thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Tennessee Must Allow Vote By Mail For All Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Judge Rules

Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ruled that the state ’ s limits on absentee voting during the pandemic constitute “ an unreasonable burden on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution.
” The judge wrote that any eligible voter can get an absentee ballot to avoid contracting or passing on COVID-19 in the “ upcoming elections during the pendency of pandemic circumstances.
” The decision upends a determination by Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett ’ s office that fear of catching or unwittingly spreading the virus at the polls wouldn ’ t qualify someone to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such an expansion wouldn ’ t be feasible for the 2020 elections , claiming lack of money , personnel and equipment for increased voting by mail , among other concerns .
The decision requires the state to “ prominently post on their websites and disseminate to County Election Officials that voters who do not wish to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 virus situation are eligible to request an absentee ballot by mail or that such voters still have the option to vote in-person during Early voting or on Election Day.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ unapologetic ” position and has relied on “ oddly skewed ” assumptions — including assuming preparations for 100 % of registered voters to vote absentee if all were allowed — that go against its own expert and industry standards .
Eleven other states , meanwhile , have taken a “ can-do approach ” by relaxing voting by mail restrictions for the 2020 election , while two-thirds of states have allowed vote by mail for everyone for years , Lyle wrote .
“ When , however , normal industry-recognized assumptions are used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are there to provide temporary expanded access to voting by mail in Tennessee during the pandemic if the State provides the leadership and motivation as other states have done , ” the judge wrote .
Hargett spokeswoman Julia Bruck indicated that the fight is expected to head for an appeal .
The attorney general ’ s office blasted the court ’ s decision as failing to appropriately consider the “ extensive safety measures ” within the state ’ s COVID-19 election plan .
“ It is yet another court decision replacing legislation passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with its own judgment , largely ignoring the practicalities of implementing such a decision , and doing so in the midst of a pandemic and budget crisis , ” Attorney General Herbert Slatery said in a statement .
Tennessee has more than a dozen categories that qualify someone for an absentee ballot , from being sick to being 60 or older .
The Republican-led Legislature and GOP Gov .
Bill Lee have dismissed the idea of offering absentee ballots to all voters , with lawmakers voting against Democratic expansion proposals more than once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times .
Instead , state election officials have recommended preparations as though all 1.4 million registered voters 60 and older — about 1 of every 3 registered voters — will cast mail-in ballots in the Aug. 6 primary .
Historically , Tennessee has historically seen less than 2.5 % of votes cast by mail , the state has said .
Several states who have refused have been sued , including Texas , where a federal judge last month ordered absentee voting be made available to any voter in the pandemic .
Tennessee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the August 2016 primary , then almost 62 % for the November 2016 general election , featuring the presidential election .
In the 2018 non-presidential year , about 30 % of registered voters turned out for the August primary , and 54 % in the November election .
Tennessee ’ s August election will be another test case as U.S. states try to safely prepare for the fall general election highlighted by the re-election bid of President Donald Trump , who has been staunchly against opening up absentee voting to everyone during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory for voting rights , said Dale Ho , director of the ACLU ’ s Voting Rights Project .
“ This ruling eliminates the excuse requirement for the 2020 elections , meaning Tennesseans will not have to risk their health in order to vote .
”

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee must give all of its 4.1 million registered voters the option to cast ballots by mail during the coronavirus pandemic, a judge ruled Thursday.
Davidson County Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle ruled that the state’s limits on absentee voting during the pandemic constitute “an unreasonable burden on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Tennessee Constitution.” The judge wrote that any eligible voter can get an absentee ballot to avoid contracting or passing on COVID-19 in the “upcoming elections during the pendency of pandemic circumstances.”
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The decision upends a determination by Republican Secretary of State Tre Hargett’s office that fear of catching or unwittingly spreading the virus at the polls wouldn’t qualify someone to vote by mail, The state argued such an expansion wouldn’t be feasible for the 2020 elections, claiming lack of money, personnel and equipment for increased voting by mail, among other concerns.
The decision requires the state to “prominently post on their websites and disseminate to County Election Officials that voters who do not wish to vote in-person due to the COVID-19 virus situation are eligible to request an absentee ballot by mail or that such voters still have the option to vote in-person during Early voting or on Election Day.”
The judge wrote that the state has taken an “unapologetic” position and has relied on “oddly skewed” assumptions — including assuming preparations for 100% of registered voters to vote absentee if all were allowed — that go against its own expert and industry standards. Eleven other states, meanwhile, have taken a “can-do approach” by relaxing voting by mail restrictions for the 2020 election, while two-thirds of states have allowed vote by mail for everyone for years, Lyle wrote.
“When, however, normal industry-recognized assumptions are used, the evidence establishes that the resources are there to provide temporary expanded access to voting by mail in Tennessee during the pandemic if the State provides the leadership and motivation as other states have done,” the judge wrote.
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Hargett spokeswoman Julia Bruck indicated that the fight is expected to head for an appeal. The attorney general’s office blasted the court’s decision as failing to appropriately consider the “extensive safety measures” within the state’s COVID-19 election plan.
“It is yet another court decision replacing legislation passed by the people’s elected officials with its own judgment, largely ignoring the practicalities of implementing such a decision, and doing so in the midst of a pandemic and budget crisis,” Attorney General Herbert Slatery said in a statement.
Tennessee has more than a dozen categories that qualify someone for an absentee ballot, from being sick to being 60 or older.
The Republican-led Legislature and GOP Gov. Bill Lee have dismissed the idea of offering absentee ballots to all voters, with lawmakers voting against Democratic expansion proposals more than once this week as they meet during pandemic times.
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Instead, state election officials have recommended preparations as though all 1.4 million registered voters 60 and older — about 1 of every 3 registered voters — will cast mail-in ballots in the Aug. 6 primary. Historically, Tennessee has historically seen less than 2.5% of votes cast by mail, the state has said.
Several states who have refused have been sued, including Texas, where a federal judge last month ordered absentee voting be made available to any voter in the pandemic.
Tennessee’s voter turnout was 14% in the August 2016 primary, then almost 62% for the November 2016 general election, featuring the presidential election. In the 2018 non-presidential year, about 30% of registered voters turned out for the August primary, and 54% in the November election.
Tennessee’s August election will be another test case as U.S. states try to safely prepare for the fall general election highlighted by the re-election bid of President Donald Trump, who has been staunchly against opening up absentee voting to everyone during the pandemic.
The state court lawsuits were led by #UpTheVote901 and by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee.
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“This is a major victory for voting rights, said Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project. “This ruling eliminates the excuse requirement for the 2020 elections, meaning Tennesseans will not have to risk their health in order to vote.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-04--Rev. Al Sharpton Slams Trump: 'We Cannot Use Bibles As A Prop'

Rev .
Al Sharpton slammed President Donald Trump ’ s widely criticized recent photo-op outside a Washington , D.C. , church , saying on Thursday that “ we can not use Bibles as a prop ” or allow George Floyd to be used as one after his death at the hands of police .
While delivering a eulogy for Floyd in Minnesota , Sharpton did not mention the president by name , but referred to a Monday incident in which federal police aggressively cleared peaceful protesters near the White House to allow Trump ’ s passage to nearby St. John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photos with a Bible .
“ I saw somebody standing in front of a church the other day that had been boarded up as a result of violence , held the Bible in his hand .
I ’ ve been preaching since I was a little boy ; I never seen anyone hold a Bible like that .
But I ’ ll leave that alone , ” Sharpton said .
“ But since he held the Bible , if he ’ s watching us today , I would like him to open that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to read Ecclesiastes 3 : ‘ To every season there ’ s a time and a purpose , ’ ” Sharpton said .
“ And I think that it is our job to let the world know when we see what is going on in the streets of this country , and in Europe , around the world , that you need to know what time it is.
” “ We can not use Bibles as a prop , ” Sharpton added .
“ And for those that have an agenda that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not let you use George as a prop.
” Religious leaders , including two of D.C. ’ s top prelates , condemned Trump ’ s stunt on Monday , but he has defended himself and claimed it was “ symbolic ” and that “ many religious leaders loved it , ” pointing to evangelists who praised him .
Bishop Mariann Budde , leader of The Episcopal Diocese of Washington , expressed outrage about Trump ’ s exploit at the time , pledging the church ’ s support for the demonstrations against racism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ a Bible and one of the churches of my diocese as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for.
” During his Thursday address , Sharpton also called on America to “ protest against evil ” and join those demonstrating in memory of Floyd ― a Black man killed by police last week as an officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes ― to call for an end to injustice .
“ We can not cooperate with evil .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can not cooperate with torture , because George Floyd deserved better than that , ” Sharpton said .

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Rev. Al Sharpton slammed President Donald Trump’s widely criticized recent photo-op outside a Washington, D.C., church, saying on Thursday that “we cannot use Bibles as a prop” or allow George Floyd to be used as one after his death at the hands of police.
While delivering a eulogy for Floyd in Minnesota, Sharpton did not mention the president by name, but referred to a Monday incident in which federal police aggressively cleared peaceful protesters near the White House to allow Trump’s passage to nearby St. John’s Episcopal Church to pose for photos with a Bible.
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“I saw somebody standing in front of a church the other day that had been boarded up as a result of violence, held the Bible in his hand. I’ve been preaching since I was a little boy; I never seen anyone hold a Bible like that. But I’ll leave that alone,” Sharpton said.
“We cannot use bibles as a prop… This family will not let you use George as a prop.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton eulogizes George Floyd at a memorial in Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/qSs1TPDRe7 — Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) June 4, 2020
Sharpton, who has regularly criticized Trump, also suggested some reading for the president.
“But since he held the Bible, if he’s watching us today, I would like him to open that Bible and I’d like him to read Ecclesiastes 3: ‘To every season there’s a time and a purpose,’” Sharpton said. “And I think that it is our job to let the world know when we see what is going on in the streets of this country, and in Europe, around the world, that you need to know what time it is.”
“We cannot use Bibles as a prop,” Sharpton added. “And for those that have an agenda that are not about justice, this family will not let you use George as a prop.”
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Religious leaders, including two of D.C.’s top prelates, condemned Trump’s stunt on Monday, but he has defended himself and claimed it was “symbolic” and that “many religious leaders loved it,” pointing to evangelists who praised him.
Bishop Mariann Budde, leader of The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, expressed outrage about Trump’s exploit at the time, pledging the church’s support for the demonstrations against racism and deploring the president’s use of “a Bible and one of the churches of my diocese as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything that our church stands for.”
During his Thursday address, Sharpton also called on America to “protest against evil” and join those demonstrating in memory of Floyd ― a Black man killed by police last week as an officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes ― to call for an end to injustice.
“We cannot cooperate with evil. We cannot cooperate with injustice. We cannot cooperate with torture, because George Floyd deserved better than that,” Sharpton said.
The memorial concluded with an eight-minute and 46-second silence for Floyd.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--The Police Have Shown Their True Colors

The Police Have Shown Their True Colors

“ People started this conversation by saying policing is out of control ; they ’ re not making the situation better .
They have not been reformed , ” Alex S. Vitale , author of “ The End of Policing , ” said in a recent NPR interview .
“ Well , now all you have to do is turn on the nightly news and see how true that is .
The level of aggression and unnecessary escalation is stark evidence of how unreformed policing is , and I argue how unreformable it is.
” “ Ninety percent of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police should just sit back .
They shouldn ’ t have overwhelming force .
... That amps things up .
Now granted a riot , when people are hurting ― I mean , police officers have been attacked , people have been killed , lot of damage .
I get that .
But we use that 1 % and we treat the 99 % like that .
And that ’ s exactly what police training does , ” he said .
“ Every situation is not just can be dangerous but will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a war on crime .
Anybody can kill you.
” Police shove older man , who then bleeds from his head .
Black store owners looked for help from police , were handcuffed instead .
Protester with his hands up taken down by police while giving a TV interview .
Police gassed and bashed peaceful protesters to clear the way for a Trump photo-op .
Police pull college students from a car and stun them with a Taser .
Police knock down older man with a cane when he doesn ’ t move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at protesters in Virginia before curfew .

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Over the past week, protests have broken out nationwide over police brutality, the targeting of Black people and the lack of accountability for these actions.
The death of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers last week ignited the furor, but the anger goes far beyond that one incident. At the heart of the debate is whether the police have too much power and commit acts of discrimination and violence with impunity. The word of the police is given the ultimate weight and authority in a dispute.
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The police have been out in full force responding to the anti-racist protests. And their overwhelming response to the accusations of violence and unchecked power has been more violence and unchecked power.
“People started this conversation by saying policing is out of control; they’re not making the situation better. They have not been reformed,” Alex S. Vitale, author of “The End of Policing,” said in a recent NPR interview. “Well, now all you have to do is turn on the nightly news and see how true that is. The level of aggression and unnecessary escalation is stark evidence of how unreformed policing is, and I argue how unreformable it is.”
Patrick Skinner, a former CIA officer who is now a Georgia police officer, says a central problem is that law enforcement sees itself fighting a “war on crime.” That mindset is contributing to the overreaction by the police to the peaceful protesters.
“Ninety percent of what we’re seeing are protests. Police should just sit back. They shouldn’t have overwhelming force. ... That amps things up. Now granted a riot, when people are hurting ― I mean, police officers have been attacked, people have been killed, lot of damage. I get that. But we use that 1% and we treat the 99% like that. And that’s exactly what police training does,” he said. “Every situation is not just can be dangerous but will be dangerous, because we’re in a war on crime. Anybody can kill you.”
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The actions of law enforcement over the past week have given new life to movements that want to defund the police. At the very least, it seems more people will be questioning law enforcement officers when they claim that you can trust them, that they did nothing wrong.
Below are just a few of the incidents that were caught on video or by reporters. Imagine what happens when there are no cameras.
Police shove older man, who then bleeds from his head.
Police officers in Buffalo, New York, shoved a man to the ground after he walked up and talked to them. It’s not clear what he was saying. The man hit the ground and immediately began bleeding from his head.
“During the skirmish involving protesters, one person was injured when he tripped and fell,” the Buffalo Police Department initially claimed.
The Buffalo police commissioner later suspended two officers involved in the incident after public outcry.
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Just about an hour ago, police officers shove man in Niagara Square to the ground (WARNING: Graphic). Video from: @MikeDesmondWBFO pic.twitter.com/JBKQLvzfET — WBFO (@WBFO) June 5, 2020
Black store owners looked for help from police, were handcuffed instead.
On June 1, a group of community members and employees at a liquor store in Los Angeles were trying to stop looters from ransacking their store. They needed assistance and tried to flag down passing police.
But when the police arrived, officers immediately handcuffed the store owners and employees and let the looters get away ― even after a reporter on the scene told the police they had the wrong people.
“Sir, they’re the store owners, they’re protecting from the looters,” KTTV reporter Christina Gonzalez said. “They’re protecting the store! The looters went that way!”
“I was flagging down the police with the owner, asking, ‘Can you guys help?’” one of the community members, who identified herself as Monet, later told Gonzalez in an interview. “I was handcuffed, thrown up against a wall with my husband and brother-in-law, and I’m like, ‘What the h***?’”
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(2/3) EXCLUSIVE: A group of alleged looters square-off against business owners in Van Nuys as police converge onto the scene. The tense moments were captured live in front of our FOX 11 news camera. https://t.co/KEbNy7SnKw pic.twitter.com/ruAjXGSeev — FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) June 2, 2020
Black CNN reporter arrested live on air.
On May 29, Minneapolis police officers arrested CNN journalist Omar Jimenez while he was broadcasting live. He clearly identified himself as a journalist and told them he was happy to move wherever they needed him to go to get out of the way. Two members of his crew were also taken away.
Josh Campbell, a white CNN journalist who was in the area, said he was treated very differently. Police also told him to move, but when he identified himself, he was allowed to stay.
Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/IY0H1Lc77E pic.twitter.com/s9XmwVfabP — New Day (@NewDay) May 29, 2020
HuffPost reporter Christopher Mathias was also arrested while peacefully covering protests in New York City, even though his press credentials were clearly visible.
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Protester with his hands up taken down by police while giving a TV interview.
Police rushed Myles Carter, who was standing in the street in Buffalo, New York, and giving an interview to a local TV station. Carter had his hands in the air as he was speaking. Police ran up, tackled him and arrested him.
Br. Miles, a regular in my city's mosque who's ONLY ever supported his community, got tackled and arrested while being interviewed WITH BOTH HIS HANDS UP! pic.twitter.com/J537JN36sg — Laith (@secretlaith) June 3, 2020
Police gassed and bashed peaceful protesters to clear the way for a Trump photo-op.
U.S. Park Police, on the orders of Attorney General William Barr, cleared out peaceful protesters near the White House so that President Donald Trump could walk across Lafayette Square for a photo-op in front of a church. How they did it was, quite frankly, horrifying.
Officials later claimed that they told protesters to disperse three times, but reporters and demonstrators did not hear those orders, if they were given. A chemical agent was fired into the crowd, along with flash-bang grenades. Law enforcement has denied releasing tear gas, even though many people there said it was clearly used.
Police were also caught on video bashing Australian journalists.
Police in Washington DC assaulted these Australian journalists (part of the violence unleashed so Trump could get his photo op) https://t.co/5AiM873cl1 pic.twitter.com/8WwUI3MGvg — Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) June 2, 2020
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The U.S. Park Police said it has placed two officers on administrative leave while it investigates the incident.
It’s important to note that many of the incidents getting attention involve journalists, simply because they are often filming and have outlets to speak to their experiences.
Police pull college students from a car and stun them with a Taser.
Brutal video showed Atlanta police officers surrounding a car and pulling a young man and woman out, shocking them both with a Taser. The Associated Press reported that the man, Messiah Young, was stopped in traffic and appeared to be recording officers pulling another man out of a car.
Young refused to open his door when an officer approached, saying, “I’m not dying today.” Officers then ran up to both sides of the car, using a stun gun on Taniyah Pilgrim as she tried to get out of the car. They then bashed Young’s window with a baton and shocked him with a Taser as well.
They claimed he had a gun, but there was no gun.
Six officers were charged after public outcry.
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Police knock down older man with a cane when he doesn’t move fast enough.
In Salt Lake City, a police officer apparently didn’t think a man who was walking with a cane was moving fast enough and shoved him to the ground.
In today's criminal justice news, a SWAT unit in Salt Lake City UT deploys
And decides one of their top priorities is knocking a gray-haired old man with a cane down to the ground
pic.twitter.com/9Q1PiEJ8LA — T. Greg "Credulous Propagandist" Doucette (@greg_doucette) May 31, 2020
“I thought they were just coming down the street, and all of a sudden they came charging at me,” said James Tobin, 67. Tobin also has leukemia.
He said he had arrived 10 minutes earlier to take some pictures.
Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown called the next day and apologized to Tobin.
NYPD rams SUV into a crowd of people.
In a horrifying video, a New York City police vehicle drove straight into a crowd of protesters who were standing in front of it.
Here is the overhead... pic.twitter.com/US6Qqhkz3O — Rob Bennett 🤠 (@rob_bennett) May 31, 2020
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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) defended the police, saying, “I wish the police officers hadn’t done that, but I also understand that they didn’t start the situation. The situation was started by a group of protesters converging on a police vehicle attacking that vehicle. It’s unacceptable. So the police officers have to get out of that situation.”
Two people who were in the crowd at that time said de Blasio clearly was misrepresenting what happened.
“As we marched non-violently down the street, the police drove up to us in an apparent attempt to force us off the road. No one was blocking their SUVs from behind,” Sarah Zapiler and Zachary Tomlinson wrote in the New York Daily News. “The police created the situation and if they truly wanted to leave without hitting anyone, they could have backed away. Instead, they escalated the confrontation by driving forward, using their vehicles like weapons with blatant disregard for protesters’ safety.”
After continued public criticism, de Blasio later said he didn’t like what he saw “one bit” and announced an independent review.
LAPD batters protesters with batons.
Los Angeles police officers were captured on video beating peaceful protesters with batons.
SHOCKING VIDEO: LAPD officers seen striking protesters with batons in Fairfax district confrontation https://t.co/gWbBswwzvs pic.twitter.com/HscxXj4sKN — ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 4, 2020
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Police shove, shout expletives at Associated Press journalists.
New York City police officers surrounded and shouted at Associated Press journalists who were covering the protests on Tuesday. They were covering the action just after the 8 p.m. curfew, when an officer came up and told them to leave. They replied that they were allowed to be there, as members of the media.
“I don’t give a s―-,” one said. Another told them to “get the f―- out of here you piece of s―-.”
Police fired tear gas at protesters in Virginia before curfew.
In Richmond, Virginia, on Monday, police fired tear gas on peaceful protesters ― even though it was 30 minutes before the city’s curfew.
1⃣4⃣6⃣ Richmond, VA: police fire teargas on peaceful protestors for sport, a half-hour before curfew
(Not sure if this is just an earlier shot of one of the earlier Richmond vids; let me know if so)
pic.twitter.com/k0TF7G1TTU — T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) June 2, 2020
The Richmond Police Department initially justified using the tear gas, saying officers “were cut off by violent protesters” and the tear gas was “necessary to get them to safety.” The department backed down from that statement a few hours later, and the police chief eventually apologized.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--States Have Put 54 New Restrictions On Peaceful Protests Since Ferguson

OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images Law enforcement officers face off with demonstrators outside the White House as part of a wave of anti-racism protests nationwide .
But as last Friday ’ s demonstrations kicked off in Minneapolis ― where Floyd , a Black man , was killed by police officers ― Louisiana lawmakers some 2,500 miles south voted overwhelmingly to pass harsh new legislation cracking down on peaceful protests .
The bill set a three-year mandatory minimum prison sentence with hard labor for protesters convicted of trespassing on fossil fuel and other infrastructure sites during a state of emergency like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The legislation had actually been months in the making , and it ’ s hardly a one-off .
Since 2015 ― in the wake of protests set off by the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri ― states have introduced at least 154 bills or executive orders to restrict peaceful protest , according to a HuffPost analysis of the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law ’ s tally , a new report from PEN America , and interviews with free speech experts .
So far , 54 have become law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Louisiana measure , which is awaiting the governor ’ s signature ― are pending .
Of the 22 anti-protest laws passed over the last four years , 12 designated fossil fuel sites as “ critical infrastructure ” and ramped up penalties for trespassing or tampering with the equipment there .
The statutes , promoted in state legislatures by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council following the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests , typically elevated low-level misdemeanor charges to felonies with thousands of dollars in fines and prison time .
While the Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalties , more than half a dozen other states enacted similar legislation in just the past two years .
Three states ― Kentucky , South Dakota and West Virginia ― passed new laws restricting fossil fuel protests in March , as the country went into lockdown over the pandemic .
Alabama lawmakers advanced their bill in May , but failed to pass it before the legislative session ended .
New Penalties And Definitions For Riots South Dakota has become a hotbed for anti-protest legislation , particularly since Gov .
Kristi Noem ( R @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of three days in March 2019 , the state legislature passed a law criminalizing “ riot boosting , ” setting forth harsh penalties for those who encourage acts of “ force or violence ” but do not take part themselves .
The American Civil Liberties Union sued to block the law , and state officials dialed back the measure as part of a settlement .
When you have mass movements and a lot of people in the street , you see false arrests and heavy-duty charge stacking to get people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws are a gift to that type of prosecution .
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard , executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund Then this March , South Dakota enacted new measures expanding the definition of a felony “ riot ” to “ intentional use of force or violence by three or more persons ” that causes “ any damage to property.
” The law covers those who “ urge ” a riot , which it defines as “ instigating , inciting , or directing ” but excluding “ oral or written advocacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not urge ... imminent force or violence.
” Protesters Can ’ t Block Traffic , But Drivers Can Hit Them Seven states proposed , but ultimately failed to pass , legislation limiting liability for drivers who hit or run over protesters who are blocking streets .
In addition to protecting drivers , those bills and more than a dozen other proposed laws sought to increase penalties for protesters who block traffic or gather without approval on private or public land .
The latter measures became law in two states .
A 2017 South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ban gatherings of more than 20 people on public land if the gathering could damage the land or the renters ’ use of that property .
It also gave the state Department of Transportation the right to bar protests that interfere with highway traffic , increasing the penalties for obstructing roadways to one year behind bars and a $ 2,000 fine .
A Utah law enacted three months ago expanded “ disorderly conduct ” in the legislature or at meetings of government officials to include creating annoyance or alarm with “ unreasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a silent protester who “ refuses to comply with the lawful order of a law enforcement officer to move from a public place or an official meeting , or knowingly creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition.
” The measure mandated a $ 750 fine for first offenses , up to three months in jail for those who had been warned to cease the prohibited conduct , and up to one year in jail for a third-time offender .
Between April 2015 and May 2020 , 32 states enacted measures to restrict or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement to “ boycott , divest and sanction ” Israel over its treatment of Palestinians and non-Jewish Israelis , according to data from the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise .
Two dozen of those laws and executive orders bar states from granting contracts to companies or individuals who support the BDS movement .

Law enforcement officers face off with demonstrators outside the White House as part of a wave of anti-racism protests nationwide. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
The historic wave of protests sparked by the death of George Floyd has spurred a new debate over the legitimacy of political violence as some demonstrators have turned to vandalism, looting and setting fires in defiance of police brutality and racism.
But as last Friday’s demonstrations kicked off in Minneapolis ― where Floyd, a Black man, was killed by police officers ― Louisiana lawmakers some 2,500 miles south voted overwhelmingly to pass harsh new legislation cracking down on peaceful protests. The bill set a three-year mandatory minimum prison sentence with hard labor for protesters convicted of trespassing on fossil fuel and other infrastructure sites during a state of emergency like the one declared amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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The legislation had actually been months in the making, and it’s hardly a one-off. Since 2015 ― in the wake of protests set off by the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri ― states have introduced at least 154 bills or executive orders to restrict peaceful protest, according to a HuffPost analysis of the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law’s tally, a new report from PEN America, and interviews with free speech experts. So far, 54 have become law. More than two dozen ― including the Louisiana measure, which is awaiting the governor’s signature ― are pending.
These new restrictions on peaceful protest are not directly linked to an uptick in less-peaceful tactics over the past week. In fact, many of the current protesters have condemned actions like brick-throwing and looting, blaming the worst offenses on agitators who don’t share their anti-racist goals.
But a number of the largest U.S. cities where nightly protests are taking place have put curfews in place, including New York City, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis. Researchers warn that the proliferation of new restrictions could push future protesters to embrace more combative tactics as the legal risks of peaceful gatherings rise.
“There’s a multiplier effect,” said Dana Fisher, a sociologist who studies protest movements at the University of Maryland, College Park. “If people don’t think they’re allowed to peacefully protest, they’re going to be prepared for more confrontational protest.”
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Pipeline Protections
Of the 22 anti-protest laws passed over the last four years, 12 designated fossil fuel sites as “critical infrastructure” and ramped up penalties for trespassing or tampering with the equipment there. The statutes, promoted in state legislatures by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council following the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests, typically elevated low-level misdemeanor charges to felonies with thousands of dollars in fines and prison time.
Louisiana adopted such a statute in 2018. Last week, lawmakers expanded on the measure, adding the mandatory minimum sentencing provision that could send peaceful protesters to prison for standing near any of Louisiana’s 125,000 miles of pipeline, much of which is buried and therefore difficult to avoid when planning demonstrations.
A protester stands, arms in the air, in front of a row of officers during a demonstration near the White House on June 1. OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
While the Louisiana bill proposes some of the most inflexible penalties, more than half a dozen other states enacted similar legislation in just the past two years. Three states ― Kentucky, South Dakota and West Virginia ― passed new laws restricting fossil fuel protests in March, as the country went into lockdown over the pandemic. Alabama lawmakers advanced their bill in May, but failed to pass it before the legislative session ended.
So-called “critical infrastructure” bills have passed more easily than other protest restrictions because big companies, particularly oil giants, have deployed their expansive lobbying networks to back the measures.
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New Penalties And Definitions For Riots
More than a dozen states have proposed new bills to discourage riots, though the legislation was most successful in the Dakotas, where heated pipeline protests are recent events that seem likely to repeat.
In 2017, North Dakota increased the charges for participating in a riot. It was previously a Class A misdemeanor, which was punishable by up to a year in prison and a $3,000 fine. Under the newer law, joining a riot with more than 100 people is a Class B felony, subject to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.
South Dakota has become a hotbed for anti-protest legislation, particularly since Gov. Kristi Noem (R) took office last year. Over the course of three days in March 2019, the state legislature passed a law criminalizing “riot boosting,” setting forth harsh penalties for those who encourage acts of “force or violence” but do not take part themselves. The American Civil Liberties Union sued to block the law, and state officials dialed back the measure as part of a settlement.
“When you have mass movements and a lot of people in the street, you see false arrests and heavy-duty charge stacking to get people to plead to lesser charges. ... These laws are a gift to that type of prosecution.” - Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund
Then this March, South Dakota enacted new measures expanding the definition of a felony “riot” to “intentional use of force or violence by three or more persons” that causes “any damage to property.” The law covers those who “urge” a riot, which it defines as “instigating, inciting, or directing” but excluding “oral or written advocacy of ideas or expression of belief that does not urge ... imminent force or violence.”
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It took less than a month in early 2018 for West Virginia to enact a law extending protections for police officers to the state’s Capitol Police when they kill or wound anyone present, “spectator or otherwise,” while dispersing a riot.
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the nonprofit Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, said the statute was known among lawyers and advocates as the “shoot-a-teacher law” because it was passed amid the West Virginia’s teachers strike.
Protesters Can’t Block Traffic, But Drivers Can Hit Them
Seven states proposed, but ultimately failed to pass, legislation limiting liability for drivers who hit or run over protesters who are blocking streets. In addition to protecting drivers, those bills and more than a dozen other proposed laws sought to increase penalties for protesters who block traffic or gather without approval on private or public land. The latter measures became law in two states.
A 2017 South Dakota law enabled the governor and sheriffs to ban gatherings of more than 20 people on public land if the gathering could damage the land or the renters’ use of that property. It also gave the state Department of Transportation the right to bar protests that interfere with highway traffic, increasing the penalties for obstructing roadways to one year behind bars and a $2,000 fine.
That same year, Tennessee imposed new $200 fines ― plus up to 30 days in jail ― for anyone who obstructs an emergency vehicle, which it broadly defined as “any vehicle of a governmental department or public service corporation when responding to an emergency.”
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Curbing Free Speech, Especially About Israel
Proposed laws to punish students or universities for protests that block controversial speakers from appearing on campus are pending in six states and were defeated in another 11.
In 2018, Missouri banned public employees from picketing, though a federal judge blocked the law from being enforced in January 2020.
A Utah law enacted three months ago expanded “disorderly conduct” in the legislature or at meetings of government officials to include creating annoyance or alarm with “unreasonable noise.” The restrictions could apply to a silent protester who “refuses to comply with the lawful order of a law enforcement officer to move from a public place or an official meeting, or knowingly creates a hazardous or physically offensive condition.” The measure mandated a $750 fine for first offenses, up to three months in jail for those who had been warned to cease the prohibited conduct, and up to one year in jail for a third-time offender.
Between April 2015 and May 2020, 32 states enacted measures to restrict or formally condemn as anti-Semitic support for the movement to “boycott, divest and sanction” Israel over its treatment of Palestinians and non-Jewish Israelis, according to data from the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Two dozen of those laws and executive orders bar states from granting contracts to companies or individuals who support the BDS movement.
A protester watches a law enforcement helicopter circle the main opposition camp against the Dakota Access oil pipeline near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, in February 2017. Terray Sylvester / Reuters
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In most cases, the bills seeking to restrict peaceful protest and expression are aimed at “charge stacking,” which is when prosecutors pile on the counts to pressure people into a deal.
“When you have mass movements and a lot of people in the street, you see false arrests and heavy-duty charge stacking to get people to plead to lesser charges. ... These laws are a gift to that type of prosecution,” said Verheyden-Hilliard.
But they’re not necessary. “The crimes are already crimes, and the penalties already exist,” she said.
The push to limit peaceful political expression overall, particularly amid the pandemic, highlights the influence of monied special interests on policymaking in the United States, said Vera Eidelman, a staff attorney at the ACLU in New York.
“There’s an absurdity to legislatures passing these laws right now,” she said, “when there are so many barriers to hearing from constituents as it is.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Trump Gloats That It's 'A Great Day' For George Floyd During Press Conference

President Donald Trump said Friday that he hoped George Floyd was “ looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that ’ s happening for our country , ” just moments after calling for an amped-up police response to nationwide protests against racism and police brutality sparked by Floyd ’ s death .
Trump made the comment during public remarks celebrating a surprisingly optimistic jobs report .
The president ’ s reference to the man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned his neck to the ground was counter to an appeal by the Rev .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon memorial service .
“ For those that have an agenda that are not about justice , this family will not let you use George as a prop , ” Sharpton said .
Trump ’ s push for an even more intense law enforcement response to the civil unrest also is at odds with protesters ’ demands for more restraint by police .
Cellphone videos taken by protesters across the country since Floyd ’ s death have documented alarming examples of excess force against civilians .
“ It ’ s called ‘ dominate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a free-flowing news conference in the White House Rose Garden .
He urged governors not to be “ too proud ” to call him for additional law enforcement support , and singled out New York , where city police are facing intense criticism for using unjustified force against curfew violators .
Switching back to the jobs report , which recorded an unemployment rate of 13.3 % for May ― a drop from 14.7 % in April ― Trump invoked Floyd ’ s name .
“ Hopefully , George is looking down right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing happening for our country , ” the president said .
“ A great day for him , a great day for everybody.
” Floyd died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes , continuing to restrain Floyd long after he loses consciousness .
One of his brothers sharply criticized Trump ’ s condolence call to the family last week .
“ He didn ’ t give me the opportunity to even speak , ” Philonise Floyd said in an interview with MSNBC .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in George Floyd ’ s death have been fired and charged with criminal offenses .
The officer who knelt on him , Derek Chauvin , faces the most serious charge , second-degree murder without intent .
The deaths of Floyd and other Black people at the hands of police , including Breonna Taylor , who was shot to death in her Louisville , Kentucky , home while sleeping , have inspired passionate anti-racism protests in nearly 200 cities around the U.S. and a dozen other countries around the world .

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President Donald Trump said Friday that he hoped George Floyd was “looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country,” just moments after calling for an amped-up police response to nationwide protests against racism and police brutality sparked by Floyd’s death. Trump made the comment during public remarks celebrating a surprisingly optimistic jobs report.
The president’s reference to the man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned his neck to the ground was counter to an appeal by the Rev. Al Sharpton during Floyd’s Thursday afternoon memorial service. “For those that have an agenda that are not about justice, this family will not let you use George as a prop,” Sharpton said.
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Trump’s push for an even more intense law enforcement response to the civil unrest also is at odds with protesters’ demands for more restraint by police. Cellphone videos taken by protesters across the country since Floyd’s death have documented alarming examples of excess force against civilians.
“It’s called ‘dominate the streets,’” Trump said at a free-flowing news conference in the White House Rose Garden. He urged governors not to be “too proud” to call him for additional law enforcement support, and singled out New York, where city police are facing intense criticism for using unjustified force against curfew violators.
Switching back to the jobs report, which recorded an unemployment rate of 13.3% for May ― a drop from 14.7% in April ― Trump invoked Floyd’s name.
“Hopefully, George is looking down right now in saying this is a great thing happening for our country,” the president said. “A great day for him, a great day for everybody.”
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Floyd died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, continuing to restrain Floyd long after he loses consciousness.
One of his brothers sharply criticized Trump’s condolence call to the family last week.
“He didn’t give me the opportunity to even speak,” Philonise Floyd said in an interview with MSNBC. “It hurt me.”
Four officers involved in George Floyd’s death have been fired and charged with criminal offenses. The officer who knelt on him, Derek Chauvin, faces the most serious charge, second-degree murder without intent.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Roger Goodell Admits NFL Was Wrong About Player Protests

In a major reversal , NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted on Friday that the organization was wrong for not allowing NFL players to peacefully protest police brutality against Black people during the national anthem .
“ We , the NFL , admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest , ” he added .
“ We , the NFL , believe Black lives matter.
” Goodell ’ s statement comes after a week of protests swept the country in response to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pleading for air as a white officer knelt on his neck .
Goodell made no mention of Colin Kaepernick , the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who started the movement to peacefully protest police brutality against Black people by taking a knee during the national anthem before NFL games .
Prior to the announcement , NFL star players from several teams came together and urged the football league to take a serious stance against racism and systematic injustice in the wake of Floyd ’ s death .
We , the NFL , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black People .
We , the NFL , admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest .
We , the NFL , believe Black Lives Matter .
# InspireChange pic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv — NFL ( @ NFL ) June 5 , 2020 The NFL has resisted players ’ efforts to peacefully protest racism and police brutality ever since Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem in 2016 .
More players joined the protest , but the league attempted to put an end to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the national anthem in 2018 .
Kaepernick became a free agent in 2017 but has not been signed onto a new team , despite continuing his training .
In 2019 , the NFL and Kaepernick settled a legal dispute in which the athlete accused the league of colluding to keep him from joining any teams .
Even after recruiters from seven teams came to watch Kaepernick practice last year , he reportedly still has not received any offers .
All week , protesters have marched in nearly every major city to demand systematic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , as well as the many other deaths of Black people in the U.S. at the hands of police or white vigilantes .
In March , Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old EMT , was shot to death after Louisville , Kentucky , police broke into her home with a drug warrant while looking for someone else .
In February , two white men killed Ahmaud Arbery , a 25-year-old Black man , while he was jogging because they thought he was a burglar but no charges were brought against the men until @ @

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In a major reversal, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted on Friday that the organization was wrong for not allowing NFL players to peacefully protest police brutality against Black people during the national anthem.
“We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black people,” Goodell said in a filmed statement posted to Twitter.
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“We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” he added. “We, the NFL, believe Black lives matter.”
Goodell’s statement comes after a week of protests swept the country in response to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a Black man who was handcuffed and pleading for air as a white officer knelt on his neck.
Goodell made no mention of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who started the movement to peacefully protest police brutality against Black people by taking a knee during the national anthem before NFL games.
Prior to the announcement, NFL star players from several teams came together and urged the football league to take a serious stance against racism and systematic injustice in the wake of Floyd’s death.
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Odell Beckham Jr., Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, Tyrann Mathieu, Ezekiel Elliott and other NFL players pleaded with the league in a video posted to social media.
We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black People. We, the NFL, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter. #InspireChange pic.twitter.com/ENWQP8A0sv — NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2020
The NFL has resisted players’ efforts to peacefully protest racism and police brutality ever since Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem in 2016.
More players joined the protest, but the league attempted to put an end to them by banning any form of kneeling during the national anthem in 2018.
Kaepernick became a free agent in 2017 but has not been signed onto a new team, despite continuing his training. In 2019, the NFL and Kaepernick settled a legal dispute in which the athlete accused the league of colluding to keep him from joining any teams.
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Even after recruiters from seven teams came to watch Kaepernick practice last year, he reportedly still has not received any offers.
All week, protesters have marched in nearly every major city to demand systematic change in light of Floyd’s death, as well as the many other deaths of Black people in the U.S. at the hands of police or white vigilantes.
In March, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot to death after Louisville, Kentucky, police broke into her home with a drug warrant while looking for someone else.
In February, two white men killed Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, while he was jogging, but no charges were brought against the men until June.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--As They Scream Voter Fraud, Trump And His Press Secretary May Have Voted Illegally

WASHINGTON – Even as they both attack the idea of voting by mail , President Donald Trump and his new press secretary may have voted by mail illegally , using residential addresses on their registrations that were not their residences .
Kayleigh McEnany cast Florida ballots in 2018 using her parents ’ address in Tampa , even though she lived in Washington , D.C. , and held a New Jersey driver ’ s license .
Trump cast a Florida ballot this year using a business address in Palm Beach , where he had promised the town government he would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving to Florida last year and used the state ’ s vote-by-mail option to cast his ballot in the March presidential primary .
He registered to vote using his Mar-a-Lago resort as the “ address where you live ” – even though he signed an agreement with the town of Palm Beach nearly three decades ago promising that it would not be used as a private residence .
Trump tried to claim 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. , the location of the White House in Washington , as his legal residence on Sept. 27 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Palm Beach County elections officials .
His revised form filed a month later gives the Mar-a-Lago address .
Both require a signature affirming that the information provided is true .
( Trump confused matters further this week when he declared on a conference call with governors : “ I live in Manhattan.
” ) Under the Aug. 10 , 1993 , agreement with Palm Beach , first reported by The Washington Post , Trump received permission to turn the estate he had bought in 1985 into a social club , but only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a residence .
The agreement specified that the club could not have any more than 10 guest suites , that they could not be advertised or available to the public , and could not permit its members to use them more than 21 days in a given year .
“ I think he just forgot what he promised , ” Stambaugh said .
“ Now it ’ s incumbent on the town of Palm Beach and the people of the state of Florida to remind him that Mar-a-Lago is not the appropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted in both the 2018 primary and general elections in Florida using her parents ’ waterfront address in Tampa as her legal residence rather than the house she and her husband bought in 2017 , located a mile and half away ― all while living and working in Washington as a full-time employee of the Republican National Committee .
In February 2019 , McEnany left the RNC to join the Trump campaign , headquartered across the Potomac River in Arlington , Virginia , and was working there in March when she voted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She joined the White House in April as Trump ’ s fourth press secretary in as many years .
McEnany defended her own choice to vote using mail ballots because she was not in Florida at the time , but did not address why she did not vote in places where she happened to be living .
“ Absentee voting has the word absent in it for a reason .
It means you ’ re absent from the jurisdiction or unable to vote in person , ” McEnany last month told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her extensive use of mail ballots through the years .
“ President Trump is against the Democrat plan to politicize the coronavirus and expand mass mail-in voting without a reason , which has a high propensity for voter fraud .
This is a simple distinction that the media fails to grasp .
”

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WASHINGTON – Even as they both attack the idea of voting by mail, President Donald Trump and his new press secretary may have voted by mail illegally, using residential addresses on their registrations that were not their residences.
Kayleigh McEnany cast Florida ballots in 2018 using her parents’ address in Tampa, even though she lived in Washington, D.C., and held a New Jersey driver’s license. Trump cast a Florida ballot this year using a business address in Palm Beach, where he had promised the town government he would not live.
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“If Florida is not really your primary residence, then it’s inappropriate for you to be registered as a voter in Florida,” said Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a fellow at the Brennan Center and a professor at Stetson University in Florida.
McEnany did not respond to HuffPost queries about either her or her boss’s voter registration discrepancies. Providing false information on a registration in Florida is a felony punishable by up to five years in state prison.
Trump made a show of moving to Florida last year and used the state’s vote-by-mail option to cast his ballot in the March presidential primary. He registered to vote using his Mar-a-Lago resort as the “address where you live” – even though he signed an agreement with the town of Palm Beach nearly three decades ago promising that it would not be used as a private residence.
“It’s illegal,” Reginald Stambaugh, a Palm Beach County lawyer involved in a dispute over a dock Trump recently tried to build at Mar-a-Lago, said of Trump’s voter registration.
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Trump tried to claim 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., the location of the White House in Washington, as his legal residence on Sept. 27, 2019, but that registration was rejected by Palm Beach County elections officials. His revised form filed a month later gives the Mar-a-Lago address. Both require a signature affirming that the information provided is true. (Trump confused matters further this week when he declared on a conference call with governors: “I live in Manhattan.”)
A 1993 agreement between Trump and the Town of Palm Beach states that Trump may not use his Mar-a-Lago resort as a residence. Trump voted in the March 2020 presidential primary using Mar-a-Lago as his legal residence. Town of Palm Beach, Florida
Under the Aug. 10, 1993 agreement with Palm Beach, Trump received permission to turn the estate he had bought in 1985 into a social club, but only after promising it would not be used as a residence. The agreement specified that the club could not have any more than 10 guest suites, that they could not be advertised or available to the public, and that members could not use them more than 21 days in a given year.
“The use of guest suites shall be limited to a maximum of three (3) non-consecutive seven (7) day periods by any one member during the year,” the agreement states.
The Washington Post first reported on both the 1993 agreement as well as Trump’s registration forms.
“The use of guest suites shall be limited to a maximum of three (3) non-consecutive seven (7) day periods by any one member during the year,” the agreement states.
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The Washington Post first reported on both the 1993 agreement as well as Trump’s registration forms.
Florida law does not allow a place of business, including a social club, to be used as a residence for the purpose of registering to vote.
“I think he just forgot what he promised,” Stambaugh said. “Now it’s incumbent on the town of Palm Beach and the people of the state of Florida to remind him that Mar-a-Lago is not the appropriate residence for him to vote.”
Palm Beach Town Manager Kirk Blouin said he was not familiar with the agreement and referred questions to the town attorney, who did not respond to HuffPost queries.
Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link also did not respond to queries about Trump’s voter registration and the ballot he cast in the March presidential primary.
Typically, Florida elections officials reject registrations that use addresses in areas that are zoned for commercial establishments. Mar-a-Lago’s zoning, however, is “large estate residential.” It was given a “special exception use” in 1993 that turned it into a commercial enterprise ― a designation not visible on zoning maps.
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McEnany voted in both the 2018 primary and general elections in Florida using her parents’ waterfront address in Tampa as her legal residence rather than the house she and her husband bought in 2017, located a mile and half away ― all while living and working in Washington as a full-time employee of the Republican National Committee.
At the time, McEnany’s driver’s license and car registration showed an address in Edgewater, New Jersey. Those documents can only be obtained by proving residency in that state, according to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission website.
Florida law states that registered voters must be “Florida residents,” and one of the documents that can be provided as proof is a Florida driver’s license.
In August 2019, McEnany gave an interview to a Tampa radio station stating that she worked in Washington, but traveled to Tampa “pretty much every weekend.”
In November 2019, according to Hillsborough County records, she changed her legal residence from her parents’ address to that of her own house. It’s unclear how much time she has spent there since.
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In February 2019, McEnany left the RNC to join the Trump campaign, headquartered across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, and was working there in March when she voted by mail in Florida’s presidential primary. She joined the White House in April as Trump’s fourth press secretary in as many years.
Through all those years, McEnany has repeated Trump’s false claims of rampant voter fraud and accusations that Democrats want undocumented immigrants to vote, and, most recently, that mail ballots increase fraud.
“They are subject to fraud, and that is extremely troubling,” she said last week from the White House briefing room.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany frequently repeats Trump's false claims that mail-in ballots increase fraud, but she voted by mail in Florida last year using her parents' Tampa address. ASSOCIATED PRESS
McEnany defended her own choice to vote using mail ballots because she was not in Florida at the time, but did not address why she did not vote in places where she happened to be living.
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“Absentee voting has the word absent in it for a reason. It means you’re absent from the jurisdiction or unable to vote in person,” McEnany last month told the Tampa Bay Times, which first reported her extensive use of mail ballots through the years. “President Trump is against the Democrat plan to politicize the coronavirus and expand mass mail-in voting without a reason, which has a high propensity for voter fraud. This is a simple distinction that the media fails to grasp.”
Daniel Smith, a voting rights expert at the University of Florida, said McEnany’s statements about voting are filled with hypocrisy.
“Florida doesn’t have absentee voting, we have vote by mail,” Smith said. “We don’t use the term absentee. One does not need to have an excuse or be absent to vote by mail. So it’s not just for people like her who may be temporarily out of Florida.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--DC Mayor Has 'Black Lives Matter' Painted On Street Leading To White House

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has decided to send a message to the White House that Black lives matter .
On Friday , she had people paint the words “ Black Lives Matter ” in giant yellow letters on two blocks of 16th Street ― a street that goes directly to the White House .
At the end of the mural , on the side closest to the White House , the painters added the Washington , D.C. , flag .
Street painters put the giant letters on the ground in anticipation of more protests against police brutality and racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had 16th Street NW ― which is just in front of the White House ― renamed “ Black Lives Matter Plaza.
” Washington Post reporter Julie Zauzmer filmed the new street sign going up to applause .
Bowser ’ s chief of staff , John Falcicchio , explained via Twitter that the mayor wanted “ to make it abundantly clear that this is DC ’ s street and to honor demonstrators who [ were ] peacefully protesting on Monday evening.
” Many of those demonstrators were tear-gassed by federal police , who cleared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pose with a Bible in front of a church that has since denounced his actions .
There was a dispute this week about whose street this is .
Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is DC ’ s street and to honor demonstrators who peacefully protesting on Monday evening .
https : //t.co/bjdVXLUf12 — John J. Falcicchio # StayHomeDC ( @ falcicchio ) June 5 , 2020 The Black Lives Matter street mural appeared a day after Bowser posted a letter addressed to Trump on Twitter requesting that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and military presence from Washington , D.C. ” But while the street mural was visually striking , Black Lives Matter DC dismissed Bowser ’ s action , saying the mayor “ has consistently been on the wrong side of BLMDC history ” and that the mural was a “ performative distraction from real policy changes ” designed to “ appease white liberals while ignoring our demands.
” This is a performative distraction from real policy changes .
Bowser has consistently been on the wrong side of BLMDC history .
This is to appease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter means defund the police .
@ emilymbadger say it with us https : //t.co/w0ekwSG1ip — BlackLivesMatter DC ( @ DMVBlackLives ) June 5 , 2020 Bowser previously earned criticism from activists for trying to make footage captured by police body cameras exempt from public records laws .

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Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has decided to send a message to the White House that Black lives matter.
On Friday, she had people paint the words “Black Lives Matter” in giant yellow letters on two blocks of 16th Street ― a street that goes directly to the White House.
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At the end of the mural, on the side closest to the White House, the painters added the Washington, D.C., flag.
Street painters put the giant letters on the ground in anticipation of more protests against police brutality and racism in the coming days.
Bowser also had 16th Street NW ― which is just in front of the White House ― renamed “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” Washington Post reporter Julie Zauzmer filmed the new street sign going up to applause.
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Mayor Bowser has renamed 16th Street NW just in front of the White House “Black Lives Matter Plz.” Here’s video of the sign going up. pic.twitter.com/NYnolEe7Qg — Julie Zauzmer (@JulieZauzmer) June 5, 2020
Bowser’s chief of staff, John Falcicchio, explained via Twitter that the mayor wanted “to make it abundantly clear that this is DC’s street and to honor demonstrators who [were] peacefully protesting on Monday evening.”
Many of those demonstrators were tear-gassed by federal police, who cleared the way for President Donald Trump to pose with a Bible in front of a church that has since denounced his actions.
There was a dispute this week about whose street this is. Mayor Bowser wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is DC’s street and to honor demonstrators who peacefully protesting on Monday evening. https://t.co/bjdVXLUf12 — John J. Falcicchio #StayHomeDC (@falcicchio) June 5, 2020
The Black Lives Matter street mural appeared a day after Bowser posted a letter addressed to Trump on Twitter requesting that he withdraw “all extraordinary federal law enforcement and military presence from Washington, D.C.”
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But while the street mural was visually striking, Black Lives Matter DC dismissed Bowser’s action, saying the mayor “has consistently been on the wrong side of BLMDC history” and that the mural was a “performative distraction from real policy changes” designed to “appease white liberals while ignoring our demands.”
This is a performative distraction from real policy changes. Bowser has consistently been on the wrong side of BLMDC history. This is to appease white liberals while ignoring our demands. Black Lives Matter means defund the police. @emilymbadger say it with us https://t.co/w0ekwSG1ip — BlackLivesMatter DC (@DMVBlackLives) June 5, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--John Kelly Slams Trump's Ethics: 'We Need To Look Harder At Who We Elect'

In an interview with former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci ― whom Kelly canned on his first day on the job ― Kelly suggested Trump ’ s behavior in office proves Americans have to be more rigorous about whom they choose as their president .
“ I think we need to look harder at who we elect , ” he said .
“ I think we should look at people that are running for office and put them through the filter : What is their character like ?
What are their ethics ?
” Kelly also agreed with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the president shouldn ’ t be sending in active-duty troops to stop peaceful protests and feared the current polarization is reaching its breaking point .
“ There is a concern , I think an awful big concern , that the partisanship has gotten out of hand , the tribal thing has gotten out of hand , ” Kelly said .
Kelly ’ s comments came one day after he defended Mattis for telling The Atlantic that Trump “ is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he were still chief of staff , he would have argued against using force to clear out Lafayette Square so that Trump could do a photo-op at a nearby church .
“ I would ’ ve argued against it , recommended against it , ” Kelly said .
“ I would argue that the end result of that was predictable.
” But Kelly momentarily seemed at a loss for words when Scaramucci asked him if the president was indeed the “ very stable genius ” he proclaims himself to be .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a genius ?
I don ’ t know what that is , ” Kelly said .
“ He is , as I say , when I was there working the staff process , more often than not , he didn ’ t like the recommendations .
More often than not , he followed the recommendations .
...
But I don ’ t think I should comment on — I ’ m not qualified to comment on stable or unstable or whatever.
” Although Trump ’ s critics might appreciate Kelly ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be noted that he was also a controversial administration figure .
Before becoming chief of staff in July 2017 , Kelly served as Trump ’ s secretary of Homeland Security , where he oversaw the administration ’ s immigration crackdown .
During his stint as chief of staff , Kelly praised Confederate general Robert E. Lee as an “ honorable man ” ; claimed Trump ’ s proposed immigration policy would help some undocumented immigrants who were previously “ too lazy ” to seek protections ; and called former staff secretary Rob Porter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite abuse allegations from Porter ’ s two ex-wives .

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Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly obliquely accused President Donald Trump of being unethical in a livestream interview on Friday.
In an interview with former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci ― whom Kelly canned on his first day on the job ― Kelly suggested Trump’s behavior in office proves Americans have to be more rigorous about whom they choose as their president.
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“I think we need to look harder at who we elect,” he said. “I think we should look at people that are running for office and put them through the filter: What is their character like? What are their ethics?”
Kelly also agreed with Trump’s former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that the president shouldn’t be sending in active-duty troops to stop peaceful protests and feared the current polarization is reaching its breaking point.
“There is a concern, I think an awful big concern, that the partisanship has gotten out of hand, the tribal thing has gotten out of hand,” Kelly said.
Kelly’s comments came one day after he defended Mattis for telling The Atlantic that Trump “is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people.”
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Kelly told Scaramucci that if he were still chief of staff, he would have argued against using force to clear out Lafayette Square so that Trump could do a photo-op at a nearby church.
“I would’ve argued against it, recommended against it,” Kelly said. “I would argue that the end result of that was predictable.”
But Kelly momentarily seemed at a loss for words when Scaramucci asked him if the president was indeed the “very stable genius” he proclaims himself to be.
After a pregnant pause, he declined to comment on the president’s mental state.
“Um, he’s — what’s a genius? I don’t know what that is,” Kelly said. “He is, as I say, when I was there working the staff process, more often than not, he didn’t like the recommendations. More often than not, he followed the recommendations. ... But I don’t think I should comment on — I’m not qualified to comment on stable or unstable or whatever.”
Although Trump’s critics might appreciate Kelly’s slightly vague criticism, it should be noted that he was also a controversial administration figure.
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Before becoming chief of staff in July 2017, Kelly served as Trump’s secretary of Homeland Security, where he oversaw the administration’s immigration crackdown.
During his stint as chief of staff, Kelly praised Confederate general Robert E. Lee as an “honorable man”; claimed Trump’s proposed immigration policy would help some undocumented immigrants who were previously “too lazy” to seek protections; and called former staff secretary Rob Porter a “man of true integrity” despite abuse allegations from Porter’s two ex-wives.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Trump's Presidency Is Reaping What His White Grievance Politics Sowed

He founded his political career on white identity politics , with his 1989 call for the execution of the Central Park Five , his questioning of President Barack Obama ’ s birthplace , his frequent invocation of “ law and order , ” his 2017 claim there were “ very fine people ” among white supremacist protesters in Charlottesville , Virginia , and of course , his constant attacks on immigrants .
“ He ’ s just shown blatantly over and over again that he ’ s a racist , ” said Ashley Ezekieva , a 23-year-old protesting outside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ From Obama to the Central Park Five , he ’ s shown over and over again that he does not like Black or brown people.
” Overt anti-Black racism has been taboo in American politics for some time , which is why Trump still maintains that he ’ s “ done more for the Black Community than any President since Abraham Lincoln.
” He ’ s pointed to a criminal justice reform bill and a historically low unemployment rate for Black people , even though it remained nearly twice as high as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until both unemployment rates skyrocketed in April .
One way researchers try to evaluate voters ’ motivations is by looking at their voting patterns and studying their answers to survey questions on political topics .
One such question , asked as part of the Annual National Election Studies , asks people how much they agree with the statement that “ if blacks would only try harder they could be just as well off as whites.
” The more strongly someone agrees with statements like that one , the more “ racially conservative ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor ― education , income , fear of missing a house payment ― voters ’ racism correlated with their support for Trump , and the correlation was stronger than it had been for any candidate in the previous two elections , according to the 2018 book “ Identity Crisis : The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America ” by political scientists John Sides , Michael Tesler and Lynn Vavreck .
“ The activation of racial issues helped Trump because there were so many Obama voters whose views on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s than to Obama ’ s or Clinton ’ s ― and these voters were especially prevalent in battleground states , ” the trio of researchers wrote .
The mass protests could put Trumpism to a serious test .
The president has urged police to come down hard on protesters , and now there ’ s an endless highlight reel of cops brutalizing people in the way Black Lives Matter activists have always said they do .
“ Trump , in his long-standing rhetoric and in his immediate response to the protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rises to the highest levels of American government , ” said Vanessa Williamson , a scholar of public opinion with the Brookings Institution .
In a 2018 paper , Williamson and co-authors Kris-Stella Trump and Katherine Levine Einstein found that “ Black Lives Matter protests are more likely to occur in localities where more Black people have previously been killed by police.
” They counted more than 780 protests in the year after the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri .
White Americans nowadays are more likely to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were when Richard Nixon won the White House with a “ law and order ” campaign in 1968 .
One tracking poll from a Democratic-affiliated firm even found that as of last month , more white people support than oppose Black Lives Matter .
( Recent polls also show a modest decline in Trump ’ s overall approval rating . )
“ I want the organizers of this terror to be on notice that you will face severe criminal penalties and lengthy sentences in jail , ” the president said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This includes antifa and others who are leading instigators of this violence.
” It ’ s possible that Trump could turn the narrative into a referendum on respecting the flag and defunding police departments .
“ But so long as the focus remains on ruptured race relations and remedying glaring police brutality and discrimination against African Americans , it ’ s a big loser for Trump , ” said Tesler , an associate professor of political science at the University of California , Irvine .
“ It ’ s just kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually uses his voice for hate , ” said Natalie , a 24-year-old from Arlington , Virginia .
“ Having that as a leader just doesn ’ t help at all .
And right now , all I see is just mutual hate everywhere .
”

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Donald Trump has not had a great year. It started with an impeachment trial, then a pandemic, and now widespread demonstrations against police brutality toward Black Americans. But hardly anyone protested outside the White House until this week.
The president himself had no direct involvement with the murder of George Floyd, but it makes sense that Black Lives Matter protests would surge under Trump’s watch.
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He founded his political career on white identity politics, with his 1989 call for the execution of the Central Park Five, his questioning of President Barack Obama’s birthplace, his frequent invocation of “law and order,” his 2017 claim there were “very fine people” among white supremacist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, and of course, his constant attacks on immigrants.
The Black Lives Matter movement, sparked by police murdering Black people, predates Trump’s presidency by several years, but the president personifies the kind of systemic racism the movement has always decried.
“He’s just shown blatantly over and over again that he’s a racist,” said Ashley Ezekieva, a 23-year-old protesting outside the White House on Thursday evening. “From Obama to the Central Park Five, he’s shown over and over again that he does not like Black or brown people.”
Overt anti-Black racism has been taboo in American politics for some time, which is why Trump still maintains that he’s “done more for the Black Community than any President since Abraham Lincoln.” He’s pointed to a criminal justice reform bill and a historically low unemployment rate for Black people, even though it remained nearly twice as high as the rate for white people ― at least until both unemployment rates skyrocketed in April.
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But racial resentment has remained a powerful political tool, one that Trump has harnessed more effectively than his recent Republican predecessors.
“From Obama to the Central Park Five, he’s shown over and over again that he does not like Black or brown people.” - Ashley Ezekieva, protester
One way researchers try to evaluate voters’ motivations is by looking at their voting patterns and studying their answers to survey questions on political topics. One such question, asked as part of the Annual National Election Studies, asks people how much they agree with the statement that “if blacks would only try harder they could be just as well off as whites.” The more strongly someone agrees with statements like that one, the more “racially conservative” they are.
More than any other factor ― education, income, fear of missing a house payment ― voters’ racism correlated with their support for Trump, and the correlation was stronger than it had been for any candidate in the previous two elections, according to the 2018 book “Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America” by political scientists John Sides, Michael Tesler and Lynn Vavreck.
While many white Obama voters had racist views, far fewer such voters supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, with Trump making it very clear he was on their side.
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Using a mountain of polling data, Sides, Tesler and Vavreck found stronger evidence for the racial grievance explanation of the electoral outcome in 2016 than for economic anxiety, Russian meddling, or the FBI’s investigation into Clinton’s emails.
“The activation of racial issues helped Trump because there were so many Obama voters whose views on these issues were arguably closer to Trump’s than to Obama’s or Clinton’s ― and these voters were especially prevalent in battleground states,” the trio of researchers wrote.
The mass protests could put Trumpism to a serious test. The president has urged police to come down hard on protesters, and now there’s an endless highlight reel of cops brutalizing people in the way Black Lives Matter activists have always said they do.
Who is this serving?
Who is this protecting? pic.twitter.com/IK8DkwLLUT — jordan (@JordanUhl) May 31, 2020
“Trump, in his long-standing rhetoric and in his immediate response to the protests, has clearly demonstrated that the problem rises to the highest levels of American government,” said Vanessa Williamson, a scholar of public opinion with the Brookings Institution.
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In a 2018 paper, Williamson and co-authors Kris-Stella Trump and Katherine Levine Einstein found that “Black Lives Matter protests are more likely to occur in localities where more Black people have previously been killed by police.” They counted more than 780 protests in the year after the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
White Americans nowadays are more likely to say Black people have been treated unfairly than they were when Richard Nixon won the White House with a “law and order” campaign in 1968. One tracking poll from a Democratic-affiliated firm even found that as of last month, more white people support than oppose Black Lives Matter. (Recent polls also show a modest decline in Trump’s overall approval rating.)
Nevertheless, Trump and other Republicans have tarred the protests as havens for terrorists intent on destroying property.
“I want the organizers of this terror to be on notice that you will face severe criminal penalties and lengthy sentences in jail,” the president said in a speech from the White House this week. “This includes antifa and others who are leading instigators of this violence.”
It’s possible that Trump could turn the narrative into a referendum on respecting the flag and defunding police departments. “But so long as the focus remains on ruptured race relations and remedying glaring police brutality and discrimination against African Americans, it’s a big loser for Trump,” said Tesler, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, Irvine.
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Several protesters told HuffPost this week that Trump’s “law and order” rhetoric has been inflammatory.
“It’s just kind of like we have a figure that usually uses his voice for hate,” said Natalie, a 24-year-old from Arlington, Virginia. “Having that as a leader just doesn’t help at all. And right now, all I see is just mutual hate everywhere.”
Raphael, a 25-year-old from Alexandria, Virginia, said Trump emboldens people who don’t like Black Lives Matter. “They’re like, ‘Hey, we got a leader, we’re good, like he’s gonna keep us protected,’” he said.
Ezekieva and two friends drove more than two hours to Washington from Snow Hill, Maryland, on Thursday after previously attending a small protest in Ocean City, Maryland.
“This stuff would still be happening, but just the things he’s been saying in general is just making the whole situation worse ― he’s escalating it,” Ezekieva said.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--California Mayor Resigns After Email About Police Brutality Sparks Outrage

The mayor of Temecula , California , resigned this week after his email response to a constituent ’ s question about police brutality was blasted as racist .
Mayor James “ Stew ” Steward announced his resignation Thursday on Facebook , telling his constituents and staff , “ You have every right to be hurt and offended.
” “ I may not be the best writer and I sometimes misspeak , but I am not racist , ” he wrote in the post .
“ I deeply regret this mistake and I own it , entirely .
I am truly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a Temecula resident emailed Steward requesting information about police violence against Black people in the area .
“ I don ’ t believe there ’ s ever been a good person of color killed by a police officer , ” Steward wrote in his response Tuesday , a screenshot of which was posted to Twitter and other social media platforms .
“ I have several good friends who are African-Americans , and they love living here because how safe it is for them and their families.
” “ This is awful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the people of Temecula vote for a better candidate the next election.
” “ I guess only the ‘ bad ’ people of color are killed by the police .
Whatever !
” another person wrote .
Others pointed to Tyisha Miller , a 19-year-old Black woman who was killed by police in 1998 while sitting in her car at a gas station in Riverside , California , about 40 miles north of Temecula .
In a Facebook post before his resignation Thursday , Steward denied making the remark as printed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice-to-text technology .
“ I am very well known for my dyslexia so I voice text everything , ” he wrote .
“ Unfortunately I did not take the time to proofread what was recorded .
I absolutely did not say that.
” Steward told the Los Angeles Times on Friday that he hoped the controversy didn ’ t bring further attention to Temecula ahead of a local Black Lives Matter protest scheduled for that day .
“ It was incredibly horrible timing , but at the same time , I need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .

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The mayor of Temecula, California, resigned this week after his email response to a constituent’s question about police brutality was blasted as racist.
Mayor James “Stew” Stewart announced his resignation Thursday on Facebook, telling his constituents and staff, “You have every right to be hurt and offended.”
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“I may not be the best writer and I sometimes misspeak, but I am not racist,” he wrote in the post. “I deeply regret this mistake and I own it, entirely. I am truly sorry.”
The announcement came two days after a Temecula resident emailed Stewart requesting information about police violence against Black people in the area.
“I don’t believe there’s ever been a good person of color killed by a police officer,” Stewart wrote in his response Tuesday, a screenshot of which was posted to Twitter and other social media platforms. “I have several good friends who are African-Americans, and they love living here because how safe it is for them and their families.”
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Needless to say, the backlash to his remarks was instant.
“This is awful,” one person tweeted. “Hope that the people of Temecula vote for a better candidate the next election.”
“I guess only the ‘bad’ people of color are killed by the police. Whatever!” another person wrote.
Others pointed to Tyisha Miller, a 19-year-old Black woman who was killed by police in 1998 while sitting in her car at a gas station in Riverside, California, about 40 miles north of Temecula.
In a Facebook post before his resignation Thursday, Stewart denied making the remark as printed, blaming the wording on his use of voice-to-text technology.
“I am very well known for my dyslexia so I voice text everything,” he wrote. “Unfortunately I did not take the time to proofread what was recorded. I absolutely did not say that.”
Stewart told the Los Angeles Times on Friday that he hoped the controversy didn’t bring further attention to Temecula ahead of a local Black Lives Matter protest scheduled for that day.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-05--Southern Baptists Report Biggest Single Year Membership Drop In Decades

The Southern Baptist Convention released its 2019 membership numbers on Thursday , showing a membership decline of more than 287,000 .
That brings their total membership down from 14.8 million in 2018 to 14.5 million last year .
It was their 13th straight year of decline and the largest single year drop in more than a century , according to the denomination .
The decline the Southern Baptists are experiencing is “ consistent with national trends we ’ ve been seeing for a while now , mainly driven by generational differences , ” said Mark Chaves , a professor at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congregations Study .
” Younger people are less likely than older people to attend religious services and to be religious .
That ’ s true across the board.
” The denomination also reported a drop of more than 11,000 baptisms over the same period , with 235,748 performed in 2019 .
Baptisms are an important measure for the Nashville-based denomination because of its strong commitment to evangelism .
The president of the Southern Baptist Convention , J.D .
Greear , is shown on a video screen as he addresses the denomination 's annual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , June 13 , 2019 .
Southern Baptist Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd said in a statement that “ it is clear that change is imperative .
... We have to prioritize reaching every person with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every town , every city , every state , and every nation.
” Floyd also criticized the way church data is collected , saying it needs to be done more quickly and accurately .
“ We can not possibly know how best to meet the needs of our 47,500 churches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 75 percent of them , ” he said .
Ed Stetzer directs the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College .
He said it might help slow the membership decline if leaders were able to stop “ the constant infighting that is driving away the next generation of leaders and leaders of color.
” The denomination has seen serious turmoil in recent years with some older , more conservative leaders denouncing what they claim is a liberal drift among younger leaders .
Earlier this year some of those upset with the denomination ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Conservative Baptist Network .
Around the same time , the denomination ’ s executive committee said it was forming a task force to examine the activities of the the SBC ’ s public policy arm , led by Russell Moore , a past critic of President Donald Trump .
The committee also demanded that the president of the group ’ s annual Pastor ’ s Conference make changes to a speaker ’ s roster that included non-Southern Baptists and a female teaching pastor .
Southern Baptists do not endorse female pastors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s annual church reporting .
More than a decade ago , when he first started warning that the denomination ’ s membership was going to decline year after year , many Southern Baptists dismissed his numbers .
Once the trend became irrefutable , they were alarmed .
Now , he said , “ I do think Southern Baptists are becoming used to decline .
That should not be normal .
It should be cause for great concern and change .
”

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The nation’s largest Protestant denomination is almost 2% smaller than it was in 2018.
The Southern Baptist Convention released its 2019 membership numbers on Thursday, showing a membership decline of more than 287,000. That brings their total membership down from 14.8 million in 2018 to 14.5 million last year. It was their 13th straight year of decline and the largest single year drop in more than a century, according to the denomination.
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The decline the Southern Baptists are experiencing is “consistent with national trends we’ve been seeing for a while now, mainly driven by generational differences,” said Mark Chaves, a professor at Duke University and director of the National Congregations Study. ”Younger people are less likely than older people to attend religious services and to be religious. That’s true across the board.”
The denomination also reported a drop of more than 11,000 baptisms over the same period, with 235,748 performed in 2019. Baptisms are an important measure for the Nashville-based denomination because of its strong commitment to evangelism.
The president of the Southern Baptist Convention, J.D. Greear, is shown on a video screen as he addresses the denomination's annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, June 13, 2019. AP Photo/Jay Reeves
Southern Baptist Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd said in a statement that “it is clear that change is imperative. ... We have to prioritize reaching every person with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every town, every city, every state, and every nation.”
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Floyd also criticized the way church data is collected, saying it needs to be done more quickly and accurately.
“We cannot possibly know how best to meet the needs of our 47,500 churches when we only receive needed data from just 75 percent of them,” he said.
Ed Stetzer directs the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College. He said it might help slow the membership decline if leaders were able to stop “the constant infighting that is driving away the next generation of leaders and leaders of color.”
The denomination has seen serious turmoil in recent years with some older, more conservative leaders denouncing what they claim is a liberal drift among younger leaders. Earlier this year some of those upset with the denomination’s direction formed a new group called the Conservative Baptist Network.
Delegates to the 2018 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention worship together in Dallas, Texas. (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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Around the same time, the denomination’s executive committee said it was forming a task force to examine the activities of the the SBC’s public policy arm, led by Russell Moore, a past critic of President Donald Trump. The committee also demanded that the president of the group’s annual Pastor’s Conference make changes to a speaker’s roster that included non-Southern Baptists and a female teaching pastor. Southern Baptists do not endorse female pastors.