theguardian--2020-02-15--The US is gearing up for a dramatic 2020 presidential race: here's how to follow it from Australia

Whether we like it or not , the upcoming US election concerns all of us , and Australians would do well to pay attention .
There are the usual , practical reasons : the US is Australia ’ s most powerful ally , a major trading partner and the two countries have significant cultural and political affinities .
What happens in America affects Australia pretty directly .
For some of us , what happens in the world ’ s most powerful anglophone liberal democracy also has an emotional resonance .
Previously Australia ’ s political junkies have looked to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spectacle that democracy can provide .
The drama is underpinned by the knowledge that any political outcome in the US will have a world-historical dimension .
But there ’ s a darker tinge to it this time after Donald Trump ’ s shock victory in 2016 .
In the past four years we have had a practical demonstration that none of us can hide from US politics .
An unstable US doesn ’ t send ripples around the world – it dispatches tsunamis .
So how best to understand what is happening from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , who should you listen to for accurate information ( besides Guardian US , of course ) ?
Who should you look to for an insight into the mindset of voters ?
And where can you go for the colour of the race ?
In general , the most comprehensive , authoritative and influential coverage comes from a relative handful of outlets .
Newspapers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post are in effect international news organisations in the internet age .
And of course , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ page .
The big change over the past few election cycles is the rise of the podcast .
Some of the best and most important are independent – more on them below – but major media organisations now have a full complement of podcasts on all topics , including politics and elections , including the New York Times .
A second tier of metropolitan newspapers – among them the LA Times , the Houston Chronicle , the Boston Herald , the Chicago Tribune and the Seattle Times – provide a similar service not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wider regions that will be crucial in deciding the election .
Cable television news outlets such as CNN and MSNBC now have mountains of print content on their websites .
The two public broadcasters National Public Radio and PBS offer credible online coverage .
Big city affiliates of national broadcast TV networks such as CBS also offer some of the most well-read news websites in the country .
And internet-native outlets like Politico , Huffington Post and Yahoo News also provide reliable election-focused news .
Bookmarking the election coverage on these sites , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reader , will offer a much more reliable real time guide to what is happening than your Facebook feed .
Be aware that some credible sounding sites – such as Newsweek or the Washington Times – are either much-diminished or less impartial than their name might suggest .
US election season is awash with polls .
There are dozens of national polls , run by commercial organisations , media outlets and universities , sometimes in combination with each other .
Frequently they also compete with smaller state-specific polls in trying to call particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same trends , but their methods and therefore their numbers , are often different .
The diehard political junkies wait on tenterhooks for each new set of data ; the rest of us might want a more digestible overview .
Luckily there are a number of websites that provide just this .
Nate Silver and FiveThirtyEight went from 2012 heroes to 2016 zeroes after they and every other polling-focused site predicted that Hillary Clinton was a shoo-in .
He also made some wrong calls on the primary races that year .
Since then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by engaging on Twitter in the kind of punditry he once described as “ useless ” .
But some of the criticisms were not entirely fair , and Silver has perhaps been caught up in a backlash against expertise in a moment dominated by gut feel populism .
( He never said Trump had no chance of winning , just that it was very small , and he wasn ’ t alone . )
Ignore his Twitter tirades and go to the FiveThirtyEight website , where there is still a wealth of detailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election as a whole .
You can also check out some other useful one-stop resources for quantitative information .
Although the site has strange rightwing connections , RealClearPolitics has comprehensive , aggregated polling data .
At the New York Times , the Upshot carries out analysis that goes beyond polling numbers into electoral maths , and statistical deep dives into the political and demographic issues that bear on voting behaviour .
By necessity , national coverage leaves out a lot .
Even a well-resourced colossus such as the New York Times can only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be happening in particular states during primary season , especially during the sprawling events of Super Tuesday .
If you want to have your ear closer to the ground , you may want to tune into local sources .
But in a media market the size of the US , it can be hard to know where to start .
There are a few ways in .
Some sites , such as Mondo Times , systematically list and link to local news organisations .
In the listing for Oregon , where I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large cities in bold type ; if you click through to a locality , such as Portland , you ’ ll see all active media organisations listed .
The listing for each outlet then has a link directly to the source .
From there you can save time with a few pointers .
Yellow crosses by the name on Mondo ’ s site indicate locally popular outlets .
The news section generally lists the more reliable , news-focused sources .
From there you can use some rules of thumb .
If you look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its name , such as KOPB , you will find a public broadcaster roughly equivalent to a combination of local ABC Radio and Radio National – comprehensive , with national resources , and safely down the middle .
The more popular news sources will often be papers of record for a city or a state – in our example , the Oregonian .
These can also generally be relied on , and will usually allow you to read at least a few articles free of charge .
But don ’ t overlook the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , independent giveaways like Portland ’ s Willamette Week – which Mondo lists in the entertainment listings .
Yes , they do provide listings and entertainment guides , much like street press giveaways in Australia .
But they also offer edgier , less risk-averse coverage of local news than some of their big brother outlets – go to the street press for the real skinny .
One feature of the Trump administration has been the large number of legal proceedings brought against the president , his associates and members of the administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be resolved , and developments over the next few months may have a significant impact on the result .
For straight up reporting , keep an eye on Courthouse News .
For sharper coverage of the legal travails of Trump world , try EmptyWheel , the blog of independent journalist Marcy Wheeler .
When you have had your fill of reporting , you may wish to know how the unabashed supporters of particular candidates , or representatives of a particular part of the political spectrum , are thinking .
Three or four elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards blogs for such partial commentary .
Now , such content is more likely to come in the form of podcasts , or to have been aggregated on more partisan websites .
Guardian readers might naturally gravitate towards more progressive viewpoints .
Democracy Now is primarily a syndicated broadcast , but its website offers recordings of the daily shows and much more .
Sam Seder ’ s Majority Report is an entertaining and informative leftwing take on national politics .
Best of the Left podcast aggregates progressive takes , and is a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are independent outlets who wear their affection for particular candidates on their sleeves .
Perhaps the most obvious example is Chapo Trap House , the socialist comedy podcast which backs Bernie Sanders to the hilt .
Also in Brooklyn , the socialist magazine Jacobin began the election cycle by featuring a utopian illustration of Sanders on its cover .
On the other side , the entire conservative media apparatus is completely in the tank for Trump .
Everyone from Fox News to Breitbart to prominent voices at ostensibly more sober sites such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were dubious about the brash outsider candidate in 2016 have come , often by means of being anti-anti-Trump , or perhaps due to their fear of the wrath of the president ’ s base , to be in his corner this time .
Given everything that has happened , supporting the president requires some logical contortions , and significant efforts to smear his critics – including many of the outlets listed above .
Many rightwing outlets are not above conspiracy theory when it comes to explaining how so many people in the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or in prison .
The websites are publicly available , but you may not wish to drink from that well too often .
If so , monitoring sites such as Media Matters for America and Right Wing Watch can keep you abreast of the latest developments on the right .

Whether we like it or not, the upcoming US election concerns all of us, and Australians would do well to pay attention.
There are the usual, practical reasons: the US is Australia’s most powerful ally, a major trading partner and the two countries have significant cultural and political affinities. What happens in America affects Australia pretty directly.
For some of us, what happens in the world’s most powerful anglophone liberal democracy also has an emotional resonance.
Previously Australia’s political junkies have looked to the US election as the most lavish political spectacle that democracy can provide. The drama is underpinned by the knowledge that any political outcome in the US will have a world-historical dimension.
But there’s a darker tinge to it this time after Donald Trump’s shock victory in 2016.
In the past four years we have had a practical demonstration that none of us can hide from US politics. An unstable US doesn’t send ripples around the world – it dispatches tsunamis.
So how best to understand what is happening from a distance? In a bitterly divided country, who should you listen to for accurate information (besides Guardian US, of course)? Who should you look to for an insight into the mindset of voters? And where can you go for the colour of the race?
The top line
In general, the most comprehensive, authoritative and influential coverage comes from a relative handful of outlets.
Newspapers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post are in effect international news organisations in the internet age. And of course, there’s the Guardian’s own US home page.
The New York Times. Photograph: Mark Lennihan/AP
The big change over the past few election cycles is the rise of the podcast. Some of the best and most important are independent – more on them below – but major media organisations now have a full complement of podcasts on all topics, including politics and elections, including the New York Times.
A second tier of metropolitan newspapers – among them the LA Times, the Houston Chronicle, the Boston Herald, the Chicago Tribune and the Seattle Times – provide a similar service not only for their home cities, but wider regions that will be crucial in deciding the election.
Cable television news outlets such as CNN and MSNBC now have mountains of print content on their websites. The two public broadcasters National Public Radio and PBS offer credible online coverage. Big city affiliates of national broadcast TV networks such as CBS also offer some of the most well-read news websites in the country.
Be aware that some credible sounding sites are either much-diminished or less impartial than their name might suggest.
And internet-native outlets like Politico, Huffington Post and Yahoo News also provide reliable election-focused news.
Bookmarking the election coverage on these sites, or plugging their feeds into an RSS reader, will offer a much more reliable real time guide to what is happening than your Facebook feed.
Be aware that some credible sounding sites – such as Newsweek or the Washington Times – are either much-diminished or less impartial than their name might suggest.
The numbers
US election season is awash with polls. There are dozens of national polls, run by commercial organisations, media outlets and universities, sometimes in combination with each other. Frequently they also compete with smaller state-specific polls in trying to call particular races.
They may all indicate the same trends, but their methods and therefore their numbers, are often different. The diehard political junkies wait on tenterhooks for each new set of data; the rest of us might want a more digestible overview. Luckily there are a number of websites that provide just this.
Nate Silver and FiveThirtyEight went from 2012 heroes to 2016 zeroes after they and every other polling-focused site predicted that Hillary Clinton was a shoo-in. He also made some wrong calls on the primary races that year. Since then, Silver has done himself no favours by engaging on Twitter in the kind of punditry he once described as “useless”.
During the 2016 election, most polling-focused sites predicted Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton as a shoo-in. Photograph: AFP/AFP via Getty Images
But some of the criticisms were not entirely fair, and Silver has perhaps been caught up in a backlash against expertise in a moment dominated by gut feel populism. (He never said Trump had no chance of winning, just that it was very small, and he wasn’t alone.)
Ignore his Twitter tirades and go to the FiveThirtyEight website, where there is still a wealth of detailed polling information for primary races and the election as a whole.
You can also check out some other useful one-stop resources for quantitative information.
The diehard political junkies wait on tenterhooks for each new set of data.
Although the site has strange rightwing connections, RealClearPolitics has comprehensive, aggregated polling data. At the New York Times, the Upshot carries out analysis that goes beyond polling numbers into electoral maths, and statistical deep dives into the political and demographic issues that bear on voting behaviour.
The detail
By necessity, national coverage leaves out a lot. Even a well-resourced colossus such as the New York Times can only cram in so much information about what might be happening in particular states during primary season, especially during the sprawling events of Super Tuesday.
If you want to have your ear closer to the ground, you may want to tune into local sources. But in a media market the size of the US, it can be hard to know where to start. There are a few ways in.
The more popular news sources will often be papers of record for a city or a state – like the Oregonian – and these can also generally be relied on. Photograph: Justin Lane/EPA
Some sites, such as Mondo Times, systematically list and link to local news organisations. In the listing for Oregon, where I am based, it handily shows the large cities in bold type; if you click through to a locality, such as Portland, you’ll see all active media organisations listed. The listing for each outlet then has a link directly to the source.
From there you can save time with a few pointers. Yellow crosses by the name on Mondo’s site indicate locally popular outlets. The news section generally lists the more reliable, news-focused sources. From there you can use some rules of thumb.
If you look for the radio station with NPR beside its name, such as KOPB, you will find a public broadcaster roughly equivalent to a combination of local ABC Radio and Radio National – comprehensive, with national resources, and safely down the middle.
The more popular news sources will often be papers of record for a city or a state – in our example, the Oregonian. These can also generally be relied on, and will usually allow you to read at least a few articles free of charge.
Go to the street press for the real skinny.
But don’t overlook the so-called “alt weeklies” – scrappy, independent giveaways like Portland’s Willamette Week – which Mondo lists in the entertainment listings. Yes, they do provide listings and entertainment guides, much like street press giveaways in Australia. But they also offer edgier, less risk-averse coverage of local news than some of their big brother outlets – go to the street press for the real skinny.
The law
One feature of the Trump administration has been the large number of legal proceedings brought against the president, his associates and members of the administration. Many of these cases are yet to be resolved, and developments over the next few months may have a significant impact on the result. For straight up reporting, keep an eye on Courthouse News. For sharper coverage of the legal travails of Trump world, try EmptyWheel, the blog of independent journalist Marcy Wheeler.
Hot takes
When you have had your fill of reporting, you may wish to know how the unabashed supporters of particular candidates, or representatives of a particular part of the political spectrum, are thinking.
There are plenty of independent media outlets that offer their unabashed support for particular candidates. Photograph: Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty Images
Three or four elections ago I might have been pointing you towards blogs for such partial commentary. Now, such content is more likely to come in the form of podcasts, or to have been aggregated on more partisan websites.
Guardian readers might naturally gravitate towards more progressive viewpoints. Democracy Now is primarily a syndicated broadcast, but its website offers recordings of the daily shows and much more. Sam Seder’s Majority Report is an entertaining and informative leftwing take on national politics. Best of the Left podcast aggregates progressive takes, and is a good way of learning about new shows.
There are independent outlets who wear their affection for particular candidates on their sleeves. Perhaps the most obvious example is Chapo Trap House, the socialist comedy podcast which backs Bernie Sanders to the hilt. Also in Brooklyn, the socialist magazine Jacobin began the election cycle by featuring a utopian illustration of Sanders on its cover.
The websites are publicly available, but you may not wish to drink from that well too often
On the other side, the entire conservative media apparatus is completely in the tank for Trump. Everyone from Fox News to Breitbart to prominent voices at ostensibly more sober sites such as National Review. Even many who were dubious about the brash outsider candidate in 2016 have come, often by means of being anti-anti-Trump, or perhaps due to their fear of the wrath of the president’s base, to be in his corner this time.
Given everything that has happened, supporting the president requires some logical contortions, and significant efforts to smear his critics – including many of the outlets listed above. Many rightwing outlets are not above conspiracy theory when it comes to explaining how so many people in the president’s camp have landed in court, or in prison.
The websites are publicly available, but you may not wish to drink from that well too often. If so, monitoring sites such as Media Matters for America and Right Wing Watch can keep you abreast of the latest developments on the right.


theguardian--2020-02-18--Michael Bloomberg qualifies for Democratic debate for first time – live updates

The presidential candidates are back on the campaign trail today , with Democrats Bernie Sanders , Joe Biden , Elizabeth Warren , Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg in Nevada ahead of Saturday ’ s caucuses there .
Sanders , Buttigieg and Klobuchar will all appear on CNN tonight for town hall-style interviews .
It ’ s also the deadline at midnight ET tonight for candidates to qualify for the next Democratic debate , which takes place in Las Vegas on Wednesday .
Biden , Buttigieg , Klobuchar , Sanders and Warren have all qualified – but a change in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear for the first time .
He needs to reach 10 % in one more poll to make it .
The Democrats controversially scrapped a rule that meant participants had to reach a donor threshold , allegedly to allow the self-funding billionaire former New York mayor to take part .
Bloomberg – who joins the race in earnest on Super Tuesday , 3 March – has come under fire over the past week for allegedly racist policing policies as New York mayor and for alleged sexist and misogynistic comments as a businessman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ further yesterday , with Biden saying : “ $ 60bn can buy you a lot of advertising , but it can ’ t erase your record.
” Sanders , the leftwing Vermont senator who is now the frontrunner in the race , seems to be pulling ahead in polling in Nevada , with the ailing centrist Biden now nine points behind him in polling averages .
The former vice-president has also plunged in national Democratic polling following his poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire this month , leaving Sanders in the lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climbing .
Warren , Sanders ’ rival on the left , seems to be on the slide too .
Like Iowa , Nevada holds caucuses rather than primaries – complicated , hours-long public meetings with multiple rounds of balloting .
( Here ’ s more on how they work . )
But after the shambles in Iowa where an app malfunctioned , the Nevada Democratic party has said it won ’ t use the same technology .
But it ’ s not clear what they will use instead .
“ Reports suggest the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a combination of Google forms and scannable paper ballots as a backup , ” writes Kari Paul .
Donald Trump is heading west too , meeting the LA 2028 Olympic Organizing Committee and supporters in Beverley Hills and then heading to Las Vegas .
Trump waded into controversy last week when his attorney general , William Barr , criticised him for interfering in criminal cases such as that of his friend Roger Stone , who is due to be sentenced for obstruction , false statements and witness tampering on 20 February .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ case today .
Here ’ s some of the US politics news you may have missed from yesterday :

19 Feb 2020 01.07 GMT Summary Mike Bloomberg has plunged into another controversy over his past comments — this time after newly uncovered video from last year showed him using dehumanizing language to describe trans people.
has plunged into another controversy over his past comments — this time after newly uncovered video from last year showed him using dehumanizing language to describe trans people. The billionaire former mayor of New York will face his competitors on the debate stage for the first time tomorrow in Las Vegas .
. Elizabeth Warre n , Bernie Sanders , and Joe Biden have all singled out Bloomberg today, critiquing his record on race and policing, as well as his self-funded campaign.
, , and have all singled out Bloomberg today, critiquing his record on race and policing, as well as his self-funded campaign. Ahead of the Nevada caucuses this week, Sanders held a double-digit lead over his competitors, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Another poll, from NBC and the Wall Street Journal also found Sanders in the lead, but has been criticized for appearing to leave Warren off a question that gauged candidates’ chances of winning a general election against Donald Trump.
held a double-digit lead over his competitors, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Another poll, from NBC and the Wall Street Journal also found Sanders in the lead, but has been criticized for appearing to leave off a question that gauged candidates’ chances of winning a general election against Donald Trump. The president falsely claimed he was “the chief law enforcement officer” of the US. Earlier today he commuted the sentence of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich , who has served seven years in prison on corruption charges after being caught on tape trying to sell a US Senate seat.
, who has served seven years in prison on corruption charges after being caught on tape trying to sell a US Senate seat. Trump also pardoned former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik and financier Michael Milken.
and financier Trump condemned what he called a “fraudulent investigation” into Roger Stone though he did not indicate whether he would pardon the longtime ally who was convicted of lying to Congress and obstructing Trump-Russia inquiry
Updated at 01.55 GMT
19 Feb 2020 01.07 GMT Bernie Sanders’ campaign will ask for a partial recount of the Iowa caucus results, following state Democratic Party’s recanvass. The recanvass updates reported results, but it doesn’t correct math errors. It appeared to narrow the gap between Sanders and Pete Buttigieg even further.
Buttigieg lead in Iowa appears to fall to a mere 0.08 SDEs after recanvass
Buttigieg 563.207
Sanders 563.127https://t.co/ScWQUecTRb — Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) February 19, 2020 “While it is clear that Sen. Sanders won the popular vote in Iowa by 6,000 votes, the recanvass process reduced the State Delegate Equivalent deficit by 97 percent,” said Sanders’ adviser Jeff Weaver. “We now believe a recount will give Sen. Sanders enough State Delegate Equivalents to put him over the top by that metric as well. We want to thank the people of Iowa, our supporters, our volunteers and everyone who made this possible.” The Iowa Democrats began a recanvass at the request of Sanders and Buttigieg’s campaigns. Although the party awarded Buttigieg the most delegates, the AP has still not declared a winner. The rollout of the results has been delayed due to issues with reporting and collecting data on election night, and errors in the complex math required to calculate the outcomes.
Updated at 01.19 GMT
19 Feb 2020 00.27 GMT Warren isn’t the only candidate to single out Bloomberg. In response to news that the billionaire former mayor would sell his company if elected president, Joe Biden’s campaign pointed out that Bloomberg once said he’d sell his company if he ran for president. *If he wins* wasn't the promise, @TimOBrien. It was if he *ran.* Why is he breaking his word? https://t.co/Ysa4SrIdSv pic.twitter.com/ouQPIPiBwx — Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) February 18, 2020
Updated at 00.28 GMT
19 Feb 2020 00.09 GMT Elizabeth Warren has been on the offensive against Mike Bloomberg, with her account tweeting critiques of the former New York mayor throughout the day in what could be a preview of tomorrow’s debate in Las Vegas. Mike Bloomberg approved and oversaw a program that surveilled and tracked Muslim communities in mosques, restaurants, and even college campuses—leaving permanent damage. He refuses to apologize for it. https://t.co/oUDQIlySHn — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 18, 2020 The Massachusetts senator had hit Bloomberg on his policing policies, and the fact that he is using his vast wealth to fund his own campaign. “It’s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate,” Warren said in one of her targeted tweets. .@FredTJoseph personally knows the damage that Mike Bloomberg’s policies and agendas have caused. He knows that our party deserves better. pic.twitter.com/2sJEJ7crCf — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 18, 2020 It’s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate. But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire. https://t.co/H02radEZcv — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 18, 2020 Mike Bloomberg's expansion of “stop and frisk” devastated Black and Brown communities. For years, he used racist justifications to defend the practice—and more comments are already resurfacing. We need a nominee that Democratic voters can trust. https://t.co/AZa84e5Qt0 — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 18, 2020 Bloomberg is surging in polls, even as Warren’s support has lagged. In Nevada, where Warren had one of the earliest and strongest campaigns, she’s banking on a strong showing of support at the caucuses to boost her back up. Tomorrow, she’ll and the other Democratic contenders face off for the first time against Bloomberg who qualified to participate in the Las Vegas debate after the Democratic National Committee relaxed its qualification requirements.
Updated at 00.10 GMT
18 Feb 2020 23.34 GMT The mayor of Chicago said Donald Trump’s decision to commute the sentence of the former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, “sends the wrong message”. Blagojevich has served seven years in prison on corruption charges. He was caught on tape trying to sell a US Senate seat. Lori Lightfoot, the mayor of Chicago said that commuting Blagojevich’s sentence “would be controversial under any president, but President Trump embodies the worst in public leadership through his brazen disrespect for the rule of law and good governance”. Commuting former Gov. Blagojevich's sentence would be controversial under any president, but President Trump embodies the worst in public leadership through his brazen disrespect for the rule of law and good governance. Given his track record, this action sends the wrong message. https://t.co/IWtNznqLFl — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) February 18, 2020
18 Feb 2020 23.24 GMT Oddly, though the NBC/WSJ poll asked voters to weigh in on a theoretical race between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Mike Bloomberg and Amy Klobuchar, it didn’t test a matchup between the president and Elizabeth Warren. Warren ranked fourth among voters who participated in the same poll, above Buttigieg and Klobuchar. Does NBC/WSJ poll have a hotline number where I can report a missing woman? https://t.co/2b5fdxx7YY — Will Bunch 🆘 (@Will_Bunch) February 18, 2020
18 Feb 2020 23.08 GMT Bloomberg would sell his company if elected president, according to an adviser. Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images Mike Bloomberg said he would sell Bloomberg LP if he were elected president, according to his advisor. Bloomberg would put the company into a bling trust, and the trustee would sell it, adviser Tim O’Brien told the AP. Proceeds from the sale would go to Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable arm of the former New York mayor’s business. “We want to be 180 degrees apart from Donald Trump around financial conflicts of interest,” O’Brien told the AP. “We think it’s one of the biggest stains on the presidency, and Trump’s record is his refusal to disengage himself in his own financial interests. And we want to be very transparent and clean and clear with voters about where Mike is on these things.” Bloomberg retained ownership of his company while serving as New York mayor.
18 Feb 2020 22.49 GMT A new poll finds Bernie Sanders would win against Mike Bloomberg in a two-way race. Notable from NBC/WSJ poll of Dem primary voters: If you had to choose between...
Sanders 57%
Bloomberg 37%
---
Sanders 54%
Buttigieg 38%https://t.co/2asdlVJs8Y — Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) February 18, 2020 When asked how they’d vote if they had to choose between Sanders and Bloomberg, 57% of Democratic primary voters polled chose the former. Bloomberg’s campaign has cast the primaries has a “two-man” race between the former New York mayor and the Vermont senator. According to the poll by NBC and the Wall Street Journal, Sanders also did best in matchups between the Democratic candidates and Donald Trump. New NBC/WSJ out just now
Sanders 27%
Biden 15%
Bloomberg 14%
Warren 14%
Buttigieg 13%
Klobuchar 7%
Notable that Trump performs best in match-up against Sanders, compared to the rest
Biden 52%, Trump 44%
Bloomberg 50%, Trump 43%
Sanders 50%, Trump 46%
Buttigieg 48%, Trump 44% — Jason K. Morrell (@CNNJason) February 18, 2020
Updated at 23.01 GMT
18 Feb 2020 22.14 GMT Report: video shows Mike Bloomberg using language that dehumanizes trans people A newly uncovered video from a forum in March 2019 shows Bloomberg saying that trans rights were about “some guy wearing a dress and whether he, she, or it can go to the locker room with their daughter, that’s not a winning formula for most people”, according to a report by Buzzfeed News. The revelation comes on the same day that Bloomberg’s campaign released a video touting the former New York mayor’s record on LGBTQ+ issues, Buzzfeed notes. Bloomberg’s sensitivity was far less apparent at a forum hosted by the Bermuda Business Development Agency on March 21, 2019, in Manhattan, where Bloomberg derided Democratic candidates for talking about transgender protections. “If your conversation during a presidential election is about some guy wearing a dress and whether he, she, or it can go to the locker room with their daughter, that’s not a winning formula for most people,” he said. Bloomberg made a similar remark about a “man wearing a dress” in 2016, but his comments uncovered Tuesday — remarks he made less than a year ago — came amid the early stages of the 2020 Democratic primary. The video was posted to YouTube shortly after the March event, but has received few views. Bloomberg was not a candidate for president at the time, but announced his campaign just eight months after he made the remarks.
Updated at 22.35 GMT
18 Feb 2020 22.00 GMT Evening summary That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands: Trump falsely claimed he was “the chief law enforcement officer” of the US, a title that actually belongs to attorney general William Barr.
falsely claimed he was “the chief law enforcement officer” of the US, a title that actually belongs to attorney general Trump commuted the sentence of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich , who has served seven years in prison on corruption charges after being caught on tape trying to sell a US Senate seat.
, who has served seven years in prison on corruption charges after being caught on tape trying to sell a US Senate seat. The Blagojevich commutation was one in a series of acts of clemency from Trump, who also pardoned former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik and financier Michael Milken.
and financier The sentencing of former Trump associate Roger Stone will take place on Thursday, as scheduled, while Stone’s legal team continues to push for a new trial.
will take place on Thursday, as scheduled, while Stone’s legal team continues to push for a new trial. Trump appeared to indicate his support for granting Stone a new trial in a series of tweets quoting a Fox News analyst. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
18 Feb 2020 21.47 GMT Bernie Sanders’ campaign has responded to Pete Buttigieg’s earlier comment that he has concerns about Sanders’ ability to win in a general election against Trump. The Sanders campaign pointed to the candidate’s formidable fundraising operation and popularity with people of color, particularly Latinx voters, as evidence of the Vermont senator’s broad appeal. The Sanders campaign responds to Pete Buttigieg in Vegas today (via @GregJKrieg): https://t.co/oQDFGpcEry https://t.co/cU5AQq1wZu pic.twitter.com/vAE2hAIEDp — DJ Judd (@DJJudd) February 18, 2020 But some of Sanders’ critics fear he will see his polling numbers dangerously slide once the Trump campaign starts focusing on the self-described democratic socialist. Trump himself appears to relish the idea of facing Sanders and has repeatedly accused the Democratic party of trying to prevent Sanders from winning the nomination, although he has offered no evidence for that claim.
18 Feb 2020 21.26 GMT A new poll from Maine shows Republican senator Susan Collins locked in a close race with her expected Democratic opponent, state House speaker Sara Gideon. The Colby College poll found that 42% of Maine voters support Collins, compared to 43% who support Gideon. In comparison, Collins won reelection in 2014 with more than 68% of the vote. The poll also found that Collins’ vote to acquit Trump in the Senate impeachment trial is hurting her with the state’s many independent voters. Of the independents polled, 39% said Collins’ acquittal vote made them less likely to support her, compared to 13% who said it made them more likely to support her. Democrats consider Collins’ seat to be one of their top pick-up opportunities as they attempt to take control of the Senate, which would require flipping four Republican seats (or three if they can also win the White House).
18 Feb 2020 21.13 GMT In a pair of tweets, Trump accused Mike Bloomberg of “illegally buying” the Democratic presidential nomination as the billionaire candidate spends hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising. .....Mini is illegally buying the Democrat Nomination. They are taking it away from Bernie again. Mini Mike, Major Party Nominations are not for sale! Good luck in the debate tomorrow night and remember, no standing on boxes! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2020 Some of Bloomberg’s critics have raised concerns about the former New York mayor receiving endorsements from lawmakers who have benefitted from his political donations, but those endorsements do not run afoul of campaign finance laws.


theguardian--2020-02-18--Bellwether caucuses: diverse Nevada is a crucial test for Democrats

At a strip mall across the street from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas , several Bernie Sanders volunteers stared at their phones , pretending to be disinterested in politics .
Fellow volunteers walked over to them , and pitched the Vermont senator ’ s solutions to the student debt crisis and rising college tuition costs .
Handing over clipboards , they offered volunteer information and urged their pretend-targets to commit to supporting Bernie .
Then both groups traded roles , and those who played the distracted UNLV students practiced delivering Sanders ’ plans for reform .
This was mid-January , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race in Nevada , the third presidential primary contest of the 2020 calendar .
Nevada voters are headed to the polls on 22 February at noon , and the race is a crucial test case for the appeal of the Democratic presidential hopefuls among a diverse coalition of Democrats .
The caucus format of the “ first in the west ” vote tends to favor the campaign with the strongest ground support .
Nevadans who don ’ t vote early have to arrive at designated caucus precincts by 12pm to stand in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the raucous scene , can be tested .
And tensions developed during debates and through paid and unpaid media may be on display .
Nevadans working on the Las Vegas Strip who want to vote will be able to step away from their card tables , beverage stations , kitchens and housekeeping carts and join fellow staff in ballrooms reserved to caucus inside the MGM Grand , Bellagio , Wynn and other resorts .
A Las Vegas Review-Journal and AARP Nevada poll released on Friday showed Sanders with 25 % support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 18 % , Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren at 13 % , businessman Tom Steyer at 11 % , and former South Bend , Indiana , mayor Pete Buttigieg tied with Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar at 10 % .
In addition to a burgeoning army of volunteers , the Sanders campaign employs 250 people in the silver state , more than double the staff of Pete Buttigieg , the second-largest campaign at 100 .
Lourdes Esparza , 38 , said she volunteers for Sanders because her mother and grandmother can ’ t afford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine and pass on doctor ’ s appointments to avoid co-pays .
Esparza canvases door-to-door despite also working weekdays at a teachers union and weekends hostessing at a restaurant .
“ ‘ How much is it going to cost ?
’ shouldn ’ t be the first words that come out of my grandmother ’ s mouth when she gets sick , ” Esparza said .
Austreberto Hernandez , a 26-year-old immigrant rights advocate , said he will support Sanders for his “ deliberate ” approach to progressivism .
“ I feel like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants [ in 2015 ] because he said it a million times on the campaign trail.
” “ All that stuff – universal healthcare , a $ 15 minimum wage – Bernie just pounded to death and now they ’ ve become household names.
” Late last month , at a Joe Biden campaign field office in North Las Vegas , a dozen supporters had gathered to be trained as precinct captains .
The strip mall space had aviator sunglasses painted on the wall across from a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unite ” slogan , key tenats of the former vice-president ’ s nostalgia-driven campaign .
Having suffered embarrassing losses in Iowa and New Hampshire , Biden ’ s narrative of electability desperately needs reviving in Nevada .
The former vice-president polls well in communities of color .
Both Iowa and New Hampshire – where he finished in fourth and fifth places , respectively – are over 90 % white .
But whether Nevada ’ s diverse Democratic base will rescue his claim to viability is as uncertain as splitting aces on a cold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter carrier said she likes Biden ’ s “ overall good view of the American people ” .
“ His empathy is something we need to bring back to our communities , ” she said .
A woman named Maria defended Biden ’ s controversial touchy-feeliness as proof of his compassion , while adding : “ He knows what to do when he gets to the White House .
He has dignity , and he is a family man.
” Allan , wearing a military veteran ’ s hat , said he liked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat Trump ” .
Those sentiments were repeated .
But some supporters admitted to having wavered to and from other candidates .
“ I ’ m one of those people who ’ s indecisive , but not really indecisive because nobody jumps out as the most whatever , ” said DeeAnn Bear , a retired teacher .
“ Like this gentleman , I want someone who ’ s able to beat Trump .
Someone who has knowledge , and is honest , and doesn ’ t just act like a five-year-old having a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to realize that no matter how good your ideas are , you ’ re never going to convince everybody , ” said Linda Ogleby , an activist since the 1960s .
“ Even if Medicare for All is the ultimate great idea , it ’ s going to take , like water , slowly to get there.
” Law school student Justin Williamson saw Elizabeth Warren as a kindred spirit .
Williamson has worked with vulnerable populations throughout his career .
He was a licensed foster parent , and served as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best interests of children in abuse and neglect cases .
Before that , he cared for people in residential and inpatient psychiatric treatment .
“ One of the appeals of Warren is that that ’ s the focus of her work : Let ’ s do the most we can for people who have the least advantage .
We have a lot of systemic things that need to be fixed.
” He likes that Warren approaches policy in an “ overtly nerdy but evidence-based way ” .
Alluding to the Massachusetts senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Williamson noted that she studied society and “ realized the system is set up to screw the people with the least ability to deal with it.
’ ” “ She ’ s like , ‘ I have done this research and looked at this problem and originally I started from this position , and was like what is wrong with these people ?
Then I studied it and realized the system is set up to screw the people with the least ability to deal with it.
’ ” Reflecting on what makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Nevada represents a lot of what is going on in the country that often gets missed .
It ’ s got a lot of almost shadow populations .
They ’ re people that don ’ t have a ton of money , power , representation , so they don ’ t get seen or heard from .
People living on the fringes , where housing is inconsistent .
Access to healthcare is also a huge deficit in the state .
Just all these social things are more acute here , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is greater contact with that than there might be in other places.
” On the sideline of the Martin Luther King Day parade , Rich Gilroy said that a year ago he would have voted for Joe Biden .
But then he saw Pete Buttigieg speak at a Las Vegas coffee shop , and felt moved by the former mayor ’ s candidacy .
When they shook hands afterward , Gilroy told the former mayor that as a gay man , he never thought he ’ d see this day come .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gilroy said , “ but I think I support him now not just because he ’ s gay – and openly gay – but because he ’ s such an adult .
He ’ s what I consider a pragmatic progressive .
He ’ s smart , he ’ s charismatic .
When he speaks , he inspires me .
He lifts my spirits.
” Gilroy compared Buttigieg ’ s message and delivery to that of Barack Obama in 2008 for the way it instills him with hope .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have in the White House now , ” he added .
“ No matter who gets the nomination I ’ m going to be out volunteering and working for that candidate.
” With days to go until the caucus , the political fervor in Nevada has only heated up .
In every election cycle in the state , requisite attention is paid to the maneuvers of the powerful Culinary Union , which represents more than 60,000 resort industry employees , most of whom work in Las Vegas .
The Union declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but issued subtle anti-endorsements through a flier for members that stated : “ We have fought for 85 years to protect our health care .
Why would we let politicians take it away ?
” The implied rebuke of Sanders ’ and Warren ’ s healthcare plans , by which private insurance would be eliminated , suggested that the union ’ s work negotiating top-tier medical coverage for members and their families would be squandered .
A second warning via email said Sanders ’ proposal would “ End Culinary Healthcare ” .
Berniacs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of harassment that the campaign disavowed and condemned .
The kerfuffle was convenient in a way , drawing maximum attention to the union ’ s opposition to Medicare for All .
But its impact remains to be seen , as the union ’ s clout in Democratic primary is less impactful than in general elections .
In 2008 , Culinary endorsed then Senator Barack Obama in the Democractic caucus but Hillary Clinton still won a majority of the contests on the strip and claimed Nevada ’ s popular vote .
( In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still earned fewer delegates ) .
In 2016 , the union stayed neutral as Clinton narrowly defeated Sanders , a result furiously disputed at the state convention during delegate allocation .
A chair was raised as if to be thrown , and death threats ensued .
Not to be left out of the potential chaos and chicanery , Donald Trump is encouraging his supporters to take part in the process to support the “ weakest ” Democrat ( even though registered Republicans can ’ t vote in the Democratic caucus . )
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Republicans have established a nonprofit organization to identify disaffected conservatives and independents willing to register as Democrats and support moderate candidates .
“ Anti-Trump conservative voters have a clear interest in the Democrats nominating a standard bearer who is both ideologically tolerable – even if there are major differences on policy – and more likely to defeat the president and allow the Republican party to move beyond Donald Trump , ” the announcement said .

At a strip mall across the street from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, several Bernie Sanders volunteers stared at their phones, pretending to be disinterested in politics. Fellow volunteers walked over to them, and pitched the Vermont senator’s solutions to the student debt crisis and rising college tuition costs. Handing over clipboards, they offered volunteer information and urged their pretend-targets to commit to supporting Bernie. Then both groups traded roles, and those who played the distracted UNLV students practiced delivering Sanders’ plans for reform.
This was mid-January, and Sanders was already leading the organizing race in Nevada, the third presidential primary contest of the 2020 calendar.
Nevada voters are headed to the polls on 22 February at noon, and the race is a crucial test case for the appeal of the Democratic presidential hopefuls among a diverse coalition of Democrats.
The caucus format of the “first in the west” vote tends to favor the campaign with the strongest ground support. Nevadans who don’t vote early have to arrive at designated caucus precincts by 12pm to stand in their preferred candidate’s corner. Loyalty, in the raucous scene, can be tested. And tensions developed during debates and through paid and unpaid media may be on display. Nevadans working on the Las Vegas Strip who want to vote will be able to step away from their card tables, beverage stations, kitchens and housekeeping carts and join fellow staff in ballrooms reserved to caucus inside the MGM Grand, Bellagio, Wynn and other resorts.
A Las Vegas Review-Journal and AARP Nevada poll released on Friday showed Sanders with 25% support, followed by former vice-president Joe Biden with 18%, Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren at 13%, businessman Tom Steyer at 11%, and former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg tied with Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar at 10%.
Bernie Sanders volunteers in front of the campaign office for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in January. Photograph: Dan Hernandez/The Guardian
In addition to a burgeoning army of volunteers, the Sanders campaign employs 250 people in the silver state, more than double the staff of Pete Buttigieg, the second-largest campaign at 100.
Lourdes Esparza, 38, said she volunteers for Sanders because her mother and grandmother can’t afford adequate healthcare and are forced to ration medicine and pass on doctor’s appointments to avoid co-pays. Esparza canvasses door-to-door despite also working weekdays at a teachers union and weekends hostessing at a restaurant. “‘How much is it going to cost?’ shouldn’t be the first words that come out of my grandmother’s mouth when she gets sick,” Esparza said.
Austreberto Hernandez, a 26-year-old immigrant rights advocate, said he will support Sanders for his “deliberate” approach to progressivism. “I feel like Bernie Sanders normalized the idea of a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants [in 2015] because he said it a million times on the campaign trail.”
“All that stuff – universal healthcare, a $15 minimum wage – Bernie just pounded to death and now they’ve become household names.”
Joe Biden volunteers attend a precinct captain training. Photograph: Dan Hernandez/The Guardian
Late last month, at a Joe Biden campaign field office in North Las Vegas, a dozen supporters had gathered to be trained as precinct captains. The strip mall space had aviator sunglasses painted on the wall across from a “Restore” “Rebuild” and “Unite” slogan, key tenets of the former vice-president’s nostalgia-driven campaign.
Having suffered embarrassing losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, Biden’s narrative of electability desperately needs reviving in Nevada. The former vice-president polls well in communities of color. Both Iowa and New Hampshire – where he finished in fourth and fifth places, respectively – are over 90% white. But whether Nevada’s diverse Democratic base will rescue his claim to viability is as uncertain as splitting aces on a cold blackjack table.
Lucy, a retired letter carrier said she likes Biden’s “overall good view of the American people”. “His empathy is something we need to bring back to our communities,” she said.
A woman named Maria defended Biden’s controversial touchy-feeliness as proof of his compassion, while adding: “He knows what to do when he gets to the White House. He has dignity, and he is a family man.”
Allan, wearing a military veteran’s hat, said he liked Biden “because I think he can beat Trump”. Those sentiments were repeated. But some supporters admitted to having wavered to and from other candidates.
“I’m one of those people who’s indecisive, but not really indecisive because nobody jumps out as the most whatever,” said DeeAnn Bear, a retired teacher. “Like this gentleman, I want someone who’s able to beat Trump. Someone who has knowledge, and is honest, and doesn’t just act like a five-year-old having a temper tantrum.”
“I’ve come to realize that no matter how good your ideas are, you’re never going to convince everybody,” said Linda Ogleby, an activist since the 1960s. “Even if Medicare for All is the ultimate great idea, it’s going to take, like water, slowly to get there.”
One Biden supporter said he liked the vice-president ‘because I think he can beat Trump’. But some supporters admitted to having wavered to and from other candidates. Photograph: Dan Hernandez/The Guardian
Law school student Justin Williamson saw Elizabeth Warren as a kindred spirit. Williamson has worked with vulnerable populations throughout his career. He was a licensed foster parent, and served as a court-appointed special advocate to look out for the best interests of children in abuse and neglect cases. Before that, he cared for people in residential and inpatient psychiatric treatment.
“One of the appeals of Warren is that that’s the focus of her work: let’s do the most we can for people who have the least advantage. We have a lot of systemic things that need to be fixed.”
He likes that Warren approaches policy in an “overtly nerdy but evidence-based way”. Alluding to the Massachusetts senator’s career as a law professor, Williamson noted: “She’s like, ‘I have done this research and looked at this problem and originally I started from this position, and was like, what is wrong with these people? Then I studied it and realized the system is set up to screw the people with the least ability to deal with it.’”
Reflecting on what makes the state unique, Williamson said, “Nevada represents a lot of what is going on in the country that often gets missed. It’s got a lot of almost shadow populations. They’re people that don’t have a ton of money, power, representation, so they don’t get seen or heard from. People living on the fringes, where housing is inconsistent. Access to healthcare is also a huge deficit in the state. Just all these social things are more acute here, and I do think among those who are caucusing there is greater contact with that than there might be in other places.”
On the sideline of the Martin Luther King Day parade, Rich Gilroy said that a year ago he would have voted for Joe Biden. But then he saw Pete Buttigieg speak at a Las Vegas coffee shop, and felt moved by the former mayor’s candidacy. When they shook hands afterward, Gilroy told the former mayor that as a gay man, he never thought he’d see this day come.
Rich Gilroy said that a year ago he would have voted for Joe Biden. Now he’s supporting Pete Buttigieg. Photograph: Dan Hernandez/The Guardian
“That was my initial attraction,” Gilroy said, “but I think I support him now not just because he’s gay – and openly gay – but because he’s such an adult. He’s what I consider a pragmatic progressive. He’s smart, he’s charismatic. When he speaks, he inspires me. He lifts my spirits.”
Gilroy compared Buttigieg’s message and delivery to that of Barack Obama in 2008 for the way it instills him with hope. “I think Buttigieg is the polar opposite of what we have in the White House now,” he added.
“No matter who gets the nomination I’m going to be out volunteering and working for that candidate.”
With days to go until the caucus, the political fervor in Nevada has only heated up. In every election cycle in the state, requisite attention is paid to the maneuvers of the powerful Culinary Union, which represents more than 60,000 resort industry employees, most of whom work in Las Vegas.
The union declined to endorse a candidate this go around, but issued subtle anti-endorsements through a flyer for members that stated: “We have fought for 85 years to protect our health care. Why would we let politicians take it away?”
The implied rebuke of Sanders’ and Warren’s healthcare plans, by which private insurance would be eliminated, suggested that the union’s work negotiating top-tier medical coverage for members and their families would be squandered.
A second warning via email said Sanders’ proposal would “End Culinary Healthcare”. Some Sanders supporters responded with hostile messages and other forms of harassment that the campaign disavowed and condemned.
Bernie Sanders volunteers practice pitching the Vermont senator’s policy proposals to voters. Photograph: Dan Hernandez/The Guardian
The kerfuffle was convenient in a way, drawing maximum attention to the union’s opposition to Medicare for All. But its impact remains to be seen, as the union’s clout in the Democratic primary is less impactful than in general elections.
In 2008, Culinary endorsed then Senator Barack Obama in the Democratic caucus but Hillary Clinton still won a majority of the contests on the Strip and claimed Nevada’s popular vote. (In a sign of things to come, she still earned fewer delegates.) In 2016, the union stayed neutral as Clinton narrowly defeated Sanders, a result furiously disputed at the state convention during delegate allocation. A chair was raised as if to be thrown, and death threats ensued.
Not to be left out of the potential chaos and chicanery, Donald Trump is encouraging his supporters to take part in the process to support the “weakest” Democrat (even though registered Republicans can’t vote in the Democratic caucus). And on their end, “Never Trump” Republicans have established a not-for-profit organization to identify disaffected conservatives and independents willing to register as Democrats and support moderate candidates.
“Anti-Trump conservative voters have a clear interest in the Democrats nominating a standard bearer who is both ideologically tolerable – even if there are major differences on policy – and more likely to defeat the president and allow the Republican party to move beyond Donald Trump,” the announcement said.


theguardian--2020-02-18--Roger Stone case: judge orders phone hearing after prosecutors quit – report

The judge presiding over the case of Donald Trump ally Roger Stone has reportedly ordered both sides to participate in a conference call on Tuesday .
US District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued the order for the phone hearing on Sunday , according to Politico .
Stone , 67 , is the sixth former Trump aide to be convicted in cases prompted by Robert Mueller ’ s Russia investigation .
It follows a tumultuous week for US justice in which all four lawyers in the prosecution team , Aaron Zelinsky , Jonathan Kravis , Adam Jed and Michael Marando @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after their sentencing recommendation of seven to nine years was overruled by the Justice Department .
In their court filing on Monday prosecutors had argued that Stone – who was found guilty in November of seven crimes including obstruction of justice , witness tampering and lying to Congress – has showed “ contempt for this court and the rule of law ” .
But the following day Trump claimed in a tweet : “ The real crimes were on the other side , as nothing happens to them .
Can not allow this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on Tuesday afternoon , a new court filing was released , proposing that the sentence guidelines for Stone be cut .
The intervention has prompted Democrats to request an independent investigation and over 1,000 former US justice department officials calling on attorney general William Barr to resign .
Barr , a Trump loyalist , claimed in an interview with ABC News last week that the president ’ s tweets were “ making it impossible for me to do my job ” .
Meanwhile , defense attorneys for Stone last week filed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The first was rejected by Jackson last year .
Stone is due to be sentenced in Washington on Thursday morning but , following last week ’ s developments , it is unclear whether or not Jackson will continue as planned .
On Friday the judge issued an order for the government to respond to the new sealed trial motion by midnight on Tuesday .
Judge Jackson ’ s chambers did not respond to the Guardian ’ s request for comment .

Donald Trump has called for his longtime ally Roger Stone’s recent conviction for witness tampering and lying to Congress to be thrown out.
Trump’s barrage of Tuesday morning tweets came days after his own attorney general, William Barr, sparked a furore over his apparent intervention in the case.
“Everything having to do with this fraudulent investigation is badly tainted and, in my opinion, should be thrown out,” one of Trump’s tweets said.
Trump tweeted the Fox News commentator Andrew Napolitano’s comment that the jury appears to have been biased against Trump. He called out Judge Amy Berman Jackson by name, saying almost any judge in the country would throw out the conviction.
The president also on Tuesday made the eye-popping, and false, claim that he is “the chief law enforcement officer of the United States”. Many were quick to point out that Barr is in fact the chief law enforcement officer of the US government. Trump made the remarks at a military base in Maryland, in response to reporters’ questions on the Stone case and Barr’s recent rebuke that Trump’s tweets “make it impossible to do my job”.
“The attorney general is a man with incredible integrity,” Trump said, but he refused to rule out the possibility of weighing in on Stone’s case. “Just so you understand, I chose not to be involved. I’m allowed to be totally involved. I’m actually, I guess, the chief law enforcement officer of the country. But I’ve chosen not to be involved.”
Trump said he was not considering pardoning Stone but complained that his former associate was being treated “very unfairly”.
01:33 Trump falsely declares himself 'the chief law enforcement officer' of the US – video
Stone was convicted in November of a seven-count indictment that accused him of lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to tip the 2016 election.
Prosecutors had recommended a tough sentence of between seven to nine years in federal prison, but Barr reversed that decision and recommended a less harsh punishment, prompting the entire prosecution team to resign from the case.
Eric Holder, US attorney general under Barack Obama, said in a statement at the time that the conduct over Stone had “put at risk the perceived – and real – neutral enforcement of our laws and, ultimately, endanger the fabric of our democracy”.
Barr later denied that Trump’s Twitter denunciation of the sentencing recommendation had influenced his decision; in an interview with ABC News, Barr said he had not been asked by Trump to look into the case.
But the highly unusual intervention has prompted widespread outrage. More than 2,000 former justice department employees have signed an open letter calling for Barr’s resignation and expressing support of the four prosecutors.
Jackson said Stone’s sentencing would take place on Thursday, as planned.
There had been questions raised about a potential delay in sentencing, as Stone’s lawyers push for a new trial due to the allegations of anti-Trump bias of one of the jurors.
However, Jackson said the sentencing should occur as scheduled, while noting that its implementation may be delayed because of concerns raised by Stone’s team.
Stone, 67, is the sixth former Trump aide to be convicted in cases prompted by Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
In their court filing last Monday, the prosecutors had argued that Stone – who was found guilty in November of seven crimes including obstruction of justice, witness tampering and lying to Congress – has shown “contempt for this court and the rule of law”.
But the following day Trump claimed in a tweet: “The real crimes were on the other side, as nothing happens to them. Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice!”
Hours later, on Tuesday afternoon, a new court filing was released, proposing that the sentence guidelines for Stone be cut.
Defense attorneys for Stone last week filed a second motion for a new trial. The first was rejected by Jackson last year.
Associated Press contributed to this report


theguardian--2020-02-18--Kidnappers prey with ‘total impunity’ on migrants waiting for hearings in Mexico

A score or so migrants crouch in the dark corridor of the safe house where they have been waiting for a month .
Today , their turn has come to go back on the road again – not across the US border , however , but deeper into Mexico , to save their skins .
Outside , a minivan pulls up , driven by Baptist pastor Lorenzo Ortíz to take the migrants to relative safety , and away from kidnap , extortion and violation .
This is Nuevo Laredo , in the north-west corner of Tamaulipas state , opposite Laredo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ busiest commercial trans-border hub .
The people waiting to board the van have already crossed into the USA , but have been sent back under the Trump administration ’ s so-called Migrant Protection Protocols - known as “ Remain in Mexico ” – whereby would be asylum-seekers must await their appointed hearing south of the border .
MPP was rolled out in January last year , since when an estimated 57,000 people now wait south of the border for their asylum hearing date .
Tens of thousands more are waiting just for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the faces behind statistics in a shocking report by Doctors Without Borders ( MSF ) , which found 80 % of migrants waiting in Nuevo Laredo under MPP to have been abducted by the mafia , and 45 % to have suffered violence or violation .
The door of the safe house opens and blinding sunlight beckons those awaiting , as does Pastor Ortíz , who arrives across the border from Laredo each morning to take a vanload to the larger city of Monterrey , Nuevo León .
There can be no tarrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robles , from the First Baptist Church .
“ If they walk to the corner of the block ” , he says , “ they ’ re likely to be kidnapped ” .
Robles knows the risk he runs .
Last August , criminals approached Aarón Méndez , a Seventh Day Adventist managing another shelter nearby , demanding he hand over Cubans in his care , whose relatives in the USA might pay high ransoms for their release .
He refused – and has not been seen since , joining the 50,000 disappeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The safe house – its gate kept closed with padlock and chain - is crammed with some 180 people , mostly indoors , some in a back yard enclosed by breeze blocks .
Their stories are terrifying and consistent .
Moy Eduardo fled his home in El Salvador after members of the MS-13 gang abducted and killed his brother after the family failed to pay sufficient extortion money .
He eventually arrived at Nuevo Laredo bus station , only to be forced into a car and taken to a farm some distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pistol-whipped , while the kidnappers called his cousin in Atlanta and demanded an $ 8,000 ransom .
“ They said if I didn ’ t pay , they ’ d hand me over to ‘ other people in our organisation , ’ ” he recalled .
Four days later , his desperate relative wired money , and Moy Eduardo was released .
He told the story to US authorities when applying for asylum , “ but they didn ’ t believe me and sent me back ” .
Moy Eduardo has a court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leave Nuevo Laredo .
“ I can not stay here – they said if they saw me again , they ’ d kill me ” .
“ It ’ s become big business ” , says Pastor Robles “ It ’ s a way for the drug cartels to diversify .
It is worse in Tamaulipas than other border states , and worse in Nuevo Laredo than anywhere else in Tamaulipas .
There ’ s no formula to the abductions and disappearances – they are kidnapped , beaten , women violated ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nuevo Laredo was for years controlled by the hyper-violent Zetas group , and is now territory of its off-shoot , the Northeast cartel .
But their one-time associate , now rival , the Gulf Cartel is knocking at the gates , backed by the Jalisco Cartel , eager for access to the city ’ s vast commercial transit routes into the USA .
.
While the Zetas/Northeast Cartel control migrant movement within Nuevo Laredo , the Gulf and Jalisco cartels often bring migrants to the city .
And each group sees migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy money .
“ They go after the ones who ’ ve been brought here by a rival cartel .
They have to pay twice , ” says Pastor Ortíz “ And the Cubans – because they know the Cubans have richer relatives ” .
Inside the safe-house , Yaqueline and her daughter Lisbeth , described how she was given a code by their coyote after fleeing gang violence in San Pedro Sula , Honduras .
She was told that in Nuevo Laredo , the word “ rana ” – frog – would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thugs approached them outside the government migrant registration offices , they were told the word meant they were property of the enemy ; mother and child were bundled into an SUV .
Relatives north of the border were again contacted .
After five days , they were still unable to find the ransom money , and Yaqueline and Lisbeth were released to find their own way to Pastor Robles ’ church .
Asked if she had been maltreated , Yaqueline lowers her eyes , gestures towards the child , and crossed herself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it is even more dangerous here ” .
All these people have US ‘ Notice to Appear ’ papers for dates months away , when they will re-cross the bridge into Laredo , Texas , and enter a tent court beside the Rio Grande , for a cursory video-link hearing to a judge hundreds of miles away in San Antonio .
Less than 1 % are granted asylum .
Those summoned to court begin gathering on the Mexican side of the bridge before 4am .
A group from Cuba and Venezuela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are 67 on the docket to appear at the tent court , but by 6am , only 29 are shuffled through into the canvas corridor , to plead their case , and await judgement on a screen from 150 miles away .
The rest are presumed to have given up and retuned home .
Reporters have never been admitted into the Laredo tent court .
“ The authorities make no attempt to intervene , says Pastor Ortíz , “ the mafia is right there in the open , and there ’ s nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s total impunity for the cartels ” .
Local and national governments play down the abduction emergency .
Edwin Aceves , the chief investigator for the Office of Disappeared Persons in Nuevo Laredo , said he had received “ no reports of kidnapping and extortion of migrants .
These are just rumours ” .
Meanwhile , Mark Morgan , acting Commissioner for US Customs and Border Protection , told a round-table of reporters last year he was unaware of reports of kidnapping , while Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard has said kidnaps were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his department had information on 20 cases nationally .
Mexico ’ s leftwing government co-operates enthusiastically with President Trump ’ s MPP .
In contrast to the Pastors ’ buses helping migrants wait in relative safety , government buses chartered depart daily from Nuevo Laredo ’ s state migration centres to take migrants back to the border with Guatemala .
Even one of those was hijacked last Autumn , surrounded by gunmen aboard pickup trucks , and migrants taken .
But here at the safe house , the minivan is ready to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety away from Nuevo Laredo , and then back again to cross the border when their date arrives .
The group shuffles out of the front door onto the sidewalk and scrambles aboard .
Pastor Robles says a prayer for the road through the front passenger window – and off they go , in the opposite direction to that of their plans , but away from the clutches of the mafia .

A score or so migrants crouch in the dark corridor of the safe house where they have been waiting for a month. Today, their turn has come to go back on the road again – not across the US border, however, but deeper into Mexico, to save their skins.
Outside, a minivan pulls up, driven by Baptist pastor Lorenzo Ortiz to take the migrants to relative safety, and away from kidnap, extortion and violation.
This is Nuevo Laredo, in the north-west corner of Tamaulipas state, opposite Laredo, Texas, the world’s busiest commercial trans-border hub. The people waiting to board the van have already crossed into the USA, but have been sent back under the Trump administration’s so-called Migrant Protection Protocols - known as “Remain in Mexico” – whereby would be asylum seekers must await their appointed hearing south of the border.
MPP was rolled out in January last year, since when an estimated 57,000 people now wait south of the border for their asylum hearing date. Tens of thousands more are waiting just for the initial application for asylum.
These are the faces behind statistics in a shocking report by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which found that in one month 75% of migrants waiting in Nuevo Laredo under MPP had been abducted by the mafia, and 45% to have suffered violence or violation. The door of the safe house opens and blinding sunlight beckons those awaiting, as does Pastor Ortiz, who arrives across the border from Laredo each morning to take a vanload to the larger city of Monterrey, Nuevo León.
There can be no tarrying, explains another local pastor, Diego Robles, from the First Baptist church. “If they walk to the corner of the block,” he says, “they’re likely to be kidnapped.”
Migrant children sleep on a mattress on the floor of the AMAR migrant shelter in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, in July 2019. Photograph: Marco Ugarte/AP
Robles knows the risk he runs. Last August, criminals approached Aarón Méndez, a Seventh Day Adventist managing another shelter nearby, demanding he hand over Cubans in his care, whose relatives in the USA might pay high ransoms for their release.
He refused – and has not been seen since, joining the 50,000 disappeared in Mexico’s undeclared war since 2006.
The safe house – its gate kept closed with padlock and chain – is crammed with some 180 people, mostly indoors, some in a back yard enclosed by breeze blocks.
Their stories are terrifying and consistent.
Moy Eduardo fled his home in El Salvador after members of the MS-13 gang abducted and killed his brother after the family failed to pay sufficient extortion money. He eventually arrived at Nuevo Laredo bus station, only to be forced into a car and taken to a farm some distance from town. There, he was pistol-whipped, while the kidnappers called his cousin in Atlanta and demanded an $8,000 ransom.
“They said if I didn’t pay, they’d hand me over to ‘other people in our organisation’,” he recalled. Four days later, his desperate relative wired money, and Moy Eduardo was released.
He told the story to US authorities when applying for asylum, “but they didn’t believe me and sent me back”. Moy Eduardo has a court date in April, but is desperate to leave Nuevo Laredo. “I cannot stay here – they said if they saw me again, they’d kill me”.
“It’s become big business,” says Pastor Robles “It’s a way for the drug cartels to diversify. It is worse in Tamaulipas than other border states, and worse in Nuevo Laredo than anywhere else in Tamaulipas. There’s no formula to the abductions and disappearances – they are kidnapped, beaten, women violated; most return, but not all”.
Youth migrants from Central America play with water inside a migrant shelter in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, in June 2019. Photograph: Carlos Jasso/Reuters
Nuevo Laredo was for years controlled by the hyper-violent Zetas group, and is now territory of its offshoot, the North-east cartel. But their one-time associate, now rival, the Gulf cartel is knocking at the gates, backed by the Jalisco cartel, eager for access to the city’s vast commercial transit routes into the USA. .
While the Zetas/North-east cartel control migrant movement within Nuevo Laredo, the Gulf and Jalisco cartels often bring migrants to the city. And each group sees migrants and asylum seekers as a source of easy money.
“They go after the ones who’ve been brought here by a rival cartel. They have to pay twice,” says Pastor Ortiz “And the Cubans – because they know the Cubans have richer relatives.”
Inside the safe house, Yaqueline and her daughter Lisbeth, described how she was given a code by their coyote after fleeing gang violence in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
She was told that in Nuevo Laredo, the word “rana” – frog – would ensure safe passage. But when three thugs approached them outside the government migrant registration offices, they were told the word meant they were property of the enemy; mother and child were bundled into an SUV.
Relatives north of the border were again contacted. After five days, they were still unable to find the ransom money, and Yaqueline and Lisbeth were released to find their own way to Pastor Robles’ church. Asked if she had been maltreated, Yaqueline lowers her eyes, gestures towards the child, and crossed herself. “The gangs were bad in Honduras, but it is even more dangerous here.”
All these people have US “Notice to Appear” papers for dates months away, when they will re-cross the bridge into Laredo, Texas, and enter a tent court beside the Rio Grande, for a cursory video-link hearing to a judge hundreds of miles away in San Antonio.
A soldier looks across the Rio Grande River from Laredo, Texas, into Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, where a group of people hang out on the river bank. Photograph: Thomas Watkins/AFP/Getty Images
Less than 1% are granted asylum.
Those summoned to court begin gathering on the Mexican side of the bridge before 4am. A group from Cuba and Venezuela assembles first, manifestly nervous.
There are 67 on the docket to appear at the tent court, but by 6am, only 29 are shuffled through into the canvas corridor, to plead their case, and await judgment on a screen from 150 miles away. The rest are presumed to have given up and returned home. Reporters have never been admitted into the Laredo tent court.
“The authorities make no attempt to intervene, says Pastor Ortiz, “the mafia is right there in the open, and there’s nothing done to stop them. It’s total impunity for the cartels.”
Local and national governments play down the abduction emergency. Edwin Aceves, the chief investigator for the Office of Disappeared Persons in Nuevo Laredo, said he had received “no reports of kidnapping and extortion of migrants. These are just rumours.”
Meanwhile, Mark Morgan, acting commissioner for US Customs and Border Protection, told a round-table of reporters last year he was unaware of reports of kidnapping, while Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, has said kidnaps were “not a massive number”; his department had information on 20 cases nationally.
Mexico’s leftwing government cooperates enthusiastically with President Trump’s MPP. In contrast to the pastors’ buses helping migrants wait in relative safety, government buses chartered depart daily from Nuevo Laredo’s state migration centres to take migrants back to the border with Guatemala. Even one of those was hijacked last autumn, surrounded by gunmen aboard pickup trucks, and migrants taken.
But here at the safe house, the minivan is ready to take people on a round-trip, to relative safety away from Nuevo Laredo, and then back again to cross the border when their date arrives. The group shuffles out of the front door on to the sidewalk and scrambles onboard. Pastor Robles says a prayer for the road through the front passenger window – and off they go, in the opposite direction to that of their plans, but away from the clutches of the mafia.


theguardian--2020-02-18--Nevada scrambles to avoid Iowa-like chaos as Democratic caucuses approach

Democratic party officials in Nevada are rushing to avoid the fate of Iowa , where technological and organizational failure left the first caucus in the 2020 presidential race without a clear winner .
Nevada Democratic party officials had initially planned to rely on the same app that caused chaos in Iowa to transfer results from local precincts during the caucus on 22 February .
But during the Iowa vote , a “ coding issue ” caused the app , developed haphazardly and on a low budget by the tech firm Shadow , to report only partial data from the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cellphone coverage in some voting locations , poor training of some caucus volunteers and troubles with a backup phone line to report results compounded the chaos .
Following the Iowa caucus , Nevada officials said they were determined to avoid similar problems .
“ NV Dems can confidently say that what happened in the Iowa caucus last night will not happen in Nevada , ” the state Democratic party chair , William McCurdy II , said in a statement at the time .
Since then , it has been difficult to pin down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will use instead .
It did not respond to the Guardian ’ s requests for comment and its website includes no information on the topic .
Reports suggest the party has decided to abandon the app for a combination of Google forms and scannable paper ballots as a backup .
Nevada , like Iowa , adopted new rules from the Democratic National Committee this year requiring states to report three sets of numbers from the caucuses : the initial vote number , the number of votes a candidate receives after “ realignment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if their top choice fails to receive enough support – and the number of state delegates ultimately awarded to candidates .
In order to report these numbers , volunteers are expected to use a caucus “ tool ” on iPads distributed by the Democratic party to precinct chairs .
This is meant to help avoid some of the technical difficulties experienced in Iowa by chairs unable to download the app .
Nevada officials are reportedly consulting with Google to ensure the security and safety of the Google forms .
They also reportedly consulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the Democratic National Committee on best practices .
Google did not immediately respond to request for comment .
Experts question , however , whether the changes – enacted just days before the 22 February state contest – will be sufficient .
The rollout of technology generally requires weeks or months of testing .
“ There is a lot more that could be done , but it seems like Nevada is taking a step in the right direction , ” said Meredith Broussard , a professor at NYU and computer scientist .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ see a disaster on the scale of Iowa again remains to be seen.
” Broussard said that if Nevada had continued with its original plan to use the app , the state would probably have seen a disaster similar to the events in Iowa .
Campaign finance disclosure data from the state reveals the Nevada Democratic party made three payments between 21 October and 31 December 2019 of $ 16,714.29 each to Shadow , for a total of around $ 50,000 .
“ That is not remotely enough funding to secure the app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is good they are abandoning technology that clearly doesn ’ t work and using technology that is generally more robust .
”

Democratic party officials in Nevada are rushing to avoid the fate of Iowa, where technological and organizational failure left the first caucus in the 2020 presidential race without a clear winner.
Nevada Democratic party officials had initially planned to rely on the same app that caused chaos in Iowa to transfer results from local precincts during the caucus on 22 February.
But during the Iowa vote, a “coding issue” caused the app, developed haphazardly and on a low budget by the tech firm Shadow, to report only partial data from the state’s 1,700 caucus sites. Spotty cellphone coverage in some voting locations, poor training of some caucus volunteers and troubles with a backup phone line to report results compounded the chaos.
Following the Iowa caucus, Nevada officials said they were determined to avoid similar problems. “NV Dems can confidently say that what happened in the Iowa caucus last night will not happen in Nevada,” the state Democratic party chair, William McCurdy II, said in a statement at the time.
Since then, it has been difficult to pin down the Nevada Democratic party regarding what process it will use instead. It did not respond to the Guardian’s requests for comment and its website includes no information on the topic.
Reports suggest the party has decided to abandon the app for a combination of Google forms and scannable paper ballots as a backup.
Nevada, like Iowa, adopted new rules from the Democratic National Committee this year requiring states to report three sets of numbers from the caucuses: the initial vote number, the number of votes a candidate receives after “realignment” – when voters choose new candidates if their top choice fails to receive enough support – and the number of state delegates ultimately awarded to candidates.
In order to report these numbers, volunteers are expected to use a caucus “tool” on iPads distributed by the Democratic party to precinct chairs. This is meant to help avoid some of the technical difficulties experienced in Iowa by chairs unable to download the app.
Nevada officials are reportedly consulting with Google to ensure the security and safety of the Google forms. They also reportedly consulted with the Department of Homeland Security as well as the Democratic National Committee on best practices. Google did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Experts question, however, whether the changes – enacted just days before the 22 February state contest – will be sufficient. The rollout of technology generally requires weeks or months of testing.
“There is a lot more that could be done, but it seems like Nevada is taking a step in the right direction,” said Meredith Broussard, a professor at NYU and computer scientist. . “Whether we are going to see a disaster on the scale of Iowa again remains to be seen.”
Broussard said that if Nevada had continued with its original plan to use the app, the state would probably have seen a disaster similar to the events in Iowa.
Campaign finance disclosure data from the state reveals the Nevada Democratic party made three payments between 21 October and 31 December 2019 of $16,714.29 each to Shadow, for a total of around $50,000.
“That is not remotely enough funding to secure the app,” she said. “It is good they are abandoning technology that clearly doesn’t work and using technology that is generally more robust.”


theguardian--2020-02-18--The Ten Commandments as told by presidential figures – in pictures

2nd commandment : ‘ You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is @ @ @ @ @ that is in the earth beneath , or that is in the water under the @ @ @ @ @ bow down to them nor serve them.
’ This is the era of the selfie @ @ @ @ @ and the mobile phone camera has opened up a new genre of self-identity .
How @ @ @ @ @ social media ?
It ’ s all wrapped up in a desire to document while @ @ @ @ @ happy every moment

Ronald Reagan – term: 1981-89 2nd commandment: ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.’ This is the era of the selfie. Access to social communication and the mobile phone camera has opened up a new genre of self-identity. How do Americans portray themselves on social media? It’s all wrapped up in a desire to document while living, and to appear happy every moment