thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Michael Flynn Wants Trump To Declare Martial Law And Redo The Election

Michael Flynn , President Donald Trump ’ s former national security adviser who was pardoned by the president last week for lying during the Russia investigation , wants Trump to declare martial law and “ temporarily suspend the Constitution ” until a new election is held .
Flynn , who had been awaiting sentencing for lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts before Trump ’ s pardon , on Tuesday retweeted a news release from a right-wing Ohio group called We The People Convention asking the president to declare martial law so troops can supervise a do-over of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebs in his post and added : “ Freedom never kneels except for God.
” The news release cites “ massive , planned , illegal election fraud ” carried out by Democrats .
Trump lost the election handily to President-elect Joe Biden and no widespread fraud has been found .
If the president doesn ’ t declare martial law , the statement retweeted by Flynn warns , “ we will also have no other choice but to take matters into our own hands and defend our rights on our own.
” A retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military takeover of U.S. government shocked many people on Twitter .
I feel like the presidents recently pardoned former national security advisor calling for a military coup and martial law to overturn an election should be bigger news .
— Tim Miller ( @ Timodc ) December 2 , 2020 So , now we have moved on the constitutional coup stage of right-wing madness .
Michael Flynn and Sidney Powell have started talking about suspending the constitution ( the one the right-wing has been pretending to love my whole life ) and declaring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
— Cenk Uygur ( @ cenkuygur ) December 2 , 2020 🚨 They finally `` went there . ''
Michael Flynn and his lawyer Sidney Powell endorsed calls for Trump to `` declare limited Martial Law to temporarily suspend the Constitution ... in order to have the military implement a national re-vote . ''
That is the literal definition of a coup .
pic.twitter.com/93OL7mPvcx — Marshall Cohen ( @ MarshallCohen ) December 2 , 2020 Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California wondered if elected Republicans would condemn the call for martial law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : You 've always said you opposed tyranny - and here it is .
What will you say about it ?
https : //t.co/JUArxMwZxB — Eric Swalwell ( @ ericswalwell ) December 2 , 2020 Some people pointed out that Flynn ’ s suggestion could be considered sedition .
The Uniform Code of Military Justice defines as “ sedition ” one who , “ with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of lawful civil authority , creates , in concert with any other person , revolt , violence , or *other disturbance* @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //t.co/YJWVM5lx27 https : //t.co/MwZQgmXrgp — Steve Vladeck ( @ steve_vladeck ) December 2 , 2020 Mike Flynn argues that martial law is better than civil war , but seems unaware that sedition is worse than lying to the FBI .
https : //t.co/Jc0rtROORd — Christopher Orr ( @ OrrChris ) December 2 , 2020 Others called out the right wing ’ s hypocritical notions of personal freedom .
Conservatives : I WILL NOT WEAR A MASK BECAUSE IT IS A DIAPER THAT CAN NOT HOLD MY REGULAR EXPLOSIONS OF MOUTH-FREEDOM AND YOU CAN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Also conservatives : Suspend the constitution .
Declare martial law .
Overturn the election .
Seriously .
We ’ re serious .
— Catherynne M. Valente ( @ catvalente ) December 2 , 2020 One person tried to see the bright side , saying the tweet shows it ’ s good Flynn didn ’ t last long as national security adviser .
This simply was not written by a sane cogent person .
Imagine if he had remained as national security adviser .
And now compare him in judgment and experience to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies ’ , long nightmare also ending .
https : //t.co/Jhm1pYwE6V — Harry Litman ( @ harrylitman ) December 2 , 2020

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Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser who was pardoned by the president last week for lying during the Russia investigation, wants Trump to declare martial law and “temporarily suspend the Constitution” until a new election is held.
Flynn, who had been awaiting sentencing for lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts before Trump’s pardon, on Tuesday retweeted a news release from a right-wing Ohio group called We The People Convention asking the president to declare martial law so troops can supervise a do-over of the 2020 election.
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Flynn tagged many conservative celebs in his post and added: “Freedom never kneels except for God.”
The news release cites “massive, planned, illegal election fraud” carried out by Democrats. Trump lost the election handily to President-elect Joe Biden and no widespread fraud has been found.
If the president doesn’t declare martial law, the statement retweeted by Flynn warns, “we will also have no other choice but to take matters into our own hands and defend our rights on our own.”
A retired Army general’s support for the military takeover of U.S. government shocked many people on Twitter.
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The Trumpists want a coup and martial law. https://t.co/W6FBeE6jCd — Eric Owens (@ericowensdc) December 2, 2020
I feel like the presidents recently pardoned former national security advisor calling for a military coup and martial law to overturn an election should be bigger news. — Tim Miller (@Timodc) December 2, 2020
So, now we have moved on the constitutional coup stage of right-wing madness. Michael Flynn and Sidney Powell have started talking about suspending the constitution (the one the right-wing has been pretending to love my whole life) and declaring martial law. They're not kidding. — Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) December 2, 2020
🚨 They finally "went there." Michael Flynn and his lawyer Sidney Powell endorsed calls for Trump to "declare limited Martial Law to temporarily suspend the Constitution... in order to have the military implement a national re-vote." That is the literal definition of a coup. pic.twitter.com/93OL7mPvcx — Marshall Cohen (@MarshallCohen) December 2, 2020
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California wondered if elected Republicans would condemn the call for martial law.
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Hey @HouseGOP & @SenateGOP: You've always said you opposed tyranny - and here it is. What will you say about it? https://t.co/JUArxMwZxB — Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) December 2, 2020
Some people pointed out that Flynn’s suggestion could be considered sedition.
The Uniform Code of Military Justice defines as “sedition” one who, “with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of lawful civil authority, creates, in concert with any other person, revolt, violence, or *other disturbance* against that authority”:https://t.co/YJWVM5lx27 https://t.co/MwZQgmXrgp — Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) December 2, 2020
Mike Flynn argues that martial law is better than civil war, but seems unaware that sedition is worse than lying to the FBI. https://t.co/Jc0rtROORd — Christopher Orr (@OrrChris) December 2, 2020
Others called out the right wing’s hypocritical notions of personal freedom.
Conservatives: I WILL NOT WEAR A MASK BECAUSE IT IS A DIAPER THAT CANNOT HOLD MY REGULAR EXPLOSIONS OF MOUTH-FREEDOM AND YOU CAN’T MAKE ME BECAUSE MUH RIGHTS
Also conservatives: Suspend the constitution. Declare martial law. Overturn the election. Seriously. We’re serious. — Catherynne M. Valente (@catvalente) December 2, 2020
One person tried to see the bright side, saying the tweet shows it’s good Flynn didn’t last long as national security adviser.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Trump Releases 46 Minutes Of Lies Falsely Asserting ‘Fraud’ In 2020 Election

Erin Scott / Reuters President Donald Trump arrives for a Thanksgiving video teleconference with members of the military forces at the White House on Nov. 26 , 2020 .
WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump on Wednesday released a lie-packed video on Facebook falsely claiming there was massive “ fraud ” in last month ’ s election , which he lost by 7 million votes to Democrat Joe Biden .
“ Like other authoritarians , Trump is unable to admit defeat and in fact always doubles down on his propaganda points , hoping to save face with his followers , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at New York University .
“ Look for this to continue , and for him to let stand even the most dangerous rhetoric of his supporters , like Flynn ’ s call for martial law .
It is in his interest to make things as unstable as possible.
” Former Army Gen. Mike Flynn was Trump ’ s first national security adviser , who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding his contacts with Russia during the 2016 post-election transition .
Trump pardoned him this week , and Flynn on Tuesday endorsed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and force a revote .
The 46-minute , 8-second video , shot in the White House , recycled a host of debunked claims that together paint a global conspiracy designed to make him lose his reelection bid .
Trump touched on nearly every absurd conspiracy theory trotted out by his supporters and lawyers in the weeks following the election , including claims of fake ballots , a computer system that could flip votes from Trump to Biden at the touch of a button , and ballots that were counted ― inexplicably ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ festering complaints about special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation into the help Trump received from Russia to win the 2016 election , and newer complaints that an investigation into that probe is not proceeding fast enough .
“ My opponent was told to stay away from the election .
Don ’ t campaign .
We don ’ t need you .
We ’ ve got it .
This election is done , ” Trump said to the camera .
“ In fact , they were acting like they already knew what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had it covered and perhaps they did , very sadly for our country .
It was all very , very strange.
” It was unclear who helped him produce a video that is clearly an extension of his campaign ’ s continuing efforts to overturn the election .

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WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump on Wednesday released a lie-packed video on Facebook falsely claiming there was massive “fraud” in last month’s election, which he lost by 7 million votes to Democrat Joe Biden.
“Like other authoritarians, Trump is unable to admit defeat and in fact always doubles down on his propaganda points, hoping to save face with his followers,” said Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an authoritarianism expert at New York University. “Look for this to continue, and for him to let stand even the most dangerous rhetoric of his supporters, like Flynn’s call for martial law. It is in his interest to make things as unstable as possible.”
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Former Army Gen. Mike Flynn was Trump’s first national security adviser, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding his contacts with Russia during the 2016 post-election transition. Trump pardoned him this week, and Flynn on Tuesday endorsed a call for Trump to declare martial law and force a revote.
The 46-minute, 8-second video, shot in the White House, recycled a host of debunked claims that together paint a global conspiracy designed to make him lose his reelection bid.
Trump touched on nearly every absurd conspiracy theory trotted out by his supporters and lawyers in the weeks following the election, including claims of fake ballots, a computer system that could flip votes from Trump to Biden at the touch of a button, and ballots that were counted ― inexplicably ― overseas. Trump then folded in long festering complaints about special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the help Trump received from Russia to win the 2016 election, and newer complaints that an investigation into that probe is not proceeding fast enough.
“It’s like living in hell,” he said.
“My opponent was told to stay away from the election. Don’t campaign. We don’t need you. We’ve got it. This election is done,” Trump said to the camera. “In fact, they were acting like they already knew what the outcome was going to be. They had it covered and perhaps they did, very sadly for our country. It was all very, very strange.”
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It was unclear who helped him produce a video that is clearly an extension of his campaign’s continuing efforts to overturn the election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Why Some Evangelicals Refuse To Acknowledge That Trump Has Lost The Election

Fea told HuffPost he doesn ’ t know of any of these “ court evangelicals ” ― his label for the modern equivalent of the religious courtiers who once surrounded kings ― who have openly rejected the voter fraud claims .
The ally who got the closest to publicly acknowledging the election results was Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress .
In a Nov. 7 Fox News op-ed , Jeffress wrote that Biden “ appears ” to be the president-elect , unless Trump wins his legal challenges .
That op-ed made headlines and , after it became clear that Jeffress ’ stance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pastor tweeted a condemnation of “ false media reports ” that he ’ d broken with the president .
Over the last few weeks , Jeffress , who spent the past four years vigorously defending some of Trump ’ s most controversial policies , has been largely silent about the election on Twitter .
This support has stayed strong even as nearly three dozen election-related lawsuits filed by Trump ’ s campaign have been thrown out or withdrawn .
Two more key states ― Wisconsin and Arizona ― certified Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s claims have even been rebuked by Attorney General William Barr , who told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the Justice Department has not uncovered evidence of widespread fraud that would change the outcome of the election .
The “ alternate reality ” embraced by some evangelicals could also stem from a “ parallel culture ” that the religious group has built in recent decades , according to Randall Stephens , a historian at the University of Oslo who has studied American evangelicalism .
Evangelicals have established their own homeschooling curricula , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ ve created a separate world of entertainment and consumer culture .
They have their own alternative experts and fields of knowledge that are largely cut off from the wider academic and intellectual community in the U.S. , Stephens said .
Religious beliefs about Trump could also be at play .
In the eyes of some Christians , his time at the White House has been touched with divine significance .
At a moment when conservative Christians felt as if they were losing the culture wars , Trump was seen as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been an outsider to the evangelical world , but his personal moral failings could be forgiven because of how he fought for causes dear to evangelicals .
His actions evoked comparisons to kings in the Bible who , although they didn ’ t share the Jewish faith , treated the Jewish people with benevolence .
For some Christians , the narratives about Trump being chosen for such a time as this weren ’ t just stories ― they were prophecies from God , waiting to be tested .
According to André Gagné @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University and an expert on the Christian right , the belief that God has restored the role of the prophet in modern times is most common among evangelicals from the “ neo-charismatic ” wave of Pentecostalism , which emerged in the 1980s .
Neo-charismatic Pentecostals are a minority within American Christianity ― it ’ s more of a movement than a specific denomination .
As a result , it ’ s hard to pinpoint exactly how many Americans currently believe prophecies about God wanting Trump to be a two-term president , Gagné said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prophets have amassed substantial followings .
They spread their ideas by working with well-established professional networks of like-minded preachers , Gagné said .
And now , they are using their platforms to spread theories about election fraud and encourage their audiences to wait just a little longer for the truth to triumph .
Lance Wallnau , an evangelical author who has enjoyed access to the White House under the Trump administration , claims that God revealed to him before the 2016 election that Trump would become president and act as a “ King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kings that evangelicals see as benevolent to God ’ s people .
As of this week , Wallnau is still insisting that Trump won the 2020 election by a “ landslide.
” He has been speculating about election fraud in a series of Facebook live videos for his more than 500,000 followers .
“ You ’ re the smartest audience out there , ” Wallnau told his Facebook followers on Monday .
“ You are the sharpest , you ’ re the ones that are informed ― you realize that America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released on America is contingent upon this president actually being able to stand in the place that God called him to .
And as I believe , God called him to stand longer than what the enemy is trying to do right now.
” Pat Robertson , the 90-year-old founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network , is perhaps the prophet with the loudest microphone .
His show , “ The 700 Club , ” reaches about 650,000 U.S. households every day , according to the network , and has over 2.8 million followers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Robertson told his audience in October that God revealed to him that Trump would win the election “ without question.
” Last week , Robertson said that Trump still had several paths to victory and that there had been election fraud .
On Tuesday , he continued to insist that Trump had “ probably ” won but turned his ire toward the president ’ s legal team , claiming they had “ screwed up ” by waiting too long to start challenging the results of the election .
Ultimately , Gagné thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that their predictions didn ’ t come true .
At that point , they may turn to their global networks to try to influence politics in other nations with a strong evangelical presence , such as Brazil .
But before doing so , members of the movement will likely rely on “ loopholes ” to explain the failed predictions , he said ― by claiming that the prophets made a mistake or that God wanted Trump to win but decided not to let it happen to teach the American church a @ @

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Even as his position grows increasingly isolated, President Donald Trump is not walking alone in his suspended state of disbelief about the results of the 2020 election. He is being propped up, as he has for years, by his loyal evangelical Christian fans.
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The president’s closest evangelical advisers are split between those who are actively promoting the election fraud narrative, those who are subtly suggesting to their followers that there was fraud, and those who are silent, according to John Fea, a history professor at Messiah University who has been blogging about these Trump allies.
Fea told HuffPost he doesn’t know of any of these “court evangelicals” ― his label for the modern equivalent of the religious courtiers who once surrounded kings ― who have openly rejected the voter fraud claims. The ally who got the closest to publicly acknowledging the election results was Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress. In a Nov. 7 Fox News op-ed, Jeffress wrote that Biden “appears” to be the president-elect, unless Trump wins his legal challenges. That op-ed made headlines and, after it became clear that Jeffress’ stance was not shared by his peers, the pastor tweeted a condemnation of “false media reports” that he’d broken with the president. Over the last few weeks, Jeffress, who spent the past four years vigorously defending some of Trump’s most controversial policies, has been largely silent about the election on Twitter.
Some of Trump’s close evangelical allies have suggested they are waiting for the “truth” to be made known about the election ― including Franklin Graham, son of the late evangelist Billy Graham; Paula White, Trump’s spiritual adviser; and Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.
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“In other words, they are giving credence to this whole election fraud narrative by virtue of their silence and carefully worded tweets that suggest there might be fraud,” Fea told HuffPost.
Voters deserve to know the truth and the future of our Republic depends upon it. https://t.co/CUerll4LE0 — Tony Perkins (@tperkins) November 20, 2020
Other evangelical figures have been eager to be part of the vanguard pursuing Trump’s claims of fraud. Much of this advocacy has come from Liberty University’s Falkirk Center, which counts Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis and right-wing activist Charlie Kirk among its fellows. Another fellow, Christian author Eric Metaxas, has been alleging on Twitter that the election was stolen ― at one point comparing alleged election fraud to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“I’d be happy to die in this fight,” Metaxas told Trump on his radio show on Monday. “This is a fight for everything. God is with us.”
President Donald Trump participates in a prayer before speaking at an Evangelicals for Trump coalition launch at the King Jesus International Ministry in Miami on Jan. 3, 2020. Tom Brenner/Reuters
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This support has stayed strong even as nearly three dozen election-related lawsuits filed by Trump’s campaign have been thrown out or withdrawn. Two more key states ― Wisconsin and Arizona ― certified Biden’s victory on Monday. The campaign’s claims have even been rebuked by Attorney General William Barr, who told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the Justice Department has not uncovered evidence of widespread fraud that would change the outcome of the election.
Evangelical leaders’ refusal to acknowledge the election results could be a product of their allegiance to the GOP. White evangelicals, in particular, are the most solidly Republican major religious group in the country. They could be simply following the example set by many Republican politicians who have refused to accept Biden’s win.
The “alternate reality” embraced by some evangelicals could also stem from a “parallel culture” that the religious group has built in recent decades, according to Randall Stephens, a historian at the University of Oslo who has studied American evangelicalism. Evangelicals have established their own homeschooling curricula, higher education institutions and accreditation bodies. They’ve created a separate world of entertainment and consumer culture. They have their own alternative experts and fields of knowledge that are largely cut off from the wider academic and intellectual community in the U.S., Stephens said.
“This parallel culture certainly now seems like it was primed for a figure like Trump to play a leading role in it,” he told HuffPost in an email. “Like so many believers, Trump was also skeptical of mainstream knowledge, climate science, vaccines, or the national origins of America’s first black president.”
Trump holds a sign that reads, "Never give up!" as he speaks to evangelical supporters in Miami on Jan. 3, 2020. Eva Marie Uzcategui/Reuters
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For some conservative Christians, it seems nearly impossible that Trump could actually have lost the election, Stephens said.
“They might ask themselves why this could possibly happen. Surely, many are thinking, it must be by some malevolent design on the part of Democrats,” Stephens said. “To think that the election was rigged and stolen is a way for them to frame this without completely losing face.”
Religious beliefs about Trump could also be at play. In the eyes of some Christians, his time at the White House has been touched with divine significance. At a moment when conservative Christians felt as if they were losing the culture wars, Trump was seen as a champion hand-selected by God. He may have been an outsider to the evangelical world, but his personal moral failings could be forgiven because of how he fought for causes dear to evangelicals. His actions evoked comparisons to kings in the Bible who, although they didn’t share the Jewish faith, treated the Jewish people with benevolence.
For some Christians, the narratives about Trump being chosen for such a time as this weren’t just stories ― they were prophecies from God, waiting to be tested. According to André Gagné, a theological studies professor at Concordia University and an expert on the Christian right, the belief that God has restored the role of the prophet in modern times is most common among evangelicals from the “neo-charismatic” wave of Pentecostalism, which emerged in the 1980s. Neo-charismatic Pentecostals are a minority within American Christianity ― it’s more of a movement than a specific denomination. As a result, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how many Americans currently believe prophecies about God wanting Trump to be a two-term president, Gagné said. However, he added, Trump-supporting prophets have amassed substantial followings. They spread their ideas by working with well-established professional networks of like-minded preachers, Gagné said. And now, they are using their platforms to spread theories about election fraud and encourage their audiences to wait just a little longer for the truth to triumph.
“People need to realize that these movements in evangelicalism are not fringe,” Gagné told HuffPost. “These people are really active and they’re successful.”
Lance Wallnau, an evangelical author who has enjoyed access to the White House under the Trump administration, claims that God revealed to him before the 2016 election that Trump would become president and act as a “King Cyrus” ― one of those biblical kings that evangelicals see as benevolent to God’s people. As of this week, Wallnau is still insisting that Trump won the 2020 election by a “landslide.” He has been speculating about election fraud in a series of Facebook live videos for his more than 500,000 followers.
“You’re the smartest audience out there,” Wallnau told his Facebook followers on Monday. “You are the sharpest, you’re the ones that are informed ― you realize that America’s future and the lawlessness that could be released on America is contingent upon this president actually being able to stand in the place that God called him to. And as I believe, God called him to stand longer than what the enemy is trying to do right now.”
Mark Taylor, a retired Florida firefighter, says that God told him in 2011 that Trump would be a two-term president. Taylor’s story inspired a Liberty University-affiliated film, “The Trump Prophecy,” that was released in over 1,000 U.S. theaters. Last week Taylor insisted on his YouTube channel that Trump would be declared president again and that faithful believers just have to be patient and continue praying.
Another prophet, Kris Vallotton of Bethel Church in Redding, California, initially apologized for predicting that Trump would win the election. But he later took that apology down, saying he had decided to “wait until the official vote count is complete.”
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Pat Robertson, the 90-year-old founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, is perhaps the prophet with the loudest microphone. His show, “The 700 Club,” reaches about 650,000 U.S. households every day, according to the network, and has over 2.8 million followers on Facebook. A longtime Trump fan, Robertson told his audience in October that God revealed to him that Trump would win the election “without question.” Last week, Robertson said that Trump still had several paths to victory and that there had been election fraud. On Tuesday, he continued to insist that Trump had “probably” won but turned his ire toward the president’s legal team, claiming they had “screwed up” by waiting too long to start challenging the results of the election.
“They just didn’t think it was necessary, they thought it was an honest election, we’ll just go down and take the results, but they should have known,” Robertson said.
Trump appears with Pat Robertson at a campaign event at Regents University in Virginia on Feb. 24, 2016. Joshua Roberts/Reuters
Ultimately, Gagné thinks these prophets will have to grapple with the fact that their predictions didn’t come true. At that point, they may turn to their global networks to try to influence politics in other nations with a strong evangelical presence, such as Brazil. But before doing so, members of the movement will likely rely on “loopholes” to explain the failed predictions, he said ― by claiming that the prophets made a mistake or that God wanted Trump to win but decided not to let it happen to teach the American church a lesson.
“So you either blame the prophet, saying he misheard, or you blame the church or Christians, because they didn’t do what they had to do,” Gagné said.
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Donald Trump and then-wife Ivana Trump attend a 90th birthday party for Dr. Norman Vincent Peale (far right) at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York on May 26, 1988. Ron Galella via Getty Images
Although he’s the figure at the center of all these prophecies, Trump hasn’t indicated that he is a charismatic Christian who believes in supernatural gifts granted by the Holy Spirit. The religious figure often cited as most influential for Trump was Norman Vincent Peale, a Christian minister who wrote the best-selling book “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Trump’s parents joined Peale’s New York City church in the 1970s, and Peale presided at Trump’s wedding to Ivana Trump.
A forefather of the self-help movement, Peale encouraged people to visualize their success and to “never think of yourself as failing.” Negative thoughts would lead to negative outcomes, the minister suggested.
In his 2004 book, “How to Get Rich,” Trump called “The Power of Positive Thinking” one of his favorite books. “Some people may think it’s old-fashioned, but what Peale has written will always be true. He advocates faith over fear. Faith can overcome the paralysis that fear brings with it,” Trump wrote.
Both Gagné and Stephens said they see Peale’s influence in Trump’s inability to admit defeat.
Trump’s approach to the election results is similar to how he has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stephens said ― dismissing its severity at every opportunity and admonishing his supporters to not let it dominate their lives.
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In “How to Get Rich,” the future president asserted, “To me, germs are just another kind of negativity.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Democratic Leaders Embrace Bipartisan COVID-19 Relief Deal Framework

The Democratic leaders said in a joint statement Wednesday that “ in the spirit of compromise we believe the bipartisan framework introduced by senators yesterday should be used as the basis for immediate bipartisan , bicameral negotiations.
” That proposal , crafted by a group of moderates and centrists like Sens .
Joe Manchin ( D-W.Va. ) and Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) , would provide hundreds of billions for state budget gaps , enhanced unemployment benefits and support for small businesses .
The rough outline also called for tens of billions for renters , nutrition assistance and vaccine development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most Senate Republicans have been willing to accept , but the framework also includes a temporary ban on coronavirus-related lawsuits , an issue that has been their top priority .
The liability component is one of the major obstacles to a deal because of opposition from Democrats and the labor community .
“ Of course , we and others will offer improvements , but the need to act is immediate and we believe that with good-faith negotiations we could come to an agreement , ” the Democrats said in their joint statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , it is important for there to be additional funding for distribution to take the vaccine to vaccination.
” Both Manchin and Romney told HuffPost on Wednesday they hadn ’ t heard from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) , who quickly released his own slimmed-down version of a coronavirus relief package on Tuesday after the ad-hoc group of senators debuted theirs .
More than 10 Senate Republicans had endorsed the bipartisan framework since Tuesday , Manchin said .
“ I think enough of his colleagues on his side of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said of McConnell .
McConnell declined to answer questions from reporters about the bipartisan proposal on Tuesday .
Earlier in the day , in a speech on the Senate floor , the Kentucky Republican acknowledged Democrats ’ “ new willingness to engage in good faith.
” But he seemed to throw cold water on the bipartisan proposal by saying that a deal will require the signature of President Donald Trump , who had endorsed McConnell ’ s slimmer bill .
“ There are messaging bills and then there are bills that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t pass is obviously an important message but not something that will change the lives of Americans , ” he said when asked about McConnell ’ s slimmed-down package .
Democrats have pushed to reauthorize unemployment programs expiring this month and also to restore a $ 600 weekly supplement that expired in July after Congress created it in March to help laid-off workers survive the pandemic .
The bipartisan bill would bring back the federal supplement , but at $ 300 instead of $ 600 .
Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment programs , hailed the compromise but said that despite an agreement on a dollar figure for supplemental benefits , there will be a lot of other provisions to sort out .
“ For example , there are several pieces to address on unemployment benefits : reinstating a weekly boost , extending the additional weeks of benefits and program for gig and freelance workers , and ensuring workers experiencing long-term unemployment remain eligible for benefits , ” Wyden said .
He added that McConnell ’ s latest bill offered stingier benefits and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ roadblock ” to a final agreement .
Lawmakers are working on an extremely tight deadline .
They must pass a bill by Dec. 11 to avoid a partial shutdown of the federal government .
They also face the expiration of key coronavirus relief programs at the end of the month , including federal unemployment programs supporting 12 million workers .
Some members on both sides of the aisle are hoping to tie McConnell ’ s bill and the bipartisan bill together , along with another stimulus measure , in a massive funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But with party leaders still not on the same page and no legislative text drafted for either proposal , they ’ ll need a miracle to get it to Trump ’ s desk in time .

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Congress should craft its next response to the coronavirus pandemic based on the framework that a bipartisan working group unveiled Tuesday.
The Democratic leaders said in a joint statement Wednesday that “in the spirit of compromise we believe the bipartisan framework introduced by senators yesterday should be used as the basis for immediate bipartisan, bicameral negotiations.”
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That proposal, crafted by a group of moderates and centrists like Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), would provide hundreds of billions for state budget gaps, enhanced unemployment benefits and support for small businesses. The rough outline also called for tens of billions for renters, nutrition assistance and vaccine development.
The state aid is more than most Senate Republicans have been willing to accept, but the framework also includes a temporary ban on coronavirus-related lawsuits, an issue that has been their top priority. The liability component is one of the major obstacles to a deal because of opposition from Democrats and the labor community.
“Of course, we and others will offer improvements, but the need to act is immediate and we believe that with good-faith negotiations we could come to an agreement,” the Democrats said in their joint statement. “With the imminent availability of the vaccine, it is important for there to be additional funding for distribution to take the vaccine to vaccination.”
Manchin said Wednesday that Schumer had been very receptive to the framework. “He said, ‘Guys try to make something work,’” Manchin said.
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Both Manchin and Romney told HuffPost on Wednesday they hadn’t heard from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who quickly released his own slimmed-down version of a coronavirus relief package on Tuesday after the ad-hoc group of senators debuted theirs.
More than 10 Senate Republicans had endorsed the bipartisan framework since Tuesday, Manchin said. “I think enough of his colleagues on his side of his caucus have seen the need,” he said of McConnell.
McConnell declined to answer questions from reporters about the bipartisan proposal on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, in a speech on the Senate floor, the Kentucky Republican acknowledged Democrats’ “new willingness to engage in good faith.” But he seemed to throw cold water on the bipartisan proposal by saying that a deal will require the signature of President Donald Trump, who had endorsed McConnell’s slimmer bill.
Romney, meanwhile, noted that bipartisan support is needed to get across the finish line.
“There are messaging bills and then there are bills that can actually pass …anything else that can’t pass is obviously an important message but not something that will change the lives of Americans,” he said when asked about McConnell’s slimmed-down package.
Democrats have pushed to reauthorize unemployment programs expiring this month and also to restore a $600 weekly supplement that expired in July after Congress created it in March to help laid-off workers survive the pandemic. The bipartisan bill would bring back the federal supplement, but at $300 instead of $600.
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Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the Democratic author of the pandemic unemployment programs, hailed the compromise but said that despite an agreement on a dollar figure for supplemental benefits, there will be a lot of other provisions to sort out.
“For example, there are several pieces to address on unemployment benefits: reinstating a weekly boost, extending the additional weeks of benefits and program for gig and freelance workers, and ensuring workers experiencing long-term unemployment remain eligible for benefits,” Wyden said. He added that McConnell’s latest bill offered stingier benefits and that the majority leader will likely be a “roadblock” to a final agreement.
Unlike the earlier Democratic proposals, the compromise bill omits another round of direct payments to households.
Lawmakers are working on an extremely tight deadline. They must pass a bill by Dec. 11 to avoid a partial shutdown of the federal government. They also face the expiration of key coronavirus relief programs at the end of the month, including federal unemployment programs supporting 12 million workers.
Some members on both sides of the aisle are hoping to tie McConnell’s bill and the bipartisan bill together, along with another stimulus measure, in a massive funding package before Congress adjourns for the year. But with party leaders still not on the same page and no legislative text drafted for either proposal, they’ll need a miracle to get it to Trump’s desk in time.
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Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said Democrats were previously unreasonable.
“They’ve gotten reasonable and I think that could help us get to a solution,” Thune said. “I think there’s still time — although it’s short — to put a deal together.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Joe Biden To Carry Georgia After Second Recount, State Election Official Says

WASHINGTON , Dec 2 ( Reuters ) - Democrat Joe Biden is headed toward victory in Georgia in the 2020 U.S. presidential election after the state ’ s second recount , Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said on Wednesday , rejecting false claims of fraud in the race .
“ It looks like Vice President Biden will be carrying Georgia , and he is our president-elect , ” Raffensperger , a Republican , said at a news conference after noting that no substantial changes have been seen in a second recount demanded by Republican President Donald Trump ’ s campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday to finalize their vote counts , said Gabriel Sterling , who manages the Southern state ’ s voting systems and also appeared at the news conference .
Raffensperger said multiple investigations in Georgia have found no evidence of widespread fraud , as alleged by Trump .
Raffensperger , a Trump supporter , noted the findings so far in Georgia were in line with comments by Attorney General William Barr that the U.S. Justice Department has found no evidence of widespread voter fraud .
“ Even after this office request that President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being born out of his continuing claims of winning the states where he obviously lost , he tweeted out ‘ expose the massive voter fraud in Georgia , ’ ” Raffensperger said .
“ This is exactly the kind of language that is at the base of a growing threat environment for election workers who are simply doing their jobs.
” State officials in Georgia have launched new investigations into voter registration efforts before Jan. 5 runoff elections for the state ’ s two U.S. Senate seats , which will determine whether Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans currently control the Senate .
Raffensperger said officials are looking into whether voting rights groups were trying to register people who have moved out of state or are deceased .
( Reporting by Jason Lange and Doina Chiacu ; Editing by Franklin Paul and Jonathan Oatis )

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WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Democrat Joe Biden is headed toward victory in Georgia in the 2020 U.S. presidential election after the state’s second recount, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said on Wednesday, rejecting false claims of fraud in the race.
“It looks like Vice President Biden will be carrying Georgia, and he is our president-elect,” Raffensperger, a Republican, said at a news conference after noting that no substantial changes have been seen in a second recount demanded by Republican President Donald Trump’s campaign.
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County election officials have until noon on Friday to finalize their vote counts, said Gabriel Sterling, who manages the Southern state’s voting systems and also appeared at the news conference.
Raffensperger said multiple investigations in Georgia have found no evidence of widespread fraud, as alleged by Trump.
Raffensperger, a Trump supporter, noted the findings so far in Georgia were in line with comments by Attorney General William Barr that the U.S. Justice Department has found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Raffensperger sharply criticized Trump for fomenting false claims.
“Even after this office request that President Trump try and quell the violent rhetoric being born out of his continuing claims of winning the states where he obviously lost, he tweeted out ‘expose the massive voter fraud in Georgia,’” Raffensperger said.
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“This is exactly the kind of language that is at the base of a growing threat environment for election workers who are simply doing their jobs.”
State officials in Georgia have launched new investigations into voter registration efforts before Jan. 5 runoff elections for the state’s two U.S. Senate seats, which will determine whether Democrats or Republicans control the upper chamber. Republicans currently control the Senate.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Twitter Users Roast Trump's 46-Minute Election Fraud Tirade

Kids , this is what a liar & a sore loser does .
Sadly some grownups don ’ t seem @ @ @ @ @ Thankfully you ’ ll soon have a real president to look up to , and @ @ @ @ @ one who ’ ll bring honor and integrity back to the highest office in our @ @ @ @

Sir, remember the part about how you lost the election a month ago and people across our glorious land can't decide whether to laugh at you or forget who you are because you've been whining like an ass-whupt gimbus in your bunker for weeks?


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Mitch McConnell's Incredible Shrinking Unemployment Benefits

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) has seemingly abandoned his earlier proposal to add an extra $ 300 per week to state and federal unemployment payments , at least according to his latest coronavirus relief proposal .
In September , McConnell introduced legislation that would have expanded weekly unemployment benefits , at least through the end of the year .
It was short of the added $ 600 unemployed workers had received April through July , but would also have provided lump sum payments equivalent to $ 300 for each week that had lapsed since the more generous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest offer is part of a broader pandemic relief bill that he characterized on Wednesday as the product of conversations with administration officials and “ reflecting what the president is ready to sign into law.
” The president previously supported the $ 600 , and after it expired , used emergency powers to give the unemployed an extra $ 300 in “ lost wages assistance ” for several weeks .
If Congress does nothing , nearly 12 million workers will lose unemployment benefits on Dec. 26 , when two more programs in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act ( CARES ) expire .
When lawmakers created those programs in March , they thought the pandemic would be over in a few months .
That clearly didn ’ t happen , and now we are heading into what is expected to be the worst period of the pandemic so far .
One of the new federal unemployment programs pays gig workers and others without regular payroll jobs who are ineligible for regular unemployment insurance , and the other provides an extra 13 weeks of benefits to people who run out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided by states .
Extra weeks of benefits are a standard part of the congressional response to every recession since World War II .
McConnell ’ s bill would extend the existing programs through January , then keep them in place an extra two months for those who already started claiming benefits ― meaning people laid off after January get nothing .
( His previous bill ignored the programs . )
“ These programs have been championed by our Democratic colleagues , ” McConnell said Wednesday , as though Democrats were the ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sharp contrast , a Democratic bill introduced Tuesday would extend current programs and keep them so long as the national unemployment rate is above 5.5 % , create additional weeks of benefits and bring back the $ 600 until the end of next year .
( The national unemployment rate is 6.9 % but economists worry it could rise as the pandemic worsens . )
“ McConnell ’ s disastrous proposal doesn ’ t add any additional weeks of benefits for Americans who are experiencing long-term unemployment , or reinstate any weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) , who introduced the Democratic bill with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) .
Separately , Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) sent an updated version of their broader coronavirus relief proposal to McConnell , but declined to share details .
Their previous pandemic bill , which passed the House in October , would bring back the $ 600 , extend all programs through January , and create an additional 13 weeks of benefits for the long-term jobless .
Also on Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House and Senate announced a compromise “ framework ” that would add $ 300 to weekly unemployment programs and extend them for four months .
Other elements of the framework include small business aid and funding for state and local governments , which Democrats have demanded , and a temporary clampdown on coronavirus-related lawsuits , which is McConnell ’ s top priority .
The bipartisan group did not mention extra weeks of benefits as part of their deal , but they provided little detail about any part of the proposal , which they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a demonstration that Republicans and Democrats could collaborate .

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has seemingly abandoned his earlier proposal to add an extra $300 per week to state and federal unemployment payments, at least according to his latest coronavirus relief proposal.
In September, McConnell introduced legislation that would have expanded weekly unemployment benefits, at least through the end of the year. It was short of the added $600 unemployed workers had received April through July, but would also have provided lump sum payments equivalent to $300 for each week that had lapsed since the more generous federal supplement expired.
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On Tuesday, after a bipartisan group of lawmakers embraced that $300 increase, McConnell countered with a new short-term extension of current programs ― but no supplemental funds at all.
McConnell’s latest offer is part of a broader pandemic relief bill that he characterized on Wednesday as the product of conversations with administration officials and “reflecting what the president is ready to sign into law.” The president previously supported the $600, and after it expired, used emergency powers to give the unemployed an extra $300 in “lost wages assistance” for several weeks.
A McConnell spokesperson declined to comment on the decreased generosity between his September and December unemployment proposals.
If Congress does nothing, nearly 12 million workers will lose unemployment benefits on Dec. 26, when two more programs in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) expire. When lawmakers created those programs in March, they thought the pandemic would be over in a few months. That clearly didn’t happen, and now we are heading into what is expected to be the worst period of the pandemic so far.
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One of the new federal unemployment programs pays gig workers and others without regular payroll jobs who are ineligible for regular unemployment insurance, and the other provides an extra 13 weeks of benefits to people who run out of the standard six months of unemployment compensation provided by states. Extra weeks of benefits are a standard part of the congressional response to every recession since World War II.
McConnell’s bill would extend the existing programs through January, then keep them in place an extra two months for those who already started claiming benefits ― meaning people laid off after January get nothing. (His previous bill ignored the programs.)
“These programs have been championed by our Democratic colleagues,” McConnell said Wednesday, as though Democrats were the ones who had changed their position.
In a sharp contrast, a Democratic bill introduced Tuesday would extend current programs and keep them so long as the national unemployment rate is above 5.5%, create additional weeks of benefits and bring back the $600 until the end of next year. (The national unemployment rate is 6.9% but economists worry it could rise as the pandemic worsens.)
“McConnell’s disastrous proposal doesn’t add any additional weeks of benefits for Americans who are experiencing long-term unemployment, or reinstate any weekly boost to benefits,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who introduced the Democratic bill with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
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Separately, Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sent an updated version of their broader coronavirus relief proposal to McConnell, but declined to share details. Their previous pandemic bill, which passed the House in October, would bring back the $600, extend all programs through January, and create an additional 13 weeks of benefits for the long-term jobless.
Also on Tuesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House and Senate announced a compromise “framework” that would add $300 to weekly unemployment programs and extend them for four months. Other elements of the framework include small business aid and funding for state and local governments, which Democrats have demanded, and a temporary clampdown on coronavirus-related lawsuits, which is McConnell’s top priority.
The bipartisan group did not mention extra weeks of benefits as part of their deal, but they provided little detail about any part of the proposal, which they described less as a piece of legislation than a demonstration that Republicans and Democrats could collaborate.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Santa Claus Is Basically Donald Trump In This Holiday Ad

Santa Claus is a red hat-wearing , Twitter-ranting , climate crisis-denying , self-confessed “ angry white man ” in a @ @ @ @ @ Norwegian postal service .
President Donald Trump Father Christmas complains on a psychiatrist ’ s @ @ @ @ @ of date ” and “ old-fashioned ” in the two-minute spot .
He bemoans the @ @ @ @ @ service that he claims is putting him out of business in the therapy session .
@ @ @ @ @ alongside flashbacks of his past inappropriate behavior .
Santa also dictates angry tweets to an @ @ @ @ @ ’ s attacks on and attempts to block funding to the U.S .
Postal Service @ @ @ @ @ The commercial ends , however , with a knock at the door that offers some @ @ @ @ @ ad below and our 2020 holiday commercial roundup here .

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Santa Claus is a red hat-wearing, Twitter-ranting, climate crisis-denying, self-confessed “angry white man” in a new holiday ad for the Norwegian postal service.
Sound familiar?
President Donald Trump Father Christmas complains on a psychiatrist’s couch about feeling “out of date” and “old-fashioned” in the two-minute spot.
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He bemoans the efficiency of the Norwegian postal service that he claims is putting him out of business in the therapy session.
But it’s cut alongside flashbacks of his past inappropriate behavior.
Santa also dictates angry tweets to an elfin aide ― resembling Trump’s attacks on and attempts to block funding to the U.S. Postal Service before the 2020 election.
The commercial ends, however, with a knock at the door that offers some hope.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Immigrants At New Jersey ICE Facility On Hunger Strike To Protest Unsafe Conditions

HACKENSACK , N.J. — At least eight immigrants being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Bergen County Jail in New Jersey are participating in a hunger strike to protest conditions at the facility and demand to be released .
Gabriela Pucha , a 24-year-old New Jersey resident who was among more than a dozen protesters gathered outside the jail on a cold and cloudy Tuesday , said she has been in touch with two current detainees who described having the heat turned off , unsanitary conditions and being denied medical attention .
Cars that drove by honked their horns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One police officer watched the protesters from his vehicle and rarely engaged with them .
The wind blew harder on this wintry December day as the temperature dropped to the low 40s , but the protesters remained undeterred .
This is the second hunger strike at Bergen County Jail since the beginning of November , when detainee Marcial Morales Garcia began refusing meals after he was initially denied release despite serious medical conditions that put him at high risk for COVID-19 .
He was later released .
Several detainees currently being held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also fear a coronavirus outbreak .
Garcia , who spoke a protest on Friday , told demonstrators he lacked drinkable water and had to drink toilet water instead , according to a press release from the Abolish ICE NY-NJ coalition .
He also described a rat infestation and mold on the walls .
More than 5,000 detainees have contracted the coronavirus while being held in immigration detention centers around the country , according to immigration officials .
Although ICE officials said the agency has taken precautions to avoid the spread of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough and that tight spaces such as detention centers and jails like the one in Bergen County are particularly vulnerable and can face a deadly outbreak at any moment .
Although Bergen County Jail hasn ’ t had any outbreaks , Andrea , a 33-year-old Guatemalan immigrant , worries for her brother who has been held there since November 2019 .
Andrea , whom HuffPost has given an alias because she fears retaliation by immigration officials , calls her brother three times a day .
She is worried about him contracting the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has asthma and a previous head injury .
She told HuffPost through a translator on the phone that her brother has been denied drinking water and resorts to drinking out of the toilet .
He also told her that the heat has been shut off and the conditions have been extremely cold lately .
She also said the officials took away the detainees ’ commissary .
Andrea said her brother decided to participate in the hunger strike because he saw no changes to his case and the conditions of the facility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
She is currently caring for her brother ’ s 7-year-old son .
She said she and her family came to the U.S. for a better life and to be with her brother .
If he is deported , they would be separated again and his son would be without a father .
“ He wants to be free , even with an ankle shackle .
He wants to be with his son .
He wants to work .
He isn ’ t a thief .
He doesn ’ t have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why immigration won ’ t free him , ” she added .
Bergen County is one of several New Jersey counties that have multimillion-dollar contracts with ICE to house thousands of immigrants .
From January 2015 to March 2018 , ICE sent more than $ 150 million to Bergen , Essex and Hudson counties in the northern part of the state .
“ We want nothing less than a full abolition of ICE and all oppressive systems , ” 19-year-old Buzz Issac told HuffPost .
“ We recognize that this protest is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No single action is going to do that , so we are trying to embrace a diversity of tactics , and we ’ re using this as just mainly a way to show that we ’ re here .
”

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HACKENSACK, N.J. — At least eight immigrants being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Bergen County Jail in New Jersey are participating in a hunger strike to protest conditions at the facility and demand to be released.
Local activists say the hunger strike is in its 18th day. ICE would not comment on how long the immigrants have stopped eating.
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Family members and activists who have spoken to detainees say conditions inside the facility are “dire.”
Gabriela Pucha, a 24-year-old New Jersey resident who was among more than a dozen protesters gathered outside the jail on a cold and cloudy Tuesday, said she has been in touch with two current detainees who described having the heat turned off, unsanitary conditions and being denied medical attention.
“We’re here in support of the hunger strikers,” said Pucha, who wore a gray raincoat and held a sign that read “detention is torture.”
An ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations spokesperson from the Newark field office told HuffPost that “accusations of unsanitary conditions are false,” but offered no additional details.
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Cars that drove by honked their horns in support of the protesters and detainees. One police officer watched the protesters from his vehicle and rarely engaged with them. The wind blew harder on this wintry December day as the temperature dropped to the low 40s, but the protesters remained undeterred.
This is the second hunger strike at Bergen County Jail since the beginning of November, when detainee Marcial Morales Garcia began refusing meals after he was initially denied release despite serious medical conditions that put him at high risk for COVID-19. He was later released. Several detainees currently being held at the facility have preexisting conditions and also fear a coronavirus outbreak.
Garcia, who spoke a protest on Friday, told demonstrators he lacked drinkable water and had to drink toilet water instead, according to a press release from the Abolish ICE NY-NJ coalition. He also described a rat infestation and mold on the walls.
Cars that drove by honked their horns in support of protesters and detainees on Tuesday. Rowaida Abdelaziz
More than 5,000 detainees have contracted the coronavirus while being held in immigration detention centers around the country, according to immigration officials. Although ICE officials said the agency has taken precautions to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, activists say it’s not enough and that tight spaces such as detention centers and jails like the one in Bergen County are particularly vulnerable and can face a deadly outbreak at any moment.
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Although Bergen County Jail hasn’t had any outbreaks, Andrea, a 33-year-old Guatemalan immigrant, worries for her brother who has been held there since November 2019. Andrea, whom HuffPost has given an alias because she fears retaliation by immigration officials, calls her brother three times a day. She is worried about him contracting the virus and says he’s vulnerable because he has asthma and a previous head injury.
She told HuffPost through a translator on the phone that her brother has been denied drinking water and resorts to drinking out of the toilet. He also told her that the heat has been shut off and the conditions have been extremely cold lately. She also said the officials took away the detainees’ commissary.
An ICE-ERO spokesperson called those allegations false.
Andrea said her brother decided to participate in the hunger strike because he saw no changes to his case and the conditions of the facility. He hasn’t eaten for 18 days.
She is currently caring for her brother’s 7-year-old son. She said she and her family came to the U.S. for a better life and to be with her brother. If he is deported, they would be separated again and his son would be without a father.
“He wants to be free, even with an ankle shackle. He wants to be with his son. He wants to work. He isn’t a thief. He doesn’t have any charges. I don’t know why immigration won’t free him,” she added.
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More than 200 immigrants, mainly from Mexico and Central America, are being held at the Bergen County Correctional Facility, where most of the residents are waiting for deportation hearings.
Bergen County is one of several New Jersey counties that have multimillion-dollar contracts with ICE to house thousands of immigrants. From January 2015 to March 2018, ICE sent more than $150 million to Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties in the northern part of the state.
Those three counties are all controlled by Democrats, leaving some activists pessimistic that a Biden presidency will result in significant immigration reforms.
“We want nothing less than a full abolition of ICE and all oppressive systems,” 19-year-old Buzz Issac told HuffPost. “We recognize that this protest is not going to do that on its own. No single action is going to do that, so we are trying to embrace a diversity of tactics, and we’re using this as just mainly a way to show that we’re here.”
The protests, which began the day after Thanksgiving, are planned to continue until this Friday. Protesters on Tuesday were heard chanting “Abolish ICE,” and carried signs that read “free them all.”
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At one point, the protesters moved to stand in front of the building that housed the detainees. Facing the windows, they chanted, “We are here for you.”
One police officer told the protesters that they were not allowed to talk directly to the detainees ― as indicated on a sign hung on the metal fence separating the facility and the protesters.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Joe Biden Looks To The Road Ahead, Says He's Ready To 'Fight Like Hell' For America

President-elect Joe Biden candidly spoke on his plans for the future in an interview with The New York Times published on Wednesday , stating that his immediate goals are to pass a coronavirus stimulus package and build unity within the United States .
“ I feel like I ’ ve done something good for the country by making sure that Donald Trump is not going to be president for four more years , ” Biden told reporter Thomas L. Friedman .
“ But there ’ s been no moment of elation.
” Biden compared the feeling to what young Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country due to COVID-19 might be experiencing , mentioning his granddaughter , Naomi Biden — a recent graduate of Columbia Law School .
He stressed that “ these kids are graduating with no parties , ” and that there was a tremendous amount to be done before America could return to any semblance of normalcy .
Chief among such work is ending the monthslong deadlock in Congress over a coronavirus relief bill , and helping Americans return to the workforce and to school .
“ Let me put it this way , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a “ careful ” appraisal of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) , who has been at odds with Democrats under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) on a COVID-19 relief bill .
“ There are a number of things that when McConnell controlled the Senate that people said couldn ’ t get done , and I was able to get them done with [ him ] .
” Biden added that working with McConnell would surely involve trade-offs , but that the Senate majority leader was a familiar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know him .
I don ’ t ask him to embarrass himself to make a deal.
” The president-elect warned , however , that congressional lawmakers who continuously attempt to derail his upcoming administrative policies run the risk of affecting their chances for reelection in 2022 .
“ When you have cops and firefighters and first responders across the board being laid off , when you ’ re not getting the kind of distribution of vaccines out to rural America , it has to have some consequences , ” Biden said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ fight like hell by investing in America first , ” emphasizing industries like biotech and energy .
He added that he would pay close attention to rural Americans by boosting rural health care services , including telemedicine and Obamacare .
“ I think they just feel forgotten .
I think we forgot them , ” Biden said .
“ We have got to rebuild the middle class ... especially in rural America .
”

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President-elect Joe Biden candidly spoke on his plans for the future in an interview with The New York Times published on Wednesday, stating that his immediate goals are to pass a coronavirus stimulus package and build unity within the United States.
“I feel like I’ve done something good for the country by making sure that Donald Trump is not going to be president for four more years,” Biden told reporter Thomas L. Friedman. “But there’s been no moment of elation.”
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Biden compared the feeling to what young Americans forced to attend virtual graduations across the country due to COVID-19 might be experiencing, mentioning his granddaughter, Naomi Biden — a recent graduate of Columbia Law School. He stressed that “these kids are graduating with no parties,” and that there was a tremendous amount to be done before America could return to any semblance of normalcy.
Chief among such work is ending the monthslong deadlock in Congress over a coronavirus relief bill, and helping Americans return to the workforce and to school.
“Let me put it this way,” Biden said, in what Friedman noted was a “careful” appraisal of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has been at odds with Democrats under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on a COVID-19 relief bill. “There are a number of things that when McConnell controlled the Senate that people said couldn’t get done, and I was able to get them done with [him].”
Biden added that working with McConnell would surely involve trade-offs, but that the Senate majority leader was a familiar opponent. “He knows me. I know him. I don’t ask him to embarrass himself to make a deal.”
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The president-elect warned, however, that congressional lawmakers who continuously attempt to derail his upcoming administrative policies run the risk of affecting their chances for reelection in 2022.
“When you have cops and firefighters and first responders across the board being laid off, when you’re not getting the kind of distribution of vaccines out to rural America, it has to have some consequences,” Biden said.
Biden also said that he was going to “fight like hell by investing in America first,” emphasizing industries like biotech and energy. He added that he would pay close attention to rural Americans by boosting rural health care services, including telemedicine and Obamacare.
“I think they just feel forgotten. I think we forgot them,” Biden said. “We have got to rebuild the middle class ... especially in rural America.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Dianne Feinstein Backs Alex Padilla To Replace Kamala Harris In The Senate

Padilla , 47 , is the clear favorite in the scramble to succeed Harris .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) is facing pressure to appoint someone who is nonwhite or a woman to the seat , since Harris is only the second Black woman ever to serve in the Senate .
If appointed , Padilla would be the first-ever Latino senator for a state where Latinos make up about 40 % of the population .
As the son of Mexican immigrants who grew up in Los Angeles ’ San Fernando Valley , he would also be one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in decades to represent the state in the Senate .
Prior to ascending to statewide office , Padilla served in the state Senate and on the Los Angeles City Council , where he was the youngest and first Latino city council president .
As secretary of state , Padilla pushed for passage of a 2015 law that automatically registers people to vote when they obtain a driver ’ s license .
More than 4 million people have since joined the state ’ s voting rolls .
Padilla ’ s policy agenda and ideological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is closer to party leaders than the Golden State ’ s considerable contingent of left-leaning outsiders .
He worked for Feinstein as a young college graduate and worked hard to help her win reelection in 2018 against then-state Senate President Kevin de León .
Padilla is also close with Newsom , whose failed 2010 campaign for governor Padilla supported .
Other Latino officials have also been mentioned as possible candidates for the seat , including California Attorney General Xavier Becerra , Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia ― the city ’ s first openly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA County supervisor Hilda Solis .
Unless Newsom opts to call a special election next year , whomever he picks for the seat will serve out the rest of Harris ’ term , until January 2023 .

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Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is supporting California Secretary of State Alex Padilla for the soon-to-be vacant Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
“I have agreed to support Padilla,” Feinstein told HuffPost on Wednesday.
Padilla, 47, is the clear favorite in the scramble to succeed Harris. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is facing pressure to appoint someone who is nonwhite or a woman to the seat, since Harris is only the second Black woman ever to serve in the Senate.
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If appointed, Padilla would be the first-ever Latino senator for a state where Latinos make up about 40% of the population. As the son of Mexican immigrants who grew up in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, he would also be one of the first Democrats from Southern California in decades to represent the state in the Senate.
Padilla has been California’s secretary of state since 2014, winning reelection in 2018.
Prior to ascending to statewide office, Padilla served in the state Senate and on the Los Angeles City Council, where he was the youngest and first Latino city council president.
As secretary of state, Padilla pushed for passage of a 2015 law that automatically registers people to vote when they obtain a driver’s license. More than 4 million people have since joined the state’s voting rolls.
Padilla’s policy agenda and ideological viewpoint are less clear, though he is closer to party leaders than the Golden State’s considerable contingent of left-leaning outsiders. He worked for Feinstein as a young college graduate and worked hard to help her win reelection in 2018 against then-state Senate President Kevin de León.
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Padilla is also close with Newsom, whose failed 2010 campaign for governor Padilla supported.
Other Latino officials have also been mentioned as possible candidates for the seat, including California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia ― the city’s first openly gay mayor ― as well as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA County supervisor Hilda Solis.
Unless Newsom opts to call a special election next year, whomever he picks for the seat will serve out the rest of Harris’ term, until January 2023.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Austin Mayor Is Latest Official To Not Practice The COVID-19 Precautions They Preach

The mayor of Austin , Texas , is the latest public official to break from their own COVID-19 recommendations , telling residents last month to stay home while he hosted a wedding and vacationed in Mexico .
Democratic Mayor Steve Adler boarded a private jet with several others in early November to vacation for a week at a family timeshare in Cabo San Lucas , according to the Austin American-Statesman , which broke the story on Wednesday .
The trip reportedly came one day after Adler hosted an outdoor wedding with 20 guests for his daughter at a time when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 surge .
“ We need to stay home if you can , ” he said in the video .
“ This is not the time to relax .
We are going to be looking really closely .
… We may have to close things down if we are not careful.
” Adler did not disclose in the video that he was in Mexico , a country that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifically advised Americans ahead of Thanksgiving not to travel to because of the spike in infections .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Austin area saw more new COVID-19 cases in November than in the two previous months combined .
The county reported 6,234 new cases last month , compared with 2,627 in October and 2,998 in September .
A week after Adler returned from his vacation , health officials raised Austin ’ s coronavirus alert level to Stage 4 , which includes recommending all residents avoid nonessential travel .
At the time of the mayor ’ s vacation , Austin was in Stage 3 , which recommended that residents avoid gatherings of more than 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The mayor ’ s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
He did tell the American-Statesman that guests at his daughter ’ s wedding were “ probably not ” wearing their masks all the time and that he does not believe he took a COVID-19 test upon returning to Austin but had “ generally quarantined.
” “ Every day since March , I repeat that being home is the safest place for people to be .
Only at our most trying moments , like around Thanksgiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel as part of extra precautions .
It is safest to stay home , ” Adler told the newspaper on Wednesday .
“ However , we aren ’ t asking people to never venture out .
We ask everyone to be as safe as possible when they do.
” After the American-Statesman published its story , Adler gave another statement saying , “ I regret this travel , ” adding that he fears his vacation could be used to justify risky behavior during the holidays .
Adler is not the only public official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 guidelines .
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock , a Democrat , publicly apologized after flying to Mississippi to see family after telling residents not to travel for Thanksgiving .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom , also a Democrat , faced widespread backlash after he was caught attending a maskless dinner party with multiple households at the upscale French Laundry restaurant on Nov. 6 ― going against his own COVID-19 safety recommendations for the residents of California .
One day later , Democratic San Francisco Mayor London Breed found herself in the same hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven others at the same Napa County restaurant at a time when her own city banned restaurants hosting groups larger than six indoors or outdoors unless they were from the same household .
Breed and Adler both responded to the backlash over their trips by stressing they didn ’ t formally break any COVID-19 rules , which is true ― all three public officials technically did not violate any restrictions set in place at the time in the county they were at .
But at a time when Americans are feeling increasingly fatigued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s more important now than before for elected leaders to practice what they preach so that residents can better trust their decisions to implement necessary pandemic orders .
“ Any increase in cynicism about our political leaders right now can potentially be costly , ” Jason McDaniel , associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University , told the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday .
“ Our elected leaders should hold themselves to a higher standard .
The mayor and the governor before her failed to meet that @ @ @ @

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The mayor of Austin, Texas, is the latest public official to break from their own COVID-19 recommendations, telling residents last month to stay home while he hosted a wedding and vacationed in Mexico.
Democratic Mayor Steve Adler boarded a private jet with several others in early November to vacation for a week at a family timeshare in Cabo San Lucas, according to the Austin American-Statesman, which broke the story on Wednesday. The trip reportedly came one day after Adler hosted an outdoor wedding with 20 guests for his daughter at a time when health officials were urgently warning of a COVID-19 surge.
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On Nov. 9 ― one night into his trip, according to the American-Statesman ― Adler posted a Facebook video addressing Austin residents about curbing the spread of the virus.
“We need to stay home if you can,” he said in the video. “This is not the time to relax. We are going to be looking really closely. … We may have to close things down if we are not careful.”
Adler did not disclose in the video that he was in Mexico, a country that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifically advised Americans ahead of Thanksgiving not to travel to because of the spike in infections.
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According to Travis County data, the Austin area saw more new COVID-19 cases in November than in the two previous months combined. The county reported 6,234 new cases last month, compared with 2,627 in October and 2,998 in September.
A week after Adler returned from his vacation, health officials raised Austin’s coronavirus alert level to Stage 4, which includes recommending all residents avoid nonessential travel. At the time of the mayor’s vacation, Austin was in Stage 3, which recommended that residents avoid gatherings of more than 10 and that higher-risk people avoid nonessential travel.
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. He did tell the American-Statesman that guests at his daughter’s wedding were “probably not” wearing their masks all the time and that he does not believe he took a COVID-19 test upon returning to Austin but had “generally quarantined.”
“Every day since March, I repeat that being home is the safest place for people to be. Only at our most trying moments, like around Thanksgiving, have I asked people not to travel as part of extra precautions. It is safest to stay home,” Adler told the newspaper on Wednesday. “However, we aren’t asking people to never venture out. We ask everyone to be as safe as possible when they do.”
After the American-Statesman published its story, Adler gave another statement saying, “I regret this travel,” adding that he fears his vacation could be used to justify risky behavior during the holidays.
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UPDATE: “I regret this travel,” Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in a new statement. “It set a bad example for which I apologize.” https://t.co/6rfIGN3hsd pic.twitter.com/rxtWachjhv — Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) December 2, 2020
Adler is not the only public official to recently display their hypocrisy in following COVID-19 guidelines. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, a Democrat, publicly apologized after flying to Mississippi to see family after telling residents not to travel for Thanksgiving.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, also a Democrat, faced widespread backlash after he was caught attending a maskless dinner party with multiple households at the upscale French Laundry restaurant on Nov. 6 ― going against his own COVID-19 safety recommendations for the residents of California. One day later, Democratic San Francisco Mayor London Breed found herself in the same hot water when she dined with at least seven others at the same Napa County restaurant at a time when her own city banned restaurants hosting groups larger than six indoors or outdoors unless they were from the same household.
Breed and Adler both responded to the backlash over their trips by stressing they didn’t formally break any COVID-19 rules, which is true ― all three public officials technically did not violate any restrictions set in place at the time in the county they were at. But at a time when Americans are feeling increasingly fatigued from COVID-19 restrictions and rising infection rates, it’s more important now than before for elected leaders to practice what they preach so that residents can better trust their decisions to implement necessary pandemic orders.
“Any increase in cynicism about our political leaders right now can potentially be costly,” Jason McDaniel, associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University, told the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday. “Our elected leaders should hold themselves to a higher standard. The mayor and the governor before her failed to meet that higher standard.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Obama Says He Will Get Safe COVID-19 Vaccine, Maybe On TV

Former President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he planned to take a COVID-19 vaccine , possibly on television in an effort to encourage Americans to do the same , if officials said it was safe .
“ I will be taking it , and I may take it on TV or have it filmed so people know that I trust this science , ” Obama said in an interview on SiriusXM radio .
“ If Anthony Fauci tells me this vaccine is safe and can immunize you from getting COVID , absolutely I ’ ll take it.
” Obama said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s top infectious disease expert , “ completely ” and would use him as a touchstone for wisdom surrounding any vaccines .
Fauci himself has said in recent days he had hope after several vaccine candidates — from Pfizer and Moderna — released “ spectacular ” results from large-scale trials .
Pfizer applied last month and Moderna this week for emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration , an encouraging sign for the wide rollout of a vaccine ( the agency plans to convene an advisory panel on the Pfizer candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision on the treatment shortly afterward ) .
But Obama ’ s comments this week come amid troubling news for the U.S. More than 100,000 people were hospitalized with the virus and 200,000 others tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday , the first time the country had seen either figure during the course of the pandemic .
The nation was also on track to hit a daily high for coronavirus deaths on Wednesday .
Dr. Robert Redfield , the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , warned Americans that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , be “ the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.
” “ I do think , unfortunately , before we see February , we could be close to 450,000 Americans who ’ ve died from this virus , ” Redfield added in a bleak address .
More than 270,000 people have already died of COVID-19 in the U.S. , more than any in other nation .
At the same time , public trust in a vaccine has seesawed in recent months .
In a Gallup poll , 58 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a COVID-19 vaccine , up from a low of 50 % in September .
But those surveys found 42 % still said they would not get one , a significant hurdle in getting the U.S. economy back to normal .
Obama addressed such concerns in his interview this week , pointing specifically to fears among communities of color that have been disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus .
Only 48 % of non-white Americans said they planned to get a vaccine , and Obama pointed to longstanding distrust in government programs .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the way to the Tuskegee experiments and so forth , why the African American community would have some skepticism , ” he said .
“ But the fact of the matter is , is that vaccines are why we don ’ t have polio anymore .
And they ’ re the reason why we don ’ t have a whole bunch of kids dying from measles , and smallpox and diseases that used to decimate entire populations and communities .
”

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Former President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he planned to take a COVID-19 vaccine, possibly on television in an effort to encourage Americans to do the same, if officials said it was safe.
“I will be taking it, and I may take it on TV or have it filmed so people know that I trust this science,” Obama said in an interview on SiriusXM radio. “If Anthony Fauci tells me this vaccine is safe and can immunize you from getting COVID, absolutely I’ll take it.”
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“What I don’t trust is getting COVID,” he added.
Obama joins former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in supporting an eventual COVID-19 vaccine deemed to be safe by public health officials. Bush’s chief of staff told CNN: “When the time is right, [Bush] wants to do what he can to help encourage his fellow citizens to get vaccinated.”
“First, the vaccines need to be deemed safe and administered to the priority populations,” the chief of staff, Freddy Ford, said. “Then, President Bush will get in line for his and will gladly do so on camera.”
Clinton’s press aide also told the outlet that the Democrat “will definitely take a vaccine as soon as available to him” and do so in a public setting.
Obama said he trusted Dr. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, “completely” and would use him as a touchstone for wisdom surrounding any vaccines. Fauci himself has said in recent days he had hope after several vaccine candidates — from Pfizer and Moderna — released “spectacular” results from large-scale trials. Pfizer applied last month and Moderna this week for emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration, an encouraging sign for the wide rollout of a vaccine (the agency plans to convene an advisory panel on the Pfizer candidate on Dec. 10 and could make a decision on the treatment shortly afterward).
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Britain this week became the first Western country to approve the Pfizer vaccine, paving the way for mass inoculations.
But Obama’s comments this week come amid troubling news for the U.S. More than 100,000 people were hospitalized with the virus and 200,000 others tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the first time the country had seen either figure during the course of the pandemic. The nation was also on track to hit a daily high for coronavirus deaths on Wednesday.
Dr. Robert Redfield, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned Americans that the coming months would, in his estimation, be “the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation.”
“I do think, unfortunately, before we see February, we could be close to 450,000 Americans who’ve died from this virus,” Redfield added in a bleak address.
More than 270,000 people have already died of COVID-19 in the U.S., more than any in other nation.
At the same time, public trust in a vaccine has seesawed in recent months. In a Gallup poll, 58% of Americans said they would get a COVID-19 vaccine, up from a low of 50% in September. But those surveys found 42% still said they would not get one, a significant hurdle in getting the U.S. economy back to normal.
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Obama addressed such concerns in his interview this week, pointing specifically to fears among communities of color that have been disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus. Only 48% of non-white Americans said they planned to get a vaccine, and Obama pointed to longstanding distrust in government programs.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-02--Athletes Say They Removed Utah Monolith Because Of Enviromental Concerns

SALT LAKE CITY ( AP ) — A gleaming monolith found deep in the Utah desert was striking , a mysterious beacon that immediately captured the attention of a world grappling with a punishing pandemic casting a pall over the holiday season .
Revealed publicly shortly before Thanksgiving , it drew hundreds of people to remote , red-rock country to see and touch the otherworldly edifice that evoked both science-fiction films and the state ’ s famous land-art works .
But the newcomers also flattened plants with their cars and left behind human waste in the bathroom-free backcountry .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Utah ’ s sweeping outdoor landscapes say it was that kind of damage that made them step in late at night and tear it down .
Sylvan Christensen and Andy Lewis have large online followings for their posts about skydiving-like BASE jumping and slacklining , which is like walking an outdoor tightrope .
In videos posted on Instagram and YouTube , they said they were part of a group that pushed down the hollow stainless-steel structure and took it away in a wheelbarrow .
Christensen said in a statement provided to media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t prepared for the influx and its federal managers couldn ’ t hope to keep up .
“ The mystery was the infatuation and we want to use this time to unite people behind the real issues here— we are losing our public lands— things like this don ’ t help , ” he wrote .
He said the group supports art and artists but said it was an “ ethical failure ” to cut into the rock to erect the monolith , and the damage caused by the “ internet sensationalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s action left plenty of disappointed people who had traveled long distances to see the gleaming silver structure , only to find the site empty aside from a triangular sheet of metal over a hole in the ground .
But the removal may not have broken the law .
San Juan County sheriff Jason Torgerson said Wednesday that they can ’ t investigate it as a stolen property case because no one has stepped forward to claim the structure as their own .
The original creator remains a mystery .
“ The monolith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Torgerson said in an email to The Associated Press .
Since it was put there without permission in the first place , the original installation is also under investigation , he said .

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A gleaming monolith found deep in the Utah desert was striking, a mysterious beacon that immediately captured the attention of a world grappling with a punishing pandemic casting a pall over the holiday season.
Revealed publicly shortly before Thanksgiving, it drew hundreds of people to remote, red-rock country to see and touch the otherworldly edifice that evoked both science-fiction films and the state’s famous land-art works.
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But the newcomers also flattened plants with their cars and left behind human waste in the bathroom-free backcountry. Now, two men known for extreme sports in Utah’s sweeping outdoor landscapes say it was that kind of damage that made them step in late at night and tear it down.
Sylvan Christensen and Andy Lewis have large online followings for their posts about skydiving-like BASE jumping and slacklining, which is like walking an outdoor tightrope. In videos posted on Instagram and YouTube, they said they were part of a group that pushed down the hollow stainless-steel structure and took it away in a wheelbarrow.
Christensen said in a statement provided to media outlets late Tuesday that the land wasn’t prepared for the influx and its federal managers couldn’t hope to keep up.
“The mystery was the infatuation and we want to use this time to unite people behind the real issues here— we are losing our public lands— things like this don’t help,” he wrote.
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He said the group supports art and artists but said it was an “ethical failure” to cut into the rock to erect the monolith, and the damage caused by the “internet sensationalism” was worse.
The group’s action left plenty of disappointed people who had traveled long distances to see the gleaming silver structure, only to find the site empty aside from a triangular sheet of metal over a hole in the ground.
But the removal may not have broken the law. San Juan County sheriff Jason Torgerson said Wednesday that they can’t investigate it as a stolen property case because no one has stepped forward to claim the structure as their own. The original creator remains a mystery.
“The monolith was abandoned on public property,” Torgerson said in an email to The Associated Press. Since it was put there without permission in the first place, the original installation is also under investigation, he said.
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