thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Amy Coney Barrett Refuses To Say If Climate Change Is Real

Amy Coney Barrett has dodged Democrats ’ questions all week on policy matters during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing .
But on Wednesday , President Donald Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee took it a step further and refused to discuss whether climate change is real .
Sen. Kamala Harris of California , a committee member and Joe Biden ’ s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket , asked Barrett if she believed in other scientifically proven facts before bringing up climate change .
“ Yes , I do accept that COVID-19 is infectious , ” Barrett said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s something of which I feel we can say , we take judicial notice of it .
It ’ s an obvious fact , yes.
” “ I ’ m not sure exactly where you ’ re going with this , ” Barrett replied .
“ Yes , every package of cigarettes warns that smoking causes cancer.
” “ Do you believe climate change is happening and threatening the air we breathe and water we drink ?
” asked Harris .
“ You have asked me a series of questions that are completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whether smoking causes cancer , and then trying to analogize that to elicit an opinion from me that is on a very contentious matter of public debate , ” she said .
“ I will not do that.
” Barrett continued , “ I will not express a view on a matter of public policy , especially one that is politically controversial , because that ’ s inconsistent with the judicial role.
” Climate change itself is not a policy matter ― how do deal with it is .
Nor should it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out on NASA ’ s climate change website for children , it is happening and the primary cause is greenhouse gas emissions from cars , power plants and other human-made sources .
NASA scientists track the planet ’ s surface warming , and many of the past 20 years have been the warmest on record .
A group of 1,300 scientific experts from around the world has concluded a more than 95 % probability exists that human activities over the past 50 years have contributed to this warming .

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Amy Coney Barrett has dodged Democrats’ questions all week on policy matters during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing. But on Wednesday, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee took it a step further and refused to discuss whether climate change is real.
Sen. Kamala Harris of California, a committee member and Joe Biden’s running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket, asked Barrett if she believed in other scientifically proven facts before bringing up climate change.
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“Do you accept that COVID-19 is infectious?” Harris asked.
“Yes, I do accept that COVID-19 is infectious,” Barrett said with a chuckle. “That’s something of which I feel we can say, we take judicial notice of it. It’s an obvious fact, yes.”
“Do you accept that smoking causes cancer?” Harris continued.
“I’m not sure exactly where you’re going with this,” Barrett replied. “Yes, every package of cigarettes warns that smoking causes cancer.”
“Do you believe climate change is happening and threatening the air we breathe and water we drink?” asked Harris.
That’s when Barrett balked.
“You have asked me a series of questions that are completely uncontroversial, like whether COVID-19 is infectious, whether smoking causes cancer, and then trying to analogize that to elicit an opinion from me that is on a very contentious matter of public debate,” she said. “I will not do that.”
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Barrett continued, “I will not express a view on a matter of public policy, especially one that is politically controversial, because that’s inconsistent with the judicial role.”
Climate change itself is not a policy matter ― how do deal with it is. Nor should it be viewed as controversial. As spelled out on NASA’s climate change website for children, it is happening and the primary cause is greenhouse gas emissions from cars, power plants and other human-made sources.
NASA scientists track the planet’s surface warming, and many of the past 20 years have been the warmest on record. A group of 1,300 scientific experts from around the world has concluded a more than 95% probability exists that human activities over the past 50 years have contributed to this warming.
Harris let Barrett’s refusal to comment on climate change speak for itself.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Billboard Warns Iowans That Trump Rally Will Be 'COVID Superspreader Event'

An advocacy group in Iowa has erected a massive red billboard to warn residents that President Donald Trump ’ s upcoming rally in the state will be a “ COVID SUPERSPREADER EVENT.
” Rural America 2020 on Tuesday began displaying its billboard outside of Des Moines International Airport , where Trump is slated to hold the event as part of his reelection campaign on Wednesday .
We ’ re doing our part to warn Iowans that @ realdonaldtrump is in town tomorrow .
This billboard is directly outside the Des Moines Airport where he will hold his hangar rally .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Rural America 2020 ( @ RuralUSA2020 ) October 13 , 2020 Some locals have already been sharing snapshots of the billboard : Iowa Rural America 2020 steering committee member Chris Henning said in a press release that everyone should “ be worried about a President who was in the hospital with COVID last week and who now wants to pack thousands of Iowans into an airport hangar.
” “ This is the height of irresponsibility .
We saw what happened in the Rose Garden .
Why should the President be allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa , particularly when our cases are rising ?
” he said .
Henning ’ s concerns were echoed by Lina Tucker Reinders , executive director of the Iowa Public Health Association , who told the Des Moines Register that she also has concerns about the rally .
“ If anyone in attendance is infectious , we are potentially looking at another super-spreader event , ” she told the newspaper .
“ We again today set a record high for hospitalizations .
We need to be focusing on bringing those numbers down and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events , political or otherwise.
” A Des Moines airport spokeswoman said local officials were told to expect “ up to 10,000 people at the rally , ” according to the Register .
Outside of Trump , who was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month and spent three days in the hospital receiving treatment , other members of the White House who have tested positive for the virus include former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway , first lady Melania Trump , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and more .

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An advocacy group in Iowa has erected a massive red billboard to warn residents that President Donald Trump’s upcoming rally in the state will be a “COVID SUPERSPREADER EVENT.”
Rural America 2020 on Tuesday began displaying its billboard outside of Des Moines International Airport, where Trump is slated to hold the event as part of his reelection campaign on Wednesday.
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The billboard features a huge arrow pointing toward the airport, where Trump will speak.
We’re doing our part to warn Iowans that @realdonaldtrump is in town tomorrow. This billboard is directly outside the Des Moines Airport where he will hold his hangar rally. #Superspreader #SuperspreaderTrump #covidiots pic.twitter.com/KtN9SebH4T — Rural America 2020 (@RuralUSA2020) October 13, 2020
Some locals have already been sharing snapshots of the billboard:
Billboard pointing toward the Des Moines Airport ahead of Trump's rally tonight. pic.twitter.com/5hHXqOiidl — Chloe Matthews (@cematt97) October 14, 2020
Iowa Rural America 2020 steering committee member Chris Henning said in a press release that everyone should “be worried about a President who was in the hospital with COVID last week and who now wants to pack thousands of Iowans into an airport hangar.”
“This is the height of irresponsibility. We saw what happened in the Rose Garden. Why should the President be allowed to bring that kind of superspreader behavior into Iowa, particularly when our cases are rising?” he said.
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Henning’s concerns were echoed by Lina Tucker Reinders, executive director of the Iowa Public Health Association, who told the Des Moines Register that she also has concerns about the rally.
“If anyone in attendance is infectious, we are potentially looking at another super-spreader event,” she told the newspaper. “We again today set a record high for hospitalizations. We need to be focusing on bringing those numbers down and controlling the spread, not enabling large events, political or otherwise.”
A Des Moines airport spokeswoman said local officials were told to expect “up to 10,000 people at the rally,” according to the Register.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Twitter Blocks New York Post Article Linked To Russian Disinformation Campaign

Twitter on Wednesday took the highly unusual step of blocking links to a thinly sourced New York Post article that appears to have connections to a Russian disinformation campaign targeting Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his son Hunter .
A Twitter spokesperson told HuffPost that the article violated the company ’ s Hacked Materials Policy , noting in particular an absence of information on the origins of the materials that formed the basis of the Post ’ s reporting .
Readers who attempted to share the story on Twitter were met with a warning that read , “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this link has been identified by Twitter or our partners as being potentially harmful.
” The main claims in the Post article , which involve Hunter Biden ’ s dealings in Ukraine , rest on uncorroborated material provided by Rudy Giuliani , who is President Donald Trump ’ s personal attorney .
Giuliani himself had active ties to a Russian agent pushing conspiracy theories about Joe Biden and his family , which raises concerns about the source of the material Giuliani supplied to the Post .
“ The New York Post never asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this story , ” campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement .
“ They certainly never raised that Rudy Giuliani ― whose discredited conspiracy theories and alliance with figures connected to Russian intelligence have been widely reported ― claimed to have such materials.
” “ Moreover , we have reviewed Joe Biden ’ s official schedules from the time and no meeting , as alleged by the New York Post , ever took place , ” Bates added .
The company said its Hacked Materials Policy , established in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to distribute content obtained without authorization .
We don ’ t want to incentivize hacking by allowing Twitter to be used as distribution for possibly illegally obtained materials.
” Facebook ’ s policy communications director , Andy Stone , tweeted that his company had also reduced the distribution of the story , but didn ’ t elaborate on how that had been achieved .
Facebook didn ’ t respond to a request for comment .
Facebook ’ s move was part of the company ’ s “ standard process to reduce the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was intended to give third-party fact-checkers time to evaluate the story ’ s veracity .
Facebook ’ s fact-checking system has itself received a hearty dose of scrutiny .
One of the six fact-checking organizations to which it outsourced the work is a subsidiary of the Daily Caller , a right-wing site with links to white supremacists .
He also lambasted Twitter and Facebook for blocking access to the article , accusing the companies of “ trying to protect ” Biden from “ negative ” coverage .
We want to know what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

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Twitter on Wednesday took the highly unusual step of blocking links to a thinly sourced New York Post article that appears to have connections to a Russian disinformation campaign targeting Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
A Twitter spokesperson told HuffPost that the article violated the company’s Hacked Materials Policy, noting in particular an absence of information on the origins of the materials that formed the basis of the Post’s reporting.
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Readers who attempted to share the story on Twitter were met with a warning that read, “We can’t complete this request because this link has been identified by Twitter or our partners as being potentially harmful.”
The main claims in the Post article, which involve Hunter Biden’s dealings in Ukraine, rest on uncorroborated material provided by Rudy Giuliani, who is President Donald Trump’s personal attorney. Giuliani himself had active ties to a Russian agent pushing conspiracy theories about Joe Biden and his family, which raises concerns about the source of the material Giuliani supplied to the Post.
The Biden campaign flatly denied the Post’s claims.
“The New York Post never asked the Biden campaign about the critical elements of this story,” campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement. “They certainly never raised that Rudy Giuliani ― whose discredited conspiracy theories and alliance with figures connected to Russian intelligence have been widely reported ― claimed to have such materials.”
“Moreover, we have reviewed Joe Biden’s official schedules from the time and no meeting, as alleged by the New York Post, ever took place,” Bates added.
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The New York Post didn’t respond to an inquiry from HuffPost regarding the accuracy of the article.
On Wednesday evening, Twitter elaborated on its decision to block the Post article.
The company said its Hacked Materials Policy, established in 2018, “prohibits the use of our service to distribute content obtained without authorization. We don’t want to incentivize hacking by allowing Twitter to be used as distribution for possibly illegally obtained materials.”
Twitter added that images contained in the article had included “personal and private information,” which also violated its rules.
The images contained in the articles include personal and private information — like email addresses and phone numbers — which violate our rules.https://t.co/plPa5SZ3we — Twitter Safety (@TwitterSafety) October 14, 2020
Facebook’s policy communications director, Andy Stone, tweeted that his company had also reduced the distribution of the story, but didn’t elaborate on how that had been achieved. Facebook didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Facebook’s move was part of the company’s “standard process to reduce the spread of misinformation,” Stone said, and was intended to give third-party fact-checkers time to evaluate the story’s veracity.
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Facebook’s fact-checking system has itself received a hearty dose of scrutiny. One of the six fact-checking organizations to which it outsourced the work is a subsidiary of the Daily Caller, a right-wing site with links to white supremacists.
At an Iowa campaign rally on Wednesday, Trump praised the Post’s article about Biden, calling it a “big smoking gun.”
He also lambasted Twitter and Facebook for blocking access to the article, accusing the companies of “trying to protect” Biden from “negative” coverage.
President @realDonaldTrump rips Twitter and Facebook removing the New York Post Story about Hunter Biden pic.twitter.com/RO5wEYHobm — Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 14, 2020
UPDATE: After the initial publication of this article, Twitter announced late Thursday that it will no longer block tweets containing potentially hacked materials but instead label them as such ― unless the tweets are posted by hackers themselves. The company said it had decided to alter its Hacked Materials Policy in response to feedback, both critical and positive, to its decision to block the Post story.
Dominique Mosbergen contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Ex-Trump DHS Official Condemns 'Dangerous' President In Scathing Op-Ed

A former Department of Homeland Security official questioned in a scathing op-ed how anyone could vote for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election , citing the chaos that has characterized his administration and his mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Elizabeth Neumann explained in a USA Today column published Tuesday why she is “ convinced ” the president is “ failing at keeping Americans safe.
” Neumann , until April , spent three years as a high-ranking member of the Trump administration ’ s national security team .
Neumann cited the president ’ s failure to address the surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying and the turnover of key administration officials .
Without elaborating , she also referred to what she said was a close call that could have led the U.S. into war .
She warned the country ’ s abandonment of allies and appeasement of dictators would “ only get worse ” in a second Trump term .
Her column is headlined : “ Trump made it hard for me to protect America .
How could I vote for him again ?
How could anyone ?
” Neumann , who endorsed Democratic nominee Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Voters Against Trump group in August , had particularly harsh commentary on the pandemic .
Trump ’ s intentional public dismissal of the threat of COVID-19 — while acknowledging its “ deadly ” nature in private — was worse than a “ dereliction of duty , ” said Neumann .
“ Your government is supposed to perform some basic functions ; keeping you and your family safe is primary among them , ” she wrote .
“ In 2016 , I voted for President Trump .
But when someone asked me if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after he time and again refused to keep Americans safe — how could I say anything but no ?
How could anyone ?
”

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A former Department of Homeland Security official questioned in a scathing op-ed how anyone could vote for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, citing the chaos that has characterized his administration and his mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Elizabeth Neumann explained in a USA Today column published Tuesday why she is “convinced” the president is “failing at keeping Americans safe.” Neumann, until April, spent three years as a high-ranking member of the Trump administration’s national security team.
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“He is dangerous for our country,” she wrote.
Neumann cited the president’s failure to address the surge in white nationalist violence, his constant lying and the turnover of key administration officials. Without elaborating, she also referred to what she said was a close call that could have led the U.S. into war.
She warned the country’s abandonment of allies and appeasement of dictators would “only get worse” in a second Trump term. Her column is headlined: “Trump made it hard for me to protect America. How could I vote for him again? How could anyone?”
Neumann, who endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden in a video released by the Republican Voters Against Trump group in August, had particularly harsh commentary on the pandemic.
Trump’s intentional public dismissal of the threat of COVID-19 — while acknowledging its “deadly” nature in private — was worse than a “dereliction of duty,” said Neumann.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Over 100 Confederate Symbols Removed Or Renamed Since George Floyd Killing

More than 100 symbols of the Confederacy across the United States have been removed , relocated or renamed since police killed George Floyd in May , new data shows , providing further proof of the significant scale and impact of anti-racist uprisings that have swept the nation this year .
One hundred and two Confederate symbols have been banished from public spaces in the nearly five months since Floyd , a Black man , was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police , according to figures provided to HuffPost by the civil rights group the Southern Poverty Law Center , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Whose Heritage ?
Public Symbols of the Confederacy ” project .
By way of comparison , only 142 Confederate symbols were banished in the nearly five years prior to that , according to the SPLC , which started collecting the data in June 2015 after a Confederate flag-loving white supremacist named Dylann Roof shot and killed nine Black parishioners inside a Charleston , South Carolina , church .
A statue of Confederate States President Jefferson Davis lies on the street after protesters pulled it down in Richmond , Virginia , on June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States and their support for slavery are being targeted for removal following Floyd 's death .
“ After the public killing of Mr. Floyd , it seems that people just really began to question things that they had believed and been taught before about these symbols and what they meant , ” Brooks told HuffPost .
Of the 102 symbols eliminated since police killed Floyd , 64 were Confederate monuments removed from public spaces , according to the SPLC data .
This includes both monuments felled by protesters and those taken down by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sometimes to privately owned properties such as cemeteries and museums .
Eight schools christened after Confederate officials were renamed , as were six college buildings , three parks or trails , three roads , and a lake in Virginia , the data shows .
The state of Mississippi got rid of its state flag , which featured the blue bars and white stars of the Confederate battle flag , a South Dakota police department removed a Confederate symbol from its logo , and a Virginia town did the same for its town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these Confederate symbols , stating in its “ Whose Heritage ?
” report that “ our public entities should no longer play a role in distorting history by honoring a secessionist government that waged war against the United States to preserve white supremacy and the enslavement of millions of people.
” White people erected Confederate monuments in the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century as a way of reinforcing the prevailing racist caste system in the United States .
The monuments were also part of an attempt to erase slavery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and to further the myth of the “ Lost Cause of the Confederacy.
” In this myth , the Confederate Army fought Northern oppression to preserve states ’ rights and to protect the South ’ s way of life — not to preserve the region ’ s brutal system of slavery .
The “ Lost Cause ” myth is a lie that throughout American history has found some of its most ardent defenders in explicit white supremacists , including those in groups like the Ku Klux Klan .
Crews remove the Confederate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Park in Richmond , Virginia , on July 8 .
At least 63 Confederate statues , monuments or markers have been removed from public land across the country since Floyd 's death , making 2020 one of the busiest years yet for removals , according to an Associated Press tally .
Protesters toppled statues at some of those demonstrations .
In Richmond , Virginia , they tore down a statue of Jefferson Davis , the president of the Confederacy , leading local officials to remove other statues along the city ’ s Monument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters dismantled a statue of Albert Pike , a senior officer in the Confederate Army .
In Birmingham , Alabama , protesters used a rope and a pickup truck to bring down a statue of Confederate Navy captain Charles Linn .

More than 100 symbols of the Confederacy across the United States have been removed, relocated or renamed since police killed George Floyd in May, new data shows, providing further proof of the significant scale and impact of anti-racist uprisings that have swept the nation this year.
One hundred and two Confederate symbols have been banished from public spaces in the nearly five months since Floyd, a Black man, was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police, according to figures provided to HuffPost by the civil rights group the Southern Poverty Law Center, which gathered the data for its ongoing “Whose Heritage? Public Symbols of the Confederacy” project.
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By way of comparison, only 142 Confederate symbols were banished in the nearly five years prior to that, according to the SPLC, which started collecting the data in June 2015 after a Confederate flag-loving white supremacist named Dylann Roof shot and killed nine Black parishioners inside a Charleston, South Carolina, church.
A statue of Confederate States President Jefferson Davis lies on the street after protesters pulled it down in Richmond, Virginia, on June 10. The symbols of the Confederate States and their support for slavery are being targeted for removal following Floyd's death. PARKER MICHELS-BOYCE via Getty Images
This year’s acceleration in the destruction of Confederate iconography is part of a wider “reckoning” with systemic racism, said Lecia Brooks, chief of staff at the SPLC.
“After the public killing of Mr. Floyd, it seems that people just really began to question things that they had believed and been taught before about these symbols and what they meant,” Brooks told HuffPost.
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More and more people are coming to understand how the historic “structures and foundations of white supremacy” represented by Confederate symbols are linked to the police killings of Black Americans today, she continued.
Of the 102 symbols eliminated since police killed Floyd, 64 were Confederate monuments removed from public spaces, according to the SPLC data. This includes both monuments felled by protesters and those taken down by authorities.
Another 10 monuments were relocated, sometimes to privately owned properties such as cemeteries and museums. Eight schools christened after Confederate officials were renamed, as were six college buildings, three parks or trails, three roads, and a lake in Virginia, the data shows.
The Stonewall Jackson statue is removed from Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, on July 1. Workers in Richmond removed the statue of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, a Confederate general, after the city's mayor ordered the "immediate removal" of Confederate monuments. RYAN M. KELLY via Getty Images
The state of Mississippi got rid of its state flag, which featured the blue bars and white stars of the Confederate battle flag, a South Dakota police department removed a Confederate symbol from its logo, and a Virginia town did the same for its town seal.
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Still, nearly 1,800 Confederate symbols remain on public land, according to the SPLC’s data. Almost 700 of them are monuments.
The SPLC supports the removal of these Confederate symbols, stating in its “Whose Heritage?” report that “our public entities should no longer play a role in distorting history by honoring a secessionist government that waged war against the United States to preserve white supremacy and the enslavement of millions of people.”
White people erected Confederate monuments in the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century as a way of reinforcing the prevailing racist caste system in the United States. The monuments were also part of an attempt to erase slavery’s role in the Civil War, and to further the myth of the “Lost Cause of the Confederacy.”
In this myth, the Confederate Army fought Northern oppression to preserve states’ rights and to protect the South’s way of life — not to preserve the region’s brutal system of slavery. The “Lost Cause” myth is a lie that throughout American history has found some of its most ardent defenders in explicit white supremacists, including those in groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
Crews remove the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Libby Hill Park in Richmond, Virginia, on July 8. At least 63 Confederate statues, monuments or markers have been removed from public land across the country since Floyd's death, making 2020 one of the busiest years yet for removals, according to an Associated Press tally. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Roof, the white supremacist who murdered nine Black people in Charleston, fetishized Confederate symbols, often posing for photos with Confederate flags.
The deadly 2017 “Unite The Right” white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — the largest such gathering in a generation — was organized in part as a protest against the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
The public association of Confederate symbols with both the Charleston massacre and the Charlottesville rally has helped lead to this moment of falling statues, said Brooks, SPLC’s chief of staff.
“Inadvertently, I think the people who advocate for the continued reverence of the Confederacy helped create this push against it,” she said.
However, Confederate flags have also been spotted being waved or worn by some members of right-wing groups who have confronted anti-racist protesters this summer.
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Nearly 8,000 Black Lives Matter-related demonstrations took place across the United States between May 24, the day before Floyd was killed, and Aug. 24, according to figures from the U.S. Crisis Monitor, a nonprofit that tracks political unrest.
Protesters toppled statues at some of those demonstrations. In Richmond, Virginia, they tore down a statue of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, leading local officials to remove other statues along the city’s Monument Avenue. In Washington, D.C., protesters dismantled a statue of Albert Pike, a senior officer in the Confederate Army. In Birmingham, Alabama, protesters used a rope and a pickup truck to bring down a statue of Confederate Navy captain Charles Linn.
Elsewhere, local elected officials responding to the protests coordinated the removal of Confederate monuments, sometimes in defiance of state law. Six states across the South have passed preservation acts that forbid municipalities from removing Confederate monuments.
Alabama has one such law on the books, yet officials in Lowndes County elected to remove an 80-year-old Confederate statue from the Hayneville town square over the summer anyway. The state attorney general’s office fined the county $25,000, which a local couple volunteered to pay.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia's Wife Tests Positive For Coronavirus

“ The Secretary and Mrs. Scalia will follow the advice of health professionals for Trish ’ s recovery and the health of those around them , ” the agency said .
“ For the time being , the Secretary will work from home while continuing to carry out the mission of the Department and the President ’ s agenda.
” On Sept. 26 , Eugene and Trish Scalia attended the Rose Garden ceremony in honor of Amy Coney Barrett that appears to be the source of a COVID-19 outbreak among White House insiders .
Photos from the event show Trish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her husband and former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway , who tested positive as well , though it ’ s not clear she contracted the virus at the event .
Other photos show the labor secretary , who is the son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia , mingling inside the White House without a mask .
His mother , Maureen , was also in attendance .
The Scalias walk into the Rose Garden on Sept. 26 .
The event appears to be the source of a coronavirus outbreak within Trumpworld .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus since the outbreak became known , according to the Labor Department .
But according to a report from Bloomberg Law confirmed by HuffPost , Scalia showed up in person at the Labor Department in early October despite being potentially exposed to the virus recently at the White House .
Scalia had taken at least four work trips after the White House soiree and before the president announced on Oct. 1 that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive .
The Labor Department said Scalia had been working from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor secretary , Scalia is responsible for enforcing the country ’ s workplace safety laws .
He appears to have ignored his own agency ’ s guidance on face coverings at times , with photos showing him indoors without a mask in the course of his duties .
One such instance was at a meeting with the Dallas Chamber of Commerce in June .
Scalia and the administration have come under withering criticism during the pandemic for the performance of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration , which is part of the Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency with complaints about hazardous working conditions , but OSHA has performed relatively few inspections , issued only modest fines and put no new coronavirus-specific regulations on the books .
HuffPost recently interviewed workers who were disappointed at how difficult it was to get OSHA to carry out an on-the-ground inspection after filing a complaint .
They also lamented how small the agency ’ s penalties against employers have been , such as a $ 13,494 citation against a meatpacking plant that lost four workers to COVID-19 .
The Labor Department has defended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying the agency has been “ working around the clock ” to keep workers safe .

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Trish Scalia, the wife of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Labor Department announced Tuesday night.
The agency said in a statement that doctors confirmed the positive result Tuesday afternoon. She was ”experiencing mild symptoms but doing well.”
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The labor secretary had tested negative and was experiencing no symptoms, according to the Labor Department.
“The Secretary and Mrs. Scalia will follow the advice of health professionals for Trish’s recovery and the health of those around them,” the agency said. “For the time being, the Secretary will work from home while continuing to carry out the mission of the Department and the President’s agenda.”
On Sept. 26, Eugene and Trish Scalia attended the Rose Garden ceremony in honor of Amy Coney Barrett that appears to be the source of a COVID-19 outbreak among White House insiders. Photos from the event show Trish Scalia seated in the second row between her husband and former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, who tested positive as well, though it’s not clear she contracted the virus at the event.
Other photos show the labor secretary, who is the son of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, mingling inside the White House without a mask. His mother, Maureen, was also in attendance.
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The Scalias walk into the Rose Garden on Sept. 26. The event appears to be the source of a coronavirus outbreak within Trumpworld. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Eugene Scalia has not tested positive for the coronavirus since the outbreak became known, according to the Labor Department. But according to a report from Bloomberg Law confirmed by HuffPost, Scalia showed up in person at the Labor Department in early October despite being potentially exposed to the virus recently at the White House.
Scalia had taken at least four work trips after the White House soiree and before the president announced on Oct. 1 that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive. The Labor Department said Scalia had been working from home as of last week.
As the labor secretary, Scalia is responsible for enforcing the country’s workplace safety laws. He appears to have ignored his own agency’s guidance on face coverings at times, with photos showing him indoors without a mask in the course of his duties. One such instance was at a meeting with the Dallas Chamber of Commerce in June.
Scalia and the administration have come under withering criticism during the pandemic for the performance of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is part of the Labor Department. Concerned workers have flooded the agency with complaints about hazardous working conditions, but OSHA has performed relatively few inspections, issued only modest fines and put no new coronavirus-specific regulations on the books.
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HuffPost recently interviewed workers who were disappointed at how difficult it was to get OSHA to carry out an on-the-ground inspection after filing a complaint. They also lamented how small the agency’s penalties against employers have been, such as a $13,494 citation against a meatpacking plant that lost four workers to COVID-19.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--California GOP Won't Comply With Order To Remove Unofficial Ballot Boxes

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( AP ) — With more than 1.5 million votes already cast in California , state Republican Party leaders on Wednesday said they will not comply with an order from the state ’ s chief elections official to remove unofficial ballot drop boxes from counties with competitive U.S. House races .
Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Attorney General Xavier Becerra , both Democrats , say these unofficial ballot drop boxes are illegal and have ordered Republicans to remove them by Thursday .
They worry voters will confuse these Republican boxes with the official ballot drop boxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election officials .
Party leaders have said they put these boxes in Orange , Fresno and Los Angeles counties .
Wednesday , party leaders would not say where else they have put these boxes or how many ballots they have collected from them .
Hiltachk said all of the party ’ s drop boxes are indoors either at county party headquarters , churches or retailers that have agreed to participate .
He says the boxes are locked and monitored by people .
Once a voter fills out a ballot , anyone can return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepaid envelopes provided by their county election offices .
But others place them in official ballot drop boxes spread throughout the county .
State law defines a “ vote by mail ballot drop box ” as a “ secure receptacle established by a county or city and county elections official.
” The Secretary of State has rules about the boxes ’ design , how they should be labeled and how often ballots should be retrieved .
But county election officials decide how many boxes to have and where to put them .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by volunteers who go door to door to collect ballots from supporters .
But this year , Republicans have set up boxes for people to drop off their ballots .
Democrats , including Gov .
Gavin Newsom , have decried these boxes as an attempt to confuse voters .
A cease and desist order from the Secretary of State ’ s office noted some of these boxes were put in public places and labeled as official drop boxes .
Wednesday , Hiltachk blamed “ perhaps an overzealous volunteer ” for mislabeling some drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ none of the boxes now carry those labels .
Hiltachk said a photo distributed by the Secretary of State ’ s Office of a drop box on a public sidewalk was just a pastor photographing the box as it was being delivered .
He said the box is actually inside the church .
State law requires ballot harvesters to also sign the ballot they are delivering , but there is no penalty for not doing this .
Jessica Levinson , an election law professor at Loyola Law School , said that means voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boxes will still have their votes counted .
But that doesn ’ t mean the party couldn ’ t be held accountable , she said .
“ California is not going to discard all those ballots , ” she said .
“ Could you use that lack of penalty and essentially exploit it to your benefit ?
I guess my response is , it is still not what the law provides you should do.
” The Secretary of State ’ s Office reported Wednesday that more than 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 people had returned their vote-by-mail ballots at this point in the election cycle .
But this year , the coronavirus has changed how people vote .
For the first time , California has mailed a ballot to every active registered voter before the election to encourage people to cast ballots remotely instead of in person during a pandemic .

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — With more than 1.5 million votes already cast in California, state Republican Party leaders on Wednesday said they will not comply with an order from the state’s chief elections official to remove unofficial ballot drop boxes from counties with competitive U.S. House races.
Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Attorney General Xavier Becerra, both Democrats, say these unofficial ballot drop boxes are illegal and have ordered Republicans to remove them by Thursday. They worry voters will confuse these Republican boxes with the official ballot drop boxes put in place and monitored by county election officials.
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Party leaders have said they put these boxes in Orange, Fresno and Los Angeles counties. Wednesday, party leaders would not say where else they have put these boxes or how many ballots they have collected from them.
But Tom Hiltachk, the party’s general counsel, said these boxes comply with California’s “ballot harvesting” law, which lets people collect ballots from voters and return them to county election offices to be counted.
Hiltachk said all of the party’s drop boxes are indoors either at county party headquarters, churches or retailers that have agreed to participate. He says the boxes are locked and monitored by people.
“The fact that it is a box does not make it illegal,” Hiltachk said. “If we have to use a bag, then we’ll use a bag.”
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Once a voter fills out a ballot, anyone can return it. Most people mail them in prepaid envelopes provided by their county election offices. But others place them in official ballot drop boxes spread throughout the county.
State law defines a “vote by mail ballot drop box” as a “secure receptacle established by a county or city and county elections official.” The Secretary of State has rules about the boxes’ design, how they should be labeled and how often ballots should be retrieved. But county election officials decide how many boxes to have and where to put them.
Political parties will collect ballots from supporters and return them to county election offices, a practice known as “ballot harvesting.” Some states have banned this practice, but it’s legal in California.
Most of the time ballot harvesting is done by volunteers who go door to door to collect ballots from supporters. But this year, Republicans have set up boxes for people to drop off their ballots. Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, have decried these boxes as an attempt to confuse voters. A cease and desist order from the Secretary of State’s office noted some of these boxes were put in public places and labeled as official drop boxes.
Wednesday, Hiltachk blamed “perhaps an overzealous volunteer” for mislabeling some drop boxes as “official.” He said none of the boxes now carry those labels. Hiltachk said a photo distributed by the Secretary of State’s Office of a drop box on a public sidewalk was just a pastor photographing the box as it was being delivered. He said the box is actually inside the church.
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“The letter from the Democrat Secretary of State is a voter suppression effort, aimed at intimidating California Republican Party officials and volunteers from gathering and delivering ballots,” said Harmeet Dilon, an attorney and member of the Republican National Committee.
Padilla and Becerra’s offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
State law requires ballot harvesters to also sign the ballot they are delivering, but there is no penalty for not doing this. Jessica Levinson, an election law professor at Loyola Law School, said that means voters who put ballots in these Republican drop boxes will still have their votes counted. But that doesn’t mean the party couldn’t be held accountable, she said.
“California is not going to discard all those ballots,” she said. “Could you use that lack of penalty and essentially exploit it to your benefit? I guess my response is, it is still not what the law provides you should do.”
The Secretary of State’s Office reported Wednesday that more than 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots have already been returned. In 2016, just 150,000 people had returned their vote-by-mail ballots at this point in the election cycle.
But this year, the coronavirus has changed how people vote. For the first time, California has mailed a ballot to every active registered voter before the election to encourage people to cast ballots remotely instead of in person during a pandemic.
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“Californians are voting early in historic numbers,” Padilla said in a news release. “We knew the COVID-19 pandemic would pose significant challenges, but elections officials have prepared and voters have responded.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Mary Trump Predicts How Donald Trump Would React To An Election Loss

Mary Trump said her uncle Donald Trump is in for a “ rough ride ” should his Democratic opponent Joe Biden win the presidential election .
On Tuesday , CNN host Don Lemon asked the president ’ s niece — a clinical psychologist who published a tell-all book about her uncle and family in July — how she thinks Trump might react if he loses his reelection bid , given his upbringing and “ who he is.
” The president , who has been trailing Biden in the polls , told a rally audience in Johnstown , Pennsylvania , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate of all time .
He said it would be “ disgusting ” if he lost to the Democrat .
If Trump does end up losing , “ he ’ s setting himself up to look really bad , ” his niece assessed .
“ He ’ s not going to take it well .
Losing is not an acceptable thing in my family .
My grandfather set his business up and his family up as a zero-sum game , and that meant only one person could win and everybody else needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Donald was trained to do everything it took , whether it ’ s lying , cheating or stealing.
” She also said that for the first time in his life , her uncle has almost nobody left to bail him out ― a pressure she said he ’ s very unfamiliar with .
Trump ’ s niece characterized the president ’ s recent behavior ― including a desperate plea at Tuesday ’ s rally for suburban women to “ please like me ” ― as being “ uncharacteristically obviously weak ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for .
We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

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Mary Trump said her uncle Donald Trump is in for a “rough ride” should his Democratic opponent Joe Biden win the presidential election.
On Tuesday, CNN host Don Lemon asked the president’s niece — a clinical psychologist who published a tell-all book about her uncle and family in July — how she thinks Trump might react if he loses his reelection bid, given his upbringing and “who he is.”
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The president, who has been trailing Biden in the polls, told a rally audience in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday that Biden is the worst presidential candidate of all time. He said it would be “disgusting” if he lost to the Democrat.
If Trump does end up losing, “he’s setting himself up to look really bad,” his niece assessed. “He’s not going to take it well. Losing is not an acceptable thing in my family. My grandfather set his business up and his family up as a zero-sum game, and that meant only one person could win and everybody else needed to lose.”
“In order to win, Donald was trained to do everything it took, whether it’s lying, cheating or stealing.”
She also said that for the first time in his life, her uncle has almost nobody left to bail him out ― a pressure she said he’s very unfamiliar with.
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Trump’s niece characterized the president’s recent behavior ― including a desperate plea at Tuesday’s rally for suburban women to “please like me” ― as being “uncharacteristically obviously weak” and something he would typically have criticized others for.
Watch the interview here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--This Black, Queer, Muslim Candidate Could Make History In Oklahoma

“ Oklahomans have representation that doesn ’ t have our shared lived experience — that hasn ’ t been in a family that had to live off SNAP benefits , [ or ] a single-parent household because one parent was incarcerated , ” said Turner , a yearslong community organizer .
“ That was my upbringing , and it ’ s not a unique one.
” Turner was raised in a single-parent household .
Her mother worked up to three jobs and her father was incarcerated for years , giving Turner firsthand experience of what it ’ s like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be affected by “ a carceral system built on revenge rather than rehabilitation , ” as she put it .
Turner , who now wears hijab , grew up in a multifaith household .
She sang in a Baptist choir , since her mother is Baptist , and learned from her father ’ s Islamic faith after he converted while in prison .
She worked as a community organizer for the Council on American-Islamic Relations while attending Oklahoma State University , and later became a field director for the American Civil Liberties Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Campaign for Smart Justice .
When she began recruiting candidates to run for state legislature , Turner was repeatedly told that she should consider running herself .
In February , Turner announced her candidacy , saying “ it has never been a more important time for those closest to our state ’ s problems to be structuring the solutions.
” A 9-year-old Mauree Turner , left , with her siblings and father in 2002 , outside Redemption church , a program where families could spend time with a family member transitioning back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wins , Turner will follow in the footsteps of trailblazing queer representatives who ’ ve held the seat : McAffrey was the first openly gay person in the state ’ s legislature , and was followed by Kay Floyd , who is openly lesbian and served until 2014 .
Growing up , Turner had a harder time “ coming out ” as Muslim , as she put it , than doing so as queer .
One friend she told in college called her a “ towelhead , ” an Islamophobic slur .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are no longer fighting for a seat at the table , ” Turner said of her barrier-breaking candidacy .
“ We ’ re creating a whole new table where everybody eats.
” Central to Turner ’ s platform is criminal justice reform , in a state that has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation .
On the heels of a summer of racial justice reckoning nationwide around Black people being killed by police , Turner said she “ realized this isn ’ t a system that can be reformed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with communities in mind.
” She notes how criminal justice issues touch every other area of political life , with some of the main factors that contribute to incarceration including homelessness , substance abuse and a lack of access to quality education and job opportunities .
That ’ s why she ’ s also pushing for improved access to health care , like safe needle exchange programs , as well as raising the minimum wage .
Oklahoma ’ s current minimum wage is $ 7.25 — the federal floor .
Turner has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) — one of the first Muslim women ever in U.S. Congress — as well as famed women ’ s political action committee EMILY ’ s List .

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Mauree Turner never thought she’d run for office.
“I’m Black, Muslim, femme, queer, born and raised in Oklahoma — politics was the last thing in my crosshairs,” the 27-year-old progressive political newcomer said.
But in less than three weeks, she could become the state’s first Muslim lawmaker.
Running for state House in Oklahoma’s 88th district, Turner secured an upset win in the June primary, defeating Democratic incumbent Rep. Jason Dunnington. She will face Republican Kelly Barlean, a former attorney and Washington state legislator, in November.
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In a heavily Republican state, Turner’s district, which includes Oklahoma City, leans solidly Democratic — giving her a good shot at the seat.
“Oklahomans have representation that doesn’t have our shared lived experience — that hasn’t been in a family that had to live off SNAP benefits, [or] a single-parent household because one parent was incarcerated,” said Turner, a yearslong community organizer. “That was my upbringing, and it’s not a unique one.”
Turner’s progressive platform is centered around criminal justice reform, expanding access to affordable health care and pushing for a higher minimum wage.
Mauree Turner, candidate for Oklahoma state House. Courtesy of Mauree Turner
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Turner was raised in a single-parent household. Her mother worked up to three jobs and her father was incarcerated for years, giving Turner firsthand experience of what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet and to be affected by “a carceral system built on revenge rather than rehabilitation,” as she put it.
Turner, who now wears hijab, grew up in a multifaith household. She sang in a Baptist choir, since her mother is Baptist, and learned from her father’s Islamic faith after he converted while in prison.
She worked as a community organizer for the Council on American-Islamic Relations while attending Oklahoma State University, and later became a field director for the American Civil Liberties Union’s criminal justice reform project, Campaign for Smart Justice.
When she began recruiting candidates to run for state legislature, Turner was repeatedly told that she should consider running herself. In February, Turner announced her candidacy, saying “it has never been a more important time for those closest to our state’s problems to be structuring the solutions.”
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“For a long time, we’ve had people legislating over our bodies who haven’t had our shared lived experiences,” Turner said.
A 9-year-old Mauree Turner, left, with her siblings and father in 2002, outside Redemption church, a program where families could spend time with a family member transitioning back into life outside of prison. Courtesy of Mauree Turner
If she wins, Turner will follow in the footsteps of trailblazing queer representatives who’ve held the seat: McAffrey was the first openly gay person in the state’s legislature, and was followed by Kay Floyd, who is openly lesbian and served until 2014.
Growing up, Turner had a harder time “coming out” as Muslim, as she put it, than doing so as queer. One friend she told in college called her a “towelhead,” an Islamophobic slur. Another called her “un-American.”
As the state’s potential first Muslim lawmaker, Turner thinks it would be “formative for young Muslim folks to see” her elected.
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“We are no longer fighting for a seat at the table,” Turner said of her barrier-breaking candidacy. “We’re creating a whole new table where everybody eats.”
“We are no longer fighting for a seat at the table. We’re creating a whole new table where everybody eats.” - Oklahoma House candidate Mauree Turner
Central to Turner’s platform is criminal justice reform, in a state that has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation. On the heels of a summer of racial justice reckoning nationwide around Black people being killed by police, Turner said she “realized this isn’t a system that can be reformed. We have to reimagine and rebuild it with communities in mind.”
She notes how criminal justice issues touch every other area of political life, with some of the main factors that contribute to incarceration including homelessness, substance abuse and a lack of access to quality education and job opportunities. That’s why she’s also pushing for improved access to health care, like safe needle exchange programs, as well as raising the minimum wage. Oklahoma’s current minimum wage is $7.25 — the federal floor.
Turner has been endorsed by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) — one of the first Muslim women ever in U.S. Congress — as well as famed women’s political action committee EMILY’s List.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Amy Coney Barrett Back On Capitol Hill For Senators’ Final Questions

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is presenting herself in her final round of confirmation questioning as a judge with deeply held personal and religious beliefs but vowing to keep an “ open mind ” on cases .
Senate Republicans are championing her conservative approach to the law as doubtful Democrats run out of time to stop her quick confirmation .
Democratic senators are trying to dig deeper into the judge ’ s approach as a legal originalist , one who adheres to a more strict reading of the Constitution , but the appellate court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many questions on abortion , health care and a potentially disputed presidential election , saying it ’ s against judicial code to weigh in at this point .
Her nomination to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has ground other legislative business to a halt as Republicans excited by the prospect of locking in a 6-3 conservative court majority race to confirm her over Democratic objections before Election Day .
Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois agreed Barrett is making history — but as the first nominee considered so close to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ’ s public quest to install a ninth justice in time to undo the Affordable Care Act in a case heading to the court Nov. 10 .
Barrett ’ s nomination has been the focus at a Capitol mostly shut down by COVID-19 protocols .
The health care debate has been central to the week ’ s hearings , as Americans struggle during the pandemic , but Barrett ’ s views on racial equity and presidential power are also being questioned as senators try to unpack how she would rule on cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strict adherence to originalism means a president could not “ unilaterally deny the right to vote ” based on race , noting restrictions on mail-in ballots being erected in several states before Nov. 3 .
She agreed there are “ many laws ” that protect the right to vote , including the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution , but stopped short of a blanket statement : “ I really can ’ t say anything more.
” Barrett said a president ’ s ability to pardon himself has never been tested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ legal analysis.
” She said , “ It ’ s not one that I can offer a view.
” During Tuesday ’ s long and lively session , she declined to say whether she would recuse herself from any election-related cases involving the heated race between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
Along with trying to undo the health care law , Trump has publicly stated he wants a justice seated for any disputes arising from the election , and particularly the surge of mail-in ballots expected during the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barrett testified she has not spoken to Trump or his team about election cases , but skipped past Democrats ’ pressing questions about ensuring the date of the election or preventing voter intimidation , both set in federal law , and the peaceful transfer of presidential power .
She declined to commit to recusing herself from any post-election cases without first consulting the other justices .
On health care , she has repeatedly said her past criticisms of Chief Justice John Roberts ’ ruling allowing health care law to stand was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the specific legal issues involved in the case coming before the court .
Underscoring the Republicans ’ confidence , Graham set an initial committee vote on the nomination for Thursday , the last day of hearings , which would allow final approval by the full Senate by the end of the month .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is presenting herself in her final round of confirmation questioning as a judge with deeply held personal and religious beliefs but vowing to keep an “open mind” on cases. Senate Republicans are championing her conservative approach to the law as doubtful Democrats run out of time to stop her quick confirmation.
Democratic senators are trying to dig deeper into the judge’s approach as a legal originalist, one who adheres to a more strict reading of the Constitution, but the appellate court justice has declined to directly respond to many questions on abortion, health care and a potentially disputed presidential election, saying it’s against judicial code to weigh in at this point.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., opened the final day of her testimony praising President Donald Trump’s nominee as an “unashamedly pro-life” conservative who is making history as a role model for other women.
“She’s going to the court,” Graham said. “This is the first time in American history that we’ve nominated a woman who’s unashamedly pro-life and embraces her faith without apology.”
Her nomination to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has ground other legislative business to a halt as Republicans excited by the prospect of locking in a 6-3 conservative court majority race to confirm her over Democratic objections before Election Day.
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett speaks during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois agreed Barrett is making history — but as the first nominee considered so close to a presidential election, tapped to fulfill the president’s public quest to install a ninth justice in time to undo the Affordable Care Act in a case heading to the court Nov. 10.
Durbin called Trump’s intent to dismantle the health care law a cloud — “an orange cloud” — over her nomination, a political slam at the president’s tan.
“They need that ninth justice, that’s why it has to be hurried,” Durbin said.
Barrett’s nomination has been the focus at a Capitol mostly shut down by COVID-19 protocols. The health care debate has been central to the week’s hearings, as Americans struggle during the pandemic, but Barrett’s views on racial equity and presidential power are also being questioned as senators try to unpack how she would rule on cases if confirmed.
Durbin probed if her strict adherence to originalism means a president could not “unilaterally deny the right to vote” based on race, noting restrictions on mail-in ballots being erected in several states before Nov. 3.
She agreed there are “many laws” that protect the right to vote, including the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution, but stopped short of a blanket statement: “I really can’t say anything more.”
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Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., asked what she thinks of Trump’s view that he can pardon himself.
Barrett said a president’s ability to pardon himself has never been tested in court and the question calls out for “legal analysis.” She said, “It’s not one that I can offer a view.”
During Tuesday’s long and lively session, she declined to say whether she would recuse herself from any election-related cases involving the heated race between Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Along with trying to undo the health care law, Trump has publicly stated he wants a justice seated for any disputes arising from the election, and particularly the surge of mail-in ballots expected during the pandemic, as voters prefer to vote by mail.
Barrett testified she has not spoken to Trump or his team about election cases, but skipped past Democrats’ pressing questions about ensuring the date of the election or preventing voter intimidation, both set in federal law, and the peaceful transfer of presidential power. She declined to commit to recusing herself from any post-election cases without first consulting the other justices.
“I can’t offer an opinion on recusal without short-circuiting that entire process,” she said during the nearly 12-hour session.
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On health care, she has repeatedly said her past criticisms of Chief Justice John Roberts’ ruling allowing health care law to stand was an academic pursuit, and does not delve into the specific legal issues involved in the case coming before the court.
“I’m not hostile to the ACA,” Barrett told the senators.
The 48-year-old appellate court judge declared her conservative views in often colloquial language, aligned with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a mentor for whom she also clerked after law school.
“I would of course keep an open mind,” she told Leahy as he pressed on voting access for Black Americans.
On Tuesday, Barrett declined to characterize the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion as a “super-precedent” that must not be overturned.
Democrats had no such reticence.
“Let’s not make any mistake about it,” said California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, appearing remotely due to COVID concerns. Allowing Trump to fill the seat with Barrett “poses a threat to safe and legal abortion in our country,” Harris said.
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Underscoring the Republicans’ confidence, Graham set an initial committee vote on the nomination for Thursday, the last day of hearings, which would allow final approval by the full Senate by the end of the month.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Mazie Hirono Honors Ruth Bader Ginsburg With Mask, Pin At Supreme Court Hearings

Sen. Mazie Hirono used fashion this week to reiterate her disapproval of Judge Amy Coney Barrett ’ s nomination to the Supreme Court .
The Hawaii Democrat turned up at Barrett ’ s Senate confirmation hearings on Monday , Tuesday and Wednesday wearing a mask printed with a stylized image of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Sen. Mazie Hirono on Tuesday , the second day of Supreme Court confirmation hearings .
She accessorized the look with a pin in Ginsburg ’ s likeness .
Hirono on Monday , the first day of the Supreme Court confirmation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she opposes Barrett as a replacement for Ginsburg , who died Sept. 18 .
“ Barrett has an ideological agenda she won ’ t acknowledge and an expressed willingness to overturn Supreme Court precedent , ” the senator wrote on Twitter last month .
“ Her agenda poses a direct threat to health care , a woman ’ s right to control her body , the rights of LGBTQ Americans , and other individual and civil rights.
” Hirono at a news conference on Monday after the confirmation hearings .
At Monday ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hirono blasted Barrett ’ s nomination as “ hypocritical and illegitimate , ” given that it came just weeks before Election Day , and urged Republicans to work on a coronavirus stimulus package instead .
Like other Democrats , the senator has expressed concerns that Barrett will become the deciding vote to finally overturn the Affordable Care Act and thereby strip health insurance from millions of Americans .

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Sen. Mazie Hirono used fashion this week to reiterate her disapproval of Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
The Hawaii Democrat turned up at Barrett’s Senate confirmation hearings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday wearing a mask printed with a stylized image of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
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Sen. Mazie Hirono on Tuesday, the second day of Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP
She accessorized the look with a pin in Ginsburg’s likeness.
Hirono on Monday, the first day of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Leah Millis - Pool/Getty Images
Hirono has repeatedly said that she opposes Barrett as a replacement for Ginsburg, who died Sept. 18.
“Barrett has an ideological agenda she won’t acknowledge and an expressed willingness to overturn Supreme Court precedent,” the senator wrote on Twitter last month. “Her agenda poses a direct threat to health care, a woman’s right to control her body, the rights of LGBTQ Americans, and other individual and civil rights.”
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Hirono at a news conference on Monday after the confirmation hearings. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
At Monday’s hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Hirono blasted Barrett’s nomination as “hypocritical and illegitimate,” given that it came just weeks before Election Day, and urged Republicans to work on a coronavirus stimulus package instead.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Half Of Americans Voting In Person Say They Don't Trust Voting By Mail

Overall , just over 60 % of those who plan to vote in the upcoming presidential election say they will do so in person , either on Election Day ( 41 % ) or at an early voting location ( 21 % ) .
Of those who ’ ve already voted , 13 % say they did so in person .
The poll is one of several to show that the share of people planning to vote by mail has dropped significantly since the spring .
In a recent NPR/Marist poll , 48 % of likely voters said they planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day and another 14 % said they would vote in person at an early voting location .
Mistrust in voting by mail is more pronounced among Republicans in the HuffPost/YouGov survey , possibly because President Donald Trump has spent the summer claiming , falsely , that mail-in votes will be used to steal the election .
But notably , a large share of Democrats who plan to vote in person also cite a lack of trust in the mail : 39 % of Democrats versus 61 % of Republicans are planning to cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge earlier predictions that the coronavirus pandemic would result in a tidal shift to voting by mail .
More Americans — about three in four — are eligible to vote absentee than at any time in the country ’ s history , and in some primaries held this spring , voters casting absentee ballots outnumbered in-person voters by nearly two to one .
“ That ’ s what gives me the knot in my stomach , ” Patrick said .
“ If you have 300 people standing in line when the polls open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t bring the line down in the first hour or two , you ’ re never going to be able to recover.
” A series of legitimate scandals about slowdowns within the United States Postal Service raised fear about whether ballots would arrive in time to be counted .
And warnings sounded about all the ways election officials might reject ballots even if the mail delivers them on time .
North Carolina is rejecting Black voters ’ absentee ballots at higher rates than white voters ’ ballots .
And in Pennsylvania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be returned inside a secrecy envelope — may by itself disqualify as many as 100,000 ballots .
Democrats also changed their message , from encouraging as many supporters as possible to vote by mail to warning people that for their votes to count , they may have to vote in person .
This summer , supporters of Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden were more than twice as likely than Trump voters to say they would vote absentee — meaning any challenges to absentee voting would disproportionately harm Democratic voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these polls is how many voters have proactively changed their plans .
The poll also asked voters how they would prefer to cast their ballot if they could be absolutely certain their vote would count .
Of those who said it would be ideal to vote by mail , 19 % said they ’ re going to vote in person , either at an early voting site or on Election Day .
In-person voting presents unique challenges this year .
The pandemic has made it difficult for some precincts to recruit enough poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machines .
And in certain states , where huge numbers of voters requested an absentee ballot but the tracking technology is rudimentary , it may be difficult for officials to predict how many voters will show up in person .
Many states require voters who received an absentee ballot but show up to vote in person instead to fill out a provisional ballot — which takes longer and can hold up the line .
In court , voter rights advocates fought to force states to count ballots that arrived after Election Day so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 and to give voters extra notice and time to correct ballots that had been rejected for technical reasons .
Pennsylvania will now count ballots arriving up to three days after Election Day ; Michigan will count ballots that arrive up to 23 days after Election Day .
Many states have launched ballot-tracking systems allowing voters to see if their ballot is accepted .
Two federal courts ordered Postmaster Louis DeJoy to reverse policy changes that had caused a general slowdown in the mail .
The USPS also , thanks to enormous public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots via first-class mail , the fastest possible speed .
( In August , it warned that states may have to pay extra for speedy delivery . )
“ I trust the U.S .
Postal Service , ” said Celina Stewart , the senior director of advocacy and litigation for the League of Women Voters , a voter advocacy organization .
“ They are more than capable of handling this volume , they know what they ’ re doing , they could do this in their sleep .
It ’ s a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early .
Requesting your ballot early , sending it back early .
”

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Half of all voters who plan to vote in person in the upcoming presidential election are doing so at least in part because they don’t trust voting by mail, a recent HuffPost/YouGov poll finds.
Overall, just over 60% of those who plan to vote in the upcoming presidential election say they will do so in person, either on Election Day (41%) or at an early voting location (21%). Of those who’ve already voted, 13% say they did so in person.
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The poll is one of several to show that the share of people planning to vote by mail has dropped significantly since the spring. In a recent NPR/Marist poll, 48% of likely voters said they planned to cast ballots in person on Election Day and another 14% said they would vote in person at an early voting location.
Mistrust in voting by mail is more pronounced among Republicans in the HuffPost/YouGov survey, possibly because President Donald Trump has spent the summer claiming, falsely, that mail-in votes will be used to steal the election. But notably, a large share of Democrats who plan to vote in person also cite a lack of trust in the mail: 39% of Democrats versus 61% of Republicans are planning to cast their ballots in person.
The numbers challenge earlier predictions that the coronavirus pandemic would result in a tidal shift to voting by mail. More Americans — about three in four — are eligible to vote absentee than at any time in the country’s history, and in some primaries held this spring, voters casting absentee ballots outnumbered in-person voters by nearly two to one.
New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman (left) unveils a secure ballot drop box along with other local leaders on Aug. 31 as they rally outside the James A. Farley U.S. Postal Service building for their new legislation that would to allow local Boards of Elections to establish absentee ballot drop box locations across the state. Mike Segar / Reuters
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But a massive shift to in-person voting could spell chaos for many precincts on Election Day.
“If a voter received an absentee ballot already, that’s someone the election official has not taken into account when doing resource allocation for how many workers to hire, booths to provide, ballots to print,” said Tammy Patrick, a senior adviser at the nonprofit Democracy Fund.
Space constraints from social distancing guidelines, plus the fact that most polling places lack funding for extra supplies and equipment, will make it hard for election officials to adjust on the fly.
“That’s what gives me the knot in my stomach,” Patrick said. “If you have 300 people standing in line when the polls open, the research shows if you don’t bring the line down in the first hour or two, you’re never going to be able to recover.”
The shifting expectations on voting by mail are the result of a global pandemic and an avoidable crisis: the Trump administration’s erosion of public faith in voting by mail. Trump spent the summer repeating the false claim that Democrats would use fraudulent mail-in ballots to steal the election and continues to claim voting by mail is unsafe.
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A series of legitimate scandals about slowdowns within the United States Postal Service raised fear about whether ballots would arrive in time to be counted. And warnings sounded about all the ways election officials might reject ballots even if the mail delivers them on time. North Carolina is rejecting Black voters’ absentee ballots at higher rates than white voters’ ballots. And in Pennsylvania, a single ruling — that ballots must be returned inside a secrecy envelope — may by itself disqualify as many as 100,000 ballots.
Democrats also changed their message, from encouraging as many supporters as possible to vote by mail to warning people that for their votes to count, they may have to vote in person. This summer, supporters of Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden were more than twice as likely than Trump voters to say they would vote absentee — meaning any challenges to absentee voting would disproportionately harm Democratic voters.
“We’ve gotta vote early, in person if we can,” former first lady Michelle Obama said in her Democratic National Convention address.
What’s not fully clear from these polls is how many voters have proactively changed their plans. The poll also asked voters how they would prefer to cast their ballot if they could be absolutely certain their vote would count. Of those who said it would be ideal to vote by mail, 19% said they’re going to vote in person, either at an early voting site or on Election Day.
Three-quarters of voters who say they would prefer to vote by mail report that they still plan to do so.
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In-person voting presents unique challenges this year. The pandemic has made it difficult for some precincts to recruit enough poll workers and dangerous to pack extra voting machines. And in certain states, where huge numbers of voters requested an absentee ballot but the tracking technology is rudimentary, it may be difficult for officials to predict how many voters will show up in person. Many states require voters who received an absentee ballot but show up to vote in person instead to fill out a provisional ballot — which takes longer and can hold up the line.
Ironically, the revelations about slowdowns at the post office have resulted in major changes to ballot-counting that experts say eliminated some of the biggest threats to voting by mail.
In court, voter rights advocates fought to force states to count ballots that arrived after Election Day so long as they were postmarked by Nov. 3 and to give voters extra notice and time to correct ballots that had been rejected for technical reasons. Pennsylvania will now count ballots arriving up to three days after Election Day; Michigan will count ballots that arrive up to 23 days after Election Day.
Many states have launched ballot-tracking systems allowing voters to see if their ballot is accepted. Two federal courts ordered Postmaster Louis DeJoy to reverse policy changes that had caused a general slowdown in the mail. The USPS also, thanks to enormous public pressure, promised to deliver all completed ballots via first-class mail, the fastest possible speed. (In August, it warned that states may have to pay extra for speedy delivery.)
“I trust the U.S. Postal Service,” said Celina Stewart, the senior director of advocacy and litigation for the League of Women Voters, a voter advocacy organization. “They are more than capable of handling this volume, they know what they’re doing, they could do this in their sleep. It’s a matter of helping them out — mailing it early. Requesting your ballot early, sending it back early.”
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But all these changes don’t seem to have eliminated voters’ mistrust.
“As of now, a lot of this is in the hands of the voters and how they choose to behave,” Patrick. Her advice is not to wait to make a plan: “Voters should take early action and leave nothing to chance.”
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups:
Ariel Edwards-Levy contributed reporting.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted Oct. 5-9 among U.S. registered voters, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--San Diego Zoo Clones Endangered Horse From 40-Year-Old Stallion Cells

Christine Simmons/San Diego Zoo Global via AP This Sept. 1 , 2020 photo provided by San Diego Zoo Global shows Kurt , a tiny horse who is actually a clone .
Little Kurt looks like any other baby horse as he frolics playfully in his pen .
But the 2-month-old , dun-colored colt was created by fusing cells taken from an endangered Przewalski 's horse at the San Diego Zoo in 1980 .
The cells were infused with an egg from a domestic horse that gave birth to Kurt two months ago .
The baby boy was named for Kurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diego Zoo 's Frozen Zoo , where thousands of cell cultures are stored .
Scientists hope he 'll help restore the Przewalski 's population , which numbers only about 2,000 .
SAN DIEGO ( AP ) — Little Kurt looks like any other baby horse as he frolics playfully in his pen .
He isn ’ t afraid to kick or head-butt an intruder who gets in his way and , when he ’ s hungry , dashes over to his mother for milk .
The rare , endangered Przewalski ’ s horse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stallion that had sat frozen at the San Diego Zoo for 40 years before they were fused with an egg from a domestic horse .
With the egg ’ s nucleus removed , ensuring Kurt would be basically all Przewalski ’ s horse , they were implanted in the mare who would become his mom on Aug. 6 .
The zoo sees his birth as a milestone in efforts to restore the population of the horse also known as the Asiatic Wild Horse or Mongolian Wild Horse .
The small , stocky animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 feet tall at the withers ) are believed extinct in the wild and number only about 2,000 in zoos and wildlife habitats .
Their limited gene pool puts them at a reproductive disadvantage .
“ This colt is expected to be one of the most genetically important individuals of his species , ” Bob Wiese , chief life sciences officer at San Diego Zoo Global , which operates the zoo , said in a statement .
“ We are hopeful that he will bring back genetic variation important for the future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although only 2 months old , Kurt ’ s birth was made possible in 1980 when cells were taken from a 5-year-old stallion and put in deep freeze at San Diego ’ s Frozen Zoo facility .
His father died in 1998 .
“ A central tenet of the Frozen Zoo , when it was established by Dr. Benirschke , was that it would be used for purposes not possible at the time , ” said Oliver Ryder , director of genetics at San Diego Zoo Global .
He was born at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll continue to live with his mother for most likely another year .
Przewalski ’ s horses take their official name from Russian explorer Nikolai Przewalski , who found a skull and hide of one and shared it with a Russian museum .
At one time they ranged throughout Europe and Asia , according to the Smithsonian ’ s National Zoo and Biology Conservation Institute .
Encroaching human population and livestock eventually pushed them out of Europe and east to parts of Asia like the Gobi Desert .
Outside of zoos , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mongolia , China , and Kazakhstan .
According to the Smithsonian , they are the only true wild horses left in the world .
The institute maintains wild horse herds in North America and Australia don ’ t count because they are the ancestors of escaped domesticated horses .

This Sept. 1, 2020 photo provided by San Diego Zoo Global shows Kurt, a tiny horse who is actually a clone. Little Kurt looks like any other baby horse as he frolics playfully in his pen. But the 2-month-old, dun-colored colt was created by fusing cells taken from an endangered Przewalski's horse at the San Diego Zoo in 1980. The cells were infused with an egg from a domestic horse that gave birth to Kurt two months ago. The baby boy was named for Kurt Benirschke, a founder of the San Diego Zoo's Frozen Zoo, where thousands of cell cultures are stored. Scientists hope he'll help restore the Przewalski's population, which numbers only about 2,000. Christine Simmons/San Diego Zoo Global via AP
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Little Kurt looks like any other baby horse as he frolics playfully in his pen. He isn’t afraid to kick or head-butt an intruder who gets in his way and, when he’s hungry, dashes over to his mother for milk.
But 2-month-old Kurt differs from every other baby horse of his kind in one distinct way: He’s a clone.
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The rare, endangered Przewalski’s horse was created from cells taken from a stallion that had sat frozen at the San Diego Zoo for 40 years before they were fused with an egg from a domestic horse.
With the egg’s nucleus removed, ensuring Kurt would be basically all Przewalski’s horse, they were implanted in the mare who would become his mom on Aug. 6.
The result, officials say, was the world’s first cloned Przewalski’s horse.
The zoo sees his birth as a milestone in efforts to restore the population of the horse also known as the Asiatic Wild Horse or Mongolian Wild Horse. The small, stocky animals (they stand only about 4 to 5 feet tall at the withers) are believed extinct in the wild and number only about 2,000 in zoos and wildlife habitats. Their limited gene pool puts them at a reproductive disadvantage.
“This colt is expected to be one of the most genetically important individuals of his species,” Bob Wiese, chief life sciences officer at San Diego Zoo Global, which operates the zoo, said in a statement. “We are hopeful that he will bring back genetic variation important for the future of the Przewalski’s horse population.”
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Although only 2 months old, Kurt’s birth was made possible in 1980 when cells were taken from a 5-year-old stallion and put in deep freeze at San Diego’s Frozen Zoo facility. His father died in 1998.
Kurt was named for Kurt Benirschke, who played a key role in founding the Frozen Zoo with its extensive research program and cell cultures.
“A central tenet of the Frozen Zoo, when it was established by Dr. Benirschke, was that it would be used for purposes not possible at the time,” said Oliver Ryder, director of genetics at San Diego Zoo Global.
The zoo worked in collaboration with the California conservation group Revive & Restore and the Texas-based company ViaGen Equine in creating Kurt.
He was born at a veterinary facility in Texas where he’ll continue to live with his mother for most likely another year.
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Eventually he’ll be integrated into the zoo’s Przewalski’s horse population, where it’s hoped someday he’ll become a father himself.
Przewalski’s horses take their official name from Russian explorer Nikolai Przewalski, who found a skull and hide of one and shared it with a Russian museum.
At one time they ranged throughout Europe and Asia, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Biology Conservation Institute. Encroaching human population and livestock eventually pushed them out of Europe and east to parts of Asia like the Gobi Desert. Outside of zoos, they exist today only in reintroduction sites in Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-14--Lizzo Sends A Powerful 4-Letter Message With Her Billboard Music Awards Dress

If the message in Lizzo ’ s Billboard Music Awards speech wasn ’ t obvious enough ― her dress should make things crystal clear .
The “ Truth Hurts ” singer , wearing a black dress with a white “ Vote ” print , made an impassioned call to action after winning the Top Song Sales Artist award Wednesday night .
“ I ’ ve been thinking a lot about suppression and the voices that refused to be suppressed , ” she said .
“ I wonder , would I be standing here right now if it weren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have their voices be suppressed ?
“ I just want to say right now , if you ’ re at home watching this and you are thinking about changing yourself to feel worthy , this is your sign to remain true to who you are.
” “ Let me tell you all something , ” she added .
“ When people try to suppress something , it ’ s normally because that thing holds power .
They ’ re afraid of your power .
There ’ s power in who you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice .
So whether it ’ s through music , protests or your right to vote , use your power , use your voice and refuse to be suppressed.
” Lizzo was nominated in 11 categories in this year ’ s Billboard Music Awards .
She ’ s been a vocal voting advocate , using her enormous platform to urge fans to cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 election .
Earlier this week , she incentivized fans with a video of herself twerking in an “ Auntie Sam ” outfit .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she posted a video imploring people to “ register to vote , to vote and to know your power .
”

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If the message in Lizzo’s Billboard Music Awards speech wasn’t obvious enough ― her dress should make things crystal clear.
The “Truth Hurts” singer, wearing a black dress with a white “Vote” print, made an impassioned call to action after winning the Top Song Sales Artist award Wednesday night.
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“I’ve been thinking a lot about suppression and the voices that refused to be suppressed,” she said. “I wonder, would I be standing here right now if it weren’t for the big Black women who refused to have their voices be suppressed?
“I just want to say right now, if you’re at home watching this and you are thinking about changing yourself to feel worthy, this is your sign to remain true to who you are.”
“Let me tell you all something,” she added. “When people try to suppress something, it’s normally because that thing holds power. They’re afraid of your power. There’s power in who you are. There’s power in your voice. So whether it’s through music, protests or your right to vote, use your power, use your voice and refuse to be suppressed.”
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Lizzo was nominated in 11 categories in this year’s Billboard Music Awards. She’s been a vocal voting advocate, using her enormous platform to urge fans to cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 election.