theguardian--2020-08-01--Removing monuments is the easy part. We must make America a real democracy | Rev William Barber and

Removing monuments is the easy part. We must make America a real democracy | Rev William Barber and Bernice King

One hundred and fifty-five years after Confederate troops surrendered at Appomattox and Bennett Place , their battle flag has finally come down in Mississippi and their statues are retreating from courthouse squares and university quads .
As the children of generations of Black southerners who fought against the lies of the Lost Cause , we celebrate this most recent surrender and look forward to walking down streets that are not shadowed by monuments to men who claimed to own our ancestors .
But we can not understand why these monuments lasted so long without challenging the inequities they were erected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who support flags and statues coming down today also advocate voter suppression , attack healthcare and re-segregate our schools .
We must attend to both the systems of injustice and the monuments that have justified them if we are to realize “ liberty and justice for all ” .
If you examine the bases of statues that are being hauled away , most bear a date between the 1890s and 1920s .
These monuments did not rise in defiance of the federal troops who were sent by Congress and Ulysses S Grant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new Black citizens of the south in the 1860s and 1870s .
If a statue of Robert E Lee or Jefferson Davis had been proposed during Reconstruction , the very suggestion would have sparked a riot .
But after the compromise of 1876 , when Rutherford B Hayes agreed to remove federal troops from the south , newly established Black and white political alliances were subjected to the violence of white terrorist organizations and the propaganda of white supremacy campaigns .
As Martin Luther King Jr taught on the steps of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To meet this threat , the southern aristocracy began immediately to engineer this development of a segregated society.
” Black people were driven from public life and blamed for the troubles of a society that had invested its resources in treasonous rebellion against the United States .
Jim Crow laws went on the books to offer a legal structure for the caste system that had built plantation wealth with enslaved labor .
“ If it may be said of the slavery era that the white man took the world and gave the Negro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Reconstruction era that the southern aristocracy took the world and gave the poor white man Jim Crow , ” King said .
“ And when his wrinkled stomach cried out for the food that his empty pockets could not provide , he ate Jim Crow , a psychological bird that told him that no matter how bad off he was , at least he was a white man.
” George White , the last Black congressman from the south during Reconstruction , finished his term representing North Carolina ’ s second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , the United Daughters of the Confederacy petitioned the University of North Carolina to erect a memorial to alumni who had fought for the Confederacy .
With Jim Crow established , their cause was no longer lost .
In the Jim Crow south , these veterans and their descendants celebrated the sacrifices their fathers and grandfathers had made to defend white supremacy .
Before a cheering crowd of more than 1,000 people who gathered to dedicate their new Confederate Monument , Julian Carr recalled how “ 100 yards from where we stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my return from Appomattox , I horse-whipped a Negro wench until her skirts hung in shreds , because upon the streets of this quiet village she had publicly insulted and maligned a southern lady , and then rushed for protection to these University buildings where was stationed a garrison of 100 federal soldiers ” .
Like Confederate monuments in almost every southern community , this one was erected to celebrate that no federal authority was willing to challenge white supremacy .
After the Brown v Board of Education decision rendered Jim Crow unconstitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the civil rights movement worked tirelessly to demand federal enforcement of Reconstruction-era promises : Black citizenship , equal protection under the law and the right to vote .
As in the moral struggle of the civil war , our parents and their colleagues risked their lives in non-violent struggle to make the promise of America real for all of her citizens .
As Coretta Scott King said : “ Struggle is a never-ending process .
Freedom is never really won , you earn it and win it in every generation.
” While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act transformed the horizon of possibility for millions of Americans , the Second Reconstruction ’ s work of establishing a genuine multiethnic democracy was not completed before calls for “ law and order ” , “ traditional values ” and a tax revolt rallied a Confederate resistance once again .
By uniting white voters in the suburbs , the sun belt , and the south , the Southern Strategy promised white people political power in an increasingly diverse America for the next 50 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be the last gasp of the Southern Strategy , the question of whether America can do the work of becoming a genuine democracy still remains .
Removing monuments to the lie of white supremacy is an important step , but a shared future depends on redistributing power and resources so that every American , no matter their race , income , geography or immigration status , has access to healthcare , public education , affordable housing , a living wage , clean water and a livable planet .
In this moment when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ triple crisis of poverty , Covid-19 and police brutality , we need more than a conversation about monuments .
We need concrete action to address the incredible disparities in death rates among Black , brown and poor people .
This pivotal moment for our nation and our world is beckoning us to dismantle injustice and rebuild with love as the foundation .
We can build a more just , humane , equitable and peaceful world .
But , as King so prophetically admonished us : “ The hour is late .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We must act now before it is too late.
” We must act now , America .
• None Bishop William J Barber , II is president of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People ’ s Campaign : A National Call for Moral Revival .
He is author of We Are Called to Be a Movement • None Dr Bernice A King , the youngest child of Dr Martin Luther King , Jr and Coretta Scott King , is a global thought leader , orator , peace advocate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was founded by her mother

Reverend William Barber and Bernice King

One hundred and fifty-five years after Confederate troops surrendered at Appomattox and Bennett Place, their battle flag has finally come down in Mississippi and their statues are retreating from courthouse squares and university quads. As the children of generations of Black southerners who fought against the lies of the Lost Cause, we celebrate this most recent surrender and look forward to walking down streets that are not shadowed by monuments to men who claimed to own our ancestors. But we cannot understand why these monuments lasted so long without challenging the inequities they were erected to justify. In fact, many who support flags and statues coming down today also advocate voter suppression, attack healthcare and re-segregate our schools. We must attend to both the systems of injustice and the monuments that have justified them if we are to realize “liberty and justice for all”.
If you examine the bases of statues that are being hauled away, most bear a date between the 1890s and 1920s. These monuments did not rise in defiance of the federal troops who were sent by Congress and Ulysses S Grant to enforce Reconstruction and guarantee political power to the new Black citizens of the south in the 1860s and 1870s. If a statue of Robert E Lee or Jefferson Davis had been proposed during Reconstruction, the very suggestion would have sparked a riot. But after the compromise of 1876, when Rutherford B Hayes agreed to remove federal troops from the south, newly established Black and white political alliances were subjected to the violence of white terrorist organizations and the propaganda of white supremacy campaigns.
As Martin Luther King Jr taught on the steps of the Alabama state house in 1965: “To meet this threat, the southern aristocracy began immediately to engineer this development of a segregated society.” Black people were driven from public life and blamed for the troubles of a society that had invested its resources in treasonous rebellion against the United States. Jim Crow laws went on the books to offer a legal structure for the caste system that had built plantation wealth with enslaved labor. “If it may be said of the slavery era that the white man took the world and gave the Negro Jesus, then it may be said of the Reconstruction era that the southern aristocracy took the world and gave the poor white man Jim Crow,” King said. “And when his wrinkled stomach cried out for the food that his empty pockets could not provide, he ate Jim Crow, a psychological bird that told him that no matter how bad off he was, at least he was a white man.”
George White, the last Black congressman from the south during Reconstruction, finished his term representing North Carolina’s second congressional district in 1902. Five years later, the United Daughters of the Confederacy petitioned the University of North Carolina to erect a memorial to alumni who had fought for the Confederacy. With Jim Crow established, their cause was no longer lost. In the Jim Crow south, these veterans and their descendants celebrated the sacrifices their fathers and grandfathers had made to defend white supremacy. Before a cheering crowd of more than 1,000 people who gathered to dedicate their new Confederate Monument, Julian Carr recalled how “100 yards from where we stand, less than 90 days perhaps after my return from Appomattox, I horse-whipped a Negro wench until her skirts hung in shreds, because upon the streets of this quiet village she had publicly insulted and maligned a southern lady, and then rushed for protection to these University buildings where was stationed a garrison of 100 federal soldiers”. Like Confederate monuments in almost every southern community, this one was erected to celebrate that no federal authority was willing to challenge white supremacy.
After the Brown v Board of Education decision rendered Jim Crow unconstitutional in 1954, Black and white people in the civil rights movement worked tirelessly to demand federal enforcement of Reconstruction-era promises: Black citizenship, equal protection under the law and the right to vote. As in the moral struggle of the civil war, our parents and their colleagues risked their lives in non-violent struggle to make the promise of America real for all of her citizens. As Coretta Scott King said: “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”
While the gains of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act transformed the horizon of possibility for millions of Americans, the Second Reconstruction’s work of establishing a genuine multiethnic democracy was not completed before calls for “law and order”, “traditional values” and a tax revolt rallied a Confederate resistance once again. By uniting white voters in the suburbs, the sun belt, and the south, the Southern Strategy promised white people political power in an increasingly diverse America for the next 50 years.
While the divisive politics of Trumpism may be the last gasp of the Southern Strategy, the question of whether America can do the work of becoming a genuine democracy still remains. Removing monuments to the lie of white supremacy is an important step, but a shared future depends on redistributing power and resources so that every American, no matter their race, income, geography or immigration status, has access to healthcare, public education, affordable housing, a living wage, clean water and a livable planet.
In this moment when millions of Americans are suffering from a triple crisis of poverty, Covid-19 and police brutality, we need more than a conversation about monuments. We need concrete action to address the incredible disparities in death rates among Black, brown and poor people. This pivotal moment for our nation and our world is beckoning us to dismantle injustice and rebuild with love as the foundation. We can build a more just, humane, equitable and peaceful world. But, as King so prophetically admonished us: “The hour is late. And the clock of destiny is ticking out. We must act now before it is too late.” We must act now, America.


theguardian--2020-08-02--Media to be banned from Republican convention due to coronavirus restrictions

The media will be barred from the Republican national convention where Donald Trump is set to be renominated as presidential candidate later this month , a spokeswoman said on Saturday , citing coronavirus restrictions .
While Trump called off the public components of the convention in Florida last month , citing spiking cases of the virus across the country , 336 delegates are scheduled to gather in Charlotte , North Carolina , on 24 August to formally vote to make Trump the GOP standard-bearer once more .
Nominating conventions are traditionally meant to be media bonanzas , as political parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draw to spread their message to as many voters as possible .
If the GOP decision stands , it will mark the first party nominating convention in modern history to be closed to reporters .
“ Given the health restrictions and limitations in place within the state of North Carolina , we are planning for the Charlotte activities to be closed [ to ] press Friday , August 21–Monday , August 24 , ” a convention spokeswoman said .
“ We are happy to let you know if this changes , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us by state and local guidelines regarding the number of people who can attend events.
” Privately , some GOP delegations have raised logistical issues with traveling to either city , citing the increasing number of jurisdictions imposing mandatory quarantine orders on travellers returning from states experiencing surges in the virus .
The subset of delegates in Charlotte will be casting proxy votes on behalf of the more than 2,500 official delegates to the convention .
Alternate delegates and guests have already been prohibited .

The media will reportedly not be allowed to witness Donald Trump’s formal renomination as the Republican party’s choice for president at its national convention later this month.
Citing coronavirus-related health concerns, a convention spokesperson told the Associated Press that media members would be turned away in order to assure compliance with state and local guidelines “regarding the number of people who can attend events”.
The announcement was highly unusual and would represent a historic departure from convention practices in modern times. An Arkansas newspaper, the Democrat Gazette, first reported the news. The Republican national committee, which organizes the convention, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Held once every four years, the national conventions represent occasions for party officials and operatives to come together to strategize, renew contacts, share excitement and ultimately formally nominate the party’s candidate for president.
The official nomination is typically covered with a wall-to-wall media blitz including cheering crowds decked out in party swag and a live broadcast of the nominee’s acceptance speech. The exposure typically results in a bounce of a few points for the nominee in approval polls.
But this year the Republican party appears intent on repeating its nomination of Trump, whose dismal performance in handling the coronavirus pandemic has dragged his popularity to historic lows, with no cameras present, in subversion of the president’s own instinct for spectacle and obsession with TV ratings.
“Given the health restrictions and limitations in place within the state of North Carolina, we are planning for the Charlotte activities to be closed [to] press Friday, August 21–Monday, August 24,” a convention spokeswoman told the AP.
“We are happy to let you know if this changes, but we are working within the parameters set before us by state and local guidelines regarding the number of people who can attend events.”
It was not clear how the convention could move forward in compliance with state guidelines, which have been a sticking point between Republicans and the state’s Democratic governor for months. North Carolina currently has set an official limit of 10 people for indoor gatherings and 25 people outdoors.
The Republican national party has announced that 336 officials will attend the convention.
Confronted with earlier expressions of concern by the state about the crowds, the Republican party abruptly announced the relocation of key convention activities to Florida, which has a strongly pro-Trump Republican governor.
But Trump had to call off the public components of the convention in Florida last month, citing spiking cases of the virus across the country.
The convention was once expected to bring 15,000 journalists to Charlotte, but the spread of coronavirus this spring upended those plans.
The seven-day average for confirmed new Covid-19 cases in North Carolina climbed steadily before breaking the 2,000 barrier last month. The state has recorded almost 2,000 deaths from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. Face masks are required in public in the state per executive order.
Privately, some GOP delegations have raised logistical issues with traveling to Charlotte, citing the increasing number of jurisdictions imposing mandatory quarantine orders on travellers returning from states experiencing surges in the virus.
The subset of delegates in Charlotte will be casting proxy votes on behalf of the more than 2,500 official delegates to the convention. Alternate delegates and guests have already been prohibited.
The Democrats have planned a mostly virtual convention to nominate Joe Biden to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 17-20 August.
North Carolina’s Democratic governor Roy Cooper said last week that the state would welcome Trump if he decided to attend the convention.
“He’s welcome to come, but nothing has changed about our resolved to keep health and safety first,” Cooper said. “Obviously we would have concerns about people coming in and about a large crowd, but we’ll continue to keep health and safety number one in this process.”
Trump indicated in an interview at the White House last month that he would travel to Charlotte to accept the nomination.
“We’ll be doing a speech on Thursday – the main speech, the primary speech,” Trump told reporters. “Charlotte, they will be doing the nominating on Monday. That’s a different period, a different thing happening, but they’ll be doing nominations on Monday. I speak on Thursday.”
Trump last month announced cancellation of three days of events set for Florida. “I looked at my team and I said the timing for this event is not right. It’s just not right,” Trump said at the White House. “To have a big convention, it’s not the right time.”


theguardian--2020-08-01--Trump calls Fauci 'wrong' over cause of soaring coronavirus cases – as it happened

The coronavirus forced baseball ’ s 17th postponement in 10 days on Saturday , prompting at least two more players to opt out of the season entirely and casting doubt on whether the league can complete a truncated 2020 season .
A game between the Cardinals and Brewers in Milwaukee was postponed for the second straight day after one more player and three staff members with St Louis tested positive for the coronavirus .
Friday ’ s series opener between the midwestern rivals had been scuttled only hours before the first pitch due to two Cardinals players testing positive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ updating its coronavirus safety measures after a 17th player on the Miami Marlins tested positive for Covid-19 , a mere seven days after all 30 clubs opened a shortened , delayed season in empty stadiums .
The Marlins outbreak , which first came to light on Monday after the team played a three-game series on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies , prompted MLB to postpone all of the team ’ s games through at least Sunday amid doubts the team will be able to reopen its season as planned Tuesday at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordered all teams to use surgical masks instead of cloth ones , encouraged players not to leave hotels in road cities except for games and mandated every club to travel with a virus protocol compliance officer to ensure rules are followed .
According to an ESPN report , Manfred has warned players union ’ executive director Tony Clark that baseball could shut down for the season if it doesn ’ t do a better job of managing the spread .
Dr Anthony Fauci , the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s top infectious disease expert , expressed concern over the outbreak when asked about it during an appearance on ABC ’ s Good Morning America on Tuesday morning .
“ This could put [ the season ] in danger , ” Fauci said .
“ I don ’ t believe they need to stop , but we just need to follow this and see what happens with other teams on a day-by-day basis.
” The pandemic had already forced MLB to delay and truncate the familiar 162-game , six-month season to a 60-game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule changes designed to speed up the game and protect the players and umpires .
On Saturday , Miami second baseman Isan Diaz and two-time All-Star center fielder Lorenzo Cain of the Brewers became the latest of the more than a dozen major leaguers to opt out of the season entirely , citing the health risks stemming from Covid-19 .
Others who are playing , like Washington Nationals relief pitcher Sean Doolittle , have expressed ambivalence over baseball ’ s return as case numbers continue to surge throughout the country .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a pandemic that ’ s killed 130,000 people , ” Doolittle said on 5 July .
“ We ’ re way worse off as a country than we were in March when we shut this thing down .
And , like , look where the other developed countries are in their response to this .
We haven ’ t done any of the things that other countries have done to bring sports back .
“ Sports are like the reward of a functioning society .
And we ’ re trying to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve taken none of the steps to flatten the curve .
”

Bryan Armen Graham (now) and Tom Lutz (earlier)

1 Aug 2020 21.52 BST At least 14 members of the House of Representatives and Senate – seven Republicans and seven Democrats – have tested positive or are presumed to have had Covid-19 since the start of the coronavirus pandemic after Arizona’s Raúl Grijalva and Texas’s Louie Gohmert became the latest this week, Reuters reports. Representative Morgan Griffith, 62, a Virginia Republican and member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said in mid-July that he had tested positive. His office said he did not have significant symptoms.
The South Carolina Republican representative Tom Rice, 62, said on Facebook in mid-June that he, his wife and his son had all tested positive for the coronavirus but that all were “on the mend”.
The Utah Democratic representative Ben McAdams caught the virus in March, was hospitalized and needed oxygen.
After his release, he warned others to take the virus seriously. “I’m young, I’m 45 years old, I’m healthy, I exercise every day and it hit me really hard,” he told ABC.
Other affected lawmakers include Nydia Velazquez, 67, a Democrat from New York, the Massachusetts Democrat Seth Moulton, 41, the Republican Florida representative Mario Díaz-Balart, 58, and the Republican Kentucky senator Rand Paul, 57, who had said on 22 March that he had tested positive and was in quarantine.
Updated at 22.16 BST
1 Aug 2020 21.10 BST The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Saturday the coronavirus pandemic was likely to be “lengthy” after its emergency committee met to evaluate the crisis six months after sounding the international alarm. The committee “highlighted the anticipated lengthy duration of this Covid-19 pandemic”, the WHO said in a statement, and warned of the risk of “response fatigue” given the socio-economic pressures on countries. The panel gathered on Friday for the fourth time since the coronavirus crisis began, half a year on from its 30 January declaration of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) – the WHO’s highest level of alarm. “WHO continues to assess the global risk level of Covid-19 to be very high,” said its latest statement. “The committee highlighted the anticipated lengthy duration of this Covid-19 pandemic, noting the importance of sustained community, national, regional, and global response efforts.” The coronavirus has killed at least 680,000 people and infected at least 17.6 million since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP. Mexico also overtook Britain to became the third hardest hit country for virus deaths after Brazil and the US with over 46,600 fatal cases. Going into the meeting, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the pandemic’s effects would be long-lasting. “It’s sobering to think that six months ago, when you recommended I declare a PHEIC, there were less than 100 cases and no deaths outside China,” he said on Friday. “The pandemic is a once-in-a-century health crisis, the effects of which will be felt for decades to come.” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday warned the pandemic’s effects would be long-lasting. Photograph: Reuters
1 Aug 2020 20.34 BST Trump contradicts 'wrong' Fauci over cause of surge in US coronavirus cases Donald Trump has again publicly contradicted Dr Anthony Fauci, claiming the US’s top infectious disease expert is “wrong” to attribute the surge in US coronavirus cases to the country’s failure to sufficiently shut down its economy. The US president came in hot on Saturday after a lengthy-for-him 15-hour hiatus from Twitter, responding to a clip of Fauci’s testimony before Congress from Friday with the largely debunked claim that Covid-19 cases in the US are surging exclusively due to increased testing. “Wrong!” Trump said. “We have more cases because we have tested far more than any other country, 60,000,000. If we tested less, there would be less cases. How did Italy, France & Spain do? Now Europe sadly has flare ups. Most of our governors worked hard & smart. We will come back STRONG!” Wrong! We have more cases because we have tested far more than any other country, 60,000,000. If we tested less, there would be less cases. How did Italy, France & Spain do? Now Europe sadly has flare ups. Most of our governors worked hard & smart. We will come back STRONG!
:: https://t.co/hhwYOrnWZn — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2020 Fauci, a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, had made the claim before the House’s special select committee investigating the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic. “When they shut down, they shut down to the tune of about 95%, getting their baseline down to tens or hundreds of cases a day,” he told the House panel, adding that only about 50% of the United States shut down against a much higher baseline of daily cases. The idea that case numbers are high only because diagnostic testing has expended has been continually shot down by Trump’s own top public health officials, as the increase has also revealed the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus is climbing across nearly the entire country. “A high rate of positive tests indicates a government is only testing the sickest patients who seek out medical attention and is not casting a wide enough net,” according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, a primary source of updated information on the pandemic.
Updated at 20.47 BST
1 Aug 2020 20.01 BST The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is removing its top intelligence official from his post after it was revealed the office has been surveilling the work of American journalists reporting on the unrest in Portland, circulating “intelligence reports” on them to other federal agencies in a move that has been decried as a clear violation of the constitutional right to a free press. Brian Murphy, who has been the acting chief of a unit known as the “office of intelligence and analysis”, is being removed from that role at the behest of acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf, Politco reported on Saturday. The department has faced criticism since the Washington Post revealed on Thursday that the intelligence reports, which referred specifically to two prominent US journalists whose reporting had revealed the disarray within the Trump administration’s contentious deployment of federal agents to Portland, were distributed in the past week to law enforcement and other agencies. One of the journalists, Mike Baker of the New York Times, had disclosed a leaked DHS memo that discussed the confusion prevalent among the federal agents sent to Portland. The memo showed that the camouflaged officers had little understanding of the nature of the demonstrations they were being asked to police. As our Washington bureau chief David Smith has written, members of the media have become targets for both police and protesters in cities across the country amid this summer’s national uprising.
Updated at 20.01 BST
1 Aug 2020 19.41 BST Donald Trump departed his golf club in Virginia at 1.57pm, according to the White House press pool. Demonstrators gathered outside the Loudoun county property in what’s become a regular occurrence as the president’s twice-weekly visits have continued over the past several months. A much larger crowd was assembled as the motorcade departed en route to the White House compared to when the US president arrived. A number of Trump supporters holding “Trump-Pence” placards stood one side of the street, while protesters with “Biden for President” signs gathered on the opposite side. Nearer to the protesters’ side, “TRUMP KILLED HERMAN CAIN” was written on the ground in chalk. CNN, which tallies Trump trips to his golf clubs, reported that the visit was Trump’s 283th trip to a golf course while in office and his 376th day at a Trump property. The motorcade arrived back at the White House at 2.36pm. The president has no public events scheduled for the rest of the day (or Sunday). Donald Trump golfs at Trump National Golf Club on Saturday in Potomac Falls, Virginia. The Republican-led Senate adjourned Thursday for a long weekend with no action on Covid-19 relief, all but ensuring that a $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit expired on Friday. Photograph: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
Updated at 20.14 BST
1 Aug 2020 19.13 BST More than a thousand people showed up in downtown Portland early Saturday to peacefully protest in the wake of an announcement that the presence of federal agents in Oregon’s largest city would be reduced. The Associated Press reports: Friday’s overnight protest mimicked that of Thursday, which was the first time in weeks that demonstrations ended without any major confrontations, violence or arrests. The change in tone outside a federal courthouse that’s become ground zero in clashes between demonstrators and federal agents came after the US government began drawing down its forces in the liberal city under a deal between Democratic governor Kate Brown and the Trump administration. As of midnight on Saturday, no federal agents had emerged from the courthouse, which has been the center of protests for weeks, and there was no noticeable law enforcement presence surrounding the area. The fence that has separated protesters and U.S. agents stationed at the courthouse was decorated with balloons and upside down American flags sewn together with “BLM” painted across, an apparent reference to the Black Lives Matter movement. At one point in the night a small firework was shot over the fence. As it sizzled out on its own, protesters pleaded with others to remain peaceful. Later, a few small fires were occasionally started outside the courthouse, with at least one put out by other protesters. Unlike previous weeks, protesters were not centered mainly outside the courthouse, but scattered throughout downtown. Trump, who has largely hitched his political fate to his image as the “law and order president”, downplayed the withdrawal in a tweet on Friday night, insisting the Department of Homeland Security “is not leaving Portland until local police complete cleanup of Anarchists and Agitators!” Homeland Security is not leaving Portland until local police complete cleanup of Anarchists and Agitators! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2020 Protests have roiled Portland for more than two months following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
1 Aug 2020 18.29 BST Florida reported more than 9,000 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, and hospitals in the state are making preparations as Hurricane Isaias beats down on the US coast. Cape Canaveral Hospital, which is located on a barrier island, said it had made plans before the storm hits and had moved its Covid-19 patients to other facilities before the storm hits. Surfers have been taking advantage of waves kicked up by Hurricane Isaias. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images “[S]hould there have been an evacuation, we wanted to make sure we took every necessary precaution,” a statement from the hospital said. “As we have prepared for the storm, we have contingency plans in place to care for all of our patients during this public health crisis, keeping them as safe as possible from not only the virus but the storm.” Meanwhile, the storm is passing over the Bahamas and the winds are picking up: #Isaias #nassau #bahamas #Hurricane strong winds this morning. pic.twitter.com/ExeAXM6yWY — Chona Labrador (@ChonaLabrador1) August 1, 2020


theguardian--2020-08-01--Donald Trump claims Anthony Fauci 'wrong' about cause of Covid-19 surge

Donald Trump launched an extraordinary attack on his own top infectious disease expert , Dr Anthony Fauci , arguing against the doctor ’ s claim that high rates of infection in the US stem from a less aggressive reaction to the virus in terms of economic shutdowns and stay-at-home orders .
“ Wrong !
” countered the president as he retweeted a video of Fauci making the point in recent congressional testimony .
Fauci had explained that differentiations between surging US infections and a sharp decrease seen across Europe could be explained by the different reactions to the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ economies down by 95 % , while the US only shut down its economy by half .
Trump countered : “ We have more cases because we have tested far more than any other country , 60,000,000 .
If we tested less , there would be less cases .
How did Italy , France & Spain do ?
Now Europe sadly has flare ups .
Most of our governors worked hard & smart .
We will come back STRONG !
” But Fauci ’ s point accurately describes the US situation .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines when they started to re-open , many did not , leading to a surge in infections in many southern and western states , Fauci explained .
“ There are some states that did it very well , there are some states that did not , ” he said , adding that many were doing better now thanks to improved testing .
As Trump faces November ’ s presidential election , he has been sinking badly in the polls against his Democratic rival , Joe Biden .
Much of that loss of support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lackluster response to the pandemic , which has now cost more than 150,000 American lives and seen the US contract more than 4.5 million cases – by far the largest figures in the world .
The spat between Trump and his own health official sparked some withering condemnation on Twitter .
“ Let ’ s be very clear : this is not normal & we should not treat it as normal for a president to be publicly attacking his own top government adviser on infectious diseases , ” said the commentator and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surged again in the US in recent weeks , the crisis seems to be getting worse and the Trump administration still appears to be struggling to come up with a coherent response .
Trump ’ s latest criticism of Fauci comes as plans to reopen schools and universities are being thrown into disarray by the virtually unchecked spread of Covid-19 across parts of the US before the academic year .
Doubts about the US school system ’ s ability to cope with the pandemic grew last week after a high school student at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first states to reopen – tested positive on the first day of class .
Anyone who came within 6ft of the student for more than 15 minutes was told to isolate for two weeks .
“ We knew it was a when , not if , ” the superintendent , Harold Olin , told the New York Times , but they were “ very shocked it was on day one ” .
Of the 25 largest school districts in the US , all but six have announced they will start remotely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida and Texas , anticipate in-person classes despite strong misgivings or objections from teachers ’ unions , who have threatened to support strikes if their members feel their health is being put at risk .
In California , schools in two-thirds of the state have been barred from reopening in person .
Against the backdrop of chaos and widely differing responses , Trump has continued to promote a return to in-person tuition despite the school attended by his youngest son , Barron , receiving a prohibition order until at least 1 October .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Episcopal , a private school in Potomac , Maryland , that falls under the jurisdiction of Montgomery county .
“ At this point the data does not suggest that in-person instruction is safe for students or teachers , ” the region ’ s health officer , Travis Gayles , said in a statement last week .
The virus is even making its way through the halls of Congress .
Raúl Grijalva , an Arizona Democratic congressman , said on Saturday that he had tested positive for Covid-19 after attending a Washington DC hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who also tested positive and had been a vocal critic of wearing masks – just like Trump .
The development prompted Grijalva to launch an attack on his fellow members from across the aisle .
“ While I can not blame anyone directly for this , this week has shown that there are some members of Congress who fail to take this crisis seriously .
Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capitol without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues , staff , and their @ @ @ @ @ @

Donald Trump launched an extraordinary attack on his own top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, arguing against the doctor’s claim that high rates of infection in the US stem from a less aggressive reaction to the virus in terms of economic shutdowns and stay-at-home orders.
“Wrong!” countered the president as he retweeted a video of Fauci making the point in recent congressional testimony.
Fauci had explained that differentiations between surging US infections and a sharp decrease seen across Europe could be explained by the different reactions to the virus. Fauci said most European countries shut their economies down by 95%, while the US only shut down its economy by half.
Trump countered: “We have more cases because we have tested far more than any other country, 60,000,000. If we tested less, there would be less cases. How did Italy, France & Spain do? Now Europe sadly has flare ups. Most of our governors worked hard & smart. We will come back STRONG!”
But Fauci’s point accurately describes the US situation. While some states followed Centers for Disease Control guidelines when they started to re-open, many did not, leading to a surge in infections in many southern and western states, Fauci explained.
“There are some states that did it very well, there are some states that did not,” he said, adding that many were doing better now thanks to improved testing.
As Trump faces November’s presidential election, he has been sinking badly in the polls against his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. Much of that loss of support can probably be traced to Trump’s lackluster response to the pandemic, which has now cost more than 150,000 American lives and seen the US contract more than 4.5 million cases – by far the largest figures in the world.
The spat between Trump and his own health official sparked some withering condemnation on Twitter.
“Let’s be very clear: this is not normal & we should not treat it as normal for a president to be publicly attacking his own top government adviser on infectious diseases,” said the commentator and broadcaster Mehdi Hasan.
As numbers have surged again in the US in recent weeks, the crisis seems to be getting worse and the Trump administration still appears to be struggling to come up with a coherent response.
Trump’s latest criticism of Fauci comes as plans to reopen schools and universities are being thrown into disarray by the virtually unchecked spread of Covid-19 across parts of the US before the academic year.
Doubts about the US school system’s ability to cope with the pandemic grew last week after a high school student at Greenfield Central in Indiana – one of the first states to reopen – tested positive on the first day of class. Anyone who came within 6ft of the student for more than 15 minutes was told to isolate for two weeks.
“We knew it was a when, not if,” the superintendent, Harold Olin, told the New York Times, but they were “very shocked it was on day one”.
Of the 25 largest school districts in the US, all but six have announced they will start remotely. Some states, including the coronavirus hotspots Florida and Texas, anticipate in-person classes despite strong misgivings or objections from teachers’ unions, who have threatened to support strikes if their members feel their health is being put at risk.
Face masks are shown for sale with backpacks and back-to-school supplies at a Walmart store in Encinitas, California. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
In California, schools in two-thirds of the state have been barred from reopening in person.
Against the backdrop of chaos and widely differing responses, Trump has continued to promote a return to in-person tuition despite the school attended by his youngest son, Barron, receiving a prohibition order until at least 1 October.
Barron Trump attends St Andrew’s Episcopal, a private school in Potomac, Maryland, that falls under the jurisdiction of Montgomery county. “At this point the data does not suggest that in-person instruction is safe for students or teachers,” the region’s health officer, Travis Gayles, said in a statement last week.
The virus is even making its way through the halls of Congress.
Raúl Grijalva, an Arizona Democratic congressman, said on Saturday that he had tested positive for Covid-19 after attending a Washington DC hearing with the Texas Republican Louie Gohmert, who also tested positive and had been a vocal critic of wearing masks – just like Trump.
The development prompted Grijalva to launch an attack on his fellow members from across the aisle.
“While I cannot blame anyone directly for this, this week has shown that there are some members of Congress who fail to take this crisis seriously. Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capitol without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues, staff, and their families,” he said.


theguardian--2020-08-01--Democratic congressman issues blistering attack on Republicans after Covid-19 diagnosis

A Democratic congressman diagnosed as positive for the coronavirus has condemned Republican politicians for their carelessness around Congress and blamed them for spreading the virus .
The Arizona Democrat Raúl Grijalva tested positive for the coronavirus , it was revealed on Saturday , and has immediately quarantined , though he is asymptomatic and feeling well , his office said .
But Grijalva issued a fiery condemnation of Republicans and their behavior around the halls of Congress .
“ While I can not blame anyone directly for this , this week has shown that there are some members of Congress who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capitol without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues , staff , and their families.
” The attack comes after Louie Gohmert , a Texas Republican who has frequently refused to wear a mask , tested positive for coronavirus last week .
In shunning a mask , Gohmert is following the lead of Donald Trump , who is rarely seen wearing one either in the White House or on presidential visits .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even suggested he may have contracted coronavirus by incorrectly wearing his mask .
“ I can ’ t help but wonder if by keeping a mask on and keeping it in place , that if I might have put some germs or some of the virus on to the mask and breathed it in , ” Gohmert said .
After the Gohmert news broke , the House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , announced she would require all House members and aides to wear mask .
“ Members and staff will be required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hall of the House , ” Pelosi said .
Lawmakers will be permitted to temporarily take off masks when they are speaking .

A Democratic congressman diagnosed as positive for the coronavirus has condemned Republican politicians for their carelessness around Congress and blamed them for spreading the virus.
The Arizona Democrat Raúl Grijalva tested positive for the coronavirus, it was revealed on Saturday, and has immediately quarantined, though he is asymptomatic and feeling well, his office said. But Grijalva issued a fiery condemnation of Republicans and their behavior around the halls of Congress.
“While I cannot blame anyone directly for this, this week has shown that there are some members of Congress who fail to take this crisis seriously,” he said. “Numerous Republican members routinely strut around the Capitol without a mask to selfishly make a political statement at the expense of their colleagues, staff, and their families.”
The attack comes after Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican who has frequently refused to wear a mask, tested positive for coronavirus last week. In shunning a mask, Gohmert is following the lead of Donald Trump, who is rarely seen wearing one either in the White House or on presidential visits.
In a TV interview after the diagnosis, Gohmert even suggested he may have contracted coronavirus by incorrectly wearing his mask.
“I can’t help but wonder if by keeping a mask on and keeping it in place, that if I might have put some germs or some of the virus on to the mask and breathed it in,” Gohmert said.
After the Gohmert news broke, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, announced she would require all House members and aides to wear mask. “Members and staff will be required to wear masks at all times in the hall of the House,” Pelosi said.
Lawmakers will be permitted to temporarily take off masks when they are speaking.


theguardian--2020-08-01--Obama and Trump highlight two Americas as election draws nearer

They were six hours that defined two Americas as well as exposing the magnitude of the decision facing voters in November .
At 8.30am on Thursday , the US government announced that gross domestic product had suffered the biggest decline on record because of a coronavirus-induced shutdown .
Minutes later , Donald Trump warned on Twitter that “ 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history ” – and suggested that it should be postponed .
As the morning wore on , it was announced that Herman Cain , a former presidential candidate who attended a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had died from Covid-19 .
And in Atlanta , Georgia , at the funeral of the civil rights giant and congressman John Lewis , George W Bush and Bill Clinton paid tribute and the frail Jimmy Carter sent a message of condolence .
Then came a soaring eulogy from Barack Obama , drawing pungent comparisons between notorious racists of the 1960s and the America of today .
“ Bull Connor may be gone , ” he said .
“ But today we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be gone .
But we can witness our federal government sending agents to use teargas and batons against peaceful demonstrators .
We may no longer have to guess the number of jellybeans in a jar in order to cast a ballot .
But even as we sit here , there are those in power are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting.
” Soon after the predominantly African American congregation stood and applauded Obama at a pulpit once graced by Martin Luther King Jr , Trump headed to the Red Cross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgeon general , told him : “ I was in Trump country and they told me to deliver you a message , Mr President .
They told me to tell you , you look badass in a face mask.
” The collision of these two worlds , so radically opposed in style and substance , played out live on cable news .
In Washington , Trump , under siege from a coronavirus death toll exceeding 150,000 , with an economy in free fall and poll numbers to match , was discrediting the legitimacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backlash that left him isolated as never before .
In Atlanta , four presidents from less polarized times were joining to pay homage to a man who , from his early 20s , had put his life on the line for voting rights and faith in democracy .
For Democrats , the sight and sound of Obama at the top of his game provoked a rush of nostalgia – and resolve to turn back the clock by electing his vice-president , Joe Biden , as the next president .
Moe Vela , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House , said : “ “ To me , the whole day was almost a dichotomy .
It heightened the choice that we as Americans get in this election .
This completely failed leader is playing political games with a legally baseless suggestion about delaying the election .
It ’ s worked for him his whole life but it ’ s not working any more .
I am confident he is in a panic because his old playbook isn ’ t working.
” Trump spent much of 2016 claiming the election was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
He has made numerous statements casting doubt on the 2020 version , insisting that an expansion of mail-in voting due to the pandemic will lead to widespread fraud – a claim debunked by studies .
Even so , his questioning of whether 3 November should remain as the election date still drew sharp intakes of breath and cries of fascism .
On one level , it was classic Trump and remarkably effective : the media furore did dull the impact of the shocking economic numbers that showed a 32.9 % contraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Senate majority leader , Mitch McConnell , and others shot down the idea , noting that elections continued through the civil war and second world war , and that the president has no power to change the date , it seemed Republicans had finally drawn a line not even Trump could cross .
On Thursday afternoon , at a White House press briefing , the president sought to clarify : “ Do I want to see a date change ?
No .
But I don ’ t want to see a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most rigged election in history.
” That , many commentators said , was the true intention : to make Americans distrust their own democracy .
The coronavirus pandemic and expected surge in mail-in voting does raise the spectre of a chaotic election riddled with delays , disputes and myriad legal challenges – all fertile territory for Trump ’ s conspiracy theories .
He may choose to declare victory long before the last vote is counted and rely on conservative media to weaponise the message .
Tara Setmayer , a former Republican communications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ All indicators point to Donald Trump losing but this is not 2016 and Biden is not Hillary Clinton .
But who knows ?
Look at what Trump is doing .
“ That tweet about delaying the election , even though constitutionally and under the law he can not do that , is planting the seeds to get people to question the integrity of the election , which is more dangerous because the peaceful transfer of power is partially what has allowed this constitutional republic to thrive for the last 240 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s very banana republic to dictatorish and that worries me about what happens in November .
There ’ s no telling what this freakin ’ lunatic is willing to do to sully the election .
”

They were six hours that defined two Americas as well as exposing the magnitude of the decision facing voters in November.
At 8.30am on Thursday, the US government announced that gross domestic product had suffered the biggest decline on record because of a coronavirus-induced shutdown. Minutes later, Donald Trump warned on Twitter that “2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history” – and suggested that it should be postponed.
As the morning wore on, it was announced that Herman Cain, a former presidential candidate who attended a recent Trump rally without a face mask, had died from Covid-19. And in Atlanta, Georgia, at the funeral of the civil rights giant and congressman John Lewis, George W Bush and Bill Clinton paid tribute and the frail Jimmy Carter sent a message of condolence.
Then came a soaring eulogy from Barack Obama, drawing pungent comparisons between notorious racists of the 1960s and the America of today. “Bull Connor may be gone,” he said. “But today we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of Black Americans.
“George Wallace may be gone. But we can witness our federal government sending agents to use teargas and batons against peaceful demonstrators. We may no longer have to guess the number of jellybeans in a jar in order to cast a ballot. But even as we sit here, there are those in power are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting.”
Soon after the predominantly African American congregation stood and applauded Obama at a pulpit once graced by Martin Luther King Jr, Trump headed to the Red Cross in Washington where Jerome Adams, the surgeon general, told him: “I was in Trump country and they told me to deliver you a message, Mr President. They told me to tell you, you look badass in a face mask.”
The collision of these two worlds, so radically opposed in style and substance, played out live on cable news. In Washington, Trump, under siege from a coronavirus death toll exceeding 150,000, with an economy in free fall and poll numbers to match, was discrediting the legitimacy of the election and drawing a bipartisan backlash that left him isolated as never before.
In Atlanta, four presidents from less polarized times were joining to pay homage to a man who, from his early 20s, had put his life on the line for voting rights and faith in democracy. For Democrats, the sight and sound of Obama at the top of his game provoked a rush of nostalgia – and resolve to turn back the clock by electing his vice-president, Joe Biden, as the next president.
Moe Vela, a former senior adviser to Biden at the White House, said: ““ To me, the whole day was almost a dichotomy. It heightened the choice that we as Americans get in this election. This completely failed leader is playing political games with a legally baseless suggestion about delaying the election. It’s worked for him his whole life but it’s not working any more. I am confident he is in a panic because his old playbook isn’t working.”
Trump spent much of 2016 claiming the election was “rigged” until he narrowly won it. He has made numerous statements casting doubt on the 2020 version, insisting that an expansion of mail-in voting due to the pandemic will lead to widespread fraud – a claim debunked by studies. Even so, his questioning of whether 3 November should remain as the election date still drew sharp intakes of breath and cries of fascism.
On one level, it was classic Trump and remarkably effective: the media furore did dull the impact of the shocking economic numbers that showed a 32.9% contraction in annualized GDP last quarter. But as the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, and others shot down the idea, noting that elections continued through the civil war and second world war, and that the president has no power to change the date, it seemed Republicans had finally drawn a line not even Trump could cross.
On Thursday afternoon, at a White House press briefing, the president sought to clarify: “Do I want to see a date change? No. But I don’t want to see a crooked election. This election will be the most rigged election in history.”
That, many commentators said, was the true intention: to make Americans distrust their own democracy. The coronavirus pandemic and expected surge in mail-in voting does raise the spectre of a chaotic election riddled with delays, disputes and myriad legal challenges – all fertile territory for Trump’s conspiracy theories. He may choose to declare victory long before the last vote is counted and rely on conservative media to weaponise the message.
Tara Setmayer, a former Republican communications director on Capitol Hill, said: “All indicators point to Donald Trump losing but this is not 2016 and Biden is not Hillary Clinton. But who knows? Look at what Trump is doing.
“That tweet about delaying the election, even though constitutionally and under the law he cannot do that, is planting the seeds to get people to question the integrity of the election, which is more dangerous because the peaceful transfer of power is partially what has allowed this constitutional republic to thrive for the last 240 years. When you start chipping away at that, it’s very banana republic to dictatorish and that worries me about what happens in November. There’s no telling what this freakin’ lunatic is willing to do to sully the election.”


theguardian--2020-08-01--Trump heads to his own golf club as Covid-19 surges and jobless benefits expire

Donald Trump prompted a familiar barrage of criticism on Saturday by visiting one of his own golf clubs as the country remains caught in numerous intensifying crises , from the raging coronavirus epidemic to anti-racism protests to the failure to extend benefits to tens of millions of jobless Americans .
Trump arrived at his Virginia golf club in the morning , according to a report from the White House pool , after leaving Washington via motorcade and dressed in his usual golfing attire of a baseball cap and a polo shirt .
CNN , which tallies Trump trips to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Trump ’ s 283th trip to a golf course while in office and his 376th day at a Trump property .
In the 2016 campaign , and before , Trump often lambasted then president Barack Obama for his visits to the golf course and claimed that he would be too busy to play the sport if he was president .
Since taking office , Trump ’ s visits to golf courses have far outpaced those of Obama .
Trump ’ s latest visit comes as the death toll in the US from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4.5 million positive cases – by far the largest totals in the world .
It also happens as Washington fails to agree on an extension to a vital $ 600 weekly payment to jobless Americans – who will now lose that benefit .
The visit triggered much online criticism , including from some anti-Trump Republicans .
“ I ’ m glad he ’ s playing golf .
I ’ d pay him to play golf for the rest of his Presidency .
The country would be much safer and much better off if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next 5-6 months , ” tweeted Joe Walsh , a former Republican congressman who ran a brief and unsuccessful bid to oust Trump as the party ’ s nominee in the 2020 election .

Donald Trump prompted a familiar barrage of criticism on Saturday by visiting one of his own golf clubs as the country remains caught in numerous intensifying crises, from the raging coronavirus epidemic to anti-racism protests to the failure to extend benefits to tens of millions of jobless Americans.
Trump arrived at his Virginia golf club in the morning, according to a report from the White House pool, after leaving Washington via motorcade and dressed in his usual golfing attire of a baseball cap and a polo shirt.
CNN, which tallies Trump trips to his golf clubs, reported that the visit was Trump’s 283th trip to a golf course while in office and his 376th day at a Trump property.
Trump’s motorcade drives to Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, on Saturday. Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AP
In the 2016 campaign, and before, Trump often lambasted then president Barack Obama for his visits to the golf course and claimed that he would be too busy to play the sport if he was president. Since taking office, Trump’s visits to golf courses have far outpaced those of Obama.
Trump’s latest visit comes as the death toll in the US from the coronavirus tops 153,000 with more than 4.5 million positive cases – by far the largest totals in the world. It also happens as Washington fails to agree on an extension to a vital $600 weekly payment to jobless Americans – who will now lose that benefit.
The visit triggered much online criticism, including from some anti-Trump Republicans.
“I’m glad he’s playing golf. I’d pay him to play golf for the rest of his Presidency. The country would be much safer and much better off if all he did was golf for the next 5-6 months,” tweeted Joe Walsh, a former Republican congressman who ran a brief and unsuccessful bid to oust Trump as the party’s nominee in the 2020 election.


theguardian--2020-08-02--'They need voters': QAnon is finding a home in the Republican party

According to one congressional candidate for America ’ s House of Representatives , Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement are a screen “ for pedophilia and human trafficking ” .
Another has claimed the US has a “ once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out ” , while several others running for national office have posted cryptic memes hinting at a powerful global elite that must be abolished .
These believers in QAnon , a conspiracy theory labelled a potential domestic terror threat by the FBI , are all running for national office – not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates .
In some cases they have been backed by Republican money , and promoted by Donald Trump himself , and in certain Republican heartland states , the QAnon candidates are even likely to be elected in November .
Marjorie Taylor Greene , from Georgia , is among the QAnon supporters with the best chance of winning in November .
She has also been the most strident with her beliefs .
“ Q is a patriot , ” Greene said in 2017 , referring to her belief in the conspiracy theory ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge of a secret ring of powerful , deep-state sex-traffickers and pedophiles , and is said to be a part of the Trump administration .
“ He is someone that very much loves his country and is on the same page as us , and he is very pro-Trump .
He appears to have connections at the highest levels.
” Greene is running for the state ’ s 14th congressional district , where in August she needs to overcome a Republican opponent she has already bested in the primary , then challenge a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her bid will probably be helped by an endorsement from Trump in June , but if she and others win in November , experts say it could boost the popularity of the theory even more by arriving in the nation ’ s halls of power .
“ If these people do get into office – and I think several probably will , because of the nature of the districts their running in – this potentially gives them a platform to spread QAnon , ” said William Partin , a disinformation analyst at Data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think it ’ s clear at this point that it ’ s detrimental in a wide range of ways , in terms of interpersonal relationships , actual criminal activity and violence.
” It was a QAnon believer who , heavily armed , entered a DC Pizza parlor in December 2016 , prepared to take on a child sex ring supposedly being run by Hillary Clinton out of the restaurant ’ s basement .
In 2019 , the alleged New York mob boss Francesco Cali was shot and killed by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ QAnon and believed Cali was part of a deep state conspiracy against Trump .
In April this year a woman inspired by QAnon videos traveled to New York armed with more than a dozen knives , in an alleged attempt to kill Joe Biden .
None of those incidents have stopped candidates such as Angela Stanton King – like Greene , a Georgia-based candidate for Congress – from posting QAnon messaging .
On 16 July she claimed on Instagram that Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter were a screen “ for pedophilia and human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggesting on Twitter that the election was about “ globbal [ sic ] elite pedophiles trafficking children ” .
Media Matters , a not-for-profit progressive research center which monitors misinformation , has counted 67 current or former congressional candidates who have embraced QAnon .
Along with Greene and Stanton King , Lauren Boebert , running for the House in a traditionally Republican district in Colorado , has spoken approvingly of QAnon .
“ Everything I ’ ve heard of Q , I hope that this is real because it only means America is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in an interview in May .
Like some others , she has since distanced herself from the movement in the wake of media attention .
Others include Mike Cargile , a House candidate in California , who included the hashtag “ WWG1WGA ” a QAnon slogan which stands for “ Where we go one , we go all ” – in his Twitter profile , and Billy Prempeh , running in New Jersey , who posted a photo of himself next to a QAnon flag on Facebook .
Elsewhere , Jo Rae @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Oregon , claimed in January there is a “ very strong probability/possibility that Q is a real group of people , military intelligence , working with President Trump ” .
Travis View , the co-host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast , which tackles the conspiracy theory , said that QAnon followers tend to be “ extremely politically active ” , both in terms of voting and promoting candidates online .
That could be one reason why there has so far been little condemnation of these candidates , or of QAnon itself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not find a Republican leader who has said a bad thing about QAnon , ” View said .
“ I ’ m so fascinated by the weird line that Republican leadership is walking right now .
Republicans can not afford to spare a single vote , so they need to get as many voters on board as possible .
“ That may explain why they ’ re doing this weird dance where they don ’ t want to say a bad word about QAnon , but also not give any explicit endorsement to @ @ @ @

According to one congressional candidate for America’s House of Representatives, Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement are a screen “for pedophilia and human trafficking”.
Another has claimed the US has a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles out”, while several others running for national office have posted cryptic memes hinting at a powerful global elite that must be abolished.
These believers in QAnon, a conspiracy theory labelled a potential domestic terror threat by the FBI, are all running for national office – not as fringe independents, but as Republican candidates.
In some cases they have been backed by Republican money, and promoted by Donald Trump himself, and in certain Republican heartland states, the QAnon candidates are even likely to be elected in November.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, from Georgia, is among the QAnon supporters with the best chance of winning in November. She has also been the most strident with her beliefs.
“Q is a patriot,” Greene said in 2017, referring to her belief in the conspiracy theory’s anonymous online poster who claims to have knowledge of a secret ring of powerful, deep-state sex-traffickers and pedophiles, and is said to be a part of the Trump administration.
“He is someone that very much loves his country and is on the same page as us, and he is very pro-Trump. He appears to have connections at the highest levels.”
Greene is running for the state’s 14th congressional district, where in August she needs to overcome a Republican opponent she has already bested in the primary, then challenge a Democrat for the reliably Republican seat. Her bid will probably be helped by an endorsement from Trump in June, but if she and others win in November, experts say it could boost the popularity of the theory even more by arriving in the nation’s halls of power.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a candidate in US House district 14, talks with people at a Back the Blue Rally in front of the city hall in Rome, Georgia on 15 June 2020. Photograph: Olivia Morley/AP
“If these people do get into office – and I think several probably will, because of the nature of the districts they’re running in – this potentially gives them a platform to spread QAnon,” said William Partin, a disinformation analyst at Data & Society, a non-profit research organization.
“I think it’s clear at this point that it’s detrimental in a wide range of ways, in terms of interpersonal relationships, actual criminal activity and violence.”
It was a QAnon believer who, heavily armed, entered a DC Pizza parlor in December 2016, prepared to take on a child sex ring supposedly being run by Hillary Clinton out of the restaurant’s basement.
In 2019, the alleged New York mob boss Francesco Cali was shot and killed by a man who said he was obsessed with QAnon and believed Cali was part of a deep state conspiracy against Trump. In April this year a woman inspired by QAnon videos traveled to New York armed with more than a dozen knives, in an alleged attempt to kill Joe Biden.
None of those incidents have stopped candidates such as Angela Stanton King – like Greene, a Georgia-based candidate for Congress – from posting QAnon messaging.
On 16 July she claimed on Instagram that Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter were a screen “for pedophilia and human trafficking”, a few days after suggesting on Twitter that the election was about “globbal [sic] elite pedophiles trafficking children”.
Media Matters, a not-for-profit progressive research center which monitors misinformation, has counted 67 current or former congressional candidates who have embraced QAnon.
Along with Greene and Stanton King, Lauren Boebert, running for the House in a traditionally Republican district in Colorado, has spoken approvingly of QAnon.
“Everything I’ve heard of Q, I hope that this is real because it only means America is getting stronger and better”, Boebert said in an interview in May. Like some others, she has since distanced herself from the movement in the wake of media attention.
Others include Mike Cargile, a House candidate in California, who included the hashtag “WWG1WGA” a QAnon slogan which stands for “Where we go one, we go all” – in his Twitter profile, and Billy Prempeh, running in New Jersey, who posted a photo of himself next to a QAnon flag on Facebook.
Elsewhere, Jo Rae Perkins, the Republican candidate for Senate in Oregon, claimed in January there is a “very strong probability/possibility that Q is a real group of people, military intelligence, working with President Trump”.
Travis View, the co-host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast, which tackles the conspiracy theory, said that QAnon followers tend to be “extremely politically active”, both in terms of voting and promoting candidates online.
That could be one reason why there has so far been little condemnation of these candidates, or of QAnon itself, from senior Republicans.
“I cannot find a Republican leader who has said a bad thing about QAnon,” View said.
“I’m so fascinated by the weird line that Republican leadership is walking right now. Republicans cannot afford to spare a single vote, so they need to get as many voters on board as possible.
“That may explain why they’re doing this weird dance where they don’t want to say a bad word about QAnon, but also not give any explicit endorsement to QAnon either.”


theguardian--2020-08-02--Is Trump's top cop, attorney general William Barr,  a danger to democracy?

William Barr was hungry .
“ Mr Chairman , could we take a five-minute break ?
” the attorney general asked Jerry Nadler of the House of Representatives ’ judiciary committee .
“ No , ” retorted Nadler , his hearing almost done .
Barr responded sardonically : “ You ’ re a real class act.
” It was pure Barr : a proud , combative , unflappable and unapologetic partisan warrior in the loyal service of the White House .
During the five-hour session on Capitol Hill in Washington this week , Barr made clear why he has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and personal henchman .
He defended using federal forces in US cities , denied giving Trump ’ s allies favorable treatment and demurred on issues such as foreign election interference or whether November ’ s poll can be postponed .
For critics , it was proof positive that Barr ’ s unswerving loyalty to the president has torn down the wall that separates the White House and justice department and ensures law enforcement operates independent of politics .
Some believe he now poses an existential threat to democracy itself .
“ Because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has control over a lot of what ’ s acceptable and what isn ’ t under the law up until the point where the federal judiciary can stop him .
It makes him very dangerous , especially when you ’ re dealing with a president who has no regard for the constitution or the rule of law , ” said Tara Setmayer , a former Republican communications director on Capitol Hill .
During his 18 months in office , Barr , 70 , has backed Trump even as he defies norms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , economic slump and tumbling poll numbers .
Democrats have demanded his impeachment , accused him of politicizing the justice department and enabling an “ imperial presidency ” like no other .
Democrat Joe Biden , Trump ’ s election opponent , tweeted on Thursday : “ Bill Barr is the Attorney General of the United States – not the president ’ s private attorney.
” Barr , a devout Catholic and keen bagpiper , previously served as attorney general under President George HW Bush from 1991 to 1993 .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishment Republican who could check Trump ’ s impulses , maintain the department ’ s independence and offer normality in an era that is anything but .
In reality he had always been an advocate of expansive presidential power and a hard line on fighting crime .
He is therefore seen as a perfect fit for Trump , who has repeatedly tested the limits of executive authority and is now pushing a “ law and order ” theme for his election campaign against Biden .
Weeks after his Senate confirmation Barr cleared Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robert Mueller , the special counsel , did no such thing , and produced a summary of Mueller ’ s Russia investigation that set an unduly rosy narrative for the president .
Barr has since made good on Trump ’ s rallying cry to investigate the origins of the Russia investigation in what Democrats see as a politically motivated attempt to damage Biden , the former vice-president , ahead of the election .
He has also been sharply criticized for a decision to drop the prosecution of Trump ’ s former national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lenient sentence for Trump ’ s ally Roger Stone , a move that prompted the entire trial team ’ s departure .
The Flynn dismissal will be reviewed by a federal appeals court but Trump commuted Stone ’ s sentence altogether .
In addition , Barr claimed that Geoffrey Berman , the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan , New York , had agreed to “ step down ” , only for Berman to explicitly deny this .
Such actions have prompted open letters signed by thousands of justice department alumni demanding Barr ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced grandstanding Democrats and conspiracy theorist Republicans in his first appearance before the House judiciary committee .
Nadler accused him of waging “ persistent war ” against the justice department ’ s independence “ in an apparent effort to secure favors ” for Trump .
“ Shame on you , ” the chairman said .
The attorney general defended the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in Portland and other cities .
“ What unfolds nightly around the courthouse can not reasonably be called a protest , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure , an assault on the government of the United States.
” Although some protesters in Portland have been violent , most have been peaceful and have included military veterans , off-duty lawyers , school pupils and rows of women known as the “ Wall of Moms ” .
Law enforcement officers have responded with teargas , pepper balls and flash bangs .
Setmayer said : “ By sending federal law enforcement officers into places like Portland and other cities , all it ’ s doing is offering propaganda for the Trump campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tactics of his campaign .
They don ’ t have anything else to run on .
So this is the crux now of the fear campaign that Donald Trump plans to use and Bill Barr is a willing accomplice.
” Paul Rosenzweig , a senior fellow at the R Street Institute and veteran of the George W Bush administration , added : “ Weaponising the Department of Justice is bad but basically your troops are lawyers with pens .
Weaponising the Department of Homeland Security ’ s law enforcement is worse because your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capitol Hill hearing raised further concerns about the fast-approaching election .
Asked whether it would be appropriate for the president to accept foreign help , Barr parried that it “ depends what kind of assistance ” .
Only when pressed did he clarify : “ No , it ’ s not appropriate.
” While Barr testified that he has “ no reason to think ” the election will be rigged , he said there could be a “ high risk ” of voter fraud due to “ the wholesale conversion of election to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting US president can move the election date , he replied : “ Actually , I haven ’ t looked into that question under the constitution.
” Two days later , Trump tweeted that widespread mail balloting would be a “ catastrophic disaster ” and floated the idea of changing the election date , which he has no power to do .
Election experts point out that all forms of voter fraud are extremely rare and note that Trump himself voted by mail in the last Florida Republican primary .
Stuart Stevens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the upcoming book It Was All a Lie : How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump , tweeted on Thursday : “ Trump can ’ t cancel an election ?
Ummm .
Ponder this : Trump orders DHS to impound ballots in Dade County on Nov. 1 after ‘ reports ’ of ‘ irregularities.
’ Who stops them ?
Courts order return .
But ballots now declared invalid .
Chaos .
Florida re-vote ?
What would Barr do ?
Republicans ?
” What Barr would do remains a critical question .
Once regarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proved less bulwark than bully in the Trump administration , critics allege .
Rosenzweig said : “ I was one who thought that his appointment as attorney general would be good for the department because 30 years ago he was within the bounds and norms of establishment Republican behavior , perhaps a little more conservative than many but an institutionalist who would restore the department ’ s independence and stand up to Trump in asserting that .
“ I have been both shocked and surprised to see that this is not the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know whether the person 30 years ago was hiding all of this or if he ’ s changed , but it is clear that the man who 30 years ago was the attorney general for George Bush is not the same person as the man today.
” In that sense , Barr is far from alone .
Matthew Miller , a former director of the justice department ’ s public affairs office , said : “ Bill Barr has gone off the deep end like the entire Republican party .
His journey is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican party has gone on which is very conservative , but also he ’ s had his brain pickled by years of Fox News.
” Miller added : “ I think he has all of Trump ’ s bad intentions but with little of Trump ’ s incompetence .
You combine Trump ’ s bad intentions with someone who is actually competent and mastering the levers of government and it ’ s fairly dangerous .
”

William Barr was hungry. “Mr Chairman, could we take a five-minute break?” the attorney general asked Jerry Nadler of the House of Representatives’ judiciary committee. “No,” retorted Nadler, his hearing almost done. Barr responded sardonically: “You’re a real class act.”
It was pure Barr: a proud, combative, unflappable and unapologetic partisan warrior in the loyal service of the White House.
During the five-hour session on Capitol Hill in Washington this week, Barr made clear why he has been dubbed Donald Trump’s faithful protector and personal henchman. He defended using federal forces in US cities, denied giving Trump’s allies favorable treatment and demurred on issues such as foreign election interference or whether November’s poll can be postponed.
For critics, it was proof positive that Barr’s unswerving loyalty to the president has torn down the wall that separates the White House and justice department and ensures law enforcement operates independent of politics. Some believe he now poses an existential threat to democracy itself.
“Because of his position as the attorney general, he has control over a lot of what’s acceptable and what isn’t under the law up until the point where the federal judiciary can stop him. It makes him very dangerous, especially when you’re dealing with a president who has no regard for the constitution or the rule of law,” said Tara Setmayer, a former Republican communications director on Capitol Hill.
During his 18 months in office, Barr, 70, has backed Trump even as he defies norms, stokes division and is buffeted by the coronavirus pandemic, economic slump and tumbling poll numbers. Democrats have demanded his impeachment, accused him of politicizing the justice department and enabling an “imperial presidency” like no other.
Democrat Joe Biden, Trump’s election opponent, tweeted on Thursday: “Bill Barr is the Attorney General of the United States – not the president’s private attorney.”
Barr, a devout Catholic and keen bagpiper, previously served as attorney general under President George HW Bush from 1991 to 1993. This raised hopes that he would be an establishment Republican who could check Trump’s impulses, maintain the department’s independence and offer normality in an era that is anything but.
Those hopes were badly misplaced.
In reality he had always been an advocate of expansive presidential power and a hard line on fighting crime. He is therefore seen as a perfect fit for Trump, who has repeatedly tested the limits of executive authority and is now pushing a “law and order” theme for his election campaign against Biden.
Weeks after his Senate confirmation Barr cleared Trump of obstruction of justice allegations even when Robert Mueller, the special counsel, did no such thing, and produced a summary of Mueller’s Russia investigation that set an unduly rosy narrative for the president.
Barr has since made good on Trump’s rallying cry to investigate the origins of the Russia investigation in what Democrats see as a politically motivated attempt to damage Biden, the former vice-president, ahead of the election.
He has also been sharply criticized for a decision to drop the prosecution of Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn and urging a more lenient sentence for Trump’s ally Roger Stone, a move that prompted the entire trial team’s departure. The Flynn dismissal will be reviewed by a federal appeals court but Trump commuted Stone’s sentence altogether.
Barr testifies before the House judiciary committee earlier this week. Photograph: Matt McClain/AP
In addition, Barr claimed that Geoffrey Berman, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, New York, had agreed to “step down”, only for Berman to explicitly deny this. Such actions have prompted open letters signed by thousands of justice department alumni demanding Barr’s resignation.
On Tuesday, Barr faced grandstanding Democrats and conspiracy theorist Republicans in his first appearance before the House judiciary committee. Nadler accused him of waging “persistent war” against the justice department’s independence “in an apparent effort to secure favors” for Trump. “Shame on you,” the chairman said.
The attorney general defended the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in Portland and other cities. “What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called a protest,” he said. “It is, by any objective measure, an assault on the government of the United States.”
Although some protesters in Portland have been violent, most have been peaceful and have included military veterans, off-duty lawyers, school pupils and rows of women known as the “Wall of Moms”. Law enforcement officers have responded with teargas, pepper balls and flash bangs.
Setmayer said: “By sending federal law enforcement officers into places like Portland and other cities, all it’s doing is offering propaganda for the Trump campaign to use to push the law-and-order scare tactics of his campaign. They don’t have anything else to run on. So this is the crux now of the fear campaign that Donald Trump plans to use and Bill Barr is a willing accomplice.”
I think he has all of Trump’s bad intentions but with little of Trump’s incompetence Matthew Miller
Paul Rosenzweig, a senior fellow at the R Street Institute and veteran of the George W Bush administration, added: “Weaponising the Department of Justice is bad but basically your troops are lawyers with pens. Weaponising the Department of Homeland Security’s law enforcement is worse because your troops are armed with guns.”
The Capitol Hill hearing raised further concerns about the fast-approaching election. Asked whether it would be appropriate for the president to accept foreign help, Barr parried that it “depends what kind of assistance”. Only when pressed did he clarify: “No, it’s not appropriate.”
While Barr testified that he has “no reason to think” the election will be rigged, he said there could be a “high risk” of voter fraud due to “the wholesale conversion of election to mail-in voting”. Asked whether a sitting US president can move the election date, he replied: “Actually, I haven’t looked into that question under the constitution.”
Two days later, Trump tweeted that widespread mail balloting would be a “catastrophic disaster” and floated the idea of changing the election date, which he has no power to do. Election experts point out that all forms of voter fraud are extremely rare and note that Trump himself voted by mail in the last Florida Republican primary.
Stuart Stevens, a Republican political consultant and author of the upcoming book It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump, tweeted on Thursday: “Trump can’t cancel an election? Ummm. Ponder this: Trump orders DHS to impound ballots in Dade County on Nov. 1 after ‘reports’ of ‘irregularities.’ Who stops them? Courts order return. But ballots now declared invalid. Chaos. Florida re-vote? What would Barr do? Republicans?”
What Barr would do remains a critical question.
Once regarded as a conservative stalwart, he has proved less bulwark than bully in the Trump administration, critics allege. Rosenzweig said: “I was one who thought that his appointment as attorney general would be good for the department because 30 years ago he was within the bounds and norms of establishment Republican behavior, perhaps a little more conservative than many but an institutionalist who would restore the department’s independence and stand up to Trump in asserting that.
“I have been both shocked and surprised to see that this is not the case any more. I don’t know whether the person 30 years ago was hiding all of this or if he’s changed, but it is clear that the man who 30 years ago was the attorney general for George Bush is not the same person as the man today.”
In that sense, Barr is far from alone. Matthew Miller, a former director of the justice department’s public affairs office, said: “Bill Barr has gone off the deep end like the entire Republican party. His journey is just the same journey the rest of the Republican party has gone on which is very conservative, but also he’s had his brain pickled by years of Fox News.”
Miller added: “I think he has all of Trump’s bad intentions but with little of Trump’s incompetence. You combine Trump’s bad intentions with someone who is actually competent and mastering the levers of government and it’s fairly dangerous.”