thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Trump Reportedly Asked U.S. Ambassador To Help Move British Open To His Resort

President Donald Trump attempted to wield his political influence to get the prestigious British Open golf tournament hosted at his Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland , The New York Times reported Tuesday .
Trump in 2018 reportedly asked the U.S. ambassador to Britain , Woody Johnson , to see “ if the British government could help steer ” the televised event to the money-losing course bought by The Trump Organization in 2014 , according to the newspaper , which cited three unnamed sources .
Johnson reportedly ignored ethics concerns raised by his then-deputy , Lewis Lukens , and floated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland , David Mundell , per the Times .
Lukens later reportedly flagged the request with State Department officials .
He was later forced out of his role at the U.S. embassy in London after telling a positive anecdote about former President Barack Obama during a speech , reported the Times .
Mundell declined to comment on his dealings with Johnson , according to the Times .
He referred the paper to a British government statement that said Johnson “ made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing golf at his Trump Turnberry resort in 2018 .
The president reportedly sought to move the British Open to the money-losing golf course .
Mike Woodcock , a spokesperson for the R & A golf association that runs the tournament , said he had not “ received any approaches from the British government or the Scottish government ” about moving the event to Trump ’ s resort .
Johnson , the White House and the State Department all declined to comment to the Times .
Trump , as president , is exempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Still , his request may have violated the Constitution ’ s emoluments clause banning federal officeholders from receiving payments from foreign governments because the security bill would likely have been footed by the British government , the Times reported .
Noah Bookbinder , executive director of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington watchdog group , tweeted it was “ hard to think of a better example of using the presidency for personal gain in ways that could affect international relations.
” Our ambassador , at President Trump 's urging , reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British Open to Trump 's club .
Hard to think of a better example of using the presidency for personal gain in ways that could affect international relations.https : //t.co/JHTVS9a8du — Noah Bookbinder ( @ NoahBookbinder ) July 21 , 2020 Walter Shaub , the former head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics , also expressed dismay : .
.
.
because , after all , what 's an Ambassadorship for , if not for misusing your position to ask a foreign government to give your boss an unconstitutional emolument or two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ waltshaub ) July 22 , 2020 Trump last year tried to steer a meeting of G-7 world leaders to his Doral resort in Florida , but backed off after an outcry .
The summit was later canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump attempted to wield his political influence to get the prestigious British Open golf tournament hosted at his Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
Trump in 2018 reportedly asked the U.S. ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, to see “if the British government could help steer” the televised event to the money-losing course bought by The Trump Organization in 2014, according to the newspaper, which cited three unnamed sources.
Advertisement
Johnson reportedly ignored ethics concerns raised by his then-deputy, Lewis Lukens, and floated the idea with the secretary of state for Scotland, David Mundell, per the Times. Lukens later reportedly flagged the request with State Department officials. He was later forced out of his role at the U.S. embassy in London after telling a positive anecdote about former President Barack Obama during a speech, reported the Times.
Mundell declined to comment on his dealings with Johnson, according to the Times. He referred the paper to a British government statement that said Johnson “made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event.”
Donald Trump, pictured playing golf at his Trump Turnberry resort in 2018. The president reportedly sought to move the British Open to the money-losing golf course. Leon Neal via Getty Images
Mike Woodcock, a spokesperson for the R&A golf association that runs the tournament, said he had not “received any approaches from the British government or the Scottish government” about moving the event to Trump’s resort.
Advertisement
Johnson, the White House and the State Department all declined to comment to the Times.
The 2020 British Open was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump, as president, is exempt from U.S. conflict of interest laws. Still, his request may have violated the Constitution’s emoluments clause banning federal officeholders from receiving payments from foreign governments because the security bill would likely have been footed by the British government, the Times reported.
Noah Bookbinder, executive director of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington watchdog group, tweeted it was “hard to think of a better example of using the presidency for personal gain in ways that could affect international relations.”
Our ambassador, at President Trump's urging, reportedly asked the British government to steer the British Open to Trump's club. Hard to think of a better example of using the presidency for personal gain in ways that could affect international relations.https://t.co/JHTVS9a8du — Noah Bookbinder (@NoahBookbinder) July 21, 2020
Walter Shaub, the former head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, also expressed dismay:
. . . because, after all, what's an Ambassadorship for, if not for misusing your position to ask a foreign government to give your boss an unconstitutional emolument or two? https://t.co/XFhUPRGzDx — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) July 22, 2020
Trump last year tried to steer a meeting of G-7 world leaders to his Doral resort in Florida, but backed off after an outcry. The summit was later canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--'Medicare For All' Gets Nod In Democratic Platform For First Time Ever

For the first time , the Democratic Party platform mentions “ Medicare for All , ” according to a draft version released this week .
It ’ s a victory for progressives who worked to make the transformation of the health care system a central issue in the presidential campaign .
“ Generations of Democrats have been united in the fight for universal health care .
We are proud our party welcomes advocates who want to build on and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and those who support a Medicare for All approach ; all are critical to ensuring that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the document reads .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the party ’ s presumptive nominee for president , does not back Medicare for All , a policy that was central to the rival presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
So the platform does not endorse the idea , and the reference to it is brief .
But supporters say it ’ s still a win to have their progress acknowledged ― and to have the idea enshrined in an official party document in a positive way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything , it ’ s that health care is a human right and that the greed and cruelty of health insurance corporations must end , ” said Josh Orton , a senior adviser to Sanders who was on the committee .
“ A majority of Democrats in the U.S. House support a Medicare for All system , and it shows real progress that our movement is now a part of the DNC platform itself.
” A 15-person panel , including backers of both Biden and Sanders put together the 80-page document .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the recommendations of the joint policy task forces the two teams put together this summer as an effort to show a united front against President Donald Trump .
Medicare for All was not included there , however .
The campaigns of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders set up joint task forces to come up with policy recommendations , which formed the basis for the draft of the Democratic Party platform .
The Sanders campaign offered an amendment mentioning Medicare for All to the platform drafting committee last week , and it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the full 180-person platform committee , composed of about 180 delegates .
They will have the change to make changes and then send a version to be ratified by the full Democratic National Convention in August .
The fight over achieving universal health care took up significant airtime during the Democratic presidential primary , as candidates sparred over whether the U.S. should transition to Medicare for All ― a single-payer health care system that would move every American off private insurance and onto a government-sponsored plan ― or build a public option into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden ’ s campaign has backed expanding the Affordable Care Act to include a public option that Americans can buy into .
Biden has also since backed lowering the Medicare enrollment age to 60 , down from 65 .
On the campaign trail , however , the former vice president took several swipes at Medicare for All , arguing it could be bad for union members with already robust health care plans , and that the program would be too expensive .
Despite these attacks , Medicare for All has continued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case against a private system that for the majority of Americans ties health insurance to employment .
The proposal has achieved particular relevance during the coronavirus pandemic , as millions of Americans continue to lose their jobs and health insurance during a public health and economic crisis .
On the whole , the platform does reflect the incremental leftward shift the party has taken in the last four years around issues like socioeconomic inequality and climate change .
It calls for mandating net-zero emissions for all buildings by 2030 and creating a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as a ban on for-profit charter schools — language stronger than the 2016 platform .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
For the first time, the Democratic Party platform mentions “Medicare for All,” according to a draft version released this week. It’s a victory for progressives who worked to make the transformation of the health care system a central issue in the presidential campaign.
“Generations of Democrats have been united in the fight for universal health care. We are proud our party welcomes advocates who want to build on and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and those who support a Medicare for All approach; all are critical to ensuring that health care is a human right,” the document reads.
Advertisement
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the party’s presumptive nominee for president, does not back Medicare for All, a policy that was central to the rival presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). So the platform does not endorse the idea, and the reference to it is brief. But supporters say it’s still a win to have their progress acknowledged ― and to have the idea enshrined in an official party document in a positive way.
“If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that health care is a human right and that the greed and cruelty of health insurance corporations must end,” said Josh Orton, a senior adviser to Sanders who was on the committee. “A majority of Democrats in the U.S. House support a Medicare for All system, and it shows real progress that our movement is now a part of the DNC platform itself.”
A 15-person panel, including backers of both Biden and Sanders put together the 80-page document. Many of planks in the platform come directly from the recommendations of the joint policy task forces the two teams put together this summer as an effort to show a united front against President Donald Trump. Medicare for All was not included there, however.
The campaigns of Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders set up joint task forces to come up with policy recommendations, which formed the basis for the draft of the Democratic Party platform. Evan Vucci/Associated Press
Advertisement
The Sanders campaign offered an amendment mentioning Medicare for All to the platform drafting committee last week, and it was accepted. The platform now goes to the full 180-person platform committee, composed of about 180 delegates. They will have the change to make changes and then send a version to be ratified by the full Democratic National Convention in August.
The fight over achieving universal health care took up significant airtime during the Democratic presidential primary, as candidates sparred over whether the U.S. should transition to Medicare for All ― a single-payer health care system that would move every American off private insurance and onto a government-sponsored plan ― or build a public option into the current, predominantly private insurance system.
Biden’s campaign has backed expanding the Affordable Care Act to include a public option that Americans can buy into. Biden has also since backed lowering the Medicare enrollment age to 60, down from 65.
On the campaign trail, however, the former vice president took several swipes at Medicare for All, arguing it could be bad for union members with already robust health care plans, and that the program would be too expensive.
Despite these attacks, Medicare for All has continued to grow in popularity nationwide as activists make the case against a private system that for the majority of Americans ties health insurance to employment. The proposal has achieved particular relevance during the coronavirus pandemic, as millions of Americans continue to lose their jobs and health insurance during a public health and economic crisis.
Advertisement
On the whole, the platform does reflect the incremental leftward shift the party has taken in the last four years around issues like socioeconomic inequality and climate change. It calls for mandating net-zero emissions for all buildings by 2030 and creating a new commission to study slavery reparations, as well as a ban on for-profit charter schools — language stronger than the 2016 platform.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Democrats Demand Answers About Trump's Federal Show Of Force In Portland

The letter sought to tie the federal incursion in U.S. cities to the forcible clearing of peaceful protesters in front @ @ @ @ @ month , which Barr is said to have ordered .
“ Critically , it remains @ @ @ @ @ federal government has invoked for its militarized interventions in American cities , ” the letter @ @ @ @ @ this is part of an alarming pattern by the Trump Administration in taking an aggressive @ @ @ @ @ catalyzed by the killing of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Ahmaud Arbery , and @ @ @ @

The letter sought to tie the federal incursion in U.S. cities to the forcible clearing of peaceful protesters in front of the White House last month, which Barr is said to have ordered.
“Critically, it remains unclear what legal authorities the federal government has invoked for its militarized interventions in American cities,” the letter read. “All of this is part of an alarming pattern by the Trump Administration in taking an aggressive and excessive response to protests catalyzed by the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--House Sends Major Public Lands Bill To Trump's Desk

The overwhelming 310-107 vote by the House comes just over a month after the Senate passed the bill .
Trump has promised to sign it into law .
The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act has been hailed as the most significant conservation legislation in a generation and combines two bills that might otherwise not have passed on their own .
One sets aside $ 9.5 billion to address the estimated $ 12 billion maintenance backlog at national parks , which has been a priority of the Trump administration .
The other permanently supports the Land and Water Conservation Fund , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offshore fossil fuel revenue to protect natural areas and water resources , at the maximum $ 900 million per year .
The program , which has existed for over 50 years , has been plagued by funding shortfalls and has only twice received the full $ 900 million .
“ We have a generational opportunity to ensure America ’ s crown jewels are protected , ” Rep. Raúl Grijalva ( D-Ariz. ) , chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee , said in speech on the House floor ahead of the vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure that every tool is available to help us respond to the climate crisis , [ to ] protect those landscapes that best protect clean water , clean air and healthy green spaces .
This bill is a major win for the American people , decades in the making.
” The legislative push featured some serious election-year politicking .
For years , Trump and his team proposed gutting LWCF funding while continuing to claim it was a priority .
The president suddenly changed his tune in March , giving full credit to Sens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steve Daines ( Mont . )
, two of the most vulnerable Republican lawmakers — neither of whom have particularly notable environmental records .
Immediately after the Senate passed the bill in June , Trump ’ s Interior Secretary , David Bernhardt , tweeted a testy letter to Grijalva that suggested the Arizona lawmaker and other Democrats would stand in the way of passing a clean bill .
But it was the GOP , including Rep .
Rob Bishop ( Utah ) , the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded a chance to introduce significant amendments .
Bernhardt issued an equally partisan statement following Wednesday ’ s vote , saying Trump “ accomplished what previous Presidents have failed to do for decades , despite their lip service commitment to funding public land improvements.
” “ Today , we the people made history , ” Land Tawney , president of the Montana-based nonprofit Backcountry Hunters and Anglers , said in a statement .
“ The Great American Outdoors Act is a momentous achievement in the name of our most prized American landscapes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once in a generation piece of conservation and public access legislation that will have impacts for generations to come .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a sweeping public lands package to fix crumbling national park infrastructure and permanently fund a decades-old conservation program, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump for final approval.
The overwhelming 310-107 vote by the House comes just over a month after the Senate passed the bill. Trump has promised to sign it into law.
Advertisement
The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act has been hailed as the most significant conservation legislation in a generation and combines two bills that might otherwise not have passed on their own. One sets aside $9.5 billion to address the estimated $12 billion maintenance backlog at national parks, which has been a priority of the Trump administration. The other permanently supports the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was established in 1964 that uses offshore fossil fuel revenue to protect natural areas and water resources, at the maximum $900 million per year.
The program, which has existed for over 50 years, has been plagued by funding shortfalls and has only twice received the full $900 million.
“We have a generational opportunity to ensure America’s crown jewels are protected,” Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, said in speech on the House floor ahead of the vote. “We have a unique chance to ensure that every tool is available to help us respond to the climate crisis, [to] protect those landscapes that best protect clean water, clean air and healthy green spaces. This bill is a major win for the American people, decades in the making.”
The legislative push featured some serious election-year politicking. For years, Trump and his team proposed gutting LWCF funding while continuing to claim it was a priority. The president suddenly changed his tune in March, giving full credit to Sens. Cory Gardner (Colo.) and Steve Daines (Mont.), two of the most vulnerable Republican lawmakers — neither of whom have particularly notable environmental records.
Advertisement
“ALL thanks to @SenCoryGardner and @SteveDaines, two GREAT Conservative Leaders!” Trump tweeted at the time.
Immediately after the Senate passed the bill in June, Trump’s Interior Secretary, David Bernhardt, tweeted a testy letter to Grijalva that suggested the Arizona lawmaker and other Democrats would stand in the way of passing a clean bill.
“Failure to move with dispatch to get this legislation enacted would be unconscionable,” Bernhardt wrote.
But it was the GOP, including Rep. Rob Bishop (Utah), the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee, that tried to stymie its passage and demanded a chance to introduce significant amendments.
Bernhardt issued an equally partisan statement following Wednesday’s vote, saying Trump “accomplished what previous Presidents have failed to do for decades, despite their lip service commitment to funding public land improvements.”
Advertisement
Although Trump’s reversal on LWCF appears aimed as securing wins for two Senate allies, environmentalists, public land advocates and outdoor sporting groups have embraced the opportunity.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Trump Mocked For Claiming He's Done More For Black Americans Than Lincoln

He also said he was n't racist by saying his administration did Justice Reform as if that was an exclusively @ @ @ @ @ that he later added .
He could not hold more racist beliefs in that little @ @ @

He also said he wasn't racist by saying his administration did Justice Reform as if that was an exclusively "black American" issue that he later added.
He could not hold more racist beliefs in that little noggin'.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Migrant Kids Held In U.S. Hotels, Then Expelled

HOUSTON ( AP ) — The Trump administration is detaining immigrant children as young as 1 in hotels , sometimes for weeks , before deporting them to their home countries under policies that have effectively shut down the nation ’ s asylum system during the coronavirus pandemic , according to documents obtained by The Associated Press .
A private contractor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is taking children to three Hampton Inn & Suites hotels in Arizona and at the Texas-Mexico border , where they are typically detained for several days , the records show .
The hotels have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 10,000 beds for children sit empty at government shelters .
Federal anti-trafficking laws and a two-decade-old court settlement that governs the treatment of migrant children require that most kids be sent to the shelters for eventual placement with family sponsors .
But President Donald Trump ’ s administration is now immediately expelling people seeking asylum in the U.S. , relying on a public health declaration to set aside those rules .
Lawyers and advocates say housing unaccompanied migrant children in hotels exposes them to the risk of trauma as they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold them and cared for by contractors with unclear credentials .
They are challenging the use of hotels as detention spaces under the Flores court settlement .
ICE largely declined to answer questions but referred to the contractors as “ transportation specialists ” who are “ non-law enforcement staff members trained to work with minors and to ensure that all aspects of the transport or stay are compliant ” with the court settlement .
It wouldn ’ t say whether they ’ re licensed child care professionals or have received FBI background checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in scrubs went room to room on the fourth and fifth floors of the Hampton Inn caring for children , according to Roberto Lopez of the nonprofit Texas Civil Rights Project .
He walked through the hotel Friday , spotting a small child holding on to a gate in a doorway as an adult on the other side played with him .
Lopez said he could hear the cries of at least one child in the hallway .
Hilton , which owns the Hampton Inn brand , said in a statement Tuesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed rooms were booked directly with those owners .
Hilton wouldn ’ t say how many rooms had been used to detain children or how much the rooms cost .
“ We are not making any political statements one way or the other by taking in this group and we feel that anyone , especially children in such difficult circumstances , is entitled to safe and clean accommodations and that ’ s what we aim to provide , ” a company statement said .
“ In our conversations with the group contact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and federal regulations are being followed.
” At least 2,000 children have been expelled since March , when the Trump administration announced it would broadly refuse entry to people seeking protection in the U.S .
The administration has cited the threat of the coronavirus in saying it doesn ’ t have the resources to allow migrants to stay .
Before March , Central American children who crossed into the U.S. alone were generally sent to facilities overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services .
HHS facilities have bedrooms and schooling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and generally placed with family sponsors .
The facilities also are licensed by the states where they ’ re located .
Federal anti-trafficking law requires the government to promptly refer most children to HHS .
While U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it made 1,564 apprehensions of unaccompanied children at the southern border in June , HHS says it received just 61 .
CBP wouldn ’ t say how many children are expelled right away , how many are sent to hotels or how border agents decide between those options or referral to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels to ICE .
The records indicate the children were not accompanied by a parent but don ’ t say more about the circumstances of their crossing the border .
In the past , some very young children have been brought by older siblings or other relatives .
Others have been sent by parents waiting for their court dates in refugee camps on the U.S.-Mexico border with hopes they will be placed with relatives .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
HOUSTON (AP) — The Trump administration is detaining immigrant children as young as 1 in hotels, sometimes for weeks, before deporting them to their home countries under policies that have effectively shut down the nation’s asylum system during the coronavirus pandemic, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
A private contractor for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is taking children to three Hampton Inn & Suites hotels in Arizona and at the Texas-Mexico border, where they are typically detained for several days, the records show. The hotels have been used nearly 200 times, while more than 10,000 beds for children sit empty at government shelters.
Advertisement
Federal anti-trafficking laws and a two-decade-old court settlement that governs the treatment of migrant children require that most kids be sent to the shelters for eventual placement with family sponsors. But President Donald Trump’s administration is now immediately expelling people seeking asylum in the U.S., relying on a public health declaration to set aside those rules.
Lawyers and advocates say housing unaccompanied migrant children in hotels exposes them to the risk of trauma as they’re detained in places not designed to hold them and cared for by contractors with unclear credentials. They are challenging the use of hotels as detention spaces under the Flores court settlement.
“They’ve created a shadow system in which there’s no accountability for expelling very young children,” said Leecia Welch, an attorney at the nonprofit National Center for Youth Law. “There really aren’t enough words to describe what a disgraceful example of sacrificing children this is to advance heartless immigration policies.”
ICE largely declined to answer questions but referred to the contractors as “transportation specialists” who are “non-law enforcement staff members trained to work with minors and to ensure that all aspects of the transport or stay are compliant” with the court settlement. It wouldn’t say whether they’re licensed child care professionals or have received FBI background checks.
Advertisement
In McAllen, Texas, people in scrubs went room to room on the fourth and fifth floors of the Hampton Inn caring for children, according to Roberto Lopez of the nonprofit Texas Civil Rights Project. He walked through the hotel Friday, spotting a small child holding on to a gate in a doorway as an adult on the other side played with him. Lopez said he could hear the cries of at least one child in the hallway.
Parked outside were unmarked white vans with the silhouettes of adults and children visible through the windows, Lopez said. He didn’t see logos or insignia for any government agencies on the vans or in the hotel.
The records obtained by AP show the Hampton Inn in McAllen was used most often to detain children — 123 times over two months. The other hotels are in Phoenix and El Paso.
The Trump administration is detaining immigrant children in hotels before deporting them to their home countries. Matt York/Associated Press
Hilton, which owns the Hampton Inn brand, said in a statement Tuesday that all three hotels were franchises and it believed rooms were booked directly with those owners. Hilton wouldn’t say how many rooms had been used to detain children or how much the rooms cost.
Advertisement
“We understand these properties have been used for their intended purpose — temporary accommodation for guests traveling between locations,” the statement said.
Castle Hospitality, which operates the McAllen hotel, said it didn’t know its rooms would be used to detain children until they arrived.
“We are not making any political statements one way or the other by taking in this group and we feel that anyone, especially children in such difficult circumstances, is entitled to safe and clean accommodations and that’s what we aim to provide,” a company statement said. “In our conversations with the group contact, we have been assured that all state and federal regulations are being followed.”
At least 2,000 children have been expelled since March, when the Trump administration announced it would broadly refuse entry to people seeking protection in the U.S. The administration has cited the threat of the coronavirus in saying it doesn’t have the resources to allow migrants to stay.
The U.S. has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths in the world, and the virus is ravaging much of the West and South, including Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, where McAllen is located.
Advertisement
Before March, Central American children who crossed into the U.S. alone were generally sent to facilities overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS facilities have bedrooms and schooling, and children are given access to lawyers and generally placed with family sponsors. The facilities also are licensed by the states where they’re located. Federal anti-trafficking law requires the government to promptly refer most children to HHS.
While U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it made 1,564 apprehensions of unaccompanied children at the southern border in June, HHS says it received just 61. CBP wouldn’t say how many children are expelled right away, how many are sent to hotels or how border agents decide between those options or referral to HHS. The agency referred questions about hotels to ICE.
ICE said it uses contractor MVM Inc. “to transport single minors to hotels and to ensure each minor remains safe and secure while in this temporary housing.” MVM had a contract with ICE for “transportation services” extended for $49 million on March 31, according to federal contracting data. The company declined to answer questions.
According to MVM’s hiring website, it’s looking for “bilingual travel youth care workers” based in Phoenix and McAllen to provide “humble care and service to unaccompanied children and teens.” The posting doesn’t require a child care background but says selected applicants will be given a “government background investigation.”
The border agencies and MVM have been criticized for their treatment of immigrant children during the Trump administration, including wide-scale family separations in 2018 and the detention of children in squalid border stations in Texas last year.
Advertisement
The government provided records on the detention of children and teenagers expelled in April and June to a team of lawyers representing the interests of immigrant children under the Flores agreement, reached in 1997. Records for May weren’t available.
The Hampton Inns in McAllen, El Paso and Phoenix were used 186 times. No other hotels appear in the records, which indicate that 169 children were detained at the hotels, some with multiple stays.
At least two 1-year-olds were held for three days. But some young children, including 3- to 5-year-olds, were detained for two weeks or longer. One 5-year-old was detained for 19 days in the McAllen hotel.
The records indicate the children were not accompanied by a parent but don’t say more about the circumstances of their crossing the border. In the past, some very young children have been brought by older siblings or other relatives. Others have been sent by parents waiting for their court dates in refugee camps on the U.S.-Mexico border with hopes they will be placed with relatives.
Karla Vargas, a Texas Civil Rights Project lawyer, represented a 13-year-old girl who was detained in a hotel and later expelled to El Salvador. Vargas said border agents didn’t tell the girl’s mother in the U.S. that they had detained her daughter. A person who crossed the border with the girl called her mother.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--House Democrats Vote To End Donald Trump's Muslim Travel Ban

The bill passed in a 233-183 vote , largely on party lines .
It ’ s almost certainly dead on arrival in the Senate , which is controlled by Republicans , not to mention at the desk of a president who vowed to ban all Muslims as a candidate and ultimately settled on a travel ban for certain nations .
“ This vote marks the beginning of the end of the Muslim ban — a cruel policy that continues to tear families apart .
Now we must take the fight to the Senate where we refuse to stop fighting until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill lands on the president ’ s desk , ” said Farhana Khera , the executive director of civil rights organization Muslim Advocates .
The No Ban ― or National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants ― Act would immediately terminate Trump ’ s travel ban and limit the powers of future presidents from instituting similar bans .
The vote was originally scheduled for March but was delayed after Republican critics argued that the bill would impede the government ’ s ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic .
The bill ’ s latest version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed a president to bar entry in the interest of public health , such as during the current coronavirus pandemic .
The travel ban , which has been in effect in some form since Trump ’ s first year in office , is discriminatory and has done serious damage to Muslims in the U.S. and abroad , according to Democratic proponents of the bill and advocacy groups .
“ The Trump administration has demonstrated a reckless and cruel abuse of power by issuing bans for the sole purpose of shutting out communities of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and racist campaign promises , ” said Marielena Hincapié , executive director of the National Immigration Law Center , one of the organizations that makes up the No Muslim Ban Ever coalition .
“ Today is a crucial step towards undoing the tremendous harm this administration has inflicted on our communities.
” Wa ’ el Alzayat , CEO of Emgage Action , said Biden ’ s vow to end the ban and speak directly to Muslim American voters was particularly noteworthy given the history of Islamophobia from not just the Trump administration but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since the current legislation to end the ban is unlikely to be embraced by the Republicans or Trump , “ the most direct and effective way to repeal [ the ban ] is to elect a new president .
So when somebody like Joe Biden says he will repeal it , it ’ s extremely important , ” Alzayat told HuffPost .
“ That ’ s a promise he made and that ’ s a promise we know he will deliver.
” Trump has already made the bans a campaign issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanting to “ end all travel bans , including from jihadist regions ” and that reversing the ban would lead to “ people that are going to come in and blow up our cities.
” Trump first signed Executive Order 13769 in January 2017 after calling for “ a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States ” during his presidential campaign .
After signing the order , thousands took to airports across the country to protest the ban , calling it discriminatory .
It wasn ’ t until nearly three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and hundreds of thousands of families were separated , that Congress held a hearing in September 2019 and highlighted the No Ban Act .
In February , the House Judiciary Committee voted 22-10 to terminate the ban .
Since the ban was first enacted , married couples have been torn apart and civilians seeking medical attention have been denied visas to enter the country for treatment .
Some Americans were forced to make the difficult decision to leave the U.S. and move to war-torn countries just to be with their families .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest levels of the American government could not obtain a waiver and reunite with loved ones .
Out of 549 cases analyzed by the Bridge Initiative , a research project at Georgetown University that studies Islamophobia , at least one in four were children separated from their parents , and one in three were partners torn apart as a result of the ban .
At least 6 % of cases , including those involving children , were reported to result in individuals facing dangerous safety conditions as a result of the ban .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this will repeal the Muslim ban , but above all , we want to make sure that this presidential power is not going to be abused , so other communities do not have to feel the weight of this discrimination as we have , ” said Iman Awad , legislative director of Emgage Action .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Democrat-led House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that would end President Donald Trump’s travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries, and ensure neither he nor any other president could do the same again.
The bill passed in a 233-183 vote, largely on party lines. It’s almost certainly dead on arrival in the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans, not to mention at the desk of a president who vowed to ban all Muslims as a candidate and ultimately settled on a travel ban for certain nations.
Advertisement
But activists said the vote was an important step toward doing away with a ban that has kept families apart, contributed to significant emotional distress and left people in dangerous conditions overseas.
“This vote marks the beginning of the end of the Muslim ban — a cruel policy that continues to tear families apart. Now we must take the fight to the Senate where we refuse to stop fighting until every senator hears from us and the bill lands on the president’s desk,” said Farhana Khera, the executive director of civil rights organization Muslim Advocates.
The No Ban ― or National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants ― Act would immediately terminate Trump’s travel ban and limit the powers of future presidents from instituting similar bans. The vote was originally scheduled for March but was delayed after Republican critics argued that the bill would impede the government’s ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The bill’s latest version was amended to include a clarification that allowed a president to bar entry in the interest of public health, such as during the current coronavirus pandemic.
The travel ban, which has been in effect in some form since Trump’s first year in office, is discriminatory and has done serious damage to Muslims in the U.S. and abroad, according to Democratic proponents of the bill and advocacy groups.
Advertisement
“The Trump administration has demonstrated a reckless and cruel abuse of power by issuing bans for the sole purpose of shutting out communities of color, fulfilling Trump’s signature and racist campaign promises,” said Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, one of the organizations that makes up the No Muslim Ban Ever coalition. “Today is a crucial step towards undoing the tremendous harm this administration has inflicted on our communities.”
Broad Democratic Support
Although the bill has strong support from Democrats in the House and Senate, the likeliest avenue for overturning Trump’s travel ban is to get him out of the White House.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told Muslim Americans on a Zoom call earlier this week that he would repeal the ban on the first day of his administration if he was elected president.
“I will end the Muslim ban on day one,” the former vice president told the 3,000 attendees of the Million Muslim Votes Summit, hosted by Emgage Action, the nation’s largest Muslim American political group. The group endorsed Biden in the general election earlier this year.
“Muslim communities are the first to feel Donald Trump’s assault on Black and brown communities in this country with his vile Muslim ban,” Biden said.
Advertisement
Wa’el Alzayat, CEO of Emgage Action, said Biden’s vow to end the ban and speak directly to Muslim American voters was particularly noteworthy given the history of Islamophobia from not just the Trump administration but both parties over the past two decades.
Since the current legislation to end the ban is unlikely to be embraced by the Republicans or Trump, “the most direct and effective way to repeal [the ban] is to elect a new president. So when somebody like Joe Biden says he will repeal it, it’s extremely important,” Alzayat told HuffPost. “That’s a promise he made and that’s a promise we know he will deliver.”
Trump has already made the bans a campaign issue. Last week, Trump attacked Biden for wanting to “end all travel bans, including from jihadist regions” and that reversing the ban would lead to “people that are going to come in and blow up our cities.”
Years Of Revisions And Expansions
Trump first signed Executive Order 13769 in January 2017 after calling for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” during his presidential campaign. After signing the order, thousands took to airports across the country to protest the ban, calling it discriminatory.
The original ban, which has been revised several times and challenged repeatedly in federal courts, was then upheld in 2018 by the Supreme Court.
Advertisement
It wasn’t until nearly three years after the ban went into effect, and hundreds of thousands of families were separated, that Congress held a hearing in September 2019 and highlighted the No Ban Act. In February, the House Judiciary Committee voted 22-10 to terminate the ban.
That same month, Trump expanded his controversial travel ban and added several more countries, predominately Muslim and African countries. Advocates have since denounced the expanded ban, calling it both racist and Islamophobic.
Since the ban was first enacted, married couples have been torn apart and civilians seeking medical attention have been denied visas to enter the country for treatment. Some Americans were forced to make the difficult decision to leave the U.S. and move to war-torn countries just to be with their families. Even families with members working in the highest levels of the American government could not obtain a waiver and reunite with loved ones.
Out of 549 cases analyzed by the Bridge Initiative, a research project at Georgetown University that studies Islamophobia, at least one in four were children separated from their parents, and one in three were partners torn apart as a result of the ban. At least 6% of cases, including those involving children, were reported to result in individuals facing dangerous safety conditions as a result of the ban.
Nearly 12% of those impacted in the analysis reported anxiety, depression, and/or emotional distress as a result of the Muslim ban, according to the same report.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--'There Will Always Be Struggle': Generations Of Black Americans Have Fought For Justice

Lewis , who died last Friday at age 80 , had fought for the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 .
He ’ d led the “ Bloody Sunday ” march for voting rights in Selma , Alabama , in 1965 , when the brutal response of law enforcement gained national attention .
And this year , he again called on people of “ all faiths and no faiths , and all backgrounds , creeds , and colors ” to take up the fight for racial justice .
In the 58 days since police killed Floyd , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victories .
Cities across the nation have begun to rethink policing , officers involved in Floyd ’ s death have been arrested and charged , and long-standing racist monuments have been taken down .
But there ’ s much left to do , and historians note that if the past is a guide , the movement is still gaining momentum .
Just like in the past , photos and video footage have shown what the Black Lives Matter movement is saying ― from the May 5 cellphone video of armed white men in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gunning down Ahmaud Arbery to the footage of the last breathless minutes of Floyd ’ s life .
Though Americans have long known about systemic racism and have seen instances of police brutality before ― “ 250 million white people didn ’ t wake up three months ago and say , ‘ Oh my god , police brutality is a thing ?
’ ” McKinney said ― these latest images have forced a mainstream conversation .
“ These moments where we have video footage of people ― Black people in particular ― being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disseminated .
There can be lots and lots of conversations about what we have seen .
People can be mad , sad , outraged , angered , disappointed , ” he said .
“ We go through all those cycles , and at the end of the day , it is still an open question of whether or not the murderers will be brought to justice and if systems can be altered and shifted and improved for the better.
” Rosa Parks , a Black woman in Montgomery , Alabama , refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bus to a white person , a requirement under city segregation laws .
This led to her arrest .
The NAACP organized a one-day boycott of the bus system , which ultimately continued for 382 days .
Later , when reflecting on her actions , Parks said , “ I thought of Emmett Till , and when the bus driver ordered me to move to the back , I just couldn ’ t move.
” Three times that month , protesters set off on a 54-mile walk from Selma , Alabama , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of an effort to register Black voters in the South .
They were repeatedly met with violence , most infamously on “ Bloody Sunday , ” when officers tackled the marchers to the ground , chased them down with horses , beat them with whips and batons , and used tear gas .
But after Bloody Sunday , the marchers picked themselves up and tried again and again .
The third march reached Montgomery .
Los Angeles erupted into protests over the acquittal of police officers who beat Rodney King ― video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became a media sensation ― as well as the probation order for a store owner who had shot and killed a 15-year-old Black girl , Latasha Harlins .
Once the protests turned violent , looting and burning followed .
After six days of unrest and efforts to quell that unrest , 63 people were dead and over 2,000 injured .
The Rodney King beating set off a yearslong effort to reform the Los Angeles Police Department .
The Christopher Commission was established even before the 1992 unrest to conduct a full examination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laid out the widespread use of excessive force throughout the department .
Five years later , the U.S. Department of Justice began investigating the department .
In May 2000 , it said it had found “ a pattern or practice of excessive force , false arrests , and unreasonable searches and seizures.
” The Justice Department made reform recommendations , and in November 2000 , it reached a consent decree with the city allowing for five years of independent monitoring .
George Zimmerman , a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida , fatally shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was on his way home from the convenience store .
Even after the 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman not to pursue the “ suspicious person ” he reported , Zimmerman trailed and shot Martin .
The 17-year-old was carrying an iced tea and candy .
Protests followed as the nation once again grappled with racism and injustice .
But Zimmerman was acquitted in court .
After an officer shot and killed Michael Brown , a Black teenager , protests flared up across Ferguson , Missouri , and were met with a violent police crackdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferguson and elsewhere became a turning point in the conversation about race .
One of its major outcomes was dubbed the “ Ferguson Effect ” ― the theory that the exposure of police brutality cultivated by media coverage of the protests led to increased levels of distrust in the police among Americans .

Several days after police killed George Floyd this spring, civil rights hero Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) lamented that too little had changed since a white mob lynched 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955.
“Despite real progress, I can’t help but think of young Emmett today as I watch video after video after video of unarmed Black Americans being killed, and falsely accused,” Lewis said in a May 30 statement. “My heart breaks for these men and women, their families, and the country that let them down — again.”
Advertisement
Lewis, who died last Friday at age 80, had fought for the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. He’d led the “Bloody Sunday” march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, when the brutal response of law enforcement gained national attention. And this year, he again called on people of “all faiths and no faiths, and all backgrounds, creeds, and colors” to take up the fight for racial justice.
In the 58 days since police killed Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement has won some victories. Cities across the nation have begun to rethink policing, officers involved in Floyd’s death have been arrested and charged, and long-standing racist monuments have been taken down. But there’s much left to do, and historians note that if the past is a guide, the movement is still gaining momentum.
“We are still in the middle of this moment,” said Charles McKinney, a professor of African American history at Rhodes College.
Just like in the past, photos and video footage have shown what the Black Lives Matter movement is saying ― from the May 5 cellphone video of armed white men in a suburban neighborhood in Georgia chasing and gunning down Ahmaud Arbery to the footage of the last breathless minutes of Floyd’s life. Though Americans have long known about systemic racism and have seen instances of police brutality before ― “250 million white people didn’t wake up three months ago and say, ‘Oh my god, police brutality is a thing?’” McKinney said ― these latest images have forced a mainstream conversation.
Advertisement
But as McKinney noted, “Images don’t necessarily translate into automatic slam-dunk wins and victories.”
“These moments where we have video footage of people ― Black people in particular ― being murdered, those images can be widely disseminated. There can be lots and lots of conversations about what we have seen. People can be mad, sad, outraged, angered, disappointed,” he said. “We go through all those cycles, and at the end of the day, it is still an open question of whether or not the murderers will be brought to justice and if systems can be altered and shifted and improved for the better.”
Aaron Bryant, social justice curator for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, said that while Black Americans may not be optimistic that change will occur quickly, they are hopeful it will come someday.
“People haven’t given up hope on the American promise or their rights to full citizenship as Americans, and I think that is really important,” Bryant said.
Both hope and stamina are crucial, he said, because “this whole idea of freedom and progress is really through struggle. And there will always be struggle.”
Advertisement
It has been 65 years since Till was murdered, and the fight for civil rights and social justice has continued. Here are some of the key moments:
August 1955
Emmett Till was beaten and killed in Mississippi after a white woman falsely accused him of sexual harassment. He was 14. His murderers were acquitted. The brutality of his death and the publicity that followed sparked outrage and forced America to look at the enduring violence against Black Americans.
People in New York gather around Mamie Bradley, the mother of Emmett Till, to protest the acquittal of her son's murderers in Mississippi. Bettmann/Getty Images
December 1955
Rosa Parks, a Black woman in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to give up her seat on a public bus to a white person, a requirement under city segregation laws. This led to her arrest. The NAACP organized a one-day boycott of the bus system, which ultimately continued for 382 days. Later, when reflecting on her actions, Parks said, “I thought of Emmett Till, and when the bus driver ordered me to move to the back, I just couldn’t move.”
Rosa Parks sits on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Photo 12/Getty Images
Advertisement
November 1956
The Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. It ordered Montgomery to integrate its bus system in December, ending the boycott.
February 1960
Black college students Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil organized a sit-in at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina. Staffers refused them service, but the students refused to give up their seats. The Greensboro Four, as they were later known, were spurred to action by Till’s murder. Sit-ins spread throughout the nation and participants faced fines, arrests and, in many cases, violence.
Demonstrators participate in a sit-in to protest the segregation of lunch counters across the nation. Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images
July 1960
In the summer of 1960, after tens of thousands of students had joined the sit-ins, many dining facilities were integrated, and at the end of July, the lunch counter at Woolworth’s was finally open to Black patrons as well as white ones.
May 1961
The Freedom Riders sought to test the Supreme Court’s 1960 decision in Boynton v. Virginia, which held that segregation of interstate transportation facilities, including bus terminals, violated federal law. Civil rights activists rode interstate buses throughout the American South, using those facilities the court had ordered to be integrated to challenge the non-enforcement of the court’s decision. The protesters were met by arrests, violent attacks and angry white mobs.
Advertisement
Members of the U.S. military guard a bus carrying civil rights activists known as Freedom Riders while they travel into Jackson, Mississippi, in May 1961. Archive Photos/Getty Images
November 1961
The Interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations banning the segregation of all interstate buses, trains and air terminals, causing signs indicating “colored” and “white” sections to come down all through the South.
April 1963
Black men, women and youth took to the streets in Birmingham, Alabama, for peaceful protests. They were met with violent attacks ― including high-pressure fire hoses and police dogs ― which produced some of the most memorable and troubling images of the civil rights movement. The protesters were calling for desegregation in the city.
A firefighter sprays people with a high-pressure hose as they protest segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, in May 1963. Bettmann/Getty Images
May 1963
A month later, the city desegregated lunch counters, removed “White Only” and “Black Only” signs from restrooms and drinking fountains, and released a Negro Job Improvement Plan, which focused on employing Black workers.
Advertisement
March 1965
Three times that month, protesters set off on a 54-mile walk from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery, as part of an effort to register Black voters in the South. They were repeatedly met with violence, most infamously on “Bloody Sunday,” when officers tackled the marchers to the ground, chased them down with horses, beat them with whips and batons, and used tear gas. But after Bloody Sunday, the marchers picked themselves up and tried again and again. The third march reached Montgomery.
Demonstrators march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 9, 1965, just two days after the violent backlash by law enforcement known as "Bloody Sunday." Bettmann/Getty Images
August 1965
Following years of struggle to secure Black Americans’ right to vote, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon Johnson.
April 1992
Los Angeles erupted into protests over the acquittal of police officers who beat Rodney King ― video of that assault on a Black man became a media sensation ― as well as the probation order for a store owner who had shot and killed a 15-year-old Black girl, Latasha Harlins. Once the protests turned violent, looting and burning followed. After six days of unrest and efforts to quell that unrest, 63 people were dead and over 2,000 injured.
People in Los Angeles overturn a parking kiosk and set it on fire in protest of the acquittal of the LAPD officers who beat Rodney King. Ted Soqui/Getty Images
Advertisement
November 2000
The Rodney King beating set off a yearslong effort to reform the Los Angeles Police Department. The Christopher Commission was established even before the 1992 unrest to conduct a full examination of LAPD operations. Its July 1991 report laid out the widespread use of excessive force throughout the department. Five years later, the U.S. Department of Justice began investigating the department. In May 2000, it said it had found “a pattern or practice of excessive force, false arrests, and unreasonable searches and seizures.” The Justice Department made reform recommendations, and in November 2000, it reached a consent decree with the city allowing for five years of independent monitoring.
February 2013
George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida, fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a Black teenager who was on his way home from the convenience store. Even after the 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman not to pursue the “suspicious person” he reported, Zimmerman trailed and shot Martin. The 17-year-old was carrying an iced tea and candy. Protests followed as the nation once again grappled with racism and injustice. But Zimmerman was acquitted in court.
People in Los Angeles silently protest racial injustice and demand justice for Trayvon Martin. David McNew/Getty Images
July 2013
The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter was first shared on Twitter. It ultimately became the name of an activist organization and the shorthand for a movement.
August 2014
After an officer shot and killed Michael Brown, a Black teenager, protests flared up across Ferguson, Missouri, and were met with a violent police crackdown watched across America. The unrest in Ferguson and elsewhere became a turning point in the conversation about race. One of its major outcomes was dubbed the “Ferguson Effect” ― the theory that the exposure of police brutality cultivated by media coverage of the protests led to increased levels of distrust in the police among Americans.
Advertisement
Demonstrators in November 2014 protest the killing of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer months earlier. Joshua Lott/Getty Images
July 2014
In the midst of an arrest, a New York police officer used a chokehold on Eric Garner, a Black man, even though that tactic had been banned by the police department. The officer continued to hold Garner on the ground even as he desperately cried “I can’t breathe” over and over. Bystanders caught it all on video. Protests erupted across New York after a grand jury declined to indict the officer, Daniel Pantaleo, who killed Garner.
August 2019
Five years after Garner died, the NYPD finally fired Officer Pantaleo.
May 2020
After a Minneapolis police officer knelt on George Floyd’s neck and killed him, the nation responded in widespread protests. People in all 50 states joined in Black Lives Matter demonstrations, even in small rural communities where such protests seemed inconceivable just one year before. The recent deaths of Arbery in Georgia at the hands of armed civilians and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky by police executing a no-knock search warrant also fueled the protests. Americans who had lived the Black Lives Matter movement were joined by others who were finally seeing the truth.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Pennsylvania's Health Secretary Faces 'Toxic Transphobia' Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Many of the attacks against Pennsylvania ’ s health secretary have little to do with the way she has handled the statewide response to the coronavirus pandemic .
As a transgender woman , Dr. Rachel Levine has been subjected to a stream of mockery and abuse on social media and elsewhere .
Every time she goes on camera to update the public and implore Pennsylvanians to wear masks , wash their hands and “ stay calm , stay alert and stay safe , ” ugly comments and memes follow .
Over the weekend , one of the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fair — found itself in hot water after posting a photo of a man in a dunk tank who had donned a blond wig , floral-print dress and glasses .
The dunk tank was part of a weekend carnival held on the fairgrounds to benefit the region ’ s volunteer fire departments .
“ Dr .
Levine ?
Thank you you were a hit and raised a lot of money for the local fire companies .
Wonder why so many were trying to dunk you , ” said the Bloomsburg Fair Association ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emoji .
The fair deleted the post from its Facebook page , but critics slammed the dunk tank impersonation and the fair association ’ s comment as transphobic .
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey , a Democrat , and other politicians issued statements of condemnation .
Some people said they planned to skip this year ’ s fair , scheduled for late September .
In a written statement , the fair said that Levine ’ s likeness was used to raise money for fire departments whose fundraising has been hampered by COVID-19 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identity .
The statement pointed out she ’ s a public figure .
“ A fellow dressed up in a dress to get people to throw balls at the dunk tank to raise money .
It turned into where people thought we were offending Dr. Rachel Levine , and that was no intention at all , ” said Fair President Randy Karschner .
The Press Enterprise newspaper of Bloomsburg identified the man in the dunk tank as Main Township Fire Chief David Broadt , who told the newspaper he did not set out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ going for a Marilyn Monroe look ” — but decided to play along once he got into the dunk tank and people started saying he resembled Levine and shouting , “ Where ’ s your mask ?
” Levine and her boss , Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf , have been highly visible throughout the pandemic , imposing statewide shutdown orders and frequently briefing the public on what ’ s being done to combat the virus .
They ordered thousands of businesses to temporarily close as the virus swept through Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide pandemic restrictions as it flared in the Pittsburgh area .
Republicans and small business owners have criticized Wolf and Levine for governmental overreach and tried unsuccessfully to get pandemic restrictions thrown out in court .
Republicans have also faulted the Wolf administration over Pennsylvania ’ s high number of nursing home deaths .
In Hellam , a small community in south-central Pennsylvania , the administrator of the recreation commission ’ s Facebook page posted a meme that said : “ If you are ordered to wear a mask by a guy who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvanian , ” a riff on comedian Jeff Foxworthy ’ s “ You Might Be a Redneck If … ” routine .
The mayor denounced the post and said it “ does NOT represent who we are or what we feel.
” A Pittsburgh radio personality repeatedly called Levine “ sir ” while questioning the health secretary during a press call , prompting Levine to respond : “ Please don ’ t misgender me ...
It ’ s really insulting.
” On social media , Levine is often misgendered or called Richard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Levine “ has been met with some of the most vile and toxic transphobia our Commission has seen in our commonwealth in recent years , ” the statement said .
“ Week after week , members of the LGBTQ community and thousands of Pennsylvanians have tuned in to be informed by our Health Secretary only to be assaulted by streams of comments and slurs aimed directly at Dr. Levine and indirectly at all transgender Pennsylvanians .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Many of the attacks against Pennsylvania’s health secretary have little to do with the way she has handled the statewide response to the coronavirus pandemic.
As a transgender woman, Dr. Rachel Levine has been subjected to a stream of mockery and abuse on social media and elsewhere. Every time she goes on camera to update the public and implore Pennsylvanians to wear masks, wash their hands and “stay calm, stay alert and stay safe,” ugly comments and memes follow.
Advertisement
Over the weekend, one of the state’s most popular fairs — the 165-year-old Bloomsburg Fair — found itself in hot water after posting a photo of a man in a dunk tank who had donned a blond wig, floral-print dress and glasses. The dunk tank was part of a weekend carnival held on the fairgrounds to benefit the region’s volunteer fire departments.
“Dr. Levine? Thank you you were a hit and raised a lot of money for the local fire companies. Wonder why so many were trying to dunk you,” said the Bloomsburg Fair Association’s post, which included a smiley-face emoji.
The fair deleted the post from its Facebook page, but critics slammed the dunk tank impersonation and the fair association’s comment as transphobic. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, and other politicians issued statements of condemnation. Some people said they planned to skip this year’s fair, scheduled for late September.
In a written statement, the fair said that Levine’s likeness was used to raise money for fire departments whose fundraising has been hampered by COVID-19, and had nothing to do with her gender identity. The statement pointed out she’s a public figure.
Advertisement
Fair officials subsequently held a news conference Tuesday and apologized, saying they meant no harm.
“A fellow dressed up in a dress to get people to throw balls at the dunk tank to raise money. It turned into where people thought we were offending Dr. Rachel Levine, and that was no intention at all,” said Fair President Randy Karschner.
The Press Enterprise newspaper of Bloomsburg identified the man in the dunk tank as Main Township Fire Chief David Broadt, who told the newspaper he did not set out to impersonate Levine — he said he was “going for a Marilyn Monroe look” — but decided to play along once he got into the dunk tank and people started saying he resembled Levine and shouting, “Where’s your mask?”
“It was just in fun,” Broadt said. “It wasn’t done to disrespect her.”
Levine and her boss, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, have been highly visible throughout the pandemic, imposing statewide shutdown orders and frequently briefing the public on what’s being done to combat the virus. They ordered thousands of businesses to temporarily close as the virus swept through Pennsylvania this spring, and recently reimposed some statewide pandemic restrictions as it flared in the Pittsburgh area.
Republicans and small business owners have criticized Wolf and Levine for governmental overreach and tried unsuccessfully to get pandemic restrictions thrown out in court. Republicans have also faulted the Wolf administration over Pennsylvania’s high number of nursing home deaths.
Advertisement
While Wolf has been called a “dictator,” some of the critics have zeroed in on Levine’s gender identity.
Paul Abel, a commissioner in Scott Township, outside Pittsburgh, resigned after saying at a public meeting he was “tired of listening to a guy dressed up like a woman.”
In Hellam, a small community in south-central Pennsylvania, the administrator of the recreation commission’s Facebook page posted a meme that said: “If you are ordered to wear a mask by a guy who wears a bra, you might be Pennsylvanian,” a riff on comedian Jeff Foxworthy’s “You Might Be a Redneck If …” routine. The mayor denounced the post and said it “does NOT represent who we are or what we feel.”
A Pittsburgh radio personality repeatedly called Levine “sir” while questioning the health secretary during a press call, prompting Levine to respond: “Please don’t misgender me ... It’s really insulting.” On social media, Levine is often misgendered or addressed by the name she was given at birth.
The invective prompted the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, a group established by Wolf in 2018, to issue a statement last month in support of Levine.
Advertisement
Levine “has been met with some of the most vile and toxic transphobia our Commission has seen in our commonwealth in recent years,” the statement said. “Week after week, members of the LGBTQ community and thousands of Pennsylvanians have tuned in to be informed by our Health Secretary only to be assaulted by streams of comments and slurs aimed directly at Dr. Levine and indirectly at all transgender Pennsylvanians.”
Levine, a pediatrician who became state health secretary in 2017, is one of the few transgender people nationwide serving in either elective office or as a high-ranking government appointee.
Levine’s spokesperson, Nate Wardle, said she “remains laser-focused on protecting the health and well-being of Pennsylvanians as we navigate this ongoing pandemic.” Wardle said Levine would not comment further.
Others didn’t hesitate to weigh in.
“Dr. Levine is an honorable public servant whose tireless work to keep PA safe and healthy has saved countless lives. She is owed an apology,” Casey tweeted.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Scientists Identify Itty Bitty, 'Exceedingly Cute' Larval Form Of Ocean Sunfish

A team of scientists has identified an elusive larval form of the ocean sunfish , an aquatic whopper of a creature that starts its life remarkably tiny .
The find , announced Wednesday by the Australian Museum and a media statement , was conducted by Australian and New Zealand researchers including Marianne Nyegaard of the Auckland War Memorial Museum , who has worked to identify characteristics of the massive fish found in tropical and temperate oceans .
Ocean sunfish can grow to nearly 10 feet in length and weigh over 4,400 pounds .
They are identified by the genus name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ species .
The term “ ocean sunfish ” usually refers to the first of these species , the common mola ( Mola mola ) , and the other two species include the bump-head sunfish ( Mola alexandrini ) and the hoodwinker sunfish , ( Mola tecta ) .
These gargantuan fish are renowned for growing an estimated “ 60 million times larger than when they hatched , ” according to the nonprofit conservation organization Oceana , and females can release up to 300 million eggs at once .
Despite this staggering number , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studied ― until Australian marine research vessel RV Investigator gathered multiple larval specimens off the coast of New South Wales in 2017 .
In 2019 , Nyegaard and fellow scientists Andrew King and Kerryn Parkinson of the Australia Museum analyzed one of these specimens , which had been preserved in alcohol , to determine which ocean sunfish species it belonged to .
DNA was extracted from the larva ’ s eye and compared with that of an adult bump-head sunfish , and a match was found , making the specimen the very first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Nyegaard first announced the discovery on Twitter , calling ocean sunfish larvae “ exceedingly cute but very hard to come by.
” “ Given sunfish are so incredibly fecund , it is an enigma why their eggs have never been found in the wild , and why sunfish larvae are so few and far between , ” Nyegaard said in her statement .
“ A genetic ID of one of these larvae is incredibly important but only one step on the long journey towards describing the early ontogeny of all three Mola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global collaboration .
If we want to protect these marine giants we need to understand their whole life history and that includes knowing what the larvae look like and where they occur .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A team of scientists has identified an elusive larval form of the ocean sunfish, an aquatic whopper of a creature that starts its life remarkably tiny.
The find, announced Wednesday by the Australian Museum and a media statement, was conducted by Australian and New Zealand researchers including Marianne Nyegaard of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, who has worked to identify characteristics of the massive fish found in tropical and temperate oceans.
Advertisement
Ocean sunfish can grow to nearly 10 feet in length and weigh over 4,400 pounds. They are identified by the genus name Mola and are separated into three distinct species. The term “ocean sunfish” usually refers to the first of these species, the common mola (Mola mola), and the other two species include the bump-head sunfish (Mola alexandrini) and the hoodwinker sunfish, (Mola tecta).
A diver behind an enormous Mola mola, off San Diego. Barcroft Media via Getty Images
These gargantuan fish are renowned for growing an estimated “60 million times larger than when they hatched,” according to the nonprofit conservation organization Oceana, and females can release up to 300 million eggs at once.
Despite this staggering number, sunfish larvae have rarely been harvested and studied ― until Australian marine research vessel RV Investigator gathered multiple larval specimens off the coast of New South Wales in 2017.
Advertisement
In 2019, Nyegaard and fellow scientists Andrew King and Kerryn Parkinson of the Australia Museum analyzed one of these specimens, which had been preserved in alcohol, to determine which ocean sunfish species it belonged to. DNA was extracted from the larva’s eye and compared with that of an adult bump-head sunfish, and a match was found, making the specimen the very first identified Mola alexandrini larva.
The elusive larval form of Mola alexandrini, or the bump-head sunfish. Kerryn Parkinson/Australian Museum
In June, Nyegaard first announced the discovery on Twitter, calling ocean sunfish larvae “exceedingly cute but very hard to come by.”
Excitingly we have just genetically identified the first ever larva of the 'giant sunfish' (Mola alexandrini). These larvae are exceedingly cute but very hard to come by! https://t.co/fubDVKyjmr pic.twitter.com/ufGCOWQTzK — Marianne Nyegaard (@SunfishOZNZ) June 2, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Bill Nye Breaks Down The Science Behind Skin Color, Points Out 'We're All One Species'

In the span of one minute , Bill Nye the Science Guy explained the science behind pigmentation to his TikTok followers , stressing that despite different shades of skin , “ We ’ re all one species.
” “ It turns out that everybody on Earth is descended from people that lived here in Africa , ” Nye said in the TikTok clip , pointing to two maps highlighting the intensity of Earth ’ s ultraviolet rays as well as various skin shades around the globe .
“ And then as groups of us moved around the world , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And here ’ s why .
Our skin is where we make vitamin D. If you don ’ t get enough ultraviolet , then you don ’ t get enough vitamin D. But if you get too much ultraviolet , then you break down your folates .
You have to have it in perfect balance .
And because the ultraviolet varies , the color of our skin varies .
And that ’ s it , everybody .
That ’ s why we have different colored skin.
” Nye went on to argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but weren ’ t “ treating each other fairly.
” “ Not everybody is getting an even shake , ” he said , rattling a bottle of vitamin D. “ So it ’ s time to change things.
” At the beginning of the video , Nye was referring to the work of Nina Jablonski and George Chaplin , two Penn State University anthropologists .
They carried out extensive research on the link between skin color and ultraviolet radiation as it relates to the production of vitamin D , which they called a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pigmentation ” in a scientific paper published in 2010 .
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History ’ s website on modern human diversity points out that because “ strong sun exposure damages the body , the solution was to evolve skin that was permanently dark so as to protect against the sun ’ s more damaging rays.
” Nye ’ s video went viral on Twitter shortly after it was posted , with multiple commentators praising his usage of TikTok to share scientific knowledge .
Others said that his argument that humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folly of racism .
Racism is “ the belief that another person is less than human ... because of skin color , language , customs , place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person , ” according to the Anti-Defamation League .
Nye previously used TikTok to demonstrate the effectiveness of face masks against COVID-19 , arguing that wearing a mask is “ literally a matter of life and death .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
In the span of one minute, Bill Nye the Science Guy explained the science behind pigmentation to his TikTok followers, stressing that despite different shades of skin, “We’re all one species.”
“It turns out that everybody on Earth is descended from people that lived here in Africa,” Nye said in the TikTok clip, pointing to two maps highlighting the intensity of Earth’s ultraviolet rays as well as various skin shades around the globe.
Advertisement
“And then as groups of us moved around the world, the color of our skin had to change. And here’s why. Our skin is where we make vitamin D. If you don’t get enough ultraviolet, then you don’t get enough vitamin D. But if you get too much ultraviolet, then you break down your folates. You have to have it in perfect balance. And because the ultraviolet varies, the color of our skin varies. And that’s it, everybody. That’s why we have different colored skin.”
Nye went on to argue that humans were all the same species but weren’t “treating each other fairly.”
“Not everybody is getting an even shake,” he said, rattling a bottle of vitamin D. “So it’s time to change things.”
At the beginning of the video, Nye was referring to the work of Nina Jablonski and George Chaplin, two Penn State University anthropologists. They carried out extensive research on the link between skin color and ultraviolet radiation as it relates to the production of vitamin D, which they called a “selective force in the evolution of pigmentation” in a scientific paper published in 2010.
Advertisement
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s website on modern human diversity points out that because “strong sun exposure damages the body, the solution was to evolve skin that was permanently dark so as to protect against the sun’s more damaging rays.”
Nye’s video went viral on Twitter shortly after it was posted, with multiple commentators praising his usage of TikTok to share scientific knowledge. Others said that his argument that humans are all the same species proved the folly of racism.
Racism is “the belief that another person is less than human ... because of skin color, language, customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Stone Tools Suggest Humans Lived In North America Earlier Than Expected

Ciprian Ardelean via AP A stone tool found in a cave in Zacatecas , central Mexico suggests people were living in North America as early as 26,500 years ago , about 10,000 years before the generally accepted date for the earliest human presence .
NEW YORK ( AP ) — Stone tools found in a Mexican cave suggest that people were living in North America as early as about 26,500 years ago , much earlier than most scientists accept , a new study says .
It ’ s a new step in the difficult and contentious process of establishing when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Presently , the most widely accepted dates for the earliest known North American archaeological sites date to before 15,000 years ago and extend maybe to 17,000 years ago , says anthropology professor Tom Dillehay of Vanderbilt University in Nashville , Tennessee .
He was not involved in the cave study .
In Wednesday ’ s issue of the journal Nature , scientists reported on artifacts found in a mountain cave in the state of Zacatecas in north-central Mexico .
Ciprian Ardelean of the Autonomous University of Zacatecas and others say they found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they dated back as far as 26,500 years ago .
There ’ s some indication that some artifacts go back beyond 30,000 years , but so far the evidence isn ’ t strong enough to make a firm claim , Ardelean said .
Ardelean said he believed people probably used the cave as a winter shelter for short periods of time .
His team was unable to recover any human DNA from the cave .
Dillehay said the proposed date for the artifacts may be valid if it stands up to further scrutiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t more than 20,000 years old and most likely fall in the range of 15,000 to 18,000 years old .
He doesn ’ t question that some of the artifacts are probably man-made , but said he ’ d like to see other evidence of human occupation of the cave , like hearths , butchered bones and burned edible plant remains .
In a Nature commentary , Ruth Gruhn , a professor emerita of anthropology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton , said the results should bring fresh consideration of six Brazilian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Those age estimates are now “ commonly disputed or simply ignored by most archaeologists as being much too old to be real , ” she wrote .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

A stone tool found in a cave in Zacatecas, central Mexico suggests people were living in North America as early as 26,500 years ago, about 10,000 years before the generally accepted date for the earliest human presence. Ciprian Ardelean via AP
NEW YORK (AP) — Stone tools found in a Mexican cave suggest that people were living in North America as early as about 26,500 years ago, much earlier than most scientists accept, a new study says.
It’s a new step in the difficult and contentious process of establishing when people arrived in North America from Asia. Presently, the most widely accepted dates for the earliest known North American archaeological sites date to before 15,000 years ago and extend maybe to 17,000 years ago, says anthropology professor Tom Dillehay of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He was not involved in the cave study.
Advertisement
In Wednesday’s issue of the journal Nature, scientists reported on artifacts found in a mountain cave in the state of Zacatecas in north-central Mexico. Ciprian Ardelean of the Autonomous University of Zacatecas and others say they found stone tools and debris from tool-making that they dated back as far as 26,500 years ago. There’s some indication that some artifacts go back beyond 30,000 years, but so far the evidence isn’t strong enough to make a firm claim, Ardelean said.
Ardelean said he believed people probably used the cave as a winter shelter for short periods of time. His team was unable to recover any human DNA from the cave.
Dillehay said the proposed date for the artifacts may be valid if it stands up to further scrutiny. But he suspects they aren’t more than 20,000 years old and most likely fall in the range of 15,000 to 18,000 years old. He doesn’t question that some of the artifacts are probably man-made, but said he’d like to see other evidence of human occupation of the cave, like hearths, butchered bones and burned edible plant remains.
In a Nature commentary, Ruth Gruhn, a professor emerita of anthropology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, said the results should bring fresh consideration of six Brazilian sites proposed to be older than 20,000 years. Those age estimates are now “commonly disputed or simply ignored by most archaeologists as being much too old to be real,” she wrote.
Advertisement
__


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--House Votes Overwhelmingly To Remove Confederate Statues From Capitol

The House on Wednesday approved legislation to rid the Capitol of Confederate statues , including the likenesses of Chief Justice Roger B. Taney and Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis .
All Democrats , 72 Republicans and one independent ( Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan ) voted for the bill , which now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate .
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-Md . )
, who introduced the bill , said removing the Confederate statues would “ ensure that individuals we honor in our Capitol represent our nation ’ s highest ideals and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defenders and purveyors of sedition , slavery , segregation and white supremacy have no place in this temple of liberty , ” he said before the House vote , The Associated Press reported .
The House just passed a bill to remove shameful reminders of slavery , segregation , and sedition from the U.S. Capitol .
This is a long-overdue measure , but it is never too late to do the right thing .
I urge the Senate to take up and pass this bill to # RemoveHate .
pic.twitter.com/DXqOg60yMI — Steny ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LeaderHoyer ) July 22 , 2020 Under the bill , states would be compelled to remove and replace statues displayed in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the Capitol that honor members of the Confederacy .
U.S. states send two sculptures each depicting renowned residents to be part of the collection .
As AP noted , Wednesday ’ s bill would lead to the removal of at least 10 statues of Confederate officials ― including Lee , the Confederate Army general , and Davis , the president of the Confederate states ― from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supremacists , including former Vice President John C. Calhoun and former North Carolina Gov .
Charles Aycock , would be immediately removed from the collection , AP said .
A bust of Taney ― who , as chief justice , wrote the infamous Dred Scott decision in 1857 , which declared that Blacks could never become citizens of the United States ― would also be expunged from the Old Supreme Court Chamber .
Taney ’ s likeness would be replaced with one of Thurgood Marshall , the first African American Supreme Court justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who introduced similar legislation in 2017 , said Confederate statues are “ painful symbols of bigotry and racism ” that “ have no place in our society and certainly should not be enshrined in the United States Capitol.
” “ It ’ s past time that we ended the glorification of men who committed treason against the United States in a concerted effort to keep African Americans in chains , ” she added .
A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee is seen in the crypt of the U.S. Capitol .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate would consider the bill , a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) declined to comment .
“ What I do think is clearly a bridge too far is this nonsense that we need to airbrush the Capitol and scrub out everybody from years ago who had any connection to slavery , ” he said last month .
President Donald Trump would also need to sign the legislation .
Trump , however , has condemned the removal and defacement of Confederate monuments and symbols elsewhere during protests across the @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The House on Wednesday approved legislation to rid the Capitol of Confederate statues, including the likenesses of Chief Justice Roger B. Taney and Confederate leaders Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. All Democrats, 72 Republicans and one independent (Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan) voted for the bill, which now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate.
It passed on a vote of 305-113.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who introduced the bill, said removing the Confederate statues would “ensure that individuals we honor in our Capitol represent our nation’s highest ideals and not the worst in its history.”
Advertisement
“Defenders and purveyors of sedition, slavery, segregation and white supremacy have no place in this temple of liberty,” he said before the House vote, The Associated Press reported.
The House just passed a bill to remove shameful reminders of slavery, segregation, and sedition from the U.S. Capitol. This is a long-overdue measure, but it is never too late to do the right thing. I urge the Senate to take up and pass this bill to #RemoveHate. pic.twitter.com/DXqOg60yMI — Steny (Wear a Mask) Hoyer (@LeaderHoyer) July 22, 2020
Under the bill, states would be compelled to remove and replace statues displayed in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the Capitol that honor members of the Confederacy. U.S. states send two sculptures each depicting renowned residents to be part of the collection.
As AP noted, Wednesday’s bill would lead to the removal of at least 10 statues of Confederate officials ― including Lee, the Confederate Army general, and Davis, the president of the Confederate states ― from the collection.
Advertisement
Three statues honoring white supremacists, including former Vice President John C. Calhoun and former North Carolina Gov. Charles Aycock, would be immediately removed from the collection, AP said.
A bust of Taney ― who, as chief justice, wrote the infamous Dred Scott decision in 1857, which declared that Blacks could never become citizens of the United States ― would also be expunged from the Old Supreme Court Chamber. Taney’s likeness would be replaced with one of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court justice.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who introduced similar legislation in 2017, said Confederate statues are “painful symbols of bigotry and racism” that “have no place in our society and certainly should not be enshrined in the United States Capitol.”
“It’s past time that we ended the glorification of men who committed treason against the United States in a concerted effort to keep African Americans in chains,” she added.
A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee is seen in the crypt of the U.S. Capitol. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
Advertisement
Though the bill passed overwhelmingly in the House, its future is uncertain.
Pressed by Politico as to whether the Senate would consider the bill, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined to comment.
McConnell has previously dismissed the idea of removing Confederate symbols from the Capitol.
“What I do think is clearly a bridge too far is this nonsense that we need to airbrush the Capitol and scrub out everybody from years ago who had any connection to slavery,” he said last month.
President Donald Trump would also need to sign the legislation. Trump, however, has condemned the removal and defacement of Confederate monuments and symbols elsewhere during protests across the nation for racial justice.
“Angry mobs are trying to tear down statues of our founders ... and unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities,” he said earlier this month of the Black Lives Matter protesters.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-22--Sen. Kelly Loeffler Mocked For Claiming She’s Been ‘Canceled’

Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-Ga. ) claimed Wednesday that she ’ s been “ canceled ” for her opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement , prompting critics to point out she ’ s still one of the wealthiest members of Congress , co-owner of the Atlanta Dream WNBA team and has faced no real consequences for her actions .
“ I ’ ve been canceled for calling the BLM political organization what it is : A Marxist group , ” Loeffler tweeted on Wednesday .
Several hours earlier , she seemed to have a different take , tweeting about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cancel me after I exposed the divisive and destructive agenda of the BLM political organization.
” I ’ ve been canceled for calling the BLM political organization what it is : A Marxist group .
Here ’ s what BLM co-founder Patrise Cullers said about herself & co-founder Alicia Garza ( who sits on @ WNBA ’ s Social Justice Council ) : “ We are trained Marxists.
” https : //t.co/2QhphpQqd1 — Kelly Loeffler ( @ KLoeffler ) July 22 , 2020 For weeks , pressure has mounted for Loeffler to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the league is dedicating this season to supporting social justice issues including Black Lives Matter ― after she made a string of comments vehemently opposing the anti-racism movement .
In June , Loeffler , a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and advocate for gun rights , said on Fox News that Black protesters carrying guns in Atlanta were practicing “ mob rule , ” prompting WNBA players to publicly call for her ouster .
And this month , she ’ s faced increased backlash after declaring her opposition to the WNBA ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a Tuesday interview with ESPN , Loeffler voiced concerns that the league ’ s support of the movement could leave some sports fans feeling “ excluded.
” While distancing Loeffler from the Atlanta Dream , WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said on CNN last week that the senator would not be forced to sell her share of the team .
Loeffler , who was appointed to a vacant Senate seat in December , was the subject of nationwide scrutiny over insider trading allegations earlier this year after she profited from large stock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looming coronavirus pandemic .
She was cleared of wrongdoing by the Justice Department .
She ’ s been polling behind Rep. Doug Collins ( R-Ga. ) to keep her seat for a full term this November .
Twitter users struggled to identify what consequences Loeffler ’ s actually suffered for her opposition to Black Lives Matter and proposed some options that might better meet the criteria for being truly “ canceled ” : If this is what being “ officially cancelled ” looks like — a US senator with incredible wealth and power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congratulations , you ’ ve just proved the phrase is meaningless .
— Kevin M. Kruse ( @ KevinMKruse ) July 22 , 2020 Canceled for what ?
You are rich and got appointed to your job because you are rich .
The only cancel going on here is America voting your insider trading ass out of office .
— YS ( @ NYinLA2121 ) July 22 , 2020 Insider tip ( cause I know you love those ) : facing criticism for your stated positions as a public official is not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job as a Senator , that is not being cancelled .
It 's just democracy .
— Don Moynihan ( @ donmoyn ) July 22 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) claimed Wednesday that she’s been “canceled” for her opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement, prompting critics to point out she’s still one of the wealthiest members of Congress, co-owner of the Atlanta Dream WNBA team and has faced no real consequences for her actions.
“I’ve been canceled for calling the BLM political organization what it is: A Marxist group,” Loeffler tweeted on Wednesday. Several hours earlier, she seemed to have a different take, tweeting about “the left’s failed attempt to cancel me after I exposed the divisive and destructive agenda of the BLM political organization.”
Advertisement
I’ve been canceled for calling the BLM political organization what it is: A Marxist group.
Here’s what BLM co-founder Patrise Cullers said about herself & co-founder Alicia Garza (who sits on @WNBA’s Social Justice Council): “We are trained Marxists.” https://t.co/2QhphpQqd1 — Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) July 22, 2020
For weeks, pressure has mounted for Loeffler to sell her stake in the WNBA — the league is dedicating this season to supporting social justice issues including Black Lives Matter ― after she made a string of comments vehemently opposing the anti-racism movement.
In June, Loeffler, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and advocate for gun rights, said on Fox News that Black protesters carrying guns in Atlanta were practicing “mob rule,” prompting WNBA players to publicly call for her ouster.
And this month, she’s faced increased backlash after declaring her opposition to the WNBA’s public support of Black Lives Matter. In a Tuesday interview with ESPN, Loeffler voiced concerns that the league’s support of the movement could leave some sports fans feeling “excluded.”
Advertisement
While distancing Loeffler from the Atlanta Dream, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said on CNN last week that the senator would not be forced to sell her share of the team.
Loeffler, who was appointed to a vacant Senate seat in December, was the subject of nationwide scrutiny over insider trading allegations earlier this year after she profited from large stock trades following private congressional meetings about the looming coronavirus pandemic. She was cleared of wrongdoing by the Justice Department.
She’s been polling behind Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) to keep her seat for a full term this November.
Twitter users struggled to identify what consequences Loeffler’s actually suffered for her opposition to Black Lives Matter and proposed some options that might better meet the criteria for being truly “canceled”:
If this is what being “officially cancelled” looks like — a US senator with incredible wealth and power, freely expressing her opinions — then congratulations, you’ve just proved the phrase is meaningless. — Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) July 22, 2020
you're a fucking US Senator. you have not been "canceled." — marisa kabas (@MarisaKabas) July 22, 2020
Advertisement
I like how you take breaks from trading on non-public information to complain about fairness. — Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) July 22, 2020
People are dying all over America, Kelly. Can you please stop whining about yourself? Or is narcissism your go-to? — Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) July 22, 2020
Getting told your opinions suck is not getting cancelled. It’s just having a mirror held up to your awful opinions. Which suck. — Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) July 22, 2020
Canceled for what? You are rich and got appointed to your job because you are rich.
The only cancel going on here is America voting your insider trading ass out of office. — YS (@NYinLA2121) July 22, 2020
Insider tip (cause I know you love those): facing criticism for your stated positions as a public official is not being canceled. Even when you lose your job as a Senator, that is not being cancelled. It's just democracy. — Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) July 22, 2020