thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Video Shows 6 American Oil Executives Jailed In Venezuela

CARACAS , Venezuela ( AP ) — Venezuela has released a video showing six American oil executives jailed in Caracas as relatives appealed for international help in securing their release over fears about the men ’ s health amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The men have been jailed for over two years since officials under Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro asked them to travel from the Houston-based CITGO headquarters for a meeting , when they were arrested .
“ Seeing these images has made me sick to my stomach , ” said Gabriela Zambrano , daughter of detained Alirio Zambrano .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regime is continuing to use him as a human puppet.
” Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza posted a 30-second video of the men and photographs on his Twitter feed late Wednesday .
Venezuelan law guarantees the right to health and preventive measures against COVID-19 and any other disease , Arreaza said .
The men dressed in orange jail garb stand before the camera , all wearing white face masks , except for José Pereira , who makes a statement , saying they are well cared for by jailers .
This undated photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 by Venezuela 's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza , shows CITGO oil executives Jose Angel Pereira , from left to right , Gustavo Cardenas , Jorge Toledo , Jose Luis Zambrano , Tomeu Vadell and Alirio Jose Zambrano , standing outside the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service , in Caracas , Venezuela .
The men have been jailed for over two years since officials under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro asked them to travel from the Houston-based CITGO headquarters for a meeting , when they were arrested .
( Posted on Twitter by Jorge Arreaza/Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photographs show the men standing on the steps in front of the headquarters of SEBIN , Venezuela ’ s intelligence police .
In one picture , a man talks on a phone , while other images show men playing ping pong and lifting weights .
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens said on Twitter Wednesday that some of the men show symptoms associated with the new coronavirus and other serious ailments .
“ We call for their immediate release and urgent access to the medical treatment they need , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vadell , José Luis Zambrano , Alirio Zambrano , Jorge Toledo , Gustavo Cardenas and José Pereira — worked as executives at Houston-based CITGO .
Just before Thanksgiving in 2017 , they were lured to Caracas for a meeting at the headquarters of CITGO ’ s parent , state-run oil giant PDVSA , when masked security agents swarmed a boardroom and hauled them away .
The men are held at the Helicoide jail in Caracas awaiting trial on corruption charges stemming from a never executed plan to refinance some $ 4 billion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stake in the company as collateral .
But many believe the men , five of whom are naturalized U.S. citizens and the other a legal resident , are being held as political bargaining chips as relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have deteriorated .
Prosecutors accuse the men of maneuvering to benefit from the proposed deal .
Officials report 28 deaths from the virus in Venezuela that has sickened over 3,300 people since mid-March , but some experts worry it could overrun the nation weakened by crisis long before the pandemic hit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tomeu Vadell , is the oldest among the six men .
He has serious underlying conditions that put him at risk if he were to contract the coronavirus , she said , adding that all six men have issues that put them at risk .
Cristina Vadell said she only wishes that her father ’ s human rights be respected .
Her family is urging U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to intervene to win his release — “ before it ’ s too late.
” Vadell said her father and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small cell without windows or air conditioning or ventilation , which means that if any of the men sick , they could all get sick .

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela has released a video showing six American oil executives jailed in Caracas as relatives appealed for international help in securing their release over fears about the men’s health amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The men have been jailed for over two years since officials under Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro asked them to travel from the Houston-based CITGO headquarters for a meeting, when they were arrested.
“Seeing these images has made me sick to my stomach,” said Gabriela Zambrano, daughter of detained Alirio Zambrano. “It hurts beyond belief to know the regime is continuing to use him as a human puppet.”
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Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza posted a 30-second video of the men and photographs on his Twitter feed late Wednesday. Venezuelan law guarantees the right to health and preventive measures against COVID-19 and any other disease, Arreaza said.
The men dressed in orange jail garb stand before the camera, all wearing white face masks, except for José Pereira, who makes a statement, saying they are well cared for by jailers.
“Given limitations, our conditions here have been good,” Pereira says. “They treat us with respect regarding our human rights.”
This undated photo posted on Twitter on June 18, 2020 by Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, shows CITGO oil executives Jose Angel Pereira, from left to right, Gustavo Cardenas, Jorge Toledo, Jose Luis Zambrano, Tomeu Vadell and Alirio Jose Zambrano, standing outside the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, in Caracas, Venezuela. The men have been jailed for over two years since officials under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro asked them to travel from the Houston-based CITGO headquarters for a meeting, when they were arrested. (Posted on Twitter by Jorge Arreaza/Venezuela's Foreign Ministry via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Released photographs show the men standing on the steps in front of the headquarters of SEBIN, Venezuela’s intelligence police. In one picture, a man talks on a phone, while other images show men playing ping pong and lifting weights.
The Associated Press could not independently confirm the men’s conditions.
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens said on Twitter Wednesday that some of the men show symptoms associated with the new coronavirus and other serious ailments. “We call for their immediate release and urgent access to the medical treatment they need,” Carstens said.
The men — Tomeu Vadell, José Luis Zambrano, Alirio Zambrano, Jorge Toledo, Gustavo Cardenas and José Pereira — worked as executives at Houston-based CITGO. Just before Thanksgiving in 2017, they were lured to Caracas for a meeting at the headquarters of CITGO’s parent, state-run oil giant PDVSA, when masked security agents swarmed a boardroom and hauled them away.
The men are held at the Helicoide jail in Caracas awaiting trial on corruption charges stemming from a never executed plan to refinance some $4 billion in CITGO bonds by offering a 50% stake in the company as collateral.
But many believe the men, five of whom are naturalized U.S. citizens and the other a legal resident, are being held as political bargaining chips as relations between the U.S. and Venezuela have deteriorated. Prosecutors accuse the men of maneuvering to benefit from the proposed deal.
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Officials report 28 deaths from the virus in Venezuela that has sickened over 3,300 people since mid-March, but some experts worry it could overrun the nation weakened by crisis long before the pandemic hit.
Cristina Vadell, said her 60-year-old father Tomeu Vadell, is the oldest among the six men. He has serious underlying conditions that put him at risk if he were to contract the coronavirus, she said, adding that all six men have issues that put them at risk.
Cristina Vadell said she only wishes that her father’s human rights be respected. Her family is urging U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to intervene to win his release — “before it’s too late.”
“This arbitrary detention of 2.5 years without trial must end now,” Vadell said.
Vadell said her father and the others are held together in a small cell without windows or air conditioning or ventilation, which means that if any of the men sick, they could all get sick.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Senate Confirms Mitch McConnell's 38-Year-Old Protege To Powerful Court Seat

Caroline Brehman via Getty Images It turns out when Mitch McConnell , Brett Kavanaugh and the Federalist Society want you to be confirmed to a powerful court seat , it happens very quickly !
There was nothing particularly urgent about filling the court seat ; it ’ s not even vacant until September .
But Walker ’ s nomination sailed through the Senate at “ warp speed , ” as one expert put it , because McConnell personally wanted him confirmed .
McConnell has known Walker since he was in high school .
He knows Walker ’ s grandfather , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House last year for a seat on a U.S. District Court in Kentucky , at the time calling him “ unquestionably the most outstanding nomination that I ’ ve ever recommended to presidents to serve on the bench in Kentucky.
” That was a day after the American Bar Association rated Walker “ not qualified ” for the job , citing his lack of experience .
His resume at the time listed positions as an associate law professor and former law clerk to then-U.S .
Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the District of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil rights groups strongly opposed Walker ’ s nomination over his criticisms of the Affordable Care Act .
Walker described the Supreme Court ’ s decision to uphold the health care law as “ indefensible ” and “ catastrophic , ” and he praised Kavanaugh for writing the “ road map ” for overturning it .
The groups also raised concerns about what they considered Walker ’ s extreme ideology .
When Walker was formally sworn into his District Court seat in March , he criticized the American Bar Association , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not take for granted tomorrow or we will lose our courts and our country to critics who call us terrifying and who describe us as deplorable.
” He went on to say that “ in Brett Kavanaugh ’ s America , we will not surrender while you wage war on our work or our cause or our hope or our dream.
” “ While Judge Walker is entitled to hold whatever personal views he chooses , his ideological comments on the very day he was formally installed as a federal judge ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a war against those who hold views that are different from his own ― prevent me from supporting his elevation to the second-highest court in the land , ” she said in a statement .
“ When the Senate confirms Judge Walker to this vacancy , we will not just be promoting a wildly admired legal expert and proven judge to a role for which he is obviously qualified , ” McConnell said on the Senate floor .
“ We will also be adding to a time-honored tradition of finding men and women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that this enormously consequential bench here in our nation ’ s capital is refreshed with talent from all parts of America.
” Like so many of President Donald Trump ’ s court picks , Walker is a member of the Federalist Society , a conservative legal organization .
The group has effectively served as a pipeline for dozens of the president ’ s appeals court nominees .
They all have something in common , too : They have records of being hostile toward women ’ s reproductive rights , LGBTQ rights and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the Federalist Society .
It certainly helped with Walker ’ s rapid ascent that he publicly went to bat for his former boss during Kavanaugh ’ s 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings .
Walker went out of his way to defend Kavanaugh against the credible allegations by Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her in high school .
Walker did more than 70 media interviews challenging Ford .

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WASHINGTON ― The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Justin Walker, the 38-year-old protege of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, to a lifetime seat on the nation’s second-most-powerful court.
Every Republican present but one, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, voted to put Walker onto the District of Columbia U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Every Democrat present voted no. The final tally was 51 to 42.
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There was nothing particularly urgent about filling the court seat; it’s not even vacant until September. But Walker’s nomination sailed through the Senate at “warp speed,” as one expert put it, because McConnell personally wanted him confirmed.
McConnell has known Walker since he was in high school. He knows Walker’s grandfather, and he recommended him to the White House last year for a seat on a U.S. District Court in Kentucky, at the time calling him “unquestionably the most outstanding nomination that I’ve ever recommended to presidents to serve on the bench in Kentucky.”
It turns out when Mitch McConnell, Brett Kavanaugh and the Federalist Society want you to be confirmed to a powerful court seat, it happens very quickly! Caroline Brehman via Getty Images
That was a day after the American Bar Association rated Walker “not qualified” for the job, citing his lack of experience. His resume at the time listed positions as an associate law professor and former law clerk to then-U.S. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the District of Columbia Circuit.
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But Republicans confirmed him anyway in October. Less than a year later, Walker is getting a promotion, and the ABA says he’s qualified this time.
More than 200 national civil rights groups strongly opposed Walker’s nomination over his criticisms of the Affordable Care Act. Walker described the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the health care law as “indefensible” and “catastrophic,” and he praised Kavanaugh for writing the “road map” for overturning it.
The groups also raised concerns about what they considered Walker’s extreme ideology. When Walker was formally sworn into his District Court seat in March, he criticized the American Bar Association, saying that “although we celebrate today, we cannot take for granted tomorrow or we will lose our courts and our country to critics who call us terrifying and who describe us as deplorable.” He went on to say that “in Brett Kavanaugh’s America, we will not surrender while you wage war on our work or our cause or our hope or our dream.”
Collins said these remarks are why she opposed him.
“While Judge Walker is entitled to hold whatever personal views he chooses, his ideological comments on the very day he was formally installed as a federal judge ― about winning and losing the courts and a war against those who hold views that are different from his own ― prevent me from supporting his elevation to the second-highest court in the land,” she said in a statement.
Meanwhile, McConnell raved about Walker’s credentials, saying he “demonstrated an impressive grasp of legal precedent” during his confirmation hearing.
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“When the Senate confirms Judge Walker to this vacancy, we will not just be promoting a wildly admired legal expert and proven judge to a role for which he is obviously qualified,” McConnell said on the Senate floor. “We will also be adding to a time-honored tradition of finding men and women from all across the country to help ensure that this enormously consequential bench here in our nation’s capital is refreshed with talent from all parts of America.”
Fellow Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R) praised Walker for his recent ruling denying the Democratic mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, the ability to ban drive-in church services on Easter Sunday to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“Already, Judge Walker has proven how seriously he takes his oath to the Constitution,” Paul said. “I have been proud to support his nomination throughout this process.”
Like so many of President Donald Trump’s court picks, Walker is a member of the Federalist Society, a conservative legal organization. The group has effectively served as a pipeline for dozens of the president’s appeals court nominees. They all have something in common, too: They have records of being hostile toward women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights and voting rights.
Kavanaugh is also a member of the Federalist Society. It certainly helped with Walker’s rapid ascent that he publicly went to bat for his former boss during Kavanaugh’s 2018 Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Walker went out of his way to defend Kavanaugh against the credible allegations by Christine Blasey Ford that he sexually assaulted her in high school. Walker did more than 70 media interviews challenging Ford.
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“She may believe that assailant was Brett Kavanaugh,” Walker said in a Fox News interview in September 2018. “I believe she’s mistaken.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--The Trump Administration Has Left Workplace Safety Up To Your Boss

The Trump administration has encouraged states to terminate unemployment benefits for people who refuse to go back to work .
And if workers are worried their employer is creating an unsafe work environment ― by not requiring mask use or enforcing social distancing , for example ― the administration has said those individuals should file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration .
That ’ s what Brian Bevan , who worked at a store that sells gas fireplaces and grills near Philadelphia , did after his boss asked him to return to work last month after furloughing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and did routine maintenance inside people ’ s homes , which he felt was a bad idea amid an ongoing pandemic .
He filed a complaint with OSHA saying his employer was risking its employees ’ health by continuing the home visits .
When the lockdowns started , it was typical for firms that didn ’ t seem so essential ― think closet installers and used car dealers ― to deem themselves exempt from government restrictions on commerce that were meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has devastated small businesses across the country .
Pennsylvania relaxed restrictions in most counties that had been on the strictest lockdown protocol earlier this month .
Bevan ’ s employer , Salter ’ s Fireplace Patio Grill , does not appear on the list of businesses exempt from the state ’ s closure order .
( Several fireplace shops that do similar work , however , appeared on a separate list of firms told they did not need to ask for an exemption . )
The owners of Salter ’ s did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for comment .
They were not oblivious to the risk facing their employees , telling them in an April guidance document that if they ’ re entering a residence they should ask if anyone is sick and for people to vacate the room where work is happening .
Bevan , 42 , said his wife is immunocompromised and that one of their children has respiratory problems .
He didn ’ t think it would be wise to enter people ’ s homes at all , especially since he ’ s usually doing new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help people heat their homes .
A few weeks after he filed his complaint , Bevan said , his manager told him in an email that the company was letting him go .
The company has apparently not challenged his unemployment claim , however , and he has kept his unemployment benefits .
He said he ’ s starting a new job in July that won ’ t involve going into people ’ s homes .
U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia testified to Congress on June 9 that as a result of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OHSA had issued one citation related to coronavirus , for a recordkeeping violation at a Georgia nursing home .
But he noted that the agency has six months from the date of an alleged violation to investigate and reach a decision .
“ It ’ s been less than six months since the virus came here , so we have a number of cases that we are investigating and if we find violations , we will certainly not hesitate to bring a case , ” Scalia said .
An OSHA spokesperson confirmed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citation related to the coronavirus as of this week .
“ OSHA is continuing to enforce its guidance related to worker safety and health during the pandemic , ” the spokesperson said in an email .
Workers all around the country have been put in a bind similar to Bevan ’ s .
Many employers ignored stay-home orders or crafted dubious legal arguments claiming they were exempt from closure .
Frustrated workers turned to their local health departments , state agencies and sometimes OSHA ― often finding little recourse as they were pressured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance on in-home repair work suggests Bevan should have been entitled to stay home during the pandemic while his job waited for him .
But an inspector would not have obvious grounds to shut down a fireplace shop since the guidance is not legally enforceable .
OSHA ’ s lax enforcement amid the coronavirus has frustrated workplace safety experts .
The agency has declined to enact an emergency safety standard for health care facilities .
There ’ s no evidence yet that it has used an enforcement tool already at its disposal : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which states that employers must provide a workplace free from hazards likely to cause harm or death ― although it ’ s possible that citations are coming .
Even in normal times , it can be hard to get OSHA to cite an employer .
The agency is not adequately staffed and funded to carry out its mission of enforcing safety standards in workplaces across the country .
An analysis from union federation AFL-CIO last year found that it would take 165 years for OSHA to inspect every worksite even once , given @ @ @ @

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As states lift lockdowns, workers called back to their jobs have little recourse if they think their workplace is unsafe.
The Trump administration has encouraged states to terminate unemployment benefits for people who refuse to go back to work. And if workers are worried their employer is creating an unsafe work environment ― by not requiring mask use or enforcing social distancing, for example ― the administration has said those individuals should file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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That’s what Brian Bevan, who worked at a store that sells gas fireplaces and grills near Philadelphia, did after his boss asked him to return to work last month after furloughing staff in March. Bevan installed fireplaces and did routine maintenance inside people’s homes, which he felt was a bad idea amid an ongoing pandemic. He filed a complaint with OSHA saying his employer was risking its employees’ health by continuing the home visits.
“They had the mayor, they had all kinds of people going on TV telling people to stay home,” he said.
When the lockdowns started, it was typical for firms that didn’t seem so essential ― think closet installers and used car dealers ― to deem themselves exempt from government restrictions on commerce that were meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus. It’s not hard to understand why, as the pandemic has devastated small businesses across the country.
Now every state has begun reopening, forcing many workers back to their jobs even though there’s still no national strategy for testing.
“I was very worried about bringing [the coronavirus] home and being the cause of my wife dying.” - Brian Bevan
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Pennsylvania relaxed restrictions in most counties that had been on the strictest lockdown protocol earlier this month. Bevan’s employer, Salter’s Fireplace Patio Grill, does not appear on the list of businesses exempt from the state’s closure order. (Several fireplace shops that do similar work, however, appeared on a separate list of firms told they did not need to ask for an exemption.)
The OSHA guidance for in-home repair work states that if the work is routine or preventative, rather than an emergency, then businesses should “consider postponing the work and not entering the dwelling until the COVID-19 pandemic ends.”
But like so much else coming from OSHA during the pandemic, it was little more than a friendly recommendation: “This guidance is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations.”
Bevan provided emails indicating he’d talked to an OSHA compliance officer about filing the complaint, but said he doesn’t know its status. “When I spoke to OSHA initially they said a fireplace shop was the farthest thing from essential that he ever heard of,” he said.
The owners of Salter’s did not respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment. They were not oblivious to the risk facing their employees, telling them in an April guidance document that if they’re entering a residence they should ask if anyone is sick and for people to vacate the room where work is happening.
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Bevan, 42, said his wife is immunocompromised and that one of their children has respiratory problems. He didn’t think it would be wise to enter people’s homes at all, especially since he’s usually doing new, elective installations rather than repairs that help people heat their homes.
“I was very worried about bringing [the coronavirus] home and being the cause of my wife dying,” he said. “She was told by her doctor she was not allowed to leave the house.”
A few weeks after he filed his complaint, Bevan said, his manager told him in an email that the company was letting him go. The company has apparently not challenged his unemployment claim, however, and he has kept his unemployment benefits. He said he’s starting a new job in July that won’t involve going into people’s homes.
OSHA’s lax enforcement amid the coronavirus has frustrated workplace safety experts. Attrition at the agency during the Trump years has only made its work more difficult. Alex Wong via Getty Images
U.S. Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia testified to Congress on June 9 that as a result of “several thousand” workplace safety complaints, OHSA had issued one citation related to coronavirus, for a recordkeeping violation at a Georgia nursing home. But he noted that the agency has six months from the date of an alleged violation to investigate and reach a decision.
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“It’s been less than six months since the virus came here, so we have a number of cases that we are investigating and if we find violations, we will certainly not hesitate to bring a case,” Scalia said.
An OSHA spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost that there is still only one citation related to the coronavirus as of this week. “OSHA is continuing to enforce its guidance related to worker safety and health during the pandemic,” the spokesperson said in an email.
Debbie Berkowitz, a workplace safety expert at the National Employment Law Project, said OSHA has “abandoned its responsibility” to make sure employers are taking proper precautions.
“They have refused to issue enforceable requirements ― and instead issued guidance, which is not required. Employers can choose to implement the guidelines or ignore it,” Berkowitz said in an email.
On Thursday, OSHA put out new guidance reemphasizing its previous encouragement that employers try to keep their workers safe, also saying that employers should not retaliate against workers who raise safety concerns.
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Workers all around the country have been put in a bind similar to Bevan’s. Many employers ignored stay-home orders or crafted dubious legal arguments claiming they were exempt from closure. Frustrated workers turned to their local health departments, state agencies and sometimes OSHA ― often finding little recourse as they were pressured to clock back in.
The OSHA guidance on in-home repair work suggests Bevan should have been entitled to stay home during the pandemic while his job waited for him. But an inspector would not have obvious grounds to shut down a fireplace shop since the guidance is not legally enforceable.
OSHA’s lax enforcement amid the coronavirus has frustrated workplace safety experts. The agency has declined to enact an emergency safety standard for health care facilities. There’s no evidence yet that it has used an enforcement tool already at its disposal: the ”general duty” clause, which states that employers must provide a workplace free from hazards likely to cause harm or death ― although it’s possible that citations are coming.
The Labor Department, the agency that includes OSHA, has defended its performance during the pandemic, saying it has carried out an “unprecedented response.”
Even in normal times, it can be hard to get OSHA to cite an employer. The agency is not adequately staffed and funded to carry out its mission of enforcing safety standards in workplaces across the country. An analysis from union federation AFL-CIO last year found that it would take 165 years for OSHA to inspect every worksite even once, given its current resources.
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Attrition at the agency during the Trump years has only made OSHA’s work more difficult: The 862 inspectors OSHA had at the start of this year was the lowest number on record since 1975, according to one analysis.
Berkowitz said that the massive COVID-19 outbreaks in meatpacking plants and nursing homes were “clear evidence that voluntary guidelines don’t work to protect workers.”
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Why Joe Biden Is Trouncing Trump With Young Voters: ‘Old Is Way, Way Better Than Liar’

The survey , conducted by the Democratic polling firm Global Strategy Group and paid for by the progressive group NextGen America , found Biden attracting the support of 51 % of voters ages 18 to 34 who are registered to vote or considering registering .
Just 29 % are backing Trump , with 6 % backing third party candidates , 9 % undecided and 5 % saying they wouldn ’ t vote .
NextGen America , funded by billionaire Democratic donor Tom Steyer , has promised to spend $ 40 million turning out young voters to back Biden and Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group has started running digital ads highlighting policy differences between Trump and Biden , designed to combat perceptions that both parties are the same .
The poll and related research from NextGen make it clear Biden can gain even more ground among millennial and Generation Z voters .
The former vice president is underperforming both the generic congressional ballot and Trump ’ s disapproval levels , with independent voters , supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and voters aged 18 to 24 remaining skeptical of him .
Global Strategy Group conducted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a subsample of 1109 voters who preferred Sanders over Biden in the primary , from May 21 to June 3 , 2020 .
The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points .
In particular , many young voters had concerns about Tara Reade ’ s accusation of sexual assault against Biden , worried about his mental fitness for the presidency and generally saw him as a standard-issue career politician unlikely to stand up to corporate interests .
Still , the survey showed Biden in a stronger position with young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey , some of the words young voters most frequently used to describe Clinton were “ liar ” and “ criminal.
” In 2020 , the most frequently used descriptors for Biden are “ old , ” “ good ” and “ creepy.
” ( In both the 2016 and 2020 polls , the most frequently used words to describe Trump include “ racist , ” “ arrogant ” and “ idiot.
” ) “ Biden is at a better spot at this point than Hillary was in 2016 , on pretty much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Ben Wessel , executive director of NextGen America .
“ Old is way , way better than liar.
” The poll shows that the Biden campaign ’ s efforts to contrast his policy positions with Trump ’ s are effective , Wessel said , but simply attacking the president has done little to move recalcitrant voters to Biden ’ s side .
The research identified three groups of persuadable young voters , representing about one-third of all potential voters aged 18 to 34 : About 16 % of the group are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to back him but could be swayed by messaging highlighting Biden ’ s weaknesses .
They tend to be diverse , liberal , female and to identify with the Democratic Party .
They ’ re usually open to learning more about Biden .
Two smaller groups might be tougher sells for Biden : “ Potential Biden ” voters represent about 9 % of the youth electorate , and either plan to vote for third party candidates or sit out the election .
They tend to be disdainful of both parties , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barack Obama .
“ Weak Trump ” voters make up about 9 % of the youth electorate , and are currently planning on casting ballots for Trump .
Often young men enrolled in college , they identify as Republican and tend to live in urban or suburban areas .
They disagree with Trump and the GOP on climate change and racial justice issues .
Wessel said Democrats need to deploy three Bs to win over young voters : Barack Obama , Bernie Sanders and the Black Lives Matter movement .
Obama and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures in the poll , followed by Black Lives Matter and Sanders .
The poll also tested the favorability of two potential vice presidential selections for Biden .
Significant chunks of young voters didn ’ t know enough about either Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or California Sen. Kamala Harris in order to form an opinion , and neither was particularly popular with young voters overall .
A message showing Biden is willing to listen to young people by highlighting some of his policy shifts on student debt and climate change were also effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out similar messages , including a recent campaign video that featured him discussing police brutality with a young field organizer . )

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Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is in a stronger position with young voters than Hillary Clinton was at a similar point during the presidential race in 2016, according to a new survey that shows President Donald Trump remains massively unpopular with young people.
The survey, conducted by the Democratic polling firm Global Strategy Group and paid for by the progressive group NextGen America, found Biden attracting the support of 51% of voters ages 18 to 34 who are registered to vote or considering registering. Just 29% are backing Trump, with 6% backing third party candidates, 9% undecided and 5% saying they wouldn’t vote.
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Among the likeliest young voters, Biden earned 56% of the vote, compared with Trump’s 31%.
A similar 2016 poll tracking the matchup between Clinton and Trump in battleground states found a whopping 22% of voters ages 18 to 34 planning on voting for third party candidates, with Clinton earning just 42% of the vote.
NextGen America, funded by billionaire Democratic donor Tom Steyer, has promised to spend $40 million turning out young voters to back Biden and Democratic Senate candidates in the November election. The group has started running digital ads highlighting policy differences between Trump and Biden, designed to combat perceptions that both parties are the same.
The poll and related research from NextGen make it clear Biden can gain even more ground among millennial and Generation Z voters. The former vice president is underperforming both the generic congressional ballot and Trump’s disapproval levels, with independent voters, supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and voters aged 18 to 24 remaining skeptical of him.
Global Strategy Group conducted the online poll of 3,000 people, including a subsample of 1109 voters who preferred Sanders over Biden in the primary, from May 21 to June 3, 2020. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
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In particular, many young voters had concerns about Tara Reade’s accusation of sexual assault against Biden, worried about his mental fitness for the presidency and generally saw him as a standard-issue career politician unlikely to stand up to corporate interests.
Still, the survey showed Biden in a stronger position with young people than Clinton was. In the 2016 survey, some of the words young voters most frequently used to describe Clinton were “liar” and “criminal.” In 2020, the most frequently used descriptors for Biden are “old,” “good” and “creepy.” (In both the 2016 and 2020 polls, the most frequently used words to describe Trump include “racist,” “arrogant” and “idiot.”)
“Biden is at a better spot at this point than Hillary was in 2016, on pretty much every metric you can think of,” said Ben Wessel, executive director of NextGen America. “Old is way, way better than liar.”
Courtesy NextGen America
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The poll shows that the Biden campaign’s efforts to contrast his policy positions with Trump’s are effective, Wessel said, but simply attacking the president has done little to move recalcitrant voters to Biden’s side.
“We still need to define Biden. He’s a blank slate right now,” Wessel said. “We have to show people who he is, and more importantly, who he isn’t.”
The research identified three groups of persuadable young voters, representing about one-third of all potential voters aged 18 to 34: About 16% of the group are “weak Biden” voters, who plan to back him but could be swayed by messaging highlighting Biden’s weaknesses. They tend to be diverse, liberal, female and to identify with the Democratic Party. They’re usually open to learning more about Biden.
Two smaller groups might be tougher sells for Biden: “Potential Biden” voters represent about 9% of the youth electorate, and either plan to vote for third party candidates or sit out the election. They tend to be disdainful of both parties, but are fans of Sanders and former President Barack Obama.
“Weak Trump” voters make up about 9% of the youth electorate, and are currently planning on casting ballots for Trump. Often young men enrolled in college, they identify as Republican and tend to live in urban or suburban areas. They disagree with Trump and the GOP on climate change and racial justice issues.
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Wessel said Democrats need to deploy three Bs to win over young voters: Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders and the Black Lives Matter movement. Obama and his wife Michelle were the two most popular figures in the poll, followed by Black Lives Matter and Sanders.
The poll also tested the favorability of two potential vice presidential selections for Biden. Significant chunks of young voters didn’t know enough about either Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren or California Sen. Kamala Harris in order to form an opinion, and neither was particularly popular with young voters overall.
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Still, Wessel recommended Biden emphasize his partnerships with younger and more progressive politicians, deploying what the group calls an “Avengers” message, highlighting Biden’s willingness to work with experts and Obama administration veterans against Trump’s “incompetent team of racists and corporate lobbyists.”
A message showing Biden is willing to listen to young people by highlighting some of his policy shifts on student debt and climate change were also effective. (The Biden campaign is trying out similar messages, including a recent campaign video that featured him discussing police brutality with a young field organizer.)
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“The more we can show people Biden is willing to listen and willing to grow, the more young people will be willing to vote for him,” Wessel said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Democrats Call For Permanent Protection Of Dreamers After Supreme Court’s DACA Ruling

After the Supreme Court ruled Thursday to temporarily keep the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in place , Democratic lawmakers are pushing for a more permanent solution for Dreamers , the young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children .
Sen. Dick Durbin ( D-Ill. ) , a longtime advocate for Dreamers , pleaded with fellow senators to back legislation that would offer a path to citizenship for certain immigrants .
He noted that although the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump was wrong in the way he tried to end DACA , the administration could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two-year permits to stay and work in the U.S. offered under DACA are far from a permanent fix .
“ Let us protect them now , ” Durbin said of Dreamers on the Senate floor .
“ We can enact that law and say to these young people , ‘ Now you have your chance to stay and earn your path to citizenship in America ’ — that ’ s what we ought to be saying.
” In its 5-4 decision issued Thursday , the court ruled that Trump ’ s effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arbitrary ” and “ capricious ” violation of the law , which means that , for the moment , nearly 650,000 undocumented young people are safe from deportation .
To enact a more permanent solution , Durbin and other prominent Democrats are demanding that the GOP-led Senate pass the American Dream and Promise Act , which the Democratic-led House passed in June last year .
The American Dream and Promise Act would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants .
The Senate version , called the Dream Act , has yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have voiced support for legal status for Dreamers , Trump and many GOP lawmakers have in the past conditioned that support on other measures , such as funding for a border wall , restricting asylum and limiting legal immigration .
“ I ’ m happy the Supreme Court upheld DACA to protect Dreamers from the crisis Trump created , ” Warren tweeted Thursday .
“ But we can ’ t stop here .
The House passed the American Dream & Promise Act over a year ago .
@ SenateGOP : stop the political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & their families.
” Sen. Cory Gardner ( R-Colo. ) , who is facing a tough reelection bid this year , said the Supreme Court decision provides some clarity , but that “ Congress still needs to reach a long-term solution for Dreamers in the United States—including a pathway to citizenship.
” “ I support immediate passage of the Dream Act and would also support the House-passed Dream and Promise Act , ” Gardner tweeted Thursday .
“ The Senate should act quickly to provide permanent relief for Dreamers .
I ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver certainty for Dreamers in a way the Court can not .
” Most Republicans derided the Supreme Court without arguing for Congress to act now .
Sen. John Cornyn ( R-Texas ) , who is also up for reelection , said earlier this week that Congress would bring up legislation if DACA was terminated .
But after the order , he turned to bashing Democrats .
Although the Trump administration did offer a path to legal status for Dreamers in January 2018 , it was one that would take 12 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as a $ 25 billion “ trust fund ” for a border wall and limits to legal immigration .

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After the Supreme Court ruled Thursday to temporarily keep the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in place, Democratic lawmakers are pushing for a more permanent solution for Dreamers, the young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a longtime advocate for Dreamers, pleaded with fellow senators to back legislation that would offer a path to citizenship for certain immigrants. He noted that although the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump was wrong in the way he tried to end DACA, the administration could rescind the program again. Plus, the two-year permits to stay and work in the U.S. offered under DACA are far from a permanent fix.
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“Let us protect them now,” Durbin said of Dreamers on the Senate floor. “We can enact that law and say to these young people, ‘Now you have your chance to stay and earn your path to citizenship in America’ — that’s what we ought to be saying.”
In its 5-4 decision issued Thursday, the court ruled that Trump’s effort to terminate the program was an “arbitrary” and “capricious” violation of the law, which means that, for the moment, nearly 650,000 undocumented young people are safe from deportation. To enact a more permanent solution, Durbin and other prominent Democrats are demanding that the GOP-led Senate pass the American Dream and Promise Act, which the Democratic-led House passed in June last year.
The American Dream and Promise Act would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The Senate version, called the Dream Act, has yet to reach the floor.
While some Republicans have voiced support for legal status for Dreamers, Trump and many GOP lawmakers have in the past conditioned that support on other measures, such as funding for a border wall, restricting asylum and limiting legal immigration.
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“This painful process demands that Congress permanently protect Dreamers—Senate must pass the American Dream and Promise Act,” the Congressional Hispanic Caucus tweeted Immediately following the SCOTUS decision.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) similarly called out her Republican colleagues for their inaction on the American Dream and Promise Act.
“I’m happy the Supreme Court upheld DACA to protect Dreamers from the crisis Trump created,” Warren tweeted Thursday. “But we can’t stop here. The House passed the American Dream & Promise Act over a year ago. @SenateGOP: stop the political games & pass this bill for Dreamers & their families.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) joined the chorus demanding Senate action. She said the legislation would “provide more than 2 million Dreamers a shot at the American Dream.”
“It’s time for Senate Republicans to stop stonewalling and stand with Dreamers,” Pelosi tweeted.
It’s unclear whether the push for legislation will go anywhere.
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), who is facing a tough reelection bid this year, said the Supreme Court decision provides some clarity, but that “Congress still needs to reach a long-term solution for Dreamers in the United States—including a pathway to citizenship.”
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“I support immediate passage of the Dream Act and would also support the House-passed Dream and Promise Act,” Gardner tweeted Thursday. “The Senate should act quickly to provide permanent relief for Dreamers. I’ll continue to work across the aisle to deliver certainty for Dreamers in a way the Court cannot.”
Most Republicans derided the Supreme Court without arguing for Congress to act now. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who is also up for reelection, said earlier this week that Congress would bring up legislation if DACA was terminated. But after the order, he turned to bashing Democrats.
Democrats “voted against a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers after President Trump’s generous offer to do so,” Cornyn tweeted in response to criticism from former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Nancy Pelosi Removes Portraits Of Confederate House Speakers From U.S. Capitol

WASHINGTON ― House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) on Thursday ordered the immediate removal of portraits in the U.S. Capitol of four previous House Speakers who served in the Confederacy .
“ There is no room in the hallowed halls of Congress or in any place of honor for memorializing men who embody the violent bigo try and grotesque racism of the Confederacy , ” Pelosi said in a letter to the Clerk of the House of Representatives .
The Speaker said she was pulling the portraits down to mark Juneteenth on Friday , which this year comes during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as we grieve for the hundreds of Black Americans killed by racial injustice and police brutality , including George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Ahmaud Arbery and so many others.
” Earlier today , @ SpeakerPelosi announced that in observance of # Juneteenth she has directed the Clerk of the House to remove the portraits of four previous Speakers of the House who served in the Confederacy .
Here 's a clip of two of those portraits being taken down .
pic.twitter.com/fV6cDwrtxb — CSPAN ( @ cspan ) June 18 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speakers Robert Hunter of Virginia , who served 1839-1841 ; Howell Cobb of Georgia , who served 1849-1851 ; James Orr of South Carolina , who served 1857-1859 ; and Charles Crisp of Georgia , who served 1891-1895 .
Here ’ s a copy of her letter to the Clerk of the House .
Pelosi made it clear last week that she wants Confederate statues gone from the Capitol , too .
She called them “ monuments to men who advocated cruelty and barbarism to achieve such a plainly racist end.
” She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove them ; that ’ s a more complicated process that involves the Architect of the Capitol and states donating statues to honor their history .
But in a letter to the congressional committee with jurisdiction over the display of statues at the Capitol , she called for them to direct the Architect of the Capitol to “ immediately ” remove the 11 Confederate statues in the building .

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WASHINGTON ― House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Thursday ordered the immediate removal of portraits in the U.S. Capitol of four previous House Speakers who served in the Confederacy.
“There is no room in the hallowed halls of Congress or in any place of honor for memorializing men who embody the violent bigotry and grotesque racism of the Confederacy,” Pelosi said in a letter to the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
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The Speaker said she was pulling the portraits down to mark Juneteenth on Friday, which this year comes during a moment of “extraordinary national anguish, as we grieve for the hundreds of Black Americans killed by racial injustice and police brutality, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many others.”
Earlier today, @SpeakerPelosi announced that in observance of #Juneteenth she has directed the Clerk of the House to remove the portraits of four previous Speakers of the House who served in the Confederacy.
Here's a clip of two of those portraits being taken down. pic.twitter.com/fV6cDwrtxb — CSPAN (@cspan) June 18, 2020
The four portraits are of former House Speakers Robert Hunter of Virginia, who served 1839-1841; Howell Cobb of Georgia, who served 1849-1851; James Orr of South Carolina, who served 1857-1859; and Charles Crisp of Georgia, who served 1891-1895.
Here’s a copy of her letter to the Clerk of the House.
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Pelosi made it clear last week that she wants Confederate statues gone from the Capitol, too. She called them “monuments to men who advocated cruelty and barbarism to achieve such a plainly racist end.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Atlanta Police Officers Call Out Of Work After Officers Charged In Rayshard Brooks Case

A “ higher than usual ” number of Atlanta police officers called out of work Wednesday night after two officers were charged in the death of Rayshard Brooks , a Black man who was killed by police last week .
“ The department is experiencing a higher than usual number of call outs with the incoming shift , ” the police department tweeted Wednesday night .
“ We have enough resources to maintain operations & remain able to respond to incidents.
” The police department denied that officers had “ walked off the job.
” But Vince Champion , southeast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brotherhood of Police Officers , told NBC News that some officers were in fact protesting the charges by walking off the job and not responding to some calls .
“ This is not an organized thing , it ’ s not a blue flu , it ’ s not a strike , it ’ s nothing like that , ” Champion said .
“ What it actually is is officers protesting that they ’ ve had enough and they don ’ t want to deal with it any longer.
” It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly walked off the job .
Neither the police department nor the police union immediately responded to HuffPost ’ s requests for comment .
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard on Wednesday announced 11 charges , including felony murder and aggravated assault , against Garrett Rolfe , who fatally shot Brooks in a Wendy ’ s parking lot on Friday night .
Rolfe was fired on Saturday .
The other officer , Devin Brosnan , was charged with three counts of aggravated assault .
He has been placed on administrative leave .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports that Brooks , 27 , was sleeping in his car , which was blocking a Wendy ’ s drive-thru .
Body camera video worn by the officers shows Brooks cooperating as Rolfe checked whether Brooks was armed .
He was not .
Then , according to the video , the officers performed a sobriety test and told Brooks he was too drunk to drive .
The officers then attempted to arrest him , but Brooks resisted and punched Rolfe , who then fired his Taser at Brooks .
Brooks then grabbed Brosnan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security footage from the Wendy ’ s shows Rolfe chasing Brooks , who at one point turned around , pointed the Taser he ’ s holding at Rolfe and attempted to fire it .
The footage shows Rolfe drawing his firearm and firing three times at Brooks .
According to additional video , Rolfe kicked Brooks as he was bleeding on the ground , the district attorney ’ s office said .
The Fulton County Medical Examiner ’ s Office said Brooks was shot twice in the back .
His death has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight officers have resigned since June 1 , a spokesman for the Atlanta Police Department told Fox 5 earlier this week .
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN on Wednesday night that police morale is down “ tenfold.
” She said the police department would request backup from other law enforcement agencies in the area if too many officers called out .
“ The thing that I ’ m most concerned about is how do we repair the morale in our police department and how do we ensure that our communities are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers , ” Bottoms said .
“ There ’ s no playbook for what we are dealing with right now across this country , ” she continued .
“ What I do know is that we have a lot of men and women who work for our police department who care about this city and they work each and every day with integrity and with honest interactions with our communities.
” Anti-racism protests have erupted across the country following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month .
Four officers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s neck , were charged in Floyd ’ s death .

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A “higher than usual” number of Atlanta police officers called out of work Wednesday night after two officers were charged in the death of Rayshard Brooks, a Black man who was killed by police last week.
“The department is experiencing a higher than usual number of call outs with the incoming shift,” the police department tweeted Wednesday night. “We have enough resources to maintain operations & remain able to respond to incidents.”
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The police department denied that officers had “walked off the job.” But Vince Champion, southeast regional director for the police union International Brotherhood of Police Officers, told NBC News that some officers were in fact protesting the charges by walking off the job and not responding to some calls.
“This is not an organized thing, it’s not a blue flu, it’s not a strike, it’s nothing like that,” Champion said. “What it actually is is officers protesting that they’ve had enough and they don’t want to deal with it any longer.”
It’s unclear how many officers called out or allegedly walked off the job. Neither the police department nor the police union immediately responded to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard on Wednesday announced 11 charges, including felony murder and aggravated assault, against Garrett Rolfe, who fatally shot Brooks in a Wendy’s parking lot on Friday night. Rolfe was fired on Saturday.
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The other officer, Devin Brosnan, was charged with three counts of aggravated assault. He has been placed on administrative leave.
Rolfe and Brosnan turned themselves into Fulton County Jail on Thursday, local media reported.
Last Friday, Rolfe and Brosnan responded to reports that Brooks, 27, was sleeping in his car, which was blocking a Wendy’s drive-thru. Body camera video worn by the officers shows Brooks cooperating as Rolfe checked whether Brooks was armed. He was not.
Then, according to the video, the officers performed a sobriety test and told Brooks he was too drunk to drive. The officers then attempted to arrest him, but Brooks resisted and punched Rolfe, who then fired his Taser at Brooks.
Brooks then grabbed Brosnan’s Taser and ran away. Security footage from the Wendy’s shows Rolfe chasing Brooks, who at one point turned around, pointed the Taser he’s holding at Rolfe and attempted to fire it.
The footage shows Rolfe drawing his firearm and firing three times at Brooks. According to additional video, Rolfe kicked Brooks as he was bleeding on the ground, the district attorney’s office said.
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The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office said Brooks was shot twice in the back. His death has been listed as a homicide.
At least eight officers have resigned since June 1, a spokesman for the Atlanta Police Department told Fox 5 earlier this week.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN on Wednesday night that police morale is down “tenfold.” She said the police department would request backup from other law enforcement agencies in the area if too many officers called out.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Trump Begging Xi For Election Help May Crimp His Efforts To Paint Biden As Soft On China

WASHINGTON ― The revelation that Donald Trump begged China ’ s dictator for help winning reelection could prove fatal to what the president ’ s campaign had hoped would be one of its strongest themes : that Democrat Joe Biden is soft on China .
For over a year , Trump ’ s campaign , his supporters and the president personally have claimed that the former vice president who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee would be unable to take a tough stance against China and Xi Jinping .
All of that , though , was before Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s lavish praise of Xi ― “ the greatest leader in Chinese history ” ― and his June 2019 request for help in his coming reelection by agreeing to purchase large amounts of American agricultural products .
“ Trump then , stunningly , turned the conversation to the coming U.S. presidential election , alluding to China ’ s economic capability and pleading with Xi to ensure he ’ d win , ” according to an excerpt from John Bolton ’ s soon-to-be-released book , “ The Room Where it Happened : A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in The Wall Street Journal .
Trump , who in early 2018 had spoken admiringly of the way Xi had essentially made himself president for life , told Xi that Americans similarly wanted Trump to stay on beyond two four-year terms .
“ Trump replied that people were saying that the two-term constitutional limit on presidents should be repealed for him , ” Bolton wrote .
John Weaver , a Republican consultant who worked on the presidential campaigns of John McCain and John Kasich and who now works with the anti-Trump organization The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book pretty much ends Trump ’ s ability to hit Biden on China .
One former Trump campaign aide , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said Bolton ’ s description of the exchange with Xi could actually work to Trump ’ s advantage with farmers who have been financially devastated by Trump ’ s trade war because they will see that he is trying to help them .
“ I think the farmers will like that , ” the aide said .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says in private is pretty.
” For Biden ’ s campaign and outside supporters , though , the Bolton material is just more proof that it is Trump , not Biden , who is unable to deal with China , particularly on the coronavirus pandemic , which was first recorded in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year .
“ This whole time , the American people have asked why on earth Trump gave President Xi a pass as he disregarded warning after warning from his own intelligence advisers , public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we couldn ’ t take Xi ’ s word , ” said campaign spokesman Andrew Bates .
“ Now we know why Trump looked the other way.
” “ We already knew Trump ’ s smears against Vice President Biden on China were baseless projections of his own failures , ” added Jeb Fain , spokesman for the Democratic super PAC American Bridge that aired ads attacking Trump in response to America First ’ s ads .
“ Now we know the full extent of Trump ’ s betrayal of America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask Xi for help is not surprising .
He did so publicly on the South Lawn of the White House last autumn .
“ Likewise , China should start an investigation into the Bidens , because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine , ” he said .
He had just finished telling reporters that the new president of Ukraine should investigate Biden , essentially confirming the main thrust of a newly started House probe into his efforts to tie $ 391 million in congressionally approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a politically motivated investigation .
All Senate Republicans except for Utah ’ s Mitt Romney , however , chose not to remove Trump from office for that act .
Some argued that while it was wrong , it was not sufficient to force him from the presidency , while others said that Trump was fully within his rights to use his office in that manner .

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WASHINGTON ― The revelation that Donald Trump begged China’s dictator for help winning reelection could prove fatal to what the president’s campaign had hoped would be one of its strongest themes: that Democrat Joe Biden is soft on China.
For over a year, Trump’s campaign, his supporters and the president personally have claimed that the former vice president who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee would be unable to take a tough stance against China and Xi Jinping.
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“He’s a weak man. He’s an ineffective man. President Xi laughs at guys like that,” Trump said of Biden last July.
Trump’s “official” super PAC, America First Action, even created a webpage and a series of ads dedicated to “Beijing Biden,” which try to portray him as confused and overly supportive of China.
All of that, though, was before Trump’s previous national security adviser detailed the president’s lavish praise of Xi ― “the greatest leader in Chinese history” ― and his June 2019 request for help in his coming reelection by agreeing to purchase large amounts of American agricultural products.
“Trump then, stunningly, turned the conversation to the coming U.S. presidential election, alluding to China’s economic capability and pleading with Xi to ensure he’d win,” according to an excerpt from John Bolton’s soon-to-be-released book, “The Room Where it Happened: A White House Memoir,” that appeared in The Wall Street Journal.
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Trump, who in early 2018 had spoken admiringly of the way Xi had essentially made himself president for life, told Xi that Americans similarly wanted Trump to stay on beyond two four-year terms. “Trump replied that people were saying that the two-term constitutional limit on presidents should be repealed for him,” Bolton wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping attend a state dinner at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017. Thomas Peter / Reuters
John Weaver, a Republican consultant who worked on the presidential campaigns of John McCain and John Kasich and who now works with the anti-Trump organization The Lincoln Project, said Bolton’s book pretty much ends Trump’s ability to hit Biden on China.
“Any attacks are now laughable,” he said. “Trump is Xi’s house poodle.”
Neither Trump’s campaign nor his super PAC would respond to HuffPost’s queries about where Bolton’s revelations leave the “Beijing Biden” efforts.
One former Trump campaign aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bolton’s description of the exchange with Xi could actually work to Trump’s advantage with farmers who have been financially devastated by Trump’s trade war because they will see that he is trying to help them. “I think the farmers will like that,” the aide said. “I don’t think it’s pretty. But nothing about what Trump says in private is pretty.”
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For Biden’s campaign and outside supporters, though, the Bolton material is just more proof that it is Trump, not Biden, who is unable to deal with China, particularly on the coronavirus pandemic, which was first recorded in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.
“This whole time, the American people have asked why on earth Trump gave President Xi a pass as he disregarded warning after warning from his own intelligence advisers, public health experts, and from Joe Biden that we couldn’t take Xi’s word,” said campaign spokesman Andrew Bates. “Now we know why Trump looked the other way.”
“We already knew Trump’s smears against Vice President Biden on China were baseless projections of his own failures,” added Jeb Fain, spokesman for the Democratic super PAC American Bridge that aired ads attacking Trump in response to America First’s ads. “Now we know the full extent of Trump’s betrayal of America’s values and interests.”
That Trump would ask Xi for help is not surprising. He did so publicly on the South Lawn of the White House last autumn. “Likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens, because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine,” he said.
He had just finished telling reporters that the new president of Ukraine should investigate Biden, essentially confirming the main thrust of a newly started House probe into his efforts to tie $391 million in congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine’s help with a politically motivated investigation.
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Trump wound up being impeached for that, as well as subsequent efforts to prevent Congress from learning details about it.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--GOP Senator Tells Trump Fans At High Risk For Coronavirus To Skip Rally

Sen. James Lankford ( R-Okla. ) issued a warning to those at high risk from the coronavirus who are thinking of attending President Donald Trump ’ s upcoming campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
“ We ’ re advising people if they ’ re coming to the rally , if you have comorbidities , if you are older , or you have other health issues , don ’ t come , ” Lankford said on Wednesday ’ s broadcast of MSNBC ’ s “ Morning Joe.
” Lankford stopped short of joining public health experts who have condemned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event indoors at the 19,000-capacity BOK Center , saying the president is “ always welcome ” to come to the state .
Lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus were eased in Oklahoma weeks ago and a fresh surge in infections was expected , Lankford said .
He said the rise in cases wasn ’ t accompanied by an increase in hospitalizations or deaths .
People seeking tickets to Trump ’ s rally had to acknowledge a waiver on the Trump campaign website that they won ’ t sue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event .
The Trump campaign said it will hand out face masks and hand sanitizer to attendees .
The president himself flouts Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines by refusing to wear a mask in public .
“ The hard part about it , and I ’ ve tried to explain this to other folks , when you ’ re at a large gathering like that , as you know , it ’ s hard to be able to hear sometimes , ” he said .
“ So there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re gon na pull masks on and off .
That ’ s why I really encourage people , if you have other health issues , I discourage you from coming to the event .
But a lot of folks are coming and the state is very excited about receiving the president .
”

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Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) issued a warning to those at high risk from the coronavirus who are thinking of attending President Donald Trump’s upcoming campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“We’re advising people if they’re coming to the rally, if you have comorbidities, if you are older, or you have other health issues, don’t come,” Lankford said on Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
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“Watch it on TV,” he added.
Lankford stopped short of joining public health experts who have condemned the Trump campaign’s decision to host the event indoors at the 19,000-capacity BOK Center, saying the president is “always welcome” to come to the state.
Lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus were eased in Oklahoma weeks ago and a fresh surge in infections was expected, Lankford said. He said the rise in cases wasn’t accompanied by an increase in hospitalizations or deaths.
People seeking tickets to Trump’s rally had to acknowledge a waiver on the Trump campaign website that they won’t sue organizers if they contract the coronavirus at the event.
The Trump campaign said it will hand out face masks and hand sanitizer to attendees. The president himself flouts Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines by refusing to wear a mask in public.
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Lankford said wearing a mask would be “an individual decision” for rally attendees.
“The hard part about it, and I’ve tried to explain this to other folks, when you’re at a large gathering like that, as you know, it’s hard to be able to hear sometimes,” he said. “So there’s going to be times, they’re gonna pull masks on and off. That’s why I really encourage people, if you have other health issues, I discourage you from coming to the event. But a lot of folks are coming and the state is very excited about receiving the president.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--California Issues New, Stricter Statewide Mask Requirement

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) issued an order Thursday requiring people to wear masks in nearly all public settings , changing previous guidance that left mask rules up to individual counties .
Golden State residents now must wear masks in nearly every indoor and outdoor setting , with some exceptions carved out for people who are exercising or dining and people with a medical reason they can ’ t wear a covering .
The new policy goes into effect as the state , which has followed a slower reopening plan than many others , sees an uptick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that ’ s mostly due to increased testing and that COVID-19 hospitalizations remain largely steady , some counties are trending in the wrong direction .
“ Simply put , we are seeing too many people with faces uncovered ― putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease , ” Newsom said in a statement .
“ California ’ s strategy to restart the economy and get people back to work will only be successful if people act safely and follow health recommendations .
That means wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practicing physical distancing.
” The new requirement will force some counties to backtrack .
On Monday , Orange County raised eyebrows when it dropped a requirement that people wear masks in public places where they can ’ t keep a distance from others .
Officials relaxed rules despite Orange County having the fourth-highest number of cases among the state ’ s 58 counties and the fourth most deaths .
Meanwhile , some counties seeing favorable trends have stuck to strict mask rules .
In San Francisco County , where the average number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mask requirements have been stricter since late May than what Newsom proposed .
The county ’ s rules , for instance , don ’ t allow exceptions for people exercising .
It remains unclear how the new statewide mask rule will be enforced .
With President Donald Trump refusing to wear one and refusing to require them at his indoor campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , masks have become a lightning rod issue among some of his supporters who object to public safety mandates or question medical experts on COVID-19 risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Disease Control and Prevention , meanwhile , continues to urge mask-wearing as a key step to stem the spread of COVID-19 .
With Trump ’ s administration taking a pass on offering a clear message on masks , a move by another governor on Thursday underscored the conflicting approach to the matter across the U.S. Nebraska Gov .
Pete Ricketts ( R ) said communities in his state that require mask-wearing in courthouses and other public offices would be ineligible to receive federal funds allotted through the state to deal with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Lincoln , the state capital , officials were going to require all visitors to wear masks when entering the City-County Building , but dropped those plans because of Ricketts ’ comments .

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an order Thursday requiring people to wear masks in nearly all public settings, changing previous guidance that left mask rules up to individual counties.
Golden State residents now must wear masks in nearly every indoor and outdoor setting, with some exceptions carved out for people who are exercising or dining and people with a medical reason they can’t wear a covering.
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The new policy goes into effect as the state, which has followed a slower reopening plan than many others, sees an uptick in coronavirus cases. While state officials say that’s mostly due to increased testing and that COVID-19 hospitalizations remain largely steady, some counties are trending in the wrong direction.
“Simply put, we are seeing too many people with faces uncovered ― putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease,” Newsom said in a statement. “California’s strategy to restart the economy and get people back to work will only be successful if people act safely and follow health recommendations. That means wearing a face covering, washing your hands and practicing physical distancing.”
The new requirement will force some counties to backtrack. On Monday, Orange County raised eyebrows when it dropped a requirement that people wear masks in public places where they can’t keep a distance from others. Officials relaxed rules despite Orange County having the fourth-highest number of cases among the state’s 58 counties and the fourth most deaths.
Meanwhile, some counties seeing favorable trends have stuck to strict mask rules. In San Francisco County, where the average number of cases dropped nearly 3% this week, mask requirements have been stricter since late May than what Newsom proposed. The county’s rules, for instance, don’t allow exceptions for people exercising.
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It remains unclear how the new statewide mask rule will be enforced. With President Donald Trump refusing to wear one and refusing to require them at his indoor campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, masks have become a lightning rod issue among some of his supporters who object to public safety mandates or question medical experts on COVID-19 risk factors. Guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, continues to urge mask-wearing as a key step to stem the spread of COVID-19.
With Trump’s administration taking a pass on offering a clear message on masks, a move by another governor on Thursday underscored the conflicting approach to the matter across the U.S.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) said communities in his state that require mask-wearing in courthouses and other public offices would be ineligible to receive federal funds allotted through the state to deal with the pandemic. The Omaha World-Herald reported that in Lincoln, the state capital, officials were going to require all visitors to wear masks when entering the City-County Building, but dropped those plans because of Ricketts’ comments.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Lin-Manuel Miranda Burns John Bolton For Using 'Hamilton' Song As Book Title

President Donald Trump ’ s former national security adviser ’ s new book is titled , “ The Room Where It Happened , ” a reference to “ The Room Where It Happens , ” a song from Miranda ’ s groundbreaking musical .
But Miranda preferred to go scorched-earth on Bolton on Thursday , when he tweeted a slight rewrite of another “ Hamilton ” song , “ Who Lives , Who Dies , Who Tells Your Story.
” He changed the lyrics around to reference Bolton .
The original lyrics of the song go like this : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ d known / When I was young and dreamed of glory / You have no control / Who lives , who dies , who tells your story ?
” Manuel ’ s new “ Bolton-ified ” lyrics tell a different story : “ Let me tell you what I wish I ’ d known / When I was young and dreamed of glory / You have no control / Who lives , who dies / Who [ borrows your song title to write a cash-in book when they could have testified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The tweet also includes a link to Fair Fight Action , a group attempting to register voters in Georgia .
Let me tell you what I wish I ’ d known When I was young and dreamed of glory You have no control Who lives , who dies , who [ borrows your song title to write a cash-in book when they could have testified before Congress ] tells your story ... https : //t.co/mJlJaxGDnf — Lin-Manuel Miranda ( @ Lin_Manuel ) June 18 , 2020 Fans had strong reactions to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ na be in ... the nyt best sellers list instead of doing the right thing by my country ( I know , I know ... too many syllables ) — Kelly Bowes ( @ K_bowes ) June 18 , 2020 Saw the book title and screamed .
Wild .
Wild that these people think they can cash in and be the good guys .
— Emily Cunningham ( @ EmC_Hammer ) June 18 , 2020 The fact that you used the word “ borrow ” and not “ steal and has no respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re too kind sir .
— Iraa ( @ iraa_sharma20 ) June 18 , 2020 And one fan felt there was another development — Thursday ’ s Supreme Court ruling on the Trump administration trying to end DACA , or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — that should be celebrated with “ Hamilton ” lyrics .
feel like we need to be celebrating today 's DACA ruling with some more Hamilton lyrics ... pic.twitter.com/dQUleklOva — Dwight Williams ( @ dwight_esq ) June 18 , 2020

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Call it poetic justice.
President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser’s new book is titled, “The Room Where It Happened,” a reference to “The Room Where It Happens,” a song from Miranda’s groundbreaking musical.
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But Miranda preferred to go scorched-earth on Bolton on Thursday, when he tweeted a slight rewrite of another “Hamilton” song, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.” He changed the lyrics around to reference Bolton.
The original lyrics of the song go like this:
“Let me tell you what I wish I’d known / When I was young and dreamed of glory / You have no control / Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?”
Manuel’s new “Bolton-ified” lyrics tell a different story:
“Let me tell you what I wish I’d known / When I was young and dreamed of glory / You have no control / Who lives, who dies / Who [borrows your song title to write a cash-in book when they could have testified before Congress] tells your story...”
The tweet also includes a link to Fair Fight Action, a group attempting to register voters in Georgia.
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Let me tell you what I wish I’d known
When I was young and dreamed of glory
You have no control
Who lives, who dies, who
[borrows your song title to write a cash-in book when they could have testified before Congress]
tells your story...https://t.co/mJlJaxGDnf — Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 18, 2020
Fans had strong reactions to the tweet and against Bolton.
I wanna be in... the nyt best sellers list instead of doing the right thing by my country
(I know, I know...too many syllables) — Kelly Bowes (@K_bowes) June 18, 2020
Saw the book title and screamed. Wild. Wild that these people think they can cash in and be the good guys. — Emily Cunningham (@EmC_Hammer) June 18, 2020
The fact that you used the word “borrow” and not “steal and has no respect for the artist”. You’re too kind sir. — Iraa (@iraa_sharma20) June 18, 2020
And one fan felt there was another development — Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling on the Trump administration trying to end DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — that should be celebrated with “Hamilton” lyrics.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--John Bolton: Trump Not Fit For Office, Putin Thinks He Can 'Play Him Like A Fiddle'

Former national security adviser John Bolton declared that President Donald Trump is not “ fit for office ” and that Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks he can “ play him like a fiddle.
” “ I don ’ t think he ’ s fit for office .
I don ’ t think he has the competence to carry out the job , ” Bolton told ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz in a clip released Thursday ahead of a full interview to be aired on Sunday .
Bolton also said the president ’ s only goal is reelection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wayside , ” he said .
BREAKING : `` I do n't think he 's fit for office , '' former national security adviser John Bolton says of Pres .
Trump .
`` I do n't think he has the competence to carry out the job . ''
Watch more from Bolton 's interview with @ MarthaRaddatz Sunday at 9|8c .
https : //t.co/rTfQLohwWQ pic.twitter.com/ZtxD98iwyh — ABC News ( @ ABC ) June 18 , 2020 In another preview clip , Bolton said Putin is “ smart ” and “ tough , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a fiddle.
” “ When you ’ re dealing with somebody like Putin , who has made his life understanding Russia ’ s strategic position in the world , against Donald Trump , who doesn ’ t enjoy reading about these issues or learning about them , it ’ s a very difficult position for America to be in , ” Bolton said .
.
@ MarthaRaddatz : “ How would you describe Trump 's relationship with Vladimir Putin ?
” John Bolton : “ I think Putin thinks he can play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the exclusive interview this Sunday at 9|8c on ABC .
pic.twitter.com/VALmx3Z0f0 — ABC News ( @ ABC ) June 17 , 2020 Bolton ’ s controversial memoir of his 17 months working in the Trump administration , titled “ The Room Where It Happened , ” is scheduled for release next week .
He alleges in the book that Trump sought Chinese President Xi Jinping ’ s assistance to win reelection and encouraged China ’ s leader to construct “ concentration camps ” to detain Uighur Muslims .
Trump has railed against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolton a “ liar ” and claiming that everyone in the White House hated him .
The Department of Justice has launched a legal challenge seeking to block publication , claiming the memoir contains classified information .
Bolton faces a growing backlash for not speaking out against Trump ’ s alleged abuses of power at the time and for failing to cooperate with House Democrats in Trump ’ s impeachment .

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Former national security adviser John Bolton declared that President Donald Trump is not “fit for office” and that Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks he can “play him like a fiddle.”
“I don’t think he’s fit for office. I don’t think he has the competence to carry out the job,” Bolton told ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz in a clip released Thursday ahead of a full interview to be aired on Sunday.
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Bolton also said the president’s only goal is reelection. “Longer-term considerations fell by the wayside,” he said.
Check out that clip here:
BREAKING: "I don't think he's fit for office," former national security adviser John Bolton says of Pres. Trump. "I don't think he has the competence to carry out the job."
Watch more from Bolton's interview with @MarthaRaddatz Sunday at 9|8c. https://t.co/rTfQLohwWQ pic.twitter.com/ZtxD98iwyh — ABC News (@ABC) June 18, 2020
In another preview clip, Bolton said Putin is “smart” and “tough,” and thinks he can play Trump “like a fiddle.”
“When you’re dealing with somebody like Putin, who has made his life understanding Russia’s strategic position in the world, against Donald Trump, who doesn’t enjoy reading about these issues or learning about them, it’s a very difficult position for America to be in,” Bolton said.
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Check out that clip here:
.@MarthaRaddatz: “How would you describe Trump's relationship with Vladimir Putin?”
John Bolton: “I think Putin thinks he can play him like a fiddle.”
Watch more from the exclusive interview this Sunday at 9|8c on ABC. pic.twitter.com/VALmx3Z0f0 — ABC News (@ABC) June 17, 2020
Bolton’s controversial memoir of his 17 months working in the Trump administration, titled “The Room Where It Happened,” is scheduled for release next week.
He alleges in the book that Trump sought Chinese President Xi Jinping’s assistance to win reelection and encouraged China’s leader to construct “concentration camps” to detain Uighur Muslims.
Trump has railed against the publication of the book, calling Bolton a “liar” and claiming that everyone in the White House hated him. The Department of Justice has launched a legal challenge seeking to block publication, claiming the memoir contains classified information.
Bolton faces a growing backlash for not speaking out against Trump’s alleged abuses of power at the time and for failing to cooperate with House Democrats in Trump’s impeachment.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Facebook Takes Down Trump Campaign Ads Featuring Nazi Iconography

Facebook has taken down nearly 100 ads that featured Nazi iconography and were published on the platform by President Donald Trump ’ s reelection campaign on Wednesday .
The ads in question all prominently featured an inverted red triangle — the same triangle Nazis used to identify political prisoners in concentration camps .
The President of the United States is campaigning for reelection using a Nazi concentration camp symbol .
Nazis used the red triangle to mark political prisoners and people who rescued Jews .
Trump & the RNC are using it to smear millions of protestors .
Their masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arc : Jewish Action ( @ jewishaction ) June 18 , 2020 Pages belonging to Donald Trump , Team Trump and Mike Pence ran a collective total 88 of the ads for between 1.3 and 1.7 million impressions before they were pulled Thursday .
Text accompanying the ads warns of “ dangerous MOBS of far-left groups ” and implores readers to sign a petition indicating their opposition to Antifa .
Trump has repeatedly sought to tie violent acts at nationwide protests to anti-fascist groups ; however , a Reuters analysis indicates that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predominantly responsible .
“ We removed these posts and ads for violating our policy against organized hate , ” a Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost .
“ Our policy prohibits using a banned hate group ’ s symbol to identify political prisoners without the context that condemns or discusses the symbol.
” The Trump campaign responded by portraying the symbol as both an innocent emoji and one “ widely used ” by Antifa .
A reverse image search of the symbol , however , returns no results other than those used recently by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically uses an emblem featuring two flags on top of each other , one black , one red .
Seeking to bolster its claim , the Trump campaign then pointed NBC to a website that sells custom T-shirts available with the logo .
The account selling the shirts appears relatively new and claims to be located in Spain .
Trump team confirms they used an image from a guy in Spain selling t-shirts on spreadshirt dot com to bolster their claim that the upside down red triangle is a `` widely used '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Brandy Zadrozny ( @ BrandyZadrozny ) June 18 , 2020 As if there were any doubt , the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum confirmed on Twitter that the red triangle was indeed used by the Nazis to flag “ political prisoners.
” The progressive watchdog group Media Matters was among the first to notice the ads on Facebook .
The organization ’ s president , Angelo Carusone , said he welcomes Facebook ’ s action , but the question remains : Why did Facebook ever allow them to begin with ?
“ Despite violating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ads were approved by Facebook in the first place , ” Carusone said in a statement .
“ Yet again we see another example where Facebook can ’ t even meet the bare minimum standards they set for themselves — either because they ’ re incapable or because they ’ re in cahoots .

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Facebook has taken down nearly 100 ads that featured Nazi iconography and were published on the platform by President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign on Wednesday.
The ads in question all prominently featured an inverted red triangle — the same triangle Nazis used to identify political prisoners in concentration camps.
Advertisement
The President of the United States is campaigning for reelection using a Nazi concentration camp symbol.
Nazis used the red triangle to mark political prisoners and people who rescued Jews.
Trump & the RNC are using it to smear millions of protestors.
Their masks are off. pic.twitter.com/UzmzDaRBup — Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction) June 18, 2020
Pages belonging to Donald Trump, Team Trump and Mike Pence ran a collective total 88 of the ads for between 1.3 and 1.7 million impressions before they were pulled Thursday.
Text accompanying the ads warns of “dangerous MOBS of far-left groups” and implores readers to sign a petition indicating their opposition to Antifa. Trump has repeatedly sought to tie violent acts at nationwide protests to anti-fascist groups; however, a Reuters analysis indicates that, so far, right-wing extremists have been predominantly responsible.
“We removed these posts and ads for violating our policy against organized hate,” a Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost. “Our policy prohibits using a banned hate group’s symbol to identify political prisoners without the context that condemns or discusses the symbol.”
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The Trump campaign responded by portraying the symbol as both an innocent emoji and one “widely used” by Antifa. A reverse image search of the symbol, however, returns no results other than those used recently by the Trump campaign.
The anti-fascist movement more typically uses an emblem featuring two flags on top of each other, one black, one red.
Seeking to bolster its claim, the Trump campaign then pointed NBC to a website that sells custom T-shirts available with the logo. The account selling the shirts appears relatively new and claims to be located in Spain.
Trump team confirms they used an image from a guy in Spain selling t-shirts on spreadshirt dot com to bolster their claim that the upside down red triangle is a "widely used" symbol for antifa. https://t.co/Vd5JHrlzlP — Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) June 18, 2020
As if there were any doubt, the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum confirmed on Twitter that the red triangle was indeed used by the Nazis to flag “political prisoners.”
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The progressive watchdog group Media Matters was among the first to notice the ads on Facebook. The organization’s president, Angelo Carusone, said he welcomes Facebook’s action, but the question remains: Why did Facebook ever allow them to begin with?
“Despite violating Facebook’s terms of service, the ads were approved by Facebook in the first place,” Carusone said in a statement. “Yet again we see another example where Facebook can’t even meet the bare minimum standards they set for themselves — either because they’re incapable or because they’re in cahoots.