thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Senators Take Aim At Massive Trump Arms Deal

The coalition includes Sen. Bob Menendez ( D-N.J. ) , the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , which suggests the plan will receive broad support from Democrats in the upper chamber .
His co-sponsors for the legislation , a set of four resolutions of disapproval targeting $ 13 billion in aircraft and $ 10 billion in munitions that Trump wants to send to the Arab nation , are Sens .
Chris Murphy ( D-Conn. ) and Rand Paul ( R-Ky. ) .
Trump announced the gigantic $ 23 billion package for the U.A.E .
that the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this year in what the president and his aides portrayed as a major diplomatic win for him in the Middle East .
The State Department informed Congress of its plan for the package of weapons sales on Nov. 10 .
That began a 30-day period in which Capitol Hill can try to stop any of the three agreements ― which separately cover F-35 fighter jets , armed drones and a collection of bombs and missiles ― by passing a resolution disapproving of them through both the Senate and the House of Representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that there ’ s going to be a new policy in dealing with them so their days of having carte blanche are over .
For lawmakers and activists who oppose the arms transfer , the big challenge will be securing enough GOP votes to get the bills from the Senate to the Democratic-controlled House .
Sen. Mike Lee ( R-Utah ) , who frequently aligns with Paul on libertarian foreign policy stances seeking to reduce the U.S. ’ s global entanglements , is almost certain to endorse the proposal , and universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal ’ s skeptics must also persuade at least two of a handful of Republicans who have previously voted against arms sales to the Saudis and Emiratis .
Their top targets include Sens .
Todd Young ( Ind . )
, Jerry Moran ( Kans . )
, James Lankford ( Okla. ) , Susan Collins ( Maine ) and Lisa Murkowski ( Alaska ) .
If the bills preventing the sales do leave Congress for Trump ’ s desk , he will almost certainly veto them , as he previously has with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with authoritarian allies like the Saudis and the Emiratis .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued an emergency declaration last year to permit a huge arms deal with the two nations , overruling Menendez and other powerful lawmakers .
But Capitol Hill will have sent an important signal about its views to the U.A.E .
and to President-elect Joe Biden .
Even if the sales continue as planned following a veto from Trump , Biden can pause the transfer of the munitions and other aspects of the package .
And the Emiratis will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as their close partner Saudi Arabia drew condemnation in Washington .
They have been distancing themselves from the disastrous Saudi-led intervention in Yemen ― highlighting their troop drawdown while downplaying their support for brutal militias there ― and courting U.S. officials , arguing they should treat Abu Dhabi differently from Riyadh .
“ The Saudis and U.A.E .
should know that there ’ s going to be a new policy in dealing with them so their days of having carte blanche are over , ” said Rep. Ro Khanna ( D-Calif. ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. support for the Saudi and Emirati interventions in Yemen .
Khanna said he will support the senators ’ bill if it reaches the House and he praised Menendez for leading the charge , saying the senator ’ s stature among national security professionals will lend it credibility .
While it addresses the jets , the drones and the munitions , its advocates are expected to focus on the bombs and missiles , as many in Congress are prepared to see the militarily advanced Emiratis obtain the new aircraft systems as a signal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primarily about those weapons allows critics of the sale to focus on evidence that the Emiratis have transferred arms to allies in Yemen , violating U.S. law , and in Libya , breaking an international arms embargo .
“ I support the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) , but nothing in that agreement requires us to flood the region with more weapons and facilitate a dangerous arms race , ” Murphy said in a press release about the bills .
“ A sale this large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the waning days of a lame duck presidency , and Congress must take steps to stop this dangerous transfer of weapons .
”

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A bipartisan group of senators announced four bills to block President Donald Trump’s massive weapons sale to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, two hours after HuffPost first revealed their plans to challenge the deal.
The coalition includes Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which suggests the plan will receive broad support from Democrats in the upper chamber. His co-sponsors for the legislation, a set of four resolutions of disapproval targeting $13 billion in aircraft and $10 billion in munitions that Trump wants to send to the Arab nation, are Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
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The Trump administration introduced the gigantic $23 billion package for the U.A.E. after the country recognized Israel earlier this year in what the president and his aides portrayed as a major diplomatic win for him in the Middle East.
Critics of the U.A.E. say the arms sales risk inflaming tensions in the volatile region, where the Emirates is deeply involved in proxy wars in Libya and Yemen.
Many lawmakers from both parties have also been skeptical of Trump’s penchant for pushing major weapons deals with autocratic Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, while overlooking their human rights abuses and Congress’ authority over such sales.
The State Department informed Congress of its plan for the package of weapons sales on Nov. 10. That began a 30-day period in which Capitol Hill can try to stop any of the three agreements ― which separately cover F-35 fighter jets, armed drones and a collection of bombs and missiles ― by passing a resolution disapproving of them through both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
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“The Saudis and U.A.E. should know that there’s going to be a new policy in dealing with them so their days of having carte blanche are over.” - Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.)
For lawmakers and activists who oppose the arms transfer, the big challenge will be securing enough GOP votes to get the bills from the Senate to the Democratic-controlled House. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who frequently aligns with Paul on libertarian foreign policy stances seeking to reduce the U.S.’s global entanglements, is almost certain to endorse the proposal, and universal Democratic backing is likely.
But the deal’s skeptics must also persuade at least two of a handful of Republicans who have previously voted against arms sales to the Saudis and Emiratis. Their top targets include Sens. Todd Young (Ind.), Jerry Moran (Kans.), James Lankford (Okla.), Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska).
If the bills preventing the sales do leave Congress for Trump’s desk, he will almost certainly veto them, as he previously has with similar legislation to protect his cozy relationships with authoritarian allies like the Saudis and the Emiratis. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued an emergency declaration last year to permit a huge arms deal with the two nations, overruling Menendez and other powerful lawmakers.
But Capitol Hill will have sent an important signal about its views to the U.A.E. and to President-elect Joe Biden. Even if the sales continue as planned following a veto from Trump, Biden can pause the transfer of the munitions and other aspects of the package.
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And the Emiratis will face public embarrassment they sought to avoid as their close partner Saudi Arabia drew condemnation in Washington. They have been distancing themselves from the disastrous Saudi-led intervention in Yemen ― highlighting their troop drawdown while downplaying their support for brutal militias there ― and courting U.S. officials, arguing they should treat Abu Dhabi differently from Riyadh.
“The Saudis and U.A.E. should know that there’s going to be a new policy in dealing with them so their days of having carte blanche are over,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who has led congressional efforts to end U.S. support for the Saudi and Emirati interventions in Yemen. Khanna said he will support the senators’ bill if it reaches the House and he praised Menendez for leading the charge, saying the senator’s stature among national security professionals will lend it credibility.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) expressed her support for the proposal on Twitter after HuffPost revealed that it was in the works.
The new push is also strategically designed to avoid the possible pitfall of angering lawmakers who support the U.A.E.’s normalized relationship with Israel.
While it addresses the jets, the drones and the munitions, its advocates are expected to focus on the bombs and missiles, as many in Congress are prepared to see the militarily advanced Emiratis obtain the new aircraft systems as a signal of good faith.
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Making the conversation primarily about those weapons allows critics of the sale to focus on evidence that the Emiratis have transferred arms to allies in Yemen, violating U.S. law, and in Libya, breaking an international arms embargo.
“I support the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but nothing in that agreement requires us to flood the region with more weapons and facilitate a dangerous arms race,” Murphy said in a press release about the bills. “A sale this large and this consequential should not happen in the waning days of a lame duck presidency, and Congress must take steps to stop this dangerous transfer of weapons.”
Officials at the State and Defense departments have repeatedly told Congress, including in briefings provided earlier this year, that they are concerned that the U.A.E. is supporting dangerous forces in other countries, a congressional aide told HuffPost.
Campaigners against the arms deal ― and the U.A.E.’s sprawling Washington lobbying apparatus ― will now spend the next few weeks debating how seriously lawmakers should take those risks.
“I don’t think this is an area that has to be partisan on the Hill,” Khanna said. “I’m hopeful that we can get Republicans, especially in a post-Trump world, to stand up for basic American values.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler Accused Of Violating Ethics Rules With Fundraising Pitch

Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-Ga. ) drew backlash on Wednesday for soliciting campaign funds while speaking in the halls of Congress ― a potential violation of Senate ethics rules ― during an interview with Fox News .
Loeffler , who will face off against Democrat Raphael Warnock in a runoff election in January , warned Georgia conservatives that “ hundreds of millions of dark , liberal money is pouring into our state ” ahead of the contest .
“ That ’ s why it ’ s so important that everyone across the country get involved , ” Loeffler told Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol appearing behind her .
“ They can visit KellyforSenate.com to chip in 5 or 10 bucks , and get involved , volunteer.
” Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-Ga. ) asked Fox News viewers to `` chip in 5 or 10 bucks '' while standing in the halls of Congress — a potential violation of Senate ethics rules .
The Senate ’ s rules and standards of conduct for campaign activity prohibit Senate members and staff from receiving or soliciting campaign contributions in any federal building .
It ’ s “ yet another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking out for herself , ” Floyd said in a statement .
“ It ’ s been months since Senator Loeffler has taken action to help Georgians impacted by the pandemic , ” Floyd added , “ and instead of using her time in Washington to fight for coronavirus relief , she ’ s doing what she thinks is best for her political campaign.
” Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , one of Loeffler ’ s top supporters in the Senate , drew similar scrutiny last month after telling reporters on Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his reelection campaign .
The South Carolina Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics , in which the party accused Graham of having “ committed a crime and violated longstanding ethics rules by openly raising money for his campaign in a Federal government building while leveraging his official U.S. Senate activity.
” A spokesman for Graham ’ s campaign said at the time that “ any possible violation ” committed by the senator was “ unintentional and does not represent a pattern of behavior.
” Loeffler , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January after being appointed by Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R ) to replace Sen. Johnny Isakson , who retired for health reasons .
Georgia scheduled two Senate runoff elections for Jan. 5 after none of the candidates received at least 50 % of the votes in their respective races this month .
( Republican Sen. David Perdue will face off against Democratic opponent Jon Ossoff . )
The closely watched runoffs will determine whether Republicans maintain control of the Senate .
If Democrats succeed in flipping both seats , the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would have the power to cast a tiebreaker vote .

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Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) drew backlash on Wednesday for soliciting campaign funds while speaking in the halls of Congress ― a potential violation of Senate ethics rules ― during an interview with Fox News.
Loeffler, who will face off against Democrat Raphael Warnock in a runoff election in January, warned Georgia conservatives that “hundreds of millions of dark, liberal money is pouring into our state” ahead of the contest.
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“That’s why it’s so important that everyone across the country get involved,” Loeffler told Fox News with the pillars of the Russell Senate Office Building appearing behind her. “They can visit KellyforSenate.com to chip in five or 10 bucks, and get involved, volunteer.”
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) asked Fox News viewers to "chip in five or 10 bucks" while standing in the halls of Congress — a potential violation of Senate ethics rules. Fox News
The Senate’s rules and standards of conduct for campaign activity prohibit Senate members and staff from receiving or soliciting campaign contributions in any federal building.
Loeffler’s campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
The Democratic Party of Georgia announced Thursday that it’s filing a complaint against Loeffler with the Senate Ethics Committee and will request that the Justice Department investigate the matter.
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Loeffler “has once again chosen to use her position of power for personal and political advantage by illegally asking for donations on national television while on federal property,” Scott Hogan, executive director of the Democratic Party of Georgia, said in a statement.
“She broke not only Senate rules but also federal law, and we’ve filed these complaints to ensure she’s held accountable for her actions,” he added.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Loeffler’s top supporters in the Senate, drew similar scrutiny last month after telling reporters on Capitol Hill that his supporters should donate to his reelection campaign.
The South Carolina Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, in which the party accused Graham of having “committed a crime and violated longstanding ethics rules by openly raising money for his campaign in a Federal government building while leveraging his official U.S. Senate activity.”
A spokesman for Graham’s campaign said at the time that “any possible violation” committed by the senator was “unintentional and does not represent a pattern of behavior.”
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Loeffler, a former financial executive, assumed office in January after being appointed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) to replace Sen. Johnny Isakson, who retired for health reasons. Georgia scheduled two Senate runoff elections for Jan. 5 after none of the candidates received at least 50% of the votes in their respective races this month. (Republican Sen. David Perdue will face off against Democratic opponent Jon Ossoff.)
The closely watched runoffs will determine whether Republicans maintain control of the Senate. If Democrats succeed in flipping both seats, the Senate would likely be split 50-50. Democratic Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would have the power to cast a tiebreaker vote.
Watch Loeffler’s full interview with Fox News below. Her fundraising comments begin around the 5:30 mark.
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Sen. Kelly Loeffler was standing inside the U.S. Capitol. She was standing inside the Russell Senate Office Building.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Trump Pays $3 Million For Partial Wisconsin Vote Recount

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) — President Donald Trump has paid $ 3 million for a partial recount in Wisconsin but has yet to file a petition indicating which counties it is targeting , the Wisconsin Elections Commission said Wednesday .
The Trump campaign has told the commission that it will file the petition by the 5 p.m. deadline , the commission tweeted .
A statewide recount would cost Trump $ 7.9 million .
The $ 3 million he paid would be enough to cover the $ 2.8 million cost of a recount in the state ’ s two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In those counties , Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes .
He won statewide by 20,608 votes , based on canvassed results submitted by the counties .
The recount , once formally approved by the elections commission chair , could start as soon as Thursday and no later than Saturday .
It would have to be complete by Dec. 1 .
Recounts in Wisconsin and across the country have historically resulted in very few vote changes .
A 2016 presidential recount in Wisconsin netted Trump an additional 131 votes .
Trump won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year and opposed the recount brought by Green Party candidate Jill Stein .
Trump and other Republicans have made claims of fraud and irregularities in the Wisconsin election , without evidence .
The state ’ s top elections chief and local officials have said there were no substantial reports of problems or wrongdoing .

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Donald Trump has paid $3 million for a partial recount in Wisconsin but has yet to file a petition indicating which counties it is targeting, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said Wednesday.
The Trump campaign has told the commission that it will file the petition by the 5 p.m. deadline, the commission tweeted.
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A statewide recount would cost Trump $7.9 million. The $3 million he paid would be enough to cover the $2.8 million cost of a recount in the state’s two most Democratic counties of Milwaukee and Dane. In those counties, Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes. He won statewide by 20,608 votes, based on canvassed results submitted by the counties.
The recount, once formally approved by the elections commission chair, could start as soon as Thursday and no later than Saturday. It would have to be complete by Dec. 1.
Recounts in Wisconsin and across the country have historically resulted in very few vote changes. A 2016 presidential recount in Wisconsin netted Trump an additional 131 votes.
Trump won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes that year and opposed the recount brought by Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Trump Is Getting Ever More Brazen In His Attempts To Steal The Election He Lost

WASHINGTON ― Having lost his election for a second term , President Donald Trump , his campaign and his allies are ever more openly just trying to steal it .
In recent days , his campaign has welcomed the idea of disenfranchising all of the voters of Nevada , pushed to have Michigan ’ s 16 electoral votes awarded by its Republican legislature and alleged , without evidence , “ massive fraud ” all over the country in a court case in Pennsylvania ― all as Trump posts one lie after another on social media .
“ The red line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whose new book , “ Strongmen , ” puts Trump in the context of a century of fascist leaders .
“ If you don ’ t recognize an election , you have gone into the territory of a non-democracy .
It ’ s pretty easy.
” There are those , including the president , ... who are perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results in a manner that violates the oath of office they took .
It is well past time that they stop .
Ryan Mahoney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top staffer at the Republican National Committee , called the actions of Trump and his campaign “ dangerous and undemocratic ” and asked them to stop .
“ They ’ re either purposely spreading false information and conspiracy theories and don ’ t care , or they actually believe this nonsense , ” Mahoney said .
“ Either way , they ’ re subverting democracy with evidence-free allegations .
There is no evidence of widespread fraud .
It ’ s time to accept the results .
Joe Biden won.
” Numerous staffers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HuffPost ’ s queries on this matter .
Nor did White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany , who has been appearing on television for the campaign while continuing to draw a $ 180,000 annual salary from American taxpayers .
Nor did Stephen Bannon , a former top Trump White House aide who is now under indictment for fraud but who , out on bail as he awaits trial , has been broadcasting a daily radio show and podcast in which he repeatedly calls Biden an “ illegitimate ” president and falsely claims that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night are illegal .
Many of Bannon ’ s narratives have been echoed on pro-Trump media outlets , such as OAN and NewsMax , as well as Fox News ’ prime-time evening shows .
They even emerged in Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani ’ s arguments Tuesday before a federal judge in Pennsylvania .
One former White House official , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said that Trump ’ s statements on social media are not taken seriously by Americans and that eventually his legal challenges will end and life will go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden presidency .
“ I think the country is fairly well-conditioned about Trump ’ s tweets , ” the former official said .
“ Our institutions are not in danger because of this .
Our republic will survive.
” While most Americans do appear to take Trump ’ s assertions with several , if not more , grains of salt , some of his hard-core supporters do not and have taken to harassing and threatening election officials in battleground states .
“ There are those , including the president , members of Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results in a manner that violates the oath of office they took , ” she wrote .
“ It is well past time that they stop .
Their words and actions have consequences.
” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a Republican , had previously reported death threats against him and his wife from Trump supporters .
He also reported being pressured by Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) to discard mail ballots from areas of Georgia that favored Biden .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign earlier this year to help make sure Trump won the state .

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WASHINGTON ― Having lost his election for a second term, President Donald Trump, his campaign and his allies are ever more openly just trying to steal it.
In recent days, his campaign has welcomed the idea of disenfranchising all of the voters of Nevada, pushed to have Michigan’s 16 electoral votes awarded by its Republican legislature and alleged, without evidence, “massive fraud” all over the country in a court case in Pennsylvania ― all as Trump posts one lie after another on social media.
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“In Detroit, there are FAR MORE VOTES THAN PEOPLE. Nothing can be done to cure that giant scam. I win Michigan!” he wrote Wednesday morning.
“I WON THE ELECTION. VOTER FRAUD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!” he wrote a couple of hours earlier.
And campaign in-house lawyer Jenna Ellis wrote enthusiastically Tuesday evening of sending the election results in Michigan ― which President-elect Joe Biden won by 154,000 votes ― to the state’s GOP-run legislature: “Huge win for @realDonaldTrump.”
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert on authoritarianism at New York University, said Trump’s claim to have won an election he lost by 74 Electoral College votes and 6 million votes overall is a clear danger sign.
“The red line is the election,” said Ben-Ghiat, whose new book, “Strongmen,” puts Trump in the context of a century of fascist leaders. “If you don’t recognize an election, you have gone into the territory of a non-democracy. It’s pretty easy.”
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“There are those, including the president, ... who are perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results in a manner that violates the oath of office they took. It is well past time that they stop.” - Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs
Ryan Mahoney, who until early this year was a top staffer at the Republican National Committee, called the actions of Trump and his campaign “dangerous and undemocratic” and asked them to stop.
“They’re either purposely spreading false information and conspiracy theories and don’t care, or they actually believe this nonsense,” Mahoney said. “Either way, they’re subverting democracy with evidence-free allegations. There is no evidence of widespread fraud. It’s time to accept the results. Joe Biden won.”
Numerous staffers at the Trump campaign did not respond to HuffPost’s queries on this matter. Nor did White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who has been appearing on television for the campaign while continuing to draw a $180,000 annual salary from American taxpayers.
Nor did Stephen Bannon, a former top Trump White House aide who is now under indictment for fraud but who, out on bail as he awaits trial, has been broadcasting a daily radio show and podcast in which he repeatedly calls Biden an “illegitimate” president and falsely claims that the votes that were counted after election night are illegal.
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Many of Bannon’s narratives have been echoed on pro-Trump media outlets, such as OAN and NewsMax, as well as Fox News’ prime-time evening shows. They even emerged in Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani’s arguments Tuesday before a federal judge in Pennsylvania.
One former White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Trump’s statements on social media are not taken seriously by Americans and that eventually his legal challenges will end and life will go on, in all likelihood with a Biden presidency.
“I think the country is fairly well-conditioned about Trump’s tweets,” the former official said. “Our institutions are not in danger because of this. Our republic will survive.”
President Donald Trump acknowledges supporters Sunday as he departs the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling Virginia, after playing golf. Steve Helber/ASSOCIATED PRESS
While most Americans do appear to take Trump’s assertions with several, if not more, grains of salt, some of his hard-core supporters do not and have taken to harassing and threatening election officials in battleground states.
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On Wednesday, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, released a statement reporting threats to her family and her office, and called on Trump and others in Republican leadership to take responsibility.
“There are those, including the president, members of Congress and other elected officials, who are perpetuating misinformation and are encouraging others to distrust the election results in a manner that violates the oath of office they took,” she wrote. “It is well past time that they stop. Their words and actions have consequences.”
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, had previously reported death threats against him and his wife from Trump supporters. He also reported being pressured by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to discard mail ballots from areas of Georgia that favored Biden. He also said he was pressured directly by the Trump campaign earlier this year to help make sure Trump won the state.
Biden won Arizona by 10,400 votes and Georgia by 14,000. Trump has falsely claimed those results point to fraud, an accusation that has riled up his supporters in those states.
Jim Dicke, a Republican National Committee member from Ohio, nevertheless said he is not terribly worried that Trump will incite GOP voters into violence or anything of the sort when reality makes itself evident.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Election Updates: Trump, Still In Denial, Pays Millions For Partial Wisconsin Vote Recount

For the latest results , maps and more , check out HuffPost ’ s Elections Hub .
Trump is also @ @ @ @ @ acknowledge his election loss .
On Tuesday , he fired Chris Krebs , the director @ @ @ @ @ Security Agency , a direct result of CISA issuing a statement that it had found @ @ @ @ @ deleted , lost , changed or compromised in the election .
On Monday , he @ @ @ @ @ race in Ohio in an apparent hit at Gov .
Mike DeWine ( R ) @ @ @ @ @ Biden as the president-elect .

For the latest results, maps and more, check out HuffPost’s Elections Hub.
Trump is also retaliating against officials who publicly acknowledge his election loss. On Tuesday, he fired Chris Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a direct result of CISA issuing a statement that it had found no evidence of votes being deleted, lost, changed or compromised in the election. On Monday, he tweeted about the future gubernatorial race in Ohio in an apparent hit at Gov. Mike DeWine (R), who has referred to Biden as the president-elect.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--FBI Investigating Texas Attorney General Over Bribery Claims: Report

DALLAS ( AP ) — The FBI is investigating allegations that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton broke the law in using his office to benefit a wealthy donor , according to two people with knowledge of the probe .
Federal agents are looking into claims by former members of Paxton ’ s staff that the high-profile Republican committed bribery , abuse of office and other crimes to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul , the people told The Associated Press .
They insisted on anonymity to discuss the investigation because it is ongoing .
Confirmation of the criminal probe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ’ s denied wrongdoing and refused calls for his resignation since his top deputies reported him to federal authorities at the end of September .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seen in Dallas in June .
Several of his top deputies have accused him of crimes including bribery and abuse of office .
A criminal defense attorney for Paxton , Philip Hilder , declined to comment .
Spokespersons in the attorney general ’ s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
It ’ s unclear how far the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paxton .
An agency spokeswoman in San Antonio declined to comment .
Paxton is accused of using his position as Texas ’ top law enforcement official to benefit Paul in several ways , according to seven senior lawyers in the attorney general ’ s office and the agency ’ s head of law enforcement .
Central to their claims is the fact that Paxton hired an outside lawyer to investigate the developer ’ s allegations that the FBI improperly searched his home and offices last year .
Each of Paxton ’ s accusers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or been fired since reporting him .
Last week , four of them filed a state whistleblower lawsuit against the attorney general , claiming he ousted them as retribution .
The full nature of Paxton and Paul ’ s connection remains unclear .
In 2018 , Paul donated $ 25,000 to the attorney general ’ s reelection campaign .
The developer also said in a recent deposition that Paxton recommended a woman for her job with his company .
Two people previously told The Associated Press that Paxton acknowledged in 2018 having an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was then a state Senate aide .
The people spoke on condition of anonymity due to fears about retaliation .
Paxton said in a Tuesday statement to the Austin American-Stateman that , “ after reviewing the claims made by former employees of this office , their allegations are overblown , based upon assumptions , and to a large degree misrepresent the facts.
” Paxton has spent most of his tenure in office maintaining his innocence in the face of an indictment on unrelated securities fraud charges .
The case has been stalled for @ @ @ @ @

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DALLAS (AP) — The FBI is investigating allegations that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton broke the law in using his office to benefit a wealthy donor, according to two people with knowledge of the probe.
Federal agents are looking into claims by former members of Paxton’s staff that the high-profile Republican committed bribery, abuse of office and other crimes to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, the people told The Associated Press. They insisted on anonymity to discuss the investigation because it is ongoing.
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Confirmation of the criminal probe marks mounting legal peril for Paxton, who’s denied wrongdoing and refused calls for his resignation since his top deputies reported him to federal authorities at the end of September.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seen in Dallas in June. Several of his top deputies have accused him of crimes including bribery and abuse of office. ASSOCIATED PRESS
A criminal defense attorney for Paxton, Philip Hilder, declined to comment. Spokespersons in the attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
It’s unclear how far the FBI is into investigating the allegations against Paxton. An agency spokeswoman in San Antonio declined to comment.
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Paxton is accused of using his position as Texas’ top law enforcement official to benefit Paul in several ways, according to seven senior lawyers in the attorney general’s office and the agency’s head of law enforcement. Central to their claims is the fact that Paxton hired an outside lawyer to investigate the developer’s allegations that the FBI improperly searched his home and offices last year.
Each of Paxton’s accusers has resigned, been put on leave or been fired since reporting him. Last week, four of them filed a state whistleblower lawsuit against the attorney general, claiming he ousted them as retribution.
Paxton, seen in 2017, has denied wrongdoing and refused calls for his resignation. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The full nature of Paxton and Paul’s connection remains unclear. In 2018, Paul donated $25,000 to the attorney general’s reelection campaign. The developer also said in a recent deposition that Paxton recommended a woman for her job with his company.
Two people previously told The Associated Press that Paxton acknowledged in 2018 having an extramarital affair with the woman, who was then a state Senate aide. The people spoke on condition of anonymity due to fears about retaliation.
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Paxton said in a Tuesday statement to the Austin American-Stateman that, “after reviewing the claims made by former employees of this office, their allegations are overblown, based upon assumptions, and to a large degree misrepresent the facts.”
Paxton has spent most of his tenure in office maintaining his innocence in the face of an indictment on unrelated securities fraud charges. The case has been stalled for years over legal challenges.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Fauci Says He Hasn't Spoken With Biden's Team Yet Due To His 'Compromised Position'

Dr. Anthony Fauci told the USA Today editorial board in a livestreamed interview on Wednesday that he had not yet communicated with the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden ― likely because the team understood that he was still squarely in the middle of the twilight days of the Donald Trump administration .
“ If Ron Klain ― Biden ’ s incoming chief of staff who has a lot of experience with public health ― were to call you after this meeting , are you allowed to take his call or have you been told you ’ re forbidden to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” asked the paper ’ s editorial page editor , Bill Sternberg .
“ I have not been formally told that anything is forbidden , ” Fauci replied .
“ But it ’ s quite obvious that this is a very sensitive period .
...
I don ’ t want to get into that .
I have tried to the best of my ability to stay out of the political aspects and just focus on my role as a public health person , a physician and a scientist .
To be honest with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , including Ron Klain , understand that and don ’ t want to put me in a compromised position.
” Fauci added that smooth presidential transitions are vital in American politics , likening them to races with runners passing batons : “ You ’ re all running together .
And you pass the baton .
That ’ s what a smooth transition is .
It ’ s very , very much like a relay race.
” The delicate position of Fauci ― who has worked under six presidents , from Ronald Reagan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s alternating praise and criticism for him throughout the coronavirus pandemic .
The president has switched between calling the infectious disease expert a “ wonderful guy , ” undermining his COVID-19 safety suggestions , and tossing around the idea that he would fire Fauci “ a little bit after ” the election .
Dr. Scott Atlas , whom Trump appointed as coronavirus task force adviser in August , has also taken aim at Fauci , calling him a “ political animal ” who had lost credibility with his constant media appearances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bannon insinuated that Fauci needed to be beheaded , with his head stuck on a pike outside the Oval Office .
Fauci has largely kept his head down and avoided making direct condemnations of the negativity in the Trump administration surrounding his COVID-19 efforts .
He did acknowledge Bannon ’ s horrific remarks , calling them “ kind of unusual ” and “ not the kind of thing you think about when you ’ re going through medical school to become a physician .
”

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Dr. Anthony Fauci told the USA Today editorial board in a livestreamed interview on Wednesday that he had not yet communicated with the transition team of President-elect Joe Biden ― likely because the team understood that he was still squarely in the middle of the twilight days of the Donald Trump administration.
“If Ron Klain ― Biden’s incoming chief of staff who has a lot of experience with public health ― were to call you after this meeting, are you allowed to take his call or have you been told you’re forbidden to speak with the Biden transition folks?” asked the paper’s editorial page editor, Bill Sternberg.
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“I have not been formally told that anything is forbidden,” Fauci replied. “But it’s quite obvious that this is a very sensitive period. ... I don’t want to get into that. I have tried to the best of my ability to stay out of the political aspects and just focus on my role as a public health person, a physician and a scientist. To be honest with you, I believe that the Biden people, including Ron Klain, understand that and don’t want to put me in a compromised position.”
Fauci added that smooth presidential transitions are vital in American politics, likening them to races with runners passing batons: “You’re all running together. And you pass the baton. That’s what a smooth transition is. It’s very, very much like a relay race.”
The delicate position of Fauci ― who has worked under six presidents, from Ronald Reagan to Trump ― can be seen in Trump’s alternating praise and criticism for him throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The president has switched between calling the infectious disease expert a “wonderful guy,” undermining his COVID-19 safety suggestions, and tossing around the idea that he would fire Fauci “a little bit after” the election.
Dr. Scott Atlas, whom Trump appointed as coronavirus task force adviser in August, has also taken aim at Fauci, calling him a “political animal” who had lost credibility with his constant media appearances, while former White House strategist Steve Bannon insinuated that Fauci needed to be beheaded, with his head stuck on a pike outside the Oval Office.
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Fauci has largely kept his head down and avoided making direct condemnations of the negativity in the Trump administration surrounding his COVID-19 efforts. He did acknowledge Bannon’s horrific remarks, calling them “kind of unusual” and “not the kind of thing you think about when you’re going through medical school to become a physician.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--New York Settles With NRA Over Illegal Insurance Sales, Deceiving Members

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - The National Rifle Association agreed to a five-year ban on doing insurance business in New York state and will pay a $ 2.5 million civil fine to settle charges it offered insurance to members without a license and concealed how it routinely kept some premiums for itself .
New York ’ s Department of Financial Services announced the settlement on Wednesday , saying the gun rights group had violated various state insurance laws and regulations through its sale of insurance products , including Carry Guard .
The settlement stemmed from the NRA ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance broker Lockton Cos , including the sale of 28,015 policies to New Yorkers and the NRA ’ s receipt of more than $ 1.8 million in associated royalties and fees .
Linda Lacewell , the state ’ s insurance superintendent , said the NRA violated state law by “ soliciting dangerous and impermissible insurance products , including those within its Carry Guard program that purported to insure intentional acts and criminal defense costs.
” The state has said the program could cover “ intentional ” conduct related to shooting incidents .
Lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - The National Rifle Association agreed to a five-year ban on doing insurance business in New York state and will pay a $2.5 million civil fine to settle charges it offered insurance to members without a license and concealed how it routinely kept some premiums for itself.
New York’s Department of Financial Services announced the settlement on Wednesday, saying the gun rights group had violated various state insurance laws and regulations through its sale of insurance products, including Carry Guard.
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The settlement stemmed from the NRA’s alleged ties started in 2000 with the insurance broker Lockton Cos, including the sale of 28,015 policies to New Yorkers and the NRA’s receipt of more than $1.8 million in associated royalties and fees.
Linda Lacewell, the state’s insurance superintendent, said the NRA violated state law by “soliciting dangerous and impermissible insurance products, including those within its Carry Guard program that purported to insure intentional acts and criminal defense costs.”
The state has said the program could cover “intentional” conduct related to shooting incidents.
Lawyers for the NRA had no immediate comment.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Acting Pentagon Chief Thinks Troop Reductions 'Fraught With Risk'

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The coming period of U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Iraq is “ fraught with risk , ” but the military will not hesitate to strike back if extremists attempt to undermine the transition to a smaller U.S. force in those countries , the newly installed acting secretary of defense said Wednesday .
Speaking at Fort Bragg in North Carolina , Christopher C. Miller , who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq as an Army Special Forces officer , said President Donald Trump ’ s order to cut the U.S. military presence to 2,500 troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a step toward ending the wars responsibly .
“ Headlines about ‘ bringing the boys home ’ sound good , but that ’ s not what ’ s happening , ” said Sen. Ben Sasse , a Nebraska Republican and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee .
“ After this retreat , there will still be American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan .
The most important question is whether those remaining troops will be able to prevent al-Qaida , the Islamic State , Iranian proxies , and others from plotting attacks that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be exposed as jihadis gain ground.
” Chuck Hagel , a Republican who served as defense secretary in the Obama administration , said in an interview earlier this week that Trump should have left troop reduction decisions to President-elect Joe Biden since the new administration will have to deal with the consequences of American troop withdrawals .
“ It sends a clear signal to the Taliban ” and strengthens their hand in negotiations with the Kabul government , said Hagel , who stressed that he favors finding a way to end U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s chances of achieving a viable peace deal .
“ This is not going to end well for the Afghan government.
” Miller had announced Trump ’ s troop-cut decision Tuesday at the Pentagon , and he elaborated on the plan at Bragg .
He said the reductions would be done in a way that “ protects our fighting men and women and our hard-earned gains.
” “ At the same time , should any malign actors underestimate our resolve or attempt to undermine our efforts , we will not hesitate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all threats , ” he added , speaking at Bragg ’ s outdoor Special Operations Memorial Plaza .
“ As we implement the president ’ s orders , we recognize that transitions and campaigns are fraught with risk and unexpected challenges and opportunities , ” Miller said , adding that this is why he was signing an order directing the civilian head of special operations to report directly to the secretary of defense .
That person , whose title is assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict , currently reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of defense for policy .
This change in the administrative chain of command for special operations was required by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act .
There currently is no Senate-confirmed assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict ; Ezra Cohen holds the job in an “ acting ” capacity .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The coming period of U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Iraq is “fraught with risk,” but the military will not hesitate to strike back if extremists attempt to undermine the transition to a smaller U.S. force in those countries, the newly installed acting secretary of defense said Wednesday.
Speaking at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Christopher C. Miller, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq as an Army Special Forces officer, said President Donald Trump’s order to cut the U.S. military presence to 2,500 troops in those countries by Jan. 15 was a step toward ending the wars responsibly.
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Some members of Congress, including Republicans, have argued that the move is unwise or premature.
“Headlines about ‘bringing the boys home’ sound good, but that’s not what’s happening,” said Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. “After this retreat, there will still be American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The most important question is whether those remaining troops will be able to prevent al-Qaida, the Islamic State, Iranian proxies, and others from plotting attacks that can spill American blood, or if they will be exposed as jihadis gain ground.”
Chuck Hagel, a Republican who served as defense secretary in the Obama administration, said in an interview earlier this week that Trump should have left troop reduction decisions to President-elect Joe Biden since the new administration will have to deal with the consequences of American troop withdrawals.
“It sends a clear signal to the Taliban” and strengthens their hand in negotiations with the Kabul government, said Hagel, who stressed that he favors finding a way to end U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan without sabotaging the government’s chances of achieving a viable peace deal. “This is not going to end well for the Afghan government.”
Miller had announced Trump’s troop-cut decision Tuesday at the Pentagon, and he elaborated on the plan at Bragg. He said the reductions would be done in a way that “protects our fighting men and women and our hard-earned gains.”
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“At the same time, should any malign actors underestimate our resolve or attempt to undermine our efforts, we will not hesitate to restore deterrence and defeat any and all threats,” he added, speaking at Bragg’s outdoor Special Operations Memorial Plaza.
“As we implement the president’s orders, we recognize that transitions and campaigns are fraught with risk and unexpected challenges and opportunities,” Miller said, adding that this is why he was signing an order directing the civilian head of special operations to report directly to the secretary of defense. That person, whose title is assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, currently reports to the defense secretary through the undersecretary of defense for policy.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Trump Administration Ordered To Stop Expelling Children Who Cross Border

HOUSTON ( AP ) — A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to stop expelling immigrant children who cross the southern border alone , halting a policy that has resulted in thousands of rapid deportations of minors during the coronavirus pandemic .
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued a preliminary injunction sought by legal groups suing on behalf of children whom the government sought to expel before they could request asylum or other protections under federal law .
The Trump administration has expelled at least 8,800 unaccompanied children since March , when it issued an emergency declaration citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people crossing the border from remaining in the United States .
Border agents have forced many people to return to Mexico right away , while detaining others in holding facilities or hotels , sometimes for days or weeks .
Meanwhile , government-funded facilities meant to hold children while they are placed with sponsors have thousands of unused beds .
Sullivan ’ s order bars only the expulsion of children who cross the border unaccompanied by a parent .
The government has expelled nearly 200,000 people since March , including adults , and parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy was sending thousands of young children back to danger without any hearing , ” said Lee Gelernt , a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union .
“ Like so many other Trump administration policies , it was gratuitously cruel and unlawful.
” The Justice Department did not immediately say whether it would appeal .
It has appealed another federal judge ’ s order barring the use of hotels to detain children .
The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden has not directly said whether it will keep trying to expel immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to roll back several Trump administration policies restricting asylum as part of a broader shift on immigration .
The Trump administration has argued in court that it must expel children who have recently crossed the border — whether they had authorization or not — to prevent the infection of border agents and others in immigration custody .
The emergency declaration was made by Dr. Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the Justice Department on Oct. 2 cited the judgment of “ the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan not to stop the expulsion of children .
The Associated Press reported on Oct. 3 that top CDC officials resisted issuing the declaration because it lacked a public health basis , but that Vice President Mike Pence ordered Redfield to move forward anyway .
Opponents of the policy accuse the administration of using the pandemic as a pretext to restrict immigration and say agents can safely screen minors for COVID-19 without denying protections under federal anti-trafficking law and a court settlement that governs the treatment of children .
U.S. Magistrate Judge G. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan grant an injunction barring expulsions of children , saying the government was claiming power that was “ breathtakingly broad.
” Children and parents who have been expelled have reported believing they would be allowed to reunite with family in the U.S. , only to instead be deported to their countries of origin .
One mother of 12- and 9-year-olds found out her children had been expelled when she received a call from an official in Honduras asking her to send a relative to collect them .
The father of a 1-year-old girl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife to feed the girl ice in case their temperatures were checked before boarding a flight .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has denied using ice as an artificial cooling measure .

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HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to stop expelling immigrant children who cross the southern border alone, halting a policy that has resulted in thousands of rapid deportations of minors during the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued a preliminary injunction sought by legal groups suing on behalf of children whom the government sought to expel before they could request asylum or other protections under federal law.
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The Trump administration has expelled at least 8,800 unaccompanied children since March, when it issued an emergency declaration citing the coronavirus as grounds for barring most people crossing the border from remaining in the United States.
Border agents have forced many people to return to Mexico right away, while detaining others in holding facilities or hotels, sometimes for days or weeks. Meanwhile, government-funded facilities meant to hold children while they are placed with sponsors have thousands of unused beds.
Sullivan’s order bars only the expulsion of children who cross the border unaccompanied by a parent. The government has expelled nearly 200,000 people since March, including adults, and parents and children traveling together.
“This policy was sending thousands of young children back to danger without any hearing,” said Lee Gelernt, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. “Like so many other Trump administration policies, it was gratuitously cruel and unlawful.”
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The Justice Department did not immediately say whether it would appeal. It has appealed another federal judge’s order barring the use of hotels to detain children.
The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden has not directly said whether it will keep trying to expel immigrants under public-health authority. Biden is expected to roll back several Trump administration policies restricting asylum as part of a broader shift on immigration.
The Trump administration has argued in court that it must expel children who have recently crossed the border — whether they had authorization or not — to prevent the infection of border agents and others in immigration custody. The emergency declaration was made by Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Justice Department on Oct. 2 cited the judgment of “the nation’s top public health official” in urging Sullivan not to stop the expulsion of children.
The Associated Press reported on Oct. 3 that top CDC officials resisted issuing the declaration because it lacked a public health basis, but that Vice President Mike Pence ordered Redfield to move forward anyway.
Opponents of the policy accuse the administration of using the pandemic as a pretext to restrict immigration and say agents can safely screen minors for COVID-19 without denying protections under federal anti-trafficking law and a court settlement that governs the treatment of children.
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U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey recommended on Sept. 25 that Sullivan grant an injunction barring expulsions of children, saying the government was claiming power that was “breathtakingly broad.”
Children and parents who have been expelled have reported believing they would be allowed to reunite with family in the U.S., only to instead be deported to their countries of origin.
One mother of 12- and 9-year-olds found out her children had been expelled when she received a call from an official in Honduras asking her to send a relative to collect them.
The father of a 1-year-old girl alleged that agents told him and his wife to feed the girl ice in case their temperatures were checked before boarding a flight. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has denied using ice as an artificial cooling measure.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Watch Michiganders Slam 2 Wayne County Canvassers For Not Certifying Election Results

Wayne County includes Detroit , and President Donald Trump ’ s campaign has baselessly claimed fraud marked the vote in the city .
The city ’ s predominantly Black population backed President-elect Joe Biden by more than 322,000 votes over Trump , fueling the almost 150,000-vote margin by which Biden carried Michigan .
The four-person Wayne County Board of Canvassers ― two Democrats and two Republicans ― met Tuesday evening for what should have been the routine administrative action of certifying the election results .
But that hit a surprise obstacle when the board ’ s two GOP members , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against certification , resulting in a 2-2 tie .
Hartmann and Palmer are both avid supporters of Trump on social media .
And Hartmann shared racist memes concerning former President Barack Obama in the past .
They both insisted , without evidence , that the city ’ s voting tabulation had been plagued by major problems .
And Palmer ― who has had ethics complaints filed against her for overseeing elections while working for a PAC that supports school board candidates ― said at one point that she was willing to certify results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding Detroit , but not votes from the city itself .

Wayne County includes Detroit, and President Donald Trump’s campaign has baselessly claimed fraud marked the vote in the city. The city’s predominantly Black population backed President-elect Joe Biden by more than 322,000 votes over Trump, fueling the almost 150,000-vote margin by which Biden carried Michigan.
The four-person Wayne County Board of Canvassers ― two Democrats and two Republicans ― met Tuesday evening for what should have been the routine administrative action of certifying the election results. But that hit a surprise obstacle when the board’s two GOP members, William Hartmann and Monica Palmer, voted against certification, resulting in a 2-2 tie.
Hartmann and Palmer are both avid supporters of Trump on social media. And Hartmann shared racist memes concerning former President Barack Obama in the past.
They both insisted, without evidence, that the city’s voting tabulation had been plagued by major problems. And Palmer ― who has had ethics complaints filed against her for overseeing elections while working for a PAC that supports school board candidates ― said at one point that she was willing to certify results in the county’s mostly-white suburbs surrounding Detroit, but not votes from the city itself.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--U.S. Bishops Worry Biden's Progressive Faith Stances Will Confuse Catholics

Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez , completing his first year as the USCCB ’ s president , welcomes many of Biden ’ s stances , including on immigration , racial justice and climate change .
But some conservative bishops , noting the church ’ s strong opposition to abortion , were upset last week when Gomez congratulated Biden — a fellow Catholic — on his victory .
“ We are facing a unique moment in our history , ” he said .
“ The president-elect has given us reason to think he will support some good policies ” but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the elimination of abortion.
” “ These policies pose a serious threat to the common good , ” Gomez said .
“ When politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them ... it creates confusion among the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.
” Gomez ’ s unexpected remarks followed a two-hour session in which bishops from across the U.S. , meeting online due to the coronavirus outbreak , shared their dioceses ’ efforts to cope with the pandemic and to combat systemic racism .
Some who spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have seen protests and occasional violence after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore was among several who described church-organized listening sessions for community members to share their experiences with racism and their thoughts on how to curtail it .
“ These conversations can be difficult , painful , ” Lori said .
“ A lot of people don ’ t think they need those conversations because they don ’ t have a racist bone in their body .
The reality is much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that white supremacy is not a harmless fringe ideology .
It ’ s a death-dealing ideology , ” Seitz said .
“ It reminded us that words matter — words that denigrate immigrants and other people of color really matter and feed into these ways of thinking.
” The Catholic bishop of El Paso , Texas , Mark Seitz ( center ) , participates in a binational mass attended by hundreds of Mexican and US Catholics across the border , held in memory of migrants killed by crossing the Rio Bravo in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ciudad Juarez , Chihuahua state , Mexico on November 4 , 2017 .
Seitz said the diocese is looking at forming a truth commission exploring the history and current status of racism in the region , and how it has impacted Native Americans , Hispanics , immigrants and others .
Amid the protests following Floyd ’ s killing , some Black Catholics were outspoken in urging the church to take substantive steps conveying that their presence is valued .
There have been calls for some form of reparations , and for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools .
Black Catholics ’ somewhat marginal place in the U.S. church is illustrated by statistics compiled by the USCCB : There are about 3 million African American members of the faith , roughly 4 % of the nation ’ s 69 million Catholics , but as of January there were just 250 Black priests , or less than 1 % of the total of 36,500 .

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The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told colleagues Tuesday that President-elect Joe Biden’s policy positions, including support for abortion rights, pose a “difficult and complex situation” for the church.
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, completing his first year as the USCCB’s president, welcomes many of Biden’s stances, including on immigration, racial justice and climate change. But some conservative bishops, noting the church’s strong opposition to abortion, were upset last week when Gomez congratulated Biden — a fellow Catholic — on his victory.
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On Tuesday, as the USCCB ended the public portion of its two-day national meeting, Gomez departed from the official agenda to broach the issue.
“We are facing a unique moment in our history,” he said. “The president-elect has given us reason to think he will support some good policies” but also some that “undermine our preeminent priority of the elimination of abortion.”
“These policies pose a serious threat to the common good,” Gomez said. “When politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them ... it creates confusion among the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.”
Gomez said he would form a working group to address the matter, headed by the USCCB’s vice president, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.
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There was no immediate response by Biden’s transition team to an AP request for comment.
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez leads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (Photo by Ronen Tivony/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Gomez’s unexpected remarks followed a two-hour session in which bishops from across the U.S., meeting online due to the coronavirus outbreak, shared their dioceses’ efforts to cope with the pandemic and to combat systemic racism.
Some who spoke during the racial injustice discussion represent communities that have seen protests and occasional violence after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.
Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore was among several who described church-organized listening sessions for community members to share their experiences with racism and their thoughts on how to curtail it.
“These conversations can be difficult, painful,” Lori said. “A lot of people don’t think they need those conversations because they don’t have a racist bone in their body. The reality is much different.”
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As one of several race-related initiatives, Lori said his archdiocese is building a new K-8 Catholic school in one of Baltimore’s poorest neighborhoods.
Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis said his archdiocese is seeking to promote racial equity in its hiring practices and has hired a diversity officer for a group of Catholic schools.
Rozanski recently toured predominantly Black neighborhoods including a stop in nearby Ferguson, where he prayed at the site where Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by a white police officern in 2014.
Mark Seitz, the bishop of El Paso, Texas, recalled the 2019 mass killing of 23 people at a Walmart by a gunman who said he was targeting Mexicans.
“It brought home the fact that white supremacy is not a harmless fringe ideology. It’s a death-dealing ideology,” Seitz said. “It reminded us that words matter — words that denigrate immigrants and other people of color really matter and feed into these ways of thinking.”
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The Catholic bishop of El Paso, Texas, Mark Seitz (center), participates in a binational mass attended by hundreds of Mexican and US Catholics across the border, held in memory of migrants killed by crossing the Rio Bravo in their attempt to reach the United States in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico on November 4, 2017. HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images
Seitz said the diocese is looking at forming a truth commission exploring the history and current status of racism in the region, and how it has impacted Native Americans, Hispanics, immigrants and others.
Tuesday’s discussion was led by Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Louisiana diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, who heads the USCCB’s Committee Against Racism.
“The work is hard, the work is slow, but the work is being done,” he said. “In my diocese, hearts are being changed.”
Amid the protests following Floyd’s killing, some Black Catholics were outspoken in urging the church to take substantive steps conveying that their presence is valued. There have been calls for some form of reparations, and for the teaching of Black Catholic history in Catholic schools.
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Black Catholics’ somewhat marginal place in the U.S. church is illustrated by statistics compiled by the USCCB: There are about 3 million African American members of the faith, roughly 4% of the nation’s 69 million Catholics, but as of January there were just 250 Black priests, or less than 1% of the total of 36,500.
Also Tuesday, a dozen bishops shared their experiences coping with the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced many dioceses to halt or sharply reduce in-person worship.
Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, California, described outreach efforts aimed at sick and older adult parishioners and recounted the painful decision to lay off 15% of the diocese staff due to reduced income from offerings.
Rev. Oscar Pratt, left, holds the microphone as Cardinal Sean O'Malley speaks during a Mass for Racial Healing in South Boston on June 13, 2020. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, where several priests and an auxiliary bishop have died of COVID-19, said a specially trained team of priests that was equipped with state-of-the-art protective equipment won permission to administer end-of-life sacraments to Catholic patients in hospitals.
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John Wester, the archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico, said many parishioners were angry when restrictions forced the cancellation of in-person Masses at which they could receive Holy Communion.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--COVID-19's Economic Impact Is Forcing Some Victims Of Violence To Return To Their Abusers

The economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has created untenable situations for Black and brown survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence , making it more likely for them to return to abusers so they can stay afloat .
“ What we found , while sobering , wasn ’ t shocking , ” said Tarana Burke , founder of the Me Too movement .
“ COVID-19 illuminates the ways in which our social and economic safety net catches some while allowing those who are most vulnerable to fall through the cracks.
” The report found that female survivors who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more likely to return to their abusive partner .
A woman who reported a high likelihood of returning to her abuser had access to an average of $ 3,700 ; a survivor who reported no likelihood of returning to her abuser had roughly $ 8,300 available .
Too many survivors will be forced to forgo their physical safety because they do not have access to food and safe housing .
Tarana Burke , founder of the Me Too movement Financial insecurity is highest among Black and brown women survivors : Almost twice as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during COVID-19 , compared to white survivors .
According to the report , survivors of color had sole access to a little over $ 1,500 .
In contrast , white women survivors had a little over $ 9,000 at their disposal .
Women of color are more likely , then , to return to their abusers due to lack of financial resources .
“ Knowing that Black and brown survivors of sexual assault are also facing a pandemic-related financial crisis is particularly troubling , because too many survivors will be forced to forgo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have access to food and safe housing , ” Burke said .
Being a survivor of sexual assault or intimate partner violence already had economic consequences before the coronavirus pandemic .
Economic abuse ― which can include anything from an abuser withholding access to bank accounts to sabotaging job interviews ― is present in 99 % of abusive relationships .
Up to 60 % of domestic violence victims reported losing their jobs as a direct result of abuse , according to one study .
Intimate partner violence leads to nearly 8 million lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is the equivalent of over 32,000 full-time jobs .
The report also highlighted how the pandemic is straining existing systemic issues for survivors of color , including inequality in health care , housing , and employment .
Eight out of 10 essential workers of color are facing food and housing insecurity , and nearly 75 % of Black and brown survivors said they were forced to stop their education due to the pandemic .
“ There ’ s always been an issue of domestic violence victims being silent and unseen , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bedroom door , ” Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) told HuffPost in April .
“ Well , that is only exacerbated by this current pandemic.
” Past research shows that there is often more violence during emergencies .
Domestic abuse increased in frequency and intensity after crises like 9/11 , Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina .
Experts say this is likely because perpetrators have more contact with their families during these times and , as support systems break down in the wake of emergencies , victims are less likely or less able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an uptick in child sexual abuse reports since the pandemic hit the U.S. in March , seemingly due to “ shelter in place ” orders that left victims isolated at home with abusers .
Advocates called for more emergency funding for sexual assault centers in April , pointing out that many crisis centers are facing a shortage of staff and resources making it harder for victims to obtain necessary care .
Burke said the most urgent issue for her now is making sure economic abuse is included in the next Violence Against Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave for survivors , especially in the wake of the pandemic .
“ With this summer ’ s racial uprisings not far from our minds and the third and potentially most destructive wave of this pandemic looming over the U.S. , this report is meant to ring an alarm , ” she said .
“ Survivor communities are the most vulnerable and the most marginalized , and we hope that by interrogating the pandemic ’ s long-term effects , we can help shape policy discussions and community responses in ways that address the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us in unsafe situations .
”

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The economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has created untenable situations for Black and brown survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, making it more likely for them to return to abusers so they can stay afloat.
A new report reveals how the intersections of the coronavirus and racism are only magnifying the economic strain on survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence. The report — from the organization me too. and shared exclusively with HuffPost — was published in collaboration with FreeFrom, a national organization focused on intimate partner violence and financial insecurity.
“What we found, while sobering, wasn’t shocking,” said Tarana Burke, founder of the Me Too movement. “COVID-19 illuminates the ways in which our social and economic safety net catches some while allowing those who are most vulnerable to fall through the cracks.”
The report found that female survivors who lack financial resources during the pandemic are more likely to return to their abusive partner. A woman who reported a high likelihood of returning to her abuser had access to an average of $3,700; a survivor who reported no likelihood of returning to her abuser had roughly $8,300 available.
“Too many survivors will be forced to forgo their physical safety because they do not have access to food and safe housing.” - Tarana Burke, founder of the Me Too movement
Financial insecurity is highest among Black and brown women survivors: Almost twice as many survivors of color experienced financial hardship during COVID-19, compared to white survivors. According to the report, survivors of color had sole access to a little over $1,500. In contrast, white women survivors had a little over $9,000 at their disposal. Women of color are more likely, then, to return to their abusers due to lack of financial resources.
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“Knowing that Black and brown survivors of sexual assault are also facing a pandemic-related financial crisis is particularly troubling, because too many survivors will be forced to forgo their physical safety because they do not have access to food and safe housing,” Burke said.
Being a survivor of sexual assault or intimate partner violence already had economic consequences before the coronavirus pandemic. Economic abuse ― which can include anything from an abuser withholding access to bank accounts to sabotaging job interviews ― is present in 99% of abusive relationships. Up to 60% of domestic violence victims reported losing their jobs as a direct result of abuse, according to one study. Intimate partner violence leads to nearly 8 million lost days of paid work each day, which is the equivalent of over 32,000 full-time jobs.
The report also highlighted how the pandemic is straining existing systemic issues for survivors of color, including inequality in health care, housing, and employment. Eight out of 10 essential workers of color are facing food and housing insecurity, and nearly 75% of Black and brown survivors said they were forced to stop their education due to the pandemic.
“There’s always been an issue of domestic violence victims being silent and unseen, that it’s the crime behind the bedroom door,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) told HuffPost in April. “Well, that is only exacerbated by this current pandemic.”
Past research shows that there is often more violence during emergencies. Domestic abuse increased in frequency and intensity after crises like 9/11, Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina. Experts say this is likely because perpetrators have more contact with their families during these times and, as support systems break down in the wake of emergencies, victims are less likely or less able to seek help.
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Experts have seen an uptick in child sexual abuse reports since the pandemic hit the U.S. in March, seemingly due to “shelter in place” orders that left victims isolated at home with abusers. Advocates called for more emergency funding for sexual assault centers in April, pointing out that many crisis centers are facing a shortage of staff and resources making it harder for victims to obtain necessary care.
Burke said the most urgent issue for her now is making sure economic abuse is included in the next Violence Against Women Act, and creating paid and protected leave for survivors, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
“With this summer’s racial uprisings not far from our minds and the third and potentially most destructive wave of this pandemic looming over the U.S., this report is meant to ring an alarm,” she said. “Survivor communities are the most vulnerable and the most marginalized, and we hope that by interrogating the pandemic’s long-term effects, we can help shape policy discussions and community responses in ways that address the issues and systemic inequities that keep some of us in unsafe situations.”
You can read me too. and FreeFrom’s full report here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-11-18--Donald Trump’s Effort To Steal The Election Is Comically Stupid — And Extremely Dangerous

First , Trump telegraphed the entire scheme to steal the election ahead of time , like a Bond villain explaining his entire plot , thus exposing the true purpose of his ensuing frivolous lawsuits .
If it looked like he would lose , he planned to claim that late-counted absentee ballots were fraudulent and illegal and to file lawsuits to stop the certification of results in states where he trailed .
The hope then was that Republican-controlled legislatures or governors would just hand him their state ’ s electoral votes .
Whether or not this was legal didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election and voter fraud have almost all been laughed out of court in embarrassing fashion after Trump ’ s own lawyers admitted they had no evidence of said fraud .
Republican state lawmakers all said they wouldn ’ t be switching electoral votes to Trump .
Law firms then dropped Trump as pressure mounted for them not to help him undermine democracy , which left former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to step in as counsel .
Political partisans often feel like elections were stolen from them .
Shock and disbelief are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of grief .
But never before has a president of the United States led the charge in creating that false impression .
Nor has any prior president refused to abide by the peaceful transfer of power inaugurated first by President George Washington ’ s decision not to run for a third term and President John Adams ’ peaceful transfer to Thomas Jefferson after the two ran against each other in 1800 .
Like everything else Trump has done as president , his entire scheme to steal the election is not meant to succeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , being judged by actual courts and judges .
It is , rather , intended to succeed on television or social media by making his supporters believe that Trump lost due to fraud and not think of him as a loser .
So far , it is working .
The majority of Republicans state a belief that the election was rigged against Trump .
( It wasn ’ t . )
And nearly every Republican Party politician has either backed Trump ’ s false allegations of mass voter fraud or refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president-elect .
To appease the movement , Republican politicians must pay strict attention to the far-right fringe of their party in order to stave off the looming threat of primary challenges .
Once Trump conquered the party in 2016 , Republicans seeking to avoid right-wing primary challenges had to adapt to his neo-personalist style of rule .
This meant supplementing support for extremist right-wing policies and rhetoric with obsequious fealty to Trump and his family members .
( With the only exception being when Trump suggests using the government to distribute wealth in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this means echoing Trump ’ s false claims of fraud as he tries to steal the election ― or at the very least not rejecting them as the dangerous absurdity they are .
Republicans now face a litmus test of endorsing a belief that the 2020 election was unfair , a position that undermines the necessary peaceful transfer of power that American democracy would not exist without .
This has trickled down to even the most local level of politics .
On Tuesday , two Republican Party members of the Wayne County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against certifying the county ’ s election results .
They were just following the president ’ s openly stated scheme to prevent the certification of election results in states he lost and to somehow get Republican state legislators to ignore the state ’ s popular vote and hand him its electoral college votes .
Initially , Republican board member Monica Palmer said she would have been happy to certify the vote from Wayne County ’ s predominantly white suburbs , but not from nearly 80 % Black Detroit .
But after nearly three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lambasting the racist effort to disenfranchise Detroit citizens , she and the other Republican board member reversed themselves and voted to certify the results .
In Pennsylvania , Trump sued ( and lost ) to stop the certification of votes in Philadelphia , which is over 40 % Black .
In Wisconsin , he has filed for a partial recount in Milwaukee and Dane counties , where he alleges fraud without evidence .
These two Wisconsin counties contain 74 % of the state ’ s Black population .
In Georgia , Sen. Lindsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger if he could find a way to throw out all absentee ballots in counties with high rates of signature mismatch .
( Graham denies this . )
Studies show that Black voters are disproportionately punished for signature mismatches .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Donald Trump is no stranger to comically stupid scandals.
He was impeached for an open attempt to illegally leverage congressionally approved military aid so a newly elected Ukrainian president would investigate rival Joe Biden and announce it on television. “Stupid Watergate,” HBO’s John Oliver called it.
It’s no surprise, then, that Trump’s blatant and racist effort to steal an election he lost by at least 58 electoral votes (pending the outcome of the recount in Georgia, where Biden leads by over 12,000 votes) and 5.8 million popular votes — and counting — is also really, really stupid.
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First, Trump telegraphed the entire scheme to steal the election ahead of time, like a Bond villain explaining his entire plot, thus exposing the true purpose of his ensuing frivolous lawsuits. If it looked like he would lose, he planned to claim that late-counted absentee ballots were fraudulent and illegal and to file lawsuits to stop the certification of results in states where he trailed. The hope then was that Republican-controlled legislatures or governors would just hand him their state’s electoral votes. Whether or not this was legal didn’t seem to matter.
Those lawsuits claiming election and voter fraud have almost all been laughed out of court in embarrassing fashion after Trump’s own lawyers admitted they had no evidence of said fraud. Republican state lawmakers all said they wouldn’t be switching electoral votes to Trump. Law firms then dropped Trump as pressure mounted for them not to help him undermine democracy, which left former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to step in as counsel.
Giuliani delivered a performance worthy of the bumbling Simpsons lawyer Lionel Hutz in which he lied about his standing with the District of Columbia Bar, rambled about the long-dead Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, demonstrated an incapacity to understand basic legal practices and could not properly define the word “opacity.”
“I’m not sure what ‘opacity’ means,” Giuliani said. “It probably means you can see.”
“It means you can’t,” Judge Matthew Brann corrected the former prosecutor.
It’s easy to laugh at a former mayor who was recently caught with his hand down his pants in a “Borat” movie be-clowning himself in court.
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But just because this is all incredibly dumb and has no chance of successfully overturning Biden’s win doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly dangerous. The entire scheme involves the delegitimization and disenfranchisement of voters in predominantly Black municipalities.
It undermines his supporters’ faith in democracy. And it could be used in years to come to justify unnecessary and damaging voting restrictions that would disproportionately affect Black voters.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Washington. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Political partisans often feel like elections were stolen from them. Shock and disbelief are, after all, the first stage of grief. But never before has a president of the United States led the charge in creating that false impression. Nor has any prior president refused to abide by the peaceful transfer of power inaugurated first by President George Washington’s decision not to run for a third term and President John Adams’ peaceful transfer to Thomas Jefferson after the two ran against each other in 1800.
Trump has turned this 200-year-plus tradition, the bedrock of American democracy, on its head through a disinformation campaign designed to maintain his power within the Republican Party and its aligned media system.
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Like everything else Trump has done as president, his entire scheme to steal the election is not meant to succeed in reality — reality, in this case, being judged by actual courts and judges. It is, rather, intended to succeed on television or social media by making his supporters believe that Trump lost due to fraud and not think of him as a loser.
So far, it is working. The majority of Republicans state a belief that the election was rigged against Trump. (It wasn’t.) And nearly every Republican Party politician has either backed Trump’s false allegations of mass voter fraud or refused to accept that Biden won and is now president-elect.
The reason why is because of the nature of the Republican Party, which is actually just a hollowed-out shell filled by the ever-mutating conservative movement.
The conservative movement, born out of the 1964 Barry Goldwater presidential campaign and brought to power by Ronald Reagan in 1980, is openly antagonistic to Republican Party regulars and opposes any evidence of cooperation or appeasement with the enemy: Democrats.
To appease the movement, Republican politicians must pay strict attention to the far-right fringe of their party in order to stave off the looming threat of primary challenges. Once Trump conquered the party in 2016, Republicans seeking to avoid right-wing primary challenges had to adapt to his neo-personalist style of rule. This meant supplementing support for extremist right-wing policies and rhetoric with obsequious fealty to Trump and his family members. (With the only exception being when Trump suggests using the government to distribute wealth in an equitable manner.)
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In 2020, this means echoing Trump’s false claims of fraud as he tries to steal the election ― or at the very least not rejecting them as the dangerous absurdity they are. Republicans now face a litmus test of endorsing a belief that the 2020 election was unfair, a position that undermines the necessary peaceful transfer of power that American democracy would not exist without.
Trump supporters echo Trump's false allegations of voter fraud outside the Supreme Court during the Million Maga March protest on Nov. 14, 2020. Chris Tuite/imageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
This has trickled down to even the most local level of politics. On Tuesday, two Republican Party members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers in Michigan initially voted against certifying the county’s election results. They were just following the president’s openly stated scheme to prevent the certification of election results in states he lost and to somehow get Republican state legislators to ignore the state’s popular vote and hand him its electoral college votes.
Initially, Republican board member Monica Palmer said she would have been happy to certify the vote from Wayne County’s predominantly white suburbs, but not from nearly 80% Black Detroit. But after nearly three hours of angry calls from the public lambasting the racist effort to disenfranchise Detroit citizens, she and the other Republican board member reversed themselves and voted to certify the results.
But not before Trump could tweet that they were heroes for trying to throw out votes cast by Black voters.
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In Pennsylvania, Trump sued (and lost) to stop the certification of votes in Philadelphia, which is over 40% Black. In Wisconsin, he has filed for a partial recount in Milwaukee and Dane counties, where he alleges fraud without evidence. These two Wisconsin counties contain 74% of the state’s Black population. In Georgia, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) reportedly asked Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger if he could find a way to throw out all absentee ballots in counties with high rates of signature mismatch. (Graham denies this.) Studies show that Black voters are disproportionately punished for signature mismatches.
These efforts will all fail. But they augur a terrible turn to the past in the long-standing effort to limit Black voter participation in elections. It harkens back to the long history of racist disenfranchisement perpetrated by the white majority on Black Americans.
Republicans, taking Trump’s lead, today call to “count every legal vote.” In the past, the phrase “legal votes” came up most frequently in relation to two particular episodes, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer: the initial disenfranchisement of Black men outside of the South beginning in 1810, and the Compromise of 1877 that ended post-Civil War Reconstruction and set the South on the path to Jim Crow.
This could all be laughed off as the absurd theater that it no doubt is, but this narrative is taking root within the Republican Party and will likely structure American politics in the years to come. And that’s not funny.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated Biden’s Electoral College vote margin.