shareblue--2020-01-24--2 lawyers on Trump impeachment team also defended Jeffrey Epstein

Two of the lawyers on Donald Trump 's impeachment defense team have shared another client : Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr both helped the late hedge fund manager and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein win a lenient sentence for abusing underaged girls .
Dershowitz and Starr , both prominent lawyers , are expected to play key roles when Trump 's legal team begins presenting its defense on Saturday .
Over the course of their legal careers , both have proven no strangers to controversy .
Dershowitz , a Harvard law professor emeritus , helped O.J .
Simpson win acquittal on murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raped by boxer Mike Tyson as `` hardly the naive virgin she pretended to be , '' and famously defended `` Queen of Mean '' hotelier Leona Helmsley on tax evasion charges .
Starr , a former solicitor general and federal appeals court judge , is best known as the independent counsel who made public the graphic details of President Bill Clinton 's sexual encounters with a White House intern that led to his impeachment .
Starr later was forced out of his job at Baylor University amid allegations that the university had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were accused of attacking women .
In the lead-up to Trump 's impeachment trial , both attorneys have faced some of the toughest scrutiny of their careers for their connections to Epstein .
Epstein , a hedge fund manager who worked with the super wealthy , over the years socialized with Trump , Clinton , and Britain 's Prince Andrew .
He killed himself in August while in federal custody as he awaited trial on a new set of federal sex trafficking charges that could have sent him to prison for life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ years raised questions about whether Epstein had been handled by authorities with kid gloves , because of his status , wealth and powerful connections .
Dershowitz , in an interview with the AP , said he expected the scrutiny over his representation of Epstein and had spoken to Trump about it before he was hired .
Trump insisted to him that he is unbothered by the Epstein connections , the lawyer said .
`` He said he 's fully aware of it , and it should n't be a factor , '' Dershowitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not an issue for him . ''
Lawsuits and news reports have detailed how Eptein 's legal team helped him win the controversial plea agreement that led to the financier serving only a 13-month sentence on state prostitution charges instead of facing more serious federal charges for sex abuse .
Epstein was permitted to participate in a work-release program that allowed him to go to his office six days a week for 12 hours a day as he served his sentence .
Legal analysts said they are not surprised that Trump was undeterred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes back to Trump 's line about shooting someone on 5th Avenue , '' said Carl Tobias , a University of Richmond law professor , referring to Trump 's 2016 remark as a candidate that he could do anything and not lose supporters .
`` Trump believes he can do anything he wants . ''
Tobias said Starr and Dershowitz also were attractive candidates to Trump because they have been fixtures on Fox News , Trump 's preferred cable news network , criticizing House Democrats for overreaching on impeachment .
The White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Epstein connections , but in the past Trump has sought to minimize his own connections with the convicted sex offender .
Starr did not respond to requests for comment .
In the past , he has vigorously defended the plea agreement that he and others on Epstein 's legal team negotiated .
In a letter to the New York Times in March , soon after federal authorities opened a new sex trafficking investigation of Epstein , Starr and three other attorneys on Epstein 's team argued that the 2008 case was correctly adjudicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court because of the `` absence of evidence that Mr. Epstein used the internet , traveled to a location away from his home for the purpose of having illegal sex , commercially trafficked women to others , engaged in force , fraud or coercion , used drugs or alcohol to entice young women who came to his house to exchange sexual massages for money . ''
Federal authorities reopened their investigation of Epstein last January , and arrested him in July over allegations that he paid girls as young as 14 for sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 2002 and 2005 .
The charges came in the aftermath of reporting by the Miami Herald that raised questions about whether there was undue influence that tainted the earlier state and federal criminal investigations .
A lawsuit brought by Epstein 's victims revealed that Epstein 's attorneys pressured Justice Department officials not to notify Epstein 's victims of the plea agreement .
Fresh media scrutiny of the case led to the resignation of Trump 's labor secretary , Alex Acosta , who was the U.S. attorney in South Florida when Epstein 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter written by Starr and another attorney on Epstein 's legal team , Jay Lefkowitz , urged Acosta to hold off notifying victims of the plea deal until they could speak with the head of the Justice Department 's criminal division .
`` While we believe it is wholly inappropriate for your office to send this letter under any circumstances , it is certainly inappropriate to issue this letter without affording us the right to review it , '' Starr and Lefkowitz wrote Acosta .
As for Dershowitz , Virginia Roberts Guiffre , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has alleged in a civil lawsuit that she was ordered to have sex with the lawyer when she was 16 years old .
Dershowitz has vigorously denied the charges and countersued Guiffre .
In his 2019 book , `` Guilt by Accusation : The Challenge of Proving Innocence in the Age of # MeToo , '' Dershowitz offers a detailed rebuttal to Guiffre .
He states that meeting Epstein was `` just about the worst thing that ever happened to me . ''
He was introduced to Epstein in late 1990s by their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vacationing on Martha 's Vineyard .
`` I wish I had never laid eyes on him , '' Dershowitz wrote .
`` I take full responsibility for becoming his acquaintance and lawyer , but I wish Rothschild had never asked me to meet him in the first place . ''
Dershowitz said that over the next several years he would occasionally socialize with Epstein at parties , academic events and even a space shuttle launch .
Epstein later hired him to serve on his legal team .
`` I was a lawyer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as his lawyer , '' Dershowitz said .
`` Because I did nothing wrong , I 'm not going to let it impact my life .
...
I 'm going forward , because I know I did absolutely nothing wrong . ''

Two of the lawyers on Donald Trump’s impeachment defense team have shared another client: Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr both helped the late hedge fund manager and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein win a lenient sentence for abusing underaged girls.
Dershowitz and Starr, both prominent lawyers, are expected to play key roles when Trump’s legal team begins presenting its defense on Saturday. Over the course of their legal careers, both have proven no strangers to controversy.
Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor emeritus, helped O.J. Simpson win acquittal on murder charges, labeled a woman who was raped by boxer Mike Tyson as “hardly the naive virgin she pretended to be,” and famously defended “Queen of Mean” hotelier Leona Helmsley on tax evasion charges.
Starr, a former solicitor general and federal appeals court judge, is best known as the independent counsel who made public the graphic details of President Bill Clinton’s sexual encounters with a White House intern that led to his impeachment. Starr later was forced out of his job at Baylor University amid allegations that the university had mishandled several cases in which football players were accused of attacking women.
In the lead-up to Trump’s impeachment trial, both attorneys have faced some of the toughest scrutiny of their careers for their connections to Epstein.
Epstein, a hedge fund manager who worked with the super wealthy, over the years socialized with Trump, Clinton, and Britain’s Prince Andrew.
He killed himself in August while in federal custody as he awaited trial on a new set of federal sex trafficking charges that could have sent him to prison for life. The handling of his case in earlier years raised questions about whether Epstein had been handled by authorities with kid gloves, because of his status, wealth and powerful connections.
Dershowitz, in an interview with the AP, said he expected the scrutiny over his representation of Epstein and had spoken to Trump about it before he was hired. Trump insisted to him that he is unbothered by the Epstein connections, the lawyer said.
“He said he’s fully aware of it, and it shouldn’t be a factor,” Dershowitz said. “He said it was not an issue for him.”
Lawsuits and news reports have detailed how Eptein’s legal team helped him win the controversial plea agreement that led to the financier serving only a 13-month sentence on state prostitution charges instead of facing more serious federal charges for sex abuse. Epstein was permitted to participate in a work-release program that allowed him to go to his office six days a week for 12 hours a day as he served his sentence.
Legal analysts said they are not surprised that Trump was undeterred by the Epstein connections.
“It goes back to Trump’s line about shooting someone on 5th Avenue,” said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor, referring to Trump’s 2016 remark as a candidate that he could do anything and not lose supporters. “Trump believes he can do anything he wants.”
Tobias said Starr and Dershowitz also were attractive candidates to Trump because they have been fixtures on Fox News, Trump’s preferred cable news network, criticizing House Democrats for overreaching on impeachment.
The White House declined to comment about the attorneys’ Epstein connections, but in the past Trump has sought to minimize his own connections with the convicted sex offender.
Starr did not respond to requests for comment. In the past, he has vigorously defended the plea agreement that he and others on Epstein’s legal team negotiated.
In a letter to the New York Times in March, soon after federal authorities opened a new sex trafficking investigation of Epstein, Starr and three other attorneys on Epstein’s team argued that the 2008 case was correctly adjudicated by Florida authorities instead of the federal court because of the “absence of evidence that Mr. Epstein used the internet, traveled to a location away from his home for the purpose of having illegal sex, commercially trafficked women to others, engaged in force, fraud or coercion, used drugs or alcohol to entice young women who came to his house to exchange sexual massages for money.”
Federal authorities reopened their investigation of Epstein last January, and arrested him in July over allegations that he paid girls as young as 14 for sex and used them to recruit other girls between 2002 and 2005.
The charges came in the aftermath of reporting by the Miami Herald that raised questions about whether there was undue influence that tainted the earlier state and federal criminal investigations. A lawsuit brought by Epstein’s victims revealed that Epstein’s attorneys pressured Justice Department officials not to notify Epstein’s victims of the plea agreement.
Fresh media scrutiny of the case led to the resignation of Trump’s labor secretary, Alex Acosta, who was the U.S. attorney in South Florida when Epstein’s 2008 plea deal was negotiated.
One letter written by Starr and another attorney on Epstein’s legal team, Jay Lefkowitz, urged Acosta to hold off notifying victims of the plea deal until they could speak with the head of the Justice Department’s criminal division.
“While we believe it is wholly inappropriate for your office to send this letter under any circumstances, it is certainly inappropriate to issue this letter without affording us the right to review it,” Starr and Lefkowitz wrote Acosta.
As for Dershowitz, Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who used to work for Epstein, has alleged in a civil lawsuit that she was ordered to have sex with the lawyer when she was 16 years old. Dershowitz has vigorously denied the charges and countersued Guiffre.
In his 2019 book, “Guilt by Accusation: The Challenge of Proving Innocence in the Age of #MeToo,” Dershowitz offers a detailed rebuttal to Guiffre. He states that meeting Epstein was “just about the worst thing that ever happened to me.” He was introduced to Epstein in late 1990s by their mutual friend Lynn Forester de Rothschild while vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard.
“I wish I had never laid eyes on him,” Dershowitz wrote. “I take full responsibility for becoming his acquaintance and lawyer, but I wish Rothschild had never asked me to meet him in the first place.”
Dershowitz said that over the next several years he would occasionally socialize with Epstein at parties, academic events and even a space shuttle launch. Epstein later hired him to serve on his legal team.
“I was a lawyer for Epstein and did what I should do as his lawyer,” Dershowitz said. “Because I did nothing wrong, I’m not going to let it impact my life. … I’m going forward, because I know I did absolutely nothing wrong.”


shareblue--2020-01-24--Pentagon says 34 US troops suffered traumatic brain injuries from Iran attack

The Pentagon said Friday that 34 U.S. troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries suffered in this month 's Iranian missile strike on an Iraqi air base , and that half of the troops have returned to their military duties .
Seventeen of the 34 are still under medical observation , according to Jonathan Hoffman , the chief Pentagon spokesman .
Donald Trump had initially said he was told that no troops had been injured in the Jan. 8 strike .
The military said symptoms were not immediately reported after the strike and in some cases became known days later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soldiers had been hurt , Trump referred to them as `` headaches '' and said the cases were not as serious as injuries involving the loss of limbs .
Hoffman 's disclosure that 34 had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury , or TBI , was the first update on the number injured in Iran 's missile attack on Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq since the Pentagon said on Jan. 17 that 11 service members had been flown out of Iraq with concussion-like symptoms .
Hoffman said that of the 34 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq to U.S. medical facilities in Germany and Kuwait , and 16 stayed in Iraq .
Seventeen of the 18 evacuees were sent to Germany , and nine remain there ; the other eight have been transported to the United States for continued observation or treatment .
The one American sent to Kuwait has since returned to duty .
All 16 of those who were diagnosed with TBI and remained in Iraq have since returned to duty , Hoffman said .
No one was killed in the attack on Ain al-Asad .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. drone missile strike that killed Qassem Soleimani , the most powerful military general in Iran , on Jan. 3 at Baghdad International Airport .

The Pentagon said Friday that 34 U.S. troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries suffered in this month’s Iranian missile strike on an Iraqi air base, and that half of the troops have returned to their military duties.
Seventeen of the 34 are still under medical observation, according to Jonathan Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesman.
Donald Trump had initially said he was told that no troops had been injured in the Jan. 8 strike. The military said symptoms were not immediately reported after the strike and in some cases became known days later.
After the first reports that some soldiers had been hurt, Trump referred to them as “headaches” and said the cases were not as serious as injuries involving the loss of limbs.
Hoffman’s disclosure that 34 had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, or TBI, was the first update on the number injured in Iran’s missile attack on Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq since the Pentagon said on Jan. 17 that 11 service members had been flown out of Iraq with concussion-like symptoms.
Hoffman said that of the 34 with TBI, 18 were evacuated from Iraq to U.S. medical facilities in Germany and Kuwait, and 16 stayed in Iraq. Seventeen of the 18 evacuees were sent to Germany, and nine remain there; the other eight have been transported to the United States for continued observation or treatment.
The one American sent to Kuwait has since returned to duty. All 16 of those who were diagnosed with TBI and remained in Iraq have since returned to duty, Hoffman said.
No one was killed in the attack on Ain al-Asad. The strike was launched in retaliation for a U.S. drone missile strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, the most powerful military general in Iran, on Jan. 3 at Baghdad International Airport.


shareblue--2020-01-24--Darrell Issa runs ad targeting opponent's sexuality in race for Congress

Former Congressman Darrell Issa ( CA ) , who is currently running to replace disgraced ex-Rep. Duncan Hunter ( R ) , received widespread criticism this week over a campaign ad that appears to highlight his rival 's sexual orientation .
Despite multiple Republicans denouncing the spot , Issa is standing by it .
Issa , who voted against LGBTQ equality most of the time during his 18 years representing neighboring congressional districts , is running against multiple candidates in a jungle primary for California 's vacant 50th District seat .
One of those is former San Diego City Councilmember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is openly gay .
Issa began airing a 30-second TV ad this week attacking DeMaio for being insufficiently anti-immigrant and insufficiently pro-Donald Trump .
The spot features images of multiple news articles about DeMaio with his sexual orientation mentioned in the headlines .
One shows a 2018 headline from an LGBTQ newspaper dubbing DeMaio `` California 's gay GOP kingmaker . ''
The ad has since received harsh criticism from Issa 's fellow Republicans .
A spokesperson for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer ( R ) , who has endorsed Issa in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that campaigns `` should focus on people 's positions on the issues , not people 's sexual orientation . ''
San Diego County Republican Party chair Tony Krvaric told the paper the ad was `` highly inappropriate , '' and encouraged candidates to `` stick to the issues . ''
The San Diego Union-Tribune 's editorial board dubbed the ad `` a permanent stain on Issa . ''
`` Clearly , Issa believes pointing out this fact about his opponent will help him win some voters in the 50th , '' the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s lost some of his humanity . ''
California Assemblyman Todd Gloria ( D ) said that while there are many reasons not to vote for DeMaio , `` his sexual orientation is n't one of them . ''
`` Darrell Issa should be ashamed of engaging in such bigotry , '' he said .
Issa defended the ads at a campaign event on Thursday .
The images of the newspapers , he claimed , were merely there to show viewers `` where we got our facts , because we think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take up the wording of the `` real headlines '' with the `` actual newspapers '' that printed them , not with him .
Hunter , whom Issa is seeking to replace , took a federal plea deal last month , admitting to felony misuses of campaign funds .
Because the ex-congressman waited until this month to resign his seat , his former constituents will go unrepresented for nearly a full year .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Former Congressman Darrell Issa (CA), who is currently running to replace disgraced ex-Rep. Duncan Hunter (R), received widespread criticism this week over a campaign ad that appears to highlight his rival’s sexual orientation.
Despite multiple Republicans denouncing the spot, Issa is standing by it.
Issa, who voted against LGBTQ equality most of the time during his 18 years representing neighboring congressional districts, is running against multiple candidates in a jungle primary for California’s vacant 50th District seat. One of those is former San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio (R), who is openly gay.
Issa began airing a 30-second TV ad this week attacking DeMaio for being insufficiently anti-immigrant and insufficiently pro-Donald Trump. The spot features images of multiple news articles about DeMaio with his sexual orientation mentioned in the headlines. One shows a 2018 headline from an LGBTQ newspaper dubbing DeMaio “California’s gay GOP kingmaker.”
The ad has since received harsh criticism from Issa’s fellow Republicans.
A spokesperson for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer (R), who has endorsed Issa in the race, told the Los Angeles Times that campaigns “should focus on people’s positions on the issues, not people’s sexual orientation.”
San Diego County Republican Party chair Tony Krvaric told the paper the ad was “highly inappropriate,” and encouraged candidates to “stick to the issues.”
San Diego City Councilmember Chris Cate (R) called the Issa ad “horse shit.”
The San Diego Union-Tribune’s editorial board dubbed the ad “a permanent stain on Issa.”
“Clearly, Issa believes pointing out this fact about his opponent will help him win some voters in the 50th,” the board wrote. “It’s also clear he’s lost some of his humanity.”
California Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D) said that while there are many reasons not to vote for DeMaio, “his sexual orientation isn’t one of them.”
“Darrell Issa should be ashamed of engaging in such bigotry,” he said.
Issa defended the ads at a campaign event on Thursday. The images of the newspapers, he claimed, were merely there to show viewers “where we got our facts, because we think facts matter.”
Issa urged reporters to take up the wording of the “real headlines” with the “actual newspapers” that printed them, not with him.
Hunter, whom Issa is seeking to replace, took a federal plea deal last month, admitting to felony misuses of campaign funds. Because the ex-congressman waited until this month to resign his seat, his former constituents will go unrepresented for nearly a full year.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-01-24--Trump claims 'tens of thousands' unable to get into outdoor rally on National Mall

In a speech at the anti-abortion March for Life rally on Friday , Donald Trump claimed `` tens of thousands '' were unable to attend his speech due to excessive crowding .
`` And to make you feel even better , there are tens of thousands of people outside that we passed on the way in , '' said Trump .
`` If anybody would like to give up their spot , we can work that out . ''
But the National Mall , where the speech was held , is able to hold many hundreds of thousands more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been able to attract , calling into question Trump 's claim .
Fox News reported that attendance for past March for Life rallies has been as high as 400,000 to 650,000 .
Organizers claimed that the 2019 march had between 200,000 to 300,000 attendees .
That 's much less than the capacity of the National Mall .
In 1965 , 1.2 million attended the inauguration of President Lyndon Johnson after his landslide election victory .
One million came for the bicentennial fireworks display in 1976 .
Trump 's 2017 inauguration attracted between 300,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1.8 million who attended President Barack Obama 's inauguration in 2009 .
For Trump 's claim to be true , more people would have had to attend the March for Life rally than his own inauguration .
But it 's likely that did n't happen .
On Wednesday Trump claimed , `` with me there 's no lying . ''
But fact-checkers have cataloged him lying at least 15,000 times while holding his office .
On several occasions , those lies were easily disproved claims about the crowd size at Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the El Paso , Texas , fire department publicly debunked Trump 's claim that 35,000 people were at his rally in the city .
The fire department told a local newspaper that the capacity for the arena where Trump appeared was in fact 6,500 .
Further calling into question Trump 's statement is the fact that the National Mall is an open-air outdoor venue .
There is no `` outside '' where would-be rallygoers would be stuck and unable to hear him attack abortion rights .
It is all `` outside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Independent Foundation .

In a speech at the anti-abortion March for Life rally on Friday, Donald Trump claimed “tens of thousands” were unable to attend his speech due to excessive crowding.
“And to make you feel even better, there are tens of thousands of people outside that we passed on the way in,” said Trump. “If anybody would like to give up their spot, we can work that out.”
But the National Mall, where the speech was held, is able to hold many hundreds of thousands more people than the March for Life has ever been able to attract, calling into question Trump’s claim.
Fox News reported that attendance for past March for Life rallies has been as high as 400,000 to 650,000. Organizers claimed that the 2019 march had between 200,000 to 300,000 attendees. That’s much less than the capacity of the National Mall.
In 1965, 1.2 million attended the inauguration of President Lyndon Johnson after his landslide election victory. One million came for the bicentennial fireworks display in 1976.
Trump’s 2017 inauguration attracted between 300,000 to 600,000 people, about one-third of the 1.8 million who attended President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009.
For Trump’s claim to be true, more people would have had to attend the March for Life rally than his own inauguration. But it’s likely that didn’t happen.
On Wednesday Trump claimed, “with me there’s no lying.” But fact-checkers have cataloged him lying at least 15,000 times while holding his office.
On several occasions, those lies were easily disproved claims about the crowd size at Trump’s events.
For instance, in February, the El Paso, Texas, fire department publicly debunked Trump’s claim that 35,000 people were at his rally in the city. The fire department told a local newspaper that the capacity for the arena where Trump appeared was in fact 6,500.
Further calling into question Trump’s statement is the fact that the National Mall is an open-air outdoor venue. There is no “outside” where would-be rallygoers would be stuck and unable to hear him attack abortion rights.
It is all “outside.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-01-24--New Border Patrol chief was in secret Facebook group that mocked dead kids

Rodney Scott , who the Trump administration announced as the new head of the U.S. Border Patrol Friday , was a member of a Facebook group that mocked dead migrant children and circulated vulgar and sexist memes about Democratic members of Congress .
Scott , who previously led the San Diego Sector of the agency , was named on Friday as the new leader in a memo from Mark Morgan , acting head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection .
The Intercept reported last July that Scott was a member of the secret Facebook group and posted messages to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group , called `` I 'm 10-15 , '' circulated a post showing an image of a father and his two-year-old daughter found drowned in the Rio Grande .
`` Have y'all ever seen floaters this clean , '' one member commented .
Another poster commented on news of a 16-year-old Guatemalan dying in U.S. custody : `` If he dies , he dies . ''
Along with the anti-migrant messages , posters in the group shared memes about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) with sexist messages .
One meme was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to perform a sexual act .
`` We understand now that CBP has known about the secret group named ' I 'm 10-15 ' for up to three years , and that Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost was a member , as well as three current chief patrol agents , Matthew Hudak , Rodney Scott , and Jason Owens , '' wrote Rep. Don Beyer in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security .
Outgoing Border Patrol head Carla Provost was also a member of the Facebook group , along with five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Rodney Scott, who the Trump administration announced as the new head of the U.S. Border Patrol Friday, was a member of a Facebook group that mocked dead migrant children and circulated vulgar and sexist memes about Democratic members of Congress.
Scott, who previously led the San Diego Sector of the agency, was named on Friday as the new leader in a memo from Mark Morgan, acting head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The Intercept reported last July that Scott was a member of the secret Facebook group and posted messages to the group in November of 2018.
The group, called “I’m 10-15,” circulated a post showing an image of a father and his two-year-old daughter found drowned in the Rio Grande. “Have y’all ever seen floaters this clean,” one member commented.
Another poster commented on news of a 16-year-old Guatemalan dying in U.S. custody: “If he dies, he dies.”
Along with the anti-migrant messages, posters in the group shared memes about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) with sexist messages. One meme was a photoshopped picture of Donald Trump forcing Ocasio-Cortez to perform a sexual act.
“We understand now that CBP has known about the secret group named ‘I’m 10-15’ for up to three years, and that Border Patrol Chief Carla Provost was a member, as well as three current chief patrol agents, Matthew Hudak, Rodney Scott, and Jason Owens,” wrote Rep. Don Beyer in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security.
Outgoing Border Patrol head Carla Provost was also a member of the Facebook group, along with five dozen current and former employees of the agency.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-01-24--Sen. Marsha Blackburn slammed for repeated attacks on Purple Heart recipient

Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R-TN ) this week continued her smear campaign against Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman , the top National Security Council adviser who testified before Congress during the House impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump .
`` Adam Schiff is hailing Alexander Vindman as an American patriot , '' Blackburn tweeted Thursday .
`` How patriotic is it to badmouth and ridicule our great nation in front of Russia , America 's greatest enemy ? ''
Blackburn later accused Vindman , who served under both President Obama and Trump , of being a liberal who worked for Obama who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' According to the Washington Post , allegations that Vindman said negative things about the United States to Russians are based on unverified reports from an individual who also spreads QAnon conspiracy theories .
`` Marsha Blackburn is a disgrace to the United States Senate , '' Will Goodwin , a veteran and director of government relations for the group VoteVets , tweeted in response to the Tennessee senator .
If Blackburn believes what she said about Vindman , he added , `` she does n't deserve to represent the thousands of veterans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That a member of the Senate — at a moment when the Senate is undertaking its most solemn responsibility — would choose to take to Twitter to spread slander about a member of the military is a testament to cowardice , '' Pressman said on Thursday .
As a member of the Senate Veterans ' Affairs Committee , Blackburn writes on her official Senate website that `` veterans rank as the bravest among us , '' and that she `` takes seriously her duty to fight for them and their families , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our nation . ''
Vindman was awarded a Purple Heart after he was injured in 2004 by an IED while serving in Iraq .
Blackburn made similar attacks against Vindman in November 2019 , calling him names shortly after he testified before Congress .
Vindman testified as a top expert on Ukraine , and he told congressional investigators about his reaction listening to Trump 's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy .
On that call , Trump asked Zelenskiy for a political `` favor , '' which included opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden and a long-debunked conspiracy involving the Democratic National Committee .
Vindman was concerned about the call , and brought his concerns to a top National Security Council lawyer .
When reached for comment on Friday , Blackburn 's senate office declined to elaborate on her accusations against Vindman ; instead , the office pointed to Blackburn 's Thursday evening appearance on Fox News where the senator made similar accusations against Vindman .
In that interview , Blackburn said she `` honor [ s ] the service of every man and woman in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadside attack against Vindman .
Blackburn made news earlier in the week when it appeared that she broke Senate rules by skipping out on the impeachment trial in order to do an interview on Fox News , Newsweek reported .
Official rules require all senators to `` be in attendance at all times during the proceedings . ''
Other Republican senators have been accused of skipping out on parts of the impeachment trial as Rep. Adam Schiff ( D-CA ) and other House managers presented their case for removing Trump from office .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended periods of time , '' Sen. Bob Menendez ( D-NJ ) said on Wednesday .
`` I guess they 've had enough and they just do n't want to listen to the rest of the testimony , '' he said .
Trump 's defense team will present their case beginning on Saturday .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) this week continued her smear campaign against Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the top National Security Council adviser who testified before Congress during the House impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump.
“Adam Schiff is hailing Alexander Vindman as an American patriot,” Blackburn tweeted Thursday. “How patriotic is it to badmouth and ridicule our great nation in front of Russia, America’s greatest enemy?”
Blackburn later accused Vindman, who served under both President Obama and Trump, of being a liberal who worked for Obama who wanted to “take out Trump.”
According to the Washington Post, allegations that Vindman said negative things about the United States to Russians are based on unverified reports from an individual who also spreads QAnon conspiracy theories.
Blowback over Blackburn’s comments was swift.
“Marsha Blackburn is a disgrace to the United States Senate,” Will Goodwin, a veteran and director of government relations for the group VoteVets, tweeted in response to the Tennessee senator.
If Blackburn believes what she said about Vindman, he added, “she doesn’t deserve to represent the thousands of veterans who call Tennessee home.”
Vindman’s attorney, David Pressman, also slammed Blackburn’s statements.
“That a member of the Senate — at a moment when the Senate is undertaking its most solemn responsibility — would choose to take to Twitter to spread slander about a member of the military is a testament to cowardice,” Pressman said on Thursday.
As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Blackburn writes on her official Senate website that “veterans rank as the bravest among us,” and that she “takes seriously her duty to fight for them and their families, who have sacrificed so much in the defense of our nation.”
Vindman was awarded a Purple Heart after he was injured in 2004 by an IED while serving in Iraq.
Blackburn made similar attacks against Vindman in November 2019, calling him names shortly after he testified before Congress.
Vindman testified as a top expert on Ukraine, and he told congressional investigators about his reaction listening to Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy. On that call, Trump asked Zelenskiy for a political “favor,” which included opening an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and a long-debunked conspiracy involving the Democratic National Committee.
Vindman was concerned about the call, and brought his concerns to a top National Security Council lawyer.
When reached for comment on Friday, Blackburn’s senate office declined to elaborate on her accusations against Vindman; instead, the office pointed to Blackburn’s Thursday evening appearance on Fox News where the senator made similar accusations against Vindman.
In that interview, Blackburn said she “honor[s] the service of every man and woman in uniform,” before launching into a broadside attack against Vindman.
Blackburn made news earlier in the week when it appeared that she broke Senate rules by skipping out on the impeachment trial in order to do an interview on Fox News, Newsweek reported. Official rules require all senators to “be in attendance at all times during the proceedings.”
Other Republican senators have been accused of skipping out on parts of the impeachment trial as Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and other House managers presented their case for removing Trump from office.
Some Republicans “leave the chamber for extended periods of time,” Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) said on Wednesday.
“I guess they’ve had enough and they just don’t want to listen to the rest of the testimony,” he said.
Trump’s defense team will present their case beginning on Saturday.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-01-25--Trump ally Dershowitz insists he's always defended 'unpopular' people

Alan Dershowitz was in line at Mar-a-Lago 's lavish Christmas Eve buffet last month when Donald Trump stopped to chat .
The retired Harvard law professor had already been asked by Trump 's legal team to assist with the defense at his impeachment trial and , with the case opening in a matter of weeks , the Republican president wanted to know : Was he on board ?
`` He said , 'Everybody wants to do this thing , but I want you , ' '' Dershowitz recalled in an interview with The Associated Press .
Dershowitz , whose clients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ von Bulow , and Mike Tyson , ultimately said yes , joining a legal team that , starting Saturday , will present the defense at only the third impeachment trial of a American president in history .
Trump 's attorneys say Dershowitz and Ken Starr , the former independent counsel during President Bill Clinton 's impeachment , will have `` discrete functions that they will be addressing '' at trial .
Dershowitz 's task is to make the argument — widely rejected among scholars — that an impeachable offense requires criminal-like conduct .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sniffly , it was because he 'd been buried in musty history and law books to prepare .
While it 's just another high-profile case in a career full of them , Dershowitz 's defense of Trump has befuddled associates , friends and former students , who struggle to make sense of his forceful advocacy for the president and who fervently disagree with the legal positions he 's taken and even the facts he 's advanced in Trump 's defense .
`` Rubbish '' is how one law professor who studied under Dershowitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Missouri , described his views on impeachable offenses .
A longtime Harvard Law School colleague , Laurence Tribe , wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece that the argument `` has died a thousand deaths '' but nonetheless `` staggers on like a vengeful zombie . ''
Some , meanwhile , have seized on video of a 1998 interview when Dershowitz expressed virtually the opposite view of what he 's saying now about an impeachable offense requiring a crime .
For his part , Dershowitz maintains there 's nothing inconsistent or unusual about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he 's been a vocal defender of Trump the last three years , he insists it 's not about this particular president .
Rather , he 's trying to prevent impeachment from being weaponized into a `` partisan process , '' where any president can be removed over non-criminal abuses of power .
`` I 've always taken positions that are principled and often unpopular and often in defense of people I do n't particularly support , '' Dershowitz said , citing his defense of Neo-Nazis who wanted the right to march through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't changed at all .
I 've had the same consistent policy of defending people I do n't like , people I do like , without regard to party , without regard to partisanship . ''
Nancy Gertner , a retired federal judge in Boston who has known Dershowitz for years , says it 's true that he has n't changed — he still gravitates toward the media spotlight , high-profile cases and `` positions he thinks will prove how principled he is . ''
But she says it 's impossible to reconcile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his extraordinarily expansive view of presidential authorities , with the civil libertarian bent he 's expressed over the decades and his stated opposition to unchecked government power .
Some of what she 's heard him say is `` horrifying . ''
`` I 've known him for a very long time , '' she said .
`` I 've never seen anything like this . ''
Even before he made the case against impeachment in a book , Dershowitz has defended as lawful some of Trump 's most scrutinized actions .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused special counsel Robert Mueller of partisan bias , ridiculed the idea Trump could have obstructed justice by firing his FBI chief , and said presidents enjoy more power than kings .
`` A civil libertarian should be concerned about deploying the levers of power for the wrong purposes , '' said Gertner , who is now a senior Harvard law lecturer .
`` These are not civil liberties positions .
These are positions to garner attention to put him in the position that he now is in , which is to represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a friend of Dershowitz 's for more than 50 years , said his positions on Trump clearly make him unpopular `` among the legal intelligentsia nationwide . ''
But he said Dershowitz specializes in cases where the defense is difficult or unique , and the client unpopular .
Though Trump may not be an underdog in the conventional sense , Silverglate wrote in an email , `` his impeachment does present just the kind of case , challenge and client for which Dershowitz is perfect — a high-profile assault on an individual who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'prosecuted . '
'' Dershowitz says he 's convinced that the same people criticizing him would be applauding him if he was prosecuting the House impeachment case .
The attacks , he said , have been `` ferocious . ''
He calls it a `` shoe on the other foot test . ''
`` People say I 'm not a constitutional lawyer because they do n't like the side I 'm on , '' Dershowitz said .
`` They say I 'm too old , I 'm a has-been . ''
Trump has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years , sometimes tweeting links to the lawyer 's statements that he finds especially helpful .
Through the Mueller investigation and into impeachment he has been enamored with the possibility of assembling a legal dream team .
But White House aides cautioned Trump against bringing Dershowitz onto his team , concerned that Dershowitz was a self-promoter whose showboating style would n't put Trump 's interests first .
They also feared Dershowitz 's ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the surrounding legal drama would be a distraction for the defense .
Trump overruled them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision , Trump wanted the appearance of a bipartisan defense team .
And he has always valued attorneys who can make the case to the public on Fox News , his preferred platform .
By the time of their Christmas Eve conversation , Dershowitz had already been approached about a role on the team .
But his wife , who was with him that evening at Mar-a-Lago , was more apprehensive , concerned he 'd lose his independence .
Trump sought to offer reassurance on that point , saying that while he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important to consider `` how important this was for the future of the country and for precedent and all that , '' Dershowitz recalled .
Within days , his participation was settled .
`` People have already said that my arguments will be bonkers or errant nonsense , '' Dershowitz said .
`` My only point is : Listen .
I 'm going to lay out a very serious constitutional argument .
Maybe you 'll agree with it or maybe you wo n't , but let 's have a debate on the merits @ @

Alan Dershowitz was in line at Mar-a-Lago’s lavish Christmas Eve buffet last month when Donald Trump stopped to chat.
The retired Harvard law professor had already been asked by Trump’s legal team to assist with the defense at his impeachment trial and, with the case opening in a matter of weeks, the Republican president wanted to know: Was he on board?
“He said, ‘Everybody wants to do this thing, but I want you,'” Dershowitz recalled in an interview with The Associated Press.
Dershowitz, whose clients have included O.J. Simpson, Claus von Bulow, and Mike Tyson, ultimately said yes, joining a legal team that, starting Saturday, will present the defense at only the third impeachment trial of a American president in history.
Trump’s attorneys say Dershowitz and Ken Starr, the former independent counsel during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment, will have “discrete functions that they will be addressing” at trial.
Dershowitz’s task is to make the argument — widely rejected among scholars — that an impeachable offense requires criminal-like conduct. Dershowitz joked Thursday that if he sounded sniffly, it was because he’d been buried in musty history and law books to prepare.
While it’s just another high-profile case in a career full of them, Dershowitz’s defense of Trump has befuddled associates, friends and former students, who struggle to make sense of his forceful advocacy for the president and who fervently disagree with the legal positions he’s taken and even the facts he’s advanced in Trump’s defense.
“Rubbish” is how one law professor who studied under Dershowitz, Frank Bowman at the University of Missouri, described his views on impeachable offenses. A longtime Harvard Law School colleague, Laurence Tribe, wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece that the argument “has died a thousand deaths” but nonetheless “staggers on like a vengeful zombie.” Some, meanwhile, have seized on video of a 1998 interview when Dershowitz expressed virtually the opposite view of what he’s saying now about an impeachable offense requiring a crime.
For his part, Dershowitz maintains there’s nothing inconsistent or unusual about the positions he’s taking.
Though he’s been a vocal defender of Trump the last three years, he insists it’s not about this particular president. Rather, he’s trying to prevent impeachment from being weaponized into a “partisan process,” where any president can be removed over non-criminal abuses of power.
“I’ve always taken positions that are principled and often unpopular and often in defense of people I don’t particularly support,” Dershowitz said, citing his defense of Neo-Nazis who wanted the right to march through Skokie, Illinois.
“I haven’t changed at all. I’ve had the same consistent policy of defending people I don’t like, people I do like, without regard to party, without regard to partisanship.”
Nancy Gertner, a retired federal judge in Boston who has known Dershowitz for years, says it’s true that he hasn’t changed — he still gravitates toward the media spotlight, high-profile cases and “positions he thinks will prove how principled he is.”
But she says it’s impossible to reconcile his statements on behalf of Trump, and his extraordinarily expansive view of presidential authorities, with the civil libertarian bent he’s expressed over the decades and his stated opposition to unchecked government power. Some of what she’s heard him say is “horrifying.”
“I’ve known him for a very long time,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Even before he made the case against impeachment in a book, Dershowitz has defended as lawful some of Trump’s most scrutinized actions. In op-eds and TV appearances, he has accused special counsel Robert Mueller of partisan bias, ridiculed the idea Trump could have obstructed justice by firing his FBI chief, and said presidents enjoy more power than kings.
“A civil libertarian should be concerned about deploying the levers of power for the wrong purposes,” said Gertner, who is now a senior Harvard law lecturer. “These are not civil liberties positions. These are positions to garner attention to put him in the position that he now is in, which is to represent the president.”
Harvey Silverglate, a friend of Dershowitz’s for more than 50 years, said his positions on Trump clearly make him unpopular “among the legal intelligentsia nationwide.” But he said Dershowitz specializes in cases where the defense is difficult or unique, and the client unpopular.
Though Trump may not be an underdog in the conventional sense, Silverglate wrote in an email, “his impeachment does present just the kind of case, challenge and client for which Dershowitz is perfect — a high-profile assault on an individual who has powerful enemies and who is being ‘prosecuted.'”
Dershowitz says he’s convinced that the same people criticizing him would be applauding him if he was prosecuting the House impeachment case. The attacks, he said, have been “ferocious.” He calls it a “shoe on the other foot test.”
“People say I’m not a constitutional lawyer because they don’t like the side I’m on,” Dershowitz said. “They say I’m too old, I’m a has-been.”
Trump has watched Dershowitz defend him on Fox News for years, sometimes tweeting links to the lawyer’s statements that he finds especially helpful. Through the Mueller investigation and into impeachment he has been enamored with the possibility of assembling a legal dream team.
But White House aides cautioned Trump against bringing Dershowitz onto his team, concerned that Dershowitz was a self-promoter whose showboating style wouldn’t put Trump’s interests first.
They also feared Dershowitz’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the surrounding legal drama would be a distraction for the defense. Trump overruled them.
According to one person familiar with the decision, Trump wanted the appearance of a bipartisan defense team. And he has always valued attorneys who can make the case to the public on Fox News, his preferred platform.
By the time of their Christmas Eve conversation, Dershowitz had already been approached about a role on the team. But his wife, who was with him that evening at Mar-a-Lago, was more apprehensive, concerned he’d lose his independence.
Trump sought to offer reassurance on that point, saying that while he appreciated that concern, it was nonetheless important to consider “how important this was for the future of the country and for precedent and all that,” Dershowitz recalled.
Within days, his participation was settled.
“People have already said that my arguments will be bonkers or errant nonsense,” Dershowitz said. “My only point is: Listen. I’m going to lay out a very serious constitutional argument. Maybe you’ll agree with it or maybe you won’t, but let’s have a debate on the merits.”


shareblue--2020-01-25--China building a hospital to treat deadly virus that has killed dozens

China announced Friday that it is swiftly building a 1,000-bed hospital dedicated to patients infected with a new virus that has killed 26 people , sickened hundreds , and prompted unprecedented lockdowns of cities during the country 's most important holiday .
On the eve of the Lunar New Year , transportation was shut down in at least 13 cities home to more than 36 million people .
The cities are Wuhan , where the illness has been concentrated , and 12 of its neighbors in central China 's Hubei province .
`` To address the insufficiency of existing medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital modeled after the Xiaotangshan SARS hospital in Beijing , Wuhan authorities said in a Friday notice .
The facility will be a prefabricated structure on a 25,000- square-meter ( 270,000-square-foot ) lot , slated for completion Feb. 3 .
The SARS hospital was built from scratch in 2003 in just six days to treat an outbreak of a similar respiratory virus that had spread from China to more than a dozen countries and killed about 800 people .
The hospital featured individual isolation units that looked like rows of tiny cabins .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public spaces were eerily quiet in Wuhan on the second day of its lockdown .
Masks were mandatory in public , and images from the city showed empty store shelves as people stocked up for what could be an extended isolation .
Train stations , the airport , and subways were closed ; police checked incoming vehicles but did not entirely close off roads .
Entertainment venues were not spared : karaoke bars , movie theaters and internet cafes in several parts of Hubei were shut down .
Hospitals in Wuhan were grappling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of supplies .
Videos circulating online showed throngs of frantic people in masks lined up for checks .
Some users on the Weibo social media site said their family members had sought diagnoses but were turned away at hospitals that were at capacity .
At least eight hospitals in Wuhan issued public calls for donations of masks , goggles , gowns and other protective medical gear , according to notices online .
Administrators at Wuhan University People 's Hospital set up a group chat on the popular WeChat messaging app to coordinate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center '' of the city of Huanggang also put out a call for donations publicized by the state-run People 's Daily , asking for medical supplies , medicine , and disinfection equipment .
The notice added that at the moment they would n't accept supplies from foreign countries .
Authorities were taking precautions around the country .
In the capital , Beijing , major public events were canceled , including traditional temple fairs that are a staple of Lunar New Year celebrations .
Beijing 's Forbidden City , Shanghai Disneyland , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed indefinitely .
The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus has risen to 830 , the National Health Commission said .
Twenty-six people have died , including the first two deaths outside Hubei and the youngest recorded victim .
The health commission in Hebei , a northern province bordering Beijing , said an 80-year-old man died there after returning from a two-month stay in Wuhan to see relatives .
Heilongjiang province in the northeast confirmed a death there but did not give details .
While the majority of deaths have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hubei was admitted to the hospital earlier this month after suffering from fever for three days .
He died following a sudden cardiac arrest on Jan. 23 .
Initial symptoms of the virus can mirror those of the cold and flu , including cough , fever , chest tightening and shortness of breath , but can worsen to pneumonia .
The coronavirus family includes the common cold as well as viruses that cause more serious illnesses , such as SARS and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome , or MERS , which is thought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak is suspected to have begun from wild animals sold at a food market in the city .
The market is closed for investigation .
The vast majority of cases have been in and around Wuhan , but people who visited or had personal connections to infected people were among the scattered cases counted beyond the mainland .
South Korea and Japan both confirmed their second cases Friday ; Singapore confirmed its third and Thailand its fifth .
Cases have also been detected in Hong Kong , Macao , Taiwan , the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are screening travelers from China and isolating anyone with symptoms .
The World Health Organization decided against declaring the outbreak a global emergency for now .
The declaration can increase resources to fight a threat but its potential to cause economic damage makes the decision politically fraught .
Chinese officials have not said how long the shutdowns of the cities will last .
While sweeping measures are typical of China 's Communist Party-led government , large-scale quarantines are rare around the world , even in deadly epidemics , because of concerns about infringing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government 's initial cover-up of SARS , many Chinese are suspicious of the case numbers reported by officials .
Authorities in turn have been keen to pledge transparency .
China 's cabinet , the State Council , announced Friday that it will be collecting information on government departments that have failed in their response to the new outbreak , including `` delays , concealment and under-reporting of the epidemic . ''
The state broadcaster CCTV 's annual Spring Festival Gala program , which attracted more than 1 billion viewers last year , paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral outbreak .
`` Please believe in China , '' the hosts said .
`` With the most transparent public information ... on the battlefront of the epidemic , we will definitely win . ''
Tarik Jasarevic , a spokesman for the WHO in Geneva , said Friday that the U.N. agency has no case numbers beyond those already released publicly by China .
But he said the numbers `` were n't really the point . ''

China announced Friday that it is swiftly building a 1,000-bed hospital dedicated to patients infected with a new virus that has killed 26 people, sickened hundreds, and prompted unprecedented lockdowns of cities during the country’s most important holiday.
On the eve of the Lunar New Year, transportation was shut down in at least 13 cities home to more than 36 million people. The cities are Wuhan, where the illness has been concentrated, and 12 of its neighbors in central China’s Hubei province.
“To address the insufficiency of existing medical resources,” Wuhan is constructing a hospital modeled after the Xiaotangshan SARS hospital in Beijing, Wuhan authorities said in a Friday notice. The facility will be a prefabricated structure on a 25,000- square-meter (270,000-square-foot) lot, slated for completion Feb. 3.
The SARS hospital was built from scratch in 2003 in just six days to treat an outbreak of a similar respiratory virus that had spread from China to more than a dozen countries and killed about 800 people. The hospital featured individual isolation units that looked like rows of tiny cabins.
Normally bustling streets, malls and other public spaces were eerily quiet in Wuhan on the second day of its lockdown. Masks were mandatory in public, and images from the city showed empty store shelves as people stocked up for what could be an extended isolation.
Train stations, the airport, and subways were closed; police checked incoming vehicles but did not entirely close off roads. Entertainment venues were not spared: karaoke bars, movie theaters and internet cafes in several parts of Hubei were shut down.
Hospitals in Wuhan were grappling with a flood of patients and a lack of supplies. Videos circulating online showed throngs of frantic people in masks lined up for checks. Some users on the Weibo social media site said their family members had sought diagnoses but were turned away at hospitals that were at capacity.
At least eight hospitals in Wuhan issued public calls for donations of masks, goggles, gowns and other protective medical gear, according to notices online. Administrators at Wuhan University People’s Hospital set up a group chat on the popular WeChat messaging app to coordinate donations.
The “Fever Control Command Center” of the city of Huanggang also put out a call for donations publicized by the state-run People’s Daily, asking for medical supplies, medicine, and disinfection equipment. The notice added that at the moment they wouldn’t accept supplies from foreign countries.
Authorities were taking precautions around the country. In the capital, Beijing, major public events were canceled, including traditional temple fairs that are a staple of Lunar New Year celebrations. Beijing’s Forbidden City, Shanghai Disneyland, and a slew of other tourist attractions have been closed indefinitely.
The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus has risen to 830, the National Health Commission said. Twenty-six people have died, including the first two deaths outside Hubei and the youngest recorded victim.
The health commission in Hebei, a northern province bordering Beijing, said an 80-year-old man died there after returning from a two-month stay in Wuhan to see relatives. Heilongjiang province in the northeast confirmed a death there but did not give details.
While the majority of deaths have been older patients, a 36-year-old man in Hubei was admitted to the hospital earlier this month after suffering from fever for three days. He died following a sudden cardiac arrest on Jan. 23.
Initial symptoms of the virus can mirror those of the cold and flu, including cough, fever, chest tightening and shortness of breath, but can worsen to pneumonia. The coronavirus family includes the common cold as well as viruses that cause more serious illnesses, such as SARS and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome, or MERS, which is thought to have originated from camels. The Wuhan outbreak is suspected to have begun from wild animals sold at a food market in the city. The market is closed for investigation.
The vast majority of cases have been in and around Wuhan, but people who visited or had personal connections to infected people were among the scattered cases counted beyond the mainland. South Korea and Japan both confirmed their second cases Friday; Singapore confirmed its third and Thailand its fifth. Cases have also been detected in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, the United States, and Vietnam.
Many countries are screening travelers from China and isolating anyone with symptoms.
The World Health Organization decided against declaring the outbreak a global emergency for now. The declaration can increase resources to fight a threat but its potential to cause economic damage makes the decision politically fraught.
Chinese officials have not said how long the shutdowns of the cities will last. While sweeping measures are typical of China’s Communist Party-led government, large-scale quarantines are rare around the world, even in deadly epidemics, because of concerns about infringing on people’s liberties.
Recalling the government’s initial cover-up of SARS, many Chinese are suspicious of the case numbers reported by officials. Authorities in turn have been keen to pledge transparency. China’s cabinet, the State Council, announced Friday that it will be collecting information on government departments that have failed in their response to the new outbreak, including “delays, concealment and under-reporting of the epidemic.”
The state broadcaster CCTV’s annual Spring Festival Gala program, which attracted more than 1 billion viewers last year, paid tribute to the medical workers fighting the viral outbreak.
“Please believe in China,” the hosts said. “With the most transparent public information … on the battlefront of the epidemic, we will definitely win.”
Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesman for the WHO in Geneva, said Friday that the U.N. agency has no case numbers beyond those already released publicly by China.
But he said the numbers “weren’t really the point.”


shareblue--2020-01-26--California bill would force utilities to reimburse customers for blackouts

Californians left in the dark by electric companies that shut off their power to prevent wildfires could get paid for things such as lost wages or spoiled food under a bill that advanced Thursday in the Legislature .
In the state plagued by catastrophic blazes started by strong winds knocking down power lines , large investor-owned utilities have been aggressively shutting off power for millions of customers ahead of windstorms .
Utility companies cite public safety for the practice but also do it to protect their bottom line .
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. , the nation 's largest electric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after facing an estimated $ 50 billion in damages from several Northern California wildfires that were linked to its equipment , including one blaze in 2018 that killed 85 people and destroyed 19,000 buildings .
PG & E shut off power for more than 2 million customers in October .
The blackouts caused major disruptions throughout the region , closing schools and businesses and making it more difficult for people who rely on medical devices powered by electricity .
State Sen. Scott Wiener , a Democrat from San Francisco , says the liability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electric companies to err on the side of large blackouts covering more people for longer periods of time .
Wiener said he designed his bill to act as an incentive for utility companies to have smaller , more targeted blackouts .
The bill would require investor-owned utilities to reimburse customers and local governments for some costs associated with blackouts .
It would require an electric company 's shareholders — not its customers — to put money into a fund to reimburse customers within two weeks of a blackout .
It would also ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losses from a blackout .
The California Public Utilities Commission would oversee the fund and decide how big it should be .
The measure would also let the commission fine power companies up to $ 250,000 an hour for every 50,000 customers impacted by a power shutoff if regulators determine the utility `` failed to act in a reasonable and prudent manner . ''
If the penalties had been in effect last fall , PG & E could have faced fines of more than $ 1 billion , according to a legislative analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about giving utilities an incentive to use planned blackouts as a scalpel and not as a sledgehammer , '' Wiener said .
Others worry the bill would spook electric companies into being too cautious with blackouts , thus increasing the risk of deadly wildfires .
`` I believe it gives perverse incentives that could harm people , '' said state Sen. Bill Dodd , a Democrat from Napa .
The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday , clearing the way for a vote in the full Senate next week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 to have a chance at becoming law this year .
In a letter to committee members on Wednesday , PG & E Chief of State Government Relations DaVina Flemings said the company proactively turns off power `` for one reason only and that is keeping customers and communities safe . ''
However , Flemings said the bill `` would put customers and communities in a very dangerous position by penalizing the utilities for deploying a public safety power shutoff . ''
Wiener said the bill would not ban planned blackouts , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Instead , he said it is to `` incentivize the right behavior . ''
`` Those costs are real , '' Wiener said .
`` For a lot of people , if you lose your refrigerator contents , that 's your food for the month . ''

Californians left in the dark by electric companies that shut off their power to prevent wildfires could get paid for things such as lost wages or spoiled food under a bill that advanced Thursday in the Legislature.
In the state plagued by catastrophic blazes started by strong winds knocking down power lines, large investor-owned utilities have been aggressively shutting off power for millions of customers ahead of windstorms.
Utility companies cite public safety for the practice but also do it to protect their bottom line. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the nation’s largest electric utility, filed for bankruptcy last year after facing an estimated $50 billion in damages from several Northern California wildfires that were linked to its equipment, including one blaze in 2018 that killed 85 people and destroyed 19,000 buildings.
PG&E shut off power for more than 2 million customers in October. The blackouts caused major disruptions throughout the region, closing schools and businesses and making it more difficult for people who rely on medical devices powered by electricity.
State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, says the liability issue acts as a financial incentive for electric companies to err on the side of large blackouts covering more people for longer periods of time. Wiener said he designed his bill to act as an incentive for utility companies to have smaller, more targeted blackouts.
The bill would require investor-owned utilities to reimburse customers and local governments for some costs associated with blackouts. It would require an electric company’s shareholders — not its customers — to put money into a fund to reimburse customers within two weeks of a blackout. It would also ban electric companies from raising rates to cover losses from a blackout.
The California Public Utilities Commission would oversee the fund and decide how big it should be. The measure would also let the commission fine power companies up to $250,000 an hour for every 50,000 customers impacted by a power shutoff if regulators determine the utility “failed to act in a reasonable and prudent manner.”
If the penalties had been in effect last fall, PG&E could have faced fines of more than $1 billion, according to a legislative analysis of the proposal.
“It’s about giving utilities an incentive to use planned blackouts as a scalpel and not as a sledgehammer,” Wiener said.
Others worry the bill would spook electric companies into being too cautious with blackouts, thus increasing the risk of deadly wildfires.
“I believe it gives perverse incentives that could harm people,” said state Sen. Bill Dodd, a Democrat from Napa.
The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, clearing the way for a vote in the full Senate next week. The bill must pass the Senate by Jan. 31 to have a chance at becoming law this year.
In a letter to committee members on Wednesday, PG&E Chief of State Government Relations DaVina Flemings said the company proactively turns off power “for one reason only and that is keeping customers and communities safe.”
However, Flemings said the bill “would put customers and communities in a very dangerous position by penalizing the utilities for deploying a public safety power shutoff.”
Wiener said the bill would not ban planned blackouts, saying “they can save lives and property.” Instead, he said it is to “incentivize the right behavior.”
“Those costs are real,” Wiener said. “For a lot of people, if you lose your refrigerator contents, that’s your food for the month.”


shareblue--2020-01-26--2020 primary kicks off for millions with early voting

The Iowa caucuses are more than a week away , but millions of Americans are already free to vote .
Early voting in the crush of Super Tuesday states that hold primaries on March 3 amounts to a parallel campaign for the Democratic nomination .
While much of the focus is on who will come out on top in the traditional first four voting states , early voting will allow a much broader swath of voters to play a key role in picking the nominee .
In Minnesota , in-person early voting began Jan. 17 .
Vermont 's deadline to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same day .
Many of the 14 Super Tuesday states will offer some form of early voting between now and mid-February .
These states will test the organizational strength of the White House hopefuls .
The campaigns must balance the demands of the first four states — Iowa , New Hampshire , South Carolina , and Nevada — while also making sure to target potential supporters in the Super Tuesday states that follow .
Some campaigns must manage that two-step while their candidate is stuck in Washington participating in President Donald Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been working to perfect this balance for months .
`` Super Tuesday has never really been March 3 for us , '' said Pete Kavanaugh , an adviser for former Vice President Joe Biden 's campaign .
`` In our minds and from a resource allocation perspective , Super Tuesday begins in early February . ''
Michael Bloomberg , the billionaire businessman , is ignoring the early states entirely and using his nearly bottomless resources to campaign hard in the Super Tuesday states .
`` We need supporters for Mike Bloomberg to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on , '' said Will Dubbs , deputy states director for Bloomberg 's campaign .
`` It is just very , very important for us to make sure we bank those votes , and we can concentrate our efforts elsewhere . ''
Bernie Sanders , meanwhile , sees early voting as a way to boost turnout among core constituencies like young , minority , and working-class voters .
Early voting opens new opportunities for people with strict work schedules or other barriers to voting to find time to cast ballots beyond the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Early voting is another vehicle to make sure those people have the opportunity to vote for Bernie , '' she said .
The campaign of Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , is educating volunteers in Minnesota , Colorado , California , and Texas about the early voting process .
And Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar rallied in her home state recently to mark the start of early voting and generate enthusiasm among voters who have sent her to the U.S. Senate three times , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Sanders .
Davis Senseman slept in an RV outside a Minnesota polling place with friends so that they could be some of the first people to vote in the presidential election .
`` With Elizabeth Warren I finally had a candidate that I 'm really excited about , '' said Senseman , a 42-year-old attorney .
`` I want to do this first because I 'm for something , not voting against something . ''
The biggest early voting state , California , will mail ballots to more than 12 million voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Iowa caucuses , though not all of those voters will get a Democratic primary ballot .
Colorado , North Carolina and Texas , which offer combinations of mail-in and in-person early voting , are also likely to have a high percentage of early voters , said Michael McDonald , a voting expert who directs the United States Elections Project at the University of Florida .
It 's difficult to predict how many people will take advantage of early voting , McDonald said .
While early voting offers an opportunity for campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots early , many primary voters will wait until they begin seeing the results in earlier voting states in case their preferred candidates drop out .
At least one state , Minnesota , gives voters an option to retrieve their ballot and change their votes up to a week before Election Day .
California has by far the largest population of would-be early voters .
Paul Mitchell , who runs the nonpartisan Political Data Inc. that analyzes and sells voter data , predicts about a quarter of the state 's eventual Democratic electorate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevada holds its caucuses on Feb. 22 .
He projects that will increase to 40 % by the time South Carolina votes on Feb. 29 .
`` If you have people who are with you now , you need to bank those votes , '' he said .
`` If you 're running a campaign and can turn out 1 million voters on Election Day , if you can get 200,000 of them to vote early , that reduces your workload . ''
In Colorado , where everyone is mailed a ballot , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send their ballots back early .
In North Carolina , about a quarter of people could vote early , McDonald predicted .
While early voting is an important component of campaign strategy , some experts and campaign veterans doubt its overall effect on a race 's outcome .
Robby Mook , who managed Democrat Hillary Clinton 's 2016 campaign , said the voters who are likely to vote early are a campaign 's most hardcore supporters who would have supported that candidate no matter what .
`` You 're often cannibalizing from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Day anyway , '' he said .
`` The question every campaign , if it 's honest , is asking itself is : 'How many new votes have I turned out ? '
'' But other observers say early voting can affect candidates ' momentum .
Take California , which takes weeks to finish counting its ballots .
The first reported votes on election night will be a reflection of the votes that came in earliest .
If a candidate does particularly well with those voters , he or she could get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the results change as later votes roll in in the following weeks .
`` If campaigns can use the mechanics of the election to drive their votes to get cast in those earlier tranches , you can have a greater impact on the national narrative , '' Mitchell said .

The Iowa caucuses are more than a week away, but millions of Americans are already free to vote.
Early voting in the crush of Super Tuesday states that hold primaries on March 3 amounts to a parallel campaign for the Democratic nomination. While much of the focus is on who will come out on top in the traditional first four voting states, early voting will allow a much broader swath of voters to play a key role in picking the nominee.
In Minnesota, in-person early voting began Jan. 17. Vermont’s deadline to mail out its absentee ballots was the same day. Many of the 14 Super Tuesday states will offer some form of early voting between now and mid-February.
These states will test the organizational strength of the White House hopefuls. The campaigns must balance the demands of the first four states — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada — while also making sure to target potential supporters in the Super Tuesday states that follow. Some campaigns must manage that two-step while their candidate is stuck in Washington participating in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
Several campaigns said they’ve been working to perfect this balance for months.
“Super Tuesday has never really been March 3 for us,” said Pete Kavanaugh, an adviser for former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign. “In our minds and from a resource allocation perspective, Super Tuesday begins in early February.”
Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire businessman, is ignoring the early states entirely and using his nearly bottomless resources to campaign hard in the Super Tuesday states.
“We need supporters for Mike Bloomberg to vote early, independent of whatever is going on,” said Will Dubbs, deputy states director for Bloomberg’s campaign. “It is just very, very important for us to make sure we bank those votes, and we can concentrate our efforts elsewhere.”
Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, sees early voting as a way to boost turnout among core constituencies like young, minority, and working-class voters. Early voting opens new opportunities for people with strict work schedules or other barriers to voting to find time to cast ballots beyond the typical Election Day, spokeswoman Sarah Ford said.
“Early voting is another vehicle to make sure those people have the opportunity to vote for Bernie,” she said.
The campaign of Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is educating volunteers in Minnesota, Colorado, California, and Texas about the early voting process. And Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar rallied in her home state recently to mark the start of early voting and generate enthusiasm among voters who have sent her to the U.S. Senate three times, while freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar campaigned on behalf of Sanders.
Davis Senseman slept in an RV outside a Minnesota polling place with friends so that they could be some of the first people to vote in the presidential election.
“With Elizabeth Warren I finally had a candidate that I’m really excited about,” said Senseman, a 42-year-old attorney. “I want to do this first because I’m for something, not voting against something.”
The biggest early voting state, California, will mail ballots to more than 12 million voters starting Feb. 3, the same day as the Iowa caucuses, though not all of those voters will get a Democratic primary ballot. Colorado, North Carolina and Texas, which offer combinations of mail-in and in-person early voting, are also likely to have a high percentage of early voters, said Michael McDonald, a voting expert who directs the United States Elections Project at the University of Florida.
It’s difficult to predict how many people will take advantage of early voting, McDonald said. While early voting offers an opportunity for campaigns to ensure their most intense supporters cast ballots early, many primary voters will wait until they begin seeing the results in earlier voting states in case their preferred candidates drop out. At least one state, Minnesota, gives voters an option to retrieve their ballot and change their votes up to a week before Election Day.
California has by far the largest population of would-be early voters. Paul Mitchell, who runs the nonpartisan Political Data Inc. that analyzes and sells voter data, predicts about a quarter of the state’s eventual Democratic electorate will have cast ballots by the time Nevada holds its caucuses on Feb. 22. He projects that will increase to 40% by the time South Carolina votes on Feb. 29.
“If you have people who are with you now, you need to bank those votes,” he said. “If you’re running a campaign and can turn out 1 million voters on Election Day, if you can get 200,000 of them to vote early, that reduces your workload.”
In Colorado, where everyone is mailed a ballot, state officials expect 60% of voters to send their ballots back early. In North Carolina, about a quarter of people could vote early, McDonald predicted.
While early voting is an important component of campaign strategy, some experts and campaign veterans doubt its overall effect on a race’s outcome. Robby Mook, who managed Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, said the voters who are likely to vote early are a campaign’s most hardcore supporters who would have supported that candidate no matter what.
“You’re often cannibalizing from what you were going to get on Election Day anyway,” he said. “The question every campaign, if it’s honest, is asking itself is: ‘How many new votes have I turned out?'”
But other observers say early voting can affect candidates’ momentum. Take California, which takes weeks to finish counting its ballots. The first reported votes on election night will be a reflection of the votes that came in earliest. If a candidate does particularly well with those voters, he or she could get an initial boost of energy, even if the results change as later votes roll in in the following weeks.
“If campaigns can use the mechanics of the election to drive their votes to get cast in those earlier tranches, you can have a greater impact on the national narrative,” Mitchell said.


shareblue--2020-01-26--20 states sue to keep 3D-printed gun blueprints off internet

Attorneys general in 20 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging a federal regulation that could allow blueprints for making guns on 3D printers to be posted on the internet .
New York Attorney General Tish James , who helped lead the coalition of state attorneys general , argued that posting the blueprints would allow anyone to go online and use the downloadable files to create unregistered and untraceable assault-style weapons that could be difficult to detect .
The lawsuit , joined by California , Washington , and 17 other states , was filed in U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to reignite a fierce debate over the use of 3D-printed firearms and is the latest in a series of attempts by state law enforcement officials to block the Trump administration from easing the accessibility of the blueprints .
Proponents have argued there is a constitutional right to publish the material , but critics counter that making the blueprints readily accessible online could lead to an increase in gun violence and put weapons in the hands of criminals who are legally prohibited from owning them .
Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge last year to strike down the administration 's earlier attempt to allow the files to be distributed .
`` Why is the Trump administration working so hard to allow domestic abusers , felons and terrorists access to untraceable , undetectable 3D-printed guns ? ''
Ferguson said in a statement .
For years , law enforcement officials have been trying to draw attention to the dangers posed by the so-called ghost guns , which contain no registration numbers that could be used to trace them .
A federal judge in November blocked an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the files to be released online , arguing that the government had violated the law on procedural grounds .
But the administration published formal rules on Thursday that transfer the regulation of 3D-printed guns from the State Department to the Commerce Department , which could open the door to making the blueprints available online .
The state attorneys general argue the government is breaking the law and say such deregulation will `` make it far easier for individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state or federal law to obtain a deadly weapon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the lawsuit .
They also argue that the Commerce Department lacks the power to properly regulate 3D-printed guns .
`` Ghost Guns endanger every single one of us , '' James said in a statement .
`` While the president and his Administration know these homemade weapons pose an imminent threat , he continues to cater to the gun lobby — risking the lives of millions of Americans . ''
In 2015 , Cody Wilson and his company Defense Distributed sued the federal government after it told him to remove online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Department reached a settlement with the company in 2018 and removed the 3D gun-making plans from a list of weapons or technical data that are not allowed to be exported .
But a coalition of state attorneys general filed a lawsuit to stop the maneuver , arguing that undetectable plastic guns pose a national security risk .
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit filed Thursday .
In addition to Washington , California and New York , the states suing are : Colorado , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Michigan , Minnesota , New Jersey , North Carolina , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , Vermont , and Virginia , as well as the District of Columbia .
`` We successfully challenged the Trump administration 's first reckless attempt , and we will continue to fight against this latest attack on the safety of our communities , '' California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement .

Attorneys general in 20 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging a federal regulation that could allow blueprints for making guns on 3D printers to be posted on the internet.
New York Attorney General Tish James, who helped lead the coalition of state attorneys general, argued that posting the blueprints would allow anyone to go online and use the downloadable files to create unregistered and untraceable assault-style weapons that could be difficult to detect.
The lawsuit, joined by California, Washington, and 17 other states, was filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle. It is likely to reignite a fierce debate over the use of 3D-printed firearms and is the latest in a series of attempts by state law enforcement officials to block the Trump administration from easing the accessibility of the blueprints.
Proponents have argued there is a constitutional right to publish the material, but critics counter that making the blueprints readily accessible online could lead to an increase in gun violence and put weapons in the hands of criminals who are legally prohibited from owning them.
Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said a previous multistate lawsuit led a federal judge last year to strike down the administration’s earlier attempt to allow the files to be distributed.
“Why is the Trump administration working so hard to allow domestic abusers, felons and terrorists access to untraceable, undetectable 3D-printed guns?” Ferguson said in a statement.
For years, law enforcement officials have been trying to draw attention to the dangers posed by the so-called ghost guns, which contain no registration numbers that could be used to trace them.
A federal judge in November blocked an earlier attempt by the Trump administration to allow the files to be released online, arguing that the government had violated the law on procedural grounds. But the administration published formal rules on Thursday that transfer the regulation of 3D-printed guns from the State Department to the Commerce Department, which could open the door to making the blueprints available online.
The state attorneys general argue the government is breaking the law and say such deregulation will “make it far easier for individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state or federal law to obtain a deadly weapon without undergoing a background check,” according to the lawsuit. They also argue that the Commerce Department lacks the power to properly regulate 3D-printed guns.
“Ghost Guns endanger every single one of us,” James said in a statement. “While the president and his Administration know these homemade weapons pose an imminent threat, he continues to cater to the gun lobby — risking the lives of millions of Americans.”
In 2015, Cody Wilson and his company Defense Distributed sued the federal government after it told him to remove online blueprints of a 3D-printed gun. The State Department reached a settlement with the company in 2018 and removed the 3D gun-making plans from a list of weapons or technical data that are not allowed to be exported. But a coalition of state attorneys general filed a lawsuit to stop the maneuver, arguing that undetectable plastic guns pose a national security risk.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit filed Thursday.
In addition to Washington, California and New York, the states suing are: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.
“We successfully challenged the Trump administration’s first reckless attempt, and we will continue to fight against this latest attack on the safety of our communities,” California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in a statement.


shareblue--2020-01-28--Fact check: Trump misled more than once about troops injured during Iran attack

At first , Donald Trump stated inaccurately that no U.S. troops were injured in the Iranian missile attack against them in Iraq .
Then he prematurely minimized those injuries as doctors tried to determine how severe they were .
On Friday , the Pentagon said that in fact , 34 troops suffered traumatic brain injuries in the attack and half remain under medical observation in Germany or back in the U.S. more than two weeks later .
Trump , Jan. 8 : `` Good morning .
I 'm pleased to inform you : The American people should be extremely grateful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last night 's attack by the Iranian regime .
We suffered no casualties , all of our soldiers are safe , and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases . ''
— statement delivered the morning after the Iranian missile attack on bases hosting U.S. troops in Iraq .
Trump , Jan. 9 , as if in dialogue with an aide after the Iranian attack : `` I said how many ?
How many died ?
How many were wounded ?
Sir , none .
None .
Pretty good warning system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
None , sir .
So we did n't do anything . ''
— Toledo , Ohio , rally , a day before the first wounded troops were evacuated from Iraq .
TRUMP , Wednesday : `` I heard they had headaches and a couple of other things ... and I can report it is not very serious .
... No , I do n't consider them very serious injuries relative to other injuries that I 've seen .
... No , I do not consider that to be bad injuries , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Switzerland .
THE FACTS : Trump had no basis for stating this week — after medical evacuations of wounded troops — that the injuries that surfaced were in the realm of mere headaches .
And in the immediate aftermath of the attack , his categorical statement that no one was hurt soon proved wrong .
It took several days for the Pentagon to understand it had casualties requiring further treatment .
Meantime Trump declared all troops safe and unhurt as recently as the night before the first wounded soldiers were evacuated from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be done there .
Altogether , of the 34 service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injury , 17 were evacuated from Iraq to U.S. medical facilities in Germany , where nine remain while eight others have been transported to the U.S. for further observation or treatment , said Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman .
One American taken to Kuwait for treatment has returned to duty in Iraq as have the 16 who were also diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and did not leave Iraq , he said .
The effects of traumatic brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life-long debilitation or death , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
In 2014 alone , traumatic brain injuries resulted in about 288,000 hospitalizations and were related to nearly 57,000 deaths in the U.S .
In playing down the injuries in his press conference Wednesday , Trump said he has seen much worse when visiting wounded troops : `` people with no legs and with no arms . ''

At first, Donald Trump stated inaccurately that no U.S. troops were injured in the Iranian missile attack against them in Iraq. Then he prematurely minimized those injuries as doctors tried to determine how severe they were.
On Friday, the Pentagon said that in fact, 34 troops suffered traumatic brain injuries in the attack and half remain under medical observation in Germany or back in the U.S. more than two weeks later.
Trump, Jan. 8: “Good morning. I’m pleased to inform you: The American people should be extremely grateful and happy no Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases.” — statement delivered the morning after the Iranian missile attack on bases hosting U.S. troops in Iraq.
Trump, Jan. 9, as if in dialogue with an aide after the Iranian attack: “I said how many? How many died? How many were wounded? Sir, none. None. Pretty good warning system. None. How many were hurt? None, sir. So we didn’t do anything.” — Toledo, Ohio, rally, a day before the first wounded troops were evacuated from Iraq.
TRUMP, Wednesday: “I heard they had headaches and a couple of other things … and I can report it is not very serious. … No, I don’t consider them very serious injuries relative to other injuries that I’ve seen. … No, I do not consider that to be bad injuries, no.” — press conference in Davos, Switzerland.
THE FACTS: Trump had no basis for stating this week — after medical evacuations of wounded troops — that the injuries that surfaced were in the realm of mere headaches. And in the immediate aftermath of the attack, his categorical statement that no one was hurt soon proved wrong.
It took several days for the Pentagon to understand it had casualties requiring further treatment. Meantime Trump declared all troops safe and unhurt as recently as the night before the first wounded soldiers were evacuated from Iraq for more treatment and screening than could be done there.
Altogether, of the 34 service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, 17 were evacuated from Iraq to U.S. medical facilities in Germany, where nine remain while eight others have been transported to the U.S. for further observation or treatment, said Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman.
One American taken to Kuwait for treatment has returned to duty in Iraq as have the 16 who were also diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and did not leave Iraq, he said.
The effects of traumatic brain injury can vary from short-term harm to life-long debilitation or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2014 alone, traumatic brain injuries resulted in about 288,000 hospitalizations and were related to nearly 57,000 deaths in the U.S.
In playing down the injuries in his press conference Wednesday, Trump said he has seen much worse when visiting wounded troops: “people with no legs and with no arms.”