thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Ocasio-Cortez Lights Up Rep. Yoho For 'Apology' Over 'F**king Bitch' Insult

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to the House floor on Thursday to respond to comments made by Rep. Ted Yoho the day before in an attempted apology after he reportedly called her a “ fucking bitch ” earlier in the week .
The Florida Republican has repeatedly denied that he uttered vulgar language at the New York Democrat , which was overheard by a reporter for The Hill .
According to the outlet , Yoho accosted Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol on Tuesday , saying she was “ disgusting ” before making the “ fucking bitch ” comment once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor comments , Ocasio-Cortez said , “ When I was reflecting on this , I honestly just thought I was going to pack it up and go home ― it ’ s just another day .
But then yesterday , Rep. Yoho decided to come to the floor of the House of Representatives and make excuses for his behavior.
” Yoho had insisted Wednesday said that “ the offensive name-calling words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues , ” adding , “ and if they were construed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misunderstanding.
” Characterizing his confrontation with Ocasio-Cortez as a “ conversation ” instead of a verbal assault , he said , “ It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America , but that does not mean we should be disrespectful .
Having been married for 45 years with two daughters , I ’ m very cognizant of the language I use.
” Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday said she was fine with Yoho not being willing to honestly apologize for his actions , but she took exception to the way Yoho @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ What I do have an issue with is using women , our wives , our daughters as shields and excuses for poor behavior , ” she said .
“ Mr .
Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters .
I am two years younger than Mr. Yoho ’ s youngest daughter .
I am someone ’ s daughter , too.
” “ My father , thankfully , is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter .
My mother got to see Mr. Yoho ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards me on television .
And I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.
” Here is my full response regarding Mr. Yoho and the culture of misogyny that inspired his actions .
I am deeply appreciative of my colleagues and everyone speaking up and out against the rampant mistreatment of women both in Congress and across the country .
⬇ https : //t.co/nFfxy5UdmP — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( @ AOC ) July 23 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yoho did was give permission for men to use that language against his daughters .
“ Having a daughter does not make a man decent .
Having a wife does not make a decent man .
Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man.
” The congresswoman said the incident highlighted a culture of “ impunity ” that allows powerful men to make “ dehumanizing ” comments about women , even when they are their colleagues .
“ This kind of language is not new , ” Ocasio-Cortez said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have used language like Mr. Yoho ’ s .
”

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to the House floor on Thursday to respond to comments made by Rep. Ted Yoho the day before in an attempted apology after he reportedly called her a “fucking bitch” earlier in the week.
The Florida Republican has repeatedly denied that he uttered vulgar language at the New York Democrat, which was overheard by a reporter for The Hill. According to the outlet, Yoho accosted Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol on Tuesday, saying she was “disgusting” before making the “fucking bitch” comment once she had walked away.
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In her floor comments, Ocasio-Cortez said, “When I was reflecting on this, I honestly just thought I was going to pack it up and go home ― it’s just another day. But then yesterday, Rep. Yoho decided to come to the floor of the House of Representatives and make excuses for his behavior.”
Yoho had insisted Wednesday said that “the offensive name-calling words attributed to me by the press were never spoken to my colleagues,” adding, “and if they were construed that way, I apologize for their misunderstanding.”
Characterizing his confrontation with Ocasio-Cortez as a “conversation” instead of a verbal assault, he said, “It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America, but that does not mean we should be disrespectful. Having been married for 45 years with two daughters, I’m very cognizant of the language I use.”
Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday said she was fine with Yoho not being willing to honestly apologize for his actions, but she took exception to the way Yoho invoked his image as a family man.
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“What I do have an issue with is using women, our wives, our daughters as shields and excuses for poor behavior,” she said. “Mr. Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters. I am two years younger than Mr. Yoho’s youngest daughter. I am someone’s daughter, too.”
“My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho’s disrespect on the floor of this House towards me on television. And I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.”
Here is my full response regarding Mr. Yoho and the culture of misogyny that inspired his actions.
I am deeply appreciative of my colleagues and everyone speaking up and out against the rampant mistreatment of women both in Congress and across the country. ⬇ https://t.co/nFfxy5UdmP — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 23, 2020
She continued, “What Mr. Yoho did was give permission for men to use that language against his daughters. “Having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man.”
The congresswoman said the incident highlighted a culture of “impunity” that allows powerful men to make “dehumanizing” comments about women, even when they are their colleagues.
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“This kind of language is not new,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I have tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho’s.”
She added: “This is not new, and that is the problem.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Trump Cancels Jacksonville Portion Of Republican National Convention

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the portion of the Republican National Convention that had been scheduled to take place in Jacksonville , Florida , has been canceled over concerns about the coronavirus .
Trump said during a press briefing that “ it ’ s not the right time ” for such a large-scale event .
The president had earlier pushed for the convention to be held in Jacksonville after officials in North Carolina , the RNC ’ s original host , refused to relax social-distancing restrictions for the event .
Trump announces decision to cancel Jacksonville portion of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this event is not right … ( with ) the flare-up in Florida , to have a big convention , it 's not the right time .
It 's really something that for me , I have to protect the American people ” pic.twitter.com/TBnxOzQMPh — CNN Politics ( @ CNNPolitics ) July 23 , 2020 The GOP said last month that several of the RNC ’ s marquee events , including Trump ’ s speech , would be moved from Charlotte , North Carolina , to Jacksonville .
Tens of thousands of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that while the Jacksonville events would be canceled , delegates are still expected to gather in Charlotte on a single day in August to officially nominate the party ’ s candidates for president and vice president .
Trump added that he would deliver a convention speech “ in a different form , ” though he didn ’ t specify where or when that would occur .
He also said “ tele-rallies ” and other activities would be held in the days leading up to the RNC .
The Jacksonville news comes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to scale down convention events in the city — and days after Jacksonville officials expressed “ significant concerns with the viability of the event.
” “ I can not say with confidence that this event and our community will not be at risk , ” said Sheriff Mike Williams of Duval County , of which Jacksonville is the seat , in a statement Monday .
Williams stressed the inadequacy of the convention ’ s existing security plan and available resources .
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry , a long-serving GOP official , later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s assessment , saying he concurred with Williams ’ position that “ we are not prepared for this right now.
” The Republican Party of Duval County said in a statement Thursday that Trump had done “ what is best for the people of Jacksonville ” with his decision to cancel convention events there .
“ We have said all along that Republican leaders would put the safety and security of our citizens above all else .
While this was not the outcome we were hoping for , we know that President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was doing what is best for the people of Jacksonville , ” the group ’ s chairman , Dean Black , said .
“ The thousands upon thousands of Republicans who volunteered for the convention will now enthusiastically turn to the task of campaigning to re-elect President Trump.
” A Quinnipiac University poll released this week found that 62 % of Floridians ― though only 26 % of Republicans ― believed it would be unsafe to hold RNC events in Jacksonville .
Florida is currently grappling with a surge of coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it reported its largest number of deaths in a single day from the disease ― 173 fatalities .
The state also reported more than 10,200 new infections .

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President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the portion of the Republican National Convention that had been scheduled to take place in Jacksonville, Florida, has been canceled over concerns about the coronavirus.
Trump said during a press briefing that “it’s not the right time” for such a large-scale event. The president had earlier pushed for the convention to be held in Jacksonville after officials in North Carolina, the RNC’s original host, refused to relax social-distancing restrictions for the event.
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Trump announces decision to cancel Jacksonville portion of the GOP convention: “The timing for this event is not right … (with) the flare-up in Florida, to have a big convention, it's not the right time. It's really something that for me, I have to protect the American people” pic.twitter.com/TBnxOzQMPh — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 23, 2020
The GOP said last month that several of the RNC’s marquee events, including Trump’s speech, would be moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Jacksonville. Tens of thousands of people had been expected to attend.
Trump noted that while the Jacksonville events would be canceled, delegates are still expected to gather in Charlotte on a single day in August to officially nominate the party’s candidates for president and vice president.
Trump added that he would deliver a convention speech “in a different form,” though he didn’t specify where or when that would occur. He also said “tele-rallies” and other activities would be held in the days leading up to the RNC.
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The Jacksonville news comes a week after the Republican National Committee announced plans to scale down convention events in the city — and days after Jacksonville officials expressed “significant concerns with the viability of the event.”
“I cannot say with confidence that this event and our community will not be at risk,” said Sheriff Mike Williams of Duval County, of which Jacksonville is the seat, in a statement Monday.
Williams stressed the inadequacy of the convention’s existing security plan and available resources. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, a long-serving GOP official, later said he agreed with the sheriff’s assessment, saying he concurred with Williams’ position that “we are not prepared for this right now.”
The Republican Party of Duval County said in a statement Thursday that Trump had done “what is best for the people of Jacksonville” with his decision to cancel convention events there.
“We have said all along that Republican leaders would put the safety and security of our citizens above all else. While this was not the outcome we were hoping for, we know that President Trump made this decision with the knowledge that he was doing what is best for the people of Jacksonville,” the group’s chairman, Dean Black, said. “The thousands upon thousands of Republicans who volunteered for the convention will now enthusiastically turn to the task of campaigning to re-elect President Trump.”
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A Quinnipiac University poll released this week found that 62% of Floridians ― though only 26% of Republicans ― believed it would be unsafe to hold RNC events in Jacksonville.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Trump Brutally Mocked For Tweet Appealing To 'Suburban Housewives'

President Donald Trump ’ s decision to reach out to a particular demographic may have backfired if reactions to his tweet are any indication .
On Thursday , the president retweeted a New York Post editorial criticizing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s plan to build more high-density affordable housing in suburban areas .
The president ’ s retweet came with a comment suggesting that the “ Suburban Housewives of America ” read the article to learn how the former vice president planned to destroy American neighborhoods .
The Suburban Housewives of America must read this article .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dream .
I will preserve it , and make it even better !
https : //t.co/1NzbR57Oe6 — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) July 23 , 2020 But the president ’ s attempt at appealing to suburban women didn ’ t work out as he might have expected , possibly because many people found the reference to “ housewives ” to be anachronistic at best .
What we all are thinking when we hear “ Suburban Housewives of America ” pic.twitter.com/eCC55inFMG — Evan Siegfried ( @ evansiegfried ) July 23 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do you mean mothers ?
Lawyers ?
Doctors ?
Architects ?
Scientists ?
Teachers ?
Policewomen ?
Their `` American Dream , '' sir , is to get rid of you .
https : //t.co/Uo0TmIGJCo — E. Jean Carroll ( @ ejeancarroll ) July 23 , 2020 A couple of people noted the subtext to Trump ’ s appeal to “ suburban housewives.
” The invocation of `` suburban housewives '' gets at a really good point @ alexburnsNYT made the other day about how Trump still seems to view suburbs as being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently removed from the `` white flight '' of the 1950s/60s https : //t.co/CRk681H0z8 https : //t.co/fmCsYo5QVS — Grace Panetta ( @ grace_panetta ) July 23 , 2020 Come for the condescending command to `` Suburban Housewives of America , '' stay for the complaints in this @ nypost piece about how awful it was that an Obama-era anti discrimination rule made it so `` towns had to make it possible for low-income minorities to choose suburban living . ''
https : //t.co/3gBTrAcg5L — Andrew Feinberg ( @ AndrewFeinberg ) July 23 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s tweet would do what he intended .
What percentage of these suburban housewives do you suppose like hearing themselves described as `` housewives ? ''
https : //t.co/UfanWrSCCI — Ted Mann ( @ TMannWSJ ) July 23 , 2020 As we learned in our first Swing State Story , the suburban housewives of Virginia were part of turning that purple state a little bluer https : //t.co/ZL9EydqwcD https : //t.co/RI4LDDHqam — Emily Tamkin ( @ emilyctamkin ) July 23 , 2020 Many suburban moms were quick to clap back at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 3 children .
I live in the suburbs .
I work full time .
I bust my ass for my kids .
If you call me a `` suburban housewife ” I will knee you in the fucking groin .
Raise your hand if you are a woman living in the suburbs and you are voting for @ JoeBiden .
— Liddle ’ Savage ( @ littledeekay ) July 23 , 2020 I am the President of the Suburban Housewives of America and our message to you is this : '' Pack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fecal matter .
You 're fired . ''
~ SHA https : //t.co/KrUQ2CbTKd — Red ( @ Redpainter1 ) July 23 , 2020

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President Donald Trump’s decision to reach out to a particular demographic may have backfired if reactions to his tweet are any indication.
On Thursday, the president retweeted a New York Post editorial criticizing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s plan to build more high-density affordable housing in suburban areas.
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The president’s retweet came with a comment suggesting that the “Suburban Housewives of America” read the article to learn how the former vice president planned to destroy American neighborhoods.
The Suburban Housewives of America must read this article. Biden will destroy your neighborhood and your American Dream. I will preserve it, and make it even better! https://t.co/1NzbR57Oe6 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2020
But the president’s attempt at appealing to suburban women didn’t work out as he might have expected, possibly because many people found the reference to “housewives” to be anachronistic at best.
Oh damn. Trump is going to win the 1956 presidential election. https://t.co/Lzu9qn5SRB — Thor Benson (@thor_benson) July 23, 2020
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What we all are thinking when we hear “Suburban Housewives of America” pic.twitter.com/eCC55inFMG — Evan Siegfried (@evansiegfried) July 23, 2020
“Suburban women” probably would have worked a bit better https://t.co/4OKYioliyi — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 23, 2020
Sir, "Suburban HOUSEWIVES?" Do you mean mothers? Lawyers? Doctors? Architects? Scientists? Teachers? Policewomen? Their "American Dream," sir, is to get rid of you. https://t.co/Uo0TmIGJCo — E. Jean Carroll (@ejeancarroll) July 23, 2020
A couple of people noted the subtext to Trump’s appeal to “suburban housewives.”
The invocation of "suburban housewives" gets at a really good point @alexburnsNYT made the other day about how Trump still seems to view suburbs as being primarily occupied by white people who were recently removed from the "white flight" of the 1950s/60s https://t.co/CRk681H0z8 https://t.co/fmCsYo5QVS — Grace Panetta (@grace_panetta) July 23, 2020
Come for the condescending command to "Suburban Housewives of America," stay for the complaints in this @nypost piece about how awful it was that an Obama-era anti discrimination rule made it so "towns had to make it possible for low-income minorities to choose suburban living." https://t.co/3gBTrAcg5L — Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) July 23, 2020
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And some people were skeptical that Trump’s tweet would do what he intended.
What percentage of these suburban housewives do you suppose like hearing themselves described as "housewives?" https://t.co/UfanWrSCCI — Ted Mann (@TMannWSJ) July 23, 2020
As we learned in our first Swing State Story, the suburban housewives of Virginia were part of turning that purple state a little bluer https://t.co/ZL9EydqwcD https://t.co/RI4LDDHqam — Emily Tamkin (@emilyctamkin) July 23, 2020
Many suburban moms were quick to clap back at the president.
I'm a mom of 3 children.
I live in the suburbs.
I work full time.
I bust my ass for my kids.
If you call me a "suburban housewife” I will knee you in the fucking groin.
Raise your hand if you are a woman living in the suburbs and you are voting for @JoeBiden. — Liddle’ Savage (@littledeekay) July 23, 2020
I am the President of the Suburban Housewives of America and our message to you is this:
"Pack your bags, you lying sack of fecal matter. You're fired."
~ SHA https://t.co/KrUQ2CbTKd — Red (@Redpainter1) July 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--'F**king Bitch' And The Everyday Terror Men Feel About Powerful Women

Most often , these words come out of the mouth of a man and are directed at a woman .
It doesn ’ t matter what she ’ s done ( if anything ) to provoke the insult .
Regardless of context , the words indicate that a woman has taken up space the speaker would prefer she did not .
He alone is entitled to opinions , to power , to the eyes and ears of those whom he has decided matter .
She ’ s just a “ fucking bitch.
” It seems likely that this is how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yoho accosted Ocasio-Cortez , according to The Hill , calling her “ disgusting ” because of her recent remarks tying increased crime to increased poverty .
The congresswoman then reportedly told her colleague that he was being “ rude.
” After they parted ways , Yoho said aloud , “ Fucking bitch.
” The entire exchange was witnessed by a reporter .
The words indicate that a woman has taken up space the speaker would prefer she did not .
He alone is entitled to opinions , to power , to the eyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided matter .
She ’ s just a 'fucking bitch . '
On Wednesday , Yoho stood on the House floor and delivered a classic faux-pology , using all the greatest hits of men who don ’ t really want to take responsibility for their actions .
He denied that he had even said the “ offensive name-calling words attributed ” to him , invoked his wife and daughters as proof of his innate goodness , and added an I ’ m-sorry-if-you-were-offended clause for good measure .
“ If [ my words ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their misunderstanding , ” he said .
“ I could not allow my nieces , I could not allow the little girls I go home to , I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that , to see that excuse [ from Rep. Yoho ] and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate .
And to accept it as an apology .
And to accept silence as a form of acceptance , ” she said .
“ I could not allow that to stand.
” She also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughters — something that is often used by men who are trying to deflect from their own gender-based abusive behavior — does not tender you automatic entry into the club of Truly Decent Men .
“ I am someone ’ s daughter , too , ” she said .
“ My father , thankfully , is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter .
My mother got to see Mr. Yoho ’ s disrespect on the floor of this House toward me on television , and I am here because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.
” Originally meant to connote lewdness and immorality ― like a mating female dog ― by the 1700s , the purview of “ bitch ” had expanded to include “ stubborn ” or “ headstrong ” women ; women who could not be controlled , said Kory Stamper , lexicographer and author of “ Word by Word : The Secret Life of Dictionaries.
” “ Calling a woman a bitch tells her that she ’ s too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too independent , too-too , ” Stamper told HuffPost .
“ Calling her a bitch reminds her that she should , like a hunting dog , be controllable.
” And as Rep. Jayapal pointed out on the House floor after Ocasio-Cortez spoke , between 1915 and 1930 , the use of “ bitch ” in books more than doubled .
This occurred in tandem with the popularization of the women ’ s suffrage movement and the subsequent ratification of the 19th amendment , which gave white women the right to vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has to share the ballot box .
A century later , the insult is still being deployed against American women who hold or seek power .
During the 2016 election , Donald Trump rallies were littered with swag that encouraged voters to “ Trump That Bitch.
” Today you can order a T-shirt on Amazon that asks the president to “ Ditch the bitch ” and impeach Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) .
And it ’ s not just women in politics that have to endure being called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liz Plank put out a call on Twitter asking women for the most mundane thing they had done to elicit the insult being thrown at them , I had to pause and think about it .
Not because I haven ’ t heard the words said to me , but because it ’ s happened so often and with so little provocation that it hardly makes an impression .
Was the most mundane thing walking down the street and not smiling ?
Tweeting a news article ?
Not engaging with a stranger who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me ?
The everyday-ness and casual degradation of the slur is something that Ocasio-Cortez got at in her speech when she said that she had “ tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho ’ s ” ; that all women “ have had to deal with this in some form , some way , some shape at some point in our lives.
” Language shapes our understanding of the world and then allows us to express beliefs about the world that in turn continue to reinforce those initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revolutionary ; a living record of change , and a way to push back against widespread beliefs that have more than run their course .
And that ’ s why it matters that Ocasio-Cortez and her female colleagues used their words — powerful , loud , piercing words ; words that echoed far beyond the chambers of Congress — to force their fellow elected officials and the American public to take a beat .
In 2020 , we are still collectively terrified of women , and especially of women of color , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1920 , there are now a critical mass of women in our government who can stare that terror down and say , like Rep. Jayapal did , “ We are not going away .
There are going to be more of us here .
”

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Two words placed side by side with great frequency are what linguists call “a collocation.” The pairing’s existence indicates that the words pack a greater punch when used in tandem. When Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) a “fucking bitch” on the steps of the U.S. Capitol this week, he used one such collocation. “Fucking” and “bitch” form a neatly packaged jab, giving the user the ability to spit venom without creativity or context — what I like to refer to as “the lazy man’s insult.”
Most often, these words come out of the mouth of a man and are directed at a woman. It doesn’t matter what she’s done (if anything) to provoke the insult. Regardless of context, the words indicate that a woman has taken up space the speaker would prefer she did not. He alone is entitled to opinions, to power, to the eyes and ears of those whom he has decided matter. She’s just a “fucking bitch.”
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It seems likely that this is how Yoho deployed the collocation against Ocasio-Cortez. Yoho accosted Ocasio-Cortez, according to The Hill, calling her “disgusting” because of her recent remarks tying increased crime to increased poverty. The congresswoman then reportedly told her colleague that he was being “rude.” After they parted ways, Yoho said aloud, “Fucking bitch.” The entire exchange was witnessed by a reporter.
“The words indicate that a woman has taken up space the speaker would prefer she did not. He alone is entitled to opinions, to power, to the eyes and ears of those whom he has decided matter. She’s just a 'fucking bitch.'”
On Wednesday, Yoho stood on the House floor and delivered a classic faux-pology, using all the greatest hits of men who don’t really want to take responsibility for their actions. He denied that he had even said the “offensive name-calling words attributed” to him, invoked his wife and daughters as proof of his innate goodness, and added an I’m-sorry-if-you-were-offended clause for good measure. “If [my words] were construed that way I apologize for their misunderstanding,” he said.
This morning, Ocasio-Cortez, along with a group of her colleagues, including fellow women of color Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Rep. Nydia Velasquez (D-N.Y.), eviscerated Yoho and his casual misogyny on that same floor. Ocasio-Cortez made it clear that Yoho’s own speech had prompted hers.
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“I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls I go home to, I could not allow victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that, to see that excuse [from Rep. Yoho] and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate. And to accept it as an apology. And to accept silence as a form of acceptance,” she said. “I could not allow that to stand.”
She also made clear that having a wife and daughters — something that is often used by men who are trying to deflect from their own gender-based abusive behavior — does not tender you automatic entry into the club of Truly Decent Men.
“I am someone’s daughter, too,” she said. “My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter. My mother got to see Mr. Yoho’s disrespect on the floor of this House toward me on television, and I am here because I have to show my parents that I am their daughter and that they did not raise me to accept abuse from men.”
I’ve been covering gender and politics for nearly a decade and I can’t remember a moment on C-SPAN that left me feeling more exhilarated.
“Bitch” has been invoked by men since the 15th century to cut down women who step outside of their appointed roles. “It taps into and reinforces misogyny: contempt for and anger at women simply for being women,” said Georgetown University professor Deborah Tannen. “Simply for being.”
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Originally meant to connote lewdness and immorality ― like a mating female dog ― by the 1700s, the purview of “bitch” had expanded to include “stubborn” or “headstrong” women; women who could not be controlled, said Kory Stamper, lexicographer and author of “Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries.” “Calling a woman a bitch tells her that she’s too loud, too forward, too obnoxious, too independent, too-too,” Stamper told HuffPost. “Calling her a bitch reminds her that she should, like a hunting dog, be controllable.”
And as Rep. Jayapal pointed out on the House floor after Ocasio-Cortez spoke, between 1915 and 1930, the use of “bitch” in books more than doubled. This occurred in tandem with the popularization of the women’s suffrage movement and the subsequent ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave white women the right to vote. Hell hath no fury like a man who has to share the ballot box.
A century later, the insult is still being deployed against American women who hold or seek power. During the 2016 election, Donald Trump rallies were littered with swag that encouraged voters to “Trump That Bitch.” Today you can order a T-shirt on Amazon that asks the president to “Ditch the bitch” and impeach Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Back and front of Hillary-Monica t-shirt outside Trump rally. Vendor told me they sell it in size "sexy" too pic.twitter.com/tBgQIzDwXf — Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) April 18, 2016
And it’s not just women in politics that have to endure being called a “fucking bitch.” When journalist Liz Plank put out a call on Twitter asking women for the most mundane thing they had done to elicit the insult being thrown at them, I had to pause and think about it. Not because I haven’t heard the words said to me, but because it’s happened so often and with so little provocation that it hardly makes an impression. Was the most mundane thing walking down the street and not smiling? Tweeting a news article? Not engaging with a stranger who decided that he wanted to engage with me?
Advertisement
The everyday-ness and casual degradation of the slur is something that Ocasio-Cortez got at in her speech when she said that she had “tossed men out of bars that have used language like Mr. Yoho’s”; that all women “have had to deal with this in some form, some way, some shape at some point in our lives.”
Language shapes our understanding of the world and then allows us to express beliefs about the world that in turn continue to reinforce those initial impressions. But language can also be revolutionary; a living record of change, and a way to push back against widespread beliefs that have more than run their course. And that’s why it matters that Ocasio-Cortez and her female colleagues used their words — powerful, loud, piercing words; words that echoed far beyond the chambers of Congress — to force their fellow elected officials and the American public to take a beat.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Senators Rip Interior Secretary For Refusing To Wear Mask In Meeting With Tribal Leaders

MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images via Getty Images Here 's Interior Secretary David Bernhardt in a July 21 , 2020 , meeting in Boston , also not wearing a mask .
WASHINGTON ― Senators on Thursday condemned Interior Secretary David Bernhardt for refusing to wear a mask in a recent meeting with tribal leaders and urged him to immediately issue guidance to employees on when to wear masks based on public health guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19 .
In a letter , Sens .
Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) , Jeff Merkley ( D-Ore. ) and Elizabeth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Bernhardt would not wear a mask in a July 9 meeting with the Klamath Tribes of Oregon .
The senators also said they ’ ve heard on-the-ground reports of Bureau of Land Management employees , who are part of the Interior Department , ignoring Oregon ’ s mask mandates in outdoor settings where people can not stay six feet apart .
“ We are concerned this blatant disregard for the public health is happening across the agency in other states , ” the senators said .
“ This type of cavalier and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially from those in positions of leadership.
” Don Gentry , chairman of the Klamath Tribes , was in the July 9 meeting with Bernhardt .
He told HuffPost that Bernhardt said at the start of the meeting , which included the leaders of four tribal nations along with local officials and Rep. Doug LaMalfa ( R-Calif. ) , that he wouldn ’ t be wearing a mask because people were sitting spaced apart .
LaMalfa wouldn ’ t wear a mask , either .
All of the tribal representatives wore masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did remove my mask on one side of my face , and immediately after I talked , I put it back on , ” said Gentry .
“ Our Native people and other people of color are significantly more at risk .
So we ’ re doing everything we can to be careful.
” Senators made that point in their letter as well , saying Bernhardt ’ s refusal to wear a mask was “ particularly concerning given that Tribes in Oregon and across the country have seen an increase in positive COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed in counties with smaller relative population throughout Eastern Oregon where this meeting took place.
” “ It is unfortunate the Senators are trying to politicize the COVID-19 pandemic , ” he said .
“ The Department has issued guidance regularly to its employees consistent with guidance from the CDC and state officials throughout the pandemic .
This guidance will continue to be followed as the health and safety of the public and our employees are our highest priorities.
” As for the July 9 meeting with tribal leaders , Swanson said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also passed along a photo of Bernhardt entering the meeting with a mask on , but did not say if it came off just as the meeting kicked off .
Bernhardt called for the meeting with tribes that day to talk about water management issues .
But tribal leaders said they were given little notice that he was coming , and left the meeting feeling unheard .
In a statement released after the meeting , the Klamath Tribes said tribal leaders were only given 10 to 15 minutes to talk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ meaningful ’ government-to-government consultation as defined in any of several state and federal policies.
” When tribal leaders tried to make this point , Bernhardt reportedly interrupted them and said they didn ’ t have to come to the meeting at all .
“ We fear that the ‘ meeting ’ was little more than political cover for further erasure of our Indigenous voices ― and in our own homeland , ” reads the tribe ’ s statement .
“ The struggle to protect and restore the health of this magnificent place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yahooskin peoples have called home for thousands of years continues.
” Swanson called it a “ productive meeting ” and said the Interior Department “ is committed to working together with Tribes , farmers , ranchers , and other stakeholders as it relates to its actions in the Klamath watershed .
”

Here's Interior Secretary David Bernhardt in a July 21, 2020, meeting in Boston, also not wearing a mask. MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images via Getty Images
WASHINGTON ― Senators on Thursday condemned Interior Secretary David Bernhardt for refusing to wear a mask in a recent meeting with tribal leaders and urged him to immediately issue guidance to employees on when to wear masks based on public health guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19.
In a letter, Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) cite reports that Bernhardt would not wear a mask in a July 9 meeting with the Klamath Tribes of Oregon. The senators also said they’ve heard on-the-ground reports of Bureau of Land Management employees, who are part of the Interior Department, ignoring Oregon’s mask mandates in outdoor settings where people cannot stay six feet apart.
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“We are concerned this blatant disregard for the public health is happening across the agency in other states,” the senators said. “This type of cavalier and callous indifference for human safety is unacceptable, especially from those in positions of leadership.”
Here’s a copy of their letter:
Don Gentry, chairman of the Klamath Tribes, was in the July 9 meeting with Bernhardt. He told HuffPost that Bernhardt said at the start of the meeting, which included the leaders of four tribal nations along with local officials and Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), that he wouldn’t be wearing a mask because people were sitting spaced apart. LaMalfa wouldn’t wear a mask, either. All of the tribal representatives wore masks.
“When I spoke, I did remove my mask on one side of my face, and immediately after I talked, I put it back on,” said Gentry. “Our Native people and other people of color are significantly more at risk. So we’re doing everything we can to be careful.”
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Senators made that point in their letter as well, saying Bernhardt’s refusal to wear a mask was “particularly concerning given that Tribes in Oregon and across the country have seen an increase in positive COVID-19 cases, and larger outbreaks are being confirmed in counties with smaller relative population throughout Eastern Oregon where this meeting took place.”
The senators ask Bernhardt to respond to their letter by July 29.
Interior Department spokesman Connor Swanson said it is “completely false and offensive” for senators to suggest the Interior Department hasn’t already issued guidance on masks to employees.
“It is unfortunate the Senators are trying to politicize the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “The Department has issued guidance regularly to its employees consistent with guidance from the CDC and state officials throughout the pandemic. This guidance will continue to be followed as the health and safety of the public and our employees are our highest priorities.”
As for the July 9 meeting with tribal leaders, Swanson said it followed CDC and state social distancing guidelines. He also passed along a photo of Bernhardt entering the meeting with a mask on, but did not say if it came off just as the meeting kicked off.
Bernhardt called for the meeting with tribes that day to talk about water management issues. But tribal leaders said they were given little notice that he was coming, and left the meeting feeling unheard. In a statement released after the meeting, the Klamath Tribes said tribal leaders were only given 10 to 15 minutes to talk, which was “not an example of ‘meaningful’ government-to-government consultation as defined in any of several state and federal policies.”
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When tribal leaders tried to make this point, Bernhardt reportedly interrupted them and said they didn’t have to come to the meeting at all.
“We fear that the ‘meeting’ was little more than political cover for further erasure of our Indigenous voices ― and in our own homeland,” reads the tribe’s statement. “The struggle to protect and restore the health of this magnificent place that the Klamath, Modoc, and Yahooskin peoples have called home for thousands of years continues.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Kayleigh McEnany Defends Trump's Bizarre Comment About Ghislaine Maxwell

Even stranger may be the rationale Kayleigh McEnany offered up for the bizarre statements when she spoke with Fox News Thursday .
“ The other day he was asked about Ghislaine Maxwell , who ’ s being federally prosecuted for allegedly recruiting , grooming , sexually abusing underage girls , ” Baier said .
” He said , ‘ I just wish her well , frankly .
I wish her well.
’ That raises some eyebrows , Kayleigh , ” Baier said .
Considering the many photographs that exist showing Trump with Maxwell and her former boyfriend , Jeffrey Epstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware that she may have damaging information on the president and that he sent the well-wishes as a message .
McEnany said that wasn ’ t the case at all and that the good wishes were actually a message of hope for Maxwell ’ s alleged victims .
“ What the president was noting is that the last person who was charged in this case ended up dead in a jail cell , and the president wants justice to be served for the victims in this case , and he prefers this to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McEnany said .
Baier pressed back that “ a lot of people were saying it just seemed a strange answer.
” McEnany insisted that the president took the charges against Maxwell seriously .
“ This president is the president that banned Jeffrey Epstein from coming to Mar-a-Lago .
This president was always on top of this , ahead of this , noting this , banning this man from his property long before this case was even being played out in a court of law.
” Fox anchor Bret Baier : Trump telling Ghislaine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised eyebrows .
Kayleigh McEnany : What Trump was saying is Epstein ended up dead in jail and he wants justice served for the victims .
Baier : `` A lot of people were saying it seemed a strange answer . ''
pic.twitter.com/uNKmA9rElx — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) July 23 , 2020

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Even stranger may be the rationale Kayleigh McEnany offered up for the bizarre statements when she spoke with Fox News Thursday.
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Bret Baier pointed out the disconnect to the White House press secretary succinctly.
“The other day he was asked about Ghislaine Maxwell, who’s being federally prosecuted for allegedly recruiting, grooming, sexually abusing underage girls,” Baier said. ”He said, ‘I just wish her well, frankly. I wish her well.’ That raises some eyebrows, Kayleigh,” Baier said.
Considering the many photographs that exist showing Trump with Maxwell and her former boyfriend, Jeffrey Epstein, many have speculated that Trump is aware that she may have damaging information on the president and that he sent the well-wishes as a message.
McEnany said that wasn’t the case at all and that the good wishes were actually a message of hope for Maxwell’s alleged victims.
“What the president was noting is that the last person who was charged in this case ended up dead in a jail cell, and the president wants justice to be served for the victims in this case, and he prefers this to play out in a courtroom,” McEnany said.
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Baier seemed skeptical.
“Have you talked to him about that?” he asked.
“I have spoken to him about that,” McEnany replied.
Baier pressed back that “a lot of people were saying it just seemed a strange answer.”
McEnany insisted that the president took the charges against Maxwell seriously.
“This president is the president that banned Jeffrey Epstein from coming to Mar-a-Lago. This president was always on top of this, ahead of this, noting this, banning this man from his property long before this case was even being played out in a court of law.”
Fox anchor Bret Baier: Trump telling Ghislaine Maxwell "I wish her well" raised eyebrows.
Kayleigh McEnany: What Trump was saying is Epstein ended up dead in jail and he wants justice served for the victims.
Baier: "A lot of people were saying it seemed a strange answer." pic.twitter.com/uNKmA9rElx — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 23, 2020
Still, many people suspected McEnany was sending hidden messages.
'Hey Ms Maxwell,
Don't forget what happened to Epstein.'
I guess they think this sounds like a great response. — Veterans Against Treason🌊 🌊 🌊 (@TreasonAgainst) July 23, 2020
So, she's admitting that Epstein was murdered. Yeah, she is. — 🌊 I am an island 🌊 Alone With Others (@glacy) July 23, 2020
You think she pulled any muscles contorting this much? https://t.co/EaaJSG0vNM — Sarah T. Roberts (@ubiquity75) July 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--DOJ Watchdog Probing Federal Response To Protests In Portland, D.C.

The Justice Department ’ s internal watchdog said Thursday that he has opened investigations examining whether federal officers used excessive force against protesters in Portland , Oregon , as well as how federal authorities handled protests near the White House last month .
Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said he would work with the Department of Homeland Security ’ s inspector general on an investigation on specific use-of-force incidents by federal agents responding to protests in Portland , which have drawn national scrutiny in recent days .
More broadly , Horowitz said , he would examine the overall federal response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C. , since the police killing of George Floyd in late May .
Federal agents from a variety of law enforcement components , under the close watch of Attorney General William Barr , deployed chemical munitions against an overwhelmingly peaceful crowd in Washington ’ s Lafayette Square ahead of President Donald Trump ’ s photo-op in front of a church .
President Donald Trump holds up a Bible alongside Attorney General William Barr ( left ) , White House national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church across Lafayette Park in Washington , D.C. , on June 1 .
A vast array of unidentified federal agents from various law enforcement components also responded to the unrest in Washington , including federal prison guards with no training on handling crowds outside of a detention scenario .
“ The review will include examining the training and instruction that was provided to the DOJ law enforcement personnel ; compliance with applicable identification requirements , rules of engagement , and legal authorities ; and adherence to DOJ policies regarding the use of less-lethal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uses of force , ” the inspector general ’ s office said in a statement .
In the case of Lafayette Square , the inspector general would coordinate with the the inspector general at the Department of the Interior , which oversees the Park Police officers involved in the aggressive law enforcement response in Lafayette Square .
Reps. Jerrold Nadler ( D-N.Y. ) , Bennie Thompson ( D-Miss . )
and Carolyn B. Maloney ( D-N.Y. ) ― who requested investigations into the Trump administration ’ s “ violent tactics ” against protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IG probes were “ critically important as the President and his chief enablers , including the Attorney General and Acting Homeland Security Secretary , have announced plans to send federal law enforcement authorities to additional cities in the coming days.
” They continued : Many of these federal agents are dressed as soldiers , driving unmarked vehicles and refusing to identify themselves or their agencies .
They have occupied the streets of American cities against the express wishes of state and local officials .
Nearly everywhere they have deployed , their presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between demonstrators and police .
And they have done all of this on the flimsiest of legal pretext .
Congress will continue to check this reckless Administration , but it is deeply important that these independent inspectors general get to the bottom of President Trump ’ s use of force against his own citizens .

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The Justice Department’s internal watchdog said Thursday that he has opened investigations examining whether federal officers used excessive force against protesters in Portland, Oregon, as well as how federal authorities handled protests near the White House last month.
Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said he would work with the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general on an investigation on specific use-of-force incidents by federal agents responding to protests in Portland, which have drawn national scrutiny in recent days.
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More broadly, Horowitz said, he would examine the overall federal response both in Portland and in Washington, D.C., since the police killing of George Floyd in late May. Federal agents from a variety of law enforcement components, under the close watch of Attorney General William Barr, deployed chemical munitions against an overwhelmingly peaceful crowd in Washington’s Lafayette Square ahead of President Donald Trump’s photo-op in front of a church.
President Donald Trump holds up a Bible alongside Attorney General William Barr (left), White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, outside of St. John's Episcopal Church across Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C., on June 1. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images
A vast array of unidentified federal agents from various law enforcement components also responded to the unrest in Washington, including federal prison guards with no training on handling crowds outside of a detention scenario.
“The review will include examining the training and instruction that was provided to the DOJ law enforcement personnel; compliance with applicable identification requirements, rules of engagement, and legal authorities; and adherence to DOJ policies regarding the use of less-lethal munitions, chemical agents, and other uses of force,” the inspector general’s office said in a statement.
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In the case of Lafayette Square, the inspector general would coordinate with the the inspector general at the Department of the Interior, which oversees the Park Police officers involved in the aggressive law enforcement response in Lafayette Square.
Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) ― who requested investigations into the Trump administration’s “violent tactics” against protesters ― said in a statement Thursday that the IG probes were “critically important as the President and his chief enablers, including the Attorney General and Acting Homeland Security Secretary, have announced plans to send federal law enforcement authorities to additional cities in the coming days.” They continued:
Many of these federal agents are dressed as soldiers, driving unmarked vehicles and refusing to identify themselves or their agencies. They have occupied the streets of American cities against the express wishes of state and local officials. Nearly everywhere they have deployed, their presence has increased tensions and caused more confrontation between demonstrators and police. And they have done all of this on the flimsiest of legal pretext. Congress will continue to check this reckless Administration, but it is deeply important that these independent inspectors general get to the bottom of President Trump’s use of force against his own citizens.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), another lawmaker who asked the DOJ last month to probe the use of force against protesters outside the White House, said she was encouraged by the news that the watchdog would look into the violent dispersal tactics.
“I asked the Department of Justice Inspector General to investigate the role of Attorney General Barr and DOJ law enforcement in the sickening attacks on protesters at the White House,” she said in a statement to HuffPost. “I’m glad that IG Horowitz has agreed to review this ugly propaganda event — and the appalling attacks on protesters in Portland.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Fox News Legal Analyst Issues Chilling Warning About Trump's Portland Crackdown

Napolitano wrote in the column published on Fox News ’ website Thursday that “ there is nothing lawful or orderly ” about the aggressive tactics Department of Homeland Security officers are wielding against people protesting racism in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Unidentified federal agents in tactical gear , sent by President Donald Trump to “ quell ” unrest , have been using excessive force , tear-gassing crowds and bundling protesters into unmarked vans .
The strongarm tactics , defended by Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli , are “ unlawful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Portland is in America , right ?
What ’ s going on here ?
” asked Napolitano , a former New Jersey Superior Court judge .
Napolitano has frequently criticized Trump .
He even said there was “ ample evidence ” to remove the president from office following his impeachment for Ukraine misconduct .
He suggested the actions of the militarized agents in Portland would “ chill others from public dissent.
” “ This is how totalitarianism begins , ” he cautioned .
“ The feds claim that federal property needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so need help .
When help arrives , it does so by surprise , under cover of darkness and shielded by anonymity .
Then , the reinforcements beat and arrest and harm protestors because their bosses in Washington do not approve of the protestors ’ message.
” “ Public dissent against the government is a core personal freedom .
It is as American as apple pie , ” Napolitano continued .
“ It was integral to the creation of our republic .
Government repression of dissent is totalitarian .
It is as un-American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world wars to preserve our core freedoms .
”

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Napolitano wrote in the column published on Fox News’ website Thursday that “there is nothing lawful or orderly” about the aggressive tactics Department of Homeland Security officers are wielding against people protesting racism in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
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Unidentified federal agents in tactical gear, sent by President Donald Trump to “quell” unrest, have been using excessive force, tear-gassing crowds and bundling protesters into unmarked vans. The strongarm tactics, defended by Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli, are “unlawful, unconstitutional and harmful,” said Napolitano.
“Portland is in America, right? What’s going on here?” asked Napolitano, a former New Jersey Superior Court judge.
Napolitano has frequently criticized Trump. He even said there was “ample evidence” to remove the president from office following his impeachment for Ukraine misconduct.
He suggested the actions of the militarized agents in Portland would “chill others from public dissent.”
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“This is how totalitarianism begins,” he cautioned. “The feds claim that federal property needs protection and the folks assigned to do so need help. When help arrives, it does so by surprise, under cover of darkness and shielded by anonymity. Then, the reinforcements beat and arrest and harm protestors because their bosses in Washington do not approve of the protestors’ message.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Meghan McCain Accuses Mary Trump Of Writing Tell-All Just For A Paycheck

The president ’ s niece appeared on “ The View ” Thursday to promote “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man ” and immediately became came under fire from McCain .
“ I think I made it clear to your publishers I don ’ t like books like this .
I don ’ t like family tell-all books , especially when it comes to families with fame and power , ” McCain told Mary Trump .
“ Because they ’ re told from the one side , and often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I don ’ t actually end up believing the stuff written.
” McCain then asked Trump to defend herself against the accusation that she only wrote the book for money .
“ What do you say to people like me , who think this is just a great way for you to get a paycheck right now ?
” McCain said .
The author acknowledged that McCain “ was entirely entitled ” to her opinion , and calmly explained why her book is different .
“ I think if you read the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the story my very deep experience within the family , ” Trump said .
“ I ’ m not some stranger writing it .
I ’ m his niece.
” McCain wasn ’ t impressed , and pointed out that Mary Trump has admitted she ’ s not close with her younger cousins , Donald Trump Jr. , Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump , as proof the book may not be the insider expose she claims .
“ I know in my family ― and my family is clearly nothing like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close , are close , ” McCain said .
“ I certainly have extended family who I don ’ t interact with , or certainly only interact with at funerals and things like that .
So I don ’ t think people like that would know the inner workings of my immediate family dynamic in the way that you present it.
” Mary Trump disagreed with McCain ’ s swipe that she ’ s “ extended family , ” and pointed out that the president is the younger brother of her father Fred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted some measure of revenge , if I had wanted to cash in as you say , I would have done this 10 years ago when Donald was still a very public figure and I would not have been taking the risk that I ’ m taking , ” Trump said .
“ We ’ ve all seen how whistleblowers fare in this administration .
So I would much have preferred not to do this , but I felt it was extremely important that the American people have all of the information they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision.
” Eventually , Mary Trump gets tired of Meghan McCain 's antics after McCain accuses her of going to the White House on the '' taxpayer 's dime . ''
`` First of all , I did not go to the White House on the taxpayer 's dime .
That ’ s a quite absurd thing to say . ''
pic.twitter.com/d3k8ZmZshl — Justin Baragona ( @ justinbaragona ) July 23 , 2020

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The president’s niece appeared on “The View” Thursday to promote “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” and immediately became came under fire from McCain.
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“I think I made it clear to your publishers I don’t like books like this. I don’t like family tell-all books, especially when it comes to families with fame and power,” McCain told Mary Trump. “Because they’re told from the one side, and often the subjects are villainized to the point that I don’t actually end up believing the stuff written.”
McCain then asked Trump to defend herself against the accusation that she only wrote the book for money.
“What do you say to people like me, who think this is just a great way for you to get a paycheck right now?” McCain said.
The author acknowledged that McCain “was entirely entitled” to her opinion, and calmly explained why her book is different.
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“I think if you read the book, you see that I bring to the story my very deep experience within the family,” Trump said. “I’m not some stranger writing it. I’m his niece.”
McCain wasn’t impressed, and pointed out that Mary Trump has admitted she’s not close with her younger cousins, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump, as proof the book may not be the insider expose she claims.
“I know in my family ― and my family is clearly nothing like the Trumps ― but the people who are close, are close,” McCain said. “I certainly have extended family who I don’t interact with, or certainly only interact with at funerals and things like that. So I don’t think people like that would know the inner workings of my immediate family dynamic in the way that you present it.”
Mary Trump disagreed with McCain’s swipe that she’s “extended family,” and pointed out that the president is the younger brother of her father Fred Trump, Jr.
She also pushed back at McCain’s suggestion the book was all about making money.
“If I had wanted some measure of revenge, if I had wanted to cash in as you say, I would have done this 10 years ago when Donald was still a very public figure and I would not have been taking the risk that I’m taking,” Trump said.
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“We’ve all seen how whistleblowers fare in this administration. So I would much have preferred not to do this, but I felt it was extremely important that the American people have all of the information they need in order to make an informed decision.”
You can see the exchange in the videos in these tweets:
Watch Meghan McCain make Mary Trump's book and Mary's relationship with the other Trumps all about herself. pic.twitter.com/QnvW41mwnF — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 23, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Judge Finds Cohen Target Of Retaliation, Releases From Prison

July 23 ( Reuters ) - U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s former lawyer Michael Cohen was ordered released from prison and will return to home confinement on Friday after a federal judge found he was a target of retaliation for planning to publish a book about the president .
He was shackled again on July 9 after he questioned an agreement that barred him from publishing his book , engaging with news organizations and posting on social media .
Judge Alvin Hellerstein said he had never in his 21 years on the bench seen a provision barring a prisoner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How can I take any other inference but that it was retaliatory ?
” Hellerstein asked the two sides to negotiate the media provision so that “ it is consistent with the First Amendment but yet serve the purposes of confinement.
” For the time being , Cohen ’ s lawyer said he would agree to the imposition of the media gag order pending the discussion so he does not have to wait .
“ Michael Cohen is currently imprisoned in solitary confinement because he is drafting a book manuscript that is critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― and because he recently made public that he intends to publish this book shortly before the upcoming election , ” Cohen ’ s lawyers , who include attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union , wrote in seeking an order for his immediate release .
Lawyers for the government told the judge that Cohen was “ antagonistic ” during the July 9 meeting with probation officers .
Hellerstein said Cohen and his lawyer were merely negotiating an agreement .
Cohen on July 9 had taken issue with nearly every provision of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his sentence at home , prosecutors said .
Among the provisions were the media ban , electronic monitoring and approval for employment .
“ In my view , Cohen ’ s behavior and , in particular , his refusal to sign the conditions of home confinement was unacceptable and undermined his suitability for placement on home confinement , ” Gustin wrote .
Cohen , who once said he would “ take a bullet ” for Trump , was sentenced in 2018 for directing hush payments to pornographic film star Stormy Daniels and former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had affairs with Trump .
Trump has denied having the encounters .
In a friend-of-the-court filing , 10 law professors said the government can not jail a critic for exercising his right to free speech under the U.S. Constitution .
The professors noted the Trump administration ’ s “ disparate treatment of its allies and prior attempts to silence or retaliate against critics of the President.
” ( Reporting by Karen Freifeld Editing by Noeleen Walder , Tom Brown and Jonathan Oatis )

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July 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen was ordered released from prison and will return to home confinement on Friday after a federal judge found he was a target of retaliation for planning to publish a book about the president.
Cohen was sent home from prison in May because of the coronavirus pandemic.
He was shackled again on July 9 after he questioned an agreement that barred him from publishing his book, engaging with news organizations and posting on social media. Judge Alvin Hellerstein said he had never in his 21 years on the bench seen a provision barring a prisoner from speaking to the media. “How can I take any other inference but that it was retaliatory?”
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Cohen has been in solitary confinement in a federal prison in Otisville, New York, about 70 miles (110 km) northwest of New York City.
Hellerstein asked the two sides to negotiate the media provision so that “it is consistent with the First Amendment but yet serve the purposes of confinement.”
For the time being, Cohen’s lawyer said he would agree to the imposition of the media gag order pending the discussion so he does not have to wait.
The judge said he found that reasonable.
“He should be released by 2 p.m. to his son,” the judge said.
Cohen’s lawyers had said in court papers the U.S. Bureau of Prisons violated his First Amendment rights to free speech.
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“Michael Cohen is currently imprisoned in solitary confinement because he is drafting a book manuscript that is critical of the President of the United States ― and because he recently made public that he intends to publish this book shortly before the upcoming election,” Cohen’s lawyers, who include attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union, wrote in seeking an order for his immediate release.
Lawyers for the government told the judge that Cohen was “antagonistic” during the July 9 meeting with probation officers. Hellerstein said Cohen and his lawyer were merely negotiating an agreement.
Cohen on July 9 had taken issue with nearly every provision of an agreement that would have let him finish his sentence at home, prosecutors said. Among the provisions were the media ban, electronic monitoring and approval for employment.
Jon Gustin, a Federal Bureau of Prisons official, said in a court filing that he made the decision to send Cohen back to prison.
“In my view, Cohen’s behavior and, in particular, his refusal to sign the conditions of home confinement was unacceptable and undermined his suitability for placement on home confinement,” Gustin wrote.
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Cohen, who once said he would “take a bullet” for Trump, was sentenced in 2018 for directing hush payments to pornographic film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed they had affairs with Trump. Trump has denied having the encounters.
Cohen served a year of his three-year sentence before being released in May.
In a friend-of-the-court filing, 10 law professors said the government cannot jail a critic for exercising his right to free speech under the U.S. Constitution.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Republicans Struggling To Finalize Their Next Coronavirus Relief Package

The proposal , which was initially expected to be made public on Thursday , now won ’ t be released until next week due to disagreements among Senate Republicans and the White House .
And that ’ s even before negotiations with the Democrats , whose support will be necessary to send the legislation to the president ’ s desk .
The last-minute hangup on a proposal that almost certainly won ’ t become law in its current form follows months of delays by Republicans , who argued that Congress should pump the brakes and evaluate its earlier stimulus measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , millions more Americans have become unemployed and the economy is in deep trouble again .
One of the biggest priorities for President Donald Trump — a payroll tax cut — will not be in the package .
The idea had little support within the Senate GOP despite the president ’ s monthslong insistence on it .
“ We want to make sure that the people that are out there that can ’ t find jobs do get a reasonable wage replacement so it will be based on approximately 70 % wage replacement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNBC on Thursday .
Congress added $ 600 to unemployment in March because Democrats wanted benefits to replace 100 % of a worker ’ s previous wage .
Eugene Scalia , the U.S. Secretary of Labor , warned lawmakers that the antiquated systems state workforce agencies use to distribute benefits would be unable to handle calculating separate sums for each worker .
So Democrats landed on $ 600 because it ’ s roughly the difference between the average wage and the average unemployment benefit .
Scalia suggested at a June hearing that now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new federal programs , states might be more able to handle different benefit amounts .
But if lawmakers settle on “ approximately 70 % wage replacement , ” since the average weekly wage is about $ 1,000 , and the average unemployment benefit is between $ 300 and $ 400 , that suggests Republicans are considering an added benefit amount somewhere around $ 300 or $ 400 .
Democrats have not said they would absolutely insist on a continuation of the full $ 600 , instead proposing that the benefit remain but ratchet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP package includes $ 105 billion for schools and $ 16 billion in new funds to expand coronavirus testing , which has lagged badly in recent weeks .
It would also provide more relief to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program .
The two sides are far apart in their demands for the next coronavirus relief package .
House Democrats passed their own $ 3 trillion relief measure in May .
The GOP measure is expected to cost about $ 1 trillion .
Democrats want more aid for schools , which are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many districts opting not to bring students back at all .
No matter what happens with the legislation , because the Senate has taken its sweet time , it will be way too late to save the first part of the school year .
Democrats also want billions in new aid for states and localities whose budgets have been demolished by the lockdowns put in place to fight coronavirus .
Many Republicans oppose that idea .
Republicans want to include expanded liability protections for businesses , medical providers and schools in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November elections .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) has called their passage a “ red line , ” but Democrats have complained it would give corporations liability immunity when workers are forced to work in unsafe conditions .
Lawmakers only have a week to reach a deal until added unemployment benefits expire for millions of Americans .
If both sides can ’ t reach an agreement by the end of next week , White House officials have suggested putting to a vote a far more narrow package that includes liability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extension of the enhanced unemployment insurance benefits , and daring Democrats to oppose it .
“ I don ’ t imagine our Democrats across the aisle would want to stand in the way of helping those unemployed Americans receive benefits .
So we ’ re going to be in a place for that so those deadlines — as you well know on Capitol Hill — always work magic in the 11th hour , ” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters on Thursday .

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After days of intra-party squabbles and months of delays, Republicans on Thursday struggled to unify around another economic stimulus package that would help Americans reeling from the resurgent coronavirus pandemic.
The proposal, which was initially expected to be made public on Thursday, now won’t be released until next week due to disagreements among Senate Republicans and the White House. And that’s even before negotiations with the Democrats, whose support will be necessary to send the legislation to the president’s desk.
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“We’re still developing the bill. It’s not going to come out till Monday,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said.
The last-minute hangup on a proposal that almost certainly won’t become law in its current form follows months of delays by Republicans, who argued that Congress should pump the brakes and evaluate its earlier stimulus measures before taking action once more. Now, millions more Americans have become unemployed and the economy is in deep trouble again.
One of the biggest priorities for President Donald Trump — a payroll tax cut — will not be in the package. The idea had little support within the Senate GOP despite the president’s monthslong insistence on it.
The proposal will, however, include another round of stimulus checks, as well as some kind of extension of enhanced unemployment benefits.
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“We want to make sure that the people that are out there that can’t find jobs do get a reasonable wage replacement so it will be based on approximately 70% wage replacement,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC on Thursday.
Congress added $600 to unemployment in March because Democrats wanted benefits to replace 100% of a worker’s previous wage. Eugene Scalia, the U.S. Secretary of Labor, warned lawmakers that the antiquated systems state workforce agencies use to distribute benefits would be unable to handle calculating separate sums for each worker. So Democrats landed on $600 because it’s roughly the difference between the average wage and the average unemployment benefit.
Scalia suggested at a June hearing that now that they’ve already implemented the new federal programs, states might be more able to handle different benefit amounts. But if lawmakers settle on “approximately 70% wage replacement,” since the average weekly wage is about $1,000, and the average unemployment benefit is between $300 and $400, that suggests Republicans are considering an added benefit amount somewhere around $300 or $400. Democrats have not said they would absolutely insist on a continuation of the full $600, instead proposing that the benefit remain but ratchet down as economic conditions improve.
The GOP package includes $105 billion for schools and $16 billion in new funds to expand coronavirus testing, which has lagged badly in recent weeks. It would also provide more relief to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program.
The two sides are far apart in their demands for the next coronavirus relief package. House Democrats passed their own $3 trillion relief measure in May. The GOP measure is expected to cost about $1 trillion.
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Democrats want more aid for schools, which are already announcing their reopening plans, with many districts opting not to bring students back at all. No matter what happens with the legislation, because the Senate has taken its sweet time, it will be way too late to save the first part of the school year.
Democrats also want billions in new aid for states and localities whose budgets have been demolished by the lockdowns put in place to fight coronavirus. Many Republicans oppose that idea.
Republicans want to include expanded liability protections for businesses, medical providers and schools in order to help the economy reopen ahead of the November elections. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has called their passage a “red line,” but Democrats have complained it would give corporations liability immunity when workers are forced to work in unsafe conditions.
Lawmakers only have a week to reach a deal until added unemployment benefits expire for millions of Americans. If both sides can’t reach an agreement by the end of next week, White House officials have suggested putting to a vote a far more narrow package that includes liability protections, school funding and a partial extension of the enhanced unemployment insurance benefits, and daring Democrats to oppose it.
“I don’t imagine our Democrats across the aisle would want to stand in the way of helping those unemployed Americans receive benefits. So we’re going to be in a place for that so those deadlines — as you well know on Capitol Hill — always work magic in the 11th hour,” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters on Thursday.
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But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) rejected that approach, saying she does not support a short-term extension on unemployment benefits.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Republicans Struggle To Find A Reelection Message

Roughly 100 days before the election , Trump and other Republicans are all over the place .
Sometimes touting the economy ( or the economy that used to be before the coronavirus ) .
Sometimes pitching “ law and order ” ( largely a euphemistic placeholder for culture war items like praising the police and controlling protests ) .
And sometimes latching on to old Democratic stereotypes about socialism and lofty GOP principles of freedom .
Trump himself has tested out a number of negative messages against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
He ’ s repeatedly called him “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t seem to have as much of a negative connotation as Trump would like .
He ’ s tried to dig up a case of Biden corruption in Ukraine , only exposing his own presidency ’ s corruption .
And now he ’ s taken on a new effort to cast Biden as senile , only raising more questions about his own cognitive ability .
“ Well , the president will decide what his message for reelection is , ” Rep. Tom Cole ( R-Okla. ) , one of the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , not seeming to be alarmed that the election is only 100 days away .
He said it would probably center around three things : rebuilding the economy , restoring America after the coronavirus and contrasting himself with Biden .
He added that you could also sum it up this way : “ This is what I ’ ve done .
This is what I ’ m going to do .
This is why the other guy isn ’ t ready to be president.
” Presented with the chance himself recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would look like during an interview with Sean Hannity , Trump instead delivered a rambling exposition on experience and talent , how he knows Washington better now ― “ I never did this before .
I never slept over in Washington .
I was in Washington , I think , 17 times .
All of a sudden , I ’ m President of the United States ” ― and how he wouldn ’ t hire “ an idiot like [ John ] Bolton ” again .
Before the coronavirus , Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the economy .
During the Trump presidency , the United States did see record lows for unemployment and record highs for the stock market .
But that economic strength quickly collapsed .
Unemployment remains above 10 % , and with the coronavirus still raging in the country , a quick economic turnaround looks impossible .
“ You ’ ve got ta do a good job of getting their memories back in place , ” Braun said .
“ For any of us who have a business , you can believe they won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us who had a good job before ― wages were going up ― they should remember it.
” “ But , ” Braun continued , “ it ’ s gotten blurred .
We need to be really good at making that point .
And not relying on the economy turning out and giving us some break by luck .
Or by what happens with coronavirus , which will ebb and flow between now and then.
” Republicans banking on voters remembering how good the economy was seems to be little solace for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are newly out of work , or the one-third of Americans who missed their July housing payments .
Instead of remembering the good times , Democrats seem to be banking on voters seeing the current bad times .
Much of their campaign message looks like it ’ ll be about the Trump administration ’ s coronavirus response ― from a lack of testing , to reopening too soon , to denying science about masks and social distancing .
And if recent polling is any indication , these are issues that are on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he thought everyone has had a “ WTF ” moment with Trump .
“ I mean , this is anything but normal , and I don ’ t think there are a whole lot of reasonable , rational people who don ’ t realize that Donald Trump ’ s negligence has caused this , ” Pocan said , referring to America ’ s problems with the coronavirus .
Ocasio-Cortez said the “ most galvanizing message ” Republicans have had is “ racism , xenophobia , misogyny.
” But she thought Republicans would struggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old playbook when they ’ re fighting against economic relief for working families , blocking scientists and public health officials from being transparent with the public , and when “ their decisions are responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 people .
”

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WASHINGTON ― With Donald Trump’s election messaging changing almost every day, congressional Republicans are struggling to find a central GOP slogan of their own.
Roughly 100 days before the election, Trump and other Republicans are all over the place. Sometimes touting the economy (or the economy that used to be before the coronavirus). Sometimes pitching “law and order” (largely a euphemistic placeholder for culture war items like praising the police and controlling protests). And sometimes latching on to old Democratic stereotypes about socialism and lofty GOP principles of freedom.
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Trump himself has tested out a number of negative messages against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. He’s repeatedly called him “Sleepy Joe,” a name that doesn’t seem to have as much of a negative connotation as Trump would like. He’s tried to dig up a case of Biden corruption in Ukraine, only exposing his own presidency’s corruption. And now he’s taken on a new effort to cast Biden as senile, only raising more questions about his own cognitive ability.
Ask Republicans in Congress what the GOP’s central message is, and they’ll struggle to coalesce behind one idea.
“Well, the president will decide what his message for reelection is,” Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), one of the more eloquent Republicans in Congress, told HuffPost this week, not seeming to be alarmed that the election is only 100 days away. He said it would probably center around three things: rebuilding the economy, restoring America after the coronavirus and contrasting himself with Biden.
“Vice President Biden is not the strongest candidate that the Democrats have had,” Cole said.
He added that you could also sum it up this way: “This is what I’ve done. This is what I’m going to do. This is why the other guy isn’t ready to be president.”
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Those sorts of messages, however, demand a competence and focus that seem beyond Trump.
Presented with the chance himself recently to lay out what a second term would look like during an interview with Sean Hannity, Trump instead delivered a rambling exposition on experience and talent, how he knows Washington better now ― “I never did this before. I never slept over in Washington. I was in Washington, I think, 17 times. All of a sudden, I’m President of the United States” ― and how he wouldn’t hire “an idiot like [John] Bolton” again.
But Republicans have spent more than five years pretending Trump is someone he’s not. And they seem to have no plan to give up on the charade now.
Plenty of Republicans had messages they would probably like for Trump to adopt.
Rep. Andy Barr (Ky.) said this election was about “free enterprise, freedom, freedom v. socialism.”
Rep. Glenn Grothman (Wis.) said the central message was “fighting to save America.”
And Rep. Randy Weber (Texas) said it was about “making Americans safe.”
“That means not only just from a physical standpoint, but in the economy,” Weber added.
Before the coronavirus, Trump’s reelection message would have almost certainly been about the economy. During the Trump presidency, the United States did see record lows for unemployment and record highs for the stock market. But that economic strength quickly collapsed. Unemployment remains above 10%, and with the coronavirus still raging in the country, a quick economic turnaround looks impossible.
But some Republicans are hoping voters will just ignore the Trump administration’s bungling of the coronavirus.
“The simplest message I would imply is to remember what the economy is pre-COVID,” Sen. Mike Braun (Ind.) told HuffPost this week.
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Another GOP Senator, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, drew criticism recently when he made a similar remark.
“The stakes are very high this election, but you know why I know we’re going to win?” Tillis said. “Because people remember how good their lives were back in February.”
But Braun went even further.
“You’ve gotta do a good job of getting their memories back in place,” Braun said. “For any of us who have a business, you can believe they won’t forget it. For any of us who had a good job before ― wages were going up ― they should remember it.”
“But,” Braun continued, “it’s gotten blurred. We need to be really good at making that point. And not relying on the economy turning out and giving us some break by luck. Or by what happens with coronavirus, which will ebb and flow between now and then.”
Republicans banking on voters remembering how good the economy was seems to be little solace for the more than 20 million people who are newly out of work, or the one-third of Americans who missed their July housing payments.
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Instead of remembering the good times, Democrats seem to be banking on voters seeing the current bad times. Much of their campaign message looks like it’ll be about the Trump administration’s coronavirus response ― from a lack of testing, to reopening too soon, to denying science about masks and social distancing. And if recent polling is any indication, these are issues that are on the minds of voters.
When voters were asked in early July which three issues were the most important to them, the three highest vote-getters were health care (46%), the economy (44%), and the coronavirus outbreak (36%).
All three of those issues are at least partially tied together. And Democrats seem to believe they all are part of a return to common sense.
“WTF,” Rep. Mark Pocan (Wis.) said when we asked what the central message was for Democrats.
Pocan explained that he thought everyone has had a “WTF” moment with Trump. “I mean, this is anything but normal, and I don’t think there are a whole lot of reasonable, rational people who don’t realize that Donald Trump’s negligence has caused this,” Pocan said, referring to America’s problems with the coronavirus.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) had a similar take.
“Our general election message is, we will not set the country on fire, and Trump is setting the country on fire,” she said.
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Ocasio-Cortez said the “most galvanizing message” Republicans have had is “racism, xenophobia, misogyny.” But she thought Republicans would struggle to find as much traction with their old playbook when they’re fighting against economic relief for working families, blocking scientists and public health officials from being transparent with the public, and when “their decisions are responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 people.”
Other Democrats offered more traditional messaging advice. The former head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during the 2018 elections, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (N.M.), offered a long response about how Democrats were fighting for “kitchen table issues” like lowering prescription drug costs, expanding health care, and passing “sweeping government reforms.”
But the most common answer from Democrats was still about Trump’s handling of coronavirus.
Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (Calif.) said the No. 1 message was to “restore competence and integrity in the fight against the virus, and help American families in their time of economic need.” He said Democrats wanted to build a better country out of this moment, addressing “systemic issues of inequity, racism and injustice,” and wanted to “restore democracy.”
When HuffPost told Schiff that Democrats seemed to be generally united on their messaging but Republicans seemed to be all over the place, Schiff said that wasn’t surprising.
“They have no ideology anymore except Trump,” Schiff said. “It’s Trump’s party. And because Trump is all over the map and is only interested in self, they have no coherence.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--Twitter Users Critique Trump's Effort At Compassion -- And It's Not Pretty

Some expectations that have come to surround the presidency just don ’ t come easy to Donald Trump , such @ @ @ @ @ .
That seemed to be the general opinion of Twitter users who responded to this @ @ @ @ @ asking people to describe what it ’ s like when Trump breaks character and attempts @ @ @ @ @ and appeal to the public ’ s better angels .

Some expectations that have come to surround the presidency just don’t come easy to Donald Trump, such as showing empathy or compassion.
That seemed to be the general opinion of Twitter users who responded to this tweet by the Lincoln Project asking people to describe what it’s like when Trump breaks character and attempts to show a better side and appeal to the public’s better angels.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-23--DOJ: Routine Beatings Of Alabama Prisoners Amount To Cruel And Unusual Punishment

Andrew Lichtenstein via Getty Images The U.S. Department of Justice said conditions in Alabama 's prisons were unconstitutional .
Alabama prison guards working in severely overcrowded and understaffed facilities frequently used excessive force , leading to significant injures and even death , according to the investigation by the department ’ s Civil Rights Division , working in conjunction with Alabama ’ s three top federal prosecutors .
Two Alabama prisoners died from excessive force incidents in the last months of 2019 alone .
A previous federal probe released last year found that Alabama failed to maintain sanitary and safe facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by failing to protect them from violence and sexual abuse from other prisoners .
But the new investigation found that Alabama violated prisoners ’ constitutional rights by failing to protect them from the state ’ s own employees .
The department ’ s 30-page report highlighted several instances of excessive force inside Alabama prisons , which hold more than 16,000 male prisoners in 13 facilities .
The report found that corrections officers all too often used force when there was no physical threat to their safety and also routinely “ use force as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sole purpose of inflicting pain.
” In one instance , a correctional officer at the Ventress Correctional Facility “ brutally hit , kicked and struck a handcuffed prisoner ” inside a medical unit while yelling “ I am the reaper of death , now say my name !
” as the prisoner “ begged the officer to kill him.
” Four nurses witnessed parts of the incident , and the guard ― covered in the prisoner ’ s blood ― told them to say they hadn ’ t seen anything , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corrections officer was fit for duty because he claimed to have post-traumatic stress disorder , but there was no indication that they referred his case for criminal prosecution or imposed discipline internally .
In yet another instance , at least six corrections officers at the St. Clair Correctional Facility rushed a prisoner who was handcuffed after stabbing a corrections officer with a prison-made knife .
When a sergeant told them , “ It ’ s over ; the inmate is in handcuffs , ” the officers pepper-sprayed the sergeant in the eye @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During the beating , they used a baton to hit a lieutenant who tried to intervene and pushed him back so the beating could continue .
There ’ s no indication the officers were disciplined .
Given the low staffing rates and overcrowding in Alabama ’ s prisons , staff members are often forced to work overtime , which leads them to become “ tired , stressed , overworked and angry , ” the report said .
That led to a situation in which excessive force was so commonplace that “ officers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beating prisoners and do not intervene , ” often “ standing by and watching serious uses of excessive force occur and never speaking up or physically intervening.
” “ Uses of force happen so regularly in Alabama ’ s prisons that some officers appear accustomed to that level of violence and consider it normal , ” the report said .
“ In short , in Alabama ’ s prisons , cruel treatment of prisoners by staff is common and de-escalation techniques are regularly ignored.
” The Alabama investigation was one of the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move forward under President Donald Trump ’ s administration .
Such investigations focus not on individual so-called “ bad apples ” who violate the rights of their fellow American citizens in extreme cases , but rather more broadly on law enforcement institutions that breed cultures in which constitutional violations become routine .
Under former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and current Attorney General William Barr , the department has been reluctant to conduct broader investigations into patterns of unconstitutional conduct in law enforcement organizations in part based on the belief that such investigations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conceded he hadn ’ t actual read the department ’ s investigations of patterns of unconstitutional conduct .
But he said during his 2017 confirmation hearing that it was “ a difficult thing ” for officers when their department was sued by the federal government .
More than three years after the federal government began extracting itself from the police reform business and largely abandoned its lawfully mandated mission to examine patterns of criminal conduct in local police departments , the police killing of George Floyd drew new attention to the need for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have conceded there ’ s a need for police reform led by the federal government .
Sen. Roy Blunt ( R-Mo . )
last month urged Barr to use his authority “ to root out misconduct in local police departments and to help restore trust between these departments and the communities they serve.
” Three Republicans in the Minnesota Senate , meanwhile , called for a “ pattern-or-practice ” investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department .

The U.S. Department of Justice said conditions in Alabama's prisons were unconstitutional. Andrew Lichtenstein via Getty Images
Alabama violates the Constitution’s ban on “cruel and unusual punishment” because state corrections officers frequently use excessive force on prisoners and aren’t held accountable for their actions, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice found.
Alabama prison guards working in severely overcrowded and understaffed facilities frequently used excessive force, leading to significant injures and even death, according to the investigation by the department’s Civil Rights Division, working in conjunction with Alabama’s three top federal prosecutors. Two Alabama prisoners died from excessive force incidents in the last months of 2019 alone.
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A previous federal probe released last year found that Alabama failed to maintain sanitary and safe facilities and violated prisoners’ Eighth Amendment rights by failing to protect them from violence and sexual abuse from other prisoners. But the new investigation found that Alabama violated prisoners’ constitutional rights by failing to protect them from the state’s own employees.
The department’s 30-page report highlighted several instances of excessive force inside Alabama prisons, which hold more than 16,000 male prisoners in 13 facilities. The report found that corrections officers all too often used force when there was no physical threat to their safety and also routinely “use force as a form of retribution and for the sole purpose of inflicting pain.”
In one instance, a correctional officer at the Ventress Correctional Facility “brutally hit, kicked and struck a handcuffed prisoner” inside a medical unit while yelling “I am the reaper of death, now say my name!” as the prisoner “begged the officer to kill him.” Four nurses witnessed parts of the incident, and the guard ― covered in the prisoner’s blood ― told them to say they hadn’t seen anything, according to the investigation.
Prison investigators questioned whether the corrections officer was fit for duty because he claimed to have post-traumatic stress disorder, but there was no indication that they referred his case for criminal prosecution or imposed discipline internally.
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In another case, a prison sergeant at the Stanton Correctional Facility punched a handcuffed prisoner in the face with a closed fist because the prisoner stuck out his tongue.
In yet another instance, at least six corrections officers at the St. Clair Correctional Facility rushed a prisoner who was handcuffed after stabbing a corrections officer with a prison-made knife. When a sergeant told them, “It’s over; the inmate is in handcuffs,” the officers pepper-sprayed the sergeant in the eye so they could beat the prisoner. During the beating, they used a baton to hit a lieutenant who tried to intervene and pushed him back so the beating could continue. There’s no indication the officers were disciplined.
Given the low staffing rates and overcrowding in Alabama’s prisons, staff members are often forced to work overtime, which leads them to become “tired, stressed, overworked and angry,” the report said. That led to a situation in which excessive force was so commonplace that “officers, even supervisors, watch other officers brutally beating prisoners and do not intervene,” often “standing by and watching serious uses of excessive force occur and never speaking up or physically intervening.”
“Uses of force happen so regularly in Alabama’s prisons that some officers appear accustomed to that level of violence and consider it normal,” the report said. “In short, in Alabama’s prisons, cruel treatment of prisoners by staff is common and de-escalation techniques are regularly ignored.”
The Alabama investigation was one of the department’s only “pattern-or-practice” investigations to move forward under President Donald Trump’s administration. Such investigations focus not on individual so-called “bad apples” who violate the rights of their fellow American citizens in extreme cases, but rather more broadly on law enforcement institutions that breed cultures in which constitutional violations become routine.
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Under former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and current Attorney General William Barr, the department has been reluctant to conduct broader investigations into patterns of unconstitutional conduct in law enforcement organizations in part based on the belief that such investigations hurt officers’ feelings.
Sessions later conceded he hadn’t actual read the department’s investigations of patterns of unconstitutional conduct. But he said during his 2017 confirmation hearing that it was “a difficult thing” for officers when their department was sued by the federal government.
Under Trump, the department even effectively killed a cooperation-based federal program in which law enforcement organizations that wished to improve their operations could volunteer to subject themselves to scrutiny from law enforcement experts.
Earlier this month, the only “pattern-or-practice” probe of a police department conducted during the Trump administration found that narcotics officers in Springfield, Massachusetts, routinely punched individuals in the face unnecessarily and used “excessive force without accountability.”
More than three years after the federal government began extracting itself from the police reform business and largely abandoned its lawfully mandated mission to examine patterns of criminal conduct in local police departments, the police killing of George Floyd drew new attention to the need for police reform.
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Even some Republican politicians have conceded there’s a need for police reform led by the federal government. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) last month urged Barr to use his authority “to root out misconduct in local police departments and to help restore trust between these departments and the communities they serve.” Three Republicans in the Minnesota Senate, meanwhile, called for a “pattern-or-practice” investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department.