thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Trump Refuses To Address QAnon, Praises Conspiracy-Supporting Republican Again

President Donald Trump pointedly chose not to distance himself from the QAnon conspiracy theory after he was asked about it at a Friday afternoon press conference .
A reporter asked Trump to respond to the victory of Marjorie Taylor Greene in the runoff race for Georgia ’ s 14th Congressional District .
Greene has faced condemnation from House Republican leaders for creating racist Facebook videos and embracing QAnon .
“ You congratulated Marjorie Taylor Greene in a tweet , you called her a ‘ future Republican star , ’ ” Associated Press reporter Jill Colvin noted .
“ Green has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory ― she said it was something ‘ worth listening to.
’ Do you agree with her on that ?
” “ Well , she did very well in the election , ” Trump said .
“ She won by a lot , she was very popular , she comes from a great state and she had a tremendous victory.
” Trump ignored Colvin when she pressed again for his reaction to the conspiracy .
The baseless and constantly evolving theory holds that a mysterious , high-ranking government official known as “ Q @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cryptic clues all over the internet about a coming “ Storm ” of arrests ― and perhaps executions ― of Trump ’ s antagonists .
The cult-like conspiracy also has millions of active followers across countless Facebook groups and pages , a recent NBC investigation found .
The investigation concluded that Facebook has been integral to the theory ’ s growth .
Unlike Twitter , Facebook has yet to take any broad action against the group .
Last year a QAnon adherent named Matthew Wright drove an armored vehicle onto a bridge near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an AR-15 , he blocked traffic and held up a QAnon-inspired sign .
In June , 29-year-old Alpalus Slyman led police in Massachusetts on a 20-mile chase with his five children in the car , all while livestreaming the chaos on Facebook from his phone .
“ The cops are in on it , ” he says at one point to a crying child in the backseat .
“ Donald Trump ... QAnon , help me !
”

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President Donald Trump pointedly chose not to distance himself from the QAnon conspiracy theory after he was asked about it at a Friday afternoon press conference.
A reporter asked Trump to respond to the victory of Marjorie Taylor Greene in the runoff race for Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. Greene has faced condemnation from House Republican leaders for creating racist Facebook videos and embracing QAnon.
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“You congratulated Marjorie Taylor Greene in a tweet, you called her a ‘future Republican star,’” Associated Press reporter Jill Colvin noted. “Green has been a proponent of the QAnon conspiracy theory ― she said it was something ‘worth listening to.’ Do you agree with her on that?”
“Well, she did very well in the election,” Trump said. “She won by a lot, she was very popular, she comes from a great state and she had a tremendous victory.”
Trump ignored Colvin when she pressed again for his reaction to the conspiracy.
Trump refuses to answer a question about whether he embraces the lunatic QAnon conspiracy theory pic.twitter.com/j1GPDznrxl — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 14, 2020
The baseless and constantly evolving theory holds that a mysterious, high-ranking government official known as “Q” has, for years, sprinkled cryptic clues all over the internet about a coming “Storm” of arrests ― and perhaps executions ― of Trump’s antagonists.
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Twitter banned thousands of QAnon-linked accounts in July, noting the theory’s “potential to lead to offline harm.”
The cult-like conspiracy also has millions of active followers across countless Facebook groups and pages, a recent NBC investigation found. The investigation concluded that Facebook has been integral to the theory’s growth. Unlike Twitter, Facebook has yet to take any broad action against the group.
The far-right conspiracy has inspired real-world acts of violence.
Last year a QAnon adherent named Matthew Wright drove an armored vehicle onto a bridge near the Hoover Dam, where, armed with an AR-15, he blocked traffic and held up a QAnon-inspired sign.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Donald Trump's Brother Robert Hospitalized In New York

President Donald Trump ’ s younger brother , Robert Trump , is hospitalized in New York .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed the news to ABC News .
The outlet described Robert ’ s condition as “ very ill. ” Donald Trump is expected to visit his brother Friday ― he was already scheduled to spend time at his nearby country club in New Jersey .
Donald and Robert are reportedly quite close .
A senior administration official told CNN “ his brother is very special to him.
” Robert Trump , 72 , spent more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neurosciences intensive care unit in June , The Daily Beast reported at the time .
Two days after he was discharged he sued his niece , Mary Trump , in an attempt to stop the publication of her tell-all book on the Trump family .
“ I and the rest of my entire family are so proud of my wonderful brother , the president , and feel that Mary ’ s actions are truly a disgrace , ” Robert Trump said in a statement at the time .
In addition to Robert , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the late Fred Trump , Jr .
This is a breaking news story .
Check back for updates .
Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
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President Donald Trump’s younger brother, Robert Trump, is hospitalized in New York.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed the news to ABC News. The outlet described Robert’s condition as “very ill.”
Donald Trump is expected to visit his brother Friday ― he was already scheduled to spend time at his nearby country club in New Jersey.
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Donald and Robert are reportedly quite close. A senior administration official told CNN “his brother is very special to him.”
Robert Trump, 72, spent more than a week at Mount Sinai hospital’s neurosciences intensive care unit in June, The Daily Beast reported at the time.
Two days after he was discharged he sued his niece, Mary Trump, in an attempt to stop the publication of her tell-all book on the Trump family.
“I and the rest of my entire family are so proud of my wonderful brother, the president, and feel that Mary’s actions are truly a disgrace,” Robert Trump said in a statement at the time.
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In addition to Robert, the President has three other siblings, including the late Fred Trump, Jr.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Trump's Top DHS Officials Aren't Legally Eligible For Their Jobs, Watchdog Says

President Donald Trump violated federal law with his picks to lead the Department of Homeland Security , the Government Accountability Office announced on Friday .
Both acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli do not fit the requirements to temporarily fill positions that require Senate approval as outlined in the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 .
The GAO , a watchdog agency that reports to Congress , determined that Wolf and Cuccinelli are serving under an invalid order of succession , following the departure of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in April 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nielsen ’ s wake , but the GAO said the next appointee should have been the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency , who was Christopher Krebs at the time .
McAleenan ’ s appointment made his successors ’ positions invalid as well .
The legality of Wolf and Cuccinelli ’ s actions while in office is now under question , and has been referred to the DHS inspector general for review .
The two men have been leading the department since November .
“ We wholeheartedly disagree with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spokesman for DHS told Politico shortly after the agency ’ s assessment was published .
Wolf has featured prominently in the controversial federal response to some anti-racism protests across the country , including demonstrations in Portland , Oregon .
Federal officers stationed there earlier this summer repeatedly clashed violently with civilian protesters , firing tear gas and rubber projectiles that resulted in at least one very serious injury to a protester ’ s head .
Although the federal forces were opposed by local and state leaders , Wolf argued that their presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outlining dozens of alleged offenses by protesters that were primarily vandalism .
The unpopular officers were compelled to start leaving Portland late last month .

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President Donald Trump violated federal law with his picks to lead the Department of Homeland Security, the Government Accountability Office announced on Friday.
Both acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli do not fit the requirements to temporarily fill positions that require Senate approval as outlined in the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998.
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The GAO, a watchdog agency that reports to Congress, determined that Wolf and Cuccinelli are serving under an invalid order of succession, following the departure of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in April 2019.
Kevin McAleenan was named acting secretary in Nielsen’s wake, but the GAO said the next appointee should have been the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, who was Christopher Krebs at the time. McAleenan’s appointment made his successors’ positions invalid as well.
The legality of Wolf and Cuccinelli’s actions while in office is now under question, and has been referred to the DHS inspector general for review. The two men have been leading the department since November.
“We wholeheartedly disagree with the GAO’s baseless report,” a spokesman for DHS told Politico shortly after the agency’s assessment was published.
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Wolf has featured prominently in the controversial federal response to some anti-racism protests across the country, including demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. Federal officers stationed there earlier this summer repeatedly clashed violently with civilian protesters, firing tear gas and rubber projectiles that resulted in at least one very serious injury to a protester’s head.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--USPS Removes Mailboxes, Shuts Down Letter-Sorting Machines As Mail-In Voting Nears

The U.S .
Postal Service removed mail collection boxes in at least three states and is eliminating automatic letter-sorting machines that speed delivery ahead of an expected surge of mail-in ballots in the Nov. 3 elections .
As the Postal Service began to dismantle its own process for speedy mail delivery , it sent a letter to 46 states warning that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make vote deadlines , The Washington Post reported Friday .
Some states are quickly moving up deadlines , forcing voters to request or cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mailboxes in Oregon and Montana and in Manhattan .
Trucks filled with the blue metal boxes alarmed Oregon residents in Portland , where four were removed , and Eugene ( 28 boxes ) this week .
A USPS spokesperson said they ’ re being removed because of “ declining ” mail volume , The Oregonian reported Thursday .
The agency planned to remove 68 in Montana , but the operation was placed “ on hold ” as of Friday after dozens were taken , following a report by a local NBC station and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D-Mont. )
.
Cost-cutting moves are already delaying mail delivery by as much as a week , according to The Washington Post .
Some states , meanwhile , are anticipating 10 times the normal volume of election mail as voters seek to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 by voting in person .
Trump has already declared the Nov. 3 election the “ most corrupt ” in American history because of the anticipated wide use of mail-in ballots , even before any votes have been cast .
He has claimed , without any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ rigged , ” even though he and first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday requested their own mail-in ballots for Tuesday ’ s Florida primary .
“ We have an underfunded state and local election system and a deliberate slowdown in the Postal Service , ” Wendy Fields , the executive director of the nonpartisan Democracy Initiative , told The New York Times last month .
Trump is “ deliberately orchestrating suppression and using the Post Office as a tool to do it , ” she said .
Vice was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from five USPS processing facilities had been removed .
The USPS told Vice that the change was part of routine adaptations to mail and package volume .
But both Vice and CNN obtained a report Friday revealing that the USPS is in the process of eliminating about 15 % of the machines , which can sort as much as 35,000 pieces of mail an hour , according to Vice .
Loss of the sorters will significantly delay mail processing and delivery .
The changes come on top of an internal memo last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for letter carriers and a new limit on hours when mail can be delivered .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and eight other lawmakers on Thursday also called on the USPS inspector general to investigate the policy changes — as well as newly revealed ethics issues concerning DeJoy .
DeJoy , who has no experience working in the USPS , is a prominent Trump donor and the former lead fundraiser for the Republican National Committee .
He stands to profit from an implosion of the Postal Service .
CNN reported earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 30 million equity stake in his former company , XPO Logistics , a USPS contractor , which could conceivably partner with a competitor if the agency stumbles .
DeJoy also purchased Amazon stock options after he was appointed postmaster general , giving him the right to buy new shares of Amazon at a price much lower than their current market price , according to his financial disclosure filings .
“ We have initiated a body of work to address the concerns raised , but can not comment on the details , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USPS watchdog , told CNN in an email .
Documents have already been requested , according to CNN .

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The U.S. Postal Service removed mail collection boxes in at least four states and is eliminating automatic letter-sorting machines that speed delivery ahead of an expected surge of mail-in ballots in the Nov. 3 elections.
As the Postal Service began to dismantle its own process for speedy mail delivery, it sent a letter to 46 states warning that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make vote deadlines, The Washington Post reported Friday. Some states are quickly moving up deadlines, forcing voters to request or cast ballots sooner.
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The startling actions appear to support accusations by Democratic lawmakers and voting rights groups that Postal Service management — now headed by major Donald Trump contributor Louis DeJoy — is sabotaging mail delivery before Election Day.
Donald Trump isn't *trying* to sabotage our elections. He's doing it right under our noses. This is voter suppression and Senate Republicans are letting him get away with it. https://t.co/scsuKQIRAG — Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) August 14, 2020
Delivery times have doubled. Costs are increasing. Sorting machines are being removed. Mail is piling up. Now they're driving around in trucks, removing mailboxes.
Leave it to Trump to quickly destroy an institution that's been around longer than America has existed. pic.twitter.com/WSMCB6BQyE — Ted (@trom771) August 14, 2020
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The agency planned to remove 68 of the collection boxes in Montana, but the operation was placed “on hold” as of Friday after dozens were taken, following a report by a local NBC station and a complaint by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). The USPS later issued a statement that it would stop removing letter boxes in 16 states and sections of two others in the western region of the agency until after the election, CNN reported.
The USPS is also currently eliminating hundreds of mail sorting machines that have significantly speeded up mail processing.
Cost-cutting moves are already delaying mail delivery by as much as a week, according to The Washington Post. Some states, meanwhile, are anticipating 10 times the normal volume of election mail as voters seek to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 by voting in person.
Trump has already declared the Nov. 3 election the “most corrupt” in American history because of the anticipated wide use of mail-in ballots, even before any votes have been cast. He has claimed, without any evidence, that the mail-in ballots will be “rigged,” even though he and first lady Melania Trump on Wednesday requested their own mail-in ballots for Tuesday’s Florida primary.
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Mail-In Voting, unless changed by the courts, will lead to the most CORRUPT ELECTION in our Nation’s History! #RIGGEDELECTION — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2020
On Thursday, the president all but admitted he is blocking a desperately needed infusion of funds to the cash-strapped Postal Service, knowing it will hamstring voting by mail.
“We have an underfunded state and local election system and a deliberate slowdown in the Postal Service,” Wendy Fields, the executive director of the nonpartisan Democracy Initiative, told The New York Times last month. Trump is “deliberately orchestrating suppression and using the Post Office as a tool to do it,” she said.
Vanita Gupta, a Justice Department official in the Obama administration and currently president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, characterized the situation as the “weaponization of the U.S. Postal Service for the president’s electoral purposes.”
It’s “completely outrageous that the U.S. Postal Service is in this position,” she told the Post.
Vice was the first to report Thursday that 19 mail-sorting machines from five USPS processing facilities had been removed. The USPS told Vice that the change was part of routine adaptations to mail and package volume.
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But both Vice and CNN obtained a report revealing that the USPS is in the process of eliminating about 15% of the machines, which can each sort as much as 35,000 pieces of mail an hour, according to Vice. Loss of the sorters will significantly delay mail processing and delivery.
CNN reported Thursday that postal officials cited decreased mail volume and a need for efficiency for the removal of the sorting machines.
The changes come on top of an internal memo last month that announced a halt to overtime pay for letter carriers and a new limit on hours when mail can be delivered.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and eight other lawmakers on Thursday also called on the USPS inspector general to investigate the policy changes — as well as newly revealed ethics issues concerning DeJoy.
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DeJoy, who has no experience working in the USPS, is a prominent Trump donor and the former lead fundraiser for the Republican National Committee. He stands to profit from an implosion of the Postal Service. CNN reported earlier this week that DeJoy continues to hold a $30 million equity stake in his former company, XPO Logistics, a USPS contractor, which could conceivably partner with a competitor if the agency stumbles.
DeJoy also purchased Amazon stock options after he was appointed postmaster general, giving him the right to buy new shares of Amazon at a price much lower than their current market price, according to his financial disclosure filings.
CNN reported Friday that the inspector general of the USPS has launched an investigation into DeJoy’s policy changes and potential ethics conflicts.
“We have initiated a body of work to address the concerns raised, but cannot comment on the details,” Agapi Doulaveris, a spokesperson for the USPS watchdog, told CNN in an email. Documents have already been requested, according to CNN.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's investments in @USPS competitors were already deeply problematic. But his purchase of @Amazon stock options after his appointment is inexcusable. The @OIGUSPS must investigate this corruption. https://t.co/Dlmsk25Ul8 — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) August 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--California's Ban On High-Capacity Magazines Declared Unconstitutional

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) — A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday threw out California ’ s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines , saying the law violates the U.S. Constitution ’ s protection of the right to bear firearms .
“ Even well-intentioned laws must pass constitutional muster , ” appellate Judge Kenneth Lee wrote for the panel ’ s majority .
California ’ s ban on magazines holding more than 10 bullets “ strikes at the core of the Second Amendment — the right to armed self-defense.
” He noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wake of heart-wrenching and highly publicized mass shootings , ” but said that isn ’ t enough to justify a ban whose scope “ is so sweeping that half of all magazines in America are now unlawful to own in California.
” “ Until further proceedings in the courts , the stay on the injunction issued by the district court remains in place , ” his office said in a statement .
“ The Attorney General remains committed to using every tool possible to defend California ’ s gun safety laws and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not immediately say if he would ask a larger 11-judge appellate panel to reconsider the ruling by the three judges , or if he would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court .
He also did not immediately say if the state would seek a delay of the ruling to prevent an immediate buying spree if the lower court lifts its stay .
California Rifle & Pistol Association attorney Chuck Michel called it “ a huge victory ” for gun owners “ and the right to choose to own a firearm to defend your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favors firearms restrictions called it ” dangerous ” and expects it will be overturned .
Gun rights groups have been trying to get such cases before the nation ’ s high court now that it has a more conservative majority .
Aside from the magazine ban itself , Michel and the unaffiliated Second Amendment Foundation said the case has legal implications for other gun restrictions should it reach the justices because it could allow the court to clarify an obscure legal debate over what standard of review should be used .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the complicated subjective tests that many courts have wrongly applied in Second Amendment cases , in favor of a clearer more objective ‘ originalist ’ approach that considers the text , history and tradition of a law to determine what infringements might be tolerated , ” Michel said in an email .
Friday ’ s ruling was a fractured decision partly because of that issue : Two of the three judges voted to toss out the state ’ s ban , while the third judge dissented .
U.S. District Court Judge Barbara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named the third judge on the appellate panel , said the majority ’ s ruling conflicts with decisions in six other federal appellate courts across the nation , and with a 2015 ruling by a different panel of the 9th Circuit itself .
She said she would have upheld California ’ s law based on that precedent .
“ This ruling is an extreme outlier ” given those earlier decisions , said Eric Tirschwell , managing director for Everytown Law , the litigation team affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety that favors firearms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banc panel will rehear the case and correct this erroneous , dangerous , and out-of-step decision.
” But he and the appeals court went further by declaring unconstitutional a state law that had prohibited buying or selling such magazines since 2000 .
That law had let those who had the magazines before then keep them , but barred new sales or imports .

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday threw out California’s ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines, saying the law violates the U.S. Constitution’s protection of the right to bear firearms.
“Even well-intentioned laws must pass constitutional muster,” appellate Judge Kenneth Lee wrote for the panel’s majority. California’s ban on magazines holding more than 10 bullets “strikes at the core of the Second Amendment — the right to armed self-defense.”
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He noted that California passed the law “in the wake of heart-wrenching and highly publicized mass shootings,” but said that isn’t enough to justify a ban whose scope “is so sweeping that half of all magazines in America are now unlawful to own in California.”
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s office said it is reviewing the decision.
“Until further proceedings in the courts, the stay on the injunction issued by the district court remains in place,” his office said in a statement. “The Attorney General remains committed to using every tool possible to defend California’s gun safety laws and keep our communities safe.”
Becerra did not immediately say if he would ask a larger 11-judge appellate panel to reconsider the ruling by the three judges, or if he would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
He also did not immediately say if the state would seek a delay of the ruling to prevent an immediate buying spree if the lower court lifts its stay.
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California Rifle & Pistol Association attorney Chuck Michel called it “a huge victory” for gun owners “and the right to choose to own a firearm to defend your family,” while a group that favors firearms restrictions called it ”dangerous” and expects it will be overturned.
The ruling has national implications because other states have similar restrictions, though it immediately applies only to Western states under the appeals court’s jurisdiction.
Gun rights groups have been trying to get such cases before the nation’s high court now that it has a more conservative majority.
Aside from the magazine ban itself, Michel and the unaffiliated Second Amendment Foundation said the case has legal implications for other gun restrictions should it reach the justices because it could allow the court to clarify an obscure legal debate over what standard of review should be used.
“The Supreme Court seems inclined to do away with the complicated subjective tests that many courts have wrongly applied in Second Amendment cases, in favor of a clearer more objective ‘originalist’ approach that considers the text, history and tradition of a law to determine what infringements might be tolerated,” Michel said in an email.
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Friday’s ruling was a fractured decision partly because of that issue: Two of the three judges voted to toss out the state’s ban, while the third judge dissented.
U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Lynn of Texas, who had been named the third judge on the appellate panel, said the majority’s ruling conflicts with decisions in six other federal appellate courts across the nation, and with a 2015 ruling by a different panel of the 9th Circuit itself. She said she would have upheld California’s law based on that precedent.
“This ruling is an extreme outlier” given those earlier decisions, said Eric Tirschwell, managing director for Everytown Law, the litigation team affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety that favors firearms restrictions. “We expect an en banc panel will rehear the case and correct this erroneous, dangerous, and out-of-step decision.”
Friday’s decision upholds a 2017 ruling by San Diego-based U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez, who blocked a new law that would have barred gun owners from possessing magazines holding more than 10 bullets.
But he and the appeals court went further by declaring unconstitutional a state law that had prohibited buying or selling such magazines since 2000. That law had let those who had the magazines before then keep them, but barred new sales or imports.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Marge Simpson Fires Back At Trump Adviser's Kamala Harris Insult

Marge Simpson isn ’ t happy .
In fact , the cartoon matriarch is a little “ pissed off.
” That ’ s her reaction after Trump campaign senior legal adviser Jenna Ellis tried to use her to insult Democratic vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris .
After Ellis tweeted that “ Kamala sounds like Marge Simpson , ” she came under fire from various Twitter users defending the cartoon character as “ reliable , competent and moralistic.
” One person who chimed in on Twitter was “ Simpsons ” co-creator James L. Brooks , who predicted that Simpson would likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I usually don ’ t get into politics , but the president ’ s senior adviser Jenna Ellis just said Kamala Harris sounds like me !
Lisa says she doesn ’ t mean it as a compliment , ” Simpson said in the 27-second clip .
Then Marge referenced a recently panned tweet from the president by referring to herself “ as an ordinary suburban housewife ” and told Ellis : “ I ’ m starting to feel a little disrespected .
I teach my children not to name-call , Jenna… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just how bothered she was by Ellis ’ comments .
“ I was going to say I ’ m pissed off , but I ’ m afraid they ’ d bleep it , ” she said .
You can see her complete response below .

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Marge Simpson isn’t happy. In fact, the cartoon matriarch is a little “pissed off.”
That’s her reaction after Trump campaign senior legal adviser Jenna Ellis tried to use her to insult Democratic vice presidential hopeful Kamala Harris.
After Ellis tweeted that “Kamala sounds like Marge Simpson,” she came under fire from various Twitter users defending the cartoon character as “reliable, competent and moralistic.”
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One person who chimed in on Twitter was “Simpsons” co-creator James L. Brooks, who predicted that Simpson would likely have something to say about the comparison.
I wouldn't be surprised if Marge Simpson shared her reaction to Jenna's shot. — james l. brooks (@canyonjim) August 13, 2020
Marge did shoot back via a YouTube video released Friday.
“I usually don’t get into politics, but the president’s senior adviser Jenna Ellis just said Kamala Harris sounds like me! Lisa says she doesn’t mean it as a compliment,” Simpson said in the 27-second clip.
Then Marge referenced a recently panned tweet from the president by referring to herself “as an ordinary suburban housewife” and told Ellis: “I’m starting to feel a little disrespected. I teach my children not to name-call, Jenna…”
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The video ends with Simpson revealing just how bothered she was by Ellis’ comments.
“I was going to say I’m pissed off, but I’m afraid they’d bleep it,” she said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Another Trip To Bedminster Means More Taxpayer And Donor Money In Trump’s Pocket

WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump returned to his New Jersey golf course Friday to host a campaign event , meaning yet more donor and tax dollars flowing into his own cash registers .
New York City ’ s police union is set to endorse Trump ’ s reelection at his Bedminster resort Friday evening , allowing it to charge Trump ’ s campaign for the rental of the meeting space and catering .
Taxpayers , meanwhile , must pay for rooms and food for Secret Service agents and other staff during his stay .
Neither the Trump campaign nor the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runs his hotels and golf resorts , responded to HuffPost queries about how much the campaign would be charged for Friday ’ s event .
The Washington Post has reported that the Secret Service has been renting a cottage for agents to stay in for $ 17,000 a month , even when Trump is not there ― an amount higher than homes in the surrounding area rent for .
And filings with the Federal Election Commission by the Trump campaign , the Republican National Committee and its two joint fundraising committees show total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course from the time Trump took office through June 30 , 2020 .
In all , those campaign committees have sent $ 6.9 million to Trump ’ s various businesses , including $ 639,031 to Mar-a-Lago , his Palm Beach , Florida , resort , $ 1.7 million to his hotel in New York City , and $ 1.6 million to Trump Tower for office space , even though the campaign is based in an Arlington , Virginia , high-rise a few miles from the White House .
This weekend ’ s trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 23rd since taking office , and will increase his golf-related taxpayer tab to $ 142 million in travel and security expenses .
Each trip to Bedminster costs taxpayers about $ 1.1 million , compared to $ 3.4 million per trip for his visits to Mar-a-Lago , of which there have been 30 .
Trump has also visited his golf courses in Los Angeles , Scotland , Ireland and Doral , Florida , beside the Miami airport , all on the taxpayer dime .
Trump frequently criticized his predecessor , Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and promised during his campaign that he would be too busy to take any time off .
“ I just want to stay in the White House and work my ass off , ” he said at a February 2016 rally .
Trump , however , has played golf on 2½ times as many days as Obama did through the same point in his term , and Trump ’ s golf outings have cost more than four times as much as Obama ’ s .
The significantly higher expenses are due to Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own resorts , while Obama played most of his rounds at military bases within short motorcade rides of the White House .
Trump has already spent 268 days on golf courses that he owns in his 1,303 days in office , of which 85 have been at Bedminster .

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WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump returned to his New Jersey golf course Friday to host a campaign event, meaning yet more donor and tax dollars flowing into his own cash registers.
New York City’s police union is set to endorse Trump’s reelection at his Bedminster resort Friday evening, allowing it to charge Trump’s campaign for the rental of the meeting space and catering. Taxpayers, meanwhile, must pay for rooms and food for Secret Service agents and other staff during his stay.
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Neither the Trump campaign nor the Trump Organization, his family business that runs his hotels and golf resorts, responded to HuffPost queries about how much the campaign would be charged for Friday’s event.
The Washington Post has reported that the Secret Service has been renting a cottage for agents to stay in for $17,000 a month, even when Trump is not there ― an amount higher than homes in the surrounding area rent for.
And filings with the Federal Election Commission by the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and its two joint fundraising committees show total payments of $86,982 to the golf course from the time Trump took office through June 30, 2020.
President Donald Trump greets supporters after leaving Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on July 26. NICHOLAS KAMM via Getty Images
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In all, those campaign committees have sent $6.9 million to Trump’s various businesses, including $639,031 to Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach, Florida, resort, $1.7 million to his hotel in New York City, and $1.6 million to Trump Tower for office space, even though the campaign is based in an Arlington, Virginia, high-rise a few miles from the White House.
This weekend’s trip to Trump National Bedminster is the president’s 23rd since taking office, and will increase his golf-related taxpayer tab to $142 million in travel and security expenses. Each trip to Bedminster costs taxpayers about $1.1 million, compared to $3.4 million per trip for his visits to Mar-a-Lago, of which there have been 30. Trump has also visited his golf courses in Los Angeles, Scotland, Ireland and Doral, Florida, beside the Miami airport, all on the taxpayer dime.
Trump frequently criticized his predecessor, Barack Obama, for playing too much golf, and promised during his campaign that he would be too busy to take any time off. “I just want to stay in the White House and work my ass off,” he said at a February 2016 rally.
Trump, however, has played golf on 2½ times as many days as Obama did through the same point in his term, and Trump’s golf outings have cost more than four times as much as Obama’s. The significantly higher expenses are due to Trump’s insistence on playing at his own resorts, while Obama played most of his rounds at military bases within short motorcade rides of the White House.
Trump has already spent 268 days on golf courses that he owns in his 1,303 days in office, of which 85 have been at Bedminster.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Veterans Group Taunts Donald Trump For ‘Finally' Going To War... With The Postal Service

President Donald Trump ’ s ongoing assault on the U.S .
Postal Service is coming under fire in a new attack ad released by the progressive PAC VoteVets .
Trump is maligned and mocked for “ finally ” going to war — but with the post office instead of being deployed to a combat zone — in the 78-second spot shared online Thursday .
The narrator of the video highlights the multiple military deferments that Trump received in his youth .
He also notes the critical role the Postal Service plays for veterans — from prescription deliveries to returning absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that he is blocking funding to the Postal Service in a bid to frustrate its operations ahead of the 2020 election , when it will likely be swamped with mail-in ballots owing to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ This is just a warmup for the fall , ” warns the narrator of the ad .
“ Donald Trump plans to disrupt absentee ballots and vote-by-mail for millions of Americans in the middle of a pandemic he failed to control , ” the voice-over concludes .
“ Because Donald Trump knows if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veterans , we ’ ll deliver a message right back — you lose.
” VoteVets is backed by more than 700,000 veterans and their families , per its website .
The group works to increase the number of veterans in Congress .
However , it ’ s unclear what effect these kinds of ads — and others released by groups on both sides of the aisle — actually have on undecided voters .
Trump received four student and one medical deferment from the military , the latter on the basis of allegedly having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosis has been called into question , though , by the daughters of the podiatrist who saw Trump for the condition .
They say their father diagnosed Trump to curry favor with his father , Fred .

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President Donald Trump’s ongoing assault on the U.S. Postal Service is coming under fire in a new attack ad released by the progressive PAC VoteVets.
Trump is maligned and mocked for “finally” going to war — but with the post office instead of being deployed to a combat zone — in the 78-second spot shared online Thursday.
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The narrator of the video highlights the multiple military deferments that Trump received in his youth. He also notes the critical role the Postal Service plays for veterans — from prescription deliveries to returning absentee ballots.
Trump appeared to admit on Thursday that he is blocking funding to the Postal Service in a bid to frustrate its operations ahead of the 2020 election, when it will likely be swamped with mail-in ballots owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is just a warmup for the fall,” warns the narrator of the ad.
“Donald Trump plans to disrupt absentee ballots and vote-by-mail for millions of Americans in the middle of a pandemic he failed to control,” the voice-over concludes. “Because Donald Trump knows if the mail delivers ballots to America’s veterans, we’ll deliver a message right back — you lose.”
Check out the ad here:
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VoteVets is backed by more than 700,000 veterans and their families, per its website. The group works to increase the number of veterans in Congress.
Its anti-Trump ads have garnered millions of views on social media.
A previous spot accused Trump of becoming “America’s number-one traitor.”
However, it’s unclear what effect these kinds of ads — and others released by groups on both sides of the aisle — actually have on undecided voters.
Trump received four student and one medical deferment from the military, the latter on the basis of allegedly having bone spurs in his heels.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Are Indian-American Voters Ready To Embrace Kamala Harris?

Before winning her Senate seat in 2016 , Harris served as San Francisco ’ s district attorney and then as @ @ @ @ @ .
Like many Black voters , some South Asians say they are wary of the @ @ @ @ @ that disproportionately sent people of color to jail .
During her campaign for president , @ @ @ @ @ marijuana convictions she pursued and for arresting the parents of truant students , who were @ @ @ @ @ issues .

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Rati Gupta, an actor and writer who lives in Los Angeles, wasn’t expecting to be so emotional about Kamala Harris.
But on Tuesday, when presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden named Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father, as his running mate, Gupta said he was brought to “legit tears.”
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The selection of the California senator “wasn’t a surprise to me at all ― she’d been rumored to be a top contender ― but hearing the words ‘first Indian American woman’ or ‘first South Asian woman’ on repeat really got to me,” Gupta told HuffPost.
Sometimes, she said, “you don’t know how much you need something until you get it, and this made me realize how much I’ve needed not just more women, but more women who look like me, in power in this country.”
Her excitement had nothing on her mother and aunt’s reaction. The family group chat went wild over the news.
“My mom and aunt started looking up articles about her family and found photos of her in a sari,” she said. “There were a lot of heart emojis, and a debate over what good familial title to use for her since we’d heard Kamala herself doesn’t like being called ‘auntie.’”
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Harris isn’t just the first Black woman on a major party ticket. She’s also the first Indian American. And her selection comes at a time when both political parties are itching to make inroads with the nearly 2 million eligible Indian American voters.
The Biden-Harris ticket starts out with an advantage; according to the Pew Research Center, Indian Americans are the most likely to be Democrats of any Asian origin group, with 50% identifying as Democrats and just 18% as Republican.
“We are the fastest-growing population in the South and Sunbelt states and though still small, when we vote, we are electorally significant.” - Varun Nikore, head of a super political action committee that helps elect Asian Americans.
Thomas Perez, chair of the Democratic National Committee, has said that the Indian-American vote ― and the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) electorate more broadly ― could be an “absolute decision-maker” in this coming election, especially in key swing states such as Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Donald Trump’s narrow victories in those three states won him the White House in 2016.
Given that, it’s likely that Harris’ Asian American roots played at least some part in the Biden camp’s electoral math, said Varun Nikore, president of the AAPI Victory Fund, a super political action committee that helps elect Asian Americans.
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“There is growing recognition of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing community in the U.S., especially now during COVID when so many Asian American health care workers are at the forefront,” he told HuffPost. “We are the fastest-growing population in the South and Sunbelt states and though still small, when we vote, we are electorally significant.”
With Harris on the ticket, it puts more “wind behind the AAPI sail,” he said.
Still, as she has risen in politics, Harris’ South Asian background has been often overshadowed by her Jamaican roots.
“If Kamala Harris is also of Asian descent, why does the press only label her ’Black?” a recent Poynter story asked.
At least part of the answer may lie in the words of Harris’ late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher and civil rights advocate who, at 19, made the bold move to immigrate to the U.S. alone and pursue her doctorate degree at the University of California, Berkeley.
In a June interview on The Los Angeles Times podcast, “Asian Enough,” Harris said her mother was “conscious of race” when raising her and her sister, Maya, in Berkeley. That community, despite its liberal, hippie reputation, was still deeply segregated during the girls’ childhoods.
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“She knew that in America, her daughters would be treated, for better or worse, as Black women and Black children, and she raised us with a sense of pride about who we were,” Harris said. But it was “never to the exclusion of always being very proud and very active in terms of our Indian culture as well.”
Now that Harris will be the Democratic nominee for vice president, many South Asian American voters said they hoped her Indian background would get equal time.
“She is beloved in our community and I’ve seen it,” said Neil Makhija, executive director of IMPACT, a Philadelphia-based civic organization that helps recruit, train, and elect Indian Americans at all levels of government.
“She has been the keynote speaker at our summits and gets totally swarmed,” he said. “I think it’s encouraging to see her South Asian background finally getting attention in the media.”
The attention it keeps getting will depend in part on Harris’ willingness to use her personal biography as a political tool. As reporter Jamilah King noted in a Mother Jones story last year as Harris was gearing up her unsuccessful presidential bid, the senator had “a reserved quality” when discussing her personal life and experiences with race on the campaign trail.
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Her viral moment in the Democratic primary’s first debate ― when she shared a personal anecdote about being a member of the second class to desegregate Berkeley’s public schools through a bussing program (something that Biden, then a senator from Delaware, opposed) ― was the high point of her presidential campaign.
Harris has on occasion provided other glimpses of her personal story. A video posted to Twitter earlier this week by Harris’ sister, Maya, shows her reflecting on the experiences of her single mother.
“My mother was a proud woman. She was a brown woman. She was a woman with a heavy accent,” Harris says in the clip. “She was a woman, who many times people would overlook her or not take her seriously or because of her accent, they’d assume things about her intelligence. Every time, she proved them wrong.”
You can’t know who @KamalaHarris is without knowing who our mother was. Missing her terribly, but know she and the ancestors are smiling today. #BidenHarris2020 pic.twitter.com/nmWVj90pkA — Maya Harris (@mayaharris_) August 12, 2020
Harris has frequently said her mother is her role model. In her 2019 autobiography “The Truths We Hold,” she said she’s equally inspired by her Indian grandparents: her grandmother was a community organizer in India and her grandfather, a diplomat, worked to help resettle refugees during the that nation’s India’s post-independence partition period.
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Years later, Harris would take summer trips to stay with her grandparents in the southern Indian city of Chennai. Harris can speak a bit of a local dialect of Tamil. (On the Asian Enough podcast, Harris joked that she, like many children of immigrants, ”learned words of affection and words of frustration” with “with great acuity,” thanks to her elders.)
A widely shared photo on Twitter shows Harris (on the left) with her grandmother, Rajam Gopalan, grandfather P.V. Gopalan and sister Maya. In front are Maya’s daughter, Meena, left, and Harris’ cousin Sharada Balachandran Orihuela.
Meet your veep pic.twitter.com/dFWL4jGlnO — Nandini Jammi (@nandoodles) August 11, 2020
Harris clearly embraces her biraciality and doesn’t like to choose sides. In the Asian Enough interview, she told the hosts “I was raised with a deep sense of pride in my cultural background. Just speaking about myself, as much as I don’t like to do, I’ve never had an identity crisis. I’m really comfortable in who I am.”
That said, as the hosts noted, Harris has said she prefers to simply be called “an American” ― a remark which vaguely calls to mind the comment by former Republican presidential candidate Bobby Jindal, who is of Indian heritage, about not wanting to be a “hyphenated American.”
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Seattle-based policy analyst Sonyah Terrason said she doesn’t see an issue in that personal preference. Terrason herself is half Pakistani and half Mexican.
“She is American. That is her nationality,” Terrason said. “People can definitely see that she is a woman of color, though I was a little surprised to find out that she is a child of a South Asian immigrant. I had a feeling that she had some South Asian in her because of her features.”
“We need to understand that nationality does not mean erasing our ethnicity or heritage,” Terrason added.
Harris may have been slower to speak about her South Asian heritage than she would otherwise after seeing the “harsh treatment that Barack Obama had gotten about his father’s immigrant roots” with the birther movement, Karthick Ramakrishnan, a public policy and political science professor at the University of California, Riverside, said in a recent interview with NBC News.
Indeed, just days after her selection, Harris is already being targeted by birthers.
But overall, given America’s changing racial demographics, it could be useful for the Biden-Harris campaign to harness Harris’ duel racial identity and her parents’ immigrant stories, said Sumit Ganguly, a political science professor at Indiana University.
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Those personal stories are even more compelling when juxtaposed with the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies, Ganguly told HuffPost.
“Her ascent exemplifies how the country is changing and becoming genuinely representative,” he said. “It also explains why Trump is playing fast and loose with xenophobia, appealing to that dwindling section of the country’s population that is clinging on to benighted notions of racial privilege.”
Regardless of how much Harris talks about her Indian heritage, some South Asian Americans ― younger ones especially ― have raised questions about her political record.
“Harris has a problematic past. If progressives have learned anything from the Obama administration, it’s that having representation in the White House is not enough and we must continue to challenge our elected leaders” - Isha Kaur, a digital marketing manager who’s a Sikh American
Before winning her Senate seat in 2016, Harris served as San Francisco’s district attorney and then as California’s attorney general. Like many Black voters, some South Asians say they are wary of the years she spent enforcing laws that disproportionately sent people of color to jail. During her campaign for president, Harris was criticized for the marijuana convictions she pursued and for arresting the parents of truant students, who were mostly Black, among other issues.
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“Harris has a problematic past,” said Isha Kaur, a digital marketing manager who’s a Sikh American. “If progressives have learned anything from the Obama administration, it’s that having representation in the White House is not enough and we must continue to challenge our elected leaders.”
“I hope she adapts to learn from the urgent needs for minority communities today and that people see this beyond symbolic representation,” Kaur said.
Other voters of South Asian descent say they’ll be keeping a sharp eye on Harris’ stance on India if she and Biden win the election.
Neelam Malhotra, an Indian American health educator in California, said she’s curious to see if Harris will risk alienating Hindus ― who make up a large portion of the South Asian diaspora ― by acknowledging and addressing the rise of Hindu fascism in India and the violent Delhi riots it caused earlier this year.
“I’m also curious how she will grapple with caste and how it manifests in the diaspora, especially since on her Indian side, she comes from a Brahmin family, which is the highest caste,” Malhorta said. “As an Indian, the answers to these questions are important to me.”
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South Asians are largely celebrating Joe Biden's choice to put Californian Kamala Harris on the Democratic presidential ticket. Here, the senator -- then a presidential candidate -- is seen speaking to the Asian and Latino Coalition at the Iowa Statehouse in February 2019. Stephen Maturen via Getty Images
Shivam Bhatt, an Indian American tech worker in California’s Silicon Valley, said he has mixed feelings about Harris. When he sees how comfortable she is with her biracial heritage, it gives him hope for his own biracial child, he said.
Still, he’s uncomfortable with what he sees as her negative record on issues concerning trans people and with her anti-truancy efforts.
“However, I do think Harris showed that she can learn, grow, and work toward changing her behavior and attitudes towards justice and progress,” he said.
Bhatt said he’s interested to see if Harris will grapple with or address the prejudice toward Black people that persists in many South Asian countries and within the South Asian community in the U.S.
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“For Harris to deal with anti-black racism both here and in India and to not only succeed but thrive, well, I’d feel good about that,” he said.
Regardless of the attitudes among South Asians about Harris’ policy record, many are genuinely excited about what her place on the Democratic ticket means for representation.
Amol Naik, an Indian American attorney from Atlanta (and a long-time Harris supporter), said he felt the headiness of the historic moment when he saw an old picture of Harris’ recently immigrated parents in which her mother is wearing a sari.
“The thought that kept coming to mind for me was how scary it must have been for her parents, like mine, to leave everything they knew to come to America in search of a better life,” he said.
“The fact that new immigrants to America doing the same thing in 2021 might see a picture of Kamala Harris on the wall as they clear the immigration process, particularly in contrast to the current occupants of that wall, is transformative and everything that is right about America,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Postal Workers Union Endorses Biden-Harris As Trump Threatens USPS

The National Association of Letter Carriers , a 300,000-strong union of active and retired postal carriers , on Friday threw its support behind presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris in the November election .
The group ’ s endorsement comes at a critical juncture for the U.S .
Postal Service .
The agency has been begging for funds since the start of the coronavirus crisis and is expected to bear responsibility for delivering an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots in order to provide Americans a safe alternative to polling places in the pandemic .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fail , ” union President Fredric Rolando said in a statement .
“ We must do everything we can to help the Postal Service thrive , not only for the men and women of the Postal Service but for the communities and businesses that we serve during this critical time.
” But President Donald Trump has repeatedly balked at the idea of nationwide mail-in voting ― which would allow Americans to avoid crowds ― baselessly claiming it will lead to voter fraud .
He has also argued that expanded access to voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , doesn ’ t work out well for Republicans.
” Despite his objections , the president and first lady this week requested mail-in ballots for Florida ’ s upcoming primary .
Rolando said that the Democratic presidential ticket exhibits “ the experience , dedication , thoughtfulness and steady hands that will work to ensure that letter carriers and working families are put first.
” “ Vice President Biden is ― was ― and will continue to be ― a fierce ally and defender of the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brothers and sisters .
NALC ’ s endorsement and our support come down to Joe ’ s steadfast support of us and his unwavering dedication to improving the lives of all working people throughout this great nation , ” Rolando said .
“ The decision is also partly informed by what we have seen from the current administration with regards to the Postal Service , ” Rolando said , citing a White House task force ’ s recommendation of “ massive cuts to services ” and the potential privatization of the postal agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survival of USPS , ” he continued .
“ Yet , while postal employees are on the front lines providing essential services to the public every day , the current administration refuses to provide the necessary financial relief that would strengthen the agency during this pandemic.
” Trump sparked alarm in May by naming major Republican donor Louis DeJoy as the postmaster general .
Since starting the job in June , DeJoy has sidelined nearly two dozen experienced USPS officials and pledged to implement organizational changes to further kneecap the ability to deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congressional Democrats have asked for billions in funding to the USPS as part of a new coronavirus relief package , which is currently stalled .
Trump this week seemingly admitted that he opposed USPS funding for the very fact that it is an essential part of a fair democratic election .
“ Now they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , ” Trump said on Fox Business Thursday .
“ But if they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can ’ t have universal mail-in voting , because they ’ re not equipped to have it , ” he said .

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The National Association of Letter Carriers, a 300,000-strong union of active and retired postal carriers, on Friday threw its support behind presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris in the November election.
The group’s endorsement comes at a critical juncture for the U.S. Postal Service. The agency has been begging for funds since the start of the coronavirus crisis and is expected to bear responsibility for delivering an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots in order to provide Americans a safe alternative to polling places in the pandemic.
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“The Postal Service must not be allowed to fail,” union President Fredric Rolando said in a statement. “We must do everything we can to help the Postal Service thrive, not only for the men and women of the Postal Service but for the communities and businesses that we serve during this critical time.”
But President Donald Trump has repeatedly balked at the idea of nationwide mail-in voting ― which would allow Americans to avoid crowds ― baselessly claiming it will lead to voter fraud. He has also argued that expanded access to voting by mail, “for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans.” Despite his objections, the president and first lady this week requested mail-in ballots for Florida’s upcoming primary.
Rolando said that the Democratic presidential ticket exhibits “the experience, dedication, thoughtfulness and steady hands that will work to ensure that letter carriers and working families are put first.”
“Vice President Biden is ― was ― and will continue to be ― a fierce ally and defender of the United States Postal Service (USPS), letter carriers, and our fellow postal brothers and sisters. NALC’s endorsement and our support come down to Joe’s steadfast support of us and his unwavering dedication to improving the lives of all working people throughout this great nation,” Rolando said.
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The endorsement was the result of member surveys, polling and a discussion with Biden, according to the union president.
“The decision is also partly informed by what we have seen from the current administration with regards to the Postal Service,” Rolando said, citing a White House task force’s recommendation of “massive cuts to services” and the potential privatization of the postal agency.
“This pandemic threatens the very survival of USPS,” he continued. “Yet, while postal employees are on the front lines providing essential services to the public every day, the current administration refuses to provide the necessary financial relief that would strengthen the agency during this pandemic.”
Trump sparked alarm in May by naming major Republican donor Louis DeJoy as the postmaster general. Since starting the job in June, DeJoy has sidelined nearly two dozen experienced USPS officials and pledged to implement organizational changes to further kneecap the ability to deliver mail-in ballots at a timely pace.
Congressional Democrats have asked for billions in funding to the USPS as part of a new coronavirus relief package, which is currently stalled.
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Trump this week seemingly admitted that he opposed USPS funding for the very fact that it is an essential part of a fair democratic election.
“Now they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” Trump said on Fox Business Thursday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Jerry Falwell Jr.'s Leave From Liberty University May Only Be Temporary

RICHMOND , Va. ( AP ) — Jerry Falwell Jr. has been toppled , at least temporarily , from the presidency of evangelical Liberty University , but whether he will break permanently with the Christian institution that is synonymous with his family name is another matter .
Falwell apologized after posting a vacation photo that showed him with his pants unzipped and his arm high around the waist of his wife ’ s pregnant assistant .
The image was enough to push the 58-year-old attorney with a tendency toward divisive behavior into an indefinite leave of absence .
Critics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new direction , but many who know the school well have a hard time envisioning its governing board saying goodbye to the heir who played a major role in transforming it into a conservative Christian mainstay .
“ When it comes to white evangelicalism , the only force more powerful than moralism is nepotism , ” said Liberty alumnus Jonathan Merritt , a religion writer and commentator whose father , a former Southern Baptist Convention president , served on the school ’ s board of trustees .
While the board recognizes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most say they feel a duty and loyalty to his late father who wanted his son in that role , ” Merritt added .
“ If the board was going to fire him , they would have also done so .
It ’ s almost certain that he ’ ll be back.
” Falwell , who did not follow the Rev .
Jerry Falwell Sr. into the ministry , took over as president following his father ’ s death in 2007 .
The son worked to shore up Liberty ’ s finances , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion in construction projects , growing its endowment and increasing its online enrollment .
Liberty ’ s net assets topped $ 2.3 billion according to its most recently available tax filings , up from less than $ 220,000 in 2008 .
Even the vacation photo , with a caption that said “ good friends visited us on the yacht , ” underscored Falwell ’ s deal-making on behalf of the university .
The luxury boat belonged to NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member Rick Hendrick , according to a spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among a series of other posts about the vacation , which showed he had been joined by his wife , Becki , and their children and grandchildren .
Becki Falwell took the picture , according to a person who spoke with Falwell about the matter but who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record .
Falwell ’ s future appears to rest largely in the hands of the Liberty board , which until this week was chaired by Alaska pastor Jerry Prevo , who became acting president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praised Falwell ’ s “ unprecedented success.
” Dwayne Carson , who worked at Liberty for more than two decades , including as senior campus pastor , recalled Falwell ’ s father preaching about God offering a “ second chance ” in the Book of Jonah .
If Falwell responds productively “ to what God ’ s doing in his life , ” Carson suggested , a positive outcome is possible .
Beyond Prevo , many other board members were hand-picked by either Falwell or his father , according to a person familiar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was not authorized to speak about them .
The vision laid out by Falwell ’ s father rests in part on athletic success , which has improved under his son , who has outfitted the Liberty Flames with top-notch facilities .
The men ’ s basketball team won a school-record 30 games last season .
In football , where Liberty competes as an independent at the NCAA ’ s top level , the Flames were 8-5 in 2019 .
There are also some signs that the school is losing luster among prospective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 50 % between fiscal years 2016 and 2019 , according to Liberty ’ s annual report , although the school has attributed that drop to its institution of an application fee .
If Falwell seeks a restoration to power , there ’ s precedent for personal redemption stories in Liberty ’ s evangelical culture .
After serving five years in prison following the fall of his lucrative televangelism empire in the late 1980s , for example , pastor Jim Bakker mounted a comeback .

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Jerry Falwell Jr. has been toppled, at least temporarily, from the presidency of evangelical Liberty University, but whether he will break permanently with the Christian institution that is synonymous with his family name is another matter.
Falwell apologized after posting a vacation photo that showed him with his pants unzipped and his arm high around the waist of his wife’s pregnant assistant. The image was enough to push the 58-year-old attorney with a tendency toward divisive behavior into an indefinite leave of absence.
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Critics of Falwell’s leadership say Liberty needs a new direction, but many who know the school well have a hard time envisioning its governing board saying goodbye to the heir who played a major role in transforming it into a conservative Christian mainstay.
“When it comes to white evangelicalism, the only force more powerful than moralism is nepotism,” said Liberty alumnus Jonathan Merritt, a religion writer and commentator whose father, a former Southern Baptist Convention president, served on the school’s board of trustees.
While the board recognizes that Falwell “made a serious mistake, most say they feel a duty and loyalty to his late father who wanted his son in that role,” Merritt added. “If the board was going to fire him, they would have also done so. It’s almost certain that he’ll be back.”
Jerry Falwell Jr. speaks during a commencement ceremony at Liberty University on May 13, 2017 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Alex Wong via Getty Images
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Falwell’s father founded the school in Lynchburg with hopes of building Liberty into an evangelical equivalent of the University of Notre Dame, a Roman Catholic bastion in Indiana.
Falwell, who did not follow the Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr. into the ministry, took over as president following his father’s death in 2007. The son worked to shore up Liberty’s finances, overhauling the campus with over $1 billion in construction projects, growing its endowment and increasing its online enrollment. Liberty’s net assets topped $2.3 billion according to its most recently available tax filings, up from less than $220,000 in 2008.
Even the vacation photo, with a caption that said “good friends visited us on the yacht,” underscored Falwell’s deal-making on behalf of the university. The luxury boat belonged to NASCAR team owner and Hall of Fame member Rick Hendrick, according to a spokesman for Hendrick Motorsports.
Liberty is a sponsor of one of Hendrick’s drivers, William Byron, and Hendrick’s expansive auto dealership group began partnering with the school on an academic program in 2016.
The now-deleted photo was among a series of other posts about the vacation, which showed he had been joined by his wife, Becki, and their children and grandchildren. Becki Falwell took the picture, according to a person who spoke with Falwell about the matter but who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.
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President of Liberty University Jerry Falwell Jr. rides in the annual homecoming weekend parade on October 20, 2018 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Andrew Lichtenstein via Getty Images
Falwell’s future appears to rest largely in the hands of the Liberty board, which until this week was chaired by Alaska pastor Jerry Prevo, who became acting president after Falwell went on leave. He praised Falwell’s “unprecedented success.”
The board chairmanship then shifted to Virginia pastor Allen McFarland. One of his daughters and two sons-in-law joined other Black alumni in a June letter criticizing Falwell’s leadership.
Dwayne Carson, who worked at Liberty for more than two decades, including as senior campus pastor, recalled Falwell’s father preaching about God offering a “second chance” in the Book of Jonah. If Falwell responds productively “to what God’s doing in his life,” Carson suggested, a positive outcome is possible.
“I’m praying that this will be a great growth time for Jerry Jr., and then we pray for wisdom for the board,” said Carson, whose son attends Liberty.
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A Liberty spokesman referred questions to Liberty’s general counsel David Corry, who said Prevo is not granting interviews.
Beyond Prevo, many other board members were hand-picked by either Falwell or his father, according to a person familiar with board operations who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about them.
The vision laid out by Falwell’s father rests in part on athletic success, which has improved under his son, who has outfitted the Liberty Flames with top-notch facilities. The men’s basketball team won a school-record 30 games last season. In football, where Liberty competes as an independent at the NCAA’s top level, the Flames were 8-5 in 2019.
But even before the photo caused a furor, Liberty had seen several star student-athletes announce transfer plans amid growing discontent with the school’s handling of racial equality.
There are also some signs that the school is losing luster among prospective students. Freshman applications fell by more than 50% between fiscal years 2016 and 2019, according to Liberty’s annual report, although the school has attributed that drop to its institution of an application fee.
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Adam Laats, a professor at Binghamton University in New York who studies American education, predicted that Falwell would return to Liberty not as president but in another capacity.
If Falwell seeks a restoration to power, there’s precedent for personal redemption stories in Liberty’s evangelical culture. After serving five years in prison following the fall of his lucrative televangelism empire in the late 1980s, for example, pastor Jim Bakker mounted a comeback.
In this May 13, 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump gestures as he stands with Liberty University president, Jerry Falwell Jr., right, during commencement ceremonies at the school in Lynchburg, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
John Fea, a history professor at Messiah College who studies evangelicalism, said Falwell could return if he agreed to “jump through some hoops.”
“It all comes down to finances and money,” Fea said. “And in that sense, Falwell Jr. is good at that, and they need him back.”
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Falwell has not granted interviews since his leave of absence began.
Carson, who now leads a Christian school in North Carolina, said the board would “need to ask some tough questions” to ensure accountability even as he expressed “love” for the Falwell family.
Harkening back to a sentiment expressed by the elder Falwell, Carson observed: “It’s not Jerry Jr.’s university. It’s God’s university.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Trump Requests Mail-In Ballot While Undermining Mail-In Voting

“ They don ’ t have the money to do the universal mail-in voting .
So therefore , they can @ @ @ @ @ I guess , right ?
” Trump said .
“ Are they going to do @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have the money ?
” He also claimed the election would “ @ @ @ @ @ in history ” and “ one of the greatest frauds in history .
”

“They don’t have the money to do the universal mail-in voting. So therefore, they can’t do it, I guess, right?” Trump said. “Are they going to do it, even if they don’t have the money?”
He also claimed the election would “be the great rigged election in history” and “one of the greatest frauds in history.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--ICE Detention Center Officials Indiscriminately Tear Gassed Asylum-Seekers, Complaints Say

Some countries , such as Guatemala , have paused or significantly slowed down the acceptance of deportees from the U.S. amid the pandemic , and many detainees remained housed in poor conditions at Winn even after deportation orders were handed down .
Some were held for several months ― even a year , in some cases ― before being deported .
Nearly all requests for parole are being denied , at least two detainees told SPLC .
Five detainees alleged guards threw tear gas grenades into their dormitories on Aug. 2 after a protest flared up .
The tear gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the protests ― including elderly and sick people ― as well as those were involved , according to the complaint .
One detainee said he had been calmly lying on his bed in the back of the dorm when guards threw tear gas into the room from the hallway .
He said the tear gas caused him to vomit and almost faint because he is asthmatic .
“ I was not participating in the protest .
But everyone in the whole room was affected , ” he said in the complaint .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier , so we had no water to ameliorate the effects of the gases .
I had never seen anything like this in my life .
It was traumatizing.
” After about two hours , the guards returned to the room , handcuffed everyone in the dorm and brought them to the gym , the detainee wrote .
Some were returned to their rooms after hours in the gym , while others were taken to solitary confinement , according to the complaint .
Lara Nochomovitz , an attorney who represents several asylum-seekers held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clients told her protesters had broken some appliances , such as a microwave and television , during the unrest .
But such actions don ’ t warrant the use of tear gas , she said .
“ It doesn ’ t make excessive use of force the appropriate response and you don ’ t punish everybody because of what a few people did , ” Nochomovitz told HuffPost .
“ One of the people described [ the guards ] shutting the doors , that they tear gassed and shut the doors .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incident occurred during the coronavirus pandemic only magnified the cruelty and danger of the tactic , she said .
One of the dorms hit with tear gas was allegedly under quarantine at the time as a result of COVID-19 exposure , according to the complaint .
Sending tear gas into a dormitory with COVID-19 patients — potentially causing them to cough and spit excessively — seems likely to increase the risk of viral spread .
Many immigration detention centers have struggled to contain the coronavirus inside their facilities , and Winn has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At least one guard has died from complications of COVID-19 .
Selvyn Eliseo Lima Arias , 24 , was one of the detainees who did not participate in the protest but was exposed to the tear gas , according to the complaint .
His fiancée , Marilynn Avass , said Arias called her the morning after the incident and told her there had been a “ disaster ” inside the detention center .
“ At the same time that I ’ m relieved that he ’ s out of there , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here because I don ’ t want nothing to happen to him , ” said Avass , who is a U.S. citizen .
She said she worries his life is in danger now that he ’ s returned to Guatemala .
The U.S. deported Selvyn Eliseo Lima Arias back to Guatemala last week .
He crossed from Mexico into the U.S. last year to escape an abusive family member as well as the high rate of violent crime in Guatemala , his fiancée told HuffPost .
In a letter sent to the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Inspector General last Friday , SPLC called on the office to investigate the “ three incidents of violent abuse.
” The alleged incidents , including the indiscriminate use of tear gas , were also outlined in the three subsequent complaints sent to CRCL .
Two of the incidents described involved ICE officials forcibly removing detained asylum-seekers from their dorms and forcing them to sign their deportation orders .
Both men were in the process of pursuing appeals to the orders and did not have legal representation at the time , SPLC wrote @ @ @ @

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Officials at a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana routinely use unlawful force against detainees, including indiscriminately deploying tear gas inside at least one dormitory that was under quarantine for COVID-19, according to a series of civil rights complaints filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center this week.
The complaints, submitted to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, center on Winn Correctional Center, a 1,500-bed facility operated by for-profit prison company LaSalle Corrections.
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For months, detainees grew frustrated about seemingly endless stays inside Winn, which sits roughly 250 miles northwest of New Orleans in Winnfield, Louisiana, and began receiving detained immigrants from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in May 2019.
Some countries, such as Guatemala, have paused or significantly slowed down the acceptance of deportees from the U.S. amid the pandemic, and many detainees remained housed in poor conditions at Winn even after deportation orders were handed down. Some were held for several months ― even a year, in some cases ― before being deported. Nearly all requests for parole are being denied, at least two detainees told SPLC.
This summer, protests broke out. And prison officials responded violently, the complaints say.
Detainees leave the cafeteria under the watch of guards during a media tour at the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield, Louisiana, Sept. 26, 2019. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Five detainees alleged guards threw tear gas grenades into their dormitories on Aug. 2 after a protest flared up. The tear gas injured detained asylum-seekers who were not participating in the protests ― including elderly and sick people ― as well as those who were involved, according to the complaint.
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One detainee said he had been calmly lying on his bed in the back of the dorm when guards threw tear gas into the room from the hallway. He said the tear gas caused him to vomit and almost faint because he is asthmatic.
“I was not participating in the protest. But everyone in the whole room was affected,” he said in the complaint. “They had cut off the water earlier, so we had no water to ameliorate the effects of the gases. I had never seen anything like this in my life. It was traumatizing.”
Another detainee from the same dorm said they weren’t provided medical treatment despite their apparent injuries.
“I was vomiting and coughing and I couldn’t see anything,” he said. “We had no water in the dorm so we couldn’t put water in our eyes to relieve the pain and injuries.”
After about two hours, the guards returned to the room, handcuffed everyone in the dorm and brought them to the gym, the detainee wrote. Some were returned to their rooms after hours in the gym, while others were taken to solitary confinement, according to the complaint.
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In this Sept. 26, 2019, file photo, detainees sit in a yard during a media tour inside the Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lara Nochomovitz, an attorney who represents several asylum-seekers held at Winn, said some of her clients told her protesters had broken some appliances, such as a microwave and television, during the unrest. But such actions don’t warrant the use of tear gas, she said.
“It doesn’t make excessive use of force the appropriate response and you don’t punish everybody because of what a few people did,” Nochomovitz told HuffPost. “One of the people described [the guards] shutting the doors, that they tear gassed and shut the doors. That sounds like a gas chamber.”
Neither the Department of Homeland Security, which houses ICE, nor LaSalle Corrections immediately responded to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
That the incident occurred during the coronavirus pandemic only magnified the cruelty and danger of the tactic, she said. One of the dorms hit with tear gas was allegedly under quarantine at the time as a result of COVID-19 exposure, according to the complaint.
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Sending tear gas into a dormitory with COVID-19 patients — potentially causing them to cough and spit excessively — seems likely to increase the risk of viral spread. Many immigration detention centers have struggled to contain the coronavirus inside their facilities, and Winn has reported more than 150 cases among detainees. At least one guard has died from complications of COVID-19.
Selvyn Eliseo Lima Arias, 24, was one of the detainees who did not participate in the protest but was exposed to the tear gas, according to the complaint. His fiancée, Marilynn Avass, said Arias called her the morning after the incident and told her there had been a “disaster” inside the detention center.
The tear gas “was coming through all the ACs,” Avass told HuffPost. “It was hard for him to breathe. ... He couldn’t breathe.”
Arias fled Guatemala last year to escape a family member who had harmed his mother and was threatening to kill him, Avass said. He was detained by U.S. federal immigration agents in April 2019 while crossing the border from Mexico.
He received a final order of deportation in April 2020, but continued to be held at Winn for another roughly 100 days until he was deported on Aug. 7.
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“At the same time that I’m relieved that he’s out of there, I’m still desperate to have him here because I don’t want nothing to happen to him,” said Avass, who is a U.S. citizen. She said she worries his life is in danger now that he’s returned to Guatemala.
The judge who decided Arias’ case “had the opportunity to save his life,” Avass said. “I just think that people in Winnfield, they’re just heartless. They’re just unfair. They’re not humans.”
The U.S. deported Selvyn Eliseo Lima Arias back to Guatemala last week. He crossed from Mexico into the U.S. last year to escape an abusive family member as well as the high rate of violent crime in Guatemala, his fiancée told HuffPost. Courtesy of Marilynn Avass
Beyond the drawn-out detainments, attorneys and immigrant rights advocates say detainees have pointed to other reasons for protesting: abuse of authority and violently forcing them to sign deportation orders.
In a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General last Friday, SPLC called on the office to investigate the “three incidents of violent abuse.” The alleged incidents, including the indiscriminate use of tear gas, were also outlined in the three subsequent complaints sent to CRCL.
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Two of the incidents described involved ICE officials forcibly removing detained asylum-seekers from their dorms and forcing them to sign their deportation orders. Both men were in the process of pursuing appeals to the orders and did not have legal representation at the time, SPLC wrote in its letter.
One of the men said ICE officials violently threw him to the ground, causing his face to bleed profusely. The ICE officials told him they would lock him in solitary confinement if he told anyone what happened, according to SPLC’s letter.
“ICE’s and LaSalle Corrections’ violent conduct and use of duress tactics against detained individuals is unconstitutional and unacceptable,” SPLC wrote in its letter. “Accordingly, we demand an investigation of the continuous cruel and excessive abuses conducted by ICE officials and LaSalle Corrections officials against people detained at the Winn Correctional Center.”
As of Thursday, SPLC had not received a response from DHS’s OIG. While the office’s silence is disappointing, it may not be surprising.
Jaclyn Cole, a paralegal at SPLC, said the group requested investigations into abuses at two different federal detention facilities a year ago and ― aside from an acknowledgement of receipt ― never received a response.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Low-Income Voters In Key States Could Swing Senate Races, Activists Say

RIO RANCHO , N.M. ( AP ) — A coalition of activists , unions , and religious leaders inspired by the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s last organizing effort said Tuesday new data suggest low-income voters in key states could swing some U.S. Senate races .
The Poor People ’ s Campaign said it ’ s using the data to pressure candidates from both parties to focus on poverty and encourage poor and low-income voters in 13 states to register to vote .
A study released Tuesday by Columbia School of Social Work assistant professor Robert Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up about one-fifth of the electorate in states like Arkansas , Kentucky , Mississippi , New Mexico , Oklahoma , Tennessee , and West Virginia .
It also found that low-income voters are about 22 percentage points less likely to vote in national elections than voters with higher incomes .
William Barber II , president of the Repairers of the Breach , a nonprofit group that fights poverty and discrimination , said the Poor People ’ s Campaign intends to use the study as a tool to organize low-income voters to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not a Republican or Democratic thing .
This is a moral thing , ” Barber said .
“ For far too long , the issue of poverty in this country has been ignored.
” The study uses information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab ’ s 2017 reports on presidential and U.S. Senate elections and the Current Population Survey from the U.S. Census and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics .
The voter drive comes nearly a year after Democrat Andy Beshear edged out incumbent Republican Kentucky Gov .
Matt Bevin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low-income voters .
Anti-poverty advocates in New Mexico also ousted several veteran , moderate Democratic state lawmakers in June after running more liberal candidates .
In this Wednesday , June 12 , 2019 file photo , Rev .
William Barber and fellow faith leaders march to the White House to protest Trump administration policies that hurt the poor and marginalized .
Modeled after King ’ s last organizing effort , the Poor People ’ s Campaign seeks to bring the issue of poverty to the American consciousness amid anxiety , uncertainty , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mass Poor People ’ s Assembly & Moral March on Washington in June , for example , aimed to build upon the nation ’ s principles to pursue solutions to poverty , something advocates say is getting especially severe in rural areas .
But instead of assembling in camps near the National Mall — as protesters did in the wake of King ’ s death in 1968 , as part of the Poor People ’ s Campaign — the new coalition of religious leaders is seeking to build chapters in various states for @ @ @ @ @ @

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RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — A coalition of activists, unions, and religious leaders inspired by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last organizing effort said Tuesday new data suggest low-income voters in key states could swing some U.S. Senate races.
The Poor People’s Campaign said it’s using the data to pressure candidates from both parties to focus on poverty and encourage poor and low-income voters in 13 states to register to vote.
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A study released Tuesday by Columbia School of Social Work assistant professor Robert Paul Hartley found that low-income eligible non-voters make up about one-fifth of the electorate in states like Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
It also found that low-income voters are about 22 percentage points less likely to vote in national elections than voters with higher incomes.
William Barber II, president of the Repairers of the Breach, a nonprofit group that fights poverty and discrimination, said the Poor People’s Campaign intends to use the study as a tool to organize low-income voters to make sure their concerns are heard.
“This is not a Republican or Democratic thing. This is a moral thing,” Barber said. “For far too long, the issue of poverty in this country has been ignored.”
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Rev. William J. Barber II speaks at a Poor People's Campaign event in Washington, DC on June 17, 2019. (Photo by Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The study uses information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab’s 2017 reports on presidential and U.S. Senate elections and the Current Population Survey from the U.S. Census and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The voter drive comes nearly a year after Democrat Andy Beshear edged out incumbent Republican Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin in 2018 following an effort to register low-income voters. Anti-poverty advocates in New Mexico also ousted several veteran, moderate Democratic state lawmakers in June after running more liberal candidates.
In this Wednesday, June 12, 2019 file photo, Rev. William Barber and fellow faith leaders march to the White House to protest Trump administration policies that hurt the poor and marginalized. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Modeled after King’s last organizing effort, the Poor People’s Campaign seeks to bring the issue of poverty to the American consciousness amid anxiety, uncertainty, and growing inequality.
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The coalition’s Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington in June, for example, aimed to build upon the nation’s principles to pursue solutions to poverty, something advocates say is getting especially severe in rural areas.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Austin City Council Unanimously Votes To Slash Police Budget By One-Third

The Austin City Council voted unanimously Thursday to cut the city ’ s police budget by about $ 150 million , or one-third , in an effort to redistribute police funds to social services and alternative public safety programs .
It ’ s the largest percentage cut to a city ’ s police department since Black Lives Matter protesters began taking to the streets earlier this year following the death of George Floyd , an unarmed Black man killed when a white Minnesota police officer pinned him by the neck for several minutes in late May .
Austin police also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Michael Ramos , an unarmed Black and Latino man shot by police as he attempted to drive away from them .
Around $ 20 million will be removed from Austin ’ s police budget right away ― money that was intended for three upcoming cadet classes .
The funds will instead support a variety of other programs , including violence prevention efforts , emergency services related to COVID-19 , mental health and substance abuse resources , a family violence shelter , food access and abortion access programs , and the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
A protester , who was hit by an object fired by police , is aided by other protesters during a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd , in Austin , May 30 .
The remaining sum will be shifted from the police department over the coming months .
About $ 50 million will go toward creating a “ Reimagine Safety Fund , ” which takes money away from police overtime , mounted patrol and other facets of the department to put toward “ alternative forms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yearlong reimagining process , ” the Texas Tribune reported .
Around $ 80 million will help separate forensics , victim services and other support services from the police department .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) slammed the move in a statement alleging that Austin ’ s leaders were more focused on “ political agendas than public safety , ” and their decision “ paves the way for lawlessness.
” “ We ’ re going to improve public safety in Austin together .
We need — and I welcome — the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goodwill that our first responders are going to bring to this process .
And one thing I know is that if we do this together , when we do this together , we ’ re going to reach a much better place , ” Adler said .
The city ’ s decision to defund its police department follows Los Angeles , which cut hiring to its police department in a move that slashed around $ 150 million from the agency ’ s budget in July .

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The Austin City Council voted unanimously Thursday to cut the city’s police budget by about $150 million, or one-third, in an effort to redistribute police funds to social services and alternative public safety programs.
It’s the largest percentage cut to a city’s police department since Black Lives Matter protesters began taking to the streets earlier this year following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed when a white Minnesota police officer pinned him by the neck for several minutes in late May. Austin police also faced sharp criticism for the April killing of Michael Ramos, an unarmed Black and Latino man shot by police as he attempted to drive away from them.
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Around $20 million will be removed from Austin’s police budget right away ― money that was intended for three upcoming cadet classes.
The funds will instead support a variety of other programs, including violence prevention efforts, emergency services related to COVID-19, mental health and substance abuse resources, a family violence shelter, food access and abortion access programs, and the city’s parks department, the Austin-American Statesman reported.
A protester, who was hit by an object fired by police, is aided by other protesters during a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Austin, May 30. Nuri Vallbona / Reuters
The remaining sum will be shifted from the police department over the coming months.
About $50 million will go toward creating a “Reimagine Safety Fund,” which takes money away from police overtime, mounted patrol and other facets of the department to put toward “alternative forms of public safety and community support through the yearlong reimagining process,” the Texas Tribune reported.
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Around $80 million will help separate forensics, victim services and other support services from the police department.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) slammed the move in a statement alleging that Austin’s leaders were more focused on “political agendas than public safety,” and their decision “paves the way for lawlessness.”
Austin Mayor Steve Adler, however, emphasized that defunding the police was “not intended to punish police.”
“We’re going to improve public safety in Austin together. We need — and I welcome — the knowledge, the expertise, and the goodwill that our first responders are going to bring to this process. And one thing I know is that if we do this together, when we do this together, we’re going to reach a much better place,” Adler said.
The city’s decision to defund its police department follows Los Angeles, which cut hiring to its police department in a move that slashed around $150 million from the agency’s budget in July.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-14--Obama Assails Trump For Attacks On Mail-In Voting

The previous day , he admitted that preventing the agency from receiving emergency congressional funding would hamper mail-in voting .
@ @ @ @ @ have the money to do the universal mail-in voting .
So therefore , they can @ @ @ @ @ I guess , right ?
” he said at his COVID-19 press conference .
“ @ @ @ @ @ it , even if they don ’ t have the money ?
”

The previous day, he admitted that preventing the agency from receiving emergency congressional funding would hamper mail-in voting.
“They don’t have the money to do the universal mail-in voting. So therefore, they can’t do it, I guess, right?” he said at his COVID-19 press conference. “Are they going to do it, even if they don’t have the money?”