thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--National Archives Apologizes And Removes Edited Women's March Photo

The National Archives has officially apologized for displaying an altered photo taken during the 2017 Women ’ s March that was blurred to censor signs critical of President Donald Trump .
In a statement , federal museum officials admitted they had made a mistake and added that they had removed the photo from the display and would replace it with an unedited version “ as soon as possible.
” The agency also said it would immediately begin a “ thorough review ” of its exhibit policies and procedures .
“ We made a mistake , ” the statement , posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the National Archives of the United States , we are and have always been completely committed to preserving our archival holdings , without alteration.
” The archives issued its apology on the same day as the fourth annual Women ’ s March in Washington , D.C. We have removed the current display and will replace it as soon as possible with one that uses the unaltered image .
We apologize , and will immediately start a thorough review of our exhibit policies and procedures so that this does not happen again .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January 18 , 2020 The photo , taken by Getty Images photographer Mario Tama , was resized and displayed in an archival exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of women ’ s suffrage .
The edited version of the image censored Trump ’ s name in a number of signs held by the protesters , including one that read “ God Hates Trump ” and “ Trump & GOP ― Hands Off Women.
” Signs referring to women ’ s genitals , including ones featuring “ vagina ” or “ pussy , ” were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out on signs that read “ If my vagina could shoot bullets , it ’ d be less REGULATED ” and “ This Pussy Grabs Back.
” The signs were in reference to Republicans ’ efforts to curtail reproductive choice and expand gun rights , as well as the infamous recording of Trump saying he could “ grab [ women ] by the pussy ” whenever he wants .
Officials admitted that the photo had indeed been edited after The Washington Post published a report on the matter on Friday , angering readers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Miriam Kleiman , a spokeswoman for the National Archives , told the Post that Trump ’ s name was blurred out in an attempt for the museum to avoid engaging in controversy .
She also said the censorship was in consideration for young people , including students , whom the museum occasionally hosts .
“ As a non-partisan , non-political federal agency , we blurred references to the President ’ s name on some posters , so as not to engage in current political controversy , ” Kleiman told the paper in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to safeguard and provide access to the nation ’ s most important federal records , and our exhibits are one way in which we connect the American people to those records .
Modifying the image was an attempt on our part to keep the focus on the records .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
In a statement, federal museum officials admitted they had made a mistake and added that they had removed the photo from the display and would replace it with an unedited version “as soon as possible.”
Advertisement
The agency also said it would immediately begin a “thorough review” of its exhibit policies and procedures.
“We made a mistake,” the statement, posted to Twitter, said. “As the National Archives of the United States, we are and have always been completely committed to preserving our archival holdings, without alteration.”
The archives issued its apology on the same day as the fourth annual Women’s March in Washington, D.C.
We made a mistake.
As the National Archives of the United States, we are and have always been completely committed to preserving our archival holdings, without alteration. pic.twitter.com/VTWOS4R7GY — US National Archives (@USNatArchives) January 18, 2020
Advertisement
We have removed the current display and will replace it as soon as possible with one that uses the unaltered image.
We apologize, and will immediately start a thorough review of our exhibit policies and procedures so that this does not happen again. — US National Archives (@USNatArchives) January 18, 2020
The photo, taken by Getty Images photographer Mario Tama, was resized and displayed in an archival exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage.
The edited version of the image censored Trump’s name in a number of signs held by the protesters, including one that read “God Hates Trump” and “Trump & GOP ― Hands Off Women.”
Signs referring to women’s genitals, including ones featuring “vagina” or “pussy,” were also censored. Those words were blurred out on signs that read “If my vagina could shoot bullets, it’d be less REGULATED” and “This Pussy Grabs Back.”
The signs were in reference to Republicans’ efforts to curtail reproductive choice and expand gun rights, as well as the infamous recording of Trump saying he could “grab [women] by the pussy” whenever he wants.
Advertisement
Officials admitted that the photo had indeed been edited after The Washington Post published a report on the matter on Friday, angering readers and historians over the censorship of history.
Disappointed in @USNatArchives (& the Archivist appointed by Obama). You’ve created political controversy in attempting to avoid it. & by erasing women’s voices, you insult the suffrage movement & minimize the response to Trump’s actions & election https://t.co/hQYZi2Qm5E — Rudy Mehrbani (@RudyMehrbani) January 18, 2020
Miriam Kleiman, a spokeswoman for the National Archives, told the Post that Trump’s name was blurred out in an attempt for the museum to avoid engaging in controversy. She also said the censorship was in consideration for young people, including students, whom the museum occasionally hosts.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Austria’s New Anti-Immigrant Green Government Stokes Fears Of Climate 'Nightmare'

“ We deliberately combined the best of both worlds , ” Sebastian Kurz , the conservative chancellor who returned to power last week , told the newspaper Bild .
“ It is now possible for the Greens to implement central election promises , such as ... the massive fight against climate change .
But we , too , can keep our key election promises ... [ with ] a consistent line in the fight against illegal migration or a clear line in integration.
” The Greens say compromising with the center-right conservatives helped keep the country ’ s far-right Freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysts say the party extracted few concessions from their new conservative bedfellows .
And some experts fear the coalition could signal a shift in Europe ’ s resurgent political right ― away from climate skepticism and toward something that looks increasingly like eco-fascism , the once-fringe ideology scientists consider a “ nightmare scenario ” in which me-first nationalists exploit the chaos of a hotter world .
Europe ’ s 13th largest economy began a rightward lurch in the mid-2010s as rising income inequality and waves of migrants fleeing war , poverty and drought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stoked a new nationalist fervor across the continent .
In 2017 , the country ’ s conservative party beat the center-left Social Democrats for only the third time since World War II .
Kurz , a conservative firebrand who campaigned on restricting Austria ’ s small but growing Muslim community , became chancellor and invited the hard-line Freedom Party to form a government .
But that coalition collapsed last May after the release of a video showing Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache attempting to trade state contracts for political donations from a woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Russian oligarch .
The revelation scandalized Austrians and forced Kurz ― who , without a coalition partner , lost his mandate to govern ― to call an election .
But even that fringe has started to shift on climate change .
The surprising surge of Green parties in April ’ s European parliamentary elections prompted a degree of soul-searching among the right-wing populists .
The far-right Alternative for Germany ’ s youth wing in Berlin urged its party leaders to abandon the “ difficult-to-understand statement that mankind does not influence the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wave of international concern over the climate crisis .
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen found fresh fodder for her brand of Nazi-like blood-and-soil rhetoric , declaring that those “ rooted in their home ” are “ ecological ” while “ nomadic ” people “ do not care about the environment because they have no homeland .
In Italy , meanwhile , a gang of tree-planting Mussolini admirers linked to murders of African migrants started blitzing Facebook with posts declaring nature cleanups as new “ battlefronts.
” On some issues , reflecting public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to much of Europe ’ s resurgent far-right , which is animated by nationalism , he supports the European Union , as do 40 % of Austrians , according to a recent Eurobarometer poll .
That ’ s up from 25 % in 2013 .
The Freedom Party ’ s leadership lashed out at teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg for “ climate hysteria ” as recently as September .
Kurz , meanwhile , has long appealed for international cooperation on climate change ― an issue 7 in 10 Austrian called “ a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey .
But on social issues , polling raises some concerns .
A shocking 12 % of young Austrians said they had never heard of the Holocaust in a 2018 CNN study .
A 2017 Pew Research Center poll found that nearly half of Austrians said they would not accept a Muslim into their family , compared with just 15 % of Americans .
Those sentiments could worsen as temperatures rise , as study after study suggests that rising temperatures increase aggression and violence on both the geopolitical and individual levels .
Austria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Receding snowfall in the Alps is hurting Austria ’ s snow-sporting industry , and higher temperatures are spreading invasive bark beetles in once lush alpine forests .
But heatwaves are proving the most devastating .
The hot spell that roasted Europe last June broke monthly records in mountainous Austria , where temperatures soared past 101 degrees Fahrenheit , shy of the all-time national record of 104.9 degrees .
Globally , the bigger concern is how climate change will affect the billions living in poorer , hotter countries .
Catastrophic weather events , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and frequent as average temperatures climb , already have displaced an average of 24 million people per year since 2008 , according to the Swiss-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre .
That sort of mass movement within borders creates political instability that potentially breeds conflict , driving even more to seek asylum in stable , wealthy countries like Austria , which ranks among the World Bank ’ s richest per capita .
Political malleability in an increasingly chaotic world could bend a leader rightward .
As it stands , climate researchers are modeling five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could take as temperatures likely blow past the 1.5 degrees Celsius average beyond which the United Nations projects catastrophic changes .
The bleakest of those scenarios , called SSP3 , envisions “ resurgent nationalism ” and policies that “ shift over time to become increasingly oriented toward national and regional security issues , including barriers to trade , ” according to a 2015 paper in the journal Climatic Change .
Zeke Hausfather , a climate scientist at the think tank Berkeley Earth , told Earther last week that the world is currently on @ @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Austria made history earlier this month when it swore in its first female-majority Cabinet. But the formation of the new government marked another, more consequential milestone: It’s the first national coalition made up of the conservative People’s Party and the progressive Greens.
The 300-page contract binding the two parties in a unity government lays out an agenda that includes expanding a ban on Muslim headscarves and opening new deportation centers as well as an ambitious goal to become carbon neutral by 2040.
Advertisement
“We deliberately combined the best of both worlds,” Sebastian Kurz, the conservative chancellor who returned to power last week, told the newspaper Bild. “It is now possible for the Greens to implement central election promises, such as ... the massive fight against climate change. But we, too, can keep our key election promises ... [with] a consistent line in the fight against illegal migration or a clear line in integration.”
The Greens say compromising with the center-right conservatives helped keep the country’s far-right Freedom Party from returning to power. But analysts say the party extracted few concessions from their new conservative bedfellows. And some experts fear the coalition could signal a shift in Europe’s resurgent political right ― away from climate skepticism and toward something that looks increasingly like eco-fascism, the once-fringe ideology scientists consider a “nightmare scenario” in which me-first nationalists exploit the chaos of a hotter world.
“It’s extremely worrying,” said Betsy Hartmann, a researcher who studies the intersection of white nationalism and environmentalism. “There’s a very fine line between political feasibility and pragmatism on the part of the Green party and appeasement of right-wing, anti-immigrant interests.”
Europe’s 13th largest economy began a rightward lurch in the mid-2010s as rising income inequality and waves of migrants fleeing war, poverty and drought in the Middle East and North Africa stoked a new nationalist fervor across the continent. In 2017, the country’s conservative party beat the center-left Social Democrats for only the third time since World War II. Kurz, a conservative firebrand who campaigned on restricting Austria’s small but growing Muslim community, became chancellor and invited the hard-line Freedom Party to form a government.
Advertisement
The 33-year-old Kurz, the world’s youngest national leader, vowed to wage war on “political Islam” and clamped down on immigrants, cutting public benefits to noncitizens and seizing refugees’ cellphones.
But that coalition collapsed last May after the release of a video showing Freedom Party leader Heinz-Christian Strache attempting to trade state contracts for political donations from a woman he believed to be the wealthy niece of a Russian oligarch. The revelation scandalized Austrians and forced Kurz ― who, without a coalition partner, lost his mandate to govern ― to call an election.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is the world's youngest head of government. Leonhard Foeger / Reuters
Conservatives failed to win an outright majority, leading Kurz to seek a marriage of convenience with the Greens, who had never before served in a national government.
“The Greens could have squeezed more out of Mr. Kurz,” The Economist magazine wrote this week, citing Austrian analyst Thomas Hofer. But “the coalition is less a meeting of minds than a division of fiefs.”
Advertisement
A New Eco-Right
Unlike the Republican Party in the United States, which has long questioned climate science and protected polluting industries from regulation, mainline conservatives in Europe have generally accepted the realities of global warming. Outright climate denialism was mostly limited to the far-right fringe.
But even that fringe has started to shift on climate change. The surprising surge of Green parties in April’s European parliamentary elections prompted a degree of soul-searching among the right-wing populists. The far-right Alternative for Germany’s youth wing in Berlin urged its party leaders to abandon the “difficult-to-understand statement that mankind does not influence the climate.”
Others sought to surf the wave of international concern over the climate crisis. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen found fresh fodder for her brand of Nazi-like blood-and-soil rhetoric, declaring that those “rooted in their home” are “ecological” while “nomadic” people “do not care about the environment because they have no homeland. In Italy, meanwhile, a gang of tree-planting Mussolini admirers linked to murders of African migrants started blitzing Facebook with posts declaring nature cleanups as new “battlefronts.”
Austria’s Kurz “is not right-wing in that traditional, nationalist sense,” said Reinhard Heinisch, a professor of political science at the University of Salzburg. However, he said, his stance on immigration certainly overlaps.
“Kurz is an avid traditionalist, very right on cultural questions, very anti-Islamic and neoliberal economically,” Heinisch said by phone. “But fundamentally he’s interested in power, doing what is popular and maximizing what sells his party.”
Advertisement
On some issues, reflecting public opinion has tempered Kurz. As opposed to much of Europe’s resurgent far-right, which is animated by nationalism, he supports the European Union, as do 40% of Austrians, according to a recent Eurobarometer poll. That’s up from 25% in 2013. The Freedom Party’s leadership lashed out at teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg for “climate hysteria” as recently as September. Kurz, meanwhile, has long appealed for international cooperation on climate change ― an issue 7 in 10 Austrian called “a very serious problem” in an April 2019 survey.
Supporters of the far-right Freedom Party hold campaign posters featuring their party leader Norbert Hofer during a September political event. The new government coalition has pushed back on the Freedom Party. ALEX HALADA via Getty Images
But on social issues, polling raises some concerns. A shocking 12% of young Austrians said they had never heard of the Holocaust in a 2018 CNN study. A 2017 Pew Research Center poll found that nearly half of Austrians said they would not accept a Muslim into their family, compared with just 15% of Americans. Those sentiments could worsen as temperatures rise, as study after study suggests that rising temperatures increase aggression and violence on both the geopolitical and individual levels.
Blossoms Of (Melting) Snow
Austria is feeling the heat on climate change. Receding snowfall in the Alps is hurting Austria’s snow-sporting industry, and higher temperatures are spreading invasive bark beetles in once lush alpine forests. But heatwaves are proving the most devastating. The hot spell that roasted Europe last June broke monthly records in mountainous Austria, where temperatures soared past 101 degrees Fahrenheit, shy of the all-time national record of 104.9 degrees.
Marc Olefs, head of the climate research department at Vienna’s Central Institution for Meteorology and Geodynamics, called heatwaves “the climate impact with the biggest consequences on health” and the most likely to cause increased mortality rates in Austria.
Advertisement
Globally, the bigger concern is how climate change will affect the billions living in poorer, hotter countries. Catastrophic weather events, which are expected to grow more intense and frequent as average temperatures climb, already have displaced an average of 24 million people per year since 2008, according to the Swiss-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. That sort of mass movement within borders creates political instability that potentially breeds conflict, driving even more to seek asylum in stable, wealthy countries like Austria, which ranks among the World Bank’s richest per capita.
“There’s a very fine line between political feasibility and pragmatism on the part of the Green party and appeasement of right-wing, anti-immigrant interests.” - Betsy Hartmann, a researcher who studies eco-fascism
In 2018, Austria granted asylum to 20,326 applicants, nearly 6,000 of whom were initially rejected and successfully appealed the decision, according to data from the European Council on Refugees and Exiles. The country turned away 32,221, amounting to a 57% rejection rate.
For comparison, Germany ― a far larger country, whose Christian Democratic Union government is considered an ideological bedfellow of Austria’s conservatives ― rejected just under 50% of its applicants in 2018.
Austrians do seem to be struggling with demographic change and a desire for “only high-qualified migrants,” said Kathrin Stainer-Hämmerle, a political scientist and professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Carinthia. “But Kurz is not a far-right politician. He’s a young, modern conservative leader. He has an ideological flexibility.”
Advertisement
Political malleability in an increasingly chaotic world could bend a leader rightward. As it stands, climate researchers are modeling five Socioeconomic Shared Pathways (SSPs) policymakers could take as temperatures likely blow past the 1.5 degrees Celsius average beyond which the United Nations projects catastrophic changes. The bleakest of those scenarios, called SSP3, envisions “resurgent nationalism” and policies that “shift over time to become increasingly oriented toward national and regional security issues, including barriers to trade,” according to a 2015 paper in the journal Climatic Change. Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at the think tank Berkeley Earth, told Earther last week that the world is currently on an “SSP3-ish” trajectory.
That may not yet entirely apply to Austria. But in a country whose Nazi past, including with Third Reich’s reverence for the purity of nature, remains a living memory, Hartmann warned that adding the urgency of dealing with ecological collapse to Kurz’s anti-immigrant agenda represents a “dangerous slipperiness.”
“It’s not Marine Le Pen, exactly,” she said. “But it’s going in that direction.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Michelle Obama Talks About 'New Perspective' In Thoughtful Birthday Post

Michelle Obama opened up about having a “ new perspective ” in an Instagram post marking her 56th birthday on @ @ @ @ @ lady shared a photo of herself with a group of friends posing in front of @ @ @ @ @ you all for the wonderful birthday wishes !
” Obama wrote .
“ With the @ @ @ @ @ this birthday brings with it a new perspective—a fresh breath—along my journey.
” She and @ @ @ @ @ two daughters , Malia , 21 , and Sasha , 18 .
Malia started college @ @ @ @ @ , and Sasha two years later .
The “ Becoming ” author also noted that @ @ @ @ @ devoting quality time to her friends , herself and “ of course , to that @ @ @ @ @ Obama celebrated his wife ’ s birthday on Friday by sharing a series of photo @ @ @ @ @ hugging each other .
The former president threw up a peace sign in one photo @ @ @ @ @ , you are my star , ” he captioned the post .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Michelle Obama opened up about having a “new perspective” in an Instagram post marking her 56th birthday on Friday.
The former first lady shared a photo of herself with a group of friends posing in front of a rainbow.
Advertisement
“Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes!” Obama wrote. “With the girls off at college, this birthday brings with it a new perspective—a fresh breath—along my journey.”
The “Becoming” author also noted that she was looking forward to devoting quality time to her friends, herself and “of course, to that husband of mine.”
Advertisement
Barack Obama celebrated his wife’s birthday on Friday by sharing a series of photo booth pictures of the two hugging each other. The former president threw up a peace sign in one photo.
“In every scene, you are my star,” he captioned the post.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Bernie Sanders Called The Democratic Party 'Intellectually Bankrupt' In 1985 Letter

Sanders , who has served as an independent in Congress — first in the House and now in the Senate — since 1991 , is now among the leading Democratic candidates for president , second behind former Vice President Joe Biden in national polls , and tied for first in Iowa .
He ’ s raised more money than any other candidate in the Democratic primary , with more individual contributions .
His platform — which includes “ Medicare for All , ” tuition-free college , and wealth redistribution through aggressive taxes on the richest Americans — defines the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken the Democratic Party ’ s loyalty pledge and repeatedly promised to support whoever becomes the party nominee to defeat President Donald Trump .
But that hasn ’ t been enough for many of his critics in the party ’ s establishment , who are likely to point to the letter as evidence he doesn ’ t play nice with the party .
Sanders ’ three-paragraph missive was addressed to Marty Jezer , an author and progressive activist in the state .
Then-Mayor Sanders was writing in response to an August letter from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memo he wrote to Sanders had leaked to the press .
While the exact contents of the memo are unclear , Jezer ’ s letter indicates that it encouraged Sanders to run for Congress instead of challenging Kunin .
The Vermont senator ’ s critiques of the Democratic Party are well documented , as CNN reported last July .
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s , he was adamant that a progressive movement could not be built within the party and was highly critical of the moderate “ New Democrats ” who argued that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1960s , 1970s and early 1980s had alienated voters .
“ I think that nationally , the party has on issue after issue sold out so many times that if you go before the people and say , ‘ Hey , I ’ m a Democrat , ’ you don ’ t usually generate a lot of enthusiasm , ” Sanders said in 1991 about the idea of a progressive trying to work within the party .
Commenting on civil rights activist Jesse Jackson ’ s Democratic presidential runs in the 1980s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jackson ’ s decision to work “ within the Democratic Party.
” ( Sanders endorsed Jackson ’ s candidacy . )
His skepticism of the party continued in subsequent decades .
In 2011 , he said Democrats could be called “ Republican-lite ” for considering cuts to Social Security and Medicare in order to lessen the deficit .
And his first presidential campaign in 2016 didn ’ t shy away from blasting the party apparatus .
But the senator ’ s view of the party — and the role of progressive politics within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s since refined his critiques to focus on the “ corporate wing of the Democratic Party , ” which is composed of the same centrists , including organizations like Third Way , that pushed the party to the right during the 1980s and ’ 90s .
Jane Sanders , who did not recall the exact circumstances of her husband ’ s letter to Jezer , said this shift came about when he was elected to the House as an independent .
He knew that if Democrats didn ’ t let him into their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assigned to any committees and would be left out of the process altogether .
“ The decision that I made , as the longest-serving independent in the history of the United States Congress , I said , ‘ If we are going to win this race , we have to do it within the Democratic primary process , ’ ” Sanders said in a 2016 interview with NBC ’ s Chuck Todd .
He decided to not run as an independent because he didn ’ t want to be a “ spoiler ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fights when he has to fight , ” Jane Sanders said .
“ Bernie ’ s interest is getting things he wants done , done .
He found that he had to fight effectively against the Democratic Party at the beginning as mayor .
But over time , by organizing , he learned he can change the Democratic Party.
” That hasn ’ t been enough for many of his critics , who accuse him of only half-heartedly campaigning for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 after dragging out the primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to support down-ballot Democratic candidates who don ’ t share his progressive ideology .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) once told a fellow left-wing activist that the Democratic Party was too “intellectually bankrupt” to allow the progressive movement to flourish within it.
In a 1985 letter newly obtained by HuffPost in which Sanders debated running for governor, he wrote: “Whether I run for governor or not is really not important. What would be a tragedy, however, is for people with a radical vision to fall into the pathetic camp of the intellectually bankrupt Democratic Party.”
Advertisement
Times have changed.
Sanders, who has served as an independent in Congress — first in the House and now in the Senate — since 1991, is now among the leading Democratic candidates for president, second behind former Vice President Joe Biden in national polls, and tied for first in Iowa. He’s raised more money than any other candidate in the Democratic primary, with more individual contributions. His platform — which includes “Medicare for All,” tuition-free college, and wealth redistribution through aggressive taxes on the richest Americans — defines the party’s progressive wing.
He has taken the Democratic Party’s loyalty pledge and repeatedly promised to support whoever becomes the party nominee to defeat President Donald Trump. But that hasn’t been enough for many of his critics in the party’s establishment, who are likely to point to the letter as evidence he doesn’t play nice with the party.
At the start of his career in politics, Sanders viewed the Democratic Party as hopeless. By 1985, he had already made several failed bids for elected office in Vermont as a member of the progressive Liberty Union party. He finally succeeded in 1981, becoming mayor of Burlington, the state’s largest city, and toppling a five-term Democratic mayor.
“At the beginning, the Democrats were very angry with him,” Jane Sanders, Sanders’ wife, said in an interview with HuffPost. Burlington’s Board of Aldermen — a part-time, 13-seat city council — resisted Sanders’ efforts. “They wouldn’t let him appoint any of the mayoral appointments. They stopped him from hiring the city attorney, city clerk, city treasure ... [The Democrats] were outright enemies in the beginning.”
Advertisement
Sanders never won full control of city government, but he organized enough voters to elect some allies onto the board and win veto power. He soon became popular enough to win reelection by a 20-point margin.
The Sept. 5, 1985 letter ― which has not previously been reported on ― came as Sanders was considering a run for governor, and left-wing activists in the state and around the country were debating whether he should mount an independent bid or launch a primary challenge to the state’s Democratic governor, Madeleine Kunin.
A Sept. 5, 1985, letter from then-Burlington, Vermont, Mayor Bernie Sanders to Marty Jezer, a progressive activist. Obtained by HuffPost
Sanders’ three-paragraph missive was addressed to Marty Jezer, an author and progressive activist in the state. Then-Mayor Sanders was writing in response to an August letter from Jezer in which he apologized that a memo he wrote to Sanders had leaked to the press. While the exact contents of the memo are unclear, Jezer’s letter indicates that it encouraged Sanders to run for Congress instead of challenging Kunin.
“1986 is the wrong time for such a race,” Jezer, who died in 2005, wrote. “I hope you will listen to the voices of the committed activists around the state. We sink or swim with this together.”
Advertisement
Sanders ultimately reached a different conclusion: He ran against Kunin as an independent. But the decision was not without dissent. An editorial from the socialist magazine In These Times criticized Sanders for dividing the left.
“In choosing to create a three-way race, Sanders is dividing the left and making more likely the defeat of an incumbent liberal woman governor by a more conservative Republican,” In These Times wrote. (At the time, Kunin was one of only two female governors in the country.)
The editorial prompted Sanders to reply: “I believe that the real changes that are needed in this country … are not going to be brought about by working within the Democratic Party or the Republican Party.”
Kunin eventually won reelection with 47% of the vote. Republican Peter Smith finished second, earning 38% of the vote, while Sanders finished third with just 14%.
The Vermont senator’s critiques of the Democratic Party are well documented, as CNN reported last July. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he was adamant that a progressive movement could not be built within the party and was highly critical of the moderate “New Democrats” who argued that the party’s progressivism in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s had alienated voters.
Advertisement
“I think that nationally, the party has on issue after issue sold out so many times that if you go before the people and say, ‘Hey, I’m a Democrat,’ you don’t usually generate a lot of enthusiasm,” Sanders said in 1991 about the idea of a progressive trying to work within the party.
Commenting on civil rights activist Jesse Jackson’s Democratic presidential runs in the 1980s, Sanders said he did not agree with Jackson’s decision to work “within the Democratic Party.” (Sanders endorsed Jackson’s candidacy.) His skepticism of the party continued in subsequent decades. In 2011, he said Democrats could be called “Republican-lite” for considering cuts to Social Security and Medicare in order to lessen the deficit. And his first presidential campaign in 2016 didn’t shy away from blasting the party apparatus.
Sanders’ willingness to criticize the Democratic Party speaks to the progressive bona fides highlighted by his supporters. His campaign often relies on decades-old videos of Sanders warning against the Iraq war, multinational trade deals and the climate crisis using the same rhetoric he still uses today.
But the senator’s view of the party — and the role of progressive politics within it — has evolved. He’s since refined his critiques to focus on the “corporate wing of the Democratic Party,” which is composed of the same centrists, including organizations like Third Way, that pushed the party to the right during the 1980s and ’90s.
Jane Sanders, who did not recall the exact circumstances of her husband’s letter to Jezer, said this shift came about when he was elected to the House as an independent. He knew that if Democrats didn’t let him into their caucus, he wouldn’t be assigned to any committees and would be left out of the process altogether.
Advertisement
“He believed that the two-party system was bankrupt, but as he was put in a position by the people of Vermont to effect real change, he had to consider, how do you effect real change?” Jane Sanders said. “His concern isn’t party politics.”
By 2015, when he launched his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sanders had fully changed his mind about the ability for progressive politics to flourish within the party.
“The decision that I made, as the longest-serving independent in the history of the United States Congress, I said, ‘If we are going to win this race, we have to do it within the Democratic primary process,’” Sanders said in a 2016 interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd. He decided to not run as an independent because he didn’t want to be a “spoiler” in the presidential race.
“Bernie fights when he has to fight,” Jane Sanders said. “Bernie’s interest is getting things he wants done, done. He found that he had to fight effectively against the Democratic Party at the beginning as mayor. But over time, by organizing, he learned he can change the Democratic Party.”
Sanders’ relationship with the party has notably softened since that first presidential run. He served on the Senate Democrats’ leadership team and his 2016 campaign managed to push the Democratic National Committee to change rules around “superdelegates,” lessening the power of party insiders in the nominating process.
Advertisement
That hasn’t been enough for many of his critics, who accuse him of only half-heartedly campaigning for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 after dragging out the primary, and question whether he would be willing to support down-ballot Democratic candidates who don’t share his progressive ideology.
Jane Sanders said she hadn’t spoken with her husband about how he would engage in party politics should he be elected president. But she was explicit about how he approaches it currently.
“If you organize, the people will elect new people,” Jane Sanders said, citing those like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who famously ousted a top-ranking House Democrat in the 2018 midterm elections. “You will see Bernie supporting and raising money for the best of the Democrats. You will not see him doing that for others.”
But former Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat who has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 nominating contest, said he was skeptical that Sanders could keep the party together during an election against Trump.
“The notion that [Sanders] would lead the national Democratic Party would be repugnant to both Democrats and to Bernie Sanders, because he’s not a Democrat,” Shumlin told HuffPost in a phone interview. “He’d be the first one to tell you that.”
Advertisement
That the party’s policy debates have only now caught up to him was Sanders’ opening pitch to voters when he announced in early 2019 that he would run for president again.
“Over the last two years — and before — you and I and millions of Americans have stood up and fought for justice in every part of our society, and we’ve had some successes,” Sanders said when launching his 2020 bid.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Warm Water Patch Called 'The Blob' Fueled Biggest Known Seabird Die-Off In History

An estimated 1 million seabirds died along North America ’ s west coast during a marine heat wave , and scientists have now analyzed how their deaths were likely linked to a large mass of warm water known as “ the Blob.
” From summer 2015 to spring 2016 , about 62,000 dead or dying common murres were found washed up on shores from California to Alaska , scientists wrote in a study published in PLOS One this week .
The common murre , also known as the guillemot , is a medium-sized seabird that looks similar to a penguin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and had died of starvation .
Extrapolating from the percentage of dead seabirds that typically wash ashore , researchers estimated a total death toll for the common murre during that time period of about 1 million .
Reproduction also plummeted across the region .
While murre die-offs have happened in the past ― often coinciding with warmer-than-normal water temperatures ― the scope of the 2015-2016 mortality was shocking .
It was the largest mass die-off of seabirds in recorded history , according to a statement from the University of Washington , which partially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scale of this failure has no precedent , ” lead researcher John Piatt , a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey , said in the statement .
“ It was astonishing and alarming , and a red-flag warning about the tremendous impact sustained ocean warming can have on the marine ecosystem.
” Analyzing large amounts of data that included surveys of beached birds from the government and wildlife rehabilitation centers , recorded sea surface temperatures and reports from fisheries , researchers were able to determine how the heat wave fueled the murre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began washing ashore in 2015 , it was about two years into the Blob ’ s sweltering reign , the Los Angeles Times notes .
The mass of warm water had begun forming in the Gulf of Alaska in 2013 , and by April 2015 it was about 1,300 miles wide and 328 feet deep , New Scientist reported .
The researchers think that the Blob hit the common murres in multiple ways .
The higher water temperatures caused the fish that murres eat to flee to deeper , colder waters .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions in these prey fish , making them a lower-quality food source .
At the same time , the warmer waters increased the appetites of some species of predator fish that eat the same prey as the murres .
In other words , as the birds ’ food source became harder to access and less nutritious , their competitors for that food also got hungrier .
“ As the bottom of the ecosystem was shifting in not good ways , the top of the ecosystem was demanding a lot more food , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sciences professor Julia Parrish told the LA Times .
Those conditions led to “ intense competition for absolutely not enough food , which is what killed them.
” Murres are not in danger of going extinct , Piatt told New Scientist .
But the affected populations could take years to get back to their former numbers .
And researchers see what happened as a harbinger of things to come in a warming world .
The murre die-off , along with other mass seabird mortalities over the past decade , “ demonstrates that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment and a very different coastal ecosystem for many marine species , ” said Parrish in a statement .
“ Seabirds , as highly visible members of that system , are bellwethers of that change .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
An estimated 1 million seabirds died along North America’s west coast during a marine heat wave, and scientists have now analyzed how their deaths were likely linked to a large mass of warm water known as “the Blob.”
From summer 2015 to spring 2016, about 62,000 dead or dying common murres were found washed up on shores from California to Alaska, scientists wrote in a study published in PLOS One this week. The common murre, also known as the guillemot, is a medium-sized seabird that looks similar to a penguin.
Advertisement
A common murre on a cliff ledge nest in the Farne Islands of Northumberland, England. bearacreative via Getty Images
Most of the birds were emaciated and had died of starvation. Extrapolating from the percentage of dead seabirds that typically wash ashore, researchers estimated a total death toll for the common murre during that time period of about 1 million. Reproduction also plummeted across the region.
While murre die-offs have happened in the past ― often coinciding with warmer-than-normal water temperatures ― the scope of the 2015-2016 mortality was shocking. It was the largest mass die-off of seabirds in recorded history, according to a statement from the University of Washington, which partially funded the study.
Two common murres. mauribo via Getty Images
Advertisement
“The magnitude and scale of this failure has no precedent,” lead researcher John Piatt, a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said in the statement. “It was astonishing and alarming, and a red-flag warning about the tremendous impact sustained ocean warming can have on the marine ecosystem.”
Analyzing large amounts of data that included surveys of beached birds from the government and wildlife rehabilitation centers, recorded sea surface temperatures and reports from fisheries, researchers were able to determine how the heat wave fueled the murre die-off.
When huge numbers of birds began washing ashore in 2015, it was about two years into the Blob’s sweltering reign, the Los Angeles Times notes. The mass of warm water had begun forming in the Gulf of Alaska in 2013, and by April 2015 it was about 1,300 miles wide and 328 feet deep, New Scientist reported.
The researchers think that the Blob hit the common murres in multiple ways. The higher water temperatures caused the fish that murres eat to flee to deeper, colder waters. The warmer temperatures also led to poorer body conditions in these prey fish, making them a lower-quality food source.
At the same time, the warmer waters increased the appetites of some species of predator fish that eat the same prey as the murres. In other words, as the birds’ food source became harder to access and less nutritious, their competitors for that food also got hungrier.
Advertisement
Dead common murres lie washed up on a rocky beach in Whittier, Alaska, on Jan. 8, 2016. AP Photo/Mark Thiessen
“As the bottom of the ecosystem was shifting in not good ways, the top of the ecosystem was demanding a lot more food,” study co-author and University of Washington marine sciences professor Julia Parrish told the LA Times. Those conditions led to “intense competition for absolutely not enough food, which is what killed them.”
Murres are not in danger of going extinct, Piatt told New Scientist. But the affected populations could take years to get back to their former numbers. And researchers see what happened as a harbinger of things to come in a warming world.
Dead common murres lie washed ashore in Whittier, Alaska, in 2016. AP Photo/Mark Thiessen
The murre die-off, along with other mass seabird mortalities over the past decade, “demonstrates that a warmer ocean world is a very different environment and a very different coastal ecosystem for many marine species,” said Parrish in a statement. “Seabirds, as highly visible members of that system, are bellwethers of that change.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--House Democrats And White House File Arguments Ahead Of Impeachment Trial

The House ’ s 111-page brief pulls together the private and public testimony of a dozen witnesses ― ambassadors and national security officials at high levels of government ― who raised concerns about the president ’ s actions with Ukraine .
Stripped of legalese and structured in plain English , the document underscored the extent to which the impeachment proceedings are a political rather than conventional legal process .
The Trump team similarly offered a taste of the rhetoric expected to be deployed by the president ’ s defenders in the Senate .
In their brief , the House managers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear that the “ evidence overwhelmingly establishes ” that Trump is guilty of both charges .
“ The only remaining question is whether the members of the Senate will accept and carry out the responsibility placed on them by the Framers of our Constitution and their constitutional Oaths , ” the brief states .
Trump ’ s attorneys argue that the articles of impeachment are unconstitutional in and of themselves and invalid because they don ’ t allege a crime .
Trump was impeached by the House on one count each of abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under the Constitution impeachment is a political , not a criminal process , and the president can be removed from office if found guilty of whatever lawmakers consider “ high crimes and misdemeanors.
” Trump ’ s answer to the summons was the first salvo in what will be several rounds of arguments before the trial formally begin on Tuesday .
Trump will file a more detailed legal brief on Monday , and the House will be able to respond to the Trump filing on Tuesday .
Dershowitz said he will deliver constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abused his power .
Trump is also accused of obstructing Congress as it sought to investigate pressure he applied on Ukraine ’ s president to announce an investigation into Trump ’ s political rivals as the president withheld the security aid and a White House meeting as leverage .
Some in the administration have echoed warnings from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , that the pleadings must be sensitive to the Senate ’ s more staid traditions and leave some of the sharper rhetoric exhibited during the House proceedings to Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional expert whose expansive views of presidential powers echo those of Trump .
Starr is a veteran of Washington ’ s partisan battles after leading the investigation into Clinton ’ s affair with a White House intern .
The House impeached Clinton , who then was acquitted at his Senate trial .
Trump is expecting the same outcome from the Republican-led chamber .
Dershowitz sought to play down his role in the case in the hours after he was named to the team , saying he would be present for just about an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House lawyers succeeded in keeping Trump from adding House Republican lawmakers to the defense team , but they also advised him against tapping Dershowitz , according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions .
They ’ re concerned about the professor ’ s association with Jeffrey Epstein , the financier who killed himself in a New York City jail cell last summer while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges .
Other members of Trump ’ s legal defense include Pam Bondi , the former Florida attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the president ’ s legal team during Mueller ’ s investigation ; Robert Ray , who was part of the Whitewater investigation of the Clintons ; and Eric D. Herschmann of the Kasowitz Benson Torres legal firm , which has represented Trump in numerous cases over the last 15 years .
Giuliani , who many in the White House blame for leading Trump down the path to impeachment by fueling Ukraine conspiracies , had previously expressed interest in being on the legal team .
But he said Friday his focus would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More recently , he was removed as president of Baylor University and then resigned as chancellor of the school in the wake of a review critical of the university ’ s handling of sexual assault allegations against football players .
Starr said his resignation was the result of the university ’ s board of regents seeking to place the school under new leadership following the scandal , not because he was accused of hiding or failing to act on information .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s legal team issued a fiery response ahead of opening arguments in his impeachment trial Saturday while House Democrats laid out their case in forceful fashion, saying the president had “abandoned his oath” and betrayed the public trust.
The dueling statements previewed arguments both sides intend to make once Trump’s impeachment trial begins in earnest on Tuesday. Both sides are seeking to make their case for a Republican-led Senate and for an American public bracing for a presidential election in 10 months.
Advertisement
The House’s 111-page brief pulls together the private and public testimony of a dozen witnesses ― ambassadors and national security officials at high levels of government ― who raised concerns about the president’s actions with Ukraine. Stripped of legalese and structured in plain English, the document underscored the extent to which the impeachment proceedings are a political rather than conventional legal process. The Trump team similarly offered a taste of the rhetoric expected to be deployed by the president’s defenders in the Senate.
In their brief, the House managers overseeing the prosecution wrote that it is clear that the “evidence overwhelmingly establishes” that Trump is guilty of both charges. “The only remaining question is whether the members of the Senate will accept and carry out the responsibility placed on them by the Framers of our Constitution and their constitutional Oaths,” the brief states.
The Trump team, meanwhile, called the Senate’s formal impeachment summons to two articles of impeachment passed by the House last month “a dangerous attack on the right of the American people to freely choose their president.”
Advertisement
“This is a brazen and unlawful attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 election and interfere with the 2020 election, now just months away,” the filing states.
Trump’s legal team, led by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump personal lawyer Jay Sekulow, is challenging the impeachment on both procedural and constitutional grounds, claiming Trump has been mistreated by House Democrats and that he did nothing wrong.
Trump’s attorneys argue that the articles of impeachment are unconstitutional in and of themselves and invalid because they don’t allege a crime. Trump was impeached by the House on one count each of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Under the Constitution impeachment is a political, not a criminal process, and the president can be removed from office if found guilty of whatever lawmakers consider “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Trump’s answer to the summons was the first salvo in what will be several rounds of arguments before the trial formally begin on Tuesday. Trump will file a more detailed legal brief on Monday, and the House will be able to respond to the Trump filing on Tuesday.
Trump on Friday named Ken Starr, the prosecutor whose investigation two decades ago led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, along with former Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz, to his defense team.
Advertisement
The additions bring experience in the politics of impeachment as well as constitutional law to Trump’s made-for-TV legal team. Both Starr and Dershowitz have been fixtures on Fox News Channel, Trump’s preferred television network.
Dershowitz said he will deliver constitutional arguments defending Trump from allegations that he abused his power. Trump is also accused of obstructing Congress as it sought to investigate pressure he applied on Ukraine’s president to announce an investigation into Trump’s political rivals as the president withheld the security aid and a White House meeting as leverage.
Trump says he did nothing wrong and argues that Democrats have been out to get him since before he took office.
A legal brief from the White House laying out the contours of Trump’s defense was due by noon Monday, and White House attorneys and Trump’s outside legal team have been debating just how political the document should be.
Some in the administration have echoed warnings from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., that the pleadings must be sensitive to the Senate’s more staid traditions and leave some of the sharper rhetoric exhibited during the House proceedings to Twitter and cable news.
Advertisement
Dershowitz is a constitutional expert whose expansive views of presidential powers echo those of Trump. Starr is a veteran of Washington’s partisan battles after leading the investigation into Clinton’s affair with a White House intern. The House impeached Clinton, who then was acquitted at his Senate trial. Trump is expecting the same outcome from the Republican-led chamber.
Still, the lead roles for Trump’s defense will be played by Cipollone and Sekulow, who also represented Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Dershowitz sought to play down his role in the case in the hours after he was named to the team, saying he would be present for just about an hour to make the constitutional arguments.
“I’m not a full-fledged member of the defense team,” he told “The Dan Abrams Show” on SiriusXM.
White House lawyers succeeded in keeping Trump from adding House Republican lawmakers to the defense team, but they also advised him against tapping Dershowitz, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions. They’re concerned about the professor’s association with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who killed himself in a New York City jail cell last summer while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
A Fox News host said on the air that Starr would be parting ways with the network as a result of his role on the legal team.
Advertisement
Other members of Trump’s legal defense include Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general; Jane Raskin, who was part of the president’s legal team during Mueller’s investigation; Robert Ray, who was part of the Whitewater investigation of the Clintons; and Eric D. Herschmann of the Kasowitz Benson Torres legal firm, which has represented Trump in numerous cases over the last 15 years.
Giuliani, a former New York-based federal prosecutor as well as the city’s former mayor, told The Associated Press the president had assembled a “top-notch” defense team and he was not disappointed at being excluded from it.
Giuliani, who many in the White House blame for leading Trump down the path to impeachment by fueling Ukraine conspiracies, had previously expressed interest in being on the legal team. But he said Friday his focus would be on being a potential witness.
Trump was impeached by the House in December. Senators were sworn in as jurors Thursday by Chief Justice John Roberts, who will preside over the trial.
Starr, besides his 1990s role as independent counsel, was a U.S. solicitor general and federal circuit court judge.
Advertisement
More recently, he was removed as president of Baylor University and then resigned as chancellor of the school in the wake of a review critical of the university’s handling of sexual assault allegations against football players. Starr said his resignation was the result of the university’s board of regents seeking to place the school under new leadership following the scandal, not because he was accused of hiding or failing to act on information.
Dershowitz’s reputation has been damaged in recent years by his association with Epstein. One of Epstein’s alleged victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has accused Dershowitz of participating in her abuse. Dershowitz has denied it and has been battling in court for years with Giuffre and her lawyers. He recently wrote a book, “Guilt by Accusation,” rejecting her allegations.
Giuffre and Dershowitz are also suing each other for defamation.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Dems Gear Up To Make Case For Trump's Removal

In response , the White House disagreed and said it does not have to follow decisions by the accountability office because it is an arm of Congress .
White House officials also have noted that Trump eventually sent the $ 400 million in aid to Ukraine .
But the GAO report and Parnas documents intensified the pressure senators have been under to call more witnesses for the trial , a major source of disagreement between Democrats and Republicans that has yet to be resolved .
The White House has instructed officials to disregard subpoenas from Congress seeking for them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other information .
Dershowitz said he will deliver constitutional arguments defending Trump from allegations that he abused his power .
Trump is also accused of obstructing Congress as it sought to investigate pressure he applied on Ukraine ’ s president to announce an investigation into Trump ’ s political rivals as the president withheld the security aid and a White House meeting as leverage .
A legal brief from the White House laying out the contours of Trump ’ s defense was due by noon Monday , and White House attorneys and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been debating just how political the document should be .
Some in the administration have echoed warnings from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , that the pleadings must be sensitive to the Senate ’ s more staid traditions and leave some of the sharper rhetoric exhibited during the House proceedings to Twitter and cable news .
Dershowitz is a constitutional expert whose expansive views of presidential powers echo those of Trump .
Starr is a veteran of Washington ’ s partisan battles after leading the investigation into Clinton ’ s affair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House impeached Clinton , who then was acquitted at his Senate trial .
Trump is expecting the same outcome from the Republican-led chamber .
Dershowitz sought to play down his role in the case in the hours after he was named to the team , saying he would be present for just about an hour to make the constitutional arguments .
White House lawyers succeeded in keeping Trump from adding House Republican lawmakers to the defense team , but they also advised him against tapping Dershowitz , according to two people who spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussions .
They ’ re concerned about the professor ’ s association with Jeffrey Epstein , the financier who killed himself in a New York City jail cell last summer while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges .
Other members of Trump ’ s legal defense include Pam Bondi , the former Florida attorney general ; Jane Raskin , who was part of the president ’ s legal team during Mueller ’ s investigation ; Robert Ray , who was part of the Whitewater investigation of the Clintons ; and Eric D. Herschmann @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has represented Trump in numerous cases over the last 15 years .
Giuliani , who many in the White House blame for leading Trump down the path to impeachment by fueling Ukraine conspiracies , had previously expressed interest in being on the legal team .
But he said Friday his focus would be on being a potential witness .
More recently , he was removed as president of Baylor University and then resigned as chancellor of the school in the wake of a review critical of the university ’ s handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Starr said his resignation was the result of the university ’ s board of regents seeking to place the school under new leadership following the scandal , not because he was accused of hiding or failing to act on information .

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats were preparing to outline their case for removing President Donald Trump from office in a legal brief due Saturday, as opposing sides in the impeachment case look ahead to the opening of the historic trial in the Senate.
Trump on Friday appointed several nationally known lawyers to the team that will defend him in the proceedings, set to open Tuesday afternoon.
The submission of the legal brief, due by 5 p.m. Saturday, follows the latest revelations in the case against Trump.
Advertisement
Democrats on Friday released more information — documents, text messages, audio and photos — turned over by Lev Parnas, an indicted associate of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. The release included multiple photos of Parnas, a Soviet-born Florida businessman, posing with Giuliani or Trump or Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son.
It included messages between Parnas and a staff member for Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., a Trump ally who opposes the president’s impeachment by the House. Parnas appeared to be connecting the staff member to Ukrainian officials who pushed unfounded corruption allegations against former Vice President Joe Biden.
The documents also raised more questions about the surveillance and security of former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch. In them, an unidentified individual with a Belgian country code appears to describe Yovanovitch’s movements.
Advertisement
The document release followed Thursday’s announcement by the Government Accountability Office that the White House violated federal law by withholding congressionally approved security aid to Ukraine, which shares a border with a hostile Russia.
In response, the White House disagreed and said it does not have to follow decisions by the accountability office because it is an arm of Congress. White House officials also have noted that Trump eventually sent the $400 million in aid to Ukraine.
But the GAO report and Parnas documents intensified the pressure senators have been under to call more witnesses for the trial, a major source of disagreement between Democrats and Republicans that has yet to be resolved. The White House has instructed officials to disregard subpoenas from Congress seeking for them to appear as witnesses or turn over documents or other information.
Trump on Friday named Ken Starr, the prosecutor whose investigation two decades ago led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, along with former Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz, to his defense team.
The additions bring experience in the politics of impeachment as well as constitutional law to Trump’s made-for-TV legal team. Both Starr and Dershowitz have been fixtures on Fox News Channel, Trump’s preferred television network.
Advertisement
Dershowitz said he will deliver constitutional arguments defending Trump from allegations that he abused his power. Trump is also accused of obstructing Congress as it sought to investigate pressure he applied on Ukraine’s president to announce an investigation into Trump’s political rivals as the president withheld the security aid and a White House meeting as leverage.
Trump says he did nothing wrong and argues that Democrats have been out to get him since before he took office.
A legal brief from the White House laying out the contours of Trump’s defense was due by noon Monday, and White House attorneys and Trump’s outside legal team have been debating just how political the document should be.
Some in the administration have echoed warnings from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., that the pleadings must be sensitive to the Senate’s more staid traditions and leave some of the sharper rhetoric exhibited during the House proceedings to Twitter and cable news.
Dershowitz is a constitutional expert whose expansive views of presidential powers echo those of Trump. Starr is a veteran of Washington’s partisan battles after leading the investigation into Clinton’s affair with a White House intern. The House impeached Clinton, who then was acquitted at his Senate trial. Trump is expecting the same outcome from the Republican-led chamber.
Advertisement
Still, the lead roles for Trump’s defense will be played by White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump personal lawyer Jay Sekulow, who also represented Trump during special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Dershowitz sought to play down his role in the case in the hours after he was named to the team, saying he would be present for just about an hour to make the constitutional arguments.
“I’m not a full-fledged member of the defense team,” he told “The Dan Abrams Show” on SiriusXM.
White House lawyers succeeded in keeping Trump from adding House Republican lawmakers to the defense team, but they also advised him against tapping Dershowitz, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions. They’re concerned about the professor’s association with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who killed himself in a New York City jail cell last summer while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
A Fox News host said on the air that Starr would be parting ways with the network as a result of his role on the legal team.
Other members of Trump’s legal defense include Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general; Jane Raskin, who was part of the president’s legal team during Mueller’s investigation; Robert Ray, who was part of the Whitewater investigation of the Clintons; and Eric D. Herschmann of the Kasowitz Benson Torres legal firm, which has represented Trump in numerous cases over the last 15 years.
Advertisement
Giuliani, a former New York-based federal prosecutor, told The Associated Press the president had assembled a “top-notch” defense team and he was not disappointed at being excluded from it.
Giuliani, who many in the White House blame for leading Trump down the path to impeachment by fueling Ukraine conspiracies, had previously expressed interest in being on the legal team. But he said Friday his focus would be on being a potential witness.
Trump was impeached by the House in December. Senators were sworn in as jurors Thursday by Chief Justice John Roberts, who will preside over the trial.
Starr, besides his 1990s role as independent counsel, is a former U.S. solicitor general and federal circuit court judge.
More recently, he was removed as president of Baylor University and then resigned as chancellor of the school in the wake of a review critical of the university’s handling of sexual assault allegations against football players. Starr said his resignation was the result of the university’s board of regents seeking to place the school under new leadership following the scandal, not because he was accused of hiding or failing to act on information.
Advertisement
Dershowitz’s reputation has been damaged in recent years by his association with Epstein. One of Epstein’s alleged victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has accused Dershowitz of participating in her abuse. Dershowitz has denied it and has been battling in court for years with Giuffre and her lawyers. He recently wrote a book, “Guilt by Accusation,” rejecting her allegations.
Giuffre and Dershowitz are also suing each other for defamation.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Lebanon Police Fire Tear Gas, Water Cannons At Protesters Amid Riot

BEIRUT ( AP ) — Riot police fired tear gas and sprayed water cannon near parliament in Lebanon ’ s capital Saturday to disperse thousands of protesters after riots broke out during a march against the ruling elite amid a severe economic crisis .
The riots began when some protesters started throwing stones at police deployed near the parliament building while others removed street signs and metal barriers and hurled them at security forces .
Protesters also threw firecrackers at police .
As rioting took place in central Beirut , thousands of other protesters arrived later from three different parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Lebanese Red Cross said it took 30 people to hospitals , while 45 others were treated on the spot .
Lebanon has witnessed three months of protests against the political elites who have ruled the country since the end of the 1975-90 civil war .
The protesters blame politicians for widespread corruption and mismanagement in a country that has accumulated one of the largest debt ratios in the world .
The protesters had called for a demonstration Saturday afternoon with the theme “ we will not pay the price ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 87 billion , or more than 150 % of GDP .
Panic and anger gripped the public as they watched their local currency , pegged to the dollar for more than two decades , plummet , losing more than 60 % of its value in recent weeks on the black market .
The economy has seen no growth and foreign inflows dried up in the already heavily indebted country that relies on imports for most of its basic goods .
Earlier this week , protesters carried out acts of vandalism in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private banks .
Adding to the crisis , Lebanon has been without a government since Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned Oct. 29 , meeting a key demand of the protesters .
Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab had been expected to announce an 18-member Cabinet on Friday , but last-minute disputes among political factions scuttled his latest attempt .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
BEIRUT (AP) — Riot police fired tear gas and sprayed water cannon near parliament in Lebanon’s capital Saturday to disperse thousands of protesters after riots broke out during a march against the ruling elite amid a severe economic crisis.
The riots began when some protesters started throwing stones at police deployed near the parliament building while others removed street signs and metal barriers and hurled them at security forces. Protesters also threw firecrackers at police.
Advertisement
As rioting took place in central Beirut, thousands of other protesters arrived later from three different parts of the city to join the demonstration.
The Lebanese Red Cross said it took 30 people to hospitals, while 45 others were treated on the spot.
Lebanon has witnessed three months of protests against the political elites who have ruled the country since the end of the 1975-90 civil war. The protesters blame politicians for widespread corruption and mismanagement in a country that has accumulated one of the largest debt ratios in the world.
The protesters had called for a demonstration Saturday afternoon with the theme “we will not pay the price” in reference to debt that stands at about $87 billion, or more than 150% of GDP.
Advertisement
Panic and anger gripped the public as they watched their local currency, pegged to the dollar for more than two decades, plummet, losing more than 60% of its value in recent weeks on the black market. The economy has seen no growth and foreign inflows dried up in the already heavily indebted country that relies on imports for most of its basic goods.
Meanwhile, banks have imposed informal capital controls, limiting withdrawal of dollars and foreign transfers.
Earlier this week, protesters carried out acts of vandalism in a main commercial area in Beirut targeting mostly private banks.
Adding to the crisis, Lebanon has been without a government since Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned Oct. 29, meeting a key demand of the protesters.
Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab had been expected to announce an 18-member Cabinet on Friday, but last-minute disputes among political factions scuttled his latest attempt.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Iowa And Nevada Will Caucus With Mobile Apps Despite Hacking Fears

IOWA CITY , Iowa ( AP ) — Two of the first three states to vote in the Democratic presidential race will use new mobile apps to gather results from thousands of caucus sites — technology intended to make counting easier but that raises concerns of hacking or glitches .
Democratic Party activists in Iowa and Nevada will use programs downloaded to their personal phones to report the results of caucus gatherings to the state headquarters .
That data will then be used to announce the unofficial winners .
Paper records will later be used to certify the results .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology amid warnings that foreign hackers could target the 2020 presidential campaign to try to sow chaos and undermine American democracy .
Party officials say they are cognizant of the threat and taking numerous security precautions .
Any errors , they say , will be easily correctable because of backups .
The technology aims to produce a more efficient and reliable way of calculating and releasing results to the public than the complicated math and thousands of phone calls that the caucus system has long relied upon .
But the use of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coupled with the high stakes of the contests , has concerned some observers .
They worry that unofficial results could be inaccurate if hackers or other problems taint the data .
That ’ s a problem even if the paper backups eventually provide an accurate tally .
Microsoft developed an app that was used by both political parties in the 2016 Iowa caucuses and credited with helping obtain results from 95 % of precincts within four hours .
During that cycle , Microsoft ’ s role was announced months beforehand , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be really nice to know who developed it , how competent they are and what oversight they were subjected to , ” said Douglas Jones , a University of Iowa computer science professor and election security expert .
“ The caucus night reporting , which is so important in determining which candidates drop out , which continue , who gets a boost from the caucus — all of that is definitely vulnerable to an attack on the app.
” Jones said hacking could take several forms .
Hackers could try to corrupt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , activate malware that might be lurking on phones or target the server that houses the app .
Another concern : The app could crash amid heavy use as precincts report results .
He and others agreed that the official results of the Feb. 3 Iowa and Feb. 22 Nevada caucuses will eventually be accurate .
Each precinct keeps paper copies of the results and numerous participants at each site will know the precise outcome .
Because of hacking concerns , the Democratic National Committee scrapped the Iowa party ’ s plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to attend in person could use smartphones to record their preferences .
Party officials said the risks posed by the reporting apps were much lower than with electronic voting .
The Belfer Center at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government conducted simulation and training exercises with Iowa officials that included scenarios in which there were problems with a mobile reporting app .
The training emphasized the importance of using authentication , secure networks to transmit data and encryption to guard against attacks .
“ I do think that we need to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for how seriously they looked at all these issues , ” said Eric Rosenbach , co-director of the Belfer Center .
DNC spokesman David Bergstein said national officials were coordinating with the Iowa party and the Department of Homeland Security “ to run efficient and secure caucuses.
” He said he is confident that state Democrats are “ taking the security of their caucuses extremely seriously from all perspectives.
” Party officials said they would not be sending the app to precinct chairs for downloading until just before the caucus — to narrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while using the app is encouraged , precinct chairs still have the option of phoning in results .
“ The Russians don ’ t care what ’ s on my phone , ” she said .
“ I know we ’ ve got the app , but we have a paper backup .
If there is a hack or something , there is the opportunity to correct it .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two of the first three states to vote in the Democratic presidential race will use new mobile apps to gather results from thousands of caucus sites — technology intended to make counting easier but that raises concerns of hacking or glitches.
Democratic Party activists in Iowa and Nevada will use programs downloaded to their personal phones to report the results of caucus gatherings to the state headquarters. That data will then be used to announce the unofficial winners. Paper records will later be used to certify the results.
Advertisement
The party is moving ahead with the technology amid warnings that foreign hackers could target the 2020 presidential campaign to try to sow chaos and undermine American democracy. Party officials say they are cognizant of the threat and taking numerous security precautions. Any errors, they say, will be easily correctable because of backups.
“We continue to work closely with security experts to test our systems and identify incidents, including disinformation monitoring, and we are confident in the security systems we have in place,” said Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price.
The technology aims to produce a more efficient and reliable way of calculating and releasing results to the public than the complicated math and thousands of phone calls that the caucus system has long relied upon.
But the use of a new app by an unidentified developer, coupled with the high stakes of the contests, has concerned some observers. They worry that unofficial results could be inaccurate if hackers or other problems taint the data. That’s a problem even if the paper backups eventually provide an accurate tally.
Advertisement
“Scary would be a darn good word,” said Brandon Potter, chief technology officer of ProCircular, an Iowa company that has done vulnerability assessments for local elections officials. “If it’s secure, awesome. But it opens up all kinds of questions.”
Party officials in both states declined to identify the vendor that developed their apps, saying they did not want to create a potential target for hackers.
Microsoft developed an app that was used by both political parties in the 2016 Iowa caucuses and credited with helping obtain results from 95% of precincts within four hours. During that cycle, Microsoft’s role was announced months beforehand, and the company discussed security measures.
Some critics say the party should again identify the developers, along with the certification and security testing they have gone through, to boost public confidence.
“It would be really nice to know who developed it, how competent they are and what oversight they were subjected to,” said Douglas Jones, a University of Iowa computer science professor and election security expert. “The caucus night reporting, which is so important in determining which candidates drop out, which continue, who gets a boost from the caucus — all of that is definitely vulnerable to an attack on the app.”
Advertisement
Jones said hacking could take several forms. Hackers could try to corrupt the app before it’s downloaded, activate malware that might be lurking on phones or target the server that houses the app. Another concern: The app could crash amid heavy use as precincts report results.
He and others agreed that the official results of the Feb. 3 Iowa and Feb. 22 Nevada caucuses will eventually be accurate. Each precinct keeps paper copies of the results and numerous participants at each site will know the precise outcome.
Because of hacking concerns, the Democratic National Committee scrapped the Iowa party’s plan to hold a virtual caucus in which those unable to attend in person could use smartphones to record their preferences. Party officials said the risks posed by the reporting apps were much lower than with electronic voting.
The state parties worked with the technical team at the DNC to vet developers and design security protocols around the use of the app.
The Belfer Center at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government conducted simulation and training exercises with Iowa officials that included scenarios in which there were problems with a mobile reporting app. The training emphasized the importance of using authentication, secure networks to transmit data and encryption to guard against attacks.
Advertisement
“I do think that we need to give the Iowa team a lot of credit for how seriously they looked at all these issues,” said Eric Rosenbach, co-director of the Belfer Center.
DNC spokesman David Bergstein said national officials were coordinating with the Iowa party and the Department of Homeland Security “to run efficient and secure caucuses.” He said he is confident that state Democrats are “taking the security of their caucuses extremely seriously from all perspectives.”
Party officials said they would not be sending the app to precinct chairs for downloading until just before the caucus — to narrow the window for any interference. And while using the app is encouraged, precinct chairs still have the option of phoning in results.
Democrat Ruth Thompson, who will chair a Des Moines precinct, said she was not concerned about security risks related to the app.
“The Russians don’t care what’s on my phone,” she said. “I know we’ve got the app, but we have a paper backup. If there is a hack or something, there is the opportunity to correct it.”
Advertisement
Hacking fears aren’t new. In 2012, a video purporting to be from the hacking collective Anonymous called on supporters to “peacefully shut down” the Republican caucuses. In response, party leaders increased their security measures for the website where the results were posted.
Ultimately, it was old-fashioned data errors that tainted the results that year: The party chairman on caucus night declared Mitt Romney the winner by eight votes over Rick Santorum. Two weeks later, Santorum was declared the winner by 34 votes when results were certified.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-18--Thousands Gather Across U.S. For 4th Women's March

Hundreds showed up in New York City and thousands in Washington , D.C. for the rallies , which aim to harness the political power of women , although crowds were noticeably smaller than in previous years .
Marches were scheduled Saturday in more than 180 cities .
The first marches in 2017 drew hundreds of thousands of people to rallies in cities across the country on the day after President Donald Trump was inaugurated .
That year ’ s D.C. march drew close to 1 million people .
In Manhattan on Saturday , hundreds of people who gathered at separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned to converge at Times Square as part of a “ Rise and Roar ” rally .
“ Today , we will be the change that is needed in this world !
Today , we rise into our power !
” activist Donna Hill told a cheering crowd in Foley Square .
In Denver , organizers opted to skip the rally after the march and instead invited participants to meet with local organizations to learn more about issues such as reproductive rights , climate change , gun safety and voting .
Several thousand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , far fewer than last year when about 100,000 people held a rally east of the White House .
But as in previous years , many of the protesters made the trip to the nation ’ s capital from cities across the country to express their opposition to Trump and his policies .
From their gathering spot on Freedom Plaza , they had a clear view down Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Capitol , where the impeachment trial gets underway in the Senate next week .
“ I teach a lot of immigrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this I want to make sure I ’ m using my voice to speak up for them , ” said Rochelle McGurn , 30 , an elementary school teacher from Burlington , Vermont who was in D.C. to march .
“ They need to feel like they belong , because they do.
” Peta Madry of New London , Connecticut , was celebrating her 70th birthday in D.C. by attending her fourth Women ’ s March with her sister , Cynthia Barnard , of San Rafael , California .
Both women were wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first march .
With pained expressions , they spoke about Trump ’ s determination to reverse the policies of his predecessor Barack Obama and his treatment of women .
Melissa McCullough of Georgetown , Indiana , said when she recently turned 50 she promised herself that she would get more involved politically .
“ I ’ m here to protest Trump , as a woman , ” she said .
Her daughter , 19-year-old University of Cincinnati student Elizabeth McCullough , chimed in to say that most women ’ s issues are human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to protect immigrants .
The protesters planned to march around the White House , but Trump wasn ’ t there .
He is spending the holiday weekend at his resort in Florida .
“ Local D.C. is a domestic colony and the actions of national organizers have to recognize that , ” Black Lives Matter D.C. wrote in a letter this week to Women ’ s March organizers .
“ Here in D.C. , these unstrategic mass mobilizations distract from local organizing , often overlook the black people who actually live here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstration being passed locally .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands gathered in cities across the country Saturday as part of the nationwide Women’s March rallies focused on issues such as climate change, pay equity, reproductive rights and immigration.
Hundreds showed up in New York City and thousands in Washington, D.C. for the rallies, which aim to harness the political power of women, although crowds were noticeably smaller than in previous years. Marches were scheduled Saturday in more than 180 cities.
Advertisement
The first marches in 2017 drew hundreds of thousands of people to rallies in cities across the country on the day after President Donald Trump was inaugurated. That year’s D.C. march drew close to 1 million people.
In Manhattan on Saturday, hundreds of people who gathered at separate events in Foley Square and Columbus Circle planned to converge at Times Square as part of a “Rise and Roar” rally.
“Today, we will be the change that is needed in this world! Today, we rise into our power!” activist Donna Hill told a cheering crowd in Foley Square.
In Denver, organizers opted to skip the rally after the march and instead invited participants to meet with local organizations to learn more about issues such as reproductive rights, climate change, gun safety and voting.
Advertisement
Several thousand came out for the protest in Washington, far fewer than last year when about 100,000 people held a rally east of the White House. But as in previous years, many of the protesters made the trip to the nation’s capital from cities across the country to express their opposition to Trump and his policies. From their gathering spot on Freedom Plaza, they had a clear view down Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Capitol, where the impeachment trial gets underway in the Senate next week.
In Washington, three key issues seemed to galvanize most of the protesters: climate change, immigration and reproductive rights.
“I teach a lot of immigrant students, and in political times like this I want to make sure I’m using my voice to speak up for them,” said Rochelle McGurn, 30, an elementary school teacher from Burlington, Vermont who was in D.C. to march. “They need to feel like they belong, because they do.”
Peta Madry of New London, Connecticut, was celebrating her 70th birthday in D.C. by attending her fourth Women’s March with her sister, Cynthia Barnard, of San Rafael, California. Both women were wearing handknitted pink hats that date from the first march. With pained expressions, they spoke about Trump’s determination to reverse the policies of his predecessor Barack Obama and his treatment of women.
Advertisement
“Look what he’s doing to Greta Thunberg,” Madry said, referring to the teenage climate activist. “He’s the biggest bully in the world.”
I’m in downtown D.C. where I’ll be chasing Women’s March 4.0 soon enough. The snow barely came down this morning but the people certainly did: Farragut Square is at capacity with half an hour until the march. Up to 10,000 people expected. @WTOP#WomensMarch2020 pic.twitter.com/d8GVZEwCru — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) January 18, 2020
Melissa McCullough of Georgetown, Indiana, said when she recently turned 50 she promised herself that she would get more involved politically. “I’m here to protest Trump, as a woman,” she said.
Her daughter, 19-year-old University of Cincinnati student Elizabeth McCullough, chimed in to say that most women’s issues are human issues, and they talked about the need to protect immigrants.
“You have to push to protect everyone or no one’s safe,” Melissa McCullough said.
Numbed toes and cold finger after the #WomensMarch2020 in DC but it was worth it to see Lastesis (all the way from Chile) chanting “Un Violador en tu Camino” next to the White House. Trump: “el violador eres tú” @lastesisoficial pic.twitter.com/1Aj6MbC7xG — Gonzalo Cid (@CidFiles) January 18, 2020
Advertisement
The protesters planned to march around the White House, but Trump wasn’t there. He is spending the holiday weekend at his resort in Florida.
Organizers of the Washington march faced criticism from some local African American activists for failing to focus on local issues and damaging the ability of local activists to organize.
“Local D.C. is a domestic colony and the actions of national organizers have to recognize that,” Black Lives Matter D.C. wrote in a letter this week to Women’s March organizers. “Here in D.C., these unstrategic mass mobilizations distract from local organizing, often overlook the black people who actually live here and even result in tougher laws against demonstration being passed locally.”