thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-04--NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio Enforces Curfew Again, Setting Up Another Night Of Police Assaults

Just before New York ’ s 8 p.m. curfew Thursday , heavily armored New York Police Department officers on bicycles rushed a group of protesters in the Bronx who were demonstrating against police brutality .
The officers charged with their batons out , Jake Offenhartz , a Gothamist reporter , tweeted .
“ Multiple people hit .
Someone bleeding from the head , ” he reported .
Offenhartz jumped over a car and was able to escape because of his press badge , he said .
“ This wasn ’ t even a confrontation it was a trap.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not violent , multiple journalists at the scene attested .
But with the 8 p.m. curfew in place , NYPD officers took it as their mandate to arrest everyone in sight , using brutal force to make sure they got the message .
Even people walking through the neighborhood who were not participating in the protests found themselves trapped by NYPD officers who blocked exits on both sides of a block , New Yorker staff writer Emily Witt tweeted .
“ They are arresting literally everyone at this protest , ” Witt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Jails are one of the highest-risk environments to become infected with COVID-19 due to the lack of space to social distance and the number of people entering and leaving the holding cells each day .
More than 200 demonstrators have been detained for more than 24 hours , a violation of New York state ’ s policy that requires arraignment within 24 hours of arrest , the New York Daily News reported .
The decision to extend New York City ’ s curfew , accompanied by the swift escalation in arrests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters that the 8 p.m. hour brings , has created an acute crisis for de Blasio .
The curfews are , as Rolling Stone noted , the first to be instituted in New York City since the Harlem Riot of 1943 , which began after a white police officer shot a Black soldier .
De Blasio has justified the curfews as necessary to curb looting and rioting , but the policy has also provided a rationale for the NYPD to violently suppress nonviolent nighttime demonstrations .
In addition to endangering protesters , curfews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical personnel , grocery store employees and food delivery workers who now have to worry about getting beaten and arrested on their way home from work .
Although technically exempt from curfews , the NYPD has conducted sweeping arrests without differentiating demonstrators from passersby .
On Saturday , police officers beat and kicked Rayne Valentine , a 32-year-old who was heading home from his job at a Brooklyn hospital .
His hospital ID was smeared with his own blood .
Officers handcuffed and arrested a food delivery worker on Thursday night , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them proof he was allowed to continue working after the curfew .
When 8 p.m. struck Wednesday , NYPD officers surrounded a group of nonviolent demonstrators who continued marching after the curfew , several with their hands in the air , New York Times journalist Ali Watkins reported .
If protesters had wanted to escape and head home , they wouldn ’ t have been able to .
She witnessed riot police beat demonstrators with batons .
When one protester touched the back of his head , his hand became “ blood soaked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued attacking the protesters , even the ones who were bloodied and yelling for help .
The violence stopped only after it started raining .
As Watkins left , she saw groups of riot police laughing together .
“ Same goes for journalists covering protests and out doing their jobs .
They are essential workers , too .
We WILL protect their rights .
The public depends on the information they provide .
Will get NYPD to fix this immediately , ” de Blasio said in a separate tweet .
The mayor did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been beaten by police officers .
During a Thursday press conference , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) vehemently denied that NYPD officers had engaged in the conduct recorded on video .
“ If somebody ’ s standing there and they just walked up and hit somebody with a baton , that ’ s wrong .
But I don ’ t believe that ’ s what happened , ” Cuomo said .
“ Police bludgeon peaceful protesters with batons for no reason ?
That ’ s not a fact .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anyone who did do that would be obviously reprehensible if not criminal.
” Hours later in Buffalo , New York , a man calmly approached police officers in riot gear , who shoved the man to the ground , WBFO journalist Mike Desmond reported .
The man audibly hit his head on the concrete and was recorded lying motionless on his back with blood coming out of his ear .
A Buffalo Police Department spokesperson said in a statement that “ one person was injured when he tripped & fell ” during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a claim clearly contradicted by the recording .
Later , however , city officials announced the officers involved in the attack had been suspended without pay .
De Blasio ’ s adamant defense of the city ’ s police force is a stark reminder of the enduring power of the NYPD across Republican and Democratic administrations alike .
In 2013 , he catapulted to the top of a crowded Democratic primary by differentiating himself as the staunchest critic of what liberal New Yorkers saw as the twin legacies of Republican Mayor Rudolph Giuliani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequality and unchecked police brutality .
A vocal opponent of stop-and-frisk policing , de Blasio promised to end racial profiling and increase police oversight .
His campaign also leaned heavily on his racially diverse family , featuring his mixed-race teenage son Dante in ads that touted de Blasio as the “ only one who will end a stop-and-frisk era that unfairly targets people of color.
” In November of that year , he won in a landslide , defeating his Republican opponent by almost 50 percentage points and , with his family by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech in which he called for a safer city where “ police and residents work hand-in-hand.
” On Thursday , at a memorial for George Floyd in Brooklyn ’ s Cadman Plaza , de Blasio once again framed himself alongside his family , appearing after remarks by his wife , Chirlane McCray , who is Black .
This time , however , while McCray spoke mostly uninterrupted , her introduction to her husband was met with jeers , which continued unabated throughout his 90-second remarks .
The crowd turned their backs on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t breathe ” and calls for his resignation nearly drowned out his words .
On Wednesday , a group of more than 400 former and current de Blasio staffers published a scathing open letter criticizing his record on policing .
Signatories across multiple departments lamented that their time in his administration “ showed us that the change we had hoped for , and fought for , might never come.
” They pointed to de Blasio ’ s years-long refusal to fire the police officer who choked Eric Garner to death , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policing and the refusal to end solitary confinement as examples .
The letter also notes that annual funding for the NYPD is $ 1 billion greater than when de Blasio took office .
In April , his administration put forward a budget proposal with cuts across the board in anticipation of dips in tax revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic .
But , as Gothamist observed , while the city ’ s education budget is five times larger than the NYPD budget , it was subject to cuts 27 times larger .

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Just before New York’s 8 p.m. curfew Thursday, heavily armored New York Police Department officers on bicycles rushed a group of protesters in the Bronx who were demonstrating against police brutality. The officers charged with their batons out, Jake Offenhartz, a Gothamist reporter, tweeted. “Multiple people hit. Someone bleeding from the head,” he reported. Offenhartz jumped over a car and was able to escape because of his press badge, he said. “This wasn’t even a confrontation it was a trap.”
The protesters who had gathered in the Bronx were not violent, multiple journalists at the scene attested. But with the 8 p.m. curfew in place, NYPD officers took it as their mandate to arrest everyone in sight, using brutal force to make sure they got the message. Even people walking through the neighborhood who were not participating in the protests found themselves trapped by NYPD officers who blocked exits on both sides of a block, New Yorker staff writer Emily Witt tweeted. “They are arresting literally everyone at this protest,” Witt reported, including medics and legal observers.
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“We are peaceful,” protesters chanted at the cops. “What the fuck are you?”
At least 10 protesters were also arrested on Manhattan’s Upper East Side around 8:30 p.m., as they attempted to attend a peaceful demonstration at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D).
The New York City police crackdown on largely peaceful protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was killed May 25 at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, has now entered its second week. Since his killing, law enforcement officials in New York City have arrested thousands of protesters and violently beaten many more.
Jails are one of the highest-risk environments to become infected with COVID-19 due to the lack of space to social distance and the number of people entering and leaving the holding cells each day. More than 200 demonstrators have been detained for more than 24 hours, a violation of New York state’s policy that requires arraignment within 24 hours of arrest, the New York Daily News reported.
The decision to extend New York City’s curfew, accompanied by the swift escalation in arrests and use of physical force against even peaceful protesters that the 8 p.m. hour brings, has created an acute crisis for de Blasio. The curfews are, as Rolling Stone noted, the first to be instituted in New York City since the Harlem Riot of 1943, which began after a white police officer shot a Black soldier. De Blasio has justified the curfews as necessary to curb looting and rioting, but the policy has also provided a rationale for the NYPD to violently suppress nonviolent nighttime demonstrations.
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“They are arresting literally everyone at this protest.” - Emily Witt, The New Yorker
In addition to endangering protesters, curfews make life harder for essential workers like medical personnel, grocery store employees and food delivery workers who now have to worry about getting beaten and arrested on their way home from work. Although technically exempt from curfews, the NYPD has conducted sweeping arrests without differentiating demonstrators from passersby. On Saturday, police officers beat and kicked Rayne Valentine, a 32-year-old who was heading home from his job at a Brooklyn hospital. His hospital ID was smeared with his own blood. Officers handcuffed and arrested a food delivery worker on Thursday night, even as he pleaded for permission to show them proof he was allowed to continue working after the curfew.
When 8 p.m. struck Wednesday, NYPD officers surrounded a group of nonviolent demonstrators who continued marching after the curfew, several with their hands in the air, New York Times journalist Ali Watkins reported. If protesters had wanted to escape and head home, they wouldn’t have been able to. She witnessed riot police beat demonstrators with batons. When one protester touched the back of his head, his hand became “blood soaked,” Watkins reported. Police officers continued attacking the protesters, even the ones who were bloodied and yelling for help. The violence stopped only after it started raining. As Watkins left, she saw groups of riot police laughing together.
The next morning, de Blasio praised the NYPD for showing “a lot of restraint” in responding to protests. He praised police officers for “protecting us” and claimed falsely that “if protesters do not engage in violence, they’re given the opportunity to protest.”
“Part of what is never given its credit is that the decades of NYPD handling protests where... in many ways, the approach is to give space,” de Blasio said, apparently unaware of the NYPD’s mass arrests of protesters at the 2004 Republican National Convention, a civil rights abuse that resulted in the city paying nearly $18 million to settle a class-action lawsuit.
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Asked to respond to the numerous widely shared videos documenting police beating protesters with batons, de Blasio claimed he had not seen them. “If there’s anything that needs to be investigated,” he assured the reporter who asked the question, “it will be.”
About midnight on Friday morning, de Blasio conceded that the NYPD had at times overstepped. After watching the “troubling video” of the food delivery worker being arrested while doing his job, de Blasio spoke with Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, the mayor tweeted. “This is NOT acceptable and must stop. Food delivery is essential work and is EXEMPTED from the curfew,” he continued.
“Same goes for journalists covering protests and out doing their jobs. They are essential workers, too. We WILL protect their rights. The public depends on the information they provide. Will get NYPD to fix this immediately,” de Blasio said in a separate tweet. The mayor did not mention the nonviolent demonstrators who have been beaten by police officers.
During a Thursday press conference, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) vehemently denied that NYPD officers had engaged in the conduct recorded on video. “If somebody’s standing there and they just walked up and hit somebody with a baton, that’s wrong. But I don’t believe that’s what happened,” Cuomo said. “Police bludgeon peaceful protesters with batons for no reason? That’s not a fact. They don’t do that. Anyone who did do that would be obviously reprehensible if not criminal.”
Hours later in Buffalo, New York, a man calmly approached police officers in riot gear, who shoved the man to the ground, WBFO journalist Mike Desmond reported. The man audibly hit his head on the concrete and was recorded lying motionless on his back with blood coming out of his ear. A Buffalo Police Department spokesperson said in a statement that “one person was injured when he tripped & fell” during a “skirmish” involving other protesters, a claim clearly contradicted by the recording. Later, however, city officials announced the officers involved in the attack had been suspended without pay.
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De Blasio’s adamant defense of the city’s police force is a stark reminder of the enduring power of the NYPD across Republican and Democratic administrations alike. In 2013, he catapulted to the top of a crowded Democratic primary by differentiating himself as the staunchest critic of what liberal New Yorkers saw as the twin legacies of Republican Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and conservative Mayor Michael Bloomberg: crushing inequality and unchecked police brutality. A vocal opponent of stop-and-frisk policing, de Blasio promised to end racial profiling and increase police oversight.
His campaign also leaned heavily on his racially diverse family, featuring his mixed-race teenage son Dante in ads that touted de Blasio as the “only one who will end a stop-and-frisk era that unfairly targets people of color.” In November of that year, he won in a landslide, defeating his Republican opponent by almost 50 percentage points and, with his family by his side, gave a crowd-pleasing victory speech in which he called for a safer city where “police and residents work hand-in-hand.”
On Thursday, at a memorial for George Floyd in Brooklyn’s Cadman Plaza, de Blasio once again framed himself alongside his family, appearing after remarks by his wife, Chirlane McCray, who is Black. This time, however, while McCray spoke mostly uninterrupted, her introduction to her husband was met with jeers, which continued unabated throughout his 90-second remarks. The crowd turned their backs on the mayor, while chants of “I can’t breathe” and calls for his resignation nearly drowned out his words.
The incident underlined what is undoubtedly the lowest point of de Blasio’s tenure yet. One former aide told The New York Times that “the most charitable assessment is that his mayoralty is currently on life support.”
On Wednesday, a group of more than 400 former and current de Blasio staffers published a scathing open letter criticizing his record on policing. Signatories across multiple departments lamented that their time in his administration “showed us that the change we had hoped for, and fought for, might never come.” They pointed to de Blasio’s years-long refusal to fire the police officer who choked Eric Garner to death, the continuation of “broken windows” policing and the refusal to end solitary confinement as examples.
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The letter also notes that annual funding for the NYPD is $1 billion greater than when de Blasio took office. In April, his administration put forward a budget proposal with cuts across the board in anticipation of dips in tax revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic. But, as Gothamist observed, while the city’s education budget is five times larger than the NYPD budget, it was subject to cuts 27 times larger.
Even protesters at demonstrations unmarked by police violence have been critical of de Blasio. At a pre-curfew rally in Brooklyn’s McCarren Park that ended without any altercations, one protester, Naomi O, told HuffPost that the NYPD is “escalating the situation on peaceful protesters just because they’re breaking curfew” and that the mayor is “siding with the NYPD.”
Another, John K, summed up the mayor’s predicament:
“The protesters hate him. His constituents hate him. The people that voted for him hate him. And the police hate him,” he said. “So, where does that leave him? He’s a terrible leader right now. He dropped the ball as hard as he could possibly drop it.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Trump Campaign’s Plea For Video Messages To Celebrate President’s Birthday Backfires

Donald Trump ’ s 2020 campaign put out a call on Twitter Thursday for people to film and send in videos wishing the president a happy 74th birthday on June 14 .
“ We want to make this year President Trump ’ s BEST BIRTHDAY EVER , ” read the page on Trump ’ s campaign website where the clips could be uploaded .
The campaign promised to show Trump “ the first 500 responses TONIGHT.
” President Trump 's birthday is coming up and there 's no better way to wish him a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY ' than by sending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your video TODAY ⬇https : //t.co/nP7MHCslxD — Team Trump ( Text TRUMP to 88022 ) ( @ TeamTrump ) June 4 , 2020 Actor Rob Delaney hit back with a video of himself telling Trump , who he described as a “ stupid bigot , ” that he should resign .
“ It ’ s going to be really miserable for you until November , ” said Delaney , calling out Trump ’ s fumbled handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his violent rhetoric towards anti-racism protesters following the death of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Mike Pence and the president ’ s daughter and adviser , Ivanka Trump , more than he hates Trump himself .
“ Because you ’ re just f*cking garbage , but they ’ re like , ‘ yay garbage , ’ ” he explained .
“ Anyway , more and more people are growing to hate you every day , which is just fantastic , so you should fucking quit , ” Delaney concluded .
Actor Michael Ian Black , meanwhile , wished Trump what he hoped would be his “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a message on YouTube .
“ You ’ re probably too busy to celebrate , ” he said .
“ You ’ ve got television to work , tweets to write , protesters to gas , intelligence reports to ignore , pandemic responses to fuck up.
” Some Twitter users responded with mocking gifs and videos they said they would upload : Others lamented sharing a birthday with the president and predicted how else the campaign stunt would backfire : my birthday is also June 14 and i invite you to send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screaming in your SUV to me instead https : //t.co/uXv80Wj0zJ — lvl 45 chaos potus # blacklivesmatter ( @ thetomzone ) June 4 , 2020 Here you go everyone , upload a video message for Donald Trump .
What would you like to tell him on his birthday ?
😅 I ca n't see this PR stunt going in any way wrong ... https : //t.co/yqiTZjVe79 — David Mac Dougall ( @ davidmacdougall ) June 5 , 2020

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Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign put out a call on Twitter Thursday for people to film and send in videos wishing the president a happy 74th birthday, which is on June 14.
“We want to make this year President Trump’s BEST BIRTHDAY EVER,” read Trump’s campaign website, which provided a form for people to fill out and upload clips. The campaign promised to show Trump “the first 500 responses TONIGHT.”
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The tweet, below, prompted a wave of angry responses.
President Trump's birthday is coming up and there's no better way to wish him a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' than by sending him a personal video message.
Upload your video TODAY ⬇https://t.co/nP7MHCslxD — Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) June 4, 2020
Actor Rob Delaney tweeted a video of himself telling Trump, whom he described as a “stupid bigot,” that he should resign.
“It’s going to be really miserable for you until November,” Delaney said. He called out Trump’s fumbled handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his violent rhetoric toward anti-racism protesters.
Delaney also revealed why he hates Vice President Mike Pence and the president’s daughter and adviser, Ivanka Trump, more than he hates Trump himself.
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“Because you’re just fucking garbage, but they’re like, ‘yay garbage,’” he said. “Anyway, more and more people are growing to hate you every day, which is just fantastic, so you should fucking quit.”
Check out the video here:
Actor Michael Ian Black, meanwhile, wished Trump what he hoped would be his “final birthday in the White House” with a message on YouTube.
“You’re probably too busy to celebrate,” Black said. “You’ve got television to work, tweets to write, protesters to gas, intelligence reports to ignore, pandemic responses to fuck up.”
Check out that video here:
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Some Twitter users responded to the campaign’s call on Twitter with mocking gifs and videos:
Others lamented sharing a birthday with the president and predicted that the campaign’s request would backfire:
I feel like this is going to go very well. https://t.co/QyGU0hxlGS — Gary Whitta (@garywhitta) June 4, 2020
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my birthday is also June 14 and i invite you to send your selfie videos of you furious and screaming in your SUV to me instead https://t.co/uXv80Wj0zJ — lvl 45 chaos potus #blacklivesmatter (@thetomzone) June 4, 2020
I weep to share this vile man's birthday https://t.co/HFSH5NJsdF — rabia O'chaudry (@rabiasquared) June 4, 2020
Here you go everyone, upload a video message for Donald Trump. What would you like to tell him on his birthday? 😅 I can't see this PR stunt going in any way wrong... https://t.co/yqiTZjVe79 — David Mac Dougall (@davidmacdougall) June 5, 2020
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING about this administration astounds me every day.
Just... wow. https://t.co/Wn6ke9LMLO — Antonio Javier (@CoolGrayAJ) June 4, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Trump Shares Letter Saying White House Protesters Are 'Terrorists'

President Donald Trump shared a letter on Twitter from one of his attorneys that describes the protesters outside the White House as “ terrorists.
” Trump said the letter from John Dowd , who represented him during part of the Russia investigation , was “ of interest to the American people.
” Dowd ’ s letter was in reply to former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis , who this week said he was appalled by the use of force against largely peaceful demonstrators in Lafayette Square , across from the White House .
On Monday , those protesters were forced out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump could walk to St. John ’ s Episcopal Church to pose for a photo with a Bible .
Mattis , who had previously avoided speaking out about his former boss , defended the protesters in a letter to The Atlantic .
“ The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values — our values as people and our values as a nation , ” he wrote .
Mattis also said leaders shouldn ’ t be “ distracted by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phony protesters near Lafayette park were not peaceful and are not real , ” Dowd wrote .
“ They are terrorists using idle hate filled students to burn and destroy.
” Earlier this week , Trump attacked Mattis by claiming it was an “ honor ” to fire him last year .
John Kelly , who was Trump ’ s chief of staff at the time , pointed out that Mattis was not fired .
“ The president did not fire him .
He did not ask for his resignation , ” Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused.
” Trump later tweeted that he fired Mattis , but Kelly just didn ’ t know it because his chief of staff was not in his inner circle and was “ totally exhausted ” by his job .
In 2016 , Trump vowed “ to surround myself only with the best and most serious people.
” Since then , he has repeatedly attacked many of the people he surrounded himself with , including Mattis and Kelly as well as former Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jeff Sessions , former national security advisor John Bolton , former chief strategist Steve Bannon , among others .

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President Donald Trump shared a letter on Twitter from one of his attorneys that describes the protesters outside the White House as “terrorists.”
Trump said the letter from John Dowd, who represented him during part of the Russia investigation, was “of interest to the American people.”
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Dowd’s letter was in reply to former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who this week said he was appalled by the use of force against largely peaceful demonstrators in Lafayette Square, across from the White House. On Monday, those protesters were forced out with tear gas and rubber bullets so Trump could walk to St. John’s Episcopal Church to pose for a photo with a Bible.
Mattis, who had previously avoided speaking out about his former boss, defended the protesters in a letter to The Atlantic.
“The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values — our values as people and our values as a nation,” he wrote. Mattis also said leaders shouldn’t be “distracted by a small number of lawbreakers.”
But Dowd claimed, without evidence, that the protesters were violent.
“The phony protesters near Lafayette park were not peaceful and are not real,” Dowd wrote. “They are terrorists using idle hate filled students to burn and destroy.”
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Read the full letter in Trump’s tweet:
I thought this letter from respected retired Marine and Super Star lawyer, John Dowd, would be of interest to the American People. Read it! pic.twitter.com/I5tjysckZh — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
Earlier this week, Trump attacked Mattis by claiming it was an “honor” to fire him last year.
John Kelly, who was Trump’s chief of staff at the time, pointed out that Mattis was not fired.
“The president did not fire him. He did not ask for his resignation,” Kelly told The Washington Post. “The president has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused.”
Trump later tweeted that he fired Mattis, but Kelly just didn’t know it because his chief of staff was not in his inner circle and was “totally exhausted” by his job.
In 2016, Trump vowed “to surround myself only with the best and most serious people.” Since then, he has repeatedly attacked many of the people he surrounded himself with, including Mattis and Kelly as well as former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former national security advisor John Bolton, former chief strategist Steve Bannon, among others.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-04--John Kelly Defends Jim Mattis Against 'Nasty' Trump Twitter Attack

President Donald Trump ’ s former chief of staff John Kelly on Thursday stood by former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ’ s searing rebuke of the president ’ s handling of the nationwide unrest and fact-checked Trump ’ s “ nasty ” claim that he fired Mattis .
“ The president did not fire him .
He did not ask for his resignation , ” Kelly said in an interview with The Washington Post .
“ The president has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused .
The president tweeted a very positive tweet about Jim until he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interpretation of his letter .
Then he got nasty .
Jim Mattis is an honorable man.
” Mattis ― a retired Marine general who cited differences in views with Trump when he resigned as defense secretary in 2018 ― on Wednesday made a statement condemning Trump ’ s divisive and inflammatory actions as the nation is rocked by protests over the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the cases of many other Black victims of police violence .
He is one of several former military leaders to speak out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday that he would deploy military troops to respond to the nationwide protests .
“ Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try .
Instead , he tries to divide us , ” Mattis wrote in a statement published by The Atlantic .
He put the nationwide crisis down as “ the consequences of three years without mature leadership ” and Trump ’ s “ deliberate effort ” to divide people , and he urged that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.
” Trump responded with a Twitter outburst , declaring Mattis to be “ the world ’ s most overrated General ” and claiming , “ I asked for his letter of resignation , & felt great about it.
” Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis , the world ’ s most overrated General .
I asked for his letter of resignation , & felt great about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which I didn ’ t like , & changed to “ Mad Dog ” ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 4 , 2020 ... His primary strength was not military , but rather personal public relations .
I gave him a new life , things to do , and battles to win , but he seldom “ brought home the bacon ” .
I didn ’ t like his “ leadership ” style or much else about him , and many others agree .
Glad he is gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realDonaldTrump ) June 4 , 2020 Though Wednesday ’ s rebuke marks the first time Mattis has made a public denunciation of the president , tensions between Kelly and Trump were widely reported during his time as chief of staff .
Kelly , also a retired Marine Corps general , has broken with Trump on several issues since leaving the administration and faced the president ’ s wrath earlier this year when he spoke out about impeachment .
Trump responded to Kelly ’ s defense of Mattis with a pair of sour tweets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ totally exhausted ” in his former role and now wanting to “ come back for a piece of the limelight.
” John Kelly didn ’ t know I was going to fire James Mattis , nor did he have any knowledge of my asking for a letter of resignation .
Why would I tell him , he was not ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 4 , 2020 ... in my inner-circle , was totally exhausted by the job , and in the end just slinked away into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back for a piece of the limelight !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 4 , 2020

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President Donald Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly on Thursday stood by former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis’s searing rebuke of the president’s handling of the nationwide unrest and fact-checked Trump’s “nasty” claim that he fired Mattis.
“The president did not fire him. He did not ask for his resignation,” Kelly said in an interview with The Washington Post. “The president has clearly forgotten how it actually happened or is confused. The president tweeted a very positive tweet about Jim until he started to see on Fox News their interpretation of his letter. Then he got nasty. Jim Mattis is an honorable man.”
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Mattis ― a retired Marine general who cited differences in views with Trump when he resigned as defense secretary in 2018 ― on Wednesday made a statement condemning Trump’s divisive and inflammatory actions as the nation is rocked by protests over the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the cases of many other Black victims of police violence. He is one of several former military leaders to speak out following Trump’s stunning declaration on Monday that he would deploy military troops to respond to the nationwide protests.
“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,” Mattis wrote in a statement published by The Atlantic.
He put the nationwide crisis down as “the consequences of three years without mature leadership” and Trump’s “deliberate effort” to divide people, and he urged that Americans “reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution.”
Trump responded with a Twitter outburst, declaring Mattis to be “the world’s most overrated General” and claiming, “I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it.”
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Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the world’s most overrated General. I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it. His nickname was “Chaos”, which I didn’t like, & changed to “Mad Dog”... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
...His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom “brought home the bacon”. I didn’t like his “leadership” style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
Though Wednesday’s rebuke marks the first time Mattis has made a public denunciation of the president, tensions between Kelly and Trump were widely reported during his time as chief of staff. Kelly, also a retired Marine Corps general, has broken with Trump on several issues since leaving the administration and faced the president’s wrath earlier this year when he spoke out about impeachment.
Trump responded to Kelly’s defense of Mattis with a pair of sour tweets Thursday evening, blasting him as being “totally exhausted” in his former role and now wanting to “come back for a piece of the limelight.”
John Kelly didn’t know I was going to fire James Mattis, nor did he have any knowledge of my asking for a letter of resignation. Why would I tell him, he was not... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-04--Police Budgets Have Long Been Untouchable. That Could Change.

Photo Illustration : HuffPost Visuals ; Photo : Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images As demonstrations spotlighting racial injustice and police brutality continue , the chorus is growing to `` defund '' law enforcement agencies .
This sign was held aloft in New York City .
Floyd , who leaves behind three children , was arrested by police after a store owner accused him of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $ 20 bill .
Less than 20 minutes after police arrived , Floyd was unconscious on the ground , as police officer Derrick Chavin knelt on his neck for nearly nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was fake has yet to be confirmed by authorities .
Floyd recently lost his job at a restaurant due to the coronavirus outbreak , and a variety of city services might have helped him .
The police didn ’ t .
Oakland , California , spent over 40 % of its total budget on its police department in 2018 , according to a 2018 Freedom to Thrive report published by the Center for Popular Democracy , Law for Black Lives and the Black Youth Project .
Los Angeles and Chicago have some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both topping out at nearly $ 1.5 billion in 2018 ( L.A. ’ s police budget accounted for 25 % of its total budget , while Chicago ’ s accounted for nearly 40 % of its overall budget ) .
In Minneapolis , where Floyd was killed , 35 % of the city ’ s 2018 budget went to the police department .
“ The United States did not have to be the country that had the highest number of [ coronavirus ] cases and deaths in the world , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Thrive report and director of Justice Transformation at the Center for Popular Democracy .
“ The reasons for that are complex , but at least one of them is the fact that we did not invest in public health in this country in the way that other countries do .
The issue of how we spend our money is a really , really important one.
” Challenging The Idea That More Police Mean Better Safety While some organizers have called to fully abolish the police ( and many have said that defunding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing so ) , Stoughton urged caution .
He fears that if the police as an institution is fully eradicated , private security will simply take their place .
Privatized security would most likely have less oversight , less training and less professionalism than the police departments we have now .
The George Zimmermans and Travis McMichaels of the world , Stoughton cautioned , could become the people employed by private security entities .
( Zimmerman , the head of his neighborhood watch in a Florida community , fatally shot Trayvon Martin while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because Zimmerman thought Martin looked suspicious ; McMichaels is charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia after McMichaels and his father believed Arbery was a robbery suspect , chased him in a pickup truck and shot him while he was out for a jog ; the father and another man also have been charged in the case . )
“ If we scrapped police agencies , what may happen is we ’ re going to see more gated neighborhoods that hire their own armed security forces .
That doesn ’ t seem like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stoughton said .
“ At its core to me , policing is a public service .
It is and primarily should be a government institution , which shouldn ’ t be limited to the relatively few wealthy enclaves that can afford to provide it in whatever way they want.
” What Does Defunding The Police Actually Look Like ?
In 2018 , St. Paul , Minnesota , Mayor Melvin Carter rejected a request for more police officers .
“ Our driving goal shouldn ’ t be to hire as many officers as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have to call police in the first place… As long as we focus more on responding to emergencies than on preventing them in the first place , we ’ ll never have enough police officers , ” he said at the time .
“ Part of the reason city officials are in this position is because they have given so much money and power over to police departments , year after year , ” he said .
“ That needs to fracture in order for us to be able to plot a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really clear way for cities to shrink the size , the scope and the power of policing .
”

As demonstrations spotlighting racial injustice and police brutality continue, the chorus is growing to "defund" law enforcement agencies. This sign was held aloft in New York City. Photo Illustration: HuffPost Visuals; Photo: Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images
Chants to “Defund the police!” have reverberated around the country, from New York City to Minneapolis and through the streets of Los Angeles, as thousands of people protested racist police violence this past week.
While some may hear the phrase and assume it’s a radical, punitive step to end policing altogether, it’s actually an acknowledgment of a simple point: Police departments typically have way, way more money than other government services that could better serve communities without subjecting them to brutality and violence.
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Collectively, the U.S. spends $100 billion every year on policing, or $1 trillion in the past decade. The New York City Police Department’s annual budget was nearly $6 billion last year. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual budget for dealing with infectious diseases budget was about a third of that ($2.55 billion). The average state spending on higher education rose less than 6% between 1986 and 2013, while the average spending on policing increased by 141%, according to a 2018 Freedom to Thrive analysis.
Black Lives Matter and other anti-police violence groups have been working to defund the police by cutting agencies’ budgets for years. And these efforts have gained momentum in the wake of the outcries spurred by deaths at the hands of police of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others. Last year alone, police in the U.S. killed over 1,000 people, 25% of whom were Black.
“It is important to remember that modern-day policing have their roots in slave catching. These systems were created to hunt, maim, and kill Black people,” Kailee Scales, managing director of Black Lives Matter Global Network, told HuffPost. “As we have seen in the example of George and many others in this month alone, the police are a force of violence that profiles, harasses, and inflicts harm on Black communities without accountability ― and with far too many resources.”
“The police are a force of violence that profiles, harasses, and inflicts harm on Black communities without accountability ― and with far too many resources.”” - Kailee Scales, managing director of Black Lives Matter Global Network
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Over the last decade, states and cities have spent more and more of their budgets on policing, far exceeding funding increases for other fundamental services like mental health care, affordable housing, job programs and education. Research shows that these services are actually more impactful in reducing crime than more police or prisons.
“We need and demand deep investment in education, employment programs, and real, meaningful and equitable universal health care,” Scales said. “We need to divest from police in (public) schools and invest in more teachers and counselors. We need to divest from the criminalization of mental health and provide mental health and restorative services.”
Floyd, who leaves behind five children, was arrested by police after a store owner accused him of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. Less than 20 minutes after police arrived, Floyd was unconscious on the ground, as police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Whether the $20 bill was fake has yet to be confirmed by authorities. Floyd recently lost his job at a restaurant due to the coronavirus outbreak, and a variety of city services might have helped him. The police didn’t.
Massive Police Budgets Across the Nation
Although budgets for policing exist on the federal and state levels, the majority of funds spent on policing come from local municipalities. The majority of that money comes from tax revenue from the public, but other revenue streams include state funding, federal funding and private donations from police foundations, the latter of which is often not disclosed. These funds pay for police buildings, vehicles, officers’ and other police employees’ salaries, and more.
Oakland, California, spent over 40% of its total budget on its police department in 2018, according to a 2018 Freedom to Thrive report published by the Center for Popular Democracy, Law for Black Lives and the Black Youth Project. Los Angeles and Chicago have some of the largest police budgets in the country, both topping out at nearly $1.5 billion in 2018 (L.A.’s police budget accounted for 25% of its total budget, while Chicago’s accounted for nearly 40% of its overall budget). In Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed, 35% of the city’s 2018 budget went to the police department.
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Police budgets seem even more gargantuan when compared to the budget for other social services in cities. In 2019, the New York City Police Department had a budget of nearly $6 billion, which is around 8% of the city’s total budget. The total annual budget for job programs was around $281 million ― 0.3% of the city’s budget. In Oakland, social service programs like youth programs, housing and income support received less than 30 cents to every dollar given to the police in 2018.
The disparity in funding between police departments and other human services was on full display when hospitals and doctors across the country were scrambling to find personal protection equipment, ventilators and intensive care unit beds as the coronavirus spread across the U.S. in March. Two months later, police turned out in military-grade equipment to respond to protests and rioters.
Fully equipped police in Los Angeles make arrests on Monday after a curfew went into effect during demonstrations spurred by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis officers. David McNew via Getty Images
“The United States did not have to be the country that had the highest number of [coronavirus] cases and deaths in the world,” said Kumar Rao, co-author of the Freedom to Thrive report and director of Justice Transformation at the Center for Popular Democracy. “The reasons for that are complex, but at least one of them is the fact that we did not invest in public health in this country in the way that other countries do. The issue of how we spend our money is a really, really important one.”
In some cities, police budgets are used to pay out police misconduct settlements. Chicago spent $113 million in 2018 alone to settle lawsuits alleging police misconduct; in the past decade, the city has paid out more than $500 million in such settlements. Between 2005 and 2018, Los Angeles paid out a total of $880 million in settlements.
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While it’s important that the families of Eric Garner, Ezell Ford and so many more receive monetary justice for police brutality that took their loved ones from them, this money often comes from taxpayers. What’s more worrisome is that police brutality has no direct financial implications for the departments ― even after highly publicized killings, their budgets keep growing.
Meanwhile, the “government continues to sell us this false narrative that we don’t have enough money” for other services like healthcare, education, housing or substance abuse programs, Rao said. “It’s austerity for everything but the military and the police.”
“In this nation, city budgets illustrate where its priorities lie,” Scales said. “It is time for divestment from violent policing infrastructure and investment in strengthening Black communities. And we can no longer wait.”
Challenging The Idea That More Police Mean Better Safety
In order to understand why cutting police budgets is beneficial, the country first has to fundamentally shift its approach to and understanding of the police as an American institution. Overpolicing does not actually keep communities safe, said Saye Joseph, policy and advocacy manager at Black Youth Project 100.
“Police, in all forms, have been a way to keep property safe and keep a subsection of society safe but it hasn’t kept all communities safe and healthy,” Joseph said. “We have to break that notion apart that police equals safety.”
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Oftentimes, the very services underfunded by cities become baked into police officers’ jobs.
“We over-rely on police to handle a range of social problems that they are simply incapable of addressing,” Seth Stoughton, a former police officer and current associate law professor at the University of South Carolina, said. “They don’t have the expertise, the training, the equipment, the organizational capacity to deal effectively with mental illness or poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, school discipline ― a whole range of things that we socially have made police issues.”
By reallocating parts of massive police budgets back into communities, specifically communities of color, the “constant clarion call for more officers” may begin to lose its appeal, Stoughton added.
While some organizers have called to fully abolish the police (and many have said that defunding the police is the first step in doing so), Stoughton urged caution. He fears that if the police as an institution is fully eradicated, private security will simply take their place. Privatized security would most likely have less oversight, less training and less professionalism than the police departments we have now.
One of Tuesday's protests in New York City. Erik McGregor via Getty Images
The George Zimmermans and Travis McMichaels of the world, Stoughton cautioned, could become the people employed by private security entities. (Zimmerman, the head of his neighborhood watch in a Florida community, fatally shot Trayvon Martin while the 17-year-old was walking in a hoodie because Zimmerman thought Martin looked suspicious; McMichaels is charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia after McMichaels and his father believed Arbery was a robbery suspect, chased him in a pickup truck and shot him while he was out for a jog; the father and another man also have been charged in the case.)
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“If we scrapped police agencies, what may happen is we’re going to see more gated neighborhoods that hire their own armed security forces. That doesn’t seem like a tenable solution to me,” Stoughton said. “At its core to me, policing is a public service. It is and primarily should be a government institution, which shouldn’t be limited to the relatively few wealthy enclaves that can afford to provide it in whatever way they want.”
What Does Defunding The Police Actually Look Like?
Some cities and localities have already taken steps to stop inflating police budgets. Last year, Jillian Johnson, the mayor pro tem of Durham, North Carolina, decided not to allocate more funding to city police officers.
“Like every other community in America, our community is over-invested in policing and incarceration and under-invested in housing, jobs, education, health and all the other investments that make those punitive interventions unnecessary,” she wrote at the time. “The safest communities don’t have the most cops; they have the most resources.”
In 2018, St. Paul, Minnesota, Mayor Melvin Carter rejected a request for more police officers. “Our driving goal shouldn’t be to hire as many officers as possible but to reduce the number of times we have to call police in the first place… As long as we focus more on responding to emergencies than on preventing them in the first place, we’ll never have enough police officers,” he said at the time.
“Budgets are a really clear way for cities to shrink the size, the scope and the power of policing.” - Kumar Rao, director of Justice Transformation at the Center for Popular Democracy
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Photos of militarized police assaulting peaceful protesters during the current unrest have led some city officials to question if the police really need this much money and firepower. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has been pushing for a 7% overall increase in the city’s police budget. But on Wednesday, Garcetti said he will cut up to $150 million in the LAPD’s budget to invest “in jobs, in health, in education and in healing,” especially in the city’s communities of color.
In a significant move, the Minneapolis school district terminated its contract with the city police department because of Floyd’s death.
Few other cities have embraced the idea of cutting police budgets. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 2021 spending proposal would keep the NYPD’s nearly $6 billion budget mostly intact while cutting funds for other agencies and programs ― some by as much as 80% ― in the wake of the pandemic’s effect on tax revenues. In Philadelphia, the mayor has proposed spending $977 million on police and prisons, while cutting funding for employment development, recreation centers, libraries and youth violence prevention.
President Donald Trump, whose desire earlier this week for a photo-op resulted in law officers using tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades to disperse peaceful protesters outside the White House, has criticized demands to defund the police.
“The Radical Left Democrats new theme is ‘Defund the Police.’ Remember that when you don’t want Crime, especially against you and your family,” he tweeted. “More money for Law Enforcement!”
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Although mayors and other elected officials control the purse strings for their law enforcement agencies, they’re not really in control right now, said Rao of the Center for Popular Democracy.
“Part of the reason city officials are in this position is because they have given so much money and power over to police departments, year after year,” he said. “That needs to fracture in order for us to be able to plot a new path forward. Budgets are a really clear way for cities to shrink the size, the scope and the power of policing.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-04--White House Security Barred Clergy From Holding Vigil Outside Church

More than 100 interfaith clergy answered a call from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington to gather outside St. John ’ s Church at Lafayette Square , directly across from the White House , for a prayer vigil on Wednesday afternoon .
But an expanded security perimeter around the White House prevented the faith leaders from congregating on church property ― prompting them to scramble to find another place to meet and pray .
Although law enforcement had opened up the street outside St. John ’ s Church by Thursday afternoon , Rev .
Daryl Paul Lobban , an Episcopal priest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experience left some clergy feeling as if their First Amendment rights had been purposefully violated .
“ There is some thought that this is a violation of our rights not only to assemble but also we were barred access , for people of faith to come together and to pray on our own property that was just used a couple days ago by the president as a photo-op , ” Lobban said .
On Monday evening , Rev .
Mariann Budde , the Episcopal bishop of Washington , roundly criticized Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church for a photo-op as he held up a Bible .
She also decried how federal law enforcement used brute force and tear gas to disperse a crowd of peaceful protesters near the church minutes before the photo shoot .
St. John ’ s Church had been damaged by a small fire on Sunday night as protesters nearby demanded justice for George Floyd , a Black man who was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis last week .
Despite the damage to the historic building , Budde has said it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racism in America that demonstrations across the country are seeking to highlight .
The Wednesday solidarity prayer vigil brought together clergy from the Episcopal Church , United Methodist Church and other Christian denominations , as well as some interfaith allies .
The vigil was originally supposed to take place on the patio of St. John ’ s Church .
The loss of that space meant that when clergy members arrived at the security barrier , they were walking right into the middle of an ongoing Black Lives Matter protest ― which meant the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t take place as planned .
After several minutes of tense negotiations between clergy and protesters who were already there , the clergy led a moment of silence , followed by a prayer for justice from Bishop LaTrelle Easterling of the UMC ’ s Baltimore-Washington Conference .
“ We have really seen what it ’ s like when the entire force of the government and the military and the state come out against religious freedom , ” Mullen said .
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to respond to questions about why the clergy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Church ’ s property and whether that ban violated the faith leaders ’ right to religious freedom .
Barr said there was no correlation between the clearing of Lafayette Square on Monday , which he had ordered , and the president ’ s photo-op in front of St. John ’ s Church .
“ There was no rhyme or reason why they couldn ’ t just give us the rest of the block to have our vigil .
They stopped us right at the property line for the building , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attempt to prevent us from having a peaceful prayer vigil.
” Now that they ’ ve recovered access to the patio of St. John ’ s Church , Lobban said that the diocese plans to continue the “ ministry of presence ” it had begun on Monday afternoon ― before Trump arrived on the scene ― offering water , snacks , hand sanitizer and solidarity to the protesters at Lafayette Square .

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Federal security forces blocked clergy from having a prayer vigil in front of a Washington, D.C., church on Wednesday ― the same church that President Donald Trump freely strode up to days earlier for his photo shoot with a Bible.
More than 100 interfaith clergy answered a call from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington to gather outside St. John’s Church at Lafayette Square, directly across from the White House, for a prayer vigil on Wednesday afternoon. But an expanded security perimeter around the White House prevented the faith leaders from congregating on church property ― prompting them to scramble to find another place to meet and pray.
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The change led to a truncated vigil several hundred feet away from St. John’s Church, as well as confusion and tension between the clergy and some young protesters.
The Rev. Robert Fisher, center, of St. John's Church speaks alongside other clergy during a truncated prayer vigil Wednesday in Washington, D.C. JIM WATSON via Getty Images
Although law enforcement had opened up the street outside St. John’s Church by Thursday afternoon, Rev. Daryl Paul Lobban, an Episcopal priest who attended the vigil, told HuffPost the experience left some clergy feeling as if their First Amendment rights had been purposefully violated.
“We were very disappointed yesterday that the federal government brought in basically troops to block us from having our prayer vigil,” Lobban, the Washington diocese’s director of advocacy and justice, told HuffPost.
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“There is some thought that this is a violation of our rights not only to assemble but also we were barred access, for people of faith to come together and to pray on our own property that was just used a couple days ago by the president as a photo-op,” Lobban said.
On Monday evening, Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, roundly criticized Trump’s use of St. John’s Church for a photo-op as he held up a Bible. She also decried how federal law enforcement used brute force and tear gas to disperse a crowd of peaceful protesters near the church minutes before the photo shoot.
St. John’s Church had been damaged by a small fire on Sunday night as protesters nearby demanded justice for George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis last week. Despite the damage to the historic building, Budde has said it is more important to focus on the systemic racism in America that demonstrations across the country are seeking to highlight.
The Rev. Mariann Budde, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, speaks at a prayer vigil Wednesday near St. John's Church. Alex Brandon/Associated Press
The Wednesday solidarity prayer vigil brought together clergy from the Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church and other Christian denominations, as well as some interfaith allies. The vigil was originally supposed to take place on the patio of St. John’s Church. The loss of that space meant that when clergy members arrived at the security barrier, they were walking right into the middle of an ongoing Black Lives Matter protest ― which meant the vigil was cut short and couldn’t take place as planned.
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After several minutes of tense negotiations between clergy and protesters who were already there, the clergy led a moment of silence, followed by a prayer for justice from Bishop LaTrelle Easterling of the UMC’s Baltimore-Washington Conference.
Rev. Melanie Mullen, another D.C. Episcopal priest who attended the vigil, told the Episcopal News Service that authorities’ restrictions made it hard for some clergy to reach the vigil location.
“We have really seen what it’s like when the entire force of the government and the military and the state come out against religious freedom,” Mullen said.
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to respond to questions about why the clergy were banned from praying on St. John’s Church’s property and whether that ban violated the faith leaders’ right to religious freedom.
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The spokesperson referred HuffPost to Attorney General William Barr’s Thursday press conference, in which Barr said federal law enforcement expanded the perimeter around the White House on Monday to create a “buffer zone” in response to violence on Sunday.
Barr said there was no correlation between the clearing of Lafayette Square on Monday, which he had ordered, and the president’s photo-op in front of St. John’s Church.
Lobban said he believes it’s “very problematic” when clergy are prevented from gathering to pray.
“There was no rhyme or reason why they couldn’t just give us the rest of the block to have our vigil. They stopped us right at the property line for the building,” he said. “It feels like an attempt to prevent us from having a peaceful prayer vigil.”
Rev. Rob Fisher, rector of St. John's Church, speaks Wednesday about a block from the church near the White House after a security perimeter prevented access to the church property itself. Alex Brandon/Associated Press
Now that they’ve recovered access to the patio of St. John’s Church, Lobban said that the diocese plans to continue the “ministry of presence” it had begun on Monday afternoon ― before Trump arrived on the scene ― offering water, snacks, hand sanitizer and solidarity to the protesters at Lafayette Square.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Civil Rights Groups Sue Trump After Violent Dispersal Of Protesters Outside White House

The American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter sued the Trump administration for what the groups called an “ unconstitutional ” and “ frankly criminal attack ” on protesters outside the White House earlier this week .
The federal lawsuit , filed on behalf of five demonstrators , comes after law enforcement used gas canisters and flash-bang grenades to disperse largely peaceful crowds gathered in Lafayette Square on Monday to protest the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd on May 25 .
Moments later , President Donald Trump strode to the nearby St. John ’ s Church for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and declared America the “ greatest country in the world.
” “ The President ’ s shameless , unconstitutional , unprovoked , and frankly criminal attack on protesters because he disagreed with their views shakes the foundation of our nation ’ s constitutional order , ” Scott Michelman , legal director for the ACLU of the District of Columbia , said in a statement .
“ And when the nation ’ s top law enforcement officer becomes complicit in the tactics of an autocrat , it chills protected speech for all of us.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Mark Esper are also named in the suit , which was jointly filed with the Washington Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law .
The ACLU said the suit was the first of many it plans to file around the country in response to violent policing tactics .
Thursday ’ s suit seeks unspecified damages .
Demonstrations over Floyd ’ s death as a white police officer knelt on his neck have continued for more than a week and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those demonstrations have devolved into clashes with heavily armed officers , and more than 10,000 people have reportedly been arrested across the country .
Black Lives Matter D.C. , the lead plaintiff in the case , said the tactics used by federal officers in the nation ’ s capital this week were “ an affront to all our rights.
” “ The death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers has reignited the rage , pain , and deep sadness our community has suffered for generations , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C. , said in a statement .
“ We won ’ t be silenced by tear gas and rubber bullets .
Now is our time to be heard.
” Breonna Taylor , a Black emergency room technician in Louisville , Kentucky , was killed in her home March 13 when police serving a “ no-knock ” warrant shot her as they sought to arrest a different person .

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The American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter sued the Trump administration for what the groups called an “unconstitutional” and “frankly criminal attack” on protesters outside the White House earlier this week.
The federal lawsuit, filed on behalf of five demonstrators, comes after law enforcement used gas canisters and flash-bang grenades to disperse largely peaceful crowds gathered in Lafayette Square on Monday to protest the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd on May 25.
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Moments later, President Donald Trump strode to the nearby St. John’s Church for a photo-op as he held up a Bible and declared America the “greatest country in the world.”
The violent tactics sparked widespread condemnation and calls from some lawmakers for a federal investigation.
“The President’s shameless, unconstitutional, unprovoked, and frankly criminal attack on protesters because he disagreed with their views shakes the foundation of our nation’s constitutional order,” Scott Michelman, legal director for the ACLU of the District of Columbia, said in a statement. “And when the nation’s top law enforcement officer becomes complicit in the tactics of an autocrat, it chills protected speech for all of us.”
BREAKING: Together with @WashLaw4CR @LawyersComm, @ACLU-DC is taking Trump to court for firing tear gas on protesters outside the @WhiteHouse. We represent @DMVBlackLives & 5 individuals. https://t.co/vnPNKGXy63 — ACLU of DC (@ACLU_DC) June 4, 2020
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Attorney General William Barr and Defense Secretary Mark Esper are also named in the suit, which was jointly filed with the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Several media outlets reported this week that the violent dispersal of peaceful protesters was directly ordered by Barr.
The ACLU said the suit was the first of many it plans to file around the country in response to violent policing tactics. Thursday’s suit seeks unspecified damages.
Demonstrations over Floyd’s death as a white police officer knelt on his neck have continued for more than a week and a half around the nation. Many of those demonstrations have devolved into clashes with heavily armed officers, and more than 10,000 people have reportedly been arrested across the country.
Black Lives Matter D.C., the lead plaintiff in the case, said the tactics used by federal officers in the nation’s capital this week were “an affront to all our rights.”
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“The death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police officers has reignited the rage, pain, and deep sadness our community has suffered for generations,” April Goggans, an organizer of BLM D.C., said in a statement. “We won’t be silenced by tear gas and rubber bullets. Now is our time to be heard.”
Breonna Taylor, a Black emergency room technician in Louisville, Kentucky, was killed in her home March 13 when police serving a “no-knock” warrant shot her as they sought to arrest a different person.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--'We Have No Choice': Minneapolis City Council President Wants To 'Dismantle' The Police

Lawmakers in Minneapolis are planning to vote on the first slate of changes to police forces following the death of George Floyd , with some local leaders saying they want to “ dismantle ” the department amid nationwide protests calling for systemic change .
The Minneapolis City Council will vote on a temporary restraining order Friday to institute immediate changes to the police department that may include increased accountability and shifts in use of force policies .
But the body ’ s president , Lisa Bender , and councilmember Jeremiah Ellison wrote Thursday they hoped to ultimately replace law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public safety , ” calling such changes long “ past due.
” Bender said late Thursday the changes , if approved , would be an immediate response to the violent treatment that led to Floyd ’ s death .
But she noted they were just one step “ toward very deep systemic change.
” “ We ’ re serious , and frankly I think the police department has started the process of dismantling itself , ” Bender told HuffPost .
“ We really have no choice but to step back and say : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can make.
’ ” Those changes , Bender said , could include increased funding to community-based safety programs that would serve as an alternative to a formal police force and create opportunities that wouldn ’ t necessitate having armed officers respond to some calls .
In an interview with The Minneapolis Star Tribune , she hypothesized that in some instances , social workers or medics could respond instead .
The temporary restraining order — if passed on Friday — would still need to be approved by a judge , likely sometime next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd , a Black man in Minneapolis , died last week after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
Four officers have been charged in his death , including Derek Chauvin , who now faces a more severe charge of second-degree murder .
Floyd ’ s death has sparked nationwide protests over police brutality and systemic racism , and largely peaceful demonstrations have led to clashes with heavily armed officers .
Images have spread like wildfire of protesters fleeing from gas canisters outside the White House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowds being arrested en masse for violating curfews .
During a memorial for Floyd in Minneapolis on Thursday , the family ’ s attorney , Ben Crump , said the man had died from the “ pandemic of racism ” and called for a “ more just system of policing.
” “ I want to make it clear , on the record .
It was that other pandemic that we ’ re far too familiar with in America — the pandemic of racism and discrimination — that killed George Floyd , ” Crump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than that , we all deserve better than that.
” The Minnesota Department of Human Rights said this week it would investigate the police department after filing a civil rights charge over Floyd ’ s killing .
The probe , announced this week by Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz , will look at officers ’ actions over the past decade to uncover any pattern of discrimination .
“ With the assistance of the State Human Rights Commission , we can take an honest examination at systemic barriers that have prevented us from reaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said in a statement obtained by the Star Tribune .
A spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told the outlet the lawmaker supported “ structural reforms that address systemic racism in our laws and in policing , ” but said he was not in favor of abolishing the police department .
Bender conceded Thursday that the police department wouldn ’ t be eliminated overnight while noting Arradondo and his team were “ committed to reform.
” But she said the ongoing demonstrations had shown an “ enormous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers could follow up with real action .
“ We have enormous political support , and we just have no choice , ” she said .
“ This is not the first time that the police have killed a member of our community .
For me , I feel a deep sense of determination to make sure that we don ’ t just keep going back to some comfortable normal .
”

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Lawmakers in Minneapolis are planning to vote on the first slate of changes to police forces following the death of George Floyd, with some local leaders saying they want to “dismantle” the department amid nationwide protests calling for systemic change.
The Minneapolis City Council will vote on a temporary restraining order Friday to institute immediate changes to the police department that may include increased accountability and shifts in use of force policies. But the body’s president, Lisa Bender, and councilmember Jeremiah Ellison wrote Thursday they hoped to ultimately replace law enforcement with a “transformative new model of public safety,” calling such changes long “past due.”
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Yes. We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a transformative new model of public safety. https://t.co/FCfjoPy64k — Lisa Bender (@lisabendermpls) June 4, 2020
We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department.
And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together.
We are going to dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response.
It’s really past due. https://t.co/7WIxUL6W79 — Jeremiah Ellison (@jeremiah4north) June 4, 2020
Bender said late Thursday the changes, if approved, would be an immediate response to the violent treatment that led to Floyd’s death. But she noted they were just one step “toward very deep systemic change.”
“We’re serious, and frankly I think the police department has started the process of dismantling itself,” Bender told HuffPost. “We really have no choice but to step back and say: ‘What are the transformational changes we can make.’”
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Those changes, Bender said, could include increased funding to community-based safety programs that would serve as an alternative to a formal police force and create opportunities that wouldn’t necessitate having armed officers respond to some calls. In an interview with The Minneapolis Star Tribune, she hypothesized that in some instances, social workers or medics could respond instead.
The temporary restraining order — if passed on Friday — would still need to be approved by a judge, likely sometime next week, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
“I feel a deep sense of determination to make sure that we don’t just keep going back to some comfortable normal.”
Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis, died last week after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Four officers have been charged in his death, including Derek Chauvin, who now faces a more severe charge of second-degree murder.
Floyd’s death has sparked nationwide protests over police brutality and systemic racism, and largely peaceful demonstrations have led to clashes with heavily armed officers. Images have spread like wildfire of protesters fleeing from gas canisters outside the White House, of journalists hit with batons and nonviolent crowds being arrested en masse for violating curfews.
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During a memorial for Floyd in Minneapolis on Thursday, the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said the man had died from the “pandemic of racism” and called for a “more just system of policing.”
“I want to make it clear, on the record. It was that other pandemic that we’re far too familiar with in America — the pandemic of racism and discrimination — that killed George Floyd,” Crump said. “George Floyd deserved better than that, we all deserve better than that.”
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights said this week it would investigate the police department after filing a civil rights charge over Floyd’s killing. The probe, announced this week by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will look at officers’ actions over the past decade to uncover any pattern of discrimination.
This civil rights charge is an important step toward comprehensive and urgent systemic change. Let’s make this just one of many accountability measures to come from this harrowing week.https://t.co/GGTNAHs9Dq — Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 3, 2020
“With the assistance of the State Human Rights Commission, we can take an honest examination at systemic barriers that have prevented us from reaching our greatest potential for those we serve,” Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said in a statement obtained by the Star Tribune.
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A spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told the outlet the lawmaker supported “structural reforms that address systemic racism in our laws and in policing,” but said he was not in favor of abolishing the police department.
Bender conceded Thursday that the police department wouldn’t be eliminated overnight while noting Arradondo and his team were “committed to reform.” But she said the ongoing demonstrations had shown an “enormous political will” for change she hoped lawmakers could follow up with real action.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Retired General Spots The Moment The American Experiment Started To Crumble

Retired Marine Gen. John Allen pinpointed the exact moment he believes the United States began its slide “ into illiberalism.
” In a column for Foreign Policy this week , the retired four-star general argued the descent “ may well have begun on June 1 , ” when President Donald Trump threatened to send in troops against anti-racism demonstrators that have spread following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
“ Remember the date , ” wrote Allen , the president of the Brookings Institution who served as commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of the end of the American experiment , ” he warned .
Allen recalled how Trump railed during a White House Rose Garden press briefing on Monday “ against weak governors and mayors who were not doing enough , in his mind , to control the unrest and the rioters in their cities , and threatened to deploy the U.S. military against American citizens.
” “ It was a stunning moment , ” said Allen .
Trump “ expressed only the barest of condolences at the murder of George Floyd , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the fundamental and underlying reasons for the unrest : systemic racism and inequality.
” Allen added that Trump “ views those engaged in the unrest and criminal acts in these riots as terrorists , an enemy.
” Allen ended the column on an optimistic note , suggesting that June 1 could also be seen “ as a day of hope ” and “ the beginning of the change of American democracy not to illiberalism , but to enlightenment.
” “ But it will have to come from the bottom up .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one home , ” he concluded , with more one withering swipe at Trump .
Read Allen ’ s full column here and watch his interview with CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper on Thursday below :

Retired Marine Gen. John Allen pinpointed the exact moment he believes the United States began its slide “into illiberalism.”
In a column for Foreign Policy this week, the retired four-star general argued the descent “may well have begun on June 1,” when President Donald Trump threatened to send in troops against anti-racism demonstrators that have spread following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“Remember the date,” wrote Allen, the president of the Brookings Institution who served as commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. “It may well signal the beginning of the end of the American experiment,” he warned.
Allen recalled how Trump railed during a White House Rose Garden press briefing on Monday “against weak governors and mayors who were not doing enough, in his mind, to control the unrest and the rioters in their cities, and threatened to deploy the U.S. military against American citizens.”
“It was a stunning moment,” said Allen. Trump “expressed only the barest of condolences at the murder of George Floyd,” he noted, and “said nothing about the fundamental and underlying reasons for the unrest: systemic racism and inequality.” Allen added that Trump “views those engaged in the unrest and criminal acts in these riots as terrorists, an enemy.”
Allen ended the column on an optimistic note, suggesting that June 1 could also be seen “as a day of hope” and “the beginning of the change of American democracy not to illiberalism, but to enlightenment.”
“But it will have to come from the bottom up. For at the White House, there is no one home,” he concluded, with more one withering swipe at Trump.
Read Allen’s full column here and watch his interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Thursday below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-04--Extra Jobless Pay Helps People Eat, Says Budget Report Likely Dooming The Benefits

Paying workers unemployed due to COVID-19 an extra $ 600 per week for the rest of the year would boost economic growth in the short term and help people afford food and shelter , the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday .
That would seem like good news .
But the report may actually harm Democratic efforts to keep the benefits in place beyond their July 31 expiration date .
As the budget office explains , the extra cash may “ weaken incentives to work as people compared the benefits available during unemployment to their potential earnings , and those weakened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ output and employment.
” “ Unemployment insurance is meant to help Americans who lose their job until they can get back on their feet and return to work , ” Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R-Iowa ) , the top Republican on the Senate committee that oversees benefits , said Thursday .
“ Democrats ’ proposal would turn that upside down and encourage unemployment , government dependence and reduced productivity.
” “ There ’ s no way Republicans can look at this scenario and think Congress has done enough for unemployed workers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) , the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee .
Growth would be higher this year with the benefits , the budget office said , but lower next year .
The report also noted that 5 out of 6 unemployment recipients would receive more from the benefits than from work .
Grassley ’ s word choice is ironic , considering Congress boosted jobless pay in the first place to help people stay home and avoid catching the highly transmissible coronavirus that has killed more than 110,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-Iowa ) says letting workers continue to collect benefits rather than return to work during the coronavirus pandemic is `` unhealthy for the economy and it ’ s unhealthy for the individual . ''
In response , Congress swiftly passed the expanded unemployment benefits , which handed laid-off workers an additional $ 600 a week on top of what states already give out in unemployment .
Democrats wanted a more precise wage replacement but settled on $ 600 because it ’ s roughly the difference between the average weekly benefits and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make up the actual difference in what laid-off workers received at their jobs and what they would receive on unemployment , but the Trump administration warned that such a process could be slow and difficult to calculate .
Since that stimulus package was enacted in late March , Republicans have become increasingly critical of the policy , arguing that it disincentivizes work , as many workers actually now make more — or at least about the same — on unemployment .
And the GOP has repeatedly signaled that it would not agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment past its July 31 expiration .
Just this week , the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee , Kevin Brady of Texas , proposed a one-time , $ 1,200 bonus for workers who come back to jobs before the July 31 deadline .
And Republicans seem intent on pushing policies like that , which could force people back into their jobs despite a continuing risk of contracting coronavirus , rather than allowing people to stay home .
Democrats , for their part , have hinted that they would be willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600 if they can keep extra benefits in place .
“ To pay for food , housing , and other living expenses while unemployed , people can draw on their savings , borrow money , sell assets ( such as cars or jewelry ) , or use funds received from other people or the government , ” the CBO said , noting that many people who lose their jobs have no savings .
“ The additional $ 600 per week in unemployment benefits under current law allows people to continue to consume goods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to afford and to save for future contingencies , ” the budget office said .

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Paying workers unemployed due to COVID-19 an extra $600 per week for the rest of the year would boost economic growth in the short term and help people afford food and shelter, the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday.
That would seem like good news. But the report may actually harm Democratic efforts to keep the benefits in place beyond their July 31 expiration date.
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As the budget office explains, the extra cash may “weaken incentives to work as people compared the benefits available during unemployment to their potential earnings, and those weakened incentives would in turn tend to decrease output and employment.”
In other words, people who can already afford basic necessities may be less likely to take low-paying jobs, resulting in a higher national unemployment rate.
“Unemployment insurance is meant to help Americans who lose their job until they can get back on their feet and return to work,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the top Republican on the Senate committee that oversees benefits, said Thursday. “Democrats’ proposal would turn that upside down and encourage unemployment, government dependence and reduced productivity.”
The CBO said it expects an unemployment rate of 16% in the third quarter of the year without the benefits.
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“There’s no way Republicans can look at this scenario and think Congress has done enough for unemployed workers in the face of a once-in-a-century pandemic,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.
Growth would be higher this year with the benefits, the budget office said, but lower next year. The report also noted that 5 out of 6 unemployment recipients would receive more from the benefits than from work.
Grassley said that if people are receiving public benefits instead of working, it’s “unhealthy for the economy and it’s unhealthy for the individual.”
Grassley’s word choice is ironic, considering Congress boosted jobless pay in the first place to help people stay home and avoid catching the highly transmissible coronavirus that has killed more than 110,000 Americans so far.
But Republicans seem far more troubled by another coronavirus statistic: 40 million newly unemployed.
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Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) says letting workers continue to collect benefits rather than return to work during the coronavirus pandemic is "unhealthy for the economy and it’s unhealthy for the individual." Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
The pandemic halted much of normal life in America and has severely damaged the economy in several sectors, such as dining, retail, leisure and hospitality.
In response, Congress swiftly passed the expanded unemployment benefits, which handed laid-off workers an additional $600 a week on top of what states already give out in unemployment. Democrats wanted a more precise wage replacement but settled on $600 because it’s roughly the difference between the average weekly benefits and the average wage. Some lawmakers had wanted to make up the actual difference in what laid-off workers received at their jobs and what they would receive on unemployment, but the Trump administration warned that such a process could be slow and difficult to calculate.
Lawmakers opted, instead, to just give everyone an additional $600.
Since that stimulus package was enacted in late March, Republicans have become increasingly critical of the policy, arguing that it disincentivizes work, as many workers actually now make more — or at least about the same — on unemployment. And the GOP has repeatedly signaled that it would not agree to extend the extra $600 for unemployment past its July 31 expiration.
Just this week, the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, Kevin Brady of Texas, proposed a one-time, $1,200 bonus for workers who come back to jobs before the July 31 deadline. And Republicans seem intent on pushing policies like that, which could force people back into their jobs despite a continuing risk of contracting coronavirus, rather than allowing people to stay home.
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Democrats, for their part, have hinted that they would be willing to accept a lower number than $600 if they can keep extra benefits in place.
“To pay for food, housing, and other living expenses while unemployed, people can draw on their savings, borrow money, sell assets (such as cars or jewelry), or use funds received from other people or the government,” the CBO said, noting that many people who lose their jobs have no savings.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Trump Takes Vindictive Swipe At GOP Senator Opposing Him, Endorses Anyone ‘Good Or Bad’

President Donald Trump on Thursday vindictively declared he would endorse any candidate with a pulse over Sen. Lisa Murkowski ( R-Alaska ) after she revealed she was struggling with whether to support Trump ’ s reelection .
“ Few people know where they ’ ll be in two years from now , but I do , in the Great State of Alaska ( which I love ) campaigning against Senator Lisa Murkowski , ” tweeted Trump , who also moaned about the times she has opposed him .
“ Get any candidate ready , good or bad , I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsing .
If you have a pulse , I ’ m with you !
” the president added : Few people know where they ’ ll be in two years from now , but I do , in the Great State of Alaska ( which I love ) campaigning against Senator Lisa Murkowski .
She voted against HealthCare , Justice Kavanaugh , and much else ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 4 , 2020 ...
Unrelated , I gave Alaska ANWR , major highways , and more .
Get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I don ’ t care , I ’ m endorsing .
If you have a pulse , I ’ m with you !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 4 , 2020 It should be noted , however , that Murkowski did vote to acquit Trump on both articles of impeachment during his trial for Ukraine misconduct .
The Alaska lawmaker also voted against hearing from witnesses in the trial .
Trump ’ s tweets drew scorn on social media as people argued it just proved he values loyalty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ detriment of American citizens .
Some cracked jokes about former attorney general and current GOP Senate candidate Jeff Sessions , while others suggested Trump wouldn ’ t be campaigning for anyone in two years time : Gee , I wonder how Lisa Murkowski will possible rebut the power of Trump 's endorsement of her opponent in 2022 ?
https : //t.co/n7T9nohijS — Ronald Klain ( @ RonaldKlain ) June 5 , 2020 I 'm sure republicans are delighted that their leader does n't give a shit about how competent they are , only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seems totally in-line with core American Conservative values .
https : //t.co/lj0RUnBFHU — Blaine Cook ( @ blaine ) June 5 , 2020 President Trump sends a message to uneasy Republicans as cracks begin to show in the GOP : Go against me and you 'll get treated like Senator Murkowski .
He promises to support any challenger with a `` pulse .
`` https : //t.co/HdUwNMXMeX — Robert Costa ( @ costareports ) June 5 , 2020 The President is looking for a GOP candidate to run against Lisa Murkowski .
Does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad .
Just needs to have a pulse .
Anyone seen Sarah Palin ?
https : //t.co/M13xbPTgdy — ( ( ( Howard Forman ) ) ) ( @ thehowie ) June 4 , 2020 Your political career will be dead in 2022 .
You have no power here .
Be gone .
— Michelangelo Signorile , subscribe to my newsletter ( @ MSignorile ) June 5 , 2020 Few people know where they ’ ll be in two years from now , but we know where Trump will be .
Not in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ Pappiness ) June 4 , 2020 At least Trump is being honest , for once : he really does n't care if Alaska has *good* leadership , as long as they never question him .
https : //t.co/5kbEWM3rXP — Max Burns ( @ themaxburns ) June 5 , 2020 Yasssssss Queen .
Go to civil war against your own party .
Republicans should go tear themselves apart .
— Eugene Gu , MD ( @ eugenegu ) June 4 , 2020 The president unbridled , telling voters straight up he does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you , as long as its not someone who quesrions him .
https : //t.co/8MhqtTQ7aE — Carol Leonnig ( @ CarolLeonnig ) June 5 , 2020

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“Few people know where they’ll be in two years from now, but I do, in the Great State of Alaska (which I love) campaigning against Senator Lisa Murkowski,” tweeted Trump, who also moaned about the times she has opposed him.
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“Get any candidate ready, good or bad, I don’t care, I’m endorsing. If you have a pulse, I’m with you!” the president added:
Few people know where they’ll be in two years from now, but I do, in the Great State of Alaska (which I love) campaigning against Senator Lisa Murkowski. She voted against HealthCare, Justice Kavanaugh, and much else... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
...Unrelated, I gave Alaska ANWR, major highways, and more. Get any candidate ready, good or bad, I don’t care, I’m endorsing. If you have a pulse, I’m with you! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
It should be noted, however, that Murkowski did vote to acquit Trump on both articles of impeachment during his trial for Ukraine misconduct. The Alaska lawmaker also voted against hearing from witnesses in the trial.
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Trump’s tweets drew scorn on social media as people argued it just proved he values loyalty over all else — even to the detriment of American citizens.
Some cracked jokes about former attorney general and current GOP Senate candidate Jeff Sessions, while others suggested Trump wouldn’t be campaigning for anyone in two years time:
Gee, I wonder how Lisa Murkowski will possible rebut the power of Trump's endorsement of her opponent in 2022? https://t.co/n7T9nohijS — Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) June 5, 2020
I'm sure republicans are delighted that their leader doesn't give a shit about how competent they are, only that they are loyal to him. Seems totally in-line with core American Conservative values. https://t.co/lj0RUnBFHU — Blaine Cook (@blaine) June 5, 2020
President Trump sends a message to uneasy Republicans as cracks begin to show in the GOP: Go against me and you'll get treated like Senator Murkowski. He promises to support any challenger with a "pulse."https://t.co/HdUwNMXMeX — Robert Costa (@costareports) June 5, 2020
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I'm sure Alaskans will be thrilled to hear how highly their voice is regarded. https://t.co/8Vn4SCxtmK — Kristy Campbell (@kristymcampbell) June 5, 2020
The President is looking for a GOP candidate to run against Lisa Murkowski. Does not need any skills. Can be bad. Just needs to have a pulse. Anyone seen Sarah Palin? https://t.co/M13xbPTgdy — (((Howard Forman))) (@thehowie) June 4, 2020
Trump doesn't even care about the quality of the candidate running against Murkowski https://t.co/APY3hcxuol — Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) June 4, 2020
"If you have a pulse, I'm with you" is quite a slogan https://t.co/7cRzdoh0a0 — Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) June 4, 2020
Your political career will be dead in 2022.
You have no power here. Be gone. — Michelangelo Signorile, subscribe to my newsletter (@MSignorile) June 5, 2020
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Few people know where they’ll be in two years from now, but we know where Trump will be.
Not in the White House. — Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) June 4, 2020
At least Trump is being honest, for once: he really doesn't care if Alaska has *good* leadership, as long as they never question him. https://t.co/5kbEWM3rXP — Max Burns (@themaxburns) June 5, 2020
Yasssssss Queen. Go to civil war against your own party. Republicans should go tear themselves apart. — Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) June 4, 2020
The president unbridled, telling voters straight up he doesn't care who is good or bad for you, as long as its not someone who quesrions him. https://t.co/8MhqtTQ7aE — Carol Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig) June 5, 2020
That sound you hear is Jeff Sessions moving to Alaska https://t.co/H5qvBTFPAT — Josh Schwerin (@JoshSchwerin) June 5, 2020
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