thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Jennifer McClellan Could Make History As Virginia's First Black Female Governor

Steve Helber/Associated Press Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan ( D ) is throwing her hat into the ring to become governor in 2021 .
“ We ’ re at an inflection point of four crises that we need to recover from , ” she told HuffPost in an interview about her run .
“ We need to rebuild from an economic crisis , rebuild from a health crisis , rebuild from a reckoning of racial injustice and rebuild from a loss of faith ... in the ability of government to solve problems .
And we need to do it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t leave anybody behind.
” Virginia has never had a female governor .
But Virginia was the first state to elect a Black man as governor , so many are hoping that it follows up and elects the first Black woman as well .
( Democrat Douglas Wilder , who served 1990-1994 , remains the only Black person elected to the job in the state . )
McClellan has a reputation as an accomplished state legislator who has worked in the trenches and is known for bringing together progressive and establishment groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most recent session , 36 of her bills became law .
They include bills to make Virginia the first state in the South to give workplace protections to domestic service workers , transition the state to a 100 % clean energy grid by 2045 and extend stronger protections for pregnant workers .
She was also instrumental in the successful fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment as the chief sponsor in the state Senate .
( Carroll Foy was the lead in the House . )
Earlier , she was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under Obamacare .
McClellan represented the Richmond area for 11 years in the House of Delegates and four years in the state Senate .
She frequently points to the spirit of community service in her family ― a “ family of educators and community leaders ” ― as her inspiration .
She shied away from backing the call to “ defund the police , ” noting that Virginia has to have a balanced budget , and “ you have to look at it holistically and ask what are our needs and how do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest needs are met.
” “ I prefer to focus our resources on prevention and addressing the underlying causes ― which are , by the way , cheaper than waiting until they manifest themselves later in crime and then dealing with punishment and incarceration , ” McClellan added .
Gov .
Ralph Northam ( D ) recently announced that a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in downtown Richmond would be coming down .
McClellan lives near the statue and told The Associated Press that it felt like “ an incredible burden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally I can breathe and heal.
” She said in her role on the commission , she has spent a considerable amount of time looking at these sorts of Confederate monuments and their history .
Most were not put up right after the Civil War but were erected after Reconstruction in response to the rise of the social and economic power of Black people .
Others went up during the civil rights movement .
“ You have to have an honest conversation about that and what those monuments symbolize , but what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trauma for Black communities , ” she said , adding , “ The localities where they are need to decide if they want to take them down .
They should be able to take them down , or we at the commonwealth level should do so as well.
” Indeed , “ the past ” is looming over the governor ’ s race .
The major question is whether Terry McAuliffe , the former Democratic governor who remains incredibly popular in the state , will jump in .
He has made it clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move .
On the GOP side , state Sen. Amanda Chase is the only declared candidate .
She ’ s a fervent supporter of President Donald Trump and has decried “ the liberal , socialistic agenda that has taken control of the Capitol.
” Virginia has seen a remarkable shift in recent years , with the former seat of the Confederacy turning bluer and more diverse .
Last year , Democrats won control of both houses of the state legislature for the first time in more than two decades .
Herring and Fairfax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but they ’ ve both had to weather scandals .
Herring admitted that he wore blackface at a college party in 1980 .
His comments came after a racist photograph in Northam ’ s medical school yearbook page surfaced .
( Northam is not running again due to term limits . )
And last year , two women accused Fairfax of sexual assault in the early 2000s .
He has denied the allegations .
McClellan said her run , and the outpouring of support for women and women of color , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Black women have been the backbone of our communities and our economy but have been relegated to the shadows or the back over the past 400 years , ” she said in her interview with HuffPost .
“ And again , whether it ’ s Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman , or Ida B .
Wells , or Shirley Chisholm , have said , you know , we ’ re going to keep pushing and keep striving for progress .
We ’ re at a critical moment where we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not something in response to 2019 ; it ’ s the natural progression of 400 years of just pushing through to lead.
” “ This is a huge win-win for Virginia to have two incredibly effective leaders going toe-to-toe over just how much they have done to raise wages , advance racial and gender equality and reform corrupt state monopolies , ” said former Rep. Tom Perriello ( D-Va. ) , a progressive who challenged Northam for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2017 .
“ In the fight to be the next governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor in America , the Jennifers are setting an exciting new standard for leadership and progress .
”

Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D) is throwing her hat into the ring to become governor in 2021. Steve Helber/Associated Press
Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D) is jumping into the race for governor, saying the state is at a “critical crossroads right now about what direction we’re going to go.”
“We’re at an inflection point of four crises that we need to recover from,” she told HuffPost in an interview about her run. “We need to rebuild from an economic crisis, rebuild from a health crisis, rebuild from a reckoning of racial injustice and rebuild from a loss of faith... in the ability of government to solve problems. And we need to do it in a way that addresses inequality and doesn’t leave anybody behind.”
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“If we are just recovering back to where we were on March 12, when the governor declared a state of emergency, that’s not good enough,” she added. “There are lives at stake.”
McClellan, 47, is the second candidate to officially declare on the Democratic side, joining state Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy. Either woman would make history if elected in 2021, becoming the first Black female governor anywhere in the country.
Virginia has never had a female governor. But Virginia was the first state to elect a Black man as governor, so many are hoping that it follows up and elects the first Black woman as well. (Democrat Douglas Wilder, who served 1990-1994, remains the only Black person elected to the job in the state.)
McClellan has a reputation as an accomplished state legislator who has worked in the trenches and is known for bringing together progressive and establishment groups. In the Virginia General Assembly’s most recent session, 36 of her bills became law.
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They include bills to make Virginia the first state in the South to give workplace protections to domestic service workers, transition the state to a 100% clean energy grid by 2045 and extend stronger protections for pregnant workers. She was also instrumental in the successful fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment as the chief sponsor in the state Senate. (Carroll Foy was the lead in the House.) Earlier, she was one of the leaders creating a state-based health exchange under Obamacare.
“Black women have been the backbone of our communities and our economy but have been relegated to the shadows or the back over the past 400 years.” - State Sen. Jennifer McClellan
McClellan represented the Richmond area for 11 years in the House of Delegates and four years in the state Senate. She frequently points to the spirit of community service in her family ― a “family of educators and community leaders” ― as her inspiration.
McClellan has been a leader on racial justice issues in Virginia, as vice chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and chair of the Virginia Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission.
On criminal justice, McClellan has done work on parole reform and breaking the school-to-prison pipeline. She also supports making the disciplinary history of police officers public.
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She shied away from backing the call to “defund the police,” noting that Virginia has to have a balanced budget, and “you have to look at it holistically and ask what are our needs and how do we allocate our resources so that the greatest needs are met.”
“I prefer to focus our resources on prevention and addressing the underlying causes ― which are, by the way, cheaper than waiting until they manifest themselves later in crime and then dealing with punishment and incarceration,” McClellan added.
Gov. Ralph Northam (D) recently announced that a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in downtown Richmond would be coming down. McClellan lives near the statue and told The Associated Press that it felt like “an incredible burden has been lifted off my shoulders and finally I can breathe and heal.”
She said in her role on the commission, she has spent a considerable amount of time looking at these sorts of Confederate monuments and their history. Most were not put up right after the Civil War but were erected after Reconstruction in response to the rise of the social and economic power of Black people. Others went up during the civil rights movement.
“You have to have an honest conversation about that and what those monuments symbolize, but what they also do is trigger 400 years of trauma for Black communities,” she said, adding, “The localities where they are need to decide if they want to take them down. They should be able to take them down, or we at the commonwealth level should do so as well.”
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The video announcing the launch of her campaign opens with a mention of King: “Across Virginia, people are echoing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: ‘Where do we go from here?’”
“I know that this is not a moment to retreat to the past but to step boldly into our future,” McClellan states. “We must rebuild our economy stronger, more inclusive, without leaving people behind.”
Indeed, “the past” is looming over the governor’s race. The major question is whether Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic governor who remains incredibly popular in the state, will jump in. He has made it clear that he’s still considering the move.
Others may also jump in. Attorney General Mark Herring, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney have all been talked about as potential candidates for the Nov. 2, 2021 election.
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On the GOP side, state Sen. Amanda Chase is the only declared candidate. She’s a fervent supporter of President Donald Trump and has decried “the liberal, socialistic agenda that has taken control of the Capitol.” Virginia has seen a remarkable shift in recent years, with the former seat of the Confederacy turning bluer and more diverse. Last year, Democrats won control of both houses of the state legislature for the first time in more than two decades.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Federal Prison Riot Team That Patrolled D.C. Streets Injured Colleagues In Training Exercises

WASHINGTON ― Federal prison riot officers deployed by Attorney General William Barr to the streets of Washington during unrest this month injured fellow Bureau of Prisons staff members during “ inappropriate and dangerous ” training exercises last year , according to a Justice Department inspector general ’ s memo released Thursday .
In one case , members of the BOP ’ s Special Operations Response Team team shot “ flash bang ” munitions , one of which caused “ significant injury requiring surgery and ongoing treatment ” for a staff member .
The munitions weren ’ t authorized by Bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , team members sprayed pepper spray into a business office where employees with medical conditions had been stationed during an exercise .
Team members “ attempted to breach the room using a crow bar , ” sprayed pepper spray without authorization and “ fired a simunition round that struck a staff member in the chest , ” the memo said .
They then pushed and shoved staff members who were not supposed to be involved in the exercise due to medical conditions , it added .
Inspector General Michael Horowitz wrote that trainings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be suspended until comprehensive guidelines are developed .
“ SORT members deployed a distraction device munition in a confined space , which was not authorized for use under BOP policy ; SORT members deployed real OC spray rather than inert OC spray during a training exercise , allegedly without proper authorization ; and SORT members used force , including firing a simunition round , against staff members who were allegedly yelling to the SORT that they were ‘ out of role ’ and physically vulnerable , ” Horowitz wrote .
“ BOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the types of weapons , less than lethal weapons , and munitions , if any , that are authorized for use during BOP training exercises ; and did not provide safeguards to ensure that exercises are conducted safely , ” he added .
Members of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and other law enforcement block 16th Street near the White House on June 3 .
A senior Justice Department official previously credited Barr with the idea of sending federal prison riot officers onto the streets of Washington during the anti-racism protests .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with unrest outside of a corrections environment , were deputized by the U.S .
Marshals .
Most of the BOP officers on the streets of Washington wore no nameplates or even insignia identifying their agency .
The acting head of the BOP later conceded that he could have done a better job making sure the officers were properly identified .

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WASHINGTON ― Federal prison riot officers deployed by Attorney General William Barr to the streets of Washington during unrest this month injured fellow Bureau of Prisons staff members during “inappropriate and dangerous” training exercises last year, according to a Justice Department inspector general’s memo released Thursday.
In one case, members of the BOP’s Special Operations Response Team team shot “flash bang” munitions, one of which caused “significant injury requiring surgery and ongoing treatment” for a staff member. The munitions weren’t authorized by Bureau of Prisons policy.
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In another instance, team members sprayed pepper spray into a business office where employees with medical conditions had been stationed during an exercise. Team members “attempted to breach the room using a crow bar,” sprayed pepper spray without authorization and “fired a simunition round that struck a staff member in the chest,” the memo said. They then pushed and shoved staff members who were not supposed to be involved in the exercise due to medical conditions, it added.
From a source, here’s a BOP SORT team posing with AG William Barr. Photo appears to have been snapped in the DOJ courtyard. pic.twitter.com/GJEuGFODVG — Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) June 11, 2020
Inspector General Michael Horowitz wrote that trainings for the Bureau of Prison special team should be suspended until comprehensive guidelines are developed.
“SORT members deployed a distraction device munition in a confined space, which was not authorized for use under BOP policy; SORT members deployed real OC spray rather than inert OC spray during a training exercise, allegedly without proper authorization; and SORT members used force, including firing a simunition round, against staff members who were allegedly yelling to the SORT that they were ‘out of role’ and physically vulnerable,” Horowitz wrote.
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“BOP policies we reviewed did not clearly specify the types of weapons, less than lethal weapons, and munitions, if any, that are authorized for use during BOP training exercises; and did not provide safeguards to ensure that exercises are conducted safely,” he added.
Members of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and other law enforcement block 16th Street near the White House on June 3. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
A senior Justice Department official previously credited Barr with the idea of sending federal prison riot officers onto the streets of Washington during the anti-racism protests. The officers, who had no experience dealing with unrest outside of a corrections environment, were deputized by the U.S. Marshals.
Most of the BOP officers on the streets of Washington wore no nameplates or even insignia identifying their agency. The acting head of the BOP later conceded that he could have done a better job making sure the officers were properly identified.
Read the inspector general’s memo below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Jean Kennedy Smith, JFK's Last Surviving Sibling, Dead At 92

Jean Kennedy Smith , who was the last surviving sibling of President John F. Kennedy and who as a U.S. ambassador played a key role in the peace process in Northern Ireland , has died , relatives said Thursday .
She was 92 .
Smith was the eighth of nine children born to Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy , and tragically several of them preceded her in death by decades .
Her siblings included older brother Joseph Kennedy Jr. , killed in action during World War II ; Kathleen “ Kick ’ Kennedy , who died in a 1948 plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1963 and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy , slain in 1968 .
Sen. Edward Kennedy , the youngest of the Kennedy siblings , died of brain cancer in August 2009 , the same month their sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver died .
Smith , who married Kennedy family financial adviser and future White House chief of staff Stephen Edward Smith in 1956 , was viewed for much of her life as a quiet sister who shunned the spotlight .
In her memoir “ The Nine of Us , ” published in 2016 , she wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ childhood seemed “ unexceptional.
” “ It is hard for me to fully comprehend that I was growing up with brothers who eventually occupy the highest offices of our nation , including president of the United States , ” she explained .
“ At the time , they were simply my playmates .
They were the source of my amusement and the objects of my admiration.
” Though she never ran for office , she campaigned for her brothers , traveling the country for then-Sen. John F. Kennedy as he sought the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepped in for a traveling Jacqueline Kennedy and co-hosted a state dinner for Ireland ’ s president .
The same year , she accompanied her brother — the first Irish Catholic president — on his famous visit to Ireland .
Their great-grandfather , Patrick Kennedy , was from Dunganstown in County Wexford in southeastern Ireland .
“ She knew it was crucial to bring everybody in in order for there to be lasting peace , ” Patrick Kennedy told the AP .
“ She took an enormous risk to her own reputation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Bertie Ahern said in 1998 that “ it is not an understatement to say that if ( the visa for Adams ) didn ’ t happen at the time , perhaps other events may not have fallen into place.
” Patrick Kennedy , recalled his aunt ’ s popularity , accessibility and constant travel around Ireland when he visited there with a delegation of Irish Americans from his state of Rhode Island .
The post , he said , allowed her to tap into her political side .
“ It was like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pent-up desire to be a politician , which , of course ran through her as with every one of her siblings , she got to live that out , ” he said .
In 1974 , Smith founded Very Special Arts , an education program that supports artists with physical or mental disabilities .
Her 1993 book with George Plimpton , “ Chronicles of Courage : Very Special Artists , ” features interviews with disabled artists .
The program followed in the footsteps of her sister Eunice ’ s creation of the Special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dr. William Kennedy Smith , made headlines in 1991 , when he was charged with rape at the Kennedy estate in Palm Beach , Florida .
He was acquitted after a highly publicized trial that included testimony from his uncle , Sen. Edward Kennedy , who had roused his nephew and son to go to some nightclubs that Easter weekend .

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Jean Kennedy Smith, who was the last surviving sibling of President John F. Kennedy and who as a U.S. ambassador played a key role in the peace process in Northern Ireland, has died, relatives said Thursday. She was 92.
Former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Smith’s nephew, confirmed her death. She died Wednesday at her home in Manhattan, her daughter Kym told The New York Times.
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Smith was the eighth of nine children born to Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy, and tragically several of them preceded her in death by decades. Her siblings included older brother Joseph Kennedy Jr., killed in action during World War II; Kathleen “Kick’ Kennedy, who died in a 1948 plane crash; the president, assassinated in 1963 and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, slain in 1968. Sen. Edward Kennedy, the youngest of the Kennedy siblings, died of brain cancer in August 2009, the same month their sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver died.
Smith, who married Kennedy family financial adviser and future White House chief of staff Stephen Edward Smith in 1956, was viewed for much of her life as a quiet sister who shunned the spotlight. In her memoir “The Nine of Us,” published in 2016, she wrote that for much of the time her childhood seemed “unexceptional.”
“It is hard for me to fully comprehend that I was growing up with brothers who eventually occupy the highest offices of our nation, including president of the United States,” she explained. “At the time, they were simply my playmates. They were the source of my amusement and the objects of my admiration.”
Though she never ran for office, she campaigned for her brothers, traveling the country for then-Sen. John F. Kennedy as he sought the presidency in 1960. In 1963, she stepped in for a traveling Jacqueline Kennedy and co-hosted a state dinner for Ireland’s president. The same year, she accompanied her brother — the first Irish Catholic president — on his famous visit to Ireland. Their great-grandfather, Patrick Kennedy, was from Dunganstown in County Wexford in southeastern Ireland.
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Three decades later, she was appointed ambassador to Ireland by President Bill Clinton, who called her “as Irish as an American can be.”
During her confirmation hearing, she recalled the trip with her brother, describing it as “one of the most moving experiences of my own life.”
As ambassador, she played a role in the Northern Ireland peace process. She helped persuade Clinton to grant a controversial visa in 1994 to Gerry Adams, chief of the Irish Republican Army-linked Sinn Fein party. The move defied the British government, which branded Adams as a terrorist.
Patrick Kennedy highlighted her role in the Irish peace process as the crux of her “enormous legacy.”
“She knew it was crucial to bring everybody in in order for there to be lasting peace,” Patrick Kennedy told the AP. “She took an enormous risk to her own reputation and stature as an ambassador.”
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She later called criticism of her actions toward the IRA “unfortunate” and said she thought history would credit the Clinton administration with helping the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said in 1998 that “it is not an understatement to say that if (the visa for Adams) didn’t happen at the time, perhaps other events may not have fallen into place.”
In 1996, though, Smith had been reprimanded by Secretary of State Warren Christopher for punishing two of her officers who objected to the visa for Adams.
In December 1998, Smith again risked controversy by taking communion in a Protestant cathedral in Dublin, going against the bishops of her Roman Catholic church.
Her decision was a strong personal gesture of support for Irish President Mary McAleese, a fellow Catholic who had been criticized by Irish bishops for joining in the Protestant communion service.
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“Religion, after all, is about bringing people together,” Smith told The Irish Times. “We all have our own way of going to God.”
Patrick Kennedy, recalled his aunt’s popularity, accessibility and constant travel around Ireland when he visited there with a delegation of Irish Americans from his state of Rhode Island. The post, he said, allowed her to tap into her political side.
“It was like, all of the hidden, or pent-up desire to be a politician, which, of course ran through her as with every one of her siblings, she got to live that out,” he said.
When she stepped down as ambassador in 1998, she received Irish citizenship for “distinguished service to the nation.”
Diplomacy, along with politics, also ran in the Kennedy family. Her father was ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1940. Niece Caroline Kennedy served as ambassador to Japan during the Obama administration.
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“We’re the first father-daughter ambassadors,” Smith told The Irish Times in 1997. “So I can’t remember a time when we were not an actively political family.”
In 1974, Smith founded Very Special Arts, an education program that supports artists with physical or mental disabilities. Her 1993 book with George Plimpton, “Chronicles of Courage: Very Special Artists,” features interviews with disabled artists. The program followed in the footsteps of her sister Eunice’s creation of the Special Olympics for disabled athletes.
Smith and her husband had four children, Stephen Jr., William, Amanda and Kym. Her husband died in 1990.
Her son, Dr. William Kennedy Smith, made headlines in 1991, when he was charged with rape at the Kennedy estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He was acquitted after a highly publicized trial that included testimony from his uncle, Sen. Edward Kennedy, who had roused his nephew and son to go to some nightclubs that Easter weekend.
Among Smith’s other siblings, Rosemary died in 2005; and Patricia in 2006.
“Certainly a distinct characteristic of our family was its size,” Smith wrote in her memoir. “A child in a big family constantly feels surrounded and supported. For me, there was always someone to play with or someone to talk to just around the corner, out on the porch, or in the next bedroom. I never felt alone.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--1.5 Million More Americans Sought Unemployment Claims Last Week

The latest figure from the Labor Department marked the 11th straight weekly decline in applications since they peaked at nearly 7 million in March as the coronavirus shut down much of the economy and caused tens of millions of layoffs .
The decline was much smaller , though , than in recent weeks , falling just 58,000 .
Even with the May hiring gain , nearly 21 million people are officially classified as unemployed .
And including people the government said had been erroneously categorized as employed in May and those who lost jobs but didn ’ t look for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of work , economists estimate .
Thursday ’ s report also showed that an additional 760,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week under a new program for self-employed and gig workers that made them eligible for aid for the first time .
These figures aren ’ t adjusted for seasonal variations , so the government doesn ’ t include them in the official count .
The steady decline in jobless claims follows some other encouraging reports that suggest that the lifting of shutdown orders has sparked some pent-up demand from consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most economic gauges remain far below their pre-pandemic levels , though , and some analysts question whether the recent gains can be sustained , especially if the virus were to surge back .
Last month , retail and restaurant sales jumped nearly 18 % , the government said Tuesday , retracing some of the record plunges of the previous two months .
Even so , retail purchases remain a sizable 6 % below their year-ago levels .
With nearly record-low mortgage rates , applications for home loans reached an 11-year high last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of homes under construction rose in May , they remain substantially below last year ’ s pace .
The economy and the job market face a raft of uncertainties that could slow or even derail a recovery .
Business re-openings have caused spikes of viral infections in nearly half of states , a trend that could lead consumers to pull back again on shopping and dining out and reverse any economic gains .
Restaurants , bars , gyms and movie theaters will likely rehire only a portion of their workforces .
Many consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ habits of shopping , traveling and going out until a vaccine is available .
One key reason why consumer spending has rebounded is that government aid programs , from one-time $ 1,200 stimulus checks to $ 600-a-week in supplemental federal unemployment aid , have helped offset the loss of income for laid-off Americans .
Yet nearly all the stimulus checks have been issued .
And the supplemental federal jobless aid is set to expire July 31 .
“ Recently , some indicators have pointed to a stabilization , and in some areas a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday in testimony to a Senate committee .
Yet “ until the public is confident that the disease is contained , a full recovery is unlikely.
” Cook , 28 , had moved to the area in September for an 18-month contract position as a 3-D modeler for Walt Disney , a job involving sculpting character prototypes that were printed on 3-D printers .
But she was laid off in mid-April after the parks closed down .
She is receiving the minimum state unemployment benefit from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the state has no record of her prior earnings in New Jersey , even though she said she has uploaded , mailed and faxed her documents from her job there .
If her previous earnings were properly credited , her state benefits would more than double .
She is grateful , though , for the extra $ 600 in federal unemployment benefits , which have allowed her to pay off some bills .
Other data paints a picture of an economy slowly on the mend .
A weekly survey of small businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week that ended June 6 , nearly 10 % of small firms said they were hiring .
That ’ s double what it was five weeks ago .
About 13 % said they were still cutting jobs , less than half of what the figure was in late April .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — About 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, a historically high number, even as the economy increasingly reopens and employers bring some people back to work.
The latest figure from the Labor Department marked the 11th straight weekly decline in applications since they peaked at nearly 7 million in March as the coronavirus shut down much of the economy and caused tens of millions of layoffs. The decline was much smaller, though, than in recent weeks, falling just 58,000.
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The total number of people receiving unemployment aid also fell slightly, reflecting the return of many to their old jobs.
The job market appears to have begun a slow recovery. In May, employers added 2.5 million jobs, an increase that suggested that the job market has bottomed out. The unemployment rate declined from 14.7% to a still-high 13.3%.
Even with the May hiring gain, nearly 21 million people are officially classified as unemployed. And including people the government said had been erroneously categorized as employed in May and those who lost jobs but didn’t look for new ones, 32.5 million people are out of work, economists estimate.
Thursday’s report also showed that an additional 760,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week under a new program for self-employed and gig workers that made them eligible for aid for the first time. These figures aren’t adjusted for seasonal variations, so the government doesn’t include them in the official count.
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The steady decline in jobless claims follows some other encouraging reports that suggest that the lifting of shutdown orders has sparked some pent-up demand from consumers, whose spending largely drives the economy. Most economic gauges remain far below their pre-pandemic levels, though, and some analysts question whether the recent gains can be sustained, especially if the virus were to surge back.
Last month, retail and restaurant sales jumped nearly 18%, the government said Tuesday, retracing some of the record plunges of the previous two months. Even so, retail purchases remain a sizable 6% below their year-ago levels.
Furniture store sales nearly doubled, and clothing sales nearly tripled, though both remain far below their levels before the coronavirus struck. Clothing store sales are still down 60% compared with a year earlier.
With nearly record-low mortgage rates, applications for home loans reached an 11-year high last week. But even though the number of homes under construction rose in May, they remain substantially below last year’s pace.
The economy and the job market face a raft of uncertainties that could slow or even derail a recovery. Business re-openings have caused spikes of viral infections in nearly half of states, a trend that could lead consumers to pull back again on shopping and dining out and reverse any economic gains.
Advertisement
Restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theaters will likely rehire only a portion of their workforces. Many consumers won’t fully resume their previous habits of shopping, traveling and going out until a vaccine is available.
One key reason why consumer spending has rebounded is that government aid programs, from one-time $1,200 stimulus checks to $600-a-week in supplemental federal unemployment aid, have helped offset the loss of income for laid-off Americans. Yet nearly all the stimulus checks have been issued. And the supplemental federal jobless aid is set to expire July 31.
“Recently, some indicators have pointed to a stabilization, and in some areas a modest rebound, in economic activity,” Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday in testimony to a Senate committee. Yet “until the public is confident that the disease is contained, a full recovery is unlikely.”
Corinne Cook, who lives in Kissimmee, near Orlando, felt a huge relief to finally receive her unemployment benefits last week after a month and a half of battling Florida’s bureaucracy.
Cook, 28, had moved to the area in September for an 18-month contract position as a 3-D modeler for Walt Disney, a job involving sculpting character prototypes that were printed on 3-D printers. But she was laid off in mid-April after the parks closed down.
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She is receiving the minimum state unemployment benefit from Florida, $125 a week, because the state has no record of her prior earnings in New Jersey, even though she said she has uploaded, mailed and faxed her documents from her job there. If her previous earnings were properly credited, her state benefits would more than double. She is grateful, though, for the extra $600 in federal unemployment benefits, which have allowed her to pay off some bills.
“It was very stressful,” she said. “I definitely lost it a few times.”
She is applying for a new job and hopes to stay in the area. But there aren’t a lot of open positions in her field.
“The future is very unknown at this point,” Cook said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Obama Praises Supreme Court DACA Ruling, Says Biden Would Protect Dreamers

Former President Barack Obama said he ’ s happy for young people protected from deportation under Thursday ’ s Supreme @ @ @ @ @ Action for Childhood Arrivals program .
The DACA program , created during Obama ’ s @ @ @ @ @ brought to the United States as children to live and work without being deported .
@ @ @ @ @ dismantle it , arguing Obama overstepped his authority .
The Supreme Court , however , @ @ @ @ @ was an “ arbitrary ” and “ capricious ” violation of the law .
“ @ @ @ @ @ them , their families , and all of us , ” Obama wrote on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ 650,000 individuals protected under DACA .
He added that electing Joe Biden would further protect @ @ @ @ @ system that ’ s truly worthy of this nation of immigrants once and for all @ @

Former President Barack Obama said he’s happy for young people protected from deportation under Thursday’s Supreme Court decision upholding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
The DACA program, created during Obama’s presidency, allows undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to live and work without being deported. President Donald Trump moved to dismantle it, arguing Obama overstepped his authority. The Supreme Court, however, ruled Trump’s action was an “arbitrary” and “capricious” violation of the law.
“I’m happy for them, their families, and all of us,” Obama wrote on Twitter, referring to the nearly 650,000 individuals protected under DACA. He added that electing Joe Biden would further protect Dreamers and create “a system that’s truly worthy of this nation of immigrants once and for all.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Washington Post Editorial Board: Mike Pence Destroys Own Credibility With Pandemic Spin

The Washington Post editorial board has made crystal clear what it thinks of Vice President Mike Pence ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic in his role leading the White House ’ s task force tackling the public health crisis .
“ Mike Pence is a case study in irresponsibility , ” the newspaper ’ s board headlined a column published Wednesday .
The piece criticizes Pence ’ s widely condemned Tuesday op-ed in the Wall Street Journal , in which he declared that the United States is “ winning the fight against the invisible enemy.
” COVID-19 has killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple states are now registering record numbers of new infections after easing their stay-at-home orders aimed at slowing the spread of the virus .
The Post ’ s board noted how handbooks for public health crises emphasize the importance of transparency and the need for officials to maintain public trust .
“ They must not ‘ over-reassure ’ and should be candid about risks and unexpected events , ” the board wrote , noting some of the many ways in which Pence and President Donald Trump have not done that .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned .
“ Try as they might to spin a recovery story , Mr. Pence and Mr. Trump destroy their own credibility by ignoring reality .
The American people know this is not ‘ cause for celebration .
’ ”

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The Washington Post editorial board has made crystal clear what it thinks of Vice President Mike Pence’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in his role leading the White House’s task force tackling the public health crisis.
“Mike Pence is a case study in irresponsibility,” the newspaper’s board headlined a column published Wednesday. The piece criticizes Pence’s widely condemned Tuesday op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, in which he declared that the United States is “winning the fight against the invisible enemy.”
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COVID-19 has killed more than 119,000 people nationwide, and multiple states are now registering record numbers of new infections after easing their stay-at-home orders aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.
The Post’s board noted how handbooks for public health crises emphasize the importance of transparency and the need for officials to maintain public trust.
“They must not ‘over-reassure’ and should be candid about risks and unexpected events,” the board wrote, noting some of the many ways in which Pence and President Donald Trump have not done that.
“The pandemic is still raging,” it warned. “Try as they might to spin a recovery story, Mr. Pence and Mr. Trump destroy their own credibility by ignoring reality. The American people know this is not ‘cause for celebration.’”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Oklahoma Republicans Speak Out Against Trump Ahead Of Tulsa Rally

President Donald Trump is heading to Oklahoma on Saturday for his first campaign rally in more than three months .
But not everyone is welcoming the visit .
A new ad by Republican Voters Against Trump features local members of the party who ’ ve vowed to help defeat the president ’ s reelection .
The organization of never-Trump Republicans said the spot will air multiple times on Fox News in Oklahoma on Friday , including twice in primetime , as well as in six swing states : “ Trump is a danger to our country , he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a voter identified as Nancy says in the spot .
“ He needs to go.
” Republican Voters Against Trump has been collecting testimonial videos from GOP voters around the nation who plan to vote for former Vice President Joe Biden in November .
Sarah Longwell , the group ’ s spokesperson , said there are Republican voters who expect more from a leader .
“ More and more of them are starting to speak up and say , ‘ Enough is enough , ’ ” she said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slip.
” The Lincoln Project , another anti-Trump Republican group , has also been running ads against the president , including one earlier this week that questioned his health .
Trump has dismissed them all as “ losers .
”

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President Donald Trump is heading to Oklahoma on Saturday for his first campaign rally in more than three months. But not everyone is welcoming the visit.
A new ad by Republican Voters Against Trump features local members of the party who’ve vowed to help defeat the president’s reelection. The organization of never-Trump Republicans said the spot will air multiple times on Fox News in Oklahoma on Friday, including twice in primetime, as well as in six swing states:
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“Trump is a danger to our country, he’s a danger to our democracy,” a voter identified as Nancy says in the spot. “He needs to go.”
Republican Voters Against Trump has been collecting testimonial videos from GOP voters around the nation who plan to vote for former Vice President Joe Biden in November.
Sarah Longwell, the group’s spokesperson, said there are Republican voters who expect more from a leader.
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“More and more of them are starting to speak up and say, ‘Enough is enough,’” she said in a statement. “His hold on the party is starting to slip.”
The Lincoln Project, another anti-Trump Republican group, has also been running ads against the president, including one earlier this week that questioned his health.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Twitter Adds 'Manipulated Media' Tag To Trump Tweet About 'Racist Baby'

Twitter Inc. added a ‘ manipulated media ’ label on a video posted on U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s Twitter feed on Thursday that showed a doctored news clip with a mis-spelled banner flashing “ Terrified todler runs from racist baby.
” The original video , which went viral on social media in 2019 , showed a black toddler and a white toddler running towards each other and hugging .
It was published here with the headline “ These two toddlers are showing us what real-life besties look like ” on CNN ’ s website last year .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet first shows the part where one of those toddlers is seen running ahead of the other .
At one point the banner reads : “ Racist baby probably a Trump voter ” .
The tweeted video , with more than 7.7 million views and 125,000 retweets , then goes on to show the original video and concludes : “ America is not the problem .
Fake news is.
” “ We may label Tweets containing synthetic and manipulated media to help people understand their authenticity and to provide additional context , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies posted on its website here .
Twitter has been under fierce scrutiny from the Trump administration since it fact-checked Trump ’ s tweets about unsubstantiated claims of mail-in voting fraud .
It also labeled a Trump tweet about protests in Minneapolis as “ glorifying violence.
” The president , who has battled Twitter and other tech companies over alleged censorship of conservative voices on social media platforms , said in late May he would propose legislation to potentially scrap or weaken the law shielding internet companies , in an extraordinary attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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Twitter Inc. added a ‘manipulated media’ label on a video posted on U.S. President Donald Trump’s Twitter feed on Thursday that showed a doctored news clip with a mis-spelled banner flashing “Terrified todler runs from racist baby.”
The original video, which went viral on social media in 2019, showed a black toddler and a white toddler running towards each other and hugging. It was published here with the headline “These two toddlers are showing us what real-life besties look like” on CNN’s website last year.
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The clip here shared in Trump’s tweet first shows the part where one of those toddlers is seen running ahead of the other. At one point the banner reads: “Racist baby probably a Trump voter”.
The tweeted video, with more than 7.7 million views and 125,000 retweets, then goes on to show the original video and concludes : “America is not the problem. Fake news is.”
“We may label Tweets containing synthetic and manipulated media to help people understand their authenticity and to provide additional context,” Twitter says in an explanation of its policies posted on its website here.
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Twitter has been under fierce scrutiny from the Trump administration since it fact-checked Trump’s tweets about unsubstantiated claims of mail-in voting fraud. It also labeled a Trump tweet about protests in Minneapolis as “glorifying violence.”
The president, who has battled Twitter and other tech companies over alleged censorship of conservative voices on social media platforms, said in late May he would propose legislation to potentially scrap or weaken the law shielding internet companies, in an extraordinary attempt to regulate outlets where he has been criticized.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Senior State Department Official Resigns Over Trump’s Response To Racial Injustice

Mary Elizabeth Taylor , one of the highest-ranking African American officials in the Trump administration , resigned on Thursday over President Donald Trump ’ s response to racial tensions across the nation , The Washington Post reported .
Taylor , 30 , was the youngest person and first Black woman to serve as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs in the State Department .
In her resignation letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , obtained by the Post , Taylor said the president ’ s “ comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans ” had “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convictions.
” Mary Elizabeth Taylor , right , observes as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) swears in Neil Gorsuch during the first day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on March 20 , 2017 .
“ Moments of upheaval can change you , shift the trajectory of your life , and mold your character , ” wrote Taylor , who has served with the Trump administration since its first day in January 2017 .
“ I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign as Assistant Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor , in the admin since Jan '17 , writes : `` The President ’ s comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans cut sharply against my core values and convictions .
I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign '' https : //t.co/DpTJJXy4wZ — Seung Min Kim ( @ seungminkim ) June 18 , 2020 Trump has come under scrutiny for his response to anti-racism protests across the country since the police killing last month of George Floyd , a Black Minneapolis man .
As protesters took to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators “ thugs ” and tweeted that “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts.
” He was later skewered for ordering police to clear protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets so he could walk to the front of a Washington , D.C. , church for a photo-op ; and on Wednesday , he told The Wall Street Journal that he ’ d made Juneteenth , the day celebrating the end of slavery in America , “ very famous ” after his controversial decision to hold a campaign rally that day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist massacre took place in 1921 .
Trump has since postponed the rally by one day .

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Mary Elizabeth Taylor, one of the highest-ranking African American officials in the Trump administration, resigned on Thursday over President Donald Trump’s response to racial tensions across the nation, The Washington Post reported.
Taylor, 30, was the youngest person and first Black woman to serve as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs in the State Department.
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In her resignation letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, obtained by the Post, Taylor said the president’s “comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans” had “cut sharply against my core values and convictions.”
Mary Elizabeth Taylor, right, observes as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) swears in Neil Gorsuch during the first day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing on March 20, 2017. Reuters
“Moments of upheaval can change you, shift the trajectory of your life, and mold your character,” wrote Taylor, who has served with the Trump administration since its first day in January 2017. “I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign as Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs.”
Mary Elizabeth Taylor, in the admin since Jan '17, writes: "The President’s comments and actions surrounding racial injustice and Black Americans cut sharply against my core values and convictions. I must follow the dictates of my conscience and resign" https://t.co/DpTJJXy4wZ — Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) June 18, 2020
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Trump has come under scrutiny for his response to anti-racism protests across the country since the police killing last month of George Floyd, a Black Minneapolis man.
As protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis, Trump called demonstrators “thugs” and tweeted that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--Amy Klobuchar Withdraws From VP Search, Says Biden Should Select Woman of Color

Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) removed herself from the running to be the Democratic vice presidential nominee , an acknowledgment that her chances at the slot had dwindled dramatically since the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in her home state late last month .
Announcing her decision on MSNBC ’ s “ The Last Word ” on Thursday night , Klobuchar said she informed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden of her decision on Wednesday and said he should pick a woman of color as his running mate .
“ America must seize on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — as I actually told the VP last night when I called him — that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket , ” Klobuchar said .
Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, Rep. Val Demings ( D-Fla. ) , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , New Mexico Gov .
Michele Lujan Grisham and former national security adviser Susan Rice are all seen as top contenders as running mates for Biden , who was Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren are women of color .
Though Klobuchar ’ s moderate politics and success at winning elections in the Midwest made her a favored pick of many in the Democratic donor class , she was a difficult sell for many other parts of the Democratic Party .
Black activists had no enthusiasm for her , and her history of abusing staff members was likely to come up during the vice presidential vetting process .
Still , the national protests against racism and police violence that followed Floyd ’ s death likely eliminated Klobuchar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Floyd , a Black man , died as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
When Klobuchar served from 1999 to 2007 as the chief prosecutor in Hennepin County , which includes Minneapolis , she had declined to prosecute police officers who killed Black men in the line of duty .
In her interview with “ Last Word ” host Lawrence O ’ Donnell , Klobuchar insisted her prosecutorial past would not have hindered her ability to serve as a running mate and vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve functioned fine , and there ’ s a lot of untruths out there about my record , and now is not the time to debate those , ” she said .
Amy — from the moment you announced you were running for president in a snowstorm , it was n't hard to see you had the grit and determination to do anything you set your mind to .
You know how to get things done .
With your help , we ’ re going to beat Donald Trump .
https : //t.co/4kquPZtSV9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 19 , 2020 Klobuchar is not the first vice presidential contender to remove themselves from consideration .
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen ( N.H. ) , who is running for reelection , and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto ( Nev. ) , who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee , had already removed themselves from the process .
Klobuchar ’ s call for a woman of color to be the vice presidential pick is likely to be seen as at least an indirect shot at Warren , whom Klobuchar alternately allied with and clashed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klobuchar exceeded expectations in the New Hampshire primary , she performed poorly in both Nevada and South Carolina and dropped out rather than face a drubbing on Super Tuesday , when she likely would have been competitive only in her home state .

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) removed herself from the running to be the Democratic vice presidential nominee, an acknowledgment that her chances at the slot had dwindled dramatically since the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in her home state late last month.
Announcing her decision on MSNBC’s “The Last Word” on Thursday night, Klobuchar said she informed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden of her decision on Wednesday and said he should pick a woman of color as his running mate.
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“America must seize on the moment, and I truly believe — as I actually told the VP last night when I called him — that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket,” Klobuchar said.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, New Mexico Gov. Michele Lujan Grisham and former national security adviser Susan Rice are all seen as top contenders as running mates for Biden, who was Barack Obama’s vice president. All but Warren are women of color.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) had been an early contender in the 2020 Democratic presidential race but failed to win a primary. Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images
Though Klobuchar’s moderate politics and success at winning elections in the Midwest made her a favored pick of many in the Democratic donor class, she was a difficult sell for many other parts of the Democratic Party. Black activists had no enthusiasm for her, and her history of abusing staff members was likely to come up during the vice presidential vetting process.
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Still, the national protests against racism and police violence that followed Floyd’s death likely eliminated Klobuchar’s chances to get the job. Floyd, a Black man, died as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
When Klobuchar served from 1999 to 2007 as the chief prosecutor in Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, she had declined to prosecute police officers who killed Black men in the line of duty.
In her interview with “Last Word” host Lawrence O’Donnell, Klobuchar insisted her prosecutorial past would not have hindered her ability to serve as a running mate and vice president.
“I think I could’ve functioned fine, and there’s a lot of untruths out there about my record, and now is not the time to debate those,” she said.
Biden offered praise for Klobuchar on Twitter not long after she announced her decision.
Amy — from the moment you announced you were running for president in a snowstorm, it wasn't hard to see you had the grit and determination to do anything you set your mind to. You know how to get things done. With your help, we’re going to beat Donald Trump. https://t.co/4kquPZtSV9 — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 19, 2020
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Klobuchar is not the first vice presidential contender to remove themselves from consideration. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), who is running for reelection, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, had already removed themselves from the process.
Klobuchar’s call for a woman of color to be the vice presidential pick is likely to be seen as at least an indirect shot at Warren, whom Klobuchar alternately allied with and clashed with during the Democratic presidential primaries.
Though Klobuchar exceeded expectations in the New Hampshire primary, she performed poorly in both Nevada and South Carolina and dropped out rather than face a drubbing on Super Tuesday, when she likely would have been competitive only in her home state.
Biden has already named a vice presidential search committee and has said he is likely to pick a running mate in either late July or early August.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Twitter Users Take Eric Trump To The Woodshed For Lame Swipe At Joe Biden

Eric Trump on Thursday tried on Twitter to push the Trump campaign narrative that Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , is “ running scared ” and “ hiding in his basement ” during the coronavirus pandemic : It has been 77 days since Biden has held a press conference — Eric Trump ( @ EricTrump ) June 18 , 2020 But the post from Donald Trump ’ s son only prompted a series of reminders .
Critics recalled the president broke his promise to release his tax returns and his White House went more than a year without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted Biden has no obligation to hold press conferences and has made dozens of television appearances since the start of the public health crisis .
Even Fox News has reported that Trump went 168 days without hosting a news conference during the 2016 campaign : It 's been *years* since your dad promised to release his taxes .
How 's that audit going ?
https : //t.co/oZrpP7CBkk — Greg ( @ waltisfrozen ) June 18 , 2020 It 's been minutes since your father lied for the 18,751st time in office ... give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan Watts ( @ watts4congress ) June 18 , 2020 So ?
It 's been three and a half years since we had an adult in the White House .
https : //t.co/JirhjSeQbF — Stephen Whitty ( @ StephenWhitty ) June 18 , 2020 And 5 years since your dad promised to release his tax returns .
https : //t.co/IDsMkW6f1E — Is It Over Yet ?
( @ TaylorGundy ) June 18 , 2020 And his polls numbers are still eclipsing your dads .
Sad — REDDOG ( @ ReddogOHIO ) June 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this invisible as president , count me in !
https : //t.co/xM1PZ74X05 — Zach Weissmueller ( @ TheAbridgedZach ) June 18 , 2020 How many days since Little Donnie came out of his bunker ?
https : //t.co/tPCpCkKojK — Cory Provost ( @ coryprovost ) June 18 , 2020 Guess you didn ’ t see his speech yesterday ?
Maybe you were helping your dad down the ramp , drink a glass of water or drying his tears after Bolton ’ s book release ?
But here ’ s a piece of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — jillybeanaz ( @ JillybeanzAZ ) June 18 , 2020 You know he 's not the president right , Eric ?
https : //t.co/YxWe8M32ry — Ebony I 'm Wearing Neoprene Gloves Edwards-Ellis ( @ Eedwardsellis ) June 18 , 2020 Oh , you 've stumbled upon the evil plan of @ JoeBiden 's campaign .
`` Operation Let Trump Speak '' is working beautifully .
He 's up what ?
14 points now ?
pic.twitter.com/ls5ThGXCeL — Cyndi Borowski ( @ BorowskiCyndi ) June 18 , 2020

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Eric Trump on Thursday tried on Twitter to push the Trump campaign narrative that Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is “running scared” and “hiding in his basement” during the coronavirus pandemic:
It has been 77 days since Biden has held a press conference — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 18, 2020
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But the post from Donald Trump’s son only prompted a series of reminders.
Critics recalled the president broke his promise to release his tax returns and his White House went more than a year without holding an official news briefing.
Others noted Biden has no obligation to hold press conferences and has made dozens of television appearances since the start of the public health crisis.
It's been *years* since your dad promised to release his taxes. How's that audit going? https://t.co/oZrpP7CBkk — Greg (@waltisfrozen) June 18, 2020
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It's been minutes since your father lied for the 18,751st time in office... give or take. https://t.co/JU9MRuxQzY — Ryan Watts (@watts4congress) June 18, 2020
So? It's been three and a half years since we had an adult in the White House. https://t.co/JirhjSeQbF — Stephen Whitty (@StephenWhitty) June 18, 2020
And 5 years since your dad promised to release his tax returns. https://t.co/IDsMkW6f1E — Is It Over Yet? (@TaylorGundy) June 18, 2020
And his polls numbers are still eclipsing your dads. Sad — REDDOG (@ReddogOHIO) June 18, 2020
If he plans to remain this invisible as president, count me in! https://t.co/xM1PZ74X05 — Zach Weissmueller (@TheAbridgedZach) June 18, 2020
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The Trump Administration went 6 months without holding a press briefing. https://t.co/qYeFZ5E2F0 — *you're (@RKJ65) June 18, 2020
How many days since Little Donnie came out of his bunker? https://t.co/tPCpCkKojK — Cory Provost (@coryprovost) June 18, 2020
Guess you didn’t see his speech yesterday? Maybe you were helping your dad down the ramp, drink a glass of water or drying his tears after Bolton’s book release? But here’s a piece of it. https://t.co/5sFPFw5GEz https://t.co/kVsQdoB2du — jillybeanaz (@JillybeanzAZ) June 18, 2020
You know he's not the president right, Eric? https://t.co/YxWe8M32ry — Ebony I'm Wearing Neoprene Gloves Edwards-Ellis (@Eedwardsellis) June 18, 2020
Oh, you've stumbled upon the evil plan of @JoeBiden 's campaign.
"Operation Let Trump Speak" is working beautifully.
He's up what? 14 points now? pic.twitter.com/ls5ThGXCeL — Cyndi Borowski (@BorowskiCyndi) June 18, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Fauci Warns Of Troubling ‘Anti-Science’ Beliefs As Nation Battles Coronavirus

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said Thursday he was troubled by the rise in “ anti-science ” beliefs throughout the country , saying such ill-founded sentiments could be “ a problem ” as the nation seeks to move past the coronavirus pandemic .
“ One of the problems we face in the United States is that , unfortunately , there is a combination of an anti-science bias that people are ― for reasons that sometimes are , you know , inconceivable and not understandable ― they just don ’ t believe science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Fauci told the podcast “ Learning Curve , ” presented by the Department of Health and Human Services .
Fauci , a member of the White House coronavirus task force , has been one of the nation ’ s touchstones of scientific wisdom throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , in which more than 2.1 million people in the U.S. have been infected .
He has regularly urged caution as President Donald Trump has pushed states to kickstart their economies and relax social distancing measures , warning the pandemic was far from over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Tuesday that , despite a surge in cases in some states that have reopened , he hadn ’ t spoken to Trump in two weeks .
The task force also hasn ’ t held a televised news briefing in more than a month .
Trump himself has pushed back against science and regularly speculated , without evidence , that the virus will go away on its own .
He also said that the U.S. was seeing an uptick in cases only because there had been more testing .
“ If we stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have very few cases , ” Trump claimed this week , despite data that shows several states are seeing new record highs for daily diagnoses .
The president is still planning to hold a massive indoor rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , on Saturday despite concerns from local health officials that it could put attendees at risk of spreading the coronvirus .
It ’ s unclear if any health experts told Trump it was safe to hold the event , which is expected to draw about 20,000 people .
Fauci touted efforts across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the coronavirus during the interview this week , noting it was “ overwhelmingly ” the quickest such work had ever been done .
But he also warned that the anti-vaccination movement could undermine such efforts .
“ It ’ s amazing sometimes the denial there is , ” he said on the podcast .
“ It ’ s the same thing that gets people who are anti-vaxxers , who don ’ t want people to get vaccinated , even though the data clearly indicate the safety of vaccines .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said Thursday he was troubled by the rise in “anti-science” beliefs throughout the country, saying such ill-founded sentiments could be “a problem” as the nation seeks to move past the coronavirus pandemic.
“One of the problems we face in the United States is that, unfortunately, there is a combination of an anti-science bias that people are ― for reasons that sometimes are, you know, inconceivable and not understandable ― they just don’t believe science and they don’t believe authority,” Fauci told the podcast “Learning Curve,” presented by the Department of Health and Human Services.
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“That’s unfortunate because, you know, science is truth,” he added.
Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, has been one of the nation’s touchstones of scientific wisdom throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, in which more than 2.1 million people in the U.S. have been infected. He has regularly urged caution as President Donald Trump has pushed states to kickstart their economies and relax social distancing measures, warning the pandemic was far from over earlier this month.
But the doctor said Tuesday that, despite a surge in cases in some states that have reopened, he hadn’t spoken to Trump in two weeks. The task force also hasn’t held a televised news briefing in more than a month.
Trump himself has pushed back against science and regularly speculated, without evidence, that the virus will go away on its own. He also said that the U.S. was seeing an uptick in cases only because there had been more testing.
“If we stop testing right now, we’d have very few cases,” Trump claimed this week, despite data that shows several states are seeing new record highs for daily diagnoses.
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The president is still planning to hold a massive indoor rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday despite concerns from local health officials that it could put attendees at risk of spreading the coronvirus. It’s unclear if any health experts told Trump it was safe to hold the event, which is expected to draw about 20,000 people.
Fauci touted efforts across the United States to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus during the interview this week, noting it was “overwhelmingly” the quickest such work had ever been done. But he also warned that the anti-vaccination movement could undermine such efforts.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Conservative Columnist Underscores The Magnitude Of What John Bolton’s Book Reveals

Conservative columnist Max Boot on Thursday stressed the significance of former national adviser John Bolton ’ s forthcoming tell-all book about his 17 months working in President Donald Trump ’ s administration .
“ You have to understand how unprecedented this is , ” Boot told CNN ’ s “ Newsroom ” of Bolton ’ s memoir , “ The Room Where It Happened , ” scheduled for release next week .
“ We ’ ve never seen such a senior former official saying that the president they served was fundamentally unfit and unethical and ignorant and therefore incapable of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a commentator for The Washington Post .
Bolton alleges in his memoir , for which he reportedly received a $ 2 million advance , that Trump sought China ’ s help in his reelection .
He has faced backlash , however , for not raising concerns about Trump ’ s conduct at the time and for failing to cooperate in Trump ’ s impeachment .
Boot , who left the GOP following Trump ’ s 2016 election victory , said Bolton ’ s book only confirmed concerns raised by other top-ranking Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The difference here is that Bolton has provided a fuller report on what he saw because he was a copious note taker , ” Boot continued .
“ So , this is a very damning indictment and I think Trump and his defenders will have trouble running away from because Bolton is one of them .
You can ’ t accuse him of being part of the deep state .
He ’ s as right-wing as they come.
” .
@ MaxBoot on John Bolton ’ s book claims : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior former official saying that the President they served was fundamentally unfit and unethical and ignorant and therefore incapable of doing the job.
” https : //t.co/2XXEcB5oLd pic.twitter.com/lNgBSDkLZf — CNN Newsroom ( @ CNNnewsroom ) June 18 , 2020

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Conservative columnist Max Boot on Thursday stressed the significance of former national adviser John Bolton’s forthcoming tell-all book about his 17 months working in President Donald Trump’s administration.
“You have to understand how unprecedented this is,” Boot told CNN’s “Newsroom” of Bolton’s memoir, “The Room Where It Happened,” scheduled for release next week.
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“We’ve never seen such a senior former official saying that the president they served was fundamentally unfit and unethical and ignorant and therefore incapable of doing the job,” said Boot, a commentator for The Washington Post.
Bolton alleges in his memoir, for which he reportedly received a $2 million advance, that Trump sought China’s help in his reelection. He has faced backlash, however, for not raising concerns about Trump’s conduct at the time and for failing to cooperate in Trump’s impeachment.
Boot, who left the GOP following Trump’s 2016 election victory, said Bolton’s book only confirmed concerns raised by other top-ranking Trump officials who have left the White House.
“The difference here is that Bolton has provided a fuller report on what he saw because he was a copious note taker,” Boot continued. “So, this is a very damning indictment and I think Trump and his defenders will have trouble running away from because Bolton is one of them. You can’t accuse him of being part of the deep state. He’s as right-wing as they come.”
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Check out the interview here:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-18--‘We’re Here To Stay’: Dreamers Celebrate Historic DACA Ruling

Jennifer Arellano awoke Thursday morning to an elated phone call : “ You can stay !
You can stay !
” her best friend shrieked over the line .
It was just after 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time , and 20-year-old Arellano , who had anxiously tossed and turned all night , cried tears of relief as the news sunk in : The Supreme Court had blocked the Trump administration ’ s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program , shielding Arellano and 650,000 other young undocumented immigrants from deportation .
Arellano was 2 years old when her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexico , where her father had struggled to make a living as a worker in the sugar cane fields .
She has no memory of her brief time there and speaks little Spanish .
Yet in the nearly three years since President Donald Trump ’ s administration announced that it would rescind DACA , Arellano has lived in fear of being uprooted from her life in America and forced to return to Mexico .
Trump campaigned in 2016 with a promise to “ immediately terminate ” the Obama-era immigration program , which grants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before age 16 temporary work permits and deportation relief .
And in 2017 , he followed through , although the order to rescind the program was blocked in federal court .
DACA does not provide a path to citizenship and does not cover all so-called Dreamers — the young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as kids — and the Supreme Court ruling still leaves recipients at risk should Trump or another president try again to end the program .
But it ’ s still life-changing .
DACA has had a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Recipients found better-paying jobs , were able to buy houses , get driver ’ s licenses , attend school and pay millions in taxes .
Most of all , they don ’ t have to be in constant fear of deportation , particularly under a president who has pushed to expel more unauthorized immigrants .
As Arellano called her parents to celebrate on Thursday morning , Iridian F. was waking up to the news a few hours away , in the San Francisco Bay Area .
She and her husband — both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Morelos , respectively — fell into each other ’ s arms in bed , weeping in joy .
“ We were in the dark for so long .
We were scared to even start a future because we didn ’ t know if we were going to be here , ” said 22-year-old Iridian , who asked not to be identified by her full name for privacy reasons .
“ This is the only home I know.
” Her family fled to the U.S. when she was 7 to escape poverty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ s training to become an emergency medical technician because she wants to help others in need .
( There are an estimated 29,000 DACA recipients working in health care . )
“ When we found out Trump wanted to end [ DACA ] , it was like a slap in the face .
We ’ re not here to do anything bad ; we ’ re not hurting anybody , ” Iridian said .
“ We ’ re just working and going to school — that ’ s all we want.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ open for Trump to try to rescind DACA again in the future , and he can do so before November ’ s presidential election .
Although Democrats are already pushing for long-term legislative protections , actually passing them will be difficult given the GOP-controlled Senate and Trump in the White House .
“ Immigrant youth have been leading this movement to get passed through this government a real recognition of their humanity , and that home is here for them .
That battle continues , ” said Araceli Martínez-Olguín , an attorney at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today we celebrate and tomorrow we fight.
” If Congress or the White House do try to push for legislation that helps Dreamers , DACA recipients and activists argue it should not include measures that would hurt other undocumented immigrants .
In the past , Trump has conditioned support for Dreamer protections on things like getting a border wall , limiting family-based immigration and gutting asylum .
“ I ’ ve been here in the U.S. for 19 years , and I believe there should be a pathway for citizenship for us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to be identified by her full name for privacy reasons .
“ My next step is to pressure Congress to act , and when we do pressure Congress , I don ’ t want DACA recipients to concede on something like the border wall — I want them to say , ‘ No , we are going to protect these youths.
’ I don ’ t want to be used as a pawn.
” Trump tweeted on Thursday that “ now we have to start this process all over again , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DACA .
He ’ s already cracked down on undocumented immigrants in multiple other ways , from extreme restrictions to asylum at the southwest border , sending asylum seekers to Mexico to await legal proceedings and the infamous family separation program .

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Jennifer Arellano awoke Thursday morning to an elated phone call: “You can stay! You can stay!” her best friend shrieked over the line. It was just after 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and 20-year-old Arellano, who had anxiously tossed and turned all night, cried tears of relief as the news sank in: The Supreme Court had blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, shielding Arellano and 650,000 other young undocumented immigrants from deportation.
Arellano was 2 years old when her family relocated to California from Sinaloa, Mexico, where her father had struggled to make a living as a worker in the sugar cane fields. She has no memory of her brief time there and speaks little Spanish. Yet in the nearly three years since President Donald Trump’s administration announced that it would rescind DACA, Arellano has lived in fear of being uprooted from her life in America and forced to return to Mexico.
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“California is my home,” Arellano told HuffPost over the phone from her San Fernando Valley apartment shortly after the ruling was announced.
Courtesy of Jennifer Arellano
Trump campaigned in 2016 with a promise to “immediately terminate” the Obama-era immigration program, which grants undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. before age 16 temporary work permits and deportation relief. And in 2017, he followed through, although the order to rescind the program was blocked in federal court.
“When Trump got elected, I cried all night because I knew that he would try to do this,” Arellano said. “We’re here to stay.”
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DACA does not provide a path to citizenship and does not cover all so-called Dreamers — the young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as kids — and the Supreme Court ruling still leaves recipients at risk should Trump or another president try again to end the program.
But it’s still life-changing. DACA has had a huge effect on hundreds of thousands of lives: Recipients found better-paying jobs, were able to buy houses, get driver’s licenses, attend school and pay millions in taxes. Most of all, they don’t have to be in constant fear of deportation, particularly under a president who has pushed to expel more unauthorized immigrants.
Arellano is in her final year of college, where she studies sociology in hopes of becoming a social worker to support children.
“We’ve been fighting from day one,” she said, “and we’re going to keep fighting.”
As Arellano called her parents to celebrate on Thursday morning, Iridian F. was waking up to the news a few hours away, in the San Francisco Bay Area. She and her husband — both Mexican DACA recipients who are from Jalisco and Morelos, respectively — fell into each other’s arms in bed, weeping in joy.
“We were in the dark for so long. We were scared to even start a future because we didn’t know if we were going to be here,” said 22-year-old Iridian, who asked not to be identified by her full name for privacy reasons. “This is the only home I know.”
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Her family fled to the U.S. when she was 7 to escape poverty and cartel violence in Mexico. Now, she’s training to become an emergency medical technician because she wants to help others in need. (There are an estimated 29,000 DACA recipients working in health care.)
“When we found out Trump wanted to end [DACA], it was like a slap in the face. We’re not here to do anything bad; we’re not hurting anybody,” Iridian said. “We’re just working and going to school — that’s all we want.”
Tearing up, she added: “We’re so happy that we can continue to be here and support the USA. We love this place.”
The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration violated the law in the way it rescinded DACA. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, called the decision to terminate the program an “arbitrary” and “capricious” violation of the law.
But the court left the door open for Trump to try to rescind DACA again in the future, and he can do so before November’s presidential election. Although Democrats are already pushing for long-term legislative protections, actually passing them will be difficult given the GOP-controlled Senate and Trump in the White House.
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“Immigrant youth have been leading this movement to get passed through this government a real recognition of their humanity, and that home is here for them. That battle continues,” said Araceli Martínez-Olguín, an attorney at the National Immigration Law Center. “Today we celebrate and tomorrow we fight.”
If Congress or the White House do try to push for legislation that helps Dreamers, DACA recipients and activists argue it should not include measures that would hurt other undocumented immigrants. In the past, Trump has conditioned support for Dreamer protections on things like getting a border wall, limiting family-based immigration and gutting asylum.
That’s unacceptable, said Daisy, a DACA recipient from East Africa who has been living outside Minneapolis since she was 5.
“I’ve been here in the U.S. for 19 years, and I believe there should be a pathway for citizenship for us,” said Daisy, who also asked not to be identified by her full name for privacy reasons.
“My next step is to pressure Congress to act, and when we do pressure Congress, I don’t want DACA recipients to concede on something like the border wall — I want them to say, ‘No, we are going to protect these youths.’ I don’t want to be used as a pawn.”
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Trump tweeted on Thursday that “now we have to start this process all over again,” suggesting he may try again to end DACA. He’s already cracked down on undocumented immigrants in multiple other ways, from extreme restrictions to asylum at the southwest border, sending asylum seekers to Mexico to await legal proceedings and the infamous family separation program.
Dreamer activists know they need to stay prepared for more from Trump.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Trump Insists He's Healthy, Says West Point Ramp 'Was Like An Ice Skating Rink'

President Donald Trump insists he ’ s healthy and says that his unusual walk down a ramp over the weekend was because it was “ long and steep and slippery.
” Trump ’ s appearance at West Point on Saturday raised questions about his health after he appeared to struggle to lift a glass of water , then had a slow and careful walk down the ramp from the stage .
But in an interview on Thursday with The Wall Street Journal , Trump said he walked that way because he was wearing leather-bottom shoes .
“ They ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I like them better than the rubber because they don ’ t catch .
So they ’ re better for this .
But they ’ re not good for ramps.
” Trump again repeated his false claim that he ran the last 10 feet down the ramp , and said the video never shows that : “ I spent three hours between speeches and saluting people and they end up , all they talked about is ramp , ” he said .
“ If you would have seen this ramp , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said he was praised for remaining on the stage in the sun and saluting the cadets .
“ That ’ s not easy .
Even the general said , ‘ That ’ s amazing .
Other presidents would never have been able to do it , ’ ” he said .
However , instead of focusing on his time with the cadets , Trump complained that the media fixated on his walk .
“ And what do I do ?
I get publicity about walking down a ramp , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ?
I don ’ t think so.
” The incident at West Point caused # TrumpIsNotWell to trend on Twitter .
It also inspired the anti-Trump Republican group , The Lincoln Project , to create a video questioning his health .
“ Something ’ s wrong with Donald Trump , ” the video stated .
“ He ’ s shaky .
Weak .
Trouble speaking .
Trouble walking .
So why aren ’ t we talking about this ?
”

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President Donald Trump insists he’s healthy and says that his unusual walk down a ramp over the weekend was because it was “long and steep and slippery.”
Trump’s appearance at West Point on Saturday raised questions about his health after he appeared to struggle to lift a glass of water, then had a slow and careful walk down the ramp from the stage. But in an interview on Thursday with The Wall Street Journal, Trump said he walked that way because he was wearing leather-bottom shoes.
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“They’re slippery,” he said. “I like them better than the rubber because they don’t catch. So they’re better for this. But they’re not good for ramps.”
Trump again repeated his false claim that he ran the last 10 feet down the ramp, and said the video never shows that:
Trump descended a ramp extremely carefully at the end of his West Point speech today pic.twitter.com/uMG3KyB1V1 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 13, 2020
“I spent three hours between speeches and saluting people and they end up, all they talked about is ramp,” he said. “If you would have seen this ramp, it was like an ice skating rink.”
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Trump also said he was praised for remaining on the stage in the sun and saluting the cadets.
“That’s not easy. Even the general said, ‘That’s amazing. Other presidents would never have been able to do it,’” he said.
However, instead of focusing on his time with the cadets, Trump complained that the media fixated on his walk.
“And what do I do? I get publicity about walking down a ramp,” he said. “And does he have Parkinson’s? I don’t think so.”
The incident at West Point caused #TrumpIsNotWell to trend on Twitter. It also inspired the anti-Trump Republican group, The Lincoln Project, to create a video questioning his health.
“Something’s wrong with Donald Trump,” the video stated. “He’s shaky. Weak. Trouble speaking. Trouble walking. So why aren’t we talking about this?”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Tennessee Lawmakers Advance 6-Week Abortion Ban In Overnight Vote

NASHVILLE , Tenn. ( AP ) — Amid nationwide unrest and a global pandemic that wrecked the state budget , Tennessee lawmakers headed to the end of a legislative session early Friday by advancing an anti-abortion proposal that includes some of the strictest restrictions in the country .
The passage of the bill shocked Democratic lawmakers and reproductive rights activists who had been assured for weeks that the GOP-dominated Senate would not take up the measure .
“ People are going to wake up tomorrow and we will have passed a bill that we said we weren ’ t going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Jeff Yarbro of Nashville .
Under the bill , abortions would be banned once a fetal heartbeat is detected — about six weeks into pregnancy , before many women know they ’ re pregnant .
Similar legislation has been enacted in other states , such as Mississippi and Georgia , but has been blocked by legal challenges .
Also tucked in the 38-page bill was a requirement that doctors inform women that drug-induced abortions may be halted halfway .
Medical groups say the claim isn ’ t backed up by science and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedure ’ s safety .
“ I believe that life is precious .
Every human being is created in the image of God and protecting those lives is important to me .
This legislation is an effort to do that , ” he said .
“ Politicians should not be deciding what is best for women and certainly not making reproductive health care decisions for them .
As promised , we will see them in court , ” said Hedy Weinberg , executive director of the ACLU Tennessee .
State lawmakers made sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as strip away $ 41 million that was set aside to implement a contentious school voucher plan that is currently being blocked by an ongoing legal battle .
Additionally , $ 210 million will be funneled to the state ’ s cities and counties .
There are no restrictions on how the money can be spent .
The House had initially proposed a $ 100 million sales tax holiday that would be spread over a week , but that was significantly pared down .
The $ 25 million compromise would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants and retail shops .
Lawmakers entered their election-year legislative session in January , only to leave town in March for months because of the coronavirus pandemic .
They returned to work about three weeks ago .
Senate Republicans pared down the election-year agenda , but still opted to advance Lee ’ s anti-abortion bill .
The House went it alone to pass other controversial bills , including Lee ’ s proposal to drop a requirement to get a permit to carry handguns , only to see the Senate decline to take them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests and unrest , Tennessee Republicans stirred more outrage locally by spiking a resolution this week for Ashanti Nikole Posey , a black teen shot and killed this year .
Police officers had said the 17-year-old was killed after she and a friend made a “ small marijuana sale , ” though the sale has never been proven .

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Amid nationwide unrest and a global pandemic that wrecked the state budget, Tennessee lawmakers headed to the end of a legislative session early Friday by advancing an anti-abortion proposal that includes some of the strictest restrictions in the country.
The passage of the bill shocked Democratic lawmakers and reproductive rights activists who had been assured for weeks that the GOP-dominated Senate would not take up the measure.
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Senate leaders had promised only to consider coronavirus- or budget-related proposals. However, just after midnight, the chamber passed the abortion bill backed by Republican Gov. Bill Lee as budget negotiations stalled.
“People are going to wake up tomorrow and we will have passed a bill that we said we weren’t going to take up,” said Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro of Nashville.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, center, and fellow Republicans in the state General Assembly introduced the anti-abortion proposal that includes some of the strictest restrictions in the country. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Under the bill, abortions would be banned once a fetal heartbeat is detected — about six weeks into pregnancy, before many women know they’re pregnant. Similar legislation has been enacted in other states, such as Mississippi and Georgia, but has been blocked by legal challenges.
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The bill also requires women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound and have the doctor describe and display the image to her.
Also tucked in the 38-page bill was a requirement that doctors inform women that drug-induced abortions may be halted halfway. Medical groups say the claim isn’t backed up by science and there is little information about the reversal procedure’s safety.
In this 2019 file photo, people wait for a Senate hearing to begin to discuss a fetal heartbeat abortion ban. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Democratic Rep. Gloria Johnson of Knoxville said that women’s reproductive rights were being used “like a bargaining chip” to get the budget passed.
Lee, a Republican, had encouraged the Senate to take up his proposal while talking to reporters earlier that Thursday.
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“I believe that life is precious. Every human being is created in the image of God and protecting those lives is important to me. This legislation is an effort to do that,” he said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee promised to challenge the law immediately, calling it “flatly unconstitutional.”
“Politicians should not be deciding what is best for women and certainly not making reproductive health care decisions for them. As promised, we will see them in court,” said Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU Tennessee.
Meanwhile, bleary-eyed after spending hours hashing out spending plan details, lawmakers eventually passed a $39.4 billion budget for fiscal year 2020-21.
A key win for the Senate was the elimination of the state’s Hall income tax on stocks and bonds.
The Tennessee Legislature began phasing out the state’s Hall tax in 2016, with its total elimination beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The current Hall tax rate is 1% on dividends from stock.
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State lawmakers made sure to remove their automatic salary bumps, as well as strip away $41 million that was set aside to implement a contentious school voucher plan that is currently being blocked by an ongoing legal battle.
Additionally, $210 million will be funneled to the state’s cities and counties. There are no restrictions on how the money can be spent.
The House had initially proposed a $100 million sales tax holiday that would be spread over a week, but that was significantly pared down. The $25 million compromise would be spread over two weekends and apply to restaurants and retail shops.
Lawmakers entered their election-year legislative session in January, only to leave town in March for months because of the coronavirus pandemic. They returned to work about three weeks ago.
Senate Republicans pared down the election-year agenda, but still opted to advance Lee’s anti-abortion bill. The House went it alone to pass other controversial bills, including Lee’s proposal to drop a requirement to get a permit to carry handguns, only to see the Senate decline to take them up.
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After George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests and unrest, Tennessee Republicans stirred more outrage locally by spiking a resolution this week for Ashanti Nikole Posey, a black teen shot and killed this year. Police officers had said the 17-year-old was killed after she and a friend made a “small marijuana sale,” though the sale has never been proven.
Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth helped block the joint resolution after he told the chamber he could not support the legislation due to the circumstances surrounding Posey’s death.
However, by Thursday night, Senate members passed their own version honoring Posey that did not require approval from the House.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Arnold Schwarzenegger Goes Full Terminator On People Politicizing Face Masks

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is done with people who are politicizing face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic .
“ It ’ s not a political issue , ” the former California governor tweeted Thursday in support of current Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s order that all Californians must wear face coverings in public in a bid to slow the spread of the contagion .
“ Anyone making it a political issue is an absolute moron who can ’ t read , ” Schwarzenegger added .
This is 100 % the right move .
This will help us beat this terrible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we all wear masks , we slow down the spread and can reopen safely .
It ’ s not a political issue .
Anyone making it a political issue is an absolute moron who can ’ t read .
https : //t.co/N0FmCwDU5w — Arnold ( @ Schwarzenegger ) June 18 , 2020 Refusing to wear a face mask has become something of a billboard for some right-wingers and supporters of President Donald Trump , who championed the cause by not wearing one in public even in places that require them .
Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House coronavirus task force , has also been photographed without a mask in multiple public settings .
More than 100 health officials pointed out in an open letter to governors last month that wearing masks “ could substantially reduce the death toll , other harms to public health , job losses and economic losses.
” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends on its website that people should wear “ cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
” That ’ s especially important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the CDC said .

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Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is done with people who are politicizing face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s not a political issue,” the former California governor tweeted Thursday in support of current Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order that all Californians must wear face coverings in public in a bid to slow the spread of the contagion.
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“Anyone making it a political issue is an absolute moron who can’t read,” Schwarzenegger added.
This is 100% the right move. This will help us beat this terrible virus. The science is unanimous - if we all wear masks, we slow down the spread and can reopen safely. It’s not a political issue. Anyone making it a political issue is an absolute moron who can’t read. https://t.co/N0FmCwDU5w — Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) June 18, 2020
Refusing to wear a face mask has become something of a billboard for some right-wingers and supporters of President Donald Trump, who championed the cause by not wearing one in public even in places that require them.
Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the White House coronavirus task force, has also been photographed without a mask in multiple public settings.
More than 100 health officials pointed out in an open letter to governors last month that wearing masks “could substantially reduce the death toll, other harms to public health, job losses and economic losses.”
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