theguardian--2020-12-21--The Trump White House has entered its final stage: complete meltdown | Richard Wolffe

The last days of the Trump presidency increasingly resemble the fictional presidency in the movie Monsters vs Aliens .
In case you missed this 2009 animated masterpiece , President Hathaway ( voiced by Stephen Colbert ) responds to an alien invasion with a team of unlikely heroes , among them a giant-sized TV reporter from Modesto , a cockroach-turned-mad-scientist , and an enormous blob of Jell-O .
One of the running gags is that the president has installed two red buttons in his situation room .
One is to make his morning latte , the other to launch all his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is which .
In the final month of Donald Trump ’ s time in the Oval Office , he has at last assembled his own team of outsized odds and ends , self-aggrandizing wingnuts , and brainless lumps of gelatin .
You can decide for yourself if this latest incarnation of his “ elite strike force ” of advisers is more likely to launch all the nuclear weapons or make a fresh cup of coffee .
At the center of the team to save Planet Trump are the unhinged characters of Sidney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met with the soon-to-be-ex-president in the White House over several hours on Friday .
Both Powell and Flynn have previously been fired by the reality TV star turned president – who , after all , built a public persona around firing people on The Apprentice .
But on Planet Trump , firings are not as final as they appear to be , which surely means it ’ s not too late for the Mooch to extend his 10-day record of service to the nation .
Powell was ejected from the elite strike force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her outlandish claims that Joe Biden won the presidential election with mysterious “ communist money ” and the support of the long-deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez .
But that was so November .
Now , as the New York Times first reported , Powell ’ s outlandish claims are the basis for Trump ’ s desire to name her as special counsel to investigate the Venezuelan plot .
Trump ’ s attorney general , Bill Barr , told reporters on Monday that he saw no need to name a special counsel to investigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son Hunter .
But it is only a matter of time before Powell disinters the Chavismo corpse once more .
Specifically , a couple of days : Barr leaves his office on Wednesday , mysteriously a few weeks before everyone else in the Trump administration .
Friday ’ s surreal bull session included Michael Flynn , Trump ’ s first national security adviser , who has the distinct honor of having been fired by both Obama and Trump – a rare point of agreement between the yin and yang of the American presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador , pleading guilty to the felony as part of the Mueller investigation .
Newly pardoned by the man who fired him , Flynn is now reportedly advocating for Trump to invoke martial law to rerun the election .
This would normally be key to executing a Chavista coup , but is obviously now the victim of a Chavista coup .
One of the ringleaders of this madcap gang is Patrick Byrne , the former CEO of Overstock , who left the online retailer last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian agent on behalf of “ the Men in Black ” .
Good luck making sense of that , or Byrne ’ s latest venture : what he calls “ a team of hackers and cybersleuths and other people with odd skills ” .
For Trump ’ s favorite news channel , OAN , this constitutes an “ elite cybersecurity team ” .
It ’ s quite possible that “ elite ” means something else on Planet Trump .
It ’ s also possible there are giant-sized TV reporters in Modesto .
Byrne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the long White House session with Flynn and Powell , says that Trump is being lied to by his own advisers and that his buddy can still win the election he so clearly lost .
“ It is 100 % winnable .
No martial law required , ” he tweeted .
“ Sydney [ sic ] and Flynn presented a course that I estimate has 50 % -75 % chance of victory .
His staff just try to convince him to do nothing but accept it .
As a CEO , my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going through .
He is betrayed from within.
” It must have been heartbreaking to sit in the bunker , watching reason and the constitution push their way into the conversation , while our brave reality TV star battled against his own disloyal lackeys .
Sadly the sickness is not confined to the Oval Office and will outlive its current occupant .
Back on Earth , there is no chance of Trump successfully ordering the military to intervene in the election , and no chance of Congress overturning the electoral college .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trumpista movement that is now the Republican party .
Take Clay Higgins , the duly elected representative for Louisiana ’ s third district .
Higgins is a reserve law enforcement officer with a strained relationship to reality , having made his name videoing outlandish Crime Stoppers messages that his own sheriff told him to stop .
“ If Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20th , it will mark the final hour of conspiracy to dismantle the American election process , and the first hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Higgins tweeted on Sunday .
Normal presidents treat their final weeks in office like a presidential marshmallow test .
While they may want , desperately , to opine about everything the president-elect is doing , they delay their gratification for their memoirs .
They may be hoping for a post-presidential mission or at least some post-presidential reassessment of their place in history .
But they maintain a dignified silence to buy themselves a little dignity after leaving office .
That ’ s clearly not the Trump plan .
There are no post-presidential missions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only more outrageous threats and tweets to cap a brief political career overflowing with outrageous threats and tweets .
This is the self-defeating , nonsensical house that Trump built .
“ What idiot designed this ?
” President Hathaway asks his advisers about the twin red buttons in Monsters vs Aliens .
“ OK .
Then go fire someone , ” the president shoots back .
Soon , there will be nobody left to fire .
Or rehire .
There will just be a Donald Trump , surrounded by a room full of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take them seriously .

The last days of the Trump presidency increasingly resemble the fictional presidency in the movie Monsters vs Aliens.
In case you missed this 2009 animated masterpiece, President Hathaway (voiced by Stephen Colbert) responds to an alien invasion with a team of unlikely heroes, among them a giant-sized TV reporter from Modesto, a cockroach-turned-mad-scientist, and an enormous blob of Jell-O.
One of the running gags is that the president has installed two red buttons in his situation room. One is to make his morning latte, the other to launch all his nuclear weapons. He can never remember which is which.
In the final month of Donald Trump’s time in the Oval Office, he has at last assembled his own team of outsized odds and ends, self-aggrandizing wingnuts, and brainless lumps of gelatin. You can decide for yourself if this latest incarnation of his “elite strike force” of advisers is more likely to launch all the nuclear weapons or make a fresh cup of coffee.
At the center of the team to save Planet Trump are the unhinged characters of Sidney Powell and Michael Flynn, who reportedly met with the soon-to-be-ex-president in the White House over several hours on Friday.
Both Powell and Flynn have previously been fired by the reality TV star turned president – who, after all, built a public persona around firing people on The Apprentice. But on Planet Trump, firings are not as final as they appear to be, which surely means it’s not too late for the Mooch to extend his 10-day record of service to the nation.
Powell was ejected from the elite strike force of lawyers just one month ago for her outlandish claims that Joe Biden won the presidential election with mysterious “communist money” and the support of the long-deceased Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.
But that was so November. Now, as the New York Times first reported, Powell’s outlandish claims are the basis for Trump’s desire to name her as special counsel to investigate the Venezuelan plot.
Trump’s attorney general, Bill Barr, told reporters on Monday that he saw no need to name a special counsel to investigate either the election or Biden’s son Hunter.
But it is only a matter of time before Powell disinters the Chavismo corpse once more. Specifically, a couple of days: Barr leaves his office on Wednesday, mysteriously a few weeks before everyone else in the Trump administration.
Friday’s surreal bull session included Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, who has the distinct honor of having been fired by both Obama and Trump – a rare point of agreement between the yin and yang of the American presidency. Flynn lied to Mike Pence and the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador, pleading guilty to the felony as part of the Mueller investigation.
Newly pardoned by the man who fired him, Flynn is now reportedly advocating for Trump to invoke martial law to rerun the election. This would normally be key to executing a Chavista coup, but is obviously now the victim of a Chavista coup.
One of the ringleaders of this madcap gang is Patrick Byrne, the former CEO of Overstock, who left the online retailer last year claiming that he had romanced a Russian agent on behalf of “the Men in Black”. Good luck making sense of that, or Byrne’s latest venture: what he calls “a team of hackers and cybersleuths and other people with odd skills”. For Trump’s favorite news channel, OAN, this constitutes an “elite cybersecurity team”.
It’s quite possible that “elite” means something else on Planet Trump. It’s also possible there are giant-sized TV reporters in Modesto.
This is the self-defeating, nonsensical house that Trump built
Byrne, who tweeted that he was part of the long White House session with Flynn and Powell, says that Trump is being lied to by his own advisers and that his buddy can still win the election he so clearly lost.
“It is 100% winnable. No martial law required,” he tweeted. “Sydney [sic] and Flynn presented a course that I estimate has 50%-75% chance of victory. His staff just try to convince him to do nothing but accept it. As a CEO, my heart broke to see what he is going through. He is betrayed from within.”
It must have been heartbreaking to sit in the bunker, watching reason and the constitution push their way into the conversation, while our brave reality TV star battled against his own disloyal lackeys.
Sadly the sickness is not confined to the Oval Office and will outlive its current occupant. Back on Earth, there is no chance of Trump successfully ordering the military to intervene in the election, and no chance of Congress overturning the electoral college. But these pesky facts won’t stop the Trumpista movement that is now the Republican party.
Take Clay Higgins, the duly elected representative for Louisiana’s third district. Higgins is a reserve law enforcement officer with a strained relationship to reality, having made his name videoing outlandish Crime Stoppers messages that his own sheriff told him to stop.
“If Biden is inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States on January 20th, it will mark the final hour of conspiracy to dismantle the American election process, and the first hour of conspiracy to dismantle America,” Higgins tweeted on Sunday.
Normal presidents treat their final weeks in office like a presidential marshmallow test. While they may want, desperately, to opine about everything the president-elect is doing, they delay their gratification for their memoirs.
They may be hoping for a post-presidential mission or at least some post-presidential reassessment of their place in history. But they maintain a dignified silence to buy themselves a little dignity after leaving office.
That’s clearly not the Trump plan. There are no post-presidential missions, or historical reassessments. There are only more outrageous threats and tweets to cap a brief political career overflowing with outrageous threats and tweets.
This is the self-defeating, nonsensical house that Trump built.
“What idiot designed this?” President Hathaway asks his advisers about the twin red buttons in Monsters vs Aliens.
“You did, sir,” says a general.
“OK. Then go fire someone,” the president shoots back.
Soon, there will be nobody left to fire. Or rehire. There will just be a Donald Trump, surrounded by a room full of wackadoodle theories with no staff to pretend to take them seriously.


theguardian--2020-12-22--US violated Asian Americans' voting rights in 2020 despite efforts to improve

In 2007 , Fiona Yu was looking forward to voting in Boston ’ s local elections for the first time – a year after she became a US citizen .
Yu , now 60 , had immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong where she grew up poor , and earned a high school diploma through night school in the US .
On election ay , Yu went to her polling station in Allston , a neighbourhood in Boston .
But a poll worker was confused about her new home address .
As a recent immigrant , Yu ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no Chinese interpreter .
The poll worker did not let her vote , even though Yu had proper documentation of her new address .
Nor did she give her a provisional ballot .
“ If that happens to a first-time voter , I can see why they don ’ t want to vote , ” said Yu , through an interpreter .
“ It was very discouraging.
” As many as 11.5 million US citizens have limited English speaking skills .
To help them , section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 10,000 eligible voters with limited English , or more than 5 % of residents , and other factors .
In 2016 , about 250 jurisdictions in 25 states were covered under section 203 , ranging from Los Angeles to counties in Mississippi and Kansas .
Section 208 of the act also allows limited English voters to bring into the voting booth someone to help them .
In 2005 , a Department of Justice lawsuit against Boston , in tandem with community advocacy , sparked language assistance voting reform .
But as demographics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boston , nearby cities lagged behind during this year ’ s primary , with watchdogs reporting voting rights violations .
And during general elections in November , the rise in mail-in ballots also spotlighted confusion among limited English voters , said Angie Liou , executive director of non-profit , Asian Community Development Corporation .
Now cities like Malden , on the outskirts of Boston , are working to comply with voting rights laws for future elections .
‘ You don ’ t see the kind of intimidation you did 10 years ago ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed that Chinese Americans with limited English were coerced by election workers when they cast their votes , said Karen Chen , executive director of non-profit Chinese Progressive Association .
Polling stations also lacked translated voting materials and bilingual Chinese interpreters .
That year , the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the city of Boston , alleging voting rights violations and discrimination against people of Spanish , Chinese and Vietnamese heritage .
Boston ’ s administration said the justice department lacked proof of the allegations , but the city settled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been drastic reforms since the complaint , ” said Chen , including bilingual Chinese ballots , translated voting information and training for poll workers on maintaining neutrality .
Since then , Boston has “ done a good job ” of committing to bilingual poll workers and translated voting materials , said Lisette Le , executive director of VietAid , a non-profit focused on Boston ’ s Vietnamese community .
The city has “ trained poll workers to be more respectful of voters .
You don ’ t see the kind of intimidation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Le added .
Although not required by federal law , candidate names in Boston elections are now transliterated into Chinese and Vietnamese on ballots .
An advisory board comprised of community organizations like the Chinese Progressive Association also works with Boston ’ s elections department on issues affecting limited English voters .
These reforms happened even though Boston ’ s Asian American population is not quite large enough to qualify for language accommodations under federal law .
And in 2014 Deval Patrick , the Massachusetts governor , signed a law that mandates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The move followed years of advocacy from CPA , Greater Boston Legal Services , the Chinatown Resident Association , Dorchester Organizing and Training Initiative and other community groups .
In Massachusetts , 12 cities are currently covered under the Voting Rights Act .
Malden , where nearly 23 % of its population of 60,000 is of Asian origin , became covered under section 203 in 2016 .
Elected officials are becoming more aware of Asian Americans as a voting bloc .
During Malden ’ s last local elections in 2019 , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and knocking doors at senior housing complexes , ” said Monique Ching , of the non-profit Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition .
But during primaries this March in Malden , poll monitors from GBLS and Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund still observed violations .
Seven out of 10 polling sites lacked voting information in Chinese or bilingual poll workers .
For general elections in November , Malden made big strides , in spite of Covid-19 restrictions and the complexities of bilingual mail-in voting .
The city was “ willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Alex Milvae , a fellow at Greater Boston Legal Services .
“ We hope Malden can be a role model.
” Other jurisdictions across the country may also need to adapt to changing demographics .
In the US , the number of Asian American eligible voters more than doubled , growing by 139 % from 2000 to 2020 , according to Pew Research .
Naturalized immigrants drove the growth .
During spring primaries , AALDEF also observed similar violations at polling sites in Hamtramck , Michigan , which has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Virginia , home to a large Vietnamese and Latino community .
For the general election , Fairfax county improved language access , but Hamtramck still had violations this November .
‘ He explained things to people one on one ’ To reach Malden ’ s Chinese American community , city officials worked closely with community organizations .
They held Chinese information sessions online and in-person at senior centers and distributed information about voting .
GMAAC created a social media account for Chinese speakers and a phone line for questions .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with community members .
They know what the issues are .
Ideally , they can give feedback when cities do translation , ” said Jerry Vattamala of AALDEF .
Translating voting materials is “ actually not that difficult and doesn ’ t cost that much.
” For the general election , Malden used a professional translator instead of relying on Google Translate .
The city also recruited more bilingual poll workers and hired an election worker fluent in Cantonese , Mandarin and English who has now become a full-time employee .
During early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malden ’ s city clerk , went with a bilingual Chinese poll worker to a public housing community center .
“ He explained things to people one on one , ” said Lucey .
“ I could see the comfort there , ” In Malden , every vote contributed to “ phenomenal ” turnout .
Lucey said more than 70 % of eligible voters cast ballots .
Figures for Asian voter turnout were not available .
“ I don ’ t speak English , so whenever challenges come up , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Ai Di Chen , an elderly Malden resident who immigrated from China in 2010 , at a press conference .
“ I was so glad to see that the city hired a Chinese staff person to help voters.
” But Chen added that voting was still a “ difficult process ” because candidates ’ names were in English .
That will change next year .
Gary Christenson , Malden ’ s mayor , this month pledged to transliterate candidate names into Chinese characters by local elections in 2021 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all residents can thrive , ” said Gary Christenson , mayor of Malden .
“ Improving language access , especially in an area as important as voting , is essential to that goal.
” Vattamala emphasized that it is important to continually engage Asian American communities , not just for presidential elections .
Local elections happen every year “ for school board , sheriff , prosecutor , ” he said .
Those positions have direct impact on day-to-day life .
“ When we get it right , there ’ s a tremendous amount @ @ @ @

In 2007, Fiona Yu was looking forward to voting in Boston’s local elections for the first time – a year after she became a US citizen. Yu, now 60, had immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong where she grew up poor, and earned a high school diploma through night school in the US.
On election day, Yu went to her polling station in Allston, a neighbourhood in Boston. But a poll worker was confused about her new home address. As a recent immigrant, Yu’s English was limited and there was no Chinese interpreter. The poll worker did not let her vote, even though Yu had proper documentation of her new address. Nor did she give her a provisional ballot.
“If that happens to a first-time voter, I can see why they don’t want to vote,” said Yu, through an interpreter. “It was very discouraging.”
As many as 11.5 million US citizens have limited English speaking skills. To help them, section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires translated voting materials in jurisdictions with at least 10,000 eligible voters with limited English, or more than 5% of residents, and other factors. In 2016, about 250 jurisdictions in 25 states were covered under section 203, ranging from Los Angeles to counties in Mississippi and Kansas. Section 208 of the act also allows limited English voters to bring into the voting booth someone to help them.
In 2005, a Department of Justice lawsuit against Boston, in tandem with community advocacy, sparked language assistance voting reform. But as demographics shifted and more Asian Americans moved beyond Boston, nearby cities lagged behind during this year’s primary, with watchdogs reporting voting rights violations. And during general elections in November, the rise in mail-in ballots also spotlighted confusion among limited English voters, said Angie Liou, executive director of non-profit, Asian Community Development Corporation.
Now cities like Malden, on the outskirts of Boston, are working to comply with voting rights laws for future elections.
‘You don’t see the kind of intimidation you did 10 years ago’
In 2005, poll monitors in Boston observed that Chinese Americans with limited English were coerced by election workers when they cast their votes, said Karen Chen, executive director of non-profit Chinese Progressive Association. Polling stations also lacked translated voting materials and bilingual Chinese interpreters.
That year, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the city of Boston, alleging voting rights violations and discrimination against people of Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese heritage. Boston’s administration said the justice department lacked proof of the allegations, but the city settled the lawsuit in September 2005.
“There have been drastic reforms since the complaint,” said Chen, including bilingual Chinese ballots, translated voting information and training for poll workers on maintaining neutrality.
Since then, Boston has “done a good job” of committing to bilingual poll workers and translated voting materials, said Lisette Le, executive director of VietAid, a non-profit focused on Boston’s Vietnamese community. The city has “trained poll workers to be more respectful of voters. You don’t see the kind of intimidation like you did 10 years ago,” Le added.
Although not required by federal law, candidate names in Boston elections are now transliterated into Chinese and Vietnamese on ballots. An advisory board comprised of community organizations like the Chinese Progressive Association also works with Boston’s elections department on issues affecting limited English voters.
These reforms happened even though Boston’s Asian American population is not quite large enough to qualify for language accommodations under federal law. And in 2014 Deval Patrick, the Massachusetts governor, signed a law that mandates bilingual Chinese and Vietnamese ballots in Boston. The move followed years of advocacy from CPA, Greater Boston Legal Services, the Chinatown Resident Association, Dorchester Organizing and Training Initiative and other community groups.
‘We hope Malden can be a role model’
In Massachusetts, 12 cities are currently covered under the Voting Rights Act.
Malden, where nearly 23% of its population of 60,000 is of Asian origin, became covered under section 203 in 2016.
Elected officials are becoming more aware of Asian Americans as a voting bloc. During Malden’s last local elections in 2019, “more candidates were translating materials into Chinese and knocking doors at senior housing complexes,” said Monique Ching, of the non-profit Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition.
But during primaries this March in Malden, poll monitors from GBLS and Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund still observed violations. Seven out of 10 polling sites lacked voting information in Chinese or bilingual poll workers.
For general elections in November, Malden made big strides, in spite of Covid-19 restrictions and the complexities of bilingual mail-in voting. The city was “willing to work with us and take suggestions seriously,” said Alex Milvae, a fellow at Greater Boston Legal Services. “We hope Malden can be a role model.”
Other jurisdictions across the country may also need to adapt to changing demographics. In the US, the number of Asian American eligible voters more than doubled, growing by 139% from 2000 to 2020, according to Pew Research. Naturalized immigrants drove the growth.
During spring primaries, AALDEF also observed similar violations at polling sites in Hamtramck, Michigan, which has a large Bangladeshi community, and Fairfax county, Virginia, home to a large Vietnamese and Latino community. For the general election, Fairfax county improved language access, but Hamtramck still had violations this November.
‘He explained things to people one on one’
To reach Malden’s Chinese American community, city officials worked closely with community organizations. They held Chinese information sessions online and in-person at senior centers and distributed information about voting. GMAAC created a social media account for Chinese speakers and a phone line for questions.
“It’s the best way to interact with community members. They know what the issues are. Ideally, they can give feedback when cities do translation,” said Jerry Vattamala of AALDEF. Translating voting materials is “actually not that difficult and doesn’t cost that much.”
For the general election, Malden used a professional translator instead of relying on Google Translate. The city also recruited more bilingual poll workers and hired an election worker fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English who has now become a full-time employee.
During early voting in October, Greg Lucey, Malden’s city clerk, went with a bilingual Chinese poll worker to a public housing community center. “He explained things to people one on one,” said Lucey. “I could see the comfort there,”
In Malden, every vote contributed to “phenomenal” turnout. Lucey said more than 70% of eligible voters cast ballots. Figures for Asian voter turnout were not available.
“I don’t speak English, so whenever challenges come up, it’s very hard to find help and communicate,” said Ai Di Chen, an elderly Malden resident who immigrated from China in 2010, at a press conference. “I was so glad to see that the city hired a Chinese staff person to help voters.”
But Chen added that voting was still a “difficult process” because candidates’ names were in English.
That will change next year. Gary Christenson, Malden’s mayor, this month pledged to transliterate candidate names into Chinese characters by local elections in 2021. “We want to create a city where all residents can thrive,” said Gary Christenson, mayor of Malden. “Improving language access, especially in an area as important as voting, is essential to that goal.”
Vattamala emphasized that it is important to continually engage Asian American communities, not just for presidential elections. Local elections happen every year “for school board, sheriff, prosecutor,” he said. Those positions have direct impact on day-to-day life.
“When we get it right, there’s a tremendous amount of engagement.”


theguardian--2020-12-22--Infinity culture war: what now for Trump's Hollywood supporters?

On 11 November , Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home star Jon Voight posted a video on Twitter .
“ This is our greatest battle since the civil war , ” he said , referring to the election results .
“ The battle of righteousness versus Satan , yes , Satan .
Because these leftists are evil , corrupt and they want to tear down this nation.
” Voight ’ s support of President Trump has been full-throated .
His video messages promote conspiracy theories about the election and use violent language .
Voight is typical of celebrity Maga : from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Hollywood supporters regularly echo the president ’ s own unvarnished rhetoric .
But now Trump ’ s term is over , how long can this cultural Infinity War last ?
According to Dallas Sonnier , producer of such films as Dragged Across Concrete and the upcoming Run Hide Fight , “ There are more pro-Trump celebrities in Hollywood than the dogmatic gatekeepers and thought police could ever possibly imagine.
” In 2016 , Kelsey Grammer , star of Frasier , told Desert Island Discs that being conservative in Hollywood felt like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Indeed , the same twitchiness had caused Forrest Gump actor Gary Sinise to form The Friends of Abe group in 2004 to provide conservatives with a “ safe space ” in Hollywood .
In fact , far from being uniformly liberal , Hollywood has provided the Republican party with President Reagan , Governor Schwarzenegger and – with IMDb credits from The Apprentice to Zoolander – even President Trump himself .
But conservatives would appear to be in the minority and many claim their views are silenced by fear of repercussions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ While # Liberals scream about the 50 ’ s blacklist , my # Repub actor friends are terrified of losing their ability to provide for their families.
” But does this equation of “ cancel culture ” with the McCarthy witch-hunts ring true ?
In 1947 , a group of screenwriters and directors refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee ( Huac ) , investigating alleged communist infiltration of the entertainment industry ; the Hollywood Ten , as they became known , would be jailed for contempt of congress .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The thing about a blacklist is that it is usually an under-the-table gentleman ’ s agreement , ” says Thomas Doherty , author of Show Trial : Hollywood , Huac , and the Birth of the Blacklist .
“ One of the unique things about the blacklists of the Huac era was that the arrangement was so formalised and sanctioned : the MPAA declared openly that the major Hollywood studios would not hire a known communist or people who refused to cooperate with Huac .
So , in that sense it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Woods appears to be signalling a return of the paranoia that the McCarthy-era blacklist provoked .
“ If the phone doesn ’ t ring , is it because you signed that petition in 1938 or because you inadvertently offended the producer ’ s wife or because you just didn ’ t fit the part ?
” But the phone has been ringing for celebrity supporters of President Trump .
No one has gone to jail – well , no actor .
And as loud as the Twitterati can be , it hardly wields @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backed by the heads of the studios and the forces of the judiciary .
Gina Carano might get some grief for tweeting her doubts about the outcome of the election , but Disney isn ’ t going to fire her from The Mandalorian .
Likewise , Chris Pratt might lose a Twitter poll about everyone ’ s favourite Chris for his alleged pro-Trump politics , but he hasn ’ t had to flee to Europe to get work under an assumed name .
One independent producer I spoke with told me it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be silenced .
“ The truth is a lot of the head honchos are conservative and Republicans .
Even if they don ’ t love Trump , they have all the power , so it ’ s the people below who have to shut up.
” For Glenn Kenny , film critic at the New York Times and the author of Made Men : The Story of Goodfellas , the idea that their politics has damaged their careers is risible .
“ Jon Voight is working relatively consistently for an 81-year-old .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loooooves to complain.
” Others are just not that famous to begin with .
If anything , more people probably saw Charles in Charge star Scott Baio speak at the Republican convention in 2016 than watched his 2008 reality show Scott Baio is 45 … and Single .
The one Maga supporter who lost her job was comedian Roseanne Barr , whose comeback show was cancelled after a racist tweet about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett .
But Barr herself apologised for her tweet , blaming Ambien for the “ joke ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturers to issue the priceless response : “ Racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.
” ) And Barr is by no means the only Trump supporter to go off the rails , which is perhaps why mainstream conservatives never got on board the Trump train in the first place .
Old school Hollywood conservatives such as Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger largely shunned Trump and the Friends of Abe dissolved in 2016 , following disputes over endorsing Trump .
This leaves Voight and his war with Satan as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although it is not likely to win over any new converts , it is representative of the Trumpism that continues to exert a controlling influence on the American conservative movement .
Sonnier believes that this will continue : “ The great irony is that the disingenuous wardens of free speech who believe they ’ re fighting the Man by denying people the freedom to express their point of view are themselves the Man .
They are operating with near-total impunity.
” The culture war might indeed prove infinite .

On 11 November, Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home star Jon Voight posted a video on Twitter. “This is our greatest battle since the civil war,” he said, referring to the election results. “The battle of righteousness versus Satan, yes, Satan. Because these leftists are evil, corrupt and they want to tear down this nation.” Voight’s support of President Trump has been full-throated. His video messages promote conspiracy theories about the election and use violent language. Voight is typical of celebrity Maga: from Kirstie Alley to James Woods, Trump’s Hollywood supporters regularly echo the president’s own unvarnished rhetoric. But now Trump’s term is over, how long can this cultural Infinity War last?
According to Dallas Sonnier, producer of such films as Dragged Across Concrete and the upcoming Run Hide Fight, “There are more pro-Trump celebrities in Hollywood than the dogmatic gatekeepers and thought police could ever possibly imagine.” In 2016, Kelsey Grammer, star of Frasier, told Desert Island Discs that being conservative in Hollywood felt like having a “target on your back”. Indeed, the same twitchiness had caused Forrest Gump actor Gary Sinise to form The Friends of Abe group in 2004 to provide conservatives with a “safe space” in Hollywood.
In fact, far from being uniformly liberal, Hollywood has provided the Republican party with President Reagan, Governor Schwarzenegger and – with IMDb credits from The Apprentice to Zoolander – even President Trump himself. But conservatives would appear to be in the minority and many claim their views are silenced by fear of repercussions. In 2017, James Woods tweeted: “While #Liberals scream about the 50’s blacklist, my #Repub actor friends are terrified of losing their ability to provide for their families.”
But does this equation of “cancel culture” with the McCarthy witch-hunts ring true? In 1947, a group of screenwriters and directors refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (Huac), investigating alleged communist infiltration of the entertainment industry; the Hollywood Ten, as they became known, would be jailed for contempt of congress. This was the start of the blacklist. “The thing about a blacklist is that it is usually an under-the-table gentleman’s agreement,” says Thomas Doherty, author of Show Trial: Hollywood, Huac, and the Birth of the Blacklist. “One of the unique things about the blacklists of the Huac era was that the arrangement was so formalised and sanctioned: the MPAA declared openly that the major Hollywood studios would not hire a known communist or people who refused to cooperate with Huac. So, in that sense it was open and above board.”
But Woods appears to be signalling a return of the paranoia that the McCarthy-era blacklist provoked. “If the phone doesn’t ring, is it because you signed that petition in 1938 or because you inadvertently offended the producer’s wife or because you just didn’t fit the part?” But the phone has been ringing for celebrity supporters of President Trump. No one has gone to jail – well, no actor. And as loud as the Twitterati can be, it hardly wields the same power as a congressional committee backed by the heads of the studios and the forces of the judiciary. Gina Carano might get some grief for tweeting her doubts about the outcome of the election, but Disney isn’t going to fire her from The Mandalorian. Likewise, Chris Pratt might lose a Twitter poll about everyone’s favourite Chris for his alleged pro-Trump politics, but he hasn’t had to flee to Europe to get work under an assumed name.
Maga supporter ... Roseanne Barr. Photograph: Startraks Photo/Rex/Shutterstock
One independent producer I spoke with told me it was the left who were more likely to be silenced. “The truth is a lot of the head honchos are conservative and Republicans. Even if they don’t love Trump, they have all the power, so it’s the people below who have to shut up.” For Glenn Kenny, film critic at the New York Times and the author of Made Men: The Story of Goodfellas, the idea that their politics has damaged their careers is risible. “Jon Voight is working relatively consistently for an 81-year-old. But, like every other Republican, Voight loooooves to complain.”
Others are just not that famous to begin with. If anything, more people probably saw Charles in Charge star Scott Baio speak at the Republican convention in 2016 than watched his 2008 reality show Scott Baio is 45 … and Single. The one Maga supporter who lost her job was comedian Roseanne Barr, whose comeback show was cancelled after a racist tweet about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett. But Barr herself apologised for her tweet, blaming Ambien for the “joke”. (This led the sleeping pill manufacturers to issue the priceless response: “Racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.”)
And Barr is by no means the only Trump supporter to go off the rails, which is perhaps why mainstream conservatives never got on board the Trump train in the first place. Old school Hollywood conservatives such as Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger largely shunned Trump and the Friends of Abe dissolved in 2016, following disputes over endorsing Trump.
This leaves Voight and his war with Satan as the current face of conservative Hollywood. Although it is not likely to win over any new converts, it is representative of the Trumpism that continues to exert a controlling influence on the American conservative movement. Sonnier believes that this will continue: “The great irony is that the disingenuous wardens of free speech who believe they’re fighting the Man by denying people the freedom to express their point of view are themselves the Man. They are operating with near-total impunity.” The culture war might indeed prove infinite.


theguardian--2020-12-22--Covid, BLM protests and the election: America's year in pictures

Whitney Millstone sits with her partner , Wes Colunga and her dad , Jason Millstone , at the Forestville parking @ @ @ @ @ in Guerneville after a helicopter flew over their house and announced over the intercom that @ @ @ @ @ during the wildfires in north-western Sonoma county on 20 August

Whitney Millstone sits with her partner, Wes Colunga and her dad, Jason Millstone, at the Forestville parking lot after fleeing their home in Guerneville after a helicopter flew over their house and announced over the intercom that they needed to leave immediately during the wildfires in north-western Sonoma county on 20 August
Photograph: Rachel Bujalski


theguardian--2020-12-23--Trump pardons Blackwater contractors jailed for massacre of Iraq civilians

Donald Trump has pardoned four security guards from the private military firm Blackwater who were serving jail sentences for killing 14 civilians including two children in Baghdad in 2007 , a massacre that sparked an international outcry over the use of mercenaries in war .
The four guards – Paul Slough , Evan Liberty , Dustin Heard and Nicholas Slatten – were part of an armoured convoy that opened fire indiscriminately with machine-guns , grenade launchers and a sniper on a crowd of unarmed people in a square in the Iraqi capital .
The Nisour Square massacre was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and occupation of Iraq .
Slough , Liberty and Heard were convicted on multiple charges of voluntary and attempted manslaughter in 2014 , while Slatten , who was the first to start shooting , was convicted of first-degree murder .
Slattern was sentenced to life and the others to 30 yearsin prison each .
An initial prosecution was thrown out by a federal judge – sparking outrage in Iraq – but the then vice-president , Joe Biden , promised to pursue a fresh prosecution , which succeeded in 2015 .
At the sentencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement : “ The sheer amount of unnecessary human loss and suffering attributable to the defendants ’ criminal conduct on 16 September 2007 is staggering.
” After news of the pardon emerged on Tuesday night , Brian Heberlig , a lawyer for one of the four pardoned Blackwater defendants , said : “ Paul Slough and his colleagues didn ’ t deserve to spend one minute in prison .
I am overwhelmed with emotion at this fantastic news.
” The pardons are one of several the US president has granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or convicted of crimes against non-combatants and civilians in war zones .
In November last year , he pardoned a former US army commando who was set to stand trial over the killing of a suspected Afghan bomb-maker , and a former army lieutenant convicted of murder for ordering his men to fire at three Afghans .
Supporters of the former contractors at Blackwater Worldwide had lobbied for the pardons , arguing that the men had been excessively punished .
Prosecutors asserted the heavily armed Raven 23 Blackwater convoy launched an unprovoked attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launchers .
Defence lawyers argued their clients returned fire after being ambushed by Iraqi insurgents .
The US government said in a memorandum filed after the sentencing : “ None of the victims was an insurgent , or posed any threat to the Raven 23 convoy.
” The memorandum also contained quotations from relatives of the dead , including Mohammad Kinani , whose nine-year-old son Ali was killed .
“ That day changed my life forever .
That day destroyed me completely , ” Kinani said .
Also quoted in the memorandum was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonel , who said the massacre was “ a grossly excessive use of force ” and “ grossly inappropriate for an entity whose only job was to provide personal protection to somebody in an armoured vehicle ” .
Boslego also said the attack had “ a negative effect on our mission , [ an ] adverse effect … It made our relationship with the Iraqis in general more strained.
” FBI investigators who visited the scene in the following days described it as the “ My Lai massacre of Iraq ” – a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ villagers by US troops during the Vietnam war in which only one soldier was convicted .
After the convictions , Blackwater – which changed to Academi after being sold and renamed in 2011 – said it was “ relieved that the justice system has completed its investigation into a tragedy that occurred at Nisour Square in 2007 and that any wrongdoing that was carried out has been addressed by our courts .
“ The security industry has evolved drastically since those events , and under the direction of new ownership and leadership , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethics programmes , training for our employees , and preventative measures to strictly comply with all US and local government laws.
” The 14 victims killed by the Blackwater guards on trial were listed as Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia ’ y , Mahassin Mohssen Kadhum Al-Khazali , Osama Fadhil Abbas , Ali Mohammed Hafedh Abdul Razzaq , Mohamed Abbas Mahmoud , Qasim Mohamed Abbas Mahmoud , Sa ’ adi Ali Abbas Alkarkh , Mushtaq Karim Abd Al-Razzaq , Ghaniyah Hassan Ali , Ibrahim Abid Ayash , Hamoud Sa ’ eed Abttan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Ali Khalil Abdul Hussein .

Donald Trump has pardoned four security guards from the private military firm Blackwater who were serving jail sentences for killing 14 civilians including two children in Baghdad in 2007, a massacre that sparked an international outcry over the use of mercenaries in war.
The four guards – Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, Dustin Heard and Nicholas Slatten – were part of an armoured convoy that opened fire indiscriminately with machine-guns, grenade launchers and a sniper on a crowd of unarmed people in a square in the Iraqi capital.
The Nisour Square massacre was one of the lowest episodes of the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Slough, Liberty and Heard were convicted on multiple charges of voluntary and attempted manslaughter in 2014, while Slatten, who was the first to start shooting, was convicted of first-degree murder. Slattern was sentenced to life and the others to 30 years in prison each.
An initial prosecution was thrown out by a federal judge – sparking outrage in Iraq – but the then vice-president, Joe Biden, promised to pursue a fresh prosecution, which succeeded in 2015.
At the sentencing, the US attorney’s office said in a statement: “The sheer amount of unnecessary human loss and suffering attributable to the defendants’ criminal conduct on 16 September 2007 is staggering.”
After news of the pardon emerged on Tuesday night, Brian Heberlig, a lawyer for one of the four pardoned Blackwater defendants, said: “Paul Slough and his colleagues didn’t deserve to spend one minute in prison. I am overwhelmed with emotion at this fantastic news.”
The pardons are one of several the US president has granted to American service personnel and contractors accused or convicted of crimes against non-combatants and civilians in war zones. In November last year, he pardoned a former US army commando who was set to stand trial over the killing of a suspected Afghan bomb-maker, and a former army lieutenant convicted of murder for ordering his men to fire at three Afghans.
(L-r) Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Paul Slough, Nicholas Slatten. Photograph: AP
Supporters of the former contractors at Blackwater Worldwide had lobbied for the pardons, arguing that the men had been excessively punished.
Prosecutors asserted the heavily armed Raven 23 Blackwater convoy launched an unprovoked attack using sniper fire, machine-guns and grenade launchers. Defence lawyers argued their clients returned fire after being ambushed by Iraqi insurgents.
The US government said in a memorandum filed after the sentencing: “None of the victims was an insurgent, or posed any threat to the Raven 23 convoy.” The memorandum also contained quotations from relatives of the dead, including Mohammad Kinani, whose nine-year-old son Ali was killed. “That day changed my life forever. That day destroyed me completely,” Kinani said.
Also quoted in the memorandum was David Boslego, a retired US army colonel, who said the massacre was “a grossly excessive use of force” and “grossly inappropriate for an entity whose only job was to provide personal protection to somebody in an armoured vehicle”.
Boslego also said the attack had “a negative effect on our mission, [an] adverse effect … It made our relationship with the Iraqis in general more strained.”
FBI investigators who visited the scene in the following days described it as the “My Lai massacre of Iraq” – a reference to the infamous slaughter of civilian villagers by US troops during the Vietnam war in which only one soldier was convicted.
Blackwater was founded by Erik Prince, whose sister, Betsy DeVos, was appointed Trump’s education secretary.
After the convictions, Blackwater – which changed its name to Xe and then Academi after being sold – said it was “relieved that the justice system has completed its investigation into a tragedy that occurred at Nisour Square in 2007 and that any wrongdoing that was carried out has been addressed by our courts.
“The security industry has evolved drastically since those events, and under the direction of new ownership and leadership, Academi has invested heavily in compliance and ethics programmes, training for our employees, and preventative measures to strictly comply with all US and local government laws.”
The 14 victims killed by the Blackwater guards on trial were listed as Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia’y, Mahassin Mohssen Kadhum Al-Khazali, Osama Fadhil Abbas, Ali Mohammed Hafedh Abdul Razzaq, Mohamed Abbas Mahmoud, Qasim Mohamed Abbas Mahmoud, Sa’adi Ali Abbas Alkarkh, Mushtaq Karim Abd Al-Razzaq, Ghaniyah Hassan Ali, Ibrahim Abid Ayash, Hamoud Sa’eed Abttan, Uday Ismail Ibrahiem, Mahdi Sahib Nasir and Ali Khalil Abdul Hussein.


theguardian--2020-12-23--America braced for final month of madness as Trump show nears its end

As the Trump show nears its final episode , America is bracing for potentially the most dramatic , disturbing and outlandish twists yet .
Donald Trump ’ s recent conduct has led critics to suggest that he has lost touch with reality and raise alarms over an increasingly desperate , deranged power grab in the climactic month of his presidency .
Trump has entertained extreme ideas such as military intervention and appointing a conspiracy theorist as a special counsel to investigate voter fraud .
He has turned on allies and retweeted threats to put Republicans who failed to back him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own secretary of state ’ s assessment that Russia launched a massive cyber-attack on the US government .
And that was just in the past week .
“ I guess we can not quantify the level of crazy that could come out of the Trump White House in his final days here , ” said Tara Setmayer , a former Republican communications director on Capitol Hill .
“ This behavior is 100 % a by-product of Donald Trump ’ s psychosis.
” Trump appears to have adopted a bunker mentality since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appearances but continuing to air grievances on his increasingly manic Twitter feed .
Even as one American dies from the coronavirus every 33 seconds and hospitals struggle , he is said to have all but mentally checked out on the pandemic .
Late-stage Trumpism is consumed instead by overturning Joe Biden ’ s election win , which he still refuses to concede .
His campaign and its allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits and almost all have been dismissed or dropped ; they have lost twice at the supreme court but are preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has spoken , confirming Biden ’ s victory by 306 electoral votes to 232 , prompting Mitch McConnell , the Republican majority leader in the Senate , to acknowledge him as president-elect .
Even William Barr , the outgoing attorney general and a Trump loyalist , has found no pertinent irregularities .
Yet still Trump has continued a downward spiral into preposterously false claims and dependency on a dwindling band of zealots whose tactics are ever more reckless and extreme .
Last week he weighed the prospect of naming lawyer Sidney Powell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s legal team after pushing conspiracy theories too extreme even for Rudy Giuliani , as a special counsel investigating allegations of voter fraud .
During an acrimonious Friday meeting at the White House , the president went as far as discussing getting Powell security clearance , according to multiple media reports .
At the same meeting Giuliani , Trump ’ s personal lawyer , urged him to seize voting machines in his hunt for evidence of fraud .
And Michael Flynn , a former national security adviser recently pardoned by Trump for lying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president could impose martial law and use the military to re-run the election .
Trump ’ s chief of staff , Mark Meadows , and White House counsel Pat Cipollone voiced their objections , the New York Times and other outlets said .
Meanwhile the president is preparing a futile last stand against the electoral vote count when Congress gathers on 6 January to formally ratify Biden ’ s victory .
Trump spoke to House Republicans about challenging the result during a White House meeting on Monday , the Axios website reported , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacking McConnell for being “ the first one off the ship ” .
The president raised further concern over the weekend when , hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a radio interview that Russia was “ pretty clearly ” behind the the hacking of US government agencies and businesses , Trump sought to undercut that message and play down the severity of the attack .
He tweeted that the “ Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality ” .
He also claimed without evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though Barr has joined Pompeo in blaming Russia – renewing questions over why Trump is consistently reluctant to criticise president Vladimir Putin .
It means a cloud of uncertainty over what Trump is still capable of and how to assess the threat level .
Setmayer , an adviser to the Lincoln Project , an anti-Trump group , pointed to an incident earlier this year in which state security forces tear gassed peaceful protesters outside the White House as a warning sign .
“ I think a lot of people wouldn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on June 1 would ever have taken place in America but it did , which I think is what raises the alarm for many of us who are watching what ’ s unfolding , ” she said .
“ The fact that the idea of martial law or seizing election machine voting machines is even coming out of the White House in any capacity is alarming .
“ Now , the changes that have been made in personnel and the people that Donald Trump has put in place at the Pentagon in these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think our institutions will hold .
We ’ re a long way away from seeing troops on the street or any kind of martial law being declared .
That is beyond the pale.
” Indeed , even as the president escalates what is effectively an internal coup , he is running out of road as the transition proceeds , the country moves on and more allies turn their back on him .
Barr said on Monday he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel while Vice President Mike Pence has kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s consternation .
The military also felt compelled to draw an extraordinary line in the sand .
Ryan McCarthy , the army secretary , and General James McConville , the army ’ s top officer , released a joint statement that said : “ There is no role for the US military in determining the outcome of an American election.
” Some observers have expressed concern over Trump ’ s psychological state as walls close in and he stares into the abyss of the one thing he could never contemplate : becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Politico website : “ He ’ s never been in a situation in which he has lost in a way he can ’ t escape from.
” Others believe there is method in the madness and he is preparing for his next career – in business , media or politics – after he leaves the White House on 20 January .
Michael D ’ Antonio , author of The Truth About Trump , said : “ I think he ’ s trying to stir up enough energy and anger in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s almost like an effort to gain momentum while he retains the Oval Office , understanding that a lot of the attention will fade away rather quickly .
“ So I don ’ t think that this is necessarily intended to produce any real results other than to make the people who abhor him upset and make the people who are part of the cult more firmly attached.
” Trump has raised at least $ 200m on the back of his false assertions that the election was rigged .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” D ’ Antonio added .
“ The campaign to raise money that began as soon as the result was known through a mechanism that allows him to spend it almost any way he wants is part of the cashing in .
He wants to energise that and make it as fruitful as possible in the waning weeks .
”

As the Trump show nears its final episode, America is bracing for potentially the most dramatic, disturbing and outlandish twists yet.
Donald Trump’s recent conduct has led critics to suggest that he has lost touch with reality and raise alarms over an increasingly desperate, deranged power grab in the climactic month of his presidency.
Trump has entertained extreme ideas such as military intervention and appointing a conspiracy theorist as a special counsel to investigate voter fraud. He has turned on allies and retweeted threats to put Republicans who failed to back him in jail. He has also undermined his own secretary of state’s assessment that Russia launched a massive cyber-attack on the US government.
And that was just in the past week. “I guess we cannot quantify the level of crazy that could come out of the Trump White House in his final days here,” said Tara Setmayer, a former Republican communications director on Capitol Hill. “This behavior is 100% a by-product of Donald Trump’s psychosis.”
Trump appears to have adopted a bunker mentality since the 3 November election, making few public appearances but continuing to air grievances on his increasingly manic Twitter feed. Even as one American dies from the coronavirus every 33 seconds and hospitals struggle, he is said to have all but mentally checked out on the pandemic.
Late-stage Trumpism is consumed instead by overturning Joe Biden’s election win, which he still refuses to concede. His campaign and its allies have filed roughly 50 lawsuits and almost all have been dismissed or dropped; they have lost twice at the supreme court but are preparing yet another effort.
The electoral college has spoken, confirming Biden’s victory by 306 electoral votes to 232, prompting Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader in the Senate, to acknowledge him as president-elect. Even William Barr, the outgoing attorney general and a Trump loyalist, has found no pertinent irregularities.
Mitch McConnell last week. Unlike Trump, the Senate majority leader has acknowledged Biden’s election victory. Photograph: Rod Lamkey/Getty Images
Yet still Trump has continued a downward spiral into preposterously false claims and dependency on a dwindling band of zealots whose tactics are ever more reckless and extreme.
Last week he weighed the prospect of naming lawyer Sidney Powell, who was dismissed from his campaign’s legal team after pushing conspiracy theories too extreme even for Rudy Giuliani, as a special counsel investigating allegations of voter fraud. During an acrimonious Friday meeting at the White House, the president went as far as discussing getting Powell security clearance, according to multiple media reports.
At the same meeting Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, urged him to seize voting machines in his hunt for evidence of fraud. And Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser recently pardoned by Trump for lying to the FBI, suggested that the president could impose martial law and use the military to rerun the election. Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and the White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, voiced their objections, the New York Times and other outlets said.
Meanwhile the president is preparing a futile last stand against the electoral vote count when Congress gathers on 6 January to formally ratify Biden’s victory. Trump spoke to House Republicans about challenging the result during a White House meeting on Monday, the Axios website reported, and even sent them a PowerPoint slide attacking McConnell for being “the first one off the ship”.
The president raised further concern over the weekend when, hours after the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said in a radio interview that Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the the hacking of US government agencies and businesses, Trump sought to undercut that message and play down the severity of the attack.
He tweeted that the “Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality”. He also claimed without evidence that China could be responsible, even though Barr has joined Pompeo in blaming Russia – renewing questions over why Trump is consistently reluctant to criticise President Vladimir Putin.
It means a cloud of uncertainty over what Trump is still capable of and how to assess the threat level.
Flocks of birds fly over the West Wing of the White House as the sun sets in Washington. Photograph: Samuel Corum/AFP/Getty Images
Setmayer, an adviser to the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump group, pointed to an incident earlier this year in which state security forces teargassed peaceful protesters outside the White House as a warning sign.
“I think a lot of people wouldn’t have imagined what took place on Lafayette Square on June 1 would ever have taken place in America but it did, which I think is what raises the alarm for many of us who are watching what’s unfolding,” she said. “The fact that the idea of martial law or seizing voting machines is even coming out of the White House in any capacity is alarming.
“Now, the changes that have been made in personnel and the people that Donald Trump has put in place at the Pentagon in these final weeks is worrisome. Ultimately, I think our institutions will hold. We’re a long way away from seeing troops on the street or any kind of martial law being declared. That is beyond the pale.”
Indeed, even as the president escalates what is effectively an internal coup, he is running out of road as the transition proceeds, the country moves on and more allies turn their back on him. Barr said on Monday he saw no reason to appoint a special counsel while Vice-President Mike Pence has kept a low profile, reportedly to Trump’s consternation.
The military also felt compelled to draw an extraordinary line in the sand. Ryan McCarthy, the army secretary, and Gen James McConville, the army’s top officer, released a joint statement that said: “There is no role for the US military in determining the outcome of an American election.”
Some observers have expressed concern over Trump’s psychological state as walls close in and he stares into the abyss of the one thing he could never contemplate: becoming a loser. His niece Mary Trump told the Politico website: “He’s never been in a situation in which he has lost in a way he can’t escape from.”
Others believe there is method in the madness and he is preparing for his next career – in business, media or politics – after he leaves the White House on 20 January.
Michael D’Antonio, author of The Truth About Trump, said: “I think he’s trying to stir up enough energy and anger in his base to see him into his post-presidency. It’s almost like an effort to gain momentum while he retains the Oval Office, understanding that a lot of the attention will fade away rather quickly.
“So I don’t think that this is necessarily intended to produce any real results other than to make the people who abhor him upset and make the people who are part of the cult more firmly attached.”
Trump has raised at least $200m on the back of his false assertions that the election was rigged. “It’s all of a piece,” D’Antonio added. “The campaign to raise money that began as soon as the result was known through a mechanism that allows him to spend it almost any way he wants is part of the cashing in. He wants to energise that and make it as fruitful as possible in the waning weeks.”


theguardian--2020-12-23--Covid relief: Trump demands changes to sign $900bn bill

Donald Trump has suggested he may not sign the bipartisan $ 900bn pandemic relief package that Congress passed on Monday night .
Trump complained in a video that the bill delivered too much money to foreign countries and not enough to Americans .
The bill has enough votes to override a veto should Trump decide to take that step .
He said he wanted Congress to “ send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package , ” and called the bill a “ disgrace ” .
The bill provides for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Trump said he is asking Congress to increase the “ ridiculously low ” figure to $ 2,000 , or $ 4,000 for a couple .
However , it was Republican lawmakers who resisted higher payments .
“ House Democrats have fought for months to provide relief to the American people , which Republicans rejected at every turn , ” said the House majority leader , Steny Hoyer .
“ Now that the president has agreed to direct payments of $ 2,000 , we will ask for unanimous consent to pass a bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The House speaker , Nancy Pelosi , chimed in : “ Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the president wanted for direct checks .
At last , the president has agreed to $ 2,000 … Let ’ s do it !
” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also expressed support for approving the $ 2,000 direct payments .
The relief package is part of a larger omnibus bill to fund government operations for the coming fiscal year .
It is unclear whether he misunderstood , as he complained that money had been various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ asking Congress to get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill ” .
The president has signed a stopgap bill to extend government funding for two weeks .
It is unclear why he is now resisting the relief package ; his treasury secretary helped negotiate the package , and the administration knew what was in the bill before Congress voted on it .
Congress passed the relief package on Monday after months of gridlock .
The long-sought legislation would provide cash to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources for schools , vaccination efforts and government agencies .
While many lawmakers complained about being given little time to read the bill , they have overwhelmingly voted for it as local businesses and constituents seek economic relief from the pandemic .
Both legislative chambers worked deep into the night to pass the legislation , with the House of Representatives first approving it and the Senate following several hours later in bipartisan votes .
The relief bill would establish a temporary $ 300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $ 600 direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses , restaurants and theaters and money for schools , health care providers and renters facing eviction .
Earlier in the day , Biden applauded lawmakers for their work .
He described the package as far from perfect , “ but it does provide vital relief at a critical time ” .
He also said more relief would be needed in the months ahead .
“ We have our first hint and glimpse of bipartisanship , ” Biden said .
“ In this election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want us to reach across the aisle and work together .
”

Donald Trump has suggested he may not sign the bipartisan $900bn pandemic relief package that Congress passed on Monday night.
Trump complained in a video that the bill delivered too much money to foreign countries and not enough to Americans. The bill has enough votes to override a veto should Trump decide to take that step.
He said he wanted Congress to “send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a Covid relief package”, and called the bill a “disgrace”.
The bill provides for a $600 payment to most Americans but Trump said he was asking Congress to increase the “ridiculously low” figure to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple. However, it was Republican lawmakers who resisted higher payments.
“House Democrats have fought for months to provide relief to the American people, which Republicans rejected at every turn,” said the House majority leader, Steny Hoyer. “Now that the president has agreed to direct payments of $2,000, we will ask for unanimous consent to pass a bill this week to give Americans this assistance.”
The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, chimed in: “Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the president wanted for direct checks. At last, the president has agreed to $2,000 … Let’s do it!”
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also expressed support for approving the $2,000 direct payments.
The relief package is part of a larger omnibus bill to fund government operations for the coming fiscal year. It is unclear whether he misunderstood, as he complained that money had been various government programs, and said he was “asking Congress to get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation and to send me a suitable bill”.
The president has signed a stopgap bill to extend government funding for two weeks.
It is unclear why he is now resisting the relief package; his treasury secretary helped negotiate the package, and the administration knew what was in the bill before Congress voted on it.
Congress passed the relief package on Monday after months of gridlock. The long-sought legislation would provide cash to businesses and individuals, as well as resources for schools, vaccination efforts and government agencies.
While many lawmakers complained about being given little time to read the bill, they have overwhelmingly voted for it as local businesses and constituents seek economic relief from the pandemic.
Both legislative chambers worked deep into the night to pass the legislation, with the House of Representatives first approving it and the Senate following several hours later in bipartisan votes.
The relief bill would establish a temporary $300-a-week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters and money for schools, healthcare providers and renters facing eviction.
Earlier in the day, Biden applauded lawmakers for their work. He described the package as far from perfect, “but it does provide vital relief at a critical time”.
He also said more relief would be needed in the months ahead. “We have our first hint and glimpse of bipartisanship,” Biden said. “In this election, the American people made it clear they want us to reach across the aisle and work together.”


theguardian--2020-12-23--Who has Donald Trump just pardoned? A guide to the key figures

Donald Trump has granted pardons to 15 people , a group that includes a former campaign aide , three former Republican lawmakers , a Dutch lawyer charged as part of the Russia investigation , and four former government contractors convicted of killing Iraqi civilians .
He also commuted the sentences of five others .
Here is what you need to know about the key figures .
Van der Zwaan is the Dutch son-in-law of the Russian billionaire German Khan .
Van der Zwaan was sentenced to 30 days in prison and fined $ 20,000 for lying to investigators in Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign and Russia about his conversations with the former Trump aide Rick Gates .
The Dutch attorney became the first formal conviction obtained by Mueller in his investigation .
Van der Zwaan had previously worked with Paul Manafort , Trump ’ s disgraced former campaign manager who was also imprisoned on charges resulting from the Russia investigation .
A former lawyer at the prominent firm Skadden Arps , van der Zwaan worked on a 2012 report commissioned by Manafort to defend the former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych from international criticism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign who became the second person to be sentenced to prison as the result of the Mueller investigation .
Papadopoulos was sentenced to 14 days in prison after he pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents about contacts with a Kremlin-linked professor who informed him in April 2016 that the Russians had “ dirt ” on Hillary Clinton and “ thousands of emails ” .
Papadopoulos had told investigators that the conversation happened before he became a Trump campaign adviser , when in fact he had worked for the campaign for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Papadopoulos served 12 days of his 14-day sentence , then was placed on a 12-month supervised release .
Duncan Hunter is a former Republican congressman from California whose political career was brought to an end by corruption charges in 2018 .
Hunter was indicted in August of that year after being accused of using $ 200,000 in campaign money to fund family travel , school tuition , jewelry , groceries and gas .
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Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing campaign funds .
He was originally due to begin serving his sentence in May but had it pushed back to January 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Collins is a former congressman from New York who was indicted in 2018 on charges he passed inside information about a biotechnology company to family members so they could profit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his bid for re-election , and he was sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison .
Collins is a longtime Trump ally and was the first member of Congress to endorse Trump for president .
The former Republican representative Steve Stockman of Texas was convicted in 2018 of misuse of charitable funds .
The White House said Stockman had served more than two years of his 10-year sentence and would remain subject to a period of supervised release and an order requiring that he pay more than $ 1m in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were convicted in a 2007 massacre in Baghdad that left more a dozen Iraqi civilians dead and caused an international uproar over the use of private security guards in a war zone .
Nicholas Slatten , was convicted of first-degree murder over the killing Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia ’ y , 19 , an aspiring doctor who was one of more than a dozen civilians killed by Blackwater guards in Baghdad ’ s Nisour square in 2007 .
While escorting a diplomatic convoy , the Blackwater guards opened fire in the bustling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grenade launchers – allegedly without provocation – leaving at least 14 civilians dead and at least 18 wounded .
The Iraqi government says the toll was higher .
Slatten was one of four Blackwater guards who were found guilty in 2014 .
He was originally sentenced to life in prison while the three others were given 30-year prison sentences .
Alfonso Costa is a former dentist from Pittsburgh who pleaded guilty in 2007 to healthcare fraud .
Costa participated in a “ healthcare fraud scheme of several years ’ duration beginning in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for dental care ” , according to court documents .
Costa , who was 46 at the time , faced a maximum prison sentence of 18 months .
He was sentenced to one year of house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet , three years ’ probation , 100 hours of community service and a $ 250,000 fine .
Now a self-employed real estate speculator with properties in Pennsylvania , New York City , Florida and elsewhere , Costa is also a business associate and close friend of Ben Carson , Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a frequent visitor to Costa ’ s villa on Italy ’ s Amalfi coast .
• None Crystal Munoz , who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana .
Trump commuted her remaining sentence .
• None Tynice Nichole Hall , who served nearly 15 years in prison on drug related charges .
Trump commuted her remaining sentence .
• None Judith Negron , who was convicted in a major Medicare fraud case .
Trump commuted her remaining sentence .
• None Alfred Lee Crum , 89 , who had pleaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegally distill moonshine in Oklahoma .
Trump granted a full pardon .
• None Philip Esformes , who was imprisoned on charges in a Medicare fraud scheme , described by the justice department as the largest ever charged .
Trump commuted his remaining prison sentence .
• None Otis Gordon , who had been convicted of possession with intent to distribute .
Trump granted him a full pardon .
• None Philip Lyman , who was a county commissioner in Utah when he was prosecuted for protesting the Bureau of Land Management ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riders .
Trump granted a full pardon .
• None Weldon Angelos , who had been sentenced in 2002 to 55 years ’ imprisonment for selling marijuana and carrying a handgun and was released by judicial order after serving 13 years in prison .
Trump granted a full pardon .
• None Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean , former border patrol agents who were convicted of assault after Ramos in 2005 shot a suspect trafficking marijuana who subsequently fled across the border .
Their prison sentences were commuted by the former president George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pardon .
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed reporting

Donald Trump has granted pardons and commuted the sentences of more than 40 people since Tuesday, many of them former aides and longtime loyalists.
They include several former campaign figures, multiple former Republican lawmakers, a Dutch lawyer charged as part of the Russia investigation, the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and four former government contractors convicted of killing Iraqi civilians.
Here is what you need to know about the key figures.
Paul Manafort
Paul Manafort at a New York court. Photograph: Seth Wenig/AP
Paul Manafort is the disgraced former chairman of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, who was sentenced in 2019 to seven and a half years in prison for charges that emerged from the Russia investigation.
Manafort was once a high-flying lobbyist, serving as a consultant to the former Angolan rebel leader Jonas Savimbi and the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos. He worked for Trump’s election campaign for five months in 2016.
Manafort, 70, was among the first in Trump’s inner circle to face charges brought by the special counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump has now pardoned multiple people charged as part of the investigation, including the former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and campaign adviser George Papadopoulos.
Manafort had been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for financial crimes related to his work in Ukraine. However, he was released from prison in May of this year over coronavirus concerns, and was due to serve out the rest of his sentence under home confinement. Trump’s pardon will spare Manafort from serving the bulk of term.
Roger Stone
Roger Stone in December. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Roger Stone is a longtime friend of Donald Trump and notorious Republican fixer who has worked with political figures including Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.
Stone, 67, was convicted in November 2019 of lying under oath and obstructing a congressional investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.
In the process of the Trump-Russia investigation, which led to a string of indictments, Mueller and his team also revealed evidence of communications between Stone and WikiLeaks related to the release of hacked Democratic party emails.
Stone was sentenced to more than three years in jail, but Trump commuted his sentence back in July before he entered prison.
In a rare public statement following that earlier commutation, Mueller wrote: “The Russia investigation was of paramount importance. Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes. He remains a convicted felon, and rightly so.”
Charlie Kushner
Charles Kushner (center) pictured in 2004 arriving at Newark federal court. Photograph: New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images
Charlie Kushner is the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. He was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty in 2004 to 18 counts of tax evasion and making unlawful campaign donations.
Kushner was also charged with witness tampering – after he retaliated against his brother-in-law William Schulder, who was cooperating with federal investigators. Kushner was accused of hiring a sex worker to seduce Schulder, videotaping the encounter and sending the tape to Schulder’s wife – Kushner’s sister.
Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles, and Trump’s daughter Ivanka married Jared Kushner in 2009.
In an unusual twist, the man who prosecuted Charles Kushner was Chris Christie, now the former governor of New Jersey, who also has served as an adviser to Trump.
Christie was quoted by CNN as saying Charles Kushner’s case was “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes” he prosecuted.
Alex van der Zwaan
Alex van der Zwaan. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters
Alex van der Zwaan is the Dutch son-in-law of the Russian billionaire German Khan. Van der Zwaan was sentenced to 30 days in prison and fined $20,000 for lying to investigators in Robert Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia about his conversations with the former Trump aide Rick Gates.
The Dutch attorney became the first formal conviction obtained by Mueller in his investigation.
Van der Zwaan had previously worked with Paul Manafort, Trump’s disgraced former campaign manager who was also imprisoned on charges resulting from the Russia investigation.
A former lawyer at the prominent firm Skadden Arps, Van der Zwaan worked on a 2012 report commissioned by Manafort to defend the former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych from international criticism.
George Papadopoulos
George Papadopoulos. Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Reuters
George Papadopoulos was a former adviser to the Trump campaign who became the second person to be sentenced to prison as the result of the Mueller investigation.
Papadopoulos was sentenced to 14 days in prison after he pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents about contacts with a Kremlin-linked professor who informed him in April 2016 that the Russians had “dirt” on Hillary Clinton and “thousands of emails”. Papadopoulos had told investigators that the conversation happened before he became a Trump campaign adviser, when in fact he had worked for the campaign for more than a month at the time.
Papadopoulos served 12 days of his 14-day sentence, then was placed on a 12-month supervised release.
Duncan Hunter
Duncan Hunter. Photograph: Gregory Bull/AP
Duncan Hunter is a former Republican congressman from California whose political career was brought to an end by corruption charges in 2018.
Hunter was indicted in August of that year after being accused of using $200,000 in campaign money to fund family travel, school tuition, jewelry, groceries and gas. Prosecutors said he also spent the funds on extramarital affairs and flights for his family’s pet rabbit. He tried to conceal the illegal spendings by listing them in federal records as donations for military veterans and other campaign-related expenses, according to the indictment.
Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing campaign funds. He was originally due to begin serving his sentence in May but had it pushed back to January 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Chris Collins
Former US congressman Chris Collins. Photograph: Justin Lane/EPA
Collins is a former congressman from New York who was indicted in 2018 on charges he passed inside information about a biotechnology company to family members so they could profit from illicit trades. The charges ended his bid for re-election, and he was sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison.
Collins is a longtime Trump ally and was the first member of Congress to endorse Trump for president.
Steve Stockman
The former Republican representative Steve Stockman of Texas was convicted in 2018 of misuse of charitable funds.
The White House said Stockman had served more than two years of his 10-year sentence and would remain subject to a period of supervised release and an order requiring that he pay more than $1m in restitution.
Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard
Dustin Heard, Evan Liberty, Nicholas Slatten and Paul Slough. Photograph: AP
The four former government contractors were convicted in a 2007 massacre in Baghdad that left more a dozen Iraqi civilians dead and caused an international uproar over the use of private security guards in a war zone.
Nicholas Slatten, was convicted of first-degree murder over the killing Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubia’y, 19, an aspiring doctor who was one of more than a dozen civilians killed by Blackwater guards in Baghdad’s Nisour square in 2007.
While escorting a diplomatic convoy, the Blackwater guards opened fire in the bustling square with sniper rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers – allegedly without provocation – leaving at least 14 civilians dead and at least 18 wounded. The Iraqi government says the toll was higher.
Slatten was one of four Blackwater guards who were found guilty in 2014. He was originally sentenced to life in prison while the three others were given 30-year prison sentences.
Alfonso Costa
Alfonso Costa is a former dentist from Pittsburgh who pleaded guilty in 2007 to healthcare fraud.
Costa participated in a “healthcare fraud scheme of several years’ duration beginning in approximately 1995, involving false insurance billing for dental care”, according to court documents.
Costa, who was 46 at the time, faced a maximum prison sentence of 18 months. He was sentenced to one year of house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet, three years’ probation, 100 hours of community service and a $250,000 fine.
Now a self-employed real estate speculator with properties in Pennsylvania, New York City, Florida and elsewhere, Costa is also a business associate and close friend of Ben Carson, Trump’s housing secretary. Carson is said to be a frequent visitor to Costa’s villa on Italy’s Amalfi coast.
Other notable pardons and commutations include:
Margaret Hunter , the wife of Duncan Hunter, who in 2019 plead guilty to conspiracy to misuse campaign funds for personal expenses. Trump granted her a full pardon.
Crystal Munoz , who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Trump commuted her remaining sentence.
Tynice Nichole Hall , who served nearly 15 years in prison on drug-related charges. Trump commuted her remaining sentence.
Judith Negron , who was convicted in a major Medicare fraud case. Trump commuted her remaining sentence.
Alfred Lee Crum , 89, who had pleaded guilty in 1952 to helping a relative illegally distill moonshine in Oklahoma. Trump granted a full pardon.
Philip Esformes , who was imprisoned on charges in a Medicare fraud scheme, described by the justice department as the largest ever charged. Trump commuted his remaining prison sentence.
Otis Gordon , who had been convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Trump granted him a full pardon.
Philip Lyman , who was a county commissioner in Utah when he was prosecuted for protesting the Bureau of Land Management’s closure of a canyon to ATV riders. Trump granted a full pardon.
Weldon Angelos , who had been sentenced in 2002 to 55 years’ imprisonment for selling marijuana and carrying a handgun and was released by judicial order after serving 13 years in prison. Trump granted a full pardon.
Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, former border patrol agents who were convicted of assault after Ramos in 2005 shot a suspect trafficking marijuana who subsequently fled across the border. Their prison sentences were commuted by the former president George W Bush. Trump granted a full pardon.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed reporting