thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Trump Turns MLK Day Tweet Into Tribute To His 2017 Inauguration

Donald Trump decided to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day the only way he knows how : with a tweet focused on himself .
On Monday , the president tweeted that the day marked the three-year anniversary of his inauguration before somehow tying that into the commemoration of King ’ s birthday .
It was exactly three years ago today , January 20 , 2017 , that I was sworn into office .
So appropriate that today is also MLK jr DAY .
African-American Unemployment is the LOWEST in the history of our Country , by far .
Also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers , ever .
Great !
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) January 20 , 2020 Considering the many times the president used racism and racist rhetoric to build up his campaign and his real estate business , it ’ s no surprise that many Twitter users weren ’ t exactly impressed .
You finally take a moment ( 3/4 of the way into the day ) to finally address that it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day only to overshadow the man 's accomplishment of being able to bring two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` LOVE ME '' tweet .
SAD SAD SAD pic.twitter.com/yQMumSFQvj — WhatWhyWhenHow ?
?
( @ Laughinginstead ) January 20 , 2020 You ’ ve got to laugh when Donald Trump makes a play for the Black and Hispanic vote with employment statistics .
President Obama took black unemployment from 17 % to 7 % and Hispanic unemployment from 13 % to 5 % but Donald Trump tries to fool everyone and take credit — ♻🇺🇸 Christopher Zullo ( @ ChrisJZullo ) January 20 , 2020 Trump falsely accused President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked for his long form birth certificate many times .
Trump also falsely accused the Central Park 5 of rape and paid the New York Times to publicly call for their brutal executions .
Shameful .
— Eugene Gu , MD ( @ eugenegu ) January 20 , 2020 'We 've got the BEST poverty !
Nobody does poverty better than # Trump !
Everybody knows it but no one 's really talking about it ... believe me ! '
# Trump — Andy Ostroy ( @ AndyOstroy ) January 20 , 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ads calling for the executions of five innocent black teenagers , and to this day you insist that they must still be guilty of *something* ?
that was pretty awesome bruh .
sorry , you were saying something about the legacy of Dr. King ?
— Jeff Tiedrich ( @ itsJeffTiedrich ) January 20 , 2020 Although Trump had no official plans to honor King , he and Vice President Mike Pence did reportedly visit the MLK memorial for about a third of a minute after sending the tweet Monday .
Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # MLK memorial .
They stood in front of it for 20 seconds and then left.
# MLKDay pic.twitter.com/OWIxAtcqWZ — Leah McElrath 🏳🌈 ( @ leahmcelrath ) January 20 , 2020 This article has been updated to note Trump and Pence briefly were at the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial on Monday .

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Donald Trump decided to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day the only way he knows how: with a tweet focused on himself.
On Monday, the president tweeted that the day marked the three-year anniversary of his inauguration before somehow tying that into the commemoration of King’s birthday.
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It was exactly three years ago today, January 20, 2017, that I was sworn into office. So appropriate that today is also MLK jr DAY. African-American Unemployment is the LOWEST in the history of our Country, by far. Also, best Poverty, Youth, and Employment numbers, ever. Great! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2020
Considering the many times the president used racism and racist rhetoric to build up his campaign and his real estate business, it’s no surprise that many Twitter users weren’t exactly impressed.
Only Trump could make MLK day all about him.
Pathetic. — Angela Belcamino (@AngelaBelcamino) January 20, 2020
You finally take a moment (3/4 of the way into the day) to finally address that it is Martin Luther King Jr. Day only to overshadow the man's accomplishment of being able to bring two sides of differing opinions together by producing a "LOVE ME" tweet.
SAD
SAD
SAD pic.twitter.com/yQMumSFQvj — WhatWhyWhenHow?? (@Laughinginstead) January 20, 2020
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You’ve got to laugh when Donald Trump makes a play for the Black and Hispanic vote with employment statistics. President Obama took black unemployment from 17% to 7% and Hispanic unemployment from 13% to 5% but Donald Trump tries to fool everyone and take credit — ♻🇺🇸 Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) January 20, 2020
Trump falsely accused President Barack Obama of being born in Kenya and even asked for his long form birth certificate many times. Trump also falsely accused the Central Park 5 of rape and paid the New York Times to publicly call for their brutal executions. Shameful. — Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) January 20, 2020
'We've got the BEST poverty! Nobody does poverty better than #Trump! Everybody knows it but no one's really talking about it...believe me!' #Trump — Andy Ostroy (@AndyOstroy) January 20, 2020
remember that time you took out full-page ads calling for the executions of five innocent black teenagers, and to this day you insist that they must still be guilty of *something*? that was pretty awesome bruh. sorry, you were saying something about the legacy of Dr. King? — Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) January 20, 2020
Although Trump had no official plans to honor King, he and Vice President Mike Pence did reportedly visit the MLK memorial for about a third of a minute after sending the tweet Monday.
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Trump and Pence were met with booing at the #MLK memorial.
They stood in front of it for 20 seconds and then left.#MLKDay pic.twitter.com/OWIxAtcqWZ — Leah McElrath 🏳🌈 (@leahmcelrath) January 20, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Saudi Arabia Helps Violent Fugitives Flee U.S. Justice System, FBI Says

The heavily redacted FBI intelligence bulletin , dated Aug. 29 , 2019 , was obtained and shared by Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) on Twitter Friday .
The Justice Department sent the document in response to a request from Wyden ’ s office .
Saudi Arabia officials “ perceive the embarrassment of Saudi citizens enduring the U.S. judicial process is greater than the embarrassment of the United States learning that the [ Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ] surreptitiously removes citizens with legal problems from the United States , ” the FBI wrote in the bulletin .
Some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eastern kingdom face charges ranging from traffic violations to rape , child pornography and manslaughter , according to the FBI .
Saudi Arabia will continue to help Saudi citizens charged with crimes evade the American justice system unless the U.S. government addresses the activity , the FBI stated in its bulletin .
In a joint statement on Friday , Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley ( D-Ore. ) urged President Donald Trump to take immediate action on the issue .
“ The declassified FBI report is extremely damning for the Saudi government , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this bombshell information , the Trump administration still fails to hold the Saudi government accountable , it will be nothing short of an accomplice in helping Saudi fugitives evade justice.
” The declassified FBI report is extremely damning for the Saudi government .
If after this bombshell information , the Trump administration still fails to hold the Saudi government accountable , it will be nothing short of an accomplice in helping Saudi fugitives evade justice .
https : //t.co/xJEmRqKQs4 pic.twitter.com/BcjZf8XNdA — Ron Wyden ( @ RonWyden ) January 18 , 2020 Wyden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would impose significant penalties on foreign consulates that help their citizens escape the U.S. judicial system .
The proposed legislation followed an Oregonian report that Saudi consular officials within the U.S. helped Abdulrahmeen Sameer Noorah , a Saudi nationalist , flee the U.S. after fatally striking 15-year-old Fallon Smart with his car in 2016 .
Noorah , 21 , was charged with manslaughter , felony hit-and-run and reckless driving but managed to flee the U.S. with the help of Saudi officials two weeks before his trial was set to begin , reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents .
The FBI ’ s assessment will likely add to the already strained relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia .
The CIA determined Saudi Arabia ’ s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 .
Trump said the U.S. would continue to partner with Saudi Arabia despite the CIA ’ s findings .
Earlier this month , the U.S. sent back to Saudi Arabia nearly two dozen Saudi military students from a training program after a Saudi aviation student shot up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in December .
Attorney General William Barr said the attack , which left three U.S. sailors dead and injured eight other people , was motivated by “ jihadist ideology ” and has been classified as an act of terrorism .

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Saudi Arabia helps U.S.-based Saudi citizens flee the U.S. to avoid criminal prosecution, according to a recently declassified FBI memo.
The heavily redacted FBI intelligence bulletin, dated Aug. 29, 2019, was obtained and shared by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Twitter Friday. The Justice Department sent the document in response to a request from Wyden’s office.
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Saudi Arabia officials “perceive the embarrassment of Saudi citizens enduring the U.S. judicial process is greater than the embarrassment of the United States learning that the [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] surreptitiously removes citizens with legal problems from the United States,” the FBI wrote in the bulletin.
Some of the Saudi fugitives receiving assistance from the Middle Eastern kingdom face charges ranging from traffic violations to rape, child pornography and manslaughter, according to the FBI.
Saudi Arabia will continue to help Saudi citizens charged with crimes evade the American justice system unless the U.S. government addresses the activity, the FBI stated in its bulletin.
The FBI said it made its assessment with “high confidence.”
In a joint statement on Friday, Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) urged President Donald Trump to take immediate action on the issue.
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“The declassified FBI report is extremely damning for the Saudi government,” Wyden tweeted Saturday. “If after this bombshell information, the Trump administration still fails to hold the Saudi government accountable, it will be nothing short of an accomplice in helping Saudi fugitives evade justice.”
The declassified FBI report is extremely damning for the Saudi government. If after this bombshell information, the Trump administration still fails to hold the Saudi government accountable, it will be nothing short of an accomplice in helping Saudi fugitives evade justice. https://t.co/xJEmRqKQs4 pic.twitter.com/BcjZf8XNdA — Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) January 18, 2020
Wyden and Merkley introduced two bills earlier this month that would impose significant penalties on foreign consulates that help their citizens escape the U.S. judicial system.
The proposed legislation followed an Oregonian report that Saudi consular officials within the U.S. helped Abdulrahmeen Sameer Noorah, a Saudi nationalist, flee the U.S. after fatally striking 15-year-old Fallon Smart with his car in 2016.
Noorah, 21, was charged with manslaughter, felony hit-and-run and reckless driving but managed to flee the U.S. with the help of Saudi officials two weeks before his trial was set to begin, reported the Oregonian, citing federal law enforcement agents.
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Neither the White House nor the State Department immediately responded to HuffPost’s requests for comment.
The FBI’s assessment will likely add to the already strained relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. The CIA determined Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. Trump said the U.S. would continue to partner with Saudi Arabia despite the CIA’s findings.
Earlier this month, the U.S. sent back to Saudi Arabia nearly two dozen Saudi military students from a training program after a Saudi aviation student shot up a Navy base in Pensacola, Florida, in December.
Attorney General William Barr said the attack, which left three U.S. sailors dead and injured eight other people, was motivated by “jihadist ideology” and has been classified as an act of terrorism.
Read the Justice Department’s note to Wyden and redacted report below:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Leading Democratic 2020 Hopefuls Commemorate MLK Day In South Carolina, Iowa

COLUMBIA , S.C. ( AP ) — In the closing days before the first votes are cast in the Democratic presidential contest , the party ’ s leading hopefuls are splitting their time between the critical early-voting states South Carolina and Iowa at events celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day .
While Iowa and New Hampshire Democrats vote first for their nominee , South Carolina ’ s first-in-the-South primary is a crucial proving ground for a candidate ’ s mettle with black voters .
The state ’ s showcase holiday celebration , Columbia ’ s King Day at the Dome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event for a Democratic politician .
The festivities are marked by a march through the streets of downtown Columbia and a rally at the Statehouse .
All the top-tier candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , California businessman Tom Steyer and Sens .
Amy Klobuchar , Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — planned to start Monday with prayer services around Columbia .
Joining them in the capital are Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and former Massachusetts Gov .
Deval Patrick .
Sanders spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina was about “ respect pure and simple , ” noting that racial inequality in areas including criminal justice and poverty highlights the relevance of commemorating a civil rights icon here .
“ If you can ’ t stand shoulder to shoulder with people who face these challenges every day yet still manage to embrace a vision of hope and grace , then you don ’ t deserve their respect , much less their vote , ” he said .
King Day at the Dome began in 2000 as a reaction to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep the Confederate battle flag flying from the Statehouse ’ s copper-covered cupola , a place of prominence that drew opposition .
Tens of thousands of people marched through Columbia ’ s downtown from the prayer service to the Statehouse .
Lawmakers eventually agreed to a compromise that moved the flag to a flagpole , albeit one prominently situated in front of the building .
The deal also recognized Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the state and created Confederate Memorial Day .
In 2015 , following the racist massacre of nine Bible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Charleston , lawmakers voted to remove the flag from the grounds .
In years past many Democratic presidential hopefuls have made their way to the north-facing facade of the Statehouse , including John Edwards , Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton .
Last year , Sanders and Sen. Cory Booker , who has dropped out of the 2020 race , attended .
Many of the candidates in the wide field planned to travel to Des Moines , Iowa , on Monday for the Brown and Black Forum , recognized as one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events of its kind .
Traditionally a debate , the event in recent years has been more of a one-on-one candidate forum .
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg , who is not competing in the early-voting states but has put some of his multimillion-dollar ad spending there — plans to join a King Day parade in Little Rock , Arkansas .
Tech businessman Andrew Yang is in the midst of a 17-day bus tour of Iowa and plans to remain there .

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — In the closing days before the first votes are cast in the Democratic presidential contest, the party’s leading hopefuls are splitting their time between the critical early-voting states South Carolina and Iowa at events celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
While Iowa and New Hampshire Democrats vote first for their nominee, South Carolina’s first-in-the-South primary is a crucial proving ground for a candidate’s mettle with black voters. The state’s showcase holiday celebration, Columbia’s King Day at the Dome, is a notable and highly visible event for a Democratic politician. The festivities are marked by a march through the streets of downtown Columbia and a rally at the Statehouse.
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All the top-tier candidates — former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, California businessman Tom Steyer and Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — planned to start Monday with prayer services around Columbia. Joining them in the capital are Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, left, I-Vt., greets Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, center, D-Hawaii, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, right, D--Mass., at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service at Zion Baptist Church, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sanders spokesman Michael Wukela said the King event in South Carolina was about “respect pure and simple,” noting that racial inequality in areas including criminal justice and poverty highlights the relevance of commemorating a civil rights icon here.
“If you can’t stand shoulder to shoulder with people who face these challenges every day yet still manage to embrace a vision of hope and grace, then you don’t deserve their respect, much less their vote,” he said.
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King Day at the Dome began in 2000 as a reaction to state lawmakers’ decision that year to keep the Confederate battle flag flying from the Statehouse’s copper-covered cupola, a place of prominence that drew opposition. Tens of thousands of people marched through Columbia’s downtown from the prayer service to the Statehouse.
Lawmakers eventually agreed to a compromise that moved the flag to a flagpole, albeit one prominently situated in front of the building. The deal also recognized Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the state and created Confederate Memorial Day.
In 2015, following the racist massacre of nine Bible study participants at a historic black church in Charleston, lawmakers voted to remove the flag from the grounds.
Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at an oyster roast campaign event on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Orangeburg, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In years past many Democratic presidential hopefuls have made their way to the north-facing facade of the Statehouse, including John Edwards, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Last year, Sanders and Sen. Cory Booker, who has dropped out of the 2020 race, attended.
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Many of the candidates in the wide field planned to travel to Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday for the Brown and Black Forum, recognized as one of the nation’s oldest minority-focused presidential candidate events of its kind. Traditionally a debate, the event in recent years has been more of a one-on-one candidate forum.
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is not competing in the early-voting states but has put some of his multimillion-dollar ad spending there — plans to join a King Day parade in Little Rock, Arkansas. Tech businessman Andrew Yang is in the midst of a 17-day bus tour of Iowa and plans to remain there.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--2 More Puerto Rico Officials Fired After Supplies-Filled Warehouse Discovered

SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico ( AP ) — Gov .
Wanda Vázquez fired the heads of Puerto Rico ’ s housing and family departments Sunday in the latest fallout over the discovery of a warehouse filled with emergency supplies dating from Hurricane Maria .
The removal of Housing Secretary Fernando Gil and Department of Family Secretary Glorimar Andújar came a day after the governor fired the director of Puerto Rico ’ s emergency management agency .
Vázquez fired him hours after a Facebook video showed angry people breaking into the warehouse in an area where thousands have been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she decided on the additional firings after meeting with leaders of her administration Sunday morning and officials were unable to provide information she requested about other collection and distribution centers .
“ They weren ’ t able to personally tell me specifically where these centers were located , what they contained and whether an inventory was completed , ” she said .
Vázquez did not elaborate on why Gil and Andújar were singled out , saying only that she had lost confidence in them .
Anger erupted in Puerto Rico on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video of the warehouse in the southern coastal city of Ponce filled with water bottles , cots , baby food and other basic supplies that had apparently been sitting there since Hurricane Maria battered the U.S. territory in September 2017 .
The blogger , Lorenzo Delgado , said he had received a tip about the warehouse but did not specify when .
A group of people broke into the warehouse and began distributing supplies to those affected by the recent 6.4 magnitude quake that killed one person and caused damage across Puerto Rico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7,000 people remain in shelters as strong aftershocks continue .
Ponce Mayor María Meléndez said she was outraged , noting that she and other mayors were trying to find basic supplies since the quake .
“ I spent several days requesting cots and water , ” she said .
“ They sent me to Cabo Rojo for the cots and to San Juan for the water .
If I had known that those supplies were there , I would have demanded that they be taken out immediately .
” When asked how it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the existence of the warehouse , Vázquez replied , “ That ’ s what the head of agencies are for ... to inform the governor.
” Vázquez said she worried that the warehouse discovery and the fallout would affect the credibility of the territorial government in Washington , which has temporarily retained some federal funds for Maria relief amid concerns of corruption and mismanagement .

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Gov. Wanda Vázquez fired the heads of Puerto Rico’s housing and family departments Sunday in the latest fallout over the discovery of a warehouse filled with emergency supplies dating from Hurricane Maria.
The removal of Housing Secretary Fernando Gil and Department of Family Secretary Glorimar Andújar came a day after the governor fired the director of Puerto Rico’s emergency management agency. Vázquez fired him hours after a Facebook video showed angry people breaking into the warehouse in an area where thousands have been in shelters since a recent earthquake.
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“There have been actions by government officials that have been completely unacceptable,” the governor said Sunday.
Vázquez said she decided on the additional firings after meeting with leaders of her administration Sunday morning and officials were unable to provide information she requested about other collection and distribution centers.
“They weren’t able to personally tell me specifically where these centers were located, what they contained and whether an inventory was completed,” she said.
Vázquez did not elaborate on why Gil and Andújar were singled out, saying only that she had lost confidence in them.
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A girls runs on the grounds of a tent city for hundreds of people displaced by earthquakes in Guanica, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Anger erupted in Puerto Rico on Saturday after an online blogger posted a live video of the warehouse in the southern coastal city of Ponce filled with water bottles, cots, baby food and other basic supplies that had apparently been sitting there since Hurricane Maria battered the U.S. territory in September 2017.
The blogger, Lorenzo Delgado, said he had received a tip about the warehouse but did not specify when. A group of people broke into the warehouse and began distributing supplies to those affected by the recent 6.4 magnitude quake that killed one person and caused damage across Puerto Rico’s southern region. More than 7,000 people remain in shelters as strong aftershocks continue.
Ponce Mayor María Meléndez said she was outraged, noting that she and other mayors were trying to find basic supplies since the quake.
“I spent several days requesting cots and water,” she said. “They sent me to Cabo Rojo for the cots and to San Juan for the water. If I had known that those supplies were there, I would have demanded that they be taken out immediately. ”
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When asked how it was possible that she did not know about the existence of the warehouse, Vázquez replied, “That’s what the head of agencies are for ... to inform the governor.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Navy To Name Aircraft Carrier For Pearl Harbor Hero Doris Miller

HONOLULU ( AP ) — The U.S. Navy is expected to honor a World War II hero when a new aircraft carrier is named for Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller .
The announcement is expected to be made at Pearl Harbor Monday , The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday .
Miller , born in Waco , Texas , in 1919 , was the first African American to receive the Navy Cross for valor .
Miller was recognized for manning a machine gun on the USS West Virginia and returning fire against Japanese planes during the Dec. 7 , 1941 attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Doris Miller is an American hero simply because of what he represents as a young man going beyond the call of what ’ s expected , ” said Doreen Ravenscroft , a team leader for the Doris Miller Memorial .
An African American was not allowed to man a gun in the Navy in 1941 , Ravenscroft said .
“ Without him really knowing , he actually was a part of the Civil Rights movement because he changed the thinking in the Navy , ” Ravenscroft said .
Circa 1942 : Headshot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doris Miller , wearing a Navy Cross pinned to his sailor 's uniform , under the headline , `` above and beyond the call of duty , '' in an Office of War Information poster , World War II .
Two of Miller ’ s nieces are expected to be at Pearl Harbor for the announcement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day .
Miller , then 22 , was collecting laundry when the attack alarm sounded .
His normal battle station in an antiaircraft battery magazine was destroyed by a torpedo .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to safety before receiving orders to aid the mortally wounded captain on the bridge .
“ He subsequently manned a 50-cal .
Browning anti-aircraft machine gun until he ran out of ammunition and was ordered to abandon ship , ” the Navy said , noting Miller was not trained to operate the gun .
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz , the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet , presented the Navy Cross to Miller in Pearl Harbor in May 1942 .

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HONOLULU (AP) — The U.S. Navy is expected to honor a World War II hero when a new aircraft carrier is named for Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller.
The announcement is expected to be made at Pearl Harbor Monday, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday.
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Miller, born in Waco, Texas, in 1919, was the first African American to receive the Navy Cross for valor.
Miller was recognized for manning a machine gun on the USS West Virginia and returning fire against Japanese planes during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
USS Miller, a destroyer escort, was previously named in his honor.
“I think that Doris Miller is an American hero simply because of what he represents as a young man going beyond the call of what’s expected,” said Doreen Ravenscroft, a team leader for the Doris Miller Memorial.
An African American was not allowed to man a gun in the Navy in 1941, Ravenscroft said.
“Without him really knowing, he actually was a part of the Civil Rights movement because he changed the thinking in the Navy,” Ravenscroft said.
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Circa 1942: Headshot portrait of Naval Mess Attendant 3rd Class Doris Miller, wearing a Navy Cross pinned to his sailor's uniform, under the headline, "above and beyond the call of duty," in an Office of War Information poster, World War II. Hulton Archive via Getty Images
Two of Miller’s nieces are expected to be at Pearl Harbor for the announcement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Miller, then 22, was collecting laundry when the attack alarm sounded. His normal battle station in an antiaircraft battery magazine was destroyed by a torpedo. He went on deck and carried wounded soldiers to safety before receiving orders to aid the mortally wounded captain on the bridge.
“He subsequently manned a 50-cal. Browning anti-aircraft machine gun until he ran out of ammunition and was ordered to abandon ship,” the Navy said, noting Miller was not trained to operate the gun.
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet, presented the Navy Cross to Miller in Pearl Harbor in May 1942.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Donald Trump Tweeted About Fox News A Lot In 2019: Study

President Donald Trump was sweet on tweeting about Fox News in 2019 , according to a study published Sunday .
While that comes as no surprise ― the conservative channel ardently supports Trump and GOP policies ― the amount of “ live-tweeting ” that the so-called tweeter-in-chief devoted to Fox News programming was staggering .
Trump tweeted “ in response ” to Fox News or Fox Business shows he was watching at least 657 times in 2019 , the Media Matters study showed .
That was about 10 % of all his tweets .
Trump lavished much of his social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with at least 206 Tweets about the channel ’ s morning show , according to the research .
The Fox News personality whom Trump quoted the most was n't Sean Hannity , left .
It was Brian Kilmeade of `` Fox & Friends . ''
The Fox News personality Trump quoted the most was not a prominent prime time host , such as Sean Hannity or Tucker Carlson .
It was “ Fox & Friends ” co-host Brian Kilmeade , Media Matters said .
And the president was consistent .
He live-tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 45 % of his posts related to Russia or the Ukraine investigations , according to Media Matters .
As the 2020 presidential campaign and Democrats ’ moves to impeach Trump revved up , the president worked his thumbs even harder .
He dispatched 10 Fox live tweets on Dec. 18 and reached a monthly high of 97 in December .
The president was back on his Fox News beat Sunday night , shilling for a show as if he were a network promotions worker .
A USA Today study published in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his negativity is getting worse , rising to 16.4 % of his words from 14.9 % in 2017 .

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President Donald Trump was sweet on tweeting about Fox News in 2019, according to a study published Sunday.
While that comes as no surprise ― the conservative channel ardently supports Trump and GOP policies ― the amount of “live-tweeting” that the so-called tweeter-in-chief devoted to Fox News programming was staggering.
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Trump tweeted “in response” to Fox News or Fox Business shows he was watching at least 657 times in 2019, the Media Matters study showed. That was about 10% of all his tweets.
Trump lavished much of his social media love on “Fox & Friends” with at least 206 Tweets about the channel’s morning show, according to the research.
The Fox News personality whom Trump quoted the most wasn't Sean Hannity, left. It was Brian Kilmeade of "Fox & Friends." Ethan Miller via Getty Images
The Fox News personality Trump quoted the most was not a prominent prime time host, such as Sean Hannity or Tucker Carlson. It was “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade, Media Matters said.
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And the president was consistent. He live-tweeted about Fox News on 202 days, with 45% of his posts related to Russia or the Ukraine investigations, according to Media Matters.
As the 2020 presidential campaign and Democrats’ moves to impeach Trump revved up, the president worked his thumbs even harder. He dispatched 10 Fox live tweets on Dec. 18 and reached a monthly high of 97 in December.
The president was back on his Fox News beat Sunday night, shilling for a show as if he were a network promotions worker.
A great show! Check it out tonight at 9pm. @FoxNews https://t.co/AH1WHoGbY1 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2020
A USA Today study published in December about Trump’s tweets revealed that his negativity is getting worse, rising to 16.4% of his words from 14.9% in 2017.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Second-Largest Doctor Group Endorses National Health Insurance (Of Some Kind)

The American College of Physicians , which represents 159,000 doctors with training in internal medicine , on Monday said the federal government should assert more control over national health spending and guarantee insurance for all Americans , either by covering everybody directly ( through what advocates call “ Medicare for All ” ) or by creating a new public program that can compete with private plans ( through what ’ s come to be known as a “ public option ” ) .
ACP ’ s announcement could prove to be a milestone in the century-long quest to make health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently and effectively physicians have resisted ambitious reforms .
And it comes at a time when such reforms are once again a focus of national debate , because so many Americans are still struggling with the cost of medical care and because the two political parties are calling for such radically different responses .
Republicans , led by President Donald Trump , are still trying to repeal or roll back the Affordable Care Act , which dramatically reduced the number of uninsured people and established key principles of universal coverage such as guaranteed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Insofar as Republicans support new initiatives , they have in mind reforms that would relax or eliminate these regulations on insurance companies and shrink government insurance programs on which tens of millions rely .
Democrats want government to do more than it does today ― by reaching the remaining uninsured , providing everybody with more protection from medical bills , and addressing health care spending more aggressively .
Inside the party , the debate is all about whether Medicare for All or the public option is the best way to achieve those goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And Health Care After more than a year of study and internal deliberations , ACP ’ s governing boards and policy committees have concluded that either Medicare for All or a strong public option could work , though it doesn ’ t use those terms .
The overriding goal , the organization says , should be to give the government much more sway over health care , like other developed countries have long done , rather than to rely on some combination of patchwork reforms and the free market .
ACP , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fought efforts to repeal it , has always been among the most liberal physician organizations .
But this is the first time the organization has formally called for the government to create a new insurance program , be it mandatory or optional , and to exert so much more power over health care spending , according to Robert McLean , an internist and the group ’ s president .
“ We have said in the past , ‘ Hey , maybe we need to consider or look at single-payer financing as an option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully come out and boldly endorse it , ” McLean told HuffPost .
“ We are doing that now .
This is a really assertive endorsement with much more detail on how this approach has been shown to be effective for these various reasons .
… That is new for us.
” What It Means For The 2020 Election Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) is Medicare for All ’ s most visible champion , having written the damn bill , as he likes to say , and endorsed it for nearly his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren ( D-Mass . )
has also endorsed Medicare for All , though she has said she would seek to get there through a two-step process , starting with a law to create a public option .
Other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates ― including former Vice President Joe Biden ; former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg ; and Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) ― have warned that Medicare for All represents too dramatic a change .
They have said they would prefer simply to pass public option reforms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific initiatives those candidates have put forward would appear to be less ambitious than what ACP has in mind .
How And Why Physician Opinion May Be Shifting The AMA , like the ACP , supported the Affordable Care Act and has opposed efforts to repeal it .
Last year , the AMA ’ s House of Delegates came within a few percentage points of voting to rescind its historic opposition to single-payer schemes like Medicare for All .
It also withdrew from the Partnership for America ’ s Health Care Future , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both Medicare for All and the public option .
“ First , there is widespread recognition of the harm that our health care financing system inflicts on our patients ’ health , ” said Adam Gaffney , a pulmonology specialist who is president of Physicians for a National Health Program .
“ But second , there ’ s also growing recognition of the ways that the system fails physicians too — endless hours glued to the electronic medical record , enormous amounts of time , energy , and resources expended on billing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re recognizing more and more that patients and doctors are in this together.
” What The Endorsement Doesn ’ t Say

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The campaign to create a government-managed, truly universal health care system may have just picked up an important new ally: the nation’s second-largest physician organization.
The American College of Physicians, which represents 159,000 doctors with training in internal medicine, on Monday said the federal government should assert more control over national health spending and guarantee insurance for all Americans, either by covering everybody directly (through what advocates call “Medicare for All”) or by creating a new public program that can compete with private plans (through what’s come to be known as a “public option”).
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ACP’s announcement could prove to be a milestone in the century-long quest to make health care a universal right, considering how frequently and effectively physicians have resisted ambitious reforms. And it comes at a time when such reforms are once again a focus of national debate, because so many Americans are still struggling with the cost of medical care and because the two political parties are calling for such radically different responses.
Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, are still trying to repeal or roll back the Affordable Care Act, which dramatically reduced the number of uninsured people and established key principles of universal coverage such as guaranteed insurance for people with preexisting conditions. Insofar as Republicans support new initiatives, they have in mind reforms that would relax or eliminate these regulations on insurance companies and shrink government insurance programs on which tens of millions rely.
Democrats want government to do more than it does today ― by reaching the remaining uninsured, providing everybody with more protection from medical bills, and addressing health care spending more aggressively. Inside the party, the debate is all about whether Medicare for All or the public option is the best way to achieve those goals.
What They Are Saying About Government And Health Care
After more than a year of study and internal deliberations, ACP’s governing boards and policy committees have concluded that either Medicare for All or a strong public option could work, though it doesn’t use those terms. The overriding goal, the organization says, should be to give the government much more sway over health care, like other developed countries have long done, rather than to rely on some combination of patchwork reforms and the free market.
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And in a series of articles that appear in the new Annals of Internal Medicine, ACP officials and affiliates make a detailed case for why. The package includes a thorough review of national health systems abroad, along with summaries of what American politicians are now proposing.
“The U.S. health care system is like a chronically ill patient, and ACP is proposing a new prescription,” three of the group’s officials say in the lead essay. “Simple market solutions have been unsuccessful elsewhere, and we do not believe that health care is a commodity.”
ACP, which supported the Affordable Care Act and has fought efforts to repeal it, has always been among the most liberal physician organizations. But this is the first time the organization has formally called for the government to create a new insurance program, be it mandatory or optional, and to exert so much more power over health care spending, according to Robert McLean, an internist and the group’s president.
“We have said in the past, ‘Hey, maybe we need to consider or look at single-payer financing as an option,’ but we didn’t fully come out and boldly endorse it,” McLean told HuffPost. “We are doing that now. This is a really assertive endorsement with much more detail on how this approach has been shown to be effective for these various reasons. … That is new for us.”
What It Means For The 2020 Election
The ACP articles assiduously avoid endorsing any politician or party. But ACP’s positions line up with some well-known advocates.
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is Medicare for All’s most visible champion, having written the damn bill, as he likes to say, and endorsed it for nearly his entire life in politics. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has also endorsed Medicare for All, though she has said she would seek to get there through a two-step process, starting with a law to create a public option.
Other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates ― including former Vice President Joe Biden; former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) ― have warned that Medicare for All represents too dramatic a change. They have said they would prefer simply to pass public option reforms, at least for now, although the specific initiatives those candidates have put forward would appear to be less ambitious than what ACP has in mind.
In its review of public option proposals, ACP cited plans from the Center for American Progress and Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker. The closest analogue to those plans is proposed “Medicare for America” legislation from Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) that would envision, among other things, more federal intervention to control prices.
And that element of the ACP endorsement, the interest in letting government get more involved with the price of health care through either Medicare for All or a public option, may ultimately be the most important part of its endorsement.
How And Why Physician Opinion May Be Shifting
Physicians, like most providers of health care, have a long history of fighting ambitious reforms, going back to the Progressive Era when state medical societies fought the first, embryonic efforts at “compulsory health insurance.” Thirty years later, the American Medical Association, which was and remains the largest U.S. organization representing doctors, led the fight to defeat Harry Truman’s universal coverage plan.
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Since that time, however, physician opposition to sweeping health reforms has softened.
The AMA, like the ACP, supported the Affordable Care Act and has opposed efforts to repeal it. Last year, the AMA’s House of Delegates came within a few percentage points of voting to rescind its historic opposition to single-payer schemes like Medicare for All. It also withdrew from the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future, a health industry group that has fought both Medicare for All and the public option.
The evolution of physician sentiment likely reflects a variety of factors, including a generational shift. Older physicians came into the profession with expectations of operating in solo practices or as small groups, with minimal outside interference.
Younger doctors are more accustomed to working in large organizations and in many cases see government as a necessary, even welcome force to counter the influence of insurance companies and guarantee access in a way that private plans do not.
“First, there is widespread recognition of the harm that our health care financing system inflicts on our patients’ health,” said Adam Gaffney, a pulmonology specialist who is president of Physicians for a National Health Program. “But second, there’s also growing recognition of the ways that the system fails physicians too — endless hours glued to the electronic medical record, enormous amounts of time, energy, and resources expended on billing, documentation, and other onerous clerical tasks. We’re recognizing more and more that patients and doctors are in this together.”
What The Endorsement Doesn’t Say
PNHP is a longtime champion of Medicare for All and recruited more than 2,000 doctors to sign an open letter, set to run as an advertisement in The New York Times on Tuesday, endorsing the idea. Together with ACP’s announcement, the letter suggests that Medicare for All is gaining mainstream credibility.
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“The fact that the largest medical specialty society in the country explicitly and officially endorsed Medicare for All is a huge deal — even if they also endorsed another option,” Gaffney said.
ACP’s support of both Medicare for All and strong public option reforms comes with warnings that limiting provider payments too aggressively could hurt doctors and hospitals that operate with low margins, ultimately hurting patients. This is no small thing.
Actual legislation to create either a Medicare for All or ambitious public option system could entail limits on provider income that many physicians would find objectionable. Yet without enough control over health spending, the math of reform gets tricky and it’s difficult to deliver the benefits advocates promise.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-21--Carl Bernstein Hits Mitch McConnell With Scathing New Nickname That Explodes On Twitter

The most important moment for the Republican Party since the censure of Joe McCarthy and the impeachment and resignation of @ @ @ @ @ Republicans became great heroes and patriots .
Now , we ’ re looking at ‘ @ @ @ @ @ so-called world ’ s greatest deliberative body really embracing a cover-up that is there for @ @ @ @ @ ’ s what this is about .
It ’ s about preventing information from becoming @ @ @ @ @ American public .

The most important moment for the Republican Party since the censure of Joe McCarthy and the impeachment and resignation of Richard Nixon, in which Republicans became great heroes and patriots. Now, we’re looking at ‘Midnight Mitch’ and the so-called world’s greatest deliberative body really embracing a cover-up that is there for all to see. That’s what this is about. It’s about preventing information from becoming known and seen by the American public.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Mitch McConnell Proposes Quick Impeachment Trial With No Guaranteed Witnesses

WASHINGTON ― Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) has begun circulating proposed rules for President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial that would give each side just 24 hours over two days to present their arguments and wouldn ’ t guarantee any witness testimonies .
The resolution , which McConnell ’ s office sent to HuffPost on Monday , will be up for debate and a vote in the Senate on Tuesday and is expected to pass .
Senators will be able to call for witnesses in Trump ’ s impeachment trial but ensuring they actually testify will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules , which Republicans authored on their own , mean that Democrats will need to convince at least four GOP senators to vote with them to subpoena their desired witnesses and other evidence ― a tough but not impossible task .
“ Senator McConnell repeatedly promised Senators , the public and the press that his rules for the trial would be the same as the rules for President Clinton ’ s trial , ” he said in a statement .
“ After reading his resolution , it ’ s clear Senator McConnell is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get witnesses and documents and intent on rushing the trial through .
On something as important as impeachment , Senator McConnell ’ s resolution is nothing short of a national disgrace.
” While most Republicans maintain they ’ ve seen enough , several moderate GOP senators have expressed openness to new witness testimony in the trial after the presentation of evidence by both the House impeachment managers and Trump ’ s defense team .
“ While I need to hear the case argued and the questions answered , I tend to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is likely that I would support a motion to call witnesses at that point in the trial just as I did in 1999 , ” Sen. Susan Collins ( R-Maine ) said in a statement last week .
Democrats wanted Republicans to agree upfront to hear from witnesses who refused to appear during House impeachment hearings , including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton .
Bolton has offered to testify in the Senate trial if subpoenaed .
But nearly every Republican senator has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the framework for the 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton .
In that proceeding , the decision on calling witnesses was postponed until after the initial arguments and senatorial questioning had been completed .
A key difference between the two cases is that in Clinton ’ s trial , the three witnesses who were subpoenaed had already testified prior to the start of the proceedings , as did Clinton himself .
Trump has blocked key witness testimony in the House .
The two articles of impeachment passed by the House late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealings with Ukraine and its president , Volodymyr Zelensky .
They charge Trump with using the power of his office to further his political ambitions and block congressional investigations .
Given GOP control of the chamber , the Senate ’ s votes on the impeachment articles are widely expected to fall far short of the required two-thirds of the chamber for removal from office .
The Senate trial ― the third involving a president in American history ―kicked off officially last week after the House sent the articles to the upper chamber .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : the swearing-in of all senators and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts , who will preside over the proceedings , as well as the reading of the articles .
Schumer has vowed to force votes on motions to compel new evidence and witness testimony in the trial ― part of a Democratic effort to pressure vulnerable Republican senators up for re-election in November .

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UPDATE: Jan. 21 — The resolution that will govern the Senate impeachment trial will give a longer period for arguments than initially suggested and automatically allow certain evidence.
Should the resolution pass as expected, each side will be given 24 hours to present its arguments over a three-day — not two-day, as initially proposed — period. This reduces the likelihood that the Senate will be making arguments in the middle of the night. The new proposal from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will also admit the House’s impeachment record into evidence automatically; previously, doing so would have required a vote.
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The last-minute revisions are a concession to critics of the initial proposed rules, although they doesn’t address concerns over certain issues, including witnesses.
PREVIOUSLY:
WASHINGTON ― Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has begun circulating proposed rules for President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial that would give each side just 24 hours over two days to present their arguments and wouldn’t guarantee any witness testimonies.
The resolution, which McConnell’s office sent to HuffPost on Monday, will be up for debate and a vote in the Senate on Tuesday and is expected to pass.
Senators will be able to call for witnesses in Trump’s impeachment trial but ensuring they actually testify will require at least 51 votes.
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The rules, which Republicans authored on their own, mean that Democrats will need to convince at least four GOP senators to vote with them to subpoena their desired witnesses and other evidence ― a tough but not impossible task.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) blasted McConnell for breaking from President Bill Clinton’s impeachment arguments, which were spread out over several days for each side.
“Senator McConnell repeatedly promised Senators, the public and the press that his rules for the trial would be the same as the rules for President Clinton’s trial,” he said in a statement. “After reading his resolution, it’s clear Senator McConnell is hell-bent on making it much more difficult to get witnesses and documents and intent on rushing the trial through. On something as important as impeachment, Senator McConnell’s resolution is nothing short of a national disgrace.”
While most Republicans maintain they’ve seen enough, several moderate GOP senators have expressed openness to new witness testimony in the trial after the presentation of evidence by both the House impeachment managers and Trump’s defense team.
“While I need to hear the case argued and the questions answered, I tend to believe having additional information would be helpful. It is likely that I would support a motion to call witnesses at that point in the trial just as I did in 1999,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a statement last week.
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Democrats wanted Republicans to agree upfront to hear from witnesses who refused to appear during House impeachment hearings, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton. Bolton has offered to testify in the Senate trial if subpoenaed.
But nearly every Republican senator has sided with McConnell, who argued for following the framework for the 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. In that proceeding, the decision on calling witnesses was postponed until after the initial arguments and senatorial questioning had been completed.
A key difference between the two cases is that in Clinton’s trial, the three witnesses who were subpoenaed had already testified prior to the start of the proceedings, as did Clinton himself. Trump has blocked key witness testimony in the House.
The two articles of impeachment passed by the House late last year center on Trump’s dealings with Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky. They charge Trump with using the power of his office to further his political ambitions and block congressional investigations.
Given GOP control of the chamber, the Senate’s votes on the impeachment articles are widely expected to fall far short of the required two-thirds of the chamber for removal from office.
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The Senate trial ― the third involving a president in American history ―kicked off officially last week after the House sent the articles to the upper chamber. The first few days featured made-for-TV moments: the swearing-in of all senators and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who will preside over the proceedings, as well as the reading of the articles.
Schumer has vowed to force votes on motions to compel new evidence and witness testimony in the trial ― part of a Democratic effort to pressure vulnerable Republican senators up for re-election in November.
“If every Republican senator votes for a rigged trial that hides the truth, the American people will see that the Republican Senate is part of a large and awful cover-up,” Schumer said last week.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-21--Tucker Carlson Issues Ominous 2020 Warning To Trump And All Republicans

Tucker Carlson is warning President Donald Trump and other Republican candidates running this year that they shouldn ’ t assume they ’ re going to win just because the economy is booming .
Beneath the surface , he said , there are warning signs that the core demographic that helped Trump win in 2016 isn ’ t benefitting .
Carlson pointed to a Pew poll that found 56 percent of Americans rated the economy as excellent or good , but only 31 percent said their families had benefitted .
Among lower-income Republicans , 47 percent believed they were being hurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they were being helped .
“ This is the president ’ s core .
It ’ s his base , ” Carlson said .
“ For a lot of middle-class people , wages are not keeping pace with expenses .
Child care , housing , education , health care , they ’ re all getting more expensive by the year.
” He said the 2020 election will come down to one basic factor .
“ Improve people ’ s lives and they will vote for you , period , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their hands.
” However , that could also open the door for Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
Carlson said : “ If Sanders pledges to forgive student loans , he will still win many thousands of voters who went for Donald Trump last time .
Why ?
Because debt is crushing an entire generation of Americans .
Republicans need to make a plan to make it better , or they will be left behind.
” Carlson wasn ’ t endorsing Sanders by any stretch ; the rest of his segment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ waging the most aggressive possible campaign against everything normal people think is virtuous.
” He also claimed Democrats would empty prisons , undermine police and strip Americans of the right to defend themselves , then he launched into a series of anti-immigrant talking points .
But despite all that , Carlson said a Democrat could win by capitalizing on the frustrations of the citizenry .
“ They just want things to get better , ” he said .
“ The candidate who promises to make them better incrementally , but tangibly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today .
”

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Fox News personality Tucker Carlson is warning President Donald Trump and other Republican candidates running this year that they shouldn’t assume they’re going to win just because the economy is booming. Beneath the surface, he said, there are warning signs that the core demographic that helped Trump win in 2016 isn’t benefitting.
Carlson pointed to a Pew poll that found 56% of Americans rated the economy as excellent or good, but only 31% said their families had benefitted. Among lower-income Republicans, 47% believed they were being hurt in this economy, compared with 30% who said they were being helped.
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“This is the president’s core. It’s his base,” Carlson said. “For a lot of middle-class people, wages are not keeping pace with expenses. Child care, housing, education, health care, they’re all getting more expensive by the year.”
He said the 2020 election will come down to one basic factor.
“Improve people’s lives and they will vote for you, period,” he said. “Republicans ought to write that on their hands.”
However, that could also open the door for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Carlson said:
If Sanders pledges to forgive student loans, he will still win many thousands of voters who went for Donald Trump last time. Why? Because debt is crushing an entire generation of Americans. Republicans need to make a plan to make it better, or they will be left behind.
Carlson wasn’t endorsing Sanders by any stretch; the rest of his segment featured his usual claims that Democrats were “waging the most aggressive possible campaign against everything normal people think is virtuous.” He also claimed Democrats would empty prisons, undermine police and strip Americans of the right to defend themselves. Then he launched into a series of anti-immigrant talking points.
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Despite all that, Carlson said a Democrat could win by capitalizing on the frustrations of the citizenry.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-21--Bernice King Swipes At Kellyanne Conway's MLK Impeachment Claim

Trump commemorated the holiday with an unscheduled visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial next to the National Mall @ @ @ @ @ Switzerland , to attend the World Economic Forum .
King , who has dedicated her @ @ @ @ @ ’ s legacy and carrying on his philosophies of non-violence and justice , said in @ @ @ @ @ messages of unity and acts of service are a good start , they are “ @ @ @ @ @ s world ” :

Trump commemorated the holiday with an unscheduled visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial next to the National Mall before departing for Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum.
King, who has dedicated her life to protecting her father’s legacy and carrying on his philosophies of non-violence and justice, said in a speech Monday that while messages of unity and acts of service are a good start, they are “not enough in today’s world”:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Kellyanne Conway Suggests Martin Luther King Jr. Would Be Against Impeaching Trump

Kellyanne Conway raged about the “ very shameful ” impeachment of President Donald Trump on Monday when a reporter asked her how the president was observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day .
“ Well , I can tell you that the president is preparing for Davos and agrees with many of the things that Dr. Martin Luther King stood for and agreed with for many years , including unity and equality , ” the White House counselor responded before pivoting to Trump ’ s impeachment : “ And he ’ s not the one trying to tear the country apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of substance that really is very shameful at this point.
” Conway went on to criticize the two House-passed articles of impeachment against the president ― abuse of power and obstruction of Congress ― and added that she didn ’ t think it was “ within Dr. King ’ s vision to have Americans dragged through a process where the president is not going to be removed from office , is not being charged with bribery , extortion , high crimes or misdemeanors.
” “ And I think that anybody who cares about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today or any day of the year will appreciate the fact that the president now will have a full-throttle defense on the facts , ” she added .
Trump later made an unscheduled , unannounced visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial at the National Mall before departing for Davos , Switzerland , to attend the World Economic Forum , CNN reported .
Previous presidents Bill Clinton , George W. Bush and Barack Obama made it a tradition to participate in service and volunteer events on MLK Day .
Obama and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a soup kitchen or painting a mural at a family shelter .
Bush attended church , cultural services honoring King , or joined service events .
Clinton signed legislation to designate the holiday as a national day of service .
In 2018 , Trump spent the federal holiday at his Florida golf club .
Last year , he also made an unannounced visit to the National Mall memorial , where he laid a wreath to honor King .
Trump ’ s impeachment trial in the Senate is set to begin on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brief earlier on Monday that provides some insight into their strategy planned for the trial .
The brief claims Trump did “ nothing wrong ” and that the two articles against him don ’ t amount to impeachment offenses .

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Kellyanne Conway raged about the “very shameful” impeachment of President Donald Trump on Monday when a reporter asked her how the president was observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Well, I can tell you that the president is preparing for Davos and agrees with many of the things that Dr. Martin Luther King stood for and agreed with for many years, including unity and equality,” the White House counselor responded before pivoting to Trump’s impeachment: “And he’s not the one trying to tear the country apart through an impeachment process and a lack of substance that really is very shameful at this point.”
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Conway went on to criticize the two House-passed articles of impeachment against the president ― abuse of power and obstruction of Congress ― and added that she didn’t think it was “within Dr. King’s vision to have Americans dragged through a process where the president is not going to be removed from office, is not being charged with bribery, extortion, high crimes or misdemeanors.”
“And I think that anybody who cares about ‘and justice for all’ on today or any day of the year will appreciate the fact that the president now will have a full-throttle defense on the facts,” she added.
WATCH: Asked about President Trump observing #MLKDay today, Kellyanne Conway discusses MLK's values and the impeachment effort against President Trump. pic.twitter.com/Tx5q70Yf1d — NBC News (@NBCNews) January 20, 2020
Trump later made an unscheduled, unannounced visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial at the National Mall before departing for Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum, CNN reported.
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Previous presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama made it a tradition to participate in service and volunteer events on MLK Day. Obama and his family would do activities such as working in a soup kitchen or painting a mural at a family shelter. Bush attended church, cultural services honoring King, or joined service events. Clinton signed legislation to designate the holiday as a national day of service.
In 2018, Trump spent the federal holiday at his Florida golf club. Last year, he also made an unannounced visit to the National Mall memorial, where he laid a wreath to honor King.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-21--Donald Trump Jr. Tried To Make MLK Day All About His Dad And It Didn't Go Over Well

Donald Trump Jr. drew ire on Monday for attempting to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day all about his dad .
President Donald Trump ’ s eldest son praised his father on Twitter “ for his commitment to empowering black Americans to live happier , more prosperous lives.
” Check out the full post here : MLK spent his life fighting for America ’ s highest ideal—that God created ALL of us equal .
Reflecting on his legacy & looking to the future , I ’ m so proud of @ realDonaldTrump for his commitment to empowering black Americans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let ’ s keep going !
https : //t.co/npOm9Ktjjq — Donald Trump Jr. ( @ DonaldJTrumpJr ) January 20 , 2020 President Trump also sparked anger by trying to turn the holiday into a tribute to himself with a tweet linking it to the three-year anniversary of his inauguration .
Trump Jr. ’ s post was predictably pounced upon by dozens of critics on Twitter .
“ Would it kill Trump Jr to tweet something respectful about MLK without mentioning his father , ” asked one .
Would it kill Trump Jr to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his father ?
The same father with nothing in his public calendar to participate in MLK Day events .
— pwthm11 ( @ pwtham11 ) January 20 , 2020 Some how I doubt that Dr. King would have endorsed Trump .
— Johndoe007 ( @ Johndoe0073 ) January 20 , 2020 LOL , Trump does n't come close to MLK .
Trump has never empowered the Black communities or any community of color .
If you want to LIE do n't include MLK in your LIES .
# stupidity — HNCLetsTalk ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : As y'all remember MLK , remember my father .
The Narcissism in Trump 's family is extraordinary .
— Chidi® ( @ ChidiNwatu ) January 20 , 2020 This is Martin Luther King Day .
Not `` I Have To Stroke Daddy 's Ego Day '' .
— OneVoteManyConsequences ( @ WeDoPersist ) January 20 , 2020 Your father for these factors is a complete disgrace and antithesis to Dr King ’ s Dream .
Taking away people ’ s healthcare .
Giving wealthy millionaires billionaires and corporations a tax cut .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gutting environmental protections .
Etc .
— Hajji A. Davis ( Anti Trump ) ( @ HajjiADavis ) January 20 , 2020 I wish MLK was still here .
Maybe he could have talked some sense into your dad .
— panb_mn ( @ panb_mn ) January 20 , 2020

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Donald Trump Jr. drew social media outrage on Monday for attempting to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day all about his dad.
President Donald Trump’s eldest son praised his father on Twitter “for his commitment to empowering black Americans to live happier, more prosperous lives.”
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Check out the full post here:
MLK spent his life fighting for America’s highest ideal—that God created ALL of us equal. Reflecting on his legacy & looking to the future, I’m so proud of @realDonaldTrump for his commitment to empowering black Americans to live happier, more prosperous lives. Let’s keep going! https://t.co/npOm9Ktjjq — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 20, 2020
President Trump also sparked anger by trying to turn the holiday into a tribute to himself with a tweet linking it to the three-year anniversary of his inauguration.
Trump Jr.’s post was predictably pounced upon by dozens of critics on Twitter.
“Would it kill Trump Jr to tweet something respectful about MLK without mentioning his father,” asked one.
Added another: “Irony is dead.”
Would it kill Trump Jr to tweet something respectful about MLK without mentioning his father? The same father with nothing in his public calendar to participate in MLK Day events. — pwthm11 (@pwtham11) January 20, 2020
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Some how I doubt that Dr. King would have endorsed Trump. — Johndoe007 (@Johndoe0073) January 20, 2020
LOL, Trump doesn't come close to MLK. Trump has never empowered the Black communities or any community of color. If you want to LIE don't include MLK in your LIES. #stupidity — HNCLetsTalk (@HNCLetsTalk) January 20, 2020
Translation: As y'all remember MLK, remember my father.
The Narcissism in Trump's family is extraordinary. — Chidi® (@ChidiNwatu) January 20, 2020
Irony is dead. — Smocking Jean Provost 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🍑🏳🌈 (@SarahJeanProvo2) January 20, 2020
This is Martin Luther King Day. Not "I Have To Stroke Daddy's Ego Day". — OneVoteManyConsequences (@WeDoPersist) January 20, 2020
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Your father for these factors is a complete disgrace and antithesis to Dr King’s Dream.
Taking away people’s healthcare. Giving wealthy millionaires billionaires and corporations a tax cut. Separating migrant children from their parents. Gutting environmental protections. Etc. — Hajji A. Davis (Anti Trump) (@HajjiADavis) January 20, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--At Least 3 Dead In China As Officials Say New Virus Can Spread With Human Contact

A senior Chinese health official said Monday the new coronavirus strain that has left hundreds sick and at least three people dead can be transmitted by human-to-human contact , prompting concerns that it could spread far more quickly as hundreds of millions of people in China prepare to travel this week for Lunar New Year .
Zhong Nanshan , who is well-known in China for his work fighting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome , or SARS , in 2003 , told China ’ s state-run Xinhua News Agency that two people had been infected with the coronavirus from family members .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 217 cases of the new virus had been reported as of Monday evening , predominantly in the city of Wuhan , where the first case was traced to a seafood market .
“ The current cases show there is definitely human-to-human transmission , ” Zhong , the head of a team established by China ’ s National Health Commission to investigate the virus , told the state-run CCTV .
Officials had initially said the virus appeared to spread primarily through contact with animals .
Coronavirus is a large family of viruses and causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include fever and difficulty breathing .
The English-language China Daily said Tuesday at least 15 medical workers in Wuhan had already been diagnosed with pneumonia linked to the coronavirus .
One staff member was in critical condition .
Travelers wear face masks outside of the Beijing Railway Station on Jan. 20 , 2020 .
China reported a sharp rise in the number of people infected with a new coronavirus on Monday , including the first cases in the capital .
The outbreak coincides with the country 's busiest travel period as millions board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Year holidays .
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged officials to take the outbreak seriously in his first public comments on the matter , saying “ party committees , governments and relevant departments at all levels should put people ’ s lives and health first , ” The Associated Press reported .
Zhong expressed confidence that the new coronavirus would not be as dangerous as SARS , which killed nearly 800 people globally during the outbreak .
The official said it only took two weeks to identify the new virus and China had quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the outbreak has already prompted global fear the virus could spread , particularly as hundreds of millions of people in China begin traveling for the Lunar New Year holiday this week .
The Washington Post notes that Chinese officials expect 3 billion trips to be taken in the 40-day period surrounding Lunar New Year ’ s Day , which is this Saturday .
The World Health Organization has convened an emergency committee that will meet this Wednesday to determine if the spread of the coronavirus amounts to an international health emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently been used for the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo and the rise of the Zika virus in 2016 .
Within the U.S. , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was “ closely monitoring ” the spread of the virus , but said there is “ much more to learn ” about how it is transmitted .
“ More cases may be identified in the coming days , including more in countries outside China , and possibly in the United States , ” the agency said .
“ Given what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s likely that some limited person-to-person spread will continue to occur .
”

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A senior Chinese health official said Monday the new coronavirus strain that has left hundreds sick and at least three people dead can be transmitted by human-to-human contact, prompting concerns that it could spread far more quickly as hundreds of millions of people in China prepare to travel this week for Lunar New Year.
Zhong Nanshan, who is well-known in China for his work fighting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, in 2003, told China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency that two people had been infected with the coronavirus from family members. Chinese officials had said that at least 217 cases of the new virus had been reported as of Monday evening, predominantly in the city of Wuhan, where the first case was traced to a seafood market.
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“The current cases show there is definitely human-to-human transmission,” Zhong, the head of a team established by China’s National Health Commission to investigate the virus, told the state-run CCTV. Officials had initially said the virus appeared to spread primarily through contact with animals.
Coronavirus is a large family of viruses and causes a type of pneumonia with symptoms that include fever and difficulty breathing. The English-language China Daily said Tuesday at least 15 medical workers in Wuhan had already been diagnosed with pneumonia linked to the coronavirus. One staff member was in critical condition.
Travelers wear face masks outside of the Beijing Railway Station on Jan. 20, 2020. China reported a sharp rise in the number of people infected with a new coronavirus on Monday, including the first cases in the capital. The outbreak coincides with the country's busiest travel period as millions board trains and planes for the Lunar New Year holidays. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged officials to take the outbreak seriously in his first public comments on the matter, saying “party committees, governments and relevant departments at all levels should put people’s lives and health first,” The Associated Press reported.
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Zhong expressed confidence that the new coronavirus would not be as dangerous as SARS, which killed nearly 800 people globally during the outbreak. The official said it only took two weeks to identify the new virus and China had quarantine systems that would help control its spread.
But the outbreak has already prompted global fear the virus could spread, particularly as hundreds of millions of people in China begin traveling for the Lunar New Year holiday this week. The Washington Post notes that Chinese officials expect 3 billion trips to be taken in the 40-day period surrounding Lunar New Year’s Day, which is this Saturday.
Infections have already been reported domestically in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong. Internationally, there have been cases in Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
Authorities have begun screening airline passengers traveling from Wuhan to airports in Australia, Japan, Singapore and the United States — including in New York and Los Angeles.
The World Health Organization has convened an emergency committee that will meet this Wednesday to determine if the spread of the coronavirus amounts to an international health emergency, Reuters reported. The declaration has recently been used for the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo and the rise of the Zika virus in 2016.
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The U.N.’s health agency has not yet recommended any travel restrictions or guidance for the new coronavirus.
Within the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was “closely monitoring” the spread of the virus, but said there is “much more to learn” about how it is transmitted.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-21--Trump Heads To Switzerland As Historic Impeachment Trial Gets Underway

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — President Donald Trump is on a mission to sell the United States to the global business community just as his historic impeachment trial gets underway in the Senate .
When the trial reconvenes Tuesday afternoon in Washington , Trump will be thousands of miles away trying to charm global CEOs at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland .
His participation in the annual gathering in the Alpine ski resort of Davos will provide a conspicuous split-screen moment in a presidency familiar with them .
The two-day Swiss visit will test Trump ’ s ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a desire to project leadership on the world stage .
Speculation mounted that Trump would cancel the trip due to the trial , but aides said the president remained focused on producing results for the American people .
Trump , who was scheduled to arrive early Tuesday in Switzerland , said he was attending the forum to encourage businesses to invest in the U.S. “ We ’ re now where the action is , ” he said at a farmers ’ convention Sunday in Texas .
The president will give a speech at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and business executives .

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — President Donald Trump reverted to his role as salesman Tuesday, telling a gathering of the world’s top businessmen in the Swiss Alps that he’s led a “spectacular” turnaround of the U.S. economy and encouraged them to invest in America.
Trump addressed the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, hours before his historic impeachment trial was to reconvene in the U.S. Senate in Washington. The two-day visit will test Trump’s ability to balance his anger over being impeached with a desire to project leadership on the world stage.
He reminded the audience that when he spoke here two years ago, early in his presidency, “I told you that we had launched the great American comeback.”
“Today I’m proud to declare the United States is in the midst of an economic boom, the likes of which the world has never seen before,” the president said.
Trump’s participation in the annual gathering of political and business elites in the Alpine ski resort will provide another conspicuous split-screen moment in his presidency. Asked about the impeachment trial before entering the hall to deliver his speech, Trump called it “disgraceful” and part of “the witch hunt that’s been going on for years.”
“But we look forward to being here,” he said.
Climate issues are a main theme at this year’s forum and the phrase “Act on Climate” was written in the snow at the landing zone where Trump’s Marine One helicopter set down in Davos.
Late last year, the Trump administration began pulling the U.S. out of the landmark 2015 Paris climate agreement signed by nearly 200 nations. Under the deal, each country sets goals to curb emissions of heat-trapping gasses that lead to climate change. Trump has called the Paris accord an unfair economic burden to the U.S. economy.
In an apparent nod to concerns about climate change, Trump announced that the U.S. will join the economic forum’s initiative to plant 1 trillion trees across the globe. The effort aims to mobilize an online community to boost reforestation and grow trees that can help gobble up excess carbon dioxide — often caused by the burning of fossil fuels. The trees initiative aims to boost spending on reforestation by business, governments and philanthropists, according to its web site 1t.org.
Trump said the U.S. is among countries with the cleanest water and air on earth, oft-stated claims by the president that are contradicted by the statistics.
After decades of improvement, progress in U.S. air quality has stalled and, over the past two years, America had more polluted air days than just a few years earlier, according to an Associated Press analysis of Environmental Protection Agency data.
Trump’s claims about water are true in that the U.S. is tied with nine other countries as having the cleanest drinking water, according to Yale University’s global Environmental Performance Index.
Trump spent much more of his approximately 30-minute speech talking about how the U.S. economy has performed under his leadership.
“America is thriving. America is flourishing and yes, America is winning again like never before,” Trump said before talking about a newly signed trade deal with China and a pending trade agreement with Mexico and Canada. He also spoke of record low unemployment, stock market gains and millions of people removed from the welfare rolls.
Trump’s second appearance at the conference ends Wednesday when he travels back to a Washington that is consumed by the impeachment trial.
The Democratic-controlled House impeached the Republican president last month for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress after it was revealed that he had pressed Ukraine’s president to announce investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat and a Trump political rival. Trump withheld foreign aid that Congress had approved for the Eastern European nation and dangled the prospect of an Oval Office meeting as leverage.
Trump denies any wrongdoing and argues that Democrats want to remove him from office because they know they can’t deny him reelection in November. Trump would be forced to leave office if convicted, but the Republican-controlled Senate is expected to acquit him.
The White House has not named any of the business leaders Trump is set to meet with. But he is scheduled to hold talks Tuesday and Wednesday with the leaders of Iraq, Pakistan, Switzerland and Iraq’s self-governing Kurdish region, as well as the forum’s founder, the White House said.
Trump also will have his first meeting with the new European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, the first woman to hold the position.
That meeting could be the most significant, said analyst Matt Goodman, given Trump’s many disagreements with Europe over tax and trade policy, like a new digital levy by the French that will force American tech giants such as Amazon and Google to pay up.
“She’s new and she’s formidable,” said Goodman, who studies international economic policy as a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
He predicted a difficult year ahead for U.S.-EU relations.
Trump has smarted over the French tax, and his administration has announced plans to impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 100% on cheese, wine, lipstick and other French imports. France has threatened to fight back.
But after speaking to Trump on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that they had a “great discussion” about the digital tax and “will work together on a good agreement to avoid tariff escalation.” Trump later retweeted Macron, adding the word: ”Excellent!”
The U.S. has also threatened to impose retaliatory duties on $7.5 billion worth of European airplanes, cheese, wine and other goods in a separate dispute over subsidies for Airbus, a competitor to Chicago-based Boeing Co.
Trump also has sought to wring trade concessions from the EU by threatening tariffs on German autos, including BMW and Mercedes-Benz.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-21--Republican Group Uses GOP Senators' Own Words Against Them In New Impeachment Ads

A group of anti-Trump Republicans has released a series of new ads that aim to convince GOP senators to call on former national security adviser John Bolton to testify in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump .
Sens .
Mitt Romney ( Utah ) , Martha McSally ( Ariz ) , Lisa Murkowski ( Alaska ) , Cory Gardner ( Colo. ) , Lamar Alexander ( Tenn. ) and Susan Collins ( Maine ) are individually targeted in each of the six spots that Republicans for the Rule of Law published on YouTube Monday .
The voiceover notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment inquiry over the Ukraine scandal “ were critical of witnesses without first-hand information ” as footage of lawmakers making such statements plays .
“ Now , John Bolton , a witness with first-hand information has agreed to testify in the Senate trial , ” the narrator continues .
“ Americans deserve the truth .
Let Bolton testify.
” Check out the ad that targets Romney here : The group made the same call with this ad last week : Republicans for the Rule of Law is set to run another new spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorite television shows ― “ Fox & Friends ” on Fox News and “ Lou Dobbs Tonight ” on Fox Business ― on Wednesday .
In the ad , Paul Rosenzweig ( a member of independent counsel Ken Starr ’ s team that recommended the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky scandal ) explained why he believes it is “ puzzling ” how Starr can now defend Trump .

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A group of anti-Trump Republicans has released a series of new ads that aim to convince GOP senators to call former White House national security adviser John Bolton to testify in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Martha McSally (Ariz.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Cory Gardner (Colo.), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and Susan Collins (Maine) are individually targeted in each of the six spots that Republicans for the Rule of Law posted on YouTube Monday.
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The ads note that other congressional Republicans during the House impeachment inquiry into the Ukraine scandal “were critical of witnesses without firsthand information,” as footage of lawmakers making such statements plays.
“Now, John Bolton, a witness with firsthand information, has agreed to testify in the Senate trial,” the narrator continues. “Americans deserve the truth. Let Bolton testify.”
Check out the ad that targets Romney here:
The group made the same call with this ad last week:
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Republicans for the Rule of Law is set to run another new spot on two of the president’s favorite television shows ― “Fox & Friends” on Fox News and “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox Business ― on Wednesday.
In the ad, Paul Rosenzweig ― a member of independent counsel Ken Starr’s team that recommended the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky scandal ― explained why he believes it is “puzzling” how Starr can now defend Trump.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-01-20--Amy Klobuchar Addresses Her Time As A 'Tough On Crime' Minnesota Prosecutor

Vice News moderators at the Iowa 2020 Brown & Black Presidential Forum pressed the moderate Democrat on her “ tough on crime ” record as chief prosecutor for Hennepin County , which includes Minneapolis and is Minnesota ’ s most populous county .
Criminal justice reform advocates have criticized Klobuchar ’ s aggressive prosecution , including a push for harsher sentences for nonviolent drug offenders , for helping fuel the mass incarceration of brown and Black people .
“ First of all , I know my record back then .
And we had a 12 % reduction in African American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in the office , ” Klobuchar said of her time as prosecutor from 1999 to 2007 .
“ That was because I did emphasize drug court and I ’ ve been a leader of it in the U.S. Senate and led the efforts since [ Sen. ] Ted Kennedy died on the federal level.
” Klobuchar ’ s policies as a prosecutor reflect the “ tough on crime ” approach to criminal justice issues often applauded and encouraged at the time .
But as the Democratic Party shifts to the left , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice has also shifted from a punitive stance to a more rehabilitative and restorative one .
“ As a prosecutor , Klobuchar was not the worst or the most callous toward the plight of those prosecuted by her office , and at the time , her methods were not seen as extreme , ” Sarah Lustbader , a lawyer and writer for The Appeal , wrote last year .
“ But she ramped up incarceration in ways that were wrongheaded and cruel.
” Klobuchar said Monday that while she acknowledges her past , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going forward .
The senator “ learned so much from that job ” and from her time in the Senate about “ the persistent institutional racism that we see in the criminal justice system.
” She mentioned the need for videotaping police interrogations and using body cameras , as well as staffing police departments and prosecutor ’ s offices to reflect the communities they serve .
Klobuchar also brought up criminal sentencing reform , noting that she ― along with former 2020 presidential candidates Sens .
Cory Booker ( N.J. ) and Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First Step Act , bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing recidivism .
“ Well , we got that done .
But it ’ s not enough , ” Klobuchar said .
“ We have to move to the ‘ Second Step Act , ’ because 90 % of people incarcerated are in local and state prisons.
” “ One of the major things I would change , knowing what I know now , is back when I had my job , all of the county attorneys … would use a grand jury for police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It actually felt like , ‘ OK , get the community to say it so you don ’ t look like you ’ re using your own bias or political bias to make a decision.
’ I actually no longer think that that ’ s the right way to do it .
I think you should take personal responsibility.
” “ He did put everything into that case .
Unfortunately , the jury came back not guilty , ” Klobuchar said .
“ But there ’ s an example , prosecutors have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them and make the decisions on hard calls.
” Klobuchar ’ s campaign has put a lot of stock in finishing strong in Iowa , where the caucuses will begin in just a few weeks .
The Midwestern senator has been gaining momentum in the race , most recently on Sunday after she was endorsed by Iowa ’ s Quad-City Times and co-endorsed with Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
by The New York Times .

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar addressed her record as a Minnesota prosecutor Monday after managing to sail through her Democratic presidential campaign relatively unscathed on the topic.
Vice News moderators at the Iowa 2020 Brown & Black Presidential Forum pressed the moderate Democrat on her “tough on crime” record as chief prosecutor for Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis and is Minnesota’s most populous county. Criminal justice reform advocates have criticized Klobuchar’s aggressive prosecution, including a push for harsher sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, for helping fuel the mass incarceration of brown and Black people.
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The final candidate of the day at #brownandblack is coming up and it's @amyklobuchar! Tune in now https://t.co/pUWjnU90GD pic.twitter.com/OrP9ea9NTE — VICE News (@vicenews) January 20, 2020
“First of all, I know my record back then. And we had a 12% reduction in African American prison incarceration in the years that I was in the office,” Klobuchar said of her time as prosecutor from 1999 to 2007. “That was because I did emphasize drug court and I’ve been a leader of it in the U.S. Senate and led the efforts since [Sen.] Ted Kennedy died on the federal level.”
The forum moderators said that despite the decline in Black incarceration during Klobuchar’s time, African Americans were still imprisoned at 22 times the rate of white people.
Klobuchar’s policies as a prosecutor reflect the “tough on crime” approach to criminal justice issues often applauded and encouraged at the time. But as the Democratic Party shifts to the left, the country’s view of criminal justice has also shifted from a punitive stance to a more rehabilitative and restorative one.
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“As a prosecutor, Klobuchar was not the worst or the most callous toward the plight of those prosecuted by her office, and at the time, her methods were not seen as extreme,” Sarah Lustbader, a lawyer and writer for The Appeal, wrote last year. “But she ramped up incarceration in ways that were wrongheaded and cruel.”
Klobuchar said Monday that while she acknowledges her past, she knows what she has to do going forward. The senator “learned so much from that job” and from her time in the Senate about “the persistent institutional racism that we see in the criminal justice system.”
She mentioned the need for videotaping police interrogations and using body cameras, as well as staffing police departments and prosecutor’s offices to reflect the communities they serve. Klobuchar also brought up criminal sentencing reform, noting that she ― along with former 2020 presidential candidates Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.) and Kamala Harris (Calif.) ― co-sponsored the First Step Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing recidivism.
“Well, we got that done. But it’s not enough,” Klobuchar said. “We have to move to the ‘Second Step Act,’ because 90% of people incarcerated are in local and state prisons.”
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Asked Monday if she had any regrets during time as a prosecutor, Klobuchar said, “Of course, there’s always cases.”
Do you have any regrets from your time as a prosecutor? @kandavolu asks @amyklobuchar.
“Of course, there’s always cases,” she says. — Elizabeth Landers (@ElizLanders) January 20, 2020
“One of the major things I would change, knowing what I know now, is back when I had my job, all of the county attorneys … would use a grand jury for police shootings,” she said. “It actually felt like, ‘OK, get the community to say it so you don’t look like you’re using your own bias or political bias to make a decision.’ I actually no longer think that that’s the right way to do it. I think you should take personal responsibility.”
Klobuchar mentioned the case of Philando Castile, a Black man who was shot and killed by a St. Anthony, Minnesota, police officer during a routine traffic stop in 2016. The case was prosecuted by Ramsey County Attorney John Choi.
“He did put everything into that case. Unfortunately, the jury came back not guilty,” Klobuchar said. “But there’s an example, prosecutors have to take responsibility for the cases in front of them and make the decisions on hard calls.”
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