thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Janitors, Bus Drivers On Returning To Schools: Damned If They Do, Damned If They Don't

States and school districts have had a piecemeal response to the pandemic , with some deciding to return fully in person , others continuing classes virtually and still others doing a combination of both .
Many schools , including in New York , Florida and Texas , have opened up only to have to shut again as virus cases have cropped up among students and staff .
Johnson in New York is also feeling the weight of extra coronavirus-related work .
As he cleans the Queens school where he ’ s worked for 18 years , he not only has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and classrooms but also sanitize doorknobs , landings , handrails and other surfaces .
He and his co-workers have to remain socially distanced , creating a tiring dance in which they rotate , with one coming in through the front door with cleaning supplies , then another through the back with a vacuum .
The hazard suits they don for safety make it sweaty work .
Johnson is worried about his school having to close and what that would mean for his job .
There have been over 500 positive cases among staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools since they reopened in September , according to the city department , and 275 classrooms have been forced to close to prevent further spread .
And with the city ’ s education budget already under pressure , Johnson worries about losing his job if schools are closed again for months .
The workers HuffPost spoke to are all unionized — and all of them have some amount of paid leave guaranteed if they get infected with the coronavirus .
But if they are simply concerned about the possibility of getting it — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t be paid to stay home from work .
Miller , who regularly sees her children and grandchildren , would like to have a partition between herself and the students who come on the bus to help protect each other from the highly contagious virus .
“ I ’ m not just a bus driver .
I am a human being that has a family .
I have to go home to my family , too.
” Pulisz is worried about schools not being able to tell if kids have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they close schools because of an outbreak , are they going to pay us ?
Are they going to prorate our pay , because they did the last time ?
And if they don ’ t , how am I going to pay my bills ?
” “ I know our bus driver , because my daughter had him for four years .
How do you thank this person ?
” she added .
“ You ’ re putting yourself in danger to make sure my kid gets to school safely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kid so he doesn ’ t get sick .
How do you thank a person for doing that ?
What bugs me most is when people think of others ’ jobs as being menial — but where would anybody be without the people doing these jobs ?
”

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As many schools return to in-person classes even as coronavirus cases are mounting nationwide, school bus drivers, cafeteria workers and janitors are left in an impossible bind: worried about being exposed to COVID-19 but also terrified they’ll lose their jobs if schools stay shut.
“We’re back at work. We don’t get the choice of virtual or brick-and-mortar. We’re behind the wheel, five days a week,” said Rhonda Miller, 54, a school bus driver in Florida’s Palm Beach County.
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“How can you social distance on a bus? It’s impossible,” Miller said.
States and school districts have had a piecemeal response to the pandemic, with some deciding to return fully in person, others continuing classes virtually and still others doing a combination of both. Many schools, including in New York, Florida and Texas, have opened up only to have to shut again as virus cases have cropped up among students and staff.
The drivers who bring kids to school, the cafeteria workers who feed them and the janitors who clean up after them are all considered essential workers — and they can’t do their jobs from home. They’re also disproportionately Black and brown.
Yet for many school support staff, scarier even than the chance of getting the virus is the thought of losing their jobs.
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“This is my lifeline,” said 50-year-old Jamal Johnson, who is Black and a cleaner at a high school in Long Island City, New York. “If this shuts down with this second spike coming, I’m not sure my job is guaranteed. … I have to decide if I risk my health to survive. It’s a tough choice.”
Jamal Johnson, a cleaner at a high school in Long Island City, New York, says he's not sure how he'll get by if his school shuts down again. Jamal Johnson
In Florida’s Palm Beach school district, where Miller works, there have been 85 reported coronavirus cases so far since schools reopened a month ago: 46 among students and 39 among staff.
“You just have this constant nervousness,” Miller said. Meanwhile, her job has only gotten harder. With some students doing virtual classes and others in-person, her route is now irregular. Some days, she’s had to run multiple routes to cover other drivers who’ve decided not to work anymore due to the virus risk.
“You’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off,” Miller said.
Ann Pulisz, 49, has also been “working harder than ever before” as a cafeteria worker at a Wallingford, Connecticut, primary school.
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With hundreds of kids and staff back in her school, she and her co-workers not only prepare food in the kitchen but also deliver the meals to classrooms now that children no longer gather in the cafeteria. They’re constantly changing their gloves, washing their hands — and they’re short-staffed because some workers didn’t return due to the health risks.
In a communication on the district’s website on Tuesday, the superintendent told parents cases had “increased significantly in the past two weeks.” While elementary school students are back in class on a shortened schedule, middle and high schoolers are still remote.
The district did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment, but, according to school communications, there have been at least 13 positive coronavirus cases associated with the school district since Sept. 15.
“We’re around people. We’re around kids,” said Pulisz, who is white. She noted social distancing is hard for young children. “You have to remind them: Don’t touch each other. Don’t touch us.”
Ann Pulisz (right) works in a school cafeteria in Wallingford, Connecticut. The cafeteria staff is shorthanded due to workers who wouldn't return because of the risk of COVID-19. Ann Pulisz
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Johnson in New York is also feeling the weight of extra coronavirus-related work. As he cleans the Queens school where he’s worked for 18 years, he not only has to cover the regular bathrooms, staircases and classrooms but also sanitize doorknobs, landings, handrails and other surfaces. He and his co-workers have to remain socially distanced, creating a tiring dance in which they rotate, with one coming in through the front door with cleaning supplies, then another through the back with a vacuum. The hazard suits they don for safety make it sweaty work.
“We should be getting hazard pay,” Johnson said, criticizing the city of New York for not extending additional monetary benefits. “What choices do I have? I’ve got to survive. The bills don’t stop coming. I still got to pay my rent.”
A spokesperson from New York City’s Department of Education told HuffPost that it will not offer hazard pay. “Safety is the top priority at every city school, and we’ll make sure our hardworking custodial staff has every tool they need to get the job done safely.”
Johnson is worried about his school having to close and what that would mean for his job. There have been over 500 positive cases among staff and students in the city’s schools since they reopened in September, according to the city department, and 275 classrooms have been forced to close to prevent further spread. And with the city’s education budget already under pressure, Johnson worries about losing his job if schools are closed again for months.
“I do need schools open, but at what cost?” he asked, saying this is the only job he knows how to do. “Do you have to pay for it with your health? We’re in a difficult position.”
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Pulisz is worried that if her school closes, they’ll do what they did in the spring: Cut back the cafeteria worker hours and pro-rate their pay. At the time, Pulisz and her co-workers went in only 18 hours a week to prepare grab-and-go lunches for families to pick up.
“I do need schools open, but at what cost? Do you have to pay for it with your health?” - Jamal Johnson, a school cleaner in New York City
The workers HuffPost spoke to are all unionized — and all of them have some amount of paid leave guaranteed if they get infected with the coronavirus. But if they are simply concerned about the possibility of getting it — and spreading it to family — they wouldn’t be paid to stay home from work.
Johnson said his fellow cleaners could use their personal vacation time to stay home for a few days or weeks, but after that they’d have to go to work or not get paid. Same for the Connecticut cafeteria workers and the Florida bus drivers.
“That’s really no security,” said Miller, whose significant other has high blood pressure, which can increase the risks of becoming severely ill from a coronavirus infection. Miller says she wouldn’t have come back to work, but she needs the job for her benefits to be covered.
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“These are people that you really can’t afford to lose... who love their jobs, but they love their lives even more,” Miller added.
Miller, who regularly sees her children and grandchildren, would like to have a partition between herself and the students who come on the bus to help protect each other from the highly contagious virus. “I’m not just a bus driver. I am a human being that has a family. I have to go home to my family, too.”
The Palm Beach County school district did not respond to a request for comment.
Michael Campbell, a school custodian in Berkeley, California, worries that if in-person classes resume, there will be no way to ensure everyone follows safety protocols. Michael Campbell
Michael Campbell, a 49-year-old custodian in Berkeley, California, is worried about the fall and winter.
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“What I fear is what’s coming,” said Campbell, who is Black. As of now, no students are back in person, and only some teachers are coming in to teach virtually from his building. The San Francisco Bay Area has stricter coronavirus protocols and reopening schedules than many other regions, and Campbell hopes the school will stay all-virtual until there’s a vaccine.
“The teachers may follow instructions, but what’s to say a parent isn’t going to say, ‘I’m not going to wear a mask.’ And I’m in K-5, I’m going to have the babies here. How are we going to handle them?” Campbell asked.
“It only takes one child to infect everyone. One adult,” he added.
Johnson is also worried about the winter. As temperatures drop, workers will have to close the windows they’ve kept open to help with ventilation, which public health experts deem important to reducing the risk of the virus’s spread.
Pulisz is worried about schools not being able to tell if kids have the flu or the coronavirus. “And if they close schools because of an outbreak, are they going to pay us? Are they going to prorate our pay, because they did the last time? And if they don’t, how am I going to pay my bills?”
In South Florida, Miller is concerned about keeping her bus’s windows down during the rainy season.
“Some things you’re asking us to do is easier said than done,” she said.
Rhonda Miller, a school bus driver in Florida's Palm Beach County, sees complexities in following "simple" rules. Rhonda Miller
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As these workers risk infection to keep schools running, they feel a contrast in the nation’s attention on teachers and students compared with the little mind paid to their lives and concerns.
“Just because I’m a driver and you’re a teacher doesn’t make you more worried about your family than I am,” Miller said.
Pulisz noted that cafeteria and other support workers are “not noticed.”
“But you can’t run the school without support staff,” Pulisz said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Amy Coney Barrett Steered Clear Of Roe v. Wade. But It's Obvious Where She Stands.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett spent three days during this week ’ s Supreme Court confirmation hearings declining to tell senators or the public where she stands on Roe v. Wade , the landmark 1973 ruling that protects the right to abortion .
But Barrett didn ’ t necessarily need to dodge questions : Her stance on abortion is evident in her past work , in the anti-abortion groups that have boosted and funded her , and in comments from conservative politicians themselves .
Weeks away from a presidential election and in the middle of a pandemic that ’ s left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government assistance , Republicans are unashamedly rushing to confirm Barrett after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s death in September .
Barrett ’ s nomination would cement the court ’ s conservative majority , possibly for a generation .
And one major risk is what that could do to abortion access in the U.S .
Currently there are 17 abortion cases one step away from heading to the Supreme Court , according to Planned Parenthood .
The last two decisions on the issue were decided by one vote while Ginsburg was still alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hearings , Democrats tried to nail down Barrett ’ s abortion stance by asking if she thought Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided or if she agreed with the late Justice Antonin Scalia , arguably the most conservative justice in the court ’ s history and a justice for whom Barrett served as a clerk .
But for the most part , like she did on a number of other questions , she obfuscated .
Crystal Good , a woman slated to discuss her abortion experience during Thursday ’ s hearing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s repeated refusal to say anything about the constitutional right to abortion .
Good is a half-Black , half-white mother of three and child sexual abuse survivor from Appalachia in West Virginia who got an abortion at the age of 16 .
It ’ s not particularly unusual for nominees to try to avoid sharing their views because judges are supposed to be impartial by trade ( Barrett repeatedly invoked a Ginsburg quote : “ No hints , no previews , no forecasts ” ) .
But in this case , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barrett , who held an active role in the small Christian group People of Praise , has identified herself as an originalist , a judge who relies on the plain meaning of text and interprets the constitution as it was written at the time .
Some Democrats worry that Barrett ’ s past judicial rulings , including one in which she said she does not believe Supreme Court precedents are sacrosanct , could threaten Roe v. Wade .
Two documents surfaced before the hearings that confirmed her personal opinion on reproductive rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name to a newspaper ad created by an anti-abortion group which argued that “ it ’ s time to put an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade and restore laws that protect the lives of unborn children.
” In 2013 , while she was a part of Notre Dame University ’ s Faculty for Life group , she signed her name in support of another anti-abortion ad to “ renew our call for the unborn to be protected in law and welcomed in life.
” “ Judge Barrett ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal appellate judge , and vitriolic public advocacy disparaging contraception , opposing abortion , and defending ‘ the right to life from fertilization ’ lay bare a deep disagreement with the established constitutional protections for reproductive rights , ” Nancy Northup , president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights , said in a statement , adding that Barrett “ has the most extreme record in opposition to reproductive rights ” in the past 30 years .
Before Trump announced Barrett ’ s nomination , Sen. Josh Hawley ( R-Mo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of a nominee who has a written record proving they believe Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided .
“ I will vote only for those Supreme Court nominees who have explicitly acknowledged that Roe v. Wade is wrongly decided .
By explicitly acknowledged , I mean on the record and before they were nominated , ” Hawley told The Washington Post in July .
He said a similar statement in an interview with the Los Angeles Times at the end of September .
“ I ’ m answering a lot of questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Roe doesn ’ t fall in that category , ” Barrett said .
“ And scholars across the spectrum say that doesn ’ t mean that Roe should be overruled .
But descriptively , it does mean that it ’ s not a case that everyone has accepted and doesn ’ t call for its overruling.
” “ It ’ s cases that are so widely accepted now that no one could plausibly imagine overturning them , ” Crowe explained .
“ The example that ’ s often given is Brown v. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no politician , no respectable political actor would say that was wrong and we should go back to allowing segregation in public schools.
” Good , the pro-abortion rights speaker on Thursday ’ s panel , said she ’ s frightened by what Barrett ’ s confirmation could mean for the future of reproductive rights in the U.S .
Although several states passed extreme anti-abortion legislation in 2019 , public support for legal aboriton has remained at an all-time high with 61 % reporting the procedure should be legal in all or most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views are dangerously out of touch with most Americans , including my neighbors and me , ” she said .
“ Her confirmation to the Court would absolutely take us in the wrong direction on abortion access , but also in the wrong direction on health care access in general and from everything we need to build the futures we want and deserve .
”

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Judge Amy Coney Barrett spent three days during this week’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings declining to tell senators or the public where she stands on Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that protects the right to abortion. But Barrett didn’t necessarily need to dodge questions: Her stance on abortion is evident in her past work, in the anti-abortion groups that have boosted and funded her, and in comments from conservative politicians themselves.
“This is the first time in American history that we’ve nominated a woman who is unashamedly pro-life and embraces her faith without apology, and she is going to the court,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said during the hearing on Wednesday.
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Weeks away from a presidential election and in the middle of a pandemic that’s left millions of Americans in dire need of government assistance, Republicans are unashamedly rushing to confirm Barrett after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death in September. Barrett’s nomination would cement the court’s conservative majority, possibly for a generation. And one major risk is what that could do to abortion access in the U.S. Currently there are 17 abortion cases one step away from heading to the Supreme Court, according to Planned Parenthood. The last two decisions on the issue were decided by one vote while Ginsburg was still alive.
Over the first few days of the hearings, Democrats tried to nail down Barrett’s abortion stance by asking if she thought Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided or if she agreed with the late Justice Antonin Scalia, arguably the most conservative justice in the court’s history and a justice for whom Barrett served as a clerk. But for the most part, like she did on a number of other questions, she obfuscated.
“I can’t pre-commit or say, ‘Yes, I’m going in with some agenda,’ because I’m not,” Barrett told Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in response to a question about her views on Roe v. Wade.
Crystal Good, a woman slated to discuss her abortion experience during Thursday’s hearing, said she’s upset at Barrett’s repeated refusal to say anything about the constitutional right to abortion. Good is a half-Black, half-white mother of three and child sexual abuse survivor from Appalachia in West Virginia who got an abortion at the age of 16.
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“It’s clear that my story does not fit into her view of the world,” Good told HuffPost.
“It’s clear that my story does not fit into her view of the world.” - Crystal Good, pro-abortion rights speaker for confirmation hearing
It’s not particularly unusual for nominees to try to avoid sharing their views because judges are supposed to be impartial by trade (Barrett repeatedly invoked a Ginsburg quote: “No hints, no previews, no forecasts”). But in this case, they were clear before she took the stand.
Barrett, who held an active role in the small Christian group People of Praise, has identified herself as an originalist, a judge who relies on the plain meaning of text and interprets the constitution as it was written at the time. Some Democrats worry that Barrett’s past judicial rulings, including one in which she said she does not believe Supreme Court precedents are sacrosanct, could threaten Roe v. Wade.
Two documents surfaced before the hearings that confirmed her personal opinion on reproductive rights. In 2006, Barrett signed her name to a newspaper ad created by an anti-abortion group which argued that “it’s time to put an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade and restore laws that protect the lives of unborn children.” In 2013, while she was a part of Notre Dame University’s Faculty for Life group, she signed her name in support of another anti-abortion ad to “renew our call for the unborn to be protected in law and welcomed in life.”
“Judge Barrett’s approach to constitutional interpretation, opinions as a federal appellate judge, and vitriolic public advocacy disparaging contraception, opposing abortion, and defending ‘the right to life from fertilization’ lay bare a deep disagreement with the established constitutional protections for reproductive rights,” Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement, adding that Barrett “has the most extreme record in opposition to reproductive rights” in the past 30 years.
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To add to Barrett’s conservative track record, the 48-year-old was formerly a part of and recently vetted by The Federalist Society, a national organization of conservative lawyers. The organization maintains that it takes no official policy positions but has a long track record of supporting judges with anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ rights and anti-voting rights records.
Before Trump announced Barrett’s nomination, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) declared he would only vote in support of a nominee who has a written record proving they believe Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. “I will vote only for those Supreme Court nominees who have explicitly acknowledged that Roe v. Wade is wrongly decided. By explicitly acknowledged, I mean on the record and before they were nominated,” Hawley told The Washington Post in July. He said a similar statement in an interview with the Los Angeles Times at the end of September.
Hawley has since said Barrett meets his litmus test and he will vote in favor of her confirmation to the highest court in the land.
Multiple Democratic senators pressed Barrett on her views on abortion over the two days of questions. In a tough line of questioning, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) repeatedly attempted to find out how Barrett might rule on future arguments against Roe v. Wade. When Klobuchar asked if Barrett believed Roe to be a “super precedent,” the federal judge replied no.
“I’m answering a lot of questions about Roe, which I think indicates that Roe doesn’t fall in that category,” Barrett said. “And scholars across the spectrum say that doesn’t mean that Roe should be overruled. But descriptively, it does mean that it’s not a case that everyone has accepted and doesn’t call for its overruling.”
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Super precedent is a legal concept that can be defined in various ways, said Justin Crowe, a political science professor at Williams College. Depending on how Barrett defines super precedent, it’s not surprising that the judge would not put Roe in that category.
“It’s cases that are so widely accepted now that no one could plausibly imagine overturning them,” Crowe explained. “The example that’s often given is Brown v. Board of Education. No judge, no politician, no respectable political actor would say that was wrong and we should go back to allowing segregation in public schools.”
When Democrats tried to tie Barrett’s nomination to President Donald Trump’s promise to gut the Affordable Care Act, which covers reproductive health services for millions, the federal judge continued her talking point that she must remain neutral.
“If I give off-the-cuff answers, then I would basically be a legal pundit,” she said. “I don’t think we want judges to be legal pundits. I think we want judges to approach cases thoughtfully with an open mind.”
Good, the pro-abortion rights speaker on Thursday’s panel, said she’s frightened by what Barrett’s confirmation could mean for the future of reproductive rights in the U.S. Although several states passed extreme anti-abortion legislation in 2019, public support for legal aboriton has remained at an all-time high with 61% reporting the procedure should be legal in all or most cases.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Americans Are Voting Early At A Record Rate

Long lines wrap around blocks in Georgia , North Carolina and Texas .
Election clerks receive a flood of absentee ballots earlier and in higher volume in states like Florida , New Jersey and Wisconsin .
Americans are voting early in record numbers this year , and this is what it looks like .
As of Oct. 15 , more than 17 million people have already cast their ballots in the 2020 election , according to the U.S .
Elections Project .
That would total 12 % of the 138 million Americans who voted in 2016 .
But most election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election year .
“ It ’ s just very different from any other presidential election that any of us have witnessed , ” said Barry Burden , director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison .
“ There are several forces coming together to make this happen.
” First , election experts predicted in 2019 that there would be high turnout as voters paid an unprecedented amount of attention to the election so early in the election calendar .
Catalist , a Democratic Party voter data firm , predicted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ another historic level of turnout ” in 2020 after 2018 ’ s record midterm election turnout .
The conservative pollster Public Opinion Strategies warned Republicans in a 2019 PowerPoint presentation of “ upcoming record turnout ” that would be far more diverse than in past elections .
Second , voters also have relatively fixed views on at least one of the presidential candidates : President Donald Trump .
He has been the most consistently unpopular president in polling history and has maintained record high rates of strong disapproval throughout his four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out really want him out .
And third , the coronavirus pandemic triggered almost every state to allow for no-excuse absentee voting .
Three states — California , Nevada and New Jersey — and the District of Columbia decided to conduct their elections almost entirely through the mail ; joining the five states that already held all-mail elections .
Voters have been urged to vote absentee or early to help reduce crowding at the polls on Election Day and thereby decrease the potential spread of the coronavirus .
And many voters either experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s primary elections this year or Postal Service delays and want to vote as early as possible to avoid any problems .
Already , six states ― California , Florida , Michigan , New Jersey , Texas and Virginia ― have recorded more than 1 million votes cast .
Georgia is close on their heels with more than 900,000 ballots cast .
North Carolina will also likely vault into the million-plus early vote club as its early in-person voting period began on Thursday .
Thirteen states have already recorded more than 20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If the trend we ’ re seeing yesterday and today holds up throughout early voting , Texas is going to see higher turnout than we ’ ve seen in a very long time , ” Anthony Gutierrez , executive director of the open government and voting rights organization Common Cause Texas , said on Wednesday .
In states that report the party affiliations of those returning their ballots early , registered Democrats are both requesting and returning their ballots at far higher rates than registered Republicans .
This tracks with public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to cast absentee ballots due to the pandemic , while Republicans plan to vote in person on Election Day .
Republican partisans are likely responding to Trump ’ s disinformation campaign falsely claiming that voting by mail is ripe for fraud .
In Georgia , massive lines snaked out of early voting sites in metro Atlanta region counties , leading to waits that exceeded nine hours for some voters .
The state ’ s Republican secretary of state blamed the waits on record turnout , and it is true that the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produce high-volume turnout .
But the problem turned out to be a faulty computer system that could not handle the volume of voters , according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
Other problems emerged across Georgia that have become “ systemic to Georgia , ” said Aunna Davis , executive director of Common Cause Georgia , including “ machines not working and poll workers not knowing how to use new technology.
” Voters were also not able to obtain emergency paper ballots in some locations with faulty machines .
These are the types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early voting states .
Malfunctioning machines , poor training and poll worker shortages can lead to major backups .
They are the typical types of problems that emerge from America ’ s underfunded and decentralized election system .
And they disproportionately affect Black and Latino communities .
Some counties sought to tackle these problems early to make it easier for voters to cast their ballots freely and safely .
For example , election officials in Harris County , the most populous county in Texas and the home of its most populous city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 40 in 2016 to 122 this year .
A handful of these sites operate 24 hours a day , allowing shift workers an opportunity to cast their ballots at a time convenient for them .
The county has already seen a record of more than 100,000 residents cast their ballots in the first two days of early voting .
But there are some problems created solely by partisan politics .
For example , Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) limited the number of drop-off locations for absentee ballots to one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Oct. 1 .
The order forced Harris County to close 11 drop-off locations and caused unnecessarily long lines at the single remaining drop-off location .
This problem was exacerbated by Trump ’ s Postal Service head enacting reforms that dramatically slowed mail delivery .

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Long lines wrap around blocks in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. Election clerks receive a flood of absentee ballots earlier and in higher volume in states like Florida, New Jersey and Wisconsin. Americans are voting early in record numbers this year, and this is what it looks like.
As of Oct. 15, more than 17 million people have already cast their ballots in the 2020 election, according to the U.S. Elections Project. That would total 12% of the 138 million Americans who voted in 2016. But most election experts anticipate record voter turnout in this election year.
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This flood of ballots will quickly turn into a tsunami as American voters possibly turn out at the highest rate since 18-20-year-olds got the right to vote in 1971.
“It’s just very different from any other presidential election that any of us have witnessed,” said Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “There are several forces coming together to make this happen.”
The record early voter turnout is not just a reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, but a result of a confluence of events.
First, election experts predicted in 2019 that there would be high turnout as voters paid an unprecedented amount of attention to the election so early in the election calendar. Catalist, a Democratic Party voter data firm, predicted in a 2019 paper that there would be “another historic level of turnout” in 2020 after 2018’s record midterm election turnout. The conservative pollster Public Opinion Strategies warned Republicans in a 2019 PowerPoint presentation of “upcoming record turnout” that would be far more diverse than in past elections.
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Early voters form a long line while waiting to cast their ballots at the South Regional Library polling location in Durham, North Carolina, on Oct. 15, 2020. Some waited almost three hours to vote. AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Second, voters also have relatively fixed views on at least one of the presidential candidates: President Donald Trump. He has been the most consistently unpopular president in polling history and has maintained record high rates of strong disapproval throughout his four years in office. Voters who want him out really want him out.
And third, the coronavirus pandemic triggered almost every state to allow for no-excuse absentee voting. Three states — California, Nevada and New Jersey — and the District of Columbia decided to conduct their elections almost entirely through the mail; joining the five states that already held all-mail elections.
Voters have been urged to vote absentee or early to help reduce crowding at the polls on Election Day and thereby decrease the potential spread of the coronavirus. And many voters either experienced or heard about issues during their state’s primary elections this year or Postal Service delays and want to vote as early as possible to avoid any problems.
These three trends combine to form the early voting wave sweeping the country.
Already, six states ― California, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia ― have recorded more than 1 million votes cast. Georgia is close on their heels with more than 900,000 ballots cast. North Carolina will also likely vault into the million-plus early vote club as its early in-person voting period began on Thursday. Thirteen states have already recorded more than 20% of their entire 2016 vote total.
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“If the trend we’re seeing yesterday and today holds up throughout early voting, Texas is going to see higher turnout than we’ve seen in a very long time,” Anthony Gutierrez, executive director of the open government and voting rights organization Common Cause Texas, said on Wednesday.
In states that report the party affiliations of those returning their ballots early, registered Democrats are both requesting and returning their ballots at far higher rates than registered Republicans. This tracks with public polling showing that Democrats are far more likely to cast absentee ballots due to the pandemic, while Republicans plan to vote in person on Election Day. Republican partisans are likely responding to Trump’s disinformation campaign falsely claiming that voting by mail is ripe for fraud.
The record early voting has also caused predictable problems, although nothing out of the ordinary. Long lines at early voting sites may be a reflection of COVID-19 social distancing regulations, or they could reveal poor planning by election officials, poor training of election workers or understaffing.
It’s the first day of early voting in North Carolina and @WRAL captured this massive line from the sky pic.twitter.com/pGXg43osVi — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 15, 2020
In Georgia, massive lines snaked out of early voting sites in metro Atlanta region counties, leading to waits that exceeded nine hours for some voters. The state’s Republican secretary of state blamed the waits on record turnout, and it is true that the first days of early voting in most states produce high-volume turnout. But the problem turned out to be a faulty computer system that could not handle the volume of voters, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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Other problems emerged across Georgia that have become “systemic to Georgia,” said Aunna Davis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, including “machines not working and poll workers not knowing how to use new technology.” Voters were also not able to obtain emergency paper ballots in some locations with faulty machines.
These are the types of problems voters will likely face in many early voting states. Malfunctioning machines, poor training and poll worker shortages can lead to major backups. They are the typical types of problems that emerge from America’s underfunded and decentralized election system. And they disproportionately affect Black and Latino communities.
Some counties sought to tackle these problems early to make it easier for voters to cast their ballots freely and safely. For example, election officials in Harris County, the most populous county in Texas and the home of its most populous city, Houston, increased their early voting sites from 40 in 2016 to 122 this year. A handful of these sites operate 24 hours a day, allowing shift workers an opportunity to cast their ballots at a time convenient for them. The county has already seen a record of more than 100,000 residents cast their ballots in the first two days of early voting.
But there are some problems created solely by partisan politics. For example, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) limited the number of drop-off locations for absentee ballots to one per county in an executive order issued on Oct. 1. The order forced Harris County to close 11 drop-off locations and caused unnecessarily long lines at the single remaining drop-off location. This problem was exacerbated by Trump’s Postal Service head enacting reforms that dramatically slowed mail delivery.
“That is something that a lot of people are concerned about,” Gutierrez said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Senate Judiciary Sets Oct. 22 Vote On Amy Coney Barrett's Nomination

The session is without Barrett after two long days of public testimony in which she stressed that she would be her own judge and sought to create distance between herself and past positions critical of abortion , the Affordable Care Act and other issues .
In the minority , Democrats acknowledge there is little they can do stop them from locking a conservative majority on the court for years to come .
The shift would cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court and would be the most pronounced ideological change in 30 years , from the liberal icon to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost 20 hours of questions from senators , the 48-year-old judge was careful not to take on the president who nominated her and sought to separate herself from writings on controversial subjects when she was an academic .
She skipped past Democrats ’ pressing questions about ensuring the date of next month ’ s election or preventing voter intimidation , both set in federal law , and the peaceful transfer of presidential power .
When it came to major issues that are likely to come before the court , including abortion and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an open mind and said neither Trump nor anyone else in the White House had tried to influence her views .
Nominees typically resist offering any more information than they have to , especially when the president ’ s party controls the Senate , as it does now .
But Barrett wouldn ’ t engage on topics that seemed easy to swat away , including that only Congress can change the date that the election takes place .
She said she is not on a “ mission to destroy the Affordable Care Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the two Supreme Court decisions that preserved key parts of the Obama-era health care law .
She could be on the court when it hears the latest Republican-led challenge on Nov. 10 .
There was no hiding her views in at least three letters and ads she signed over 15 years and her membership in Notre Dame ’ s Faculty for Life .
So Republican senators embraced her stance , proudly stating that she was , in Graham ’ s words , an “ unashamedly pro-life ” conservative who is making history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ When I said that Justice Scalia ’ s philosophy is mine , too , I certainly didn ’ t mean to say that every sentence that came out of Justice Scalia ’ s mouth or every sentence that he wrote is one that I would agree with , ” Barrett said .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She did describe what the role of the court would be if it were asked to intervene .
“ Certainly the court would not see itself ― and would not be ― electing the president .
It would be applying laws that are designed to protect the election and protect the right to vote , ” Barrett said .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Judiciary Committee convened on Thursday set an Oct. 22 vote on Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination as Republicans race to confirm President Donald Trump’s pick before the Nov. 3 election.
The session is without Barrett after two long days of public testimony in which she stressed that she would be her own judge and sought to create distance between herself and past positions critical of abortion, the Affordable Care Act and other issues.
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Her confirmation to take the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg seems inevitable, as even some Senate Democrats acknowledged.
Sen. Lindsey Graham pushed past Democratic objections to set the panel’s Oct. 22 vote on recommending her confirmation even before final witnesses testify before and against her nomination. The committee set the vote for next week.
“This is a sham,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
In the minority, Democrats acknowledge there is little they can do stop them from locking a conservative majority on the court for years to come. The shift would cement a 6-3 conservative majority on the court and would be the most pronounced ideological change in 30 years, from the liberal icon to the conservative appeals court judge.
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett testifies during the third day of her confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. (Stefani Reynolds/Pool via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Facing almost 20 hours of questions from senators, the 48-year-old judge was careful not to take on the president who nominated her and sought to separate herself from writings on controversial subjects when she was an academic. She skipped past Democrats’ pressing questions about ensuring the date of next month’s election or preventing voter intimidation, both set in federal law, and the peaceful transfer of presidential power.
She also refused to express her view on whether the president can pardon himself. “It’s not one that I can offer a view,” she said in response to a question Wednesday from Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont.
Democrats raised those questions because President Donald Trump has done so himself.
When it came to major issues that are likely to come before the court, including abortion and health care, Barrett repeatedly promised to keep an open mind and said neither Trump nor anyone else in the White House had tried to influence her views.
“No one has elicited from me any commitment in a case,” she said.
Nominees typically resist offering any more information than they have to, especially when the president’s party controls the Senate, as it does now. But Barrett wouldn’t engage on topics that seemed easy to swat away, including that only Congress can change the date that the election takes place.
She said she is not on a “mission to destroy the Affordable Care Act,” though she has been critical of the two Supreme Court decisions that preserved key parts of the Obama-era health care law. She could be on the court when it hears the latest Republican-led challenge on Nov. 10.
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Barrett is the most open opponent of abortion nominated to the Supreme Court in decades, and Democrats fear that her ascension could be a tipping point that threatens abortion rights.
There was no hiding her views in at least three letters and ads she signed over 15 years and her membership in Notre Dame’s Faculty for Life. So Republican senators embraced her stance, proudly stating that she was, in Graham’s words, an “unashamedly pro-life” conservative who is making history as a role model for other women.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said there “is nothing wrong with confirming a devout pro-life Christian.”
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett attends her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Barrett refused to say whether the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights was correctly decided, though she signed an open letter seven years ago that called the decision “infamous.”
Democrats pressed repeatedly on the judge’s approach to health care, abortion, racial equity and voting rights, but conceded they were unlikely to stop her quick confirmation.
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“When you are on the court,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., began one question in which he asked her to keep an open mind on the high court bench. Barrett readily agreed to do so.
In an exchange with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Barrett resisted the invitation to explicitly endorse or reject the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s comments about perpetuating “racial entitlement” in a key voting rights case.
“When I said that Justice Scalia’s philosophy is mine, too, I certainly didn’t mean to say that every sentence that came out of Justice Scalia’s mouth or every sentence that he wrote is one that I would agree with,” Barrett said.
She called the Voting Rights Act a “triumph in the civil rights movement,” without discussing the specifics of the earlier challenge to it. The court will hear another challenge to the law early next year.
One of the more dramatic moments came late Wednesday when Barrett told California Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, that she wouldn’t say whether racial discrimination in voting still exists nor express a view on climate change.
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Harris asked if she agreed with Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote in a 2013 voting rights case that “voting discrimination still exists; no one doubts that.”
Barrett said she would “not comment on what any justice said in an opinion.”
Asked whether “climate change is happening,” Barrett said she wouldn’t engage because it is “a very contentious matter of public debate.” Barrett did, however, say she believes the novel coronavirus is infectious and that smoking causes cancer.
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, and declined to commit to recusing herself from any post-election cases.
She did describe what the role of the court would be if it were asked to intervene. “Certainly the court would not see itself ― and would not be ― electing the president. It would be applying laws that are designed to protect the election and protect the right to vote,” Barrett said.
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In 2000, the court’s decision in Bush v. Gore brought a Florida recount to a halt, effectively deciding the election in George W. Bush’s favor. Barrett was on Bush’s legal team in 2000, in a minor role.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--The Next Chapter For 'Me Too' Is Here. Tarana Burke Says 'We All Can Play A Part.'

Three years after the Me Too movement went viral , the fight against sexual violence is still deeply intertwined with many other social justice issues .
The coronavirus pandemic has made some people more vulnerable to assault and harassment .
Racism and police brutality have continued to put women and LGBTQ people of color at a higher risk of sexual assault by law enforcement .
And the presidential election features two candidates who have been accused of sexual assault or misconduct .
Tarana Burke , the founder of the Me Too movement and a longtime activist , knows people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are overwhelmed .
So she and the Me Too organization , in collaboration with creative data marketing agency FCB/SIX , are launching a new digital platform that allows activists , both longtime and newer to the movement , to educate themselves and get involved .
“ I think one of the mistakes that we make on the movement side is that there ’ s so much judgment around what it means to be an activist or what it means to be active .
And if you ’ re not doing it a certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really contributing .
And that ’ s not true , ” Burke told HuffPost .
Me Too Act Too is a crowd-sourced digital platform that gives “ survivors , advocates and allies tools to work toward a world free of sexual violence , ” according to the organization .
The website is meant to be an accessible tool for people who may not see themselves as career activists or who do not have the ability to devote a large amount of time to this work .
The website provides hundreds of resources and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small as movies to watch , books to read or podcasts to listen to that will help people understand how rape culture works .
Other tools are larger , like helping users register to vote , donate to organizations or attend educational conferences and speaking series .
The platform also lets users create a personalized plan for every day actions they can take to help end sexual violence .
We have what we call micro actions on the platform , which includes things like read this book , listen to this podcast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ topic .
Because what I want ― if you can ’ t join the march ― when you have jury duty , I want you to go into that courtroom with a body of information that helps you understand survivor silence .
And why somebody would go back to the person afterwards .
I need you to understand and not think of the woman who got drunk and was wearing a string bikini .
Fundamentally , I need you to understand how sexual violence works , what the landscape looks like , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ umbrella of sexual violence .
That is just as important as you joining a march , if not more .
For survivors , I think it sends a beautiful message that we ’ re not out here alone .
This next step is an addition to that .
That was space for those of us who have experienced sexual violence .
This expands that real estate and says : For people who have experienced it and people who haven ’ t experienced it but recognize the humanity in wanting to end sexual violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
If we ’ re going to talk about police brutality , then we have to talk about the breadth of police brutality .
Excessive force is the No .
1 complaint against police in this country .
We have watched the police , with impunity , kill and use excessive force against Black people and people of color .
We largely see and hear about men , but it also happens to women .
So Black women are also very closely tied to this push to end excessive force or murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there ’ s another part to that .
After police brutality , the second highest complaint against law enforcement is sexual violence .
The work to end abuses at the hand of law enforcement is inextricably linked to the work of ending sexual violence .
One of the things that coronavirus has done in this country is it ’ s upended these notions people have about safety and it ’ s made people pay attention to things like intimate partner violence and sexual violence .
We ’ ve also had to restructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think about restaurant workers and people who experience harassment at their jobs , there ’ s less oversight now because of the pandemic .
It makes people who are already in precarious situations even less safe .
We did this survey about how coronavirus was affecting survivors and we found that white survivors said things like , “ I missed my appointment with my lawyer to discuss my case.
” But what we ’ re hearing from survivors of color is , “ I can ’ t eat .
I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to leave my partner because of abuse.
” These are overlapping issues that have been compounded by this virus .
If I had a choice in a fight to pick my opponent , then I would always choose the opponent that I think I have a better chance with .
Getting the current administration out of office does not mean that the incoming administration is some saving grace .
It doesn ’ t mean our work is done or our fight is over .
It means that we are trying to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the table .
We don ’ t even have space to negotiate in this administration .
While it may not be ideal for a lot of people , we have to go into this election knowing that whoever wins we will still have to call for accountability and we will still have to call for transparency .

Me Too founder Tarana Burke. Courtesy of Me Too Movement
Three years after the Me Too movement went viral, the fight against sexual violence is still deeply intertwined with many other social justice issues. The coronavirus pandemic has made some people more vulnerable to assault and harassment. Racism and police brutality have continued to put women and LGBTQ people of color at a higher risk of sexual assault by law enforcement. And the presidential election features two candidates who have been accused of sexual assault or misconduct.
Tarana Burke, the founder of the Me Too movement and a longtime activist, knows people are outraged ― and that many of them are overwhelmed. So she and the Me Too organization, in collaboration with creative data marketing agency FCB/SIX, are launching a new digital platform that allows activists, both longtime and newer to the movement, to educate themselves and get involved.
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“I think one of the mistakes that we make on the movement side is that there’s so much judgment around what it means to be an activist or what it means to be active. And if you’re not doing it a certain way, then you’re not really contributing. And that’s not true,” Burke told HuffPost.
Me Too Act Too is a crowd-sourced digital platform that gives “survivors, advocates and allies tools to work toward a world free of sexual violence,” according to the organization. The website is meant to be an accessible tool for people who may not see themselves as career activists or who do not have the ability to devote a large amount of time to this work.
“If you are an armchair activist who is only able to post things on Twitter or Instagram or who only has an hour a week to contribute, but you do still feel passionate right now, you can do this,” she added.
“If you are an armchair activist who is only able to post things on Twitter or Instagram or who only has an hour a week to contribute, but you do still feel passionate right now, you can do this.” - Tarana Burke, Me Too founder
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The website provides hundreds of resources and actions for users. Some are as small as movies to watch, books to read or podcasts to listen to that will help people understand how rape culture works. Other tools are larger, like helping users register to vote, donate to organizations or attend educational conferences and speaking series. The platform also lets users create a personalized plan for every day actions they can take to help end sexual violence.
HuffPost spoke with Burke about the Me Too Act Too platform and the fight against sexual violence in the time of COVID-19, a movement for racial justice and a tumultuous election.
What do you hope Me Too Act Too will do?
The work to end sexual violence needs folks who are willing to march and join campaigns and volunteer and donate, but it also needs people who are invested in educating themselves about the realities of sexual violence.
We have what we call micro actions on the platform, which includes things like read this book, listen to this podcast, watch this movie, learn about this topic. Because what I want ― if you can’t join the march ― when you have jury duty, I want you to go into that courtroom with a body of information that helps you understand survivor silence. And why somebody would go back to the person afterwards. I need you to understand and not think of the woman who got drunk and was wearing a string bikini. Fundamentally, I need you to understand how sexual violence works, what the landscape looks like, the breadth of things that happen under the umbrella of sexual violence. That is just as important as you joining a march, if not more.
Everybody will not be able to say Me Too because that is very specific to people who have experienced this violence, but everybody can act ― we can all act too. We all can play a part. And that’s what this is about.
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It sounds like you’re meeting people where they’re at.
Exactly.
What do you hope survivors and other users of this platform take away from their experience?
For survivors, I think it sends a beautiful message that we’re not out here alone. This next step is an addition to that. That was space for those of us who have experienced sexual violence. This expands that real estate and says: For people who have experienced it and people who haven’t experienced it but recognize the humanity in wanting to end sexual violence, there is space for all of us.
And, quite honestly, people who have already survived sexual violence, they have done enough labor. That’s it. It should not be required to both survive the violence and also make a path for everybody else.
We have to figure out a way to make people feel connected to the work to end sexual violence in the same way they feel connected to climate change, to ending gun violence or mass incarceration. It’s a social justice issue that impacts our communities, and we should all be connected to and invested in the interruption of it. All of us.
Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed thousands of people take to the streets to protest police brutality against people of color, led by Black Lives Matter. Can you talk to me about how the Black Lives Matter and Me Too movements intersect and why it’s so important to highlight this intersection?
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If we’re going to talk about police brutality, then we have to talk about the breadth of police brutality. Excessive force is the No. 1 complaint against police in this country. We have watched the police, with impunity, kill and use excessive force against Black people and people of color. We largely see and hear about men, but it also happens to women. So Black women are also very closely tied to this push to end excessive force or murder at the hands of law enforcement. But there’s another part to that. After police brutality, the second highest complaint against law enforcement is sexual violence. The work to end abuses at the hand of law enforcement is inextricably linked to the work of ending sexual violence.
We are people with multitudes. These issues have multiple layers to them. And sexual violence isn’t just about what media mogul is behaving badly or what sports figure is making headlines. We have to see this issue more expansively. There’s actually very few social justice issues that are not inextricably linked to sexual violence.
Me Too Act Too offers different resources for users. Me Too Movement
We’re nearly eight months into an unprecedented public health crisis that has shut down much of the country and the world. Why is it important to continue to discuss sexual and domestic violence during this time?
One of the things that coronavirus has done in this country is it’s upended these notions people have about safety and it’s made people pay attention to things like intimate partner violence and sexual violence. We’ve also had to restructure conversations around child sexual abuse. When I think about restaurant workers and people who experience harassment at their jobs, there’s less oversight now because of the pandemic. It makes people who are already in precarious situations even less safe.
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We did this survey about how coronavirus was affecting survivors and we found that white survivors said things like, “I missed my appointment with my lawyer to discuss my case.” But what we’re hearing from survivors of color is, “I can’t eat. I can’t feed my children. Because I had to leave my partner because of abuse.” These are overlapping issues that have been compounded by this virus.
We’re just weeks away from a presidential election ― of which both candidates have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct and assault ― what would you say to survivors who are grappling with voting or are feeling lost right now?
People who have judgment about survivors who are saying things like, “I don’t know if I’m gonna vote.” Those people need to ease up. Because it really is difficult to make that decision, I get it. And I will not put myself in a position of trying to judge a person who’s grappling with that decision.
If I had a choice in a fight to pick my opponent, then I would always choose the opponent that I think I have a better chance with. Getting the current administration out of office does not mean that the incoming administration is some saving grace. It doesn’t mean our work is done or our fight is over. It means that we are trying to find an opponent that will at least come to the table. We don’t even have space to negotiate in this administration. While it may not be ideal for a lot of people, we have to go into this election knowing that whoever wins we will still have to call for accountability and we will still have to call for transparency.
I acknowledge with full wholeheartedness that this is a difficult moment. As my friend Glennon Doyle, the author, says, “We can do hard things.” And for those moments, when we feel like we can’t do hard things, we don’t hold it against each other. We step in to support each other.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Savannah Guthrie Tells Trump What People Think Of His Conspiracy Theory Tweets

At Thursday night ’ s NBC News town hall , host Savannah Guthrie confronted President Donald Trump for retweeting conspiracy theories , telling him , “ You ’ re the president ; you ’ re not someone ’ s crazy uncle.
” The NBC News anchor had asked the president to explain why he had retweeted yet another absurd conspiracy about former President Barack Obama on Tuesday .
“ Why would you send a lie like that to your followers ?
You retweeted it , ” Guthrie asked .
“ That was a retweet .
That was an opinion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ll put it out there .
People can decide for themselves , ” Trump replied .
“ I don ’ t get that .
You ’ re the president , you ’ re not like someone ’ s crazy uncle who can retweet whatever , ” Guthrie shot back .
Trump : That was a retweet .
Guthrie : You retweeted it .
Trump : That was an opinion of somebody and that was a retweet .
I 'll put it out there .
Guthrie : I do n't get that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're not like someone 's crazy uncle who can retweet whatever .
pic.twitter.com/GmdH2cn7FC — The Recount ( @ therecount ) October 16 , 2020 This particular conspiracy theory — that Trump ’ s predecessor in the White House had ordered the killing of SEAL Team 6 — was one of many Trump amplified to his 87 million followers on Tuesday .
It ’ s something he ’ s persistently done throughout his presidency , using his huge platform to spread false and obscure claims from unverified accounts that sometimes only have a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump then defends himself by saying he is simply passing it along .
The moment blew up on social media .
Many of the president ’ s critics praised Guthrie for calling the president out .
But Mary Trump , the president ’ s niece and author of a critical tell-all book about Donald Trump , reminded Guthrie that her claim wasn ’ t entirely true :

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At Thursday night’s NBC News town hall, host Savannah Guthrie confronted President Donald Trump for retweeting conspiracy theories, telling him, “You’re the president; you’re not someone’s crazy uncle.”
The NBC News anchor had asked the president to explain why he had retweeted yet another absurd conspiracy about former President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
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“Why would you send a lie like that to your followers? You retweeted it,” Guthrie asked.
“That was a retweet. That was an opinion of somebody and that was a retweet. I’ll put it out there. People can decide for themselves,” Trump replied.
“I don’t get that. You’re the president, you’re not like someone’s crazy uncle who can retweet whatever,” Guthrie shot back.
Trump: That was a retweet.
Guthrie: You retweeted it.
Trump: That was an opinion of somebody and that was a retweet. I'll put it out there.
Guthrie: I don't get that. You're the president. You're not like someone's crazy uncle who can retweet whatever. pic.twitter.com/GmdH2cn7FC — The Recount (@therecount) October 16, 2020
This particular conspiracy theory — that Trump’s predecessor in the White House had ordered the killing of SEAL Team 6 — was one of many Trump amplified to his 87 million followers on Tuesday.
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It’s something he’s persistently done throughout his presidency, using his huge platform to spread false and obscure claims from unverified accounts that sometimes only have a few followers. After repeatedly amplifying disinformation, Trump then defends himself by saying he is simply passing it along.
The moment blew up on social media. Many of the president’s critics praised Guthrie for calling the president out.
But Mary Trump, the president’s niece and author of a critical tell-all book about Donald Trump, reminded Guthrie that her claim wasn’t entirely true:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Trump Refuses To Denounce QAnon At Town Hall Event

President Donald Trump refused to denounce supporters of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon at his town hall event Thursday night , spiraling into a fit of outrage at the NBC host for even asking him about it .
Trump , who has lent support to the dangerous and cultish movement throughout his presidency , said at Thursday ’ s event he knew “ nothing about QAnon ” when host Savannah Guthrie asked him if he would denounce the movement once and for all .
The only definitive remark he made about backers of the far-right , convoluted theory was complimentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is they are very strongly against pedophilia , and I agree with that , ” adding they “ fight it very hard.
” The core belief of those who follow the mysterious QAnon is that high-ranking Democrats , media figures and entertainment personalities are secretly members of a satanic pedophile ring that Trump is covertly working to stop .
The movement has had some dangerous and violent consequences beyond the spread of its misinformation , including a shooting at a Washington pizza parlor .
In August , Trump said of QAnon followers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are people that love our country ” and said he appreciated that they “ like me very much.
” Guthrie didn ’ t let Trump ’ s response slide .
“ You do know ” about QAnon , she said as the president repeated he didn ’ t and tried to pivot the conversation to anti-fascist activists known collectively as “ antifa.
” “ Let ’ s waste the whole show , ” he said .
“ You started off with white supremacy ; I denounced it .
You started off with something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keep asking me these questions.
” At one point when he and Guthrie were competing to speak , Trump quipped at her , “ So cute.
” 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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President Donald Trump refused to denounce supporters of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon at his town hall event Thursday night, spiraling into a fit of outrage at the NBC host for even asking him about it.
Trump, who has lent support to the dangerous and cultish movement throughout his presidency, said at Thursday’s event he knew “nothing about QAnon” when host Savannah Guthrie asked him if he would denounce the movement once and for all.
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The only definitive remark he made about backers of the far-right, convoluted theory was complimentary: “What I do hear about it is they are very strongly against pedophilia, and I agree with that,” adding they “fight it very hard.”
The core belief of those who follow the mysterious QAnon is that high-ranking Democrats, media figures and entertainment personalities are secretly members of a satanic pedophile ring that Trump is covertly working to stop. The movement has had some dangerous and violent consequences beyond the spread of its misinformation, including a shooting at a Washington pizza parlor.
In August, Trump said of QAnon followers that he’d “heard these are people that love our country” and said he appreciated that they “like me very much.”
Guthrie didn’t let Trump’s response slide. “You do know” about QAnon, she said as the president repeated he didn’t and tried to pivot the conversation to anti-fascist activists known collectively as “antifa.”
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Trump grew angry with Guthrie when she wouldn’t move on.
“Let’s waste the whole show,” he said. “You started off with white supremacy; I denounced it. You started off with something else. Let’s go. Keep asking me these questions.”
At one point when he and Guthrie were competing to speak, Trump quipped at her, “So cute.”
Biden’s campaign blasted the president shortly after the town hall ended.
“In a false, alternate reality of his own making, President Trump was combative and lashed out at voters,” Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, said in a press release. “He refused to denounce QAnon. He defended an unhinged conspiracy theory about the brave American soldiers who took out Osama Bin Laden. He lied about the effectiveness of masks.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Anatomy Of A Smear: Questions Surrounding The New York Post’s Hunter Biden Story

As the Post tells it , Biden ’ s son , Hunter , left his damaged laptop — which , the story claims , contained footage of him having sex while smoking crack — at a Delaware repair shop last spring , but he never came back for it .
The unnamed shop owner , unaware that the laptop was Hunter Biden ’ s , noticed a Beau Biden Foundation sticker on it , so he made a copy of the hard drive and gave it to Robert Costello — an attorney for Trump ’ s lawyer , Rudy Giuliani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post .
The hard drive contained a 2015 email from a top executive at Burisma , a Ukrainian energy firm , thanking Hunter for “ inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and [ spend ] some time together.
” It ’ s a highly suspicious narrative that ’ s riddled with inconsistencies and other red flags .
The story ’ s premise and very first sentence contain a glaring , long-debunked falsehood : Viktor Shokin , the Ukrainian prosecutor in question , was not investigating Burisma , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year ago in response to Trump ’ s similar false claims at the time .
In fact , Biden and other Western officials had pushed for Shokin ’ s ouster precisely because of his failure to probe the firm .
The Obama-Biden administration was actually considering launching a U.S. investigation into Burisma ’ s alleged money laundering .
How did the laptop end up at the repair shop ?
John Paul MacIsaac , identified as the owner of the laptop repair shop after the Post ’ s story published , told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped off three laptops at his shop last April .
MacIsaac initially suggested that because he is legally blind , he didn ’ t recognize the younger Biden when he came into the shop and only later determined that the laptop was his after noticing the sticker , as the Post reported .
How did the emails get to the FBI ?
MacIsaac claims that he made several unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with Hunter Biden and that his store ’ s contract allows him to take possession of devices if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After the 90-day period had passed , MacIsaac said he grew curious about the contents of the computer .
According to the Post , MacIsaac then made a copy of the hard drive and handed the hardware over to the FBI .
But in conversations with reporters , MacIsaac dodged the question of how he came to be in touch with federal agents .
At first , he told reporters that the FBI approached him , although it is unclear how the bureau would have known about the existence and location of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he reached out to people he trusted who connected him with contacts inside the FBI .
“ And then they showed up , ” MacIsaac claimed .
How did Giuliani get involved ?
MacIsaac told reporters that he became frustrated that the material on the laptop hadn ’ t become public , so he gave a copy of the hard drive to Costello , Giuliani ’ s attorney .
He refused to say whether he reached out to the attorney or if the attorney sought him out .
He also would not say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Giuliani himself .
Giuliani is a notoriously unreliable source of information .
As Trump ’ s personal lawyer , he has long acted as a political operative targeting Biden for the Trump campaign , including traveling with far-right media outlet One America News to Ukraine as part of an effort to spread conspiracy theories about Biden .
Over the course of the election campaign , Giuliani has repeatedly made wild claims without any evidence to back them up and has spun bizarre theories in an attempt to create the perception that Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promising a slow release of allegedly damning information on the Bidens .
On his personal website , he posted what he claims is a 2019 text message from Hunter Biden to his sister , Naomi , that was not included in the Post ’ s story .
There is no context for the alleged screenshot , no verification as to whether it is real , and no explanation as to why the Post didn ’ t cover it .
How did the story end up in the New York Post ?
Both Giuliani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have close ties to Trump .
The lead reporter on the Post story , Emma-Jo Morris , was formerly a producer for Fox News host and Trump ally Sean Hannity , as well as a former staffer at the Conservative Political Action Conference .
The Hunter Biden stories were her first bylines for The Post , although she has worked there since April , according to her LinkedIn profile .
On her Instagram account , Morris has posted numerous photos of herself posing with Trump associates including Bannon and Roger Stone .
Disinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ release , the way they became public , and the lack of forensic evidence are all signs that the material could be the result of forgery , a hack , or a combination of the two .
The Russian GRU unit responsible for hacking the Democratic National Committee in 2016 hacked Burisma , The New York Times reported earlier this year , prompting fears that material from the hack would be leaked near the election in an effort to hurt Biden ’ s campaign .

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With only 20 days before the presidential election, the New York Post published what it called a “smoking-gun email” in a front-page feature accusing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden of high-level political corruption. Within hours of its publication, the viral story was dominating the news cycle, with aggressive promotion from President Donald Trump’s campaign.
Trumpworld seems to believe it has found an October bombshell that will damage Biden’s dominant standing in the polls. But critical elements of the story are dubious, contradictory or outright false.
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As the Post tells it, Biden’s son, Hunter, left his damaged laptop — which, the story claims, contained footage of him having sex while smoking crack — at a Delaware repair shop last spring, but he never came back for it. The unnamed shop owner, unaware that the laptop was Hunter Biden’s, noticed a Beau Biden Foundation sticker on it, so he made a copy of the hard drive and gave it to Robert Costello — an attorney for Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani — who later gave it to the Post. The hard drive contained a 2015 email from a top executive at Burisma, a Ukrainian energy firm, thanking Hunter for “inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and [spend] some time together.”
The Post concludes that this is evidence of Joe Biden’s misconduct because Hunter Biden “introduced his father” to the Burisma executive “less than a year before the elder Biden pressured government officials in Ukraine into firing a prosecutor who was investigating the company.” (Biden’s campaign says the alleged meeting with the Burisma executive never occurred.)
It’s a highly suspicious narrative that’s riddled with inconsistencies and other red flags. The story’s premise and very first sentence contain a glaring, long-debunked falsehood: Viktor Shokin, the Ukrainian prosecutor in question, was not investigating Burisma, as The Washington Post reported more than a year ago in response to Trump’s similar false claims at the time. In fact, Biden and other Western officials had pushed for Shokin’s ouster precisely because of his failure to probe the firm. The Obama-Biden administration was actually considering launching a U.S. investigation into Burisma’s alleged money laundering.
It’s one of several inconsistencies in the story’s version of events. Here are some of the biggest questions surrounding it.
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How did the laptop end up at the repair shop?
John Paul MacIsaac, identified as the owner of the laptop repair shop after the Post’s story published, told reporters on Wednesday that Hunter Biden had actually dropped off three laptops at his shop last April. MacIsaac initially suggested that because he is legally blind, he didn’t recognize the younger Biden when he came into the shop and only later determined that the laptop was his after noticing the sticker, as the Post reported.
But MacIsaac later changed his story, claiming that Hunter Biden had actually introduced himself by name at the time.
Throughout the interview, MacIssac seemed nervous and claimed without elaborating that his life was in danger. He described Trump’s impeachment as a “sham,” vaguely implied the FBI is involved in a coverup surrounding the alleged scandal, and repeatedly declined to answer whether he is or was working with Giuliani.
On Thursday, Giuliani, who was not present at the laptop repair shop at the time of the supposed dropoff, told SiriusXM that Hunter Biden was definitely the person who handed off the computer and that he was “in an inebriated, heavily inebriated state” at the time.
How did the emails get to the FBI?
MacIsaac claims that he made several unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with Hunter Biden and that his store’s contract allows him to take possession of devices if they are not retrieved after 90 days. After the 90-day period had passed, MacIsaac said he grew curious about the contents of the computer. According to the Post, MacIsaac then made a copy of the hard drive and handed the hardware over to the FBI.
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But in conversations with reporters, MacIsaac dodged the question of how he came to be in touch with federal agents. At first, he told reporters that the FBI approached him, although it is unclear how the bureau would have known about the existence and location of the laptops. He later told reporters that he reached out to people he trusted who connected him with contacts inside the FBI. “And then they showed up,” MacIsaac claimed.
How did Giuliani get involved?
MacIsaac told reporters that he became frustrated that the material on the laptop hadn’t become public, so he gave a copy of the hard drive to Costello, Giuliani’s attorney. He refused to say whether he reached out to the attorney or if the attorney sought him out. He also would not say whether he has been in direct contact with Giuliani himself.
Giuliani is a notoriously unreliable source of information. As Trump’s personal lawyer, he has long acted as a political operative targeting Biden for the Trump campaign, including traveling with far-right media outlet One America News to Ukraine as part of an effort to spread conspiracy theories about Biden. Over the course of the election campaign, Giuliani has repeatedly made wild claims without any evidence to back them up and has spun bizarre theories in an attempt to create the perception that Biden engaged in corruption.
Giuliani is now promising a slow release of allegedly damning information on the Bidens. On his personal website, he posted what he claims is a 2019 text message from Hunter Biden to his daughter Naomi, which was not included in the Post’s story. There is no context for the alleged screenshot, no verification as to whether it is real, and no explanation as to why the Post didn’t cover it.
How did the story end up in the New York Post?
The provenance of the Post story and the paper’s acquisition of the alleged copy of Biden’s hard drive is vague and raises numerous questions. The report states that far-right media influencer and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon told the Post about the existence of the hard drive in late September before Giuliani gave the outlet a copy on Sunday.
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Both Giuliani and Bannon have pushed conspiracy theories and have close ties to Trump. The lead reporter on the Post story, Emma-Jo Morris, was formerly a producer for Fox News host and Trump ally Sean Hannity, as well as a former staffer at the Conservative Political Action Conference. The Hunter Biden stories were her first bylines for the Post, although she has worked there since April, according to her LinkedIn profile. On her Instagram account, Morris has posted numerous photos of herself posing with Trump associates including Bannon and Roger Stone.
Pro-Trump media has already begun to heavily promote and expand upon the story, with Fox News host Tucker Carlson announcing that he would release more of Biden’s emails during his Thursday night prime-time show.
Are the emails authentic?
There is no indication that the Post conducted a forensic analysis to confirm the authenticity of the emails and photographs. The Post says it received the material on Sunday, just three days before publishing its report.
The metadata in the PDF files published by the Post, which supposedly contain Biden’s emails, show that the files were created in September and October of 2019 — months after MacIsaac said the laptops were dropped off and a full year before the Post story dropped.
Hunter Biden’s lawyer George Mesires said in a statement, “We have no idea where this came from, and certainly cannot credit anything that Rudy Giuliani provided to the NY Post.”
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Disinformation experts warned that the timing of emails’ release, the way they became public, and the lack of forensic evidence are all signs that the material could be the result of forgery, a hack, or a combination of the two. The Russian GRU unit responsible for hacking the Democratic National Committee in 2016 hacked Burisma, The New York Times reported earlier this year, prompting fears that material from the hack would be leaked near the election in an effort to hurt Biden’s campaign.
CORRECTION: This story previously referred to Naomi Biden as Hunter Biden’s sister. Naomi is his daughter.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--GOP Sen. Ben Sasse Trashes Trump In Call With Voters: He 'Kisses Dictators' Butts'

Continuing , Sasse said , “ The United States now regularly sells out our allies under his leadership , the way he treats women , spends like a drunken sailor .
The ways I criticize ( former ) President ( Barack ) Obama for that kind of spending ; I ’ ve criticized President Trump for as well .
He mocks evangelicals behind closed doors .
His family has treated the presidency like a business opportunity .
He ’ s flirted with white supremacists.
” He also slammed the president for refusing to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously for months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis has not been “ reasonable or responsible or right.
” The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
James Wegmann , a spokesperson for Sasse , in comments to The Washington Post would not say if the senator will vote for Trump .
Sasse , 38 , is seeking a second term in November .
Along with that race , Wegmann told the Post his boss is focusing on maintaining GOP control of the Senate .
Sasse was endorsed by Trump in September 2019 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s GOP primary in May .
In a Twitter spat with Trump in August , he called four executive actions signed by the president “ unconstitutional slop.
” That prompted Trump to attack him as a “ RINO ” ― Republican In Name Only ― and claim Sasse had gone “ rogue ” after getting his support when he needed it .
The senator responded that he never asked for the endorsement , “ nor did I use it in the campaign.
” Sasse is heavily favored to win reelection .
His Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drop out of the race despite revelations that he sent sexually explicit text messages about his campaign ’ s fundraising director .
In response , Nebraska ’ s Democratic Party has endorsed another man as a write-in candidate .
Listen to the recording from the Washington Examiner below .

Continuing, Sasse said, “The United States now regularly sells out our allies under his leadership, the way he treats women, spends like a drunken sailor. The ways I criticize (former) President (Barack) Obama for that kind of spending; I’ve criticized President Trump for as well. He mocks evangelicals behind closed doors. His family has treated the presidency like a business opportunity. He’s flirted with white supremacists.”
He also slammed the president for refusing to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously for months, saying his leadership during the health crisis has not been “reasonable or responsible or right.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
James Wegmann, a spokesperson for Sasse, in comments to The Washington Post would not say if the senator will vote for Trump. Sasse, 38, is seeking a second term in November. Along with that race, Wegmann told the Post his boss is focusing on maintaining GOP control of the Senate.
Sasse was endorsed by Trump in September 2019 and easily defeated a challenger in Nebraska’s GOP primary in May. In a Twitter spat with Trump in August, he called four executive actions signed by the president “unconstitutional slop.” That prompted Trump to attack him as a “RINO” ― Republican In Name Only ― and claim Sasse had gone “rogue” after getting his support when he needed it. The senator responded that he never asked for the endorsement, “nor did I use it in the campaign.”
Sasse is heavily favored to win reelection. His Democratic challenger, Chris Janicek, has refused to drop out of the race despite revelations that he sent sexually explicit text messages about his campaign’s fundraising director. In response, Nebraska’s Democratic Party has endorsed another man as a write-in candidate.
Listen to the recording from the Washington Examiner below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Twitter Is Experiencing A Large-Scale Outage

Twitter began experiencing an outage Thursday evening with no immediate explanation from the company as to what caused it .
Members of the social media network , which boasts around 330 million active users , began reporting problems sending tweets and refreshing their timelines at around 5:30 p.m .
ET , The Verge reported .
The exact size and scope of the outage remains unclear .
“ We know people are having trouble tweeting and using Twitter , ” a company spokesperson told HuffPost .
“ We ’ re working to fix this issue as quickly as possible .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it and Tweet from @ TwitterSupport when we can .
Stay tuned.
” The company later added that it had “ no evidence this outage is caused by a security breach or hack ” and that it was “ currently investigating internal root causes.
” Reports of Twitter being down spiked on Downdetector.com Thursday evening , with nearly 60,000 users saying they were experiencing problems with the social media network .
The outage comes a day after Twitter provoked the ire of Republicans by blocking a New York Post story about Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hacked materials .
Outraged GOP lawmakers are now planning to vote next week on whether to subpoena Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey .
This is a developing story .
Please check back for updates .

SOPA Images via Getty Images
Twitter began experiencing an outage Thursday evening with no immediate explanation from the company as to what caused it.
Members of the social media network, which boasts around 330 million active users, began reporting problems sending tweets and refreshing their timelines at around 5:30 p.m. ET, The Verge reported. The exact size and scope of the outage remains unclear.
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“We know people are having trouble tweeting and using Twitter,” a company spokesperson told HuffPost. “We’re working to fix this issue as quickly as possible. We’ll share more when we have it and Tweet from @TwitterSupport when we can. Stay tuned.”
The company later added that it had “no evidence this outage is caused by a security breach or hack” and that it was “currently investigating internal root causes.”
Reports of Twitter being down spiked on Downdetector.com Thursday evening, with nearly 60,000 users saying they were experiencing problems with the social media network.
The outage comes a day after Twitter provoked the ire of Republicans by blocking a New York Post story about Joe Biden because it violated its rules on doxxing and hacked materials. Outraged GOP lawmakers are now planning to vote next week on whether to subpoena Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--YouTube Bans QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theory Content Targeting Individuals And Groups

YouTube updated its guidelines Thursday to prohibit QAnon and other dangerous conspiracy theory content that targets individuals and groups .
“ Today , we are taking another step in our efforts to curb hate and harassment by removing more conspiracy theory content used to justify real-world violence , ” YouTube said in a statement .
That content includes videos related to QAnon , a dangerous and cultish conspiracy movement that falsely claims high-ranking members of government , media and entertainment belong to a satanic pedophile ring , and that President Donald Trump is secretly working to combat these supposed forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baseless and dangerous conspiracy theories , and the once mostly-online movement has bled into the real world , sometimes with dangerous consequences .
The FBI has designated QAnon as a domestic terror threat .
While YouTube ’ s new policy aims to take down content that specifically targets individuals and groups ( for instance , QAnon adherents often target politicians and celebrities with their dangerous lies ) , the company stopped short of outright banning all QAnon-related videos .
“ Additionally , we ’ ve removed tens of thousands of QAnon videos and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies , particularly those that explicitly threaten violence or deny the existence of major violent events , ” YouTube said in its statement .
The policy change comes just over a week after Facebook announced it was banning all groups and pages associated with QAnon .
Earlier this year , Twitter also took steps to combat the spread of dangerous misinformation spread by QAnon followers .

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YouTube updated its guidelines Thursday to prohibit QAnon and other dangerous conspiracy theory content that targets individuals and groups.
“Today, we are taking another step in our efforts to curb hate and harassment by removing more conspiracy theory content used to justify real-world violence,” YouTube said in a statement.
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While YouTube’s new policy aims to take down content that specifically targets individuals and groups (for instance, QAnon adherents often target politicians and celebrities with their dangerous lies), the company stopped short of outright banning all QAnon-related videos.
“Additionally, we’ve removed tens of thousands of QAnon videos and terminated hundreds of channels under our existing policies, particularly those that explicitly threaten violence or deny the existence of major violent events,” YouTube said in its statement.
The policy change comes just over a week after Facebook announced it was banning all groups and pages associated with QAnon. Earlier this year, Twitter also took steps to combat the spread of dangerous misinformation spread by QAnon followers.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Brazilian Senator Caught Hiding Cash Between His Butt Cheeks: Police

BRASILIA , Oct 15 ( Reuters ) - Brazilian Senator Chico Rodrigues was caught in a police raid with money hidden between his butt cheeks on Wednesday , a judicial source briefed on the matter told Reuters , amid an investigation into the misuse of COVID-19 response funding .
In the senate , Rodrigues represents the state of Roraima and has also been chosen as deputy leader for the agenda of the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro , who won the presidency campaigning heavily on ending the corruption of previous governments .
Rodrigues confirmed in a statement that his house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He denied wrongdoing and said he had been clean throughout his 30 years in politics .
His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the cash allegedly found down his pants , an incident that was widely reported in major Brazilian newspapers , citing unnamed sources .
The federal police declined to comment , citing the confidentiality of the investigation .
In a statement on Wednesday , the police said they had carried out raids as part of an investigation into the possible misuse of congressional funding directed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the COVID-19 response .
On Thursday , Bolsonaro said the police raid was evidence that his government was fighting graft.
“ There is no corruption in my government and we fight corruption , whoever it is , ” he told supporters outside his official residence .
Bolsonaro ’ s anti-graft credentials have faltered since the presidential campaign .
His former justice minister Sergio Moro , an immensely popular ex-judge who was known for his tough stance on corruption , resigned earlier this year , alleging Bolsonaro had sought to interfere in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegation Bolsonaro denies .
The president ’ s son is under investigation for graft in Rio de Janeiro.Bolsonaro and his son deny wrongdoing .
( $ 1 = 5.6107 reais )

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BRASILIA, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Brazilian Senator Chico Rodrigues was caught in a police raid with money hidden between his butt cheeks on Wednesday, a judicial source briefed on the matter told Reuters, amid an investigation into the misuse of COVID-19 response funding.
In the senate, Rodrigues represents the state of Roraima and has also been chosen as deputy leader for the agenda of the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro, who won the presidency campaigning heavily on ending the corruption of previous governments.
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Rodrigues confirmed in a statement that his house was raided, without giving details. He denied wrongdoing and said he had been clean throughout his 30 years in politics.
His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the cash allegedly found down his pants, an incident that was widely reported in major Brazilian newspapers, citing unnamed sources.
The federal police declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of the investigation. In a statement on Wednesday, the police said they had carried out raids as part of an investigation into the possible misuse of congressional funding directed to the health secretary in Roraima to pay for the COVID-19 response.
On Thursday, Bolsonaro said the police raid was evidence that his government was fighting graft.“There is no corruption in my government and we fight corruption, whoever it is,” he told supporters outside his official residence.
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Bolsonaro’s anti-graft credentials have faltered since the presidential campaign. His former justice minister Sergio Moro, an immensely popular ex-judge who was known for his tough stance on corruption, resigned earlier this year, alleging Bolsonaro had sought to interfere in a police investigation for personal gain, an allegation Bolsonaro denies.
The president’s son is under investigation for graft in Rio de Janeiro.Bolsonaro and his son deny wrongdoing.($1 = 5.6107 reais)