thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Harvard Law Professor Dismantles Trump’s 'Vote Twice' Request With A Simple Analogy

“ I was just testing whether this state can detect voter fraud when I showed up to vote a second @ @ @ @ @ as good a defense as : “ I broke into the bank just to test @ @ @ @ @ alarm system.
” “ So let them send it in and let them go vote @ @ @ @ @ ’ s as good as they say it is , then obviously they won ’ @ @ @ @ @ .
If it isn ’ t tabulated , they ’ ll be able to vote @ @ @ @ @ who in recent weeks has ramped up his rhetoric against mail-in voting ― which multiple @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus pandemic ― and repeatedly warned without evidence that it leads to mass @ @ @

“I was just testing whether this state can detect voter fraud when I showed up to vote a second time” — is about as good a defense as: “I broke into the bank just to test whether it has a good alarm system.”
“So let them send it in and let them go vote, and if their system’s as good as they say it is, then obviously they won’t be able to vote. If it isn’t tabulated, they’ll be able to vote,” said Trump, who in recent weeks has ramped up his rhetoric against mail-in voting ― which multiple states are turning to because of the coronavirus pandemic ― and repeatedly warned without evidence that it leads to mass voter fraud.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Trump Tells Supporters In North Carolina To Illegally Vote Twice To Test The System

Sept 3 ( Reuters ) — U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that people in the state of North Carolina should vote twice in the November election , once in person and once by mail , although doing so is a crime .
“ Let them send it in and let them go vote , ” Trump said in an interview with WECT-TV in Wilmington , North Carolina , when asked about the security of mail-in votes .
“ And if the system is as good as they say it is then obviously they won ’ t be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump outrageously encouraged ” North Carolinians “ to break the law in order to help him sow chaos in our election , ” state Attorney General Josh Stein said in a tweet .
“ Make sure you vote , but do NOT vote twice !
I will do everything in my power to make sure the will of the people is upheld in November.
” Today , President Trump outrageously encouraged NCians to break the law in order to help him sow chaos in our election .
Make sure you vote , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do everything in my power to make sure the will of the people is upheld in November .
— Josh Stein ( @ JoshStein_ ) September 2 , 2020 U.S. Attorney General William Barr told CNN that Trump “ was trying to make the point that the ability to monitor this system is not good.
” Told that voting twice is illegal , he said , “ I don ’ t know what the law in the particular state says.
” Barr said mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 election could be vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has made to denounce the use of voting by mail .
Trump has previously said the voting method is susceptible to large-scale fraud , although experts say voter fraud of any kind is extremely rare in the United States .
Voting by mail is not new in the United States — nearly one in four voters cast presidential ballots in 2016 that way .
A record number of mail-in ballots are expected for the Nov. 3 election due to concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has accused Democrats of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of mail-in voting .
The re-election campaign of Trump has recently sued states like New Jersey and Nevada for expanding access to mail-in voting .
Democrats have said Trump and fellow Republicans are attempting to suppress the vote to help their side .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sept 3 (Reuters) — U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that people in the state of North Carolina should vote twice in the November election, once in person and once by mail, although doing so is a crime.
“Let them send it in and let them go vote,” Trump said in an interview with WECT-TV in Wilmington, North Carolina, when asked about the security of mail-in votes. “And if the system is as good as they say it is then obviously they won’t be able to vote” in person.
Advertisement
Voting more than once in an election is illegal.
“President Trump outrageously encouraged” North Carolinians “to break the law in order to help him sow chaos in our election,” state Attorney General Josh Stein said in a tweet. “Make sure you vote, but do NOT vote twice! I will do everything in my power to make sure the will of the people is upheld in November.”
Today, President Trump outrageously encouraged NCians to break the law in order to help him sow chaos in our election. Make sure you vote, but do NOT vote twice! I will do everything in my power to make sure the will of the people is upheld in November. — Josh Stein (@JoshStein_) September 2, 2020
U.S. Attorney General William Barr told CNN that Trump “was trying to make the point that the ability to monitor this system is not good.” Told that voting twice is illegal, he said, “I don’t know what the law in the particular state says.”
Barr said mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 election could be vulnerable to fraud, echoing an argument Trump has made to denounce the use of voting by mail.
Advertisement
Trump has previously said the voting method is susceptible to large-scale fraud, although experts say voter fraud of any kind is extremely rare in the United States.
Voting by mail is not new in the United States — nearly one in four voters cast presidential ballots in 2016 that way.
A record number of mail-in ballots are expected for the Nov. 3 election due to concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump has accused Democrats of trying to steal the election by pushing the use of mail-in voting. The re-election campaign of Trump has recently sued states like New Jersey and Nevada for expanding access to mail-in voting.
Democrats have said Trump and fellow Republicans are attempting to suppress the vote to help their side.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson And His Family Recover From Coronavirus

Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson revealed Wednesday that he , his wife and two of his daughters tested positive for COVID-19 but are no longer contagious and are “ stronger and healthier ” now .
The “ Ballers ” actor filmed a message for his fans on Instagram , updating them on their conditions and warning people to be disciplined about wearing masks and practicing social distancing with everyone , including close friends and family .
“ I could tell you that this has been one of the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too , personally as well , ” the actor said in an Instagram video .
Johnson , 48 , said that his family had been recovering from the virus for two to three weeks .
He said his two daughters , ages 2 and 4 , recovered more easily than he and his wife , Lauren Hashian .
“ We are counting our blessings because we are well aware that it isn ’ t always the case that you get on the other end of COVID-19 , ” Johnson said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people with underlying health conditions — more than 180,000 people in the U.S. have died after being infected — and described the virus as “ incredibly relentless and unforgiving , and it is insidious.
” Johnson said that his family contracted the coronavirus from “ very close family friends , ” whom he described as people whom they “ still love and trust.
” “ They have no idea where they picked it up , and they are devastated that it led to them infecting our family , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson urged his fans to take all necessary precautions to avoid catching and spreading the virus , including keeping their immune system healthy .
He suggested asking family or friends to get tested before visiting each other .
“ If you ’ re having family and friends over to your house , you know them and you trust them — you still never know , ” he said .
“ Get everybody tested before they come over ... if they test positive , you stay away .
If you don ’ t , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your mask .
It is a fact , ” he said , nodding to how effective face-coverings are at curbing the spread of the virus .
“ It ’ s the right thing to do .
And it ’ s the responsible thing to do , not only for yourself , your family and your loved ones , but also for your fellow human beings .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson revealed Wednesday that he, his wife and two of his daughters tested positive for COVID-19 but are no longer contagious and are “stronger and healthier” now.
The “Ballers” actor filmed a message for his fans on Instagram, updating them on their conditions and warning people to be disciplined about wearing masks and practicing social distancing with everyone, including close friends and family.
Advertisement
“I could tell you that this has been one of the most challenging and difficult things we have ever had to endure as a family, and for me, too, personally as well,” the actor said in an Instagram video.
Johnson, 48, said that his family had been recovering from the virus for two to three weeks. He said his two daughters, ages 2 and 4, recovered more easily than he and his wife, Lauren Hashian.
“We are counting our blessings because we are well aware that it isn’t always the case that you get on the other end of COVID-19,” Johnson said.
Advertisement
He acknowledged that the virus can be deadly for people with underlying health conditions — more than 180,000 people in the U.S. have died after being infected — and described the virus as “incredibly relentless and unforgiving, and it is insidious.”
Johnson said that his family contracted the coronavirus from “very close family friends,” whom he described as people whom they “still love and trust.”
“They have no idea where they picked it up, and they are devastated that it led to them infecting our family,” he said.
Now that his family has recovered, Johnson urged his fans to take all necessary precautions to avoid catching and spreading the virus, including keeping their immune system healthy. He suggested asking family or friends to get tested before visiting each other.
“If you’re having family and friends over to your house, you know them and you trust them — you still never know,” he said. “Get everybody tested before they come over ... if they test positive, you stay away. If you don’t, then you come over.”
Advertisement
Johnson also said that it “baffles” him that some people, including politicians, have “politicized” wearing a mask.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Chris Cuomo Blasts Bill Barr For 'Playing Dumb' About Law On Voting Twice

Chris Cuomo blasted Attorney General Bill Barr on Wednesday , accusing him of acting as a pawn for President Donald Trump and “ playing dumb ” about the legality of voting twice .
It ’ s illegal to vote more than once in an election , but that didn ’ t stop Trump from suggesting on Wednesday that voters in North Carolina test their state ’ s election system by voting once by mail and a second time in person .
When asked about this comment in an interview with CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer , Barr tried to explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say it was illegal , claiming not to know the specific law in North Carolina .
“ You ’ re not allowed to vote twice .
Like you need me to tell you that , ” Cuomo said on Wednesday night .
“ Can you believe the attorney general of the United States is playing dumb about something like that ?
And why ?
Just to help his boy .
Because he ’ s a trumpet .
He ’ s a pawn.
” Instead of presidential , Pres .
Trump is pathological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lies and uses power and pawns to divide .
He is the picture that should be next to a 'demagogue ' in the dictionary .
He literally wants to make you hate . ''
pic.twitter.com/fXW5WrV7rc — Cuomo Prime Time ( @ CuomoPrimeTime ) September 3 , 2020 “ Bill Barr knows exactly what Trump is saying and what he ’ s trying to do , and the president said it in a state that ’ s going to mail ballots to voters in just two days .
Coincidence ?
” the CNN anchor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved to expand mail-in voting amid safety concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump has repeatedly attacked the process , claiming without evidence that it leads to voter fraud in an effort to sow doubt about the integrity of the November election .
His administration has sued states that are working to expand mail-in voting and blocked funding for the cash-strapped Postal Service .
Cuomo said forcing Americans to vote in person during a health crisis was the very the definition of recklessness .
″What about the dangers of voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he asked .
“ In places it will be risky to vote in person .
So your state should have an option for you to do it another way .
What ’ s wrong with that ?
Our mail can ’ t handle it ?
Well , maybe if they stopped sabotaging the mail service that would help .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Chris Cuomo blasted Attorney General Bill Barr on Wednesday, accusing him of acting as a pawn for President Donald Trump and “playing dumb” about the legality of voting twice.
It’s illegal to vote more than once in an election, but that didn’t stop Trump from suggesting on Wednesday that voters in North Carolina test their state’s election system by voting once by mail and a second time in person.
Advertisement
When asked about this comment in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Barr tried to explain away Trump’s suggestion and declined to say it was illegal, claiming not to know the specific law in North Carolina.
“You’re not allowed to vote twice. Like you need me to tell you that,” Cuomo said on Wednesday night. “Can you believe the attorney general of the United States is playing dumb about something like that? And why? Just to help his boy. Because he’s a trumpet. He’s a pawn.”
Instead of presidential, Pres. Trump is pathological, says @ChrisCuomo.
"He lies and uses power and pawns to divide. He is the picture that should be next to a 'demagogue' in the dictionary. He literally wants to make you hate." pic.twitter.com/fXW5WrV7rc — Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) September 3, 2020
“Bill Barr knows exactly what Trump is saying and what he’s trying to do, and the president said it in a state that’s going to mail ballots to voters in just two days. Coincidence?” the CNN anchor asked.
Advertisement
Cuomo also slammed Barr for stoking Trump’s baseless claims about mail-in ballots.
“Barr argues voting by mail is reckless and dangerous. Proof? None,” Cuomo said.
A number of states have moved to expand mail-in voting amid safety concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Trump has repeatedly attacked the process, claiming without evidence that it leads to voter fraud in an effort to sow doubt about the integrity of the November election. His administration has sued states that are working to expand mail-in voting and blocked funding for the cash-strapped Postal Service.
Cuomo said forcing Americans to vote in person during a health crisis was the very the definition of recklessness.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Rachel Maddow Can’t Get Her Head Around Donald Trump’s Key Reelection Message

Rachel Maddow on Wednesday pointed out what she believes is the “ fundamental ” problem with President Donald Trump ’ s main reelection campaign message .
The MSNBC host noted how Trump continues to conduct his campaign against Democratic rival Joe Biden “ mostly on the grounds that America is burning , that American cities are all on fire and burning down and they ’ re terrible hellscapes.
” Maddow said life just isn ’ t like that in most cities and explained why it is an “ awkward ” message from the president .
“ Because the president right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says all this terrible stuff is happening around the country , ” she said .
“ The president ’ s reelection campaign is now based , fundamentally , more than anything else , on this premise that this horrible urban hellscape that we are living in now is the future that ’ s in store for the country once Joe Biden is elected president.
” “ Well if this hellscape exists now , why is it here when you are president , dude ?
” Maddow asked .
“ It does not compute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff.
” The fundamental message of Trump 's campaign right now is , `` See how terrible things are ?
Keep me in charge so this wo n't happen . ''
?
?
?
pic.twitter.com/Vq9DTQv8Ne — Maddow Blog ( @ MaddowBlog ) September 3 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Rachel Maddow on Wednesday pointed out what she believes is the “fundamental” problem with President Donald Trump’s main reelection campaign message.
The MSNBC host noted how Trump continues to conduct his campaign against Democratic rival Joe Biden “mostly on the grounds that America is burning, that American cities are all on fire and burning down and they’re terrible hellscapes.”
Advertisement
Maddow said life just isn’t like that in most cities and explained why it is an “awkward” message from the president.
“Because the president right now is Donald Trump, while he says all this terrible stuff is happening around the country,” she said. “The president’s reelection campaign is now based, fundamentally, more than anything else, on this premise that this horrible urban hellscape that we are living in now is the future that’s in store for the country once Joe Biden is elected president.”
“Well if this hellscape exists now, why is it here when you are president, dude?” Maddow asked. “It does not compute, right? This is not logical stuff.”
Check out Maddow’s comments here:
The fundamental message of Trump's campaign right now is, "See how terrible things are? Keep me in charge so this won't happen."
??? pic.twitter.com/Vq9DTQv8Ne — Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) September 3, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--81 Nobel Laureates Spell Out Why They're Backing Joe Biden

The 81 Nobel laureates in physics , chemistry and medicine officially endorsed the Democratic candidate in an open letter released Wednesday .
“ At no time in our nation ’ s history has there been a greater need for our leaders to appreciate the value of science in formulating public policy , ” read the letter .
According to CNN , the campaign was organized by Rep. Bill Foster ( D-Ill. ) , the only physicist in Congress .
“ During his long record of public service , Joe Biden has consistently demonstrated his willingness to listen to experts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collaboration in research , and his respect for the contribution that immigrants make to the intellectual life of our country , ” the letter said .
“ As American citizens and as scientists , we wholeheartedly endorse Joe Biden for President.
” Eighty-one Nobel Prize winners endorsed Joe Biden for president in an open letter on Wednesday , citing the former vice president 's `` willingness to listen to experts '' and his `` deep appreciation for using science to find solutions . ''
https : //t.co/oMjN7MbFVX — CNN ( @ CNN ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former director of the National Institutes of Health , and Frances Arnold , the first American woman to win the prize in chemistry in 2018 , are among the signatories .
The statement made no reference to President Donald Trump , whose botched response to the coronavirus pandemic has been fiercely criticized .
Trump for months ignored the advice of public health experts and downplayed the health risks posed by COVID-19 .
He then demanded the premature reopening of schools and businesses and sent mixed messages on measures aimed at mitigating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing face masks .
Biden , meanwhile , has said he will “ listen to the scientists ” on COVID-19 should he move into the White House in January .
Seventy winners of the Nobel Prize also expressed their support for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 election .
In an open letter , they warned of the “ profound consequences ” of the vote .
“ To preserve our freedoms , protect our constitutional government , safeguard our national security and ensure that all members of our nation will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future , it is imperative that Hillary Clinton be elected as the next President of the United States , ” they wrote at the time .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Dozens of American winners of the Nobel Prize are backing Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
The 81 Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry and medicine officially endorsed the Democratic candidate in an open letter released Wednesday.
“At no time in our nation’s history has there been a greater need for our leaders to appreciate the value of science in formulating public policy,” read the letter. According to CNN, the campaign was organized by Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.), the only physicist in Congress.
Advertisement
“During his long record of public service, Joe Biden has consistently demonstrated his willingness to listen to experts, his understanding of the value of international collaboration in research, and his respect for the contribution that immigrants make to the intellectual life of our country,” the letter said. “As American citizens and as scientists, we wholeheartedly endorse Joe Biden for President.”
Eighty-one Nobel Prize winners endorsed Joe Biden for president in an open letter on Wednesday, citing the former vice president's "willingness to listen to experts" and his "deep appreciation for using science to find solutions." https://t.co/oMjN7MbFVX — CNN (@CNN) September 2, 2020
Harold Varmus, the former director of the National Institutes of Health, and Frances Arnold, the first American woman to win the prize in chemistry in 2018, are among the signatories.
The statement made no reference to President Donald Trump, whose botched response to the coronavirus pandemic has been fiercely criticized.
Advertisement
Trump for months ignored the advice of public health experts and downplayed the health risks posed by COVID-19. He then demanded the premature reopening of schools and businesses and sent mixed messages on measures aimed at mitigating the spread of the virus, such as wearing face masks.
The disease has now killed more than 180,000 people nationwide.
Biden, meanwhile, has said he will “listen to the scientists” on COVID-19 should he move into the White House in January.
Seventy winners of the Nobel Prize also expressed their support for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 election. In an open letter, they warned of the “profound consequences” of the vote.
“To preserve our freedoms, protect our constitutional government, safeguard our national security and ensure that all members of our nation will be able to work together for a better future, it is imperative that Hillary Clinton be elected as the next President of the United States,” they wrote at the time.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Joe Biden Will Visit Kenosha And Meet Jacob Blake’s Family, Campaign Says

Former Vice President Joe Biden will visit Kenosha , Wisconsin , on Thursday and meet with the family of Jacob Blake , a 29-year-old Black man who was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer last month .
Biden ’ s campaign said he would meet with Blake ’ s father and other family members “ to heal and address the challenges we face , ” the Democratic presidential nominee ’ s latest effort to cast himself as the political opposite of President Donald Trump .
“ There ’ s been overwhelming requests that I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news briefing on Wednesday .
“ I have gotten advice from sitting members of Congress and the Senate as well to go — and that I should go .
I ’ m not going to do anything other than meet with community leaders as well as business people , other folks in law enforcement … to start to talk about what has to be done.
” The former vice president said the officer involved in Blake ’ s shooting and those behind the March killing of Breonna Taylor , a Black woman in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think we should let the judicial system work its way , ” he said during a news conference .
“ I do think , at a minimum , they need to be charged , the officers.
” Biden ’ s visit will present a direct contrast to Trump , who visited Kenosha this week .
Trump did not meet or speak with the Blake family and instead used the trip to present himself as a “ law and order ” president , touring sites damaged by demonstrations that have called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Local leaders , including Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian , both Democrats , had asked Trump to stay away , warning his visit would only cause more friction in a community that is “ trying to heal.
” The city of Kenosha has been reeling from ongoing demonstrations following Blake ’ s shooting Aug. 23 , which caused a nationwide outcry after cellphone video was shared on the internet .
Demonstrators have issued renewed calls for a reckoning of American policing and an end to systemic racism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kyle Rittenhouse , a 17-year-old white vigilante from Illinois , has been charged in the fatal shootings of two protesters at a demonstration last week .
Antaramian said a curfew that had been imposed for more than a week would be lifted on Wednesday after a period of calm and peaceful protests , but he warned it could be reinstituted should that change .
“ The last several nights have been relatively peaceful in the community , and in the judgment of law enforcement , it is appropriate to remove the curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assailed the Trump administration Wednesday for its handling of coexisting crises , claiming the president would rather focus on unrest than the coronavirus pandemic .
He pointed to difficulties faced by students and schools around the country , which have struggled to rein in infection rates .
“ Where is the president ?
Why isn ’ t he working on this ?
” Biden said , according to The Associated Press .
“ We need emergency support funding for our schools — and we need it now .
Mr. President , that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you should be focused on — getting our kids back to school .
Not whipping up fear and division — not inciting violence in our streets.
” Trump responded shortly after on Twitter , saying his administration would do “ everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people , burn buildings , and ruin lives and businesses .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Vice President Joe Biden will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Thursday and meet with the family of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer last month.
Biden’s campaign said he would meet with Blake’s father and other family members “to heal and address the challenges we face,” the Democratic presidential nominee’s latest effort to cast himself as the political opposite of President Donald Trump.
Advertisement
“There’s been overwhelming requests that I do come,” Biden said at the news briefing on Wednesday. “I have gotten advice from sitting members of Congress and the Senate as well to go — and that I should go. I’m not going to do anything other than meet with community leaders as well as business people, other folks in law enforcement … to start to talk about what has to be done.”
The visit will be Biden’s first campaign stop in Wisconsin, a key swing state in the November election, in nearly two years.
The former vice president said the officer involved in Blake’s shooting and those behind the March killing of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman in Louisville, Kentucky, should be charged.
“I think we should let the judicial system work its way,” he said during a news conference. “I do think, at a minimum, they need to be charged, the officers.”
Advertisement
Biden’s visit will present a direct contrast to Trump, who visited Kenosha this week. Trump did not meet or speak with the Blake family and instead used the trip to present himself as a “law and order” president, touring sites damaged by demonstrations that have called for an end to police brutality.
Local leaders, including Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian, both Democrats, had asked Trump to stay away, warning his visit would only cause more friction in a community that is “trying to heal.”
It’s unclear if city leaders will make a similar request of Biden.
The city of Kenosha has been reeling from ongoing demonstrations following Blake’s shooting Aug. 23, which caused a nationwide outcry after cellphone video was shared on the internet. Demonstrators have issued renewed calls for a reckoning of American policing and an end to systemic racism. The protests have at times become violent. Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old white vigilante from Illinois, has been charged in the fatal shootings of two protesters at a demonstration last week.
Antaramian said a curfew that had been imposed for more than a week would be lifted on Wednesday after a period of calm and peaceful protests, but he warned it could be reinstituted should that change.
“The last several nights have been relatively peaceful in the community, and in the judgment of law enforcement, it is appropriate to remove the curfew,” the mayor said.
Advertisement
Biden assailed the Trump administration Wednesday for its handling of coexisting crises, claiming the president would rather focus on unrest than the coronavirus pandemic. He pointed to difficulties faced by students and schools around the country, which have struggled to rein in infection rates.
“Where is the president? Why isn’t he working on this?” Biden said, according to The Associated Press. “We need emergency support funding for our schools — and we need it now. Mr. President, that is your job. That’s what you should be focused on — getting our kids back to school. Not whipping up fear and division — not inciting violence in our streets.”
Trump responded shortly after on Twitter, saying his administration would do “everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Facebook To Restrict New Political Ads In Week Before Election

With just two months left until the U.S. presidential election , Facebook says it is taking more steps to encourage voting , minimize misinformation and reduce the likelihood of post-election “ civil unrest.
” The company said Thursday it will restrict new political ads in the week before the election and remove posts that convey misinformation about COVID-19 and voting .
It also will attach links to official results to posts from candidates and campaigns declaring premature victories .
“ This election is not going to be business as usual .
We all have a responsibility to protect our democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a post on Thursday .
“ That means helping people register and vote , clearing up confusion about how this election will work , and taking steps to reduce the chances of violence and unrest.
” Facebook and other social media companies are being scrutinized over how they handle misinformation , given issues with President Donald Trump and other candidates posting false information and Russia ’ s interference in the 2016 White House elections and ongoing attempts to interfere in U.S. politics .
Facebook has long been criticized for not fact-checking political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted at small groups of people .
With the nation divided , and election results potentially taking days or weeks to be finalized , there could be an “ increased risk of civil unrest across the country , ” Zuckerberg said .
In July , Trump refused to publicly commit to accepting the results of the upcoming election , as he scoffed at polls that showed him lagging behind rival candidate Joe Biden .
That has raised concern over the willingness of Trump and his supporters to abide by election results .
Under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will prohibit politicians and campaigns from running new election ads in the week before the election .
However , they can still run existing ads and change how they are targeted .
Posts with obvious misinformation on voting policies and the coronavirus pandemic will also be removed .
Users can only forward articles to a maximum of five others on Messenger , Facebook ’ s messaging app .
The company also will work with Reuters to provide official election results and make the information available both on its platform and with push notifications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election , Facebook , Google , Twitter and others companies put safeguards in place to prevent it from happening again .
That includes taking down posts , groups and accounts that engage in “ coordinated inauthentic behavior ” and strengthening verification procedures for political ads .
Last year , Twitter banned political ads altogether .
Zuckerberg said Facebook had removed more than 100 networks worldwide engaging in such interference over the last few years .
“ Just this week , we took down a network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were trying to mislead Americans and amplify division , ” he said .
But experts and Facebook ’ s own employees say the measures are not enough to stop the spread of misinformation –- including from politicians and in the form of edited videos .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Facebook is trying just two months before the U.S. election to better police political misinformation on its platform, a tacit acknowledgement that the social network is rife with falsehoods that could sway the vote.
The company said Thursday it will restrict new political ads in the week before the election and remove posts that convey misinformation about COVID-19 and voting. It will also attach links with official results to posts by candidates and campaigns that prematurely declare victory.
Advertisement
“This election is not going to be business as usual. We all have a responsibility to protect our democracy,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on Thursday. “That means helping people register and vote, clearing up confusion about how this election will work, and taking steps to reduce the chances of violence and unrest.”
Activists hailed the new policies but said the onus will be on Facebook to enforce them. And some experts were skeptical that they’ll really make a difference.
Siva Vaidhyanathan, a Facebook expert at the University of Virginia, said the company proved once again its incapacity to effectively snuff out dangerous misinformation last week when it failed to remove postings by right-wing militia organizers urging supporters with rifles to converge on Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“Facebook’s biggest problem has always been enforcement,” he said. “Even when it creates reasonable policies that seem well-meaning, it gets defeated by its own scale. So I am not optimistic that this will be terribly effective.”
Advertisement
Facebook and other social media companies are being scrutinized over how they handle misinformation, given problems with President Donald Trump and other candidates posting false information and Russia’s ongoing attempts to interfere in U.S. politics.
Facebook has long been criticized for not fact-checking political ads or limiting how they can be targeted at small groups of people.
With the nation divided, and election results potentially taking days or weeks to be finalized, there could be an “increased risk of civil unrest across the country,” Zuckerberg said.
Civil rights groups said they directly pitched Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives to make many of the changes announced Thursday.
“These are really significant steps but everything is going to depend on the enforcement,” said Vanita Gupta, who was head of the Obama Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and now leads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “I think they’re going to be tested on it pretty soon.”
Advertisement
In July, Trump refused to publicly commit to accepting the results of the upcoming election, as he scoffed at polls that showed him lagging behind Democratic rival Joe Biden. Trump also has made false claims that the increased use of mail-in voting because of the coronavirus pandemic allows for voter fraud. That has raised concern over the willingness of Trump and his supporters to abide by election results.
Under the new measures, Facebook says it will prohibit politicians and campaigns from running new election ads in the week before the election. However, they can still run existing ads and change how they are targeted. And many voters are expected to vote by mail well ahead of Election Day.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Samantha Zager criticized the ban on new political ads, saying it would prevent Trump from defending himself on the platform in the last seven days of the presidential campaign.
Posts with obvious misinformation on voting policies and the coronavirus pandemic will also be removed. Users can only forward articles to a maximum of five others on Messenger, Facebook’s messaging app. The company also will work with Reuters to provide official election results and make the information available both on its platform and with push notifications.
After being caught off-guard by Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Facebook, Google, Twitter and other companies put safeguards in place to prevent it from happening again. That includes taking down posts, groups and accounts that engage in “coordinated inauthentic behavior” and strengthening verification procedures for political ads. Last year, Twitter banned political ads altogether.
Advertisement
Zuckerberg said Facebook had removed more than 100 networks worldwide engaging in such interference over the last few years.
“Just this week, we took down a network of 13 accounts and two pages that were trying to mislead Americans and amplify division,” he said.
But experts and Facebook’s own employees have said the measures have not been enough to stop the spread of misinformation –- including from politicians and in the form of edited videos. That internal dissent among Facebook employees might have helped influence Zuckerberg’s decision to do something, said Joan Donovan, a disinformation researcher at Harvard University.
“This is a huge about-face for Facebook in this moment because for so long they said they were unwilling to moderate political speech and now at this stage they are drawing very sharp lines and I think that’s because their company cannot survive another four-year scandal,” she said.
Facebook had previously drawn criticism for its ads policy, which cited freedom of expression as the reason for letting politicians like Trump post false information about voting.
Advertisement
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--C-SPAN Host Demonstrates How To Deal With A Racist Caller

A caller into Wednesday ’ s “ Washington Journal ” show berated the media and Black Lives Matter protesters and @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump work harder than other Americans .
Just as the caller declared that @ @ @ @ @ to wake up one of these days , ” Scanlan calmly cut the call .
@ @ @ @ @ to let you go there and go to Thomas , ” Scanlan said , after @ @ @ @ @ kill switch as the caller attempted to make his point .
Video of Scanlan went @ @ @ @ @ earned derision from the then-host of “ The Daily Show , ” Jon Stewart ― @ @ @ @ @ challenge a man who criticized the nonprofit cable network for taking too many calls from @ @ @ @ @ can not believe this is just an accident , ” said the caller .
“ @ @ @ @ @ the way you have been programming you should change your name from C-SPAN to BLACK-SPAN @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
C-SPAN host Bill Scanlan had no time for a caller’s racist on-air sentiment.
A caller into Wednesday’s “Washington Journal” show berated the media and Black Lives Matter protesters and implied that white supporters of President Donald Trump work harder than other Americans. Just as the caller declared that “white people are going to wake up one of these days,” Scanlan calmly cut the call.
“I’m going to let you go there and go to Thomas,” Scanlan said, after hovering his hand over the kill switch as the caller attempted to make his point.
Advertisement
Check out the clip here:
Video of Scanlan went viral in 2010 ― and earned derision from the then-host of “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart ― when he didn’t challenge a man who criticized the nonprofit cable network for taking too many calls from Black people.
“I cannot believe this is just an accident,” said the caller. “If you keep on with the way you have been programming you should change your name from C-SPAN to BLACK-SPAN.”
Check out that clip here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Jobless Claims Fall, But Layoffs Remain Elevated As Pandemic Continues

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The number of laid-off Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to roughly 880,000 last week , a sign of possible improvement but evidence that the viral pandemic keeps forcing many businesses to slash jobs .
The latest figures , released Thursday by the Labor Department , suggest that nearly six months after the eruption of the coronavirus , the economy is still struggling to sustain a recovery and rebuild a job market that was devastated by the recession .
In the previous week , more than 1 million had sought jobless aid .
The roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment aid each week point to a sluggish pace of improvement .
Before the pandemic struck the economy in March , the number of people seeking jobless aid had never topped 700,000 in a week , not even during the depths of the 2007-2009 Great Recession .
The economy has recovered 9.3 million , or only 42 % , of the jobs that were lost in March and April .
On Friday , when the government issues the jobs report for August , it ’ s expected to report that employers added roughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would still leave the economy about 13 million jobs short of the number it ’ s lost to the pandemic .
Still , the auto and housing industries have made solid gains , bolstered by rock-bottom loan rates .
American factories , too , have been on the upswing for three straight months .
Yet many companies across the spectrum — from small businesses to hotels , restaurants , airlines and entertainment venues — remain deeply hurt by a loss of customers .
Job seekers exercise social distancing as they wait to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Omaha , Neb.
, Wednesday , July 15 , 2020 .
Nebraska reinstated job search requirements this week for most people claiming jobless benefits .
Those unemployment insurance requirements were suspended in mid-March to help employees who had lost their jobs due to the coronavirus .
( AP Photo/Nati Harnik ) A wave of layoff announcements by major companies has heightened concerns that many job losses will end up being permanent .
Ford is offering buyouts to try to shrink its U.S. white-collar workforce by 1,400 .
MGM Resorts is laying off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. staff .
Coca-Cola , heavily reliant on entertainment venues , is offering buyouts to 4,000 .
United and American airlines , hurt by diminished air travel , said they will cut thousands of jobs unless the government provides additional aid to help cover payroll costs .
Salesforce is cutting 1,000 jobs , Bed Bath & Beyond 2,800 .
Many economists warn that mass layoffs will continue and that any recovery will likely falter as long as the virus rages and Congress doesn ’ t extend another round of rescue aid for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The recovery remains fragile because of a still-elevated level of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the government ’ s failure to enact another emergency rescue package .
The recent expiration of a $ 600-a-week federal jobless benefit has deepened the difficulties for America ’ s unemployed .
The Trump administration is now providing a stripped-down version of that benefit — $ 300 a week — though not all the unemployed will qualify for it .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of laid-off Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a still-elevated 881,000 last week, evidence that the viral pandemic keeps forcing many businesses to slash jobs.
The latest figures, released Thursday by the Labor Department, suggest that nearly six months after the eruption of the coronavirus, the economy is still struggling to sustain a recovery and rebuild a job market that was devastated by the recession. In the previous week, more than 1 million had sought jobless aid.
Advertisement
All told, the government said that 13.3 million people are continuing to receive traditional jobless benefits, up from 1.7 million a year ago.
The nearly 1 million people who keep applying for unemployment aid each week point to a sluggish pace of improvement. Before the pandemic struck the economy in March, the number of people seeking jobless aid had never topped 700,000 in a week, not even during the depths of the 2007-2009 Great Recession. The economy has recovered 9.3 million, or only 42%, of the jobs that were lost in March and April.
“The data show that layoffs remain widespread and the recovery in the labor market is occurring at a frustratingly slow pace,” economists Nancy Vanden Houten and Gregory Daco of Oxford Economics wrote in a research note.
Thursday’s figure, though historically high, marked the lowest number of jobless claims since the viral pandemic first paralyzed the economy in March. But beginning this week, the department tweaked the way it adjusts its calculations to account for seasonal changes, thereby making it difficult to compare last week’s figure with previous weeks’. Unadjusted for seasonal variations, though, the numbers show that 833,000 Americans applied for benefits last week, up from 826,000 the week before.
Advertisement
In addition to the laid-off people who applied last week for state benefits, 759,000 others sought jobless aid under a new program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time. That figure isn’t adjusted for seasonal trends, so it’s reported separately. But including that group, the Labor Department said 29.2 million people are receiving some form of unemployment benefits, though that figure might be inflated by double-counting by some states.
On Friday, when the government issues the jobs report for August, it’s expected to report that employers added roughly 1.4 million jobs last month. That would still leave the economy about 11 million jobs short of the number it’s lost to the pandemic.
Still, the auto and housing industries have made solid gains, bolstered by rock-bottom loan rates. American factories, too, have been on the upswing for three straight months. Yet many companies across the spectrum — from small businesses to hotels, restaurants, airlines and entertainment venues — remain deeply hurt by a loss of customers.
Job seekers exercise social distancing as they wait to be called into the Heartland Workforce Solutions office in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Nebraska reinstated job search requirements this week for most people claiming jobless benefits. Those unemployment insurance requirements were suspended in mid-March to help employees who had lost their jobs due to the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik) ASSOCIATED PRESS
A wave of layoff announcements by major companies has heightened concerns that many job losses will end up being permanent. Ford is offering buyouts to try to shrink its U.S. white-collar workforce by 1,400. MGM Resorts is laying off 18,000, about a fourth of its U.S. staff. Coca-Cola, heavily reliant on entertainment venues, is offering buyouts to 4,000.
Advertisement
United and American airlines, hurt by diminished air travel, said they will cut thousands of jobs unless the government provides additional aid to help cover payroll costs. Salesforce is cutting 1,000 jobs, Bed Bath & Beyond 2,800.
Many economists warn that mass layoffs will continue and that any recovery will likely falter as long as the virus rages and Congress doesn’t extend another round of rescue aid for the unemployed and for state and local governments. The economy, in the meantime, will likely struggle.
The recovery remains fragile because of a still-elevated level of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the government’s failure to enact another emergency rescue package. The recent expiration of a $600-a-week federal jobless benefit has deepened the difficulties for America’s unemployed. The Trump administration is now providing a stripped-down version of that benefit — $300 a week — though not all the unemployed will qualify for it.
A summertime resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the South and West forced many businesses to close again in July, though the data firm Womply has concluded that closings have mostly stabilized over the past month.
Homebase, a provider of scheduling software for small businesses, reports that small business hiring has flat-lined since June. More than 20% of small businesses remain closed, Homebase says.
Advertisement
The now-expired $600-a-week federal jobless benefit had helped sustain Chuck Caple after he was forced to close his hair salon in Richmond, Virginia, and a side business training hair stylists.
“With the $600,” Caple said, “it made a difference. Everything got back on track.’’
With that weekly check having lapsed, he is relying on income from his wife’s job and collecting just $158 a week in state unemployment benefits.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Biden Hits Back At Trump’s Tax Return Fight

While President Donald Trump scored a legal victory in keeping his tax returns private for now , Joe Biden just @ @ @ @ @ is hiding .

Biden Hits Back At Trump’s Tax Return Fight
While President Donald Trump scored a legal victory in keeping his tax returns private for now, Joe Biden just wants to know what Trump is hiding.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Mass Surveillance Program Exposed By Snowden Was Illegal, U.S. Court Rules

( Reuters ) — Seven years after former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the mass surveillance of Americans ’ telephone records , an appeals court has found the program was unlawful — and that the U.S. intelligence leaders who publicly defended it were not telling the truth .
In a ruling handed down on Wednesday , the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said the warrantless telephone dragnet that secretly collected millions of Americans ’ telephone records violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and may well have been unconstitutional .
Snowden , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2013 disclosures and still faces U.S. espionage charges , said on Twitter that the ruling was a vindication of his decision to go public with evidence of the National Security Agency ’ s domestic eavesdropping operation .
“ I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA ’ s activities as unlawful and in the same ruling credit me for exposing them , ” Snowden said in a message posted to Twitter .
Evidence that the NSA was secretly building a vast database of U.S. telephone records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the when , and the where of millions of mobile calls - was the first and arguably the most explosive of the Snowden revelations published by the Guardian newspaper in 2013 .
Up until that moment , top intelligence officials publicly insisted the NSA never knowingly collected information on Americans at all .
After the program ’ s exposure , U.S. officials fell back on the argument that the spying had played a crucial role in fighting domestic extremism , citing in particular the case of four San Diego residents who were accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Somalia .
U.S. officials insisted that the four — Basaaly Saeed Moalin , Ahmed Nasir Taalil Mohamud , Mohamed Mohamud , and Issa Doreh — were convicted in 2013 thanks to the NSA ’ s telephone record spying , but the Ninth Circuit ruled Wednesday that those claims were “ inconsistent with the contents of the classified record.
” The ruling will not affect the convictions of Moalin and his fellow defendants ; the court ruled the illegal surveillance did not taint the evidence introduced at their trial .
Nevertheless , watchdog groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which helped bring the case to appeal , welcomed the judges ’ verdict on the NSA ’ s spy program .
“ Today ’ s ruling is a victory for our privacy rights , ” the ACLU said in a statement , saying it “ makes plain that the NSA ’ s bulk collection of Americans ’ phone records violated the Constitution .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
(Reuters) — Seven years after former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the mass surveillance of Americans’ telephone records, an appeals court has found the program was unlawful — and that the U.S. intelligence leaders who publicly defended it were not telling the truth.
In a ruling handed down on Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said the warrantless telephone dragnet that secretly collected millions of Americans’ telephone records violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and may well have been unconstitutional.
Advertisement
Snowden, who fled to Russia in the aftermath of the 2013 disclosures and still faces U.S. espionage charges, said on Twitter that the ruling was a vindication of his decision to go public with evidence of the National Security Agency’s domestic eavesdropping operation.
“I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA’s activities as unlawful and in the same ruling credit me for exposing them,” Snowden said in a message posted to Twitter.
Evidence that the NSA was secretly building a vast database of U.S. telephone records - the who, the how, the when, and the where of millions of mobile calls - was the first and arguably the most explosive of the Snowden revelations published by the Guardian newspaper in 2013.
Up until that moment, top intelligence officials publicly insisted the NSA never knowingly collected information on Americans at all. After the program’s exposure, U.S. officials fell back on the argument that the spying had played a crucial role in fighting domestic extremism, citing in particular the case of four San Diego residents who were accused of providing aid to religious fanatics in Somalia.
Advertisement
U.S. officials insisted that the four — Basaaly Saeed Moalin, Ahmed Nasir Taalil Mohamud, Mohamed Mohamud, and Issa Doreh — were convicted in 2013 thanks to the NSA’s telephone record spying, but the Ninth Circuit ruled Wednesday that those claims were “inconsistent with the contents of the classified record.”
The ruling will not affect the convictions of Moalin and his fellow defendants; the court ruled the illegal surveillance did not taint the evidence introduced at their trial. Nevertheless, watchdog groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped bring the case to appeal, welcomed the judges’ verdict on the NSA’s spy program.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for our privacy rights,” the ACLU said in a statement, saying it “makes plain that the NSA’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records violated the Constitution.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--House Subpoenas Embattled Postal Service Leader Over Delays

CHARLESTON , W.Va. ( AP ) — The House Oversight Committee on Wednesday subpoenaed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for records about the widespread mail delivery delays that have pulled the Postal Service into the political spotlight as it prepares to handle an onslaught of ballots in the November election .
The subpoena , which seeks documents related to operational changes that have slowed mail and the agency ’ s plans for the presidential election , comes after committee chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney said DeJoy has not sufficiently answered the panel ’ s requests for more information .
DeJoy , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , took over the agency in June after a career in logistics and set in motion a set of policy changes that have delayed mail and sparked concern over the agency ’ s ability to process mail-in ballots this fall .
He has appeared before Congress twice in recent weeks to testify about the removal of the agency ’ s blue collection boxes and mail sorting machines , as well as changes to trucking operations and overtime hours that postal workers say are resulting in delays .
Amid a public outcry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes until after election .
Democrats have been pushing for increased oversight of the Postal Service following DeJoy ’ s operational changes and Trump ’ s baseless claims that mail-in voting will lead to widespread fraud .
The president has also admitted that he was withholding emergency money from the agency in order to make it more difficult for the service to process what is expected to be a record number of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The committee is also asking for information about how DeJoy , whose appointment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with previous experience at the agency , was picked for the job , as well as any communications between DeJoy and the Trump campaign .
It is also requesting DeJoy ’ s unredacted calendar along with records on potential communications with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows .
In a letter Friday to the committee , DeJoy said postal leadership has expanded a task force on election mail with local officials and said his staff was working to provide the requested materials .
He has said election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priority , ” and that he will authorize expanded use of overtime , extra truck trips and other measures in the weeks before the election to ensure on-time delivery of ballots .
“ We remain surprised and confused by Chairwoman Maloney ’ s insistence on issuing a subpoena to the Postal Service in the midst of ongoing dialogue with her staff on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to produce information in an orderly fashion .
We fully intend to comply with our obligations under the law , ” the statement read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspector general of the Postal Service found that more than a million mail-in ballots were sent to voters late during the primary elections .
The watchdog urged greater cooperation between states and the agency ahead of the November election .
The report found state election boards sent more than a million ballots within a week of their primaries , creating a “ high risk ” that they couldn ’ t be filled out and returned in time to be counted .
In thousands of cases across the country , ballots were sent out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election day .
“ Resolving these issues will require higher level partnerships and cooperation between the Postal Service and various state officials , including secretaries of state and state election boards , ” the auditors wrote .
“ Timely delivery of election and political mail is necessary to ensure the integrity of the U.S. election process.
” The report found election officials in Kentucky and New York sent more than 600,000 mail-in ballots late during their primaries .
In Pennsylvania , 500 ballots were mailed after election day .
Seventeen states sent more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and 44,000 ballots were mailed on or a day before election day in 11 states .
Also , an analysis of political and election mail in seven Postal Service processing centers between April and June identified around 1.6 million mailpieces that were not delivered on time .
“ To be clear , these recommendations are designed to help ensure that ballots will be delivered and counted , and should in no way be misconstrued to imply that we lack confidence in our ability to deliver those ballots .
We can , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail we receive , ” DeJoy told the House Oversight committee last week .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The House Oversight Committee on Wednesday subpoenaed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for records about the widespread mail delivery delays that have pulled the Postal Service into the political spotlight as it prepares to handle an onslaught of ballots in the November election.
The subpoena, which seeks documents related to operational changes that have slowed mail and the agency’s plans for the presidential election, comes after committee chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney said DeJoy has not sufficiently answered the panel’s requests for more information.
Advertisement
“It is clear that a subpoena has become necessary to further the Committee’s investigation and help inform potential legislative actions,” Maloney, D-N.Y., said this week.
DeJoy, a major donor to Republicans and President Donald Trump, took over the agency in June after a career in logistics and set in motion a set of policy changes that have delayed mail and sparked concern over the agency’s ability to process mail-in ballots this fall.
He has appeared before Congress twice in recent weeks to testify about the removal of the agency’s blue collection boxes and mail sorting machines, as well as changes to trucking operations and overtime hours that postal workers say are resulting in delays. Amid a public outcry, DeJoy said he halted some of the changes until after election.
Democrats have been pushing for increased oversight of the Postal Service following DeJoy’s operational changes and Trump’s baseless claims that mail-in voting will lead to widespread fraud. The president has also admitted that he was withholding emergency money from the agency in order to make it more difficult for the service to process what is expected to be a record number of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Advertisement
The committee is also asking for information about how DeJoy, whose appointment broke a long line of postmaster generals with previous experience at the agency, was picked for the job, as well as any communications between DeJoy and the Trump campaign. It is also requesting DeJoy’s unredacted calendar along with records on potential communications with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
In a letter Friday to the committee, DeJoy said postal leadership has expanded a task force on election mail with local officials and said his staff was working to provide the requested materials. He has said election mail is his “No. 1 priority,” and that he will authorize expanded use of overtime, extra truck trips and other measures in the weeks before the election to ensure on-time delivery of ballots.
A spokesman for the Postal Service said the agency will comply with its legal obligations.
“We remain surprised and confused by Chairwoman Maloney’s insistence on issuing a subpoena to the Postal Service in the midst of ongoing dialogue with her staff on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to produce information in an orderly fashion. We fully intend to comply with our obligations under the law,” the statement read.
The subpoena placed a noon Sept. 16 deadline for DeJoy to provide the records.
Separately, an audit from the inspector general of the Postal Service found that more than a million mail-in ballots were sent to voters late during the primary elections. The watchdog urged greater cooperation between states and the agency ahead of the November election.
The report found state election boards sent more than a million ballots within a week of their primaries, creating a “high risk” that they couldn’t be filled out and returned in time to be counted. In thousands of cases across the country, ballots were sent out after states’ mailing deadlines or on election day.
Advertisement
The inspector general also identified a handful of “concerns” surrounding election mail, including ballots sent without bar-coded tracking technology, mail-in ballot designs that make processing difficult, postmark requirements and out-of-date voter addresses.
“Resolving these issues will require higher level partnerships and cooperation between the Postal Service and various state officials, including secretaries of state and state election boards,” the auditors wrote. “Timely delivery of election and political mail is necessary to ensure the integrity of the U.S. election process.”
The report found election officials in Kentucky and New York sent more than 600,000 mail-in ballots late during their primaries. In Pennsylvania, 500 ballots were mailed after election day. Seventeen states sent more than a half-million ballots after mailing deadlines, and 44,000 ballots were mailed on or a day before election day in 11 states. Also, an analysis of political and election mail in seven Postal Service processing centers between April and June identified around 1.6 million mailpieces that were not delivered on time.
The report did not evaluate controversial operational changes implemented by DeJoy. The inspector general’s office has opened a separate inquiry into those changes.
DeJoy has recommended that voters request absentee ballots at least 15 days before the election and then return them within seven days from election day.
Advertisement
“To be clear, these recommendations are designed to help ensure that ballots will be delivered and counted, and should in no way be misconstrued to imply that we lack confidence in our ability to deliver those ballots. We can, and will, handle the volume of election mail we receive,” DeJoy told the House Oversight committee last week.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--Clarke Peters Breaks Down As He Recalls Misjudging Chadwick Boseman On Set

Clarke Peters , who recently co-starred with Chadwick Boseman in “ Da 5 Bloods , ” has shared a poignant life lesson based on his experience on set with the actor , who died last week .
On “ Good Morning Britain , ” Peters became emotional as he confessed that he judged his co-star for having an attentive support team with him while they were shooting the movie .
“ I have to say with a little bit of regret that I probably wasn ’ t the most altruistic in that environment , but hindsight teaches us a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ What I ’ m addressing is basically my wife asked what Chadwick was like .
I was really excited to work with him .
I said , ‘ I think he ’ s a little bit precious.
’ And she said , ‘ Why ?
’ And I said , ‘ Because he ’ s surrounded by people who are fawning over him.
’ “ He ’ s got a Chinese practitioner who ’ s massaging his back when he walks off set .
He ’ s got a makeup lady who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girlfriend is there holding his hand , ” Peters continued .
“ And I ’ m thinking , maybe the ‘ Black Panther ’ thing went to his head.
” “ I regret even having those thoughts because they were really looking after him , ” he added , fighting back tears .
Peters also recalled Boseman running with him in 104-degree weather while carrying heavy equipment .
The two were on location in Thailand for Spike Lee ’ s Vietnam war drama , which was released in June .
Lee has remembered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his role despite his hidden health struggles .
At the Brooklyn MJ Block Party over the weekend , the director said he ’ d been floored by the news of his death , according to People .
“ We filmed Da 5 Bloods in Thailand , and it was hot , jungles , mountains , and Chadwick was there with us all the way , ” Lee said , according to People .
“ I never , ever suspected that anything was wrong .
No one knew he was going through treatment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean , to be honest about what you said to your wife about him when you didn ’ t actually know and you weren ’ t to know , ” he said .
I wish people could talk more freely like this without immediately being condemned .
I think many of us would have been thinking the same thing as Mr. Peters if we were in his shoes .
And that ’ s okay .
Situations like this help us to evolve as people .
There ’ s nothing wrong with it — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 , 2020 Massive respect for him for publicly owning up like that .
It ’ s a strong lesson for all of us to avoid judging people at face value .
I just hope one day more people break away from this judgemental gossip culture we live on .
— KC Smith ( @ KayCSmooth ) September 1 , 2020 This is a teachable moment for many people .
So many people make assumptions and they just don ’ t really know why people are the way they are .
— Tanya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 , 2020 Such an amazing teachable moment to admit when you make a mistake..also to never judge people that you don ’ t know .
You don ’ t know their circumstances .
You don ’ t know what battles they are fighting !
Ugh this made me cry .
Clarke , thank you for being transparent and for apologizing .
— 🍒BZ🍒 ( @ mn212_bz ) September 1 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Clarke Peters, who recently co-starred with Chadwick Boseman in “Da 5 Bloods,” has shared a poignant life lesson based on his experience on set with the actor, who died last week.
On “Good Morning Britain,” Peters became emotional as he confessed that he judged his co-star for having an attentive support team with him while they were shooting the movie.
Advertisement
Boseman’s family announced that he died at age 43 after a private, years-long struggle with colon cancer.
“I have to say with a little bit of regret that I probably wasn’t the most altruistic in that environment, but hindsight teaches us a lot of things,” Peters said. “What I’m addressing is basically my wife asked what Chadwick was like. I was really excited to work with him. I said, ‘I think he’s a little bit precious.’ And she said, ‘Why?’ And I said, ‘Because he’s surrounded by people who are fawning over him.’
“He’s got a Chinese practitioner who’s massaging his back when he walks off set. He’s got a makeup lady who’s massaging his feet. His girlfriend is there holding his hand,” Peters continued. “And I’m thinking, maybe the ‘Black Panther’ thing went to his head.”
Advertisement
“I regret even having those thoughts because they were really looking after him,” he added, fighting back tears.
Peters also recalled Boseman running with him in 104-degree weather while carrying heavy equipment. The two were on location in Thailand for Spike Lee’s Vietnam war drama, which was released in June.
Lee has remembered the late actor’s dedication to his role despite his hidden health struggles. At the Brooklyn MJ Block Party over the weekend, the director said he’d been floored by the news of his death, according to People.
“We filmed Da 5 Bloods in Thailand, and it was hot, jungles, mountains, and Chadwick was there with us all the way,” Lee said, according to People. “I never, ever suspected that anything was wrong. No one knew he was going through treatment, chemotherapy.”
We all can learn a lesson in this... pic.twitter.com/1LyQ67nSJ0 — Loni Love (@LoniLove) September 1, 2020
Advertisement
“Good Morning Britain” host Sean Fletcher thanked Peters for speaking freely about his mistake.
“Your honesty, I mean, to be honest about what you said to your wife about him when you didn’t actually know and you weren’t to know,” he said.
Many social media users joined in that sentiment.
Clarke Peters being human enough to acknowledge his mistake is EXACTLY what I needed today. If I could stop tearing up. 🙏🏽 — MylesPerHour (@MylesPH) September 1, 2020
I wish people could talk more freely like this without immediately being condemned. I think many of us would have been thinking the same thing as Mr. Peters if we were in his shoes. And that’s okay. Situations like this help us to evolve as people. There’s nothing wrong with it — Jordan Jackson (@Jordan_Fadeaway) September 1, 2020
Massive respect for him for publicly owning up like that. It’s a strong lesson for all of us to avoid judging people at face value. I just hope one day more people break away from this judgemental gossip culture we live on. — KC Smith (@KayCSmooth) September 1, 2020
This is a teachable moment for many people. So many people make assumptions and they just don’t really know why people are the way they are. — Tanya Callender Moncur🇧🇸 (@TanyaMoncur) September 1, 2020
Advertisement
Such an amazing teachable moment to admit when you make a mistake..also to never judge people that you don’t know. You don’t know their circumstances. You don’t know what battles they are fighting! Ugh this made me cry. Clarke, thank you for being transparent and for apologizing. — 🍒BZ🍒 (@mn212_bz) September 1, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--Video Shows Police Put Hood On Black Man Before He Died Of Suffocation

A Black man who had run naked through the streets of a western New York city died of asphyxiation after a group of police officers put a hood over his head , then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes , according to video and records released Wednesday by the man ’ s family .
Daniel Prude died March 30 after he was taken off life support , seven days after the encounter with police in Rochester .
His death received no public attention until Wednesday , when his family held a news conference and released police body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through a public records request .
“ I placed a phone call for my brother to get help .
Not for my brother to get lynched , ” Prude ’ s brother , Joe Prude , said at a news conference Wednesday .
“ How did you see him and not directly say , ‘ The man is defenseless , buck naked on the ground .
He ’ s cuffed up already .
Come on.
’ How many more brothers got ta die for society to understand that this needs to stop ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had taken off his clothes , complying when police ask him to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back .
Prude is agitated and shouting as officers let him writhe as he sits on the pavement in handcuffs for a few moments as a light snow falls .
“ Give me your gun , I need it ” he shouts .
Then the officers slam Prude ’ s head into the street .
One officer holds his head down against the pavement with both hands , saying “ stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn to whimpers and grunts .
Another officer places a knee on his back .
The officers appear to become concerned when they notice water coming out of Prude ’ s mouth .
Prude was from Chicago and had just arrived in Rochester for a visit with his brother .
He was kicked off the train before it got to Rochester , in Depew , “ due to his unruly behavior , ” according to an internal affairs investigator ’ s report .
Rochester police officers took Prude into custody for a mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 for suicidal thoughts ― about eight hours before the encounter that led to his death .
But his brother said he was only at the hospital for a few hours , according to the reports .
The city halted its investigation into Prude ’ s death when state Attorney General Letitia James office began its own investigation in April .
Under New York law , deaths of unarmed people in police custody are often turned over to the attorney general ’ s office , rather than handled by local officials .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no point in time did we feel that this was something that we wanted not to disclose , ” Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said at a press briefing .
“ We are precluded from getting involved in it until that agency ( the AG ’ s office ) has completed their investigation.
” “ The police have shown us over and over again that they are not equipped to handle individuals with mental health concerns .
These officers are trained to kill , and not to deescalate .
These officers are trained to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prude , ” Ashley Gantt of Free the People ROC said at the news conference with Prude ’ s family .
Prude had been traumatized by the deaths of his mother and a brother in recent years , having lost another brother before that , Moore said .
In his last months , he ’ d been going back and forth between his Chicago home and his brother ’ s place in Rochester because he wanted to be close with him , she said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A Black man who had run naked through the streets of a western New York city died of asphyxiation after a group of police officers put a hood over his head, then pressed his face into the pavement for two minutes, according to video and records released Wednesday by the man’s family.
Daniel Prude died March 30 after he was taken off life support, seven days after the encounter with police in Rochester. His death received no public attention until Wednesday, when his family held a news conference and released police body camera video and written reports they obtained through a public records request.
Advertisement
“I placed a phone call for my brother to get help. Not for my brother to get lynched,” Prude’s brother, Joe Prude, said at a news conference Wednesday. “How did you see him and not directly say, ‘The man is defenseless, buck naked on the ground. He’s cuffed up already. Come on.’ How many more brothers gotta die for society to understand that this needs to stop?”
The videos show Prude, who had taken off his clothes, complying when police ask him to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back. Prude is agitated and shouting as officers let him writhe as he sits on the pavement in handcuffs for a few moments as a light snow falls. “Give me your gun, I need it” he shouts.
Then, they put a white “spit hood” over his head, a device intended to protect officers from a detainee’s saliva. At the time, New York was in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Prude demands they remove it. “Trying to kill me!” he says before making muffled, anguished sounds under the hood.
Advertisement
Then the officers slam Prude’s head into the street. One officer holds his head down against the pavement with both hands, saying “stop spitting” as Prude’s shouts turn to whimpers and grunts. Another officer places a knee on his back. The officers appear to become concerned when they notice water coming out of Prude’s mouth.
“My man. You puking?” one says.
Prude stops moving and falls silent. One officer notes that he’s been out, naked, in the street for some time. Another remarks, “He feels pretty cold.”
His head had been held down by an officer for just over two minutes, the video shows.
Medics can then be seen performing CPR before he’s loaded into an ambulance.
Spit hoods have been scrutinized as a factor in the deaths of several prisoners in the U.S. and other countries in recent years.
A medical examiner concluded that Prude’s death was a homicide caused by “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.” The report lists excited delirium and acute intoxication by phencyclidine, or PCP, as contributing factors.
Prude was from Chicago and had just arrived in Rochester for a visit with his brother. He was kicked off the train before it got to Rochester, in Depew, “due to his unruly behavior,” according to an internal affairs investigator’s report.
Advertisement
Rochester police officers took Prude into custody for a mental health evaluation around 7 p.m. on March 22 for suicidal thoughts ― about eight hours before the encounter that led to his death. But his brother said he was only at the hospital for a few hours, according to the reports.
Police responded again after Joe Prude called 911 at about 3 a.m. to report that his brother had left his house.
The city halted its investigation into Prude’s death when state Attorney General Letitia James office began its own investigation in April. Under New York law, deaths of unarmed people in police custody are often turned over to the attorney general’s office, rather than handled by local officials.
James said Wednesday that investigation is continuing.
“I want everyone to understand that at no point in time did we feel that this was something that we wanted not to disclose,” Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said at a press briefing. “We are precluded from getting involved in it until that agency (the AG’s office) has completed their investigation.”
One officer wrote that they put the hood on Prude because he was spitting continuously in the direction of officers and they were concerned about coronavirus.
Advertisement
Still, activists demanded that officers involved with Prude’s death be prosecuted on murder charges and that they be removed from the department while the investigation proceeds.
“The police have shown us over and over again that they are not equipped to handle individuals with mental health concerns. These officers are trained to kill, and not to deescalate. These officers are trained to ridicule, instead of supporting Mr. Daniel Prude,” Ashley Gantt of Free the People ROC said at the news conference with Prude’s family.
Protesters gathered Wednesday outside Rochester’s Public Safety Building, which serves as police headquarters. Demonstrators remained as night fell.
Free the People ROC said several of its organizers were briefly taken into custody after they entered the building while Warren was speaking to the media.
They were released on appearance tickets, said Iman Abid, regional director of the NYCLU, who was among those taken into custody.
Advertisement
Prude, known to his big Chicago-based family by the nickname “Rell,” was a father of five adult children and had been working at a warehouse within the last year, said his aunt Letoria Moore.
“He was just a bright, loving person, just family-oriented, always there for us when we needed him,” she said, and “never hurt or harmed anybody.”
Prude had been traumatized by the deaths of his mother and a brother in recent years, having lost another brother before that, Moore said. In his last months, he’d been going back and forth between his Chicago home and his brother’s place in Rochester because he wanted to be close with him, she said.
She knew her nephew had some psychological issues. Still, when he called two days before his death, “he was the normal Rell that I knew,” Moore said.
“I didn’t know what was the situation, why he was going through what he was going through that night, but I know he didn’t deserve to be killed by the police,” she said.
Advertisement
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--GOP Senators Urge The FDA To Ban The Abortion Pill

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Sen. Ted Cruz is one of 20 Republican senators calling on the FDA to ban medication abortion , one of the most common types of abortion .
A group of 20 Republican senators asked the Food and Drug Administration this week to classify a medication used in early abortions as dangerous and ban its sale in the U.S. ― even though the FDA itself has found the pill to be safe .
“ [ G ] iven the devastating impact this drug has had on American women and children , we must now urge the FDA to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abortion pill as an ‘ imminent hazard to the public health ’ that poses a ‘ significant threat of danger ’ and remove this pill from the U.S. market , ” the senators wrote in a letter sent to the agency on Tuesday .
Medication abortion ― or the abortion pill as it is often called ― is actually two drugs taken in combination , mifepristone and misoprostol .
The pills , which are usually swallowed at home , trigger a miscarriage .
The protocol is approved for pregnancies up to 10 weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgical abortion as it allows them to control the setting and timing of the procedure and is non-invasive .
In 2017 , medication abortion accounted for 39 % of all abortions in the U.S. , according to the Guttmacher Institute .
The letter notes that medication abortion has caused 24 maternal deaths since it was first approved by the FDA in 2000 .
However , over 3.7 million women in the U.S. have used medication abortion in that time .
By comparison , about 700 women in the U.S. die as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to a report by the research group ANSIRH ( Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health ) , medication abortion is safer than continuing a pregnancy to term or using many other common medications .
In recent months , medication abortion has emerged as a lightning rod in the abortion debate .
The new letter to the FDA , even if unlikely to succeed , represents another effort by Republicans to limit access to abortion .
Mifepristone , the first of two drugs taken to induce an abortion , is highly regulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , patients seeking a medication abortion must visit health care providers in person to acquire the pills , even though they can ingest them at home .
For years , reproductive rights advocates and medical groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have urged the FDA to lift the in-person dispensing restriction , arguing that it forces patients to travel unnecessarily for a drug that could easily be sent in the mail .
For women in rural areas , the rule often leads to hours or days of driving time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The coronavirus pandemic , which has made travel even more fraught , brought new urgency to the advocates ’ efforts .
In July , after several reproductive health groups sued the FDA , a federal court ruled that the agency must suspend the in-person dispensing requirements during the pandemic .
Currently , patients in some parts of the country can obtain the pills through the mail , although a handful of states have existing laws that ban the use of telemedicine for abortion .
“ Pregnancy is not a life-threatening illness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or prevent any disease .
Make no mistake , Mifeprex is a dangerous pill , ” Sen. Ted Cruz said in a tweet on Wednesday , using a brand name for mifepristone .
The Texas Republican is one of the signers of the letter to the FDA .
It is unlikely the FDA will act on the letter .
The agency itself noted the pill to be safe in a 2016 report , writing that “ its efficacy and safety have become well-established by both research and experience , and serious complications have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ childbirth is also generally safe , a 2012 study found that women were about 14 times more likely to die during or after giving birth to a live baby than to die from complications of an abortion .
“ Bottom line : medication abortion expands access to abortion and that ’ s why these zealots are hellbent on keeping it out of the hands of people who want it , ” Megan Donovan , senior policy manager at Guttmacher , said in a tweet on Wednesday .
“ It ’ s about control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Sen. Ted Cruz is one of 20 Republican senators calling on the FDA to ban medication abortion, one of the most common types of abortion. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A group of 20 Republican senators asked the Food and Drug Administration this week to classify a medication used in early abortions as dangerous and ban its sale in the U.S. ― even though the FDA itself has found the pill to be safe.
“[G]iven the devastating impact this drug has had on American women and children, we must now urge the FDA to exercise its authority ... and classify the abortion pill as an ‘imminent hazard to the public health’ that poses a ‘significant threat of danger’ and remove this pill from the U.S. market,” the senators wrote in a letter sent to the agency on Tuesday.
Advertisement
Medication abortion ― or the abortion pill as it is often called ― is actually two drugs taken in combination, mifepristone and misoprostol. The pills, which are usually swallowed at home, trigger a miscarriage. The protocol is approved for pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Many patients prefer medication abortion to surgical abortion as it allows them to control the setting and timing of the procedure and is non-invasive. In 2017, medication abortion accounted for 39% of all abortions in the U.S., according to the Guttmacher Institute.
The letter notes that medication abortion has caused 24 maternal deaths since it was first approved by the FDA in 2000. However, over 3.7 million women in the U.S. have used medication abortion in that time. By comparison, about 700 women in the U.S. die as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications each year. According to a report by the research group ANSIRH (Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health), medication abortion is safer than continuing a pregnancy to term or using many other common medications.
In recent months, medication abortion has emerged as a lightning rod in the abortion debate. The new letter to the FDA, even if unlikely to succeed, represents another effort by Republicans to limit access to abortion.
Mifepristone, the first of two drugs taken to induce an abortion, is highly regulated by the FDA. Under longstanding rules, patients seeking a medication abortion must visit health care providers in person to acquire the pills, even though they can ingest them at home.
Advertisement
For years, reproductive rights advocates and medical groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have urged the FDA to lift the in-person dispensing restriction, arguing that it forces patients to travel unnecessarily for a drug that could easily be sent in the mail. For women in rural areas, the rule often leads to hours or days of driving time, adding another barrier to timely care.
The coronavirus pandemic, which has made travel even more fraught, brought new urgency to the advocates’ efforts. In July, after several reproductive health groups sued the FDA, a federal court ruled that the agency must suspend the in-person dispensing requirements during the pandemic. Currently, patients in some parts of the country can obtain the pills through the mail, although a handful of states have existing laws that ban the use of telemedicine for abortion.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to reinstate the in-person rule.
“Pregnancy is not a life-threatening illness, and the abortion pill does not cure or prevent any disease. Make no mistake, Mifeprex is a dangerous pill,” Sen. Ted Cruz said in a tweet on Wednesday, using a brand name for mifepristone. The Texas Republican is one of the signers of the letter to the FDA.
It is unlikely the FDA will act on the letter. The agency itself noted the pill to be safe in a 2016 report, writing that “its efficacy and safety have become well-established by both research and experience, and serious complications have proven to be extremely rare.”
While childbirth is also generally safe, a 2012 study found that women were about 14 times more likely to die during or after giving birth to a live baby than to die from complications of an abortion.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Former NRA Executive Turns Crosshairs On Wayne LaPierre In New Book

The former second in command at the National Rifle Association turned his crosshairs on the gun group and its chief executive , Wayne LaPierre , in a new book .
Joshua Powell — the former chief of staff whom the NRA fired in January — is set to release a book Sept 8 detailing the severe financial mismanagement of the gun rights advocacy group led by LaPierre .
The NRA is “ rife with fraud and corruption ” and LaPierre “ couldn ’ t run an organization on a fiscally sound basis to save his life , ” Powell wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The gun group saw a steep decline in leadership as board members jumped ship over the past year amid dueling lawsuits between the NRA and its former public relations firm , Ackerman McQueen .
The attorney general of New York concluded an 18-month investigation last month that revealed that top executives funneled contracts to friends and family members and used charitable funds for personal gain .
“ The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse , which is why , today , we seek to dissolve the NRA , because no organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Letitia James said in August .
Powell ’ s new book — “ Inside the NRA : A Tell-All Account of Corruption , Greed and Paranoia Within the Most Powerful Political Group in America ” — accused LaPierre of using national tragedies to line his own pockets .
After the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting that left 20 children and six adult staffers dead , LaPierre rejected sensible gun control measures and created a program that would look at improving school safety — which became a way for the NRA to siphon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Wayne was out there selling the program to our members , raising money off it , claiming we were protecting kids ’ schools , ” Powell wrote .
“ It was another example of the wizard behind the curtain — lots of inflamed rhetoric and fireworks and noise , but very little effective action on countering gun violence.
” “ We only knew one speed and one direction : Sell the fear , ” Powell wrote .
“ It worked to excite the most extreme faction of our membership — They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s perceived change of heart about the gun group , he himself appeared to benefit from the NRA ’ s corrupt practices .
The New York attorney general ’ s complaint said that the NRA fired Powell “ for falsifying his travel expenses.
” Powell allegedly charged roughly $ 58,000 in personal expenses to the nonprofit , according to documents reviewed by the Times .
Powell was also accused of sexual harassment before he was fired .
Ackerman McQueen complained that company officials in 2018 had “ clear reason to believe ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior employees .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The former second in command at the National Rifle Association turned his crosshairs on the gun group and its chief executive, Wayne LaPierre, in a new book.
Joshua Powell — the former chief of staff whom the NRA fired in January — is set to release a book Sept 8 detailing the severe financial mismanagement of the gun rights advocacy group led by LaPierre. The NRA is “rife with fraud and corruption” and LaPierre “couldn’t run an organization on a fiscally sound basis to save his life,” Powell wrote, according to The New York Times.
Advertisement
The gun group saw a steep decline in leadership as board members jumped ship over the past year amid dueling lawsuits between the NRA and its former public relations firm, Ackerman McQueen.
The attorney general of New York concluded an 18-month investigation last month that revealed that top executives funneled contracts to friends and family members and used charitable funds for personal gain.
“The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse, which is why, today, we seek to dissolve the NRA, because no organization is above the law,” Attorney General Letitia James said in August.
Powell’s new book — “Inside the NRA: A Tell-All Account of Corruption, Greed and Paranoia Within the Most Powerful Political Group in America” — accused LaPierre of using national tragedies to line his own pockets.
Advertisement
After the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting that left 20 children and six adult staffers dead, LaPierre rejected sensible gun control measures and created a program that would look at improving school safety — which became a way for the NRA to siphon money from its members, Powell wrote.
“Wayne was out there selling the program to our members, raising money off it, claiming we were protecting kids’ schools,” Powell wrote. “It was another example of the wizard behind the curtain — lots of inflamed rhetoric and fireworks and noise, but very little effective action on countering gun violence.”
The NRA leadership became masters at stoking the fears of its members, Powell added.
“We only knew one speed and one direction: Sell the fear,” Powell wrote. “It worked to excite the most extreme faction of our membership — They ate it up.”
Despite Powell’s perceived change of heart about the gun group, he himself appeared to benefit from the NRA’s corrupt practices.
The New York attorney general’s complaint said that the NRA fired Powell “for falsifying his travel expenses.” Powell allegedly charged roughly $58,000 in personal expenses to the nonprofit, according to documents reviewed by the Times.
Advertisement
Powell was also accused of sexual harassment before he was fired. Ackerman McQueen complained that company officials in 2018 had “clear reason to believe” that Powell “sexually harassed one of our senior employees.”