thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Maryland Ban On Pet Stores Selling Cats And Dogs Upheld By Judge

COLLEGE PARK , Md .
( AP ) — A federal judge on Friday threw out a lawsuit that challenged Maryland ’ s newly enacted ban on the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet stores , a statute billed as a check against unlicensed and unsanitary “ puppy mills.
” Four pet stores , a dog breeder and a dog broker sued in August to block the law , which took effect Jan. 1 .
Maryland was the second state after California to pass such restrictions on the sale of dogs and cats .
The law bans pet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourages them to collaborate with animal welfare groups to “ showcase ” dogs from shelters , animal control units and “ local breeders.
” U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander , who also denied the plaintiffs ’ request for a preliminary injunction blocking the law ’ s enforcement , said she found ample evidence that state lawmakers had a “ rational basis ” for enacting the statute .
The pet stores have said the ban will put them out of business .
One of the plaintiffs , Just Puppies , closed “ for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month , said plaintiffs ’ attorney Jonathan Kagan .
The ban already has “ significantly impacted ” the stores that have stayed open in hopes of getting a favorable court ruling , he added .
Kagan couldn ’ t immediately say if his clients would appeal the ruling .
“ We ’ re still trying to digest it , ” he said .
Maryland ’ s law encourages animal welfare organizations to collaborate with retail pet stores to showcase cats and dogs for adoption or purchase from “ local breeders , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared by state analysts .
The pet stores argued the ban is unconstitutional , violating the Commerce Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment .
Their suit said the legislation ’ s intent to facilitate sales from local breeders discriminates against out-of-state breeders and brokers .
The judge said the law is a “ poorly drafted statute ” that doesn ’ t define the terms “ showcase ” and “ local breeders.
” But she agreed with the state that the law does not carve out a special exception for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through pet stores or preclude out-of-state breeders and brokers from showcasing their animals in pet stores .
The lawsuit also said animal welfare organizations have made unfounded claims that pet stores are fueling the growth of puppy mills .
The suit claimed the ban effectively shifts the sale of puppies from regulated retailers to unregulated sources , such as sellers placing ads on the internet or in newspapers .
“ Internet pet sales have a notoriously high incidence of fraud and scams which will only increase against Maryland residents once the ban takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The judge said there are “ certainly grounds to support plaintiffs ’ belief that , in effect , the cure is worse than the disease.
” The first law of this kind took effect in January 2019 in California .
Unlike Maryland ’ s blanket ban on the sale of dogs and cats by pet stores , California law prohibits pet stores from selling a dog , cat or rabbit unless it came from an animal shelter or rescue group .
Some local governments , including in Maryland , already have enacted similar @ @

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — A federal judge on Friday threw out a lawsuit that challenged Maryland’s newly enacted ban on the sale of dogs and cats by retail pet stores, a statute billed as a check against unlicensed and unsanitary “puppy mills.”
Four pet stores, a dog breeder and a dog broker sued in August to block the law, which took effect Jan. 1. Maryland was the second state after California to pass such restrictions on the sale of dogs and cats.
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Puppies play in a cage at a pet store in Columbia, Md., Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
The law bans pet stores from selling dogs and cats but encourages them to collaborate with animal welfare groups to “showcase” dogs from shelters, animal control units and “local breeders.”
U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander, who also denied the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction blocking the law’s enforcement, said she found ample evidence that state lawmakers had a “rational basis” for enacting the statute.
“Protecting consumers, reducing financial support for mill breeders, and encouraging pet adoption are indisputably legitimate state interests,” she wrote in her 79-page decision.
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Hollander said the plaintiffs essentially argued that lawmakers improperly tried to harm pet stores by siding with animal-rights groups.
“This argument is without merit. Siding with one group does not necessarily signify hostility towards another,” the judge wrote.
The pet stores have said the ban will put them out of business. One of the plaintiffs, Just Puppies, closed “for a period” after the law took effect last month, said plaintiffs’ attorney Jonathan Kagan. The ban already has “significantly impacted” the stores that have stayed open in hopes of getting a favorable court ruling, he added.
Kagan couldn’t immediately say if his clients would appeal the ruling. “We’re still trying to digest it,” he said.
Maryland’s law encourages animal welfare organizations to collaborate with retail pet stores to showcase cats and dogs for adoption or purchase from “local breeders,” according to a summary of the legislation prepared by state analysts.
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The pet stores argued the ban is unconstitutional, violating the Commerce Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Their suit said the legislation’s intent to facilitate sales from local breeders discriminates against out-of-state breeders and brokers.
The judge said the law is a “poorly drafted statute” that doesn’t define the terms “showcase” and “local breeders.” But she agreed with the state that the law does not carve out a special exception for local breeders to sell cats or dogs through pet stores or preclude out-of-state breeders and brokers from showcasing their animals in pet stores.
“As such, the Act does not expressly distinguish between in-state and out-of-state breeders and brokers,” Hollander wrote.
The lawsuit also said animal welfare organizations have made unfounded claims that pet stores are fueling the growth of puppy mills. The suit claimed the ban effectively shifts the sale of puppies from regulated retailers to unregulated sources, such as sellers placing ads on the internet or in newspapers.
“Internet pet sales have a notoriously high incidence of fraud and scams which will only increase against Maryland residents once the ban takes effect,” the suit said.
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The judge said there are “certainly grounds to support plaintiffs’ belief that, in effect, the cure is worse than the disease.”
“But, whatever the Act’s soundness, that is a judgment committed to the legislature,” Hollander added.
Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, signed the legislation into law in April 2018 after the state Senate unanimously approved it and the House passed it, 129-8.
The defendants include the state Senate’s finance committee and Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, whose office will be responsible for enforcing the ban.
The first law of this kind took effect in January 2019 in California. Unlike Maryland’s blanket ban on the sale of dogs and cats by pet stores, California law prohibits pet stores from selling a dog, cat or rabbit unless it came from an animal shelter or rescue group. Some local governments, including in Maryland, already have enacted similar measures.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Payback: Trump Ousts Officials Who Testified Against Him During Impeachment

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Exacting swift punishment against those who crossed him , an emboldened President Donald Trump ousted two government officials who had delivered damaging testimony against him during his impeachment hearings .
The president took retribution just two days after his acquittal by the Senate .
“ The truth has cost Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman his job , his career , and his privacy , ” attorney David Pressman said in a statement .
Vindman ’ s twin brother , Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman , also was asked to leave his job as a White House lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Both men were reassigned to the Army .
The White House had not been coy about whether Trump would retaliate against those he viewed as foes in the impeachment drama .
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Thursday that Trump was glad it was over and “ maybe people should pay for that.
” Senate Republicans , who just two days prior acquitted Trump of charges he abused his office , were silent Friday evening .
Many of them had reacted with indignation during the Senate trial when Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , suggested Trump would be out for revenge against the lawmakers who crossed him during impeachment .
Since his acquittal , Trump has held nothing back in lashing out at his critics , including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah , the only Republican to vote against him .
On Friday , he also took after Sen. Joe Manchin , a moderate Democrat from West Virginia who Trump had hoped would vote with the Republicans for his acquittal but who ended up voting to convict .
From the White House on Saturday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vindman “ as though I should think only how wonderful he was.
” Trump said he didn ’ t know Vindman and had never met or spoken with him but considered him “ very insubordinate.
” Sondland , too , was a crucial witness in the House impeachment inquiry , telling investigators that “ everyone was in the loop ” on Trump ’ s desire to press Ukraine for politically charged investigations .
He told lawmakers how he came to understand that there was a quid pro quo connecting a desired White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an announcement that the country would conduct the investigations Trump wanted .
“ He did what any member of our military is charged with doing every day : he followed orders , he obeyed his oath , and he served his country , even when doing so was fraught with danger and personal peril , ” Pressman said .
“ And for that , the most powerful man in the world — buoyed by the silent , the pliable , and the complicit — has decided to exact revenge.
” Vindman ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he didn ’ t think it was “ proper ” for Trump to “ demand that a foreign government investigate ” Biden and his son ’ s dealings with the energy company Burisma in Ukraine .
Vindman ’ s ouster , however , seemed imminent after Trump mocked him Thursday during his post-acquittal celebration with Republican supporters in the East Room and said Friday that he was not happy with him .
Vindman , a 20-year Army veteran , wore his uniform full of medals , including a Purple Heart , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned out to be a testy televised impeachment hearing .
Trump supporters raised questions about the immigrant ’ s allegiance to the United States — his parents fled the Soviet Union when he was a child —and noted that he had received offers to work for the government of Ukraine , offers Vindman said he swiftly dismissed .
“ Dad , my sitting here today in the U.S. Capitol , talking to our elected officials , is proof that you made the right decision 40 years ago to leave the Soviet Union and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in search of a better life for our family , ” he testified .
“ Do not worry , I will be fine for telling the truth .
” ’

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Exacting swift punishment against those who crossed him, an emboldened President Donald Trump ousted two government officials who had delivered damaging testimony against him during his impeachment hearings. The president took retribution just two days after his acquittal by the Senate.
First came news Friday that Trump had ousted Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the decorated soldier and national security aide who played a central role in the Democrats’ impeachment case. Vindman’s lawyer said his client was escorted out of the White House complex Friday, told to leave in retaliation for “telling the truth.”
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“The truth has cost Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman his job, his career, and his privacy,” attorney David Pressman said in a statement. Vindman’s twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, also was asked to leave his job as a White House lawyer on Friday, the Army said in a statement. Both men were reassigned to the Army.
Next came word that Gordon Sondland, Trump’s ambassador to the European Union, also was out.
“I was advised today that the President intends to recall me effective immediately as United States Ambassador to the European Union,” Sondland said in a statement.
The White House had not been coy about whether Trump would retaliate against those he viewed as foes in the impeachment drama. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Thursday that Trump was glad it was over and “maybe people should pay for that.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that Vindman’s ouster was “a clear and brazen act of retaliation that showcases the President’s fear of the truth. The President’s vindictiveness is precisely what led Republican Senators to be accomplices to his cover-up.”
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Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., called it “the Friday Night Massacre,” likening the situation to President Richard Nixon’s so-called Saturday night massacre, when top Justice Department officials resigned after refusing to do his bidding by firing a special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal. (The prosecutor himself was fired anyway.)
Speier added in her tweet, “I’m sure Trump is fuming that he can’t fire Pelosi.”
Senate Republicans, who just two days prior acquitted Trump of charges he abused his office, were silent Friday evening. Many of them had reacted with indignation during the Senate trial when Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead prosecutor, suggested Trump would be out for revenge against the lawmakers who crossed him during impeachment.
Since his acquittal, Trump has held nothing back in lashing out at his critics, including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the only Republican to vote against him. On Friday, he also took after Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia who Trump had hoped would vote with the Republicans for his acquittal but who ended up voting to convict.
Trump tweeted that he was “very surprised & disappointed” with Manchin’s votes, claiming no president had done more for his state. He added that Manchin was “just a puppet” for the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate.
From the White House on Saturday, the president tweeted that some television coverage portrayed Vindman “as though I should think only how wonderful he was.” Trump said he didn’t know Vindman and had never met or spoken with him but considered him “very insubordinate.”
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Sondland, too, was a crucial witness in the House impeachment inquiry, telling investigators that “everyone was in the loop” on Trump’s desire to press Ukraine for politically charged investigations. He told lawmakers how he came to understand that there was a quid pro quo connecting a desired White House visit for Ukraine’s leader and an announcement that the country would conduct the investigations Trump wanted.
Sondland “chose to be terminated rather than resign,” according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official had not been authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Alexander Vindman’s lawyer issued a one-page statement that accused Trump of taking revenge on his client.
“He did what any member of our military is charged with doing every day: he followed orders, he obeyed his oath, and he served his country, even when doing so was fraught with danger and personal peril,” Pressman said. “And for that, the most powerful man in the world — buoyed by the silent, the pliable, and the complicit — has decided to exact revenge.”
The White House did not respond to Pressman’s accusation. “We do not comment on personnel matters,” said John Ullyot, spokesman for the National Security Council, the foreign policy arm of the White House where Vindman was an expert on Ukraine.
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The Democrats angling to replace Trump took notice of Vindman’s ouster during their evening debate in Manchester, New Hampshire. Former Vice President Joe Biden asked the audience to stand and applaud the lieutenant colonel.
Vindman’s status had been uncertain since he testified that he didn’t think it was “proper” for Trump to “demand that a foreign government investigate” Biden and his son’s dealings with the energy company Burisma in Ukraine. Vindman’s ouster, however, seemed imminent after Trump mocked him Thursday during his post-acquittal celebration with Republican supporters in the East Room and said Friday that he was not happy with him.
“You think I’m supposed to be happy with him?” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House. “I’m not. ... They are going to be making that decision.”
Vindman, a 20-year Army veteran, wore his uniform full of medals, including a Purple Heart, when he appeared late last year for what turned out to be a testy televised impeachment hearing. Trump supporters raised questions about the immigrant’s allegiance to the United States — his parents fled the Soviet Union when he was a child —and noted that he had received offers to work for the government of Ukraine, offers Vindman said he swiftly dismissed.
In gripping testimony, Vindman spoke of his family’s story, his father bringing them to the U.S. some 40 years ago.
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“Dad, my sitting here today in the U.S. Capitol, talking to our elected officials, is proof that you made the right decision 40 years ago to leave the Soviet Union and come here to United States of America in search of a better life for our family,” he testified. “Do not worry, I will be fine for telling the truth.”’
Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, recalled Vindman’s testimony that he would be fine and tweeted, “It’s appalling that this administration may prove him wrong.”
Some of Trump’s backers cheered Vindman’s removal.
Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., tweeted that Vindman “should not be inside the National Security Council any longer. It’s not about retaliation. It’s because he cannot be trusted, he disagrees with the President’s policies, & his term there is coming to an end regardless.”
News that both Vindman twins had been ousted led Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., to tweet, “The White House is running a two for one special today on deep state leakers.”
Defense Secretary Mark Esper was asked what the Pentagon would do to ensure that Vindman faces no retribution. “We protect all of our service members from retribution or anything like that,” Esper said. “We’ve already addressed that in policy and other means.”
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Alexander Vindman is scheduled to enter a military college in Washington, D.C., this summer, and his brother is to be assigned to the Army General Counsel’s Office, according to two officials who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and so spoke on condition of anonymity.
Several career diplomats whose testimony during the impeachment hearings also helped Democrats build their case against Trump remain in their posts, in Washington and in Kyiv. The former ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, whose ouster in spring 2019 was a focus of the hearings and who testified herself, has recently retired from government service.
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Ex-Obama Photographer Highlights Donald Trump’s Vindictiveness With Old Prank Snap

Former White House photographer Pete Souza has imagined the vindictive way President Donald Trump would respond to a prank that was once pulled on his predecessor , former President Barack Obama .
In a photo from 2010 that Souza shared to Instagram on Friday , a man gave Obama bunny ears .
Obama “ laughed out loud ” when he first saw the picture taken at Peggy Sue ’ s Cafe in Monroe City , Missouri , said Souza .
The shutterbug , who also documented Ronald Reagan ’ s time in the White House , predicted Trump would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ m sure if this guy did this today to IMpotus , the Attorney General would be ordered to investigate his background and the IRS would audit his tax returns , ” he wrote .
Souza ’ s post came amid what pundits have described as the “ Friday night massacre ” ― Trump ’ s dismissal of European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Lt .
Colonel Alexander Vindman , the top National Security Council official on Ukraine , in seeming revenge after they testified against him during the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scandal .
The photographer frequently shares images he took during the Obama era to throw shade at Trump .
On Wednesday , he mocked the president for snubbing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s ( D-Calif. ) handshake at the State of the Union .
“ How hard is this ?
” he captioned this picture of Obama and then-GOP Speaker John Boehner before the 2011 address :

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Former White House photographer Pete Souza has imagined the vindictive way President Donald Trump would respond to a prank that was once pulled on his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.
In a photo from 2010 that Souza shared to Instagram on Friday, a man gave Obama bunny ears. Obama “laughed out loud” when he first saw the picture taken at Peggy Sue’s Cafe in Monroe City, Missouri, said Souza.
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The shutterbug, who also documented Ronald Reagan’s time in the White House, predicted Trump would have had a very different reaction, however.
“I’m sure if this guy did this today to IMpotus, the Attorney General would be ordered to investigate his background and the IRS would audit his tax returns,” he wrote.
Souza’s post came amid what pundits have described as the “Friday night massacre” ― Trump’s dismissal of European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, the top National Security Council official on Ukraine, in seeming revenge after they testified against him during the House’s impeachment probe into the Ukraine scandal.
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The photographer frequently shares images he took during the Obama era to throw shade at Trump. On Wednesday, he mocked the president for snubbing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) handshake at the State of the Union.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Nancy Pelosi Rips Republicans For ‘Normalizing Lawlessness’ In Scathing Op-Ed

Nancy Pelosi on Friday launched a fresh attack on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) and the GOP senators who earlier this week voted to acquit President Donald Trump on impeachment charges .
The Democratic House speaker , in a searing editorial for The Washington Post titled “ McConnell and the GOP Senate are accomplices to Trump ’ s wrongdoing , ” accused them of “ normalizing lawlessness and rejecting the checks and balances of our Constitution.
” Pelosi noted how Trump ’ s defense team “ all but ” conceded the president ’ s misconduct in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he “ abused the power of his office to pressure a foreign power to help him cheat in an American election ” before stonewalling the congressional investigation into said allegation and preventing key witnesses from testifying in the Senate trial .
“ Their argument was only that Congress and the American people have no right to stop him from using his power to cheat in our elections , ” said Pelosi , who sparked anger among conservatives on Tuesday when she tore up a copy of Trump ’ s State of Union speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embraced this darkest vision of power : that if the president believes his reelection is good for the country , he can then use any means necessary to win , with no accountability or consequences.
” “ In declaring their loyalty to the president over our Constitution , Republicans have made a farce of the old boast that the U.S. Senate is the greatest deliberative body in the world , ” she added , warning that “ because of the Republican Senate ’ s betrayal of the Constitution , the president remains an @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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Nancy Pelosi on Friday launched a fresh attack on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and the GOP senators who earlier this week voted to acquit President Donald Trump on impeachment charges.
The Democratic House speaker, in a searing editorial for The Washington Post titled “McConnell and the GOP Senate are accomplices to Trump’s wrongdoing,” accused them of “normalizing lawlessness and rejecting the checks and balances of our Constitution.”
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Pelosi noted how Trump’s defense team “all but” conceded the president’s misconduct in the Ukraine scandal, in which she said he “abused the power of his office to pressure a foreign power to help him cheat in an American election” before stonewalling the congressional investigation into said allegation and preventing key witnesses from testifying in the Senate trial.
“Their argument was only that Congress and the American people have no right to stop him from using his power to cheat in our elections,” said Pelosi, who sparked anger among conservatives on Tuesday when she tore up a copy of Trump’s State of Union speech.
Pelosi said Senate Republicans had “embraced this darkest vision of power: that if the president believes his reelection is good for the country, he can then use any means necessary to win, with no accountability or consequences.”
“In declaring their loyalty to the president over our Constitution, Republicans have made a farce of the old boast that the U.S. Senate is the greatest deliberative body in the world,” she added, warning that “because of the Republican Senate’s betrayal of the Constitution, the president remains an ongoing threat to American democracy.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Fox Sneaks Into UK Parliament, Poops Outside Politician's Door

All those MPs who think that Fox hunting is a sport , and not a single one of them tried @ @ @ @ @ one on one .
It 's like they only feel it 's a sport when @ @ @ @ @ a pack of dogs doing the work .

All those MPs who think that Fox hunting is a sport, and not a single one of them tried to take the fox on one on one. It's like they only feel it's a sport when they have a shotgun and a pack of dogs doing the work.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--8 Presidential Candidates Outline Their Visions For The Courts

CONCORD , New Hampshire ― President Donald Trump has fundamentally reshaped what justice will look like for anyone going before a federal court .
He has broken records with the number of lifetime federal judges he ’ s gotten confirmed , and in three years , he ’ s already surpassed the number of appeals courts judges that President Barack Obama put on the courts in eight years .
There ’ s also a theme to Trump ’ s court picks : They are young , they have extreme views in opposition to reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home-state senators .
Eight of them who went on to become lifetime federal judges earned an embarrassing “ not qualified ” rating by the American Bar Association .
Yet they ’ ve sailed to confirmation thanks to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , who has cemented Trump ’ s legacy of reshaping the nation ’ s federal courts for decades .
If a Democrat defeats Trump in 2020 , what characteristics will they look for in their judicial picks ?
Is it time to add seats to the Supreme Court ?
How will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the Senate if McConnell refuses to move them ?
MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle and I will be moderating a discussion about these issues with eight of the presidential candidates Saturday morning , beginning at 8:00 a.m. , at the Our Rights , Our Courts forum here in Concord .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , entrepreneur Andrew Yang , philanthropist Tom Steyer , Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) , Sen. Michael Bennet ( Colo. ) , Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( Minn. ) , Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deval Patrick will participate .
Each will be interviewed for 30 minutes .
Demand Justice , Center for Reproductive Rights , NARAL Pro-Choice America , and All* Above All Action Fund are sponsoring the event .

CONCORD, New Hampshire ― President Donald Trump has fundamentally reshaped what justice will look like for people going before a federal court. He has broken records with the number of lifetime federal judges he’s gotten confirmed, and in three years, he’s nearly surpassed the number of appeals court judges that President Barack Obama put on the courts in eight years.
There’s also a theme to Trump’s judicial picks: They are young, they have extreme views in opposition to women's reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights, and they lack the support of their Democratic home-state senators. Yet they’ve sailed to confirmation thanks to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has cemented Trump’s legacy of reshaping the nation’s federal courts for decades. Perhaps most outrageous, eight of Trump's judges earned an embarrassing “not qualified” rating by the American Bar Association but were confirmed anyway by Senate Republican.
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If a Democrat defeats Trump in 2020, what characteristics will they look for in their judicial picks? Is it time to add seats to the Supreme Court? How will they get any of their judicial nominees through the Senate if McConnell refuses to move them?
MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle and I will be moderating a discussion about these issues with eight of the presidential candidates Saturday morning, beginning at 8:00 a.m., at the Our Rights, Our Courts forum here in Concord.
Watch the live-feed above or click here.
Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, philanthropist Tom Steyer, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Michael Bennet (Colo.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick will participate. Each will be interviewed for 30 minutes.
Demand Justice, Center for Reproductive Rights, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and All* Above All Action Fund are sponsoring the event.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--New York Daily News Slaps Donald Trump With A Searing Mob Movie Nickname

The New York Daily News added to the long list of swipes it ’ s taken at President Donald Trump with its Saturday cover .
The tabloid worked Trump into the iconic poster for the hit 1974 movie “ The Godfather Part II ” ― but instead called him “ The GOPFather ” to signify his stranglehold over the Republican Party .
The film ’ s original poster shows Al Pacino sitting in the chair as his gangster character Michael Corleone .
“ Don takes care of family business in Friday night massacre , ” the newspaper wrote underneath .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump gets Friday night revenge on aides whose testimony supported impeachment probehttps : //t.co/5XBBSKrx2z pic.twitter.com/zBVu4lewu0 — New York Daily News ( @ NYDailyNews ) February 8 , 2020 The accompanying story detailed Trump ’ s earlier firing of European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Lt .
Colonel Alexander Vindman , the top National Security Council official on Ukraine .
Both men testified against Trump in the House ’ s investigation into the Ukraine scandal .
Pundits have interpreted their dismissals as an act of revenge by the president .
On Thursday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s vote to acquit Trump with this dark front page :

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The New York Daily News added to the long list of swipes it’s taken at President Donald Trump with its Saturday cover.
The tabloid worked Trump into the iconic poster for the hit 1974 movie “The Godfather Part II” ― but instead called him “The GOPFather” to signify his stranglehold over the Republican Party.
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The film’s original poster shows Al Pacino sitting in the chair as his gangster character Michael Corleone. “Don takes care of family business in Friday night massacre,” the newspaper wrote underneath.
THE GOPFATHER
Sondland, Vindmans out as Trump gets Friday night revenge on aides whose testimony supported impeachment probehttps://t.co/5XBBSKrx2z pic.twitter.com/zBVu4lewu0 — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) February 8, 2020
The accompanying story detailed Trump’s earlier firing of European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, the top National Security Council official on Ukraine.
Both men testified against Trump in the House’s investigation into the Ukraine scandal. Pundits have interpreted their dismissals as an act of revenge by the president.
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On Thursday, the Daily News responded to the GOP-controlled Senate’s vote to acquit Trump with this dark front page:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--Sanders And Biden Hug It Out At Debate In Slap At Hillary Clinton's Attacks

Democrats do go at it , but it ’ s all in the family .
That was the message Friday night when former Vice President Joe Biden gave Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) a hug on stage during the debate .
The embrace was triggered about 45 minutes into the debate , after ABC News moderator Linsey Davis referred to Hillary Clinton , who has been attacking Sanders as divisive .
Davis , directing a question to Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) , quoted Clinton as saying of Sanders that “ nobody likes him , nobody wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got nothing done.
” That ’ s when Biden left his lectern to saunter left over to Sanders for a hug .
( The men also hugged on stage during the Ohio debate in October . )
“ I like Bernie just fine , ” said a smiling Klobuchar as she pointed to the men .
“ We actually worked together on a number of things , ” she added , then detailed their work to lower prescription drug prices .
Former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders embrace at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manchester , New Hampshire .
The hug cracked up the crowd at St. Anselm College in Manchester , New Hampshire , and created a sweet image of the scrum .
Sanders started it all out with a unifying message .
“ At the end of the day…everybody up here is united , ” he said .
“ No matter who wins this damn thing , we ’ re all going to stand together to defeat Donald Trump.
” Observers on Twitter were moved — though no one was switching candidates .

Democrats do go at it, but it’s all in the family.
That was the message Friday night when former Vice President Joe Biden gave Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) a hug on stage during the debate.
The embrace was triggered about 45 minutes into the debate, after ABC News moderator Linsey Davis referred to Hillary Clinton, who has been attacking Sanders as divisive. Davis, directing a question to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), quoted Clinton as saying of Sanders that “nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him. He’s got nothing done.”
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That’s when Biden left his lectern to saunter left over to Sanders for a hug. (The men also hugged on stage during the Ohio debate in October.)
“I like Bernie just fine,” said a smiling Klobuchar as she pointed to the men. “We actually worked together on a number of things,” she added, then detailed their work to lower prescription drug prices.
Former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders embrace at the Democratic presidential primary debate Friday night in Manchester, New Hampshire. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
The hug cracked up the crowd at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, and created a sweet image of the scrum.
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Sanders started it all out with a unifying message. “At the end of the day…everybody up here is united,” he said. “No matter who wins this damn thing, we’re all going to stand together to defeat Donald Trump.”
Observers on Twitter were moved — though no one was switching candidates.
So endearing ha ha. They're excited — KarateAndPopTarts (@KarenReneK) February 8, 2020
The best moment of the night — Natalie Domonique (@natdeangelis) February 8, 2020
This was a cute moment pic.twitter.com/nEsOAUbSfZ — Ben Dreyfuss (@bendreyfuss) February 8, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-08--5 Takeaways From The New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Debate

Klobuchar and Buttigieg , whose Iowa caucus showing has given him a major boost in the polls here ahead of Tuesday night ’ s New Hampshire primary , are competing for many of the same voters .
( Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former Vice President Joe Biden are often in the mix as well , though Klobuchar and Buttigieg seem to be almost directly going head-to-head . )
“ We have a newcomer in the White House , and look where it got us .
I think having some experience is a good thing , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Buttigieg didn ’ t directly respond , since the moderator went to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont instead of to the former mayor . )
Buttigieg , for the most part , was able to defend against the attacks .
But he had a particularly grim moment .
When a moderator pressed him on his oversight of the police in South Bend on issues of race , his answer came off as robotic and practiced rather than articulate and thoughtful .
It makes sense for Biden ’ s campaign to downplay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t make sense for Biden , who is still leading in national polling and in position to do well in Nevada and South Carolina , to open up the debate in New Hampshire by downplaying his chances there .
But his performance quickly got better .
His praise of Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman , who was ousted from the White House on Friday after he ’ d provided damaging testimony about President Donald Trump to the House Judiciary Committee , brought the crowd to its feet and is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also delivered a sharper attack on Sanders ’ s past opposition to gun control measures .
It seems unlikely Biden ’ s performance was strong enough to turn around his performance in New Hampshire .
But it might have been good enough to stanch the bleeding in other states .
( Biden ’ s team said he raised more money on Friday than on any previous debate day . )
Sanders is a front-runner in New Hampshire and is still outperforming Buttigieg in most polling .
But the other candidates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hook , reflecting both ongoing doubts about his ability to actually seize the nomination and the impossibility of wooing Sanders ’ s core supporters to their side .
Klobuchar declared she “ likes Bernie just fine ” and reminisced about working with him in the Senate on legislation regarding the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada , while Biden even gave him a hug .
Though Biden did criticize Sanders over guns and the cost of “ Medicare for All , ” that was the exception rather than the rule in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Warren Has Her Story , And She ’ s Sticking To It Every answer Warren gave during the first hour of the debate on Friday night was part of her stump speech , part of a regular answer she gives to voters or a line she ’ s used on the debate stage before .
As the debate went on , she began to mix it up with other candidates more .
She quickly attacked Buttigieg over his record on race and policing in South Bend before moving on to an applause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when crafting policy .
Part of this is that Warren simply had less speaking time than the other candidates : A New York Times analysis found she spoke for about 4 minutes less than Buttigieg and Sanders , and 3 minutes less than Biden .
But Klobuchar ― who spoke for roughly the same amount of time as Warren ― was in the mix in a way Warren was not .
But for the most part , Warren didn ’ t have the type of moment that will change her trajectory in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and she needs one .
The Progressive Campaign Change Committee , an outside group supporting her , called her race answer one that the more diverse states of Nevada and South Carolina “ will remember.
” But those voters might not even consider her unless she does well in New Hampshire .
Tom Steyer was in Manchester , but he had gone to ( South ) Carolina in his mind .
The billionaire investor and businessman is polling in the low single digits in the Granite State , but his free-spending ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have him competitive there , winning a significant portion of the Black vote in a state where Black voters dominate Democratic primaries .
He ’ s also in a stronger position in the equally diverse state of Nevada .

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MANCHESTER, N.H. ― Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) has never been good at hiding her dislike of former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. And at the Democratic debate here Friday night, she went directly for his voters.
Klobuchar and Buttigieg, whose Iowa caucus showing has given him a major boost in the polls here ahead of Tuesday night’s New Hampshire primary, are competing for many of the same voters. (Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former Vice President Joe Biden are often in the mix as well, though Klobuchar and Buttigieg seem to be almost directly going head-to-head.)
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On Friday night, Klobuchar decided to win them over by aggressively attacking another candidate they like, a strategy that risks alienating them.
“I’m not a political newcomer with no record,” she said in her closing statement, a not-so-subtle reference to a college town mayor who took office with fewer than 11,000 votes.
“We have a newcomer in the White House, and look where it got us. I think having some experience is a good thing,” she said directly to Buttigieg earlier in the debate. (Buttigieg didn’t directly respond, since the moderator went to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont instead of to the former mayor.)
Klobuchar’s aggression was clearly a planned strategy. When a reporter noted Klobuchar had managed to attack Warren, Sanders and Buttigieg in a single answer on health care, a Klobuchar communications staffer noted it was an example of “big Amy energy.”
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The Minnesotan was not alone in her attacks on Buttigieg. Sanders also got in some direct swipes during an exchange over campaign finance: “I don’t have 40 billionaires, Pete, contributing to my campaign, coming from the pharmaceutical industry, coming from Wall Street.”
Buttigieg, for the most part, was able to defend against the attacks. But he had a particularly grim moment. When a moderator pressed him on his oversight of the police in South Bend on issues of race, his answer came off as robotic and practiced rather than articulate and thoughtful.
The overall focus on Buttigieg and Klobuchar during the debate means if there is real movement in the New Hampshire polls in the three days before Tuesday’s vote, it’s likely to involve Buttigieg voters switching to Klobuchar ― or maybe vice versa.
Here are four other takeaways from the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary debate:
Biden Wakes Up
Biden’s first answer of the night was a disaster. Asked about his recent criticisms of Sanders and Buttigieg, Biden instead chose to attack his own standing in the race.
“It’s a long race,” he said. “I took a hit in Iowa, and I’ll probably take a hit here. Traditionally, Bernie won by 20 points last time. And usually it’s the neighboring senators that do well.”
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It makes sense for Biden’s campaign to downplay his chances in New Hampshire. It doesn’t make sense for Biden, who is still leading in national polling and in position to do well in Nevada and South Carolina, to open up the debate in New Hampshire by downplaying his chances there.
Biden then went on to only half-heartedly deliver the attacks on Buttigieg’s experience and Sanders’s socialism that he delivered with gusto at a campaign event earlier in the week.
But his performance quickly got better. His praise of Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who was ousted from the White House on Friday after he’d provided damaging testimony about President Donald Trump to the House Judiciary Committee, brought the crowd to its feet and is likely to earn plenty of replays on cable news. He also delivered a sharper attack on Sanders’s past opposition to gun control measures.
It seems unlikely Biden’s performance was strong enough to turn around his performance in New Hampshire. But it might have been good enough to stanch the bleeding in other states. (Biden’s team said he raised more money on Friday than on any previous debate day.)
Former Vice President Joe Biden (left) embraces Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at the Democratic presidential primary debate Friday in Manchester, New Hampshire. Elise Amendola/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Everybody Loves Bernie, Mostly
Sanders is a front-runner in New Hampshire and is still outperforming Buttigieg in most polling. But the other candidates in the race mostly let Sanders off the hook, reflecting both ongoing doubts about his ability to actually seize the nomination and the impossibility of wooing Sanders’s core supporters to their side.
Klobuchar declared she “likes Bernie just fine” and reminisced about working with him in the Senate on legislation regarding the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, while Biden even gave him a hug. Though Biden did criticize Sanders over guns and the cost of “Medicare for All,” that was the exception rather than the rule in a debate that was largely friendly to him.
Warren Has Her Story, And She’s Sticking To It
Warren’s core message is clear: The American government works better for the wealthy than it does for the middle class, and corruption is the reason why. It’s clear because it’s part of her stump speech, and she’s delivered a variant on the line in every single presidential debate so far.
Every answer Warren gave during the first hour of the debate on Friday night was part of her stump speech, part of a regular answer she gives to voters or a line she’s used on the debate stage before. As the debate went on, she began to mix it up with other candidates more. She quickly attacked Buttigieg over his record on race and policing in South Bend before moving on to an applause line about the importance of considering race when crafting policy.
“We cannot just say criminal justice is the only time we want to talk about race specifically. We need to start having race-conscious laws,” she said, before outlining how her housing plan would help Black and Latino voters.
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And she provided a subtle ― and questionable ― contrast with Sanders and other candidates by noting that “everyone on this stage except Amy and me is either a billionaire or is receiving help from a PAC.”
Part of this is that Warren simply had less speaking time than the other candidates: A New York Times analysis found she spoke for about 4 minutes less than Buttigieg and Sanders, and 3 minutes less than Biden. But Klobuchar ― who spoke for roughly the same amount of time as Warren ― was in the mix in a way Warren was not.
But for the most part, Warren didn’t have the type of moment that will change her trajectory in the polling in either New Hampshire or nationally, and she needs one. The Progressive Campaign Change Committee, an outside group supporting her, called her race answer one that the more diverse states of Nevada and South Carolina “will remember.” But those voters might not even consider her unless she does well in New Hampshire.
Warren’s campaign hasn’t signaled any major change in strategy. It’s a curious approach, even if most Democrats do like Warren’s tried-and-true message about corruption.
Steyer Goes After South Carolina
Tom Steyer was in Manchester, but he had gone to (South) Carolina in his mind. The billionaire investor and businessman is polling in the low single digits in the Granite State, but his free-spending ways on television and radio in South Carolina have him competitive there, winning a significant portion of the Black vote in a state where Black voters dominate Democratic primaries. He’s also in a stronger position in the equally diverse state of Nevada.
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Many of Steyer’s answers were clearly aimed more at any South Carolinians watching at home than the audience at St. Anselm College. He mentioned his support for reparations and shamed the other candidates for not discussing race more frequently. In his closing statement, he mentioned both Columbia, South Carolina, and Las Vegas ― and not any cities or towns in New Hampshire.
He also brought up a South Carolina political scandal that hadn’t received national attention, involving a state legislator who endorsed Steyer and is receiving payments from his campaign, comments from an oft-controversial Biden backer in the state and some backlash from Black state legislators there, challenging Biden to disavow his backer.
“One of the leaders of Joe Biden’s South Carolina campaign made racist remarks about our campaign,” Steyer said, challenging Biden to accompany him on a visit with the state’s Legislative Black Caucus. (Biden responded by noting that more Black state legislators in South Carolina had endorsed him than any other candidate.) That type of in-the-weeds story about an endorsement in South Carolina isn’t likely to matter to voters in a state more than 1,000 miles to the north.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Amy Klobuchar's Platform Is A Pie-In-The-Sky Fantasy

Joe Raedle via Getty Images Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) participates in the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on Feb. 7 in Manchester , New Hampshire .
You want to do Medicare for All ?
“ It ’ s not real , ” she says ― the Senate votes don ’ t exist to get it passed .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
’ s universal child care program ?
Klobuchar says we can ’ t afford it .
If you have a big , bold progressive idea , Klobuchar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for you .
Be real , it isn ’ t happening .
She regularly derides progressive candidates for endorsing ideas “ because it ’ s popular or makes you look cool.
” But Klobuchar ’ s promises weren ’ t any more realistic than Medicare for All or universal child care or anything Sanders and Warren put forward .
Again and again , Klobuchar vowed to do things that Democrats like , but that — barring a miracle — face insurmountable political barriers .
On Friday night , she suggested raising taxes on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund opioid treatment .
Fine .
But why didn ’ t Obama do that ?
Because Republicans don ’ t want to raise taxes on hedge funds .
Klobuchar said she would pass a Voting Rights Act to automatically register voters .
That ’ s a great idea .
It ’ s a scandal that so many Americans are disenfranchised by virtue of the color of their skin .
But it ’ s not an accident that this happens .
It happens because Republican politicians think people of color will vote for Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can to keep people of color from voting .
Why would Republicans let President Amy Klobuchar pass a new Voting Rights Act when the GOP has been devoting tremendous energy to voter suppression for more than half a century ?
They wouldn ’ t .
The GOP would do everything it could to stop that kind of legislation .
If they have 40 voters in the Senate ― and they will come 2021 , if not an outright majority ― they will filibuster the bill to death .
Even if Klobuchar could get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ d need it to survive a Supreme Court where right-wing ideologues control a majority of the votes .
Unless Klobuchar pledges herself to a set of lefty reforms ― abolishing the filibuster and packing the court , for starters ― her voting rights bill is a total pipe dream .
When Democrats took control of the House after the 2018 election , one of their first orders of business was passing a set of voting rights reforms .
They died in the Senate .
The same is true for Klobuchar ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politics .
She said last night that she would pass a constitutional amendment to end the Supreme Court ’ s awful 2010 Citizens United decision , which opened the floodgates to corporate money in national politics .
Because it ’ s next to impossible .
Even proposing a constitutional amendment requires either a two-thirds majority vote from both chambers of Congress or support from two-thirds of state legislatures .
Well , 29 out of the 50 state legislatures are controlled by Republicans .
The idea that Democrats would have a two-thirds majority in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for President Klobuchar is straight looney toons .
It ’ s not just voting rights and money in politics .
Republicans called Obama a socialist , blocked a Nobel laureate economist from a top job at the Federal Reserve and barred Merrick Garland from a seat on the Supreme Court .
Going moderate doesn ’ t win votes in Congress .
The sooner Klobuchar ― along with Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg ― stop peddling this nonsense , the better .

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) participates in the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on Feb. 7 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Over the course of the 2020 Democratic primary debates, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) has built a brand for herself as a tough talker and realistic policymaker.
You want to do Medicare for All? “It’s not real,” she says ― the Senate votes don’t exist to get it passed.
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)’s universal child care program? Klobuchar says we can’t afford it. If you have a big, bold progressive idea, Klobuchar has a bucket of ice water waiting for you. Be real, it isn’t happening. She regularly derides progressive candidates for endorsing ideas “because it’s popular or makes you look cool.”
This routine was a hit with TV pundits during Friday night’s Democratic debate. ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl declared it a “breakthrough night for Klobuchar,” while MSNBC’s Chris Matthews said, “She seemed like a president tonight.”
But Klobuchar’s promises weren’t any more realistic than Medicare for All or universal child care or anything Sanders and Warren put forward. Again and again, Klobuchar vowed to do things that Democrats like, but that — barring a miracle — face insurmountable political barriers.
On Friday night, she suggested raising taxes on hedge funds by $18 billion to fund opioid treatment. Fine. But why didn’t Obama do that? Because Republicans don’t want to raise taxes on hedge funds.
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Klobuchar said she would pass a Voting Rights Act to automatically register voters. That’s a great idea. It’s a scandal that so many Americans are disenfranchised by virtue of the color of their skin. But it’s not an accident that this happens. It happens because Republican politicians think people of color will vote for Democrats, and so Republicans do everything they can to keep people of color from voting.
Why would Republicans let President Amy Klobuchar pass a new Voting Rights Act when the GOP has been devoting tremendous energy to voter suppression for more than half a century? They wouldn’t. The GOP would do everything it could to stop that kind of legislation. If they have 40 voters in the Senate ― and they will come 2021, if not an outright majority ― they will filibuster the bill to death. Even if Klobuchar could get her voting rights bill through Congress, she’d need it to survive a Supreme Court where right-wing ideologues control a majority of the votes.
Unless Klobuchar pledges herself to a set of lefty reforms ― abolishing the filibuster and packing the court, for starters ― her voting rights bill is a total pipe dream. When Democrats took control of the House after the 2018 election, one of their first orders of business was passing a set of voting rights reforms. They died in the Senate.
The same is true for Klobuchar’s point about ending big money in politics. She said last night that she would pass a constitutional amendment to end the Supreme Court’s awful 2010 Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates to corporate money in national politics.
Again ― very nice. But why didn’t former President Barack Obama do that?
Because it’s next to impossible. Even proposing a constitutional amendment requires either a two-thirds majority vote from both chambers of Congress or support from two-thirds of state legislatures. Well, 29 out of the 50 state legislatures are controlled by Republicans. The idea that Democrats would have a two-thirds majority in the House and 67 Senate seats ready for President Klobuchar is straight looney toons.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Warren To Buttigieg: 'Own Up To The Facts' On Systemic Racism

Joe Raedle via Getty Images Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
participate in the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on Feb. 7 in Manchester , New Hampshire .
Former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg faced a swipe from Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
on Friday night over his record on addressing racial disparities in his city ’ s criminal justice system .
Debate moderator Linsey Davis confronted Buttigieg with the statistic that , while he was mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was four times more likely than a white resident to be arrested for marijuana possession ― a greater disparity than seen either statewide or nationwide , and one that increased after he took office .
“ The reality is , on my watch , drug arrests in South Bend were lower than the national average , and specifically to marijuana , lower than in Indiana , ” Buttigieg said .
“ But there is no question that systemic racism has penetrated to every level of our system , and my city was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat for discussing systemic racism with my own police department , but we ’ ve got to confront the fact that there is no escaping how this is part of all of our policies.
” When Davis pressed him on the increased racial disparity in South Bend during his tenure , Buttigieg cited drug enforcement strategies adopted to target extreme gang violence .
“ These things are all connected , but that ’ s the point , ” he said .
“ So are all the things that need to change in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effects of systemic racism , not just from criminal justice but from our economy , from health , from housing and from our democracy itself.
” “ You have to own up to the facts .
And it ’ s important to own up to the facts about how race has totally permeated our criminal justice system , ” she said , noting studies that show Black Americans face systemically harsher treatment than whites in every facet of the system .
“ But we can not say that criminal justice is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race specifically , ” Warren added , calling for “ race-conscious laws ” on issues like housing , where government policy has long discriminated against African Americans and other people of color .
“ You can ’ t just repeal that and say , ’ OK , now everything is even ― it ’ s not .
”

Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) participate in the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on Feb. 7 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg faced a swipe from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Friday night over his record on addressing racial disparities in his city’s criminal justice system.
Debate moderator Linsey Davis confronted Buttigieg with the statistic that, while he was mayor, a Black man in South Bend was four times more likely than a white resident to be arrested for marijuana possession ― a greater disparity than seen either statewide or nationwide, and one that increased after he took office.
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“The reality is, on my watch, drug arrests in South Bend were lower than the national average, and specifically to marijuana, lower than in Indiana,” Buttigieg said. “But there is no question that systemic racism has penetrated to every level of our system, and my city was not immune. I took a lot of heat for discussing systemic racism with my own police department, but we’ve got to confront the fact that there is no escaping how this is part of all of our policies.”
When Davis pressed him on the increased racial disparity in South Bend during his tenure, Buttigieg cited drug enforcement strategies adopted to target extreme gang violence.
“These things are all connected, but that’s the point,” he said. “So are all the things that need to change in order for us to prevent violence and remove the effects of systemic racism, not just from criminal justice but from our economy, from health, from housing and from our democracy itself.”
But Warren dismissed Buttigieg’s answer as lacking in substance.
“You have to own up to the facts. And it’s important to own up to the facts about how race has totally permeated our criminal justice system,” she said, noting studies that show Black Americans face systemically harsher treatment than whites in every facet of the system.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Pete Buttigieg Attacked From Start To Finish At New Hampshire Democratic Debate

MANCHESTER , N.H. ― Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) passed up an opportunity to echo one of his surrogate ’ s attacks on former Vice President Joe Biden at Friday ’ s Democratic presidential debate , saying he was “ a friend of mine , and I ’ m not here to attack him.
” Throughout the night , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , received a barrage of criticism over his lack of experience , his record on race and policing , his stance on single-payer health care , his views of President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not hard to see why .
Buttigieg finished in a virtual tie in the Iowa caucuses ― exceeding predictions ― and several polls have shown him surging in New Hampshire ahead of the state ’ s primary on Tuesday .
She criticized him for complaints he made last week about how the Senate impeachment proceedings had been tiring and made him want to watch other television programming .
“ You said it was exhausting to watch and that you wanted to turn the channel and watch cartoons , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remark may have made him look “ like a cool newcomer ” but that it wasn ’ t appropriate .
“ I don ’ t think that ’ s what people want right now .
We have a newcomer in the White House , and look what that got us , ” she said .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, meanwhile , got in on the action after Buttigieg was asked by the debate moderators about his record on race and policing in South Bend .
Buttigieg faced criticism from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year over several policing-related controversies .
“ The reality is , on my watch , drug arrests in South Bend were lower than the national average , and specifically to marijuana , lower than in Indiana , ” Buttigieg said .
“ But there is no question that systemic racism has penetrated to every level of our system , and my city was not immune .
I took a lot of heat for discussing systemic racism with my own police department , but we ’ ve got to confront the fact that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all of our policies.
” “ You have to own up to the facts .
And it ’ s important to own up to the facts about how race has totally permeated our criminal justice system , ” Warren said , noting studies that find Black Americans face systemically harsher treatment than whites .
“ But we can not say that criminal justice is the only time we want to talk about race specifically , ” she said , calling for “ race-conscious laws ” on issues like housing .
“ You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , ‘ OK , now everything is even ― it ’ s not , ’ ” she added .
“ We need race-conscious laws in education , in employment , in entrepreneurship to make this country a country of opportunity for everyone .
Buttigieg also took heat from Klobuchar over his stance on “ Medicare for All , ” the single-payer health care program .
The Minnesota senator accused him of flip-flopping on the issue after once saying he supported the program .
Buttigieg , however , maintained he has been “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s not to say that the other candidates sailed through unscathed .
Biden went after Sanders on guns , saying , “ He voted to give the gun manufacturers , the only major industry in America , a loophole that does not allow them to be sued for the carnage they are creating.
” And he criticized Sanders on Medicare for All legislation , saying , “ He says he wrote the damn thing , but he ’ s unwilling to tell us what the damn thing is going to cost.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take down .
Although both he and Sanders emerged as the winners of the Iowa caucuses , Buttigieg ’ s performance was much stronger than expected ― and it put a target on his back .
Sanders used Buttigieg as an example of what ’ s wrong with the political system at an event in Manchester on Friday morning , reading off headlines portraying him as the favorite candidate of billionaires and Wall Street .
And Wednesday , Biden took issue with Buttigieg ’ s criticisms of the old system in Washington , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a failure at a rally in New Hampshire : “ Is he really saying the Obama-Biden administration was a failure ?
Pete , just say it out loud .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
MANCHESTER, N.H. ― Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) passed up an opportunity to echo one of his surrogate’s attacks on former Vice President Joe Biden at Friday’s Democratic presidential debate, saying he was “a friend of mine, and I’m not here to attack him.”
They even gave each other a hug at one point.
Former Vice President Joe Biden, left, embraces Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) during the Democratic presidential primary debate Friday at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. Elise Amendola/Associated Press
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But Pete Buttigieg was not so lucky. And he did not get any hugs.
Throughout the night, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, received a barrage of criticism over his lack of experience, his record on race and policing, his stance on single-payer health care, his views of President Donald Trump and the accomplishments of President Barack Obama.
It’s not hard to see why. Buttigieg finished in a virtual tie in the Iowa caucuses ― exceeding predictions ― and several polls have shown him surging in New Hampshire ahead of the state’s primary on Tuesday.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) unloaded on Buttigieg early in the night by suggesting the former mayor of a mid-size city in Indiana wasn’t experienced enough to take on Trump.
She criticized him for complaints he made last week about how the Senate impeachment proceedings had been tiring and made him want to watch other television programming.
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“You said it was exhausting to watch and that you wanted to turn the channel and watch cartoons,” Klobuchar said, telling Buttigieg that the remark may have made him look “like a cool newcomer” but that it wasn’t appropriate.
“I don’t think that’s what people want right now. We have a newcomer in the White House, and look what that got us,” she said.
Buttigieg responded by saying that he had more to offer than those who work in the “big white buildings in Washington, D.C.,” citing his military service overseas.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), meanwhile, got in on the action after Buttigieg was asked by the debate moderators about his record on race and policing in South Bend. Buttigieg faced criticism from the city’s black leaders last year over several policing-related controversies.
“The reality is, on my watch, drug arrests in South Bend were lower than the national average, and specifically to marijuana, lower than in Indiana,” Buttigieg said. “But there is no question that systemic racism has penetrated to every level of our system, and my city was not immune. I took a lot of heat for discussing systemic racism with my own police department, but we’ve got to confront the fact that there is no escaping how this is part of all of our policies.”
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Asked by a moderator if she was satisfied by Buttigieg’s answer, Warren said, “No.”
She dismissed his answer as lacking in substance.
“You have to own up to the facts. And it’s important to own up to the facts about how race has totally permeated our criminal justice system,” Warren said, noting studies that find Black Americans face systemically harsher treatment than whites.
“But we cannot say that criminal justice is the only time we want to talk about race specifically,” she said, calling for “race-conscious laws” on issues like housing.
“You can’t just repeal that and say, ‘OK, now everything is even ― it’s not,’” she added. “We need race-conscious laws in education, in employment, in entrepreneurship to make this country a country of opportunity for everyone.
Buttigieg also took heat from Klobuchar over his stance on “Medicare for All,” the single-payer health care program. The Minnesota senator accused him of flip-flopping on the issue after once saying he supported the program. Buttigieg, however, maintained he has been “consistent throughout” on health care.
That’s not to say that the other candidates sailed through unscathed. Biden went after Sanders on guns, saying, “He voted to give the gun manufacturers, the only major industry in America, a loophole that does not allow them to be sued for the carnage they are creating.”
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And he criticized Sanders on Medicare for All legislation, saying, “He says he wrote the damn thing, but he’s unwilling to tell us what the damn thing is going to cost.”
But Buttigieg was the man to take down. Although both he and Sanders emerged as the winners of the Iowa caucuses, Buttigieg’s performance was much stronger than expected ― and it put a target on his back.
Candidates began previewing their attacks this week on the campaign trail in New Hampshire, which will go to the polls Tuesday.
Sanders used Buttigieg as an example of what’s wrong with the political system at an event in Manchester on Friday morning, reading off headlines portraying him as the favorite candidate of billionaires and Wall Street.
And Wednesday, Biden took issue with Buttigieg’s criticisms of the old system in Washington, accusing him of calling the Obama administration a failure at a rally in New Hampshire: “Is he really saying the Obama-Biden administration was a failure? Pete, just say it out loud.”
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But surrogates for Buttigieg’s campaign maintained that Friday’s attacks on their candidate failed to blunt his momentum, calling his support a “movement.”
“I think Pete rose to the occasion tonight. He was presidential this evening,” said Maura Sullivan, the Buttigieg campaign’s New Hampshire co-chair.
Sullivan, a veteran who served in the Pentagon under Obama, added that Buttigieg’s campaign had an “Obama-like feeling.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Democrats Bash Michael Bloomberg For Trying To Buy The Nomination

The Democratic presidential contenders debating in New Hampshire on Friday night didn ’ t share a stage with fellow candidate Michael Bloomberg .
But they heard his footsteps .
Several candidates accused the billionaire former New York City mayor of trying to purchase the Democratic nomination with his vast wealth , 12 days before he will likely join them in Nevada for the next debate .
Asked by moderator George Stephanopoulos why she would be better suited than Bloomberg to take on Donald Trump , Senator Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
said bluntly “ Look , I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy their way into a nomination , or to be president of the United States.
” “ I just simply think people don ’ t look at the guy in the White House and say , ‘ Can we get someone richer ?
’ ” said Senator Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) .
And Senator Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) sarcastically noted that “ There are millions of people who can desire to run for office .
But I guess if you ’ re worth $ 60 billion , and you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you have a slight advantage.
” Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
participates in the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on Feb. 7 , 2020 , in Manchester , New Hampshire .
Bloomberg looks likely to qualify for the Nevada debate based on his polling strength — he is in fourth place in several national Democratic primary polls .
He was precluded from prior debates because of a DNC donor threshold requirement .
Bloomberg does not accept donations , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last quarter came almost entirely from his own pocket .
When the DNC eliminated that donor requirement last week , several candidates cried foul over a rule change benefiting a billionaire candidate — but their sharp attacks on Friday showed how much they might actually relish beating up on one of the richest men in the country in an age of increasing economic populism within the Democratic party .
Bloomberg ’ s presence will also stir up the broader issue of money in politics during the debates , and both Sanders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t use that opportunity to just attack Bloomberg .
“ Unlike some of the folks up here , I don ’ t have 40 billionaires — Pete — contributing to my campaign , ” said Sanders , as he stared at Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana .
Warren noted that “ Everyone on this stage except Amy and me is either a billionaire , or is receiving help from PACs that can do unlimited spending ...
I think the way we build a democracy going forward is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or people sucking up to billionaires.
” Alongside the bravado and attacks , Bloomberg ’ s looming presence also produced a clear anxiety about the massive resources he brings into the race .
Each of the three candidates who responded to Stephanopoulos ’ question worked their campaign website into their answer , and pleaded for a donation .

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The Democratic presidential contenders debating in New Hampshire on Friday night didn’t share a stage with fellow candidate Michael Bloomberg. But they heard his footsteps. Several candidates accused the billionaire former New York City mayor of trying to purchase the Democratic nomination with his vast wealth, 12 days before he will likely join them in Nevada for the next debate.
Asked by moderator George Stephanopoulos why she would be better suited than Bloomberg to take on Donald Trump, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said bluntly “Look, I don’t think anyone ought to be able to buy their way into a nomination, or to be president of the United States.”
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“I just simply think people don’t look at the guy in the White House and say, ‘Can we get someone richer?’” said Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
And Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sarcastically noted that “There are millions of people who can desire to run for office. But I guess if you’re worth $60 billion, and you can spend several hundred million dollars on commercials, you have a slight advantage.”
“That is nonsense,” he continued.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) participates in the Democratic presidential primary debate in the Sullivan Arena at St. Anselm College on Feb. 7, 2020, in Manchester, New Hampshire. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Bloomberg looks likely to qualify for the Nevada debate based on his polling strength — he is in fourth place in several national Democratic primary polls. He was precluded from prior debates because of a DNC donor threshold requirement. Bloomberg does not accept donations, and the astonishing $200.4 million he raised in the last quarter came almost entirely from his own pocket.
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When the DNC eliminated that donor requirement last week, several candidates cried foul over a rule change benefiting a billionaire candidate — but their sharp attacks on Friday showed how much they might actually relish beating up on one of the richest men in the country in an age of increasing economic populism within the Democratic party.
Bloomberg’s presence will also stir up the broader issue of money in politics during the debates, and both Sanders and Warren made clear Friday they won’t use that opportunity to just attack Bloomberg. “Unlike some of the folks up here, I don’t have 40 billionaires — Pete — contributing to my campaign,” said Sanders, as he stared at Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
Warren noted that “Everyone on this stage except Amy and me is either a billionaire, or is receiving help from PACs that can do unlimited spending ... I think the way we build a democracy going forward is not billionaires reaching in their own pockets, or people sucking up to billionaires.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Ex-Ethics Chief Scorches Sen. Grassley For Deafening Silence On Trump Witness Purge

Former White House ethics chief Walter Shaub threw Sen. Chuck Grassley ’ s ( R-Iowa ) own words back in his face Friday for his resounding silence as witnesses who testified in the House impeachment hearings on President Donald Trump were thrown out of their jobs .
Alexander Vindman and Sondland testified before House committees in Trump ’ s impeachment investigation in response to congressional subpoenas .
Vindman ’ s attorney said his client was fired for “ telling the truth.
” “ If a federal worker had no rights to communicate directly with Congress , would fraud and corruption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer to that question is absolutely yes , ” Grassley said in a video message Shaub posted on Twitter .
Instead , Grassley posted a grateful tweet on Friday after Trump vowed to protect Iowa ’ s primary schedule for “ as long as I am president.
” Grassley thanked him for “ sticking w Iowans.
” In this video @ ChuckGrassley asks : `` If a federal employee had no rights to communicate directly with Congress , would fraud and corruption grow in the federal bureaucracy ?
My answer .
.
.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sen. Grassley was nowhere to be found.https : //t.co/qRYbuwM6Gm — Walter Shaub ( @ waltshaub ) February 7 , 2020 It appears Senator Grassley did not mean what he said in the video .
Or , at least , he did n't mean it when the testimony is unfavorable to a Republican president .
https : //t.co/ZFRusI6xyZ — Walter Shaub ( @ waltshaub ) February 7 , 2020 Grassley referred in his past video message to the Lloyd-La Follette Act , which was passed in 1912 to “ guarantee the right of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress.
” He added : “ We need all the eyes and ears to keep government accountable .
That ’ s why I work to strengthen whistleblower protections.
” Grassley noted : “ Open communication is a critical function of representative government .
... without it , we would have an aristocratic government that would be dominated by the executive branch.
” The video was one of five that Grassley issued in the summer of 2018 to underscore the “ importance of congressional oversight.
” As recently as November , Grassley spoke up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s pressure in a phone call on Ukraine ’ s president last year to launch an investigation into unfounded accusations against political rival Joe Biden .
A day after Trump called on the media to name the anonymous whistleblower late last year , Grassley said he supported “ maximum protection ” for whistleblowers to safeguard them as they come forward with information .

Former White House ethics chief Walter Shaub threw Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) own words back in his face Friday for his resounding silence as witnesses who testified in the House impeachment hearings on President Donald Trump were thrown out of their jobs.
Grassley has co-authored whistleblower laws and defended protecting federal workers who step forward to reveal wrongdoing in government.
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Alexander Vindman and Sondland testified before House committees in Trump’s impeachment investigation in response to congressional subpoenas. Vindman’s attorney said his client was fired for “telling the truth.”
“If a federal worker had no rights to communicate directly with Congress, would fraud and corruption grow in the federal bureaucracy? My answer to that question is absolutely yes,” Grassley said in a video message Shaub posted on Twitter.
Shaub added: “Today, Sen. Grassley was nowhere to be found.”
Instead, Grassley posted a grateful tweet on Friday after Trump vowed to protect Iowa’s primary schedule for “as long as I am president.” Grassley thanked him for “sticking w Iowans.”
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In this video @ChuckGrassley asks: "If a federal employee had no rights to communicate directly with Congress, would fraud and corruption grow in the federal bureaucracy? My answer. . . is absolutely yes."
But today, Sen. Grassley was nowhere to be found.https://t.co/qRYbuwM6Gm — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) February 7, 2020
It appears Senator Grassley did not mean what he said in the video. Or, at least, he didn't mean it when the testimony is unfavorable to a Republican president. https://t.co/ZFRusI6xyZ — Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) February 7, 2020
Grassley referred in his past video message to the Lloyd-La Follette Act, which was passed in 1912 to “guarantee the right of federal employees to directly share information with Congress.” He added: “We need all the eyes and ears to keep government accountable. That’s why I work to strengthen whistleblower protections.”
Grassley noted: “Open communication is a critical function of representative government. ... without it, we would have an aristocratic government that would be dominated by the executive branch.”
The video was one of five that Grassley issued in the summer of 2018 to underscore the “importance of congressional oversight.”
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As recently as November, Grassley spoke up for the whistleblower who alerted officials to Trump’s pressure in a phone call on Ukraine’s president last year to launch an investigation into unfounded accusations against political rival Joe Biden.
A day after Trump called on the media to name the anonymous whistleblower late last year, Grassley said he supported “maximum protection” for whistleblowers to safeguard them as they come forward with information.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--Mitt Romney Gets Standing Ovation At Democratic Presidential Debate

MANCHESTER , N.H. ― Sen. Mitt Romney ( R-Utah ) received a standing ovation at the Democratic presidential primary debate here on Friday after Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-Minn. ) cited his “ courage ” in voting to convict President Donald Trump on the impeachment charge of abuse of power .
Romney was the only GOP senator who broke with his party by voting Wednesday to remove Trump from office over his dealings with Ukraine .
The president and his allies subsequently lashed out at the senator by questioning his faith and calling him nasty names .
“ There was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very , very difficult vote [ on impeachment ] , ” Klobuchar said on the debate stage , prompting a round of applause from the audience .
Sen. Mitt Romney , the only Republican to vote to convict Pres .
Trump for abuse of power in the Senate trial , receives a round of applause when Sen. Amy Klobuchar praised his `` courage '' at the # DemDebate .
https : //t.co/97rUnRCilw pic.twitter.com/F9PzccLivB — This Week ( @ ThisWeekABC ) February 8 , 2020 Romney , the former 2012 Republican presidential nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country who once fiercely opposed his campaign against President Barack Obama ’ s reelection .
The sentiment was echoed by voters in New Hampshire this week ahead of the state ’ s primary next week .
“ He ’ s a hero for me right this moment , ” Lorrie Belinsky , an independent retired school administrator from Derry , said Thursday .
“ But I liked him as governor in Massachusetts .
He did a good job down there ― brought a lot of change down there .
Good for him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate note , can we give a shoutout to Mitt Romney ?
” another New Hampshire voter said Thursday .
“ In a nonpartisan way , just as a citizen ... it was just nice to have someone say , ‘ I ’ m making it on principle and not out of political leanings or fear-based decision-making.
’ It was just very refreshing to hear in this time .
”

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MANCHESTER, N.H. ― Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) received a standing ovation at the Democratic presidential primary debate here on Friday after Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) cited his “courage” in voting to convict President Donald Trump on the impeachment charge of abuse of power.
Romney was the only GOP senator who broke with his party by voting Wednesday to remove Trump from office over his dealings with Ukraine. The president and his allies subsequently lashed out at the senator by questioning his faith and calling him nasty names.
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“There was courage from Mitt Romney, who took a very, very difficult vote [on impeachment],” Klobuchar said on the debate stage, prompting a round of applause from the audience.
Sen. Mitt Romney, the only Republican to vote to convict Pres. Trump for abuse of power in the Senate trial, receives a round of applause when Sen. Amy Klobuchar praised his "courage" at the #DemDebate. https://t.co/97rUnRCilw pic.twitter.com/F9PzccLivB — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 8, 2020
Romney, the former 2012 Republican presidential nominee, is getting love from Democrats around the country who once fiercely opposed his campaign against President Barack Obama’s reelection. The sentiment was echoed by voters in New Hampshire this week ahead of the state’s primary next week.
“He’s a hero for me right this moment,” Lorrie Belinsky, an independent retired school administrator from Derry, said Thursday. “But I liked him as governor in Massachusetts. He did a good job down there ― brought a lot of change down there. Good for him to stand up.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-02-07--What Pete Buttigieg Really Said About Drug Possession

New Hampshire Democratic debate moderator Monica Hernandez asked former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg what seemed like a tough question about an allegedly radical stance on drug decriminalization .
Hernandez , an anchor at Manchester-area TV station WMUR , wanted to know how Buttigieg would deal with the drugs fueling the opiate epidemic , which has hit New Hampshire especially hard .
“ You have called for the decriminalization of all drugs .
Does that include heroin , meth and cocaine , some of the drugs that have contributed to this crisis ?
” Hernandez asked Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Buttigieg denied that that was his position , claiming instead that he would employ criminal prosecution without putting people behind bars .
“ No , what I ’ ve called for is that incarceration should no longer be the response to drug possession , ” he said .
His campaign website states that “ at the federal level , ” Buttigieg would “ eliminate incarceration for drug possession , reduce sentences for other drug offenses and apply these reductions retroactively , and legalize marijuana and expunge past convictions.
” Hernandez may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports decriminalization of drugs because a December article in the libertarian news outlet Reason framed his position that way .
But the article was based on an interview that Buttigieg conducted with the Des Moines Register editorial board in December in which he specifically distinguished between criminalization and incarceration .
“ I would not have said even five years ago what I believe now , which is that incarceration should not even be a response to drug possession , ” he told the newspaper .
Buttigieg clarified Friday night that he would continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for prosecuting the production and sale of drugs , though not for possession .
There are a number of ways in which Buttigieg could prosecute drug possession as a crime while taking incarceration off the table .
He could , for example , make it the exclusive province of drug courts that allow drug users to complete treatment programs in lieu of jail time .
Buttigieg also highlighted the role of pharmaceutical companies , which typically operate within the letter of the law as they exacerbate the opioid crisis .
“ Some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were acting irresponsibly with substances that were lawful , ” he said , drawing applause from the audience at St. Anselm College in Manchester , New Hampshire .
“ It ’ s why in South Bend , we sued those companies to hold them accountable .
”

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New Hampshire Democratic debate moderator Monica Hernandez asked former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg what seemed like a tough question about an allegedly radical stance on drug decriminalization.
Hernandez, an anchor at Manchester-area TV station WMUR, wanted to know how Buttigieg would deal with the drugs fueling the opiate epidemic, which has hit New Hampshire especially hard.
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“You have called for the decriminalization of all drugs. Does that include heroin, meth and cocaine, some of the drugs that have contributed to this crisis?” Hernandez asked Buttigieg in the presidential primary debate Friday night.
But Buttigieg denied that that was his position, claiming instead that he would employ criminal prosecution without putting people behind bars.
“No, what I’ve called for is that incarceration should no longer be the response to drug possession,” he said.
Buttigieg was correct.
His campaign website states that “at the federal level,” Buttigieg would “eliminate incarceration for drug possession, reduce sentences for other drug offenses and apply these reductions retroactively, and legalize marijuana and expunge past convictions.”
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Hernandez may have been under the impression that Buttigieg supports decriminalization of drugs because a December article in the libertarian news outlet Reason framed his position that way.
But the article was based on an interview that Buttigieg conducted with the Des Moines Register editorial board in December in which he specifically distinguished between criminalization and incarceration.
“I would not have said even five years ago what I believe now, which is that incarceration should not even be a response to drug possession,” he told the newspaper.
Buttigieg clarified Friday night that he would continue to use incarceration as a federal tool for prosecuting the production and sale of drugs, though not for possession.
There are a number of ways in which Buttigieg could prosecute drug possession as a crime while taking incarceration off the table. He could, for example, make it the exclusive province of drug courts that allow drug users to complete treatment programs in lieu of jail time.
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Buttigieg also highlighted the role of pharmaceutical companies, which typically operate within the letter of the law as they exacerbate the opioid crisis.