theguardian--2020-08-24--USPS hearing: DeJoy struggles to answer basic questions and defends leadership

US postmaster general Louis DeJoy struggled to answer basic questions about the price of mail as he continued to defend his leadership at the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) amid reports of widespread mail delays across the US .
Appearing before the House oversight committee on Monday , DeJoy , a major Republican donor who took over as postmaster general in June , again conceded changes he implemented had led to delays , but distanced himself from the decision to remove mail boxes from the street and sorting machines from mail facilities .
He declined to say who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reiterated that he will not restore the equipment , even after he announced earlier this month he was pausing changes until after the election .
“ I did not direct the removal of blue collection boxes or mail processing equipment , ” he said .
Representative Carolyn Maloney , the New York Democrat who chairs the committee , pressed DeJoy over newly obtained documents showing declines in mail delivery times since he became the postmaster general .
DeJoy did not dispute the decline and conceded that a recent change he implemented to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had contributed to the delays .
The schedules at mail processing plants , DeJoy said , weren ’ t aligning with the on-time truck schedules , leading some mail to be delivered late .
“ While we have had temporary service declines , which should not have happened , we are fixing this , ” DeJoy said .
DeJoy conceded on Monday he was still trying to figure out why the problems had persisted over weeks .
DeJoy offered few details on what analyses , if any , USPS had done before implementing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run on time .
The postmaster general also reiterated a pledge he made Friday during a US Senate hearing that USPS , the federal agency , has the capacity to deliver mail-in ballots this fall and that delivering them in a timely way was a priority for the agency .
But he offered few details on what exactly USPS would do to facilitate timely delivery of ballots in the run-up to the election .
In one remarkable exchange with congresswoman Katie Porter , a California Democrat , DeJoy was unable to supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While he correctly told Porter the price of a stamp was 55 cents , he conceded that he did not know the cost of sending a postcard in the US ( it costs 35 cents ) .
“ I ’ ll submit that I know very little about postage stamps , ” DeJoy said .
He also said he was unaware of how many people voted by mail in the last election , even as he pledged USPS had the capacity to safely deliver ballots .
Just over 31 million voters cast ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about a quarter of all ballots cast .
“ I ’ m glad you know the price of a stamp , but I ’ m concerned about your understanding of this agency , ” Porter said .
“ I ’ m concerned about it because you started taking very decisive action when you became postmaster general.
” Nonetheless , Republicans on the committee sought to downplay the delays and offered full-throated support of DeJoy during the hearing .
They noted USPS has long suffered from financial woes and portrayed DeJoy as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Williams , a former member of the USPS board of governors , told House members last week that DeJoy did not appear to be a “ serious candidate ” for postmaster general when the board interviewed him .
He struggled to answer basic questions , Williams said , and another governor had to step in and complete answers for him .
Some of the hearing ’ s most tense moments came when Democrats pressed DeJoy about potential conflicts of interest or political interference at the agency .
When congressman Jim Cooper , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether he had provided extra compensation to employees who donated to Donald Trump ’ s 2016 campaign , DeJoy said he had not .
“ I resent the assertion sir .
What are you accusing me of ?
” he said .
Cooper asked DeJoy whether his “ backup plan ” was to be “ pardoned like Roger Stone ” , referring to the Republican fixer and Trump confidant who had a prison sentence for felonies relating to the Trump-Russia investigation commuted by the president .
DeJoy shook his head and said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s not worth a comment.
” DeJoy did make some commitments to ensuring ballots cast in the fall would be counted .
The agency has long advised states to put ballots in the mail at least a week before election day , but DeJoy said the agency would expedite mail cast closer to election day .
There have also been issues with ballots arriving at election offices without postmarks – a crucial feature to determine whether they can be counted – and DeJoy said the agency was going to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as possible .
Throughout the hearing , DeJoy said that he would not restore hundreds of sorting machines that have reportedly been removed from postal facilities across the country .
When Ro Khanna , a California Democrat , asked him why he wouldn ’ t restore the machines if it meant restoring confidence in the election , DeJoy simply said “ because they ’ re not needed .
That ’ s why.
” Khanna later got DeJoy to concede that restoring the machines would likely cost less than $ 1bn .
Asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USPS got an additional $ 1bn , DeJoy said : “ Get me the billion and I ’ ll put the machines in .
”

US postmaster general Louis DeJoy struggled to answer basic questions about the price of mail as he continued to defend his leadership at the United States Postal Service (USPS) amid reports of widespread mail delays across the US.
Appearing before the House oversight committee on Monday, DeJoy, a major Republican donor who took over as postmaster general in June, again conceded changes he implemented had led to delays, but distanced himself from the decision to remove mail boxes from the street and sorting machines from mail facilities.
He declined to say who was responsible for those changes, but reiterated that he will not restore the equipment, even after he announced earlier this month he was pausing changes until after the election.
“I did not direct the removal of blue collection boxes or mail processing equipment,” he said.
Representative Carolyn Maloney, the New York Democrat who chairs the committee, pressed DeJoy over newly obtained documents showing declines in mail delivery times since he became the postmaster general. DeJoy did not dispute the decline and conceded that a recent change he implemented to get USPS trucks to run more on schedule had contributed to the delays. The schedules at mail processing plants, DeJoy said, weren’t aligning with the on-time truck schedules, leading some mail to be delivered late.
“While we have had temporary service declines, which should not have happened, we are fixing this,” DeJoy said. DeJoy conceded on Monday he was still trying to figure out why the problems had persisted over weeks. DeJoy offered few details on what analyses, if any, USPS had done before implementing the program to try and get trucks to run on time.
The postmaster general also reiterated a pledge he made Friday during a US Senate hearing that USPS, the federal agency, has the capacity to deliver mail-in ballots this fall and that delivering them in a timely way was a priority for the agency. But he offered few details on what exactly USPS would do to facilitate timely delivery of ballots in the run-up to the election.
In one remarkable exchange with congresswoman Katie Porter, a California Democrat, DeJoy was unable to supply basic information about post office costs. While he correctly told Porter the price of a stamp was $0.55, he conceded that he did not know the cost of sending a postcard in the US (it costs $0.35).
“I’ll submit that I know very little about postage stamps,” DeJoy said. He also said he was unaware of how many people voted by mail in the last election, even as he pledged USPS had the capacity to safely deliver ballots. Just over 31 million voters cast ballots by mail in the 2018 midterm election, about a quarter of all ballots cast.
“I’m glad you know the price of a stamp, but I’m concerned about your understanding of this agency,” Porter said. “I’m concerned about it because you started taking very decisive action when you became postmaster general.”
Nonetheless, Republicans on the committee sought to downplay the delays and offered full-throated support of DeJoy during the hearing. They noted USPS has long suffered from financial woes and portrayed DeJoy as an outsider qualified to overhaul the agency.
David Williams, a former member of the USPS board of governors, told House members last week that DeJoy did not appear to be a “serious candidate” for postmaster general when the board interviewed him. He struggled to answer basic questions, Williams said, and another governor had to step in and complete answers for him.
Some of the hearing’s most tense moments came when Democrats pressed DeJoy about potential conflicts of interest or political interference at the agency. When congressman Jim Cooper, a Democrat from Tennessee, asked DeJoy whether he had provided extra compensation to employees who donated to Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, DeJoy said he had not. “I resent the assertion sir. What are you accusing me of?” he said.
Cooper asked DeJoy whether his “backup plan” was to be “pardoned like Roger Stone”, referring to the Republican fixer and Trump confidant who had a prison sentence for felonies relating to the Trump-Russia investigation commuted by the president. DeJoy shook his head and said: “I have no comment on that. It’s not worth a comment.”
DeJoy did make some commitments to ensuring ballots cast in the fall would be counted. The agency has long advised states to put ballots in the mail at least a week before election day, but DeJoy said the agency would expedite mail cast closer to election day. There have also been issues with ballots arriving at election offices without postmarks – a crucial feature to determine whether they can be counted – and DeJoy said the agency was going to try and implement a system to postmark as much as possible.
Throughout the hearing, DeJoy said that he would not restore hundreds of sorting machines that have reportedly been removed from postal facilities across the country. When Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, asked him why he wouldn’t restore the machines if it meant restoring confidence in the election, DeJoy simply said “because they’re not needed. That’s why.”
Khanna later got DeJoy to concede that restoring the machines would likely cost less than $1bn. Asked whether the machines could be restored if USPS got an additional $1bn, DeJoy said: “Get me the billion and I’ll put the machines in.”


theguardian--2020-08-24--New York attorney general sues Trump Organization over financial dealings

The New York state attorney general has asked a court to enforce subpoenas that could reveal sensitive financial information about the Trump Organization , potentially pulling back the curtain on the president ’ s private business and throwing Donald Trump into legal jeopardy .
Letitia James filed a petition in state trial court in New York City naming the Trump Organization as a respondent , along with other business entities .
The filing also named Eric Trump , one of the president ’ s sons , and Seven Springs , a New York estate owned by the Trump family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sensitive tax documents and other material relating to Trump family holdings could come to light .
The information could also feed investigations by prosecutors into whether Trump and his associates misrepresented the value of assets in order to either avoid taxes or win loans .
Either activity could constitute fraud .
Trump has denied all wrongdoing , as has the Trump organization .
The president has said that investigations of his businesses are politically motivated .
In 2018 the Guardian revealed that paperwork filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Wells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2012 indicated that the real estate developer was then worth less than half of the $ 10bn net worth he insisted upon during the 2016 election .
A 2018 New York Times investigation based on documents provided by Mary Trump , the president ’ s niece and author of the bestselling tell-all Too Much and Never Enough , indicated that Donald Trump had grossly undervalued real estate assets to avoid taxes .
James ’ office is investigating whether the Trump Organization and its agents improperly inflated the value of the Seven Springs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the court filings , the attorney general ’ s office wrote that “ information regarding the valuation of Seven Springs is significant ” to the office ’ s investigation .
Emails seeking comment were sent to lawyers for the Trump Organization and Eric Trump .
The investigation was launched in March 2019 after Trump ’ s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen told Congress Trump had inflated the value of his assets to obtain more favorable terms for loans and insurance coverage .
Since then , the attorney general ’ s office has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has taken testimony seeking information material to these matters ” , the court filing said .
Investigators have not yet determined whether the law was broken .
James ’ s office issued subpoenas to the Trump Organization and to Seven Springs LLC in December 2019 , seeking financial documents , the filing said .
Since then , both have “ engaged in extensive good-faith discussions concerning the Trump Organization ’ s compliance with the subpoenas ” .
The attorney general ’ s office is also attempting to collect information about several other Trump-related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Club in Los Angeles , the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago and an office building on Wall Street in Manhattan where the Trump Organization “ owns a ‘ ground lease ’ pertaining to the property ” .

The New York state attorney general has asked a court to enforce subpoenas that could reveal sensitive financial information about the Trump Organization, potentially pulling back the curtain on the president’s private business and throwing Donald Trump into legal jeopardy.
Letitia James filed a petition in state trial court in New York City naming the Trump Organization as a respondent, along with other business entities. The filing also named Eric Trump, one of the president’s sons, and Seven Springs, a New York estate owned by the Trump family.
If the court agrees with the petition, sensitive tax documents and other material relating to Trump family holdings could come to light. The information could also feed investigations by prosecutors into whether Trump and his associates misrepresented the value of assets in order to either avoid taxes or win loans.
Either activity could constitute fraud. Trump has denied all wrongdoing, as has the Trump organization. The president has said that investigations of his businesses are politically motivated.
In 2018 the Guardian revealed that paperwork filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Wells Fargo Securities on Trump’s behalf in 2012 indicated that the real estate developer was then worth less than half of the $10bn net worth he insisted upon during the 2016 election.
A 2018 New York Times investigation based on documents provided by Mary Trump, the president’s niece and author of the bestselling tell-all Too Much and Never Enough, indicated that Donald Trump had grossly undervalued real estate assets to avoid taxes.
James’ office is investigating whether the Trump Organization and its agents improperly inflated the value of the Seven Springs estate, north of the city.
In the court filings, the attorney general’s office wrote that “information regarding the valuation of Seven Springs is significant” to the office’s investigation.
Emails seeking comment were sent to lawyers for the Trump Organization and Eric Trump.
The investigation was launched in March 2019 after Trump’s longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen told Congress Trump had inflated the value of his assets to obtain more favorable terms for loans and insurance coverage.
Since then, the attorney general’s office has issued “a number of subpoenas and has taken testimony seeking information material to these matters”, the court filing said. Investigators have not yet determined whether the law was broken.
James’s office issued subpoenas to the Trump Organization and to Seven Springs LLC in December 2019, seeking financial documents, the filing said. Since then, both have “engaged in extensive good-faith discussions concerning the Trump Organization’s compliance with the subpoenas”.
The attorney general’s office is also attempting to collect information about several other Trump-related properties, including the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles, the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago and an office building on Wall Street in Manhattan where the Trump Organization “owns a ‘ground lease’ pertaining to the property”.


theguardian--2020-08-24--Republicans nominate Trump for re-election on first day of convention

The Republican party nominated Donald Trump for re-election on Monday , on the first day of a national convention meant to strike a contrast with Democrats and , in the president ’ s own words , deliver a “ very uplifting and positive ” message .
But any such message was upstaged by the president himself , in an unscheduled appearance in Charlotte , North Carolina .
Basking in chants of “ Four more years !
Four more years !
” , Trump accused Democrats of trying to “ steal ” the election by expanding absentee voting during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say it was impossible for him to lose a fair contest in November .
“ The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election , ” Trump said , to the boisterous approval of the 336 delegates in the hall , who had traveled to the convention from the 50 states and US territories .
“ They ’ re trying to steal the election.
” With false and outrageous claims , Trump has attacked the integrity of US elections since before he won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stepped up those attacks in the run-up to a contest in which most polls have him trailing badly .
Critics warn that even if Trump is beaten , his use of the White House to elevate conspiracy theories and lies could do lasting damage to US democracy .
But the cheering Republicans who convened in Charlotte evinced only enthusiasm about the trajectory of the country – and their party – under Trump .
“ Our party is unified , our supporters are energized , and now we will go forward confident in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice-President Mike Pence in 70 days from now , ” Ronna McDaniel , party chair , told the crowd .
Trump planned to officially accept the nomination at the White House on Thursday , a week after his rival , Joe Biden , accepted the Democratic nomination in a widely praised speech from his home state of Delaware .
The Republican convention made for a striking contrast with the almost totally online Democratic event .
While Democrats nominated Biden with a video taking viewers from the sands of California to the calamari of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the traditional manner , delegates rising to say something special about their states and cast votes for Trump .
“ No president has done more for Americans in his first four years , ” said Michael Whatley , chairman of the North Carolina party .
“ Promise made , promise kept.
” After months of worsening news on the coronavirus front and discouraging polling data , Republicans are looking for an electrifying week , culminating with fireworks on the National Mall .
To that end , some big names were to speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Donald Trump Jr and the former UN ambassador Nikki Haley .
But the schedule was slight compared with previous years – owing in part to the decision not to follow the Democrats online – and some prominent names , including Governors Greg Abbott of Texas , Doug Ducey of Arizona and Ron DeSantis of Florida , were missing .
Instead , speaking spots were padded with figures from the culture wars .
These included Mark and Patricia McCloskey , a St Louis , Missouri couple who won infamy for brandishing guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicholas Sandmann , a teen who successfully sued media organizations after an interaction with a Native American activist .
“ Men and women of the Republican national convention , ” said Pence , in a surprise appearance that was prelude to Trump ’ s .
“ It ’ s on.
” “ We ’ re going to make America great again … again.
” It was left to the president to make the case the election was rigged .
Voting by mail , which Trump uses himself , is universal practice in many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in court to offer evidence it is conducive to fraud .
Yet Trump said Democrats were “ stealing millions of votes ” by supporting vote-by-mail .
“ This is the greatest scam in the history of politics I think , and I ’ m talking about beyond our nation , ” Trump said .
Democrats tried to highlight what they are calling Trump ’ s “ chaos presidency ” , focusing on the impact the coronavirus is having on families , highlighting Trump ’ s false claim children are “ almost immune ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ While nearly half of the speakers you will hear from are members of the Trump family , you aren ’ t going to hear much about the plight of American families , ” Kate Bedingfield , a deputy Biden campaign manager , told reporters .
She said Trump ’ s efforts to cast himself as the last line of defense against radicalism and lawlessness are contradicted by a reality of his own making – and the public ’ s familiarity with Biden ’ s time as vice-president .
“ He likes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look like in Joe Biden ’ s America while quite literally using footage from Donald Trump ’ s America , ” Bedingfield said .
“ People have seen Joe Biden in the White House .
He never resorted to the kinds of tactics that Donald Trump is using , like sending federal law enforcement into cities to inflame tensions.
” The physical layout of the Republicans ’ Charlotte event reflected months of negotiations with state health officials , who insisted on coronavirus mitigation measures .
Delegates were arranged in rows of spaced tables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blue curtain .
But not every picture broadcast concern about the pandemic .
Although attendees were required to undergo testing and masks were required , many delegates wore theirs on one ear or under their chins – or wore no mask at all .
Proceedings were live-streamed online , with a portion of the evening scheduled to be broadcast by major networks .
“ I know I am not alone when I say that the Democratic convention of last week was hard to watch , ” McDaniel said .
“ Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most radical socialist extreme and far-left ticket in American history.
” McDaniel ran down what she said were Trump ’ s accomplishments .
He has built hundreds of miles of border wall , she said ; appointed conservative judges including two supreme court justices ; fought for energy independence ; killed terrorist leaders ; and scored a peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates .

The Republican party nominated Donald Trump for re-election on Monday, on the first day of a national convention meant to strike a contrast with Democrats and, in the president’s own words, deliver a “very uplifting and positive” message.
But any such message was upstaged by the president himself, in an unscheduled appearance in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Basking in chants of “Four more years! Four more years!”, Trump accused Democrats of trying to “steal” the election by expanding absentee voting during the coronavirus pandemic. He went so far as to say it was impossible for him to lose a fair contest in November.
“The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,” Trump said, to the boisterous approval of the 336 delegates in the hall, who had traveled to the convention from the 50 states and US territories. “They’re trying to steal the election.”
With false and outrageous claims, Trump has attacked the integrity of US elections since before he won the presidency in 2016, and he has stepped up those attacks in the run-up to a contest in which most polls have him trailing badly. Critics warn that even if Trump is beaten, his use of the White House to elevate conspiracy theories and lies could do lasting damage to US democracy.
But the cheering Republicans who convened in Charlotte evinced only enthusiasm about the trajectory of the country – and their party – under Trump.
“Our party is unified, our supporters are energized, and now we will go forward confident in our case of re-electing President Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence in 70 days from now,” Ronna McDaniel, party chair, told the crowd.
Trump planned to officially accept the nomination at the White House on Thursday, a week after his rival, Joe Biden, accepted the Democratic nomination in a widely praised speech from his home state of Delaware.
The Republican convention made for a striking contrast with the almost totally online Democratic event.
While Democrats nominated Biden with a video taking viewers from the sands of California to the calamari of Rhode Island, the Republican nomination proceeded in the traditional manner, delegates rising to say something special about their states and cast votes for Trump.
“No president has done more for Americans in his first four years,” said Michael Whatley, chairman of the North Carolina party. “Promise made, promise kept.”
After months of worsening news on the coronavirus front and discouraging polling data, Republicans are looking for an electrifying week, culminating with fireworks on the National Mall. To that end, some big names were to speak on the convention’s first night, including Donald Trump Jr and the former UN ambassador Nikki Haley.
But the schedule was slight compared with previous years – owing in part to the decision not to follow the Democrats online – and some prominent names, including Governors Greg Abbott of Texas, Doug Ducey of Arizona and Ron DeSantis of Florida, were missing.
Instead, speaking spots were padded with figures from the culture wars. These included Mark and Patricia McCloskey, a St Louis, Missouri couple who won infamy for brandishing guns at anti-racism protesters in June, and Nicholas Sandmann, a teen who successfully sued media organizations after an interaction with a Native American activist.
“Men and women of the Republican national convention,” said Pence, in a surprise appearance that was prelude to Trump’s. “It’s on.”
“We’re going to make America great again … again.”
It was left to the president to make the case the election was rigged. Voting by mail, which Trump uses himself, is universal practice in many states and the administration last week failed in court to offer evidence it is conducive to fraud.
Yet Trump said Democrats were “stealing millions of votes” by supporting vote-by-mail. “This is the greatest scam in the history of politics I think, and I’m talking about beyond our nation,” Trump said.
Democrats tried to highlight what they are calling Trump’s “chaos presidency”, focusing on the impact the coronavirus is having on families, highlighting Trump’s false claim children are “almost immune” and his insistence schools should reopen.
“While nearly half of the speakers you will hear from are members of the Trump family, you aren’t going to hear much about the plight of American families,” Kate Bedingfield, a deputy Biden campaign manager, told reporters.
She said Trump’s efforts to cast himself as the last line of defense against radicalism and lawlessness are contradicted by a reality of his own making – and the public’s familiarity with Biden’s time as vice-president.
“He likes to make this argument about what life will look like in Joe Biden’s America while quite literally using footage from Donald Trump’s America,” Bedingfield said. “People have seen Joe Biden in the White House. He never resorted to the kinds of tactics that Donald Trump is using, like sending federal law enforcement into cities to inflame tensions.”
The physical layout of the Republicans’ Charlotte event reflected months of negotiations with state health officials, who insisted on coronavirus mitigation measures. Delegates were arranged in rows of spaced tables facing an understated stage with flags against a blue curtain.
But not every picture broadcast concern about the pandemic. Although attendees were required to undergo testing and masks were required, many delegates wore theirs on one ear or under their chins – or wore no mask at all.
Proceedings were live-streamed online, with a portion of the evening scheduled to be broadcast by major networks.
“I know I am not alone when I say that the Democratic convention of last week was hard to watch,” McDaniel said. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are running on the most radical socialist extreme and far-left ticket in American history.”
McDaniel ran down what she said were Trump’s accomplishments. He has built hundreds of miles of border wall, she said; appointed conservative judges including two supreme court justices; fought for energy independence; killed terrorist leaders; and scored a peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.


theguardian--2020-08-24--'Four days to defend the indefensible': Republicans seek to sell Trump to the nation again

Buffeted by America ’ s most severe public health and economic crises in decades , Donald Trump will this week stand before the Republican party and again seek to persuade the nation that he alone can fix it .
The celebrity salesman stunned the political establishment four years ago when he won the Republican primary , diagnosed the nation ’ s ills and told convention goers : “ I alone can fix it.
” At the 2020 Republican national convention , which begins Monday , he will be nominated by the party for a second term as US president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver his acceptance speech on Thursday from the south lawn of the White House .
Organisers of the Republicans ’ first virtual national convention face an uphill task , and not only because the Democrats ’ technically slick version last week is a tough act to follow .
They must pitch Trump to the American public during a pandemic that has ripped 170,000 lives from families and communities .
In an era of negative partisanship , they will also seek to whip up fears that Democratic nominee Joe Biden and running mate Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American way of life .
“ The problem is what the Democrats did last week , and I think did very effectively , is confirm that this election is a referendum on Donald Trump ’ s presidency , ” said Michael Steele , former chairman of the Republican national committee .
“ Trump now has to beat that narrative back and then give them a reason why it ’ s a choice election between what he ’ s done – tax cuts , et cetera – and what Biden will do , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense that the voters are going to buy that.
” The duelling conventions will leave Americans in no doubt of the stark choice facing them in November ’ s election .
Where Democrats last week embraced the Black Lives Matter marches against racial injustice , Republicans are set to champion slogans such as All Lives Matter and , rallying in defence of police , Blue Lives Matter .
Where Democrats celebrated women ’ s rights and highlighted victims of gun violence , Republicans will surely demand restrictions on abortion and loudly proclaim the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vividly presented America as a nation of immigrants , Republicans ’ less diverse lineup is likely to emphasise Christian faith and nostalgia for a simpler time .
Lara Trump , the president ’ s daughter-in-law and a senior adviser to his campaign , told NBC News ’ s Weekend Today : “ I think what you ’ re going to see is a very different depiction of America .
What we saw last week from the Democrats , really their entire convention was about bashing Donald Trump , and it was a dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America I think that they presented .
“ We are going to have the opposite .
Ours will be hopeful and inspirational and patriotic , and you want people at the end of our four days to be reminded that America continues to be the greatest , most exceptional nation in the world .
So we ’ re very excited for it.
” Trump will appear every day and few would bet against him touting progress on his wall at the US-Mexico border , promising to defend law and order in suburbs or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is also determined to push back at the charge that his downplaying of the virus cost tens of thousands of lives and millions of jobs .
At one event he will honour doctors , nurses and other front line workers in the fight against Covid-19 , the Reuters news agency reported .
He will claim that he built a great economy once and can do so again .
Newt Gingrich , a former Republican speaker in the House of Representatives and author of Trump and the American Future , said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of February and if that had sustained , Trump right now would be cruising to a Ronald Reagan/Richard Nixon-style reelection .
I think that because of the Chinese virus and because of the challenges inherent in closing down the economy and then having the government impose social isolation that it became dramatically more difficult .
“ The amazing thing to me is if you look at the 92 % or 93 % negative coverage by the propaganda media and then you look at the challenge of the virus and the economy and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s astonishing to me that Trump ’ s as strong as he is.
” Delegates will hold an in-person roll call on Monday in Charlotte , North Carolina , the originally planned convention venue , to formally nominate Trump .
But the main action will be on screens , fittingly for a reality TV president with an eye for camera angles .
A four-day carnival of flag-waving patriotism is promised under the theme “ Honoring the Great American Story ” , with Monday devoted to “ Land of Promise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Wednesday to “ Land of Heroes ” and Thursday to “ Land of Greatness ” .
First Lady Melania Trump and two of Trump ’ s adult children will speak on Tuesday from the White House rose garden .
Mike Pence , the vice-president , will be the lead speaker on Wednesday from Baltimore ’ s Fort McHenry , pivotal in the War of 1812 when it was defended against an attack by the British navy and inspired the poem that became the lyrics for The Star-Spangled Banner .
Some ethics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of federal properties as stages for partisan political speeches , but a law barring the use of federal funds for campaign appearances excludes the president and vice-president .
In 1940 , President Franklin Roosevelt accepted the Democratic nomination from the White House via radio .
Like past incumbents before him , Trump will try to define his challenger as too much of a risk .
At campaign rallies , his broadsides against Democrats usually get bigger cheers than his own record .
It will be little surprise if he mocks Biden as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while pushing baseless conspiracy theories about his son Hunter ’ s business dealings in Ukraine .
Gingrich , 77 , who addressed the 2016 convention in Cleveland , Ohio , added : “ I ’ m reasonably confident that we ’ re going to beat them and probably beat them very badly .
That ’ ll happen because one , the more you think about the idea of Biden as commander in chief , the more implausible it becomes and two , Harris ’ s voting record was the most liberal in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the left of both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren .
And she ’ s a terrible campaigner.
” The case will be pressed by Republicans tipped as contenders to succeed Trump in 2024 including Nikki Haley , his former ambassador to the United Nations ; Tim Scott , the party ’ s sole African American senator ; Kristi Noem , the governor of South Dakota ; and the president ’ s son Donald Trump Jr , who relishes assailing the left and “ owning the libs ” .
The convention will also feature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives for the better .
Among them will be Mark and Patricia McCloskey , a couple from St Louis , Missouri , who brandished guns in front of Black Lives Matter protesters marching through their gated community .
They were charged with felony weapons offences , which Trump has branded a “ disgrace ” .
Other speakers include police Sergeant Ann Dorn , whose husband , retired police captain David Dorn , was killed during violent protests in June in St Louis ; Tanya Weinreis , who will say her Montana coffee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a loan from the federal coronavirus relief programme ; the parents of Kayla Mueller , a humanitarian worker murdered by Islamic State ; and Andrew Pollack , whose daughter Meadow was killed in the Parkland , Florida , school massacre in 2018 , and who advocates for enhanced school safety measures including armed guards .
But critics believe they will struggle to change perceptions of Trump baked in over three and a half years of turmoil – and months of pandemic lockdown .
Steele , a former lieutenant governor of Maryland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a reason , not because of some bad policy rollout or some misstep here or there but the accumulation of what people have seen since the beginning of Covid-19 .
When you sit there and your response to 170,000 dead Americans is , ‘ It is what it is ’ , people are going to say , ‘ Oh , I get it you really don ’ t give a rat ’ s ass about it ’ .
” Steele added : “ Then you counter that with what you heard from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yeah , it ’ s going to be hard work but I care enough to try , care enough that if we work together , we ’ ll get it done .
Those are two competing views of the future and I think a lot more people are going to respond favourably to Biden coming off of this convention , which makes it harder for Trump going into his to figure out that sweet spot narrative .
“ Trump wants to talk every day .
Why ?
Because that ’ s all he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s got to be about him .
He thinks the only way this thing turns around is if he forces everybody to listen to him and agree with him .
America is more mature than that and now understands the bullying .
Most playgrounds eventually come to understand that the bully is nothing more than someone with a lot of hot air and all you need is one quick hit in the nuts and it ’ s over .
That ’ s effectively what Biden did this week.
” Former president Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that American democracy itself is at risk .
But Republicans paint the fate of America in no less apocalyptic terms .
A big win for Democrats in the presidential and congressional elections , they may warn , would usher in oppressive socialism , high taxes , violent cities , open borders , political correctness and censorship of religious conservatives .
Trump offered a preview when he told a crowd in Pennsylvania this week : “ At stake in this election is the survival of our nation , it ’ s true .
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the other side .
They ’ ve gone totally stone-cold crazy.
” Speaking in Arlington , Virginia , he added : “ The future of our country , and indeed our civilisation , is at stake on November 3rd.
” The fervent crowds who chanted “ Lock her up !
” about Hillary Clinton at the 2016 convention will not gather this time , at least not on the same scale .
But a dark and divisive onslaught is still expected at an hour when – perhaps just as well – most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moe Vela , a former senior adviser to Biden at the White House , said of the Republicans : “ I feel sorry for them because they have four days to try to defend the indefensible .
I don ’ t know exactly how to try to explain why your candidate is racist .
“ Why is everything that he does and says hateful ?
Why does he lack every characteristic and trait that Joe Biden possesses : empathy , kindness , grace , humility , responsibility .
I call it the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will be for four days : bullying and name calling and trash and mud .
I ’ m not watching .
”

Buffeted by America’s most severe public health and economic crises in decades, Donald Trump will this week stand before the Republican party and again seek to persuade the nation that he alone can fix it.
The celebrity salesman stunned the political establishment four years ago when he won the Republican primary, diagnosed the nation’s ills and told convention goers: “I alone can fix it.”
At the 2020 Republican national convention, which begins Monday, he will be nominated by the party for a second term as US president and, in a break from tradition, deliver his acceptance speech on Thursday from the south lawn of the White House.
Organisers of the Republicans’ first virtual national convention face an uphill task, and not only because the Democrats’ technically slick version last week is a tough act to follow. They must pitch Trump to the American public during a pandemic that has ripped 170,000 lives from families and communities. In an era of negative partisanship, they will also seek to whip up fears that Democratic nominee Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris pose an existential threat to the American way of life.
“The problem is what the Democrats did last week, and I think did very effectively, is confirm that this election is a referendum on Donald Trump’s presidency,” said Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican national committee. “Trump now has to beat that narrative back and then give them a reason why it’s a choice election between what he’s done – tax cuts, et cetera – and what Biden will do, and I just don’t get the sense that the voters are going to buy that.”
Supporters of and protesters against Donald Trump gather outside Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, on Saturday. Photograph: Stefani Reynolds/EPA
The duelling conventions will leave Americans in no doubt of the stark choice facing them in November’s election. Where Democrats last week embraced the Black Lives Matter marches against racial injustice, Republicans are set to champion slogans such as All Lives Matter and, rallying in defence of police, Blue Lives Matter.
Where Democrats celebrated women’s rights and highlighted victims of gun violence, Republicans will surely demand restrictions on abortion and loudly proclaim the right to bear arms. Where Democrats vividly presented America as a nation of immigrants, Republicans’ less diverse lineup is likely to emphasise Christian faith and nostalgia for a simpler time.
Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and a senior adviser to his campaign, told NBC News’s Weekend Today: “I think what you’re going to see is a very different depiction of America. What we saw last week from the Democrats, really their entire convention was about bashing Donald Trump, and it was a dark, dismal and really depressing vision of America I think that they presented.
“We are going to have the opposite. Ours will be hopeful and inspirational and patriotic, and you want people at the end of our four days to be reminded that America continues to be the greatest, most exceptional nation in the world. So we’re very excited for it.”
Trump will appear every day and few would bet against him touting progress on his wall at the US-Mexico border, promising to defend law and order in suburbs or throwing other red meat to this base.
He is also determined to push back at the charge that his downplaying of the virus cost tens of thousands of lives and millions of jobs. At one event he will honour doctors, nurses and other front line workers in the fight against Covid-19, the Reuters news agency reported. He will claim that he built a great economy once and can do so again.
Donald Trump supporters clash with a Black Lives Matter supporter in Los Angeles, California, on Friday. Photograph: Chelsea Lauren/REX/Shutterstock
Newt Gingrich, a former Republican speaker in the House of Representatives and author of Trump and the American Future, said: “If you had taken the world of February and if that had sustained, Trump right now would be cruising to a Ronald Reagan/Richard Nixon-style reelection. I think that because of the Chinese virus and because of the challenges inherent in closing down the economy and then having the government impose social isolation that it became dramatically more difficult.
“The amazing thing to me is if you look at the 92% or 93% negative coverage by the propaganda media and then you look at the challenge of the virus and the economy and the social dislocation of having people locked down, it’s astonishing to me that Trump’s as strong as he is.”
Delegates will hold an in-person roll call on Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina, the originally planned convention venue, to formally nominate Trump. But the main action will be on screens, fittingly for a reality TV president with an eye for camera angles. A four-day carnival of flag-waving patriotism is promised under the theme “Honoring the Great American Story”, with Monday devoted to “Land of Promise,” Tuesday to “Land of Opportunity,” Wednesday to “Land of Heroes” and Thursday to “Land of Greatness”.
First Lady Melania Trump and two of Trump’s adult children will speak on Tuesday from the White House rose garden. Mike Pence, the vice-president, will be the lead speaker on Wednesday from Baltimore’s Fort McHenry, pivotal in the War of 1812 when it was defended against an attack by the British navy and inspired the poem that became the lyrics for The Star-Spangled Banner.
Some ethics watchdogs have raised concerns over the use of federal properties as stages for partisan political speeches, but a law barring the use of federal funds for campaign appearances excludes the president and vice-president. In 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt accepted the Democratic nomination from the White House via radio.
Los Angeles police officers intervene with Black Lives Matter protesters as clashes erupt between supporters Donald Trump during a pro-Trump rally in Tujunga, north of Los Angeles, California, on 21 August. Photograph: Étienne Laurent/EPA
Like past incumbents before him, Trump will try to define his challenger as too much of a risk. At campaign rallies, his broadsides against Democrats usually get bigger cheers than his own record. It will be little surprise if he mocks Biden as a cognitively declining pawn of the radical left while pushing baseless conspiracy theories about his son Hunter’s business dealings in Ukraine.
Gingrich, 77, who addressed the 2016 convention in Cleveland, Ohio, added: “I’m reasonably confident that we’re going to beat them and probably beat them very badly. That’ll happen because one, the more you think about the idea of Biden as commander in chief, the more implausible it becomes and two, Harris’s voting record was the most liberal in the Senate, which means she was to the left of both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. And she’s a terrible campaigner.”
The case will be pressed by Republicans tipped as contenders to succeed Trump in 2024 including Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations; Tim Scott, the party’s sole African American senator; Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota; and the president’s son Donald Trump Jr, who relishes assailing the left and “owning the libs”.
The convention will also feature ordinary citizens testifying that Trump has changed their lives for the better. Among them will be Mark and Patricia McCloskey, a couple from St Louis, Missouri, who brandished guns in front of Black Lives Matter protesters marching through their gated community. They were charged with felony weapons offences, which Trump has branded a “disgrace”.
Other speakers include police Sergeant Ann Dorn, whose husband, retired police captain David Dorn, was killed during violent protests in June in St Louis; Tanya Weinreis, who will say her Montana coffee shop and employees’ livelihoods were saved by a loan from the federal coronavirus relief programme; the parents of Kayla Mueller, a humanitarian worker murdered by Islamic State; and Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was killed in the Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018, and who advocates for enhanced school safety measures including armed guards.
Donald Trump supporters wait for his arrival in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on 20 August. Photograph: Chris Tuite/REX/Shutterstock
But critics believe they will struggle to change perceptions of Trump baked in over three and a half years of turmoil – and months of pandemic lockdown.
Steele, a former lieutenant governor of Maryland, said: “Donald Trump is down for a reason, not because of some bad policy rollout or some misstep here or there but the accumulation of what people have seen since the beginning of Covid-19. When you sit there and your response to 170,000 dead Americans is, ‘It is what it is’, people are going to say, ‘Oh, I get it you really don’t give a rat’s ass about it’.”
Steele added: “Then you counter that with what you heard from Biden this week where he says, yeah, it’s going to be hard work but I care enough to try, care enough that if we work together, we’ll get it done. Those are two competing views of the future and I think a lot more people are going to respond favourably to Biden coming off of this convention, which makes it harder for Trump going into his to figure out that sweet spot narrative.
“Trump wants to talk every day. Why? Because that’s all he knows how to do it: it’s got to be about him. He thinks the only way this thing turns around is if he forces everybody to listen to him and agree with him. America is more mature than that and now understands the bullying. Most playgrounds eventually come to understand that the bully is nothing more than someone with a lot of hot air and all you need is one quick hit in the nuts and it’s over. That’s effectively what Biden did this week.”
Former president Barack Obama used the Democratic convention to warn that American democracy itself is at risk. But Republicans paint the fate of America in no less apocalyptic terms. A big win for Democrats in the presidential and congressional elections, they may warn, would usher in oppressive socialism, high taxes, violent cities, open borders, political correctness and censorship of religious conservatives.
Trump offered a preview when he told a crowd in Pennsylvania this week: “At stake in this election is the survival of our nation, it’s true. Because we’re dealing with crazy people on the other side. They’ve gone totally stone-cold crazy.” Speaking in Arlington, Virginia, he added: “The future of our country, and indeed our civilisation, is at stake on November 3rd.”
The fervent crowds who chanted “Lock her up!” about Hillary Clinton at the 2016 convention will not gather this time, at least not on the same scale. But a dark and divisive onslaught is still expected at an hour when – perhaps just as well – most children will have gone to bed.
Moe Vela, a former senior adviser to Biden at the White House, said of the Republicans: “I feel sorry for them because they have four days to try to defend the indefensible. I don’t know exactly how to try to explain why your candidate is racist.
“Why is everything that he does and says hateful? Why does he lack every characteristic and trait that Joe Biden possesses: empathy, kindness, grace, humility, responsibility. I call it the Republican bullying convention. That’s what it will be for four days: bullying and name calling and trash and mud. I’m not watching.”


theguardian--2020-08-24--US postmaster general admits to not knowing cost of sending a postcard in House grilling – video

In an exchange with congresswoman Katie Porter at the House oversight committee , Louis DeJoy was unable to say how @ @ @ @ @ mail in the last election or the cost of sending a postcard in the US @ @ @ @ @ submit that I know very little about postage stamps , ’ the postmaster general conceded @ @ @ @ @ leadership of the United States Postal Service amid reports of mail delays across the US @ @ @ @ @ ‘ concerned ’ about his understanding of the agency

In an exchange with congresswoman Katie Porter at the House oversight committee, Louis DeJoy was unable to say how many people had voted by mail in the last election or the cost of sending a postcard in the US. 'I'll submit that I know very little about postage stamps,' the postmaster general conceded, as he defended his leadership of the United States Postal Service amid reports of mail delays across the US. Porter said she was 'concerned' about his understanding of the agency


theguardian--2020-08-24--Donald Trump accuses Democrats of plot to 'steal' election at Republican convention – video

In an unscheduled appearance on the first day of the Republican national convention , Donald Trump falsely claimed Democrats were @ @ @ @ @ by expanding absentee voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
‘ The only way they can @ @ @ @ @ us is if this is a rigged election , ’ he told delegates in Charlotte @ @ @ @ @ nominate Trump for re-election on first day of convention

In an unscheduled appearance on the first day of the Republican national convention, Donald Trump falsely claimed Democrats were attempting to steal the election by expanding absentee voting during the coronavirus pandemic. 'The only way they can take this election away from us is if this is a rigged election,' he told delegates in Charlotte, North Carolina


theguardian--2020-08-25--'The Trump show' continues as RNC heads to second night packed with Donald's family – US politics li

'The Trump show' continues as RNC heads to second night packed with Donald's family – US politics live

Just one of the elements fuelling local anger in Kenosha , Wisconsin , over the shooting of Jacob Blake , is that officers were not wearing body cameras , even though city and law enforcement leaders endorsed their use as long ago as 2017 .
Ryan J. Foley , reporting for the Associated Press states that since then , they have balked at the price tag , raised policy concerns and put off implementation .
The delays meant that officers who were on the scene of Sunday ’ s shooting while responding to a domestic call were not equipped with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragedy .
But at least some good could come from this if this is finally the incident where Kenosha says , ‘ we ’ ve got to get body cameras on these cops right away ’ , ” Kevin Mathewson , a former member of the common council , told Associated Press .
Mathewson pushed the city to buy cameras during his tenure on the council from 2012 to 2017 , saying he saw them as a tool to remove bad police officers from the department after a series of troubling use-of-force and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ budget amendment to buy the equipment in early 2017 and hitting resistance from the mayor , police chief and other council members , who argued that would be unwise without clear state regulations governing their use .
Gov .
Tony Evers signed a law in February outlining body camera regulations for police departments .
Kenosha then planned to buy the cameras this year , but funding shortfalls and technological concerns prompted the city to push that back to 2022 , said Rocco LaMacchia , chairman of the council ’ s public safety committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many times , ” he said .
“ I got a feeling this is going to move up on the ladder really fast because of what ’ s going on around the United States right now .
Body cameras are a necessity .
There ’ s no doubt about it.
” Of the Blake shooting , he said , “ The body camera footage on this one would have told right from wrong right away .
”

26 Aug 2020 01.32 BST Evening summary We’re wrapping up our live politics coverage here for the night, but you can continue to follow along on our dedicated Republican national convention liveblog here. An updated summary of today’s key news: The family of Jacob Blake, the African American man who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officers, held a press conference. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the Blake family, said the father of six is still in surgery, fighting for his life. “It is going to take a miracle for Jacob Blake Jr to ever walk again,” Crump said.
Civil rights attorney who is representing the Blake family, said the father of six is still in surgery, fighting for his life. “It is going to take a miracle for Jacob Blake Jr to ever walk again,” Crump said. The Wisconsin governor, Tony Evers, declared a state of emergency amid protests over the shooting of Blake. The Democratic governor also said he was increasing the number of Wisconsin national guard members in Kenosha to 250.
The Democratic governor also said he was increasing the number of Wisconsin national guard members in Kenosha to 250. Trump will nominate the acting homeland security secretary, Chad Wolf, to fill the post permanently , despite questions over the legality of his appointment in the first place.
, despite questions over the legality of his appointment in the first place. The New York attorney general is filing a lawsuit challenging operational changes at the US Postal Service , amid concerns that delays in mail delivery could hamper voting by mail in the November elections. “This USPS slowdown is nothing more than a voter suppression tactic,” New York attorney general Letitia James said in a statement.
, amid concerns that delays in mail delivery could hamper voting by mail in the November elections. “This USPS slowdown is nothing more than a voter suppression tactic,” New York attorney general said in a statement. Jerry Falwell Jr resigned as the president of Liberty University. The evangelical leader, one of Trump’s most prominent religious supporters, submitted his letter of resignation after Reuters reported that Falwell and his wife were involved in a years-long affair with one of their business partners.
The evangelical leader, one of Trump’s most prominent religious supporters, submitted his letter of resignation after Reuters reported that Falwell and his wife were involved in a years-long affair with one of their business partners. A planned RNC speaker was reportedly removed from tonight’s lineup after a report about how she encouraged her Twitter followers to read a thread of virulently antisemitic conspiracy theories about a Jewish plot to enslave the world.
after a report about how she encouraged her Twitter followers to read a thread of virulently antisemitic conspiracy theories about a Jewish plot to enslave the world. A QAnon conspiracy theory supporter who is likely to win a congressional seat said she had been officially invited to the White House later this week to hear Trump’s speech accepting the Republican nomination.
said she had been officially invited to the White House later this week to hear Trump’s speech accepting the Republican nomination. The House foreign affairs committee will investigate whether secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s planned partisan speech tonight from Jerusalem, where he is on official business, violates state department guidelines and the Hatch Act. Follow the Republican national convention: Melania Trump to headline second night of Republican convention – live Read more
Updated at 01.37 BST
26 Aug 2020 01.23 BST One planned RNC speaker will not contribute after antisemitic tweet, another endorsed ‘one household, one vote’ (husband’s choice) A few minutes ago, I posted about a report from the Daily Beast that one of tonight’s RNC speakers, the mother of a young man killed in a drunk driving accident that involved an undocumented immigrant, had shared a thread of infamous antisemitic conspiracy theories with her Twitter followers earlier today. (The thread, from a QAnon conspiracy theorist, includes references to the Rothschilds and to the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, perhaps the most infamous antisemitic hoax text.)
Now, CNN is reporting that Mary Ann Mendoza will not be speaking tonight as a result, and that she has apologized. Following this story from the Daily Beast. She's apologized for the tweet. https://t.co/xioHZrfJIJ — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 26, 2020 Meanwhile, a CBS News journalist is reporting that a different RNC speaker tonight “tweeted earlier this year that one of her most controversial takes is she supports bringing back household voting, in which each household gets one vote, not allowing women their own individual vote”.
One of tonight's RNC speakers tweeted earlier this year that one of her most controversial takes is she supports bringing back household voting, in which each household gets one vote, not allowing women their own individual vote. pic.twitter.com/Ii8rgnHmhG — Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) August 25, 2020 Anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, who is slated to speak tonight, also said in a video posted in June that it would be “smart” for a police officer to racially profile her adopted son, who is biracial, because “statistically, my brown son is more likely to commit a violent offense over my white sons”, Vice News reported earlier today. Johnson added that she would be upset if a police officer treated her brown son “more violently” than her white sons. “Now if [the officer] acts in an unjust manner toward my brown son than my white son, that makes me angry. But statistically if he’s on more high alert, I’m not angry about that,” she said, according to Vice News.
Updated at 01.39 BST
26 Aug 2020 01.01 BST Melania Trump and president’s children will tout Trump in speeches tonight The Associated Press has a new preview of tonight’s speeches:
The people closest to President Donald Trump — his family — are starring on the second night of the Republican National Convention as the GOP works to reintroduce the president to American voters in the midst of the campaign and pandemic. First lady Melania Trump is delivering Tuesday evening’s keynote address before a small audience at the White House, while the president’s daughter Tiffany and son Eric will be featured, too. The focus on Trump’s family comes as the first-term president labors to improve his standing in a 2020 presidential race he is currently losing. Most polls report that Democratic rival Joe Biden has a significant advantage in terms of raw support; the former vice president also leads on character issues such as trustworthiness and likability.
25 Aug 2020 00.02 BST Report: scheduled RNC speaker shares virulently antisemitic thread Just hours before she is scheduled to address the Republican National Convention, Mary Ann Mendoza urged her Twitter followers to read a virulently antisemitic Twitter thread about a Jewish plot to take over the world, the Daily Beast reported. The thread is from a QAnon conspiracy theorist, the Daily Beast reported. Mendoza is slated to speak about her son, who was killed in 2014 in a drunk driving accident that involved an undocumented immigrant. Read the full story here.
Updated at 00.14 BST
25 Aug 2020 23.40 BST House foreign affairs committee will investigate Pompeo’s speech from Jerusalem Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s decision to give a partisan speech at the Republican national convention from Jerusalem, where he is conducting official state department business, has prompted condemnation from other diplomats. They have pointed to the multiple explicit guidances from the state department about the importance of not spending time on party politics while you’re a doing a job paid for by all the taxpayers. Now, the Texas congressman Joaquin Castro, the Democratic vice-chair of the House foreign affairs committee, has said the committee will investigate whether the speech “may violate the Hatch Act, government-wide regulations implementing that act, and state department policies”.
.@SecPompeo’s participation in the #RNCConvention during the course of official @StateDept work is not only unacceptable, but appears that it may also be illegal.
I’ve launched a @HouseForeign investigation. https://t.co/tJ6nvTsJsw — Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) August 25, 2020
Updated at 00.14 BST
25 Aug 2020 22.59 BST Where’s the GOP condemnation for an extremist, conspiracy theory candidate? Guardian reporter Julia Carrie Wong, who has reported extensively on the QAnon conspiracy theory, notes that there is an interesting historical precedent for what Republican politicians could do when an extremist candidate is running for office as part of their party, as QAnon supporter congressional candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene is now doing. That precedent: former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. The GOP reaction: prominent condemnation from the leaders of the party. The David Duke season of Slow Burn provided a really interesting and timely counterexample of how a national party *can* react when a fringe extremist is running for office. Both Reagan (former president) and HW Bush (current president) ran TV ads against Duke in 1989. https://t.co/e1YpyqULxH — Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) August 25, 2020 You can learn more about the political choices made in response to Duke’s campaigns in 1989-1991 on the latest season of Slow Burn, the Slate podcast. What’s happening now is quite different, as my colleague has reported. By contrast, Trump has praised Greene, tacitly endorsed the false & antisemitic conspiracy theory she supports, and now invited her to the White House. Meanwhile, his chief of staff has given her campaign money. https://t.co/EGAkQk0YeY — Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) August 25, 2020
25 Aug 2020 22.39 BST Thunderstorms might disrupt Melania Trump’s Rose Garden speech tonight This is Lois Beckett, taking over our live politics coverage from our west coast office in California, where wildfires across the state have displaced more than 100,000 people, and smoke and particles from the fires have made the air unhealthy to breathe for millions of other residents. (You can follow our wildfires live coverage here.) In Washington, Melania Trump was scheduled to speak at the digital Republican national convention tonight from the White House Rose Garden, which she recently redesigned. But the weather forecast from Washington is not favorable for an outdoor speech tonight: there’s a “severe thunderstorm watch”. JUST IN: Severe thunderstorm watch for entire DC area thru 11p. Most likely time for storms, passing from northwest to southeast, between 6 and 10p. A few storms may produce damaging winds. We'll monitor and update as necessary.
Updates: https://t.co/QC9KsWX1Oy pic.twitter.com/bnK2Xc6YWo — Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) August 25, 2020
Updated at 22.44 BST
25 Aug 2020 22.11 BST Today so far That’s it from me for now. I’ll be back later tonight for the second night of the Republican National Convention. Here’s where the day stands so far: The family of Jacob Blake, the African American man who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha police officers, held a press conference. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the Blake family, said the father of six is still in surgery, fighting for his life. “It is going to take a miracle for Jacob Blake Jr to ever walk again,” Crump said.
Civil rights attorney who is representing the Blake family, said the father of six is still in surgery, fighting for his life. “It is going to take a miracle for Jacob Blake Jr to ever walk again,” Crump said. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency amid protests over the shooting of Blake. The Democratic governor also said he was increasing the number of Wisconsin National Guard members in Kenosha to 250.
The Democratic governor also said he was increasing the number of Wisconsin National Guard members in Kenosha to 250. Trump will nominate acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf to fill the post permanently , despite questions over the legality of his appointment in the first place.
, despite questions over the legality of his appointment in the first place. The New York attorney general is filing a lawsuit challenging operational changes at the US Postal Service , amid concerns that delays in mail delivery could hamper voting by mail in the November elections. “This USPS slowdown is nothing more than a voter suppression tactic,” New York attorney general Letitia James said in a statement.
, amid concerns that delays in mail delivery could hamper voting by mail in the November elections. “This USPS slowdown is nothing more than a voter suppression tactic,” New York attorney general said in a statement. Jerry Falwell Jr resigned as the president of Liberty University. The evangelical leader, one of Trump’s most prominent religious supporters, submitted his letter of resignation after Reuters reported that Falwell and his wife were involved in a years-long affair with one of their business partners. My west coast colleague, Lois Beckett, will have more coming up, so stay tuned.
25 Aug 2020 22.02 BST Jacob Blake’s sister expressed sadness and anger over her brother becoming the latest African American to be shot by police. She said she has heard from a number of people who have said they are sorry about her brother, who was repeatedly shot in the back by Kenosha police. “I’m tired. I haven’t cried one time. I stopped crying years ago. I am numb. I have been watching police murder people that look like me for years,” Blake’ sister said. “I’m not sad. I don’t want your pity. I want change.” Jacob Blake’s sister: ‘I’m not sad. I’m not sorry. I’m angry. And I’m tired. I haven’t cried one time. I stopped crying years ago. I am numb. I have been watching police murder people that look like me for years.’ (warning: distressing) pic.twitter.com/0Ot0FA7K0E — NowThis (@nowthisnews) August 25, 2020


theguardian--2020-08-25--Oleandrin: Trump allies pitch extract from poisonous plant to fight Covid

Allies of Donald Trump have promoted a plant extract called oleandrin to people seeking to ward off Covid-19 .
The plant the extract is derived from , oleander , is poisonous and there is no proof the compound is either safe or effective to treat or prevent Covid-19 , experts say .
But unlike other unproven and potentially dangerous Covid-19 “ cures ” pitched by Donald Trump and his supporters , including the prescription antimalarial hydroxychloroquine , experts fear this compound could easily reach the public as a dietary supplement .
“ Supplements are like snake oil , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA , ” said Martin Ronis , a professor in Louisiana State University ’ s department of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics , referring to the US Food and Drug Administration .
While pharmaceutical companies must show the FDA drugs are safe before they go to market , dietary supplements are considered “ food ” in the US and thus must be proven unsafe before they are removed from the market .
Because of this regulatory structure , Ronis said it would be possible for the company behind the plant compound – Texas-based Phoenix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market .
“ You can essentially make all kinds of apocryphal claims about supplements , ” said Ronis .
One of Phoenix ’ s board members is Mike Lindell , a prominent Trump backer , pitchman , and CEO of MyPillow .
Lindell chairs Trump ’ s re-election effort in Minnesota .
While Lindell has pitched Phoenix ’ s plant extract as a coronavirus cure on TV and to the president ’ s coronavirus taskforce , the company also quietly received $ 5m in funding from an undisclosed investor , patented its extract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an early study in monkey cells as proof of efficacy – an assertion one of the study ’ s own authors denies .
Lindell told the TV host Greg Kelly , an anchor on the conservative Newsmax network : “ I started using it myself and giving it to friends and family who tested positive.
” The interview was one of several television appearances about oleandrin and is prominently displayed on the company ’ s website .
“ Is he allowed to do that ?
” Kelly laughed as he asked his other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fellow director of Phoenix Biotechnology .
“ Well , I ’ m doing it as well , ” Whitney replied , “ and so is everyone else at the company , because we believe in the product , Greg .
We know it works.
” Phoenix Biotechnology did not respond to an emailed request for an interview .
The Washington Post has reported that Whitney has visited Trump in the White House and pitched oleandrin to him .
Oleandrin has not been approved to treat any medical disorder .
The supplements industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market .
“ The unanimous opinion is that this is a stupid idea and no one should allow an oleander supplement to get close to their mouth , ” said Loren Israelsen , president of the United Natural Products Alliance , in a statement to a trade publication .
Phoenix Biotechnology has released only one study on oleandrin ’ s use against Covid-19 .
The study was published in what is called a “ pre-print ” , which means it is not peer-reviewed .
Two of the authors had a financial stake in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ in vitro ” study , examined oleandrin ’ s effect on monkey cells in the laboratory .
Pharmaceutical companies looking for FDA approval typically take drugs through a long pipeline of testing including in pre-clinical trials , in non-human primates , and then in a series of clinical trials testing for safety and dosing , leading up to a double-blind , placebo-controlled randomized trial for efficacy .
If Phoenix sought approval for its product , the pre-print it published would represent a concept for potential study at the very beginning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing a drug to market is $ 985m , according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association .
Most new drugs fail .
Phoenix has conducted two clinical trials for safety of oleandrin in cancer treatment , but both were small .
Phoenix proposed providing oleandrin in what appears to be a liquid , according to its website .
Although Whitney said in his interview with Kelly that Phoenix has researched oleandrin for “ 25 years ” , the earliest research related to the company appears to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2003 , according to a press release .
Phoenix received a patent for its extraction process in 2005 , and in that time it has sponsored research at several institutions , including University of Texas San Antonio , the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Duke University .
The company appears to be moving ahead in its efforts to monetize oleandrin .
The “ pre-print ” was published on 15 July .
The company filed for patents in the US on 18 July and earlier in Australia .
The American patent was reportedly granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Securities and Exchange Commission it received $ 5m from a single , unnamed investor on 7 August .

Allies of Donald Trump have promoted a plant extract called oleandrin to people seeking to ward off Covid-19. The plant the extract is derived from, oleander, is poisonous and there is no proof the compound is either safe or effective to treat or prevent Covid-19, experts say.
But unlike other unproven and potentially dangerous Covid-19 “cures” pitched by Trump and his supporters, including the prescription antimalarial hydroxychloroquine, experts fear this compound could easily reach the public as a dietary supplement.
“Supplements are like snake oil, in the sense they are not regulated by the FDA,” said Martin Ronis, a professor in Louisiana State University’s department of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, referring to the US Food and Drug Administration.
While pharmaceutical companies must show the FDA drugs are safe before they go to market, dietary supplements are considered “food” in the US and thus must be proven unsafe before they are removed from the market. Because of this regulatory structure, Ronis said it would be possible for the company behind the plant compound – Texas-based Phoenix Biotechnology – to bring the extract to market.
“You can essentially make all kinds of apocryphal claims about supplements,” said Ronis.
One of Phoenix’s board members is Mike Lindell, a prominent Trump backer, pitchman, and CEO of MyPillow. Lindell chairs Trump’s re-election effort in Minnesota.
While Lindell has pitched Phoenix’s plant extract as a coronavirus cure on TV and to the president’s coronavirus taskforce, the company also quietly received $5m in funding from an undisclosed investor, patented its extract for use in Covid-19, and promoted an early study in monkey cells as proof of efficacy – an assertion one of the study’s own authors denies.
Lindell told the TV host Greg Kelly, an anchor on the conservative Newsmax network: “I started using it myself and giving it to friends and family who tested positive.”
The interview was one of several television appearances about oleandrin and is prominently displayed on the company’s website.
“Is he allowed to do that?” Kelly laughed as he asked his other guest, Andrew Whitney, the vice-chairman and fellow director of Phoenix Biotechnology.
“Well, I’m doing it as well,” Whitney replied, “and so is everyone else at the company, because we believe in the product, Greg. We know it works.” Phoenix Biotechnology did not respond to an emailed request for an interview.
The Washington Post has reported that Whitney has visited Trump in the White House and pitched oleandrin to him.
Oleandrin has not been approved to treat any medical disorder. The supplements industry has also opposed introducing oleandrin to the market.
“The unanimous opinion is that this is a stupid idea and no one should allow an oleander supplement to get close to their mouth,” said Loren Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance, in a statement to a trade publication.
Phoenix Biotechnology has released only one study on oleandrin’s use against Covid-19. The study was published in what is called a “pre-print”, which means it is not peer-reviewed. Two of the authors had a financial stake in Phoenix Biotechnology. The study, called an “in vitro” study, examined oleandrin’s effect on monkey cells in the laboratory.
Pharmaceutical companies looking for FDA approval typically take drugs through a long pipeline of testing including in pre-clinical trials, in non-human primates, and then in a series of clinical trials testing for safety and dosing, leading up to a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial for efficacy.
If Phoenix sought approval for its product, the pre-print it published would represent a concept for potential study at the very beginning of this pipeline. The median cost of bringing a drug to market is $985m, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Most new drugs fail.
Phoenix has conducted two clinical trials for safety of oleandrin in cancer treatment, but both were small. Phoenix proposed providing oleandrin in what appears to be a liquid, according to its website.
Although Whitney said in his interview with Kelly that Phoenix had researched oleandrin for “25 years”, the earliest research related to the company appears to be from 2002. Phoenix was incorporated in 2003, according to a press release.
Phoenix received a patent for its extraction process in 2005, and in that time it has sponsored research at several institutions, including University of Texas San Antonio, the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Duke University.
The company appears to be moving ahead in its efforts to monetize oleandrin. The “pre-print” was published on 15 July. The company filed for patents in the US on 18 July and earlier in Australia. The American patent was reportedly granted on 29 July, and Phoenix told the US Securities and Exchange Commission it received $5m from a single, unnamed investor on 7 August.


theguardian--2020-08-25--RNC 2020: key takeaways from the first night of Republicans' dark convention

The 2020 Republican national convention kicked off on Monday , with no party platform and a single-minded mission to re-elect Donald Trump .
Here are the key takeaways from the night : Republicans delivered a dark , Trumpian message centered on the alleged dangers of electing Joe Biden as president .
Despite party leaders ’ promises to paint an optimistic vision about the future of the country , Republicans instead attempted to scare voters into supporting Trump by pushing baseless claims that Democrats would “ disarm you , empty the prisons , lock you in your home and invite MS-13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Florida congressman Matt Gaetz said .
The convention also sought to stoke racial fears , an effort that was emphasized by the appearance of Mark and Patricia McCloskey , the St Louis couple who pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters .
The couple pushed the baseless claim that Democrats would “ abolish the suburbs ” , telling convention viewers , “ These are the policies that are coming to a neighborhood near you .
So make no mistake : no matter where you live , your family will not be safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The convention kept factcheckers busy as the RNC peddled falsehoods about the coronavirus pandemic .
Republicans praised Trump ’ s response to the pandemic and accused Democrats and the media of failing to recognize the threat posed by coronavirus , even though the president has said as recently as this month that the virus “ will go away ” .
Speakers also celebrated Trump ’ s “ swift action ” to protect American lives , even as the country ’ s coronavirus death toll stands at 177,000 , far outpacing every other nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presentation as “ all propaganda ” .
Trump made multiple appearances at the convention through pre-taped videos , ensuring he will remain the star of the event .
Despite the president ’ s criticism of Democrats for including many pre-taped videos in their convention last week , Trump appeared in two such segments tonight .
The two videos , both filmed at the White House , showed the president in conversation with frontline workers and with former hostages who were released since Trump took office .
Trump is expected to make appearances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the convention .
Considering Republicans did not craft a party platform for the convention , the president ’ s repeated appearances underscored that this week is certain to become “ the Trump Show.
” Nikki Haley tried to walk the line between embracing Trump and promoting her own vision for the future .
The former UN ambassador began her speech by celebrating Trump ’ s foreign policy agenda and accusing the Obama administration of disastrous inaction .
But Haley , who previously served as the South Carolina governor , then pivoted to calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , considered a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate , reflected on her decision in 2015 to remove the Confederate flag from the state capitol after a white supremacist killed nine members of a historically black church .
“ Together , we made the hard choices needed to heal – and removed a divisive symbol , peacefully and respectfully , ” Haley said .
That comment struck many convention viewers as odd , considering Trump has repeatedly criticized Nascar for banning the Confederate flag from races .
Republicans copied elements of the Democratic convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s programming appeared to be a direct response to the Democrats ’ convention last week .
A Democratic state legislator explained why he was supporting Trump , an obvious response to prominent Republicans ’ endorsements of Biden last week .
A father who lost his daughter in the Parkland shooting also addressed the convention on Monday , a week after another Parkland father spoke at the Democratic convention .
Kimberly Guilfoyle was mocked by critics for her loud and enthusiastic speech , which was delivered to an empty room .
Guilfoyle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump campaign , shouted much of her speech , prompting comparisons to a “ North Korean propaganda lady ” and a SoulCycle instructor .
Guilfoyle ’ s boyfriend , Donald Trump Jr , followed up by claiming his father had “ built the greatest economy our country had ever seen ” , which is not true .
Democrats were also quick to retort that Trump had “ inherited ” a booming economy from Barack Obama .
Senator Tim Scott attracted praise for his hopeful speech , which clashed with the overall dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only Black Republican in the Senate , explained his belief in the American dream , noting that his own grandfather was forced to leave school in the third grade to pick cotton .
“ Our family went from cotton to Congress in one lifetime , ” Scott said .
“ And that ’ s why I believe the next American century can be better than the last .
”

The 2020 Republican national convention kicked off on Monday, with no party platform and a single-minded mission to re-elect Donald Trump.
Here are the key takeaways from the night:
Republicans delivered a dark, Trumpian message centered on the alleged dangers of electing Joe Biden as president. Despite party leaders’ promises to paint an optimistic vision about the future of the country, Republicans instead attempted to scare voters into supporting Trump by pushing baseless claims that Democrats would “disarm you, empty the prisons, lock you in your home and invite MS-13 to live next door”, as the Florida congressman Matt Gaetz said.
The convention also sought to stoke racial fears, an effort that was emphasized by the appearance of Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St Louis couple who pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters. The couple pushed the baseless claim that Democrats would “abolish the suburbs”, telling convention viewers, “These are the policies that are coming to a neighborhood near you. So make no mistake: no matter where you live, your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats’ America.”
The convention kept factcheckers busy as the RNC peddled falsehoods about the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans praised Trump’s response to the pandemic and accused Democrats and the media of failing to recognize the threat posed by coronavirus, even though the president has said as recently as this month that the virus “will go away”. Speakers also celebrated Trump’s “swift action” to protect American lives, even as the country’s coronavirus death toll stands at 177,000, far outpacing every other nation in the world. Health experts dismissed the presentation as “all propaganda”.
Dr. Vin Gupta on coronavirus statements at #RNC2020: "For anybody listening to what the RNC is doing right now, it's all propaganda. There's no truth to it." pic.twitter.com/Di1KDePntI — MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 25, 2020
Trump made multiple appearances at the convention through pre-taped videos, ensuring he will remain the star of the event. Despite the president’s criticism of Democrats for including many pre-taped videos in their convention last week, Trump appeared in two such segments tonight. The two videos, both filmed at the White House, showed the president in conversation with frontline workers and with former hostages who were released since Trump took office.
Trump is expected to make appearances on each of the four nights of the convention. Considering Republicans did not craft a party platform for the convention, the president’s repeated appearances underscored that this week is certain to become “the Trump Show”.
Nikki Haley tried to walk the line between embracing Trump and promoting her own vision for the future. The former UN ambassador began her speech by celebrating Trump’s foreign policy agenda and accusing the Obama administration of disastrous inaction. But Haley, who previously served as the South Carolina governor, then pivoted to calling for a more inclusive America.
Haley, considered a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate, reflected on her decision in 2015 to remove the Confederate flag from the state capitol after a white supremacist killed nine members of a historically black church.
“Together, we made the hard choices needed to heal – and removed a divisive symbol, peacefully and respectfully,” Haley said. That comment struck many convention viewers as odd, considering Trump has repeatedly criticized Nascar for banning the Confederate flag from races.
Republicans copied elements of the Democratic convention. Certainly segments and speakers of Monday’s programming appeared to be a direct response to the Democrats’ convention last week. A Democratic state legislator explained why he was supporting Trump, an obvious response to prominent Republicans’ endorsements of Biden last week. A father who lost his daughter in the Parkland shooting also addressed the convention on Monday, a week after another Parkland father spoke at the Democratic convention.
01:33 Kimberly Guilfoyle shouts much of her Republican national convention speech – video
Kimberly Guilfoyle was mocked by critics for her loud and enthusiastic speech, which was delivered to an empty room. Guilfoyle, who serves as a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, shouted much of her speech, prompting comparisons to a “North Korean propaganda lady” and a SoulCycle instructor. Guilfoyle’s boyfriend, Donald Trump Jr, followed up by claiming his father had “built the greatest economy our country had ever seen”, which is not true. Democrats were also quick to retort that Trump had “inherited” a booming economy from Barack Obama.
Senator Tim Scott attracted praise for his hopeful speech, which clashed with the overall dark tone of the evening. Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, explained his belief in the American dream, noting that his own grandfather was forced to leave school in the third grade to pick cotton. “Our family went from cotton to Congress in one lifetime,” Scott said. “And that’s why I believe the next American century can be better than the last.”