thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--'Stand Up Straight': Sassy Bernie Sanders Moments With Wife Caught On Camera

Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ Monday speech at the Democratic National Convention was a calm , controlled and condemnatory takedown of President Donald Trump .
The moment leading up to the online address , however , was also caught on camera , giving viewers an unexpected glimpse at the senator warming up his mouth and mugging for the camera alongside his wife Jane , and at one point even gently bickering with her .
“ Is that a terrible thing , to have my hands showing ?
” Sanders asked Jane , inquiring about his position on the podium and taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hands down and rely on gestures instead .
The duo then posed for a quick wave to the camera before Sanders shooed his wife away , telling her to “ get off the screen.
” “ Stop it , ” her husband shot back , looking as if he ’ d heard this more than once over the course of their 32-year marriage .
“ Enough , enough !
” I still do n't know why they insisted on so many speeches being live — especially when Michelle Obama 's keynote and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it gave us this wonderful bit of Bernie Sanders that came through via satellite .
pic.twitter.com/RrJ8yzmbPg — Timothy Burke ( @ bubbaprog ) August 18 , 2020 The sassy yet wholesome banter quickly took off on Twitter , with more than one commentator pointing out that in the midst of a Democratic National Convention focused on COVID-19 and Trump ’ s failings , it was refreshing to witness a rare , unscripted moment between husband and wife .
instead of the convention they should just air the five minutes before people think they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //t.co/888JaXOqPG — Tara Golshan ( @ taragolshan ) August 18 , 2020 This is the best and only part of the convention I watched .
I love Bernie Sanders and Jane so much it hurts .
I 'm heartbroken , But this video cheered me .
So cute .
I love the face he 's making in the very beginning .
What was she doing checking his teeth or is he being a goof ?
— Yarnie 🌹 ( @ TweetingYarnie ) August 18 , 2020 Sanders met Jane O ’ Meara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his second wife , in 1981 , as he was running for mayor in Burlington , Vermont .
The pair were married in 1988 , and Jane quickly became one of her husband ’ s most important advisers , assisting him in drafting “ more than 50 pieces of legislation ” in the early ’ 90s , according to The Washington Post .
Ironically , the pair both grew up in Flatbush , Brooklyn , within 15 blocks of each other .

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The moment leading up to the online address, however, was also caught on camera, giving viewers an unexpected glimpse at the senator warming up his mouth and mugging for the camera alongside his wife Jane, and at one point even gently bickering with her.
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“Is that a terrible thing, to have my hands showing?” Sanders asked Jane, inquiring about his position on the podium and taking his wife’s advice to put his hands down and rely on gestures instead.
The duo then posed for a quick wave to the camera before Sanders shooed his wife away, telling her to “get off the screen.”
“Stand up straight,” Jane ordered at one point.
“Stop it,” her husband shot back, looking as if he’d heard this more than once over the course of their 32-year marriage. “Enough, enough!”
I still don't know why they insisted on so many speeches being live — especially when Michelle Obama's keynote and several other appearances were pre-taped — but it gave us this wonderful bit of Bernie Sanders that came through via satellite. pic.twitter.com/RrJ8yzmbPg — Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) August 18, 2020
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The sassy yet wholesome banter quickly took off on Twitter, with more than one commentator pointing out that in the midst of a Democratic National Convention focused on COVID-19 and Trump’s failings, it was refreshing to witness a rare, unscripted moment between husband and wife.
I’m grateful for Jane and Bernie Sanders. — Dr. Jill Biden (@DrBiden) August 18, 2020
instead of the convention they should just air the five minutes before people think they're live.
the most unifying momentshttps://t.co/888JaXOqPG — Tara Golshan (@taragolshan) August 18, 2020
This is the best and only part of the convention I watched. I love Bernie Sanders and Jane so much it hurts. I'm heartbroken, But this video cheered me. So cute. I love the face he's making in the very beginning. What was she doing checking his teeth or is he being a goof? — Yarnie 🌹 (@TweetingYarnie) August 18, 2020
A wonderful man with a wonderful movement 🔥
I love his affection towards Jane and vice versa ❤ — BerningGreen🕊🌹🌻 (@PazJusticiaAmor) August 18, 2020
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Jane and Bernie are like so cute oh my god. — cas 🌈🌹 (@sassafrass_cas) August 18, 2020
Sanders met Jane O’Meara Sanders, the woman who would be his second wife, in 1981, as he was running for mayor in Burlington, Vermont. The pair were married in 1988, and Jane quickly became one of her husband’s most important advisers, assisting him in drafting “more than 50 pieces of legislation” in the early ’90s, according to The Washington Post.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Al Gore: Trump Puts 'His Knee On The Neck' Of U.S. Democracy In Crippling The USPS

Former Vice President Al Gore tore into Donald Trump during an interview with CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper , asserting that the president is intentionally trying to undermine the U.S .
Postal Service and in doing so suppressing the voice of the American people .
“ During a pandemic , there are lots of older voters and voters of all ages with a pre-existing condition who worry they can ’ t breathe safely standing in line to vote , ” Gore said Sunday .
He then attacked Trump ’ s recent attempts to undermine the USPS , which has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postmaster general even as it anticipates a deluge of mail-in ballots in November ’ s election .
“ By tampering with the postal service , [ Trump ] is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy and trying to make it impossible for people to vote by mail , ” Gore said .
He argued that Trump was acting out of political desperation .
Gore , who as the 2000 Democratic nominee lost the presidency by one of the narrowest margins in U.S. history , lambasted Trump as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other person to sit in the White House .
That included , he said , Richard Nixon , who in 1974 was forced to resign the presidency in disgrace because of his role in the Watergate scandal .
Trump “ does not seem to me to share the basic bedrock beliefs [ and ] values the United States of America is based on , ” Gore said .
Trump has resisted efforts to provide the USPS with additional funding .
He ’ s also tweeted conspiracy theories contending that “ MILLIONS OF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COUNTRIES ” and in general claimed that mail-in voting has been plagued by widespread fraud .
No evidence supports any of his claims .
On Monday , Trump seemed to change his tune , tweeting that the postal service should be saved ― though both political pundits and internet commentators alike responded to his words with skepticism , calling the tweet a misdirection .
At the same time on Monday , he continued his efforts to undermine public confidence in the voting process , claiming during a stop in Wisconsin that “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose this election is if this election is rigged.
” Gore lost his presidential race to Republican George W. Bush when , after a lengthy and contentious recount in Florida that sparked a lawsuit settled by the Supreme Court , Bush was ruled to have carried the state by 537 votes out of almost 6 million that were cast .
In his mid-December concession speech , Gore said that “ while I strongly disagree with the court ’ s decision , I accept it .
I accept the finality of this outcome .
@

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Former Vice President Al Gore tore into Donald Trump during an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, asserting that the president is intentionally trying to undermine the U.S. Postal Service and in doing so suppressing the voice of the American people.
“During a pandemic, there are lots of older voters and voters of all ages with a pre-existing condition who worry they can’t breathe safely standing in line to vote,” Gore said Sunday. He then attacked Trump’s recent attempts to undermine the USPS, which has been targeted for cutbacks by the presidentially appointed postmaster general even as it anticipates a deluge of mail-in ballots in November’s election.
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“By tampering with the postal service, [Trump] is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy and trying to make it impossible for people to vote by mail,” Gore said.
Al Gore: "By tampering with the Postal Service, [President Trump] is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy." pic.twitter.com/uAfB1arfZA — The Hill (@thehill) August 17, 2020
He argued that Trump was acting out of political desperation. Gore, who as the 2000 Democratic nominee lost the presidency by one of the narrowest margins in U.S. history, lambasted Trump as a “different breed of cat” from any other person to sit in the White House. That included, he said, Richard Nixon, who in 1974 was forced to resign the presidency in disgrace because of his role in the Watergate scandal.
Trump “does not seem to me to share the basic bedrock beliefs [and] values the United States of America is based on,” Gore said.
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Al Gore: "[Trump's] a different breed of cat from anyone who has ever served in the Oval Office, including even Richard Nixon." pic.twitter.com/NFqUQFZ1xI — The Hill (@thehill) August 17, 2020
Trump has resisted efforts to provide the USPS with additional funding. He’s also tweeted conspiracy theories contending that “MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES” and in general claimed that mail-in voting has been plagued by widespread fraud. No evidence supports any of his claims.
On Monday, Trump seemed to change his tune, tweeting that the postal service should be saved ― though both political pundits and internet commentators alike responded to his words with skepticism, calling the tweet a misdirection.
At the same time on Monday, he continued his efforts to undermine public confidence in the voting process, claiming during a stop in Wisconsin that “the only way we’re going to lose this election is if this election is rigged.”
Gore lost his presidential race to Republican George W. Bush when, after a lengthy and contentious recount in Florida that sparked a lawsuit settled by the Supreme Court, Bush was ruled to have carried the state by 537 votes out of almost 6 million that were cast. In his mid-December concession speech, Gore said that “while I strongly disagree with the court’s decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--St. Louis Couple Who Pointed Guns At Black Lives Matter Protesters To Speak At RNC

A white couple from St. Louis facing felony weapons charges for pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters walking past their home in June will reportedly speak at the Republican National Convention next week .
Mark and Patricia McCloskey will endorse President Donald Trump ’ s 2020 reelection bid during their address at the convention , which will be mostly online because of the coronavirus pandemic , The Washington Post reported on Monday , citing Trump campaign advisers .
“ Mr .
McCloskey will be in full oratory splendor at the RNC , ” the McCloskeys attorney Albert Watkins confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confirmed : Mark McCloskey , the St. Louis man who pointed a gun at protesters last month , will be speaking during the RNC next week .
`` Mr. McCloskey will be in full oratory splendor at the RNC , '' his lawyer Albert Watkins tells Wake Up To Politics .
First reported by @ jdawsey1 .
— Gabe Fleisher ( @ WakeUp2Politics ) August 18 , 2020 The McCloskeys , both in their 60s , work as personal injury attorneys .
They were caught on camera brandishing guns at demonstrators walking past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private street .
Mark McCloskey wielded what appeared to be an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and his wife waved a pistol .
The couple did not fire any shots .
They claimed they were defending their property from an “ angry mob.
” Video showed protesters walking by on their way toward the mayor ’ s house nearby .
A couple has come out of their house and is pointing guns at protesters in their neighborhood # StLouis # lydakrewson pic.twitter.com/ZJ8a553PAU — Daniel Shular ( @ xshularx ) June 29 , 2020 St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was charging the couple with felony unlawful use of a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault .
Trump has backed the couple .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in July said the president thought “ it is absolutely absurd what is happening to the McCloskeys ” and “ an extreme abuse of power by the prosecutor.
” Trump will reportedly participate during every day of next week ’ s RNC , per Fox News .
First lady Melania Trump and the president ’ s adult children — Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Tiffany Trump — are also slated to speak .
RNC organizers on Monday revealed several other speakers set to address the convention next week , including former Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann and anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson .
Sandmann is the MAGA hat-wearing teen who gained fame in 2019 in a controversial video clip with a Native American elder at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington .

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A white couple from St. Louis facing felony weapons charges for pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters walking past their home in June will reportedly speak at the Republican National Convention next week.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey will endorse President Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection bid during their address at the convention, which will be mostly online because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Washington Post reported on Monday, citing Trump campaign advisers.
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“Mr. McCloskey will be in full oratory splendor at the RNC,” the McCloskeys attorney Albert Watkins confirmed to St. Louis journalist Gabe Fleisher:
Confirmed: Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis man who pointed a gun at protesters last month, will be speaking during the RNC next week.
"Mr. McCloskey will be in full oratory splendor at the RNC," his lawyer Albert Watkins tells Wake Up To Politics. First reported by @jdawsey1. — Gabe Fleisher (@WakeUp2Politics) August 18, 2020
The McCloskeys, both in their 60s, work as personal injury attorneys.
They were caught on camera brandishing guns at demonstrators walking past their $1.15 million home on a private street. Mark McCloskey wielded what appeared to be an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and his wife waved a pistol.
The couple did not fire any shots. They claimed they were defending their property from an “angry mob.” Video showed protesters walking by on their way toward the mayor’s house nearby.
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A couple has come out of their house and is pointing guns at protesters in their neighborhood #StLouis #lydakrewson pic.twitter.com/ZJ8a553PAU — Daniel Shular (@xshularx) June 29, 2020
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced last month she was charging the couple with felony unlawful use of a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault.
Trump has backed the couple. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany in July said the president thought “it is absolutely absurd what is happening to the McCloskeys” and “an extreme abuse of power by the prosecutor.”
Trump will reportedly participate during every day of next week’s RNC, per Fox News.
First lady Melania Trump and the president’s adult children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump — are also slated to speak.
RNC organizers on Monday revealed several other speakers set to address the convention next week, including former Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann and anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--George Floyd's Brother Urges Action During DNC Speech: 'Never Stop Saying Their Names'

“ My brother George was selfless , ” he said as he sat beside his other brother , Rodney , who did not speak during the remarks .
“ He always made sacrifices for his family , friends and even complete strangers.
” He continued : “ George had a giving spirit ― a spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world .
People of all races , all ages , all genders , all backgrounds , peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity.
” George Floyd , a 46-year-old Black man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him face down on a street in Minneapolis even as he stated repeatedly that he couldn ’ t breathe .
His death sparked global protests against police brutality and system racism .
“ It ’ s a fitting legacy for our brother , but George should be alive today , ” Philonise Floyd said Monday before naming other Black victims of racist violence .
“ Breonna Taylor should be alive today .
Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today .
Eric Garner should be alive today .
Stephon Clark , Atatiana Jefferson , Sandra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today.
” He called on Americans to seek justice and get themselves into “ good trouble , ” a phrase coined by the late civil rights activist and Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) .
“ Our actions will be their legacies , ” Philonise Floyd said .
“ Please join me in a moment of silence to honor George and the many other souls we lost to hate and injustice .
And when this moment ends , let ’ s make sure we never stop saying their names.
” A video of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” followed the 30-second moment of silence .

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George Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd addressed the Democratic National Convention during its opening night on Monday.
“My brother George was selfless,” he said as he sat beside his other brother, Rodney, who did not speak during the remarks. “He always made sacrifices for his family, friends and even complete strangers.”
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He continued: “George had a giving spirit ― a spirit that has shown up on streets around our nation and around the world. People of all races, all ages, all genders, all backgrounds, peacefully protesting in the name of love and unity.”
George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died in May while police pinned him face down on a street in Minneapolis even as he stated repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe. His death sparked global protests against police brutality and system racism.
“It’s a fitting legacy for our brother, but George should be alive today,” Philonise Floyd said Monday before naming other Black victims of racist violence. “Breonna Taylor should be alive today. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive today. Eric Garner should be alive today. Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Sandra Bland ― they should all be alive today.”
He called on Americans to seek justice and get themselves into “good trouble,” a phrase coined by the late civil rights activist and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).
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“Our actions will be their legacies,” Philonise Floyd said. “Please join me in a moment of silence to honor George and the many other souls we lost to hate and injustice. And when this moment ends, let’s make sure we never stop saying their names.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Progressive Alex Morse Shifts Focus To Corporate Money In First Debate After Scandal

Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe/Getty Images Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse wants to focus on Rep. Richard Neal 's business-friendly record ahead of the House Democratic primary in Massachusetts .
Morse , a progressive trying to unseat Neal in the primary for Massachusetts ’ 1st Congressional District on Sept. 1 , noted in the debate in Pittsfield on Monday night that Neal had received more donations this election cycle from corporate political action committees than any other member of the House ― Democrat or Republican .
He tied Neal ’ s receipt of private equity money to the lawmaker ’ s effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical billing , Neal ’ s benefiting from the largesse of big accounting firms to his vote for a bill to prevent simpler ways to file taxes , and Neal ’ s contributions from fossil-fuel money to his opposition to the Green New Deal .
“ Do we want a member of Congress who is bought and paid for by corporations ― by Big Pharma , by the fossil fuel industry , by the big health care lobby ?
” Morse said .
“ Or do we want a member of Congress that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight for everyday people ?
” At other times , Neal gave as good as he got , hammering Morse for his opposition to the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act , for not attending Holyoke public school board meetings , and for presiding over a police department that had to settle a lawsuit for $ 65,000 with the family of a 12-year-old boy whom city police allegedly beat nearly unconscious in 2014 .
He also attacked Neal ’ s criminal justice record as mayor of Springfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the House since 1989 ) .
A federal judge ordered that city government and the cops involved in wrongfully arresting a Black man for murder in 1986 to pay the man $ 27 million after he had served 27 years in prison for a crime he did not commit .
Morse ’ s performance on Monday night , which put Neal on the defensive , was a stunning turnaround for the 31-year-old mayor .
He survived a crisis earlier this month that nearly sank his campaign , struggling to maintain his coalition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used his positions as mayor and University of Massachusetts , Amherst , lecturer to woo male undergraduates .
The allegations became public on Aug. 7 when the Daily Collegian , UMass Amherst ’ s student newspaper , published a leaked letter to Morse from the College Democrats of Massachusetts informing him that he was no longer permitted to attend the group ’ s meetings .
The letter said that Morse , who is Holyoke ’ s first openly gay mayor , had had sexual relationships with UMass Amherst students and messaged men he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which allegedly made the young men “ uncomfortable ” given his status as a political leader .
Morse immediately apologized for the discomfort he had caused students .
But he also insisted that all of his relationships have been with consenting adults and that he never violated university policy by engaging in a relationship with any student he taught or otherwise oversaw .
( To date , no one has produced evidence contravening this claim .
In fact , no individual current or former student has come forward to lodge a specific allegation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Days later , the narrative shifted entirely as The Intercept unearthed evidence that some of the UMass Amherst students involved in the effort to accuse him of wrongdoing had allegedly sought to frame Morse in an effort to curry favor with Neal .
Officials with the Massachusetts Democratic Party had also connected the CDMA with party power broker and former health insurance executive Jim Roosevelt , whose volunteer legal advice to the group included a suggestion , against CDMA leaders ’ instincts , that they publicize the letter to Morse , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― drawn from a range of local media outlets ― and Neal acted like they would just as soon let the issue fade from the foreground .
Neal said he was content to let UMass Amherst ’ s investigation of the students ’ charges proceed apace .
Before the debate aired on Monday , the campaign released an internal poll showing him within 5 percentage points of Neal .
The drama of Morse ’ s relations with college students had not affected most voters ’ opinion of him , according to the survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scandal , it was more likely to have pushed them toward supporting him than away from him .

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse wants to focus on Rep. Richard Neal's business-friendly record ahead of the House Democratic primary in Massachusetts. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe/Getty Images
Holyoke, Massachusetts, Mayor Alex Morse sought to shift the focus of his Democratic primary race against Rep. Richard Neal to the veteran congressman’s reliance on corporate campaign cash and business-friendly legislative record in their first debate after a rollercoaster week marred by scandal.
Morse, a progressive trying to unseat Neal in the primary for Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District on Sept. 1, noted in the debate in Pittsfield on Monday night that Neal had received more donations this election cycle from corporate political action committees than any other member of the House ― Democrat or Republican. He tied Neal’s receipt of private equity money to the lawmaker’s effort to stall legislation that would have curbed surprise medical billing, Neal’s benefiting from the largesse of big accounting firms to his vote for a bill to prevent simpler ways to file taxes, and Neal’s contributions from fossil-fuel money to his opposition to the Green New Deal.
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Morse, by contrast, has decided to refuse corporate PAC money altogether.
“Do we want a member of Congress who is bought and paid for by corporations ― by Big Pharma, by the fossil fuel industry, by the big health care lobby?” Morse said. “Or do we want a member of Congress that is unbought and going to Washington to fight for everyday people?”
Neal, who chairs the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, responded by highlighting his support for a constitutional amendment overturning the Supreme Court decision that made it possible for corporations to spend unlimited sums on elections through super PACs.
He credited his massive fundraising hauls, which he shares with more vulnerable Democrats, with helping the party win a “durable majority” in the House in the 2018 election. And Neal insisted that the cash he receives does not influence his policies.
“If you contribute to my campaign, you buy into my agenda,” the congressman said. “I’m not buying into yours.”
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At other times, Neal gave as good as he got, hammering Morse for his opposition to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, for not attending Holyoke public school board meetings, and for presiding over a police department that had to settle a lawsuit for $65,000 with the family of a 12-year-old boy whom city police allegedly beat nearly unconscious in 2014.
“The mayor keeps talking about the things he’s going to do ― he doesn’t show up for the job that he has,” Neal said.
Morse insists that he has attended some three-quarters of Holyoke school board meetings since taking office in 2011 and that he was only absent when there was a conflict related to city business.
“The mayor keeps talking about the things he’s going to do ― he doesn't show up for the job that he has.” - Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.)
He also attacked Neal’s criminal justice record as mayor of Springfield in the 1980s (Neal has served in the House since 1989). A federal judge ordered that city government and the cops involved in wrongfully arresting a Black man for murder in 1986 to pay the man $27 million after he had served 27 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.
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As for the CARES Act passed earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, Morse echoed the criticism of many progressives: that its relief measures for ordinary people, including a one-time check of $1,200, were inadequate, while its $500 billion corporate bailout fund was unduly generous to the country’s biggest businesses.
Morse’s performance on Monday night, which put Neal on the defensive, was a stunning turnaround for the 31-year-old mayor. He survived a crisis earlier this month that nearly sank his campaign, struggling to maintain his coalition amid vague charges that he had inappropriately used his positions as mayor and University of Massachusetts, Amherst, lecturer to woo male undergraduates.
The allegations became public on Aug. 7 when the Daily Collegian, UMass Amherst’s student newspaper, published a leaked letter to Morse from the College Democrats of Massachusetts informing him that he was no longer permitted to attend the group’s meetings. The letter said that Morse, who is Holyoke’s first openly gay mayor, had had sexual relationships with UMass Amherst students and messaged men he met at the CDMA ― both of which allegedly made the young men “uncomfortable” given his status as a political leader.
Morse immediately apologized for the discomfort he had caused students. But he also insisted that all of his relationships have been with consenting adults and that he never violated university policy by engaging in a relationship with any student he taught or otherwise oversaw. (To date, no one has produced evidence contravening this claim. In fact, no individual current or former student has come forward to lodge a specific allegation against him, even anonymously.)
Neal (left) stands alongside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The speaker, who has endorsed the congressman, is featured in one of his ads. Yuri Gripas / Reuters
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Days later, the narrative shifted entirely as The Intercept unearthed evidence that some of the UMass Amherst students involved in the effort to accuse him of wrongdoing had allegedly sought to frame Morse in an effort to curry favor with Neal. Officials with the Massachusetts Democratic Party had also connected the CDMA with party power broker and former health insurance executive Jim Roosevelt, whose volunteer legal advice to the group included a suggestion, against CDMA leaders’ instincts, that they publicize the letter to Morse, according to The Intercept.
Following those bombshell revelations, prominent figures in the LGBTQ community, including gay elected officials in Massachusetts, grew more confident in their contention that the alleged effort to ensnare Morse and the subsequent rush to judgment about his conduct reflected homophobic bias.
CDMA President Hayley Fleming felt obligated to publicly condemn the “homophobic attacks” that resulted from the leak of the group’s letter to Morse.
Ahead of Monday’s debate, the media firestorm over the claims against Morse had quieted. His allies had returned to his side in force, following a more detailed apology that he sent to CDMA leadership on Friday.
Both the debate moderators ― drawn from a range of local media outlets ― and Neal acted like they would just as soon let the issue fade from the foreground. Neal said he was content to let UMass Amherst’s investigation of the students’ charges proceed apace.
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“Clearly, unequivocally, no room for homophobia ― and my campaign was not part of this action,” Neal said.
Morse may yet turn a messy scandal into an unexpected political advantage. As progressives began to rally to his side last week, he experienced a fundraising surge, bringing in $130,000 on Wednesday alone ― the final day of the pre-primary federal filing period.
Before the debate aired on Monday, the campaign released an internal poll showing him within 5 percentage points of Neal. The drama of Morse’s relations with college students had not affected most voters’ opinion of him, according to the survey. But among those people swayed by the scandal, it was more likely to have pushed them toward supporting him than away from him.
“I will let the voters of the 1st District come to their own conclusions,” Morse said of the allegations at Monday’s debate. “But this is exactly why I ran for mayor nine years ago ― to change the political culture of personal destruction, of politics that tears people down instead of lifts them up.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Criminal Justice Reform Advocates Don’t Plan To Let A Biden Administration Off The Hook

Prisoner advocates and formerly incarcerated people came together virtually on Monday — on the first day of the Democratic National Convention — to urge presidential candidate Joe Biden and his vice presidential pick , Kamala Harris , to prioritize criminal justice reform if they get to the White House .
Harris , a California senator , is “ really familiar with the landscape of incarceration , ” said Susan Burton , who was formerly incarcerated and founded A New Way of Life , an advocacy group to help women in Ohio with reentry into life outside of prison .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice president , she “ looks at the lack of resources in our communities to create successful reentry.
” Burton and other formerly incarcerated people participated in Rebuilding the Table , a two-day virtual event discussing the criminal justice system , timed to coincide with the Democratic National Convention .
The unofficial DNC event , hosted by JustLeadershipUSA , was meant to “ encourage Democratic officials and the general public to ensure that the next administration ” makes sure that people “ with lived experience have a seat and voice at the table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ JustLeadershipUSA President DeAnna Hoskins .
“ I know both of their history , Kamala Harris and Joe Biden .
And their history definitely is something that wasn ’ t in my benefit and individuals like me that are incarcerated , ” Jimmie Gardner , a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for over 25 years , told HuffPost before Monday ’ s event , at which he also spoke .
“ But we have to be capable of moving forward and be in a position to try to say , ‘ This is where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always tell people , ‘ It ’ s not how you start ; it ’ s how you finish.
’ ” Hoskins , meanwhile , celebrated that Harris made history when she was selected as the vice presidential candidate last week : “ What gives me hope in this moment is the fact that the first Black woman actually is on a major ticket for the second-highest office in this country.
” Part of the “ joy and the hope ” Hoskins has is that when her organization held the first Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October 2019 , “ Harris was the first confirmed primary candidate to walk into that room.
” “ Not only did she come , she heard our voices and she engaged , ” Hoskins added .
“ It ’ s a moment we need — directly impacted communities , African American communities — to have a society that doesn ’ t judge us on our past .
In this moment , I think we have individuals in position who are willing to hear our voices , willing to sit down with us and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ How do we move to a future ?
’ ” Susan Burton ( left ) , who was formerly incarcerated and founded A New Way of Life in Ohio , DeAnna Hoskins , president of JustLeadershipUSA , and Jimmie Gardner , a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for over 25 years , speak at an event calling for Biden and Harris to prioritize criminal justice if they reach the White House .
When Gardner was 23 and playing for the Chicago Cubs ’ then-farm team in Charleston , West Virginia , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sexual assault of two women .
Despite both women saying that Gardner was not the perpetrator ― his blood , DNA and physical appearance did not match ― Gardner was convicted of the charges related to one of the women after state police serologist Fred Zain provided forensic evidence that was later found to be falsified .
Three years later , the West Virginia Supreme Court found that Zain had a history of falsifying evidence in criminal prosecutions and said that all evidence offered up by him in any criminal case should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 more years in prison before finally getting released in 2016 , with all charges dropped and his sentence vacated .
He ’ s currently engaged in litigation to receive compensation for his wrongful imprisonment .
“ The trauma is real .
I mean , I don ’ t want to have my back to anything .
I smile and I ’ m happy and I ’ m moving forward , but there are certain things ― I still hear [ flashbacks ] from my … experience in lockup , ” Gardner told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of different violence happening , so I was in a mode of survival .
”

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Prisoner advocates and formerly incarcerated people came together virtually on Monday — on the first day of the Democratic National Convention — to urge presidential candidate Joe Biden and his vice presidential pick, Kamala Harris, to prioritize criminal justice reform if they get to the White House.
Harris, a California senator, is “really familiar with the landscape of incarceration,” said Susan Burton, who was formerly incarcerated and founded A New Way of Life, an advocacy group to help women in Ohio with reentry into life outside of prison. Her hope is that, if Harris becomes vice president, she “looks at the lack of resources in our communities to create successful reentry.”
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“We’re rooting for her to come in high and hard and swinging like we know she can,” Burton said. “Come in hard, Kamala, swinging hard!”
Burton and other formerly incarcerated people participated in Rebuilding the Table, a two-day virtual event discussing the criminal justice system, timed to coincide with the Democratic National Convention. The unofficial DNC event, hosted by JustLeadershipUSA, was meant to “encourage Democratic officials and the general public to ensure that the next administration” makes sure that people “with lived experience have a seat and voice at the table” on criminal justice reform, said JustLeadershipUSA President DeAnna Hoskins.
“I know both of their history, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. And their history definitely is something that wasn’t in my benefit and individuals like me that are incarcerated,” Jimmie Gardner, a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for over 25 years, told HuffPost before Monday’s event, at which he also spoke. “But we have to be capable of moving forward and be in a position to try to say, ‘This is where I’m at now.’ I always tell people, ‘It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish.’”
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Hoskins, meanwhile, celebrated that Harris made history when she was selected as the vice presidential candidate last week: “What gives me hope in this moment is the fact that the first Black woman actually is on a major ticket for the second-highest office in this country.”
Part of the “joy and the hope” Hoskins has is that when her organization held the first Democratic presidential forum hosted by formerly incarcerated people in October 2019, “Harris was the first confirmed primary candidate to walk into that room.”
“Not only did she come, she heard our voices and she engaged,” Hoskins added. “It’s a moment we need — directly impacted communities, African American communities — to have a society that doesn’t judge us on our past. In this moment, I think we have individuals in position who are willing to hear our voices, willing to sit down with us and actually acknowledge the past and say, ‘How do we move to a future?’”
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), now the Democratic vice presidential pick, spoke about criminal justice reform to formerly incarcerated people at Justice Votes 2020, an event she attended as a presidential candidate, at Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site on Oct. 28, 2019. JASON E. MICZEK/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Biden’s 2020 platform around criminal justice reform calls for reducing prison populations and addressing racist disparities in the criminal justice system, including by incentivizing states to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent crimes and pushing to end cash bail nationwide.
Susan Burton (left), who was formerly incarcerated and founded A New Way of Life in Ohio, DeAnna Hoskins, president of JustLeadershipUSA, and Jimmie Gardner, a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for over 25 years, speak at an event calling for Biden and Harris to prioritize criminal justice if they reach the White House. JustLeadershipUSA
Ahead of Monday’s event, HuffPost spoke to Gardner about his experience with the criminal justice system.
When Gardner was 23 and playing for the Chicago Cubs’ then-farm team in Charleston, West Virginia, he was arrested and charged in the robbery and sexual assault of two women. Despite both women saying that Gardner was not the perpetrator ― his blood, DNA and physical appearance did not match ― Gardner was convicted of the charges related to one of the women after state police serologist Fred Zain provided forensic evidence that was later found to be falsified.
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The judge sentenced Gardner, an innocent man, to 110 years in prison in 1990.
Three years later, the West Virginia Supreme Court found that Zain had a history of falsifying evidence in criminal prosecutions and said that all evidence offered up by him in any criminal case should be deemed invalid. But Gardner spent 23 more years in prison before finally getting released in 2016, with all charges dropped and his sentence vacated. He’s currently engaged in litigation to receive compensation for his wrongful imprisonment.
“The trauma is real. I mean, I don’t want to have my back to anything. I smile and I’m happy and I’m moving forward, but there are certain things ― I still hear [flashbacks] from my … experience in lockup,” Gardner told HuffPost. “It was a lot of different violence happening, so I was in a mode of survival.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--Donald Trump Lashes Out At Michelle Obama's DNC Speech, Gets Near-Instant Fact-Check

President Donald Trump lashed out at Michelle Obama on Tuesday with a series of baseless claims after the former first lady described him as being “ in over his head ” and the “ wrong president for this country ” during her widely praised Democratic National Convention speech .
“ Somebody please explain to @ MichelleObama that Donald J. Trump would not be here , in the beautiful White House , if it weren ’ t for the job done by your husband , Barack Obama , ” the president wrote on Twitter early Tuesday , hours after Obama slammed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empathy ” in her speech .
She also warned that “ if you think things can not possibly get worse , trust me , they can ” and urged people to support presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the November election “ like our lives depend on it.
” Trump raged in his tweets that the Obamas ’ support of Biden was “ merely an afterthought.
” Somebody please explain to @ MichelleObama that Donald J. Trump would not be here , in the beautiful White House , if it weren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Barack Obama .
Biden was merely an afterthought , a good reason for that very late & unenthusiastic endorsement ... .. — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 18 , 2020 He also tried to spin his administration ’ s catastrophic mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and repeated his unfounded claim that the Obama White House spied on his 2016 campaign , which he called “ Treason.
” ... .My Administration and I built the greatest economy in history , of any country , turned it off , saved millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an even greater economy than it was before .
Jobs are flowing , NASDAQ is already at a record high , the rest to follow .
Sit back & watch !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 18 , 2020 Looking back into history , the response by the ObamaBiden team to the H1N1 Swine Flu was considered a weak and pathetic one .
Check out the polling , it ’ s really bad .
The big difference is that they got a free pass from the Corrupt Fake News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realDonaldTrump ) August 18 , 2020 The ObamaBiden Administration was the most corrupt in history , including the fact that they got caught SPYING ON MY CAMPAIGN , the biggest political scandal in the history of our Country .
It ’ s called Treason , and more .
Thanks for your very kind words Michelle !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) August 18 , 2020 The weird thing is he clearly believes this , despite having passed almost no decent economic measures ( other than an unproductive tax cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //t.co/7vSDqSW16r — James Ball ( @ jamesrbuk ) August 18 , 2020 Here is Trump once again taking credit for shutting down .
Incredibly .
He surely does n't really believe that he saved millions of lives .
Surely not .
https : //t.co/4mX6EVC3Va — Jeffrey A Tucker ( @ jeffreyatucker ) August 18 , 2020 More than 5.6 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19 and 173,000+ have died .
A strong ( more than 23 million unemployed at the highest in April ? )
economy is n't the only sign of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Luke Cooper ( @ luke__cooper ) August 18 , 2020 No , the `` big difference '' is that H1N1 killed around 12,000 Americans while covid-19 has killed , at a minimum , 170,000 Americans , with around 1,000 more dying every day because you continue to do nothing other than shift blame .
https : //t.co/1KhMJl78d5 — Brian Klaas ( @ brianklaas ) August 18 , 2020 @ realDonaldTrump exuding the same grace and class that we 've become accustomed to .
Prepare to leave the White House with that tail between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Lockhart ( @ joelockhart ) August 18 , 2020 The major difference between the H1N1 and the Coronavirus is the death toll .
12,500 people died in the US from the Swine Flu in one year .
That number of people died in the first 12 days of August from COVID-19 .
https : //t.co/alrMCZ7CvV — Jamie Dupree ( @ jamiedupree ) August 18 , 2020

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President Donald Trump lashed out at Michelle Obama on Tuesday with a series of baseless claims after the former first lady described him as being “in over his head” and the “wrong president for this country” during her widely praised Democratic National Convention speech.
“Somebody please explain to @MichelleObama that Donald J. Trump would not be here, in the beautiful White House, if it weren’t for the job done by your husband, Barack Obama,” the president wrote on Twitter early Tuesday, hours after Obama slammed Trump’s “utter lack of empathy” in her speech. She also warned that “if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can” and urged people to support presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the November election “like our lives depend on it.”
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Trump raged in his tweets that the Obamas’ support of Biden was “merely an afterthought.”
Somebody please explain to @MichelleObama that Donald J. Trump would not be here, in the beautiful White House, if it weren’t for the job done by your husband, Barack Obama. Biden was merely an afterthought, a good reason for that very late & unenthusiastic endorsement..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2020
He also tried to spin his administration’s catastrophic mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and repeated his unfounded claim that the Obama White House spied on his 2016 campaign, which he called “Treason.”
“Thanks for your very kind words Michelle,” Trump concluded.
....My Administration and I built the greatest economy in history, of any country, turned it off, saved millions of lives, and now am building an even greater economy than it was before. Jobs are flowing, NASDAQ is already at a record high, the rest to follow. Sit back & watch! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2020
Looking back into history, the response by the ObamaBiden team to the H1N1 Swine Flu was considered a weak and pathetic one. Check out the polling, it’s really bad. The big difference is that they got a free pass from the Corrupt Fake News Media! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2020
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The ObamaBiden Administration was the most corrupt in history, including the fact that they got caught SPYING ON MY CAMPAIGN, the biggest political scandal in the history of our Country. It’s called Treason, and more. Thanks for your very kind words Michelle! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2020
Critics were quick to fact-check the president:
The bigger difference was that N1N1 killed about 12,000 Americans; Covid has killed 167,000 so far. https://t.co/saE2q6NtS1 — Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) August 18, 2020
Can think of a 170,000 differences. https://t.co/oSwP5SKao1 — Matthew Moore (@mattmoorek) August 18, 2020
The weird thing is he clearly believes this, despite having passed almost no decent economic measures (other than an unproductive tax cut for the wealthy). https://t.co/7vSDqSW16r — James Ball (@jamesrbuk) August 18, 2020
Here is Trump once again taking credit for shutting down. Incredibly. He surely doesn't really believe that he saved millions of lives. Surely not. https://t.co/4mX6EVC3Va — Jeffrey A Tucker (@jeffreyatucker) August 18, 2020
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More than 5.6 million Americans have been infected with COVID-19 and 173,000+ have died. A strong (more than 23 million unemployed at the highest in April?) economy isn't the only sign of presidential worthiness. https://t.co/wKW9GN9sdT — Luke Cooper (@luke__cooper) August 18, 2020
No, the "big difference" is that H1N1 killed around 12,000 Americans while covid-19 has killed, at a minimum, 170,000 Americans, with around 1,000 more dying every day because you continue to do nothing other than shift blame. https://t.co/1KhMJl78d5 — Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) August 18, 2020
@realDonaldTrump exuding the same grace and class that we've become accustomed to. Prepare to leave the White House with that tail between your legs. https://t.co/WZi1nMjusC — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) August 18, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--Judge Blocks Trump Rule To Roll Back Health-Care Protections For Transgender People

Finalized days after the Supreme Court barred sex discrimination against LGBT individuals on the job , the regulation from the federal Department of Health and Human Services was to have taken effect Tuesday .
Monday ’ s preliminary injunction from U.S. District Court Judge Frederic Block in Brooklyn bars the administration from enforcing the regulation until the case can be heard in court and decided .
Block indicated he thought the Trump administration ’ s so-called transgender rule is invalid in light of the Supreme Court ruling in June on a case involving similar issues in the context of job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announces a major decision , it seems a sensible thing to pause and reflect on the decision ’ s impact , ” Block wrote in his order , suggesting the agency may want to reconsider .
“ Since HHS has been unwilling to take that path voluntarily , the court now imposes it.
” The HHS health care rule was seen as a signal to President Donald Trump ’ s social and religious conservative supporters that the administration remained squarely behind them after the shock of the Supreme Court ’ s 6-3 decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was nominated by Trump .
“ An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex , ” Gorsuch wrote .
“ Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision , exactly what ( civil rights law ) forbids.
” In a tweet , Trump called that “ horrible & politically charged ” and compared it to a shotgun blast in the faces of conservative Republicans .
The HHS rule sought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transgender people in health care .
Similar to the underlying issues in the job discrimination case before the Supreme Court , the health care rule rests on the idea that sex is determined by biology .
The Obama-era version relied on a broader understanding shaped by a person ’ s inner sense of being male , female , neither or a combination .
The lawsuit against the Trump administration rule was brought by an advocacy group , the Human Rights Campaign , on behalf of two transgender women .
One of the plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other a writer and activist .
Judge Block dismissed as “ disingenuous ” arguments from HHS that its rule was legally valid , and he wrote that the agency acted “ arbitrarily and capriciously ” in enacting it .
The judge “ was unambiguous in ... ruling that the administration ’ s actions were in blatant violation of the Affordable Care Act ’ s protections and the Supreme Court ’ s recent ... decision , which affirmed that discrimination ‘ on the basis of sex ’ included sexual orientation and gender identity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge blocked the Trump administration on Monday from enforcing a new regulation that would roll back health care protections for transgender people.
Finalized days after the Supreme Court barred sex discrimination against LGBT individuals on the job, the regulation from the federal Department of Health and Human Services was to have taken effect Tuesday.
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Monday’s preliminary injunction from U.S. District Court Judge Frederic Block in Brooklyn bars the administration from enforcing the regulation until the case can be heard in court and decided. Block indicated he thought the Trump administration’s so-called transgender rule is invalid in light of the Supreme Court ruling in June on a case involving similar issues in the context of job discrimination.
“When the Supreme Court announces a major decision, it seems a sensible thing to pause and reflect on the decision’s impact,” Block wrote in his order, suggesting the agency may want to reconsider. “Since HHS has been unwilling to take that path voluntarily, the court now imposes it.”
The HHS health care rule was seen as a signal to President Donald Trump’s social and religious conservative supporters that the administration remained squarely behind them after the shock of the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was nominated by Trump.
“An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex,” Gorsuch wrote. “Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what (civil rights law) forbids.”
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In a tweet, Trump called that “horrible & politically charged” and compared it to a shotgun blast in the faces of conservative Republicans.
The HHS rule sought to overturn Obama-era sex discrimination protections for transgender people in health care. Similar to the underlying issues in the job discrimination case before the Supreme Court, the health care rule rests on the idea that sex is determined by biology. The Obama-era version relied on a broader understanding shaped by a person’s inner sense of being male, female, neither or a combination.
The lawsuit against the Trump administration rule was brought by an advocacy group, the Human Rights Campaign, on behalf of two transgender women. One of the plaintiffs is an Army veteran, and the other a writer and activist.
Judge Block dismissed as “disingenuous” arguments from HHS that its rule was legally valid, and he wrote that the agency acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” in enacting it.
HHS said it was disappointed by the judge’s decision.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it a “victory for the LGBTQ community and the rule of law.”
The judge “was unambiguous in ... ruling that the administration’s actions were in blatant violation of the Affordable Care Act’s protections and the Supreme Court’s recent ... decision, which affirmed that discrimination ‘on the basis of sex’ included sexual orientation and gender identity,” Pelosi said in a statement.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--From Sobbing To Superhero Spoofs: Late Night Hosts Review Day 1 Of The Virtual DNC

The comedians of late night TV on Monday reviewed what they did and didn ’ t like about the opening of the 2020 Democratic National Convention , which this year is being held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic .
On the plus side , “ The Daily Show ” host Trevor Noah said he enjoyed not having to see the crowd “ cheering every other sentence.
” But “ we all have to admit that a convention that takes place over Zoom , it just doesn ’ t have the same juice , ” Noah admitted , imagining how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speeches would have gone down online .
On “ The Tonight Show , ” host Jimmy Fallon joked that “ nothing quite fires up Americans more like long speeches over Zoom ” and said he missed seeing people “ dancing like idiots ” in the audience .
“ The Late Show ” host Stephen Colbert , meanwhile , said he “ definitely cried ” at various points in Michelle Obama ’ s address , during which the former first lady said Donald Trump is the “ wrong president for this country.
” It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanting to make a change toward decency , ” said Colbert .
And his lengthier analysis of the convention here : And this DNC-themed parody of John Legend ’ s hit song “ All Of Me .
”

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The comedians of late night TV on Monday reviewed what they did and didn’t like about the opening of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, which this year is being held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the plus side, “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah said he enjoyed not having to see the crowd “cheering every other sentence.”
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But “we all have to admit that a convention that takes place over Zoom, it just doesn’t have the same juice,” Noah admitted, imagining how former President Barack Obama’s famous speeches would have gone down online.
Check out Noah’s monologue here:
On “The Tonight Show,” host Jimmy Fallon joked that “nothing quite fires up Americans more like long speeches over Zoom” and said he missed seeing people “dancing like idiots” in the audience.
Check out Fallon’s monologue here:
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“The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert, meanwhile, said he “definitely cried” at various points in Michelle Obama’s address, during which the former first lady said Donald Trump is the “wrong president for this country.”
It was “great to see people sincerely wanting to make a change toward decency,” said Colbert.
Check out Colbert’s comments here:
And his lengthier analysis of the convention here:
Colbert’s show also aired this “Avengers: Endgame” spoof:
And this DNC-themed parody of John Legend’s hit song “All Of Me.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--Britney Spears Tells Court She No Longer Wants Dad As Conservator

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — Britney Spears on Tuesday asked a court to keep her father from reasserting the broad control over her life and career that he has had for most of the past 12 years .
In documents filed by her court-appointed lawyer that give a rare public airing to the wishes of the 38-year-old pop superstar , she asked that her father not return to the role of conservator of her person , which gave him power over her major life decisions from 2008 until 2019 , when he temporarily stepped aside , citing health problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role as conservator over his daughter ’ s finances .
For the first 11 years of the conservatorship , he served as co-conservator with attorney Andrew M. Wallet , who resigned from the role early last year .
That briefly left James Spears with sole power over Britney Spears ’ life , money and career , a situation she says she very much wants to avoid repeating .
Spears says she wants Jodi Montgomery , who has been serving as conservator of her person temporarily , to do so permanently , but she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is waiving her right to seek an end to the entire arrangement .
The documents also reveal that Britney Spears has no plans to perform again anytime soon .
She last performed live in October 2018 , and early in 2019 , canceled a planned Las Vegas residency .
The filing gave a rare glimpse at Britney Spears ’ own wishes in the conservatorship that has had vast power over her for over a decade .
She has almost never spoken publicly about the matter , and court hearings and documents in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year she addressed the court at her request , suggesting she was seeking changes .
In the papers , Britney Spears praises the conservatorship and its work overall , saying it “ rescued her from a collapse , exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin ” and that it made her “ able to regain her position as a world class entertainer.
” The document was filed a day before a status hearing on the conservatorship , expected to be closed to the media and public .
Britney Spears ’ attorney said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contest being marginalized , and said that Britney Spears has suggested they retain a lawyer with expertise in complex financial court fights .
The conservatorship , known in some states as a guardianship , gave James Spears power over his daughter ’ s career choices and much of her personal life , including her relationship with her teenage sons .
Spears ’ ex-husband Kevin Federline has custody of the boys , but she has frequent visits with them .

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears on Tuesday asked a court to keep her father from reasserting the broad control over her life and career that he has had for most of the past 12 years.
In documents filed by her court-appointed lawyer that give a rare public airing to the wishes of the 38-year-old pop superstar, she asked that her father not return to the role of conservator of her person, which gave him power over her major life decisions from 2008 until 2019, when he temporarily stepped aside, citing health problems.
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“Britney is strongly opposed to James return as conservator of her person,” the document says.
James Spears has kept his separate role as conservator over his daughter’s finances. For the first 11 years of the conservatorship, he served as co-conservator with attorney Andrew M. Wallet, who resigned from the role early last year.
That briefly left James Spears with sole power over Britney Spears’ life, money and career, a situation she says she very much wants to avoid repeating.
An email seeking comment from James Spears’ attorney was not immediately returned.
Spears says she wants Jodi Montgomery, who has been serving as conservator of her person temporarily, to do so permanently, but she says that doesn’t mean she is waiving her right to seek an end to the entire arrangement.
The documents also reveal that Britney Spears has no plans to perform again anytime soon. She last performed live in October 2018, and early in 2019, canceled a planned Las Vegas residency.
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The filing gave a rare glimpse at Britney Spears’ own wishes in the conservatorship that has had vast power over her for over a decade. She has almost never spoken publicly about the matter, and court hearings and documents in the case are cloaked in secrecy, though last year she addressed the court at her request, suggesting she was seeking changes.
In the papers, Britney Spears praises the conservatorship and its work overall, saying it “rescued her from a collapse, exploitation by predatory individuals and financial ruin” and that it made her “able to regain her position as a world class entertainer.”
The document was filed a day before a status hearing on the conservatorship, expected to be closed to the media and public.
Britney Spears’ attorney said that he expects James Spears will aggressively contest being marginalized, and said that Britney Spears has suggested they retain a lawyer with expertise in complex financial court fights.
The conservatorship, known in some states as a guardianship, gave James Spears power over his daughter’s career choices and much of her personal life, including her relationship with her teenage sons. Spears’ ex-husband Kevin Federline has custody of the boys, but she has frequent visits with them.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--Senate Report Concludes Russia Used Paul Manafort, WikiLeaks To Boost Trump In 2016

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - Russia used Republican political operative Paul Manafort , the WikiLeaks website and others to try to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election to help now-U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s campaign , a Senate intelligence panel report said on Tuesday .
WikiLeaks played a key role in Russia ’ s effort to assist Republican Trump against Democrat Hillary Clinton and likely knew it was helping Russian intelligence , said the report , which is likely to be the most definitive public account of the 2016 election controversy .
The report found President Vladimir Putin personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks and accounts affiliated with the Democratic Party and leak information damaging to Clinton .
The panel , formally called the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence , also alleged Manafort collaborated with Russians , including oligarch Oleg Deripaska and an alleged Russian intelligence operative , Konstantin Kilimnik , before during and after the election .
The panel found Manafort ’ s role and proximity to Trump created opportunities for Russian intelligence , saying his “ high-level access and willingness to share information with individuals closely affiliated with the Russian intelligence services ... represented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not clear what effect , if any , the report might have on the current U.S. presidential campaign in which Trump faces Democrat Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 U.S. election .
Opinion polls show former vice president Biden has built an expansive lead in nearly every battleground state that Trump won narrowly in 2016 , as the Republican ’ s approval numbers tumble amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Mueller found no conclusive evidence of coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign in a report released last year .
He pointed at 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to impede his investigation but did not say whether this amounted to obstruction of justice .
Trump and his supporters have consistently bristled at suggestions foreign interference helped his upset 2016 victory and sought to discredit the intelligence agencies ’ findings as the politically charged work of a “ deep state.
” Founded by Julian Assange , WikiLeaks published thousands of emails hacked from Clinton ’ s campaign and a top campaign aide in the weeks before the 2016 election , yielding a drum beat of negative coverage about the Democrat .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a key role in the Russian campaign and very likely knew it was assisting a Russian intelligence influence effort , the report said , saying the panel found “ significant indications that Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have benefited from Russian government support.
” As Russian military intelligence and WikiLeaks released the hacked documents , the report said Trump ’ s campaign sought advance notice , devised messaging strategies to amplify them “ and encouraged further theft of information and ... leaks.
” “ The Trump campaign publicly undermined the attribution of the hack-and-leak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether it and WikiLeaks were furthering a Russian election interference effort , ” the report added .
The committee could not establish the extent to which Trump campaign advisor Roger Stone had real inside access to WikiLeaks materials , the report said .

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia used Republican political operative Paul Manafort, the WikiLeaks website and others to try to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election to help now-U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign, a Senate intelligence panel report said on Tuesday.
WikiLeaks played a key role in Russia’s effort to assist Republican Trump against Democrat Hillary Clinton and likely knew it was helping Russian intelligence, said the report, which is likely to be the most definitive public account of the 2016 election controversy.
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The report found President Vladimir Putin personally directed the Russian efforts to hack computer networks and accounts affiliated with the Democratic Party and leak information damaging to Clinton.
The panel, formally called the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, also alleged Manafort collaborated with Russians, including oligarch Oleg Deripaska and an alleged Russian intelligence operative, Konstantin Kilimnik, before during and after the election.
The panel found Manafort’s role and proximity to Trump created opportunities for Russian intelligence, saying his “high-level access and willingness to share information with individuals closely affiliated with the Russian intelligence services... represented a grave counterintelligence threat.”
It was not clear what effect, if any, the report might have on the current U.S. presidential campaign in which Trump faces Democrat Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 U.S. election.
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Opinion polls show former vice president Biden has built an expansive lead in nearly every battleground state that Trump won narrowly in 2016, as the Republican’s approval numbers tumble amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Russia’s alleged election interference, which Moscow denies, sparked a two-year-long U.S. investigation headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Mueller found no conclusive evidence of coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign in a report released last year. He pointed at 10 instances in which Trump may have attempted to impede his investigation but did not say whether this amounted to obstruction of justice.
Trump and his supporters have consistently bristled at suggestions foreign interference helped his upset 2016 victory and sought to discredit the intelligence agencies’ findings as the politically charged work of a “deep state.”
Founded by Julian Assange, WikiLeaks published thousands of emails hacked from Clinton’s campaign and a top campaign aide in the weeks before the 2016 election, yielding a drum beat of negative coverage about the Democrat.
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“WikiLeaks actively sought, and played, a key role in the Russian campaign and very likely knew it was assisting a Russian intelligence influence effort, the report said, saying the panel found “significant indications that Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have benefited from Russian government support.”
As Russian military intelligence and WikiLeaks released the hacked documents, the report said Trump’s campaign sought advance notice, devised messaging strategies to amplify them “and encouraged further theft of information and ... leaks.”
“The Trump campaign publicly undermined the attribution of the hack-and-leak campaign to Russia and was indifferent to whether it and WikiLeaks were furthering a Russian election interference effort,” the report added.
The committee could not establish the extent to which Trump campaign advisor Roger Stone had real inside access to WikiLeaks materials, the report said.
(Reporting by Mark Hosenball, Writing By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien and Alistair Bell)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--Postmaster General 'Suspending' Changes To U.S. Postal Service Until After Election

The U.S. Postmaster General announced Tuesday that he is suspending some recent operational changes until after the presidential election .
“ To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail , I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded , ” U.S .
Postal Service head Louis DeJoy said of the changes , which included removing mail processing equipment and collection boxes .
Additionally , he promised , USPS retail hours will not change , processing facilities will not be closed and overtime for postal workers will be approved as needed .
“ The Postal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume of election mail it receives this fall , ” DeJoy said .
“ Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic , we will deliver the nation ’ s election mail on time and within our well-established service standards.
” The promise expands on one DeJoy made earlier this week to stop removing mailboxes for the next 90 days .
He did not say whether he would backtrack on changes that had already been implemented .
Under DeJoy , a President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his campaign , the USPS recently began removing mailboxes in some communities because of “ declining mail volume.
” The USPS recently warned 46 states that it might not be able to deliver all mail-in ballots in time to be counted .
But people are expected to vote by mail this November in high numbers because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Despite that , Trump has spent the last few months falsely attacking mail-in voting as fraudulent and suggested he opposes additional funding for the department .
“ There is NO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent , ” Trump has tweeted , though no evidence supports his claims .
“ Mail boxes will be robbed , ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed.
” Critics say this is a thinly veiled effort to suppress the vote in the lead-up to the Nov. 3 election , which polls show his opponent Joe Biden has a good chance of winning .
His attacks on the democratic process and DeJoy ’ s removal of mailboxes have inspired protests around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstration ” outside DeJoy ’ s house last weekend .

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The U.S. Postmaster General announced Tuesday that he is suspending some recent operational changes until after the presidential election.
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“To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded,” U.S. Postal Service head Louis DeJoy said of the changes, which included removing mail processing equipment and collection boxes.
Additionally, he promised, USPS retail hours will not change, processing facilities will not be closed and overtime for postal workers will be approved as needed.
“The Postal Service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall,” DeJoy said. “Even with the challenges of keeping our employees and customers safe and healthy as they operate amid a pandemic, we will deliver the nation’s election mail on time and within our well-established service standards.”
The promise expands on one DeJoy made earlier this week to stop removing mailboxes for the next 90 days.
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He did not say whether he would backtrack on changes that had already been implemented. Under DeJoy, a President Donald Trump appointee and a major donor to his campaign, the USPS recently began removing mailboxes in some communities because of “declining mail volume.” The USPS recently warned 46 states that it might not be able to deliver all mail-in ballots in time to be counted.
But people are expected to vote by mail this November in high numbers because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Despite that, Trump has spent the last few months falsely attacking mail-in voting as fraudulent and suggested he opposes additional funding for the department.
“There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent,” Trump has tweeted, though no evidence supports his claims. “Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--Hillary Clinton Throws Shade At James Comey's 'Elect More Women' Tweet

Looks like a couple of male politicians chose to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment by being clueless .
To mark 100 years since women won the right to vote , Donald Trump pardoned Susan B. Anthony for attempting to vote in 1872 even as he attempts to disrupt the November election by preventing the U.S .
Postal Service from processing election ballots .
Former FBI Director James Comey also chimed in with a celebratory tweet suggesting that America needs more female politicians .
# 19thAmendment is an important anniversary but the vote is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office .
VP and Virginia governor are good next steps .
pic.twitter.com/1Ijm2GwBap — James Comey ( @ Comey ) August 18 , 2020 Comey may consider himself a sincere supporter of women ’ s rights , but his tweet didn ’ t impress many Twitter users , especially given that his handling of the probe into the emails of then-candidate Hillary Clinton may have helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election .
Some Twitter users tried to let him know nicely .
Now was there anything he could have done to help elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Emily Peck ( @ EmilyRPeck ) August 18 , 2020 A lot of us tried .
You fucked it up .
But the tee shirt definitely makes up for it .
https : //t.co/l4yAmxhV7y — Nick Merrill ( @ NickMerrill ) August 18 , 2020 Are you F # cking Kidding me !
?
!
?
!
We 'd have a woman President if it was n't for this P.O.S .
Karma is real @ Comey and it is gon na get you ... Every horrifying thing Trump has done to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have blood on your hands .
https : //t.co/3WindMKkao — Tom D'Angora # BlackLivesMatter ( @ TomDangora ) August 18 , 2020 One man reminisced about the good old days .
Remember that time when this guy sabotaged the first woman president because he thought that the Justice Department 's firm policy against interfering with an election did n't apply to him .
https : //t.co/XaGCDaC8gl — Ian Millhiser ( @ imillhiser ) August 18 , 2020 One person imagined how the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee reacted to Comey ’ s tweet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ driving by Hillary 's house just as she flung her laptop out the window when she saw this https : //t.co/FGs4Ne7sM3 — Scott Jennings ( @ ScottJenningsKY ) August 18 , 2020 However , Clinton ’ s own response said volumes without saying a word .

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Looks like a couple of male politicians chose to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment by being clueless.
To mark 100 years since women won the right to vote, Donald Trump pardoned Susan B. Anthony for attempting to vote in 1872 even as he attempts to disrupt the November election by preventing the U.S. Postal Service from processing election ballots.
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Former FBI Director James Comey also chimed in with a celebratory tweet suggesting that America needs more female politicians.
#19thAmendment is an important anniversary but the vote is not enough. We need more women in office. VP and Virginia governor are good next steps. pic.twitter.com/1Ijm2GwBap — James Comey (@Comey) August 18, 2020
Comey may consider himself a sincere supporter of women’s rights, but his tweet didn’t impress many Twitter users, especially given that his handling of the probe into the emails of then-candidate Hillary Clinton may have helped Trump win the 2016 presidential election.
Some Twitter users tried to let him know nicely.
Please stop. I beg you. — Charlotte Clymer 🏳🌈 (@cmclymer) August 18, 2020
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Now was there anything he could have done to help elect more women? 🤔 https://t.co/2fVfhdDk9Y — Emily Peck (@EmilyRPeck) August 18, 2020
Others were more direct.
A lot of us tried. You fucked it up. But the tee shirt definitely makes up for it. https://t.co/l4yAmxhV7y — Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) August 18, 2020
Are you F#cking Kidding me!?!?!
We'd have a woman President if it wasn't for this P.O.S.
Karma is real @Comey and it is gonna get you... Every horrifying thing Trump has done to this world started with you Comey! YOU have blood on your hands. https://t.co/3WindMKkao — Tom D'Angora #BlackLivesMatter (@TomDangora) August 18, 2020
One man reminisced about the good old days.
Remember that time when this guy sabotaged the first woman president because he thought that the Justice Department's firm policy against interfering with an election didn't apply to him. https://t.co/XaGCDaC8gl — Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) August 18, 2020
One person imagined how the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee reacted to Comey’s tweet.
I'd like to interview the guy driving by Hillary's house just as she flung her laptop out the window when she saw this https://t.co/FGs4Ne7sM3 — Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) August 18, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-18--Lincoln Project Accused Of Plagiarizing, Improperly Attributing Viral Content

Several Twitter users , including video editor and comedian Vic Berger , alleged in recent weeks that The Lincoln Project copied their tweets or used their photos and videos without permission or proper attribution .
The group — whose content earned it nearly 2 million followers and millions in cash from political donors in just a few months — was benefiting from smaller creators ’ content for free , they said .
In one instance , the group shared without credit an edited image Berger had created that made it look as though Trump had framed photos of convicted sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oval Office .
“ The Lincoln Project works every day to defeat Donald Trump and his enablers in November , ” the group said in its statement .
“ Along the way , we ’ ve scaled quickly , and have been fortunate to build a larger social following than we ever could ’ ve hoped for.
” The statement continued : “ We recognize that with our reach comes a responsibility to always recognize the talent and hard work of creators .
Moving forward , we will make every effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our policies to ensure that happens.
” The Lincoln Project ’ s Twitter account , created in December 2019 , has more than 1.9 million followers , and the group said it raised more than $ 16 million in donations between April and June .
The Lincoln Project ’ s latest filings show the vast majority of its spending during this time period went to firms run by the group ’ s board members , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
In their allegations of plagiarism , some Twitter users noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meme2020 , a company founded by Jerry Media CEO Mick Purzycki .
The New York Times reported last month on Meme2020 ’ s partnership with The Lincoln Project in a campaign focused on voter mobilization .
Jerry Media , a social media marketing agency , was founded in 2016 by Purzycki , James Ohliger and Elliot Tebele , the owner and operator of the mega-popular Instagram account @ fuckjerry .
The company was subject to backlash last year after content creators , including Berger , accused it of stealing their content .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s notorious promotional campaign .
“ They ’ re liars , ” Berger told HuffPost on Tuesday .
He added : “ It ’ s not fair use .
It ’ s stealing other people ’ s ideas and passing them off as their own .
And that ’ s the @ fuckjerry business model .
Profit is always the number one .
That ’ s the motive.
” The Lincoln Project should be paying the content creators they ’ re scraping from or properly promoting and attributing the work , Berger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a tweet ( like the example below ) isn ’ t good enough , he added .
“ Sharing that way is bullshit from an account like that , ” Berger said .
“ They could easily retweet my actual tweet and tag me .
...
Doing it that way gives them all the likes and followers.
” Kelly Hui , an 18-year-old college student , said she was shocked when she noticed a couple of days ago that The Lincoln Project posted a tweet on Aug. 1 that was almost identical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week earlier .
Hui , who has just over 800 Twitter followers , tweeted eight animal emojis next to envelopes on July 23 with the caption : “ They ’ re voting by mail for ed markey , ” in reference to this year ’ s Senate race in Massachusetts .
Though the “ emoji party ” meme had been popular on Twitter for several months , the specific construction used by Hui was not the typical template .
It ’ s pretty clear The Lincoln Project team simply copied her tweet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a bit absurd , ” Hui told HuffPost on Tuesday .
“ I understand the life of a meme : it gets reposted , repurposed .
But I think my main reaction is sort of just negative because you know I ’ m not a fan of The Lincoln Project and especially their founders ’ views ― I think are just diametrically opposed to mine .
”

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The Lincoln Project, the Republican group that has gained popularity among some liberals for its snarky anti-Trump tweets and videos, has been accused by some content creators of plagiarism and improper attribution.
Several Twitter users, including video editor and comedian Vic Berger, alleged in recent weeks that The Lincoln Project copied their tweets or used their photos and videos without permission or proper attribution. The group — whose content earned it nearly 2 million followers and millions in cash from political donors in just a few months — was benefiting from smaller creators’ content for free, they said.
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In one instance, the group shared without credit an edited image Berger had created that made it look as though Trump had framed photos of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on his desk in the Oval Office.
The accusations garnered widespread attention on Sunday when NBC News reporter Brandy Zadrozny shared several of the claims with her 48,000 Twitter followers.
“Stealing from creators is a nonpartisan crime,” Zadrozny wrote in her tweet, which had been retweeted more than 4,000 times as of Tuesday.
Stealing from creators is a nonpartisan crime @ProjectLincoln. pic.twitter.com/7ps0mHvuhh — Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) August 16, 2020
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In a statement to HuffPost, The Lincoln Project said Tuesday that it would “make every effort to attribute content” in the future.
“The Lincoln Project works every day to defeat Donald Trump and his enablers in November,” the group said in its statement. “Along the way, we’ve scaled quickly, and have been fortunate to build a larger social following than we ever could’ve hoped for.”
The statement continued: “We recognize that with our reach comes a responsibility to always recognize the talent and hard work of creators. Moving forward, we will make every effort to attribute content, and we are evolving our policies to ensure that happens.”
The Lincoln Project was formed in late 2019 by several Republicans ― including attorney George Conway, the husband of White House adviser Kellyanne Conway ― with the stated purpose of preventing Trump’s reelection.
Many so-called Resistance Democrats latched on to the group’s Trump-trolling ads, creating a surge of enthusiasm for the group that reflected in both its social media presence and its piggy bank.
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The Lincoln Project’s Twitter account, created in December 2019, has more than 1.9 million followers, and the group said it raised more than $16 million in donations between April and June. The Lincoln Project’s latest filings show the vast majority of its spending during this time period went to firms run by the group’s board members, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
In their allegations of plagiarism, some Twitter users noted The Lincoln Project’s connection to Meme2020, a company founded by Jerry Media CEO Mick Purzycki. The New York Times reported last month on Meme2020’s partnership with The Lincoln Project in a campaign focused on voter mobilization.
Jerry Media, a social media marketing agency, was founded in 2016 by Purzycki, James Ohliger and Elliot Tebele, the owner and operator of the mega-popular Instagram account @fuckjerry. The company was subject to backlash last year after content creators, including Berger, accused it of stealing their content. It was also behind the failed Fyre Festival’s notorious promotional campaign.
Purzycki is the head of Jerry Media, but his company Meme2020 is not affiliated with Jerry Media, @fuckjerry or either of the other partners, Meme2020 spokesperson Ryan Kelley told HuffPost.
Meme2020 did not create or send any of the tweets mentioned in Zadrozny’s tweet, Kelley said. All content created by Meme2020 is either original, licensed or created in-house, he added.
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Berger, however, is skeptical of that claim.
“They’re liars,” Berger told HuffPost on Tuesday. He added: “It’s not fair use. It’s stealing other people’s ideas and passing them off as their own. And that’s the @fuckjerry business model. Profit is always the number one. That’s the motive.”
Berger accused The Lincoln Project of being a “big grift” in which Republican strategists rake in millions of dollars from liberals.
“It’s just disgusting,” he said. “When money’s involved, especially tens of millions of dollars that they’re raising by bilking these ‘Resistance’ people, then definitely there’s a higher standard.”
The Lincoln Project should be paying the content creators they’re scraping from or properly promoting and attributing the work, Berger said. And simply embedding a video into a tweet (like the example below) isn’t good enough, he added.
“Sharing that way is bullshit from an account like that,” Berger said. “They could easily retweet my actual tweet and tag me. ... Doing it that way gives them all the likes and followers.”
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This is art. pic.twitter.com/RBtXKMawWg — The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) July 4, 2020
A spokesperson for The Lincoln Project did not immediately respond when asked if they would retweet instead of embed other accounts’ videos in the future.
Kelly Hui, an 18-year-old college student, said she was shocked when she noticed a couple of days ago that The Lincoln Project posted a tweet on Aug. 1 that was almost identical to a tweet she sent out a week earlier.
Hui, who has just over 800 Twitter followers, tweeted eight animal emojis next to envelopes on July 23 with the caption: “They’re voting by mail for ed markey,” in reference to this year’s Senate race in Massachusetts.
The tweet received an abnormally high amount of engagement for Hui, nabbing thousands of likes and retweets.
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A week later, The Lincoln Project sent a tweet with the exact same emojis and the caption: “They’re voting by mail for Biden.”
i hate it here pic.twitter.com/Vbl3IkK6wM — kxh (@kellyxhui) August 16, 2020
Though the “emoji party” meme had been popular on Twitter for several months, the specific construction used by Hui was not the typical template. It’s pretty clear The Lincoln Project team simply copied her tweet, she said.
“The whole thing was a bit absurd,” Hui told HuffPost on Tuesday. “I understand the life of a meme: it gets reposted, repurposed. But I think my main reaction is sort of just negative because you know I’m not a fan of The Lincoln Project and especially their founders’ views ― I think are just diametrically opposed to mine.”
“I don’t like that my content is being used to further their agenda,” she added, “which I’m sure post-November will be used to prop up their own party.”
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The Lincoln Project made headlines last month when it parted ways with video editor Ben Howe after a series of misogynistic tweets he sent in 2017 resurfaced.