thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-12--Marie Yovanovitch Receives Diplomacy Award After Being Disgraced By Trump

Marie Yovanovitch , the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who was disgraced by President Trump amid the heated impeachment inquiry , received an award for her excellent conduct in diplomacy .
The Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University gave Yovanovitch the Trainor Award during a ceremony on Wednesday .
Every year , the Trainor Award is given to an “ outstanding American or foreigner for distinction in the conduct of diplomacy , ” according to the Institute .
Yovanovitch warned about the leadership within the State Department as she received the award at a university auditorium .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her hearing with lawmakers during the House impeachment inquiry in November .
“ Right now , the State Department is in trouble , ” Yovanovitch said during the award ceremony , The New York Times reported .
“ Senior leaders lack policy vision , moral clarity and leadership.
” '' One of the things that has sustained me is the support of all of you , ” Former U.S. Amb .
to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch , who testified in the impeachment probe , says at Georgetown University as she reflects about the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ABC News ( @ ABC ) February 12 , 2020 Trump publicly attacked Yovanovitch in November as she testified before the House Intelligence Committee and detailed how she felt threatened by the president and targeted in a smear campaign despite her long tenure as a diplomat .
Yovanovitch , who was recalled from her ambassadorship in May , appeared astonished when Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff ( D-Calif. ) read Trump ’ s live tweets , which disparaged her diplomatic career , to her during the hearing .
Trump had previously insulted Yovanovitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ukrainian president ― which prompted a whistleblower report and eventual impeachment proceedings ― saying that she was “ bad news ’ and was “ going to go through some things.
” At Georgetown on Wednesday , Yovanovitch said that her experience with Trump gave her a new perspective on life .
“ When you ‘ go through some things ’ ... you have to dig deep a little bit .
So I ’ ve tried to be grateful for the silver linings , ” she said , noting that she received immense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has since retired from career in diplomacy , which spanned 33 years year under six U.S. presidents .
She wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post last week urging Americans to stand up to the government in defense of democracy .
“ I have seen dictatorships around the world , where blind obedience is the norm and truth-tellers are threatened with punishment or death , ” she wrote .
“ We must not allow the United States to become a country where standing up to our government is a dangerous act .
”

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Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who was attacked by President Trump amid the heated impeachment inquiry, received an award for her excellent conduct in diplomacy.
The Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University gave Yovanovitch the Trainor Award during a ceremony on Wednesday. Every year, the Trainor Award is given to an “outstanding American or foreigner for distinction in the conduct of diplomacy,” according to the Institute.
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Yovanovitch warned about the leadership within the State Department as she received the award at a university auditorium. It was her first public appearance since her hearing with lawmakers during the House impeachment inquiry in November.
“Right now, the State Department is in trouble,” Yovanovitch said during the award ceremony, The New York Times reported. “Senior leaders lack policy vision, moral clarity and leadership.”
"One of the things that has sustained me is the support of all of you,” Former U.S. Amb. to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who testified in the impeachment probe, says at Georgetown University as she reflects about the past year. https://t.co/sNEqed9nze pic.twitter.com/PPFj1vjvv0 — ABC News (@ABC) February 12, 2020
Trump publicly disparaged Yovanovitch in November as she testified before the House Intelligence Committee. During her testimony, the diplomat detailed how she felt threatened by the president and targeted in a smear campaign despite her long tenure as a diplomat.
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Yovanovitch, who was recalled from her ambassadorship in May, appeared astonished when Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) read Trump’s live tweets, which disparaged her diplomatic career, to her during the hearing.
She said she found the president’s behavior “very intimidating.”
Trump had previously insulted Yovanovitch during his infamous July 25 call with the Ukrainian president ― which prompted a whistleblower report and eventual impeachment proceedings ― saying that she was “bad news’ and was “going to go through some things.”
At Georgetown on Wednesday, Yovanovitch said that her experience with Trump gave her a new perspective on life.
“When you ‘go through some things’... you have to dig deep a little bit. So I’ve tried to be grateful for the silver linings,” she said, noting that she received immense support from family and friends.
Yovanovitch has since retired from her career in diplomacy, which spanned 33 years year under six U.S. presidents.
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She wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post last week urging Americans to stand up to the government in defense of democracy.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-12--Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price Resigns

Troy Price , chair of the Iowa Democratic Party , resigned Wednesday after a failed reporting app led to a disastrous delay for the state ’ s Democratic caucuses last week .
“ The fact is that Democrats deserved better than what happened on caucus night , ” Price said in a resignation letter Wednesday night .
“ As chair of this party , I am deeply sorry for what happened and bear the responsibility for any failures on behalf of the Iowa Democratic Party.
” Price will call an emergency meeting for the state central committee to elect an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He will remain chair of the party until his replacement is selected .
The state ’ s Democratic Party has still yet to submit the final results from its Feb. 3 caucuses after the cellphone app used by caucus sites to report individual results failed to work properly .
The app was designed to make reporting caucus and primary results faster and easier .
A day after the Iowa caucuses , Price said that the results were delayed because of a technical issue with the app and also noted that the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected .
Two presidential candidates , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , formally requested that the state party recanvass the results to check on whether the results from each caucus site were added correctly , Politico reported .
The state party released results Sunday that showed Buttigieg in a slight lead over Sanders , though the final results are still uncertain as a recanvass may affect the final calculations .
The state party vowed to commission an independent investigation of the app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start to finish ” during the caucuses that led to the major delay .
In his letter of resignation , Price said he wanted to stay on as chair to “ see this process through to completion ” but determined that it was time for the state party to “ begin looking forward.
” The interim chair will be in charge of oversight for the recanvassing and recount process .
Some prominent Democrats , including presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii , have called on Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s reporting mishap , though Perez has rejected the calls .
Just in : First statement from DNC Chairman Tom Perez on Iowa .
Pretty tough , goes beyond language of disappointment : “ What happened last night should never happen again ...
The technology vendor must provide absolute transparent accounting of what went wrong.
” pic.twitter.com/t9v3Ub2jIg — Alex Seitz-Wald ( @ aseitzwald ) February 5 , 2020

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Troy Price, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, resigned Wednesday after a failed reporting app led to a disastrous delay for the state’s Democratic caucuses last week.
“The fact is that Democrats deserved better than what happened on caucus night,” Price said in a resignation letter Wednesday night. “As chair of this party, I am deeply sorry for what happened and bear the responsibility for any failures on behalf of the Iowa Democratic Party.”
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Price will call an emergency meeting for the state central committee to elect an interim chair to replace him on Saturday. He will remain chair of the party until his replacement is selected.
The state’s Democratic Party has still yet to submit the final results from its Feb. 3 caucuses after the cellphone app used by caucus sites to report individual results failed to work properly. The app was designed to make reporting caucus and primary results faster and easier.
A day after the Iowa caucuses, Price said that the results were delayed because of a technical issue with the app and also noted that the party’s backup system took longer than expected.
Two presidential candidates, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, formally requested that the state party recanvass the results to check on whether the results from each caucus site were added correctly, Politico reported.
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The state party released results Sunday that showed Buttigieg in a slight lead over Sanders, though the final results are still uncertain as a recanvass may affect the final calculations.
The state party vowed to commission an independent investigation of the app failure to uncover what happened “from start to finish” during the caucuses that led to the major delay.
In his letter of resignation, Price said he wanted to stay on as chair to “see this process through to completion” but determined that it was time for the state party to “begin looking forward.”
“My presence in my current role makes that more difficult,” he said.
The interim chair will be in charge of oversight for the recanvassing and recount process.
Some prominent Democrats, including presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, have called on Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez to resign in the aftermath of Iowa’s reporting mishap, though Perez has rejected the calls.
Asked by CNN whether he intended to step down, Perez replied: “Absolutely not.”
Just in: First statement from DNC Chairman Tom Perez on Iowa.
Pretty tough, goes beyond language of disappointment: “What happened last night should never happen again... The technology vendor must provide absolute transparent accounting of what went wrong.” pic.twitter.com/t9v3Ub2jIg — Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) February 5, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-12--House Democrat: AIPAC Is A Hate Group That Weaponizes Anti-Semitism

AIPAC used images of of Reps. Betty McCollum ( D-Minn. ) , Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) , and Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) in an advertisement that claimed some members of Congress pose a `` more sinister '' threat to Israel than ISIS .
Last month , AIPAC started running paid Facebook advertisements with pictures of McCollum , Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) .
The ads warned that the “ radicals in the Democratic Party are pushing their anti-Semitic and anti-Israel policies down the throats of the American people , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ads included a link to a petition urging supporters to “ protect our Israeli allies especially as they face threats from Iran , Hamas , Hezbollah , ISIS and — maybe more sinister — right here in the U.S. Congress.
” “ AIPAC claims to be a bipartisan organization , but its use of hate speech actually makes it a hate group , ” McCollum said in a statement on Tuesday .
“ By weaponizing anti-Semitism and hate to silence debate , AIPAC is taunting Democrats and mocking our core values.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent a bigger threat to Israel than ISIS “ is not a call to action , it is incitement , ” McCollum said .
Omar and Tlaib , who are the first Muslim women elected to Congress , have faced racist threats and attacks — including from the president .
“ Hate speech is intentionally destructive and dehumanizing , which is why it is used as a weapon by groups with a stake in profiting from oppression , ” McCollum continued .
AIPAC removed the most offensive ads and apologized on Saturday for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worded , inflammatory advertisement implied.
” But the group reiterated its claim that a certain group of members in Congress are “ deliberately working to erode the bipartisan consensus on this issue and undermine the U.S.-Israel relationship.
” McCollum is currently pushing a bill in Congress that would place humanitarian conditions on America ’ s billions of dollars in military aid to Israel .
Tlaib and Omar are among the bill ’ s 23 cosponsors .
McCollum decided to pursue the long-shot legislative effort after reading a 2013 UNICEF report that described Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the middle of the night , blindfolding them , and taking them to an interrogation center .
The kids were deprived of sleep and forced to sign confessions in a language they could not understand without guidance from a lawyer , the report found .
McCollum has long been one of the few members of Congress willing to criticize Israeli policy and stand up to AIPAC ’ s bullying .
But her statement on Wednesday represents the strongest rebuke from a sitting member of Congress of a group that has a reputation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There ’ s always this narrative that AIPAC is not an organization you can criticize or else it will cost you politically , ” Omar Baddar , the deputy director of the Arab American Institute said in an interview .
“ McCollum is proving that you can absolutely criticize AIPAC and criticize Israel ’ s human rights violations and go on to have a successful career.
” McCollum first challenged AIPAC in 2006 when a member of the group accused her of supporting terrorists because she voted against a bill AIPAC was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from her office pending a formal apology .
At the time , McCollum ’ s colleagues told her she had “ written her death sentence , ” she told HuffPost last year .
“ When I came back , the whisper kind of was , ‘ You can survive !
’ ” Despite McCollum ’ s example , it is harder for members like Tlaib and Omar to criticize AIPAC ’ s influence on U.S. foreign policy without being accused of anti-Semitism .
Omar learned this the hard way last year when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how it is acceptable for members of Congress to criticize the gun lobby and the pharmaceutical lobby but not the influence of the pro-Israel lobby .
Critics — including her fellow congressional Democrats — took her remarks out of context and accused her of questioning the loyalty of American Jews .
“ Being a brown Muslim in Congress means there ’ s a very different standard , ” Baddar said .
“ No question they are more vulnerable because of that and end up having to watch how they engage in attacks @ @ @ @

AIPAC used images of of Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) in an advertisement that claimed some members of Congress pose a "more sinister" threat to Israel than ISIS.
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), an outspoken critic of Israel’s occupation of Palestine, accused the influential lobby group American Israel Public Affairs Committee of being a hate group that weaponizes anti-Semitism to silence dissent.
Last month, AIPAC started running paid Facebook advertisements with pictures of McCollum, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). The ads warned that the “radicals in the Democratic Party are pushing their anti-Semitic and anti-Israel policies down the throats of the American people,” according to the Jewish Telegraph Agency. The ads included a link to a petition urging supporters to “protect our Israeli allies especially as they face threats from Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS and — maybe more sinister — right here in the U.S. Congress.”
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“AIPAC claims to be a bipartisan organization, but its use of hate speech actually makes it a hate group,” McCollum said in a statement on Tuesday. “By weaponizing anti-Semitism and hate to silence debate, AIPAC is taunting Democrats and mocking our core values.”
The implication that McCollum and her colleagues represent a bigger threat to Israel than ISIS “is not a call to action, it is incitement,” McCollum said. Omar and Tlaib, who are the first Muslim women elected to Congress, have faced racist threats and attacks — including from the president. “Hate speech is intentionally destructive and dehumanizing, which is why it is used as a weapon by groups with a stake in profiting from oppression,” McCollum continued.
AIPAC removed the most offensive ads and apologized on Saturday for “the inaccurate assertion that the poorly worded, inflammatory advertisement implied.” But the group reiterated its claim that a certain group of members in Congress are “deliberately working to erode the bipartisan consensus on this issue and undermine the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
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No one from AIPAC has reached out to McCollum to apologize or discuss the Facebook advertisements, McCollum spokeswoman Amanda Yanchury told HuffPost in an email.
McCollum is currently pushing a bill in Congress that would place humanitarian conditions on America’s billions of dollars in military aid to Israel. Tlaib and Omar are among the bill’s 23 cosponsors. McCollum decided to pursue the long-shot legislative effort after reading a 2013 UNICEF report that described Israeli soldiers removing Palestinian kids from their homes in the middle of the night, blindfolding them, and taking them to an interrogation center. The kids were deprived of sleep and forced to sign confessions in a language they could not understand without guidance from a lawyer, the report found.
McCollum has long been one of the few members of Congress willing to criticize Israeli policy and stand up to AIPAC’s bullying. But her statement on Wednesday represents the strongest rebuke from a sitting member of Congress of a group that has a reputation of being untouchable on Capitol Hill.
“There’s always this narrative that AIPAC is not an organization you can criticize or else it will cost you politically,” Omar Baddar, the deputy director of the Arab American Institute said in an interview. “McCollum is proving that you can absolutely criticize AIPAC and criticize Israel’s human rights violations and go on to have a successful career.”
McCollum first challenged AIPAC in 2006 when a member of the group accused her of supporting terrorists because she voted against a bill AIPAC was backing. McCollum responded by banning AIPAC from her office pending a formal apology.
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At the time, McCollum’s colleagues told her she had “written her death sentence,” she told HuffPost last year. “When I came back, the whisper kind of was, ‘You can survive!’”
Despite McCollum’s example, it is harder for members like Tlaib and Omar to criticize AIPAC’s influence on U.S. foreign policy without being accused of anti-Semitism. Omar learned this the hard way last year when she spoke at a progressive policy town hall about how it is acceptable for members of Congress to criticize the gun lobby and the pharmaceutical lobby but not the influence of the pro-Israel lobby. Critics — including her fellow congressional Democrats — took her remarks out of context and accused her of questioning the loyalty of American Jews.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--Rush Limbaugh Is Weirdly Fascinated With Pete Buttigieg Kissing His Husband

Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh seems to have an unusual fascination with former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg kissing his husband .
Limbaugh also suggested Buttigieg wouldn ’ t fare well in the presidential election against “ Mr .
Man ” Donald Trump as a result .
“ Can you see Trump have fun with that ?
” Limbaugh said , per a transcript of the Wednesday radio show that was posted on his website .
Limbaugh made at least five references to Buttigieg ’ s kisses , but framed it as the imaginary fears of fictional Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about a gay presidential candidate .
“ They ’ re sitting there and they ’ re looking at Mayor Pete — a 37-year-old gay guy , mayor of South Bend , loves to kiss his husband on the debate stage — and they ’ re saying , ‘ Okay .
How ’ s this gon na look , a 37-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage next to Mr. Man , Donald Trump ?
What ’ s gon na happen there ?
’ ” Limbaugh concluded that the pooh-bahs believed “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage president.
” Then he took the analogy further , saying some Democrats believed the best way to beat the president was to “ ram ” gay kissing “ down Trump ’ s throat.
” Certainly , Limbaugh was the one doing the envisioning as he painted a vivid picture of all that kissing .
Trump , on the other hand , has said Buttigieg ’ s marriage was “ absolutely fine.
” “ I think that ’ s something that perhaps some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump told Fox News host Steve Hilton .
“ I have no problem with it whatsoever.
” Earlier this month , Limbaugh announced he had advanced lung cancer .
Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom ― the highest civilian honor given by a U.S. president ― at the State of the Union address the next day .

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Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh seems to have an unusual fascination with former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg kissing his husband.
Limbaugh also suggested Buttigieg wouldn’t fare well in the presidential election against “Mr. Man” Donald Trump as a result.
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“Can you see Trump have fun with that?” Limbaugh said, per a transcript of Wednesday’s radio show posted on his website.
Limbaugh made at least five references to Buttigieg’s kisses, but framed it as the imaginary fears of fictional Democratic Party “grand pooh-bahs” who were worried about a gay presidential candidate.
Of the supposed “pooh-bahs,” he said:
They’re sitting there and they’re looking at Mayor Pete — a 37-year-old gay guy, mayor of South Bend, loves to kiss his husband on the debate stage — and they’re saying, ‘Okay. How’s this gonna look, a 37-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage next to Mr. Man, Donald Trump? What’s gonna happen there?’
Limbaugh concluded that the pooh-bahs believed “America’s still not ready to elect a gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage president.”
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Then he took the analogy further, saying some Democrats believed the best way to beat the president was to “ram” gay kissing “down Trump’s throat.”
“Having fun envisioning that!” he added.
Certainly, Limbaugh was the one doing the envisioning as he painted a vivid picture of all that kissing. Trump, on the other hand, has said Buttigieg’s marriage was “absolutely fine.”
“I think that’s something that perhaps some people will have a problem with,” Trump told Fox News host Steve Hilton. “I have no problem with it whatsoever.”
Earlier this month, Limbaugh announced he had advanced lung cancer. Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom ― the highest civilian honor given by a U.S. president ― at the State of the Union address the next day.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--Bernie Sanders’s Rivals Capitalize On Dispute With Nevada Union Over 'Medicare For All'

An influential Nevada labor union ’ s negative characterization of Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ s “ Medicare for All ” health care plan escalated into a political food fight on Wednesday after the union accused his supporters of “ viciously ” attacking the union and its members , and three of Sanders ’ s rivals expressed support for the union in the face of those complaints .
The controversy stems from the Culinary Workers Union ’ s warning on a voter education flyer distributed to its 60,000 members ― casino and hotel workers across Nevada ― that Sanders ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ end Culinary Healthcare , ” as the union ’ s high-quality insurance is known .
The message , first reported by The Nevada Independent on Tuesday night , reflects the concerns of union leaders about the fate of health care plans they fought for through decades of collective bargaining , as well as a determination to demonstrate their value to members in a “ right-to-work ” state where workers are not required to pay union dues .
( Some critics suspected the flyer had more to do with the union ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishment , including former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid . )
So Sanders supporters ― and proponents of Medicare for All more broadly ― treated it as a political attack .
They immediately reacted with outrage , arguing that the flyers misrepresented Sanders ’ s plan , which promises more generous health care and the opportunity for unions to obtain new concessions at the bargaining table in exchange for the health care they earned through negotiation .
Bethany Khan , a spokeswoman for the union , told HuffPost she has received roughly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PST from angry Sanders supporters , who found her contact information online .
Some of the callers made hateful remarks about the gender and heritage of union members , who are largely female and from immigrant communities .
Wednesday afternoon , the union went public with its dismay at the reaction to its voter education program .
In a statement , union President Geoconda Argüello-Kline defended the flyer on the grounds that it simply articulated the union ’ s investment in a health care plan that its members “ have built , sacrificed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 years , 4 months , and 10 days to protect.
” “ It ’ s disappointing that Senator Sanders ’ supporters have viciously attacked the Culinary Union and working families in Nevada simply because our union has provided facts on what certain healthcare proposals might do to take away the system of care we have built over 8 decades , ” Argüello-Kline said .
“ We have always stood up for what we believe in and will continue to do so , ” she added .
“ The Culinary Union has faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to break our union , and even the President of the United States Donald Trump ― and won.
” Even before Argüello-Kline ’ s comments , Sanders ’ s competitors sensed an opportunity with a union whose legendary turnout operation helped Nevada stay in the Democratic column in the 2016 presidential election .
On Wednesday morning , Buttigieg tweeted a not-so-subtle reminder to Nevada union members that his “ Medicare for All Who Want It ” plan protects “ union members ’ freedom to choose the coverage that ’ s best for them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Culinary Union ] and its members for fighting hard for themselves and their families , ” she tweeted .
“ Like them , I want to see every American get high-quality and affordable health care — and I ’ m committed to working with them to achieve that goal.
” Warren ’ s statement reflects the degree to which she has distanced herself from the Sanders plan since signing onto his legislation in 2017 and stating at the first Democratic presidential debate in June that she was “ with Bernie ” on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall , she broke her Medicare for All plan into two stages , promising to introduce the transition off of private coverage by her third year in office and only after passing a public option in a separate bill .
Sanders , by contrast , vows to introduce his Medicare for All bill , which transitions all Americans onto a single , public program over a four-year period , within weeks of taking office .
Warren ’ s decision to moderate the pace of her Medicare for All plan ’ s timeline ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constituencies like the Culinary Union ― has not yet made a difference in the polls .
She finished fourth in New Hampshire on Tuesday .
But it does appear to have won her slightly more favorable treatment from the Culinary Union .
While the union told its members that Sanders will “ end ” its health care plan and “ require ” Medicare for All , the union told members that Warren would “ replace Culinary Healthcare after 3-year transition or at the end of collective bargaining agreements .
”

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An influential Nevada labor union’s negative characterization of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s “Medicare for All” health care plan escalated into a political food fight on Wednesday after the union accused his supporters of “viciously” attacking the union and its members, and three of Sanders’s rivals expressed support for the union in the face of those complaints.
The controversy stems from the Culinary Workers Union’s warning on a voter education flyer distributed to its 60,000 members ― casino and hotel workers across Nevada ― that Sanders’s plan to enact single-payer health care would “end Culinary Healthcare,” as the union’s high-quality insurance is known. The message, first reported by The Nevada Independent on Tuesday night, reflects the concerns of union leaders about the fate of health care plans they fought for through decades of collective bargaining, as well as a determination to demonstrate their value to members in a “right-to-work” state where workers are not required to pay union dues. (Some critics suspected the flyer had more to do with the union’s ties to leading figures in the Democratic establishment, including former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.)
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The unfavorable voter education program is liable to hurt Sanders’s chances with an influential constituency ahead of the Nevada Democratic caucus on Feb. 22.
So Sanders supporters ― and proponents of Medicare for All more broadly ― treated it as a political attack. They immediately reacted with outrage, arguing that the flyers misrepresented Sanders’s plan, which promises more generous health care and the opportunity for unions to obtain new concessions at the bargaining table in exchange for the health care they earned through negotiation.
Some of those supporters directed their invective at the union with mean-spirited, profane and, at times, racist and sexist language, according to the union.
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Bethany Khan, a spokeswoman for the union, told HuffPost she has received roughly a dozen calls an hour since 6 a.m. PST from angry Sanders supporters, who found her contact information online. Some of the callers made hateful remarks about the gender and heritage of union members, who are largely female and from immigrant communities.
Khan shared with HuffPost one of the nastier emails the union received, claiming it was one of many the union had gotten that day. In it, a self-described Sanders supporter issued a vague threat of violence.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) celebrates his New Hampshire primary win on Tuesday. A Nevada union's negative portrayal of his health care plan sparked a verbal brawl on Wednesday. Jessica Rinaldi/Boston Globe/Getty Images
Wednesday afternoon, the union went public with its dismay at the reaction to its voter education program. In a statement, union President Geoconda Argüello-Kline defended the flyer on the grounds that it simply articulated the union’s investment in a health care plan that its members “have built, sacrificed for, and went on strike for 6 years, 4 months, and 10 days to protect.”
“It’s disappointing that Senator Sanders’ supporters have viciously attacked the Culinary Union and working families in Nevada simply because our union has provided facts on what certain healthcare proposals might do to take away the system of care we have built over 8 decades,” Argüello-Kline said.
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“We have always stood up for what we believe in and will continue to do so,” she added. “The Culinary Union has faced some of the toughest companies who wanted to break our union, and even the President of the United States Donald Trump ― and won.”
Even before Argüello-Kline’s comments, Sanders’s competitors sensed an opportunity with a union whose legendary turnout operation helped Nevada stay in the Democratic column in the 2016 presidential election. On Wednesday morning, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg tweeted a not-so-subtle reminder to Nevada union members that his “Medicare for All Who Want It” plan protects “union members’ freedom to choose the coverage that’s best for them.”
After Argüello-Kline’s public statement, though, the flood gates opened. Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and former Vice President Joe Biden all tweeted their support for the Culinary Workers Union’s members. (Buttigieg joined them on Thursday morning with a Twitter message of support in Spanish and English.)
Biden went first, tweeting that he stands “with the working men and women of [the Culinary Union] because supporting labor means supporting our unions.”
But the remarks from Warren, who has at once cast herself as a unity candidate and begun to more explicitly contrast herself with Sanders, were notable.
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“No one should attack [the Culinary Union] and its members for fighting hard for themselves and their families,” she tweeted. “Like them, I want to see every American get high-quality and affordable health care — and I’m committed to working with them to achieve that goal.”
Warren’s statement reflects the degree to which she has distanced herself from the Sanders plan since signing onto his legislation in 2017 and stating at the first Democratic presidential debate in June that she was “with Bernie” on Medicare for All.
Under pressure this fall, she broke her Medicare for All plan into two stages, promising to introduce the transition off of private coverage by her third year in office and only after passing a public option in a separate bill. Sanders, by contrast, vows to introduce his Medicare for All bill, which transitions all Americans onto a single, public program over a four-year period, within weeks of taking office.
Warren’s decision to moderate the pace of her Medicare for All plan’s timeline ― a deliberate effort to appeal to Democratic constituencies like the Culinary Union ― has not yet made a difference in the polls. She finished fourth in New Hampshire on Tuesday.
But it does appear to have won her slightly more favorable treatment from the Culinary Union. While the union told its members that Sanders will “end” its health care plan and “require” Medicare for All, the union told members that Warren would “replace Culinary Healthcare after 3-year transition or at the end of collective bargaining agreements.”
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Sanders responded to the dust-up on Thursday with a tweet of support for the Culinary Union in its fight for a “fair contract” for workers it represents at Valley Hospital in Las Vegas. The message did not directly address the scuffle over health care, but the implication was clear: Sanders’ long history of standing with unions locked in contentious organizing and contract fights is a better indication of his solidarity with Culinary members than any disagreement over policy.
The most recent poll conducted in Nevada shows Biden with a modest lead. But the state has not been surveyed since mid-January, and Sanders enjoys new momentum after a narrow win in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday that sealed his status as a front-runner in a crowded field.
It is unclear whether complaints about the conduct of Sanders’s base of supporters will resonate in Nevada. Sanders instructed his supporters to engage rivals with civility shortly after launching his second presidential bid in February 2019, though complaints have surfaced about some of his partisans’ vitriol on social media again this election cycle.
His supporters counter that the Vermont senator’s establishment critics exaggerate the extent of noxious behavior in their ranks in an effort to discredit Sanders and his policies.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--GOP Group Targets Donald Trump With 'Roger Stone Shouldn't Be Above The Law' Ad

Conservative group Republicans for the Rule of Law hits President Donald Trump with a legal reminder in its latest attack @ @ @ @ @ released online by the anti-Trump group on Wednesday , calls out the president for vociferously @ @ @ @ @ of his longtime ally Roger Stone to serve between seven and nine years behind bars @ @ @ @ @ a slew of charges stemming from former special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation @ @ @ @ @ clip ― titled “ Roger Stone shouldn ’ t be above the law ” ― @ @ @ @ @ Barr subsequently intervened to reduce Stone ’ s recommended sentence , prompting the four prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ resign .
“ The criminal justice system shouldn ’ t depend on being friends with @ @ @ @ @ narrator concludes .
“ The law must apply the same to everyone.
” The group @ @ @ @ @ ’ s firing of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman , who was a witness in the @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Ukraine misconduct , with this ad that aired on Fox News :

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Conservative group Republicans for the Rule of Law hits President Donald Trump with a legal reminder in its latest attack ad.
The spot, released online by the anti-Trump group on Wednesday, calls out the president for vociferously complaining about the sentencing recommendation of his longtime ally Roger Stone to serve between seven and nine years behind bars following his felony convictions on a slew of charges stemming from former special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
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The voiceover in the clip ― titled “Roger Stone shouldn’t be above the law” ― notes how Attorney General William Barr subsequently intervened to reduce Stone’s recommended sentence, prompting the four prosecutors who ran the case to resign.
“The criminal justice system shouldn’t depend on being friends with the president,” the narrator concludes. “The law must apply the same to everyone.”
Check out the ad here:
The group earlier this week criticized Trump’s firing of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who was a witness in the House impeachment investigation into Trump’s Ukraine misconduct, with this ad that aired on Fox News:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-12--Mike Bloomberg Once Blamed End Of 'Redlining' For 2008 Economic Collapse

“ It all started back when there was a lot of pressure on banks to make loans to everyone , ” Bloomberg , now a Democratic presidential candidate , said at a forum that was hosted by Georgetown University in September 2008 .
“ Redlining , if you remember , was the term where banks took whole neighborhoods and said , ‘ People in these neighborhoods are poor , they ’ re not going to be able to pay off their mortgages , tell your salesmen don ’ t go into those areas.
’ ” He continued : “ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials , as well ― and said , ‘ Oh that ’ s not fair , these people should be able to get credit.
’ And once you started pushing in that direction , banks started making more and more loans where the credit of the person buying the house wasn ’ t as good as you would like.
” Bloomberg , a billionaire who built a media and financial services empire before turning to electoral politics , was correct that the financial crisis was triggered in part by banks extending loans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But by attributing the meltdown to the elimination of redlining , a practice used by banks to discriminate against minority borrowers , Bloomberg appears to be blaming policies intended to bring equality to the housing market .
“ It ’ s been well documented that the 2008 crash was caused by unethical , predatory lending that deliberately targeted communities of color , ” said Debra Gore-Mann , president and CEO of the Greenlining Institute , a nonprofit that works for racial and economic justice .
“ People of color were sold trick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push them into foreclosure .
Our communities of color and low income communities were the victims of the crash , not the cause.
” The campaign also pointed to efforts by Bloomberg ’ s private philanthropy to help other cities craft policies that will help reduce evictions .
He promised in a January speech to do a version of the very thing he criticized in 2008 : Ask lenders to update their credit-scoring models , “ because millions of black households don ’ t have a credit score which is needed to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published , Loeser added : “ He ’ s saying that something bad - the financial crisis - followed something good , which is the fight against redlining that he was part of as Mayor.
” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren ’ s work as a professor and attorney has been devoted to the study of bankruptcy and the disastrous impact it has on the financial well-being of families .
As a young Delaware senator , Joe Biden held hearings on unfair lending practices and sponsored legislation to ban discrimination in lending and crack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although he has since apologized for his support for the policy , in the recording Bloomberg said that “ 95 % ” of murders and murder victims are young male minorities and that “ you can just take the description , Xerox it and pass it out to all the cops.
” To combat crime , he said , “ put a lot of cops where the crime is , which means in minority neighborhoods.
” Bloomberg ’ s resurfaced comments about redlining come as he ’ s in the midst of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part is focused on building relationships with black voters who are the backbone of the Democratic Party .
On Thursday , he plans to launch “ Mike for Black America ” Speaking to reporters in Tennessee on Wednesday , he refused to directly apologize for the 2015 comments .
In response to repeated questions , he said , “ I don ’ t think those words reflect how I led the most diverse city in the nation.
” “ I apologized for the practice and the pain that it caused , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago .
And , you know , it ’ s just not the way that I think , and it doesn ’ t reflect what I do every day .
”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — At the height of the 2008 economic collapse, then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the elimination of a discriminatory housing practice known as “redlining” was responsible for instigating the meltdown.
“It all started back when there was a lot of pressure on banks to make loans to everyone,” Bloomberg, now a Democratic presidential candidate, said at a forum that was hosted by Georgetown University in September 2008. “Redlining, if you remember, was the term where banks took whole neighborhoods and said, ‘People in these neighborhoods are poor, they’re not going to be able to pay off their mortgages, tell your salesmen don’t go into those areas.’”
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He continued: “And then Congress got involved ― local elected officials, as well ― and said, ‘Oh that’s not fair, these people should be able to get credit.’ And once you started pushing in that direction, banks started making more and more loans where the credit of the person buying the house wasn’t as good as you would like.”
Bloomberg, a billionaire who built a media and financial services empire before turning to electoral politics, was correct that the financial crisis was triggered in part by banks extending loans to borrowers who were ill-suited to repay them. But by attributing the meltdown to the elimination of redlining, a practice used by banks to discriminate against minority borrowers, Bloomberg appears to be blaming policies intended to bring equality to the housing market.
The term redlining comes from the “red lines” those in the financial industry would draw on a map to denote areas deemed ineligible for credit, frequently based on race.
“It’s been well documented that the 2008 crash was caused by unethical, predatory lending that deliberately targeted communities of color,” said Debra Gore-Mann, president and CEO of the Greenlining Institute, a nonprofit that works for racial and economic justice. “People of color were sold trick loans with exploding interest rates designed to push them into foreclosure. Our communities of color and low income communities were the victims of the crash, not the cause.”
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Campaign spokesman Stu Loeser said that Bloomberg “attacked predatory lending” as mayor and, if elected president, has a plan to “help a million more Black families buy a house, and counteract the effects of redlining and the subprime mortgage crisis.”
The campaign also pointed to efforts by Bloomberg’s private philanthropy to help other cities craft policies that will help reduce evictions. He promised in a January speech to do a version of the very thing he criticized in 2008: Ask lenders to update their credit-scoring models, “because millions of black households don’t have a credit score which is needed to get a mortgage.”
After this story was published, Loeser added: “He’s saying that something bad - the financial crisis - followed something good, which is the fight against redlining that he was part of as Mayor.”
Bloomberg’s 2008 remarks stand in contrast with the decadeslong positions some of his rivals have held.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s work as a professor and attorney has been devoted to the study of bankruptcy and the disastrous impact it has on the financial well-being of families. As a young Delaware senator, Joe Biden held hearings on unfair lending practices and sponsored legislation to ban discrimination in lending and crack down on industry figures who did.
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The remarks are the latest instance of past comments by Bloomberg that have resurfaced in recent days that make him appear racially insensitive.
On Tuesday, an audio recording ricocheted around social media of the then-mayor defending his police department’s use of the controversial “stop-and-frisk” tactic during a 2015 appearance at the Aspen Institute.
Under the program, New York City police officers made it a routine practice to stop and search multitudes of mostly black and Hispanic men to see if they were carrying weapons.
Although he has since apologized for his support for the policy, in the recording Bloomberg said that “95%” of murders and murder victims are young male minorities and that “you can just take the description, Xerox it and pass it out to all the cops.” To combat crime, he said, “put a lot of cops where the crime is, which means in minority neighborhoods.”
Bloomberg’s resurfaced comments about redlining come as he’s in the midst of a two-day tour of the South that in part is focused on building relationships with black voters who are the backbone of the Democratic Party. On Thursday, he plans to launch “Mike for Black America”
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Speaking to reporters in Tennessee on Wednesday, he refused to directly apologize for the 2015 comments. In response to repeated questions, he said, “I don’t think those words reflect how I led the most diverse city in the nation.”
“I apologized for the practice and the pain that it caused,” he said Wednesday. “It was five years ago. And, you know, it’s just not the way that I think, and it doesn’t reflect what I do every day.”
Introducing Bloomberg at an event in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Dr. Elenora Woods, president of the city’s NAACP chapter, said he would be a tireless fighter for economic justice for black Americans.
“Look, I know what racism looks like. I know what it looks like, and that’s not Mike Bloomberg,” she said.
___
Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe in Washington and Kathleen Ronayne in Chattanooga, Tenn., contributed to this report.
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___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--Don Lemon Exposes The Chilling Lesson Donald Trump Learned From His Acquittal

Don Lemon on Wednesday night revealed what he believes President Donald Trump took away from the GOP-controlled Senate ’ s @ @ @ @ @ impeachment charges .
The “ emboldened ” president has in the week since his acquittal @ @ @ @ @ own party who dared to cross him , fired impeachment witnesses who dared to tell @ @ @ @ @ and is now “ congratulating his ever-enabling Attorney General ” William Barr for “ smacking @ @ @ @ @ dared to recommend Trump ally Roger Stone should spend up to nine years in prison @ @ @ @ @

Don Lemon on Wednesday night revealed what he believes President Donald Trump took away from the GOP-controlled Senate’s vote to acquit him on impeachment charges.
The “emboldened” president has in the week since his acquittal “blasted members of his own party who dared to cross him, fired impeachment witnesses who dared to tell the truth under oath” and is now “congratulating his ever-enabling Attorney General” William Barr for “smacking down four career prosecutors who dared to recommend Trump ally Roger Stone should spend up to nine years in prison,” Lemon said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--Conservative Columnist Sounds The Alarm About Donald Trump's Post-Acquittal Era

Max Boot , a conservative columnist for The Washington Post , on Wednesday described Donald Trump as “ unchained and unhinged ” as he analyzed the fallout from the president ’ s acquittal on impeachment charges .
Trump “ has really been emboldened by that acquittal after the sham trial that the Senate Republicans put on , he basically sees it as a license to do anything that he wants to do , ” the political pundit told CNN ’ s Don Lemon .
Boot labeled Trump ’ s actions in the week since his acquittal ― including “ seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ trying to protect Roger Stone for lying under oath ” ― as “ really banana republic stuff.
” “ This is not something I ’ d ever thought we ’ d see in the United States of America , but we see it here and what ’ s really alarming is we ’ re not alarmed enough , ” he continued .
“ Senate Republicans , they don ’ t care .
They ’ re just pretending it ’ s not going on , they ’ re pretending this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal , ” warned Boot , who left the Republican Party in protest of Trump following the 2016 election .
“ This is truly a mayday moment for our democracy , ” he added .
`` President Trump is unchained and unhinged , '' says Washington Post columnist Max Boot .
`` He has really been emboldened by that acquittal after the sham trial that the Senate Republicans put on . ''
https : //t.co/1YHZIYIHLK pic.twitter.com/L8hk21eLNW — CNN Tonight ( @ CNNTonight ) February 13 , 2020

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Max Boot, a conservative columnist for The Washington Post, on Wednesday described Donald Trump as “unchained and unhinged” as he analyzed the fallout from the president’s acquittal on impeachment charges.
Trump “has really been emboldened by that acquittal after the sham trial that the Senate Republicans put on, he basically sees it as a license to do anything that he wants to do,” the political pundit told CNN’s Don Lemon.
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Boot labeled Trump’s actions in the week since his acquittal ― including “seeking retribution against his real and perceived enemies” and “trying to protect Roger Stone for lying under oath” ― as “really banana republic stuff.”
“This is not something I’d ever thought we’d see in the United States of America, but we see it here and what’s really alarming is we’re not alarmed enough,” he continued. “Senate Republicans, they don’t care. They’re just pretending it’s not going on, they’re pretending this is perfectly normal.”
“This is not normal,” warned Boot, who left the Republican Party in protest of Trump following the 2016 election.
“This is truly a mayday moment for our democracy,” he added.
Check out the full clip here:
"President Trump is unchained and unhinged," says Washington Post columnist Max Boot. "He has really been emboldened by that acquittal after the sham trial that the Senate Republicans put on." https://t.co/1YHZIYIHLK pic.twitter.com/L8hk21eLNW — CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) February 13, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-12--Air Force Solidifies Approval Process For Religious Beards, Turbans, Hijabs

The Air Force ’ s updated dress and personal appearance policy clarifies the grooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans , hijabs and beards for religious reasons .
It also outlines the process to request these exemptions , sets timelines for management to respond , and ensures that the approvals will follow someone throughout his or her career in the Air Force .
Muslim , Sikh and pagan members of the Air Force have individually requested and received waivers for religious apparel and beards in recent years , but this is the first time the guidelines and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Sikh Coalition , an advocacy group that has pushed for changes to the Air Force ’ s dress and appearance policy , commended the move .
Giselle Klapper , a Sikh Coalition staff attorney , said her group has long been seeking a blanket proclamation that all Sikh Americans who wear turbans and beards as part of their faith can serve in every branch of the military without seeking individual accommodations .
Still , she called the policy clarification a “ great step forward.
” Gurchetan Singh recites the oath of enlistment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Camp Murray in Washington state .
Singh is the first Sikh to enlist in the Air National Guard with a religious accommodation wavier that allows him to serve and still practice key elements of his religion .
Beards can ’ t exceed two inches ― if they do , they must be “ rolled and/or tied ” to achieve the required length , the regulations state .
Hijabs , turbans and under-turbans ( also known as patkas ) should be free of designs and made of a “ subdued material ” in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uniform .
Religious head coverings are also required to be free of designs or markings unless the individual ’ s uniform has a camouflage pattern .
The updated regulations mandate that faith-based religious apparel requests can only be denied for a “ compelling government interest ” and the denial must be the “ least restrictive ” way the Air Force has of achieving that government interest .
Under certain conditions , commanding officers can order the removal of turbans or hijabs to keep service members safe , the regulations state — for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet of an operating aircraft .
In the event of a chemical , biological , radiological , nuclear or explosive threat , commanding officers could also ask someone wearing a hijab to remove it to ensure a proper gas mask fit .
“ Thousands of American Muslims and members of other minority faiths serve in our nation ’ s military and should be able to practice their faith while serving , ” CAIR ’ s spokesperson Ibrahim Hooper said in a statement .
Gurchetan Singh said that he believes the Air Force ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Sikh Americans to serve while maintaining their articles of faith .
Singh was born in India and followed his father , an asylee , to the U.S. in 2012 .
Singh wanted to serve in the U.S. military to defend the country that had taken his family in , according to the Sikh Coalition .
The advocacy group submitted a religious accommodation request for Singh in April 2019 .
It was approved in September , which means Singh will soon head to basic training .
“ Accommodations , after all , aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are about ensuring that religiously observant Sikhs and others don ’ t have to choose between staying true to our faith and serving our country , ” he said .

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The U.S. Air Force issued new guidelines on Friday giving members who wear religious apparel a way to serve the country without compromising their faith.
The Air Force’s updated dress and personal appearance policy clarifies the grooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. It also outlines the process to request these exemptions, sets timelines for management to respond, and ensures that the approvals will follow someone throughout his or her career in the Air Force.
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Muslim, Sikh and pagan members of the Air Force have individually requested and received waivers for religious apparel and beards in recent years, but this is the first time the guidelines and the accompanying approval process are being standardized.
The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group that has pushed for changes to the Air Force’s dress and appearance policy, commended the move. Giselle Klapper, a Sikh Coalition staff attorney, said her group has long been seeking a blanket proclamation that all Sikh Americans who wear turbans and beards as part of their faith can serve in every branch of the military without seeking individual accommodations. Still, she called the policy clarification a “great step forward.”
“No Sikh American should have to choose between their religious beliefs and their career ambitions,” Klapper said in a statement Wednesday.
Gurchetan Singh recites the oath of enlistment on Sept. 27, 2019, at Camp Murray in Washington state. Singh is the first Sikh to enlist in the Air National Guard with a religious accommodation wavier that allows him to serve and still practice key elements of his religion. Master Sgt. Tim Chacon/Air National Guard
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The updated policy requires religious apparel to be “neat and conservative” and not impede an individual’s ability to perform assigned military duties or wear protective equipment.
Beards can’t exceed two inches ― if they do, they must be “rolled and/or tied” to achieve the required length, the regulations state. Hijabs, turbans and under-turbans (also known as patkas) should be free of designs and made of a “subdued material” in a color that closely resembles one’s uniform. Religious head coverings are also required to be free of designs or markings unless the individual’s uniform has a camouflage pattern.
The updated regulations mandate that faith-based religious apparel requests can only be denied for a “compelling government interest” and the denial must be the “least restrictive” way the Air Force has of achieving that government interest.
Under certain conditions, commanding officers can order the removal of turbans or hijabs to keep service members safe, the regulations state — for example, while someone is walking within 25 feet of an operating aircraft. In the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive threat, commanding officers could also ask someone wearing a hijab to remove it to ensure a proper gas mask fit.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the policy change.
“Thousands of American Muslims and members of other minority faiths serve in our nation’s military and should be able to practice their faith while serving,” CAIR’s spokesperson Ibrahim Hooper said in a statement.
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In 2017, the U.S. Army officially updated its dress and appearance standards to accommodate hijabs, turbans and beards.
Gurchetan Singh said that he believes the Air Force’s policy update will make it easier for Sikh Americans to serve while maintaining their articles of faith. Courtesy of The Sikh Coalition
Gurchetan Singh, the first Sikh American to secure a religious accommodation to serve in the Air National Guard, said Wednesday that he’s grateful for the Air Force’s policy change.
Singh was born in India and followed his father, an asylee, to the U.S. in 2012. Singh wanted to serve in the U.S. military to defend the country that had taken his family in, according to the Sikh Coalition. The advocacy group submitted a religious accommodation request for Singh in April 2019. It was approved in September, which means Singh will soon head to basic training.
Singh said that he believes the Air Force’s policy update will make it easier for Sikh Americans to serve while maintaining their articles of faith.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-12--California Lawmaker Pushing To Take PG&E Public Knows It Won't Be An Easy Fight

At a breakfast in San Francisco hosted by Axios and sponsored by JPMorgan Chase on Wednesday , Wiener argued for the government ’ s takeover of the major energy company .
He introduced a bill last week to make PG & E a public utility , noting in a news release that it had imposed massive blackouts in the region last year in an effort to prevent blazes and its malfunctioning equipment had caused deadly wildfires .
“ When people push back and say , ‘ Woah , can we do this ?
’ Well , PG & E is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that going for people ?
” Wiener said Wednesday .
The progressive state senator described PG & E as a “ failed company ” that was focused on its “ bottom line and shareholder returns ” to the detriment of “ basic infrastructure maintenance.
” “ It ’ s not going to get better , ” Wiener said , noting that there were several publicly owned power providers in the state , including in Los Angeles .
“ We should focus on affordability and take the profit motive out .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event , Wiener told HuffPost that his bill will likely be a tough sell to the broader public and other legislators .
“ This bill is a very , very hard bill , ” Wiener said .
“ And I can not say with any degree of confidence that it ’ s going to move forward or pass.
” He added that the support of Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) in this effort will be key , since the governor ’ s “ opinion matters a lot.
” While Newsom has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support Wiener ’ s legislation , the governor has previously threatened a public takeover if the company doesn ’ t make changes .
( Newsom ’ s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment . )
PG & E ’ s malfunctioning equipment has been linked to several fires in California in recent years , including the state ’ s deadliest-ever blaze , the Camp fire , which killed 85 people and turned nearly the entire town of Paradise to ash in 2018 .
The company then spurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to more than 2 million people in Northern California in an attempt to prevent further fires .
The company ’ s energy unit declared bankruptcy in January 2019 amid lawsuits from wildfire victims .
Newsom has repeatedly slammed PG & E for its history of prioritizing profits over public safety , saying the power cuts were an attempt to solve a problem of its own making .
PG & E told HuffPost Wednesday that proposals for public ownership of the company “ are not new concepts ” and that the company “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcomes of this type of framework will benefit customers , taxpayers , local communities , the state or our economy.
” Other California lawmakers and elected officials have expressed support of public ownership of electric utilities in the past year .
Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna ( D-Calif. ) , as well as nearly two dozen mayors across Northern California , have called for a public takeover of PG & E .
But California voters don ’ t seem so sure .
In a December poll of likely voters by the University of California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 35 % of voters said PG & E should remain investor owned , 37 % were for a government-run model and 28 % had no opinion .
Wiener said that the polling shows that “ a lot of people are not sure what to do about PG & E. ” “ There ’ s an openness to public ownership , ” Wiener said , noting it ’ s a “ confusing issue.
” “ A lot of people are hesitant , because they just don ’ t know the right approach — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not working .
”

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SAN FRANCISCO — California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) is pushing legislation to turn Northern California’s Pacific Gas & Electric company into a publicly owned utility — but acknowledged such a bill will be hard to pass.
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“When people push back and say, ‘Woah, can we do this?’ Well, PG&E is an investor-owned utility — how’s that going for people?” Wiener said Wednesday.
The progressive state senator described PG&E as a “failed company” that was focused on its “bottom line and shareholder returns” to the detriment of “basic infrastructure maintenance.”
“It’s not going to get better,” Wiener said, noting that there were several publicly owned power providers in the state, including in Los Angeles. “We should focus on affordability and take the profit motive out. It’s time for radical change.”
After the event, Wiener told HuffPost that his bill will likely be a tough sell to the broader public and other legislators.
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“This bill is a very, very hard bill,” Wiener said. “And I cannot say with any degree of confidence that it’s going to move forward or pass.”
He added that the support of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in this effort will be key, since the governor’s “opinion matters a lot.” While Newsom has yet to say whether he’d support Wiener’s legislation, the governor has previously threatened a public takeover if the company doesn’t make changes. (Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.)
.@Scott_Wiener: I think housing politics are like climate change and gun safety politics...the people get it. The public understands we need more housing...but it has not trickled up. #Axios360 pic.twitter.com/Iss5lJWBUi — Axios (@axios) February 12, 2020
PG&E’s malfunctioning equipment has been linked to several fires in California in recent years, including the state’s deadliest-ever blaze, the Camp fire, which killed 85 people and turned nearly the entire town of Paradise to ash in 2018. The company then spurred outrage late last year after it cut power to more than 2 million people in Northern California in an attempt to prevent further fires. The company’s energy unit declared bankruptcy in January 2019 amid lawsuits from wildfire victims.
Newsom has repeatedly slammed PG&E for its history of prioritizing profits over public safety, saying the power cuts were an attempt to solve a problem of its own making.
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PG&E told HuffPost Wednesday that proposals for public ownership of the company “are not new concepts” and that the company “[does not] agree that the outcomes of this type of framework will benefit customers, taxpayers, local communities, the state or our economy.”
Other California lawmakers and elected officials have expressed support of public ownership of electric utilities in the past year. Progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), as well as nearly two dozen mayors across Northern California, have called for a public takeover of PG&E.
But California voters don’t seem so sure. In a December poll of likely voters by the University of California, Berkeley for the Los Angeles Times, 35% of voters said PG&E should remain investor owned, 37% were for a government-run model and 28% had no opinion.
Wiener said that the polling shows that “a lot of people are not sure what to do about PG&E.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--Michael Bloomberg Quietly Rejoined Clubs That Largely Exclude Women, Minorities

When Michael Bloomberg was on the verge of running for mayor of New York City in 2001 , he quietly resigned from several elite social clubs that primarily or exclusively counted white people ― and often only men ― among their members .
But once the spotlight of public office was off Bloomberg , he began rejoining some of these clubs .
The New York Post ’ s PageSix section noted in 2014 that Bloomberg had rejoined the Century Club , a predominantly white club in Purchase , New York .
He also put his children up for membership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , HuffPost has learned Bloomberg also rejoined The Brook club — an elite , secretive social club in midtown Manhattan .
It ’ s difficult to even come by a picture of the inside of the club , and often the only way to discern members is when they list it in their obituary .
It has been widely reported to be a men ’ s-only club , including when Bloomberg resigned in 2001 .
As long as The Brook and similar clubs keep their membership under 400 , they are able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several press reports have noted the club does allow women in for special events , however .
A man who answered the phone at The Brook on Thursday told HuffPost that the club is not an all-male organization , but did not elaborate .
“ My understanding is also that The Brook club has female members and people of color as members today , at some point in the past they were male only , ” Stu Loeser , a campaign spokesman for Bloomberg , told HuffPost Wednesday .
Bloomberg ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is reflective of the elite world that he ’ s inhabited for most of his life .
The businessman , whose estimated net worth is around $ 53 billion , has refused any campaign contributions ― spending over $ 300 million of his own money on his campaign since entering the presidential race in November .
Critics and fellow candidates alike have questioned if the billionaire media mogul will be able to assemble a broad and diverse coalition of voters to deliver him the Democratic nomination .
Loeser also confirmed Bloomberg is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Century Country Club was founded by Jewish men in the mid-1800s , and has a similar air of exclusivity .
The club does accept female members , but the majority of its members are white .
In 2001 , Arthur Levitt , a former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission and fellow member of the Century Country Club , where he was Bloomberg ’ s golf partner , told The New York Times that “ I think there are probably a limited number of non-Jewish members.
” “ I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I have no idea whether they are members or not , ” he continued .
“ Somebody told me there was a Black member , but you could hardly say there was lavish representation of the Black or Hispanic community at Century , or any other club , for that matter.
” At the time he quit the Century Country Club , The Brook and the two others ― the Racquet and Tennis Club and the Harmonie Club ― Bloomberg said they were not diverse enough for him to keep his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ membership committees of the clubs to consider as many different applicants as they possibly can and to take an active stance in trying to make sure that they get as good a group of people as they can , but a diverse group of people , ” Bloomberg said at a news conference in July 2001 .
“ Those clubs have a right to do what they want , but if I can ’ t change them , and I choose to resign , then I have chosen to go elsewhere , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday that Bloomberg rejoined both the Century Country Club and The Brook after he left office in 2013 .
Loeser claimed that the Century Country Club has become more diverse since Bloomberg left his role as mayor .
“ After serving as mayor , Mike found that clubs which had been formed as much as a century ago by Jewish families had changed in recent decades , ” Loeser said of Bloomberg ’ s membership with the Century Country Club .
“ Just as families in the broader Jewish community had changed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more interracial and more interfaith.
” Bloomberg has come under fire for the controversial “ stop and frisk ” crime prevention strategy commonly practiced while he was mayor of New York City .
The strategy has been widely criticized as racially discriminatory .
Earlier this week , an audio clip from 2015 resurfaced of Bloomberg defending stop and frisk in which he says “ all the crime ” can be found in minority neighborhoods .

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When Michael Bloomberg was on the verge of running for mayor of New York City in 2001, he quietly resigned from several elite social clubs that primarily or exclusively counted white people ― and often only men ― among their members.
But once the spotlight of public office was off Bloomberg, he began rejoining some of these clubs. The New York Post’s PageSix section noted in 2014 that Bloomberg had rejoined the Century Club, a predominantly white club in Purchase, New York. He also put his children up for membership, the Post reported at the time.
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Now, HuffPost has learned Bloomberg also rejoined The Brook club — an elite, secretive social club in midtown Manhattan. It’s difficult to even come by a picture of the inside of the club, and often the only way to discern members is when they list it in their obituary. It has been widely reported to be a men’s-only club, including when Bloomberg resigned in 2001.
As long as The Brook and similar clubs keep their membership under 400, they are able to avoid nondiscrimination laws and bar women. Several press reports have noted the club does allow women in for special events, however. A man who answered the phone at The Brook on Thursday told HuffPost that the club is not an all-male organization, but did not elaborate.
“My understanding is also that The Brook club has female members and people of color as members today, at some point in the past they were male only,” Stu Loeser, a campaign spokesman for Bloomberg, told HuffPost Wednesday.
Democratic presidential candidate and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks at a campaign stop at Eastern Market in Detroit, Michigan, on Feb. 4, 2020. JEFF KOWALSKY via Getty Images
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Bloomberg’s memberships to social clubs like The Brook is reflective of the elite world that he’s inhabited for most of his life. The businessman, whose estimated net worth is around $53 billion, has refused any campaign contributions ― spending over $300 million of his own money on his campaign since entering the presidential race in November. Critics and fellow candidates alike have questioned if the billionaire media mogul will be able to assemble a broad and diverse coalition of voters to deliver him the Democratic nomination.
Loeser also confirmed Bloomberg is still a member at the Century Country Club. The Century Country Club was founded by Jewish men in the mid-1800s, and has a similar air of exclusivity. The club does accept female members, but the majority of its members are white.
In 2001, Arthur Levitt, a former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission and fellow member of the Century Country Club, where he was Bloomberg’s golf partner, told The New York Times that “I think there are probably a limited number of non-Jewish members.”
“I have seen Blacks and I have seen Hispanics, but I have no idea whether they are members or not,” he continued. “Somebody told me there was a Black member, but you could hardly say there was lavish representation of the Black or Hispanic community at Century, or any other club, for that matter.”
At the time he quit the Century Country Club, The Brook and the two others ― the Racquet and Tennis Club and the Harmonie Club ― Bloomberg said they were not diverse enough for him to keep his membership.
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“I have urged the membership committees of the clubs to consider as many different applicants as they possibly can and to take an active stance in trying to make sure that they get as good a group of people as they can, but a diverse group of people,” Bloomberg said at a news conference in July 2001.
“Those clubs have a right to do what they want, but if I can’t change them, and I choose to resign, then I have chosen to go elsewhere,” he added.
Loeser told HuffPost on Wednesday that Bloomberg rejoined both the Century Country Club and The Brook after he left office in 2013. Loeser claimed that the Century Country Club has become more diverse since Bloomberg left his role as mayor.
“After serving as mayor, Mike found that clubs which had been formed as much as a century ago by Jewish families had changed in recent decades,” Loeser said of Bloomberg’s membership with the Century Country Club. “Just as families in the broader Jewish community had changed over time, the clubs had become far more interracial and more interfaith.”
The Century Country Club did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Bloomberg has come under fire for the controversial “stop and frisk” crime prevention strategy commonly practiced while he was mayor of New York City. The strategy has been widely criticized as racially discriminatory. Earlier this week, an audio clip from 2015 resurfaced of Bloomberg defending stop and frisk in which he says “all the crime” can be found in minority neighborhoods.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--Trump Blasts Jury Member, Justice Department Over Roger Stone Trial

President Donald Trump once again tried to cast doubt on the Department of Justice and the legitimacy of his former adviser Roger Stone ’ s criminal trial , this time by targeting a juror who publicly spoke out in support of the federal prosecutors .
Trump , tweeting on Thursday , suggested that past anti-Trump sentiments that appear to have been made on social media by Tomeka Hart are proof of “ significant bias.
” On Wednesday , Hart had identified herself as the jury foreperson in Stone ’ s trial .
“ Add that to everything else , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not looking good for the ‘ Justice ’ Department.
” Now it looks like the fore person in the jury , in the Roger Stone case , had significant bias .
Add that to everything else , and this is not looking good for the “ Justice ” Department .
@ foxandfriends @ FoxNews — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) February 13 , 2020 Trump ’ s remarks appeared to cite a Fox News report that detailed comments and retweets posted by an account listed as belonging to Hart , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tennessee , school board .
Some of the comments called Trump and his supporters racist .
The account also retweeted political articles , including stories about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation hearings and the legal fate of former Trump personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen , who was sentenced to three years in prison on tax fraud and lying charges .
Hart said she decided to publicly reveal her role in Stone ’ s trial to show support for the four prosecutors who abruptly quit as the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of seven to nine years in prison for Stone .
This happened in the hours after Trump slammed that recommendation as a “ miscarriage of justice ” on Twitter .
“ The prosecutors who have now resigned did a masterful job of laying out every element of every charge , backed with ample evidence .
As foreperson , I made sure we went through every element , of every charge , matching the evidence presented in the case that led us to return a conviction of guilty on all 7 counts , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by The Commercial Appeal , a Memphis paper .
“ It pains me to see the DOJ now interfere with the hard work of the prosecutors .
They acted with the utmost intelligence , integrity , and respect for our system of justice.
” A jury in November convicted Stone on all seven counts he faced , including obstructing an official proceeding , witness tampering and giving numerous false statements to lawmakers .
He is scheduled to be sentenced next week .
Stone exits a federal courthouse after his indictment on obstruction and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double V signal , usually used to symbolize victory or peace .
Trump ’ s decision to publicly weigh in on Stone ’ s sentencing has been widely lambasted not only by Senate Democrats but by the American Bar Association , which cautioned that the president ’ s move could threaten democracy and the rule of law .
“ The American Bar Association steadfastly supports judicial independence and the sound exercise of prosecutorial discretion , ” the ABA ’ s president said on Wednesday .
“ Public officials who personally attack judges or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system is serving a political or other purpose rather than the fair administration of justice .
”

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President Donald Trump once again tried to cast doubt on the Department of Justice and the legitimacy of his former adviser Roger Stone’s criminal trial, this time by targeting a juror who publicly spoke out in support of the federal prosecutors.
Trump, tweeting on Thursday, suggested that past anti-Trump sentiments that appear to have been made on social media by Tomeka Hart are proof of “significant bias.” On Wednesday, Hart had identified herself as the jury foreperson in Stone’s trial.
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“Add that to everything else,” the president wrote, “and this is not looking good for the ‘Justice’ Department.”
Now it looks like the fore person in the jury, in the Roger Stone case, had significant bias. Add that to everything else, and this is not looking good for the “Justice” Department. @foxandfriends @FoxNews — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 13, 2020
Trump’s remarks appeared to cite a Fox News report that detailed comments and retweets posted by an account listed as belonging to Hart, the former president of the Memphis City, Tennessee, school board.
Some of the comments called Trump and his supporters racist. The account also retweeted political articles, including stories about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings and the legal fate of former Trump personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison on tax fraud and lying charges.
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Hart said she decided to publicly reveal her role in Stone’s trial to show support for the four prosecutors who abruptly quit as the Justice Department moved to pull back their sentence recommendation of seven to nine years in prison for Stone. This happened in the hours after Trump slammed that recommendation as a “miscarriage of justice” on Twitter.
Trump has repeatedly tried to discredit the obstruction and witness tampering conviction of former adviser Roger Stone. Hoo-Me.com/MediaPunch/MediaPunch/IPx
“The prosecutors who have now resigned did a masterful job of laying out every element of every charge, backed with ample evidence. As foreperson, I made sure we went through every element, of every charge, matching the evidence presented in the case that led us to return a conviction of guilty on all 7 counts,” Hart wrote in a Facebook post reported by The Commercial Appeal, a Memphis paper. “It pains me to see the DOJ now interfere with the hard work of the prosecutors. They acted with the utmost intelligence, integrity, and respect for our system of justice.”
A jury in November convicted Stone on all seven counts he faced, including obstructing an official proceeding, witness tampering and giving numerous false statements to lawmakers. He is scheduled to be sentenced next week.
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Hart did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment on Thursday.
Stone exits a federal courthouse after his indictment on obstruction and lying to Congress. He flashes the double V signal, usually used to symbolize victory or peace. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trump’s decision to publicly weigh in on Stone’s sentencing has been widely lambasted not only by Senate Democrats but by the American Bar Association, which cautioned that the president’s move could threaten democracy and the rule of law.
“The American Bar Association steadfastly supports judicial independence and the sound exercise of prosecutorial discretion,” the ABA’s president said on Wednesday. “Public officials who personally attack judges or prosecutors can create a perception that the system is serving a political or other purpose rather than the fair administration of justice.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--With Impeachment Over, Critics See Trump 'Retribution Tour'

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — In the week since his acquittal on impeachment charges , a fully emboldened President Donald Trump is demonstrating his determination to assert an iron grip on government , pushing his Justice Department to ease up on a longtime friend while using the levers of presidential powers to exact payback on real and perceived foes .
Trump has told confidants in recent days that he felt both vindicated and strengthened by his acquittal in the Senate , believing Republicans have rallied around him in unprecedented fashion while voters were turned off by the political process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans close to the West Wing who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations .
Since then , Trump and his aides have moved with haste to clear his administration of those he sees as insufficiently loyal , reaching all the way back to the time of former special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
After Trump vented on Twitter this week about federal prosecutors recommending up to nine years in federal prison for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abruptly announced that it would reevaluate the recommended sentence .
Justice officials insisted the timing was coincidental ; they ’ d already been planning to pull the recommendation .
Stone was convicted in November of tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election .
The Justice Department move to back away from the sentencing recommendation prompted the four attorneys who prosecuted Stone to quit the case .
One left the Justice Department altogether .
In recent days , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department nomination away from a former Justice Department official who supervised the prosecutions of several of Trump advisers .
The administration also fired an EPA official who claims he was ousted because he was deemed too friendly with Democrats .
That came after White House officials last week told Vindman and his twin brother , also an Army officer who had been detailed to the White House National Security Council , that their services were no longer needed and that they would be reassigned to new duties by the Pentagon .
Security then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are witnessing a crisis in the rule of law in America — unlike one we have ever seen before , ” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday .
Schumer called for the Justice Department ’ s independent inspector general to probe the department ’ s action in the Stone case .
Later , House lawmakers announced Attorney General William Barr would come before them next month to answer questions .
He described the lesson he gleaned from being just the third president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats are crooked .
...
They ’ re vicious , they shouldn ’ t have brought impeachment and that my poll numbers are 10 points higher because of fake news.
” Trump said he did not order Justice Department officials to change Stone ’ s recommended sentence , though he claimed he would have had the “ absolute right to do it ” if he had wanted to .
He used Twitter early Wednesday to congratulate Barr “ for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president is entitled his opinion , and there would have been nothing wrong with the president picking up the phone , as I understand it , and talking to Justice , ” said Sen. John Kennedy , a Louisiana Republican .
“ But I think this is a situation where the tweet was very problematic.
” Early in his presidency , aides say , it took Trump an extraordinary measure of restraint to hold back on firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the months after he recused himself from the Russia investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his advisers and Republican allies not to dismiss the former Alabama senator until after the 2018 midterm elections .
But on the night of the election , as Republicans held onto the Senate but lost the House , Trump turned to those at a campaign party and said , simply , “ I ’ m doing it now.
” Sessions was asked to resign the next day .
Similarly , Trump knew that the likely outcome of his impeachment trial would be acquittal at the hands of the GOP-controlled Senate .
Reluctantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his aides and agreed to wait to retaliate for the probe , which he deemed a conspiracy conjured up by Democrats and the so-called Deep State , until the official verdict was reached .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — In the week since his acquittal on impeachment charges, a fully emboldened President Donald Trump is demonstrating his determination to assert an iron grip on government, pushing his Justice Department to ease up on a longtime friend while using the levers of presidential powers to exact payback on real and perceived foes.
Trump has told confidants in recent days that he felt both vindicated and strengthened by his acquittal in the Senate, believing Republicans have rallied around him in unprecedented fashion while voters were turned off by the political process, according to four White House officials and Republicans close to the West Wing who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.
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Since then, Trump and his aides have moved with haste to clear his administration of those he sees as insufficiently loyal, reaching all the way back to the time of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Democrats and outside analysts are raising red flags that Trump is exhibiting a post-impeachment thirst for vengeance that’s gone beyond bending norms and could potentially cause lasting damage to institutions.
Some Republican senators, including Tennessee’s Lamar Alexander, Maine’s Susan Collins and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, said they found Trump’s effort to pressure Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy inappropriate. But they also expressed hope following his acquittal that Trump had learned a lesson from the episode.
Murkowski acknowledged Wednesday that “there haven’t been very strong indicators this week that he has.”
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After Trump vented on Twitter this week about federal prosecutors recommending up to nine years in federal prison for his confidant Roger Stone, the Justice Department abruptly announced that it would reevaluate the recommended sentence. Justice officials insisted the timing was coincidental; they’d already been planning to pull the recommendation.
Stone was convicted in November of tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election. The Justice Department move to back away from the sentencing recommendation prompted the four attorneys who prosecuted Stone to quit the case. One left the Justice Department altogether.
In recent days, the White House has yanked a senior Treasury Department nomination away from a former Justice Department official who supervised the prosecutions of several of Trump advisers. The administration also fired an EPA official who claims he was ousted because he was deemed too friendly with Democrats.
Trump even suggested this week that the Pentagon investigate and potentially discipline former White House aide Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who provided damaging testimony about the president in the impeachment inquiry.
That came after White House officials last week told Vindman and his twin brother, also an Army officer who had been detailed to the White House National Security Council, that their services were no longer needed and that they would be reassigned to new duties by the Pentagon. Security then escorted the brothers off White House grounds.
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“We are witnessing a crisis in the rule of law in America — unlike one we have ever seen before,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday. Schumer called for the Justice Department’s independent inspector general to probe the department’s action in the Stone case. Later, House lawmakers announced Attorney General William Barr would come before them next month to answer questions.
Former Justice Department officials struggled to recall a precedent, describing it as norm-shattering turmoil that raises troubling questions about the apparent politicization of an agency meant to function independent of White House sway.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Michael Bromwich, a former federal prosecutor and Justice Department inspector general who has been representing former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe in a criminal investigation before the same U.S. attorney’s office.
President Donald Trump claimed victory in the impeachment trial after his acquittal. Evan Vucci/Associated Press
Trump turned testy during an Oval Office appearance when reporters asked him about interfering in the Stone case and whether he learned anything from his impeachment ordeal.
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He slammed the four prosecutors who recommended the stiff sentence for Stone and asserted they “ought to apologize for a lot of the people whose lives they’ve ruined.”
He described the lesson he gleaned from being just the third president to endure an impeachment trial: “Democrats are crooked. ... They’re vicious, they shouldn’t have brought impeachment and that my poll numbers are 10 points higher because of fake news.”
Trump said he did not order Justice Department officials to change Stone’s recommended sentence, though he claimed he would have had the “absolute right to do it” if he had wanted to. He used Twitter early Wednesday to congratulate Barr “for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not even been brought.”
As Democrats called for an investigation, several Republican lawmakers strained to defend Trump’s actions.
“Certainly the president is entitled his opinion, and there would have been nothing wrong with the president picking up the phone, as I understand it, and talking to Justice,” said Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican. “But I think this is a situation where the tweet was very problematic.”
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and Trump confidant, said he agreed the sentencing recommendation was excessive, but didn’t think the president should have tweeted about an ongoing case.
Throughout his presidency, Trump has shown he doesn’t like to wait for anything, let alone the end of a criminal case. But at moments, he has been willing to show restraint.
Early in his presidency, aides say, it took Trump an extraordinary measure of restraint to hold back on firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the months after he recused himself from the Russia investigation. The president reluctantly heeded the advice of his advisers and Republican allies not to dismiss the former Alabama senator until after the 2018 midterm elections.
But on the night of the election, as Republicans held onto the Senate but lost the House, Trump turned to those at a campaign party and said, simply, “I’m doing it now.” Sessions was asked to resign the next day.
Similarly, Trump knew that the likely outcome of his impeachment trial would be acquittal at the hands of the GOP-controlled Senate. Reluctantly, he acquiesced to the advice of his aides and agreed to wait to retaliate for the probe, which he deemed a conspiracy conjured up by Democrats and the so-called Deep State, until the official verdict was reached.
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Now, though, Trump is once again unleashed.
Some of his targets are far out of the public eye. Trump this week withdrew the nomination of Jessie Liu, a former U.S. attorney who oversaw federal prosecutions in the District of Columbia, for a senior Treasury Department post.
Liu had supervised the prosecution of several cases inherited from Mueller’s probe into Russian interference into the 2016 election. Among those prosecuted under Liu’s watch were Stone, 2016 deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Last week, a spokeswoman for former national security adviser John Bolton charged that the White House was “suppressing” the publication of Bolton’s memoir about his time in the Trump administration with invalid claims that the manuscript includes classified material.
Bolton, according to excerpts of the manuscript leaked to the media during the Senate impeachment trial, says Trump told him he was conditioning the release of military aid to Ukraine on whether its government would help investigate Joe Biden and his son.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, accused Trump of being on a “retribution tour” and suggested that Senate Republicans — with the exception of Utah’s Mitt Romney, who voted with Democrats to convict Trump on the abuse of power count — encouraged the president by turning a blind eye to his conduct.
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“It’s pretty clear the president of the United States did learn a lesson: the lesson he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, he can abuse his office, he’ll never ever be held accountable by this Senate,” Brown said. “
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-13--Hope Hicks To Return To White House As Senior Adviser

Hope Hicks , a former top aide to President Donald Trump , will return to the White House in a new role in the coming weeks .
She will serve as counselor to the president and senior adviser reporting to Jared Kushner , Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser , White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham confirmed to HuffPost .
Details are still being worked out , but Hicks is likely to start her new job early next month , Grisham said .
Hicks , 31 , served as White House communications director from September 2017 until her resignation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House , she took a job as the chief communications officer at Fox .
A day before announcing her departure in February 2018 , Hicks testified before a House committee investigating Russia ’ s meddling in the 2016 election that her job sometimes required her to tell “ white lies ” on behalf of the president .
But after reportedly consulting with her legal team for an extended period of time , she insisted she did not lie about any matters related to Russian interference .
President Donald Trump points to outgoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her last day before he boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington .
Hicks was one of Trump ’ s longest-serving and most trusted aides during her time in the White House .
She worked on his 2016 campaign and served as press secretary on his presidential transition team after he won the election .
She succeeded Anthony Scaramucci , who was famously fired as White House communications director after serving just 11 days in the role .
Former Fox News executive Bill Shine took over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replaced by Grisham in March 2019 when he left to advise Trump ’ s reelection campaign .
The Connecticut native ’ s first foray into Trump ’ s world began in 2014 when she joined the Trump Organization to help Ivanka Trump , the president ’ s eldest daughter and now-senior adviser at the White House , grow her fashion line .
Less than six months later , Trump appointed the then-26-year-old as his 2016 campaign ’ s press secretary .
“ Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement to The New York Times after she announced her resignation in 2018 .
“ She is as smart and thoughtful as they come , a truly great person , ” he said .
“ I will miss having her by my side , but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities I totally understood .
I am sure we will work together again in the future .
”

“Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years,” Trump said in a statement to The New York Times after she announced her resignation in 2018.
“She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person,” he said. “I will miss having her by my side, but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future.”