bonginoreport--2020-09-08--NFL Issues Crowd Noise Standards in Memo, Whether Teams Admit Fans or Not

The NFL has issued its crowd noise protocols and all NFL stadiums will feature crowd noise to start the season whether or not fans are allowed inside the stadium , according to a memo sent out to teams last week .
The league-provided crowd noise is to be played at 70 decibels and failure to follow the rules will result in aggressive fines from the home office .
According to IAC Acoustics , 70 decibels is equivalent to “ passenger car at 65 mph at 25 ft ( 77 dB ) ; freeway at 50 ft from pavement edge 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room music ( 76 dB ) ; radio or TV-audio , vacuum cleaner ( 70 dB ) .
” • League-curated audio must be played in all stadiums that do not admit fans .
To begin the season , curated audio must be played in stadiums that admit fans .
NFL Football Operations will re-evaluate the use of audio in stadiums with fans as the season progresses .
• Your club ’ s game presentation staff must play the curated audio through the stadium ’ s PA system at 70 dBs .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remote fan crowd noise , including from the parking lots or other areas outside the stadium .
• A club ’ s failure to adhere to these policies , including any attempt to manipulate the League-provided curated audio , will constitute a violation of the Game Operations Manual .
Violations of any of the policies set forth above or in the Game Operations Manual may result in the imposition of fines on the club , fines and/or suspensions of persons involved , and/or the forfeiture of a draft choice ( s ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a policy or rule set forth in this Manual will not be considered a mitigating factor with respect to the assessment of accountability measures .
In 2014 , Arrowhead Stadium set a Guinness Book of World Records outdoor stadium crowd noise record by hitting a measured mark of 142.2 decibels .
Arrowhead will be at 22 % capacity Thursday night when the NFL season starts with Texans-Chiefs .

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The NFL has issued its crowd noise protocols and all NFL stadiums will feature crowd noise to start the season whether or not fans are allowed inside the stadium, according to a memo sent out to teams last week. The league-provided crowd noise is to be played at 70 decibels and failure to follow the rules will result in aggressive fines from the home office.
According to IAC Acoustics, 70 decibels is equivalent to “passenger car at 65 mph at 25 ft (77 dB); freeway at 50 ft from pavement edge 10 a.m. (76 dB). Living room music (76 dB); radio or TV-audio, vacuum cleaner (70 dB).”
Highlights from the NFL’s crowd noise memo:
• League-curated audio must be played in all stadiums that do not admit fans. To begin the season, curated audio must be played in stadiums that admit fans. NFL Football Operations will re-evaluate the use of audio in stadiums with fans as the season progresses.
• Your club’s game presentation staff must play the curated audio through the stadium’s PA system at 70 dBs.
• Clubs are prohibited from implementing any additional remote fan crowd noise, including from the parking lots or other areas outside the stadium.
• A club’s failure to adhere to these policies, including any attempt to manipulate the League-provided curated audio, will constitute a violation of the Game Operations Manual. Violations of any of the policies set forth above or in the Game Operations Manual may result in the imposition of fines on the club, fines and/or suspensions of persons involved, and/or the forfeiture of a draft choice(s), including for first offenses. Ignorance of a policy or rule set forth in this Manual will not be considered a mitigating factor with respect to the assessment of accountability measures.
In 2014, Arrowhead Stadium set a Guinness Book of World Records outdoor stadium crowd noise record by hitting a measured mark of 142.2 decibels. Arrowhead will be at 22% capacity Thursday night when the NFL season starts with Texans-Chiefs.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Novak Djokovic Loses Millions in Prize Money and Can Face More Fines After Being Disqualified From U

Novak Djokovic Loses Millions in Prize Money and Can Face More Fines After Being Disqualified From U.S. Open

Novak Djokovic , the world 's No .
1 tennis player , could potentially face additional fines from the United States Tennis Association following his dramatic disqualification from the U.S. Open on Sunday night .
In addition to missing out on the $ 3 million in prize money up for grabs in the U.S. Open , Djokovic has been stripped of his $ 250,000 ( £190,000 ) in prize money from reaching the Round of 16 of the tournament after swiping a ball away that struck a female line judge in the throat .
SERENA WILLIAMS SETS UP US OPEN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done in frustration after being broken 5-6 in the opening set against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain .
Despite his pleas for leniency from tournament officials , Djokovic was defaulted by the umpire and Carreno Busta was declared the winner of the match .
Djokovic then refused to take part in his press commitments , abruptly leaving the Flushing Meadows facility .
The USTA issued a statement on the default Sunday , arguing that Djokovic 's move against the line judge was intentional .
`` In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences , the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open , '' the USTA said .
`` Because he was defaulted , Djokovic will lose all ranking points earned at the US Open and will be fined the prize money won at the tournament in addition to any or all fines levied with respect to the offending incident . ''
According to a USTA spokesperson , the stunt led to an additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for `` unsportsmanlike behaviour . ''
Meanwhile , the decision to skip out on press commitments is expected to land Djokovic in even more hot water , with the Mirror noting the fine to skip post-match duties could potentially be up to $ 19,750 ( £15,000 ) .
The spokesperson noted that updates will be posted on the USTA website and that additional announcements could be made as early as Tuesday morning .
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE In an Instagram post on Sunday , Djokovic issued an apology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him `` really sad and empty . ''
`` I checked on the lines person and the tournament told me that thank God she is feeling ok , '' Djokovic said .
`` I ‘ m extremely sorry to have caused her such stress .
So unintended .
So wrong .
I ’ m not disclosing her name to respect her privacy . ''
As for the disqualification , Djokovic said he needs to `` go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being . ''
`` I apologize to the @ usopen tournament and everyone associated for my behavior , '' Djokovic added .
`` I ’ m very grateful to my team and family for being my rock support , and my fans for always being there with me .
Thank you and I ’ m so sorry . ''
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

Novak Djokovic, the world's No. 1 tennis player, could potentially face additional fines from the United States Tennis Association following his dramatic disqualification from the U.S. Open on Sunday night.
In addition to missing out on the $3 million in prize money up for grabs in the U.S. Open, Djokovic has been stripped of his $250,000 (£190,000) in prize money from reaching the Round of 16 of the tournament after swiping a ball away that struck a female line judge in the throat.
Image 1 of 2
SERENA WILLIAMS SETS UP US OPEN SHOWDOWN VS. SLOANE STEPHENS
The move was done in frustration after being broken 5-6 in the opening set against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain.
Despite his pleas for leniency from tournament officials, Djokovic was defaulted by the umpire and Carreno Busta was declared the winner of the match.
Image 1 of 3
BALANCING MOTHERHOOD AND TENNIS, PRONKOA ADVANCES AT OPEN
Djokovic then refused to take part in his press commitments, abruptly leaving the Flushing Meadows facility.
The USTA issued a statement on the default Sunday, arguing that Djokovic's move against the line judge was intentional.
"In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open," the USTA said. "Because he was defaulted, Djokovic will lose all ranking points earned at the US Open and will be fined the prize money won at the tournament in addition to any or all fines levied with respect to the offending incident."
According to a USTA spokesperson, the stunt led to an additional fine of $10,000 (£7,600) for "unsportsmanlike behaviour." Meanwhile, the decision to skip out on press commitments is expected to land Djokovic in even more hot water with fines of up to $20,000 per the Grand Slam rulebook.
The spokesperson noted that updates will be posted on the USTA website and that additional announcements could be made as early as Tuesday morning.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Djokovic issued an apology, saying the whole situation has left him "really sad and empty."
"I checked on the lines person and the tournament told me that thank God she is feeling ok," Djokovic said. "I‘m extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended. So wrong. I’m not disclosing her name to respect her privacy."
As for the disqualification, Djokovic said he needs to "go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being."
"I apologize to the @usopen tournament and everyone associated for my behavior," Djokovic added. "I’m very grateful to my team and family for being my rock support, and my fans for always being there with me. Thank you and I’m so sorry."
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Golfer Dustin Johnson Secures FedEx Cup After Winning Tour Championship

Dustin Johnson sinks a putt on 18 to win the Tour Championship by three strokes and secure the FedEx Cup , earning himself the $ 15 million purse .
( 0:29 ) ATLANTA -- Dustin Johnson only looks like he plays without a pulse .
Beneath his stoic stare and that swagger as he walked the fairways of East Lake on Monday were jangled nerves because it meant so much to him .
The $ 15 million prize for winning the FedEx Cup ?
That would get anyone 's attention , especially someone who thought he was rich when Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 113,571 as a PGA Tour rookie .
But there was more .
`` The prestige , for sure , '' Johnson said after delivering a key par putt and steady play down the stretch for a 2-under 68 and a 3-shot victory in the Tour Championship .
`` Being a FedEx Cup champion is something that I really wanted to do .
I wanted to hold that trophy at the end of the day .
It was something that I wanted to accomplish during my career . ''
He did it by hitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He won two of the three FedEx Cup postseason events and lost in a playoff by a 65-foot putt in the other .
It all came down to the final day of the final event , and even with a 5-shot lead , it was never easy .
Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas each got within 3 shots on the front nine .
They each got within 2 shots of Johnson with two holes to play .
Johnson never let them catch him , and his only birdie of the back nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third victory since June and the 23rd of his PGA Tour career .
`` It 's a very tough trophy to win , '' Johnson said .
`` I controlled my own destiny , but I still had to go out and play well .
I had a lot of great players right behind me .
It got close at the end .
I knew it was going to come down the stretch and I 'd have to hit some golf shots . ''
None was bigger than the 20-foot par putt on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at three shots , the 5-iron safely on the green on the toughest hole at East Lake , another 5-iron over the water on the par-3 15th -- the one hole where big numbers lurk -- and a wedge out of a deep bunker and onto the green at the 16th .
`` This is a tough golf course .
No lead is safe , '' Johnson said .
`` The guys gave me a good fight today . ''
Johnson became the first No .
1 seed at the Tour Championship to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2009 .
Now Johnson has his name etched on the silver trophy alongside some of the best from his generation , starting with Woods and most recently Rory McIlroy , with Hall of Famers , major champions and former world No .
1 players in between .
Schauffele , who tends to bring his best golf to big moments , cut the lead to 2 shots when he and Johnson had to scramble for par on the 13th .
Schauffele missed his par putt from 25 feet , and Johnson dropped his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the tournament , '' said Schauffele , who closed with a 66 and had the lowest 72-hole score of the event at 265 .
`` He made that putt .
I did n't .
That was a pinnacle moment . ''
Thomas made bogey from a wild tee shot to the right on the 17th .
Schauffele also had to scramble on the 17th , escaping with par after a tee shot into the bunker .
On the par-5 18th , Johnson unleashed a drive that started left along the pine trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fairway .
That set up a birdie from the front bunker , a hug with brother and caddie , Austin , and a trophy Johnson long wanted .
Johnson was staked to a five-shot lead at 19-under par -- 9 under on his own score and starting the tournament at 10 under as the No .
1 seed in the FedEx Cup .
He finished at 21 under .
Schauffele and Thomas tied for second , each earning $ 4.5 million .
Jon Rahm , the No .
2 seed , closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earn $ 3 million .
Scottie Scheffler , who a year ago was getting ready to start his rookie year , had a 66-65 finish and was fifth for a $ 2.5 million payoff .
Thus wrapped up the strangest season on the PGA Tour , which does n't seem like the end , except for the $ 15 million awarded to Johnson -- $ 14 million now and $ 1 million deferred .
The new season starts Thursday .
Two majors are still to be played .
Golf was shut down for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Johnson was No .
111 in the FedEx Cup .
He won the Travelers Championship .
He followed with a pair of 80s in the Memorial and a 78 at the 3M Open in Minnesota , before he withdrew because he was n't feeling quite right .
Since then , he looks like the biggest talent in golf .
`` I played with him at the Memorial , and I 've never seen him as lost , anywhere remotely close to that lost , '' Thomas said of Johnson .
`` He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad .
But he never gave up .
He was just trying to find it out there , and he could n't find it again the next week ; and then next thing you know , two months later , he 's the FedEx Cup champion .
`` I think that 's all you need to know about golf right there . ''
In four straight tournaments against the best fields , Johnson had the 54-hole lead three times and was tied in the other .
He converted one into an 11-shot win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Collin Morikawa at the PGA Championship and to a 65-foot putt by Rahm at the BMW Championship .
Johnson badly wanted the last one , and even staked to a 5-shot lead to par at East Lake , it was never easy .
It rarely is for Johnson .
But he 's back on top at No .
1 -- with a trophy he badly wanted .
Next up is the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in two weeks , a tough course , the kind Johnson loves .
Still to come is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the holidays .
He wants to keep going .
`` I 'm playing well .
I 've got a lot of confidence in the game , '' he said .
`` I 'm really looking forward to the next obviously couple months . ''

ATLANTA -- Dustin Johnson only looks like he plays without a pulse. Beneath his stoic stare and that swagger as he walked the fairways of East Lake on Monday were jangled nerves because it meant so much to him.
The $15 million prize for winning the FedEx Cup? That would get anyone's attention, especially someone who thought he was rich when Johnson cashed his first tournament check for $113,571 as a PGA Tour rookie.
But there was more.
"The prestige, for sure," Johnson said after delivering a key par putt and steady play down the stretch for a 2-under 68 and a 3-shot victory in the Tour Championship.
"Being a FedEx Cup champion is something that I really wanted to do. I wanted to hold that trophy at the end of the day. It was something that I wanted to accomplish during my career."
He did it by hitting his stride at just the right time.
He won two of the three FedEx Cup postseason events and lost in a playoff by a 65-foot putt in the other. It all came down to the final day of the final event, and even with a 5-shot lead, it was never easy.
Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas each got within 3 shots on the front nine. They each got within 2 shots of Johnson with two holes to play. Johnson never let them catch him, and his only birdie of the back nine on the final hole gave him his third victory since June and the 23rd of his PGA Tour career.
"It's a very tough trophy to win," Johnson said. "I controlled my own destiny, but I still had to go out and play well. I had a lot of great players right behind me. It got close at the end. I knew it was going to come down the stretch and I'd have to hit some golf shots."
None was bigger than the 20-foot par putt on the 13th hole to keep his lead at three shots, the 5-iron safely on the green on the toughest hole at East Lake, another 5-iron over the water on the par-3 15th -- the one hole where big numbers lurk -- and a wedge out of a deep bunker and onto the green at the 16th.
"This is a tough golf course. No lead is safe," Johnson said. "The guys gave me a good fight today."
Johnson became the first No. 1 seed at the Tour Championship to win the FedEx Cup since Tiger Woods in 2009. Now Johnson has his name etched on the silver trophy alongside some of the best from his generation, starting with Woods and most recently Rory McIlroy, with Hall of Famers, major champions and former world No. 1 players in between.
Schauffele, who tends to bring his best golf to big moments, cut the lead to 2 shots when he and Johnson had to scramble for par on the 13th. Schauffele missed his par putt from 25 feet, and Johnson dropped his in.
"He's here to win the tournament," said Schauffele, who closed with a 66 and had the lowest 72-hole score of the event at 265. "He made that putt. I didn't. That was a pinnacle moment."
Thomas made bogey from a wild tee shot to the right on the 17th. Schauffele also had to scramble on the 17th, escaping with par after a tee shot into the bunker. On the par-5 18th, Johnson unleashed a drive that started left along the pine trees and faded gently toward the middle of the fairway.
That set up a birdie from the front bunker, a hug with brother and caddie, Austin, and a trophy Johnson long wanted.
Johnson was staked to a five-shot lead at 19-under par -- 9 under on his own score and starting the tournament at 10 under as the No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup. He finished at 21 under.
Schauffele and Thomas tied for second, each earning $4.5 million.
Jon Rahm, the No. 2 seed, closed with a 66 to finish fourth and earn $3 million. Scottie Scheffler, who a year ago was getting ready to start his rookie year, had a 66-65 finish and was fifth for a $2.5 million payoff.
Thus wrapped up the strangest season on the PGA Tour, which doesn't seem like the end, except for the $15 million awarded to Johnson -- $14 million now and $1 million deferred.
The new season starts Thursday. Two majors are still to be played.
Golf was shut down for three months, and when it restarted, Johnson was No. 111 in the FedEx Cup. He won the Travelers Championship. He followed with a pair of 80s in the Memorial and a 78 at the 3M Open in Minnesota, before he withdrew because he wasn't feeling quite right.
Since then, he looks like the biggest talent in golf.
"I played with him at the Memorial, and I've never seen him as lost, anywhere remotely close to that lost," Thomas said of Johnson. "He was putting so bad and playing so bad. But he never gave up. He was just trying to find it out there, and he couldn't find it again the next week; and then next thing you know, two months later, he's the FedEx Cup champion.
"I think that's all you need to know about golf right there."
In four straight tournaments against the best fields, Johnson had the 54-hole lead three times and was tied in the other. He converted one into an 11-shot win. He lost to a 65 by Collin Morikawa at the PGA Championship and to a 65-foot putt by Rahm at the BMW Championship.
Johnson badly wanted the last one, and even staked to a 5-shot lead to par at East Lake, it was never easy.
It rarely is for Johnson.
But he's back on top at No. 1 -- with a trophy he badly wanted. Next up is the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in two weeks, a tough course, the kind Johnson loves. Still to come is the Masters. The celebration can wait until the holidays. He wants to keep going.
"I'm playing well. I've got a lot of confidence in the game," he said. "I'm really looking forward to the next obviously couple months."


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Madeleine Westerhout: We Must Take a Deeper Look at the Motivation Behind the Trump “Tell-All” and A

Madeleine Westerhout: We Must Take a Deeper Look at the Motivation Behind the Trump “Tell-All” and Anonymously Sourced Articles

Why is it that everyone who leaves the Trump White House on bad terms has terrible things to say about the President , while those who leave on good terms have nothing but incredible stories to share about their time in the administration ?
That can not be a coincidence .
It seems that every individual who had worked closely with President Trump or his family decides to write a book , so for me , doing so was initially the last thing on my mind .
I certainly did not want to be just another former Trump official who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money and dish on the President .
Is it so hard to believe that a young woman , such as myself , could actually have good things to say about President Trump and have no ulterior motives other than to tell a vulnerable and honest story ?
Apparently , is it .
Why do we [ ex-White House staffers ] write these books ?
Money ?
Maybe… but none of us are going to be the next Tom Clancy .
Relevance ?
Sure… we all know that we will never again be as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a hard pill to swallow .
Revenge ?
For those that have fallen out of favor with the president and have an ax to grind , the answer is overwhelmingly yesss !
Sex sells .
Conspiracy sells .
Good vs Evil sells .
But , why now ?
Why right before an election ?
As a public servant , it is your duty to serve your Commander in Chief if asked to do so , but also your duty to resign from your post when you no longer agree with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Bolton seriously believed that President Trump was a threat to national security , his sense of duty appears to have been entirely absent until after he was fired .
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff has had three years to tell her version of how she believes certain events played out .
I wrote a book in eight months .
I can tell you that it is possible to get your story out there quickly .
Furthermore , what kind of person tapes private conversations with their best friend ?
The woman I got to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and understanding .
She cherishes those she loves and , like her husband , will do anything for her friends and family .
One has to wonder what the motivation is for Ms. Wolkoff to publish her “ tell-all ” now .
The timing for Michael Cohen ’ s book actually makes sense .
Mr. Cohen has been in federal prison for the last several months .
He ’ s had plenty of time to jot down his thoughts in the form of this newest work of fiction .
All that time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led him to do things that were illegal and just plain wrong .
But rather than take responsibility , he has chosen to sell out .
Again , we must ask ourselves , how can there be such different sides to the entire Trump family ?
Why do people who have known and stood by the Trumps for years , such as Michael Cohen , Omarosa , Anthony Scaramucci , and Stephanie Wolkoff all of a sudden change their tune when they are either fired or have fallen out of favor with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest form of revenge manifest itself in The Atlantic article .
How is it possible that after several White House aides who were on the trip with the president have gone on the record to dispute the events that allegedly took place at Belleau Wood , The Atlantic hasn ’ t printed a retraction or even added in the quotes from these officials .
President Trump has deep gratitude for the incredible sacrifice made by so many in service to our Country .
Time and again , I witnessed a Commander-in-Chief with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman in the armed forces .
With less than two months until we cast our vote for president , I implore the American people to look at President Trump ’ s actions and a long list of accomplishments for this country .
He has spent every single day of his presidency fighting for the American people while self-seeking former aides and former-friends spew vicious lies about him in order to make a quick buck .
Rather than giving fuel to the fire , voters should see these books and articles for what they @ @ @ @

Why is it that everyone who leaves the Trump White House on bad terms has terrible things to say about the President, while those who leave on good terms have nothing but incredible stories to share about their time in the administration? That cannot be a coincidence.
It seems that every individual who had worked closely with President Trump or his family decides to write a book, so for me, doing so was initially the last thing on my mind. I certainly did not want to be just another former Trump official who writes a book in order to make money and dish on the President.
Is it so hard to believe that a young woman, such as myself, could actually have good things to say about President Trump and have no ulterior motives other than to tell a vulnerable and honest story? Apparently, is it.
Why do we [ex-White House staffers] write these books?
Money? Maybe… but none of us are going to be the next Tom Clancy.
Relevance? Sure… we all know that we will never again be as relevant as we were yesterday. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
Revenge? For those that have fallen out of favor with the president and have an ax to grind, the answer is overwhelmingly yesss!
Sex sells. Conspiracy sells. Good vs Evil sells. But, why now? Why right before an election?
As a public servant, it is your duty to serve your Commander in Chief if asked to do so, but also your duty to resign from your post when you no longer agree with the agenda that you are serving. If John Bolton seriously believed that President Trump was a threat to national security, his sense of duty appears to have been entirely absent until after he was fired.
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff has had three years to tell her version of how she believes certain events played out. I wrote a book in eight months. I can tell you that it is possible to get your story out there quickly. Furthermore, what kind of person tapes private conversations with their best friend?
The woman I got to know in Mrs. Trump is incredibly loyal and understanding. She cherishes those she loves and, like her husband, will do anything for her friends and family. One has to wonder what the motivation is for Ms. Wolkoff to publish her “tell-all” now.
The timing for Michael Cohen’s book actually makes sense. Mr. Cohen has been in federal prison for the last several months. He’s had plenty of time to jot down his thoughts in the form of this newest work of fiction. All that time to reflect on how his mistakes and missteps led him to do things that were illegal and just plain wrong. But rather than take responsibility, he has chosen to sell out.
Again, we must ask ourselves, how can there be such different sides to the entire Trump family? Why do people who have known and stood by the Trumps for years, such as Michael Cohen, Omarosa, Anthony Scaramucci, and Stephanie Wolkoff all of a sudden change their tune when they are either fired or have fallen out of favor with the president.
And now we have the latest form of revenge manifest itself in The Atlantic article. How is it possible that after several White House aides who were on the trip with the president have gone on the record to dispute the events that allegedly took place at Belleau Wood, The Atlantic hasn’t printed a retraction or even added in the quotes from these officials.
President Trump has deep gratitude for the incredible sacrifice made by so many in service to our Country. Time and again, I witnessed a Commander-in-Chief with the deepest reverence for every single man and woman in the armed forces.
With less than two months until we cast our vote for president, I implore the American people to look at President Trump’s actions and a long list of accomplishments for this country. He has spent every single day of his presidency fighting for the American people while self-seeking former aides and former-friends spew vicious lies about him in order to make a quick buck. Rather than giving fuel to the fire, voters should see these books and articles for what they are, propaganda.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Stephen Moore: Celebrate the Miracle of America

In his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention , Joe Biden had this uninspiring assessment of America 's current predicament : `` The president keeps telling us the virus is going to disappear .
He keeps waiting for a miracle .
Well , I have news for him : No miracle is coming . ''
Actually , as an American , I feel it 's hard NOT to believe in miracles .
As the great historian Paul Johnson has noted , that our nation -- `` the last , best hope '' of the world -- even exists is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of men at any time or any place in history came together to write the U.S. Constitution -- the most influential document in history outside of the Bible -- was a miracle .
The polio vaccine was a miracle .
D-Day was a miracle .
The inventions of the Wright brothers , Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were world-changing miracles .
The U.S. hockey team in Lake Placid could n't possibly beat the mighty Soviets , the greatest team in the world .
When they did , Al Michaels of ABC could only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the clock : `` Do you believe in miracles ? ''
Well , the New York Mets did in 1969 .
Steve Jobs , a college dropout , started Apple Computer Inc. in a garage , and it is now a $ 2 trillion company .
That is a miracle .
The ability of ordinary Americans to come together as a nation , prevail over adversity and achieve extraordinary things is seemingly imprinted in our DNA .
I 've always loved Robert F. Kennedy 's memorable line : `` Some men see things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? '
I dream things that never were and ask , 'Why not ? '
'' That 's a message for Joe Biden , Donald Trump and all our political leaders to take to heart as we battle a deep economic recession and a virus -- the `` invisible enemy '' that has killed nearly 200,000 Americans in six months .
We are so polarized , angry and anxious now that we are at each other 's throats -- literally and figuratively .
Many millions of young people are so down on America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world , which has been so obviously and overwhelmingly positive , that even the core idea of American exceptionalism is rejected .
We are the one nation in the world that seems to highlight our flaws and not our abundant goodness .
I 'm heartened and inspired by the `` AmeriCANs '' movement to stop the discord -- even if only temporarily .
After all , this is a campaign season .
AmeriCANs is n't political .
In fact , it is sponsored by a group called Pause Politics .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patriotic celebration of our past and our combined goodness and our compassion .
Millions of people can make positive change -- not by tearing down but by building up and by contributing to positive outcomes .
Not by burning down in the fits of rage we all feel from time to time these days but by lighting candles and lending a helping hand .
Imagine if we had thousands and thousands of young people from Black Lives Matter to conservative and church groups , dedicating themselves in the weeks ahead to repairing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Portland , Oregon ; and Seattle .
What better way to heal than by putting politics aside to advance justice and peace ?
The whole nation and the whole world would be watching this latest American miracle .
Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economic consultant with FreedomWorks .
He is the co-author of `` Trumponomics : Inside the America First Plan to Revive the American Economy . ''
To find out more about Stephen Moore and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ www.creators.com .

In his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Joe Biden had this uninspiring assessment of America's current predicament: "The president keeps telling us the virus is going to disappear. He keeps waiting for a miracle. Well, I have news for him: No miracle is coming."
Actually, as an American, I feel it's hard NOT to believe in miracles. As the great historian Paul Johnson has noted, that our nation -- "the last, best hope" of the world -- even exists is a miracle. That the greatest assembly of men at any time or any place in history came together to write the U.S. Constitution -- the most influential document in history outside of the Bible -- was a miracle.
The polio vaccine was a miracle. D-Day was a miracle. The inventions of the Wright brothers, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were world-changing miracles.
The U.S. hockey team in Lake Placid couldn't possibly beat the mighty Soviets, the greatest team in the world. When they did, Al Michaels of ABC could only announce astonishingly in the final ticks on the clock: "Do you believe in miracles?" Well, the New York Mets did in 1969.
Steve Jobs, a college dropout, started Apple Computer Inc. in a garage, and it is now a $2 trillion company. That is a miracle.
The ability of ordinary Americans to come together as a nation, prevail over adversity and achieve extraordinary things is seemingly imprinted in our DNA. I've always loved Robert F. Kennedy's memorable line: "Some men see things as they are and ask, 'Why?' I dream things that never were and ask, 'Why not?'"
That's a message for Joe Biden, Donald Trump and all our political leaders to take to heart as we battle a deep economic recession and a virus -- the "invisible enemy" that has killed nearly 200,000 Americans in six months.
We are so polarized, angry and anxious now that we are at each other's throats -- literally and figuratively. Many millions of young people are so down on America and so contemptuous of our past role in the world, which has been so obviously and overwhelmingly positive, that even the core idea of American exceptionalism is rejected. We are the one nation in the world that seems to highlight our flaws and not our abundant goodness.
I'm heartened and inspired by the "AmeriCANs" movement to stop the discord -- even if only temporarily. After all, this is a campaign season. AmeriCANs isn't political. In fact, it is sponsored by a group called Pause Politics.
We can and should come together in a patriotic celebration of our past and our combined goodness and our compassion. Millions of people can make positive change -- not by tearing down but by building up and by contributing to positive outcomes. Not by burning down in the fits of rage we all feel from time to time these days but by lighting candles and lending a helping hand.
Imagine if we had thousands and thousands of young people from Black Lives Matter to conservative and church groups, dedicating themselves in the weeks ahead to repairing the damage to Kenosha, Wisconsin; Chicago; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle. What better way to heal than by putting politics aside to advance justice and peace? The whole nation and the whole world would be watching this latest American miracle.
Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economic consultant with FreedomWorks. He is the co-author of "Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive the American Economy." To find out more about Stephen Moore and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Two Australian Journalists Flee China as Tensions Between the Two Countries Grow

Two Australian journalists based in China have fled the country as diplomatic relations between the trading partners worsen .
Bill Birtles , the Australian Broadcasting Corp. ’ s Beijing correspondent , and Mike Smith , the Australian Financial Review ’ s Shanghai correspondent , left the country after Chinese police demanded interviews with them , according to Smith .
The men were initially banned from leaving and spent five days under consular protection until Australian diplomats could negotiate their departure .
“ It ’ s clearly political , ” Smith said Tuesday from Sydney .
“ It ’ s quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign journalists in China.
” “ Australia-China relations have really hit rock-bottom , so we ’ re unsure whether they were trying to send a message to Australia , to try and intimidate Australia more , ” he said .
Their departure comes a week after Australia revealed that Cheng Lei , a Chinese-born Australian citizen who worked as an anchor at a Chinese government-run English-language news channel , had been detained by authorities .
Australia ’ s relationship with its largest trading partner has worsened since Prime Minister Scott Morrison ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry into the source of the coronavirus pandemic .
China has subsequently imposed tariffs on barley , blocked some beef exports , begun anti-dumping probes into the wine industry and warned its citizens to avoid holidaying or studying in Australia .
Smith and Birtles were the last accredited reporters for Australian media based in mainland China .
There are still other Australian citizens working as journalists in China for American , British and other media companies .
Smith said he was first cautioned last week by Australian diplomats that he should leave the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice , the ABC reported .
Ministry of State Security officers came to their homes after midnight on Wednesday and informed them that they were “ persons of interest ” in an investigation and couldn ’ t leave China , according to Smith .
The experience of being surrounded in his home and filmed by police as they read out a statement was “ a bit of a shock and quite intimidating , ” he said .
They were eventually allowed to leave the country after agreeing to an interview with police while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked about Cheng Lei , among other questions , and described the hour-long interview as “ pretty benign ” and “ polite.
” Foreign Minister Marise Payne confirmed the government had provided consular assistance and “ engaged with Chinese government authorities to ensure their wellbeing and return.
” “ The Australian government continues to provide consular support to Australian citizens detained in China , including Ms. Cheng Lei , ” Payne said in a statement .
China ’ s Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn ’ t respond to a request for comment on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists in Australia issued a statement condemning the treatment of the two men and the “ secret detention ” of Lei .
The Australian journalists are not alone in being caught up in diplomatic tensions .
Beijing authorities have delayed renewing the press credentials of some journalists working for American media outlets , in response to the Trump administration limiting visa terms for Chinese reporters in the U.S. Australia ’ s publicly funded national broadcaster , the ABC , opened its Beijing bureau in 1973 after the countries normalized relations .
Other Australians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused in recent months .

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bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Hong Kong Police Allegedly Violently Arrest 12-Year-Old Girl Out Buying Art Supplies

Hong Kong police have been strongly criticised over the rough arrest of a 12-year-old girl whose family says was caught in a protest crowd while out buying art supplies .
Video widely shared across social media and in Hong Kong media showed the officers seeking to corral a group of people including the young girl , who ducked aside and tried to run away .
An officer tackled her to the ground , while several others helped to pin her down .
The arrest came amid the largest street protest seen in Hong Kong since 1 July , the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposed by Beijing on the city , outlawing acts of sedition , secession , foreign collusion and terrorism .
The girl ’ s mother told Apple Daily she intended to sue and lodge a formal complaint .
She said her daughter and her 20-year-old son – who were both fined under the city ’ s pandemic-related laws against gatherings – were out buying art supplies , and that the girl ran away because she was scared .
Her daughter was bruised and scratched after the encounter .
Claudia Mo , a pro-democracy legislator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl “ shows how unnecessarily jumpy [ and ] trigger-happy Hong Kong police have become ” .
In a statement a few hours after the incident , Hong Kong police confirmed the arrest of a 12-year-old girl , saying she had run “ in a suspicious manner ” and officers had used “ minimum necessary force ” to apprehend her .
“ Police were concerned about youngsters participating in prohibited group gathering .
Their presence at the chaotic protest scenes also endangers their own personal safety , ” it said .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attach great importance to integrity .
If any person considers he or she is affected by police misconduct , he or she may lodge a complaint to the Complaints Against Police Office .
It will be handled in a fair and impartial manner according to established procedures.
” On Sunday night , the Hong Kong government said people had ignored advice from police not to participate in unlawful assemblies , risking anti-pandemic efforts and potentially breaching the national security law .
The government “ strongly condemn [ ed ] these unlawful and selfish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rightful duties today and took prompt and decisive actions to apprehend the offenders.
” The liaison office for the central government accused protesters of seeking to “ reignite war ” , and accused them of having “ a cold-blooded disregard for the lives and health of the general public ” in breaching gathering bans .
The spokesman said since the implementation of the law “ Hong Kong society had undergone a positive change from chaos to governance ” , and said there would be “ zero tolerance ” for any violations .
Almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority for unlawful assemblies .
About 2,000 police officers were deployed early in the day , ahead of the protests which had been planned by a coalition of pro-democracy groups to mark the day that Hong Kong ’ s elections were supposed to be held .
Carrie Lam , Hong Kong ’ s chief executive , announced in July the elections would be postponed for one year because of the danger of Hong Kong ’ s most recent Covid-19 outbreak , but was accused of using the pandemic to silence opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release of 12 people arrested by Chinese coastguards while attempting to flee by boat to Taiwan .
Separately , activist Tam Tak-chi was also arrested on Sunday , for “ uttering seditious words ” , Hong Kong police said .
The vice-president of radical democratic party People Power and a former radio host , Tam was arrested by the national security squad of the Hong Kong police force but was charged under the regular criminal ordinance , not the national security law .
Senior superintendent Li Kwai-wah said the squad was leading the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had breached article 21 of the national security law , criminalising “ incitement to secession ” .
Tam ’ s words had “ brought into hatred and contempt of the government and raised discontent and disaffection among Hong Kong people ” , Li said .
At least 25 people have been arrested under the national security law so far , although just one has been charged .
The law has provided authorities with the means to widen the scope of their crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong , and has created a chilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-democracy members of the public .
In the past month , newspaper offices have been raided , academics removed from their posts , and books regarded as be problematic removed from shelves or altered .
Restaurants and shops have torn down “ Lennon walls ” , where people stuck up post-it notes with pro-democracy messages , and some politicians and activists have fled overseas .
The law ’ s articles are so broadly defined they have been found to potentially violate numerous international laws , UN groups said last week .
Media organisations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether standard acts of journalism – such as quoting someone advocating for independence – would put them in breach of the law , and some outlets have removed such content from online platforms .
Visas for foreign journalists have also been delayed or outright denied .

Hong Kong police have been strongly criticised over the rough arrest of a 12-year-old girl whose family says was caught in a protest crowd while out buying art supplies.
Video widely shared across social media and in Hong Kong media showed the officers seeking to corral a group of people including the young girl, who ducked aside and tried to run away. An officer tackled her to the ground, while several others helped to pin her down.
The arrest came amid the largest street protest seen in Hong Kong since 1 July, the first full day under the national security laws imposed by Beijing on the city, outlawing acts of sedition, secession, foreign collusion and terrorism.
The girl’s mother told Apple Daily she intended to sue and lodge a formal complaint. She said her daughter and her 20-year-old son – who were both fined under the city’s pandemic-related laws against gatherings – were out buying art supplies, and that the girl ran away because she was scared. Her daughter was bruised and scratched after the encounter.
Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy legislator, said the actions taken towards the girl “shows how unnecessarily jumpy [and] trigger-happy Hong Kong police have become”.
00:21 Hong Kong police violently arrest 12-year-old girl – video
In a statement a few hours after the incident, Hong Kong police confirmed the arrest of a 12-year-old girl, saying she had run “in a suspicious manner” and officers had used “minimum necessary force” to apprehend her.
“Police were concerned about youngsters participating in prohibited group gathering. Their presence at the chaotic protest scenes also endangers their own personal safety,” it said.
In a later statement police said: “Police attach great importance to integrity. If any person considers he or she is affected by police misconduct, he or she may lodge a complaint to the Complaints Against Police Office. It will be handled in a fair and impartial manner according to established procedures.”
On Sunday night, the Hong Kong government said people had ignored advice from police not to participate in unlawful assemblies, risking anti-pandemic efforts and potentially breaching the national security law. The government “strongly condemn[ed] these unlawful and selfish acts”.
“Police discharged their rightful duties today and took prompt and decisive actions to apprehend the offenders.”
The liaison office for the central government accused protesters of seeking to “reignite war”, and accused them of having “a cold-blooded disregard for the lives and health of the general public” in breaching gathering bans.
The spokesman said since the implementation of the law “Hong Kong society had undergone a positive change from chaos to governance”, and said there would be “zero tolerance” for any violations.
Almost 300 people were arrested on Sunday, the vast majority for unlawful assemblies. About 2,000 police officers were deployed early in the day, ahead of the protests which had been planned by a coalition of pro-democracy groups to mark the day that Hong Kong’s elections were supposed to be held.
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, announced in July the elections would be postponed for one year because of the danger of Hong Kong’s most recent Covid-19 outbreak, but was accused of using the pandemic to silence opposition. Many protesters also called for the release of 12 people arrested by Chinese coastguards while attempting to flee by boat to Taiwan.
Separately, activist Tam Tak-chi was also arrested on Sunday, for “uttering seditious words”, Hong Kong police said.
The vice-president of radical democratic party People Power and a former radio host, Tam was arrested by the national security squad of the Hong Kong police force but was charged under the regular criminal ordinance, not the national security law.
Senior superintendent Li Kwai-wah said the squad was leading the investigation because of earlier suspicions that Tam had breached article 21 of the national security law, criminalising “incitement to secession”.
Tam’s words had “brought into hatred and contempt of the government and raised discontent and disaffection among Hong Kong people”, Li said.
At least 25 people have been arrested under the national security law so far, although just one has been charged.
The law has provided authorities with the means to widen the scope of their crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, and has created a chilling effect across academia, media, and pro-democracy members of the public.
In the past month, newspaper offices have been raided, academics removed from their posts, and books regarded as be problematic removed from shelves or altered. Restaurants and shops have torn down “Lennon walls”, where people stuck up post-it notes with pro-democracy messages, and some politicians and activists have fled overseas.
The law’s articles are so broadly defined they have been found to potentially violate numerous international laws, UN groups said last week.
Media organisations have warned there is little clarity about whether standard acts of journalism – such as quoting someone advocating for independence – would put them in breach of the law, and some outlets have removed such content from online platforms. Visas for foreign journalists have also been delayed or outright denied.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Georgia Secretary of State Says 1,000 People Double-Voted in Recent Primary

Georgia ’ s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is alleging that a sizable case of voter fraud occurred in the state ’ s June 9th primary , which seems odd , because liberals have assured us all that voter fraud simply never happens .
Then again , liberals haven ’ t exactly ever been known for being right about anything .
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution : Raffensperger announced Tuesday that 1,000 Georgians voted twice in the state ’ s June 9 primary , a felony that he said will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ also showed up to vote on election day June 9 , Raffensperger said .
County election officials are able to stop double-voting most of the time , but they weren ’ t able to catch everyone .
“ A double voter knows exactly what they ’ re doing , diluting the votes of each and every voter that follows the law , ” Raffensperger said during a press conference at the state Capitol .
“ Those that make the choice to game the system are breaking the law .
And as secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” In total 150,000 people requested absentee ballots for that election , and that 1,000 of those people could allegedly vote twice exposes a gaping flaw in the process .
Roughly 900,000 Georgians have requested absentee ballots for the November election .
Just this year 20 % of mailed ballots in an election in Paterson New Jersey were rejected as fraudulent and four were charged in connection , 21 % of mailed ballots in New York City ’ s primary elections were disqualified , and Broward County reportedly “ misplaced ” over 2,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to rely on the same government that mailed 1.1 million stimulus checks to dead people to send ballots out correctly to have an election largely by mail .

Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is alleging that a sizable case of voter fraud occurred in the state’s June 9th primary, which seems odd, because liberals have assured us all that voter fraud simply never happens.
Then again, liberals haven’t exactly ever been known for being right about anything.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Raffensperger announced Tuesday that 1,000 Georgians voted twice in the state’s June 9 primary, a felony that he said will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. These voters returned absentee ballots and then also showed up to vote on election day June 9, Raffensperger said. County election officials are able to stop double-voting most of the time, but they weren’t able to catch everyone. “A double voter knows exactly what they’re doing, diluting the votes of each and every voter that follows the law,” Raffensperger said during a press conference at the state Capitol. “Those that make the choice to game the system are breaking the law. And as secretary of state, I will not tolerate it.”
In total 150,000 people requested absentee ballots for that election, and that 1,000 of those people could allegedly vote twice exposes a gaping flaw in the process. Roughly 900,000 Georgians have requested absentee ballots for the November election.
Just this year 20% of mailed ballots in an election in Paterson New Jersey were rejected as fraudulent and four were charged in connection, 21% of mailed ballots in New York City’s primary elections were disqualified, and Broward County reportedly “misplaced” over 2,000 ballots. Malfeasance aside, we also have to rely on the same government that mailed 1.1 million stimulus checks to dead people to send ballots out correctly to have an election largely by mail.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--The Trump Economic Recovery Is Happening Faster Than Analysts Expected

We learned last week that the economy had added 1.4 million jobs in August , meaning the economy had recovered nearly half of all jobs lost during the pandemic .
Before August the economy added a combined 9.4 million jobs from May through July .
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday that President Trump “ couldn ’ t be more pleased ” with the progress of the recovery so far , and said that some are predicting 30-35 % GDP growth in the third quarter .
One thing is for sure : that the economic recovery from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regardless of their political affiliation .
Every single month since April the unemployment rate has come in lower than analysts expected .
In May , analysts surveyed by the Wall Street Journal predicted that unemployment would skyrocket to 19.5 % .
Instead , it fell to 13.3 % .
In June and July , the economy also performed significantly better than analysts predicted .
And again this past week , when analysts forecast the August unemployment rate would come in at 9.8 % , it instead fell to 8.4 % , nearly a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States has not just beaten the forecasts every month , it has also economically outperformed nearly every industrialized country in the world so far , both in jobs recovered and GDP .
Looking at the slowness of the Obama recovery , there is a strong case to be made that the Republican ’ s 2017 business tax cuts and the Trump administration ’ s aggressive program of deregulation has put the economy in a position to recover as quickly as it has .
It ’ s worth noting that Biden and congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do if they win this fall will be to reverse those tax cuts .
In contrast with Obama ’ s stimulus package , the Trump Administration ’ s main relief effort instead gave money directly to families and workers who had no jobs to go to due to the shutdowns .
And when the states began to open back up , Trump wisely did not fall into the trap of continuing to pay for expanded unemployment , instead offering a decreased amount to incentivize workers to go back to work .
Of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 8.4 % unemployment is desirable , but to point out that given the garbage hand China dealt the world , we ’ re playing the best with it .
Obama notably presided over the slowest economic recovery from any recession since the Great Depression , and his stimulus package didn ’ t even live up to his own administration ’ s expectations .
The unemployment rate under Obama surpassed the levels he warned we ’ d see if we didn ’ t pass his stimulus , and it wasn ’ t until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate would be where the White House predicted it would be with stimulus by 2012 .
President Trump ’ s economy , meanwhile , is recovering from a much more severe contraction than Obama experienced at an even faster pace .

We learned last week that the economy had added 1.4 million jobs in August, meaning the economy had recovered nearly half of all jobs lost during the pandemic. Before August the economy added a combined 9.4 million jobs from May through July.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday that President Trump “couldn’t be more pleased” with the progress of the recovery so far, and said that some are predicting 30-35% GDP growth in the third quarter.
One thing is for sure: that the economic recovery from the pandemic is happening faster than economists expected regardless of their political affiliation. Every single month since April the unemployment rate has come in lower than analysts expected.
As Kevin Ryan of Unbiased America notes:
In May, analysts surveyed by the Wall Street Journal predicted that unemployment would skyrocket to 19.5%. Instead, it fell to 13.3%. In June and July, the economy also performed significantly better than analysts predicted. And again this past week, when analysts forecast the August unemployment rate would come in at 9.8%, it instead fell to 8.4%, nearly a point-and-a-half lower than predictions. Indeed the United States has not just beaten the forecasts every month, it has also economically outperformed nearly every industrialized country in the world so far, both in jobs recovered and GDP. Looking at the slowness of the Obama recovery, there is a strong case to be made that the Republican’s 2017 business tax cuts and the Trump administration’s aggressive program of deregulation has put the economy in a position to recover as quickly as it has. It’s worth noting that Biden and congressional Democrats say the first thing they will do if they win this fall will be to reverse those tax cuts. In contrast with Obama’s stimulus package, the Trump Administration’s main relief effort instead gave money directly to families and workers who had no jobs to go to due to the shutdowns. And when the states began to open back up, Trump wisely did not fall into the trap of continuing to pay for expanded unemployment, instead offering a decreased amount to incentivize workers to go back to work.
Of course, none of this is to pretend that 8.4% unemployment is desirable, but to point out that given the garbage hand China dealt the world, we’re playing the best with it.
Obama notably presided over the slowest economic recovery from any recession since the Great Depression, and his stimulus package didn’t even live up to his own administration’s expectations. The unemployment rate under Obama surpassed the levels he warned we’d see if we didn’t pass his stimulus, and it wasn’t until the end of 2014 that the unemployment rate would be where the White House predicted it would be with stimulus by 2012.
President Trump’s economy, meanwhile, is recovering from a much more severe contraction than Obama experienced at an even faster pace.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Israel and UAE to Sign Historic Deal at White House Next Week

Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat , center left , elbow bumps with an Emirati official as he leaves Abu Dhabi , Arab Emirates , Tuesday , Sept. 1 , 2020 .
( Nir Elias/Pool via AP ) Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat , center left , elbow bumps with an Emirati official as he leaves Abu Dhabi , Arab Emirates , Tuesday , Sept. 1 , 2020 .
( Nir Elias/Pool via AP ) WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Israel and the United Arab Emirates will sign their historic deal normalizing relations at a White House ceremony on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The officials said senior delegations from both countries will likely be led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan , the brother of the UAE crown prince .
The officials , who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity , said the ceremony would either be on the South Lawn , the Rose Garden or inside depending on weather .
The ceremony will come just a month after the agreement to establish full diplomatic relations was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historic deal delivered a key foreign policy victory to President Donald Trump as he seeks reelection , and reflected a changing Middle East in which shared concerns about archenemy Iran have largely overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians .
That announcement has been followed by the first direct commercial flight between the countries , the establishment of telephone links and commitments to cooperate in numerous areas .
UAE has also ended the country ’ s boycott of Israel , which allows trade and commerce between the oil-rich Emirates and Israel , home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies and tech start-ups .
The Palestinians have rejected the deal .
The UAE presented the agreement as taking Israel ’ s planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank off the table .
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the pause was “ temporary.
” This story has been corrected to show the name of the Emirates foreign minister is Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan , not Mohammed bin Zayad .

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israel and the United Arab Emirates will sign their historic deal normalizing relations at a White House ceremony on Sept. 15, officials said Tuesday.
Senior delegations from the two countries will be led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the brother of Abu Dhabi’s powerful crown prince. U.S. officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ceremony would either be on the South Lawn, the Rose Garden or inside depending on weather.
Late Tuesday, Netanyahu tweeted he “was proud to leave for Washington next week at the invitation of President Trump and to participate in the historic ceremony at the White House” to sign the deal with the UAE.
The UAE’s state-run WAM news agency acknowledged Sheikh Abdullah would lead the Emirati delegation to the signing. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s day-to-day ruler named in the joint announcement of the U.S.-brokered deal, apparently will not attend.
Sheikh Mohammed has not traveled to the U.S. since being named tangentially in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on President Donald Trump and Russian interference in America’s 2016 election. His inclusion stemmed from his mysterious role in a 2017 meeting between a Trump associate and a Russian middleman for Vladimir Putin in the Seychelles.
The UAE-Israel ceremony will come just a month after the agreement to establish full diplomatic relations was announced on Aug. 13. The historic deal delivered a key foreign policy victory to Trump as he seeks reelection, and reflected a changing Middle East in which shared concerns about archenemy Iran have largely overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians.
That announcement was followed by the first direct commercial flight between the countries and the establishment of telephone links.
The UAE also announced the end of its boycott of Israel, which allows trade and commerce between the oil-rich Emirates and Israel, home to a thriving diamond trade, pharmaceutical companies and tech start-ups.
The Palestinians have rejected the deal as trading away one of the few cards they have in moribund peace talks with Israel to establish its own independent state — the Arab boycott of Israel. The UAE presented the agreement as taking Israel’s planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank off the table. But Netanyahu insisted the pause was “temporary.”
Abu Dhabi also hopes the deal will allow it to purchase advanced American weaponry, like the F-35 stealth fighter jet.
___
Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
___
This story has been corrected to show the name of the Emirates foreign minister is Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, not Mohammed bin Zayad.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Colorado Seventh Grader Suspended After Teacher Sees Toy Gun on Zoom Class

Forget the old “ hide your kids , hide your wife ” from criminals line that went viral a few years back .
Parents , you may have to hide your kids ’ toys from their own idiot teachers .
Isaiah Elliott attends Grand Mountain , a K-8 grade school in the Widefield District # 3 , just south of Colorado Springs .
On Thursday , Aug. 27 , the seventh grader was attending on online art class when a teacher saw Isaiah flash a toy gun across his computer screen .
The toy in question is a neon green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the words “ Zombie Hunter ” printed on the side .
The teacher notified the school principal who suspended Isaiah for five days and called the El Paso County Sheriff ’ s Office to conduct a welfare check on the boy without calling his parents first .
No consultation with the parents .
Sentence first , verdict later .
The Red Queen rules and may reach through your computer to break up your family .
Heck , I had my first BB gun when I was about 10 .
Today ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for that .
“ For them to go as extreme as suspending him for five days , sending the police out , having the police threaten to press charges against him because they want to compare the virtual environment to the actual in-school environment is insane , ” said Dani Elliott .
The Problem Solvers obtained the sheriff ’ s report and it confirms the teacher “ said she assumed it was a toy gun but was not certain.
” Here ’ s a thought .
How about conducting a five-second online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a harmless toy before you criminalize a young kid , waste the police ’ s time and threaten to take him away from his parents ?
Is this too much to ask ?
Google “ Zombie Hunter Nerf gun.
” Photos abound .
They ’ re not difficult to find at all — supposing it wasn ’ t obvious that it was a toy in the first place .
These obvious toys have been on the market for at least five years .
The teacher never came across one in that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
How about the sheriff ’ s office ?
There are layers inside layers inside this onion of stupid .
None of them ever thought , “ This is an obvious toy in the boy ’ s home .
How about we do the reasonable thing , which is absolutely nothing at all ?
” Read the entire story .
It turns out the school was recording the online class .
How long has that been going on , and how widespread is the practice of recording and then reporting on what kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My colleague Paula Boylard reported that it happened to a Maryland family back in June .
That story was eerily similar to this one .
The teacher then , as now , saw obviously non-lethal BB guns during online video class instruction and reported it up her chain of command .
They were merely in the background .
The principal , lacking leadership skills and basic common sense , called the cops .
At least in the Maryland case , the police thought the whole thing was overblown and apologized to the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case was on screen for all of about two seconds , as the kid simply moved it from one side to the other on the couch he was sitting on during the class .
It was never taken to school .
That was enough to cause this : Yeah , the kid is black .
This is likely his very first interaction with school authorities and law enforcement .
You only get one chance to make a first impression .
The boy ’ s parents say they ’ re transferring him away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( which the teachers ’ unions hate ) or a private school ( which the teachers ’ unions hate even more ) .
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Teacher Spying on Student During Virtual Class Sends Cops to Search 11-Year-Old ’ s Home After Spotting a BB Gun

Forget the old “hide your kids, hide your wife” from criminals line that went viral a few years back.
Parents, you may have to hide your kids’ toys from their own idiot teachers.
Isaiah Elliott attends Grand Mountain, a K-8 grade school in the Widefield District #3, just south of Colorado Springs. On Thursday, Aug. 27, the seventh grader was attending on online art class when a teacher saw Isaiah flash a toy gun across his computer screen. The toy in question is a neon green and black handgun with an orange tip with the words “Zombie Hunter” printed on the side. The teacher notified the school principal who suspended Isaiah for five days and called the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to conduct a welfare check on the boy without calling his parents first.
No consultation with the parents. Sentence first, verdict later. The Red Queen rules and may reach through your computer to break up your family.
This happened near Colorado Springs, where probably every single boy has paintball guns and multiple other toy guns. They probably also have BB or pellet guns and maybe junior hunting guns too.
Heck, I had my first BB gun when I was about 10. Today’s teachers would lock me and my parents up for that.
“For them to go as extreme as suspending him for five days, sending the police out, having the police threaten to press charges against him because they want to compare the virtual environment to the actual in-school environment is insane,” said Dani Elliott. The Problem Solvers obtained the sheriff’s report and it confirms the teacher “said she assumed it was a toy gun but was not certain.”
Here’s a thought. How about conducting a five-second online search and figure out that it’s a harmless toy before you criminalize a young kid, waste the police’s time and threaten to take him away from his parents? Is this too much to ask?
Google “Zombie Hunter Nerf gun.” Photos abound. They’re not difficult to find at all — supposing it wasn’t obvious that it was a toy in the first place.
These obvious toys have been on the market for at least five years. The teacher never came across one in that time, ever? Neither did the principal?
How about the sheriff’s office? There are layers inside layers inside this onion of stupid.
None of them ever thought, “This is an obvious toy in the boy’s home. How about we do the reasonable thing, which is absolutely nothing at all?”
Read the entire story. It turns out the school was recording the online class. How long has that been going on, and how widespread is the practice of recording and then reporting on what kids are doing in their own homes?
My colleague Paula Boylard reported that it happened to a Maryland family back in June. That story was eerily similar to this one. The teacher then, as now, saw obviously non-lethal BB guns during online video class instruction and reported it up her chain of command. They were merely in the background. The principal, lacking leadership skills and basic common sense, called the cops. At least in the Maryland case, the police thought the whole thing was overblown and apologized to the family.
The obvious toy gun in this case was on screen for all of about two seconds, as the kid simply moved it from one side to the other on the couch he was sitting on during the class. It was never taken to school.
That was enough to cause this:
“He was in tears when the cops came. He was just in tears. He was scared. We all were scared. I literally was scared for his life,” said Curtis Elliot, fearful that deputies might overreact to having the school principal tell them a young Black boy was potentially armed with a gun.
Yeah, the kid is black. This is likely his very first interaction with school authorities and law enforcement. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
The boy’s parents say they’re transferring him away from that school, to a charter school (which the teachers’ unions hate) or a private school (which the teachers’ unions hate even more).
Good move.
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bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Overwhelming Majority of California and Idaho Voters Disapprove of Legislation Relating to Gender Re

Overwhelming Majority of California and Idaho Voters Disapprove of Legislation Relating to Gender Reform

Despite pressure from a small group of Americans advocating for gender policy reform , there is a strong majority of California and Idaho voters who believe in the implementation of certain gender policies would be harmful .
A new poll released by Spry Strategies and the Women ’ s Liberation Front surveyed 600 voters in California and Idaho on gender policy issues , asking how their opinions on gender identity is reflected in recent legislation in their states .
Using a four-point margin of error , the poll determined that “ organized opposition to the increasingly strange demands of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainstream opinions ” held by a majority of voters .
“ The policies being pushed by gender extremists cut against the majority opinions of likely voters in both California , and Idaho .
They should stop trying to win this debate by falsely describing themselves as representing the popular will , ” said Natasha Chart , board chair of the Women ’ s Liberation Front .
According to poll results , while at least 15 percent of Idaho voters and 26 percent of California voters claimed they had no opinion or are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minors , a strong majority of voters in California ( 74 percent ) and Idaho ( 85 percent ) “ disagree with allowing minors to access procedures that can sterilize them for life through hormone treatments or surgery.
” And despite strong pushback by the left , support for Idaho ’ s “ The Fairness in Women ’ s Sports Act ” came in at around 66 percent .
In total , 79 percent of Idaho voters think that “ boys and men should not be allowed to identify their way into female-only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blur the lines of sex and gender such as AB 2218 in California , “ which would establish…a taxpayer-subsidized fund to pay for sex change surgeries and hormones that cause sterilization for minors and adults , ” was met with the skepticism and dissent of many voters , where 63 percent said they disapprove .
Idaho ’ s HB 509 law “ requiring vital statistics and birth records to be kept based on physical sex ” garnered 58 percent support , suggesting that many disagreed with gender based identification on official documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the poll was SB 132 in Calfornia which “ would allow male prisoners to demand placement in a women ’ s facility.
” It was met with the disapproval of at least 46 percent of voters and left at least 15 percent of voters unsure .
“ While we ’ re disappointed that even 38 percent of Californians support the idea of putting male inmates in women ’ s prisons , these polling results demonstrate that a majority of voters in these very different states largely support policies that are based on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chart said .

Despite pressure from a small group of Americans advocating for gender policy reform, there is a strong majority of California and Idaho voters who believe in the implementation of certain gender policies would be harmful.
A new poll released by Spry Strategies and the Women’s Liberation Front surveyed 600 voters in California and Idaho on gender policy issues, asking how their opinions on gender identity is reflected in recent legislation in their states.
Using a four-point margin of error, the poll determined that “organized opposition to the increasingly strange demands of the gender identity movement” are actually “mainstream opinions” held by a majority of voters.
“The policies being pushed by gender extremists cut against the majority opinions of likely voters in both California, and Idaho. They should stop trying to win this debate by falsely describing themselves as representing the popular will,” said Natasha Chart, board chair of the Women’s Liberation Front.
According to poll results, while at least 15 percent of Idaho voters and 26 percent of California voters claimed they had no opinion or are in support of potentially harmful medical treatments for minors, a strong majority of voters in California (74 percent) and Idaho (85 percent) “disagree with allowing minors to access procedures that can sterilize them for life through hormone treatments or surgery.”
And despite strong pushback by the left, support for Idaho’s “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” came in at around 66 percent. In total, 79 percent of Idaho voters think that “boys and men should not be allowed to identify their way into female-only sporting competitions.”
Other pending legislation attempting to blur the lines of sex and gender such as AB 2218 in California, “which would establish…a taxpayer-subsidized fund to pay for sex change surgeries and hormones that cause sterilization for minors and adults,” was met with the skepticism and dissent of many voters, where 63 percent said they disapprove.
Idaho’s HB 509 law “requiring vital statistics and birth records to be kept based on physical sex” garnered 58 percent support, suggesting that many disagreed with gender based identification on official documents.
The most divided policy included on the poll was SB 132 in Calfornia which “would allow male prisoners to demand placement in a women’s facility.” It was met with the disapproval of at least 46 percent of voters and left at least 15 percent of voters unsure.
“While we’re disappointed that even 38 percent of Californians support the idea of putting male inmates in women’s prisons, these polling results demonstrate that a majority of voters in these very different states largely support policies that are based on an accurate recognition of biological sex,” Chart said.
Jordan Boyd is a staff writer at The Federalist and co-producer of The Federalist Radio Hour. Her work has also been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and RealClearPolitics. Jordan graduated from Baylor University where she majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow her on Twitter @jordanboydtx.


bonginoreport--2020-09-08--Seattle Seemingly Favors Riots Over Christians Worshipping in a Public Park

Churchgoers were forced to go elsewhere to worship , meanwhile the protests turned into riots in which Seattle police were violently attacked .
Antifa militants squared off with Seattle Police outside of the Seattle Police Guild on Sunday , leading to 22 arrests .
Over 300 people met in the Seattle International District , where they moved onward to the police building in SoDo , reports KOMO News .
The situation quickly turned violent , as police say they had explosives , rocks , and bottles thrown at them .
Police released photos of some of the unexploded devices .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ protestors being pushed back by police after having thrown projectiles .
Antifa attempted to make barricades with umbrellas and other make-shift shields , but were quickly overpowered .
According to video published on Twitter by Katie Daviscourt , Seattle police were able to break up with rally `` within a matter of seconds . ''
While this protest was broken up quickly due to a genuine threat to the safety of police and civilians , other protests , including large BLM rallies , have been permitted without consequence .
Two months ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seattle to march after the death of George Floyd .
Those marches lead to a so-called `` autonomous zone '' on the city 's Capitol Hill .
This , however , directly displays the pro-activist bias the city has for its left-wing protests .
This last weekend saw the city shut down Gasworks park for 34 hours to stop a Christian worship meeting from happening .
Local Christian missionary Sean Feucht summed up the city 's hypocrisy in a Facebook post , saying that the government `` shuts down churches .
Now it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us from worshiping . ''
`` We can ’ t leave our cities to the rioters and arsonists , '' Feucht continue in the post .
While the City of Seattle acknowledges that parks `` provide critical physical and mental health supports to [ its ] community , '' it would not remain open for Christians to gather for an outdoor service .

Churchgoers were forced to go elsewhere to worship, meanwhile the protests turned into riots in which Seattle police were violently attacked.
Antifa militants squared off with Seattle Police outside of the Seattle Police Guild on Sunday, leading to 22 arrests.
Officers also retrieved unused Molotov cocktails—homemade explosive devices designed to burn property.
Over 300 people met in the Seattle International District, where they moved onward to the police building in SoDo, reports KOMO News.
The situation quickly turned violent, as police say they had explosives, rocks, and bottles thrown at them. Police released photos of some of the unexploded devices.
Images of Molotov cocktails recovered outside SPOG office. pic.twitter.com/uxlYG5OXg2 — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) September 8, 2020
Video of the incident shows black-clad Antifa protestors being pushed back by police after having thrown projectiles. Antifa attempted to make barricades with umbrellas and other make-shift shields, but were quickly overpowered.
According to video published on Twitter by Katie Daviscourt, Seattle police were able to break up with rally "within a matter of seconds."
Once @SeattlePD wrecked through the Antifa barricade made of umbrellas, the “Fu*K SPD” rally was over within a matter of seconds. Great work tonight by SPD. #seattleprotest #seattleriots pic.twitter.com/KdfhOXu8ht — Katie Daviscourt?? (@KatieDaviscourt) September 8, 2020
While this protest was broken up quickly due to a genuine threat to the safety of police and civilians, other protests, including large BLM rallies, have been permitted without consequence.
Two months ago, an estimated 60,000 flooded the streets of Seattle to march after the death of George Floyd. Those marches lead to a so-called "autonomous zone" on the city's Capitol Hill.
This, however, directly displays the pro-activist bias the city has for its left-wing protests. This last weekend saw the city shut down Gasworks park for 34 hours to stop a Christian worship meeting from happening.
Local Christian missionary Sean Feucht summed up the city's hypocrisy in a Facebook post, saying that the government "shuts down churches. Now it’s shutting down parks to stop us from worshiping."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: First the government shuts down churches. Now it’s shutting down parks to stop us from... Posted by Sean Feucht on Saturday, September 5, 2020
"We can’t leave our cities to the rioters and arsonists," Feucht continue in the post.
While the City of Seattle acknowledges that parks "provide critical physical and mental health supports to [its] community," it would not remain open for Christians to gather for an outdoor service.


bonginoreport--2020-09-09--Congress Launches Probe Into Fort Hood After 28 Soldiers Have Died in Past Year

A congressional investigation into a spate of recent soldier deaths at Fort Hood was announced Monday , adding yet another inquiry into how the central Texas installation has handled several missing persons cases and five deaths this year involving foul play .
The chairs of two House panels sent a letter dated Sept. 8 to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy requesting documents and information concerning soldier deaths going back to the beginning of 2019 .
In it , Rep. Stephen Lynch , chairman of the Oversight and Reform national security subcommittee , and Rep. Jackie Speier , chairwoman of the Armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the two panels will jointly investigate “ whether an alarming pattern ” of recent deaths may be “ symptomatic of underlying leadership , discipline , and morale deficiencies throughout the chain-of-command.
” The congressional investigation comes after the Army announced last week that Army Futures Command boss Gen. John Murray will lead an in-depth investigation into the actions taken by Fort Hood ’ s chain of command following the disappearance of Spc .
Vanessa Guillen , a Fort Hood soldier who prosecutors say was murdered in an armory and then dismembered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army Regulation 15-6 investigation is separate from an independent review of Fort Hood that began in August and is looking at the command climate and the surrounding city of Killeen .
A fourth inquiry by the Government Accountability Office is reviewing the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program across the Army .
The letter sent Monday acknowledged the Army ’ s ongoing investigations but stated that Congress ’ oversight is still needed .
Three soldiers have gone missing from Fort Hood this year , only to be found deceased .
One soldier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dead miles from post in June after he went missing in August 2019 .
Police have said they suspect foul play to be involved .
Three other deaths have also been investigated as homicides , with the cases of Spc .
Freddy Delacruz Jr. and Pfc .
Brandon S. Rosecrans , being solved , according to local police .
“ Families of missing Fort Hood soldiers have expressed anguish and frustration about the Army ’ s response to the disappearance of their loved ones and the dearth of information about the status of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chairs wrote .
“ For example , according to the mother of Private Wedel-Morales , she has ’ fought from Day One ’ with Army investigators who originally and erroneously determined that her son was absent without authorized leave , ” they added , citing an Army Times report that interviewed Morales ’ mother .
Guillen , whose death has been the most widely covered by national media , and another soldier , Sgt .
Elder Fernandes , were allegedly sexually harassed or abused prior to their deaths , their letter noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sergeant Fernandes claims that he was ’ bullied ’ and ’ hazed ’ by his peers after he reported his harassment , while Specialist Guillen reportedly was too afraid of retribution to file a formal complaint , ” the letter reads .
The letter asked for all documents , including medical records and communications between Fort Hood leaders and law enforcement , related to any sexual assault or harassment allegations made by the soldiers who went missing .
Investigative files and communications pertaining to the other soldiers ’ cases were also requested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they also seek to obtain all surveys of the command climate on Fort Hood and timelines detailing how and when post leaders responded to the incidents and allegations as they arose .
During a visit to Fort Hood in early August , the Army secretary acknowledged that the numbers of certain violent crimes are high at the installation .
“ They are the highest , in most cases , for sexual assault and harassment and murders for our entire formation — the U.S. Army , ” McCarthy said when speaking with reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2014 and 2019 , there were an average of 129 felonies committed annually at Fort Hood , including cases of homicide , sexual assault , kidnapping , robbery and aggravated assault .

A congressional investigation into a spate of recent soldier deaths at Fort Hood was announced Monday, adding yet another inquiry into how the central Texas installation has handled several missing persons cases and five deaths this year involving foul play.
The chairs of two House panels sent a letter dated Sept. 8 to Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy requesting documents and information concerning soldier deaths going back to the beginning of 2019.
In it, Rep. Stephen Lynch, chairman of the Oversight and Reform national security subcommittee, and Rep. Jackie Speier, chairwoman of the Armed Services' military personnel subcommittee, wrote that the two panels will jointly investigate “whether an alarming pattern” of recent deaths may be “symptomatic of underlying leadership, discipline, and morale deficiencies throughout the chain-of-command.”
The congressional investigation comes after the Army announced last week that Army Futures Command boss Gen. John Murray will lead an in-depth investigation into the actions taken by Fort Hood’s chain of command following the disappearance of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who prosecutors say was murdered in an armory and then dismembered by a fellow soldier.
Murray’s Army Regulation 15-6 investigation is separate from an independent review of Fort Hood that began in August and is looking at the command climate and the surrounding city of Killeen. A fourth inquiry by the Government Accountability Office is reviewing the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program across the Army.
RELATED
The letter sent Monday acknowledged the Army’s ongoing investigations but stated that Congress’ oversight is still needed.
Three soldiers have gone missing from Fort Hood this year, only to be found deceased. One soldier, Pvt. Gregory Wedel-Morales, was found dead miles from post in June after he went missing in August 2019. Police have said they suspect foul play to be involved.
Three other deaths have also been investigated as homicides, with the cases of Spc. Freddy Delacruz Jr. and Pfc. Brandon S. Rosecrans, being solved, according to local police.
“Families of missing Fort Hood soldiers have expressed anguish and frustration about the Army’s response to the disappearance of their loved ones and the dearth of information about the status of the Army’s investigations,” the chairs wrote.
“For example, according to the mother of Private Wedel-Morales, she has ’fought from Day One’ with Army investigators who originally and erroneously determined that her son was absent without authorized leave,” they added, citing an Army Times report that interviewed Morales’ mother.
RELATED
Guillen, whose death has been the most widely covered by national media, and another soldier, Sgt. Elder Fernandes, were allegedly sexually harassed or abused prior to their deaths, their letter noted.
“An attorney for the family of Sergeant Fernandes claims that he was ’bullied’ and ’hazed’ by his peers after he reported his harassment, while Specialist Guillen reportedly was too afraid of retribution to file a formal complaint,” the letter reads.
The letter asked for all documents, including medical records and communications between Fort Hood leaders and law enforcement, related to any sexual assault or harassment allegations made by the soldiers who went missing. Investigative files and communications pertaining to the other soldiers’ cases were also requested.
The chairs said in their letter that they also seek to obtain all surveys of the command climate on Fort Hood and timelines detailing how and when post leaders responded to the incidents and allegations as they arose.
During a visit to Fort Hood in early August, the Army secretary acknowledged that the numbers of certain violent crimes are high at the installation.
“They are the highest, in most cases, for sexual assault and harassment and murders for our entire formation — the U.S. Army,” McCarthy said when speaking with reporters.
According to the Army, between 2014 and 2019, there were an average of 129 felonies committed annually at Fort Hood, including cases of homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery and aggravated assault.
Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.