thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Georgia Bill Would Stop Officials From Mailing Absentee Ballot Applications

ATLANTA ( AP ) — Republicans controlling a Georgia House committee approved legislation Wednesday that would prevent election officials from proactively sending mail ballot request forms to voters ahead of an election .
If it makes it through both chambers and gets Gov .
Brian Kemp ’ s signature , it could take effect ahead of November ’ s general elections .
To protect voting rights during the coronavirus pandemic , Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a Republican , sent absentee ballot applications to nearly 7 million active registered voters for the state ’ s June 9 primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having to vote in person .
That contributed to increased turnout , with turnout particularly high among Democrats .
The election was marred by problems after poll workers dropped out in fear of getting infected and their replacements had trouble with new voting equipment , contributing to hours-long lines at the consolidated polling sites .
Senate Bill 463 proposes several changes to Georgia election law , including giving county election officials leeway in deciding how many voting machines they ’ ll need for certain elections .
It was amended Wednesday morning in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would block Raffensperger ’ s office as well as counties from proactively mailing out absentee ballot applications .
Under the bill , individual voters would essentially be left to start the process themselves if they want to vote absentee .
Republican Rep. Shaw Blackmon , chairman of the committee , said the change is meant to help county election officials avoid being flooded with absentee ballot applications , as happened before the June 9 primary .
“ There ’ s no attempt in any way to remove the ability to request or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blackmon said .
“ It just is a capacity issue.
” Rep. Renitta Shannon , a Democrat from Decatur on the panel , spoke in opposition to the measure .
“ The secretary of state has already said that he is not going to send out proactively absentee applications , ” Shannon said .
“ This ties the hands of local governments if they want to do that to help in their elections .
”

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ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans controlling a Georgia House committee approved legislation Wednesday that would prevent election officials from proactively sending mail ballot request forms to voters ahead of an election.
If it makes it through both chambers and gets Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature, it could take effect ahead of November’s general elections.
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To protect voting rights during the coronavirus pandemic, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, sent absentee ballot applications to nearly 7 million active registered voters for the state’s June 9 primary elections, enabling huge numbers to avoid having to vote in person. That contributed to increased turnout, with turnout particularly high among Democrats.
The election was marred by problems after poll workers dropped out in fear of getting infected and their replacements had trouble with new voting equipment, contributing to hours-long lines at the consolidated polling sites
The Georgia State Capitol Building in Atlanta, Georgia. nashvilledino2 via Getty Images
Senate Bill 463 proposes several changes to Georgia election law, including giving county election officials leeway in deciding how many voting machines they’ll need for certain elections. It was amended Wednesday morning in the House Governmental Affairs Committee to include language that would block Raffensperger’s office as well as counties from proactively mailing out absentee ballot applications.
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Under the bill, individual voters would essentially be left to start the process themselves if they want to vote absentee.
Republican Rep. Shaw Blackmon, chairman of the committee, said the change is meant to help county election officials avoid being flooded with absentee ballot applications, as happened before the June 9 primary.
“There’s no attempt in any way to remove the ability to request or vote in this particular manner,” Blackmon said. “It just is a capacity issue.”
Rep. Renitta Shannon, a Democrat from Decatur on the panel, spoke in opposition to the measure.
“The secretary of state has already said that he is not going to send out proactively absentee applications,” Shannon said. “This ties the hands of local governments if they want to do that to help in their elections.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Police Reform Stalls Out In The Senate

Police Reform Stalls Out In The Senate

A GOP-backed police reform bill stalled in the Senate Wednesday amid historic protests against police brutality across the country , leaving the issue in limbo just one month after George Floyd ’ s gruesome death at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis .
Democrats filibustered the modest Republican bill that they viewed as insufficient to bring real accountability and change to police departments and police practices nationwide .
They blamed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) for advancing a narrow measure , authored by Sen. Tim Scott ( S.C. ) , the lone Black Republican in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outright chokeholds and no-knock warrants .
The bill ’ s failure means it is unlikely that any police reform legislation will pass Congress this session .
Police used a chokehold in the death of Floyd , a Black man in Minneapolis ; officers used a no-knock warrant in the incident that led to the death of Breonna Taylor , a Black woman in Louisville , Kentucky .
Scott ’ s bill would have left in place qualified immunity for police officers , making it all but impossible to sue them successfully over claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Democrats of standing in the way of reform by blocking debate on an issue they had called for in the wake of Floyd ’ s death .
“ This is political nonsense , elevated to an art form , ” McConnell said Wednesday ahead of the vote , calling Democrats ’ objection to the bill “ theater.
” Wednesday ’ s vote was procedural and would have merely opened deliberations on the floor .
The measure required 60 votes ― including at least seven Democrats ― for ultimate passage .
Only three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in voting to advance the bill : Democratic Sens .
Joe Manchin ( W.Va. ) and Doug Jones ( Ala. ) and independent Sen. Angus King ( Maine ) .
“ Don ’ t get on your sanctimonious horse , Leader McConnell .
... You have none of the civil rights leaders behind you , ” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) said Wednesday , citing opposition to the bill from dozens of civil rights groups such as the NAACP , as well as the attorney who is representing the families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came in here , dropped the bill on the floor and said , ‘ Take it or leave it , ’ ” Schumer added , arguing that the bill stood little chance of being amended .
The House is expected Thursday to vote on and pass a more far-reaching police reform bill , which includes an outright ban on chokeholds and no-knock warrants .
But Republicans refused to take up a version of that bill in the Senate , saying that Democrats wish to inappropriately “ federalize ” police reform issues .

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A GOP-backed police reform bill stalled in the Senate Wednesday amid historic protests against police brutality across the country, leaving the issue in limbo just one month after George Floyd’s gruesome death at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis.
Democrats filibustered the modest Republican bill that they viewed as insufficient to bring real accountability and change to police departments and police practices nationwide.
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They blamed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for advancing a narrow measure, authored by Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), the lone Black Republican in the Senate, which wouldn’t ban outright chokeholds and no-knock warrants.
The bill’s failure means it is unlikely that any police reform legislation will pass Congress this session.
Police used a chokehold in the death of Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis; officers used a no-knock warrant in the incident that led to the death of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman in Louisville, Kentucky.
Scott’s bill would have left in place qualified immunity for police officers, making it all but impossible to sue them successfully over claims of wrongdoing.
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Republicans, meanwhile, accused Democrats of standing in the way of reform by blocking debate on an issue they had called for in the wake of Floyd’s death.
“This is political nonsense, elevated to an art form,” McConnell said Wednesday ahead of the vote, calling Democrats’ objection to the bill “theater.”
Wednesday’s vote was procedural and would have merely opened deliberations on the floor. The measure required 60 votes ― including at least seven Democrats ― for ultimate passage.
Only three members of the Democratic caucus joined Republicans in voting to advance the bill: Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Doug Jones (Ala.) and independent Sen. Angus King (Maine).
The logjam left both sides pointing fingers.
“Don’t get on your sanctimonious horse, Leader McConnell. ... You have none of the civil rights leaders behind you,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday, citing opposition to the bill from dozens of civil rights groups such as the NAACP, as well as the attorney who is representing the families of Floyd and Taylor.
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“Republicans came in here, dropped the bill on the floor and said, ‘Take it or leave it,’” Schumer added, arguing that the bill stood little chance of being amended.
The House is expected Thursday to vote on and pass a more far-reaching police reform bill, which includes an outright ban on chokeholds and no-knock warrants.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Mississippi Attorney General Supports Changing State's Confederate-Themed Flag

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch , a Republican , on Wednesday called for the state to change its flag , which has a Confederate symbol on it .
“ It is time for us to change the state flag to reflect the love , compassion and conviction of our people , ” Fitch , who is white , said in a statement , noting she ’ s lived and raised her kids in the state .
“ We must always remember our past — honor the good and learn from the bad.
” Fitch didn ’ t specifically mention the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for clarification .
Anti-racism protests have intensified years of demands led by Black activists for Mississippi to drop the Confederate symbol from the state flag .
As the Black Lives Movement has gained strength in wake of the police killing of George Floyd , demonstrators have toppled statues and monuments to racists in cities across the country .
Those have included statues of Confederate leaders — such as a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond , Virginia , the former capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walmart announced Tuesday that it would no longer display the state flag in its stores .
Mississippi State University running back Kylin Hill , who is Black , said that if the flag doesn ’ t change , he will no longer play representing his home state .
The university ’ s student association also called for the flag to change , saying in a statement that it carries a “ symbol of oppression.
” It ’ s unclear if the Republican-majority state legislature will make the change .
Gov .
Tate Reeves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejected a proposal to make a second , separate state flag , dubbing such an effort “ separate but equal , ” and saying it would “ actually divide our state more.
” In April , the governor , who is white , declared Confederate Heritage month , as previous governors had done .

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Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, a Republican, on Wednesday called for the state to change its flag, which has a Confederate symbol on it.
“It is time for us to change the state flag to reflect the love, compassion and conviction of our people,” Fitch, who is white, said in a statement, noting she’s lived and raised her kids in the state. “We must always remember our past — honor the good and learn from the bad.”
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Fitch didn’t specifically mention the flag’s Confederate symbol. Her office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for clarification.
Anti-racism protests have intensified years of demands led by Black activists for Mississippi to drop the Confederate symbol from the state flag. As the Black Lives Movement has gained strength in wake of the police killing of George Floyd, demonstrators have toppled statues and monuments to racists in cities across the country. Those have included statues of Confederate leaders — such as a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy.
In Mississippi, Walmart announced Tuesday that it would no longer display the state flag in its stores. Mississippi State University running back Kylin Hill, who is Black, said that if the flag doesn’t change, he will no longer play representing his home state. The university’s student association also called for the flag to change, saying in a statement that it carries a “symbol of oppression.”
It’s unclear if the Republican-majority state legislature will make the change. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) on Monday said he rejected a proposal to make a second, separate state flag, dubbing such an effort “separate but equal,” and saying it would “actually divide our state more.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Democratic National Convention Will Be Almost Entirely Virtual

Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee using live broadcasts and online streaming , party officials said Wednesday .
Joe Biden plans to accept the presidential nomination in person , but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-person audience there to see it .
The Democratic National Committee said in a statement that official business , including the official vote to nominate Biden , will take place virtually , with delegates being asked not to travel to Milwaukee .
It ’ s the latest signal of how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the 2020 presidential election , leading Biden and the party to abandon the usual trappings of an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the host city to mark the start of the general election campaign .
Biden ’ s campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon said the drastically altered convention won ’ t be an impediment .
“ Vice President Biden intends to proudly accept his party ’ s nomination in Milwaukee and take the next step forward towards making Donald Trump a one-term president , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign will continue to highlight Wisconsin as a key battleground state .
The convention details were released the same day that Biden ’ s team announced its leadership team in Wisconsin , one of three key states that helped propel Trump to an Electoral College victory four years ago .
He won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes – less than 1 percentage point .
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at his Super Tuesday night rally in Los Angeles , California , U.S. , March 3 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THE DAY Party Chairman Tom Perez said scaling back Democrats ’ festivities is a matter of public health .
He sought to draw a contrast with Trump ’ s push for a traditional convention in North Carolina , clashing with the state ’ s Democratic governor , Roy Cooper , and public health officials over the details amid the pandemic .
The Republican National Committee has confirmed its official business will be conducted in Charlotte .
But Trump has said he plans to accept his nomination in Jacksonville , Florida , because Cooper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to host a large-scale event in Charlotte ’ s NBA arena .
“ Unlike this president , Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people , ” Perez said .
Besides events in Wisconsin , Democrats plan other events in satellite locations around the country to broadcast as part of the convention .
Veteran producer Ricky Kirshner , who has worked on every Democratic National Convention since 1992 , will lead production of the convention , including the satellite broadcasts .
Kirshner has served as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2004 and the Super Bowl halftime show since 2007 ; he ’ s won nine Emmy awards .

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Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee using live broadcasts and online streaming, party officials said Wednesday.
Joe Biden plans to accept the presidential nomination in person, but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant in-person audience there to see it. The Democratic National Committee said in a statement that official business, including the official vote to nominate Biden, will take place virtually, with delegates being asked not to travel to Milwaukee.
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It’s the latest signal of how much the COVID-19 pandemic has upended American life and the 2020 presidential election, leading Biden and the party to abandon the usual trappings of an event that draws tens of thousands of people to the host city to mark the start of the general election campaign.
Biden’s campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon said the drastically altered convention won’t be an impediment. “Vice President Biden intends to proudly accept his party’s nomination in Milwaukee and take the next step forward towards making Donald Trump a one-term president,” she said, adding that Biden’s campaign will continue to highlight Wisconsin as a key battleground state.
The convention details were released the same day that Biden’s team announced its leadership team in Wisconsin, one of three key states that helped propel Trump to an Electoral College victory four years ago. He won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes – less than 1 percentage point.
Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at his Super Tuesday night rally in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 3, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Mike Blake / Reuters
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Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi will serve as convention chair, party officials said.
Party Chairman Tom Perez said scaling back Democrats’ festivities is a matter of public health. He sought to draw a contrast with Trump’s push for a traditional convention in North Carolina, clashing with the state’s Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, and public health officials over the details amid the pandemic. The Republican National Committee has confirmed its official business will be conducted in Charlotte. But Trump has said he plans to accept his nomination in Jacksonville, Florida, because Cooper wouldn’t guarantee Republicans the ability to host a large-scale event in Charlotte’s NBA arena.
“Unlike this president, Joe Biden and Democrats are committed to protecting the health and safety of the American people,” Perez said.
Besides events in Wisconsin, Democrats plan other events in satellite locations around the country to broadcast as part of the convention.
Veteran producer Ricky Kirshner, who has worked on every Democratic National Convention since 1992, will lead production of the convention, including the satellite broadcasts. Kirshner has served as executive producer of the Tony Awards since 2004 and the Super Bowl halftime show since 2007; he’s won nine Emmy awards.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Kentucky’s Election Wasn’t A Disaster, But It Exposed Problems In Pandemic-Era Voting

“ I think if there ’ s anything that we can learn from the primaries , it ’ s that people are going to need to still vote in person , ” said Hannah Fried , the national campaign director at All Voting is Local , a voting rights campaign of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .
“ Mail-in voting is critical in responding to the threats posed by COVID , but it ’ s not a cure-all.
” State officials delayed Kentucky ’ s primaries as part of Democratic Gov .
Andy Beshear ’ s aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus across the Bluegrass State , which has had 14,000 confirmed cases and 559 deaths , totals that rank among the lowest in the nation .
As part of the delay , Beshear and Adams , the Republican secretary of state , struck an agreement to expand absentee voting — which in Kentucky is normally allowed only under strict circumstances — to voters across the state .
A bigger concern was the decision to cut the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170 , limiting most counties to a single in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Hillary Clinton , LeBron James and other political leaders and celebrities .
It was not a centralized decision : It came from individual county clerks and was driven by concerns that large-scale in-person voting could worsen the spread of the virus .
There were also fears that there wouldn ’ t be enough volunteer poll workers to staff election sites , Fayette County Clerk Don Blevins said .
“ The decision to have one location was made by almost every county clerk independently of each other , ” Blevins said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the safest way to do this would be to reduce down to one in-person location and do appropriate social distancing , PPE and that kind of stuff .
When we had to make the decision , the curve was still going up.
” Still , the decision clearly risked disenfranchising some voters , especially in Louisville and Lexington , which together comprise nearly one-quarter of the state ’ s population and are the combined home to more than half of the state ’ s Black people .
Lexington and Louisville both offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the reliance on solitary voting centers still made it more difficult for voters with limited transportation options to vote ― a fact Kentucky needs to reckon with even if there is no clear and intentional effort to suppress the vote .
The voting process ran smoothly throughout the day in Louisville , where elections took place at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in central Jefferson County .
Lines were short and quick , according to The Courier-Journal .
But as the 6 p.m. deadline neared , there was confusion over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line.
” Officials closed the doors to the voting area , locking some angry voters outside .
An on-site judge eventually extended the deadline and allowed those locked outside into line .
Wait times were around 90 minutes for large parts of the day , the Herald-Leader ’ s Daniel Desrochers reported , and the last voter didn ’ t leave until shortly after 8 p.m .
The setup appeared to be the problem in Lexington : Fayette County offered fewer opportunities to vote early than did other counties , and its single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s , leading to long lines ( yet again ) even though it saw only a fraction of the voters who turned out in its larger neighbor .
But state officials could have done more in the runup to the race to address clear gaps in the process , and the state needs to take steps now to fill them in before November , Reynolds said .
Kentucky needs to continue to expand early voting opportunities and locations .
It should alter its vote-by-mail program to send ballots to all registered voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go through the burdensome application process .
And there was widespread agreement , even before Election Day , that Kentucky counties should have kept more polling places open , especially in its largest and most populated counties .
“ We know from research just on voter registration laws that when you add steps to the voting process , you tend to shake loose resource-poor voters , ” said Stephen Voss , a University of Kentucky political science associate professor .
“ You tend to shake loose minority voters .
And we added a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just , you have to register , and you have to vote .
We ’ ve gone to a third step .
You had to register ; you had to request an absentee ballot , and then you had to vote.
” The general view of Kentucky ’ s primary election among voting rights groups and observers is that it was a step in the right direction and that the qualified success of the vote-by-mail effort ― especially in a state that hadn ’ t tried it before ― should bolster arguments for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But it also has to be a part of a more equitable voting system overall , Voss and others argued .

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Kentucky voters turned out in record numbers for the primary election Tuesday, even as the threat of the novel coronavirus pandemic lingered, thanks to a hotly contested Democratic Senate race and an expanded vote-by-mail program, which generated unprecedented enthusiasm in Bluegrass State politics.
More than 1.1 million voters likely cast ballots across the state, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams tweeted Tuesday. He cautioned that was not an official projection, but if accurate, it would amount to a turnout rate 10 percentage points higher than for the primary four years ago and more than double that in 2012.
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The Democratic Senate primary between progressive state Rep. Charles Booker and retired Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath drove voters out in numbers Kentucky hasn’t seen since 920,000 people cast ballots in the 2008 presidential primary fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. (Kentucky won’t declare a winner in the Senate primary until next Tuesday because of a large number of absentee ballots.)
National enthusiasm around that race ― the winner of which will face Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November’s general election ― and Kentucky’s pandemic-driven election efforts drove attention to and worry about the state’s contests. Fears of rampant voter suppression that would particularly affect Black Kentuckians grew when the state decided to close 90% of its typical polling locations and focus almost entirely on mail-in voting. Critics worried that Kentucky would experience the sort of disastrous Election Day problems that occurred in previous primaries in Wisconsin and Georgia.
The predicted disaster did not occur, at least to the extent of prior primaries. But neither was Kentucky’s election a rousing success. Instead, it fell somewhere in between: It was an election that highlighted the potential promise of a robust mail-in voting program, especially in the middle of a global pandemic, but it also underscored mail-in voting’s inability to fully address the structural deficiencies of America’s restrictive electoral system.
“I think if there’s anything that we can learn from the primaries, it’s that people are going to need to still vote in person,” said Hannah Fried, the national campaign director at All Voting is Local, a voting rights campaign of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “Mail-in voting is critical in responding to the threats posed by COVID, but it’s not a cure-all.”
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A sign directs voters on primary election day in Louisville, Kentucky, Tuesday. Bryan Woolston / Reuters
State officials delayed Kentucky’s primaries as part of Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s aggressive push to limit the spread of the coronavirus across the Bluegrass State, which has had 14,000 confirmed cases and 559 deaths, totals that rank among the lowest in the nation. As part of the delay, Beshear and Adams, the Republican secretary of state, struck an agreement to expand absentee voting — which in Kentucky is normally allowed only under strict circumstances — to voters across the state.
In Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city, Jefferson County officials sent more than 200,000 mail-in ballots. In Lexington, the state’s second-largest city, Fayette County sent more than 96,000 mail ballots. Turnout in Kenton County, in northern Kentucky, was already 223% higher than the 2016 primary before Election Day, thanks to vote by mail. Statewide, Kentucky officials expected to receive more than 800,000 total mail-in ballots, Louisville’s Courier-Journal newspaper reported.
Kentucky also introduced early voting for the primary, giving residents another new option in a state that is one of just nine that doesn’t typically allow no-excuse absentee ballots or early voting. More than 110,000 people took advantage of early voting, according to unofficial figures, while roughly 160,000 cast ballots in person Tuesday.
“We’re seeing record turnout because we’ve made it easier,” Joshua Douglas, a University of Kentucky law professor, said Monday. “Is it perfect? No. Is it better than it otherwise would have been? Yes.”
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But the election also laid bare the problems vote by mail can’t address ― especially not when it was hastily conceived in a state with little experience dealing with a massive influx of mailed ballots.
The process for obtaining an absentee ballot required an online application, placing a burden on many low-income and elderly voters who lack internet access, especially at a time when public libraries and other facilities are closed. And ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, some voters reported that they hadn’t received ballots yet, leading Adams to sign an executive order allowing them to vote in person.
A voter completes her ballot on primary election day in Louisville Tuesday. Bryan Woolston / Reuters
A bigger concern was the decision to cut the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170, limiting most counties to a single in-person voting locale. The move drew outrage from Hillary Clinton, LeBron James and other political leaders and celebrities. It was not a centralized decision: It came from individual county clerks and was driven by concerns that large-scale in-person voting could worsen the spread of the virus. There were also fears that there wouldn’t be enough volunteer poll workers to staff election sites, Fayette County Clerk Don Blevins said.
“The decision to have one location was made by almost every county clerk independently of each other,” Blevins said. “People kind of came to the conclusion that the safest way to do this would be to reduce down to one in-person location and do appropriate social distancing, PPE and that kind of stuff. When we had to make the decision, the curve was still going up.”
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Still, the decision clearly risked disenfranchising some voters, especially in Louisville and Lexington, which together comprise nearly one-quarter of the state’s population and are the combined home to more than half of the state’s Black people. Lexington and Louisville both offered free public transit shuttles to polling locations, but the reliance on solitary voting centers still made it more difficult for voters with limited transportation options to vote ― a fact Kentucky needs to reckon with even if there is no clear and intentional effort to suppress the vote.
“I think the plan is insufficient, but they came up with what they thought was the best thing that we could have, given the circumstances,” said Cassia Herron, chairperson of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, a progressive group that advocates for expanded voting rights.
“There wasn’t enough intention to be sure that we weren’t suppressing the vote,” Herron said Monday, adding that she would give election officials a “solid C” grade for their efforts. “It would have been a B-plus if they would have started the process sooner and provided [a way] for voters to have some input into the process,” she added.
The voting process ran smoothly throughout the day in Louisville, where elections took place at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in central Jefferson County. Lines were short and quick, according to The Courier-Journal. But as the 6 p.m. deadline neared, there was confusion over what it meant to be “in line.” Officials closed the doors to the voting area, locking some angry voters outside. An on-site judge eventually extended the deadline and allowed those locked outside into line.
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The closest Kentucky came to a disaster was in Lexington, where lines grew longer at the University of Kentucky’s football stadium because of a shortage of check-in scanners and a lack of space, Blevins said, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Wait times were around 90 minutes for large parts of the day, the Herald-Leader’s Daniel Desrochers reported, and the last voter didn’t leave until shortly after 8 p.m. The setup appeared to be the problem in Lexington: Fayette County offered fewer opportunities to vote early than did other counties, and its single location was far less efficient than Louisville’s, leading to long lines (yet again) even though it saw only a fraction of the voters who turned out in its larger neighbor.
That things went relatively well in nearly every location but one doesn’t shield Kentucky from criticism: It’s a virtual certainty that the lack of polling locations kept some voters away, and longer waits in Lexington and confusion at the end of the evening in Louisville placed unnecessary burdens on voters.
“No voters should be waiting that long,” Fried said. “Although it’s not a six- or seven-hour line, we should not view that as anything close to acceptable. And election officials in Kentucky and across the country need to be doing absolutely everything to avoid that in November.”
Civic organizations did the best they could to fill in the gaps. Sadiqa Reynolds, the president of the Louisville Urban League, said her group tried to educate voters on the absentee process and assist them in obtaining a ballot. On Tuesday morning, Reynolds and the Urban League reached a deal with Lyft to provide free rides to polls across the state.
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Fayette County voters wait in line to cast their ballots at Kroger Field in Lexington Tuesday. Lexington Herald-Leader via Getty Images
But state officials could have done more in the runup to the race to address clear gaps in the process, and the state needs to take steps now to fill them in before November, Reynolds said. Kentucky needs to continue to expand early voting opportunities and locations. It should alter its vote-by-mail program to send ballots to all registered voters so they don’t have to go through the burdensome application process. And there was widespread agreement, even before Election Day, that Kentucky counties should have kept more polling places open, especially in its largest and most populated counties.
“We know from research just on voter registration laws that when you add steps to the voting process, you tend to shake loose resource-poor voters,” said Stephen Voss, a University of Kentucky political science associate professor. “You tend to shake loose minority voters. And we added a step: Now it’s not just, you have to register, and you have to vote. We’ve gone to a third step. You had to register; you had to request an absentee ballot, and then you had to vote.”
The general view of Kentucky’s primary election among voting rights groups and observers is that it was a step in the right direction and that the qualified success of the vote-by-mail effort ― especially in a state that hadn’t tried it before ― should bolster arguments for improving and implementing it again in November. But it also has to be a part of a more equitable voting system overall, Voss and others argued.
The last-minute problems in Louisville are a sadly typical feature of Kentucky elections, thanks to a 6 p.m. poll closing time, the earliest in the nation. Extending that anachronistic deadline would go a long way toward making the state’s elections more accessible. And, as with many states, Kentucky needs significant investment into its voting and election infrastructure ― help that will only come if Congress approves more funding, which McConnell, who hasn’t commented on Kentucky’s election changes, and the Senate GOP have so far blocked.
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Kentucky Democrats and Republicans have been locked in a tug of war over voting access for most of 2020. Beshear restored voting rights to more than 100,000 convicted felons, fulfilling a promise made during his campaign last year, and many cast ballots for the first time this year. But the GOP-controlled legislature also passed a new voter ID law, then overrode Beshear’s veto of it in April.
Kentucky currently has no vote-by-mail plan in place for November, when the specter of the pandemic could still hang over the state. But it seems possible and maybe even likely that Beshear, Adams and election officials could strike a similar agreement for the general election. But local election officials also need to expand in-person options, and Kentucky’s larger problems will only be fixed if it addresses long-standing voter restrictions that were not unique to this election.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Minnesota Sues Exxon, Koch And API For Being 'Deceptive' On Climate Change

WASHINGTON , June 24 ( Reuters ) - The state of Minnesota on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the American Petroleum Institute , Exxon Mobil Corp and Koch Industries for what it called a decades-long campaign to deceive the public about climate change .
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges by states , cities , and citizen groups targeting fossil fuel companies over their role in global warming .
Attorney General Keith Ellison said the state believed the oil and gas industry ’ s main lobby group , as well as Exxon and Koch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deceptive trade practices and false advertising .
The complaint alleges the companies and industry body “ strategized to deceive the public ” about climate science to protect their business interests and accused them of a “ multi-pronged campaign of deception ” conducted over the last 30 years .
“ The fraud , deceptive advertising , and other violations of Minnesota state law and common law that the lawsuit shows they perpetrated have harmed Minnesotans ’ health and our state ’ s environment , infrastructure , and economy , ” Ellison said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district court to require the defendants to fund an education campaign on climate change and pay for damages caused by global warming .
The API did not directly comment on the lawsuit , but said the oil industry had been working to provide “ affordable , reliable energy to U.S. consumers while substantially reducing emissions and our environmental footprint.
” Officials at Exxon and Koch did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
At least 15 other plaintiffs , including states , cities and youth and citizen groups , have filed similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Massachusetts , New York , and Rhode Island .
In December , Exxon prevailed in a case brought by New York that accused the oil major of failing to disclose the financial risks of climate change to investors .

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WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - The state of Minnesota on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the American Petroleum Institute, Exxon Mobil Corp and Koch Industries for what it called a decades-long campaign to deceive the public about climate change.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges by states, cities, and citizen groups targeting fossil fuel companies over their role in global warming.
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Attorney General Keith Ellison said the state believed the oil and gas industry’s main lobby group, as well as Exxon and Koch, violated Minnesota laws barring consumer fraud, deceptive trade practices and false advertising.
The complaint alleges the companies and industry body “strategized to deceive the public” about climate science to protect their business interests and accused them of a “multi-pronged campaign of deception” conducted over the last 30 years.
“The fraud, deceptive advertising, and other violations of Minnesota state law and common law that the lawsuit shows they perpetrated have harmed Minnesotans’ health and our state’s environment, infrastructure, and economy,” Ellison said.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the American Petroleum Institute, Exxon Mobil Corp and Koch Industries violated Minnesota laws barring consumer fraud, deceptive trade practices and false advertising. Scott Olson/Getty Images
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He said the state has asked a Minnesota district court to require the defendants to fund an education campaign on climate change and pay for damages caused by global warming.
The API did not directly comment on the lawsuit, but said the oil industry had been working to provide “affordable, reliable energy to U.S. consumers while substantially reducing emissions and our environmental footprint.”
“Any suggestion to the contrary is false,” said API Chief Legal Officer Paul Afonso.
Officials at Exxon and Koch did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
At least 15 other plaintiffs, including states, cities and youth and citizen groups, have filed similar lawsuits against the oil and gas industry, including Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.
In December, Exxon prevailed in a case brought by New York that accused the oil major of failing to disclose the financial risks of climate change to investors.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Rhode Island Takes Step Toward Removing 'Plantation' From Official Name

Rhode Island is the nation ’ s smallest state and has the longest official name , but that may soon change due to the full name ’ s connotations of racism and slavery .
The state ’ s official name , “ The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , ” has typically appeared on the governor ’ s executive orders , citations and website .
Gov .
Gina Raimondo ( D ) on Monday signed an executive order to remove the words “ Providence Plantations ” from those places .
“ Rhode Island was founded on the principles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s name – and actions – should reflect those values , ” Raimondo said in a statement .
The seal of the State of Rhode Island decorates a podium as Gov .
Gina Raimondo announces that she has signed an executive order that will remove the phrase `` Providence Plantations '' from the state 's formal name when it appears on some official documents and executive agency websites .
The name change currently only affects Raimondo ’ s office , but Rhode Island ’ s Senate passed a measure last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing the name entirely in November .
Residents overwhelmingly voted against removing “ Providence Plantations ” from the state ’ s name in 2010 .
The name goes back to the Providence Plantations settlement established by the religious liberty pioneer Roger Williams in 1636 .
The word “ plantation ” can refer to a settlement in a new region or large group of plants .
However , it ’ s more widely known to refer to an agricultural estate with resident labor , particularly enslaved people prior to the abolition of slavery in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she has heard from some people who oppose the name change and argue that it ’ s part of history .
But she called the name “ demoralizing , ” “ painful ” and “ a slap in the face ” for the state ’ s Black residents .
“ We have to acknowledge our history , it ’ s true , but we can acknowledge our history without elevating a phrase that ’ s so deeply associated with the ugliest time in our state and in our country ’ s history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news conference .
“ That is a word that is associated with the ugliest institution that our country has ever had.
” Renewed efforts to amend the name have come after the recent death of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide anti-racism protests .

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Rhode Island is the nation’s smallest state and has the longest official name, but that may soon change due to the full name’s connotations of racism and slavery.
The state’s official name, “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” has typically appeared on the governor’s executive orders, citations and website. Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) on Monday signed an executive order to remove the words “Providence Plantations” from those places.
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“Rhode Island was founded on the principles of acceptance and tolerance, and our state’s name – and actions – should reflect those values,” Raimondo said in a statement.
The seal of the State of Rhode Island decorates a podium as Gov. Gina Raimondo announces that she has signed an executive order that will remove the phrase "Providence Plantations" from the state's formal name when it appears on some official documents and executive agency websites. AP Photo/David Goldman
The name change currently only affects Raimondo’s office, but Rhode Island’s Senate passed a measure last week that calls for a statewide vote on changing the name entirely in November. Residents overwhelmingly voted against removing “Providence Plantations” from the state’s name in 2010.
The name goes back to the Providence Plantations settlement established by the religious liberty pioneer Roger Williams in 1636. The word “plantation” can refer to a settlement in a new region or large group of plants. However, it’s more widely known to refer to an agricultural estate with resident labor, particularly enslaved people prior to the abolition of slavery in the U.S. in the 1860s.
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Raimondo said she has heard from some people who oppose the name change and argue that it’s part of history. But she called the name “demoralizing,” “painful” and “a slap in the face” for the state’s Black residents.
“We have to acknowledge our history, it’s true, but we can acknowledge our history without elevating a phrase that’s so deeply associated with the ugliest time in our state and in our country’s history,” she said Monday at a news conference. “That is a word that is associated with the ugliest institution that our country has ever had.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Detroit Man Demands Police Department Abandon Face Recognition Technology

A Black man who says he was unjustly arrested because facial recognition technology mistakenly identified him as a suspected shoplifter is calling for a public apology from Detroit police .
And for the department to abandon its use of the controversial technology .
The complaint by Robert Williams is a rare challenge from someone who not only experienced an erroneous face recognition hit , but was able to discover that it was responsible for his subsequent legal troubles .
The Wednesday complaint filed on Williams ’ behalf alleges that his Michigan driver license photo — kept in a statewide image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely match to a shoplifting suspect .
Investigators had scanned grainy surveillance camera footage of an alleged 2018 theft inside a Shinola watch store in midtown Detroit , police records show .
“ I can ’ t really even put it into words , ” Williams said in a video announcement describing the daytime arrest that left his daughters weeping .
“ It was one of the most shocking things that I ever had happen to me.
” The 42-year-old automotive worker , backed by the American Civil Liberties Union , is demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his case and for Detroit police to scrap its use of facial recognition technology .
Several studies have shown current face-recognition systems more likely to err when identifying people with darker skin .
The ACLU complaint said Detroit police “ unthinkingly relied on flawed and racist facial recognition technology without taking reasonable measures to verify the information being provided.
” It called the resulting investigation “ shoddy and incomplete , ” the officers involved “ rude and threatening , ” and said the department has dragged its feet responding to public-information requests for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facial recognition report , produced by Michigan State Police , was a warning in bold , capitalized letters that the computer ’ s finding should be treated as an investigative lead , not as probable cause for arrest .
But Detroit detectives then showed a 6-photo lineup that included Williams to the loss-prevention worker , who positively identified Williams , according to the report .
It took months for police to issue an arrest warrant and several more before they called Williams at work and asked him to come to the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why .
Williams said he thought it was a prank call .
But they showed up soon after at his house , took him away in handcuffs and detained him overnight .
It was during his interrogation the next day that it became clear to him that he was improperly identified by facial recognition software .
“ The investigating officer looked confused , told Mr. Williams that the computer said it was him but then acknowledged that ‘ the computer must have gotten it wrong , ’ ” the ACLU complaint says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement in Detroit and around the U.S. protesting police brutality , racial injustice and the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis .
Detroit activists have presented reforms to the city ’ s mayor and police chief that include defunding the police department and ending its use of facial recognition .
Providers of police facial recognition systems often point to research showing they can be accurate when used properly under ideal conditions .
A review of the industry ’ s leading facial recognition algorithms by the National Institute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 99 % accurate when matching high-quality head shots to a database of other frontal poses .
But trying to identify a face from a video feed — especially using the ceiling-mounted cameras commonly found in stores — can cause accuracy rates to plunge .
Studies have also shown that face recognition systems don ’ t perform equally across race , gender and age — working best on white men and with potentially harmful consequences for others .
Concerns about bias and growing scrutiny of policing practices following Floyd ’ s death led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to announce earlier this month they would stop selling face recognition software to police , at least until Congress can establish guidelines for its use .
Several cities , led by San Francisco last year , have banned use of facial recognition by municipal agencies .

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A Black man who says he was unjustly arrested because facial recognition technology mistakenly identified him as a suspected shoplifter is calling for a public apology from Detroit police. And for the department to abandon its use of the controversial technology.
The complaint by Robert Williams is a rare challenge from someone who not only experienced an erroneous face recognition hit, but was able to discover that it was responsible for his subsequent legal troubles.
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The Wednesday complaint filed on Williams’ behalf alleges that his Michigan driver license photo — kept in a statewide image repository — was incorrectly flagged as a likely match to a shoplifting suspect. Investigators had scanned grainy surveillance camera footage of an alleged 2018 theft inside a Shinola watch store in midtown Detroit, police records show.
That led to what Williams describes as a humiliating January arrest in front of his wife and young daughters on their front lawn in the Detroit suburb of Farmington Hills.
“I can’t really even put it into words,” Williams said in a video announcement describing the daytime arrest that left his daughters weeping. “It was one of the most shocking things that I ever had happen to me.”
The 42-year-old automotive worker, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, is demanding a public apology, final dismissal of his case and for Detroit police to scrap its use of facial recognition technology. Several studies have shown current face-recognition systems more likely to err when identifying people with darker skin.
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The ACLU complaint said Detroit police “unthinkingly relied on flawed and racist facial recognition technology without taking reasonable measures to verify the information being provided.” It called the resulting investigation “shoddy and incomplete,” the officers involved “rude and threatening,” and said the department has dragged its feet responding to public-information requests for relevant records.
Detroit police and Wayne County prosecutors didn’t immediately return emailed requests for comment Wednesday.
DataWorks Plus, a South Carolina company that provides facial recognition technology to Detroit and the Michigan State Police, also couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Police records show the case began in October 2018 when five expensive watches went missing from the flagship store of Detroit-based luxury watchmaker Shinola. A loss-prevention worker later reviewed the video footage showing the suspect to be a Black man wearing a St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap.
“Video and stills were sent to Crime Intel for facial recognition,” says a brief police report. “Facial Recognition came back with a hit” — for Williams.
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At the top of the facial recognition report, produced by Michigan State Police, was a warning in bold, capitalized letters that the computer’s finding should be treated as an investigative lead, not as probable cause for arrest.
But Detroit detectives then showed a 6-photo lineup that included Williams to the loss-prevention worker, who positively identified Williams, according to the report. It took months for police to issue an arrest warrant and several more before they called Williams at work and asked him to come to the police department. It’s not clear why.
Williams said he thought it was a prank call. But they showed up soon after at his house, took him away in handcuffs and detained him overnight. It was during his interrogation the next day that it became clear to him that he was improperly identified by facial recognition software.
“The investigating officer looked confused, told Mr. Williams that the computer said it was him but then acknowledged that ‘the computer must have gotten it wrong,’” the ACLU complaint says.
Prosecutors later dismissed the case, but without prejudice — meaning they could potentially pursue it again.
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The case is likely to fuel a movement in Detroit and around the U.S. protesting police brutality, racial injustice and the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Detroit activists have presented reforms to the city’s mayor and police chief that include defunding the police department and ending its use of facial recognition.
Providers of police facial recognition systems often point to research showing they can be accurate when used properly under ideal conditions. A review of the industry’s leading facial recognition algorithms by the National Institute of Standards and Technology found they were more than 99% accurate when matching high-quality head shots to a database of other frontal poses.
But trying to identify a face from a video feed — especially using the ceiling-mounted cameras commonly found in stores — can cause accuracy rates to plunge. Studies have also shown that face recognition systems don’t perform equally across race, gender and age — working best on white men and with potentially harmful consequences for others.
Concerns about bias and growing scrutiny of policing practices following Floyd’s death led tech giants IBM, Amazon and Microsoft to announce earlier this month they would stop selling face recognition software to police, at least until Congress can establish guidelines for its use. Several cities, led by San Francisco last year, have banned use of facial recognition by municipal agencies.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--DOJ Whistleblowers Testify That William Barr Has Politicized Justice

SUSAN WALSH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) Aaron Zelinsky , a Justice Department prosecutor who was part of special counsel Robert Mueller 's team and worked on the case against Roger Stone , testifies remotely Wednesday at a House Judiciary Committee hearing .
Aaron Zelinsky , who served as a prosecutor on the special counsel team led by Robert Mueller and was later detailed to the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office for the District of Columbia as he worked on the case against former Trump associate Roger Stone , told members of the House Judiciary Committee that it was clear there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentencing process .
John Elias , a prosecutor in the antitrust division of the Justice Department , testified that Barr directed baseless antitrust investigations into the cannabis industry because of his personal dislike for the rising marijuana market .
Donald Ayer , who preceded Barr as deputy attorney general during the George H.W .
Bush administration , testified that Barr “ grossly misused his powers as attorney general to advance the president ’ s personal and political interests , and to protect his friends.
” He told the lawmakers that Barr had given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything he says ” and called Barr “ the greatest threat in my lifetime to our rule of law.
” Rep. Jerry Nadler ( D-N.Y. ) , who chairs the House Judiciary Committee , called Barr “ the president ’ s fixer ” and said Barr “ has shown us that there is one set of rules for the president ’ s friends and another set of rules for the rest of us.
” “ This administration has a record of witness intimidation , and I have no doubt that they will try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Nadler said .
“ But you are patriots , and you have done your duty here today.
” The rare testimony from current career Justice Department employees , who typically don ’ t appear before Congress , capped off a rough period for Barr , who Democrats say has given legal cover to some of Trump ’ s worst and more corrupt impulses .
Just last week , Barr ousted a top federal prosecutor who had investigated or prosecuted several Trump associates .
But it ’ s unclear what House Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s been talk of impeaching the attorney general , but such action would be dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled Senate , just as Trump ’ s impeachment was earlier this year .
Barr , a Justice Department spokesperson said Wednesday , had agreed to testify at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on July 28 .
It would be the first time for Barr , who was confirmed in early 2019 , to appear before the panel .
Last May , Barr bailed out on a House Judiciary Committee hearing at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow staff members to question him .
Democrats also used Wednesday ’ s the hearing to criticize Barr ’ s involvement in the violent clearing of anti-racism protesters from Lafayette Square ahead of a Trump photo-op in front of a church near the White House and his oversight of the militarized law enforcement response to demonstrations in the District of Columbia , which involved an alphabet soup of federal agents , many of whom went unidentified .
Elias revealed Wednesday that the DOJ inspector general and the Office of Special Counsel were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cannabis companies .
But the Justice Department claimed there was nothing to the issue , and Politico reported Wednesday on the memo from the Justice Department ’ s Office of Professional Responsibility that cleared the Justice Department ’ s work .
OPR has come under heavy scrutiny in the past for lax punishment of prosecutorial misconduct , and the current head of OPR , Jeffrey Ragsdale , was named to the position just last month by Barr , to whom he now reports .
A Justice Department spokesperson called Zelinsky ’ s testimony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it is based on what Zelinsky heard from his supervisors .
She said Barr “ has and will continue to approach all cases at the Department of Justice with that commitment to the rule of law and the fair and impartial administration of justice .
”

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WASHINGTON ― Justice Department attorneys on Wednesday offered damning testimony about Attorney General William Barr’s alleged political interference in the department’s work involving President Donald Trump’s allies and Barr’s own ideological interests.
Aaron Zelinsky, who served as a prosecutor on the special counsel team led by Robert Mueller and was later detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia as he worked on the case against former Trump associate Roger Stone, told members of the House Judiciary Committee that it was clear there was political interference in Stone’s sentencing process.
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John Elias, a prosecutor in the antitrust division of the Justice Department, testified that Barr directed baseless antitrust investigations into the cannabis industry because of his personal dislike for the rising marijuana market.
Donald Ayer, who preceded Barr as deputy attorney general during the George H.W. Bush administration, testified that Barr “grossly misused his powers as attorney general to advance the president’s personal and political interests, and to protect his friends.” He told the lawmakers that Barr had given reason for the public to “distrust everything he says” and called Barr “the greatest threat in my lifetime to our rule of law.”
Aaron Zelinsky, a Justice Department prosecutor who was part of special counsel Robert Mueller's team and worked on the case against Roger Stone, testifies remotely Wednesday at a House Judiciary Committee hearing. SUSAN WALSH/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, called Barr “the president’s fixer” and said Barr “has shown us that there is one set of rules for the president’s friends and another set of rules for the rest of us.”
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Nadler called the Department of Justice witnesses brave for agreeing to testify before the committee.
“This administration has a record of witness intimidation, and I have no doubt that they will try to exact a price for your testimony,” Nadler said. “But you are patriots, and you have done your duty here today.”
The rare testimony from current career Justice Department employees, who typically don’t appear before Congress, capped off a rough period for Barr, who Democrats say has given legal cover to some of Trump’s worst and more corrupt impulses. Just last week, Barr ousted a top federal prosecutor who had investigated or prosecuted several Trump associates.
But it’s unclear what House Democrats can do to hold Barr accountable. There’s been talk of impeaching the attorney general, but such action would be dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled Senate, just as Trump’s impeachment was earlier this year.
Barr, a Justice Department spokesperson said Wednesday, had agreed to testify at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on July 28. It would be the first time for Barr, who was confirmed in early 2019, to appear before the panel. Last May, Barr bailed out on a House Judiciary Committee hearing at the last minute because the committee planned to allow staff members to question him.
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Democrats also used Wednesday’s the hearing to criticize Barr’s involvement in the violent clearing of anti-racism protesters from Lafayette Square ahead of a Trump photo-op in front of a church near the White House and his oversight of the militarized law enforcement response to demonstrations in the District of Columbia, which involved an alphabet soup of federal agents, many of whom went unidentified.
Elias revealed Wednesday that the DOJ inspector general and the Office of Special Counsel were investigating allegations about improper antitrust probes of cannabis companies. But the Justice Department claimed there was nothing to the issue, and Politico reported Wednesday on the memo from the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility that cleared the Justice Department’s work. OPR has come under heavy scrutiny in the past for lax punishment of prosecutorial misconduct, and the current head of OPR, Jeffrey Ragsdale, was named to the position just last month by Barr, to whom he now reports.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--'Gone With The Wind' Back On HBO Max But With More Historical Context

“ Gone With the Wind ” is no longer “ gone ” from HBO Max .
The new streaming platform pulled the 1939 Civil War flick a few weeks ago after it was criticized for glorifying the antebellum South , but it promised to return the movie after adding historical context and a condemnation of slavery .
The film was returned to the lineup on Wednesday with the addition of two new videos , according to Variety .
The first is a 4:26 video featuring TCM host and film scholar Jacqueline Stewart , who explains that the film ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1939 .
Although producer David O. Selznick promised the African American community that “ GWTW ” would be sensitive to their concerns , Stewart acknowledges the final product depicts “ the Antebellum South as a world of grace and beauty without acknowledging the brutalities of the system of chattel slavery upon which this world is based.
” She also points out in the introduction that the film ’ s Black actors weren ’ t allowed to attend the film ’ s premiere in Atlanta and that Hattie McDaniel wasn ’ t allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Academy Awards even though she won the Oscar for supporting actress .
The other new addition is an hourlong discussion called “ The Complicated Legacy of ‘ Gone With the Wind , ’ ” which was taped at the TCM Classic Film Festival in April 2019 and moderated by author and historian Donald Bogle .
The removal of “ Gone With the Wind ” from the HBO Max platform managed to irk many conservatives , including President Donald Trump , who used the decision to also gripe about the South Korean drama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s best picture Oscar .
Charlotte Clymer , of the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign , called the president ’ s remarks “ the doggiest dogwhistle that ever dogwhistled .
”

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The new streaming platform pulled the 1939 Civil War flick a few weeks ago after it was criticized for glorifying the antebellum South, but it promised to return the movie after adding historical context and a condemnation of slavery.
The film was returned to the lineup on Wednesday with the addition of two new videos, according to Variety.
Advertisement
The first is a 4:26 video featuring TCM host and film scholar Jacqueline Stewart, who explains that the film’s depiction of Blacks was controversial even in 1939.
Although producer David O. Selznick promised the African American community that “GWTW” would be sensitive to their concerns, Stewart acknowledges the final product depicts “the Antebellum South as a world of grace and beauty without acknowledging the brutalities of the system of chattel slavery upon which this world is based.”
She also points out in the introduction that the film’s Black actors weren’t allowed to attend the film’s premiere in Atlanta and that Hattie McDaniel wasn’t allowed to sit with her fellow cast members at the Academy Awards even though she won the Oscar for supporting actress.
The other new addition is an hourlong discussion called “The Complicated Legacy of ‘Gone With the Wind,’” which was taped at the TCM Classic Film Festival in April 2019 and moderated by author and historian Donald Bogle.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Jon Stewart Admits He Failed At Diversity When Hiring ‘Daily Show’ Staff

Former “ Daily Show ” host Jon Stewart admitted on Tuesday that he didn ’ t do enough to create a diverse staff for the show , but he said he now knows the right way to do it in the future .
In an interview with the popular radio show “ The Breakfast Club , ” Stewart said white men in positions of power need to acknowledge systemic racism and break down its structures .
He also shared some insight on why many white men accept that in theory , but have trouble following through on it .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shit , especially when they feel like it ’ s not really their shit , ” Stewart said .
“ But what you realize is , just stopping active persecution isn ’ t enough to dismantle .
It has to be actively dismantled.
” Co-host Charlamagne tha God said dismantling systemic racism requires powerful white people admitting that a problem exists .
Stewart agreed and brought up his experiences as a “ Daily Show ” host to illustrate his own shortcomings .
During his 16-season career as a host , Stewart received criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diversity from both viewers and cast members , including Wyatt Cenac .
Stewart conceded on “ The Breakfast Club ” that he didn ’ t do enough to make “ The Daily Show ” more inclusive , saying he remembered “ going back into the writer ’ s room and being like , ‘ Do you believe this shit ?
Kevin ?
Steve ?
Mike ?
Bob ?
Donald ?
’ ” and thinking , “ Oh … Uh oh .
Uh oh.
” Although the show had a policy of hiding job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know a writer ’ s gender or racial background , Stewart said the team nevertheless kept hiring “ white dudes.
” Eventually , Stewart and his team realized the issue was that they kept trying to find writers to hire from the same sources .
Changes in diversity only began to take place after he specified that he wanted to see more applications from women and people of color .
“ And all of a sudden , women got funny .
It just kind of happened , but they ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hadn ’ t actively done enough to mine that , ” Stewart said told “ The Breakfast Club.
” Stewart added that he doesn ’ t think his actions were racist or sexist , but he said his “ ignorance of that dynamic had real consequences ” for many talented people .
“ For us to dismantle the entrenched tributaries that continue to contribute to inequality of outcome of equity , it takes effort , ” he said .

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Former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart admitted on Tuesday that he didn’t do enough to create a diverse staff for the show, but he said he now knows the right way to do it in the future.
In an interview with the popular radio show “The Breakfast Club,” Stewart said white men in positions of power need to acknowledge systemic racism and break down its structures. He also shared some insight on why many white men accept that in theory, but have trouble following through on it.
Advertisement
“Nobody likes to be called on their shit, especially when they feel like it’s not really their shit,” Stewart said. “But what you realize is, just stopping active persecution isn’t enough to dismantle. It has to be actively dismantled.”
Co-host Charlamagne tha God said dismantling systemic racism requires powerful white people admitting that a problem exists. Stewart agreed and brought up his experiences as a “Daily Show” host to illustrate his own shortcomings.
During his 16-season career as a host, Stewart received criticism for the show’s lack of diversity from both viewers and cast members, including Wyatt Cenac.
Stewart conceded on “The Breakfast Club” that he didn’t do enough to make “The Daily Show” more inclusive, saying he remembered “going back into the writer’s room and being like, ‘Do you believe this shit? Kevin? Steve? Mike? Bob? Donald?’” and thinking, “Oh … Uh oh. Uh oh.”
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Although the show had a policy of hiding job applicants’ names so that producers didn’t know a writer’s gender or racial background, Stewart said the team nevertheless kept hiring “white dudes.”
Eventually, Stewart and his team realized the issue was that they kept trying to find writers to hire from the same sources. Changes in diversity only began to take place after he specified that he wanted to see more applications from women and people of color.
“And all of a sudden, women got funny. It just kind of happened, but they’d been funny all along. We just hadn’t actively done enough to mine that,” Stewart said told “The Breakfast Club.”
Stewart added that he doesn’t think his actions were racist or sexist, but he said his “ignorance of that dynamic had real consequences” for many talented people.
“For us to dismantle the entrenched tributaries that continue to contribute to inequality of outcome of equity, it takes effort,” he said.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--3 Men Indicted By Grand Jury On Murder Charges In Killing Of Ahmaud Arbery

ATLANTA ( AP ) — A prosecutor on Wednesday announced that three men have been indicted on murder charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia .
Prosecutor Joyette Holmes said a Glynn County grand jury has indicted Travis McMichael , Greg McMichael and William “ Roddie ” Bryan Jr. on charges including malice and felony murder in the death of the African American man .
Arbery was slain Feb. 23 when the Greg and Travis McMichael , a white father and son , armed themselves and pursued the 25-year-old Black man running in their neighborhood .
Greg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a burglar and that Arbery attacked his son before being shot .
Bryan lives in the same subdivision , just outside the port city of Brunswick .
Bryan said he saw the McMichaels driving by and joined the chase , a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified earlier this month .
It wasn ’ t until May 7 — two days after Bryan ’ s cellphone video leaked online and stirred a national outcry — that the McMichaels were arrested .
Bryan was arrested on May 22 , and an arrest warrant said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Arbery without legal authority by “ utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions ” before Arbery was shot .
In addition to malice murder and felony murder charges , the McMichaels and Bryan each are charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .

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ATLANTA (AP) — A prosecutor on Wednesday announced that three men have been indicted on murder charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia.
Prosecutor Joyette Holmes said a Glynn County grand jury has indicted Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. on charges including malice and felony murder in the death of the African American man.
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Arbery was slain Feb. 23 when the Greg and Travis McMichael, a white father and son, armed themselves and pursued the 25-year-old Black man running in their neighborhood. Greg McMichael told police he suspected Arbery was a burglar and that Arbery attacked his son before being shot.
Bryan lives in the same subdivision, just outside the port city of Brunswick. Bryan said he saw the McMichaels driving by and joined the chase, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified earlier this month.
It wasn’t until May 7 — two days after Bryan’s cellphone video leaked online and stirred a national outcry — that the McMichaels were arrested. Bryan was arrested on May 22, and an arrest warrant said he tried “to confine and detain” Arbery without legal authority by “utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions” before Arbery was shot.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Florida Woman Sues For Paternity Test On Goats -- No Kidding

ODESSA , Fla. ( AP ) — A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit seeking either a paternity test on her goats or a refund — and she ’ s not kidding .
Kris Hedstrom filed the suit against her neighbor , Heather Dayner , last month seeking DNA for the goats she purchased .
Hedstrom paid Dayner $ 900 for five Nigerian dwarf goats in December .
According to the lawsuit , Hedstrom believed the goats — Bella , Gigi , Rosie , Zelda and Margoat — could be registered with the American Dairy Goat Association , a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have higher values than unregistered goats .
Dayner , who has been selling goats at Baxter Lane Farm for about 10 years , typically provides information to her clients so they can register their animals themselves .
She said the father goat was registered , but the Tampa Bay Times reports the American Dairy Goat Association rejected Hedstrom ’ s application to register the babies because Dayner is not an active member .
Proving paternity would require about 40 of the father goat ’ s hair follicles for a DNA test , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNA in February .
Dayner offered to refund the money in exchange for the goats .
She said Hedstrom called police on her for three months straight and has trespassed on her farm .
A Hillsborough County Sheriff ’ s deputy visited the property at least three times in the spring .
Dayner said she didn ’ t hear anything else from Hedstrom until the lawsuit was filed .

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ODESSA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit seeking either a paternity test on her goats or a refund — and she’s not kidding.
Kris Hedstrom filed the suit against her neighbor, Heather Dayner, last month seeking DNA for the goats she purchased. Hedstrom paid Dayner $900 for five Nigerian dwarf goats in December.
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According to the lawsuit, Hedstrom believed the goats — Bella, Gigi, Rosie, Zelda and Margoat — could be registered with the American Dairy Goat Association, a group that records goat pedigrees. Registered goats have higher values than unregistered goats.
Dayner, who has been selling goats at Baxter Lane Farm for about 10 years, typically provides information to her clients so they can register their animals themselves.
She said the father goat was registered, but the Tampa Bay Times reports the American Dairy Goat Association rejected Hedstrom’s application to register the babies because Dayner is not an active member.
Proving paternity would require about 40 of the father goat’s hair follicles for a DNA test, so Hedstrom wrote Dayner a letter requesting the DNA in February.
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Dayner offered to refund the money in exchange for the goats.
She said Hedstrom called police on her for three months straight and has trespassed on her farm. A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputy visited the property at least three times in the spring.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Brendon Urie Shreds Trump For Using Panic! At The Disco Song At Arizona Rally

Panic !
at the Disco frontman Brendon Urie ’ s high hopes for 2020 don ’ t include President Donald Trump getting reelected .
On Tuesday , the president used Panic !
at the Disco ’ s 2018 hit “ High Hopes ” as a walk-on song at the Dream City Church in Phoenix .
It was a somewhat ironic choice , as the song is already associated with former Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg , who had it played at events when he was still on the campaign trail .
Once Urie caught wind of the news , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing the song in a strongly worded tweet .
Dear Trump Campaign , Fuck you .
You ’ re not invited .
Stop playing my song .
No thanks , Brendon Urie , Panic !
At The Disco & company .
— Brendon Urie ( @ brendonurie ) June 24 , 2020 In a follow-up tweet , Urie wrote that Trump “ represents nothing we stand for , ” and included a link to HeadCount , a nonpartisan group that “ uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s website .
Dear Everyone Else , Donald Trump represents nothing we stand for .
The highest hope we have is voting this monster out in November .
Please do your part : https : //t.co/JX8GynZduq — Brendon Urie ( @ brendonurie ) June 24 , 2020 Urie has never held back when it comes to Trump .
In 2018 , he slammed the “ fucking asshole ” president for “ encroaching on people ’ s rights ” in an interview with British music outlet Kerrang .
Urie joins a growing list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rihanna and Elton John ― who ’ ve asked the president to refrain from playing their songs at rallies and other events .
Over the weekend , the family of late rocker Tom Petty demanded the Trump campaign stop using “ I Won ’ t Back Down ” after the 1989 hit was blasted at Trump ’ s Tulsa , Oklahoma , rally on Saturday .
“ Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind , ” a statement from the Petty family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want a song of his used for a campaign of hate .
He likes to bring people together .
”

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Panic! at the Disco frontman Brendon Urie’s high hopes for 2020 don’t include President Donald Trump getting reelected.
On Tuesday, the president used Panic! at the Disco’s 2018 hit “High Hopes” as a walk-on song at the Dream City Church in Phoenix. It was a somewhat ironic choice, as the song is already associated with former Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, who had it played at events when he was still on the campaign trail.
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Once Urie caught wind of the news, he demanded that Trump’s campaign stop playing the song in a strongly worded tweet.
Dear Trump Campaign,
Fuck you. You’re not invited. Stop playing my song.
No thanks,
Brendon Urie, Panic! At The Disco & company. — Brendon Urie (@brendonurie) June 24, 2020
In a follow-up tweet, Urie wrote that Trump “represents nothing we stand for,” and included a link to HeadCount, a nonpartisan group that “uses the power of music to register voters and promote participation in democracy,” according to the organization’s website.
Dear Everyone Else,
Donald Trump represents nothing we stand for. The highest hope we have is voting this monster out in November.
Please do your part: https://t.co/JX8GynZduq — Brendon Urie (@brendonurie) June 24, 2020
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Urie has never held back when it comes to Trump.
In 2018, he slammed the “fucking asshole” president for “encroaching on people’s rights” in an interview with British music outlet Kerrang.
Urie joins a growing list of artists and musicians ― including Adele, Rihanna and Elton John ― who’ve asked the president to refrain from playing their songs at rallies and other events.
Over the weekend, the family of late rocker Tom Petty demanded the Trump campaign stop using “I Won’t Back Down” after the 1989 hit was blasted at Trump’s Tulsa, Oklahoma, rally on Saturday.
“Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind,” a statement from the Petty family read. “Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. He likes to bring people together.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Trump Doubles Down On Calling COVID-19 'Kung Flu' In Phoenix Rally

President Donald Trump once again used the term “ kung flu ” to refer to COVID-19 at a reelection rally at a church in Phoenix on Tuesday .
Trump first used the phrase at his Saturday rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma —the first rally to take place since the coronavirus lockdown began .
On Tuesday , Trump spoke at the Students for Trump Convention in the Dream City Church in Phoenix , Arizona .
There , he launched into a rant on the “ many names ” of COVID-19 .
“ I said the other night , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many names , ” Trump said , referencing his speech in Tulsa .
“ I could give you 19 or 20 names for that , right ?
It ’ s got all different names .
Wuhan ... was catching on .
Coronavirus.
” Members of the crowd started yelling out “ kung flu , ” and Trump ran with it .
“ Kung flu , ” Trump said , going on to repeating the phrase twice .
“ COVID-19 ...
I said what ’ s the 19 ...
Some people can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ...
I said , that ’ s an odd name .
I could give you many , many names .
Some people call it the Chinese Flu , the China flu ... the China .
I ’ ve never seen anything like it.
” A sea of cheers erupted as Trump said “ kung flu , ” and footage of the event posted on social media shows members of the audience rising from their seats for standing ovations .
Trump ’ s confusion over the “ 19 ” in COVID-19 ― which refers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 ― drew swift mockery on social media .
Other commentators ― particularly members of the Asian American community ranging from CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang to former presidential candidate Andrew Yang ― zeroed in on his continual usage of “ kung flu.
” The term has drawn flak from even White House counselor Kellyanne Conway , who initially called the term “ highly offensive ” before backing away from outright criticism of Trump in recent press conferences .
The President just used the phrase again—twice—during an address to students in Phoenix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the feedback .
He often tests out material at rallies like a stand up comedian , and it appears this is going to be part of his act .
— Weijia Jiang ( @ weijia ) June 23 , 2020 The President of the United States can routinely call the coronavirus the Kung Flu because Asian Americans have very little power and representation in the media or government .
We are at the mercy of those who do have this power , and they could hardly give two shits about us .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) June 24 , 2020 Go ahead @ realDonaldTrump and keep saying racist stuff like Kung Flu .
Your glee in making racist comments offends the overwhelming majority of Americans .
Also , slowing down # COVID__19 testing is stupid and will result in more lives lost .
See you in November.
# WednesdayWisdom https : //t.co/y0AYFScAu3 — Ted Lieu ( @ tedlieu ) June 24 , 2020 Trump calling COVID-19 the “ Kung Flu ” is stupid , racist and part of the reason he is losing this election in increasingly humiliating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective just self-degrading .
— Andrew Yang🧢🇺🇸 ( @ AndrewYang ) June 24 , 2020 At a rally in Phoenix , the president just doubled down on his racist “ Kung Flu ” term .
To this , I say the following : The families of the 123,000 Americans killed by the virus deserve respect and compassion , not sneering jokes and criminal negligence from this administration .
— George Takei ( @ GeorgeTakei ) June 23 , 2020 Asian Americans have condemned both the term and Trump ’ s insistence on using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nonprofit organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago , told NBC News that the president ’ s rhetoric would only “ incite xenophobic scapegoating and violence .
”

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President Donald Trump once again used the term “kung flu” to refer to COVID-19 at a reelection rally at a church in Phoenix on Tuesday.
Trump first used the phrase at his Saturday rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma —the first rally to take place since the coronavirus lockdown began. On Tuesday, Trump spoke at the Students for Trump Convention in the Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona. There, he launched into a rant on the “many names” of COVID-19.
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“I said the other night, there’s never been anything where they have so many names,” Trump said, referencing his speech in Tulsa. “I could give you 19 or 20 names for that, right? It’s got all different names. Wuhan...was catching on. Coronavirus.”
Members of the crowd started yelling out “kung flu,” and Trump ran with it.
“Kung flu,” Trump said, going on to repeating the phrase twice. “COVID-19... I said what’s the 19... Some people can’t explain what the 19 [is]... I said, that’s an odd name. I could give you many, many names. Some people call it the Chinese Flu, the China flu...the China. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
A sea of cheers erupted as Trump said “kung flu,” and footage of the event posted on social media shows members of the audience rising from their seats for standing ovations.
Advertisement
Trump’s confusion over the “19” in COVID-19 ― which refers to the identification of the disease in 2019 ― drew swift mockery on social media. Other commentators ― particularly members of the Asian American community ranging from CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang to former presidential candidate Andrew Yang ― zeroed in on his continual usage of “kung flu.” The term has drawn flak from even White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, who initially called the term “highly offensive” before backing away from outright criticism of Trump in recent press conferences.
The President just used the phrase again—twice—during an address to students in Phoenix.
The crowd cheered.
Trump relished the feedback.
He often tests out material at rallies like a stand up comedian, and it appears this is going to be part of his act. — Weijia Jiang (@weijia) June 23, 2020
The President of the United States can routinely call the coronavirus the Kung Flu because Asian Americans have very little power and representation in the media or government. We are at the mercy of those who do have this power, and they could hardly give two shits about us. — Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) June 24, 2020
Go ahead @realDonaldTrump and keep saying racist stuff like Kung Flu. Your glee in making racist comments offends the overwhelming majority of Americans. Also, slowing down #COVID__19 testing is stupid and will result in more lives lost.
See you in November.#WednesdayWisdom https://t.co/y0AYFScAu3 — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) June 24, 2020
Trump calling COVID-19 the “Kung Flu” is stupid, racist and part of the reason he is losing this election in increasingly humiliating fashion. His material is no longer effective just self-degrading. — Andrew Yang🧢🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) June 24, 2020
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At a rally in Phoenix, the president just doubled down on his racist “Kung Flu” term.
To this, I say the following:
The families of the 123,000 Americans killed by the virus deserve respect and compassion, not sneering jokes and criminal negligence from this administration. — George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Man Finds Caterpillars In Supermarket Broccoli And Raises Them As His Own

Most people would be bugged to find a caterpillar in their supermarket broccoli , but not Sam Darlaston .
Instead , the British media personality decided to raise it to maturity ― and six others he also found among the broccoli shoots .
Darlaston , a host on KISS FM UK and a vegetarian , discovered the first caterpillar back on June 11 when he started to prepare his favorite vegetable purchased from his local Tesco supermarket .
Hey @ Tesco I was about to cook my favourite vegetable of all time ( broccoli ) and after unwrapping it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
They ’ re really nice and we ’ ve ended up keeping one as a pet and naming him .
but just as a heads up , some of your broc has c-pillars😳🐛 pic.twitter.com/3VLIQAEogG — Sam Darlaston ( @ samd_official ) June 11 , 2020 Darlaston was shocked at first , but that feeling soon turned to joy when he realized he had a new pet to enjoy during lockdown in his London home .
“ I did my research initially and discovered the exact type of caterpillar/butterfly we were dealing with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told HuffPost .
“ I then decided to build him a little home in my lounge with all the broccoli he wanted.
” In case anyone is interested , the name we ’ ve gone with is Cedric , he ’ s from Spain ( at least we assume so because the broccoli is ) and he dances after eating spinach and broc all day long 🐛🐛🐛 pic.twitter.com/tO1EyMgeG1 — Sam Darlaston ( @ samd_official ) June 11 , 2020 Tesco refunded him the $ 1.37 U.S. for the cost of the caterpillar-infested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more veggies and , unexpectedly , got more caterpillars .
“ The broccoli I ’ d got as a replacement contained 5 more , ” Darlaston told HuffPost .
“ And then a 3rd broccoli belonging to my housemate had another one !
So 1 became 7 caterpillars overnight !
” WELL !
What do you know !
My housemate just went to cook his broccoli and BAMMMMMMM , he ’ s got green mates too .
Open to name suggestions for our 7th caterpillar child 😭🐛🐛🐛 pic.twitter.com/Gs02yjtPLr — Sam Darlaston ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m a firm believer in not harming any animals or insects if possible and I just sort of knew what I had to do after googling how to keep a caterpillar , ” he said .
Along the way , he has faced challenges , especially when they started evolving toward their mature state .
“ The biggest challenge I faced whilst raising the caterpillars was their love of escaping !
Especially when they are about to cocoon , ” he told HuffPost .
“ One day we found one on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a table and one under a candle holder cocooning !
They ’ d broke free from the paper lid !
” Darlaston also got to see his caterpillar family start to hook up with each other .
He also witnessed them going into the cocoon stage of their life .
He also became melancholy when he realized they were growing up .
Late last week , six of his seven caterpillars had gone into the cocooning stage .
3/7 of the Tesco broccoli caterpillars are now wild butterflies 😭 , this morning Janine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new life ✌🥦🦋 ( thought she ’ d at least say bye but she just bolted ) pic.twitter.com/ZxggmWc6VP — Sam Darlaston ( @ samd_official ) June 24 , 2020 Still , the experience has made Darlaston hopeful that he ’ ll find more creatures in his cruciferous vegetables in the future .
“ If I find more I ’ d 100 % do it all again , ” he told HuffPost .

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Most people would be bugged to find a caterpillar in their supermarket broccoli, but not Sam Darlaston.
Instead, the British media personality decided to raise it to maturity ― and six others he also found among the broccoli shoots.
Advertisement
Darlaston, a host on KISS FM UK and a vegetarian, discovered the first caterpillar back on June 11 when he started to prepare his favorite vegetable purchased from his local Tesco supermarket.
Hey @Tesco I was about to cook my favourite vegetable of all time (broccoli) and after unwrapping it, to my surprise, found caterpillars inside! They’re really nice and we’ve ended up keeping one as a pet and naming him. but just as a heads up, some of your broc has c-pillars😳🐛 pic.twitter.com/3VLIQAEogG — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
Darlaston was shocked at first, but that feeling soon turned to joy when he realized he had a new pet to enjoy during lockdown in his London home.
“I did my research initially and discovered the exact type of caterpillar/butterfly we were dealing with (a cabbage white),” he told HuffPost. “I then decided to build him a little home in my lounge with all the broccoli he wanted.”
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He gave his new companion the name of Cedric.
In case anyone is interested, the name we’ve gone with is Cedric, he’s from Spain (at least we assume so because the broccoli is) and he dances after eating spinach and broc all day long 🐛🐛🐛 pic.twitter.com/tO1EyMgeG1 — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
Tesco refunded him the $1.37 U.S. for the cost of the caterpillar-infested broccoli. He used it to purchase more veggies and, unexpectedly, got more caterpillars.
“The broccoli I’d got as a replacement contained 5 more,” Darlaston told HuffPost. “And then a 3rd broccoli belonging to my housemate had another one! So 1 became 7 caterpillars overnight!”
OH MY CHRIST. Just bought another broc and before I’ve even opened it I can see caterpillars 😭🐛 pic.twitter.com/xUBFmuiT5B — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
SO IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS BROC CONTAINS ANOTHER 5 CATERPILLARS????!!!! 5!!!!! Also it turns out that THIS... is now a caterpillar thread pic.twitter.com/7M0UIcUxrU — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
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DJ Khaled: ANOTHER ONE gif pic.twitter.com/k6EUDGHaXB — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 11, 2020
WELL! What do you know! My housemate just went to cook his broccoli and BAMMMMMMM, he’s got green mates too. Open to name suggestions for our 7th caterpillar child 😭🐛🐛🐛 pic.twitter.com/Gs02yjtPLr — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 12, 2020
He decided to keep them all.
“I’m a firm believer in not harming any animals or insects if possible and I just sort of knew what I had to do after googling how to keep a caterpillar,” he said.
Darlaston named the other members of his buggy brood Broc, Olly, Carlos, Croc, Janine and Slim Eric.
Along the way, he has faced challenges, especially when they started evolving toward their mature state.
“The biggest challenge I faced whilst raising the caterpillars was their love of escaping! Especially when they are about to cocoon,” he told HuffPost. “One day we found one on an ornamental vanilla stick! One under a table and one under a candle holder cocooning! They’d broke free from the paper lid!”
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The OG caterpillar Cedric has begun evolving... is Caterpie is about to become Metapod 😮 pic.twitter.com/sRRXnrR3qs — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 12, 2020
Darlaston also got to see his caterpillar family start to hook up with each other.
Day 3, and we’ve got our first caterpillar romance story. Janine and Slim Eric nap together, eat together, and occasionally dance together 🐛 pic.twitter.com/t883KOVgi0 — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 13, 2020
He also witnessed them going into the cocoon stage of their life.
Also, a closer look at Cedric who is now 30 hours into his chrysalis stage - now fully renamed Metapod until he elvolves into butterfree 🦋 pic.twitter.com/Ryx4jVjgxf — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 13, 2020
But his parents had a hard time accepting his new family.
My mum won’t eat her Sunday Roast for fear of caterpillars!!! Look what you’ve done tesco 😭 pic.twitter.com/nd4gjmnk6T — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 14, 2020
Still, Darlaston learned to enjoy the simple pleasures of parenthood.
Croc needs to learn not to play with his food tbh 🐛🐛🐛 pic.twitter.com/9dqPyRUcxK — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 15, 2020
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He also became melancholy when he realized they were growing up.
Final update of the day... we’ve now got 3 cocoon / chrysalis, they grow up so fast 😭🐛 pic.twitter.com/AZIJMvOYnI — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 15, 2020
Late last week, six of his seven caterpillars had gone into the cocooning stage.
BROCCOLI CATERPILLAR UPDATE - before the weekend 6 out of the 7 became chrysalis / cocooned... Broc was the last to evolve so I let him roam about 🐛 pic.twitter.com/KGhqhd6SzT — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 22, 2020
That necessitated some family photos.
I then got him to pose for a picture with his brother Olly so we could see the diff between caterpillar and cocoon. 🌚🌝 pic.twitter.com/xEcQ9kRdhJ — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 22, 2020
Darlaston said his oldest “child,” Cedric, finally emerged as a butterfly this past weekend.
Broc then became a chrysalis on Friday night... But then on SUNDAY MORNING I WAS GREETED BY CEDRIC!!!! he’s changed a bit 🦋🦋🦋 pic.twitter.com/KvqorlRFKh — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 22, 2020
Remember Cedric the caterpillar? Feel old yet? 🐛🦋 pic.twitter.com/EfTPqIlSXY — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 22, 2020
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Eventually, it was time for the older ones to move out.
“I felt a tiny bit sad watching them spread their wings but overall feeling was happiness,” Darlaston told HuffPost. “I’m just happy at least one of us gets to go out during these times.”
3/7 of the Tesco broccoli caterpillars are now wild butterflies 😭, this morning Janine joined Cedric and Slim Eric for her new life ✌🥦🦋 (thought she’d at least say bye but she just bolted) pic.twitter.com/ZxggmWc6VP — Sam Darlaston (@samd_official) June 24, 2020
Still, the experience has made Darlaston hopeful that he’ll find more creatures in his cruciferous vegetables in the future.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-24--Jamaal Bowman Set For New York Primary Win

The Bronx middle school principal has a strong early lead to unseat longtime Rep. Eliot Engel even though ballots are @ @ @ @

Jamaal Bowman Set For New York Primary Win
The Bronx middle school principal has a strong early lead to unseat longtime Rep. Eliot Engel even though ballots are still being counted.