bonginoreport--2020-05-21--Netflix Docuseries on Jeffrey Epstein Tries to Tar Trump While Letting Clinton (Partially) off the H

Netflix Docuseries on Jeffrey Epstein Tries to Tar Trump While Letting Clinton (Partially) off the Hook

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal is far from over .
Yes , the disgraced billionaire allegedly took his own life last year while awaiting trial on numerous counts of sexually abusing minors .
That corrosive legacy lives on in the faces of his victims , some of whom speak out in the Netflix docuseries “ Jeffrey Epstein : Filthy Rich.
” These women -- hardened , angry and eager for justice -- forge the heart of the four-part series .
The saga reminds us of some uncomfortable truths about wealth and power in our society , but it doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The series repeatedly attacks former Trump labor Secretary Alexander Acosta , a key figure in slapping Epstein on the proverbial wrist .
Other targets include liberal legal eagle Alan Dershowitz , former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter and longtime Epstein partner Ghislaine Maxwell .
How she isn ’ t rotting in jail after the revelations here is astounding .
Still , the documentary pulls some punches , from glossing over President Bill Clinton ’ s time on Epstein ’ s “ Lolita Express ” to the people above Acosta who may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first two minutes of “ Filthy Rich ” are all you really need to see .
Epstein , with a calmness born from arrogance , repeatedly pleads the Fifth during a 2010 deposition .
An unseen interrogator asks , over and again , if he ever solicited sex from minors in various parts of the globe .
Sickening .
Nauseating .
And the worst part is obvious .
He knows he ’ ll wiggle out of this trap , and he ’ s right .
We then meet the women lured into Epstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar stories , “ graduating ” from Epstein ’ s $ 200-a-session masseuse to his sexual plaything .
The women come across as reasonable , credible .
It helps that they share details of Epstein ’ s lair that match the physical descriptions .
Plus , the Epstein method rarely changed , even if it involved the girls themselves inviting their school chums into his clutches .
The tone here is somber , appropriately enough , with the kind of slick production values worthy of a Netflix production .
The victims ’ crush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unnecessary .
Still , they ’ re allowed to tell their story , and that ’ s important .
Epstein ’ s powerful friends proves a secondary narrative , from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump .
The series treads oh , so lightly on the Clinton connections while repeatedly showing images of Epstein and Trump .
Given the sorry state of liberal media bias , the tilt here is restrained but unmistakable .
We learn little about Clinton ’ s Epstein ties until late in the series .
Then , we re-learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Epstein 26 times .
More damning ?
An Epstein employee stationed at the billionaire ’ s remote island recalls seeing the former president there .
Team Clinton shared a dramatically different version of his Epstein ties , including a denial that the former president every set foot on said island .
It ’ s the kind of detail a documentary should dig deeper into , but that doesn ’ t happen here .
Doesn ’ t the creative team behind the series remember Clinton ’ s appetites and how much he risked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does confirm sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew , even including his train wreck interview on the subject last November .
We also meet an Epstein employee who says he saw the Duke of York aggressively fondling an underage girl on the billionaire ’ s island .
Dershowitz , Epstein ’ s former lawyer , is accused by one of Epstein ’ s victims of assaulting her , too .
He offers a full-throated denial of the charges .
It ’ s a mesmerizing sequence , whether you believe him or not .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vanity Fair journalist with an early scoop on Epstein ’ s predatory behavior .
The story seems solid , if not stunning , with two sisters sharing how the financier repeatedly abused them .
It ’ s enough to bring anyone down , even a billionaire with endless connections .
Carter , a major force in magazine journalism , spiked it for legal reasons .
His explanation echoes what journalists heard for years while trying to report on film producer Harvey Weinstein .
It all smells like a cover up , down to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including a cat ’ s head appearing on his property .
Carter later said they didn ’ t influence his decision not to publisher journalist Vicky Ward ’ s story .
So what did ?
“ Filthy Rich ” bounces back and forth in time , using a spinning calendar visual to ground each turn .
That gives the series plenty of ways to attack Acosta and tie him to Trump .
We ’ re also told , oh so briefly , that the ridiculous plea deal Epstein secured had to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time -- circa 2008 .
Is that accurate ?
What other key players were part of this process ?
The docuseries lasts roughly four hours but leaves no time for these details .
Acosta may be guilty as sin , but it ’ s clear he didn ’ t act alone .
More importantly , that slap on the wrist proved even more farcical than at face value .
Epstein freely left prison during his 13-month incarceration , and the documentary shows he flouted the parole rules once he gained his freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s gross and deserves to be spotlighted .
For the most part , “ Filthy Rich ” does a meticulous job of just that .
The fourth and final installment shows how the Epstein case overlapped with the budding MeToo movement .
The filmmakers couldn ’ t predict that feminist revolution would crash and burn to save Joe Biden ’ s presidential campaign .
That ’ s a documentary for another day , although one Hollywood would never make .
Also left out of “ Filthy Rich ” are the glitterati @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who partied with Epstein after he was officially registered as a sex offender .
Still , the series wraps on a beautiful note , empowering Epstein ’ s victims to write their own endings .
“ Epstein did not act alone … there are so many of them out there .
None of them have been held accountable , ” one victim says of the late billionaire ’ s enablers and fellow abusers .
“ The monsters are still out there , and they ’ re still abusing other people .
Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet is beyond me.
” She ’ s right .
The full story of Jeffrey Epstein hasn ’ t been told , and it may never happen .
It ’ s chilling to see how Epstein ’ s power , his sphere of influence , didn ’ t die with him .

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal is far from over.
Yes, the disgraced billionaire allegedly took his own life last year while awaiting trial on numerous counts of sexually abusing minors.
That corrosive legacy lives on in the faces of his victims, some of whom speak out in the Netflix docuseries “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich.” These women – hardened, angry and eager for justice – forge the heart of the four-part series.
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich | Official Trailer | Netflix
Watch this video on YouTube
The saga reminds us of some uncomfortable truths about wealth and power in our society, but it doesn’t push much beyond what we already know. The series repeatedly attacks former Trump labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, a key figure in slapping Epstein on the proverbial wrist.
It’s a drubbing he may richly deserve.
Other targets include liberal legal eagle Alan Dershowitz, former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter and longtime Epstein partner Ghislaine Maxwell. How she isn’t rotting in jail after the revelations here is astounding.
Still, the documentary pulls some punches, from glossing over President Bill Clinton’s time on Epstein’s “Lolita Express” to the people above Acosta who may be just as guilty as he.
RELATED: Rogan Says Netflix Censors Comics for Unwoke Jokes
The first two minutes of “Filthy Rich” are all you really need to see. Epstein, with a calmness born from arrogance, repeatedly pleads the Fifth during a 2010 deposition. An unseen interrogator asks, over and again, if he ever solicited sex from minors in various parts of the globe.
Sickening. Nauseating. And the worst part is obvious. He knows he’ll wiggle out of this trap, and he’s right.
We then meet the women lured into Epstein’s web. They all share similar stories, “graduating” from Epstein’s $200-a-session masseuse to his sexual plaything. The women come across as reasonable, credible. It helps that they share details of Epstein’s lair that match the physical descriptions.
Plus, the Epstein method rarely changed, even if it involved the girls themselves inviting their school chums into his clutches.
The tone here is somber, appropriately enough, with the kind of slick production values worthy of a Netflix production. The victims’ crush of stories is, after a while, unnecessary. Still, they’re allowed to tell their story, and that’s important.
Epstein’s powerful friends proves a secondary narrative, from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump. The series treads oh, so lightly on the Clinton connections while repeatedly showing images of Epstein and Trump. Given the sorry state of liberal media bias, the tilt here is restrained but unmistakable.
We learn little about Clinton’s Epstein ties until late in the series. Then, we re-learn how flight logs show Clinton flew with Epstein 26 times. More damning? An Epstein employee stationed at the billionaire’s remote island recalls seeing the former president there.
Team Clinton shared a dramatically different version of his Epstein ties, including a denial that the former president every set foot on said island.
In short, they lied.
It’s the kind of detail a documentary should dig deeper into, but that doesn’t happen here. Doesn’t the creative team behind the series remember Clinton’s appetites and how much he risked to feed them over time?
The series does confirm sexual abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, even including his train wreck interview on the subject last November.
Prince Andrew denies having sex with teenager, saying he took daughter for pizza in Woking
Watch this video on YouTube
We also meet an Epstein employee who says he saw the Duke of York aggressively fondling an underage girl on the billionaire’s island.
Dershowitz, Epstein’s former lawyer, is accused by one of Epstein’s victims of assaulting her, too. He offers a full-throated denial of the charges. It’s a mesmerizing sequence, whether you believe him or not.
Early in the series we meet a Vanity Fair journalist with an early scoop on Epstein’s predatory behavior. The story seems solid, if not stunning, with two sisters sharing how the financier repeatedly abused them. It’s enough to bring anyone down, even a billionaire with endless connections.
Right?
Carter, a major force in magazine journalism, spiked it for legal reasons. His explanation echoes what journalists heard for years while trying to report on film producer Harvey Weinstein.
Just ask Ronan Farrow.
It all smells like a cover up, down to the threats Carter received during the investigation, including a cat’s head appearing on his property. Carter later said they didn’t influence his decision not to publisher journalist Vicky Ward’s story.
So what did?
“Filthy Rich” bounces back and forth in time, using a spinning calendar visual to ground each turn. That gives the series plenty of ways to attack Acosta and tie him to Trump.
We’re also told, oh so briefly, that the ridiculous plea deal Epstein secured had to be approved by the U.S. Attorney General at the time – circa 2008. Is that accurate? What other key players were part of this process? The docuseries lasts roughly four hours but leaves no time for these details.
Acosta may be guilty as sin, but it’s clear he didn’t act alone.
More importantly, that slap on the wrist proved even more farcical than at face value. Epstein freely left prison during his 13-month incarceration, and the documentary shows he flouted the parole rules once he gained his freedom.
Money. Power. Influence. It’s gross and deserves to be spotlighted. For the most part, “Filthy Rich” does a meticulous job of just that.
The fourth and final installment shows how the Epstein case overlapped with the budding MeToo movement. The filmmakers couldn’t predict that feminist revolution would crash and burn to save Joe Biden’s presidential campaign.
Katie Halper calls out media for ignoring Joe Biden #MeToo story
Watch this video on YouTube
That’s a documentary for another day, although one Hollywood would never make.
Also left out of “Filthy Rich” are the glitterati, from Katie Couric to George Stephanopolous, who partied with Epstein after he was officially registered as a sex offender. Still, the series wraps on a beautiful note, empowering Epstein’s victims to write their own endings.
“Epstein did not act alone … there are so many of them out there. None of them have been held accountable,” one victim says of the late billionaire’s enablers and fellow abusers. “The monsters are still out there, and they’re still abusing other people. Why they have not been named and shamed yet is beyond me.”
She’s right. The full story of Jeffrey Epstein hasn’t been told, and it may never happen. It’s chilling to see how Epstein’s power, his sphere of influence, didn’t die with him.
“Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” debuts on Netflix Nov. 27.


bonginoreport--2020-05-21--Hillary Clinton Raises $2 Million for Biden Campaign

Former Trump challenger Hillary Clinton raised $ 2 million for Joe Biden ’ s campaign operation during a virtual fundraiser on Tuesday .
Clinton ’ s haul is particularly significant , as the amount raised is “ more than any Biden surrogate has collected at a single event without the candidate present , according to campaign and party officials , ” Politico reported .
The former secretary of state ’ s presence was likely not the only factor in the massive haul .
Donors were able to give more , as the funds were directed to “ a new joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Committee [ DNC ] ” — not the Biden campaign alone .
The Democrat effort is reminiscent of the joint effort between the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee ( RNC ) , which particularly shined during the weeks dominated by the Democrat Party ’ s partisan impeachment effort against the president .
The RNC and Trump campaign broke an online record , raising $ 1 million in the ten days leading up to Trump ’ s ultimate acquittal , RNC chair Ronna McDaniel revealed in February .
The RNC and Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the Biden campaign and DNC ’ s combined efforts nearly matched the total , raising $ 60.5 million in the same period .
The Trump campaign and RNC , however , appear to have a cash-on-hand advantage , possessing $ 255 million .
Biden and the DNC have less than half of that — $ 97.5 million .
“ Biden ’ s getting the hang of this .
And Hillary showed she still has a lot of firepower , ” one donor said , according to Politico .
Clinton , whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former vice president in April after months of teasing another presidential run herself .
“ I am thrilled to be part of your campaign to not only endorse you , but to help highlight a lot of the issues that are at stake in this presidential election , ” Clinton said during her virtual appearance with Biden .
“ I want to add my voice to the many who have endorsed you to be our president , ” she continued .

Former Trump challenger Hillary Clinton raised $2 million for Joe Biden’s campaign operation during a virtual fundraiser on Tuesday.
Clinton’s haul is particularly significant, as the amount raised is “more than any Biden surrogate has collected at a single event without the candidate present, according to campaign and party officials,” Politico reported.
The former secretary of state’s presence was likely not the only factor in the massive haul. Donors were able to give more, as the funds were directed to “a new joint committee between the Biden campaign and Democratic National Committee [DNC]” — not the Biden campaign alone.
The Democrat effort is reminiscent of the joint effort between the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee (RNC), which particularly shined during the weeks dominated by the Democrat Party’s partisan impeachment effort against the president. The RNC and Trump campaign broke an online record, raising $1 million in the ten days leading up to Trump’s ultimate acquittal, RNC chair Ronna McDaniel revealed in February.
The RNC and Trump campaign raised $61.7 million in April, but the Biden campaign and DNC’s combined efforts nearly matched the total, raising $60.5 million in the same period. The Trump campaign and RNC, however, appear to have a cash-on-hand advantage, possessing $255 million. Biden and the DNC have less than half of that — $97.5 million.
“Biden’s getting the hang of this. And Hillary showed she still has a lot of firepower,” one donor said, according to Politico.
Clinton, whom Trump defeated in 2016, formally endorsed the former vice president in April after months of teasing another presidential run herself.
“I am thrilled to be part of your campaign to not only endorse you, but to help highlight a lot of the issues that are at stake in this presidential election,” Clinton said during her virtual appearance with Biden.
“I want to add my voice to the many who have endorsed you to be our president,” she continued.


bonginoreport--2020-05-21--DC Circuit Court Orders Flynn Judge To Respond To Appeal To Dismiss Case

The United States Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit has ordered Judge Emmet Sullivan , who ’ s overseeing Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn ’ s case , to respond to his appeal to have him replaced and to dismiss the trial no later than June 1 , according to a court document reviewed by SaraACarter.com .
Flynn filed a writ of mandamus to the court on Tuesday after Sullivan failed to comply with the Justice Department ’ s recommendation to dismiss the case in what Flynn ’ s defense attorney Sidney Powell described as politically motivated .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan to respond to # Flynn Petition for Wirt of Mandamus by June 1 , ” tweeted Powell Thursday .
On Tuesday , Powell filed a writ of mandamus with the United States Court of Appeals with the District of Columbia to dismiss the case against Flynn , vacate the order appointing an amicus curiae and reassign the case to another judge .
The petition came after Sullivan failed to grant the government ’ s motion to dismiss based on what his defense believes is a political prejudice against Flynn .
The 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been operating as a prosecutor not a judge , she stated : “ Petitioner respectfully requests that this Court order the district court immediately to ( 1 ) grant the Justice Department ’ s Motion to Dismiss ; ( 2 ) vacate its order appointing amicus curiae ; and ( 3 ) reassign the case to another district judge as to any further proceedings .
”

War on drugs: agents seized enough to kill U.S. population 19 times
The war on drugs being fought on a daily basis at our borders has been able to be quantified with...


bonginoreport--2020-05-21--Andrew Weissmann Hosting Virtual Biden Fundraiser

Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Former lead prosecutor Andrew Weissmann is reportedly hosting a virtual fundraiser for Joe Biden ’ s 2020 campaign .
The event is set for June 2nd and will feature the former attorney general of New Jersey Anne Milgram .
Weissmann has long been criticized for his immoral actions and is known for his anti-Trump sentiment .
In 1997 , Weissmann was “ reprimanded by a judge in the Eastern District of New York for withholding evidence , ” according to Sara A. Carter ’ s reporting .
In 2016 , he was also reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Senate Judiciary Committee for alleged “ corrupt legal practices , ” according to documents and the attorney involved in a whistleblower case reviewed by Carter .
He was described as Mueller ’ s “ Pitbull ” for his legal strategy .
During his time in the Special Counsel ’ s office , Weissmann mainly oversaw the case against Paul Manafort , who was recently released from prison amid the novel coronavirus pandemic to serve the remainder of his sentence from home .
Weissmann later left his role at the Special Counsel ’ @ @ @ @ @


bonginoreport--2020-05-21--Three Democrats Voted Out of Virginia City Council in Town That Voted for Obama Twice

Three Democratic members of the Staunton , Virginia , city council were ousted by Republicans on Tuesday despite receiving more votes than they did four years ago .
Republican candidates Mark Robertson , Amy Darby , and Steve Claffey all joined incumbent Andrea Oakes in a four-seat GOP sweep , WHSV reported .
The three incoming council members replaced Democratic incumbents Erik Curren , Ophie Kier , and James Harrington all almost doubled their vote totals from 2016 , yet still lost .
Local outlet Augusta Free Press reporter Chris Graham called the results “ stunning almost beyond words.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than they have in a May cycle in years , ” Graham wrote .
“ Republicans got turnout more akin to , not quite a presidential year , but approaching gubernatorial.
” Graham cited gun control legislation in the state as well as COVID-19 lockdowns as key turnout drivers for Republicans in the city .
Overall voter turnout was 4,320 , the Augusta Free Press reported , with a total of 17,279 votes cast .
“ For comparison to previous cycles , the 2018 local election had 7,068 votes cast for three seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual voters turning out , ” wrote Graham .
“ Back in 2016 , the most recent , until Tuesday , four-seat election , the total cast was 6,325 , or 1,581 individual voters.
” Incumbent city council member Andrea Oakes reportedly received around the number compiled in the city by Ed Gillespie in 2017 and Ken Cuccinelli in 2013 , striking for a local election and indicative of a huge turnout from GOP voters .
( RELATED : ‘ These Are Profoundly Damaged People ’ : Tucker Carlson Rips Democratic Lockdown Leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wayesboro also put two conservatives , Lana Williams and Bruce Allen , on their city council to “ give conservatives a working majority , ” Graham reported .
“ Bottom line is that the strategies worked , flipping both from D to R , but the change in Staunton is stunning almost beyond words , ” Graham opined .
“ A city that voted for Barack Obama , twice , voted for Hillary Clinton , voted for Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam , even gave a solid majority to Jennifer Lewis in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now controlled by Republicans .
”

Three Democratic members of the Staunton, Virginia, city council were ousted by Republicans on Tuesday despite receiving more votes than they did four years ago.
Republican candidates Mark Robertson, Amy Darby, and Steve Claffey all joined incumbent Andrea Oakes in a four-seat GOP sweep, WHSV reported. The three incoming council members replaced Democratic incumbents Erik Curren, Ophie Kier, and James Harrington all almost doubled their vote totals from 2016, yet still lost.
Local outlet Augusta Free Press reporter Chris Graham called the results “stunning almost beyond words.”
“Democrats got their voters out better than they have in a May cycle in years,” Graham wrote. “Republicans got turnout more akin to, not quite a presidential year, but approaching gubernatorial.”
Graham cited gun control legislation in the state as well as COVID-19 lockdowns as key turnout drivers for Republicans in the city.
Overall voter turnout was 4,320, the Augusta Free Press reported, with a total of 17,279 votes cast.
“For comparison to previous cycles, the 2018 local election had 7,068 votes cast for three seats, which would work out to 2,356 individual voters turning out,” wrote Graham. “Back in 2016, the most recent, until Tuesday, four-seat election, the total cast was 6,325, or 1,581 individual voters.”
Incumbent city council member Andrea Oakes reportedly received around the number compiled in the city by Ed Gillespie in 2017 and Ken Cuccinelli in 2013, striking for a local election and indicative of a huge turnout from GOP voters. (RELATED: ‘These Are Profoundly Damaged People’: Tucker Carlson Rips Democratic Lockdown Leaders ‘Drunk With Power’)
Nearby Wayesboro also put two conservatives, Lana Williams and Bruce Allen, on their city council to “give conservatives a working majority,” Graham reported.
“Bottom line is that the strategies worked, flipping both from D to R, but the change in Staunton is stunning almost beyond words,” Graham opined. “A city that voted for Barack Obama, twice, voted for Hillary Clinton, voted for Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam, even gave a solid majority to Jennifer Lewis in her 2018 congressional run against Ben Cline, is now controlled by Republicans.”


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Biden Criticized Romney’s Ties to Bain Capital in 2012 – Now They Help Fund His Campaign

During the 2012 presidential campaign , former Vice President Joe Biden was a sharp critic of Republican nominee Mitt Romney ’ s work for investment firm Bain Capital , but now Bain executives are helping fuel Biden ’ s 2020 presidential bid .
Bain co-founder Joshua Bekenstein and his wife Anita each donated $ 250,000 to Biden ’ s super PAC in April , Federal Election Commission ( FEC ) records showed .
The donations accounted for the majority of the PAC ’ s fundraising in April , according to FEC records .
Additionally , both Joshua and Anita Bekenstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — split between the primary and general election — to Biden ’ s campaign , FEC records show .
Bekenstein is far from the only Bain executive putting money behind Biden .
( RELATED : Joe Biden Went To China And Said He ‘ Fully ’ Understood China ’ s One-Child Policy ) Bain executives began shelling out cash to Biden ’ s campaign immediately after he entered the 2020 Democratic primary , RealClearPolitics reported in August 2019 .
The money has kept flowing since then .
The Obama-Biden campaign took a scorched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2012 , hammering the Republican nominee both in stump speeches and in campaign ads .
“ You hear all these stories about his partners buying companies … where they load up with a tremendous amount of debt .
The companies go under , everybody loses their job , the community is devastated , but they make money , ” Biden said at a May 2012 campaign event in Ohio , referring to Romney and Bain .
“ They make money even when a company goes bankrupt , when workers lose their jobs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the New York Observer reported that Biden “ characterized Bain as a parasitic corporation ” during another event in New Hampshire .
Republicans have criticized Bain as well .
“ Bain Capital all but invented what is now a familiar business strategy — take over an existing company for a short period of time , cut costs by firing employees , run up the debt , extract the wealth and move on , sometimes leaving retirees without their earned pensions , ” Fox News host Tucker Carlson , a co-founder of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a January 2019 monologue .
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich accused Bain of undermining American free enterprise while running against Romney in the 2012 Republican presidential primary .
“ There ’ s a big difference between people who go out and create a company — even if they fail — if they try to go in the right direction , if they share in the hardships , if they ’ re out there with the workers doing it together .
That ’ s one thing , ” Gingrich said in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is very wealthy comes in and takes over your company and takes out all the cash and leaves behind the unemployment ?
I think that ’ s not a model we want to advocate , and I don ’ t think any conservative wants to get caught defending that kind of model.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

During the 2012 presidential campaign, former Vice President Joe Biden was a sharp critic of Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s work for investment firm Bain Capital, but now Bain executives are helping fuel Biden’s 2020 presidential bid.
Bain co-founder Joshua Bekenstein and his wife Anita each donated $250,000 to Biden’s super PAC in April, Federal Election Commission (FEC) records showed. The donations accounted for the majority of the PAC’s fundraising in April, according to FEC records.
Additionally, both Joshua and Anita Bekenstein donated the federal maximum of $5,600 — split between the primary and general election — to Biden’s campaign, FEC records show.
Bekenstein is far from the only Bain executive putting money behind Biden. (RELATED: Joe Biden Went To China And Said He ‘Fully’ Understood China’s One-Child Policy)
Remember when Democrats used BAIN CAPITAL to vilify @MittRomney in 2012? Well, the top donors to @JoeBiden‘s super PAC last month were…@BainCapital‘s co-chairman & his wife. They each donated $250k, accounting for most of the $ raised by the PAC. https://t.co/xsRJtqcYAX pic.twitter.com/MN9lbJ3B7m — Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) May 20, 2020
Bain executives began shelling out cash to Biden’s campaign immediately after he entered the 2020 Democratic primary, RealClearPolitics reported in August 2019. The money has kept flowing since then.
The Obama-Biden campaign took a scorched earth approach to Bain and Romney in 2012, hammering the Republican nominee both in stump speeches and in campaign ads.
WATCH:
“You hear all these stories about his partners buying companies … where they load up with a tremendous amount of debt. The companies go under, everybody loses their job, the community is devastated, but they make money,” Biden said at a May 2012 campaign event in Ohio, referring to Romney and Bain.
“They make money even when a company goes bankrupt, when workers lose their jobs,” he added.
Later that month, the New York Observer reported that Biden “characterized Bain as a parasitic corporation” during another event in New Hampshire.
Republicans have criticized Bain as well.
“Bain Capital all but invented what is now a familiar business strategy — take over an existing company for a short period of time, cut costs by firing employees, run up the debt, extract the wealth and move on, sometimes leaving retirees without their earned pensions,” Fox News host Tucker Carlson, a co-founder of the Daily Caller News Foundation, said in a January 2019 monologue.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich accused Bain of undermining American free enterprise while running against Romney in the 2012 Republican presidential primary.
“There’s a big difference between people who go out and create a company — even if they fail — if they try to go in the right direction, if they share in the hardships, if they’re out there with the workers doing it together. That’s one thing,” Gingrich said in January 2012.
“But if someone who is very wealthy comes in and takes over your company and takes out all the cash and leaves behind the unemployment? I think that’s not a model we want to advocate, and I don’t think any conservative wants to get caught defending that kind of model.”
The Biden campaign didn’t return multiple emails seeking comment.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Document That Greenlit FBI’s Russiagate Investigation Declassified

The document that greenlighted the FBI 's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign has been unveiled , giving the public a look at a key focus of U.S. Attorney John Durham 's inquiry into the Trump-Russia investigators .
An “ opening electronic communication , '' which was authored by fired FBI agent Peter Strzok , was released through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by conservative government watchdog group Judicial Watch .
Typed up in late July 2016 with the approval of William Priestap , the assistant director of the FBI Counterintelligence Division , the document outlines the reasoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch the Crossfire Hurricane investigation .
The investigation looked into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia after an Australian diplomat , Alexander Downer , informed the United States that Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos told him he learned Russia had damaging information on Hillary Clinton , Trump 's Democratic rival in the 2016 presidential election .
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz determined in his December audit of the Russia investigation that Crossfire Hurricane was properly predicated , untainted by politics .
Durham , tasked with reviewing the origins of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement disagreeing with that conclusion , noting that he is privy to information outside of the watchdog 's DOJ purview .
“ Our investigation is not limited to developing information from within component parts of the Justice Department .
Our investigation has included developing information from other persons and entities , both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S. , ” he said .
“ Based on the evidence collected to date , and while our investigation is ongoing , last month we advised the inspector general that we do not agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened.
” Attorney General William Barr , who appointed Durham to conduct the inquiry , agreed with his hand-picked prosecutor , saying Horowitz 's report “ makes clear that the FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a U.S. presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions that , in my view , were insufficient to justify the steps taken . ''
The document , which Strzok wrote “ opens and assigns '' the investigation , is covered in redactions .
It does not show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is made clear by what is already known about the lead-up to the inquiry , saying he provided information `` related to the hacking of the Democratic National Committee ’ s website/server.
” Within the memo is an email from a legal attache that described what Downer recalled of his conversations with Papadopoulos , including how the adviser `` suggested the Trump team had received some kind of suggestion from Russia that it could assist this process with the anonymous release of information during the campaign that would be damaging to Mrs. Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It was unclear whether he or the Russians were referring to material acquired publicly of through other means .
It was also unclear how Mr. Trump ’ s team reacted to the offer .
We note the Trump team ’ s reaction could , in the end , have little bearing of what Russia decides to do , with or without Mr. Trump ’ s cooperation , '' the email said .
Upon the conclusion of the email in the memo , Strzok wrote that “ based on the information provided by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being opened to determine whether individual ( s ) associated with the Trump campaign are witting of and/or coordinating activities with the Government of Russia.
” After the initiation of the inquiry , satellite investigations into Papadopoulos , Trump campaign associate Carter Page , Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort , and future Trump national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn began in August .
While in London last year , Durham reportedly viewed the cable Downer sent to Canberra in May 2016 .
He interviewed another Australian diplomat in London , Erika @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's meeting with Papadopoulos .
Downer also met with Durham 's team in London .
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham released an October 2019 letter he sent to Australia ’ s leaders , asking for their “ continued cooperation ” in the Barr-Durham inquiry and claiming , among other things , that Downer had been “ directed to contact Papadopoulos ” and “ relay ” the information obtained from him to the FBI .
The FBI 's counterintelligence investigation was wrapped into Robert Mueller 's special counsel inquiry in May 2017 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Comey .
Mueller concluded the Russians interfered in the 2016 presidential election but did not establish any criminal conspiracy between Trump and Russia .

The document that greenlighted the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign has been unveiled, giving the public a look at a key focus of U.S. Attorney John Durham's inquiry into the Trump-Russia investigators.
An “opening electronic communication," which was authored by fired FBI agent Peter Strzok, was released through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by conservative government watchdog group Judicial Watch.
Typed up in late July 2016 with the approval of William Priestap, then-assistant director of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division, the document outlines the reasoning for the bureau’s decision to launch the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. The investigation looked into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia after an Australian diplomat, Alexander Downer, informed the United States that Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos told him he learned Russia had damaging information on Hillary Clinton, President Trump's Democratic rival in the 2016 presidential election.
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz determined in his December audit of the Russia investigation that Crossfire Hurricane was properly predicated, untainted by politics.
Durham, tasked with reviewing the origins of the inquiry, made a rare public statement disagreeing with that conclusion, noting that he is privy to information outside of the watchdog's DOJ purview.
“Our investigation is not limited to developing information from within component parts of the Justice Department. Our investigation has included developing information from other persons and entities, both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S.,” he said. “Based on the evidence collected to date, and while our investigation is ongoing, last month we advised the inspector general that we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened.”
Attorney General William Barr, who appointed Durham to conduct the inquiry, agreed with his hand-picked prosecutor, saying Horowitz's report “makes clear that the FBI launched an intrusive investigation of a U.S. presidential campaign on the thinnest of suspicions that, in my view, were insufficient to justify the steps taken."
The document, which Strzok wrote “opens and assigns" the investigation, is covered in redactions. It does not show Downer's name, but his presence is made clear by what is already known about the lead-up to the inquiry, saying he provided information "related to the hacking of the Democratic National Committee’s website/server.”
Within the memo is an email from a legal attache that described what Downer recalled of his conversations with Papadopoulos, including how the adviser "suggested the Trump team had received some kind of suggestion from Russia that it could assist this process with the anonymous release of information during the campaign that would be damaging to Mrs. Clinton (and President Obama)."
"It was unclear whether he or the Russians were referring to material acquired publicly [or] through other means. It was also unclear how Mr. Trump’s team reacted to the offer. We note the Trump team’s reaction could, in the end, have little bearing [on] what Russia decides to do, with or without Mr. Trump’s cooperation," the email said.
Upon the conclusion of the email in the memo, Strzok wrote that “based on the information provided by Legat [Redacted] this investigation is being opened to determine whether individual(s) associated with the Trump campaign are witting of and/or coordinating activities with the Government of Russia.”
After the initiation of the inquiry, satellite investigations into Papadopoulos, Trump campaign associate Carter Page, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, and future Trump national security adviser retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn began in August.
While in London last year, Durham reportedly viewed the cable Downer sent to Canberra in May 2016. He interviewed another Australian diplomat in London, Erika Thompson, who arranged and attended Downer's meeting with Papadopoulos. Downer also met with Durham's team in London.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham released an October 2019 letter he sent to Australia’s leaders, asking for their “continued cooperation” in the Barr-Durham inquiry and claiming, among other things, that Downer had been “directed to contact Papadopoulos” and “relay” the information obtained from him to the FBI.
The FBI's counterintelligence investigation was wrapped into Robert Mueller's special counsel inquiry in May 2017, after the firing of FBI Director James Comey. Mueller concluded the Russians interfered in the 2016 presidential election but did not establish any criminal conspiracy between Trump and Russia.


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Biden Inevitably Walks Back “Ain’t Black” Comment

Former Vice President Joe Biden walked back his Friday morning comments suggesting that black supporters of President Donald Trump “ ain ’ t black.
” “ Perhaps I was much too cavalier , ” Biden said during a phone call to the Black Chamber of Commerce , according to NBC News correspondent Mike Memoli .
“ I know the comments have come off like I was taking the African American vote for granted .
But nothing could be further from the truth.
” “ I shouldn ’ t have been such a wise guy , ” Biden continued , referring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Memoli reported .
“ No one should have to vote for any party based on their race , their religion , their background.
” He said he is “ prepared ” to put his record against that of President Donald Trump .
“ You got more questions but I ’ ll tell you if you have a problem figuring out whether you ’ re for me or Trump , then you ain ’ t black , ” Biden told Charlamagne Tha God of “ The Breakfast Club ” podcast Friday morning just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Stunning Almost Beyond Words ’ : Virginia City That Voted Obama Twice Just Threw Democrats Out Of Office ) The comments drew a host of criticism from politicians to entertainment and media figures .
Notably , Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said “ taking the black community for granted ” is “ sadly par for the course for Democrats .
”

Former Vice President Joe Biden walked back his Friday morning comments suggesting that black supporters of President Donald Trump “ain’t black.”
“Perhaps I was much too cavalier,” Biden said during a phone call to the Black Chamber of Commerce, according to NBC News correspondent Mike Memoli. “I know the comments have come off like I was taking the African American vote for granted. But nothing could be further from the truth.”
.@JoeBiden, on call just now with Black Chamber of Commerce: “Perhaps I was much too cavalier. I know the comments have come off like I was taking the African American vote for granted. But nothing could be further from the truth.” — Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) May 22, 2020
“I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy,” Biden continued, referring to his comments as “unfortunate,” Memoli reported. “No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background.”
He said he is “prepared” to put his record against that of President Donald Trump.
Biden later said more bluntly: “I should’t have been such a wise guy,” and called his comments “unfortunate.” “No one should have to vote for any party based on their race their religion their background.” Added of Trump: “I’m prepared to put my record against his.” — Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) May 22, 2020
“You got more questions but I’ll tell you if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black,” Biden told Charlamagne Tha God of “The Breakfast Club” podcast Friday morning just before signing off. (RELATED: ‘Stunning Almost Beyond Words’: Virginia City That Voted Obama Twice Just Threw Democrats Out Of Office)
The comments drew a host of criticism from politicians to entertainment and media figures. Notably, Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said “taking the black community for granted” is “sadly par for the course for Democrats.”


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Kayleigh McEnany Schools Press Over Obamagate So Perfectly That CNN Stopped Airing It

During the White House coronavirus press briefing on Friday , press secretary Kaleigh McEnany presented the media with her own line of questions in regards to Obamagate after no reporter asked about it on May 22 .
Even though Trump kicked off the briefing to discuss the opening of churches and places of worship amid coronavirus , she cut off reporters ’ questions about that topic to ask the following line of questions about the unmasking of Michael Flynn .
McEnany had prepared out a series of questions that “ any good journalist would want to ask , ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves to pose any questions about Michael Flynn unmasking a President Obama spokesperson… Oh !
Not a single person has posed that question.
” She then said , “ Perhaps , if I write them out in a slide format.. maybe , we ’ re visual learners and you guys will follow up with journalistic curiosity .
She asked , “ Why was Lt. Michael Flynn UNMASKED by Obama ’ s Chief of Staff , Joe Biden , Susan Rice , and others ?
” and “ Why was Flynn ’ s identity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press.
” “ Why Did the DOJ learn about the FBI ’ s interest in Flynn ’ s conversations with the Russian Amb .
from a CONVERSATION WITH OBAMA in the Oval Office ” and “ Why did James Clapped , John Brennan , Samantha Power , and Susan Rice privately ADMIT UNDER OATH that they had no evidence of collusion while saying the opposite publicly ?
” MEDIA BIAS ?
Kayleigh McEnany Says Coverage of Obama And President Trump and Flynn `` NOT FAIR '' 2020-05-22T18:35:59Z CNN cut away from the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s slideshow , but the press conference continued to air on other channels .
McEnany Told Reporters Earlier In the Briefing , ‘ Boy , It ’ s Interesting to Be in a Room That Desperately Wants to See These Churches Stay Closed ’ While McEnany fielded questions about Trump announcing that he would “ override ” the governor ’ s order to allow places of worship to open for services amid coronavirus , she told the briefing room that it seemed like everyone “ desperately wants to see these churches and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to which Reuter ’ s reporter Jeff Mason objected .
Passan said , “ Kayleigh , I object to that .
I go to church .
I ’ m dying to go to church .
The question that we ’ re asking you and would like to have asked the president and Dr. Birx is ‘ Is it safe ?
’ and if it ’ s not safe , is the president trying to encourage that or does the president agree with Dr. Birx that people should wait ?
” McEnany said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to reopen your churches if you do so in accordance with the guidelines which are laid out in stringent detail… I ’ m thankful that we have a president that celebrates the first amendment… the same amendment that gives you all the ability to ask me questions is there to have the freedom of worship .
So , imams and pastors can go to their churches and go to their places of worship and celebrate what is a first amendment right in this country which is to pray to your God and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up by saying , “ We ’ re not asking you if the president is allowing Americans to pray , ” before McEnany interrupted to say , “ To pray together , and the President has laid out a clear path for this to take place – for our first amendment to be exercised in a way that ’ s safe and robust.
” READ NEXT : WATCH : Biden Says ‘ You Ain ’ t Black ’ If Considering Voting for Trump

Kenneth Chesebro: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
Kenneth Chesebro is an appellate lawyer from Austin, Texas, who is one of the six unindicted people accused of being "co-conspirators" in the latest Trump indictment.


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Andrew Yang Says Big Tech Companies Should Pay Us for Our Data

Andrew Yang , the Democratic presidential candidate best known for his $ 1,000-per-month universal basic income platform , says tech giants should pay people for use of their data .
`` Right now , our data is worth more than oil , '' Yang said during Tuesday 's Democratic debate in Ohio .
`` How many of you remember getting your data check in the mail ?
It got lost .
It went to Facebook , Amazon , Google . ''
Yang offered the idea as a way to handle such tech megaliths instead of just breaking them up ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth Warren , have advocated ) .
Though there are `` absolutely excesses in technology and in some cases having them divest parts of their business is the right move , '' according to Yang , `` we also have to be realistic that competition does n't solve all the problems .
`` It 's not like any of us wants to use the fourth-best navigation app .
That would be like cruel and unusual punishment .
There is a reason why no one is using Bing today .
Sorry , Microsoft .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ during Tuesday 's debate .
Yang said that if `` we say this [ data ] is our property and we share in the gains , that 's the best way we can balance the scales against the big tech companies , '' calling it `` the best way we can fight back . ''
According to Yang , companies should first be required to have customers opt-in to data collection , with a `` clear and easy-to-understand statement about what is being collected and how it is going to be used .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal data with companies should then `` receive a share of the economic value generated from your data . ''

Former tech executive Andrew Yang speaks during the Democratic Presidential Debate at Otterbein University on October 15, 2019 in Westerville, Ohio. A record 12 presidential hopefuls are participating in the debate hosted by CNN and The New York Times.
Andrew Yang, the Democratic presidential candidate best known for his $1,000-per-month universal basic income platform, says tech giants should pay people for use of their data. "Right now, our data is worth more than oil," Yang said during Tuesday's Democratic debate in Ohio. "How many of you remember getting your data check in the mail? It got lost. It went to Facebook, Amazon, Google." Yang offered the idea as a way to handle such tech megaliths instead of just breaking them up (which some, like Democratic candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have advocated). Though there are "absolutely excesses in technology and in some cases having them divest parts of their business is the right move," according to Yang, "we also have to be realistic that competition doesn't solve all the problems. "It's not like any of us wants to use the fourth-best navigation app. That would be like cruel and unusual punishment. There is a reason why no one is using Bing today. Sorry, Microsoft. It's true," Yang said during Tuesday's debate. Yang said that if "we say this [data] is our property and we share in the gains, that's the best way we can balance the scales against the big tech companies," calling it "the best way we can fight back." According to Yang, companies should first be required to have customers opt-in to data collection, with a "clear and easy-to-understand statement about what is being collected and how it is going to be used." Those who do opt-in and share personal data with companies should then "receive a share of the economic value generated from your data."
"Every time we post a photo or interact with a social media company, we're putting information out there, and that information should still be ours. If somebody is profiting from our data and we decide willingly to partner with a company that's making use of this information, then that's only fair as long as we get a slice," Yang told The New York Times in a story published Tuesday. "Right now we're unaware of the value that's changing hands and we're definitely not getting a data check in the mail every season."
Right now, our data is worth more than oil. Andrew Yang Democratic presidential hopeful


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Washington State Loses Hundreds of Millions in Unemployment Benefits to Nigerian Scammers

The state of Washington just that it lost “ hundreds of millions ” of taxpayer dollars in a massive fraud scandal .
A group of Nigerian scammers successfully exploited the state ’ s system as it became the first to enact the $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act ’ s massive expansion of unemployment benefits and eligibility .
`` The legislation not only boosted benefits available under existing state unemployment insurance systems , including an extra $ 600 per week ; it also gave state officials less time to verify new claims for those benefits .
[ State government ] officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elimination of the so-called waiting week between the time a claim is filed and the time the benefit is paid , the agency wasn ’ t always able to get verification from employers about a claim before payment was made .
`` Furthermore , because federal benefits were technically available beginning in March , several weeks before Washington was able to upgrade its processing system to be able to pay them , many claimants had retroactive claims for multiple weeks waiting to be paid in the [ state government ’ s ] system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at once , which added to the volume of the fraud . ''
That ’ s right : The state government started handing out taxpayer cash without verifying payments with employers and without a waiting period .
And sadly , this is just the beginning .
The Secret Service suspects in Florida , Wyoming , Massachusetts , North Carolina , Rhode Island , and Oklahoma .
It will be interesting to see , when the crisis has passed and we can fully account for all the waste and fraud in retrospect , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost .
Of course , only an anarchist would argue that no government response was needed to the coronavirus crisis and ensuing economic downturn .
But any response relying on 1,000-page relief bills and bloated state agencies was always going to result in rampant waste and fraud .

The state of Washington just openly admitted that it lost “hundreds of millions” of taxpayer dollars in a massive fraud scandal. A group of Nigerian scammers successfully exploited the state’s system as it became the first to enact the $2.2 trillion CARES Act’s massive expansion of unemployment benefits and eligibility.
The Seattle Times reports :
"The legislation not only boosted benefits available under existing state unemployment insurance systems, including an extra $600 per week; it also gave state officials less time to verify new claims for those benefits. [State government] officials have acknowledged that, because of the elimination of the so-called waiting week between the time a claim is filed and the time the benefit is paid, the agency wasn’t always able to get verification from employers about a claim before payment was made.
"Furthermore, because federal benefits were technically available beginning in March, several weeks before Washington was able to upgrade its processing system to be able to pay them, many claimants had retroactive claims for multiple weeks waiting to be paid in the [state government’s] system. Those retroactive payments went out all at once, which added to the volume of the fraud."
That’s right: The state government started handing out taxpayer cash without verifying payments with employers and without a waiting period.
And sadly, this is just the beginning. The Secret Service suspects similar attacks have occurred in Florida, Wyoming, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Oklahoma. It will be interesting to see, when the crisis has passed and we can fully account for all the waste and fraud in retrospect, how many billions of taxpayer dollars such attacks cost.
Of course, only an anarchist would argue that no government response was needed to the coronavirus crisis and ensuing economic downturn. But any response relying on 1,000-page relief bills and bloated state agencies was always going to result in rampant waste and fraud.


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Senators Ask AG Barr to Investigate How Planned Parenthood Got $80 Million in PPP Loans

GOP senators are furious after a disgusting revelation that Planned Parenthood has been getting millions in coronavirus relief funds , a new report said .
Fox News reported that Senator Tom Cotton ( R-AR ) is spearheading a letter co-signed by 27 Republican senators to ask Attorney General William Barr to investigate Specifically , the letter inquired “ how several Planned Parenthood affiliates got $ 80 million worth of coronavirus relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) despite rules restricting them from receiving the money due to the number of employees the organizations have.
” [ Emphasis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was publicly reported that at least thirty-seven Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country applied for and received millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program loans administered by the Small Business Administration … These Planned Parenthood entities self-certified eligibility for these loans despite the clear ineligibility under the statutory text of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( ‘ CARES ’ ) Act , ’ [ emphasis added . ]
The letter cited a statement from Planned Parenthood Action Fund , which reportedly noted `` that the SBA could exclude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it up as evidence that the organizations should have known they could not legally apply for the money.
” Another excerpt from the letter said that “ Based on these statements , it seems clear that Planned Parenthood knew that it was ineligible for the small business loans under the CARES Act long before its affiliates fraudulently self-certified that they were eligible.
” The letter continued : “ As you know , fraudulent loan applications can trigger both civil and criminal penalties.
” Fox News said that organizations with “ more than 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distributions .
“ The Planned Parenthood Federation of America ( PFFA ) alone has had more than 600 employees.
” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) , a co-signer to the letter , gave the following statement on the Senate floor Wednesday , which was obtained by Fox News : 'Disrespecting human life is their [ Planned Parenthood ’ s ] central mission .
And they just took advantage of a national crisis and helped themselves to tens of millions of taxpayer dollars they were clearly forbidden from taking .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent back immediately . '

GOP senators are furious after a disgusting revelation that Planned Parenthood has been getting millions in coronavirus relief funds, a new report said.
Fox News reported that Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) is spearheading a letter co-signed by 27 Republican senators to ask Attorney General William Barr to investigate Specifically, the letter inquired “how several Planned Parenthood affiliates got $80 million worth of coronavirus relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) despite rules restricting them from receiving the money due to the number of employees the organizations have.” [Emphasis added.]
Fox News provided excerpts from the letter:
‘This week, it was publicly reported that at least thirty-seven Planned Parenthood affiliates across the country applied for and received millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program loans administered by the Small Business Administration … These Planned Parenthood entities self-certified eligibility for these loans despite the clear ineligibility under the statutory text of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (‘CARES’) Act,’ [emphasis added.]
The letter cited a statement from Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which reportedly noted "that the SBA could exclude Planned Parenthood from the funding, holding it up as evidence that the organizations should have known they could not legally apply for the money.”
Another excerpt from the letter said that “Based on these statements, it seems clear that Planned Parenthood knew that it was ineligible for the small business loans under the CARES Act long before its affiliates fraudulently self-certified that they were eligible.”
The letter continued: “As you know, fraudulent loan applications can trigger both civil and criminal penalties.”
Fox News said that organizations with “more than 500 employees” are not eligible for PPP distributions. “The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PFFA) alone has had more than 600 employees.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a co-signer to the letter, gave the following statement on the Senate floor Wednesday, which was obtained by Fox News:


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--The Popular App “TikTok” Is Controlled by the Chinese Communist Party

One of the side effects of the coronavirus pandemic has been a multitude of viral videos showing hospital nurses singing and dancing .
For some , these “ TikTok nurses ” have brought joy in dark times , while others say that these videos are demeaning to the medical profession .
Lost in the discussion , however , is the dark side of the video sharing app itself .
What do we really know about TikTok ?
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to upload short videos , setting them to music or adding augmented reality flairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Millennials and Generation Z .
At the time of writing , TikTok was the # 2 free app in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store , trailing only Zoom – another Chinese security threat .
Tens of millions of Americans have downloaded and installed TikTok since it became available in the United States in August 2018 , with millions more downloads worldwide .
The app fills the void left by Vine , a short video app that was gobbled up and eventually discontinued by Twitter .
In late 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clandestinely… vacuumed up and transferred to servers in China vast quantities of [ U.S. ] private and personally-identifiable user data ” .
TikTok is the brainchild of Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yiming , who founded a company called ByteDance in 2012 .
At first , ByteDance built a popular news app powered by AI-driven recommendations , but Zhang saw the potential of using the same engine for social media content as well .
To that end , ByteDance launched a video sharing app called Douyin in China in September of 2016 .
In August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which already had a presence in the United States .
By merging the two apps , the company created TikTok , and it became an immediate worldwide hit .
Today , it ’ s the most popular social media app in the world , which has made ByteDance the most valuable startup in the world .
Zhang Yiming himself is now worth over $ 16 billion .
In addition to receiving funding from numerous venture capitalists , TikTok has allied itself with influential celebrities and corporations in America .
In late 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Football League announced a partnership that involved posting official NFL highlights on the platform while encouraging teams and players to use the app to connect with fans .
While any TikTok user is free to create and upload whatever they want , the heart of the application is its AI-powered recommendation system .
Like the algorithms used by Facebook , YouTube , and other platforms , this AI system evaluates what you watch and like and uses that information to recommend new videos that you might also like .
Figuring out how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes or breaks a content creator .
While these algorithms usually do a good job of anticipating what a user might enjoy , they are ultimately controlled by human programmers , and those programmers answer to higher powers .
While the potential for political interference from American companies such as Facebook , Twitter , and Google is bad enough , the threat of TikTok is multiplied by the fact that they are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party .
While Chinese CEOs such as Zhang consider themselves independent , an event a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this arena .
In April 2018 , the Chinese government forced ByteDance to remove a joke app for what it called “ vulgar content ” .
The Chinese Communist Party also compelled Zhang to issue a letter of apology , in which he admitted that the app was “ incommensurate with socialist core values.
” He was made to adjust the algorithm in order to promote more “ authoritative media content ” .
Tens of millions of Americans rely on the TikTok algorithm to deliver entertaining videos to their smartphones .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of taxpayer dollars investigating claims that Russian agents bought a handful of Facebook ads in order to influence the 2016 election , but platforms such as TikTok have an exponentially greater reach , which means a greater potential for interference .
TikTok already censors certain videos within China , such as the Tiananmen Square massacre and the ongoing protests in Hong Kong .
The danger goes beyond blatant censorship , however .
The recommendation system could , for instance , promote videos that support a certain politician or party while burying those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the potential for subtle voter manipulation : the algorithm could easily be tweaked to display ads or videos reminding users to vote that are targeted toward supporters of only one party .
This danger has not gone unnoticed by the U.S. government .
Last fall , Senators Tom Cotton and Chuck Schumer requested a review of the app from the Director of National Intelligence .
The senators shared concerns about Chinese oversight of TikTok and its parent company , writing that , “ TikTok reportedly censors materials deemed politically sensitive to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the recent Hong Kong protests , as well as references to Tiananmen Square , Tibetan and Taiwanese independence , and the treatment of Uighurs .
The platform is also a potential target of foreign influence campaigns like those carried out during the 2016 election on U.S.-based social media platforms.
” In response to the review , the Department of Defense advised US military leadership to ban the app from all government-issued devices .
Some commands even suggested that people remove the app from their personal smartphones as well .
Beyond the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very real possibility that the Chinese government would be able to gain access to the massive amount of data that apps such as TikTok collect about their users .
The war of information between the United States and the Peoples Republic of China has been heating up due to the coronavirus pandemic that began in Wuhan , China .
Chinese propagandists have been working overtime to discredit any suggestion of Chinese culpability while promoting conspiracy theories blaming the United States for the virus .
The fact that the most popular social media app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese Communist Party should worry us all .

One of the side effects of the coronavirus pandemic has been a multitude of viral videos showing hospital nurses singing and dancing. For some, these “TikTok nurses” have brought joy in dark times, while others say that these videos are demeaning to the medical profession. Lost in the discussion, however, is the dark side of the video sharing app itself. What do we really know about TikTok?
TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to upload short videos, setting them to music or adding augmented reality flairs. It has proven extremely popular with Millennials and Generation Z.
At the time of writing, TikTok was the #2 free app in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, trailing only Zoom – another Chinese security threat.
Tens of millions of Americans have downloaded and installed TikTok since it became available in the United States in August 2018, with millions more downloads worldwide. The app fills the void left by Vine, a short video app that was gobbled up and eventually discontinued by Twitter.
In late 2019, a class action lawsuit claimed TikTok “clandestinely… vacuumed up and transferred to servers in China vast quantities of [U.S.] private and personally-identifiable user data”.
TikTok is the brainchild of Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Yiming, who founded a company called ByteDance in 2012.
At first, ByteDance built a popular news app powered by AI-driven recommendations, but Zhang saw the potential of using the same engine for social media content as well. To that end, ByteDance launched a video sharing app called Douyin in China in September of 2016. In August of 2018, they purchased Shanghai-based Music.ly, which already had a presence in the United States. By merging the two apps, the company created TikTok, and it became an immediate worldwide hit.
Today, it’s the most popular social media app in the world, which has made ByteDance the most valuable startup in the world. Zhang Yiming himself is now worth over $16 billion.
In addition to receiving funding from numerous venture capitalists, TikTok has allied itself with influential celebrities and corporations in America. In late 2019, for example, TikTok and the National Football League announced a partnership that involved posting official NFL highlights on the platform while encouraging teams and players to use the app to connect with fans.
While any TikTok user is free to create and upload whatever they want, the heart of the application is its AI-powered recommendation system.
Like the algorithms used by Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms, this AI system evaluates what you watch and like and uses that information to recommend new videos that you might also like. Figuring out how to use that algorithm correctly is what makes or breaks a content creator. While these algorithms usually do a good job of anticipating what a user might enjoy, they are ultimately controlled by human programmers, and those programmers answer to higher powers.
While the potential for political interference from American companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google is bad enough, the threat of TikTok is multiplied by the fact that they are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.
While Chinese CEOs such as Zhang consider themselves independent, an event a few years back shows who holds real power in this arena.
In April 2018, the Chinese government forced ByteDance to remove a joke app for what it called “vulgar content”. The Chinese Communist Party also compelled Zhang to issue a letter of apology, in which he admitted that the app was “incommensurate with socialist core values.” He was made to adjust the algorithm in order to promote more “authoritative media content”.
Tens of millions of Americans rely on the TikTok algorithm to deliver entertaining videos to their smartphones. The Department of Justice spent three years and millions of taxpayer dollars investigating claims that Russian agents bought a handful of Facebook ads in order to influence the 2016 election, but platforms such as TikTok have an exponentially greater reach, which means a greater potential for interference.
TikTok already censors certain videos within China, such as the Tiananmen Square massacre and the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.
Curiously despite the app hosting millions of videos, this is what happens when you search for Tiananmen. (Though this could just be because I’m old and don’t understand how to use the app.) pic.twitter.com/HTkCOHxx3R — James O'Malley (@Psythor) June 4, 2019
The danger goes beyond blatant censorship, however.
The recommendation system could, for instance, promote videos that support a certain politician or party while burying those that support others. Even more insidious is the potential for subtle voter manipulation: the algorithm could easily be tweaked to display ads or videos reminding users to vote that are targeted toward supporters of only one party.
This danger has not gone unnoticed by the U.S. government.
Last fall, Senators Tom Cotton and Chuck Schumer requested a review of the app from the Director of National Intelligence.
The senators shared concerns about Chinese oversight of TikTok and its parent company, writing that, “TikTok reportedly censors materials deemed politically sensitive to the Chinese Communist Party, including content related to the recent Hong Kong protests, as well as references to Tiananmen Square, Tibetan and Taiwanese independence, and the treatment of Uighurs. The platform is also a potential target of foreign influence campaigns like those carried out during the 2016 election on U.S.-based social media platforms.”
https://twitter.com/RaheemKassam/status/1263886553325207554
In response to the review, the Department of Defense advised US military leadership to ban the app from all government-issued devices.
Some commands even suggested that people remove the app from their personal smartphones as well. Beyond the potential for manipulation, there always remains the very real possibility that the Chinese government would be able to gain access to the massive amount of data that apps such as TikTok collect about their users.
The war of information between the United States and the Peoples Republic of China has been heating up due to the coronavirus pandemic that began in Wuhan, China. Chinese propagandists have been working overtime to discredit any suggestion of Chinese culpability while promoting conspiracy theories blaming the United States for the virus.
The fact that the most popular social media app in America is entirely controlled by the Chinese Communist Party should worry us all.


bonginoreport--2020-05-22--Biden Could Be “Most Liberal President in Modern U.S. History”

Six weeks ago , when Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential race , it seemed like the Democratic Party ’ s left wing suffered a major and potentially long-lasting defeat .
Not only had Sanders lost , but former Vice President Joe Biden had won while casting many left-wing ideas as both unrealistic and detrimental to Democrats ’ chances of winning elections .
But if Biden is elected in November , the left may get a presidency it likes after all — or at least one it hates less than anticipated .
The coronavirus outbreak and the resulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political discourse to the left : Ideas that would have been considered too liberal for most Democrats a few months ago are now being proposed by Republicans .
And if American politics is moving left , expect Biden to do the same .
Biden was often cast as a centrist or a moderate during the Democratic primaries , but those labels don ’ t really describe his politics that well — he doesn ’ t really seem to have any kind of set ideology at all .
Instead , Biden ’ s long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fairly flexible on policy — shifting his positions to whatever is in the mainstream of the Democratic Party at a given moment .
So if Biden wins the presidency and his fellow Democrats are still clamoring for more government spending to help the pandemic recovery , Biden is likely to be a fairly liberal president , no matter how moderate he sounded in the primaries .
Biden positions himself in the center of the Democratic Party Biden is a centrist in a certain way — he has historically positioned himself in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party ’ s most liberal and most conservative members .
( And he does that positioning generally on foreign policy , economics and social issues . )
The center of the party is a moving target of course .
“ The best way to understand Biden is as a reflection or reaction to the party ’ s main planks throughout the last 40 years , rather than leading or shaping it , ” said Lily Geismer , a history professor at Claremont McKenna College who has written extensively about the Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t see Biden as embodying any of the ideological terms or positions of centrist or liberal , certainly not center-left and not really neoliberal either .
Instead I see his ideology as first and foremost a Democrat .
He has throughout his career toed the party line rather than an ideological one.
” Serving in the Senate from 1973-2009 , Biden was always more liberal than at least 44 percent of his Democratic colleagues but always less liberal than at least 43 percent of his colleagues , according to DW-Nominate scores of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ranged between the 44th and 57th percentile in terms of liberalism among Democratic senators in his Senate years — smack dab in the middle of the party .
Liberal Democrats have been sharply critical of some of Biden ’ s votes in the Senate , mostly notably his support for the 1994 anti-crime bill that increased penalties for some offenses and the 2002 resolution to authorize war with Iraq .
But on both issues , Biden was within the Democratic Party consensus at the time .
Nearly all Senate Democrats ( 54 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as did 188 of the 252 House Democrats who voted on the measure , which was signed into law by a Democratic president ( Bill Clinton ) .
A majority of House Democrats ( 126 of 207 ) opposed the Iraq War resolution , but the majority of Biden ’ s Senate Democratic colleagues were in favor of it ( 28 of 49 ) .
Biden ’ s tenure as vice president also suggests that he would govern from the middle of the Democratic Party .
There is not a clear record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — of the positions Biden took in internal policy debates within the Obama administration .
And the role of a vice president essentially requires him to publicly praise whatever decision the president ultimately makes .
But Biden has described himself as an “ Obama Democrat ” and strongly defended the administration ’ s record .
And while Obama himself and the Obama administration are somewhat hard to categorize ideologically , the former president and his team generally took approaches that did not satisfy the most liberal elements of the party but were fairly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself from the Obama administration , it was to stake out a position that was within the Democratic mainstream .
Take Biden ’ s announcement in 2012 that he supported same-sex marriages — though Obama had not yet come out publicly for legalizing same-sex unions , the majority of Democratic voters already held this position .
And Biden also supported the Obama ’ s administration push for more lenient criminal justice policies , even as Sen. Biden had been a key figure in the Democrats ’ tough on crime posture in the 1980s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the times was also evident in Biden ’ s 2020 primary platform .
Biden adopted fairly liberal policies — not as liberal as those of Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren , but more liberal than his pre-campaign record suggested .
The Democratic Party is more liberal now than it was when Bill Clinton took office , or even when Obama was inaugurated , and Biden ’ s platform reflects that shift .
Some of Biden ’ s 2020 policy proposals are notably to the left of the Obama administration ’ s stances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Biden ’ s support for the abolition of the death penalty , halting nearly all deportations of undocumented immigrants in his first 100 days as president and free four-year college for Americans in households with incomes up to $ 125,000 a year .
It ’ s hard to measure the precise center of American politics and how it has changed over the last few months .
But it ’ s certainly moved left in response to the COVID-19 crisis — toward way more federal spending .
Sen. Mitt Romney , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to temporarily boost the pay of grocery store clerks and others in “ essential ” jobs by $ 12 per hour .
Republicans in Congress supported a $ 2 trillion economic stimulus provision , which gave many Americans a one-time payment of $ 1,200 and boosted unemployment benefits by $ 600 per week .
More moderate House Democrats , usually wary of being cast as too liberal , backed the $ 2 trillion bill and a subsequent $ 3 trillion economic stimulus bill .
Mirroring the shift in his party , Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and presidency — rolling out more liberal policy plans , speaking in increasingly populist terms and joining forces with the most progressive voices in the party .
Biden himself has invoked the idea that he might be entering the Oval Office facing a crisis on the scale of the Great Depression .
Confidence Interval : If Trump Loses In 2020 , He ’ ll Be The Nominee Again In 2024 He recently told Politico that he supported a stimulus that was “ a hell of a lot bigger ” than the $ 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was annoyed with Wall Street firms because “ this is the second time we ’ ve bailed their asses out.
” The former vice president is also reportedly considering Warren as a potential running mate more seriously than before because of her experience on economic issues .
Last week , he appointed some of the party ’ s most prominent liberal figures , including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal , to a team advising him on policy .
“ What I ’ ve heard the vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis is shining a bright , bright light on so many systemic problems in our country , and so many inequities .
It is exacerbating and shining a light on environmental-justice issues , racial inequalities , so many other problems , ” Stef Feldman , a top Biden policy adviser , recently told New York magazine .
“ It seems clear that Biden gets the seriousness of the moment and the need to change directions in an American economy that was systemically unfair even before it was broken to pieces by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the left-leaning Center for Economic and Policy Research , a Washington , D.C.-based think tank whose proposals are generally more in line with Sanders and Warren than Biden .
But don ’ t expect Biden to move too far left We should note three important caveats here .
First , some of these shifts leftward from Biden are probably best explained by his need to woo Sanders ’ s supporters , rather than as a response to COVID-19 .
Sanders handily won “ very liberal ” voters and voters under the age of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden probably wants those two blocs to be enthusiastically behind him in the general election .
It ’ s likely that Biden , for example , would have tried to appeal to Ocasio-Cortez in some way even if the coronavirus outbreak had never happened .
Secondly , it ’ s not clear how notable or long-lasting these shifts are .
You could argue that Biden is calling for a bigger federal response to a massive pandemic and elevated unemployment levels , and that this leftward shift isn ’ t particularly striking .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his views to match the current consensus , you could see him backtracking from his newfound liberalism when the crisis recedes and/or if polls start showing a majority of Americans are leery of more government intervention to help with the COVID-19 recovery .
Those are two fairly unlikely scenarios right now , but at some point more moderate Democrats might shift away from supporting more federal spending in the wake of the coronavirus .
If a big bloc of Democrats shifted right , I would expect Biden to follow suit .
Thirdly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be constrained by both his own instincts and those of his top advisers .
Both Biden and his inner circle are perpetually worried that the Democrats will move too far left on policy issues and scare off swing voters .
Some of his top advisers , electoral politics aside , are just somewhat centrist and wary of liberal ideas .
Biden himself seems deeply invested in the idea that he can cut deals with Republicans and tamp down the partisan divide in Washington , a vision that is probably in tension with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay on the 50-yard line , splitting the difference between anti-government conservatism and progressive populism , and cutting bipartisan deals , ” David Dayen of the left-leaning The American Prospect wrote recently .
“ Or does he surge toward the end zone with ‘ Roosevelt ’ written on it , transforming the nation through ‘ bold , persistent experimentation ’ that fills in all the cracks the coronavirus exposed ?
” “ Joe Biden is running on the most progressive platform of any Democratic nominee in recent history .
But given the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Deal and Great Society traditions in the Democratic Party and go bigger , ” said Waleed Shahid , the communications director for Justice Democrats , a left-wing group aligned with Ocasio-Cortez and other very progressive Democrats .
All that said , it seems fairly likely that Biden , if he wins , will enter the Oval Office with Americans struggling through a recession and the public and his party clamoring for the federal government to do more to help those who are struggling .
In that scenario , we might look back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — by emphasizing his moderation — and marvel that he became the most liberal president in recent history .

Six weeks ago, when Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the presidential race, it seemed like the Democratic Party’s left wing suffered a major and potentially long-lasting defeat. Not only had Sanders lost, but former Vice President Joe Biden had won while casting many left-wing ideas as both unrealistic and detrimental to Democrats’ chances of winning elections.
But if Biden is elected in November, the left may get a presidency it likes after all — or at least one it hates less than anticipated. The coronavirus outbreak and the resulting massive surge in unemployment has moved American political discourse to the left: Ideas that would have been considered too liberal for most Democrats a few months ago are now being proposed by Republicans. And if American politics is moving left, expect Biden to do the same. Biden was often cast as a centrist or a moderate during the Democratic primaries, but those labels don’t really describe his politics that well — he doesn’t really seem to have any kind of set ideology at all.
Instead, Biden’s long record in public office suggests that he is fairly flexible on policy — shifting his positions to whatever is in the mainstream of the Democratic Party at a given moment. So if Biden wins the presidency and his fellow Democrats are still clamoring for more government spending to help the pandemic recovery, Biden is likely to be a fairly liberal president, no matter how moderate he sounded in the primaries.
Biden positions himself in the center of the Democratic Party
Biden is a centrist in a certain way — he has historically positioned himself in the center of the Democratic Party, between the party’s most liberal and most conservative members. (And he does that positioning generally on foreign policy, economics and social issues.) The center of the party is a moving target of course.
“The best way to understand Biden is as a reflection or reaction to the party’s main planks throughout the last 40 years, rather than leading or shaping it,” said Lily Geismer, a history professor at Claremont McKenna College who has written extensively about the Democratic Party and liberalism. “I don’t see Biden as embodying any of the ideological terms or positions of centrist or liberal, certainly not center-left and not really neoliberal either. Instead I see his ideology as first and foremost a Democrat. He has throughout his career toed the party line rather than an ideological one.”
Subscribe to our coronavirus podcast, PODCAST-19
Serving in the Senate from 1973-2009, Biden was always more liberal than at least 44 percent of his Democratic colleagues but always less liberal than at least 43 percent of his colleagues, according to DW-Nominate scores of his Senate votes. Put another way, he ranged between the 44th and 57th percentile in terms of liberalism among Democratic senators in his Senate years — smack dab in the middle of the party.
Liberal Democrats have been sharply critical of some of Biden’s votes in the Senate, mostly notably his support for the 1994 anti-crime bill that increased penalties for some offenses and the 2002 resolution to authorize war with Iraq. But on both issues, Biden was within the Democratic Party consensus at the time. Nearly all Senate Democrats (54 of 56) backed the crime bill, as did 188 of the 252 House Democrats who voted on the measure, which was signed into law by a Democratic president (Bill Clinton). A majority of House Democrats (126 of 207) opposed the Iraq War resolution, but the majority of Biden’s Senate Democratic colleagues were in favor of it (28 of 49).
Biden’s tenure as vice president also suggests that he would govern from the middle of the Democratic Party. There is not a clear record — akin to Senate roll call votes — of the positions Biden took in internal policy debates within the Obama administration. And the role of a vice president essentially requires him to publicly praise whatever decision the president ultimately makes. But Biden has described himself as an “Obama Democrat” and strongly defended the administration’s record. And while Obama himself and the Obama administration are somewhat hard to categorize ideologically, the former president and his team generally took approaches that did not satisfy the most liberal elements of the party but were fairly liberal.
When Biden did publicly separate himself from the Obama administration, it was to stake out a position that was within the Democratic mainstream. Take Biden’s announcement in 2012 that he supported same-sex marriages — though Obama had not yet come out publicly for legalizing same-sex unions, the majority of Democratic voters already held this position. And Biden also supported the Obama’s administration push for more lenient criminal justice policies, even as Sen. Biden had been a key figure in the Democrats’ tough on crime posture in the 1980s and 1990s.
That willingness to change with the times was also evident in Biden’s 2020 primary platform. Biden adopted fairly liberal policies — not as liberal as those of Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, but more liberal than his pre-campaign record suggested. The Democratic Party is more liberal now than it was when Bill Clinton took office, or even when Obama was inaugurated, and Biden’s platform reflects that shift. Some of Biden’s 2020 policy proposals are notably to the left of the Obama administration’s stances when it left office in early 2017, including Biden’s support for the abolition of the death penalty, halting nearly all deportations of undocumented immigrants in his first 100 days as president and free four-year college for Americans in households with incomes up to $125,000 a year.
The Democratic Party’s center is moving left
It’s hard to measure the precise center of American politics and how it has changed over the last few months. But it’s certainly moved left in response to the COVID-19 crisis — toward way more federal spending. Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican, recently proposed using federal dollars to temporarily boost the pay of grocery store clerks and others in “essential” jobs by $12 per hour. Republicans in Congress supported a $2 trillion economic stimulus provision, which gave many Americans a one-time payment of $1,200 and boosted unemployment benefits by $600 per week. More moderate House Democrats, usually wary of being cast as too liberal, backed the $2 trillion bill and a subsequent $3 trillion economic stimulus bill .
Mirroring the shift in his party, Biden and his advisers are now reimagining his candidacy and presidency — rolling out more liberal policy plans, speaking in increasingly populist terms and joining forces with the most progressive voices in the party. Biden himself has invoked the idea that he might be entering the Oval Office facing a crisis on the scale of the Great Depression.
Confidence Interval: If Trump Loses In 2020, Heâll Be The Nominee Again In 2024
He recently told Politico that he supported a stimulus that was “a hell of a lot bigger” than the $2 trillion provision passed in March and that he was annoyed with Wall Street firms because “this is the second time we’ve bailed their asses out.” The former vice president is also reportedly considering Warren as a potential running mate more seriously than before because of her experience on economic issues. Last week, he appointed some of the party’s most prominent liberal figures, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal, to a team advising him on policy.
“What I’ve heard the vice president say over and over again is this crisis is shining a bright, bright light on so many systemic problems in our country, and so many inequities. It is exacerbating and shining a light on environmental-justice issues, racial inequalities, so many other problems,” Stef Feldman, a top Biden policy adviser, recently told New York magazine.
“It seems clear that Biden gets the seriousness of the moment and the need to change directions in an American economy that was systemically unfair even before it was broken to pieces by a pandemic,” said Jeff Hauser of the left-leaning Center for Economic and Policy Research, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank whose proposals are generally more in line with Sanders and Warren than Biden.
But don’t expect Biden to move too far left
We should note three important caveats here. First, some of these shifts leftward from Biden are probably best explained by his need to woo Sanders’s supporters, rather than as a response to COVID-19. Sanders handily won “very liberal” voters and voters under the age of 45 during the Democratic primary — and Biden probably wants those two blocs to be enthusiastically behind him in the general election. It’s likely that Biden, for example, would have tried to appeal to Ocasio-Cortez in some way even if the coronavirus outbreak had never happened.
Secondly, it’s not clear how notable or long-lasting these shifts are. You could argue that Biden is calling for a bigger federal response to a massive pandemic and elevated unemployment levels, and that this leftward shift isn’t particularly striking. And since the former vice president often calibrates his views to match the current consensus, you could see him backtracking from his newfound liberalism when the crisis recedes and/or if polls start showing a majority of Americans are leery of more government intervention to help with the COVID-19 recovery. Those are two fairly unlikely scenarios right now, but at some point more moderate Democrats might shift away from supporting more federal spending in the wake of the coronavirus. If a big bloc of Democrats shifted right, I would expect Biden to follow suit.
Thirdly, Biden’s leftward shifts will likely be constrained by both his own instincts and those of his top advisers. Both Biden and his inner circle are perpetually worried that the Democrats will move too far left on policy issues and scare off swing voters. Some of his top advisers, electoral politics aside, are just somewhat centrist and wary of liberal ideas. Biden himself seems deeply invested in the idea that he can cut deals with Republicans and tamp down the partisan divide in Washington, a vision that is probably in tension with a more leftish presidency.
“Does he stay on the 50-yard line, splitting the difference between anti-government conservatism and progressive populism, and cutting bipartisan deals,” David Dayen of the left-leaning The American Prospect wrote recently. “Or does he surge toward the end zone with ‘Roosevelt’ written on it, transforming the nation through ‘bold, persistent experimentation’ that fills in all the cracks the coronavirus exposed?”
“Joe Biden is running on the most progressive platform of any Democratic nominee in recent history. But given the pandemic, he has to look at the New Deal and Great Society traditions in the Democratic Party and go bigger,” said Waleed Shahid, the communications director for Justice Democrats, a left-wing group aligned with Ocasio-Cortez and other very progressive Democrats.
All that said, it seems fairly likely that Biden, if he wins, will enter the Oval Office with Americans struggling through a recession and the public and his party clamoring for the federal government to do more to help those who are struggling. In that scenario, we might look back at how Biden won the Democratic primary — by emphasizing his moderation — and marvel that he became the most liberal president in recent history.