shareblue--2020-06-08--Pompeo refuses to answer to Congress — and Senate GOP is letting him get away with it

On Friday , Sen. Jim Risch ( R-ID ) , chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , announced that he is giving up efforts to push Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to testify at a routine hearing on his department 's budget .
The committee had been working for the past four months to get Pompeo to testify on the 2021 budget .
During such hearings with Cabinet officials on their respective departments , they are often asked about a wide range of issues in addition to budgets .
In a call with other GOP members of the committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on preserving `` political capital '' with the administration , according to sources cited by Politico .
In a recent change , senior Cabinet officials reportedly must obtain permission from White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in order to testify before Congress .
The last time Pompeo testified before the committee was in April 2019 .
The recent firing of State Department inspector general Steve Linick would likely be a subject about which Pompeo would be asked .
Donald Trump fired Linick on May 15 at Pompeo 's request .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the House of Representatives that officials in the department attempted to `` bully '' him into dropping investigations , including one related to U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia in which Pompeo was involved .
On May 21 , several House leaders sent a letter to Pompeo requesting more information about Linick 's firing , noting that `` this assault on the integrity and independence of Inspectors General appears to be an intentional campaign to undermine their ability to expose corruption and protect taxpayer dollars from waste , fraud , and abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the State Department has been plagued by controversy .
In March , he repeatedly used racist terminology to refer to the coronavirus , including demanding that a G-7 statement about the pandemic call it the `` Wuhan virus '' before he 'd sign it .
in January , Pompeo retaliated against NPR after one of its reporters , Mary Louise Kelly , asked why he had not stood up for the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine , Marie Yovanovitch , when the Trump administration was pushing her out of her post for political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Pompeo shouted at her using expletives and asked if she could find Ukraine on a map .
During the impeachment inquiry into Trump , Pompeo said he had not been on the call Trump made on July 25 to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during which he asked Zelensky to announce an investigation into Trump 's possible opponent in the 2020 election , Joe Biden , and Biden 's son Hunter .
Pompeo later admitted that he had been on the call .
Pompeo 's refusal to be held accountable is in stark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Obama administration when he was a member of Congress , especially regarding the 2012 Benghazi attack .
In September 2012 , a terrorist group attacked the U.S. embassy in Benghazi , Libya , and killed four Americans , including Ambassador Chris Stevens .
Republicans launched an investigation into the attack , which Rep. Kevin McCarthy ( R-CA ) admitted at the time was meant to politically damage then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton .
During the congressional investigation into the events , Pompeo pressured the State Department to release more information and publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obstructive of getting the American people the facts that they needed . ''
Five years ago , Pompeo complained that Congress was `` stonewalled by the State Department and by former Secretary Clinton . ''
`` [ We ] now have an obligation to complete the record , '' he said at the time .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

On Friday, Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced that he is giving up efforts to push Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to testify at a routine hearing on his department’s budget.
The committee had been working for the past four months to get Pompeo to testify on the 2021 budget. During such hearings with Cabinet officials on their respective departments, they are often asked about a wide range of issues in addition to budgets.
In a call with other GOP members of the committee, a Risch staffer said he was focused on preserving “political capital” with the administration, according to sources cited by Politico. In a recent change, senior Cabinet officials reportedly must obtain permission from White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in order to testify before Congress.
The last time Pompeo testified before the committee was in April 2019.
The recent firing of State Department inspector general Steve Linick would likely be a subject about which Pompeo would be asked.
Donald Trump fired Linick on May 15 at Pompeo’s request. Since the firing, Linick has told members of the House of Representatives that officials in the department attempted to “bully” him into dropping investigations, including one related to U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia in which Pompeo was involved.
On May 21, several House leaders sent a letter to Pompeo requesting more information about Linick’s firing, noting that “this assault on the integrity and independence of Inspectors General appears to be an intentional campaign to undermine their ability to expose corruption and protect taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Pompeo’s tenure as head of the State Department has been plagued by controversy.
In March, he repeatedly used racist terminology to refer to the coronavirus, including demanding that a G-7 statement about the pandemic call it the “Wuhan virus” before he’d sign it.
in January, Pompeo retaliated against NPR after one of its reporters, Mary Louise Kelly, asked why he had not stood up for the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, when the Trump administration was pushing her out of her post for political reasons. Afterward, Kelly later said, Pompeo shouted at her using expletives and asked if she could find Ukraine on a map.
During the impeachment inquiry into Trump, Pompeo said he had not been on the call Trump made on July 25 to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during which he asked Zelensky to announce an investigation into Trump’s possible opponent in the 2020 election, Joe Biden, and Biden’s son Hunter. Pompeo later admitted that he had been on the call.
Pompeo’s refusal to be held accountable is in stark contrast to his demands for accountability of the Obama administration when he was a member of Congress, especially regarding the 2012 Benghazi attack.
In September 2012, a terrorist group attacked the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya, and killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Republicans launched an investigation into the attack, which Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) admitted at the time was meant to politically damage then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
During the congressional investigation into the events, Pompeo pressured the State Department to release more information and publicly attacked the Obama administration as “deeply obstructive of getting the American people the facts that they needed.”
Five years ago, Pompeo complained that Congress was “stonewalled by the State Department and by former Secretary Clinton.”
“[We] now have an obligation to complete the record,” he said at the time.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-08--Democrats kneel at Capitol before unveiling plan to overhaul police

Democrats proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures Monday , a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement .
Before unveiling the package , House and Senate Democrats held a moment of silence at the Capitol 's Emancipation Hall , reading the names of George Floyd and others killed during police interactions .
They knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds — now a symbol of police brutality and violence — the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned under a white police officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can not settle for anything less than transformative structural change , '' said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , drawing on the nation 's history of slavery .
The Justice in Policing Act would limit legal protections for police , create a national database of excessive-force incidents , and ban police chokeholds , among other changes , according to an early draft .
It is the most ambitious change to law enforcement sought by Congress in years .
Rep. Karen Bass ( D-CA ) , chair of the Congressional Black Caucus , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` bold '' and `` transformative . ''
`` The world is witnessing the birth of a new movement in this country , '' Bass said .
Tens of thousands of demonstrators nationwide have been protesting in the streets since Floyd was killed May 25 for an end to police violence .
`` A profession where you have the power to kill should be a profession where you have highly trained officers that are accountable to the public , '' Bass said .
The package confronts several aspects of law enforcement accountability and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially as more and more police violence is captured on cell phone video and shared widely across the nation , and the world .
The proposed legislation would revise the federal criminal police misconduct statute to make it easier to prosecute officers who are involved in misconduct `` knowingly or with reckless disregard . ''
The package would also change `` qualified immunity '' protections for police `` to enable individuals to recover damages when law enforcement officers violate their constitutional rights , '' it says .
The legislation would seek to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in several ways .
For one , it would grant subpoena power to the Justice Department to conduct `` pattern and practice '' investigations of potential misconduct and help states conduct independent investigations .
It would ban racial profiling and boost requirements for police body cameras .
And it would create a `` National Police Misconduct Registry , '' a database to try to prevent officers from transferring from one department to another with past misconduct undetected , the draft said .
A long-sought federal anti-lynching bill stalled in Congress is included in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stops short calls by leading activists to `` defund the police , '' a push to dismantle or reduce financial resources to police departments that has struck new intensity in the weeks of protests since Floyd 's death .
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler ( D-NY ) , a co-author with Bass and the Democratic senators , will convene a hearing on the legislation Wednesday .
It is unclear if law enforcement and the powerful police unions will back any of the proposed changes or if congressional Republicans will join the effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Lee of Utah , who has long pushed for a criminal justice overhaul , has said he 'd like to review the package coming from Democrats .
And Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) , chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee , has said his panel intends to hold a hearing to review use of force issues and police practices .
The presumed Democratic presidential nominee , Joe Biden , has backed a ban on chokeholds and other elements of the package .
`` I ca n't breathe '' has become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with police that he could n't breathe , echoing the same phrase Eric Garner said while in police custody in 2014 before his death .
`` All we 've ever wanted is to be treated equally — not better , not worse , '' said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries ( D-NY ) .
`` Equal protection under the law . ''
Senators vowed to pressure Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to consider the legislation .
Sen. Cory Booker , a Democratic rival who had been critical of Biden during the presidential primary campaign , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his faith in Biden now `` to be the person who could preside over this transformative change . ''
Booker and fellow one-time presidential hopeful , Sen. Kamala Harris of California , are co-authors of the package in the Senate .

Democrats proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures Monday, a potentially far-reaching legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.
Before unveiling the package, House and Senate Democrats held a moment of silence at the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, reading the names of George Floyd and others killed during police interactions. They knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds — now a symbol of police brutality and violence — the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned under a white police officer’s knee before he died.
“We cannot settle for anything less than transformative structural change,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drawing on the nation’s history of slavery.
The Justice in Policing Act would limit legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force incidents, and ban police chokeholds, among other changes, according to an early draft. It is the most ambitious change to law enforcement sought by Congress in years.
Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is leading the effort, called it “bold” and “transformative.”
“The world is witnessing the birth of a new movement in this country,” Bass said.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators nationwide have been protesting in the streets since Floyd was killed May 25 for an end to police violence.
“A profession where you have the power to kill should be a profession where you have highly trained officers that are accountable to the public,” Bass said.
The package confronts several aspects of law enforcement accountability and practices that have come under criticism, especially as more and more police violence is captured on cell phone video and shared widely across the nation, and the world.
The proposed legislation would revise the federal criminal police misconduct statute to make it easier to prosecute officers who are involved in misconduct “knowingly or with reckless disregard.”
The package would also change “qualified immunity” protections for police “to enable individuals to recover damages when law enforcement officers violate their constitutional rights,” it says.
The legislation would seek to provide greater oversight and transparency of police behavior in several ways. For one, it would grant subpoena power to the Justice Department to conduct “pattern and practice” investigations of potential misconduct and help states conduct independent investigations. It would ban racial profiling and boost requirements for police body cameras.
And it would create a “National Police Misconduct Registry,” a database to try to prevent officers from transferring from one department to another with past misconduct undetected, the draft said.
A long-sought federal anti-lynching bill stalled in Congress is included in the package.
However, the package stops short calls by leading activists to “defund the police,” a push to dismantle or reduce financial resources to police departments that has struck new intensity in the weeks of protests since Floyd’s death.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), a co-author with Bass and the Democratic senators, will convene a hearing on the legislation Wednesday.
It is unclear if law enforcement and the powerful police unions will back any of the proposed changes or if congressional Republicans will join the effort.
At least one Republican, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who has long pushed for a criminal justice overhaul, has said he’d like to review the package coming from Democrats.
And Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has said his panel intends to hold a hearing to review use of force issues and police practices.
The presumed Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, has backed a ban on chokeholds and other elements of the package.
“I can’t breathe” has become a rallying cry by protesters. Floyd pleaded with police that he couldn’t breathe, echoing the same phrase Eric Garner said while in police custody in 2014 before his death.
“All we’ve ever wanted is to be treated equally — not better, not worse,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). “Equal protection under the law.”
Senators vowed to pressure Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to consider the legislation.
Sen. Cory Booker, a Democratic rival who had been critical of Biden during the presidential primary campaign, said Sunday he “fully” put his faith in Biden now “to be the person who could preside over this transformative change.”
Booker and fellow one-time presidential hopeful, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, are co-authors of the package in the Senate.


shareblue--2020-06-08--Fact check: Trump spent the week lying about protesters, tear gas, and the economy

`` Vicious dogs . ''
`` Ominous weapons . ''
Injured police .
Gagging protesters .
Shattered storefronts .
Armed personnel at centers of power and landmarks .
Anguish and arson .
Taking the measure of these days in the nation 's capital , President Donald Trump exclaimed : `` Washington , D.C. , was the safest place on earth last night ! ''
Such alternate realities pervaded the world described by Trump and his team over the past week .
The White House , tweeting as an American institution , not Trump 's personal account or campaign , posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leftists were stockpiling rocks to commit terrorist attacks in the United States .
Trump and aides denied that authorities in Washington used tear gas against protesters , who fled from chemical clouds that looked like tear gas , stung eyes like it , and met the dictionary definition of it .
On a week of unrest so remarkable it overshadowed the pandemic and its still-mounting death toll , Trump boasted baselessly about diagnostic testing for the virus and problematically about black economic progress .
WHITE HOUSE : `` Antifa and professional anarchists are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons to instigate violence .
These are acts of domestic terror . ''
— tweet Wednesday , with a video showing collections of bricks and stones as if stockpiled for attacks .
THE FACTS : The tweet 's evidence of malfeasance was bogus .
The video contained multiple clips showing brick or stone for construction projects and the like , not for a nefarious plot .
One clip captured rocks encased in wire frames .
Those are actually a protective barrier outside Chabad of Sherman Oaks , a synagogue on Ventura Boulevard in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramming the building .
`` They 've been there for about a year , '' Rabbi Mendel Lipskier of the synagogue told The Associated Press .
`` THESE ARE SECURITY BARRIERS , '' the synagogue said in a statement reassuring neighbors and friends .
On Monday , posts had circulated on social media with photos of that gabion wall , falsely describing the stones as being left on Ventura Boulevard `` for the next round of Antifa riots '' and saying such `` drop offs '' were being repeated around the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ House tweet two days later as Trump and others brushed aside the peaceful nature of most of the protesting , highlighted the violence and portrayed the unrest as overwhelmingly the work of radicals .
The White House later deleted the tweet and video without explanation .
TRUMP : `` They did n't use tear gas . ''
— Fox News Radio on Wednesday , referring to the previous night 's demonstrations outside the White House .
KAYLEIGH McENANY , White House press secretary : `` No tear gas was used .
... no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that clear . ''
— briefing Wednesday .
Authorities acknowledged using pepper compound fired in plastic balls .
Scientific sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , list dispersed pepper as a tear gas .
Officers also fired projectiles containing chemicals that likewise meet the common and scientific definitions of tear gas .
People scattered in the stinging fog , coughing and gagging , some with eyes red and streaming .
`` Tear gas is anything that makes you cry , '' said Dr. Lynn Goldman , dean of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health , speaking of chemicals used in crowd dispersal .
`` Pepper spray is a tear gas .
But there are all kinds of other ones , too . ''
Dr. Sven-Eric Jordt , who researches tear gas agents and chemical exposure injuries at the Duke University School of Medicine , said newer compounds , categorized as OC agents , might or might not fit a traditional scientific definition of tear gas but are as potent and have the same effects .
CS and CN are classic categories of tear gasses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reported that its journalists found spent OC and CS canisters on the street immediately after authorities cleared the protest ; one canister was still warm .
TRUMP : `` Washington , D.C. , was the safest place on earth last night ! ''
— tweet and Facebook post Tuesday .
The crackdown on peaceful as well as violent protesters , the injuries to police who were attacked , the fortifications around the White House , the phalanx lining the steps of the Lincoln Memorial , and the threat of looting and vandalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene all spoke to the dangers of the night .
More than half a dozen federal agencies joined in the effort to bring order .
Among them , the U.S. Park Police said Tuesday that 51 of its members were injured over the previous four days of demonstrations .
During that time , Trump had warned that anyone getting past White House security would face `` the most vicious dogs , and the most ominous weapons . ''
At one point early in the confrontations , Secret Service agents spirited Trump to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other nights , Washington was not the safest place on Earth .
The White House may have been the safest place in Washington .
TRUMP , on the economy before the pandemic : `` We had the best numbers for African Americans on employment and unemployment in history ... best everything . ''
— Fox News interview Wednesday THE FACTS : True on unemployment .
Not true by a long shot on `` everything '' in the economy .
Black unemployment reached a record low during the Trump administration , 5.4 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expansion in history pressed ahead .
Most of the progress came when Barack Obama was president : Black unemployment dropped from a recession high of 16.8 % in March 2010 to 7.8 % in January 2017 .
Improvement continued under Trump until the pandemic .
Black unemployment reached 16.8 % in May , compared with 13.3 % for the overall population .
Not all economic measures improved for African Americans under Trump before the pandemic .
A black household earned median income of $ 41,361 in 2018 , the latest data available .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 43,380 , according to the Census Bureau .
More broadly , there were multiple signs before the pandemic that the racial wealth gap had been worsening .
TRUMP : `` We have incredible testing now .
So we 've done a great job . ''
— interview Wednesday on Fox 's `` Brian Kilmeade Show . ''
TRUMP , on coordination with states : `` We jointly developed testing projections and goals for each state for the month of May , altogether totaling 12.9 million tests .
Think of that : 12.9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on May 11 .
THE FACTS : U.S. testing has been far from `` incredible . ''
It was a failure in the crucial early weeks , U.S. officials acknowledged , meaning missed opportunity to limit the spread of the virus before infection and death surged .
Brett Giroir , the lead federal official on testing , said Thursday that the U.S. conducted about 12 million tests in May , falling 900,000 short of the administration 's target for the month .
Trump has repeatedly overstated the availability of U.S. testing , falsely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dire shortages , `` Anybody who wants a test , can get a test . ''
Now , the availability of tests varies widely .
Some governors and local officials say they have more tests available than people who want them .
Others say they ca n't meet the demand .
That 's the case at the Department of Veterans Affairs , for example .

“Vicious dogs.” “Ominous weapons.” Injured police. Gagging protesters. Shattered storefronts. Armed personnel at centers of power and landmarks. Anguish and arson.
Taking the measure of these days in the nation’s capital, President Donald Trump exclaimed: “Washington, D.C., was the safest place on earth last night!”
Such alternate realities pervaded the world described by Trump and his team over the past week.
The White House, tweeting as an American institution, not Trump’s personal account or campaign, posted social media disinformation to make people think leftists were stockpiling rocks to commit terrorist attacks in the United States.
Trump and aides denied that authorities in Washington used tear gas against protesters, who fled from chemical clouds that looked like tear gas, stung eyes like it, and met the dictionary definition of it.
On a week of unrest so remarkable it overshadowed the pandemic and its still-mounting death toll, Trump boasted baselessly about diagnostic testing for the virus and problematically about black economic progress.
A look back:
CONSPIRACY THEORY
WHITE HOUSE: “Antifa and professional anarchists are invading our communities, staging bricks and weapons to instigate violence. These are acts of domestic terror.” — tweet Wednesday, with a video showing collections of bricks and stones as if stockpiled for attacks.
THE FACTS: The tweet’s evidence of malfeasance was bogus.
The video contained multiple clips showing brick or stone for construction projects and the like, not for a nefarious plot. One clip captured rocks encased in wire frames. Those are actually a protective barrier outside Chabad of Sherman Oaks, a synagogue on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles, to stop vehicles from ramming the building.
“They’ve been there for about a year,” Rabbi Mendel Lipskier of the synagogue told The Associated Press. “THESE ARE SECURITY BARRIERS,” the synagogue said in a statement reassuring neighbors and friends.
On Monday, posts had circulated on social media with photos of that gabion wall, falsely describing the stones as being left on Ventura Boulevard “for the next round of Antifa riots” and saying such “drop offs” were being repeated around the country.
That conspiracy theory fed into the White House tweet two days later as Trump and others brushed aside the peaceful nature of most of the protesting, highlighted the violence and portrayed the unrest as overwhelmingly the work of radicals. The White House later deleted the tweet and video without explanation.
___
CAPITAL CHAOS
TRUMP: “They didn’t use tear gas.” — Fox News Radio on Wednesday, referring to the previous night’s demonstrations outside the White House.
KAYLEIGH McENANY, White House press secretary: “No tear gas was used. … no one was tear-gassed. Let me make that clear.” — briefing Wednesday.
THE FACTS: People were tear-gassed.
Authorities acknowledged using pepper compound fired in plastic balls. Scientific sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, list dispersed pepper as a tear gas. Officers also fired projectiles containing chemicals that likewise meet the common and scientific definitions of tear gas.
People scattered in the stinging fog, coughing and gagging, some with eyes red and streaming.
“Tear gas is anything that makes you cry,” said Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, speaking of chemicals used in crowd dispersal. “Pepper spray is a tear gas. But there are all kinds of other ones, too.”
Dr. Sven-Eric Jordt, who researches tear gas agents and chemical exposure injuries at the Duke University School of Medicine, said newer compounds, categorized as OC agents, might or might not fit a traditional scientific definition of tear gas but are as potent and have the same effects. CS and CN are classic categories of tear gasses.
WUSA9, a CBS affiliate in Washington, reported that its journalists found spent OC and CS canisters on the street immediately after authorities cleared the protest; one canister was still warm.
___
TRUMP: “Washington, D.C., was the safest place on earth last night!” — tweet and Facebook post Tuesday.
THE FACTS: Obviously untrue.
The crackdown on peaceful as well as violent protesters, the injuries to police who were attacked, the fortifications around the White House, the phalanx lining the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and the threat of looting and vandalism in neighborhoods well away from the militarized scene all spoke to the dangers of the night.
More than half a dozen federal agencies joined in the effort to bring order. Among them, the U.S. Park Police said Tuesday that 51 of its members were injured over the previous four days of demonstrations.
During that time, Trump had warned that anyone getting past White House security would face “the most vicious dogs, and the most ominous weapons.” At one point early in the confrontations, Secret Service agents spirited Trump to a White House bunker.
On Monday night and other nights, Washington was not the safest place on Earth. The White House may have been the safest place in Washington.
___
BLACK UNEMPLOYMENT
TRUMP, on the economy before the pandemic: “We had the best numbers for African Americans on employment and unemployment in history … best everything.” — Fox News interview Wednesday
THE FACTS: True on unemployment. Not true by a long shot on “everything” in the economy.
Black unemployment reached a record low during the Trump administration, 5.4% in August, as the longest economic expansion in history pressed ahead.
Most of the progress came when Barack Obama was president: Black unemployment dropped from a recession high of 16.8% in March 2010 to 7.8% in January 2017. Improvement continued under Trump until the pandemic. Black unemployment reached 16.8% in May, compared with 13.3% for the overall population.
Not all economic measures improved for African Americans under Trump before the pandemic. A black household earned median income of $41,361 in 2018, the latest data available. That’s below a 2000 peak of $43,380, according to the Census Bureau.
More broadly, there were multiple signs before the pandemic that the racial wealth gap had been worsening.
___
VIRUS TESTING
TRUMP: “We have incredible testing now. So we’ve done a great job.” — interview Wednesday on Fox’s “Brian Kilmeade Show.”
TRUMP, on coordination with states: “We jointly developed testing projections and goals for each state for the month of May, altogether totaling 12.9 million tests. Think of that: 12.9 million tests.” — news briefing on May 11.
THE FACTS: U.S. testing has been far from “incredible.” It was a failure in the crucial early weeks, U.S. officials acknowledged, meaning missed opportunity to limit the spread of the virus before infection and death surged.
Brett Giroir, the lead federal official on testing, said Thursday that the U.S. conducted about 12 million tests in May, falling 900,000 short of the administration’s target for the month.
Trump has repeatedly overstated the availability of U.S. testing, falsely declaring in March, in the midst of dire shortages, “Anybody who wants a test, can get a test.”
Now, the availability of tests varies widely. Some governors and local officials say they have more tests available than people who want them. Others say they can’t meet the demand. That’s the case at the Department of Veterans Affairs, for example.


shareblue--2020-06-08--McConnell keeps bragging about getting his state money while blocking it for others

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spent much of last week taking credit for the coronavirus funding communities in his own state of Kentucky will soon receive .
But he continues to block $ 1 trillion in aid to states and localities hurt by the pandemic — including in his state .
McConnell , a Republican , announced on Wednesday that Christian County , Kentucky , would receive $ 58,008 from the coronavirus relief bill passed in March to help stabilize the U.S. economy .
`` As Senate Majority Leader , I 'm constantly working to deliver the resources to overcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and smartly reopen Kentucky , '' he boasted .
He referred to the bill , which was approved by Congress with bipartisan support , as `` my CARES Act . ''
That same day , he announced that Lexington , Kentucky , would receive more than $ 478,000 thanks to his legislation , repeating the same language nearly verbatim .
A day earlier , he had bragged of nearly $ 2 million in coronavirus relief funds for the city of Louisville .
But while he has been claiming credit for federal funds for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been blocking vital funds for Kentucky and the rest of the country .
In May , the House of Representatives passed another coronavirus relief bill , the HEROES Act , which would provide an additional roughly $ 1 trillion to state and local governments .
At least 21.5 million Americans are unemployed , and tax revenues have dropped significantly in states across the country .
With about 43 % of its citizens filing unemployment claims since the start of the pandemic , Kentucky is among the hardest-hit states .
The HEROES Act aims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But McConnell has adamantly refused to bring the legislation up for a vote in the Senate , ridiculing it as `` a totally unserious effort '' from an `` unserious House majority , '' in a statement released in May .
He declared the bill `` dead on arrival . ''
He also vowed in April to oppose direct aid for the states , dismissing the idea as `` Blue State bailouts . ''
Instead , he suggested broke states consider filing for bankruptcy — which they are not able to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he will wait a month to decide on whether to approve any more pandemic response legislation .
And he also said that would be the last bill , no matter what else happens with the coronavirus .
`` We 're taking a careful look at a fourth and final bill , '' he said on May 29 .
`` You could anticipate the decision being made on whether to go forward in about a month .
And it will be narrowly crafted , designed to help us where we are a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months ago . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spent much of last week taking credit for the coronavirus funding communities in his own state of Kentucky will soon receive. But he continues to block $1 trillion in aid to states and localities hurt by the pandemic — including in his state.
McConnell, a Republican, announced on Wednesday that Christian County, Kentucky, would receive $58,008 from the coronavirus relief bill passed in March to help stabilize the U.S. economy.
“As Senate Majority Leader, I’m constantly working to deliver the resources to overcome the coronavirus crisis and begin to safely and smartly reopen Kentucky,” he boasted.
He referred to the bill, which was approved by Congress with bipartisan support, as “my CARES Act.”
That same day, he announced that Lexington, Kentucky, would receive more than $478,000 thanks to his legislation, repeating the same language nearly verbatim.
A day earlier, he had bragged of nearly $2 million in coronavirus relief funds for the city of Louisville.
But while he has been claiming credit for federal funds for his state, McConnell has been also been blocking vital funds for Kentucky and the rest of the country.
In May, the House of Representatives passed another coronavirus relief bill, the HEROES Act, which would provide an additional roughly $1 trillion to state and local governments.
At least 21.5 million Americans are unemployed, and tax revenues have dropped significantly in states across the country. With about 43% of its citizens filing unemployment claims since the start of the pandemic, Kentucky is among the hardest-hit states. The HEROES Act aims to make up some of that gap.
But McConnell has adamantly refused to bring the legislation up for a vote in the Senate, ridiculing it as “a totally unserious effort” from an “unserious House majority,” in a statement released in May. He declared the bill “dead on arrival.”
He also vowed in April to oppose direct aid for the states, dismissing the idea as “Blue State bailouts.” Instead, he suggested broke states consider filing for bankruptcy — which they are not able to do legally.
McConnell said in late May that he will wait a month to decide on whether to approve any more pandemic response legislation. And he also said that would be the last bill, no matter what else happens with the coronavirus.
“We’re taking a careful look at a fourth and final bill,” he said on May 29. “You could anticipate the decision being made on whether to go forward in about a month. And it will be narrowly crafted, designed to help us where we are a month from now, not where we were three months ago.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-08--What does 'defund the police' mean? 4 things to know

Protesters are pushing to `` defund the police '' over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement .
Their chant has become rallying cry — and a stick for Donald Trump to use on Democrats as he portrays them as soft on crime .
But what does `` defund the police '' mean ?
It 's not necessarily about gutting police department budgets .
WHAT IS THE 'DEFUND THE POLICE ' MOVEMENT ?
Supporters say it is n't about eliminating police departments or stripping agencies of all of their money .
They say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systemic problems in policing in America and spend more on what communities across the U.S. need , like housing and education .
State and local governments spent $ 115 billion on policing in 2017 , according to data compiled by the Urban Institute .
`` Why ca n't we look at how it is that we reorganize our priorities , so people do n't have to be in the streets during a national pandemic ? ''
Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza asked during an interview on NBC 's `` Meet the Press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it is `` working towards a police-free Minneapolis , '' argues that such action would be more about `` strategically reallocating resources , funding , and responsibility away from police and toward community-based models of safety , support , and prevention . ''
`` The people who respond to crises in our community should be the people who are best-equipped to deal with those crises , '' the group wrote on its website .
WHAT ARE LAWMAKERS SAYING ?
Sen. Cory Booker ( D-NJ ) said he understands the sentiment behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slogan he will use .
The New Jersey Democrat told NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' that he shares a feeling with many protesters that Americans are `` over-policed '' and that `` we are investing in police , which is not solving problems , but making them worse , when we should be in a more compassionate country , in a more loving country . ''
Rep. Karen Bass ( D-CA ) , chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus , said part of the movement is really about how money is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't believe that you should disband police departments , '' she said in an interview with CNN .
`` But I do think that , in cities , in states , we need to look at how we are spending the resources and invest more in our communities .
`` Maybe this is an opportunity to re-envision public safety , '' she said .
Trump and his campaign view the emergence of the `` Defund the Police '' slogan as a spark of opportunity during what has been a trying political moment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparked widespread condemnation .
But now his supporters say the new mantra may make voters , who may be otherwise sympathetic to the protesters , recoil from a `` radical '' idea .
Trump seized on the slogan last week as he spoke at an event in Maine .
`` They 're saying defund the police , '' he said .
`` Defund .
Think of it .
When I saw it , I said , 'What are you talking about ? '
'We do n't want to have any police , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police ? ''
Trump 's 2016 campaign was built on a promise of ensuring law and order — often in contrast to protests against his rhetoric that followed him across the country .
As he seeks reelection , Trump is preparing to deploy the same argument again — and seems to believe the `` defund the police '' call has made the campaign applause line all the more real for his supporters .
IS THERE ANY PUSH TO ACTUALLY DEFUND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ?
Yes , or at least to reduce their budgets in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City , Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that the city would move funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services , while keeping the city safe , but he did n't give details .
In Los Angeles , Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to cut as much as $ 150 million that was part of a planned increase in the police department 's budget .
A Minneapolis city council member said in a tweet on Thursday that the city would `` dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department , '' Jeremiah Ellison wrote .
`` And when we 're done , we 're not simply gon na glue it back together . ''
He did not explain what would replace the police department .
A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city 's police department .
Nine of the council 's 12 members appeared with activists at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end policing as the city currently knows it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of policing is not keeping our communities safe , '' Lisa Bender , the council president , said .
`` Our efforts at incremental reform have failed , period . ''
Disbanding an entire department has happened before .
In 2012 , with crime rampant in Camden , New Jersey , the city disbanded its police department and replaced it with a new force that covered Camden County .
Compton , California , took the same step in 2000 , shifting its policing to Los Angeles County .
HOW HAVE POLICE OFFICIALS AND @ @ @ @ @ @ @ union officials have long resisted cuts to police budgets , arguing that it would make cities less safe .
The Los Angeles Police Protective League , the union for the city 's rank-and-file officers , said budget cuts would be the `` quickest way to make our neighborhoods more dangerous . ''
`` Cutting the LAPD budget means longer responses to 911 emergency calls , officers calling for back-up wo n't get it , and rape , murder and assault investigations wo n't occur or will take forever to initiate , let alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement last week .
`` At this time , with violent crime increasing , a global pandemic and nearly a week 's worth of violence , arson , and looting , 'defunding ' the LAPD is the most irresponsible thing anyone can propose . ''

Protesters are pushing to “defund the police” over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement. Their chant has become rallying cry — and a stick for Donald Trump to use on Democrats as he portrays them as soft on crime.
But what does “defund the police” mean? It’s not necessarily about gutting police department budgets.
WHAT IS THE ‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ MOVEMENT?
Supporters say it isn’t about eliminating police departments or stripping agencies of all of their money. They say it is time for the country to address systemic problems in policing in America and spend more on what communities across the U.S. need, like housing and education.
State and local governments spent $115 billion on policing in 2017, according to data compiled by the Urban Institute.
“Why can’t we look at how it is that we reorganize our priorities, so people don’t have to be in the streets during a national pandemic?” Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza asked during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Activists acknowledge this is a gradual process.
The group MPD150, which says it is “working towards a police-free Minneapolis,” argues that such action would be more about “strategically reallocating resources, funding, and responsibility away from police and toward community-based models of safety, support, and prevention.”
“The people who respond to crises in our community should be the people who are best-equipped to deal with those crises,” the group wrote on its website.
WHAT ARE LAWMAKERS SAYING?
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) said he understands the sentiment behind the slogan, but it’s not a slogan he will use.
The New Jersey Democrat told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he shares a feeling with many protesters that Americans are “over-policed” and that “we are investing in police, which is not solving problems, but making them worse, when we should be in a more compassionate country, in a more loving country.”
Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said part of the movement is really about how money is spent.
“Now, I don’t believe that you should disband police departments,” she said in an interview with CNN. “But I do think that, in cities, in states, we need to look at how we are spending the resources and invest more in our communities.
“Maybe this is an opportunity to re-envision public safety,” she said.
Trump and his campaign view the emergence of the “Defund the Police” slogan as a spark of opportunity during what has been a trying political moment. Trump’s response to the protests has sparked widespread condemnation. But now his supporters say the new mantra may make voters, who may be otherwise sympathetic to the protesters, recoil from a “radical” idea.
Trump seized on the slogan last week as he spoke at an event in Maine.
“They’re saying defund the police,” he said. “Defund. Think of it. When I saw it, I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ ‘We don’t want to have any police,’ they say. You don’t want police?”
Trump’s 2016 campaign was built on a promise of ensuring law and order — often in contrast to protests against his rhetoric that followed him across the country. As he seeks reelection, Trump is preparing to deploy the same argument again — and seems to believe the “defund the police” call has made the campaign applause line all the more real for his supporters.
IS THERE ANY PUSH TO ACTUALLY DEFUND POLICE DEPARTMENTS?
Yes, or at least to reduce their budgets in some major cities.
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that the city would move funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services, while keeping the city safe, but he didn’t give details.
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to cut as much as $150 million that was part of a planned increase in the police department’s budget.
A Minneapolis city council member said in a tweet on Thursday that the city would “dramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response.”
“We are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department,” Jeremiah Ellison wrote. “And when we’re done, we’re not simply gonna glue it back together.” He did not explain what would replace the police department.
A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city’s police department. Nine of the council’s 12 members appeared with activists at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end policing as the city currently knows it.
“It is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe,” Lisa Bender, the council president, said. “Our efforts at incremental reform have failed, period.”
Disbanding an entire department has happened before. In 2012, with crime rampant in Camden, New Jersey, the city disbanded its police department and replaced it with a new force that covered Camden County. Compton, California, took the same step in 2000, shifting its policing to Los Angeles County.
HOW HAVE POLICE OFFICIALS AND UNIONS RESPONDED?
Generally, police and union officials have long resisted cuts to police budgets, arguing that it would make cities less safe.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union for the city’s rank-and-file officers, said budget cuts would be the “quickest way to make our neighborhoods more dangerous.”
“Cutting the LAPD budget means longer responses to 911 emergency calls, officers calling for back-up won’t get it, and rape, murder and assault investigations won’t occur or will take forever to initiate, let alone complete,” the union’s board said in a statement last week.
“At this time, with violent crime increasing, a global pandemic and nearly a week’s worth of violence, arson, and looting, ‘defunding’ the LAPD is the most irresponsible thing anyone can propose.”


shareblue--2020-06-09--McConnell: We won't 'quit doing things just because there's an election'

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday defended his decision to bring up a bill that could help two vulnerable GOP colleagues , claiming it was not right to `` stop governing during an election year . ''
McConnell reportedly agreed to send to the Great American Outdoors Act to the chamber in order to help two of the bill 's leading supporters , Sens .
Cory Gardner ( R-CO ) and Steve Daines ( R-MT ) , according to The Hill .
Both men are facing tough reelection races in November .
`` Yeah , it 's in proximity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-KY ) said .
`` But nobody says you oughta quit doing things just because there 's an election .
We have one every two years .
There 's always an election coming up . ''
The bill , a bipartisan piece of legislation which provides funds to restore national parks and public lands , is expected to pass this week .
Just four years ago , McConnell memorably mounted a historic , months-long effort to block Judge Merrick Garland , President Obama 's nominee to fill Antonin Scalia 's vacant seat on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmation hearing or vote .
His justification at the time was that it was an election year .
`` The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice .
Therefore , this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president , '' he said in a February 2016 press statement , hours after Scalia 's sudden death and nearly nine months before Election Day .
A month later , he falsely claimed that he and Senate Republicans were merely `` following a longstanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court in the middle of a presidential election year . ''
Garland 's nomination expired with the end of Obama 's term and McConnell quickly moved to confirm Donald Trump 's choice , Neil Gorsuch , to fill the vacancy in 2017 .
A reporter asked McConnell on Tuesday whether the Great American Outdoors Act vote was an `` election year gift '' to his Republican colleagues .
McConnell , who previously vowed to block the more than 395 House-passed bills that are sitting on his desk , said that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass both the Democratic House and his Republican Senate .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday defended his decision to bring up a bill that could help two vulnerable GOP colleagues, claiming it was not right to “stop governing during an election year.”
McConnell reportedly agreed to send to the Great American Outdoors Act to the chamber in order to help two of the bill’s leading supporters, Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Steve Daines (R-MT), according to The Hill.
Both men are facing tough reelection races in November.
“Yeah, it’s in proximity to the election,” McConnell (R-KY) said. “But nobody says you oughta quit doing things just because there’s an election. We have one every two years. There’s always an election coming up.”
The bill, a bipartisan piece of legislation which provides funds to restore national parks and public lands, is expected to pass this week.
Just four years ago, McConnell memorably mounted a historic, months-long effort to block Judge Merrick Garland, President Obama’s nominee to fill Antonin Scalia’s vacant seat on the Supreme Court, from getting a confirmation hearing or vote.
His justification at the time was that it was an election year.
“The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice. Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president,” he said in a February 2016 press statement, hours after Scalia’s sudden death and nearly nine months before Election Day.
A month later, he falsely claimed that he and Senate Republicans were merely “following a longstanding tradition of not filling vacancies on the Supreme Court in the middle of a presidential election year.”
Garland’s nomination expired with the end of Obama’s term and McConnell quickly moved to confirm Donald Trump’s choice, Neil Gorsuch, to fill the vacancy in 2017.
A reporter asked McConnell on Tuesday whether the Great American Outdoors Act vote was an “election year gift” to his Republican colleagues.
McConnell, who previously vowed to block the more than 395 House-passed bills that are sitting on his desk, said that it was one of the rare bills that could pass both the Democratic House and his Republican Senate.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-09--States that rushed to reopen are reporting record high numbers of virus cases

Since the beginning of June , 11 states that opted to reopen their economies early , against expert advice , have reported record high numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases .
On Monday , the Washington Post reported that Alaska , Arizona , Arkansas , Florida , Kentucky , Mississippi , New Mexico , North Carolina , South Carolina , Texas , and Utah had all recently experienced their highest seven-day average numbers of new cases .
On June 1 , by which time all of those states had reopened their economies , none of them met all five federal criteria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis by ProPublica .
The Post reported that three additional states — California , Oregon , and Tennessee — also saw record high case numbers , but those states had not reopened businesses statewide .
The number of cases spiked so high in Arizona that Dr. Cara Christ , director of the state 's Department of Health Services , urged hospitals to `` fully activate '' emergency plans on Saturday .
A day later , Banner Health , Arizona 's largest health system , announced it had reached capacity for ECMO machines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some health experts speculated that Gov .
Doug Ducey 's decision to end stay-at-home orders on May 15 may have helped spread the coronavirus , the Arizona Republic reported on Monday .
On June 1 , Arizona had 20,123 confirmed coronavirus cases , and at least 917 people had died .
On Tuesday , the state had more than 27,000 confirmed coronavirus cases , and at least 1,052 people had died , according to the New York Times .
Last week , Florida saw a string of five consecutive days on which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and health officials are worried that the number could continue to rise .
`` I do n't think the public believes that they need to do anything anymore and I 'm afraid that that 's the wrong choice , '' Dr. Todd Husty , a Seminole County health official , told NBC affiliate WESH on Tuesday .
On June 1 , Florida had 56,830 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 2,460 deaths .
By Tuesday , it had nearly 65,000 confirmed cases , according to the Times , and at least 2,711 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new high number of cases , Texas saw a new high number of patients — nearly 2,000 — admitted to hospitals with the coronavirus on Monday , NPR reported .
The new numbers were announced on the same day Gov .
Greg Abbott announced restaurants , bars , and other businesses in the state could increase capacity to 50 % .
Many businesses in the state reopened on May 1 .
On May 31 , Texas had 64,729 confirmed coronavirus cases , and at least 1,675 people had died .
On Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases , and at least 1,856 people had died , according to the Times .
Many states rushed to let businesses reopen in May as layoff and unemployment numbers rose and Donald Trump encouraged the states to get back to normal .
`` Exciting to see our Country starting to open up again ! ''
Trump tweeted on May 5 .
As some states followed the advice of experts and exercised more caution in reopening , Trump made his opinion clear .
`` REOPEN OUR COUNTRY ! ''
Trump tweeted on May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Fauci , the nation 's leading infectious disease expert , had cautioned states against reopening too quickly in testimony before the U.S. Senate .
Fauci warned that `` the consequences could be really serious if cities , states , or what have you jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up , '' predicting that the nation could `` start to see little spikes that will turn into outbreaks . ''
On the night before his testimony , Fauci emailed a New York Times reporter , saying he feared reopening economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in needless suffering and death , but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal . ''
Despite cautions from experts and spikes in cases in many states , some governors are moving ahead and reopening still more businesses in states .
`` We need to reopen , '' South Carolina 's Republican Gov .
Henry McMaster told business leaders on Friday .
`` We need to be sure to let people know that the virus is still here , but you ca n't restrict business , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 million people have confirmed cases of coronavirus , and at least 110,966 people have died , according to the Times .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Since the beginning of June, 11 states that opted to reopen their economies early, against expert advice, have reported record high numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases.
On Monday, the Washington Post reported that Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah had all recently experienced their highest seven-day average numbers of new cases.
On June 1, by which time all of those states had reopened their economies, none of them met all five federal criteria for doing so, according to an analysis by ProPublica.
The Post reported that three additional states — California, Oregon, and Tennessee — also saw record high case numbers, but those states had not reopened businesses statewide.
The number of cases spiked so high in Arizona that Dr. Cara Christ, director of the state’s Department of Health Services, urged hospitals to “fully activate” emergency plans on Saturday. A day later, Banner Health, Arizona’s largest health system, announced it had reached capacity for ECMO machines, devices that help severely ill people breathe.
Some health experts speculated that Gov. Doug Ducey’s decision to end stay-at-home orders on May 15 may have helped spread the coronavirus, the Arizona Republic reported on Monday. On June 1, Arizona had 20,123 confirmed coronavirus cases, and at least 917 people had died. On Tuesday, the state had more than 27,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and at least 1,052 people had died, according to the New York Times.
Last week, Florida saw a string of five consecutive days on which the number of new cases topped 1,000, and health officials are worried that the number could continue to rise.
“I don’t think the public believes that they need to do anything anymore and I’m afraid that that’s the wrong choice,” Dr. Todd Husty, a Seminole County health official, told NBC affiliate WESH on Tuesday.
On June 1, Florida had 56,830 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 2,460 deaths. By Tuesday, it had nearly 65,000 confirmed cases, according to the Times, and at least 2,711 people had died.
In addition to a new high number of cases, Texas saw a new high number of patients — nearly 2,000 — admitted to hospitals with the coronavirus on Monday, NPR reported. The new numbers were announced on the same day Gov. Greg Abbott announced restaurants, bars, and other businesses in the state could increase capacity to 50%. Many businesses in the state reopened on May 1.
On May 31, Texas had 64,729 confirmed coronavirus cases, and at least 1,675 people had died. On Tuesday, it had more than 77,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, and at least 1,856 people had died, according to the Times.
Many states rushed to let businesses reopen in May as layoff and unemployment numbers rose and Donald Trump encouraged the states to get back to normal.
“Exciting to see our Country starting to open up again!” Trump tweeted on May 5.
As some states followed the advice of experts and exercised more caution in reopening, Trump made his opinion clear.
“REOPEN OUR COUNTRY!” Trump tweeted on May 18.
On May 12, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, had cautioned states against reopening too quickly in testimony before the U.S. Senate.
Fauci warned that “the consequences could be really serious if cities, states, or what have you jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up,” predicting that the nation could “start to see little spikes that will turn into outbreaks.”
On the night before his testimony, Fauci emailed a New York Times reporter, saying he feared reopening economies too early may “not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal.”
Despite cautions from experts and spikes in cases in many states, some governors are moving ahead and reopening still more businesses in states.
“We need to reopen,” South Carolina’s Republican Gov. Henry McMaster told business leaders on Friday. “We need to be sure to let people know that the virus is still here, but you can’t restrict business,” he added.
Across the country, nearly 2 million people have confirmed cases of coronavirus, and at least 110,966 people have died, according to the Times.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-09--Trump's chief of staff loved congressional oversight — until he worked for Trump

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is reportedly blocking Trump administration officials from testifying before Congress .
But during his tenure as a Republican member of the House of Representatives , he tried to impeach people who stood in the way of congressional oversight .
Politico reported on Sunday that Meadows has implemented a requirement that everyone in the administration must get his permission before they can testify before Congress .
In May , news outlets reported on a similar effort by Meadows to block members of the administration 's coronavirus task force from testifying before Congress without his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar restrictions applied to Cabinet-level officials .
The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the policy .
A review of Meadows ' record during his seven-plus years representing North Carolina in the House of Representatives finds he was a fierce supporter of congressional oversight and `` accountable government '' — especially for former president Barack Obama 's administration .
In February of this year , his party tapped him to become the top minority-party member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform , but he resigned from Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Before the 2018 elections wiped out the House Republican majority , Meadows served as chair of the government operations panel for the committee .
He was appointed to the position in December 2014 and held it for four years —with the exception of a few days in June 2015 , when he was temporarily stripped of this role for bucking leadership on a procedural motion .
From 2013 until 2016 , he was one of the leading forces behind a GOP-led investigation into the Internal Revenue Service as a member of the oversight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed that the agency targeted conservative political groups for extra scrutiny during the application process for tax-exempt status .
He frequently attacked then-IRS Commissioner John Koskinen for not being sufficiently transparent about the matter , threatening to hold him in contempt , and even launching an effort to impeach him in 2016 .
`` I appreciate your opinion , '' Meadows scolded Koskinen at a March 2014 hearing .
`` I could tell you the people that I represent believe you 're stonewalling . ''
He also tried to punish Lois Lerner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the exempt organizations , for refusing to testify before the House .
In May 2014 , Meadows voted to hold her in contempt of Congress for her refusal to comply with a committee subpoena .
After Lerner gave an interview to Politico that September , he put out a statement arguing , `` If Ms. Lerner truly believes she did n't do anything wrong , as she stated , then there is absolutely no reason for her to not testify under oath before Congress and provide answers to the American taxpayers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a special investigation into the 2012 attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi , Libya — a subject that had already been investigated by numerous other committees .
`` If it is real damning to Hillary Clinton and the decision she makes it would certainly affect that , '' Meadows said at the time .
`` Everything has an element of politics in it , so perhaps somewhat .
But really what most Americans want is that justice is served . ''
At a September 2014 hearing on whether the Obama administration was obstructing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he made a passionate case for transparency .
`` This continued stonewalling of access to documents , what kind of harm , potential harm can you see that would come from this , specifically with your work ? ''
he asked one inspector general .
`` So what rationale would be out there to justify — and this question is to all of you , '' he asked the panel , `` What rationale is out there to preclude you from getting information that would be deemed beneficial to the American people ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
Meadows also demanded the General Services Administration provide Congress with information on their consumer recall procedures in 2016 and that the IRS produce information on its employee bonuses in 2013 .
In 2018 , Meadows even attempted to impeach Rod Rosenstein , Donald Trump 's deputy attorney general , after the Justice Department refused to hand over records relating to the origins of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections and to Hillary Clinton 's emails .
Meadows complained that under Rosenstein , `` the agency has made every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oversight , '' and that `` Multiple times we 've caught DOJ officials hiding information from Congress , withholding relevant documents , or even outright ignoring congressional subpoenas . ''
But now , under Trump , it may be Meadows who is making every effort to obstruct legitimate congressional oversight .
With Meadows ' new rule in place , the Trump administration reportedly refused to allow Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to even give routine testimony to a Republican-controlled Senate committee last week .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows is reportedly blocking Trump administration officials from testifying before Congress. But during his tenure as a Republican member of the House of Representatives, he tried to impeach people who stood in the way of congressional oversight.
Politico reported on Sunday that Meadows has implemented a requirement that everyone in the administration must get his permission before they can testify before Congress.
In May, news outlets reported on a similar effort by Meadows to block members of the administration’s coronavirus task force from testifying before Congress without his advance permission. ABC News reported that similar restrictions applied to Cabinet-level officials.
The White House did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the policy.
A review of Meadows’ record during his seven-plus years representing North Carolina in the House of Representatives finds he was a fierce supporter of congressional oversight and “accountable government” — especially for former president Barack Obama’s administration.
In February of this year, his party tapped him to become the top minority-party member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, but he resigned from Congress in March to join the administration.
Before the 2018 elections wiped out the House Republican majority, Meadows served as chair of the government operations panel for the committee. He was appointed to the position in December 2014 and held it for four years —with the exception of a few days in June 2015, when he was temporarily stripped of this role for bucking leadership on a procedural motion.
From 2013 until 2016, he was one of the leading forces behind a GOP-led investigation into the Internal Revenue Service as a member of the oversight panel. Meadows and other Republicans falsely claimed that the agency targeted conservative political groups for extra scrutiny during the application process for tax-exempt status.
He frequently attacked then-IRS Commissioner John Koskinen for not being sufficiently transparent about the matter, threatening to hold him in contempt, and even launching an effort to impeach him in 2016.
“I appreciate your opinion,” Meadows scolded Koskinen at a March 2014 hearing. “I could tell you the people that I represent believe you’re stonewalling.”
He also tried to punish Lois Lerner, the former IRS unit director in charge of the exempt organizations, for refusing to testify before the House.
In May 2014, Meadows voted to hold her in contempt of Congress for her refusal to comply with a committee subpoena. After Lerner gave an interview to Politico that September, he put out a statement arguing, “If Ms. Lerner truly believes she didn’t do anything wrong, as she stated, then there is absolutely no reason for her to not testify under oath before Congress and provide answers to the American taxpayers.”
In May 2014, Meadows demanded a special investigation into the 2012 attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya — a subject that had already been investigated by numerous other committees.
“If it is real damning to Hillary Clinton and the decision she makes it would certainly affect that,” Meadows said at the time. “Everything has an element of politics in it, so perhaps somewhat. But really what most Americans want is that justice is served.”
At a September 2014 hearing on whether the Obama administration was obstructing the work of its inspectors general, he made a passionate case for transparency.
“This continued stonewalling of access to documents, what kind of harm, potential harm can you see that would come from this, specifically with your work?” he asked one inspector general. “So what rationale would be out there to justify — and this question is to all of you,” he asked the panel, “What rationale is out there to preclude you from getting information that would be deemed beneficial to the American people? Why should they withhold stuff from you?”
Meadows also demanded the General Services Administration provide Congress with information on their consumer recall procedures in 2016 and that the IRS produce information on its employee bonuses in 2013.
In 2018, Meadows even attempted to impeach Rod Rosenstein, Donald Trump’s deputy attorney general, after the Justice Department refused to hand over records relating to the origins of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections and to Hillary Clinton’s emails.
Meadows complained that under Rosenstein, “the agency has made every effort to obstruct legitimate attempts of congressional oversight,” and that “Multiple times we’ve caught DOJ officials hiding information from Congress, withholding relevant documents, or even outright ignoring congressional subpoenas.”
But now, under Trump, it may be Meadows who is making every effort to obstruct legitimate congressional oversight. With Meadows’ new rule in place, the Trump administration reportedly refused to allow Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to even give routine testimony to a Republican-controlled Senate committee last week.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-09--Matt Gaetz is angry at Belgium for removing statue of genocidal king

The removal of a statue of a genocidal colonialist monarch on Tuesday in Belgium has angered Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz .
In a tweet sharing video of the removal of the statue of King Leopold II of the Belgians in Antwerp , Gaetz said it was an example of progressives trying to expunge the past .
Leopold II reigned from 1865 to 1909 and pushed Belgian colonization in Africa , establishing what was first the privately held `` Congo Free State '' and later the country 's colony , Belgian Congo .
Leopold 's drive for profits from his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and later on rubber , was accompanied by atrocities inflicted on the colony 's inhabitants .
Reuters reports that an online petition against the king , signed by at least 64,000 as of Tuesday , says Leopold was responsible for the deaths of more than 10 million Congolese people .
Historian Adam Hochschild , author of `` King Leopold 's Ghost : A Story of Greed , Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa , '' notes that in addition to outright murder , the atrocities included enslavement , rape , kidnapping , man-made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The statue of Leopold had been damaged in recent days by Belgians marching in support of the Black Lives Matter movement .
The protesters reportedly painted it red and set it on fire .
The protests were part of the global response to the killing of George Floyd , an unarmed black man in Minneapolis .
Floyd died of asphyxiation after a white police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes .
The officer has been charged with second- and third-degree murder .
Across the United States , protests have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other racist statues .
In recent days , monuments have been removed in Philadelphia ; in Birmingham , Alabama ; and in Alexandria , Virginia .
`` The ground is shifting on Confederate monuments as an issue so fast , after so many years of stasis , '' Jeremy Mayer , associate professor at the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government , said in an email last week .
But Gaetz and other conservatives have long claimed that removing racist memorials means the erasure or alteration of the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak out against bigotry and hatred in all of its forms , '' Gaetz said in 2017 , opposing the removal of Confederate monuments in Walton County , Florida .
`` But that does n't mean we can bleach American history . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The removal of a statue of a genocidal colonialist monarch on Tuesday in Belgium has angered Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz.
In a tweet sharing video of the removal of the statue of King Leopold II of the Belgians in Antwerp, Gaetz said it was an example of progressives trying to expunge the past.
“Left Platform,” Gaetz wrote. “Defund Police – Erase History – Disarm You – Lockdown Forever.”
Leopold II reigned from 1865 to 1909 and pushed Belgian colonization in Africa, establishing what was first the privately held “Congo Free State” and later the country’s colony, Belgian Congo.
Leopold’s drive for profits from his private colony, based first on ivory and later on rubber, was accompanied by atrocities inflicted on the colony’s inhabitants. Reuters reports that an online petition against the king, signed by at least 64,000 as of Tuesday, says Leopold was responsible for the deaths of more than 10 million Congolese people.
Historian Adam Hochschild, author of “King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa,” notes that in addition to outright murder, the atrocities included enslavement, rape, kidnapping, man-made famines, and the severing of limbs.
The statue of Leopold had been damaged in recent days by Belgians marching in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The protesters reportedly painted it red and set it on fire.
The protests were part of the global response to the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis. Floyd died of asphyxiation after a white police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes.
The officer has been charged with second- and third-degree murder.
Across the United States, protests have also spurred the removal of Confederate memorials and other racist statues. In recent days, monuments have been removed in Philadelphia; in Birmingham, Alabama; and in Alexandria, Virginia.
“The ground is shifting on Confederate monuments as an issue so fast, after so many years of stasis,” Jeremy Mayer, associate professor at the George Mason University Schar School of Policy and Government, said in an email last week.
But Gaetz and other conservatives have long claimed that removing racist memorials means the erasure or alteration of the past.
“I think we have to speak out against bigotry and hatred in all of its forms,” Gaetz said in 2017, opposing the removal of Confederate monuments in Walton County, Florida. “But that doesn’t mean we can bleach American history.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-09--'Complete meltdown': Georgia voters wait in line for hours to cast ballots amid pandemic

Some voters waited more than three hours to cast ballots on Tuesday amid reports of voting machine malfunctions in Georgia , a general election battleground , which held twice-delayed primary elections with a shortage of poll workers and social-distancing precautions caused by the coronavirus .
Widespread problems included trouble with Georgia 's new voting system that combines touchscreens with scanned paper ballots in races for president , U.S. Senate , and dozens of other contests .
Some voters said they joined the lines after requesting mail-in ballots that never arrived .
One state lawmaker , Rep. William Boddie of Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meltdown '' in Georgia 's largest county , where people of color represent a majority of the population .
Americans were also voting Tuesday in primaries in West Virginia , Nevada , and South Carolina following months of social restrictions to guard against the spread of COVID-19 and a week of massive protests against police brutality .
Perhaps more than other states , Georgia offers the most significant test to date for whether the energy related to protests across the nation would translate to political change at the voting booth .
The problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , will likely make it difficult to draw any firm conclusions .
Georgia 's issues come after voters were forced to wait hours to cast ballots in recent primary contests in places like Wisconsin and Washington , D.C .
While there were no reports of machine malfunctions in other states , the number of voting places was dramatically reduced in virtually every state that has held in-person voting in recent weeks to accommodate a drop in poll workers because of the pandemic .
The consolidation has disproportionately affected urban minority communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday in whiter suburban areas as well .
Even before Georgia voters ran into problems Tuesday , the state 's chief election officer warned that results may be slow to come in as poll closures and virus restrictions complicate in-person voting and counties work to process a huge increase in ballots received by mail .
Layla Cantlebary waited more than an hour to vote at an elementary school in the Atlanta suburb of Roswell , where she arrived to find a long line a few minutes before polling sites opened at 7 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but said her absentee ballot never arrived .
`` I always vote in primaries , but the political times that we 're having right now , or the moment that we 're having , is scary , '' Cantlebary , 39 , said as she stood with about 60 others waiting to vote .
`` With all the civil unrest , it just underscores the importance of coming out and voting for somebody who you feel is going to lead the country to a better place than we are in currently . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a polling site in Atlanta , some voters said they had been waiting for nearly four hours in a line that wrapped around the block .
At another site off Atlanta 's Piedmont Park , several people walked up , looked at the line wrapped around the parking lot , and then left , shaking their heads in frustration .
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said voters in line at one of Atlanta 's largest precincts reported all the machines were down .
She encouraged voters not to give up .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not allow your vote to be suppressed , '' the mayor said on Twitter .
The problems were n't just limited to the Atlanta area .
In Savannah , Mayor Van Johnson said he was `` inundated '' with phone calls Tuesday morning from voters reporting `` extensive delays . ''
Election officials in surrounding Chatham County were requesting an extension of voting hours .
Gabriel Sterling , who managed the rollout of Georgia 's new $ 120 million voting system for Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , said Tuesday he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' but rather of delayed deliveries of voting equipment and problems with polls workers `` not understanding setup or how to operate voting equipment . ''
Sterling blamed `` counties engaging in poor planning , limited training , and failures of leadership . ''
Since the pandemic began , states have been scrambling to address concerns about voting in person .
The nation 's elections rely on an army of poll workers , many of them older , and the use of neighborhood locations such as schools , recreation centers , and senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus , however , poll workers dropped out and the number of available voting sites has shrunk , resulting in a significant consolidation of polling places and long lines .
Experts have warned that election officials must take additional steps to ensure voting is easier in November .
Many states , including Georgia , have pushed to expand the use of absentee ballots in the hopes of reducing the number of people voting in person .
For the first time , Georgia sent absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday he was n't surprised that Georgia had voting problems given that the state 's elections chief is a Republican .
He noted that GOP Gov .
Brian Kemp faced allegations of suppressing votes when he oversaw the 2018 elections as secretary of state .
`` Anytime you have an election in Georgia with the governor 's infamous history , and now the current secretary of state following Gov .
Kemp 's infamous history , there is reason for concern , '' Perez said in an interview .
`` Republicans want to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to vote . ''
Georgia has emerged as a battleground state in the fall contest between Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden .
Biden in particular hoped to emerge as the prime beneficiary of the massive protests being held for more than a week .
The former vice president 's path to the presidency was already focused on maximizing black turnout and expanding his alliance with white suburbanites and city dwellers , young voters , Asian Americans , and Latinos .
Trump , meanwhile , hopes to demonstrate strength among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towns while holding his own in metro areas .
While there was no real competition for each of the presidential candidates on Tuesday , Georgia is a must-win for the Republican president in November .
The state offers a wide swath of rural and small-town counties where Trump remains immensely popular among white majorities .
His margins there four years ago helped overcome his deficits in metropolitan areas , including losses in key suburban Atlanta counties that had n't been won by Democrats in a presidential election in four decades .
But Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to voter registration trends that show a swath of new voters in the metropolitan areas where the GOP has struggled .
Biden 's campaign manager , Jen O'Malley Dillon , mentions Georgia along with Arizona and Texas as the next three states that Democrats can flip .
Still , O'Malley Dillon holds up Arizona as the best opportunity for Democrats , implicitly tamping down expectations in Georgia .

Some voters waited more than three hours to cast ballots on Tuesday amid reports of voting machine malfunctions in Georgia, a general election battleground, which held twice-delayed primary elections with a shortage of poll workers and social-distancing precautions caused by the coronavirus.
Widespread problems included trouble with Georgia’s new voting system that combines touchscreens with scanned paper ballots in races for president, U.S. Senate, and dozens of other contests. Some voters said they joined the lines after requesting mail-in ballots that never arrived. One state lawmaker, Rep. William Boddie of Atlanta, said there was a “complete meltdown” in Georgia’s largest county, where people of color represent a majority of the population.
Americans were also voting Tuesday in primaries in West Virginia, Nevada, and South Carolina following months of social restrictions to guard against the spread of COVID-19 and a week of massive protests against police brutality.
Perhaps more than other states, Georgia offers the most significant test to date for whether the energy related to protests across the nation would translate to political change at the voting booth. The problems that plagued the state’s voting system, however, will likely make it difficult to draw any firm conclusions.
Georgia’s issues come after voters were forced to wait hours to cast ballots in recent primary contests in places like Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
While there were no reports of machine malfunctions in other states, the number of voting places was dramatically reduced in virtually every state that has held in-person voting in recent weeks to accommodate a drop in poll workers because of the pandemic. The consolidation has disproportionately affected urban minority communities, although long lines were reported on Tuesday in whiter suburban areas as well.
Even before Georgia voters ran into problems Tuesday, the state’s chief election officer warned that results may be slow to come in as poll closures and virus restrictions complicate in-person voting and counties work to process a huge increase in ballots received by mail.
Layla Cantlebary waited more than an hour to vote at an elementary school in the Atlanta suburb of Roswell, where she arrived to find a long line a few minutes before polling sites opened at 7 a.m. She had planned to vote by mail but said her absentee ballot never arrived.
“I always vote in primaries, but the political times that we’re having right now, or the moment that we’re having, is scary,” Cantlebary, 39, said as she stood with about 60 others waiting to vote. “With all the civil unrest, it just underscores the importance of coming out and voting for somebody who you feel is going to lead the country to a better place than we are in currently.”
Outside a recreation center being used as a polling site in Atlanta, some voters said they had been waiting for nearly four hours in a line that wrapped around the block. At another site off Atlanta’s Piedmont Park, several people walked up, looked at the line wrapped around the parking lot, and then left, shaking their heads in frustration.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said voters in line at one of Atlanta’s largest precincts reported all the machines were down. She encouraged voters not to give up.
“If you are in line, PLEASE do not allow your vote to be suppressed,” the mayor said on Twitter.
The problems weren’t just limited to the Atlanta area. In Savannah, Mayor Van Johnson said he was “inundated” with phone calls Tuesday morning from voters reporting “extensive delays.” Election officials in surrounding Chatham County were requesting an extension of voting hours.
Gabriel Sterling, who managed the rollout of Georgia’s new $120 million voting system for Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, said Tuesday he had heard of no “actual equipment issues” but rather of delayed deliveries of voting equipment and problems with polls workers “not understanding setup or how to operate voting equipment.”
Sterling blamed “counties engaging in poor planning, limited training, and failures of leadership.”
Since the pandemic began, states have been scrambling to address concerns about voting in person. The nation’s elections rely on an army of poll workers, many of them older, and the use of neighborhood locations such as schools, recreation centers, and senior living communities for polling places.
With the coronavirus, however, poll workers dropped out and the number of available voting sites has shrunk, resulting in a significant consolidation of polling places and long lines. Experts have warned that election officials must take additional steps to ensure voting is easier in November.
Many states, including Georgia, have pushed to expand the use of absentee ballots in the hopes of reducing the number of people voting in person. For the first time, Georgia sent absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said Tuesday he wasn’t surprised that Georgia had voting problems given that the state’s elections chief is a Republican. He noted that GOP Gov. Brian Kemp faced allegations of suppressing votes when he oversaw the 2018 elections as secretary of state.
“Anytime you have an election in Georgia with the governor’s infamous history, and now the current secretary of state following Gov. Kemp’s infamous history, there is reason for concern,” Perez said in an interview. “Republicans want to ensure that it is as hard as possible for people to vote.”
Georgia has emerged as a battleground state in the fall contest between Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Biden in particular hoped to emerge as the prime beneficiary of the massive protests being held for more than a week.
The former vice president’s path to the presidency was already focused on maximizing black turnout and expanding his alliance with white suburbanites and city dwellers, young voters, Asian Americans, and Latinos. Trump, meanwhile, hopes to demonstrate strength among his base of white voters in small towns while holding his own in metro areas.
While there was no real competition for each of the presidential candidates on Tuesday, Georgia is a must-win for the Republican president in November.
The state offers a wide swath of rural and small-town counties where Trump remains immensely popular among white majorities. His margins there four years ago helped overcome his deficits in metropolitan areas, including losses in key suburban Atlanta counties that hadn’t been won by Democrats in a presidential election in four decades.
But Democrats point to their successes since — and to voter registration trends that show a swath of new voters in the metropolitan areas where the GOP has struggled.
Biden’s campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, mentions Georgia along with Arizona and Texas as the next three states that Democrats can flip. Still, O’Malley Dillon holds up Arizona as the best opportunity for Democrats, implicitly tamping down expectations in Georgia.


shareblue--2020-06-09--Trump will let hunters use cruel tactics to kill bear cubs and wolf pups

Alaska hunters will soon be able to use doughnuts to lure hibernating bears out of their dens and other practices deemed cruel by conservationists , thanks to a new rule that 's soon to be implemented by the Trump administration .
The rule , set to be published on Tuesday , will reverse a 2015 rule put into place by President Obama to prohibit certain hunting practices on federal land , the Washington Post reported .
It will take effect 30 days after it is published .
In addition to allowing hunters to lure bears from hibernation , the rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dens , as well as shoot animals from planes and snowmobiles .
Supporters of the new rule claimed the previous rule infringed upon the rights of hunters .
The Trump administration change `` protects Alaska 's hunting and fishing traditions and upholds long-standing states ' rights , '' Sen. Lisa Murkowski ( R-AK ) said , according to the Post .
`` Shooting hibernating mama and baby bears is not the conservation legacy that our national parks are meant to preserve and no way to treat or manage park wildlife , '' Theresa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Parks Conservation Association , said about the rule in May .
National Parks Conservation Association told the Post the real goal of the new rule is to reduce the number of predators , such as wolves , in order to increase the population of game animals such as moose and caribou The Trump administration 's rule `` is barbaric and inhumane , '' Jamie Rappaport Clark , president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife , a conservation organization focused on North American wildlife , said in a statement .
The Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies implemented by Obama .
In June 2017 , Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate Accord , a global agreement to address the climate change crisis considered to be a cornerstone of Obama 's environmental legacy .
Two years later , the administration rolled back limits put in place by the Obama administration on how much pollution coal plants could dump into waterways .
The Trump administration allowed more wastewater containing coal ash , arsenic , mercury , and selenium to be dumped , saving coal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compliance costs .
And in April 2020 , the Trump administration gutted fuel milage standards put in place by President Obama , meaning cars and trucks can emit more pollution and will get less gas mileage than under the previous rule .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Alaska hunters will soon be able to use doughnuts to lure hibernating bears out of their dens and other practices deemed cruel by conservationists, thanks to a new rule that’s soon to be implemented by the Trump administration.
The rule, set to be published on Tuesday, will reverse a 2015 rule put into place by President Obama to prohibit certain hunting practices on federal land, the Washington Post reported. It will take effect 30 days after it is published.
In addition to allowing hunters to lure bears from hibernation, the rule will let them hunt wolves in their dens, as well as shoot animals from planes and snowmobiles.
Supporters of the new rule claimed the previous rule infringed upon the rights of hunters.
The Trump administration change “protects Alaska’s hunting and fishing traditions and upholds long-standing states’ rights,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said, according to the Post.
Environmentalists and conservationists disagreed.
“Shooting hibernating mama and baby bears is not the conservation legacy that our national parks are meant to preserve and no way to treat or manage park wildlife,” Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association, said about the rule in May.
National Parks Conservation Association told the Post the real goal of the new rule is to reduce the number of predators, such as wolves, in order to increase the population of game animals such as moose and caribou
The Trump administration’s rule “is barbaric and inhumane,” Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, a conservation organization focused on North American wildlife, said in a statement.
The Trump administration has often reversed the conservation and environmental policies implemented by Obama.
In June 2017, Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate Accord, a global agreement to address the climate change crisis considered to be a cornerstone of Obama’s environmental legacy.
Two years later, the administration rolled back limits put in place by the Obama administration on how much pollution coal plants could dump into waterways. The Trump administration allowed more wastewater containing coal ash, arsenic, mercury, and selenium to be dumped, saving coal companies $175 million per year in compliance costs.
And in April 2020, the Trump administration gutted fuel milage standards put in place by President Obama, meaning cars and trucks can emit more pollution and will get less gas mileage than under the previous rule.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.