thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Coloradans Are Getting Mysterious Texts Bashing Democratic Senate Candidate John Hickenlooper

The texts feature a link to a 2014 clip of Hickenlooper comparing the job of a political scheduler to being on a slave ship , and a Washington Post article on a recent ethics scandal ; an independent ethics panel in Colorado said Hickenlooper violated state law as governor in 2018 by accepting rides in a private jet and a Maserati limousine .
The texts call Hickenlooper “ out of touch ” and warn he ’ s a risk to Democrats ’ chances to flip the Senate .
Some of the recipients tweeted that they responded to the texts inquiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back .
Political campaigning via text is commonplace these days , as candidates and political parties use cellphone numbers to fundraise , organize and turn out more voters to the polls .
But Colorado has strict disclosure laws around political messaging ; political candidates , political parties and issues committees must disclose themselves either directly in the text message , or in a direct link in the primary message .
Federal disclosure laws require that the business , individual or corporate entity behind a political message must be stated clearly at the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , some dark money groups could fall between the cracks in these disclosure laws .
Super PACs are required to disclose election spending to the Federal Election Commission , while political nonprofits are not .
The text messages included shortened links — truncated URLs — that can be traced back to Tele-Town Hall LLC , a Virginia-based company that runs phone-based political communications .
The Colorado Republican Party has previously used Tele-Town Hall , reporting $ 500 in expenditures in January , and another $ 8,800 last year for autodialing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent months .
Joe Jackson , a spokesperson with the Colorado GOP , said “ definitively we had nothing to do with this from the state party side , ” adding that the state party has not run text campaigns about Hickenlooper in the Senate race thus far .
The national Republican Party also said it didn ’ t know anything about the texts .
The Hickenlooper campaign said it has received dozens of complaints about the texts and estimates they have gone to a “ very wide universe of tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on receiving a complaint from one supporter who could not be found in the Democratic voter contact database .
Hickenlooper , who served as governor from 2011 through 2019 , is leading the Democratic Senate primary in Colorado , jumping in after a failed presidential bid last year .
The primary is scheduled for June 30 .
He was endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee upon entering the race .
Colorado is by far Democrats ’ best chance at kicking a Republican out of the Senate ; head-to-head polls in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a double-digit advantage over Gardner .
But Hickenlooper is known for his gaffes , and now dogged by this ethics violation , hasn ’ t had the smoothest run .
Gardner released an ad this week highlighting Hickenlooper ’ s past public comments explicitly stating he didn ’ t want to run for Senate .
In recent weeks , Andrew Romanoff , a former member of the Colorado House of Representatives , has been gaining steam by running to Hickenlooper ’ s left .
A recently disclosed internal poll from Romanoff ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hickenlooper to 12 percentage points , after trailing the former governor by 49 points last October .
Romanoff ’ s campaign said it didn ’ t know anything about the text campaign .
“ Anonymous Republicans are trying to meddle in another Democratic Senate primary , spreading misleading attacks because they know John will defeat Cory Gardner , ” said campaign spokesperson Melissa Miller .
“ Coloradans won ’ t be fooled , they know that John ’ s work to bring people together gets results : expanding health care to 500,000 more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to choose , passing gun safety reforms and a ban on high capacity magazines , and implementing ‘ gold-standard ’ methane regulations .
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Colorado residents have reported getting mysterious anonymous text messages bashing John Hickenlooper, the Democratic Senate candidate seeking to oust Republican Sen. Cory Gardner this November.
The texts feature a link to a 2014 clip of Hickenlooper comparing the job of a political scheduler to being on a slave ship, and a Washington Post article on a recent ethics scandal; an independent ethics panel in Colorado said Hickenlooper violated state law as governor in 2018 by accepting rides in a private jet and a Maserati limousine. The texts call Hickenlooper “out of touch” and warn he’s a risk to Democrats’ chances to flip the Senate.
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Political texts should require paid-for information the same way mail and tv ads do. This slew of anonymous texts bashing @Hickenlooper isn't accountable or transparent and honestly, if you're going to go negative, have the guts to put your name on it. #cosen #copolitics pic.twitter.com/dyCvX21fHo — Michal Rose (@Michal_Rose) June 17, 2020
Some of the recipients tweeted that they responded to the texts inquiring about their origins but did not hear back.
So annoying. They never reply. pic.twitter.com/0qsCdQTS46 — Rick Trilsch (@ricktrilsch) June 17, 2020
Political campaigning via text is commonplace these days, as candidates and political parties use cellphone numbers to fundraise, organize and turn out more voters to the polls. But Colorado has strict disclosure laws around political messaging; political candidates, political parties and issues committees must disclose themselves either directly in the text message, or in a direct link in the primary message. Federal disclosure laws require that the business, individual or corporate entity behind a political message must be stated clearly at the beginning of that messaging, including in texts. However, some dark money groups could fall between the cracks in these disclosure laws. Super PACs are required to disclose election spending to the Federal Election Commission, while political nonprofits are not.
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These texts don’t say where they’re coming from.
The text messages included shortened links — truncated URLs — that can be traced back to Tele-Town Hall LLC, a Virginia-based company that runs phone-based political communications. The Colorado Republican Party has previously used Tele-Town Hall, reporting $500 in expenditures in January, and another $8,800 last year for autodialing. It has not reported using the company in recent months. Joe Jackson, a spokesperson with the Colorado GOP, said “definitively we had nothing to do with this from the state party side,” adding that the state party has not run text campaigns about Hickenlooper in the Senate race thus far. The national Republican Party also said it didn’t know anything about the texts.
The Hickenlooper campaign said it has received dozens of complaints about the texts and estimates they have gone to a “very wide universe of tens of thousands of Democratic primary voters,” based on receiving a complaint from one supporter who could not be found in the Democratic voter contact database.
Hickenlooper, who served as governor from 2011 through 2019, is leading the Democratic Senate primary in Colorado, jumping in after a failed presidential bid last year. The primary is scheduled for June 30. He was endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee upon entering the race.
Colorado is by far Democrats’ best chance at kicking a Republican out of the Senate; head-to-head polls in the last several months have shown Hickenlooper with a double-digit advantage over Gardner. But Hickenlooper is known for his gaffes, and now dogged by this ethics violation, hasn’t had the smoothest run. Gardner released an ad this week highlighting Hickenlooper’s past public comments explicitly stating he didn’t want to run for Senate.
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In recent weeks, Andrew Romanoff, a former member of the Colorado House of Representatives, has been gaining steam by running to Hickenlooper’s left. A recently disclosed internal poll from Romanoff’s campaign showed him closing the gap with Hickenlooper to 12 percentage points, after trailing the former governor by 49 points last October. Romanoff’s campaign said it didn’t know anything about the text campaign.
Hickenlooper’s campaign is blaming Republicans for the texts.
“Anonymous Republicans are trying to meddle in another Democratic Senate primary, spreading misleading attacks because they know John will defeat Cory Gardner,” said campaign spokesperson Melissa Miller. “Coloradans won’t be fooled, they know that John’s work to bring people together gets results: expanding health care to 500,000 more Coloradans, protecting a woman’s right to choose, passing gun safety reforms and a ban on high capacity magazines, and implementing ‘gold-standard’ methane regulations.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Donald Trump Vows To Keep Trying To End Dreamer Protections

President Donald Trump said Friday that he ’ d keep pushing to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protections , putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk for deportation , after the Supreme Court blocked his past attempt .
The justices ruled in a 5-4 decision on Thursday that Trump acted wrongly in ending DACA , an Obama-era program that allows young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children , often called Dreamers , to obtain two-year work permits and deportation protections .
The way the Department of Homeland Security rescinded the program was unlawfully “ arbitrary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority opinion read .
But the decision , written by Chief Justice John Roberts , left the door open for the department to try again .
And Trump said he plans to capitalize on that , continuing his yearslong effort to crack down on undocumented and legal immigration .
In a Friday morning tweet , Trump suggested that his administration would begin the process of ending DACA again ― while falsely implying that the Supreme Court had urged him to do it .
“ The Supreme Court asked us to resubmit on DACA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ‘ punted ’ , much like in a football game ( where hopefully they would stand for our great American Flag ) , ” Trump wrote , throwing in a jab at athletes who have staged peaceful protests over police brutality against Black people .
The Supreme Court asked us to resubmit on DACA , nothing was lost or won .
They “ punted ” , much like in a football game ( where hopefully they would stand for our great American Flag ) .
We will be submitting enhanced papers shortly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court ’ s ... .. — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 19 , 2020 ... ruling & request of yesterday .
I have wanted to take care of DACA recipients better than the Do Nothing Democrats , but for two years they refused to negotiate - They have abandoned DACA .
Based on the decision the Dems can ’ t make DACA citizens .
They gained nothing !
@ DHSgov — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 19 , 2020 Trump also claimed that he is the true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Democrats who have pushed for immigration reform for years and implemented DACA in the first place .
“ I have wanted to take care of DACA recipients better than the Do Nothing Democrats , but for two years they refused to negotiate - They have abandoned DACA .
Based on the decision the Dems can ’ t make DACA citizens .
They gained nothing !
” the president wrote .
While the Trump White House has offered some protections for Dreamers , it ’ s only been as a bargaining chip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration priorities : a border wall , limits to asylum and restrictions on legal immigration .
Immigration activists , including Dreamers themselves , have argued that their protections should not come at the expense of other undocumented immigrants .
Democrats have blocked the kind of deals the president envisions while advocating for legislation that would give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship .
The Democratic-led House passed a bill to do so in June 2019 , but the Republican-led Senate hasn ’ t taken it up .
And Democrats said after the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DACA recipients , given the potential that Trump would continue to try to rescind the program .
At any point the president could have pushed for a standalone measure to help Dreamers ― a majority of the public supports granting them legal status ― but he hasn ’ t .
What Trump has done for Dreamers is to refer to them derisively , tweeting in November that some “ are far from ‘ angels.
’ Some are very tough , hardened criminals.
” And he ’ s long attempted to end DACA , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legal workforce and at risk of deportation .
It ’ s unclear how quickly Trump could rescind DACA if he does try again .
The court ruled his past attempt violated the Administrative Procedure Act .
The Department of Homeland Security could try again , but that effort would surely be challenged in the courts , too .
In a separate opinion concurring with the majority on Thursday , Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the majority opinion was too dismissive of arguments that Trump ’ s past statements about Latino immigrants showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by discrimination .

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President Donald Trump said Friday that he’d keep pushing to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protections, putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk for deportation, after the Supreme Court blocked his past attempt.
The justices ruled in a 5-4 decision on Thursday that Trump acted wrongly in ending DACA, an Obama-era program that allows young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, often called Dreamers, to obtain two-year work permits and deportation protections. The way the Department of Homeland Security rescinded the program was unlawfully “arbitrary” and “capricious,” the majority opinion read.
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But the decision, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, left the door open for the department to try again. And Trump said he plans to capitalize on that, continuing his yearslong effort to crack down on undocumented and legal immigration.
In a Friday morning tweet, Trump suggested that his administration would begin the process of ending DACA again ― while falsely implying that the Supreme Court had urged him to do it.
“The Supreme Court asked us to resubmit on DACA, nothing was lost or won. They ‘punted’, much like in a football game (where hopefully they would stand for our great American Flag),” Trump wrote, throwing in a jab at athletes who have staged peaceful protests over police brutality against Black people.
The Supreme Court asked us to resubmit on DACA, nothing was lost or won. They “punted”, much like in a football game (where hopefully they would stand for our great American Flag). We will be submitting enhanced papers shortly in order to properly fulfil the Supreme Court’s..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2020
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...ruling & request of yesterday. I have wanted to take care of DACA recipients better than the Do Nothing Democrats, but for two years they refused to negotiate - They have abandoned DACA. Based on the decision the Dems can’t make DACA citizens. They gained nothing! @DHSgov — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2020
Trump also claimed that he is the true champion of the Dreamers ― as opposed to the Democrats who have pushed for immigration reform for years and implemented DACA in the first place.
“I have wanted to take care of DACA recipients better than the Do Nothing Democrats, but for two years they refused to negotiate - They have abandoned DACA. Based on the decision the Dems can’t make DACA citizens. They gained nothing!” the president wrote.
While the Trump White House has offered some protections for Dreamers, it’s only been as a bargaining chip to gain the president’s actual immigration priorities: a border wall, limits to asylum and restrictions on legal immigration.
Immigration activists, including Dreamers themselves, have argued that their protections should not come at the expense of other undocumented immigrants. Democrats have blocked the kind of deals the president envisions while advocating for legislation that would give Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. The Democratic-led House passed a bill to do so in June 2019, but the Republican-led Senate hasn’t taken it up.
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And Democrats said after the Supreme Court decision that Congress must act to protect DACA recipients, given the potential that Trump would continue to try to rescind the program.
At any point the president could have pushed for a standalone measure to help Dreamers ― a majority of the public supports granting them legal status ― but he hasn’t.
What Trump has done for Dreamers is to refer to them derisively, tweeting in November that some “are far from ‘angels.’ Some are very tough, hardened criminals.” And he’s long attempted to end DACA, which would put 650,000 recipients out of the legal workforce and at risk of deportation.
It’s unclear how quickly Trump could rescind DACA if he does try again. The court ruled his past attempt violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The Department of Homeland Security could try again, but that effort would surely be challenged in the courts, too.
The threat, however, remains: Ending protections for and potentially deporting Dreamers is a priority for the president.
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In a separate opinion concurring with the majority on Thursday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the majority opinion was too dismissive of arguments that Trump’s past statements about Latino immigrants showed the decision to end DACA was motivated by discrimination.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Judge Doubts White House Can Keep Bolton Book Away From Public

( Reuters ) - A federal judge on Friday expressed doubt the White House could keep former national security adviser John Bolton ’ s memoir out of the public ’ s hands , after media outlets released excerpts and more than 200,000 copies were distributed .
“ The horse , as we used to say in Texas , seems to be out of the barn , ” U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington said at a hearing .
Lamberth is weighing the Trump administration ’ s emergency request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Where It Happened : A White House Memoir.
” The administration says the book contains classified information and threatens national security .
Lamberth said he will review the book before ruling .
It said politics drove Trump ’ s foreign policy , including his imploring Chinese President Xi Jinping for help in winning re-election , and detailed alleged improprieties not addressed in Trump ’ s impeachment trial .
David Morrell , a Department of Justice lawyer , called Bolton a “ disgruntled ” former employee who should not be “ rewarded ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nondisclosure agreement .
He said Bolton should “ claw ” the book back or staunch its distribution , including audio books .
“ This is a problem of his own making , ” Morrell said .
Lamberth also questioned whether Bolton raced his book to publication because the government review was too slow .
“ He just walked away , and told the publisher , go publish , ” he asked Cooper .
“ Isn ’ t that what happened ?
” Trump on Thursday tweeted that the book was “ a compilation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make him look bad .

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(Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday expressed doubt the White House could keep former national security adviser John Bolton’s memoir out of the public’s hands, after media outlets released excerpts and more than 200,000 copies were distributed.
“The horse, as we used to say in Texas, seems to be out of the barn,” U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington said at a hearing.
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Lamberth is weighing the Trump administration’s emergency request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the scheduled June 23 publication of “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir.”
The administration says the book contains classified information and threatens national security. Lamberth said he will review the book before ruling.
Bolton’s book has drawn wide attention for its withering portrayal of Trump.
It said politics drove Trump’s foreign policy, including his imploring Chinese President Xi Jinping for help in winning re-election, and detailed alleged improprieties not addressed in Trump’s impeachment trial.
Trump ousted Bolton, a foreign policy hawk, last September after 17 months as national security adviser.
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David Morrell, a Department of Justice lawyer, called Bolton a “disgruntled” former employee who should not be “rewarded” for publishing without government clearance required by his nondisclosure agreement.
He said Bolton should “claw” the book back or staunch its distribution, including audio books.
“This is a problem of his own making,” Morrell said.
Bolton’s lawyer Charles Cooper countered that halting publication would violate his client’s free speech rights.
“The speech has been spoken,” Cooper said. “It can’t be unspoken.”
Lamberth also questioned whether Bolton raced his book to publication because the government review was too slow.
“He just walked away, and told the publisher, go publish,” he asked Cooper. “Isn’t that what happened?”
Trump on Thursday tweeted that the book was “a compilation of lies and made up stories” to make him look bad.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Twitter Users Give Trump's Tulsa Rally Another Name: 'Coronapalooza'

President Donald Trump hasn ’ t given the rally scheduled for Saturday in Tulsa , Oklahoma , a special name , but , thankfully , Twitter users have stepped in to fill the void .
As of Friday , the hashtag # coronapalooza was a trending term .
It ’ s quite appropriate , since many medical experts fear the rally could cause a spike in COVID-19 cases .
The event will be held in a 19,000-seat indoor arena at a time when Oklahoma has seen a recent increase in coronavirus infections .
Still , many Twitter users found the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burns at the president ’ s expense .
Who else is pumped about # coronapalooza this weekend ?
You fucks have fun !
Catch ya in the ICU next weekend !
pic.twitter.com/Ir2l1NSonc — LBKClosetLiberal🧢 ( @ ClosetLbk ) June 19 , 2020 Grim reaper to open for Trump at # coronapalooza this week , should be Sick !
# TrumpRallyTulsa pic.twitter.com/se0ixN8BZb — Jason Spatafora ( @ WolfOfWeedST ) June 19 , 2020 What a perfect name for the # TrumpRally # coronapalooza .
I hope everyone not attending stays safe and avoids the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ michelechollow ) June 19 , 2020 CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta said the rally could expose attendees to superspreaders who are already sick and will disproportionately spread infection .
But the Trump campaign ’ s only attempt to mitigate the threat is to give people the option of wearing masks .
They also have to sign a waiver not to sue the campaign if they catch the disease .

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President Donald Trump hasn’t given the rally scheduled for Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a special name, but, thankfully, Twitter users have stepped in to fill the void.
As of Friday, the hashtag #coronapalooza was a trending term.
It’s quite appropriate, since many medical experts fear the rally could cause a spike in COVID-19 cases. The event will be held in a 19,000-seat indoor arena at a time when Oklahoma has seen a recent increase in coronavirus infections.
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Still, many Twitter users found the #coronapalooza hashtag useful for some sick burns at the president’s expense.
Who else is pumped about #coronapalooza this weekend? You fucks have fun! Catch ya in the ICU next weekend! pic.twitter.com/Ir2l1NSonc — LBKClosetLiberal🧢 (@ClosetLbk) June 19, 2020
Grim reaper to open for Trump at #coronapalooza this week, should be Sick! #TrumpRallyTulsa pic.twitter.com/se0ixN8BZb — Jason Spatafora (@WolfOfWeedST) June 19, 2020
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What a perfect name for the #TrumpRally
#coronapalooza.
I hope everyone not attending stays safe and avoids the #COVIDIOTS. — Michele C. Hollow (@michelechollow) June 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Juneteenth Brings Anti-Racism Protesters Out From Coast To Coast

Outraged Americans in dozens of cities Friday are commemorating the day and calling for an end to racism and police brutality by taking to the streets from Los Angeles to Kansas City , Birmingham to Washington , D.C. , and beyond .
The Movement for Black Lives said various groups had organized hundreds of Juneteenth protests in at least 45 states .
Rev .
Kirsten John Foy , whose organization The Arc of Justice is leading a coalition of Juneteenth marches and caravans in dozens of cities known as the Drive to Justice , said it was imperative to reclaim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News and the president play up reports of destruction .
“ The real violence was not the burning down of buildings , ” Foy told HuffPost .
“ The real looting happened long before the uprisings in Minneapolis and other places around the country .
The real lootings are systemic .
The real looting wiped out trillions of dollars of wealth in the Black community .
The real looting happens when innocent Black men are gunned down by police officers with no cause or justification.
” In addition to calling for the demilitarization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday ’ s events are passing out information on how to complete the 2020 census , register to vote and sign up for an absentee ballot .
Foy , who once helped elect New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio , says he ’ s the exact type of mayor who should be held accountable for reneging on his promises to the Black community and for letting the officer who choked Garner to death remain on the force for years .
“ Specifically , we are demanding independent and thorough investigations of violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an op-ed for The New York Daily News .
“ The public can not trust the outcomes of investigations into police-involved deaths when they are conducted by the same departments that employ these officers , and the same local prosecutors who depend on their work.
” Players from the NBA ’ s Washington Wizards and the WNBA ’ s Washington Mystics also joined protesters on Friday .
Wizards guard Bradley Beal addressed the crowd , sharing the story of a police officer pulling him over while he was driving with his family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your Monday and put you on a headline and arrest you right now ?
’ ” Beal recounted the cop telling him .
The weeks of protest follow the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May .
Video of the incident , which shows an officer kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd gasps for air and says he can ’ t breathe , set off mass unrest .
The protests have called on Americans to open their eyes to the disproportionate number of Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Minneapolis , which dissolved their police department altogether , ” he said of the city council vowing to take that step with a veto-proof majority .
Look at New York , he continued , where the mayor just responded to pressure by disbanding the 600-person plainclothes anti-crime unit .
“ Anyone that says that protests have not had a tangible effect on policy are not looking at America today , ” Foy said .
There ’ s also newfound support for making Juneteenth a national holiday .
While the day has long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widely celebrated in the Black community , a new HuffPost/YouGov survey found that 60 % of Americans support making it a national holiday .
Meanwhile , labor unions commemorated Juneteenth with work stoppages .
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union chapters along the West Coast organized protests and said their members will not handle cargo on Friday in an act of solidarity with all those protesting .
The United Auto Workers also called on all of its members to stop working at 8:46 a.m. for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to reflect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd ’ s neck .

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Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, marks the day enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their emancipation in 1865. This year, it also marks the 23rd straight day of nationwide protests against the injustices Black people still face.
Outraged Americans in dozens of cities Friday are commemorating the day and calling for an end to racism and police brutality by taking to the streets from Los Angeles to Kansas City, Birmingham to Washington, D.C., and beyond. The Movement for Black Lives said various groups had organized hundreds of Juneteenth protests in at least 45 states.
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Rev. Kirsten John Foy, whose organization The Arc of Justice is leading a coalition of Juneteenth marches and caravans in dozens of cities known as the Drive to Justice, said it was imperative to reclaim the narrative about the protests as Fox News and the president play up reports of destruction.
“The real violence was not the burning down of buildings,” Foy told HuffPost. “The real looting happened long before the uprisings in Minneapolis and other places around the country. The real lootings are systemic. The real looting wiped out trillions of dollars of wealth in the Black community. The real looting happens when innocent Black men are gunned down by police officers with no cause or justification.”
Protesters march in Atlanta on Friday, marking the Juneteenth holiday. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Foy’s partners in planning include Gwen Carr, whose son Eric Garner was killed by police in 2014; activist Tamika Mallory; the service employees union SEIU/32BJ and the Indigenous People’s Movement.
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In addition to calling for the demilitarization and defunding of police, organizers at Friday’s events are passing out information on how to complete the 2020 census, register to vote and sign up for an absentee ballot. Foy, who once helped elect New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, says he’s the exact type of mayor who should be held accountable for reneging on his promises to the Black community and for letting the officer who choked Garner to death remain on the force for years.
“Specifically, we are demanding independent and thorough investigations of violent police officers,” Carr wrote in an op-ed for The New York Daily News. “The public cannot trust the outcomes of investigations into police-involved deaths when they are conducted by the same departments that employ these officers, and the same local prosecutors who depend on their work.”
Garner’s mother is scheduled to speak to Juneteenth protesters in Washington, D.C., alongside the loved ones of two other Black men killed by New York City police, Drive to Justice organizers told HuffPost.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is among those scheduled to speak in New York City.
Seen at #Juneteenth rally in Hartford: Muslims for Black Lives Matter, “I Can’t Breathe” buttons, the Capitol building and homemade signs. pic.twitter.com/TE7Xkq9nnq — Hayley Miller (@hayleymiller01) June 19, 2020
Players from the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the WNBA’s Washington Mystics also joined protesters on Friday. Wizards guard Bradley Beal addressed the crowd, sharing the story of a police officer pulling him over while he was driving with his family. “‘What if I fucked up your Monday and put you on a headline and arrest you right now?’” Beal recounted the cop telling him.
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Outside San Francisco City Hall, hundreds listened to rallying cries from Gwen Woods, the mother of a Black man, Mario Woods, shot dead by police in 2015.
“All lives do matter, but it doesn’t matter until Black lives matter,” she said, adding, “That white privilege ― please check yours.”
The weeks of protest follow the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May. Video of the incident, which shows an officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd gasps for air and says he can’t breathe, set off mass unrest. The protests have called on Americans to open their eyes to the disproportionate number of Black Americans killed by police.
There’s no question for Foy whether the protests are working.
“Look at Minneapolis, which dissolved their police department altogether,” he said of the city council vowing to take that step with a veto-proof majority. Look at New York, he continued, where the mayor just responded to pressure by disbanding the 600-person plainclothes anti-crime unit. “Anyone that says that protests have not had a tangible effect on policy are not looking at America today,” Foy said.
Juneteenth demonstrators march down Pennsylvania Avenue while holding signs bearing the names of Black transgender women killed by police. Tom Brenner / Reuters
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HuffPost has tracked dozens of changes taking place around the country in the wake of the protests, ranging from school districts cutting ties with police to networks canceling cop shows.
There’s also newfound support for making Juneteenth a national holiday. While the day has long been overlooked in school curriculums despite being widely celebrated in the Black community, a new HuffPost/YouGov survey found that 60% of Americans support making it a national holiday.
Meanwhile, labor unions commemorated Juneteenth with work stoppages. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union chapters along the West Coast organized protests and said their members will not handle cargo on Friday in an act of solidarity with all those protesting. The United Auto Workers also called on all of its members to stop working at 8:46 a.m. for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to reflect the amount of time the officer knelt on Floyd’s neck.
Joined by thousands protesting at the Oakland, California, port, civil rights icon Angela Davis cheered on the union’s work organizing the demonstrations. “You represent the potential and the power of the labor movement,” she told the crowd.
Standing alongside Davis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown Jr., the Black 18-year-old killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.
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Sarah Ruiz-Grossman contributed reporting.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--The Real Looters Of The Bronx

The Real Looters Of The Bronx

BRONX , N.Y. — Last Friday a few dozen protesters gathered at a busy intersection near the northern tip of New York City for “ A People ’ s Tour of the Real Looters of the Bronx.
” There were more cops than attendees , with scores of uniformed police officers stationed on the street corners , watching over this group of mostly young and civically engaged New Yorkers — among them students , teachers , artists and social workers — as if they posed an imminent threat .
But the dedicated activists at the June 12 demonstration were here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a story about what they say is the real looting going on in the Bronx , and in so many other places across America that Black and brown people call home .
The activists were here , they said , to defend their neighbors from racist narratives crafted by multimillion-dollar media companies .
The American press has a long history of fear-mongering about Black and brown people “ rioting ” and “ looting , ” a tactic that academics and activists say is meant to obscure the routine and systemic state-sanctioned violence deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , historic period of mass unrest , which has seen protests against police violence in hundreds of American cities , activists like the ones in the Bronx are working hard to flip that tired media script .
‘ None Of These Businesses Here Belong To Us ’

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BRONX, N.Y. — Last Friday a few dozen protesters gathered at a busy intersection near the northern tip of New York City for “A People’s Tour of the Real Looters of the Bronx.” There were more cops than attendees, with scores of uniformed police officers stationed on the street corners, watching over this group of mostly young and civically engaged New Yorkers — among them students, teachers, artists and social workers — as if they posed an imminent threat.
The activists held a banner reading “Abolition, Decolonization, Liberation” and took turns delivering speeches through a megaphone, struggling to get their message heard over the roar of nearby traffic and the hum of a New York Police Department helicopter circling overhead.
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One activist — wearing braces around her wrists because she said cops had zip-tied her so tight during another recent protest that her hands turned blue — approached me and inspected my press pass. “OK,” she said, “just checking because we don’t allow the New York Post in the Bronx.”
Over a week prior, the New York Post and other media outlets had painted a grim portrait of the borough. “Bronx streets turn chaotic as looters run wild,” screamed one Post headline. “Fires, mayhem in the Bronx,” said the Daily News. “Looters run wild in Bronx,” Fox News declared.
All the articles were brief summaries of a June 1 uprising near this busy intersection of Fordham Road and Grand Concourse, part of the weekslong national demonstrations against police killing Black Americans. The June 1 protest included people, many of them young, starting fires in the streets and taking things from stores.
The articles included quotes from New York City’s mayor, the police commissioner, police unions and local politicians scolding the alleged looters for their actions.
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But the dedicated activists at the June 12 demonstration were here to tell a much different story — a story about what they say is the real looting going on in the Bronx, and in so many other places across America that Black and brown people call home. The activists were here, they said, to defend their neighbors from racist narratives crafted by multimillion-dollar media companies.
The American press has a long history of fear-mongering about Black and brown people “rioting” and “looting,” a tactic that academics and activists say is meant to obscure the routine and systemic state-sanctioned violence deployed against marginalized communities. In this current, historic period of mass unrest, which has seen protests against police violence in hundreds of American cities, activists like the ones in the Bronx are working hard to flip that tired media script.
“We want to reclaim the message about who is really looting the Bronx,” said Mustafa Sullivan, a member of FIERCE, an advocacy group for queer New Yorkers of color, which organized last Friday’s protest. “What are the conditions behind everything that has happened?”
Sullivan’s fellow demonstrators passed out flyers to passersby listing the institutions they say have plundered the Bronx over the decades, making it one of the poorest regions in the U.S. The real looters, the flyers said, “are landlords that overcharge for apartments and never make repairs” and the “elected officials that take money from developers and police unions.”
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The real looters “are not angry Black people in our communities stealing TVs, setting fires, and portraying a stereotype we know too well,” the flyers argued, but rather the banks, slumlords, private hospitals and corporations that own the majority of properties in the Bronx.
‘None Of These Businesses Here Belong To Us’
A demonstrator in the Bronx's Fordham neighborhood makes the case against the New York borough's true despoilers during "A People's Tour of the Real Looters of the Bronx" on June 12, 2020. Christopher Mathias/HuffPost
The demonstrators started to march on the sidewalk along Fordham Road. They passed a CityMD urgent care clinic, where Bronxites in masks stood in a line stretching down the whole block, waiting for a COVID-19 test.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the Bronx, where 90% of residents are people of color, particularly hard, exacerbating the stark inequities here.
The borough has the city’s highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, due in part to the high concentration of “essential workers” — grocery store cashiers, nurses, bus drivers, food delivery drivers — who live here and, by the nature of their lower-paying jobs, have more exposure to the virus.
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Food is a problem too. At least 50% of the Bronx’s emergency food banks were closed earlier this month amid the pandemic, making fresh meals even more scarce in a place with vast food deserts, which already aggravated the high rates of diabetes and high blood pressure in the borough.
The prevalence of such health conditions here — including asthma, due in part to pollution from industrial facilities like the huge trucking operations of Fresh Direct — have made Bronxites more vulnerable to severe or fatal complications if they’re infected with the coronavirus.
All told, the virus is killing more people in the Bronx because the people in the Bronx are more likely to be poor and Black and brown. Put another way: They’ve died due to a kind of pervasive state-sanctioned violence.
Meanwhile, America’s overwhelmingly white billionaires — who have earned their wealth off the backs of working-class people like those in the Bronx — have seen their fortunes rise by $434 billion during the pandemic.
Protesters chant and march after a Juneteenth rally at the Brooklyn Museum in that New York City borough on June 19. John Minchillo/ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The demonstrators stopped outside an Old Navy store on Fordham Road.
An activist with the group Take Back the Bronx stood outside the chain store, its windows covered with plywood, and held up a megaphone. She reminded her fellow demonstrators of when Bronxites took items from shops during the blackout of 1977.
“We should be enraged that in 2020, our children still feel like that’s the best way to get it all,” said the activist, who declined to give her name. “That the conditions have not changed in 43 years, that that is the way we express our rage.”
She noted that the vast majority of the businesses in this part of the Bronx are owned by corporations, including the Old Navy behind her.
“So when Monday popped off, I was celebrating,” she said, referring to the June 1 uprisings here. “Why? Reappropriation. Reappropriation. None of these businesses here belong to us.”
“These businesses have insurance,” she said, adding: “They’ll be back to sell you a fucking stretch jean sewn by Bangladeshi women for pennies on the dollar.”
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The protesters marched past street vendors selling mangoes and bootleg DVDs.
They marched by people waiting in another long line, this time outside a Bank of America location. BOA was among the large financial institutions that caused the 2008 financial crisis, which disproportionately diminished the wealth of Black people.
They marched past a man offering a rare opportunity during the pandemic: a new job. “$18 an hour,” he yelled, “no experience necessary!” (Unemployment claims in the Bronx skyrocketed by 2,000% in May. Now thousands of residents here can’t afford to pay rent and are bracing themselves for the end of the governor’s moratorium on evictions this coming Saturday.)
And the activists marched past men selling T-shirts emblazoned with an illustration of George Floyd, the Black man killed by police in Minneapolis last month, which kicked off weeks of demonstrations against police brutality across the country.
‘A Late Act In A Long Drama’
During recent cycles of unrest in the U.S. — including the Baltimore uprising after the police killing of Freddie Gray and the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, after the police killing of Michael Brown — the mainstream media has often fixated on acts of property destruction and arson.
Media critics, primarily Black and brown journalists and activists, have long argued that this kind of coverage, in essence, misses the forest fire for a few burning trees.
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“The press largely failed to frame the protests — including vandalism and fires — as a late act in a long drama,” the Columbia Journalism Review noted in an article earlier this month. “These actions came in response not just to the deaths of Floyd, [Breonna] Taylor, [Ahmaud] Arbery, and [Tony] McDade, but to the never-ending list of Black people killed by police over many decades.”
Raven Rakia, a New York-based journalist and writer, authored the widely read 2013 article “Black Riot” in The New Inquiry, which offered an unflinching look at how the predominantly white American media covers protests led by Black people. The media’s fixation on “riots” and “looting,” she told HuffPost this week, often obscures the systemic violence regularly visited upon Black Americans.
“There is very little investigation in mainstream media into the oppression and exploitation that is a constant presence in Black working-class people’s lives in this country,” Rakia said.
And yet the media, she continued, will then depict uprisings against that oppression and exploitation as the real “chaos, anger and violence,” as if it “sprung out of nowhere.”
“They treat Black-led uprisings as a nuisance and are relieved to go back to their daily routine,” Rakia said.
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New York City's police commissioner, Dermot Shea, dismissed the connection between the peaceful and violent aspects of the Bronx uprising in early June. “This wasn’t again about protests,” he said, “this was about tearing down society.” Caitlin Ochs/Reuters
Earlier this month, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea described those participating in the Bronx uprising as solely wanting to “cause mayhem.”
“This wasn’t again about protests,” Shea said, “this was about tearing down society.”
His comments were published in outlets like the New York Post with no rebuttal from the protesters themselves.
“The media still assumes people ‘looting’ from stores are ‘apolitical,’ greedy or opportunists instead of interrogating it as a protest against capitalism and exploitation,” Rakia said.
Framing it in this way, she explained, allows the press “to keep their analysis of the uprisings on a surface level” — focusing only on George Floyd’s death, for example — instead of examining the demonstrations as “uprisings against racial capitalism and the violent police state that enforces it.”
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Sullivan, the FIERCE activist who helped organize the June 12 protest in the Bronx, said such media portrayals of young Black New Yorkers also make them vulnerable to police brutality. “Our young people are being set up as being violent and supporting violence,” he said, referring to accounts of the unrest on June 1.
And that, Sullivan argued, helped the NYPD to justify trapping, pepper-spraying, brutalizing and ultimately arresting some 250 people en masse in the South Bronx a few days later, on June 4.
New York officers watch for a protest against racial injustice and police brutality at the retail and restaurant heart of the South Bronx on June 4. David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
“A People’s Tour of the Real Looters of the Bronx” ended last Friday afternoon at Fordham Plaza with demonstrators calling to defund and abolish the police.
“You about to lose your job!” they chanted at the officers who had followed them all afternoon.
Many of these protesters no doubt planned to march again against police brutality this Friday on Juneteenth, an annual celebration marking the end of slavery in the U.S.
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When they march, they know they are carrying on a long, proud tradition of Black protest and struggle against the systematic looting of Black lives.
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom,” the protesters shouted together at Fordham Plaza, repeating words made famous by Black activist Assata Shakur. “It is our duty to win.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--More Lawmakers, Including Republicans, Support A Juneteenth National Holiday

The House and Senate have regularly approved ceremonial resolutions honoring Juneteenth , the anniversary of slaves in Texas belatedly learning of their freedom in 1865 .
“ This legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday is but one step we can take to begin to right the wrongs of the past in order to ensure equal justice in the future , ” Sen. Ed Markey ( D-Mass ) said in a Friday statement .
Sen. John Cornyn ( R-Texas ) , who traditionally authors the Senate ’ s ceremonial Juneteenth legislation each year , announced on his website Thursday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday as well .
Cornyn will be officially added as a co-sponsor on Monday , a Markey spokesperson said .
No other Republicans have signed on yet .
A spokesperson for Sen. Tim Scott ( R-S.C. ) , who said a holiday would be “ a brilliant idea , ” did not respond to requests for comment .
On the House side , new Juneteenth holiday legislation introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee ( D-Texas ) this week has 74 co-sponsors , including Rep. Jeff Van Drew ( R-N.J. ) , who left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this year .
A federal holiday would be a tiny gesture in light of the massive disparities in economics , health and justice between white and Black Americans , but all lawmakers involved have also pledged to try to rectify those differences .
Cornyn called slavery America ’ s “ original sin ” in a floor speech on Thursday , saying the country has paid a bitter price .
“ While we have come a long way , we know there is more we need to do , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a police reform bill by Sen. Tim Scott ( R-S.C. ) .
Democrats have been pushing a measure that would do more to ban chokeholds and make it easier for victims of police misconduct to hold officers personally liable .
A holiday would be mostly a symbolic gesture , but it ’ s a rare one .
Congress last made a national holiday in 1983 to honor murdered civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. in a process that took 15 years .
Each year there are only 10 federal holidays , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal employees .
The descendants of slaves have celebrated Juneteenth for 155 years .
But the push for a formal holiday seems to have gained momentum in recent weeks as Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality have won unprecedented public support .
Sixty percent of Americans say they support a new holiday , even though most said they hadn ’ t heard of it as children .
Jackson Lee told HuffPost that the protesters “ want a reformational transformational change in how America treats its people , and Juneteenth is a perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been oppressed .
”

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The House and Senate have regularly approved ceremonial resolutions honoring Juneteenth, the anniversary of slaves in Texas belatedly learning of their freedom in 1865.
Now a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing to make June 19 an actual national holiday.
“This legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday is but one step we can take to begin to right the wrongs of the past in order to ensure equal justice in the future,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass) said in a Friday statement.
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Markey introduced a bill creating a “Juneteenth National Independence Day” with Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who traditionally authors the Senate’s ceremonial Juneteenth legislation each year, announced on his website Thursday that he would support making Juneteenth a real holiday as well.
Cornyn will be officially added as a co-sponsor on Monday, a Markey spokesperson said. No other Republicans have signed on yet. A spokesperson for Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who said a holiday would be “a brilliant idea,” did not respond to requests for comment.
On the House side, new Juneteenth holiday legislation introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) this week has 74 co-sponsors, including Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who left the Democratic party to become a Republican earlier this year.
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A federal holiday would be a tiny gesture in light of the massive disparities in economics, health and justice between white and Black Americans, but all lawmakers involved have also pledged to try to rectify those differences.
Cornyn called slavery America’s “original sin” in a floor speech on Thursday, saying the country has paid a bitter price. “While we have come a long way, we know there is more we need to do,” he said.
To that end, Cornyn voiced support for a police reform bill by Scott. Democrats have been pushing a measure that would do more to ban chokeholds and make it easier for victims of police misconduct to hold officers personally liable.
A holiday would be mostly a symbolic gesture, but it’s a rare one. Congress last made a national holiday in 1983 to honor murdered civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. in a process that took 15 years. Each year there are only 10 federal holidays, which are legal days off for only federal employees.
The descendants of slaves have celebrated Juneteenth for 155 years. But the push for a formal holiday seems to have gained momentum in recent weeks as Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality have won unprecedented public support. Sixty percent of Americans say they support a new holiday, even though most said they hadn’t heard of it as children.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--60% Of Americans Want To See Juneteenth Become A National Holiday

Juneteenth , which is celebrated on June 19 , commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S .
It marks the day in 1865 when the Union Army announced in Texas that “ all slaves are free.
” Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee ( D-Texas ) introduced legislation this week that would make it a federally recognized holiday ; it ’ d be the first to be created since 1983 , when Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s birthday was given that designation .
“ I can not imagine this nation healing from the enormous and penetrating impact of race , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officially acknowledging a day in the nation ’ s history that really speaks to freedom and independence for those who carried the burden of slavery , ” Jackson Lee told HuffPost .
An artist painting part of the new Black Lives Matter street mural in front of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg , Florida , this week .
The project was meant to be completed before the city 's Juneteenth celebrations on Friday .
Sixty percent of the public supports recognizing Juneteenth with a national holiday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thirty-seven percent of all Americans strongly support the proposal .
Among Black Americans , the figure rises to 62 % .
( How the question is framed appears to matter to some extent .
Another YouGov poll , in which respondents were asked whether or not the day should be a federal holiday , found a smaller plurality in support . )
The idea has favor among most demographic groups , although the levels of support vary .
Black Americans support it by a 64-point margin , the HuffPost/YouGov poll finds , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ margin , Democrats by a 69-point margin and Republicans by a 10-point margin .
Within the GOP , there ’ s a significant age divide : Republicans under age 45 support the idea by a 37-point margin , while those 45 and older are 10 points likelier to oppose it than they are to support it .
Although Juneteenth has been celebrated in many Black communities for more than a century , it has often been overlooked in school curriculums .
Two-thirds of Americans say they ’ d previously heard of Juneteenth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most who were aware of it said they ’ d learned about it as adults ― just 21 % said they ’ d first heard of it as a child , while 71 % heard of it at a later time .
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey , using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups .
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted June 15-17 among U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouGov ’ s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population .
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls .
You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov ’ s nationally representative opinion polling .
More details on the polls ’ methodology are available here .
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors .
YouGov ’ s reports include a model-based margin of error , which rests on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling .
If these assumptions are wrong , the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate .

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Most Americans support making Juneteenth a national holiday, a new HuffPost/YouGov survey finds.
Juneteenth, which is celebrated on June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. It marks the day in 1865 when the Union Army announced in Texas that “all slaves are free.” Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) introduced legislation this week that would make it a federally recognized holiday; it’d be the first to be created since 1983, when Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was given that designation.
“I cannot imagine this nation healing from the enormous and penetrating impact of race, racism and the history of slavery without officially acknowledging a day in the nation’s history that really speaks to freedom and independence for those who carried the burden of slavery,” Jackson Lee told HuffPost.
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An artist painting part of the new Black Lives Matter street mural in front of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, this week. The project was meant to be completed before the city's Juneteenth celebrations on Friday. Boyzell Hosey/Tampa Bay Times via AP
Sixty percent of the public supports recognizing Juneteenth with a national holiday, and just 20% is opposed. Thirty-seven percent of all Americans strongly support the proposal. Among Black Americans, the figure rises to 62%. (How the question is framed appears to matter to some extent. Another YouGov poll, in which respondents were asked whether or not the day should be a federal holiday, found a smaller plurality in support.)
The idea has favor among most demographic groups, although the levels of support vary. Black Americans support it by a 64-point margin, the HuffPost/YouGov poll finds, with white Americans backing it by a 30-point margin, Democrats by a 69-point margin and Republicans by a 10-point margin.
Within the GOP, there’s a significant age divide: Republicans under age 45 support the idea by a 37-point margin, while those 45 and older are 10 points likelier to oppose it than they are to support it.
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Although Juneteenth has been celebrated in many Black communities for more than a century, it has often been overlooked in school curriculums. Two-thirds of Americans say they’d previously heard of Juneteenth, while one-third were unaware of the holiday. Most who were aware of it said they’d learned about it as adults ― just 21% said they’d first heard of it as a child, while 71% heard of it at a later time.
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted June 15-17 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Juneteenth Will Be An Official Holiday In New York City Starting In 2021

Juneteenth , which marks the effective end of slavery in the United States , will become an official holiday in the country ’ s largest city beginning next year , New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared Friday .
De Blasio called Juneteenth “ a day for truth-telling , a day for examination and shining a light.
” The day will be an official city and school holiday .
“ It ’ s a celebration of a liberation that never really came .
The fact is , it ’ s also a day of reckoning , ” de Blasio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his daily news conference .
“ Every city worker , every student will have an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of our history and the truth and to think about the work that we have to do ahead.
” Juneteenth has added significance and urgency this year , coming amid weeks of large anti-racism and anti-police-brutality protests in cities across the country — including in New York City — in response to the recent killings of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Ahmaud Arbery and other Black people over the years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ catalyzed reckonings over systemic racism and white supremacy across industries and institutions .
“ Our city has long prided itself as being a beacon , and in many ways we are , to the world , ” de Blasio said .
“ But our city also has a very painful history .
Slavery was alive and well in New York City for a long time .
New York City gained much of its prominence and wealth from slavery .
Redlining , discrimination of every form existed here in liberal , progressive New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways , discrimination is alive and well today .
Structural racism pervades this city , in ways that are still not acknowledged or recognized , and we have to change that.
” In recent weeks , many companies designated the day as a paid holiday .
And after years of activism , there is a growing movement in Congress to make Juneteenth a federal holiday .
Earlier this week , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) designated Juneteenth a paid holiday for state government employees and said he plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
In New York City , organizers held a range of events , including a march from Harlem to Central Park , a rally at the Brooklyn Museum and a march and bike ride across the Brooklyn Bridge , among many other gatherings planned for the day .

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Juneteenth, which marks the effective end of slavery in the United States, will become an official holiday in the country’s largest city beginning next year, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared Friday.
De Blasio called Juneteenth “a day for truth-telling, a day for examination and shining a light.” The day will be an official city and school holiday.
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“It’s a celebration of a liberation that never really came. The fact is, it’s also a day of reckoning,” de Blasio, a Democrat, said Friday in his daily news conference. “Every city worker, every student will have an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of our history and the truth and to think about the work that we have to do ahead.”
Black history is American history. Proud to announce that beginning next year, Juneteenth will be an official city and school holiday. — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 19, 2020
Juneteenth has added significance and urgency this year, coming amid weeks of large anti-racism and anti-police-brutality protests in cities across the country — including in New York City — in response to the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other Black people over the years. The incidents and subsequent protests have also catalyzed reckonings over systemic racism and white supremacy across industries and institutions.
“Our city has long prided itself as being a beacon, and in many ways we are, to the world,” de Blasio said. “But our city also has a very painful history. Slavery was alive and well in New York City for a long time. New York City gained much of its prominence and wealth from slavery. Redlining, discrimination of every form existed here in liberal, progressive New York City for generations. In too many ways, discrimination is alive and well today. Structural racism pervades this city, in ways that are still not acknowledged or recognized, and we have to change that.”
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Protesters chant as they march after a Juneteenth rally at the Brooklyn Museum Friday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In recent weeks, many companies designated the day as a paid holiday. And after years of activism, there is a growing movement in Congress to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.
At least 60% of Americans now support making it a federal holiday, according to a HuffPost/YouGov survey published Friday.
Earlier this week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) designated Juneteenth a paid holiday for state government employees and said he plans to make it an official state holiday next year.
Demonstrators in dozens of cities on Friday took part in peaceful marches and rallies to mark Juneteenth.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--William Barr Says U.S. Attorney In Manhattan Is Resigning. U.S. Attorney Says No, He's Not.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman is leaving as head of the powerful Southern District of New York , Attorney General William Barr announced late Friday .
The Manhattan office is one of the nation ’ s mightiest districts , trying major cases against the mobsters , terrorists — and allies of President Donald Trump , including his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen .
But Berman issued his own statement following Barr ’ s announcement , saying that he has “ no intention of resigning my position.
” Berman said the first he learned that he was “ stepping down ” was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He vowed that he will stay and to “ important cases ” will continue “ unimpeded.
” NEW : Geoff Berman statement : “ I learned in a press release from the Attorney General tonight that I was ‘ stepping down ’ as United States Attorney .
I have not resigned , and have no intention of resigning , my position '' pic.twitter.com/L6PQCF9bdU — erica orden ( @ eorden ) June 20 , 2020 Barr ’ s announcement Friday came just days after allegations emerged in a book by Trump ’ s former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president promised to Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdoğan that he would “ take care of ” a Southern District probe into the Turkish Halkbank to curry favor with Turkey ’ s leader .
Berman ’ s office is also investigating Trump ’ s current personal attorney , Rudy Giuliani , for contributions and his work in Ukraine to aid Trump ’ s re-election campaign , and had filed child sex trafficking charges against Trump ’ s one-time friend Jeffrey Epstein , who was found dead in his jail cell last summer .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unimaginable .
Berman , the source said , had just sent a video message to the staff Thursday about the use of personal protective gear in the office .
Barr said in his statement that Trump has nominated the current chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission , Jay Clayton — who has no experience as a prosecutor — to replace him .
Clayton provided legal services to Deutsche Bank — Trump ’ s largest lender — while he was a partner at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell before heading up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of federal investigative offices that were reportedly investigating whether Deutsche Bank had complied with anti-money laundering laws , noted CNBC .
BREAKING : U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman is stepping down from his role as head of revered SDNY , according to DOJ .
In a late Friday night press release Attorney General Bar announces President Trump has nominated current head of SEC Jay Clayton to replace him .
Story TK .
pic.twitter.com/FONE5TSACU — Pervaiz Shallwani ( @ Pervaizistan ) June 20 , 2020 Berman declared in his statement that he would not leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler ( D-NY ) tweeted after the news Friday that “ America is right to expect the worst of Bill Barr.
” He said his committee is addressing Barr ’ s leadership in a previously scheduled hearing Wednesday .
“ We welcome Mr. Berman ’ s testimony and will invite him to testify , ” he added .
America is right to expect the worst of Bill Barr , who has repeatedly interfered in criminal investigations on Trump ’ s behalf .
We have a hearing on this topic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s testimony and will invite him to testify .
https : //t.co/SpVYzLhANR — Rep. Nadler ( @ RepJerryNadler ) June 20 , 2020 Trump has appointed the current U.S. Attorney for New Jersey , Craig Carpenito , to serve as the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York while the Senate considers the nomination of Clayton .

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman is leaving as head of the powerful Southern District of New York, Attorney General William Barr announced late Friday. The Manhattan office is one of the nation’s mightiest districts, trying major cases against the mobsters, terrorists — and allies of President Donald Trump, including his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen.
But Berman issued his own statement following Barr’s announcement, saying that he has “no intention of resigning my position.” Berman said the first he learned that he was “stepping down” was from Barr’s press release. He vowed that he will stay and to “important cases” will continue “unimpeded.”
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NEW: Geoff Berman statement:
“I learned in a press release from the Attorney General tonight that I was ‘stepping down’ as United States Attorney. I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning, my position" pic.twitter.com/L6PQCF9bdU — erica orden (@eorden) June 20, 2020
Barr’s announcement Friday came just days after allegations emerged in a book by Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton that the president promised to Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdoğan that he would “take care of” a Southern District probe into the Turkish Halkbank to curry favor with Turkey’s leader.
Berman’s office is also investigating Trump’s current personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, for contributions and his work in Ukraine to aid Trump’s re-election campaign, and had filed child sex trafficking charges against Trump’s one-time friend Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell last summer.
A source told HuffPost that the departure was unimaginable. Berman, the source said, had just sent a video message to the staff Thursday about the use of personal protective gear in the office.
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Barr said in his statement that Trump has nominated the current chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jay Clayton — who has no experience as a prosecutor — to replace him.
Clayton provided legal services to Deutsche Bank — Trump’s largest lender — while he was a partner at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell before heading up the SEC. SDNY was among a group of federal investigative offices that were reportedly investigating whether Deutsche Bank had complied with anti-money laundering laws, noted CNBC.
BREAKING: U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman is stepping down from his role as head of revered SDNY, according to DOJ.
In a late Friday night press release Attorney General Bar announces President Trump has nominated current head of SEC Jay Clayton to replace him. Story TK. pic.twitter.com/FONE5TSACU — Pervaiz Shallwani (@Pervaizistan) June 20, 2020
Berman declared in his statement that he would not leave until the Senate confirms a replacement.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) tweeted after the news Friday that “America is right to expect the worst of Bill Barr.” He said his committee is addressing Barr’s leadership in a previously scheduled hearing Wednesday. “We welcome Mr. Berman’s testimony and will invite him to testify,” he added.
America is right to expect the worst of Bill Barr, who has repeatedly interfered in criminal investigations on Trump’s behalf. We have a hearing on this topic on Wednesday. We welcome Mr. Berman’s testimony and will invite him to testify. https://t.co/SpVYzLhANR — Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) June 20, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--US Attorney Who Oversaw Cases Of Trump Allies Steps Down

Geoffrey S. Berman is stepping down as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York , Attorney General William Barr said in a statement .
The office is one of the nation ’ s premiere districts , trying major mob cases and terror cases over the years .
It was unclear why Berman was leaving his position after serving more than two years .
The announcement was made late Friday and came after Barr visited New York City to meet with local police officials .
But his departure comes days after allegations surfaced from former Trump national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interfere in an Southern District investigation into the Turkish Halkbank in an effort to cut deals with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan .
The shakeup was likely to raise additional questions from congressional Democrats who have accused Barr of politicizing the Justice Department and acting more like Trump ’ s personal attorney than the nation ’ s chief law enforcement officer .
“ Doesn ’ t sound like ‘ stepping down , ’ ” said Preet Bharara , the previous permanent U.S. attorney there , said in a tweet Friday .
“ Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own hand-picked US Attorney in SDNY on a Friday night , less than 5 months before the election ?
” Trump intends to nominate Jay Clayton , the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission , to the post , Barr said .
The U.S. attorney in New Jersey , Craig Carpenito , will serve as the acting U.S. attorney in Manhattan beginning on July 3 , he said .
The office has prosecuted a number of Trump associates , including Trump ’ s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress and campaign finance crimes , and has also been investigating Giuliani and his associates .
He had recused himself from directly overseeing the Cohen investigation for reasons that were never disclosed .
Berman has also overseen the prosecution of two Florida businessmen , Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman , who were associates of Giuliani and tied to the Ukraine impeachment investigation .
The men were charged in October with federal campaign finance violations , including hiding the origin of a $ 325,000 donation to a group supporting Trump ’ s reelection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani ’ s business dealings , including whether he failed to register as a foreign agent , according to people familiar with the probe .
The people were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity .
Bolton ’ s tell-all , excerpts of which were posted by the news media this week , included details on how Trump sought to cut a deal to halt SDNY ’ s investigation into whether Halkbank violated U.S. sanctions against Iran in order to free an American pastor imprisoned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s release , Bolton writes that on a call with Erdoğan , “ Trump then told Erdoğan he would take care of things , explaining that the Southern District prosecutors were not his people , but were Obama people , a problem that would be fixed when they were replaced by his people.
” The episode occurred months after Berman assumed the role of U.S. attorney .
A Republican who contributed to the president ’ s election campaign , Berman worked for the same law firm as Giuliani and was put in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But as U.S. attorney , he won over some skeptics after he went after Trump allies .
Under Berman ’ s tenure , his office also brought charges against Michael Avenatti , the combative lawyer who gained fame by representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits involving Trump .
Avenatti was convicted in February of trying to extort Nike after prosecutors said he threatened to use his media access to hurt Nike ’ s reputation and stock price unless the sportswear giant paid him up to $ 25 million .

“I learned in a press release from the Attorney General tonight that I was ‘stepping down’ as United States Attorney. I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning, my position,” Berman said Friday.
In his announcement of the firing, Barr claimed Berman was trying to create a “public spectacle.”
“Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service,” Barr said in a statement Saturday. “Because you have declared that you have no intention of resigning, I have asked the President to remove you as of today, and he has done so.”
Barr’s letter to Berman essentially conceded his public statement had misled the public, writing that “While we advised the public that you would leave the U.S. Attorney’s office in two weeks, I still hoped that your departure could be amicable.”
Barr also wrote that he had authorized DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz to review claims of improper influence on ongoing cases.
Berman was investigating Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney, for his work in Ukraine to aid Trump’s reelection campaign.
In his own statement, Berman said he would be leaving his position “effective immediately.”
Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss will now become the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. That’s a change from Barr’s original plan, which was to appoint the U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey to the position on an acting basis. Berman said in his statement that Strauss is the “smartest, most principled, and effective lawyer with whom I have ever had the privilege of working.”
The replacement of Berman came about very quickly. A source told HuffPost that Berman had sent a message to employees about COVID-19 safety precautions on Thursday.
Despite Barr’s letter specifically saying he was acting under the orders of the president, Trump told reporters outside the White House Saturday afternoon that he was “not involved” in the decision.
“That’s [Barr’s] department, not my department,” Trump said. “So that’s really up to him, I’m not involved.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-20--Susan Rice Explains Exactly Why Donald Trump's White House Is 'Racist To Its Core'

Former national security adviser Susan Rice on Friday delivered a damning assessment of the Trump White House ’ s record on race , describing the administration as “ racist to its core.
” MSNBC ’ s Andrea Mitchell asked Rice to comment on the resignation of senior State Department official Mary Elizabeth Taylor , one of the White House ’ s highest-ranking African American aides .
Taylor reportedly quit in protest of President Donald Trump ’ s response to the anti-racism protests that have spread nationwide following the police killing of George Floyd last month .
“ You know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist to its core for the last three and a half years , from comparing the peaceful protesters at Charlottesville to white supremacists , calling white supremacists very fine people , all the way through to the recent weeks where the administration has disparaged the Black Lives Matter movement , disparaged the peaceful protesters , and basically made plain that they prefer to stand by a Confederate legacy than a modern America , it ’ s been an administration whose record on race is just disgraceful , ” continued Rice .
Rice took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview when she described presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden as “ somebody who can heal and unify the nation and remove Donald Trump and consign him and those who supported him in the Senate to the trash heap of history .
”

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Former national security adviser Susan Rice on Friday delivered a damning assessment of the Trump White House’s record on race, describing the administration as “racist to its core.”
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell asked Rice to comment on the resignation of senior State Department official Mary Elizabeth Taylor, one of the White House’s highest-ranking Black aides. Taylor reportedly quit in protest of President Donald Trump’s response to the anti-racism protests that have spread nationwide following the police killing of George Floyd last month.
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Rice said Taylor’s resignation was “better late than never.”
“You know, to serve an administration which has been racist to its core for the last three and a half years, from comparing the peaceful protesters at Charlottesville to white supremacists, calling white supremacists very fine people, all the way through to the recent weeks where the administration has disparaged the Black Lives Matter movement, disparaged the peaceful protesters, and basically made plain that they prefer to stand by a Confederate legacy than a modern America, it’s been an administration whose record on race is just disgraceful,” continued Rice.
Rice took another swipe at Trump later in the interview when she described presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden as “somebody who can heal and unify the nation and remove Donald Trump and consign him and those who supported him in the Senate to the trash heap of history.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-20--Scathing Supercut Shows How Quickly Donald Trump Flips On His Once Most Trusted Aides

WATCH : Throughout his presidency , President Trump has been quick to praise his most trusted aides on their way @ @ @ @ @ quick to bash them on their way out .
pic.twitter.com/y06kYTLfn5

WATCH: Throughout his presidency, President Trump has been quick to praise his most trusted aides on their way into his administration, and quick to bash them on their way out. pic.twitter.com/y06kYTLfn5


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Pressed Repeatedly To Say ‘Black Lives Matter,’ Mike Pence Says ‘All Lives Matter’

Despite being pressed repeatedly during an interview to say the words “ Black lives matter , ” a phrase that ’ s served as a rallying cry for protesters against police brutality and systemic racism , Vice President Mike Pence refused to utter the phrase — saying , instead , that “ all lives matter.
” Anchor Brian Taff of WPVI-TV , an ABC affiliate in Philadelphia , asked Pence point-blank on Friday whether he ’ d be willing to use the phrase .
Taff noted that the words have “ fueled ” the anti-racism demonstrations that have erupted across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd , a Black man in Minneapolis who died at the hands of a white police officer .
Yet , Taff said , only a few elected Republican officials in Washington have publicly said the words “ Black lives matter.
” “ I wonder , sir , if those are words that you would utter right here today , ” Taff said to Pence .
‘ Black lives matter.
’ Can you say those words ?
” “ Let me just say that what happened to George Floyd was a tragedy , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation , especially on Juneteenth , we celebrate the fact that from the founding of this nation we ’ ve cherished the ideal that all , all of us are created equal and endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights .
And so all lives matter in a very real sense.
” Juneteenth , which was celebrated Friday , marks the end of slavery in America .
It commemorates the day in 1865 that enslaved African Americans in Texas finally learned of their emancipation two years earlier .
Noting that Pence had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives matter , ” Taff asked the vice president again if he ’ d say the phrase .
“ Forgive me for pressing you on this , sir , but I will note you did not say those words , ‘ Black lives matter , ’ and there is an important distinction , ” Taff said .
“ People are saying , of course all lives matter , but to say the words is an acknowledgment that Black lives also matter in a time in this country when it appears that there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t agree .
So why will you not say those words ?
” “ Well , I don ’ t accept the fact , Brian , that there ’ s a segment of American society that disagrees in the preciousness and importance of every human life , ” Pence said in response .
He then went on to describe the efforts the Trump administration has undertaken to “ improve ” the lives of African Americans , such as the development of economic “ opportunity zones ” and restoring funding to historically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one final time , you won ’ t say the words , and we understand your explanation , ” he said .
On Friday , protesters in at least 45 states took to the streets to mark Juneteenth and to repeat their calls for an end to racism and police violence .
“ All lives do matter , but it doesn ’ t matter until Black lives matter , ” Gwen Woods , the mother of a Black man who was shot dead by police in 2015 , said at a rally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― please check yours .
”

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Despite being pressed repeatedly during an interview to say the words “Black lives matter,” a phrase that’s served as a rallying cry for protesters against police brutality and systemic racism, Vice President Mike Pence refused to utter the phrase — saying, instead, that “all lives matter.”
Anchor Brian Taff of WPVI-TV, an ABC affiliate in Philadelphia, asked Pence point-blank on Friday whether he’d be willing to use the phrase.
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TODAY on @6abc at 4: My exclusive conversation with VP Mike Pence on this historic Juneteenth. We discuss Black Lives Matter - and I ask him - will he say those words? — Brian Taff (@briantaff6abc) June 19, 2020
Taff noted that the words have “fueled” the anti-racism demonstrations that have erupted across the nation since the death of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis who died at the hands of a white police officer. Yet, Taff said, only a few elected Republican officials in Washington have publicly said the words “Black lives matter.”
“I wonder, sir, if those are words that you would utter right here today,” Taff said to Pence. ‘Black lives matter.’ Can you say those words?”
“Let me just say that what happened to George Floyd was a tragedy,” Pence replied. “And in this nation, especially on Juneteenth, we celebrate the fact that from the founding of this nation we’ve cherished the ideal that all, all of us are created equal and endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights. And so all lives matter in a very real sense.”
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Juneteenth, which was celebrated Friday, marks the end of slavery in America. It commemorates the day in 1865 that enslaved African Americans in Texas finally learned of their emancipation two years earlier.
Noting that Pence had refused to use the words “Black lives matter,” Taff asked the vice president again if he’d say the phrase.
“Forgive me for pressing you on this, sir, but I will note you did not say those words, ‘Black lives matter,’ and there is an important distinction,” Taff said.
“People are saying, of course all lives matter, but to say the words is an acknowledgment that Black lives also matter in a time in this country when it appears that there’s a segment of our society that doesn’t agree. So why will you not say those words?”
“Well, I don’t accept the fact, Brian, that there’s a segment of American society that disagrees in the preciousness and importance of every human life,” Pence said in response.
He then went on to describe the efforts the Trump administration has undertaken to “improve” the lives of African Americans, such as the development of economic “opportunity zones” and restoring funding to historically Black colleges.
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Taff chimed in that Pence had again not used the phrase “Black lives matter.”
“And yet, one final time, you won’t say the words, and we understand your explanation,” he said.
On Friday, protesters in at least 45 states took to the streets to mark Juneteenth and to repeat their calls for an end to racism and police violence.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-19--Trump Compared To Segregationist George Wallace In Scathing Republican Ad

President Donald Trump is being compared to the incendiary segregationist George Wallace in a dramatic new ad by the Lincoln Project .
The ad by the anti-Trump Republican political action committee features segments of an old interview with Wallace , the racist four-term governor of Alabama who also repeatedly ran for president .
The Democratic politician sounds strikingly like Trump — particularly when he declares that looters during the civil rights movement should be shot “ on sight.
” The line was similar to Trump ’ s recent threat during the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts.
” The Lincoln Project ad , entitled “ Tulsa , ” juxtaposes scenes of what it calls “ real leaders ” like Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy and their inspiring calls for unity to remarks from Wallace and Trump .
“ Trump ’ s decision to hold a rally in Tulsa on the weekend of Juneteenth and in the location of the worst race massacre in American history tells voters all they need to know about him .
In a time of multiple crises , Donald Trump has further divided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us together , ” Stuart Stevens , senior adviser to The Lincoln Project , said in a statement .
Another Republican group against Trump wasn ’ t only concerned about the president spreading hate at his rally — but COVID-19 as well .
Republican Voters Against Trump issued their own ad — with tweet — Friday pleading with those attending the rally to wear a face mask .
“ Unfortunately Donald J. Trump is the president of the United States and he politicizes everything , including wearing a mask , ” says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If only we had a president who would take public health seriously , and unite us , instead of divide us.
” To mask .
Or not to mask .
That is the question for Trump supporters as Donald Trump prepares to hold his first indoor rally since the pandemic hit .
( Answer : please wear a mask ) pic.twitter.com/kxrvna8bgq — Republican Voters Against Trump ( @ RVAT2020 ) June 19 , 2020

President Donald Trump is being compared to the incendiary segregationist George Wallace in a dramatic new ad by the Lincoln Project.
The ad by the anti-Trump Republican political action committee features segments of an old interview with Wallace, the racist four-term governor of Alabama who also repeatedly ran for president. The Democratic politician sounds strikingly like Trump — particularly when he declares that looters during the civil rights movement should be shot “on sight.”
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The line was similar to Trump’s recent threat during the ongoing protests against racism and police brutality that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
The Lincoln Project ad, entitled “Tulsa,” juxtaposes scenes of what it calls “real leaders” like Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy and their inspiring calls for unity to remarks from Wallace and Trump.
“Trump’s decision to hold a rally in Tulsa on the weekend of Juneteenth and in the location of the worst race massacre in American history tells voters all they need to know about him. In a time of multiple crises, Donald Trump has further divided and incited Americans, rather than bring us together,” Stuart Stevens, senior adviser to The Lincoln Project, said in a statement.
Another Republican group against Trump wasn’t only concerned about the president spreading hate at his rally — but COVID-19 as well.
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Republican Voters Against Trump issued their own ad — with tweet — Friday pleading with those attending the rally to wear a face mask.
“Unfortunately Donald J. Trump is the president of the United States and he politicizes everything, including wearing a mask,” says the narrator in the RVAT ad. “If only we had a president who would take public health seriously, and unite us, instead of divide us.”
Check out that ad here:
To mask. Or not to mask. That is the question for Trump supporters as Donald Trump prepares to hold his first indoor rally since the pandemic hit.
(Answer: please wear a mask) pic.twitter.com/kxrvna8bgq — Republican Voters Against Trump (@RVAT2020) June 19, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-20--Fox News' John Roberts Uses War Analogy To Describe Preparing For Trump Rally In Pandemic

Fox News ’ John Roberts said he is taking all the “ appropriate precautions ” to cover President Donald Trump ’ s Saturday rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma , amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The conservative network ’ s chief White House correspondent ― who has called out Trump on previous occasions ― on Friday used a wartime analogy to explain how he was preparing to report on the indoor event at the 19,000-capacity BOK Center ― which multiple public health experts have warned could supercharge the spread of the virus .
“ It ’ s like digging a slot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the invasion of Iraq , ” wrote Roberts , who embedded with U.S. troops to cover the 2003 invasion for CBS News .
“ You take all the necessary steps to keep yourself safe , ” he added .
Yes , I will be going inside - with appropriate precautions .
It ’ s like digging a slot trench to sleep in every night during the invasion of Iraq .
You take all the necessary steps to keep yourself safe https : //t.co/lXbWws54lK — John Roberts ( @ johnrobertsFox ) June 19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism over its decision to press ahead with the rally , for which it added a waiver to its website informing attendees they could not sue if they became infected at the event .
Sen. James Lankford ( R-Okla. ) has even urged people at high risk from COVID-19 to stay away .
The confirmed number of coronavirus cases in Oklahoma is now rising at record levels .
Given Roberts ’ combat comparison , many Twitter users questioned why the rally was being held at all .
I feel when a Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rally of that to the start of the Iraq War , it 's a somewhat good indicator on the wisdom around holding such an event .
https : //t.co/pemkdbdj8c — andrew kaczynski🤔 ( @ KFILE ) June 19 , 2020 That time a Fox News reporter compared going to a political rally to a war zone , because it is actually that dangerous .
NOTE : Fox News requires all employees to wear masks at work .
# coronapalooza https : //t.co/Y2PhNFcfRp — ( ( ( evan shapiro ) ) ) ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Q. how is the Tulsa Trump rally like the invasion of Iraq A. both were completely unnecessary and undertaken primarily to stroke the egos of men with father issues — Jeff Tiedrich ( @ itsJeffTiedrich ) June 19 , 2020 If you have to use a war as an analogy for a voluntary event , maybe said event shouldn ’ t occur JFC — Boom Boom ( @ joshpr96 ) June 19 , 2020

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Fox News’ John Roberts said he is taking all the “appropriate precautions” to cover President Donald Trump’s Saturday rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The conservative network’s chief White House correspondent ― who has called out Trump on previous occasions ― on Friday used a wartime analogy to explain how he was preparing to report on the indoor event at the 19,000-capacity BOK Center ― which multiple public health experts have warned could supercharge the spread of the virus.
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“It’s like digging a slot trench to sleep in every night during the invasion of Iraq,” wrote Roberts, who embedded with U.S. troops to cover the 2003 invasion for CBS News.
“You take all the necessary steps to keep yourself safe,” he added.
Yes, I will be going inside - with appropriate precautions. It’s like digging a slot trench to sleep in every night during the invasion of Iraq. You take all the necessary steps to keep yourself safe https://t.co/lXbWws54lK — John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) June 19, 2020
The Trump campaign has faced widespread criticism over its decision to press ahead with the rally, for which it added a waiver to its website informing attendees they could not sue if they became infected at the event.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) has even urged people at high risk for COVID-19 to stay away. The confirmed number of coronavirus cases in Oklahoma is now rising at record levels.
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Given Roberts’ combat comparison, many Twitter users questioned why the rally was being held at all.
I feel when a Fox News journalist is comparing the risk of covering a rally of that to the start of the Iraq War, it's a somewhat good indicator on the wisdom around holding such an event. https://t.co/pemkdbdj8c — andrew kaczynski🤔 (@KFILE) June 19, 2020
That time a Fox News reporter compared going to a political rally to a war zone, because it is actually that dangerous.
NOTE: Fox News requires all employees to wear masks at work. #coronapalooza https://t.co/Y2PhNFcfRp — (((evan shapiro))) (@eshap) June 19, 2020
Q. how is the Tulsa Trump rally like the invasion of Iraq
A. both were completely unnecessary and undertaken primarily to stroke the egos of men with father issues — Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) June 19, 2020
If you have to use a war as an analogy for a voluntary event, maybe said event shouldn’t occur
JFC — Boom Boom (@joshpr96) June 19, 2020
Yeah comparing a pandemic rally to covering actual foreign combat is a bad sign. https://t.co/otmasFIQ0l — WeThePeople🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@PrincessBravato) June 19, 2020