thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-12--Roger Stone Calls For Trump To 'Declare Martial Law' To Seize Power If He Loses

Long-time Donald Trump confidant , and convicted felon , Roger Stone said that the president should declare “ martial law ” to seize power if he loses what Stone characterized as an already corrupt election .
The results will only be legitimate if the “ real winner ” — Trump — takes office , regardless of what the votes say , Stone declared .
A loss would apparently be justification for Trump to use force to take over the nation .
Stone , who worked as an adviser in the last Trump campaign , made the astonishing statements Thursday on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alex Jones .
Both men talked of an ongoing “ coup ” against Trump , and Stone inexplicably claimed that he predicted “ almost three decades ago that this moment would come.
” Stone appeared resigned to a Trump loss — but blamed it on the baseless claim that early voting has already been “ corrupted.
” To safeguard Trump ’ s position , Stone called for federal authorities to seize ballots in Nevada , for FBI agents to physically block certain voters from casting their ballots , and for Trump to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his power , Media Matters first reported .
Under martial law and the Insurrection Act , Trump will have “ the authority ” to arrest Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg , Apple CEO Tim Cook , “ the Clintons ” and “ anybody else who can be proven to be involved in illegal activity , ” Stone said .
He also called for the immediate arrest of former defense secretary James Mattis for “ sedition , ” apparently because he feared Trump was unfit for office , according to Washington Post journalist ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Rage.
” In addition , Stone warned , journalist also risk arrest .
“ If the Daily Beast is involved in provably seditious ... acts ” in a new Trump future , their “ entire staff can be taken into custody and their office can be shut down.
” “ They want to play war , this is war , ” he added .
Stone demanded that “ the ballots in Nevada on election night should be seized by federal marshals ” and not counted , claiming with absolutely no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While such off-the-rail suggestions could easily be shrugged off from most , Stone is a high-profile friend of the president and has his ear , critics fear .
Harvard law professor and Constitutional expert Laurence Tribe warned that Stone ’ s “ advocacy of totalitarian takeover by Trump has to be taken seriously.
” Stone dodged 40 months in prison thanks to Trump , who commuted his sentence in July .
Stone was convicted of seven federal felonies , including lying to Congress and witness tampering in the investigation into Russian interference in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stone “ almost a political prisoner.
” Roger Stone wants Trump to declare himself America ’ s dictator .
Roger is saying what many Republicans crave — a Trump dictatorship .
Roger will be one of those provoking violence when Trump loses .
Indeed , he will be leading the fruitcake ’ s protest parade .
https : //t.co/TdWVwIcqal — John W. Dean ( @ JohnWDean ) September 12 , 2020 THREAD : Roger Stone was supposed to be in prison now , having been convicted of 7 federal crimes .
But thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man — and can call into Alex Jones ' conspiracy show .
He did Thursday , and urged Trump to do a bunch of illegal things regarding the election .
( 1/6 ) — Marshall Cohen ( @ MarshallCohen ) September 12 , 2020 If Stone were some random QAnon-like dude , this might not be worth worrying about .
But Stone has Trump ’ s ear , so his advocacy of totalitarian takeover by Trump has to be taken seriously .
A normal president would tell Stone to shove it .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tribe ( @ tribelaw ) September 12 , 2020 Remember when Republicans went and accused President Obama of being a Dictator simply for creating a healthcare program ?
But now it ’ s apparently okay for Roger Stone to call on their boss to commit a total hostile takeover if fraud does not help them steal the election .
— Ricky Davila ( @ TheRickyDavila ) September 12 , 2020 Roger Stone belongs in prison after a jury of his peers convicted him of seven felonies .
Instead , he 's on Infowars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fifth Avenue because he 's going to lose the election.
# SaturdayMorning https : //t.co/QRLnyf49GO — Grant Stern ( @ grantstern ) September 12 , 2020 Check out Stone ’ s interview in the clip up top .
The mentioned sections can be found at 9:54 ( Nevada ballots ) , 11:40 ( arresting Zuckerberg , Cook and “ the Clintons ” ) and Daily Beast arrests ( 14:00 ) .
He accuses Mattis of sedition beginning at 16:25 .

Long-time Donald Trump confidant, and convicted felon, Roger Stone said that the president should declare “martial law” to seize power if he loses what Stone characterized as an already corrupt election.
The results will only be legitimate if the “real winner” — Trump — takes office, regardless of what the votes say, Stone declared. A loss would apparently be justification for Trump to use force to take over the nation.
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Stone, who worked as an adviser in the last Trump campaign, made the astonishing statements Thursday on the InfoWars program of far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Both men talked of an ongoing “coup” against Trump, and Stone inexplicably claimed that he predicted “almost three decades ago that this moment would come.”
Stone appeared resigned to a Trump loss — but blamed it on the baseless claim that early voting has already been “corrupted.”
To safeguard Trump’s position, Stone called for federal authorities to seize ballots in Nevada, for FBI agents to physically block certain voters from casting their ballots, and for Trump to use his powers for widespread arrests to solidify his power, Media Matters first reported.
Under martial law and the Insurrection Act, Trump will have “the authority” to arrest Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, “the Clintons” and “anybody else who can be proven to be involved in illegal activity,” Stone said. He also called for the immediate arrest of former defense secretary James Mattis for “sedition,” apparently because he feared Trump was unfit for office, according to Washington Post journalist’s to Bob Woodward’s upcoming book, “Rage.”
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In addition, Stone warned, journalist also risk arrest. “If the Daily Beast is involved in provably seditious ... acts” in a new Trump future, their “entire staff can be taken into custody and their office can be shut down.” “They want to play war, this is war,” he added.
Stone demanded that “the ballots in Nevada on election night should be seized by federal marshals” and not counted, claiming with absolutely no evidence that “they are completely corrupted.”
While such off-the-rail suggestions could easily be shrugged off from most, Stone is a high-profile friend of the president and has his ear, critics fear. Harvard law professor and Constitutional expert Laurence Tribe warned that Stone’s “advocacy of totalitarian takeover by Trump has to be taken seriously.”
Former Nixon White House counsel John Dean blasted Stone for calling on Trump to “declare himself America’s dictator” — voicing what “many Republicans crave.”
Stone dodged 40 months in prison thanks to Trump, who commuted his sentence in July. Stone was convicted of seven federal felonies, including lying to Congress and witness tampering in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Jones called Stone “almost a political prisoner.”
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Roger Stone wants Trump to declare himself America’s dictator. Roger is saying what many Republicans crave — a Trump dictatorship. Roger will be one of those provoking violence when Trump loses. Indeed, he will be leading the fruitcake’s protest parade. https://t.co/TdWVwIcqal — John W. Dean (@JohnWDean) September 12, 2020
THREAD: Roger Stone was supposed to be in prison now, having been convicted of 7 federal crimes. But thanks to Trump, he's a free man — and can call into Alex Jones' conspiracy show. He did Thursday, and urged Trump to do a bunch of illegal things regarding the election. (1/6) — Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) September 12, 2020
If Stone were some random QAnon-like dude, this might not be worth worrying about. But Stone has Trump’s ear, so his advocacy of totalitarian takeover by Trump has to be taken seriously.
A normal president would tell Stone to shove it. Not Trump. https://t.co/HS2NEKTa8U — Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) September 12, 2020
Remember when Republicans went and accused President Obama of being a Dictator simply for creating a healthcare program? But now it’s apparently okay for Roger Stone to call on their boss to commit a total hostile takeover if fraud does not help them steal the election. — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) September 12, 2020
Roger Stone belongs in prison after a jury of his peers convicted him of seven felonies.
Instead, he's on Infowars encouraging Trump to shoot the Constitution in Fifth Avenue because he's going to lose the election.#SaturdayMorning https://t.co/QRLnyf49GO — Grant Stern (@grantstern) September 12, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-12--Los Angeles Times Slams 'Calamity’ Trump With Early Endorsement Of Biden

The Los Angeles Times editorial board has announced its early endorsement of Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 election .
In a column published Thursday , the newspaper ’ s board said it was compelled to make the announcement before the televised debates had even taken place because “ it ’ s inconceivable that anything that will be said on the debate stage will close the cavernous fitness gap between ” Biden and President Donald Trump .
“ So stark is the contrast , ” it wrote .
It warned Trump ’ s reelection would be “ a calamity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetoric .
It also acknowledged Trump ’ s record “ easily justifies a position of ’ Anybody but Trump ’ ” but said “ Biden isn ’ t just preferable to Trump ; in many respects he is Trump ’ s antithesis.
” Biden is “ poised not only to wrest the White House from an unfit incumbent but also to take the nation in a progressive direction , ” the board concluded .
“ We enthusiastically endorse his election.
” Important conversations are happening now .
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The Los Angeles Times editorial board has announced its early endorsement of Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
In a column published Thursday, the newspaper’s board said it was compelled to make the announcement before the televised debates had even taken place because “it’s inconceivable that anything that will be said on the debate stage will close the cavernous fitness gap between” Biden and President Donald Trump.
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“So stark is the contrast,” it wrote.
It warned Trump’s reelection would be “a calamity,” citing his lies and divisive rhetoric. It also acknowledged Trump’s record “easily justifies a position of ’Anybody but Trump’” but said “Biden isn’t just preferable to Trump; in many respects he is Trump’s antithesis.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-12--Parents Say Son Died In Wildfire Trying To Save Grandmother

On Monday evening , Angela Mosso had packed a few things for the family to take with them and her husband , Chris Tofte , drove to town to borrow a friend ’ s trailer to carry the family , their dog and their belongings .
Gov .
Kate Brown said more than 40,000 Oregonians have been evacuated from their homes as two large windblown wildfires rage across the Pacific Northwest .
About 500,000 people are in different levels of evacuation zones , either having been told to leave or to prepare to do so .
Dozens of people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been reported .
Thirteen-year-old Wyatt Tofte of Lyons , Oregon , and his grandmother Peggy Mosso , 71 , are among them .
They died trying to escape the fire that engulfed their home Tuesday morning .
The three initially escaped the house with their dog and three cats , setting out in one of the family ’ s cars .
But they didn ’ t make it far .
Lonnie Bertalotto , Angela ’ s brother , thinks the tires melted and the car caught fire .
As the flames grew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to save Wyatt .
She told him to run for it with the dog .
She also realized that if she wanted to survive , she had no choice but to leave behind her mother , Peggy Mosso , whose remains were identified by the Marion County Sheriff ’ s Office on Friday .
She had a broken knee that was to be operated on in a few days , Bertalotto said Friday .
Angela Mosso walked nearly three miles on the hot asphalt .
Sometime around 4 a.m. , Chris Tofte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blockade that separated him from the inferno and his family .
As Tofte struggled to navigate the dark , smokey road , he almost ran over a barefoot woman in her underwear with charred hair and a blackened mouth .
Tofte helped her into his car , telling her that he was looking for his wife and son .
Once in the car , Tofte turned around and sped back toward the blockade .
He left his wife of 24 years with paramedics and turned back to find his son , Wyatt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires had spread even farther .
Tofte couldn ’ t make it as far as he did the first time , so he searched for his son the next day and night .
Finally , on Wednesday , Tofte spoke with sheriff ’ s deputies from Marion County .
They said Wyatt was found behind the wheel of the family ’ s vehicle back at the property with his dog Duke on his lap .
Peggy Mosso ’ s remains were also found in the vehicle .
“ I don ’ t need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obviously ... he turned around to go try and save his grandma , ” Bertalotto told The Associated Press .
Bertalotto said he has not seen his sister or Tofte , his brother-in-law , since the fire because the hospital allows only one guest per patient to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .

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LYONS, Ore. (AP) — The fire was 15 miles away, so the Oregon family went to sleep but planned to leave soon.
On Monday evening, Angela Mosso had packed a few things for the family to take with them and her husband, Chris Tofte, drove to town to borrow a friend’s trailer to carry the family, their dog and their belongings.
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But as family members slept, the Beachie Creek Fire bore down, the Statesman Journal reported. Eventually, it reached their house, turning a night of calm preparation into harrowing loss.
Gov. Kate Brown said more than 40,000 Oregonians have been evacuated from their homes as two large windblown wildfires rage across the Pacific Northwest. About 500,000 people are in different levels of evacuation zones, either having been told to leave or to prepare to do so. Dozens of people are reported missing and at least six fatalities have been reported.
Thirteen-year-old Wyatt Tofte of Lyons, Oregon, and his grandmother Peggy Mosso, 71, are among them. They died trying to escape the fire that engulfed their home Tuesday morning.
This is 12-year-old Wyatt Tofte and his grandmother Peggy Mosso. Wyatt was found dead with his dog near his home in Lyons, Oregon where the Santiam Fire is burning. His grandmother was also killed. They are the first two confirmed deaths in the Oregon wildfires. pic.twitter.com/7iNI1UZ7pY — Brian Kosciesza (@BrianKosh) September 10, 2020
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The three initially escaped the house with their dog and three cats, setting out in one of the family’s cars. But they didn’t make it far.
Lonnie Bertalotto, Angela’s brother, thinks the tires melted and the car caught fire. As the flames grew around them, Angela Mosso realized she had to save Wyatt. She told him to run for it with the dog.
She also realized that if she wanted to survive, she had no choice but to leave behind her mother, Peggy Mosso, whose remains were identified by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on Friday. She had a broken knee that was to be operated on in a few days, Bertalotto said Friday.
Angela Mosso walked nearly three miles on the hot asphalt. Sometime around 4 a.m., Chris Tofte returned with the trailer, driving through a blockade that separated him from the inferno and his family.
As Tofte struggled to navigate the dark, smokey road, he almost ran over a barefoot woman in her underwear with charred hair and a blackened mouth. Tofte helped her into his car, telling her that he was looking for his wife and son.
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She told him: “I am your wife.”
Once in the car, Tofte turned around and sped back toward the blockade. He left his wife of 24 years with paramedics and turned back to find his son, Wyatt.
But at that point, the fires had spread even farther. Tofte couldn’t make it as far as he did the first time, so he searched for his son the next day and night.
On social media, friends and relatives posted photos of Wyatt and thousands of people shared his image.
Finally, on Wednesday, Tofte spoke with sheriff’s deputies from Marion County. They said Wyatt was found behind the wheel of the family’s vehicle back at the property with his dog Duke on his lap. Peggy Mosso’s remains were also found in the vehicle.
“I don’t need to go into too much detail but obviously ... he turned around to go try and save his grandma,” Bertalotto told The Associated Press.
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Angela Mosso is being treated at the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Burn Center in Portland. She was told Thursday that she lost her son and her mother.
Bertalotto said he has not seen his sister or Tofte, his brother-in-law, since the fire because the hospital allows only one guest per patient to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-12--Oregon Braces For 'Mass Fatality Event' As Wildfires Devastate West Coast

SALEM , Ore. ( AP ) — Diminishing winds and rising humidity helped firefighters battling deadly blazes in Oregon and California , but with dozens of people still missing , authorities in both states feared that the receding flames could reveal many more dead across the blackened landscape .
Oregon authorities have not released an exact death count , but at least eight fatalities were reported from the blazes that have taken a toll from one end of the state to the other .
Gov .
Kate Brown said Friday that tens of thousands of people had been forced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oregonians have been evacuated and about 500,000 are in different levels of evacuation zones , having been told to leave or to prepare to do so , Brown said .
The governor dialed back a statement late Thursday by the state Office of Emergency Management that said a half-million people had been ordered to evacuate statewide .
Scores of people were missing in Jackson County in the southern area of the state and in Marion County east of Salem , the state capital , Brown told a news conference .
Authorities also announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two counts of arson in connection with a fire in southern Oregon .
Desiree Pierce cries as she visits her home destroyed by the Almeda Fire , Friday , Sept. 11 , 2020 , in Talent , Ore. `` I just needed to see it , to get some closure , '' said Pierce .
Amid the smoke and flame , the Oregon fire marshal was placed on paid leave Saturday .
Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton said the crisis demanded an urgent response , which required a leadership change .
Fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acting basis by the chief deputy fire marshal .
Improved weather helped efforts on the ground after days of high winds , heat and low humidity .
“ The wind laid down quite a bit for us yesterday , ” said Stefan Myers of the state ’ s fire information team .
Almost 500 firefighters were working on the fires near Portland , which were just a few miles ( kilometers ) apart .
The rugged terrain between them limited efforts to contain the flames , Myers said .
If the fires merge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send embers thousands of feet into the air , potentially igniting other areas .
Cat food and water are seen as residents try to find lost pets who went missing during wildfires in Talent , Ore. , Friday , Sept. 11 , 2020 , as destructive wildfires devastate the region .
More than 1,500 square miles ( 3,880 square kilometers ) have burned in Oregon during recent days , nearly double the size of a typical year and an area larger than Rhode Island , authorities said .
The land burned in just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s second-worst fire season , after 2015 , Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee noted .
He called the blazes “ climate fires ” rather than wildfires .
Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler said a 41-year-old man was jailed on two charges of arson for a fire that started Tuesday in the Phoenix area in southern Oregon .
The fire that burned hundreds of homes had an ignition point in Ashland , near a spot where a man was found dead .
Authorities said the man denied starting the fire .

California crews made progress Friday in chopping or bulldozing brush-free lines to control the North Complex fire. Gusting winds that whipped up the flames days earlier eased while smoke blocked out the sun and lowered previously scorching temperatures. Saturday’s high temperature was expected to top out at 80 degrees or less.
Nearly 15,000 firefighters were battling 28 major wildfires across California, although 24 were sparked Thursday and quickly contained.
The North Complex remained the deadliest this year. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea had said 10 bodies were found but on Friday lowered the figure. Remains found in a burned storage shed turned out to be from a resin model of a human skeleton that was used by an anthropology student, he said.
A search continued for 19 missing people.
Back in Oregon, evacuation centers were open across the state.
Kim Carbaugh fled her home Monday in Lyons with her husband, two children and two horses.
“When we were driving away and I could see actual fire, the red and orange flames, at the time I didn’t feel scared, I had so much adrenaline — we just had to leave,” she said Friday from the livestock stables of an evacuation center at the state fairgrounds in Salem.
The site also housed hundreds of animals — dogs, llamas, horses, pigs, cows and chickens. Many people chose to camp or stay in RVs.
Charles Legg sat at a table with his 22-month-old son, who cooed and played with a dinosaur puzzle.
“He’s OK,” Legg said. “He’s not eating as normal. He knows something is going on.”
___
Associated Press writers Gillian Flaccus and Manuel Valdes in Phoenix, Oregon; Lisa Baumann and Gene Johnson in Seattle; Brian Melley in Los Angeles; and Terence Chea in Berry Creek, California, contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-12--Lindsey Graham Bashed For Trump Hypocrisy As He Mocks Rival For Not Baring Tax Returns

Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) got a bit snarky in a tweet Saturday to mock his Democratic rival about not yet releasing his tax returns .
But he neglected to mention an ally of his who is failing to do the exact same thing — President Donald Trump .
“ What is he hiding ?
” Graham tweeted — not about Trump , but regarding Jaime Harrison , who ’ s running for Graham ’ s seat .
It ’ s been 72 hours since I released 11 years of state and federal tax returns and challenged @ HarrisonJaime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What is he hiding ?
https : //t.co/ZjAsKhLDqx — Lindsey Graham ( @ LindseyGrahamSC ) September 12 , 2020 Trump broke presidential precedent by refusing to release his returns — though he promised to do so during his last campaign .
When asked last year , Graham did say Trump should release his tax returns , but the staunch Trump supporter has not pushed the issue since .
“ I think you should release your tax returns if you ’ re running for president in 2020 , ” Graham said in 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just my view .
It ’ d be good for the country.
” Critics on Twitter tried to jog Graham ’ s memory about Trump ’ s returns .
Hey buddy guess who else hasn ’ t released their tax returns You may wan na sit down for this https : //t.co/EoalPqcbrH — Jason Bailey ( @ jasondashbailey ) September 12 , 2020 Because if someone doesn ’ t release their tax returns it means they ’ re hiding something , right ?
pic.twitter.com/Z3c0YMpQuF — BLUEDOG ( @ trumpanhator2 ) September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked your new good buddy President Trump to do the same ?
— Matthew Dowd ( @ matthewjdowd ) September 12 , 2020 It 's been 4 years since Donald Trump said he would do the same .
If you challenge Jaime Harrison to do this but not Donald Trump , then you 're not a man of principles .
— JRehling ( @ JRehling ) September 12 , 2020 .
@ LindseyGrahamSC is demanding @ harrisonjaime release his taxes .
Will he place the same demands on @ realDonaldTrump ?
https : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) September 12 , 2020 Important conversations are happening now .
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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) got a bit snarky in a tweet Saturday to mock his Democratic rival about not yet releasing his tax returns. But he neglected to mention an ally of his who is failing to do the exact same thing — President Donald Trump.
“What is he hiding?” Graham tweeted — not about Trump, but regarding Jaime Harrison, who’s running for Graham’s seat.
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It’s been 72 hours since I released 11 years of state and federal tax returns and challenged @HarrisonJaime to do the same. Crickets. What is he hiding? https://t.co/ZjAsKhLDqx — Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 12, 2020
Trump broke presidential precedent by refusing to release his returns — though he promised to do so during his last campaign. When asked last year, Graham did say Trump should release his tax returns, but the staunch Trump supporter has not pushed the issue since.
“I think you should release your tax returns if you’re running for president in 2020,” Graham said in 2019. “I think everybody should. That’s just my view. It’d be good for the country.”
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Critics on Twitter tried to jog Graham’s memory about Trump’s returns.
What about Trump? — Sandi Bachom (@sandibachom) September 12, 2020
Hey buddy guess who else hasn’t released their tax returns
You may wanna sit down for this https://t.co/EoalPqcbrH — Jason Bailey (@jasondashbailey) September 12, 2020
Because if someone doesn’t release their tax returns it means they’re hiding something, right? pic.twitter.com/Z3c0YMpQuF — BLUEDOG (@trumpanhator2) September 12, 2020
Ummm, have you asked your new good buddy President Trump to do the same? — Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) September 12, 2020
It's been 4 years since Donald Trump said he would do the same.
If you challenge Jaime Harrison to do this but not Donald Trump, then you're not a man of principles. — JRehling (@JRehling) September 12, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-12--Giuliani Pleads Ignorance On Bombshell Report That His Ukraine Contact Is A Russian Spy

In a wild interview Saturday , President Donald Trump ’ s attorney Rudy Giuliani insisted that he had absolutely no idea that one of his key sources in his smear campaign against Joe Biden was a Russian spy interfering in the U.S. presidential election .
Giuliani failed to explain on MSNBC how he allegedly missed all signs that Ukrainian lawmaker and conspiracy-pusher Andrii Derkach was a Russian operative .
“ You ’ re a former prosecutor from the Southern District of New York , a former mayor of New York City , you have a national security firm , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could you not know that this person you were talking to was a known Russian agent ?
“ The Treasury Department revealed Thursday that Dekach was an “ active Russian agent for over a decade , maintaining close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services.
” Derkach was sanctioned this week by Treasury for interfering in the current election .
He was a key source for baseless information touted by Giuliani and Trump smearing Biden and his son , Hunter , over activities in Ukraine when Biden was vice president .
“ Andrii Derkach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deceit to attempt to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere around the world , ” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement .
Giuliani insisted : “ I don ’ t know what ’ s in the Treasury Department investigation , nor have I ever seen any evidence that [ Derkach ] is or is not a Russian agent .
I don ’ t know anything about that.
” Giuliani later admitted , however , that “ bad people give you information.
” He apparently remained unconcerned about the credibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lev Parnas , who worked with Giuliani to gather attack information on Biden , said in a following MSNBC interview that it was “ impossible ” for Giuliani not to know Derkach was a spy .
Parnas is currently facing charges of illegally funneling foreign cash into the Trump campaign .
Check out Giuliani ’ s interview in the clip above .
Parnas ’ interview can be seen here .

In a wild interview Saturday, President Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani insisted that he had absolutely no idea that one of his key sources in his smear campaign against Joe Biden was a Russian spy interfering in the U.S. presidential election.
Giuliani failed to explain on MSNBC how he allegedly missed all signs that Ukrainian lawmaker and conspiracy-pusher Andrii Derkach was a Russian operative.
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“You’re a former prosecutor from the Southern District of New York, a former mayor of New York City, you have a national security firm,” host Jonathan Capehart said. “How could you not know that this person you were talking to was a known Russian agent?“
The Treasury Department revealed Thursday that Derkach was an “active Russian agent for over a decade, maintaining close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services.”
Derkach was sanctioned this week by Treasury for interfering in the current election. He was a key source for baseless information touted by Giuliani and Trump smearing Biden and his son, Hunter, over activities in Ukraine when Biden was vice president.
“Andrii Derkach and other Russian agents employ manipulation and deceit to attempt to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere around the world,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.
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Giuliani insisted: “I don’t know what’s in the Treasury Department investigation, nor have I ever seen any evidence that [Derkach] is or is not a Russian agent. I don’t know anything about that.”
Giuliani later admitted, however, that “bad people give you information.” He apparently remained unconcerned about the credibility of the information.
Florida businessman Ukrainian Lev Parnas, who worked with Giuliani to gather attack information on Biden, said in a following MSNBC interview that it was “impossible” for Giuliani not to know Derkach was a spy. Parnas is currently facing charges of illegally funneling foreign cash into the Trump campaign.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--Shrill Trump Campaign Demands Donations Or Antifa Will 'Attack Your Homes'

President Donald Trump ’ s campaign warned in a wild , over-the-top text to voters Saturday that antifa will “ attack your homes ” unless they send money to help Trump win the election .
That message was fired off just days after it was revealed in journalist Bob ’ s Woodward ’ s book “ Rage ” that Trump lied about the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak because he claimed he “ didn ’ t want to create a panic.
” He told Sean Hannity earlier this week : “ I can ’ t be jumping up and down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jarringly out of sync with the Trump campaign warning .
It warned : “ ANTIFA ALERT : They ’ ll attack your homes if Joe ’ s elected .
Pres Trump needs you to become a Diamond Club Member .
Your name is MISSING .
Donate.
” The warning is pure fantasy .
There is absolutely no evidence that such an attack will occur .
( In fact , according to the Department of Homeland Security , the biggest domestic terror threat in the U.S. is from white supremacists . )
Important conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
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President Donald Trump’s campaign warned in a wild, over-the-top text to voters Saturday that antifa will “attack your homes” unless they send money to help Trump win the election.
That message was fired off just days after it was revealed in journalist Bob’s Woodward’s book “Rage” that Trump lied about the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak because he claimed he “didn’t want to create a panic.” He told Sean Hannity earlier this week: “I can’t be jumping up and down and scaring people.”
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That message was jarringly out of sync with the Trump campaign warning. It warned: “ANTIFA ALERT: They’ll attack your homes if Joe’s elected. Pres Trump needs you to become a Diamond Club Member. Your name is MISSING. Donate.”
Tonight in Trump campaign texts pic.twitter.com/D1WuOtWaG8 — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) September 12, 2020
The warning is pure fantasy. There is absolutely no evidence that such an attack will occur. (In fact, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the biggest domestic terror threat in the U.S. is from white supremacists.)
Twitter critics quipped repeatedly: “Don’t panic!”
Maintaining calm. — John Sipher (@john_sipher) September 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--U.S. Ejected 8,800 Unaccompanied Migrant Kids, Ignoring Precautions Against Child Trafficking

Trump administration officials ejected nearly 9,000 unaccompanied migrant children from the U.S. without court hearings — taking no precautions to protect them from traffickers .
Border Patrol Deputy Chief Raoul Ortiz revealed in a court declaration Friday that 8,800 unaccompanied minors have ben kicked out of the country since March 20 because of COVID-19 health restrictions , CBS News was the first to report .
Department of Homeland Security officials have suspended humanitarian protections for most migrants crossing the border , claiming that public health law takes precedence over asylum , immigration and anti-trafficking safeguards during a pandemic , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unaccompanied children were sent to the U.S. refugee agency , which is required under a 2008 anti-trafficking law .
But compliance with the law has been suspended .
Ironically , President Donald Trump has boasted that his administration is putting “ unprecedented pressure on sex traffickers at home and abroad .
My administration is fighting these monsters ... We ’ ve had a tremendous track record , ” he bragged In January , less than two months before his officials simply sent away thousands of unaccompanied migrant children .
The number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case challenging the government ’ s current secret use of hotels to temporarily house children , who are guarded by contractors untrained to deal with them .
Last week , U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee ruled that detaining the children in hotel was unsafe and failed to “ adequately account for the vulnerability of unaccompanied minors in detention.
” She ordered the government to stop the practice by September 15 .
But Trump administration lawyers have argued that the hotels are needed because department facilities are already overcrowded and more children will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re asking California ’ s 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to block Gee ’ s order .
“ The numbers are stunning , ” Lindsay Toczylowski , the executive director of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center , told CBS News .
“ To find out that our government has literally taken children who are seeking protection and sent them back to the very places they fled in such high numbers really took my breath away.
” In addition to the children ejected from the U.S. , some 7,600 members of migrant families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the U.S.-Mexico border since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a public health order authorizing the action in March .
A total of more than 159,000 expulsions have been carried out since the historic restrictions .

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Trump administration officials ejected nearly 9,000 unaccompanied migrant children from the U.S. without court hearings — taking no precautions to protect them from traffickers.
Border Patrol Deputy Chief Raoul Ortiz revealed in a court declaration Friday that 8,800 unaccompanied minors have ben kicked out of the country since March 20 because of COVID-19 health restrictions, CBS News was the first to report.
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Department of Homeland Security officials have suspended humanitarian protections for most migrants crossing the border, claiming that public health law takes precedence over asylum, immigration and anti-trafficking safeguards during a pandemic, according to CBS.
Before the mass expulsions, unaccompanied children were sent to the U.S. refugee agency, which is required under a 2008 anti-trafficking law. But compliance with the law has been suspended.
Ironically, President Donald Trump has boasted that his administration is putting “unprecedented pressure on sex traffickers at home and abroad. My administration is fighting these monsters ... We’ve had a tremendous track record,” he bragged In January, less than two months before his officials simply sent away thousands of unaccompanied migrant children.
The number of ejected minors was revealed in a court case challenging the government’s current secret use of hotels to temporarily house children, who are guarded by contractors untrained to deal with them.
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Last week, U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee ruled that detaining the children in hotel was unsafe and failed to “adequately account for the vulnerability of unaccompanied minors in detention.” She ordered the government to stop the practice by September 15.
But Trump administration lawyers have argued that the hotels are needed because department facilities are already overcrowded and more children will increase the risk of COVID-19. They’re asking California’s 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to block Gee’s order.
“The numbers are stunning,” Lindsay Toczylowski, the executive director of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, told CBS News. “To find out that our government has literally taken children who are seeking protection and sent them back to the very places they fled in such high numbers really took my breath away.”
In addition to the children ejected from the U.S., some 7,600 members of migrant families with children have also been forced back over the U.S.-Mexico border since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a public health order authorizing the action in March. A total of more than 159,000 expulsions have been carried out since the historic restrictions.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--‘It’s Out Of Control’: How QAnon Undermines Legitimate Anti-Trafficking Efforts

“ There are victims of trafficking that go home to their parents for dinner every single night , and their @ @ @ @ @ because they ’ re taught to look for stranger abductions , ” Bender said .
@ @ @ @ @ so much progress raising awareness that human trafficking is very rarely about ‘ stranger danger.
@ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theories going on right now , it feels like all our work is being @ @ @ @ @ heartbreaking for those of us who dedicate our lives to this cause .
”

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Hundreds of protests erupted across the country in recent weeks, purportedly to demand an end to child sex trafficking. From tiny communities such as Poteau, Oklahoma, to Los Angeles, Miami, Denver and other major cities, people stormed the streets, calling for the mass execution of pedophiles and even accusing various public figures of torturing, raping and enslaving children to harvest their blood.
Lurking at the helm of these so-called “Save Our Children” rallies is QAnon, the far-right conspiracy theory movement that baselessly claims, with stunning and growing support, that President Donald Trump is secretly battling a “deep state” cabal of Democratic politicians and A-list celebrities who traffic children for sex.
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Child sex trafficking is a dire problem: It happens in all 50 states, almost always at the hands of people the victims know and trust. But QAnon — in its virulent campaign to expose a supposed underground pedophilia ring run by the liberal elite — is exacerbating the very crisis it claims to be fighting. As the movement appropriates and sensationalizes the issue to recruit more followers into its conspiratorial web, legitimate anti-trafficking organizations are suffering significant collateral damage.
HuffPost spoke to employees at child welfare groups across the U.S. and beyond about the burdens that QAnon has placed upon them and their work. For many, debunking viral misinformation, mining through unhinged tips and warding off mob harassment has become part of the job — detracting from their ability to actually help kids in need.
“It’s out of control,” said one exasperated senior staffer at a national anti-trafficking organization based in Washington. “It absolutely makes our job more difficult.”
Carlos Barria / Reuters
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Targeted Harassment
Since its origins on 4chan in late 2017, QAnon has burgeoned from an obscure online fringe group chasing grassroots donations and digital ad revenue into a powerful (and, at times, violent) movement that has infiltrated the political mainstream, scored a tacit endorsement from Trump and amassed an enormous following — both online and offline. Now, as it channels its outsize influence to spread false and alarmist trafficking-related conspiracy theories, a handful of anti-trafficking groups have publicly condemned it.
Polaris, which runs the national human trafficking hotline, warned in July that unsubstantiated claims “can spin out of control and mislead well-meaning people into doing more harm than good.” In August, after the century-old charity Save the Children issued a public statement to distance itself from QAnon’s leeched “Save Our Children” front, the nonprofit World Without Exploitation followed suit, casting QAnon promoters as “grifters with a hero complex.” Days later, KidSafe Foundation denounced them as “parasites” who threaten to “tarnish our reputations and harm our good works.”
But QAnon is notorious for launching mob harassment campaigns against its perceived adversaries, and other anti-trafficking groups — having already witnessed or experienced such abuse — have declined to speak out against it.
The potential risk of publicly condemning QAnon and provoking its fury versus the harm of letting its conspiracy theories proliferate unchallenged is the subject of discussions playing out inside child welfare organizations across the country. Several employees who spoke to HuffPost declined to comment on the record for fear of triggering a backlash.
“We have had conversations internally about [QAnon], and just threading the needle on trying not to anger a very mobilized group,” said a senior employee at another human rights organization headquartered in Washington.
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“It’s exhausting work. It’s traumatic work ... And this just makes it all so much harder.” - senior staffer at a national anti-trafficking organization
“What we’ve seen is that QAnon is a force to be reckoned with,” agreed an engagement professional at an international child welfare agency. “For organizations that do choose to speak out about it, it’s going to require a lot of resources to deal with [the fallout] — especially dealing with trolls.”
And when trafficking-related misinformation reaches a level at which it must be condemned or debunked, that can have “a real damaging effect on victims,” said Phil Brewer, a former police officer and the director of intelligence at Stop the Traffik.
“If they reach out for help, there may be a real worry that they won’t be believed.”
QAnon has inserted anti-trafficking organizations into its conspiracy theories.
QAnon’s online mob has also inserted anti-trafficking groups and staff into conspiracy theories. “Q” — the anonymous entity at the center of the movement, whom supporters believe to be a top government insider leaking coded intel to the public — once suggested that Polaris engaged in sinister activity with The Clinton Foundation. Since then, Polaris has fielded online accusations of facilitating sex crimes against children.
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Two anti-trafficking organizations even told HuffPost that they had been contacted by mysterious activist groups, later revealed to be “Save Our Children” organizers, who requested to be put in touch with victims for public speaking events.
“We find ourselves having to be increasingly protective of the survivors we work with,” said the senior staffer at a national anti-trafficking organization in Washington. “There’s almost a voyeuristic aspect to this issue. People are drawn to it. ... They like to hear the gruesome details.”
When she and her team fought in 2016 to pass a California law decriminalizing child prostitution — protecting young victims of commercial sexual exploitation from being arrested for selling sex — misinformed trolls who neglected to research the law turned them into vile memes calling them perverts and predators. It was a scary experience, she said, but had it happened today, at a time when QAnon’s army of supporters blindly threatens violence against its perceived enemies, they would have feared for their lives.
“It definitely impedes our work when we’re getting harassed and trolled over misinformation campaigns,” she said. “It’s exhausting work. It’s traumatic work. It’s something that all of us do because there’s such an extreme need in our communities and around the country. And this just makes it all so much harder.”
Stephen Maturen via Getty Images
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Diverting Resources
For the many established organizations that have spent years or decades combating the sexual exploitation of children, QAnon’s insidious surge in popularity and the endless trafficking-related conspiracy theories it circulates have created a dangerous distraction.
“I’m constantly having to take time out of my day to debunk these things,” said Shea Rhodes, the director and co-founder of the Villanova Law Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation. Her team, which works closely with legislators and policymakers, just launched a digital campaign to fact-check the deluge of misinformation QAnon promotes.
“It doesn’t stop. It just doesn’t stop,” Rhodes said. “It’s been exhausting.”
As a result of QAnon’s conspiracy theories, “our staff is now busy correcting falsehoods and lies instead of handling the important work that they would otherwise be doing,” said the engagement professional at the international child welfare agency.
“When it comes to educating the public, we’re now starting at a deficit. We have to focus on unlearning rather than starting from zero.” - engagement professional working at an international child welfare agency
Viral conspiracy theories traceable to QAnon have also incited hordes of people to flood human trafficking tip lines with false information. In July, QAnon supporters spread the unfounded allegation that the furniture company Wayfair was selling missing children through shipments of expensive cabinets and pillows. As the hoax erupted online, hundreds of panicked reports poured into the national human trafficking hotline.
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“Handling these redundant reports was extremely time-consuming and meant that other people, reporting new, actionable information or seeking emergency assistance or other services, were forced to wait for longer than was acceptable,” said Caren Benjamin, the chief communications officer for Polaris, which operates the hotline.
This kind of misinformation “takes attention and resources away from real [trafficking] cases,” said Borislav Gerasimov, the communications and advocacy coordinator at the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women. And trying to reason with people who have been conditioned to believe that child sex trafficking is a crime committed by a “shadowy cabal” of high-ranking public officials is often a fruitless endeavor to begin with, he added. “How can you prove something that doesn’t exist? It’s mind-boggling.”
There’s also concern that the absurd nature of QAnon’s conspiracy theories — such as the assertion that Satan-worshipping elites are extracting adrenaline from the blood of children to oxidize into adrenochrome, a psychoactive drug — is trivializing sex trafficking and diverting serious concern away from the crisis.
“When you have these very extreme narratives, there’s always pushback in the opposite direction,” said Haley McNamara, the director of the International Centre on Sexual Exploitation. “We have even seen some people saying that sex trafficking itself a myth.”
It’s not just far-right conspiracy theorists feeding into these harmful narratives. Over the past several weeks, as QAnon’s base has been revealed to be far larger and more influential than previously believed, Trump and his reelection campaign have made increasingly brazen attempts to capitalize on misinformation-fueled hysteria surrounding child sex trafficking. The president even referred to QAnon supporters in a recent press conference as “people that love our country.”
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The Trump campaign didn’t respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
“For many years, child trafficking has been a bipartisan issue — especially on the Hill; we’ve had amazing champions on both sides. But it’s no secret that this administration has tried to appropriate this issue and politicize it, which has been very, very distressing,” said the senior staffer at the national anti-trafficking organization in Washington.
“When Trump speaks to those things and gives [groups such as QAnon] his stamp of approval, it emboldens those folks. And for this group in particular, it gives them a sense of legitimacy and purpose and incentivizes more members of his base to join that fray.”
Stephen Maturen via Getty Images
Propagating Harmful Myths
The QAnon-perpetuated myth that kids are being snatched off the streets en masse and forced into sexual slavery by a network of deep state cronies is not just ludicrous — it’s dangerous, experts and advocates said, because it obscures the real way that children in the U.S. are trafficked.
“You’re not going to protect your kids from trafficking by listening to what QAnon says, because that’s not the way child sex trafficking works at all,” said Taina Bien-Aimé, the executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.
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In the vast majority of sex trafficking cases involving minors, victims are not kidnapped or held captive, and they typically have existing familial or romantic relationships with their abusers. In the approximately 29,000 cases of missing kids that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children investigated in 2019, non-family abductions accounted for less than 1%.
“Most of us imagine trafficking as a movie scene instead of knowing what the real red flags are,” said Rebecca Bender, an activist who works with survivors and trains law enforcement officers and prosecutors dealing with sex trafficking cases.
“I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh well, at least [QAnon] is raising awareness.’ But you know, we don’t go telling everyone cancer is contagious in the name of awareness.” - Rebecca Bender, anti-trafficking expert
Very few people understand the realities of the sex trade as well as she does: Bender was pimped for sex as a teenager in Las Vegas by the man she was dating at the time and remained trapped in that life for nearly six years.
“There are victims of trafficking that go home to their parents for dinner every single night, and their mothers don’t notice because they’re taught to look for stranger abductions,” Bender said. “We’ve made so much progress raising awareness that human trafficking is very rarely about ‘stranger danger.’ But with all the conspiracy theories going on right now, it feels like all our work is being undone. It’s heartbreaking for those of us who dedicate our lives to this cause.”
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Bender rejected the idea that the visibility QAnon brings to child trafficking, even if misplaced, is at all worthwhile.
“I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh well, at least [QAnon] is raising awareness,’” she said. “But you know, we don’t go telling everyone cancer is contagious in the name of awareness.”
Teaching the public what sex trafficking actually looks like and how to identify it are crucial parts of advocacy workers’ efforts to prevent more people from becoming victims. But now, like Bender, many find themselves having first to undo the extensive damage QAnon has caused.
“This misinformation has really blown up even in the past few weeks, and it’s setting people backwards,” said the engagement professional working at an international child welfare agency. “When it comes to educating the public, we’re now starting at a deficit. We have to focus on unlearning rather than starting from zero.”
Social media platforms have been a major lifeline for QAnon to propagate falsehoods about child sex trafficking, especially as millions of Americans spend more time online than usual due to COVID-19 lockdowns.
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“Everyone’s on their screens all the time and just absorbs whatever pops up,” said Bien-Aimé. “The finger-pointing should also go to the social media companies that allow these conspiracy theories to flourish. It’s corporate irresponsibility.”
When the Wayfair hoax went viral on social media, Bender — who is now running an online “myth-buster” campaign using the hashtag #TraffickingTruths — felt compelled to speak out. She opened up on Instagram about her own story, even sharing copies of the ads that were once used to sell her, and cautioned against “spreading untruths.”
Before long, people parroting QAnon rhetoric swarmed her post, dismissed her lived experience as an outlier and questioned her motives for sharing it.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--2 L.A. Deputies Fighting For Their Lives After Ambush Shooting As They Sat In Their Car

Two Los Angeles County sheriff ’ s deputies were “ fighting for their lives ” Saturday after a lone gunman walked up to their parked patrol car and fired on them through an open window , officials said .
The female and male partners were hit multiple times in the car outside a metro station in the city of Compton , Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a press conference Saturday night .
Surveillance footage of the scene released by authorities shows a man walking up to the car on the passenger side and firing several times “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an earlier statement from the LASD .
The suspect immediately fled on foot .
“ These are real people doing a tough job , ” Villanueva told reporters .
“ It just shows the dangers of the job in the blink of any eye.
” He called the shooting a “ cowardly act .
The two deputies were doing their job watching out for the safety of the people on the train , ” adding , “ Seeing somebody just walk up and start shooting on them — it pisses me off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not identified , but Villanueva said one is the 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy .
The male deputy is 24 .
Both of them joined the force just over a year ago , said Villanueva , who swore them into office .
The two were both out of surgery by late Saturday .
“ We ’ re going to keep them in our thoughts and prayers , ” said Villanueva .
Moments ago , 2 of our Sheriff Deputies were shot in Compton and were transported to a local hospital .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers .
We will update this thread with information as it becomes available .
— LA County Sheriffs ( @ LASDHQ ) September 13 , 2020 The Sheriff ’ s Department posted a clip of the surveillance footage on Twitter .
It ’ s shown below .
Be warned : It ’ s disturbing .
Officials asked for anyone who had witnessed the shooting or knew anything about it to contact the LASD .

Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were “fighting for their lives” Saturday after a lone gunman walked up to their parked patrol car and fired on them through an open window, officials said.
The female and male partners were hit multiple times in the car outside a metro station in the city of Compton, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said at a press conference Saturday night.
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Surveillance footage of the scene released by authorities shows a man walking up to the car on the passenger side and firing several times “without warning or provocation,” said an earlier statement from the LASD. The suspect immediately fled on foot.
The shooter hadn’t been apprehended as of late Saturday.
“These are real people doing a tough job,” Villanueva told reporters. “It just shows the dangers of the job in the blink of any eye.”
He called the shooting a “cowardly act. The two deputies were doing their job watching out for the safety of the people on the train,” he said, adding: “Seeing somebody just walk up and start shooting on them — it pisses me off. It dismays me.”
The deputies were not identified, but Villanueva said one is the 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old boy. The male deputy is 24. Both of them joined the force just over a year ago, said Villanueva, who swore them into office.
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The two were both out of surgery by late Saturday. “We’re going to keep them in our thoughts and prayers,” said Villanueva.
Moments ago, 2 of our Sheriff Deputies were shot in Compton and were transported to a local hospital. They are both still fighting for their lives, so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. We will update this thread with information as it becomes available. — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
The Sheriff’s Department posted a clip of the surveillance footage on Twitter. It’s shown below. Be warned: It’s disturbing.
Update: The gunman walked up on the deputies and opened fire without warning or provocation. pic.twitter.com/cBQjyKkoxJ — LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--All Michigan State Students Asked To Quarantine After 'Alarming' COVID-19 Surge

Michigan State University has requested that all of its local students self-quarantine for two weeks due to “ an alarming surge ” in COVID-19 cases , the school said Saturday .
The request follows at least 342 confirmed cases of the virus being linked back to the university since Aug. 24 , when students began returning to the campus in East Lansing ahead of the start of the fall semester , the university and the local health department said .
Though the majority of classes at the school are being offered online , many students returned to the East Lansing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or wanted to physically return to the university community , the Ingham County Health Department said .
A sign outside the Michigan State University Student Union building alerts students to MSU 's face covering rule on Friday .
The university on Saturday instructed all of its local students to quarantine for two weeks because of the coronavirus .
“ This is a serious development , and MSU is committed to doing everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , ” university physician Dr. David Weismantel said in a statement to students .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the university continues to rise , the quarantine could become part of a mandatory emergency order , Weismantel warned .
“ All of us are responsible not only for our own health but also for that of the community , especially its most vulnerable members , ” said Weismantel .
“ More than 6,500 Michigan residents have already died from COVID-19 .
Further , what happens right now will significantly influence decisions on how much of the spring semester will be conducted in person or remotely.
” The quarantine , which went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifted just before midnight on Saturday , Sept. 26 .
All of us are responsible not only for our own health but also for that of the community , especially its most vulnerable members .
At least one-third of the new cases have been connected to off-campus parties and social gatherings , including fraternities and sororities .
This has prompted an investigation by the health department to see if additional action is needed for student houses that are licensed for more than 10 unrelated people , the school said .
Vail warned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for months to come ” if immediate action isn ’ t taken to help prevent the virus ’ s spread .
“ We are urging students to understand the imperative role that they play in stopping this community spread and , ultimately , saving lives , ” he said in a statement .
“ While we know many students are doing the right thing , we are still seeing far too many social gatherings in the off-campus community , where individuals are in close contact without face coverings .
”

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Michigan State University has requested that all of its local students self-quarantine for two weeks due to “an alarming surge” in COVID-19 cases, the school said Saturday.
The request follows at least 342 confirmed cases of the virus being linked back to the university since Aug. 24, when students began returning to the campus in East Lansing ahead of the start of the fall semester, the university and the local health department said.
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Though the majority of classes at the school are being offered online, many students returned to the East Lansing area because they had binding off-campus leases or wanted to physically return to the university community, the Ingham County Health Department said.
A sign outside the Michigan State University Student Union building alerts students to MSU's face covering rule on Friday. The university on Saturday instructed all of its local students to quarantine for two weeks because of the coronavirus. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“This is a serious development, and MSU is committed to doing everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” university physician Dr. David Weismantel said in a statement to students.
If the number of cases linked back to the university continues to rise, the quarantine could become part of a mandatory emergency order, Weismantel warned.
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“All of us are responsible not only for our own health but also for that of the community, especially its most vulnerable members,” said Weismantel. “More than 6,500 Michigan residents have already died from COVID-19. Further, what happens right now will significantly influence decisions on how much of the spring semester will be conducted in person or remotely.”
The quarantine, which went into effect on Saturday, will be lifted just before midnight on Saturday, Sept. 26.
“All of us are responsible not only for our own health but also for that of the community, especially its most vulnerable members.” - MSU physician Dr. David Weismantel
At least one-third of the new cases have been connected to off-campus parties and social gatherings, including fraternities and sororities. This has prompted an investigation by the health department to see if additional action is needed for student houses that are licensed for more than 10 unrelated people, the school said.
“This is an urgent situation,” Ingham County Health Officer Linda S. Vail said in a statement. “The exponential growth of COVID-19 cases must stop.”
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Vail warned that the county will face dire consequences “for months to come” if immediate action isn’t taken to help prevent the virus’s spread.
East Lansing Mayor Aaron Stephens echoed that message of urgency.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--Jake Tapper Abruptly Ends Interview With Trump Aide: 'Just Answer The Question'

TAPPER : Why wasn ’ t the president straightforward with the American people ?
TAPPER : No , he wasn @ @ @ @ @ answer the question .
It ’ s a very basic question .
...
He was @ @ @ @ @ people .
You ’ re not answering the question ― NAVARRO : You ’ re @ @ @ @ @ not honest with the American people .
CNN is not honest with the American people @ @ @ @ @ na go there ?
TAPPER : I said you ’ re not answering the question @ @ @ @ @ thing .
Thank you , Peter Navarro .
We just played tape ― you didn @ @ @ @ @ .
NAVARRO : You can ’ t say that .
I answered the question repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ t like the answer .

TAPPER: Why wasn’t the president straightforward with the American people?
NAVARRO: He was straightforward.
TAPPER: No, he wasn’t. ... Just answer the question. It’s a very basic question. ... He was not honest with the American people. You’re not answering the question ―
NAVARRO: You’re wrong. You’re not honest with the American people. CNN is not honest with the American people. CNN ― you wanna go there?
TAPPER: I said you’re not answering the question. Here’s the thing. Thank you, Peter Navarro. We just played tape ― you didn’t answer the question.
NAVARRO: You can’t say that. I answered the question repeatedly. You just didn’t like the answer.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--Trump Seems To Endorse Extrajudicial Killing: 'There Has To Be Retribution'

President Donald Trump appeared to support law enforcement officers who take criminal justice into their own hands after U.S. marshals killed a man suspected in a fatal shooting in Oregon last month .
“ There has to be retribution when you have a crime like that , ” Trump said .
Trump ’ s apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killing came after members of a fugitive task force shot and killed Michael Forest Reinoehl , 39 , a self-described anti-fascist , on Sept. 3 .
Reinoehl was wanted on suspicion of fatally shooting a member of a far-right group in Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This guy was a violent criminal , and the U.S. marshals killed him , and I will tell you something , that ’ s the way it has to be , ” Trump told Fox News ’ Jeanine Pirro , a former New York state judge , in an interview that aired Saturday .
Trump also appeared to suggest that law enforcement officers take similar action against demonstrators suspected of committing violent acts .
He made his comments as protesters across the country demonstrate against racism and police brutality amid the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shooting death came the same day that Trump took to Twitter to call for Reinoehl ’ s arrest , calling him a “ cold blooded killer.
” Authorities said that Reinoehl was armed and resisted arrest at the time he was shot to death .
An investigation into the shooting continues .
One witness told The Washington Post that he never saw Reinoehl pull out a gun .
Nate Dinguss said he saw officers pull up to Reinoehl in two unmarked police vehicles , get out without identifying themselves and immediately start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two other witnesses told The Olympian that they saw Reinoehl fire what they thought was an assault rifle at the unmarked SUVs after the vehicles pulled up to him .
A Thurston County Sheriff ’ s Office investigation has not yet determined whether Reinoehl fired , brandished or displayed a semiautomatic handgun that was reportedly found with him .
If Reinoehl threatened officers or posed a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to them , they would not need a reason to warn him before opening fire .
The American criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ innocent until proven guilty in a court of law .
Taking punitive action against a suspect before then would run counter to that system .
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the state from depriving any person of life without due process of law .
It also prohibits the state from denying “ any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws .
”

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President Donald Trump appeared to support law enforcement officers who take criminal justice into their own hands after U.S. marshals killed a man suspected in a fatal shooting in Oregon last month. “There has to be retribution when you have a crime like that,” Trump said.
Trump’s apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killing came after members of a fugitive task force shot and killed Michael Forest Reinoehl, 39, a self-described anti-fascist, on Sept. 3. Reinoehl was wanted on suspicion of fatally shooting a member of a far-right group in Portland, Oregon, on Aug. 29.
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“This guy was a violent criminal, and the U.S. marshals killed him, and I will tell you something, that’s the way it has to be,” Trump told Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro, a former New York state judge, in an interview that aired Saturday.
President endorsing straight up extra-judicial killing. https://t.co/no1WFA3qlx — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 13, 2020
Trump also appeared to suggest that law enforcement officers take similar action against demonstrators suspected of committing violent acts. He made his comments as protesters across the country demonstrate against racism and police brutality amid the police killings of Black Americans.
“You can’t throw bricks at guys with shields on them,” he said.
Reinoehl’s shooting death came the same day that Trump took to Twitter to call for Reinoehl’s arrest, calling him a “cold blooded killer.”
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Authorities said that Reinoehl was armed and resisted arrest at the time he was shot to death. An investigation into the shooting continues.
One witness told The Washington Post that he never saw Reinoehl pull out a gun. Nate Dinguss said he saw officers pull up to Reinoehl in two unmarked police vehicles, get out without identifying themselves and immediately start firing their weapons at him.
But two other witnesses told The Olympian that they saw Reinoehl fire what they thought was an assault rifle at the unmarked SUVs after the vehicles pulled up to him.
A Thurston County Sheriff’s Office investigation has not yet determined whether Reinoehl fired, brandished or displayed a semiautomatic handgun that was reportedly found with him.
If Reinoehl threatened officers or posed a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to them, they would not need a reason to warn him before opening fire.
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The American criminal justice system presumes that a suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Taking punitive action against a suspect before then would run counter to that system.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--Former FBI Agent Peter Strzok: Trump Clearly 'Compromised By The Russians'

A former FBI agent who worked on then-special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election said it ’ s “ clear ” that President Donald Trump was “ compromised by the Russians.
” “ Look , I think it is clear : I believed at the time in 2016 , and I continue to believe that Donald Trump is compromised by the Russians , ” Strzok told host Chuck Todd .
“ And when I say that , I mean that they hold leverage over him that makes him incapable of placing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of his own.
” Mueller in his final report outlined several contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives but left it up to Congress to take action on his findings .
Both the Democratic-led House and Republican-led Senate confirmed that Russia interfered in the 2016 election with the intention of helping Trump win .
But the parties remained divided on whether Trump aides colluded with Russian operatives leading up to the election .
Trump denied seeking Russia ’ s help during the election , despite publicly asking the country to hack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s emails in July 2016 .
“ One of the largest ways that ... foreign governments gain leverage ― certainly in the case of the president ― is through financial entanglements , ” Strzok said Sunday .
He added : “ Those interactions have placed him in the position where the Russians have leverage over him and are able to influence his actions.
” Strzok assisted Mueller ’ s investigation for about two months in 2017 before he was removed over anti-Trump text messages he sent to FBI lawyer Lisa Page , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
Page resigned from the FBI in May 2018 , a few months before the agency fired Strzok over the texts .
Both Page and Strzok sued the FBI and Justice Department over the release of their text message exchange .
Trump repeatedly argued that the text messages between Page and Strzok proved that the Russia investigation was rigged against him .
But the Justice Department ’ s inspector general released a report in December 2019 that found political bias did not influence the probe .
Strzok outlined the threat he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new book released Tuesday , based on his more than 20 years of experience recruiting spies for the U.S. and identifying foreign agents within the country .
Asked Sunday if believed the Mueller report determined there was no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign , Strzok said , “ Absolutely not.
” He added : “ Mueller was focusing on violations of the law .
And the standard to be able to establish in a courtroom that something occurred is very , very different from the standard that a counterintelligence expert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge whether or not that caused them concern .
”

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A former FBI agent who worked on then-special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election said it’s “clear” that President Donald Trump was “compromised by the Russians.”
Former FBI counterintelligence officer Peter Strzok told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he believed the Kremlin gained “leverage” over Trump through certain “financial entanglements.”
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“Look, I think it is clear: I believed at the time in 2016, and I continue to believe that Donald Trump is compromised by the Russians,” Strzok told host Chuck Todd. “And when I say that, I mean that they hold leverage over him that makes him incapable of placing the national interests, the national security, ahead of his own.”
Mueller in his final report outlined several contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives but left it up to Congress to take action on his findings.
Both the Democratic-led House and Republican-led Senate confirmed that Russia interfered in the 2016 election with the intention of helping Trump win. But the parties remained divided on whether Trump aides colluded with Russian operatives leading up to the election.
Trump denied seeking Russia’s help during the election, despite publicly asking the country to hack into then-Democratic presidential opponent Hillary Clinton’s emails in July 2016.
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“One of the largest ways that ... foreign governments gain leverage ― certainly in the case of the president ― is through financial entanglements,” Strzok said Sunday. He added: “Those interactions have placed him in the position where the Russians have leverage over him and are able to influence his actions.”
EXCLUSIVE: Former FBI Agent Peter Strzok says he continues to believe that "Donald Trump is compromised by the Russians." #MTP
Strzok claims: Russians "hold leverage over [Trump] that makes him incapable of placing the national interest ... ahead of his own." pic.twitter.com/6u9j4OK2Oi — Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) September 13, 2020
Strzok assisted Mueller’s investigation for about two months in 2017 before he was removed over anti-Trump text messages he sent to FBI lawyer Lisa Page, with whom he was having an affair at the time.
Page resigned from the FBI in May 2018, a few months before the agency fired Strzok over the texts. Both Page and Strzok sued the FBI and Justice Department over the release of their text message exchange.
Trump repeatedly argued that the text messages between Page and Strzok proved that the Russia investigation was rigged against him. But the Justice Department’s inspector general released a report in December 2019 that found political bias did not influence the probe.
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Strzok outlined the threat he believes Trump poses to national security in a new book released Tuesday, based on his more than 20 years of experience recruiting spies for the U.S. and identifying foreign agents within the country.
Asked Sunday if believed the Mueller report determined there was no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, Strzok said, “Absolutely not.”
“I concluded the opposite,” Strzok said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--Warren G. Harding's Grandson, Lover Want President's Body Exhumed

COLUMBUS , Ohio ( AP ) — The grandson of U.S. President Warren G. Harding and his lover , Nan Britton , went to court in an effort to get the Republican ’ s remains exhumed from the presidential memorial where they have lain since 1927 .
The dispute looms as benefactors prepare to mark the centennial of Harding ’ s 1920 election with site upgrades and a new presidential center in Marion , the Ohio city near which he was born in 1865 .
Blaesing says he deserves to “ have his story , his mother ’ s story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the hallowed halls and museums in this town.
” A branch of the Harding family has pushed back against the suit filed in May — not because they dispute Blaesing ’ s ancestry , but because they don ’ t .
They argue they already have accepted as fact DNA evidence that Blaesing ’ s mother , Elizabeth Ann Blaesing , was the daughter of Harding and Britton and that she is set to be acknowledged in the museum .
Harding had no other children .
“ Sadly , widespread , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historians , and biographers ( and Mr. Blaesing himself ) that Mr. Blaesing is President Harding ’ s grandson is not enough for him , ” relatives said in a court filing .
They called the lawsuit a ploy for attention .
At the time , Blaesing told The Associated Press he was delighted .
Five years later , he tells the AP his mother ’ s legacy as the daughter of a U.S. president is shaping up to be little more than a footnote in the new museum .
He has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life or even a photograph for the coming display , he said .
“ I did the test and we brought it to the public in 2015 .
It ’ s now 2020 and no one has asked me one thing , ” he said in a telephone interview .
“ I ’ m not a part of anything .
Nothing .
My brothers , myself , no one .
We ’ re invisible .
They ’ re treating us just like they treated my grandmother.
” Ironically , it was a pair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandnephew Peter Harding and grandniece Abigail Harding — who first reached out to the Blaesing family in 2011 to end speculation about Harding having a child out of wedlock .
According to court filings , Peter Harding ’ s interest was sparked by reading “ The President ’ s Daughter , ” Britton ’ s 1927 book , “ and concluding that the man described in its pages resembled the author of love letters written to Ms. Carrie Phillips.
” The Library of Congress opened those letters between Harding and Phillips , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ohio History Connection , which manages the Harding home and memorial , takes no position on the family dispute .
Spokesperson Emmy Beach said the nonprofit accepts the 2015 DNA results “ as fact ” and plans a section of the new museum “ on Harding ’ s relationship with Nan Britton and their daughter , Elizabeth Ann Blaesing.
” The crypt also holds the remains of first lady Florence Kling Harding in another sarcophagus , and the nonprofit argues her relatives deserve a say .
Further , to protect the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to employ experts to assure the president ’ s body could be disinterred and reinterred without damaging the tomb , a striking white marble temple encircled with Doric columns .
The openings of the renovated historic sites in Marion and of the Warren G. Harding Presidential Center have been indefinitely delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic , Beach said .
She said the disinterment request has not affected the timetable .

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The grandson of U.S. President Warren G. Harding and his lover, Nan Britton, went to court in an effort to get the Republican’s remains exhumed from the presidential memorial where they have lain since 1927.
James Blaesing told an Ohio court that he is seeking Harding’s disinterment as a way “to establish with scientific certainty” that he is the 29th president’s blood relation.
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The dispute looms as benefactors prepare to mark the centennial of Harding’s 1920 election with site upgrades and a new presidential center in Marion, the Ohio city near which he was born in 1865. Blaesing says he deserves to “have his story, his mother’s story and his grandmother’s story included within the hallowed halls and museums in this town.”
A branch of the Harding family has pushed back against the suit filed in May — not because they dispute Blaesing’s ancestry, but because they don’t.
They argue they already have accepted as fact DNA evidence that Blaesing’s mother, Elizabeth Ann Blaesing, was the daughter of Harding and Britton and that she is set to be acknowledged in the museum. Harding had no other children.
“Sadly, widespread, public recognition and acceptance by the descendants, historians, and biographers (and Mr. Blaesing himself) that Mr. Blaesing is President Harding’s grandson is not enough for him,” relatives said in a court filing. They called the lawsuit a ploy for attention.
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This combination of file photos shows former President Warren G. Harding, left, and Elizabeth Ann Britton. Genetic tests proved 2015 that Harding fathered a child with long-rumored mistress Nan Britton. (AP Photos/File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In 2015, a match between James Blaesing’s DNA and that of two Harding descendants prompted AncestryDNA, a DNA-testing division of Ancestry.com, to declare his link to the president official.
At the time, Blaesing told The Associated Press he was delighted. Five years later, he tells the AP his mother’s legacy as the daughter of a U.S. president is shaping up to be little more than a footnote in the new museum. He has not been approached to provide details of her life or even a photograph for the coming display, he said.
“I did the test and we brought it to the public in 2015. It’s now 2020 and no one has asked me one thing,” he said in a telephone interview. “I’m not a part of anything. Nothing. My brothers, myself, no one. We’re invisible. They’re treating us just like they treated my grandmother.”
Blaesing said he is hopeful that a match directly to the president’s own DNA would change that.
Ironically, it was a pair of Harding’s known relatives — grandnephew Peter Harding and grandniece Abigail Harding — who first reached out to the Blaesing family in 2011 to end speculation about Harding having a child out of wedlock.
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Before that, “doubt and mystery shrouded the paternal lineage of Elizabeth Blaesing for almost 100 years,” family members, not including Peter and Abigail Harding, explained to the court.
According to court filings, Peter Harding’s interest was sparked by reading “The President’s Daughter,” Britton’s 1927 book, “and concluding that the man described in its pages resembled the author of love letters written to Ms. Carrie Phillips.” The Library of Congress opened those letters between Harding and Phillips, another lover, to the public in 2014.
Ohio History Connection, which manages the Harding home and memorial, takes no position on the family dispute. Spokesperson Emmy Beach said the nonprofit accepts the 2015 DNA results “as fact” and plans a section of the new museum “on Harding’s relationship with Nan Britton and their daughter, Elizabeth Ann Blaesing.”
However, Ohio History Connection has told the court it must consider a host of issues before disrupting the Harding Memorial’s sealed sarcophagus.
The crypt also holds the remains of first lady Florence Kling Harding in another sarcophagus, and the nonprofit argues her relatives deserve a say. Further, to protect the site, the nonprofit said it will have to employ experts to assure the president’s body could be disinterred and reinterred without damaging the tomb, a striking white marble temple encircled with Doric columns.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--Michael Bloomberg Plans To Spend $100 Million In Florida To Help Joe Biden

ASSOCIATED PRESS Democratic presidential candidates , former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg , left , and former Vice President Joe Biden talk during a break in a Democratic presidential primary debate Wednesday , Feb. 19 , 2020 , in Las Vegas , hosted by NBC News and MSNBC .
( AP Photo/John Locher ) NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - Billionaire Michael Bloomberg , who spent $ 1 billion on his 2020 Democratic presidential bid before dropping out , plans to inject at least $ 100 million to help Democrat Joe Biden ’ s effort against Republican President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida .
The decision comes as Trump ’ s initial financial supremacy over former Vice President Biden earlier this year has largely evaporated after high spending from the campaign and a surge in fundraising by Democrats .
Florida is one of the biggest prizes on Election Day , and it is also the most expensive of the expected battlegrounds in which to campaign .
But polls there show a race that is effectively tied .
The Republican president , who trails Biden in national opinion polls before the Nov. 3 election , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own money if needed .
“ I thought Mini Mike was through with Democrat politics , ” Trump said on Twitter in reaction to the news .
“ Save NYC instead.
” Trump ’ s re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee on Wednesday said they raised a combined $ 210 million in August , falling far short of matching Biden ’ s record-breaking haul of $ 364.5 million for the month .
“ Mike Bloomberg is committed to helping defeat Trump , and that is going to happen in the battleground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheekey , who said the spending “ will mean Democrats and the Biden campaign can invest even more heavily in other key states like Pennsylvania , which will be critical to a Biden victory .
”

Democratic presidential candidates, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, left, and former Vice President Joe Biden talk during a break in a Democratic presidential primary debate Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, in Las Vegas, hosted by NBC News and MSNBC. (AP Photo/John Locher) ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who spent $1 billion on his 2020 Democratic presidential bid before dropping out, plans to inject at least $100 million to help Democrat Joe Biden’s effort against Republican President Donald Trump in the important swing state of Florida.
The decision comes as Trump’s initial financial supremacy over former Vice President Biden earlier this year has largely evaporated after high spending from the campaign and a surge in fundraising by Democrats.
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Florida is one of the biggest prizes on Election Day, and it is also the most expensive of the expected battlegrounds in which to campaign. But polls there show a race that is effectively tied.
The Republican president, who trails Biden in national opinion polls before the Nov. 3 election, told reporters last week that he would spend his own money if needed.
“I thought Mini Mike was through with Democrat politics,” Trump said on Twitter in reaction to the news. “Save NYC instead.”
Trump’s re-election campaign and the Republican National Committee on Wednesday said they raised a combined $210 million in August, falling far short of matching Biden’s record-breaking haul of $364.5 million for the month.
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“Mike Bloomberg is committed to helping defeat Trump, and that is going to happen in the battleground states,” said Bloomberg adviser Kevin Sheekey, who said the spending “will mean Democrats and the Biden campaign can invest even more heavily in other key states like Pennsylvania, which will be critical to a Biden victory.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-13--RNC Chair Ridiculed For Criticizing Joe Biden's Coronavirus Response

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel faced ridicule on Sunday after she attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for what she called his “ disastrous record responding to the coronavirus.
” Unlike the leader of McDaniels ’ party , the former vice president has not been in office during the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 190,000 people and infected more than 6.5 million in the U.S. She shared a clip from an ABC “ This Week ” segment earlier in the day .
Host George Stephanopoulos had pressed Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders about the presidential candidate ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early stages .
He said Biden highlighted the need for a plan of attack but did not explicitly call for social distancing , travel bans or wearing masks .
“ In January and February , Joe Biden was not being briefed by national security experts who warned him how deadly the virus was , ” Sanders replied .
In the rest of her response , which was cut out in the clip McDaniels shared , Sanders continued : “ In January and February , Joe Biden did not have the knowledge that President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , that if Joe Biden were president ... he would have taken proper precautions .
He would have warned the American people.
” Trump played down the risks of coronavirus for months before finally declaring a national emergency on March 13 .
Last week , veteran journalist Bob Woodward ’ s forthcoming book “ Rage ” revealed that Trump was aware of the virus ’ dangers while he repeatedly told the public it was no big deal .
Trump admitted in a recorded Feb. 7 interview that the virus was five times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 19 interview , he said he liked to downplay the severity of the outbreak because he didn ’ t want to “ create a panic.
” Two epidemiologists estimated in April that 90 percent of deaths could have been avoided had mitigation measures been enacted just two weeks earlier .
McDaniels attacked Biden similarly ( while defending Trump ) during an appearance on NBC ’ s “ Meet The Press ” earlier on Sunday .
Host Chuck Todd had asked her about America ’ s poor outcome from the pandemic compared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in charge , if Joe Biden had his way , go look at his statements in January when he said the president was being xenophobic , ” she said .
( Biden called Trump xenophobic in response to a Trump tweet about limiting entry to travelers from China in which he referred to coronavirus as the “ Chinese Virus ” ) .
Other critics offered their own reminders on Twitter and cracked about other events that did not occur during Biden ’ s time in office that he also apparently failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away : Donald Trump ’ s presidency is such a failure , his only hope of reelection comes down to convincing people that Joe Biden has actually been the president these past four years .
— Palmer Report ( @ PalmerReport ) September 13 , 2020 .
@ GOPChairwoman , let me fix this for you .
Like most Americans , you may want to forget the reality of Trump .
While you morons made jokes about the basement , your boss was directly leading to 200,000 dead Americans .
@ JoeBiden will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ronna .
https : //t.co/ed4wMwTW19 — Fred Guttenberg ( @ fred_guttenberg ) September 13 , 2020 Good Lord , this is embarrassing .
Do you think the other Romneys are all relieved that Trump asked you to drop the family name and you cravenly obliged ?
— Kevin M. Kruse ( @ KevinMKruse ) September 13 , 2020

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Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel faced ridicule on Sunday after she attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for what she called his “disastrous record responding to the coronavirus.”
Unlike the leader of McDaniels’ party, the former vice president has not been in office during the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 190,000 people and infected more than 6.5 million in the U.S.
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“Joe Biden can’t run from his disastrous record responding to the coronavirus,” McDaniel tweeted. “The truth hurts, Joe!”
She shared a clip from an ABC “This Week” segment earlier in the day. Host George Stephanopoulos had pressed Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders about the presidential candidate’s comments on the outbreak during its early stages.
He said Biden highlighted the need for a plan of attack but did not explicitly call for social distancing, travel bans or wearing masks.
“In January and February, Joe Biden was not being briefed by national security experts who warned him how deadly the virus was,” Sanders replied.
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In the rest of her response, which was cut out in the clip McDaniels shared, Sanders continued: “In January and February, Joe Biden did not have the knowledge that President Trump did. But I will tell you, that if Joe Biden were president ... he would have taken proper precautions. He would have warned the American people.”
Joe Biden can’t run from his disastrous record responding to the coronavirus.
The truth hurts, Joe!
https://t.co/uBERkgHwJX — Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) September 13, 2020
Trump played down the risks of coronavirus for months before finally declaring a national emergency on March 13. Last week, veteran journalist Bob Woodward’s forthcoming book “Rage” revealed that Trump was aware of the virus’ dangers while he repeatedly told the public it was no big deal. Trump admitted in a recorded Feb. 7 interview that the virus was five times deadlier than the flu. In a March 19 interview, he said he liked to downplay the severity of the outbreak because he didn’t want to “create a panic.”
Two epidemiologists estimated in April that 90 percent of deaths could have been avoided had mitigation measures been enacted just two weeks earlier.
McDaniels attacked Biden similarly (while defending Trump) during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet The Press” earlier on Sunday. Host Chuck Todd had asked her about America’s poor outcome from the pandemic compared to other Western countries.
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“If Democrats were in charge, if Joe Biden had his way, go look at his statements in January when he said the president was being xenophobic,” she said. (Biden called Trump xenophobic in response to a Trump tweet about limiting entry to travelers from China in which he referred to coronavirus as the “Chinese Virus”).
Todd reminded McDaniels: “He’s not the president.”
Other critics offered their own reminders on Twitter and cracked about other events that did not occur during Biden’s time in office that he also apparently failed to prevent:
Joe Biden can’t run from his disastrous record responding to the Extinction Level Event that killed the dinosaurs. ☄ 🦕 🦖
The truth hurts, Joe! — David+ (@DavidOStorm) September 13, 2020
Joe Biden can’t run from his disastrous record responding to The Great Plague of London in 1665.
The truth hurts, Joe! — 🏝Kim (@kim) September 13, 2020
Ronna’s right, it’s time to vote President Biden out of office and elect Trump to fix the mess of the last four years https://t.co/OGweaxlhPh — Ali A. Rizvi (@aliamjadrizvi) September 13, 2020
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This tweet verifies just how stupid Ronna Romney McDaniel and the rest of the Trump campaign believe their cult followers to be. https://t.co/nGY6SC9ki6 — Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) September 13, 2020
What Ronna McDaniel just gave away: Donald Trump’s presidency is such a failure, his only hope of reelection comes down to convincing people that Joe Biden has actually been the president these past four years. — Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) September 13, 2020
.@GOPChairwoman, let me fix this for you. Like most Americans, you may want to forget the reality of Trump. While you morons made jokes about the basement, your boss was directly leading to 200,000 dead Americans. @JoeBiden will be the next President. Truth hurts Ronna. https://t.co/ed4wMwTW19 — Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) September 13, 2020
Good Lord, this is embarrassing.
Do you think the other Romneys are all relieved that Trump asked you to drop the family name and you cravenly obliged? — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) September 13, 2020
Joe Biden is not the president until January, Ronna. Or should I say, Rona? https://t.co/W6d7SlApTE — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) September 13, 2020
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Once a nice and reasonable person, Ronna has become a chief gaslighter and has totally destroyed her reputation and career. “The President is the wrong person for the job... it’s a conclusion based on real evidence.” @realBobWoodward Resign Ronna! https://t.co/fBBtNHyDC7 — Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) September 13, 2020