thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Joe Biden To Nominate Miguel Cardona For Education Secretary

ASSOCIATED PRESS President-elect Joe Biden reportedly plans to nominate Miguel Cardona to serve as the next secretary of education .
Cardona was tapped to serve as Connecticut ’ s education commissioner in 2019 .
He started his career as an elementary school teacher ― consistent with Biden ’ s requirement that the next secretary of education have teaching experience ― before becoming a school principal and district administrator .
In 2012 , he was named Connecticut ’ s principal of the year .
His nomination comes at a moment of crisis in education , as schools grapple with challenges related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devastating loss of learning this year .
Biden has said that he would like to see a vast majority of schools reopen within the first 100 days of his presidency .
In Connecticut , Cardona has remained strident in his desire for schools to provide in-person options this year , though the state has ultimately left such decisions in the hands of districts .
He has resisted calls from the state ’ s teachers union to shut down schools until mid-January .
The union , though , is supportive of his nomination .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented upheaval caused by the pandemic .
While this challenge has been a rocky road — and many issues remain unresolved — teachers and school support staff have appreciated his openness and collaboration .
If selected as Secretary of Education , Dr. Cardona would be a positive force for public education — light years ahead of the dismal Betsy DeVos track record , ” said a recent statement from the Connecticut Education Association , before Cardona ’ s nomination was officially announced .
In the past , Cardona has expressed moderate support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post in 2019 that “ as a parent myself I want to make sure I have options for my children , ” though he said he wants all public schools ― charters included ― to be held to the same accountability standards .
During his confirmation hearing for his current position , he said , “ Charter schools provide choice for parents that are seeking choice , so I think it ’ s a viable option , ” though he said he would primarily pour his energy into traditional public schools , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Connecticut Post that when he was an educator , he sometimes thought kids received too much testing , a topic that could play an important role in the initial months of his tenure as education secretary .
He will be tasked with deciding whether or not states should administer standardized tests during the pandemic this year .
( States received waivers from the federal government to forgo testing last year . )
Earlier this year , the Connecticut State Department of Education told superintendents that they should anticipate testing for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic on student achievement , and that results would not be used to penalize districts .
Cardona was put on the Biden administration ’ s radar through Linda Darling-Hammond , according to the Connecticut Mirror .
Darling-Hammond , president of the California State Board of Education , is leading the education transition team , and was initially seen as a frontrunner for the education secretary job , before announcing that she wasn ’ t interested .
He ’ ll come into the job at a moment of unprecedented upheaval in schools .
Cardona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caucus , who wrote a letter to the Biden team pushing his nomination , Politico reported .
The group also pushed the nomination of Lily Eskelsen García , former president of the National Education Association , the nation ’ s largest teachers union .
Eskelsen García and Randi Weingarten , president of the American Federation of Teachers , were initially seen as strong contenders for the job , as were several big city superintendents , and , later , Leslie Fenwick , dean emeritus of the School of Education at Howard University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a Randi or someone like that , it would have been akin to declaring an act of war on the progress we ’ ve made over the last three decades .
This seems like a very intentional Biden-esque tip to moderation , ” said Jeanne Allen , founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform , a group that fights for school choice and is often at odds with teachers unions .
“ I called some friends in Connecticut , teachers and principals , and there ’ s no ‘ Oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] awful , ’ or ‘ Oh my god , [ he ’ s ] great.
’ There ’ s not a lot of strong opinions either way it seems , ” she said .
“ I think having freshness tends to lead to openness and understanding.
” “ Miguel Cardona is not just a proud product of public schools — he ’ s made strengthening public education and fighting for equity his life ’ s work , ” she said .
“ With his experience as a student , fourth-grade teacher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connecticut , Dr. Cardona — a former AFT member — will transform the Education Department to help students thrive , a reversal of the DeVos disaster of the last four years.
” On the ground in Connecticut , he ’ s been able to retain the support of stakeholders , even when he ’ s at odds with their views , by taking pains to understand the perspectives of others and placing an emphasis on collaboration .
He ’ s remained calm and deliberate during debates on school reopenings , though the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties with sensitivity and centering the experiences of students , said Amy Selib Dowell , Connecticut state director of the group Democrats for Education Reform .
Overall , he ’ s known as an “ extremely nice ” guy , she added .
If confirmed , Cardona ’ s background would be a stark departure from that of his predecessor , Betsy DeVos , an heiress and billionaire who is dedicated to pushing private school choice and alternatives to the traditional public school system .
Cardona , who has a doctorate , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He is Puerto Rican , he grew up in public housing , and English is his second language .
He often discusses the harm of racial stereotyping and his dedication to closing achievement gaps between groups of students .

President-elect Joe Biden reportedly plans to nominate Miguel Cardona to serve as the next secretary of education. ASSOCIATED PRESS
President-elect Joe Biden announced his plans to nominate Miguel Cardona, currently the top schools official in Connecticut, to serve as the next secretary of education on Tuesday evening.
Cardona’s reported selection comes after a fraught process in which Biden’s team had to manage competing interests in the education world, weighing the perspectives of labor officials and education reform interest groups. Cardona is not closely aligned with either side.
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Cardona was tapped to serve as Connecticut’s education commissioner in 2019. He started his career as an elementary school teacher ― consistent with Biden’s requirement that the next secretary of education have teaching experience ― before becoming a school principal and district administrator. In 2012, he was named Connecticut’s principal of the year.
His nomination comes at a moment of crisis in education, as schools grapple with challenges related to COVID-19 and the resulting, potentially devastating loss of learning this year. Biden has said that he would like to see a vast majority of schools reopen within the first 100 days of his presidency.
In Connecticut, Cardona has remained strident in his desire for schools to provide in-person options this year, though the state has ultimately left such decisions in the hands of districts. He has resisted calls from the state’s teachers union to shut down schools until mid-January. The union, though, is supportive of his nomination.
“He has been tested by the unprecedented upheaval caused by the pandemic. While this challenge has been a rocky road — and many issues remain unresolved — teachers and school support staff have appreciated his openness and collaboration. If selected as Secretary of Education, Dr. Cardona would be a positive force for public education — light years ahead of the dismal Betsy DeVos track record,” said a recent statement from the Connecticut Education Association, before Cardona’s nomination was officially announced.
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In the past, Cardona has expressed moderate support for charter schools. He told the Connecticut Post in 2019 that “as a parent myself I want to make sure I have options for my children,” though he said he wants all public schools ― charters included ― to be held to the same accountability standards.
During his confirmation hearing for his current position, he said, “Charter schools provide choice for parents that are seeking choice, so I think it’s a viable option,” though he said he would primarily pour his energy into traditional public schools, according to the Connecticut Mirror.
He also told the Connecticut Post that when he was an educator, he sometimes thought kids received too much testing, a topic that could play an important role in the initial months of his tenure as education secretary. He will be tasked with deciding whether or not states should administer standardized tests during the pandemic this year. (States received waivers from the federal government to forgo testing last year.)
“Testing for the sake of testing prevents educators from getting to the core work of teaching students the skills that [students] need to be successful,” he said in 2019.
Earlier this year, the Connecticut State Department of Education told superintendents that they should anticipate testing for the purpose of determining the impact of the pandemic on student achievement, and that results would not be used to penalize districts.
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Cardona was put on the Biden administration’s radar through Linda Darling-Hammond, according to the Connecticut Mirror. Darling-Hammond, president of the California State Board of Education, is leading the education transition team, and was initially seen as a frontrunner for the education secretary job, before announcing that she wasn’t interested. He’ll come into the job at a moment of unprecedented upheaval in schools.
Cardona also received support from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, who wrote a letter to the Biden team pushing his nomination, Politico reported. The group also pushed the nomination of Lily Eskelsen García, former president of the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union. Eskelsen García and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, were initially seen as strong contenders for the job, as were several big city superintendents, and, later, Leslie Fenwick, dean emeritus of the School of Education at Howard University.
Education reform groups — which lobbied fiercely against the selection of labor leaders like Eskelsen García and Weingarten — have praised the selection of Cardona, saying that he represents a fresh start and a departure from entrenched political interests that have characterized education debates in recent years.
“Had the president-elect appointed a Lily or a Randi or someone like that, it would have been akin to declaring an act of war on the progress we’ve made over the last three decades. This seems like a very intentional Biden-esque tip to moderation,” said Jeanne Allen, founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform, a group that fights for school choice and is often at odds with teachers unions.
“I called some friends in Connecticut, teachers and principals, and there’s no ‘Oh my god, [Cardona’s] awful,’ or ‘Oh my god, [he’s] great.’ There’s not a lot of strong opinions either way it seems,” she said. “I think having freshness tends to lead to openness and understanding.”
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Weingarten also offered her support for his nomination in a statement, noting that he is a former member of her union and that he worked closely with labor during his time as a principal to improve student achievement.
“Miguel Cardona is not just a proud product of public schools — he’s made strengthening public education and fighting for equity his life’s work,” she said. “With his experience as a student, fourth-grade teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and commissioner in Connecticut, Dr. Cardona — a former AFT member — will transform the Education Department to help students thrive, a reversal of the DeVos disaster of the last four years.”
On the ground in Connecticut, he’s been able to retain the support of stakeholders, even when he’s at odds with their views, by taking pains to understand the perspectives of others and placing an emphasis on collaboration. He’s remained calm and deliberate during debates on school reopenings, though the issue is fraught with tension, treating all parties with sensitivity and centering the experiences of students, said Amy Selib Dowell, Connecticut state director of the group Democrats for Education Reform. Overall, he’s known as an “extremely nice” guy, she added.
If confirmed, Cardona’s background would be a stark departure from that of his predecessor, Betsy DeVos, an heiress and billionaire who is dedicated to pushing private school choice and alternatives to the traditional public school system. Cardona, who has a doctorate, has spent his career championing public schools. He is Puerto Rican, he grew up in public housing, and English is his second language. He often discusses the harm of racial stereotyping and his dedication to closing achievement gaps between groups of students.
“We need to do more,” he told the Connecticut Post in 2019. “I am passionate about ensuring that students can achieve equitable outcomes throughout the state regardless of ZIP code or skin color, which unfortunately often today still serve as a predictor of outcomes.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Indian Americans Take Pride In Kamala, But Democrats Must Not Take Them For Granted

Many Indian American voters felt seen and heard by Harris , whose late mother immigrated from India .
On the campaign trail , Harris often spoke in personal terms about her Indian heritage .
In her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in July , she fondly remembered how her mother “ raised us to know and be proud of our Indian heritage , ” and paid tribute to her “ chittis , ” a Tamil word for “ aunties.
” Her historic candidacy helped galvanize Asian American voters , a group often ignored by politicians and political parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her and President-elect Joe Biden in record numbers .
Indian Americans , the second largest Asian American subgroup in the country , tend to vote overwhelmingly Democratic , and having a fellow Indian American on the ticket was significant and meaningful .
However , they want more Indian American and Asian representation at all levels of government ― and the diversity and complexity within Indian American communities means that both parties need to do more to engage them .
Those are some of the key findings from a new survey of Indian Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arora .
There ’ s this deep , strong desire for more people to be elected to office who can understand the immigrant experience , who can understand the diversity of the Indian American community in a way that Kamala Harris did when she took the stage during the DNC .
In the weeks before the November election , they surveyed about 1,000 Indian Americans about the election , Indian American representation and major issues in the U.S. and India .
Sadhwani , an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science at Wellesley College , also wanted to find out more about generational differences among Indian Americans .
So they analyzed respondents based on whether they were born in the U.S. or immigrated there — and , in the case of the latter , when they immigrated .
Indian immigrants who arrived in the U.S. within the past decade were somewhat more likely to favor President Donald Trump , the survey found .
Trump ’ s campaign made efforts to appeal specifically to Indian American voters , often by citing Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The survey found that respondents who favored Trump were also likely to express support for Modi , who has waged a campaign of Hindu nationalism , including enacting discriminatory policies against Muslims in India and cracking down on dissent .
However , Arora cautioned against reading too much into this correlation , because there wasn ’ t “ any meaningful increase in support for Trump from 2016 to 2020 ” among Indian American voters , he said .
Their survey also found strong support for Modi and his policies even from some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t take any community for granted , right ?
” Sadhwani said .
“ Even though Indian Americans , from our survey , are strongly still correlated with the Democratic Party , that ’ s not to suggest that it couldn ’ t change over time as the conditions change in their home country , or as they themselves have different experiences in the United States.
” The fastest growing racial group in the U.S. electorate , Asian Americans have increasingly emerged as swing voters in many battleground states .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the key demographic groups that helped deliver the state for Biden .
They were also a significant factor in Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux ’ s victory in her suburban Atlanta congressional district , which had previously been held by Republicans .
Democrats are hoping to repeat that success in January , trying to register and turn out more Asian American voters for Georgia ’ s two Senate runoff elections , which will decide control of the Senate .
While Asian American voters generally tend to vote Democratic , about 30 % of Asian American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — in part because for a long time , neither party made much of an effort to engage them .
When they do , it ’ s often only in the weeks leading up to an election .
In Sadhwani and Arora ’ s survey , the desire for more representation in politics is something most respondents overwhelmingly agreed on , regardless of other factors .
When asked “ If more Indian Americans were elected to office at the local , state and federal levels , would you feel like you were being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of respondents said yes .
“ I think that speaks to this desire to see those , not just of your own national origin group , but people who do understand that immigrant experience , and who can represent the values , the principles , all of that , that this community cares about , ” Arora said .
“ And there ’ s the potential for these kinds of broader coalitions to be built in electoral politics and in other forms of politics.
” “ The fact that so many Indian Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to support other Indian American candidates so that they can feel more represented says to me that people aren ’ t feeling very represented , ” Sadhwani said .
“ There ’ s this deep , strong desire for more people to be elected to office who can understand the immigrant experience , who can understand the diversity of the Indian American community in a way that Kamala Harris did when she took the stage during the DNC .
”

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As the first Black and Asian American woman on a major party’s presidential ticket, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her historic candidacy made it possible for a lot more voters to see themselves reflected in U.S. politics.
Many Indian American voters felt seen and heard by Harris, whose late mother immigrated from India. On the campaign trail, Harris often spoke in personal terms about her Indian heritage. In her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in July, she fondly remembered how her mother “raised us to know and be proud of our Indian heritage,” and paid tribute to her “chittis,” a Tamil word for “aunties.”
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Her historic candidacy helped galvanize Asian American voters, a group often ignored by politicians and political parties and organizations, to turn out for her and President-elect Joe Biden in record numbers. Indian Americans, the second largest Asian American subgroup in the country, tend to vote overwhelmingly Democratic, and having a fellow Indian American on the ticket was significant and meaningful.
However, they want more Indian American and Asian representation at all levels of government ― and the diversity and complexity within Indian American communities means that both parties need to do more to engage them. Those are some of the key findings from a new survey of Indian Americans by political scientists Sara Sadhwani and Maneesh Arora.
“There’s this deep, strong desire for more people to be elected to office who can understand the immigrant experience, who can understand the diversity of the Indian American community in a way that Kamala Harris did when she took the stage during the DNC.” - Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College
In the weeks before the November election, they surveyed about 1,000 Indian Americans about the election, Indian American representation and major issues in the U.S. and India. Sadhwani, an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, and Arora, an assistant professor of political science at Wellesley College, also wanted to find out more about generational differences among Indian Americans. So they analyzed respondents based on whether they were born in the U.S. or immigrated there — and, in the case of the latter, when they immigrated.
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Indian immigrants who arrived in the U.S. within the past decade were somewhat more likely to favor President Donald Trump, the survey found. Trump’s campaign made efforts to appeal specifically to Indian American voters, often by citing Trump’s support for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The survey found that respondents who favored Trump were also likely to express support for Modi, who has waged a campaign of Hindu nationalism, including enacting discriminatory policies against Muslims in India and cracking down on dissent.
However, Arora cautioned against reading too much into this correlation, because there wasn’t “any meaningful increase in support for Trump from 2016 to 2020” among Indian American voters, he said. Their survey also found strong support for Modi and his policies even from some respondents who opposed Trump.
Sadhwani and Arora said their findings are a reminder that both parties need to make more concerted efforts to engage Indian American voters — as well as Asian American voters more broadly — and to do so in culturally competent ways.
“We can’t take any community for granted, right?” Sadhwani said. “Even though Indian Americans, from our survey, are strongly still correlated with the Democratic Party, that’s not to suggest that it couldn’t change over time as the conditions change in their home country, or as they themselves have different experiences in the United States.”
Arora said the findings also help dispel the myth that Indian American and Asian American voters are apolitical.
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The fastest growing racial group in the U.S. electorate, Asian Americans have increasingly emerged as swing voters in many battleground states. In Georgia, Asian American voters were among the key demographic groups that helped deliver the state for Biden. They were also a significant factor in Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux’s victory in her suburban Atlanta congressional district, which had previously been held by Republicans.
Democrats are hoping to repeat that success in January, trying to register and turn out more Asian American voters for Georgia’s two Senate runoff elections, which will decide control of the Senate. While Asian American voters generally tend to vote Democratic, about 30% of Asian American voters are unaffiliated with a political party — in part because for a long time, neither party made much of an effort to engage them. When they do, it’s often only in the weeks leading up to an election.
As several Asian American advocates told HuffPost last month, politicians and political parties can no longer ignore Asian American voters. Elected officials need to demonstrate a long-term investment in Asian American communities beyond election cycles, such as engaging them on policy issues and appointing Asian American officials, advisers and staff at all levels of government.
In putting together his administration, Biden has faced criticism from lawmakers of color, including top Asian American lawmakers, for not selecting enough people of color for high-level Cabinet posts.
In Sadhwani and Arora’s survey, the desire for more representation in politics is something most respondents overwhelmingly agreed on, regardless of other factors. When asked “If more Indian Americans were elected to office at the local, state and federal levels, would you feel like you were being better represented,” almost 67% of respondents said yes.
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Arora said they similarly found broad support when respondents were asked whether they would feel better represented if there were more Asian American elected officials, regardless of nationality.
“I think that speaks to this desire to see those, not just of your own national origin group, but people who do understand that immigrant experience, and who can represent the values, the principles, all of that, that this community cares about,” Arora said. “And there’s the potential for these kinds of broader coalitions to be built in electoral politics and in other forms of politics.”
In addition, nearly 59% of respondents said they would support an Indian American candidate, regardless of the candidate’s political party.
“The fact that so many Indian Americans, regardless of party, are willing to support other Indian American candidates so that they can feel more represented says to me that people aren’t feeling very represented,” Sadhwani said. “There’s this deep, strong desire for more people to be elected to office who can understand the immigrant experience, who can understand the diversity of the Indian American community in a way that Kamala Harris did when she took the stage during the DNC.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Almost No Democrats Are Calling On Trump To Pardon Edward Snowden

Getty Images President Donald Trump has said he is considering pardoning Edward Snowden , left .
Some liberal civil liberties groups are letting Republicans take the lead on lobbying him .
Twenty House Democrats signed a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler ( D-N.Y. ) in October 2019 to warn that they would withhold support for the reauthorization of Section 215 of the Patriot Act absent major reforms .
That section provided the supposed legal justification for the first and most prominent mass surveillance program that Snowden uncovered with his 2013 leaks : the NSA ’ s collection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without a warrant .
( Thanks in part to this pressure from progressives , Congress reached a stalemate on reform that prompted Section 215 to expire altogether in March ; this past September , a federal appeals court also ruled the original phone data collection program unconstitutional . )
“ Mass surveillance was never going to end until the public found out about it , and in fact , after The Guardian and Snowden revealed dragnet government surveillance , Congress ended that unconstitutional program , ” he continued .
“ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Obama administrations to be straight with the American people and why I ’ m continuing the long fight to protect Americans ’ rights.
” Other progressives sympathetic to Snowden have stopped short of whole-heartedly embracing his pardon .
Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , who has repeatedly praised the effect of Snowden ’ s leaks , called in 2016 for the federal government to grant Snowden “ clemency ” by promising a lighter sentence in exchange for Snowden ’ s return to the U.S. And Ocasio-Cortez , who is the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Intercept that Snowden “ should be considered ” for a pardon by either Trump or President-elect Joe Biden .
But the absence of Democratic participation in the push to pardon Snowden is notable because it runs counter to the Democratic Party ’ s historic commitments .
From the 1975 Church Committee investigations into domestic spying to the post-Snowden scramble to curb the government ’ s surveillance powers , left-leaning members of the Democratic Party have been some of the national security establishment ’ s boldest opponents and most successful reformers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been vigilant about federal government snooping is the frequency with which such tactics have been used to undermine social movements associated with the left .
The FBI spied not only on more radical elements of the Black civil rights , antiwar and Puerto Rican independence movements in the 1960s and 1970s , but also on mainstream figures like Martin Luther King Jr. , infamously using evidence of King ’ s adultery to encourage his death by suicide .
“ Democrats who oppose the Patriot Act , who think that Bush-era warrantless wiretapping and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to understand that the possibility of pushing back against the surveillance state is in large part a function of Snowden ’ s good deeds , and his work in the public interest should be defended , ” said David Segal , executive director of Demand Progress , a liberal group that opposes mass surveillance .
“ He should be defended and protected with a pardon.
” These groups ’ quietness on the matter reflects a tactical consideration to let Republicans do the heavy lifting , according to a prominent civil liberties advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to jeopardize the prospects of Snowden ’ s pardon .
Civil liberties groups associated with the left worry that appeals from lawmakers and institutions that have been critical of Trump could undermine the appeal of a possible pardon by speaking up more vocally , according to the advocate .
Greenwald , who has appeared on Fox News to make his case for a Snowden pardon , maintains , by contrast , that progressive encouragement of Trump would , at the very least , do no harm to the cause .
It might even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Trump does like the idea of being applauded across the spectrum , ” he said .

President Donald Trump has said he is considering pardoning Edward Snowden, left. Some liberal civil liberties groups are letting Republicans take the lead on lobbying him. Getty Images
Many Democrats in Congress acknowledge that National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden exposed vast government surveillance overreach. They demonstrated their concern with their actions: When key provisions of the Patriot Act were up for reauthorization earlier this year, progressive Democrats led the charge to strip the law of language used to justify mass surveillance programs uncovered by Snowden.
But now, as President Donald Trump considers whether to pardon Snowden for his alleged crimes, only one Democratic member of Congress has pushed the lame-duck president to do it. The federal government has charged Snowden with three felonies: one count of theft and two violations of the 1917 Espionage Act.
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Trump said in August that he was going to “start looking at” the idea of pardoning Snowden.
The most concerted, public effort to push Trump toward pardoning Snowden has come from a handful of conservative lawmakers. Three Republican members of Congress and one Republican-turned-independent encouraged Trump on Dec. 12 to pardon Snowden.
The appeals on Twitter from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Justin Amash (I-Mich.) were part of a coordinated initiative by surveillance critics on the right to leverage Trump’s hostility toward the intelligence agencies, which he calls the “deep state,” to exempt Snowden from prosecution for revealing the extent of the NSA’s spying programs on American citizens.
But thus far, outgoing Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is the only Democratic member of Congress to call on Trump to pardon Snowden. And some civil liberties advocates are disappointed.
“Lawmakers should celebrate and protect the brave people who expose government abuse and corruption, regardless of who is in the White House when it happens,” said Evan Greer, deputy director of the digital freedom group Fight for the Future.
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“This is a test of principle over partisanship, and Democrats are woefully failing it.” - Glenn Greenwald
Twenty House Democrats signed a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) in October 2019 to warn that they would withhold support for the reauthorization of Section 215 of the Patriot Act absent major reforms. That section provided the supposed legal justification for the first and most prominent mass surveillance program that Snowden uncovered with his 2013 leaks: the NSA’s collection of virtually all Americans’ phone records without a warrant. (Thanks in part to this pressure from progressives, Congress reached a stalemate on reform that prompted Section 215 to expire altogether in March; this past September, a federal appeals court also ruled the original phone data collection program unconstitutional.)
Aside from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), who addressed the matter in an interview with The Intercept, HuffPost reached out to all of the letter’s signatories about whether they would join the call for Trump to pardon Snowden.
The offices of Reps. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Don Beyer (Va.), Judy Chu (Calif.), Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (Ill.), Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), Deb Haaland (N.M.), Grace Meng (N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (Washington, D.C.), Alan Lowenthal (Calif.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Frank Pallone (N.J.), Bobby Rush (Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (Ill.), José Serrano (N.Y.), Mark Takano (Calif.) and Nydia Velázquez (N.Y.) did not respond.
As of Monday evening, only the office of Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore replied to HuffPost’s inquiry.
“Rep. Moore has been extremely troubled about Trump’s frequent and flagrant misuse of the pardon power throughout his presidency and believes that the pardon process should be normalized and go through the Dept of Justice vetting process like other presidents have undertaken for pardons in the past,” Moore’s chief of staff Sean Gard told HuffPost in a statement.
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HuffPost also asked several prominent progressive surveillance critics — including Sens. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), and Ron Wyden (Ore.), as well as Reps. Ro Khanna (Calif.) and Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) — for their opinion on a potential pardon for Snowden.
Leahy, Durbin, Heinrich, Khanna and Jayapal, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, did not respond.
Wyden, whose 2013 hearing question to then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper prompted Clapper to lie about the existence of mass surveillance of U.S. citizens, provided a statement praising the impact of Snowden’s actions without endorsing a pardon.
“I’m not going to sit in judgment on pending criminal charges, though I certainly don’t think there should be a double standard where defenders of particular programs can leak classified information and get off scot-free, while critics of those programs go to prison,” Wyden said.
“Mass surveillance was never going to end until the public found out about it, and in fact, after The Guardian and Snowden revealed dragnet government surveillance, Congress ended that unconstitutional program,” he continued. “That’s why I spent years urging the Bush and Obama administrations to be straight with the American people and why I’m continuing the long fight to protect Americans’ rights.”
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Other progressives sympathetic to Snowden have stopped short of whole-heartedly embracing his pardon. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has repeatedly praised the effect of Snowden’s leaks, called in 2016 for the federal government to grant Snowden “clemency” by promising a lighter sentence in exchange for Snowden’s return to the U.S. And Ocasio-Cortez, who is the most famous left-wing member of the House, told The Intercept that Snowden “should be considered” for a pardon by either Trump or President-elect Joe Biden.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), left, talks with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in April 2018. Paul has called for pardoning Snowden, while Sanders backs leniency, rather than a full pardon. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
There are, of course, many outspoken opponents of pardoning Snowden in the still-dominant, hawkish wing of the Republican Party, from Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) to Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.).
But the absence of Democratic participation in the push to pardon Snowden is notable because it runs counter to the Democratic Party’s historic commitments. From the 1975 Church Committee investigations into domestic spying to the post-Snowden scramble to curb the government’s surveillance powers, left-leaning members of the Democratic Party have been some of the national security establishment’s boldest opponents and most successful reformers.
Glenn Greenwald, an independent journalist who first published Snowden’s leaked documents and is an outspoken advocate for his pardon, accused Democrats of being more protective of national security leakers like Daniel Ellsberg who reveal classified information during Republican administrations than of Snowden, who acted while Barack Obama was president.
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“This is a test of principle over partisanship, and Democrats are woefully failing it,” Greenwald said.
One reason that progressive Democrats have traditionally been vigilant about federal government snooping is the frequency with which such tactics have been used to undermine social movements associated with the left. The FBI spied not only on more radical elements of the Black civil rights, antiwar and Puerto Rican independence movements in the 1960s and 1970s, but also on mainstream figures like Martin Luther King Jr., infamously using evidence of King’s adultery to encourage his death by suicide.
This legacy, and the more recent, bipartisan fight to allow the expiration of the key Patriot Act provisions, should make pardoning Snowden a progressive cause, according to Greenwald and some other civil liberties activists.
“Democrats who oppose the Patriot Act, who think that Bush-era warrantless wiretapping and other mass surveillance programs were wrong … need to understand that the possibility of pushing back against the surveillance state is in large part a function of Snowden’s good deeds, and his work in the public interest should be defended,” said David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress, a liberal group that opposes mass surveillance. “He should be defended and protected with a pardon.”
“They’re letting Republicans pretend to be the party of liberty and basic rights. It’s depressing.” - Evan Greer, Fight For the Future
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Greer put it more bluntly.
“It’s frankly outrageous that Democrats have been so silent, or even worse have falsely labeled [Snowden] as a traitor,” Greer told HuffPost in a statement. “By doing so they’re letting Republicans pretend to be the party of liberty and basic rights. It’s depressing.”
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation ― groups that have called for Snowden’s pardon ― declined to comment when asked whether lawmakers from both parties, including sympathetic Democrats, should join the calls for Snowden’s pardon. (An ACLU attorney leads Snowden’s legal defense team.)
The editorial board of The New York Times, which appealed to Obama to offer Snowden clemency, has stayed out of the push to encourage lenient treatment from Trump.
HuffPost also reached out to Free Press, a digital rights group that also supports pardoning Snowden. “We tend not to play pardon politics and don’t see much value in engaging with the Trump administration on any issue,” said Tim Karr, a Free Press spokesperson.
But, Karr added, “We’d certainly be supportive of any push in Congress.”
These groups’ quietness on the matter reflects a tactical consideration to let Republicans do the heavy lifting, according to a prominent civil liberties advocate, who requested anonymity so as not to jeopardize the prospects of Snowden’s pardon. Civil liberties groups associated with the left worry that appeals from lawmakers and institutions that have been critical of Trump could undermine the appeal of a possible pardon by speaking up more vocally, according to the advocate.
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Greenwald, who has appeared on Fox News to make his case for a Snowden pardon, maintains, by contrast, that progressive encouragement of Trump would, at the very least, do no harm to the cause. It might even help, Greenwald ventured. “I think Trump does like the idea of being applauded across the spectrum,” he said.
Some progressives have called for Democrats to prioritize the pardoning of Reality Winner, a former NSA translator who is serving a five-year prison sentence for leaking official documents showing that Russia tried to interfere with voting systems in 2016. Unlike Winner, Snowden lives freely with his wife in Moscow, where the Russian government continues to provide him with asylum. (Contrary to some people’s misconceptions, Snowden is a critic of the Russian government who sought protection there as a last resort.)
While presidents tend to defer to the intelligence agencies, which argue that no leak of sensitive national security information should go unpunished, Trump’s impulsive style and personal grievances with federal law enforcement agencies, some of which are legitimate, make him a unique target for the campaign to pardon Snowden.
“In this moment, for a variety of reasons there are ideologues in both parties who support the same legislative vehicles to constrain surveillance, to constrain war, and who recognize that an unchecked national security and military industrial complex is not in the interests or wellbeing of the broader public and want to do something about it,” Segal said.
In addition, it is clear that many Democratic lawmakers’ silence about a Snowden pardon does not spring from tactical concerns about the best way to influence Trump. In 2016, when liberal civil liberties groups were conducting a more public campaign pressuring then-President Obama to pardon Snowden, there was no comparable fear that Democrats’ endorsement of the cause would undermine the political case for a pardon. But no Democratic member of Congress embraced that call to pardon Snowden either.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Air Force Says Black Service Members More Often Investigated, Punished

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Black service members in the Air Force are far more likely to be investigated , arrested , face disciplinary actions and be discharged for misconduct , according to a new report that looked at racial disparities across the service .
The report by the Air Force inspector general , released Monday , said Black members of the Air Force and Space Force are less likely to be promoted to higher enlisted and officer ranks , and one-third of them believe they don ’ t get the same opportunities as their white peers .
And it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Black service members , but that the data did not explain why it happens .
The report comes as the Pentagon struggles with a broader effort to expand diversity within the ranks .
The Defense Department last week endorsed a new slate of initiatives to more aggressively recruit , retain and promote a more racially and ethnically diverse force .
And it called for a plan to crack down on participation in hate groups by service members and draft proposed changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice .
The Air Force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have long been suspected .
It said that a large number of Black service members reported experiences with bias and racism .
And while those reports were difficult to validate within the study , the review concluded that it was “ reasonable to conclude that individual acts of racism have occurred in the Department of the Air Force.
” One Black squadron commander who was interviewed , for example , said the only mentoring he received throughout his career was from other Black leaders .
And he said at times Black service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ends their career .
“ You might get left behind if you don ’ t have someone that looks like you helping to propel you , ” he said .
“ Black service members need to work twice as hard and you can ’ t mess up.
” Discrimination beliefs cut across the ranks .
As many as half of the Black survey respondents said they had been discriminated against because of their race .
And 45 percent of Black general officers — they include one-star to four-star generals — said they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the white general officers said they didn ’ t face discrimination based on their race .
Senior Air Force and Space Force leaders asked for updates within 60 days on how to address a number of the issues , including the disparity in discipline and the fact that 60 % of the Black service members surveyed said they don ’ t get the same benefit of the doubt as their white peers if they get into trouble .
“ Racial disparity isn ’ t an easy topic and something we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our levels of command , ” said Brown , the first Black man to lead the Air Force .
“ Now we must all move forward with meaningful , lasting , and sustainable change.
” The IG review examined the military justice process data going back to 2012 , looked at promotion rates and other opportunities given to service members , conducted interviews , and received more than 123,000 responses to a survey .
Officials said it focused solely on Black service members to get the review done quickly , but subsequent changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority groups .
Specifically , the review found that enlisted Black service members were 57 % more likely than whites to face courts-martial and 72 % more likely to get nonjudicial punishment as a result of an investigation .
Black troops were twice as likely to be apprehended by security and young Black enlisted members were twice as likely to be involuntarily discharged for misconduct .
Black troops also are investigated and found guilty of sexual harassment more often .
The report noted , however , that recruits who join the force with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black or white — are more likely to face discipline problems .
Recruits with previous criminal convictions such as assault , drunk driving or marijuana use require a moral waiver to enlist .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Black service members in the Air Force are far more likely to be investigated, arrested, face disciplinary actions and be discharged for misconduct, according to a new report that looked at racial disparities across the service.
The report by the Air Force inspector general, released Monday, said Black members of the Air Force and Space Force are less likely to be promoted to higher enlisted and officer ranks, and one-third of them believe they don’t get the same opportunities as their white peers. And it concluded that “racial disparity exists” for Black service members, but that the data did not explain why it happens.
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The report comes as the Pentagon struggles with a broader effort to expand diversity within the ranks. The Defense Department last week endorsed a new slate of initiatives to more aggressively recruit, retain and promote a more racially and ethnically diverse force. And it called for a plan to crack down on participation in hate groups by service members and draft proposed changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
The Air Force IG report outlined data for racial inequities that have long been suspected. It said that a large number of Black service members reported experiences with bias and racism. And while those reports were difficult to validate within the study, the review concluded that it was “reasonable to conclude that individual acts of racism have occurred in the Department of the Air Force.”
One Black squadron commander who was interviewed, for example, said the only mentoring he received throughout his career was from other Black leaders. And he said at times Black service members make one mistake, and it ends their career.
“You might get left behind if you don’t have someone that looks like you helping to propel you,” he said. “Black service members need to work twice as hard and you can’t mess up.”
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Discrimination beliefs cut across the ranks. As many as half of the Black survey respondents said they had been discriminated against because of their race. And 45 percent of Black general officers — they include one-star to four-star generals — said they had experienced discrimination. In contrast, 94% of the white general officers said they didn’t face discrimination based on their race.
Senior Air Force and Space Force leaders asked for updates within 60 days on how to address a number of the issues, including the disparity in discipline and the fact that 60% of the Black service members surveyed said they don’t get the same benefit of the doubt as their white peers if they get into trouble.
Gen. Charles Brown Jr., chief of staff of the Air Force, said service leaders must rebuild trust with their force.
“Racial disparity isn’t an easy topic and something we don’t traditionally talk about much throughout our levels of command,” said Brown, the first Black man to lead the Air Force. “Now we must all move forward with meaningful, lasting, and sustainable change.”
Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett added that leaders will take appropriate actions to remove barriers and expand mentorship and other programs to encourage diversity.
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The IG review examined the military justice process data going back to 2012, looked at promotion rates and other opportunities given to service members, conducted interviews, and received more than 123,000 responses to a survey. Officials said it focused solely on Black service members to get the review done quickly, but subsequent changes would be applied more broadly to other minority groups.
Specifically, the review found that enlisted Black service members were 57% more likely than whites to face courts-martial and 72% more likely to get nonjudicial punishment as a result of an investigation. Black troops were twice as likely to be apprehended by security and young Black enlisted members were twice as likely to be involuntarily discharged for misconduct. Black troops also are investigated and found guilty of sexual harassment more often.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--U.S. Layoffs Remain Elevated As 803,000 Seek Unemployment Aid

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell by 89,000 last week to a still-elevated 803,000 , evidence that the job market remains under stress nine months after the coronavirus outbreak sent the U.S. economy into recession and caused millions of layoffs .
The latest figure , released Wednesday by the Labor Department , shows that many employers are still cutting jobs as the pandemic tightens business restrictions and leads many consumers to stay home .
Before the virus struck , applications typically numbered around 225,000 a week before shooting up to 6.9 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to contain it — flattened the economy .
It has since come down but remains at historically high levels .
The total number of people who are receiving traditional state unemployment benefits fell to 5.3 million for the week that ended Dec. 12 from a week earlier .
That figure had peaked in early May at nearly 23 million .
The steady decline since then means that some unemployed Americans are finding work and no longer receiving aid .
But it also indicates that many of the unemployed have used up their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six months .
Millions more jobless Americans are now collecting checks under two federal programs that were created in March to ease the economic pain inflicted by the pandemic .
Those programs had been set to expire the day after Christmas .
On Monday , Congress agreed to extend them as part of a $ 900 billion pandemic rescue package .
On Tuesday night , though , President Donald Trump suddenly raised doubts about that aid and other federal money by attacking Congress ’ rescue package as inadequate and suggesting that he might @ @ @ @ @ @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell by 89,000 last week to a still-elevated 803,000, evidence that the job market remains under stress nine months after the coronavirus outbreak sent the U.S. economy into recession and caused millions of layoffs.
The latest figure, released Wednesday by the Labor Department, shows that many employers are still cutting jobs as the pandemic tightens business restrictions and leads many consumers to stay home. Before the virus struck, applications typically numbered around 225,000 a week before shooting up to 6.9 million in early spring when the virus — and efforts to contain it — flattened the economy. It has since come down but remains at historically high levels.
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The total number of people who are receiving traditional state unemployment benefits fell to 5.3 million for the week that ended Dec. 12 from a week earlier. That figure had peaked in early May at nearly 23 million. The steady decline since then means that some unemployed Americans are finding work and no longer receiving aid. But it also indicates that many of the unemployed have used up their state benefits, which typically expire after six months.
Millions more jobless Americans are now collecting checks under two federal programs that were created in March to ease the economic pain inflicted by the pandemic. Those programs had been set to expire the day after Christmas. On Monday, Congress agreed to extend them as part of a $900 billion pandemic rescue package.
On Tuesday night, though, President Donald Trump suddenly raised doubts about that aid and other federal money by attacking Congress’ rescue package as inadequate and suggesting that he might not sign it into law.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Saves Christmas For Widowed Father

The former wrestler came to the aid of a widowed father-of-two as part of fellow actor John Krasinski ’ s YouTube series , “ Some Good News.
” “ Super dad ” Jay Abel was invited on Krasinski ’ s show after the host learned Jay – who lost his wife three years ago – was selling off memorabilia on eBay to raise money for his children ’ s Christmas presents .
Krasinski had actually been posing as a buyer on eBay , offering to buy up Abel ’ s items under a pseudonym , but had been banned after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled out of the sales .
Still wanting to help , Krasinski enlisted Johnson after noticing that Abel had previously tweeted The Rock to help raise awareness of his memorabilia sale .
@ TheRock Hi Rock !
I 'm like your biggest fan !
So I could use your help please .
I 'm trying to raise some money to be able to provide my children with a Christmas this year .
If it 's not to much to ask , Would you please consider retweeting this please .
Thank Uhttps : //t.co/X84mxELnQ1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) December 10 , 2020 Johnson popped up on the video call , revealing he had been really moved by Abel ’ s attempts to provide for his family .
Johnson then instructed Abel to take all his items off the auction site as he would personally be sorting Christmas for Abel and his two kids , Elisa , 8 , and AJ , 11 .
“ I also want your kids to know what kind of father they have , ” Johnson said .
“ So , I hear that you like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when it ’ s safe , I want you to come down to Southern California and I want you to visit us at the DC Universe and we ’ ll show you around , give you a whole bunch of cool DC swag .
But !
It ain ’ t done there , either.
” Johnson then revealed he was going to get his official Black Adam script bound and signed once the upcoming movie had wrapped filming .
“ I ’ ve got to tell you , you deserve it all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Your story is an inspiration .
You are an inspiration , not only to myself , to Dwanta Claus , but certainly to John , certainly to everybody who hears your story .
You inspire so many people because the truth is you represent so many parents around the world who are going through the struggle this Christmas .
”

Hollywood star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s latest role has seen him transform into a real-life Santa Claus to save one family’s Christmas.
The former wrestler came to the aid of a widowed father-of-two as part of fellow actor John Krasinski’s YouTube series, “Some Good News.”
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“Super dad” Jay Abel was invited on Krasinski’s show after the host learned Jay – who lost his wife three years ago – was selling off memorabilia on eBay to raise money for his children’s Christmas presents.
YouTube
Krasinski had actually been posing as a buyer on eBay, offering to buy up Abel’s items under a pseudonym, but had been banned after Abel suspected the account was fraudulent and pulled out of the sales.
Still wanting to help, Krasinski enlisted Johnson after noticing that Abel had previously tweeted The Rock to help raise awareness of his memorabilia sale.
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@TheRock Hi Rock! I'm like your biggest fan! So I could use your help please. I'm trying to raise some money to be able to provide my children with a Christmas this year. If it's not to much to ask, Would you please consider retweeting this please. Thank Uhttps://t.co/X84mxELnQ1 — Jays Nerdy Life (@JaysNerdyLife) December 10, 2020
Johnson popped up on the video call, revealing he had been really moved by Abel’s attempts to provide for his family. Johnson then instructed Abel to take all his items off the auction site as he would personally be sorting Christmas for Abel and his two kids, Elisa, 8, and AJ, 11.
“I also want your kids to know what kind of father they have,” Johnson said. “So, I hear that you like comics… when this whole thing is done and when it’s safe, I want you to come down to Southern California and I want you to visit us at the DC Universe and we’ll show you around, give you a whole bunch of cool DC swag. But! It ain’t done there, either.”
Johnson then revealed he was going to get his official Black Adam script bound and signed once the upcoming movie had wrapped filming.
“I’ve got to tell you, you deserve it all, man,” Johnson said. “Your story is an inspiration. You are an inspiration, not only to myself, to Dwanta Claus, but certainly to John, certainly to everybody who hears your story. You inspire so many people because the truth is you represent so many parents around the world who are going through the struggle this Christmas.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Trump Signs Executive Order Promoting 'Beautiful' Federal Buildings

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday promoting the importance of “ beautiful ” federal buildings ― specifically , ones featuring classical instead of modern architecture .
“ President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson consciously modeled the most important buildings in Washington , D.C. , on the classical architecture of ancient Athens and Rome , ” the order states .
“ They sought to use classical architecture to visually connect our contemporary Republic with the antecedents of democracy in classical antiquity , reminding citizens not only of their rights but also their responsibilities in maintaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s order lists several structures that it says are characterized by this appreciation for classical architecture , including the White House , the U.S. Capitol Building , the Supreme Court and the Lincoln Memorial .
Such traditional designs were replaced after World War II by more modern buildings , the order says , listing the likes of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building ( headquarters of the Department of Health and Human Services ) and the Robert C. Weaver Building ( headquarters of the Department of Housing and Urban Development ) .
Both structures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and designed by famed architect Marcel Breuer .
But according to Trump ’ s order , such buildings were “ often unpopular with Americans.
” Instead of erecting more Brutalist buildings in the future ― or , worse , Deconstructivist designs , which the order says “ subvert [ ] the traditional values of architecture ” ― the president encourages designs from the “ Neoclassical , Georgian , Federal , Greek Revival , Beaux-Arts , and Art Deco ” traditions .
“ In Washington , D.C. , Federal architecture has become a discordant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the order reads .
“ ... New Federal building designs should , like America ’ s beloved landmark buildings , uplift and beautify public spaces , inspire the human spirit , ennoble the United States , command respect from the general public , and , as appropriate , respect the architectural heritage of a region.
” Rumblings of Trump ’ s preference for more traditional architecture appeared earlier this year in February when the magazine Architectural Record saw a preliminary draft of the order , reportedly entitled “ Making Federal Buildings Beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website Archinect reported that the order ’ s promotion of so-called traditional buildings was similar to discussions in online design circles where “ traditional architecture enthusiasts , white suprematists [ sic ] , and other groups have aligned their shared passions for classical aesthetics with sordid nationalist politics to consistently weaponize classical motifs under a variety of nativist mantles.
” A number of voices chimed in on social media this week to criticize Trump ’ s aesthetic concerns after the executive order was officially signed .
Instead of talking about brutalist architecture today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the worst mass murderer in American history , a Russian asset who should spend the rest of his life in a brutalist prison like the one his pal Epstein died in .
Current US death toll : 318,000. pic.twitter.com/UAH3SuXcHr — Steve Silberman ( @ stevesilberman ) December 21 , 2020 Trump ’ s executive order banning modern designs for all federal buildings is not about his love of french neoclassicism is much as it ’ s a parting gift to his friends in the concrete industry if you know what mean .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ arts .
@ realDonaldTrump — NoelCaslerComedy ( @ CaslerNoel ) December 21 , 2020

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday promoting the importance of “beautiful” federal buildings ― specifically, ones featuring classical instead of modern architecture.
“President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson consciously modeled the most important buildings in Washington, D.C., on the classical architecture of ancient Athens and Rome,” the order states. “They sought to use classical architecture to visually connect our contemporary Republic with the antecedents of democracy in classical antiquity, reminding citizens not only of their rights but also their responsibilities in maintaining and perpetuating its institutions.”
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Trump’s order lists several structures that it says are characterized by this appreciation for classical architecture, including the White House, the U.S. Capitol Building, the Supreme Court and the Lincoln Memorial.
Such traditional designs were replaced after World War II by more modern buildings, the order says, listing the likes of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building (headquarters of the Department of Health and Human Services) and the Robert C. Weaver Building (headquarters of the Department of Housing and Urban Development).
Both structures were built in the Brutalist architectural tradition and designed by famed architect Marcel Breuer. But according to Trump’s order, such buildings were “often unpopular with Americans.”
Instead of erecting more Brutalist buildings in the future ― or, worse, Deconstructivist designs, which the order says “subvert[] the traditional values of architecture” ― the president encourages designs from the “Neoclassical, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Beaux-Arts, and Art Deco” traditions.
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“In Washington, D.C., Federal architecture has become a discordant mixture of classical and modernist designs,” the order reads. “... New Federal building designs should, like America’s beloved landmark buildings, uplift and beautify public spaces, inspire the human spirit, ennoble the United States, command respect from the general public, and, as appropriate, respect the architectural heritage of a region.”
Rumblings of Trump’s preference for more traditional architecture appeared earlier this year in February when the magazine Architectural Record saw a preliminary draft of the order, reportedly entitled “Making Federal Buildings Beautiful Again.”
At the time, the website Archinect reported that the order’s promotion of so-called traditional buildings was similar to discussions in online design circles where “traditional architecture enthusiasts, white suprematists [sic], and other groups have aligned their shared passions for classical aesthetics with sordid nationalist politics to consistently weaponize classical motifs under a variety of nativist mantles.”
A number of voices chimed in on social media this week to criticize Trump’s aesthetic concerns after the executive order was officially signed.
if there’s one thing i think of when i hear the name donald trump, it’s world class taste in architecture... pic.twitter.com/IwOBpqCPdb — jake (@ThisAgain2992) December 21, 2020
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Instead of talking about brutalist architecture today, let's talk about how Trump is the worst mass murderer in American history, a Russian asset who should spend the rest of his life in a brutalist prison like the one his pal Epstein died in. Current US death toll: 318,000. pic.twitter.com/UAH3SuXcHr — Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) December 21, 2020
For some context, this is the federal courthouse that triggers Trump for some stupid reason. pic.twitter.com/E2hsAFwrQG — Brandon Farmahini (@MrFarmahini) December 21, 2020
Fascists are very concerned about public architecture styles: they view architecture (especially "strong" looking architecture) as a way to unify the country. — Pé (@4everNeverTrump) December 21, 2020
Stalin mandated all USSR bldgs designed in “Socialist Classicism” Stalin hi-rises in Moscow
Hitler mandated “Nazi Classicism” for all 3rd Reich bldgs—The Volkshalle in Berlin
Trump’s mandating “MAGA Classicism” for US Fed bldgs.
Fascists have a specific taste for architecture. https://t.co/ORCXxWFJhx — Trinity (@TrinityResists) December 22, 2020
Trump’s executive order banning modern designs for all federal buildings is not about his love of french neoclassicism is much as it’s a parting gift to his friends in the concrete industry if you know what mean. I call this architectural style: bada-bing arts. @realDonaldTrump — NoelCaslerComedy (@CaslerNoel) December 21, 2020
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Trump's executive order on architecture is very funny because his and a lot of reactionaries' ideas of "beautiful architecture" is Caesar's Palace and the Cheesecake Factory — findom earle (@coherentstates) December 21, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Virginia Judge Won’t Try Black Man In Courtroom With White Portraits

FALLS CHURCH , Va. ( AP ) — A Black defendant ’ s right to a fair trial would be harmed if the jury heard the case in a courtroom lined with portraits of white jurists , a northern Virginia judge has ruled .
The upcoming trial of Terrance Shipp on charges of eluding police will be held in a courtroom that has no portraits on the wall , said Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard .
Bernhard noted that his usual courtroom has no portraits .
But jury trials that were postponed during the coronavirus pandemics are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walls of those rooms are lined with portraits of retired judges who are overwhelmingly white , he said .
“ While to some the issue of portraits might be a trivial matter , to those subject to the justice system it is far from the case , ” Bernhard wrote in his ruling , issued Sunday .
He said he was concerned that the portraits “ may serve as unintended but implicit symbols that suggest the courtroom may be a place historically administered by whites for whites.
” Bernhard said 45 of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of white jurists .
Prosecutors offered no objection to the request , Bernhard said in his ruling .
Dawn Butorac , the chief public defender in Fairfax County , called the judge ’ s ruling “ a very , very , very small step in a long overdue journey to battle systemic racism ” in the judicial system .
Shipp ’ s trial is scheduled for Jan. 4 .
Bernhard ’ s ruling does not affect whether other judges in the courtroom must take judicial portraits into account .
Bernhard was born in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2017 by the state legislature .

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FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A Black defendant’s right to a fair trial would be harmed if the jury heard the case in a courtroom lined with portraits of white jurists, a northern Virginia judge has ruled.
The upcoming trial of Terrance Shipp on charges of eluding police will be held in a courtroom that has no portraits on the wall, said Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard.
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Bernhard noted that his usual courtroom has no portraits. But jury trials that were postponed during the coronavirus pandemics are now being held in larger courtrooms. The walls of those rooms are lined with portraits of retired judges who are overwhelmingly white, he said.
Public defenders raised the issue in a motion titled “Motion to Remove Portraiture Overwhelmingly Depicting White Jurists Hanging in Trial Courtroom.”
“While to some the issue of portraits might be a trivial matter, to those subject to the justice system it is far from the case,” Bernhard wrote in his ruling, issued Sunday.
He said he was concerned that the portraits “may serve as unintended but implicit symbols that suggest the courtroom may be a place historically administered by whites for whites.”
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Bernhard said 45 of the 47 portraits hanging in the courtrooms are of white jurists.
Prosecutors offered no objection to the request, Bernhard said in his ruling.
Dawn Butorac, the chief public defender in Fairfax County, called the judge’s ruling “a very, very, very small step in a long overdue journey to battle systemic racism” in the judicial system.
Shipp’s trial is scheduled for Jan. 4. Bernhard’s ruling does not affect whether other judges in the courtroom must take judicial portraits into account.
Earlier this year, a judge ordered a portrait of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee removed from a courtroom in Louisa County.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--Florida Basketball Player Who Collapsed During Game Is Released From Hospital

Keyontae Johnson , the University of Florida basketball star who was hospitalized after collapsing at a Dec. 13 game , was released from the hospital on Thursday following his recovery from a medically induced coma .
Johnson ’ s family shared the news of his release through the Florida men ’ s basketball Twitter account Tuesday afternoon .
Later Tuesday , Johnson , 21 , shared a selfie on his Instagram story .
In their statement , Johnson ’ s family said they are “ amazed by the pace of his recovery , ” and they are asking for “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work ” to determine what caused his collapse .
Johnson , a junior from Virginia , tested positive for the coronavirus in the summer , along with several teammates , leading some to assume his collapse was linked to COVID-19 and its potential for lingering effects .
“ We are committed to sharing not only updates on Keyontae but also any information we think could help others , ” the family said .
“ When we have that , we will share it.
” During a Dec. 13 game against Florida State , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged from a huddle during a timeout called nearly five minutes into the game .
He ’ d thrown down an alley-oop in transition on the previous play .
In frightening footage from the game , Johnson can be seen falling to his knees and hitting his head on the ground just as he and his teammates reach half-court .
Immediately , Johnson ’ s teammates screamed and summoned medical help as he lay motionless .
The game continued after he was wheeled off the court on a stretcher .
Player health has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electing to host games during the pandemic .
Despite canceling March Madness earlier this year due to the coronavirus , the NCAA has partnered with schools to sanction fall sports even with the nation presently in a more precarious health situation than it was last March .
The NCAA does not track the total number of coronavirus cases among its athletes , but at least 6,629 have reportedly contracted the virus , according to The New York Times .
The rush by some university and team officials to get unpaid college athletes back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletic programs are to the financial survival of universities throughout the country .
Earlier this year , hundreds of college athletes tried to leverage that power , threatening to boycott the season to secure better health protocols and compensation .

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Keyontae Johnson, the University of Florida basketball star who was hospitalized after collapsing at a Dec. 13 game, was released from the hospital on Thursday following his recovery from a medically induced coma.
Johnson’s family shared the news of his release through the Florida men’s basketball Twitter account Tuesday afternoon. Later Tuesday, Johnson, 21, shared a selfie on his Instagram story. In their statement, Johnson’s family said they are “amazed by the pace of his recovery,” and they are asking for “patience as the medical professionals continue their work” to determine what caused his collapse.
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Johnson, a junior from Virginia, tested positive for the coronavirus in the summer, along with several teammates, leading some to assume his collapse was linked to COVID-19 and its potential for lingering effects. “We are committed to sharing not only updates on Keyontae but also any information we think could help others,” the family said. “When we have that, we will share it.”
Florida Gators forward Keyontae Johnson (11) in a game with Utah State in 2019. Johnson collapsed during a game Dec. 13 against Florida State. Mary Holt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
During a Dec. 13 game against Florida State, Johnson collapsed as he and his teammates emerged from a huddle during a timeout called nearly five minutes into the game. He’d thrown down an alley-oop in transition on the previous play. In frightening footage from the game, Johnson can be seen falling to his knees and hitting his head on the ground just as he and his teammates reach half-court. Immediately, Johnson’s teammates screamed and summoned medical help as he lay motionless. The game continued after he was wheeled off the court on a stretcher.
Player health has topped a list of issues for universities electing to host games during the pandemic. Despite canceling March Madness earlier this year due to the coronavirus, the NCAA has partnered with schools to sanction fall sports even with the nation presently in a more precarious health situation than it was last March. The NCAA does not track the total number of coronavirus cases among its athletes, but at least 6,629 have reportedly contracted the virus, according to The New York Times.
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The rush by some university and team officials to get unpaid college athletes back to work has demonstrated just how vital athletic programs are to the financial survival of universities throughout the country.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-22--California Man Dressed As Santa Gets Stuck In Power Lines

RIO LINDA , Calif. ( AP ) — Santa found himself a little more tied up than usual this time of year .
A Northern California man impersonating Santa Claus and flying on a powered parachute was rescued Sunday after he became entangled in power lines , authorities said .
The incident happened shortly after the man took off near a school in Rio Linda to deliver candy canes to children in his community .
He flew into a maze of power lines and wound up suspended in them , a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told KCRA-TV .
The man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not injured.Video from the rescue shows the red-white-and-blue aircraft dangling overheadas Santa sat fastened to the pilot seat .
“ He flies just around so people can see and flies around people ’ s houses , ” she said .
“ This was the first time he was in his Santa suit.
” Power was shut off during the rescue to about 200 customers in the Rio Linda area , according to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District spokesman Chris Vestal .
“ It ’ s unfortunate , but we all need to remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of good out in the world , there are people doing good things and to look at the brightness of the holiday season , ” Vestal said.He said it didn ’ t take long to rescue the costumed pilot and lower him to safety .
“ W/o a scratch & full of good cheer we made sure Old St. Nick will use his reindeer when he sees you later this year , ” the fire department said in a tweet after the incident .
In this photo provided by the California Highway Patrol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was flying on a powered parachute on his way to deliver candy canes to children is seen stuck on power lines in Rio Linda , Calif. , on Sunday , Dec. 20 , 2020 .
The man was rescued uninjured .
The incident happened shortly after the man took off near a school in Rio Linda and then hit and became suspended in power lines , a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told KCRA-TV .
( California Highway Patrol via AP )

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RIO LINDA, Calif. (AP) — Santa found himself a little more tied up than usual this time of year.
A Northern California man impersonating Santa Claus and flying on a powered parachute was rescued Sunday after he became entangled in power lines, authorities said.
The incident happened shortly after the man took off near a school in Rio Linda to deliver candy canes to children in his community. He flew into a maze of power lines and wound up suspended in them, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told KCRA-TV.
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The man, who wasn’t identified, was not injured.Video from the rescue shows the red-white-and-blue aircraft dangling overheadas Santa sat fastened to the pilot seat.
Neighbors watched from the ground as crews worked.
Colleen Bousliman, who lives nearby, said the pilot flies overhead often.
“He flies just around so people can see and flies around people’s houses,” she said. “This was the first time he was in his Santa suit.”
Power was shut off during the rescue to about 200 customers in the Rio Linda area, according to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District spokesman Chris Vestal.
“It’s unfortunate, but we all need to remember that there’s still a lot of good out in the world, there are people doing good things and to look at the brightness of the holiday season,” Vestal said.He said it didn’t take long to rescue the costumed pilot and lower him to safety.
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“W/o a scratch & full of good cheer we made sure Old St. Nick will use his reindeer when he sees you later this year,” the fire department said in a tweet after the incident.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--Popular Evangelical Pastor: Coronavirus Rules Aren't Oppressing Christians

Evangelical pastors in California have been fighting the state ’ s COVID-19 restrictions on houses of worship from the earliest months of the coronavirus pandemic .
These pastors ― and the conservative law firms defending them ― have largely framed the debate as a matter of religious freedom , claiming that the government is discriminating against churches .
“ A lot of churches are nervous about the religious freedom aspect .
They don ’ t want to wear masks .
They don ’ t want to meet outdoors , ” Warren said .
Warren pointed out that many sites of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , football games and concerts ― are also facing restrictions .
Regal Cinemas had shuttered hundreds of theaters , and Disney has let go of thousands of employees , he said .
Most Americans ( 54 % ) don ’ t want religious organizations to be exempted from the government ’ s COVID-19 restrictions , according to a Public Religion Research survey published last week .
White evangelical Protestants were by far the religious group most likely to say the opposite ― that churches should be able to hold in-person services even when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings ( 75 % ) .
Though some factions of American evangelicalism have urged fellow believers to follow the advice of public health experts , conservative Christian activists have been at the forefront of the movement to have churches reopen without government oversight , claiming that government interference in worship is a violation of their religious liberty .
These activists have also claimed that churches are being unfairly discriminated against , since secular businesses such as grocery stores and laundromats have been allowed to remain open .
The Supreme Court , with its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its weight behind this argument ― even though health experts say comparing churches to grocery stores is misleading .
“ Most churches only have one purpose : worship .
And if you take worship away , you ’ ve got nothing , ” he said .
“ They ’ re in a hurry to get back to worship because that ’ s all they ’ ve got.
” Saddleback Church has other purposes , he said ― such as ministry and discipleship .
The church has scaled up its food pantry efforts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County ’ s largest free grocery distribution programs .
Saddleback Church has also created thousands of new online “ small groups ” ― small fellowships of three or more people who study the Bible together .
Warren claims that since March his church has welcomed more than 16,000 new converts , most of whom were drawn in by his members ’ “ one-on-one evangelizing.
” During the first 10 weeks of 2020 , Saddleback Church , a Southern Baptist-affiliated megachurch , drew an average of 30,000 people to its multiple campuses for weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services online .
In June , about the time that dozens of California pastors pledged to reopen their churches regardless of public health guidelines , Warren announced that his church would “ be patient and wait for better conditions.
” As of Wednesday , Saddleback ’ s campuses appear to have adopted various strategies for Christmas ― streaming services online , organizing “ drive-in ” celebrations and having in-person gatherings outside , requiring attendees to register in advance , stay socially distanced and wear face coverings .
Warren told Relevant Magazine that as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caring for his flock the way a shepherd cares for his sheep .
“ Some churches are willing to gamble the health of their people .
I ’ m not , ” Warren said , adding , “ I don ’ t want to be a superspreader .
I ’ m not doing this out of fear ; I ’ m doing this out of love .
You wear a mask for love [ of ] your neighbors , yourself .
”

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Evangelical pastors in California have been fighting the state’s COVID-19 restrictions on houses of worship from the earliest months of the coronavirus pandemic. These pastors ― and the conservative law firms defending them ― have largely framed the debate as a matter of religious freedom, claiming that the government is discriminating against churches.
Pastor Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback Church, based in Orange County, appears to be taking a different approach.
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In an interview with the Christian publication Relevant Magazine published Monday, the evangelical megachurch pastor and popular author suggested that COVID-19 restrictions are about protecting parishioners’ health.
“A lot of churches are nervous about the religious freedom aspect. They don’t want to wear masks. They don’t want to meet outdoors,” Warren said.
Warren pointed out that many sites of large public gatherings ― such as theaters, football games and concerts ― are also facing restrictions. Regal Cinemas had shuttered hundreds of theaters, and Disney has let go of thousands of employees, he said.
“We’re not being discriminated against. This is a safety issue,” he said.
HuffPost reached out to Saddleback Church for comment, but a spokesperson said Warren would be unable to respond this week.
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Rick Warren is the pastor of Saddleback Church, a Southern Baptist-affiliated megachurch based in Orange County, California. Jason DeCrow/Associated Press
Most Americans (54%) don’t want religious organizations to be exempted from the government’s COVID-19 restrictions, according to a Public Religion Research survey published last week. White evangelical Protestants were by far the religious group most likely to say the opposite ― that churches should be able to hold in-person services even when the government has issued orders restricting social gatherings (75%).
Though some factions of American evangelicalism have urged fellow believers to follow the advice of public health experts, conservative Christian activists have been at the forefront of the movement to have churches reopen without government oversight, claiming that government interference in worship is a violation of their religious liberty. These activists have also claimed that churches are being unfairly discriminated against, since secular businesses such as grocery stores and laundromats have been allowed to remain open. The Supreme Court, with its newly solidified conservative majority, recently threw its weight behind this argument ― even though health experts say comparing churches to grocery stores is misleading.
The pandemic has exposed a “fundamental weakness in the Church,” Warren told Relevant Magazine.
“Most churches only have one purpose: worship. And if you take worship away, you’ve got nothing,” he said. “They’re in a hurry to get back to worship because that’s all they’ve got.”
Saddleback Church has other purposes, he said ― such as ministry and discipleship. The church has scaled up its food pantry efforts and claims to now have one of Orange County’s largest free grocery distribution programs. Saddleback Church has also created thousands of new online “small groups” ― small fellowships of three or more people who study the Bible together. Warren claims that since March his church has welcomed more than 16,000 new converts, most of whom were drawn in by his members’ “one-on-one evangelizing.”
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Volunteer Anh Tonnu (left) and sister Tomi Tonnu load a car in Fountain Valley, California, with food on Oct. 14 as part of Saddleback Church's drive-thru food distributions to families in need. Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
As of Wednesday, Saddleback’s campuses appear to have adopted various strategies for Christmas ― streaming services online, organizing “drive-in” celebrations and having in-person gatherings outside, requiring attendees to register in advance, stay socially distanced and wear face coverings.
Dancers Susan Vishmid (left) and A.J. Abrams perform Dec. 13 for visitors touring the "Light of the World: Christmas Lights" drive-thru experience at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. Leonard Ortiz/Orange County Register via Getty Images
Warren told Relevant Magazine that as a pastor, he is tasked with caring for his flock the way a shepherd cares for his sheep.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--Trump Delays COVID Bill, Leaving Millions Of Desperate Americans In Limbo

WASHINGTON , Dec 23 ( Reuters ) - President Donald Trump ’ s threat late Tuesday to veto the $ 892 billion coronavirus relief bill approved by Congress this week may delay aid for millions of families on the cusp of eviction and about to lose unemployment benefits .
Trump ’ s apparent refusal to immediately sign the bill “ has injected uncertainty or worse into the effort to protect millions of Americans from falling over a financial cliff , ” said Mark Hamrick of Bankrate Wednesday .
Trump said the bill , which passed Congress Monday night , did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he asked Congress to increase stimulus checks to individuals to $ 2,000 , instead of the “ ridiculously low ” $ 600 in the bill .
Many economists agree the bill ’ s aid is too low , but say the immediate support to the economy is still welcome and necessary .
About 14.1 million people are receiving unemployment benefits through pandemic programs that are set to expire on Dec. 26 , according to Labor Department data .
The bill extends two programs which support self-employed workers and the long-term unemployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra $ 300 per week in aid to the 20.3 million people receiving unemployment benefits .
Letting the bill lapse would amount to a sudden cutoff in income for households that already saw unemployment benefits shrink drastically over the summer , when a $ 600 weekly supplement expired .
Democrats embraced Trump ’ s $ 2,000 check proposal Monday , but Republicans are unlikely to join them .
In the meantime , the $ 600 checks that were supposed to be mailed by Treasury next week are on hold .
Households used the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cares Act in the spring to boost spending , pay down debt and pad savings .
The cash cushion is nearly gone for these households , increasing the risk they could fall further behind on housing payments and other bills , the research showed .
The bill extends a moratorium on evictions that expires Dec.31 through the end of January , and provides $ 25 billion inemergency rental assistance .
About 40 million people could face eviction over the next several months , according to research from the Aspen Institute.They owe about $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ utilities , Moody ’ s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi estimates .

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WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s threat late Tuesday to veto the $892 billion coronavirus relief bill approved by Congress this week may delay aid for millions of families on the cusp of eviction and about to lose unemployment benefits.
Trump’s apparent refusal to immediately sign the bill “has injected uncertainty or worse into the effort to protect millions of Americans from falling over a financial cliff,” said Mark Hamrick of Bankrate Wednesday.
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Trump said the bill, which passed Congress Monday night, did not provide enough support for small businesses, and he asked Congress to increase stimulus checks to individuals to $2,000, instead of the “ridiculously low” $600 in the bill.
Many economists agree the bill’s aid is too low, but say the immediate support to the economy is still welcome and necessary.
These households are in limbo:
14 MILLION COULD LOSE INCOME THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
About 14.1 million people are receiving unemployment benefits through pandemic programs that are set to expire on Dec. 26, according to Labor Department data.
The bill extends two programs which support self-employed workers and the long-term unemployed until mid-March. It also adds an extra $300 per week in aid to the 20.3 million people receiving unemployment benefits.
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Letting the bill lapse would amount to a sudden cutoff in income for households that already saw unemployment benefits shrink drastically over the summer, when a $600 weekly supplement expired.
CASH DWINDLES FOR HOUSEHOLDS
Democrats embraced Trump’s $2,000 check proposal Monday, but Republicans are unlikely to join them. In the meantime, the $600 checks that were supposed to be mailed by Treasury next week are on hold.
Households used the $1,200 direct cash payments from the Cares Act in the spring to boost spending, pay down debt and pad savings.
Now lower-income U.S. households, earning between $12,000and $30,267, are quickly depleting savings, JPMorgan Chase Institute found in a report released earlier this month.
The cash cushion is nearly gone for these households, increasing the risk they could fall further behind on housing payments and other bills, the research showed.
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EVICTION THREAT LOOMING
The bill extends a moratorium on evictions that expires Dec.31 through the end of January, and provides $25 billion inemergency rental assistance.
About 40 million people could face eviction over the next several months, according to research from the Aspen Institute.They owe about $70 billion in unpaid back rent and utilities, Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi estimates.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--Animal Rights Activist Punks Maria Bartiromo By Posing As Meat Company CEO

On Wednesday ’ s episode of “ Mornings With Maria , ” Bartiromo featured an interview she said was with Dennis Organ , the new CEO and president of pork industry giant Smithfield Foods .
However , the interview was actually with Matt Johnson , an activist for the animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere .
While posing as Organ , Johnson told viewers that factory farms like the ones operated by Smithfield are likely breeding grounds for future pandemics .
When Bartiromo asked about Smithfield ’ s processing plant in South Dakota ― the site of a major COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Organ told her that the company farms are “ petri dishes for new diseases ” and noted that hog farming also “ causes immense damage to our air and waterways.
” Johnson then claimed that Smithfield would attempt to mitigate the environmental impacts of its industry by spending “ half a billion dollars a year starting in 2021.
” Although Bartiromo can be seen rolling her eyes at some of the comments Johnson made , she didn ’ t appear to suspect she was the victim of a prank .
That is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when she admitted she ’ d been duped .
“ It appears we have been punk ’ d , ” Bartiromo said .
“ Earlier in the program , I interviewed someone claiming to be the CEO of Smithfield Foods , Dennis Organ.
” “ We ’ ve since learned that that was not Dennis Organ , but an imposter making false claims about the company , ” she said .
“ He is someone who has absolutely no relation to Smithfield Foods .
We want to apologize to Dennis Organ , Smithfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making this mistake.
” “ We will , of course , be more vigilant , ” she promised .

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Fox News host Maria Bartiromo was apparently out-foxed by an animal rights activist who posed as a meat company CEO.
On Wednesday’s episode of “Mornings With Maria,” Bartiromo featured an interview she said was with Dennis Organ, the new CEO and president of pork industry giant Smithfield Foods.
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However, the interview was actually with Matt Johnson, an activist for the animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere.
While posing as Organ, Johnson told viewers that factory farms like the ones operated by Smithfield are likely breeding grounds for future pandemics.
When Bartiromo asked about Smithfield’s processing plant in South Dakota ― the site of a major COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year ― Johnson posing as Organ told her that the company farms are “petri dishes for new diseases” and noted that hog farming also “causes immense damage to our air and waterways.”
Johnson then claimed that Smithfield would attempt to mitigate the environmental impacts of its industry by spending “half a billion dollars a year starting in 2021.”
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Although Bartiromo can be seen rolling her eyes at some of the comments Johnson made, she didn’t appear to suspect she was the victim of a prank. That is, until the end of her show when she admitted she’d been duped.
“It appears we have been punk’d,” Bartiromo said. “Earlier in the program, I interviewed someone claiming to be the CEO of Smithfield Foods, Dennis Organ.”
“We’ve since learned that that was not Dennis Organ, but an imposter making false claims about the company,” she said. “He is someone who has absolutely no relation to Smithfield Foods. We want to apologize to Dennis Organ, Smithfield Foods, and to our audience for making this mistake.”
“We will, of course, be more vigilant,” she promised.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-12-23--Santa Rides Elephants To Thai Town To Deliver Gifts Of Face Masks

AYUTTHAYA , Thailand , Dec 23 ( Reuters ) - Santa Claus gave his sleigh and reindeer a break on Wednesday and rode elephants in Thailand during a special Christmas visit aimed at raising awareness about the threat of the coronavirus .
White-bearded handlers in floppy hats and Santa outfits sat atop elephants decked out in tinsel and trunk masks in the central province of Ayutthaya , distributing protective masks in baskets to schoolchildren , motorcyclists and drivers passing by .
“ They are funny and they are lovely .
I think they are so cute , ” said elementary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been paying year-end visits to schools in the area for two decades and normally give out gifts like candy and toys using their trunks .
This year , the pachyderms were social distancing , staying outside the schools and used their trunks to offer the face masks in baskets instead .
“ These four elephants want to represent Thai Santa Claus to encourage people to wear masks , wash their hands and follow government instructions , ” said Itthi Pankhawlamai , who manages a local elephant park .
“ I ’ m a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elephants can ’ t go into the school , ” said Pacharamon Sukphiromsanti , 12 , who came out to greet the elephants at the gates .
Thai authorities are urging extra caution after its worst outbreak was confirmed at the weekend , at a seafood center near Bangkok , with cases since detected in about a quarter of the country ’ s provinces .

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AYUTTHAYA, Thailand, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Santa Claus gave his sleigh and reindeer a break on Wednesday and rode elephants in Thailand during a special Christmas visit aimed at raising awareness about the threat of the coronavirus.
White-bearded handlers in floppy hats and Santa outfits sat atop elephants decked out in tinsel and trunk masks in the central province of Ayutthaya, distributing protective masks in baskets to schoolchildren, motorcyclists and drivers passing by.
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“They are funny and they are lovely. I think they are so cute,” said elementary student Laksaporn Loetpiriyakamol.
The elephants have been paying year-end visits to schools in the area for two decades and normally give out gifts like candy and toys using their trunks.
This year, the pachyderms were social distancing, staying outside the schools and used their trunks to offer the face masks in baskets instead.
“These four elephants want to represent Thai Santa Claus to encourage people to wear masks, wash their hands and follow government instructions,” said Itthi Pankhawlamai, who manages a local elephant park.
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“I’m a little bit excited and sad because the elephants can’t go into the school,” said Pacharamon Sukphiromsanti, 12, who came out to greet the elephants at the gates.
Thai authorities are urging extra caution after its worst outbreak was confirmed at the weekend, at a seafood center near Bangkok, with cases since detected in about a quarter of the country’s provinces.