thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--L.A. Reporter Releases Video Showing Her Violent Arrest By Deputies

A reporter is refuting accusations made against her by the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department after five deputies pinned her to the ground and forcefully arrested her after she covered a press conference on the ambush shooting of two other deputies in Compton .
Josie Huang , a correspondent for NPR ’ s Los Angeles station KPCC , said she was filming deputies at a distance as they were arresting a protester outside of the St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood , where the press conference was held Saturday night .
After the deputies arrested the man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as seen in her videos she posted Sunday night .
The LASD claimed that Huang didn ’ t identify herself as a reporter and didn ’ t have proper press credentials .
Earlier Saturday , a lone gunman ambushed two deputies , shooting them through an open window of their parked patrol car .
The deputies , a 24-year-old male and a 31-year-old female , were taken to the hospital in Lynwood .
Both underwent surgery and were reported in stable condition on Sunday .
Protesters later showed up at the hospital and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been under fire for allegedly using excessive force in the minority communities under its jurisdiction .
In a series of tweets on Sunday , Huang said she stayed after the press conference at the hospital and was videotaping deputies ’ “ interactions with protesters ” before she was arrested .
In videos posted by Huang , she can be heard identifying herself as a reporter for KPCC as deputies arrest her .
In footage recorded by ABC 7 , also on the scene at the time , Huang can be seen wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the videos , can be heard shouting that she was “ a reporter ... with KPCC ” and screaming for help .
At one point , Huang can be heard saying , “ you guys are hurting me , ” and asking for the deputies to stop .
On Saturday night , ABC 7 aired footage that showed at least five deputies keeping Huang on the ground .
A reporter for the station said on air that the deputies tackled Huang and threw her into a police car .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a member of the press , did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person , ” the department tweeted .
“ We condemn [ the LASD ’ s ] arrest of [ Huang ] while she was working in Los Angeles & are disturbed by video of many officers pinning her to the ground , ” it said in a tweet .
Huang ’ s first video shows that she was recording protesters as they faced off with law enforcement officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s parking lot entrance .
Then , Huang said she began following a group of deputies who were pursuing a man down the street .
In another video , several deputies can be seen approaching Huang before her phone is knocked out of her hand .
Huang can be heard screaming , yelling for help and identifying herself as a reporter .
“ We offer condolences to the two sheriff deputies who were shot Saturday evening , ” KPCC said in a statement , according to LAist.com .
“ These are challenging and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huang was arrested while doing her job .
The charges should be dropped.
” “ Her arrest is the latest in a series of troubling interactions between our reporters and some local law enforcement officers , ” the statement continued .
“ Journalists provide an essential service , providing fair , accurate and timely journalism and without them , our democracy is at risk.
” The Committee to Protect Journalists said it is investigating “ more than 800 reported attacks on journalists in the U.S. ” since late May , “ the majority @ @ @ @ @

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A reporter is refuting accusations made against her by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after five deputies pinned her to the ground and forcefully arrested her after she covered a press conference on the ambush shooting of two other deputies in Compton.
Josie Huang, a correspondent for NPR’s Los Angeles station KPCC, said she was filming deputies at a distance as they were arresting a protester outside of the St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where the press conference was held Saturday night.
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After the deputies arrested the man, other deputies turned to detain Huang, as seen in her videos she posted Sunday night. The LASD claimed that Huang didn’t identify herself as a reporter and didn’t have proper press credentials.
However, footage from Huang and other witnesses shows otherwise.
ABC7 showing video of radio reporter being taken down to the pavement by officers, handcuffed and led to a patrol car outside of hospital where two #LA County deputies shot in ambush are being treated @LASDHQ #crime #SoCal pic.twitter.com/rTg1UdeDKA — Scott Schwebke (@TheChalkOutline) September 13, 2020
Earlier Saturday, a lone gunman ambushed two deputies, shooting them through an open window of their parked patrol car. The deputies, a 24-year-old male and a 31-year-old female, were taken to the hospital in Lynwood. Both underwent surgery and were reported in stable condition on Sunday.
Protesters later showed up at the hospital and confronted law officers. The LASD has been under fire for allegedly using excessive force in the minority communities under its jurisdiction.
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In a series of tweets on Sunday, Huang said she stayed after the press conference at the hospital and was videotaping deputies’ “interactions with protesters” before she was arrested.
In videos posted by Huang, she can be heard identifying herself as a reporter for KPCC as deputies arrest her. In footage recorded by ABC 7, also on the scene at the time, Huang can be seen wearing a lanyard with a card attached to it.
In the videos, Huang can be heard shouting that she was “a reporter ... with KPCC” and screaming for help. At one point, Huang can be heard saying, “you guys are hurting me,” and asking for the deputies to stop.
ABC 7 reporter Leanna Suter confirmed that the lanyard had Huang’s “press ID”.
On Saturday night, ABC 7 aired footage that showed at least five deputies keeping Huang on the ground. A reporter for the station said on air that the deputies tackled Huang and threw her into a police car.
Hours after Huang’s arrest, the LASD claimed in several tweets that it had arrested a female member of the press for penal code 148, which covers obstruction of justice and resisting arrest.
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The department said Huang “ignored repeated commands to stay back” and accused her of interfering with the arrest.
“The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person,” the department tweeted.
The LASD did not immediately respond to a HuffPost request for comment.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit that advocates for press freedom, said it was disturbed by Huang’s arrest.
“We condemn [the LASD’s] arrest of [Huang] while she was working in Los Angeles & are disturbed by video of many officers pinning her to the ground,” it said in a tweet.
(2/3) During his arrest, a struggle ensued at which time a female adult ran towards the deputies, ignored repeated commands to stay back as they struggled with the male and interfered with the arrest… — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
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(3/3) The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person. Both individuals have been arrested for 148 P.C. — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
Huang’s first video shows that she was recording protesters as they faced off with law enforcement officers in the front of the hospital’s parking lot entrance. Then, Huang said she began following a group of deputies who were pursuing a man down the street.
“I walked behind, using the zoom on my camera so I could keep physical distance,” Huang tweeted.
As Huang films deputies arresting the man they were following, deputies can be heard saying, “Back up.” Seconds later, Huang can be heard repeatedly saying, “Ouch!”
In another video, several deputies can be seen approaching Huang before her phone is knocked out of her hand. Huang can be heard screaming, yelling for help and identifying herself as a reporter.
Somehow I was able to start a new video right away. You see my phone clatter to the ground and I start shouting “I’m a reporter...I’m with KPCC.” I scream for help from the TV reporters I know are around the corner doing their 11 p.m. live hits pic.twitter.com/O9CZNuSrQI — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
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In a public statement, KPCC acknowledged that the ambush on the two deputies created a “challenging and stressful” situation, but it called on the LASD to drop the charges against Huang.
“We offer condolences to the two sheriff deputies who were shot Saturday evening,” KPCC said in a statement, according to LAist.com. “These are challenging and stressful times for everyone, but Josie Huang was arrested while doing her job. The charges should be dropped.”
“Her arrest is the latest in a series of troubling interactions between our reporters and some local law enforcement officers,” the statement continued. “Journalists provide an essential service, providing fair, accurate and timely journalism and without them, our democracy is at risk.”
LAist is KPCC’s sister site.
In its own statement, NPR said the organization was “appalled” by Huang’s arrest and said that journalists’ rights are protected by the First Amendment.
The Asian American Journalism Association, of which Huang is a member, called for an investigation into her arrest and an apology from LASD.
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KPCC’s executive editor Megan Garvey posted images of Huang’s injuries, including scratches to her ankle and arm, from the arrest.
So @josie_huang is out. A bit bruised but heading home pic.twitter.com/qVR43rJGij — Megan Garvey (@garveymcvg) September 13, 2020
The shooting of the deputies was captured on tape and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorized a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman.
Tensions between law enforcement and anti-racism protesters have remained high as protests against racial injustice and systematic racism persist in major cities across the U.S., sparked by several high-profile police killings of Black people this year.
While some protests have given way to riots and looting, people at other peaceful demonstrations have been met with aggressive and violent police tactics. Over the summer, a number of journalists were arrested while reporting on the protests, including HuffPost’s Chris Mathias.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--Weather May Turn For The Worse As West Coast Fires Death Toll Reaches 35

BEAVERCREEK , Ore. ( AP ) — Nearly all the dozens of people reported missing after a devastating blaze in southern Oregon have been accounted for , authorities said over the weekend as crews battled wildfires that have killed at least 33 from California to Washington state .
The flames up and down the West Coast have destroyed neighborhoods , leaving nothing but charred rubble and burned-out cars , forced tens of thousands to flee and cast a shroud of smoke that has given Seattle , San Francisco and Portland , Oregon , some of the worst air quality in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air with an acrid metallic smell like pennies and spread to nearby states .
While making it difficult to breathe , it helped firefighters by blocking the sun and turning the weather cooler as they tried to get a handle on the blazes , which were slowing in some places .
Lexi Soulios , her husband and son were afraid they would have to evacuate for a second time because of the weather .
They left their small southern Oregon town of Talent last week when they saw a “ big , huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” then went past roadblocks Friday to pick through the charred ruins of their home .
While they are staying farther south in Ashland , known for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival , she said by text message that the forecast may mean they could be on the move again .
Authorities last week reported as many as 50 people could be missing after a wildfire in the Ashland area .
But the Jackson County sheriff ’ s office said late Saturday that four people had died in the blaze and that the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least 10 people have been killed in the past week throughout Oregon .
Officials have said more people are missing from other fires , and the number of fatalities is likely to rise , though they have not said how high the toll could go as they search .
In California , 22 people have died , and one in Washington state .
Thousands of homes and other buildings have burned .
Barbara Rose Bettison , 25 , left her farm among the trees and fields of Eagle Creek , outside Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knocked on her door Tuesday .
They drove away on a road that became an ominous dividing line , with blue skies on one side and the other filled with black and brown smoke .
Bettison , a UPS driver , was able to get out with her chickens , rabbits and cats .
She hasn ’ t been back , but neighbors said it is so smoky they can ’ t see their hands in front of their faces .
“ It is maddening right now that when we have this cosmic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire West Coast of the United States on fire , to have a president to deny that these are not just wildfires , these are climate fires , ” Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee said Sunday on ABC ’ s “ This Week.
” At a rally in Nevada , Trump blamed inadequate forest management , which White House adviser Peter Navarro echoed on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union , ” saying that for many years in California , “ particularly because of budget cutbacks , there was no inclination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost track of time because you can ’ t see the sun and you ’ ve been up for so many days , ” he said .
“ Forty-eight to 72 hours nonstop , you feel like you ’ re in a dream.
” As he and his team battled the blazes , McAdoo worried about his wife and daughter at home just miles away .
They evacuated safely , but at times he could communicate with them only in one-word text messages : “ busy.
” McAdoo and other firefighters got their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , shave and check their equipment .
And though it ’ s a faint shadow of its usual self , he can finally see the sun .

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BEAVERCREEK, Ore. (AP) — Nearly all the dozens of people reported missing after a devastating blaze in southern Oregon have been accounted for, authorities said over the weekend as crews battled wildfires that have killed at least 33 from California to Washington state.
The flames up and down the West Coast have destroyed neighborhoods, leaving nothing but charred rubble and burned-out cars, forced tens of thousands to flee and cast a shroud of smoke that has given Seattle, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, some of the worst air quality in the world.
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The smoke filled the air with an acrid metallic smell like pennies and spread to nearby states. While making it difficult to breathe, it helped firefighters by blocking the sun and turning the weather cooler as they tried to get a handle on the blazes, which were slowing in some places.
But warnings of low moisture and strong winds that could fan the flames added urgency to the battle. The so-called red flag warnings stretched from hard-hit southern Oregon to Northern California and extended through Monday evening.
Shayanne Summers holds her dog Toph while wrapped in a blanket after several days of staying in a tent at an evacuation center at the Milwaukie-Portland Elks Lodge on Sunday. ASSOCIATED PRESS / John Locher
Lexi Soulios, her husband and son were afraid they would have to evacuate for a second time because of the weather. They left their small southern Oregon town of Talent last week when they saw a “big, huge flow of dark smoke coming up,” then went past roadblocks Friday to pick through the charred ruins of their home.
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While they are staying farther south in Ashland, known for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, she said by text message that the forecast may mean they could be on the move again.
“So this isn’t over yet but we just had the car checked so we feel prepared,” Lexi Soulios wrote.
Authorities last week reported as many as 50 people could be missing after a wildfire in the Ashland area. But the Jackson County sheriff’s office said late Saturday that four people had died in the blaze and that the number of missing was down to one.
At least 10 people have been killed in the past week throughout Oregon. Officials have said more people are missing from other fires, and the number of fatalities is likely to rise, though they have not said how high the toll could go as they search. In California, 22 people have died, and one in Washington state. Thousands of homes and other buildings have burned.
Barbara Rose Bettison, 25, left her farm among the trees and fields of Eagle Creek, outside Portland, when a sheriff’s deputy knocked on her door Tuesday. They drove away on a road that became an ominous dividing line, with blue skies on one side and the other filled with black and brown smoke.
She took shelter at an Elks Lodge near Portland, where evacuees wrapped themselves in blankets and set up tents out back.
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“It’s terrifying. We’ve never had any form of natural disaster,” she said.
Firefighters monitor a controlled burn along Nacimiento-Fergusson Road to help contain the Dolan Fire near Big Sur, California, on Friday. ASSOCIATED PRESS / Nic Coury
Bettison, a UPS driver, was able to get out with her chickens, rabbits and cats. She hasn’t been back, but neighbors said it is so smoky they can’t see their hands in front of their faces.
“I’m hoping there has not been too much damage because it would break my heart,” she said.
Farther south in the town of Talent, Dave Monroe came to his burned home, partially hoping he’d find his three cats.
“We thought we’d get out of this summer with no fires,” he said. “There is something going on, that’s for sure, man. Every summer we’re burning up.”
Numerous studies in recent years have linked bigger wildfires in the U.S. to global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas.
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The Democratic governors of all three states say the fires are a consequence of climate change, taking aim at President Donald Trump ahead of his visit Monday to California for a fire briefing.
“It is maddening right now that when we have this cosmic challenge to our communities, with the entire West Coast of the United States on fire, to have a president to deny that these are not just wildfires, these are climate fires,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
At a rally in Nevada, Trump blamed inadequate forest management, which White House adviser Peter Navarro echoed on CNN’s “State of the Union,” saying that for many years in California, “particularly because of budget cutbacks, there was no inclination to manage our forests.”
Firefighter Steve McAdoo has run from one blaze to another in Oregon for six days, seeing buildings burn and trees light up like candles.
“We lost track of time because you can’t see the sun and you’ve been up for so many days,” he said. “Forty-eight to 72 hours nonstop, you feel like you’re in a dream.”
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As he and his team battled the blazes, McAdoo worried about his wife and daughter at home just miles away. They evacuated safely, but at times he could communicate with them only in one-word text messages: “busy.”
McAdoo and other firefighters got their first real break Sunday to take showers, shave and check their equipment. And though it’s a faint shadow of its usual self, he can finally see the sun.
“It’s nice today to at least see the dot in the sky,” he said.
Meanwhile, Oregon’s fire marshal, who resigned after being placed on leave amid a personnel investigation, says he was trying to help a colleague and “didn’t do anything wrong.”
Jim Walker told TV news station KOIN in Portland that state police leaders put him on leave after he tried to help a co-worker whose family was missing in a fire zone, saying his superiors decided he had overstepped his authority.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--'Certified Young Person' Paul Rudd Drops 'Real Talk' On Wearing Masks

How do you do , fellow kids ?
Actor and “ certified young person ” Paul Rudd thinks it would be totally beast if you and your dank squad could wear a mask .
The ageless ( 51-year-old ) “ Ant-Man ” star pretended to be 26 in a PSA for young people that was so intentionally cringeworthy it was actually kinda great .
He teamed up with online magazine First We Feast and the state of New York for the meme and internet slang-filled missive to help prevent the spread of coronavirus .
“ A few days ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my homie , Governor Cuomo , and he ’ s just going off about how us millennials need to wear masks because , get this , apparently a lot of COVID is transmitted by us millennials , ” Rudd says , wearing a yellow hoodie and New York cap .
“ So fam , let ’ s real talk .
Masks ?
They ’ re totally beast , ” he says at another point , reminding viewers that masks “ protect you and your dank squad because caring about other people is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The PSA also features a mock phone call with Rudd ’ s fellow youth and mask-wearer Billie Eilish , the inception of the “ stop the pandemic ” and “ save grandma ” TikTok challenges , and some seriously bad beatboxing that turns into a very serious reminder : “ Hundreds of thousands of people are dying and it ’ s preventable .
It ’ s preventable .
Just wear a mask , I shouldn ’ t have to make it fun .
It ’ s science.
” Here is the PSA in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo .
New York State law requires anyone over age 2 who can medically tolerate a face covering to wear one in public when it ’ s not possible to maintain social distancing .
Cuomo announced last week that New Yorkers who refuse to comply with mask mandates on public transport could be subject to a $ 50 fine , effective Monday .
Rudd ’ s advice was a home run on Twitter , where his name was the top trending topic on Monday evening .
Paul Rudd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your dank squad '' is a gift to each and every one of us pic.twitter.com/JZ3eDQ2ppO — Rachel Paige ( @ rachmeetsworld ) September 14 , 2020 This is the best thing I 've seen in weeks .
And it convinces me that we need a live-action Poochie film starring Paul Rudd .
https : //t.co/2Jx06ZgFJK — Kevin M. Kruse ( @ KevinMKruse ) September 14 , 2020

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How do you do, fellow kids? Actor and “certified young person” Paul Rudd thinks it would be totally beast if you and your dank squad could wear a mask.
The ageless (51-year-old) “Ant-Man” star pretended to be 26 in a PSA for young people that was so intentionally cringeworthy it was actually kinda great.
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He teamed up with online magazine First We Feast and the state of New York for the meme and internet slang-filled missive to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“A few days ago, I was talking on the iPhone with my homie, Governor Cuomo, and he’s just going off about how us millennials need to wear masks because, get this, apparently a lot of COVID is transmitted by us millennials,” Rudd says, wearing a yellow hoodie and New York cap.
“So fam, let’s real talk. Masks? They’re totally beast,” he says at another point, reminding viewers that masks “protect you and your dank squad because caring about other people is the new not caring about other people.”
The PSA also features a mock phone call with Rudd’s fellow youth and mask-wearer Billie Eilish, the inception of the “stop the pandemic” and “save grandma” TikTok challenges, and some seriously bad beatboxing that turns into a very serious reminder: “Hundreds of thousands of people are dying and it’s preventable. It’s preventable. Just wear a mask, I shouldn’t have to make it fun. It’s science.”
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Here is the PSA in all its awkward glory, courtesy of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
New York State law requires anyone over age 2 who can medically tolerate a face covering to wear one in public when it’s not possible to maintain social distancing.
Cuomo announced last week that New Yorkers who refuse to comply with mask mandates on public transport could be subject to a $50 fine, effective Monday.
“This nation is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic and young people are not immune from it,” Cuomo said in a statement emailed to HuffPost. “We all need to do our part and wear a mask. Thanks to Paul Rudd for helping us spread this crucial message and reach young people like him.”
The video is part of Cuomo's nationwide "Mask Up America" campaign, which features a series of videos narrated by celebrities.
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Rudd’s advice was a home run on Twitter, where his name was the top trending topic on Monday evening.
Paul Rudd saying, "masks protect you and your dank squad" is a gift to each and every one of us pic.twitter.com/JZ3eDQ2ppO — Rachel Paige (@rachmeetsworld) September 14, 2020
This is the best thing I've seen in weeks.
And it convinces me that we need a live-action Poochie film starring Paul Rudd. https://t.co/2Jx06ZgFJK — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) September 14, 2020
Protect Paul Rudd at all costs. https://t.co/4lRbmp4g9X — Sunshine Boy™☀ (@AlexGaskarth) September 14, 2020
I have watched this 6 times. I don’t anticipate stopping anytime soon. Paul Rudd is the greatest actor of our time. pic.twitter.com/9VdNeQ9VCT — Emma Fyffe (@EmmaFyffe) September 14, 2020
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Paul Rudd is the hero we need. pic.twitter.com/3HnsI2fn8d — Adam Rose (@RealAdamRose) September 14, 2020
Paul Rudd is a national treasure pic.twitter.com/dXwLhSpsIb — Will Baggett🧢 (@steamboatbillie) September 14, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Trump Health Official Spreads False Conspiracies About CDC

A top official at the nation ’ s health department spread false conspiracies about the Centers for Disease Control in a Facebook Live on Sunday , baselessly accusing government scientists of having a “ resistance unit ” and plotting “ how they ’ re going to attack Donald Trump , ” reported The New York Times .
Michael Caputo , the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services , is a former Trump campaign official who has no medical background .
He was appointed to his role in April .
In a live video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also reportedly predicted that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden would not accept the election results .
When Trump “ refuses to stand down at the inauguration , the shooting will begin , ” Caputo said , recommending that people who own guns “ buy ammunition.
” Caputo ’ s comments came days after a Politico report that his communications team at the health department had demanded to review the CDC ’ s regular reports on the coronavirus pandemic , and even pressured the agency to change the wording on some reports .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDC of trying to “ hurt the President ” and “ writing hit pieces on the administration.
” The White House and health department did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
The department told the Times in a statement that Caputo was a “ critical , integral part of the president ’ s coronavirus response , leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic.
” House Democrats are now investigating “ efforts by political appointees ” at the health department to “ block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the CDC , per Politico .
The U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus cases and deaths , with over 6.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 194,000 dead so far .

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A top official at the nation’s health department spread false conspiracies about the Centers for Disease Control in a Facebook Live on Sunday, baselessly accusing government scientists of having a “resistance unit” and plotting “how they’re going to attack Donald Trump,” reported The New York Times.
Michael Caputo, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, is a former Trump campaign official who has no medical background. He was appointed to his role in April.
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In a live video on his personal Facebook page, Caputo also reportedly predicted that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden would not accept the election results. When Trump “refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin,” Caputo said, recommending that people who own guns “buy ammunition.”
Caputo’s comments came days after a Politico report that his communications team at the health department had demanded to review the CDC’s regular reports on the coronavirus pandemic, and even pressured the agency to change the wording on some reports. One email from a Caputo aide reportedly accused the CDC of trying to “hurt the President” and “writing hit pieces on the administration.”
The White House and health department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The department told the Times in a statement that Caputo was a “critical, integral part of the president’s coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic.”
House Democrats are now investigating “efforts by political appointees” at the health department to “block the publication of accurate scientific reports” by the CDC, per Politico.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--COVID-19 Patients Twice As Likely To Have Dined Out Before Illness: CDC Study

A month-long investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that study participants who tested positive for COVID-19 were roughly twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant within two weeks of the onset of illness than those who tested negative for the virus .
The findings , published Friday , follow health officials surveying 314 symptomatic outpatients about their personal activities after they sought testing at 11 U.S. health care facilities during the month of July .
The review included 154 participants who tested positive for the virus and 160 control participants who tested negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places that offer on-site eating or drinking may be “ important risk factors for acquiring COVID-19.
” An outdoor dining area in New York City on July 30 .
Adults who tested positive for the coronavirus were roughly twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant within two weeks of having symptoms , a CDC study found .
“ As communities reopen , efforts to reduce possible exposures at locations that offer on-site eating and drinking options should be considered to protect customers , employees , and communities , ” the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find a significant difference in positivity rate when it came to the patients who participated in activities other than dining at a restaurant , such as going shopping , going to a gym or office or using public transportation .
“ Masks can not be effectively worn while eating and drinking , whereas shopping and numerous other indoor activities do not preclude mask use , ” the CDC stated .
The CDC report also noted that there have been reports of virus exposure in restaurants related to air circulation , though participants were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether they had dined indoors or outdoors .
Even if masks are worn and social distancing measures are practiced , the CDC warned that airflow may affect virus transmission .

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A month-long investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that study participants who tested positive for COVID-19 were roughly twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant within two weeks of the onset of illness than those who tested negative for the virus.
The findings, published Friday, follow health officials surveying 314 symptomatic outpatients about their personal activities after they sought testing at 11 U.S. health care facilities during the month of July. The review included 154 participants who tested positive for the virus and 160 control participants who tested negative.
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The report concluded that going to places that offer on-site eating or drinking may be “important risk factors for acquiring COVID-19.”
An outdoor dining area in New York City on July 30. Adults who tested positive for the coronavirus were roughly twice as likely to have dined at a restaurant within two weeks of having symptoms, a CDC study found. Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
“As communities reopen, efforts to reduce possible exposures at locations that offer on-site eating and drinking options should be considered to protect customers, employees, and communities,” the CDC report states.
The report did not find a significant difference in positivity rate when it came to the patients who participated in activities other than dining at a restaurant, such as going shopping, going to a gym or office or using public transportation.
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“Masks cannot be effectively worn while eating and drinking, whereas shopping and numerous other indoor activities do not preclude mask use,” the CDC stated.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Trump Flails In Attempt To Defend High-Risk, Indoor Campaign Rally In Nevada

Aren ’ t you concerned about getting COVID in an enclosed room ?
What about people here ?
“ I @ @ @ @ @ how close you are , ” he said , ignoring the question and gesturing to @ @ @ @ @ about that .
“ Because you know why ?
” Trump continued .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s very far away .
And so I ’ m not at all @ @ @

Aren’t you concerned about getting COVID in an enclosed room?
“No, I’m not concerned.”
What about people here?
“I’m more concerned about how close you are,” he said, ignoring the question and gesturing to Saunders’ proximity.
Sorry about that.
“Because you know why?” Trump continued. “I’m on a stage that’s very far away. And so I’m not at all concerned.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Despite Trump Fearmongering, Republicans Push Absentee Voting In Mailers, Robocalls

“ Because of MAIL-IN BALLOTS , 2020 will be the most RIGGED Election in our nations history - unless this stupidity is ended .
We voted during World War One & World War Two with no problem , but now they are using Covid in order to cheat by using Mail-Ins !
” he tweeted on June 22 .
Trump has explicitly said that he ’ s against expanding this form of voting because he believes that the more people who turn out , the more likely it is that Democrats will win .
That shift is a problem for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be reluctant to vote in person because of the coronavirus pandemic .
And it ’ s been a particular headache in places like Florida , where the Republican Party has traditionally had a strong vote-by-mail program and uses it to turn out its supporters .
Florida Republicans had a 55,000-vote edge over Democrats in that method in the general elections of 2016 and 2018 , according to the Tampa Bay Times .
More recently , Democrats in the state said they now believe they have a 500,000-vote advantage in mail-in ballot enrollment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are fine when a voter has to request an absentee ballot .
The problem , they say , comes when everyone is just automatically mailed an absentee ballot to fill out and return .
“ The Republican Party of Florida ( RPOF ) has always agreed with President Trump that absentee balloting , which is also known as Vote by Mail is safe and secure ― it is also the system that we have in Florida , ” said party spokeswoman Alia Faraj-Johnson .
“ It is important to note that Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote absentee go through a process which has worked through many election cycles without being compromised and is easily understood by Florida voters .
Florida will not and has not proposed an all-mail election to which the RPOF and President Trump remain staunchly opposed to .
It ’ s important that Florida ’ s system of voting by mail not be confused with universal mail-ins.
” For months , Trump was trying to claim there was a difference between “ mail-in voting ” ( bad ) and “ absentee ballots ” ( good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP allies are saying acknowledging they ’ re the same and saying the real problem is universal or all-mail systems .
But voting rights experts say Trump is trying to create a distinction that ’ s inaccurate .
While there are a handful of states where voting predominantly takes place by mail ― Oregon , Colorado , Hawaii , Utah and Washington ― many of those systems have been in place for years , and they do not have problems with voter fraud .
( Voter fraud , in any form , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only registered voters receive ballots .
“ Donald Trump and his allies have spent months spreading debunked lies about voting by mail , so it ’ s a bit hypocritical — but hardly surprising — to hear them changing their tune as they fall further and further behind Democrats in absentee ballot requests , ” said Biden campaign spokesman Michael Gwin .
“ The reality is that Trump ’ s wild and inaccurate claims about voting by mail have only served to depress Republican enthusiasm for voting , even as our campaign and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record levels of enthusiasm among Democrats for early voting.
” Voters in Florida and other states are also getting robocalls from the Republican National Committee trying to clear up the vote-by-mail issue .
It ’ s created a situation where the GOP has had to go through some hoops to explain why the president himself voted by mail but has still railed against the practice .
“ President Trump has already voted absentee this year , and he wants you to vote absentee as well , ” says Lara Trump , wife of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went to voters in Florida , Michigan , North Carolina Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
“ Let ’ s set the record straight : President Trump has always supported safe and secure absentee voting , while radical Democrats want universal vote by mail .
They sound similar , but couldn ’ t be more different .
”

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Republicans in battleground states like Florida are aggressively pushing absentee voting, trying to clean up President Donald Trump’s inaccurate comments claiming that the practice is unreliable and corrupt.
Trump has frequently insisted that with so many people voting by mail because of the coronavirus crisis, the election results may not be legitimate.
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“Because of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, 2020 will be the most RIGGED Election in our nations history - unless this stupidity is ended. We voted during World War One & World War Two with no problem, but now they are using Covid in order to cheat by using Mail-Ins!” he tweeted on June 22.
Trump has explicitly said that he’s against expanding this form of voting because he believes that the more people who turn out, the more likely it is that Democrats will win.
Republicans should fight very hard when it comes to state wide mail-in voting. Democrats are clamoring for it. Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans. @foxandfriends — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 8, 2020
Not surprisingly, since Trump ramped up his tirade against voting by mail this summer, polls have started to show that Republicans are less likely to vote by mail than Democrats.
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In Pennsylvania, when local Republican leaders tried to encourage mail-in voting, they received intense pushback from Trump supporters.
That shift is a problem for the GOP during a time when people may be reluctant to vote in person because of the coronavirus pandemic. And it’s been a particular headache in places like Florida, where the Republican Party has traditionally had a strong vote-by-mail program and uses it to turn out its supporters.
Florida Republicans had a 55,000-vote edge over Democrats in that method in the general elections of 2016 and 2018, according to the Tampa Bay Times. More recently, Democrats in the state said they now believe they have a 500,000-vote advantage in mail-in ballot enrollment.
The Republican Party of Florida is sending out mailers, assuring people that it’s safe to vote by mail and request an absentee ballot. Below are two examples sent to HuffPost by a Florida voter:
This absentee ballot request form went out to voters in Florida. Florida GOP mailer
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The Florida GOP is trying to convince voters that it's fine to vote by mail. Florida GOP mailer
One of the mailers highlights a tweet by Trump trying to clean up some of the damage from his frequent tirades against voting by mail ― insisting that in Florida, for some reason, it’s just fine.
An earlier Florida GOP mailer doctored one of Trump’s tweets to simply highlight the line, “Absentee Ballots are fine. A person has to go through a process to get and use them.”
The rest of the tweet was blurred out: “Mail-In Voting, on the other hand, will lead to the most corrupt Election is USA history. Bad things happen with Mail-Ins. Just look at Special Election in Patterson, N.J. 19% of Ballots a FRAUD.”
Trump and his allies argue that they are fine when a voter has to request an absentee ballot. The problem, they say, comes when everyone is just automatically mailed an absentee ballot to fill out and return.
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“The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) has always agreed with President Trump that absentee balloting, which is also known as Vote by Mail is safe and secure ― it is also the system that we have in Florida,” said party spokeswoman Alia Faraj-Johnson. “It is important to note that Florida requires a voter, who wishes to vote absentee go through a process which has worked through many election cycles without being compromised and is easily understood by Florida voters. Florida will not and has not proposed an all-mail election to which the RPOF and President Trump remain staunchly opposed to. It’s important that Florida’s system of voting by mail not be confused with universal mail-ins.”
For months, Trump was trying to claim there was a difference between “mail-in voting” (bad) and “absentee ballots” (good). Now, he and his GOP allies are saying acknowledging they’re the same and saying the real problem is universal or all-mail systems.
But voting rights experts say Trump is trying to create a distinction that’s inaccurate. While there are a handful of states where voting predominantly takes place by mail ― Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Utah and Washington ― many of those systems have been in place for years, and they do not have problems with voter fraud. (Voter fraud, in any form, is also exceedingly rare.) Additionally, only registered voters receive ballots.
“Oregon has been doing vote by mail since 2000, has mailed nearly 100 million ballots and has only documented a few dozen cases of proven fraud in that entire period of time,” said Sarah Brannon, managing attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project.
Brannon also said that there’s no difference between “absentee voting” and “mail-in ballots” or “vote by mail.” Different states use different terms and there’s no consistency, despite what Trump tried to claim.
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“Donald Trump and his allies have spent months spreading debunked lies about voting by mail, so it’s a bit hypocritical — but hardly surprising — to hear them changing their tune as they fall further and further behind Democrats in absentee ballot requests,” said Biden campaign spokesman Michael Gwin. “The reality is that Trump’s wild and inaccurate claims about voting by mail have only served to depress Republican enthusiasm for voting, even as our campaign and its massive grassroots organization continue to drive record levels of enthusiasm among Democrats for early voting.”
Voters in Florida and other states are also getting robocalls from the Republican National Committee trying to clear up the vote-by-mail issue. It’s created a situation where the GOP has had to go through some hoops to explain why the president himself voted by mail but has still railed against the practice.
“President Trump has already voted absentee this year, and he wants you to vote absentee as well,” says Lara Trump, wife of Eric Trump, in a robocall that went to voters in Florida, Michigan, North Carolina Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. “Let’s set the record straight: President Trump has always supported safe and secure absentee voting, while radical Democrats want universal vote by mail. They sound similar, but couldn’t be more different.”
Another robocall from Donald Trump Jr. in New Mexico stated that “voting absentee is a safe and secure way to guarantee your voice is heard. That’s why President Trump wants you to join him in being an absentee voter this year.”
Trump’s tirades have also stalled bipartisan measures, such as in Michigan, that would fix mail-in voting systems and make sure ballots are counted in a more timely manner.
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This piece was updated with comment from the Biden campaign.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Trump Has Head-Scratching Solution For California Wildfires : 'It Will Start Getting Cooler'

Trump arrived in Sacramento as more than two dozen major wildfires burned across the state .
More than 2 million acres in the state have burned this year , a nearly 2,000 % increase in land burned compared to this time last year .
At a roundtable discussion about the wildfires , California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said Trump ’ s focus on forest management was obscuring the grim reality that climate change was behind the historically high temperatures and years of drought .
Minutes before , when Trump had just disembarked his plane , reporters repeatedly asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influenced the situation .
But Trump wouldn ’ t budge on his claims that the disaster is simply a matter of cleaning up the state ’ s forests .
“ I think this is more of a management situation , ” Trump said to one of the reporters .
“ If you look at other countries , if you go to other countries in Europe , Austria and Finland and numerous countries ... they don ’ t have problems like this , ” even with “ explosive ” trees .
“ When trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time they become very dry — really like a matchstick ... and they can explode , ” he continued .
“ Also leaves .
When you have dried leaves on the ground , it ’ s just fuel for the fires.
” For the last three and a half years , the Trump administration has denied and downplayed the role of climate change in driving extreme wildfires in the West .
During the wildfires that plagued California in 2018 , for example , then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told KCRA-TV that the inferno @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change , ” only to declare days later that “ of course ” it ’ s a factor .
Instead , Trump and his team have spent their time threatening to withhold federal relief funds for California , using the disasters to push partisan policies and working to boost logging on millions of federal acres .
The president has also repeatedly blamed California ’ s wildfire problem on the state , claiming that it has failed to properly manage ― more specifically , “ rake ” and “ sweep ” ― its forests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the federal government owns far more of the state ’ s 33 million forest acres than the state does ― and it is on those federal lands that some of the state ’ s largest fires have burned .
“ We acknowledge our role and responsibility to do more in that space , ” Gov .
Gavin Newsom said at the roundtable Monday .
“ But one thing is fundamental — 57 % of the land in this state is federal forest land , 3 % is California [ land ] .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the federal government in order to address the infernos .
Earlier on the airstrip , Trump had nothing to say when a reporter asked him if he viewed climate change as an issue in California at all .
“ You ’ ll have to ask the governor that question .
I don ’ t want to step on his toes , ” said Trump , who regularly picks fights with Newsom over his policies .
The only time the president came close to acknowledging that climate change is real was when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When you get into climate change , well , is India going to change its ways ?
Is China going to change its ways ?
Is Russia ?
” he asked , concluding , “ We ’ re just a small speck.
” While the president has shown little sympathy for the Democratic state of California during its yearly bouts with wildfire , he has stood ready to assist red states facing disaster .
His favoritism for states that helped elect him in 2016 has been on full display in the run-up @ @ @ @ @

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President Donald Trump touched down in California on Monday to survey the wildfire damage and immediately launched into his usual talking points about poor forest management while denying the role of climate change.
Trump arrived in Sacramento as more than two dozen major wildfires burned across the state. More than 2 million acres in the state have burned this year, a nearly 2,000% increase in land burned compared to this time last year.
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At a roundtable discussion about the wildfires, California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said Trump’s focus on forest management was obscuring the grim reality that climate change was behind the historically high temperatures and years of drought.
“It will start getting cooler. You just watch,” Trump fired back at Crowfoot, adding, “I don’t think science knows actually.”
Minutes before, when Trump had just disembarked his plane, reporters repeatedly asked him to acknowledge how climate change has influenced the situation. But Trump wouldn’t budge on his claims that the disaster is simply a matter of cleaning up the state’s forests.
Trump speaks during a briefing on wildfires with local and federal fire and emergency officials in Sacramento, California. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
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“I think this is more of a management situation,” Trump said to one of the reporters. “If you look at other countries, if you go to other countries in Europe, Austria and Finland and numerous countries ... they don’t have problems like this,” even with “explosive” trees.
“When trees fall down, after a short period of time they become very dry — really like a matchstick ... and they can explode,” he continued. “Also leaves. When you have dried leaves on the ground, it’s just fuel for the fires.”
For the last three and a half years, the Trump administration has denied and downplayed the role of climate change in driving extreme wildfires in the West. During the wildfires that plagued California in 2018, for example, then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told KCRA-TV that the inferno had “nothing to do with climate change,” only to declare days later that “of course” it’s a factor.
Instead, Trump and his team have spent their time threatening to withhold federal relief funds for California, using the disasters to push partisan policies and working to boost logging on millions of federal acres. The president has also repeatedly blamed California’s wildfire problem on the state, claiming that it has failed to properly manage ― more specifically, “rake” and “sweep” ― its forests. The reality, however, is that the federal government owns far more of the state’s 33 million forest acres than the state does ― and it is on those federal lands that some of the state’s largest fires have burned.
“We acknowledge our role and responsibility to do more in that space,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said at the roundtable Monday. “But one thing is fundamental — 57% of the land in this state is federal forest land, 3% is California [land].” He stressed that California needs support from the federal government in order to address the infernos.
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Earlier on the airstrip, Trump had nothing to say when a reporter asked him if he viewed climate change as an issue in California at all.
“You’ll have to ask the governor that question. I don’t want to step on his toes,” said Trump, who regularly picks fights with Newsom over his policies.
The only time the president came close to acknowledging that climate change is real was when he took a jab at other countries.
“When you get into climate change, well, is India going to change its ways? Is China going to change its ways? Is Russia?” he asked, concluding, “We’re just a small speck.”
The United States is one of the world’s biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing more than both India and Russia combined.
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While the president has shown little sympathy for the Democratic state of California during its yearly bouts with wildfire, he has stood ready to assist red states facing disaster. His favoritism for states that helped elect him in 2016 has been on full display in the run-up to the 2020 election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Police Chief Praised Officer For Political Attack On Senator They Charged With Felonies

Weeks before Portsmouth , Virginia , Police Chief Angela Greene allowed one of her sergeants to bring unusual felony charges against state Sen. Louise Lucas ( D ) in connection with the destruction of a Confederate monument , Greene praised the sergeant for a letter he sent to city officials that blasted the state senator for calling for Greene ’ s dismissal .
Greene , who is now on leave , allowed Sgt .
Kevin McGee to bring charges under a 70-year-old state law that makes it a felony to cause “ injury to ” Confederate monuments .
Although Lucas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 protest hours before a statue fell on a protester and seriously injured him , McGee contended that she and others who had left the scene took part in a conspiracy to bring the monument down .
A total of 19 defendants have been charged with felonies .
McGee obtained the felony warrants from a Virginia magistrate without the involvement of the city ’ s elected prosecutor .
HuffPost previously reported that McGee had sent a letter calling Lucas ’ criticism of the chief following the June 10 protest “ repulsive.
” McGee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how Portsmouth Commonwealth ’ s Attorney Stephanie Morales would have handled cases against protesters .
Greene told Morales that she ’ d “ definitely have a conversation with ” McGee about the letter , and even said that she ’ d referred the letter to internal affairs .
In fact , the police chief had already sent an email to McGee praising his letter , telling him she was “ so humbled and moved by your eloquent words ― that you by no means had to spend your time to write and send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am flabbergasted by your passionate and insightful statements that capture the totality of the circumstances ; and deeply moved by your personal account of what it ’ s like for you , and just about every Officer wearing that badge right now , to come into work everyday , ” Greene wrote to the sergeant .
“ Words can ’ t express how you ’ ve touched my heart this morning .
A mere thank you is not enough for putting your raw emotions on paper for everyone to see .
You are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be , brave , unwavering , dedicated , selfless and honorable to name a few .
I ’ m privileged and honored to not only serve with you but call you family !
” McGee was one of several white officers who opposed former Portsmouth Police Chief Tonya Chapman , who was the first Black female chief in Virginia until she was pushed out .
( Greene , Lucas and Morales are Black as well . )
As The Virginian-Pilot reported , Black officers say the Portsmouth Police Department , which serves a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ good-ol ’ -boy ” culture where officers don ’ t respect the people they work for .
Since Greene was suspended 10 days ago , the city ’ s Black city manager has resigned and white members of Portsmouth ’ s city council have voted to fire the Black city attorney ( a separate job from that of Portsmouth ’ s top prosecutor ) .
The Virginian-Pilot also reported that two white members of the city council may have violated the city charter by pressing the police chief to bring charges against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s destruction , but a magistrate rejected attempts to file misdemeanor charges against the council members .

Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene praised Sgt. Kevin McGee for a letter he wrote that blasted a state senator he'd later charge with two felonies. WAVY
Weeks before Portsmouth, Virginia, Police Chief Angela Greene allowed one of her sergeants to bring unusual felony charges against state Sen. Louise Lucas (D) in connection with the destruction of a Confederate monument, Greene praised the sergeant for a letter he sent to city officials that blasted the state senator for calling for Greene’s dismissal.
Greene, who is now on leave, allowed Sgt. Kevin McGee to bring charges under a 70-year-old state law that makes it a felony to cause “injury to” Confederate monuments. Although Lucas had left the scene of the June 10 protest hours before a statue fell on a protester and seriously injured him, McGee contended that she and others who had left the scene took part in a conspiracy to bring the monument down. A total of 19 defendants have been charged with felonies. McGee obtained the felony warrants from a Virginia magistrate without the involvement of the city’s elected prosecutor.
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HuffPost previously reported that McGee had sent a letter calling Lucas’ criticism of the chief following the June 10 protest “repulsive.” McGee’s letter also speculated disparagingly about how Portsmouth Commonwealth’s Attorney Stephanie Morales would have handled cases against protesters.
Greene told Morales that she’d “definitely have a conversation with” McGee about the letter, and even said that she’d referred the letter to internal affairs.
In fact, the police chief had already sent an email to McGee praising his letter, telling him she was “so humbled and moved by your eloquent words ― that you by no means had to spend your time to write and send to our elected officials.”
“I am flabbergasted by your passionate and insightful statements that capture the totality of the circumstances; and deeply moved by your personal account of what it’s like for you, and just about every Officer wearing that badge right now, to come into work everyday,” Greene wrote to the sergeant.
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“Words can’t express how you’ve touched my heart this morning. A mere thank you is not enough for putting your raw emotions on paper for everyone to see. You are the epitome of what an officer should be, brave, unwavering, dedicated, selfless and honorable to name a few. I’m privileged and honored to not only serve with you but call you family!”
Greene’s email praising McGee was included in documents HuffPost obtained from the Democratic group Activate Virginia, which had received them in response to a public records request.
McGee was one of several white officers who opposed former Portsmouth Police Chief Tonya Chapman, who was the first Black female chief in Virginia until she was pushed out. (Greene, Lucas and Morales are Black as well.) As The Virginian-Pilot reported, Black officers say the Portsmouth Police Department, which serves a majority-Black city, has an entrenched racist “good-ol’-boy” culture where officers don’t respect the people they work for.
“They come here for a check,” state Del. Don Scott (D), who is representing Lucas in court, previously told HuffPost. “We’re being controlled by a hostile force.”
Since Greene was suspended 10 days ago, the city’s Black city manager has resigned and white members of Portsmouth’s city council have voted to fire the Black city attorney (a separate job from that of Portsmouth’s top prosecutor). The Virginian-Pilot also reported that two white members of the city council may have violated the city charter by pressing the police chief to bring charges against demonstrators in connection with the monument’s destruction, but a magistrate rejected attempts to file misdemeanor charges against the council members.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Andrew Gillum Comes Out As Bisexual After Fallout From Hotel Incident

“ I don ’ t identify as gay , but I do identify as bisexual , ” Gillum , 41 , said in an interview on “ The Tamron Hall Show ” that aired Monday .
“ And that is something that I ’ ve never shared publicly before.
” The former mayor of Tallahassee appeared on the show alongside his wife , R. Jai , who said her husband of 11 years has been upfront with her about his sexuality .
“ Many people just don ’ t understand bisexuality , ” she said .
“ They think they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ but bisexuality is something different .
... All I care about is what ’ s between us and what agreement we make.
” The father of three was found intoxicated in a Miami Beach hotel room with two men March 12 .
According to police reports , officers arrived on the scene in response to a possible drug overdose involving one of the men , Travis Dyson .
Police said they impounded three small plastic bags “ containing suspected crystal meth ” from the hotel room .
Dyson , 30 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The third man , 56-year-old Aldo Mejias , told The New York Times he and Dyson were longtime friends , but that he did not know Gillum personally .
At the time , Gillum ― who was Florida ’ s first Black gubernatorial nominee before losing to Ron DeSantis ( R ) by about 32,000 votes ― said he was visiting Miami for a wedding , and denied using crystal meth .
Days later , he released a statement calling the incident “ a wake-up call , ” and said he was voluntarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ seek help [ and ] guidance.
” “ Since my race for governor ended , I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse , ” he said .
“ I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated .
I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles.
” In his Monday interview , Gillum steered clear of specifics regarding the hotel incident and did not clarify his relationship with Dyson or Mejias , stating only , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assume about that.
” Still , he emphasized that his bisexuality should not be linked with any presumed acts of infidelity .
“ Gillum ’ s reflections demonstrate that there must be space in our country for people to be themselves without shame and fear , ” Johns said in an email statement sent to HuffPost .
“ When we are forced by harmful societal expectations to operate in black and white , with no room to express the many gray areas of ourselves that make us who we are , we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations and the healing they may provide for so many members of our community are required for all Black people to be free ― healthy , happy , and whole .
”

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Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum publicly opened up about his sexuality this week for the first time.
“I don’t identify as gay, but I do identify as bisexual,” Gillum, 41, said in an interview on “The Tamron Hall Show” that aired Monday. “And that is something that I’ve never shared publicly before.”
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Words never shared publicly until this moment #TamronHallShow “I identify as bisexual”. - @AndrewGillum — Tamron Hall (@tamronhall) September 14, 2020
The former mayor of Tallahassee appeared on the show alongside his wife, R. Jai, who said her husband of 11 years has been upfront with her about his sexuality.
“Many people just don’t understand bisexuality,” she said. “They think they can wrap their heads around ‘gay,’ but bisexuality is something different. ... All I care about is what’s between us and what agreement we make.”
Gillum, who ran for Florida governor in 2018, had been dogged by speculation surrounding his private life for months.
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The father of three was found intoxicated in a Miami Beach hotel room with two men March 12. According to police reports, officers arrived on the scene in response to a possible drug overdose involving one of the men, Travis Dyson.
Here's the video of this moment: pic.twitter.com/prUW7NPk1C — The Recount (@therecount) September 14, 2020
Police said they impounded three small plastic bags “containing suspected crystal meth” from the hotel room. Dyson, 30, reputedly worked as a male escort. The third man, 56-year-old Aldo Mejias, told The New York Times he and Dyson were longtime friends, but that he did not know Gillum personally.
At the time, Gillum ― who was Florida’s first Black gubernatorial nominee before losing to Ron DeSantis (R) by about 32,000 votes ― said he was visiting Miami for a wedding, and denied using crystal meth.
Days later, he released a statement calling the incident “a wake-up call,” and said he was voluntarily checking himself into a rehab facility to “seek help [and] guidance.”
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“Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse,” he said. “I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles.”
In his Monday interview, Gillum steered clear of specifics regarding the hotel incident and did not clarify his relationship with Dyson or Mejias, stating only, “I understand very well what people assume about that.” Still, he emphasized that his bisexuality should not be linked with any presumed acts of infidelity.
“There are men who are in marriages with women who just because they’re married to a woman doesn’t mean they’re not attracted to other women, and at any point can slip up, make a mistake, do something, and that is what it is,” he said. “The same thing in bisexual relationships.” Among those to applaud Gillum’s decision to come out as bisexual was the National Black Justice Coalition’s executive director, David Johns.
“Gillum’s reflections demonstrate that there must be space in our country for people to be themselves without shame and fear,” Johns said in an email statement sent to HuffPost. “When we are forced by harmful societal expectations to operate in black and white, with no room to express the many gray areas of ourselves that make us who we are, we get hurt.”
He added, “These conversations and the healing they may provide for so many members of our community are required for all Black people to be free ― healthy, happy, and whole.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--‘We Weren’t Alarmist Enough’: Experts Warn Trump And GOP Could Destroy Democracy

Over the past two months , with his poll numbers dropping and his reelection in jeopardy , Trump has ramped up the broad assaults on America ’ s democratic institutions that have defined his presidency .
And while some fear what he could do post-election , he ’ s done plenty beforehand to undermine democracy as a whole .
Trump approached the coronavirus pandemic like a paranoid conspiracy that threatens his political prospects rather than the public health crisis it is .
He unleashed often-unidentified federal agents to crack down on anti-racist protests , whose existence he has used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely white base by painting the demonstrators as an unruly mob that threatens “ law and order.
” He sought to delegitimize the very existence of his political opponents and undermine an election he fears he won ’ t win , even turning the federal bureaucracy into a tool of his reelection campaign .
The consequences are plenty : Amid the president ’ s attempts to sow chaos and violence in the streets , three people were killed during protests in late August .
Amid his efforts to foster distrust in the elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent polls that they do not believe November ’ s voting will be conducted freely and fairly ― a dramatic increase from just two and four years ago .
Now , a growing number of political scholars , political leaders and other officials are warning that 2020 is a referendum not just on Trump but on the nation ’ s democratic experiment as a whole .
Still , Levitsky worries that not enough of us are as concerned as we should be .
“ People are getting killed over politics .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be free .
Law enforcement bodies are being manipulated to protect allies of the president and go after rivals of the president , ” Levitsky said .
“ Things are happening on various fronts , and we ’ re not putting it all together and realizing that our democracy is on the line.
” The United States has never been a perfect democracy , and its 250-year history is viewed best as a slow march toward democratization with a major step in 1965 when the passage of the Voting Rights Act aimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time .
But the trend toward a more free and fair society has made it easy for many Americans ― especially white Americans ― to ignore how easy it would be for this democracy to fall apart .
When Trump won in 2016 , there was a general belief among experts that while he would test U.S. democracy ( and certainly make the United States even less democratic for Black people , immigrants and other racial and ethnic minorities ) , he likely wouldn ’ t lay waste to it entirely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory went , for a single leader to totally destroy them .
There were enough constraints to limit how much damage could be done .
Trump-like leaders in younger , less established democracies , particularly Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil , seemed like much more immediate threats .
Four years later , it ’ s clear that view was too charitable .
That ’ s because instead of serving as constraints on presidential power , Republicans in Congress have done whatever they can to protect Trump .
They blocked his removal from office after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration officials from facing consequences for shirking their oversight duties .
That has turned the Trump era into a case study on how modern democracies fall apart : not through a violent and sudden rupture , but by the chipping away at institutions until a full democracy doesn ’ t exist anymore .
Political scientists call these “ hybrid regimes ” ― nations that often still look like democracies on the surface , and even initially maintain many of the civil and constitutional rights of democratic countries , but function in a more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s authoritarian moves as president , it ’ s his approach to the 2020 election that serves as the clearest signal that America is on the brink of an institutional democratic crisis , and on the verge of becoming the sort of hybrid regime that Vladimir Putin created in Russia or that Viktor Orban put in place in Hungary .
In late August , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence decided that it would no longer brief Congress directly on potential threats to election security .
This week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security ― the agency Trump has further weaponized to carry out his immigration crackdowns and target anti-racist protesters across the country ― alleged that the administration has repeatedly tried to alter intelligence reports to downplay the threat of white supremacist groups and paint antifa as a terrorist mob .
Under Attorney General William Barr , the Department of Justice has mobilized in support of the president , intervening in lawsuits filed against him and attempting to oust U.S. attorneys whose investigations , the president fears , may hit too close to home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and the GOP have intensified their efforts to run rampant over legal and institutional constraints on the presidency .
The Republican National Convention was a four-day thumbing of the nose at the rule of law and democratic norms .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , who has helped Trump turn the State Department into yet another blatant electoral tool , delivered a speech that likely breached department protocol and potentially ran afoul of the Hatch Act , which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities while they are effectively on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump accepted the GOP nomination in a ceremony held on the White House lawn , a moment of clear disdain for the law by the president and an even more explicit potential breach of it by others .
Trump ’ s attacks on democracy are in effect the final shattering of the idea of American exceptionalism .
Many nations cycle through democratic and authoritarian regimes .
For most of its history , the U.S. looked to experts like an outlier ― a country that could slowly but steadily democratize without major authoritarian reversions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. wasn ’ t a full democracy until the passage of the Voting Rights Act , the country is actually “ right on time ” for the sort of authoritarian turn that has taken place in other nations that democratized in the 20th century , Smith said .

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When Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt sounded the alarm four years ago that President Donald Trump posed a threat to American democracy, some critics treated their fears as absurd.
“Joe Scarborough ridiculed it on TV, saying, ‘These guys are alarmists,’” Levitsky told HuffPost recently, recalling the MSNBC host’s criticism of a New York Times opinion piece that eventually blossomed into “How Democracies Die,” the book the two professors released in early 2018.
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“It turns out we weren’t alarmist enough,” Levitsky said.
Over the past two months, with his poll numbers dropping and his reelection in jeopardy, Trump has ramped up the broad assaults on America’s democratic institutions that have defined his presidency. And while some fear what he could do post-election, he’s done plenty beforehand to undermine democracy as a whole.
Trump approached the coronavirus pandemic like a paranoid conspiracy that threatens his political prospects rather than the public health crisis it is. He unleashed often-unidentified federal agents to crack down on anti-racist protests, whose existence he has used to try to stoke the grievances of his largely white base by painting the demonstrators as an unruly mob that threatens “law and order.” He sought to delegitimize the very existence of his political opponents and undermine an election he fears he won’t win, even turning the federal bureaucracy into a tool of his reelection campaign.
The consequences are plenty: Amid the president’s attempts to sow chaos and violence in the streets, three people were killed during protests in late August. Amid his efforts to foster distrust in the elections, nearly half of Americans have said in recent polls that they do not believe November’s voting will be conducted freely and fairly ― a dramatic increase from just two and four years ago.
Now, a growing number of political scholars, political leaders and other officials are warning that 2020 is a referendum not just on Trump but on the nation’s democratic experiment as a whole. Scarborough, Levitsky noted, eventually came around too: They have discussed Trump’s threats to American democracy at length on Scarborough’s show, and the MSNBC host has spent the last two years among those sounding the alarms about Trump’s authoritarian impulses ahead of the election.
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Still, Levitsky worries that not enough of us are as concerned as we should be.
“People are getting killed over politics. There’s questions about whether the election will be free. Law enforcement bodies are being manipulated to protect allies of the president and go after rivals of the president,” Levitsky said. “Things are happening on various fronts, and we’re not putting it all together and realizing that our democracy is on the line.”
When Donald Trump won in 2016, there was a general belief that while he would test U.S. democracy, he wouldn’t lay waste to it. Four years later, it’s clear that view was too charitable. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
The United States has never been a perfect democracy, and its 250-year history is viewed best as a slow march toward democratization with a major step in 1965 when the passage of the Voting Rights Act aimed to fully enfranchise Black citizens for the first time. But the trend toward a more free and fair society has made it easy for many Americans ― especially white Americans ― to ignore how easy it would be for this democracy to fall apart.
When Trump won in 2016, there was a general belief among experts that while he would test U.S. democracy (and certainly make the United States even less democratic for Black people, immigrants and other racial and ethnic minorities), he likely wouldn’t lay waste to it entirely. American institutions were too strong, the theory went, for a single leader to totally destroy them. There were enough constraints to limit how much damage could be done. Trump-like leaders in younger, less established democracies, particularly Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, seemed like much more immediate threats.
Four years later, it’s clear that view was too charitable. That’s because instead of serving as constraints on presidential power, Republicans in Congress have done whatever they can to protect Trump. They blocked his removal from office after House Democrats impeached him and have kept administration officials from facing consequences for shirking their oversight duties.
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Without those checks, Trump has proceeded to do whatever he wants: fire inspectors general, attack the judiciary, violate laws, and profit off his own office.
Owing largely to the GOP’s animosity toward checks and balances that might rein in Trump, “U.S. democracy has proven weaker and more vulnerable than I thought,” Levitsky said.
That has turned the Trump era into a case study on how modern democracies fall apart: not through a violent and sudden rupture, but by the chipping away at institutions until a full democracy doesn’t exist anymore. Political scientists call these “hybrid regimes” ― nations that often still look like democracies on the surface, and even initially maintain many of the civil and constitutional rights of democratic countries, but function in a more authoritarian manner institutionally.
“[In] old-school authoritarianism, you could tell a country was authoritarian because it didn’t have a democratic system,” said Amy Erica Smith, a political scientist at Iowa State University. A hybrid regime, though, “has all the trappings of a democracy,” Smith said, “but it doesn’t work like a democracy.”
“Trump’s attacks on democracy are in effect the final shattering of the idea of American exceptionalism.”
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Of all of Trump’s authoritarian moves as president, it’s his approach to the 2020 election that serves as the clearest signal that America is on the brink of an institutional democratic crisis, and on the verge of becoming the sort of hybrid regime that Vladimir Putin created in Russia or that Viktor Orban put in place in Hungary.
“The number one defining feature of a hybrid regime is that the incumbent is using ― and I’ll say ‘his’ because almost always ‘his’ ― all of the benefits that come from office to get himself reelected in an unfair way,” Smith said.
Trump is doing just that, and not merely through his efforts to undermine the U.S. Postal Service and discredit the election as fraudulent before it even takes place (an admittedly odd tactic for a leader already in power).
In late August, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence decided that it would no longer brief Congress directly on potential threats to election security. This week, a whistleblower from the Department of Homeland Security ― the agency Trump has further weaponized to carry out his immigration crackdowns and target anti-racist protesters across the country ― alleged that the administration has repeatedly tried to alter intelligence reports to downplay the threat of white supremacist groups and paint antifa as a terrorist mob. Under Attorney General William Barr, the Department of Justice has mobilized in support of the president, intervening in lawsuits filed against him and attempting to oust U.S. attorneys whose investigations, the president fears, may hit too close to home.
In the countdown to the election, Trump and the GOP have intensified their efforts to run rampant over legal and institutional constraints on the presidency. The Republican National Convention was a four-day thumbing of the nose at the rule of law and democratic norms. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has helped Trump turn the State Department into yet another blatant electoral tool, delivered a speech that likely breached department protocol and potentially ran afoul of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities while they are effectively on the job. A night later, Trump accepted the GOP nomination in a ceremony held on the White House lawn, a moment of clear disdain for the law by the president and an even more explicit potential breach of it by others.
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Voters might not care about an obscure federal statute, but “the violation of the Hatch Act is incredibly significant for U.S. democracy,” Smith said, “because the Hatch Act gets to the heart of protecting democracy from one of the players systematically stacking the deck.”
It’s that sort of flouting of the law that has helped drive assessments of U.S. democracy to a new low point among political scientists surveyed by Bright Line Watch, an outfit that began gauging expert opinion on the subject in 2017.
The 2016 election, Levitsky said, was a sign that too many Americans had “gotten to the point where we take our democracy for granted, meaning that no matter how reckless we are, we believe we can’t break our democracy.”
Trump’s attacks on democracy are in effect the final shattering of the idea of American exceptionalism. Many nations cycle through democratic and authoritarian regimes. For most of its history, the U.S. looked to experts like an outlier ― a country that could slowly but steadily democratize without major authoritarian reversions. But under the argument that the U.S. wasn’t a full democracy until the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the country is actually “right on time” for the sort of authoritarian turn that has taken place in other nations that democratized in the 20th century, Smith said.
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Never has it been clearer that Trump and the GOP are trying to make it happen here now. The next two months will determine whether their efforts work.
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting ― or suspicious! ― campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Trump Says He Gets Along Best With 'Meaner' Leaders In Newly Released Woodward Audio

President Donald Trump said he gets along better with “ meaner ” world leaders , including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , than with the “ easy ” heads of state , according to a recording released Monday by journalist Bob Woodward .
“ I get along very well with Erdogan even though you ’ re not supposed to , because everyone says , ‘ What a horrible guy , ’ ” Trump says in the recording .
“ But you know , for me , it works out good.
” “ It ’ s funny , the relationships I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are , the better I get along with them , ” he continues .
“ You ’ ll explain that to me someday , OK ?
But maybe it ’ s not a bad thing .
The easy ones are the ones I maybe don ’ t like as much or don ’ t get along with as much.
” Woodward recorded the tape , which aired Monday during his appearance on NBC ’ s “ Today , ” while he was reporting for his forthcoming book “ Rage , ” his second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , famously part of the duo of reporters who unearthed the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post during the Nixon administration , interviewed Trump 18 times for “ Rage , ” beginning in February and continuing through most of the summer , Politico reported .
Democrats , as well as some Republicans and former Trump administration officials , have sounded the alarm on Trump ’ s apparent fondness for several prominent authoritarian leaders , including Russian President Vladimir Putin , Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution , the president controls foreign relations unilaterally , ” Woodward told NBC on Monday .
“ He decides .
And he has decided , ‘ Oh , I ’ m going to get along with Putin , I ’ m going to get along with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia ... and I ’ m going to try to get along with Kim Jong Un.
’ ” “ He just smears South Korea time and time again in my interviews , ” Woodward added .
“ He is the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he has said , and there it is , ‘ Hey look , I get along with these bad guys , but not the good guys.
’ ” One of the most explosive revelations from Woodward ’ s forthcoming book , set to be released Tuesday , was Trump ’ s decision to mislead the American public about the threat of the coronavirus .
In a recording taped on Feb. 7 and released last week , Trump told Woodward that the virus was airborne and five times deadlier than the flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president continued to hold large rallies , and on Feb. 26 , he told reporters that the flu was more dangerous than the virus .
“ I say the president is the wrong man for the job , ” Woodward told CBS ’ “ 60 Minutes ” in an interview that aired Sunday .
“ It ’ s a conclusion based on evidence — overwhelming evidence — that he could not rise to the occasion with the virus and tell the truth .
”

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President Donald Trump said he gets along better with “meaner” world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, than with the “easy” heads of state, according to a recording released Monday by journalist Bob Woodward.
“I get along very well with Erdogan even though you’re not supposed to, because everyone says, ‘What a horrible guy,’” Trump says in the recording. “But you know, for me, it works out good.”
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“It’s funny, the relationships I have, the tougher and meaner they are, the better I get along with them,” he continues. “You’ll explain that to me someday, OK? But maybe it’s not a bad thing. The easy ones are the ones I maybe don’t like as much or don’t get along with as much.”
“It’s funny, the relationships I have, the tougher and meaner they are, the better I get along with them,” President Trump said in an interview with @realBobWoodward. pic.twitter.com/6aCpqbO9jf — TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 14, 2020
Woodward recorded the tape, which aired Monday during his appearance on NBC’s “Today,” while he was reporting for his forthcoming book “Rage,” his second book about the Trump administration.
Woodward, famously part of the duo of reporters who unearthed the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post during the Nixon administration, interviewed Trump 18 times for “Rage,” beginning in February and continuing through most of the summer, Politico reported.
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It wasn’t immediately clear when Trump told Woodward about his tendency to favor “tougher and meaner” world leaders.
“As you know, under the Constitution, the president controls foreign relations unilaterally,” Woodward told NBC on Monday. “He decides. And he has decided, ‘Oh, I’m going to get along with Putin, I’m going to get along with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia ... and I’m going to try to get along with Kim Jong Un.’”
“He just smears South Korea time and time again in my interviews,” Woodward added. “He is the face of the United States to the world, and he has said, and there it is, ‘Hey look, I get along with these bad guys, but not the good guys.’”
One of the most explosive revelations from Woodward’s forthcoming book, set to be released Tuesday, was Trump’s decision to mislead the American public about the threat of the coronavirus.
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In a recording taped on Feb. 7 and released last week, Trump told Woodward that the virus was airborne and five times deadlier than the flu. But for weeks afterward, the president continued to hold large rallies, and on Feb. 26, he told reporters that the flu was more dangerous than the virus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Michael Cohen Really Regrets Not Smacking Donald Trump In The Head

Donald Trump ’ s former lawyer Michael Cohen wishes he had smacked Trump across the face after he made lewd comments about Cohen ’ s daughter .
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair , Cohen ’ s daughter , Samantha Cohen , said when she was 15 , Trump noticed her walking off a tennis court and said , “ Look at that piece of ass.
” He reportedly added , “ I would love some of that , ” only to have Cohen inform him the woman in question was his teenage daughter .
The now-president didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , telling him , “ That ’ s your daughter ?
When did she get so hot ?
” When Cohen appeared on “ The View ” Monday to promote his new book , “ Disloyal : A Memoir : The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump , ” Joy Behar asked about the incident .
“ Why didn ’ t you sock him in the face at that moment ?
How could you let that slide ?
” she wondered .
Cohen attempted to blame his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where victims feel trust or affection toward their captors .
“ Well , I wouldn ’ t have liked to have said it , I would have liked to have smacked him across the side of the head .
I never would have allowed anybody to speak to or about my daughter in such a disrespectful way , ” Cohen said .
“ I did just because , you know , as so many people would say , let Trump be Trump , and that ’ s the problem.
” He then explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get people to open up their eyes and to see the individual for who he really is.
” “ I knew it was wrong.
” @ MichaelCohen212 on lewd comments he claims Pres .
Trump made about his then 15-year-old daughter and why he let the comments slide : “ I did just because , you know , as so many people would say , ‘ let Trump be Trump , ’ and that ’ s the problem.
” pic.twitter.com/LfaTYD6YAr — The View ( @ TheView ) September 14 , 2020

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Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen wishes he had smacked Trump across the face after he made lewd comments about Cohen’s daughter.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Cohen’s daughter, Samantha Cohen, said when she was 15, Trump noticed her walking off a tennis court and said, “Look at that piece of ass.”
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He reportedly added, “I would love some of that,” only to have Cohen inform him the woman in question was his teenage daughter.
The now-president didn’t seem too bothered by the mistake, telling him, “That’s your daughter? When did she get so hot?”
When Cohen appeared on “The View” Monday to promote his new book, “Disloyal: A Memoir: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump,” Joy Behar asked about the incident.
“Why didn’t you sock him in the face at that moment? How could you let that slide?” she wondered.
Cohen attempted to blame his behavior on Stockholm syndrome, the condition where victims feel trust or affection toward their captors.
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“Well, I wouldn’t have liked to have said it, I would have liked to have smacked him across the side of the head. I never would have allowed anybody to speak to or about my daughter in such a disrespectful way,” Cohen said. “I did just because, you know, as so many people would say, let Trump be Trump, and that’s the problem.”
He then explained that he wrote his book to “get people to open up their eyes and to see the individual for who he really is.”
You can see the exchange below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Trump Shares Tweet About 'Radicalized' Somalis In Minnesota

President Donald Trump retweeted a post on Monday about “ radicalized ” Somalis in Minnesota , continuing a history of denigrating refugees and spreading Islamophobia .
Trump responded to the tweet by claiming he is “ helping Minnesota greatly ” and blaming his Democratic opponent , former Vice President Joe Biden , and former President Barack Obama for a “ Minnesota disaster.
” The original tweet was in response to Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) calling on immigration officials to stop deporting Somali refugees from her district during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Omar , who came to the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has long been the subject of racist , sexist , xenophobic and Islamophobic attacks from the president and his allies .
The Minneapolis area is home to a large population of Somali refugees .
During a rally in Minneapolis last fall , the president ’ s supporters booed when he decried the “ large numbers of refugees to your state from Somalia.
” He also called Omar a “ disgrace ” and a “ fraud.
” Last summer , Trump supporters at a rally in North Carolina chanted “ send her back , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has repeatedly used xenophobia to attack Omar and other women of color .
On Friday , both Trump and Biden are set to campaign in Minnesota , which former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won by about 45,000 votes in 2016 .
While Biden leads in major polls , the Trump campaign is treating the state as a potential battleground .

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President Donald Trump retweeted a post on Monday about “radicalized” Somalis in Minnesota, continuing a history of denigrating refugees and spreading Islamophobia.
Trump responded to the tweet by claiming he is “helping Minnesota greatly” and blaming his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, and former President Barack Obama for a “Minnesota disaster.”
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I am helping Minnesota greatly. OBiden was a Minnesota disaster! https://t.co/jY5UR64vkf — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2020
The original tweet was in response to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) calling on immigration officials to stop deporting Somali refugees from her district during the COVID-19 pandemic. Omar, who came to the United States as a refugee from Somalia, has long been the subject of racist, sexist, xenophobic and Islamophobic attacks from the president and his allies.
The Minneapolis area is home to a large population of Somali refugees. During a rally in Minneapolis last fall, the president’s supporters booed when he decried the “large numbers of refugees to your state from Somalia.” He also called Omar a “disgrace” and a “fraud.”
Last summer, Trump supporters at a rally in North Carolina chanted “send her back,” egged on by Trump, who has repeatedly used xenophobia to attack Omar and other women of color.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-14--Federal Judge Blocks USPS Notices With False Mail Ballot Info After Colorado Sues

The notices also provide what the judge called “ patently false ” information to Colorado voters about the deadline to @ @ @ @ @ cards fail to note that the ballots can be dropped off — or voters can @ @ @ @ @ .
The incorrect notices will “ sow confusion ” and could suppress voting because people @ @ @ @ @ ve already missed a deadline and it ’ s too late to vote , the @ @ @ @ @ Service postcard operation “ jeopardizes Colorado ’ s constitutional right ” to run its own @ @ @ @ @ .

The notices also provide what the judge called “patently false” information to Colorado voters about the deadline to mail ballots back. The cards fail to note that the ballots can be dropped off — or voters can decide to vote in person. The incorrect notices will “sow confusion” and could suppress voting because people may falsely believe they’ve already missed a deadline and it’s too late to vote, the judge noted.
The Postal Service postcard operation “jeopardizes Colorado’s constitutional right” to run its own election, the judge ruled.