thetorontostar--2020-08-24--RNC day 1: St. Louis couple charged after waving guns at protest speak during convention

WASHINGTON - A white St. Louis couple criminally charged for waving guns during a Black Lives Matter protest outside their home says Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden would invite unchecked lawlessness into American suburbs .
Mark and Patty McCloskey on Monday at the Republican National Convention reinforced the theme outlined in President Donald Trump ’ s campaign ads .
The Republican is painting his opponent as complicit with rioting and violence that has taken place in some cities in recent months amid racial justice protests , the vast majority of which have been peaceful .
Patty McCloskey says , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by ending single-family home zoning.
“ She says the actions “ would bring crime , lawlessness and low-quality apartments into thriving suburban neighbourhoods.
” She says , “ These are the policies that are coming to a neighbourhood near you , .
” She adds , “ Your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats ’ America.
” HERE ’ S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MONDAY ’ S REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION : HERE ’ S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING : Parkland father Andrew Pollack says he believes the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether President Donald Trump wins a second term .
Pollack ’ s 18-year-old daughter , Meadow , was killed in February 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida .
He spoke Monday at the Republican National Convention and credits Trump for forming a school safety commission that issued dozens of recommendations designed to make schools safer .
Pollack blames a culture of leniency that failed to hold the gunman accountable for many transgressions that occurred before the shooting , which killed 17 people .
He says gun control laws didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did .
Pollack blames the school for ignoring those warning signs .
He also says “ far-left Democrats ” implemented a policy designed to reduce school suspensions that he says blames teachers for student failures .
A Black Democratic lawmaker in Georgia ’ s state legislature says he ’ s supporting President Donald Trump because they ’ ve made improvements benefiting the Black community .
During the opening night of Republicans ’ convention Monday , state Rep. Vernon Jones said “ all hell broke loose ” when he announced his support for Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his decision in part because Trump has backed initiatives including increased funding for HBCUs , criminal justice reform and “ the most inclusive economy ever.
“ Jones says , “ The Democratic Party does not want Black people to leave the mental plantation ” on which they ’ ve toiled .
He added , “ Black voices are becoming more woke and louder than ever.
” Earlier , former NFL star Herschel Walker said “ it hurts my soul ” to hear anyone refer to Trump as a racist , adding it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would think I would have a 37-year friendship with a racist.
” Ohio congressman Jim Jordan is describing an empathetic moment he shared with President Donald Trump , part of an effort that aides said is aimed at presenting a side of the president many Americans don ’ t see .
At the Republican National Convention on Monday , Jordan recounted a phone conversation with Trump as the Ohioan was en route to visit his grieving family after Jordan ’ s nephew died in a car accident .
Jordan says he asked Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hello to the boy ’ s father .
Jordan adds : “ For the next five minutes , family and friends sat in complete silence as the president of the United States took time to talk to a dad who was hurting .
That ’ s the president I know .
Jordan ’ s story comes a week after nightly vignettes of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s connection with people who have lost spouses , children and jobs , part of an empathetic narrative the party built to contrast with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is scoffing at Democrats ’ choice of actor Eva Longoria to host one night of their convention , suggesting they couldn ’ t find a “ real housewife.
” McDaniel dismissed Longoria , a star of “ Desperate Housewives , ” on Monday as a “ famous Hollywood actress who played a housewife on TV.
” McDaniel said , “ I ’ m actually a real housewife and a mom from Michigan.
” It echoed a comment made by Trump last month when he warned “ The Suburban Housewives of America ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would “ destroy your neighbourhood.
” He warned of an “ invasion ” and said he had scrapped a program to allow “ low income housing ” in the suburbs .
But McDaniel herself is an executive with a full-time job running a nationwide political organization with a multimillion-dollar budget .
The leader of the pro-Trump organization Turning Point USA is calling the president “ the bodyguard of Western civilization.
” Kirk said at the start of the evening portion of the Republican National Convention on Monday that President Donald Trump had reclaimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cartel of insiders that have been destroying our country.
” He says , “ We may not have realized it at the time , but this fact is now clear : Trump is the bodyguard of Western civilization.
” He added that Trump was “ elected to defend and strengthen the American way of life.
” President Donald Trump will appear at the opening night of the Republican National Convention in a taped video with six former hostages freed during the Trump administration .
A campaign official said Monday that the former prisoners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other people whose release the Trump administration helped broker .
They are Michael White , Sam Goodwin , Pastor Andrew Brunson , Joshua and Tamara Holt , and Pastor Bryan Nerran .
The convention is also set to feature a speech from the parents of Kayla Mueller , who died while a prisoner of the Islamic State group .
White , a Navy veteran , was imprisoned in Iran .
Brunson , an evangelical pastor , was imprisoned in Turkey , Goodwin was held in Syria , the Holts in Venezuela and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hostage release program , which was led for years by now-national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien .
A forklift has damaged a brick walkway at the national monument Fort McHenry , where Republicans were building a stage for Vice-President Mike Pence ’ s appearance for the party ’ s national convention .
A national parks advocacy group expressed outrage at the damage , saying stewardship of national monuments should be nonpartisan and professional .
National Park Service spokesperson Stephanie Roulett confirmed the damage in an email Monday .
She says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the fort .
Built in 1798 , Fort McHenry and the Americans in it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from the British Navy in the War of 1812 .
The scene inspired Francis Scott Key to write “ The Star-Spangled Banner.
” The U.S. designates the fort as a national monument and historic shrine .
This month , the Maryland Republican Party asked for and got a special-use permit from the National Park Service to use the fort as a backdrop for Pence ’ s political address Wednesday during the Republican National Convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candles , shells , comets and other fireworks ready to shoot into the sky around the Washington Monument on Thursday to celebrate President Donald Trump ’ s acceptance of the presidential nomination .
The National Park Service said Monday that it had approved the fireworks permit to mark the renomination of the president , who has demonstrated a fondness for big pyrotechnics and fetes at national monuments .
The permit details the fireworks that are planned .
The parks service said the Republican National Committee would be responsible for all costs of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency for its work overseeing the event on Thursday , the last day of the Republican National Convention .
Mike Litterst , spokesperson for the National Park Service ’ s National Mall , said Monday that the service has received no permit requests so far for protests timed to the convention .
President Donald Trump says without evidence that the coronavirus is fading , a claim that he has been making for months .
In the toss-up state of North Carolina , Trump spoke on a tarmac in Fletcher to several hundred cheering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — after he addressed delegates at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte .
Trump says the nation will “ put this horrible incident coming from China behind us and we will have the vaccines very soon , but it ’ s going to be fading , and it is starting to fade.
” The U.S. coronavirus death toll and case count have been climbing for months .
More than 176,000 Americans have now died of the coronavirus , by far more than any other country .
Trump predicted positive third quarter results for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be even better .
After brief remarks , Trump drove to Mills River , where he was to tour Flavor First Growers and Packers and speak at a Farmers to Families food box distribution program .
Along the motorcade route to Mills River , some people expressed their disapproval of Trump ’ s presidency .
One man , wearing a mask , held a cloth banner that said : “ Mr .
Trump Spewing Lies .
Spreading COVID.
” President Donald Trump is accusing Democrats of using voters ’ concerns about COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump told delegates at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte , North Carolina , on Monday that the only way Democrats can win is “ if this is a rigged election.
” Until he won , Trump also warned that the 2016 election was going to be rigged .
He says Americans know how to keep themselves safe from the coronavirus and can go to the polls , eliminating the need to mail in their ballots .
He said , without providing evidence , that that creates fraud .
Voter fraud has proved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice in 2017 ranked the risk of ballot fraud at 0.00004 % to 0.0009 % , based on studies of past elections .
Trump says other votes will be “ harvested ” by people going door-to-door to collect ballots that voters have not submitted .
In addition , he says some states are not verifying signatures on ballots .
He did not provide evidence for those claims .
President Donald Trump is championing the stock market , telling delegates at the Republican National Convention that if he ’ s not reelected , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction.
” He said Monday that the upcoming presidential election is the most important in the history of the United States .
He says , “ Our country can go in a horrible direction or in an even greater direction.
“ He says the U.S. economy was humming along at high levels before the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump condemned governors who are continuing to keep their states shut down to stem the spread of the virus .
It was a jab at his Democratic opponent , Joe Biden , who has said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Vice-President Mike Pence says reelecting President Donald Trump means four more years of support for troops and law enforcement and an economic rebound after the coronavirus .
Pence told delegates at the Republican National Convention in North Carolina on Monday : “ We ’ re going to make America great again — again.
” He added that it will take at least four more years to “ drain that swamp , ” which is Washington .
Pence says the U.S. economy and law and order are on the ballot .
Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for each of us to do everything in our power ” to make sure Trump has four more years in the White House .
He says the choice between the former vice-president and Trump has “ never been clearer and the stakes have never been higher.
” President Donald Trump has been renominated as the GOP ’ s presidential candidate .
Republicans made it official during a scaled-back roll call vote on Monday at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina .
Trump faces a difficult fight for reelection as he continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , which has killed about 177,000 people in the United States , ravaged the economy and upended nearly all aspects of life .
The president ’ s bid for a second term also continues to be shadowed by protests throughout the nation over police brutality and racial injustice .
Now that delegates have completed the task of formally renominating Trump , much of the remaining convention business will shift to the Washington , D.C. , area .
Trump is scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech from the White House South Lawn on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden as their presidential candidate at their all-virtual convention last week .
Republicans have begun the process of formally nominating Donald Trump as the party ’ s 2020 presidential nominee .
The party has gathered 336 delegates for the roll call vote at a scaled-down convention kickoff in Charlotte , North Carolina , that begins a weeklong effort to convince the American people that he deserves a second term .
Despite the ongoing pandemic , delegates are holding an in-person rollcall vote at the Charlotte Convention Center .
Democrats , who held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold their roll call vote created a video montage from states across the country to avoid a large-scale gathering .
Trump is trying to avoid becoming the first incumbent president since George H.W .
Bush to lose his reelection bid .
Former GOP Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona has endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
Flake was one of President Donald Trump ’ s most consistent Republican critics in the Senate .
He penned an Op Ed in The Washington Post in support of Trump ’ s impeachment .
Flake retired from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term in 2019 , saying he was out of step with the Republican Party in the era of Trump .
He later wrote a book , “ Conscience of a Conservative , ” that was a critique of Trump .
Flake is one of more than two dozen former Republican lawmakers to announce their support for “ Republicans for Biden.
” Former Reps. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania , Jim Greenwood of Pennsylvania , Jim Leach of Iowa , and Sen. John Warner of Virginia are among former Republican lawmakers who also have endorsed @ @


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Kenosha protesters clash with police after Black man shot

KENOSHA , Wis. - Police in Wisconsin deployed tear gas in an attempt to disperse protesters who converged on the county courthouse during a second night of clashes after the police shooting of a Black man turned Kenosha into the nation ’ s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest .
Wisconsin Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers activated 125 members of the National Guard to assist local law enforcement .
Exit ramps off Interstate 94 from the Illinois state line into Kenosha County were closed Monday night , blocked off by police vehicles and trucks in some places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no peace ” minutes before the 8 p.m. curfew .
Some threw water bottles and other objects and confronted members of law enforcement who wore protective gear and stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the courthouse entrance .
Police fired the tear gas about 30 minutes after the curfew took effect , but not all the protesters left .
The latest confrontation came after protesters set cars on fire , smashed windows and clashed with officers in riot gear Sunday night over the wounding of 29-year-old Jacob Blake , who was hospitalized in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cellphone video made by an onlooker , Blake was shot , apparently in the back , as he leaned into his SUV while his three children sat in the vehicle .
Tensions flared anew earlier Monday after a news conference with Kenosha Mayor John Antarmian , originally to be held in a park , was moved inside the city ’ s public safety building .
Hundreds of protesters rushed to the building and a door was snapped off its hinges before police in riot gear pepper-sprayed the crowd , which included a photographer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the former auto manufacturing centre of 100,000 people midway between Milwaukee and Chicago said they were responding to a call about a domestic dispute .
They did not say whether Blake was armed or why police opened fire , they released no details on the domestic dispute , and they did not immediately disclose the race of the three officers at the scene .
The man who claimed to have made the video , 22-year-old Raysean White , said that he saw Blake scuffling with three officers and heard them yell , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
“ before the gunfire erupted .
He said he didn ’ t see a knife in Blake ’ s hands .
The governor said that he has seen no information to suggest Blake had a knife or other weapon , but that the case is still being investigated by the state Justice Department .
The officers were placed on administrative leave , standard practice in a shooting by police .
Authorities released no details about the officers or their service records .
Evers was quick to condemn the bloodshed , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.
” Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden called for “ an immediate , full and transparent investigation ” and said the officers “ must be held accountable.
” “ This morning , the nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months before Election Day in a country already roiled by the recent deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis , Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta and Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Kentucky .
“ Those shots pierce the soul of our nation.
“ Republicans and the police union accused the politicians of rushing to judgment , reflecting the deep partisan divide in Wisconsin , a key presidential battleground state .
Wisconsin GOP members also decried the violent protests , echoing the law-and-order theme that President Donald Trump has been using in his reelection campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ circulating does not capture all the intricacies of a highly dynamic incident , ” Pete Deates , president of the Kenosha police union , said in a statement .
He called the governor ’ s statement “ wholly irresponsible.
” The shooting happened around 5 p.m. Sunday and was captured from across the street on video that was posted online .
Kenosha police do not have body cameras but do have body microphones .
In the footage , Blake walks from the sidewalk around the front of his SUV to his driver-side door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointed and shout at him .
As Blake opens the door and leans into the SUV , an officer grabs his shirt from behind and opens fire while Blake has his back turned .
Seven shots can be heard , though it isn ’ t clear how many struck Blake or how many officers fired .
During the shooting , a Black woman can be seen screaming in the street and jumping up and down .
White , who claimed to have made the video , said that before the gunfire , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or seven women shouting at each other on the sidewalk .
A few moments later , Blake drove up in his SUV and told his son , who was standing nearby , to get in the vehicle , according to White .
White said Blake did not say anything to the women .
White said he left the window for a few minutes , and when he came back , saw three officers wrestling with Blake .
One punched Blake in the ribs , and another used a stun gun on him , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free and started walking away as officers yelled about a knife .
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump , representing Blake ’ s family , said Blake was “ simply trying to do the right thing by intervening in a domestic incident.
” Police did not immediately confirm either man ’ s account .
Blake ’ s partner , Laquisha Booker , told NBC ’ s Milwaukee affiliate , WTMJ-TV , that the couple ’ s three children were in the back seat of the SUV when police shot him .
“ That man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and looked the other way and was just shooting him .
With the kids in the back screaming .
Screaming , ” Booker said .
Blake ’ s grandfather , Jacob Blake Sr. , was a prominent minister and civil rights leader in the Chicago area who helped organize a march and spoke in support of a comprehensive housing law in Evanston , Illinois , days after the 1968 slaying of the Rev .
Martin Luther King Jr. Rachel Noerdlinger , publicist for the National Action Network , told The Associated Press that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Blake ’ s father , who called the civil rights leader for his support .
Blake ’ s father will speak at Sharpton ’ s March on Washington commemoration on Friday , Noerdlinger said .
Karissa Lewis , national field director of Movement for Black Lives , a coalition of more than 150 Black-led organizations that make up the broader Black Lives Matter movement , said the shooting was yet another example of why activists have called for defunding police departments .
“ There ’ s no amount of training or reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s wrong to shoot a Black man in the back seven times while his children watch , ” Lewis said in a statement first shared with the AP .
Online court records indicate Kenosha County prosecutors charged Blake on July 6 with sexual assault , trespassing and disorderly conduct in connection with domestic abuse .
An arrest warrant was issued the following day .
The records contain no further details and do not list an attorney for Blake .
It was unclear whether that case had anything to do with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blake ’ s shooting , social media posts showed neighbours gathering in the streets and shouting at police .
Others appeared to throw objects at officers and damage police vehicles .
Officers fired tear gas to disperse the crowds .
In a scene that mirrored the widespread protests in recent months over police brutality and racial inequality , marchers headed to the Kenosha County Public Safety Building , which houses the police and sheriff ’ s departments .
Authorities mostly blocked off the building , which officials said was closed on Monday because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also represented the Floyd and Taylor families , said that Blake ’ s family asked that the demonstrations remain peaceful .
“ They don ’ t believe violence to be the solution , ” he said .
For more than 100 years , Kenosha was an auto manufacturing centre , but it has now largely been transformed into a bedroom community for Milwaukee and Chicago .
The city is about 67 % white , 11.5 % Black and 17.6 % Hispanic , according to 2019 Census data .
Both the mayor and police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the population lives in poverty .
Webber reported from Fenton , Michigan .
Associated Press reporters Scott Bauer and Todd Richmond in Madison , Wisconsin , Jeff Baenen in Minneapolis , Aaron Morrison in New York City and Mike Householder in Kenosha contributed .

Tammy Webber And Mike Householder - The Associated Press

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thetorontostar--2020-08-24--WHAT TO WATCH: After Biden’s moment, it’s Trump’s prime time

LAS VEGAS - Joe Biden and his Democratic Party used their convention last week to argue that the underpinnings of American Democracy hang in the balance this November .
This week , it ’ s President Donald Trump ’ s turn .
Republicans will renominate the president and highlight four years of the Trump administration and promises he delivered on , such as overturning business regulations , pulling out of international agreements , appointing two U.S. Supreme Court justices and transforming the U.S. immigration system .
While Democrats held an entirely virtual convention , pulled off without any major technical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pared-down version of an in-person gathering on Monday in Charlotte , North Carolina .
The convention runs through Thursday and includes a presidential speech from the White House South Lawn and a vice-presidential address from Fort McHenry in Baltimore .
The convention was originally scheduled to be held in Charlotte until Trump moved it to Jacksonville , Florida , with the hope the Republican-led state would allow thousands to attend .
But Trump had to scrap that plan as coronavirus cases continued to climb .
What to watch at the convention : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each state and territory , for a total of 336 , to attend in-person proceedings for the convention ’ s first day in Charlotte .
They ’ ll hold a rollcall vote to renominate the president , but unlike the Democrats , it won ’ t be a prime-time affair .
Instead , the voting will take place Monday morning , with a recap shown during the evening ’ s programming .
Delegates will also vote on several resolutions , including measures defending October ’ s Columbus Day holiday , which honours the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ cancel culture.
” Trump gives a formal acceptance speech Thursday night from the South Lawn , but he ’ s expected to make an appearance every night in the 10 p.m. Eastern hour .
It ’ s unclear to what extent he ’ ll make remarks , but Monday ’ s theme , “ Land of Promise ” highlights how Trump helped renew the American dream .
Speakers are likely to renew Trump ’ s focus from last week drawing contrasts with his Democratic opponent and portraying Biden as an ineffective career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radical left , ” aligning him with progressives like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez .
While Democrats repeatedly mentioned the impact of the virus and hammered Trump ’ s response to it , expect Republicans to defend the president on the issue but feature it less prominently .
Republicans seen as potential 2024 presidential candidates are sprinkled throughout the week ’ s proceedings .
On Monday , two potential contenders from the Palmetto State will get their chance in the spotlight : Former Ambassador to the U.N. and South Carolina Gov .
Nikki @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tim Scott , who is set to give the prominent closing speech .
Democrats tried to show a united , diverse base and featured Republicans backing Biden .
Trump has thus far focused more on his loyal base than expanding his coalition .
Monday ’ s lineup mostly stays in that vein .
The opening day ’ s speakers include some of the president ’ s staunchest supporters , such as Reps. Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz ; Charlie Kirk , the president of the pro-Trump organization Turning Point USA ; the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his girlfriend , Kimberly Guilfoyle , who is also the campaign ’ s national finance chair .
Others include House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana , Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and Sean Parnell , a Republican congressional candidate in Pennsylvania .
Also speaking : Tanya Weinreis , a Montana coffee shop owner who received federal loans to pay her employees during the coronavirus ; Andrew Pollack , whose daughter was killed in the 2018 school shooting in Parkland , Florida ; and Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St. Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter protesters outside their home this summer .
After Democrats pointedly included Republicans during their convention , Republicans have one slated to speak Monday : Vernon Jones , a Democratic state lawmaker from Georgia who announced in April he was breaking with his party and endorsing Trump .
Jones initially announced he was resigning from office after his endorsement but changed his mind , deciding to serve out his term .
WHO WON ’ T BE THERE The Democratic convention featured every living Democratic president and the party ’ s 2004 presidential nominee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , transformed under Trump , is not expected to feature at its convention the only living GOP ex-president , President George W. Bush , or the party ’ s 2012 nominee .
Mitt Romney .
Neither man voted for Trump in 2016 or has endorsed him this year .
The daytime business of the GOP delegates will be available starting at 9 a.m .
ET on the GOP convention ’ s social media channels and AT & T U-VERSE , Direct TV , Twitch , Youtube and Amazon Prime TV .
The convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prime-time programming starts at 8:30 p.m .
ET ( a half-hour earlier than the DNC convention ) and runs through 11 p.m .
ET .
CNN , C-SPAN , MSNBC and PBS will air the full prime-time presentation while ABC , CBS , Fox News Channel and NBC will air the final hour , from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m .
This story has been correct to show that the Parnell speaking Monday is a Pennsylvania congressional candidate , not the former governor .
It has also been corrected to show that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not a former lawmaker .
He announced he was resigning but later changed his mind .

Michelle L. Price - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Ex Miami lawmaker hired by Venezuela elected to GOP board

MIAMI - Democrats are sharpening attacks on a former congressman who was quietly elected to the Miami GOP ’ s executive committee despite a federal investigation into a $ 50 million lobbying contract with a favourite Republican target in South Florida : Venezuela ’ s socialist government .
David Rivera ’ s election to the 160-member committee , which has not been previously reported , was largely overlooked amid the results of Miami ’ s Aug. 18 primaries .
Rivera , who lost his reelection attempt in 2012 but retains strong name recognition , won 35 % of the ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Miami-Dade County .
Democrats are hopeful the scandal-plagued politician ’ s comeback attempt could undermine what they see as red-baiting by the Trump campaign , which compares Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s policies to those of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro .
The Trump campaign frequently touts the president ’ s record for confronting the embattled socialist , a stance popular with Cuban and Venezuelan exiles who hold major sway in a battleground state the president must win to remain in the White House .
“ Make no mistake , by electing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Party has shown that it is the party of Maduro , ” said Steve Simeonidis , the Democratic chair in Miami-Dade .
Kevin Munoz , a spokesman for the Biden campaign in Florida , said : “ The GOP is making a mockery of the fight for democracy and freedom for Venezuela and their words are nothing more than a calculated , cynical , and empty political ploy to score votes in Florida.
” In May , Florida Democrats called for a congressional investigation into Rivera ’ s business dealings with Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after a lawsuit revealed that his consulting firm had been awarded a three-month , $ 50 million consulting contract in 2017 to improve PDVSA ’ s “ long-term reputation ” among “ targeted stakeholders ” in the U.S. Lawyers for Citgo — the Houston subsidiary of PDVSA now controlled by Maduro ’ s opponents — alleged that Rivera ’ s firm failed to describe any work that he had performed while collecting the first $ 15 million of the agreed-to fee .
Federal prosecutors in Miami are also investigating the contract because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a foreign government , according to a U.S. law enforcement official on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing probe .
The contract came as a shock to Miami residents , who identify Rivera with the anti-communist politics of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio , with whom he shared a house when both were in the Florida state legislature .
Even some Republicans are uneasy about Rivera becoming a standard bearer of their party in Florida ’ s most-populous district .
The allegations against Rivera are “ highly disturbing , troublesome and of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , president of the Venezuelan American Republican Alliance in Miami .
If proven true , “ the consequences should be swift , defining and send a message that corruption will not be tolerated.
” Rivera on Monday sent The Associated Press a text message almost identical to one he sent in May claiming that he wasn ’ t actually working with PDVSA but rather with the Venezuelan opposition to undermine Maduro ’ s rule .
He provided no evidence to back his claim but said the Trump administration was fully aware and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realized everything else is fake news , ” Rivera added .
Rivera served a single term in Congress , from 2011-2013 .
He has been embroiled in controversies , including orchestrating the stealth funding of an unknown Democratic candidate to take on a rival in a congressional race and a state investigation into whether he hid a $ 1 million contract with a gambling firm .
He has never been charged with a crime .
Nelson Díaz , the outgoing chair of the Republican party in Miami , said every American has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats ’ claims that Rivera ’ s alleged actions expose Republican hypocrisy regarding Venezuela .
Under Trump ’ s leadership , the U.S. has imposed stiff sanctions on Venezuela in a bid to force Maduro from power and boost Juan Guaidó , who is now recognized by 60 nations to be the country ’ s legitimate leader .
“ Trump has done more to stifle Maduro and the Castro regime than every president before him put together , ” said Díaz , the son of Cuban immigrants who fled the communist-run island .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can to attack Republicans on an issue on which they can ’ t stand toe to toe with Trump .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Republican Convention takeaways: All Trump, all the time

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump aggressively asserted control over the Republican National Convention on Monday , overshadowing the prime-time speakers , as he made clear he wants voters to focus on him .
Here are key takeaways from the first night of the convention : Never one to shy away from the spotlight , Trump showed he will be omnipresent at the convention , appearing every night and sure to dominate the proceedings .
He made certain he was highly visible Monday with some preliminary appearances and a spasm of tweets .
Traditionally , the presidential nominee — including Democrat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fleeting convention appearance or two early in the week but largely stays on the sidelines , building anticipation for the acceptance speech on the final night .
Trump has tossed that conventions ’ convention aside .
He is expected to appear every night , potentially joining First Lady Melania Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence at their prime-time speeches .
To Trump , the answer to nearly any crisis is almost always more Trump .
Some Republican operatives have expressed private worry that America is suffering from Trump fatigue .
But the president is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , he soaked in gauzy homage from supporters .
And he ’ ll be joined by several others who share his last name : four of his adult children and a daughter-in-law will also speak .
BE AFRAID .
BE VERY AFRAID Trump complained last week that Democrats “ held the darkest and angriest and gloomiest convention in American history.
” But on opening night of their convention , Republicans are doing their share , spreading fear of a Biden victory on Nov. 3 .
“ Make no mistake : No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not be safe in the radical Democrats ’ America , ” Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St. Louis couple who pointed firearms at Black Lives Matter protesters outside their house in June , were to say .
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk warned the convention that a Trump victory was imperative to “ ensure that our kids are raised to love America , not taught to hate our beautiful country.
” Trump , he added , “ is the bodyguard of Western civilization.
” South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott was to argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revolution ” for a “ fundamentally different America.
” The apocalyptic messaging comes as Trump ’ s campaign strategists are aiming to motivate their own base with dire warnings of a Biden win — and to do their best to depress votes for the Democratic ticket from moderate voters who aren ’ t sold on Trump either .
The Republican National Convention is a testament to the campaign Trump wishes he could run .
For nearly six months , the coronavirus pandemic has upended every aspect of American society and scuttled the type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and combustible issues — that Trump wanted to steer .
But the lineup and themes of the convention beginning Monday made mentions of the COVID-19 pandemic only in the context of what were portrayed of Trump ’ s successes , with scant attention to the more than 175,000 Americans who have died , or the fact that Americans overwhelmingly give the president low marks for his handling of the crisis .
Trump made an appearance at the White House with everyday Americans , without recommended social distancing and with no one wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program is meant as a rebuke to the virus .
While the Democrats held a virtual convention out of respect for social distancing and public health guidelines , the president has insisted on the trappings of a convention , including in-person , live speeches and a crowd of up to 1,000 people on the White House South Lawn to hear his acceptance speech Thursday night .
Republicans turned to a familiar crop of well-known conservative personalities and elected officials as they sought to engage their base to reelect the president .
The speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ validators often featured on his favoured cable network , Fox News Channel .
From the president ’ s son Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend , Kimberly Guilfoyle , to firebrand Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz , the GOP demonstrated that the convention was aimed at the Trump zealots already converted to his cause , not those still on the fence .
The red-meat-delivering line-up reflected Trump ’ s wager in his campaign against Biden : that he can win with a motivated and organized minority of voters .

Jonathan Lemire And Zeke Miller - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--‘In the bullseye:’ Gulf preps for Laura to slam as hurricane

NEW ORLEANS - As Tropical Storm Marco made landfall , the Gulf Coast turned its attention Monday to Laura , another system following just behind that could grow into a supercharged Category 3 hurricane with winds topping 110 mph ( 177 kph ) and a storm surge that could swamp entire towns .
Still a tropical storm for now , Laura churned just south of Cuba after killing at least 11 people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti , where it knocked out power and caused flooding in the two nations that share the island of Hispaniola .
The deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was hit by a tree and a mother and young son who were crushed by a collapsing wall .
Laura was not expected to weaken over land before moving into warm , deep Gulf waters that forecasters said could bring rapid intensification .
“ Our sights are on Laura now , ” Gov .
John Bel Edwards told a news briefing .
“ It has the potential to be a major hurricane.
” Shrimp trawlers and fishing boats were tied up in a Louisiana harbour ahead of the storms .
Red flags warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both in-person classes and virtual school sessions were cancelled in some districts .
In Port Arthur Texas , Mayor Thurman Bartie warned that unless the forecast changes and pushes Laura ’ s landfall farther east , he will ask the city ’ s more than 54,000 residents to evacuate starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday .
“ If you decide to stay , you ’ re staying on your own , ” Bartie said .
Officials in Houston asked residents to prepare supplies in case they lose power for a few days or need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Across the border in Louisiana ’ s Cameron Parish , residents were preparing as well .
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for much of the parish , where officials said seawater pushed inland by the storm could submerge small coastal communities .
In other coastal areas residents moved possessions to higher ground , filled sandbags and in one case , moved pews and other items from a church that has flooded before .
“ Right now we ’ re right in the bullseye but that could change , ” said Jeff Benoit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grocery , a restaurant and Cajun food store in the southwest Louisiana city of Lake Charles .
He was busy Monday , keeping track of what local officials were saying and preparing to shut the small business down if need be .
“ It ’ s just a matter of putting up some meats , making sure that ’ s secure , best I can , anyway , and get the heck out of here , ” Benoit said .
State emergencies were declared in Louisiana and Mississippi , and shelters were being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among other measures designed to curb coronavirus infections .
Edwards encouraged evacuees to stay with relatives or in hotels .
But officials said they made virus-related preparations at state shelters in case they are needed .
As Marco was on its deathbed , the National Hurricane Center issued its first storm watches for Laura .
Forecasters posted a hurricane watch from Port Bolivar , Texas , to Morgan City , Louisiana , a tropical storm watch from Port Bolivar to San Luis Pass , Texas , and from Morgan City to the mouth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marco made landfall around 6 p.m. local time .
Heavy rain was expected across portions of the north-central Gulf Coast overnight , according to the National Hurricane Center .
In Pensacola , Marco produced a one-day record rainfall of 2.22 inches , breaking a record set in 1961 .
But forecasters predicted Marco would no longer be a tropical storm by the end of the night .
More workers were being evacuated from production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico in anticipation of Laura ’ s arrival , reducing offshore oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity .
The Interior Department said Monday that 281 platforms had been evacuated by around midday .
That ’ s nearly half of those normally with workers on site .
The department estimated that 82 % of oil production and 57 % of natural gas production in the Gulf has been shut down .
Much of the region was also put under a storm surge watch .
Forecasters warned of storm surge as high as 11 feet in western Louisiana .
Add to that 4 to 10 inches of rain expected when Laura @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moves into the toasty waters of the Gulf of Mexico that serve as fuel for storms , forecasters predict it will rapidly strengthen to hurricane status ahead of an expected Wednesday landfall .
The question is just how much .
“ I would still give it a pretty decent chance of a Category 3 or 4 , not necessarily at landfall , at least during its lifetime in the Gulf , ” University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy said .
Many , but not all , storms in that area weaken just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dry air , he said .
The punch from back-to-back storms comes just days before the Aug. 29 anniversary of Hurricane Katrina , which breached the levees in New Orleans , flattened much of the Mississippi coast and killed as many as 1,800 people in 2005 .
Then a little less than a month later came Hurricane Rita which struck southwest Louisiana on Sept. 24 as a Category 3 storm .
On the Louisiana coast at Holly Beach in an area nicknamed the “ Cajun Riviera , ” Eric Monceaux was frantically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hit first by Hurricane Rita in 2005 and again by Ike in 2008 , he does not plan to come back if Laura does its worst .
“ That would be strike three , ” he said .
“ I ’ m 62 , and I gave it two strikes .
The third one is ‘ strike three , you ’ re out ’ like a baseball game.
” Borenstein reported from Kensington , Maryland .
Associated Press writers Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge ; Jeff Martin in Marietta , Georgia ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reeves in Birmingham , Alabama ; Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince , Haiti , and Juan Lozano in Houston contributed to this report .

Kevin McGill And Seth Borenstein - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Republicans paint dark picture of future if Trump loses

WASHINGTON - Republicans predicted a national “ horror movie ” should President Donald Trump lose in November , offering dark warnings for the president ’ s die-hard base on the opening night of his scaled down national convention on Monday even as others tried to broaden Trump ’ s political appeal .
A school teacher warned that conservative Christian values were under attack from labour unions .
A small business owner charged that businesses across America were facing unwarranted pandemic shutdowns and riotous mobs .
And Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida likened the prospect of Democrat Joe Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They ’ ll disarm you , empty the prisons , lock you in your home , and invite MS-13 to live next door , ” Gaetz declared .
Trump , who was not scheduled to deliver his keynote convention address until later in the week , made multiple public appearances throughout the first day of the four-day convention .
And while the evening programming was carefully scripted , Trump was not .
“ The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in North Carolina , raising anew his unsupported concerns about Americans ’ expected reliance on mail voting during the pandemic .
Experts say mail voting has proven remarkably secure .
The GOP convention marks a crucial moment for Trump , a first-term Republican president tasked with reshaping a campaign he is losing by all accounts , at least for now .
A deep sense of pessimism has settled over the electorate 10 weeks before Election Day .
Just 23 % of Americans think the country is heading in the right direction , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research .
More than 177,000 Americans have been killed by the pandemic and millions more have been infected .
Coronavirus-related job losses also reach into the millions Trump and his supporters on Monday night touted his response to the pandemic while standing alongside front-line workers in the White House , although he glossed over the mounting death toll , the most in the world , and his administration ’ s struggle to control the disease .
Organizers also repeatedly sought to cast Trump as an empathetic figure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention playbook a week ago that effectively highlighted Biden ’ s personal connection to voters .
The evening program highlighted the tension within Trump ’ s Republican Party .
His harsh attacks against Democrats who are trying to expand mail voting and demonstrators protesting deaths in police custody , for example , often delight his die-hard loyalists .
Yet the party pointed to a somewhat more diverse convention lineup with a more inclusive message designed to expand Trump ’ s political coalition beyond his white , working-class base .
Two of the three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of colour : former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott , the only Black Republican in the Senate .
And one of several African Americans on the schedule , former football star Herschel Walker , defended the president against those who call him a racist .
“ It hurts my soul to hear the terrible names that people call Donald , ” Walker said .
“ The worst one is ‘ racist.
’ I take it as a personal insult that people would think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a racist.
” However , the program also featured Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St. Louis couple arrested after pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters marching past their home .
“ Democrats no longer view the government ’ s job as protecting honest citizens from criminals , but rather protecting criminals from honest citizens , “ the McCloskeys said in remarks that broke from the optimistic vision for America organizers promised .
They added : “ Make no mistake : No matter where you live , your family will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Those cheering Trump ’ s leadership on the pandemic included a coronavirus patient , a small business owner from Montana and a nurse practitioner from Virginia .
“ As a healthcare professional , I can tell you without hesitation , Donald Trump ’ s quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during COVID-19 , ” Amy Ford , a registered nurse who was deployed to New York and Texas to fight the coronavirus .
Some of the planned remarks for the evening program were prerecorded , while others were to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fact that the Republicans gathered at all stood in contrast to the Democrats , who held an all-virtual convention last week .
The Democratic programming included a well-received roll call video montage featuring diverse officials from across the nation .
The Republicans spoke from the ballroom in Charlotte and were overwhelmingly white .
Trump said he had made the trip to North Carolina to contrast himself with his Democratic rival , who never travelled to Wisconsin , the state where the Democratic convention was originally supposed to be held .
Vice-President Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has sought to minimize the toll of the coronavirus pandemic and he barely addressed it on Monday , but its impact was plainly evident at the Charlotte Convention Center , where just 336 delegates gathered instead of the thousands once expected to converge on this city for a week-long extravaganza .
Attendees sat at well-spaced tables at first and masks were mandatory , though many were seen flouting the regulation .
Trump also panned the state ’ s Democratic governor for restrictions put in place to try to prevent the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 175,000 people in the country and infected millions .
The president accused Gov .
Roy Cooper of “ being in a total shutdown mode , “ and claimed the restrictions were aimed at trying to hurt his campaign .
Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris said she had “ shared concern about the lack of mask wearing and social distancing in the room ” with RNC staff and had “ been assured that they are working hard to address these issues.
” Republicans will spend the week trying to convince the American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Aides want the convention to recast the story of Trump ’ s presidency and present the election as a choice between his vision for America ’ s future and the one presented by Biden .
“ Over the next four days , President Trump and Republicans are going to talk about all we have achieved the past four years , and cast an aspirational , forward-looking vision about what we can achieve in the next four , ” said GOP Chair Ronna McDaniel .
Besides formally awarding Trump the Republican nomination , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a handful of new resolutions , including one to keep Columbus Day as a federal holiday and one that labels the Southern Poverty Law Center , which catalogues the country ’ s hate groups , as a “ radical organization.
” Another bemoans “ cancel culture , ” warning that it “ has grown into erasing of history , encouraging lawlessness , muting citizens and violating free exchange of ideas , thoughts , and speech.
” But the delegates did not vote on a new 2020 platform , which details the party ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a unanimous vote to forgo one this year .
Democrats were content to let Trump ’ s unfiltered message drive the day .
While he campaigned aggressively across the country throughout last week ’ s Democratic convention , Biden made no public appearance on Monday .
Peoples reported from New York .
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report .

Steve Peoples, Michelle L. Price And Darlene Superville - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Several arrests precede Charlotte’s pared-down share of RNC

CHARLOTTE , N.C. - Several protesters and a person who illegally entered a secure area were arrested in the hours before North Carolina ’ s scaled-back share of the Republican National Convention on Monday , local police said , noting that the event itself was conducted without disruption .
Hours later , after a group of demonstrators gathered in a park , police said they used pepper spray and arrested a protester who was accused of assaulting a woman and an officer .
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department also said on Twitter that protesters blocked traffic after Charlotte convention activities wrapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after dark .
Earlier in the day , the streets outside of the Charlotte Convention Center were marked by heavy security and little foot traffic as about 300 delegates met inside for several hours to formally renominate President Donald Trump .
The event had once been expected to attract thousands to the city before the COVID-19 pandemic altered plans .
Now , most of the convention ’ s prime-time speakers are expected to deliver their remarks from Washington and elsewhere to a largely virtual audience .
By Monday afternoon , work crews were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return the area to normal foot and vehicle traffic .
After the city ’ s portion of the convention ended , the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police department said in a news release that Monday ’ s delegate meeting had been “ free of disruption.
” Among the small group of protesters outside the convention hall during the day was Mosie Boyd , who stood in Charlotte ’ s main business district with a sign that said , “ Team Joe ’ s Got True Grit , ” in a nod to Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m here to support democracy and our liberties and our freedom .
I believe the United States of America and the democracy we ’ ve known are under attack , ” said Boyd , who described herself as an enthusiastic Biden supporter .
When Kris Newton heard Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence would be in Charlotte , he decided to show up and protest .
“ The things that have been put in place over the last four years have taken this country in an awful place , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also gathered outside the security perimeter while the delegates were meeting during the day .
“ I thought he would do the things that he ’ s said he ’ s done , and it seems like I was right so I ’ m here because this is an important election , ” Ken Lane said .
Dana Knox proudly waved her “ Trump 2020 ” flag as a steady stream of traffic passed by in Uptown Charlotte .
She ’ s ready for Election Day but doesn ’ t want to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say Trump ’ s got it in the bag , ever .
That ’ s why we ’ re out here , we ’ re out here to show support , ” Knox said .
Before the renomination rollcall vote began , RNC security officials said a man was arrested Monday morning after entering the security perimeter outside the convention centre but that he didn ’ t disrupt any events or encounter any delegates .
Police later said the suspect had jumped a short fence along the city ’ s light rail line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his motive was to interfere with the RNC .
He was charged with trespassing and resisting or obstructing an officer .
On Sunday night , five protesters were arrested during demonstrations that drew at least 75 protesters to the business district and the area outside the hotel where delegates were staying , police said .
Just before midnight , police said demonstrators began to move barricades , construction cones and trash cans to block roads .
While protesters were marching away from the area , they surrounded a pickup truck that was trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Police had also made several arrests each on Friday and Saturday night .
No serious injuries were reported .

Tom Foreman Jr. And Sarah Blake Morgan - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Mexico hits 420 businesses for pandemic price gouging

MEXICO CITY - Mexican authorities said Monday they have started price-gouging investigations to sanction 420 businesses , including stores and funeral homes , for unfairly raising prices during the coronavirus pandemic .
The consumer protection office said hundreds of grocery stores and retailers allegedly failed to respect posted prices or changed them , or charged too much for items including basic food stuffs as well as goods that are in high demand because of the pandemic , including rubbing alcohol , hand sanitizer and face masks .
Punishments for “ unjustified price increases ” can include fines and other administrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include 63 funeral homes , many of which apparently did not respect prior contracts .
But authorities excused one of the most flagrant examples of price hikes , saying that a two- or three-fold increase in prices for bottled oxygen was largely the fault of consumers who bought supplies of the gas they didn ’ t need , just to have it on hand in case someone fell sick .
“ This has to do with people who are not using the oxygen , they are buying it to have it home just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gas more expensive , because there is a shortage of gas cylinders to distribute it , ” said Ricardo Sheffield , the head of the consumer protection agency .
“ They are being unreasonable consumers , ” Sheffield said , arguing that “ in the case of oxygen , they are some Mexicans with very high purchasing power , and they have the luxury of buying oxygen they do not use.
” Mexico reported 3,541 new coronavirus cases Monday , bringing its total to 563,705 .
The Health Department reported 320 newly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s total of COVID-19 deaths to 60,800 , the third-highest total in the world .
A debate is continuing in Mexico about the country ’ s extremely low level of testing ; about 1.25 million tests have been performed in a nation of almost 130 million , meaning less than one per cent of Mexicans have had a coronavirus test since the pandemic began .
On Monday , officials acknowledged that the level of testing had fallen even farther , to less than half of previous levels in recent weeks , but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases was decreasing .
Mexican government policy has been to test only those with significant symptoms .
Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell has hotly defended Mexico ’ s low testing rates , saying wider testing would be wasteful and pointless .
But even he was obliged to take a step back Monday , acknowledging that the government ’ s standard about who should be given a test had been “ too restrictive.
” Under rule changes to be presented in coming days , people with a broader ranges of symptoms , like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would be given a test .
At present , only a people with a smaller range of symptoms — mainly fever , coughing and breathing difficulty — hav been sent for testing .
He acknowledged that the restrictive guidelines had resulted in delays in treatment for people who needed it .


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Ex-Vegas tourism chief takes plea deal in misconduct case

LAS VEGAS - The former chief executive of Las Vegas ’ publicly funded tourism authority avoided felony charges Monday , pleading no contest to a misdemeanour and paying a $ 1,000 fine to end involvement in a case alleging agency misuse of tens of thousands of dollars in airline travel gift cards .
Rossi Ralenkotter ’ s attorney , Tony Sgro , said outside court he felt his client was treated exceptionally harshly by prosecutors despite co-operating with investigators and agreeing last week to pay about $ 24,000 in ethics fines for using his position to enrich himself .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years creating the robust Las Vegas economy we all enjoy , ” Sgro said .
“ This is a case that should never have been brought.
” District Attorney Steve Wolfson characterized the plea agreement as “ fairly typical ... in this type of case.
” Ralenkotter , 73 , paid another $ 18,000 in restitution to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority , Wolfson noted in a statement that pointed also to the difficulty of handling cases amid courthouse measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus .
“ In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been focused on crimes of violence , ” Wolfson said .
“ The backlog of cases in the system has caused us to prioritize our caseload.
” Two former prosecutors who are now defence attorneys , Todd Leventhal and Kathleen Bliss , told the Las Vegas Review-Journal they believed Ralenkotter received what Leventhal characterized as a sweetheart deal .
The Review-Journal first reported Monday ’ s courtroom development .
Ralenkotter was facing two felony charges , theft and misconduct by a public officer , that were dismissed when he pleaded no contest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain pending against three co-defendants in the case , which were filed last September .
The criminal investigation followed Review-Journal stories in 2018 and an audit that found the convention authority could not account for more than $ 50,000 of airline travel vouchers .
The authority at the time had a $ 251 million tax-supported operating budget and a 14-member board made up of elected leaders and casino industry executives .
The board approved a $ 455,000 retirement package for Ralenkotter in August 2018 that included a post-retirement consulting contract with the agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract after Ralenkotter was charged .


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Pompeo shattering precedent, sparking fury with RNC speech

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent a cable to all U.S. diplomatic missions last month warning American diplomats that under federal law they should not take overt sides in the presidential campaign .
On Tuesday , he plans to ignore his own warning by speaking to the Republican National Convention endorsing President Donald Trump for a second term .
Pompeo ’ s message to State Department employees reminding them of restrictions on political activity under the Hatch Act was not unusual .
Similar , if not identical , cables have been sent by successive secretaries of state every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predecessors , however , has disregarded those instructions so obviously .
Despite State Department assurances that Pompeo will be speaking to the convention in his personal capacity and won ’ t violate the Hatch Act , Democrats and other critics have cried foul .
They accuse the country ’ s top diplomat of inappropriate political behaviour that has been anathema to his predecessors and of trashing his own admonition to State Department staffers .
“ The department works to advance the national interest abroad on behalf of all Americans in a non-partisan fashion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 cable .
Known as an ALDAC , short for the distribution list to “ ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR ” posts , the cable was sent over Pompeo ’ s signature as are all such messages from State Department headquarters .
“ It is important to remember that in order to avoid any confusion or misperception in this regard , the department ’ s longstanding policy is that U.S. citizen employees and family members may not engage in partisan political activity while posted or on TDY abroad , even on personal time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an acronym for Temporary Duty .
“ Similarly , presidential and political appointees and career ( senior executives ) are subject to significant restrictions on their political activity ; they may not engage in any partisan political activity in concert with a partisan campaign , political party , or partisan political group , even on personal time and outside of the federal workplace , ” the cable said .
The cable was released late Monday by Rep. Eliot Engel , D-N.Y. , the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a fierce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battles with the secretary over what he believes to be inappropriate and possibly illegal partisan behaviour .
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the cable independently and verified its authenticity .
“ Once again , the rules go out the window for Secretary Pompeo when they get in the way of serving his political interests and Donald Trump , “ Engel said in a statement .
” Mr .
Pompeo should show real respect for American law , diplomacy , and diplomats , and should follow his own guidance , cancel the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hotel room after the workday is done.
” The State Department has defended Pompeo ’ s decision to appear at the convention .
Officials have noted that Hatch Act rules for Senate-confirmed political appointees like the secretary are slightly less restrictive than those for rank-and-file diplomats .
“ Secretary Pompeo will address the convention in his personal capacity , ” the department said .
“ No State Department resources will be used .
Staff are not involved in preparing the remarks or in the arrangements for Secretary Pompeo ’ s appearance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs in conjunction with this appearance.
” Meanwhile , a person close to Pompeo said four teams of lawyers , including the State Department legal counsel , have reviewed the speech that will be recorded in Jerusalem and broadcast in prime-time at the Republican convention on Tuesday to ensure that it does not cross ethical lines .
The person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity .
That person and the State Department said no taxpayer money was used in the production of the video , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the first stop of a multination trip to the Middle East that is dominated by official government business .
“ Looking forward to sharing with you how my family is more SAFE and more SECURE because of President Trump , “ Pompeo tweeted after the RNC announced his appearance .
The State Department followed quickly with comments distancing the agency from the planned remarks .
The person close to Pompeo said the short address would focus on Trump ’ s accomplishments in making Americans and the world safer and promoting his “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech will not delve into Pompeo ’ s own activities as secretary of state , the person said .
Pompeo is likely to tout Trump ’ s Mideast policies and the recent agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize relations .
Critics , though , say Pompeo is violating the spirit , if not the letter , of the Hatch Act by using government resources to travel to the venue and jeopardizing long-standing tradition that domestic politics ends at the water ’ s edge when it comes to diplomacy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in using Jerusalem as the venue , Pompeo is further politicizing the U.S.-Israel relationship with a pitch for Trump ’ s reelection .
“ It is unprecedented and highly unethical for a sitting secretary of state to address a political convention while on official foreign travel , “ said Halie Soifer , the head of the Jewish Democratic Council of America .
“ In addition to violating the Hatch Act , Secretary Pompeo ’ s plans to speak at the Republican National Convention from Jerusalem underscore the president ’ s ongoing effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has proudly claimed the mantle of being America ’ s most pro-Israel president ever and as proof pointed to his decisions to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state , move the U.S. Embassy to the holy city from Tel Aviv , recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and sideline the Palestinians .
Such actions have won him high praise from conservative Israelis and American Jews but also appealed strongly to evangelical Christians in the United State whose support Trump is counting on in November .
While previous secretaries of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presidents they served , they have steered clear of public political endorsements , sometimes going to great lengths to avoid their parties ’ conventions .
Previous secretaries of state have shunned overtly partisan rhetoric , and some have made a deliberate point of being out of the country and unavailable during their political parties ’ presidential nominating events .
Like two of his predecessors , John Kerry and Hillary Clinton , both of whom were unsuccessful Democratic Party nominees for president , Pompeo was a member of Congress before joining the executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eschewed the Democratic National Convention while they served as America ’ s top diplomat .
When President Barack Obama was officially nominated for a second term during the party convention in 2012 , Clinton was half a world away , travelling to the Cook Islands , Indonesia , China , East Timor , Brunei and far eastern Russia .
When Clinton was nominated in 2016 , Kerry was travelling in Europe and Southeast Asia .
It ’ s not just Democrats .
When Republicans nominated John McCain in 2008 , Secretary of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portugal , Libya , Tunisia , Algeria and Morocco .


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Burkina Faso army blamed for extrajudicial torture, deaths

FADA N ’ GOURMA , Burkina Faso - Huddled on the floor in a dimly lit room , one by one the five men displayed wounds they say were inflicted by government soldiers armed with wooden planks , knives and electric cables .
A 30-year-old recounted how a soldier held a cigarette lighter to his face while holding his head to the ground with a boot .
“ The soldiers said if you don ’ t tell us where the jihadists are we ’ ll kill you , ” said the man , who like the others spoke to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear of reprisals .
“ I was screaming and crying and begging him not to burn me.
“ Of the dozen men taken from Burkina Faso ’ s eastern town of Tawalbougou in late June on suspicion of supporting Islamic extremist rebels , only five survived , they said .
One man died from the beatings and six others were shot and killed , said the survivors .
Their families were too afraid to collect their bodies , they said .
Some of the survivors can barely speak after the trauma , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Islamic extremists who have rapidly destabilized Burkina Faso over the past few years .
Such accusations of extrajudicial killings , torture and unlawful detention by Burkina Faso ’ s military are mounting , as the ill-equipped and under-trained army scrambles to stem the spread of jihadist violence that ’ s ravaging the country .
As attacks linked to Islamic militants increase , so does the army ’ s targeting of civilians perceived to support them , charge rights groups .
Government officials deny that its forces are carrying out the abuse and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights and is conducting investigations into other alleged abuses by security personnel .
The allegations of rights abuses highlight the instability caused by the spread of extremist violence in Burkina Faso and the surrounding countries of West Africa ’ s Sahel region .
Similar extremist violence in neighbouring Mali and that government ’ s lack of success in controlling it is blamed for contributing to the coup there last week .
Many of the alleged victims of army abuse in Burkina Faso , like the five interviewed by AP , come from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fulani .
Rights groups say the army is tarnishing its reputation and eroding trust among a desperate population that is facing attacks on multiple fronts .
“ Allegations of abuse by the security forces and pro-government militias are trending dangerously up .
Every time a suspect last seen in their custody winds up dead along a path or in a cell , confidence in the state decreases and the chance that angry men will support the jihadists increases , ” said Corinne Dufka , West Africa director for Human Rights Watch .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , 288 civilians were killed by government forces , more than a quarter of the total civilian deaths caused by violence , according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project , which collects and analyzes conflict information .
The trend is specifically jarring in Burkina Faso ’ s east , where the number of civilians killed by government forces has swelled by almost nine times so far this year compared to the second half of last year , according to the ACLED data .
The men who spoke with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they were abducted from their homes by government soldiers backed by volunteer fighters from the local area .
The military forces put the men into trucks and drove them around for hours while torturing them , the men told AP .
The incident comes on the heels of a Human Rights Watch report last month that said evidence suggested the army was responsible for the large scale executions of 180 people in the country ’ s north found in mass graves .
The majority of the victims in the graves were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to requests by the AP seeking comment about the alleged attacks in June .
The ministry of defence has previously suggested such killings could have been carried out by groups using stolen army uniforms and equipment .
Foreign embassy cables from June seen by the AP say that President Roch Marc Christian Kabore appeared defensive when questioned about the abuses .
The president said security forces were having a hard time finding “ real terrorists ” who infiltrate communities .
In June , jihadists disguised in burqas killed seven people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Gourma , said a high-ranking army officer who did not want to be named .
Sometimes the jihadists pretend to be cattle or food traders so they can spy , he said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter .
Civilians trying to survive in the east say they ’ re caught between government and volunteer brutality , as well as jihadist attacks .
Ousmane Bande lost his son in the June attacks with government soldiers , his 17-year-old nephew was killed days later at a checkpoint manned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N ’ gourma .
Wrapping his prayer beads around his fingers , he said it ’ s hard to see his nine grandchildren now have to grow up without a father .
“ I ’ m suffering , ” he said .
“ The government needs to find a way to bring back peace.
“


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Rock fall at Grand Canyon reveals ancient animal footprints

FLAGSTAFF , Ariz. - It ’ s something like a modern-day chuckwalla , side-stepping sand dunes on an island in what now is Grand Canyon National Park .
That ’ s how Steve Rowland , a professor emeritus of geology at the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , interprets fossil footprints that were revealed in a rock fall near a popular Grand Canyon hiking trail .
He estimates they ’ re 313 million years old , give or take a half-million years .
At that age , they ’ d be among the oldest tracks of animals that lay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vertebrate animals strolling in sand dunes , he wrote a research paper published this month .
“ I think my interpretations will hold up very well , ” Rowland said Monday .
Not everyone is convinced the footprints were created by a single , four-legged animal , moving laterally one step at a time so that it always had a triangle of support .
( Dogs or camels have the same gait in slow motion ) .
Or , that the footprints mark the point in evolution where animals were able to lay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amniotes .
Still , the paper raises interesting questions , said Mark Nebel , the paleontology program manager at the Grand Canyon .
“ Some of the conclusions likely are going to be controversial , ” he said .
” There ’ s a lot of disagreement in the scientific community about interpreting tracks , interpreting the age of rocks , especially interpreting what kind of animal made these tracks.
“ Rowland first heard about the footprints from a Norwegian geology professor , Allan Krill , who was hiking at the Grand Canyon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rowland a photo .
Rowland made out claw marks common among reptiles in the 28 footprints , which he said help tease out scarce skeletal record .
Some of the earliest bones of amniotes were found in Nova Scotia around the same time the creatures would have been in what ’ s now northern Arizona , Rowland said .
Similar tracks elsewhere largely are found in coal beds , not sand dunes , he said .
“ You could always learn more , and we certainly would like to find more tracks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The rock fell from the Manakacha Formation , made up of sandstone , limestone and mudstone that points to it being a onetime coastal plain when Arizona was on the western edge of the super continent , Pangaea .
Dinosaurs weren ’ t around yet .
Officials at the Grand Canyon are trying to determine what to do with the rock that weighs hundreds of pounds and is in plain view along the Bright Angel Trail .
Another part of the rock also has footprints but wasn ’ t studied extensively .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trail-side display or flying the rock out and into a museum , which would be costlier , Nebel said .
“ A lot of people walk by it and never see it , ” he said .
“ Scientists , we have trained eyes .
Now that they know something ’ s there , it will draw more interest .
”


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Forklift damages Fort McHenry walkway ahead of Pence speech

A forklift has damaged a brick walkway at the iconic national monument Fort McHenry , where Republicans were building a stage for Vice-President Mike Pence ’ s appearance for the party ’ s national convention , a National Park Service spokeswoman said Monday .
A national parks advocacy group expressed outrage at the damage , saying stewardship of national monuments should be nonpartisan and professional .
National Park Service spokeswoman Stephanie Roulett confirmed the damage in an email Monday .
She said the damaged bricks dated from a 1930s restoration at the fort but gave no details .
Built in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from the British Navy in the War of 1812 .
The scene inspired Francis Scott Key to write “ The Star Spangled Banner.
” The U.S. designates the fort as a national monument and historic shrine .
This month , the Maryland Republican Party asked for and got a special-use permit from the National Park Service to use the fort as a backdrop for Pence ’ s political address Wednesday during the Republican National Convention .
The park service provided The Associated Press a copy of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political rally and said crews would be building a stage inside the fort , among other work .
The NPS carried out an initial assessment of the damage and “ will conduct a full evaluation following the conclusion of the permitted event , ” Roulett said .
The National Park Service ’ s website says the fort is closed to the public for the coronavirus pandemic .
Its grounds are open , however .
The Coalition to Protect America ’ s National Parks disclosed reports of damage at the fort from the event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service head Margaret Everson and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Monday .
The coalition ’ s chairman , Philip A. Francis Jr. , asked the officials to investigate the damage and change agency policy to prevent future such damage .
“ We are questioning the National Park Service ’ s ability to properly monitor this permit for the protection of the public ’ s resources due to the nature of the political event , ” Francis wrote .
As a designated free-speech use of the federal property , the rally did not require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance .
Roulett said the permit-holders would still be responsible for the cost , however .
The park service also did not immediately respond to a request on the review process it used in considering the permit request .
President Donald Trump has frequently used iconic public sites , including the National Mall and Mount Rushmore , as settings for fireworks displays and speeches to his supporters .
The National Park Service , whose acting chief Bernhardt recently replaced , also authorized Republicans to set off fireworks at the Washington Monument on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party ’ s nomination .


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Consultant charged in covert lobbying of Trump officials

WASHINGTON - An American consultant has been charged in an illicit lobbying effort to get the Trump administration to drop an investigation into the multibillion-dollar looting of a Malaysian state investment fund , and to arrange for the return of a Chinese dissident living in the U.S. Federal prosecutors say Nickie Lum Davis failed to disclose to the federal government that the lobbying effort was done on behalf of a fugitive Malaysian financier who has been charged in the U.S. with conspiring to launder billions of dollars from the fund .
The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires individuals who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. government to register that work with the Justice Department .
A criminal case filed in federal court in Honolulu charges Davis with a single count of violating that act , known as FARA .
A lawyer who has represented Davis did not return an email and phone message seeking comment .
The U.S. Attorney ’ s office in Hawaii declined to comment .
The charge is the latest development arising from the complicated saga of 1MDB , a Malaysian wealth fund that was established more than a decade ago to accelerate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors say was actually treated as a piggy bank by associates of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak .
U.S. prosecutors allege that at least $ 4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib ’ s associates to finance Hollywood films and buy hotels , a luxury yacht , artwork , jewelry and other extravagances .
Najib was sentenced in Malaysia last month to 12 years in prison .
The effort to wipe away legal troubles for the Malaysian financier who prosecutors say helped orchestrate the pilfering was ultimately unsuccessful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jho Low , who remains at large , in connection with the alleged money laundering and last year reached a civil settlement to recover more than $ 700 million in assets that officials say are traceable to the looted funds .
The latest case accuses Davis of working with a politically connected fundraiser with close ties to President Donald Trump to press the Justice Department to abandon forfeiture claims seeking the recovery of assets purchased with laundered proceeds .
Prosecutors say Low offered an $ 8 million retainer fee for the illicit lobbying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the matter was resolved within 180 days .
Davis was paid $ 1.7 million , according to court papers .
During a May 2017 meeting in Bangkok , the fundraiser suggested that the money should not come directly from Low but should instead be “ clean , ” and Low identified a friend who could handle the payments , prosecutors allege .
The group also discussed the idea of contacting then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to persuade him to drop the 1MDB matter .
The fundraiser is not identified by name , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week matches that of Elliott Broidy , the former deputy chair of Trump ’ s inaugural committee .
The criminal case was filed last Monday , but court records do not show any activity since then .
An email to a lawyer for Low was not immediately returned .
The lobbying campaign included helping facilitate a September 2017 meeting at the White House between Trump and Najib , which prosecutors say was in part to allow Najib to raise the 1MDB issue .
An attempt to schedule a golf outing between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also included trying to arrange meetings with the Justice Department to lobby for the removal of a Chinese dissident who was living in the U.S. on a temporary visa .
The dissident is not referred to by name by prosecutors , but the 39-page charging document they filed references a Wall Street Journal article about the dissident with the headline : “ China Cranks Up Heat on Exiled Tycoon Guo Wengui.
” Guo Wengui left China in 2014 during an anti-corruption crackdown led by President Xi Jinping that ensnared people close to Guo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese authorities have accused Guo of rape , kidnapping , bribery and other offences and have sought the return of the self-exiled tycoon .
Guo made headlines on Thursday when Trump ’ s former chief strategist , Steve Bannon , was taken into custody while aboard Guo ’ s yacht off the coast of Connecticut on charges that he defrauded online donors in the name of helping build Trump ’ s southern border wall .
Bannon has pleaded not guilty .
The Associated Press reported last year that a federal grand jury in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his position as deputy chair of Trump ’ s inaugural committee to drum up business deals with foreign leaders .
A lawyer who has represented Broidy said Saturday that he was not his attorney .


thetorontostar--2020-08-24--Search ends for 2 still missing after Texas port explosion

CORPUS CHRISTI , Texas - The search for two crew members of a dredging boat who went missing following an explosion last week in the Port of Corpus Christi in Texas has been ended , the U.S. Coast Guard announced .
The end of the search was announced late Saturday night , a few hours after the Coast Guard said the bodies of two other crew members of the dredging vessel Waymon L Boyd had been found .
“ Our Coast Guard crews worked intently alongside state and local partners to locate the two crew members who remained missing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locate them , ” said Capt .
Edward Gaynor , commander , Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi .
“ The decision to suspend a search is never easy and a lot of factors are considered before suspending a search .
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of the missing crew members during this difficult time.
” The explosion happened at about 8 a.m. Friday when the vessel struck a submerged pipeline , according to the Coast Guard .
Port of Corpus Christi officials said it was a propane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigated , officials said .
The Waymon L Boyd is owned by Houston-based marine construction contractor Orion Marine Group .
The fire onboard the vessel was first extinguished Friday afternoon , but sparked again and was finally put out at approximately 10 p.m. Friday , shortly before the vessel broke apart and sunk , the Coast Guard said .
The vessel carried a maximum of about 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel .
The Texas General Land Office , which investigates oil spills , has said diesel is being recovered from the channel and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests have found no air pollution and testing of the waterway is planned , according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality .