shareblue--2020-11-18--Judge orders Trump administration to stop kicking out immigrant children

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to stop expelling immigrant children who cross the southern border alone , halting a policy that has resulted in thousands of rapid deportations of minors during the coronavirus pandemic .
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued a preliminary injunction sought by legal groups suing on behalf of children whom the government sought to expel before they could request asylum or other protections under federal law .
The Trump administration has expelled at least 8,800 unaccompanied children since March , when it issued an emergency declaration citing the coronavirus as grounds for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining in the United States .
Border agents have forced many people to return to Mexico right away , while detaining others in holding facilities or hotels , sometimes for days or weeks .
Meanwhile , government-funded facilities meant to hold children while they are placed with sponsors have thousands of unused beds .
Sullivan 's order bars only the expulsion of children who cross the border unaccompanied by a parent .
The government has expelled more than 147,000 people since March , including adults , and parents and children traveling together .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ young children back to danger without any hearing , '' said Lee Gelernt , a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union .
`` Like so many other Trump administration policies , it was gratuitously cruel and unlawful . ''
The Justice Department did not immediately say whether it would appeal .
It has appealed another federal judge 's order barring the use of hotels to detain children .
The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden has not directly said whether it will keep trying to expel immigrants under public-health authority .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration policies restricting asylum as part of a broader shift on immigration .
The Trump administration has argued in court that it must expel children who have recently crossed the border — whether they had authorization or not — to prevent the infection of border agents and others in immigration custody .
The emergency declaration was made by Dr. Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the Justice Department on Oct. 2 cited the judgment of `` the nation 's top public health official '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of children .
The Associated Press reported on Oct. 3 that top CDC officials resisted issuing the declaration because it lacked a public health basis , but that Vice President Mike Pence ordered Redfield to move forward anyway .
Opponents of the policy accuse the administration of using the pandemic as a pretext to restrict immigration and say agents can safely screen minors for COVID-19 without denying protections under federal anti-trafficking law and a court settlement that governs the treatment of children .
U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey recommended on Sept. 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of children , saying the government was claiming power that was `` breathtakingly broad . ''
Children and parents who have been expelled have reported believing they would be allowed to reunite with family in the U.S. , only to instead be deported to their countries of origin .
One mother of 12- and 9-year-olds found out her children had been expelled when she received a call from an official in Honduras asking her to send a relative to collect them .
The father of a 1-year-old girl alleged that agents told him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ice in case their temperatures were checked before boarding a flight .
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has denied using ice as an artificial cooling measure .

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to stop expelling immigrant children who cross the southern border alone, halting a policy that has resulted in thousands of rapid deportations of minors during the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued a preliminary injunction sought by legal groups suing on behalf of children whom the government sought to expel before they could request asylum or other protections under federal law.
The Trump administration has expelled at least 8,800 unaccompanied children since March, when it issued an emergency declaration citing the coronavirus as grounds for barring most people crossing the border from remaining in the United States.
Border agents have forced many people to return to Mexico right away, while detaining others in holding facilities or hotels, sometimes for days or weeks. Meanwhile, government-funded facilities meant to hold children while they are placed with sponsors have thousands of unused beds.
Sullivan’s order bars only the expulsion of children who cross the border unaccompanied by a parent. The government has expelled more than 147,000 people since March, including adults, and parents and children traveling together.
“This policy was sending thousands of young children back to danger without any hearing,” said Lee Gelernt, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. “Like so many other Trump administration policies, it was gratuitously cruel and unlawful.”
The Justice Department did not immediately say whether it would appeal. It has appealed another federal judge’s order barring the use of hotels to detain children.
The incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden has not directly said whether it will keep trying to expel immigrants under public-health authority. Biden is expected to roll back several Trump administration policies restricting asylum as part of a broader shift on immigration.
The Trump administration has argued in court that it must expel children who have recently crossed the border — whether they had authorization or not — to prevent the infection of border agents and others in immigration custody. The emergency declaration was made by Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Justice Department on Oct. 2 cited the judgment of “the nation’s top public health official” in urging Sullivan not to stop the expulsion of children.
The Associated Press reported on Oct. 3 that top CDC officials resisted issuing the declaration because it lacked a public health basis, but that Vice President Mike Pence ordered Redfield to move forward anyway.
Opponents of the policy accuse the administration of using the pandemic as a pretext to restrict immigration and say agents can safely screen minors for COVID-19 without denying protections under federal anti-trafficking law and a court settlement that governs the treatment of children.
U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey recommended on Sept. 25 that Sullivan grant an injunction barring expulsions of children, saying the government was claiming power that was “breathtakingly broad.”
Children and parents who have been expelled have reported believing they would be allowed to reunite with family in the U.S., only to instead be deported to their countries of origin.
One mother of 12- and 9-year-olds found out her children had been expelled when she received a call from an official in Honduras asking her to send a relative to collect them.
The father of a 1-year-old girl alleged that agents told him and his wife to feed the girl ice in case their temperatures were checked before boarding a flight. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has denied using ice as an artificial cooling measure.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Marco Rubio: We will block Biden's Cabinet picks because Democrats are 'so unfair'

Sen. Marco Rubio ( R-FL ) said on Wednesday that the Senate should stop the tradition of granting deference to Cabinet nominees offered by President-elect Joe Biden .
Rubio justified his position by claiming that Democrats `` have been just so unfair '' to Donald Trump .
`` There 'll be a lot less deference given to presidential appointments because there was zero deference given to President Trump 's appointments , '' Rubio told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt .
Rubio added , `` There 's just no way that Biden 's nominations are going to be treated like they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , simply because the atmosphere in the Senate has changed . ''
This commitment to obstruction , Rubio said , is `` because of the way Democrats have been just so unfair . ''
Traditionally , presidents are granted deference for their nominees .
This has been true for Trump 's administration as well , even though many of his selections for top positions , including his Cabinet , have been criticized for their problematic records , conflicts of interest , or , in the case of many of his judicial nominees , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other hand , has indicated that is seeking highly qualified and experienced people for his administration , after winning nearly 80 million votes as well as 306 Electoral Colleges votes — a number Trump characterized as a `` landslide '' in 2016 .
From the Nov. 18 edition of `` The Hugh Hewitt Show '' : MARCO RUBIO : I do think that given what 's occurred in the Senate over the last four years and under President Trump , there 'll be a lot less deference given to presidential appointments because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's appointments .
And one of the funny things to see is when President Trump dismisses someone who was confirmed by the Senate but Democrats voted against , suddenly they become a hero of the Democratic Party .
But when they were nominated , they were the worst person on Earth if you heard them and what they said about them .
So , look , there 's just no way that Biden 's nominations are going to be treated like they traditionally have been treated under previous presidents , simply because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and frankly , because of the way Democrats have been just so unfair during the Trump years on some of these nominees , that they simply oppose them because the president is for them .
I almost joke that the president should say , `` I do n't want this person confirmed , '' nominate him , and then say he 's against them so that they would support him .
I mean that 's how ridiculous it became .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said on Wednesday that the Senate should stop the tradition of granting deference to Cabinet nominees offered by President-elect Joe Biden. Rubio justified his position by claiming that Democrats “have been just so unfair” to Donald Trump.
“There’ll be a lot less deference given to presidential appointments because there was zero deference given to President Trump’s appointments,” Rubio told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Rubio added, “There’s just no way that Biden’s nominations are going to be treated like they traditionally have been treated under previous presidents, simply because the atmosphere in the Senate has changed.”
This commitment to obstruction, Rubio said, is “because of the way Democrats have been just so unfair.”
Traditionally, presidents are granted deference for their nominees. This has been true for Trump’s administration as well, even though many of his selections for top positions, including his Cabinet, have been criticized for their problematic records, conflicts of interest, or, in the case of many of his judicial nominees, simply being unqualified.
Biden, on the other hand, has indicated that is seeking highly qualified and experienced people for his administration, after winning nearly 80 million votes as well as 306 Electoral Colleges votes — a number Trump characterized as a “landslide” in 2016.
From the Nov. 18 edition of “The Hugh Hewitt Show”:
MARCO RUBIO: I do think that given what’s occurred in the Senate over the last four years and under President Trump, there’ll be a lot less deference given to presidential appointments because there was zero deference given to President Trump’s appointments. And one of the funny things to see is when President Trump dismisses someone who was confirmed by the Senate but Democrats voted against, suddenly they become a hero of the Democratic Party. But when they were nominated, they were the worst person on Earth if you heard them and what they said about them. So, look, there’s just no way that Biden’s nominations are going to be treated like they traditionally have been treated under previous presidents, simply because the atmosphere in the Senate has changed, and frankly, because of the way Democrats have been just so unfair during the Trump years on some of these nominees, that they simply oppose them because the president is for them. I almost joke that the president should say, “I don’t want this person confirmed,” nominate him, and then say he’s against them so that they would support him. I mean that’s how ridiculous it became.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Lindsey Graham hit with ethics complaint for allegedly trying to fix Georgia vote

Three leading experts on government ethics filed a complaint against Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) on Wednesday , accusing him of threatening American democracy .
In a formal letter addressed to Sen. James Lankford ( R-OK ) and Sen. Chris Coons ( D-DE ) , the chair and vice chair respectively of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics , Claire Finkelstein , Richard Painter , and Walter Shaub requested an investigation into whether Graham inappropriately contacted state elections officials and urged the disenfranchisement of American voters : We write to urge the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( R-SC ) called Georgia ’ s Secretary of State , Brad Raffensperger , to discuss his ongoing count of votes for the office of president .
We further urge the committee to investigate whether Senator Graham suggested that Secretary Raffensperger disenfranchise Georgia voters by not counting votes lawfully cast for the office of president .
Finally , your Committee should demand clarity as to whether Senator Graham has threatened anyone with a Senate investigation of the Georgia vote tally and or taken steps to initiate such an investigation .
Graham has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of State Brad Raffensperger , a Republican , charged that Senate Judiciary chair had asked whether Georgia could invalidate all of the mail-in ballots from counties with high rates of nonmatching signatures .
Such a move would have thrown out many legally cast ballots .
`` It sure looked like he was wanting to go down that road , '' Raffensperger told the Washington Post on Monday .
The letters ' authors are lawyers and experienced authorities on ethics in government .
Finkelstein is director and founder of the Center for Ethics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ; Painter , the former chief ethics lawyer for Republican President George W. Bush , is a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School ; and Shaub served as director of the United States Office of Government Ethics from 2013 to 2017 , overseeing ethics for the federal government .
`` For the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to suggest to a state Secretary of State that he refrain from counting lawful votes threatens the electoral process and damages representative democracy .
The Senate Select Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it finds Chairman Graham committed the alleged misconduct , seek an appropriate sanction or any other appropriate remedy , '' they wrote .
Even if your committee were to reject Secretary Raffensperger 's allegation regarding the content of the communication , the conduct Senator Graham has admitted is deeply troubling .
There can be no legitimate reason for the Judiciary Committee 's chairman to call a top election official regarding an ongoing vote count .
... Making matters worse , according to the Washington Post 's reporting , Senator Graham acknowledged the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state official : `` If he feels threatened by that conversation , he 's got a problem . ''
This flippant response about such serious charges is , itself , conduct unbecoming of a member of the Senate .
A spokesperson for Graham did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story .
But Graham told reporters on Tuesday that he had also contacted officials in Arizona and Nevada to ask about the `` integrity of the election process . ''
Graham 's preferred candidate , Donald Trump , lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden .
The authors noted that this too was a likely ethical violation : `` It is not clear why Senator Graham thought that claiming he repeated the alleged misconduct would serve as a valid defense . ''
In requesting that the Ethics Committee investigate the allegations , they concluded : Secretary Raffensperger ’ s allegation describes extreme misconduct and abuse of senatorial authority .
This alleged attempt by Senator Graham to throw the election for President Trump after the fact by encouraging the very fraud he purports to be investigating threatens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very thing that makes it a republic , our elections .
Even if the committee believes only Senator Graham ’ s account , his call to the state election official during an ongoing vote count amounts to misconduct .
These alleged acts committed by Senator Graham bring discredit and dishonor upon the Senate and constitute conduct unbecoming of a United States Senator .
According to the committee 's website , its procedures for investigations indicate that it will now initiate a preliminary inquiry into Graham 's alleged actions and determine if there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ substantial cause for the Committee to conclude that a violation has occurred . ''
The penalties for such a violation could range anywhere from a private letter of reprimand to expulsion from the Senate .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Three leading experts on government ethics filed a complaint against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Wednesday, accusing him of threatening American democracy.
In a formal letter addressed to Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), the chair and vice chair respectively of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics, Claire Finkelstein, Richard Painter, and Walter Shaub requested an investigation into whether Graham inappropriately contacted state elections officials and urged the disenfranchisement of American voters:
We write to urge the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate whether Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, to discuss his ongoing count of votes for the office of president. We further urge the committee to investigate whether Senator Graham suggested that Secretary Raffensperger disenfranchise Georgia voters by not counting votes lawfully cast for the office of president. Finally, your Committee should demand clarity as to whether Senator Graham has threatened anyone with a Senate investigation of the Georgia vote tally and or taken steps to initiate such an investigation.
Graham has been under fire this week after Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, charged that Senate Judiciary chair had asked whether Georgia could invalidate all of the mail-in ballots from counties with high rates of nonmatching signatures. Such a move would have thrown out many legally cast ballots.
“It sure looked like he was wanting to go down that road,” Raffensperger told the Washington Post on Monday.
The letters’ authors are lawyers and experienced authorities on ethics in government. Finkelstein is director and founder of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; Painter, the former chief ethics lawyer for Republican President George W. Bush, is a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School; and Shaub served as director of the United States Office of Government Ethics from 2013 to 2017, overseeing ethics for the federal government.
“For the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to suggest to a state Secretary of State that he refrain from counting lawful votes threatens the electoral process and damages representative democracy. The Senate Select Committee should investigate this matter and, if it finds Chairman Graham committed the alleged misconduct, seek an appropriate sanction or any other appropriate remedy,” they wrote.
Even if your committee were to reject Secretary Raffensperger’s allegation regarding the content of the communication, the conduct Senator Graham has admitted is deeply troubling. There can be no legitimate reason for the Judiciary Committee’s chairman to call a top election official regarding an ongoing vote count. … Making matters worse, according to the Washington Post‘s reporting, Senator Graham acknowledged the potential for his call to have intimidated the state official: “If he feels threatened by that conversation, he’s got a problem.” This flippant response about such serious charges is, itself, conduct unbecoming of a member of the Senate.
A spokesperson for Graham did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
But Graham told reporters on Tuesday that he had also contacted officials in Arizona and Nevada to ask about the “integrity of the election process.” Graham’s preferred candidate, Donald Trump, lost in all three swing states to President-elect Joe Biden.
The authors noted that this too was a likely ethical violation: “It is not clear why Senator Graham thought that claiming he repeated the alleged misconduct would serve as a valid defense.”
In requesting that the Ethics Committee investigate the allegations, they concluded:
Secretary Raffensperger’s allegation describes extreme misconduct and abuse of senatorial authority. This alleged attempt by Senator Graham to throw the election for President Trump after the fact by encouraging the very fraud he purports to be investigating threatens the fabric of our nation by undermining the very thing that makes it a republic, our elections. Even if the committee believes only Senator Graham’s account, his call to the state election official during an ongoing vote count amounts to misconduct. These alleged acts committed by Senator Graham bring discredit and dishonor upon the Senate and constitute conduct unbecoming of a United States Senator.
According to the committee’s website, its procedures for investigations indicate that it will now initiate a preliminary inquiry into Graham’s alleged actions and determine if there is “substantial credible evidence which provides substantial cause for the Committee to conclude that a violation has occurred.”
The penalties for such a violation could range anywhere from a private letter of reprimand to expulsion from the Senate.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Michigan Republicans finally give up attempt to throw out election results

A state Board of Canvassers ' meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled after canvassers in southeastern Michigan 's Wayne County unanimously certified election results showing Democrat Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump .
The meeting had been scheduled in case the state board needed to canvass any county results if a county failed to certify , according to Tracy Wimmer , spokeswoman for Michigan 's secretary of state .
`` All counties have certified , so the meeting was unnecessary , '' Wimmer said in an email .
The board is next scheduled to meet Nov. 23 to certify the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two Republican members of the Wayne County canvassing board initially voted against certifying that county 's results , resulting in a 2-2 deadlock with Democrats on the board .
Republican member Monica Palmer said poll books in certain precincts in Detroit — a majority-Black city — were out of balance .
The deadlock brought on cries and complaints of racism from Democrats .
Jonathan Kinloch , a Democrat on the panel , said the discrepancies were the result of `` human error '' and called it `` reckless and irresponsible '' to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later held a revote and certified the results 4-0 .
Wayne County Commission Chair Alisha Bell said voting to not certify an election `` has never happened '' in her 18 years on the commission .
`` My speculation is this is a concerted effort by the Republican Party across the country ... to delay certification of the vote , '' said Bell , who is a Democrat and represents part of Detroit 's west side .
`` It 's a last-ditch effort to delay . ''
The change in votes by Palmer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours of being berated by the public , '' she added .
`` They came to their senses to do the right thing , '' Bell said .
`` This was just wrong .
They had to single it out against Detroit . ''
Republicans are also trying to stop formal certification of the election results in other swing states , including Arizona , Nevada , and Pennsylvania .
In Michigan , Trump allies and Republican poll challengers have spent days launching unsuccessful litigation .
They claimed fraud during absentee ballot counting at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judges found no evidence and refused to stop the canvassing process .
Biden crushed Trump in Wayne County , a Democratic stronghold , by more than a 2-1 margin and won Michigan by 146,000 votes , according to unofficial results .
His victory reversed Trump 's surprise 2016 gains in the industrial Midwest and put Biden on the path to clearing the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House .
Nicole Small , the vice chair of the Detroit Charter Commission , was one of hundreds who watched Tuesday 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deadlocked vote was a blatant attempt at voter suppression that was fueled by `` 50 % racism and 50 % Republican politics because of Trump . ''
`` I think it 's a dose of reality of the times that we are living in , '' Small said .
`` It shows how much we have regressed not only just in politics but in making sure that civil rights are exercised and acknowledged no matter what color you are . ''
`` Racism is alive and well , '' she added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has created racism amongst people but I do think he was the safety net and the vehicle for people to be more active in practicing their racism and their prejudiced beliefs publicly .
She ( Monica Palmer ) was simply there , her and her counterpart , to suppress the votes of over 250,000 voters in Detroit . ''

A state Board of Canvassers’ meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled after canvassers in southeastern Michigan’s Wayne County unanimously certified election results showing Democrat Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump.
The meeting had been scheduled in case the state board needed to canvass any county results if a county failed to certify, according to Tracy Wimmer, spokeswoman for Michigan’s secretary of state.
“All counties have certified, so the meeting was unnecessary,” Wimmer said in an email. The board is next scheduled to meet Nov. 23 to certify the Nov. 3 general election.
On Tuesday, two Republican members of the Wayne County canvassing board initially voted against certifying that county’s results, resulting in a 2-2 deadlock with Democrats on the board. Republican member Monica Palmer said poll books in certain precincts in Detroit — a majority-Black city — were out of balance.
The deadlock brought on cries and complaints of racism from Democrats.
Jonathan Kinloch, a Democrat on the panel, said the discrepancies were the result of “human error” and called it “reckless and irresponsible” to not certify the results.
The canvassers later held a revote and certified the results 4-0.
Wayne County Commission Chair Alisha Bell said voting to not certify an election “has never happened” in her 18 years on the commission.
“My speculation is this is a concerted effort by the Republican Party across the country … to delay certification of the vote,” said Bell, who is a Democrat and represents part of Detroit’s west side. “It’s a last-ditch effort to delay.”
The change in votes by Palmer and William Hartmann came after “three hours of being berated by the public,” she added.
“They came to their senses to do the right thing,” Bell said. “This was just wrong. They had to single it out against Detroit.”
Republicans are also trying to stop formal certification of the election results in other swing states, including Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
In Michigan, Trump allies and Republican poll challengers have spent days launching unsuccessful litigation. They claimed fraud during absentee ballot counting at a Detroit convention center, but two judges found no evidence and refused to stop the canvassing process.
Biden crushed Trump in Wayne County, a Democratic stronghold, by more than a 2-1 margin and won Michigan by 146,000 votes, according to unofficial results. His victory reversed Trump’s surprise 2016 gains in the industrial Midwest and put Biden on the path to clearing the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.
Nicole Small, the vice chair of the Detroit Charter Commission, was one of hundreds who watched Tuesday’s county canvassing meeting live.
Small believes the deadlocked vote was a blatant attempt at voter suppression that was fueled by “50% racism and 50% Republican politics because of Trump.”
“I think it’s a dose of reality of the times that we are living in,” Small said. “It shows how much we have regressed not only just in politics but in making sure that civil rights are exercised and acknowledged no matter what color you are.”
“Racism is alive and well,” she added. “I do not believe that Trump has created racism amongst people but I do think he was the safety net and the vehicle for people to be more active in practicing their racism and their prejudiced beliefs publicly. She (Monica Palmer) was simply there, her and her counterpart, to suppress the votes of over 250,000 voters in Detroit.”


shareblue--2020-11-18--Virginia AG: No, you don't have the 'freedom' to discriminate against gay couples

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring on Tuesday pushed back against a lawsuit that aims to undermine the state 's nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people .
`` No one should ever have to fear being discriminated against because of who they love , '' Herring wrote in a Facebook post .
Herring was referring to a lawsuit targeting the Virginia Values Act , which Gov .
Ralph Northam signed in April and which protects LGBTQ people from discrimination `` on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing , public and private employment , public accommodations , and access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court to dismiss the lawsuit on Monday .
In a statement to CBS19 that same day , he reiterated , `` We are all Virginians and we all deserve to live in this Commonwealth without the fear of being discriminated against because of what we look like , who we love , where we come from , or how we worship .
I will do everything in my power to defend the Virginia Values Act and make sure that it continues to protect Virginia 's LGBTQ community . ''
The lawsuit was brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint , filed in September , Updegrove claimed he was being asked to `` compromise his faith '' or `` close up shop '' because of the nondiscrimination protections .
He also claimed he was being forced to `` create photography promoting same-sex marriage . ''
`` Bob filed this lawsuit to restore his First Amendment right , '' the complaint said .
Updegrove is being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom , which the Southern Poverty Law Center has described as an anti-LGBTQ hate group .
Attorneys and writers for the Alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homophobic statements over the years , including describing support for marriage equality as a `` deification of of deviant sexual practices . ''
The group also recently filed a separate lawsuit in another court that claims a nondenominational church would be asked to violate its beliefs by hiring LGBTQ people .
Herring said in his motion to dismiss this week that the lawsuit `` fails to allege infringement on free speech or freedom of religion . ''
Herring noted that LGBTQ people continue to face discrimination and that at least 68 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
The Supreme Court recently heard similar arguments in the case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia .
Philadelphia had stopped sending referrals to Catholic Social Services , a foster care agency , because of its discrimination against LGBTQ families .
But Catholic Social Services fought the decision all the way to the Supreme Court , claiming that , for religious reasons , it was unable to certify same-sex couples as foster parents .
LGBTQ groups are concerned that if the foster agency prevails , the outcome would be incredibly harmful to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services .
`` A ruling in favor of CSS would grant religiously affiliated foster agencies a constitutional right to receive taxpayer funding to provide public child welfare services while ignoring anti-discrimination laws by refusing to place children with qualified foster care parents , '' Lindsay Mahowald and Carolina Medina from the Center for American Progress 's LGBTQ project , wrote last month .
`` Such a ruling would not only affect same-sex couples , but could also be used to discriminate against religious minorities , unmarried couples , and couples where one spouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court currently has a conservative majority , which is not favorable to Fulton and similar cases .
Justice Amy Coney Barrett has a record of opposing LGBTQ rights and connections to Alliance Defending Freedom and Justice Samuel Alito recently complained that people were n't allowed to express their homophobia publicly without criticism .
Conservative lawyers argue that there is n't real harm in refusing services to LGBTQ people because they say they can find alternatives .
However , the Center for American Progress argued in 2017 that there was indeed significant cost to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service refusals act like a one-two punch , '' Caitlin Rooney and Laura Durso wrote .
`` The discrimination itself causes harm that negatively affects both psychological and physical health and well-being , as shown by research and lived experiences of LGBTQ people and their families .
Then , compounding that harm , the refusal can make it harder or impossible for LGBTQ people to access services at all , denying them full participation in the public square . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring on Tuesday pushed back against a lawsuit that aims to undermine the state’s nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people.
“No one should ever have to fear being discriminated against because of who they love,” Herring wrote in a Facebook post.
Herring was referring to a lawsuit targeting the Virginia Values Act, which Gov. Ralph Northam signed in April and which protects LGBTQ people from discrimination “on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public and private employment, public accommodations, and access to credit.”
Herring asked a court to dismiss the lawsuit on Monday.
In a statement to CBS19 that same day, he reiterated, “We are all Virginians and we all deserve to live in this Commonwealth without the fear of being discriminated against because of what we look like, who we love, where we come from, or how we worship. I will do everything in my power to defend the Virginia Values Act and make sure that it continues to protect Virginia’s LGBTQ community.”
The lawsuit was brought by photographer Robert Updegrove. In his complaint, filed in September, Updegrove claimed he was being asked to “compromise his faith” or “close up shop” because of the nondiscrimination protections.
He also claimed he was being forced to “create photography promoting same-sex marriage.”
“Bob filed this lawsuit to restore his First Amendment right,” the complaint said.
Updegrove is being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has described as an anti-LGBTQ hate group.
Attorneys and writers for the Alliance Defending Freedom have made numerous transphobic and homophobic statements over the years, including describing support for marriage equality as a “deification of of deviant sexual practices.”
The group also recently filed a separate lawsuit in another court that claims a nondenominational church would be asked to violate its beliefs by hiring LGBTQ people.
Herring said in his motion to dismiss this week that the lawsuit “fails to allege infringement on free speech or freedom of religion.”
Herring noted that LGBTQ people continue to face discrimination and that at least 68% of Virginians widely support nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people.
The Supreme Court recently heard similar arguments in the case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia had stopped sending referrals to Catholic Social Services, a foster care agency, because of its discrimination against LGBTQ families. But Catholic Social Services fought the decision all the way to the Supreme Court, claiming that, for religious reasons, it was unable to certify same-sex couples as foster parents.
LGBTQ groups are concerned that if the foster agency prevails, the outcome would be incredibly harmful to LGBTQ people seeking all kinds of social services.
“A ruling in favor of CSS would grant religiously affiliated foster agencies a constitutional right to receive taxpayer funding to provide public child welfare services while ignoring anti-discrimination laws by refusing to place children with qualified foster care parents,” Lindsay Mahowald and Carolina Medina from the Center for American Progress’s LGBTQ project, wrote last month. “Such a ruling would not only affect same-sex couples, but could also be used to discriminate against religious minorities, unmarried couples, and couples where one spouse was previously divorced.”
The Supreme Court currently has a conservative majority, which is not favorable to Fulton and similar cases. Justice Amy Coney Barrett has a record of opposing LGBTQ rights and connections to Alliance Defending Freedom and Justice Samuel Alito recently complained that people weren’t allowed to express their homophobia publicly without criticism.
Conservative lawyers argue that there isn’t real harm in refusing services to LGBTQ people because they say they can find alternatives. However, the Center for American Progress argued in 2017 that there was indeed significant cost to LGBTQ people.
“In reality, service refusals act like a one-two punch,” Caitlin Rooney and Laura Durso wrote. “The discrimination itself causes harm that negatively affects both psychological and physical health and well-being, as shown by research and lived experiences of LGBTQ people and their families. Then, compounding that harm, the refusal can make it harder or impossible for LGBTQ people to access services at all, denying them full participation in the public square.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Republicans attack Rev. Warnock's faith after saying religion is off limits

Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler and five of her Republican colleagues have launched a series of attacks on Loeffler 's opponent , Democrat Raphael Warnock , for his religious views — months after expressing outrage at the mere idea of Justice Amy Coney Barrett 's religious views being used against her .
On Wednesday , several Senate Republicans and their campaign arm , the National Republican Senatorial Committee , called on Warnock , the senior pastor at the Atlanta-based church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached , to drop out of his race against Loeffler .
They objected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , `` America , nobody can serve God and the military .
You ca n't serve God and money .
You can not serve God and mammon at the same time .
America , choose ye this day who you will serve .
Choose ye this day . ''
A Warnock spokesperson told Fox News that the comment was `` based on a biblical verse '' and part of a sermon about `` the need to commit to moral life before pursuing other priorities . ''
Loeffler , who was appointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to frame the comment as an attack on service members and demanded Warnock apologize .
`` I 'm the daughter & granddaughter of veterans , and proud to serve on the VA Committee , '' she tweeted .
`` @ ReverendWarnock—this is despicable , disgusting , and wrong .
You owe our active military & veterans—who sacrifice so much for our country—an immediate apology . ''
That outrage directly contrasts Loeffler 's views from September , when she suggested that questions about faith were off limits during the Supreme Court confirmation process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming from the left are disgusting , '' she tweeted , referring to what she claimed was pushback to Barrett 's Catholic faith during her confirmation hearing .
`` As a fellow pro-life Catholic and conservative woman , I am proud to support Judge Barrett and will stand with her no matter what outrageous smears the left throws at her . ''
Of course Democrats did not actually make an issue of Barrett 's faith during her Supreme Court confirmation process .
Seven senators brought up her religious views during the first day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them Republicans .
A Loeffler spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the apparent contradiction — nor did spokespeople for five other Republican senators who made similar attacks on Warnock 's faith after decrying questions about Barrett 's .
Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R-TN ) tweeted a video of Warnock 's sermon on Wednesday , writing , `` Raphael Warnock ’ s radical , anti-American views are disqualifying .
He should withdraw from the # GASen . ''
In a September opinion piece , Blackburn objected to Democratic criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening `` because she 's a conservative woman of faith '' and complaining that they `` would n't shy away from her deeply held religious beliefs . ''
Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-AR ) also tweeted the video on Tuesday , arguing , `` This is an insult to everyone who served .
Raphael Warnock should withdraw . ''
Cotton angrily defended Barrett in his own September Fox News op-ed , writing , `` Judge Barrett is a brilliant legal mind and strong conservative .
She also happens to be a Christian mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media have insinuated with no evidence that she wants to turn America into a patriarchal theocracy along the lines of Margaret Atwood ’ s novel 'The Handmaid ’ s Tale . '
” Sen. Marco Rubio ( R-FL ) tweeted Wednesday , `` Not shocked # Georgia Democrat Senate candidate Raphael Warnock said 'You can not serve God and the military ' at the same time .
These & even crazier things is what the radicals who control the Democratic party ’ s activist & small dollar donor base believe . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement endorsing Barrett , `` Sadly , I expect my Democratic colleagues and the radical left to do all they can to assassinate her character and once again make an issue of her faith during her confirmation process . ''
Sen. Rick Scott ( R-FL ) tweeted similar thoughts on Wednesday , citing Warnock 's sermon and claiming , `` This is a disgrace .
Every Senate Democrat should be asked whether they agree with Warnock .
Every .
Single .
One . ''
Scott said in an October Senate floor speech , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barrett for her faith fell flat .
Quite the opposite , her faith and her commitment to family have earned her the utmost respect . ''
And Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) tweeted an attack piece last week against Warnock , accusing him of having an anti-white `` spiritual mentor . ''
`` This from the party that says they seek 'unity , ' ” Cruz wrote .
Cruz also complained in October that Barrett was the victim of a `` religious smear '' by the Washington Post , which had reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Christian group that had designated her a `` handmaid '' at one point — the leadership title given to women in its ranks .
`` Next , the Dems propose a test : if she floats .
.
.
she ’ s a witch ! ''
Cruz tweeted at the time .
Warnock received a plurality in the Nov. 3 Senate special election , but because no candidate received a majority , he will again face off against Loeffler in a January runoff .
Loeffler predicted on Monday that she will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` red state . ''
Democrat Joe Biden won the state in the Nov. 3 election by more than 10,000 votes .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler and five of her Republican colleagues have launched a series of attacks on Loeffler’s opponent, Democrat Raphael Warnock, for his religious views — months after expressing outrage at the mere idea of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s religious views being used against her.
On Wednesday, several Senate Republicans and their campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, called on Warnock, the senior pastor at the Atlanta-based church where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached, to drop out of his race against Loeffler.
They objected to an April 2011 sermon in which Warnock said, “America, nobody can serve God and the military. You can’t serve God and money. You cannot serve God and mammon at the same time. America, choose ye this day who you will serve. Choose ye this day.”
A Warnock spokesperson told Fox News that the comment was “based on a biblical verse” and part of a sermon about “the need to commit to moral life before pursuing other priorities.”
Loeffler, who was appointed to a vacant Senate seat last December, tried to frame the comment as an attack on service members and demanded Warnock apologize.
“I’m the daughter & granddaughter of veterans, and proud to serve on the VA Committee,” she tweeted. “@ReverendWarnock—this is despicable, disgusting, and wrong. You owe our active military & veterans—who sacrifice so much for our country—an immediate apology.”
That outrage directly contrasts Loeffler’s views from September, when she suggested that questions about faith were off limits during the Supreme Court confirmation process.
“The anti-woman and anti-faith attacks coming from the left are disgusting,” she tweeted, referring to what she claimed was pushback to Barrett’s Catholic faith during her confirmation hearing. “As a fellow pro-life Catholic and conservative woman, I am proud to support Judge Barrett and will stand with her no matter what outrageous smears the left throws at her.”
Of course Democrats did not actually make an issue of Barrett’s faith during her Supreme Court confirmation process. Seven senators brought up her religious views during the first day of her hearings — all seven of them Republicans.
A Loeffler spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the apparent contradiction — nor did spokespeople for five other Republican senators who made similar attacks on Warnock’s faith after decrying questions about Barrett’s.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) tweeted a video of Warnock’s sermon on Wednesday, writing, “Raphael Warnock’s radical, anti-American views are disqualifying. He should withdraw from the #GASen.”
In a September opinion piece, Blackburn objected to Democratic criticism of Barrett, saying it was only happening “because she’s a conservative woman of faith” and complaining that they “wouldn’t shy away from her deeply held religious beliefs.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) also tweeted the video on Tuesday, arguing, “This is an insult to everyone who served. Raphael Warnock should withdraw.”
Cotton angrily defended Barrett in his own September Fox News op-ed, writing, “Judge Barrett is a brilliant legal mind and strong conservative. She also happens to be a Christian mother of seven children. But Democrats and the media have insinuated with no evidence that she wants to turn America into a patriarchal theocracy along the lines of Margaret Atwood’s novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) tweeted Wednesday, “Not shocked #Georgia Democrat Senate candidate Raphael Warnock said ‘You cannot serve God and the military’ at the same time. These & even crazier things is what the radicals who control the Democratic party’s activist & small dollar donor base believe.”
Months ago, Rubio said in a statement endorsing Barrett, “Sadly, I expect my Democratic colleagues and the radical left to do all they can to assassinate her character and once again make an issue of her faith during her confirmation process.”
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) tweeted similar thoughts on Wednesday, citing Warnock’s sermon and claiming, “This is a disgrace. Every Senate Democrat should be asked whether they agree with Warnock. Every. Single. One.”
Scott said in an October Senate floor speech, “The Democratic attempts to attack Judge Barrett for her faith fell flat. Quite the opposite, her faith and her commitment to family have earned her the utmost respect.”
And Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted an attack piece last week against Warnock, accusing him of having an anti-white “spiritual mentor.”
“This from the party that says they seek ‘unity,’” Cruz wrote.
Cruz also complained in October that Barrett was the victim of a “religious smear” by the Washington Post, which had reported on her involvement with People of Praise, a Christian group that had designated her a “handmaid” at one point — the leadership title given to women in its ranks.
“Next, the Dems propose a test: if she floats . . . she’s a witch!” Cruz tweeted at the time.
Warnock received a plurality in the Nov. 3 Senate special election, but because no candidate received a majority, he will again face off against Loeffler in a January runoff.
Loeffler predicted on Monday that she will win that runoff because Georgia is a “red state.”
Democrat Joe Biden won the state in the Nov. 3 election by more than 10,000 votes.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Former White House official: Why use Giuliani instead of actual election lawyers?

Donald Trump 's former chief of staff , Mick Mulvaney , said on Wednesday that he was worried about the central role Rudy Giuliani is playing as lead on the Trump campaign legal team arguing court cases alleging fraud in the 2020 presidential election , citing his strange behavior in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Tuesday .
`` I 'm still a little concerned with the use of Rudy Giuliani , '' Mulvaney told Fox Business .
`` This is a specialty .
This is not a television program , this is the real thing , and I was struck by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court yesterday . ''
`` I wish that it was being prosecuted a little more efficiently , '' Mulvaney added .
Mulvaney served as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget from 2017 to 2020 and was acting White House chief of staff from January 2019 to March of this year .
He is currently the U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland .
Giuliani has been serving as Trump 's personal attorney since 2018 .
In that capacity he has made frequent appearances on television over the last few years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ client 's defense .
Giuliani 's insistence on pushing Ukraine to investigate and dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son , Hunter , in 2019 helped lead to Trump being impeached .
Despite – or perhaps because of — Giuliani 's past actions , Trump has put him in charge of his quixotic legal quest to reverse his election loss to Joe Biden .
During his appearance before the court in Williamsport , Giuliani forgot which judge he was speaking to , messed with his Twitter account , and brought up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In one instance , Giuliani told the judge the campaign wanted to throw out 680,000 ballots cast in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia over claims that Republican observers had not watched the vote count .
But U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann explained to Giuliani that lawyers had deleted the poll-watching claims from their suit a few days earlier and said , `` They 're now not before this court , so why should I consider them now ? ''
From the Nov. 18 edition of Fox Business ' `` Mornings with Maria '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do this , I think it 's the right thing to do .
I 'm still a little concerned about the use of Rudy Giuliani .
It strikes me that this is the most important lawsuit in the history of the country , and they don ’ t — they 're not using the most well-noted election lawyers .
There are folks who use — who do this all of the time .
This is a specialty .
This is not a television program , this is the real thing , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Rudy said in court yesterday .
So on one hand it needs to go forward , it absolutely does , I wish that it was being prosecuted a little more efficiently .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump’s former chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said on Wednesday that he was worried about the central role Rudy Giuliani is playing as lead on the Trump campaign legal team arguing court cases alleging fraud in the 2020 presidential election, citing his strange behavior in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Tuesday.
“I’m still a little concerned with the use of Rudy Giuliani,” Mulvaney told Fox Business. “This is a specialty. This is not a television program, this is the real thing, and I was struck by a couple things that Rudy said in court yesterday.”
“I wish that it was being prosecuted a little more efficiently,” Mulvaney added.
Mulvaney served as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget from 2017 to 2020 and was acting White House chief of staff from January 2019 to March of this year. He is currently the U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland.
Giuliani has been serving as Trump’s personal attorney since 2018. In that capacity he has made frequent appearances on television over the last few years to offer up conspiracy theories in his client’s defense.
Giuliani’s insistence on pushing Ukraine to investigate and dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, in 2019 helped lead to Trump being impeached.
Despite – or perhaps because of — Giuliani’s past actions, Trump has put him in charge of his quixotic legal quest to reverse his election loss to Joe Biden.
During his appearance before the court in Williamsport, Giuliani forgot which judge he was speaking to, messed with his Twitter account, and brought up completely fabricated conspiracy theories about the election.
In one instance, Giuliani told the judge the campaign wanted to throw out 680,000 ballots cast in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia over claims that Republican observers had not watched the vote count.
But U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann explained to Giuliani that lawyers had deleted the poll-watching claims from their suit a few days earlier and said, “They’re now not before this court, so why should I consider them now?”
From the Nov. 18 edition of Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria”:
MICK MULVANEY: There is time to do this, I think it’s the right thing to do. I’m still a little concerned about the use of Rudy Giuliani. It strikes me that this is the most important lawsuit in the history of the country, and they don’t — they’re not using the most well-noted election lawyers. There are folks who use — who do this all of the time. This is a specialty. This is not a television program, this is the real thing, and I was struck by a couple things that Rudy said in court yesterday. So on one hand it needs to go forward, it absolutely does, I wish that it was being prosecuted a little more efficiently.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Giuliani's return to the courtroom after 30 years does not go so well

Representing a client inside a courtroom for the first time in nearly three decades , Rudy Giuliani showed some rust as he tried to make the case that Donald Trump has been robbed of reelection .
The former federal prosecutor and New York City mayor , who has taken over Trump 's efforts to overturn the election results , entered a courthouse in the small Pennsylvania city of Williamsport on Tuesday with a few dozen Trump supporters cheering him from across the street .
Over the next several hours , he fiddled with his Twitter account , forgot which judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around wild , unsupported accusations about a nationwide conspiracy by Democrats to steal the election .
No such evidence has emerged since Election Day .
Giuliani needled an opposing lawyer , calling him `` the man who was very angry with me , I forgot his name . ''
He mistook the judge for a federal judge in a separate Pennsylvania district who rejected a separate Trump campaign case : `` I was accused of not reading your opinion and that I did not understand it . ''
And he tripped himself up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` In the plaintiffs ' counties , they were denied the opportunity to have an unobstructed observation and ensure opacity , '' Giuliani said .
`` I 'm not quite sure I know what opacity means .
It probably means you can see , right ? ''
`` It means you ca n't , '' said U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann .
At times , the Philadelphia lawyer working alongside Giuliani , Linda Kerns , took over in answering Brann 's questions .
At one point , an opposing lawyer , Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was illegal for counties to help people vote .
`` I do n't expect that he would know the Pennsylvania election code , '' Aronchick said , suggesting — without saying it — that Giuliani was an unprepared out-of-towner .
The Trump campaign is seeking to prevent Pennsylvania from certifying its election .
The lawsuit is based on a complaint that Philadelphia and six Democratic-controlled counties in Pennsylvania let voters make corrections to mail-in ballots that were otherwise going to be disqualified for a technicality , like lacking a secrecy envelope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear how many ballots that could involve , although some opposing lawyers say it is far too few to overturn the election result .
President-elect Joe Biden won the state by more than 70,000 votes .
On Tuesday , opposing lawyers asked Brann to throw out the case , calling the evidence cited `` at best , garden-variety irregularities '' that would not warrant undoing Pennsylvania 's election results , which delivered the White House for Biden .
Once a hard-nosed federal prosecutor who made a name for himself going after New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not appeared in court as an attorney since 1992 , according to court records .
Giuliani was the U.S. attorney in charge of the high-profile Southern District of New York before he won his second race for New York City mayor in 1993 .
He was still the mayor during the Sept. 11 , 2001 , terrorist attack but was term-limited and left office in early 2002 .
He ran for president in 2008 .
Long in Trump 's orbit , Giuliani became a fierce attack dog on Trump 's 2016 campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and earning Trump 's gratitude .
He emerged as a major player when the president made him the public face of his legal team during special counsel Robert Mueller 's Russia investigation .
Giuliani later drew blame from others close to Trump for putting unproven conspiracy theories in front of the president about work that Biden 's son , Hunter , did in Ukraine .
Trump was impeached in the aftermath of pushing Kiev to investigate the Bidens .
Giuliani burst back into the public eye in the stretch run of this election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign 's legal efforts .
And he became a punchline when he held a news conference in front of a Philadelphia landscaping company , across from an adult bookstore , when the race was called for Biden .
As he left the courtroom Tuesday night , he seemed unconcerned whether he 'd lose that case — `` Well , obviously if we lose it , we 'll appeal it '' — and suggested that the Trump campaign 's eggs are not in one basket .
`` There are eight cases , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani said .

Representing a client inside a courtroom for the first time in nearly three decades, Rudy Giuliani showed some rust as he tried to make the case that Donald Trump has been robbed of reelection.
The former federal prosecutor and New York City mayor, who has taken over Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results, entered a courthouse in the small Pennsylvania city of Williamsport on Tuesday with a few dozen Trump supporters cheering him from across the street.
Over the next several hours, he fiddled with his Twitter account, forgot which judge he was talking to, and threw around wild, unsupported accusations about a nationwide conspiracy by Democrats to steal the election.
No such evidence has emerged since Election Day.
Giuliani needled an opposing lawyer, calling him “the man who was very angry with me, I forgot his name.”
He mistook the judge for a federal judge in a separate Pennsylvania district who rejected a separate Trump campaign case: “I was accused of not reading your opinion and that I did not understand it.”
And he tripped himself up over the meaning of “opacity.”
“In the plaintiffs’ counties, they were denied the opportunity to have an unobstructed observation and ensure opacity,” Giuliani said. “I’m not quite sure I know what opacity means. It probably means you can see, right?”
“It means you can’t,” said U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann.
“Big words, your honor,” Giuliani said.
At times, the Philadelphia lawyer working alongside Giuliani, Linda Kerns, took over in answering Brann’s questions.
At one point, an opposing lawyer, Mark Aronchick, disputed Giuliani’s repeated contentions that it was illegal for counties to help people vote.
“I don’t expect that he would know the Pennsylvania election code,” Aronchick said, suggesting — without saying it — that Giuliani was an unprepared out-of-towner.
The Trump campaign is seeking to prevent Pennsylvania from certifying its election. The lawsuit is based on a complaint that Philadelphia and six Democratic-controlled counties in Pennsylvania let voters make corrections to mail-in ballots that were otherwise going to be disqualified for a technicality, like lacking a secrecy envelope or a signature.
It is not clear how many ballots that could involve, although some opposing lawyers say it is far too few to overturn the election result. President-elect Joe Biden won the state by more than 70,000 votes.
On Tuesday, opposing lawyers asked Brann to throw out the case, calling the evidence cited “at best, garden-variety irregularities” that would not warrant undoing Pennsylvania’s election results, which delivered the White House for Biden.
Once a hard-nosed federal prosecutor who made a name for himself going after New York mobsters in the 1980s, Giuliani had not appeared in court as an attorney since 1992, according to court records.
Giuliani was the U.S. attorney in charge of the high-profile Southern District of New York before he won his second race for New York City mayor in 1993.
He was still the mayor during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack but was term-limited and left office in early 2002. He ran for president in 2008.
Long in Trump’s orbit, Giuliani became a fierce attack dog on Trump’s 2016 campaign, lending his celebrity to the underdog effort and earning Trump’s gratitude. He emerged as a major player when the president made him the public face of his legal team during special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
Giuliani later drew blame from others close to Trump for putting unproven conspiracy theories in front of the president about work that Biden’s son, Hunter, did in Ukraine. Trump was impeached in the aftermath of pushing Kiev to investigate the Bidens.
Giuliani burst back into the public eye in the stretch run of this election but has little to show for the Trump campaign’s legal efforts.
And he became a punchline when he held a news conference in front of a Philadelphia landscaping company, across from an adult bookstore, when the race was called for Biden.
As he left the courtroom Tuesday night, he seemed unconcerned whether he’d lose that case — “Well, obviously if we lose it, we’ll appeal it” — and suggested that the Trump campaign’s eggs are not in one basket.
“There are eight cases, I’m afraid to tell you,” Giuliani said.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Trump bails on pandemic to make whining about the election his full-time job

Donald Trump has ignored the worsening coronavirus pandemic since losing the 2020 presidential election to Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
In the past week , the nation has repeatedly broken records for new coronavirus cases .
On Tuesday alone , more than 150,000 new cases were reported , bringing the national total to more than 11 million to date .
Since the beginning of the pandemic , nearly 250,000 Americans are reported to have died .
On Wednesday , Trump 's daily schedule listed zero public events .
He has been mostly out of sight since Biden defeated him on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday noted that , since Election Day , Trump has held just three public events and four private ones .
Meanwhile , he has found time for four trips to play golf at his Virginia golf club , two lunches with Mike Pence , and more than 400 tweets and retweets .
Nearly all of his Twitter activity has been complaining about the results of the election and claiming he won .
On Wednesday morning , for example , Trump tweeted `` I WON THE ELECTION .
VOTER FRAUD ALL OVER THE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet with the label `` Multiple sources called this election differently . ''
Biden decisively won majorities in both the popular vote and the Electoral College count , and bipartisan election officials have debunked his false claims of widespread voter fraud .
Trump has also used his final days in the White House to go after people in his own administration whom he does not believe to be sufficiently loyal , forcing out and firing many of the appointees he once bragged were the `` best and most serious people . ''
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , `` effective immediately , Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency '' for not backing his voter fraud conspiracy theories .
( Twitter : `` This claim about election fraud is disputed . ''
) Trump 's only real attention to the virus has been to claim credit for vaccines being developed by pharmaceutical companies .
`` For those great 'historians ' , please remember that these great discoveries , which will end the China Plague , all took place on my watch !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use his racist term for the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump 's own White House task force warned Tuesday that , without action , the nation might see 1,500 deaths a day next week and 2,000 deaths a day by Christmas .
But thus far their recommendations have been ignored by Trump and his administration .
While Trump ignores both the virus and the job he wanted so much to keep , President-elect Joe Biden has made handling the pandemic his top priority .
He was scheduled to meet virtually with health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration refuses to acknowledge Biden 's victory , he has been thus far unable to begin the formal process of transition to the White House .
Biden and his team are being blocked from coordinating their strategy for dealing with the pandemic with that of current federal officials .
Biden warned Monday : `` More people may die if we do n't coordinate .
How do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated ?
What 's the game plan ?
It 's a huge , huge , huge undertaking . ''
Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be president when coronavirus vaccines become widely available .
The Daily Beast noted on Tuesday that he had been planning to hold mass rallies to celebrate himself , claim credit for producing the vaccines , and crow that he was right and the media was wrong — plans that now have to be scrapped .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump has ignored the worsening coronavirus pandemic since losing the 2020 presidential election to Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
In the past week, the nation has repeatedly broken records for new coronavirus cases. On Tuesday alone, more than 150,000 new cases were reported, bringing the national total to more than 11 million to date. Since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly 250,000 Americans are reported to have died.
On Wednesday, Trump’s daily schedule listed zero public events. He has been mostly out of sight since Biden defeated him on Nov. 3.
A Washington Post analysis on Tuesday noted that, since Election Day, Trump has held just three public events and four private ones. Meanwhile, he has found time for four trips to play golf at his Virginia golf club, two lunches with Mike Pence, and more than 400 tweets and retweets. Nearly all of his Twitter activity has been complaining about the results of the election and claiming he won.
On Wednesday morning, for example, Trump tweeted “I WON THE ELECTION. VOTER FRAUD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!” Twitter responded to the tweet with the label “Multiple sources called this election differently.”
Biden decisively won majorities in both the popular vote and the Electoral College count, and bipartisan election officials have debunked his false claims of widespread voter fraud.
Trump has also used his final days in the White House to go after people in his own administration whom he does not believe to be sufficiently loyal, forcing out and firing many of the appointees he once bragged were the “best and most serious people.” On Tuesday night, he announced by tweet that, “effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency” for not backing his voter fraud conspiracy theories. (Twitter: “This claim about election fraud is disputed.”)
Trump’s only real attention to the virus has been to claim credit for vaccines being developed by pharmaceutical companies. “For those great ‘historians’, please remember that these great discoveries, which will end the China Plague, all took place on my watch!” he tweeted on Monday, continuing to use his racist term for the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump’s own White House task force warned Tuesday that, without action, the nation might see 1,500 deaths a day next week and 2,000 deaths a day by Christmas. But thus far their recommendations have been ignored by Trump and his administration.
While Trump ignores both the virus and the job he wanted so much to keep, President-elect Joe Biden has made handling the pandemic his top priority. He was scheduled to meet virtually with health care workers on Wednesday.
Because the Trump administration refuses to acknowledge Biden’s victory, he has been thus far unable to begin the formal process of transition to the White House. Biden and his team are being blocked from coordinating their strategy for dealing with the pandemic with that of current federal officials.
Biden warned Monday: “More people may die if we don’t coordinate. How do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated? What’s the game plan? It’s a huge, huge, huge undertaking.”
Trump is reported to be furious that he will not be president when coronavirus vaccines become widely available. The Daily Beast noted on Tuesday that he had been planning to hold mass rallies to celebrate himself, claim credit for producing the vaccines, and crow that he was right and the media was wrong — plans that now have to be scrapped.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-11-18--Trump requests recount in Wisconsin — but just heavily Democratic parts

Donald Trump 's campaign has paid $ 3 million for a recount of two heavily Democratic Wisconsin counties , saying Wednesday that they were the sight of the `` worst irregularities '' although no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented and state elections officials have said there was none .
Trump paid for the recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties overnight Tuesday and planned to submit the required paperwork to trigger the recount on Wednesday , the campaign said in a statement .
In the two counties Trump chose for the recount , Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statewide by 20,608 votes , based on canvassed results submitted by the counties .
`` The people of Wisconsin deserve to know whether their election processes worked in a legal and transparent way , '' said Wisconsin attorney Jim Troupis , who is working with the Trump campaign .
`` Regrettably , the integrity of the election results can not be trusted without a recount in these two counties and uniform enforcement of Wisconsin absentee ballot requirements .
We will not know the true results of the election until only the legal ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , once formally approved by the elections commission chair , could start as soon as Thursday and no later than Saturday .
It would have to be complete by Dec. 1 .
Recounts in Wisconsin and across the country have historically resulted in very few vote changes .
A 2016 presidential recount in Wisconsin netted Trump an additional 131 votes .
Trump won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes that year and opposed the recount brought by Green Party candidate Jill Stein .
Trump and other Republicans have made claims of fraud and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence .
The state 's top elections chief and local officials have said there were no substantial reports of problems or wrongdoing .

Donald Trump’s campaign has paid $3 million for a recount of two heavily Democratic Wisconsin counties, saying Wednesday that they were the sight of the “worst irregularities” although no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented and state elections officials have said there was none.
Trump paid for the recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties overnight Tuesday and planned to submit the required paperwork to trigger the recount on Wednesday, the campaign said in a statement.
In the two counties Trump chose for the recount, Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes compared with 213,157 for Trump. Biden won statewide by 20,608 votes, based on canvassed results submitted by the counties.
“The people of Wisconsin deserve to know whether their election processes worked in a legal and transparent way,” said Wisconsin attorney Jim Troupis, who is working with the Trump campaign. “Regrettably, the integrity of the election results cannot be trusted without a recount in these two counties and uniform enforcement of Wisconsin absentee ballot requirements. We will not know the true results of the election until only the legal ballots cast are counted.”
The recount, once formally approved by the elections commission chair, could start as soon as Thursday and no later than Saturday. It would have to be complete by Dec. 1.
Recounts in Wisconsin and across the country have historically resulted in very few vote changes. A 2016 presidential recount in Wisconsin netted Trump an additional 131 votes.
Trump won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes that year and opposed the recount brought by Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
Trump and other Republicans have made claims of fraud and irregularities in the Wisconsin election, without evidence. The state’s top elections chief and local officials have said there were no substantial reports of problems or wrongdoing.


Cartoon: Atlas shrugged

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--2020-11-19--Georgia GOP governor silent as his party tells lies about election fraud

When Gov .
Brian Kemp won election two years ago , he pushed back forcefully against an outcry from Democrats who accused him of suppressing voter turnout to improve his odds of winning .
`` Look , we have laws on the books that prevent elections from being stolen from anyone , '' Kemp , who oversaw that election as secretary of state , said on Nov. 17 , 2018 , as he urged Georgia voters to accept the results of a close , bitterly contested race against Democrat Stacey Abrams .
In contrast , the Republican governor has n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year 's elections amid attacks by Donald Trump and other members of his own party , who claim without evidence that the presidential vote in Georgia was tainted by fraud .
Unofficial results show Trump trailing Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia by a narrow margin .
The Associated Press has not declared a presidential winner in the state , where officials are conducting a hand-counted audit of the contest .
The AP did declare Biden the winner of the overall election .
The claims of fraud in Georgia have sparked infighting among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brad Raffensperger stating categorically that the election was fair and secure .
Georgia 's two Republican U.S. senators , David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , have demanded Raffensperger 's resignation .
Kemp , Georgia 's top elected Republican , has staked out a position on the sidelines .
Having recently emerged from quarantine after a possible coronavirus exposure , he made his only public appearance since Election Day last week to tout a trade magazine 's ranking of Georgia as the most business-friendly U.S. state .
Pressed by a reporter , he brushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resign as `` moot . ''
He said he supported the secretary 's decision to order a hand-counted audit of Georgia 's roughly 5 million presidential votes .
`` Let 's let that happen and let the chips fall where they may , '' Kemp told reporters last week .
The governor has said little else about the GOP infighting in his own state as Trump seeks to overturn Biden 's victory by challenging the results in Georgia and other battleground states .
Kemp has neither endorsed Trump 's fraud claims nor backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was conducted fairly .
Asked if the governor has seen evidence of widespread irregularities or vote fraud , spokesman Cody Hall said Kemp wants to wait until after Georgia certifies its election results .
The deadline is Friday .
`` At the end of that process , he will make a determination in his own mind if he 's seen anything of that nature , '' Hall said .
Hall said he expects the governor 's next public appearance to be Friday , when Vice President Mike Pence comes to Georgia to campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom face runoffs against their Democratic challengers on Jan 5 .
Some of Kemp 's supporters think he is wise to remain neutral .
`` For the governor , it would be a catch-22 — it 's going to be hard to make any side happy with any statement he can make , '' said Jason Shepherd , Republican Party chairman for Cobb County in the Atlanta suburbs .
Eric Johnson , a former Republican leader of the Georgia Senate , agreed Kemp should stay out of the fray over Trump 's election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he 's concerned an escalating debate over the validity of Georgia 's presidential election could hurt Republican turnout in January .
`` A Republican civil war does n't do anything except hurt the voters we need to come back on Jan. 5 , '' Johnson said .
`` If they think there 's corruption , then why vote ?
If they think it was stolen , why vote ?
Because it 'll just be stolen again . ''
Trump 's endorsement two years ago helped Kemp win a heated Republican primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory over Abrams .
Even after losing the White House , Trump is expected to remain a powerful influence with GOP voters in the upcoming Senate runoffs as well as in 2022 , when Kemp will have to seek reelection .
That could be one reason why the governor , like other leading Georgia Republicans , has avoided wading deep into the election controversy — even when Trump has taunted him personally .
`` Governor Kemp will hopefully see the light before it is too late .
Must finally take charge ! ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll that suggested Kemp 's approval among Georgia voters was sagging .
Raffensperger has n't blamed any of his fellow party members for keeping a lower profile .
`` I understand if they get too far out on a limb , they start getting blasted also , '' the secretary told The Associated Press .
He added that Kemp has `` plenty on his plate as governor , and he 's doing a fine job . ''
Kemp will ultimately have to take a stand .
State law requires the governor to sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who will cast Georgia 's 16 votes in the Electoral College .
`` His name 's going to be on the certification of the electors , one way or another , '' Shepherd said .

When Gov. Brian Kemp won election two years ago, he pushed back forcefully against an outcry from Democrats who accused him of suppressing voter turnout to improve his odds of winning.
“Look, we have laws on the books that prevent elections from being stolen from anyone,” Kemp, who oversaw that election as secretary of state, said on Nov. 17, 2018, as he urged Georgia voters to accept the results of a close, bitterly contested race against Democrat Stacey Abrams.
In contrast, the Republican governor hasn’t stepped forward to defend the integrity of this year’s elections amid attacks by Donald Trump and other members of his own party, who claim without evidence that the presidential vote in Georgia was tainted by fraud.
Unofficial results show Trump trailing Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia by a narrow margin. The Associated Press has not declared a presidential winner in the state, where officials are conducting a hand-counted audit of the contest. The AP did declare Biden the winner of the overall election.
The claims of fraud in Georgia have sparked infighting among Republicans, with GOP Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger stating categorically that the election was fair and secure. Georgia’s two Republican U.S. senators, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, have demanded Raffensperger’s resignation.
Kemp, Georgia’s top elected Republican, has staked out a position on the sidelines. Having recently emerged from quarantine after a possible coronavirus exposure, he made his only public appearance since Election Day last week to tout a trade magazine’s ranking of Georgia as the most business-friendly U.S. state.
Pressed by a reporter, he brushed off the question of whether Raffensperger should resign as “moot.” He said he supported the secretary’s decision to order a hand-counted audit of Georgia’s roughly 5 million presidential votes.
“Let’s let that happen and let the chips fall where they may,” Kemp told reporters last week.
The governor has said little else about the GOP infighting in his own state as Trump seeks to overturn Biden’s victory by challenging the results in Georgia and other battleground states. Kemp has neither endorsed Trump’s fraud claims nor backed Raffensperger in his assertion that the election was conducted fairly.
Asked if the governor has seen evidence of widespread irregularities or vote fraud, spokesman Cody Hall said Kemp wants to wait until after Georgia certifies its election results. The deadline is Friday.
“At the end of that process, he will make a determination in his own mind if he’s seen anything of that nature,” Hall said.
Hall said he expects the governor’s next public appearance to be Friday, when Vice President Mike Pence comes to Georgia to campaign for Perdue and Loeffler, both of whom face runoffs against their Democratic challengers on Jan 5.
Some of Kemp’s supporters think he is wise to remain neutral.
“For the governor, it would be a catch-22 — it’s going to be hard to make any side happy with any statement he can make,” said Jason Shepherd, Republican Party chairman for Cobb County in the Atlanta suburbs.
Eric Johnson, a former Republican leader of the Georgia Senate, agreed Kemp should stay out of the fray over Trump’s election and focus on the Senate runoffs. He said he’s concerned an escalating debate over the validity of Georgia’s presidential election could hurt Republican turnout in January.
“A Republican civil war doesn’t do anything except hurt the voters we need to come back on Jan. 5,” Johnson said. “If they think there’s corruption, then why vote? If they think it was stolen, why vote? Because it’ll just be stolen again.”
Trump’s endorsement two years ago helped Kemp win a heated Republican primary and eke out a narrow general election victory over Abrams. Even after losing the White House, Trump is expected to remain a powerful influence with GOP voters in the upcoming Senate runoffs as well as in 2022, when Kemp will have to seek reelection.
That could be one reason why the governor, like other leading Georgia Republicans, has avoided wading deep into the election controversy — even when Trump has taunted him personally.
“Governor Kemp will hopefully see the light before it is too late. Must finally take charge!” Trump tweeted Tuesday, referring to a poll that suggested Kemp’s approval among Georgia voters was sagging.
Raffensperger hasn’t blamed any of his fellow party members for keeping a lower profile.
“I understand if they get too far out on a limb, they start getting blasted also,” the secretary told The Associated Press. He added that Kemp has “plenty on his plate as governor, and he’s doing a fine job.”
Kemp will ultimately have to take a stand. State law requires the governor to sign off on the slate of presidential electors who will cast Georgia’s 16 votes in the Electoral College.
“His name’s going to be on the certification of the electors, one way or another,” Shepherd said.


shareblue--2020-11-19--McConnell tells GOP senators to 'be careful' about virus after another tests positive

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly admonished his Republican caucus on Tuesday to `` be careful '' not to get the coronavirus .
According the NBC News , the Kentucky Republican was worried any illnesses might impede his ability to rush through more Donald Trump nominees in the lame-duck session .
But McConnell has refused to take basic steps to curb the spread of COVID-19 — in the Senate and nationally — for months .
Sen. Mike Braun ( R-IN ) told the outlet that McConnell used a private GOP lunch to admonish his caucus to protect themselves , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday morning , leaving Republicans unable to ram through a controversial Federal Reserve Board nominee for a four-year term .
`` I think that with what we want to get done , it ’ s going to make it tricky if we have folks who aren ’ t here , '' Braun explained .
`` It ’ s a fairly ambitious schedule and I think it ’ s important for everybody to be careful , like the Leader said . ''
Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outlet that McConnell warned his Republican minions to take precautions , so they can be at `` fighting strength '' for the remaining days of Trump 's term .
But McConnell has declined to take many of the needed steps to keep his colleagues safer during the pandemic .
In July , he refused to back a face mask mandate for the Senate , like the one adopted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
As NBC noted this week , the chamber still has no mask mandate in place .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to be doing it , '' he told PBS , claiming the Senate has `` had good luck without a requirement . ''
`` I believe just about every one of my members is wearing a mask , and we have since the first of May when we resumed , '' he continued .
`` We 've had good compliance with that on the Senate side , without a mandate .
And so we 're getting compliance the voluntary — in the old-fashioned way .
Everybody is doing it . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive to date .
And not all senators have been wearing masks in and around the Senate .
Earlier this week , Sen. Dan Sullivan ( R-AK ) refused to wear one , while presiding over the chamber — even after Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D-OH ) asked him to .
Staffers from both parties told NBC News that they felt unsafe coming into work , with one saying the leadership was not even doing `` the bare minimum '' to protect them from the virus .
McConnell has also refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 trillion relief bill — passed in May by the House — that would have provided $ 75 billion to improve tracing , testing , and treatment and would have ensured workplace protections and hazard pay for essential workers .
More than two weeks ago , the American people gave President-elect Joe Biden a decisive popular and Electoral College majority .
But despite once professing that the public should get a `` voice '' on judges , McConnell and his caucus have mounted a lame-duck push to confirm as many Trump judges as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly admonished his Republican caucus on Tuesday to “be careful” not to get the coronavirus. According the NBC News, the Kentucky Republican was worried any illnesses might impede his ability to rush through more Donald Trump nominees in the lame-duck session.
But McConnell has refused to take basic steps to curb the spread of COVID-19 — in the Senate and nationally — for months.
Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN) told the outlet that McConnell used a private GOP lunch to admonish his caucus to protect themselves, so they don’t miss votes after Thanksgiving. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday morning, leaving Republicans unable to ram through a controversial Federal Reserve Board nominee for a four-year term.
“I think that with what we want to get done, it’s going to make it tricky if we have folks who aren’t here,” Braun explained. “It’s a fairly ambitious schedule and I think it’s important for everybody to be careful, like the Leader said.”
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) confirmed to the outlet that McConnell warned his Republican minions to take precautions, so they can be at “fighting strength” for the remaining days of Trump’s term.
But McConnell has declined to take many of the needed steps to keep his colleagues safer during the pandemic. In July, he refused to back a face mask mandate for the Senate, like the one adopted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. As NBC noted this week, the chamber still has no mask mandate in place.
“It appears not to be necessary since everybody seems to be doing it,” he told PBS, claiming the Senate has “had good luck without a requirement.”
“I believe just about every one of my members is wearing a mask, and we have since the first of May when we resumed,” he continued. “We’ve had good compliance with that on the Senate side, without a mandate. And so we’re getting compliance the voluntary — in the old-fashioned way. Everybody is doing it.”
But at least five other Senate Republicans have tested positive to date.
And not all senators have been wearing masks in and around the Senate. Earlier this week, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) refused to wear one, while presiding over the chamber — even after Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) asked him to.
Staffers from both parties told NBC News that they felt unsafe coming into work, with one saying the leadership was not even doing “the bare minimum” to protect them from the virus.
McConnell has also refused to even allow a vote on a $3 trillion relief bill — passed in May by the House — that would have provided $75 billion to improve tracing, testing, and treatment and would have ensured workplace protections and hazard pay for essential workers.
More than two weeks ago, the American people gave President-elect Joe Biden a decisive popular and Electoral College majority.
But despite once professing that the public should get a “voice” on judges, McConnell and his caucus have mounted a lame-duck push to confirm as many Trump judges as possible to lifetime appointments.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.