bonginoreport--2020-07-01--Tim Graham: Biden’s Puffballs From the Press

Everything about the June 30 press conference with Joe Biden underlines how the snarling , vicious watchdogs of the Trump administration will transform into cuddly little lapdogs if Biden is elected president .
Biden began with a 20-minute speech , and CNN and MSNBC ran the whole speech live .
These networks often refuse to air White House press briefings and try not to give free air time to President Donald Trump ... just as CNN and MSNBC refused to air 96 % of Trump 's Tulsa rally .
Then came the questions .
The one that would seriously cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hair came from Mike Memoli of NBC News .
It can be summed up as this : `` You have a sizable lead .
How do you keep winning ? ''
By their softball questions , the press is signaling this question : `` And what can we do to help ? ''
Here 's the actual verbiage .
`` The polls today show you with a sizable national lead , a lead in a lot of the states that are critical in the Electoral College , '' Memoli said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race stands at this moment ?
What keeps you up at night as you look ahead ?
And can you maintain this advantage without campaigning in a traditional way , especially this fall when voters begin to really tune in ? ''
There is not an easier , more open-ended question to ask than `` What 's the state of the race ? ''
It 's quite a contrast with what NBC 's Peter Alexander asked at the White House .
On June 19 , he threw a hardball at White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's tweets about back-stabbing former aides who write `` tell-all '' books .
`` Why does the president keep hiring people who are 'dumb as a rock , ' 'overrated , ' 'way over their heads , ' 'wacko ' and 'incompetent ' ? ''
he asked .
The aggression quotient on these two questions is Lion and Lamb .
Or rabid , man-eating Lions and Lambchop the Puppet .
Associated Press reporter Alexandra Jaffe came first and just regurgitated Biden 's own vicious words about the president .
`` We reported yesterday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as March of 2019 that Russia had ordered or offered bounties to the Taliban for the killing of U.S. soldiers .
You called his inaction on this issue a 'betrayal . '
So broadly , what consequences do you think the president should face for that betrayal , and , specifically , what do you think Congress should do ? ''
That 's the question for Biden — how should Trump be punished ?
Reporters love to paint Donald Trump as Russian President Vladimir Putin 's poodle ... or as a traitor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dereliction of duty . ''
Jaffe still wanted him to give Trump a punishment , asking , `` What consequences should he face if these allegations are true or these reports are true ? ''
The obvious answer is defeat in November .
CNN 's Arlette Saenz asked a vague question about the racial `` reckoning '' that 's causing statues to be ripped down and asked Biden , `` What do you think when you see the removal of some of these statues ? ''
That 's better than Memoli , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own Jim Acosta .
Ed O'Keefe of CBS reminded Biden that he had boasted , `` I 'll confront Putin '' regarding the election-meddling issue and asked Biden , `` Can you tell us what you would do to Putin ? ''
There was absolutely zero context about how the Obama-Biden policy toward Russia for eight years compares to Trump 's .
Did Obama and Biden `` confront '' Putin back then ?
Did n't they obviously fail to prevent this supposedly democracy-mangling Russian interference in 2016 ?
The elite media pretend it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference between their treatment of Republicans and Democrats .
They need to watch this puffball press conference again .
Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org .
To find out more about Tim Graham , and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists , visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com .

Everything about the June 30 press conference with Joe Biden underlines how the snarling, vicious watchdogs of the Trump administration will transform into cuddly little lapdogs if Biden is elected president.
Biden began with a 20-minute speech, and CNN and MSNBC ran the whole speech live. These networks often refuse to air White House press briefings and try not to give free air time to President Donald Trump ... just as CNN and MSNBC refused to air 96% of Trump's Tulsa rally.
Then came the questions. The one that would seriously cause the president to tear out chunks of his hair came from Mike Memoli of NBC News. It can be summed up as this: "You have a sizable lead. How do you keep winning?" By their softball questions, the press is signaling this question: "And what can we do to help?"
Here's the actual verbiage. "The polls today show you with a sizable national lead, a lead in a lot of the states that are critical in the Electoral College," Memoli said. "I wonder, where do you think the race stands at this moment? What keeps you up at night as you look ahead? And can you maintain this advantage without campaigning in a traditional way, especially this fall when voters begin to really tune in?"
There is not an easier, more open-ended question to ask than "What's the state of the race?"
It's quite a contrast with what NBC's Peter Alexander asked at the White House. On June 19, he threw a hardball at White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, quoting Trump's tweets about back-stabbing former aides who write "tell-all" books. "Why does the president keep hiring people who are 'dumb as a rock,' 'overrated,' 'way over their heads,' 'wacko' and 'incompetent'?" he asked.
The aggression quotient on these two questions is Lion and Lamb. Or rabid, man-eating Lions and Lambchop the Puppet.
Associated Press reporter Alexandra Jaffe came first and just regurgitated Biden's own vicious words about the president. "We reported yesterday that President Trump was briefed as early as March of 2019 that Russia had ordered or offered bounties to the Taliban for the killing of U.S. soldiers. You called his inaction on this issue a 'betrayal.' So broadly, what consequences do you think the president should face for that betrayal, and, specifically, what do you think Congress should do?"
That's the question for Biden — how should Trump be punished?
Reporters love to paint Donald Trump as Russian President Vladimir Putin's poodle ... or as a traitor. Biden accused Trump of an "absolute dereliction of duty." Jaffe still wanted him to give Trump a punishment, asking, "What consequences should he face if these allegations are true or these reports are true?" The obvious answer is defeat in November.
CNN's Arlette Saenz asked a vague question about the racial "reckoning" that's causing statues to be ripped down and asked Biden, "What do you think when you see the removal of some of these statues?" That's better than Memoli, but she doesn't sound like Biden's own Jim Acosta.
Ed O'Keefe of CBS reminded Biden that he had boasted, "I'll confront Putin" regarding the election-meddling issue and asked Biden, "Can you tell us what you would do to Putin?" There was absolutely zero context about how the Obama-Biden policy toward Russia for eight years compares to Trump's. Did Obama and Biden "confront" Putin back then? Didn't they obviously fail to prevent this supposedly democracy-mangling Russian interference in 2016?
The elite media pretend it's preposterous that there's a vast difference between their treatment of Republicans and Democrats. They need to watch this puffball press conference again.
Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org. To find out more about Tim Graham, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--Michelle Malkin: What’s the Matter With Kansas State University?

Kansas has n't voted for a Democrat in presidential elections since 1964 .
From 1995 to 2002 and from 2011 to 2017 , Republicans in Topeka held the iron trifecta of the governor 's mansion , the state House and the state Senate .
In 2016 , Donald Trump walloped Hillary Clinton in this quintessential red state by a 57-36 margin .
So why is it that , in 2020 , a mainstream conservative Christian college student under fire by a violence-inciting campus mob ca n't find a single prominent Republican in the Sunflower State to uphold and defend his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 21-year-old Kansas State University undergrad , former Turning Point USA chapter leader , and founder of America First Students .
Since quitting TPUSA last year over its shocking embrace of drag queens , open borders and a `` culture of censorship , '' McNeil has been attacked by left-wing journalists and tarred through guilt by association .
Local reporters such as Judy Thomas at the Kansas City Star have regurgitated baseless lies that McNeil ( who I 've known since last year and consider a friend and rising conservative star ) is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocating traditional social conservatism and an end to mass migration .
McNeil also refuses to bend his knee to Black Lives Matter , unlike so many swamp conservatives folding like cheap origami these days .
On June 25 , the young KSU student tweeted an edgy joke about BLM hero George Floyd : '' Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month ! ''
The snarky line is a variation on a common internet commemoration of the deaths of drug-addicted celebrities .
You may think it 's bad humor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's humor .
No matter .
In end-stage America , where we are now governed by the wokest of the insane and indignant , there is no bigger human rights violation than a George Floyd joke .
A manufactured outrage backlash by KSU College Democrats , athletes and bloodthirsty Black Lives Matter extremists ensued .
K-State freshman quarterback Jaren Lewis fulminated : `` We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist , threatening or disrespectful action toward a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have resolved that we can not play , practice , or meet until these demands are heard and actions taken . ''
K-State Democrats will hold a march this weekend calling for McNeil 's head .
In response , KSU president Richard Myers proclaimed that `` Black Lives Matter '' and immediately pledged `` to fast-track action plans to combat racism and bigotry and other forms of social injustice . ''
KSU vice president for student life Thomas Lane attacked McNeil for lacking `` basic decency . ''
The school has launched an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options . ''
The adults in charge poured virtue-signaling fuel on a riotous fire , resulting in an avalanche of violent death threats and doxxing of McNeil 's family : '' KICK JADEN MCNEIL OUT OR WE WILL HANDLE HIM OURSELVES .
This is not a threat , it 's a promise !
! ''
a Twitter user exclaimed .
`` I swear to God you better never show your face in public in the state of Kansas .
F—kin dead man . ''
Another user named Billy threatened : `` I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope your ( gets ) face stomped in .
If no one has , I 'll do it . ''
A `` parody '' Twitter account masquerading as McNeil 's mother posted a family photo and his father 's employer has been harassed .
`` People are more upset about this tweet than they are about George Floyd robbing a pregnant woman at gunpoint , '' McNeil bluntly noted .
Twitter , the supposedly neutral platform , forced McNeil to delete both his original joke and his observation about the selective outrage because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` glorifying violence . ''
In the meantime , not a single Kansas Republican has risen to condemn the threats against McNeil , nor defended his rights to free speech and free association .
The academic liberty champions of FIRE , however , sent off a letter to KSU President Myers on Monday firmly reminding the school that `` the First Amendment bars KSU from punishing or investigating McNeil for his tweets . ''
`` Kansas State may say that it is reviewing its 'options ' in response to a demand that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet , but it knows those options do n't include meeting that demand — at least not legally .
The free speech guarantees that some students demand be denied to others are the only thing that protects them from being the next casualty of shifting political winds . ''
Shibley added : `` The many attempts to silence dissenting voices in the past few weeks point to a profound failure among universities nationwide to maintain the climate of free inquiry that gives them purpose .
Censorship does nothing to persuade its targets that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they must lie about them , or stay silent .
While this may result in a temporary political benefit , driving views underground is a ticking time bomb for a democratic society . ''
Unapologetic nationalist conservative students like Jaden McNeil are under siege at publicly funded universities — not just at blue state Ivy League schools or crazy California Marxist echo chambers but smack dab in the middle of red state America .
Conservatism Inc. 's multimillion-dollar decades-old culture war is an abysmal failure .
The kids deserve better .
Michelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ] To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists , visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com .

Kansas hasn't voted for a Democrat in presidential elections since 1964. From 1995 to 2002 and from 2011 to 2017, Republicans in Topeka held the iron trifecta of the governor's mansion, the state House and the state Senate. In 2016, Donald Trump walloped Hillary Clinton in this quintessential red state by a 57-36 margin.
So why is it that, in 2020, a mainstream conservative Christian college student under fire by a violence-inciting campus mob can't find a single prominent Republican in the Sunflower State to uphold and defend his free speech rights?
Jaden McNeil is a 21-year-old Kansas State University undergrad, former Turning Point USA chapter leader, and founder of America First Students. Since quitting TPUSA last year over its shocking embrace of drag queens, open borders and a "culture of censorship," McNeil has been attacked by left-wing journalists and tarred through guilt by association. Local reporters such as Judy Thomas at the Kansas City Star have regurgitated baseless lies that McNeil (who I've known since last year and consider a friend and rising conservative star) is connected to "white nationalism" for advocating traditional social conservatism and an end to mass migration.
McNeil also refuses to bend his knee to Black Lives Matter, unlike so many swamp conservatives folding like cheap origami these days. On June 25, the young KSU student tweeted an edgy joke about BLM hero George Floyd:
"Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month!"
The snarky line is a variation on a common internet commemoration of the deaths of drug-addicted celebrities. You may think it's bad humor or brilliant humor but newsflash: It's humor. No matter. In end-stage America, where we are now governed by the wokest of the insane and indignant, there is no bigger human rights violation than a George Floyd joke.
A manufactured outrage backlash by KSU College Democrats, athletes and bloodthirsty Black Lives Matter extremists ensued. K-State freshman quarterback Jaren Lewis fulminated: "We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist, threatening or disrespectful action toward a student or groups of students. We have resolved that we cannot play, practice, or meet until these demands are heard and actions taken." K-State Democrats will hold a march this weekend calling for McNeil's head.
In response, KSU president Richard Myers proclaimed that "Black Lives Matter" and immediately pledged "to fast-track action plans to combat racism and bigotry and other forms of social injustice." KSU vice president for student life Thomas Lane attacked McNeil for lacking "basic decency." The school has launched an "immediate review" of its "options." The adults in charge poured virtue-signaling fuel on a riotous fire, resulting in an avalanche of violent death threats and doxxing of McNeil's family:
"KICK JADEN MCNEIL OUT OR WE WILL HANDLE HIM OURSELVES. This is not a threat, it's a promise!!" a Twitter user exclaimed. "I swear to God you better never show your face in public in the state of Kansas. F—kin dead man."
Another user named Billy threatened: "I don't know who you are but I hope your (gets) face stomped in. If no one has, I'll do it."
An Instagram user messaged McNeil: "White cracker n—-a ur gonna die."
A "parody" Twitter account masquerading as McNeil's mother posted a family photo and his father's employer has been harassed.
"People are more upset about this tweet than they are about George Floyd robbing a pregnant woman at gunpoint," McNeil bluntly noted. Twitter, the supposedly neutral platform, forced McNeil to delete both his original joke and his observation about the selective outrage because the company claimed, the tweets were "glorifying violence." In the meantime, not a single Kansas Republican has risen to condemn the threats against McNeil, nor defended his rights to free speech and free association. The academic liberty champions of FIRE, however, sent off a letter to KSU President Myers on Monday firmly reminding the school that "the First Amendment bars KSU from punishing or investigating McNeil for his tweets."
Robert Shibley, FIRE's executive director, told me:
"Kansas State may say that it is reviewing its 'options' in response to a demand that a student be kicked out for an unpopular tweet, but it knows those options don't include meeting that demand — at least not legally. The free speech guarantees that some students demand be denied to others are the only thing that protects them from being the next casualty of shifting political winds."
Shibley added: "The many attempts to silence dissenting voices in the past few weeks point to a profound failure among universities nationwide to maintain the climate of free inquiry that gives them purpose. Censorship does nothing to persuade its targets that their views are 'wrong' — only that they must lie about them, or stay silent. While this may result in a temporary political benefit, driving views underground is a ticking time bomb for a democratic society."
Unapologetic nationalist conservative students like Jaden McNeil are under siege at publicly funded universities — not just at blue state Ivy League schools or crazy California Marxist echo chambers but smack dab in the middle of red state America. Conservatism Inc.'s multimillion-dollar decades-old culture war is an abysmal failure. The kids deserve better.
Michelle Malkin's email address is [email protected]. To find out more about Michelle Malkin and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--House Dems Reject Resolution Condemning China for Cyberattacks

House Democrats voted down a resolution that condemned China for launching cyberattacks aimed at stealing valuable coronavirus data from American research institutions .
Rep. Adam Kinzinger ( R. , Ill. ) introduced the resolution on Tuesday morning .
It notes China 's `` long history of conducting cyberattacks on Americans '' and further warns that the Communist nation 's coronavirus-related attacks could `` jeopardize the delivery of secure , effective , and efficient treatment options for American citizens . ''
Kinzinger 's resolution also demands that China be held accountable for `` perpetrating such belligerent acts . ''
Rep. Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in support of the resolution , calling China 's cyberattacks `` a new low . ''
`` At a time when scientists around the world are working together in an epic race against time to develop a life-saving vaccine to rescue the world from the grips of the coronavirus , the CCP is trying to steal that research for their own selfish purposes , '' he said .
The Texas Republican also admonished the Communist regime for its role in spreading the virus .
McCaul said China `` lied to the world at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , silencing doctors , and downplaying human-to-human transmission .
`` They are trying to steal our research to develop a vaccine to save the world from the very pandemic that they created .
This is absolutely unacceptable and must be condemned , '' the congressman said .
`` Let 's move forward together on calling out the CCP for their continued outrageous and dangerous misbehavior . ''
No House Democrats voted in favor of Kinzinger 's resolution .
National security agencies have been monitoring the issue .
The FBI and Department of Homeland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May to warn U.S. medical research organizations of `` likely targeting and network compromise by the People 's Republican of China ( PRC ) . ''
The announcement accused China of seeking `` valuable intellectual property and public health data through illicit means related to vaccines , treatments and testing . ''
Kinzinger 's resolution calls on the Trump administration to implement sanctions in an effort to `` punish those responsible and to dissuade others from engaging in the same acts . ''

House Democrats voted down a resolution that condemned China for launching cyberattacks aimed at stealing valuable coronavirus data from American research institutions.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R., Ill.) introduced the resolution on Tuesday morning. It notes China's "long history of conducting cyberattacks on Americans" and further warns that the Communist nation's coronavirus-related attacks could "jeopardize the delivery of secure, effective, and efficient treatment options for American citizens." Kinzinger's resolution also demands that China be held accountable for "perpetrating such belligerent acts."
Rep. Michael McCaul (R., Texas) argued in support of the resolution, calling China's cyberattacks "a new low."
"At a time when scientists around the world are working together in an epic race against time to develop a life-saving vaccine to rescue the world from the grips of the coronavirus, the CCP is trying to steal that research for their own selfish purposes," he said.
The Texas Republican also admonished the Communist regime for its role in spreading the virus. McCaul said China "lied to the world at every turn" by destroying virus samples, silencing doctors, and downplaying human-to-human transmission.
"They are trying to steal our research to develop a vaccine to save the world from the very pandemic that they created. This is absolutely unacceptable and must be condemned," the congressman said. "Let's move forward together on calling out the CCP for their continued outrageous and dangerous misbehavior."
No House Democrats voted in favor of Kinzinger's resolution.
National security agencies have been monitoring the issue. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a public service announcement in May to warn U.S. medical research organizations of "likely targeting and network compromise by the People's Republican of China (PRC)." The announcement accused China of seeking "valuable intellectual property and public health data through illicit means related to vaccines, treatments and testing."
Kinzinger's resolution calls on the Trump administration to implement sanctions in an effort to "punish those responsible and to dissuade others from engaging in the same acts."


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--NY Times Columnist Backs Taking Down Statues of George Washington

Early Monday morning , vandals targeted yet another monument to George Washington , the first president who is considered the father of America .
As The New York Times ‘ s Charles Blow called for the removal of all statues honoring Washington , President Donald Trump announced that federal law enforcement was tracking down the vandals , defending these symbols of America .
“ We are tracking down the two Anarchists who threw paint on the magnificent George Washington Statue in Manhattan .
We have them on tape , ” Trump tweeted Tuesday .
“ They will be prosecuted and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Monuments and Statues Act .
Turn yourselves in now !
” Two suspects — a woman dressed in all white with a white bow in her hair and a man in a black shirt and black shorts — tossed balloons filled with red paint at two statues of George Washington on Washington Square Park ’ s famous arch celebrating the first president , the New York Post reported .
After defacing the statues , the suspects reportedly fled on Citi Bikes , but surveillance video captured the incident , which took place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington as the first president and as general of the American colonial army in the Revolutionary War .
New York City ’ s Parks Department workers scrubbed the arch to remove the paint .
“ This does do damage — you can see bits of the statue all over me , ” a worker told The Post as he made a third pass at cleaning the marble with a citrus-based solution .
“ It ’ s marble — it comes off.
” The vandals also used white spray paint to draw the outlines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the park ’ s fountain .
They tossed red balloons at the bodies , mainly the heads , to give the impression that the people outlined had been shot .
S.D .
Governor Weighs in on Idea of Blowing Up Mount Rushmore Vandals across the country have targeted monuments to George Washington .
Last week , a man painted “ slave owner ” on a statue of Washington in Union Square Park in Manhattan .
Vandals in Chicago painted “ Slave Owner ” and “ Burn Down the White House ” on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Portland , vandals toppled another George Washington statue .
They also spray-painted “ 1619 ” on it , echoing The New York Times ‘ s “ 1619 Project , ” which aims to redefine American history by making the arrival of the first slaves in 1619 the focal point , rather than the Declaration of Independence in 1776 .
The 1619 Project justifies scrapping the entire American project — which has bolstered freedom and prosperity across the globe — in the name of racial justice .
Some have suggested that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the horrific police killing of George Floyd should be termed the “ 1619 riots.
” As news of the vandalism broke on Monday , The New York Times published a column from Charles Blow entitled , “ Yes , Even George Washington.
” “ Some people who are opposed to taking down monuments ask , ‘ If we start , where will we stop ?
’ It might begin with Confederate generals , but all slave owners could easily become targets .
Even George Washington himself , ” Blow wrote .
“ To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' ” “ George Washington enslaved more than 100 human beings , and he signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 , authorizing slavers to stalk runaways even in free states and criminalizing the helping of escaped slaves .
When one of the African people he himself had enslaved escaped , a woman named Ona Maria Judge , he pursued her relentlessly , sometimes illegally , ” the Times columnist wrote .
Others have taken issue with Washington ’ s career as a surveyor .
George Washington scoped out land for settlement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , George Washington played a key role in the French and Indian War that led to American independence , he led the army during the Revolutionary War , and he set an important precedent for limited republican government by resigning his military commission before taking office and stepping down as president after two terms .
Washington was far from perfect , but he helped achieve American independence and he was instrumental to preserving liberty by refusing power , justly earning the title “ American Cincinnatus.
” According to Blow , Washington ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he owned slaves .
“ Slave owners should not be honored with monuments in public spaces .
We have museums for that , which also provide better context .
This is not an erasure of history , but rather a better appreciation of the horrible truth of it , ” the Times columnist wrote .
Yet Americans need heroes , and George Washington was undeniably heroic .
Every hero has flaws , and his participation in slavery is a black mark on his record , to be sure .
But does that require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has doubled down on his stance , insisting that “ enslavement and freedom are binary.
” Does this require that Abraham Lincoln , who repeatedly said he would have welcomed the Confederacy back into the Union , even at the cost of not freeing a single slave , should have his monuments removed and defaced , as well ?
Sure , Lincoln freed the slaves , but he did not become an abolitionist until toward the end of the Civil War .
If the memories of America ’ s founders are to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Declaration of Independence established the ideals of liberty and equality that eventually required the correction of historic injustices such as the abolition of slavery , extending the vote to women , and civil rights .
Yet , by Blow ’ s binary logic , perhaps the foundation of American freedom and prosperity must be excised , too , preserved perhaps in a museum but certainly not allowed to undergird the system of representative government based on the self-sacrifice of a horrific slave-owner named George Washington .
Blow isn ’ t quite that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But remember when President Donald Trump was derided as an alarmist for predicting that the toppling of Confederate statues would lead to the toppling of monuments to George Washington ?
Who knows where the 1619 riots will end ?
Tyler O ’ Neil is the author of Making Hate Pay : The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center .
Follow him on Twitter at @ Tyler2ONeil .
The Violence Against This Civil War Monument Captures Just How Badly the George Floyd Riots Have Gone Wrong Tom Cotton Reveals the True Threat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Down the Law : BLM Vandals and Statue-Topplers Face ‘ Up to 10 Years in Prison ’ BLM Leader : Statues and Stained Glass of Jesus Are ‘ White Supremacy , ’ Must Be Torn Down

Early Monday morning, vandals targeted yet another monument to George Washington, the first president who is considered the father of America. As The New York Times‘s Charles Blow called for the removal of all statues honoring Washington, President Donald Trump announced that federal law enforcement was tracking down the vandals, defending these symbols of America.
“We are tracking down the two Anarchists who threw paint on the magnificent George Washington Statue in Manhattan. We have them on tape,” Trump tweeted Tuesday. “They will be prosecuted and face 10 years in Prison based on the Monuments and Statues Act. Turn yourselves in now!”
We are tracking down the two Anarchists who threw paint on the magnificent George Washington Statue in Manhattan. We have them on tape. They will be prosecuted and face 10 years in Prison based on the Monuments and Statues Act. Turn yourselves in now! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 30, 2020
Two suspects — a woman dressed in all white with a white bow in her hair and a man in a black shirt and black shorts — tossed balloons filled with red paint at two statues of George Washington on Washington Square Park’s famous arch celebrating the first president, the New York Post reported. After defacing the statues, the suspects reportedly fled on Citi Bikes, but surveillance video captured the incident, which took place around 3:20 a.m.
The statues depict Washington as the first president and as general of the American colonial army in the Revolutionary War.
New York City’s Parks Department workers scrubbed the arch to remove the paint.
“This does do damage — you can see bits of the statue all over me,” a worker told The Post as he made a third pass at cleaning the marble with a citrus-based solution. “It’s marble — it comes off.”
The vandals also used white spray paint to draw the outlines of 24 people’s bodies around the park’s fountain. They tossed red balloons at the bodies, mainly the heads, to give the impression that the people outlined had been shot.
Vandals across the country have targeted monuments to George Washington. Last week, a man painted “slave owner” on a statue of Washington in Union Square Park in Manhattan. Vandals in Chicago painted “Slave Owner” and “Burn Down the White House” on a George Washington statue in the Windy City.
In Portland, vandals toppled another George Washington statue. They also spray-painted “1619” on it, echoing The New York Times‘s “1619 Project,” which aims to redefine American history by making the arrival of the first slaves in 1619 the focal point, rather than the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The 1619 Project justifies scrapping the entire American project — which has bolstered freedom and prosperity across the globe — in the name of racial justice. Some have suggested that the riots that followed in the wake of the horrific police killing of George Floyd should be termed the “1619 riots.”
As news of the vandalism broke on Monday, The New York Times published a column from Charles Blow entitled, “Yes, Even George Washington.”
“Some people who are opposed to taking down monuments ask, ‘If we start, where will we stop?’ It might begin with Confederate generals, but all slave owners could easily become targets. Even George Washington himself,” Blow wrote. “To that I say, ‘abso-fricking-lutely!'”
“George Washington enslaved more than 100 human beings, and he signed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, authorizing slavers to stalk runaways even in free states and criminalizing the helping of escaped slaves. When one of the African people he himself had enslaved escaped, a woman named Ona Maria Judge, he pursued her relentlessly, sometimes illegally,” the Times columnist wrote.
Others have taken issue with Washington’s career as a surveyor. George Washington scoped out land for settlement, pushing Native Americans away.
Even so, George Washington played a key role in the French and Indian War that led to American independence, he led the army during the Revolutionary War, and he set an important precedent for limited republican government by resigning his military commission before taking office and stepping down as president after two terms. Washington was far from perfect, but he helped achieve American independence and he was instrumental to preserving liberty by refusing power, justly earning the title “American Cincinnatus.”
According to Blow, Washington’s monumental achievements must be brushed aside because he owned slaves. “Slave owners should not be honored with monuments in public spaces. We have museums for that, which also provide better context. This is not an erasure of history, but rather a better appreciation of the horrible truth of it,” the Times columnist wrote.
Yet Americans need heroes, and George Washington was undeniably heroic. Every hero has flaws, and his participation in slavery is a black mark on his record, to be sure. But does that require his erasure from public spaces?
Blow has doubled down on his stance, insisting that “enslavement and freedom are binary.”
Enslavement and freedom are binary. https://t.co/uZSr6HUg3R — Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) June 29, 2020
Does this require that Abraham Lincoln, who repeatedly said he would have welcomed the Confederacy back into the Union, even at the cost of not freeing a single slave, should have his monuments removed and defaced, as well? Sure, Lincoln freed the slaves, but he did not become an abolitionist until toward the end of the Civil War.
If the memories of America’s founders are to be damned, what of their Constitution? The Declaration of Independence established the ideals of liberty and equality that eventually required the correction of historic injustices such as the abolition of slavery, extending the vote to women, and civil rights. Yet, by Blow’s binary logic, perhaps the foundation of American freedom and prosperity must be excised, too, preserved perhaps in a museum but certainly not allowed to undergird the system of representative government based on the self-sacrifice of a horrific slave-owner named George Washington.
Blow isn’t quite that “woke,” not yet. But remember when President Donald Trump was derided as an alarmist for predicting that the toppling of Confederate statues would lead to the toppling of monuments to George Washington?
2017: @NYTimes: "Mr. Witt called Mr. Trump’s warning of a slippery slope a “red herring.” There have been, after all, no calls to tear down the Washington Monument." 2020: @NYTimes Columnist: Should monuments to George Washington come down? "abso-fricking-lutely!” pic.twitter.com/k2IsyVEEbC — jerylbier (@JerylBier) June 29, 2020
Who knows where the 1619 riots will end?
Tyler O’Neil is the author of Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Follow him on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--Poll: Youth Patriotism Declines Throughout College

Patriotism is part of growing up in many communities .
Young children attend July 4 parades , and some even grow up to be in them with their high school marching band .
Most say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning , according to a new patriotism survey .
But then for many comes graduation and on to college where the focus changes to personal development and world affairs and all those red , white , and blue trappings are put away .
And with that , so too goes the patriotic intensity , according to the latest “ Youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Young America ’ s Foundation and Townhall .
Just consider flags : 91 % of high schoolers have a favorable view of the American flag .
For college students , it 's 73 % .
Some 44 % of high schoolers have a favorable view of the United Nations flag ; for college kids , it 's 51 % .
Or this : 66 % of high school students believe America is exceptional , compared to 47 % of college students .
And 63 % of high school students report feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of college students .
While conservatives have long believed that the nation ’ s mostly liberal colleges and professors do not push American exceptionalism , the new survey gives them a little proof of how students change once they move on to college .
“ While many young people today hold positive opinions about America and its attributes , it ’ s clear that once a student gets to college , those positive feelings are eroded or replaced with more negative opinions about our country .
High school and college students still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , believe that our country is a work in progress , and understand the reasons people around the world want to live in America , but barely half say they ’ re proud of America , ” said YAF spokesman Spencer Brown .
He also told Secrets that the left-wing bias in colleges and the war on conservative speech plays a role .
“ It ’ s clear that leftist orthodoxy has a comfy home in higher education .
Biased or incomplete lessons on America ’ s history go unchallenged because , all-too-often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students who hold them ) are not welcomed , ” he said .
“ In some cases , universities go so far as to regulate conservative speech into silence , running afoul of the constitutional rights owed to all students .
The liberal echo chamber creates students who , even though they may view the United States and what it stands for favorably , shy away from identifying as patriotic due to fear of leftist intolerance , ” he added .
The survey puts an exclamation mark on the current street protests of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter movement .
Many of the activists are young and college-aged .
Some have burned the American flag ; others have hoisted anti-America posters .
Overall , the data suggest young people in the U.S. are patriotic .
But the numbers shift between high school graduation and college .
In general , said the survey : • Seventy-nine percent are glad they live in America .
• Forty-six percent say they are patriotic .
• Forty percent are willing to sacrifice for America .
But when high school vs. college is broken out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are : • Eighty-eight percent of high schoolers view the U.S. favorably versus 69 % of college students .
• Ninety-one percent of high schoolers view the U.S. flag favorable compared to 73 % of college students .
• Sixty-three percent of high schoolers are proud of the U.S. , 40 % for college students .
• Fifty-eight percent of high schoolers say they are patriotic , 35 % of college students .
• Eighty-five percent of high schoolers are glad they live in the U.S. , 73 % of college students .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrifice for America , 32 % for college students .
Together with the survey , Brown said that young people may be getting the wrong image of their country .
“ The 2020 Youth Patriotism Index suggests we ought to consider a question posed to America by Ronald Reagan : Are we doing a good enough job teaching our children what America is and what she represents in the long history of the world ? ''
he asked .

Patriotism is part of growing up in many communities. Young children attend Fourth of July parades, and some even grow up to be in them with their high school marching band. Most say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, according to a new patriotism survey.
But then for many comes graduation and on to college where the focus changes to personal development and world affairs and all those red, white, and blue trappings are put away.
And with that, so too goes the patriotic intensity, according to the latest “Youth Patriotism Index,” shared with Secrets by the Young America’s Foundation and Townhall.
Just consider flags: 91% of high schoolers have a favorable view of the American flag. For college students, it's 73%. Some 44% of high schoolers have a favorable view of the United Nations flag; for college kids, it's 51%.
Or this: 66% of high school students believe America is exceptional, compared to 47% of college students. And 63% of high school students report feeling proud of America, compared to 40% of college students.
While conservatives have long believed that the nation’s mostly liberal colleges and professors do not push American exceptionalism, the new survey gives them a little proof of how students change once they move on to college.
📊 NEW POLL 📊@YAF—in partnership with @townhallcom—releases the Youth Patriotism Index just in time for Independence Day showing the rising generation isn’t as anti-American as some in the commentariat say. @reagmccarthy with the exclusive:https://t.co/D7AdbujbLk — Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) July 1, 2020
“While many young people today hold positive opinions about America and its attributes, it’s clear that once a student gets to college, those positive feelings are eroded or replaced with more negative opinions about our country. High school and college students still prefer the United States to other countries, believe that our country is a work in progress, and understand the reasons people around the world want to live in America, but barely half say they’re proud of America,” said YAF spokesman Spencer Brown.
He also told Secrets that the left-wing bias in colleges and the war on conservative speech plays a role.
“It’s clear that leftist orthodoxy has a comfy home in higher education. Biased or incomplete lessons on America’s history go unchallenged because, all-too-often, important conservative ideas (and the students who hold them) are not welcomed,” he said. “In some cases, universities go so far as to regulate conservative speech into silence, running afoul of the constitutional rights owed to all students. The liberal echo chamber creates students who, even though they may view the United States and what it stands for favorably, shy away from identifying as patriotic due to fear of leftist intolerance,” he added.
The survey puts an exclamation mark on the current street protests of policing and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Many of the activists are young and college-aged. Some have burned the American flag; others have hoisted anti-America posters.
Overall, the data suggest young people in the U.S. are patriotic. But the numbers shift between high school graduation and college.
In general, said the survey:
Seventy-eight percent view the U.S. favorably.
Eighty-two percent view the American flag favorably.
Seventy-nine percent are glad they live in America.
Fifty-one percent are proud of America.
Forty-six percent say they are patriotic.
Forty percent are willing to sacrifice for America.
But when high school vs. college is broken out on the same issues, the answers are:
Eighty-eight percent of high schoolers view the U.S. favorably versus 69% of college students.
Ninety-one percent of high schoolers view the U.S. flag favorable compared to 73% of college students.
Sixty-three percent of high schoolers are proud of the U.S., 40% for college students.
Fifty-eight percent of high schoolers say they are patriotic, 35% of college students.
Eighty-five percent of high schoolers are glad they live in the U.S., 73% of college students.
Forty-eight percent of high schoolers would sacrifice for America, 32% for college students.
Together with the survey, Brown said that young people may be getting the wrong image of their country.
“The 2020 Youth Patriotism Index suggests we ought to consider a question posed to America by Ronald Reagan: Are we doing a good enough job teaching our children what America is and what she represents in the long history of the world?" he asked.


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--“Anti-Racist” Democrat Staffer Tweeted the N-Word At Least 20 Times

In a blistering display of hypocrisy , a Democratic Congressman ’ s senior staffer used the n-word over twenty times in the space of four months , as well as sharing a number of other anti-Indian , anti-Asian , and anti-gay slurs .
The individual – who refused to comment for this story – has referred to Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “ a close personal friend ” on social media .
Steven Horsford ( D-NV4 ) has repeatedly slammed the Trump administration over what he claims is “ racism ” or “ anti-LGBT ” policies .
Meanwhile , Shelbie Bostedt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African-American Congressman ’ s Press Secretary since June 2019 , has tweeted the word “ n*gga ” or “ n*ggas ” over 20 times , as well as tweeting the hashtag “ # DirtyMexicans.
” Bostedt has mocked Indian accents and taken particular aim at Asians , in a series of tweets dating back to 2013 .
“ THERE IS AN ASIAN BRIGADE IN MCCARRAN .
I REPEAT : ASIAN BRIGADE , ” she tweeted , and in another racially motivated attack , said of Asian classmates : “ There are almost too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also referred to thing with the pejorative use of “ gay ” and “ super homo ” .
The Democrat staffer has worked for the left-wing Foreign Policy magazine , the Chicago Tribune , and is currently enrolled in a Master ’ s programme at Johns Hopkins University in Washington , D.C .
When contacted for this story , Ms. Bostedt refused to respond and instead set her social media accounts to “ private ” mode : an arguably odd thing to do for a press secretary .
In recent weeks Bostedt has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overt racist ” and tweeted ostensible support of the Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) movement .
Her boss , Rep. Horsford has also been quick to condemn the United States as teeming with institutional racism , even co-sponsoring for a commission to study the phenomenon , perhaps he ought to look at his own office before lecturing the rest of the country .
In a 2019 Facebook post , Bostedt referred to Speaker Nancy Pelosi as her “ close personal friend ” and shared a picture from the Speaker ’ s private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In JUNE 2012 she responsed to “ stop sleeping in the bathroom f*ggot , ” Bostedt tweeted “ y ’ all n*ggas need 2 stop talkin shit.
” The most recent tweet of the 20 that exist reads “ NIGGA U A MEXICAN DON ’ T EVEN RIVERA.
” In 2013 instances of racially-charged language , the Dem staffer include the hashtag “ dirty mexican , ” “ Presenting in Biology with an Indian accent , ” and “ THERE IS AN ASIAN BRIGADE IN MCCARRAN .
I REPEAT : ASIAN BRIGADE.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my lounge listening to classical music and doing their engineering homework .
There are almost too many stereotypes to count .
Concerning sexuality-related slurs , Bostedt has pejoratively labeled many things as “ gay ” and “ super homo ” – an action deemed impermissible and “ homophobic ” by the modern left .
Despite this , Rep. Horsford has attacked the Trump administration for being anti-LGBTQ and has touted his “ perfect 100 rating ” from Human Rights Campaign , the largest advocacy group for the demographic in the U.S. She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GUY GAY OR JUST ANGRY ” and “ Nobody can dance like a gay boy can.
” These unearthed comments shine a light on the pervasive hypocrisy of the Democratic party and a testament to why the party has no place or moral authority to lecture conservatives on race .
In June 2020 , a USA Today “ Fact Check ” revealed that Democrats “ protesting ” while wearing the Kente Cloth were in fact wearing the garb of slave owners and traders from Africa , confirming The National Pulse ’ s exclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations by The National Pulse .

In a blistering display of hypocrisy, a Democratic Congressman’s senior staffer used the n-word over twenty times in the space of four months, as well as sharing a number of other anti-Indian, anti-Asian, and anti-gay slurs. The individual – who refused to comment for this story – has referred to Speaker Nancy Pelosi as “a close personal friend” on social media.
Steven Horsford (D-NV4) has repeatedly slammed the Trump administration over what he claims is “racism” or “anti-LGBT” policies.
Meanwhile, Shelbie Bostedt, who has served as the two-term African-American Congressman’s Press Secretary since June 2019, has tweeted the word “n*gga” or “n*ggas” over 20 times, as well as tweeting the hashtag “#DirtyMexicans.”
Bostedt has mocked Indian accents and taken particular aim at Asians, in a series of tweets dating back to 2013.
“THERE IS AN ASIAN BRIGADE IN MCCARRAN. I REPEAT: ASIAN BRIGADE,” she tweeted, and in another racially motivated attack, said of Asian classmates: “There are almost too many stereotypes to count.”
Bostedt has also referred to thing with the pejorative use of “gay” and “super homo”.
The Democrat staffer has worked for the left-wing Foreign Policy magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and is currently enrolled in a Master’s programme at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C.
When contacted for this story, Ms. Bostedt refused to respond and instead set her social media accounts to “private” mode: an arguably odd thing to do for a press secretary.
In recent weeks Bostedt has insisted that President Trump is an “overt racist” and tweeted ostensible support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
Her boss, Rep. Horsford has also been quick to condemn the United States as teeming with institutional racism, even co-sponsoring for a commission to study the phenomenon, perhaps he ought to look at his own office before lecturing the rest of the country.
In a 2019 Facebook post, Bostedt referred to Speaker Nancy Pelosi as her “close personal friend” and shared a picture from the Speaker’s private balcony in the U.S. Capitol building.
BOSTEDT’S HATEFUL POSTS.
In JUNE 2012 she responsed to “stop sleeping in the bathroom f*ggot,” Bostedt tweeted “y’all n*ggas need 2 stop talkin shit.” The most recent tweet of the 20 that exist reads “NIGGA U A MEXICAN DON’T EVEN RIVERA.”
In 2013 instances of racially-charged language, the Dem staffer include the hashtag “dirty mexican,” “Presenting in Biology with an Indian accent,” and “THERE IS AN ASIAN BRIGADE IN MCCARRAN. I REPEAT: ASIAN BRIGADE.” Bostedt also shared: “Asian kids in my lounge listening to classical music and doing their engineering homework. There are almost too many stereotypes to count.
Concerning sexuality-related slurs, Bostedt has pejoratively labeled many things as “gay” and “super homo”– an action deemed impermissible and “homophobic” by the modern left. Despite this, Rep. Horsford has attacked the Trump administration for being anti-LGBTQ and has touted his “perfect 100 rating” from Human Rights Campaign, the largest advocacy group for the demographic in the U.S.
She’s also tweeted “IS THIS GUY GAY OR JUST ANGRY” and “Nobody can dance like a gay boy can.”
These unearthed comments shine a light on the pervasive hypocrisy of the Democratic party and a testament to why the party has no place or moral authority to lecture conservatives on race.
In June 2020, a USA Today “Fact Check” revealed that Democrats “protesting” while wearing the Kente Cloth were in fact wearing the garb of slave owners and traders from Africa, confirming The National Pulse’s exclusive reporting on the matter.


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--CBP Officials: 11,000 Assault Weapons Parts Smuggled In From China

Authorities seized nearly 11,000 Assault Weapons parts smuggled into the U.S. from China in Louisville , Kentucky – a city facing violent riots rife with illegal firearms – amid a Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry into Chinese involvement in nationwide protests .
The shipment , valued at almost $ 130,000 , originated from Shenzen , China and was intended for a residence in Melbourne , Florida .
Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) officers in Louisville , however , intercepted the illegal weapons deal , emphasizing unreported weapons minimize the U.S. ’ s “ safe and strong ” status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of munitions is regulated by the ATF , ” said Thomas Mahn , Port Director , Louisville .
“ This smuggler was knowingly trying to avoid detection , however , our officers remain vigilant , ensuring our community is safe.
” The June 26th announcement cast Wall Street Journal reports of illegal firearms appearing around Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) protests in Louisville and across the country in an interesting – and perhaps foreign – light .
It also follows a fatal shooting in the area leaving one American dead , perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese weapons .
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) Director Christopher Wray stated the bureau was “ looking carefully ” at foreign involvement or interference , chiefly at the hands of China , in nationwide protests responding to the death of George Floyd .
Wray also noted the FBI has over 2,000 active investigations into the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP ) .
Chinese state media , mouthpieces for the CCP , have reveled in the violence and destruction faced by the U.S. , with a Global Times editorial noting “ protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of Minnesota to the rest of the country , and Chinese netizens are cheering.
” China is responsible for the deaths of countless Americans – whether fueling the country ’ s opioid epidemic or spawning and spreading the novel coronavirus to the world writ large .

11,000 Assault Weapons Parts Smuggled In From China, Says U.S. Border Agency
Authorities seized nearly 11,000 Assault Weapons parts smuggled into the U.S. from China in Louisville, Kentucky – a city facing violent riots rife with illegal firearms – amid a Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry into Chinese involvement in nationwide protests.
The shipment, valued at almost $130,000, originated from Shenzen, China and was intended for a residence in Melbourne, Florida.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Louisville, however, intercepted the illegal weapons deal, emphasizing unreported weapons minimize the U.S.’s “safe and strong” status.
“The importing of any type of munitions is regulated by the ATF,” said Thomas Mahn, Port Director, Louisville. “This smuggler was knowingly trying to avoid detection, however, our officers remain vigilant, ensuring our community is safe.”
The June 26th announcement cast Wall Street Journal reports of illegal firearms appearing around Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in Louisville and across the country in an interesting – and perhaps foreign – light.
It also follows a fatal shooting in the area leaving one American dead, perhaps, as a result of illegally imported Chinese weapons.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray stated the bureau was “looking carefully” at foreign involvement or interference, chiefly at the hands of China, in nationwide protests responding to the death of George Floyd.
Wray also noted the FBI has over 2,000 active investigations into the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Chinese state media, mouthpieces for the CCP, have reveled in the violence and destruction faced by the U.S., with a Global Times editorial noting “protests and chaos have spread from the US state of Minnesota to the rest of the country, and Chinese netizens are cheering.”
China is responsible for the deaths of countless Americans – whether fueling the country’s opioid epidemic or spawning and spreading the novel coronavirus to the world writ large.


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--At U.N., Pompeo Shows Support for Iran Arms Embargo

NEW YORK ( Reuters ) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to extend an arms embargo on Iran before it expires in October , prompting Russia to slam Washington ’ s policy toward Tehran as like “ putting a knee ” to the country ’ s neck .
The United States has circulated a draft resolution to the 15-member council that would indefinitely extend the arms embargo on Tehran , but council veto-powers Russia and China have already signaled their opposition to the move .
“ Don ’ t just take it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries in the region .
From Israel to the Gulf , countries in the Middle East – who are most exposed to Iran ’ s predations – are speaking with one voice : Extend the arms embargo , ” Pompeo told a virtual Security Council meeting .
U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s administration has long argued that the arms embargo on Iran should not be lifted .
The arms embargo is set to end in mid-October under Tehran ’ s 2015 nuclear deal with Britain , Germany , France , China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s predecessor , Barack Obama .
Since Trump took office in 2017 , his administration has quit the nuclear deal and steadily ramped up sanctions on Iran in what Washington describes as a maximum-pressure approach .
Addressing the council , Russia ’ s U.N .
Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia described the policy as “ a maximum suffocation policy.
” “ The task is to achieve regime change or create a situation where Iran literally wouldn ’ t be able to breath .
This is like putting a knee to one ’ s neck , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the death of a Black man in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck .
The death of George Floyd sparked protests across the United States and around the world .
The Security Council was meeting on Tuesday to discuss a report by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that determined that cruise missiles used in several attacks on oil facilities and an international airport in Saudi Arabia last year were of “ Iranian origin.
” Saudi Arabia ’ s U.N .
Ambassador Abdullah Al Mouallimi said Russia and China had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s situation , but when it came to the proposal to extend the arms embargo on Iran they “ presumably had scores to settle with the United States.
” “ We ’ re trying to separate the two issues in our discussions with them , which ... are open , are friendly discussions , are based on the good relations that we enjoy with both countries , ” he told a news conference later on Tuesday .
If Washington is unsuccessful in extending the arms embargo , it has threatened to trigger at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. sanctions on Iran under the nuclear deal , even though it left the accord in 2018 .
Diplomats say Washington would face a tough , messy battle .
Iran has breached parts of the nuclear deal in response to the U.S. withdrawal and Washington ’ s reimposition of sanctions .
U.N. political affairs and peacebuilding chief Rosemary DiCarlo said the nuclear deal was crucial to regional and international security , adding : “ It is therefore regrettable that the future of this agreement is in doubt.
” Britain , France and Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifting the arms embargo on Iran would have major implications for regional security and stability .
However , they also said they would not back U.S. efforts to unilaterally trigger a return of all U.N. sanctions on Iran .
Iran ’ s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said : “ The international community in general — and the U.N. Security Council in particular — are facing an important decision : Do we maintain respect for the rule of law , or do we return to the law of the jungle by surrendering to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pushed the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to extend an arms embargo on Iran before it expires in October, prompting Russia to slam Washington’s policy toward Tehran as like “putting a knee” to the country’s neck.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gives a news conference about dealings with China and Iran, and on the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Washington, U.S., June 24, 2020. Mangel Ngan/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
The United States has circulated a draft resolution to the 15-member council that would indefinitely extend the arms embargo on Tehran, but council veto-powers Russia and China have already signaled their opposition to the move.
“Don’t just take it from the United States, listen to countries in the region. From Israel to the Gulf, countries in the Middle East – who are most exposed to Iran’s predations – are speaking with one voice: Extend the arms embargo,” Pompeo told a virtual Security Council meeting.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has long argued that the arms embargo on Iran should not be lifted. The arms embargo is set to end in mid-October under Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with Britain, Germany, France, China, Russia and the administration of Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama.
Since Trump took office in 2017, his administration has quit the nuclear deal and steadily ramped up sanctions on Iran in what Washington describes as a maximum-pressure approach.
Addressing the council, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia described the policy as “a maximum suffocation policy.”
“The task is to achieve regime change or create a situation where Iran literally wouldn’t be able to breath. This is like putting a knee to one’s neck,” he said in a veiled reference to the death of a Black man in Minneapolis after a white police officer knelt on his neck. The death of George Floyd sparked protests across the United States and around the world.
‘LAW OF THE JUNGLE’
The Security Council was meeting on Tuesday to discuss a report by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that determined that cruise missiles used in several attacks on oil facilities and an international airport in Saudi Arabia last year were of “Iranian origin.”
Saudi Arabia’s U.N. Ambassador Abdullah Al Mouallimi said Russia and China had been “sympathetic” to Riyadh’s situation, but when it came to the proposal to extend the arms embargo on Iran they “presumably had scores to settle with the United States.”
“We’re trying to separate the two issues in our discussions with them, which ... are open, are friendly discussions, are based on the good relations that we enjoy with both countries,” he told a news conference later on Tuesday.
If Washington is unsuccessful in extending the arms embargo, it has threatened to trigger at the Security Council a return of all U.N. sanctions on Iran under the nuclear deal, even though it left the accord in 2018. Diplomats say Washington would face a tough, messy battle.
Iran has breached parts of the nuclear deal in response to the U.S. withdrawal and Washington’s reimposition of sanctions.
U.N. political affairs and peacebuilding chief Rosemary DiCarlo said the nuclear deal was crucial to regional and international security, adding: “It is therefore regrettable that the future of this agreement is in doubt.”
Britain, France and Germany all expressed concern to the council that lifting the arms embargo on Iran would have major implications for regional security and stability. However, they also said they would not back U.S. efforts to unilaterally trigger a return of all U.N. sanctions on Iran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: “The international community in general — and the U.N. Security Council in particular — are facing an important decision: Do we maintain respect for the rule of law, or do we return to the law of the jungle by surrendering to the whims of an outlaw bully?”


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--WHO Warns That Latin American Deaths Could Triple By October

The death toll in Latin America could treble by October if countries across the entire region do not deal with outbreaks on a localised level , a World Health Organization official warned today .
More than five million Covid-19 cases and 247,000 deaths were registered across the Americas , which includes the United States , Latin and South America as well as the Caribbean , as of 29 June .
Overall the region has reported more cases than any other place on earth .
However , the total number of cases only tell part of the story , the director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Pan American Health Organization ( PAHO ) , warned today .
Multiple epidemiological curves can co-exist within each region and each country and responses must be tailored accordingly , PAHO chief Dr Carissa F. Etienne told a press conference .
“ It is important to look beyond regional and national data and to focus on the local level to truly understand the true impact of the virus , ” she said .
“ We often hear about the number of cases in large countries like Brazil , Mexico or the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of societal and geographical diversity.
” In the United States , Washington State and New York are now seeing very low numbers of new cases and deaths , while 27 other states are reporting exponential growth , she added .

The death toll in Latin America could treble by October if countries across the entire region do not deal with outbreaks on a localised level, a World Health Organization official warned today.
More than five million Covid-19 cases and 247,000 deaths were registered across the Americas, which includes the United States, Latin and South America as well as the Caribbean, as of 29 June.
Overall the region has reported more cases than any other place on earth. However, the total number of cases only tell part of the story, the director of the WHO’s regional branch, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), warned today.
Multiple epidemiological curves can co-exist within each region and each country and responses must be tailored accordingly, PAHO chief Dr Carissa F. Etienne told a press conference.
“It is important to look beyond regional and national data and to focus on the local level to truly understand the true impact of the virus,” she said.
“We often hear about the number of cases in large countries like Brazil, Mexico or the United States without the appreciation of their consideration of societal and geographical diversity.”
In the United States, Washington State and New York are now seeing very low numbers of new cases and deaths, while 27 other states are reporting exponential growth, she added.


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--Why Israeli Annexation is Not Happening Today

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had negotiated the date into his government coalition deal with his rival Benny Gantz .
On July 1 , as stipulated in the agreement , Netanyahu could put the topic of annexing the West Bank — a move that would have enormous political repercussions well beyond the Middle East — up for a vote in his Cabinet or in the Knesset , Israel ’ s parliament .
But on Tuesday , Netanyahu signaled that nothing big will happen on July 1 .
After meeting with White House envoy Avi Berkowitz and US Ambassador to Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke about the question of sovereignty , which we are working on these days and we will continue to work on in the coming days.
” With that , the anticipation that had been building for months — or some could argue for over a year , during which Netanyahu promised annexation in not one or two but three election campaigns — dissipated .
“ The coming days ” takes us into an indeterminate future .
Still , missing the July 1 date is symbolic of how fraught the process has become .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t come together the way that Netanyahu had hoped .
The US team is uneasy .
Some have speculated that the holdup is due to geographic specifics , or which West Bank settlements the US will approve annexing .
The US administration has also been tied up with responding to the coronavirus crisis — something that Kushner has also spent time on — and is wary of getting involved in a controversial move at the same time .
Whatever the reason for the delay , it looks like Netanyahu is deferring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is unusual .
In previous peace negotiations , the United States usually let the Israelis take the lead in setting parameters .
In the 2013-14 negotiations , when a team led by then-Secretary of State John Kerry put forward detailed proposals , Netanyahu ’ s government pushed back forcefully .
There ’ s another potential reason that the US team has shown reservations : They could want the full support of Benny Gantz , now Israel ’ s defense minister but also alternate prime minister .
According to the coalition agreement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister role in a little over a year .
He now represents the center-right in Israeli politics .
Gantz has said he supports the Trump peace plan , which involves annexation , but only if the idea gains wider support than it currently has .
European politicians have threatened sanctions on Israel if it follows through , and Arab countries have warned that the move would cause disastrous unrest in the region .
Yousef al-Otaiba , the United Arab Emirates ’ ambassador to the United States , has written that annexation would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been working hard to build in the Arab world .
“ I believe that the Trump plan is the right political and security framework to be promoted in the State of Israel , ” Gantz said in an interview with Ynet on Tuesday .
“ [ But ] this needs to be done correctly in bringing as many partners to this discussion from the countries of the region , with international backing .
[ We must ] make every effort to connect with them and only then continue .
And I think all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not yet been exhausted.
” The Palestinians could be willing to talk if annexation is nixed .
The Palestinian Authority , led by Mahmoud Abbas , has not been happy about the annexation rumors .
If Israel follows through with its plan , the P.A .
said it will declare its own state .
It has already reneged on all security cooperation with Israel and even stopped taking tax money held for them .
All signs pointed to a historic low in Israeli-Palestinian relations .
However , in a striking reversal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ P.A .
is willing to come back to the negotiating table — something it hasn ’ t done since 2014 — if Israel drops the annexation idea .
The report claims that the Palestinian Authority sent a letter to the so-called Quartet – the diplomatic grouping of the United States , the United Nations , the European Union and Russia — saying it was “ ready to resume direct bilateral negotiations where they stopped.
” The AFP could not discern when the letter was sent , though .
The coronavirus is raging in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , Netanyahu and his government were praised for their quick and effective quarantine shutdown .
In recent weeks , however , Israel has relaxed restrictions and reopened workplaces and schools — and seen a spike in COVID-19 cases .
On Tuesday , the Health Ministry confirmed over 700 new cases that had been identified in the past 24 hours — the second-highest amount recorded in a day there since the start of the pandemic .
Israeli reports claim that the ministry is pushing for curfews in dozens of cities to curb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disagreed with Gantz on the topic .

(JTA) — Since April, all eyes following the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been glued to July 1.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had negotiated the date into his government coalition deal with his rival Benny Gantz. On July 1, as stipulated in the agreement, Netanyahu could put the topic of annexing the West Bank — a move that would have enormous political repercussions well beyond the Middle East — up for a vote in his Cabinet or in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
(Here’s a guide to what West Bank annexation, a move to apply Israeli sovereignty to Jewish settlements that Netanyahu has long desired, would mean.)
But on Tuesday, Netanyahu signaled that nothing big will happen on July 1. After meeting with White House envoy Avi Berkowitz and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Netanyahu said they “spoke about the question of sovereignty, which we are working on these days and we will continue to work on in the coming days.”
With that, the anticipation that had been building for months — or some could argue for over a year, during which Netanyahu promised annexation in not one or two but three election campaigns — dissipated. “The coming days” takes us into an indeterminate future.
This doesn’t mean that annexation in full or some other form won’t ever happen. In fact, Netanyahu has floated the idea of annexing just a few large settlement blocs close to July 1 to try to appease all sides.
Still, missing the July 1 date is symbolic of how fraught the process has become. Here are the reasons why it hasn’t come together the way that Netanyahu had hoped.
The US team is uneasy.
Tuesday’s meeting was just one of several that Netanyahu has had over the past few months with the US Middle East peace team anchored by Jared Kushner, Friedman and the 31-year-old Berkowitz. The team’s message has been straightforward for months: Slow down the process.
That’s despite the fact that the Trump administration’s own peace plan, released in January, gives Israel the green light to add West Bank lands to its map in a future two-state solution with the Palestinians. The Palestinians would get about 70% of the West Bank’s territory and Israel would annex the rest.
Some have speculated that the holdup is due to geographic specifics, or which West Bank settlements the US will approve annexing. The US administration has also been tied up with responding to the coronavirus crisis — something that Kushner has also spent time on — and is wary of getting involved in a controversial move at the same time.
There’s also the fact that the Palestinians have outright rejected the Trump plan, which could be weighing on the US team.
In addition, the Israeli army reportedly has been kept completely out of the loop of the process, giving rise to anxieties about a possible bungled security response.
Whatever the reason for the delay, it looks like Netanyahu is deferring to President Donald Trump and his team, which is unusual. In previous peace negotiations, the United States usually let the Israelis take the lead in setting parameters. In the 2013-14 negotiations, when a team led by then-Secretary of State John Kerry put forward detailed proposals, Netanyahu’s government pushed back forcefully.
Gantz is uneasy.
There’s another potential reason that the US team has shown reservations: They could want the full support of Benny Gantz, now Israel’s defense minister but also alternate prime minister. According to the coalition agreement, Gantz is scheduled to rotate into the prime minister role in a little over a year. He now represents the center-right in Israeli politics.
The Times of Israel reported Tuesday that “the US appears to be conditioning the advancement of the annexation on Gantz’s backing, in addition to support by Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.” Ashkenazi, like Gantz a former Israel Defense Forces leader, is part of Gantz’s Blue and White party.
Gantz has said he supports the Trump peace plan, which involves annexation, but only if the idea gains wider support than it currently has. European politicians have threatened sanctions on Israel if it follows through, and Arab countries have warned that the move would cause disastrous unrest in the region. Yousef al-Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the United States, has written that annexation would also destroy the relationships that Netanyahu has been working hard to build in the Arab world.
“I believe that the Trump plan is the right political and security framework to be promoted in the State of Israel,” Gantz said in an interview with Ynet on Tuesday. “[But] this needs to be done correctly in bringing as many partners to this discussion from the countries of the region, with international backing. [We must] make every effort to connect with them and only then continue. And I think all the means to bring in the players have not yet been exhausted.”
The Palestinians could be willing to talk if annexation is nixed.
The Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, has not been happy about the annexation rumors. If Israel follows through with its plan, the P.A. said it will declare its own state. It has already reneged on all security cooperation with Israel and even stopped taking tax money held for them.
All signs pointed to a historic low in Israeli-Palestinian relations. However, in a striking reversal, the AFP news agency reported that the P.A. is willing to come back to the negotiating table — something it hasn’t done since 2014 — if Israel drops the annexation idea. The report claims that the Palestinian Authority sent a letter to the so-called Quartet – the diplomatic grouping of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia — saying it was “ready to resume direct bilateral negotiations where they stopped.” The AFP could not discern when the letter was sent, though.
The coronavirus is raging in Israel.
This is Gantz’s other point: The coronavirus has made a comeback in Israel, and he thinks the government should prioritize dealing with that first.
In the early days of the virus, Netanyahu and his government were praised for their quick and effective quarantine shutdown. In recent weeks, however, Israel has relaxed restrictions and reopened workplaces and schools — and seen a spike in COVID-19 cases. On Tuesday, the Health Ministry confirmed over 700 new cases that had been identified in the past 24 hours — the second-highest amount recorded in a day there since the start of the pandemic. Israeli reports claim that the ministry is pushing for curfews in dozens of cities to curb the spread of disease.
Netanyahu has disagreed with Gantz on the topic.
“We have serious issues to discuss,” Netanyahu said Tuesday. “So serious they can’t even wait until after the coronavirus passes.”


bonginoreport--2020-07-01--U.S. Ramps Up Effort to Counter China to Unprecedented Levels

A paramilitary policeman stands guard outside the Great Hall of the People ahead of the closing session of the National People 's Congress in Beijing on May 28 , 2020 .
( Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images ) US Ramps Up Unprecedented Effort to Counter China The United States is responding to the Chinese Communist Party ’ s ( CCP ) “ unrestricted warfare ” strategy by ratcheting up its war of words and escalating its countermeasures—a more hard-hitting approach to a threat that previous administrations failed to fully recognize , according to experts .
Top U.S. officials , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political aisle , have expressed concern about China ’ s increasingly aggressive and hostile stance toward the United States .
FBI Director Christopher Wray said recently that no country presents such a danger to America ’ s innovation , economic security , and democratic ideas than the Chinese regime .
National security adviser Robert O ’ Brien , meanwhile , recently said the United States will no longer be passive in dealing with China .
Aside from the rhetoric , U.S. counteractions have also ramped up .
Wray revealed last week that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active investigations that trace back to the CCP , marking a roughly 1,300 percent increase in economic espionage probes with links to the Chinese regime .
He said the bureau opens “ a new counterintelligence investigation that ties back to China every 10 hours.
” The recent public proclamations from both the administration and members of Congress “ reflect a frustration with China ’ s aggressive theft of U.S. innovation and technology , ” says Nicholas Eftimiades , a former senior U.S. intelligence official and author of the book , “ Chinese Intelligence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s large scale economic espionage and covert influence activities as supporting economic predatory practices and military expansion in the South and East China seas , ” he told The Epoch Times .
“ The Chinese communist government has never been friends with the U.S. , ” he said .
“ It is only now , some American politicians are realizing it.
” Since 2018 , the U.S. administration ’ s efforts to abate China ’ s espionage , commercial espionage , and intellectual property theft has been increasing , according to Eftimiades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its current rhetoric with actions , allies will also move more aggressively to counter China , thereby increasing global pressure on the CCP and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to comply with the established global rule of law , he said .
Previous administrations and members of Congress believed China would liberalize as it gained wealth .
Eftimiades called the story of U.S.–China relations “ a very sad tale of American arrogance , ignorance , political greed , and corruption.
” “ Chinese and American companies were happy to donate and offer business opportunities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ The result was a massive expansion of China ’ s military , trillions lost in U.S. intellectual property , a threat to the world rule of law , and rich American companies and politicians .
“ Only now , when China ’ s ‘ unrestricted warfare ’ approach is impacting the world , are U.S. politicians finally taking note.
” In February , the FBI was already conducting roughly 1,000 investigations into China ’ s attempted theft of trade secrets , just one of many fronts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the United States .
Every FBI field office at the time was working on trade-secret theft cases involving China , with potential victims spanning almost every sector and industry .
According to a review of DOJ press releases , the department has brought more indictments related to Chinese infiltration since 2019 than during the entire eight years of the Obama administration .
John R. Mills , former director of cybersecurity policy , strategy , and international affairs at the Office of the Secretary of Defense , said the uptick in FBI probes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ massive reprioritization ” of the bureau ’ s assets and resources .
“ The way FBI , law enforcement , and national security investigations work is they just have to be told what the priority is and they will pivot and reprioritize , ” Mills told The Epoch Times .
“ That ’ s what your seeing , a massive reprioritization of FBI activities here … it has a huge effect.
” While the bureau has increased its efforts , some say it won ’ t be enough to fully deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an all-of-society approach is utilized .
“ The FBI is attempting to meet an impossible challenge , ” Eftimiades said .
“ There are thousands of PRC intelligence officers operating in the U.S .
The FBI can not mitigate China ’ s clandestine collection activities.
” The effort to fight the Chinese communist infiltration was launched in November 2018 by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions shortly before he submitted his resignation—the campaign was formally known as the China Initiative .
The Trump administration ’ s efforts in the matter had already ramped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that no one was charged with spying for China during the last four years of the Obama administration and that the Trump administration indicted four alleged spies in 2017 alone .
Early in June , Charles Lieber , the former chair of Harvard University ’ s chemistry department , was indicted on charges of making false statements about funding he received from the Chinese regime , the DOJ said .
Lieber was arrested in January for allegedly lying about his participation in the Chinese state-backed Thousand Talents recruitment program .
A federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on two counts of making false statements to federal authorities .
And in one of the latest cases , 41-year-old Hao Zhang was found guilty on June 26 of economic espionage , theft of trade secrets , and conspiring to commit both offenses , according to the DOJ .
Between 2010 to 2015 , Zhang attempted to steal trade secrets from two companies “ for the benefit of the People ’ s Republic of China.
” Sessions directed the DOJ to focus on a range of priorities related to Chinese infiltration , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strategy to go after non-traditional intelligence collectors being co-opted by the communist regime , and to applying the Foreign Agents Registration Act against unregistered agents advancing the Chinese regime ’ s interests .
U.S. officials are right to characterize the CCP as the biggest threat to the United States , according to Eftimiades .
He described how over the past two decades , the CCP downed a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft , used lasers to blind U.S. pilots , disrupted U.S. satellites , threatened to stop U.S. companies from exporting antibiotics made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. intellectual property .
The Chinese Communist Party also launched an offensive to redirect blame and responsibility over how it dealt with the CCP virus outbreak in China .
Aside from the United States , other countries around the globe have also expressed anger and frustration over the CCP ’ s botched handling and far-reaching coverup of the CCP virus , also known as the novel coronavirus .
Yang Jianli , a Chinese dissident and son of a former Communist Party leader who now heads the Citizen Power Initiatives for China , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said people around the world are now getting a better understanding of the CCP .
“ The CCP has for years claimed to be a responsible member of the global community but showed once again its true colors in this pandemic , ” he told The Epoch Times .
“ Justice demands it be held morally culpable for its dangerous and callous behavior.
” Yang said that while others are tied up with the pandemic and its economic consequences , the CCP will become even more aggressive in its disinformation campaign of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this will further contribute to feed the global distrust and resentment.
” Meanwhile , the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) on June 30 designated Chinese telecom giant Huawei and telecom equipment maker ZTE as companies that pose a national security threat to the United States .
In a statement , FCC Chairman Ajit Pai noted that both companies have “ close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China ’ s military apparatus ” and that they would both be “ broadly subject to Chinese law , which obligates them to cooperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

The United States is responding to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) "unrestricted warfare" strategy by ratcheting up its war of words and escalating its countermeasures—a more hard-hitting approach to a threat that previous administrations failed to fully recognize, according to experts.
Top U.S. officials, as well as politicians from both sides of the political aisle, have expressed concern about China's increasingly aggressive and hostile stance toward the United States. FBI Director Christopher Wray said recently that no country presents such a danger to America's innovation, economic security, and democratic ideas than the Chinese regime.
National security adviser Robert O’Brien, meanwhile, recently said the United States will no longer be passive in dealing with China.
Aside from the rhetoric, U.S. counteractions have also ramped up. Wray revealed last week that the bureau currently has more than 2,000 active investigations that trace back to the CCP, marking a roughly 1,300 percent increase in economic espionage probes with links to the Chinese regime. He said the bureau opens "a new counterintelligence investigation that ties back to China every 10 hours."
The recent public proclamations from both the administration and members of Congress "reflect a frustration with China’s aggressive theft of U.S. innovation and technology," says Nicholas Eftimiades, a former senior U.S. intelligence official and author of the book, "Chinese Intelligence Operations."
"The U.S. sees China’s large scale economic espionage and covert influence activities as supporting economic predatory practices and military expansion in the South and East China seas," he told The Epoch Times.
"The Chinese communist government has never been friends with the U.S.," he said. "It is only now, some American politicians are realizing it."
Since 2018, the U.S. administration's efforts to abate China’s espionage, commercial espionage, and intellectual property theft has been increasing, according to Eftimiades. If the United States backs up its current rhetoric with actions, allies will also move more aggressively to counter China, thereby increasing global pressure on the CCP and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to comply with the established global rule of law, he said.
Previous administrations and members of Congress believed China would liberalize as it gained wealth. Eftimiades called the story of U.S.–China relations "a very sad tale of American arrogance, ignorance, political greed, and corruption."
"Chinese and American companies were happy to donate and offer business opportunities to U.S. politicians who shared those beliefs," he said. "The result was a massive expansion of China’s military, trillions lost in U.S. intellectual property, a threat to the world rule of law, and rich American companies and politicians.
"Only now, when China’s 'unrestricted warfare' approach is impacting the world, are U.S. politicians finally taking note."
In February, the FBI was already conducting roughly 1,000 investigations into China’s attempted theft of trade secrets, just one of many fronts in the communist regime’s wide-ranging campaign against the United States. Every FBI field office at the time was working on trade-secret theft cases involving China, with potential victims spanning almost every sector and industry.
According to a review of DOJ press releases, the department has brought more indictments related to Chinese infiltration since 2019 than during the entire eight years of the Obama administration.
John R. Mills, former director of cybersecurity policy, strategy, and international affairs at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, said the uptick in FBI probes is significant and is due to a "massive reprioritization" of the bureau's assets and resources.
"The way FBI, law enforcement, and national security investigations work is they just have to be told what the priority is and they will pivot and reprioritize," Mills told The Epoch Times. "That's what your seeing, a massive reprioritization of FBI activities here. ... It has a huge effect."
While the bureau has increased its efforts, some say it won't be enough to fully deal with the CCP threat until a national strategy and an all-of-society approach is utilized.
"The FBI is attempting to meet an impossible challenge," Eftimiades said. "There are thousands of PRC intelligence officers operating in the U.S. The FBI cannot mitigate China’s clandestine collection activities."
'True Colors'
The effort to fight the Chinese communist infiltration was launched in November 2018 by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions shortly before he submitted his resignation—the campaign was formally known as the China Initiative.
The Trump administration’s efforts in the matter had already ramped up prior to the formal launch. Sessions noted that no one was charged with spying for China during the last four years of the Obama administration and that the Trump administration indicted four alleged spies in 2017 alone.
Early in June, Charles Lieber, the former chair of Harvard University’s chemistry department, was indicted on charges of making false statements about funding he received from the Chinese regime, the DOJ said.
Lieber was arrested in January for allegedly lying about his participation in the Chinese state-backed Thousand Talents recruitment program. A federal grand jury on June 9 indicted him on two counts of making false statements to federal authorities.
And in one of the latest cases, 41-year-old Hao Zhang was found guilty on June 26 of economic espionage, theft of trade secrets, and conspiring to commit both offenses, according to the DOJ. Between 2010 to 2015, Zhang attempted to steal trade secrets from two companies "for the benefit of the People’s Republic of China."
Sessions directed the DOJ to focus on a range of priorities related to Chinese infiltration, including identifying key trade-secret theft cases, developing a strategy to go after non-traditional intelligence collectors being co-opted by the communist regime, and to applying the Foreign Agents Registration Act against unregistered agents advancing the Chinese regime’s interests.
U.S. officials are right to characterize the CCP as the biggest threat to the United States, according to Eftimiades.
He described how over the past two decades, the CCP downed a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft, used lasers to blind U.S. pilots, disrupted U.S. satellites, threatened to stop U.S. companies from exporting antibiotics made in China, and stole trillions in U.S. intellectual property.
The Chinese Communist Party also launched an offensive to redirect blame and responsibility over how it dealt with the CCP virus outbreak in China. Aside from the United States, other countries around the globe have also expressed anger and frustration over the CCP's botched handling and far-reaching coverup of the CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus.
Yang Jianli, a Chinese dissident and son of a former Communist Party leader who now heads the Citizen Power Initiatives for China, a pro-democracy NGO in the United States, said people around the world are now getting a better understanding of the CCP.
"The CCP has for years claimed to be a responsible member of the global community but showed once again its true colors in this pandemic," he told The Epoch Times. "Justice demands it be held morally culpable for its dangerous and callous behavior."
Yang said that while others are tied up with the pandemic and its economic consequences, the CCP will become even more aggressive in its disinformation campaign of "mask diplomacy." He said that "this will further contribute to feed the global distrust and resentment."
Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on June 30 designated Chinese telecom giant Huawei and telecom equipment maker ZTE as companies that pose a national security threat to the United States.
In a statement, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai noted that both companies have "close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus" and that they would both be "broadly subject to Chinese law, which obligates them to cooperate with the country’s intelligence services."
Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.