thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--Commentary: Joe Biden’s Rhetoric About Crime and Race Is Wrong – and Dangerous

Freddrick Hadden was shot to death by a sheriff ’ s deputy in Burke County , Georgia .
A habitual felon who had only recently been released from prison , Hadden had kidnapped his ex-wife at gunpoint .
When Deputy Eric Madison pursued Hadden to a home near Hephzibah , the woman escaped Hadden ’ s vehicle .
She was shot twice by Hadden before Deputy Madison returned fire , killing the kidnapper and saving the woman ’ s life .
That incident in August 2019 attracted no national media interest .
CNN didn ’ t cover it , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has never mentioned it .
Perhaps that ’ s because Freddrick Hadden was white and Deputy Madison is black .
While pretending to condemn this violence , Biden never once said the word “ Antifa , ” to which Portland killer Michael Reinoehl swore allegiance .
Reinoehl died Thursday in a shootout with police , which is how violent criminals so often die .
For months , Biden and his media allies have abetted Black Lives Matter activists in inciting racial fear and hatred , claiming that “ systemic racism ” by police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the hands of police .
Even though research clearly disproves such claims , the facts haven ’ t stopped Democrats from trying to exploit this slanderous narrative in their effort to defeat President Trump .
Last week , after a self-declared “ 100 % Antifa ” radical murdered a Trump supporter in Portland , Oregon , Biden doubled down on this anti-police rhetoric , blaming “ bad cops ” for “ racial injustice in America , ” while bizarrely accusing Trump of “ stoking violence in our cities.
” Contrary to Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ violence in our cities ” — mobs rioting in Portland and Seattle , looting in Chicago and New York , and attacking police everywhere — clearly has been fomented by anti-Trump activists , including the “ trained Marxist ” leaders of Black Lives Matter .
The mobs who hate cops also hate Trump and , as Mark Thiessen pointed out in the Washington Post , these riots are happening in cities where Democrats have been in complete control for decades .
It is also in Democrat-controlled cities , of course , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of black suspects dying at the hands of police , including George Floyd in Minneapolis and , more recently , Deon Kay in Washington , D.C. , and Daniel Prude in Rochester , New York .
Exactly how Trump is to blame for any of this is something that the senescent Biden could not be expected to explain , but beyond the context of the presidential campaign , the fabric of our society is endangered by the distorted image of law enforcement being promoted by Democrats and their media propaganda organs .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the riots as city after city erupted in violence , until polls showed that the chaotic destruction was hurting his campaign , at which point the Democrat accused Trump of “ fanning the flames of hate and division.
” The flames in Portland this past weekend came from Molotov cocktails hurled by what the media continue calling “ mostly peaceful ” protesters ( one of whom nearly immolated himself in the process ) .
While pretending to condemn this violence , Biden never once said the word “ Antifa , ” to which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reinoehl died Thursday in a shootout with police , which is how violent criminals so often die .
The national media obsess over a comparative handful of controversial cases , like the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin , but they generally ignore the far more numerous cases in which police are unquestionably justified in using deadly force , because those cases offer no opportunity to exploit the factor of race .
According to an analysis by the Washington Post , about 1,000 Americans a year are fatally shot by police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot are armed .
A majority of the unarmed people shot by cops are white .
In 2019 , for example , of the 55 unarmed people shot to death by police , 25 were white and 14 were black , according to the Post .
No matter how many hours CNN devotes to smearing cops as racist murders , or how often Biden blames “ systemic racism , ” the facts are still the facts , and , as author Heather Mac Donald has stated bluntly , “ There Is No Epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans.
” Simple question : Whom are cops shooting , and why are they shooting them ?
One way to get beyond mere statistics about these incidents is to watch the police bodycam videos that are now routinely made public whenever an “ officer-involved shooting ” ( OIS ) occurs .
The popular Police Activity video channel on YouTube ( which has more subscribers than CNN has viewers ) is a valuable resource in this regard .
Since 2016 , Police Activity has posted hundreds of videos of OIS incidents , most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Phillip Thomas Marsh , 30 , died in an April 2019 shootout with Volusia County sheriff ’ s deputies in Florida .
Marsh had an extensive criminal record and had made threats of “ suicide by cop.
” He carjacked a woman at gunpoint and led police on a long pursuit in the stolen vehicle before being brought to a halt .
Marsh fired at the deputies , nearly killing Sgt .
Thomas Dane , before being shot dead by return fire .
There were no protests about the shooting ; Marsh was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was shot to death by a police officer in Athens , Georgia , in October 2019 , in what appears to have been another “ suicide by cop ” incident .
The officer was responding to a 911 call about a woman armed with a knife and a gun .
It appears Thomas may have made this call herself .
When the policeman stepped out of his car , Thomas was brandishing a large kitchen knife , and the officer repeatedly asked her to drop the knife .
Instead , she charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were no protest marches ; Thomas was white .
• Jonathan Boyd , 40 , was shot by Oklahoma City police responding to a domestic violence call in March 2018 .
Boyd , who had a previous record of convictions for domestic abuse and methamphetamine possession , was armed with a knife .
When confronted by police , Boyd advanced toward them , saying , “ Go ahead and shoot me , mother******.
” One officer did just that .
Boyd survived the shooting .
There were no protests ; Boyd is white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unarmed when he was shot to death by an Ohio policeman in September 2017 .
Porubsky was suffering from mental health issues , and the officer had given him a ride to a homeless shelter when Porubsky became uncooperative .
He tackled the officer and was shot twice during a struggle .
Nobody rioted ; Porubsky was white .
• Shawn Billinger , 46 , was unarmed when he was fatally shot by a cop in Fort Lupton , Colorado , in January 2019 .
Officer Zachary Helbig responded to a disturbance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which led to a foot pursuit .
A witness had told the officer Billinger had a knife .
Cornered in a backyard , Billinger advanced on the cop , shouting , “ Kill me !
Kill me !
” The officer retreated and repeatedly told Billinger to stop .
Finally , Officer Helbig fired one shot , fatally wounding Billinger .
Of the 67 OIS incidents in Colorado in 2019 , Officer Helbig was the only one to face criminal charges .
A jury acquitted him of manslaughter earlier this year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ white .
• One of the most common refrains of “ Monday morning quarterbacks ” in the aftermath of police shootings is , “ Why didn ’ t they just use their taser ?
” In many OIS cases , however , the officers did use tasers or other non-lethal weapons against suspects , to no effect .
Kirk Dustin Shields , 38 , was wielding a crowbar as a weapon when he was shot by an Oklahoma City cop in January 2019 .
Shields was a fugitive with a criminal record including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a Department of Corrections halfway house facility and attacked a homeless man with a baseball bat .
Officer Brandon Lee used his taser on Shields , but it apparently had no effect .
Shields charged the officer , who fired multiple shots .
Shields survived the shooting .
There were no protests ; Shields is white .
The point in recounting such cases is that nobody in the national media ever calls attention to incidents like these .
There are no activists ready to incite a riot when cops shoot a white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage for Democrats in these cases , and therefore , CNN and the rest of the national media ignore these cases .
By focusing obsessively on a handful of racially volatile cases , Democrats and their media allies are creating a wildly distorted image of law enforcement .
This has disastrous consequences , especially in the black community , because of what has been called “ the Ferguson Effect.
” After the 2014 riots sparked by the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson , Missouri , St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his city : “ It ’ s the Ferguson effect .
I see it not only on the law enforcement side , but the criminal element is feeling empowered by the environment.
” By mid-2015 , data showed a nationwide increase in violent crime , as Heather Mac Donald explained in the Wall Street Journal : Gun violence in particular is spiraling upward in cities across America… .
The news media pump out a seemingly constant stream of stories about alleged police mistreatment of blacks , with the reports often buttressed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that caused an officer to use force .
Almost any police shooting of a black person , no matter how threatening the behavior that provoked the shooting , now provokes angry protests… .
Arrests in black communities are even more fraught than usual , with hostile , jeering crowds pressing in on officers and spreading lies about the encounter .
Acquittals of police officers for the use of deadly force against black suspects are now automatically presented as a miscarriage of justice… .
Politicians and activists in New York and other cities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” policing .
This police strategy has shown remarkable success over the past two decades by targeting low-level public-order offenses , reducing the air of lawlessness in rough neighborhoods and getting criminals off the streets before they commit bigger crimes… .
Contrary to the claims of the “ black lives matter ” movement , no government policy in the past quarter century has done more for urban reclamation than proactive policing .
Data-driven enforcement , in conjunction with stricter penalties for criminals and “ broken windows ” policing , has saved thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs to once drug-infested neighborhoods and allowed millions to go about their daily lives without fear .
All of that is still very much true , and the important point is that this problem existed before Donald Trump became president .
It is the height of irresponsibility for Biden and his media allies to blame Trump for violence in America ’ s cities , when the blame more properly belongs with the anti-police rhetoric of the Black Live Matter movement , and their accomplices in the media .
When he responded to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shootout with Freddrick Hadden last August , Deputy Eric Madison had only been with the Burke County Sheriff ’ s Department for eight months , but he had previously served eight years in the Navy .
His military training may explain why Deputy Madison was able to remain calm and shoot with deadly accuracy in his confrontation with Hadden .
The national media ignored Deputy Madison ’ s heroic deed , just as it ignores the daily heroism of cops everywhere .
CNN was not there last November when Deputy Madison was awarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Brian Kemp .
“ Deputy Eric Madison did not count the costs or weigh his options when he showed up on the scene that day , ” Kemp said .
“ He vowed many years ago , as you all know , to serve and protect.… He deserves all the praise and accolades that we can give him even though he doesn ’ t want them.
” Public safety requires armed police , who risk their lives in those frightening moments when they confront dangerous criminals .
Cops are the front-line troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is irresponsible — and demonstrably false — for Biden and his allies to accuse heroic law-enforcement officers of being agents of “ systemic racism , ” just for the sake of winning an election .
Every American must hope that voters of all races will reject this hateful message .
Robert Stacy McCain is the author of Sex Trouble : Essays on Radical Feminism and the War Against Human Nature .
He blogs at TheOtherMcCain.com .
Photo “ Joe Biden ” by Gage Skidmore CC2.0 and “ Antifa ” by kelly bell @ @ @

by Robert Stacy McCain
Freddrick Hadden was shot to death by a sheriff’s deputy in Burke County, Georgia. A habitual felon who had only recently been released from prison, Hadden had kidnapped his ex-wife at gunpoint. When Deputy Eric Madison pursued Hadden to a home near Hephzibah, the woman escaped Hadden’s vehicle. She was shot twice by Hadden before Deputy Madison returned fire, killing the kidnapper and saving the woman’s life.
That incident in August 2019 attracted no national media interest. CNN didn’t cover it, there were no protests, and Joe Biden has never mentioned it. Perhaps that’s because Freddrick Hadden was white and Deputy Madison is black.
While pretending to condemn this violence, Biden never once said the word “Antifa,” to which Portland killer Michael Reinoehl swore allegiance. Reinoehl died Thursday in a shootout with police, which is how violent criminals so often die.
For months, Biden and his media allies have abetted Black Lives Matter activists in inciting racial fear and hatred, claiming that “systemic racism” by police accounts for the deaths of black suspects at the hands of police. Even though research clearly disproves such claims, the facts haven’t stopped Democrats from trying to exploit this slanderous narrative in their effort to defeat President Trump. Last week, after a self-declared “100% Antifa” radical murdered a Trump supporter in Portland, Oregon, Biden doubled down on this anti-police rhetoric, blaming “bad cops” for “racial injustice in America,” while bizarrely accusing Trump of “stoking violence in our cities.”
Contrary to Biden’s claims, however, the “violence in our cities” — mobs rioting in Portland and Seattle, looting in Chicago and New York, and attacking police everywhere — clearly has been fomented by anti-Trump activists, including the “trained Marxist” leaders of Black Lives Matter. The mobs who hate cops also hate Trump and, as Mark Thiessen pointed out in the Washington Post, these riots are happening in cities where Democrats have been in complete control for decades. It is also in Democrat-controlled cities, of course, that there have been so many high-profile cases of black suspects dying at the hands of police, including George Floyd in Minneapolis and, more recently, Deon Kay in Washington, D.C., and Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York. Exactly how Trump is to blame for any of this is something that the senescent Biden could not be expected to explain, but beyond the context of the presidential campaign, the fabric of our society is endangered by the distorted image of law enforcement being promoted by Democrats and their media propaganda organs.
For weeks, Biden had no comment on the riots as city after city erupted in violence, until polls showed that the chaotic destruction was hurting his campaign, at which point the Democrat accused Trump of “fanning the flames of hate and division.” The flames in Portland this past weekend came from Molotov cocktails hurled by what the media continue calling “mostly peaceful” protesters (one of whom nearly immolated himself in the process). While pretending to condemn this violence, Biden never once said the word “Antifa,” to which Portland killer Michael Reinoehl swore allegiance. Reinoehl died Thursday in a shootout with police, which is how violent criminals so often die.
The national media obsess over a comparative handful of controversial cases, like the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, but they generally ignore the far more numerous cases in which police are unquestionably justified in using deadly force, because those cases offer no opportunity to exploit the factor of race. According to an analysis by the Washington Post, about 1,000 Americans a year are fatally shot by police, and about 94 percent of those shot are armed. A majority of the unarmed people shot by cops are white. In 2019, for example, of the 55 unarmed people shot to death by police, 25 were white and 14 were black, according to the Post. No matter how many hours CNN devotes to smearing cops as racist murders, or how often Biden blames “systemic racism,” the facts are still the facts, and, as author Heather Mac Donald has stated bluntly, “There Is No Epidemic of Fatal Police Shootings Against Unarmed Black Americans.”
Simple question: Whom are cops shooting, and why are they shooting them? One way to get beyond mere statistics about these incidents is to watch the police bodycam videos that are now routinely made public whenever an “officer-involved shooting” (OIS) occurs. The popular Police Activity video channel on YouTube (which has more subscribers than CNN has viewers) is a valuable resource in this regard. Since 2016, Police Activity has posted hundreds of videos of OIS incidents, most of which never became national news:
Phillip Thomas Marsh, 30, died in an April 2019 shootout with Volusia County sheriff’s deputies in Florida. Marsh had an extensive criminal record and had made threats of “suicide by cop.” He carjacked a woman at gunpoint and led police on a long pursuit in the stolen vehicle before being brought to a halt. Marsh fired at the deputies, nearly killing Sgt. Thomas Dane, before being shot dead by return fire. There were no protests about the shooting; Marsh was white.
Bonny Thomas, 54, was shot to death by a police officer in Athens, Georgia, in October 2019, in what appears to have been another “suicide by cop” incident. The officer was responding to a 911 call about a woman armed with a knife and a gun. It appears Thomas may have made this call herself. When the policeman stepped out of his car, Thomas was brandishing a large kitchen knife, and the officer repeatedly asked her to drop the knife. Instead, she charged him and was shot dead. There were no protest marches; Thomas was white.
Jonathan Boyd, 40, was shot by Oklahoma City police responding to a domestic violence call in March 2018. Boyd, who had a previous record of convictions for domestic abuse and methamphetamine possession, was armed with a knife. When confronted by police, Boyd advanced toward them, saying, “Go ahead and shoot me, mother******.” One officer did just that. Boyd survived the shooting. There were no protests; Boyd is white.
Billy Porubsky, 30, was unarmed when he was shot to death by an Ohio policeman in September 2017. Porubsky was suffering from mental health issues, and the officer had given him a ride to a homeless shelter when Porubsky became uncooperative. He tackled the officer and was shot twice during a struggle. Nobody rioted; Porubsky was white.
Shawn Billinger, 46, was unarmed when he was fatally shot by a cop in Fort Lupton, Colorado, in January 2019. Officer Zachary Helbig responded to a disturbance call regarding Billinger, a methamphetamine addict, which led to a foot pursuit. A witness had told the officer Billinger had a knife. Cornered in a backyard, Billinger advanced on the cop, shouting, “Kill me! Kill me!” The officer retreated and repeatedly told Billinger to stop. Finally, Officer Helbig fired one shot, fatally wounding Billinger. Of the 67 OIS incidents in Colorado in 2019, Officer Helbig was the only one to face criminal charges. A jury acquitted him of manslaughter earlier this year. There were no riots; Billinger was white.
One of the most common refrains of “Monday morning quarterbacks” in the aftermath of police shootings is, “Why didn’t they just use their taser?” In many OIS cases, however, the officers did use tasers or other non-lethal weapons against suspects, to no effect. Kirk Dustin Shields, 38, was wielding a crowbar as a weapon when he was shot by an Oklahoma City cop in January 2019. Shields was a fugitive with a criminal record including larceny and burglary; he had escaped from a Department of Corrections halfway house facility and attacked a homeless man with a baseball bat. Officer Brandon Lee used his taser on Shields, but it apparently had no effect. Shields charged the officer, who fired multiple shots. Shields survived the shooting. There were no protests; Shields is white.
The point in recounting such cases is that nobody in the national media ever calls attention to incidents like these. There are no activists ready to incite a riot when cops shoot a white suspect, nor is there any political advantage for Democrats in these cases, and therefore, CNN and the rest of the national media ignore these cases. By focusing obsessively on a handful of racially volatile cases, Democrats and their media allies are creating a wildly distorted image of law enforcement. This has disastrous consequences, especially in the black community, because of what has been called “the Ferguson Effect.”
After the 2014 riots sparked by the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson called attention to a surge in crime in his city: “It’s the Ferguson effect. I see it not only on the law enforcement side, but the criminal element is feeling empowered by the environment.” By mid-2015, data showed a nationwide increase in violent crime, as Heather Mac Donald explained in the Wall Street Journal:
Gun violence in particular is spiraling upward in cities across America…. The news media pump out a seemingly constant stream of stories about alleged police mistreatment of blacks, with the reports often buttressed by cellphone videos that rarely capture the behavior that caused an officer to use force. Almost any police shooting of a black person, no matter how threatening the behavior that provoked the shooting, now provokes angry protests…. Arrests in black communities are even more fraught than usual, with hostile, jeering crowds pressing in on officers and spreading lies about the encounter. Acquittals of police officers for the use of deadly force against black suspects are now automatically presented as a miscarriage of justice…. Politicians and activists in New York and other cities have now taken aim at “broken windows” policing. This police strategy has shown remarkable success over the past two decades by targeting low-level public-order offenses, reducing the air of lawlessness in rough neighborhoods and getting criminals off the streets before they commit bigger crimes…. Contrary to the claims of the “black lives matter” movement, no government policy in the past quarter century has done more for urban reclamation than proactive policing. Data-driven enforcement, in conjunction with stricter penalties for criminals and “broken windows” policing, has saved thousands of black lives, brought lawful commerce and jobs to once drug-infested neighborhoods and allowed millions to go about their daily lives without fear.
All of that is still very much true, and the important point is that this problem existed before Donald Trump became president. It is the height of irresponsibility for Biden and his media allies to blame Trump for violence in America’s cities, when the blame more properly belongs with the anti-police rhetoric of the Black Live Matter movement, and their accomplices in the media.
When he responded to the call that sent him into a deadly shootout with Freddrick Hadden last August, Deputy Eric Madison had only been with the Burke County Sheriff’s Department for eight months, but he had previously served eight years in the Navy. His military training may explain why Deputy Madison was able to remain calm and shoot with deadly accuracy in his confrontation with Hadden.
The national media ignored Deputy Madison’s heroic deed, just as it ignores the daily heroism of cops everywhere. CNN was not there last November when Deputy Madison was awarded the Medal of Valor by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. “Deputy Eric Madison did not count the costs or weigh his options when he showed up on the scene that day,” Kemp said. “He vowed many years ago, as you all know, to serve and protect.… He deserves all the praise and accolades that we can give him even though he doesn’t want them.”
Public safety requires armed police, who risk their lives in those frightening moments when they confront dangerous criminals. Cops are the front-line troops who protect us all from crime. It is irresponsible — and demonstrably false — for Biden and his allies to accuse heroic law-enforcement officers of being agents of “systemic racism,” just for the sake of winning an election. Every American must hope that voters of all races will reject this hateful message.
– – –
Robert Stacy McCain is the author of Sex Trouble: Essays on Radical Feminism and the War Against Human Nature. He blogs at TheOtherMcCain.com.
Photo “Joe Biden” by Gage Skidmore CC2.0 and “Antifa” by kelly bell photography CC2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--Documents Show Tennessee Department of Education Misrepresented Intended Scope of Child Well-Being C

Documents Show Tennessee Department of Education Misrepresented Intended Scope of Child Well-Being Checks

While the Tennessee Department of Education has said temporarily withdrawn guidance on child well-being checks was not intended to apply to every child , internal documents and emails sent in development of the guidance show officials have misrepresented the intended scope of the initiative in response to public outrage .
A guidance toolkit outlining statewide Child Wellbeing Checks was developed by the COVID-19 Child Wellbeing Task Force and released Aug. 11 .
Within three days , the department had withdrawn the program after uproar over perceived big-brother style government overreach .
In response to concerns over the initiative ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – birth to age 18 – the state repeatedly has claimed the guidance document did not accurately portray the intent of the program .
The guidance “ has nothing to do with children who are homeschooled or enrolled in independent schools , ” an official statement sent to The Center Square by Gov .
Bill Lee ’ s office and the Department of Education read .
In a letter sent Aug. 14 to members of the General Assembly , Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn wrote the guidance applied only to at-risk students .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serve as an optional resource for local leaders to guide their efforts for at-risk kids who continue to navigate prolonged time away from the classroom , ” Schwinn wrote .
“ Although well-intentioned , we have missed the mark on communication.
” Internal documents tracking development of the well-being checks guidance and emails between department staff , however , show in every step of the drafting process , including a discussion with a group of school superintendents and circulation to members of the governor ’ s cabinet , the well-being checks initiative was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state .
A document compiling feedback from the task force dated July 22 said the goal of the initiative was “ 100 % of Tennessee children would receive a wellbeing check.
” Meeting notes from the July 22 meeting show task force members strategized how to reach children birth to age five who are not in the school system .
“ Talked about how to get to all children in the system , as the school system covers children age 5-18 , ” the meeting notes read .
“ Will need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from birth to age 5.
” In an Aug. 6 draft update to the governor ’ s office , Katie Houghtlin , a former colleague of Schwinn at the Texas Education Agency who now facilitates the Child Wellbeing Task Force and orchestrated feedback on the well-being checks document , noted suggestions from the task force on how to administer well-being checks for nonpublic school students and children from birth to age 5 .
“ As the goal is to conduct a wellbeing check for ALL children , not just those enrolled in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern that they would not be able to coordinate the effort to also administer the wellbeing checks for private school students , birth to age 5 , homeschooled and homebound children , ” Houghtlin wrote , noting the task force suggested superintendents be able to designate an administrator of well-being checks .
Talking points to a Superintendent Engagement Group shared by Whole Child Chief of Programs Jean Luna in an Aug. 7 email reiterated the goal to conduct a well-being check for all children , including private school students , homeschooled students and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the intention of the Child Wellbeing Task Force was to check in on all children in communities from birth to 18 which would include students not enrolled in the public school system , ” Luna wrote .
The final released guidance clearly stated the goal that all Tennessee children receive a well-being check .
Before its release Aug. 11 , guidance was discussed with a group of school superintendents and circulated to the 38 member COVID-19 Child Wellbeing Task Force and six of Lee ’ s cabinet members for feedback .
Participation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ optional .
A week before the initiative was launched , Houghtlin emailed Schwinn a progress report on the document , including details of a conversation Houghtlin had with Schwinn ’ s assistant , Chelsea Crawford , surrounding the document .
“ Chelsea and I landed on a strategy to ‘ encourage ’ but not require checks so we can use data collected from counties who committed and implemented with fidelity to demonstrate possible benefit in creating county specific wellbeing committees which could serve far beyond COVID , ” Houghtlin wrote .
While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that participation in well-being checks not be forced or mandated , the document did state parents choosing to decline to respond to a well-being check inquiry would be recorded as not participating .
The department withdrew the guidance days after it was released and since has repeatedly claimed the truly limited intent of the well-being checks program was not accurately communicated in the final copy .
“ The intent is that we have vulnerable students across the state who have not been in school for 6 months .
Schools , as you well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our students receive breakfast , lunch , and sometimes supper , mental health services and other supports , ” Schwinn said during a news conference last week .
“ This toolkit , like the 40-something that came before it , was intended to give districts a guide , a toolkit , to be able to make local decisions about what makes the most sense for their students , ” Schwinn said .
The department is continuing work on a revised version of the toolkit , but , as of Thursday , Schwinn did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s re-release .
The governor ’ s office did not respond to a request for comment .
Vivian Jones reports on Tennessee and South Carolina for The Center Square .
Her writing has appeared in the Detroit News , The Hill , and publications of The Heartland Institute .

by Vivian Jones
While the Tennessee Department of Education has said temporarily withdrawn guidance on child well-being checks was not intended to apply to every child, internal documents and emails sent in development of the guidance show officials have misrepresented the intended scope of the initiative in response to public outrage.
A guidance toolkit outlining statewide Child Wellbeing Checks was developed by the COVID-19 Child Wellbeing Task Force and released Aug. 11. Within three days, the department had withdrawn the program after uproar over perceived big-brother style government overreach.
In response to concerns over the initiative’s application to all children in the state – birth to age 18 – the state repeatedly has claimed the guidance document did not accurately portray the intent of the program.
The guidance “has nothing to do with children who are homeschooled or enrolled in independent schools,” an official statement sent to The Center Square by Gov. Bill Lee’s office and the Department of Education read.
In a letter sent Aug. 14 to members of the General Assembly, Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn wrote the guidance applied only to at-risk students.
“The goal of this document was to serve as an optional resource for local leaders to guide their efforts for at-risk kids who continue to navigate prolonged time away from the classroom,” Schwinn wrote. “Although well-intentioned, we have missed the mark on communication.”
Internal documents tracking development of the well-being checks guidance and emails between department staff, however, show in every step of the drafting process, including a discussion with a group of school superintendents and circulation to members of the governor’s cabinet, the well-being checks initiative was intended to apply to every child in the state.
A document compiling feedback from the task force dated July 22 said the goal of the initiative was “100% of Tennessee children would receive a wellbeing check.” Meeting notes from the July 22 meeting show task force members strategized how to reach children birth to age five who are not in the school system.
“Talked about how to get to all children in the system, as the school system covers children age 5-18,” the meeting notes read. “Will need to think critically about how to reach children from birth to age 5.”
In an Aug. 6 draft update to the governor’s office, Katie Houghtlin, a former colleague of Schwinn at the Texas Education Agency who now facilitates the Child Wellbeing Task Force and orchestrated feedback on the well-being checks document, noted suggestions from the task force on how to administer well-being checks for nonpublic school students and children from birth to age 5.
“As the goal is to conduct a wellbeing check for ALL children, not just those enrolled in public schools, our superintendent engagement group voiced concern that they would not be able to coordinate the effort to also administer the wellbeing checks for private school students, birth to age 5, homeschooled and homebound children,” Houghtlin wrote, noting the task force suggested superintendents be able to designate an administrator of well-being checks.
Talking points to a Superintendent Engagement Group shared by Whole Child Chief of Programs Jean Luna in an Aug. 7 email reiterated the goal to conduct a well-being check for all children, including private school students, homeschooled students and homebound children.
“Further conversation emphasized the intention of the Child Wellbeing Task Force was to check in on all children in communities from birth to 18 which would include students not enrolled in the public school system,” Luna wrote.
The final released guidance clearly stated the goal that all Tennessee children receive a well-being check. Before its release Aug. 11, guidance was discussed with a group of school superintendents and circulated to the 38 member COVID-19 Child Wellbeing Task Force and six of Lee’s cabinet members for feedback.
Participation in the well-being checks initiative was almost not optional.
A week before the initiative was launched, Houghtlin emailed Schwinn a progress report on the document, including details of a conversation Houghtlin had with Schwinn’s assistant, Chelsea Crawford, surrounding the document.
“Chelsea and I landed on a strategy to ‘encourage’ but not require checks so we can use data collected from counties who committed and implemented with fidelity to demonstrate possible benefit in creating county specific wellbeing committees which could serve far beyond COVID,” Houghtlin wrote.
While the final guidance document included a specific provision that participation in well-being checks not be forced or mandated, the document did state parents choosing to decline to respond to a well-being check inquiry would be recorded as not participating.
The department withdrew the guidance days after it was released and since has repeatedly claimed the truly limited intent of the well-being checks program was not accurately communicated in the final copy.
“The intent is that we have vulnerable students across the state who have not been in school for 6 months. Schools, as you well know, are places where many of our students receive breakfast, lunch, and sometimes supper, mental health services and other supports,” Schwinn said during a news conference last week.
“This toolkit, like the 40-something that came before it, was intended to give districts a guide, a toolkit, to be able to make local decisions about what makes the most sense for their students,” Schwinn said.
The department is continuing work on a revised version of the toolkit, but, as of Thursday, Schwinn did not have a timeline for the toolkit’s re-release.
The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
– – –
Vivian Jones reports on Tennessee and South Carolina for The Center Square. Her writing has appeared in the Detroit News, The Hill, and publications of The Heartland Institute.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--Navy Ends Catholic Masses on San Diego-Area Bases to Cut Costs

The U.S. Navy has reportedly ended Catholic church services on San Diego-area bases for cost purposes , The San Diego Union-Tribune reported .
The Navy declined to renew contracts with priests who were contracted to assist the Chaplain Corps , an active-duty group containing few Catholic clergy members , according to a Tribune report on Saturday .
The new changes are from a national realignment announced in August .
“ The Navy ’ s religious ministries priority is reaching and ministering to our largest demographic — active duty Sailors and Marines in the 18-25 year-old range , ” Navy spokesman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email , according to the Tribune .
“ To meet that mission , the Navy has had to make the difficult decision to discontinue most contracted ministry services , ” O ’ Rourke continued in the email , according to The San Diego Union-Tribune .
Protestant services at the bases are still ongoing , according to The San Diego Union-Tribune .
“ One issue is discrimination ( and ) another is the violation of your right to practice your religion , ” Rev .
Jose Pimentel , whose contract with the Navy was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union-Tribune .
Pimentel was at the Naval Base Coronado and Naval Air Station North Island for eight years .
Vice Adm. Yancey Lindsey , the commander of Naval Installations Command , wrote they have a duty to use what limited resources they already have , according to The San Diego Union-Tribune .
“ Therefore , we will reduce redundancies and capture efficiencies by realigning resources , ” Lindsey continued , according to The San Diego Union-Tribune .
Lindsey said the services are ending on the bases where they are also accessible nearby .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be ongoing , according to The San Diego Union-Tribune .
The Public Affairs Office in the Navy Region Southwest , the Department of Defense and the Navy did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation ’ s requests for comment .
Mary Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Mary Rose Corkery
The U.S. Navy has reportedly ended Catholic church services on San Diego-area bases for cost purposes, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The Navy declined to renew contracts with priests who were contracted to assist the Chaplain Corps, an active-duty group containing few Catholic clergy members, according to a Tribune report on Saturday. The new changes are from a national realignment announced in August.
“The Navy’s religious ministries priority is reaching and ministering to our largest demographic — active duty Sailors and Marines in the 18-25 year-old range,” Navy spokesman Brian O’Rourke said in an email, according to the Tribune.
“To meet that mission, the Navy has had to make the difficult decision to discontinue most contracted ministry services,” O’Rourke continued in the email, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Protestant services at the bases are still ongoing, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
“One issue is discrimination (and) another is the violation of your right to practice your religion,” Rev. Jose Pimentel, whose contract with the Navy was not renewed, told The San Diego Union-Tribune. Pimentel was at the Naval Base Coronado and Naval Air Station North Island for eight years.
Can’t believe the @USNavy is considering canceling contracts for priests as a cost-cutting measure. If true, we need to look at canceling Admirals, not priests.
https://t.co/IN36fjnb5K — Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) September 7, 2020
Vice Adm. Yancey Lindsey, the commander of Naval Installations Command, wrote they have a duty to use what limited resources they already have, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
“Therefore, we will reduce redundancies and capture efficiencies by realigning resources,” Lindsey continued, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Lindsey said the services are ending on the bases where they are also accessible nearby.
Catholic services on ships and overseas bases will be ongoing, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Public Affairs Office in the Navy Region Southwest, the Department of Defense and the Navy did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.
– – –
Mary Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--DEPLORABLES 101: Steve Bannon Warns of the Democrats Transition Integrity Project to Steal the Elect

DEPLORABLES 101: Steve Bannon Warns of the Democrats Transition Integrity Project to Steal the Election from Trump

Live from Virginia Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond , WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia , WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 ( 7-9 PM ) Hampton Roads , WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed Former Senior Advisor to President Trump Steven K. Bannon .
During the show , Bannon revealed the Democrats playbook called the Transition Integrity Project which outlines four scenarios of how to steal the 2020 Presidential election from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very important for Republicans to get out and volunteer at the polls and to certify ballot counting in their local areas .
Fredericks : Joining us now , Steven K. Bannon .
Former Senior Advisor to the president , and he ’ s now host to the amazingly-popular show War Room Pandemic .
War Room 2020 , which airs 10 to noon here on The John Fredericks Network Monday to Saturday .
America Voice News , The Dish , and Newsmax among many many other news stations .
Bannon : Hey , thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the traditional kick-off the day after Labor Day and run-up to presidential elections .
Fredericks : Eight weeks to go , Steve .
I heard your show .
I think it was on a Friday .
And I was fascinated with it where you were breaking down what you might want to call the Transition Integrity Project , or the effort by Democrats to steal this election by not naming a winner , you are really out front in this .
When the stuff first bubbled up it looked like conspiracy-type stuff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it down , this thing is real .
I was hoping you share with our audience Steve the entire scenario that some Democrats are planning .
Bannon : It ’ s not some Democrats , it ’ s basically all the apparatus that opposes President Trump .
This is a more sophisticated version of the nullification project , which was around in 2016 from the very moment he won .
This couldn ’ t be any more serious .
Look , people that listen to me on TV and see my news hits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are watching War Room Pandemic and War Room Impeachment .
I don ’ t believe in conspiracy theories .
But I also don ’ t believe in coincidences .
This thing is tied to when Hillary Clinton said , under no circumstances should Joe Biden concede .
This talks about all their efforts to try to de-legitimize President Trump right now .
So this is an effort where they ’ re petrified because I think they overplayed their hand somewhat on this pandemic , that they are not going to get people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 .
They are absolutely completely freaked out that President Trump on Election Day is going to a potential landslide victory by midnight that night .
And they are going to make every effort in this recount to try to de-certify votes etc .
to make sure that they win in the count of the mail-in votes .
And they ’ ve actually laid it out , and this is not something they are hiding .
This Transition Integrity Project , look at the word transition .
They already assume that Biden is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laid out four scenarios .
It ’ s up on our website , you can get it on National Pulse or The Revolver , which is the new anti-Drudge site .
He ’ s doing an excellent job of breaking this down .
They ’ ve put out a 22-page report .
Everybody in your audience should read that report .
And particularly read Raheem Kassams ’ s annotated version of it .
They talk about the lawfare aspect of this .
They talk about the media information warfare part and the street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deciding factor will be street fighting .
This is in the document , and this is by prominent Democrats , election officials , former cabinet officers , John Podesta .
John Podesta ran it .
They had prominent Republicans on it , Bill Steele and part of the never-Trump crowd .
They had four scenarios .
One that Biden wins by a landslide on election day .
So he wins .
They had one Biden close on election day .
They had ambiguous like 2000 .
Then they have Trump wins barely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 20 days Biden wins .
Then they came out with Hawk Fish .
Now Hawk Fish is one of the most sophisticated data mining operations around .
It ’ s owned by Michael Bloomberg .
And obviously Bloomberg is one of the most sophisticated financial and capital markets servicing companies around .
Hawk Fish does this for politics .
Hawk Fish came on and ran its own set of metrics , came on the Axios HBO show I think two Sundays ago , and laid out a fifth scenario .
And this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ clock at night on November 3 Donald Trump is up 424 electoral votes , and he ’ s leading in those states .
And by Thanksgiving Joe Biden has won as president .
We are now pulling literally dozens and dozens of articles around the country about voting certification , counting the vote etc .
Putting it up on the site and the show today .
Everything we are doing from here on end is really about get out the vote and about this process of which they intend to really have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking the oath of office for a second term .
This is absolutely serious .
This is one of the primary reasons I didn ’ t join the campaign .
This is something you can ’ t do at the campaign .
The campaign has got its own things .
We are organizing and we are organizing every day 24/7 and have been for weeks this effort to make sure that there is no chance that the election is stolen from President Trump .
And the left has their Media Matters and MediaIte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And it ’ s all been published in Nation Magazine and the Washington Post in this Transition Integrity Project .
And they put it out there to start to socialize this .
I think conservative media is starting to pick up on it .
We were all over it last week .
The Revolver site if you haven ’ t gone there it ’ s like The Virginia Star where you get these great new emerging websites with news and information that your audience should go to .
We are going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
In fact , we may take the show to seven days a week here in the next couple of weeks because this is important .
The first thing people should do is that you need to volunteer .
This is no longer an exercise .
I think its called Defend Your Ballot .
If you click on there it goes to the army of Trump or campaign or some group that is organizing volunteers .
You need to volunteer and get out the vote now .
That means phone banks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there a lot can be done digitally .
So you need to be engaged now in helping get out the vote .
Fredericks : Steve , you got these five scenarios laid out .
And this is one thing we both always agree on .
Neither of us ever do or get involved in conspiracy theories or politics .
We ’ ve never done that .
This is why I ’ m taking this seriously now because this stuff is real .
I ’ m going to go through the top five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OK , scenario one .
Biden wins in a landslide .
Bannon : Biden is President .
Biden wins in a landslide on Election Day and he ’ s president .
Their scenario is Biden wins , and if he wins Election Day in a landslide , the mail-in vote will principally be Democratic so he will win .
So that ’ s their easiest path .
Bannon : What happens is they go in and start fighting and try to de-certify every ballot out there because ( Inaudible talk ) they think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2000 campaign recount to the 10th power .
So it will be crazy .
Fredericks : Define ambiguous .
When they say scenario three is ambiguous .
It ’ s midnight and election night .
Bannon : Ambiguous is 2000 , where we had some districts and counties .
It ’ s an ambiguous situation that ’ s too close to call for either party .
Too close for Biden and too close for Trump .
And in that regard on the counting of the mail-in vote , they win .
Fredericks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these are typically , except for the states that are doing the universal mail out like New Jersey , California , and a couple of others , none of the swing states do that .
So these are just traditional absentee ballots right , Steve ?
Bannon : It ’ s traditional except in the fact that up to 40 % of the people could vote by mail-in ballot now .
Yeah .
That ’ s a huge difference .
You get what under 5 % and up to 40 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have the apparatus set up to actually do this in a systematic path .
Last week on Friday they started not talking about Election Day but talking about election week .
They are even saying that this thing won ’ t even be called in any scenario within a week .
Inside these rooms , for the counts , you are going to have to have people in there certifying those ballots .
You are going to need strong Republicans .
You are going to need people that are fighters .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ types of volunteers .
That ’ s why you have to sign up also as a poll watcher .
More importantly , this is one of the things we are pushing , because all the election lawyers have told us that you have to sign up to be an election official in your district today , you ’ ve got to go to the board of supervisors for voting .
And you ’ ve got to sign up or go online .
Sometimes you are even paid , but most of it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just to be a poll watcher , but its to actually to be in the room being an election official .
And every citizen can do that .
And that ’ s what we need people to sign up for now .
This has got to be a volunteer effort .
We need 50,000 to 100,000 people to do this .
On Friday some corporate coalition , another progressive organization , said that they are going to deliver 350,000 of their employees on a volunteer basis .
And I guarantee you that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So this is for your audience .
This is this Deplorables 101 .
This is going to be a voluntary outcome .
You are going to have lawyers and media surrogates and all of that .
The people have to go to the report .
In this report , there is another guy I think his name is Niles Gilman , who gives an interview with NPR and then a Boston radio station .
He said that the two most important people in this process will be ( Mark ) Zuckerberg and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if Murdoch is convinced not to defend Trump and not to defend Trump during the recount and flips the switch , then its game over .
Same with Zuckerberg and Facebook .
Listen to the full show here :

Live from Virginia Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond, WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia, WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 (7-9 PM) Hampton Roads, WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed Former Senior Advisor to President Trump Steven K. Bannon.
During the show, Bannon revealed the Democrats playbook called the Transition Integrity Project which outlines four scenarios of how to steal the 2020 Presidential election from Trump. He added that is was very important for Republicans to get out and volunteer at the polls and to certify ballot counting in their local areas.
Fredericks: Joining us now, Steven K. Bannon. Former Senior Advisor to the president, and he’s now host to the amazingly-popular show War Room Pandemic. War Room 2020, which airs 10 to noon here on The John Fredericks Network Monday to Saturday. America Voice News, The Dish, and Newsmax among many many other news stations.
Bannon: Hey, thanks for having me on, John, on the traditional kick-off the day after Labor Day and run-up to presidential elections.
Fredericks: Eight weeks to go, Steve. I heard your show. I think it was on a Friday. And I was fascinated with it where you were breaking down what you might want to call the Transition Integrity Project, or the effort by Democrats to steal this election by not naming a winner, you are really out front in this. When the stuff first bubbled up it looked like conspiracy-type stuff. But the way you guys broke it down, this thing is real. I was hoping you share with our audience Steve the entire scenario that some Democrats are planning.
Bannon: It’s not some Democrats, it’s basically all the apparatus that opposes President Trump. This is a more sophisticated version of the nullification project, which was around in 2016 from the very moment he won. This couldn’t be any more serious. Look, people that listen to me on TV and see my news hits, that have seen my speeches that are watching War Room Pandemic and War Room Impeachment. I don’t believe in conspiracy theories.
But I also don’t believe in coincidences. This thing is tied to when Hillary Clinton said, under no circumstances should Joe Biden concede. This talks about all their efforts to try to de-legitimize President Trump right now. So this is an effort where they’re petrified because I think they overplayed their hand somewhat on this pandemic, that they are not going to get people to the polls on voting day on November 3.
They are absolutely completely freaked out that President Trump on Election Day is going to a potential landslide victory by midnight that night. And they are going to make every effort in this recount to try to de-certify votes etc. to make sure that they win in the count of the mail-in votes. And they’ve actually laid it out, and this is not something they are hiding.
This Transition Integrity Project, look at the word transition. They already assume that Biden is going to win. They’ve laid out four scenarios. It’s up on our website, you can get it on National Pulse or The Revolver, which is the new anti-Drudge site. He’s doing an excellent job of breaking this down. They’ve put out a 22-page report. Everybody in your audience should read that report. And particularly read Raheem Kassams’s annotated version of it. They talk about the lawfare aspect of this.
They talk about the media information warfare part and the street violence. They actually say that the deciding factor will be street fighting. This is in the document, and this is by prominent Democrats, election officials, former cabinet officers, John Podesta. John Podesta ran it. They had prominent Republicans on it, Bill Steele and part of the never-Trump crowd. They had four scenarios.
One that Biden wins by a landslide on election day. So he wins. They had one Biden close on election day. They had ambiguous like 2000. Then they have Trump wins barely on election day. In all those scenarios in 20 days Biden wins. Then they came out with Hawk Fish. Now Hawk Fish is one of the most sophisticated data mining operations around. It’s owned by Michael Bloomberg. And obviously Bloomberg is one of the most sophisticated financial and capital markets servicing companies around.
Hawk Fish does this for politics. Hawk Fish came on and ran its own set of metrics, came on the Axios HBO show I think two Sundays ago, and laid out a fifth scenario. And this fifth scenario is where at 11 o’clock at night on November 3 Donald Trump is up 424 electoral votes, and he’s leading in those states. And by Thanksgiving Joe Biden has won as president.
We are now pulling literally dozens and dozens of articles around the country about voting certification, counting the vote etc. Putting it up on the site and the show today. Everything we are doing from here on end is really about get out the vote and about this process of which they intend to really have a coup and keep President Trump from taking the oath of office for a second term.
This is absolutely serious. This is one of the primary reasons I didn’t join the campaign. This is something you can’t do at the campaign. The campaign has got its own things. We are organizing and we are organizing every day 24/7 and have been for weeks this effort to make sure that there is no chance that the election is stolen from President Trump. And the left has their Media Matters and MediaIte and saying this is wingnut stuff.
And it’s all been published in Nation Magazine and the Washington Post in this Transition Integrity Project. And they put it out there to start to socialize this. I think conservative media is starting to pick up on it. We were all over it last week. The Revolver site if you haven’t gone there it’s like The Virginia Star where you get these great new emerging websites with news and information that your audience should go to.
We are going to be all over today and seven days a week. In fact, we may take the show to seven days a week here in the next couple of weeks because this is important. The first thing people should do is that you need to volunteer. This is no longer an exercise. I think its called Defend Your Ballot.
If you click on there it goes to the army of Trump or campaign or some group that is organizing volunteers. You need to volunteer and get out the vote now. That means phone banks and getting out there with the CCP virus out there a lot can be done digitally. So you need to be engaged now in helping get out the vote.
Fredericks: Steve, you got these five scenarios laid out. And this is one thing we both always agree on. Neither of us ever do or get involved in conspiracy theories or politics. We’ve never done that. This is why I’m taking this seriously now because this stuff is real. I’m going to go through the top five scenarios. Tell me what happens. OK, scenario one. Biden wins in a landslide.
Bannon: Biden is President. Biden wins in a landslide on Election Day and he’s president. Their scenario is Biden wins, and if he wins Election Day in a landslide, the mail-in vote will principally be Democratic so he will win. So that’s their easiest path.
Fredericks: Election Night, Biden close, what happens?
Bannon: What happens is they go in and start fighting and try to de-certify every ballot out there because (Inaudible talk) they think it’s going to be like the 2000 campaign recount to the 10th power. So it will be crazy.
Fredericks: Define ambiguous. When they say scenario three is ambiguous. It’s midnight and election night.
Bannon: Ambiguous is 2000, where we had some districts and counties. It’s an ambiguous situation that’s too close to call for either party. Too close for Biden and too close for Trump. And in that regard on the counting of the mail-in vote, they win.
Fredericks: And when you say mail-in ballots, these are typically, except for the states that are doing the universal mail out like New Jersey, California, and a couple of others, none of the swing states do that. So these are just traditional absentee ballots right, Steve?
Bannon: It’s traditional except in the fact that up to 40% of the people could vote by mail-in ballot now. Yeah. That’s a huge difference. You get what under 5% and up to 40%. That shows you that we don’t have the apparatus set up to actually do this in a systematic path. Last week on Friday they started not talking about Election Day but talking about election week.
They are even saying that this thing won’t even be called in any scenario within a week. Inside these rooms, for the counts, you are going to have to have people in there certifying those ballots. You are going to need strong Republicans. You are going to need people that are fighters. And we traditionally haven’t had those types of volunteers. That’s why you have to sign up also as a poll watcher.
More importantly, this is one of the things we are pushing, because all the election lawyers have told us that you have to sign up to be an election official in your district today, you’ve got to go to the board of supervisors for voting. And you’ve got to sign up or go online. Sometimes you are even paid, but most of it is volunteers.
But it’s not just to be a poll watcher, but its to actually to be in the room being an election official. And every citizen can do that. And that’s what we need people to sign up for now. This has got to be a volunteer effort. We need 50,000 to 100,000 people to do this. On Friday some corporate coalition, another progressive organization, said that they are going to deliver 350,000 of their employees on a volunteer basis.
And I guarantee you that it will break 80/20 between progressives and conservatives. So this is for your audience. This is this Deplorables 101. This is going to be a voluntary outcome. You are going to have lawyers and media surrogates and all of that. The people have to go to the report.
In this report, there is another guy I think his name is Niles Gilman, who gives an interview with NPR and then a Boston radio station. He said that the two most important people in this process will be (Mark) Zuckerberg and Rupert Murdoch. And he basically says that if Murdoch is convinced not to defend Trump and not to defend Trump during the recount and flips the switch, then its game over. Same with Zuckerberg and Facebook.
Listen to the full show here:


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--‘Senseless’: 51 Shot, 10 Dead in Bloody Chicago Labor Day Weekend, Child Among the Dead

Dozens were shot and multiple people died over Labor Day weekend in Chicago as violence continues in the city , according to police .
A total of 51 people were hit by gunfire and 10 people died , Chicago police told ABC 7 .
An 8-year-old girl was shot fatally Monday in an SUV while waiting at a stoplight , authorities told the local outlet .
“ I stand here before you saddened and angered that another child has lost her life to senseless gun violence in the city of Chicago , ” Chicago Police Chief of Operations Brian McDermott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ At this time , I ’ d like to offer my sincere condolences on behalf of the Chicago Police Department to the family of the victim.
” “ Our victims ’ vehicle was parked facing northbound on Union Avenue with the offender ’ s vehicle directly behind it , ” McDermott continued .
“ When the light turned green , the offender ’ s vehicle immediately opened fire on the victims ’ vehicle.
” The 8-year-old , who has yet to be named , and two other adults in the car sustained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The vehicle plowed into a tree after being riddled by bullets , the local outlet reported .
A Chicago officer shot a knife-wielding man in a public park and a 16-year-old boy was wounded and taken to a children ’ s hospital in two separate incidents over the long weekend , according to ABC 7 .
A 16-year-old girl was also wounded in a shooting , the local outlet reported .
The Department of Justice on July 22 announced the expansion of Operation Legend to Chicago due to sharp rises in violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press release .
The aim of the program is to combat and investigate violent crimes through the deployment of federal assets from the FBI , U.S .
Marshals Service , the Drug Enforcement Administration , and the Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives , the release read .
Jake Dima is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Chicago Police Press Event ” by Chicago Police .

by Jake Dima
Dozens were shot and multiple people died over Labor Day weekend in Chicago as violence continues in the city, according to police.
A total of 51 people were hit by gunfire and 10 people died, Chicago police told ABC 7. An 8-year-old girl was shot fatally Monday in an SUV while waiting at a stoplight, authorities told the local outlet.
“I stand here before you saddened and angered that another child has lost her life to senseless gun violence in the city of Chicago,” Chicago Police Chief of Operations Brian McDermott said in a Monday press conference. “At this time, I’d like to offer my sincere condolences on behalf of the Chicago Police Department to the family of the victim.”
“Our victims’ vehicle was parked facing northbound on Union Avenue with the offender’s vehicle directly behind it,” McDermott continued. “When the light turned green, the offender’s vehicle immediately opened fire on the victims’ vehicle.”
Earlier, Chicago Police Chief of Operations Brian McDermott addressed the media in relation to the senseless gun violence that lead to the murder of an 8 year old girl at 47th & Union. Click the link to watch: https://t.co/VYkHB6peVS#CPDMediaCar pic.twitter.com/EqArYJunGl — Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) September 8, 2020
The 8-year-old, who has yet to be named, and two other adults in the car sustained gunshot wounds, according to ABC 7. The vehicle plowed into a tree after being riddled by bullets, the local outlet reported.
A Chicago officer shot a knife-wielding man in a public park and a 16-year-old boy was wounded and taken to a children’s hospital in two separate incidents over the long weekend, according to ABC 7.
A 16-year-old girl was also wounded in a shooting, the local outlet reported.
The Department of Justice on July 22 announced the expansion of Operation Legend to Chicago due to sharp rises in violence in the city, according to a press release. The aim of the program is to combat and investigate violent crimes through the deployment of federal assets from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the release read.
– – –
Jake Dima is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Chicago Police Press Event” by Chicago Police.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--Trump Readying Potential Supreme Court Nominee List Including Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice

Trump Readying Potential Supreme Court Nominee List Including Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert Young

WASHINGTON , D.C. ( AP ) — President Donald Trump is preparing to again release a list of potential Supreme Court nominees , one that voters can compare to rival Joe Biden ’ s promise to nominate a Black woman to the high court if given the chance .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Trump ’ s list will be released soon .
“ I ’ m optimistic that you ’ ll see those SCOTUS picks in coming days , ” Meadows said .
The move to release a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy Trump employed during his 2016 campaign .
Four years ago he took the unprecedented step of announcing potential Supreme Court nominees in a bid to win over conservatives and evangelicals who were not enthusiastic about his personal flaws but came around to his candidacy because of his promises on judicial appointments .
Trump had previously said on Twitter the announcement of a new list would come by September 1 and that it “ may include some , or many of those already on the list.
” Biden too has said he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominees , but the campaign has given no indication that it would release any names before the November election and doing so would risk giving Trump and Republicans a target to put Biden on defense .
Any vacancy would give the president the ability to shape the future of the powerful court , which is currently divided 5-4 between conservatives and liberals .
Any list may also be meaningless , however .
Either man ’ s ability to get any future choice confirmed depends on having a majority in the Senate , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seats in the chamber to Democrats ’ 45 , with two independents who caucus with the Democrats .
Trump released two lists of potential Supreme Court nominees during his previous presidential campaign , one with 11 names in May 2016 and another with 10 names that September .
Justice Neil Gorsuch , Trump ’ s first nominee to the court , was on the second list .
Justice Brett Kavanaugh , his second nominee , was one of five people added to Trump ’ s list in 2017 .
Of the people remaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are women .
It also includes several minorities including Amul Thapar , who is of South Asian decent .
Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert Young , who is Black , and Federico Moreno , a federal judge in Florida who is Hispanic , are also on the list , though their age makes them unlikely nominees .
Trump has said recently that the winner of November ’ s presidential election “ could have anywhere from two to four , to maybe even five ” Supreme Court justices to pick because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a view he also expressed in 2016 .
The court ’ s oldest members are Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , 87 , and Justice Stephen Breyer , 82 , both liberals , and Justice Clarence Thomas , 72 , and Justice Samuel Alito , 70 , two conservatives .
Ginsburg made news this summer when she announced she is being treated for a recurrence of cancer but has no plans to step down .
Biden , for his part , has not released a list of specific people he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominate a Black woman to the court if he has the opportunity in many ways narrows the field .
Biden said in late June that work on his list was underway .
“ We are putting together a list of a group of African-American women who are qualified and have the experience to be in the court .
I am not going to release that until we go further down the line of vetting them as well , ” he said .
Regardless of party , presidents tend to look for the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stellar legal credentials are a must .
All of the current justices attended Harvard or Yale law school , though Ginsburg left Harvard and graduated from Columbia .
All but Justice Elena Kagan were also first a judge on a federal appeals court .
And they tend to be old enough to have a distinguished legal career but young enough to serve for decades .
That generally means nominees are in their late 40s or 50s .
More recently , nominees have also previously clerked for a Supreme Court justice , an early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current justices previously clerked at the Supreme Court .
Age is one factor narrowing Biden ’ s choices .
Only five Black women are judges on federal appeals courts around the country , and each is 68 or older this year according to a Federal Judicial Center database .
Biden will almost certainly have to find someone with legal experience on a different court .
One option : Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson , a judge on the federal district court in Washington , D.C. Jackson , who turns 50 this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considered for the court by President Barack Obama in 2016 following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia .
Another obvious choice : Justice Leondra Kruger , who sits on the Supreme Court of California .
A graduate of Yale law school , she is 44 .
Both women also served as Supreme Court law clerks , Kruger to the late Justice John Paul Stevens and Jackson to Breyer .
Jessica Gresko is a reporter for The Associated Press .
AP reporters Darlene Superville and Bill Barrow contributed to this report .
Photo “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jr .

by Jessica Gresko
WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump is preparing to again release a list of potential Supreme Court nominees, one that voters can compare to rival Joe Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman to the high court if given the chance.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Trump’s list will be released soon. “I’m optimistic that you’ll see those SCOTUS picks in coming days,” Meadows said.
The move to release a list is a repeat of a successful strategy Trump employed during his 2016 campaign. Four years ago he took the unprecedented step of announcing potential Supreme Court nominees in a bid to win over conservatives and evangelicals who were not enthusiastic about his personal flaws but came around to his candidacy because of his promises on judicial appointments.
Trump had previously said on Twitter the announcement of a new list would come by September 1 and that it “may include some, or many of those already on the list.” Biden too has said he’s working on a list of potential nominees, but the campaign has given no indication that it would release any names before the November election and doing so would risk giving Trump and Republicans a target to put Biden on defense. Any vacancy would give the president the ability to shape the future of the powerful court, which is currently divided 5-4 between conservatives and liberals.
Any list may also be meaningless, however. Either man’s ability to get any future choice confirmed depends on having a majority in the Senate, which confirms nominees. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the chamber to Democrats’ 45, with two independents who caucus with the Democrats.
Trump released two lists of potential Supreme Court nominees during his previous presidential campaign, one with 11 names in May 2016 and another with 10 names that September. Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s first nominee to the court, was on the second list. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, his second nominee, was one of five people added to Trump’s list in 2017.
Of the people remaining on Trump’s list, six are women. It also includes several minorities including Amul Thapar, who is of South Asian decent. Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert Young, who is Black, and Federico Moreno, a federal judge in Florida who is Hispanic, are also on the list, though their age makes them unlikely nominees.
Trump has said recently that the winner of November’s presidential election “could have anywhere from two to four, to maybe even five” Supreme Court justices to pick because of the age of the current nine justices. It’s a view he also expressed in 2016.
The court’s oldest members are Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 87, and Justice Stephen Breyer, 82, both liberals, and Justice Clarence Thomas, 72, and Justice Samuel Alito, 70, two conservatives. Ginsburg made news this summer when she announced she is being treated for a recurrence of cancer but has no plans to step down.
Biden, for his part, has not released a list of specific people he’d nominate, but his promise to nominate a Black woman to the court if he has the opportunity in many ways narrows the field. Biden said in late June that work on his list was underway.
“We are putting together a list of a group of African-American women who are qualified and have the experience to be in the court. I am not going to release that until we go further down the line of vetting them as well,” he said.
Regardless of party, presidents tend to look for the same characteristics in potential Supreme Court picks. Stellar legal credentials are a must. All of the current justices attended Harvard or Yale law school, though Ginsburg left Harvard and graduated from Columbia. All but Justice Elena Kagan were also first a judge on a federal appeals court. And they tend to be old enough to have a distinguished legal career but young enough to serve for decades. That generally means nominees are in their late 40s or 50s.
More recently, nominees have also previously clerked for a Supreme Court justice, an early mark of legal smarts. Five of the current justices previously clerked at the Supreme Court.
Age is one factor narrowing Biden’s choices. Only five Black women are judges on federal appeals courts around the country, and each is 68 or older this year according to a Federal Judicial Center database.
Biden will almost certainly have to find someone with legal experience on a different court. One option: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, a judge on the federal district court in Washington, D.C. Jackson, who turns 50 this year, attended Harvard law school and was reportedly considered for the court by President Barack Obama in 2016 following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
Another obvious choice: Justice Leondra Kruger, who sits on the Supreme Court of California. A graduate of Yale law school, she is 44. Both women also served as Supreme Court law clerks, Kruger to the late Justice John Paul Stevens and Jackson to Breyer.
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Jessica Gresko is a reporter for The Associated Press. AP reporters Darlene Superville and Bill Barrow contributed to this report.
Photo “Bob Young Jr.” by Bob Young Jr.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--Pharmaceutical Companies Sign Joint Pledge Promising a Safe Coronavirus Vaccine as Public Confidence

Pharmaceutical Companies Sign Joint Pledge Promising a Safe Coronavirus Vaccine as Public Confidence Dips

Nine pharmaceutical companies signed a joint pledge Tuesday promising to prioritize safety and science regarding the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine .
The pledge is meant to counter declining public confidence in an eventual vaccine , Politico reported .
An August CNN poll found that just over half of Americans would be willing to take a vaccine once developed , and a recent Politico poll found that over 60 % of voters opposed the release of any vaccine that had not undergone full testing .
The executives who signed the pledge said that vaccines would only be submitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after having successfully completed a Phase III trial , which involves human testing to ensure a vaccine ’ s safety and effectiveness .
Three vaccines are in Phase III now , Politico reported .
The pledge contrasts President Donald Trump , who has said that a vaccine may be available by late October even though Phase III trials will likely still be in progress , according to public health officials .
“ We ’ ll have a vaccine soon , maybe before a special date .
You know what date I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Monday news conference , referring to Election Day .
Most public health experts have said that December 2020 or early 2021 is a more likely timeframe for a vaccine , according to Politico .
Democrats have weighed in on the eventual completion of a vaccine as well , often in political terms .
Vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris said Saturday that she “ would not trust Donald Trump ” regarding the safety of a vaccine , a comment that led to his response accusing Harris of prioritizing politics over public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , BioNTech , GlaxoSmithKline , Johnson & Johnson , Merck , Moderna , Novavax , Pfizer and Sanofi , prioritizes safety , ethics and accessibility .
“ We believe this pledge will help ensure public confidence in the rigorous scientific and regulatory process by which COVID-19 vaccines are evaluated and may ultimately be approved , ” it says .
Vaccines from AstraZeneca , Moderna and Pfizer are currently in Phase III trials , according to Politico , and Pfizer said that its vaccine could seek regulatory review in October , but only “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pivotal clinical trial proves our vaccine candidate to be safe , effective , and in line with the FDA ’ s guidance.
” Moncef Slaoui , who leads “ Operation Warp Speed , ” said that an October timeframe may be too ambitious .
“ There is a very , very low chance that the trials that are running as we speak could read before the end of October , ” he told NPR last week .
“ I think it ’ s extremely unlikely but not impossible , and therefore it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be prepared in case.
” Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .

by Andrew Trunsky
Nine pharmaceutical companies signed a joint pledge Tuesday promising to prioritize safety and science regarding the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine.
The pledge is meant to counter declining public confidence in an eventual vaccine, Politico reported. An August CNN poll found that just over half of Americans would be willing to take a vaccine once developed, and a recent Politico poll found that over 60% of voters opposed the release of any vaccine that had not undergone full testing.
The executives who signed the pledge said that vaccines would only be submitted for FDA approval or emergency use authorization after having successfully completed a Phase III trial, which involves human testing to ensure a vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. Three vaccines are in Phase III now, Politico reported.
The pledge contrasts President Donald Trump, who has said that a vaccine may be available by late October even though Phase III trials will likely still be in progress, according to public health officials.
“We’ll have a vaccine soon, maybe before a special date. You know what date I’m talking about,” Trump said during a Monday news conference, referring to Election Day.
Most public health experts have said that December 2020 or early 2021 is a more likely timeframe for a vaccine, according to Politico.
Democrats have weighed in on the eventual completion of a vaccine as well, often in political terms. Vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris said Saturday that she “would not trust Donald Trump” regarding the safety of a vaccine, a comment that led to his response accusing Harris of prioritizing politics over public health.
The pledge, signed by AstraZeneca, BioNTech, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer and Sanofi, prioritizes safety, ethics and accessibility.
“We believe this pledge will help ensure public confidence in the rigorous scientific and regulatory process by which COVID-19 vaccines are evaluated and may ultimately be approved,” it says.
Vaccines from AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer are currently in Phase III trials, according to Politico, and Pfizer said that its vaccine could seek regulatory review in October, but only “if – and only if – the pivotal clinical trial proves our vaccine candidate to be safe, effective, and in line with the FDA’s guidance.”
Moncef Slaoui, who leads “Operation Warp Speed,” said that an October timeframe may be too ambitious.
“There is a very, very low chance that the trials that are running as we speak could read before the end of October,” he told NPR last week. “I think it’s extremely unlikely but not impossible, and therefore it’s the right thing to do to be prepared in case.”
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Andrew Trunsky is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--This Group Within Florida’s Latino Community Overwhelmingly Supports Trump, Poll Finds

President Donald Trump is winning the Cuban vote by large margins in one of the most contentious counties in Florida less than three months before Election Day , a new poll published Tuesday found .
Cuban-Americans in Florida ’ s Miami-Dade County support Trump over Biden by 38 points , according to a Bendixen & Amandi International poll .
The poll , conducted Sept. 1 to Sept. 4 , found the former vice president narrowly behind overall Hispanic voters in the county , with Trump leading 47 % to 46 % .
“ If you ’ re the Biden campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think there ’ s reason for pause , ” Fernand Amandi , a Democratic strategist behind the poll , told the Miami Herald .
Sen. Mitt Romney split the Cuban vote evenly in 2012 with former President Barack Obama .
Amandi added : “ If Biden under-performs in what should be one of his strongest counties … it might imperil his chances of winning Florida unless there is a massive white voter exodus from Trump in other parts of the state.
” Trump is still behind Biden 38 % to 55 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overwhelming margins to compete in the rest of the state .
The president lost in Miami-Dade to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 30 points despite winning the state by 1.2 % of the overall vote .
Meanwhile , Trump is losing support in other demographics , according to the poll , which surveyed 500 voters in the county and carries a 4.4 % margin of error .
Biden is leading the president 51 % to 33 % among independent voters and 48 % to 44 % among white voters .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 % of Republicans in the county , the poll showed .
“ Democrats are potentially leaving Cuban votes on the table that they won in the past , which could very well make a difference in a state as tight as Florida , ” said Amandi , who helped produce Spanish-language ads for Obama ’ s 2012 re-election campaign against Romney .
Biden spokesman Kevin Muñoz believes Hispanic voters will come around to supporting the former vice president .
“ Joe Biden is ready to lift up Hispanic communities to reach their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the success of our small businesses or ensuring access to quality , affordable health care , ” Biden spokesman Kevin Muñoz said in a statement .
“ As Hispanic voters continue to lean in more on this race , their support for Joe Biden will continue to grow.
” Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Latino Trump Supporters ” by mccauleys-corner .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .

by Chris White
President Donald Trump is winning the Cuban vote by large margins in one of the most contentious counties in Florida less than three months before Election Day, a new poll published Tuesday found.
Cuban-Americans in Florida’s Miami-Dade County support Trump over Biden by 38 points, according to a Bendixen & Amandi International poll. The poll, conducted Sept. 1 to Sept. 4, found the former vice president narrowly behind overall Hispanic voters in the county, with Trump leading 47% to 46%.
“If you’re the Biden campaign, looking at these numbers, I think there’s reason for pause,” Fernand Amandi, a Democratic strategist behind the poll, told the Miami Herald.
Sen. Mitt Romney split the Cuban vote evenly in 2012 with former President Barack Obama.
Amandi added: “If Biden under-performs in what should be one of his strongest counties … it might imperil his chances of winning Florida unless there is a massive white voter exodus from Trump in other parts of the state.” Trump is still behind Biden 38% to 55% in Miami-Dade, where Democrats must win by overwhelming margins to compete in the rest of the state.
The president lost in Miami-Dade to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 30 points despite winning the state by 1.2% of the overall vote.
Meanwhile, Trump is losing support in other demographics, according to the poll, which surveyed 500 voters in the county and carries a 4.4% margin of error. Biden is leading the president 51% to 33% among independent voters and 48% to 44% among white voters. The Democratic presidential nominee also has support from 16% of Republicans in the county, the poll showed.
“Democrats are potentially leaving Cuban votes on the table that they won in the past, which could very well make a difference in a state as tight as Florida,” said Amandi, who helped produce Spanish-language ads for Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign against Romney.
Biden spokesman Kevin Muñoz believes Hispanic voters will come around to supporting the former vice president.
“Joe Biden is ready to lift up Hispanic communities to reach their full potential, whether by fighting for the success of our small businesses or ensuring access to quality, affordable health care,” Biden spokesman Kevin Muñoz said in a statement. “As Hispanic voters continue to lean in more on this race, their support for Joe Biden will continue to grow.”
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Chris White is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Latino Trump Supporters” by mccauleys-corner. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-09-09--Kamala Harris Told Jacob Blake, Who Is Accused of Sexual Assault, She’s Proud of Him

Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris told Jacob Blake Sunday that she is “ proud of him , ” his attorney said , though she did not address allegations of sexual assault leveled against Blake .
Harris , who is 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s running mate , visited with Blake at Wisconsin ’ s Froedtert Hospital Sunday while his family joined with them over the phone , according to a press statement released by Blake ’ s attorney Ben Crump .
She said her message to the family was to “ express concern for their well-being and of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son ’ s well being and to let them know that they have support.
” “ Really wonderful , ” Harris told reporters of the visit .
“ I mean they ’ re an incredible family and what they ’ ve endured and they do it with such dignity and grace .
And you know , they ’ re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.
” Blake , a black man who video footage appears to show was shot in the back by a police officer , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ moving moment , ” according to Crump ’ s office .
Harris also told Blake that she is proud of him and “ how he is working through his pain , ” the attorney ’ s office said .
Harris ’ s praise for Blake comes despite allegations of sexual assault leveled against Blake by his ex-girlfriend .
This ex-girlfriend , who is reportedly identified only by her initials , alleged in a criminal complaint that Blake broke into her home and digitally raped her , according to the New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she has known Blake for eight years and that Blake assaults her “ around twice a year when he drinks heavily.
” She said that while she and one of her children were sleeping in bed on the morning of May 3 around 6 a.m. , Blake came into the room and said “ I want my sh-t ” before sexually assaulting her with his finger and sniffing it .
“ Smells like you ’ ve been with other men , ” he said , according to the Post .
The victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him this and cried as she told how the defendant assaulted her , ” the officer who took the alleged victim ’ s statement said , the Post reported .
Blake ’ s alleged assault “ caused her pain and humiliation and was done without her consent , ” the victim said , according to the Post .
She also said she was “ very humiliated and upset by the sexual assault , ” the publication reported from court documents .
The victim said that she “ was upset but collected herself ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her car keys and car were missing , the Post reports .
She then “ immediately called 911 , ” the Post reported from the complaint .
Authorities placed a restraining order on Blake forbidding him from going to his ex-girlfriend ’ s home following this incident , the Post reported .
His ex-girlfriend called 911 to report that he was on the property the day that Blake was shot by police , the New York Times reported .
Blake plead not guilty to charges of criminal trespassing , third-degree sexual assault , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearance Friday , according to the Post .
The charges are based on statements made by Blake ’ s ex-girlfriend , the publication reported , made when her complaint was filed in July .
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Neither Patrick K. Cafferty , the attorney representing Blake in the sexual assault allegations from Blake ’ s girlfriend , nor Crump responded to requests for comment from the DCNF .
Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jacob Blake ” by Ben Crump .

by Mary Margaret Olohan
Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris told Jacob Blake Sunday that she is “proud of him,” his attorney said, though she did not address allegations of sexual assault leveled against Blake.
Harris, who is 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, visited with Blake at Wisconsin’s Froedtert Hospital Sunday while his family joined with them over the phone, according to a press statement released by Blake’s attorney Ben Crump.
She said her message to the family was to “express concern for their well-being and of course, for their brother and their son’s well being and to let them know that they have support.”
“Really wonderful,” Harris told reporters of the visit. “I mean they’re an incredible family and what they’ve endured and they do it with such dignity and grace. And you know, they’re carrying the weight of a lot of voices on their shoulders.”
Blake, a black man who video footage appears to show was shot in the back by a police officer, told Harris he was proud of her in a “moving moment,” according to Crump’s office.
Harris also told Blake that she is proud of him and “how he is working through his pain,” the attorney’s office said.
Harris’s praise for Blake comes despite allegations of sexual assault leveled against Blake by his ex-girlfriend. This ex-girlfriend, who is reportedly identified only by her initials, alleged in a criminal complaint that Blake broke into her home and digitally raped her, according to the New York Post.
The alleged victim told police that she has known Blake for eight years and that Blake assaults her “around twice a year when he drinks heavily.” She said that while she and one of her children were sleeping in bed on the morning of May 3 around 6 a.m., Blake came into the room and said “I want my sh-t” before sexually assaulting her with his finger and sniffing it.
“Smells like you’ve been with other men,” he said, according to the Post.
The victim “had a very difficult time telling him this and cried as she told how the defendant assaulted her,” the officer who took the alleged victim’s statement said, the Post reported.
Blake’s alleged assault “caused her pain and humiliation and was done without her consent,” the victim said, according to the Post. She also said she was “very humiliated and upset by the sexual assault,” the publication reported from court documents.
The victim said that she “was upset but collected herself” and ran after Blake only to discover her car keys and car were missing, the Post reports. She then “immediately called 911,” the Post reported from the complaint.
Authorities placed a restraining order on Blake forbidding him from going to his ex-girlfriend’s home following this incident, the Post reported. His ex-girlfriend called 911 to report that he was on the property the day that Blake was shot by police, the New York Times reported.
Blake plead not guilty to charges of criminal trespassing, third-degree sexual assault, and disorderly conduct in a virtual court appearance Friday, according to the Post. The charges are based on statements made by Blake’s ex-girlfriend, the publication reported, made when her complaint was filed in July.
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Neither Patrick K. Cafferty, the attorney representing Blake in the sexual assault allegations from Blake’s girlfriend, nor Crump responded to requests for comment from the DCNF.
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Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Background Photo “Jacob Blake” by Ben Crump.