thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Valerie Plame’s Glide Path To Congress Upset By A Local Activist

Chad Buchanan via Getty Images Former CIA agent Valerie Plame , nationally famous among liberals , is in a tight race for a U.S. House seat representing New Mexico .
But by the time Plame ’ s launch video — which featured her driving a sports car backward while recounting how the George W. Bush administration had ended her career as an undercover agent , racking up 1.9 million views — went viral in September 2019 , one of her opponents had already started lining up the support that would turn the battle for the Democratic nomination for New Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neck-and-neck race .
As the June 2 primary nears , a once-crowded contest has narrowed down to Leger Fernandez and Plame , according to Democratic operatives tracking the race , pitting Plame ’ s fundraising prowess , national security experience and celebrity in liberal circles against Leger Fernandez ’ s longtime local ties , history of work on progressive issues and support from a host of D.C.-based outside groups eager to elect a Latina to Congress .
The race is a vivid display of how , even in the most nationalized era in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still require a local touch .
“ I have lived through the Bush-Cheney machine and came out the other side , and I want to be able to take that searing life experience and put it to good use for my community , ” Plame said in a phone interview .
“ I have this national name recognition now , but it ’ s not something I wanted or I asked for .
And if I can use that to focus on issues that I care about passionately , that ’ s OK. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make lemonade out of lemons.
” But Leger Fernandez argues Plame ― who has lived in Santa Fe for more than a decade ― doesn ’ t understand the district in the same way she does .
The daughter of a local state senator , Leger Fernandez has worked for years with the Native American tribes in the region , building rural health centers and affordable housing , and boasts of speaking “ perfect New Mexican Spanish.
” Since Leger Fernandez won the Democratic convention in the district with 42 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race have believed she held a slight lead over Plame .
A poll released Tuesday , paid for by EMILY ’ s List and conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs , seems to confirm that : It showed Leger Fernandez leading Plame 33 % to 24 % , with the remaining candidates all in single digits .
The survey of 661 voters , conducted last week , has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points .
Outside interventions from groups like EMILY ’ s List have helped shape the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leger Fernandez , who has benefited from television ads backing her from BOLD PAC ― the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus ― and from other groups that don ’ t have to disclose their donors .
But a digital ad that began running earlier this week attacking Plame for tweeting links to an anti-Semitic website has shaken up the contest , drawing condemnation from seemingly everyone involved in the race .
The Alliance to Combat Extremism , a little-known nonprofit that does not disclose its donors , paid for the ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replaced by spinning swastikas and alleges she is a white supremacist .
The sprawling district is roughly equal in size to New Jersey , and covers all of Northern New Mexico , including a slew of rural counties with major Hispanic populations ; the ski town of Taos ; the state capital of Santa Fe , where a combination of retirees and artists mean white progressives dominate local politics ; Los Alamos , where federal research jobs have created one of the nation ’ s wealthiest communities ; and in the west , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ravages of the coronavirus pandemic have only exacerbated the long-standing abject poverty faced by the Native American population .
The divide between the candidates might be best illustrated by their fundraising bases : Plame ’ s fame in liberal circles ― the Bush administration leaked her identity to a conservative journalist after her then-husband , Amb .
Joseph Wilson , questioned the intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq ― has helped her raise over $ 2 million .
( Scooter Libby , a top aide to then-Vice President Dick Cheney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of justice in relation to the investigation .
Trump pardoned Libby in 2018 . )
At the same time , Leger Fernandez also has the endorsements of a slew of Democratic interest and advocacy groups , many of them eager to elect an additional Latina to Congress .
The Sierra Club , the Working Families Party , Planned Parenthood Action Fund and End Citizens United have all endorsed Leger Fernandez .
Support from these groups , and especially television ads form BOLD PAC , has kept Plame from gaining a dominating edge over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad that has generated the most controversy in the race hasn ’ t aired on television at all .
The 45-second spot from the Alliance to Combat Extremism , a nonprofit founded by a Democratic operative who previously worked at The Israel Project , ran on Facebook last week and rehashed a controversy over Plame linking to a white supremacist website that alleged Jewish involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks .
Plame has apologized for sharing the links .

Former CIA agent Valerie Plame, nationally famous among liberals, is in a tight race for a U.S. House seat representing New Mexico. Chad Buchanan via Getty Images
Former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s run for a Congressional seat in northern New Mexico had all the ingredients for Democratic success in the Trump era: Fame from a GOP administration’s persecution, a woman with a national security background and a viral campaign video to entice small-dollar donors.
But by the time Plame’s launch video — which featured her driving a sports car backward while recounting how the George W. Bush administration had ended her career as an undercover agent, racking up 1.9 million views — went viral in September 2019, one of her opponents had already started lining up the support that would turn the battle for the Democratic nomination for New Mexico’s 3rd congressional district into a neck-and-neck race.
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Teresa Leger Fernandez, a longtime in-state activist, lawyer and lobbyist, had locked down the endorsement of EMILY’s List, the the powerful group backing Democratic women, a month earlier. And Leger Fernandez would soon consolidate even more support, and use it to highlight her roots in this diverse and solidly Democratic district.
As the June 2 primary nears, a once-crowded contest has narrowed down to Leger Fernandez and Plame, according to Democratic operatives tracking the race, pitting Plame’s fundraising prowess, national security experience and celebrity in liberal circles against Leger Fernandez’s longtime local ties, history of work on progressive issues and support from a host of D.C.-based outside groups eager to elect a Latina to Congress. The race is a vivid display of how, even in the most nationalized era in modern political history, some districts can still require a local touch.
“I have lived through the Bush-Cheney machine and came out the other side, and I want to be able to take that searing life experience and put it to good use for my community,” Plame said in a phone interview. “I have this national name recognition now, but it’s not something I wanted or I asked for. And if I can use that to focus on issues that I care about passionately, that’s OK. To use a cliche, I want to make lemonade out of lemons.”
But Leger Fernandez argues Plame ― who has lived in Santa Fe for more than a decade ― doesn’t understand the district in the same way she does. The daughter of a local state senator, Leger Fernandez has worked for years with the Native American tribes in the region, building rural health centers and affordable housing, and boasts of speaking “perfect New Mexican Spanish.”
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“Valerie Plame has her own attributes, but she doesn’t have her own understanding of the district. And that’s what I bring to the table,” Leger Fernandez said. “I understand the district intimately, not because it’s campaign stop, but because it’s my life’s work.”
Since Leger Fernandez won the Democratic convention in the district with 42% of the votes in March, operatives tracking the race have believed she held a slight lead over Plame. A poll released Tuesday, paid for by EMILY’s List and conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs, seems to confirm that: It showed Leger Fernandez leading Plame 33% to 24%, with the remaining candidates all in single digits. The survey of 661 voters, conducted last week, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
Outside interventions from groups like EMILY’s List have helped shape the race, mostly to the benefit of Leger Fernandez, who has benefited from television ads backing her from BOLD PAC ― the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus ― and from other groups that don’t have to disclose their donors.
But a digital ad that began running earlier this week attacking Plame for tweeting links to an anti-Semitic website has shaken up the contest, drawing condemnation from seemingly everyone involved in the race. The Alliance to Combat Extremism, a little-known nonprofit that does not disclose its donors, paid for the ad, which features Plame’s pupils replaced by spinning swastikas and alleges she is a white supremacist.
“It’s awful. It’s a terrible ad. They need to take it down,” said Rep. Deb Haaland (D), who represents an adjacent district centered around Albuquerque and is supporting Leger Fernandez.
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While there’s been little public polling of the race, the winner is effectively guaranteed a seat in Congress: Six-term Rep. Ben Ray Luján, a Democrat who left the seat open to run for Senate, won by 32 percentage points in 2018.
The sprawling district is roughly equal in size to New Jersey, and covers all of Northern New Mexico, including a slew of rural counties with major Hispanic populations; the ski town of Taos; the state capital of Santa Fe, where a combination of retirees and artists mean white progressives dominate local politics; Los Alamos, where federal research jobs have created one of the nation’s wealthiest communities; and in the west, the Navajo Nation reservation, where the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic have only exacerbated the long-standing abject poverty faced by the Native American population.
The primary electorate is almost certain to be majority-Hispanic, with white progressives making up the other key voting bloc in the district. While about one-fifth of the district’s population is Native American, the coronavirus is likely to drive the Native population’s already-low turnout rates even lower.
“The strongest candidate will be the one that can combine the Anglo liberal vote in Santa Fe with the Hispanic vote,” said former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), who was the first person to ever hold the district and won reelection seven times.
The divide between the candidates might be best illustrated by their fundraising bases: Plame’s fame in liberal circles ― the Bush administration leaked her identity to a conservative journalist after her then-husband, Amb. Joseph Wilson, questioned the intelligence used to justify the war in Iraq ― has helped her raise over $2 million. (Scooter Libby, a top aide to then-Vice President Dick Cheney, was eventually convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to the investigation. Trump pardoned Libby in 2018.)
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Leger Fernandez, meanwhile, has banked just under $1.3 million. But while Plame has raised the overwhelming majority ― roughly 89%, according to OpenSecrets ― of her money from out-of-state, Leger Fernandez has raised about two-thirds of her cash from New Mexicans.
With the candidates unable to engage in a typical schedule of parades, meet-and-greets and in-person forums, Plame has used her cash advantage to air more ads than the other candidates, often highlighting her CIA background. One shows her completing an obstacle course.
“We need her national security experience to fight the coronavirus,” her brother says as footage of Plame vaulting over obstacles and crawling under barbed wire appears on-screen.
Plame also argues her political celebrity could help her bring back federal cash to a state with the 47th-highest median income in the country. “I’ll get my phone calls returned,” she said. “I know how Washington works and how it doesn’t work.”
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In a state where Hispanics and Native Americans often trace their ancestry back hundreds of years ― Haaland said she was a 35th-generation New Mexican ― Leger Fernandez, the daughter of a state senator, hasn’t been shy about highlighting her status as a lifelong New Mexican.
“Like many, my family has been making tamales for generations,” Leger Fernandez says at the start of one ad. Another ad highlights her work as an Acequia commissioner, helping manage community-built irrigation systems critical to farming and ranching systems in the state.
At the same time, Leger Fernandez also has the endorsements of a slew of Democratic interest and advocacy groups, many of them eager to elect an additional Latina to Congress. The Sierra Club, the Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and End Citizens United have all endorsed Leger Fernandez. Support from these groups, and especially television ads form BOLD PAC, has kept Plame from gaining a dominating edge over Leger Fernandez on television.
But the ad that has generated the most controversy in the race hasn’t aired on television at all. The 45-second spot from the Alliance to Combat Extremism, a nonprofit founded by a Democratic operative who previously worked at The Israel Project, ran on Facebook last week and rehashed a controversy over Plame linking to a white supremacist website that alleged Jewish involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Plame has apologized for sharing the links.
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“It’s vile. It’s disgusting,” Plame said of the spot. Of allegations she was anti-Semitic, Plame responded: “They’re completely false, and I’ve addressed them multiple times in multiple forums.”
Ian Sugar, the group’s executive director, declined to be interviewed. “We decided to become involved because Valerie Plame poses a real unique threat — combining bigotry with celebrity,” he wrote in an email. “Moving forward in accordance with our mission, we may become involved in other races where extremist candidates traffic in bigotry, intolerance, and hate.” (Facebook’s ad archive indicates the group has also run ads criticizing Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.)
The ad, which Facebook removed over the weekend, has frustrated allies of Leger Fernandez, who believe the over-the-top nature of the ad made it more difficult to effectively attack Plame on the issue. Last week, a top official at BOLD PAC appeared to signal to outside groups to attack Plame on the topic.
It is important & urgent that voters across NM-03 see that a commitment to inclusion & multiculturalism is part of New Mexico's history and way of life. Valerie Plame sees it differently & has proven she lacks the judgement to stand up for New Mexico's most fundamental values. — GiselAceves (@GiselAceves) May 20, 2020
Leger Fernandez took a careful approach. She called the ad “extremely offensive and sexist,” but said it was fair to question Plame about her past anti-Semitic comments.
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“I think the press and others have the right to ask her about that, and to raise those issues in a way that is respectable,” Leger Fernandez said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Fauci Says Coronavirus Second Wave 'Is Not Inevitable,' Stresses CDC Guidelines

White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that a second wave of coronavirus infections “ is not inevitable , ” but stressed that people should continue following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to curb the spread of the contagion .
Fauci , the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , was asked by CNN ’ s Jim Sciutto if Americans should have confidence in the government ’ s handling of the pandemic .
“ It ’ s getting better and better , Jim , ” Fauci said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we go by with the weeks that go by , and we see that we ’ re getting more and more capability of testing .
The CDC is putting more of a workforce out there to help us do the kinds of identification , isolation , and contact tracing .
I feel better and better that we ’ re capable of doing that.
” “ People who are out there frolicking need to realize that when you do that , and you see no negative effect in one week , please don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreading is not going to be seen for two , three , maybe even more weeks , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci says .
pic.twitter.com/jLp7ZdWI8w — CNN Newsroom ( @ CNNnewsroom ) May 27 , 2020 Fauci warned in April that if we didn ’ t “ put into place all of the countermeasures that you need to address this , ” Americans “ could be in for a bad fall and a bad winter.
” If states lifted restrictions too early , he said , infections could rebound and set the country back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the possibility of a second wave , or of an outbreak when you reopen , ” Fauci said Wednesday , adding : “ We don ’ t have to accept that as an inevitability.
” “ If we do the kinds of things that we ’ re putting in place now ― to have the workforce , the system , and the will to do the kinds of things that are the clear and effective identification , isolation and contact tracing ― we can prevent this second wave that we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If we do it correctly.
” “ I think the people who out there frolicking need to realize that when you do that and you see no negative effect in one week , please don ’ t be overconfident because the effect of spreading is not going to be seen for two , three or maybe even more weeks , ” he said .
“ And in that time , you can have the uptick.
” “ Go for a run .
Go for a walk .
Go fishing .
As long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowd , ” said Fauci , who said he planned to go on walks with a mask on .
There have been more than 5.1 million cases of coronavirus around the world and more than 300,000 people have died from it , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .

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White House coronavirus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that a second wave of coronavirus infections “is not inevitable,” but stressed that people should continue following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to curb the spread of the contagion.
Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was asked by CNN’s Jim Sciutto if Americans should have confidence in the government’s handling of the pandemic.
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“It’s getting better and better, Jim,” Fauci said. “I’m feeling better about it as we go by with the weeks that go by, and we see that we’re getting more and more capability of testing. The CDC is putting more of a workforce out there to help us do the kinds of identification, isolation, and contact tracing. I feel better and better that we’re capable of doing that.”
“People who are out there frolicking need to realize that when you do that, and you see no negative effect in one week, please don’t be overconfident because the effect of spreading is not going to be seen for two, three, maybe even more weeks,” Dr. Anthony Fauci says. pic.twitter.com/jLp7ZdWI8w — CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) May 27, 2020
Fauci warned in April that if we didn’t “put into place all of the countermeasures that you need to address this,” Americans “could be in for a bad fall and a bad winter.” If states lifted restrictions too early, he said, infections could rebound and set the country back to March.
“We often talk about the possibility of a second wave, or of an outbreak when you reopen,” Fauci said Wednesday, adding: “We don’t have to accept that as an inevitability.”
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“If we do the kinds of things that we’re putting in place now ― to have the workforce, the system, and the will to do the kinds of things that are the clear and effective identification, isolation and contact tracing ― we can prevent this second wave that we’re talking about,” he said. “If we do it correctly.”
With states and businesses reopening, Fauci said it’s important to watch for any upticks in infections “carefully.”
“I think the people who out there frolicking need to realize that when you do that and you see no negative effect in one week, please don’t be overconfident because the effect of spreading is not going to be seen for two, three or maybe even more weeks,” he said. “And in that time, you can have the uptick.”
People should be “prudent” and follow CDC guidelines.
Last week, Fauci advised people to “go out” for Memorial Day weekend, but to also avoid crowds, wear masks and maintain physical distance.
“Go for a run. Go for a walk. Go fishing. As long as you’re not in a crowd,” said Fauci, who said he planned to go on walks with a mask on.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Report: Kayleigh McEnany Voted By Mail 11 Times In Last 10 Years

Like her boss , President Donald Trump , Kayleigh McEnany has been speaking out against letting Americans vote by mail in the next election .
And like her boss , the White House press secretary has protested against mail-in votes despite doing it numerous times in the past .
Florida voting records show that McEnany , a native of Tampa , has voted by mail in 11 elections in the last 10 years , The Tampa Bay Times reported .
This revelation came on Tuesday , the same day that McEnany took to Twitter to list what she claimed were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facts about mail-in ballots !
Will the media , and @ Twitter , acknowledge these real concerns with mass mail-in voting ?
THREAD ⬇ — Kayleigh McEnany ( @ PressSec ) May 26 , 2020 It was also the same day that the president got in a tizzy after Twitter added fact checks to his tweets , flagging his incorrect information about mail-in voting .
McEnany did not respond to HuffPost ’ s inquiry about her extensive experience with voting by mail .
Last week , McEnany attempted to justify the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying he “ had to ” because he was unable to cast his ballot in Florida , which he lists as his official residence and frequently visits .
Trump has threatened to withhold federal funds from Nevada and Michigan if they send citizens applications to vote by mail , citing without evidence a risk of voter fraud .
“ Fox News Sunday ” host Chris Wallace said on the show that “ there really is no record of massive fraud or even serious fraud from mail-in voting .
”

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Like her boss, President Donald Trump, Kayleigh McEnany has been speaking out against letting Americans vote by mail in the next election.
And like her boss, the White House press secretary has protested against mail-in votes despite doing it numerous times in the past.
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Florida voting records show that McEnany, a native of Tampa, has voted by mail in 11 elections in the last 10 years, The Tampa Bay Times reported.
This revelation came on Tuesday, the same day that McEnany took to Twitter to list what she claimed were problems with mail-in ballots.
🚨 Get the facts about mail-in ballots!
Will the media, and @Twitter, acknowledge these real concerns with mass mail-in voting?
THREAD ⬇ — Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) May 26, 2020
It was also the same day that the president got in a tizzy after Twitter added fact checks to his tweets, flagging his incorrect information about mail-in voting.
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McEnany did not respond to HuffPost’s inquiry about her extensive experience with voting by mail.
Last week, McEnany attempted to justify the president’s own mail-in voting history by saying he “had to” because he was unable to cast his ballot in Florida, which he lists as his official residence and frequently visits.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Jason Chaffetz Finds His COVID-19 Calling

On May 7 , as the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 topped 75,000 , Chaffetz penned an op-ed blasting the Interior Department for keeping dozens of popular parks shuttered ― closures that local park superintendents made in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
He argued that “ perhaps there is no better way to be socially distant than going into the mountains ” and ― falsely ― that shutting them down is “ counter to science and common sense.
” “ If I stay 300 feet from a bear and six feet from other people , why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked of Yellowstone , adding that he goes there to “ enjoy the beauty and get away from people.
” As Yellowstone ’ s partial reopening less than two weeks later highlighted , people inevitably won ’ t stay six feet apart or keep their distance from dangerous wildlife .
Crowds of out-of-state visitors , few of them wearing masks , flocked to Old Faithful geyser , and a woman was “ knocked to the ground and injured ” by a bison when she approached the animal .
As a resident of Utah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national parks known as the “ Mighty Five , ” Chaffetz ought to know that there are scores of park visitors who never hike a remote trail or camp in the backcountry .
Instead , they stick to roads and create bottlenecks at easily accessible attractions and trails .
Yet Chaffetz has emerged as one of the loudest voices demanding President Donald Trump immediately reopen parks and monuments amid a pandemic that has already claimed nearly 100,000 American lives .
“ It is bizarre .
It ’ s a really odd fixation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of these small towns in Utah are totally unprepared and would be unable to handle a resurgence of COVID-19 , ” said Aaron Weiss , media director at Colorado-based conservation group Center for Western Priorities .
“ He knows full well there is no way to socially distance in Zion.
” In a May 15 letter , House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva ( D-Ariz. ) urged Interior and the National Park Service “ to exercise extreme caution ” in reopening sites .
“ Ensuring the safety of NPS employees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility , and human safety must take precedence over any politically motivated decisions to reopen national park sites , ” he said .
Earlier that same day , Trump addressed the issue during a speech on the White House lawn , saying “ we will begin to reopen our national parks and public lands for the American people to enjoy.
” And in a statement on April 25 , Bernhardt announced that Interior and the National Park Service would begin working closely with state governors to “ reopen the American people ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unsatisfied with the speed at which that ’ s played out , Chaffetz has continued his public campaign .
He ’ s tweeted about it more than a dozen times in recent weeks .
“ Except most of them are closed , ” he wrote in response to a video Bernhardt posted May 7 about First Lady Melania Trump ’ s anti-bullying campaign and the importance of children experiencing the outdoors .
“ Why are you doing these videos when you should be opening our National Parks ?
” The post kicked off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s press office .
That Chaffetz suddenly fancies himself a champion of public access to federally controlled lands is ironic .
In 2017 , while still in Congress , Chaffetz reintroduced legislation to sell off 3.3 million acres of public land in 10 western states that he said had “ been deemed to serve no purpose for taxpayers.
” He ultimately pulled the bill less than two weeks later in response to backlash from conservationists , hunters , anglers and outdoor enthusiasts .
As the powerful chairman of the House Oversight Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration accountable .
He declined to investigate Michael Flynn ’ s contact with the Russian government or Trump ’ s many financial conflicts of interest , but in early 2017 vowed to probe a tweet from Bryce Canyon National Park welcoming Utah ’ s Bears Ears National Monument ― and a second Obama-era monument in Nevada ― to the National Park Service family .
He told the Salt Lake Tribune at the time that he suspected Bryce Canyon officials may have had advanced knowledge of the monument ’ s designation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s unclear why Chaffetz is so motivated to carry this torch during the COVID-19 crisis , or if he ’ s considered what reopening park sites too soon could mean for the health and safety of workers , visitors and neighboring communities .
He did not respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
The Trump administration appears to have decided that the optics of having iconic national parks closed is too much to bear , even though reopening them too soon could cost lives .
Additional national parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arches and Canyonlands in Utah , are slated to start welcoming back visitors this week .

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Fox News pundit and former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz appears to have found his cause during the deadly coronavirus pandemic: ensuring that America’s national parks are open and packed full of people.
On May 7, as the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 topped 75,000, Chaffetz penned an op-ed blasting the Interior Department for keeping dozens of popular parks shuttered ― closures that local park superintendents made in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. He argued that “perhaps there is no better way to be socially distant than going into the mountains” and ― falsely ― that shutting them down is “counter to science and common sense.”
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“If I stay 300 feet from a bear and six feet from other people, why should it remain closed?” he asked of Yellowstone, adding that he goes there to “enjoy the beauty and get away from people.”
As Yellowstone’s partial reopening less than two weeks later highlighted, people inevitably won’t stay six feet apart or keep their distance from dangerous wildlife. Crowds of out-of-state visitors, few of them wearing masks, flocked to Old Faithful geyser, and a woman was “knocked to the ground and injured” by a bison when she approached the animal.
Memorial Day weekend drew large crowds to popular national parks like Yellowstone, Zion and Great Smoky Mountain. The scenic drive in Zion filled up so quickly on Sunday that authorities had so close access by 6:30 a.m., the Las Vegas Journal-Review reported.
Update: Reader just sent this screenshot from Old Faithful webcam, taken at 1:55 pm MT https://t.co/SrNt2aNLYf pic.twitter.com/2VTWs5HwIY — Chris D'Angelo 🌎 (@c_m_dangelo) May 24, 2020
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As a resident of Utah, which is home to five iconic national parks known as the “Mighty Five,” Chaffetz ought to know that there are scores of park visitors who never hike a remote trail or camp in the backcountry. Instead, they stick to roads and create bottlenecks at easily accessible attractions and trails. Yet Chaffetz has emerged as one of the loudest voices demanding President Donald Trump immediately reopen parks and monuments amid a pandemic that has already claimed nearly 100,000 American lives.
“It is bizarre. It’s a really odd fixation for Chaffetz to have right now considering a lot of these small towns in Utah are totally unprepared and would be unable to handle a resurgence of COVID-19,” said Aaron Weiss, media director at Colorado-based conservation group Center for Western Priorities. “He knows full well there is no way to socially distance in Zion.”
“I don’t know why Chaffetz in particular is on this tear,” Weiss added, “but it truly is going to endanger the lives of Utah residents.”
In a May 15 letter, House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) urged Interior and the National Park Service “to exercise extreme caution” in reopening sites. “Ensuring the safety of NPS employees, visitors, and gateway communities is your responsibility, and human safety must take precedence over any politically motivated decisions to reopen national park sites,” he said.
In his op-ed, Chaffetz offered this advice for gateway towns: “If a restaurant, hotel or local business feels the risk is too high, then don’t open, but denying Americans access to their parks is fundamentally wrong and counter to the goal of socially distancing.”
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It is clear that Trump and his team have felt the pressure from Chaffetz and other conservative lawmakers and talking heads.
“Nothing like the great outdoors!” Interior Secretary David Bernhardt wrote in an April 22 tweet responding to Chaffetz calling for parks to reopen. “We are working to keep your public lands accessible to you and the American people.”
Nothing like the great outdoors! We are working to keep your public lands accessible to you and the American people. https://t.co/BcoxVJH9vo — Secretary David Bernhardt (@SecBernhardt) April 22, 2020
Earlier that same day, Trump addressed the issue during a speech on the White House lawn, saying “we will begin to reopen our national parks and public lands for the American people to enjoy.” And in a statement on April 25, Bernhardt announced that Interior and the National Park Service would begin working closely with state governors to “reopen the American people’s national parks as rapidly as possible.”
Unsatisfied with the speed at which that’s played out, Chaffetz has continued his public campaign. He’s tweeted about it more than a dozen times in recent weeks. “Except most of them are closed,” he wrote in response to a video Bernhardt posted May 7 about First Lady Melania Trump’s anti-bullying campaign and the importance of children experiencing the outdoors. “Why are you doing these videos when you should be opening our National Parks?” The post kicked off a testy exchange between Chaffetz and Interior’s press office.
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That Chaffetz suddenly fancies himself a champion of public access to federally controlled lands is ironic. In 2017, while still in Congress, Chaffetz reintroduced legislation to sell off 3.3 million acres of public land in 10 western states that he said had “been deemed to serve no purpose for taxpayers.” He ultimately pulled the bill less than two weeks later in response to backlash from conservationists, hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts.
As the powerful chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Chaffetz showed little interest in holding the Trump administration accountable. He declined to investigate Michael Flynn’s contact with the Russian government or Trump’s many financial conflicts of interest, but in early 2017 vowed to probe a tweet from Bryce Canyon National Park welcoming Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument ― and a second Obama-era monument in Nevada ― to the National Park Service family. He told the Salt Lake Tribune at the time that he suspected Bryce Canyon officials may have had advanced knowledge of the monument’s designation, of which Chaffetz was a staunch critic.
Chaffetz had an abysmal 2% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters.
It’s unclear why Chaffetz is so motivated to carry this torch during the COVID-19 crisis, or if he’s considered what reopening park sites too soon could mean for the health and safety of workers, visitors and neighboring communities. He did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
But Jayson O’Neill, director of public lands watchdog group Western Values Project, has a theory.
“He’s auditioning for secretary of the Interior on Trump’s favorite state-controlled news station,” he said. The extent to which Fox News influences Trump’s thinking is no secret.
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The Trump administration appears to have decided that the optics of having iconic national parks closed is too much to bear, even though reopening them too soon could cost lives. Additional national parks, including Rocky Mountain in Colorado and Arches and Canyonlands in Utah, are slated to start welcoming back visitors this week.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Pennsylvania Democrats: GOP Lawmaker’s Positive COVID-19 Test Kept Secret For A Week

Democrats in Pennsylvania ’ s House of Representatives were outraged Wednesday after learning one of their Republican colleagues had tested positive for the coronavirus and they weren ’ t notified of the result or informed that he was self-isolating for a week .
State Rep. Andrew Lewis ( R ) said in a Facebook post that he tested positive for COVID-19 on May 20 and immediately began self-isolating after contacting the chamber ’ s human resources department .
He said the body followed guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “ to determine exactly who I may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who I may have possibly exposed to the virus.
” He said he was last in the Capitol on May 14 .
“ I can confirm every member or staff member who met the criteria for exposure was immediately contacted and required to self-isolate for 14 days from their date of possible exposure , ” Lewis wrote .
“ Out of respect for my family , and those who I may have exposed , I chose to keep my positive case private.
” But state Democrats accused Republicans , who hold a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information from the full chamber as the GOP publicly touted a broad reopening of the state .
Many noted they only learned of Lewis ’ results from the media .
“ These same Members were among those leading the daily shouts to reopen the state , ” Rep. Brian Sims ( D ) tweeted of his Republican colleagues .
“ They yelled and screamed about it being safe for others across the state to gather , while they were testing positive and notifying each other , but none of the Democrats that work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s what needs to happen next : 1 ) All positive tests in the Republican Party , and dates of those tests , be immediately made available to Members of the House .
2 ) The House must direct the Capitol medical staff to immediately refer all Members and staff for testing .
— Brian Sims ( @ BrianSimsPA ) May 27 , 2020 Today , we found out *from the press* that a member of the House has tested positive for COVID-19 and other members were self-quarantining .
I ’ m shocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to disclose this information to us .
I share my thoughts on this below .
# PAHouse pic.twitter.com/Uf6v4fRahO — Rep. Jennifer O'Mara ( @ RepOMara ) May 27 , 2020 Sims later called on House Speaker Mike Turzai and other Republican leaders who withheld any information to resign and said the case should be investigated by the state attorney general .
“ I am livid , ” state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta ( D ) told The Philadelphia Inquirer .
“ They were derelict in their duty when they did not alert us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our health at risk , they put our families at risk , and Speaker Turzai should resign , period.
” Another Republican , state Rep. Russ Diamond , said Wednesday that he was contacted on May 21 and asked to self-quarantine but has not developed any symptoms or been tested for the virus .
He said he plans to return to the statehouse on Thursday after a 14-day quarantine and defended GOP efforts to reopen the economy .
“ I ’ m angry that even though my self-quarantine was not required , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are plenty of people in Pennsylvania who would wag their fingers at me and try to shame me for simply going about my life peacefully , ” Diamond wrote .

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Democrats in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives were outraged Wednesday after learning one of their Republican colleagues had tested positive for the coronavirus and they weren’t notified of the result or informed that he was self-isolating for a week.
State Rep. Andrew Lewis (R) said in a Facebook post that he tested positive for COVID-19 on May 20 and immediately began self-isolating after contacting the chamber’s human resources department. He said the body followed guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “to determine exactly who I may have been in contact with, and who I may have possibly exposed to the virus.” He said he was last in the Capitol on May 14.
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“I can confirm every member or staff member who met the criteria for exposure was immediately contacted and required to self-isolate for 14 days from their date of possible exposure,” Lewis wrote. “Out of respect for my family, and those who I may have exposed, I chose to keep my positive case private.”
A spokesman for House Republicans, Mike Straub, told Penn Live the chamber “followed data and science” and notified anyone who met CDC and state health guidelines.
But state Democrats accused Republicans, who hold a majority in the House, of withholding the information from the full chamber as the GOP publicly touted a broad reopening of the state. Many noted they only learned of Lewis’ results from the media.
“These same Members were among those leading the daily shouts to reopen the state,” Rep. Brian Sims (D) tweeted of his Republican colleagues. “They yelled and screamed about it being safe for others across the state to gather, while they were testing positive and notifying each other, but none of the Democrats that work with them!”
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So here’s what needs to happen next:
1) All positive tests in the Republican Party, and dates of those tests, be immediately made available to Members of the House.
2) The House must direct the Capitol medical staff to immediately refer all Members and staff for testing. — Brian Sims (@BrianSimsPA) May 27, 2020
Today, we found out *from the press* that a member of the House has tested positive for COVID-19 and other members were self-quarantining. I’m shocked and upset that the Majority Party chose not to disclose this information to us. I share my thoughts on this below. #PAHouse pic.twitter.com/Uf6v4fRahO — Rep. Jennifer O'Mara (@RepOMara) May 27, 2020
Sims later called on House Speaker Mike Turzai and other Republican leaders who withheld any information to resign and said the case should be investigated by the state attorney general.
Other Democrats were equally frustrated by the lack of communication.
“I am livid,” state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D) told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “They were derelict in their duty when they did not alert us to this immediately. … They put our health at risk, they put our families at risk, and Speaker Turzai should resign, period.”
I thought #PAHouse couldn’t couldn’t get worse, but it has. Learned today that a Republican member tested positive for #COVID a week ago. He told R leadership & they told some R members to self-quarantine but never informed Democrats. We learned about it from a reporter today. https://t.co/uv8z4wxMFV — Rep. Leanne Krueger (@RepLeanne) May 27, 2020
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Some House Republicans knew for a week that one of theie members, who had been active in hearings and other group settings, had tested positive, yet did not inform anyone else. https://t.co/fec7Upf1VN
1/2 — State Rep. Dan Frankel (@RepDanFrankel) May 27, 2020
Another Republican, state Rep. Russ Diamond, said Wednesday that he was contacted on May 21 and asked to self-quarantine but has not developed any symptoms or been tested for the virus. He said he plans to return to the statehouse on Thursday after a 14-day quarantine and defended GOP efforts to reopen the economy.
“I’m angry that even though my self-quarantine was not required, but only recommended under CDC guidelines, that there are plenty of people in Pennsylvania who would wag their fingers at me and try to shame me for simply going about my life peacefully,” Diamond wrote.
Diamond has vocally opposed wearing masks in public despite federal health recommendations.
More than 1.6 million Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus. The U.S. passed a bleak milestone on Wednesday, recording 100,000 coronavirus-related deaths.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-28--Ted Cruz's Attempt To Explain Journalism To Reporter Backfires Spectacularly

Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-Tex . )
tried to defend President Donald Trump ’ s constant rants about “ Obamagate ” on Twitter .
Trump has repeatedly railed against former President Barack Obama , claiming “ Obamagate ” is the “ biggest political crime in American history ” without offering any details on what that supposed crime is .
When asked to explain earlier this month , Trump simply said “ you know what the crime is.
” On Wednesday , MSNBC analyst and editor of The Recount John Heilemann replied to Trump ’ s latest “ Obamagate ” tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The senator later replied with a conspiracy theory of his own , claiming Obama had “ personal involvement in abusing FBI to target Trump.
” Cruz was on the receiving end of wild accusations from Trump himself when the two were rivals for the GOP nomination in 2016 ― including a claim that the senator ’ s father , Rafael Cruz , was somehow involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy .
Heilemann quickly reminded the senator , who has since became a staunch Trump supporter despite their history : Sorry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's accusation that your father was involved in the killing of JFK .
https : //t.co/bs7L5W4QCj — John Heilemann ( @ jheil ) May 27 , 2020 Others also quickly joined in ― some with similar references to Cruz ’ s history with Trump : You think it ’ s a reporter ’ s job to chase down obvious ( and deliberately vague ) batshit conspiracy theories propagated by a vicious and desperate lunatic ?
You really are a joke .
— Gary Whitta ( @ garywhitta ) May 28 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man who can ’ t defend his wife when the President calls her ugly .
No one know what Obamagate is because Obamagate doesn ’ t exist .
— Tony Posnanski ( @ tonyposnanski ) May 27 , 2020 If this was Cruz sarcasm , or said by someone on the left in jest , it might be the funniest thing I read on here today .
Yes , zodiac killer who 's actually Canadian , the job of a reporter is to construct explanations for allegations too wild for the accuser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Kelly Steele ( @ steelekelly ) May 27 , 2020 A reporter ’ s job is to ask questions to get the answers .
I thought you were smarter than this ?
— David Weissman ( @ davidmweissman ) May 27 , 2020 You 're a Harvard-trained lawyer .
Why do n't *you* explain it ?
Unless , of course , there is nothing to this stupid allegation and you are too much of a coward to admit that fact .
— Pejman Yousefzadeh : Insulin User Extraordinaire ( @ Yousefzadeh ) @ @ @ @

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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) tried to defend President Donald Trump’s constant rants about “Obamagate.”
It didn’t go well.
Trump has repeatedly railed against former President Barack Obama, claiming “Obamagate” is the “biggest political crime in American history” without offering any details on what that supposed crime is.
When asked by a reporter to explain it earlier this month, Trump simply said, “You know what the crime is.”
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On Wednesday, MSNBC analyst and editor of The Recount John Heilemann replied to Trump’s latest “Obamagate” tweet with another request for an explanation.
That’s when Cruz stepped in it:
I thought that was a reporter’s job? https://t.co/KbvjX0nzHO — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 27, 2020
In 2016, Cruz himself was on the receiving end of wild accusations from Trump when the two were rivals for the GOP nomination ― including a claim that the senator’s father, Rafael Cruz, was somehow involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Since then, the Texas Republican has become a staunch Trump supporter, but Heilemann took the opportunity to remind the senator of the accusation:
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Sorry, I'm still busy reporting out Trump's accusation that your father was involved in the killing of JFK. https://t.co/bs7L5W4QCj — John Heilemann (@jheil) May 27, 2020
Others also quickly joined in, with some making similar references to Cruz’s history with Trump:
You think it’s a reporter’s job to chase down obvious (and deliberately vague) batshit conspiracy theories propagated by a vicious and desperate lunatic? You really are a joke. — Gary Whitta (@garywhitta) May 28, 2020
The reporters job is to report about a man who can’t defend his wife when the President calls her ugly.
No one know what Obamagate is because Obamagate doesn’t exist. — Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) May 27, 2020
If this was Cruz sarcasm, or said by someone on the left in jest, it might be the funniest thing I read on here today.
Yes, zodiac killer who's actually Canadian, the job of a reporter is to construct explanations for allegations too wild for the accuser to actually articulate. https://t.co/96j2OM2LWp — Kelly Steele (@steelekelly) May 27, 2020
Remember when the president called your wife ugly? — Joe Berkowitz (@JoeBerkowitz) May 27, 2020
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He's the one making the statements, Ted. Can YOU elaborate on what he means? — Dave Weasel (@DaveWeasel) May 28, 2020
A reporter’s job is to ask questions to get the answers. I thought you were smarter than this? — David Weissman (@davidmweissman) May 27, 2020
Zodiac Killer says what? pic.twitter.com/MscRAWmMfI — Katrina Los Angeles (@KatrinaRulz) May 28, 2020
You're a Harvard-trained lawyer. Why don't *you* explain it?
Unless, of course, there is nothing to this stupid allegation and you are too much of a coward to admit that fact. — Pejman Yousefzadeh: Insulin User Extraordinaire (@Yousefzadeh) May 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-28--Fox's Lou Dobbs Lavishes Praise On Donald Trump As U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Pass 100,000

Fox Business host Lou Dobbs , one of Donald Trump ’ s loudest cheerleaders , drew scorn on Wednesday for lavishing praise on the president as the nationwide death toll from the coronavirus passed 100,000 .
“ He is arguably the greatest president in our history , ” claimed Dobbs , whose sycophantic statement earned a thank you tweet from Trump himself : '' He is arguably the greatest president in our history.
” Thank you @ LouDobbs !
pic.twitter.com/6dfy0yxu9l — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 27 , 2020 Dobbs has previously claimed Trump is setting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t be able to meet , ” is “ unbeatable at the polls ” and has energized the White House in ways that have never been seen before .
The “ Lou Dobbs Tonight ” host ’ s boasts about Trump have in the past been widely mocked and ridiculed , with many critics likening them to state television propaganda in North Korea .
This time , however , Dobb ’ s praise of Trump as the bleak pandemic milestone was reached was greeted with fierce criticism , given the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sloppy response to the public health crisis : Lou Dobbs , perhaps the most ludicrous man on cable in the Trump era - and that 's a high bar , given he shares an employer with the likes of Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham .
https : //t.co/Y4evo76Lyc — Mehdi Hasan ( @ mehdirhasan ) May 28 , 2020 How on earth Lou Dobbs can say this live on camera , and with a straight face , is extraordinary .
— Mike P Williams ( @ Mike_P_Williams ) May 28 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He is arguably the greatest president in our history , ” I can think of some very substantial arguments ... starting with George Washington and ending ( for now ) with 100K dead Americans .
pic.twitter.com/T70fIGOWMy — Rus McLaughlin ( @ rusmclaughlin ) May 28 , 2020 So , Lou Dobbs says of Trump : `` He is , arguably , the greatest president in our history . ''
This is what an actual Fox host is willing to say out loud .
He is still employed .
— Gene Weingarten ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As the reported U.S. death toll from the coronavirus hits 100,000 , Trump tweets his thanks to Lou Dobbs for praising him on his show tonight .
— Kyle Griffin ( @ kylegriffin1 ) May 28 , 2020 Lou Dobbs is saying this with over 100k dead and 40 million unemployed in the last 3 months — Noble Prize in Sarcasm ( @ rewegreatyet ) May 27 , 2020

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Fox Business host Lou Dobbs, one of Donald Trump’s loudest cheerleaders, drew scorn on Wednesday for lavishing praise on the president as the nationwide death toll from the coronavirus passed 100,000.
“He is arguably the greatest president in our history,” proclaimed Dobbs, whose sycophantic statement earned a thank-you tweet from Trump himself:
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"He is arguably the greatest president in our history.” Thank you @LouDobbs! pic.twitter.com/6dfy0yxu9l — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 27, 2020
Dobbs in the past has claimed Trump is setting a standard for presidents “that most mortals won’t be able to meet,” is “unbeatable at the polls” and has energized the White House in ways that have never been seen before.
The “Lou Dobbs Tonight” host’s boasts about Trump have been widely ridiculed, with many critics likening them to state television propaganda in North Korea.
This time, however, Dobb’s praise of Trump as the bleak pandemic milestone was reached was greeted with fierce criticism, given the Trump White House’s slow and sloppy response to the public health crisis:
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Lou Dobbs, perhaps the most ludicrous man on cable in the Trump era - and that's a high bar, given he shares an employer with the likes of Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham. https://t.co/Y4evo76Lyc — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) May 28, 2020
How on earth Lou Dobbs can say this live on camera, and with a straight face, is extraordinary. — Mike P Williams (@Mike_P_Williams) May 28, 2020
Lou Dobbs must not know too much history. — Kara Eastman (@karaforcongress) May 27, 2020
When Lou Dobbs says of Trump, "He is arguably the greatest president in our history,” I can think of some very substantial arguments... starting with George Washington and ending (for now) with 100K dead Americans. pic.twitter.com/T70fIGOWMy — Rus McLaughlin (@rusmclaughlin) May 28, 2020
So, Lou Dobbs says of Trump: "He is, arguably, the greatest president in our history." This is what an actual Fox host is willing to say out loud. He is still employed. — Gene Weingarten (@geneweingarten) May 28, 2020
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Lou Dobbs is, arguably, network TV's least credible commentator on the topic of great American presidents. — Jack Kuenzie (@JKuenzie) May 28, 2020
Lou Dobbs is arguably the greatest sycophant in our history. — Morten Øverbye (@morten) May 27, 2020
Trump just retweeted Lou Dobbs calling him the greatest president in history. Sigh. — JoeMyGod (@JoeMyGod) May 27, 2020
As the reported U.S. death toll from the coronavirus hits 100,000, Trump tweets his thanks to Lou Dobbs for praising him on his show tonight. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 28, 2020
Lou Dobbs is saying this with over 100k dead and 40 million unemployed in the last 3 months — Noble Prize in Sarcasm (@rewegreatyet) May 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Mark Zuckerberg Says Social Media Giants Shouldn't Be In Position To Fact-Check Users

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company ’ s policies differ from those of Twitter when it comes to fact-checking users .
For the first time , Twitter tagged two of President Donald Trump ’ s tweets on Tuesday with a fact-checking note indicating that his statements were misleading .
Angered over the notes , Trump later accused Twitter of attempting to influence the upcoming 2020 presidential election .
During an interview with Fox News ’ Dana Perino , Zuckerberg said he disagreed with Twitter ’ s policy and said he didn ’ t believe his own company , Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth.
” “ I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn ’ t be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online , ” he said .
“ I think in general , private companies probably shouldn ’ t be — especially these platform companies — shouldn ’ t be in the position of doing that.
” .
@ Twitter is now interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election .
They are saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots , which will lead to massive corruption and fraud , is incorrect , based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon Washington Post ... .
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) May 26 , 2020 Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey responded to Zuckerberg ’ s comments later Wednesday , saying Twitter will “ continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally .
And we will admit to and own any mistakes we make.
” “ This does not make us an ‘ arbiter of truth , ’ ” Dorsey wrote .
“ Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparency from us is critical so folks can clearly see the why behind our actions.
” Per our Civic Integrity policy ( https : //t.co/uQ0AoPtoCm ) , the tweets yesterday may mislead people into thinking they don ’ t need to register to get a ballot ( only registered voters receive ballots ) .
We ’ re updating the link on @ realDonaldTrump ’ s tweet to make this more clear .
— jack ( @ jack ) May 28 , 2020 A Twitter spokesperson told HuffPost that Twitter flagged Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots.
” The fact-checking is part of the company ’ s new policy of labeling false or misleading information about COVID-19 .
The company also explained that it may expand the fact-checking to topics beyond the pandemic .
In response to Twitter ’ s action , Trump threatened on Wednesday to use the power of the federal government to regulate social media companies .
The office of the president can not regulate tech companies without congressional approval or help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We will strongly regulate , or close them down , before we can ever allow this to happen , ” Trump said , accusing social media companies of intentionally suppressing conservative opinions .
“ I have to understand what they actually would intend to do , ” Zuckerberg told Fox News .
“ But in general , I think a government choosing to censor a platform because they ’ re worried about censorship doesn ’ t exactly strike me as the right reflex there .
”

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company’s policies differ from those of Twitter when it comes to fact-checking users.
For the first time, Twitter tagged two of President Donald Trump’s tweets on Tuesday with a fact-checking note indicating that his statements were misleading. Angered over the notes, Trump later accused Twitter of attempting to influence the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
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During an interview with Fox News’ Dana Perino, Zuckerberg said he disagreed with Twitter’s policy and said he didn’t believe his own company, Facebook, should be “the arbiter of truth.”
“We have a different policy than Twitter on this,” Zuckerberg told Perino when asked about Twitter’s decision to fact-check Trump.
“I just believe strongly that Facebook shouldn’t be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online,” he said. “I think in general, private companies probably shouldn’t be — especially these platform companies — shouldn’t be in the position of doing that.”
A preview of Zuckerberg’s interview was published Wednesday and is scheduled to air in full on Thursday.
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....Twitter is completely stifling FREE SPEECH, and I, as President, will not allow it to happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2020
.@Twitter is now interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election. They are saying my statement on Mail-In Ballots, which will lead to massive corruption and fraud, is incorrect, based on fact-checking by Fake News CNN and the Amazon Washington Post.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 26, 2020
Trump’s tweets warned, without evidence, of “substantially fraudulent” voting in states that plan to use mail-in ballots this November.
Twitter added this note to Trump’s tweets:
“Trump falsely claimed that mail-in ballots would lead to ‘a Rigged Election.’ However, fact-checkers say there is no evidence that mail-in ballots are linked to voter fraud.”
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey responded to Zuckerberg’s comments later Wednesday, saying Twitter will “continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally. And we will admit to and own any mistakes we make.”
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“This does not make us an ‘arbiter of truth,’” Dorsey wrote. “Our intention is to connect the dots of conflicting statements and show the information in dispute so people can judge for themselves. More transparency from us is critical so folks can clearly see the why behind our actions.”
Per our Civic Integrity policy (https://t.co/uQ0AoPtoCm), the tweets yesterday may mislead people into thinking they don’t need to register to get a ballot (only registered voters receive ballots). We’re updating the link on @realDonaldTrump’s tweet to make this more clear. — jack (@jack) May 28, 2020
A Twitter spokesperson told HuffPost that Twitter flagged Trump’s tweets because they contained “potentially misleading information about voting processes and have been labeled to provide additional context around mail-in ballots.”
The fact-checking is part of the company’s new policy of labeling false or misleading information about COVID-19. The company also explained that it may expand the fact-checking to topics beyond the pandemic.
In response to Twitter’s action, Trump threatened on Wednesday to use the power of the federal government to regulate social media companies. The office of the president cannot regulate tech companies without congressional approval or help with the Federal Communications Commission.
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“We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen,” Trump said, accusing social media companies of intentionally suppressing conservative opinions.
“Big action to follow,” he added.
Zuckerberg appeared wary of Trump’s warning and said he didn’t believe further censorship was the appropriate action.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Fox News Host Confronts Trump Spokesperson On Murder Conspiracy Theory

Perino brought up that baseless conspiracy theory while discussing Trump ’ s feud with Twitter over its decision to attach a warning about the accuracy of his tweets blasting mail-in voting .
However , the platform declined to remove or flag Trump ’ s other tweets suggesting that Scarborough ― a fierce Trump critic and former Republican congressman ― may have killed 28-year-old Lori Klausutis when she worked as a staffer in his Florida office .
An autopsy concluded Klausutis ’ 2001 death was an accident ; she had an undiagnosed heart condition that caused her to faint and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ How does this help the president win an election in November ?
” Perino asked .
Murtaugh claimed Trump ’ s supporters “ like the way the president expresses himself on Twitter because , they say , ‘ Here ’ s a guy who finally says the things out loud that I ’ m thinking myself.
’ ” “ He is who he is , and I don ’ t think that there are too many Americans who are not familiar with the way that he uses Twitter , ” Murtaugh added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is already calculated in when Americans will choose their president this coming November.
” Klausutis ’ widowed husband , Timothy Klausutis , implored Twitter to remove the tweets about his wife in a letter to CEO Jack Dorsey last week .
He said Trump had taken “ the memory of my dead wife and perverted it for perceived political gain.
” “ Does it give you any pause about the widower of the young woman who is asking the president to stop because he says it is sullying her memory unnecessarily ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claiming first that “ we feel for the grieving family , ” attempted to justify the president ’ s behavior because of his grudge with Scarborough .
“ I ’ m not going to get out ahead of the president , ” he said .
“ He ’ s got this on-running feud with Joe Scarborough and I think it ’ s plain to see for everybody .
”

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Perino brought up that baseless conspiracy theory while discussing Trump’s feud with Twitter over its decision to attach a warning about the accuracy of his tweets blasting mail-in voting. However, the platform declined to remove or flag Trump’s other tweets suggesting that Scarborough ― a fierce Trump critic and former Republican congressman ― may have killed 28-year-old Lori Klausutis when she worked as a staffer in his Florida office.
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An autopsy concluded Klausutis’ 2001 death was an accident; she had an undiagnosed heart condition that caused her to faint and she hit her head on a table.
“How does this help the president win an election in November?” Perino asked.
Murtaugh claimed Trump’s supporters “like the way the president expresses himself on Twitter because, they say, ‘Here’s a guy who finally says the things out loud that I’m thinking myself.’”
“He is who he is, and I don’t think that there are too many Americans who are not familiar with the way that he uses Twitter,” Murtaugh added. “So I think all of that is already calculated in when Americans will choose their president this coming November.”
Klausutis’ widowed husband, Timothy Klausutis, implored Twitter to remove the tweets about his wife in a letter to CEO Jack Dorsey last week. He said Trump had taken “the memory of my dead wife and perverted it for perceived political gain.”
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“Does it give you any pause about the widower of the young woman who is asking the president to stop because he says it is sullying her memory unnecessarily?” Perino asked her guest.
Murtaugh, claiming first that “we feel for the grieving family,” attempted to justify the president’s behavior because of his grudge with Scarborough.
“I’m not going to get out ahead of the president,” he said. “He’s got this on-running feud with Joe Scarborough and I think it’s plain to see for everybody.”
Watch the interview around the 17-minute mark on “The Daily Briefing” segment below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-28--Eric Trump Tweets ‘GREAT DAY for the DOW’ As Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 100,000

Only a Trump would be tweeting about today being a `` great day for the Dow '' while our death @ @ @ @ @ .
My God , there is n't a conscience in the whole Trump horde .
@ @ @ @ @ , @ EricTrump .
https : //t.co/7UJEQ1S2ok

Only a Trump would be tweeting about today being a "great day for the Dow" while our death toll from COVID-19 hits 100,000. My God, there isn't a conscience in the whole Trump horde. How utterly disgusting you are, @EricTrump. https://t.co/7UJEQ1S2ok


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-28--Searing Supercut ‘Congratulates’ Trump, Fox News On Spinning Coronavirus Into Oblivion

“ The Daily Show with Trevor Noah ” on Wednesday released a critical supercut to mark the grim moment the @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus topped 100,000 .
The montage featured clips of President Donald Trump , members of @ @ @ @ @ Fox News and others repeatedly hailing the White House ’ s response to the public @ @ @ @ @ many , many critics , however , have described Trump ’ s fumbled handling of @ @ @ @ @ .
“ 100,000 .
Congratulations to President Trump on a true success story , ” @ @ @ @ @ the 83-second clip .
It concludes with Trump giving himself top marks for his handling @ @ @ @ @ out the supercut here :

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“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” on Wednesday marked the grim milestone of 100,000 U.S. coronavirus deaths with a supercut that exposes the Trump administration’s mismanagement of the pandemic.
The montage features clips of President Donald Trump, members of his administration, personalities on Fox News and others repeatedly hailing the White House response to the public health crisis.
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Many, many, many critics, however, have described Trump’s fumbled handling of the pandemic as a catastrophe.
“100,000. Congratulations to President Trump on a true success story,” the Comedy Central show captioned the 83-second clip.
It concludes with Trump giving himself top marks for his handling of the crisis.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-28--Kellyanne Conway’s Off-The-Rails Voting Comments Take The Cake For Twitter Users

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway took the cake for many Twitter users on Wednesday with her off-the-rails attack on mail-in ballot voting .
“ People are very proud to show up and go to the polls , ” Conway told reporters .
“ They really are .
I mean , they wait in line for a Georgetown Cupcake for an hour , to get a cupcake .
So , I think they can probably wait in line to do something as consequential and critical and constitutionally significant as cast their ballot.
” Conway also suggested “ mail-in balloting as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerning ” because “ people want this country to open up ” after stay-at-home orders that aimed to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
Hundreds of public health experts , however , have called for a vast expansion of voting by mail as the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed more than 100,000 people nationwide , continues .
President Donald Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly railed against mail-in voting , baselessly suggesting it could lead to increased voter fraud .
In March , he voted by mail in Florida ’ s GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cupcakes in D.C. right now is delivery only .
So if that 's your arbitrary standard Kellyanne , I think it 's time that our country has national vote-by-mail .
https : //t.co/AyNttIxJTC — Rep. Mark Pocan ( @ repmarkpocan ) May 27 , 2020 No Kellyanne- it doesn ’ t work that way , cupcake .
Voting is a right- by mail or in person .
Get over it # snowflake https : //t.co/CRV532RzyP — Martina Navratilova ( @ Martina ) May 27 , 2020 If you can mail people checks you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in a fantasy world where criminals do n't want to steal checks but really want to vote ?
— JRehling ( @ JRehling ) May 27 , 2020 Not only was it a reprehensible comparison by @ KellyannePolls , it was also a lie .
https : //t.co/u6Igvmfi28 — Janet Johnson ( @ JJohnsonLaw ) May 27 , 2020 .
@ KellyannePolls assumes that those in line for a cupcake are those hesitant to vote in person .
Numerous immuno-compromised individuals are n't buying cupcakes & they would like to vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to vote or not ?
https : //t.co/nq2euTZ1aj — Indivisible NE Iowa ( @ IndivisibleNEIA ) May 27 , 2020 “ People wait in line at Georgetown Cupcake to get a cupcake so I think they probably can wait in line to .. cast their ballot.
” Outrageous hearing Kellyanne Conway dismissively compare the right to vote to buying cupcakes .
pic.twitter.com/uNe3MRKGNA — Kristen Clarke ( @ KristenClarkeJD ) May 27 , 2020 The fun thing about KellyAnne Conway 's cupcake analogy is that , yes , we can stand in line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy cupcakes online .
We can even make cupcakes at home .
Basically , Republicans think you should have more access to cupcakes than your right to vote .
— Nick Jack Pappas ( @ Pappiness ) May 27 , 2020 What a silly thing to say .
Comparing getting a cupcake with the centerpiece of our democracy -- voting .
If you have not noticed @ KellyannePolls there have not been a lot of cupcake lines lately since there are 100k dead .
https : //t.co/fHjQemahw2 — Joe Lockhart ( @ joelockhart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all agree that if we henceforth address Kellyanne Conway as “ Cupcake ” it ’ s not a sexist slur but a reference to her latest “ let them eat cake ” ridiculousness , right ?
pic.twitter.com/DjWVTNj4Za — Kathleen Smith ( @ KikkiPlanet ) May 28 , 2020 Dear @ KellyannePolls : Turns out that in the 21st century , you can get cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake without leaving your home in DC .
https : //t.co/hFmM1yrYqP Same with voting .
Allowing voting from home is safer during a life threatening pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes .
https : //t.co/4hUkIOscFO — Ted Lieu ( @ tedlieu ) May 27 , 2020 And if you can have cupcakes delivered because you are older or immune compromised or don ’ t want to risk infecting people who are , you should be able to have your ballot delivered and be able to mail it in , @ KellyannePolls .
But let ’ s get real , the @ GOP prefers voter suppression .
https : //t.co/KxQUTcDiR6 — Beau Willimon ( @ BeauWillimon ) May 28 , 2020

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White House counselor Kellyanne Conway took the cake for many Twitter users on Wednesday with her off-the-rails attack on mail-in ballot voting.
“People are very proud to show up and go to the polls,” Conway told reporters. “They really are. I mean, they wait in line for a Georgetown Cupcake for an hour, to get a cupcake. So, I think they can probably wait in line to do something as consequential and critical and constitutionally significant as cast their ballot.”
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Check out Conway’s comments here:
Conway also suggested “mail-in balloting as the main way to vote would be very concerning” because “people want this country to open up” after stay-at-home orders that aimed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Hundreds of public health experts, however, have called for a vast expansion of voting by mail as the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 100,000 people nationwide, continues.
President Donald Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly railed against mail-in voting, baselessly suggesting it could lead to increased voter fraud. In March, he voted by mail in Florida’s GOP primary.
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Conway’s comments attracted fierce criticism online:
To be clear, Georgetown Cupcakes in D.C. right now is delivery only.
So if that's your arbitrary standard Kellyanne, I think it's time that our country has national vote-by-mail. https://t.co/AyNttIxJTC — Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) May 27, 2020
No Kellyanne- it doesn’t work that way, cupcake. Voting is a right- by mail or in person. Get over it #snowflake https://t.co/CRV532RzyP — Martina Navratilova (@Martina) May 27, 2020
If you can mail people checks you can mail people ballots.
Is she living in a fantasy world where criminals don't want to steal checks but really want to vote? — JRehling (@JRehling) May 27, 2020
Guess what, @KellyannePolls? You have the option to order cupcakes by mail. https://t.co/9q1mstYTkD https://t.co/b0ebADf0Rk — Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) May 27, 2020
Not only was it a reprehensible comparison by @KellyannePolls, it was also a lie. https://t.co/u6Igvmfi28 — Janet Johnson (@JJohnsonLaw) May 27, 2020
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.@KellyannePolls assumes that those in line for a cupcake are those hesitant to vote in person. Numerous immuno-compromised individuals aren't buying cupcakes & they would like to vote.
Does @realDonaldTrump believe in the universal right to vote or not? https://t.co/nq2euTZ1aj — Indivisible NE Iowa (@IndivisibleNEIA) May 27, 2020
“People wait in line at Georgetown Cupcake to get a cupcake so I think they probably can wait in line to .. cast their ballot.”
Outrageous hearing Kellyanne Conway dismissively compare the right to vote to buying cupcakes. pic.twitter.com/uNe3MRKGNA — Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) May 27, 2020
Voting is a constitutional right.
Eating fancy cupcakes is a luxury
There’s a big difference Kellyanne
But you knew that already. pic.twitter.com/gyOBX2FKFC — Andrew Weinstein (@Weinsteinlaw) May 27, 2020
The fun thing about KellyAnne Conway's cupcake analogy is that, yes, we can stand in line for cupcakes, but we can also buy cupcakes online. We can even make cupcakes at home.
Basically, Republicans think you should have more access to cupcakes than your right to vote. — Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) May 27, 2020
What a silly thing to say. Comparing getting a cupcake with the centerpiece of our democracy -- voting. If you have not noticed @KellyannePolls there have not been a lot of cupcake lines lately since there are 100k dead. https://t.co/fHjQemahw2 — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) May 27, 2020
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So we all agree that if we henceforth address Kellyanne Conway as “Cupcake” it’s not a sexist slur but a reference to her latest “let them eat cake” ridiculousness, right? pic.twitter.com/DjWVTNj4Za — Kathleen Smith (@KikkiPlanet) May 28, 2020
Dear @KellyannePolls: Turns out that in the 21st century, you can get cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake without leaving your home in DC. https://t.co/hFmM1yrYqP
Same with voting. Allowing voting from home is safer during a life threatening pandemic. It’s also how your boss votes. https://t.co/4hUkIOscFO — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-28--1 Dead As Minneapolis Protests Rage For Second Day After George Floyd's Death

Protests erupted in Minneapolis for the second day in a row on Wednesday over the death of George Floyd , a Black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck .
The demonstrations turned violent in some areas following a daylong protest outside a police station where officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse attendees .
Some people later began looting stores as night settled in , setting an AutoZone retail outlet on fire and carrying goods out of a vandalized Target .
A Dollar Tree and a local supermarket also showed signs of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
“ Please , Minneapolis , we can not let tragedy beget more tragedy , ” the city ’ s mayor , Jacob Frey , said early Thursday morning per The Minneapolis Star-Tribune .
He continued : “ Yes , we ’ re reeling .
We are reeling , and I understand the anger and pain , and we need the public ’ s help in keeping the peace tonight .
We need that in order to get through this together.
” Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told Fox 9 News on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been peaceful , but said some had caused “ significant property damage ” and used Molotov cocktails .
As protests continued to rock Minneapolis on Wednesday , Jamar B. Nelson , a veteran community activist , told The New York Times that the Black community long had a fraught relationship with police .
“ The truth is we do not have a good history , ” Nelson said .
“ The biggest complaint is that the community feels the Police Department is racist , bigoted and uncaring about the Black community.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday after a shocking video of Floyd ’ s arrest began to spread around the nation .
In the clip , Floyd , who was detained on suspicion of using a counterfeit $ 20 bill , can be seen pinned to the street as an officer presses his knee into his neck , saying : “ Please man , I can ’ t breathe .
I can not breathe .
I can not breathe.
” His eyes later close and he stops speaking as onlookers shout at the officers to help him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd died shortly after arriving at an area hospital .
The death sparked immediate comparisons to the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery , a Black man who was confronted and killed by two white men while jogging in Georgia earlier this year .
Protests over Floyd ’ s death also broke out in Los Angeles and Memphis on Wednesday .
In Los Angeles , demonstrators blocked traffic on a large freeway and clashed with police .
In Memphis , demonstrators held signs with messages including “ Black Lives Matter , ” “ Stop killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence ” to protest the killings of Arbery and Floyd , as well as Breonna Taylor , a Black woman who was recently killed during a police drug raid at her Kentucky home .
“ We want the immediate arrest of the people who killed George Floyd and Breonna Taylor , ” Keara Akinmoladun , whose husband helped organize the Memphis demonstration , told the Memphis Commercial Appeal .
“ There ’ s a lot of awareness , but we want action.
” “ If you plan to turn your pain into action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do so peacefully and safely to protect your own health and the health of the people around you , ” Walz wrote on Twitter .
Later that night , however , the governor said the situation had evolved into an “ extremely dangerous ” confrontation and asked people to leave so paramedics could get to the scene .

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Protests erupted in Minneapolis for the second day in a row on Wednesday, spilling into the early hours of Thursday morning, over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck.
The demonstrations turned violent in some areas following a daylong protest outside a police station where officers used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse attendees. Some people entered stores as night settled in, setting an AutoZone retail outlet on fire and carrying goods out of a vandalized Target. A Dollar Tree and a local supermarket also showed signs of damage and theft, the Associated Press reported.
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One person was shot and killed at a pawn shop by the store’s owner as officials urged residents to go home, police said early Thursday.
“Please, Minneapolis, we cannot let tragedy beget more tragedy,” the city’s mayor, Jacob Frey, told The Star Tribune.
“Yes, we’re reeling,” he continued. “We are reeling, and I understand the anger and pain, and we need the public’s help in keeping the peace tonight. We need that in order to get through this together.”
Frey had called for charges to be filed in Floyd’s death earlier in the day.
A man poses for a photo in the parking lot of an AutoZone store in flames, while protesters hold a rally for George Floyd in Minneapolis on Wednesday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told Fox 9 News on Wednesday that a majority of the protesters had been peaceful, but said some had caused “significant property damage” and used Molotov cocktails.
As protests continued to rock Minneapolis on Wednesday, Jamar B. Nelson, a veteran community activist, told The New York Times that the Black community long had a fraught relationship with police. “The truth is we do not have a good history,” Nelson said. “The biggest complaint is that the community feels the Police Department is racist, bigoted and uncaring about the Black community.”
Star Tribune reporter Liz Sawyer said the flood of protesters makes clear the “tremendous amount of anger and pain” in Minneapolis over Floyd’s death.
“Several folks I talked to said they didn’t care whether people agreed with their methods,” including looting and destroying property, Sawyer tweeted.
“We have to get their attention somehow,” she quoted them as saying.
Four Minneapolis Police Department officers were fired Tuesday after a shocking video of Floyd’s arrest began to spread around the nation. In the clip, Floyd, who was detained on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill, can be seen pinned to the street as an officer presses his knee into his neck, saying: “Please man, I can’t breathe. I cannot breathe. I cannot breathe.”
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His eyes later close and he stops speaking as onlookers shout at the police to help him. Officers later called an ambulance but Floyd died shortly after arriving at the hospital, the police department said in a statement on Monday. However, paramedics reported Floyd was unresponsive and without a pulse by the time he was en route to the hospital.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating Floyd’s death and will present its findings to the county attorney’s office for review. Arradondo said Tuesday that he asked the FBI to conduct a separate investigation into the matter.
President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that the FBI and the Justice Department were “already well into” an investigation, per his own request.
″I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement,” Trump tweeted. “My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!”
Floyd’s death sparked immediate comparisons to the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was confronted and killed by two white men while jogging in Georgia earlier this year, as well as the 2014 killing of Eric Garner.
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“I can’t breathe,” Garner, a Black man, had said repeatedly as a white New York City police officer put him in a chokehold while arresting him.
Protests over Floyd’s death also broke out in Los Angeles and Memphis on Wednesday. In Los Angeles, demonstrators blocked traffic on a large freeway and clashed with police. In Memphis, demonstrators held signs with messages including “Black Lives Matter,” “Stop killing Black people” and “Silence is violence” to protest the killings of Arbery and Floyd, as well as Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was recently killed during a police drug raid at her Kentucky home.
“We want the immediate arrest of the people who killed George Floyd and Breonna Taylor,” Keara Akinmoladun, whose husband helped organize the Memphis demonstration, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “There’s a lot of awareness, but we want action.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had urged citizens to protest peacefully earlier in the day (Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP). ASSOCIATED PRESS
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz urged citizens to protest peacefully earlier Wednesday, saying residents’ feelings of “anger, anguish and disillusionment are justified.”
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“If you plan to turn your pain into action by joining a public demonstration, please do so peacefully and safely to protect your own health and the health of the people around you,” Walz wrote on Twitter.
Later that night, however, the governor said the situation had evolved into an “extremely dangerous” confrontation and asked people to leave so paramedics could get to the scene.
The situation near Lake Street and Hiawatha in Minneapolis has evolved into an extremely dangerous situation. For everyone's safety, please leave the area and allow firefighters and paramedics to get to the scene. — Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) May 28, 2020
Walz’s office told the Star Tribune late Wednesday around 60 State Patrol troopers had been called in to help quell the demonstrations.
Frey also requested assistance from the National Guard as protests are expected to continue. Walz has not yet publicly weighed in on the request.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-28--Conservative News Site Slams Trump's 'Vile Slander,' Questions His Fitness To Lead

The Washington Examiner published an editorial on Wednesday condemning President Donald Trump ’ s “ vile slander ” of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and raising questions about his fitness for office .
In the column , titled “ Trump ’ s slanderous attack on Joe Scarborough is incompatible with leadership , ” the conservative news outlet categorically breaks down why Trump ’ s claims against Scarborough , an outspoken Trump critic , are false .
Over the weekend , as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic climbed toward 100,000 in the U.S. , the president spent time tweeting multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressman , murdered a staffer who died in his Florida office in 2001 .
Lori Klausutis ’ death was ruled an accident by authorities ; no foul play was suspected .
“ This story is not just false , but verifiably so .
It is also illogical and bizarre , ” the editorial states .
The site criticized the “ loathsome individuals ” who amplified the conspiracy theory “ as part of a bad-faith , cheap-shot ad hominem argument against Scarborough , ” adding that it was “ far , far more unfortunate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeat this vile slander is the president supposedly leading this nation through a time of crisis.
” The right-wing site , which is often friendly to Trump , also blasted the president in March for demonstrating how “ deeply unsuited he is to deal with a genuine crisis that he can ’ t bluff his way through ” in his handling of the pandemic .
“ Whatever his issues with Scarborough , President Trump ’ s crazed Twitter rant on this subject was vile and unworthy of his office , ” this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will undoubtedly shrug it off as Trump being Trump , but one could hardly be blamed for reading it and doubting his fitness to lead.
” The site is one of several conservative voices to speak out against Trump ’ s grotesque tweets , which are widely perceived to be an effort to distract the public from his administration ’ s fumbling response to the coronavirus outbreak that has now claimed more than 100,000 lives .

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The Washington Examiner published an editorial on Wednesday condemning President Donald Trump’s “vile slander” of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough and raising questions about his fitness for office.
In the column, titled “Trump’s slanderous attack on Joe Scarborough is incompatible with leadership,” the conservative news outlet categorically breaks down why Trump’s claims against Scarborough, an outspoken Trump critic, are false.
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Over the weekend, as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic climbed toward 100,000 in the U.S., the president spent time tweeting multiple suggestions that Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, murdered a staffer who died in his Florida office in 2001. Lori Klausutis’ death was ruled an accident by authorities; no foul play was suspected.
“This story is not just false, but verifiably so. It is also illogical and bizarre,” the editorial states.
The site criticized the “loathsome individuals” who amplified the conspiracy theory “as part of a bad-faith, cheap-shot ad hominem argument against Scarborough,” adding that it was “far, far more unfortunate that the latest person to trumpet and repeat this vile slander is the president supposedly leading this nation through a time of crisis.”
The right-wing site, which is often friendly to Trump, also blasted the president in March for demonstrating how “deeply unsuited he is to deal with a genuine crisis that he can’t bluff his way through” in his handling of the pandemic.
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“Whatever his issues with Scarborough, President Trump’s crazed Twitter rant on this subject was vile and unworthy of his office,” this week’s editorial said. “Some will undoubtedly shrug it off as Trump being Trump, but one could hardly be blamed for reading it and doubting his fitness to lead.”
The site is one of several conservative voices to speak out against Trump’s grotesque tweets, which are widely perceived to be an effort to distract the public from his administration’s fumbling response to the coronavirus outbreak that has now claimed more than 100,000 lives.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--California County Health Officer Says State Is Reopening Too Soon

The public health officer in one of California ’ s biggest counties warned this week that the state was relaxing reopening guidelines too quickly , heightening the risk of a spike in COVID-19 cases .
Santa Clara Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody , whose county is home to Silicon Valley and was one of the first in the nation to institute a shelter-in-place order , voiced her concerns at a county Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday after California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) announced that counties could allow protests and reopen places of worship , in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity limitations .
Hair salon reopenings are limited to 47 and the state ’ s 58 counties .
“ The pace at which the state has made these modifications is concerning to me , ” Cody said , noting that it takes anywhere from 14 to 21 days for officials to see whether previous steps toward reopening caused an uptick in COVID-19 cases .
“ The state modifications are being made without a real understanding of the consequences of what the last move has been , ” risking “ an exponential growth in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social and economic wellbeing , ” she said .
Dr. Sara Cody , director of the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department , is sounding the alarm on California 's latest reopening guidelines .
Allowing counties to resume in-person worship and protests is “ particularly concerning , ” Cody said .
Those gatherings are capped at 25 % capacity with a maximum of 100 people , whichever is lower ― a much higher limit than New York ’ s 10-person and New Jersey ’ s 25-person limits , she noted .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have more confidence in the current plan , particularly since Newsom is allowing county leaders to impose stricter rules than his .
It ’ s “ worth noting the Governor continues to reinforce local authority , recognizing the variation in disease activity across the state , ” Neetu Balram , a spokesperson for the Alameda County Public Health Department , told HuffPost when reached for comment on Cody ’ s concerns .
Alameda County , which includes Oakland , is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases after relaxing some rules on May 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attributed to both increased social contact and increased testing .
The county isn ’ t seeking to immediately reopen any of the businesses Newsom approved this week .
“ [ W ] e need to ensure we don ’ t let the rate escalate too quickly and overwhelm our healthcare system , ” Balram said .
“ We are also closely monitoring the impacts seen in other jurisdictions that have loosened restrictions on earlier timelines.
” Sacramento County , home to the state capital , is among the 47 counties that are allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rooms and other higher-risk activities .
Reached for comment on Cody ’ s concerns , Sacramento County health officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye told HuffPost the county is “ prepared to make adjustments as needed ” as it evaluates the COVID-19 case load .

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The public health officer in one of California’s biggest counties warned this week that the state was relaxing reopening guidelines too quickly, heightening the risk of a spike in COVID-19 cases.
Santa Clara Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, whose county is home to Silicon Valley and was one of the first in the nation to institute a shelter-in-place order, voiced her concerns at a county Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that counties could allow protests and reopen places of worship, in-person retail and hair salons, with some capacity limitations. Hair salon reopenings are limited to 47 and the state’s 58 counties.
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“The pace at which the state has made these modifications is concerning to me,” Cody said, noting that it takes anywhere from 14 to 21 days for officials to see whether previous steps toward reopening caused an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
“The state modifications are being made without a real understanding of the consequences of what the last move has been,” risking “an exponential growth in cases, and therefore a risk to social and economic wellbeing,” she said.
Dr. Sara Cody, director of the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, is sounding the alarm on California's latest reopening guidelines. The Washington Post via Getty Images
Allowing counties to resume in-person worship and protests is “particularly concerning,” Cody said. Those gatherings are capped at 25% capacity with a maximum of 100 people, whichever is lower ― a much higher limit than New York’s 10-person and New Jersey’s 25-person limits, she noted.
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But health officials in other populous California counties have more confidence in the current plan, particularly since Newsom is allowing county leaders to impose stricter rules than his.
It’s “worth noting the Governor continues to reinforce local authority, recognizing the variation in disease activity across the state,” Neetu Balram, a spokesperson for the Alameda County Public Health Department, told HuffPost when reached for comment on Cody’s concerns.
Alameda County, which includes Oakland, is seeing an increase in coronavirus cases after relaxing some rules on May 18, which Balram notes can probably be attributed to both increased social contact and increased testing. The county isn’t seeking to immediately reopen any of the businesses Newsom approved this week.
“[W]e need to ensure we don’t let the rate escalate too quickly and overwhelm our healthcare system,” Balram said. “We are also closely monitoring the impacts seen in other jurisdictions that have loosened restrictions on earlier timelines.”
Sacramento County, home to the state capital, is among the 47 counties that are allowed to reopen hair salons, restaurant dining rooms and other higher-risk activities. Reached for comment on Cody’s concerns, Sacramento County health officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye told HuffPost the county is “prepared to make adjustments as needed” as it evaluates the COVID-19 case load.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Fox News' Andrew Napolitano Backs Twitter's Right To Fact-Check Trump

Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano exposed the holes in President Donald Trump ’ s threat to regulate social media platforms like Twitter after the company tagged the president ’ s tweets with fact-check warnings .
“ The short answer is yes , ” Napolitano responded , before adding , “ The president is right about the bias in social media and the president is also understandably not happy about his being fact-checked .
I mean , nobody would [ be ] .
” “ But Twitter is privately owned and publicly held , ” he continued , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guarantees the freedom of speech and of the press , since it only regulates the government , does not regulate Twitter .
So stated differently , Twitter can take down , modify or correct any user it wants ― including the president of the United States.
” On Tuesday , for the first time , Twitter applied fact checks to two of Trump ’ s tweets , which claimed ― contrary to widespread evidence ― that mail-in ballots lead to voter fraud .
Trump responded by accusing Twitter of “ stifling free speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threatened to shutter or “ strongly regulate ” social media platforms in retaliation .
Echoing other legal experts , Napolitano predicted it would be a struggle for Trump to follow through on those threats .
“ There also would be legal issues if the effort were aimed at silencing someone who has the freedom of speech , ” he noted .
“ I don ’ t like what they say .
But I ’ ll defend to the death their right to say it .
And under a Supreme Court opinion that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter has freedom of speech just like you and I and the president himself .
”

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Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano exposed the holes in President Donald Trump’s threat to regulate social media platforms like Twitter after the company tagged the president’s tweets with fact-check warnings.
“Can they do this?” Fox News host Sandra Smith asked Napolitano of Twitter’s move on Wednesday.
“The short answer is yes,” Napolitano responded, before adding, “The president is right about the bias in social media and the president is also understandably not happy about his being fact-checked. I mean, nobody would [be].”
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“But Twitter is privately owned and publicly held,” he continued, adding: “The First Amendment, which guarantees the freedom of speech and of the press, since it only regulates the government, does not regulate Twitter. So stated differently, Twitter can take down, modify or correct any user it wants ― including the president of the United States.”
On Tuesday, for the first time, Twitter applied fact checks to two of Trump’s tweets, which claimed ― contrary to widespread evidence ― that mail-in ballots lead to voter fraud. Trump responded by accusing Twitter of “stifling free speech,” and on Wednesday, he threatened to shutter or “strongly regulate” social media platforms in retaliation.
Echoing other legal experts, Napolitano predicted it would be a struggle for Trump to follow through on those threats.
“There also would be legal issues if the effort were aimed at silencing someone who has the freedom of speech,” he noted. “I don’t like what they say. But I’ll defend to the death their right to say it. And under a Supreme Court opinion that the president likes, called Citizens United, Twitter has freedom of speech just like you and I and the president himself.”
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