shareblue--2020-12-11--Tulsi Gabbard joins GOP attack on trans kids on her way out of Congress

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ( D-HI ) introduced a bill on Thursday that says compliance with a federal civil rights law must define sex as `` biological sex as determined at birth by a physician . ''
Gabbard , who announced in 2019 that she would not be seeking another term in office , has just a few weeks left in Congress .
The bill she 's backing on her way out the door , called the Protect Women 's Sports Act , is meant to exclude transgender girls from participating in sports in accordance with their gender .
Title IX @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities .
Rep. Markwayne Mullin ( R-OK ) is cosponsoring the bill .
The full text of the bill had not yet been posted online on Friday .
Gabbard is following in the footsteps of GOP lawmakers on the state and federal level who have introduced similar bills .
Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) , who has given thousands of dollars to an anti-LGBTQ adoption agency , introduced a bill this year called the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a violation of Title IX for schools receiving federal funds to `` permit someone whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designed for girls '' and defined sex as `` a person 's reproductive biology and sex at birth . ''
Republicans have also introduced bills on the state level to keep transgender girls from playing on girls ' sports teams .
Idaho 's bill , the Fairness in Women 's Sports Act , sponsored by Republican legislators , was signed into law by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Little , in March .
In August , a federal judge ruled against the law .
Although dozens of states saw lawmakers introduce bills like the one in Idaho , including Tennessee and Arizona , which were also introduced by Republicans , Idaho was the only state to successfully enact a bill targeting transgender girls in sports .
Details about Gabbard 's anti-LGBTQ history grabbed headlines last year during her presidential run .
In 2002 , when Gabbard ran for the Hawaii House of Representatives , she bragged about working with her father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly anti-LGBTQ record , `` to pass a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage , '' CNN reported last year .
In 2004 , she opposed civil unions and said , `` As Democrats , we should be representing the views of the people , not a small number of homosexual extremists . ''
In an interview in 2015 , where she is asked about her positions on LGBTQ rights , OZY reporters write Gabbard told them that `` no , her personal views haven ’ t changed '' but that she did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beliefs on others . ''
In January of 2019 , soon after Gabbard announced her presidential run , Gabbard acknowledged her past statements and actions and said , `` In my past , I said and believed things that were wrong , and worse , they were very hurtful to people in the LGBTQ community and their loved ones '' and said that she apologized for her positions years ago .
`` I sincerely repeat my apology today , '' she said .
LGBTQ lawmakers and advocates have tweeted in response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah McBride , a Democrat who has been elected the first transgender state senator , tweeted about Gabbard , `` Tulsi Gabbard : assigned Republican at birth . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) introduced a bill on Thursday that says compliance with a federal civil rights law must define sex as “biological sex as determined at birth by a physician.”
Gabbard, who announced in 2019 that she would not be seeking another term in office, has just a few weeks left in Congress.
The bill she’s backing on her way out the door, called the Protect Women’s Sports Act, is meant to exclude transgender girls from participating in sports in accordance with their gender.
Title IX is the federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is cosponsoring the bill. The full text of the bill had not yet been posted online on Friday.
Gabbard is following in the footsteps of GOP lawmakers on the state and federal level who have introduced similar bills.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), who has given thousands of dollars to an anti-LGBTQ adoption agency, introduced a bill this year called the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2020. The bill says it is a violation of Title IX for schools receiving federal funds to “permit someone whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designed for girls” and defined sex as “a person’s reproductive biology and sex at birth.”
Republicans have also introduced bills on the state level to keep transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams. Idaho’s bill, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, sponsored by Republican legislators, was signed into law by the Republican governor of Idaho, Brad Little, in March. In August, a federal judge ruled against the law. Although dozens of states saw lawmakers introduce bills like the one in Idaho, including Tennessee and Arizona, which were also introduced by Republicans, Idaho was the only state to successfully enact a bill targeting transgender girls in sports.
Details about Gabbard’s anti-LGBTQ history grabbed headlines last year during her presidential run. In 2002, when Gabbard ran for the Hawaii House of Representatives, she bragged about working with her father, Mike Gabbard, who has a strongly anti-LGBTQ record, “to pass a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage,” CNN reported last year.
In 2004, she opposed civil unions and said, “As Democrats, we should be representing the views of the people, not a small number of homosexual extremists.”
In an interview in 2015, where she is asked about her positions on LGBTQ rights, OZY reporters write Gabbard told them that “no, her personal views haven’t changed” but that she didn’t want to “force her own beliefs on others.”
In January of 2019, soon after Gabbard announced her presidential run, Gabbard acknowledged her past statements and actions and said, “In my past, I said and believed things that were wrong, and worse, they were very hurtful to people in the LGBTQ community and their loved ones” and said that she apologized for her positions years ago.
“I sincerely repeat my apology today,” she said.
LGBTQ lawmakers and advocates have tweeted in response to the news.
State senator-elect for Delaware, Sarah McBride, a Democrat who has been elected the first transgender state senator, tweeted about Gabbard, “Tulsi Gabbard: assigned Republican at birth.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-12-11--Arizona GOP in disarray over governor's refusal to overturn election for Trump

Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey spent much of Donald Trump 's presidency trying not to provoke confrontation with the president or his fervent defenders .
He almost made it through .
But when state law required Ducey to certify Arizona 's presidential election results and sign off on Trump 's defeat last week , four years of loyalty was n't enough to protect him from the president .
`` Republicans will long remember !
, '' Trump tweeted in anger at the governor .
Since then , the episode has spiraled into a public and politically damaging dispute between Ducey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party .
Those who believe Trump 's unproven claims of fraud and support his effort to undermine the will of voters say Ducey betrayed his party .
His defenders have dismissed the critics as `` nuts . ''
The rift may be a preview the lasting political impact of Trump 's campaign to subvert the election results .
As Trump 's baseless claims gain traction with many GOP voters , Republican officeholders will be asked to take sides — back Trump or acknowledge the reality that Biden won an election with no proven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could have long-term consequences for their own political futures .
`` He 's in a no-win situation on many fronts , '' said Doug Cole , a Republican political consultant and adviser to past governors , of Ducey , who is widely believed to be eying a bid for Senate or even the White House .
Ducey is one of two GOP governors who have faced Trump backlash after certifying Biden 's win in their states .
GOP Gov .
Brian Kemp of Georgia also signed off on Trump 's loss and refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results .
Trump has lashed out in response .
But many other GOP governors and lawmakers have dodged questions about whether Biden is the winner , with some suggesting they 're waiting until Jan. 6 , when Congress is due to approve the Electoral College vote .
It did n't take long for Ducey to find himself at the center of a schism .
Trump called Ducey while the governor was in the process of signing the certification of Arizona 's election results in front of television cameras .
The governor quickly pulled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it played the presidential anthem , `` Hail to the Chief , '' silenced it and set it on the table .
He later returned Trump 's call but declined to tell reporters what they discussed .
Hours after , Trump began his tirade against Ducey on Twitter , which seemed to open the floodgates for his staunchest supporters .
Kelli Ward , the firebrand chair of the Arizona Republican Party said she was `` disgusted '' with Ducey and addressed him on Twitter with an acronym meaning `` shut the hell up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news conference : `` The feeling 's mutual ...
Practice what you preach . ''
Ducey 's advisers opened up on the governor 's critics on Twitter .
His chief of staff , Daniel Scarpinato , called Rep. Andy Biggs , an Arizona Republican who leads the conservative Freedom Caucus , `` nuts '' and `` a permanent resident of Crazytown . ''
Ducey 's former chief of staff , Kirk Adams , asked a state lawmaker who 's pushing to overturn the election results , `` Have you considered counseling ?
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biggs published an online op-ed Wednesday declaring , `` Gov .
Ducey Has Harmed the Republican Party 's Cause . ''
Barrett Marson , a Republican political consultant , does n't think Ducey 's problem with the conservative GOP base will last .
`` Donald Trump 's tweets come and go , '' said Marson , who previously worked for a Ducey-aligned political action committee to elect Republican legislators .
`` The governor has been a supporter of the president 's agenda , his economic policies and so forth .
This one hiccup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
After avoiding Trump during the 2016 campaign , Ducey came to embrace him , even when Trump 's policies were problematic for Ducey 's allies in the Arizona business community .
When Trump would muse about closing the southern border , a potentially devastating move in a state with strong economic ties with Mexico , Ducey backed him .
And as Arizona became a pivotal swing state in the 2020 contest and Trump made constant visits , Ducey was always by his side with effusive praise .
The president returned the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , which he called a model for other states .
But he also warned just days before the election that his support would only go so far .
`` We 're doing well Doug ?
We 're doing good ? ''
Trump said at a rally in conservative Bullhead City .
`` I 'm gon na be so angry at you Doug if I do n't get there . ''
Since Biden 's narrow victory in Arizona , Ducey has never lent credence to the conspiracy theories lobbed by the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Still , he waited three weeks before acknowledge Biden 's victory , which he did only when pressed repeatedly by an interviewer .
He 's challenged those questioning the election results to present their evidence in court .
Ducey 's estrangement from portions of his party base began earlier this year when he ordered the closure of businesses to preserve hospital capacity and protective gear as the spread of the coronavirus intensified .
But he maintained the president 's strong backing until now .
Barred by term limits from running again for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his political future .
Observers in Arizona have long speculated on what he wants to do next .
Trump 's loss deprives him of the chance to seek an administration job in Washington .
He could run for the U.S. Senate against newly elected Democrat Mark Kelly but would almost certainly face a primary challenge from the right , especially if his relationship with Trump remains strained .
`` Short term , we know that when the president sours on anyone ... there 's a group of Republicans out there that , wherever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Mike Noble , a Phoenix pollster and former GOP political consultant .
`` The question is going to be whether or not those folks stick to that . ''

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey spent much of Donald Trump’s presidency trying not to provoke confrontation with the president or his fervent defenders. He almost made it through.
But when state law required Ducey to certify Arizona’s presidential election results and sign off on Trump’s defeat last week, four years of loyalty wasn’t enough to protect him from the president. “Republicans will long remember!,” Trump tweeted in anger at the governor.
Since then, the episode has spiraled into a public and politically damaging dispute between Ducey and influential Trump loyalists in his own party. Those who believe Trump’s unproven claims of fraud and support his effort to undermine the will of voters say Ducey betrayed his party. His defenders have dismissed the critics as “nuts.”
The rift may be a preview the lasting political impact of Trump’s campaign to subvert the election results. As Trump’s baseless claims gain traction with many GOP voters, Republican officeholders will be asked to take sides — back Trump or acknowledge the reality that Biden won an election with no proven claims of widespread fraud. Their choices could have long-term consequences for their own political futures.
“He’s in a no-win situation on many fronts,” said Doug Cole, a Republican political consultant and adviser to past governors, of Ducey, who is widely believed to be eying a bid for Senate or even the White House.
Ducey is one of two GOP governors who have faced Trump backlash after certifying Biden’s win in their states. GOP Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia also signed off on Trump’s loss and refused to endorse Trump’s attempts overturn the results. Trump has lashed out in response.
But many other GOP governors and lawmakers have dodged questions about whether Biden is the winner, with some suggesting they’re waiting until Jan. 6, when Congress is due to approve the Electoral College vote.
It didn’t take long for Ducey to find himself at the center of a schism. Trump called Ducey while the governor was in the process of signing the certification of Arizona’s election results in front of television cameras. The governor quickly pulled his phone from his suit jacket as it played the presidential anthem, “Hail to the Chief,” silenced it and set it on the table. He later returned Trump’s call but declined to tell reporters what they discussed.
Hours after, Trump began his tirade against Ducey on Twitter, which seemed to open the floodgates for his staunchest supporters.
Kelli Ward, the firebrand chair of the Arizona Republican Party said she was “disgusted” with Ducey and addressed him on Twitter with an acronym meaning “shut the hell up.”
Ducey clapped back in a news conference: “The feeling’s mutual…Practice what you preach.”
Ducey’s advisers opened up on the governor’s critics on Twitter. His chief of staff, Daniel Scarpinato, called Rep. Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican who leads the conservative Freedom Caucus, “nuts” and “a permanent resident of Crazytown.” Ducey’s former chief of staff, Kirk Adams, asked a state lawmaker who’s pushing to overturn the election results, “Have you considered counseling? It can help.”
On Wednesday, Biggs published an online op-ed Wednesday declaring, “Gov. Ducey Has Harmed the Republican Party’s Cause.”
Barrett Marson, a Republican political consultant, doesn’t think Ducey’s problem with the conservative GOP base will last.
“Donald Trump’s tweets come and go,” said Marson, who previously worked for a Ducey-aligned political action committee to elect Republican legislators. “The governor has been a supporter of the president’s agenda, his economic policies and so forth. This one hiccup won’t fray that relationship going forward.”
After avoiding Trump during the 2016 campaign, Ducey came to embrace him, even when Trump’s policies were problematic for Ducey’s allies in the Arizona business community. When Trump would muse about closing the southern border, a potentially devastating move in a state with strong economic ties with Mexico, Ducey backed him.
And as Arizona became a pivotal swing state in the 2020 contest and Trump made constant visits, Ducey was always by his side with effusive praise. The president returned the favor by touting Ducey’s handling of the coronavirus, which he called a model for other states.
But he also warned just days before the election that his support would only go so far.
“We’re doing well Doug? We’re doing good?” Trump said at a rally in conservative Bullhead City. “I’m gonna be so angry at you Doug if I don’t get there.”
Since Biden’s narrow victory in Arizona, Ducey has never lent credence to the conspiracy theories lobbed by the president, his attorneys and allies alleging fraud. Still, he waited three weeks before acknowledge Biden’s victory, which he did only when pressed repeatedly by an interviewer. He’s challenged those questioning the election results to present their evidence in court.
Ducey’s estrangement from portions of his party base began earlier this year when he ordered the closure of businesses to preserve hospital capacity and protective gear as the spread of the coronavirus intensified. But he maintained the president’s strong backing until now.
Barred by term limits from running again for governor, Ducey faces a crossroads in his political future. Observers in Arizona have long speculated on what he wants to do next. Trump’s loss deprives him of the chance to seek an administration job in Washington.
He could run for the U.S. Senate against newly elected Democrat Mark Kelly but would almost certainly face a primary challenge from the right, especially if his relationship with Trump remains strained.
“Short term, we know that when the president sours on anyone … there’s a group of Republicans out there that, wherever the president goes, they will go,” said Mike Noble, a Phoenix pollster and former GOP political consultant. “The question is going to be whether or not those folks stick to that.”


shareblue--2020-12-11--Montana shows why lawsuit to throw out the election is ridiculous

Montana Democratic Gov .
Steve Bullock on Friday filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court , in which he slammed Texas ' lawsuit against four states President-elect Joe Biden won as a hypocritical and anti-democratic attempt to overturn the results of an election simply because Texas ' attorney general wanted Donald Trump to win .
Bullock said Montana implemented many of the same voting policies that Texas sued Georgia , Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin for , but Texas did n't sue Montana because Trump won the state .
Texas chose not to include the State of Montana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were successful in a mail ballot election conducted to reduce the impact of COVID — underscoring , of course , that this action is less about election integrity than it is about attempting to overturn the will of the electorate .
But if Texas is successful in its suit , it would destabilize the results of elections in Montana and any other state that took valid state-law actions to minimize the impact of the virus on voting , including states that delivered victories to Republican candidates using mail ballots .
Bullock 's brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit .
On Thursday , Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro — the chief law enforcement officer of one of the states Texas is suing — tore apart Texas ' suit point by point in a response brief to the Supreme Court .
`` Texas 's effort to get this Court to pick the next President has no basis in law or fact , '' Shapiro wrote in the brief .
`` The Court should not abide this seditious abuse of the judicial process , and should send a clear and unmistakable signal that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Still , few Republicans have spoken out about the anti-democratic lawsuit that seeks to toss the results of the 2020 election over baseless allegations of fraud .
The Republicans who have spoken out have been unequivocal in their belief that the lawsuit is baseless .
`` I 'm no lawyer , but I suspect the Supreme Court swats this away , '' Sen. Ben Sasse ( R-NE ) said Thursday .
`` From the brief , it looks like a fella begging for a pardon filed a PR stunt rather than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already been rejected by federal courts and Texas ' own solicitor general is n't signing on . ''
Ken Paxton , the Texas attorney general who filed the lawsuit , is currently under indictment for securities fraud and faces a separate federal investigation over alleged bribery and misusing the office of the attorney general to benefit his campaign donors .
However , a number of Republicans do support Texas ' effort to prop up Trump 's attempt at coup .
On Thursday , 106 House Republicans announced they signed on to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signal their support of the Texas lawsuit .
Those GOP lawmakers join 17 other Republican attorneys general in backing the effort to get the Supreme Court to hand the election to Trump .
Trump promised during the 2020 campaign that he would go to the Supreme Court to get them to hand him a victory should he lose to Biden .
Now that Trump did lose to Biden — in a landslide by Trump 's own definition — Trump is making good on that promise .
Legal experts , however , do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Texas # SCOTUS lawsuit trying to overthrow the election results in four battleground states is little more than a stunt — and that 's *exactly* why it 's so offensive , '' University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck tweeted on Wednesday .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Montana Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock on Friday filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court, in which he slammed Texas’ lawsuit against four states President-elect Joe Biden won as a hypocritical and anti-democratic attempt to overturn the results of an election simply because Texas’ attorney general wanted Donald Trump to win.
Bullock said Montana implemented many of the same voting policies that Texas sued Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin for, but Texas didn’t sue Montana because Trump won the state.
Bullock wrote:
Texas chose not to include the State of Montana, where President Trump and other Republicans were successful in a mail ballot election conducted to reduce the impact of COVID — underscoring, of course, that this action is less about election integrity than it is about attempting to overturn the will of the electorate. But if Texas is successful in its suit, it would destabilize the results of elections in Montana and any other state that took valid state-law actions to minimize the impact of the virus on voting, including states that delivered victories to Republican candidates using mail ballots.
Bullock’s brief is the latest smackdown of Texas’ lawsuit.
On Thursday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro — the chief law enforcement officer of one of the states Texas is suing — tore apart Texas’ suit point by point in a response brief to the Supreme Court.
“Texas’s effort to get this Court to pick the next President has no basis in law or fact,” Shapiro wrote in the brief. “The Court should not abide this seditious abuse of the judicial process, and should send a clear and unmistakable signal that such abuse must never be replicated.”
Still, few Republicans have spoken out about the anti-democratic lawsuit that seeks to toss the results of the 2020 election over baseless allegations of fraud.
The Republicans who have spoken out have been unequivocal in their belief that the lawsuit is baseless.
“I’m no lawyer, but I suspect the Supreme Court swats this away,” Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) said Thursday. “From the brief, it looks like a fella begging for a pardon filed a PR stunt rather than a lawsuit — as all of its assertions have already been rejected by federal courts and Texas’ own solicitor general isn’t signing on.”
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general who filed the lawsuit, is currently under indictment for securities fraud and faces a separate federal investigation over alleged bribery and misusing the office of the attorney general to benefit his campaign donors.
However, a number of Republicans do support Texas’ effort to prop up Trump’s attempt at coup.
On Thursday, 106 House Republicans announced they signed on to their own brief with the Supreme Court to signal their support of the Texas lawsuit. Those GOP lawmakers join 17 other Republican attorneys general in backing the effort to get the Supreme Court to hand the election to Trump.
Trump promised during the 2020 campaign that he would go to the Supreme Court to get them to hand him a victory should he lose to Biden.
Now that Trump did lose to Biden — in a landslide by Trump’s own definition — Trump is making good on that promise.
Legal experts, however, do not expect this effort to prevail.
“The Texas #SCOTUS lawsuit trying to overthrow the election results in four battleground states is little more than a stunt — and that’s *exactly* why it’s so offensive,” University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck tweeted on Wednesday.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-12-12--Does Trump have power to pardon himself? It's complicated

Donald Trump has declared that he has the `` absolute right '' to issue a pardon to himself .
Yet the law is much murkier than his confidence suggests .
No president has attempted to pardon himself while in office , so if Trump tries to do so in the next six weeks , he will be venturing into legally untested territory without clear guidance from the Constitution or from judges .
Legal experts are divided on an inherently ambiguous question that was left vague by the Founding Fathers and has never had to be definitively resolved in court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ factual scenario that could come up under a legal provision .
This is why we have the courts , '' said University of Baltimore law professor Kimberly Wehle .
Talk of a potential pardon comes with Trump facing a swirl of investigations as he prepares to leave office , including New York State inquiries into whether he misled tax authorities , banks or business partners .
In favor of a self-pardon is the broad power the Constitution affords a president when it comes to issuing clemency for federal crimes — both charged and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any law or language that explicitly prohibits such an act .
But some scholars say a self-pardon collides with other provisions of the Constitution or even fundamental principles of law .
The Constitution 's text — affording the president `` power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States , except in cases of impeachment '' — can be read to suggest that the Founding Fathers envisioned some sort of limitations on a president 's pardon power .
It could also mean the power is to be used on someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could say , implicit in the definition of a pardon or implicit in the notion of granting a pardon — because the Constitution uses the word 'grant ' — is that it 's two separate people , '' said Brian Kalt , a law professor at Michigan State University .
`` You ca n't grant something to yourself .
You ca n't pardon yourself . ''
It could also seem to run afoul of the fundamental principle that no one — in this case , a president issuing himself a pardon — may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case .
That was the reasoning cited in a 1974 opinion from the Justice Department 's Office of Legal Counsel , dated days before President Richard Nixon 's resignation , that said `` it would seem '' a president could not pardon himself .
But that same opinion does suggest a potential workaround , envisioning as legally acceptable a scenario in which a president declares himself temporarily unfit for office under the Constitution 's 25th Amendment and transfers power to the vice president , who could then issue a pardon .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties , the opinion said .
The question of whether Trump will do it , though , is as unsettled as the question of whether he can .
A self-pardon , which Trump has openly mused about , would on one hand be fitting as a final norm-shattering act in a presidency defined by them .
But it might also be at odds with his oft-stated conviction that he has done nothing wrong for which he needs to be absolved .
Regardless , the question has occupied Trump 's attention for years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia , Trump tweeted , `` As has been stated by numerous legal scholars , I have the absolute right to PARDON myself , but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong ? ''
Mueller 's report laid out facts that federal prosecutors could potentially use as the basis for an obstruction of justice prosecution , though the odds of that are unclear .
If prosecutors were to bring a case against Trump in spite of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue could wind up in court and before a judge for the first time .
Mark Tushnet , a retired Harvard Law School professor , said he doubted any court would overturn a presidential self-pardon , though he said such an act would constitute an abuse of power that would have been abhorrent to the framers of the Constitution .
`` For them , I believe it would have been unthinkable that the American people would ever elect the kind of person who would pardon himself .
Which is why they did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tushnet said .
Since presidential pardons do n't cover state crimes , it would seem unlikely a self-pardon would extend in any event to the state investigations Trump is facing .
But , Tushnet said , Trump 's lawyers could conceivably try to invoke double-jeopardy arguments to claim that a federal pardon should bar any New York state prosecution based on the same conduct .
On the federal level , a self-pardon obviously handcuffs the Justice Department under President-elect Joe Biden from pursuing any federal case against Trump .
But it would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a prosecution that would risk distracting from his political agenda and keeping Trump in the spotlight .
Ethan Leib , a law professor at Fordham University , said it is a well-established norm that presidents are supposed to act in the public interest rather than for personal gain .
In this case , he said , it is possible Trump could argue that a self-pardon is in the public interest to the extent it would pre-empt a divisive prosecution that could potentially upend democracy and `` trigger civil war . ''
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is this particular president does not seem particularly public spirited and public-interest minded . ''

Donald Trump has declared that he has the “absolute right” to issue a pardon to himself. Yet the law is much murkier than his confidence suggests.
No president has attempted to pardon himself while in office, so if Trump tries to do so in the next six weeks, he will be venturing into legally untested territory without clear guidance from the Constitution or from judges. Legal experts are divided on an inherently ambiguous question that was left vague by the Founding Fathers and has never had to be definitively resolved in court.
“It’s impossible to anticipate every factual scenario that could come up under a legal provision. This is why we have the courts,” said University of Baltimore law professor Kimberly Wehle.
Talk of a potential pardon comes with Trump facing a swirl of investigations as he prepares to leave office, including New York State inquiries into whether he misled tax authorities, banks or business partners.
In favor of a self-pardon is the broad power the Constitution affords a president when it comes to issuing clemency for federal crimes — both charged and not-yet charged — and the absence of any law or language that explicitly prohibits such an act.
But some scholars say a self-pardon collides with other provisions of the Constitution or even fundamental principles of law. The Constitution’s text — affording the president “power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment” — can be read to suggest that the Founding Fathers envisioned some sort of limitations on a president’s pardon power. It could also mean the power is to be used on someone else, not yourself.
“You could say, implicit in the definition of a pardon or implicit in the notion of granting a pardon — because the Constitution uses the word ‘grant’ — is that it’s two separate people,” said Brian Kalt, a law professor at Michigan State University. “You can’t grant something to yourself. You can’t pardon yourself.”
It could also seem to run afoul of the fundamental principle that no one — in this case, a president issuing himself a pardon — may serve as a judge in his own case.
That was the reasoning cited in a 1974 opinion from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, dated days before President Richard Nixon’s resignation, that said “it would seem” a president could not pardon himself.
But that same opinion does suggest a potential workaround, envisioning as legally acceptable a scenario in which a president declares himself temporarily unfit for office under the Constitution’s 25th Amendment and transfers power to the vice president, who could then issue a pardon. The president could then either resign or resume his duties, the opinion said.
The question of whether Trump will do it, though, is as unsettled as the question of whether he can.
A self-pardon, which Trump has openly mused about, would on one hand be fitting as a final norm-shattering act in a presidency defined by them. But it might also be at odds with his oft-stated conviction that he has done nothing wrong for which he needs to be absolved.
Regardless, the question has occupied Trump’s attention for years.
In June 2018, 13 months into special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, Trump tweeted, “As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?”
Mueller’s report laid out facts that federal prosecutors could potentially use as the basis for an obstruction of justice prosecution, though the odds of that are unclear.
If prosecutors were to bring a case against Trump in spite of any pardon he grants himself, the issue could wind up in court and before a judge for the first time.
Mark Tushnet, a retired Harvard Law School professor, said he doubted any court would overturn a presidential self-pardon, though he said such an act would constitute an abuse of power that would have been abhorrent to the framers of the Constitution.
“For them, I believe it would have been unthinkable that the American people would ever elect the kind of person who would pardon himself. Which is why they didn’t say anything about the possibility,” Tushnet said.
Since presidential pardons don’t cover state crimes, it would seem unlikely a self-pardon would extend in any event to the state investigations Trump is facing.
But, Tushnet said, Trump’s lawyers could conceivably try to invoke double-jeopardy arguments to claim that a federal pardon should bar any New York state prosecution based on the same conduct.
On the federal level, a self-pardon obviously handcuffs the Justice Department under President-elect Joe Biden from pursuing any federal case against Trump. But it would also spare Biden from having to face questions about a prosecution that would risk distracting from his political agenda and keeping Trump in the spotlight.
Ethan Leib, a law professor at Fordham University, said it is a well-established norm that presidents are supposed to act in the public interest rather than for personal gain. In this case, he said, it is possible Trump could argue that a self-pardon is in the public interest to the extent it would pre-empt a divisive prosecution that could potentially upend democracy and “trigger civil war.”
But, he noted, “The irony is this particular president does not seem particularly public spirited and public-interest minded.”


shareblue--2020-12-12--Biden wants to do something about gun violence. Congress might not let him.

The gun debate in America will soon enter a new chapter with a Democrat in the White House after four years under Donald Trump in which gun control advocates developed a long wish list for reform amid a spate of large-scale mass killings in places like Las Vegas , El Paso and Parkland , Florida .
But any hope that Joe Biden will usher in a new era of restrictions on firearms is highly unlikely because of the same polarization in Washington that has tripped up similar efforts under past administrations .
The items on the agenda — largely relegated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — include renewing a ban on AR-style rifles , universal background checks , restrictions on high-capacity magazines and a federal red flag law designed to prevent people at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing a firearm .
But virtually all of those will require Congress to act .
And regardless of the outcome in two Senate races in Georgia that will determine which party holds the majority in that chamber , it will be a tall order to get a majority of lawmakers on board .
One key reason is because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Years ago , gun politics crossed party lines , and it was easier for Republicans and Democrats to find common ground .
`` It used to be a cross-cutting issue , there used to be Democrats that were very pro-gun and Democratic legislators who won districts in part on their pro-gun views , '' said Matt Grossmann , an associate professor at Michigan State University and director of its Institute for Public Policy and Social Research who follows gun politics .
`` And you just do n't have that anymore . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past 12 years , starting in President Barack Obama 's administration when gun owners feared he would push through significant restrictions .
It continued unabated during Trump 's lone term .
In the first years of his tenure , Americans amassed firearms amid fears about new gun measures following mass killings .
The gun-buying picked up even more steam in the past year as civil unrest , economic turmoil and the pandemic propelled unparalleled buying sprees .
And with the pandemic dominating the conversation , guns took a back seat in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still want to be heard , however .
For one , they want universal background checks that would require the review for virtually every sale of a firearm , and a ban on online sales of firearms , ammunition , and parts .
Among the legislative proposals , the one viewed as having some bipartisan support is a federal `` red flag '' law that would make it easier to temporarily confiscate firearms from someone deemed a risk to themselves or others .
Currently , fewer than two dozen states have such laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also are more aggressively underscoring the fears they have about the abundance of guns in homes of Americans .
They worry about the toll it will have on households where firearms are present , both through murder-suicides and suicides .
During a news conference Thursday announcing their priorities for Biden to take executive action on guns , Everytown for Gun Safety cited statistics that show calls into domestic violence hotlines and suicide hotlines up , and gun violence in cities on the rise .
Their list of priorities includes restricting access to untraceable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on people who are able to purchase a firearm if the FBI background check is n't conducted within the required 3 business days .
`` The need for action is urgent , '' said Michael-Sean Spence , Everytown 's director of community safety initiatives .
`` This was already a public health crisis before COVID arrived — and the pandemic has made things far worse . ''
There are other steps Biden can take administratively .
Among the key items likely to be pursued is a rule enacted in the waning weeks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon after taking office : requiring the Social Security Administration to provide information to the gun-buying background check system on recipients with a mental disorder so severe they can not work or handle their own benefit checks .
The rule would affect an estimated 75,000 beneficiaries .
The most coveted piece of legislation by gun control advocates has been a renewal of the ban on `` assault weapons '' that expired in 2004 .
Biden played a central role in pushing through that decade-long ban , and he has pledged to push for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have only surged in popularity since their return to the market .
Much has changed since that ban was pushed through — from the political landscape to the saturation of those firearms in the civilian market .
In the years leading up to and following the ban , there were an estimated 8.5 million AR-platform rifles in circulation in the United States .
Since the ban was lifted , the rifles — called `` modern sporting rifles '' by the industry — have only surged in popularity .
The National Shooting Sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17 million in circulation .
And there are likely significantly more after this year , which consistently smashed monthly records for federal background checks .
The National Rifle Association , which poured tens of millions of dollars toward electing Trump in 2016 , has been weakened by infighting as well as legal tangles over its finances .
While it remains a force in the gun arena , it 's unclear what influence it will be able to muster during the Biden administration .
Alan Gottlieb , the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome of two runoff elections in Georgia that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate .
But regardless what happens , he 's hopeful that efforts to severely restrict firearms will face resistance in the courts after four years of Trump appointing conservative justices throughout the federal court system as well as on the U.S. Supreme Court .
`` We know where they 're coming from , we know what they want to do .
They have a very long laundry list of things they 'd like to accomplish , '' Gottlieb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where we go with that . ''

The gun debate in America will soon enter a new chapter with a Democrat in the White House after four years under Donald Trump in which gun control advocates developed a long wish list for reform amid a spate of large-scale mass killings in places like Las Vegas, El Paso and Parkland, Florida.
But any hope that Joe Biden will usher in a new era of restrictions on firearms is highly unlikely because of the same polarization in Washington that has tripped up similar efforts under past administrations.
The items on the agenda — largely relegated to the political shelf in recent years — include renewing a ban on AR-style rifles, universal background checks, restrictions on high-capacity magazines and a federal red flag law designed to prevent people at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing a firearm.
But virtually all of those will require Congress to act. And regardless of the outcome in two Senate races in Georgia that will determine which party holds the majority in that chamber, it will be a tall order to get a majority of lawmakers on board.
One key reason is because the issues have become so polarized. Years ago, gun politics crossed party lines, and it was easier for Republicans and Democrats to find common ground.
“It used to be a cross-cutting issue, there used to be Democrats that were very pro-gun and Democratic legislators who won districts in part on their pro-gun views,” said Matt Grossmann, an associate professor at Michigan State University and director of its Institute for Public Policy and Social Research who follows gun politics. “And you just don’t have that anymore.”
The number of firearms in circulation has mushroomed in the past 12 years, starting in President Barack Obama’s administration when gun owners feared he would push through significant restrictions.
It continued unabated during Trump’s lone term. In the first years of his tenure, Americans amassed firearms amid fears about new gun measures following mass killings. The gun-buying picked up even more steam in the past year as civil unrest, economic turmoil and the pandemic propelled unparalleled buying sprees.
And with the pandemic dominating the conversation, guns took a back seat in the 2020 election.
Gun control groups still want to be heard, however. For one, they want universal background checks that would require the review for virtually every sale of a firearm, and a ban on online sales of firearms, ammunition, and parts.
Among the legislative proposals, the one viewed as having some bipartisan support is a federal “red flag” law that would make it easier to temporarily confiscate firearms from someone deemed a risk to themselves or others. Currently, fewer than two dozen states have such laws on the books.
Gun control groups also are more aggressively underscoring the fears they have about the abundance of guns in homes of Americans. They worry about the toll it will have on households where firearms are present, both through murder-suicides and suicides.
During a news conference Thursday announcing their priorities for Biden to take executive action on guns, Everytown for Gun Safety cited statistics that show calls into domestic violence hotlines and suicide hotlines up, and gun violence in cities on the rise. Their list of priorities includes restricting access to untraceable “ghost guns” and cracking down on people who are able to purchase a firearm if the FBI background check isn’t conducted within the required 3 business days.
“The need for action is urgent,” said Michael-Sean Spence, Everytown’s director of community safety initiatives. “This was already a public health crisis before COVID arrived — and the pandemic has made things far worse.”
There are other steps Biden can take administratively. Among the key items likely to be pursued is a rule enacted in the waning weeks of the Obama administration but scrapped by Trump soon after taking office: requiring the Social Security Administration to provide information to the gun-buying background check system on recipients with a mental disorder so severe they cannot work or handle their own benefit checks. The rule would affect an estimated 75,000 beneficiaries.
The most coveted piece of legislation by gun control advocates has been a renewal of the ban on “assault weapons” that expired in 2004. Biden played a central role in pushing through that decade-long ban, and he has pledged to push for another ban on the semiautomatic long guns that have only surged in popularity since their return to the market.
Much has changed since that ban was pushed through — from the political landscape to the saturation of those firearms in the civilian market.
In the years leading up to and following the ban, there were an estimated 8.5 million AR-platform rifles in circulation in the United States. Since the ban was lifted, the rifles — called “modern sporting rifles” by the industry — have only surged in popularity. The National Shooting Sports Foundation now estimates there are more than 17 million in circulation. And there are likely significantly more after this year, which consistently smashed monthly records for federal background checks.
The National Rifle Association, which poured tens of millions of dollars toward electing Trump in 2016, has been weakened by infighting as well as legal tangles over its finances. While it remains a force in the gun arena, it’s unclear what influence it will be able to muster during the Biden administration.
Alan Gottlieb, the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, said he’s watching for the outcome of two runoff elections in Georgia that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. But regardless what happens, he’s hopeful that efforts to severely restrict firearms will face resistance in the courts after four years of Trump appointing conservative justices throughout the federal court system as well as on the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We know where they’re coming from, we know what they want to do. They have a very long laundry list of things they’d like to accomplish,” Gottlieb said. “And we’ll see where we go with that.”


shareblue--2020-12-13--Biden's pick to lead health care actually wants people to have health care

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Xavier Becerra , currently California 's attorney general , to be his head of Health and Human Services .
While much of Becerra 's work at HHS will focus on the pandemic , his nomination represents an opportunity to restore reproductive health and abortion rights .
Much of the discussion of the future of abortion is focused on the Supreme Court , thanks to the 6-3 majority of hardline anti-abortion justices .
However , there are regulatory steps that Becerra would be able to take that can help increase access to abortion , even as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courts .
Ilyse Hogue , the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America , said in a statement that Becerra is `` committed to safeguarding and advancing reproductive freedom '' and that he `` can finally begin to undo the Trump administration 's work to turn back the clock on generations of hard-fought progress . ''
Described as California 's anti-Trump attack dog , Becerra has already shown a strong commitment to protecting reproductive health rights .
While attorney general in California , he led a coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine the Affordable Care Act .
With that background , Becerra would be well-positioned to roll back the Trump administration 's regulation that allowed any employer with a religious or moral objection to birth control to refuse to provide coverage in an employee healthcare plan .
Though the Supreme Court upheld the regulation , they did so by saying that the language of the ACA gives an administration `` virtually unbridled discretion '' to say what coverage should be required .
Where the Trump administration read the law as allowing for vast exceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can read the law as allowing for inclusive contraception coverage .
And just as the Trump administration made that change via the administrative rulemaking process , the Biden administration can do so as well .
Becerra also led the fight to defend Title X funding for Planned Parenthood when the Trump administration rewrote Title X rules to prohibit organizations that performed abortions from receiving federal family planning funds .
Though Becerra was ultimately unsuccessful in that effort , as head of the HHS , he could restore those Title X funds , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his campaign .
One of HHS 's worst rules during the Trump years was the refusal of care rule , which was designed to allow religious conservatives to impose their views on patients seeking care .
The rule could be read to enable health care providers to refuse information about reproductive healthcare options and deny abortion care , perhaps even when only an emergency abortion could save someone 's life .
Earlier this year , Becerra filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a case opposing the rule and is therefore well-suited to helm a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Food and Drug Administration is an agency within HHS , Becerra could help loosen or eliminate the current FDA restrictions on medication abortion .
The drug used in a medication abortion , Mifeprex , has a better safety record than far more well-known and easily-available drugs , such as Viagra and penicillin .
As the pandemic continues , increasing access to medication abortion , particularly by telehealth , could make a real difference .
The courts may be poised to restrict abortion , but Biden 's administration is well-positioned to fight back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help lead the way .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Xavier Becerra, currently California’s attorney general, to be his head of Health and Human Services. While much of Becerra’s work at HHS will focus on the pandemic, his nomination represents an opportunity to restore reproductive health and abortion rights.
Much of the discussion of the future of abortion is focused on the Supreme Court, thanks to the 6-3 majority of hardline anti-abortion justices. However, there are regulatory steps that Becerra would be able to take that can help increase access to abortion, even as Roe v. Wade is attacked in the courts.
Ilyse Hogue, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said in a statement that Becerra is “committed to safeguarding and advancing reproductive freedom” and that he “can finally begin to undo the Trump administration’s work to turn back the clock on generations of hard-fought progress.”
Described as California’s anti-Trump attack dog, Becerra has already shown a strong commitment to protecting reproductive health rights. While attorney general in California, he led a coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia in pushing back against Republican attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act.
With that background, Becerra would be well-positioned to roll back the Trump administration’s regulation that allowed any employer with a religious or moral objection to birth control to refuse to provide coverage in an employee healthcare plan. Though the Supreme Court upheld the regulation, they did so by saying that the language of the ACA gives an administration “virtually unbridled discretion” to say what coverage should be required.
Where the Trump administration read the law as allowing for vast exceptions to contraception coverage, the Biden administration can read the law as allowing for inclusive contraception coverage. And just as the Trump administration made that change via the administrative rulemaking process, the Biden administration can do so as well.
Becerra also led the fight to defend Title X funding for Planned Parenthood when the Trump administration rewrote Title X rules to prohibit organizations that performed abortions from receiving federal family planning funds. Though Becerra was ultimately unsuccessful in that effort, as head of the HHS, he could restore those Title X funds, particularly since Biden made doing so part of his campaign.
One of HHS’s worst rules during the Trump years was the refusal of care rule, which was designed to allow religious conservatives to impose their views on patients seeking care. The rule could be read to enable health care providers to refuse information about reproductive healthcare options and deny abortion care, perhaps even when only an emergency abortion could save someone’s life. Earlier this year, Becerra filed a friend-of-the-court brief in a case opposing the rule and is therefore well-suited to helm a Biden administration rollback.
Finally, as the Food and Drug Administration is an agency within HHS, Becerra could help loosen or eliminate the current FDA restrictions on medication abortion. The drug used in a medication abortion, Mifeprex, has a better safety record than far more well-known and easily-available drugs, such as Viagra and penicillin. As the pandemic continues, increasing access to medication abortion, particularly by telehealth, could make a real difference.
The courts may be poised to restrict abortion, but Biden’s administration is well-positioned to fight back on other fronts, and Becerra could help lead the way.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-12-13--Trump's refusal to accept election could do lasting damage to the country

Even after he exits the White House , Donald Trump 's efforts to challenge the legitimacy of the election and seeking to overturn the will of voters could have staying power .
Trump 's tactics are already inspiring other candidates and have been embraced by a wide array of Republicans .
Supporters include congressional candidates , state lawmakers , party chairs , conservative legal groups , and appointees to previously little-known state vote-certification boards .
The breadth of support for Trump 's effort could be a troubling sign for future elections .
`` What this president is doing is poisoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jennifer Granholm said .
`` And , yes , he is setting a precedent , suggesting that it is OK to violate these norms that have made our country great . ''
Granholm , a Democrat , joined with former New Jersey Gov .
Christine Todd Whitman , a Republican , to raise concerns about Trump 's refusal to concede and efforts to undermine the integrity of elections .
`` This is not who we are as Americans , and we do n't want the public coming away from this thinking this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who served in President George W. Bush 's administration .
Trump and his allies have pushed conspiracies involving voting machines manipulated by dead foreign leaders and tens of thousands of fraudulent mail ballots that somehow escaped layers of security and scrutiny by election workers across the country .
They have filed lawsuits without evidence , tried to pressure state lawmakers into seating their own presidential electors , and sought to influence low-level party members who sit on the state and local boards that certify election results .
This is despite the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared the presidential election `` the most secure in American history , '' and Attorney General William Barr said the Department of Justice uncovered no evidence that would change the outcome .
Even so , Trump has found friendly lawmakers and party officials willing to bolster his claims and adopt his tactics .
On Friday , a group of 64 GOP lawmakers in Pennsylvania signed a statement urging Congress not to accept the state 's slate of electors for Democrat Joe Biden .
They cited a litany of complaints over how the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have shown themselves willing to go along or at least being perceived of going along instead of just condemning the entire operation , '' said Wendy Weiser with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School .
`` It was not written off as it should have been . ''
In recent days , lawmakers in battleground states have provided friendly forums for Trump allies to air their suspicions .
A group of GOP state lawmakers in Arizona held an unofficial meeting where Trump 's lawyers repeated claims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but provided no evidence of widespread fraud .
The chairwoman of the Arizona GOP asked a court to overturn Biden 's win in the state .
The effort then shifted to Michigan , where Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani appeared at a four-hour legislative hearing to argue that fraud had occurred .
`` Throughout this hearing , my colleagues continued to speak in circles about 'getting to the bottom of this . '
But we 're already at the bottom , and there 's nothing down here , '' said Michigan state Rep. Darrin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here at the bottom of all this , it 's just a dark , empty place . ''
On Thursday , a legislative committee in Georgia received testimony from a Trump campaign attorney about purported irregularities despite a hand count and machine audit that revealed no major problems with the vote .
Election law experts say time will tell whether Trump 's approach and the support it has generated in the GOP represent a shift in how candidates handle defeat .
`` Next time could be worse , '' constitutional law expert Edward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week while offering praise for the few Republicans willing to stand up to Trump .
Those included Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , who certified his state 's election amid calls for his resignation from fellow Republicans and threats , and Aaron Van Langevelde , one of two Republicans on the Michigan board that certified that state 's results .
While the other Republican on the Michigan board abstained , Van Langevelde said he was required under state law to certify Biden 's win .
The result , Foley noted , could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more open to Trump 's arguments had occupied those same positions .
`` What makes this year 's narrow escape so unnerving is how far the plot to overthrow the election got with so little factual ammunition , '' Foley said .
Others believe Trump 's behavior is more of a fluke and unlikely to result in any lasting damage to the electoral process .
`` Everybody knows that it 's just because they lost , '' said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov .
John Fetterman , a Democrat .
`` There is n't anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed that there was any real fraud .
That 's what makes it so disingenuous . ''
A few candidates have followed Trump 's lead , refusing to concede and seeking extraordinary measures to address their concerns .
A Pennsylvania congressional candidate who lost his race has yet to concede and signed on to a lawsuit challenging the validity of all mail ballots cast this year .
A Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan called on the state to take the unprecedented step of delaying certification so an audit could be done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that did not find significant irregularities .
He ultimately conceded .
Using the 2020 election as a springboard to create more trust in the process would help , said David Carroll , head of the democracy program at the Carter Center , founded by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife , Rosalynn .
That could involve requiring state and local election officials to be nonpartisan and appointed rather than elected by party , clarifying vague election laws , implementing federal standards for parts of the process and ensuring more training for election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of discussion before the election that the process might not be credible .
Those are the things we see around the world where democracy is weak , '' Carroll said .
`` It will be important for us to sit down as a nation and as a society and say we do n't want this to happen again .
If we do n't , it 's likely that it could . ''
Trump 's strategy , even if it fails , will probably still be an effective rallying tool for supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 170 million in donations since Election Day .
As Trump hints at running for president again , he will need his supporters to stay energized and on his side .
`` I do n't think it 's going to go away , '' said Democratic California Secretary of State Alex Padilla , `` because I do n't think he is going away . ''

Even after he exits the White House, Donald Trump’s efforts to challenge the legitimacy of the election and seeking to overturn the will of voters could have staying power.
Trump’s tactics are already inspiring other candidates and have been embraced by a wide array of Republicans. Supporters include congressional candidates, state lawmakers, party chairs, conservative legal groups, and appointees to previously little-known state vote-certification boards. The breadth of support for Trump’s effort could be a troubling sign for future elections.
“What this president is doing is poisoning democracy,” former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said. “And, yes, he is setting a precedent, suggesting that it is OK to violate these norms that have made our country great.”
Granholm, a Democrat, joined with former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican, to raise concerns about Trump’s refusal to concede and efforts to undermine the integrity of elections.
“This is not who we are as Americans, and we don’t want the public coming away from this thinking this is the norm,” said Whitman, who served in President George W. Bush’s administration.
Trump and his allies have pushed conspiracies involving voting machines manipulated by dead foreign leaders and tens of thousands of fraudulent mail ballots that somehow escaped layers of security and scrutiny by election workers across the country. They have filed lawsuits without evidence, tried to pressure state lawmakers into seating their own presidential electors, and sought to influence low-level party members who sit on the state and local boards that certify election results.
This is despite the fact that the federal government’s own cybersecurity arm declared the presidential election “the most secure in American history,” and Attorney General William Barr said the Department of Justice uncovered no evidence that would change the outcome.
Even so, Trump has found friendly lawmakers and party officials willing to bolster his claims and adopt his tactics. On Friday, a group of 64 GOP lawmakers in Pennsylvania signed a statement urging Congress not to accept the state’s slate of electors for Democrat Joe Biden. They cited a litany of complaints over how the election was conducted.
“A number of people have shown themselves willing to go along or at least being perceived of going along instead of just condemning the entire operation,” said Wendy Weiser with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School. “It was not written off as it should have been.”
In recent days, lawmakers in battleground states have provided friendly forums for Trump allies to air their suspicions. A group of GOP state lawmakers in Arizona held an unofficial meeting where Trump’s lawyers repeated claims of irregularities with the state’s vote count but provided no evidence of widespread fraud. The chairwoman of the Arizona GOP asked a court to overturn Biden’s win in the state.
The effort then shifted to Michigan, where Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani appeared at a four-hour legislative hearing to argue that fraud had occurred.
“Throughout this hearing, my colleagues continued to speak in circles about ‘getting to the bottom of this.’ But we’re already at the bottom, and there’s nothing down here,” said Michigan state Rep. Darrin Camilleri, a Democrat. “Down here at the bottom of all this, it’s just a dark, empty place.”
On Thursday, a legislative committee in Georgia received testimony from a Trump campaign attorney about purported irregularities despite a hand count and machine audit that revealed no major problems with the vote.
Election law experts say time will tell whether Trump’s approach and the support it has generated in the GOP represent a shift in how candidates handle defeat.
“Next time could be worse,” constitutional law expert Edward B. Foley warned in an op-ed last week while offering praise for the few Republicans willing to stand up to Trump.
Those included Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who certified his state’s election amid calls for his resignation from fellow Republicans and threats, and Aaron Van Langevelde, one of two Republicans on the Michigan board that certified that state’s results.
While the other Republican on the Michigan board abstained, Van Langevelde said he was required under state law to certify Biden’s win. The result, Foley noted, could have easily been different if other Republicans more open to Trump’s arguments had occupied those same positions.
“What makes this year’s narrow escape so unnerving is how far the plot to overthrow the election got with so little factual ammunition,” Foley said.
Others believe Trump’s behavior is more of a fluke and unlikely to result in any lasting damage to the electoral process.
“Everybody knows that it’s just because they lost,” said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat. “There isn’t anyone from the president on down that genuinely believed that there was any real fraud. That’s what makes it so disingenuous.”
A few candidates have followed Trump’s lead, refusing to concede and seeking extraordinary measures to address their concerns.
A Pennsylvania congressional candidate who lost his race has yet to concede and signed on to a lawsuit challenging the validity of all mail ballots cast this year. A Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan called on the state to take the unprecedented step of delaying certification so an audit could be done — despite an extensive county canvassing process that did not find significant irregularities. He ultimately conceded.
Using the 2020 election as a springboard to create more trust in the process would help, said David Carroll, head of the democracy program at the Carter Center, founded by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.
That could involve requiring state and local election officials to be nonpartisan and appointed rather than elected by party, clarifying vague election laws, implementing federal standards for parts of the process and ensuring more training for election workers and volunteers.
“There was a lot of discussion before the election that the process might not be credible. Those are the things we see around the world where democracy is weak,” Carroll said. “It will be important for us to sit down as a nation and as a society and say we don’t want this to happen again. If we don’t, it’s likely that it could.”
Trump’s strategy, even if it fails, will probably still be an effective rallying tool for supporters, and it has generated at least $170 million in donations since Election Day. As Trump hints at running for president again, he will need his supporters to stay energized and on his side.
“I don’t think it’s going to go away,” said Democratic California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, “because I don’t think he is going away.”


shareblue--2020-12-14--AG Barr abandons Trump's sinking ship before he can be shoved off

On Monday , just minutes after Joe Biden secured the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to become president , Donald Trump announced that Attorney William Barr was leaving .
`` Just had a very nice meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House .
Our relationship has been a very good one , he has done an outstanding job ! ''
Trump tweeted .
Barr will officially leave his post before Christmas , with Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen taking his place for the remaining month of the Trump administration .
Barr 's resignation letter , which Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praise for Trump .
`` I am proud to have played a role in the many successes and unprecedented achievements you have delivered for the American people , '' Barr wrote .
He then recited the many familiar grievances of Trump 's White House , complaining of the supposedly unfair `` partisan onslaught '' Trump faced , as well as the investigation of Russia 's interference in the 2016 election .
Barr also insisted that the Justice Department 's review of alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election that Trump lost `` will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , despite many claims and dozens of lawsuits , there has been no evidence of any voter fraud .
In fact , Barr himself admitted just two week ago that the department had found no such evidence .
`` To date , we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election , '' Barr told the Associated Press .
Barr 's refusal to find nonexistent voter fraud has led to Trump 's increased frustration with his otherwise obeisant attorney general .
He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr — both about him not doing enough before the election to secure Trump 's win , and his refusal to declare voter fraud where none exists .
Multiple reports , including as recently as this weekend , suggested Trump was considering firing Barr .
Other reports , meanwhile , said Barr was considering leaving his post before January .
It 's possible Barr finally made the decision to resign before he , like so many others before him , could be fired on Twitter .
Published with permission of The American Independent @ @

On Monday, just minutes after Joe Biden secured the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to become president, Donald Trump announced that Attorney William Barr was leaving.
“Just had a very nice meeting with Attorney General Bill Barr at the White House. Our relationship has been a very good one, he has done an outstanding job!” Trump tweeted. Barr will officially leave his post before Christmas, with Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen taking his place for the remaining month of the Trump administration.
Barr’s resignation letter, which Trump also tweeted, was filled with effusive praise for Trump.
“I am proud to have played a role in the many successes and unprecedented achievements you have delivered for the American people,” Barr wrote. He then recited the many familiar grievances of Trump’s White House, complaining of the supposedly unfair “partisan onslaught” Trump faced, as well as the investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
Barr also insisted that the Justice Department’s review of alleged voter fraud in the 2020 election that Trump lost “will continue to be pursued.” Thus far, despite many claims and dozens of lawsuits, there has been no evidence of any voter fraud. In fact, Barr himself admitted just two week ago that the department had found no such evidence.
“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election,” Barr told the Associated Press.
Barr’s refusal to find nonexistent voter fraud has led to Trump’s increased frustration with his otherwise obeisant attorney general. He has complained privately and publicly on Twitter about Barr — both about him not doing enough before the election to secure Trump’s win, and his refusal to declare voter fraud where none exists.
Multiple reports, including as recently as this weekend, suggested Trump was considering firing Barr. Other reports, meanwhile, said Barr was considering leaving his post before January.
It’s possible Barr finally made the decision to resign before he, like so many others before him, could be fired on Twitter.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-12-14--Pence announces 'Life Is Winning' celebration as COVID deaths pass 300k

Vice President Mike Pence announced in a statement Monday that he 'll be hosting a `` Life Is Winning Event '' on Wednesday to highlight the anti-abortion agenda of Donald Trump 's administration — on the same day the COVID-19 death toll in the United States passed 300,000 .
`` The Vice President will deliver remarks highlighting the Trump Administration 's remarkable pro-life accomplishments championed by the most Pro-Life president ever , President Donald Trump , '' the statement read .
`` The Trump Administration has enacted pro-life policies , which have led to cutting federal funds for Planned Parenthood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an executive order protecting infants born alive . ''
The Trump administration has long patted itself on the back as being the most `` pro-life '' administration in modern history , with Trump promoting policies that have endangered abortion rights since his 2016 campaign .
But the self-congratulatory celebration is ill-timed , coming as coronavirus cases in the United States are soaring , with deaths topping 300,000 Monday .
About 2,500 people are dying of the virus every day , according to The Hill .
`` We are in the time frame now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 90 days we 're going to have more deaths per day than we had at 9/11 or we had at Pearl Harbor , '' said Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , last week .
And Trump 's failure to implement national guidelines has contributed to the record highs of COVID-19 deaths in the United States .
According to an AP report , 56 % of Americans blame the U.S. government for the pandemic .
Trump has denied science throughout the course of the pandemic , balking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wearing of CDC-recommended face masks , while promoting untested `` cures '' for the disease .
Worse , he has made virtually no acknowledgement of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died on his watch .
Bioethicist Elizabeth Yuko highlighted the discrepancy between the administration 's `` pro-life '' claims and its coronavirus response in a piece for Teen Vogue .
`` [ Their ] attitude — along with their anti-mask position — demonstrates that Republicans not only don ’ t think that people impacted by COVID ( including those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worthy of the same protection as embryos and fetuses , but that our lives are outright disposable , '' she told the outlet .
`` That ’ s not exactly pro-life . ''
And there are other lives that have n't been `` winning '' under the Trump administration .
In 2020 , Trump reinstated the federal death penalty after nearly two decades , and is currently cramming in a record number of executions during his lame-duck period .
Many of those executed have been Black men , highlighting racial bias in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious irregularities in their cases , were teenagers at the time of the offense , or have intellectual disabilities that should disqualify them from the death penalty .
President-elect Joe Biden , an opponent of the death penalty , told the Associated Press through a spokesman that he intends to end the federal death penalty while in office .
Meanwhile , Robert Dunham , director of the Death Penalty Information Center , called the flurry of Trump executions `` unprecedented . ''
`` It ’ s hard to understand why anybody at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill this many people … especially when the American public voted for someone else to replace you and that person has said he opposes the death penalty , '' he said .
`` This is a complete historical aberration . ''

Vice President Mike Pence announced in a statement Monday that he’ll be hosting a “Life Is Winning Event” on Wednesday to highlight the anti-abortion agenda of Donald Trump’s administration — on the same day the COVID-19 death toll in the United States passed 300,000.
“The Vice President will deliver remarks highlighting the Trump Administration’s remarkable pro-life accomplishments championed by the most Pro-Life president ever, President Donald Trump,” the statement read. “The Trump Administration has enacted pro-life policies, which have led to cutting federal funds for Planned Parenthood, appointing pro-life judges, and signing an executive order protecting infants born alive.”
The Trump administration has long patted itself on the back as being the most “pro-life” administration in modern history, with Trump promoting policies that have endangered abortion rights since his 2016 campaign.
But the self-congratulatory celebration is ill-timed, coming as coronavirus cases in the United States are soaring, with deaths topping 300,000 Monday. About 2,500 people are dying of the virus every day, according to The Hill.
“We are in the time frame now that probably for the next 60 to 90 days we’re going to have more deaths per day than we had at 9/11 or we had at Pearl Harbor,” said Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last week.
And Trump’s failure to implement national guidelines has contributed to the record highs of COVID-19 deaths in the United States. According to an AP report, 56% of Americans blame the U.S. government for the pandemic.
Trump has denied science throughout the course of the pandemic, balking at a national lockdown and and scorning the wearing of CDC-recommended face masks, while promoting untested “cures” for the disease.
Worse, he has made virtually no acknowledgement of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died on his watch.
Bioethicist Elizabeth Yuko highlighted the discrepancy between the administration’s “pro-life” claims and its coronavirus response in a piece for Teen Vogue.
“[Their] attitude — along with their anti-mask position — demonstrates that Republicans not only don’t think that people impacted by COVID (including those who have died from it) are worthy of the same protection as embryos and fetuses, but that our lives are outright disposable,” she told the outlet. “That’s not exactly pro-life.”
And there are other lives that haven’t been “winning” under the Trump administration.
In 2020, Trump reinstated the federal death penalty after nearly two decades, and is currently cramming in a record number of executions during his lame-duck period.
Many of those executed have been Black men, highlighting racial bias in the federal justice system.
Others have had serious irregularities in their cases, were teenagers at the time of the offense, or have intellectual disabilities that should disqualify them from the death penalty.
President-elect Joe Biden, an opponent of the death penalty, told the Associated Press through a spokesman that he intends to end the federal death penalty while in office.
Meanwhile, Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Information Center, called the flurry of Trump executions “unprecedented.”
“It’s hard to understand why anybody at this stage of a presidency feels compelled to kill this many people … especially when the American public voted for someone else to replace you and that person has said he opposes the death penalty,” he said. “This is a complete historical aberration.”


shareblue--2020-12-14--Republicans in Congress ignore anniversary of Sandy Hook massacre

December 12 marks the eighth anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown , Connecticut , in 2012 — and not a single Republican in Congress had a word to say about it .
The shooting at the elementary school claimed the lives of 20 first-grade students and six teachers .
Republican lawmakers were , however , vocal on other topics .
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) took to Twitter Monday to complain about a Virginia school board voting to rename an elementary school currently named after Thomas Jefferson , the third president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Josh Hawley ( R-MO ) tweeted a call for action to ban Facebook , Google , and Twitter from stealing data .
Sen. Kelly Loeffler ( R-GA ) stumped for her campaign for reelection on social media Monday , tweeting , `` Democrats want to take us on the path to socialism .
I 'm running to defend the American Dream & save our country . ''
House Republicans were similarly silent Monday about the 2012 massacre .
Many Democratic lawmakers memorialized the anniversary on Twitter .
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning : `` We mark this painful 8th anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook with renewed resolve—to honor the beautiful lives lost with positive action , & redouble efforts against gun violence under a new administration . ''
In a series of several tweets , Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin tweeted a remembrance and a call to action , noting , `` It 's been eight years since the devastating mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School .
My heart is with every family remembering a loved one today .
We must honor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action . ''
He added , `` Since the shooting at Sandy Hook , there have been countless more lives lost to gun violence in America .
There ’ s no excuse for Congress ’ failure to pass meaningful reforms that could reduce shootings and save lives .
We must summon the courage to do better . ''
Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont also called out Congress for its inaction after the 2012 shooting : '' Today marks the eighth year anniversary since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary .
I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone taken from them on that terrible day . ''
He added that , `` as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2013 , I advanced 4 bills to reduce gun violence , including universal background check legislation .
All were defeated on the Senate floor due to Republican opposition . ''
The bills that Senate Republicans refused to support included legislation mandating universal background checks as well as an assault weapons ban .
Leahy continued , `` This day reminds me of Congress ' failure to respond .
The consequences of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities across the country .
The next Congress must take action .
We can not wait for another life to be lost . ''
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar tweeted , `` Today marks 8 years since a gunman stole the lives of 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary .
May their memory , and the memory of the thousands of victims who ’ ve come after , be a blessing and a call to action to end gun violence . ''
Since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed much , according to Forbes , and gun sales continue to rise .
The Gun Violence Archive notes that there have been 592 mass shootings in 2020 , up 41 % from 2019 .
According to the Nation , the Sandy Hook shooting was just one of 16 mass shootings in 2012 .
In February 2019 , the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act , which would close loopholes and require background checks for all gun purchases .
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has successfully stonewalled a vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2020 , gun sales have spiked to record levels amid the coronavirus and even calls for supporters of Donald Trump to arm themselves .
Late Sunday night , Trump supporter Lin Wood encouraged his Twitter followers to stock up on `` Second Amendment supplies '' for after the electoral college vote , tweeting , `` Make sure you have PLENTY of water , food , flashlights & batteries , candles , radio , 2nd Amendment supplies , & a plan to meet with leaders of your communities . ''
This year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is at the lowest level it 's been since 2016 , with only 57 % of Americans supporting such measures .
Nonetheless , in his statement marking Monday 's anniversary , President-elect Joe Biden pledged to take action : `` Eight years later , there have been plenty of thoughts and prayers , but we know that is not enough .
Together with you and millions of our fellow Americans of every background all across our nation , we will fight to end this scourge on our society and enact common sense reforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans and that will save countless lives . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

December 12 marks the eighth anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 — and not a single Republican in Congress had a word to say about it.
The shooting at the elementary school claimed the lives of 20 first-grade students and six teachers.
Republican lawmakers were, however, vocal on other topics.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) took to Twitter Monday to complain about a Virginia school board voting to rename an elementary school currently named after Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and a slaveowner.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) tweeted a call for action to ban Facebook, Google, and Twitter from stealing data.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) stumped for her campaign for reelection on social media Monday, tweeting, “Democrats want to take us on the path to socialism. I’m running to defend the American Dream & save our country.”
House Republicans were similarly silent Monday about the 2012 massacre.
Many Democratic lawmakers memorialized the anniversary on Twitter.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut tweeted condolences for the victims’ families Monday morning: “We mark this painful 8th anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook with renewed resolve—to honor the beautiful lives lost with positive action, & redouble efforts against gun violence under a new administration.”
In a series of several tweets, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin tweeted a remembrance and a call to action, noting, “It’s been eight years since the devastating mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. My heart is with every family remembering a loved one today. We must honor the lives we lost that day with action.”
He added, “Since the shooting at Sandy Hook, there have been countless more lives lost to gun violence in America. There’s no excuse for Congress’ failure to pass meaningful reforms that could reduce shootings and save lives. We must summon the courage to do better.”
Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont also called out Congress for its inaction after the 2012 shooting:”Today marks the eighth year anniversary since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. I am thinking of all the families that had someone taken from them on that terrible day.”
He added that, “as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2013, I advanced 4 bills to reduce gun violence, including universal background check legislation. All were defeated on the Senate floor due to Republican opposition.”
The bills that Senate Republicans refused to support included legislation mandating universal background checks as well as an assault weapons ban.
Leahy continued, “This day reminds me of Congress’ failure to respond. The consequences of inaction have been devastating for families and communities across the country. The next Congress must take action. We cannot wait for another life to be lost.”
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar tweeted, “Today marks 8 years since a gunman stole the lives of 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary. May their memory, and the memory of the thousands of victims who’ve come after, be a blessing and a call to action to end gun violence.”
Since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, federal gun control legislation hasn’t changed much, according to Forbes, and gun sales continue to rise.
The Gun Violence Archive notes that there have been 592 mass shootings in 2020, up 41% from 2019. According to the Nation, the Sandy Hook shooting was just one of 16 mass shootings in 2012.
In February 2019, the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would close loopholes and require background checks for all gun purchases.
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has successfully stonewalled a vote on the bill for nearly two years.
In 2020, gun sales have spiked to record levels amid the coronavirus and even calls for supporters of Donald Trump to arm themselves. Late Sunday night, Trump supporter Lin Wood encouraged his Twitter followers to stock up on “Second Amendment supplies” for after the electoral college vote, tweeting, “Make sure you have PLENTY of water, food, flashlights & batteries, candles, radio, 2nd Amendment supplies, & a plan to meet with leaders of your communities.”
This year, support for stricter gun control legislation is at the lowest level it’s been since 2016, with only 57% of Americans supporting such measures.
Nonetheless, in his statement marking Monday’s anniversary, President-elect Joe Biden pledged to take action: “Eight years later, there have been plenty of thoughts and prayers, but we know that is not enough. Together with you and millions of our fellow Americans of every background all across our nation, we will fight to end this scourge on our society and enact common sense reforms that are supported by a majority of Americans and that will save countless lives.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-12-14--Georgia breaks records on its first day of early runoff voting

Georgia voters are already smashing absentee ballot records as early voting begins for a pair of U.S. Senate runoff elections in the state .
Georgia 's Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told the Wall Street Journal on Monday , at the start of the early voting period , that it appeared the runoffs would be a `` high-turnout election . ''
The outlet cited figures from the U.S .
Elections Project , which tracks mail ballots using data from the Georgia secretary of state .
The Journal reported 246,531 mail ballots had been accepted so far — a 20.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 1,227,285 mail ballots requested , which is a 16.1 % request rate of registered voters , as of Monday .
The project is led by Michael McDonald , a political science professor at the University of Florida .
Walter Jones , a spokesman for Raffensperger 's office , confirmed the record-breaking numbers to the American Independent Foundation .
According to Jones , 261,424 mail ballots had already been accepted and 1,191,901 mail ballots requested as of Monday .
He said the figures indicated an all-time record in the state `` by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high stakes of the January runoff , speaking to the Journal this week , encouraging candidates `` to make sure that they run hard , because we do n't have a runoff after the runoff .
This is it . ''
Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev .
Raphael Warnock are running against incumbent Republican Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler , respectively , in a pair of races that will determine which political party controls the U.S. Senate in the next Congress .
The number of absentee ballots this time around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a wide margin .
In the December 2018 secretary of state runoff between Raffensperger and Democrat John Barrow , fewer than 1.5 million votes were cast and just 82,000 of them were via absentee ballot , according to Jones .
That runoff election also saw a lower turnout than the general election , as participation among both candidates ' supporters dipped at a similar rate , according to the Americus Times-Recorder .
And in the December 2008 U.S. Senate runoff between Republican Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin , just 2.1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those votes coming from absentee ballots .
Chambliss won that face-off 57 % to 43 % , according to the Times-Recorder .
Jones told the American Independent Foundation that , before this year , `` we never got anywhere close '' to the number of absentee ballots requested or returned in the state .
If either Ossoff or Warnock wins , it would be the first time in 23 years a Democrat won a statewide runoff election in Georgia .
The Times-Recorder noted that the last time that happened was the 1998 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Bubba '' McDonald Jr. beat Republican Jim Cole .
Overall turnout in the 2020 election was astounding , with more than 1.6 million absentee ballots requested in Georgia alone , and more than 541,000 accepted , according to the secretary of state 's website .
That figure is impressive , especially given how aggressively Donald Trump and his GOP allies worked to undermine the absentee ballot process in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election , suggesting mail ballots were somehow fraudulent and should be tossed out .
They pushed conspiracy theories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots sidestepped security and scrutiny , forming the impetus for much of Trump 's efforts to overturn his election defeat .
But officials across the country have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud .
`` To date , we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election , '' Trump 's own Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press , not long after Biden was declared the winner .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Georgia voters are already smashing absentee ballot records as early voting begins for a pair of U.S. Senate runoff elections in the state.
Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told the Wall Street Journal on Monday, at the start of the early voting period, that it appeared the runoffs would be a “high-turnout election.”
The outlet cited figures from the U.S. Elections Project, which tracks mail ballots using data from the Georgia secretary of state. The Journal reported 246,531 mail ballots had been accepted so far — a 20.1% return rate of requested ballots — and 1,227,285 mail ballots requested, which is a 16.1% request rate of registered voters, as of Monday.
The project is led by Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida.
Walter Jones, a spokesman for Raffensperger’s office, confirmed the record-breaking numbers to the American Independent Foundation.
According to Jones, 261,424 mail ballots had already been accepted and 1,191,901 mail ballots requested as of Monday. He said the figures indicated an all-time record in the state “by a long shot.”
Raffensperger emphasized the high stakes of the January runoff, speaking to the Journal this week, encouraging candidates “to make sure that they run hard, because we don’t have a runoff after the runoff. This is it.”
Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock are running against incumbent Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, respectively, in a pair of races that will determine which political party controls the U.S. Senate in the next Congress.
The number of absentee ballots this time around bests records set in previous statewide runoffs by a wide margin.
In the December 2018 secretary of state runoff between Raffensperger and Democrat John Barrow, fewer than 1.5 million votes were cast and just 82,000 of them were via absentee ballot, according to Jones. That runoff election also saw a lower turnout than the general election, as participation among both candidates’ supporters dipped at a similar rate, according to the Americus Times-Recorder.
And in the December 2008 U.S. Senate runoff between Republican Saxby Chambliss and Democrat Jim Martin, just 2.1 million votes were cast, with around 100,000 of those votes coming from absentee ballots. Chambliss won that face-off 57% to 43%, according to the Times-Recorder.
Jones told the American Independent Foundation that, before this year, “we never got anywhere close” to the number of absentee ballots requested or returned in the state.
If either Ossoff or Warnock wins, it would be the first time in 23 years a Democrat won a statewide runoff election in Georgia. The Times-Recorder noted that the last time that happened was the 1998 Public Service Commission runoff when Democrat Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr. beat Republican Jim Cole.
Overall turnout in the 2020 election was astounding, with more than 1.6 million absentee ballots requested in Georgia alone, and more than 541,000 accepted, according to the secretary of state’s website.
That figure is impressive, especially given how aggressively Donald Trump and his GOP allies worked to undermine the absentee ballot process in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election, suggesting mail ballots were somehow fraudulent and should be tossed out.
They pushed conspiracy theories claiming, without proof, that mail ballots sidestepped security and scrutiny, forming the impetus for much of Trump’s efforts to overturn his election defeat.
But officials across the country have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election,” Trump’s own Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press, not long after Biden was declared the winner.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.