thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-11--Roger Stone Still A 'Convicted Felon,' And 'Rightly So,' Says Robert Mueller In Angry Op-Ed

Former FBI director and special counsel Robert Mueller lashed out in a rare op-ed in The Washington Post Saturday against President Donald Trump ’ s commutation of Roger Stone ’ s prison sentence on seven felonies .
Stone “ remains a convicted felon , ” Mueller snapped .
The Russia investigation into possible collusion with the Trump campaign in the 2016 presidential election was of “ paramount importance , ” Mueller wrote .
“ Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes .
He remains a convicted felon , and rightly so.
” Mueller said he was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims that our investigation was illegitimate and our motives were improper , and to specific claims that Roger Stone was a victim of our office.
” “ Roger Stone was treated horrible , ” Trump told reporters ( see the video above ) .
“ Roger Stone was brought into this witch hunt ... and the Mueller scam , and he was treated very unfairly.
” The president claimed “ people ” are “ very happy ” that he commuted Stone ’ s sentence .
Mueller pointed out in his op-ed that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to America ’ s democracy .
It was critical that they be investigated and understood.
” The probe established that the “ Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome , ” Mueller said .
By late 2016 , the FBI had “ evidence that the Russians had signaled to a Trump campaign adviser that they could assist the campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging ” to Trump ’ s rival , Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton , Mueller wrote .
“ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done just that : Beginning in July 2016 , WikiLeaks released emails stolen by Russian military intelligence officers from the Clinton campaign , ” he added .
Stone , a longtime GOP operative and Trump ’ s confidant and campaign adviser , became a “ central figure ” in the investigation , Mueller wrote .
Stone “ communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers , and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks ’ release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers , ” Mueller said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress .
He lied about the identity of his intermediary to WikiLeaks , ” Mueller wrote .
He lied when he denied he had “ communicated with the Trump campaign about the timing of WikiLeaks ’ releases .
... And he tampered with a witness , ” Mueller added .
“ We made every decision in Stone ’ s case , as in all our cases , based solely on the facts and the law and in accordance with the rule of law , ” he concluded .
“ The women and men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the highest integrity .
Claims to the contrary are false .
”

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Former FBI director and special counsel Robert Mueller lashed out in a rare op-ed in The Washington Post Saturday against President Donald Trump’s commutation of Roger Stone’s prison sentence on seven felonies. Stone “remains a convicted felon,” Mueller snapped.
The Russia investigation into possible collusion with the Trump campaign in the 2016 presidential election was of “paramount importance,” Mueller wrote. “Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes. He remains a convicted felon, and rightly so.”
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Mueller said he was “compelled” to respond to “broad claims that our investigation was illegitimate and our motives were improper, and to specific claims that Roger Stone was a victim of our office.”
Trump has repeatedly insisted that Stone was an unfair target of a so-called illegal Russian investigation “witch hunt.” He repeated those claims Saturday.
“Roger Stone was treated horrible,” Trump told reporters (see the video above). “Roger Stone was brought into this witch hunt ... and the Mueller scam, and he was treated very unfairly.” The president claimed “people” are “very happy” that he commuted Stone’s three-year sentence days before he was to report to prison.
Trump’s action was hugely controversial, particularly since he stood to benefit if Stone kept his mouth shut, and rewarded him when he did. Stone said as much Friday to NBC journalist Howard Fineman. The president “knows I was under enormous pressure to turn on him,” Stone told Fineman. “It would have eased my situation considerably. But I didn’t.”
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Mueller pointed out in his op-ed that Russia’s actions interfering with the election were a “threat to America’s democracy. It was critical that they be investigated and understood.” The probe established that the “Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome,” Mueller said.
By late 2016, the FBI had “evidence that the Russians had signaled to a Trump campaign adviser that they could assist the campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging” to Trump’s rival, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Mueller wrote.
“And the FBI knew that the Russians had done just that: Beginning in July 2016, WikiLeaks released emails stolen by Russian military intelligence officers from the Clinton campaign,” he added.
Stone, a longtime GOP operative and Trump’s confidant and campaign adviser, became a “central figure” in the investigation, Mueller wrote.
Stone “communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers, and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks’ release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers,” Mueller noted.
Stone “lied repeatedly to members of Congress. He lied about the identity of his intermediary to WikiLeaks,” Mueller wrote. He lied when he denied he had “communicated with the Trump campaign about the timing of WikiLeaks’ releases. ... And he tampered with a witness,” Mueller added.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-11--Trump Finally Wears A Mask In Public

Trump Finally Wears A Mask In Public

Four months into the coronavirus pandemic and with more than 134,000 Americans dead , President Donald Trump was seen in a face mask as he visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Saturday .
The fact that masks are effective in curbing the spread of the highly transmissible virus has been known for some time .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in early April began recommending that people wear them when they can not maintain social distance .
The agency even released a helpful guide to show you how to make one .
Pressure has mounted for weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by wearing a mask for the cameras because of skyrocketing case counts in much of the country .
Until today , he resisted the idea .
Trump was required to put on a mask during a visit to a Ford plant in May , but he made a point to take it off right away .
“ I didn ’ t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it , ” Trump said at the time .
( A grainy photo leaked out anyway . )
He began to change his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no problem with masks and was actually a fan of them .
On July 1 , Trump claimed that he liked the way he looked in a mask , believing it made him look like the Lone Ranger .
But at the few rallies and speeches Trump has held since the crisis started , crowds appeared to take their cues from the president ― leaving their masks at home .
Now Trump has taken one baby step to encourage widespread mask usage in the deadly pandemic .
Behold : The time is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are people you don ’ t live with .

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Four months into the coronavirus pandemic and with more than 134,000 Americans dead, President Donald Trump was seen in a face mask as he visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Saturday.
The fact that masks are effective in curbing the spread of the highly transmissible virus has been known for some time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in early April began recommending that people wear them when they cannot maintain social distance. The agency even released a helpful guide to show you how to make one.
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Meanwhile, pressure has mounted for Trump to set a good example by wearing a mask for the cameras because of skyrocketing case counts in much of the country. Until today, he resisted the idea. Trump was required to put on a mask during a visit to a Ford plant in May, but he made a point to take it off right away.
“I didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it,” Trump said at the time. (A grainy photo leaked out anyway.)
He began to change his tone in late June, saying he had no problem with masks and was actually a fan of them. On July 1, Trump claimed that he liked the way he looked in a mask, believing he resembled the Lone Ranger.
But at the few rallies and speeches Trump has held since the crisis started, crowds appeared to take their cues from the president ― leaving their masks at home.
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Now Trump has taken one baby step to encourage widespread mask usage in the deadly pandemic. Behold:
Congratulations to our big boy president. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“I think it’s a great thing to wear a mask,” Trump said Saturday, adding, “They have a time and place.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-11--Mitt Romney Slams Donald Trump's Commutation For Roger Stone: 'Historic Corruption'

Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) on Saturday morning pulled no punches with his response to President Donald Trump ’ s decision to commute the sentence of his longtime adviser and confidant Roger Stone .
Romney described Trump ’ s controversial move — which has garnered widespread criticism — as “ unprecedented , historic corruption.
” Unprecedented , historic corruption : an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president .
— Mitt Romney ( @ MittRomney ) July 11 , 2020 Trump , meanwhile , spent Saturday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many attacking the presumptive Democratic 2020 nominee Joe Biden .
The president did not immediately respond to Romney ’ s comment .
It may only be a matter of time before Trump does , though , given his animosity toward the 2012 GOP presidential nominee that only heightened earlier this year when Romney was the only Senate Republican to vote to convict Trump in his impeachment trial .
Stone was due , in the next few days , to start serving a 40-month sentence stemming from his convictions for witness tampering , lying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible Trump campaign collusion .
In a statement released Friday , the White House press secretary ’ s office said Stone had been “ a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency .
”

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Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Saturday morning pulled no punches with his response to President Donald Trump’s decision to commute the sentence of his longtime adviser and confidant Roger Stone.
Romney described Trump’s controversial move — which has garnered widespread criticism — as “unprecedented, historic corruption.”
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Unprecedented, historic corruption: an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president. — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) July 11, 2020
Trump, meanwhile, spent Saturday morning tweeting and retweeting dozens of posts, many attacking the presumptive Democratic 2020 nominee Joe Biden.
The president did not immediately respond to Romney’s comment.
It may only be a matter of time before Trump does, though, given his animosity toward the 2012 GOP presidential nominee that only heightened earlier this year when Romney was the only Senate Republican to vote to convict Trump in his impeachment trial.
Stone was due, in the next few days, to start serving a 40-month sentence stemming from his convictions for witness tampering, lying to Congress and the obstruction of a congressional probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible Trump campaign collusion.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-11--North Atlantic Right Whales 'One Step From Extinction,' Report Warns

The North Atlantic right whale is just “ one step from extinction , ” according to a new report that classifies the species as critically endangered .
The classification is a shift from the animals ’ previous listing as simply endangered on the Red List of threatened species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature , which estimated in a statement this week that fewer than 250 mature North Atlantic right whales remained by the end of 2018 .
The conservation organization chalked up the species ’ s decline to lower reproduction rates and more deadly encounters with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fueling the latter , as warmer temperatures drive the whales farther north , where they ’ re more likely to wind up entangled in fishing lines and ropes or to be struck by ships .
Scientists spoke out about their fears for the species ’ s survival last summer after six whales were found dead off the Canadian coast in one month .
Collisions with ships killed at least three of them — including one female known to be the mother of eight and grandmother of two .
Underwater noise poses another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the animals ’ ability to communicate with one another .
North Atlantic right whales live in Atlantic waters , primarily close to coasts or the continental shelf , ranging from waters off the southern United States to those off northern Canada and Europe .
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration identified two areas of “ critical habitat ” : one near the southeast U.S. , where the whales give birth , and another near New England , where they forage and feed .
But efforts to protect the whales could draw major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry , which has found a friend in President Donald Trump , The New York Times reported .
The industry is hurting from the coronavirus pandemic and Trump ’ s trade war with China and doesn ’ t want to see stricter regulations on top of that .
“ A lot of the dynamic was bad anyway , and under Trump , it just got worse , ” Peter Corkeron , a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium , told the Times .
“ People are terrified to do anything about right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to Maine last month , Trump signed a proclamation that opened the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument ― comprising nearly 5,000 square miles of ocean off the East Coast ― to commercial fishing .
Conservationists said at the time that the move would threaten right whales , along with deep-sea coral and numerous species of migratory fish .
In addition to the whales , the new report listed 33 lemur species and the European hamster as critically endangered .
Hunting and deforestation are the primary threats to the lemurs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European hamster ― a wild hamster species whose range includes parts of France , Germany , Eastern Europe and Siberia ― has seen drastic drops in reproduction rates .
The reasons the hamsters are having fewer offspring aren ’ t totally clear , according to the IUCN .
Possible causes include industrial development , climate change , changes in agricultural practices and light pollution .

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The North Atlantic right whale is just “one step from extinction,” according to a new report that classifies the species as critically endangered.
The classification is a shift from the animals’ previous listing as simply endangered on the Red List of threatened species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which estimated in a statement this week that fewer than 250 mature North Atlantic right whales remained by the end of 2018.
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A North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod Bay off the coast of Massachusetts in 2018. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
The conservation organization chalked up the species’s decline to lower reproduction rates and more deadly encounters with ships and fishing gear. Climate change is fueling the latter, as warmer temperatures drive the whales farther north, where they’re more likely to wind up entangled in fishing lines and ropes or to be struck by ships.
Scientists spoke out about their fears for the species’s survival last summer after six whales were found dead off the Canadian coast in one month. Collisions with ships killed at least three of them — including one female known to be the mother of eight and grandmother of two.
Underwater noise poses another threat to the species because it interferes with the animals’ ability to communicate with one another.
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North Atlantic right whales live in Atlantic waters, primarily close to coasts or the continental shelf, ranging from waters off the southern United States to those off northern Canada and Europe. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration identified two areas of “critical habitat”: one near the southeast U.S., where the whales give birth, and another near New England, where they forage and feed.
Researchers estimated that only about 250 mature North Atlantic right whales remained alive by the end of 2018. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
But efforts to protect the whales could draw major opposition from New England’s lobster industry, which has found a friend in President Donald Trump, The New York Times reported. The industry is hurting from the coronavirus pandemic and Trump’s trade war with China and doesn’t want to see stricter regulations on top of that.
“A lot of the dynamic was bad anyway, and under Trump, it just got worse,” Peter Corkeron, a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium, told the Times. “People are terrified to do anything about right whales at the moment.”
During his visit to Maine last month, Trump signed a proclamation that opened the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument ― comprising nearly 5,000 square miles of ocean off the East Coast ― to commercial fishing. Conservationists said at the time that the move would threaten right whales, along with deep-sea coral and numerous species of migratory fish.
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In addition to the whales, the new report listed 33 lemur species and the European hamster as critically endangered. Hunting and deforestation are the primary threats to the lemurs, which are native to Madagascar. The European hamster ― a wild hamster species whose range includes parts of France, Germany, Eastern Europe and Siberia ― has seen drastic drops in reproduction rates.
The European hamster, also known as the Eurasian hamster, black-bellied hamster or common hamster. Sylvain CORDIER via Getty Images


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-11--'Dungeons & Dragons' Book 'Oriental Adventures' Receives A Sensitivity Disclaimer

“ We ... recognize that some of the legacy content available on this website does not reflect the values of the ‘ Dungeons & Dragons ’ franchise today , ” the disclaimer from Wizards of the Coast reads .
“ Some older content may reflect ethnic , racial and gender prejudice that were commonplace in American society at that time .
These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today .
This content is presented as it was originally created because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed .
‘ Dungeons & Dragons ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we strive to make our D & D products as welcoming and inclusive as possible .
This part of our work will never end.
” The disclaimer is visible on Dungeon Masters Guild and DriveThru RPG , the two most prominent sites selling older D & D material .
Fans first noticed the disclaimer on Tuesday , and it appears in product descriptions for all rulebooks and supplements that were released prior to the current fifth edition of the game , which came out in 2014 .
It appears twice on descriptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content that resembles real-world cultures and races .
Examples of the latter include “ Maztica ” and “ Al-Qadim : Arabian Adventures , ” which feature cultures inspired by Mesoamerica and the Middle East .
It also includes both the 1985 and 2001 editions of “ Oriental Adventures , ” which invite players to create characters in “ Kara-tur , ” a “ mystical and exotic ” land rooted in Japanese history , with a smattering of other East Asian influences .
The D & D Twitter account explained that the disclaimer was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Coast started in June stressing diversity and a more nuanced approach to several heavily criticized aspects of the game , including the concept of inherently evil fantasy races .
Simply put , we messed up and we 're sorry .
Wizards of the Coast is constantly working to be better , and we have a lot of work to do , especially so in repairing trust with our community .
Thank you for continuing to use your voice so that we may continue to make meaningful change .
— Dungeons & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 “ ‘ Asian-themed ’ content in the role-playing space , especially major titles , has been primarily created by white men , ” Kwan told HuffPost .
“ Our main issue with these products is that they take beautiful and nuanced aspects of Asian cultures and combine them into pastiches that focus entirely on stereotypes.
” “ Oriental Adventures ” — the original version of which was written by three white men — often depicted Asians as “ violent and savage , uncivilized and in need of foreign saviors and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because D & D is a game in which players center themselves as protagonists in a collaborative narrative , these depictions could potentially “ feed into how Asian players are perceived at the gaming table , as well as what their characters can and should do , ” Kwan said .
Kwan applauded Wizards of the Coast for “ trying to take a positive step forward ” after it added the disclaimer and condemned harassment .
But its response came only after abusive voices hurled racial slurs Kwan ’ s way and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he pointed out .
In order for D & D to grow into a more inclusive hobby , both Wizards of the Coast and the role-playing community need to listen to diverse voices without falling back on “ knee-jerk reactions , ” said Kwan ’ s podcast co-host , who asked to be identified only by his Twitter name , @ DeeEmSteve .
“ I think it ’ s very easy for human beings who have a connection with a piece of media to say , ‘ Well , if it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person ?
’ ” he said .
“ The answer is obviously no , you ’ re not a bad person .
But the media you ’ re consuming has problems , and [ in this case , ] those problems are that it takes Asian stereotypes , packages them up and lets people play with those very harmful things.
” @ DeeEmSteve added : “ Every single creator — regardless of their education , resource and empathy as a person — is going to bring biases and privileges into their writing.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coast will “ normalize the practice ” of hiring sensitivity readers for future books inspired by real-world cultures and peoples .
Wizards of the Coast ’ s diversity statement said that the company will be “ incorporating ” sensitivity readers in the future .
But at the moment , mentions of Kara-tur are present even within D & D ’ s current fifth edition , which “ still includes stereotypes about Asian honor ” that could potentially incite a curious reader to purchase the original book that started it all , Kwan said @

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The company behind the role-playing game “Dungeons & Dragons” has added a disclaimer to old titles on its online marketplaces — most notably “Oriental Adventures,” a book originally published in 1985 that has long been criticized by Asian fans.
“We ... recognize that some of the legacy content available on this website does not reflect the values of the ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ franchise today,” the disclaimer from Wizards of the Coast reads. “Some older content may reflect ethnic, racial and gender prejudice that were commonplace in American society at that time. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. This content is presented as it was originally created because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed. ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ teaches that diversity is a strength, and we strive to make our D&D products as welcoming and inclusive as possible. This part of our work will never end.”
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The disclaimer is now visible on Dungeon Masters Guild and Drive Thru RPG, two online marketplaces where old D&D content is available for sale. HuffPost US
The disclaimer is visible on Dungeon Masters Guild and DriveThru RPG, the two most prominent sites selling older D&D material. Fans first noticed the disclaimer on Tuesday, and it appears in product descriptions for all rulebooks and supplements that were released prior to the current fifth edition of the game, which came out in 2014. It appears twice on descriptions of D&D books that include content that resembles real-world cultures and races.
Examples of the latter include “Maztica” and “Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures,” which feature cultures inspired by Mesoamerica and the Middle East. It also includes both the 1985 and 2001 editions of “Oriental Adventures,” which invite players to create characters in “Kara-tur,” a “mystical and exotic” land rooted in Japanese history, with a smattering of other East Asian influences.
The cover of the D&D "Oriental Adventures" supplement, first released in 1985. HuffPost US
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The D&D Twitter account explained that the disclaimer was part of an ongoing initiative that Wizards of the Coast started in June stressing diversity and a more nuanced approach to several heavily criticized aspects of the game, including the concept of inherently evil fantasy races.
This is an early step and not done in a vacuum. It's not enough to evaluate ourselves. As outlined in our original diversity statement (https://t.co/VaAzdZo0Qa), we're undergoing the process of reviewing our content and practices and hiring external consultants to review with us. — Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) July 8, 2020
Lastly, we want to make it clear that we condemn the harassment or bullying of those raising their concerns about our content, past or present. D&D wants to be an open, welcoming, and inclusive space. Those who do not reflect those values are not welcome in our community. — Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) July 8, 2020
Simply put, we messed up and we're sorry. Wizards of the Coast is constantly working to be better, and we have a lot of work to do, especially so in repairing trust with our community. Thank you for continuing to use your voice so that we may continue to make meaningful change. — Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) July 8, 2020
Wizards of the Coast’s tweets also condemned the harassment of fans — a reference to the experience of people such as Daniel Kwan, a game designer and co-host of the “Asians Represent Podcast.”
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Kwan read through the entirety of “Oriental Adventures” in a series of livestreams and has long argued for Wizards of the Coast to delist the book from D&D’s online marketplaces.
“‘Asian-themed’ content in the role-playing space, especially major titles, has been primarily created by white men,” Kwan told HuffPost. “Our main issue with these products is that they take beautiful and nuanced aspects of Asian cultures and combine them into pastiches that focus entirely on stereotypes.”
“Oriental Adventures” — the original version of which was written by three white men — often depicted Asians as “violent and savage, uncivilized and in need of foreign saviors and as objects of fetishization,” Kwan added.
Because D&D is a game in which players center themselves as protagonists in a collaborative narrative, these depictions could potentially “feed into how Asian players are perceived at the gaming table, as well as what their characters can and should do,” Kwan said.
Kwan applauded Wizards of the Coast for “trying to take a positive step forward” after it added the disclaimer and condemned harassment. But its response came only after abusive voices hurled racial slurs Kwan’s way and labeled him a “book burner,” he pointed out.
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It's been almost two weeks since this tweet. In that time, I've been called a book burner, racial slurs like "Ch**k", and more. For what? For calling out how @Wizards_DnD continues to profit off of racist content. Unacceptable. https://t.co/KbF9jaeNUn — Daniel Kwan (@danielhkwan) July 8, 2020
I WILL hold @Wizards_DnD to this. A Twitter thread means nothing if they don't back it up with action.
I will continue to call out harmful content towards the Asian community through my platform and @aznsrepresent. We have a voice and WotC is FINALLY starting to listen. pic.twitter.com/Z7Nd7jpx8N — Daniel Kwan (@danielhkwan) July 8, 2020
In order for D&D to grow into a more inclusive hobby, both Wizards of the Coast and the role-playing community need to listen to diverse voices without falling back on “knee-jerk reactions,” said Kwan’s podcast co-host, who asked to be identified only by his Twitter name, @DeeEmSteve.
“I think it’s very easy for human beings who have a connection with a piece of media to say, ‘Well, if it’s bad, am I a bad person?’” he said. “The answer is obviously no, you’re not a bad person. But the media you’re consuming has problems, and [in this case,] those problems are that it takes Asian stereotypes, packages them up and lets people play with those very harmful things.”
@DeeEmSteve added: “Every single creator — regardless of their education, resource and empathy as a person — is going to bring biases and privileges into their writing.” He said he hopes Wizards of the Coast will “normalize the practice” of hiring sensitivity readers for future books inspired by real-world cultures and peoples.
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Wizards of the Coast’s diversity statement said that the company will be “incorporating” sensitivity readers in the future. But at the moment, mentions of Kara-tur are present even within D&D’s current fifth edition, which “still includes stereotypes about Asian honor” that could potentially incite a curious reader to purchase the original book that started it all, Kwan said.
An image of rules from the current D&D "Dungeon Master's Guide," with suggestions to "act with honor" and "surrendering while trying to save face." HuffPost US
In response to people calling him a “book burner,” Kwan argued that, ideally, Wizards of the Coast should demonetize all problematic legacy titles and place them in an online archive similar to a museum, where interested people can access them alongside “a public disclaimer, apology and annotations.”
@DeeEmSteve agreed. He would prefer “people to access ‘Oriental Adventures’ in such a way that it is a tool for education.”
Most of all, both hosts hope that, in the future, diverse voices will be granted respect and space to vocalize their comments, concerns and hopes for the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest role-playing game.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-12--Wisconsin Congressman Has Coughing Fit At Mask-Optional State GOP Convention

“ It ’ s time to talk about Donald John Trump , ” Grothman said forcefully before a coughing spasm interrupted his speech that , at one point , prompted him to loosen his collar .
People were warned in a handout not to attend the Republican Party of Wisconsin convention if they were “ not feeling well ” or experiencing symptoms such as “ coughing.
” After the speech , there was no immediate word from Grothman about how he was faring .
But photos posted Saturday of him touring a local farmers market and a police station without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconcerned about catching — or spreading — COVID-19 .
The convention in Green Bay drew about 300 people and was a controversial gathering , as attendees risked spreading COVID-19 in the county with the second-highest number of cases in the state .
“ There are a lot of people here who are very excited to support President Donald Trump , ” the party ’ s executive director , Mark Jefferson , told WBAY-TV .
“ That ’ s why they wanted to have a convention .
They wanted to have it in person.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ socialism ” and the “ violent mobs ” of Black Lives Matter protesters , according to Wisconsin Public Radio .
There was little mention of the coronavirus .
Extremely few attending wore masks or appeared to maintain social distance .
The convention did offer free masks and hand sanitizer , but attendees were warned that they assumed liability if they contracted COVID-19 at the event .
“ As with any public activity , there are risks assumed , ” stated a flyer handed out to people as they entered the convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Convention you acknowledge and assume any potential risk and liability for your own health.
” Grothman managed to continue his speech after coughing , lauding “ all the wonderful things Trump has done .
”

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) suffered a coughing fit onstage at the mask-optional Wisconsin GOP convention Saturday, drawing nervous laughter from the largely maskless audience.
“It’s time to talk about Donald John Trump,” Grothman said forcefully before a coughing spasm interrupted his speech that, at one point, prompted him to loosen his collar.
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People were warned in a handout not to attend the Republican Party of Wisconsin convention if they were “not feeling well” or experiencing symptoms such as “coughing.”
After the speech, there was no immediate word from Grothman about how he was faring. But photos posted Saturday of him touring a local farmers market and a police station without a mask revealed him to be someone unconcerned about catching — or spreading — COVID-19.
This is @RepGrothman *today* at the Wisconsin Republican convention (which was held in-person) pic.twitter.com/MnsVlJryLE — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 12, 2020
The convention in Green Bay drew about 300 people and was a controversial gathering, as attendees risked spreading COVID-19 in the county with the second-highest number of cases in the state.
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“There are a lot of people here who are very excited to support President Donald Trump,” the party’s executive director, Mark Jefferson, told WBAY-TV. “That’s why they wanted to have a convention. They wanted to have it in person.”
Speakers warned about “anarchy” and “socialism” and the “violent mobs” of Black Lives Matter protesters, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. There was little mention of the coronavirus.
Extremely few attending wore masks or appeared to maintain social distance. The convention did offer free masks and hand sanitizer, but attendees were warned that they assumed liability if they contracted COVID-19 at the event.
“As with any public activity, there are risks assumed,” stated a flyer handed out to people as they entered the convention building. “By attending the RPW State Convention you acknowledge and assume any potential risk and liability for your own health.”
In light of the pandemic, the party gave these guidelines for attendees. pic.twitter.com/9DlV7MYnEy — Will Kenneally (@willkenneally) July 11, 2020
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Grothman managed to continue his speech after coughing, lauding “all the wonderful things Trump has done.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-11--Trump Team Swoons After Their Boss Finally Dons Face Mask Months After Everybody Else

You ’ d think President Donald Trump had just discovered a medical cure the way his campaign team figuratively fainted at his feet Saturday .
But no , he was simply , finally wearing a face mask during a visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as a COVID-19 safety measure — months after just about everybody else in the world .
Jason Miller , Trump campaign senior adviser , crowed in a tweet that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is now “ finished ” as he posted a photo of a masked president .
It wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing a mask pretty much all along .
Trump finally wearing a mask now would seem to indicate that he ’ s been wrong all along not to wear one .
In a not particularly creative echo of Miller , Boris Epshteyn — “ strategic adviser for coalition ” to the Trump campaign — piped up : “ Goodnight , Joe Biden.
” Ouch .
Campaign Press Communications Director Erin Perrine interjected , too .
She retweeted a comment about Trump looking “ badass ” in a mask from a New York Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been part of a strategy to give the president lots of positive feedback to reward the reluctant president for wearing a mask .
Aides and Republican lawmakers reportedly have been pleading with him for weeks to wear a mask as COVID-19 is skyrocketing to new levels in the U.S. and has killed nearly 135,000 people across the country .
In May , voters were ordered to remove their masks before a roundtable in Iowa with Vice President Mike Pence .
That was just hours after Pence had been exposed to an aide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One of those attending that roundtable , American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall , tested positive last week after battling symptoms of COVID-19 .
Oklahoma had two record spikes this week in daily coronavirus cases , just three weeks after Trump invited some 6,000 people to an indoor campaign rally in Tulsa .
He didn ’ t wear a mask , nor did he encourage others to do so .

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You’d think President Donald Trump had just discovered a medical cure the way his campaign team figuratively fainted at his feet on Saturday. But no, he was just finally wearing a face mask during a visit to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center — months after just about everybody else in the world.
Walter Reed requires visitors to wear masks when social distancing isn’t possible.
Jason Miller, Trump campaign senior adviser, crowed in a tweet that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is now “finished,” alongside a photo of the masked president.
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It wasn’t clear why; Biden has been wearing a mask pretty much all along.
Joe Biden is finished. pic.twitter.com/cYjerzBBay — Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) July 11, 2020
Other Twitter users found the tweet bizarre:
132,000 deaths later. — BeautifullyPutChaos (@dgonly1) July 11, 2020
What a surreal alternate universe you inhabit. — Andrew Wortman (@AmoneyResists) July 11, 2020
In an echo of Miller, Boris Epshteyn, “strategic adviser for coalition” to the Trump campaign, piped up: “Goodnight, Joe Biden.”
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Campaign manager Brad Parscale wrote, inexplicably, “America First” and posted a closeup of the same Trump photo.
Trump campaign Communications Director Erin Perrine weighed in, too. She retweeted a comment about Trump looking “badass” in a mask from a New York Post reporter.
In her own tweet, Perrine said: “Rocking a mask like a boss.”
Rocking a mask like a boss 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/MVWA7YIrKX — Erin Perrine (@ErinMPerrine) July 11, 2020
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The Trump team tweets may have been part of a strategy to give the president lots of positive feedback to encourage him to wear a mask again. Aides and Republican lawmakers reportedly have been pleading with Trump to wear a mask for weeks, as COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed across the country, leaving nearly 135,000 people dead.
In May, voters were ordered to remove their masks before a roundtable in Iowa with Vice President Mike Pence — just hours after Pence had been exposed to an aide who had just tested positive for COVID-19.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-12--Surgeon General Jerome Adams Tries To Walk Back Past Bad Mask Advice

The Washington Post via Getty Images Surgeon General Jerome Adams during a TV interview at the White House on Tuesday .
U.S .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Sunday deflected questions about his past advice to the public not to wear face masks as the coronavirus pandemic took off .
Adams tried to walk back his earlier remarks about face masks when asked whether he regretted them on CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation.
” He rattled off a list of absurd health remedies from the past to explain himself .
“ It ’ s important for people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we prescribed cigarettes for asthmatics ― and leeches and cocaine and heroin for people ― as medical treatments .
When we learn better , we do better , ” Adams said .
He also doubled down on his skepticism about masks , arguing that recent studies dispute their effectiveness .
The United States is currently nearing 140,000 deaths due to coronavirus , according to Johns Hopkins University .
Adams is the senior-most public health official in the U.S. , and President Donald Trump has frequently deployed him to tout the administration ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitalizations and deaths spike .
Adams in February admonished Americans not to purchase masks that he said should instead go to health care workers as the Trump administration struggled to distribute personal protective equipment to the country .
“ Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS !
” he tweeted , adding that masks were “ NOT effective in preventing general public from catching # Coronavirus.
” At the time , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had already confirmed coronavirus could be spread by carriers who don ’ t show symptoms .
Seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NOT effective in preventing general public from catching # Coronavirus , but if healthcare providers can ’ t get them to care for sick patients , it puts them and our communities at risk !
https : //t.co/UxZRwxxKL9 — U.S .
Surgeon General ( @ Surgeon_General ) February 29 , 2020 Contrary to Adams ’ s claim , there was no clear evidence that masks were ineffective in stopping the spread of the virus .
Adams repeated the claim in an earlier appearance on “ Face the Nation.
” “ Masks do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told host Margaret Brennan .
Adams suggested instead that Americans “ stay safe by washing your hands , by covering your cough [ and ] by staying home if you ’ re sick.
” Trump has publicly dismissed advice to wear a face mask and was seen publicly donning a mask for the first time only this week .
Adams has heaped praise on Trump ’ s actions amid the pandemic .
In an interview in March , the surgeon general dodged questions about U.S. coronavirus testing capability and praised Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleeps less than I do , and he ’ s healthier than what I am , ” the surgeon general said .
Adams was widely condemned for advising Black and Latino Americans in communities suffering from coronavirus to “ avoid alcohol , tobacco and drugs ” to avoid spreading the disease .
Do it , “ if not for yourself , then for your abuela , do it for your grandaddy , do it for your big mama , do it for your pop pop , ” Adams said .
The CDC said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ― not alcohol , tobacco and drug use ― made these communities more susceptible to coronavirus .
.
@ Surgenon_General on his past mask guidance that they don ’ t work for the `` general public ” @ JeromeAdamsMD : `` Once upon a time we prescribed cigarettes for asthmatics , and leeches and cocaine and heroine for people as medical treatments , when we learn better we do better '' pic.twitter.com/GPe4rnW1tv — Face The Nation ( @ FaceTheNation ) July 12 , 2020

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U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Sunday deflected questions about his past advice to the public not to wear face masks as the coronavirus pandemic took off.
Adams tried to walk back his earlier remarks about face masks when asked whether he regretted them on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” He rattled off a list of absurd health remedies from the past to explain himself.
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“It’s important for people to understand that, once upon a time, we prescribed cigarettes for asthmatics ― and leeches and cocaine and heroin for people ― as medical treatments. When we learn better, we do better,” Adams said. He also doubled down on his skepticism about masks, arguing that recent studies dispute their effectiveness.
Surgeon General Jerome Adams during a TV interview at the White House on Tuesday. The Washington Post via Getty Images
The United States is currently nearing 140,000 deaths due to coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. Adams is the senior-most public health official in the U.S., and President Donald Trump has frequently deployed him to tout the administration’s approach to coronavirus as cases, hospitalizations and deaths spike.
Adams in February admonished Americans not to purchase masks that he said should instead go to health care workers as the Trump administration struggled to distribute personal protective equipment to the country.
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“Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!” he tweeted, adding that masks were “NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus.” At the time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had already confirmed coronavirus could be spread by carriers who don’t show symptoms.
Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!
They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!
https://t.co/UxZRwxxKL9 — U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) February 29, 2020
Contrary to Adams’s claim, there was no clear evidence that masks were ineffective in stopping the spread of the virus. Adams repeated the claim in an earlier appearance on “Face the Nation.”
“Masks do not work for the general public,” he told host Margaret Brennan. Adams suggested instead that Americans “stay safe by washing your hands, by covering your cough [and] by staying home if you’re sick.”
Trump has publicly dismissed advice to wear a face mask and was seen publicly donning a mask for the first time only this week.
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Adams has heaped praise on Trump’s actions amid the pandemic. In an interview in March, the surgeon general dodged questions about U.S. coronavirus testing capability and praised Trump’s health.
“The president … sleeps less than I do, and he’s healthier than what I am,” the surgeon general said.
Adams was widely condemned for advising Black and Latino Americans in communities suffering from coronavirus to “avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs” to avoid spreading the disease.
Do it, “if not for yourself, then for your abuela, do it for your grandaddy, do it for your big mama, do it for your pop pop,” Adams said.
The CDC said “long-standing systemic health and social inequities” ― not alcohol, tobacco and drug use ― made these communities more susceptible to coronavirus.
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Watch Jerome Adams on “Face the Nation.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-12--Florida Reports Over 15,000 COVID-19 Cases In Single-Day Record

( Reuters ) - Florida reported a record increase of more than 15,000 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours on Sunday , as the Trump administration renewed its push for schools to reopen and anti-mask protests were planned in Michigan and Missouri .
If Florida were a country , it would rank fourth in the world for the most new cases in a day behind the United States , Brazil and India , according to a Reuters analysis .
Florida ’ s daily increases in cases have already surpassed the highest daily tally reported by any European country during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has also broken New York state ’ s record of 12,847 new cases on April 10 when it was the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak .
The latest rise was reported a day after Walt Disney World in Orlando reopened with a limited number of guests who were welcomed with a host of safety measures , including masks and temperature checks .
Coronavirus infections are rising in about 40 states , according to a Reuters analysis of cases for the past two weeks compared with the prior two weeks .
Nationally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by registering about 60,000 new cases a day for the last four days in a row , according to a Reuters tally .
Hospitalizations and positive test rates are also rising in Arizona , California , Florida and Texas .
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said on Sunday that her department did not have its own safe reopening plans to promote , and each school district and state must devise their own plans based on their local coronavirus infection rates .
Health officials have pleaded with the public to wear masks to limit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue has become politically divisive in the United States unlike many other countries that have seen far lower rates of infection and death .
Seven months into the pandemic , Trump wore a mask for the first time in public when he visited a Washington D.C.-area military medical center on Saturday .
He had previously refused to wear a mask in public or ask Americans to wear face coverings , saying it was a personal choice .
Many Americans still refuse to wear a mask , which health experts say help stop transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 134,000 Americans .
The restaurant , 33 & Melt , has become a focal point of tension after owner Carrie Hudson said she was not requiring customers to wear masks .
County officials have mandated the use of masks in public since June 20 .
During Saturday ’ s protest , no customers wore face coverings inside the restaurant .
Agents from the state ’ s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco arrived during the rally and served Hudson with a warning , according to a video .
“ This is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said one of the demonstrators , anti-mask activist Tara Hill .
“ Everyone is responsible for their own health care decisions ... We want our choices respected as well.
” In addition to a record 15,000 new cases on Sunday , more than four dozen hospitals in Florida reported that their intensive care units are full due to a surge in COVID-19 patients .
Hundreds were expected to attend a demonstration at the Michigan state capitol on Sunday afternoon , according to a Facebook event , to protest against Governor Gretchen Whitmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mask in public , except when outdoors and able to maintain social distance .
Protesters were also planning to gather outside city hall in Springfield , Missouri on Monday , where the city council was due to vote on a mask mandate in response to rising cases and a more than fourfold increase in Greene County ’ s COVID-19 hospitalizations in the last month .

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(Reuters) - Florida reported a record increase of more than 15,000 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours on Sunday, as the Trump administration renewed its push for schools to reopen and anti-mask protests were planned in Michigan and Missouri.
If Florida were a country, it would rank fourth in the world for the most new cases in a day behind the United States, Brazil and India, according to a Reuters analysis.
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Florida’s daily increases in cases have already surpassed the highest daily tally reported by any European country during the height of the pandemic there. It has also broken New York state’s record of 12,847 new cases on April 10 when it was the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak.
The latest rise was reported a day after Walt Disney World in Orlando reopened with a limited number of guests who were welcomed with a host of safety measures, including masks and temperature checks.
Anti-mask activists in several states, including Florida and Michigan, have organized protests against local mandates, arguing that the measures infringe upon individual freedom.
Coronavirus infections are rising in about 40 states, according to a Reuters analysis of cases for the past two weeks compared with the prior two weeks. Nationally, the United States has broken global records by registering about 60,000 new cases a day for the last four days in a row, according to a Reuters tally. Hospitalizations and positive test rates are also rising in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.
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Facing a battered economy as he seeks re-election in November, President Donald Trump has pressured states to reopen shuttered businesses and schools.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said on Sunday that her department did not have its own safe reopening plans to promote, and each school district and state must devise their own plans based on their local coronavirus infection rates.
TRUMP DONS MASK
Health officials have pleaded with the public to wear masks to limit the spread of the virus, but the issue has become politically divisive in the United States unlike many other countries that have seen far lower rates of infection and death.
Seven months into the pandemic, Trump wore a mask for the first time in public when he visited a Washington D.C.-area military medical center on Saturday. He had previously refused to wear a mask in public or ask Americans to wear face coverings, saying it was a personal choice.
Many Americans still refuse to wear a mask, which health experts say help stop transmission of the virus that has killed more than 134,000 Americans.
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Anti-mask activists organized a protest on Saturday at a grilled cheese restaurant and bar in Windermere, Florida, which is in Orange County about 12 miles (19 km) from Walt Disney World.
The restaurant, 33 & Melt, has become a focal point of tension after owner Carrie Hudson said she was not requiring customers to wear masks. County officials have mandated the use of masks in public since June 20.
During Saturday’s protest, no customers wore face coverings inside the restaurant. Agents from the state’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco arrived during the rally and served Hudson with a warning, according to a video.
“This is a virus that is very well contained,” said one of the demonstrators, anti-mask activist Tara Hill. “Everyone is responsible for their own health care decisions ... We want our choices respected as well.”
In addition to a record 15,000 new cases on Sunday, more than four dozen hospitals in Florida reported that their intensive care units are full due to a surge in COVID-19 patients.
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Hundreds were expected to attend a demonstration at the Michigan state capitol on Sunday afternoon, according to a Facebook event, to protest against Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s order that everyone must wear a mask in public, except when outdoors and able to maintain social distance.
Protesters were also planning to gather outside city hall in Springfield, Missouri on Monday, where the city council was due to vote on a mask mandate in response to rising cases and a more than fourfold increase in Greene County’s COVID-19 hospitalizations in the last month.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-11--Arizona, Texas Officials Order Morgue Trucks In Latest Sign Of Rising COVID-19 Rates

“ That ’ s why we ’ re asking people to wear face masks , ” Nueces County Judge Barbara @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I am now having to order additional body bags and morgue trailers .
@ @ @ @ @ real it is.
” Morgues in Texas ’ Travis , Cameron and Hidalgo Counties now @ @ @ @ @ the dead , or have ordered them , The Texas Tribune reported .
A particularly @ @ @ @ @ rates from COVID-19 at the height of the coronavirus surge in New York City were @ @ @ @ @ lined up outside a number of hospitals .

“That’s why we’re asking people to wear face masks,” Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales told NBC affiliate KRIS-TV. “I am now having to order additional body bags and morgue trailers. People have to understand how real it is.”
Morgues in Texas’ Travis, Cameron and Hidalgo Counties now either have refrigerator trailers for the dead, or have ordered them, The Texas Tribune reported.
A particularly chilling sign of the death rates from COVID-19 at the height of the coronavirus surge in New York City were the white semi-trailer morgue trucks lined up outside a number of hospitals.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-12--DeVos Defends Trump's School Funding Threat, Calls CDC’s Guidelines ‘Flexible’

Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Sunday defended President Donald Trump ’ s threat to withhold funds from schools that refuse to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic , while refusing to say whether her department will follow federal safety health guidelines , which she said are “ meant to be flexible.
” “ American investment in education is a promise to students and their families .
If schools aren ’ t going to reopen , and not fulfill that promise , then they shouldn ’ t get the funds .
Then give it to the families to decide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet that promise , ” she said in an interview with “ Fox News Sunday ” host Chris Wallace .
DeVos ’ comments came after Trump accused Democrats last week of wanting to keep schools closed in the hopes that it would hurt his reelection bid this November .
He further criticized COVID-19 school safety guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , calling them “ very tough & expensive.
” Wallace pointed out that only Congress has the authority to cut school funding , to which DeVos responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the options.
” Betsy DeVos wo n't commit to whether or not the Dept .
of Education will follow the CDC guidelines to re-open schools , repeatedly says they are just `` recommendations '' and that they need to get kids `` back in the classroom '' pic.twitter.com/OFnPvxxvFP — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) July 12 , 2020 The CDC ’ s guidelines include hand washing , mask wearing , not sharing materials , and keeping people at least 6 feet apart .
DeVos emphasized that the guidelines are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are just that , meant to be flexible and meant to be applied as appropriate for the situation , ” she told CNN ’ s Dana Bash on “ State of the Union.
” She repeatedly declined to say whether the federal government is following the CDC ’ s guidelines when asked .
DeVos instead highlighted a need to balance virus safety with children ’ s education , arguing that keeping kids out of school not only stunts their education but in some cases fuels mental health issues .
“ There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids being in school is in any way dangerous , ” DeVos told Wallace , despite the World Health Organization on Thursday acknowledging the possibility that the virus can be airborne indoors .
“ We know that other countries around the world have reopened their schools and have done so successfully and safely , ” she said .
She further defended Trump ’ s comparison of the U.S. to several European countries where schools have safely reopened .
That ’ s despite those countries — Germany , Denmark , Norway and Sweden — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day .
The U.S. recorded 66,281 new cases on Saturday .
Because of the continuing coronavirus surge in the U.S. , the European Union continues to ban American travelers .
DeVos conceded that schools in viral “ hot spots ” should “ be dealt with differently , ” though she did not specify which areas or in what way .
Forty states have reported a growing number of COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks .
“ We ’ re not talking about places where it ’ s , quote , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking about the rule , not the exception .
And where there are hot spots , in the future in the fall , of course , that has to be dealt with differently , ” DeVos said .

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Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s threat to withhold funds from schools that refuse to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, while refusing to say whether her department will follow federal safety health guidelines, which she said are “meant to be flexible.”
“American investment in education is a promise to students and their families. If schools aren’t going to reopen, and not fulfill that promise, then they shouldn’t get the funds. Then give it to the families to decide to go to a school that is going to meet that promise,” she said in an interview with “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace.
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DeVos’ comments came after Trump accused Democrats last week of wanting to keep schools closed in the hopes that it would hurt his reelection bid this November. He further criticized COVID-19 school safety guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calling them “very tough & expensive.”
“May cut off funding if not open!” Trump said on Twitter Wednesday.
Wallace pointed out that only Congress has the authority to cut school funding, to which DeVos responded that the administration is “looking at all of the options.”
Betsy DeVos won't commit to whether or not the Dept. of Education will follow the CDC guidelines to re-open schools, repeatedly says they are just "recommendations" and that they need to get kids "back in the classroom" pic.twitter.com/OFnPvxxvFP — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 12, 2020
The CDC’s guidelines include hand washing, mask wearing, not sharing materials, and keeping people at least 6 feet apart. DeVos emphasized that the guidelines are not hard rules.
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“The CDC guidelines are just that, meant to be flexible and meant to be applied as appropriate for the situation,” she told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.” She repeatedly declined to say whether the federal government is following the CDC’s guidelines when asked.
DeVos instead highlighted a need to balance virus safety with children’s education, arguing that keeping kids out of school not only stunts their education but in some cases fuels mental health issues.
“There’s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous,” DeVos told Wallace, despite the World Health Organization on Thursday acknowledging the possibility that the virus can be airborne indoors.
“We know that other countries around the world have reopened their schools and have done so successfully and safely,” she said.
She further defended Trump’s comparison of the U.S. to several European countries where schools have safely reopened. That’s despite those countries — Germany, Denmark, Norway and Sweden — reporting as few as 11 new cases a day. The U.S. recorded 66,281 new cases on Saturday. Because of the continuing coronavirus surge in the U.S., the European Union continues to ban American travelers.
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DeVos conceded that schools in viral “hot spots” should “be dealt with differently,” though she did not specify which areas or in what way. Forty states have reported a growing number of COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-12--Republicans Are Meddling In Texas' Democratic Senate Primary

Pool via Getty Images Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn ’ s campaign is spending hundreds of thousands intervening in the Democratic race to challenge him in November .
Tuesday ’ s runoff election pits Air Force veteran M.J. Hegar against long-time state Sen. Royce West , with the winner set to face Cornyn , the second-highest ranking Senate Republican , in November .
Democrats , looking at both an increasingly favorable national political climate and demographic and ideological changes throughout Texas , are cautiously eyeing the race as a pick-up opportunity as they seek to overcome Republicans ’ 53-47 advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independents and Republicans are just , frankly , disturbed by where the president has led this country , ” West said in a phone interview , expressing confidence in the Democratic Party ’ s ability to win the state at the presidential and Senate levels in November .
“ We ’ re going to have to nationalize this race.
” The race , as the final competitive Democratic Senate primary of the cycle , is also a test of a Senate Democratic political operation that is so far undefeated in steering its preferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limits of Democratic voters ’ preference for Black candidates in the weeks and months following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement .
Sporadic public polling has shown Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden competitive with President Donald Trump in the state , though Cornyn has shown a more consistent lead .
And unlike in 2018 , when then-Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke raised $ 80 million and came within 3 percentage points of toppling Sen. Ted Cruz , Democrats are trailing Cornyn ― who has nearly $ 13 million on hand ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cornyn ’ s actions over the past week show a politician who is actively trying to make his reelection bid as easy as possible .
His campaign began airing an ad attacking the cash-strapped West on Friday , calling him a “ liberal politician ” and highlighting his support for abortion rights and gun control — which potentially gives Democrats a reason to back him rather than Hegar .
West has received notable endorsements from a host of Black political figures : Reps. Jim Clyburn ( S.C. ) and Cedric Richmond ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as has Benjamin Crump , the attorney who represents the families of George Floyd and other Black victims of police violence .
In the weeks since Floyd ’ s death , West ’ s campaign has picked up momentum and emphasized his role in writing Texas ’ first police body camera law and other criminal justice reforms .
West is expected to do well with Black voters , and in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex , his political home base .
Hegar should do better in the suburbs , and near her political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters in San Antonio and South Texas could cast the deciding votes .
The five Latino candidates on the ballot combined for more than 25 % of the vote in the first round of the primary .
The battle between Hegar and West bears superficial similarities to the clash between Amy McGrath and Charles Booker in Kentucky ’ s Democratic Senate primary in June ― a female veteran with national political backing who went viral and raised a boatload of cash before losing a House race in 2018 , running against a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerbrokers .
But there ’ s a crucial difference : Hegar and West are not in an ideological battle , with both establishment and progressive figures split on the race .
“ I ’ m not going to go there to disrupt something just for the sake of disrupting it , ” West said .
“ I want to make sure this government is working , and it ’ s not working right now.
” Still , that hasn ’ t prevented grumbling from both local and national Democrats that the DSCC moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national Democrats were high on the candidacy of Amanda Edwards , a young Black Houston councilwoman who ended up finishing fifth in the first round of voting .
( Both Edwards and the third-place candidate , progressive organizer Cristina Ramirez , have endorsed West in the runoff . )
“ We had the most diverse group of candidates in the history of Texas running for the United States Senate .
It seems like they at least should have interviewed all of us before making a decision , ” West said , before quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Campaign Committee and I will kiss and make up and we will mount a robust campaign in the fall .
”

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Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars meddling in the Democratic primary to face him, airing television and radio advertisements to boost a state legislator over Washington Democrats’ preferred candidate.
Tuesday’s runoff election pits Air Force veteran M.J. Hegar against long-time state Sen. Royce West, with the winner set to face Cornyn, the second-highest ranking Senate Republican, in November. Democrats, looking at both an increasingly favorable national political climate and demographic and ideological changes throughout Texas, are cautiously eyeing the race as a pick-up opportunity as they seek to overcome Republicans’ 53-47 advantage in the Senate.
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“Democrats, independents and Republicans are just, frankly, disturbed by where the president has led this country,” West said in a phone interview, expressing confidence in the Democratic Party’s ability to win the state at the presidential and Senate levels in November. “We’re going to have to nationalize this race.”
Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn’s campaign is spending hundreds of thousands intervening in the Democratic race to challenge him in November. Pool via Getty Images
The race, as the final competitive Democratic Senate primary of the cycle, is also a test of a Senate Democratic political operation that is so far undefeated in steering its preferred candidates through primaries, and of the limits of Democratic voters’ preference for Black candidates in the weeks and months following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Sporadic public polling has shown Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden competitive with President Donald Trump in the state, though Cornyn has shown a more consistent lead. And unlike in 2018, when then-Rep. Beto O’Rourke raised $80 million and came within 3 percentage points of toppling Sen. Ted Cruz, Democrats are trailing Cornyn ― who has nearly $13 million on hand ― badly in the money race.
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On Sunday, the Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler released a survey showing Hegar with a 35% to 22% lead over West, with both candidates getting little recognition among the broader electorate and both trailing Cornyn by double digits.
Still, Cornyn’s actions over the past week show a politician who is actively trying to make his reelection bid as easy as possible. His campaign began airing an ad attacking the cash-strapped West on Friday, calling him a “liberal politician” and highlighting his support for abortion rights and gun control — which potentially gives Democrats a reason to back him rather than Hegar.
“He’s on their side, not ours,” a narrator says of West, as images of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas) appear on screen. (Warren has endorsed Hegar in the race, Jackson-Lee is backing West, and Sanders is neutral.)
Here's the TV ad that @JohnCornyn's campaign is going up with tomorrow, similar to the attack ad that it first ran against @RoyceWestTX last summer: pic.twitter.com/05NBUzO12U — Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) July 9, 2020
Cornyn’s spending highlighting West is far greater than the amount West has been able to spend himself. The most recent Federal Election Commission report shows he had just $160,000 in the bank, compared to Hegar’s $1.6 million.
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Hegar’s money advantage would be enough to make her a clear favorite in the contest, but she also carried a larger share of the vote after the first round of primary voting in March: 22% to West’s 15%.
“With an abysmal approval rating and facing the toughest reelection of his political career, Sen. John Cornyn is so desperate to not run against decorated combat veteran and working mom M.J. Hegar that he is meddling in the Democratic runoff election,” said Amanda Sherman, a Hegar spokeswoman.
Much of Cornyn’s spending appears aimed at boosting West, who is Black, with African-American voters. A Democrat tracking media buys noted much of Cornyn’s radio spending is in Beaumont, a small media market with a significant Black population, and that he’s purchased significant ad time on BET.
West has received notable endorsements from a host of Black political figures: Reps. Jim Clyburn (S.C.) and Cedric Richmond (La.) have both endorsed him, as has Benjamin Crump, the attorney who represents the families of George Floyd and other Black victims of police violence. In the weeks since Floyd’s death, West’s campaign has picked up momentum and emphasized his role in writing Texas’ first police body camera law and other criminal justice reforms.
West’s own advertisements attack Hegar for her past as a Republican, noting she voted in the 2016 GOP primary. (Hegar has said she voted for Carly Fiorina as a way to block Trump from getting the GOP nomination.)
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“We need a real Democrat to stand up to Donald Trump,” a narrator says in one West ad.
Hegar, who is making a joint ad buy with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and also has air cover from EMILY’s List, is greatly outspending West on television, where her ads have included a 30-second spot expressing her own support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
“We stand together against the systemic racism that has hurt Black Americans for far too long,” Hegar says in the ad.
In an interview with the Texas Tribune, Hegar downplayed the ad blitz, arguing the spots were aimed at helping her in the general election rather than Tuesday’s race.
“If you look at the ads that are going up, they’re very focused on the general election,” she said. “We are recognizing we’re gonna win this runoff. I’m very confident.”
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West is expected to do well with Black voters, and in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, his political home base. Hegar should do better in the suburbs, and near her political base in Austin. That means Latino voters in San Antonio and South Texas could cast the deciding votes. The five Latino candidates on the ballot combined for more than 25% of the vote in the first round of the primary.
Hegar is up with a Spanish-language radio ad, boasting of her support for ending family separations and a pathway to citizenship.
The battle between Hegar and West bears superficial similarities to the clash between Amy McGrath and Charles Booker in Kentucky’s Democratic Senate primary in June ― a female veteran with national political backing who went viral and raised a boatload of cash before losing a House race in 2018, running against a Black state legislator with closer ties to local powerbrokers. But there’s a crucial difference: Hegar and West are not in an ideological battle, with both establishment and progressive figures split on the race.
“I’m not going to go there to disrupt something just for the sake of disrupting it,” West said. “I want to make sure this government is working, and it’s not working right now.”
McGrath ultimately won the Kentucky contest, following victories by DSCC-backed candidates in Iowa, North Carolina and Colorado.
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Still, that hasn’t prevented grumbling from both local and national Democrats that the DSCC moved too quickly to back Hegar. Some national Democrats were high on the candidacy of Amanda Edwards, a young Black Houston councilwoman who ended up finishing fifth in the first round of voting. (Both Edwards and the third-place candidate, progressive organizer Cristina Ramirez, have endorsed West in the runoff.)
“We had the most diverse group of candidates in the history of Texas running for the United States Senate. It seems like they at least should have interviewed all of us before making a decision,” West said, before quickly adding: “I expect the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and I will kiss and make up and we will mount a robust campaign in the fall.”
For at least a portion of the Texas Democrats, however, the Senate race isn’t the top priority. The party is targeting GOP-held seats in both the U.S. House and the state House, ahead of a crucial redistricting cycle that starts in 2021.
“As we look toward November, as a Democrat, I’m more concerned about taking back the state House and making gains on congressional seats,” said Colin Strother, a Democratic strategist in the state. “I see West adding a lot more value when a lot of our top targets are in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and in the Houston area, and that helps turn out the Black vote.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-12--Trump Reportedly Considered 'Selling' Puerto Rico, Says Ex-Homeland Security Chief

President Donald Trump inquired about the possibility of “ selling ” Puerto Rico after the island was pummeled by Hurricane Maria , his one-time head of homeland security told The New York Times .
Elaine Duke , former acting secretary of homeland security , said that Trump approached the situation of a devastated Puerto Rico as a businessman would and asked about the option of “ divesting ” or “ selling ” the U.S. territory as it struggled in the aftermath of the 2017 hurricane .
She was taken aback by that response , she told the Times .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more of as a businessman , ” Duke recalled .
“ Can we outsource the electricity ?
Can we sell the island ... or divest of that asset ?
” Trump railed against Puerto Rican officials at the time over the amount of money needed to rebuild after Maria struck — and complained that the island had thrown the U.S. budget “ out of whack.
” His administration was sharply criticized for its slow and inadequate response after the catastrophe , which ultimately killed some 3,000 people .
Trump called San Juan Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she criticized his administration ’ s response .
As another hurricane , Dorian , bore down on the island “ as usual ” two years later , Trump complained in a tweet , the president railed at Puerto Ricans politicians for being ungrateful .
We are tracking closely tropical storm Dorian as it heads , as usual , to Puerto Rico .
FEMA and all others are ready , and will do a great job .
When they do , let them know it , and give them a big Thank You - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the incompetent Mayor of San Juan !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 28 , 2019 Duke said the Puerto Rico divestment issue was never seriously discussed after Trump raised the idea .
In a related consideration in 2019 , Trump revealed that he mulled a “ large ” American “ real estate deal ” to purchase the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland , home to 56,000 people .
Denmark might be up for it , he argued , because it ’ s “ losing almost $ 700 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Danes and Greenland residents were appalled .
Officials blasted the idea as “ ridiculous ” and the “ final proof ” that Trump had “ gone mad.
” Duke , a life-long Republican , also criticized Trump ’ s embrace of “ hate-filled , angry and divisive ” language .
She said Trump ’ s paranoia about an imagined “ deep state ” blocked him from seeking valuable counsel from a variety of experts in the government .

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President Donald Trump inquired about the possibility of “selling” Puerto Rico after the island was pummeled by Hurricane Maria, his one-time head of homeland security told The New York Times.
Elaine Duke, former acting secretary of homeland security, said that Trump approached the situation of a devastated Puerto Rico as a businessman would and asked about the option of “divesting” or “selling” the U.S. territory as it struggled in the aftermath of the 2017 hurricane. She was taken aback by that response, she told the Times.
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“The president’s initial ideas were more of as a businessman,” Duke recalled. “Can we outsource the electricity? Can we sell the island ... or divest of that asset?”
Trump railed against Puerto Rican officials at the time over the amount of money needed to rebuild after Maria struck — and complained that the island had thrown the U.S. budget “out of whack.” His administration was sharply criticized for its slow and inadequate response after the catastrophe, which ultimately killed some 3,000 people. Trump called San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz “nasty” after she criticized his administration’s response.
As another hurricane, Dorian, bore down on the island “as usual” two years later, Trump complained in a tweet, the president railed at Puerto Ricans politicians for being ungrateful.
We are tracking closely tropical storm Dorian as it heads, as usual, to Puerto Rico. FEMA and all others are ready, and will do a great job. When they do, let them know it, and give them a big Thank You - Not like last time. That includes from the incompetent Mayor of San Juan! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2019
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Duke said the Puerto Rico divestment issue was never seriously discussed after Trump raised the idea.
In a related consideration in 2019, Trump revealed that he mulled a “large” American “real estate deal” to purchase the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland, home to 56,000 people. Denmark might be up for it, he argued, because it’s “losing almost $700 million a year carrying” Greenland.
The Danes and Greenland residents were appalled. Officials blasted the idea as “ridiculous” and the “final proof” that Trump had “gone mad.”
Duke, a life-long Republican, also criticized Trump’s embrace of “hate-filled, angry and divisive” language. She said Trump’s paranoia about an imagined “deep state” blocked him from seeking valuable counsel from a variety of experts in the government.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-12--21 Injured In Fire Aboard Ship At San Diego Naval Base

A three-alarm fire erupted on Sunday aboard a U.S. warship docked at Naval Base San Diego , prompting an evacuation of the vessel and sending about 18 sailors to the hospital with minor injuries , Navy and local fire officials said .
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department reported an explosion in conjunction with the blaze , which struck at about 8:30 a.m. local time aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard , an amphibious assault vessel .
Aerial video footage from the scene showed much of the 844-foot ( 257 meters ) warship engulfed in thick smoke , as firefighting boats in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the burning vessel .
“ 18 Sailors have been transferred to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries , ” Naval Surface Forces wrote on Twitter on Sunday afternoon , adding “ The entire crew is off the ship and all are accounted.
” About 160 sailors were aboard when the fire was first reported .
San Diego television station KGTV , an ABC News affiliate , reported the ship was undergoing routine maintenance at the time and normally carries a crew of roughly 1,000 .
Rear Admiral Charles Brown , a U.S. Navy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly sustained smoke inhalation and minor burns .
All San Diego Fire Rescue responders were accounted for as of 11:19 a.m. ( 6:19 PM GMT ) , the department said on Twitter .
Around noon local time , the department said all of its personnel had been directed to exit the pier , while aerial footage showed the blaze appearing to grow in size .
Two other warships docked nearby were moved to piers farther from the burning vessel within the next 90 minutes , the Navy said in a statement , putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital at 17 sailors and four civilians .
The Bonhomme Richard , commissioned in 1998 , has participated in several military operations over the years and also has appeared in a pair of Hollywood films - the 2012 sci-fi action movie “ Battleship , ” starring Liam Neeson and singer Rihanna , and “ Act of Valor , ” which featured active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs , according to WGTV .
The ship was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin , one of America ’ s founding fathers and author of the influential “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which he wrote under the pseudonym Poor Richard or Richard Saunders .
It became a forerunner of the popular “ Old Farmer ’ s Almanac .
”

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SAN DIEGO, July 12 (Reuters) - Flames raged for hours on Sunday aboard a U.S. warship docked at Naval Base San Diego, sending 21 people to the hospital with minor injuries and prompting a relocation of two other Navy vessels moored nearby, military and local fire officials said.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department reported an explosion in conjunction with the blaze, which broke out at about 8:30 a.m. local time (1530 GMT) aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault vessel in port for routine maintenance.
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The blast was believed to have been triggered by the rapid initial release of heat from a confined space under pressure, as opposed to an explosion of fuel or ordnance, Rear Admiral Philip Sobeck told a news conference on Sunday evening.
While the precise source of the blaze was unknown, the fire originated in a lower cargo hold of the ship and spread into the decks above it, consuming materials that typically burn in an office or apartment fire, Sobeck said.
Navy spokesman Mike Raney told Reuters there was no immediate evidence of foul play.
Ammunition normally carried aboard warships at sea had already been unloaded as a standard safety precaution before the vessel was placed into maintenance, Navy officials said.
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Roughly 1 million gallons of fuel remained isolated “well below where any heat source is,” and fire crews worked all day to “make sure that’s not affected,” the admiral said.
Palls of thick, acrid smoke visible for miles around the base engulfed much of the 844-foot (257 meter) warship for several hours, as about half a dozen firefighting boats in the harbor trained streams of water onto the burning vessel.
Seventeen sailors and four civilians were taken to local hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, and all those who were aboard the warship - about 160 personnel - were accounted for, the Navy said in a statement.
Sobeck said the hospitalized sailors were all listed in stable condition. Navy officials said the injuries consisted mainly of smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion and minor burns. The vessel normally carries a crew of roughly 1,000.
Several sailors are being treated for a variety of injuries. #shipfire pic.twitter.com/dNUzBEJbBZ — SDFD (@SDFD) July 12, 2020
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NEARBY VESSELS MOVED
Two guided-missile destroyers docked nearby, the USS Fitzgerald and USS Russell, were moved to piers farther from the burning vessel early in the afternoon, the Navy said. Smoke from the fire appeared to begin dying around 3 p.m. local time.
The Bonhomme Richard, commissioned in 1998, is designed to carry U.S. Marine Corps attack helicopters and ground troops into battle. As a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, it ranks as the second-largest vessel type in the Navy’s fleet, surpassed only by aircraft carriers, and is one of only four of its kind in the Pacific, Raney said.
The stricken vessel has participated in several military operations and has appeared in a pair of Hollywood films - the 2012 sci-fi action movie “Battleship” and “Act of Valor,” which featured active-duty U.S. Navy SEALs, according to San Diego television station KGTV, an ABC News affiliate.
The ship was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers and author of the influential “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” which he wrote under the pseudonym Poor Richard or Richard Saunders. It became a forerunner of the popular “Old Farmer’s Almanac.”
U.S. Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones originally gave the name to a frigate the French donated to America in 1779 during its war of independence from Britain.