thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Eric Trump Gripes Social Media Censorship Is 'No. 1 Issue In Politics'

Eric Trump ’ s baseless accusations came on a day when the CEOs of Twitter , Facebook and Google faced similar attacks from Republican politicians at a Senate hearing .
Republicans , led by the president , have accused the social media platforms , without evidence , of deliberately suppressing conservative , religious and anti-abortion views , especially in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election .
The hearing was ordered after Facebook and Twitter limited the dissemination of an unverified story about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden from the conservative-leaning New York Post .
Twitter ’ s Jack Dorsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google ’ s Sundar Pichai all denied censoring Republicans during the hearing , but Eric Trump wasn ’ t buying it .
“ You better believe they also have their fingers on the dial .
If I put something out that they disagree with , the numbers are down .
I can just see it based on engagements and likes , ” he said .
“ They are censoring us , they don ’ t do it to the other side and it ’ s gross.
” “ But Americans are seeing through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through it , ” he said .
“ And quite frankly , the one thing you don ’ t want to do to Americans is take away their free speech.
” “ It ’ s our First Amendment right for a reason , and I ’ m telling you people aren ’ t happy about it .
I think it ’ s actually probably become the No .
1 issue in politics , ” he added .
Eric Trump ’ s gripe on Fox News comes a week after his older brother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ algorithms ” in a very bizarre Instagram post : Hey guys hope you ’ re doing well .
Just watching my algorithms get crushed .
I guess I did something to piss off the Instagram gods .
So hopefully you ’ re seeing this stuff anyway .
We ’ ll do what we can .
Talk to you soon .

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Eric Trump was feeling a little anti-social about social media sites Wednesday night on Laura Ingraham’s show.
President Donald Trump’s second-born son accused social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram of censoring his posts.
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His evidence, he insisted, was “based on engagements and likes.”
Eric Trump’s baseless accusations came on a day when the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google faced similar attacks from Republican politicians at a Senate hearing.
Republicans, led by the president, have accused the social media platforms, without evidence, of deliberately suppressing conservative, religious and anti-abortion views, especially in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election.
The hearing was ordered after Facebook and Twitter limited the dissemination of an unverified story about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden from the conservative-leaning New York Post.
Twitter’s Jack Dorsey, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai all denied censoring Republicans during the hearing, but Eric Trump wasn’t buying it.
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“You better believe they also have their fingers on the dial. If I put something out that they disagree with, the numbers are down. I can just see it based on engagements and likes,” he said. “They are censoring us, they don’t do it to the other side and it’s gross.”
Trump’s son then showed he inherited his dad’s drive to turn a personal grievance into a (so-called) national obsession.
“But Americans are seeing through it, believe me. Americans see through it,” he said. “And quite frankly, the one thing you don’t want to do to Americans is take away their free speech.”
“It’s our First Amendment right for a reason, and I’m telling you people aren’t happy about it. I think it’s actually probably become the No. 1 issue in politics,” he added.
Eric Trump’s gripe on Fox News comes a week after his older brother, Donald Trump Jr., whined about “algorithms” in a very bizarre Instagram post:
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Hey guys hope you’re doing well. Just watching my algorithms get crushed. I guess I did something to piss off the Instagram gods. So hopefully you’re seeing this stuff anyway. We’ll do what we can. Talk to you soon.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Philly DA Throws Down Over Trump Poll Watchers: We Won't Be Cowed By A 'Despot'

Philadelphia ’ s district attorney sent a bristling message to President Donald Trump , warning him not to send his “ Proud Boys , goon squads and uncertified ‘ poll watchers ’ ” to Philly — or he ’ ll face swift consequences .
“ Break the law here , and I ’ ve got something for you , ” DA Larry Krasner said to Trump in a statement Wednesday .
“ We will not be cowed or ruled by a lawless , power-hungry despot , ” he added .
“ The Trump Administration ’ s efforts to suppress votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disregard for human life will not be tolerated in the birthplace of American democracy.
” Krasner attacked Trump the day the president criticized unrest in Philadelphia over the fatal police shooting Monday of 27-year-old Black resident Walter Wallace Jr. during what his family said was a mental health crisis .
Trump blamed the unrest in the city after the killing on state and local officials — and , at a rally in Phoenix , on “ violent mobs of Biden supporters.
” Philadelphians from a diversity of political opinions believe strongly in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free elections , and in a democratic system of government .
We will not be cowed or ruled by a lawless , power-hungry despot .
https : //t.co/k4PhomfHlf — DA Larry Krasner ( @ DA_LarryKrasner ) October 28 , 2020 Trump has also called for his supporters to form an army of “ poll watchers ” in cities , raising fears of intimidation tactics .
Members of the Trump campaign last week were caught videotaping Philly residents dropping their votes into ballot boxes .
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro warned that the practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s statement attacked both Trump ’ s characterization of himself as the “ law and order ” president and his threat of deploying partisan poll vigilantes .
“ Donald Trump claims to be a ‘ law and order ’ president , but his administration has posed the greatest danger to public health and safety in modern history , ” wrote Krasner , pointing to the president ’ s failed record on handling the COVID-19 crisis , his encouragement of voter intimidation and his incitement of racial hatred .
“ Philadelphians are grieving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black man who appeared to be in a mental health crisis .
Instead of working with cities and states to improve accountability and efficacy in policing , instead of supporting and strengthening Black communities , the Trump Administration seeks to throw gasoline on a long-burning fire in order to provoke further unrest and violence ahead of an election he is terrified to lose , ” Krasner charged .
To protect voters in the city , 80 prosecutors and county detectives will be watching out for any intimidation at voting sites on Election Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

Philadelphia’s district attorney sent a bristling message to President Donald Trump, warning him not to send his “Proud Boys, goon squads and uncertified ‘poll watchers’” to Philly — or he’ll face swift consequences.
“Break the law here, and I’ve got something for you,” DA Larry Krasner said to Trump in a statement Wednesday.
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“We will not be cowed or ruled by a lawless, power-hungry despot,” he added. “The Trump Administration’s efforts to suppress votes amid a global pandemic fueled by their disregard for human life will not be tolerated in the birthplace of American democracy.”
Krasner attacked Trump the day the president criticized unrest in Philadelphia over the fatal police shooting Monday of 27-year-old Black resident Walter Wallace Jr. during what his family said was a mental health crisis.
Trump blamed the unrest in the city after the killing on state and local officials — and, at a rally in Phoenix, on “violent mobs of Biden supporters.”
Philadelphians from a diversity of political opinions believe strongly in the rule of law, in fair and free elections, and in a democratic system of government. We will not be cowed or ruled by a lawless, power-hungry despot. https://t.co/k4PhomfHlf — DA Larry Krasner (@DA_LarryKrasner) October 28, 2020
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Trump has also called for his supporters to form an army of “poll watchers” in cities, raising fears of intimidation tactics. Members of the Trump campaign last week were caught videotaping Philly residents dropping their votes into ballot boxes. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro warned that the practice could constitute illegal voter intimidation.
Krasner’s statement attacked both Trump’s characterization of himself as the “law and order” president and his threat of deploying partisan poll vigilantes.
“Donald Trump claims to be a ‘law and order’ president, but his administration has posed the greatest danger to public health and safety in modern history,” wrote Krasner, pointing to the president’s failed record on handling the COVID-19 crisis, his encouragement of voter intimidation and his incitement of racial hatred.
“Philadelphians are grieving the fatal shooting by police of a Black man who appeared to be in a mental health crisis. Instead of working with cities and states to improve accountability and efficacy in policing, instead of supporting and strengthening Black communities, the Trump Administration seeks to throw gasoline on a long-burning fire in order to provoke further unrest and violence ahead of an election he is terrified to lose,” Krasner charged.
To protect voters in the city, 80 prosecutors and county detectives will be watching out for any intimidation at voting sites on Election Day, Krasner noted.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Laura Ingraham Sounds Nauseatingly Like Trump In Attack On Biden Science Stance

Laura Ingraham sounded an awful lot like President Donald Trump on Wednesday , warning Fox News viewers that Democratic nominee Joe Biden would follow science to battle the coronavirus if he ’ s elected the next president .
( See the video below . )
“ So when Biden says we ’ re going to let the science drive our decisions , that means unelected medical experts will dictate when our kids can go to school , when we can go to church and when we can drive or travel anywhere to see relatives or friends , ” Ingraham said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats have opted to use fear instead of substantive arguments to win this election.
” The nation has averaged more than 75,000 new COVID-19 cases a day in the past week , and experts say that number could soon soar to 100,000 .
Deaths are approaching 228,000 nationwide .
In the meantime , Trump and his allies continue to downplay the pandemic , with the president claiming that Americans are “ rounding the turn ” and “ learning to live with ” COVID-19 .
Earlier this month , the president mocked Biden at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ ll listen to the scientists.
” Elsewhere in her segment Wednesday , Ingraham accused Democrats of giving up on dealing with the pandemic .
She also revisited right-wing grievances , such as the removal of Confederate statues and the NBA ’ s Black Lives Matter protests .

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Laura Ingraham sounded an awful lot like President Donald Trump on Wednesday, warning Fox News viewers that Democratic nominee Joe Biden would follow science to battle the coronavirus if he’s elected the next president. (See the video below.)
“So when Biden says we’re going to let the science drive our decisions, that means unelected medical experts will dictate when our kids can go to school, when we can go to church and when we can drive or travel anywhere to see relatives or friends,” Ingraham said on “The Ingraham Angle.” “Democrats have opted to use fear instead of substantive arguments to win this election.”
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The nation has averaged more than 75,000 new COVID-19 cases a day in the past week, and experts say that number could soon soar to 100,000. Deaths are approaching 228,000 nationwide. In the meantime, Trump and his allies continue to downplay the pandemic, with the president claiming that Americans are “rounding the turn” and “learning to live with” COVID-19. Earlier this month, the president mocked Biden at a campaign rally, saying, “He’ll listen to the scientists.”
Elsewhere in her segment Wednesday, Ingraham accused Democrats of giving up on dealing with the pandemic. She also revisited right-wing grievances, such as the removal of Confederate statues and the NBA’s Black Lives Matter protests.
Watch the segment here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Climate Progressives Eye Treasury As Key Post If Biden Wins

It ’ s not hard to see why advocates are looking beyond who would run the Environmental Protection Agency under a President Biden .
Transitioning the global economy away from fossil fuels at the speed needed to keep warming in a relatively safe range requires unprecedented changes to the flows of private and public capital .
Forecasters have long warned that warming-fueled disasters and risky bets on fossil fuels ’ long-term use could crash the economy .
Shifts are already underway in the insurance sector .
Banks and financiers , facing mounting pressure from activists and record numbers of billion-dollar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the risk seriously .
Advocates hope the defeat of President Donald Trump , who rejects the reality and seriousness of climate change , could pave the way to potentially reverse his administration ’ s wanton handouts to fossil fuel companies and reform the financial system before climate change sparks another chaotic market crash .
But taking her out of the Senate would allow Massachusetts ’ Republican Gov .
Charlie Baker to fill her spot , at least until a special election could take place ( which Bay State law requires within 145 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Choosing her would be seen as fiercely antagonistic to Wall Street , a position Biden seems reluctant to take .
She called for rules requiring investors to disclose the risk climate change poses to assets and said regulators should begin carrying out climate stress tests like those implemented by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank to assess how different disasters could destabilize financial institutions .
In May , she criticized the Federal Reserve for propping up fossil fuel companies amid the coronavirus pandemic in a New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ build toward a stronger economy with more jobs in innovative industries — not prop up and enrich dying ones.
” The Treasury Is Kind of A Big Deal Much of the insurgent climate movement that emerged over the past few years grew out of campus-led efforts demanding financial institutions ― often university endowments ― divest of fossil fuel holdings .
By the start of the Trump administration , those calls went mainstream , with governments as big as New York City vowing to start the process of pulling its $ 5 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas and coal business .
Over the past year , that movement ramped up into a new campaign to pressure on banks and big investors to severely limit investments in new fossil fuel infrastructure .
The effort has managed to score some early victories .
In January , BlackRock , the world ’ s largest asset manager , wrote in its annual letter to CEOs that it would be “ increasingly disposed to vote against management and board directors when companies are not making sufficient progress on sustainability-related disclosures.
” In July , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their compatibility with the warming scenario outlined in the Paris climate accords .
JPMorgan Chase made a similar commitment earlier this month .
That lays the groundwork for significant changes at the Treasury .
The Trump administration had disbanded the department ’ s Office of Environment and Energy and backtracked on efforts to limit financing for new coal projects .
Last January , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin clashed with European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde over whether it was worth it to even try to predict the risks climate change posed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could lean heavily on the 2010 Dodd-Frank law that overhauled financial regulation in the wake of the Great Recession .
The Financial Stability Oversight Council , established under the law to rally other financial regulators and synchronize rule changes to protect against the domino-effect of a market crash , could become a key venue to analyze the potential economic upheaval of climate change and create safeguards requiring investors and insurance companies to integrate that risk into their portfolios .
Taxing carbon dioxide emissions has become controversial , with economists and oil companies on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most efficient way to reduce pollution and advocates and some policy experts on the other warning it would be politically unpopular and distract from more urgent government action required to keep warming within a safe range .
But if the Biden administration priced carbon at some level , that policy would largely fall under the purview of the Treasury , Stanley said .
The department could also , as the largest shareholder of the World Bank , pressure the institution to veer away from fossil fuels , a sector in which it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris climate agreement was struck , according to estimates the German environmental group Urgewald released this month .
Doing so could be part of a broader international mandate on climate .
A report published Tuesday by the Democratic climate policy group Evergreen Action , which Raskin advised , called for the U.S. to join the Network on Greening the Financial System , a 69-member coalition of central banks , as part of an effort to “ prevent a climate crash.
” Unlike Raskin or Warren , Brainard has been relatively quiet on climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech calling for the Fed “ to study the implications of climate change for the economy and the financial system and to adapt our work accordingly.
” But , in April , she voted in favor of allowing the Fed ’ s Main Street Lending Program to expand its criteria and make it easier to provide loans to fossil fuel companies struggling as oil prices plummeted this year .

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The Treasury Department is emerging as a high-priority for climate progressives seeking to influence a Joe Biden administration, should he win the 2020 election.
Two names top the climate activists’ lists: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sarah Bloom Raskin, a former Federal Reserve governor who served as the deputy Treasury secretary in President Barack Obama’s second term.
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It’s not hard to see why advocates are looking beyond who would run the Environmental Protection Agency under a President Biden. Transitioning the global economy away from fossil fuels at the speed needed to keep warming in a relatively safe range requires unprecedented changes to the flows of private and public capital. Forecasters have long warned that warming-fueled disasters and risky bets on fossil fuels’ long-term use could crash the economy.
Shifts are already underway in the insurance sector. Banks and financiers, facing mounting pressure from activists and record numbers of billion-dollar climate disasters, also are starting to take the risk seriously. Advocates hope the defeat of President Donald Trump, who rejects the reality and seriousness of climate change, could pave the way to potentially reverse his administration’s wanton handouts to fossil fuel companies and reform the financial system before climate change sparks another chaotic market crash.
“There is a real recognition that climate risk is a structural risk for the U.S. economy and the global economy, and you can’t escape that,” said Bracken Hendricks, a climate policy expert and former senior adviser to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate-focused bid for the Democratic nomination last year. “The West Coast is on fire, you’ve got a hurricane hitting New Orleans. These are real economic impacts on real businesses.”
Warren, whose years of stumping for financial reform fueled her rise as one of Biden’s foremost primary rivals, ran for president on a sweeping climate platform that included new Wall Street regulations to curb polluting investments and require increased disclosure of risky fossil fuel bets.
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But taking her out of the Senate would allow Massachusetts’ Republican Gov. Charlie Baker to fill her spot, at least until a special election could take place (which Bay State law requires within 145 to 160 days for such a vacancy). Choosing her would be seen as fiercely antagonistic to Wall Street, a position Biden seems reluctant to take.
Raskin, 59, captured the climate world’s attention in March when she testified before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and outlined what many see as potential first steps she’d take to address global warming if selected as the nation’s top financial regulator.
Sarah Bloom Raskin, now a fellow at Duke University in North Carolina, is being floated as a possible pick for the Treasury secretary if Joe Biden wins the presidency. CNBC via Getty Images
She called for rules requiring investors to disclose the risk climate change poses to assets and said regulators should begin carrying out climate stress tests like those implemented by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank to assess how different disasters could destabilize financial institutions. In May, she criticized the Federal Reserve for propping up fossil fuel companies amid the coronavirus pandemic in a New York Times op-ed that called for public investments to “build toward a stronger economy with more jobs in innovative industries — not prop up and enrich dying ones.”
Raskin declined an interview request. But her approach made her an apparent favorite of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, which ― having seen the presidential nomination go to a centrist standard-bearer ― aims to stack a Biden administration with Cabinet officials willing to challenge corporate power and take aggressive steps to slash emissions.
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“We’d definitely support her,” Evan Weber, the political director of the Sunrise Movement, said of Raskin. “To the extent that Warren is an option, we’d support that, too.”
The Biden campaign, which has sought to tamp down speculation about appointments ahead of the election, did not respond to a request for comment.
The Treasury Is Kind of A Big Deal
Much of the insurgent climate movement that emerged over the past few years grew out of campus-led efforts demanding financial institutions ― often university endowments ― divest of fossil fuel holdings. By the start of the Trump administration, those calls went mainstream, with governments as big as New York City vowing to start the process of pulling its $5 billion pension funds out of the oil, gas and coal business. Over the past year, that movement ramped up into a new campaign to pressure on banks and big investors to severely limit investments in new fossil fuel infrastructure.
The effort has managed to score some early victories. In January, BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, wrote in its annual letter to CEOs that it would be “increasingly disposed to vote against management and board directors when companies are not making sufficient progress on sustainability-related disclosures.” In July, Citigroup vowed to start measuring companies by their compatibility with the warming scenario outlined in the Paris climate accords. JPMorgan Chase made a similar commitment earlier this month.
That lays the groundwork for significant changes at the Treasury. The Trump administration had disbanded the department’s Office of Environment and Energy and backtracked on efforts to limit financing for new coal projects. Last January, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin clashed with European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde over whether it was worth it to even try to predict the risks climate change posed to the financial sector.
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Increasing investments in research and building new, complex models should be a top priority for a Biden Treasury, according to a blog post this month by researchers at the Center for Economic and Policy Research’s Revolving Door Project, which also called for implementing climate stress tests as a critical first step.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), seen here stumping for Biden in Manchester, New Hampshire, is another potential Treasury pick should the former vice president triumph in the Nov. 3 election. MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images via Getty Images
A climate-focused Treasury secretary could lean heavily on the 2010 Dodd-Frank law that overhauled financial regulation in the wake of the Great Recession. The Financial Stability Oversight Council, established under the law to rally other financial regulators and synchronize rule changes to protect against the domino-effect of a market crash, could become a key venue to analyze the potential economic upheaval of climate change and create safeguards requiring investors and insurance companies to integrate that risk into their portfolios.
“The Treasury secretary plays a very important coordinating role,” said Marcus Stanley, the policy director at the nonprofit Americans for Financial Reform.
Taxing carbon dioxide emissions has become controversial, with economists and oil companies on one side saying it’s the most efficient way to reduce pollution and advocates and some policy experts on the other warning it would be politically unpopular and distract from more urgent government action required to keep warming within a safe range. But if the Biden administration priced carbon at some level, that policy would largely fall under the purview of the Treasury, Stanley said.
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The department could also, as the largest shareholder of the World Bank, pressure the institution to veer away from fossil fuels, a sector in which it has invested $12 billion since the 2015 Paris climate agreement was struck, according to estimates the German environmental group Urgewald released this month. Doing so could be part of a broader international mandate on climate. A report published Tuesday by the Democratic climate policy group Evergreen Action, which Raskin advised, called for the U.S. to join the Network on Greening the Financial System, a 69-member coalition of central banks, as part of an effort to “prevent a climate crash.”
“Almost everything Treasury does carries enormous climate implications,” said Jeff Hauser, the Revolving Door Project’s executive director and co-author of the blog post. “Sarah Bloom Raskin gets that. You need somebody like Sarah Bloom Raskin in that job.”
Other Candidates
Sunrise Movement has also floated Bill Clinton-era Labor Secretary Robert Reich, economist and former Columbia University Earth Institute director Jeffrey Sachs and Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz as possible picks for Treasury.
Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainard is being touted in the financial press as a top contender for Biden's Treasury secretary. Brian Snyder / Reuters
Another name touted in stories on Bloomberg and CNBC as a top contender is Lael Brainard, a governor at the Federal Reserve and former undersecretary at the Treasury during Obama’s first term.
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Unlike Raskin or Warren, Brainard has been relatively quiet on climate. Last November, she gave a speech calling for the Fed “to study the implications of climate change for the economy and the financial system and to adapt our work accordingly.” But, in April, she voted in favor of allowing the Fed’s Main Street Lending Program to expand its criteria and make it easier to provide loans to fossil fuel companies struggling as oil prices plummeted this year.
Moreover, Hauser said, Brainard carries political risks for Biden. She struggled to rein in Chinese currency manipulation during the Obama administration, opening the door to a soft-on-China critique from Republicans, and did little to halt corporate mergers that allowed companies to evade taxes by moving their headquarters overseas.
Plus, Hauser noted, her husband is Kurt Campbell, the chairman and chief executive of the Asia Group, a multinational investor consultancy.
“That’s a huge conflict of interest,” Hauser said. “He could divest, but I don’t know if he would do what he’d need to do.”
Rather than run the Treasury, Brainard’s record of pushing liberal monetary policy that focuses on the risk of unemployment rather than inflation could make her a strong candidate for Fed chair.
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“Since unemployment rates over the past decade have been very real and the inflation fears have been fictitious, that’s a very real achievement,” Hauser said. “A lot of people have jobs today because of [her] leadership.”
Brainard declined HuffPost’s request for comment, and Campbell did not respond to HuffPost’s questions about whether he’d divest of Asia Group if his wife was nominated to a Cabinet post.
Hendricks, who has not taken a position on any potential nominees, said the Treasury job isn’t just about averting a climate-fueled financial disaster.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Civil Rights Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Diversity Training Ban

The September executive order and a series of subsequent administrative directives effectively banned diversity and inclusion training in federal offices and at any company or entity that contracts with the government or receives federal funding — which is a huge swath of American businesses and universities , covering millions of workers and students .
The order says such training is un-American and inherently sexist and racist .
Yet diversity training has been standard practice inside companies for decades , and the orders have so far been met with widespread condemnation from not only civil rights groups , but a range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commerce , the American Association of Advertising Agencies and even a pharmaceutical industry group .
“ This form of rank speech and thought policing directly contravenes some of the most sacred principles of the U.S. constitution , ” said Janai Nelson , associate director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund , on a call announcing the litigation Thursday afternoon .
“ This assault on the freedom of expression foments racial enmity and undermines the greatest strength of our country : our diversity.
” When asked about filing the suit so close to the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call said there was no time to lose .
The order is already having a chilling effect in companies , universities and inside the federal government , they said .
The Trump administration ’ s crackdown on diversity training — which has long been standard practice at federal agencies , companies and schools — began last month after the president watched a segment on Tucker Carlson ’ s Fox News show .
Carlson spoke with a conservative activist about a diversity event that had taken place at the Treasury department , characterizing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an open conversation on a webinar about racism in the United States hosted by a civil rights activist , a diversity consultant , and a Trump appointee .
On the call , Lisa Rice , an executive vice president at the National Fair Housing Alliance , talked about how , when she was little , her parents were steered away from buying a home in a white neighborhood because of redlining .
Her family wound up with a house in a predominantly Black area that had limited local resources .
They were forced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banks wouldn ’ t lend to home buyers in a Black neighborhood .
Because of segregation , their home ’ s value declined over the years , stripping her family of its wealth .
“ What happened to my family happened to millions of black and brown families across this nation , ” she said .
“ It happened to millions of people of color because of systemic racism and structural inequality .
... Our experience wasn ’ t due to a bug in the system .
My family experienced real harm because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to deny opportunities to people of color.
” Since the release of the executive order , the African American Policy Forum has been collecting information on its impact .
According to its tally , more than 300 different organizations have canceled trainings or experienced other disruptions as a result .
Inside federal agencies , employees are terrified .
One psychologist at a large Veterans Affairs hospital told HuffPost that his department has already halted any LGBTQ-related training .
He said that group therapy for LGBT veterans or minority veterans may also need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Where does this stop within patient care ?
Does it just extend to psychotherapy ?
To medicine ?
Primary care ?
How much are we going to be scrutinized for acknowledging things like racism and sexism and heterosexism exist ?
And how closely are we going to be policed ?
”

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Two civil rights groups filed suit against the Trump administration on Thursday over its executive order banning diversity training, calling it an unconstitutional assault on free speech and equal rights under the law.
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund is representing the National Urban League and the National Fair Housing Alliance in the complaint, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia are the named defendants.
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In the lawsuit, the civil rights groups call the executive order an authoritarian attack on progress and a blatant attempt to shut down conversations about race and gender. They demand it be immediately rescinded.
The September executive order and a series of subsequent administrative directives effectively banned diversity and inclusion training in federal offices and at any company or entity that contracts with the government or receives federal funding — which is a huge swath of American businesses and universities, covering millions of workers and students.
The order says such training is un-American and inherently sexist and racist. Yet diversity training has been standard practice inside companies for decades, and the orders have so far been met with widespread condemnation from not only civil rights groups, but a range of business interests like the Chamber of Commerce, the American Association of Advertising Agencies and even a pharmaceutical industry group.
“This form of rank speech and thought policing directly contravenes some of the most sacred principles of the U.S. Constitution.” - Janai Nelson, associate director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
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“This form of rank speech and thought policing directly contravenes some of the most sacred principles of the U.S. Constitution,” said Janai Nelson, associate director-counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, on a call announcing the litigation Thursday afternoon. “This assault on the freedom of expression foments racial enmity and undermines the greatest strength of our country: our diversity.”
When asked about filing the suit so close to the election, Nelson and other activists on the call said there was no time to lose. The order is already having a chilling effect in companies, universities and inside the federal government, they said.
“The urgency could not be overstated,” said Nelson. She called the order “one of the most blatant missives against truth launched by the federal government that the Legal Defense Fund has witnessed in its 80 year history.”
Also on Thursday, the African American Policy Forum announced a campaign called #TruthBeTold, calling for the executive order to be rescinded and raising awareness about discussions of race, gender and intersectionality.
Later in the day, a Department of Labor spokesperson said the order issued by the White House is part of the administration’s effort to eliminate race and sex stereotyping in employment. “The Department of Labor is confident it will prevail in this lawsuit and that President Trump’s Executive Order will be found lawful,” the spokesperson said in an email.
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The Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity training — which has long been standard practice at federal agencies, companies and schools — began last month after the president watched a segment on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show. Carlson spoke with a conservative activist about a diversity event that had taken place at the Treasury department, characterizing it as scary. The event was simply an open conversation on a webinar about racism in the United States hosted by a civil rights activist, a diversity consultant, and a Trump appointee.
Days after the Fox news segment aired, the White House issued its first directive ordering federal agencies to stop diversity trainings, calling them un-American. On Sept. 22, the president released an “Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping.”
Under the order, federal employees or contractors and those who receive funding from the federal government are prohibited from teaching “divisive” concepts around race and gender. Certain key words are flagged as particularly problematic, including “white privilege,” “systemic racism” and “unconscious bias.”
By prohibiting discussions of racism and sexism in American history, the order seeks to whitewash the past and limit conversation on how to fix problems that still exist today.
On the call, Lisa Rice, an executive vice president at the National Fair Housing Alliance, talked about how, when she was little, her parents were steered away from buying a home in a white neighborhood because of redlining. Her family wound up with a house in a predominantly Black area that had limited local resources. They were forced into an onerous subprime mortgage because other banks wouldn’t lend to home buyers in a Black neighborhood. Because of segregation, their home’s value declined over the years, stripping her family of its wealth.
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“What happened to my family happened to millions of black and brown families across this nation,” she said. “It happened to millions of people of color because of systemic racism and structural inequality. ... Our experience wasn’t due to a bug in the system. My family experienced real harm because of structures, policies and practices specifically designed to deny opportunities to people of color.”
She added, “This is the truth Trump wants to forget.”
In the suit, both the National Urban League and the National Fair Housing Alliance say the order imposes expansive restrictions on their missions to educate the public about race discrimination and work to eradicate its harms.
“This executive order smacks of a totalitarian endorsement of white supremacy,” said Marc Morial, the president of the National Urban League.
The fallout from the order has been swift and chilling. Some companies and universities have stopped diversity programs.
Training on identity topics has been canceled this fall at the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department, the Department of Justice and other federal agencies.
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Since the release of the executive order, the African American Policy Forum has been collecting information on its impact. According to its tally, more than 300 different organizations have canceled trainings or experienced other disruptions as a result.
Meanwhile, the White House has also relaxed certain rules making it easier to discipline and fire federal workers.
Inside federal agencies, employees are terrified. One psychologist at a large Veterans Affairs hospital told HuffPost that his department has already halted any LGBTQ-related training. He said that group therapy for LGBT veterans or minority veterans may also need to be changed or halted.
“They’re interpreting the executive order so broadly,” he said. “It’s not just that we can’t do our jobs around training, there are also questions about how we do clinical work.”
Talking about various aspects of his clients’ identity is a core part of his job.
“Where does this stop within patient care? Does it just extend to psychotherapy? To medicine? Primary care? How much are we going to be scrutinized for acknowledging things like racism and sexism and heterosexism exist? And how closely are we going to be policed?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Joe Biden Pledges To Pass Equality Act In First 100 Days

Oct 28 ( Reuters ) - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised to make passing the LGBTQ rights legislation known as the Equality Act a top priority , hoping to sign what would be a landmark civil rights law within 100 days should he win Tuesday ’ s election .
Biden , a leading voice for lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and queer rights as vice president under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017 , also pledged in an interview with the Philadelphia Gay News to expand queer rights internationally by making equality a centerpiece of U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assume office in January .
Biden has championed the Equality Act before , but his priority for the issue is significant given the urgency of the coronavirus pandemic and a host of other executive orders and regulatory actions that would compete for attention in the early days of a Biden administration .
He outlined his agenda for LGBTQ rights in an email interview with Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal , a nationally known advocate for gay rights since the 1970s .
“ I will make enactment of the Equality Act a top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - a priority that Donald Trump opposes , ” Biden said of the Republican incumbent he is challenging .
The Trump administration opposed the Equality Act , saying it would “ undermine parental and conscience rights , ” and has also restricted queer rights in the name of religious liberty .
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Biden ’ s interview .
The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives passed theEquality Act in 2019 , but the legislation stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate .
Biden would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and take control of the Senate to ensure passage .
The Equality Act would protect U.S. citizens from discrimination based on sexual identity and gender identity by amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , one of the most revered accomplishments of the civil rights movement , which banned discrimination based on race , religion , sex and national origin .
On the international front , Biden also promised to defendAmerican diplomats who speak out for LGBTQ rights in countries that are hostile to queer people and promised to use “ America ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” including private diplomacy , public statements and United Nations agencies , to promote equality .
“ I ’ ll stand up to bullies and once more put human rights at the center of America ’ s engagement with the world , ” Biden said .

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Oct 28 (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised to make passing the LGBTQ rights legislation known as the Equality Act a top priority, hoping to sign what would be a landmark civil rights law within 100 days should he win Tuesday’s election.
Biden, a leading voice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer rights as vice president under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017, also pledged in an interview with the Philadelphia Gay News to expand queer rights internationally by making equality a centerpiece of U.S. diplomacy should he win the election and assume office in January.
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Biden has championed the Equality Act before, but his priority for the issue is significant given the urgency of the coronavirus pandemic and a host of other executive orders and regulatory actions that would compete for attention in the early days of a Biden administration.
He outlined his agenda for LGBTQ rights in an email interview with Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal, a nationally known advocate for gay rights since the 1970s.
“I will make enactment of the Equality Act a top legislative priority during my first 100 days - a priority that Donald Trump opposes,” Biden said of the Republican incumbent he is challenging.
The Trump administration opposed the Equality Act, saying it would “undermine parental and conscience rights,” and has also restricted queer rights in the name of religious liberty. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Biden’s interview.
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The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives passed theEquality Act in 2019, but the legislation stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate. Biden would need the Democrats to hold the House and take control of the Senate to ensure passage.
The Equality Act would protect U.S. citizens from discrimination based on sexual identity and gender identity by amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964, one of the most revered accomplishments of the civil rights movement, which banned discrimination based on race, religion, sex and national origin.
On the international front, Biden also promised to defendAmerican diplomats who speak out for LGBTQ rights in countries that are hostile to queer people and promised to use “America’s full range of diplomatic tools,” including private diplomacy, public statements and United Nations agencies, to promote equality.
“I’ll stand up to bullies and once more put human rights at the center of America’s engagement with the world,” Biden said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Pete Buttigieg Gets Trump-Supporting Heckler To Denounce White Supremacy

“ Wouldn ’ t it be nice to have a president who does not believe in violence against those who @ @ @ @ @ he continued .
“ Are you not proud to be an American in a country @ @ @ @ @ of us , but whose values include rejecting hate and rejecting those who would deny @ @ @ @ @ lives ?
” As the man continued to shout , Buttigieg added : “ And @ @ @ @ @ a little sorry for a president who finds it necessary to draw this kind of @ @

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a president who does not believe in violence against those who disagree with him?” he continued. “Are you not proud to be an American in a country that makes room for all of us, but whose values include rejecting hate and rejecting those who would deny science when it could save lives?”
As the man continued to shout, Buttigieg added: “And don’t you feel a little sorry for a president who finds it necessary to draw this kind of support?


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Activists Bash Susan Collins For Claiming Systemic Racism Isn't A Problem In Maine

Collins was asked whether the phrase “ Black Lives Matter ” is controversial and if systemic racism is a problem in Maine , where 95 % of people identify as white .
“ I don ’ t think the phrase Black Lives Matter should be controversial , ” Collins said .
“ And I think that we are very fortunate in the state of Maine because we have terrific members of law enforcement.
” “ At the same time , it ’ s clear that in some parts of our country , there is systemic racism or problems in police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Certainly , the horrific death of George Floyd should horrify all of us , and those responsible should be held accountable.
” Collins was then given an additional 30 seconds to answer the system racism portion of the question , but the Republican senator took just five seconds to respond : “ I do not believe systemic racism is a problem in the state of Maine.
” “ We do have systemic and institutional racism here , ” said Hamdia Ahmed , an activist with Black Lives Matter Maine who delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lisa Savage during a Senate debate earlier this month .
“ In the city of Portland , Black people are more likely to be arrested by police than any other race , ” she told HuffPost .
“ We have people up north who literally have Confederate flags in their front yard .
We definitely have white supremacists in the state of Maine.
” “ For her to dismiss our concerns and our pain ― it ’ s just very disappointing , ” said Ahmed , who is Black .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black community in Maine.
” Susan Rice , a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , called the senator ’ s comments “ out of touch ” and “ extraordinarily insensitive.
” Rice , who is Black , publicly considered challenging Collins in 2020 but ultimately decided not to jump in the race .
“ It shows that she really has not got her fingers on the pulse of what ’ s happening in her home state , ” Rice told CNN on Thursday .
The four-term Republican is facing the toughest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with recent polling showing her in a virtual tie with Gideon , Maine ’ s House speaker .
Savage and fellow independent Max Linn are also vying for Collins ’ seat .
Democrats see winning Collins ’ seat as key to regaining control of the Senate .
Though she ’ s won reelection handily in the past , Collins ’ voting record ― including her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018 ― has drawn outrage from liberal-minded Mainers in recent years .
“ Black lives do matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it is because there is a legacy of bigotry in this country that results in systemic racism , ” Gideon told the moderator .
“ We see it in terms of access to education for people of color , access to health care , rates of poverty , rates of incarceration , ” she said .
“ And we do have to do something about it.
” “ Systemic racism exists in this country , and it doesn ’ t really matter what the demographics are of your state , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Maine .
“ We see it here as well .
”

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Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she doesn’t believe systemic racism is an issue in her state during a debate Wednesday against Democratic challenger Sara Gideon, drawing backlash from Black Lives Matter activists.
Collins was asked whether the phrase “Black Lives Matter” is controversial and if systemic racism is a problem in Maine, where 95% of people identify as white.
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“I don’t think the phrase Black Lives Matter should be controversial,” Collins said. “And I think that we are very fortunate in the state of Maine because we have terrific members of law enforcement.”
“At the same time, it’s clear that in some parts of our country, there is systemic racism or problems in police departments,” she continued, adding: “Certainly, the horrific death of George Floyd should horrify all of us, and those responsible should be held accountable.”
Collins was then given an additional 30 seconds to answer the system racism portion of the question, but the Republican senator took just five seconds to respond: “I do not believe systemic racism is a problem in the state of Maine.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), in the final Maine Senate debate with Sara Gideon, is given 30 seconds to discuss whether systemic racism exists in her state.
Collins gives a five-second answer: "I do not believe systemic racism is a problem in the state of Maine." pic.twitter.com/UPnCAIuAHd — The Recount (@therecount) October 29, 2020
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Twitter users and anti-racism activists tore into Collins for her remarks, with some calling on her to issue a public apology.
“We do have systemic and institutional racism here,” said Hamdia Ahmed, an activist with Black Lives Matter Maine who delivered a closing statement on behalf of independent Lisa Savage during a Senate debate earlier this month.
“In the city of Portland, Black people are more likely to be arrested by police than any other race,” she told HuffPost. “We have people up north who literally have Confederate flags in their front yards. We definitely have white supremacists in the state of Maine.”
“For her to dismiss our concerns and our pain ― it’s just very disappointing,” said Ahmed, who is Black. “I think that Susan Collins should apologize to the Black community in Maine.”
Susan Rice, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the senator’s comments “out of touch” and “extraordinarily insensitive.” Rice, who is Black, publicly considered challenging Collins in 2020 but ultimately decided not to jump in the race.
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“It shows that she really has not got her fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in her home state,” Rice told CNN on Thursday.
Collins’ campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
The four-term Republican is facing the toughest reelection campaign of her career this year, with recent polling showing her in a virtual tie with Gideon, Maine’s House speaker. Savage and fellow independent Max Linn are also vying for Collins’ seat.
Democrats see winning Collins’ seat as key to regaining control of the Senate. Though she’s won reelection handily in the past, Collins’ voting record ― including her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018 ― has drawn outrage from liberal-minded Mainers in recent years.
Following Collins’ response during the debate Wednesday, Gideon stated definitively that systemic racism is, in fact, present in Maine.
“Black lives do matter, and the reason we have to say it is because there is a legacy of bigotry in this country that results in systemic racism,” Gideon told the moderator.
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“It doesn’t matter how white our state is ― it still exists,” Gideon added, noting that the coronavirus disproportionately affects people of color in Maine.
“We see it in terms of access to education for people of color, access to health care, rates of poverty, rates of incarceration,” she said. “And we do have to do something about it.”
Gideon said Thursday that she was “quite startled” by Collins’ remarks.
“Systemic racism exists in this country, and it doesn’t really matter what the demographics are of your state,” she said during a campaign event in Brunswick, Maine. “We see it here as well.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Kamala Harris Targeted With More Misinformation Than Mike Pence, Data Shows

Social media posts included racist claims that she was ineligible to serve in the White House or that she was lying about her Black and Indian heritage .
Her mother is from India and her father from Jamaica .
Since being named to the presidential ticket , Harris has been at the center of online misinformation campaigns far more often — four times as much — than the white men who campaigned for the same job , according to a report from media intelligence firm Zignal Labs shared exclusively with The Associated Press .
“ The narratives related to Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal identity , especially as a woman of color , ” said Jennifer Granston , head of insights at Zignal Labs .
The firm identified more than 1 million mentions since June on Twitter of Harris with hashtags or terms associated with misinformation about her .
The mentions include fact checks that rebuffed the falsehoods , but those made up only a small portion of that conversation .
Nearly 300,000 of those mentions were about Harris ’ eligibility to serve as president , according to Zignal ’ s findings .
The AP identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , when Harris announced she was running for president .
Harris ’ birth certificate shows she was born on Oct. 20 , 1964 , in Oakland , California , making her eligible to serve as either vice president or president .
Social media chatter around Harris ’ eligibility declined after being “ eclipsed ” by fact checks from news organizations that debunked it , Granston added .
There ’ s been a huge uptick in social media conversation around the vice presidential candidates this year , compared to the 2016 campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Vice President Mike Pence have been mentioned almost 48 million times combined on Twitter , compared to only 12 million total mentions of Pence or Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine , who was the Democratic vice presidential nominee four years ago .
Misinformation accounted for less than 1 % of Twitter talk when Pence and Kaine were running in 2016 .
The same goes for Pence this year , with most of the misleading claims around him centered on the idea that he supports gay conversion therapy , which Pence has repeatedly denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more prevalent , making up more than 4 % of the conversation on Twitter , Zignal Labs found .
That ’ s largely been driven by sexist or racist narratives that have swirled online around Harris , who is the first Black and Indian woman running for vice president , said Nina Jankowicz , a disinformation fellow at the nonpartisan Wilson Center .
Some of those social media posts push the idea that Harris , a California senator , used her romantic relationships to advance her career .
That narrative gained popularity with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used regularly by conservative influencers who have millions of followers .
Zignal Labs found nearly 350,000 mentions on Twitter of hashtags or terms related to that narrative .
And Jankowicz has identified dozens of memes circulating on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram that superimpose photos of Harris onto images of sex workers or use sexist slurs to describe her .
Her preliminary research shows that during the Oct. 7 vice presidential debate , hashtags using sexual or violent terms for Harris skyrocketed on fringe social media platforms like Parler by 631 % and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and time again when we see these narratives being used against women in public life , it ’ s meant to take women who are powerful and respected and knock them down a few pegs , ” Jankowicz said .

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CHICAGO (AP) — Long before Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced her as his running mate, Kamala Harris was the target of widespread online misinformation.
Social media posts included racist claims that she was ineligible to serve in the White House or that she was lying about her Black and Indian heritage. Her mother is from India and her father from Jamaica.
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Since being named to the presidential ticket, Harris has been at the center of online misinformation campaigns far more often — four times as much — than the white men who campaigned for the same job, according to a report from media intelligence firm Zignal Labs shared exclusively with The Associated Press.
“The narratives related to Kamala Harris zeroed in much more on her personal identity, especially as a woman of color,” said Jennifer Granston, head of insights at Zignal Labs.
The firm identified more than 1 million mentions since June on Twitter of Harris with hashtags or terms associated with misinformation about her. The mentions include fact checks that rebuffed the falsehoods, but those made up only a small portion of that conversation.
Nearly 300,000 of those mentions were about Harris’ eligibility to serve as president, according to Zignal’s findings. The AP identified that false claim circulating online in January 2019, when Harris announced she was running for president.
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The untrue assertion got a huge boost again, however, in August when President Donald Trump elevated it from his presidential podium.
Harris’ birth certificate shows she was born on Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, making her eligible to serve as either vice president or president. Social media chatter around Harris’ eligibility declined after being “eclipsed” by fact checks from news organizations that debunked it, Granston added.
There’s been a huge uptick in social media conversation around the vice presidential candidates this year, compared to the 2016 campaign. From July to October, Harris and Republican Vice President Mike Pence have been mentioned almost 48 million times combined on Twitter, compared to only 12 million total mentions of Pence or Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, who was the Democratic vice presidential nominee four years ago.
Misinformation accounted for less than 1% of Twitter talk when Pence and Kaine were running in 2016. The same goes for Pence this year, with most of the misleading claims around him centered on the idea that he supports gay conversion therapy, which Pence has repeatedly denied.
But misinformation around Harris has been more prevalent, making up more than 4% of the conversation on Twitter, Zignal Labs found.
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That’s largely been driven by sexist or racist narratives that have swirled online around Harris, who is the first Black and Indian woman running for vice president, said Nina Jankowicz, a disinformation fellow at the nonpartisan Wilson Center.
Some of those social media posts push the idea that Harris, a California senator, used her romantic relationships to advance her career. That narrative gained popularity with hashtags like #HeelsUpHarris, which is used regularly by conservative influencers who have millions of followers. Zignal Labs found nearly 350,000 mentions on Twitter of hashtags or terms related to that narrative.
And Jankowicz has identified dozens of memes circulating on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that superimpose photos of Harris onto images of sex workers or use sexist slurs to describe her. Her preliminary research shows that during the Oct. 7 vice presidential debate, hashtags using sexual or violent terms for Harris skyrocketed on fringe social media platforms like Parler by 631% and 4chan by 1,078%.
“Time and time again when we see these narratives being used against women in public life, it’s meant to take women who are powerful and respected and knock them down a few pegs,” Jankowicz said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Black Leopard Mauls Florida Man Who Paid To Have Pictures Taken

DAVIE , Fla. ( AP ) — A man was mauled by a captive black leopard in a backyard zoo @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
The man paid $ 150 for a “ full contact experience ” @ @ @ @ @ which allowed him to play with with it and take pictures , WPLG reported .
@ @ @ @ @ Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the incident happened Aug. 31 in Davie , which @ @ @ @ @ The agency charged the owner with allowing full contact with an extremely dangerous animal and @ @ @ @ @ wildlife in an unsafe condition .
The owner runs a licensed animal sanctuary for rare @ @ @ @ @ home , WPLG reported .
The man was attacked as soon as he entered the @ @ @ @ @ The injuries were so severe that his scalp was “ hanging from his head and @ @ @ @ @ in half , ” the report said .
He required multiple surgeries , according to @ @ @

Black panther (Panthera pardus), profile Ryan McVay via Getty Images
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — A man was mauled by a captive black leopard in a backyard zoo in South Florida, wildlife officials said.
The man paid $150 for a “full contact experience” with the black leopard, which allowed him to play with with it and take pictures, WPLG reported.
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A report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the incident happened Aug. 31 in Davie, which is near Fort Lauderdale.
The agency charged the owner with allowing full contact with an extremely dangerous animal and was cited for maintaining captive wildlife in an unsafe condition.
The owner runs a licensed animal sanctuary for rare and endangered animals at the home, WPLG reported.
The man was attacked as soon as he entered the leopard’s enclosure. The injuries were so severe that his scalp was “hanging from his head and his right ear was torn in half,” the report said.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--Trump Administration Boots Gray Wolves From Endangered Species List

The U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service announced the removal of Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across the lower 48 states on Thursday .
The agency characterized the decision as a celebratory move acknowledging the comeback that wolves in the wild have made over the past few decades .
“ After more than 45 years as a listed species , the gray wolf has exceeded all conservation goals for recovery , ” Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt said in a statement .
“ Today ’ s announcement simply reflects the determination that this species is neither a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific factors Congress has laid out in the law.
” But numerous conservation , environmental and animal welfare groups blasted the decision as a harmful one that will be devastating to still-precarious wolf populations .
“ This is no ‘ Mission Accomplished ’ moment for wolf recovery , ” Kristen Boyles , an attorney for the nonprofit Earthjustice , said in a statement sent to HuffPost .
“ Wolves are only starting to get a toehold in places like Northern California and the Pacific Northwest , and wolves need federal protection to explore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northeast .
This delisting decision is what happens when bad science drives bad policy — and it ’ s illegal , so we will see them in court.
” The U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that Endangered Species Act protections will be lifted for gray wolves across the lower 48 states .
Other organizations promising to challenge the decision in court include Defenders of Wildlife , the Western Environmental Law Center and the Center for Biological Diversity .
Delisting wolves means their management will essentially be left up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to submit a five-year monitoring plan for any species delisted because of a recovery .
Conservationists nevertheless fear that removing federal protections will result in state-sanctioned hunts that kill wolves in devastating numbers .
Gray wolves were already delisted in Idaho and Montana , a process that began under President George W. Bush and was finalized under President Barack Obama .
There are a total of about 6,000 wild gray wolves in Idaho , Michigan , Minnesota , Montana , Oregon , Washington and Wisconsin , according to the USFWS .
Wolves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers into Northern California .
Gray wolves in the lower 48 states ( wolves have never been listed as endangered in Alaska ) were added to the endangered species list in 1974 .
At that time , gray wolves were nearly extinct in those states after decades of hunting and intentional extermination efforts .
Since then , wolves ’ endangered status has been a contentious issue .
The decision to delist wolves in Idaho and Montana was initially overturned by the courts , then ultimately reinstated in 2011 .
The USFWS also delisted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal district court reinstated protections for them two years later .
The Obama administration also proposed delisting the wolves across the lower 48 states , though it didn ’ t ultimately happen .

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the removal of Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves across the lower 48 states on Thursday.
The agency characterized the decision as a celebratory move acknowledging the comeback that wolves in the wild have made over the past few decades.
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“After more than 45 years as a listed species, the gray wolf has exceeded all conservation goals for recovery,” Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt said in a statement. “Today’s announcement simply reflects the determination that this species is neither a threatened nor endangered species based on the specific factors Congress has laid out in the law.”
But numerous conservation, environmental and animal welfare groups blasted the decision as a harmful one that will be devastating to still-precarious wolf populations.
“This is no ‘Mission Accomplished’ moment for wolf recovery,” Kristen Boyles, an attorney for the nonprofit Earthjustice, said in a statement sent to HuffPost. “Wolves are only starting to get a toehold in places like Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, and wolves need federal protection to explore habitat in the Southern Rockies and the Northeast. This delisting decision is what happens when bad science drives bad policy — and it’s illegal, so we will see them in court.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that Endangered Species Act protections will be lifted for gray wolves across the lower 48 states. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images
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Delisting wolves means their management will essentially be left up to the states, though the USFWS does require states to submit a five-year monitoring plan for any species delisted because of a recovery. Conservationists nevertheless fear that removing federal protections will result in state-sanctioned hunts that kill wolves in devastating numbers.
Gray wolves were already delisted in Idaho and Montana, a process that began under President George W. Bush and was finalized under President Barack Obama.
There are a total of about 6,000 wild gray wolves in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin, according to the USFWS. Wolves are also beginning to expand in small numbers into Northern California.
Gray wolves in the lower 48 states (wolves have never been listed as endangered in Alaska) were added to the endangered species list in 1974. At that time, gray wolves were nearly extinct in those states after decades of hunting and intentional extermination efforts.
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USFWS started reintroducing wild wolves in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s.
Since then, wolves’ endangered status has been a contentious issue. The decision to delist wolves in Idaho and Montana was initially overturned by the courts, then ultimately reinstated in 2011.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-30--How States Are Laying The Groundwork To Abolish Legal Abortion

If Roe falls , the legality of abortion will revert to the states , some of which are eager to abolish the procedure outright .
In some areas of the country , anti-abortion activists and lawmakers have spent years carefully laying the groundwork to make abortion illegal in the event that Roe is overturned .
In the absence of the federal constitutional protection of the right to choose , challenges to abortion bans would be waged in state courts .
In anticipation , abortion opponents in some states are now working to amend their state constitutions to ensure the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within them .
On Election Day , Louisiana voters will weigh in on Amendment 1 , which asks whether to alter the state constitution to explicitly state that the document does not protect the right to an abortion .
Even if a state constitution does not use the word “ abortion , ” courts could interpret provisions of the document to protect the right to choose , explained Elizabeth Nash , interim associate director of state issues at the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute .
In Kansas , for instance , the state Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to terminate a pregnancy under the state constitution , which says everyone has “ inalienable natural rights.
” The justices concluded that those rights included having control over one ’ s own body and making decisions about having a family .
The Louisiana ballot initiative is part of a national strategy to undermine abortion rights and pave the way for bans , Nash said .
If Amendment 1 passes , it would decimate the legal avenues for residents to challenge abortion restrictions in their state .
“ It ’ s a multi-step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First , federal protections have to be overturned , then you change the state constitution so it does not protect abortion rights , and then an abortion ban can be adopted.
” Three other states — Tennessee in 2014 , and Alabama and West Virginia in 2018 — have already amended their state constitutions to state that they do not provide a right to an abortion or require funding of abortions .
Nine U.S. states have abortion bans that could potentially be reenacted if Roe v. Wade falls .
Ten states have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most abortions the moment Roe is reversed .
In Louisiana , abortion access has already been vastly eroded .
Since Roe was decided , lawmakers have passed almost 100 pieces of anti-abortion legislation , making it much harder for patients to access services and for doctors to provide care .
Only three abortion clinics remain .
This summer , the Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana abortion bill that required doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital , a measure that reproductive rights advocates estimated would result in the loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
The amendment , paired with the trigger law , could be catastrophic for people seeking abortions in Louisiana , Rogers added , especially those without the money or resources to travel to other parts of the country for care .
“ The most frightening part about Amendment 1 is that , [ if passed ] , there is no way to really have a conversation moving forward about how and who should be able to access abortion care , ” Rogers said .

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With Amy Coney Barrett’s ascension to the Supreme Court, the future of Roe v. Wade — the landmark decision establishing the constitutional right to an abortion — appears less certain than ever.
If Roe falls, the legality of abortion will revert to the states, some of which are eager to abolish the procedure outright. In some areas of the country, anti-abortion activists and lawmakers have spent years carefully laying the groundwork to make abortion illegal in the event that Roe is overturned.
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In nine states, unenforced abortion bans that were passed before 1973, when Roe legalized the procedure nationwide, are still on the books. If Roe disappears, they could potentially be reenacted.
Ten states have also passed laws to immediately ban all or most abortions the moment Roe is reversed. These so-called “trigger laws” exist in Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee and Utah.
In the absence of the federal constitutional protection of the right to choose, challenges to abortion bans would be waged in state courts. In anticipation, abortion opponents in some states are now working to amend their state constitutions to ensure the right to an abortion cannot be found within them.
With Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court, abortion rights face an uncertain future. Anti-abortion activists are getting ready for what comes next. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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On Election Day, Louisiana voters will weigh in on Amendment 1, which asks whether to alter the state constitution to explicitly state that the document does not protect the right to an abortion.
Even if a state constitution does not use the word “abortion,” courts could interpret provisions of the document to protect the right to choose, explained Elizabeth Nash, interim associate director of state issues at the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute.
“You might have privacy rights or equal protection or something like that,” she said.
In Kansas, for instance, the state Supreme Court found in 2019 that women have a right to terminate a pregnancy under the state constitution, which says everyone has “inalienable natural rights.” The justices concluded that those rights included having control over one’s own body and making decisions about having a family.
The Louisiana ballot initiative is part of a national strategy to undermine abortion rights and pave the way for bans, Nash said. If Amendment 1 passes, it would decimate the legal avenues for residents to challenge abortion restrictions in their state.
Louisiana has a trigger law, which means that if Roe is overturned, abortion would be banned in all cases except when a woman’s life is at risk.
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The goal of abortion opponents is to remove all constitutional protection — including both state or federal, Nash added.
“It’s a multi-step process,” she said. “ First, federal protections have to be overturned, then you change the state constitution so it does not protect abortion rights, and then an abortion ban can be adopted.”
Three other states — Tennessee in 2014, and Alabama and West Virginia in 2018 — have already amended their state constitutions to state that they do not provide a right to an abortion or require funding of abortions.
Florida, Kansas and Iowa have all tried to do something similar and failed.
Nine U.S. states have abortion bans that could potentially be reenacted if Roe v. Wade falls. Ten states have also passed laws to immediately ban all or most abortions the moment Roe is reversed. Joel Carillet via Getty Images
On the flip side, 10 state constitutions are currently interpreted to protect the right to an abortion — those of Alaska, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey and New Mexico.
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In Louisiana, abortion access has already been vastly eroded. Since Roe was decided, lawmakers have passed almost 100 pieces of anti-abortion legislation, making it much harder for patients to access services and for doctors to provide care. Only three abortion clinics remain.
This summer, the Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana abortion bill that required doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital, a measure that reproductive rights advocates estimated would result in the loss of all but one abortion provider in the state.
“Here in Louisiana, abortion care has been under attack since Roe was decided,” said Katrina Rogers, campaign manager of Louisiana for Personal Freedoms, a group working to defeat Amendment 1.
“It hasn’t been readily available, it’s been very challenging and difficult and expensive for people to be able to access abortion care in the state,” she said.
The amendment, paired with the trigger law, could be catastrophic for people seeking abortions in Louisiana, Rogers added, especially those without the money or resources to travel to other parts of the country for care.
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About 1 in 4 women obtain an abortion in their lifetime.
“The most frightening part about Amendment 1 is that, [if passed], there is no way to really have a conversation moving forward about how and who should be able to access abortion care,” Rogers said.
For Nash at Guttmacher, the push to amend state constitutions signals the perilous state of abortion rights in America right now.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-30--Dozen People Overcome By Heat, Rushed To Hospital During Trump's Florida Rally

Although 17 people needed medical attention , some were treated at the scene , fire department officials told NBC News .
One person who was transported to an area hospital had fainted and another suffered a seizure .
Details of other conditions were not immediately determined .
A fire truck sprayed water into the air to rain down on rallygoers and keep them cool .
At one point , Trump asked the crowd if the spray was coming from “ friend or foe , ” adding : “ If they ’ re foe , let ’ s take care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the packed , mostly maskless supporters had been waiting for hours in the 87-degree heat outside the Raymond James Stadium : It ’ s hot hot hot at Trump ’ s large rally .
87 and 71 % humidity .
Have noticed EMTs provide assistance for at least two people in the crowd , one carried out on a stretcher .
Staffers trying get water bottles to people but quickly running out and having to restock pic.twitter.com/CStmlY8SoN — Emily Larsen ( @ emilyelarsen ) October 29 , 2020 It was the third version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally in recent weeks .
On Tuesday , 30 people at a rally at Eppley Airfield in Omaha , Nebraska , needed medical attention after they were stranded for hours in the cold waiting for late Trump campaign buses to pick them up following the president ’ s speech .
Seven people were taken to area hospitals with a “ variety of medical ailments , ” officials told HuffPost .
Authorities in a number of cities have also reported COVID-19 spikes suspected of being linked to Trump rallies , where supporters failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties ― two in Minnesota , two in Pennsylvania and one in Wisconsin ― experienced a surge in coronavirus cases following Trump campaign rallies , according to an analysis from USA Today .
Much of the nation is already experiencing record increases in coronavirus cases as the nation ’ s death toll Thursday neared 229,000 .
Critics have compared the health scares at Trump ’ s rallies to his administration ’ s lack of concern — or action — to help Americans battling the pandemic .
In a joint rally appearance with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump insisted that “ health care for every citizen remains a priority ” for her husband , even as his administration works to dismantle the Affordable Care Act .
On Tuesday in Pennsylvania , she told a crowd that he has “ a very big heart.
” Trump 's Omaha rally saw people treated for hypothermia .
Tampa saw them pass out from the heat .
North Carolina saw attendees diagnosed with COVID .
He ca n't protect people at his rallies .
He ca n't protect the suburbs .
He ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run a country .
— Beau of The Fifth Column ( @ BeauTFC ) October 30 , 2020 Trump holds multiple rallies per day .
In a pandemic .
He does n't seem to pick up a single vote in the process .
Those that attend , risk getting coronavirus .
And in Omaha , they got hypothermia .
And in Tampa , they got heat stroke .
Get rid of him , flip the Senate , expand the court .
— Duty To Warn 🔉 ( @ duty2warn ) October 29 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caine died , many got sick * Minnesota : at least 3 rallies by Trump and Pence led to clusters * Omaha : 30 people needed medical attention from freezing temps * Tampa : dozens went to the hospital for medical attention due to heat How he treats supporters .
— Amy Siskind ( @ Amy_Siskind ) October 30 , 2020 Experts are still learning about COVID-19 .
The information in this story is what was known or available as of publication , but guidance can change as scientists discover more about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations .

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Although 17 people needed medical attention, some were treated at the scene, fire department officials told NBC News. One person who was transported to an area hospital had fainted and another suffered a seizure. Details of other conditions were not immediately determined.
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A fire truck sprayed water into the air to rain down on rallygoers and keep them cool. At one point, Trump asked the crowd if the spray was coming from “friend or foe,” adding: “If they’re foe, let’s take care of those sons of bitches.”
Many of the packed, mostly maskless supporters had been waiting for hours in the 87-degree heat outside the Raymond James Stadium:
It’s hot hot hot at Trump’s large rally. 87 and 71% humidity. Have noticed EMTs provide assistance for at least two people in the crowd, one carried out on a stretcher. Staffers trying get water bottles to people but quickly running out and having to restock pic.twitter.com/CStmlY8SoN — Emily Larsen (@emilyelarsen) October 29, 2020
It was the third version of a health scare at a Trump rally in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, 30 people at a rally at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, needed medical attention after they were stranded for hours in the cold waiting for late Trump campaign buses to pick them up following the president’s speech. Seven people were taken to area hospitals with a “variety of medical ailments,” officials told HuffPost.
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Authorities in a number of cities have also reported COVID-19 spikes suspected of being linked to Trump rallies, where supporters failed to social distance or wear masks. Five counties ― two in Minnesota, two in Pennsylvania and one in Wisconsin ― experienced a surge in coronavirus cases following Trump campaign rallies, according to an analysis from USA Today.
Much of the nation is already experiencing record increases in coronavirus cases as the nation’s death toll Thursday neared 229,000.
Critics have compared the health scares at Trump’s rallies to his administration’s lack of concern — or action — to help Americans battling the pandemic.
In a joint rally appearance with the president in Tampa, first lady Melania Trump insisted that “health care for every citizen remains a priority” for her husband, even as his administration works to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
On Tuesday in Pennsylvania, she told a crowd that he has “a very big heart.”
Trump's Omaha rally saw people treated for hypothermia. Tampa saw them pass out from the heat. North Carolina saw attendees diagnosed with COVID.
He can't protect people at his rallies. He can't protect the suburbs. He can't run a rally. He can't run a country. — Beau of The Fifth Column (@BeauTFC) October 30, 2020
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Trump holds multiple rallies per day. In a pandemic. He doesn't seem to pick up a single vote in the process. Those that attend, risk getting coronavirus. And in Omaha, they got hypothermia. And in Tampa, they got heat stroke.
Get rid of him, flip the Senate, expand the court. — Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) October 29, 2020
Trump rallies:
* Tulsa: Caine died, many got sick
* Minnesota: at least 3 rallies by Trump and Pence led to clusters
* Omaha: 30 people needed medical attention from freezing temps
* Tampa: dozens went to the hospital for medical attention due to heat
How he treats supporters. — Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) October 30, 2020
Trump Rallies!
If the virus doesn't get you, the extreme heat or cold will. https://t.co/fsT5Z4a9L7 — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 29, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-29--‘No Pandemic Exception': Federal Court Says Minnesota Must Separate Out Later Ballots

A federal appeals court ordered Minnesota election officials to set aside any mail-in ballots that arrive after 8 p.m. Nov. 3 , a move that threatens a seven-day extension the state had imposed to make sure all votes were counted amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
In a 2-1 decision , a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit said the state ’ s decision earlier this year to apply the grace period amid coronavirus precautions could result in legal challenges after the election over the validity of ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 but delivered later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block late ballots from being counted , and any ballots that arrive in time are unaffected .
They added that the short time frame — ruling just five days before the election — was “ not lost on us.
” The court said all ballots received after 8 p.m. local time be set aside , but it did not rule out that they could be counted later or that they could be “ removed from vote totals in the event a final order is entered.
” “ We acknowledge and understand the concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and public confidence in the election , ” the majority wrote in its decision .
“ Better to put those voters on notice now while they still have at least some time to adjust their plans and cast their votes in an unquestionably lawful way.
” The case was brought by Minnesota ’ s Republican presidential electors , who argued the extension violated federal law that has established Nov. 3 as the date of this year ’ s general election .
It mirrored several efforts by the GOP around the nation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election season as many Americans try to avoid crowds amid the pandemic .
The decision prompted Democrats in the state to urge voters to return ballots in person as soon as possible .
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon urged all voters to deliver their ballots by hand if they still have them , calling the decision a “ tremendous and unnecessary disruption.
” “ This last-minute change could disenfranchise Minnesotans who were relying on settled rules for the 2020 election , ” Simon told the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who brought the lawsuit , a conservative legislator and presidential elector , would seek to sabotage the system for political gain.
” “ Because of LAST MINUTE ruling , Minnesota DO NOT put ballots in mail any more , ” she wrote on Twitter .
“ In the middle of a pandemic , the Republican Party is doing everything to make it hard for you to vote.
” BREAKING : Because of LAST MINUTE ruling , Minnesota DO NOT put ballots in mail any more .
In the middle of a pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it hard for you to vote .
Stand up for YOUR rights : Vote in-person or take mail-in ballot directly to ballot box https : //t.co/rPlAwN8K0q — Amy Klobuchar ( @ amyklobuchar ) October 29 , 2020 The Minnesota GOP chairwoman , Jennifer Carnahan , called the decision a “ big win for election protection and freedom , ” saying the additional counting time was “ unnecessary and just a move by the left to play around with this election.
” Voters in Minnesota are still able to drop off their absentee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in person on Election Day , The Associated Press said .
The New York Times , citing figures from the U.S .
Elections Project , said about 578,000 absentee ballots that had been requested have not yet been returned in the state .
Many of those votes could be in the mail .
Like many states , Minnesota allows all voters to vote by mail if they request a ballot , including those worried about contracting COVID-19 , but also anyone that may be overseas or in the military .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now too late to return such ballots by mail amid the latest court ruling .
We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

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A federal appeals court ordered Minnesota election officials to set aside any mail-in ballots that arrive after 8 p.m. Nov. 3, a move that threatens a seven-day extension the state had imposed to make sure all votes were counted amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit said the state’s decision earlier this year to apply the grace period amid coronavirus precautions could result in legal challenges after the election over the validity of ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 but delivered later. The ruling doesn’t completely block late ballots from being counted, and any ballots that arrive in time are unaffected.
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“There is no pandemic exception to the Constitution,” according to the ruling.
They added that the short time frame — ruling just five days before the election — was “not lost on us.” The court said all ballots received after 8 p.m. local time be set aside, but it did not rule out that they could be counted later or that they could be “removed from vote totals in the event a final order is entered.”
“We acknowledge and understand the concerns over voter confusion, election administration issues, and public confidence in the election,” the majority wrote in its decision. “Better to put those voters on notice now while they still have at least some time to adjust their plans and cast their votes in an unquestionably lawful way.”
The case was brought by Minnesota’s Republican presidential electors, who argued the extension violated federal law that has established Nov. 3 as the date of this year’s general election. It mirrored several efforts by the GOP around the nation to hamper mail-in voting provisions in an unprecedented election season as many Americans try to avoid crowds amid the pandemic.
The decision prompted Democrats in the state to urge voters to return ballots in person as soon as possible. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon urged all voters to deliver their ballots by hand if they still have them, calling the decision a “tremendous and unnecessary disruption.”
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Considering today's decision by the Court of Appeals, this seems like a good time to remind everyone about the City's 13 Ballot Drop-Off sites, all of which are open **every day** through 3 p.m. on Election Day.
---> BRING US YOUR MAIL BALLOTS!!! <--- pic.twitter.com/a3J4oNN69r — Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services (@VoteMpls) October 29, 2020
“This last-minute change could disenfranchise Minnesotans who were relying on settled rules for the 2020 election,” Simon told the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis. “It is deeply troubling that the people who brought the lawsuit, a conservative legislator and presidential elector, would seek to sabotage the system for political gain.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) also criticized the ruling.
“Because of LAST MINUTE ruling, Minnesota DO NOT put ballots in mail any more,” she wrote on Twitter. “In the middle of a pandemic, the Republican Party is doing everything to make it hard for you to vote.”
BREAKING: Because of LAST MINUTE ruling, Minnesota DO NOT put ballots in mail any more.
In the middle of a pandemic, the Republican Party is doing everything to make it hard for you to vote. Stand up for YOUR rights:
Vote in-person or take mail-in ballot directly to ballot box https://t.co/rPlAwN8K0q — Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) October 29, 2020
The Minnesota GOP chairwoman, Jennifer Carnahan, called the decision a “big win for election protection and freedom,” saying the additional counting time was “unnecessary and just a move by the left to play around with this election.”
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Voters in Minnesota are still able to drop off their absentee ballots in person, vote early or vote in person on Election Day, The Associated Press said.
The New York Times, citing figures from the U.S. Elections Project, said about 578,000 absentee ballots that had been requested have not yet been returned in the state. Many of those votes could be in the mail.
Like many states, Minnesota allows all voters to vote by mail if they request a ballot, including those worried about contracting COVID-19, but also anyone that may be overseas or in the military. The state has issued bleak warnings that it is now too late to return such ballots by mail amid the latest court ruling.
The Democrats are losing it. Their efforts to manipulate our election laws met a road block today: the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and the law.
The integrity of our election to have votes in by 8 pm Election Day is intact. We will always applaud freedom and fairness. GO VOTE. — Jennifer Carnahan (@jkcarnah) October 30, 2020
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting ― or suspicious! ― campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-30--Kamala Harris Delivers Powerful Response To The Republicans Who Mock Her Name

Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris called out the “ childish ” Republicans who ’ ve mocked her first name .
The senator from California told “ The Daily Show ” host Trevor Noah that a name is the first gift a child receives from their family .
“ It is usually informed by tradition and love , and the hope and aspiration the family has for that child , ” Harris said .
“ It is something precious and sacred , and it is a part of their identity .
And when I see people fighting for the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a dignified way , I applaud and salute them.
” Then , Harris took aim at conservatives who “ play childish games ” with an opponent ’ s name , including President Donald Trump , Sen. David Perdue ( R-Ga. ) , and Fox News personality Tucker Carlson .
“ It speaks poorly of their appreciation for the responsibility and the role that they have , ” Harris said .
“ And I think it ’ s a reflection of their values and maturity.
” .
@ KamalaHarris on what her name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seem to say correctly ) means to her : pic.twitter.com/iVhEIwDIOV — The Daily Show ( @ TheDailyShow ) October 30 , 2020 Check out Harris ’ full interview with Noah below :

“It is usually informed by tradition and love, and the hope and aspiration the family has for that child,” Harris said. “It is something precious and sacred, and it is a part of their identity. And when I see people fighting for the right for that to be respected and treated in a dignified way, I applaud and salute them.”