thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Explosive UFO Report In NYT Mentions 'Off-World Vehicles Not Made On This Earth'

And one consultant to the agency has briefed Defense Department officials of some highly unusual discoveries ― including items retrieved from “ off-world vehicles not made on this Earth , ” the newspaper said .
The Pentagon has claimed it disbanded its UFO office , but it actually simply changed names and moved .
A Senate committee report suggests it will be expected to make some information public every six months .
The main goal isn ’ t alien spaceships , but rather something much closer to home : to see if confounding sightings ― including some by the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nations .
“ After looking into this , I came to the conclusion that there were reports — some were substantive , some not so substantive — that there were actual materials that the government and the private sector had in their possession , ” Reid told the newspaper .
Astrophysicist Eric W. Davis , who has been a subcontractor and consultant for the Pentagon , told the Times he briefed the Defense Department in March about the “ off-world vehicles not made on this Earth.
” He said he has examined some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t make it ourselves.
” “ We have things flying over our military bases and places where we ’ re conducting military exercises , and we don ’ t know what it is , and it isn ’ t ours , ” Rubio , who is acting chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee , told CBS4 in Miami last week .
He added : “ I would say that , frankly , that if it ’ s something from outside this planet , that might actually be better than the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leap on behalf of the Chinese or the Russians or some other adversary that allows them to conduct this sort of activity.
” Objects in these sightings “ exhibit , potentially , technologies that you don ’ t have at your own disposal , ” making them a national security risk , Rubio said .
The military ’ s encounters with possible UFOs have come under intense interest since several videos were leaked in 2017 showing encounters with fast-moving objects including one given the nickname “ Tic Tac ” because it looked like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part that drew our attention was how it wasn ’ t behaving within the normal laws of physics , ” pilot Chad Underwood told New York magazine last year .
The military has since confirmed that the footage is real , and formally declassified it in the spring , but has said little else about it .
The Navy told UFO researcher Christian Lambright in a Freedom of Information Act request that releasing more information “ would cause exceptionally grave damage to the National Security of the United States.
” “ TTSA welcomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our mission to educate policy makers and support continued interest and engagement on this topic , ” the organization said via Facebook .

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The Pentagon’s secretive UFO unit is going to make some of its findings public, The New York Times reported.
And one consultant to the agency has briefed Defense Department officials of some highly unusual discoveries ― including items retrieved from “off-world vehicles not made on this Earth,” the newspaper said.
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The Pentagon has claimed it disbanded its UFO office, but it actually simply changed names and moved. A Senate committee report suggests it will be expected to make some information public every six months.
The main goal isn’t alien spaceships, but rather something much closer to home: to see if confounding sightings ― including some by the military ― are actually advanced technology from rival nations.
The Times report also hints at possible artifacts from UFO crashes, citing former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
“After looking into this, I came to the conclusion that there were reports — some were substantive, some not so substantive — that there were actual materials that the government and the private sector had in their possession,” Reid told the newspaper.
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Astrophysicist Eric W. Davis, who has been a subcontractor and consultant for the Pentagon, told the Times he briefed the Defense Department in March about the “off-world vehicles not made on this Earth.” He said he has examined some of the materials and concluded “we couldn’t make it ourselves.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also indicated that he was concerned that supposed UFOs could be advanced tech from foreign nations.
“We have things flying over our military bases and places where we’re conducting military exercises, and we don’t know what it is, and it isn’t ours,” Rubio, who is acting chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CBS4 in Miami last week.
He added: “I would say that, frankly, that if it’s something from outside this planet, that might actually be better than the fact that we’ve seen some technological leap on behalf of the Chinese or the Russians or some other adversary that allows them to conduct this sort of activity.”
Objects in these sightings “exhibit, potentially, technologies that you don’t have at your own disposal,” making them a national security risk, Rubio said.
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The military’s encounters with possible UFOs have come under intense interest since several videos were leaked in 2017 showing encounters with fast-moving objects including one given the nickname “Tic Tac” because it looked like one of the candies.
This object, still not publicly identified, dropped from 60,000 feet to just 50 feet in a matter of seconds:
“The part that drew our attention was how it wasn’t behaving within the normal laws of physics,” pilot Chad Underwood told New York magazine last year. Underwood filmed the “Tic Tac” encounter. The military has since confirmed that the footage is real, and formally declassified it in the spring, but has said little else about it.
The Navy told UFO researcher Christian Lambright in a Freedom of Information Act request that releasing more information “would cause exceptionally grave damage to the National Security of the United States.”
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To The Stars Academy, a company co-founded by former Blink 182 frontman Tom DeLonge that has worked to reveal UFO information and helped expose the 2017 videos, celebrated the newest developments.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Trump's 'Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.' Gets Hilariously Weird Makeovers

President Donald Trump ’ s detailed explanation of his cognitive test is taking on a life of its own ― especially the five words that he bragged about memorizing to “ amaze ” his doctors .
Trump this week told Fox News that his doctor asked him to remember and repeat the words : person , woman , man , camera and TV .
“ They say , ‘ That ’ s amazing .
How did you do that ?
’ I do it because I have , like , a good memory , ” he said .
“ Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah Cooper did one of her signature lip-syncs : Some took the musical approach , like this creation on YouTube : The Lincoln Project , a group of anti-Trump conservatives , also went with the remix : Stephen Colbert ’ s “ Late Show ” team made it the heart of a fake movie trailer about the president : On # LSSC tonight : A movie that examines one of the great minds in history is coming soon .
pic.twitter.com/DnMCiPBYsT — A Late Show ( @ colbertlateshow ) July 24 , 2020 And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual selection of memes : Donny only to be matched by one man before ... pic.twitter.com/1lv5h2r92v — Windmill Cancer Awareness 💨 ( @ WindmiIICancer ) July 23 , 2020 Important conversations are happening now .
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President Donald Trump’s detailed explanation of his cognitive test is taking on a life of its own ― especially the five words that he bragged about memorizing to “amaze” his doctors.
Trump this week told Fox News that his doctor asked him to remember and repeat the words: person, woman, man, camera and TV.
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“They say, ‘That’s amazing. How did you do that?’ I do it because I have, like, a good memory,” he said. “Because I’m cognitively there.”
Comic Sarah Cooper did one of her signature lip-syncs:
Some took the musical approach, like this creation on YouTube:
The Lincoln Project, a group of anti-Trump conservatives, also went with the remix:
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Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” team made it the heart of a fake movie trailer about the president:
On #LSSC tonight: A movie that examines one of the great minds in history is coming soon. pic.twitter.com/DnMCiPBYsT — A Late Show (@colbertlateshow) July 24, 2020
And, of course, there was the usual selection of memes:
Actually those ARE the nuclear codes https://t.co/ofFiGvFRdP — James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) July 23, 2020
Donny only to be matched by one man before... pic.twitter.com/1lv5h2r92v — Windmill Cancer Awareness 💨 (@WindmiIICancer) July 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Anthony Fauci Reveals ‘Serious Threats’ To Himself, His Family

Anthony Fauci revealed a chilling personal consequence of his prominence as the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert during the coronavirus pandemic .
Fauci said on Thursday that he ’ s received “ serious threats ” to himself , his wife and daughters ― requiring them to have extra security ― because of his public role as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and adviser to President Donald Trump on the White House coronavirus task force .
“ I ’ ve seen a side of society that I guess is understandable , but it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci told CNN political commentator David Axelrod on the latest episode of “ The Axe Files ” podcast .
“ I mean , really ?
Is this the United States of America ?
” he asked .
Fauci ’ s warnings and advice on the public health crisis ― including advocating social distancing measures and face masks ― has repeatedly put him in conflict with the president and his allies .
President Donald Trump has consistently downplayed the pandemic , pressed to reopen schools and businesses , held campaign events that ignored social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask until recent days .
White House smears of Fauci prompted thousands of public health experts to sign an open letter to Trump describing it as a “ dangerous distraction.
” Fauci compared the threats he receives now to the hate mail that could be pushed aside as “ stupid people saying stupid things ” when he led the agency ’ s response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s .
“ It ’ s really a magnitude different now , ” he told Axelrod .
“ As much as people inappropriately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hero ... there are people who get really angry at thinking I ’ m interfering with their life because I ’ m pushing a public health agenda .
”

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Anthony Fauci revealed a chilling personal consequence of his prominence as the nation’s top infectious disease expert during the coronavirus pandemic.
Fauci said on Thursday that he’s received “serious threats” to himself, his wife and daughters ― requiring them to have extra security ― because of his public role as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and adviser to President Donald Trump on the White House coronavirus task force.
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“I’ve seen a side of society that I guess is understandable, but it’s a little bit disturbing,” Fauci told CNN political commentator David Axelrod on the latest episode of “The Axe Files” podcast.
“I mean, really? Is this the United States of America?” he asked.
Fauci’s warnings and advice on the public health crisis ― including advocating social distancing measures and face masks ― has repeatedly put him in conflict with the president and his allies. President Donald Trump has consistently downplayed the pandemic, pressed to reopen schools and businesses, held campaign events that ignored social distancing and refused to wear a face mask until recent days.
White House smears of Fauci prompted thousands of public health experts to sign an open letter to Trump describing it as a “dangerous distraction.”
Fauci compared the threats he receives now to the hate mail that could be pushed aside as “stupid people saying stupid things” when he led the agency’s response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
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“It’s really a magnitude different now,” he told Axelrod. “As much as people inappropriately, I think, make me somewhat of a hero ... there are people who get really angry at thinking I’m interfering with their life because I’m pushing a public health agenda.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--White House Denies Stephen Miller's Grandmother Died Of Coronavirus

The Trump administration on Thursday rejected assertions that White House adviser Stephen Miller ’ s 97-year-old grandmother had died of the coronavirus after his uncle reported earlier this month that she had fallen victim to COVID-19 .
Mother Jones first reported Thursday that Miller ’ s uncle David Glosser was “ angry and outraged ” at President Donald Trump ’ s “ lack of response ” to the crisis , which has left more than 140,000 people dead in the United States and has infected more than 4 million .
“ This morning my mother , Ruth Glosser , died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many thousands of other people ; both young and old , ” Glosser wrote on Facebook on July 4 .
“ She survived the acute infection but was left with lung and neurological damage that destroyed her will to eat and her ability to breathe well enough to sustain arousal and consciousness.
” “ This is categorically false and a disgusting use of so-called journalism when the family deserves privacy to mourn the loss of a loved one , ” the White House told the magazine .
“ His grandmother did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosed with COVID in March and passed away in July , so that timeline does not add up at all .
His grandmother died peacefully in her sleep from old age.
” Mother Jones obtained a copy of the death certificate , which lists “ respiratory arrest ” linked to COVID-19 as the cause of death .
When the news outlet asked about the document , the White House said it was “ categorically false.
” There is still much about the coronavirus that scientists don ’ t understand .
Up to 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show symptoms while others have lasting , months-long illnesses or even die of it .
Researchers agree that older people and those with compromised immune systems face the biggest risk , but seemingly healthy young people can also end up hospitalized and could die .
Trump has routinely moved to diminish the effects of the coronavirus across the U.S. , claiming , without evidence , that the virus would disappear on its own and that the U.S. was seeing higher numbers of cases only because of increased testing .
Glosser also denied the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother didn ’ t die of COVID-19 complications , saying the White House had attempted to conceal the underlying cause of her death .
“ Keeping the tragic facts about COVID deaths of our countrymen and women , young and old , from the American public serves no purpose other than to obscure the need for a coherent national , scientifically based , public health response to save others from this disease , ” he told Mother Jones .
In his Facebook post , Glosser added that his mother had been cared for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses from other countries .
She died in an assisted living facility in the Los Angeles area , according to Mother Jones .
“ Immigrants all of them , ” Glosser wrote .
“ I am indebted to them for helping us through some very difficult times .
Without them there would be no one to take care of our elderly.
” Miller has been instrumental in the president ’ s anti-immigration policies .
The White House has continued to limit those who can enter the country , often leaning on the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and student visas .

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The Trump administration on Thursday rejected assertions that White House adviser Stephen Miller’s 97-year-old grandmother had died of the coronavirus after his uncle reported earlier this month that she had fallen victim to COVID-19.
Mother Jones first reported Thursday that Miller’s uncle David Glosser was “angry and outraged” at President Donald Trump’s “lack of response” to the crisis, which has left more than 140,000 people dead in the United States and has infected more than 4 million.
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“This morning my mother, Ruth Glosser, died of the late effects of COVID-19 like so many thousands of other people; both young and old,” Glosser wrote on Facebook on July 4. “She survived the acute infection but was left with lung and neurological damage that destroyed her will to eat and her ability to breathe well enough to sustain arousal and consciousness.”
But when asked about Glosser’s death, the White House told Mother Jones the link to the coronavirus was incorrect.
“This is categorically false and a disgusting use of so-called journalism when the family deserves privacy to mourn the loss of a loved one,” the White House told the magazine. “His grandmother did not pass away from COVID. She was diagnosed with COVID in March and passed away in July, so that timeline does not add up at all. His grandmother died peacefully in her sleep from old age.”
The White House did not reply to HuffPost’s request for comment.
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Mother Jones obtained a copy of the death certificate, which lists “respiratory arrest” linked to COVID-19 as the cause of death. When the news outlet asked about the document, the White House said it was “categorically false.”
“She had a mile [sic] case of COVID-19 in March,” a spokesperson responded. “She was never hospitalized and made a full and quick recovery.”
There is still much about the coronavirus that scientists don’t understand. Up to 40% of people infected don’t show symptoms while others have lasting, months-long illnesses or even die of it. Researchers agree that older people and those with compromised immune systems face the biggest risk, but seemingly healthy young people can also end up hospitalized and could die.
Trump has routinely moved to diminish the effects of the coronavirus across the U.S., claiming, without evidence, that the virus would disappear on its own and that the U.S. was seeing higher numbers of cases only because of increased testing.
Glosser also denied the Trump administration’s claim that his mother didn’t die of COVID-19 complications, saying the White House had attempted to conceal the underlying cause of her death.
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“Keeping the tragic facts about COVID deaths of our countrymen and women, young and old, from the American public serves no purpose other than to obscure the need for a coherent national, scientifically based, public health response to save others from this disease,” he told Mother Jones.
In his Facebook post, Glosser added that his mother had been cared for by a group of health aides and nurses from other countries. She died in an assisted living facility in the Los Angeles area, according to Mother Jones.
“Immigrants all of them,” Glosser wrote. “I am indebted to them for helping us through some very difficult times. Without them there would be no one to take care of our elderly.”
Miller has been instrumental in the president’s anti-immigration policies. The White House has continued to limit those who can enter the country, often leaning on the pandemic to restrict foreign workers, asylum applications and student visas.
Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, tested positive for COVID-19 in early May. She works in Vice President Mike Pence’s office as his press secretary.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Spiking COVID Cases, Security Woes, Spurred Trump's Move to Cancel Florida Convention

ASSOCIATED PRESS President Donald Trump faced the reality that an in-person national convention -- which he craved -- would pose too many health risks for attendees and works .
He announced the cancellation of the planned Republican gathering in Jacksonville , Florida , at his Thursday coronavirus briefing .
WASHINGTON ― The inability of local officials to assure needed security and relentlessly increasing coronavirus cases in his new home state spurred President Donald Trump to pull the plug on his nominating convention in Florida on Thursday .
It ’ s the second time Trump has had to cancel what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his nomination for a second term , featuring a packed house of delegates and guests .
Trump angrily moved the convention from its original site , Charlotte , North Carolina , in June , because Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper refused to waive social distancing and mask-wearing rules he imposed in his state to control the spread of the virus .
Trump said from the White House on Thursday that under a new plan , all the delegates will now meet in Charlotte and nominate him in late August ― but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen .
The plan for the past month has been for just the 163 Republican National Committee members to meet there for a formal business meeting just before the planned gathering in Jacksonville , Florida .
“ I don ’ t know what they ’ re doing to do , but they ’ ll figure something out , ” said one top informal White House adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity .
While Trump and his allies had been painting an optimistic scenario for the Jacksonville convention , troubles had been festering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida had seemed as if it had the virus under control when Jacksonville agreed to host the event in early June , the number of coronavirus cases started to jump shortly thereafter , as Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis bowed to White House pressure to hasten a “ re-opening ” of the state .
The adviser , referring to the spurt in the state ’ s cases , said , “ Ten thousand cases a day , and they weren ’ t letting up .
That was just wearing folks down.
” Hosting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being promised to attendees was also going to cause a public relations problem because of the contrast with area residents who are waiting days or weeks to get back their test results , the adviser said .
But the final straw leading to the cancellation came when Jacksonville ’ s sheriff early this week announced that he could not line up the needed security even a smaller convention would need .
Normally a convention city ’ s top law enforcement officer can count on help from other nearby cities .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not willing to send officers , the adviser said .
“ They ’ re using the excuse of the virus , but they ’ re just fucking with Trump , ” he said .
Convention planners seemed to have found a work-around for that problem ― a verbal commitment from DeSantis to send as many as 1,000 National Guard troops to provide security ― but the governor failed to send a letter in time for a planned Jacksonville City Council meeting that would discuss and approve that proposal .
The city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Thursday , Trump decided the downsides of the Jacksonville convention would outweigh the benefits and decided to call it off , the adviser said .
“ I ’ m glad he did it , ” he added .

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WASHINGTON ― The inability of local officials to assure needed security and relentlessly increasing coronavirus cases in his new home state spurred President Donald Trump to pull the plug on his nominating convention in Florida on Thursday.
It’s the second time Trump has had to cancel what he has wanted to be a full-blown celebration of his nomination for a second term, featuring a packed house of delegates and guests. Trump angrily moved the convention from its original site, Charlotte, North Carolina, in June, because Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper refused to waive social distancing and mask-wearing rules he imposed in his state to control the spread of the virus.
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Trump said from the White House on Thursday that under a new plan, all the delegates will now meet in Charlotte and nominate him in late August ― but he offered no details on how that might happen. The plan for the past month has been for just the 163 Republican National Committee members to meet there for a formal business meeting just before the planned gathering in Jacksonville, Florida.
“I don’t know what they’re doing to do, but they’ll figure something out,” said one top informal White House adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity.
While Trump and his allies had been painting an optimistic scenario for the Jacksonville convention, troubles had been festering for weeks beneath the surface.
Although Florida had seemed as if it had the virus under control when Jacksonville agreed to host the event in early June, the number of coronavirus cases started to jump shortly thereafter, as Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis bowed to White House pressure to hasten a “re-opening” of the state.
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The adviser, referring to the spurt in the state’s cases, said, “Ten thousand cases a day, and they weren’t letting up. That was just wearing folks down.”
Hosting a convention where frequent and rapid testing was being promised to attendees was also going to cause a public relations problem because of the contrast with area residents who are waiting days or weeks to get back their test results, the adviser said.
But the final straw leading to the cancellation came when Jacksonville’s sheriff early this week announced that he could not line up the needed security even a smaller convention would need.
Normally a convention city’s top law enforcement officer can count on help from other nearby cities. But the Democratic mayors of Orlando and Tampa were not willing to send officers, the adviser said. “They’re using the excuse of the virus, but they’re just fucking with Trump,” he said.
Convention planners seemed to have found a work-around for that problem ― a verbal commitment from DeSantis to send as many as 1,000 National Guard troops to provide security ― but the governor failed to send a letter in time for a planned Jacksonville City Council meeting that would discuss and approve that proposal. The city’s mayor postponed the meeting until next week.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Ex-GOP House Member: Donald Trump's 'Cake Has Been Baked' On Coronavirus

Former GOP House member Charlie Dent on Thursday cast doubt on President Donald Trump ’ s ability to reverse plunging public opinion on his administration ’ s disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic ahead of the 2020 election .
Trump ’ s “ cake has been baked on the pandemic and its response , ” ex-Rep. Charlie Dent ( R-Pa. ) told CNN ’ s Alisyn Camerota on “ New Day.
” “ I don ’ t think there ’ s much he can do to improve it right now , ” added Dent , who has frequently criticized Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis and prematurely pushed businesses and schools to reopen .
Multiple states are now seeing record daily new infections .
The president finally acknowledged this week that the pandemic is getting worse .
Dent , a moderate who quit Congress in 2018 , also questioned Trump ’ s strategy of attempting to paint himself as a “ law and order ” president by deploying militarized federal agents to cities , including Portland , Oregon , where they have been unlawfully assaulting people involved in protests that spread nationwide after the police killing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and order stuff that he ’ s talking about right now , sending in federal agents into cities , you know , without the consent of the state and local officials is very problematic , ” Dent said .
“ It has to be done collaboratively .
”

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Former GOP House member Charlie Dent on Thursday cast doubt on President Donald Trump’s ability to reverse plunging public opinion on his administration’s disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic ahead of the 2020 election.
Trump’s “cake has been baked on the pandemic and its response,” ex-Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day.”
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“I don’t think there’s much he can do to improve it right now,” added Dent, who has frequently criticized Trump.
Trump consistently downplayed the public health crisis and prematurely pushed businesses and schools to reopen. Multiple states are now seeing record daily new infections. The president finally acknowledged this week that the pandemic is getting worse.
Dent, a moderate who quit Congress in 2018, also questioned Trump’s strategy of attempting to paint himself as a “law and order” president by deploying militarized federal agents to cities, including Portland, Oregon, where they have been unlawfully assaulting people involved in protests that spread nationwide after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“This law and order stuff that he’s talking about right now, sending in federal agents into cities, you know, without the consent of the state and local officials is very problematic,” Dent said. “It has to be done collaboratively.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Judge Bans Federal Officers From Targeting Media In Portland Amid Ongoing Protests

A federal judge temporarily blocked federal law enforcement officers from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers in Portland , Oregon , amid ongoing protests against police brutality and flaring tensions over the deployment of agents in the city .
U.S. District Judge Michael Simon said Thursday there were indications the media had been targeted by federal law enforcement sent to Portland and moved to protect those documenting the rise in tensions .
“ When wrongdoing is underway , officials have great incentive to blindfold the eyes of the Fourth Estate , ” Simon said in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guardian of the public interest , and the judiciary is the guardian of the press.
” The temporary restraining order , in place for 14 days , comes after a lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon .
It also bars federal officers from seizing photography , video or audio equipment , and journalists or legal observers can not be blocked from filming a protest .
“ This order is a victory for the rule of law , ” Jann Carson , the interim executive director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ Federal agents from Trump ’ s Departments of Homeland Security and Justice are terrorizing the community , threatening lives , and relentlessly attacking journalists and legal observers documenting protests .
These are the actions of a tyrant , and they have no place anywhere in America.
” The group has filed a separate case against the Department of Homeland Security , the U.S .
Marshals Service and the city of Portland , alleging agents “ brutally attacked volunteer medics with rubber bullets , tear-gas , pepper spray , batons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently pending before the courts .
Portland has faced nearly 60 days of protests calling for police reform and an end to systemic racism , which have only grown in recent days .
The city has heaved with renewed anger after President Donald Trump sent federal law enforcement to the city to curb the demonstrations , which he said were organized by “ anarchists ” who “ hate our country.
” “ In Portland , we had to do it because they are anarchists , ” Trump told Fox News on Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t seen .
But they are anarchists .
… So , we went in and we have been very , very strong.
” The deployments have prompted violent clashes with protesters as the agents used tear gas against the crowds , even after the judge banned the local police from using such tactics .
There were also several reports of demonstrators being pulled into unmarked vans .
Gov .
Kate Brown ( D ) has lambasted the agents ’ tactics as a “ blatant abuse of power ” and Portland Mayor Ted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas deployed against a crowd of protesters on Wednesday .
“ I ’ m not going to lie — it stings ; it ’ s hard to breathe , ” Wheeler told The New York Times .
“ And I can tell you with 100 percent honesty , I saw nothing which provoked this response .
”

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A federal judge temporarily blocked federal law enforcement officers from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers in Portland, Oregon, amid ongoing protests against police brutality and flaring tensions over the deployment of agents in the city.
U.S. District Judge Michael Simon said Thursday there were indications the media had been targeted by federal law enforcement sent to Portland and moved to protect those documenting the rise in tensions.
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“When wrongdoing is underway, officials have great incentive to blindfold the eyes of the Fourth Estate,” Simon said in his ruling. “The free press is the guardian of the public interest, and the judiciary is the guardian of the press.”
BREAKING: A federal court just blocked federal agents from attacking journalists and legal observers at protests in Portland. The feds launched a full-scale attack on the First Amendment — we’re fighting back. https://t.co/DXpRoC11aj pic.twitter.com/G3hrdBv6Ii — ACLU of Oregon (@ACLU_OR) July 24, 2020
The temporary restraining order, in place for 14 days, comes after a lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon. It also bars federal officers from seizing photography, video or audio equipment, and journalists or legal observers cannot be blocked from filming a protest.
“This order is a victory for the rule of law,” Jann Carson, the interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon, said in a statement. “Federal agents from Trump’s Departments of Homeland Security and Justice are terrorizing the community, threatening lives, and relentlessly attacking journalists and legal observers documenting protests. These are the actions of a tyrant, and they have no place anywhere in America.”
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The group has filed a separate case against the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service and the city of Portland, alleging agents “brutally attacked volunteer medics with rubber bullets, tear-gas, pepper spray, batons, and flash bangs.” The case is currently pending before the courts.
Portland has faced nearly 60 days of protests calling for police reform and an end to systemic racism, which have only grown in recent days. The city has heaved with renewed anger after President Donald Trump sent federal law enforcement to the city to curb the demonstrations, which he said were organized by “anarchists” who “hate our country.”
“In Portland, we had to do it because they are anarchists,” Trump told Fox News on Thursday. “That is a level people haven’t seen. But they are anarchists. … So, we went in and we have been very, very strong.”
The deployments have prompted violent clashes with protesters as the agents used tear gas against the crowds, even after the judge banned the local police from using such tactics. There were also several reports of demonstrators being pulled into unmarked vans.
Gov. Kate Brown (D) has lambasted the agents’ tactics as a “blatant abuse of power” and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was left wheezing after inhaling tear gas deployed against a crowd of protesters on Wednesday.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Labor Blasts Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Challenger For His Work At Anti-Union Law Firm

But as a partner at the notorious anti-union law firm Jackson Lewis , from 2010 to 2013 , Melton-Meaux was no stranger to conflict .
In at least three cases , he represented large companies that were fighting lawsuits from workers claiming they faced discrimination or were cheated out of pay .
“ It ’ s troubling to see somebody who ’ s running as a Democrat have that sort of record , ” said Chris Shields , a spokesperson for the Minnesota AFL-CIO , an umbrella federation that counts most of the state ’ s labor unions among its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what division you are in , but you are still choosing to associate yourself with , and be employed by , a firm that engages in union-busting.
” Asked how Melton-Meaux responded to critics who are skeptical of his pro-union credentials , Faulkner pointed to Melton-Meaux ’ s support for a “ living wage ” tied to inflation and the establishment of paid family leave , as well as his endorsement of the PRO Act , union-backed legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize by , among other things , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor law .
Law partners , as opposed to more junior attorneys , are generally entitled to share in their firm ’ s profits .
If Melton-Meaux ’ s compensation was based on his firm ’ s overall performance , he might have benefited from the firm ’ s anti-union consulting cases even if he did not work on them directly .
In Atem v. Accurate HomeCare , Melton-Meaux was part of a team representing a home health care company whose former employee , Isabelle Atem , sued the company claiming racial and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and intentional infliction of emotional distress .
Atem , a Cameroonian American , said that she was punished for technical violations of company rules while the company ignored similar behavior from white employees .
She also claimed that white co-workers had behaved in a discriminatory fashion toward her .
After becoming pregnant , Atem said , she noticed that the company did not give her work hours for the following month , and she quit in protest over what she considered discrimination .
In September 2013 , a federal judge dismissed some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex discrimination claims to proceed .
In an earlier case , Edwards v. Multiband , Melton-Meaux defended Multiband , a contractor for DirecTV , facing a class-action lawsuit from workers who accused the company of illegally underpaying them .
The company , the workers argued , had paid them based on the completion of their work rather than on an hourly rate , forcing them to work more than 40 hours a week .
Ordinarily , U.S. labor law would entitle workers working more than 40 hours a week to overtime pay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not receive it .
A federal judge approved a financial settlement that the workers reached with the company in March 2012 .
Further , in Halldorson v. Emeritus Corp. , Melton-Meaux represented the then-elder care company Emeritus , which was facing a lawsuit over the firing of one of its employees .
Teresa Halldorson claimed that the company maneuvered to push her out after she returned from a medical leave .
A federal judge ruled in favor of Emeritus in August 2013 .
“ When a case was brought up , [ Melton-Meaux @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the case from both sides ’ perspective and to determine the best course of action for the client , ” Faulkner said .
“ In most instances , the best course of action agreed upon by both employer and employee was to resolve the case in a manner that met expectations on both sides .
”

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When Antone Melton-Meaux, the Minneapolis attorney challenging Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota’s Aug. 11 Democratic primary, discusses his legal career, he tends to focus on his current role as founder of a workplace mediation firm.
It’s a line of work that he credits with inspiring his conciliatory disposition ― a contrast with the “divisiveness” that he says has characterized Omar’s tenure in Washington.
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But as a partner at the notorious anti-union law firm Jackson Lewis, from 2010 to 2013, Melton-Meaux was no stranger to conflict. In at least three cases, he represented large companies that were fighting lawsuits from workers claiming they faced discrimination or were cheated out of pay.
Several Twin Cities labor leaders, who represent unions or labor federations that have endorsed Omar, plan to hold a news conference Friday morning to condemn Melton-Meaux’s work for the firm and suggesting that his role there undermines his commitment to protecting labor rights.
“It’s troubling to see somebody who’s running as a Democrat have that sort of record,” said Chris Shields, a spokesperson for the Minnesota AFL-CIO, an umbrella federation that counts most of the state’s labor unions among its members. “You can parse out what division you are in, but you are still choosing to associate yourself with, and be employed by, a firm that engages in union-busting.”
Antone Melton-Meaux, an attorney, is under fire from labor unions for his time as a partner at an anti-union law firm. He says that he did not work directly on cases undermining unions. Antone Melton-Meaux for Congress
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Rose Roach, executive director of the Minnesota Nurses Association, called Melton-Meaux’s work for the firm “disturbing.”
“It’s hard not to take a look at that and say, ‘Why should we believe you? What’s changed?’” Roach said.
Melton-Meaux’s campaign says that he never represented companies seeking to prevent unionization in their workplace or otherwise undermine their unions’ power.
In fact, while working at another firm, Melton-Meaux represented the National Football League Players Association, the union that represents professional football players, according to campaign spokesperson Jim Faulkner.
Asked how Melton-Meaux responded to critics who are skeptical of his pro-union credentials, Faulkner pointed to Melton-Meaux’s support for a “living wage” tied to inflation and the establishment of paid family leave, as well as his endorsement of the PRO Act, union-backed legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize by, among other things, increasing penalties for employers’ violations of labor law.
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“Our voters know that in Congress, Antone will be a strong supporter of labor and will work hard to strengthen and grow unions across the country,” Faulkner said.
In Faulkner’s Thursday comments, he did not make clear what Melton-Meaux considers a “living wage.” Omar, like organized labor and nearly all members of the House Democratic Caucus, supports raising the federal minimum wage from its current level of $7.25 an hour to $15.
But on Friday, Faulkner added that Melton-Meaux supports a $15 hourly minimum wage and even identifying a higher figure that meets workers’ needs.
“The reality is, even working full time, $15 an hour does not meet the basic cost of living in many areas, such as the Fifth District,” Faulkner said.
Melton-Meaux has received just one donation from a current employee of Jackson Lewis. Weldon Latham, a senior executive who oversees the firm’s internal diversity and inclusion protocols, contributed $300 to Melton-Meaux’s campaign.
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“Our voters know that in Congress, Antone will be a strong supporter of labor and will work hard to strengthen and grow unions across the country.” - Jim Faulkner, Antone Melton-Meaux campaign spokesperson
But Melton-Meaux skirted one of HuffPost’s questions about the nature of his work for Jackson Lewis.
Law partners, as opposed to more junior attorneys, are generally entitled to share in their firm’s profits. If Melton-Meaux’s compensation was based on his firm’s overall performance, he might have benefited from the firm’s anti-union consulting cases even if he did not work on them directly.
Asked on Thursday whether he might have profited from the firm’s anti-union work, Faulkner said, “His compensation was related to work he did related to employment law, not involving union issues.”
In a follow-up exchange on Friday, Faulkner said that Melton-Meaux was never an “equity partner” at Jackson Lewis and thus never shared in the firm’s profits.
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In addition, HuffPost obtained details of three cases in which Melton-Meaux represented large companies being sued by former workers.
Though the cases did not involve efforts to undermine a union organizing drive or other forms of concerted labor activity, in all of them, Melton-Meaux aided powerful companies in cases involving workers with serious claims of wrongdoing.
In Atem v. Accurate HomeCare, Melton-Meaux was part of a team representing a home health care company whose former employee, Isabelle Atem, sued the company claiming racial and sex discrimination, a hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Atem, a Cameroonian American, said that she was punished for technical violations of company rules while the company ignored similar behavior from white employees. She also claimed that white co-workers had behaved in a discriminatory fashion toward her.
After becoming pregnant, Atem said, she noticed that the company did not give her work hours for the following month, and she quit in protest over what she considered discrimination. In September 2013, a federal judge dismissed some of the claims but allowed the racial and sex discrimination claims to proceed.
Reached by HuffPost for comment, Atem said she had reached a settlement with the company and was thus unable to speak about the case.
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In an earlier case, Edwards v. Multiband, Melton-Meaux defended Multiband, a contractor for DirecTV, facing a class-action lawsuit from workers who accused the company of illegally underpaying them. The company, the workers argued, had paid them based on the completion of their work rather than on an hourly rate, forcing them to work more than 40 hours a week. Ordinarily, U.S. labor law would entitle workers working more than 40 hours a week to overtime pay, but in this case, they did not receive it. A federal judge approved a financial settlement that the workers reached with the company in March 2012.
Further, in Halldorson v. Emeritus Corp., Melton-Meaux represented the then-elder care company Emeritus, which was facing a lawsuit over the firing of one of its employees. Teresa Halldorson claimed that the company maneuvered to push her out after she returned from a medical leave. A federal judge ruled in favor of Emeritus in August 2013.
“When a case was brought up, [Melton-Meaux’s] role was to best understand the case from both sides’ perspective and to determine the best course of action for the client,” Faulkner said. “In most instances, the best course of action agreed upon by both employer and employee was to resolve the case in a manner that met expectations on both sides.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) speaks at a union-sponsored Black Lives Matter rally in Washington on July 20. She is backed by a host of labor unions. Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
More than the clients Melton-Meaux represented while at Jackson Lewis, however, his association with the firm itself is a source of concern for labor unions.
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Jackson Lewis advertises its expertise in helping companies remain “union free” through the technically legal closed-door propaganda meetings and veiled threats that companies have increasingly used to wear down unions since the 1980s.
In some cases, the firm may have violated the law. The battery maker EnerSys sued Jackson Lewis in 2004, claiming the firm advised it to engage in illegal retaliation against employees who formed a union at a South Carolina factory. The lawsuit followed EnerSys’ settlement with the federal government, which alleged more than 120 labor violations, for $7.75 million.
Jackson Lewis’s reputation is so strong that Jay Leno, then host of “The Tonight Show,” backed out a paid performance at a human resources trade group conference in Las Vegas in 2000 when he learned that the firm was sponsoring a seminar on union avoidance. (Leno was a member of the union of on-air television workers that would later become SAG-AFTRA.)
Melton-Meaux appears to have been aware that his time at Jackson Lewis would elicit negative attention in a Democratic primary. He omitted his stint there from the biography on his campaign website, even though that section notes that he began his career at the prestigious law firm Skadden Arps.
Likewise, the website for his mediation firm, Work Resolve Mediation, touts his past work as an attorney for St. Jude’s Hospital and Abbott Laboratories but references Jackson Lewis only obliquely. The site says Melton-Meaux “brings a unique skill set to resolving employment disputes leveraging his experience as a partner of an employment law firm.”
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“Everybody can have a change of heart, but you’ve got to walk the walk. Ilhan is a union sister,” said Roach, noting her membership in the public-sector union AFSCME during her time as a state government employee. “She’s a proven entity. Why not stick with what we know?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--‘It’s Past Time’: Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Bernie Sanders Unveil Bill To Strip Fossil Fuel Funding

In the richest and most powerful nation in history , doctors beg for basic protective gear amid a deadly pandemic , 21 % of children live in poverty and 84-year-olds take jobs scrubbing motel toilets to survive .
Yet , as fossil fuel emissions cook the planet and wreak a mounting toll of destruction , the federal government gives oil , gas and coal companies nearly $ 15 billion per year in direct federal subsidies and already directed billions more in support through coronavirus relief programs this year .
New legislation from five of the country ’ s top progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-Minn. ) and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , aims to cut the fossil fuel industry off , HuffPost has learned .
On Friday , the lawmakers plan to introduce a bill barring fossil fuel companies from receiving COVID-19 funding , ending federal support for fossil fuel projects at home and abroad , and abolishing dozens of tax loopholes and incentives for the industry .
“ It ’ s past time we end the billions of taxpayer subsidies to fossil-fuel companies , ” Omar said in a statement .
“ Our focus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people through this difficult , unprecedented time , not providing giveaways to polluters.
” The bill , dubbed the End Polluter Welfare Act of 2020 , is unlikely to gain much traction in Congress , where the House is controlled by business-friendly Democrats and Republicans hold the Senate .
Even if it passed against all odds , President Donald Trump , a fossil fuel hard-liner , would almost certainly veto it .
But the legislation ― co-sponsored in the House by Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán ( D-Calif. ) and by Sens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Jeff Merkley ( D-Ore. ) ― collates the federal fossil fuel support in one place , painting a target on the sources of funding for future legislative efforts .
The bill also calls for a halt to research spending on fossil fuels and financing for new projects overseas .
The authors estimate the legislation would save $ 150 billion over the next decade , money it would earmark for subsidizing poor Americans ’ utility bills and guaranteeing the Black Lung Disability Fund for coal miners .
“ At a time when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an economic decline , it is absurd to provide billions of taxpayer subsidies that pad fossil-fuel companies ’ already-enormous profits , ” Sanders said in an emailed statement .
“ Big Oil made more than $ 2 trillion in profits over the last two decades .
We need more safe , healthy , good paying jobs — not more corporate polluter giveaways .
”

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In the richest and most powerful nation in history, doctors beg for basic protective gear amid a deadly pandemic, 21% of children live in poverty and 84-year-olds take jobs scrubbing motel toilets to survive.
Yet, as fossil fuel emissions cook the planet and wreak a mounting toll of destruction, the federal government gives oil, gas and coal companies nearly $15 billion per year in direct federal subsidies and already directed billions more in support through coronavirus relief programs this year.
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New legislation from five of the country’s top progressive lawmakers, including Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), aims to cut the fossil fuel industry off, HuffPost has learned.
On Friday, the lawmakers plan to introduce a bill barring fossil fuel companies from receiving COVID-19 funding, ending federal support for fossil fuel projects at home and abroad, and abolishing dozens of tax loopholes and incentives for the industry.
“It’s past time we end the billions of taxpayer subsidies to fossil-fuel companies,” Omar said in a statement. “Our focus right now needs to be on getting the American people through this difficult, unprecedented time, not providing giveaways to polluters.”
The bill, dubbed the End Polluter Welfare Act of 2020, is unlikely to gain much traction in Congress, where the House is controlled by business-friendly Democrats and Republicans hold the Senate. Even if it passed against all odds, President Donald Trump, a fossil fuel hard-liner, would almost certainly veto it.
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But the legislation ― co-authored in the House by Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.) and by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) ― collates the federal fossil fuel support in one place, painting a target on the sources of funding for future legislative efforts.
The bill also calls for a halt to research spending on fossil fuels and financing for new projects overseas. The authors estimate the legislation would save $150 billion over the next decade, money it would earmark for subsidizing poor Americans’ utility bills and guaranteeing the Black Lung Disability Fund for coal miners.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Minnesota Adopts Police Reforms Following George Floyd Protests

Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz signed new police accountability reforms into law on Thursday , after nearly two months of protest following the police killing of George Floyd .
The Minnesota Police Accountability Act , passed by state legislators earlier this week , bans chokeholds and neck restraints — like the one used on Floyd , a Black man who died on May 25 after white Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck .
The new law also requires that police officers intervene if they see another officer using excessive force .
“ George Floyd ’ s death brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police reform , ” Walz said at the signing Thursday .
“ It brought issues of racial equity and police accountability into sharp focus.
” The Democratic governor noted that the reforms came out of decades of advocacy by communities of color against racist police brutality , adding : “ This is only a beginning.
” Activists in Minneapolis took to the streets the day after Floyd ’ s killing , and their outrage soon spread to demonstrations in other cities nationwide and eventually around the world .
It ’ s now been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the demonstrations continue in many areas .
In Louisville , Kentucky , non-stop protests have been calling for charges against the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old Black woman whom cops shot in her home in March .
( One of the three officers involved was fired , but none has been arrested or charged . )
In Portland , Oregon , where there are daily anti-racism protests , President Donald Trump sent in federal law enforcement earlier this month , and they have violently cracked down on demonstrators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some significant changes , including the toppling of statues of racists , several school districts severing ties with police , and notably in Minneapolis , the city council pledging to “ begin the process of ending ” the city ’ s police department ( though it remains to be seen what exactly that will look like ) .

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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed new police accountability reforms into law on Thursday, after nearly two months of protest following the police killing of George Floyd.
The Minnesota Police Accountability Act, passed by state legislators earlier this week, bans chokeholds and neck restraints — like the one used on Floyd, a Black man who died on May 25 after white Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck.
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The new law also requires that police officers intervene if they see another officer using excessive force.
“George Floyd’s death brought an unprecedented urgency to the conversation around police reform,” Walz said at the signing Thursday. “It brought issues of racial equity and police accountability into sharp focus.”
The Democratic governor noted that the reforms came out of decades of advocacy by communities of color against racist police brutality, adding: “This is only a beginning.”
All Minnesotans deserve to feel safe and protected by police. I'm joined by members of the @DFLPOCIcaucus to sign the Minnesota Police Accountability Act. Tune in ⬇https://t.co/93VKpC3Ple — Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) July 23, 2020
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Activists in Minneapolis took to the streets the day after Floyd’s killing, and their outrage soon spread to demonstrations in other cities nationwide and eventually around the world. It’s now been more than eight weeks since protests began and the demonstrations continue in many areas.
In Louisville, Kentucky, non-stop protests have been calling for charges against the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman whom cops shot in her home in March. (One of the three officers involved was fired, but none has been arrested or charged.) In Portland, Oregon, where there are daily anti-racism protests, President Donald Trump sent in federal law enforcement earlier this month, and they have violently cracked down on demonstrators.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Teacher Who Voted For Trump In 2016 Now Fears She ‘Signed My Own Death Warrant’

A special education teacher near Tulsa , Oklahoma , said she is haunted by the fear that she “ signed my own death warrant ” by voting for Donald Trump in the 2016 election .
In an op-ed published in USA Today on Thursday , Nancy Shively , a self-described lifelong Republican , condemned the president ’ s push to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic — with in-person instruction beginning this fall — as well as his threats to withdraw federal funding from those that don ’ t .
Shively , who is over 60 and has two autoimmune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by the idea of returning to class in a matter of weeks .
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to spiral in multiple states , including Oklahoma , where Trump held a rally last month that public health officials believe contributed to a significant spread of the virus .
Nancy Shively is an Oklahoma teacher who voted for President Trump .
Now , with the coronavirus pandemic raging , she writes in @ usatodayopinion : `` I am still haunted because , deep down , I fear that with that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death warrant . ''
https : //t.co/xjCfCrcGkf — USA TODAY ( @ USATODAY ) July 23 , 2020 Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos ’ preaching “ to career educators about the benefits of being in school , is not only unnecessary but downright insulting , ” Shively wrote .
“ Of course our kids need to be in school !
And teachers want to be there with them .
For most of us , it is not only a profession but a calling , ” she said .
“ However it needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status quo as it is , that can not be done in most of the country .
And we need to stop pretending that it can.
” Shiveley said she voted for Trump over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton because she believed him to be “ the less bad of two choices.
” “ When the pandemic hit , the incompetence of the man for whom I had voted and the complicity of everyone around him forced me to admit that I could no longer maintain any kind of self-respect as a Republican , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies have repeatedly suggested , without providing any evidence to back up the claim , that some schools are remaining closed in a political bid to harm his reelection campaign .
The National Education Association , the nation ’ s largest teachers union , has insisted that adequate safety measures to protect staff and students need to be funded and in place before they can even consider returning to school .
On Thursday , Trump partially relented on his threats by acknowledging that some schools in areas seeing surges of the virus may @ @ @ @ @

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A special education teacher near Tulsa, Oklahoma, said she is haunted by the fear that she “signed my own death warrant” by voting for Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
In an op-ed published in USA Today on Thursday, Nancy Shively, a self-described lifelong Republican, condemned the president’s push to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic — with in-person instruction beginning this fall — as well as his threats to withdraw federal funding from those that don’t.
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Shively, who is over 60 and has two autoimmune diseases, said she was “terrified” by the idea of returning to class in a matter of weeks.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to spiral in multiple states, including Oklahoma, where Trump held a rally last month that public health officials believe contributed to a significant spread of the virus.
Nancy Shively is an Oklahoma teacher who voted for President Trump. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic raging, she writes in @usatodayopinion: "I am still haunted because, deep down, I fear that with that vote I may have signed my own death warrant." https://t.co/xjCfCrcGkf — USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 23, 2020
Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ preaching “to career educators about the benefits of being in school, is not only unnecessary but downright insulting,” Shively wrote.
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“Of course our kids need to be in school! And teachers want to be there with them. For most of us, it is not only a profession but a calling,” she said. “However it needs to be done safely. With the status quo as it is, that cannot be done in most of the country. And we need to stop pretending that it can.”
Shively said she voted for Trump over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton because she believed him to be “the less bad of two choices.”
This November, she’s promised her vote to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
“When the pandemic hit, the incompetence of the man for whom I had voted and the complicity of everyone around him forced me to admit that I could no longer maintain any kind of self-respect as a Republican,” Shively said.
Trump and his allies have repeatedly suggested, without providing any evidence to back up the claim, that some schools are remaining closed in a political bid to harm his reelection campaign.
The National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, has insisted that adequate safety measures to protect staff and students need to be funded and in place before they can even consider returning to school.
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On Thursday, Trump partially relented on his threats by acknowledging that some schools in areas seeing surges of the virus may need to delay reopening.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Always Rocky, China-U.S. Relations Appear At A Turning Point

Tensions have risen to new heights on what has always been a rocky road , as the ambitions of a rising superpower increasingly clash with those of the established one .
China ordered the closing of the U.S. Consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu on Friday , in rapid retaliation for the closing of its consulate in Houston .
“ The old paradigm of blind engagement with China simply won ’ t get it done , ” he said in a speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in southern California .
” We must not continue it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was Nixon ’ s visit to China in 1972 , the first by an American president since the Communists took power in 1949 , that upended a Cold War paradigm and paved the way for the normalization of relations in 1979 .
The United States had been a close ally of then-Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek in World War II and for three decades recognized Taiwan as the government of China after Chiang fled there when he lost control of the mainland in 1949 .
Relations between Washington and the Communist government in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as China ’ s ties with the Soviet Union deteriorated and leader Mao Zedong sought a counterweight to its more powerful neighbor .
A new leader , Deng Xiaoping , visited the U.S. in 1979 after the establishment of diplomatic ties , smiling in photos as he tried on a cowboy hat in Texas .
The Houston consulate that is being shut opened later the same year .
It was China ’ s first in the United States .
The relationship was punctuated by bouts of tension .
The U.S. continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration sent an aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait in 1996 after China fired missiles toward the island .
In 2001 , a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. Navy surveillance plane collided over the South China Sea , a vital shipping lane in the Asia-Pacific region .
China detained the U.S. crew for days after its plane made an emergency landing at a Chinese base .
As China has grown into the world ’ s second-largest economy , behind only the U.S. , it is increasingly viewed as a competitor , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenger to the Western-led democratic model that has dominated the post-World War II era .
Election-year politics in the U.S. are fanning the flames , as President Donald Trump appears to be using friction with China to drum up support among his base .
Whether or not he is reelected in November , underlying differences will remain .
“ We are looking at a structural change in the relationship , which will continue even if Trump does not get a second term , ” said Steve Tsang , director of the China Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and African Studies .
Militarily , American and Chinese warships often jockey for position in the South China Sea .
Economically , the U.S. is leaning on its allies to exclude Chinese telecom leader Huawei from their mobile networks , raising the specter of cybersecurity .
On human rights , the U.S. is imposing sanctions over Chinese policies in Hong Kong , Tibet and Xinjiang , “ The kind of engagement we have been pursuing has not brought the kind of change in China that President Nixon hoped to induce , ” Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our policies – and those of other free nations – resurrected China ’ s failing economy , only to see Beijing bite the international hands that fed it.
” Chu Yin , a professor at the University of International Relations in Beijing , said Americans who advocated engagement are disappointed that China ’ s economic growth and the emergence of a middle class has enhanced the legitimacy of the ruling Communist Party rather than sparking democratic change .

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BEIJING (AP) — Four decades after the U.S. established diplomatic ties with Communist China, the relationship between the two may have reached a turning point.
Tensions have risen to new heights on what has always been a rocky road, as the ambitions of a rising superpower increasingly clash with those of the established one. China ordered the closing of the U.S. Consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu on Friday, in rapid retaliation for the closing of its consulate in Houston.
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Two weeks ago, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi asked aloud if relations could stay on track. On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered an answer: The time has come to change course.
“The old paradigm of blind engagement with China simply won’t get it done,” he said in a speech at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in southern California. ”We must not continue it. We must not return to it.”
It was Nixon’s visit to China in 1972, the first by an American president since the Communists took power in 1949, that upended a Cold War paradigm and paved the way for the normalization of relations in 1979.
The United States had been a close ally of then-Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek in World War II and for three decades recognized Taiwan as the government of China after Chiang fled there when he lost control of the mainland in 1949.
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Relations between Washington and the Communist government in Beijing began to thaw in the 1970s, as China’s ties with the Soviet Union deteriorated and leader Mao Zedong sought a counterweight to its more powerful neighbor.
A new leader, Deng Xiaoping, visited the U.S. in 1979 after the establishment of diplomatic ties, smiling in photos as he tried on a cowboy hat in Texas. The Houston consulate that is being shut opened later the same year. It was China’s first in the United States.
Setting aside political differences, the U.S. and China promoted economic, social and cultural ties that were briefly interrupted a decade later by China’s military crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
Economic links grew exponentially in the following years, with heavy investment by U.S. businesses in China and an accompanying Chinese trade surplus that has reached $350 billion annually.
The relationship was punctuated by bouts of tension. The U.S. continues to support Taiwan militarily, and the Clinton administration sent an aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait in 1996 after China fired missiles toward the island.
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In 2001, a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. Navy surveillance plane collided over the South China Sea, a vital shipping lane in the Asia-Pacific region. China detained the U.S. crew for days after its plane made an emergency landing at a Chinese base.
As China has grown into the world’s second-largest economy, behind only the U.S., it is increasingly viewed as a competitor, both economically and militarily, and a potential challenger to the Western-led democratic model that has dominated the post-World War II era.
Election-year politics in the U.S. are fanning the flames, as President Donald Trump appears to be using friction with China to drum up support among his base. Whether or not he is reelected in November, underlying differences will remain.
“We are looking at a structural change in the relationship, which will continue even if Trump does not get a second term,” said Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies.
Militarily, American and Chinese warships often jockey for position in the South China Sea. Economically, the U.S. is leaning on its allies to exclude Chinese telecom leader Huawei from their mobile networks, raising the specter of cybersecurity. On human rights, the U.S. is imposing sanctions over Chinese policies in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang,
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Tougher U.S. views on China have now been “baked into the system,” Tsang said.
Pompeo’s speech was the latest in a series of sharp criticisms aimed at China by Cabinet-level U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Attorney General Bill Barr.
Although Trump earlier played up what he called a warm relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, communication between the sides has fallen to new lows.
“The kind of engagement we have been pursuing has not brought the kind of change in China that President Nixon hoped to induce,” Pompeo said. “The truth is that our policies – and those of other free nations – resurrected China’s failing economy, only to see Beijing bite the international hands that fed it.”
Chu Yin, a professor at the University of International Relations in Beijing, said Americans who advocated engagement are disappointed that China’s economic growth and the emergence of a middle class has enhanced the legitimacy of the ruling Communist Party rather than sparking democratic change.
Trump’s domestic political strategy has added some explosive elements to the structural problems in the relationship, he said.
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“China will not take Pompeo’s speech seriously. It is the last cry of a lame duck,” Chu said. “China wants to have dialogue with a U.S. politician who is more commensurate with the status of a major country.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Chicago Removes Christopher Columbus Statue In Grant Park

CHICAGO ( AP ) — Two statues of Christopher Columbus that stood in Chicago parks were taken down early Friday at the direction of Mayor Lori Lightfoot , a week after protesters trying to topple one of the monuments to the Italian explorer clashed with police .
Crews used a large crane to remove the statue in downtown Chicago ’ s Grant Park from its pedestal .
A small crowd cheered and passing cars honked as the statue came down about 3 a.m .
The second statue was removed about 5:30 a.m. Friday from Arrigo Park in Chicago ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued after the statues were taken down , the Democratic mayor ’ s office said they were being “ temporarily removed ... until further notice.
” It said the removals were “ in response to demonstrations that became unsafe for both protesters and police , as well as efforts by individuals to independently pull the Grant Park statue down in an extremely dangerous manner.
” “ This step is about an effort to protect public safety and to preserve a safe space for an inclusive and democratic public dialogue about our city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office said in the statement , which said the statues were removed following “ consultation with various stakeholders.
” Plans to remove the Grant Park statue were first reported Thursday night by the Chicago Tribune and the removal followed hours of vocal confrontations between opponents and supporters of the statue .
On July 17 , protesters had clashed with police , who used batons to beat people and made arrests after they say protesters targeted them with fireworks , rocks and other items .
“ This statue coming down is because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who know the true history of Columbus and what he represents , ” Stefan Cuevas-Caizaguano , a resident watching the removal , told the Chicago Sun-Times .
Both the Grant Park and Arrigo Park statues were vandalized last month .
Statues of Columbus have also been toppled or vandalized in other U.S. cities as protesters have called for the removal of statues of Columbus , saying that he is responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples in the Americas .
Pasquale Gianni of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removal that both statues would be moved and temporarily housed elsewhere for public safety reasons .
“ The Italian American community feels betrayed .
The Mayor ’ s Office is giving into a vocal and destructive minority .
This is not how the Democratic process is supposed to work , ” he told WLS-TV .
Lightfoot and the city planned to announce a process “ to assess each of the monuments , memorials , and murals across Chicago ’ s communities , and develop a framework for creating a public dialogue to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history and diversity , ” the mayor ’ s office added in its statement .
The removals come amid a plan by President Donald Trump to dispatch federal law enforcement agents to the city to respond to gun violence , prompting worries that the surge will inhibit residents ’ ability to hold demonstrations .
A collection of activist groups had filed suit Thursday , seeking to block federal agents to combat violent crime from interfering in or policing protests .
State officials in Oregon had sued for similar requests following the arrival of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of protests in Portland since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
CHICAGO (AP) — Two statues of Christopher Columbus that stood in Chicago parks were taken down early Friday at the direction of Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a week after protesters trying to topple one of the monuments to the Italian explorer clashed with police.
Crews used a large crane to remove the statue in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park from its pedestal. A small crowd cheered and passing cars honked as the statue came down about 3 a.m. The second statue was removed about 5:30 a.m. Friday from Arrigo Park in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood.
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In a statement issued after the statues were taken down, the Democratic mayor’s office said they were being “temporarily removed ... until further notice.” It said the removals were “in response to demonstrations that became unsafe for both protesters and police, as well as efforts by individuals to independently pull the Grant Park statue down in an extremely dangerous manner.”
“This step is about an effort to protect public safety and to preserve a safe space for an inclusive and democratic public dialogue about our city’s symbols,” the mayor’s office said in the statement, which said the statues were removed following “consultation with various stakeholders.”
Plans to remove the Grant Park statue were first reported Thursday night by the Chicago Tribune and the removal followed hours of vocal confrontations between opponents and supporters of the statue. On July 17, protesters had clashed with police, who used batons to beat people and made arrests after they say protesters targeted them with fireworks, rocks and other items.
A protester and Chicago police clash after protesters tried to topple the Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park during a rally on July 17, 2020. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Chicago Tribune via Getty Images
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“This statue coming down is because of the effort of Black and Indigenous activists who know the true history of Columbus and what he represents,” Stefan Cuevas-Caizaguano, a resident watching the removal, told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Both the Grant Park and Arrigo Park statues were vandalized last month. Statues of Columbus have also been toppled or vandalized in other U.S. cities as protesters have called for the removal of statues of Columbus, saying that he is responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples in the Americas.
Pasquale Gianni of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans said the mayor had told him before their removal that both statues would be moved and temporarily housed elsewhere for public safety reasons.
“The Italian American community feels betrayed. The Mayor’s Office is giving into a vocal and destructive minority. This is not how the Democratic process is supposed to work,” he told WLS-TV.
Activists stand at South Columbus Drive and East Roosevelt Road near the Christopher Columbus statue in Chicago on July 20, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Chicago Tribune via Getty Images
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Lightfoot and the city planned to announce a process “to assess each of the monuments, memorials, and murals across Chicago’s communities, and develop a framework for creating a public dialogue to determine how we elevate our city’s history and diversity,” the mayor’s office added in its statement.
The removals come amid a plan by President Donald Trump to dispatch federal law enforcement agents to the city to respond to gun violence, prompting worries that the surge will inhibit residents’ ability to hold demonstrations. A collection of activist groups had filed suit Thursday, seeking to block federal agents to combat violent crime from interfering in or policing protests.
State officials in Oregon had sued for similar requests following the arrival of federal law enforcement due to nearly two months of protests in Portland since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
___
This story has been corrected to indicate that the lawsuit by activists was filed Thursday, not Wednesday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-24--Exclusive: Leader Of Dylann Roof-Worshipping Neo-Nazi Group Exposed

Illustration : HuffPost ; Photo : Facebook Andrew Richard Casarez has been the leading voice in a confederation of neo-Nazis called the “ Bowl Patrol , ” a reference to white supremacist murderer Dylann Roof ’ s “ bowl cut ” hairstyle .
His unmasking comes at a time when there has been a growing threat of violent right-wing extremism in the United States .
A recent report from the Center For Strategic and International Studies found that from 1994 to 2020 , there were nearly 900 terrorist attacks and plots in the country , nearly 60 % of which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2019 , domestic extremists killed at least 42 people in the United States , making 2019 the sixth-deadliest year on record for domestic extremist-related killings since 1970 , according to a February report put out by the ADL Center on Extremism .
It ’ s a shame that there hasn ’ t been a Saint Roof event , another ‘ take me to church ’ event , and that we ’ re really due for another one.
” Andrew Casarez speaking on a podcast under the pseudonym `` Vic Mackey '' Almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evening of June 2 , 2019 , Casarez was on the streets of San Francisco , livestreaming himself antagonizing passersby .
Posing as a “ citizen journalist , ” he approached several different people walking down the sidewalk , claiming he worked for Tucker Carlson of Fox News .
Most didn ’ t stop to talk ; Casarez harangued them , calling out as they passed by that Trump had signed an executive order to free Dylann Roof .
It was of course a lie , but he kept up his enthusiastic role-playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A prominent white supremacist who encourages acts of domestic terror and who once claimed to have influenced the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter is a 27-year-old restaurant worker in California, a new HuffPost investigation has confirmed.
For years, a man using the pseudonym “Vic Mackey” has been the leading voice in a confederation of neo-Nazis called the “Bowl Patrol,” a reference to white supremacist murderer Dylann Roof’s “bowl cut” hairstyle.
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In podcasts, videos and social media posts reviewed by HuffPost, Mackey has called on his followers — including nearly 1,000 on Telegram — to commit hate crimes, threatened activists and journalists with rape and violence and celebrated white nationalist massacres — in Christchurch, New Zealand; El Paso, Texas; Poway, California, and elsewhere — all while keeping his real identity secret.
Even as so many other white nationalists have been unmasked in recent years — among them cops, soldiers and politicians — Mackey has remained elusive. But in recent weeks, the Anonymous Comrades Collective, a group of anti-fascist researchers, has traced Mackey’s online history and believes he is a man named Andrew Richard Casarez, a 27-year-old pizza delivery driver who lives in a Sacramento suburb.
HuffPost has also confirmed his identity via photos, videos and audio clips, and by speaking to people who have known Casarez over the years.
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Casarez did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story.
His unmasking comes at a time when there has been a growing threat of violent right-wing extremism in the United States. A recent report from the Center For Strategic and International Studies found that from 1994 to 2020, there were nearly 900 terrorist attacks and plots in the country, nearly 60% of which were carried out by right-wing extremists. In 2019, domestic extremists killed at least 42 people in the United States, making 2019 the sixth-deadliest year on record for domestic extremist-related killings since 1970, according to a February report put out by the ADL Center on Extremism.
With the white supremacist rhetoric of President Donald Trump and his Fox News bullhorn, the growing economic instability caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the heightened political tensions surrounding this year’s presidential election, violent extremism is expected to grow, according to CSIS.
“It’s a shame that there hasn’t been a Saint Roof event, another ‘take me to church’ event, and that we’re really due for another one.”” - Andrew Casarez speaking on a podcast under the pseudonym "Vic Mackey"
Already, six alleged members of neo-Nazi group The Base were arrested in January after police discovered plans to foment violence at a Virginia gun rights rally and to target an anti-fascist couple in Georgia. And five suspected members ― including two alleged leaders ― of the violent neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division were arrested in February after being accused of targeting journalists by calling police to their homes and dropping off threatening fliers.
Earlier this year, the FBI elevated the threat of racist extremism to a “national threat priority” for the fiscal year 2020. FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee that the new distinction has put white supremacist violence on the “same footing as ISIS and homegrown violent extremists.”
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Making Mass Shooters Into ‘Saints’
Dylann Roof stared blankly ahead during his first court appearance days after he gunned down nine Black parishioners in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015, HuffPost reported from the courthouse at the time. Roof was flanked by two guards in a remote room with a video screen connecting him to the rest of the court. Roof stood silent as families of the victims were given the opportunity to speak.
Nadine Collier, daughter of victim Ethel Lance, said she forgave Roof. Alana Simmons, granddaughter of victim Daniel Simmons, reminded Roof he had failed.
“Hate won’t win,” she told him. “My grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate. Everyone’s plea for your soul is proof that they lived in love and their legacies live in love.”
On the other side of the country, Andrew Casarez was developing an obsession with Roof. Then 22, Casarez was living at home with his parents after a stint in college. A couple of years before, he was on probation for a DUI, public records show. As the years went on, Casarez would become entrenched in his worship of a murderer, working to build a base of like-minded racists who shared his dangerous ideology.
On Discord, a chat app popular among gamers but also frequently co-opted by right-wing extremists, a group emerged called “Bowl Patrol.” Though the exact date the group formed is unclear, members were posting as early as 2017, before that year’s deadly “Unite The Right” white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, according to leaked chat logs obtained by independent media collective Unicorn Riot.
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Many members called for lynchings and used racial slurs. Another member photoshopped an image of himself smiling while standing in front of a pile of dead bodies at a Nazi death camp during the Holocaust. And yet another, who described himself as the founder of the “Bowl Patrol,” described how the group’s memes would help condition people to carry out mass shootings.
“How are they gonna handle stomping a niglet’s head like a grape gusher if a meme is too much for them?” he wrote in one post.
This member’s username was “Vic Mackey,” a name borrowed from the racist, corrupt cop character on the TV show “The Shield.” He fashioned himself the leader of the Bowl Patrol, giving himself the nickname “Head Bowl in Charge,” and transformed the group into a congregation for Dylann Roof worshippers.
“Vic Mackey’s biggest contribution to the white power movement has been to normalize violence and glorify acts of terrorism.” - Cassie Miller, a senior research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center
Eventually, Discord shut down the Bowl Patrol group, but Mackey and the other group members found homes elsewhere online, including on Gab and Telegram.
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Mackey and a few other members produced a podcast, too, called “Bowlcast.” In a December 2018 episode, less than two months after a white supremacist named Robert Bowers allegedly shot and killed 11 people inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Mackey described how the attack had “totally reinvigorated” him.
“The night before that wonderful thing happened, before Saint Bowers went to synagogue, me and some other bowls on bowl patrol were talking with each other and saying … It’s a shame that there hasn’t been a Saint Roof event, another ‘take me to church’ event, and that we’re really due for another one,” Mackey said.
Mackey claimed Bowers had followed him on Gab and that the two had interacted. He also boasted that Bowers had posted memes created by the Bowl Patrol group.
“Robert Bowers is not going to be the last, not by far, he’s not gonna be the last,” Mackey said. “There is going to be a million Bowers flowers blossoming.”
In the year and a half since that episode, Mackey and Bowl Patrol members have “canonized” many more accused white nationalist mass shooters, often celebrating the lives of “Saint Crusius,” “Saint Earnest” and “Saint Tarrant.”
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“Vic Mackey’s biggest contribution to the white power movement has been to normalize violence and glorify acts of terrorism,” Cassie Miller, a senior research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center, told HuffPost recently.
Mackey and the Bowl Patrol’s emergence, Miller argued, exemplifies how American white nationalists have increasingly come to embrace “accelerationism” — the idea that acts of violence are needed to hasten the collapse of society so that a fascist and whites-only state can be constructed in its place.
In 2017, Miller said, prominent voices of the so-called alt-right, emboldened by the election of Donald Trump, were seeking to gain actual political power. New white nationalist groups like Identity Evropa came to prominence with the express intent of infiltrating the GOP. Fascist figureheads like Richard Spencer organized a series of high-profile rallies to promote their abominable ideas to the masses.
But the Bowl Patrol largely saw these attempts at using mainstream political channels as futile. People like Mackey, Miller said, argued that there was no way white nationalists were going “to vote themselves to an ethno-state.”
Instead, the Bowl Patrol promoted violence.
In a November 2018 episode of “Bowlcast,” for example, Mackey implored his listeners to read a “certain monosyllabic book,” a reference to “Siege” by neo-Nazi James Mason, which explicitly advocates lone-wolf terror attacks as a way to begin a race war and promotes the extermination of all nonwhites.
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Thanks to anti-fascist activism, deplatforming by social media platforms and crackdowns by law enforcement, groups like Identity Evropa have fallen largely into disarray since the Charlottesville rally. Mackey and the Bowl Patrol seem vindicated by their failures and have continued to preach crass accelerationist sermons in podcasts and to post genocidal memes to Gab and Telegram.
“All the members of the Bowl Patrol are emboldened by the fact that people don’t know who they are,” Miller said.
Mackey, in particular, she added, “uses anonymity to his favor. And if his name and face are out there, he can’t do that anymore.”
Unmasking Andrew Richard Casarez
As Vic Mackey’s star rose in accelerationist circles, so too did the desire to uncover his real identity.
Last year, Unicorn Riot posted thousands of leaked Discord chats from the Bowl Patrol group. Then, on July 7, the Anonymous Comrades Collective published a blog post identifying Mackey as Andrew Richard Casarez, 27, of Orangevale, California.
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A selfie of Andrew Casarez from a Facebook page found by the Anonymous Comrades Collective. HuffPost has independently confirmed the person in the photo is Casarez. Facebook
HuffPost has since contacted multiple people who know Casarez and were able to identify him from his selfie and from audio clips of his podcast. For their protection, we are not publishing their names or any information that could be used to identify them. All fear the possibility of retribution.
Public records show that Casarez is indeed 27 and lives in Orangevale, a wealthy and predominantly white suburb of Sacramento. He has worked multiple restaurant jobs in the area, including as a pizza delivery driver. He also appears to have once attended the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.
Calls and texts to phone numbers associated with Casarez have gone unanswered. Messages to the Vic Mackey account on Telegram, which has posted messages this month, also went unanswered.
Asked if the FBI was aware of Mackey and the Bowl Patrol, a spokesperson for the agency told HuffPost in an email that “in keeping with DOJ policy, the FBI neither confirms nor denies the existence of investigations.”
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The spokesperson also emphasized that “when it comes to domestic terrorism, our investigations focus solely on criminal activity of individuals—regardless of group membership—which appears to be intended to intimidate or coerce the civilian population or influence the policy of the government by intimidation or coercion.”
“The FBI does not and will not police ideology,” the spokesperson said. If that ideology evolves into real-world crimes, however, the FBI could investigate.
Hometown Hate Crimes
Back in his hometown of Orangevale, at least two places of worship have been targeted in hate crimes. In 2017, Temple Or Rishon, a synagogue, was covered with more than a dozen posters praising Adolf Hitler, white supremacist website the Daily Stormer and Dylann Roof. And earlier this year, a newly opened Sikh temple was vandalized with a spray-painted swastika and the words “white power.”
Casarez seemed to relish the incident at Temple Or Rishon, posting an image from a surveillance video released by police that showed two white males with their faces covered approaching the synagogue. The photo had been edited to add bowl-style haircuts on the men.
“What absolute monsters could have done such a thing?!” he wrote.
On his podcast in 2019, Casarez mused about the best ways to strike terror into the Jewish community.
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“I just wanted to say really quickly that it’s amazing what a few pieces of paper taped up across the street from a synagogue can do,” he said.
Casarez suggested wearing gloves when printing out the paper, and cautioned against using adhesive tape to put posters up because “it can remove paint, and they can consider it vandalism.” In the case of Temple Or Rishon, removing the posters also ripped the building’s paint off the walls, which gave investigators the property damage charge they needed to classify the vandalism as a hate crime.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, which has handled both hate crime incidents, told HuffPost they are investigating Casarez and seized a firearm from his home earlier this month.
In a Discord chat discussing the synagogue vandalism, Casarez promised: “Let’s just say there’s many more pranks to come.”
Role-Playing Hatred To Strangers
As the nation continues to reel from the killing of Black Minneapolis man George Floyd and other victims of police brutality, there have been waves of protests demanding accountability and an end to systemic racism. On June 3, thousands of people in San Francisco marched in a peaceful anti-racism demonstration.
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Almost exactly a year prior, on the evening of June 2, 2019, Casarez was on the streets of San Francisco, livestreaming himself antagonizing passersby. Posing as a “citizen journalist,” he approached several different people walking down the sidewalk, claiming he worked for Tucker Carlson of Fox News. Most didn’t stop to talk; Casarez harangued them, calling out as they passed by that Trump had signed an executive order to free Dylann Roof. It was of course a lie, but he kept up his enthusiastic role-playing even as people largely ignored him.
“So you’re not a fan of Dylann Roof, is what you’re saying?” he asked a man and woman walking together.
“I don’t know who he is, and I don’t know who the fuck you are,” the man responded.
Later, as a Black man who had ignored Casarez walked out of earshot, Casarez turned to his screen and said, “Talk about an Uncle Tom. He doesn’t even care about Dylann Roof being free and killing niggers.”
Vic Mackey, the tough-guy persona that had inspired legions of white supremacists, was livestreaming his heroics. But in real life, Casarez was just alone on the street, talking to the glow of his screen.