thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-22--2 Tropical Storms A Potential Double Threat To US Gulf Coast

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico ( AP ) — Two tropical storms advanced across the Caribbean Saturday as potentially historic threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast , one dumping rain on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands while the other was pushing toward the tip of Mexico ’ s Yucatan Peninsula , whose sprawling resorts had been almost emptied by pandemic restrictions .
Tropical Storms Laura and Marco were both projected to approach the U.S. Gulf Coast at or near hurricane force .
The current , uncertain track would take them to Texas or Louisiana .
Two hurricanes have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , according to records going back to at least 1900 , said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
The last time two tropical storms were in the Gulf together was in 1959 , he said .
The last time two storms made landfall in the United States within 24 hours of each other was in 1933 , Klotzbach said .
The projected track from the U.S. National Hurricane Center would put both storms together in the Gulf on Tuesday , with Marco hitting Texas and Laura making landfall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though both tracks remain uncertain .
Laura was already flinging rain across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands early Saturday and was expected to drench the Dominican Republic , Haiti and parts of Cuba during the day on its westward course .
Puerto Rico Gov .
Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency and warned that flooding could be worse than what Tropical Storm Isaias unleashed three weeks ago because the ground is now saturated .
The Hurricane Center said it expects the storms to stay far enough apart to prevent direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak of the Atlantic hurricane season , which is forecast to be unusually active .
Both storms were expected to bring 3 to 6 inches ( 8 to 15 centimeters ) of rain to areas they were passing over or near , threatening widespread flooding across a vast region .
“ A lot of people are going to be impacted by rainfall and storm surge in the Gulf of Mexico , ” said Joel Cline , the tropical program coordinator for the National Weather Service .
“ Since you simply don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Forecasters said that while atmospheric conditions are favorable for Laura to grow , its passage over Puerto Rico and the mountains of Haiti , the Dominican Republic and Cuba that could tear it apart or weaken it before it enters warm Gulf waters conducive to growth .
Officials in the Florida Keys , which Laura might pass over on its route into the Gulf , declared a local state of emergency Friday and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats , in mobile homes and in campers .
Tourists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hazardous weather conditions and consider altering their plans starting on Sunday , Monroe County officials said in a news release .
Citing both storm systems , Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Friday night .
“ It is too soon to know exactly where , when or how these dual storms will affect Louisiana , but now is the time for our people to prepare for these storms , ” Edwards said in a statement .

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Two tropical storms advanced across the Caribbean Saturday as potentially historic threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast, one dumping rain on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands while the other was pushing toward the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, whose sprawling resorts had been almost emptied by pandemic restrictions.
Tropical Storms Laura and Marco were both projected to approach the U.S. Gulf Coast at or near hurricane force. The current, uncertain track would take them to Texas or Louisiana.
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Two hurricanes have never appeared in the Gulf of Mexico at the same time, according to records going back to at least 1900, said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. The last time two tropical storms were in the Gulf together was in 1959, he said.
The last time two storms made landfall in the United States within 24 hours of each other was in 1933, Klotzbach said.
The projected track from the U.S. National Hurricane Center would put both storms together in the Gulf on Tuesday, with Marco hitting Texas and Laura making landfall a little less than a day later, though both tracks remain uncertain.
Laura was already flinging rain across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands early Saturday and was expected to drench the Dominican Republic, Haiti and parts of Cuba during the day on its westward course.
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Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency and warned that flooding could be worse than what Tropical Storm Isaias unleashed three weeks ago because the ground is now saturated.
“No one should be out on the streets,” she said.
The storm was centered about 50 miles (80) kilometers south of San Juan, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph). It was moving west at 21 mph (33 kph).
Marcos, meanwhile, was strengthening while centered about 110 miles (180 kilometers east of Cozumel island, headed to the north-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph).
The Hurricane Center said it expects the storms to stay far enough apart to prevent direct interaction as the region braces for the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, which is forecast to be unusually active.
Both storms were expected to bring 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of rain to areas they were passing over or near, threatening widespread flooding across a vast region.
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“A lot of people are going to be impacted by rainfall and storm surge in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Joel Cline, the tropical program coordinator for the National Weather Service. “Since you simply don’t know you really need to make precautions.”
Related: Damage from hurricane Isaias
It seems fitting for such an unusual twin threat to arrive in 2020, said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy.
“Of course, we have to have two simultaneously land-falling hurricanes,” McNoldy said. “It’s best not to ask what’s next.” )
Forecasters said that while atmospheric conditions are favorable for Laura to grow, its passage over Puerto Rico and the mountains of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba that could tear it apart or weaken it before it enters warm Gulf waters conducive to growth.
Officials in the Florida Keys, which Laura might pass over on its route into the Gulf, declared a local state of emergency Friday and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats, in mobile homes and in campers. Tourists staying in hotels should be aware of hazardous weather conditions and consider altering their plans starting on Sunday, Monroe County officials said in a news release.
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Citing both storm systems, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Friday night. “It is too soon to know exactly where, when or how these dual storms will affect Louisiana, but now is the time for our people to prepare for these storms,” Edwards said in a statement.
Laura had earlier forced the closure of schools and government offices in the eastern Caribbean islands of Anguilla and Antigua, according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-22--'The Daily Show' Makes A Complete Mockery Of Fox News' Kamala Harris Attacks

“ The Daily Show ” correspondent Desi Lydic on Friday lampooned the way some Fox News personalities have attacked Democratic @ @ @ @ @ this week .
Lydic began her segment by claiming to have watched the conservative network @ @ @ @ @ and then embarked on a parody rant about what the channel has taught her about @ @ @ @ @ .

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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-21--cSentenced To 2 Months In Prison Over College Admissions Scandal

Lori Loughlin , the “ Full House ” actor who paid half a million dollars in a scam to get her two daughters into college , was sentenced Friday to two months in prison .
Loughlin and her husband , fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli , pleaded guilty in May to charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud for their roles in “ securing the fraudulent admission ” of their daughters , Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose , to the University of Southern California “ as purported athletic recruits ” on the crew team , the U.S. attorney ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
The pair paid $ 500,000 to William Rick Singer , the ringleader behind the scam , to secure their daughters ’ place on the crew team even though the two girls never took part in the sport before .
Giannulli was sentenced to five months behind bars .
Loughlin , best known for her role as Aunt Becky on “ Full House , ” was among dozens of prominent public figures charged in the scandal , which was exposed in March 2019 in what the FBI called a nationwide conspiracy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ participant in the scheme ” and said Loughlin “ took a less active role , but was nonetheless fully complicit.
” The two initially pleaded not guilty , which would have led to a court trial that could have landed them in prison for as many as 20 years if they were found guilty .
Instead , the couple entered May ’ s plea deal , which significantly reduced the potential sentence .
As part of the deal , Loughlin will pay a $ 150,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and perform 250 hours of community service .

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Lori Loughlin, the “Full House” actor who paid half a million dollars in a scam to get her two daughters into college, was sentenced Friday to two months in prison.
Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, pleaded guilty in May to charges of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud for their roles in “securing the fraudulent admission” of their daughters, Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose, to the University of Southern California “as purported athletic recruits” on the crew team, the U.S. attorney’s office in Massachusetts said at the time.
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The pair paid $500,000 to William Rick Singer, the ringleader behind the scam, to secure their daughters’ place on the crew team even though the two girls never took part in the sport before. Giannulli was sentenced to five months behind bars.
Loughlin, best known for her role as Aunt Becky on “Full House,” was among dozens of prominent public figures charged in the scandal, which was exposed in March 2019 in what the FBI called a nationwide conspiracy.
Prosecutors called Giannulli “the more active participant in the scheme” and said Loughlin “took a less active role, but was nonetheless fully complicit.”
The two initially pleaded not guilty, which would have led to a court trial that could have landed them in prison for as many as 20 years if they were found guilty. Instead, the couple entered May’s plea deal, which significantly reduced the potential sentence.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-22--Trump 'Has No Principles' And 'You Can't Trust Him,' His Sister Reportedly Said On Tape

“ What has he read ?
” Mary Trump asked her aunt .
Barry responded : “ He doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ point , an exasperated Barry said : “ It ’ s the phoniness of it @ @ @ @ @ the phoniness and this cruelty .
Donald is cruel.
” Barry also noted : “ @ @ @ @ @ , period.
” When her niece asked Barry what her brother had accomplished on his @ @ @ @ @ “ Well , he has five bankruptcies , ” adding : “ You can ’ @ @ @ @ @

“What has he read?” Mary Trump asked her aunt. Barry responded: “He doesn’t read.”
At one point, an exasperated Barry said: “It’s the phoniness of it all. It’s the phoniness and this cruelty. Donald is cruel.”
Barry also noted: “Donald is out for Donald, period.” When her niece asked Barry what her brother had accomplished on his own, she responded: “Well, he has five bankruptcies,” adding: “You can’t trust him.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--All In The Family: Half Of RNC's Planned 'Key Speakers' Are Trumps. Twitter Implodes.

Screen Shot/Fox News The Republican National Convention 's tentative key speaker lineup , as shown on Fox News .
Half of the 12 “ key speakers ” planned for the Republican National Convention will be Trumps , Fox News revealed Saturday .
Donald Trump , Donald Trump Jr. , Melania , Ivanka , Eric and Tiffany Trump were all listed as main speakers at the big event that begins Monday , other media reported as well ― though the schedule was still being finalized over the weekend .
Ironically , McCarthy earlier this year blasted Joe Biden for nepotism because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ energy company when Biden was vice president .
But everything he ranted about could be applied to each of Trump ’ s adult children .
It was Tiffany Trump who was trending on Twitter because critics were particularly stunned that a 26-year-old law school grad beat out far heavier political hitters ( and celebrities ) simply because she ’ s the president ’ s daughter .
She ’ s pretty much a no-show at Trump events — except to visit the queen and possibly be a headliner at the RNC .
Twitter scribes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Imagine being Devin Nunes and spending four years doing everything in your power to protect Trump and then having Tiffany Trump beat you out for a key speaker spot at the RNC .
pic.twitter.com/S2qq1bP5FO — Phil Arballo ( @ PhilArballo2020 ) August 22 , 2020 The Republican Party is gone .
It ’ s been replaced by the Trump Party .
Even Tiffany outranks Mitch McConnell .
pic.twitter.com/IdYZsbTKwr — Derek Cressman ( @ DerekCressman ) August 23 , 2020 HALF of the RNC speakers are members of Trump ’ s OWN FAMILY , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ivanka , and Don Jr .
This is the most embarrassing lineup of speakers in the history of political conventions .
No one wants on board this titanic.
# GOPTraitors # TrumpIsACompleteFailure pic.twitter.com/Hovci1bAkS — Andrew Wortman ( @ AmoneyResists ) August 22 , 2020 Tiffany Trump speaking at the RNC is like someone on a lifeboat climbing back onto the Titanic .
pic.twitter.com/9bonRBSL9C — The Volatile Mermaid ( @ OhNoSheTwitnt ) August 23 , 2020

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Half of the 12 “key speakers” planned for the Republican National Convention will be Trumps, Fox News revealed Saturday.
Twitter critics went bonkers.
Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Melania, Ivanka, Eric and Tiffany Trump were all listed as main speakers at the big event that begins Monday, other media reported as well ― though the schedule was still being finalized over the weekend.
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The Republican National Convention's tentative key speaker lineup, as shown on Fox News. Screen Shot/Fox News
Ironically, McCarthy earlier this year blasted Joe Biden for nepotism because son Hunter Biden worked for a Ukrainian energy company when Biden was vice president. But everything he ranted about could be applied to each of Trump’s adult children.
Omfg, this dummy doesn’t realize he’s describing the President’s children pic.twitter.com/kvrlVgUO5e — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) March 8, 2020
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It was Tiffany Trump who was trending on Twitter because critics were particularly stunned that a 26-year-old law school grad beat out far heavier political hitters (and celebrities) simply because she’s the president’s daughter. She’s pretty much a no-show at Trump events — except to visit the queen and possibly be a headliner at the RNC.
Twitter scribes couldn’t get over it.
Imagine being Devin Nunes and spending four years doing everything in your power to protect Trump and then having Tiffany Trump beat you out for a key speaker spot at the RNC. pic.twitter.com/S2qq1bP5FO — Phil Arballo (@PhilArballo2020) August 22, 2020
The Republican Party is gone. It’s been replaced by the Trump Party. Even Tiffany outranks Mitch McConnell. pic.twitter.com/IdYZsbTKwr — Derek Cressman (@DerekCressman) August 23, 2020
Pop quiz: How many RNC key speakers are banned from running charities? — Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) August 23, 2020
HALF of the RNC speakers are members of Trump’s OWN FAMILY, including Tiffany, Eric, Melania, Ivanka, and Don Jr. This is the most embarrassing lineup of speakers in the history of political conventions. No one wants on board this titanic.#GOPTraitors #TrumpIsACompleteFailure pic.twitter.com/Hovci1bAkS — Andrew Wortman (@AmoneyResists) August 22, 2020
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The RNC looks stacked with top notch speakers lol. pic.twitter.com/vlc5waSXZH — Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) August 22, 2020
This isn’t the RNC, it’s a Trump family reunion. They even found Tiffany. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/1M669EV6q2 — Linda Childers (@lindarchilders) August 22, 2020
Tiffany Trump speaking at the RNC is like someone on a lifeboat climbing back onto the Titanic. pic.twitter.com/9bonRBSL9C — The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) August 23, 2020
RNC diversity: half the key speakers are non-Trumps! https://t.co/lsXog6J7Wj — Jen Vogt-Erickson (@JenVogtE) August 23, 2020
I guess Maryanne Trump Barry isn’t speaking at the RNC? — Dr. Rebecca Martínez (@BeckyGMartinez) August 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Bill Barr Reportedly Pressed Rupert Murdoch To 'Muzzle' Trump Critic Judge Napolitano On Fox News

Attorney General William Barr met last year with media mogul Rupert Murdoch to pressure him to “ muzzle ” Donald Trump critic Andrew Napolitano on Fox News , according to a new book out Tuesday .
Napolitano ’ s air time has dwindled as his criticism of Trump has increased over the last year .
Barr ’ s meeting with Murdoch , the executive chairman of Fox News ’ parent company , at his New York home was widely reported at the time , but its purpose was not revealed .
One aim of the meeting was to shut up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoax : Donald Trump , Fox News , and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth , ” written by CNN media reporter Brian Stelter .
Trump “ was so incensed ” by Napolitano ’ s increasingly critical comments about him in Fox News broadcasts that he “ implored Barr to send Rupert a message in person … about ‘ muzzling the judge , ’ ” according to the book , reported The Guardian , which obtained a copy .
Trump “ wanted the nation ’ s top law enforcement official to convey just how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been , ” wrote Stelter , citing information from an unnamed source .
The judge also said that much of what was found in an investigation by former special counsel Robert Mueller concerning Russian interference in the 2016 election was “ also impeachable.
” Barr ’ s words “ carried a lot of weight ” with Murdoch , Stelter reports , though it ’ s unclear how the pressure to silence Napolitano served taxpayers funding Barr ’ s salary .
A daytime slot for Napolitano soon disappeared and he was carved out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stelter noted .
Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo would only book Napolitano to discuss non-Trump topics , because she would become too upset when he criticized Trump , a staffer told Stelter .
Napolitano still appears on Fox News , though in a more limited role .
He recently harshly criticized Trump for sending federal officers into Portland to snatch residents off the streets , calling it a dangerous slide into totalitarianism .
“ There is nothing lawful or orderly ” about the aggressive tactics Department of Homeland Security officers are wielding against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Fox News opinion piece .
The agents ’ actions are “ unlawful ” and “ unconstitutional , ” he wrote .

Napolitano’s air time has dwindled as his criticism of Trump has increased over the last year.
Barr’s meeting with Murdoch, the executive chairman of Fox News’ parent company, at his New York home was widely reported at the time, but its purpose was not revealed. One aim of the meeting was to shut up Napolitano, according to the book “Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth,” written by CNN media reporter Brian Stelter.
Trump “was so incensed” by Napolitano’s increasingly critical comments about him in Fox News broadcasts that he “implored Barr to send Rupert a message in person … about ‘muzzling the judge,’” according to the book, reported The Guardian, which obtained a copy. Trump “wanted the nation’s top law enforcement official to convey just how atrocious Napolitano’s legal analysis had been,” wrote Stelter, citing information from an unnamed source.
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The judge also said that much of what was found in an investigation by former special counsel Robert Mueller concerning Russian interference in the 2016 election was “also impeachable.”
Barr’s words “carried a lot of weight” with Murdoch, Stelter reports, though it’s unclear how the pressure to silence Napolitano served taxpayers funding Barr’s salary.
A daytime slot for Napolitano soon disappeared and he was carved out of coverage of Trump’s impeachment, Stelter noted.
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Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo would only book Napolitano to discuss non-Trump topics, because she would become too upset when he criticized Trump, a staffer told Stelter.
Napolitano still appears on Fox News, though in a more limited role. He recently harshly criticized Trump for sending federal officers into Portland to snatch residents off the streets, calling it a dangerous slide into totalitarianism. “There is nothing lawful or orderly” about the aggressive tactics Department of Homeland Security officers are wielding against people protesting racism, he wrote in a Fox News opinion piece. The agents’ actions are “unlawful” and “unconstitutional,” he wrote.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-22--Michael Cohen's Book Will Bare Trump's 'Steep Illegality,' Vows Anthony Scaramucci

The soon-to-be-published book by President Donald Trump ’ s former personal lawyer , Michael Cohen , will reveal multiple cases of criminality , backed by “ evidence , ” longtime Trump associate Anthony Scaramucci said Saturday .
Scaramucci , who served as White House director of communications for a week in 2017 , said on MSNBC that Cohen ’ s book will expose Trump ’ s “ rank criminality ” and “ steep , steep illegality and amorality.
” “ It is not like Michael is going to say this and the White House is going to discredit him ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with documentary evidence to show the level of illegality , the repetitiveness of the illegality , ” said Scaramucci .
The book — “ Disloyal : A Memoir : The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump ” — will also reveal Trump ’ s “ betrayal ” of the country , he added .
All of this information is “ going to come out in a waterfall ” ahead of the presidential election , said Scaramucci .
Scaramucci has apparently seen Cohen ’ s manuscript , noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to reveal ” details of what Cohen will expose .
But Cohen has appeared to confirm Scaramucci ’ s characterization of his book .
Cohen retweeted a link to Scaramucci ’ s last comments on the book and thanked him .
At that time , Scaramucci said people would be “ shocked ” by what Cohen will reveal .
Cohen noted that few know as much about his book as Scaramucci does .
Cohen is now serving out the remainder of his three-year sentence after a year behind bars in home confinement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in prison .
He pleaded guilty to a series of crimes , including campaign finance violations linked to hush-money payments during Trump ’ s 2016 campaign to women who claimed they had affairs with Trump .
Cohen himself promised in a foreword to the book he released to the press that he will reveal crimes and salacious dirt on his old boss , including a scene involving “ golden showers ” in a Vegas sex club , and that Trump “ colluded with Russia.
” “ I know where the skeletons are buried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was the one who buried them .
”

The soon-to-be-published book by President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, will reveal multiple cases of criminality, backed by “evidence,” longtime Trump associate Anthony Scaramucci said Saturday.
Scaramucci, who served as White House director of communications for a week in 2017, said on MSNBC that Cohen’s book will expose Trump’s “rank criminality” and “steep, steep illegality and amorality.”
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“It is not like Michael is going to say this and the White House is going to discredit him ... He is going to back it up with documentary evidence to show the level of illegality, the repetitiveness of the illegality,” said Scaramucci.
The book — “Disloyal: A Memoir: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump” — will also reveal Trump’s “betrayal” of the country, he added.
All of this information is “going to come out in a waterfall” ahead of the presidential election, said Scaramucci.
Scaramucci has apparently seen Cohen’s manuscript, noting that it’s not “for me to reveal” details of what Cohen will expose. But Cohen has appeared to confirm Scaramucci’s characterization of his book.
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Cohen retweeted a link to Scaramucci’s last comments on the book and thanked him. At that time, Scaramucci said people would be “shocked” by what Cohen will reveal. Cohen noted that few know as much about his book as Scaramucci does.
Scaramucci considers Cohen a friend, and visited him in prison.
Cohen is now serving out the remainder of his three-year sentence after a year behind bars in home confinement because of the risk of contracting COVID-19 in prison. He pleaded guilty to a series of crimes, including campaign finance violations linked to hush-money payments during Trump’s 2016 campaign to women who claimed they had affairs with Trump.
Cohen himself promised in a foreword to the book he released to the press that he will reveal crimes and salacious dirt on his old boss, including a scene involving “golden showers” in a Vegas sex club, and that Trump “colluded with Russia.”
“I know where the skeletons are buried,” he wrote, “because I was the one who buried them.”
The book goes on sale Sept. 8.
Check out Scaramucci’s take on Cohen’s book in the video clip up top (at 2:50).


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Trump Announces Emergency Approval For COVID-19 Plasma Treatment

President Donald Trump said Sunday that U.S. regulators have given an emergency use authorization for a coronavirus treatment involving blood plasma donated by people who have recovered from the disease .
“ This is a powerful therapy that transfuses very , very strong antibodies from the blood of recovered patients to help treat patients battling a current infection , ” Trump told reporters at a White House news briefing .
“ We ’ re removing unnecessary barriers and delays , not by cutting corners , but by marshaling the full power of the federal government.
” The authorization allows for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. and for health care providers to administer it as appropriate to treat patients hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 .
Stephen Hahn , commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , said Sunday that he is “ committed to releasing safe and potentially helpful treatments for COVID-19 as quickly as possible in order to save lives.
” “ In the independent judgment of experts and expert scientists at the FDA ― who have reviewed the totality of data , not just the data from this expanded access program , but more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the historical experience associated with this ― those scientists have concluded that COVID-19 convalescent plasma is safe , ensures promising efficacy , thereby meeting the criteria for emergency use authorization , ” Hahn said at the briefing .
The authorization comes after the FDA put the convalescent plasma approval on hold in response to concerns from top federal health officials , including Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci , The New York Times reported last week .
Though blood plasma donated from recovered COVID-19 patients is considered safe , top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet proved whether it is effective enough for treating the disease caused by the virus .
The FDA had planned to give emergency use authorization for the treatment earlier this month but decided against it after health experts argued there was insufficient evidence .
“ The trial that that ’ s going to be based on ― 70,000 patients ― wasn ’ t a very rigorously done trial .
It was an open-label study where everyone got treated , so it ’ s hard to draw conclusions , ” former FDA Commissioner Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nation ” on Sunday .
“ I believe plasma is probably beneficial .
It ’ s probably weakly beneficial in the setting of this treatment , ” he continued .
“ But I think some people wanted to see more rigorous data to ground that decision.
” “ There was a 35 % improvement in survival , which is a significant clinical benefit , ” Hahn said of the study .
“ Now we ’ re waiting for more data — we ’ re going to continue to gather data — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve established for emergency use authorization , and we ’ re very pleased with these results.
” Trump on Saturday accused FDA employees of intentionally delaying progress on a COVID-19 vaccine and treatment because they were out to hurt the president ’ s chances in the election , without offering any evidence to substantiate the claim .
“ The FDA has a responsibility to approve drugs , judging on their safety and their efficacy ― not by a declaration from the White House about speed and politicizing the FDA , ” Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Well , I think that there might have been a holdup , but we broke the logjam over the last week , ” Trump said .
“ To be honest , I think that there are people in the FDA and actually in your larger department that can see things being held up and wouldn ’ t mind so much , it ’ s my opinion , a very strong opinion , and that ’ s for political reasons.
” The FDA said Sunday that the “ known and potential benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ outweigh the known and potential risks ” and that there are “ no adequate , approved and available alternative treatments .
”

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President Donald Trump said Sunday that U.S. regulators have given an emergency use authorization for a coronavirus treatment involving blood plasma donated by people who have recovered from the disease.
“This is a powerful therapy that transfuses very, very strong antibodies from the blood of recovered patients to help treat patients battling a current infection,” Trump told reporters at a White House news briefing. “We’re removing unnecessary barriers and delays, not by cutting corners, but by marshaling the full power of the federal government.”
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The authorization allows for the distribution of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in the U.S. and for health care providers to administer it as appropriate to treat patients hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said Sunday that he is “committed to releasing safe and potentially helpful treatments for COVID-19 as quickly as possible in order to save lives.”
“In the independent judgment of experts and expert scientists at the FDA ― who have reviewed the totality of data, not just the data from this expanded access program, but more than a dozen published studies, as well as the historical experience associated with this ― those scientists have concluded that COVID-19 convalescent plasma is safe, ensures promising efficacy, thereby meeting the criteria for emergency use authorization,” Hahn said at the briefing.
Today, we issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for investigational convalescent plasma for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to fight #COVID19. https://t.co/sxWrblWsxr pic.twitter.com/DnTrJaDTX1 — U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) August 23, 2020
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The authorization comes after the FDA put the convalescent plasma approval on hold in response to concerns from top federal health officials, including Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Anthony Fauci, The New York Times reported last week.
Though blood plasma donated from recovered COVID-19 patients is considered safe, top scientists said the clinical trials have not yet proved whether it is effective enough for treating the disease caused by the virus. The FDA had planned to give emergency use authorization for the treatment earlier this month but decided against it after health experts argued there was insufficient evidence.
“The trial that that’s going to be based on ― 70,000 patients ― wasn’t a very rigorously done trial. It was an open-label study where everyone got treated, so it’s hard to draw conclusions,” former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“I believe plasma is probably beneficial. It’s probably weakly beneficial in the setting of this treatment,” he continued. “But I think some people wanted to see more rigorous data to ground that decision.”
.@realDonaldTrump has suggested new "breakthroughs" on the #COVID19 therapeutic front. @scottgottliebMD tells @margbrennan that it is likely related to an emergency use authorization to allow more commercial distribution for plasma for #COVID19 patients. pic.twitter.com/8xL5K6hDhz — Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) August 23, 2020
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Trump said the federal government provided $48 million to fund a Mayo Clinic study that tested the efficacy of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients.
The study showed that the plasma reduced mortality by 35% among 100,000 participants receiving the treatment, according to Hahn and Alex Azar, secretary of health and human services.
“There was a 35% improvement in survival, which is a significant clinical benefit,” Hahn said of the study. “Now we’re waiting for more data — we’re going to continue to gather data — but this clearly meets the criteria that we’ve established for emergency use authorization, and we’re very pleased with these results.”
Trump on Saturday accused FDA employees of intentionally delaying progress on a COVID-19 vaccine and treatment because they were out to hurt the president’s chances in the election, without offering any evidence to substantiate the claim.
The president’s conspiracy-laden tweet appeared to accuse the FDA of interfering with drug company recruitment of subjects for testing vaccines and therapeutic treatments in the fight against the virus.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Trump’s “deep state” accusation “very scary” and “beyond the pale in terms of how he would jeopardize the health and well-being of the American people.”
The FDA must approve drugs or vaccines based on their safety and effectiveness – NOT political pressure from the White House.
The President’s dangerous attempt to inject himself into the scientific decisions of @US_FDA jeopardizes the health & well-being of all Americans. https://t.co/Dt7CBVjX1D — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 22, 2020
“The FDA has a responsibility to approve drugs, judging on their safety and their efficacy ― not by a declaration from the White House about speed and politicizing the FDA,” Pelosi said Saturday at a Washington news briefing.
Trump echoed some of his early sentiment when asked at Sunday’s briefing if the emergency use authorization was political in nature.
“Well, I think that there might have been a holdup, but we broke the logjam over the last week,” Trump said. “To be honest, I think that there are people in the FDA and actually in your larger department that can see things being held up and wouldn’t mind so much, it’s my opinion, a very strong opinion, and that’s for political reasons.”
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The FDA said Sunday that the “known and potential benefits” of plasma treatment on coronavirus patients “outweigh the known and potential risks” and that there are “no adequate, approved and available alternative treatments.”
Hahn declined to answer questions Sunday about whether he was pressured into giving an emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma treatment before it was ready.
The pandemic continues to ravage the U.S., with nearly 5.7 million coronavirus cases and 176,645 deaths as of Sunday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Emails Show Businesses Held Sway Over State Reopening Plans

A few days later , the Republican governor opened the doors to salons , fitness centers and swimming pools .
He did not wait to gauge the effect of the restaurant reopening on the virus , as public health officials had suggested .
Like many states , South Carolina later experienced a surge in infections that forced McMaster to dial back his reopening plan .
He was hardly alone .
Thousands of pages of emails provided to The Associated Press under open-records laws show that governors across the U.S. were inundated with reopening advice from a wide range of industries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car washes in Washington .
Some governors put economic interests ahead of public health guidance , and certain businesses were allowed to write the rules that would govern their own operations .
Though governors often work with business leaders to craft policy , the emails offer a new window into their decisions during a critical early juncture in the nation ’ s battle against the pandemic .
Many governors chose to reopen before their states met all the nationally recommended health guidelines , which include a sustained downward rate of infection and robust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was among at least 15 states that provided records to the AP at no cost .
A few states wanted hundreds or thousands of dollars to supply copies of the communications that could reveal how governors were making decisions — and which voices influenced them the most .
As she was putting the finishing touches on a reopening plan in May , Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown received a letter from a coalition of business groups pressing for more say in the process .
Two hours later , the head of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandate masks as “ foundational to any business opening where people will be gathered , indoors or out.
” Lance Odermat , vice president of Brown Bear Car Wash in Seattle , said he was frustrated that car washes were not exempt from Inslee ’ s order shutting down many businesses in March .
But Odermat continued to plead his case .
He was included in a car-wash reopening group and sent the administration the company ’ s internal plan for reopening with coronavirus precautions .
In North Carolina , the head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group ’ s reopening plan to Democratic Gov .
Roy Cooper ’ s chief of staff on April 24 and warned in a letter the following week that the outlook for restaurants “ becomes more dire ” with each passing day .
She also served on a state task force that helped shape the guidelines Cooper eventually issued , which allowed in-person dining to resume with up to 50 % of fire-code capacity and tables spaced at least 6 feet apart .
Back in South Carolina , the director of the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in an April 27 email that he had asked the restaurant association to “ create a plan for the ‘ new dining room ’ ” guidelines .
The association proposed to resume indoor dining May 11 , according to the email .

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As South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster prepared to announce the end of a coronavirus stay-at-home order, his top staff received an email from the state health department.
The message, highlighted in bold, was clear: Wait longer before allowing customers back inside restaurants, hair salons and other businesses where people will be in close contact.
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Instead, McMaster pressed ahead with a plan written by the state restaurant association to resume inside dining on May 11. The guidelines made masks optional for employees and allowed more customers inside than the health agency had advised.
A few days later, the Republican governor opened the doors to salons, fitness centers and swimming pools. He did not wait to gauge the effect of the restaurant reopening on the virus, as public health officials had suggested. Like many states, South Carolina later experienced a surge in infections that forced McMaster to dial back his reopening plan.
He was hardly alone. Thousands of pages of emails provided to The Associated Press under open-records laws show that governors across the U.S. were inundated with reopening advice from a wide range of industries — from campgrounds in New Hampshire to car washes in Washington. Some governors put economic interests ahead of public health guidance, and certain businesses were allowed to write the rules that would govern their own operations.
As job losses accelerated, the pressure to reopen intensified.
“Attraction folks are on me like white on rice,” McMaster’s tourism director wrote to the head of the governor’s reopening task force, describing lobbying from amusement parks, bingo halls and other entertainment venues.
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Though governors often work with business leaders to craft policy, the emails offer a new window into their decisions during a critical early juncture in the nation’s battle against the pandemic. Many governors chose to reopen before their states met all the nationally recommended health guidelines, which include a sustained downward rate of infection and robust testing and contact tracing.
“The interest in trying to reopen and restart economic activity had a much greater pull at the time ... than did public health concerns or question marks about how it would go,” said Anita Cicero, deputy director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.
Many states were forced to halt or roll back their reopening plans as COVID-19 cases spiked across the country this summer, and the number of infections and deaths in the U.S. far outpaced those of any other country.
In early August, McMaster transformed his restaurant guidelines into requirements, including a mandate that all diners and employees wear masks. The governor’s spokesman, Brian Symmes, said “some restaurants weren’t doing what they needed to do.”
Symmes also defended the spring reopening, saying the governor “has a wider scope of responsibility and focus than our public health officials.”
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“It simply isn’t the government’s job to put its thumb on the scale by shuttering these small businesses for an undefined and indefinite period of time,” Symmes said.
Two weeks after North Dakota reopened, Republican Gov. Doug Burgum received a report showing a single-day spike of 69 new COVID-19 cases in one county. Burgum fired off an email to several of his top officials complaining that the outbreak — combined with lower-than-promised daily COVID-19 testing — was “driving our state numbers in the wrong direction.”
“Our house is on fire,” Burgum wrote, accompanied by a fire emoji. “Need to drive a much greater sense of urgency and action.”
North Dakota was among at least 15 states that provided records to the AP at no cost. A few states wanted hundreds or thousands of dollars to supply copies of the communications that could reveal how governors were making decisions — and which voices influenced them the most.
Some states suspended or slowed responses to open-records requests because of the coronavirus. Three months after submitting its request, the AP is still awaiting records from many states, including California, Texas and Florida, which have the greatest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
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“In a pandemic, you need more transparency, more information — not less of either one of those,” said Dan Bevarly, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition.
Records obtained by The Associated Press show governors working closely with business interests as they weighed when and how to reopen their economies during the coronavirus pandemic. Gregory Bull/Associated Press
As she was putting the finishing touches on a reopening plan in May, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown received a letter from a coalition of business groups pressing for more say in the process. Two hours later, the head of the state hospital association wrote urging the Democrat to mandate masks as “foundational to any business opening where people will be gathered, indoors or out.”
At first, Brown required masks only for employees of certain businesses, but she had to reverse course as COVID-19 cases rose over the summer. She became one of 34 governors to impose statewide mask mandates.
In Washington state, landscapers, dog walkers and car wash operators all had a role in the rules affecting their businesses, according to the emails provided by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s administration.
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Lance Odermat, vice president of Brown Bear Car Wash in Seattle, said he was frustrated that car washes were not exempt from Inslee’s order shutting down many businesses in March. But Odermat continued to plead his case. He was included in a car-wash reopening group and sent the administration the company’s internal plan for reopening with coronavirus precautions.
When the governor released his reopening strategy, “it seemed like a lot of those guidelines were taken directly from our operating plan,” Odermat said.
In North Carolina, the head of a restaurant association sent a copy of the group’s reopening plan to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s chief of staff on April 24 and warned in a letter the following week that the outlook for restaurants “becomes more dire” with each passing day. She also served on a state task force that helped shape the guidelines Cooper eventually issued, which allowed in-person dining to resume with up to 50% of fire-code capacity and tables spaced at least 6 feet apart.
The tensions between economic and health interests were evident in New Hampshire in a decision allowing campgrounds to open with restricted capacities.
Margaret Byrnes, executive director of the New Hampshire Municipal Association, urged Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s administration to keep campgrounds closed because of concerns they could attract visitors from areas with higher coronavirus caseloads. She also wanted cities to have a greater voice on the governor’s reopening task force.
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“There was a lot of business and industry representation, which is really important in the reopening process, but it needed to be balanced with some local municipal representation,” Byrnes said.
Sununu’s policy director, D.J. Bettencourt, said municipalities were represented on the task force through lawmakers who doubled as local officials. He said opening campgrounds on May 1 was “an essential aspect of ensuring housing” for some health care workers and guarding against homelessness.
Back in South Carolina, the director of the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism said in an April 27 email that he had asked the restaurant association to “create a plan for the ‘new dining room’” guidelines. The association proposed to resume indoor dining May 11, according to the email.
On May 1, the health department chief of staff emailed the governor’s top staff saying the agency recommended waiting until May 18 to resume indoor dining. The agency also recommended a 25% capacity limit for restaurants, with no more than six people per table and mandatory masks for employees.
But the governor’s final plan, announced a week later, stuck with the May 11 start date, a 50% capacity guideline and up to eight people per table. There were no mandates, and the entire policy was only a suggestion.
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How closely did McMaster’s restaurant guidelines mirror the industry’s plan?
“Oh, it was exactly,” said Douglas OFlaherty, vice president of the restaurant organization. “He basically said, ‘What the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association’s recommendations are, you should follow.’”
——


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Homeland Security Cannot Send Agents To Polling Sites: Acting DHS Secretary

The acting secretary of homeland security said Sunday that he does not have the authority to send agents to guard polling places in November , contradicting recent statements by President Donald Trump .
“ We don ’ t have any authority to do that at the department , ” acting secretary Chad Wolf told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper on “ State of the Union.
” Trump told Fox News Thursday that he plans to send “ everybody ” — including law enforcement officials and “ hopefully U.S. attorneys ” — to polling places to guard against voter fraud , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lack of evidence that such fraud is widespread .
Federal law prohibits anyone in the civil , military or naval services of the U.S. to order or bring troops or “ armed men ” to any location where a general or special election is being held , “ unless such force be necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.
” Wolf denied that Trump made such a request to his department and its agents .
“ That ’ s not what we do at the Department of Homeland Security , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks before the November election , Trump has seemed to try to undermine the election by repeatedly spreading false or misleading claims about voter fraud , particularly when it comes to voting by mail .
Wolf told Tapper that his department has not received any intelligence that foreign entities are attempting to interfere in the upcoming election , at least in terms of election infrastructure , which he said his department focuses on .
“ But we do know about the disinformation campaigns and China , Russia , Iran , all go about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Tapper also asked Wolf about Trump ’ s publicly expressed support of followers of QAnon — a fringe right-wing conspiracy theory linked to acts of violence — and whether Trump should be informed of its extremist behaviors .
Wolf appeared to brush off any concern , saying that the situation with the president is not a threat “ that rises to a significant level.
” “ There are many other threats here domestically as well as overseas that we ’ re focused on , and we ’ ll continue to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .

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The acting secretary of homeland security said Sunday that he does not have the authority to send agents to guard polling places in November, contradicting recent statements by President Donald Trump.
“We don’t have any authority to do that at the department,” acting secretary Chad Wolf told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
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Trump told Fox News Thursday that he plans to send “everybody” — including law enforcement officials and “hopefully U.S. attorneys” — to polling places to guard against voter fraud, an issue he has repeatedly raised despite a lack of evidence that such fraud is widespread.
Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of Homeland Security, speaks at the White House in July. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Federal law prohibits anyone in the civil, military or naval services of the U.S. to order or bring troops or “armed men” to any location where a general or special election is being held, “unless such force be necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.”
Wolf denied that Trump made such a request to his department and its agents. “That’s not what we do at the Department of Homeland Security,” he said.
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With roughly 10 weeks before the November election, Trump has seemed to try to undermine the election by repeatedly spreading false or misleading claims about voter fraud, particularly when it comes to voting by mail.
Wolf told Tapper that his department has not received any intelligence that foreign entities are attempting to interfere in the upcoming election, at least in terms of election infrastructure, which he said his department focuses on.
“But we do know about the disinformation campaigns and China, Russia, Iran, all go about that a little differently,” he said.
Tapper also asked Wolf about Trump’s publicly expressed support of followers of QAnon — a fringe right-wing conspiracy theory linked to acts of violence — and whether Trump should be informed of its extremist behaviors. Wolf appeared to brush off any concern, saying that the situation with the president is not a threat “that rises to a significant level.”
“There are many other threats here domestically as well as overseas that we’re focused on, and we’ll continue to look at those and address those,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Trump Has A Record Of 'Hiring Excellent People,' Adviser Says After Bannon Arrest

President Donald Trump has a track record of “ hiring excellent people , ” a senior adviser said Sunday in response to the arrest of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon ― the seventh arrest of a member of Trump ’ s 2016 campaign team on federal charges .
“ I think you take a look at the great people President Trump has surrounded himself with , some of the brilliant women and some of the brilliant leaders , ” Jason Miller said on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press.
” He added : “ I would say that overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track record of hiring excellent people.
” When confronted with the prior indictments or convictions of several other Trump staffers ― specifically Michael Flynn , George Papadopoulos , Paul Manafort , Rick Gates , Michael Cohen , Roger Stone ― Miller said each had “ made some serious mistakes in their life that had nothing to do with President Trump.
” President Donald Trump 's former chief strategist Steve Bannon leaves federal court in New York on Thursday after pleading not guilty to charges that he ripped off donors to an online fundraising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Miller went on to name some of Trump ’ s current senior staff , including Stephen Miller and Kellyanne Conway , as individuals he ’ s “ proud to call ” his teammates .
Bannon , the former executive chairman of Breitbart News , joined the Trump campaign in 2016 and served as chief strategist in the White House until he was forced out in August 2017 .
He pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of wire fraud and money laundering after he was accused of defrauding donors to a $ 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the Texas-Mexico border .
Miller called the charges against Bannon “ very serious ” and said he hopes Bannon “ has the opportunity to tell his side of the story.
” “ I hope that Steve has some good answers for the things that he ’ s been accused of , ” he said .
Miller served as a senior communications adviser to Trump during the 2016 campaign .
In 2019 , he launched a podcast with Bannon that covered Trump ’ s impeachment .
Miller denied to NBC ’ s Chuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Justice in relation to the allegations against Bannon and added that he was never involved with Bannon ’ s border wall campaign .
Trump named Miller White House communications director , but he withdrew from the job after reports of an extramarital affair with a fellow campaign official , which resulted in a legal battle over attorney fees and child support .
Miller rejoined the Trump campaign in June as a senior adviser , Politico reported .
Todd also asked Miller about audio released Saturday of Trump ’ s older sister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which she disparaged her brother .
“ He has no principles .
None .
None .
And his base , I mean , my God , if you were a religious person , you want to help people — not do this , ” Barry told her niece , Mary Trump , in recorded audio obtained by The Washington Post .
“ His goddamned tweet [ s ] and lying , oh , my God .
I ’ m talking too freely , but you know , the change of stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying — holy shit.
” “ When you get to the White House you have family members who decide to voice their sibling rivalries , ” he said .

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President Donald Trump has a track record of “hiring excellent people,” a senior adviser said Sunday in response to the arrest of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon ― the seventh arrest of a member of Trump’s 2016 campaign team on federal charges.
“I think you take a look at the great people President Trump has surrounded himself with, some of the brilliant women and some of the brilliant leaders,” Jason Miller said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He added: “I would say that overall the president has had a very good track record of hiring excellent people.”
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When confronted with the prior indictments or convictions of several other Trump staffers ― specifically Michael Flynn, George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Cohen, Roger Stone ― Miller said each had “made some serious mistakes in their life that had nothing to do with President Trump.”
President Donald Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon leaves federal court in New York on Thursday after pleading not guilty to charges that he ripped off donors to an online fundraising scheme to build a southern border wall. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Miller went on to name some of Trump’s current senior staff, including Stephen Miller and Kellyanne Conway, as individuals he’s “proud to call” his teammates.
Bannon, the former executive chairman of Breitbart News, joined the Trump campaign in 2016 and served as chief strategist in the White House until he was forced out in August 2017.
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He pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of wire fraud and money laundering after he was accused of defrauding donors to a $25 million fundraising campaign to build a wall along the Texas-Mexico border.
Miller called the charges against Bannon “very serious” and said he hopes Bannon “has the opportunity to tell his side of the story.”
“I hope that Steve has some good answers for the things that he’s been accused of,” he said.
Jason Miller served as a senior communications adviser to Trump during the 2016 campaign. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images
Miller served as a senior communications adviser to Trump during the 2016 campaign. In 2019, he launched a podcast with Bannon that covered Trump’s impeachment.
Miller denied to NBC’s Chuck Todd that he was interviewed by the Department of Justice in relation to the allegations against Bannon and added that he was never involved with Bannon’s border wall campaign.
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Trump named Miller White House communications director, but he withdrew from the job after reports of an extramarital affair with a fellow campaign official, which resulted in a legal battle over attorney fees and child support. Miller rejoined the Trump campaign in June as a senior adviser, Politico reported.
Todd also asked Miller about audio released Saturday of Trump’s older sister, former federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, in which she disparaged her brother.
“He has no principles. None. None. And his base, I mean, my God, if you were a religious person, you want to help people — not do this,” Barry told her niece, Mary Trump, in recorded audio obtained by The Washington Post. “His goddamned tweet[s] and lying, oh, my God. I’m talking too freely, but you know, the change of stories, the lack of preparation, the lying — holy shit.”
Miller brushed off Barry’s comments, chalking them up to “sibling rivalries.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Everything We Know About The 2020 Republican National Convention

Similar to the Democratic National Convention , the RNC will conduct most of its events and speeches virtually and remotely , with the exception of convention business in the host city of Charlotte , North Carolina .
The RNC is expected to renominate President Donald Trump , who plans to deliver his address from Washington , D.C .
The Republican Party has been publicly releasing details about the convention programming at a slow pace , but here is everything we know so far about the RNC : When and where is it ?
The official RNC business and the formal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 24 and last through Thursday , Aug. 27 .
The convention falls one week after the DNC , during which Biden officially accepted the Democratic Party ’ s presidential nomination .
The official convention business takes place in Charlotte .
Because of North Carolina ’ s COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit convention celebrations , the RNC announced plans earlier this month to have a “ scaled-down ” event and to livestream Trump ’ s formal nomination .
Six delegates from each state and territory will attend the first day ’ s proceedings at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 336 total delegates who will cast their votes in person .
The RNC drafted a health and safety plan in accordance with the state to help protect delegates from contracting and spreading the virus .
Other than the official business , most in-person activities will be held in Washington , D.C. After Charlotte set its social distancing requirements , the RNC had planned for the convention celebration and speeches to be in Jacksonville , Florida , but abruptly canceled last month as the state continues to deal with a surge of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to accept his presidential renomination from the White House ’ s South Lawn .
Trump had previously also considered the Civil War battlefield in Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , where former President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous address .
First lady Melania Trump is set to speak from the White House ’ s Rose Garden , and Vice President Mike Pence plans to address the convention from Fort McHenry in Maryland .
The president ’ s decision to use the White House as the site of his speech has drawn concern from Democrats and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues behind using federal buildings and resources for political campaign events , as well as federal employees violating the Hatch Act by campaigning for the president on government property .
The president is not covered by the Hatch Act , but his aides are legally prohibited from appearing at the convention in their official capacities .
Organizers have insisted his staffers are following all ethics rules .
What will happen each day ?
The convention will begin Monday with the actual nomination , as delegates cast their votes for Trump in Charlotte .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ variety of events and speeches .
Melania Trump will speak on Tuesday , Pence on Wednesday and Donald Trump on Thursday ― when he will accept the nomination from the White House .
Trump also made the last-minute decision to speak at the end of every night of the convention .
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Fox News that the convention will have live programming every night , with keynote speakers and “ surprises.
” McDaniel told the network ’ s Bill Hemmer that live events will run throughout the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ p.m. to 11 p.m .
ET .
During the DNC last week , Democrats pushed the message that Biden will not only unify the country regardless of party , but also pull the nation out of the darkness it ’ s engulfed in thanks to Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic , the economy and protests against racial injustice .
This week , the RNC plans to oppose that message by painting a more positive outlook on the state of the country under the Trump administration .
Many of the speakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s policies , in hopes that the convention can mask the current state of the pandemic in the U.S. and the record number of job losses .
The president is hoping to shift his campaign away from the pandemic and economic collapse and toward a choice between a patriotic future and a treacherous future for America .
Trump and Republicans are pushing more aggressively to reframe the national conversation around the election as surveys show his support dwindling amid the coronavirus pandemic .
While the DNC featured speakers from both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for president , the RNC has a different approach .
The convention will feature several members of the Trump family ; newer Republican candidates and lawmakers ; the president ’ s personal and professional advisers ; and civilian members of the party who gained public notoriety for pushing against the media and the left .

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The Republican National Convention is set to begin this week, on the heels of Democrats’ convention in which they nominated former Vice President Joe Biden to be their party’s presidential candidate.
Similar to the Democratic National Convention, the RNC will conduct most of its events and speeches virtually and remotely, with the exception of convention business in the host city of Charlotte, North Carolina. The RNC is expected to renominate President Donald Trump, who plans to deliver his address from Washington, D.C.
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The Republican Party has been publicly releasing details about the convention programming at a slow pace, but here is everything we know so far about the RNC:
When and where is it?
The official RNC business and the formal presidential renomination will begin on Monday, Aug. 24 and last through Thursday, Aug. 27. The convention falls one week after the DNC, during which Biden officially accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
The official convention business takes place in Charlotte. Because of North Carolina’s COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit convention celebrations, the RNC announced plans earlier this month to have a “scaled-down” event and to livestream Trump’s formal nomination. Six delegates from each state and territory will attend the first day’s proceedings at the Charlotte Convention Center, adding up to 336 total delegates who will cast their votes in person. The RNC drafted a health and safety plan in accordance with the state to help protect delegates from contracting and spreading the virus.
More behind the scenes from North Carolina! pic.twitter.com/uxjWLE5U7b — Marcia Lee Kelly (@Marcialeekelly) August 23, 2020
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Other than the official business, most in-person activities will be held in Washington, D.C. After Charlotte set its social distancing requirements, the RNC had planned for the convention celebration and speeches to be in Jacksonville, Florida, but abruptly canceled last month as the state continues to deal with a surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
Trump is expected to accept his presidential renomination from the White House’s South Lawn. Trump had previously also considered the Civil War battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where former President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous address. First lady Melania Trump is set to speak from the White House’s Rose Garden, and Vice President Mike Pence plans to address the convention from Fort McHenry in Maryland.
The president’s decision to use the White House as the site of his speech has drawn concern from Democrats and even some Republicans due to the ethical issues behind using federal buildings and resources for political campaign events, as well as federal employees violating the Hatch Act by campaigning for the president on government property. The president is not covered by the Hatch Act, but his aides are legally prohibited from appearing at the convention in their official capacities. Organizers have insisted his staffers are following all ethics rules.
The RNC allegedly plans to use the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington ― a historic federal building near the Trump International Hotel ― as the “central hub” for convention speeches, according to Politico.
What will happen each day?
The convention will begin Monday with the actual nomination, as delegates cast their votes for Trump in Charlotte. The following three days will feature a variety of events and speeches. Melania Trump will speak on Tuesday, Pence on Wednesday and Donald Trump on Thursday ― when he will accept the nomination from the White House. Trump also made the last-minute decision to speak at the end of every night of the convention.
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Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Fox News that the convention will have live programming every night, with keynote speakers and “surprises.” McDaniel told the network’s Bill Hemmer that live events will run throughout the day while prime-time events will occur from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
Viewers can find the programming on the RNC’s livestream, on social media platforms, and on several cable news networks and news websites.
What’s the RNC’s messaging?
During the DNC last week, Democrats pushed the message that Biden will not only unify the country regardless of party, but also pull the nation out of the darkness it’s engulfed in thanks to Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and protests against racial injustice. This week, the RNC plans to oppose that message by painting a more positive outlook on the state of the country under the Trump administration.
Many of the speakers are people who have personally benefited from Trump’s policies, in hopes that the convention can mask the current state of the pandemic in the U.S. and the record number of job losses.
“This president’s done more in 47 months than Joe Biden did in 47 years to make a difference in people’s lives,” White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters last week.
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Kellyanne Conway: "This President's done more in 47 months than Joe Biden did in 47 years to make a difference in people's lives." pic.twitter.com/l04qy1y8hD — The Hill (@thehill) August 19, 2020
The president is hoping to shift his campaign away from the pandemic and economic collapse and toward a choice between a patriotic future and a treacherous future for America. Trump and Republicans are pushing more aggressively to reframe the national conversation around the election as surveys show his support dwindling amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Who is speaking?
While the DNC featured speakers from both sides of the political aisle who support Biden for president, the RNC has a different approach. The convention will feature several members of the Trump family; newer Republican candidates and lawmakers; the president’s personal and professional advisers; and civilian members of the party who gained public notoriety for pushing against the media and the left.
New: Trump campaign announces the Republican convention speakers pic.twitter.com/Bfj4bDrpKH — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 23, 2020
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Here is the full lineup of speakers:
Monday
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)
Former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel
Georgia state Rep. Vernon Jones (R)
Amy Johnson Ford
Kimberly Guilfoyle
Natalie Harp
Charlie Kirk
Kim Klacik
Mark and Patricia McCloskey
Sean Parnell
Andrew Pollack
Donald Trump Jr.
Tanya Weinreis
Tuesday
First lady Melania Trump
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R)
Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez (R)
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R)
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (R)
Abby Johnson
Jason Joyce
Myron Lizer
Mary Ann Mendoza
Megan Pauley
Cris Peterson
John Peterson
Nicholas Sandmann
Eric Trump
Tiffany Trump
Wednesday
Vice President Mike Pence
Karen Pence
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R)
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas)
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.)
Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell
White House adviser Kellyanne Conway
Vice presidential national security adviser Keith Kellogg
Jack Brewer
Sister Dede Byrne
North Carolina Republican congressional candidate Madison Cawthorn
Scott Dane
Clarence Henderson
Ryan Holets
Michael McHale
Burgess Owens
Lara Trump
Thursday
President Donald Trump
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.)
Ivanka Trump
White House domestic policy adviser Ja’Ron Smith
Ann Dorn
Debbie Flood
Trump personal attorney Rudy Giuliani
Evangelist speaker Franklin Graham
Alice Johnson
Wade Mayfield
Carl and Marsha Mueller
Dana White


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Twitter Flags Trump Tweet Claiming Ballot Boxes Are A COVID-19 Risk

Twitter on Sunday placed restrictions on a tweet by President Donald Trump that claimed without any supporting evidence that using mail drop boxes to vote could spread COVID-19 as well as make it possible for people to vote multiple times .
“ Among other things , they make it possible for a person to vote multiple times .
Also , who controls them , are they placed in Republican or Democrat areas ?
They are not Covid sanitized .
A big fraud !
” he tweeted .
Twitter determined that Trump ’ s tweet violated its rules about civic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ misleading health claims that could potentially dissuade people from participation in voting.
” So now the Democrats are using Mail Drop Boxes , which are a voter security disaster .
Among other things , they make it possible for a person to vote multiple times .
Also , who controls them , are they placed in Republican or Democrat areas ?
They are not Covid sanitized .
A big fraud !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 23 , 2020 The tweet was allowed to remain accessible to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the notice in order to view it .
Twitter users are also unable to like , reply or retweet it unless it is retweeted with a new comment .
Trump has repeatedly challenged voting by mail , arguing that it will lead to voter fraud , contrary to the conclusions of various studies and leading experts .
In one recent challenge , Trump ’ s campaign filed a lawsuit to block the widespread use of ballot drop boxes in Pennsylvania .
A judge earlier this month ordered the campaign to provide evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unable to do so , The Guardian reported Friday , citing a copy of the court filing .
Trump also said that mail-in voting will hurt the Republican Party .
But a Stanford University study in April found that mail-in-voting did not affect voter turnout in favor of either political party .
Contrary to Trump ’ s tweet , federal health officials have not flagged mail drop boxes as a potential health risk for voters .
But they have issued warnings about voting in person .
“ Elections with only in-person voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 spread because there will be larger crowds and longer wait times , ” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said .
To reduce the likelihood of infection , the CDC recommended that voters use alternatives to in-person voting whenever possible .
It also urged voters to take advantage of early voting or extended hours at polling locations , which would help break up crowds .
The virus is believed to spread mainly among people who are in close contact with one another .
Officials also urged those who do vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and frequently wash their hands , as they would in any public location where there is a chance of infection .
The U.S .
Postal Service also reminded voters that the virus is believed to spread primarily through airborne respiratory droplets resulting from a sneeze , cough or ordinary speech and not by mail .
“ Although the virus can survive for a short period of time on some surfaces , both CDC and the United States Surgeon General have indicated that it is unlikely to be spread from domestic or international mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Postal Service said .

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Twitter on Sunday placed restrictions on a tweet by President Donald Trump that claimed without any supporting evidence that using mail drop boxes to vote could spread COVID-19 as well as make it possible for people to vote multiple times.
“Among other things, they make it possible for a person to vote multiple times. Also, who controls them, are they placed in Republican or Democrat areas? They are not Covid sanitized. A big fraud!” he tweeted.
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Twitter determined that Trump’s tweet violated its rules about civic and election integrity, saying that it made “misleading health claims that could potentially dissuade people from participation in voting.”
“You can’t share false or misleading information intended to intimidate or dissuade people from participating in an election or other civic process,” Twitter said.
So now the Democrats are using Mail Drop Boxes, which are a voter security disaster. Among other things, they make it possible for a person to vote multiple times. Also, who controls them, are they placed in Republican or Democrat areas? They are not Covid sanitized. A big fraud! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2020
The tweet was allowed to remain accessible to the public but will require users to click on the notice in order to view it. Twitter users are also unable to like, reply or retweet it unless it is retweeted with a new comment.
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Trump has repeatedly challenged voting by mail, arguing that it will lead to voter fraud, contrary to the conclusions of various studies and leading experts.
In one recent challenge, Trump’s campaign filed a lawsuit to block the widespread use of ballot drop boxes in Pennsylvania. A judge earlier this month ordered the campaign to provide evidence to support its claims, but it was unable to do so, The Guardian reported Friday, citing a copy of the court filing.
Trump also said that mail-in voting will hurt the Republican Party. But a Stanford University study in April found that mail-in-voting did not affect voter turnout in favor of either political party.
A voter casts a mail-in ballot at a drop box in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in May. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Contrary to Trump’s tweet, federal health officials have not flagged mail drop boxes as a potential health risk for voters. But they have issued warnings about voting in person.
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“Elections with only in-person voting on a single day are higher risk for COVID-19 spread because there will be larger crowds and longer wait times,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
To reduce the likelihood of infection, the CDC recommended that voters use alternatives to in-person voting whenever possible. It also urged voters to take advantage of early voting or extended hours at polling locations, which would help break up crowds. The virus is believed to spread mainly among people who are in close contact with one another.
Officials also urged those who do vote in person to wear a face mask and frequently wash their hands, as they would in any public location where there is a chance of infection.
“Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer after using the voting equipment,” the CDC’s website recommended.
The U.S. Postal Service also reminded voters that the virus is believed to spread primarily through airborne respiratory droplets resulting from a sneeze, cough or ordinary speech and not by mail.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Critics Stumped RNC Lists 'Honorable' Ivanka Trump — And Omits Title For Her Siblings

Critics piled on Sunday after President Donald Trump ’ s daughter was given the confounding title “ The Honorable ” Ivanka Trump among the list of speakers at the Republican National Convention issued Sunday .
Her siblings , who are also speaking — Donald Trump Jr. , and Eric and Tiffany Trump , the president ’ s 26-year-old daughter with his second wife , Marla Maples — weren ’ t given the same courtesy title in the convention schedule .
Such a title is usually reserved for judges and high-ranking officials like presidents and governors — and federal appointees confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a real estate owner and former clothing manufacturer who was named a White House adviser with no political experience by her father .
Critics on Twitter pointed out that Ivanka , Eric and Donald Trump Jr. were all ordered to undergo mandatory charity finance “ training ” as part of a court settlement following misuse of Trump Foundation funds — a less than honorable deed .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway , Housing Secretary Ben Carson , Deputy Assistant to the President Ja ’ Ron Smith and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also given “ The Honorable ” titles .
The speaker lineup is chockablock with Trumps — and their significant others .
Fox News on Saturday listed six Trumps among 12 “ key speakers ” planned for the convention , including the president , first lady Melania Trump , and the Trump siblings .
Eric Trump ’ s wife , Lara Trump ; Donald Trump Jr. ’ s girlfriend , Kimberly Guilfoyle , and White House Adviser Jared Kushner , husband of the first daughter , are also scheduled to speak .
Also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to speak each night of the convention .
Before fully absorbing the news of the glut of Trumps on the RNC roster , critics were still struggling to get past the idea of “ The Honorable Ivanka Trump.
” FUN FACT : Putting the words `` The Honorable '' in front of people like Ivanka trump , Kellyanne Conway , and Mike Pompeo does not make them any LESS dishonorable .
Because having the title `` President '' for 3.5 years has n't made trump any more presidential .
— BrooklynDad_Defiant !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Aside from not having an honorable bone in their bodies , Ivanka Trump and Kellyanne Conway are not federal judges , nor are they confirmed by the Senate , which would grant them such a distinction .
This is just gold-plated tackiness for a base too stupid to know any different .
— The Honorable Jonathan Goldman ( @ akjakalope ) August 23 , 2020 Uh ...
This is it ?
I have questions .
1 ) Why do Ivanka and Kellyanne Conway `` the honorable '' in front of their names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Where are Diamond and Silk ?
3 ) Where 's Tulsi Gabbard ?
4 ) Where 's the Grim Reaper ?
pic.twitter.com/g4fOHOOXOS — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly ( @ AynRandPaulRyan ) August 23 , 2020 Conventions get to make up titles like `` Honorable '' ?
I have a few to pitch : Abhorrent Bigot of Zero Intellect Mike Pence Dumbest One Which Is n't Saying Much Eric Trump Exotic Animal Murderer Don Jr Plagiarist Garden Butcher Melania Trump Princess Sweatshop Barbie Ivanka Trump — The Honorable Randi Mayem Singer ( @ rmayemsinger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House uses the title Honorable for those who 've committed Hatch Act violations in th3 service of Trump ?
— emptywheel ( @ emptywheel ) August 23 , 2020 “ The Honorable ” Ivanka Trump ?
Wtf ?
She is not elected and was not confirmed to any position .
She has not been knighted or won any decorations or been recognized for her valor .
The Honorable ?
Gim me a break .
https : //t.co/TV1JA47Nqo — Helen Kennedy ( @ HelenKennedy ) August 23 , 2020 It is absolutely inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking at a party convention .
Same goes for the VP ’ s Deputy National Security Advisor .
@ ProjectLincoln — Steve Schmidt ( @ SteveSchmidtSES ) August 23 , 2020

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Critics piled on Sunday after President Donald Trump’s daughter was given the confounding title “The Honorable” Ivanka Trump on the list of speakers at the Republican National Convention issued Sunday.
Her siblings, who are also speaking — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump, the president’s 26-year-old daughter with his second wife Marla Maples — weren’t given the same courtesy title in the convention schedule.
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Such a title is usually reserved for judges and high-ranking officials like presidents and governors — and federal appointees confirmed by the Senate. Ivanka Trump is a real estate owner and former clothing manufacturer who was named a White House adviser with no political experience by her father.
Critics on Twitter pointed out that Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. were ordered to undergo mandatory charity finance “training” as part of a court settlement following misuse of Trump Foundation funds — a less than honorable deed.
The speaker lineup is chockablock with Trumps — and their significant others. Fox News on Saturday listed six Trumps among 12 “key speakers” planned for the convention, including the president, first lady Melania Trump, and the Trump siblings.
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Eric Trump’s wife Lara Trump; Donald Trump Jr.’s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, and White House adviser Jared Kushner, husband of Ivanka Trump, are also scheduled to speak. The president plans to speak each night of the convention, breaking tradition.
Before fully absorbing the news of the glut of Trumps on the RNC roster, critics were still struggling to get past the idea of “The Honorable Ivanka Trump.”
FUN FACT: Putting the words "The Honorable" in front of people like Ivanka trump, Kellyanne Conway, and Mike Pompeo does not make them any LESS dishonorable.
Because having the title "President" for 3.5 years hasn't made trump any more presidential. — BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) August 23, 2020
Why is Ivanka “The Honorable Ivanka Trump” while Tiffany is just “Tiffany Trump”? https://t.co/kZXtI1yHCw — southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) August 23, 2020
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Aside from not having an honorable bone in their bodies, Ivanka Trump and Kellyanne Conway are not federal judges, nor are they confirmed by the Senate, which would grant them such a distinction. This is just gold-plated tackiness for a base too stupid to know any different. — The Honorable Jonathan Goldman (@akjakalope) August 23, 2020
“... appointed by the President and individually confirmed by the Senate”https://t.co/y5gf9R0M8A pic.twitter.com/JBq0jlfos4 — Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) August 23, 2020
Uh...
This is it?
I have questions.
1) Why do Ivanka and Kellyanne Conway "the honorable" in front of their names? Is that a joke?
2) Where are Diamond and Silk?
3) Where's Tulsi Gabbard?
4) Where's the Grim Reaper? pic.twitter.com/g4fOHOOXOS — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 23, 2020
Conventions get to make up titles like "Honorable"? I have a few to pitch:
Abhorrent Bigot of Zero Intellect Mike Pence
Dumbest One Which Isn't Saying Much Eric Trump
Exotic Animal Murderer Don Jr
Plagiarist Garden Butcher Melania Trump
Princess Sweatshop Barbie Ivanka Trump — The Honorable Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) August 23, 2020
They killed the meaning of "honorable", too. #ETTD — Tzippy Shmilovitz 🤦♀ (@Tzipshmil) August 23, 2020
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Maybe the White House uses the title Honorable for those who've committed Hatch Act violations in th3 service of Trump? — emptywheel (@emptywheel) August 23, 2020
“The Honorable” Ivanka Trump? Wtf? She is not elected and was not confirmed to any position. She has not been knighted or won any decorations or been recognized for her valor. The Honorable? Gimme a break. https://t.co/TV1JA47Nqo — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) August 23, 2020
I guess anyone can affix "The Honorable" to their name now. pic.twitter.com/qNjo4dTmVt — Jake McIntyre (@jakemcintyre) August 23, 2020
It is absolutely inappropriate for the Secretary of State to be speaking at a party convention. Same goes for the VP’s Deputy National Security Advisor. @ProjectLincoln — Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) August 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Residents Flee As Gulf Coast Sees Possible Tandem Hurricanes

NEW ORLEANS ( AP ) — The Gulf Coast braced Sunday for a potentially devastating hit from twin hurricanes as two strong storms swirled toward the U.S from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean .
Officials feared a history-making onslaught of life-threatening winds and flooding along the coast , stretching from Louisiana into Alabama .
A storm dubbed Marco grew into a hurricane Sunday as it moved up the Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana .
Another potential hurricane , Tropical Storm Laura , lashed the Dominican Republic and Haiti and was targeting the same region of the U.S. coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ebb and flow , but it could be the first time two hurricanes form in the Gulf of Mexico simultaneously , according to records dating to at least 1900 , said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach .
“ What we know is there ’ s going to be storm surge from Marco , we know that that water is not going to recede hardly at all before Laura hits , and so we ’ ve not seen this before and that ’ s why people need to be paying particular attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edwards said at a Sunday briefing .
With the potential the storms could overlap , parts of Louisiana , especially in south-central portions of the state , could see rainfall up to 2 feet , said Benjamin Schott , meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service ’ s Slidell , Louisiana , office .
People line up to enter retail chain Costco to buy provisions in New Orleans on Sunday in advance of Hurricane Marco .
Along the main drag on the barrier island of Grand Isle , south of New Orleans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see an exodus of people driving off the island .
“ They are all packing up and leaving , ” she said , speaking of the many people who own homes on the island and come out for vacations and weekend trips .
Fanity lives full-time on the island and wasn ’ t planning to leave , at least for Marco , but she was anxious about the possible one-two punch of Marco followed quickly by Laura .
Her husband works with the town ’ s fire and police departments , so she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones to leave .

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Gulf Coast braced Sunday for a potentially devastating hit from twin hurricanes as two strong storms swirled toward the U.S from the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Officials feared a history-making onslaught of life-threatening winds and flooding along the coast, stretching from Louisiana into Alabama.
A storm dubbed Marco grew into a hurricane Sunday as it moved up the Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana. Another potential hurricane, Tropical Storm Laura, lashed the Dominican Republic and Haiti and was targeting the same region of the U.S. coast.
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#Marco has become a hurricane, according to data from the Air Force @403rdWing Hurricane Hunters. Maximum winds are 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. https://t.co/MPtF0KuhE3 pic.twitter.com/o7GbutfMHU — National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 23, 2020
The strength of tropical storms can ebb and flow, but it could be the first time two hurricanes form in the Gulf of Mexico simultaneously, according to records dating to at least 1900, said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
“What we know is there’s going to be storm surge from Marco, we know that that water is not going to recede hardly at all before Laura hits, and so we’ve not seen this before and that’s why people need to be paying particular attention,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a Sunday briefing.
With the potential the storms could overlap, parts of Louisiana, especially in south-central portions of the state, could see rainfall up to 2 feet, said Benjamin Schott, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service’s Slidell, Louisiana, office.
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People line up to enter retail chain Costco to buy provisions in New Orleans on Sunday in advance of Hurricane Marco. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Along the main drag on the barrier island of Grand Isle, south of New Orleans, Starfish Restaurant manager Nicole Fantiny could see an exodus of people driving off the island.
“They are all packing up and leaving,” she said, speaking of the many people who own homes on the island and come out for vacations and weekend trips.
Fanity lives full-time on the island and wasn’t planning to leave, at least for Marco, but she was anxious about the possible one-two punch of Marco followed quickly by Laura. Her husband works with the town’s fire and police departments, so she said they are always among the last ones to leave.
“My house was built in 1938 so I think we’re good,” she said hopefully.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-23--Vanessa Bryant Posts Heartbreaking Birthday Note To Kobe

Vanessa Bryant posted a heart-wrenching message to her late husband Kobe Bryant on what would ’ ve been the NBA legend ’ s 42nd birthday , saying she ’ s felt “ completely broken inside ” since his death .
In an Instagram post on her private account Sunday , she reminisced about the love they shared and talked about the heartbreak she ’ s lived with since she lost him and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna in January .
“ I love you and miss you more than I can ever explain , ” she wrote .
“ I wish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a birthday cake with my Gigi .
I miss your big hugs , your kisses , your smile , your loud ass deep laugh.
” “ I think about everything you would do in situations to help me deal with everything thrown my way.
” She reflected on his patience and tenderness and thanked him for teaching her how to be strong and how to see the best in people .
She also described wanting to break down , but putting on a brave face to support their three daughters , Natalia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Capri , 1 .
“ Our lives feel so empty without you and Gigi .
I ’ ve been completely broken inside .
As much as I want to cry , I put a smile on my face to make our daughters days shine a little brighter .
I ’ m not the strong one , they are , ” she said .
She went on to say how much she wished she could “ wake up from this horrible nightmare ” and surprise their daughters by bringing him and Gianna home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t go first .
I always wanted to go first so that I selfishly didn ’ t have to feel this heartache .
You were supposed to miss me .
Gigi was supposed to be here with her sisters .
It should ’ ve been me .
There ’ s so much I wish I could tell you and show you and Gigi .
So many things you would both be happy to see and be a part of .
So many milestones for our girls .
So many things you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she expressed gratitude for having their daughters to wake up for , and thanked her husband for “ loving me enough to last several lifetimes.
” “ Natalia , Gianna , Bianka , Capri and I wish you a happy birthday my love .
I love you for now , forever and for always , ” her note concluded .
Vanessa ’ s post comes amid a deluge of tributes from the sporting world to the Lakers legend on his birthday .
The NBA , WNBA and athletes , including LeBron James , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angeles Dodgers wore Lakers jerseys pregame that were emblazoned with his name and jersey numbers , 8 and 24 .
On the pitcher ’ s mound were the numbers 24 and 2 , which was the number Gianna ― who had been a rising basketball star herself ― wore on her own jersey .

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Vanessa Bryant posted a heart-wrenching message to her late husband Kobe Bryant on what would’ve been the NBA legend’s 42nd birthday, saying she’s felt “completely broken inside” since his death.
In an Instagram post on her private account Sunday, she reminisced about the love they shared and talked about the heartbreak she’s lived with since she lost him and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna in January.
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“I love you and miss you more than I can ever explain,” she wrote. “I wish I could make you your fav food or a birthday cake with my Gigi. I miss your big hugs, your kisses, your smile, your loud ass deep laugh.”
“I think about everything you would do in situations to help me deal with everything thrown my way.”
She reflected on his patience and tenderness and thanked him for teaching her how to be strong and how to see the best in people. She also described wanting to break down, but putting on a brave face to support their three daughters, Natalia, 17; Bianka, 3; and Capri, 1.
“Our lives feel so empty without you and Gigi. I’ve been completely broken inside. As much as I want to cry, I put a smile on my face to make our daughters days shine a little brighter. I’m not the strong one, they are,” she said.
She went on to say how much she wished she could “wake up from this horrible nightmare” and surprise their daughters by bringing him and Gianna home.
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“I’m mad I didn’t go first. I always wanted to go first so that I selfishly didn’t have to feel this heartache. You were supposed to miss me. Gigi was supposed to be here with her sisters. It should’ve been me. There’s so much I wish I could tell you and show you and Gigi. So many things you would both be happy to see and be a part of. So many milestones for our girls. So many things you would be proud of.”
Finally, she expressed gratitude for having their daughters to wake up for, and thanked her husband for “loving me enough to last several lifetimes.”
“Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, Capri and I wish you a happy birthday my love. I love you for now, forever and for always,” her note concluded.
Kobe, Gianna and seven other people were killed in a helicopter accident in Calabasas, California, on January 26.
Vanessa’s post comes amid a deluge of tributes from the sporting world to the Lakers legend on his birthday.
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The Los Angeles Lakers posted a highlight reel of Kobe’s achievements and big moments dedicated to the “Father, Husband, Laker, Oscar Winner, Girl Dad, Author, Black Mamba, Champion, Mentor, Hall of Famer.” Nike also released a tribute video narrated by rapper Kendrick Lamar.