thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--'Panic Attack' Searches Reached All-Time High During The Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused anxiety to sky-rocket , if internet searches are anything to go by .
Panic attacks are an exaggeration of the body entering “ fight or flight ” mode – as a person tries to take in more oxygen , their breathing quickens and their body releases hormones like adrenaline which can cause the heart to beat faster and muscles to tense .
Benjamin Althouse , a principal scientist at the Institute for Disease Modeling , which was involved in the study , says “ searches for anxiety and panic attacks were the highest they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of historical search data.
” Searches tended to peak when national guidelines were rolled out in the U.S. , the team found .
The largest increase in queries occurred between March 16 and April 14 , coinciding with the roll out of national social distancing guidelines .
Referrals tended to increase when lockdown measures were lifted , rather than enforced , he says .
This , he believes , is because during the initial lockdown our lives were quite simple , but as the rules became blurred and a bit more confusing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t have the rigid guidelines to fall back on.
” In a typical week pre-lockdown he would get around five to 10 enquiries , but in April and May this rose to between 30 and 40 a week .
The queries aren ’ t necessarily linked to the virus itself , Fletcher says , but as a result of the changes people are having to make in their personal lives to accommodate it .
People experience panic attacks when that stress jug overflows , he says , because the brain misinterprets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re in danger .
Your body goes into fight or flight – and the adrenaline kicks in .
With the virus and subsequent lockdown , “ so many people ’ s jugs have been filled up , ” he says .
How to tell if you ’ ve had a panic attack Fletcher talks through three key parts : First of all , there ’ s the feeling of “ terror from nowhere , ” he says .
All of a sudden you are scared for no real reason and can feel an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about to happen .
Secondly , there ’ s the sensation – you can ’ t catch your breath , there ’ s a sense of unreality and feeling detached from yourself .
You might also have chest pains , your vision shuts down , you sweat and have an overwhelming urge to run away .
A panic attack is also identifiable by the thoughts that accompany it .
“ You have a flood of ‘ what ifs , ’ ” Fletcher says .
These might be : What if I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m about to collapse ?
What if I ’ m about to have a heart attack ?
If you ’ re experiencing panic attacks , it helps to identify the things that are currently causing you stress so that you can try to alleviate at least some of them .
If you ’ re having repeated attacks , talk therapy ( such as cognitive behavioral therapy ) and medicine are the main treatments .
Fletcher urges people who have had more than the occasional panic to seek help as it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your first call should be your primary doctor , but mental health professionals can also offer support .
You might also find it helpful to seek out a specialized private therapist .
People who are prone to panic attacks have previously shared with HuffPost how breathing techniques have helped them , particularly those prone to hyper-ventilating .
Fletcher , who has experienced panic disorder himself , doesn ’ t use techniques like breathing exercises because “ when you use a technique , you ’ re telling the anxious brain it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused anxiety to sky-rocket, if internet searches are anything to go by. Panic attacks are an exaggeration of the body entering “fight or flight” mode – as a person tries to take in more oxygen, their breathing quickens and their body releases hormones like adrenaline which can cause the heart to beat faster and muscles to tense.
A new study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, finds evidence of a record high in potential anxiety or panic attacks based on Google searches. Researchers analyzed search queries that mentioned “panic attack” or “anxiety attack” emerging from the US between January 2004 and May 2020.
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These included queries like “am I having a panic attack?,” “signs of anxiety attack” or “anxiety attack symptoms.” After President Donald Trump first declared a national emergency in the U.S. on March 13 this year, the team discovered anxiety related searches reached record highs.
Benjamin Althouse, a principal scientist at the Institute for Disease Modeling, which was involved in the study, says “searches for anxiety and panic attacks were the highest they’ve ever been in over 16 years of historical search data.”
Searches tended to peak when national guidelines were rolled out in the U.S., the team found. The largest increase in queries occurred between March 16 and April 14, coinciding with the roll out of national social distancing guidelines.
This also seemed to occur globally: Google search insights for the UK suggest a similar trend, with searches for “panic attacks” and “anxiety attack symptoms” peaking in March and April respectively, HuffPost UK found.
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Psychotherapist and author Joshua Fletcher tells HuffPost UK he saw a spike in anxiety-related queries from clients as a result of COVID-19.
Referrals tended to increase when lockdown measures were lifted, rather than enforced, he says. This, he believes, is because during the initial lockdown our lives were quite simple, but as the rules became blurred and a bit more confusing, people became more anxious as “they didn’t have the rigid guidelines to fall back on.”
In a typical week pre-lockdown he would get around five to 10 enquiries, but in April and May this rose to between 30 and 40 a week. The queries aren’t necessarily linked to the virus itself, Fletcher says, but as a result of the changes people are having to make in their personal lives to accommodate it.
He uses the metaphor of a stress jug: “Every time we experience stress it goes into the jug – so that’s money, work, deadlines, relationship issues, past experiences, grief, debt, lack of sleep, not eating properly.”
People experience panic attacks when that stress jug overflows, he says, because the brain misinterprets all the stress and thinks you’re in danger. Your body goes into fight or flight – and the adrenaline kicks in. With the virus and subsequent lockdown, “so many people’s jugs have been filled up,” he says.
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Aleksei Morozov via Getty Images Researchers say "searches for anxiety and panic attacks were the highest they’ve ever been in over 16 years of historical search data" during the start of the pandemic.
How to tell if you’ve had a panic attack
There are various physical and mental symptoms of a panic attack.
Fletcher talks through three key parts: First of all, there’s the feeling of “terror from nowhere,” he says. All of a sudden you are scared for no real reason and can feel an overwhelming sense of dread that something awful is about to happen.
Secondly, there’s the sensation – you can’t catch your breath, there’s a sense of unreality and feeling detached from yourself. You might also have chest pains, your vision shuts down, you sweat and have an overwhelming urge to run away.
A panic attack is also identifiable by the thoughts that accompany it. “You have a flood of ‘what ifs,’” Fletcher says. These might be: What if I’m about to die? What if I’m about to collapse? What if I’m about to have a heart attack?
Most panic attacks last between five and 20 minutes, but some have been reported to last up to an hour.
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If you’re experiencing panic attacks, it helps to identify the things that are currently causing you stress so that you can try to alleviate at least some of them. If you’re having repeated attacks, talk therapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy) and medicine are the main treatments.
Fletcher urges people who have had more than the occasional panic to seek help as it could be a sign of panic disorder. Your first call should be your primary doctor, but mental health professionals can also offer support. You might also find it helpful to seek out a specialized private therapist.
People who are prone to panic attacks have previously shared with HuffPost how breathing techniques have helped them, particularly those prone to hyper-ventilating. Fletcher, who has experienced panic disorder himself, doesn’t use techniques like breathing exercises because “when you use a technique, you’re telling the anxious brain it’s not ok to be anxious,” he says.
The important thing to do, Fletcher says, is to remember “this feeling will always pass.”
“Compassionately remind yourself it’s OK to be anxious,” he advises.
This post originally appeared in HuffPost UK.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--German Hospital: Poisoning Signs Found in Putin Critic Navalny

BERLIN ( AP ) — Tests conducted on Russian dissident Alexei Navalny at a German hospital indicate that he was poisoned , but doctors said Monday they do not believe his life at immediate risk .
The Charité hospital said in a statement that the team of doctors who have been examining Navalny since he was flown from Siberia and admitted Saturday have found the presence of “ cholinesterase inhibitors ” in his system .
Cholinesterase inhibitors are a broad range of substances that are found in several drugs , but also pesticides and nerve agents .
However , doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific substance to which Navalny was exposed is not yet known .
“ The patient is in an intensive care unit and is still in an induced coma .
His health is serious but there is currently no acute danger to his life , ” the hospital said in a statement .
“ It was obvious that after his arrival , protective precautions had to be taken , ” Merkel ’ s spokesman , Steffen Seibert , told reporters .
“ After all , this is a patient who , with a certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Navalny ’ s supporters believe that tea he drank was laced with poison — and that the Kremlin is behind both his illness and a delay in transferring him to Germany .
Russian doctors have said , however , that tests have shown no traces of poison in his system .
The Kremlin hasn ’ t yet commented on the allegation .
Ilya Yashin , an opposition politician in Moscow and a close ally of Navalny , in a video statement Monday urged Russia ’ s law enforcement to investigate “ an attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and to look into the possible involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin .
Navalny was flown to Germany on Saturday from Siberia after much wrangling over whether he was was stable enough to be transported .
After his arrival , hospital spokeswoman Manuela Zingl said he would be undergoing extensive diagnostic tests and that doctors wouldn ’ t comment on his illness or treatment until they were able to evaluate the results .
Navalny , a politician and corruption investigator who is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin ’ s fiercest critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Moscow from Siberia on Thursday and was taken to the hospital in the city of Omsk after the plane made an emergency landing .
“ If we had found poisoning confirmed by something , it would have been much easier for us , ” said Anatoly Kalinichecnko , deputy chief doctor of the Omsk Ambulance Hospital No .
1 , where Navalny was treated .

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BERLIN (AP) — Tests conducted on Russian dissident Alexei Navalny at a German hospital indicate that he was poisoned, but doctors said Monday they do not believe his life at immediate risk.
The Charité hospital said in a statement that the team of doctors who have been examining Navalny since he was flown from Siberia and admitted Saturday have found the presence of “cholinesterase inhibitors” in his system.
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Cholinesterase inhibitors are a broad range of substances that are found in several drugs, but also pesticides and nerve agents. However, doctors at Charite said at the moment the specific substance to which Navalny was exposed is not yet known.
“The patient is in an intensive care unit and is still in an induced coma. His health is serious but there is currently no acute danger to his life,” the hospital said in a statement.
Navalny remained in critical but stable condition at the Berlin hospital, with special protection details on hand to ensure his safety, German officials said.
Berlin police and federal agents were posted at the downtown Charité hospital where the 44-year-old is undergoing treatment following his arrival in Germany after Chancellor Angela Merkel personally offered the country’s assistance.
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“It was obvious that after his arrival, protective precautions had to be taken,” Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, told reporters. “After all, this is a patient who, with a certain degree of probability, was poisoned.”
He wouldn’t comment on Navalny’s condition, but earlier in the day, Dirk Wiese, the German government’s coordinator for Eastern European affairs, told public broadcaster ZDF he was “currently critical, but stable.”
“He is now receiving the best possible treatment,” Wiese said.
Navalny’s supporters believe that tea he drank was laced with poison — and that the Kremlin is behind both his illness and a delay in transferring him to Germany.
Russian doctors have said, however, that tests have shown no traces of poison in his system. The Kremlin hasn’t yet commented on the allegation.
Navalny’s team last week submitted a request in Russia to launch a criminal probe, but as of Monday, Russia’s Investigative Committee still has not opened a case, Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said.
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Ilya Yashin, an opposition politician in Moscow and a close ally of Navalny, in a video statement Monday urged Russia’s law enforcement to investigate “an attempt at a life of a public figure” and to look into the possible involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It is Putin who benefits from these endless assaults,” Yashin said.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said the Navalny case would on the agenda for Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun’s visit to Russia that begins Tuesday.
“With Alexei Navalny in a hospital in Berlin, our dialogue with Russia must include reemphasizing the importance of free speech and civil society,” he told reporters.
If Navalny is found to have been poisoned “that would represent a crucial moment in Russia,” he said.
“The Russian people deserve to see that anybody who would have been involved in a matter like that be held accountable.”
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Navalny was flown to Germany on Saturday from Siberia after much wrangling over whether he was was stable enough to be transported.
After his arrival, hospital spokeswoman Manuela Zingl said he would be undergoing extensive diagnostic tests and that doctors wouldn’t comment on his illness or treatment until they were able to evaluate the results.
Navalny, a politician and corruption investigator who is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics, fell ill on a flight back to Moscow from Siberia on Thursday and was taken to the hospital in the city of Omsk after the plane made an emergency landing.
Russian doctors on Monday said two laboratories found no poisonous substances in his system.
“If we had found poisoning confirmed by something, it would have been much easier for us,” said Anatoly Kalinichecnko, deputy chief doctor of the Omsk Ambulance Hospital No. 1, where Navalny was treated.
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“But we received a final conclusion from two laboratories that no toxic chemicals that can be considered poisons or by-products of poisons, were found.”
The hospital’s chief doctor, Alexander Murakhovsky, rejected allegations made by Navalny’s team that doctors in Omsk had been acting in coordination with Russia’s security services.
“We were treating the patient, and we saved him,” Murakhovsky said Monday. “There wasn’t and couldn’t be any influence on the patient’s treatment.”
He wasn’t able to identify men in plainclothes spotted in the hospital last week who the politician’s allies said were law enforcement and security service agents.
“I can’t say who they were,” Murakhovsky said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week he didn’t know anything about security service operatives being present at the hospital.
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“We in the presidential administration can hardly be interested in who is present in the office of a chief doctor in a hospital in Omsk,” Peskov said on Friday.
Like many other opposition politicians in Russia, Navalny has been frequently detained by law enforcement and harassed by pro-Kremlin groups. In 2017, he was attacked by several men who threw antiseptic in his face, damaging an eye.
Last year, Navalny was rushed to a hospital from jail where he was serving a sentence on charges of violating protest regulations. His team also suspected poisoning then. Doctors said he had a severe allergic reaction and sent him back to detention the following day.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--Falwell Business Partner Claims Years-Long Affair With Evangelical Power Couple

Giancarlo Granda says he was 20 when he met Jerry and Becki Falwell while working as a pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel in March 2012 .
Starting that month and continuing into 2018 , Granda told Reuters that the relationship involved him having sex with Becki Falwell while Jerry Falwell looked on .
Granda showed Reuters emails , text messages and other evidence that he says demonstrate the sexual nature of his relationship with the couple , who have been married since 1987 .
“ Becki and I developed an intimate relationship and Jerry enjoyed watching from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Granda said in an interview .
Now 29 , he described the liaisons as frequent – “ multiple times per year ” – and said the encounters took place at hotels in Miami and New York , and at the Falwells ’ home in Virginia .
Granda first emerged as a figure in the Falwells ’ circle two years ago , when BuzzFeed News reported that the couple had befriended Granda and gone into business with him , buying a Miami Beach youth hostel in 2013 .
At the time of the BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family said Granda was “ offered a share ” in Alton Hostel LLC because Granda lived in Miami and would act as a manager of the youth hostel .
Corporate records show that Granda currently has a stake in that venture .
On Sunday night , however , as Reuters was preparing to publish this article , Jerry Falwell issued a statement to the Washington Examiner in which he said that his wife had had an affair with Granda and that Granda had been trying to extort money from the couple over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying he was seeking to negotiate a buyout from a business arrangement he says he had with the couple .
Falwell ’ s statement Sunday to the Examiner said nothing about Granda ’ s account alleging that the evangelical leader had his own role in the affair , and Falwell didn ’ t address questions from Reuters about it .
In the statement quoted by the Examiner , Falwell said that “ Becki had an inappropriate personal relationship with this person , something in which I was not involved.
” Falwell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absence earlier this month from Liberty University , the Christian school he has run since 2007 .
The leave , announced in a terse statement from the school ’ s board of trustees , came days after Falwell posted , then deleted , an Instagram photo of himself with his pants unzipped , standing with his arm around a young woman whose pants were also partly undone .
Falwell later told a local radio station that the picture was meant as a good-natured joke .
Becki Falwell , 53 , is a political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ served on the advisory board of the group Women for Trump , which advocates for the president ’ s reelection campaign .
She also spoke as part of a panel with her husband and Donald Trump Jr at last year ’ s Conservative Political Action Conference , or CPAC , the signature annual gathering of conservatives .
Jerry Falwell and others refer to her as “ the first lady of Liberty University.
” The university , based in Lynchburg , Virginia , was founded in 1971 by Falwell ’ s televangelist father , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ younger Falwell took over in 2007 .
Today , the university boasts an online and on-campus enrollment that exceeds 100,000 students and holds those who attend to an exacting honor code .
“ Sexual relations outside of a biblically ordained marriage between a natural-born man and a natural-born woman are not permissible at Liberty University , ” the code reads .
The material Granda showed Reuters includes screenshots from what Granda said was a FaceTime conversation he had with the Falwells in 2019 .
During that call , Granda said , Becki was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Jerry peeked from behind a door .
Reuters was able to verify Granda ’ s description of the screenshots .
Granda also shared an audio recording that he says captures a conversation he had with the Falwells in 2018 .
In it , Becki complained about Granda describing his relationships with other people : “ He ’ s like telling me every time he hooks up with people .
Like I don ’ t have feelings or something.
” Jerry then chimed in : “ You ’ re going to make her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to do that , ” Granda replied .
Earlier texts show a friendly and romantic dynamic between Granda and Becki Falwell .
One 2012 text message , which Granda said came from Becki , read in part : “ Right now I am just missing you like crazy ... .
Have you had this effect on all of your lady friends ?
” “ Since you ’ re okay with ruining my life , I am going to take the kamikaze route , ” Granda wrote to Jerry Falwell .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach a peaceful resolution and just move on with our lives but if conflict is what you want , then so be it.
” In the same message string , Falwell replied : “ You should by now understand that I will not be extorted .
I have always treated you fairly and been restrained in response to your threats because I did not wish to ruin your life .
Going forward , stop contacting me and my family.
” Granda said that while he entered into the sexual relationship with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple preyed upon him .
“ Whether it was immaturity , naïveté , instability , or a combination thereof , it was this ’ mindset ’ that the Falwells likely detected in deciding that I was the ideal target for their sexual escapades , ” Granda said .

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WASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - In a claim likely to intensify the controversy surrounding one of the most influential figures in the American Christian conservative movement, a business partner of Jerry Falwell Jr has come forward to say he had a years-long sexual relationship involving Falwell’s wife and the evangelical leader.
Giancarlo Granda says he was 20 when he met Jerry and Becki Falwell while working as a pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel in March 2012. Starting that month and continuing into 2018, Granda told Reuters that the relationship involved him having sex with Becki Falwell while Jerry Falwell looked on.
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Granda showed Reuters emails, text messages and other evidence that he says demonstrate the sexual nature of his relationship with the couple, who have been married since 1987. “Becki and I developed an intimate relationship and Jerry enjoyed watching from the corner of the room,” Granda said in an interview. Now 29, he described the liaisons as frequent –“multiple times per year” – and said the encounters took place at hotels in Miami and New York, and at the Falwells’ home in Virginia.
Giancarlo Granda poses for a portrait in Washington, U.S., August 10, 2020. Jonathan Ernst / reuters
His friendship with the Falwells eventually soured, Granda told Reuters, in part because he wanted to dissolve his ties with the couple and fell into a business dispute with them.
Granda first emerged as a figure in the Falwells’ circle two years ago, when BuzzFeed News reported that the couple had befriended Granda and gone into business with him, buying a Miami Beach youth hostel in 2013. At the time of the BuzzFeed article, a representative of the Falwell family said Granda was“offered a share” in Alton Hostel LLC because Granda lived in Miami and would act as a manager of the youth hostel. Corporate records show that Granda currently has a stake in that venture.
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Becki Falwell did not respond to emails or phone and text messages from Reuters. After Reuters presented its initial reporting early last week to the Falwells, a lawyer for Jerry Falwell, Michael Bowe, said the evangelical leader “categorically denies everything you indicated you intend to publish about him.”
On Sunday night, however, as Reuters was preparing to publish this article, Jerry Falwell issued a statement to the Washington Examiner in which he said that his wife had had an affair with Granda and that Granda had been trying to extort money from the couple over the matter. Granda denies any such intent, saying he was seeking to negotiate a buyout from a business arrangement he says he had with the couple.
Falwell’s statement Sunday to the Examiner said nothing about Granda’s account alleging that the evangelical leader had his own role in the affair, and Falwell didn’t address questions from Reuters about it. In the statement quoted by the Examiner, Falwell said that “Becki had an inappropriate personal relationship with this person, something in which I was not involved.”
Jerry Falwell Jr., right, gestures as his wife, Becki listens during a town hall at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
A MAJOR FORCE IN U.S. POLITICS
News of the entanglement could pose a fresh threat to the influence of Jerry Falwell, a towering figure in the U.S.evangelical political movement. His 2016 endorsement of Donald Trump helped the twice-divorced New Yorker win the Republican nomination for president.
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Falwell, 58, took an indefinite leave of absence earlier this month from Liberty University, the Christian school he has run since 2007. The leave, announced in a terse statement from the school’s board of trustees, came days after Falwell posted, then deleted, an Instagram photo of himself with his pants unzipped, standing with his arm around a young woman whose pants were also partly undone. Falwell later told a local radio station that the picture was meant as a good-natured joke.
Becki Falwell, 53, is a political figure in her own right. She served on the advisory board of the group Women for Trump, which advocates for the president’s reelection campaign. She also spoke as part of a panel with her husband and Donald Trump Jr at last year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, the signature annual gathering of conservatives. Jerry Falwell and others refer to her as “the first lady of Liberty University.”
The university, based in Lynchburg, Virginia, was founded in 1971 by Falwell’s televangelist father, the Rev. Jerry Falwell. The younger Falwell took over in 2007. Today, the university boasts an online and on-campus enrollment that exceeds 100,000 students and holds those who attend to an exacting honor code. “Sexual relations outside of a biblically ordained marriage between a natural-born man and a natural-born woman are not permissible at Liberty University,” the code reads.
The material Granda showed Reuters includes screenshots from what Granda said was a FaceTime conversation he had with the Falwells in 2019. During that call, Granda said, Becki was naked as the two discussed their relationship while Jerry peeked from behind a door. Reuters was able to verify Granda’s description of the screenshots.
Granda also shared an audio recording that he says captures a conversation he had with the Falwells in 2018. In it, Becki complained about Granda describing his relationships with other people: “He’s like telling me every time he hooks up with people. Like I don’t have feelings or something.” Jerry then chimed in: “You’re going to make her jealous.” “I’m not trying to do that,” Granda replied.
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Earlier texts show a friendly and romantic dynamic between Granda and Becki Falwell. One 2012 text message, which Granda said came from Becki, read in part: “Right now I am just missing you like crazy .... Have you had this effect on all of your lady friends?”
Giancarlo Granda claims he was befriended by Jerry Falwell Jr and his wife Rebecca while he was working as a pool attendant at a luxury Miami Beach hotel. Jonathan Ernst / reuters
Other more recent text messages, such as an exchange from this June that Granda provided to Reuters, show Granda growing angry and frustrated as his relationship with the Falwells frayed.
“Since you’re okay with ruining my life, I am going to take the kamikaze route,” Granda wrote to Jerry Falwell. “It really is a shame because I wanted to reach a peaceful resolution and just move on with our lives but if conflict is what you want, then so be it.”
In the same message string, Falwell replied: “You should by now understand that I will not be extorted. I have always treated you fairly and been restrained in response to your threats because I did not wish to ruin your life. Going forward, stop contacting me and my family.”
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Granda said that while he entered into the sexual relationship with the Falwells willingly, today he feels the couple preyed upon him. “Whether it was immaturity, naïveté, instability, or a combination thereof, it was this ’mindset’ that the Falwells likely detected in deciding that I was the ideal target for their sexual escapades,” Granda said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--Louis DeJoy Gets Testy As House Democrats Grill Him On Trump Connections

A hearing before the House Oversight Committee got tense Monday as Democrats pushed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on recent changes he ’ s made to the U.S .
Postal Service ― and how those changes could benefit President Donald Trump ahead of the presidential election .
Rep. Jim Cooper ( D-Tenn. ) in particular embarked on a lively line of questioning , focused on DeJoy ’ s status as a prominent Trump donor prior to his appointment atop the USPS in June .
Just how chippy did it get ?
Here ’ s Cooper ’ s last question : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to be pardoned like Roger Stone ?
” Cooper spent the minutes leading up to that question pointing out how DeJoy ’ s actions are kneecapping the USPS right before a national election in which mail-in ballots will play a critical role .
More than 550,000 mail-in ballots were rejected in this year ’ s presidential primaries , many because they were delivered past the deadline .
One of DeJoy ’ s recent policy changes at the USPS requires trucks to leave on time , preventing them from waiting even five minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depart .
DeJoy told a Senate committee on Friday that the practice was intended to reduce overtime expenses .
But it has also led to massive nationwide mail delays — including in Cooper ’ s district , where mail trucks are reportedly leaving sorting stations empty to make round-trip dispatches from Nashville to Illinois .
“ Mail trucks are being forced to leave on schedule , even when completely empty , ” Cooper said .
“ Imagine 53-foot trucks forced to travel hundreds of miles completely empty , due to your so called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fit Trump ’ s campaign goal of hurting the post office , as stated in his tweets ?
” Cooper asked .
“ Are your mail delays implicit campaign contributions ?
” “ I ’ m not going to answer these types of questions , ” DeJoy responded .
“ I ’ m here to represent the postal service ― there ’ s nothing to do with , all my actions have to do with improving the postal service.
” Cooper also prodded DeJoy on his contributions to the Trump campaign , wondering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have run afoul of campaign finance rules by reimbursing employees at his former company who donated .
“ We want to make sure that campaign contributions are legal , ” Cooper said , “ so all your campaign contributions were legal ?
” DeJoy has substantial financial holdings in USPS competitors and contractors , including between $ 25 million and $ 50 million in XPO Logistics , a firm that contracts with the post office to act as a courier between package fulfillment centers .
DeJoy demurred when pressed on investments that appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying he welcomes the results of an inquiry from the USPS inspector general .
In heated exchange with Rep. Stephen Lynch , DeJoy says he wo n't return sorting machines that had been removed from use '' The answer is no , and every accusation you made ... is inaccurate and more misinformation for the American public '' https : //t.co/GRB3zR418N pic.twitter.com/MtXlxttiIk — CBS News ( @ CBSNews ) August 24 , 2020 “ After 240 years of patriotic service delivering the mail [ on time ] , how can one person screw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” Lynch asked .
“ I understand you bring private sector expertise .
I guess we couldn ’ t find a government worker who could screw it up this fast .
It would take them a while .
”

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A hearing before the House Oversight Committee got tense Monday as Democrats pushed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on recent changes he’s made to the U.S. Postal Service ― and how those changes could benefit President Donald Trump ahead of the presidential election.
Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) in particular embarked on a lively line of questioning, focused on DeJoy’s status as a prominent Trump donor prior to his appointment atop the USPS in June.
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Just how chippy did it get? Here’s Cooper’s last question: “Mr. DeJoy, is your backup plan to be pardoned like Roger Stone?”
DeJoy didn’t answer. Instead, he offered a laugh, a dismissive head shake and a “no comment,” adding, “It’s not worth my time.”
Rep. Jim Cooper asks: "Mr. DeJoy, is your backup plan to be pardoned like Roger Stone?"
I don't even know what the USPS sabotage guy said in response, I was too busy laughing. @repjimcooper is a national treasure.
Video via the wonderful @atrupar pic.twitter.com/2hgxIqHN2N — HawaiiDelilah™ (@HawaiiDelilah) August 24, 2020
Cooper spent the minutes leading up to that question pointing out how DeJoy’s actions are kneecapping the USPS right before a national election in which mail-in ballots will play a critical role. More than 550,000 mail-in ballots were rejected in this year’s presidential primaries, many because they were delivered past the deadline.
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One of DeJoy’s recent policy changes at the USPS requires trucks to leave on time, preventing them from waiting even five minutes for other mail to arrive before they depart.
DeJoy told a Senate committee on Friday that the practice was intended to reduce overtime expenses. But it has also led to massive nationwide mail delays — including in Cooper’s district, where mail trucks are reportedly leaving sorting stations empty to make round-trip dispatches from Nashville to Illinois.
“Mail trucks are being forced to leave on schedule, even when completely empty,” Cooper said. “Imagine 53-foot trucks forced to travel hundreds of miles completely empty, due to your so called reforms.”
“Here are the truck records,” said, holding up a document. “That’s not efficiency. That’s insanity.”
“Do your mail delays fit Trump’s campaign goal of hurting the post office, as stated in his tweets?” Cooper asked. “Are your mail delays implicit campaign contributions?”
“I’m not going to answer these types of questions,” DeJoy responded. “I’m here to represent the postal service ― there’s nothing to do with, all my actions have to do with improving the postal service.”
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Cooper also prodded DeJoy on his contributions to the Trump campaign, wondering aloud if the longtime Republican mega-donor might have run afoul of campaign finance rules by reimbursing employees at his former company who donated.
DeJoy testily called the question “outrageous” before saying, “The answer is no.”
“We want to make sure that campaign contributions are legal,” Cooper said, “so all your campaign contributions were legal?”
“I’m fully aware of ... legal campaign contributions,” DeJoy replied. “I resent the assertion, sir. What are you accusing me of?”
“I’m asking a question,” Cooper responded flatly.
DeJoy has substantial financial holdings in USPS competitors and contractors, including between $25 million and $50 million in XPO Logistics, a firm that contracts with the post office to act as a courier between package fulfillment centers.
DeJoy demurred when pressed on investments that appear to be a conflict of interest, saying he welcomes the results of an inquiry from the USPS inspector general.
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Cooper’s questions followed another heated exchange. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) pilloried DeJoy over the claim that his experience in private business is to Americans’ benefit.
In heated exchange with Rep. Stephen Lynch, DeJoy says he won't return sorting machines that had been removed from use
"The answer is no, and every accusation you made... is inaccurate and more misinformation for the American public"https://t.co/GRB3zR418N pic.twitter.com/MtXlxttiIk — CBS News (@CBSNews) August 24, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--The 'I Alone Can Fix It' President Asks America For A Do-Over

Four years ago in Cleveland , real estate mogul Donald J. Trump took the stage and completed his takeover of the Republican Party by declaring : “ Nobody knows the system better than me , which is why I alone can fix it.
” As he prepares to accept his party ’ s presidential nomination for the second time this week from the grounds of the White House ― an unusual and legally questionable venue that highlights his failed handling of the coronavirus pandemic ― Trump is asking the nation to reelect him in a far more broken and exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The unemployment rate remains over 10 % , many businesses and jobs are gone for good , experts say the economy will be stuck in a recession for years , trillion-dollar deficits are expected for equally as long , deaths attributed to COVID-19 have topped 175,000 and continue rising ― significantly higher than in other developed countries ― testing backlogs persist in parts of the country , and a vaccine is unlikely before the end of the year .
Trump keeps saying “ nobody ” could have foreseen the crisis that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signs were there and they largely went ignored .
Perhaps the most devastating aspects of Trump ’ s response were his repeated dismissals of the severity of coronavirus , his early praise of China , where the disease originated , and his refusal to embrace science , including basic steps such as mask-wearing , until months into the pandemic .
Now , Trump is pushing schools to reopen and even wants college football to be played this fall ― a strategy aimed at appeasing his conservative base ahead of the November election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could lead to even more coronavirus infections and deaths .
And he and his Republican congressional allies are deadlocked with Democrats on further pandemic relief .
Though the election between Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will largely be a referendum on the president ’ s mishandling of the pandemic , he still hasn ’ t laid out a comprehensive strategy to beat it .
His plan for months has basically been asking people to grit their teeth and bear it .
The Trump campaign released a vague “ second-term agenda ” on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pledging to “ Develop a Vaccine by The End Of 2020″ ― when deaths may exceed 200,000 ― and a “ Return to Normal in 2021.
” Trump seems more focused on juicing TV ratings with a big show at this week ’ s GOP convention than he does on the public health crisis .
The president will reportedly make an appearance every night in an effort to upstage last week ’ s mostly virtual Democratic National Convention , and his family members will play big roles during the event .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his fix-it vows to reverse “ poverty and violence at home ” and “ war and destruction abroad , ” as he put it in his 2016 Republican National Convention acceptance speech .
Mexico hasn ’ t paid for Trump ’ s proposed wall on the southern border , for example .
In fact , few new sections of border wall have actually been built .
His administration diverted funding from planned military projects for construction of the wall , which is mired in legal challenges .
One of his most popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the swamp ” of corruption and influence peddlers in Washington ― may be his biggest failed promise .
Trump ’ s administration is teeming with former lobbyists and corporate executives , he and his family are personally profiting from the presidency and frequent golf trips , and the scandals and ethics violations mount by the day .
His decision to hold parts of the GOP convention on federal property is only the latest .
Trump ’ s other big promises from the 2016 campaign — a grand infrastructure overhaul not seen since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an even better health care program — haven ’ t materialized .
He keeps saying he ’ ll release a new health care plan , but misses his own deadlines .
Meanwhile , his administration is actively trying to invalidate Obamacare and its protections for preexisting conditions in court .
The case will get a hearing at the Supreme Court just days after the election , ensuring voters won ’ t hear the oral arguments until after they ’ ve cast their ballot .
Biden has sought to make Trump ’ s handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his campaign .
At last week ’ s nearly all-virtual Democratic convention , Biden warned the country was in for additional pain if it allows Trump four more years in office .

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Four years ago in Cleveland, real estate mogul Donald J. Trump took the stage and completed his takeover of the Republican Party by declaring: “Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”
As he prepares to accept his party’s presidential nomination for the second time this week from the grounds of the White House ― an unusual and legally questionable venue that highlights his failed handling of the coronavirus pandemic ― Trump is asking the nation to reelect him in a far more broken and exposed condition than when he first took office.
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The unemployment rate remains over 10%, many businesses and jobs are gone for good, experts say the economy will be stuck in a recession for years, trillion-dollar deficits are expected for equally as long, deaths attributed to COVID-19 have topped 175,000 and continue rising ― significantly higher than in other developed countries ― testing backlogs persist in parts of the country, and a vaccine is unlikely before the end of the year.
Trump keeps saying “nobody” could have foreseen the crisis that has hobbled his presidency, but the warning signs were there and they largely went ignored. Perhaps the most devastating aspects of Trump’s response were his repeated dismissals of the severity of coronavirus, his early praise of China, where the disease originated, and his refusal to embrace science, including basic steps such as mask-wearing, until months into the pandemic.
Trump accepting the GOP presidential nomination in Cleveland (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images). Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Now, Trump is pushing schools to reopen and even wants college football to be played this fall ― a strategy aimed at appeasing his conservative base ahead of the November election, but one that public health experts say could lead to even more coronavirus infections and deaths. And he and his Republican congressional allies are deadlocked with Democrats on further pandemic relief.
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Though the election between Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will largely be a referendum on the president’s mishandling of the pandemic, he still hasn’t laid out a comprehensive strategy to beat it. His plan for months has basically been asking people to grit their teeth and bear it.
The Trump campaign released a vague “second-term agenda” on the eve of the convention on Sunday, pledging to “Develop a Vaccine by The End Of 2020″ ― when deaths may exceed 200,000 ― and a “Return to Normal in 2021.”
Trump seems more focused on juicing TV ratings with a big show at this week’s GOP convention than he does on the public health crisis. The president will reportedly make an appearance every night in an effort to upstage last week’s mostly virtual Democratic National Convention, and his family members will play big roles during the event.
But Trump hasn’t just fallen short on his fix-it vows to reverse “poverty and violence at home” and “war and destruction abroad,” as he put it in his 2016 Republican National Convention acceptance speech. Mexico hasn’t paid for Trump’s proposed wall on the southern border, for example. In fact, few new sections of border wall have actually been built. His administration diverted funding from planned military projects for construction of the wall, which is mired in legal challenges.
One of his most popular pledges ― that he would “drain the swamp” of corruption and influence peddlers in Washington ― may be his biggest failed promise. Trump’s administration is teeming with former lobbyists and corporate executives, he and his family are personally profiting from the presidency and frequent golf trips, and the scandals and ethics violations mount by the day. His decision to hold parts of the GOP convention on federal property is only the latest.
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A lone supporter watches as President Trump speaks during a June rally in Tulsa. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post via Getty Images
Trump’s other big promises from the 2016 campaign — a grand infrastructure overhaul not seen since the 1950s and the replacement of Obamacare with an even better health care program — haven’t materialized.
He keeps saying he’ll release a new health care plan, but misses his own deadlines. Meanwhile, his administration is actively trying to invalidate Obamacare and its protections for preexisting conditions in court. The case will get a hearing at the Supreme Court just days after the election, ensuring voters won’t hear the oral arguments until after they’ve cast their ballot.
Biden has sought to make Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic a central theme of his campaign. At last week’s nearly all-virtual Democratic convention, Biden warned the country was in for additional pain if it allows Trump four more years in office.
“If this president is reelected, we know what will happen. Cases and deaths will remain far too high,” Biden said in an emotional speech accepting his party’s nomination from Wilmington, Delaware.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--NY AG Probes If Donald Trump Inflated Assets For Loans

NEW YORK ( AP ) — New York ’ s Democratic attorney general asked a court Monday to enforce subpoenas into an investigation into whether President Donald Trump and his businesses inflated assets on financial statements .
Attorney General Letitia James filed a petition in state trial court in New York City naming the Trump Organization , an umbrella group for the Republican president ’ s holdings , as a respondent along with other business entities .
The filing also named Eric Trump and Seven Springs , a New York estate owned by the Trump family .
The attorney general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump Organization and the president improperly inflated the value of assets to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits .
Investigators are looking into whether the Trump Organization and its agents improperly inflated the value of the Seven Springs north of the city .
In the court filings , the attorney general ’ s office wrote that “ information regarding the valuation of Seven Springs is significant ” to the office ’ s investigation .
The investigation was launched in March 2019 after Trump ’ s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his assets to obtain more favorable terms for loans and insurance coverage .
Since then , the attorney general ’ s office has issued “ a number of subpoenas and has taken testimony seeking information material to these matters , ” the court filing said .
Investigators have not yet determined whether the law was broken .

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NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s Democratic attorney general asked a court Monday to enforce subpoenas into an investigation into whether President Donald Trump and his businesses inflated assets on financial statements.
Attorney General Letitia James filed a petition in state trial court in New York City naming the Trump Organization, an umbrella group for the Republican president’s holdings, as a respondent along with other business entities. The filing also named Eric Trump and Seven Springs, a New York estate owned by the Trump family.
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The attorney general’s office is investigating whether the Trump Organization and the president improperly inflated the value of assets to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits. Investigators are looking into whether the Trump Organization and its agents improperly inflated the value of the Seven Springs north of the city.
In the court filings, the attorney general’s office wrote that “information regarding the valuation of Seven Springs is significant” to the office’s investigation.
The investigation was launched in March 2019 after Trump’s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen told Congress that Trump had inflated the value of his assets to obtain more favorable terms for loans and insurance coverage.
Since then, the attorney general’s office has issued “a number of subpoenas and has taken testimony seeking information material to these matters,” the court filing said. Investigators have not yet determined whether the law was broken.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--Former Sen. Jeff Flake, Dozens More Republicans Endorse Joe Biden For President

Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign on Monday announced endorsements from more than two dozen former Republican lawmakers , including ex-Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona , who was one of President Donald Trump ’ s loudest GOP critics when he was in Congress .
The 27 endorsees also included former Sens .
John Warner of Virginia and Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire and former Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania .
Several other prominent Republicans had already announced their support for Biden and spoke as part of last week ’ s virtual Democratic National Convention , including former Ohio Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gov .
Christine Todd Whitman .
The latest wave of endorsements were announced on the first day of the four-day Republican National Convention , which is anchored in Charlotte , North Carolina , and will feature many virtual events because of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ In a strong rebuke to the current administration , these former members of Congress cited Trump ’ s corruption , destruction of democracy , blatant disregard for moral decency , and urgent need to get the country back on course as a reason why they support Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a press release .
The release continued : “ These former members of Congress are supporting Joe Biden because they know what ’ s at stake in this election and that Trump ’ s failures as President have superseded partisanship.
” Biden ’ s campaign also announced the formation of “ Republicans for Biden , ” a national effort to mobilize and engage GOP voters in favor of a Biden presidency .
Flake , who served in the Senate from 2013 to 2019 and before that was a 12-year member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump after the president took office in 2017 .
He called Trump ’ s attacks on the press “ Stalinist ” and urged the GOP to stand up to the president .
In an op-ed published in The Washington Post in December as his term was coming to an end , Flake called on GOP senators to vote to remove Trump from office in his impeachment trial at the beginning of 2020 .
Among the 53 Republican senators , only Mitt Romney of Utah voted to convict Trump of an impeachment charge and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Trump “ who denies reality itself and calls his behavior not what it is , but ‘ perfect.
’ Personally , I have never met anyone whose behavior can be described as perfect , but so often has the president repeated this obvious untruth that it has become a form of dogma in our party .
”

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Joe Biden’s presidential campaign on Monday announced endorsements from more than two dozen former Republican lawmakers, including ex-Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who was one of President Donald Trump’s loudest GOP critics when he was in Congress.
The 27 endorsees also included former Sens. John Warner of Virginia and Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire and former Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania. Several other prominent Republicans had already announced their support for Biden and spoke as part of last week’s virtual Democratic National Convention, including former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman.
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Biden campaign releases list of Republicans that are endorsing @JoeBiden today pic.twitter.com/IQAh6Mkcvq — Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) August 24, 2020
The latest wave of endorsements were announced on the first day of the four-day Republican National Convention, which is anchored in Charlotte, North Carolina, and will feature many virtual events because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“In a strong rebuke to the current administration, these former members of Congress cited Trump’s corruption, destruction of democracy, blatant disregard for moral decency, and urgent need to get the country back on course as a reason why they support Biden,” The Democrat’s campaign said in a press release.
The release continued: “These former members of Congress are supporting Joe Biden because they know what’s at stake in this election and that Trump’s failures as President have superseded partisanship.”
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Biden’s campaign also announced the formation of “Republicans for Biden,” a national effort to mobilize and engage GOP voters in favor of a Biden presidency.
Flake, who served in the Senate from 2013 to 2019 and before that was a 12-year member of the House, frequently spoke out against Trump after the president took office in 2017. He called Trump’s attacks on the press “Stalinist” and urged the GOP to stand up to the president.
In an op-ed published in The Washington Post in December as his term was coming to an end, Flake called on GOP senators to vote to remove Trump from office in his impeachment trial at the beginning of 2020. Among the 53 Republican senators, only Mitt Romney of Utah voted to convict Trump of an impeachment charge and oust him from office.
Flake wrote that Trump “who denies reality itself and calls his behavior not what it is, but ‘perfect.’ Personally, I have never met anyone whose behavior can be described as perfect, but so often has the president repeated this obvious untruth that it has become a form of dogma in our party.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--GOP Convention Begins With Speeches From Donald Trump Jr., Nikki Haley

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) — President Donald Trump turned a surprise opening-day appearance at his party ’ s scaled-down national convention into an opportunity to question the integrity of the fall election , even as his aides promised a diverse and uplifting message once the evening program shifted back to Washington , D.C. for prime time .
Trump , who was not scheduled to deliver his keynote convention address until later in the week , nevertheless made multiple public appearances throughout the first day of the four-day convention .
And while the evening programming was carefully scripted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election , ” Trump told hundreds of Republican delegates gathered in North Carolina , raising anew his unsupported concerns about Americans ’ expected reliance on mail voting during the pandemic .
Experts say mail voting has proven remarkably secure .
A deep sense of pessimism has settled over the electorate 10 weeks before Election Day .
Just 23 % of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction , according to a new poll from The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The evening program highlighted the inherent tension within Trump ’ s Republican Party .
His harsh attacks against Democrats who are trying to expand mail voting and demonstrators protesting deaths in police custody , for example , often delight his die-hard loyalists .
Yet convention organizers are also featuring a diverse lineup with a more inclusive message designed to expand Trump ’ s political coalition beyond his white , working-class base .
Two of the three coveted final speaking slots Monday night went to people of color who have been openly critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Nikki Haley , the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations .
In between , the schedule called for Donald Trump Jr. , the president ’ s eldest son and one of the GOP ’ s most aggressive political attackers .
Like the Democrats the week before , the program also included a collection of average Americans : a public school teacher from California , a small business owner from Montana and a nurse practitioner from Virginia .
One of several African Americans on the schedule , Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to explain why he split from fellow Democrats and announced his support for Trump this year .
The fact that the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats , who held an all-virtual convention last week .
The Democratic programming included a well-received roll call video montage featuring diverse officials from across the nation .
The Republicans spoke from the ballroom in Charlotte and were overwhelmingly white .
Trump said he had made the trip to North Carolina to contrast himself with his Democratic rival , Joe Biden , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the Democratic convention was originally supposed to be held .
The president has sought to minimize the toll of the coronavirus pandemic and he barely addressed it on Monday , but its impact was plainly evident at the Charlotte Convention Center , where just 336 delegates gathered instead of the thousands once expected to converge on this city for a week-long extravaganza .
Attendees sat at well-spaced tables at first and masks were mandatory , though many were seen flouting the regulation .
Trump also panned the state ’ s Democratic governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent the spread of the virus , which has killed more than 175,000 people in the country and infected millions .
The president accused Gov .
Roy Cooper of “ being in a total shutdown mode , ” and claimed the restrictions were aimed at trying to hurt his campaign .
Republicans will spend the week trying to convince the American people that the president deserves a second term .
Aides want the convention to recast the story of Trump ’ s presidency and present the election as a choice between his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one presented by Biden .
“ Over the next four days , President Trump and Republicans are going to talk about all we have achieved the past four years , and cast an aspirational , forward-looking vision about what we can achieve in the next four , ” said GOP Chair Ronna McDaniel .
The parties ’ election year gatherings are typically massive events , drawing thousands of delegates , party leaders , donors , journalists and political junkies for a week of speeches , parties and after-parties that inject hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deliver a multiday infomercial for the nominee .
Besides formally awarding Trump the Republican nomination , delegates gathered in North Carolina also approved a handful of new resolutions , including one to keep Columbus Day as a federal holiday and one that labels the Southern Poverty Law Center , which catalogs the country ’ s hate groups , as a “ radical organization.
” Another bemoans “ cancel culture , ” warning that it “ has grown into erasing of history , encouraging lawlessness , muting citizens and violating free exchange of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump turned a surprise opening-day appearance at his party’s scaled-down national convention into an opportunity to question the integrity of the fall election, even as his aides promised a diverse and uplifting message once the evening program shifted back to Washington, D.C. for prime time.
Trump, who was not scheduled to deliver his keynote convention address until later in the week, nevertheless made multiple public appearances throughout the first day of the four-day convention. And while the evening programming was carefully scripted, Trump was not.
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“The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,” Trump told hundreds of Republican delegates gathered in North Carolina, raising anew his unsupported concerns about Americans’ expected reliance on mail voting during the pandemic. Experts say mail voting has proven remarkably secure.
The GOP convention marks a crucial moment for Trump, a first-term Republican president tasked with reshaping a campaign he is losing by all accounts, at least for now.
A deep sense of pessimism has settled over the electorate 10 weeks before Election Day. Just 23% of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The evening program highlighted the inherent tension within Trump’s Republican Party. His harsh attacks against Democrats who are trying to expand mail voting and demonstrators protesting deaths in police custody, for example, often delight his die-hard loyalists. Yet convention organizers are also featuring a diverse lineup with a more inclusive message designed to expand Trump’s political coalition beyond his white, working-class base.
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Two of the three coveted final speaking slots Monday night went to people of color who have been openly critical of Trump in the past, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. In between, the schedule called for Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son and one of the GOP’s most aggressive political attackers.
Like the Democrats the week before, the program also included a collection of average Americans: a public school teacher from California, a small business owner from Montana and a nurse practitioner from Virginia. One of several African Americans on the schedule, Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones, was expected to explain why he split from fellow Democrats and announced his support for Trump this year.
Some of the planned remarks for the evening program were prerecorded, while others were to be delivered live from a Washington auditorium.
The fact that the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats, who held an all-virtual convention last week. The Democratic programming included a well-received roll call video montage featuring diverse officials from across the nation. The Republicans spoke from the ballroom in Charlotte and were overwhelmingly white.
Trump said he had made the trip to North Carolina to contrast himself with his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, who never traveled to Wisconsin, the state where the Democratic convention was originally supposed to be held.
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The president has sought to minimize the toll of the coronavirus pandemic and he barely addressed it on Monday, but its impact was plainly evident at the Charlotte Convention Center, where just 336 delegates gathered instead of the thousands once expected to converge on this city for a week-long extravaganza. Attendees sat at well-spaced tables at first and masks were mandatory, though many were seen flouting the regulation.
Trump also panned the state’s Democratic governor for restrictions put in place to try to prevent the spread of the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 people in the country and infected millions. The president accused Gov. Roy Cooper of “being in a total shutdown mode,” and claimed the restrictions were aimed at trying to hurt his campaign.
Republicans will spend the week trying to convince the American people that the president deserves a second term. Aides want the convention to recast the story of Trump’s presidency and present the election as a choice between his vision for America’s future and the one presented by Biden.
“Over the next four days, President Trump and Republicans are going to talk about all we have achieved the past four years, and cast an aspirational, forward-looking vision about what we can achieve in the next four,” said GOP Chair Ronna McDaniel.
For both sides, it’s an unconventional convention year.
The parties’ election year gatherings are typically massive events, drawing thousands of delegates, party leaders, donors, journalists and political junkies for a week of speeches, parties and after-parties that inject hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy and deliver a multiday infomercial for the nominee.
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Besides formally awarding Trump the Republican nomination, delegates gathered in North Carolina also approved a handful of new resolutions, including one to keep Columbus Day as a federal holiday and one that labels the Southern Poverty Law Center, which catalogs the country’s hate groups, as a “radical organization.” Another bemoans “cancel culture,” warning that it “has grown into erasing of history, encouraging lawlessness, muting citizens and violating free exchange of ideas, thoughts, and speech.”
But the delegates did not vote on a new 2020 platform, which details the party’s positions on key issues, after a unanimous vote to forgo one this year.
Democrats were content to let Trump’s unfiltered message drive the day.
While he campaigned aggressively across the country throughout last week’s Democratic convention, Biden made no public appearance on Monday.
___
Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--Kansas House Candidate Who Admitted To Revenge Porn To Withdraw From Race

A 19-year-old nominee for the Kansas House of Representatives announced Sunday that he ’ s withdrawing from the race , months after admitting that he sent revenge porn and bullied girls online when he was in middle school .
Aaron Coleman , who was certified the winner of his Democratic primary election last week by just 14 votes , said he decided to drop out so he can “ focus on caring for my family.
” “ Now our party can pick a new nominee , ” tweeted Coleman , who has faced calls for his withdrawal from prominent Kansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harassment against him .
Several women accused Coleman of bullying them online when he was in middle school , including calling a sixth-grade girl fat and encouraging her to kill herself .
One woman said Coleman obtained a nude photo of her and threatened to distribute it if she didn ’ t send him more .
Coleman followed through on the threat when she refused .
She was 13 at the time .
Coleman has admitted to sending the revenge porn and engaging in online harassment .
Earlier this month , he attributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disorder , which he said he was diagnosed with at 15 .
In his statement Sunday , Coleman said his withdrawal from the race amounted to “ a defeat for democracy.
” “ The phone calls of those who have voted for me in the primary have started to come in , and I ’ m filled with regret , ” Coleman tweeted .
“ They all say essentially the same thing .
I promise change , even now , but I ’ m sure they realize I ’ m promising when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The voters have spoken , and continue to speak to me about staying in the race .
All I can say is , whoever the Democrat nominee is for house district 37 , It wasn ’ t who the voters selected .
I apologize to everyone who voted for me.
” Coleman , a dishwasher and community college student , was poised to become a member of the Kansas House after beating incumbent Stan Frownfelter by a razor-thin margin .
No Republican is running in the general election .
It wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party would nominate Frownfelter with Coleman ’ s departure from the race .

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A 19-year-old nominee for the Kansas House of Representatives announced Sunday that he’s withdrawing from the race, months after admitting that he sent revenge porn and bullied girls online when he was in middle school.
Aaron Coleman, who was certified the winner of his Democratic primary election last week by just 14 votes, said he decided to drop out so he can “focus on caring for my family.”
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“Now our party can pick a new nominee,” tweeted Coleman, who has faced calls for his withdrawal from prominent Kansas Democrats in response to accusations of online harassment against him.
Several women accused Coleman of bullying them online when he was in middle school, including calling a sixth-grade girl fat and encouraging her to kill herself. One woman said Coleman obtained a nude photo of her and threatened to distribute it if she didn’t send him more. Coleman followed through on the threat when she refused. She was 13 at the time.
Coleman has admitted to sending the revenge porn and engaging in online harassment. Earlier this month, he attributed some of his actions to post-traumatic stress disorder, which he said he was diagnosed with at 15.
In his statement Sunday, Coleman said his withdrawal from the race amounted to “a defeat for democracy.”
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“The phone calls of those who have voted for me in the primary have started to come in, and I’m filled with regret,” Coleman tweeted. “They all say essentially the same thing. I promise change, even now, but I’m sure they realize I’m promising when I cannot deliver.”
He added: “The voters have spoken, and continue to speak to me about staying in the race. All I can say is, whoever the Democrat nominee is for house district 37, It wasn’t who the voters selected. I apologize to everyone who voted for me.”
Coleman, a dishwasher and community college student, was poised to become a member of the Kansas House after beating incumbent Stan Frownfelter by a razor-thin margin. No Republican is running in the general election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--Postal Chief Louis DeJoy Returns To Congress Facing Uproar Over Delays

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Facing a backlash over operational changes that have resulted in mail delays , the nation ’ s new postmaster general is returning to Congress to testify before a House panel that has sharply criticized him .
The hearing Monday comes after the House approved legislation Saturday to reverse the changes in U.S .
Postal Services operations and send $ 25 billion to shore up the agency ahead of the November election , when a surge in mail-in ballots is expected .
Still , the postmaster general , a political ally of President Donald Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mailboxes and sorting equipment that have already been made .
He could not provide senators with a plan for handling the ballot crush for the election .
Rep. Carolyn Maloney , D-N.Y. , the chair of the Oversight Committee and author of the House bill , said DeJoy was using the Postal Service ’ s longstanding fiscal problems as an excuse “ to justify sweeping and damaging changes to Postal Service operations .
And we have all seen the results : national headlines about delays of days and weeks , veterans desperately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being ripped out and thrown in dumpsters.
” Maloney ’ s committee on Saturday released internal Postal Service documents warning about steep declines and delays in a range of mail services since early July , shortly after DeJoy took the helm .
Delays have occurred in first-class and marketing mail , periodicals and Priority Mail , the agency says in an Aug. 12 briefing prepared by Postal Service staff for DeJoy .
“ These new documents show that the delays we have all heard about are actually far worse than previously reported — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ″ Maloney said .
In a statement Sunday , the Postal Service said it greatly appreciates House efforts to assist the agency , but remains concerned that some of the bill ’ s requirements , “ while well meaning , will constrain the ability of the Postal Service to make operational changes that will improve efficiency , reduce costs and ultimately improve service to the American people.″ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled lawmakers to Washington for a rare Saturday session over objections from Republicans , who dismissed it as a stunt .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter against mail-in ballots expected to surge in the COVID-19 crisis .
He has said he wants to block extra funds to the Postal Service .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows dismissed the bill as “ going nowhere , ” while Pelosi urged the GOP-controlled Senate to act quickly .
“ The public is demanding action on this now , ” Pelosi said Sunday .
“ I can ’ t see how the Senate can avoid it unless they do so to their peril.
” “ That bill was not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ And my conversations with a lot of the Democrats on Capitol Hill ... is , if you want to be serious about it , this president is willing to put forth money and reforms.
” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , R-Calif. , complained that the Democrats ’ legislation would not make the Postal Service fiscally sustainable , nor would it make other reforms to the agency ’ s bylaws , such as removing a costly requirement that the Postal Service prepay decades of retirees ’ health benefits .
“ Their plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s about bailouts , ″ McCarthy said of Democrats .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , has been eyeing a $ 10 billion postal rescue as part of the next COVID-19 relief package .
“ Senate Republicans are committed to making sure the Postal Service remains well equipped to fulfill its important duties .
But the president has already made it clear he will not sign the speaker ’ s partisan stunt into law , ″ McConnell said after passage of the House bill .
A bill co-sponsored by Sens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif. , would provide the Postal Service with up to $ 25 billion to cover revenue losses or operational expenses resulting from COVID-19 .
The bill has at least 22 co-sponsors , including no fewer than nine Republicans .
Three of the co-sponsors — Collins , Montana ’ s Steve Daines and Colorado ’ s Cory Gardner — are among the GOP ’ s most vulnerable incumbents in the fall election .
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Sunday he had secured agreement with a new election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Board of Governors to issue a report in two weeks on the service ’ s plans to address an expected surge of mail-in ballots .
Under the agreement with the committee ’ s Democratic chairman , Lee Moak , the committee would also provide weekly briefings for top Senate Democrats .
The six-member Board of Governors , all of whom are Trump appointees , announced the bipartisan committee Friday to oversee mail voting .
“ Congress will use that report to ensure that the Postal Service has every resource it needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeJoy and the board accountable , ” Schumer said .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a backlash over operational changes that have resulted in mail delays, the nation’s new postmaster general is returning to Congress to testify before a House panel that has sharply criticized him.
The hearing Monday comes after the House approved legislation Saturday to reverse the changes in U.S. Postal Services operations and send $25 billion to shore up the agency ahead of the November election, when a surge in mail-in ballots is expected.
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Louis DeJoy testified Friday in the Senate that his “No. 1 priority” is to ensure election mail arrives on time.
Still, the postmaster general, a political ally of President Donald Trump, said he would not restore the cuts to mailboxes and sorting equipment that have already been made. He could not provide senators with a plan for handling the ballot crush for the election.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the chair of the Oversight Committee and author of the House bill, said DeJoy was using the Postal Service’s longstanding fiscal problems as an excuse “to justify sweeping and damaging changes to Postal Service operations. And we have all seen the results: national headlines about delays of days and weeks, veterans desperately waiting for their medications, sorting machines being ripped out and thrown in dumpsters.”
Maloney’s committee on Saturday released internal Postal Service documents warning about steep declines and delays in a range of mail services since early July, shortly after DeJoy took the helm. Delays have occurred in first-class and marketing mail, periodicals and Priority Mail, the agency says in an Aug. 12 briefing prepared by Postal Service staff for DeJoy.
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“These new documents show that the delays we have all heard about are actually far worse than previously reported — and they are across the board,″ Maloney said.
DeJoy acknowledged at the Senate hearing there has been a “dip” in service, but disputed reports of widespread problems.
In a statement Sunday, the Postal Service said it greatly appreciates House efforts to assist the agency, but remains concerned that some of the bill’s requirements, “while well meaning, will constrain the ability of the Postal Service to make operational changes that will improve efficiency, reduce costs and ultimately improve service to the American people.″
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recalled lawmakers to Washington for a rare Saturday session over objections from Republicans, who dismissed it as a stunt. Trump urged a no vote, railing on Twitter against mail-in ballots expected to surge in the COVID-19 crisis. He has said he wants to block extra funds to the Postal Service.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows dismissed the bill as “going nowhere,” while Pelosi urged the GOP-controlled Senate to act quickly. “The public is demanding action on this now,” Pelosi said Sunday. “I can’t see how the Senate can avoid it unless they do so to their peril.”
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Meadows called the House bill a “political statement,” stressing that Trump would consider additional money only as part of a broader coronavirus relief package.
“That bill was not a serious bill,” Meadows said. “And my conversations with a lot of the Democrats on Capitol Hill ... is, if you want to be serious about it, this president is willing to put forth money and reforms.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., complained that the Democrats’ legislation would not make the Postal Service fiscally sustainable, nor would it make other reforms to the agency’s bylaws, such as removing a costly requirement that the Postal Service prepay decades of retirees’ health benefits. “Their plan isn’t about ballots, it’s about bailouts,″ McCarthy said of Democrats.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been eyeing a $10 billion postal rescue as part of the next COVID-19 relief package. “Senate Republicans are committed to making sure the Postal Service remains well equipped to fulfill its important duties. But the president has already made it clear he will not sign the speaker’s partisan stunt into law,″ McConnell said after passage of the House bill.
“The Senate will absolutely not pass stand-alone legislation for the Postal Service while American families continue to go without more relief″ from the coronavirus crisis, McConnell said.
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Pelosi called White House proposals to deal with the pandemic “bare leaves,” saying they don’t address children facing food insecurity, people grappling with evictions, coronavirus testing and treatment or money for state and local governments.
Still, there were signs of bipartisan support for the Postal Service, one of the most popular government agencies with an approval rating above 90%.
Twenty-six House Republicans broke with Trump and GOP leaders to back the House bill, which passed 257-150.
A bill co-sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., would provide the Postal Service with up to $25 billion to cover revenue losses or operational expenses resulting from COVID-19. The bill has at least 22 co-sponsors, including no fewer than nine Republicans. Three of the co-sponsors — Collins, Montana’s Steve Daines and Colorado’s Cory Gardner — are among the GOP’s most vulnerable incumbents in the fall election.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Sunday he had secured agreement with a new election committee created by the Postal Service’s Board of Governors to issue a report in two weeks on the service’s plans to address an expected surge of mail-in ballots. Under the agreement with the committee’s Democratic chairman, Lee Moak, the committee would also provide weekly briefings for top Senate Democrats.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--Fury Grows Over Trump's Toxic Public Lands Chief

Earlier this month , the entire Senate Democratic Caucus ― 45 Democrats and the chamber ’ s two independents ― sent a letter to the White House signaling they would vote against confirming William Perry Pendley , an anti-public lands extremist , to serve as permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management .
The lawmakers called on President Donald Trump to nominate someone else for the job of overseeing 245 million acres of public land and the nation ’ s vast subsurface mineral resources .
The White House announced days later , on Aug. 15 , that Trump will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aside from getting vulnerable Senate allies out of having to vote up or down on the toxic nominee , the withdrawal is largely an empty gesture .
That ’ s because Pendley will continue to maintain the director ’ s authority thanks to an order that he crafted and signed in May to keep himself at the helm of the bureau indefinitely .
The Senate Democratic Caucus is far from satisfied .
Late last week , after news of Pendley ’ s self-serving succession order broke , all 47 members signed onto a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remove Pendley from the bureau ’ s leadership role , again citing his extreme anti-environmental views .
“ We have grave concerns , however , with reports that Mr. Pendley will continue to lead the bureau through his current position as deputy director , exercising the authority of the director , ” reads the letter , led by Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico .
“ For the same reasons that Mr. Pendley is unfit to be confirmed as director , he is unfit to exercise the authority of the director without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you remove Mr. Pendley from this position.
” Pendley , a former property rights lawyer at the right-wing Mountain States Legal Foundation who spent his career arguing that public lands should not even exist , has overseen the bureau for more than a year without ever facing the scrutiny of a Senate confirmation process .
The succession order he signed in May states that in the absence of a permanent Bureau of Land Management director , the director ’ s authority and responsibility falls to none other than the bureau ’ s deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position Pendley has held since last July .
In recent weeks , the Interior Department has tried to split hairs about Pendley ’ s position .
“ William Perry Pendley is not , and has never been , Acting BLM Director , ” an Interior spokesman recently told HuffPost , despite the fact that BLM and Pendley himself have used that title .
Two ongoing lawsuits ― one from conservation groups and the other from Montana Gov .
Steve Bullock ( D ) ― seek to remove Pendley from his acting duties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vacancies Reform Act , which limits the amount of time Cabinet officials may serve in an acting role to 210 days .
“ Mr .
Pendley brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Department and is committed to carrying out the Administration ’ s priorities and achieving the BLM ’ s multiple-use mission for the betterment of the American people , ” said Interior spokesman Ben Goldey , adding that Pendley will continue to lead the bureau as deputy director for programs and policy .
Pendley became the BLM ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States Legal Foundation , a conservative nonprofit that has pushed for the government to sell off millions of federal acres .
He is a former leader of the so-called “ Wise-Use movement , ” a group of anti-government organizations pushing to boost mining , drilling and logging on federal lands while deriding environmentalists as domestic terrorists .
In the 1990s , he published anti-environmental pieces in a fringe magazine produced by Lyndon LaRouche , the late cult leader , convicted fraudster and paranoid conspiracy theorist , as HuffPost first reported .
“ Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of advocacy for selling off public lands and reducing access to them , attempts to undermine tribes and tribal sovereignty , and denial of climate change make his beliefs and actions antithetical to either role , ” Senate lawmakers wrote in their Aug. 20 letter to Bernhardt .
In an interview last week with Nevada ’ s Elko Daily Free Press , Pendley was asked how much longer he would lead the bureau following the withdrawal of his nomination .

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Earlier this month, the entire Senate Democratic Caucus ― 45 Democrats and the chamber’s two independents ― sent a letter to the White House signaling they would vote against confirming William Perry Pendley, an anti-public lands extremist, to serve as permanent director of the Bureau of Land Management. The lawmakers called on President Donald Trump to nominate someone else for the job of overseeing 245 million acres of public land and the nation’s vast subsurface mineral resources.
The White House announced days later, on Aug. 15, that Trump will withdraw Pendley’s nomination. But aside from getting vulnerable Senate allies out of having to vote up or down on the toxic nominee, the withdrawal is largely an empty gesture. That’s because Pendley will continue to maintain the director’s authority thanks to an order that he crafted and signed in May to keep himself at the helm of the bureau indefinitely.
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The Senate Democratic Caucus is far from satisfied. Late last week, after news of Pendley’s self-serving succession order broke, all 47 members signed onto a second letter urging Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to remove Pendley from the bureau’s leadership role, again citing his extreme anti-environmental views.
“We have grave concerns, however, with reports that Mr. Pendley will continue to lead the bureau through his current position as deputy director, exercising the authority of the director,” reads the letter, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. “For the same reasons that Mr. Pendley is unfit to be confirmed as director, he is unfit to exercise the authority of the director without being confirmed, and we ask that you remove Mr. Pendley from this position.”
William Perry Pendley speaks at a conference in Fort Collins, Colorado, in October 2018. AP Photo/Matthew Brown
Pendley, a former property rights lawyer at the right-wing Mountain States Legal Foundation who spent his career arguing that public lands should not even exist, has overseen the bureau for more than a year without ever facing the scrutiny of a Senate confirmation process. The succession order he signed in May states that in the absence of a permanent Bureau of Land Management director, the director’s authority and responsibility falls to none other than the bureau’s deputy director of policy and programs, the position Pendley has held since last July.
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In recent weeks, the Interior Department has tried to split hairs about Pendley’s position. “William Perry Pendley is not, and has never been, Acting BLM Director,” an Interior spokesman recently told HuffPost, despite the fact that BLM and Pendley himself have used that title.
Two ongoing lawsuits ― one from conservation groups and the other from Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D) ― seek to remove Pendley from his acting duties, arguing that his tenure violates the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which limits the amount of time Cabinet officials may serve in an acting role to 210 days.
Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist who in June said Pendley is “doing a great job,” is unlikely to act on lawmakers’ recent demands.
“Mr. Pendley brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Department and is committed to carrying out the Administration’s priorities and achieving the BLM’s multiple-use mission for the betterment of the American people,” said Interior spokesman Ben Goldey, adding that Pendley will continue to lead the bureau as deputy director for programs and policy.
Pendley became the BLM’s acting chief after decades running the Mountain States Legal Foundation, a conservative nonprofit that has pushed for the government to sell off millions of federal acres. He is a former leader of the so-called “Wise-Use movement,” a group of anti-government organizations pushing to boost mining, drilling and logging on federal lands while deriding environmentalists as domestic terrorists. In the 1990s, he published anti-environmental pieces in a fringe magazine produced by Lyndon LaRouche, the late cult leader, convicted fraudster and paranoid conspiracy theorist, as HuffPost first reported.
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“Mr. Pendley’s long public record of advocacy for selling off public lands and reducing access to them, attempts to undermine tribes and tribal sovereignty, and denial of climate change make his beliefs and actions antithetical to either role,” Senate lawmakers wrote in their Aug. 20 letter to Bernhardt.
In an interview last week with Nevada’s Elko Daily Free Press, Pendley was asked how much longer he would lead the bureau following the withdrawal of his nomination.
“I’m not going to go digging in the weeds, that’s above my pay grade,” Pendley told the newspaper.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-24--EPA Faces New Scrutiny Over Decision To Stop Enforcing Pollution Laws Amid Pandemic

The Environmental Protection Agency is facing new scrutiny of its decision to stop enforcing pollution rules amid the pandemic , escalating a fight over what critics see as one of the most egregious parts of the administration ’ s response to the coronavirus ahead of the November election .
In a letter sent Monday to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler , Massachusetts Sens .
Elizabeth Warren ( D ) and Ed Markey ( D ) accused the agency of providing “ all but meaningless ” responses to earlier questions about the March order to suspend enforcement of environmental laws .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded straight answers on how the administration planned to account for pollution spewed during the months the agency held its already-weakened enforcement agents at bay .
“ It remains deeply troubling that the EPA has decided to protect polluting industries and weaken public health safeguards amidst a public health crisis , ” the senators wrote .
“ Rather than implement and enforce bedrock environmental protections , the Trump administration relinquished its responsibilities and allowed polluters to regulate themselves , with no clear guidelines for how the EPA would hold them accountable.
” Massachusetts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both Democrats , have been pressing the EPA on its order to suspend enforcement of environmental laws during the pandemic .
The order in late March drew immediate condemnation from environmentalists , public health experts and state and local officials who feared leaving companies to police themselves would increase the kinds of pollution that studies show to inflame the risks of COVID-19 , the respiratory disease the virus causes .
In April , Warren and Markey sent a lengthy letter to the EPA demanding the agency explain why companies should be allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolling back additional environmental rules would protect public health as the United States struggled to contain a deadly respiratory disease .
In May , the agency responded , saying the policy helped protect its workers .
The EPA ’ s own staff union decried the concern over employees as insincere , pointing to the agency ’ s push to reopen regional offices .
“ Not only did the EPA fail to respond to key parts of our inquiries , it failed to explain how public health would remain protected amid the crisis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Markey wrote in the latest letter .
In an emailed statement , the EPA said it opened 103 criminal enforcement cases between March 16 and July 31 and charged 32 defendants and said that the allegations that the “ regulated community took EPA ’ s policy ‘ as a free pass ’ to stop compliance is unsupported speculation.
” Since the start of the pandemic , the administration plowed ahead with proposals to relax existing regulations .
In April , the EPA loosened rules on toxic mercury emissions from power plants .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of opening federal waters to fish farming .
In August , the EPA scrapped a regulation on oil and gas companies ’ emissions of methane , a super potent greenhouse gas .
The issue gets at President Donald Trump ’ s biggest weakness ahead of the Nov. 3 vote on whether to give the game show host-turned-politician another four years in the White House .
Gallup polling shows that over 60 % of Americans disapprove of Trump ’ s handling of both the environment and the pandemic .
An Associated Press-NORC Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for the president ’ s approach to the pandemic plunged even among his loyal base of Republicans .
Just 29 % of Americans approved of Trump ’ s position on climate change while 62 % disapproved , the widest gulf on any issue in a Washington Post-ABC News poll last year that recorded Trump ’ s highest overall approval rating yet at 44 % .
That uptick had been driven largely by the relative strength of the economy and low unemployment in 2019 , all of which has been virtually wiped out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The EPA , for its part , is attempting to burnish the administration ’ s record .
On Monday , the agency greenlighted the use of a new disinfectant spray that it said would eradicate the virus that causes COVID-19 from surfaces for seven days .
The federal approval , given to an application from state regulators in Texas , is limited to Fort Worth-based American Airlines and a hospital in Texas .

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The Environmental Protection Agency is facing new scrutiny of its decision to stop enforcing pollution rules amid the pandemic, escalating a fight over what critics see as one of the most egregious parts of the administration’s response to the coronavirus ahead of the November election.
In a letter sent Monday to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Massachusetts Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D) and Ed Markey (D) accused the agency of providing “all but meaningless” responses to earlier questions about the March order to suspend enforcement of environmental laws.
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The six-page correspondence, which HuffPost obtained, demanded straight answers on how the administration planned to account for pollution spewed during the months the agency held its already-weakened enforcement agents at bay.
“It remains deeply troubling that the EPA has decided to protect polluting industries and weaken public health safeguards amidst a public health crisis,” the senators wrote. “Rather than implement and enforce bedrock environmental protections, the Trump administration relinquished its responsibilities and allowed polluters to regulate themselves, with no clear guidelines for how the EPA would hold them accountable.”
Massachusetts Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, both Democrats, have been pressing the EPA on its order to suspend enforcement of environmental laws during the pandemic. Tom Williams via Getty Images
The order in late March drew immediate condemnation from environmentalists, public health experts and state and local officials who feared leaving companies to police themselves would increase the kinds of pollution that studies show to inflame the risks of COVID-19, the respiratory disease the virus causes.
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In April, Warren and Markey sent a lengthy letter to the EPA demanding the agency explain why companies should be allowed to police their own pollution and how rolling back additional environmental rules would protect public health as the United States struggled to contain a deadly respiratory disease.
Later that month, the agency responded, saying the policy helped protect its workers. The EPA’s own staff union decried the concern over employees as insincere, pointing to the agency’s push to reopen regional offices.
That narrow explanation didn’t satisfy the Massachusetts lawmakers either.
“Not only did the EPA fail to respond to key parts of our inquiries, it failed to explain how public health would remain protected amid the crisis and raised further concerns,” Warren and Markey wrote in the latest letter.
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler insists the order is a temporary and necessary policy. POOL New / reuters
In an emailed statement, the EPA said it opened 103 criminal enforcement cases between March 16 and July 31 and charged 32 defendants and said that the allegations that the “regulated community took EPA’s policy ‘as a free pass’ to stop compliance is unsupported speculation.”
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“EPA has not curtailed its enforcement during this public health emergency,” EPA spokeswoman Molly Block said by email. “Nobody is allowed to increase their emissions under EPA’s COVID-19 enforcement discretion policy.”
She said the agency would respond to the senators’ latest letter “through the proper channels.”
Since the start of the pandemic, the administration plowed ahead with proposals to relax existing regulations. In April, the EPA loosened rules on toxic mercury emissions from power plants. In May, the Commerce Department started the process of opening federal waters to fish farming. In August, the EPA scrapped a regulation on oil and gas companies’ emissions of methane, a super potent greenhouse gas.
The issue gets at President Donald Trump’s biggest weakness ahead of the Nov. 3 vote on whether to give the game show host-turned-politician another four years in the White House.
Gallup polling shows that over 60% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of both the environment and the pandemic. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that support for the president’s approach to the pandemic plunged even among his loyal base of Republicans.
Just 29% of Americans approved of Trump’s position on climate change while 62% disapproved, the widest gulf on any issue in a Washington Post-ABC News poll last year that recorded Trump’s highest overall approval rating yet at 44%. That uptick had been driven largely by the relative strength of the economy and low unemployment in 2019, all of which has been virtually wiped out by the chaos of the pandemic.
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