thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Supreme Court To Hear Trump Appeal Over Russia Report Documents

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a bid by President Donald Trump ’ s administration to avoid disclosing to a Democratic-led congressional panel grand jury materials related to former Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s report documenting Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election .
The justices are due to hear the case in their next term , which starts in October , meaning the dispute is unlikely to be resolved before the Nov. 3 election in which the Republican president is seeking a second four-year term in office .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed over to the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee , which issued a subpoena for them last year .
The court , which has a 5-4 conservative majority including two justices appointed by Trump , took up the administration ’ s appeal of a March ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that material must be given to lawmakers .
Mueller submitted his report to U.S. Attorney General William Barr in March 2019 after a 22-month investigation that detailed Russian hacking and propaganda efforts to boost Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacts between Trump ’ s campaign and Moscow .
Barr , a Trump appointee who Democrats have accused of trying to protect the president politically , released Mueller ’ s 448-page report in April 2019 with some parts redacted .
Democrats have expressed concern that Barr used the redaction process to keep potentially damaging information about Trump secret .
The redactions were made , according to Barr , in part to protect the customary secrecy of grand jury materials .
The Judiciary Committee last year subpoenaed the redacted grand jury material as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a case for removing Trump from office through impeachment .
The House impeached Trump in December on two charges unrelated to Russian election meddling .
The Republican-led Senate acquitted him and left him in office in February .
The D.C .
Circuit agreed with a judge ’ s decision that the House , in its impeachment investigation , was engaged in a judicial proceeding exempt from secrecy rules that typically shield grand jury material from disclosure .
On May 20 , the Supreme Court put the appeals court ruling on hold while it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Supreme Court is due to rule in the coming days on another showdown between Trump and congressional Democrats , this time over whether House committees can obtain through subpoena Trump ’ s financial records from his long-time accounting firm , Mazars LLP .
The justices are also weighing a related case on whether a New York grand jury can subpoena similar documents from Mazars and two banks .

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a bid by President Donald Trump’s administration to avoid disclosing to a Democratic-led congressional panel grand jury materials related to former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report documenting Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The justices are due to hear the case in their next term, which starts in October, meaning the dispute is unlikely to be resolved before the Nov. 3 election in which the Republican president is seeking a second four-year term in office. In the meantime, the materials will not be handed over to the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, which issued a subpoena for them last year.
The court, which has a 5-4 conservative majority including two justices appointed by Trump, took up the administration’s appeal of a March ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that material must be given to lawmakers.
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Mueller submitted his report to U.S. Attorney General William Barr in March 2019 after a 22-month investigation that detailed Russian hacking and propaganda efforts to boost Trump’s candidacy as well as multiple contacts between Trump’s campaign and Moscow.
Barr, a Trump appointee who Democrats have accused of trying to protect the president politically, released Mueller’s 448-page report in April 2019 with some parts redacted. Democrats have expressed concern that Barr used the redaction process to keep potentially damaging information about Trump secret.
The redactions were made, according to Barr, in part to protect the customary secrecy of grand jury materials.
The Judiciary Committee last year subpoenaed the redacted grand jury material as part of a bid by Democrats to build a case for removing Trump from office through impeachment. The House impeached Trump in December on two charges unrelated to Russian election meddling. The Republican-led Senate acquitted him and left him in office in February.
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The D.C. Circuit agreed with a judge’s decision that the House, in its impeachment investigation, was engaged in a judicial proceeding exempt from secrecy rules that typically shield grand jury material from disclosure. On May 20, the Supreme Court put the appeals court ruling on hold while it considered whether to hear the case.
The Supreme Court is due to rule in the coming days on another showdown between Trump and congressional Democrats, this time over whether House committees can obtain through subpoena Trump’s financial records from his long-time accounting firm, Mazars LLP.
The justices are also weighing a related case on whether a New York grand jury can subpoena similar documents from Mazars and two banks.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Trump Campaign Manager's Fundraising Boast Backfires

Donald Trump ’ s 2020 campaign manager , Brad Parscale , boasted Thursday on Twitter about raising $ 947 million so far for the president ’ s reelection bid : 💥💥💥 HUGE fundraising for @ realDonaldTrump in June !
🔥Record $ 131M - eclipsing any single month in 2016 🔥Record $ 266M in Q2 🔥 $ 295M cash on hand 🔥 $ 947M total raised Americans voting with their wallets , supporting the President.https : //t.co/l4xr9yhtEK — Brad Parscale ( @ parscale ) July 1 , 2020 Parscale ― who has reportedly faced increasing pressure from Trump following a disastrous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month ― also bragged that the campaign had $ 295 million in cash on hand .
The revelation prompted many Twitter users to rhetorically ask what the $ 652 million difference has been spent on , given that Trump continues to fall further behind presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in national polls .
Some tweeters noted that top Trump campaign officials have reportedly raked in millions of dollars for their work .
Parscale ’ s companies alone have been paid $ 38.9 million by the campaign , according to a HuffPost analysis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose campaign had $ 82 million in the bank at the end of May , has now out-fundraised Trump for two months straight .
The Trump campaign addressed some of its spending in a fundraising announcement on its website , revealing that it was “ investing unprecedented sums into powering the largest field program and data operation in Party history.
” The campaign said it has also hired 300 more field staffers .
That did nothing to stop the snark on Twitter , though : Take a closer look at these numbers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump Campaign : - raised $ 681 million before Q2 - had already spent $ 652 mil of it That ’ s insane .
They ’ re burning huge bonfires of money *and* falling further behind .
pic.twitter.com/QM62howSiJ — The Hoarse Whisperer ( @ HoarseWisperer ) July 2 , 2020 You 've already spent well over half of what you 've raised & Trump only continues to fall further in the polls… https : //t.co/JsHjZ0BRtv — William LeGate 🧢 ( @ williamlegate ) July 2 , 2020 So for those scoring at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already spent a mind-boggling $ 650 million on ... something or other .
And they 're down by 10 points .
Something tells me a lot of consultants have gotten themselves new BMWs .
Grifters all the way down .
https : //t.co/hZ5GZomplI — Paul Waldman ( @ paulwaldman1 ) July 2 , 2020 sir , hire me and this is my solemn promise to you : I will spend just as much money and you will lose the election just as embarrassingly but I will do it for half of whatever you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be a fool not to take me up on this deal .
@ realDonaldTrump — kilgore trout , a ramp with no steps ( @ KT_So_It_Goes ) July 2 , 2020 You ’ ve spent $ 700MM and he ’ s still 10 points down ?
Maybe just light the money on fire instead https : //t.co/7CsK9rqVq1 — Paul Musgrave🍕 ( @ profmusgrave ) July 2 , 2020 So you ’ ve spent $ 652 million to fall 10+ points down nationally and be down in almost every swing state ?
Wow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ JohnBuysse ) July 1 , 2020 They have spent $ 652 million : 1 ) while having no primary 2 ) registering none of the voters they claim will show up for Trump 3 ) building a campaign dependent on holding snake-oil revival rallies that can ’ t happen in a pandemic & whixh depends on massive ad spending to prop it up https : //t.co/6qsD9nZVIp — Eric Jotkoff ( @ Eric_Jotkoff ) July 2 , 2020 The Trump campaign has spent a mind blowing $ 652 million already , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it finds itself in the worst position of any presidential incumbent seeking re-election in modern history .
— 🥁 Brian R. Hester 🥁 ( @ brianrhester ) July 2 , 2020

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Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, Brad Parscale, boasted Thursday on Twitter about raising $947 million so far for the president’s reelection bid:
💥💥💥
HUGE fundraising for @realDonaldTrump in June!
🔥Record $131M - eclipsing any single month in 2016
🔥Record $266M in Q2
🔥$295M cash on hand
🔥$947M total raised
Americans voting with their wallets, supporting the President.https://t.co/l4xr9yhtEK — Brad Parscale (@parscale) July 1, 2020
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Parscale ― who has reportedly faced increasing pressure from Trump following a disastrous rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last month ― also bragged that the campaign had $295 million in cash on hand.
The revelation prompted many Twitter users to rhetorically ask what the $652 million difference has been spent on, given that Trump continues to fall further behind presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in national polls.
Some tweeters noted that top Trump campaign officials have reportedly raked in millions of dollars for their work. Parscale’s companies alone have been paid $38.9 million by the campaign, according to a HuffPost analysis. Other Twitter users highlighted how Biden, whose campaign had $82 million in the bank at the end of May, has now out-fundraised Trump for two months straight.
The Trump campaign addressed some of its spending in a fundraising announcement on its website, revealing that it was “investing unprecedented sums into powering the largest field program and data operation in Party history.” The campaign said it has also hired 300 more field staffers.
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That did nothing to stop the snark on Twitter, though:
Take a closer look at these numbers.
Using Parscale’s figures, the Trump Campaign:
- raised $681 million before Q2
- had already spent $652 mil of it
That’s insane. They’re burning huge bonfires of money *and* falling further behind. pic.twitter.com/QM62howSiJ — The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) July 2, 2020
You've already spent well over half of what you've raised & Trump only continues to fall further in the polls… https://t.co/JsHjZ0BRtv — William LeGate 🧢 (@williamlegate) July 2, 2020
So for those scoring at home, that means the Trump campaign has already spent a mind-boggling $650 million on...something or other. And they're down by 10 points.
Something tells me a lot of consultants have gotten themselves new BMWs. Grifters all the way down. https://t.co/hZ5GZomplI — Paul Waldman (@paulwaldman1) July 2, 2020
sir, hire me and this is my solemn promise to you: I will spend just as much money and you will lose the election just as embarrassingly but I will do it for half of whatever you are paying brad parscale. you’d be a fool not to take me up on this deal. @realDonaldTrump — kilgore trout, a ramp with no steps (@KT_So_It_Goes) July 2, 2020
You’ve spent $700MM and he’s still 10 points down? Maybe just light the money on fire instead https://t.co/7CsK9rqVq1 — Paul Musgrave🍕 (@profmusgrave) July 2, 2020
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So you’ve spent $652 million to fall 10+ points down nationally and be down in almost every swing state?
Wow! https://t.co/qyqAeHSjis — John Buysse (@JohnBuysse) July 1, 2020
They have spent $652 million:
1) while having no primary
2) registering none of the voters they claim will show up for Trump
3) building a campaign dependent on holding snake-oil revival rallies that can’t happen in a pandemic & whixh depends on massive ad spending to prop it up https://t.co/6qsD9nZVIp — Eric Jotkoff (@Eric_Jotkoff) July 2, 2020
The Trump campaign has spent a mind blowing $652 million already, including $100M in June alone, and it finds itself in the worst position of any presidential incumbent seeking re-election in modern history. — 🥁 Brian R. Hester 🥁 (@brianrhester) July 2, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Soldiers Mobilized To D.C. Protests Were Issued Bayonets: Report

CHARLOTTE , N.C. ( AP ) — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed a report by The Associated Press that some of the service members who were mobilized to Washington , D.C. , last month in response to civil unrest over the killing of George Floyd were issued bayonets .
Defense documents obtained by the AP show some were not trained in riot response .
Members of the Army ’ s 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg , North Carolina , and the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment , which is based in D.C. and typically guards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were mobilized last month to respond to massive protests over the treatment of Black Americans and systemic issues of police brutality .
But they were never actually sent to the protests after they arrived .
The soldiers were issued bayonets for their June 2 deployment — but told they were to remain in their scabbards and not attached to their service rifles , Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark A. Milley wrote to two U.S. representatives in a letter that was obtained by the AP .
The soldiers were also told no weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders and only after nonlethal options were first reviewed , he said .
Milley said the order to mobilize the troops came from Major Army Gen. Omar Jones , who serves as commander of the military district of Washington .
His letter , dated June 26 , was sent to two Democratic Congressmen , Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois , and Rep. Ted Lieu of California , who asked him for an explanation after the AP first reported on the use of bayonets on June 2 .
Roughly 700 members of the 82nd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bases near the District Capitol Area .
The soldiers were armed with live-rounds , bayonets , and riot gear .
Bloomberg reported on June 11 that the Old Guard was also issued bayonets .
Upon arrival , neither the 82nd or The Old Guard were ever called off base and into the city to respond to protests .
Division paratroopers were sent back to Fort Bragg on June 4 , just days after they arrived .
An unclassified military document obtained by the AP also shows that some of the soldiers were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead commanders planned to give paratroopers the proper training within 96 hours of their arrival in Washington , the document shows .
In a letter to Milley on June 22 , Krishnamoorthi and Lieu expressed concern that the use of bayonets could escalate any potential violence at the protests .
They drew parallels to the 1970 Kent State shootings in which four students were killed by National Guardsmen .
In a joint statement to the AP , the U.S. representatives responded : “ While we are grateful for General Milley ’ s responses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops with bayonets for potential deployment against protesters , we were disappointed he was not willing to commit to banning the practice.
, ” They added : “ We recognize the necessity of the Joint Force preserving flexibility to respond to varying circumstances , but it is difficult for us to imagine a circumstance which could necessitate or justify the deployment of bayonets against American civilians.
” The bayonet news broke at the same time the AP first reported that President Donald Trump ordered military aircraft to fly above demonstrators in a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two Defense Department officials , who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations publicly .
Show-of-force missions within the U.S. military are designed to intimidate an opposing force and to warn of potential military action if provoked further .
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters that the incident involving an Army National Guard medical evacuation helicopter that hovered low over protesters in Washington , D.C. , is under investigation .
Milley also found himself embroiled in controversy over the White House ’ s response to the protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to a photo-op outside St. John ’ s Church after passing through Lafayette Park , which the military cleared of protesters beforehand .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed a report by The Associated Press that some of the service members who were mobilized to Washington, D.C., last month in response to civil unrest over the killing of George Floyd were issued bayonets. Defense documents obtained by the AP show some were not trained in riot response.
Members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, which is based in D.C. and typically guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, were mobilized last month to respond to massive protests over the treatment of Black Americans and systemic issues of police brutality. But they were never actually sent to the protests after they arrived.
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The soldiers were issued bayonets for their June 2 deployment — but told they were to remain in their scabbards and not attached to their service rifles, Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark A. Milley wrote to two U.S. representatives in a letter that was obtained by the AP. The soldiers were also told no weapons were to enter the capital without clear orders and only after nonlethal options were first reviewed, he said.
Milley said the order to mobilize the troops came from Major Army Gen. Omar Jones, who serves as commander of the military district of Washington. His letter, dated June 26, was sent to two Democratic Congressmen, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, and Rep. Ted Lieu of California, who asked him for an explanation after the AP first reported on the use of bayonets on June 2.
Roughly 700 members of the 82nd Airborne Division were sent to two military bases near the District Capitol Area. The soldiers were armed with live-rounds, bayonets, and riot gear. Bloomberg reported on June 11 that the Old Guard was also issued bayonets.
Upon arrival, neither the 82nd or The Old Guard were ever called off base and into the city to respond to protests. Division paratroopers were sent back to Fort Bragg on June 4, just days after they arrived.
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But the reports also led to sharp condemnation and outrage on social media platforms.
An unclassified military document obtained by the AP also shows that some of the soldiers were not prepared to deal with the protesters. Instead commanders planned to give paratroopers the proper training within 96 hours of their arrival in Washington, the document shows.
While some infantry soldiers are trained in crowd control, especially those preparing for an overseas deployment, they don’t typically undergo training for riot control and domestic civil unrest.
In a letter to Milley on June 22, Krishnamoorthi and Lieu expressed concern that the use of bayonets could escalate any potential violence at the protests. They drew parallels to the 1970 Kent State shootings in which four students were killed by National Guardsmen.
“The escalation and violence leading up to and following those killings included those same troops meeting peaceful demonstrators with bayonets,” wrote Krishnamoorthi and Lieu.
In his response, Milley stopped short of agreeing to bar service members from deploying to domestic protests with bayonets. He said the decision would depend on individual circumstances.
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In a joint statement to the AP, the U.S. representatives responded: “While we are grateful for General Milley’s responses to our questions concerning the arming of troops with bayonets for potential deployment against protesters, we were disappointed he was not willing to commit to banning the practice.,”
They added: “We recognize the necessity of the Joint Force preserving flexibility to respond to varying circumstances, but it is difficult for us to imagine a circumstance which could necessitate or justify the deployment of bayonets against American civilians.”
The bayonet news broke at the same time the AP first reported that President Donald Trump ordered military aircraft to fly above demonstrators in a “show of force,” according to two Defense Department officials, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations publicly.
Show-of-force missions within the U.S. military are designed to intimidate an opposing force and to warn of potential military action if provoked further. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters that the incident involving an Army National Guard medical evacuation helicopter that hovered low over protesters in Washington, D.C., is under investigation.
Milley also found himself embroiled in controversy over the White House’s response to the protesters, especially after he walked with President Donald Trump to a photo-op outside St. John’s Church after passing through Lafayette Park, which the military cleared of protesters beforehand.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--America Spends Billions To Get The Best Intel In The World But Can’t Make Trump Read It

Previously , it was disclosed that Trump ’ s PDB informed him of the grave threat posed by the coronavirus in the first days of January .
Trump , though , was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach on a golf vacation and did not have his first intelligence briefing of the year until Jan. 6 , and then only nine all that month .
In his book “ The Art of the Deal , ” Trump said he didn ’ t like to schedule his day , preferring instead to come to his office , make some calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I play it very loose , ” author Tony Schwartz wrote in Trump ’ s voice .
“ I prefer to come to work each day and just see what develops.
” Leerhsen said the biggest hoax Trump was able to perpetrate was his business competence .
“ His schedule was purposely empty , and as similar to the day before as possible .
Daily feeling of fabric swatches for new drapes and carpets in his Atlantic City hotels .
He hated travel because of germs and because it was broadening , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not want to learn anything .
Learning is not what he does .
I ’ ve never met anyone else like him.
” Despite this , his White House staff insists that he outworks everyone else in the building ― a view Trump himself amplified in statements he posted to Twitter earlier this year .
“ The people that know me and know the history of our Country say that I am the hardest working President in history , ” he wrote .
“ I work from early in the morning until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What “ Brief ” Means “ It was a career CIA officer with more than 30 years of tenure who made the decision not to brief it up , ” McEnany said Wednesday , claiming that the briefer did not mention the Russian bounty information .
“ And the national security adviser agreed with that decision .
She ’ s an excellent officer and does great work , and made the decision not to brief it up .
It was the right decision to make.
” But McEnany ’ s claim ignores other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House in 2019 and that then-national security adviser Bolton personally brought the information to Trump ’ s attention .
He declined to confirm that reporting by The Associated Press but over the weekend told NBC News that Trump ― who has had multiple conversations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the weeks since the February briefing and has been trying to get Russia readmitted into the Group of Seven organization of the world ’ s largest democratic economies ― would likely deny any knowledge of the intelligence .

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WASHINGTON ― Even as taxpayers spend many tens of billions of dollars each year so that thousands of analysts can produce a detailed intelligence report each morning for the president, Donald Trump appears less and less interested in receiving it.
In June, as border clashes between nuclear powers India and China flared, Trump ― who keeps the lightest work schedule going back to at least Ronald Reagan and possibly Dwight Eisenhower ― scheduled just seven “daily” intelligence briefings. In April, when North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un disappeared for days, Trump had only eight.
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And in February, as the coronavirus jumped to Italy and Iran and began spreading unnoticed in the United States, Trump had just three – fewer than the four days he spent golfing in South Florida or the five days he staged campaign rallies.
Through the first half of this year, Trump has had only 41 intelligence briefings, according to a HuffPost review of his daily schedules, an average of 1½ per week.
When Trump took office, he scheduled an intelligence briefing nearly every weekday. But that grew more sporadic as the year passed, down to where he had only 13 in October 2017 and 12 in January 2018. On Feb. 6, 2018, the phrase “intelligence briefing” began to replace “daily intelligence briefing” in the public schedule until, by mid-April 2018, the “daily” part had vanished for good.
And though the written distillation of the briefing material is available to him early each morning in the “President’s Daily Brief” (PDB), Trump does not like to read, particularly information that he finds boring, such as intelligence analyses, according to former White House aides, including ex-national security adviser John Bolton.
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“He’s just not receptive to new facts,” Bolton told CBS News on Wednesday. “The intelligence briefings don’t communicate as much information as they should. We tried to think of ways to change that. I think it was probably a doomed effort.”
Ned Price, a former CIA analyst and a spokesman for the National Security Council under former President Barack Obama, said Trump’s unwillingness to pay attention puts the intelligence community in a bind. “It makes it virtually impossible for the president to be an informed participant in the discussion of policy responses,” he said.
A senior White House aide called HuffPost’s tally “inaccurate” and said the public schedule does not reflect all of Trump’s intelligence briefings. “The president receives extensive intelligence briefings by his career CIA briefer several times a week,” the aide said on condition of anonymity. “He’s also routinely briefed on critical intelligence matters throughout the day if they rise to the level of the president of the United States by his national security adviser and chief of staff.”
But the aide would not respond to follow-up questions asking why the White House would put some intelligence briefings on the public schedule but not others. The aide also would not provide examples of intelligence briefings Trump has had that were not on the public schedule.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not respond to a HuffPost query asking why Trump takes so few intelligence briefings. During a news conference on Tuesday, she claimed that Trump does, in fact, read. “This president, I’ll tell you, is the most informed person on planet Earth when it comes to the threats that we face,” she said.
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Trump’s lack of interest in intelligence is under scrutiny for the second time this year, with news outlets, starting with The New York Times, revealing that U.S. intelligence had learned Russia had been paying rewards to Taliban fighters in Afghanistan for murdering American soldiers but Trump had done nothing about it.
Previously, it was disclosed that Trump’s PDB informed him of the grave threat posed by the coronavirus in the first days of January. Trump, though, was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach on a golf vacation and did not have his first intelligence briefing of the year until Jan. 6, and then only nine all that month.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, posted a five-word critique of the situation to Twitter on Wednesday: “I’ll read my daily briefings.”
Laziest President In Modern Times
The renewed attention on Trump’s intelligence briefings also casts more light on his work habits.
Republican George W. Bush was typically in the Oval Office by 6:45 each morning, when he received his intelligence briefing, although he often took a break later in the day for exercise.
Obama received the PDB on his iPad at 6 each morning, where he read it before starting his day with a workout and getting to the West Wing by 9.
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President Donald Trump speaks to the press Thursday at the White House about the latest job report. Concerns have been raised that he fails to show much interest in White House intelligence briefings. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Trump, in contrast, spends most of his mornings watching television in the residence and posting tweets about what he has just seen. He rarely gets to the West Wing much before noon and, as a proponent of an unusual theory that humans are born with a finite quantity of energy, does not exercise.
“His laziness cannot be overestimated, but it doesn’t get enough attention,” said Charles Leerhsen, who ghost-wrote Trump’s book “Surviving at the Top.” “It may be his core failing.”
That light work schedule has been a habit for decades, made possible by the hundreds of millions of dollars ― more than $1 billion in today’s dollars ― he inherited through the real-estate business his father founded and which he took over in his late 20s.
In his book “The Art of the Deal,” Trump said he didn’t like to schedule his day, preferring instead to come to his office, make some calls and see what came of it. “I play it very loose,” author Tony Schwartz wrote in Trump’s voice. “I prefer to come to work each day and just see what develops.”
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Leerhsen said the biggest hoax Trump was able to perpetrate was his business competence. “His schedule was purposely empty, and as similar to the day before as possible. Daily feeling of fabric swatches for new drapes and carpets in his Atlantic City hotels. He hated travel because of germs and because it was broadening,” Leerhsen said. “He really does not want to learn anything. Learning is not what he does. I’ve never met anyone else like him.”
That approach continued when he became a candidate for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. For the first months of the campaign, while the other candidates spent endless hours crisscrossing the early voting states, with a half dozen events a day, Trump staged one or two rallies per week and mainly campaigned from the atrium of his building in Manhattan through remote television interviews.
Despite this, his White House staff insists that he outworks everyone else in the building ― a view Trump himself amplified in statements he posted to Twitter earlier this year. “The people that know me and know the history of our Country say that I am the hardest working President in history,” he wrote. “I work from early in the morning until late at night.”
Stuart Stevens, a Republican political consultant who worked on the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush and Mitt Romney, said Trump and his staff are confusing activity and tweeting with useful work.
“Trump is like a toddler. He has no ability to concentrate and no interest in anything that doesn’t affect his own immediate world,” he said. “Self-involvement 24/7 is exhausting, but it’s not work.”
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It Depends On What “Brief” Means
Trump and his aides, meanwhile, continue trying to defend his handling of the intelligence regarding the bounties ― reportedly as high as $100,000 per dead U.S. soldier ― that Russians were paying.
For days, White House officials have tried to draw a distinction between what he was told at his Feb. 27 intelligence briefing versus what may have been in his PDB that day.
“It was a career CIA officer with more than 30 years of tenure who made the decision not to brief it up,” McEnany said Wednesday, claiming that the briefer did not mention the Russian bounty information. “And the national security adviser agreed with that decision. She’s an excellent officer and does great work, and made the decision not to brief it up. It was the right decision to make.”
But McEnany’s claim ignores other reports that the information first became known to the White House in 2019 and that then-national security adviser Bolton personally brought the information to Trump’s attention. He declined to confirm that reporting by The Associated Press but over the weekend told NBC News that Trump ― who has had multiple conversations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the weeks since the February briefing and has been trying to get Russia readmitted into the Group of Seven organization of the world’s largest democratic economies ― would likely deny any knowledge of the intelligence.
“He can disown everything if nobody ever told him about it,” Bolton said Sunday.
And as he predicted, Trump on Wednesday claimed the entire story was a “hoax,” his catch-all term for news coverage that portrays him negatively.
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“Do people still not understand that this is all a made up Fake News Media Hoax started to slander me & the Republican Party. I was never briefed because any info that they may have had did not rise to that level,” Trump wrote.
Both Trump and his staff, in leaning so heavily on the excuse that he was not “briefed,” appear to be conceding that he neither reads his PDB nor believes that it is his responsibility to do so.
“President Obama and Vice President Biden started every day reading and being briefed about the top threats to our nation,” Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said. “But this president shows up to work at noon and devotes more time to ranting about his own optics on Twitter than he does to honoring that all-important duty. He’s even demonstrated that he’s willing to trust Chinese government propaganda, Vladimir Putin and discredited right-wing fever dreams on Fox News more than our intelligence community.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--In Colorado, Progressives Had A Chance At Real Power. They Let It Go.

But in the Senate race , Romanoff backed a Green New Deal , while Hickenlooper said it would be a “ failure.
” Romanoff campaigned on Medicare For All , while Hickenlooper argued for building a public option into the Affordable Care Act .
Romanoff backed tuition-free public colleges and universities .
Hickenlooper favors that proposal only for community colleges .
Romanoff campaigned on abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency .
Hickenlooper used more tempered language around reforming ICE .
“ You have the chance to trade an anti-Green New Deal vote with a pro-Green New Deal vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former presidential campaign speechwriter for Sen Bernie Sanders ( i-Vt. ) who has been based in Colorado for more than a decade and is married to state Rep. Emily Sirota ( D ) .
“ Hickenlooper screws you .
It ’ s an enormous missed opportunity .
Whoever wins the primary has an equally good shot of winning against Gardner .
When you don ’ t take blue state opportunities , that ’ s a huge missed opportunity.
” “ We had some really exciting candidates ( in the early jockeying among Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women of color , including strong environmentalists , before Hickenlooper was in this race , ” said Joe Salazar , a former Colorado state lawmaker and progressive activist who has long publicly warred with the former governor over oil and gas policy .
“ Then he steps into this race and the ( national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ) backs the show pony instead of these progressive women , ” Alice Madden , a progressive and former majority leader in the Colorado House of Representatives , met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race .
She said Schumer , who oversees the Democratic efforts to win a Senate majority in November , seemed open to her candidacy as long as she was able to do one thing : raise money .
When Hickenlooper got in , that prospect was gone .
She dropped out two months after Hickenlooper entered the race .
“ Schumer looks at Colorado and looks at a popular governor who can obviously raise some money , sees him as dominating , and that allows Schumer to spend money in Maine and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to other states where Democrats have high hopes of toppling GOP Senate incumbents .
She added , “ Hickenlooper was the surest bet.
” “ You think about groups like Emily ’ s List , ” Madden said of the progressive political action committee to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights .
“ If they get a call from DSCC , and they say we want Hickenlooper , they ’ re not going to buck them .
And then every ( progressive ) candidate gets asked where is Emily ’ s List @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Romanoff took a backseat within the movement to backing Charles Booker ’ s surging ― but ultimately unsuccessful ― bid to take on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky .
Even if Booker had clinched the nomination , which he narrowly lost to former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath , he faced a steep uphill battle to unseat one of the GOP ’ s most powerful incumbents .
Gardner ’ s seat , by contrast , represented the “ most flippable race in the country ” for Democrats , yet Romanoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw for Booker , ” said R.L .
Miller , president of Climate Hawks Vote .

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John Hickenlooper, a moderate and self-proclaimed pragmatist, sailed through the Colorado Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday without much of a fight from the progressive left. That, progressive advocates say, may be what tanks their best chance this year of gaining another voice and strong support for their agenda in the Senate.
Hickenlooper, the popular former governor and failed 2020 presidential candidate, routed Andrew Romanoff, the former state House speaker who ran firmly to Hickenlooper’s left, in the race to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in November’s election. Gardner is among this cycle’s most vulnerable GOP incumbents, meaning the Democratic primary presented the opportunity for progressives to place an ally in the Senate.
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But in letting Hickenlooper claim the nomination with a margin of close to 20 percentage points, they lost any hope of having a candidate who might actually rally around some of their biggest policy ideas, including the Green New Deal and “Medicare for All.”
Romanoff wasn’t the perfect pick for progressives. His own record as a state lawmaker, not unlike Hickenlooper’s as governor, was that of a moderate, willing to make concessions across the political aisle.
But in the Senate race, Romanoff backed a Green New Deal, while Hickenlooper said it would be a “failure.” Romanoff campaigned on Medicare For All, while Hickenlooper argued for building a public option into the Affordable Care Act. Romanoff backed tuition-free public colleges and universities. Hickenlooper favors that proposal only for community colleges. Romanoff campaigned on abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Hickenlooper used more tempered language around reforming ICE.
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a moderate, cruised to victory earlier this week in the state's Democratic Senate primary. Progressives for the most part passed on targeting him with a strong challenge Tuesday, potentially missing a chance to increase their ranks in Congress. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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“You have the chance to trade an anti-Green New Deal vote with a pro-Green New Deal vote,” said David Sirota, a former presidential campaign speechwriter for Sen Bernie Sanders (i-Vt.) who has been based in Colorado for more than a decade and is married to state Rep. Emily Sirota (D). “Hickenlooper screws you. It’s an enormous missed opportunity. Whoever wins the primary has an equally good shot of winning against Gardner. When you don’t take blue state opportunities, that’s a huge missed opportunity.”
Compared to the kind of coordinated energy behind Charles Booker, the progressive candidate who fell a few percentage points short in Kentucky’s Democratic Senate race, the faceoff in Colorado went almost under the radar.
Romanoff was backed by the progressive climate activist groups Sunrise Movement and 350 Action, as well as the Denver chapter of the Sanders-aligned group Our Revolution and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which is aligned with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). But big-name elected officials stayed out of the race or came to Hickenlooper’s aid.
Sanders didn’t endorse, nor did Green New Deal co-author Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). In the campaign’s final week, Warren endorsed Hickenlooper, drawing ire from progressives. Also backing him was Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), another progressive.
Local activists and party insiders all told the same story: after Hickenlooper ended his brief presidential bid and then decided to run for the Senate, he quickly was seen as the presumptive nominee, undercutting the appetite for challenging him.
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“We had some really exciting candidates (in the early jockeying among Democrats for the Senate nod), including women of color, including strong environmentalists, before Hickenlooper was in this race,” said Joe Salazar, a former Colorado state lawmaker and progressive activist who has long publicly warred with the former governor over oil and gas policy. “Then he steps into this race and the (national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) backs the show pony instead of these progressive women,”
Salazar said he reached out to Sanders’ team to endorse Romanoff, but heard nothing back. “That took a lot of wind out of the progressive energy in this race.”
National Democratic officials coalesced behind Hickenlooper
Alice Madden, a progressive and former majority leader in the Colorado House of Representatives, met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) before Hickenlooper jumped into the race. She said Schumer, who oversees the Democratic efforts to win a Senate majority in November, seemed open to her candidacy as long as she was able to do one thing: raise money. When Hickenlooper got in, that prospect was gone. She dropped out two months after Hickenlooper entered the race.
“Schumer looks at Colorado and looks at a popular governor who can obviously raise some money, sees him as dominating, and that allows Schumer to spend money in Maine and Arizona,” Madden said, referring to other states where Democrats have high hopes of toppling GOP Senate incumbents. She added, “Hickenlooper was the surest bet.”
The DSSC, the party’s official Senate campaign arm, endorsed Hickenlooper almost immediately. A rumor spread throughout the state that political consultants who worked against Hickenlooper would be backlisted by party officials. Endorsements from major groups and unions became hard to secure for Hickenlooper’s rivals.
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“You think about groups like Emily’s List,” Madden said of the progressive political action committee to elect Democratic women who support abortion rights. “If they get a call from DSCC, and they say we want Hickenlooper, they’re not going to buck them. And then every (progressive) candidate gets asked where is Emily’s List?”
Big environmental groups generally sat out the primary. For instance, the campaign arms of the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club declined to endorse.
Andrew Romanoff, who embraced a progressive agenda, ran far behind Hickenlooper in the race to take on Republican Sen. Cory Gardner, who polls show is vulnerable in November's election. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“If more groups had jumped in and hard and piled on hard the way they did for Booker, this really could have been turned around.” - R.L. Miller, president of Climate Hawks Vote
The Sunrise Movement campaigned for Romanoff for months. On Sunday, Evan Weber, the group’s national political director, issued a clarion call for volunteers to phonebank for Romanoff, calling him “the best candidate to defeat Cory Gardner.”
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“Here’s the bottom line: This Tuesday’s election is a pivotal one for the Green New Deal,” an email from Weber read.
Some progressives complained that campaigning for Romanoff took a backseat within the movement to backing Charles Booker’s surging ― but ultimately unsuccessful ― bid to take on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky. Even if Booker had clinched the nomination, which he narrowly lost to former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath, he faced a steep uphill battle to unseat one of the GOP’s most powerful incumbents. Gardner’s seat, by contrast, represented the “most flippable race in the country” for Democrats, yet Romanoff received “one-tenth the progressive energy we saw for Booker,” said R.L. Miller, president of Climate Hawks Vote.
“It’s deeply frustrating,” she said. “If more groups had jumped in and hard and piled on hard the way they did for Booker, this really could have been turned around.”
Weber now worries that Hickenlooper’s miscues and scandals, which include a resurfaced 2014 video of him comparing the job of a political scheduler to being on a slave ship and an independent ethics panel finding he violated state law as governor in 2018 by accepting rides in a private jet and a Maserati limousine, may mean Democrats “could lose the most winnable seat on the map.”
“I’m concerned the future of the Senate is actually at play from the DSCC’s meddling here,” Weber said.
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When should progressives compete?
One problem for Romanoff in wooing progressives was a political past that didn’t make him a natural candidate for them to champion. His record in the state legislature was that of a moderate, said Madden, who worked with him at the statehouse in Denver. A chief sticking point was his record on immigration policy.
As Colorado’s House speaker in 2006, he championed a series of laws cracking down on undocumented immigrants. Among them was requiring local law enforcement to report any arrested individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants to federal authorities. That measure was repealed in 2013, under Hickenlooper’s governorship.
“If there was to be a progressive movement in Colorado it would not have been reflected in either of those two candidates.” - Rick Ridder, Colorado political consultant
Romanoff has since said those laws were “a serious mistake.” Still, according to Salazar, it’s a record that gave a lot of progressive activists pause, particularly those in the Latino community.
“Andrew Romanoff became a born-again progressive,” Rick Ridder, a Democratic political consultant in Colorado, said. “He was never a big progressive to begin with. ... If there was to be a progressive movement in Colorado it would not have been reflected in either of those two candidates.”
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That may go a long way to explain the lack of national mobilization. That, and the quick consensus that emerged that Hickenlooper would be the nominee.
“The DSCC did a better job about making clear that dissent would not be tolerated,” Sirota said, comparing the Colorado race to other primaries across the nation where progressives have been more of a force. “The money and the institutional power was so overwhelming that it ended up creating a conventional wisdom that it was an un-winnable primary.”
The race is part of a bigger debate among progressives on how to build actual power. In New York’s recent Democratic primary, Jamaal Bowman, buoyed by progressives, almost assuredly ousted Rep. Eliot Engel, and Mondaire Jones won the nomination for an open seat in a heavily Democratic district. In Kentucky, a massive push in the campaign’s final two weeks among progressives closed the 20-point gap between Booker and McGrath to less than three percentage points. The question facing progressives remains whether it’s worth fighting in races here the odds appear heavily stacked against them.
In Colorado, the consensus was that it wasn’t.
“Hickenlooper was up by 40 points, so if you’re a progressive organization, why spend any money under these circumstances?” Ridder said. “This isn’t worth the fight.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Seattle’s Democratic Mayor Just Gave Trump Exactly What He Wanted

Around 5 a.m. Wednesday , Seattle police arrived at the roughly two-block area and began removing roadblocks , tents , protest signs and all other evidence of the site ’ s 23-day existence .
The night before , Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan , a Democrat , issued an executive order characterizing the area , also known as the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone , as “ unlawful assembly ” and ordering city agencies to close it to the public .
Almost immediately , Republican officials celebrated the move .
“ I am pleased to inform everyone that Seattle has been liberated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McEnany declared at her Wednesday afternoon media briefing .
Characterizing the zone as a “ failed four-week Democrat experiment by the radical left , ” McEnany criticized Durkan ’ s for responding less aggressively to protests in her own city than President Donald Trump had in Washington .
“ Law and order must prevail to preserve peace , ” McEnany said , echoing what has become her boss ’ mantra in response to the nation ’ s wave of mostly peaceful protests against racial injustices and police brutality .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ad featuring footage of the zone , and tweeted , “ The rule of law must not fade in and out with the fashions of the radical Left.
” Durkan ’ s destruction of the CHOP was a reversal of her previous position .
On June 12 , when Trump accused her of letting anarchists take over the city , Durkan responded , “ Seattle is fine .
Don ’ t be so afraid of democracy.
” But over the last few weeks , the CHOP had become increasingly controversial .
While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural event , the nights became more violent .
Six shootings , two of them fatal , occurred in or near the zone in the last two weeks of June , a rate of violence that exceeds the average for both the Capitol Hill neighborhood and Seattle as a whole .
Protesters repeatedly clashed with the city over the placement of road barriers and access for emergency vehicles .
At the same time , the CHOP became a fixture of right-wing news sites .
In the first week of its existence , Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( the network later admitted to manipulating news pictures to give the impression that armed guards were manning entrances during the daytime ) .
Sites like Breitbart and The Daily Caller ran near-daily dispatches .
The political dynamic at work in Seattle and for its residents bore little resemblance to the version that appeared in right-wing media .
For one , Durkan may be a Democrat , but she is not particularly progressive and CHOP was not an outgrowth of permissiveness on her part .
A career prosecutor , she has generally sided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against protesters since the start of the nationwide uprisings sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 .
Under Durkan ’ s administration , the police department has used teargas against protesters and told conflicting stories about the reason officers abandoned the East Precinct , the site around which the CHOP was established .
In clearing the zone Wednesday , officers prevented journalists from filming and blocked access to the offices of nearby news outlets .
( The department later characterized these events as misunderstandings ) .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CHOP had their belongings confiscated and destroyed .
CHAZ will go down in history as an example of a transient dystopian hell hole .
Self reliance was never in the snowflake memo .
Besides shooting people , and begging for supplies , they gave up within 30 minutes of the cops arriving and are back safe and sound in their Mom ’ s basement — George Papadopoulos ( @ GeorgePapa19 ) July 1 , 2020 To the Trump administration and other Republicans , the CHOP served as an example of failed Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , it was a reaction to how leaders who identify as Democrats still hold strikingly conservative views when it comes to criminal justice and policing .

SEATTLE — As suddenly as it appeared, the Capitol Hill Occupation Protest was gone.
Around 5 a.m. Wednesday, Seattle police arrived at the roughly two-block area and began removing roadblocks, tents, protest signs and all other evidence of the site’s 23-day existence. The night before, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, a Democrat, issued an executive order characterizing the area, also known as the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, as “unlawful assembly” and ordering city agencies to close it to the public.
Almost immediately, Republican officials celebrated the move. “I am pleased to inform everyone that Seattle has been liberated,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany declared at her Wednesday afternoon media briefing. Characterizing the zone as a “failed four-week Democrat experiment by the radical left,” McEnany criticized Durkan’s for responding less aggressively to protests in her own city than President Donald Trump had in Washington.
“Law and order must prevail to preserve peace,” McEnany said, echoing what has become her boss’ mantra in response to the nation’s wave of mostly peaceful protests against racial injustices and police brutality.
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) produced a campaign ad featuring footage of the zone, and tweeted, “The rule of law must not fade in and out with the fashions of the radical Left.”
Finally. Twenty-some days and several deaths too late. The rule of law must not fade in and out with the fashions of the radical left. https://t.co/P9iF0GGoBG — Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) July 1, 2020
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) opted fro sarcasm, commenting, “Boy, nation-states seem to be lasting shorter & shorter.”
Durkan’s destruction of the CHOP was a reversal of her previous position. On June 12, when Trump accused her of letting anarchists take over the city, Durkan responded, “Seattle is fine. Don’t be so afraid of democracy.”
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But over the last few weeks, the CHOP had become increasingly controversial. While the daytime scene resembled a music festival or cultural event, the nights became more violent. Six shootings, two of them fatal, occurred in or near the zone in the last two weeks of June, a rate of violence that exceeds the average for both the Capitol Hill neighborhood and Seattle as a whole. Protesters repeatedly clashed with the city over the placement of road barriers and access for emergency vehicles.
At the same time, the CHOP became a fixture of right-wing news sites. In the first week of its existence, Fox News ran 71 segments on the CHOP (the network later admitted to manipulating news pictures to give the impression that armed guards were manning entrances during the daytime). Sites like Breitbart and The Daily Caller ran near-daily dispatches.
The political dynamic at work in Seattle and for its residents bore little resemblance to the version that appeared in right-wing media. For one, Durkan may be a Democrat, but she is not particularly progressive and CHOP was not an outgrowth of permissiveness on her part. A career prosecutor, she has generally sided with the city’s police department against protesters since the start of the nationwide uprisings sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.
Under Durkan’s administration, the police department has used teargas against protesters and told conflicting stories about the reason officers abandoned the East Precinct, the site around which the CHOP was established. In clearing the zone Wednesday, officers prevented journalists from filming and blocked access to the offices of nearby news outlets. (The department later characterized these events as misunderstandings). Some homeless people living in the park inside the CHOP had their belongings confiscated and destroyed.
CHAZ will go down in history as an example of a transient dystopian hell hole. Self reliance was never in the snowflake memo. Besides shooting people, and begging for supplies, they gave up within 30 minutes of the cops arriving and are back safe and sound in their Mom’s basement — George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) July 1, 2020
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To the Trump administration and other Republicans, the CHOP served as an example of failed Democratic policies. To Seattle’s protesters, though, it was a reaction to how leaders who identify as Democrats still hold strikingly conservative views when it comes to criminal justice and policing.
“It’s not Democrats versus Republicans, it’s people versus police,” said J., a community organizer who declined to provide her full name due to fear of police retaliation.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the future of CHOP remained unclear. Hours after they cleared the area, police stood guard at every entrance. Helicopters buzzed overhead.
J. described the CHOP not as a good thing or a bad thing, but simply as a beginning.
“It served its purpose,” she said, “and it will serve its purpose again when it moves to a new area.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--ACLU Sues Federal Government For Scheduling Executions During Coronavirus Pandemic

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Rev .
Seigen Hartkemeyer , a 68-year-old Buddhist monk who has a history of lung-related illnesses .
He is one of the designated witnesses for the federal execution of Wesley Purkey , a Kansas man who is scheduled to die by lethal injection on July 15 .
Designated witnesses are required to be present at executions , due to federal regulations .
Throughout the pandemic , Hartkemeyer has been careful to socially distance and not visit public places he used to ; he fears that attending the execution to perform his religious duties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting COVID-19 , as social distancing measures would not be possible at the prison .
“ As Mr. Purkey ’ s priest for the last 11 years , I have a religious obligation to be present at his execution to ease his crossover from this life , ” Hartkemeyer said in a statement .
“ I should not have to risk my health and life to perform my sacred priestly duties .
We must ask ourselves how much we are willing to sacrifice to enable the government to perpetuate a cycle of killing.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ raping and killing a 16-year-old girl in 1998 and murdering an 80-year-old woman , is among those scheduled to be executed later this month .
The ACLU , however , is asking the court to postpone the execution until a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19 is made available to the public .
“ The fact that the federal government has scheduled these executions now , during a pandemic when COVID-19 cases are surging around the country , is appalling , ” said Cassandra Stubbs , director of the ACLU ’ s Capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Nine of the top 10 hotspots for COVID-19 are in prisons .
Asking hundreds of people from around the country to go to Indiana right now to attend this execution is like asking them to run into a burning building .
We haven ’ t had a federal execution in 17 years : There is absolutely no reason for the government to rush forward with such a reckless and dangerous plan.
” Tens of thousands of people in prison have tested positive for coronavirus across the U.S. At the prison in Terre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death row is housed , several inmates have tested positive for the virus and at least one has died .
Vartkessian is nine months pregnant and is fearful for not only her health but the health of her baby if she attends the execution .
“ It doesn ’ t feel like a fair decision at this stage to have to weigh my own safety and the safety of my child against the duty that I feel to be present as a witness in the event that his execution goes forward , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can ’ t right now make that decision , and my hope is that I won ’ t have to make that decision because it really feels like an impossible choice .
At this stage , I really don ’ t know what I would do , ” she said .
Hartkemeyer is not alone in voicing concerns over the safety of carrying out executions while coronavirus continues to spread across the country .
Several people involved in the case of Daniel Lee , an Arkansas man convicted of killing a family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the risks of attending his execution , scheduled for July 13 , are too great .
“ If they owe us anything , it ’ s to keep us safe now by not pushing this execution through while people are still scrambling to access disinfectant spray and proper masks , ” Monica Veillette , a relative of two of Lee ’ s victims , told The New York Times .
“ Haven ’ t enough people died ?
”

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The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Rev. Seigen Hartkemeyer, a 68-year-old Buddhist monk who has a history of lung-related illnesses. He is one of the designated witnesses for the federal execution of Wesley Purkey, a Kansas man who is scheduled to die by lethal injection on July 15. Designated witnesses are required to be present at executions, due to federal regulations.
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Throughout the pandemic, Hartkemeyer has been careful to socially distance and not visit public places he used to; he fears that attending the execution to perform his religious duties would put him at heightened risk for contracting COVID-19, as social distancing measures would not be possible at the prison.
Forcing Hartkemeyer to risk his own health to perform his religious duties at Purkey’s execution is a violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act the lawsuit alleges.
“As Mr. Purkey’s priest for the last 11 years, I have a religious obligation to be present at his execution to ease his crossover from this life,” Hartkemeyer said in a statement. “I should not have to risk my health and life to perform my sacred priestly duties. We must ask ourselves how much we are willing to sacrifice to enable the government to perpetuate a cycle of killing.”
For the first time in 17 years, the federal government has scheduled four executions, from July 13 to Aug. 28. The Supreme Court last month refused to block upcoming federal executions.
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Purkey, who was convicted of raping and killing a 16-year-old girl in 1998 and murdering an 80-year-old woman, is among those scheduled to be executed later this month. The ACLU, however, is asking the court to postpone the execution until a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19 is made available to the public.
“The fact that the federal government has scheduled these executions now, during a pandemic when COVID-19 cases are surging around the country, is appalling,” said Cassandra Stubbs, director of the ACLU’s Capital Punishment Project, in a statement. “Nine of the top 10 hotspots for COVID-19 are in prisons. Asking hundreds of people from around the country to go to Indiana right now to attend this execution is like asking them to run into a burning building. We haven’t had a federal execution in 17 years: There is absolutely no reason for the government to rush forward with such a reckless and dangerous plan.”
“Haven’t enough people died?” - Monica Veillette, a relative of two murder victims
Tens of thousands of people in prison have tested positive for coronavirus across the U.S. At the prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, where the federal death row is housed, several inmates have tested positive for the virus and at least one has died.
Hartkemeyer is not the only witness afraid of choosing between their health and their moral obligation to attend the execution.
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Elizabeth Vartkessian, Purkey’s mitigation specialist of five years and another designated witness for his execution, says she faces a dreadful decision should the execution go forward in July.
Vartkessian is nine months pregnant and is fearful for not only her health but the health of her baby if she attends the execution.
“It doesn’t feel like a fair decision at this stage to have to weigh my own safety and the safety of my child against the duty that I feel to be present as a witness in the event that his execution goes forward,” she told HuffPost.
Vartkessian believes any federal executions should be scheduled for a time when the well-being of all witnesses, staff and others involved can be assured.
“Honestly, I can’t right now make that decision, and my hope is that I won’t have to make that decision because it really feels like an impossible choice. At this stage, I really don’t know what I would do,” she said.
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Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, just one person has been executed in the U.S., Walter Barton in Missouri.
Hartkemeyer is not alone in voicing concerns over the safety of carrying out executions while coronavirus continues to spread across the country. Several people involved in the case of Daniel Lee, an Arkansas man convicted of killing a family of three, have said they worry that the risks of attending his execution, scheduled for July 13, are too great.
“If they owe us anything, it’s to keep us safe now by not pushing this execution through while people are still scrambling to access disinfectant spray and proper masks,” Monica Veillette, a relative of two of Lee’s victims, told The New York Times. “Haven’t enough people died?”
Read the complaint below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Neil Cavuto Shouts Down GOP Lawmaker Pushing To Disband Coronavirus Task Force

Fox News host Neil Cavuto got into a heated dispute with Rep. Andy Biggs ( R-Ariz. ) on Thursday after the lawmaker pushed to disband the White House coronavirus task force amid record surges in COVID-19 cases because , he claimed , its health experts “ undermine ” President Donald Trump .
Biggs , a fierce Trump ally , had on Wednesday called for the White House coronavirus task force to be dismantled .
He accused its leading experts ― Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , and Dr. Deborah Birx @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― of working to “ contradict many of President Trump ’ s stated goals and actions for returning to normalcy , ” which he claimed was “ causing panic that compromises our economic recovery.
” In Thursday ’ s Fox News interview , Biggs also claimed , despite widespread evidence to the contrary , that face masks are ineffective in preventing the spread of coronavirus .
Biggs represents a state that is experiencing one of the most serious case spikes in the country , a point Cavuto noted .
“ You have hospitalizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this crisis .
You ’ re telling people to ... [ not wear ] a mask and get rid of a commission , ” Cavuto said .
“ Your people are listening to you , and you ’ re saying we can ease up.
” When Biggs accused Cavuto of “ cherry-picking data , ” the Fox News host fired back that the lawmaker simply wanted to get rid of the task force because he doesn ’ t like what the experts are saying .
“ They have no political agenda , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re worried doctors , and they think that people can get a little cavalier .
I don ’ t think that means they ’ re anti-the-president ’ s-agenda .
They ’ re pro-keeping-people-alive agenda.
” “ Their time of usefulness has expired , ” Biggs responded .
“ What they do is when the president comes out and makes a policy , because he is the president and he is the policymaker , when they make these statements that they make , they engender panic and hysteria and undermine what the president is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , who wants to disband the coronavirus task force : When 's the last time Fauci or Birx have seen a patient ?
Fox 's Neil Cavuto : `` When 's the last time you have ?
! ''
Biggs : I 'm not a doctor .
Cavuto : `` But you ’ re telling the ones who are to get out ! ''
pic.twitter.com/HJyJy3kyWS — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) July 2 , 2020 Cavuto noted that if people were following guidance to mitigate the spread of coronavirus , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such dire concerns .
Earlier this week , Fauci warned that new daily cases could reach 100,000 unless more aggressive nationwide action is taken to slow the spread .
A record-setting one-day spike of 50,000 cases was recorded Wednesday as several states began to reverse course on their reopening plans ― including Arizona , Texas , Florida and California , where the outbreaks have been most severe .
Meanwhile , that same day , Trump said he still believed the virus would eventually “ just disappear ” on its own .
“ Doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health experts ?
” Cavuto asked .
“ Doesn ’ t he have a commission because he defers to them as the health experts ?
” He added : “ And they ’ re citing worries .
They ’ re citing also that we can get this under control .
It needn ’ t be a panic if people should do what they should be doing .
But isn ’ t that what doctors do , look after people ’ s lives ?
”

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Fox News host Neil Cavuto got into a heated dispute with Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) on Thursday after the lawmaker pushed to disband the White House coronavirus task force amid record surges in COVID-19 cases because, he claimed, its health experts “undermine” President Donald Trump.
Biggs, a fierce Trump ally, had on Wednesday called for the White House coronavirus task force to be dismantled. He accused its leading experts ― Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator ― of working to “contradict many of President Trump’s stated goals and actions for returning to normalcy,” which he claimed was “causing panic that compromises our economic recovery.”
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In Thursday’s Fox News interview, Biggs also claimed, despite widespread evidence to the contrary, that face masks are ineffective in preventing the spread of coronavirus. Biggs represents a state that is experiencing one of the most serious case spikes in the country, a point Cavuto noted.
“You have hospitalizations and ICU bed use, the highest of this crisis. You’re telling people to ... [not wear] a mask and get rid of a commission,” Cavuto said. “Your people are listening to you, and you’re saying we can ease up.”
When Biggs accused Cavuto of “cherry-picking data,” the Fox News host fired back that the lawmaker simply wanted to get rid of the task force because he doesn’t like what the experts are saying.
“They have no political agenda,” Cavuto said. “They’re worried doctors, and they think that people can get a little cavalier. I don’t think that means they’re anti-the-president’s-agenda. They’re pro-keeping-people-alive agenda.”
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“Their time of usefulness has expired,” Biggs responded. “What they do is when the president comes out and makes a policy, because he is the president and he is the policymaker, when they make these statements that they make, they engender panic and hysteria and undermine what the president is doing.”
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who wants to disband the coronavirus task force: When's the last time Fauci or Birx have seen a patient?
Fox's Neil Cavuto: "When's the last time you have?!"
Biggs: I'm not a doctor.
Cavuto: "But you’re telling the ones who are to get out!" pic.twitter.com/HJyJy3kyWS — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 2, 2020
Cavuto noted that if people were following guidance to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, public health experts would not need to express such dire concerns. Earlier this week, Fauci warned that new daily cases could reach 100,000 unless more aggressive nationwide action is taken to slow the spread. A record-setting one-day spike of 50,000 cases was recorded Wednesday as several states began to reverse course on their reopening plans ― including Arizona, Texas, Florida and California, where the outbreaks have been most severe.
Meanwhile, that same day, Trump said he still believed the virus would eventually “just disappear” on its own.
“Doesn’t he refer to them as the health experts?” Cavuto asked. “Doesn’t he have a commission because he defers to them as the health experts?”
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He added: “And they’re citing worries. They’re citing also that we can get this under control. It needn’t be a panic if people should do what they should be doing. But isn’t that what doctors do, look after people’s lives?”
Watch the full exchange below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Reverses Stance, Makes Face Masks Mandatory

Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott signed an executive order Thursday for Texans to wear face coverings in public spaces in most regions of the state , walking back prior statements on mandatory mask regulations .
The order , effective at noon Friday , calls for all Texas residents in counties with 20 or more COVID-19 cases to wear masks when “ it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.
” Exceptions include children younger than 10 , people eating and exercising outdoors , individuals suffering from medical conditions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people driving alone .
“ Not excepted from this face covering requirement is any person attending a protest or demonstration involving more than 10 people , ” a provision in the order reads .
First-time violators of the order will be issued a warning , and further violations may result in punishments not exceeding $ 250 .
The order stresses that people can not be jailed for not wearing a mask .
In a video accompanying the order , Abbott addressed Texas ’ s recent spike in COVID-19 cases , telling viewers that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although wearing a mask might not be “ the convenient thing to do , ” medical studies indicated that it “ slows the spread of COVID-19 and it protects you and your family.
” “ This requirement is not intended to be punitive , ” Abbott said , even holding up a mask emblazoned with the Texas flag at one point .
“ Instead , we just need everyone to do their part to slow the spread .
...
If we want to avoid lockdowns , if we want to protect those we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to join this effort .
We have slowed the spread before .
Working together , we will do it again.
” Abbott ’ s order is a marked reversal from the governor ’ s previous comments on masks , where he said he didn ’ t believe in mandatory mask regulations and that it was “ wrong to deprive someone of their liberty just because they ’ re not wearing a mask.
” The order comes a week after Abbott “ paused ” Texas ’ s reopening due to surging COVID-19 numbers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ focused on strategies that slow the spread of this virus while also allowing Texans to continue earning a paycheck to support their families.
” On Wednesday , Texas reported 8,076 new COVID-19 cases ― the highest single-day total in the state since the start of the coronavirus pandemic .

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order Thursday for Texans to wear face coverings in public spaces in most regions of the state, walking back prior statements on mandatory mask regulations.
The order, effective at noon Friday, calls for all Texas residents in counties with 20 or more COVID-19 cases to wear masks when “it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.” Exceptions include children younger than 10, people eating and exercising outdoors, individuals suffering from medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask and people driving alone.
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“Not excepted from this face covering requirement is any person attending a protest or demonstration involving more than 10 people,” a provision in the order reads.
First-time violators of the order will be issued a warning, and further violations may result in punishments not exceeding $250. The order stresses that people cannot be jailed for not wearing a mask.
In a video accompanying the order, Abbott addressed Texas’s recent spike in COVID-19 cases, telling viewers that the virus was not going away and although wearing a mask might not be “the convenient thing to do,” medical studies indicated that it “slows the spread of COVID-19 and it protects you and your family.”
“This requirement is not intended to be punitive,” Abbott said, even holding up a mask emblazoned with the Texas flag at one point. “Instead, we just need everyone to do their part to slow the spread. ... If we want to avoid lockdowns, if we want to protect those we care about, we need all Texans to join this effort. We have slowed the spread before. Working together, we will do it again.”
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Abbott’s order is a marked reversal from the governor’s previous comments on masks, where he said he didn’t believe in mandatory mask regulations and that it was “wrong to deprive someone of their liberty just because they’re not wearing a mask.”
The order comes a week after Abbott “paused” Texas’s reopening due to surging COVID-19 numbers and stressed that the state government would be “focused on strategies that slow the spread of this virus while also allowing Texans to continue earning a paycheck to support their families.”
On Wednesday, Texas reported 8,076 new COVID-19 cases ― the highest single-day total in the state since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Coronavirus Cases Now On The Rise In 40 U.S. States

FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. ( AP ) — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases per day in the U.S. climbed to an all-time high of more than 50,000 on Thursday , with the infection curve rising in 40 of the 50 states in a reversal that has largely spared only the Northeast .
In a major retreat that illustrated how dire things have become in Texas , Republican Gov .
Greg Abbott ordered the wearing of masks across most of the state after refusing until recently to let even local governments impose such rules .
The surge has been blamed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces or following other social distancing rules as states lifted their lockdowns over the past few weeks .
Fauci warned that if people don ’ t start complying , “ we ’ re going to be in some serious difficulty.
” The U.S. recorded 50,700 new confirmed cases , according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University .
That represents a doubling of the daily total over the past month and is higher even than what the country witnessed during the most lethal phase of the crisis in April and May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easily the worst hot spot in the U.S. All but 10 states are showing an upswing in newly reported cases over the past 14 days , according to data compiled by the volunteer COVID Tracking Project .
The outbreaks are most severe in Arizona , Texas and Florida , which together with California have reclosed or otherwise clamped back down on bars , restaurants and movie theaters over the past week or so .
While some of the increases may be explained by expanded testing , other indicators are grim , too , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over the past two weeks , the percentage of positive tests has doubled in Georgia , Kansas , Montana , Michigan , Missouri , Tennessee , Mississippi , South Carolina and Ohio .
In Nevada , it has tripled .
In Idaho , it is five times higher .
In Texas , where new cases in the past two weeks have swelled from about 2,400 a day to almost 8,100 on Wednesday , the positive rate ballooned from 8 % to 14.5 % .
In Arizona , it has gone from 5.7 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now at a point where the virus is spreading so fast , there is little margin for error , ” Abbott said .
“ I know that wearing a face covering is not the convenient thing to do , but I also know that wearing a face covering will help us to keep Texas open for business .
And it will help Texans earn the paycheck they need.
” The surge comes as Americans head into a Fourth of July holiday that health officials warn could add fuel to the outbreak by drawing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fireworks displays .
Beaches up and down California and Florida have been closed .
Florida reported more than 10,000 new confirmed cases for the first time Thursday .
That is six times higher than the daily count of less than a month ago .
The state also reported 67 deaths for the second time in a week and 325 new hospitalizations , one of the biggest 24-hour jumps in Florida yet .
Georgia likewise saw its biggest single-day increase yet , nearly 3,500 cases .
“ I ’ m discouraged because we didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things down , and we could have done a much better job getting a handle on the virus , ” said Megan Archer , a 39-year-old woman from West Palm Beach , Florida , who lost her job with a county parks department during the outbreak .
Meanwhile , the government reported that U.S. unemployment fell to 11.1 % in June as the economy added a solid 4.8 million jobs .
But that figure may be outdated : The data was collected during the second week of June , before many states began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania , an outlier among Northeastern states , reported its highest one-day total of new cases since May , with more than 830 , more than one-quarter of them in Pittsburgh ’ s Allegheny County , which will impose a one-week shutdown of bars and restaurants and all gatherings of more than 25 people starting Friday .
“ I ’ ve been watching that map .
... We ’ re well aware of what ’ s going on around us and we ’ re very anxious , ” said Dr. Michelle Barron , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital .
“ The next couple of weeks are critical.
” The U.S. has reported at least 2.7 million cases and more than 128,000 dead , the highest toll in the world .
Globally there have been 10.7 million confirmed cases and over 517,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins ’ count .
The true toll is believed to be significantly higher , in part because of limited testing and mild cases that have been missed .

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases per day in the U.S. climbed to an all-time high of more than 50,000 on Thursday, with the infection curve rising in 40 of the 50 states in a reversal that has largely spared only the Northeast.
An alarming 36 states are seeing an increase in the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus.
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“What we’ve seen is a very disturbing week,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert, said in a livestream with the American Medical Association.
In a major retreat that illustrated how dire things have become in Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the wearing of masks across most of the state after refusing until recently to let even local governments impose such rules.
The surge has been blamed in part on Americans not covering their faces or following other social distancing rules as states lifted their lockdowns over the past few weeks. Fauci warned that if people don’t start complying, “we’re going to be in some serious difficulty.”
The U.S. recorded 50,700 new confirmed cases, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. That represents a doubling of the daily total over the past month and is higher even than what the country witnessed during the most lethal phase of the crisis in April and May, when the New York metropolitan area was easily the worst hot spot in the U.S.
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All but 10 states are showing an upswing in newly reported cases over the past 14 days, according to data compiled by the volunteer COVID Tracking Project. The outbreaks are most severe in Arizona, Texas and Florida, which together with California have reclosed or otherwise clamped back down on bars, restaurants and movie theaters over the past week or so.
Nebraska and South Dakota were the only states outside the Northeast with a downward trend in cases.
While some of the increases may be explained by expanded testing, other indicators are grim, too, including hospitalizations and positive test rates. Over the past two weeks, the percentage of positive tests has doubled in Georgia, Kansas, Montana, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, South Carolina and Ohio. In Nevada, it has tripled. In Idaho, it is five times higher.
In Texas, where new cases in the past two weeks have swelled from about 2,400 a day to almost 8,100 on Wednesday, the positive rate ballooned from 8% to 14.5%. In Arizona, it has gone from 5.7% to 10.3%.
Abbott, who in May began one of the most aggressive reopening schedules of any governor, ordered the wearing of masks in all counties with at least 20 COVID-19 cases.
Abbott said in a video posted on Twitter that the state’s lower infection rate and case counts after his stay-home order in April might have led some to think the “coast was clear.”
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But the number of people hospitalized in Texas because of COVID-19 has tripled since late May, after businesses began reopening.
“We are now at a point where the virus is spreading so fast, there is little margin for error,” Abbott said. “I know that wearing a face covering is not the convenient thing to do, but I also know that wearing a face covering will help us to keep Texas open for business. And it will help Texans earn the paycheck they need.”
The surge comes as Americans head into a Fourth of July holiday that health officials warn could add fuel to the outbreak by drawing big crowds. Many municipalities have canceled fireworks displays. Beaches up and down California and Florida have been closed.
Florida reported more than 10,000 new confirmed cases for the first time Thursday. That is six times higher than the daily count of less than a month ago. The state also reported 67 deaths for the second time in a week and 325 new hospitalizations, one of the biggest 24-hour jumps in Florida yet. Georgia likewise saw its biggest single-day increase yet, nearly 3,500 cases.
“I’m discouraged because we didn’t act fast enough to shut things down, and we could have done a much better job getting a handle on the virus,” said Megan Archer, a 39-year-old woman from West Palm Beach, Florida, who lost her job with a county parks department during the outbreak.
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Meanwhile, the government reported that U.S. unemployment fell to 11.1% in June as the economy added a solid 4.8 million jobs. But that figure may be outdated: The data was collected during the second week of June, before many states began to backtrack on restarting their economies.
Several Northeastern states have seen new infections slow down significantly, including New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey, which allowed its Atlantic City casinos to reopen Thursday, though with no smoking, drinking or eating.
Pennsylvania, an outlier among Northeastern states, reported its highest one-day total of new cases since May, with more than 830, more than one-quarter of them in Pittsburgh’s Allegheny County, which will impose a one-week shutdown of bars and restaurants and all gatherings of more than 25 people starting Friday.
Other states, like Colorado, a major summer destination where increases in infections have been less dramatic, are keeping a close eye on their neighbors.
“I’ve been watching that map. ... We’re well aware of what’s going on around us and we’re very anxious,” said Dr. Michelle Barron, medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. “The next couple of weeks are critical.”
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President Donald Trump on Wednesday seemed confident the virus would soon subside, telling Fox Business: “I think that, at some point, that’s going to sort of just disappear, I hope.”
The U.S. has reported at least 2.7 million cases and more than 128,000 dead, the highest toll in the world. Globally there have been 10.7 million confirmed cases and over 517,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins’ count. The true toll is believed to be significantly higher, in part because of limited testing and mild cases that have been missed.
Other countries are also reporting an upswing in cases.
“We have now entered a new and treacherous phase in the life cycle of this pandemic,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa warned in a broadcast to the nation, which recorded more than 8,100 new infections, a one-day record, and has the biggest caseload on the continent.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-02--Jaron Jones, Police Officer Who Reenacted Chokehold Of Elijah McClain, Resigns

A Colorado police officer who reportedly mocked the death of Elijah McClain by staging a photo of the young Black man being choked by police last year has resigned .
Aurora officer Jaron Jones tendered his resignation on Thursday , days after it was revealed that he and two other officers had participated in a photo reenactment of McClain ’ s killing .
In response to inquiries by the press , Jaron Jones , hired October 31 , 2016 , tendered his resignation .
Jones was one of the employees involved and depicted in the photograph investigation related to # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ w/developments as we proceed .
— Aurora Police Dept .
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 ( @ AuroraPD ) July 2 , 2020 “ Jones was one of the employees involved and depicted in the photograph investigation related to # ElijahMcClain , ” the Aurora Police Department said in a tweet announcing the officer ’ s resignation .
McClain was stopped last August as he walked home from a convenience store .
Three white officers tackled McClain and at least one put him in a chokehold .
Paramedics called to the scene injected him with ketamine to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and died days later after being pronounced brain-dead .
He was never accused of a crime .
The officers involved in his death were all cleared of wrongdoing this February .
But in June , following renewed outrage amid protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd , Colorado Gov .
Jared Polis ( D ) said he would have the case reexamined .
Jones and two other officers who have not yet been identified reportedly mocked the death of McClain by reenacting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last October .
Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said she learned of the photo last week .
On Saturday , a violin memorial was held for McClain , who used to play the instrument at an animal shelter for stray cats and dogs .
The peaceful protest was broken up by officers wielding batons and pepper spray .
Yesterday Aurora , Colorado was holding a violin vigil for Elijah McClain , who was known for playing his violin , especially to animals .
Then the police decided they ’ d seen enough.pic.twitter.com/aujN7xxpAQ — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 , 2020 The Aurora Police Department said it plans to announce updates on the status of the other two officers involved in the photo reenactment .

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A Colorado police officer who reportedly mocked the death of Elijah McClain by staging a photo of the young Black man being choked by police last year has resigned.
Aurora officer Jaron Jones tendered his resignation on Thursday, days after it was revealed that he and two other officers had participated in a photo reenactment of McClain’s killing.
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In response to inquiries by the press, Jaron Jones, hired October 31, 2016, tendered his resignation. Jones was one of the employees involved and depicted in the photograph investigation related to #ElijahMcClain. We will continue to update w/developments as we proceed. — Aurora Police Dept. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@AuroraPD) July 2, 2020
“Jones was one of the employees involved and depicted in the photograph investigation related to #ElijahMcClain,” the Aurora Police Department said in a tweet announcing the officer’s resignation.
McClain was stopped last August as he walked home from a convenience store. Three white officers tackled McClain and at least one put him in a chokehold. Paramedics called to the scene injected him with ketamine to sedate him. The 23-year-old went into cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and died days later after being pronounced brain-dead. He was never accused of a crime.
The officers involved in his death were all cleared of wrongdoing this February. But in June, following renewed outrage amid protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said he would have the case reexamined.
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Jones and two other officers who have not yet been identified reportedly mocked the death of McClain by reenacting the chokehold at a memorial site in Aurora last October. Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said she learned of the photo last week.
On Saturday, a violin memorial was held for McClain, who used to play the instrument at an animal shelter for stray cats and dogs. The peaceful protest was broken up by officers wielding batons and pepper spray.
Yesterday Aurora, Colorado was holding a violin vigil for Elijah McClain, who was known for playing his violin, especially to animals.
Then the police decided they’d seen enough.pic.twitter.com/aujN7xxpAQ — Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) June 28, 2020