theguardian--2020-02-13--'Barking clown': Bloomberg fires back on Twitter after Trump taunts

Donald Trump and his fellow billionaire and would-be presidential challenger , Mike Bloomberg , traded insults on Twitter on Thursday , with Trump dismissing the former New York mayor as a “ loser ” and Bloomberg describing him as a “ barking clown ” .
Using a now-familiar line of attack that misstates Bloomberg ’ s 5ft 8in stature , Trump tweeted : “ Mini Mike is a 5 ’ 4 ” mass of dead energy who does not want to be on the debate stage with these professional politicians .
No boxes please.
” In a subsequent salvo Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenger Jeb Bush .
“ Mini Mike Bloomberg is a LOSER who has money but can ’ t debate and has zero presence , you will see .
He reminds me of a tiny version of Jeb ‘ Low Energy ’ Bush , but Jeb has more political skill and has treated the Black community much better than Mini !
” Twenty minutes later , Bloomberg returned fire , drawing attention to doubts that Trump is not as wealthy or as successful as he likes to portray himself .
“ @ realDonaldTrump – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in NY .
Behind your back they laugh at you & call you a carnival barking clown , ” Bloomberg said in a posting .
“ They know you inherited a fortune & squandered it with stupid deals and incompetence.
” Bloomberg , whose wealth Forbes estimates at $ 61.8bn , continued : “ I have the record & the resources to defeat you .
And I will.
” The financial data businessman has spent at least $ 350m on his campaign to date and said he plans to spend up to $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealthy New Yorkers are honing their attacks as a once cordial relationship turns toxic .
For more than a decade , the two businessmen appeared on friendly terms at charity golf tournaments , ribbon cuttings events and even on Trump ’ s reality TV show .
Forbes estimates Trump to be worth 20 times less than Bloomberg – or $ 3.1bn – with very little of that in liquid assets .
A New York Times analysis estimates the Trump re-election campaign or its associated committees raised $ 154m in the last three months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand .
In contrast , Bloomberg has said he is open to spending $ 1bn to defeat Trump and has swamped America ’ s airwaves and social media with campaign ads – far outspending any other Democratic rival .
But it is on the free social media platform of Twitter that the two men ’ s rivalry has the sharpest elbows .
After audiotape was leaked earlier this week of Bloomberg praising “ stop and frisk ” policing tactics while mayor of New York – a discriminatory policy he now disavows – Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a Twitter post that was later taken down .
In his response , Bloomberg accused the president of attacking him because of his “ fear over the growing strength of my campaign ” .
He continued : “ Make no mistake , Mr. President : I am not afraid of you , and I will not let you bully me or anyone else in America.
” The following day , Bloomberg tweeted again : “ Donald Trump is the world ’ s biggest schoolyard bully – with no respect for civility or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Donald Trump and his fellow billionaire and would-be presidential challenger, Mike Bloomberg, traded insults on Twitter on Thursday, with Trump dismissing the former New York mayor as a “loser” and Bloomberg describing him as a “barking clown”.
Using a now-familiar line of attack that misstates Bloomberg’s 5ft 8in stature, Trump tweeted: “Mini Mike is a 5’4” mass of dead energy who does not want to be on the debate stage with these professional politicians. No boxes please.”
In a subsequent salvo Trump compared Bloomberg to his 2016 Republican nomination challenger Jeb Bush.
“Mini Mike Bloomberg is a LOSER who has money but can’t debate and has zero presence, you will see. He reminds me of a tiny version of Jeb ‘Low Energy’ Bush, but Jeb has more political skill and has treated the Black community much better than Mini!”
Twenty minutes later, Bloomberg returned fire, drawing attention to doubts that Trump is not as wealthy or as successful as he likes to portray himself.
“@realDonaldTrump – we know many of the same people in NY. Behind your back they laugh at you & call you a carnival barking clown,” Bloomberg said in a posting. “They know you inherited a fortune & squandered it with stupid deals and incompetence.”
Bloomberg, whose wealth Forbes estimates at $61.8bn, continued: “I have the record & the resources to defeat you. And I will.” The financial data businessman has spent at least $350m on his campaign to date and said he plans to spend up to $1bn on the race.
The two wealthy New Yorkers are honing their attacks as a once cordial relationship turns toxic. For more than a decade, the two businessmen appeared on friendly terms at charity golf tournaments, ribbon cuttings events and even on Trump’s reality TV show.
Forbes estimates Trump’s wealth to be $3.1bn, or 1/20th of Bloomberg’s fortune, with little of that in liquid assets. A New York Times analysis estimates the Trump re-election campaign or its associated committees raised $154m in the last three months of 2019 and have $195m on hand.
In contrast, Bloomberg has said he is open to spending $1bn to defeat Trump and has swamped America’s airwaves and social media with campaign ads – far outspending any other Democratic rival.
But it is on the free social media platform of Twitter that the two men’s rivalry has the sharpest elbows.
After audiotape was leaked earlier this week of Bloomberg praising “stop and frisk” policing tactics while mayor of New York – a discriminatory policy he now disavows – Trump called him a “TOTAL RACIST” in a Twitter post that was later taken down.
In his response, Bloomberg accused the president of attacking him because of his “fear over the growing strength of my campaign”. He continued: “Make no mistake, Mr. President: I am not afraid of you, and I will not let you bully me or anyone else in America.”
The following day, Bloomberg tweeted again: “Donald Trump is the world’s biggest schoolyard bully – with no respect for civility or decency, or facts or honesty.”


theguardian--2020-02-13--Hope Hicks, former Trump aide, returns to the White House as counselor

Hope Hicks , one of Donald Trump ’ s most trusted and longest-serving aides , is returning to the White House as his re-election campaign moves into high gear .
Hicks will be serving as a counselor to Trump , working with presidential son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner .
She was previously White House communications director before she departed in October 2018 to become an executive vice-president and chief communications officer for Fox .
Earlier that year , while the Mueller investigation was examining allegations that the Trump 2016 election campaign had colluded with Moscow to help his cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee that she had occasionally told “ white lies ” for Donald Trump .
But she insisted she had not lied about anything relevant to the investigation , according to those present at the time for her nine-hour closed-door testimony .
Hicks had refused to talk about her time working for the White House and had only discussed working for Trump prior to his election – despite questions about any involvement in the drafting of untrue statements about Russian contacts , while consulting with the president aboard Air Force One .
Unlike many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have departed the president ’ s side either by being directly fired or otherwise ousted , Hicks left with warm tributes from Trump .
Throughout Trump ’ s 2016 campaign and relentlessly chaotic early presidency , she had been a constant presence at his side , outside of his family .
When the now 31-year-old Hicks , a former Ralph Lauren model , became the White House communications director , she worked from a tiny office outside the Oval Office as a gatekeeper and sounding board for the president .
Her judgment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over Rob Porter , a senior White House aide accused of physically abusing two ex-wives and whom Hicks had reportedly been dating .
Publicly , Trump offered his support for Hicks , saying : “ Hope is absolutely fantastic .
She was with the campaign from the beginning , and I could not ask for anything more .
Hope is smart , very talented and respected by all.
” But in private , the president was believed to have issued rare criticism of a woman who , by some estimates , was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump himself , and perhaps some in his immediate family .
At issue was whether Hicks relaxed her judgment owing to her relationship with Porter .
White House officials said Hicks knew that an ex-girlfriend of Porter ’ s had told aides that both of Porter ’ s ex-wives had said he was violent .
Hicks reportedly continued to see him and did not tell the president .
Porter denied the allegations against him .

Joanna Walters and Edward Helmore in New York

Hope Hicks, one of Donald Trump’s most trusted and longest-serving aides, is returning to the White House as his re-election campaign moves into high gear.
Hicks will be serving as a counselor to Trump, working with presidential son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.
She was previously White House communications director before she departed in October 2018 to become an executive vice-president and chief communications officer for Fox.
Earlier that year, while the Mueller investigation was examining allegations that the Trump 2016 election campaign had colluded with Moscow to help his cause, Hicks acknowledged to a US congressional committee that she had occasionally told “white lies” for Donald Trump.
But she insisted she had not lied about anything relevant to the investigation, according to those present at the time for her nine-hour closed-door testimony.
Hicks had refused to talk about her time working for the White House and had only discussed working for Trump prior to his election – despite questions about any involvement in the drafting of untrue statements about Russian contacts, while consulting with the president aboard Air Force One.
Unlike many former senior members of the Trump administration who have departed the president’s side either by being directly fired or otherwise ousted, Hicks left with warm tributes from Trump.
Throughout Trump’s 2016 campaign and relentlessly chaotic early presidency, she had been a constant presence at his side, outside of his family.
When the now 31-year-old Hicks, a former Ralph Lauren model, became the White House communications director, she worked from a tiny office outside the Oval Office as a gatekeeper and sounding board for the president.
Her judgment was called into question in early 2018 over Rob Porter, a senior White House aide accused of physically abusing two ex-wives and whom Hicks had reportedly been dating.
Publicly, Trump offered his support for Hicks, saying: “Hope is absolutely fantastic. She was with the campaign from the beginning, and I could not ask for anything more. Hope is smart, very talented and respected by all.”
But in private, the president was believed to have issued rare criticism of a woman who, by some estimates, was the most influential figure in the administration after Trump himself, and perhaps some in his immediate family.
At issue was whether Hicks relaxed her judgment owing to her relationship with Porter.
White House officials said Hicks knew that an ex-girlfriend of Porter’s had told aides that both of Porter’s ex-wives had said he was violent. Hicks reportedly continued to see him and did not tell the president. Porter denied the allegations against him.


theguardian--2020-02-13--Roger Stone case: chief justice urged to step in as Trump's 'abuse of power' condemned

The scandal embroiling the White House and US justice department in the case of Donald Trump ’ s former confidant Roger Stone deepened on Thursday as senior Democrats condemned an “ abuse of power ” by the president and called for the chief justice of the supreme court to intervene to protect the judge in the case .
And a senior law enforcement official quit after her oversight of the prosecution of Stone cost her a top job at the treasury , CNN reported on Thursday .
The abrupt resignation of Jessie Liu , who previously led the US attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresh fuel on a political fire lit by the president ’ s perceived interference at the justice department .
While Trump continued to deny wrongdoing , Democrats urged the chief justice , John Roberts , to defend the independence of the judicial branch from the president ’ s continued attacks .
Liu had overseen numerous cases stemming from the special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation as well as that of the former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe , who has long been assailed by Trump .
She reportedly resigned from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination as its under-secretary for terrorism and financial crimes , a Senate-confirmed position , was unceremoniously pulled by Trump in what appeared to be retaliation .
Critics warned that it fitted a pattern .
The president had previously criticised the career prosecutors who recommended a prison sentence of seven to nine years for his longtime friend and adviser Stone , describing it as “ horrible ” and a “ miscarriage of justice ” .
Just hours later , the justice department called for a more lenient sentence , prompting all four prosecutors to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted criticism of the US district court judge Amy Berman Jackson , who is scheduled to sentence Stone on 20 February , and thanked William Barr , the attorney general , for “ taking charge ” of the case .
But he still wasn ’ t done .
On Thursday , Trump turned his wrath on the jury that convicted 67-year-old Stone in November on seven counts of lying to Congress , obstruction and witness tampering .
Citing a Fox News report that accused some of the jurors in the case of political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not looking good for the ‘ Justice ’ Department.
” He received backing from the chair of Senate judiciary committee .
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , a Trump loyalist , posted : “ If media reports are accurate – about juror bias in the Roger Stone case – I hope the court will take such allegations seriously.
” Barr , meanwhile , aired his views in an interview with ABC News , saying that Trump ’ s tweets about Stone case “ make it impossible for me to do my job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s time to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases , ” Barr told ABC on Thursday .
The attorney general emphasized Trump “ has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case ” , but he acknowledged the president ’ s comments undercut his authority .
The White House press secretary , Stephanie Grisham , later said Trump “ wasn ’ t bothered ” by the comments .
Democrats have denounced Trump ’ s conduct as an “ assault on the rule of law ” .
Chuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate , reiterated his demand for an investigation by the justice department ’ s inspector general and called for the chief justice to intervene , noting that he had previously defended a judge attacked by Trump .
“ Well , President Trump is once again attacking a federal judge – in this case Judge Amy Berman Jackson , who is presiding over the Stone case , ” Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor .
“ The nation now looks again to Chief Justice Roberts to make clear to President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added : “ Now would be the time for Chief Justice Roberts to speak up .
Now would be the time for the chief justice to directly and specifically defend the independence of this federal judge .
I hope he will see fit to do that , and to do it today.
” Roberts presided with an even hand over the Senate impeachment trial , which ended last week with Trump ’ s acquittal .
Democrats warn that verdict taught Trump only one lesson : that he can get away with anything .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Convince me that what Trump has done since the impeachment vote isn ’ t worse than what he did to warrant impeachment .
Like we warned , acquittal has turned out to be a green light for him to take a wrecking ball to democracy.
” Meanwhile , all 10 Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee wrote to Graham asking that the committee start investigation into political interference at the justice department .
“ The justice department ’ s mission ‘ to ensure fair and impartial justice for all Americans ’ requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political influence .
It ’ s becoming clear that this is not happening , ” the senators wrote .
“ That ’ s why the judiciary committee should investigate involvement of political appointees in this and other cases and hear directly from Attorney General Barr.
” Democrats did make one breakthrough in their oversight efforts .
They say Barr has agreed to appear before the House judiciary committee at the end of next month .
He is certain to be questioned over what pressure , if any , Trump exerted on behalf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nancy Pelosi , told reporters that Barr “ deeply damaged the rule of law ” .
She added : “ The attorney general has stooped to such levels .
What a sad disappointment to our country.
” She said : “ This is an abuse of power – that the president is again trying to manipulate federal law enforcement to serve his political interest .
This is not what America is about .
It is so wrong.
” Trump has declined to comment on whether he will eventually grant Stone a pardon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ say that yet , ” he told reporters on Wednesday .

The scandal embroiling the White House and US justice department in the case of Donald Trump’s former confidant Roger Stone deepened on Thursday as senior Democrats condemned an “abuse of power” by the president and called for the chief justice of the supreme court to intervene to protect the judge in the case.
And a senior law enforcement official quit after her oversight of the prosecution of Stone cost her a top job at the treasury, CNN reported on Thursday.
The abrupt resignation of Jessie Liu, who previously led the US attorney’s office in Washington, poured fresh fuel on a political fire lit by the president’s perceived interference at the justice department.
While Trump continued to deny wrongdoing, Democrats urged the chief justice, John Roberts, to defend the independence of the judicial branch from the president’s continued attacks.
Liu had overseen numerous cases stemming from the special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation as well as that of the former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, who has long been assailed by Trump.
She reportedly resigned from the treasury department on Wednesday evening after her nomination as its under-secretary for terrorism and financial crimes, a Senate-confirmed position, was unceremoniously pulled by Trump in what appeared to be retaliation.
Critics warned that it fitted a pattern. The president had previously criticised the career prosecutors who recommended a prison sentence of seven to nine years for his longtime friend and adviser Stone, describing it as “horrible” and a “miscarriage of justice”.
Just hours later, the justice department called for a more lenient sentence, prompting all four prosecutors to resign in protest. Trump has also tweeted criticism of the US district court judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is scheduled to sentence Stone on 20 February, and thanked William Barr, the attorney general, for “taking charge” of the case. But he still wasn’t done.
On Thursday, Trump turned his wrath on the jury that convicted 67-year-old Stone in November on seven counts of lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering. Citing a Fox News report that accused some of the jurors in the case of political bias, he tweeted: “This is not looking good for the ‘Justice’ Department.”
He received backing from the chair of Senate judiciary committee. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Trump loyalist, posted: “If media reports are accurate – about juror bias in the Roger Stone case – I hope the court will take such allegations seriously.”
Barr, meanwhile, aired his views in an interview with ABC News, saying that Trump’s tweets about Stone case “make it impossible for me to do my job’”.
“I think it’s time to stop the tweeting about Department of Justice criminal cases,” Barr told ABC on Thursday.
The attorney general emphasized Trump “has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case”, but he acknowledged the president’s comments undercut his authority.
The White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, later said Trump “wasn’t bothered” by the comments.
Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer condemned the president’s behaviour. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP
Democrats have denounced Trump’s conduct as an “assault on the rule of law”. Chuck Schumer, the minority leader in the Senate, reiterated his demand for an investigation by the justice department’s inspector general and called for the chief justice to intervene, noting that he had previously defended a judge attacked by Trump.
“Well, President Trump is once again attacking a federal judge – in this case Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is presiding over the Stone case,” Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor. “The nation now looks again to Chief Justice Roberts to make clear to President Trump that these attacks are unacceptable.”
Schumer added: “Now would be the time for Chief Justice Roberts to speak up. Now would be the time for the chief justice to directly and specifically defend the independence of this federal judge. I hope he will see fit to do that, and to do it today.”
Roberts presided with an even hand over the Senate impeachment trial, which ended last week with Trump’s acquittal. Democrats warn that verdict taught Trump only one lesson: that he can get away with anything.
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut tweeted: “Convince me that what Trump has done since the impeachment vote isn’t worse than what he did to warrant impeachment. Like we warned, acquittal has turned out to be a green light for him to take a wrecking ball to democracy.”
Meanwhile, all 10 Democrats on the Senate judiciary committee wrote to Graham asking that the committee start investigation into political interference at the justice department.
“The justice department’s mission ‘to ensure fair and impartial justice for all Americans’ requires that its prosecutorial decisions remain free from political influence. It’s becoming clear that this is not happening,” the senators wrote. “That’s why the judiciary committee should investigate involvement of political appointees in this and other cases and hear directly from Attorney General Barr.”
Democrats did make one breakthrough in their oversight efforts. They say Barr has agreed to appear before the House judiciary committee at the end of next month. He is certain to be questioned over what pressure, if any, Trump exerted on behalf of his friend.
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, told reporters that Barr “deeply damaged the rule of law”. She added: “The attorney general has stooped to such levels. What a sad disappointment to our country.”
She said: “This is an abuse of power – that the president is again trying to manipulate federal law enforcement to serve his political interest. This is not what America is about. It is so wrong.”
Trump has declined to comment on whether he will eventually grant Stone a pardon. “I don’t want to say that yet,” he told reporters on Wednesday.


theguardian--2020-02-13--Netflix documentary leads to review of Malcolm X's murder

The investigation into Malcolm X ’ s death could be reopened after new information was detailed in a Netflix series .
Following the release of the six-part documentary Who Killed Malcolm X ?
– which launched on the streaming platform on 7 February – the Manhattan district attorney will look into the case of the civil rights activist , with the possibility that the case may be reopened .
Three men were jailed for the 1965 murder of the activist , who in his campaigns for black empowerment dismissed the nonviolent ideology of contemporaries such as Martin Luther King .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elijah Muhammad ’ s Nation of Islam until an acrimonious split in 1964 .
Another member , Talmadge Hayer – later known as Mujahid Abdul Halim – admitted his part in the killing , while two other men , Norman 3X Butler ( who later became Muhammad Abdul Aziz ) and Thomas 15X Johnson ( who took the name Khalil Islam ) , maintained their innocence .
Aziz was released on parole in 1985 ; Islam was released in 1987 and died in 2009 ; Halim was released in 2010 .
The documentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including that it was set up by the FBI and was carried out by white nationalists .
Crucially , it emphasises the lack of evidence against Aziz and Islam , and the fact that Halim said that neither man was involved .
The Innocence Project , a nonprofit organisation that investigates potential miscarriages of justice , has also claimed that a civil rights lawyer , William Kunstler , obtained FBI documents supporting Halim ’ s version of events and naming other co-conspirators .
In a statement , the district attorney said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met with representatives from the Innocence Project and associated counsel regarding this matter.
” District attorney staff Peter Casolaro – who was part of the team that cleared the Central Park Five – and Charles King will work on the review .
This news pleased campaigners .
In a statement , the Innocence Project cofounder Barry Scheck said : “ Given the historical importance of this case and the fact that our client [ Aziz ] is 81 years old , we are especially encouraged that Mr Vance has assigned two highly respected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

The investigation into Malcolm X’s death could be reopened after new information was detailed in a Netflix series. Following the release of the six-part documentary Who Killed Malcolm X? – which launched on the streaming platform on 7 February – the Manhattan district attorney will look into the case of the civil rights activist, with the possibility that the case may be reopened.
Three men were jailed for the 1965 murder of the activist, who in his campaigns for black empowerment dismissed the nonviolent ideology of contemporaries such as Martin Luther King. Malcolm X had been a member of Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam until an acrimonious split in 1964. Another member, Talmadge Hayer – later known as Mujahid Abdul Halim – admitted his part in the killing, while two other men, Norman 3X Butler (who later became Muhammad Abdul Aziz) and Thomas 15X Johnson (who took the name Khalil Islam), maintained their innocence. Aziz was released on parole in 1985; Islam was released in 1987 and died in 2009; Halim was released in 2010.
The documentary examines various theories surrounding the killing, including that it was set up by the FBI and was carried out by white nationalists. Crucially, it emphasises the lack of evidence against Aziz and Islam, and the fact that Halim said that neither man was involved. The Innocence Project, a nonprofit organisation that investigates potential miscarriages of justice, has also claimed that a civil rights lawyer, William Kunstler, obtained FBI documents supporting Halim’s version of events and naming other co-conspirators.
In a statement, the district attorney said: “[District attorney Cyrus] Vance has met with representatives from the Innocence Project and associated counsel regarding this matter.”
District attorney staff Peter Casolaro – who was part of the team that cleared the Central Park Five – and Charles King will work on the review. This news pleased campaigners. In a statement, the Innocence Project cofounder Barry Scheck said: “Given the historical importance of this case and the fact that our client [Aziz] is 81 years old, we are especially encouraged that Mr Vance has assigned two highly respected prosecutors to work on this re-investigation.”


theguardian--2020-02-14--Attorney general William Barr tells Trump to stop tweeting about cases – live updates

Donald Trump ’ s attacks on Pete Buttigieg have so far focused on his unusual name and his alleged resemblance to Mad magazine mascot Alfred E Neumann – a slightly outdated reference the young Democrat humorously said he “ had to Google ” .
But there has been speculation about whether Trump – or his allies – will eventually attempt to make an issue of Buttigieg ’ s sexuality if the former South Bend mayor continues his run of strong primary showings .
Yesterday Rush Limbaugh – the rightwing talk-show host honoured by Trump with the Presidential Medal of Freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what that might look like , speculating that Democrats were worried about “ how ’ s this going to look ?
Thirty-seven-year-old gay guy kissing his husband on stage , next to Mr. Man , Donald Trump.
’ ” Joe Biden – one of the 38-year-old Buttigieg ’ s main centrist competitors – sprang to his defence .
“ Pete and I are competitors , but this guy has honor , he has courage , he is smart as hell.
” Sebastian Gorka , another Trump ally , also made an issue of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk show .
“ Why is a homosexual man lecturing us about the sanctity of life in the womb ?
Just a little curious there .
Strange , strange , ” Gorka said of Buttigieg ’ s views on abortion .
“ I thought you ’ re supposed to stay in your lane as a leftist .
You can ’ t comment on the lived experience of the other.
” Trump himself , however , was asked about whether Americans would vote for a gay man as president on Cleveland ’ s Newsradio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ I think there would be some that wouldn ’ t .
I wouldn ’ t be among that group , to be honest with you .
”

15 Feb 2020 01.15 GMT Evening summary Kari Paul here, logging off for the night. Here is the news of the last few hours: The Trump administration has promised to deploy specially trained tactical border patrol units to crack down on sanctuary cities across the US.
Attorneys for Roger Stone demanded a new trial on Friday.
Donald Trump tweeted in memory of the Parkland, Florida massacre that killed 17 people two years ago today.
Bill de Blasio, the New York Mayor, has endorsed Bernie Sanders for president.
14 Feb 2020 23.57 GMT Bill de Blasio, the New York mayor, has officially endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2020 Democratic presidential race, the Sanders campaign said on Friday. De Blasio himself made a bid for the White House in September but dropped out after just a few weeks. He will travel with Sanders to Nevada on Sunday ahead of the state’s caucuses on 22 February. “New Yorkers know all too well the damage caused by Donald Trump’s xenophobia, bigotry and recklessness, and Bernie is the candidate to take him on and take him down,” the announcement quoted de Blasio as saying. “I have called for a bold, progressive agenda, and that’s exactly what Senator Sanders has championed for decades.” In 2016, de Blasio endorsed Hillary Clinton over Sanders, but later said he believes Sanders could have beaten Trump.
Updated at 00.03 GMT
14 Feb 2020 22.54 GMT On Friday, Donald Trump offered condolences on Twitter to commemorate two years since the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, which killed 17 people. ....Today, @FLOTUS and I encourage all Americans to cherish and honor the memory of those we have lost through acts of love and service. We will hold Parkland forever in our hearts. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2020 The president said he met with family members of victims earlier this week. Indeed Trump invited families of those killed to the White House to discuss school safety and developed an online tool to prevent violence. Not all families were invited to the event, however. In a move that has been called “vengeful”, one parent was left out. Fred Guttenberg, the parent of a 14-year-old girl who was killed in the Parkland shooting, was not allowed. He was forced to leave the State of the Union after shouting during the president’s address. “I wish the families well today and I hope that they have a great meeting”, he said. “My issue with the public schedule remains however as it is not accurate and considering this week is two years since this happened, this should have been handled differently by the White House.”
14 Feb 2020 22.35 GMT Attorneys for Roger Stone demanded a new trial on Friday, as the ally of Donald Trump awaits sentencing on charges of witness tampering and lying to Congress. The request comes after Trump sent out tweets on Thursday suggesting the trial was unfair. “Now it looks like the fore person in the jury, in the Roger Stone case, had significant bias,” Trump wrote. “Add that to everything else, and this is not looking good for the ‘Justice’ Department.” Stone was convicted in November of tampering with a witness and obstructing the congressional investigation into whether the Trump campaign orchestrated interference in the 2016 elections. The legal motion could delay sentencing for Stone, which was scheduled for 20 February.
14 Feb 2020 22.14 GMT The Trump administration will soon deploy more aggressive border patrol methods in sanctuary cities, the New York Times reported on Friday. Specially trained tactical units that function as the “SWAT of Border Patrol” will assist local Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (Ice) units to enforce immigration laws, anonymous officials familiar with the secretive mission told the Times. They will begin operating in sanctuary cities around the country, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, New Orleans, Detroit, and Newark, New Jersey. The deployment of these teams represents an escalation of Donald Trump’s ongoing fight against “sanctuary cities”, localities that decline to prosecute immigrants for deportation and allow them to stay.
14 Feb 2020 22.05 GMT Kari Paul here, your friendly San Francisco tech reporter, hopping on the blog for the next few hours. Stay tuned for more updates.
14 Feb 2020 22.03 GMT Afternoon summary It’s been a steady news day in Washington. To recap: The DOJ declined to pursue criminal charges against Andrew McCabe, the former deputy director of the FBI.
Attorney general William Barr has assigned an outside prosecutor to scrutinize the criminal case against Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, according to multiple news outlets including the New York Times and CNN.
Trump said he didn’t interfere in the Roger Stone case, but that he had the “legal right” to do so if he wanted to.
Michael Avenatti has been found guilty in the Nike extortion trial.
New polling out of Nevada and South Carolina contained good news for Bernie Sanders, the party’s new frontrunner.
US negotiators have reached a temporary truce with the Taliban to reduce violence in Afghanistan, which they hope will pave the way to a more formal ceasefire.
14 Feb 2020 21.50 GMT The US and the Taliban have agreed to a temporary truce to reduce violation in Afghanistan, a deal that, if successful, could lead to an official cease-fire, the start of peace negotiations with Afghan leaders and, eventually the withdrawal of US troops from the country. According to the Associated Press: The official said the agreement for a seven-day “reduction in violence” is “very specific” and covers the entire country, including Afghan government forces. There were indications a formal announcement could come as early as the weekend. The official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Taliban had committed to a halt in roadside and suicide bombings as well as rocket attacks. The official said the U.S. would monitor the truce and determine if there were any violations. Read more here.
14 Feb 2020 21.38 GMT Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib joined protests for airline catering workers in Detroit. This is how she began her political career and she vowed not to change. Previous reports said she had been arrested at the protest but in fact she just sat with the workers in solidarity. CORRECTION: Rep. @RashidaTlaib was not processed as an arrest with the other protesting workers, but did participate in solidarity in the civil disobedience, including joining the protesters in the van as officers took them for processing. — Diana Hussein 🇱🇧 (@heyadiana) February 14, 2020
Updated at 23.17 GMT
14 Feb 2020 21.28 GMT Trump is departing Washington for Mar-a-Lago this weekend. But no chopper talk before he leaves. According to a pool report, Trump and Melania Trump boarded Marine One without taking any questions.
14 Feb 2020 21.09 GMT We’ve got some new polling out of South Carolina. According to an ECU poll released today, 28% of likely Democratic primary voters in South Carolina favor the Joe Biden, dropping nine percentage points since its last survey, conducted before the Iowa caucuses. Meanwhile, Sanders is closing in on Biden’s lead, at 20% with Steyer dropping to third at 14%. Post-NH South Carolina poll!
Biden 28%
Sanders 20%
Steyer 14%
Buttigieg 8%
Amy Klobuchar 7%
Elizabeth Warren 7%
Biden's lead is down quite a bit. But this is also hardly catastrophic for him.https://t.co/5E3gGTUXbI — Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) February 14, 2020 Among likely voters who are African American, Biden leads with 36% compared with Sanders at 20% and Steyer with 17%. But the poll found a significant generational divide among the state’s African American electorate. African American voters who are 55 and older prefer Biden by a wide margin while Sanders holds a narrow lead among African Americans voters younger than 55. The poll suggests that the results of the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary have had an impact. After two dismal showings, Biden’s standing has dropped significantly in South Carolina, where he has staked his political fortunes. Meanwhile, Sanders, Buttigieg and Klobuchar are all enjoying a bump in the state. Still, Buttigieg and Klobuchar register only 4% and 1% support among likely African American voters, a critical constituency in the state and in the Democratic party.
14 Feb 2020 20.35 GMT Well, this is awkward. Steyer and Klobuchar did not know the name of the president of Mexico, in interviews w/ @TelemundoNews
“I forget,” says Steyer.
"Can you tell me his name?"
Klobuchar: “No."
Pete knew. pic.twitter.com/gUBqyxLfUW — Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) February 14, 2020 For the record, the answer is Andrés Manuel López Obrador, or as he is commonly known, AMLO.
Updated at 20.38 GMT
14 Feb 2020 20.34 GMT Also during his remarks Trump understated the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the US. He said there had been 12, when the CDC confirmed a 15th case on Thursday. Trump tells the National Border Patrol Council that the number of US coronavirus cases is "like around 12." The CDC confirmed a 15th case yesterday. He has understated the number almost every time. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) February 14, 2020 A New York Times report on the White House’s tepid response to the outbreak revealed that public health experts fear Trump’s “extreme fear of germs, disdain for scientific and bureaucratic expertise and suspicion of foreigners could be a dangerous mix, should he wind up overseeing a severe outbreak at home.”
Updated at 20.37 GMT
14 Feb 2020 20.10 GMT At the moment, Trump is addressing the National Border Security Council. He just said that he wanted to build his wall the “old-fashioned way”. “Let’s throw up concrete. Plank!” he said, explaining that he was persuaded that the wall needed to be transparent by stories about drug dealers catapulting 150lbs-200lbs-bags of drugs over the border wall. “Sometimes it would actually hit Border Patrol agents and other people on the other side because you couldn’t see through,” he said. “And as soon as they said that, that’s what got me, I was like, you’re right. You’ve got to be able to see what’s on the other side.” He also said the wall will be too hot to touch in the baking desert sun and suggested that those trying to climb it would need serious athleticism and access to a hose. Trump, wielding photos, says a part of the wall gets "virtually untouchable" in the sun because it's black, "so not only would you have to be a good climber, but you're gonna have to bring a hose with lots of water to water it down...there aren't too many hoses in the area." — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) February 14, 2020
Updated at 20.22 GMT


theguardian--2020-02-14--'Will they take my kids away?': the immigrants refusing food aid amid Trump crackdown

On a recent Tuesday morning , Patricia walked into the Salvation Army in Redwood City , a community south of San Francisco , because a friend told her they could help her feed her family without fear of reprisal from US immigration officials .
But Patricia , an undocumented migrant from Guatemala , whose last name the Guardian has agreed to withhold , still had questions .
“ Can I still get food stamps even though I don ’ t have papers ?
” she asked in Spanish .
“ If I do , will they take my kids away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outreach worker for Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley , which distributes food at 1,000 sites across the Bay Area including the Salvation Army , reassured Patricia that accepting food assistance for her US-born children would not invite the scrutiny of immigration officials .
“ Your children still have a right to food .
This is nothing that immigration can hold against you , ” she said .
The Trump administration ’ s relentless anti-immigrant agenda has made a growing number of immigrants like Patricia fearful of accepting assistance and benefits they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their fears are compounded by a US supreme court ruling late last month that allows the administration to expand the “ public charge ” criteria , which officials have used for more than a century to determine which immigrants were likely to become dependent on the government , and thus ineligible to enter the US or obtain a green card .
“ Public charge ” has historically been reserved for immigrants receiving cash assistance or who are likely to become institutionalized and dependent on long-term care .
Now , though , immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food stamps , housing vouchers and medical care .
Public charge will be applied to anyone who receives one or more public benefits for more than 12 months during the 36-month period .
Because receiving two benefits in one month will count as two months worth of benefits , a relatively small amount of assistance could put people over the threshold .
A person ’ s savings , credit score and ability to speak English will also be considered .
Officials are still required to look at the totality of a person ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance will weigh more heavily against them and result in greater scrutiny of applications .
Policy experts and immigrant rights advocates say the changes will directly apply to a relatively small group of people , primarily those applying for a visa or green cards .
The changes won ’ t apply to US citizens , refugees , asylees and other protected groups , as well as those who already have green cards .
But they warn that a much larger chilling effect will ripple through communities , keeping eligible immigrants from seeking assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they , or their children , are duly entitled .
In fact , they say it ’ s already happening .
After Medrano explained to Patricia that while Patricia is undocumented and not entitled to CalFresh aid , California ’ s food assistance program , her US-born children are .
What else has she heard about the public charge rule , Medrano wanted to know .
“ I heard they ’ re going to take away your food , take away everything .
And you have to pay it back , ” Patricia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medrano , who ’ s done outreach work for Second Harvest for the past six years .
“ This isn ’ t really new , ” Medrano said .
“ What is new is a president who talks about it in order to scare people.
” Medrano estimates that about half of the 20 new clients she speaks with on a typical day ask about the public charge rule .
One woman who arrived at the Salvation Army minutes after Patricia and declined to give her name was a lawful resident .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enroll in CalFresh fearing it could affect her application for a green card .
She eventually applied , but had second thoughts .
“ Now I just wait and hope it doesn ’ t affect my case , ” she said .
Jennery Jazmin Gonzalez Martinez , who works with Medrano as an outreach specialist , said the current political climate has made it more difficult to get people to sign up .
“ You try to convince people that it won ’ t affect them , but they ’ re so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” Gonzalez said .
Recently , she met a family that planned to disenroll their child from medical benefits out of caution .
Gonzalez and other advocates on the ground attribute much of the confusion to fast-moving changes to an already byzantine system .
But they also point to attorneys who , either out of an abundance of caution , or because they themselves don ’ t understand the rules , have advised clients to drop benefit applications so it doesn ’ t affect their immigration cases .
Johnathan Garcia , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Mateo county , said he often meets people who have been misinformed by attorneys who may not specialize or have proper understanding of immigration law .
“ Usually clients don ’ t approach with a question .
It ’ s more like , ‘ I ’ m afraid , and I ’ m getting off [ public benefits ] , ’ ” Garcia said .
“ It ’ s been tough to give very clear guidance because we haven ’ t seen how this is going to be applied .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually going to impact people until we see it in practice , ” Garcia said .
Advocates say the potential impact on families and communities can hardly be overstated in California , home to 3.3 million green card holders , more than anywhere else in the country .
More than a quarter of the 9.7 million US citizen children in California have at least one parent who isn ’ t a citizen .
“ California has more immigrants than any other state – and hence much at stake , ” reads a brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge rule , done by the Public Policy Institute of California .
Measurable data showing disenrollment in public benefit programs is hard to come by .
But in nearby Santa Clara county , CalMatters reported , the number of households getting food stamps , in families where at least one members was not a citizen , decreased by 20 % from October 2018 – when the proposed rule changes were first announced – to May 2019 .
Meanwhile food stamp enrollment in citizen households remained consistent .
The news of the new rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school districts , with school officials from Los Angeles to San Francisco publishing information to help dissuade parents from disenrolling children from the subsidized lunches all low-income students qualify for , regardless of immigration status .
“ The policy will make Los Angeles county children hungrier , less healthy and more likely to become homeless , ” said Debra Duardo , the Los Angeles county superintendent of schools , in a statement to EdSource .
But Los Angeles Unified , the state ’ s largest school district , is unable to say whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A request for public records from Los Angeles Unified on how many families have disenrolled from the free lunch program , as well as how many students may qualify for free lunch but are not receiving it , turned up no information .
“ It ’ s hard to articulate how much of an impact this is having , ” said Almas Sayeed , deputy director of programs at the California Immigrant Policy Center , adding that safety systems typically don ’ t disaggregate data by immigration status .
“ Advocates are reluctant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ from benefits ] out of fear it would sort of cement the trend .
But ( immigrants ) are scared .
They ’ re going to disenroll .
It ’ s going to happen , ” she said .
Studies of the impacts of 1996 welfare reform may offer clues as to how the new changes will play out .
Drawing from the results of the studies , experts from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research estimated that 15 to 35 % of immigrants may disenroll from public benefits even when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the same numbers held true in California , 860,000 recipients of CalFresh , the state ’ s food stamp program , could be impacted by the chilling effect , at a loss to the state of up to $ 488m in federal funding , depending on how many disenroll .
Even greater would be the impact on the Medi-Cal program , free or low-cost health care coverage for children and families with low-income .
UCLA ’ s health policy research team estimates the change could impact 2.1m people , at a loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in federal funding .
For Sayeed of the California Immigrant Policy Center , aside from the sweeping impact the reforms may have , at stake is a fundamental question about opportunity and nationhood .
“ At the heart of this debate is who belongs and who gets to build and participate in the American dream , ” she said .

On a recent Tuesday morning, Patricia walked into the Salvation Army in Redwood City, a community south of San Francisco, because a friend told her they could help her feed her family without fear of reprisal from US immigration officials.
But Patricia, an undocumented migrant from Guatemala, whose last name the Guardian has agreed to withhold, still had questions.
“Can I still get food stamps even though I don’t have papers?” she asked in Spanish. “If I do, will they take my kids away?”
Vicky Avila Medrano, an outreach worker for Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley, which distributes food at 1,000 sites across the Bay Area including the Salvation Army, reassured Patricia that accepting food assistance for her US-born children would not invite the scrutiny of immigration officials. “Your children still have a right to food. This is nothing that immigration can hold against you,” she said.
The Trump administration’s relentless anti-immigrant agenda has made a growing number of immigrants like Patricia fearful of accepting assistance and benefits they or their children are legally entitled to.
Their fears are compounded by a US supreme court ruling late last month that allows the administration to expand the “public charge” criteria, which officials have used for more than a century to determine which immigrants were likely to become dependent on the government, and thus ineligible to enter the US or obtain a green card.
People line up outside the Los Angeles Mission homeless shelter for a holiday meal. Photograph: Christian Monterrosa/EPA
“Public charge” has historically been reserved for immigrants receiving cash assistance or who are likely to become institutionalized and dependent on long-term care.
Now, though, immigration officials will consider public benefits, including food stamps, housing vouchers and medical care. Public charge will be applied to anyone who receives one or more public benefits for more than 12 months during the 36-month period.
Because receiving two benefits in one month will count as two months worth of benefits, a relatively small amount of assistance could put people over the threshold. A person’s savings, credit score and ability to speak English will also be considered.
Officials are still required to look at the totality of a person’s circumstances, but advocates say receiving assistance will weigh more heavily against them and result in greater scrutiny of applications.
Policy experts and immigrant rights advocates say the changes will directly apply to a relatively small group of people, primarily those applying for a visa or green card. The changes won’t apply to US citizens, refugees, asylees and other protected groups, as well as those who already have green cards.
But they warn that a much larger chilling effect will ripple through communities, keeping eligible immigrants from seeking assistance for food or medical care to which they, or their children, are duly entitled.
In fact, they say it’s already happening.
After Medrano explained to Patricia that while Patricia is undocumented and not entitled to CalFresh aid, California’s food assistance program, her US-born children are.
What else has she heard about the public charge rule, Medrano wanted to know.
“I heard they’re going to take away your food, take away everything. And you have to pay it back,” Patricia said.
The fears are familiar to Medrano, who has done outreach work for Second Harvest for the past six years.
“This isn’t really new,” Medrano said. “What is new is a president who talks about it in order to scare people.”
‘People are scared’
Medrano estimates that about half of the 20 new clients she speaks with on a typical day ask about the public charge rule.
One woman who arrived at the Salvation Army minutes after Patricia and declined to give her name was a lawful resident. She has two children, but was reluctant to enroll in CalFresh fearing it could affect her application for a green card.
She eventually applied, but had second thoughts. “Now I just wait and hope it doesn’t affect my case,” she said.
Jennery Jazmin Gonzalez Martinez, who works with Medrano as an outreach specialist, said the current political climate has made it more difficult to get people to sign up.
You try to convince people that it won’t affect them, but they’re so scared that they can’t hear it Jennery Jazmin Gonzalez Martinez
“You try to convince people that it won’t affect them, but they’re so scared that they can’t hear it.” Gonzalez said. Recently, she met a family that planned to disenroll their child from medical benefits out of caution.
Gonzalez and other advocates on the ground attribute much of the confusion to fast-moving changes to an already byzantine system. But they also point to attorneys who, either out of an abundance of caution, or because they themselves don’t understand the rules, have advised clients to drop benefit applications so it doesn’t affect their immigration cases.
Johnathan Garcia, an immigration attorney with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo county, said he often meets people who have been misinformed by attorneys who may not specialize or have proper understanding of immigration law.
“Usually clients don’t approach with a question. It’s more like, ‘I’m afraid, and I’m getting off [public benefits],’” Garcia said.
“It’s been tough to give very clear guidance because we haven’t seen how this is going to be applied. It’s hard to say how this is actually going to impact people until we see it in practice,” Garcia said.
Hungry children
Advocates say the potential impact on families and communities can hardly be overstated in California, home to 3.3 million green card holders, more than anywhere else in the country. More than a quarter of the 9.7 million US citizen children in California have at least one parent who isn’t a citizen.
“California has more immigrants than any other state – and hence much at stake,” reads a brief on the potential impact of the public charge rule, done by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Measurable data showing disenrollment in public benefit programs is hard to come by.
But in nearby Santa Clara county, CalMatters reported, the number of households getting food stamps, in families where at least one members was not a citizen, decreased by 20% from October 2018 – when the proposed rule changes were first announced – to May 2019. Meanwhile food stamp enrollment in citizen households remained consistent.
California school districts are concerned that new rules will dissuade immigrants from enrolling in the free lunch programs. Photograph: Ellen O’Nan/Associated Press
The news of the new rules stirred concerns among California’s biggest school districts, with school officials from Los Angeles to San Francisco publishing information to help dissuade parents from disenrolling children from the subsidized lunches all low-income students qualify for, regardless of immigration status.
“The policy will make Los Angeles county children hungrier, less healthy and more likely to become homeless,” said Debra Duardo, the Los Angeles county superintendent of schools, in a statement to EdSource.
But Los Angeles Unified, the state’s largest school district, is unable to say whether parental concerns were appearing in data.
A request for public records from Los Angeles Unified on how many families have disenrolled from the free lunch program, as well as how many students may qualify for free lunch but are not receiving it, turned up no information.
“It’s hard to articulate how much of an impact this is having,” said Almas Sayeed, deputy director of programs at the California Immigrant Policy Center, adding that safety systems typically don’t disaggregate data by immigration status.
“Advocates are reluctant to say how many people are disenrolling [from benefits] out of fear it would sort of cement the trend. But [immigrants] are scared. They’re going to disenroll. It’s going to happen,” she said.
Studies of the impacts of 1996 welfare reform may offer clues as to how the new changes will play out.
Drawing from the results of the studies, experts from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research estimated that 15-35% of immigrants may disenroll from public benefits even when qualified due to confusion and fear.
If the same numbers held true in California, 860,000 recipients of CalFresh, the state’s food stamp program, could be affected by the chilling effect, at a loss to the state of up to $488m in federal funding, depending on how many disenroll.
Even greater would be the impact on the Medi-Cal program, free or low-cost health care coverage for children and families with low income. UCLA’s health policy research team estimates the change could affect 2.1m people, at a loss of up to $1.19bn a year in federal funding.
For Sayeed of the California Immigrant Policy Center, aside from the sweeping impact the reforms may have, at stake is a fundamental question about opportunity and nationhood.
“At the heart of this debate is who belongs and who gets to build and participate in the American dream,” she said.


theguardian--2020-02-14--Tennessee Republicans worry women will go on tampon-buying frenzy

Women can ’ t be trusted around tax-free tampons .
If you cut the price of menstrual products they ’ re bound to go tampon-mad and buy boxes of the stuff , just for the hell of it .
They ’ d line their walls with super-plus , they ’ d polish their floors with pads ; it would be absolute bedlam .
That appears to be what Republicans in Tennessee think anyway .
On Tuesday GOP lawmakers pushed back against a proposal that would include sanitary products in Tennessee ’ s annual sales-tax holiday .
The three-day event , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows shoppers to buy items like computers and clothing without paying the usual 7 % state sales tax .
“ I would think since it ’ s a sales tax holiday , there ’ s really no limit on the number of items anybody can purchase , ” said Joey Hensley , the Republican senator , during a debate on the bill .
“ I don ’ t know how you would limit the number of items someone could purchase.
” Hensely ’ s legislative assistant later explained that his questions were prompted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people purchasing large quantities had not been factored in when determining the cost of the legislation ” .
One would not want Tennessee to be bankrupted by residents bulk-buying tampons , after all .
Menstrual products are a necessity , not a luxury ; and yet , across America and around the world , they ’ re still largely taxed as the latter .
Products such as Viagra and Rogaine , however , are not subject to sales tax in America because they ’ re considered medically necessary .
Why is this the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 , “ I suspect it ’ s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.
” The annual tax revenue from menstrual products is not insignificant , ranging from around $ 1m in Utah to $ 20m in California .
This is money a lot of states don ’ t want to lose ; after all they might then have to make the funds up via drastic measures like taxing billionaires a little more .
In 2016 , Jerry Brown , the Democratic governor of California at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have exempted menstrual products from sales tax , saying it would cost the state too much in lost revenue .
Brown also shot down similar bills which would have ended certain state taxes for diapers .
Over the last few years there ’ s been increased global activism and awareness around the so-called tampon tax , and some progress has been made .
Between 2016 and 2018 , five US states ( Nevada , New York , Florida , Connecticut and Illinois ) got rid of the tax , and at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax last year .
California also suspended the tax in a law that went into effect on January 1 , though the exemption , which also includes diapers , expires in 2022 .
As it stands , a tampon tax is still in place across 33 states .
In 2004 , Kenya became the first country in the world to end a value-added sales tax on menstrual products .
Thanks to pressure from female parliamentarians , the nation has since implemented a number of progressive period policies .
In 2010 it allocated almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to schoolgirls .
Canada , India , Australia , Malaysia , and Germany have all jettisoned the tampon tax in the past few years , following pressure from activists .
The UK still has a 5 % tax ( down from an original 20 % ) , but in 2015 set up a tampon tax fund and pledged that the money raised would be spent on women ’ s charities .
Scrapping sales tax on menstrual products and treating them like the necessities they are is an important step towards period equity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ items are still expensive and many women struggle to afford them .
Last year a survey of low-income women in St Louis , Missouri , found nearly two-thirds couldn ’ t afford menstrual hygiene products during the previous year , and one in five struggled to buy the products every month .
Meanwhile , just across the border in Tennessee , we ’ ve got Republicans worrying women might abuse the system by splurging on tax-free tampons .

Women can’t be trusted around tax-free tampons. If you cut the price of menstrual products they’re bound to go tampon-mad and buy boxes of the stuff, just for the hell of it. They’d line their walls with super-plus, they’d polish their floors with pads; it would be absolute bedlam.
That appears to be what Republicans in Tennessee think, anyway. On Tuesday GOP lawmakers pushed back against a proposal that would include sanitary products in Tennessee’s annual sales-tax holiday. The three-day event, held at the end of July, allows shoppers to buy items like computers and clothing without paying the usual 7% state sales tax.
“I would think since it’s a sales tax holiday, there’s really no limit on the number of items anybody can purchase,” said Joey Hensley, the Republican senator, during a debate on the bill. “I don’t know how you would limit the number of items someone could purchase.”
Hensely’s legislative assistant later explained that his questions were prompted by concerns “that the possibility of people purchasing large quantities had not been factored in when determining the cost of the legislation”. One would not want Tennessee to be bankrupted by residents bulk-buying tampons, after all.
Menstrual products are a necessity, not a luxury; and yet, across America and around the world, they’re still largely taxed as the latter. Products such as Viagra and Rogaine, however, are not subject to sales tax in America because they’re considered medically necessary. Why is this the case? As President Obama joked back in 2016, “I suspect it’s because men were making the laws when those taxes were passed.”
The annual tax revenue from menstrual products is not insignificant, ranging from around $1m in Utah to $20m in California. This is money a lot of states don’t want to lose; after all they might then have to make the funds up via drastic measures like taxing billionaires a little more. In 2016, Jerry Brown, the Democratic governor of California at the time, vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have exempted menstrual products from sales tax, saying it would cost the state too much in lost revenue. Brown also shot down similar bills which would have ended certain state taxes for diapers.
Over the last few years there’s been increased global activism and awareness around the so-called tampon tax, and some progress has been made. Between 2016 and 2018, five US states (Nevada, New York, Florida, Connecticut and Illinois) got rid of the tax, and at least 22 states introduced bills to repeal the tax last year. California also suspended the tax in a law that went into effect on January 1, though the exemption, which also includes diapers, expires in 2022. As it stands, a tampon tax is still in place across 33 states.
In 2004, Kenya became the first country in the world to end a value-added sales tax on menstrual products. Thanks to pressure from female parliamentarians, the nation has since implemented a number of progressive period policies. In 2010 it allocated almost $4m to provide free sanitary pads to schoolgirls.
Canada, India, Australia, Malaysia, and Germany have all jettisoned the tampon tax in the past few years, following pressure from activists. The UK still has a 5% tax (down from an original 20%), but in 2015 set up a tampon tax fund and pledged that the money raised would be spent on women’s charities.
Scrapping sales tax on menstrual products and treating them like the necessities they are is an important step towards period equity. But even without sales tax, the items are still expensive and many women struggle to afford them. Last year a survey of low-income women in St Louis, Missouri, found nearly two-thirds couldn’t afford menstrual hygiene products during the previous year, and one in five struggled to buy the products every month. Meanwhile, just across the border in Tennessee, we’ve got Republicans worrying women might abuse the system by splurging on tax-free tampons.