theguardian--2020-07-08--Tucker Carlson calls Purple Heart recipient Tammy Duckworth a 'coward'

The Democratic senator and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth , who was awarded the Purple Heart medal after losing her legs during combat operations in 2004 as a helicopter pilot , has been targeted in an apparent smear campaign from leading Fox News host Tucker Carlson , who labelled her a “ coward ” during a segment on his show on Tuesday evening .
Duckworth , a US senator for Illinois and one of those in the running to become Joe Biden ’ s vice-presidential pick , drew the ire of Carlson after encouraging a national debate on the removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ George Washington , who owned enslaved people .
“ I think we should listen to everybody , I think we should listen to the argument there , ” Duckworth , who is Thai American , told CNN last Sunday .
In response , Carlson , an outspoken ally of Donald Trump who frequently uses his primetime Fox News show to attack senior Democrat women from minority backgrounds , launched into an angry diatribe laced with nativist rhetoric .
The host argued Duckworth “ hates the country ” , labelled her a “ moron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over a chyron at the bottom of the screen that read “ We have to fight to preserve our nation & heritage ” , Carlson accused Duckworth and the Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar of wanting to “ tear … down ” the country .
“ The problem is , ” Carlson said , “ there are many of us here who do like this country , we live here , we don ’ t want to destroy it .
We have every right to fight to preserve our nation and our heritage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewers to “ laugh in their [ Duckworth and Omar ’ s ] faces ” .
Although Carlson has faced mounting pushback over his ever polarising and aggressive rhetoric , causing many advertisers to flock to other Fox News shows instead , his ratings have risen in recent months , making his 8pm ET show the most popular on cable news with about 4m nightly viewers .
In a statement to the Associated Press , the Biden campaign describing Carlson ’ s remarks as “ hate speech ” .
“ Tucker Carlson and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masquerading as journalism are accomplices to Donald Trump ’ s perverse mission to use division and bitterness to tear this country apart , ” said TJ Ducklo , Biden campaign spokesman .
“ It is the polar opposite of what Joe Biden stands for , and exactly what he means when he talks about a battle for the soul of America.
” Biden himself spoke at a fundraiser event with Duckworth on Tuesday night .
He labelled Carlson ’ s diatribe as “ sickening ” .
“ I know you can handle yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I just think it ’ s a reflection of the depravity of what ’ s going in the White House right now.
” Duckworth did not respond to the segment during the event but in response to Carlson ’ s first segment on Monday , she tweeted : “ Does @ TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America ?
”

The Democratic senator and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth, who was awarded the Purple Heart medal after losing her legs during combat operations in 2004 as a helicopter pilot, has been targeted in an apparent smear campaign from leading Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who labelled her a “coward” during a segment on his show on Tuesday evening.
Duckworth, a US senator for Illinois and one of those in the running to become Joe Biden’s vice-presidential pick, drew the ire of Carlson after encouraging a national debate on the removal of statues honoring historical figures, including George Washington, who owned enslaved people.
“I think we should listen to everybody, I think we should listen to the argument there,” Duckworth, who is Thai American, told CNN last Sunday.
In response, Carlson, an outspoken ally of Donald Trump who frequently uses his primetime Fox News show to attack senior Democrat women from minority backgrounds, launched into an angry diatribe laced with nativist rhetoric.
The host argued Duckworth “hates the country”, labelled her a “moron” and “a fraud”. Over a chyron at the bottom of the screen that read “We have to fight to preserve our nation & heritage”, Carlson accused Duckworth and the Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar of wanting to “tear … down” the country.
“The problem is,” Carlson said, “there are many of us here who do like this country, we live here, we don’t want to destroy it. We have every right to fight to preserve our nation and our heritage and our culture.” Carlson then encouraged his viewers to “laugh in their [Duckworth and Omar’s] faces”.
Although Carlson has faced mounting pushback over his ever polarising and aggressive rhetoric, causing many advertisers to flock to other Fox News shows instead, his ratings have risen in recent months, making his 8pm ET show the most popular on cable news with about 4m nightly viewers.
In a statement to the Associated Press, the Biden campaign describing Carlson’s remarks as “hate speech”.
“Tucker Carlson and his colleagues who traffic in hate speech masquerading as journalism are accomplices to Donald Trump’s perverse mission to use division and bitterness to tear this country apart,” said TJ Ducklo, Biden campaign spokesman. “It is the polar opposite of what Joe Biden stands for, and exactly what he means when he talks about a battle for the soul of America.”
Fox News has not responded.
Biden himself spoke at a fundraiser event with Duckworth on Tuesday night. He labelled Carlson’s diatribe as “sickening”.
“I know you can handle yourself, you’ve already done that. But I just think it’s a reflection of the depravity of what’s going in the White House right now.”
Duckworth did not respond to the segment during the event but in response to Carlson’s first segment on Monday, she tweeted: “Does @TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America?”


theguardian--2020-07-08--'Unbelievably unfair': thousands of Americans face having votes rejected in election

The 64-year-old lives in McAllen , near the Texas-Mexico border , and she votes in the contests that a lot of people sit out – races for school board , water district and local runoffs .
In the more than 40 years she ’ s been registered to vote , Weisfeld only remembers missing one election .
But last year , her nearly-perfect record was broken .
Weisfeld voted by mail in a local race , signed her ballot and mailed it in well ahead of election day .
More than a month later , Weisfeld got a letter back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They examined the signature Weisfeld put on the ballot , compared it to one they had on file , and determined they weren ’ t from the same person .
By then , she had no recourse .
The election was over .
“ I was shocked , I was sad , I was upset .
I became mad and angry that my right to vote was taken away from me without any kind of consultation , ” said Weisfeld , now a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the way Texas rejects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , no one sent me a letter .
No one sent me an email to ask me : ‘ Is this your signature ?
’ ” As more Americans vote by mail this year amid the Covid-19 pandemic , there ’ s concern that thousands of eligible voters like Weisfeld could have their ballots rejected for small errors without a chance to fix them .
Mail-in ballots were more likely to be rejected in the 2016 election than ones cast in person .
In a typical election only a small percentage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about 1 % of those returned , were uncounted in the 2016 general election ) , according to data compiled by the US Election Assistance Commission ( EAC ) .
That could rise starkly during the presidential election when an unprecedented number of people are expected to vote by mail .
“ I have a hard time believing we aren ’ t going to see an increase in rejection rates across the country , ” said Daniel Smith , a professor at the University of Florida who has closely studied mail-in ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re having more people who are not familiar with the process , they ’ re not going to have people there to help and assist as you would in person.
” The vast majority of ballots that go uncounted are rejected for three reasons : the ballot arrives late , there is a problem with the signature on it , or there is no signature at all , according to EAC data .
Many states don ’ t count ballots if they arrive after election day , regardless of when they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can also reject ballots if election officials determine the signature on the ballot doesn ’ t match one in a voter ’ s file – a decision that can be left to the whims of election officials with little guidance .
Four months ahead of the election , there are already warning signs .
In May , New Jersey officials rejected nearly 10 % of mail-in ballots during local elections held entirely by mail .
In Florida , just over 18,500 ballots were rejected during the state ’ s March primary .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were rejected because of signature matching issues .
In Kentucky ’ s June primary , more than 3,800 ballots were rejected in Jefferson county , home of Louisville , because they lacked a required signature .
There is also evidence that first-time , young and minority voters may be more likely to have their ballots rejected than other voters .
In Florida ’ s 2018 election , first-time voters accounted for 5 % of all vote by mail ballots cast in the state , but represented 12.7 % of the ballots that went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March primary , minority voters were twice as likely to have their ballots rejected than their white counterparts , according to the Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project .
“ There ’ s not sort of any individual reason at the theoretical level why these voters , these groups of voters , would be more likely to make a mistake , ” said Mara Suttmann-Lea , a professor at Connecticut College , who has studied ballot rejections .
‘ Less trust in the system because of arbitrary rejections ’ Many states verify signatures on mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signature comparison is extremely difficult and some states do not provide uniform guidance to election officials on how to do it .
Allowing election officials with no expertise to reject ballots without first notifying voters is extremely risky , say forensic document examiners , who are trained in handwriting analysis .
No two signatures from the same person are exactly the same and it can take years of experience to determine whether a signature is a forgery .
There can be a number of factors that influence someone ’ s signature , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the position they ’ re sitting in , or their state of mind .
“ If you ’ re going to screen them and then don ’ t tell the voter , disenfranchise the voter without them knowing , that ’ s egregious , ” said Linton Mohammed , a forensic document examiner who has served as an expert witness in several lawsuits challenging signature matching practices ( he is also currently serving as an expert witness in the Texas case challenging signature practices ) .
“ It is subjective .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Texas , where Weisfeld ’ s ballot was rejected , the officials responsible for making signature comparisons are not handwriting experts and are appointed by political parties .
They can reject a ballot if a majority of the committee reviewing the signatures agrees they don ’ t match .
Neither the state nor the county is required to offer them training .
A state handbook acknowledges those responsible for comparing the signatures are not experts and merely instructs them to use their “ best judgment ” .
Election officials don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to verify their identity , and they don ’ t have to tell them the reason their ballot was rejected until 10 days after election day .
“ Especially now where we have situation where more people are going to use mail-in ballot because of the Covid pandemic , there will be less trust in the system because of these arbitrary rejections , ” said Hani Mirza , an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project who is helping represent Weisfeld .
“ The best you can do is try to sign it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , you have no real control .
It ’ s based on subjective control of other people.
” One of the easiest ways states can prevent this wrongful disenfranchisement is to give voters a chance to fix errors .
But less than 20 US states have such policies in place , according to the National Conference for State Legislatures .
States can also require uniform and robust training on comparing signatures – already the norm in some states like Colorado .
The state , which conducts its elections entirely by mail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots in 2016 according to the EAC data .
Those fixes could have helped Maria Fallon Romo get her ballot counted in North Dakota ’ s 2018 general election .
Romo , 53 , has multiple sclerosis , a condition that can make it difficult to sign and hold things .
That year , she voted by mail for the election , but it wasn ’ t until two years later that she found out her ballot was rejected because officials determined the signature didn ’ t match the one on her mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t mean to be dramatic or anything , but it was unbelievably unfair that my voice didn ’ t count , ” said Romo .
“ Clearly it was my signature .
I mean yes my signature does look a little different at times because of my numbness in my hands , the grip of the pen and my posture .
Everything comes into play , but not to the point where it ’ s just chicken scratch.
” Romo voted again by mail this year in her local election .
But before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took a picture of her signature .
When she mailed back her ballot , she opened the picture on her phone so she could mimic it .
In June , a federal judge ordered North Dakota not to reject any ballots without contacting the voter first .
‘ It has motivated me to say it stops with me ’ Aside from signatures , there is concern that many Americans will be disenfranchised by state cutoffs requiring voters to return their ballots by election day .
While the election day cutoff may make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it also means that a voter who puts their ballot in the mail a few days before election day might not have their vote counted if it isn ’ t delivered on time .
That ’ s what happened to Kirk Nielsen , a freelance journalist in Miami who mailed in his ballot eight days before election day in 2018 .
Florida requires mail-in ballots to arrive by 7pm on election night , but when Nielsen checked on the status of his ballot on election day , 6 November , he saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When he filed a public records request , Nielsen learned his ballot didn ’ t arrive at the Miami-Dade supervisor of election office until 14 November .
It had taken more than two weeks for Nielsen ’ s ballot to travel 20 minutes across town .
Nielsen ’ s ballot was one of nearly 32,000 mail-in ballots rejected in the Florida ’ s general election that year , according to Smith ’ s research .
In the same election , Rick Scott won a US Senate seat by just over 10,000 votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s race by just over 32,000 votes .
Just 14 states allow election officials to accept ballots postmarked on or before election day if they arrive in the days after , according to the Brennan Center for Justice ( a few additional states have accepted late arriving ballots for their primary elections ) .
During the primaries , many local election officials have been overwhelmed by a flood of absentee ballot requests and have struggled to get ballots to voters in time to return them by election day .
Democrats have filed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to require officials to count ballots as long as they are postmarked by election day and received shortly after ( Nielsen is a plaintiff in one filed in Florida ) .
That small change that could make a huge difference .
In Wisconsin , where Democrats secured a court order requiring the state to accept ballots with an election day postmark , more than 79,000 ballots came in after election day for the state ’ s April election and were ultimately counted ( Trump won the state in 2016 by just under 23,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state law requires absentee ballots to arrive by 8pm on election night , tens of thousands of ballots arrived after election day during the state ’ s 2 June primary .
Many were only counted because of a one-time executive order issued by the governor on the eve of the election .
Trump ’ s 2016 margin of victory in the state was just over 44,000 votes .
Even in states that accept late arriving ballots , however , a new problem is emerging : some ballots are arriving without postmarks because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of mail .
There ’ s uncertainty over whether election officials can legally count these ballots , again leading to the possibility some voters could be disenfranchised through no fault of their own .
It ’ s been more than a year since her ballot was rejected , but Weisfeld , who loves to post pictures of her “ I voted ” sticker after an election , is still angry .
She ’ s continued her habit of voting in elections since then , but she ’ s still incredulous that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance to fix it .
“ It hasn ’ t stopped me .
It has motivated me to say it stops with me , ” she said .
“ What if someone else had gotten this letter , not me , and said ‘ oh why did I even bother ?
I ’ m not gon na participate anymore .
This doesn ’ t matter .
’ ”

Rosalie Weisfeld doesn’t skip elections – she just doesn’t.
The 64-year-old lives in McAllen, near the Texas-Mexico border, and she votes in the contests that a lot of people sit out – races for school board, water district and local runoffs. In the more than 40 years she’s been registered to vote, Weisfeld only remembers missing one election.
But last year, her nearly-perfect record was broken. Weisfeld voted by mail in a local race, signed her ballot and mailed it in well ahead of election day. More than a month later, Weisfeld got a letter back saying election officials had rejected her ballot. They examined the signature Weisfeld put on the ballot, compared it to one they had on file, and determined they weren’t from the same person. By then, she had no recourse. The election was over.
“I was shocked, I was sad, I was upset. I became mad and angry that my right to vote was taken away from me without any kind of consultation,” said Weisfeld, now a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the way Texas rejects absentee ballots. “No one called me, no one sent me a letter. No one sent me an email to ask me: ‘Is this your signature?’”
As more Americans vote by mail this year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, there’s concern that thousands of eligible voters like Weisfeld could have their ballots rejected for small errors without a chance to fix them. Mail-in ballots were more likely to be rejected in the 2016 election than ones cast in person. In a typical election only a small percentage of mail-in ballots get rejected (318,728 ballots, about 1% of those returned, were uncounted in the 2016 general election), according to data compiled by the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC). That could rise starkly during the presidential election when an unprecedented number of people are expected to vote by mail.
Election officials examined the signature of Rosalie Weisfeld put on the ballot, compared it to one they had on file, and determined they weren’t from the same person. Photograph: Guardian
“I have a hard time believing we aren’t going to see an increase in rejection rates across the country,” said Daniel Smith, a professor at the University of Florida who has closely studied mail-in ballot rejections. “The odds are you’re having more people who are not familiar with the process, they’re not going to have people there to help and assist as you would in person.”
The vast majority of ballots that go uncounted are rejected for three reasons: the ballot arrives late, there is a problem with the signature on it, or there is no signature at all, according to EAC data. Many states don’t count ballots if they arrive after election day, regardless of when they were put in the mail. But they can also reject ballots if election officials determine the signature on the ballot doesn’t match one in a voter’s file – a decision that can be left to the whims of election officials with little guidance.
Four months ahead of the election, there are already warning signs. In May, New Jersey officials rejected nearly 10% of mail-in ballots during local elections held entirely by mail. In Florida, just over 18,500 ballots were rejected during the state’s March primary. In Nevada, more than 6,700 ballots, were rejected because of signature matching issues. In Kentucky’s June primary, more than 3,800 ballots were rejected in Jefferson county, home of Louisville, because they lacked a required signature.
There is also evidence that first-time, young and minority voters may be more likely to have their ballots rejected than other voters. In Florida’s 2018 election, first-time voters accounted for 5% of all vote by mail ballots cast in the state, but represented 12.7% of the ballots that went uncounted. In the state’s March primary, minority voters were twice as likely to have their ballots rejected than their white counterparts, according to the Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project.
“There’s not sort of any individual reason at the theoretical level why these voters, these groups of voters, would be more likely to make a mistake,” said Mara Suttmann-Lea, a professor at Connecticut College, who has studied ballot rejections.
‘Less trust in the system because of arbitrary rejections’
Many states verify signatures on mail-in ballots as an anti-fraud measure, but signature comparison is extremely difficult and some states do not provide uniform guidance to election officials on how to do it.
Allowing election officials with no expertise to reject ballots without first notifying voters is extremely risky, say forensic document examiners, who are trained in handwriting analysis. No two signatures from the same person are exactly the same and it can take years of experience to determine whether a signature is a forgery. There can be a number of factors that influence someone’s signature, including the surface they’re writing on, the position they’re sitting in, or their state of mind.
“If you’re going to screen them and then don’t tell the voter, disenfranchise the voter without them knowing, that’s egregious,” said Linton Mohammed, a forensic document examiner who has served as an expert witness in several lawsuits challenging signature matching practices (he is also currently serving as an expert witness in the Texas case challenging signature practices). “It is subjective. You have to be really properly trained.”
In Texas, where Weisfeld’s ballot was rejected, the officials responsible for making signature comparisons are not handwriting experts and are appointed by political parties. They can reject a ballot if a majority of the committee reviewing the signatures agrees they don’t match. Neither the state nor the county is required to offer them training. A state handbook acknowledges those responsible for comparing the signatures are not experts and merely instructs them to use their “best judgment”. Election officials don’t even have to give voters a chance to verify their identity, and they don’t have to tell them the reason their ballot was rejected until 10 days after election day.
“Especially now where we have situation where more people are going to use mail-in ballot because of the Covid pandemic, there will be less trust in the system because of these arbitrary rejections,” said Hani Mirza, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project who is helping represent Weisfeld. “The best you can do is try to sign it exactly the same way. But even that, you have no real control. It’s based on subjective control of other people.”
I don’t mean to be dramatic or anything, but it was unbelievably unfair that my voice didn’t count Maria Fallon Romo
One of the easiest ways states can prevent this wrongful disenfranchisement is to give voters a chance to fix errors . But less than 20 US states have such policies in place, according to the National Conference for State Legislatures. States can also require uniform and robust training on comparing signatures – already the norm in some states like Colorado. The state, which conducts its elections entirely by mail, rejected less than 1% of mail-in ballots in 2016 according to the EAC data.
Those fixes could have helped Maria Fallon Romo get her ballot counted in North Dakota’s 2018 general election. Romo, 53, has multiple sclerosis, a condition that can make it difficult to sign and hold things. That year, she voted by mail for the election, but it wasn’t until two years later that she found out her ballot was rejected because officials determined the signature didn’t match the one on her mail-in ballot application.
“I don’t mean to be dramatic or anything, but it was unbelievably unfair that my voice didn’t count,” said Romo. “Clearly it was my signature. I mean yes my signature does look a little different at times because of my numbness in my hands, the grip of the pen and my posture. Everything comes into play, but not to the point where it’s just chicken scratch.”
Romo voted again by mail this year in her local election. But before she sent in her application, she took a picture of her signature. When she mailed back her ballot, she opened the picture on her phone so she could mimic it.
In June, a federal judge ordered North Dakota not to reject any ballots without contacting the voter first.
‘It has motivated me to say it stops with me’
Aside from signatures, there is concern that many Americans will be disenfranchised by state cutoffs requiring voters to return their ballots by election day. While the election day cutoff may make it easier for election officials to process votes, it also means that a voter who puts their ballot in the mail a few days before election day might not have their vote counted if it isn’t delivered on time.
That’s what happened to Kirk Nielsen, a freelance journalist in Miami who mailed in his ballot eight days before election day in 2018. Florida requires mail-in ballots to arrive by 7pm on election night, but when Nielsen checked on the status of his ballot on election day, 6 November, he saw that it still hadn’t arrived. When he filed a public records request, Nielsen learned his ballot didn’t arrive at the Miami-Dade supervisor of election office until 14 November. It had taken more than two weeks for Nielsen’s ballot to travel 20 minutes across town.
Nielsen’s ballot was one of nearly 32,000 mail-in ballots rejected in the Florida’s general election that year, according to Smith’s research. In the same election, Rick Scott won a US Senate seat by just over 10,000 votes and Ron DeSantis won the governor’s race by just over 32,000 votes.
Just 14 states allow election officials to accept ballots postmarked on or before election day if they arrive in the days after
Just 14 states allow election officials to accept ballots postmarked on or before election day if they arrive in the days after, according to the Brennan Center for Justice (a few additional states have accepted late arriving ballots for their primary elections). During the primaries, many local election officials have been overwhelmed by a flood of absentee ballot requests and have struggled to get ballots to voters in time to return them by election day.
Democrats have filed a slew of lawsuits across the country seeking to require officials to count ballots as long as they are postmarked by election day and received shortly after (Nielsen is a plaintiff in one filed in Florida).
That small change that could make a huge difference. In Wisconsin, where Democrats secured a court order requiring the state to accept ballots with an election day postmark, more than 79,000 ballots came in after election day for the state’s April election and were ultimately counted (Trump won the state in 2016 by just under 23,000 votes).
In Pennsylvania, where state law requires absentee ballots to arrive by 8pm on election night, tens of thousands of ballots arrived after election day during the state’s 2 June primary. Many were only counted because of a one-time executive order issued by the governor on the eve of the election. Trump’s 2016 margin of victory in the state was just over 44,000 votes.
Even in states that accept late arriving ballots, however, a new problem is emerging: some ballots are arriving without postmarks because of the way the post office treats different kinds of mail. There’s uncertainty over whether election officials can legally count these ballots, again leading to the possibility some voters could be disenfranchised through no fault of their own.
It’s been more than a year since her ballot was rejected, but Weisfeld, who loves to post pictures of her “I voted” sticker after an election, is still angry. She’s continued her habit of voting in elections since then, but she’s still incredulous that her ballot was rejected before she had a chance to fix it.
“It hasn’t stopped me. It has motivated me to say it stops with me,” she said. “What if someone else had gotten this letter, not me, and said ‘oh why did I even bother? I’m not gonna participate anymore. This doesn’t matter.’”


theguardian--2020-07-09--US supreme court to rule on Trump tax returns while coronavirus cases soar – live updates

Lawrence Hurley and Matt Scuffham at Reuters have put together a really useful refresher about what is going on in the court cases involving Donald Trump ’ s financial records that the supreme court is expected to decide on today .
Two of the three cases concern attempts by House committees to enforce subpoenas seeking Trump ’ s financial records from three businesses : Trump ’ s longtime accounting firm Mazars and two banks , Deutsche Bank and Capital One .
The court consolidated these two cases .
During May oral arguments , some conservative justices raised questions about subpoenas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The House Oversight Committee in April 2019 issued a subpoena to Mazars seeking eight years of accounting and other financial information in response to the congressional testimony of Michael Cohen , Trump ’ s former personal lawyer .
Cohen said Trump inflated and deflated certain assets on financial statements between 2011 and 2013 in part to reduce his real estate taxes .
Cohen was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to charges including violating campaign finance law , bank fraud , tax evasion and lying to Congress .
The House Financial Services Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property deals involving Trump .
The House Intelligence Committee has investigated whether Trump ’ s dealings left him vulnerable to the influence of foreign individuals or governments .
The two committees issued subpoenas in April 2019 requiring Deutsche Bank to hand over the banking records of Trump , his children and his businesses .
Investigators hope the records will reveal whether there are any financial links between Trump and Russia ’ s government .
If Trump loses , the material would need to be handed over to Democratic lawmakers .
However Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Congress had no authority to issue the subpoenas , a broad assertion of presidential power .
If the court were to embrace Trump ’ s broadest arguments , it would severely weaken the ability of Congress to conduct oversight of a president .
The other case concerns another subpoena issued to Mazars for similar information , including tax returns .
This one was issued as part of a grand jury investigation into Trump being carried out by the office of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance , a Democrat .
In the May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justices seemed less sympathetic toward Trump .
It is part of a criminal investigation into Trump and the Trump Organization , spurred by disclosures of hush payments made to two women who said they had past sexual relationships with him - Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal .
Trump and his aides have denied the relationships .
Trump ’ s lawyers argue that his records can not be handed over because of his authority as president under the Constitution , contending he is immune from any criminal proceeding while in office .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers argued that law enforcement officials would not have the power to investigate Trump even if he shot someone on New York ’ s Fifth Avenue .
In all three cases , lower courts in Washington and New York ruled against Trump .
Now it is up to the supreme court to decide .

10 Jul 2020 01.14 BST Summary Joan E Greve The supreme court ruled a New York grand jury may receive the president’s financial records and tax returns. In a 7-2 decision, the court rejected Trump ’s argument that he was categorically immune from tgrand jury subpoenas, delivering a victory for Manhattan district attorney Cy Vance. But Vance will still have to go back to court to have his subpoena enforced, which will delay the case.
In a 7-2 decision, the court rejected ’s argument that he was categorically immune from tgrand jury subpoenas, delivering a victory for Manhattan district attorney But Vance will still have to go back to court to have his subpoena enforced, which will delay the case. The supreme court said House committees could not receive Trump’s financial records for now. In another 7-2 decision, the justices sent the case back to a lower court for a more thorough review of the separation of powers issues in the case.
In another 7-2 decision, the justices sent the case back to a lower court for a more thorough review of the separation of powers issues in the case. Another 1.3 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week. The figure marks a slight decrease from a week before, but unemployment numbers remain alarmingly high as many states report increases in new cases of coronavirus.
The figure marks a slight decrease from a week before, but unemployment numbers remain alarmingly high as many states report increases in new cases of coronavirus. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, was taken back into federal custody. Cohen was expected to sign papers related to his home confinement today, several weeks after being released from prison, but federal authorities took him back into custody for unclear reasons.
Cohen was expected to sign papers related to his home confinement today, several weeks after being released from prison, but federal authorities took him back into custody for unclear reasons. Former US attorney Geoffrey Berman told the House judiciary committee that attorney general Wiliam Barr repeatedly urged him to resign. In a copy of his prepared opening statement obtained by several news outlets, Berman said Barr told him he would be fired if he did not resign and warned that a firing would “not be good for [his] resume or future job prospects.” Berman refused to resign and was ultimately fired after a public spat with Barr and the president. Trump’s taxes may be released to Manhattan grand jury, supreme court rules Read more
10 Jul 2020 01.08 BST The White House pressured the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to issue an unscientific statement in support of Trump’s false claims that Hurricane Dorian was likely to severely impact Alabama in September 2019, according to an internal watchdog report. The White House also pushed for a “correction” to a National Weather Service tweet about the hurricane that contradicted Trump, according to a report from the commerce department inspector general released on Thursday. On 1 September, Trump falsely stated that Alabama would be “hit (much) harder than anticipated” by Dorian. To reassure panicked residents, Noaa’s National Weather Service office in Birmingham tweeted, “Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east.” But Trump doubled down and displayed an altered Noaa forecast map that had been drawn on with a marker in support of his erroneous assertions (aka “Sharpiegate”). According to the report, former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney instructed the commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, to help push through a Noaa statement backing the president. The move “potentially undercut public trust in NOAA’s and the NWS’s science and the apolitical nature of that science”, according to the IG report. The incident foreshadows the White House’s conduct during the coronavirus pandemic – Trump has repeatedly contradicted public health officials. The US is bracing for a heavy hurricane season amid a surge of coronavirus cases in Florida, Louisiana, and other storm-prone states.
Updated at 01.16 BST
9 Jul 2020 00.31 BST Sam Levine reports: The Wisconsin supreme court gave state Republicans a significant victory on Thursday, upholding a suite of laws passed during a lame-duck session in 2018 designed to curb the power of incoming Democratic officials. In 2018 Wisconsin voters elected Tony Evers and Josh Kaul, both Democrats, to be the state’s governor and attorney general, respectively. In turn, Republicans passed a host of laws that blocked Evers and Kaul from withdrawing from lawsuits involving the state and forced the attorney general to seek approval from the legislature before withdrawing from lawsuits. The law also gave the legislature the ability to intervene in state lawsuits using their own attorneys. The case underscores the brazen way Republicans in Wisconsin have been able to maintain power despite major Democratic victories. In 2011, Republicans passed a sweeping voter ID law and drew state legislative districts that made it virtually impossible for Democrats to take control of the state legislature. It worked tremendously well – in 2018, Republicans lost every statewide race, won less than half of the statewide vote, but won 63 of 99 seats in the state assembly and a majority in the state senate. Republicans used their majorities to pass the contested laws curbing Democratic power. Wisconsin court upholds Republican laws curbing powers of Democratic officials Read more
9 Jul 2020 23.45 BST Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, said “most Americans don’t care about” Trump’s tax return. It seems like the only people that really care about it are my Democratic colleagues, or my previous Democratic colleagues on Capitol Hill, because this is the number one issue for them,” Meadows told reporters at the White House. Today’s Supreme Court rulings, despite making it increasingly likely that a grand jury will eventually access Trump’s financial documents, also stopped Democrats in Congress from obtaining tax returns before election day.
9 Jul 2020 23.11 BST Abené Clayton reports: California lawmakers and top criminal justice officials joined organizers and families to urged governor Gavin Newsom to release thousands of people from state prisons, as several of the state’s facilities battle dramatic surges in coronavirus cases. “We are in the middle of a humanitarian crisis that was created and wholly avoidable,” said the California assembly member Rob Bonta at a press conference in front of San Quentin state prison on Thursday. “We need act with urgency fueled by compassion,” he added. “We missed the opportunity to prevent, so now we have to make things right.” The officials, including the San Francisco district attorney, Chesa Boudin, and the Alameda public defender, Brendon Woods, are asking for the release of prisoners over 60 and people with less than a year left to serve. They also asked Newsom to tour San Quentin, the historic state prison that has seen the most positive cases. Almost 1,500 people at San Quentin tested positive for the virus, and seven people have succumbed to complications from Covid-19. The facility has seen an exponential rise in coronavirus cases – up until the end of May it had not recorded a single confirmed case. Johnny Depp changed story of finger injury, court hears Read more
9 Jul 2020 23.04 BST David Smith On what he called a “sweltering day” in the White House rose garden – I can confirm my laptop briefly fainted in the heat – Donald Trump repurposed his culture war for a Hispanic audience.
The US president signed an executive order establishing the Hispanic Prosperity Initiative and returned to a recent theme that portrays a left wing mob intent on destroying history and defunding police. This, he warned, would make America resemble the strife-torn countries that many immigrants have fled.
“Now Hispanic Americans are watching as the cities they helped build, the communities they helped police, the businesses they created and the dreams they pursued are being threatened by an extreme movement that wants to tear everything down,” Trump said. “At the centre of this movement is an aggressive effort to defund the police, if you can even believe that. Defund the police: think about that. It’s a sad, sad thing. These people are crazy – they are crazy.”
Defunding police “would inflict great harm on our hard working Latino communities,” continued the president, who champions a border wall and has frequently demonised immigrants from Central America. “Many immigrants came to the United States in order to leave counties where the rule of law had been eroded and they don’t want those same conditions to be replicated here. They don’t want them back. They know what it is first hand.
“They know what happens when the police cannot protect the innocent, when the rule of law is destroyed, when justice becomes an instrument of vengeance. Hispanic Americans, they know. They’re hard working patriots who support our police, protect our communities and believe strongly in the rule of law. I will stand arm in arm with the Hispanic community to ensure that every child in America can grow up in safety, security, dignity and in peace.”
During his speech, Trump also reiterated his demand for schools to reopen, citing Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden as countries that have done so successfully. Sweden notoriously decided against a mass lockdown and suffered a higher death toll with little economic reward.
9 Jul 2020 22.46 BST Julian Borger The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Mark Milley, had some forthright things to say about the naming of army bases after Confederate generals, whom he described as traitors. His remarks to the House armed services committee stand out in the context of Trump’s insistence he would not even consider renaming the 10 army bases named for Confederate military leaders. Milley noted that the military is 43% minority, and 20% African American, rising to 30% in some bases. He recalled a staff sergeant at Fort Bragg who told him he had go to work every day at a base named after a man, Confederate general Braxton Bragg, who had enslaved his grandparents. The Confederacy, Milley told the committee, “was an act of rebellion. It was an act of treason at the time, against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the US Constitution, and those officers turned their back on their own.”
Updated at 22.53 BST
9 Jul 2020 22.30 BST The Republican national convention, which is scheduled to take place in Jacksonville, Florida, next month, could be moved to an outdoor venue, officials told the Washington Post. As coronavirus cases in Florida soar, organizers are reportedly looking into hosting the event at an outdoor sports stadium. The planning of the convention has been marked by uncertainty — it was moved from North Carolina to Florida after a disagreement between state leaders and convention organizers about safety measures. North Carolina governor Roy Cooper and Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles wouldn’t commit to allowing a full convention, even as Trump insisted he wanted a “packed” crowd. Several Republican leaders have said they would not attend the convention, including senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Mitt Romney of Utah.
Updated at 22.51 BST
9 Jul 2020 22.10 BST Lauren Gambino Joe Biden on Thursday unveiled a $700bn proposal to grow American industry as the centerpiece of his presidential campaign pitch to lead the nation’s economic recovery in the wake of the devastating coronavirus pandemic. The ambitious “buy American” campaign is one pillar of a broader economic platform, titled “Build Back Better”, which Biden is expected to outline at a speech near his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, on Thursday afternoon. Though Biden leads Donald Trump in national and battleground state polls, voters consistently say they trust the president’s stewardship of the economy. The proposal calls for the federal government to purchase $400bn worth of US goods and services and invest $300bn in research and development of technologies such as electric vehicles, 5G cellular networks and artificial intelligence. According to an outline provided by the campaign, the plan would create “at least 5m new jobs in manufacturing and innovation”. “This will be the largest mobilization of public investments in procurement, infrastructure and [research and development] since WWII,” the proposal states. Other policies included in the plan are proposals to make it easier for workers to unionize and bargain collectively and to tighten enforcement of “buy American” laws that are designed to protect American industry but can be easily circumvented. Joe Biden unveils $700bn 'buy American' proposal to grow US industry Read more
9 Jul 2020 22.01 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: The supreme court ruled a New York grand jury may receive the president’s financial records and tax returns. In a 7-2 decision, the court rejected Trump ’s argument that he was categorically immune from tgrand jury subpoenas, delivering a victory for Manhattan district attorney Cy Vance. But Vance will still have to go back to court to have his subpoena enforced, which will delay the case.
In a 7-2 decision, the court rejected ’s argument that he was categorically immune from tgrand jury subpoenas, delivering a victory for Manhattan district attorney But Vance will still have to go back to court to have his subpoena enforced, which will delay the case. The supreme court said House committees could not receive Trump’s financial records for now. In another 7-2 decision, the justices sent the case back to a lower court for a more thorough review of the separation of powers issues in the case.
In another 7-2 decision, the justices sent the case back to a lower court for a more thorough review of the separation of powers issues in the case. Another 1.3 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week. The figure marks a slight decrease from a week before, but unemployment numbers remain alarmingly high as many states report increases in new cases of coronavirus.
The figure marks a slight decrease from a week before, but unemployment numbers remain alarmingly high as many states report increases in new cases of coronavirus. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, was taken back into federal custody. Cohen was expected to sign papers related to his home confinement today, several weeks after being released from prison, but federal authorities took him back into custody for unclear reasons.
Cohen was expected to sign papers related to his home confinement today, several weeks after being released from prison, but federal authorities took him back into custody for unclear reasons. Former US attorney Geoffrey Berman told the House judiciary committee that attorney general Wiliam Barr repeatedly urged him to resign. In a copy of his prepared opening statement obtained by several news outlets, Berman said Barr told him he would be fired if he did not resign and warned that a firing would “not be good for [his] resume or future job prospects.” Berman refused to resign and was ultimately fired after a public spat with Barr and the president. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
9 Jul 2020 21.43 BST More from the Guardian’s Mario Koran in California: The silver lining about this wildfire season, said California governor Gavin Newsom, is that while the number of wildfires are on the rise — a fact he attributed to both climate change and man-made disasters brought on by state utility company PG&E — crews are handling fires more effectively, containing them to under 10 acres. PG&E in June pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges stemming from a devastating 2018 wildfire that killed 84 people and wiped out the northern California town of Paradise. The utility company emerged from bankruptcy and will face new requirements earlier this month. “None of us were shy about our condemnation of PG&E ”, said Newsom. “But they’re coming out (of bankruptcy) a new company, with new expectations and accountability. And new criteria, that if they don’t perform, California can intervene in ways we couldn’t in the past.” The threat comes also from individual actors. Already this year, CalFire arrested 45 arsonists setting blazes, said the governor. Another challenge presented by the pandemic: Inmate crews, long a mainstay in the state’s response to fires, have been depleted due to isolation and safety precautions. This week, state prison officials said they had placed 12 of the state’s 43 inmate fire camps on lockdown due to a massive outbreak at a Northern California prison in Lassen County that serves as the training center for fire crews, SacBee reported. The state is looking to bring in hundreds of temporary responders to fill in the vacancies. Inmates will be allowed to work alongside staff firefighters, risking their lives for several dollars a day, but will not mingle with them outside of work and meals, Newsom said.
9 Jul 2020 21.32 BST The Guardian’s Mario Koran reports from California: California is entering peak wildfire season just as coronavirus cases and fatalities reach record highs. The conditions create a two-sided battlefront that will tax resources, stretch the state’s capacity to provide medical care, and pose new challenges should residents need to seek shelter if wildfires lay waste to their communities. #COVID19 has created unique challenges for CA to fight wildfires but that isn't slowing us down from preparing.
Since 2019, CA has:
🚒 Completed 35 fuel projects to protect high-risk locations
🚁 Invested in firefighting tech
💡 Worked to develop more responsive utilities
& more pic.twitter.com/jTi8ir5m2F — Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) July 9, 2020 Already this season, more than 4,000 wildfires have erupted, topping the average for this time of year by more than 1,500, said California governor Gavin Newsom. “We are in peak fire season”, said CalFire Chief Thom Porter. “That means that fires aren’t just going to go out as the sun goes down”, he said. Fire officials say the pandemic will add new challenges to the state’s response. Should wildfires rip through communities and destroy homes, officials plan to modify shelter conditions, creating additional space for Covid-positive patients, and switching from buffet-style dinners to Meals Ready to Eat, individually packaged meals that US soldiers eat.


theguardian--2020-07-09--Drivers target Black Lives Matter protesters in 'horrifying' spate of attacks

Sustained demonstrations across the US calling for racial justice and an end to police brutality in the wake of the May killing of George Floyd are being met with a rising trend for apparent counter-protesters using vehicles to threaten or slam into marchers .
Tension has also continued between protesters and police in some areas , with reports of law enforcement officers confronting crowds with flash-bang grenades and pepper spray .
In several US cities there has been a spate of people driving into protesters , with reports of multiple injuries and at least one death .
A truck was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Newton , near Boston , Massachusetts , on Tuesday .
“ It was horrifying , ” Rachel Alpert-Wisnia , a 16-year-old high school student , told the local outlet WCVB , after a man in a truck reportedly revved his engine and beeped before speeding toward the crowd .
Alpert-Wisnia was one of the organizers of the Black Lives Matter action , a protest group of mostly teens .
In two videos shared online , a truck can be seen rushing toward the students as they fled to a driveway nearby .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had detained a man who drove through a Black Lives Matter protest near Times Square in Manhattan on Tuesday night .
The driver pulled on to the street after demonstrators first attempted to stop his car as they marched or cycled along .
No one was injured or arrested in the incident .
The driver was later released by NYPD officers .
According to authorities , protesters pushed their bikes under the SUV , and the vehicle rolled over them .
These are the latest of several incidents involving drivers endangering protesters in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , Suffolk county officials confirmed they arrested a driver who hit two demonstrators taking part in a Black Lives Matter protest on Monday .
The man initially sped away but was caught soon after and charged with third-degree assault .
“ His charges need to be raised to at least a felony , ” Jeremiah Bennett , 26 , said in an interview .
Bennett was one of two victims who were rushed to a nearby hospital with non life-threatening injuries .
Earlier this week , a Seattle man was arrested and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driving his car on to a freeway that had been blocked by protesters .
Witnesses reported that he swerved around makeshift roadblocks before hitting a panicked crowd of young activists .
Summer Taylor , 24 , of Seattle , died and Diaz Love , 32 , of Portland , Oregon , was seriously injured on Interstate 5 early on Sunday .
Taylor ’ s mother , Dalia Taylor , talked at a press conference on Wednesday about Summer ’ s love , empathy , and dedication to fighting for people ’ s rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want Summer ’ s passion as an ally to continue lifting up Black lives in Seattle and all over our country , ” Taylor said .
A detective , Mike Brown , in the King ’ s county sheriff ’ s office in Washington state has since been placed on leave and an investigation opened into reports that he posted on social media mocking the two activists who were hit .
The detective is a cousin of Washington Democratic governor Jay Inslee , known nationally for his work on the climate crisis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now-ended 2020 run for the presidency .
The driver of the car on I-5 , Dawit Kelete , is in custody and a judge on Monday set a $ 1.2m bail .
John Henry Browne , Kelete ’ s lawyer , called the crash a “ horrible , horrible accident ” , telling the Associated Press “ there ’ s absolutely nothing political about this case ” .
“ My client is in tears , ” Browne said .
“ He ’ s very remorseful .
He feels tremendous guilt ” .
Kelete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There have also been instances of police patrol vehicles driving into protesters during the initial protests that broke out in the days after George Floyd , an African American man living in Minneapolis , was killed by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck .
And in an infamous 2017 case , the campaigner Heather Heyer was killed and numerous people badly injured in Charlottesville , Virginia , when those protesting a rightwing , white nationalist rally were crushed or thrown into the air after neo-Nazi sympathizer James Fields drove into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Chicago ’ s Project on Security and Threats concluded that rightwing extremists were behind at least 50 vehicle-ramming incidents since the latest waves of protests began in late May .
At least 18 were categorized as deliberate while another two dozen were considered unclear as to motivation , or were still under investigation .
“ The message they ’ re trying to send is , ‘ You need to get out of the street and stop these protests , ’ ” Ari Weil , a terrorism researcher and the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least 20 people face prosecution for the attempted assaults , including a state leader of the Virginia Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists .
One California man was charged with attempted murder after antagonizing protesters and then driving into them , striking a teenage girl .
Donald Trump has balked at any associations between agitators and his base but has been accused of stoking racial division , especially in speeches over the Fourth of July long weekend .
He has called a proposed Black Lives Matter mural outside Trump Tower in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate ” .
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany later attempted to clarify that the president was directing his remarks toward the organization and not protesters .
But an investigation by the Intercept found the Trump campaign falsely portrayed Black Lives Matter protesters who acted legally to stop a looter threatening violence as dangerous thugs plotting to “ unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities ” in two separate ads .
Meanwhile officers clashed with protesters outside the White House on Tuesday night after marchers gathered from different parts of Washington DC .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ detaining organizers .
According to WJLA , as many as eight were arrested but were later released by early Wednesday .
And tensions escalated between activists and law enforcement officials across the country , with clashes reported in states including Georgia , Washington , Oregon and Maryland .

Sustained demonstrations across the US calling for racial justice and an end to police brutality in the wake of the May killing of George Floyd are being met with a rising trend for apparent counter-protesters using vehicles to threaten or slam into marchers.
Tension has also continued between protesters and police in some areas, with reports of law enforcement officers confronting crowds with flash-bang grenades and pepper spray.
In several US cities there has been a spate of people driving into protesters, with reports of multiple injuries and at least one death.
A truck was witnessed accelerating towards a small crowd demonstrating in Newton, Massachusetts, near Boston, on Tuesday.
“It was horrifying,” Rachel Alpert-Wisnia, a 16-year-old high school student, told the local outlet WCVB, after a man in a truck reportedly revved his engine and beeped before speeding toward the crowd.
Alpert-Wisnia was one of the organizers of the Black Lives Matter action, a protest group of mostly teens. In two videos shared online, a truck can be seen rushing toward the students as they fled to a driveway nearby.
New York police department officials confirmed they had detained a man who drove through a Black Lives Matter protest near Times Square in Manhattan on Tuesday night. The driver pulled on to the street after demonstrators first attempted to stop his car as they marched or cycled along.
No one was injured or arrested in the incident. The driver was later released by NYPD officers. According to authorities, protesters pushed their bikes under the SUV, and the vehicle rolled over them.
These are the latest of several incidents involving drivers endangering protesters in recent days. Elsewhere in New York state, Suffolk county officials confirmed they arrested a driver who hit two demonstrators taking part in a Black Lives Matter protest on Monday. The man initially sped away but was caught soon after and charged with third-degree assault.
“His charges need to be raised to at least a felony,” Jeremiah Bennett, 26, said in an interview. Bennett was one of two victims who were rushed to a nearby hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Earlier this week, a Seattle man was arrested and is under investigation for vehicular assault after driving his car on to a freeway that had been blocked by protesters.
Witnesses reported that he swerved around makeshift roadblocks before hitting a panicked crowd of young activists.
Summer Taylor, 24, of Seattle, died and Diaz Love, 32, of Portland, Oregon, was seriously injured on Interstate 5 early on Sunday.
Taylor’s mother, Dalia Taylor, talked at a press conference on Wednesday about Summer’s love, empathy, and dedication to fighting for people’s rights.
“Even in death, we want Summer’s passion as an ally to continue lifting up Black lives in Seattle and all over our country,” Taylor said.
A detective, Mike Brown, in the King’s county sheriff’s office in Washington state has since been placed on leave and an investigation opened into reports that he posted on social media mocking the two activists who were hit.
The detective is a cousin of Washington Democratic governor Jay Inslee, known nationally for his work on the climate crisis and making that a central theme of his now-ended 2020 run for the presidency.
I'm deeply disappointed and totally reject the language of my cousin Mike Brown who made inflammatory comments about recent protests. The language is unacceptable and just flat wrong, particularly from a law enforcement officer, as we try to heal the divisions of our community. — Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) July 7, 2020
The driver of the car on I-5, Dawit Kelete, who is Black, hit two protesters, killing one and seriously injuring the other, is in custody and a judge on Monday set a $1.2m bail.
John Henry Browne, Kelete’s lawyer, called the crash a “horrible, horrible accident”, telling the Associated Press “there’s absolutely nothing political about this case”.
“My client is in tears,” Browne said. “He’s very remorseful. He feels tremendous guilt”.
Kelete was charged on Wednesday with homicide.
A vigil to honor Summer Taylor. Taylor’s mother said “Even in death, we want Summer’s passion as an ally to continue lifting up Black lives in Seattle and all over our country.” Photograph: David Ryder/Getty Images
There have also been instances of police patrol vehicles driving into protesters during the initial protests that broke out in the days after George Floyd, an African American man living in Minneapolis, was killed by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck.
And in an infamous 2017 case, the campaigner Heather Heyer was killed and numerous people badly injured in Charlottesville, Virginia, when those protesting a rightwing, white nationalist rally were crushed or thrown into the air after neo-Nazi sympathizer James Fields drove into them.
Last month a report from the University of Chicago’s Project on Security and Threats concluded that rightwing extremists were behind at least 50 vehicle-ramming incidents since the latest waves of protests began in late May.
At least 18 were categorized as deliberate while another two dozen were considered unclear as to motivation, or were still under investigation.
“The message they’re trying to send is, ‘You need to get out of the street and stop these protests,’” Ari Weil, a terrorism researcher and the report’s author, told NPR.
At least 20 people face prosecution for the attempted assaults, including a state leader of the Virginia Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists. One California man was charged with attempted murder after antagonizing protesters and then driving into them, striking a teenage girl.
Just informed 9 protesters arrested at #BlackLivesMatter Plaza of those #OccupyHStreet protesters. Was just told “we need people down here”.
With police sweep of tents yesterday, this is unsurprising. Police keep escalating tactics as ppl refuse to stop #DCProtests pic.twitter.com/thBfKNZ6B5 — ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) July 8, 2020
Donald Trump has balked at any associations between agitators and his base but has been accused of stoking racial division, especially in speeches over the Fourth of July long weekend.
He has called a proposed Black Lives Matter mural outside Trump Tower in New York City a “symbol of hate”.
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany later attempted to clarify that the president was directing his remarks toward the organization and not protesters.
But an investigation by the Intercept found the Trump campaign falsely portrayed Black Lives Matter protesters who acted legally to stop a looter threatening violence as dangerous thugs plotting to “unleash a wave of violent crime in our cities” in two separate ads.
Meanwhile officers clashed with protesters outside the White House on Tuesday night after marchers gathered from different parts of Washington DC. Online, protesters shared videos of officers detaining organizers. According to WJLA, as many as eight were arrested but were later released by early Wednesday.
And tensions escalated between activists and law enforcement officials across the country, with clashes reported in states including Georgia, Washington, Oregon and Maryland.


theguardian--2020-07-09--Televangelists take a slice as churches accept billions in US coronavirus aid

More than 10,600 religious organizations have taken at least $ 3bn in coronavirus financial aid from the US government , according to an analysis by the Guardian , raising concerns about the separation of church and state .
The list of recipients of federal Paycheck Protection Program payments includes churches , synagogues , temples and private religious schools .
Among them are the ministries of wealthy televangelists accused of fraud and one “ secretive sect ” .
Religious leaders who have advised the Trump administration have seen their operations receive millions , as did a not-for-profit organization that supports Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ churches – which do not pay taxes , don ’ t have to disclose their funding sources , and aren ’ t subject to all anti-discrimination laws – from receiving publicly funded forgivable PPP coronavirus relief loans .
Rachel Laser , the chief executive of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State , said the situation was unprecedented and unacceptable .
“ The American government at the federal level has never before subsidized houses of worship to pay for the salaries of their clergy , ” Laser said .
“ At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amendment clearly forbids this .
The Small Business Administration of the Trump administration may have allowed it , but the constitution forbids it.
” But churches contacted by the Guardian said that they – just like other employers – need the money to keep paying staff , contributing to local economies and serving their communities .
The Guardian attempted to contact all of the organizations in this story for comment .
Michael McConnell , a constitutional law professor at Stanford University and a former judge , said he did not see a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose of the program was to subsidize employers so that laid-off workers would not lose their jobs , and that purpose is as important when it comes to a church secretary as it is when it is a receptionist in an office , ” McConnell said .
Nineteen organizations received the highest loan amount available – between $ 5m and $ 10m , according to data released on Monday by the SBA .
Seven of those 19 are affiliated with the Catholic church , including the archdiocese of New York .
Only 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to salaries to be forgiven .
The other 40 % can be used on other expenses .
Most of the thousands of churches that received aid are not mired in controversy .
They range in size and denomination .
Life.Church , which is headquartered in Edmond , Oklahoma , but has 34 locations and produces podcasts and online religion programs , received between $ 5m and $ 10m and said the money would help retain 451 workers .
“ We ’ re grateful that non-profits and churches were able to qualify for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizations like ours play an important role in serving communities during times of crisis , ” said Pastor Bobby Gruenewald .
But highly controversial figures have also received aid .
They include the televangelists Jimmy Swaggart , Jim Bakker and Peter Popoff .
Swaggart , who leads the Family Worship Center in Louisiana , was defrocked by the Pentecostal Assemblies of God in the early 1990s after being implicated in sex scandals .
His church got between $ 2m and $ 5m .
Bakker , of Morningside Church Productions in Missouri , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a highly publicized sexual encounter with a church secretary ; was imprisoned in the 90s on dozens of fraud and conspiracy charges surrounding his church fundraising ; and now promotes emergency survival products .
He has been sued by Missouri ’ s attorney general for allegedly selling a fake “ coronavirus cure ” .
His representatives have defended the product .
Morningside received between $ 350,000 and $ 1m .
Popoff , of People United for Christ in California , was exposed for using an earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details about his audience members during religious services .
He also promotes miracle spring water and claims to be a prophet .
His church received between $ 350,000 and $ 1m as well .
Word of Faith Fellowship , which the Associated Press calls a “ secretive North Carolina sect ” , also received funds .
The organization has been investigated for allegedly abusing congregants and its leaders have faced charges from fraud to human trafficking , according to NPR .
The group ’ s website responds to various allegations in a section @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pete Evans , who investigates religious fraud for the Trinity Foundation , said he had expected controversial churches would receive the aid .
“ You ’ re getting free money , and that ’ s what these guys are good at , ” Evans said .
Many of the leaders of the churches receiving funds are wealthy .
Mac Hammond ’ s church , Living Word Christian Center in Minnesota , acquired a private jet on 11 March , just as the pandemic was beginning in the US , according to government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was approved for between $ 2m and $ 5m in coronavirus aid .
Among the top loan recipients is Joyce Meyer Ministries , a Missouri-based Christian ministry with TV shows and radio programs .
It received between $ 5m and $ 10m , even though it reported having $ 12m cash on hand at the end of 2019 , according to an annual financial report .
Meyer ’ s own lavish lifestyle has come under scrutiny , including when her church was one of six of the biggest in America investigated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status of religious organizations in 2007 .
In 2003 , the St Louis Post-Dispatch published a four-part special report detailing her $ 10m corporate jet and $ 2m home and other houses .
Several religious groups whose leaders are reportedly Trump evangelical advisers took between $ 2m and $ 5m each .
Paula White ’ s City of Destiny received between $ 150,000 and $ 350,000 .
She is the chair of Trump ’ s Faith and Opportunity Initiative .
Eternal Word Television Network , a conservative Catholic network on which Trump appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order protecting statues that have been torn down by protesters , received between $ 2m and $ 5m .
The $ 3bn total does not include loans under $ 150,000 , for which the SBA did not release full data .
It is also the lower end of a range provided in data from the agency .
At most , the religious organizations could have taken up to $ 7.5bn .
The Guardian analysis includes all organizations listed under the industry code for “ establishments primarily engaged in operating religious organizations ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ category and were not captured in this review .
Some non-ministry organizations received large sums too , including Friends of the Israel Defense Forces , which describes its mission as “ to offer educational , cultural , recreational , and social services programs and facilities that provide hope , purpose , and life-changing support for the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews worldwide ” .
It received between $ 2m and $ 5m .

More than 10,600 religious organizations have taken at least $3bn in coronavirus financial aid from the US government, according to an analysis by the Guardian, raising concerns about the separation of church and state.
The list of recipients of federal Paycheck Protection Program payments includes churches, synagogues, temples and private religious schools. Among them are the ministries of wealthy televangelists accused of fraud and one “secretive sect”.
Religious leaders who have advised the Trump administration have seen their operations receive millions, as did a not-for-profit organization that supports Israeli soldiers.
There is no restriction against churches – which do not pay taxes, don’t have to disclose their funding sources, and aren’t subject to all anti-discrimination laws – from receiving publicly funded forgivable PPP coronavirus relief loans.
Rachel Laser, the chief executive of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, said the situation was unprecedented and unacceptable.
“The American government at the federal level has never before subsidized houses of worship to pay for the salaries of their clergy,” Laser said. “At Americans United we believe that the first amendment clearly forbids this. The Small Business Administration of the Trump administration may have allowed it, but the constitution forbids it.”
But churches contacted by the Guardian said that they – just like other employers – need the money to keep paying staff, contributing to local economies and serving their communities. The Guardian attempted to contact all of the organizations in this story for comment.
Michael McConnell, a constitutional law professor at Stanford University and a former judge, said he did not see a problem with churches taking aid.
“The purpose of the program was to subsidize employers so that laid-off workers would not lose their jobs, and that purpose is as important when it comes to a church secretary as it is when it is a receptionist in an office,” McConnell said.
Nineteen organizations received the highest loan amount available – between $5m and $10m, according to data released on Monday by the SBA. Seven of those 19 are affiliated with the Catholic church, including the archdiocese of New York. Only 60% of the funds churches receive must go to salaries to be forgiven. The other 40% can be used on other expenses.
Most of the thousands of churches that received aid are not mired in controversy. They range in size and denomination.
Life.Church, which is headquartered in Edmond, Oklahoma, but has 34 locations and produces podcasts and online religion programs, received between $5m and $10m and said the money would help retain 451 workers.
“We’re grateful that non-profits and churches were able to qualify for the PPP, because we believe that organizations like ours play an important role in serving communities during times of crisis,” said Pastor Bobby Gruenewald.
But highly controversial figures have also received aid. They include the televangelists Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker and Peter Popoff.
Swaggart, who leads the Family Worship Center in Louisiana, was defrocked by the Pentecostal Assemblies of God in the early 1990s after being implicated in sex scandals. His church got between $2m and $5m.
Bakker, of Morningside Church Productions in Missouri, was defrocked by the Assemblies of God after a highly publicized sexual encounter with a church secretary; was imprisoned in the 90s on dozens of fraud and conspiracy charges surrounding his church fundraising; and now promotes emergency survival products. He has been sued by Missouri’s attorney general for allegedly selling a fake “coronavirus cure”. His representatives have defended the product. Morningside received between $350,000 and $1m.
Popoff, of People United for Christ in California, was exposed for using an earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife so he could pretend to know personal details about his audience members during religious services. He also promotes miracle spring water and claims to be a prophet. His church received between $350,000 and $1m as well.
Word of Faith Fellowship, which the Associated Press calls a “secretive North Carolina sect”, also received funds. The organization has been investigated for allegedly abusing congregants and its leaders have faced charges from fraud to human trafficking, according to NPR. The group’s website responds to various allegations in a section called “Response to Media Lies”.
You’re getting free money, and that’s what these guys are good at Pete Evans
Pete Evans, who investigates religious fraud for the Trinity Foundation, said he had expected controversial churches would receive the aid.
“You’re getting free money, and that’s what these guys are good at,” Evans said.
Many of the leaders of the churches receiving funds are wealthy. Mac Hammond’s church, Living Word Christian Center in Minnesota, acquired a private jet on 11 March, just as the pandemic was beginning in the US, according to government records. Less than a month later, it was approved for between $2m and $5m in coronavirus aid.
Among the top loan recipients is Joyce Meyer Ministries, a Missouri-based Christian ministry with TV shows and radio programs. It received between $5m and $10m, even though it reported having $12m cash on hand at the end of 2019, according to an annual financial report.
Meyer’s own lavish lifestyle has come under scrutiny, including when her church was one of six of the biggest in America investigated during a Senate inquiry into the tax-exempt status of religious organizations in 2007.
In 2003, the St Louis Post-Dispatch published a four-part special report detailing her $10m corporate jet and $2m home and other houses.
Several religious groups whose leaders are reportedly Trump evangelical advisers took between $2m and $5m each.
Paula White’s City of Destiny received between $150,000 and $350,000. She is the chair of Trump’s Faith and Opportunity Initiative.
Eternal Word Television Network, a conservative Catholic network on which Trump appeared on 22 June to announce his executive order protecting statues that have been torn down by protesters, received between $2m and $5m.
The $3bn total does not include loans under $150,000, for which the SBA did not release full data. It is also the lower end of a range provided in data from the agency. At most, the religious organizations could have taken up to $7.5bn. The Guardian analysis includes all organizations listed under the industry code for “establishments primarily engaged in operating religious organizations”.
Some religious groups fall outside of that category and were not captured in this review.
Some non-ministry organizations received large sums too, including Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, which describes its mission as “to offer educational, cultural, recreational, and social services programs and facilities that provide hope, purpose, and life-changing support for the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews worldwide”. It received between $2m and $5m.


theguardian--2020-07-09--America's international students are facing deportation. This is a disaster | Gayatri Devi

If you are an international student planning to study in the United States this fall and your classes are online , you might want to prepare yourself .
Unlike students who are American citizens , you won ’ t get to resume your classes .
You are looking at losing your legal status in the US .
You are looking at getting deported .
On Monday , US Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( Ice ) issued new rules to all educational institutions in the country .
The new rules mandate that international students on F-1 and M-1 visas who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied entry into the US if their universities go online in the fall semester – as Harvard University , for instance , plans to do .
Students who are already inside the US whose universities go online will also lose their immigration status unless they can immediately secure admission at another program with in-person instruction .
If they can ’ t , they will be deported .
It ’ s hard not to view the new rules , soon to be published in the Federal Register , as an attempt by the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic for racist and xenophobic political ends .
Many of the students affected are people of color .
Ice has not given a clear or persuasive explanation for the rule change .
It appears to serve two of Trump ’ s political objectives , both paranoid talking points for his base .
One is to limit legal immigration of “ non-white ” races to the US .
The second is to force businesses to physically reopen to publicize a false sense of normalcy in the midst of a massive public health crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US has been falling since 2017 , international students make up 5.5 % of the total student body of American colleges and universities .
Undergraduate students constitute the bulk , followed by graduate students and those with optional practical training visas .
The largest number are from China , followed by India , South Korea , Saudi Arabia , and Canada .
They pay an average of three times the tuition paid by domestic students , with research indicating that the high net payments from international students cross-subsidize domestic American students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they contributed an estimated $ 45bn to the American economy .
But economic factors don ’ t capture their true contributions .
International students embody the values of cultural and linguistic diversity on our campuses , values touted in all educational mission statements .
In many rural university communities , for instance , international students are the faces of the world and sometimes the first foreigners domestic students have met .
We learn from international students .
They learn from us .
International students in the US , like American students abroad , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly fractious and divided world .
Part of the reason for these new Ice rules may be to force colleges and universities to reopen with the same indecent haste with which the Trump administration has pushed American businesses to reopen .
In this view , educational institutions are businesses , and the restrictions placed on student visas force the hand of these businesses .
While educational institutions thoughtfully try to plan for the fall semester with CDC mandated social distancing , disinfecting , testing , contact tracing , and by distributing personal protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the president has been tweeting in capital letters : “ SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL.
” The threat to evict international students from our campuses appears to be an attempt to financially blackmail universities already poised on the edge of precarity brought about by the pandemic , as well as an attempt to exploit the pandemic to kick non-white immigrants out of the country .
Education should not be used to exclude and disenfranchise students .
These extreme F-1/M-1 visa restrictions are an act of blatant educational discrimination .
There should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an international student .
The absence of either is of imminent concern .
• None Gayatri Devi is associate professor of English at Lock Haven University , Pennsylvania

If you are an international student planning to study in the United States this fall and your classes are online, you might want to prepare yourself. Unlike students who are American citizens, you won’t get to resume your classes. You are looking at losing your legal status in the US. You are looking at getting deported.
On Monday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) issued new rules to all educational institutions in the country. The new rules mandate that international students on F-1 and M-1 visas who are currently in their home countries will be denied entry into the US if their universities go online in the fall semester – as Harvard University, for instance, plans to do. Students already inside the US whose universities go online will also lose their immigration status unless they can immediately secure admission at another program with in-person instruction. If they can’t, they will be deported.
It’s hard not to view the new rules, soon to be published in the Federal Register, as an attempt by the Trump administration to exploit a global public health pandemic for racist and xenophobic political ends. Many of the students affected are people of color.
The rule change appears to serve two of Trump’s political objectives, both paranoid talking points for his base
Ice has not given a clear or persuasive explanation for the rule change. It appears to serve two of Trump’s political objectives, both paranoid talking points for his base. One is to limit legal immigration of “non-white” races to the US. The second is to force businesses to physically reopen to publicize a false sense of normalcy in the midst of a massive public health crisis.
While the overall number of international students in the US has been falling since 2017, international students make up 5.5% of the total student body of American colleges and universities. Undergraduate students constitute the bulk, followed by graduate students and those with optional practical training visas. The largest number are from China, followed by India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. They pay an average of three times the tuition paid by domestic students, with research indicating that the high net payments from international students cross-subsidize domestic American students. According to figures from 2018, they contributed an estimated $45bn to the American economy.
But economic factors don’t capture their true contributions. International students embody the values of cultural and linguistic diversity on our campuses, values touted in all educational mission statements. In many rural university communities, for instance, international students are the faces of the world and sometimes the first foreigners domestic students have met. We learn from international students. They learn from us. International students in the US, like American students abroad, build cultural bridges between nations in an increasingly fractious and divided world.
Part of the reason for these new Ice rules may be to force colleges and universities to reopen with the same indecent haste with which the Trump administration has pushed American businesses to reopen. In this view, educational institutions are businesses, and the restrictions placed on student visas force the hand of these businesses. While educational institutions thoughtfully try to plan for the fall semester with CDC mandated social distancing, disinfecting, testing, contact tracing, and by distributing personal protective equipment to students, staff and faculty, the president has been tweeting in capital letters: “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL.”
The threat to evict international students from our campuses appears to be an attempt to financially blackmail universities already poised on the edge of precarity brought about by the pandemic, as well as an attempt to exploit the pandemic to kick non-white immigrants out of the country.
Education should not be used to exclude and disenfranchise students. These extreme F-1/M-1 visa restrictions are an act of blatant educational discrimination. There should be no difference between a citizen student and an international student. The absence of either is of imminent concern.


theguardian--2020-07-10--Trump’s taxes may be released to grand jury, supreme court rules – as it happened

The White House pressured the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) to issue an unscientific statement in support of Trump ’ s false claims that Hurricane Dorian was likely to severely impact Alabama in September 2019 , according to an internal watchdog report .
The White House also pushed for a “ correction ” to a National Weather Service tweet about the hurricane that contradicted Trump , according to a report from the commerce department inspector general released on Thursday .
On 1 September , Trump falsely stated that Alabama would be “ hit ( much ) harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reassure panicked residents , Noaa ’ s National Weather Service office in Birmingham tweeted , “ Alabama will NOT see any impacts from # Dorian .
We repeat , no impacts from Hurricane # Dorian will be felt across Alabama .
The system will remain too far east.
” But Trump doubled down and displayed an altered Noaa forecast map that had been drawn on with a marker in support of his erroneous assertions ( aka “ Sharpiegate ” ) .
According to the report , former White House chief of staff Mick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ross , to help push through a Noaa statement backing the president .
The move “ potentially undercut public trust in NOAA ’ s and the NWS ’ s science and the apolitical nature of that science ” , according to the IG report .
The incident foreshadows the White House ’ s conduct during the coronavirus pandemic – Trump has repeatedly contradicted public health officials .
The US is bracing for a heavy hurricane season amid a surge of coronavirus cases in Florida , Louisiana , and other storm-prone states .

Maanvi Singh (now) and Joan E Greve and Martin Belam (earlier)