theguardian--2020-12-13--After Trump review: a provocative case for reform by Biden and beyond

At times , the Trump administration has seemed like a wrecking ball , careening from floor to floor of a building being destroyed , observers never quite knowing where the ball will strike next .
At others , it has worked stealthily to undermine rules and norms , presumably fearing that , as the great supreme court justice Louis Brandeis wrote , “ sunshine is the best of disinfectants ” .
These changes , far beyond politics or differences of opinion on policy , should trouble all those who care about the future of the American republic .
Jack Goldsmith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Bush ) and Democratic ( Clinton ) administrations , are students of the presidency whose scholarship is informed by their service .
They have combined to write a field guide to the damage and serious proposals to undo it .
Presidencies do not exist in a vacuum , and many of the excesses of which the authors complain did not begin in 2017 .
But Trump upped the stakes : the violations of rules and norms are not merely quantitatively more numerous but qualitatively different .
Whether seeking to fire the special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his businesses or attacking the press , he has made breathtaking changes .
As the authors write , “ Trump has merged the institution of the presidency with his personal interests and has used the former to serve the latter ” , attacking “ core institutions of American democracy ” to an extent no president had before .
The American constitutional system , unlike the British , is one of enumerated powers .
But over 230 years , norms have arisen .
Unlike laws of which violations are ( usually ) clear , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or expected behavior that presidents and other officials tacitly accept and that typically structure their actions ” .
In an illustration of the great American poet Carl Sandburg ’ s observation that “ The fog comes on little cat feet ” , norms “ are rarely noticed until they are violated , as the nation has experienced on a weekly and often daily basis during the Trump presidency ” .
Those two axioms – that Trump ’ s offences are worse than others and that norms can easily be overcome by a determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The first section of After Trump deals with the presidency itself : the dangers of foreign influence , conflicts of interest , attacks on the press and abuses of the pardon power .
Here the reforms – political campaigns reporting foreign contacts , a requirement to disclose the president ’ s tax returns and criminalizing pardons given to obstruct justice – are generally straightforward .
Regarding the press , where Trump has engaged in “ virulent , constant attacks ” and tried to claim his Twitter account was not a public record even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , the authors would establish that due process applies to attempted removal of a press pass and make legal changes to deter harassment of or reprisals against the media because “ the elevation of this issue clarifies , strengthens , and sets up an apparatus for the enforcement of norms ” .
Goldsmith and Bauer ’ s second section focuses on technical legal issues , specifically those surrounding special counsels , investigation of the president , and the relationship between the White House and justice department .
The American constitution is far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too has points of subtlety and suppleness .
One example is the relationship between the president and an attorney general subordinate to the president but also duty bound to provide impartial justice , even when it concerns the president .
The issues may seem arcane , but they are vital : “ Of the multitude of norms that Donald Trump has broken as president , perhaps none has caused more commentary and consternation than his efforts to defy justice department independence and politicize the department ’ s enforcement of civil and criminal law.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ general , William Barr , sought a more lenient sentence for Roger Stone , stood by as Trump fired the US attorney in New York City , and kept up a “ running public commentary ” on an investigation of the origins of the investigation into the Trump campaign , the authors oppose those actions but remain cautious .
They decline to endorse some of the more radical proposals , such as separating the justice department from the executive branch .
In particular , cases on “ mixed motives ” remain vexing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between acceptable political factors that inform law enforcement decisions and unacceptable politicization of law enforcement ” .
They stress instead “ political accountability ” and “ transparency of executive branch action ” to promote external accountability .
Thus the authors would tighten rules on bringing election cases and propose a series of complex reforms to promote transparency to Congress and the public .
Ironically , they would actually expand the attorney general ’ s supervisory role over special counsels .
In the end , though , it really does come down to norms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders in the justice department to reemphasize the norm of rule-following even in crisis situations.
” Whether this will work if law becomes weaponized again is unclear .
The authors do not wish to see a weak presidency .
Instead , in the formulation of historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr , they favour “ a strong presidency within an equally strong system of accountability ” .
Congress is part of the problem too .
When subpoenas are ignored even during an impeachment inquiry , something has changed .
Not all the reforms the authors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all are worthy of respect and should prod opponents into forming their own proposals as the Trump era comes to an end .
Bauer and Goldsmith have thought deeply on steps for the restoration of democratic and constitutional norms .
Unringing a bell may be impossible according to the laws of physics ; it remains possible in the laws of nations .
Equally important is whether it can be done in the hearts of those , in both parties and all three branches of government , who have charge of public affairs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ power tends to corrupt ” .
Vital reforms may at least reduce that temptation .
• None After Trump : Reconstructing the Presidency is published in the US by Lawfare Press

At times, the Trump administration has seemed like a wrecking ball, careening from floor to floor of a building being destroyed, observers never quite knowing where the ball will strike next. At others, it has worked stealthily to undermine rules and norms, presumably fearing that, as the great supreme court justice Louis Brandeis wrote, “sunshine is the best of disinfectants”.
These changes, far beyond politics or differences of opinion on policy, should trouble all those who care about the future of the American republic. Jack Goldsmith and Bob Bauer, veterans of Republican (Bush) and Democratic (Clinton) administrations, are students of the presidency whose scholarship is informed by their service. They have combined to write a field guide to the damage and serious proposals to undo it.
Presidencies do not exist in a vacuum, and many of the excesses of which the authors complain did not begin in 2017. But Trump upped the stakes: the violations of rules and norms are not merely quantitatively more numerous but qualitatively different. Whether seeking to fire the special counsel investigating him, making money from his businesses or attacking the press, he has made breathtaking changes.
As the authors write, “Trump has merged the institution of the presidency with his personal interests and has used the former to serve the latter”, attacking “core institutions of American democracy” to an extent no president had before.
The American constitutional system, unlike the British, is one of enumerated powers. But over 230 years, norms have arisen. Unlike laws of which violations are (usually) clear, norms are “nonlegal principles of appropriate or expected behavior that presidents and other officials tacitly accept and that typically structure their actions”. In an illustration of the great American poet Carl Sandburg’s observation that “The fog comes on little cat feet”, norms “are rarely noticed until they are violated, as the nation has experienced on a weekly and often daily basis during the Trump presidency”.
Those two axioms – that Trump’s offences are worse than others and that norms can easily be overcome by a determined president – show reform is essential.
The first section of After Trump deals with the presidency itself: the dangers of foreign influence, conflicts of interest, attacks on the press and abuses of the pardon power.
Here the reforms – political campaigns reporting foreign contacts, a requirement to disclose the president’s tax returns and criminalizing pardons given to obstruct justice – are generally straightforward. Regarding the press, where Trump has engaged in “virulent, constant attacks” and tried to claim his Twitter account was not a public record even as he happily fired public officials on it, the authors would establish that due process applies to attempted removal of a press pass and make legal changes to deter harassment of or reprisals against the media because “the elevation of this issue clarifies, strengthens, and sets up an apparatus for the enforcement of norms”.
Goldsmith and Bauer’s second section focuses on technical legal issues, specifically those surrounding special counsels, investigation of the president, and the relationship between the White House and justice department.
The American constitution is far more rigid that the British but it too has points of subtlety and suppleness. One example is the relationship between the president and an attorney general subordinate to the president but also duty bound to provide impartial justice, even when it concerns the president.
The issues may seem arcane, but they are vital: “Of the multitude of norms that Donald Trump has broken as president, perhaps none has caused more commentary and consternation than his efforts to defy justice department independence and politicize the department’s enforcement of civil and criminal law.”
And yet even as the attorney general, William Barr, sought a more lenient sentence for Roger Stone, stood by as Trump fired the US attorney in New York City, and kept up a “running public commentary” on an investigation of the origins of the investigation into the Trump campaign, the authors oppose those actions but remain cautious. They decline to endorse some of the more radical proposals, such as separating the justice department from the executive branch.
Bob Bauer and then Vice-President Joe Biden listen as Barack Obama speaks during a meeting on elections law, in 2014. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
In particular, cases on “mixed motives” remain vexing, as there is “no sharp line between acceptable political factors that inform law enforcement decisions and unacceptable politicization of law enforcement”. They stress instead “political accountability” and “transparency of executive branch action” to promote external accountability.
Thus the authors would tighten rules on bringing election cases and propose a series of complex reforms to promote transparency to Congress and the public. Ironically, they would actually expand the attorney general’s supervisory role over special counsels. In the end, though, it really does come down to norms: “It will be vital for leaders in the justice department to reemphasize the norm of rule-following even in crisis situations.” Whether this will work if law becomes weaponized again is unclear.
The authors do not wish to see a weak presidency. Instead, in the formulation of historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr, they favour “a strong presidency within an equally strong system of accountability”. Congress is part of the problem too. When subpoenas are ignored even during an impeachment inquiry, something has changed.
Not all the reforms the authors propose will find ready agreement, yet all are worthy of respect and should prod opponents into forming their own proposals as the Trump era comes to an end.
Bauer and Goldsmith have thought deeply on steps for the restoration of democratic and constitutional norms. Unringing a bell may be impossible according to the laws of physics; it remains possible in the laws of nations. Equally important is whether it can be done in the hearts of those, in both parties and all three branches of government, who have charge of public affairs. Not for nothing did Lord Acton write that “power tends to corrupt”. Vital reforms may at least reduce that temptation.


theguardian--2020-12-13--Joe Biden’s bid to rally the ‘free world’ could spawn another axis of evil

Joe Biden ’ s big idea – a US-led global alliance of liberal democracies ranged against authoritarian regimes and “ strongman ” leaders – sits at the heart of his American restoration project .
His proposed “ united front ” of the great and the good is primarily intended to counter China and Russia .
Yet it could also antagonise valued western allies such as India , Turkey and Poland .
For this and other reasons , it seems destined to fail .
Biden pledged during this year ’ s election campaign to hold a “ summit for democracy ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shared purpose of the free world ” .
It would aim “ to strengthen our democratic institutions , honestly confront nations that are backsliding , and forge a common agenda ” , he said .
It was needed because , partly due to Donald Trump , “ the international system that the US so carefully constructed is coming apart at the seams ” .
It ’ s a laudable aspiration .
Recent years have seen a marked growth in oppressive , mostly rightwing regimes that ignore international law and abuse UN-defined universal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how will Biden decide who qualifies for his alliance ?
Totalitarian North Korea and Syria ’ s criminal regime are plainly unwelcome .
Yet illiberal Thailand , Venezuela and Iran all maintain supposedly democratic systems .
Will they get a summit invite ?
Diplomats are already predicting Biden ’ s grand coalition will end up as a rehash of the G7 group of leading western economies – the US , Canada , Germany , France , Italy , the UK and Japan .
One wheeze is to add India , Australia and South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But that simply creates another elite club from which many actual or aspiring democracies are excluded .
Part of the difficulty is Biden himself .
Terms such as the “ free world ” , recalling his formative years during the cold war , sound outdated .
His blithe assertion of American moral superiority jars with recent experience .
“ We have to prove … that the US is prepared to lead again , not just with the example of our power but also with the power of our example , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refrain .
Yet the songsheet has changed , and so have the singers .
China does not threaten global security in the existential way the Soviet Union once did .
The fundamental challenge it poses is subtler , amoral and multi-dimensional – technological , ideological , commercial , anti-democratic .
The idea that a cowed world is counting on the US to ride to the rescue is old-think .
The age of solo superpower is over ; the unipolar moment was squandered .
Power balances were already shifting before Trump destroyed trust .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the exception in welcoming Biden ’ s initiative .
“ We need to step up our action to defend democracy , ” says Josep Borrell , EU foreign affairs chief , amid alarm over recent trends highlighted in the V-Dem Institute ’ s Democracy Report 2020 .
It asserts that for the first time since 2001 , autocracy is the world ’ s leading form of governance – in 92 countries in total , home to 54 % of the global population .
Britain ’ s international position is now so enfeebled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests .
Germany will support his initiative too , as long as he does not endanger its lucrative China exports .
Hungary and Poland are problematic .
The Polish government ’ s disregard for judicial independence and abortion rights sits badly with a campaign promoting liberal values .
According to V-Dem , Viktor Orbán ’ s Hungary is no longer a democracy at all but an “ electoral authoritarian regime ” .
Looking further afield , Biden ’ s democracy drive could be like trying to herd cats , with much clawing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point .
It calls itself the world ’ s biggest democracy .
Yet under prime minister Narendra Modi , it has become one of the biggest rights abusers , oppressing political opponents , independent media , NGOs such as Amnesty International , and millions of Muslims .
Modi has nothing to say about democracy , except how to subvert it .
Strictly speaking , Biden should add Taiwan , a model east-Asian democracy , to his guest list .
To do so would utterly enrage China , so perhaps he won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ striving for democracy , might constitute wishful thinking .
Conversely , snubbing Turkey , Peru , the Philippines , Uganda and a host of other flawed or pretend democracies would greatly offend otherwise friendly governments .
The point here is that Biden , like all his predecessors , will in the end be obliged to deal with the world as it is , not as he would like it to be .
As Barack Obama demonstrated in 2009 , making a fine speech in Cairo about new beginnings in the Arab world feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Arab spring faltered , the US backed the bad guys – in Egypt ’ s case , the dictator Abdel Fatah al-Sisi – because it suited its selfish geopolitical interests .
China and Russia , and other undemocratic outcasts such as Saudi Arabia , will count on rediscovered realism to temper Biden ’ s plan in practice , even if he persists with old-school American rhetoric about values and rights .
Only if he and his allies attempt something meaningful , such as actively defending Hong Kong ’ s shattered freedoms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back .
Unlike Eritrea or , say , Belarus , there is much China can do if Washington ’ s pro-democracy tub-thumping grows unbearable .
On issues such as the pandemic and the climate crisis , Beijing ’ s involvement is indispensable , and Biden knows it .
All manner of economic , diplomatic and political leverage could be used to deflect US pressure .
Most provocative is the suggestion , recently recycled by Vladimir Putin , that Russia and China may forge an anti-western military alliance , potentially drawing in lesser powers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t happen .
But it ’ s just possible that Biden ’ s well-meant but polarising “ alliance of democracies ” will deepen divisions and unintentionally spawn a new “ axis of evil ” .
Unlike the much-hyped original , this one would be truly formidable .

Joe Biden’s big idea – a US-led global alliance of liberal democracies ranged against authoritarian regimes and “strongman” leaders – sits at the heart of his American restoration project. His proposed “united front” of the great and the good is primarily intended to counter China and Russia. Yet it could also antagonise valued western allies such as India, Turkey and Poland. For this and other reasons, it seems destined to fail.
Biden pledged during this year’s election campaign to hold a “summit for democracy” in 2021 “to renew the spirit and shared purpose of the free world”. It would aim “to strengthen our democratic institutions, honestly confront nations that are backsliding, and forge a common agenda”, he said. It was needed because, partly due to Donald Trump, “the international system that the US so carefully constructed is coming apart at the seams”.
It’s a laudable aspiration. Recent years have seen a marked growth in oppressive, mostly rightwing regimes that ignore international law and abuse UN-defined universal rights, including democratic rights. But how will Biden decide who qualifies for his alliance? Totalitarian North Korea and Syria’s criminal regime are plainly unwelcome. Yet illiberal Thailand, Venezuela and Iran all maintain supposedly democratic systems. Will they get a summit invite?
Diplomats are already predicting Biden’s grand coalition will end up as a rehash of the G7 group of leading western economies – the US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, the UK and Japan. One wheeze is to add India, Australia and South Korea – a notional “D-10”. But that simply creates another elite club from which many actual or aspiring democracies are excluded.
Part of the difficulty is Biden himself. Terms such as the “free world”, recalling his formative years during the cold war, sound outdated. His blithe assertion of American moral superiority jars with recent experience. “We have to prove … that the US is prepared to lead again, not just with the example of our power but also with the power of our example,” he says. It’s an old refrain. Yet the songsheet has changed, and so have the singers.
China does not threaten global security in the existential way the Soviet Union once did. The fundamental challenge it poses is subtler, amoral and multi-dimensional – technological, ideological, commercial, anti-democratic. The idea that a cowed world is counting on the US to ride to the rescue is old-think. The age of solo superpower is over; the unipolar moment was squandered. Power balances were already shifting before Trump destroyed trust.
Weak, divided Europe may prove to be the exception in welcoming Biden’s initiative. “We need to step up our action to defend democracy,” says Josep Borrell, EU foreign affairs chief, amid alarm over recent trends highlighted in the V-Dem Institute’s Democracy Report 2020. It asserts that for the first time since 2001, autocracy is the world’s leading form of governance – in 92 countries in total, home to 54% of the global population.
Britain’s international position is now so enfeebled that it will back almost anything Biden suggests. Germany will support his initiative too, as long as he does not endanger its lucrative China exports. Hungary and Poland are problematic. The Polish government’s disregard for judicial independence and abortion rights sits badly with a campaign promoting liberal values. According to V-Dem, Viktor Orbán’s Hungary is no longer a democracy at all but an “electoral authoritarian regime”.
Viktor Orbán has been criticised for being at the head of an ‘electoral authoritarian regime’ in Hungary. Photograph: Omar Marques/Getty Images
Looking further afield, Biden’s democracy drive could be like trying to herd cats, with much clawing and spitting. India is a case in point. It calls itself the world’s biggest democracy. Yet under prime minister Narendra Modi, it has become one of the biggest rights abusers, oppressing political opponents, independent media, NGOs such as Amnesty International, and millions of Muslims. Modi has nothing to say about democracy, except how to subvert it.
Strictly speaking, Biden should add Taiwan, a model east-Asian democracy, to his guest list. To do so would utterly enrage China, so perhaps he won’t. Including Sudan and Afghanistan, both striving for democracy, might constitute wishful thinking. Conversely, snubbing Turkey, Peru, the Philippines, Uganda and a host of other flawed or pretend democracies would greatly offend otherwise friendly governments.
The point here is that Biden, like all his predecessors, will in the end be obliged to deal with the world as it is, not as he would like it to be. As Barack Obama demonstrated in 2009, making a fine speech in Cairo about new beginnings in the Arab world feels good but ultimately signifies little. When the Arab spring faltered, the US backed the bad guys – in Egypt’s case, the dictator Abdel Fatah al-Sisi – because it suited its selfish geopolitical interests.
China and Russia, and other undemocratic outcasts such as Saudi Arabia, will count on rediscovered realism to temper Biden’s plan in practice, even if he persists with old-school American rhetoric about values and rights. Only if he and his allies attempt something meaningful, such as actively defending Hong Kong’s shattered freedoms, will Beijing feel the need to push back.
Unlike Eritrea or, say, Belarus, there is much China can do if Washington’s pro-democracy tub-thumping grows unbearable. On issues such as the pandemic and the climate crisis, Beijing’s involvement is indispensable, and Biden knows it. All manner of economic, diplomatic and political leverage could be used to deflect US pressure. Most provocative is the suggestion, recently recycled by Vladimir Putin, that Russia and China may forge an anti-western military alliance, potentially drawing in lesser powers such as North Korea.
This probably won’t happen. But it’s just possible that Biden’s well-meant but polarising “alliance of democracies” will deepen divisions and unintentionally spawn a new “axis of evil”. Unlike the much-hyped original, this one would be truly formidable.


theguardian--2020-12-14--Wall Street Journal denounced after ‘sexist’ article calls Jill Biden ‘kiddo’

The Wall Street Journal has come under a torrent of denunciation for publishing a “ sexist ” opinion article that calls Jill Biden , the first lady-in-waiting , “ kiddo ” , and questions her right to use “ Dr ” in front of her name .
The article , written by a former adjunct professor at Northwestern University Joseph Epstein , purports to offer Biden “ a bit of advice ” .
Opening on the provocative note of calling her “ Madame ( sic ) First Lady – Mrs Biden – Jill – kiddo ” , the author goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honorific of “ Dr ” before her name .
“ ‘ Dr Jill Biden ’ sounds and feels fraudulent , not to say a touch comic , ” Epstein writes .
He justifies his condescension towards her title on grounds that it referred to an “ Ed D – a doctor of education , earned at the University of Delaware ” .
On Sunday night , Jill Biden tweeted : “ Together , we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated , rather than diminished.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denounced the piece as “ sexist and shameful ” .
Michael LaRosa , Biden ’ s spokesperson in the transition team , went further and demanded an apology , saying the newspaper should be embarrassed by the “ sexist attack ” .
Over the weekend , a groundswell of criticism built into a tidal wave over the haughtiness of the piece and its sexism and racism , such as where the author suggests as a simile for rarity the phrase : “ Rarer than a contemporary university honorary-degree list not containing an African-American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaction most pithily : “ Her name is Dr Jill Biden .
Get used to it.
” Other prominent public figures also waded in .
Bernice King , daughter of Martin Luther King , tweeted at Biden saying : “ My father was a non-medical doctor .
And his work benefited humanity greatly .
Yours does , too.
” Doug Emhoff , who is destined to become “ second gentleman ” as the spouse of the vice president-elect Kamala Harris , said that Biden had earned her degrees through “ hard work and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been written about a man.
” Perhaps the harshest criticism came from Epstein ’ s old employer , Northwestern University , which tartly noted that he hasn ’ t taught there in almost 20 years .
In a statement , the English department said it rejected his opinion on Biden “ as well as the diminishment of anyone ’ s duly-earned degrees in any field , from any university ” .
Epstein ’ s profile on the Northwestern website , where he had been listed as an “ emeritus lecturer ” , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Gura reported on Twitter .

The Wall Street Journal has come under a torrent of denunciation for publishing a “sexist” opinion article that calls Jill Biden, the first lady-in-waiting, “kiddo”, and questions her right to use “Dr” in front of her name.
The article, written by a former adjunct professor at Northwestern University Joseph Epstein, purports to offer Biden “a bit of advice”. Opening on the provocative note of calling her “Madame (sic) First Lady – Mrs Biden – Jill – kiddo”, the author goes on to recommend that she drop the honorific of “Dr” before her name.
“‘Dr Jill Biden’ sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic,” Epstein writes. He justifies his condescension towards her title on grounds that it referred to an “Ed D – a doctor of education, earned at the University of Delaware”.
On Sunday night, Jill Biden tweeted: “Together, we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished.”
Biden’s director of communications Elizabeth Alexander denounced the piece as “sexist and shameful”. Michael LaRosa, Biden’s spokesperson in the transition team, went further and demanded an apology, saying the newspaper should be embarrassed by the “sexist attack”.
On Sunday evening, the Journal’s editorial page editor defended Epstein’s piece, saying the criticism of a piece about a “relatively minor issue” was “overwrought” and accusing the Biden camp of media of politicising the matter.
Over the weekend, a groundswell of criticism built into a tidal wave over the haughtiness of the piece and its sexism and racism, such as where the author suggests as a simile for rarity the phrase: “Rarer than a contemporary university honorary-degree list not containing an African American woman”.
Hillary Clinton put her reaction most pithily: “Her name is Dr Jill Biden. Get used to it.”
Other prominent public figures also waded in. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King, tweeted at Biden saying: “My father was a non-medical doctor. And his work benefited humanity greatly. Yours does, too.”
Doug Emhoff, who is destined to become “second gentleman” as the spouse of the vice president-elect Kamala Harris, said that Biden had earned her degrees through “hard work and pure grit… This story would never have been written about a man.”
Perhaps the harshest criticism came from Epstein’s old employer, Northwestern University, which tartly noted that he hasn’t taught there in almost 20 years. In a statement, the English department said it rejected his opinion on Biden “as well as the diminishment of anyone’s duly-earned degrees in any field, from any university”.
Epstein’s profile on the Northwestern website, where he had been listed as an “emeritus lecturer”, was apparently later taken down, the journalist David Gura reported on Twitter.


theguardian--2020-12-13--Electoral college vote may be knockout blow to Trump's ploy to subvert election

Donald Trump on Monday could suffer a withering blow to his increasingly hopeless effort to overturn the results of the US presidential election when 538 members of the electoral college will cast their ballots and formally send Joe Biden to the White House .
Under the arcane formula which America has followed since the first election in 1789 , Monday ’ s electoral college vote will mark the official moment when Biden becomes the 46th president-in-waiting .
Electors , including political celebrities such as both Bill and Hillary Clinton , will gather in state capitols across the country to cement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Normally , the process is figurative and barely noted .
This year , given Trump ’ s volatile display of tilting at windmills in an attempt to negate the will of the American people , it will carry real political significance .
Trump continued those quixotic efforts over the weekend , sparking political unrest in several cities including the nation ’ s capital .
On Sunday morning he tweeted in all caps that this was the “ most corrupt election in US history !
” .
In an interview with Fox & Friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his anti-democratic mission was not over .
“ We keep going and we ’ re going to continue to go forward , ” he said , before repeating a slew of lies about the election having been rigged .
Trump ’ s barefaced untruths about having won key states including Pennsylvania and Georgia went entirely unchallenged by the Fox News interviewer , Brian Kilmeade .
Any faltering hopes Trump might still harbor of hanging on to power were shattered on Friday when the US supreme court bluntly dismissed a lawsuit led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in four other states .
In a different case , a Wisconsin supreme court judge decried Trump ’ s lawsuit aiming to nullify the votes of 200,000 Americans , saying it “ smacked of racism ” .
Despite the categoric rebuff that Trump has suffered in dozens of cases , including before the nation ’ s highest court , his unprecedented ploy to tear up democratic norms continues to inflict untold damage on the country with potential long-term consequences .
The Texas-led push to overturn the election result was backed by 126 Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-thirds of the party ’ s conference – as well as Republican state attorneys general from 18 states .
Among the wider electorate , a recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 77 % of Republicans believe – mistakenly – that there was widespread voter fraud in the 3 November election .
Another manifestation of the harm that is being done was the violence that erupted on Saturday night across several cities .
In Washington DC , four people were stabbed and required hospital treatment , and 23 were arrested , when far-right groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stop the Steal ” march enthusiastically endorsed by Trump .
Far-right militia groups mingled among the Trump supporters and engaged in the violence , including the white nationalist Proud Boys who call themselves “ western chauvinists ” .
Michael Flynn , the former national security adviser who Trump pardoned for lying to the FBI , addressed a crowd , exclaiming : “ We decide the election .
We ’ re waging a battle across America.
” Violence also broke out in Olympia , the state capital of Washington state .
One person was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Trump supporters and Proud Boys facing off against counter-protesters , and three people were arrested .
Video footage appeared to show that the shot was fired by a member of the Proud Boy and that the victim was a counter-protester , although details remained sketchy .
In Georgia , a separate militia group , Georgia Security Force III % , were in attendance at a far-right rally at the statehouse on Saturday .
The armed group has helped to organise recent caravans that have intimidated local election officials at their homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Georgia was fraudulent .
Biden ’ s transition team has watched with growing alarm the spate of violent incidents that has cropped up around Trump ’ s spurious claims of a rigged election .
Cedric Richmond , a Democratic representative from Louisiana who Biden has tapped as the incoming director of the White House Office of Public Engagement , said they were anxious about what lay ahead in the holiday season .
“ We are concerned about violence , ” he told Face the Nation on CBS News .
“ Where there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that is breaking the law , so we are worried about it.
” Asked about the majority of House Republicans who backed Trump ’ s frivolous lawsuit to block election results being certified , Richmond implied their resistance was more theatrical than real .
“ They recognize Joe Biden ’ s victory .
This is just a small proportion of the Republican conference that is appeasing the president on his way out because they are scared of his Twitter ” feed .
The outlier nature of Trump ’ s stubborn refusal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gore in an interview with CNN ’ s State of the Union .
Exactly 20 years ago to the day , he conceded the bitterly-fought 2000 presidential race to George W Bush , saying : “ This is America , we put country before party – we will stand together behind our new president.
” Gore told CNN that he hoped Monday ’ s electoral college vote would be the beginning of healing .
He called the lawsuit dismissed by the supreme court “ ridiculous and unintelligible ” , and castigated those Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his “ lost cause ” .
“ With the electoral college votes tomorrow in all 50 states , I hope that will be the point at which some of those who have hung on will give up the ghost , ” Gore said .
“ There are things more important than bowing to the fear of a demagogue .
”

Donald Trump on Monday could suffer a withering blow to his increasingly hopeless effort to overturn the results of the US presidential election when 538 members of the electoral college will cast their ballots and formally send Joe Biden to the White House.
Under the arcane formula which America has followed since the first election in 1789, Monday’s electoral college vote will mark the official moment when Biden becomes the 46th president-in-waiting. Electors, including political celebrities such as both Bill and Hillary Clinton, will gather in state capitols across the country to cement the outcome of this momentous race.
Normally, the process is figurative and barely noted. This year, given Trump’s volatile display of tilting at windmills in an attempt to negate the will of the American people, it will carry real political significance.
Trump continued those quixotic efforts over the weekend, sparking political unrest in several cities including the nation’s capital. On Sunday morning he tweeted in all caps that this was the “most corrupt election in US history!”.
In an interview with Fox & Friends that aired on Sunday, he insisted that his anti-democratic mission was not over. “We keep going and we’re going to continue to go forward,” he said, before repeating a slew of lies about the election having been rigged.
Trump’s barefaced untruths about having won key states including Pennsylvania and Georgia went entirely unchallenged by the Fox News interviewer, Brian Kilmeade.
Any faltering hopes Trump might still harbor of hanging on to power were shattered on Friday when the US supreme court bluntly dismissed a lawsuit led by Texas to block Biden’s victory in four other states. In a different case, a Wisconsin supreme court judge decried Trump’s lawsuit aiming to nullify the votes of 200,000 Americans, saying it “smacked of racism”.
Despite the categoric rebuff that Trump has suffered in dozens of cases, including before the nation’s highest court, his unprecedented ploy to tear up democratic norms continues to inflict untold damage on the country with potential long-term consequences. The Texas-led push to overturn the election result was backed by 126 Republicans in the House of Representatives – almost two-thirds of the party’s conference – as well as Republican state attorneys general from 18 states.
Among the wider electorate, a recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 77% of Republicans believe – mistakenly – that there was widespread voter fraud in the 3 November election.
Another manifestation of the harm that is being done was the violence that erupted on Saturday night across several cities. In Washington DC, four people were stabbed and required hospital treatment, and 23 were arrested, when far-right groups clashed with counter-protesters following a so-called “Stop the Steal” march enthusiastically endorsed by Trump.
Far-right militia groups mingled among the Trump supporters and engaged in the violence, including the white nationalist Proud Boys who call themselves “western chauvinists”. Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser who Trump pardoned for lying to the FBI, addressed a crowd, exclaiming: “We decide the election. We’re waging a battle across America.”
Violence also broke out in Olympia, the state capital of Washington state. One person was shot in clashes between heavily armed factions, with Trump supporters and Proud Boys facing off against counter-protesters, and three people were arrested.
Video footage appeared to show that the shot was fired by a member of the Proud Boys and that the victim was a counter-protester, although details remained sketchy.
In Georgia, a separate militia group, Georgia Security Force III%, were in attendance at a far-right rally at the statehouse on Saturday. The armed group has helped to organise recent caravans that have intimidated local election officials at their homes claiming falsely that Biden’s victory in Georgia was fraudulent.
Biden’s transition team has watched with growing alarm the spate of violent incidents that has cropped up around Trump’s spurious claims of a rigged election. Cedric Richmond, a Democratic representative from Louisiana who Biden has tapped as the incoming director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, said they were anxious about what lay ahead in the holiday season.
“We are concerned about violence,” he told Face the Nation on CBS News. “Where there’s violence it is not protest, that is breaking the law, so we are worried about it.”
Asked about the majority of House Republicans who backed Trump’s frivolous lawsuit to block election results being certified, Richmond implied their resistance was more theatrical than real. “They recognize Joe Biden’s victory. This is just a small proportion of the Republican conference that is appeasing the president on his way out because they are scared of his Twitter” feed.
The outlier nature of Trump’s stubborn refusal to concede was underlined on Sunday by Al Gore in an interview with CNN’s State of the Union. Exactly 20 years ago to the day, he conceded the bitterly-fought 2000 presidential race to George W Bush, saying: “This is America, we put country before party – we will stand together behind our new president.”
Gore told CNN that he hoped Monday’s electoral college vote would be the beginning of healing. He called the lawsuit dismissed by the supreme court “ridiculous and unintelligible”, and castigated those Republicans who continued to stick with Trump in his “lost cause”.
“With the electoral college votes tomorrow in all 50 states, I hope that will be the point at which some of those who have hung on will give up the ghost,” Gore said. “There are things more important than bowing to the fear of a demagogue.”


theguardian--2020-12-13--US treasury hacked by foreign government group – report

Hackers backed by a foreign government have been monitoring internal email traffic at the US treasury department and an agency that decides internet and telecommunications policy , according to people familiar with the matter .
“ The United States government is aware of these reports and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation , ” said national security council spokesman John Ullyot .
There is concern within the US intelligence community that the hackers who targeted the treasury department and the commerce department ’ s national telecommunications and information administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other government agencies , according to three people briefed on the matter .
The people did not say which other agencies .
The hack is so serious it led to a national security council meeting at the White House on Saturday , said one of the people familiar with the matter .
The hack involves the NTIA ’ s office software , Microsoft ’ s Office 365 .
Staff emails at the agency were monitored by the hackers for months , sources said .
A Microsoft spokesperson did not immediately respond to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ highly sophisticated ” and have been able to trick the Microsoft platform ’ s authentication controls , according to a person familiar with the incident , who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the press .
“ This is a nation state , ” said a different person briefed on the matter .
“ We just don ’ t know which one yet.
“ The full scope of the hack is unclear .
The investigation is still in its early stages and involves a range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the three people familiar with the matter .
The FBI , homeland security department ’ s cybersecurity division , known as CISA , and US national security agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

Hackers backed by a foreign government have been monitoring internal email traffic at the US treasury department and an agency that decides internet and telecommunications policy, according to people familiar with the matter.
“The United States government is aware of these reports and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation,” said national security council spokesman John Ullyot.
There is concern within the US intelligence community that the hackers who targeted the treasury department and the commerce department’s national telecommunications and information administration used a similar tool to break into other government agencies, according to three people briefed on the matter. The people did not say which other agencies.
The hack is so serious it led to a national security council meeting at the White House on Saturday, said one of the people familiar with the matter.
The hack involves the NTIA’s office software, Microsoft’s Office 365. Staff emails at the agency were monitored by the hackers for months, sources said.
A Microsoft spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The hackers are “highly sophisticated” and have been able to trick the Microsoft platform’s authentication controls, according to a person familiar with the incident, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the press.
“This is a nation state,” said a different person briefed on the matter. “We just don’t know which one yet.“
The full scope of the hack is unclear. The investigation is still in its early stages and involves a range of federal agencies, including the FBI, according to the three people familiar with the matter.
The FBI, homeland security department’s cybersecurity division, known as CISA, and US national security agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


theguardian--2020-12-13--Classifying Houthis as terrorists will worsen famine in Yemen, Trump is warned

The Trump administration is facing mounting calls to abandon threats to sanction Houthi rebels in northern Yemen to avoid an imminent danger of extreme famine in the country , where almost two-thirds of the population are in need of food aid .
US state department officials are considering designating the Houthis as a terrorist group before the 20 January inauguration of Joe Biden , a move that would complicate the delivery of essential aid in large parts of the country , senior UN officials and NGOs have said .
The widely predicted move would be alongside a raft of flagged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the final five weeks of Trump ’ s rule , in which squeezing Tehran and its allies looms as a central plank of Washington ’ s foreign policy .
The Labour party in the UK added its voice to the concerns on Sunday , saying the expected move against the Houthis , whom Iran supports in Yemen , would result in aid being unable to reach much of the country ’ s north .
The shadow minister for international development , Anna McMorrin , said this would deprive millions of people who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of much-needed assistance .
In a letter to the foreign secretary , Dominic Raab , imploring the UK not to follow the US ’ s lead , McMorrin wrote : “ We are concerned that a blanket definition for the Houthis would create a near insurmountable hurdle to the delivery of essential humanitarian relief , with those providing material relief or economic support to agencies and multilateral programmes at risk of legal or financial sanctions .
“ Humanitarian organisations would also be denied practical contact with much of the Houthis ’ administrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local civilian contractors to deliver programmes.
” Human Rights Watch has also warned of the consequences of US designation .
“ Many Yemenis are already on the brink of starvation , and US actions that would interfere with the work of aid organisations could have catastrophic consequences , ” said the organisation ’ s Yemen researcher , Afrah Nasser , in a report released on Friday .
“ Any designation of the Houthis should at a minimum provide clear and immediate exemptions for humanitarian aid , but millions of lives should not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the region ’ s most impoverished states , has been in turmoil over most of the past decade .
Instability worsened when the Houthis overthrew the Yemeni government in early 2015 .
That was followed by a military intervention led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE , which has further destabilised the country and led to soaring humanitarian needs .
Despite temporary lulls in fighting , calls for a permanent ceasefire have not been met .
The United Nations ’ secretary general , António Guterres , said last month : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst famine the world has seen for decades .
In the absence of immediate action , millions of lives may be lost.
” Calls to support humanitarian efforts have repeatedly met funding difficulties .
Humanitarian needs have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic , which has ravaged much of the country .
However , a dysfunctional bureaucracy has made understanding the scale of the spread of disease almost impossible .
Iran has provided support to Houthi rebels throughout the conflict with Saudi Arabia , which has led to mass displacement and disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Riyadh insists Tehran ’ s level of backing is far higher than it acknowledges and amounts to a strategic threat against its eastern border .
Ballistic missiles fired from Yemen have sporadically hit Saudi cities throughout the war , which has also been marked by repeated Saudi airstrikes inside the country .
McMorrin and Human Rights Watch both say attempts to secure a negotiated ceasefire would be much more complicated if the US moves ahead with a designation of the Houthis .
The US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , has told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tighten pressure on Iran ’ s allies elsewhere in the region in the waning days of the administration , with proxies in Iraq and the powerful Lebanese militia and political bloc also in Washington ’ s crosshairs .
A senior regional source said designating the Houthis and escalating pressure on Tehran over the next five weeks had been agreed between Washington and Riyadh during Pompeo ’ s most recent visit to the Middle East .

The Trump administration is facing mounting calls to abandon threats to sanction Houthi rebels in northern Yemen to avoid an imminent danger of extreme famine in the country, where almost two-thirds of the population are in need of food aid.
US state department officials are considering designating the Houthis as a terrorist group before the 20 January inauguration of Joe Biden, a move that would complicate the delivery of essential aid in large parts of the country, senior UN officials and NGOs have said.
The widely predicted move would be alongside a raft of flagged sanctions against Iran and its interests over the final five weeks of Trump’s rule, in which squeezing Tehran and its allies looms as a central plank of Washington’s foreign policy.
The Labour party in the UK added its voice to the concerns on Sunday, saying the expected move against the Houthis, whom Iran supports in Yemen, would result in aid being unable to reach much of the country’s north. The shadow minister for international development, Anna McMorrin, said this would deprive millions of people who had no choice but to remain under Houthi control of much-needed assistance.
In a letter to the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, imploring the UK not to follow the US’s lead, McMorrin wrote: “We are concerned that a blanket definition for the Houthis would create a near insurmountable hurdle to the delivery of essential humanitarian relief, with those providing material relief or economic support to agencies and multilateral programmes at risk of legal or financial sanctions.
“Humanitarian organisations would also be denied practical contact with much of the Houthis’ administrative infrastructure and would be barred from using local civilian contractors to deliver programmes.”
Human Rights Watch has also warned of the consequences of US designation. “Many Yemenis are already on the brink of starvation, and US actions that would interfere with the work of aid organisations could have catastrophic consequences,” said the organisation’s Yemen researcher, Afrah Nasser, in a report released on Friday. “Any designation of the Houthis should at a minimum provide clear and immediate exemptions for humanitarian aid, but millions of lives should not have to depend on that.”
Yemen, one of the region’s most impoverished states, has been in turmoil over most of the past decade. Instability worsened when the Houthis overthrew the Yemeni government in early 2015. That was followed by a military intervention led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which has further destabilised the country and led to soaring humanitarian needs. Despite temporary lulls in fighting, calls for a permanent ceasefire have not been met.
The United Nations’ secretary general, António Guterres, said last month: “Yemen is now in imminent danger of the worst famine the world has seen for decades. In the absence of immediate action, millions of lives may be lost.”
Calls to support humanitarian efforts have repeatedly met funding difficulties. Humanitarian needs have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has ravaged much of the country. However, a dysfunctional bureaucracy has made understanding the scale of the spread of disease almost impossible.
Iran has provided support to Houthi rebels throughout the conflict with Saudi Arabia, which has led to mass displacement and disease and at least 12,000 civilian casualties. Riyadh insists Tehran’s level of backing is far higher than it acknowledges and amounts to a strategic threat against its eastern border. Ballistic missiles fired from Yemen have sporadically hit Saudi cities throughout the war, which has also been marked by repeated Saudi airstrikes inside the country.
McMorrin and Human Rights Watch both say attempts to secure a negotiated ceasefire would be much more complicated if the US moves ahead with a designation of the Houthis.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has told regional allies that he is determined to tighten pressure on Iran’s allies elsewhere in the region in the waning days of the administration, with proxies in Iraq and the powerful Lebanese militia and political bloc also in Washington’s crosshairs.
A senior regional source said designating the Houthis and escalating pressure on Tehran over the next five weeks had been agreed between Washington and Riyadh during Pompeo’s most recent visit to the Middle East.


theguardian--2020-12-13--Speculation swirls over Ivanka Trump’s potential run for US Senate in Florida

Speculation about the post-White House career of Ivanka Trump is now centered on Florida , where the soon to be ex-first daughter and senior aide to her president father has reportedly bought an expensive plot of land for a house and may be considering a run for Senate .
Ivanka Trump is frequently mentioned as desiring a political career of her own and during her time working for Donald Trump has sought to position herself as a more media-friendly version of her father .
Now US media reports are focusing on Florida – where Donald Trump owns the Mar-A-Lago resort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter to launch a political career of her own .
“ Ivanka definitely has political ambitions , no question about it , ” a source told CNN .
“ She wants to run for something , but that still needs to be figured out.
” Florida might offer one potential avenue in a Senate race in 2022 when current Republican incumbent Marco Rubio ’ s seat is up for re-election .
Rubio was a harsh critic of Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican nomination race but later morphed into a loyal supporter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think she ’ d be the immediate frontrunner if she ran for US Senate against Rubio , given her father ’ s popularity in the Sunshine State , ” Adam C Smith , former Tampa Bay Times political editor and now consultant with Mercury Public Affairs , told CNN .
Supporting the speculation are news reports that Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner – who has also been a prominent and influential member of the White House team for the last four years – are spending millions of dollars on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as their future home base .
The New York Post reported that the pair are spending more than $ 30m on a land lot on Miami ’ s exclusive Indian Creek Island , which has been dubbed the “ Billionaire ’ s Bunker ” .
The island reportedly boasts its own private police force for its handful of ultra-wealthy residences .
Ivanka Trump is not the only member of her family potentially eyeing up a political future post-Trump .
Donald Trump Jr – who is popular with his father ’ s conservative base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a serious bid to enter politics in his own right .
Meanwhile , daughter-in-law Lara Trump has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Senate in North Carolina .

Speculation about the post-White House career of Ivanka Trump is now centered on Florida, where the soon to be ex-first daughter and senior aide to her president father has reportedly bought an expensive plot of land for a house and may be considering a run for Senate.
Ivanka Trump is frequently mentioned as desiring a political career of her own and during her time working for Donald Trump has sought to position herself as a more media-friendly version of her father.
Now US media reports are focusing on Florida – where Donald Trump owns the Mar-A-Lago resort – as a potential base for his daughter to launch a political career of her own.
“Ivanka definitely has political ambitions, no question about it,” a source told CNN. “She wants to run for something, but that still needs to be figured out.”
Florida might offer one potential avenue in a Senate race in 2022 when current Republican incumbent Marco Rubio’s seat is up for re-election. Rubio was a harsh critic of Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican nomination race but later morphed into a loyal supporter of Trump once he had the won election.
“I think she’d be the immediate frontrunner if she ran for US Senate against Rubio, given her father’s popularity in the Sunshine State,” Adam C Smith, former Tampa Bay Times political editor and now consultant with Mercury Public Affairs, told CNN.
Supporting the speculation are news reports that Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner – who has also been a prominent and influential member of the White House team for the last four years – are spending millions of dollars on a property in Florida that will serve as their future home base.
The New York Post reported that the pair are spending more than $30m on a land lot on Miami’s exclusive Indian Creek Island, which has been dubbed the “Billionaire’s Bunker”. The island reportedly boasts its own private police force for its handful of ultra-wealthy residences.
Ivanka Trump is not the only member of her family potentially eyeing up a political future post-Trump. Donald Trump Jr – who is popular with his father’s conservative base – is often seen as likely to make a serious bid to enter politics in his own right. Meanwhile, daughter-in-law Lara Trump has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Senate in North Carolina.


theguardian--2020-12-14--Electoral college meets as Trump rejects early White House vaccinations - live updates

Since it only happens once every four years , you may need a refresher on what actually happens on the day that the electoral college meets to vote for the US president .
Fortunately for both you and me , Jan Wolfe at Reuters has put this handy reminder together .
The winner of the presidential election is determined not by the popular vote – in which Joe Biden leads by over 7 million – but through the system of the electoral college , which is part of the US Constitution .
It allots the so-called “ electoral votes ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbia based on their congressional representation .
Before the election , state-level leaders of the two major parties selected people to serve as “ electors ” .
Technically , during the election , Americans are casting their votes for those slates of electors , not the candidates themselves .
Those individuals are typically party loyalists who have pledged to support the candidate who got the most votes in their state .
Much of the legal activity disputing the election results was based around the Trump team trying to get states to appoint Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the outcome of the popular vote .
There are 538 electoral votes , meaning 270 are needed to win the election .
Joe Biden is slated to receive 306 .
Most electors are not household names , but this year do include some notable faces , including Hillary Clinton , the former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee , and Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams , a former candidate for governor in that state who has been widely credited with playing an integral role in flipping it blue .
Electors meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their state ’ s legislature .
Nevada is meeting virtually this year because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Most states will be livestreaming the ceremonies .
Electors will sign certificates showing their votes , which are sent to government officials including vice [ resident Mike Pence .
Those certificates are paired with ones signed by governors showing the popular vote tallies , which have already been certified by all 50 states and the District of Columbia .
Electoral votes will be officially tallied by a newly seated Congress on 6 January , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preside over .
At that point , the election is officially decided .
Biden will be sworn in as president during an inauguration ceremony at noon on 20 January , a time which is set by the constitution .
Occasionally electors can go rogue , and become “ faithless electors ” , who don ’ t vote for who they are supposed to .
In 2016 , seven of the 538 electors cast ballots for someone other than their state*s popular vote winner , which was an unusually high number .
Thirty-two states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to control this .
Some provide a financial penalty for a rogue vote , while others call for the vote to be canceled and the elector replaced .
It would be nearly impossible for faithless electors to hand a last-minute victory to Trump – he would need 38 electors to defect .
There ’ s also a theoretical – albeit unlikely – possibility that Congress could refuse to accept the result .
A law called the Electoral Count Act allows individual members of the House and Senate to challenge the results during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a rarely used procedure .
Any objection to a state ’ s results must be backed by at least one House member and one senator .
The two chambers would then separate to debate the objections before voting on whether to reject the state ’ s results .
An objection , though , must pass in both chambers by a simple majority .
Democrats control the House , meaning a last ditch attempt to thwart Biden ’ s victory would not pass .
Nevertheless Republicans are yet to rule it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost two-thirds of the party ’ s conference – backed the Texas attempt to overthrow the election in the supreme court , so it is possible we will see yet another attempt by Republicans to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Biden ’ s victory .

15 Dec 2020 01.21 GMT Summary From me and Joan E Greve: The US coronavirus death toll surpassed 300,000 as the country distributed its first doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Frontline healthcare workers started receiving the vaccine today, and many of them said they were “relieved” to get the treatment after months of treating coronavirus patients. Sandra Lindsay , a critical care nurse in New York, said shortly after receiving the vaccine this morning, “I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history.”
Frontline healthcare workers started receiving the vaccine today, and many of them said they were “relieved” to get the treatment after months of treating coronavirus patients. , a critical care nurse in New York, said shortly after receiving the vaccine this morning, “I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history.” Members of the electoral college formally cast their votes for president and affirmed Joe Biden as president-elect. Biden has won 306 electoral votes – the same amount Trump won in 2016.
Biden has won 306 electoral votes – the same amount Trump won in 2016. Biden addressed the country on Monday night. “If anyone didn’t know it before, they know it now. What beats deep in the hearts of the American people is this: democracy” he said.
“If anyone didn’t know it before, they know it now. What beats deep in the hearts of the American people is this: democracy” he said. Paul Mitchell, a Republican congressman of Michigan told CNN that he is disgusted with Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to undermine and overturn the election results. He alerted the House clerk that he will be changing his party affiliation from Republican to independent, and has notified Republican leaders that he’s ending his “engagement and association with the Republican party at both the national and state level”.
He alerted the House clerk that he will be changing his party affiliation from Republican to independent, and has notified Republican leaders that he’s ending his “engagement and association with the Republican party at both the national and state level”. Attorney general William Barr will be leaving his post just before Christmas. Barr’s loyalty to Trump seemed almost bottomless – but he recently angered the president by disputing systematic fraud in the elections.
Barr’s loyalty to Trump seemed almost bottomless – but he recently angered the president by disputing systematic fraud in the elections. The Wisconsin supreme court again rejected Trump’s bid to overturn Biden’s victory in the state. The conservative-leaning court ruled that the president had waited too long to file his challenge. Conservative justice Brian Hagedorn wrote in the decision, “[T]he [Trump] campaign is challenging the rulebook adopted before the season began.”
The conservative-leaning court ruled that the president had waited too long to file his challenge. Conservative justice wrote in the decision, “[T]he [Trump] campaign is challenging the rulebook adopted before the season began.” The US formally blamed Iran for the presumed death of former FBI agent Robert Levinson. The treasury department issued sanctions against two Iranian intelligence officers believed to have been involved in Levinson’s 2007 abduction.
Updated at 01.29 GMT
15 Dec 2020 01.08 GMT Lamar Alexander, a Republican senator of Tennessee, who had previously said that it’ll be “over” once the electoral college affirms the election, has released a statement emphasizing that point. “The presidential election is over,” he said. “States have certified the votes. Courts have resolved disputes. The electors have voted. I hope that President Trump will put the country first, take pride in his considerable accomplishments, and help President-elect Biden get off to a good start. Especially during this pandemic, an orderly transition of power is crucially important.”
Updated at 01.18 GMT
15 Dec 2020 00.59 GMT As much as Biden has emphasized unity since winning the election – and even though he ended his speech with a call to unity, his speech tonight didn’t pull any punches. Biden: "4 years ago, when I was VP, it was my responsibility to announce the tally of the Electoral College votes to the joint session of Congress ... I did my job ... now it's time to turn the page as we've done throughout our history." pic.twitter.com/eCHWQMWxPo — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 15, 2020
Updated at 01.19 GMT
15 Dec 2020 00.47 GMT Before concluding his speech, Biden gave his condolences to those who lost loved ones to Covid-19: “Today, our nation passed a grim milestone. 300,000 deaths due to this Covid virus. My heart goes out to each of you in this dark winter of the pandemic.”
Updated at 00.55 GMT
15 Dec 2020 00.42 GMT Biden also called out the 17 Republican state attorney generals and 126 Republican representatives who signed onto the Texas lawsuit seeking to overturn election results in other states. “It’s a position so extreme we’ve never seen it before,” Biden said. The effort “refused to respect the will of the people, refused to respect the rule of law and refused to respect our Constitution”. Now, he said, “is time to unite”.
“There’s urgent work in front of us.”
Updated at 00.55 GMT
15 Dec 2020 00.40 GMT “If anyone didn’t know it before, they know it now. What beats deep in the hearts of the American people is this: democracy” Biden said. After thanking officials who carried out the elections, he also praised the judicial system. “The Trump campaign brought dozens and dozens of legal challenges,” Biden said. “And each of the times they were heard, they were found to be without merit.”
Updated at 00.56 GMT
15 Dec 2020 00.36 GMT “Together, Vice-president-elect Harris and I earned 306 electoral votes,” Biden said, noting that he has won by the same margin as Donald Trump in 2016. Trump called that a “landslide”, Biden noted. “Nothing, not even a pandemic, or an abuse of power can extinguish that flame” of American democracy, Biden added, noting the contributions of election officials in carrying out their duty amid the pandemic, and amid threats and verbal abuse from detractors and Trump supporters. “We owe these public servants a debt of gratitude,” Biden continued. “Our democracy survived because of them.”
Updated at 00.56 GMT
15 Dec 2020 00.32 GMT Joe Biden speaks after electoral college affirms that he is president-elect “The will of the people prevailed,” he said. It’s official, folks. Tune in as I deliver remarks on today’s electoral college vote certification and the strength and resilience of our democracy. https://t.co/Qp2c92mYUV — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 15, 2020
15 Dec 2020 00.25 GMT Joe Biden is affirmed presidential election winner by electoral college Members of the electoral college affirmed that Joe Biden is the president-elect, having won more than 270 electoral votes. Hawaii was the last state to cast its electoral votes, awarding Biden a total of 306 votes.
14 Dec 2020 23.52 GMT Lauren Gambino The president-elect will address the electoral college vote count in a speech to the nation later tonight. According to excerpts released by his transition team, Biden will say: “In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed ... And so, now it is time to turn the page. To unite. To heal.” Traditionally an afterthought, the meeting of the electoral college has taken on added importance this year because of the president’s refusal to concede the election. Despite an extraordinarily unsuccessful legal campaign to challenge the results in state and federal court, Trump has continued to claim without evidence that the vote was corrupted by fraud and irregularities. In his speech, Biden will seek to put the election firmly to rest by looking ahead to his presidency and the challenges facing the country. “As I said through this campaign, I will be a president for all Americans. I will work just as hard for those of you who didn’t vote for me, as I will for those who did,” Biden is expected to say.
He will add: “There is urgent work in front of all of us. Getting the pandemic under control to getting the nation vaccinated against this virus. Delivering immediate economic help so badly needed by so many Americans who are hurting today – and then building our economy back better than ever.” Biden is scheduled to deliver his speech at 7.30pm ET tonight, after every state has held its meeting of electors. Hawaii will be the last state to start its meeting, at 7pm ET. Election results from November show Biden won 306 electoral college votes, exceeding the 270 needed to win, after four tumultuous years under Trump. The president-elect and the vice president-elect, Kamala Harris, are due to take office on 20 January. Trump’s refusal to accept reality has been embraced by a significant share of Republican elected officials, including the House leader, Kevin McCarthy, and much of the party’s base. Tensions over the election result, stoked by Trump, erupted in Washington over the weekend, when violence broke out amid a “Stop the Steal” rally. Read more: Electoral college: key states confirm Joe Biden's victory in presidential election Read more
14 Dec 2020 23.11 GMT Senator Roy Blunt, a Republican of Missouri, is yet another Republican to break with the president by – accurately – calling Joe Biden the president-elect. He told the Senate press poll that “we’ve now gone through the constitutional process and the electors have voted so there’s a president-elect”. .@RoyBlunt to Senate press pool: "We've now gone through the constitutional process and the electors have voted so there's a president elect... We'll deal with Vice President Biden as the president elect." — Bryan Lowry (@BryanLowry3) December 14, 2020
14 Dec 2020 23.07 GMT Throughout his tenure, William Barr went to great lengths to back Donald Trump: He undermined the findings of the Russia investigation, issuing a summary that a judge later said twisted the findings of Robert Mueller.
He had the justice department intervene in a defamation lawsuit E Jean Carroll, an author who has accused Trump of raping her, in an extraordinary move that helped the president fight a private legal matter with taxpayer-funded resources.
He authorized the justice department to investigate unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud – even though he eventually broke with the president in saying that no evidence of systematic fraud was found.
Updated at 23.38 GMT
14 Dec 2020 22.59 GMT William Barr’s resignation letter is dripping with praise for Donald Trump. “You built the strongest and most resilient economy in American history,” Barr writes. “You have restored American military strength.” Barr praises the president’s Covid-19 response, and Middle East policy while repeating Trumpian grievance rhetoric about how the president faced a “partisan onslaught” that was “abusive and deceitful”. ...Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen, an outstanding person, will become Acting Attorney General. Highly respected Richard Donoghue will be taking over the duties of Deputy Attorney General. Thank you to all! pic.twitter.com/V5sqOJT9PM — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020
Updated at 23.02 GMT


theguardian--2020-12-14--Donald Trump reverses plan to give White House officials Covid vaccine

The US recorded another 1,389 deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday , pushing the toll closer to 300,000 as hospitalisations continued to hit new heights .
At the same time , the first shipments of the Food and Drug Administration-approved Pfizer vaccine were flown out around the country .
Responding to a New York Times report that senior administration staffers would be among those vaccinated first , Donald Trump rowed back , tweeting : “ People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the programme , unless specifically necessary .
I have asked that this adjustment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Johns Hopkins University , the US death toll stood at 298,939 out of a caseload of 16,241,866 , itself up by 190,920 on Sunday .
Deaths were down from a daily peak of more than 3,000 last week but according to the Covid Tracking Project 109,331 people were hospitalised , a record .
A record 21,231 people were in intensive care .
States across the US are under increasing strain , healthcare systems creaking and economies , already battered , close to damaging collapse .
In California , where large parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Christmas , Alan Auerbach , director of the Burch Center for Tax Policy and Public Finance at the University of California , Berkeley , told the Guardian an eventual recovery could look more like a “ K ” than a “ V ” , as high earners thrive and the most vulnerable plunge .
“ We have lacked a coherent national strategy for dealing with the pandemic and 2021 is probably going to be a pretty tough year for California , ” he said .
In Washington , a bipartisan group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 908bn stimulus package on Monday .
Politico reported it had little chance of success .
Agreement between Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell remains elusive .
Though the vaccination effort just beginning will be the biggest public health push in US history , it will take some time for the vaccine to reach most of the population .
On Monday , health secretary Alex Azar told NBC the vaccine will be available to the broader public “ by late February going into March ” .
By that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ like a flu vaccination campaign ” at local pharmacies .
That timeline is ambitious , especially in light of news that the Trump administration did not expand its order for the Pfizer vaccination , sparking concerns there will be a shortage after initial doses are administered .
Vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna , which is expected to be approved by the FDA for emergency use , require two doses .
According to the New York Times , the Trump administration is “ rushing to roll out a $ 250m public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus vaccine ” .
Former presidents Barack Obama , Bill Clinton and George W Bush are among famous names who have said they are willing to be vaccinated in public and an ABC News poll released on Monday said 80 % of respondents said they would take the vaccine .
Speaking to Fox News Sunday , however , Dr Moncef Slaoui , chief science adviser to the federal effort to speed vaccine development , said he was “ very concerned ” about skepticism about the vaccine in some circles .
“ Unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is , and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners , ” Slaoui said .
“ I can guarantee you that no such things have happened , that we follow the science.
” Trump , who recovered from Covid-19 in October , said he would not initially be taking the shot and was reversing an administration directive to vaccinate top officials while public distribution is limited to frontline health workers and people in nursing homes and long-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his administration confirmed that senior officials , including some aides who work in close proximity to Trump and Mike Pence , would be offered vaccines as soon as this week .
“ I am not scheduled to take the vaccine , ” Trump tweeted , “ but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time.
” It was not immediately clear what effect Trump ’ s tweet would have on efforts to protect top leadership , two people briefed on the matter told the Associated Press .
News that White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism on social media .
Trump and his aides have flouted Covid-19 guidelines issued by his own administration , including hosting large holiday parties with maskless attendees this month .
Officials said earlier on Sunday doses of the Pfizer vaccine would be made available to those who work in close quarters with the nation ’ s leaders , to prevent Covid-19 spreading in the White House and other critical facilities .
“ Senior officials across all three branches of government will receive vaccinations pursuant to continuity of government protocols established in executive policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Council spokesman .
“ The American people should have confidence that they are receiving the same safe and effective vaccine as senior officials of the United States government on the advice of public health professionals and national security leadership.
” The move to vaccinate top officials would be consistent with the rollout of rapid testing machines , which were reserved to protect the White House and other facilities .
According to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , there is not yet enough information to determine whether those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine .
Pence has not come down with the virus , and his aides have been discussing when and how he should receive the shot .
Aides to the president-elect , Joe Biden , have been discussing how he should receive the vaccine and working to establish plans to boost virus safeguards in the West Wing .
According to a Capitol Hill official who spoke to the AP , lawmakers have not been informed how many doses will be made available to them .

Martin Pengelly and Lauren Aratani in New York and agencies

The US recorded another 1,389 deaths from Covid-19 on Sunday, pushing the toll closer to 300,000 as hospitalisations continued to hit new heights. There was a ray of hope on Monday morning, however, as the first vaccinations were carried out using the Food and Drug Administration-approved Pfizer vaccine.
“I feel hopeful today. Relieved,” said critical case nurse Sandra Lindsay after getting a shot at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.
Watching via video, New York governor Andrew Cuomo said: “This is the light at the end of the tunnel. But it’s a long tunnel.”
From Washington, Donald Trump tweeted: “First Vaccine Administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD!”
Earlier, responding to a New York Times report that senior administration staffers would be among those vaccinated first, Trump rowed back, tweeting: “People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the programme, unless specifically necessary. I have asked that this adjustment be made.”
According to Johns Hopkins University, the US death toll stood at 298,949 out of a caseload of 16,242,953, itself up by 190,920 on Sunday. Deaths were down from a daily peak of more than 3,000 last week but according to the Covid Tracking Project 109,331 people were hospitalised, a record. A record 21,231 people were in intensive care.
States across the US are under increasing strain, healthcare systems creaking and economies, already battered, close to damaging collapse.
In California, where large parts of the state are under lockdown until after Christmas, Alan Auerbach, director of the Burch Center for Tax Policy and Public Finance at the University of California, Berkeley, told the Guardian an eventual recovery could look more like a “K” than a “V”, as high earners thrive and the most vulnerable plunge.
“We have lacked a coherent national strategy for dealing with the pandemic and 2021 is probably going to be a pretty tough year for California,” he said.
In Washington, a bipartisan group of senators was due to unveil a $908bn stimulus package, though it was reported to have little chance of success. Agreement between House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell remains elusive.
Though the vaccination effort just beginning will be the biggest public health push in US history, it will take some time for the vaccine to reach most of the population. On Monday, health secretary Alex Azar told NBC the vaccine will be available to the broader public “by late February going into March”. By that time, he said, vaccine distribution will be “like a flu vaccination campaign” at local pharmacies.
That timeline is ambitious, especially in light of news that the administration did not expand its order for the Pfizer vaccination, sparking concerns there will be a shortage after initial doses. Vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna, which is expected to be approved by the FDA for emergency use this week, require two doses.
According to the Times, the Trump administration is “rushing to roll out a $250m public education campaign to encourage Americans to take the coronavirus vaccine”. Former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W Bush are among famous names who have said they are willing to be vaccinated in public and an ABC News poll released on Monday said 80% of respondents said they would take the vaccine.
Speaking to Fox News Sunday, however, Dr Moncef Slaoui, chief science adviser to the federal effort to speed vaccine development, said he was “very concerned” about skepticism about the vaccine in some circles.
“Unfortunately ... there’s been a confusion between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is, and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners,” Slaoui said. “I can guarantee you that no such things have happened, that we follow the science.”
Trump, who recovered from Covid-19 in October, said he would not initially be taking the shot and was reversing an administration directive to vaccinate top officials while public distribution is limited to frontline health workers and people in nursing homes and long-term care.
Trump made the announcement hours after his administration confirmed that senior officials, including some aides who work in close proximity to Trump and Mike Pence, would be offered vaccines as soon as this week.
“I am not scheduled to take the vaccine,” Trump tweeted, “but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time.”
It was not immediately clear what effect Trump’s tweet would have on efforts to protect top leadership, two people briefed on the matter told the Associated Press.
News that White House staff would receive the vaccine early drew criticism on social media. Trump and his aides have flouted Covid-19 guidelines issued by his own administration, including hosting large holiday parties with maskless attendees this month.
Officials said earlier on Sunday doses of the Pfizer vaccine would be made available to those who work in close quarters with the nation’s leaders, to prevent Covid-19 spreading in the White House and other critical facilities. The move would be consistent with the rollout of rapid testing machines, which were reserved to protect the White House and other facilities.
According to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is not yet enough information to determine whether those who have had Covid-19 should also get the vaccine.
Pence has not come down with the virus, and his aides have been discussing when and how he should receive the shot. Aides to the president-elect, Joe Biden, have been discussing how he should receive the vaccine and working to establish plans to boost virus safeguards in the West Wing.


theguardian--2020-12-14--Electoral college vote may be knockout blow to Trump's ploy to subvert election

Donald Trump on Monday could suffer a withering blow to his increasingly hopeless effort to overturn the results of the US presidential election when 538 members of the electoral college will cast their ballots and formally send Joe Biden to the White House .
Under the arcane formula which America has followed since the first election in 1789 , Monday ’ s electoral college vote will mark the official moment when Biden becomes the 46th president-in-waiting .
Electors , including political celebrities such as both Bill and Hillary Clinton , will gather in state capitols across the country to cement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Normally , the process is figurative and barely noted .
This year , given Trump ’ s volatile display of tilting at windmills in an attempt to negate the will of the American people , it will carry real political significance .
Trump continued those quixotic efforts over the weekend , sparking political unrest in several cities including the nation ’ s capital .
On Sunday morning he tweeted in all caps that this was the “ most corrupt election in US history !
” .
In an interview with Fox & Friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that his anti-democratic mission was not over .
“ We keep going and we ’ re going to continue to go forward , ” he said , before repeating a slew of lies about the election having been rigged .
Trump ’ s barefaced untruths about having won key states including Pennsylvania and Georgia went entirely unchallenged by the Fox News interviewer , Brian Kilmeade .
Any faltering hopes Trump might still harbor of hanging on to power were shattered on Friday when the US supreme court bluntly dismissed a lawsuit led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in four other states .
In a different case , a Wisconsin supreme court judge decried Trump ’ s lawsuit aiming to nullify the votes of 200,000 Americans , saying it “ smacked of racism ” .
Despite the categoric rebuff that Trump has suffered in dozens of cases , including before the nation ’ s highest court , his unprecedented ploy to tear up democratic norms continues to inflict untold damage on the country with potential long-term consequences .
The Texas-led push to overturn the election result was backed by 126 Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two-thirds of the party ’ s conference – as well as Republican state attorneys general from 18 states .
Among the wider electorate , a recent Quinnipiac University poll found that 77 % of Republicans believe – mistakenly – that there was widespread voter fraud in the 3 November election .
Another manifestation of the harm that is being done was the violence that erupted on Saturday night across several cities .
In Washington DC , four people were stabbed and required hospital treatment , and 23 were arrested , when far-right groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stop the Steal ” march enthusiastically endorsed by Trump .
Far-right militia groups mingled among the Trump supporters and engaged in the violence , including the white nationalist Proud Boys who call themselves “ western chauvinists ” .
Michael Flynn , the former national security adviser who Trump pardoned for lying to the FBI , addressed a crowd , exclaiming : “ We decide the election .
We ’ re waging a battle across America.
” Violence also broke out in Olympia , the state capital of Washington state .
One person was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Trump supporters and Proud Boys facing off against counter-protesters , and three people were arrested .
Video footage appeared to show that the shot was fired by a member of the Proud Boys and that the victim was a counter-protester , although details remained sketchy .
In Georgia , a separate militia group , Georgia Security Force III % , were in attendance at a far-right rally at the statehouse on Saturday .
The armed group has helped to organise recent caravans that have intimidated local election officials at their homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Georgia was fraudulent .
Biden ’ s transition team has watched with growing alarm the spate of violent incidents that has cropped up around Trump ’ s spurious claims of a rigged election .
Cedric Richmond , a Democratic representative from Louisiana who Biden has tapped as the incoming director of the White House Office of Public Engagement , said they were anxious about what lay ahead in the holiday season .
“ We are concerned about violence , ” he told Face the Nation on CBS News .
“ Where there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that is breaking the law , so we are worried about it.
” Asked about the majority of House Republicans who backed Trump ’ s frivolous lawsuit to block election results being certified , Richmond implied their resistance was more theatrical than real .
“ They recognize Joe Biden ’ s victory .
This is just a small proportion of the Republican conference that is appeasing the president on his way out because they are scared of his Twitter ” feed .
The outlier nature of Trump ’ s stubborn refusal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gore in an interview with CNN ’ s State of the Union .
Exactly 20 years ago to the day , he conceded the bitterly-fought 2000 presidential race to George W Bush , saying : “ This is America , we put country before party – we will stand together behind our new president.
” Gore told CNN that he hoped Monday ’ s electoral college vote would be the beginning of healing .
He called the lawsuit dismissed by the supreme court “ ridiculous and unintelligible ” , and castigated those Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his “ lost cause ” .
“ With the electoral college votes tomorrow in all 50 states , I hope that will be the point at which some of those who have hung on will give up the ghost , ” Gore said .
“ There are things more important than bowing to the fear of a demagogue .
”