeks ago that Navarro sees the arms trade as good for American jobs , never mind what the weapons are actually used for .
Even that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to carry out manufacturing in Saudi Arabia .
Arms transfers as a problem in regional destabilization are to be measured not just in the quantity of transfers but also the uses to which the arms are put .
Arms from the United States have been used in the harsh crackdowns that have abused human rights in Egypt .
They have been used in the also abusive — and periodically very deadly — Israeli occupation of , and assaults on , the Palestinian territories .
Most obviously in recent years , U.S. arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn Yemen into what is commonly described as the worst current manmade humanitarian disaster .
The Saudi aerial assault on Yemen has been the biggest factor in making that disaster .
According to the Yemen Data Project , the bombing campaign has killed or injured more than 17,000 civilians as of March 2019 .
The U.S. arms provided to the Gulf Arabs have been destabilizing in other ways .
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have given U.S.-made weapons to militias to buy influence in Yemen .
Some of the arms have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with ties to Al Qaeda .
Some have even made it into the hands of the Houthi rebels whom the Saudi-led war is supposed to be against .
The United States desperately needs to take a new path in foreign policy .
The next administration could do worse than pick Saudi Arabia as the first stop on that journey .

As first reported by The Daily Beast Wednesday, U.S. officials are eager to sell more arms to Saudi Arabia despite continuing objections from both Democrats and Republicans over Riyadh’s killing of civilians in the six-year-long war in Yemen. Indeed, lawmakers were furious last year when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed 22 deals totaling $8.1 billion more in weapons to the Saudis after declaring a bogus emergency over Iran designed to circumvent the will of Congress. Donald Trump vetoed the congressional vote to block those sales. Two weeks ago, at Pompeo’s urging, Trump announced to Congress he would fire Steve Linick, the State Department inspector general who was in the final stages of investigating whether that “emergency” had been declared illegally.
In January 2020, the White House informed Congress that it plans to sell $478 million worth of precision-guided missiles to the kingdom, and to approve licenses to allow missile-maker Raytheon to expand its manufacturing operations inside the kingdom. The foreign affairs committees of both houses of Congress have withheld support for the moves, which blocks them for now, but they fear the White House will complete the deal anyway.
Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote in a CNN opinion piece Wednesday that the emergency “was a fabricated tale to reward an eager and unsavory customer of US arms.”
The American people have the right to know that while the Trump administration cannot seem to be bothered to build a political coalition to combat the biggest pandemic in a century, the administration has recently managed to find a way to double down on President Donald Trump's repulsive embrace of Saudi Arabia's murderous regime. And as usual, it involves arms. The administration is currently trying to sell thousands more precision-guided bombs to the President's "friend," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. [...] As inconvenient as the President and the Secretary might find Congressional oversight or Inspectors General, we will continue doing our jobs. The question remains: why is the President and his top diplomat working so hard to prop up one of the world's worst despots?
Perhaps, besides the money, the answer is that Trump is hoping for another big party like the one the Saudis gave him shortly after he lied the oath of office three years ago.
The arms problem, however, predates the Trump regime. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the United States sells more armaments than any other nation. Between 2014 and 2018, more than one-half of U.S. arms exports went to the Middle East, where one-third of all the world’s arms exports wound up. The Saudis received nearly one-fourth of U.S. military exports in that period. There is no end in sight to this deluge.
Not surprisingly, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who also likes to pal around with the Saudis (including the crown prince), is a big advocate of more arm sales, as is Peter Navarro, Trump’s trade adviser. The New York Times reported two weeks ago that Navarro sees the arms trade as good for American jobs, never mind what the weapons are actually used for. Even that excuse falls apart given Raytheon’s plan to carry out manufacturing in Saudi Arabia.
Paul Pillar at Responsible Statecraft writes:
Arms transfers as a problem in regional destabilization are to be measured not just in the quantity of transfers but also the uses to which the arms are put. Arms from the United States have been used in the harsh crackdowns that have abused human rights in Egypt. They have been used in the also abusive — and periodically very deadly — Israeli occupation of, and assaults on, the Palestinian territories. Most obviously in recent years, U.S. arms provided to Saudi Arabia have helped to turn Yemen into what is commonly described as the worst current manmade humanitarian disaster. The Saudi aerial assault on Yemen has been the biggest factor in making that disaster. According to the Yemen Data Project, the bombing campaign has killed or injured more than 17,000 civilians as of March 2019. The U.S. arms provided to the Gulf Arabs have been destabilizing in other ways. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have given U.S.-made weapons to militias to buy influence in Yemen. Some of the arms have gone to radical Salafists, including ones with ties to Al Qaeda. Some have even made it into the hands of the Houthi rebels whom the Saudi-led war is supposed to be against.
The United States desperately needs to take a new path in foreign policy. The next administration could do worse than pick Saudi Arabia as the first stop on that journey.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-05-30--Every Single Worker On One Tennessee Farm Has Tested Positive For COVID-19

`` Every Single Worker Has Covid at One U.S. Farm on Eve of Harvest . ''
Read that headline one more time : `` Every Single Worker Has Covid at One U.S. Farm on Eve of Harvest . ''
That farm is in Tennessee .
A farm in New Jersey has more than 50 workers with the virus , and in a neighboring county nearly 60 more on another farm have been ill. An Oneida , New York greenhouse operation growing tomatoes and strawberries reported nearly 170 infected workers .
These are among the most vulnerable essential workers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our food .
Vulnerable because so many are noncitizen immigrants who do n't have access the medical care and live , work , and travel in cramped , crowded situations .
Advocates are sounding an alarm bell—it 's going to get worse as the harvest around the country ramps up .
`` We 're watching very , very nervously—the agricultural harvest season is only starting now , '' Michael Dale , executive director of the Northwest Workers ' Justice Project in Portland , Oregon , told Bloomberg .
`` I do n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we 're prepared . ''
`` There is woefully inadequate surveillance of what 's happening with Covid-19 and farm workers , '' echoed Erik Nicholson , an official with the United Farm Workers .
`` There is no central reporting , which is crazy because these are essential businesses . ''
Henderson Farms in Evansville , Tennessee—where every worker has the virus—said they tested the workers out of an `` abundance of caution , '' and now all of them are in isolation on the farm .
Most are asymptomatic .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential workers feeding the nation through the pandemic seriously , '' Henderson Farms Co. said in a statement to Bloomberg .
`` In addition to continuing our policy of providing free healthcare , we have implemented additional measures to support workers directly impacted by Covid-19 , including those in isolation as per the latest public health guidelines .
We are working closely with public health officials in Rhea County , Tennessee , to ensure we can continue to deliver our high standard of care as we support our workers and our community through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflect well on the farm that they cared enough to test the workers—that 's not likely to be the case on all farms across the country , barring a requirement from state or federal governments that they do so .
Which of course is n't going to come from the Trump administration .
These workers—some permanent residents , many from Mexico and Latin America and about half undocumented—will follow the harvest .
They 'll be transported in buses , and housed in worker dormitories with many people sleeping in the bunkhouse-style rooms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't receiving information on how to protect themselves , much less getting access to the gear to do so .
Beyond the human toll the pandemic could take through the community , it could mean another economic hit for farmers if their crops ca n't be harvested , and for consumers with rising produce prices .
`` The cost will go up , and there will be a little bit less available , '' said Kevin Kenny , chief operating officer of Decernis , an expert in global food safety and supply chains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply issues coming . ''
The only action the Trump administration has taken has been to waive interview requirements for guest workers coming into the U.S. and to exempt farmworkers from the temporary immigration ban it has imposed .
There are not specific protections in place for the migrant farmworkers .
Last week , Rep. Jimmy Panetta , a California Democrat , and 71 of his colleagues wrote to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , urging that protections for them be included in the next response bill .
They want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and education in every applicable language , personal protective equipment including masks for every worker , and hand-washing stations .
`` The COVID-19 pandemic highlights how valuable farmworkers are to our economy , but also how vulnerable they and their families are to the disease , '' the lawmakers wrote .
`` As crops across this country are being harvested , we must act quickly and swiftly to ensure that farmworkers are protected .
The USDA can provide those protections with sufficient funding for farmworkers and their families , which , ultimately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation . ''

"Every Single Worker Has Covid at One U.S. Farm on Eve of Harvest." Read that headline one more time: "Every Single Worker Has Covid at One U.S. Farm on Eve of Harvest." That farm is in Tennessee. A farm in New Jersey has more than 50 workers with the virus, and in a neighboring county nearly 60 more on another farm have been ill. An Oneida, New York greenhouse operation growing tomatoes and strawberries reported nearly 170 infected workers.
These are among the most vulnerable essential workers in the U.S. Essential because they're providing our food. Vulnerable because so many are noncitizen immigrants who don't have access the medical care and live, work, and travel in cramped, crowded situations. Advocates are sounding an alarm bell—it's going to get worse as the harvest around the country ramps up. "We're watching very, very nervously—the agricultural harvest season is only starting now," Michael Dale, executive director of the Northwest Workers' Justice Project in Portland, Oregon, told Bloomberg. "I don't think we're ready. I don't think we're prepared."
"There is woefully inadequate surveillance of what's happening with Covid-19 and farm workers," echoed Erik Nicholson, an official with the United Farm Workers. "There is no central reporting, which is crazy because these are essential businesses." Henderson Farms in Evansville, Tennessee—where every worker has the virus—said they tested the workers out of an "abundance of caution," and now all of them are in isolation on the farm. Most are asymptomatic. "We take our responsibility to protect the essential workers feeding the nation through the pandemic seriously," Henderson Farms Co. said in a statement to Bloomberg. "In addition to continuing our policy of providing free healthcare, we have implemented additional measures to support workers directly impacted by Covid-19, including those in isolation as per the latest public health guidelines. We are working closely with public health officials in Rhea County, Tennessee, to ensure we can continue to deliver our high standard of care as we support our workers and our community through these unprecedented times."
It does reflect well on the farm that they cared enough to test the workers—that's not likely to be the case on all farms across the country, barring a requirement from state or federal governments that they do so. Which of course isn't going to come from the Trump administration. These workers—some permanent residents, many from Mexico and Latin America and about half undocumented—will follow the harvest. They'll be transported in buses, and housed in worker dormitories with many people sleeping in the bunkhouse-style rooms. Many don't speak English and aren't receiving information on how to protect themselves, much less getting access to the gear to do so.
Beyond the human toll the pandemic could take through the community, it could mean another economic hit for farmers if their crops can't be harvested, and for consumers with rising produce prices. "The cost will go up, and there will be a little bit less available," said Kevin Kenny, chief operating officer of Decernis, an expert in global food safety and supply chains. "You really will see some supply issues coming."
The only action the Trump administration has taken has been to waive interview requirements for guest workers coming into the U.S. and to exempt farmworkers from the temporary immigration ban it has imposed. There are not specific protections in place for the migrant farmworkers. Last week, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, a California Democrat, and 71 of his colleagues wrote to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, urging that protections for them be included in the next response bill. They want free testing for all farmworkers, training and education in every applicable language, personal protective equipment including masks for every worker, and hand-washing stations.
"The COVID-19 pandemic highlights how valuable farmworkers are to our economy, but also how vulnerable they and their families are to the disease," the lawmakers wrote. "As crops across this country are being harvested, we must act quickly and swiftly to ensure that farmworkers are protected. The USDA can provide those protections with sufficient funding for farmworkers and their families, which, ultimately, can strengthen the food security of our nation."
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-05-30--Person At Packed Missouri Pool Parties Tests Positive For Coronavirus

If you 're like me , you were looking at the scene in the Ozarks last weekend with eyebrows raised @ @ @ @ @ Yes , you said to yourself , there 's going to be an outbreak from @ @ @ @ @ in a pool drinking .
And behold , there is .
Below is a list @ @ @ @ @ while visiting the Lake of the Ozarks area : • Taxi from Shady Gators to @ @ @ @ @ .
The public who may have been in these places is asked to please monitor @ @ @ @ @ the protests in various cities tonight and having the same concern .
I wish more @ @ @ @ @ masks and keeping more of a distance .
One thing is certain : Covid-19 is @ @ @ @ @ it 's summertime .
Mask up .
Keep your distance .
And for the love @ @ @ @ @ , please stay out of crowded bar-pools .

If you're like me, you were looking at the scene in the Ozarks last weekend with eyebrows raised and a knowing nod. Yes, you said to yourself, there's going to be an outbreak from all of those people standing in a pool drinking.
And behold, there is.
Below is a list of places the person visited while visiting the Lake of the Ozarks area: Saturday, May 23, 2020 Backwater Jacks: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Shady Gators and Lazy Gators Pool: 5:40 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Backwater Jacks 9:40 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday May 24 Buffalo Wild Wings: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Shady Gators: 2:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. -7 p.m.
Taxi from Shady Gators to private residence around 7 p.m.
The public who may have been in these places is asked to please monitor for symptoms
I'm watching the protests in various cities tonight and having the same concern. I wish more of these folks were wearing masks and keeping more of a distance.
One thing is certain: Covid-19 isn't going to disappear because it's summertime. Mask up. Keep your distance. And for the love of all that's holy, please stay out of crowded bar-pools.