shareblue--2020-02-17--More than 1,100 former DOJ officials call Barr a 'grave threat' to justice

More than 1,100 former Justice Department employees have signed an online petition calling on Attorney General William Barr to resign , saying his interference in criminal matters for Donald Trump 's friends and allies poses a `` grave threat '' to the country .
`` In this nation , we are all equal before the law .
A person should not be given special treatment in a criminal prosecution because they are a close political ally of the President , '' the petition reads .
It continues , `` Governments that use the enormous power of law enforcement to punish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not constitutional republics ; they are autocracies . ''
The petition comes after Barr apparently intervened in the sentencing of longtime Trump ally Roger Stone , overruling the career prosecutors on the case to recommend the judge give him a lighter sentence .
Stone was convicted in November on seven counts of obstruction of justice , witness tampering , and lying to Congress , actions discovered during the course of former special counsel Robert Mueller 's nearly two-year-long Russia probe .
The announcement that Stone 's recommended prison time had been changed took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought the proposed nine-year sentence was `` unfair , '' even though that sentence followed federal guidelines .
Barr 's apparent interference in the case led the four top prosecutors who secured his conviction to resign in protest .
The signatories of the petition applaud those resignations .
`` We support and commend the four career prosecutors who upheld their oaths and stood up for the Department ’ s independence by withdrawing from the Stone case and/or resigning from the Department , '' the petition reads .
`` Our simple message to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Americans — stand with them . ''
Trump , for his part , has claimed the `` legal right '' to intervene in criminal matters relating to his friends — despite the fact that this goes against the precedence of an independent DOJ .
Federal judge Reggie Walton — who was appointed by former President George W. Bush — said last week that Trump 's targeting of perceived political enemies such as former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe , whom Trump has claimed was part of a broader attempt to undermine his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is something that happens in a `` banana republic . ''
The DOJ on Friday closed its investigation into McCabe and announced it would not pursue criminal charges over claims he leaked information about a confidential case to media outlets .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

More than 1,100 former Justice Department employees have signed an online petition calling on Attorney General William Barr to resign, saying his interference in criminal matters for Donald Trump’s friends and allies poses a “grave threat” to the country.
“In this nation, we are all equal before the law. A person should not be given special treatment in a criminal prosecution because they are a close political ally of the President,” the petition reads.
It continues, “Governments that use the enormous power of law enforcement to punish their enemies and reward their allies are not constitutional republics; they are autocracies.”
The petition comes after Barr apparently intervened in the sentencing of longtime Trump ally Roger Stone, overruling the career prosecutors on the case to recommend the judge give him a lighter sentence. Stone was convicted in November on seven counts of obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress, actions discovered during the course of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s nearly two-year-long Russia probe.
The announcement that Stone’s recommended prison time had been changed took place hours after Trump tweeted that he thought the proposed nine-year sentence was “unfair,” even though that sentence followed federal guidelines.
Barr’s apparent interference in the case led the four top prosecutors who secured his conviction to resign in protest.
The signatories of the petition applaud those resignations.
“We support and commend the four career prosecutors who upheld their oaths and stood up for the Department’s independence by withdrawing from the Stone case and/or resigning from the Department,” the petition reads. “Our simple message to them is that we — and millions of other Americans — stand with them.”
Trump, for his part, has claimed the “legal right” to intervene in criminal matters relating to his friends — despite the fact that this goes against the precedence of an independent DOJ.
Federal judge Reggie Walton — who was appointed by former President George W. Bush — said last week that Trump’s targeting of perceived political enemies such as former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, whom Trump has claimed was part of a broader attempt to undermine his presidency from within the Justice Department, is something that happens in a “banana republic.”
The DOJ on Friday closed its investigation into McCabe and announced it would not pursue criminal charges over claims he leaked information about a confidential case to media outlets.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--Trump claims he knows who the 'Anonymous' White House writer is

Donald Trump said Tuesday he knows the identity of the author known as `` Anonymous , '' the senior administration official who wrote an inside-the-White House account that painted the president as inept and dangerous .
Trump 's claim comes as speculation has grown inside Washington about the identity of the official who penned the book `` A Warning '' as well as an eviscerating 2018 essay in The New York Times about the president 's `` misguided impulses '' '' I know who it is , '' Trump told reporters .
`` I ca n't tell you that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In the book , published by the Hachette Book Group in November , the writer claims senior administration officials considered resigning as a group in 2018 in a `` midnight self-massacre , '' but ultimately decided such an act would do more harm than good .
Ahead of the book 's publication , the Justice Department sent a letter to Hachette and the writer 's literary agency , raising questions over whether any confidentiality agreement had been violated and asking for information that could help reveal the author 's identity .
Hachette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional information beyond calling the author a `` current or former senior official . ''
Trump has pointed to the book to make the case that some in his administration , including Obama holdovers , are working to undermine his agenda .
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham has dismissed the author as a `` coward '' and the content of the person 's writings as `` nothing but lies . ''
Trump did not say what if any steps he plans to take against the writer .

Donald Trump said Tuesday he knows the identity of the author known as “Anonymous,” the senior administration official who wrote an inside-the-White House account that painted the president as inept and dangerous.
Trump’s claim comes as speculation has grown inside Washington about the identity of the official who penned the book “A Warning” as well as an eviscerating 2018 essay in The New York Times about the president’s “misguided impulses”
“I know who it is,” Trump told reporters. “I can’t tell you that. ..We won’t get into it.”
In the book, published by the Hachette Book Group in November, the writer claims senior administration officials considered resigning as a group in 2018 in a “midnight self-massacre,” but ultimately decided such an act would do more harm than good.
Ahead of the book’s publication, the Justice Department sent a letter to Hachette and the writer’s literary agency, raising questions over whether any confidentiality agreement had been violated and asking for information that could help reveal the author’s identity.
Hachette responded by saying it would provide no additional information beyond calling the author a “current or former senior official.”
Trump has pointed to the book to make the case that some in his administration, including Obama holdovers, are working to undermine his agenda.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham has dismissed the author as a “coward” and the content of the person’s writings as “nothing but lies.”
Trump did not say what if any steps he plans to take against the writer.
“People know it’s a fraud,” Trump added.


shareblue--2020-02-18--Trump goes on massive pardoning spree

Trump goes on massive pardoning spree

Donald Trump issued a spate of pardons and commutations for 11 individuals on Tuesday , including a pardon for former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik , who pleaded guilty in 2009 to tax fraud and lying to the Department of Homeland Security .
Kerik was NYPD Commissioner at the time of the Sept. 11 , 2001 , attacks on the World Trade Center .
Rudy Giuliani was mayor of New York City at that time .
Trump also pardoned Michael Milken , the man credited with creating `` junk bonds , '' who went to prison in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani has been pushing for a presidential pardon for Milken for 20 years .
• Edward DeBartolo Jr. , former owner of the San Francisco 49ers .
DeBartolo was convicted of `` failing to report a felony '' in relation to his attempt to bribe former Louisiana Gov .
Edwin Edwards for a riverboat casino license .
• Ariel Friedler , who pleaded guilty to accessing a protected computer without authorization .
• Paul Pogue , the owner of a construction company who previously pleaded guilty to underpaying his taxes for three years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• David Safavian , who was convicted of making false statements and obstructing an investigation into a trip he took as a government official .
• Angela Stanton , who was part of a stolen vehicle ring , but has since become a proponent of criminal justice reform .
In addition to those pardons , Trump commuted the sentences of four individuals .
The most high-profile commutation was for former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich .
Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 of trying to sell former the Senate seat vacated by President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2010 , Blagojevich was a contestant on Trump 's reality television show , `` The Apprentice . ''
Trump also commuted the sentences of : • Tynice Nichole Hall , who served 14 years of an 18 year sentence for allowing her apartment to be used to sell drugs .
• Crystal Munoz , who spent 12 years in prison for her role in a marijuana smuggling ring .
• Judith Negron , who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for her role as part of a health care company that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of clemency grants come just two days before Roger Stone , a longtime Trump confidant and campaign aide , is set to be sentenced .
Stone was convicted for witness tampering and obstruction of justice .
The Justice Department originally recommended a prison sentence of up to nine years for Stone , but announced that it had changed its recommendation following a tweet from Trump lamenting the sentence as overly stringent .
All four DOJ attorneys on Stone 's case withdrew from their roles in protest after the sentencing recommendation change , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since then , more than 1,000 former DOJ employees have signed on to a letter calling Attorney General William Barr 's interference in criminal matters related to Trump 's friends and allies a `` grave threat '' to the country .
Trump has publicly attacked the federal judge in the Stone case and demanded a new trial for his friend .
On Feb. 12 , Trump refused to rule out pardoning Stone after he is sentenced .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump issued a spate of pardons and commutations for 11 individuals on Tuesday, including a pardon for former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik, who pleaded guilty in 2009 to tax fraud and lying to the Department of Homeland Security.
Kerik was NYPD Commissioner at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. Rudy Giuliani was mayor of New York City at that time.
Trump also pardoned Michael Milken, the man credited with creating “junk bonds,” who went to prison in the late 1980s for securities trading violations. Giuliani has been pushing for a presidential pardon for Milken for 20 years.
Trump also pardoned:
Edward DeBartolo Jr., former owner of the San Francisco 49ers. DeBartolo was convicted of “failing to report a felony” in relation to his attempt to bribe former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards for a riverboat casino license.
Ariel Friedler, who pleaded guilty to accessing a protected computer without authorization.
Paul Pogue, the owner of a construction company who previously pleaded guilty to underpaying his taxes for three years and was sentenced to three years probation.
David Safavian, who was convicted of making false statements and obstructing an investigation into a trip he took as a government official.
Angela Stanton, who was part of a stolen vehicle ring, but has since become a proponent of criminal justice reform.
In addition to those pardons, Trump commuted the sentences of four individuals.
The most high-profile commutation was for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 of trying to sell former the Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama, among other charges. In 2010, Blagojevich was a contestant on Trump’s reality television show, “The Apprentice.”
Trump also commuted the sentences of:
Tynice Nichole Hall, who served 14 years of an 18 year sentence for allowing her apartment to be used to sell drugs.
Crystal Munoz, who spent 12 years in prison for her role in a marijuana smuggling ring.
Judith Negron, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for her role as part of a health care company that defrauded the federal government.
The string of clemency grants come just two days before Roger Stone, a longtime Trump confidant and campaign aide, is set to be sentenced. Stone was convicted for witness tampering and obstruction of justice.
The Justice Department originally recommended a prison sentence of up to nine years for Stone, but announced that it had changed its recommendation following a tweet from Trump lamenting the sentence as overly stringent. All four DOJ attorneys on Stone’s case withdrew from their roles in protest after the sentencing recommendation change, with one attorney resigning from the DOJ altogether.
Since then, more than 1,000 former DOJ employees have signed on to a letter calling Attorney General William Barr’s interference in criminal matters related to Trump’s friends and allies a “grave threat” to the country.
Trump has publicly attacked the federal judge in the Stone case and demanded a new trial for his friend. On Feb. 12, Trump refused to rule out pardoning Stone after he is sentenced.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--GOP leaders circle the wagons around Barr as he faces criticism for helping Trump

Three top Republicans in Congress issued a joint statement on Tuesday supporting Attorney General William Barr — whose interference in criminal matters involving Donald Trump 's friends and allies has become so concerning that federal judges called an emergency meeting to discuss it .
`` Attorney General William Barr is a man of the highest character and unquestionable integrity , '' Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham , and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wrote .
`` Suggestions from outside groups that the Attorney General has fallen short of the responsibilities of his office are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr , for his part , admitted in an interview with ABC last Thursday that he personally intervened in the criminal proceedings against longtime Trump ally Roger Stone .
The attorney general overruled four federal prosecutors to recommend a lighter sentence for Stone , who was convicted on seven counts of obstruction of justice , witness tampering , and lying to Congress as part of the Russia investigation .
Barr claimed that his interference had nothing to do with Trump and simply had to do with wanting fairness for Stone .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials signed a petition saying Barr 's conduct is a `` grave threat '' to fair and impartial justice .
The signatories also voiced support for the four top prosecutors on the case , who resigned in protest after Barr intervened .
Even more , the Federal Judges Association — which counts more than 1,000 federal judges among its ranks — called an emergency meeting to discuss Barr 's behavior .
Trump so far seems to be sticking by Barr .
Not to mention , Trump himself is on a pardon spree , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his friends and allies .
Trump is reportedly mulling commuting Stone 's sentence even before it 's been handed down .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Three top Republicans in Congress issued a joint statement on Tuesday supporting Attorney General William Barr — whose interference in criminal matters involving Donald Trump’s friends and allies has become so concerning that federal judges called an emergency meeting to discuss it.
“Attorney General William Barr is a man of the highest character and unquestionable integrity,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wrote.
“Suggestions from outside groups that the Attorney General has fallen short of the responsibilities of his office are unfounded,” the men added.
Barr, for his part, admitted in an interview with ABC last Thursday that he personally intervened in the criminal proceedings against longtime Trump ally Roger Stone.
The attorney general overruled four federal prosecutors to recommend a lighter sentence for Stone, who was convicted on seven counts of obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress as part of the Russia investigation.
Barr claimed that his interference had nothing to do with Trump and simply had to do with wanting fairness for Stone. However, more than 2,000 former Department of Justice officials signed a petition saying Barr’s conduct is a “grave threat” to fair and impartial justice.
The signatories also voiced support for the four top prosecutors on the case, who resigned in protest after Barr intervened.
Even more, the Federal Judges Association — which counts more than 1,000 federal judges among its ranks — called an emergency meeting to discuss Barr’s behavior.
Trump so far seems to be sticking by Barr. Not to mention, Trump himself is on a pardon spree, erasing convictions of people who are close with his friends and allies.
Trump is reportedly mulling commuting Stone’s sentence even before it’s been handed down.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--Limbaugh: Trump said to 'never apologize' for my homophobic attacks

Rush Limbaugh said on his radio show on Monday that he received a call from Donald Trump urging him not to apologize for the homophobic attack Limbaugh made against former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg last week .
Limbaugh had mocked the openly gay Democratic presidential hopeful for kissing his husband in public .
`` Hell , the president even called me about this ! ''
Limbaugh said .
`` He said , 'Rush , I just got ta tell you something .
Never apologize .
Don ’ t ever apologize . '
'' Limbaugh attempted to minimize the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't lecture Mayor Pete on anything .
I did n't say anything anti-gay .
I did n't even offer an opinion of my own , '' he argued .
Limbaugh even claimed Buttigieg was only a contender in the 2020 race because of his own praise .
`` I ’ m the reason Mayor Pete ’ s on the map !
I ’ m the guy , after a CNN town hall at South by Southwest in 2019 , '' he bragged .
`` I ’ m the guy that came in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the lookout for Mayor Pete . '
'' The Trump administration did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the veracity of Limbaugh 's claim .
Trump gave Limbaugh the Medal of Freedom during his State of the Union address earlier this month .
Days later , Limbaugh attacked one of Trump 's possible 2020 reelection opponents .
`` So [ Buttigieg ] says Trump causes problems for parents , what about that ?
If you 're not watching on the DittoCam , what it is , a picture of Mayor Pete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequently , '' Limbaugh complained .
`` A gay guy , 37 years old , loves kissing his husband on debate stages .
Can you see Trump have fun with that ? ''
Several of Trump 's allies have attacked Buttigieg in recent days for his sexual orientation .
Trump said in a radio interview last week that he would not have a problem voting for a gay presidential candidate , but he has thus far not denounced the anti-LGBTQ attacks on Buttigieg .
`` I 'm proud of my marriage .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Buttigieg responded on Sunday .
`` And I am saddened for what the Republican Party has become if they embrace that kind of homophobic rhetoric . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rush Limbaugh said on his radio show on Monday that he received a call from Donald Trump urging him not to apologize for the homophobic attack Limbaugh made against former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg last week. Limbaugh had mocked the openly gay Democratic presidential hopeful for kissing his husband in public.
“Hell, the president even called me about this!” Limbaugh said. “He said, ‘Rush, I just gotta tell you something. Never apologize. Don’t ever apologize.'”
Limbaugh attempted to minimize the media firestorm over his comments. “I didn’t lecture Mayor Pete on anything. I didn’t say anything anti-gay. I didn’t even offer an opinion of my own,” he argued.
Limbaugh even claimed Buttigieg was only a contender in the 2020 race because of his own praise.
“I’m the reason Mayor Pete’s on the map! I’m the guy, after a CNN town hall at South by Southwest in 2019,” he bragged. “I’m the guy that came in here and told you all, ‘Be on the lookout for Mayor Pete.'”
The Trump administration did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the veracity of Limbaugh’s claim.
Trump gave Limbaugh the Medal of Freedom during his State of the Union address earlier this month. Days later, Limbaugh attacked one of Trump’s possible 2020 reelection opponents.
“So [Buttigieg] says Trump causes problems for parents, what about that? If you’re not watching on the DittoCam, what it is, a picture of Mayor Pete kissing his husband — which he does frequently,” Limbaugh complained. “A gay guy, 37 years old, loves kissing his husband on debate stages. Can you see Trump have fun with that?”
Several of Trump’s allies have attacked Buttigieg in recent days for his sexual orientation. Trump said in a radio interview last week that he would not have a problem voting for a gay presidential candidate, but he has thus far not denounced the anti-LGBTQ attacks on Buttigieg.
“I’m proud of my marriage. And I’m proud of my husband,” Buttigieg responded on Sunday. “And I am saddened for what the Republican Party has become if they embrace that kind of homophobic rhetoric.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--Trump commutes sentence of former governor who tried to sell Senate seat

Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had commuted the sentence of Rod Blagojevich , the former Illinois governor and `` Apprentice '' contestant who is serving a 14-year sentence for corruption .
`` He served eight years in jail , '' Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One .
`` A long time . ''
He added that he did not `` know [ Blagojevich ] very well '' but had met him on `` The Apprentice '' years ago .
He said Blagojevich `` seemed like a very nice person . ''
`` He served eight years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to go , '' Trump reiterated .
`` Many people disagree with the sentence .
He 's a Democrat , he 's not a Republican . ''
He then noted that Blagojevich was prosecuted by former FBI Director James Comey , whom Trump fired in 2017 , triggering the nearly two-year-long Russia probe , as well as others .
Blagojevich , Trump added , `` has been very far from his children . ''
`` They 're growing older , they 're going to high school now , they rarely get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uniform , '' he said .
`` I saw that , and I did commute his sentence .
So he 'll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail .
That was a tremendously powerful , ridiculous sentence in my opinion . ''
ABC News first reported Trump 's decision earlier on Tuesday .
The New York Times reported a short while later that he had already signed the necessary paperwork but had not yet made the decision public .
Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama vacated when he became president .
According to the criminal complaint filed against him by federal prosecutors , Blagojevich told an associate in November 2008 , `` ...
If I do n't get what I want and I 'm not satisfied with it , then I 'll just take the Senate seat myself . ''
He later added that the Senate seat `` is a [ expletive ] valuable thing , you just do n't give it away for nothing . ''
Blagojevich is currently set for release in 2024 , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good behavior , '' according to ABC News .
Trump has reportedly been mulling for some time whether to pardon Blagojevich outright or commute his sentence .
`` Rod Blagojevich , the former Governor of Illinois , was sentenced to 14 years in prison , '' Trump tweeted in August of 2019 .
`` He has served 7 years .
Many people have asked that I study the possibility of commuting his sentence in that it was a very severe one .
White House staff is continuing the review of this matter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to help his legal predicament .
In January , Blagojevich wrote an op-ed in Newsmax — a right-wing , Trump friendly publication — in which he defended Trump against impeachment .
Blagojevich himself was impeached and removed from his position as governor of Illinois thanks to his scheme to sell Obama 's Senate seat .
His op-ed — which argued that today 's Democrats would have impeached President Abraham Lincoln — was filled with historic inaccuracies .
`` Today 's Democrats would have impeached Lincoln for obstruction of Congress and abuse of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Proclamation , '' Blagojevich claimed , among other things .
Trump 's decision to commute Blagojevich 's sentence is his latest move to help a friend or ally convicted of federal crimes .
Blagojevich was a contestant on Trump 's show `` The Apprentice '' back in 2010 , a year before being convicted of 17 federal charges including attempted extortion , accepting bribes , and wire fraud .
Blagojevich 's crimes stemmed from his attempt to fill Obama 's Senate seat back in 2009 , after Obama was sworn in as president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervene in the criminal proceedings against longtime ally Roger Stone , who was convicted of seven counts of witness tampering , obstruction of justice , and lying to Congress in the Russia investigation back in November .
Trump has pushed for Stone to receive a lighter sentence for his crimes , with speculation that Trump may ultimately pardon Stone .
The Times also reported Tuesday that Trump was considering whether to commute Stone 's still undetermined sentence .
Earlier on Tuesday , Trump pardoned Edward DeBartolo Jr. , the former owner of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1998 for bribing former Louisiana Gov .
Edwin Edwards with $ 400,000 to obtain a riverboat gambling license .
It 's unclear what sparked Trump to pardon the more than two-decade-old crime , for which DeBartolo was only sentenced to probation .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had commuted the sentence of Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor and “Apprentice” contestant who is serving a 14-year sentence for corruption.
“He served eight years in jail,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One. “A long time.”
He added that he did not “know [Blagojevich] very well” but had met him on “The Apprentice” years ago. He said Blagojevich “seemed like a very nice person.”
“He served eight years in jail, that’s a long time to go,” Trump reiterated. “Many people disagree with the sentence. He’s a Democrat, he’s not a Republican.”
He then noted that Blagojevich was prosecuted by former FBI Director James Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017, triggering the nearly two-year-long Russia probe, as well as others.
Blagojevich, Trump added, “has been very far from his children.”
“They’re growing older, they’re going to high school now, they rarely get to see their father outside of an orange uniform,” he said. “I saw that, and I did commute his sentence. So he’ll be able to go back home with his family after serving eight years in jail. That was a tremendously powerful, ridiculous sentence in my opinion.”
ABC News first reported Trump’s decision earlier on Tuesday. The New York Times reported a short while later that he had already signed the necessary paperwork but had not yet made the decision public.
Blagojevich was convicted in 2011 of trying to sell the Senate seat Barack Obama vacated when he became president. According to the criminal complaint filed against him by federal prosecutors, Blagojevich told an associate in November 2008, “… If I don’t get what I want and I’m not satisfied with it, then I’ll just take the Senate seat myself.” He later added that the Senate seat “is a [expletive] valuable thing, you just don’t give it away for nothing.”
Blagojevich is currently set for release in 2024, “factoring in two years of credit for good behavior,” according to ABC News.
Trump has reportedly been mulling for some time whether to pardon Blagojevich outright or commute his sentence.
“Rod Blagojevich, the former Governor of Illinois, was sentenced to 14 years in prison,” Trump tweeted in August of 2019. “He has served 7 years. Many people have asked that I study the possibility of commuting his sentence in that it was a very severe one. White House staff is continuing the review of this matter.”
Blagojevich had also been lobbying Trump hard to help his legal predicament. In January, Blagojevich wrote an op-ed in Newsmax — a right-wing, Trump friendly publication — in which he defended Trump against impeachment. Blagojevich himself was impeached and removed from his position as governor of Illinois thanks to his scheme to sell Obama’s Senate seat.
His op-ed — which argued that today’s Democrats would have impeached President Abraham Lincoln — was filled with historic inaccuracies.
“Today’s Democrats would have impeached Lincoln for obstruction of Congress and abuse of power when he unilaterally issued his Emancipation Proclamation,” Blagojevich claimed, among other things.
Trump’s decision to commute Blagojevich’s sentence is his latest move to help a friend or ally convicted of federal crimes.
Blagojevich was a contestant on Trump’s show “The Apprentice” back in 2010, a year before being convicted of 17 federal charges including attempted extortion, accepting bribes, and wire fraud. Blagojevich’s crimes stemmed from his attempt to fill Obama’s Senate seat back in 2009, after Obama was sworn in as president.
Trump has also been trying to intervene in the criminal proceedings against longtime ally Roger Stone, who was convicted of seven counts of witness tampering, obstruction of justice, and lying to Congress in the Russia investigation back in November. Trump has pushed for Stone to receive a lighter sentence for his crimes, with speculation that Trump may ultimately pardon Stone.
The Times also reported Tuesday that Trump was considering whether to commute Stone’s still undetermined sentence.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump pardoned Edward DeBartolo Jr., the former owner of the San Francisco 49ers. DeBartolo pleaded guilty in 1998 for bribing former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards with $400,000 to obtain a riverboat gambling license. It’s unclear what sparked Trump to pardon the more than two-decade-old crime, for which DeBartolo was only sentenced to probation.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--California to apologize for imprisoning Japanese Americans 78 years later

Les Ouchida was born an American just outside California 's capital city , but his citizenship mattered little after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States declared war .
Based solely on their Japanese ancestry , the 5-year-old and his family were taken from their home in 1942 and imprisoned far away in Arkansas .
They were among 120,000 Japanese Americans held at 10 internment camps during World War II , their only fault being `` we had the wrong last names and wrong faces , '' said Ouchida , now 82 and living a short drive from where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boy due to fear that Japanese Americans would side with Japan in the war .
On Thursday , California 's Legislature is expected to approve a resolution offering an apology to Ouchida and other internment victims for the state 's role in aiding the U.S. government 's policy and condemning actions that helped fan anti-Japanese discrimination .
President Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ s executive order No .
9066 establishing the camps was signed on Feb. 19 , 1942 , and 2/19 now is marked by Japanese Americans as a Day of Remembrance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan and is one the roughly 430,000 people of Japanese descent living in California , the largest population of any state .
The Democrat who represents Manhattan Beach and other beach communities near Los Angeles introduced the resolution .
`` We like to talk a lot about how we lead the nation by example , '' he said .
`` Unfortunately , in this case , California led the racist anti-Japanese American movement . ''
A congressional commission in 1983 concluded that the detentions were a result of `` racial prejudice , war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Five years later , the U.S. government formally apologized and paid $ 20,000 in reparations to each victim .
The money did n't come close to replacing what was lost .
Ouchida says his father owned a profitable delivery business with 20 trucks .
He never fully recovered from losing his business and died early .
The California resolution does n't come with any compensation .
It targets the actions of the California Legislature at the time for supporting the internments .
Two camps were located in the state — Manzanar on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in central California and Tule Lake near the Oregon state line , the largest of all the camps .
`` I want the California Legislature to officially acknowledge and apologize while these camp survivors are still alive , '' Muratsuchi said .
He said anti-Japanese sentiment began in California as early as 1913 , when the state passed the California Alien Land Law , targeting Japanese farmers who some in California 's massive agricultural industry perceived as a threat .
Seven years later the state barred anyone with Japanese ancestry from buying farmland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older brother , and parents began in Fresno , California .
Three months later they were sent to Jerome , Arkansas , where they stayed for most of the war .
Given their young ages at the time , many living victims such as Ouchida do n't remember much of life in the camps .
But he does recall straw-filled mattresses and little privacy .
Communal bathrooms had rows of toilets with no barriers between users .
`` They put a bag over their heads when they went to the bathroom ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the internments at the California Museum in Sacramento .
Before the last camp was closed in 1946 , Ouchida 's family was shipped to a facility in Arizona .
When the family was freed , they took a Greyhound bus back to California .
When it reached a stop sign near their community outside Sacramento , `` I still remember the ladies on the bus started crying , '' Ouchida said .
`` Because they were home . ''
The resolution , co-introduced by California Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent national events '' and says they serve as a reminder `` to learn from the mistakes of the past . ''
Muratsuchi said the inspiration for that passage were migrant children held in U.S. government custody over the past year .
Ouchida said Japanese families like his always considered themselves loyal citizens before and after the internments .
He holds no animosity toward the United States or California governments , choosing to focus on positives outgrowths like the permanent exhibit at the California Museum that provides an unvarnished view of the internments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we have the goodness to still apologize , '' he said .

Les Ouchida was born an American just outside California’s capital city, but his citizenship mattered little after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the United States declared war. Based solely on their Japanese ancestry, the 5-year-old and his family were taken from their home in 1942 and imprisoned far away in Arkansas.
They were among 120,000 Japanese Americans held at 10 internment camps during World War II, their only fault being “we had the wrong last names and wrong faces,” said Ouchida, now 82 and living a short drive from where he grew up and was taken as a boy due to fear that Japanese Americans would side with Japan in the war.
On Thursday, California’s Legislature is expected to approve a resolution offering an apology to Ouchida and other internment victims for the state’s role in aiding the U.S. government’s policy and condemning actions that helped fan anti-Japanese discrimination.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s executive order No. 9066 establishing the camps was signed on Feb. 19, 1942, and 2/19 now is marked by Japanese Americans as a Day of Remembrance.
Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi was born in Japan and is one the roughly 430,000 people of Japanese descent living in California, the largest population of any state. The Democrat who represents Manhattan Beach and other beach communities near Los Angeles introduced the resolution.
“We like to talk a lot about how we lead the nation by example,” he said. “Unfortunately, in this case, California led the racist anti-Japanese American movement.”
A congressional commission in 1983 concluded that the detentions were a result of “racial prejudice, war hysteria and failure of political leadership.” Five years later, the U.S. government formally apologized and paid $20,000 in reparations to each victim.
The money didn’t come close to replacing what was lost. Ouchida says his father owned a profitable delivery business with 20 trucks. He never fully recovered from losing his business and died early.
The California resolution doesn’t come with any compensation. It targets the actions of the California Legislature at the time for supporting the internments. Two camps were located in the state — Manzanar on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in central California and Tule Lake near the Oregon state line, the largest of all the camps.
“I want the California Legislature to officially acknowledge and apologize while these camp survivors are still alive,” Muratsuchi said.
He said anti-Japanese sentiment began in California as early as 1913, when the state passed the California Alien Land Law, targeting Japanese farmers who some in California’s massive agricultural industry perceived as a threat. Seven years later the state barred anyone with Japanese ancestry from buying farmland.
The internment of Ouchida, his older brother, and parents began in Fresno, California. Three months later they were sent to Jerome, Arkansas, where they stayed for most of the war.
Given their young ages at the time, many living victims such as Ouchida don’t remember much of life in the camps. But he does recall straw-filled mattresses and little privacy.
Communal bathrooms had rows of toilets with no barriers between users. “They put a bag over their heads when they went to the bathroom” for privacy, said Ouchida, who teaches about the internments at the California Museum in Sacramento.
Before the last camp was closed in 1946, Ouchida’s family was shipped to a facility in Arizona. When the family was freed, they took a Greyhound bus back to California. When it reached a stop sign near their community outside Sacramento, “I still remember the ladies on the bus started crying,” Ouchida said. “Because they were home.”
The resolution, co-introduced by California Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido, makes a passing reference to “recent national events” and says they serve as a reminder “to learn from the mistakes of the past.”
Muratsuchi said the inspiration for that passage were migrant children held in U.S. government custody over the past year.
Ouchida said Japanese families like his always considered themselves loyal citizens before and after the internments. He holds no animosity toward the United States or California governments, choosing to focus on positives outgrowths like the permanent exhibit at the California Museum that provides an unvarnished view of the internments.
“Even if it took time, we have the goodness to still apologize,” he said.


shareblue--2020-02-18--GOP leader claims Trump prefers hanging out with workers over the wealthy

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy claimed on Monday that Donald Trump much prefers to hang out with blue-collar workers over wealthy people .
In a Fox News segment on the `` elitist left , '' McCarthy ( R-CA ) attempted to present Trump as someone who would rather interact with ordinary people than rich elites .
`` If you ever go on a project with him , where he 's building a building , he is more in contact with those who are building it than who 's buying it .
That 's the uniqueness about him , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out with everyone who builds the building than whoever buys the room from him . ''
Just days before , Trump had held a $ 580,600-per-couple campaign fundraising event with some of his richest friends .
On Saturday , Trump was the `` guest of honor '' at the home of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz for a reelection fundraiser .
The other attendees contributed more than $ 580,000 per couple to attend the Palm Beach , Florida , dinner .
The Washington Post described it as `` the most expensive such fundraising event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that its guest list included several wealthy Trump friends .
But this was nothing unusual for Trump , who has spent much of his three years in office avoiding the White House and hanging out at his own resorts .
More than 100 days have been spent at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago property , which costs $ 200,000 just to join and $ 14,000 in annual dues .
According to a 2018 ProPublica report , a group of rich members of Trump 's club has served as `` shadow rulers of the VA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of veterans affairs issues .
He frequently cites his `` rich friends '' in his anecdotes and came under fire last year after it was revealed that a Florida massage parlor owner had been selling Chinese executives access to Trump at his resort .
In all , he has spent more than half of his days in office at a Trump property or Trump golf course .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy claimed on Monday that Donald Trump much prefers to hang out with blue-collar workers over wealthy people.
In a Fox News segment on the “elitist left,” McCarthy (R-CA) attempted to present Trump as someone who would rather interact with ordinary people than rich elites.
“If you ever go on a project with him, where he’s building a building, he is more in contact with those who are building it than who’s buying it. That’s the uniqueness about him,” he said. “He’d rather hang out with everyone who builds the building than whoever buys the room from him.”
Just days before, Trump had held a $580,600-per-couple campaign fundraising event with some of his richest friends.
On Saturday, Trump was the “guest of honor” at the home of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz for a reelection fundraiser. The other attendees contributed more than $580,000 per couple to attend the Palm Beach, Florida, dinner. The Washington Post described it as “the most expensive such fundraising event since Trump took office,” and noted that its guest list included several wealthy Trump friends.
But this was nothing unusual for Trump, who has spent much of his three years in office avoiding the White House and hanging out at his own resorts.
More than 100 days have been spent at his exclusive Mar-a-Lago property, which costs $200,000 just to join and $14,000 in annual dues.
According to a 2018 ProPublica report, a group of rich members of Trump’s club has served as “shadow rulers of the VA,” secretly advising Trump’s administration of veterans affairs issues.
He frequently cites his “rich friends” in his anecdotes and came under fire last year after it was revealed that a Florida massage parlor owner had been selling Chinese executives access to Trump at his resort.
In all, he has spent more than half of his days in office at a Trump property or Trump golf course.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--Federal judges call emergency meeting to discuss crisis at the Justice Department

The Federal Judges Association , an independent group of federal judges , called an emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss growing interference by Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr 's Department of Justice in political cases .
The meeting comes after career prosecutors in the Roger Stone case were overruled on sentencing recommendations , prompting all four of them to resign in protest .
U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe , a George W. Bush appointee and the head of the group , told USA Today that her organization `` could not wait '' until its spring gathering to `` talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,000 federal judges are part of the association .
Stone , Trump 's former lobbyist and 2016 campaign adviser , was convicted in November of federal witness tampering and obstruction charges .
Prosecutors last week urged a prison sentence of between seven and nine years .
Trump publicly attacked the recommendation as a `` horrible and very unfair situation , '' saying he could not `` allow this miscarriage of justice ! ''
Barr then apparently intervened and his Justice Department announced it would instead recommend a lighter sentence .
The Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to lower Stone 's sentencing recommendation before Trump aired his grievances on Twitter .
Trump praised the about-face in a tweet last Wednesday , congratulating Barr `` for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not even have been brought . ''
On Tuesday , Trump tweeted an attack on the judge overseeing the Stone case , quoting a Fox News commentator who questioned her impartiality and urging the initial verdict be set aside .
Barr also came under fire last week after it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutor to review the case of Michael Flynn , Trump 's former national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding his communications with Russian officials in 2017 .
The move was widely viewed as an attempt to undermine Barr 's own Justice Department in yet another favor to the president .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The Federal Judges Association, an independent group of federal judges, called an emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss growing interference by Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr’s Department of Justice in political cases.
The meeting comes after career prosecutors in the Roger Stone case were overruled on sentencing recommendations, prompting all four of them to resign in protest.
U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe, a George W. Bush appointee and the head of the group, told USA Today that her organization “could not wait” until its spring gathering to “talk all of this through.”
More than 1,000 federal judges are part of the association.
Stone, Trump’s former lobbyist and 2016 campaign adviser, was convicted in November of federal witness tampering and obstruction charges. Prosecutors last week urged a prison sentence of between seven and nine years.
Trump publicly attacked the recommendation as a “horrible and very unfair situation,” saying he could not “allow this miscarriage of justice!”
Barr then apparently intervened and his Justice Department announced it would instead recommend a lighter sentence.
The Justice Department later claimed it had made the decision to lower Stone’s sentencing recommendation before Trump aired his grievances on Twitter.
Trump praised the about-face in a tweet last Wednesday, congratulating Barr “for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not even have been brought.”
Claiming juror bias, Stone asked recently for a new trial.
On Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on the judge overseeing the Stone case, quoting a Fox News commentator who questioned her impartiality and urging the initial verdict be set aside.
Barr also came under fire last week after it was reported he had brought in an outside prosecutor to review the case of Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI regarding his communications with Russian officials in 2017. The move was widely viewed as an attempt to undermine Barr’s own Justice Department in yet another favor to the president.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--GOP senators hold hearing on abortion to attack doctors and peddle lies

Last week , the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the latest bill designed to spread lies about later abortions .
Sponsored by Sen. Ben Sasse ( R-NE ) , the `` Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act '' is a solution in search of a problem .
The hearing itself was a tangle of lies directed at people who find themselves in incredibly vulnerable situations when abortion becomes necessary late in pregnancy .
Sasse 's bill would `` prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If practitioners fail to exercise the `` proper degree of care '' — something the bill does not define at all — they could face a fine and up to five years of prison time .
From the very start of the hearing , Sasse approached the matter in a disingenuous way .
He said that the hearing `` is not actually about limiting access to abortion at all '' and was merely about making sure an infant `` born alive '' during a `` botched abortion '' is given the same care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other baby at the same gestational stage . ''
However , the witnesses called by Sasse and his fellow Republicans nearly exclusively focused on lies and fearmongering about `` infanticide '' and implied that later abortions are murder .
One witness , Patrina Mosley of the Family Research Council , went so far as to say that later abortions are done because there is `` something to be gained '' financially .
Jill Stanek , of the dark money-funded Susan B. Anthony List , went even further , saying that an abortion provider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the baby '' and is `` invested financially . ''
Of course , none of these things are true , and claims about financial incentives were debunked via a comprehensive investigation years ago .
But anti-choice activists still routinely insist later abortions are motivated by malice and profit .
Nothing could be further from the truth .
Instead , people seek later abortions out of need .
Erika Christensen , a patient advocate , testified at the hearing about her choice to have a later abortion .
At 30 weeks , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not able to swallow and that fetal growth had stopped .
Had she carried the fetus to term , she would have delivered a baby who couldn ’ t breathe and `` there was no care or treatment available that would change that . ''
As a resident of New York , Christensen was past the gestational limit to have an abortion .
She was forced to borrow thousands of dollars to fly to Colorado to see a specialist who could perform the later abortion .
Christensen was , in her words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to do that , but not all women are : `` Terrible things can and do happen .
We will never be able to regulate or legislate away bad pregnancy outcomes .
What we can control are the laws that punish us for them or force us to make decisions we know are not best for us . ''
Sasse and his fellow Republicans at the hearing showed no concern for what is best for people who are pregnant and who may need to have an abortion later in pregnancy .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's bodies , banning the procedure entirely , and taking agency away from people who are pregnant .
But , as Christensen observed : `` I believe that abortion-seekers are moral decision-makers .
I believe each of our situations are unique .
I believe that we are capable of making our own decisions . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the latest bill designed to spread lies about later abortions. Sponsored by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE), the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” is a solution in search of a problem.
The hearing itself was a tangle of lies directed at people who find themselves in incredibly vulnerable situations when abortion becomes necessary late in pregnancy.
Sasse’s bill would “prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.” If practitioners fail to exercise the “proper degree of care” — something the bill does not define at all — they could face a fine and up to five years of prison time.
From the very start of the hearing, Sasse approached the matter in a disingenuous way. He said that the hearing “is not actually about limiting access to abortion at all” and was merely about making sure an infant “born alive” during a “botched abortion” is given the same care “that would be provided to any other baby at the same gestational stage.”
However, the witnesses called by Sasse and his fellow Republicans nearly exclusively focused on lies and fearmongering about “infanticide” and implied that later abortions are murder.
One witness, Patrina Mosley of the Family Research Council, went so far as to say that later abortions are done because there is “something to be gained” financially. Jill Stanek, of the dark money-funded Susan B. Anthony List, went even further, saying that an abortion provider is “deciding the life or death of the baby” and is “invested financially.”
Of course, none of these things are true, and claims about financial incentives were debunked via a comprehensive investigation years ago. But anti-choice activists still routinely insist later abortions are motivated by malice and profit.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, people seek later abortions out of need.
Erika Christensen, a patient advocate, testified at the hearing about her choice to have a later abortion. At 30 weeks, she and her husband learned that her fetus was not able to swallow and that fetal growth had stopped. Had she carried the fetus to term, she would have delivered a baby who couldn’t breathe and “there was no care or treatment available that would change that.”
As a resident of New York, Christensen was past the gestational limit to have an abortion. She was forced to borrow thousands of dollars to fly to Colorado to see a specialist who could perform the later abortion.
Christensen was, in her words, “incredibly lucky” to be able to do that, but not all women are: “Terrible things can and do happen. We will never be able to regulate or legislate away bad pregnancy outcomes. What we can control are the laws that punish us for them or force us to make decisions we know are not best for us.”
Sasse and his fellow Republicans at the hearing showed no concern for what is best for people who are pregnant and who may need to have an abortion later in pregnancy. They appeared far more interested in controlling people’s bodies, banning the procedure entirely, and taking agency away from people who are pregnant.
But, as Christensen observed: “I believe that abortion-seekers are moral decision-makers. I believe each of our situations are unique. I believe that we are capable of making our own decisions.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-18--Trump attacks jury and demands new trial for convicted felon Roger Stone

Donald Trump is once again meddling in the criminal proceedings against his longtime political ally and former campaign adviser Roger Stone , this time demanding that the judge in Stone 's case grant him a new trial .
Trump made the demand on Twitter by quoting Fox News personality Andrew Napolitano , who said on `` Fox & Friends '' Tuesday morning that a juror on Stone 's case was allegedly biased against Trump .
`` Judge Jackson now has a request for a new trial based on the unambiguous & self outed bias of the foreperson of the jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way .
'Madam foreperson , your a lawyer , you have a duty , an affirmative obligation , to reveal to us when we selected you ... .. ... ..the existence of these tweets in which you were so harshly negative about the President & the people who support him .
Don ’ t you think we wanted to know that before we put you on this jury . '
Pretty obvious he should ( get a new trial ) .
I think almost any judge in the Country ... .. ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m not so sure about Judge Jackson , I don ’ t know . ''
Stone — who is set to be sentenced on Thursday for his seven-count conviction of witness tampering , obstruction of justice , and lying to Congress as part of the Russia investigation — asked for a new trial on Friday by alleging a juror was biased .
The move followed Trump 's accusation the previous day that the forewoman of the jury in Stone 's case had `` significant bias . ''
However , this claim ignores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extensive opportunities to review the jurors for the trial and investigate their backgrounds .
Trump 's tweet is his latest attempt to help Stone avoid prison time .
Already , Trump tweeted that the nine-year sentence the prosecutors on the case recommended Stone receive is `` unfair . ''
Immediately after Trump tweeted this , Attorney General William Barr intervened in the case to recommend a lighter sentence , causing the four top prosecutors on the case to resign in protest .
Barr claimed that Trump did not ask him to intervene , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case made it `` impossible '' for Barr to appear impartial .
Ultimately , Judge Amy Berman Jackson will decide Trump 's fate .
Judges like Jackson are appointed to lifetime positions to help them avoid feeling partisan pressure .
However , it 's unclear whether Trump 's public comments on the case will influence her decision .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump is once again meddling in the criminal proceedings against his longtime political ally and former campaign adviser Roger Stone, this time demanding that the judge in Stone’s case grant him a new trial.
Trump made the demand on Twitter by quoting Fox News personality Andrew Napolitano, who said on “Fox & Friends” Tuesday morning that a juror on Stone’s case was allegedly biased against Trump.
Trump tweeted:
“Judge Jackson now has a request for a new trial based on the unambiguous & self outed bias of the foreperson of the jury, whose also a lawyer, by the way. ‘Madam foreperson, your a lawyer, you have a duty, an affirmative obligation, to reveal to us when we selected you….. …..the existence of these tweets in which you were so harshly negative about the President & the people who support him. Don’t you think we wanted to know that before we put you on this jury.’ Pretty obvious he should (get a new trial). I think almost any judge in the Country….. …..would order a new trial, I’m not so sure about Judge Jackson, I don’t know.”
Stone — who is set to be sentenced on Thursday for his seven-count conviction of witness tampering, obstruction of justice, and lying to Congress as part of the Russia investigation — asked for a new trial on Friday by alleging a juror was biased. The move followed Trump’s accusation the previous day that the forewoman of the jury in Stone’s case had “significant bias.”
However, this claim ignores that Stone and his defense attorneys had extensive opportunities to review the jurors for the trial and investigate their backgrounds.
Trump’s tweet is his latest attempt to help Stone avoid prison time.
Already, Trump tweeted that the nine-year sentence the prosecutors on the case recommended Stone receive is “unfair.” Immediately after Trump tweeted this, Attorney General William Barr intervened in the case to recommend a lighter sentence, causing the four top prosecutors on the case to resign in protest.
Barr claimed that Trump did not ask him to intervene, and said Trump’s tweets about the case made it “impossible” for Barr to appear impartial.
Ultimately, Judge Amy Berman Jackson will decide Trump’s fate. Judges like Jackson are appointed to lifetime positions to help them avoid feeling partisan pressure.
However, it’s unclear whether Trump’s public comments on the case will influence her decision.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-20--Trump's new intelligence director has zero intelligence experience

Donald Trump on Thursday officially appointed Richard Grenell to be acting director of national intelligence , putting a man with zero intelligence experience in charge of the country 's intelligence agencies .
Grenell currently serves as the U.S. ambassador to Germany .
And because he has already been confirmed by the Senate in that role , the law says Trump can move him to any other role within the government without needing to go before the Senate again for approval .
And that works out for Trump , as Grenell — who became well known as a Twitter troll for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform — might have a hard time earning confirmation for a job he has no experience in .
`` Ambassador Grenell was confirmed to his role as Ambassador by the Senate in April 2018 , and he has years of experience working with our Intelligence Community in a number of additional positions , including as Special Envoy for Serbia-Kosovo Negotiations and as United States spokesman to the United Nations , '' White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement on Thursday .
`` He is committed to a non-political , non-partisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on which our safety and security depend , '' Grisham continued .
`` The President has every confidence that Ambassador Grenell will perform his new duties with distinction . ''
However , working as an ambassador and spokesman is not national intelligence experience .
But Grenell does have experience spending thousands of dollars at Trump 's hotel chain .
According to the Washington Post , Grenell has a `` Trump Card '' at the `` Gold '' level , which earns him exclusive benefits , including discounted spa treatments and complimentary upgrades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time in office criticizing the national intelligence community , especially as it unanimously concluded , based on evidence and investigation , that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help boost Trump 's election chances .
Trump begrudgingly accepted that assessment after years of denying it , though he still casts doubt on the conclusion .
Democrats , for their part , immediately criticized Grenell 's appointment .
`` It appears the President has selected an individual *without any intelligence experience* to serve as the leader of the nation ’ s intelligence community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Warner , the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee , tweeted .
Warner added , `` The intelligence community deserves stability and an experienced individual to lead them in a time of massive national and global security challenges . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump on Thursday officially appointed Richard Grenell to be acting director of national intelligence, putting a man with zero intelligence experience in charge of the country’s intelligence agencies.
Grenell currently serves as the U.S. ambassador to Germany. And because he has already been confirmed by the Senate in that role, the law says Trump can move him to any other role within the government without needing to go before the Senate again for approval.
And that works out for Trump, as Grenell — who became well known as a Twitter troll for feuding with reporters on the social media platform — might have a hard time earning confirmation for a job he has no experience in.
“Ambassador Grenell was confirmed to his role as Ambassador by the Senate in April 2018, and he has years of experience working with our Intelligence Community in a number of additional positions, including as Special Envoy for Serbia-Kosovo Negotiations and as United States spokesman to the United Nations,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement on Thursday.
“He is committed to a non-political, non-partisan approach as head of the Intelligence Community, on which our safety and security depend,” Grisham continued. “The President has every confidence that Ambassador Grenell will perform his new duties with distinction.”
However, working as an ambassador and spokesman is not national intelligence experience.
But Grenell does have experience spending thousands of dollars at Trump’s hotel chain. According to the Washington Post, Grenell has a “Trump Card” at the “Gold” level, which earns him exclusive benefits, including discounted spa treatments and complimentary upgrades.
Trump has spent much of his time in office criticizing the national intelligence community, especially as it unanimously concluded, based on evidence and investigation, that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help boost Trump’s election chances.
Trump begrudgingly accepted that assessment after years of denying it, though he still casts doubt on the conclusion.
Democrats, for their part, immediately criticized Grenell’s appointment.
“It appears the President has selected an individual *without any intelligence experience* to serve as the leader of the nation’s intelligence community in an acting capacity,” Sen. Mark Warner, the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, tweeted.
Warner added, “The intelligence community deserves stability and an experienced individual to lead them in a time of massive national and global security challenges.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-20--Judge holds Trump administration in contempt for deporting immigrant children

A federal judge has found the U.S. government in contempt after authorities deported five young immigrants who were seeking to remain in the country under a program for abused and neglected immigrant children .
U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins issued the civil order Friday after finding the Department of Homeland Security and U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services violated a 2018 preliminary injunction that required them to notify lawyers of any enforcement action against the young immigrants in a class-action lawsuit in California .
Despite the preliminary injunction , five immigrants who were seeking to stay in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigrant children were deported , and one of them was reportedly assaulted .
Mary Tanagho Ross , appellate staff attorney at Public Counsel 's Immigrants ' Rights Project , said she learned of the deportations months after one of the immigrants was back in Guatemala , where he was attacked by gang members .
“ It is shocking the defendants didn ’ t do their part to make sure ICE complied with a federal court order and they literally sent kids back to the lion ’ s den , ” she said Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comment on the case .
The lawsuit was settled last year between the U.S. government and lawyers for immigrants who sought to be covered by the program after they turned 18 .
Applications are allowed until age 21 .
Tanagho Ross said she would never have learned of the deportations but for another lawyer who mentioned one of his clients had applied for the program , which leads to a green card , but got deported after losing a case for asylum .
The court ordered the agencies to return the five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 so long as they want to come back , and pay $ 500 for each day after that each one remains out of the country .
One of them has already been returned and is in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement , which plans to send him back to Guatemala in another two weeks now that the lawyers have been notified , the U.S. government said in a court filing .
His application to the program for abused children has been approved but he will likely have to wait more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to a cap on the number allowed to be issued each year , the government said .
Tanagho Ross said attorneys will seek to block his deportation .

A federal judge has found the U.S. government in contempt after authorities deported five young immigrants who were seeking to remain in the country under a program for abused and neglected immigrant children.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins issued the civil order Friday after finding the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services violated a 2018 preliminary injunction that required them to notify lawyers of any enforcement action against the young immigrants in a class-action lawsuit in California.
Despite the preliminary injunction, five immigrants who were seeking to stay in the United States under a federal government program for abused immigrant children were deported, and one of them was reportedly assaulted.
Mary Tanagho Ross, appellate staff attorney at Public Counsel’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said she learned of the deportations months after one of the immigrants was back in Guatemala, where he was attacked by gang members.
“It is shocking the defendants didn’t do their part to make sure ICE complied with a federal court order and they literally sent kids back to the lion’s den,” she said Wednesday.
A Department of Justice spokesman declined to comment on the case.
The lawsuit was settled last year between the U.S. government and lawyers for immigrants who sought to be covered by the program after they turned 18. Applications are allowed until age 21.
Tanagho Ross said she would never have learned of the deportations but for another lawyer who mentioned one of his clients had applied for the program, which leads to a green card, but got deported after losing a case for asylum.
The court ordered the agencies to return the five immigrants to the United States by Feb. 29 so long as they want to come back, and pay $500 for each day after that each one remains out of the country.
One of them has already been returned and is in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which plans to send him back to Guatemala in another two weeks now that the lawyers have been notified, the U.S. government said in a court filing.
His application to the program for abused children has been approved but he will likely have to wait more than two years for a green card due to a cap on the number allowed to be issued each year, the government said.
Tanagho Ross said attorneys will seek to block his deportation.


shareblue--2020-02-20--Warren confronts Bloomberg on stop and frisk: He 'needs a different apology'

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren slammed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg during Wednesday night 's ninth Democratic debate , criticizing him for the controversial stop and frisk policy carried out under his tenure .
The policy has been under the microscope again over the past month due to recently resurfaced audio featuring Bloomberg defending the racist practice in a 2015 speech .
On Wednesday evening , Bloomberg apologized for the policy , saying he had `` asked for forgiveness '' before stating that there was still work to be done on criminal justice reform .
`` I 've apologized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` But the bottom line is : We stopped too many people . ''
`` There is no great answer to a lot of these problems , '' he added .
`` When the mayor says that he apologized , listen very closely to the apology , '' she said .
`` The language he used about stop and frisk is about how it turned out .
No , this is n't about how it turned out .
This is about what it was designed to do to begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It targeted black and brown men from the beginning . ''
A real apology , she added , `` has to start with the intent of the plan as it was put together , and the willful ignorance day by day by day ; of admitting what was happening even as people protested in your own streets . ''
`` You need a different apology , '' she concluded .
Bloomberg defended stop and frisk as recently as 2015 .
During a speech that year to the Aspen Institute , Bloomberg said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City Police officers , which mostly targeted black and brown people , was the only way to `` get the guns out of the kids ' hands . ''
The way to do that , he said , was to `` throw them up against the wall and frisk them . ''
`` We put all the cops in minority neighborhoods .
Yes , that 's true .
Why do we do it ?
Because that 's where all the crime is , '' Bloomberg added at the time .
Audio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conservative Daily Caller in 2015 and was shared earlier this month by podcast host Benjamin Dixon on Twitter .
The NAACP has called the stop and frisk policy both `` ineffective '' and a form of `` racial profiling . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren slammed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg during Wednesday night’s ninth Democratic debate, criticizing him for the controversial stop and frisk policy carried out under his tenure.
The policy has been under the microscope again over the past month due to recently resurfaced audio featuring Bloomberg defending the racist practice in a 2015 speech.
On Wednesday evening, Bloomberg apologized for the policy, saying he had “asked for forgiveness” before stating that there was still work to be done on criminal justice reform.
“I’ve apologized. I’ve asked for forgiveness,” he said. “But the bottom line is: We stopped too many people.”
“There is no great answer to a lot of these problems,” he added.
Warren blasted Bloomberg for that response.
“When the mayor says that he apologized, listen very closely to the apology,” she said. “The language he used about stop and frisk is about how it turned out. No, this isn’t about how it turned out. This is about what it was designed to do to begin with. It targeted communities of color. It targeted black and brown men from the beginning.”
A real apology, she added, “has to start with the intent of the plan as it was put together, and the willful ignorance day by day by day; of admitting what was happening even as people protested in your own streets.”
“You need a different apology,” she concluded.
Bloomberg defended stop and frisk as recently as 2015.
During a speech that year to the Aspen Institute, Bloomberg said the stop and frisk policy used by New York City Police officers, which mostly targeted black and brown people, was the only way to “get the guns out of the kids’ hands.”
The way to do that, he said, was to “throw them up against the wall and frisk them.”
“We put all the cops in minority neighborhoods. Yes, that’s true. Why do we do it? Because that’s where all the crime is,” Bloomberg added at the time.
Audio of the remarks was first flagged by the conservative Daily Caller in 2015 and was shared earlier this month by podcast host Benjamin Dixon on Twitter.
The NAACP has called the stop and frisk policy both “ineffective” and a form of “racial profiling.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-02-20--Bernie Sanders: 'I disown those people' on Twitter 'who make ugly remarks'

From the Feb. 19 Democratic debate in Nevada : BERNIE SANDERS : We have over 10.6 million people on Twitter and 99.9 % of them are decent human beings , are working people , are people who believe in justice , compassion , and love .
And if there are a few people who make ugly remarks , who attack trade union leaders — I disown those people , they are not part of our movement .
But let me also say what I hope my friends up here will agree with : Is that if you look at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some of the African American women on my campaign , talk to Sen. Nina Turner , talk to others and find the vicious , racist , sexist attacks that are coming their way as well .
So I would hope that all of us understand that we should do everything we possibly can to end the viciousness and the ugliness on the internet .
Our campaign is about issues , it 's about fighting for the working families and the middle class .
It is not about vicious attacks on other people @

From the Feb. 19 Democratic debate in Nevada:
BERNIE SANDERS: We have over 10.6 million people on Twitter and 99.9% of them are decent human beings, are working people, are people who believe in justice, compassion, and love. And if there are a few people who make ugly remarks, who attack trade union leaders — I disown those people, they are not part of our movement.
But let me also say what I hope my friends up here will agree with: Is that if you look at the wild west of the internet, talk to some of the African American women on my campaign, talk to Sen. Nina Turner, talk to others and find the vicious, racist, sexist attacks that are coming their way as well.
So I would hope that all of us understand that we should do everything we possibly can to end the viciousness and the ugliness on the internet. Our campaign is about issues, it’s about fighting for the working families and the middle class. It is not about vicious attacks on other people.


shareblue--2020-02-19--Fact check: Trump's claim of being top cop in US called 'dangerous'

Donald Trump asserts that he is the nation 's top cop , a title more typically accorded the attorney general .
Even the Trump-cheerleading White House website sides with the attorney general , describing him as the `` chief law enforcement officer of the federal government . ''
Several veterans of President Barack Obama 's administration described Trump 's assertion as dangerous and simply wrong on the law .
But Trump 's claim is consistent with the robust view of executive power that he and his supporters have put forth since he took office in 2017 .
And some conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that it 's better public policy to keep law enforcement at arm 's length .
Since the Senate impeachment trial ended with his acquittal , Trump has urged leniency for convicted confidant Roger Stone , pushed impeachment witnesses out of their jobs , verbally attacked a federal judge , and complained that a juror who voted to convict Stone was biased .
Trump has denied that he intervened to force the Justice Department to withdraw a recommendation of 7 to 9 years in prison for Stone .
Attorney General William Barr has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not consult with Trump before ordering a call for a shorter prison term .
But Trump said there would have been nothing wrong if he had stepped in .
`` I 'm allowed to be totally involved .
I 'm actually , I guess , the chief law enforcement officer of the country .
But I 've chosen not to be involved , '' he told reporters on Tuesday .
That 's essentially the same message Trump 's lawyers sent special counsel Robert Mueller in January 2018 , as they offered to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump about possible obstruction of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
`` It remains our position that the President 's actions here , by virtue of his position as the chief law enforcement officer , could neither constitutionally nor legally constitute obstruction because that would amount to him obstructing himself , and that he could , if he wished , terminate the inquiry , or even exercise his power to pardon if he so desired , '' Trump lawyer John Dowd wrote .
John Yoo , a University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department lawyer during President George W. Bush 's administration , said the Constitution gives the president the power Trump claims .
`` But while the President is in charge constitutionally , as a matter of good policy , presidents have kept law enforcement at arms length .
Neutrality in law enforcement is important if the government is to have the credibility and integrity to convince judges and juries , who are the ones who ultimate render the verdict , '' Yoo wrote in an email .
But the latest actions by Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department officials who served in Democratic and Republican administrations .
In an open letter , they said that the department 's rule book for its lawyers calls for impartial decision-making that is insulated from political influence .
`` All DOJ lawyers are well-versed in these rules , regulations , and constitutional commands .
They stand for the proposition that political interference in the conduct of a criminal prosecution is anathema to the Department 's core mission and to its sacred obligation to ensure equal justice under the law , '' the department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgetown law professor and former Obama Justice Department official , said on Twitter that Congress , not Trump , gives the authority to prosecute to the attorney general .
It 's also the attorney general 's responsibility , Lederman said , to stand up to a president who charts an unlawful course , `` knowing that it might ... lead to removal . ''
Chris Lu , who managed Obama 's Cabinet in his first term , said the Obama White House followed its predecessors in adhering to strict rules on who could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what topics .
`` What Trump is suggesting is at odds with this longstanding precedent and dangerous to the principle of impartial justice , '' Lu said .

Donald Trump asserts that he is the nation’s top cop, a title more typically accorded the attorney general.
Even the Trump-cheerleading White House website sides with the attorney general, describing him as the “chief law enforcement officer of the federal government.”
Several veterans of President Barack Obama’s administration described Trump’s assertion as dangerous and simply wrong on the law.
But Trump’s claim is consistent with the robust view of executive power that he and his supporters have put forth since he took office in 2017. And some conservative legal minds think Trump is right, but that it’s better public policy to keep law enforcement at arm’s length.
Since the Senate impeachment trial ended with his acquittal, Trump has urged leniency for convicted confidant Roger Stone, pushed impeachment witnesses out of their jobs, verbally attacked a federal judge, and complained that a juror who voted to convict Stone was biased.
Trump has denied that he intervened to force the Justice Department to withdraw a recommendation of 7 to 9 years in prison for Stone. Attorney General William Barr has backed Trump up, saying he did not consult with Trump before ordering a call for a shorter prison term.
But Trump said there would have been nothing wrong if he had stepped in. “I’m allowed to be totally involved. I’m actually, I guess, the chief law enforcement officer of the country. But I’ve chosen not to be involved,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
That’s essentially the same message Trump’s lawyers sent special counsel Robert Mueller in January 2018, as they offered to provide written answers to Mueller’s questions to Trump about possible obstruction of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“It remains our position that the President’s actions here, by virtue of his position as the chief law enforcement officer, could neither constitutionally nor legally constitute obstruction because that would amount to him obstructing himself, and that he could, if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon if he so desired,” Trump lawyer John Dowd wrote.
John Yoo, a University of California at Berkeley law school professor and Justice Department lawyer during President George W. Bush’s administration, said the Constitution gives the president the power Trump claims.
“But while the President is in charge constitutionally, as a matter of good policy, presidents have kept law enforcement at arms length. Neutrality in law enforcement is important if the government is to have the credibility and integrity to convince judges and juries, who are the ones who ultimate render the verdict,” Yoo wrote in an email.
But the latest actions by Trump drew condemnation from more than 2,400 former Justice Department officials who served in Democratic and Republican administrations. In an open letter, they said that the department’s rule book for its lawyers calls for impartial decision-making that is insulated from political influence.
“All DOJ lawyers are well-versed in these rules, regulations, and constitutional commands. They stand for the proposition that political interference in the conduct of a criminal prosecution is anathema to the Department’s core mission and to its sacred obligation to ensure equal justice under the law,” the department alumni wrote.
Martin Lederman, a Georgetown law professor and former Obama Justice Department official, said on Twitter that Congress, not Trump, gives the authority to prosecute to the attorney general. It’s also the attorney general’s responsibility, Lederman said, to stand up to a president who charts an unlawful course, “knowing that it might … lead to removal.”
Chris Lu, who managed Obama’s Cabinet in his first term, said the Obama White House followed its predecessors in adhering to strict rules on who could communicate with the Justice Department and on what topics.
“What Trump is suggesting is at odds with this longstanding precedent and dangerous to the principle of impartial justice,” Lu said.


shareblue--2020-02-19--Trump claims 'internal' polls he refuses to share show him beating every Democrat

Donald Trump lashed out at public polls on Wednesday , claiming they are `` fake '' because they do n't match internal polls that show him ahead .
But neither Trump nor his campaign has released any evidence to verify the claim that he leads all of his potential 2020 rivals .
`` Internal REAL Polls show I am beating all of the Dem candidates , '' Trump said .
`` The Fake News Polls ( here we go again , just like 2016 ) show losing or tied .
Their polls will be proven corrupt on November 3rd , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ! ''
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for the polling data showing Trump ahead .
Nearly all recent surveys have shown Trump trailing Democratic hopefuls Joe Biden , Michael Bloomberg , Pete Buttigieg , Amy Klobuchar , Bernie Sanders , and Elizabeth Warren in national head-to-head matchups .
But last summer , Trump 's misleading internal polling claims caused his campaign significant embarrassment .
After the New York Times reported internal Trump 2020 polling showing him trailing Biden badly in several key states , Trump tried to gaslight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real .
`` They were fake polls that were released by somebody that is — it 's ridiculous , '' Trump complained , saying he was way ahead everywhere .
`` We do very little polling because I 'm not a huge believer in polling… But we have some internal polling — very little — and it 's unbelievably strong .
The strongest I 've ever been is exactly today . ''
Days later , the poll memo Trump said did not exist was leaked and proved as bad for him as reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digits in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin , up by 7 points in Florida , and within 2 points in Texas .
Rather than apologize for the exposed lie , the campaign simply tried to minimize the importance of polling .
Trump 's campaign manager , Brad Parscale , told CBS News that all poll numbers are meaningless today .
`` The country is too complex now just to call a couple of hundred people and ask them what they think , '' he told the network .
`` The polling ca n't understand that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong in 2016 .
It was 100 % wrong .
Nobody got it right .
Not one public poll . ''
National polling in 2016 correctly predicted that Hillary Clinton would win the popular vote , though most state polling in Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin incorrectly showed her leading in those states .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump lashed out at public polls on Wednesday, claiming they are “fake” because they don’t match internal polls that show him ahead. But neither Trump nor his campaign has released any evidence to verify the claim that he leads all of his potential 2020 rivals.
“Internal REAL Polls show I am beating all of the Dem candidates,” Trump said. “The Fake News Polls (here we go again, just like 2016) show losing or tied. Their polls will be proven corrupt on November 3rd, just like the Fake News is corrupt!”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for the polling data showing Trump ahead.
Nearly all recent surveys have shown Trump trailing Democratic hopefuls Joe Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren in national head-to-head matchups.
But last summer, Trump’s misleading internal polling claims caused his campaign significant embarrassment.
After the New York Times reported internal Trump 2020 polling showing him trailing Biden badly in several key states, Trump tried to gaslight the country and claim they were not real.
“They were fake polls that were released by somebody that is — it’s ridiculous,” Trump complained, saying he was way ahead everywhere. “We do very little polling because I’m not a huge believer in polling… But we have some internal polling — very little — and it’s unbelievably strong. The strongest I’ve ever been is exactly today.”
Days later, the poll memo Trump said did not exist was leaked and proved as bad for him as reported. It showed Biden ahead by double digits in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, up by 7 points in Florida, and within 2 points in Texas.
Rather than apologize for the exposed lie, the campaign simply tried to minimize the importance of polling. Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, told CBS News that all poll numbers are meaningless today.
“The country is too complex now just to call a couple of hundred people and ask them what they think,” he told the network. “The polling can’t understand that and that’s why it was so wrong in 2016. It was 100% wrong. Nobody got it right. Not one public poll.”
National polling in 2016 correctly predicted that Hillary Clinton would win the popular vote, though most state polling in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin incorrectly showed her leading in those states.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.