shareblue--2020-11-11--Military families are furious that Trump keeps trying to throw out their votes

Military families from Nevada casting valid absentee ballots have been blindsided by the revelation that Trump officials have accused them of `` criminal voter fraud '' in the 2020 election .
On Nov. 5 , the Nevada Republican Party filed a criminal complaint with Attorney General Bill Barr and the Department of Justice alleging that 3,062 voters outside of Nevada `` improperly cast '' absentee ballots in the election .
`` Thousands of individuals have been identified who appear to have violated the law by casting ballots after they moved from NV , '' Republicans claimed in the letter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the list were clearly located on military posts and bases , and hundreds more were overseas military post office boxes .
Amy Rose , a former ACLU attorney and a military spouse from Henderson , Nevada , stationed in Davis , California , said she was shocked and appalled to find her name and address on the GOP 's list .
`` To see my integrity challenged , along with other members of the military to be challenged in this way , it is a shock .
And to be potentially disenfranchised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not OK , '' Rose told Military.com .
She told another outlet that the accusations were baseless .
`` My husband and I have both been accused of fraud , '' Rose said .
`` We take our duties as citizens very seriously , and it 's just a shock to see that this accusation has been made without any basis in fact . ''
She said that military families `` are not really able to set down roots in one place '' that often , and that military families `` secure with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in the jurisdiction they consider home .
According to the Washington Post , it 's perfectly legal in the state of Nevada for certain groups residing outside of the state to vote in elections via absentee ballot .
These groups include active-duty military members and their families , as well as college students .
Jon Ralston , editor of the Nevada Independent , said it was quite obvious that many of the addresses on the list were those of service members .
`` Many on list sent to the DOJ have these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP : Armed Forces Europe , Armed Forces Americas and Armed Forces Pacific .
That is , Nevadans in the military who sent absentees , '' he wrote in a tweet .
`` Incompetence or fraud , gentlemen ?
Why does Team Trump hate NV military personnel ? ''
But these blatant attempts by Donald Trump 's reelection campaign to disenfranchise military voters is emblematic of Trump 's term in office , which has been characterized by vicious attacks on veterans and their families .
For instance , it was clear Trump did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counted in the 2020 election in the first place .
Days before the election , he said a `` winner '' in the presidential race should be named on Election Day .
`` It would be very , very proper and very nice if a winner were declared on November 3 , '' Trump said to the press .
`` Instead of counting ballots for two weeks , which is totally inappropriate , and I do n't believe that 's by our laws .
I do n't believe that . ''
But 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for ballots postmarked before Election Day to be counted if arriving after Election Day , and many of these ballots are those of military voters stationed domestically or overseas .
Back in early October , Trump blamed the `` military '' as well as police for giving his aide Hope Hicks coronavirus , resulting in a White House outbreak that sickened dozens in Trump 's circle and ultimately hospitalized him after he contracted the virus himself .
But in reality , it was Trump who endangered service members and not the other way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials contacted the Greatest Generation Foundation after exposing veterans and their families to coronavirus at a Gold Star event held at the White House .
Earlier that month , the Atlantic published a report claiming that in 2018 , Trump had refused to visit a Paris cemetery for fallen American soldiers , referring to the veterans as `` suckers '' and asking why he should visit a cemetery `` filled with losers . ''
The same report alleged that at a White House planning meeting for a military parade , Trump specifically requested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be included in the event , saying , `` Nobody wants to see that . ''
In 2019 , Trump announced he planned to take half a billion dollars away from schools for military children in order to build his proposed wall between Mexico and the United States .
He planned to divert $ 3.6 billion total away from military projects intended to serve veterans and their families — and put it towards his xenophobic wall .
He also insulted a newly widowed military spouse in 2017 , telling her that her husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' when he joined the military .
Trump slammed the widow for speaking to the press about the conversation .
And , of course , he famously insulted the late Sen. John McCain , a former Vietnam prisoner of war .
`` He 's not a war hero , '' Trump said of McCain in 2015 , while the senator was still alive .
`` He was a war hero because he was captured .
I like people who were n't captured . ''
According to the Atlantic 's September report , upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , `` We 're not going to support that loser 's funeral , '' and was infuriated when flags were flown at half-mast .
In 2019 , he said , `` I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be . ''
Unsurprisingly , President-elect Joe Biden did exceedingly well among active-duty troops in the 2020 election .
A Military Times poll taken days before the election found that 43.1 % of active service members said they supported Biden for president , and only 37.4 % said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , apparently , trying to rectify his many wrongs toward veterans .
On Tuesday , he announced that veterans could enjoy free admission to all national parks and other public lands starting on Veterans Day .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Military families from Nevada casting valid absentee ballots have been blindsided by the revelation that Trump officials have accused them of “criminal voter fraud” in the 2020 election.
On Nov. 5, the Nevada Republican Party filed a criminal complaint with Attorney General Bill Barr and the Department of Justice alleging that 3,062 voters outside of Nevada “improperly cast” absentee ballots in the election.
“Thousands of individuals have been identified who appear to have violated the law by casting ballots after they moved from NV,” Republicans claimed in the letter.
But more than 1,000 of the addresses on the list were clearly located on military posts and bases, and hundreds more were overseas military post office boxes.
Amy Rose, a former ACLU attorney and a military spouse from Henderson, Nevada, stationed in Davis, California, said she was shocked and appalled to find her name and address on the GOP’s list.
“To see my integrity challenged, along with other members of the military to be challenged in this way, it is a shock. And to be potentially disenfranchised because of these actions, that’s not OK,” Rose told Military.com.
She told another outlet that the accusations were baseless.
“My husband and I have both been accused of fraud,” Rose said. “We take our duties as citizens very seriously, and it’s just a shock to see that this accusation has been made without any basis in fact.”
She said that military families “are not really able to set down roots in one place” that often, and that military families “secure with the county registrar” the right to vote in the jurisdiction they consider home.
According to the Washington Post, it’s perfectly legal in the state of Nevada for certain groups residing outside of the state to vote in elections via absentee ballot. These groups include active-duty military members and their families, as well as college students.
Jon Ralston, editor of the Nevada Independent, said it was quite obvious that many of the addresses on the list were those of service members.
“Many on list sent to the DOJ have these postal codes: AE, AA and AP: Armed Forces Europe, Armed Forces Americas and Armed Forces Pacific. That is, Nevadans in the military who sent absentees,” he wrote in a tweet. “Incompetence or fraud, gentlemen? Why does Team Trump hate NV military personnel?”
But these blatant attempts by Donald Trump’s reelection campaign to disenfranchise military voters is emblematic of Trump’s term in office, which has been characterized by vicious attacks on veterans and their families.
For instance, it was clear Trump didn’t want military absentee ballots to be counted in the 2020 election in the first place.
Days before the election, he said a “winner” in the presidential race should be named on Election Day.
“It would be very, very proper and very nice if a winner were declared on November 3,” Trump said to the press. “Instead of counting ballots for two weeks, which is totally inappropriate, and I don’t believe that’s by our laws. I don’t believe that.”
But 22 states and the District of Columbia allow for ballots postmarked before Election Day to be counted if arriving after Election Day, and many of these ballots are those of military voters stationed domestically or overseas.
Back in early October, Trump blamed the “military” as well as police for giving his aide Hope Hicks coronavirus, resulting in a White House outbreak that sickened dozens in Trump’s circle and ultimately hospitalized him after he contracted the virus himself.
But in reality, it was Trump who endangered service members and not the other way around.
On Sept. 27, Trump officials contacted the Greatest Generation Foundation after exposing veterans and their families to coronavirus at a Gold Star event held at the White House.
Earlier that month, the Atlantic published a report claiming that in 2018, Trump had refused to visit a Paris cemetery for fallen American soldiers, referring to the veterans as “suckers” and asking why he should visit a cemetery “filled with losers.”
The same report alleged that at a White House planning meeting for a military parade, Trump specifically requested that amputee and other wounded veterans not be included in the event, saying, “Nobody wants to see that.”
In 2019, Trump announced he planned to take half a billion dollars away from schools for military children in order to build his proposed wall between Mexico and the United States. He planned to divert $3.6 billion total away from military projects intended to serve veterans and their families — and put it towards his xenophobic wall.
He also insulted a newly widowed military spouse in 2017, telling her that her husband “knew what he signed up for” when he joined the military. Trump slammed the widow for speaking to the press about the conversation.
And, of course, he famously insulted the late Sen. John McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war.
“He’s not a war hero,” Trump said of McCain in 2015, while the senator was still alive. “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
According to the Atlantic’s September report, upon McCain’s death in 2018, Trump said, “We’re not going to support that loser’s funeral,” and was infuriated when flags were flown at half-mast.
In 2019, he said, “I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be.”
Unsurprisingly, President-elect Joe Biden did exceedingly well among active-duty troops in the 2020 election. A Military Times poll taken days before the election found that 43.1% of active service members said they supported Biden for president, and only 37.4% said they were voting for Trump.
But Trump is, apparently, trying to rectify his many wrongs toward veterans.
On Tuesday, he announced that veterans could enjoy free admission to all national parks and other public lands starting on Veterans Day.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-11--Trump breaks promise to give people virus relief 'immediately after the election'

Donald Trump has broken his promise that federal COVID-19 relief funding would appear `` immediately after the election . ''
On the Friday before Election Day , Trump offered voters a bribe : trillions of dollars in funding to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
`` We will have a tremendous stimulus package immediately after the election , '' he told reporters on Oct. 30 .
`` And I think we 're going to take back the House , I think we 're going to do very well in the Senate , a little bit more complex , frankly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a fantastic presidential election . ''
Trump had made a similar claim on Oct. 6 , when he called off negotiations with congressional Democrats over emergency relief funds , tweeting : `` I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when , immediately after I win , we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business . ''
Trump was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election by a comfortable margin in both the popular vote and the Electoral College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to concede .
House Democrats kept their majority — albeit with a smaller caucus — and Democrats have gained at least one seat in the Senate .
But more than a week after the election , Trump has made no mention of stimulus funds .
He has spent his days tweeting baseless conspiracy theories about voter fraud , avoiding public appearances , and playing golf at his own resorts .
The pandemic has only gotten worse in that time .
The number of new coronavirus cases has spiked to all-time highs , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals struggle to keep up .
The economy also continues to struggle , with millions still unemployed and key benefits set to expire at the end of the year if Congress does not act to extend them .
The House of Representatives passed a $ 3 trillion relief bill in May , but the GOP-controlled Senate has refused to vote on it .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Tuesday that the chamber will now turn its attention to confirming even more of Trump 's judicial nominees to lifetime appointments .
Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month that a $ 2 trillion relief bill would be his `` number-one goal '' once the Senate returned .
`` I think as soon as the election is over there 's going to be a bipartisan breakthrough on a big package somewhere around $ 2 trillion that will help the economy , '' he said , while falsely blaming the lack of an earlier package on Democrats , claiming , `` I do n't see much desire to help President Trump on anything , to be honest with you .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McConnell made it clear on Tuesday that he has little interest in passing any bill that goes much beyond his twice-rejected $ 500 billion `` skinny '' proposal , saying , `` I do n't think the current situation demands a multitrillion-dollar package .
So I think it should be highly targeted , very similar to what I put on the floor both in October and September . ''
Trump has spent his time in the White House breaking promises .
He failed to keep his pledges to get Mexico to fund a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Affordable Care Act with something `` terrific '' that covers everyone ; to provide large tax cuts for the middle class ; to end the `` carnage '' in America 's cities ; to eliminate the budget deficit and national debt ; to stop all drug trafficking ; and to solve racism `` quickly and easily . ''
Now he 's broken yet another one .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump has broken his promise that federal COVID-19 relief funding would appear “immediately after the election.”
On the Friday before Election Day, Trump offered voters a bribe: trillions of dollars in funding to address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“We will have a tremendous stimulus package immediately after the election,” he told reporters on Oct. 30. “And I think we’re going to take back the House, I think we’re going to do very well in the Senate, a little bit more complex, frankly, and I think we’re going to have a fantastic presidential election.”
Trump had made a similar claim on Oct. 6, when he called off negotiations with congressional Democrats over emergency relief funds, tweeting: “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business.”
Trump was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election by a comfortable margin in both the popular vote and the Electoral College, but is claiming victory and refusing to concede. House Democrats kept their majority — albeit with a smaller caucus — and Democrats have gained at least one seat in the Senate.
But more than a week after the election, Trump has made no mention of stimulus funds. He has spent his days tweeting baseless conspiracy theories about voter fraud, avoiding public appearances, and playing golf at his own resorts.
The pandemic has only gotten worse in that time. The number of new coronavirus cases has spiked to all-time highs, while more than 1,000 Americans die daily and hospitals struggle to keep up. The economy also continues to struggle, with millions still unemployed and key benefits set to expire at the end of the year if Congress does not act to extend them.
The House of Representatives passed a $3 trillion relief bill in May, but the GOP-controlled Senate has refused to vote on it.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Tuesday that the chamber will now turn its attention to confirming even more of Trump’s judicial nominees to lifetime appointments.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) promised late last month that a $2 trillion relief bill would be his “number-one goal” once the Senate returned.
“I think as soon as the election is over there’s going to be a bipartisan breakthrough on a big package somewhere around $2 trillion that will help the economy,” he said, while falsely blaming the lack of an earlier package on Democrats, claiming, “I don’t see much desire to help President Trump on anything, to be honest with you. It’s not the money.”
But McConnell made it clear on Tuesday that he has little interest in passing any bill that goes much beyond his twice-rejected $500 billion “skinny” proposal, saying, “I don’t think the current situation demands a multitrillion-dollar package. So I think it should be highly targeted, very similar to what I put on the floor both in October and September.”
Trump has spent his time in the White House breaking promises. He failed to keep his pledges to get Mexico to fund a massive border wall; to replace the Affordable Care Act with something “terrific” that covers everyone; to provide large tax cuts for the middle class; to end the “carnage” in America’s cities; to eliminate the budget deficit and national debt; to stop all drug trafficking; and to solve racism “quickly and easily.”
Now he’s broken yet another one.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-11--15 times Republicans said recounts are for 'losers'

Donald Trump and his campaign are calling for recounts in Wisconsin and Georgia , with hopes that another count of the votes will overturn the results of the election Trump badly lost to President-elect Joe Biden .
But experts , and even some Republican politicians , agree the margins in those states are too large for a recount to change things .
Biden now leads by 20,539 votes in Wisconsin , and 14,112 votes in Georgia , according to the New York Times .
Even if those states did flip to Trump — which they wo n't — Biden would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College votes needed to win , given his large leads in Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Nevada .
Nevertheless , the Trump campaign is pushing for these recounts as they baselessly allege widespread voter fraud to explain away Trump 's humiliating defeat .
Just four short years ago , however , Trump and the GOP were decidedly against recounts .
In 2016 , when Hillary Clinton lost the election by a slimmer margin than Trump is , Trump and his allies called people seeking recounts `` sore losers '' who could n't come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won .
Here are 15 Republicans who have condemned recounts and attacked Democrats for not accepting the results of an election : Back in 2016 , when Green Party nominee Jill Stein was raising money for recounts in Wisconsin , Michigan , and Pennsylvania , Trump condemned the effort .
`` The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems , '' Trump tweeted on Nov. 26 , 2016 .
In 2020 , however , Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement one day after the election that Trump `` is well within his rights to request a recount and we will immediately do so '' — a complete 180 from Trump 's previous position .
In 2016 , when she served as chair of the Michigan Republican Party , Ronna McDaniel slammed the Jill Stein-led recounts of the state .
`` Hillary Clinton should denounce this reckless recount and accept the outcome of the election like she hoped others would had she won , '' McDaniel , tweeted in November 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recount .
It is a waste of time and disrespectful to all Michigan voters , '' McDaniel tweeted on Nov. 28 , 2016 .
`` It is time that the Democrats join Republicans in calling for an end to this wasteful and ridiculous recount , '' McDaniel tweeted again in December 2016 .
Following the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election , in which Stacy Abrams lost to current GOP Gov .
Brian Kemp , McDaniel slammed Abrams for not accepting the results .
`` If Stacey Abrams actually cared about the integrity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor 's race that she lost by 55,000 votes .
Instead she 's on national TV today still thinking she won , '' McDaniel tweeted .
`` Completely ridiculous . ''
Four years later , McDaniel , who is now chair of the Republican National Committee , is backing up Trump 's calls for recounts , as well as Trump 's riduclous assertion that he won the election .
`` The American people deserve to have faith in our elections .
That 's why the RNC is going to pursue this process to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late Tuesday night .
The now-former White House counselor tweeted in November 2016 : `` Look who 'ca n't accept the election results , ' '' linking to a New York Times article with the headline , `` Hillary Clinton Supporters Call for Vote Recount in Battleground States . ''
The now-former White House press secretary said in 2016 that Trump 's margins in Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania were too large for a recount to overturn .
`` Biggest change ever in a recount : 1,247 votes in FL ( Bush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WI , & PA @ realDonaldTrump leads by 10,000+ votes .
It 's over , '' she tweeted at the time .
She is not saying the same in 2020 , as Trump is losing those states by much larger margins .
`` The people — not the media — get to decide the winner of elections , '' she tweeted on Nov. 7 .
`` After every legal vote is counted , fraud is investigated and recounts are completed we can declare a winner .
Our country and our democracy demand we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results . ''
In 2016 , then the Republican National Committee chair and slated to be Trump 's first of many chiefs of staff , condemned the Stein-led recounts .
`` It is a total and complete hypocritical joke that the group of people that thought that they were nervous about President-elect Trump not conceding are the people that are conducting recounts in states where we won by over 68,000 votes , '' Priebus said on `` Fox News Sunday '' in November 2016 .
Four years later , Priebus went on CBS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to concede , despite the fact that he lost .
The former White House press secretary mocked the `` left '' for not accepting the 2016 results .
`` 1st left loses on Election Day , then fund failed recount efforts , now target # ElectoralCollege where @ HillaryClinton loses votes ; keep it up , '' Spicer tweeted in December 2016 .
In 2020 , Spicer did not similarly condemn the Trump campaign 's behavior as he teased an appearance on right-wing outlet Newsmax .
`` Tune into @ newsmax for updates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Newsmax has not called the race for Biden because of pending recounts , legal challenges from @ POTUS @ RealDonaldTrump , '' Spicer tweeted on Nov. 7 .
In 2016 , Trump campaign spokesperson Katrina Pierson called the recount effort by Stein `` ridiculousness . ''
`` A generation of sore losers whines for a do-over , '' Pierson tweeted in November 2016 .
In 2020 , Pierson , who serves as an adviser to Trump 's current campaign , is refusing to accept a Trump loss .
`` TRUTH WILL COME @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday in response to a `` Team Trump '' tweet that said `` this election is far from over '' when , in fact , it is over and Trump lost .
`` Neither Jack nor Zuckerberg can stop it ! ''
Pierson added .
The Fox Business host , who uses his show to obsessively praise Trump , said Hillary Clinton should have been prosecuted for the 2016 recount — which Clinton 's team did not ask for .
`` I Sure Hope @ realDonaldTrump Changes His Mind About Prosecuting Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # MAGA # AmericaFirst , '' Dobbs tweeted in November 2016 .
In 2020 , Dobbs is pushing the false hope that Trump 's loss in Georgia will be overturned , saying it is `` premature '' for Biden to declare victory .
Fox News host Jeanine Pirro said Hillary Clinton was mentally ill in 2016 for wanting a recount — even though Clinton did not lead the recount effort .
`` Now Hillary Clinton wants a recount .
Is she schizo ?
!
? ''
Pirro said in a November 2016 tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a pink visor smiling .
In 2020 , Pirro is demanding action to help overturn the will of the voters and make Trump the winner .
`` Time to stand up for our constitution our president and our way of life # PromisesMadePromisesKept # OurVoteIsPower , '' Pirro tweeted on Nov. 5 .
In 2018 , Kayleigh McEnany , who then served as a Republican National Committee spokesperson , bashed Democrats , who she claimed did not accept the results of the Georgia governor 's race .
`` Democrats are being sore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they lost the election , so what do they do ?
They cry malfeasance , wrongdoing , criminality , fraud , '' McEnany said on Fox News at the time , according to a compilation video from `` The Daily Show . ''
In 2020 , after Trump 's loss , McEnany and the GOP are exhibiting the exact same behavior she accused Democrats of four years ago .
In 2018 , Gingrich said on Fox News that , `` A whole series of Democrats have just said , bluntly , if our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election . ''
In 2020 , Gingrich went on Sean Hannity 's Fox News show to call for poll workers to be arrested because they counted ballots in a race that Trump lost .
`` My hope is that President Trump will lead the millions of Americans who understand exactly what 's going on .
The Philadelphia machine is corrupt .
The machine in Atlanta , Detroit is corrupt And they are trying to steal the presidency and we should not allow them to do that , '' Gingrich said , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lock up '' poll workers .
After the 2018 midterms , Ingraham said on her Fox News show that , `` Democrats , more so than Republicans , seem to have a problem conceding defeat .
Either the election system broke down , or some mystery votes are hiding somewhere . ''
In 2020 , Ingraham is pushing the baseless lie that there were illegal votes that call the results of the election into question .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump and his campaign are calling for recounts in Wisconsin and Georgia, with hopes that another count of the votes will overturn the results of the election Trump badly lost to President-elect Joe Biden.
But experts, and even some Republican politicians, agree the margins in those states are too large for a recount to change things. Biden now leads by 20,539 votes in Wisconsin, and 14,112 votes in Georgia, according to the New York Times.
Even if those states did flip to Trump — which they won’t — Biden would still have more than the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win, given his large leads in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Nevada.
Nevertheless, the Trump campaign is pushing for these recounts as they baselessly allege widespread voter fraud to explain away Trump’s humiliating defeat.
Just four short years ago, however, Trump and the GOP were decidedly against recounts.
In 2016, when Hillary Clinton lost the election by a slimmer margin than Trump is, Trump and his allies called people seeking recounts “sore losers” who couldn’t come to terms with the fact that he won.
Here are 15 Republicans who have condemned recounts and attacked Democrats for not accepting the results of an election:
Donald Trump
Back in 2016, when Green Party nominee Jill Stein was raising money for recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, Trump condemned the effort.
“The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems,” Trump tweeted on Nov. 26, 2016.
In 2020, however, Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, said in a statement one day after the election that Trump “is well within his rights to request a recount and we will immediately do so” — a complete 180 from Trump’s previous position.
Ronna McDaniel
In 2016, when she served as chair of the Michigan Republican Party, Ronna McDaniel slammed the Jill Stein-led recounts of the state.
“Hillary Clinton should denounce this reckless recount and accept the outcome of the election like she hoped others would had she won,” McDaniel, tweeted in November 2016.
“There is no reason for a recount. It is a waste of time and disrespectful to all Michigan voters,” McDaniel tweeted on Nov. 28, 2016.
“It is time that the Democrats join Republicans in calling for an end to this wasteful and ridiculous recount,” McDaniel tweeted again in December 2016.
Following the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, in which Stacy Abrams lost to current GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, McDaniel slammed Abrams for not accepting the results.
“If Stacey Abrams actually cared about the integrity of elections, she’d concede the Georgia governor’s race that she lost by 55,000 votes. Instead she’s on national TV today still thinking she won,” McDaniel tweeted. “Completely ridiculous.”
Four years later, McDaniel, who is now chair of the Republican National Committee, is backing up Trump’s calls for recounts, as well as Trump’s riduclous assertion that he won the election.
“The American people deserve to have faith in our elections. That’s why the RNC is going to pursue this process to the very end,” McDaniel tweeted late Tuesday night.
Kellyanne Conway
The now-former White House counselor tweeted in November 2016: “Look who ‘can’t accept the election results,'” linking to a New York Times article with the headline, “Hillary Clinton Supporters Call for Vote Recount in Battleground States.”
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
The now-former White House press secretary said in 2016 that Trump’s margins in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania were too large for a recount to overturn.
“Biggest change ever in a recount: 1,247 votes in FL (Bush vs. Gore). In MI, WI, & PA @realDonaldTrump leads by 10,000+ votes. It’s over,” she tweeted at the time.
She is not saying the same in 2020, as Trump is losing those states by much larger margins.
“The people — not the media — get to decide the winner of elections,” she tweeted on Nov. 7. “After every legal vote is counted, fraud is investigated and recounts are completed we can declare a winner. Our country and our democracy demand we have confidence in the accuracy of the results.”
Reince Priebus
In 2016, then the Republican National Committee chair and slated to be Trump’s first of many chiefs of staff, condemned the Stein-led recounts.
“It is a total and complete hypocritical joke that the group of people that thought that they were nervous about President-elect Trump not conceding are the people that are conducting recounts in states where we won by over 68,000 votes,” Priebus said on “Fox News Sunday” in November 2016.
Four years later, Priebus went on CBS News to defend Trump’s decision not to concede, despite the fact that he lost.
Sean Spicer
The former White House press secretary mocked the “left” for not accepting the 2016 results.
“1st left loses on Election Day, then fund failed recount efforts, now target #ElectoralCollege where @HillaryClinton loses votes; keep it up,” Spicer tweeted in December 2016.
In 2020, Spicer did not similarly condemn the Trump campaign’s behavior as he teased an appearance on right-wing outlet Newsmax.
“Tune into @newsmax for updates on #Election2020 @SchmittNYC anchoring coverage. Newsmax has not called the race for Biden because of pending recounts, legal challenges from @POTUS @RealDonaldTrump,” Spicer tweeted on Nov. 7.
Katrina Pierson
In 2016, Trump campaign spokesperson Katrina Pierson called the recount effort by Stein “ridiculousness.”
“A generation of sore losers whines for a do-over,” Pierson tweeted in November 2016.
In 2020, Pierson, who serves as an adviser to Trump’s current campaign, is refusing to accept a Trump loss.
“TRUTH WILL COME TO LIGHT!” Pierson tweeted on Monday in response to a “Team Trump” tweet that said “this election is far from over” when, in fact, it is over and Trump lost.
“Neither Jack nor Zuckerberg can stop it!” Pierson added.
Lou Dobbs
The Fox Business host, who uses his show to obsessively praise Trump, said Hillary Clinton should have been prosecuted for the 2016 recount — which Clinton’s team did not ask for.
“I Sure Hope @realDonaldTrump Changes His Mind About Prosecuting Hillary Clinton After She Changed Her Mind About Recount #MAGA #AmericaFirst,” Dobbs tweeted in November 2016.
In 2020, Dobbs is pushing the false hope that Trump’s loss in Georgia will be overturned, saying it is “premature” for Biden to declare victory.
Jeanine Pirro
Fox News host Jeanine Pirro said Hillary Clinton was mentally ill in 2016 for wanting a recount — even though Clinton did not lead the recount effort.
“Now Hillary Clinton wants a recount. Is she schizo?!?” Pirro said in a November 2016 tweet that bizarrely had a photo of Pirro in a pink visor smiling.
In 2020, Pirro is demanding action to help overturn the will of the voters and make Trump the winner.
“Time to stand up for our constitution our president and our way of life #PromisesMadePromisesKept #OurVoteIsPower,” Pirro tweeted on Nov. 5.
Kayleigh McEnany
In 2018, Kayleigh McEnany, who then served as a Republican National Committee spokesperson, bashed Democrats, who she claimed did not accept the results of the Georgia governor’s race.
“Democrats are being sore losers, and they refuse to acknowledge they lost the election, so what do they do? They cry malfeasance, wrongdoing, criminality, fraud,” McEnany said on Fox News at the time, according to a compilation video from “The Daily Show.”
In 2020, after Trump’s loss, McEnany and the GOP are exhibiting the exact same behavior she accused Democrats of four years ago.
Newt Gingrich
In 2018, Gingrich said on Fox News that, “A whole series of Democrats have just said, bluntly, if our candidate doesn’t win, they stole the election.”
In 2020, Gingrich went on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to call for poll workers to be arrested because they counted ballots in a race that Trump lost.
“My hope is that President Trump will lead the millions of Americans who understand exactly what’s going on. The Philadelphia machine is corrupt. The machine in Atlanta, Detroit is corrupt And they are trying to steal the presidency and we should not allow them to do that,” Gingrich said, while asking Attorney General Bill Barr to “lock up” poll workers.
Laura Ingraham
After the 2018 midterms, Ingraham said on her Fox News show that, “Democrats, more so than Republicans, seem to have a problem conceding defeat. Either the election system broke down, or some mystery votes are hiding somewhere.”
In 2020, Ingraham is pushing the baseless lie that there were illegal votes that call the results of the election into question.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


Cartoon: New detail

Clay Jones is a nationally syndicated political cartoonist .
He has worked for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and The Free Lance-Star @ @ @ @ @ draws a weekly cartoon for CNN Opinion .
He lives in the Washington suburbs of @ @ @

A decade after Sandy Hook, grief remains but hope grows
December, the anniversary of the worst grade school mass shooting in the U.S. is a difficult month for many in Newton. But in the face of heartbreak and grief, some survivors and families of victims feel hope for a brighter future.
By Associated Press - December 22, 2022


shareblue--2020-11-12--Trump's voter fraud claims are bogus — but they're spreading online like wildfire

It started months before Election Day with false claims on Facebook and Twitter that mail-in ballots cast for Donald Trump had been chucked in dumpsters or rivers .
Now , a week after the final polls closed , falsehoods about dead people voting and ballots being thrown out by poll workers are still thriving on social media , reaching an audience of millions .
Trump and his supporters are pointing to those debunked claims on social media as reason to not accept that Democrat Joe Biden won the election .
`` These will probably persist for years or even decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Washington professor and online misinformation expert , said of the false claims about the U.S. election process .
`` People are very motivated to both participate in them and believe them . ''
There is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election .
In fact , voting officials from both political parties have stated publicly that the election went well and international observers confirmed there were no serious irregularities .
The issues raised by Trump 's campaign and his allies are typical in every election : problems with signatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots , as well as the potential for a small number of ballots miscast or lost .
With Biden leading Trump by substantial margins in key battleground states , none of those issues would have any impact on the outcome of the election .
Many of the legal challenges brought by Trump 's campaign have been tossed out by judges , some within hours of their filing .
But Trump , who primed his supporters for months to doubt this election 's outcome with false tales of ballots being `` dumped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` rigged election , '' has continued his assault on the U.S. vote in more than 40 Facebook and Twitter posts since Election Day .
`` This was a stolen election , '' Trump tweeted on Sunday , the day after Biden became president-elect .
Trump 's supporters have readily echoed the president 's cries of an unfair election on Facebook and Twitter .
Tweets and retweets with terms such as `` steal , '' `` fraud , '' `` rigged , '' and `` dead '' referring to the election spiked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Nov. 6 , according to an analysis by VineSight , a tech company that tracks misinformation .
The company found more than 1.6 million retweets containing some of those words on Nov. 6 alone .
The false claims have shapeshifted over the last week , ranging from misleading assertions that ballots filled out with Sharpie pens in Illinois , Arizona , and Michigan were thrown out to an inaccurate social media post from Eric Trump that the number of ballots cast in Wisconsin exceeded the number of registered voters .
In recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have peddled social media claims that hundreds or thousands of dead people voted in key battleground states like Pennsylvania or Michigan .
One tweet , shared more than 50,000 times , falsely claimed that a dead woman named Donna Brydges voted in the election .
Brydges is very much alive , she confirmed to the AP by phone last week .
In fact , she had `` just beat me in a game of Cribbage , '' her husband told a reporter .
Between Election Day and Monday , roughly 5 million mentions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steal '' were made across social media and online news sites , with most of the claims focusing on closely contested states like Pennsylvania , Georgia , and Michigan , according to an analysis by media intelligence firm Zignal Labs .
Mentions of voter fraud have not waned since final votes were cast Tuesday .
Last week , as Biden pulled ahead in the race , Trump supporters quickly launched dozens of `` Stop the Steal '' groups on Facebook and began using the platform to organize `` Stop the Steal '' rallies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rein in the false claims .
Facebook quickly shut down one `` Stop the Steal '' Facebook group , which ballooned to more than 350,000 members in just one day , after some called for violence in it , and has taken down additional `` Stop the Steal '' groups .
And over the last week , Twitter has covered nearly a dozen of the president 's tweets that make false or unproven claims that voter fraud occurred .
That 's pushed a small but vocal faction of conservatives to lesser-known social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not moderate content posted by users as closely as mainstream tech companies like Facebook , YouTube , or Twitter .
Parler has fewer than 8 million users , but its reach is quickly growing .
As of Tuesday , Parler was the most downloaded app in Apple 's store , followed by MeWe .
Newsmax , a conservative cable network , was in fourth place .
According to Sensor Tower , which tracks such data , Parler was downloaded over 2 million times on Apple and Android in the U.S. from Nov. 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 31 times the downloads it saw in the prior week .
In that same period , Newsmax saw 583,000 installs , up more than 11 times from the previous week .
MeWe hit 218,000 installs , more than 14 times the 15,000 installs it saw in the previous week .
The conversation on Parler has centered around voter fraud and an election stolen from Trump over the last week .
`` Show the world we wo n't let communist steal the White House , '' one Parler user wrote Tuesday , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hashtag # StopTheSteal .
That migration of social media users could be one drawback of the good job Facebook and Twitter did fact-checking and removing false content around the U.S. election , Starbird , the misinformation expert , noted .
`` What they tried to do is commendable , which is why people are moving to other platforms , '' Starbird said .

It started months before Election Day with false claims on Facebook and Twitter that mail-in ballots cast for Donald Trump had been chucked in dumpsters or rivers.
Now, a week after the final polls closed, falsehoods about dead people voting and ballots being thrown out by poll workers are still thriving on social media, reaching an audience of millions. Trump and his supporters are pointing to those debunked claims on social media as reason to not accept that Democrat Joe Biden won the election.
“These will probably persist for years or even decades unfortunately,” Kate Starbird, a University of Washington professor and online misinformation expert, said of the false claims about the U.S. election process. “People are very motivated to both participate in them and believe them.”
There is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. In fact, voting officials from both political parties have stated publicly that the election went well and international observers confirmed there were no serious irregularities.
The issues raised by Trump’s campaign and his allies are typical in every election: problems with signatures, secrecy envelopes and postal marks on mail-in ballots, as well as the potential for a small number of ballots miscast or lost. With Biden leading Trump by substantial margins in key battleground states, none of those issues would have any impact on the outcome of the election. Many of the legal challenges brought by Trump’s campaign have been tossed out by judges, some within hours of their filing.
But Trump, who primed his supporters for months to doubt this election’s outcome with false tales of ballots being “dumped in rivers” and baseless tweets warning of a “rigged election,” has continued his assault on the U.S. vote in more than 40 Facebook and Twitter posts since Election Day.
“This was a stolen election,” Trump tweeted on Sunday, the day after Biden became president-elect.
Trump’s supporters have readily echoed the president’s cries of an unfair election on Facebook and Twitter.
Tweets and retweets with terms such as “steal,” “fraud,” “rigged,” and “dead” referring to the election spiked more than 2,800% from Nov. 2 to Nov. 6, according to an analysis by VineSight, a tech company that tracks misinformation. The company found more than 1.6 million retweets containing some of those words on Nov. 6 alone.
The false claims have shapeshifted over the last week, ranging from misleading assertions that ballots filled out with Sharpie pens in Illinois, Arizona, and Michigan were thrown out to an inaccurate social media post from Eric Trump that the number of ballots cast in Wisconsin exceeded the number of registered voters.
In recent days, prominent Republicans and Trump allies have peddled social media claims that hundreds or thousands of dead people voted in key battleground states like Pennsylvania or Michigan.
One tweet, shared more than 50,000 times, falsely claimed that a dead woman named Donna Brydges voted in the election. Brydges is very much alive, she confirmed to the AP by phone last week. In fact, she had “just beat me in a game of Cribbage,” her husband told a reporter.
Between Election Day and Monday, roughly 5 million mentions of voter fraud and “Stop the Steal” were made across social media and online news sites, with most of the claims focusing on closely contested states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Michigan, according to an analysis by media intelligence firm Zignal Labs. Mentions of voter fraud have not waned since final votes were cast Tuesday.
Last week, as Biden pulled ahead in the race, Trump supporters quickly launched dozens of “Stop the Steal” groups on Facebook and began using the platform to organize “Stop the Steal” rallies.
The social media platforms have tried to rein in the false claims.
Facebook quickly shut down one “Stop the Steal” Facebook group, which ballooned to more than 350,000 members in just one day, after some called for violence in it, and has taken down additional “Stop the Steal” groups. And over the last week, Twitter has covered nearly a dozen of the president’s tweets that make false or unproven claims that voter fraud occurred.
That’s pushed a small but vocal faction of conservatives to lesser-known social media sites like Parler, which does not moderate content posted by users as closely as mainstream tech companies like Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter.
Parler has fewer than 8 million users, but its reach is quickly growing. As of Tuesday, Parler was the most downloaded app in Apple’s store, followed by MeWe. Newsmax, a conservative cable network, was in fourth place. According to Sensor Tower, which tracks such data, Parler was downloaded over 2 million times on Apple and Android in the U.S. from Nov. 3 to Nov. 9. This is more than 31 times the downloads it saw in the prior week. In that same period, Newsmax saw 583,000 installs, up more than 11 times from the previous week. MeWe hit 218,000 installs, more than 14 times the 15,000 installs it saw in the previous week.
The conversation on Parler has centered around voter fraud and an election stolen from Trump over the last week.
“Show the world we won’t let communist steal the White House,” one Parler user wrote Tuesday, in one of many thousands of posts using the hashtag #StopTheSteal.
That migration of social media users could be one drawback of the good job Facebook and Twitter did fact-checking and removing false content around the U.S. election, Starbird, the misinformation expert, noted.
“What they tried to do is commendable, which is why people are moving to other platforms,” Starbird said.


shareblue--2020-11-12--Black women and men play leading roles on Biden transition team

Black policy leaders will play a pivotal role in President-elect Joe Biden 's transition , marking one of the most diverse agency review teams in history .
Of the 500-plus team members announced this week , more than half are women , and Black men and women are leading more than one-quarter of the teams .
The diversity is significant because the teams will be responsible for evaluating the operations of federal agencies that have a broad impact on Americans ' lives .
And it 's especially important because Biden will take office at a time when the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and police brutality — crises that have disparately impacted Black Americans .
`` The agency review process will help lay the foundation for meeting these challenges on Day One , '' said Tony Allen , a transition advisory board member and president of historically Black Delaware State University .
`` We are building a team to reflect America and these Black leaders are dedicated experts in their fields . ''
The teams announced by Biden this week will lay much of the groundwork so the thousands of new staffers and appointees starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ map and guidelines for how to continue the federal government 's work without pause .
The teams face hurdles because Donald Trump has yet to publicly acknowledge Biden 's victory and his administration has prevented a formal start to the transition .
The makeup of the teams is a sign that Biden is focused on rewarding Black voters for their support in the election .
Black voters powered Biden and his running mate , California Sen. Kamala Harris , to victory in critical states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania .
They were also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bastion where Biden holds a narrow lead .
`` The Biden coalition owes a debt to Black folks , '' said Niambi Carter , a Howard University political science professor .
`` Black people helped them survive the primary and then in this election cycle they showed up in key states like Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin that really pulled Joe Biden over the line .
So absolutely , I think this is an attempt by not just Biden but also the Democratic Party to keep Black people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team appointees are graduates of historically Black colleges and universities .
They include Charmion Kinder , who will help lead or guide transition efforts at the Commerce Department .
Kinder was a White House press aide to first lady Michelle Obama and served as a public affairs appointee at the departments of Commerce and Housing and Urban Development .
Patrice Simms will lead the transition effort for the Environmental Protection Agency .
He is a prominent environmental attorney and legal scholar who was a deputy assistant attorney general in the Obama Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civil rights leaders and activists have pledged to push Biden 's administration to create more progressive policies on criminal justice , housing , the economy and more .
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors , in a letter this week , congratulated Biden and Harris on their victory and sought a meeting to discuss `` commitments that must be made to Black people . ''
`` Without the resounding support of Black people , we would be saddled with a very different electoral outcome , '' Cullors wrote .
`` In short , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We want to be heard and our agenda to be prioritized .
We issue these expectations not just because Black people are the most consistent and reliable voters for Democrats , but also because Black people are truly living in crisis in a nation that was built on our subjugation . ''

Black policy leaders will play a pivotal role in President-elect Joe Biden’s transition, marking one of the most diverse agency review teams in history.
Of the 500-plus team members announced this week, more than half are women, and Black men and women are leading more than one-quarter of the teams.
The diversity is significant because the teams will be responsible for evaluating the operations of federal agencies that have a broad impact on Americans’ lives. And it’s especially important because Biden will take office at a time when the United States is confronting a historic pandemic, joblessness, and police brutality — crises that have disparately impacted Black Americans.
“The agency review process will help lay the foundation for meeting these challenges on Day One,” said Tony Allen, a transition advisory board member and president of historically Black Delaware State University. “We are building a team to reflect America and these Black leaders are dedicated experts in their fields.”
The teams announced by Biden this week will lay much of the groundwork so the thousands of new staffers and appointees starting work in January will have a road map and guidelines for how to continue the federal government’s work without pause. The teams face hurdles because Donald Trump has yet to publicly acknowledge Biden’s victory and his administration has prevented a formal start to the transition.
The makeup of the teams is a sign that Biden is focused on rewarding Black voters for their support in the election. Black voters powered Biden and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, to victory in critical states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania.
They were also instrumental in Georgia, a longtime GOP bastion where Biden holds a narrow lead.
“The Biden coalition owes a debt to Black folks,” said Niambi Carter, a Howard University political science professor. “Black people helped them survive the primary and then in this election cycle they showed up in key states like Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin that really pulled Joe Biden over the line. So absolutely, I think this is an attempt by not just Biden but also the Democratic Party to keep Black people in the fold.”
Many of the review team appointees are graduates of historically Black colleges and universities.
They include Charmion Kinder, who will help lead or guide transition efforts at the Commerce Department. Kinder was a White House press aide to first lady Michelle Obama and served as a public affairs appointee at the departments of Commerce and Housing and Urban Development.
Patrice Simms will lead the transition effort for the Environmental Protection Agency. He is a prominent environmental attorney and legal scholar who was a deputy assistant attorney general in the Obama Justice Department’s environment and natural resources division.
Civil rights leaders and activists have pledged to push Biden’s administration to create more progressive policies on criminal justice, housing, the economy and more.
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors, in a letter this week, congratulated Biden and Harris on their victory and sought a meeting to discuss “commitments that must be made to Black people.”
“Without the resounding support of Black people, we would be saddled with a very different electoral outcome,” Cullors wrote. “In short, Black people won this election. … We want to be heard and our agenda to be prioritized. We issue these expectations not just because Black people are the most consistent and reliable voters for Democrats, but also because Black people are truly living in crisis in a nation that was built on our subjugation.”


shareblue--2020-11-12--Meet the LGBTQ people working on Biden's White House transition

The group working on President-elect Joe Biden 's transition to the White House has announced the members of its agency review teams .
The staffers include 10 openly LGBTQ people , some of whom worked in the Obama administration .
The transition team announced about 500 people in total for the review teams , which it said are `` responsible for understanding the operations of each agency , ensuring a smooth transfer of power , and preparing for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris and their cabinet to hit the ground running on Day One . ''
One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointed to the team reviewing the Department of Defense .
Skelly served in the Obama administration as special assistant to the undersecretary of defense for acquisition .
Skelly was the first transgender veteran appointed by a president when Barack Obama named her to the position of director of the Office of the Executive Secretariat of the U.S. Department of Transportation .
Skelly is a co-founder of Out in National Security , an association of national security professionals who advocate for LGBTQ equality .
Chai Feldblum will serve on the review team for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feldblum , a lesbian , was the first openly LGBTQ person to serve on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission .
She worked on the Americans with Disabilities Act and fought against the exclusion of LGBTQ people from the military .
`` To me , when I think about social justice , it means a world in which everyone can live a life of honesty , integrity , and dignity , '' Feldblum said in a speech in 2019 .
`` That means being able to live openly and honestly about who you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , whether you 're transgender , genderqueer , or nonbinary .
It 's about living a life of honesty , integrity , dignity , whoever you are , and economically , that you have a job and you can buy food and housing . ''
Pamela Karlan will also be joining the Justice Department review team .
Karlan , a lesbian , served in the civil rights division of the Justice Department in the Obama administration .
During that time , she helped implement the 2013 Supreme Court decision in United States v. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Defense of Marriage Act that did not recognize the marriages of same-sex couples violated the constitution .
Ken Choe , a gay man , is on the Department of Health and Human Services team .
He was deputy general counsel and counselor to the office of health reform in the Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration before he moved to the law firm Hogan Lovells .
Choe was also the co-chair of the LGBT Issues Coordinating Committee set up at HHS to determine steps the department should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community .
Other lesbian and gay transition team members include Michael Guest on the State Department team , Jeff Marootian on the Department of Transportation team , Kathleen Hartnett and Lynn Rosenthal on the Justice Department team , and Kei Koizumi on the National Science Foundation and Office of Science and Technology Policy team .
Amanda Fischer has been named to the Federal Reserve , Banking and Securities Regulators team .
As the transition team lays the groundwork for the Biden administration , LGBTQ groups are sharing the policies they expect to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his promises to the LGBTQ community .
The LGBTQ Victory Fund , which works to elect more out LGBTQ people to positions in government , has already made a number of requests .
The group called on Biden to appoint at least one openly LGBTQ person to a Senate-confirmed cabinet position .
In addition , the group says that Biden should nominate the first openly LGBTQ Supreme Court justice and appoint as ambassadors LGBTQ women and people of color .
Since there will be more than 4,100 appointees in the Biden administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be 185 people from the LGBTQ community represented among them in order to proportionally reflect its share of the U.S. population .
The organization shared the names of LGBTQ lawmakers , former and current city officials , union presidents , and heads of state agencies as potential candidates for high-level appointments : Sen. Tammy Baldwin , the first openly gay person elected to the Senate , for the Department of Health and Human Services ; Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , and the first openly gay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Nations ; and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey , the first openly gay attorney general , for U.S. attorney general .
It is not their full list of possible appointments .
Ruben Gonzales , vice president of LGBTQ Victory Institute and head of its presidential appointments initiative , said the organization has had informal conversations with people with the Biden transition team .
Randi Weingarten , president of the American Federation of Teachers , who is a lesbian , is on the group 's list as a potential choice to lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beach Mayor Robert Garcia , the first openly gay and first Latinx mayor of Long Beach .
The group also suggested Garcia to potentially lead the Labor Department or the Department of Housing and Urban Development .
The group suggested Raphael Bostic to head the U.S. Treasury .
In 2017 , Bostic made history as the first Black man and first openly gay man to lead a regional bank for the Federal Reserve when he was chosen to become the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta .
Dr. Rachel Levine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of health , is one of the highest-ranking transgender officials in the country .
The organization suggested her for either secretary of health and human services or surgeon general .
`` I 'm feeling very confident and very hopeful that we will see trans people serve in high-level roles in this administration , '' Gonzalez said .
`` Dr. Rachel Levine has served Pennsylvania incredibly well as their secretary of health for a number of years , leading their response on COVID , and leading their response on the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-poised to serve at a high-level in a Biden administration . ''
The LGBTQ Victory Fund also recommends Tampa Mayor Jane Castor , a lesbian , as a possible fit for secretary of housing and urban development and Rep. Mark Takano ( D-CA ) , who was the first openly gay person of Asian descent elected to Congress .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The group working on President-elect Joe Biden’s transition to the White House has announced the members of its agency review teams. The staffers include 10 openly LGBTQ people, some of whom worked in the Obama administration.
The transition team announced about 500 people in total for the review teams, which it said are “responsible for understanding the operations of each agency, ensuring a smooth transfer of power, and preparing for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris and their cabinet to hit the ground running on Day One.”
One of the openly LGBTQ staffers is Shawn Skelly, appointed to the team reviewing the Department of Defense. Skelly served in the Obama administration as special assistant to the undersecretary of defense for acquisition.
Skelly was the first transgender veteran appointed by a president when Barack Obama named her to the position of director of the Office of the Executive Secretariat of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Skelly is a co-founder of Out in National Security, an association of national security professionals who advocate for LGBTQ equality.
Chai Feldblum will serve on the review team for the Department of Justice. In 2010, Feldblum, a lesbian, was the first openly LGBTQ person to serve on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She worked on the Americans with Disabilities Act and fought against the exclusion of LGBTQ people from the military.
“To me, when I think about social justice, it means a world in which everyone can live a life of honesty, integrity, and dignity,” Feldblum said in a speech in 2019. “That means being able to live openly and honestly about who you are, whether you’re lesbian, bisexual, whether you’re transgender, genderqueer, or nonbinary. It’s about living a life of honesty, integrity, dignity, whoever you are, and economically, that you have a job and you can buy food and housing.”
Pamela Karlan will also be joining the Justice Department review team. Karlan, a lesbian, served in the civil rights division of the Justice Department in the Obama administration. During that time, she helped implement the 2013 Supreme Court decision in United States v. Windsor, which held that a section of the Defense of Marriage Act that did not recognize the marriages of same-sex couples violated the constitution.
Ken Choe, a gay man, is on the Department of Health and Human Services team. He was deputy general counsel and counselor to the office of health reform in the Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama administration before he moved to the law firm Hogan Lovells. Choe was also the co-chair of the LGBT Issues Coordinating Committee set up at HHS to determine steps the department should take to improve conditions for the LGBTQ community.
Other lesbian and gay transition team members include Michael Guest on the State Department team, Jeff Marootian on the Department of Transportation team, Kathleen Hartnett and Lynn Rosenthal on the Justice Department team, and Kei Koizumi on the National Science Foundation and Office of Science and Technology Policy team.
Amanda Fischer has been named to the Federal Reserve, Banking and Securities Regulators team.
As the transition team lays the groundwork for the Biden administration, LGBTQ groups are sharing the policies they expect to see implemented and vowing to hold Biden accountable for his promises to the LGBTQ community.
The LGBTQ Victory Fund, which works to elect more out LGBTQ people to positions in government, has already made a number of requests. The group called on Biden to appoint at least one openly LGBTQ person to a Senate-confirmed cabinet position.
In addition, the group says that Biden should nominate the first openly LGBTQ Supreme Court justice and appoint as ambassadors LGBTQ women and people of color. Since there will be more than 4,100 appointees in the Biden administration, the LGBTQ Victory Fund said there should be 185 people from the LGBTQ community represented among them in order to proportionally reflect its share of the U.S. population.
The organization shared the names of LGBTQ lawmakers, former and current city officials, union presidents, and heads of state agencies as potential candidates for high-level appointments: Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay person elected to the Senate, for the Department of Health and Human Services; Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and the first openly gay Democratic presidential candidate, for ambassador to the United Nations; and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the first openly gay attorney general, for U.S. attorney general. It is not their full list of possible appointments.
Ruben Gonzales, vice president of LGBTQ Victory Institute and head of its presidential appointments initiative, said the organization has had informal conversations with people with the Biden transition team.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who is a lesbian, is on the group’s list as a potential choice to lead the Education Department, as is Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, the first openly gay and first Latinx mayor of Long Beach. The group also suggested Garcia to potentially lead the Labor Department or the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The group suggested Raphael Bostic to head the U.S. Treasury. In 2017, Bostic made history as the first Black man and first openly gay man to lead a regional bank for the Federal Reserve when he was chosen to become the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Dr. Rachel Levine, who is serving as Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, is one of the highest-ranking transgender officials in the country. The organization suggested her for either secretary of health and human services or surgeon general.
“I’m feeling very confident and very hopeful that we will see trans people serve in high-level roles in this administration,” Gonzalez said. “Dr. Rachel Levine has served Pennsylvania incredibly well as their secretary of health for a number of years, leading their response on COVID, and leading their response on the opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. I think someone like her is well-poised to serve at a high-level in a Biden administration.”
The LGBTQ Victory Fund also recommends Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, a lesbian, as a possible fit for secretary of housing and urban development and Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), who was the first openly gay person of Asian descent elected to Congress.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-12--Mike Pence had one job — and he's not doing it

Coronavirus cases have reached a frightening new peak , but Vice President Mike Pence , head of the White House coronavirus task force , has reportedly been missing in any meaningful capacity from leadership for weeks .
American deaths now sit at more than 241,000 , according to the New York Times .
More than 1,000 deaths a day were reported over the last seven days , including 1,400 deaths on Tuesday alone .
But a new CNN report notes that Pence has dropped the ball as cases mounted and election chaos has reigned .
According to the outlet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call with state governors once a week , but Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has helmed the task force calls on Oct. 13 and Oct. 30 .
Pence has n't led one since Sept. 29 .
Given the urgency of the coronavirus crisis , Pence 's public schedule has been shockingly clear for the past week .
Pence did reportedly hold a task force meeting Monday as President-elect Joe Biden announced a plan for his own task force .
But the task force has not shared anything from the meeting with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to contain the virus seems on the horizon .
Pence tweeted photos Monday of the meeting , falsely claiming credit for the newly released Pfizer vaccine .
`` The @ WhiteHouse Coronavirus Task Force met today to discuss BIG news out of @ pfizer this morning .
Under President @ realDonaldTrump , we are working at Warp Speed to deliver a Safe & Effective vaccine , '' he wrote on Twitter .
`` This President is DELIVERING for the American People . ''
Pfizer representatives , however , have said that their company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Trump administration initiative meant to expedite a vaccine , and they said they did not accept federal funding for vaccine research or development .
Not much has been on Pence 's schedule in past days , besides speaking with Senate Republicans privately on Tuesday , making a brief Veterans Day appearance at Arlington National Cemetery alongside Donald Trump on Wednesday , and penciling in a lunch with Trump for Thursday .
While he reportedly skipped task force calls during a pandemic peak , the incumbent 's second-in-command has somehow made time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pence has been signing his name to fundraising emails for Trump 's battle to contest the election 's outcome under the guise of false claims of voter fraud .
`` Vice President Pence has been in constant contact with our team and extremely involved in the campaign 's legal efforts , doing everything we and the president have asked of him as well as leading efforts to raise money for the legal funds , '' Trump campaign spokesperson Ali Pardo told the New York Times .
Far from implementing a plan to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pence 's chief goal from last week was to leave town after the election for a Florida vacation on Sanibel Island , off the coast of Fort Myers .
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Pence has since canceled the trip .
Experts have expressed concern about the lack of leadership and guidance by Trump officials even as the pandemic crests and more Americans die each day .
The United States has `` a vacuum of leadership , '' Carlos del Rio , executive associate dean of Emory University School of Medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's own medical analyst Seema Yasmin , once a disease detective for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , told the outlet that the waxing death toll was `` unsustainable , '' comparing the loss of American life to multiple plane crashes happening daily .
`` We need what we have needed from the beginning : a robust pandemic response .
I am so concerned we are not going to see that ... at least until Inauguration Day , '' Yasmin told CNN .
`` In the meantime , things will continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be taking a different approach on the virus .
So far , he has unequivocally promoted mask-wearing and this week announced his own new task force to combat the pandemic .
His top adviser has suggested the idea of a several-week lockdown with lost wages paid to workers .
But the continuing stonewalling of Biden 's transition team by the Trump administration could result in more lost lives , as Biden 's team is still denied access to much-needed documents and briefings on the coronavirus by federal agencies .
Published with permission @ @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus cases have reached a frightening new peak, but Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House coronavirus task force, has reportedly been missing in any meaningful capacity from leadership for weeks.
American deaths now sit at more than 241,000, according to the New York Times. More than 1,000 deaths a day were reported over the last seven days, including 1,400 deaths on Tuesday alone.
But a new CNN report notes that Pence has dropped the ball as cases mounted and election chaos has reigned.
According to the outlet, Pence previously led a task force conference call with state governors once a week, but Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has helmed the task force calls on Oct. 13 and Oct. 30. Pence hasn’t led one since Sept. 29.
Given the urgency of the coronavirus crisis, Pence’s public schedule has been shockingly clear for the past week. Pence did reportedly hold a task force meeting Monday as President-elect Joe Biden announced a plan for his own task force. But the task force has not shared anything from the meeting with the press, and no concrete plan to contain the virus seems on the horizon.
Pence tweeted photos Monday of the meeting, falsely claiming credit for the newly released Pfizer vaccine.
“The @WhiteHouse Coronavirus Task Force met today to discuss BIG news out of @pfizer this morning. Under President @realDonaldTrump, we are working at Warp Speed to deliver a Safe & Effective vaccine,” he wrote on Twitter. “This President is DELIVERING for the American People.”
Pfizer representatives, however, have said that their company has not participated in Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration initiative meant to expedite a vaccine, and they said they did not accept federal funding for vaccine research or development.
Not much has been on Pence’s schedule in past days, besides speaking with Senate Republicans privately on Tuesday, making a brief Veterans Day appearance at Arlington National Cemetery alongside Donald Trump on Wednesday, and penciling in a lunch with Trump for Thursday.
While he reportedly skipped task force calls during a pandemic peak, the incumbent’s second-in-command has somehow made time to challenge the election’s results.
Pence has been signing his name to fundraising emails for Trump’s battle to contest the election’s outcome under the guise of false claims of voter fraud.
“Vice President Pence has been in constant contact with our team and extremely involved in the campaign’s legal efforts, doing everything we and the president have asked of him as well as leading efforts to raise money for the legal funds,” Trump campaign spokesperson Ali Pardo told the New York Times.
Far from implementing a plan to combat the growing threat of the virus, Pence’s chief goal from last week was to leave town after the election for a Florida vacation on Sanibel Island, off the coast of Fort Myers. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Pence has since canceled the trip.
Experts have expressed concern about the lack of leadership and guidance by Trump officials even as the pandemic crests and more Americans die each day.


shareblue--2020-11-12--GOP congressman swears thousands of dead people somehow voted. They didn't.

Rep. Louie Gohmert ( R-TX ) falsely claimed on Thursday that there was `` confirmed '' evidence that 10,000 dead people voted in Michigan last week .
Appearing on Fox News , he charged that the 2020 election had been `` stolen '' from Donald Trump and that `` anyone that says the allegations of fraud are unfounded is just either ignorant or so biased that they 're trying to affect the outcome . ''
Election officials from both parties have found zero evidence of any widespread fraud impacting the outcome : Joe Biden 's decisive victory .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Michigan to have voted .
That is outrageous ! ''
he charged .
`` And we 're not talking about allegations .
We 're talking about — it 's been confirmed that that many , more than 10,000 dead people . ''
As a Fox host tried to move on to another topic , Gohmert continued : `` You 're talking about evidence .
It 's sworn .
This is sworn evidence .
You do n't have to believe it , but it is sworn evidence , and not just simply allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referring to a debunked online rumor that 14,000 dead voters had been found in Wayne County , home of the city of Detroit .
According to PolitiFact , the list included people listed as over 100 years old — some still living , simply incorrectly recorded — as well as many who had not actually voted .
`` There is no evidence that Michigan clerks counted ballots fraudulently cast on behalf of dead people , '' the nonpartisan fact-checkers determined .
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson posted a fact-check on her official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In some cases , because of a clerical error , a ballot will be recorded as cast by a deceased individual when it was actually cast by a living individual with a similar name .
For example , a ballot that was cast by John A. Smith , Jr. , who is alive , might be accidentally recorded as having been received by John A. Smith , Sr. , who is deceased . ''
The `` sworn evidence '' Gohmert references is likely an affidavit referenced by Trump 's legal team on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election result certification process .
But even Trump 's team does not claim to have evidence of 10,000 dead voters ; it claims to have evidence of just one .
`` One Michigan voter stated that her deceased son has been recorded as voting twice since he passed away , most recently in the 2020 general election , '' his lawyers claimed .
But state officials have determined that in that case , it appears that the ballot the woman had flagged was cast by a legal voter with the same name .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ say Trump 's legal challenges will not alter the fact that Biden is the president-elect .
A spokesperson for Gohmert did not immediately respond to request for comment for this story .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) falsely claimed on Thursday that there was “confirmed” evidence that 10,000 dead people voted in Michigan last week.
Appearing on Fox News, he charged that the 2020 election had been “stolen” from Donald Trump and that “anyone that says the allegations of fraud are unfounded is just either ignorant or so biased that they’re trying to affect the outcome.” Election officials from both parties have found zero evidence of any widespread fraud impacting the outcome: Joe Biden’s decisive victory.
“You got more than 10,000 dead people confirmed in Michigan to have voted. That is outrageous!” he charged. “And we’re not talking about allegations. We’re talking about — it’s been confirmed that that many, more than 10,000 dead people.”
As a Fox host tried to move on to another topic, Gohmert continued: “You’re talking about evidence. It’s sworn. This is sworn evidence. You don’t have to believe it, but it is sworn evidence, and not just simply allegations.”
Gohmert appears to have been referring to a debunked online rumor that 14,000 dead voters had been found in Wayne County, home of the city of Detroit.
According to PolitiFact, the list included people listed as over 100 years old — some still living, simply incorrectly recorded — as well as many who had not actually voted. “There is no evidence that Michigan clerks counted ballots fraudulently cast on behalf of dead people,” the nonpartisan fact-checkers determined.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson posted a fact-check on her official letterhead in which she noted: “In some cases, because of a clerical error, a ballot will be recorded as cast by a deceased individual when it was actually cast by a living individual with a similar name. For example, a ballot that was cast by John A. Smith, Jr., who is alive, might be accidentally recorded as having been received by John A. Smith, Sr., who is deceased.”
The “sworn evidence” Gohmert references is likely an affidavit referenced by Trump’s legal team on Wednesday in its legal challenge to Michigan’s election result certification process.
But even Trump’s team does not claim to have evidence of 10,000 dead voters; it claims to have evidence of just one.
“One Michigan voter stated that her deceased son has been recorded as voting twice since he passed away, most recently in the 2020 general election,” his lawyers claimed.
But state officials have determined that in that case, it appears that the ballot the woman had flagged was cast by a legal voter with the same name.
Experts and even GOP strategist Karl Rove say Trump’s legal challenges will not alter the fact that Biden is the president-elect.
A spokesperson for Gohmert did not immediately respond to request for comment for this story.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-12--GOP House leader: Newly elected QAnon fans make our party 'diverse'

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Thursday that he wants people to give two Republican incoming members of Congress a chance , even though they have expressed support for the dangerous and thoroughly debunked QAnon conspiracy theory .
The theory claims , among other things , that Donald Trump is ridding the government of Satan-worshipping pedophiles .
The FBI has deemed a domestic terror threat .
McCarthy made the comment after being asked by a reporter whether he 's `` concerned '' about Reps.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene ( R-GA ) and Lauren Boebert ( R-CO ) .
Aside from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a number of racist , antisemitic , and Islamophobic comments .
She said , for example , that the 2018 midterms amounted to an `` Islamic invasion of our government '' because Democrats elected Muslim members of Congress .
In 2019 , Greene traveled to the U.S. Capitol to demand two Muslim members of Congress — Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib — take the oath of office on a Bible , as well as tell them they should `` really should go back to the Middle East if they support Sharia '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Middle East .
Omar is a Somali refugee , while Tlaib is an American who was born in Michigan .
Boebert has also expressed support for QAnon .
Here is the exchange McCarthy had with a reporter on Nov. 12 : REPORTER : How concerned are you about the Marjorie Taylor Greene 's , the Lauren Boeberts , who have talked about and supported QAnon in the past , creating controversy for your conference ?
I mean Marjorie Taylor walked around ... MCCARTHY : Did [ Politico editor John ] Bresnahan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No , look Marjorie Taylor walked around with a Bible looking for Reps. Tlaib and Omar saying that they needed to swear in on a Bible and not the Quran .
How are you going to deal ?
MCCARTHY : Look , our party is very diverse .
You mentioned two people who are going to join our party and both of 'em have denounced Qanon .
The only thing I would ask of you in a press , these are new members , give them an opportunity before you claim what you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will do .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Thursday that he wants people to give two Republican incoming members of Congress a chance, even though they have expressed support for the dangerous and thoroughly debunked QAnon conspiracy theory.
The theory claims, among other things, that Donald Trump is ridding the government of Satan-worshipping pedophiles. The FBI has deemed a domestic terror threat.
McCarthy made the comment after being asked by a reporter whether he’s “concerned” about Reps.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO).
Aside from their QAnon support, Greene has also said a number of racist, antisemitic, and Islamophobic comments. She said, for example, that the 2018 midterms amounted to an “Islamic invasion of our government” because Democrats elected Muslim members of Congress.
In 2019, Greene traveled to the U.S. Capitol to demand two Muslim members of Congress — Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib — take the oath of office on a Bible, as well as tell them they should “really should go back to the Middle East if they support Sharia” law.
Neither Omar nor Tlaib are from the Middle East. Omar is a Somali refugee, while Tlaib is an American who was born in Michigan.
Boebert has also expressed support for QAnon.
Here is the exchange McCarthy had with a reporter on Nov. 12:
REPORTER: How concerned are you about the Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, the Lauren Boeberts, who have talked about and supported QAnon in the past, creating controversy for your conference? I mean Marjorie Taylor walked around… MCCARTHY: Did [Politico editor John] Bresnahan give you this question? REPORTER: No, look Marjorie Taylor walked around with a Bible looking for Reps. Tlaib and Omar saying that they needed to swear in on a Bible and not the Quran. How are you going to deal? MCCARTHY: Look, our party is very diverse. You mentioned two people who are going to join our party and both of ’em have denounced Qanon. The only thing I would ask of you in a press, these are new members, give them an opportunity before you claim what you believe they have done and what they will do.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-12--Trump's team knows he lost and there's nothing he can do about it

Top White House aides have admitted it 's accurate for President-elect Joe Biden 's team to refer to Donald Trump 's refusal to concede as `` theatrics , '' according to a Wednesday report by NBC News .
And a new Washington Post report claims that Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel , White House chief of staff Mark Meadows , and Trump 's unofficial adviser Corey Lewandowski have all admitted behind closed doors that the likelihood of Trump winning any of these suits is close to nil .
`` Even Trump realizes that the likelihood of the result changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told NBC News .
Another called Trump 's antics `` unsustainable . ''
The atmosphere in the White House is grim as the Trump campaign continues filing frivolous suits in contested states while making false claims of `` election fraud . ''
A number of those lawsuits have already been dismissed by federal judges .
Karl Rove , a former top George W. Bush aide who served as an adviser on the Trump campaign , wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Wednesday saying Trump 's legal efforts `` are unlikely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's column , and certainly they 're not enough to change the final outcome . ''
One of Trump 's more recent suits involves allegations of misconduct in Wayne County , Michigan .
But Michigan Department of State spokesman Jake Rollow was emphatic in a recent statement that the Trump campaign 's false allegations in the suit were merely a tantrum intended to undermine the public 's belief in the transparency of the election process .
`` It does not change the truth , '' he added .
`` Michigan 's elections were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the results are an accurate reflection of the will of the people . ''
In a failed suit filed in Montgomery County , Pennsylvania , Trump 's own attorney admitted he had no evidence of voter fraud .
`` Are you claiming that there is any fraud in connection with these 592 disputed ballots ? ''
a Pennsylvania judge asked Trump 's attorney , Jonathan Goldstein .
`` To my knowledge at present , no , '' answered Goldstein .
Even if the Trump team could produce evidence of voter fraud , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some states is n't even enough to sway the election .
In Pennsylvania , for example , Trump is attempting to throw out around 7,800 ballots in total — but Biden leads the state by more than 53,000 votes , according to the New York Times tally .
`` If those ballots could n't change the election to make any difference to how Pennsylvania will be decided , then [ Trump ] does n't have a claim he can bring , '' University of Pennsylvania law professor Deborah Hellman told Bloomberg .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio State University 's program in election law , told the outlet that Trump 's courtroom challenges could only reverse the outcome if it were only a single state `` that he has to flip . ''
`` A challenge in a single state is a long short , '' Huefner said .
`` [ But ] he 's got three long shots , or something , that he has to make all in succession . ''
University of Iowa law professor Derek Muller told the Washington Post that without any clear evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't stand a chance at delaying the certification of multiple states .
`` [ And ] I do n't see anything significant at the moment , '' Muller said , referring to the absence of evidence to support Trump 's claims .
He also noted to the outlet that he could think of no precedent for a court decision prompting such a certification delay .
But in the wake of Trump 's recent lawsuit seeking to throw out 1.2 million Michigan votes , even Michigan 's House Minority Leader Christine Greig seemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's `` antics . ''
She noted to the Post that while state officials had `` strategized about a range of possible antics , '' Republicans ' futile attempts to stop vote counts and throw out valid votes were merely `` a pathetic attempt to delay the inevitable . ''
But Trump continues to rile up his base with inflammatory and baseless claims , despite the futility of the venture .
`` WE WILL WIN ! ''
he tweeted Wednesday night , accompanying old footage of a Trump rally .
And Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll watchers had been blocked from access to rooms where ballots were being counted .
`` Pennsylvania & Michigan would n't let our Poll Watchers & Observers into counting rooms , '' he tweeted .
`` illegal ! ''
But in one hotly contested voting locale in Detroit , Michigan , angry poll watchers were blocked from access because the room was already well beyond capacity — with 268 Democratic , 227 Republican , and 75 independent poll watchers already in the room , according to the Detroit Free Press .
The maximum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Michigan is 134 .
And Trump 's own attorneys admitted in court that Republican observers were indeed present during contested Philadelphia vote tabulations .
President-elect Joe Biden had a word for Trump 's failure to concede and flurry of frivolous litigation .
`` I just think it 's an embarrassment , quite frankly , '' Biden said Tuesday .
`` I think it will not help the president 's legacy . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Top White House aides have admitted it’s accurate for President-elect Joe Biden’s team to refer to Donald Trump’s refusal to concede as “theatrics,” according to a Wednesday report by NBC News.
And a new Washington Post report claims that Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and Trump’s unofficial adviser Corey Lewandowski have all admitted behind closed doors that the likelihood of Trump winning any of these suits is close to nil.
“Even Trump realizes that the likelihood of the result changing is almost zero,” one adviser told NBC News. Another called Trump’s antics “unsustainable.”
The atmosphere in the White House is grim as the Trump campaign continues filing frivolous suits in contested states while making false claims of “election fraud.” A number of those lawsuits have already been dismissed by federal judges.
Karl Rove, a former top George W. Bush aide who served as an adviser on the Trump campaign, wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Wednesday saying Trump’s legal efforts “are unlikely to move a single state from Mr. Biden’s column, and certainly they’re not enough to change the final outcome.”
One of Trump’s more recent suits involves allegations of misconduct in Wayne County, Michigan. But Michigan Department of State spokesman Jake Rollow was emphatic in a recent statement that the Trump campaign’s false allegations in the suit were merely a tantrum intended to undermine the public’s belief in the transparency of the election process.
“It does not change the truth,” he added. “Michigan’s elections were conducted fairly, securely, transparently, and the results are an accurate reflection of the will of the people.”
In a failed suit filed in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Trump’s own attorney admitted he had no evidence of voter fraud.
“Are you claiming that there is any fraud in connection with these 592 disputed ballots?” a Pennsylvania judge asked Trump’s attorney, Jonathan Goldstein.
“To my knowledge at present, no,” answered Goldstein.
Even if the Trump team could produce evidence of voter fraud, the number of ballots Trump is contesting in some states isn’t even enough to sway the election. In Pennsylvania, for example, Trump is attempting to throw out around 7,800 ballots in total — but Biden leads the state by more than 53,000 votes, according to the New York Times tally.
“If those ballots couldn’t change the election to make any difference to how Pennsylvania will be decided, then [Trump] doesn’t have a claim he can bring,” University of Pennsylvania law professor Deborah Hellman told Bloomberg.
Steven Huefner, the deputy director of Ohio State University’s program in election law, told the outlet that Trump’s courtroom challenges could only reverse the outcome if it were only a single state “that he has to flip.”
“A challenge in a single state is a long short,” Huefner said. “[But] he’s got three long shots, or something, that he has to make all in succession.”
University of Iowa law professor Derek Muller told the Washington Post that without any clear evidence of voter fraud, Trump’s lawsuits don’t stand a chance at delaying the certification of multiple states.
“[And] I don’t see anything significant at the moment,” Muller said, referring to the absence of evidence to support Trump’s claims. He also noted to the outlet that he could think of no precedent for a court decision prompting such a certification delay.
But in the wake of Trump’s recent lawsuit seeking to throw out 1.2 million Michigan votes, even Michigan’s House Minority Leader Christine Greig seemed fed up with what she described as Trump’s “antics.”
She noted to the Post that while state officials had “strategized about a range of possible antics,” Republicans’ futile attempts to stop vote counts and throw out valid votes were merely “a pathetic attempt to delay the inevitable.”
But Trump continues to rile up his base with inflammatory and baseless claims, despite the futility of the venture.
“WE WILL WIN!” he tweeted Wednesday night, accompanying old footage of a Trump rally.
And Thursday, he again asserted without proof that poll watchers had been blocked from access to rooms where ballots were being counted.
“Pennsylvania & Michigan wouldn’t let our Poll Watchers & Observers into counting rooms,” he tweeted. “illegal!”
But in one hotly contested voting locale in Detroit, Michigan, angry poll watchers were blocked from access because the room was already well beyond capacity — with 268 Democratic, 227 Republican, and 75 independent poll watchers already in the room, according to the Detroit Free Press.
The maximum number of observers permitted in the state of Michigan is 134.
And Trump’s own attorneys admitted in court that Republican observers were indeed present during contested Philadelphia vote tabulations.
President-elect Joe Biden had a word for Trump’s failure to concede and flurry of frivolous litigation.
“I just think it’s an embarrassment, quite frankly,” Biden said Tuesday. “I think it will not help the president’s legacy.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.