thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Just 19% Of Americans Want To See Schools Fully Reopen For Fall Sessions

ASSOCIATED PRESS Amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19 , science teacher Ann Darby uses a thermometer on Tuesday to check a student 's temperature prior to a summer science , technology , engineering and mathematics ( STEM ) camp at Wylie High School in Wylie , Texas .
Schools and educators across the U.S. find themselves in the middle of an increasingly politicized debate over how best to reopen schools later this year .
Only about one-fifth of the public want to see schools completely reopened for this year ’ s fall sessions , a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say they ’ d prefer to keep their kids home , though many also say they ’ re stressed out and concerned about their children ’ s academic performance and emotional health .
Across the country , schools have adopted a patchwork of approaches to deal with new school years , which in some areas start in a matter of weeks .
The Los Angeles Unified School District ― the nation ’ s second-largest ― and some others plan to remain entirely remote .
Others intend a hybrid operation ― in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , students will attend classes in-person one to three days per week .
In Miami-Dade in Florida , parents will be given a choice between online and in-person instruction for their children .
The public says , 50 % to 32 % , that the risks of reopening schools outweigh the consequences of keeping schools closed .
Just 19 % believe that schools should completely reopen , with 26 % favoring partial reopenings and 42 % saying that schools should remain online-only or closed .
Among those who favor partial or total reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several preventative measures , including daily temperature checks , smaller class sizes and requiring teachers and staff to wear masks .
Attitudes are similarly cautious among one of the groups most directly affected by the debate ― the parents and guardians living with children in grades K-12 who would normally be heading back to schools later this year .
Only about one-third of these parents say that , if it were up to them , they ’ d want their kids to attend any in-person classes for fall sessions .
Another 54 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay home .
Experts agree there are few easy answers to schooling amid the coronavirus pandemic .
A new report from National Academies of Sciences , Engineering , and Medicine , which examines the costs and benefits of reopening , stresses both the importance of in-person learning and the serious health risks of providing it without proper resources .
In a poll response , a Kansas mother wrote , “ Too much is unknown for there to be a perfect solution.
” She said she favors a partial reopening of schools but worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks with their plans for the new year .
“ Prioritizing mental and social health along with physical health is very important for staff and students , ” she added .
The issue has taken on partisan dimensions , with President Donald Trump vowing to push for the reopening of schools .
Although fewer than half of those polled in either party support fully reopening schools , 40 % of Republicans want to do so , compared with just 6 % of Democrats .
A broad majority of Democrats , but less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not reopen at all .
“ The restrictions , especially in my state of New Mexico , are overblown and have been exercised for the political gain of our leftist governor , ” wrote one Republican surveyed , who hoped to send his children back to school in-person this fall .
“ She will do irreparable damage to our kids ’ education by bowing to the whims of the teacher unions whom she relies upon for political support.
” Wrote another man , an independent who leans toward the Democratic Party : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy to schools opening this fall can be summed up by the phrase ‘ May the odds be ever in your favor.
’ ” The past school year was a difficult one for many parents .
A 55 % majority of those living with school children say that having their kids at home during the pandemic has been at least somewhat stressful for them .
Many say that it ’ s taken a toll on their children , as well : 44 % say their kids learned less than usual during the spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ emotional health was worse than usual during that time .
A significant minority , 30 % , say that it would be at least somewhat difficult for them to handle child care if their children ’ s school does not resume in-person classes .
Parents with school-age children say , 55 % to 29 % , that they approve of the way schools in their area are handling the pandemic .
Half say local schools have handled things about right , with 23 % saying schools are taking too many risks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being too restrictive .
“ My daughter is in high school and she says the students don ’ t listen very well to the teachers , ” wrote another parent .
” [ H ] ow do they think they will be able to get elementary school students to keep their masks on all day ?
...
I know the teachers would do their best but there is only so much they can do .
”

Amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19, science teacher Ann Darby uses a thermometer on Tuesday to check a student's temperature prior to a summer science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) camp at Wylie High School in Wylie, Texas. Schools and educators across the U.S. find themselves in the middle of an increasingly politicized debate over how best to reopen schools later this year. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Only about one-fifth of the public want to see schools completely reopened for this year’s fall sessions, a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds. Parents of K-12 students also largely say they’d prefer to keep their kids home, though many also say they’re stressed out and concerned about their children’s academic performance and emotional health.
Across the country, schools have adopted a patchwork of approaches to deal with new school years, which in some areas start in a matter of weeks. The Los Angeles Unified School District ― the nation’s second-largest ― and some others plan to remain entirely remote. Others intend a hybrid operation ― in New York City, the nation’s largest, students will attend classes in-person one to three days per week. In Miami-Dade in Florida, parents will be given a choice between online and in-person instruction for their children.
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“I don’t think there is any right decision here,” wrote one man in the HuffPost/You Gov survey, a father in Nevada who favored classes remaining online. ”[E]veryone is doing their best.”
The public says, 50% to 32%, that the risks of reopening schools outweigh the consequences of keeping schools closed. Just 19% believe that schools should completely reopen, with 26% favoring partial reopenings and 42% saying that schools should remain online-only or closed. Among those who favor partial or total reopening, there’s majority support for several preventative measures, including daily temperature checks, smaller class sizes and requiring teachers and staff to wear masks.
Attitudes are similarly cautious among one of the groups most directly affected by the debate ― the parents and guardians living with children in grades K-12 who would normally be heading back to schools later this year. Only about one-third of these parents say that, if it were up to them, they’d want their kids to attend any in-person classes for fall sessions. Another 54% say they’d rather their kids stay home.
Experts agree there are few easy answers to schooling amid the coronavirus pandemic. A new report from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which examines the costs and benefits of reopening, stresses both the importance of in-person learning and the serious health risks of providing it without proper resources.
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In a poll response, a Kansas mother wrote, “Too much is unknown for there to be a perfect solution.” She said she favors a partial reopening of schools but worried that local schools were taking too many risks with their plans for the new year. “Prioritizing mental and social health along with physical health is very important for staff and students,” she added.
The issue has taken on partisan dimensions, with President Donald Trump vowing to push for the reopening of schools. Although fewer than half of those polled in either party support fully reopening schools, 40% of Republicans want to do so, compared with just 6% of Democrats. A broad majority of Democrats, but less than one-quarter of Republicans, say schools should not reopen at all.
Asked for their opinions on school reopenings, some parents surveyed responded in explicitly political terms.
“The restrictions, especially in my state of New Mexico, are overblown and have been exercised for the political gain of our leftist governor,” wrote one Republican surveyed, who hoped to send his children back to school in-person this fall. “She will do irreparable damage to our kids’ education by bowing to the whims of the teacher unions whom she relies upon for political support.”
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Wrote another man, an independent who leans toward the Democratic Party: “The Trump [administration’s] policy to schools opening this fall can be summed up by the phrase ‘May the odds be ever in your favor.’”
The past school year was a difficult one for many parents. A 55% majority of those living with school children say that having their kids at home during the pandemic has been at least somewhat stressful for them. Many say that it’s taken a toll on their children, as well: 44% say their kids learned less than usual during the spring, and 42% that their kids’ emotional health was worse than usual during that time. A significant minority, 30%, say that it would be at least somewhat difficult for them to handle child care if their children’s school does not resume in-person classes.
Parents with school-age children say, 55% to 29%, that they approve of the way schools in their area are handling the pandemic. Half say local schools have handled things about right, with 23% saying schools are taking too many risks, and just 13% that schools are being too restrictive.
Forty-two percent say they’re at least somewhat confident schools can do so.
“Our daughter is at risk,” one parent wrote. “With everything we’ve been told, our school is taking every precaution. We feel good about sending her.”
Another 52%, however, say that they’re not very or not at all confident that kids would be safe in school.
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“My daughter is in high school and she says the students don’t listen very well to the teachers,” wrote another parent. ”[H]ow do they think they will be able to get elementary school students to keep their masks on all day? ... I know the teachers would do their best but there is only so much they can do.”
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted July 14-16 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Oregon Senators Demand Probe Into 'Paramilitary Assaults' By 'Occupying Army'

“ We know that things were calming down , ” she said .
“ We know that the presence of @ @ @ @ @ streets.
” Over the weekend , a protester was severely wounded after he was shot @ @ @ @ @ marshals using ammo classified as “ less lethal.
” The DOJ Office of Inspector General @ @ @ @ @ the shooting .

“We know that things were calming down,” she said. “We know that the presence of federal officers has inflamed the streets.”
Over the weekend, a protester was severely wounded after he was shot in the face by federal marshals using ammo classified as “less lethal.” The DOJ Office of Inspector General has launched an investigation into the shooting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Lollapalooza Co-Founder Says Concerts Unlikely To Come Back Until 2022

The co-founder of the Lollapalooza music festival has painted a grim picture of live music in the era of COVID-19 , suggesting that concerts are unlikely to be back in full force until 2022 .
Geiger went on to explain that the world was currently gripped by what he called a “ germophobia economy , ” equating it to “ a very long forced timeout.
” “ In my humble opinion , it ’ s going to be ’ 22 , ” he said .
“ It ’ s going to take that long before what I call the ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off and be replaced by what I call the ‘ claustrophobia economy , ’ which is when everybody wants to get out and go out to dinner and have their lives and go to festivals and shows ... .
In my instinct , that ’ s just going to take a while because , as you can see , these super-spreader events ― sports , shows , festivals , anything ― ain ’ t going to do too well when the virus is this present.
” Geiger added that the coronavirus pandemic was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ massive amount of bloodshed [ and ] bankruptcies ” in the music industry , citing roadblocks such as spacing , density , insurance and the “ infinite liability ” of COVID-19 that would prevent live music events from returning to their former glory anytime soon .
The music executive acknowledged that there were positives in the world “ taking a pause , ” however , citing potential improvements in climate , pollution and traffic .
“ This is bigger than us , ” Geiger said .
“ If you study history , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and been super disruptive to normal society , so here ’ s a biggie for our lifetime.
” Prior to his WME career , Geiger and fellow booking agent Don Muller assisted singer Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins of Jane ’ s Addiction with conceiving Lollapalooza in 1990 .
In 2019 , the long-running Chicago music festival was estimated to bring in $ 5 million in revenue for the city annually .

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The co-founder of the Lollapalooza music festival has painted a grim picture of live music in the era of COVID-19, suggesting that concerts are unlikely to be back in full force until 2022.
“My guess is late ’21, more likely ’22,” Marc Geiger told music industry analyst and critic Bob Lefsetz on “The Lefsetz Letter” podcast. “The whole thing’s a shit show.”
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Geiger went on to explain that the world was currently gripped by what he called a “germophobia economy,” equating it to “a very long forced timeout.”
“In my humble opinion, it’s going to be ’22,” he said. “It’s going to take that long before what I call the ‘germophobia economy’ to be slowly killed off and be replaced by what I call the ‘claustrophobia economy,’ which is when everybody wants to get out and go out to dinner and have their lives and go to festivals and shows.... In my instinct, that’s just going to take a while because, as you can see, these super-spreader events ― sports, shows, festivals, anything ― ain’t going to do too well when the virus is this present.”
Geiger added that the coronavirus pandemic was “economically destructive” and predicted a “massive amount of bloodshed [and] bankruptcies” in the music industry, citing roadblocks such as spacing, density, insurance and the “infinite liability” of COVID-19 that would prevent live music events from returning to their former glory anytime soon.
When asked about drive-in concerts, Geiger called them a “gimmick” and a “temporary stopgap solution.”
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The music executive acknowledged that there were positives in the world “taking a pause,” however, citing potential improvements in climate, pollution and traffic.
“This is bigger than us,” Geiger said. “If you study history, things like this have happened in history and been super disruptive to normal society, so here’s a biggie for our lifetime.”
Prior to his WME career, Geiger and fellow booking agent Don Muller assisted singer Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction with conceiving Lollapalooza in 1990. In 2019, the long-running Chicago music festival was estimated to bring in $5 million in revenue for the city annually.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--13 Amazing Photos You Missed This Week

13 Amazing Photos You Missed This Week

We ’ re highlighting exceptional photos from around the world for the week of July 11-17 .
Check them out @ @ @ @ @ explode above the Eiffel Tower as part of the annual Bastille Day celebrations in Paris @ @ @ @ @ Credit : Getty Images .

We’re highlighting exceptional photos from around the world for the week of July 11-17. Check them out below.
Above: Fireworks explode above the Eiffel Tower as part of the annual Bastille Day celebrations in Paris on July 14, 2020. Credit: Getty Images.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Should You Delete TikTok? Experts Explain The App's Security Risks.

TikTok , a video social networking app owned by the Beijing-based company ByteDance , has come under scrutiny over privacy concerns and its alleged ties to the Chinese government .
“ We are now evaluating each instance where we believe that U.S. citizens ’ data that they have on their phones or in their system or in their health care records .
We want to make sure that the Chinese Communist Party doesn ’ t have a way to easily access that , ” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters last week .
That same year , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing TikTok of creating accounts without user consent for individuals who downloaded the app .
“ In the court documents , it is alleged that TikTok transferred user data to two servers in China ( Bugly and Umeng ) , which included device and website information , as well as biometric data from videos on the device , ” said Charla Griffy-Brown , a professor of information systems and technology management at Pepperdine University ’ s Graziadio Business School .
And in May , a complaint was filed with the FTC alleging that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ settlement agreement by failing to destroy all personal information collected from users under the age of 13 , as well as by allowing underage users on the platform without parental consent .
Adding to the negative buzz are unverified claims from a Reddit user who said he reverse-engineered the app and from a Twitter account that may or may not belong to the hacker collective Anonymous that TikTok “ collects vast amounts of data ― far more than , for instance , Facebook and Instagram , ” said David Janssen , a cybersecurity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ The Twitter account ] stated that TikTok is essentially spyware developed and operated by the Chinese government.
” Last month , India banned TikTok and 58 other apps from China .
That was a major blow for TikTok , which lost around 25 % of its user base overnight .
This , Janssen said , was likely the result of strained political tensions between China and India and not just security issues .
Political tensions may be contributing to the heightened attention to TikTok in the U.S. , too .
“ Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have recently made headlines after information came to light that [ users of ] TikTok may have played a significant role in the low turnout at President Trump ’ s campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , despite a large number of tickets being reserved , ” said Liz Kleinberg , a Vermont-based attorney whose practice includes data privacy and security .
“ Secretary of Defense Pompeo has said that the renewed scrutiny is based on national security concerns .
President Trump has said he is considering banning TikTok as ‘ one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese government because of COVID-19.
” Should You Really Worry About TikTok Spying On You ?
“ Tens of millions of Americans come to TikTok for entertainment , inspiration and connection , especially during the pandemic .
We are fully committed to protecting our users ’ privacy and security , ” a TikTok representative told HuffPost .
“ TikTok has an American CEO , a chief information security officer with decades of U.S. military and law enforcement experience and a growing U.S. team that works diligently to develop a best-in-class security infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Virginia and Singapore , with strict controls on employee access .
These are the facts.
” While “ ByteDance claims TikTok does not operate in China and stores U.S. user data in the U.S. , ByteDance is still required to adhere to the laws of China , ” said a news release from Cotton ’ s office .
“ Importantly , security experts have voiced concern that China ’ s intelligence , national security and cybersecurity laws compel Chinese companies to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censoring video pertaining to the protests in Hong Kong , Janssen said .
“ Critics argued that this is a telltale sign that ByteDance is applying censorship and is being subjected to the pressure and influence of the Chinese government , ” he said .
You don ’ t necessarily need to go that far , Kleinberg said .
But you should be aware of what types of data the app can pull from your account and use it with caution .
“ App users , and parents of app users who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other apps , ” Kleinberg said .
Deleting TikTok might be the absolute safest thing to do , but it doesn ’ t seem warranted by the information currently available , she added .

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If you’ve recently perfected your “Savage” dance, we’re sorry to be the bearers of bad news: You may need to delete the TikTok app from your phone soon.
TikTok, a video social networking app owned by the Beijing-based company ByteDance, has come under scrutiny over privacy concerns and its alleged ties to the Chinese government. “We are now evaluating each instance where we believe that U.S. citizens’ data that they have on their phones or in their system or in their health care records. We want to make sure that the Chinese Communist Party doesn’t have a way to easily access that,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters last week.
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As a result, TikTok and other apps from Chinese companies are at risk of being banned. The U.S. Army and Navy have already ordered the removal of TikTok from government phones, declaring in December that the app is a cybersecurity threat.
Global Concerns Over TikTok Are Growing
TikTok’s security flaws aren’t a new problem. In February 2019, TikTok paid a $5.7 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission to settle a claim alleging that an earlier version of the app, known as Musical.ly., illegally collected data on children under 13, a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule.
That same year, a California college student filed a class-action lawsuit accusing TikTok of creating accounts without user consent for individuals who downloaded the app. “In the court documents, it is alleged that TikTok transferred user data to two servers in China (Bugly and Umeng), which included device and website information, as well as biometric data from videos on the device,” said Charla Griffy-Brown, a professor of information systems and technology management at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School.
Bugly is owned by Tencent (which also owns the social network WeChat) and Umeng is part of the Alibaba Group, both of which are major players in the Chinese data sector.
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The lawsuit also alleged that the TikTok app contains code from Igexin, a Chinese advertising company that was revealed in 2017 to allow developers to install spyware on phones, and from the Chinese internet company Baidu, Griffy-Brown said.
In March, it was discovered that TikTok was one of more than 50 apps that were reading the content on iOS 14 users’ clipboard notes thanks to a privacy vulnerability in Apple’s copy-and-paste feature.
And in May, a complaint was filed with the FTC alleging that TikTok was in violation of its 2019 settlement agreement by failing to destroy all personal information collected from users under the age of 13, as well as by allowing underage users on the platform without parental consent.
Adding to the negative buzz are unverified claims from a Reddit user who said he reverse-engineered the app and from a Twitter account that may or may not belong to the hacker collective Anonymous that TikTok “collects vast amounts of data ― far more than, for instance, Facebook and Instagram,” said David Janssen, a cybersecurity analyst and founder of VPNoverview.com. “[The Twitter account] stated that TikTok is essentially spyware developed and operated by the Chinese government.”
Delete TikTok now; if you know someone that is using it explain to them it is essentially malware operated by the Chinese government running a massive spying operation. https://t.co/J7N9FS7PvG — Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) July 1, 2020
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It’s not just the U.S. that’s worried about TikTok.
In June, the European Union announced a coordinated investigation into how TikTok handles user privacy, which it coupled with concern about the development of facial recognition technology.
“Pedagogical experts in Europe have also warned about the risks of grooming, child abuse and identity theft when using the TikTok app” as it provides predators and scammers an easy way to observe and communicate with minors, Janssen said.
Last month, India banned TikTok and 58 other apps from China. That was a major blow for TikTok, which lost around 25% of its user base overnight. This, Janssen said, was likely the result of strained political tensions between China and India and not just security issues.
Political tensions may be contributing to the heightened attention to TikTok in the U.S., too. “Although these concerns are not new, they have recently made headlines after information came to light that [users of] TikTok may have played a significant role in the low turnout at President Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, despite a large number of tickets being reserved,” said Liz Kleinberg, a Vermont-based attorney whose practice includes data privacy and security. “Secretary of Defense Pompeo has said that the renewed scrutiny is based on national security concerns. President Trump has said he is considering banning TikTok as ‘one of many’ ways to get back at the Chinese government because of COVID-19.”
Should You Really Worry About TikTok Spying On You?
TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have taken several measures in response to the outcry over security issues, including hiring an American chief executive. The company insists that users should not worry about their privacy.
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“Tens of millions of Americans come to TikTok for entertainment, inspiration and connection, especially during the pandemic. We are fully committed to protecting our users’ privacy and security,” a TikTok representative told HuffPost. “TikTok has an American CEO, a chief information security officer with decades of U.S. military and law enforcement experience and a growing U.S. team that works diligently to develop a best-in-class security infrastructure. TikTok U.S. user data is stored in Virginia and Singapore, with strict controls on employee access. These are the facts.”
Even so, Janssen said it’s naive to think a company like ByteDance can completely distance itself from the influence of the Chinese government.
China has been accused of spying on Western companies and stealing intellectual property at scale. The FBI has called China’s theft of technology the biggest law enforcement threat to the U.S.
Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence, asking for an assessment of the national security risks TikTok poses.
While “ByteDance claims TikTok does not operate in China and stores U.S. user data in the U.S., ByteDance is still required to adhere to the laws of China,” said a news release from Cotton’s office. “Importantly, security experts have voiced concern that China’s intelligence, national security and cybersecurity laws compel Chinese companies to support and cooperate with intelligence work controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.”
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TikTok was heavily criticized for censoring video pertaining to the protests in Hong Kong, Janssen said. “Critics argued that this is a telltale sign that ByteDance is applying censorship and is being subjected to the pressure and influence of the Chinese government,” he said.
Should You Delete TikTok?
Whether or not the U.S. government will actually ban TikTok is up in the air. Still, you may be wondering whether it’s wise to go ahead and delete the app now.
You don’t necessarily need to go that far, Kleinberg said. But you should be aware of what types of data the app can pull from your account and use it with caution. “App users, and parents of app users who are children, should carefully scrutinize TikTok and any other apps,” Kleinberg said. Deleting TikTok might be the absolute safest thing to do, but it doesn’t seem warranted by the information currently available, she added.
Even so, Griffy-Brown said the concerns are serious ― not just because of privacy, protecting children, industrial espionage and user consent in data collection, but also because of darker issues with the potential use of biometric information, such as the development of deep fakes.
“A free society must carefully consider data rights and ask questions about those rights,” Griffy-Brown said. “Citizens should also consider the moderation guidelines ensuring misinformation is flagged, and these guidelines should be transparent so individuals can make informed decisions. These guidelines must be carefully balanced with free speech.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Portland Protesters: Federal Cops In Unmarked Vans Are Grabbing Us Off The Street

The officers have been seen in videos posted to social media dressed in green military fatigues with “ police ” patches but no agency affiliation on clear display .
One video shows two officers approaching a person who has their hands up , then wordlessly escorting them to a gray minivan before driving off .
Two protesters , Mark Pettibone and Conner O ’ Shea , told the outlet they were chased by an unmarked minivan early Wednesday morning as they were heading home after peacefully demonstrating .
Pettibone did not escape .
“ I am basically tossed into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And I had my beanie pulled over my face so I couldn ’ t see , and they held my hands over my head.
” He said the officers did not identify themselves or state the reason he was being detained , and only read him his Miranda rights after placing him in a cell .
Asked if he would waive those rights to answer a few questions , Pettibone declined and requested a lawyer .
He said he was released after about 90 minutes .
Officers with the U.S .
Marshals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ descended on Portland in recent weeks for the stated purpose of protecting federal property as thousands in the city participate in anti-racism protests .
CBP agents are in the city because of an executive order President Donald Trump passed in response to the protests , a spokesperson said in a statement to Mother Jones .
In a statement released Thursday , acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf characterized the demonstrations as a “ siege ” against the city of Portland by a “ violent mob , ” and accused “ anarchists ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Each night , lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property , including the federal courthouse , and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it , ” Wolf said .
“ A federal courthouse is a symbol of justice ― to attack it is to attack America.
” Last weekend , one of the federal officers shot a protester in the head in front of the federal courthouse , severely injuring him in an incident caught on video .
“ A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media , ” Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) tweeted Thursday .
“ The president is failing to lead this nation .
Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government , ” Brown said .
“ We believed this was intended to be a thoughtful , honest and open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sec .
Wolf , it became clear law enforcement in the City of Portland was becoming highly politicized , and for that reason , Sheriff Reese declined to meet with Sec .
Wolf , ” Reese said .
“ Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping — what is happening now in Portland should concern everyone in the US , ” the civil rights group said in a statement .
“ These actions are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered .
@

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Demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, say federal officers driving unmarked vans have been stopping to detain people during late-night protests this week, a legally dubious move that local officials are condemning.
The officers have been seen in videos posted to social media dressed in green military fatigues with “police” patches but no agency affiliation on clear display. One video shows two officers approaching a person who has their hands up, then wordlessly escorting them to a gray minivan before driving off.
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Officers have been detaining protesters using this tactic since at least Tuesday, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Two protesters, Mark Pettibone and Conner O’Shea, told the outlet they were chased by an unmarked minivan early Wednesday morning as they were heading home after peacefully demonstrating. Pettibone did not escape.
“I am basically tossed into the van,” he told OPB. “And I had my beanie pulled over my face so I couldn’t see, and they held my hands over my head.”
He said the officers did not identify themselves or state the reason he was being detained, and only read him his Miranda rights after placing him in a cell. Asked if he would waive those rights to answer a few questions, Pettibone declined and requested a lawyer. He said he was released after about 90 minutes.
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The whole ordeal was “terrifying,” Pettibone told The Washington Post.
Officers with the U.S. Marshals Service and Customs and Border Protection have descended on Portland in recent weeks for the stated purpose of protecting federal property as thousands in the city participate in anti-racism protests.
In a statement released Thursday, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf characterized the demonstrations as a “siege” against the city of Portland by a “violent mob,” and accused “anarchists” of painting graffiti on buildings.
“Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it,” Wolf said. “A federal courthouse is a symbol of justice ― to attack it is to attack America.”
The demonstrations have been largely peaceful, with standoffs between protesters and Portland police dressed in heavy riot gear recently becoming more tense.
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Last weekend, one of the federal officers shot a protester in the head in front of the federal courthouse, severely injuring him in an incident caught on video.
Local and state officials have railed against the officers’ presence, calling it a political stunt staged by the president.
“A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump’s secret police. Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) tweeted Thursday.
The state’s other senator, Jeff Merkley, also a Democrat, likened the stunt to authoritarianism and said it “must end.”
Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters. These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end. pic.twitter.com/PE4YfZ9Vqd — Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) July 16, 2020
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In a statement issued Friday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) called the detentions “political theater from President Trump” that have “nothing to do with public safety.”
“The president is failing to lead this nation. Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government,” Brown said.
Mike Reese, sheriff of Multnomah County, which contains Portland, declined to meet with Wolf when he visited the city on Thursday, citing the acting official’s divisive comments.
“We believed this was intended to be a thoughtful, honest and open discussion, but following statements made by Sec. Wolf, it became clear law enforcement in the City of Portland was becoming highly politicized, and for that reason, Sheriff Reese declined to meet with Sec. Wolf,” Reese said.
The American Civil Liberties Union threatened legal action on Friday in response to what it called “uninvited and unwelcome federal officers.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Kayleigh McEnany’s War of Words

Kayleigh McEnany’s War of Words

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called Kayleigh McEnany a “ Karen ” after the White House press secretary referred to her @ @ @ @ @ ” at a briefing .

Kayleigh McEnany’s War of Words
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called Kayleigh McEnany a “Karen” after the White House press secretary referred to her as a “derelict mayor” at a briefing.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Rep. John Lewis, Civil Rights Icon, Dies At Age 80

“ I have been in some kind of fight ― for freedom , equality , basic human rights ― for nearly my entire life , ” Lewis said in a statement at the time .
“ I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now.
” Lewis has been on the front lines of the fight for democracy for most of his life .
Born on Feb. 21 , 1940 , to sharecroppers outside of Troy , Alabama , Lewis grew up attending segregated public schools .
After watching the activism that sparked the Montgomery bus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luther King Jr. ’ s words on the radio , Lewis was inspired to join the civil rights movement and fought for voting rights ever since .
As a college student attending Fisk University , Lewis helped organize peaceful sit-in protests at segregated lunch counters in Nashville , Tennessee .
At age 21 , he volunteered to be a Freedom Rider — one of the activists who risked their lives challenging segregation throughout the South by sitting in seats reserved for white people .
( The protest was inspired by Rosa Parks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seat for a white man in Montgomery , Alabama , in 1955 . )
Lewis helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and became its chairman during the peak of the civil rights movement from 1963 to 1966 .
Lewis organized student activism in the movement through SNCC and was eventually considered one of the “ Big Six ” leaders of the civil rights movement , alongside King .
At 23 , Lewis was one of the organizers of and the youngest keynote speaker at the March on Washington in August 1963 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964 , yet another example of his determination to bring voting rights to Black people .
Alabama state troopers fractured Lewis ’ skull in March 1965 while he led more than 600 peaceful demonstrators in a voting rights protest across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma , Alabama , during what became known as Bloody Sunday .
Media coverage of the cruelty during Bloody Sunday ― and the subsequent successful Selma march in which Lewis walked alongside King ― helped usher in the passage of the Voting Rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including future Congressman John Lewis ( third left ) and Gloria Richardson ( third right ) , chair of the Cambridge Non-Violent Action Committee , links hands with others as they march in protest of a scheduled speech by the pro-segregationist Alabama governor , George Wallace , Cambridge , Maryland , May 1964 .
( Photo by Francis Miller/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images ) Throughout his congressional career , Lewis fought to enact laws that furthered the civil rights and moral principles that he had championed since he was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stacey Abrams , the Democrat who lost the 2018 gubernatorial election in Georgia and has since dedicated her career to fighting for voting rights amid allegations of Black voter suppression in the state .
“ I gave a little blood on that bridge in Selma , 53 years ago , ” Lewis told a crowd at a rally for Abrams just days before the election .
“ I ’ m not asking any of you to give any blood .
I ’ m just asking you to go and vote like you never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lewis was also unfiltered in his criticism of President Donald Trump and refused to attend the 2018 State of the Union address after Trump characterized Haiti and African nations as “ shitholes.
” The congressman said in May 2019 that if King were alive today , Lewis would tell him that Trump is “ a racist ” who “ doesn ’ t understand the meaning of your life and the significance of the civil rights movement.
” Lewis was a strong supporter of impeaching Trump on charges of abuse of power and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country he once considered a “ beacon of hope ” may be “ descending into darkness.
” Before voting to formally impeach the president in December 2019 , Lewis delivered an emotional , fiery speech that alluded to his experiences in Washington that helped define the civil rights movement .
“ When you see something that is not right , not just , not fair , you have a moral obligation to say something , do something , ” the civil rights icon said .
“ Our children and their children will ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
What did you say ?
’ ” Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. , ( center ) is escorted into a mass meeting at Fish University in Nashville .
His colleagues are , left to right , John Lewis , national chairman of the Student Non-Violent Committee and Lester McKinnie , on of the leaders in the racial demonstrations in Nashville recently .
King gave the main address to a packed crowd .
( Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images ) “ I ’ ve come in contact with people who feel inspired .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve just never been along in a protest — they ’ ve never been in a march before — they decided to march with their children and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren and to walk with them , ” he said in June .

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Rep. John Lewis, the legendary civil rights leader who helped organize the March on Washington and was later known as the “conscience of Congress,” died Friday at age 80.
The Georgia Democrat announced in December 2019 that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
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“I have been in some kind of fight ― for freedom, equality, basic human rights ― for nearly my entire life,” Lewis said in a statement at the time. “I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now.”
At the head of the march from Selma to Montgomery on March 25, 1965, nuns, priests and civil rights leaders: The Rev. Arthur Matott (from left), John Lewis (head of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), Andrew Young, Sister Mary Leoline and Theodore Gill. Stephen F. Somerstein via Getty Images
Lewis has been on the front lines of the fight for democracy for most of his life. Born on Feb. 21, 1940, to sharecroppers outside of Troy, Alabama, Lewis grew up attending segregated public schools. After watching the activism that sparked the Montgomery bus boycott and hearing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words on the radio, Lewis was inspired to join the civil rights movement and fought for voting rights ever since.
As a college student attending Fisk University, Lewis helped organize peaceful sit-in protests at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee. At age 21, he volunteered to be a Freedom Rider — one of the activists who risked their lives challenging segregation throughout the South by sitting in seats reserved for white people. (The protest was inspired by Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her bus seat for a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.)
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Lewis helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and became its chairman during the peak of the civil rights movement from 1963 to 1966. Lewis organized student activism in the movement through SNCC and was eventually considered one of the “Big Six” leaders of the civil rights movement, alongside King.
American politician and Civil Rights leader John Lewis speaks at a meeting of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Washington DC, April 16, 1964. (Photo by Marion S Trikosko/PhotoQuest/Getty Images) PhotoQuest via Getty Images
At 23, Lewis was one of the organizers of and the youngest keynote speaker at the March on Washington in August 1963. He helped launch voter registration drives during the Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964, yet another example of his determination to bring voting rights to Black people.
Lewis often faced violent consequences for his civil rights leadership. He was repeatedly arrested and beaten by police and angry mobs for challenging Jim Crow segregation in the South and fighting for voting rights.
Alabama state troopers fractured Lewis’ skull in March 1965 while he led more than 600 peaceful demonstrators in a voting rights protest across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, during what became known as Bloody Sunday. Media coverage of the cruelty during Bloody Sunday ― and the subsequent successful Selma march in which Lewis walked alongside King ― helped usher in the passage of the Voting Rights Act that year.
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John Lewis seen third to the left with Dr Martin Luther King Jr. as they begin the Selma to Montgomery civil rights march from Brown's Chapel Church in Selma, Alabama, US, 21st March 1965. William Lovelace via Getty Images
Civil Rights leaders, including future Congressman John Lewis (third left) and Gloria Richardson (third right), chair of the Cambridge Non-Violent Action Committee, links hands with others as they march in protest of a scheduled speech by the pro-segregationist Alabama governor, George Wallace, Cambridge, Maryland, May 1964. (Photo by Francis Miller/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images) Francis Miller via Getty Images
Lewis was elected to the Atlanta City Council in 1981 and to Congress in 1986. He served as House Democrats’ senior chief deputy whip and as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Representative John Lewis, D-Ga. August 13, 1991 (Photo by Laura Patterson/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images) CQ Archive via Getty Images
Throughout his congressional career, Lewis fought to enact laws that furthered the civil rights and moral principles that he had championed since he was a young man. He helped campaign for Stacey Abrams, the Democrat who lost the 2018 gubernatorial election in Georgia and has since dedicated her career to fighting for voting rights amid allegations of Black voter suppression in the state.
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“I gave a little blood on that bridge in Selma, 53 years ago,” Lewis told a crowd at a rally for Abrams just days before the election. “I’m not asking any of you to give any blood. I’m just asking you to go and vote like you never voted before. We have to vote.”
Lewis was also unfiltered in his criticism of President Donald Trump and refused to attend the 2018 State of the Union address after Trump characterized Haiti and African nations as “shitholes.” The congressman said in May 2019 that if King were alive today, Lewis would tell him that Trump is “a racist” who “doesn’t understand the meaning of your life and the significance of the civil rights movement.”
Lewis was a strong supporter of impeaching Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, warning that the country he once considered a “beacon of hope” may be “descending into darkness.” Before voting to formally impeach the president in December 2019, Lewis delivered an emotional, fiery speech that alluded to his experiences in Washington that helped define the civil rights movement.
“When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something, do something,” the civil rights icon said. “Our children and their children will ask us: ‘What did you do? What did you say?’”
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., (center) is escorted into a mass meeting at Fisk University in Nashville. His colleagues are, left to right, John Lewis, national chairman of the Student Non-Violent Committee and Lester McKinnie, on of the leaders in the racial demonstrations in Nashville recently. King gave the main address to a packed crowd. (Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images) Bettmann via Getty Images
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Lewis held hope for the future of America even through the pandemic and widespread anger over civil rights. As protests erupted nationwide over the police slaying of a Black Minnesota man, George Floyd, Lewis remarked on the sheer scope of the movement.
“I’ve come in contact with people who feel inspired. They’re moved. They’ve just never been along in a protest — they’ve never been in a march before — they decided to march with their children and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren and to walk with them,” he said in June.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--John Lewis Went Against Donald Trump When Few Democrats Would

J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) was one of the only members of Congress willing to challenge President Donald Trump from the start .
A week before Donald Trump ’ s inauguration in 2017 , Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) laid down his marker : Trump would not be his president , and Lewis would not afford him any of the respect that comes with the office .
“ I don ’ t see this president-elect as a legitimate president , ” Lewis said in an interview with NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into office .
“ I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected and they have destroyed the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.
” He was the first prominent Democrat to question Trump ’ s legitimacy as president .
Though Lewis was referencing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election , his comments were also a response to Trump ’ s birtherism : For years , Trump was one of the leaders pushing the racist conspiracy theory , which falsely claimed that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but plenty also distanced themselves from him and said he had gone too far .
They wanted to give Trump ― who had received fewer votes than Clinton ― a chance .
Sen. Joe Manchin ( D-W.Va. ) called Lewis ’ remarks “ nonproductive ” and Denis McDonough , Obama ’ s chief of staff , said Trump was “ freely elected.
” Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) called them “ just words , ” praising Lewis for calling out Trump ’ s racism but refusing to go as far as saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lewis was willing to stick his neck out against Trump , both as the “ conscience of the Congress ” and as a member of the Democratic leadership .
Trump turned his ire on Lewis in return , tweeting out a characterization of his district ( the same one he would later use against another black civil rights leader in Congress , the late Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings ) , saying it was in “ horrible shape and falling apart ” and “ crime-infested.
” ( That is not what the district is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to Trump ’ s inauguration .
He wasn ’ t the first Democratic member of Congress to say he wouldn ’ t go , but after Trump attacked him , dozens more joined him in sitting out the event .
He was involved in activism for most of his life , most notably as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee ― which he helped create ― during the peak of the civil rights movement in the 1960s .
He was known as one of “ Big Six ” leaders of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jr. Alabama state troopers fractured Lewis ’ head in March 1965 when he and more than 600 peaceful demonstrators walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what is now known as Bloody Sunday , an attempt to march for voting rights from Selma to Montgomery , Alabama .
State troopers breaking up a voting rights march in Selma , Alabama , on March 7 , 1965 .
In the foreground , John Lewis , then chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and a future U.S. congressman , is being beaten by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skull .
Lewis kept that commitment to civil rights in Congress and continued to speak up after Trump had taken office .
In January 2018 , after Trump reportedly referred to Haiti and some African nations as “ shithole countries , ” Lewis said the president ’ s “ words and his actions tend to speak like one who knows something about being a racist .
It must be in his DNA , in his makeup.
” As the impeachment investigation into Trump proceeded throughout the second half of 2019 , Lewis stayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part to his close relationship with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) , who was against impeachment until then .
However , given his previous comments , there seemed to be little doubt about where he stood .
Many Democratic House members said that they believed that Lewis , a moral figure who commanded universal respect , could help swing momentum in favor of impeachment in a unique way .
“ When you see something that is not right , not just , not fair , you have a moral obligation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ Our children and their children will ask us : ‘ What did you do ?
What did you say ?
’ ”

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A week before Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) laid down his marker: Trump would not be his president, and Lewis would not afford him any of the respect that comes with the office.
“I don’t see this president-elect as a legitimate president,” Lewis said in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” a week before Trump was sworn into office. “I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected and they have destroyed the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.”
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Lewis, a congressman from Georgia since 1987, passed away on Friday, and leaves behind a legacy as one of the nation’s leading civil rights activists.
He was the first prominent Democrat to question Trump’s legitimacy as president. Though Lewis was referencing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, his comments were also a response to Trump’s birtherism: For years, Trump was one of the leaders pushing the racist conspiracy theory, which falsely claimed that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.
Some Democrats supported Lewis, but plenty also distanced themselves from him and said he had gone too far. They wanted to give Trump ― who had received fewer votes than Clinton ― a chance.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) called Lewis’ remarks “nonproductive” and Denis McDonough, Obama’s chief of staff, said Trump was “freely elected.” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called them “just words,” praising Lewis for calling out Trump’s racism but refusing to go as far as saying he was an illegitimate president.
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But Lewis was willing to stick his neck out against Trump, both as the “conscience of the Congress” and as a member of the Democratic leadership.
Lewis refused to go to Trump’s inauguration. He wasn’t the first Democratic member of Congress to say he wouldn’t go, but after Trump attacked him, dozens more joined him in sitting out the event.
He was involved in activism for most of his life, most notably as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee ― which he helped create ― during the peak of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. He was known as one of “Big Six” leaders of the movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Alabama state troopers fractured Lewis’ head in March 1965 when he and more than 600 peaceful demonstrators walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on what is now known as Bloody Sunday, an attempt to march for voting rights from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
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State troopers breaking up a voting rights march in Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965. In the foreground, John Lewis, then chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and a future U.S. congressman, is being beaten by a state trooper, who fractured Lewis' skull. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lewis kept that commitment to civil rights in Congress and continued to speak up after Trump had taken office. In January 2018, after Trump reportedly referred to Haiti and some African nations as “shithole countries,” Lewis said the president’s “words and his actions tend to speak like one who knows something about being a racist. It must be in his DNA, in his makeup.”
As the impeachment investigation into Trump proceeded throughout the second half of 2019, Lewis stayed silent until September, likely due in part to his close relationship with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who was against impeachment until then.
However, given his previous comments, there seemed to be little doubt about where he stood. Many Democratic House members said that they believed that Lewis, a moral figure who commanded universal respect, could help swing momentum in favor of impeachment in a unique way.
When Lewis finally spoke out in support of impeaching Trump, he gave an emotional speech on the House floor.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--Watchdog Group Files Ethics Complaint Over Ivanka Trump's Product Plug

Screen Shot/Twitter/Ivanka Trump Ivanka Trump plugs Goya black beans after the head of the company praised President Trump .
A complaint accusing Ivanka Trump of a federal ethics violation by brazenly promoting Goya beans on her social media accounts has been filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington .
The first daughter on Tuesday tweeted a selfie posing with a can of Goya Foods ’ black beans with the company ’ s promotional message : “ If it ’ s Goya , it ’ s got to be good ” in English and Spanish .
She posted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message by President Donald Trump ’ s daughter and adviser followed calls to boycott Goya products last week after company CEO Robert Unanue gushed that the nation was “ blessed ” to have Trump as president .
The president followed up the next day with his own Goya pitch from the Oval Office .
CREW characterized the first daughter ’ s product plug as a “ misuse of public office ” in a letter Friday to Emory Rounds , the director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics .
Ivanka Trump “ appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conduct barring her from using her government position , title or any authority associated with her public office to endorse any product , service , or enterprise , ” CREW wrote .
The letter noted that Trump uses her Twitter and Instagram accounts for “ official government purposes.
” So Trump ’ s endorsement of the company ’ s product would “ lead any reasonable person to conclude her Goya Foods posts represented an official government endorsement intended to counteract the negative effect of any boycott , ” CREW wrote .
CREW called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel to investigate and “ consider appropriate disciplinary action against Ms. Trump.
” Former OGE Director Walter Shaub declared Thursday in a Washington Post op-ed that Trump ’ s behavior flat-out “ violated an executive branch ethics regulation prohibiting employees from misusing their official positions to endorse commercial products.
” Shaub argued that part of the point of the stunt was to send the message that “ rules don ’ t apply ” to the Trumps — or to the Republican administration .

Ivanka Trump plugs Goya black beans after the head of the company praised President Trump. Screen Shot/Twitter/Ivanka Trump
A complaint accusing Ivanka Trump of a federal ethics violation by brazenly promoting Goya beans on her social media accounts has been filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
The first daughter on Tuesday tweeted a selfie posing with a can of Goya Foods’ black beans with the company’s promotional message: “If it’s Goya, it’s got to be good” in English and Spanish. She posted the same thing on Instagram.
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The product-plugging message by President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser followed calls to boycott Goya products last week after company CEO Robert Unanue gushed that the nation was “blessed” to have Trump as president. The president followed up the next day with his own Goya pitch from the Oval Office.
CREW characterized the first daughter’s product plug as a “misuse of public office” in a letter Friday to Emory Rounds, the director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
Ivanka Trump “appears to have clearly violated the Standards of Conduct barring her from using her government position, title or any authority associated with her public office to endorse any product, service, or enterprise,” CREW wrote.
The letter noted that Trump uses her Twitter and Instagram accounts for “official government purposes.” So Trump’s endorsement of the company’s product would “lead any reasonable person to conclude her Goya Foods posts represented an official government endorsement intended to counteract the negative effect of any boycott,” CREW wrote.
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CREW called on Rounds to request the White House counsel to investigate and “consider appropriate disciplinary action against Ms. Trump.”
Ivanka Trump could not immediately be reached for comment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-17--White House Bars CDC From Testifying At School Reopening Hearings

“ It is alarming that the Trump administration is preventing the CDC from appearing before the committee at a time when its expertise and guidance is so critical to the health and safety of students , parents , and educators , ” Scott said in a statement .
“ This lack of transparency does a great disservice to the many communities across the country facing difficult decisions about reopening schools this fall.
” Scott added : “ The administration ’ s strategy of prioritizing politics over science has had a devastating impact on our country throughout this pandemic .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to reopening schools.
” Redfield could not be reached for comment .
But a CDC representative told Politico that Redfield has participated in more than 10 congressional hearings on the coronavirus .
“ He takes seriously his responsibility to keep Congress informed on CDC ’ s response to COVID , ” the spokesperson told Politico .
“ Being cognizant of the need to prioritize time of task force members , CDC will participate in future hearings when approached by committees of jurisdiction.
” Vice President Mike Pence said last week that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for schools this week after Trump called earlier advice from the agency “ tough and expensive.
” Redfield said afterward that the guidelines wouldn ’ t be relaxed but that additional information would be provided in the next couple of weeks .
Schools in Florida , an epicenter of the disease in the nation currently with record numbers of new cases , has ordered its schools to open next month .
The GOP is now scaling back its convention in Jacksonville next month and is considering an outdoor amphitheater for Donald Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 , reports The Miami Herald .

“It is alarming that the Trump administration is preventing the CDC from appearing before the committee at a time when its expertise and guidance is so critical to the health and safety of students, parents, and educators,” Scott said in a statement. “This lack of transparency does a great disservice to the many communities across the country facing difficult decisions about reopening schools this fall.”
Scott added: “The administration’s strategy of prioritizing politics over science has had a devastating impact on our country throughout this pandemic. It should not make that same mistake when it comes to reopening schools.”
Redfield could not be reached for comment. But a CDC representative told Politico that Redfield has participated in more than 10 congressional hearings on the coronavirus.
“He takes seriously his responsibility to keep Congress informed on CDC’s response to COVID,” the spokesperson told Politico. “Being cognizant of the need to prioritize time of task force members, CDC will participate in future hearings when approached by committees of jurisdiction.”
Vice President Mike Pence said last week that the CDC would be issuing revised guidelines for schools this week after Trump called earlier advice from the agency “tough and expensive.” Redfield said afterward that the guidelines wouldn’t be relaxed but that additional information would be provided in the next couple of weeks.
Schools in Florida, an epicenter of the disease in the nation currently with record numbers of new cases, has ordered its schools to open next month. The GOP is now scaling back its convention in Jacksonville next month and is considering an outdoor amphitheater for Donald Trump’s acceptance speech because of the dangers of COVID-19, reports The Miami Herald.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-18--Barack Obama: John Lewis 'Risked His Life' So This Nation Could 'Live Up To Its Promise'

Rep. John Lewis battled tirelessly for civil rights inspired by a faith that humanity yearns to do what ’ s right , former president Barack Obama wrote in a moving tribute Friday to his friend .
“ He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise , ” Obama wrote after Lewis ’ s death from pancreatic cancer .
“ And through the decades , he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice , but inspired generations that followed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He “ embraced the principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as the means to bring about real change — understanding that such tactics had the power not only to change laws , but to change hearts and minds as well , ” added Obama , who in 2011 awarded the congressman ithe nation ’ s highest civilian honor — the Presidential Medal of Freedom .
And though he was exceptional , Lewis always believed that everyone could do exactly what he did , Obama recalled .
“ He believed that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity for great courage , a longing to do what ’ s right , a willingness to love all people , and to extend to them their God-given rights to dignity and respect , ” Obama wrote .
“ And it ’ s because he saw the best in all of us that he will continue , even in his passing , to serve as a beacon in that long journey towards a more perfect union.
” Obama said that after he became an Illinois senator , he told Lewis he was standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the congressman ’ s struggles for civil rights .
“ When I was elected President of the United States , I hugged him on the inauguration stand before I was sworn in and told him I was only there because of the sacrifices he made , ” Obama noted .
Lewis and Obama last shared a public forum with activists helping to organize Black Lives Matter marches in the wake of the brutal death of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis .
“ He could not have been prouder of their efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for freedom and equality , a new generation intent on voting and protecting the right to vote , a new generation running for political office , ” Obama wrote .
“ I told him that all those young people — of every race , from every background and gender and sexual orientation — they were his children .

Rep. John Lewis battled tirelessly for civil rights inspired by a faith that humanity yearns to do what’s right, former President Barack Obama wrote in a moving tribute to his friend on Friday.
“He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise,” Obama wrote after Lewis’ death from pancreatic cancer. “And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice, but inspired generations that followed to try to live up to his example.”
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He “embraced the principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as the means to bring about real change — understanding that such tactics had the power not only to change laws, but to change hearts and minds as well,” added Obama, who in 2011 awarded the congressman the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
And though he was exceptional, Lewis always believed that everyone could do exactly what he did, Obama recalled.
“He believed that in all of us, there exists the capacity for great courage, a longing to do what’s right, a willingness to love all people, and to extend to them their God-given rights to dignity and respect,” Obama wrote.
“And it’s because he saw the best in all of us that he will continue, even in his passing, to serve as a beacon in that long journey towards a more perfect union.”
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Obama said that after he became an Illinois senator, he told Lewis he was standing “on his shoulders” because of the congressman’s struggles for civil rights.
“When I was elected President of the United States, I hugged him on the inauguration stand before I was sworn in and told him I was only there because of the sacrifices he made,” Obama noted.
Lewis and Obama last shared a public forum with activists helping to organize Black Lives Matter marches in the wake of the brutal police killing of George Floyd during an arrest in Minneapolis.
“He could not have been prouder of their efforts — of a new generation standing up for freedom and equality, a new generation intent on voting and protecting the right to vote, a new generation running for political office,” Obama wrote. “I told him that all those young people — of every race, from every background and gender and sexual orientation — they were his children.”
“Thanks to him, we now all have our marching orders,” the former president wrote.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-18--Civil Rights Titan Rep. John Lewis Hailed As America's Conscience

As I said in an interview back in March , some of John Lewis ’ s last words to me @ @ @ @ @ fight going.
” & that ’ s what we must do .
We must all @ @ @ @ @ nation & Congress now & challenge them to rise to this moment .
& when @ @ @ @ @ trouble .
pic.twitter.com/4C58pXCn9d

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America’s heart broke Friday night with news of the death of Rep. John Lewis. Lawmakers, mayors, actors, hip-hop stars, and the mighty and the ordinary from Alabama and Georgia to New York and California hailed the courageous lion of civil rights who never gave up his fight and his hope and never lost his love.
Lewis’s “goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
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“Make good trouble, necessary trouble. Seek justice,” tweeted Birmingham, Alabama, Mayor Randall Woodfin, quoting the Georgia Democrat. “Rep. John Lewis, the conscience of Black America, has already given us our marching orders. It’s our duty to press onward. Rest well, hero.”
Lewis’s last words in March to the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, a leader of the Poor People’s Campaign, were: “Keep the fight going.”
In honor of the congressman, President Donald Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House and at all military bases, naval stations, embassies and other U.S. facilities around the world.
Not many of us get to live to see our own legacy play out in such a meaningful, remarkable way. John Lewis did:https://t.co/KbVfYt5CeQ — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 18, 2020
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.@RepJohnLewis was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation. Every day of his life was dedicated to bringing freedom and justice to all. pic.twitter.com/xMbfAUhLUv — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 18, 2020
1/ In this moment, it is difficult and heartbreaking to comprehend a world without John Lewis. pic.twitter.com/ra3RJhMU4a — Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) July 18, 2020
5/ John Lewis had faith in our nation and in the next generation. He warned us not to get lost in despair. So, in this moment of grief, we are hopeful – we are hopeful that, collectively, we can live up to his legacy. — Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) July 18, 2020
Make good trouble.
Necessary trouble.
Seek justice.
Rep. John Lewis, the conscience of Black America, has already given us our marching orders. It's our duty to press onward. Rest well, hero. pic.twitter.com/X5AyrIPbyr — Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) July 18, 2020
John Lewis was an American treasure.
He gave a voice to the voiceless, and he reminded each of us that the most powerful nonviolent tool is the vote.
Our hearts feel empty without our friend, but we find comfort knowing that he is free at last. — Martin Luther King III (@OfficialMLK3) July 18, 2020
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John Lewis was and will always be an American hero and champion for civil rights, who inspired us all to make good trouble in the fight for justice.
Rest in power, Rep. John Lewis. — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) July 18, 2020
John Lewis was an icon who fought with every ounce of his being to advance the cause of civil rights for all Americans. I'm devastated for his family, friends, staff—and all those whose lives he touched.
My friend, thank you for showing the world what #GoodTrouble looks like. pic.twitter.com/cvG8nSJCW5 — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 18, 2020
America is poorer tonight. And the Kingdom of Heaven richer. "Within all of us there is the spark of the divine. Maybe it’s planted by God Almighty, and we have to use it for good, to be the best we can be."--John Lewis, in a conversation weeks before he died. — Jon Meacham (@jmeacham) July 18, 2020
As I said in an interview back in March, some of John Lewis’s last words to me were, “Keep the fight going.” & that’s what we must do. We must all become the conscience of the nation & Congress now & challenge them to rise to this moment. & when necessary, get into good trouble. pic.twitter.com/4C58pXCn9d — Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@RevDrBarber) July 18, 2020
This is a great loss for America, and for everyone who believes in making the world a more just place. John Lewis not only saw that our country could be better--he never stopped working to make it that way. We need leaders like him more than ever. https://t.co/YffaikZtZZ — Bill Gates (@BillGates) July 18, 2020
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John Lewis gave all he had to redeem America’s unmet promise of equality and justice for all, and to create a place for us to build a more perfect union together. In so doing he became the conscience of the nation. — Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) July 18, 2020
Oh how we will mourn your loss and yet strive to continue your fight for justice for us all! “We must never, ever give up! We must be brave,bold,courageous” John Lewis pic.twitter.com/bbxmQODmf1 — Angela Bassett (@ImAngelaBassett) July 18, 2020
“Even though I was under arrest, I smiled because I believed we were on the right side of history. You too must find a way to get in the way.” -John Lewis ❤ pic.twitter.com/WqkSFDCsMl — Niccole Thurman (@niccolethurman) July 18, 2020
Congressman John Lewis spent his life fighting racism and injustice wherever he confronted it, from boycotts, sit-ins, and other protests in the streets, to championing bold, progressive policies in Congress. #ripjohnlewis pic.twitter.com/Sj3joYHWni — The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) July 18, 2020
We learned from civil rights giant Congressman John Lewis that we have “a moral obligation, a mission and a mandate, to speak up, speak out and get in good trouble.”
In honor of his legacy, we will continue on this path of good trouble.
Rest in power, Congressman. — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 18, 2020
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"You have a moral obligation, a mission and a mandate, to speak up, speak out and get in good trouble."
- Rep. John Lewis | #GoodTrouble
Thank you for EVERYTHING. pic.twitter.com/wDxl1f5kKQ — Josiah Williams (@JDeanWilliams) July 18, 2020
John Lewis was a hero we didn’t deserve—a champion for equality and freedom, a steadfast statesman, and one of my personal heroes—and I’m heartbroken at his passing. He lived a remarkable life and inspired a generation of Americans to fight for a better tomorrow. — Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) July 18, 2020
I feel their power. Though the tears flow, I will honor their sacrifices with my determination and renewed purpose. Come what may. #CTVivian #JohnLewis pic.twitter.com/HT8d5QM86z — Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) July 18, 2020
John Lewis inspired us to bring about the change we dream of seeing in the world. He championed justice and opportunity for all — the lion of Civil Rights. His legacy is our pursuit of “good trouble” that transforms America. Let us continue to honor and celebrate his life 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/3Ca4y9Hov3 — Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) July 18, 2020
“When you lose your sense of fear, you’re free.” -Rep. John Lewis 🙏🏽 We will continue to blaze the path toward true justice and equality for ALL in your honor. Thank you for your life’s work ♥ pic.twitter.com/xtxG1GkUe0 — Demetria Obilor (@DemetriaObilor) July 18, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-18--Emergency Rooms Swamped As Virus Surges In Some States

A fast-rising tide of new coronavirus cases is flooding emergency rooms in parts of the United States , with some patients moved into hallways and nurses working extra shifts to keep up with the surge .
Patients struggling to breathe are being placed on ventilators in emergency wards since intensive care units are full , officials say , and the near-constant care they require is overtaxing workers who also are treating more typical ER cases like chest pains , infections , and fractures .
In Texas , Dr. Alison Haddock of the Baylor College of Medicine said the current situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which swamped Houston with floodwaters in 2017 .
The state reported a new daily record for virus deaths Friday and more than 10,000 confirmed cases for the fourth consecutive day .
“ I ’ ve never seen anything like this COVID surge , ” said Haddock , who has worked in emergency rooms since 2007 .
“ We ’ re doing our best , but we ’ re not an ICU.
” Patients are waiting “ hours and hours ” to get admitted , she said , and the least sick people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room for most seriously ill. Around Seattle , which was the nation ’ s first hot spot for the virus that causes COVID-19 , a new wave of patients is showing up at emergency departments , said nurse Mike Hastings .
“ What ’ s really frustrating from my side of it is when a patient comes into the emergency department , and is not really having symptoms of COVID , but they feel like they need that testing , ” said Hastings , who works at an area hospital and is president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sometimes we ’ re not able to test them because we don ’ t have enough test supplies , so we ’ re only testing a certain set of patients.
” In Florida , another state that is seeing surging case numbers , hospitals say they are in desperate need of remdesivir — a medication that has been shown to shorten average hospitalization times — to treat the coronavirus patients who are filling up beds .
On Saturday , Florida reported more than 10,200 new cases of the virus and 90 additional deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases in one day .
Arizona , which conducts periodic reviews of death certificates , reclassified 106 deaths as having been from COVID-19 , bringing the number of fatalities reported Saturday to 147 .
Confirmed coronavirus cases around the world have surpassed 14 million , and deaths neared 600,000 , according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University .
On Saturday , the World Health Organization , which also tracks the virus , reported a single-day record of new infections — over 259,000 worldwide — for the second day in a row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is thought to be even higher , in part because of shortages in testing and shortcomings in data collection .
The United States , Brazil and India top the list of cases , and South Africa — with more than 350,000 cases , roughly half of all confirmed infections in Africa — entered the top five this weekend .
In the United States , where infections are soaring in many Sunbelt states , Megan Jehn , associate professor of epidemiology at Arizona State Universtiy in Tempe , said it ’ s important to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can signal that the virus is spreading more rapidly .
But it ’ s difficult to get a complete picture of how emergency rooms are faring in many places .
In Arizona , one of the few states that reports data on visits to the emergency room by people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms , numbers started to spike in early June and peaked earlier this month .
More than 2,000 people went to an ER with coronavirus symptoms on a single day , July 7 .
Dr. Robert Hancock , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oklahoma and serves as president of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians , said some Texas emergency rooms are facing backups of patients awaiting ICU beds .
And many of them are on ventilators , meaning they require more attention than other patients .
“ Unfortunately , because of the increased demand for personnel , there typically isn ’ t anybody free to come down to the ER to help a lot of times from a nursing standpoint , ” he said .
Burnout could await these health workers , as it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was the epicenter of the nation ’ s outbreak in the spring .

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A fast-rising tide of new coronavirus cases is flooding emergency rooms in parts of the United States, with some patients moved into hallways and nurses working extra shifts to keep up with the surge.
Patients struggling to breathe are being placed on ventilators in emergency wards since intensive care units are full, officials say, and the near-constant care they require is overtaxing workers who also are treating more typical ER cases like chest pains, infections, and fractures.
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In Texas, Dr. Alison Haddock of the Baylor College of Medicine said the current situation is worse than after Hurricane Harvey, which swamped Houston with floodwaters in 2017. The state reported a new daily record for virus deaths Friday and more than 10,000 confirmed cases for the fourth consecutive day.
“I’ve never seen anything like this COVID surge,” said Haddock, who has worked in emergency rooms since 2007. “We’re doing our best, but we’re not an ICU.”
Patients are waiting “hours and hours” to get admitted, she said, and the least sick people are lying in beds in halls to make room for most seriously ill.
Around Seattle, which was the nation’s first hot spot for the virus that causes COVID-19, a new wave of patients is showing up at emergency departments, said nurse Mike Hastings.
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“What’s really frustrating from my side of it is when a patient comes into the emergency department, and is not really having symptoms of COVID, but they feel like they need that testing,” said Hastings, who works at an area hospital and is president of the Emergency Nurses Association. “Sometimes we’re not able to test them because we don’t have enough test supplies, so we’re only testing a certain set of patients.”
In Florida, another state that is seeing surging case numbers, hospitals say they are in desperate need of remdesivir — a medication that has been shown to shorten average hospitalization times — to treat the coronavirus patients who are filling up beds.
In response, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced 30,000 vials of the drug were being shipped to the state — enough to treat about 5,000 patients.
On Saturday, Florida reported more than 10,200 new cases of the virus and 90 additional deaths, while Missouri recorded a pandemic-high 958 new cases in one day. Arizona, which conducts periodic reviews of death certificates, reclassified 106 deaths as having been from COVID-19, bringing the number of fatalities reported Saturday to 147.
Confirmed coronavirus cases around the world have surpassed 14 million, and deaths neared 600,000, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. On Saturday, the World Health Organization, which also tracks the virus, reported a single-day record of new infections — over 259,000 worldwide — for the second day in a row. The true toll of the pandemic is thought to be even higher, in part because of shortages in testing and shortcomings in data collection.
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The United States, Brazil and India top the list of cases, and South Africa — with more than 350,000 cases, roughly half of all confirmed infections in Africa — entered the top five this weekend.
In the United States, where infections are soaring in many Sunbelt states, Megan Jehn, associate professor of epidemiology at Arizona State Universtiy in Tempe, said it’s important to monitor emergency room visits since increases there can signal that the virus is spreading more rapidly.
But it’s difficult to get a complete picture of how emergency rooms are faring in many places. In Arizona, one of the few states that reports data on visits to the emergency room by people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms, numbers started to spike in early June and peaked earlier this month. More than 2,000 people went to an ER with coronavirus symptoms on a single day, July 7.
On Friday, COVID-19-related hospitalization figures for Arizona were near but below recent records set after the state became a national hot spot.
Dr. Robert Hancock, who works at multiple hospitals in Texas and Oklahoma and serves as president of the Texas College of Emergency Physicians, said some Texas emergency rooms are facing backups of patients awaiting ICU beds. And many of them are on ventilators, meaning they require more attention than other patients.
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“Unfortunately, because of the increased demand for personnel, there typically isn’t anybody free to come down to the ER to help a lot of times from a nursing standpoint,” he said.
Burnout could await these health workers, as it did some in New York City, when it was the epicenter of the nation’s outbreak in the spring.
Emergency room doctors and nurses were caught off guard by the relentless stream of severely sick patients during shifts that often lasted 12 hours, said Dr. Bernard P. Chang of New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.
“You were on high alert the whole shift,” Chang said. “It was a brutal, sustained battle.”
___
Associated Press writers Kevin McGill in New Orleans, Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix, and Carla K. Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-18--Texas County Reports 85 Infants Test Positive For Coronavirus

Eighty-five infants under the age of 1 in a Texas county tested positive for the coronavirus , and health officials are pleading for help to stop the spread .
“ These babies have not even had their first birthday yet , ” Annette Rodriguez , director of public health for the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Health District , told CNN .
“ Please help us stop the spread of this disease.
” The infants tested positive for the virus in Nueces County , which has the fastest growth in new cases based on a seven-day average than any other metropolitan county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Texas is one of several states — which also includes Florida and South Carolina — that have seen massive spikes in cases after elected officials were lax in preparing to stop the virus ’ s spread and reopened businesses too soon .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s leading expert on infectious disease , has urged state governments to be “ as forceful as possible ” in getting citizens to wear masks in public , which can help stop the spread .
And in a Senate hearing last month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will only make the spread worse .
“ Congregation at a bar , inside , is bad news , ” Fauci said .
“ We really got to stop that right now.
” Texas state representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Joaquin Castro sent a letter to Texas Gov .
Greg Abbot ( R ) asking him to reverse his decision to open up businesses so quickly , according to CNN .
More than 300,000 people have been infected in Texas , and more than 3,800 have died .
Those numbers continue to rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 5 Texans living in a red zone county of high cases , according to the Tribune .

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Eighty-five infants under the age of 1 in a Texas county tested positive for the coronavirus, and health officials are pleading for help to stop the spread.
“These babies have not even had their first birthday yet,” Annette Rodriguez, director of public health for the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Health District, told CNN. “Please help us stop the spread of this disease.”
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The infants tested positive for the virus in Nueces County, which has the fastest growth in new cases based on a seven-day average than any other metropolitan county in the state, CNN reported Saturday.
Texas is one of several states — which also includes Florida and South Carolina — that have seen massive spikes in cases after elected officials were lax in preparing to stop the virus’s spread and reopened businesses too soon.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious disease, has urged state governments to be “as forceful as possible” in getting citizens to wear masks in public, which can help stop the spread. And in a Senate hearing last month, Fauci stressed that going out to bars will only make the spread worse.
“Congregation at a bar, inside, is bad news,” Fauci said. “We really got to stop that right now.”
Texas state representatives Sheila Jackson Lee and Joaquin Castro sent a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbot (R) asking him to reverse his decision to open up businesses so quickly, according to CNN.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-18--Homeland Security Official Defends Portland 'Kidnappings' Amid Calls For Investigation

Ken Cuccinelli , the No .
2 official at the Department of Homeland Security , is defending an aggressive federal response to civil rights demonstrations in Portland , Oregon , that has included disturbing detentions described by some as “ kidnappings.
” Several top officials in the state are calling for investigations amid growing national concern over Homeland Security ’ s actions , some of which have been caught on video and widely circulated on social media .
Unidentified federal agents in military-style gear have taken to patrolling Portland ’ s streets in unmarked vans and detaining protesters over allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced July 1 that a new task force would be formed to enforce President Donald Trump ’ s executive order on protecting monuments and all federal property , signed in late June .
The task force ― comprising officers from agencies including Customs and Border Protection and the U.S .
Marshals Service ― is conducting “ ongoing assessments of potential civil unrest or destruction ” so that it can “ allocate resources to protect people and property.
” But many in Portland say that the federal officers are only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to exercise their First Amendment rights .
“ The current escalation of fear and violence in downtown Portland is being driven by federal law enforcement tactics that are entirely unnecessary and out of character with the Oregon way , ” state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said early Saturday morning .
Her office is suing DHS , CBP , the U.S .
Marshals Service and the Federal Protection Service , arguing that the detentions and enforcement tactics are illegal .
“ With as much lawbreaking is going on , we ’ re seeking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law as it relates to federal jurisdiction , ” he said on NPR .
DHS has outlined dozens of incidents in Portland to justify the presence of federal forces ― including damage to federal buildings by fireworks and many instances of graffiti .
Speaking to The New York Times , unnamed officials claimed that legal authority for the response comes from a section of U.S. law that allows DHS to recruit federal officers to help the Federal Protective Service , an agency it oversees that is charged with protecting federal property .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ worries that the department could soon start sending unidentified officers to other cities around the country where anti-racism protests have marched on since the late-May killing of George Floyd , a Black man , by a white Minnesota police officer .
Cuccinelli seemed to confirm those fears , telling NPR , “ This is a posture we intend to continue not just in Portland but in any of the facilities that we ’ re responsible for around the country.
” Opposition to the aggressive DHS response has been driven by alarming anecdotes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protester , Mark Pettibone , described being grabbed by federal officers with generic “ police ” badges and forced into an unmarked gray van , according to Oregon Public Broadcasting .
Pettibone said he was brought to a federal courthouse the officers said they were in charge of protecting , and released after around 90 minutes after he refused to answer questions .
Last week , a federal officer was caught on video shooting a projectile at a protester ’ s head , causing severe injury .
U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy Williams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspector general investigation into the DHS actions , supported by both of the state ’ s senators and two of its representatives .
“ Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping — what is happening now in Portland should concern everyone in the US , ” the civil rights group said in a statement .
“ These actions are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered .
”

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Ken Cuccinelli, the No. 2 official at the Department of Homeland Security, is defending an aggressive federal response to civil rights demonstrations in Portland, Oregon, which has included disturbing detentions described by some as “kidnappings.”
Several top officials in the state are calling for investigations amid growing national concern over Homeland Security’s actions, some of which have been caught on video and widely circulated on social media. Unidentified federal agents in military-style gear have taken to patrolling Portland’s streets in unmarked vans and detaining protesters over allegations of property damage and violence.
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Asked Friday whether he would support such an investigation, Cuccinelli told NPR, “The more investigations, the better.”
DHS acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced July 1 that a new task force would be formed to enforce President Donald Trump’s executive order on protecting monuments and all federal property, which was signed in late June. The task force ― comprising officers from agencies including Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Marshals Service ― is conducting “ongoing assessments of potential civil unrest or destruction” so that it can “allocate resources to protect people and property.”
But many in Portland say that the federal officers are only making the city less safe for people to exercise their First Amendment rights.
“The current escalation of fear and violence in downtown Portland is being driven by federal law enforcement tactics that are entirely unnecessary and out of character with the Oregon way,” state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said early Saturday morning. Her office is suing DHS, CBP, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Protection Service, arguing that the detentions and enforcement tactics are illegal.
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Cuccinelli defended the legality of his department’s actions.
“With as much lawbreaking is going on, we’re seeking to prosecute as many people as are breaking the law as it relates to federal jurisdiction,” he said on NPR.
DHS has outlined dozens of incidents in Portland to justify the presence of federal forces, including damage to federal buildings by fireworks and many instances of graffiti.
Speaking to The New York Times, unnamed officials claimed that legal authority for the response comes from a section of U.S. law that allows DHS to recruit federal officers to help the Federal Protective Service, an agency it oversees that is charged with protecting federal property.
The aggressive response from DHS has sown worries that the department could soon start sending unidentified officers to other cities around the country where anti-racism protests have marched on since the late-May killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white Minnesota police officer.
Cuccinelli seemed to confirm those fears, telling NPR, “This is a posture we intend to continue not just in Portland but in any of the facilities that we’re responsible for around the country.”
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Protests continued Saturday night as demonstrators gathered outside the the Portland police union’s office. Protesters flipped nearby dumpsters and formed a barricade around the building, The Oregonian reported. Police declared the scene a “riot” and alleged demonstrators set a fire inside the building. Multiple people were taken into custody.
About five miles south, in downtown Portland, protesters dismantled fencing around a park and marched near a courthouse. Federal officers fired tear gas at protesters and struck at least one demonstrator with a baton, according to The Portland Tribune.
Federal police strike protester with baton, use pepper spray and tear gas outside courthouse in Portland pic.twitter.com/VX2xTVaaYq — Zane Sparling (@PDXzane) July 19, 2020
Opposition to the aggressive DHS response has been driven by alarming anecdotes and images posted to social media. One protester, Mark Pettibone, described being grabbed by federal officers with generic “police” badges and forced into an unmarked gray van, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. Pettibone said he was brought to a federal courthouse the officers said they were in charge of protecting, and released after around 90 minutes after he refused to answer questions. Last week, a federal officer was caught on video shooting a projectile at a protester’s head, causing severe injury.
U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy Williams said Friday that he had requested an inspector general investigation into the DHS actions, supported by both of the state’s senators and two of its representatives.
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The American Civil Liberties Union, which has deployed legal observers to the Portland protests, promised this week to sue.
“Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping — what is happening now in Portland should concern everyone in the US,” the civil rights group said in a statement. “These actions are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered.” Trump on Sunday appeared to defend the deployment of federal officers to Portland. “We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it,” the president tweeted, claiming the city’s leadership had “lost control of the anarchists and agitators.” “We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE,” he added. “These were not merely protesters, these are the real deal!”