shareblue--2020-06-22--Trump's Tulsa rally highlights his many struggles going into election

Donald Trump 's return to the campaign trail was designed to show strength and enthusiasm heading into the critical final months before an election that will decide whether he remains in the White House .
Instead , his weekend rally in Oklahoma highlighted growing vulnerabilities and crystallized a divisive reelection message that largely ignores broad swaths of voters — independents , suburban women and people of color — who could play a crucial role in choosing Trump or Democratic challenger Joe Biden .
The lower-than-expected turnout at the comeback rally , in particular , left Trump fuming .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , and that is to propel that rage and anger and try to split the society and see if he can have a tribal leadership win here , '' former Trump adviser-turned-critic Anthony Scaramucci said on CNN 's `` Reliable Sources . ''
Trump did not offer even a token reference to national unity in remarks that spanned more than an hour and 40 minutes at his self-described campaign relaunch as the nation grappled with surging coronavirus infections , the worst unemployment since the Great Depression and sweeping civil unrest .
Nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African American man whose death at the hands of Minnesota police late last month sparked a national uprising over police brutality .
But he did add new fuel to the nation 's culture wars , defending Confederate statues while making racist references to the coronavirus , which originated in China and which he called `` kung flu . ''
He also said Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar , who came to the United States as a refugee , `` would like to make the government of our country just like the country from where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won the presidency in 2016 with a similar red-meat message aimed largely at energizing conservatives and white working-class men .
But less than four months before early voting begins in some states , there are signs that independents and educated voters — particularly suburban women — have turned against him .
Republican strategists increasingly believe that only a dramatic turnaround in the economy can revive his reelection aspirations .
`` It 's bad , '' said Republican operative Rick Tyler , a frequent Trump critic .
`` There 's literally nothing to run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say is that Biden is worse . ''
But the day after Trump 's Tulsa rally , his message was almost an afterthought as aides tried to explain away a smaller-than-expected crowd that left him outraged .
The campaign had been betting big on Tulsa .
Trump 's political team spent days proclaiming that more than 1 million people had requested tickets .
They also ignored health warnings from the White House coronavirus task force and Oklahoma officials , eager to host an event that would help him move past the civil rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first rally in 110 days was meant to be a defiant display of political force to help energize Trump 's spirits , try out some attacks on Biden , and serve as a powerful symbol of American 's re-opening .
Instead , the city fire marshal 's office reported a crowd of just less than 6,200 in the 19,000-seat BOK Center , and at least six staff members who helped set up the event tested positive for the coronavirus .
The vast majority of the attendees , including Trump , did not wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration 's health experts .
After the rally , Trump berated aides over the turnout .
He fumed that he had been led to believe he would see huge crowds in deep-red Oklahoma , according to two White House and campaign officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations .
There was no sign of an imminent staff shakeup , but members of Trump 's inner circle angrily questioned how campaign manager Brad Parscale and other senior aides could so wildly overpromise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Publicly , Trump 's team scrambled to blame the crowd size on media coverage and protesters outside the venue , but the small crowds of pre-rally demonstrators were largely peaceful .
Tulsa police reported just one arrest Saturday afternoon .
It 's unclear when Trump will hold his next rally .
Before Oklahoma , the campaign had planned to finalize and announce its next rally this week .
Trump is already scheduled to make appearances Tuesday in Arizona and Thursday in Wisconsin .
Both are major general election battlegrounds .
At least one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump would not be welcome to host a rally in her state amid the pandemic .
Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , a Democrat , said she `` would think very seriously about '' trying to block Trump from hosting a rally there if he wanted to .
`` We know that congregating without masks , especially at an indoor facility , is the worst thing to do in the midst of a global pandemic , '' Whitmer said in an interview before the Oklahoma event , conceding that she was n't aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available to block a prospective Trump rally .
`` I just know we have limitations on the number of people that can gather and that we 're taking this seriously . ''
Biden 's campaign , meanwhile , seized on a fresh opportunity to poke at Trump , suggesting that Trump `` was already in a tailspin '' because of his mismanagement of the pandemic and civil rights protests .
`` Donald Trump has abdicated leadership and it is no surprise that his supporters have responded by abandoning him , '' Biden spokesperson @ @ @ @

Donald Trump’s return to the campaign trail was designed to show strength and enthusiasm heading into the critical final months before an election that will decide whether he remains in the White House.
Instead, his weekend rally in Oklahoma highlighted growing vulnerabilities and crystallized a divisive reelection message that largely ignores broad swaths of voters — independents, suburban women and people of color — who could play a crucial role in choosing Trump or Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
The lower-than-expected turnout at the comeback rally, in particular, left Trump fuming.
“There’s really only one strategy left for him, and that is to propel that rage and anger and try to split the society and see if he can have a tribal leadership win here,” former Trump adviser-turned-critic Anthony Scaramucci said on CNN’s “Reliable Sources.”
Trump did not offer even a token reference to national unity in remarks that spanned more than an hour and 40 minutes at his self-described campaign relaunch as the nation grappled with surging coronavirus infections, the worst unemployment since the Great Depression and sweeping civil unrest.
Nor did Trump mention George Floyd, the African American man whose death at the hands of Minnesota police late last month sparked a national uprising over police brutality. But he did add new fuel to the nation’s culture wars, defending Confederate statues while making racist references to the coronavirus, which originated in China and which he called “kung-flu.” He also said Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, who came to the United States as a refugee, “would like to make the government of our country just like the country from where she came, Somalia.”
Trump won the presidency in 2016 with a similar red-meat message aimed largely at energizing conservatives and white working-class men. But less than four months before early voting begins in some states, there are signs that independents and educated voters — particularly suburban women — have turned against him. Republican strategists increasingly believe that only a dramatic turnaround in the economy can revive his reelection aspirations.
“It’s bad,” said Republican operative Rick Tyler, a frequent Trump critic. “There’s literally nothing to run on. The only thing he can say is that Biden is worse.”
But the day after Trump’s Tulsa rally, his message was almost an afterthought as aides tried to explain away a smaller-than-expected crowd that left him outraged.
The campaign had been betting big on Tulsa.
Trump’s political team spent days proclaiming that more than 1 million people had requested tickets. They also ignored health warnings from the White House coronavirus task force and Oklahoma officials, eager to host an event that would help him move past the civil rights protests and the coronavirus itself.
His first rally in 110 days was meant to be a defiant display of political force to help energize Trump’s spirits, try out some attacks on Biden, and serve as a powerful symbol of American’s re-opening.
Instead, the city fire marshal’s office reported a crowd of just less than 6,200 in the 19,000-seat BOK Center, and at least six staff members who helped set up the event tested positive for the coronavirus. The vast majority of the attendees, including Trump, did not wear face masks as recommended by the Trump administration’s health experts.
After the rally, Trump berated aides over the turnout. He fumed that he had been led to believe he would see huge crowds in deep-red Oklahoma, according to two White House and campaign officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.
There was no sign of an imminent staff shakeup, but members of Trump’s inner circle angrily questioned how campaign manager Brad Parscale and other senior aides could so wildly overpromise and underdeliver, according to the officials.
Publicly, Trump’s team scrambled to blame the crowd size on media coverage and protesters outside the venue, but the small crowds of pre-rally demonstrators were largely peaceful. Tulsa police reported just one arrest Saturday afternoon.
It’s unclear when Trump will hold his next rally.
Before Oklahoma, the campaign had planned to finalize and announce its next rally this week. Trump is already scheduled to make appearances Tuesday in Arizona and Thursday in Wisconsin. Both are major general election battlegrounds.
At least one swing state governor, meanwhile, says Trump would not be welcome to host a rally in her state amid the pandemic.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said she “would think very seriously about” trying to block Trump from hosting a rally there if he wanted to.
“We know that congregating without masks, especially at an indoor facility, is the worst thing to do in the midst of a global pandemic,” Whitmer said in an interview before the Oklahoma event, conceding that she wasn’t aware of the specific legal tools she had available to block a prospective Trump rally. “I just know we have limitations on the number of people that can gather and that we’re taking this seriously.”
Biden’s campaign, meanwhile, seized on a fresh opportunity to poke at Trump, suggesting that Trump “was already in a tailspin” because of his mismanagement of the pandemic and civil rights protests.
“Donald Trump has abdicated leadership and it is no surprise that his supporters have responded by abandoning him,” Biden spokesperson Andrew Bates said.


shareblue--2020-06-23--How 2 new Supreme Court rulings will help LGBTQ immigrants

LGBTQ undocumented immigrants had two U.S. Supreme Court victories to celebrate last week : one that clarified protections against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in the workplace , and a second that , for the time being , blocked the termination of an Obama-era program that benefits undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children .
On Monday , the nation 's highest court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that the prohibition in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 of employment discrimination based on sex applies to discrimination against LGBT people .
The ruling stated : `` A statutory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in part on an individual employee 's sex when deciding to discharge the employee .
Because discrimination on the basis of homosexuality or transgender status requires an employer to intentionally treat individual employees differently because of their sex , an employer who intentionally penalizes an employee for being homosexual or transgender also violates Title VII . ''
The decision has has larger implications for nondiscrimination protections beyond the workplace , in housing , education , and health care .
LGBTQ groups that are already suing the Trump administration to stop the elimination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the Supreme Court decision in Bostock bolsters their case .
In the second case , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California against the Department of Homeland Security 's attempt to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program , which provides protections for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children .
Under the program , recipients are granted renewable two-year periods of deferred action on deportation and are eligible to receive a work permit .
The court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on procedural issues .
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court : `` We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies .
... We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action . ''
In ruling that Homeland Security did not comply with the requirement , the court left open the opportunity for the administration to make future attempts to rescind the program .
Undocumented LGBTQ immigrants are concerned about what it would mean for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deported .
Tony Choi , a gay DACA recipient who came to the United States from South Korea when he was 9 , told Vox he does n't want to live somewhere without marriage equality and protections for LGBTQ workers .
Yesenia Chavez , an immigrants ' rights policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union , said the Supreme Court decisions have major ramifications for the 700,000 immigrants DACA shields from deportation .
An estimated 67,000 of those 700,000 are LGBTQ .
`` Queer immigrants , especially transgender immigrants , are pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their immigration status , but because until Monday , they were n't sure of their workplace protections due to their LGBTQ identity , '' Chavez said .
Chavez said the rulings put the law on the side of many LGBTQ immigrants as they look for employment without `` constant fear of deportation . ''
And although the ruling on workplace equality will not automatically provide a welcoming work environment for LGBTQ immigrants , it is a much needed protection for these workers .
`` While the ruling on Aimee Stephens ' case does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take for all queer and trans folks to feel safe being out in the workplace , it 's a start , '' Chavez said .
`` It 's also critical to point out that while today 's DACA SCOTUS ruling provides immigrant youth some much-needed relief , it is a temporary victory because the Trump administration may continue to fight DACA , and we need to continue to push for a permanent solution to ensure Dreamers are protected and never have to be concerned about being separated from their families again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to renew DACA status .
Some nonprofits raise money to help people to apply for the program .
Chavez said the administration needs to begin immediately accepting DACA renewals and new applications and restore the program to provide protections immediately for the thousands of people who could benefit from it .
On Sunday , acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said that the administration still plans to end DACA , which he called `` an unlawful program . ''
Other policies are needed to protect the safety and well-being of undocumented immigrants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chavez said that despite the ruling , for example , many people at the intersection of multiple marginalized communities , including LGBTQ undocumented immigrants , will continue to be criminalized for sex work .
Chavez said that until sex work is decriminalized , those who do such work will be put in dangerous situations , which , in turn , `` can land them into the criminal justice system , and further put them in a deportation pipeline . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

LGBTQ undocumented immigrants had two U.S. Supreme Court victories to celebrate last week: one that clarified protections against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in the workplace, and a second that, for the time being, blocked the termination of an Obama-era program that benefits undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children.
On Monday, the nation’s highest court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that the prohibition in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 of employment discrimination based on sex applies to discrimination against LGBT people.
The ruling stated: “A statutory violation occurs if an employer intentionally relies in part on an individual employee’s sex when deciding to discharge the employee. Because discrimination on the basis of homosexuality or transgender status requires an employer to intentionally treat individual employees differently because of their sex, an employer who intentionally penalizes an employee for being homosexual or transgender also violates Title VII.”
The decision has has larger implications for nondiscrimination protections beyond the workplace, in housing, education, and health care. LGBTQ groups that are already suing the Trump administration to stop the elimination of protections for LGBTQ people in health care say the Supreme Court decision in Bostock bolsters their case.
In the second case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California against the Department of Homeland Security’s attempt to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides protections for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Under the program, recipients are granted renewable two-year periods of deferred action on deportation and are eligible to receive a work permit.
The court’s decision on the DACA program was based on procedural issues. U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court: “We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies. … We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action.”
In ruling that Homeland Security did not comply with the requirement, the court left open the opportunity for the administration to make future attempts to rescind the program.
Undocumented LGBTQ immigrants are concerned about what it would mean for their families and their well-being to be deported. Tony Choi, a gay DACA recipient who came to the United States from South Korea when he was 9, told Vox he doesn’t want to live somewhere without marriage equality and protections for LGBTQ workers.
Yesenia Chavez, an immigrants’ rights policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the Supreme Court decisions have major ramifications for the 700,000 immigrants DACA shields from deportation. An estimated 67,000 of those 700,000 are LGBTQ.
“Queer immigrants, especially transgender immigrants, are pushed into the shadows not only due to their immigration status, but because until Monday, they weren’t sure of their workplace protections due to their LGBTQ identity,” Chavez said.
Chavez said the rulings put the law on the side of many LGBTQ immigrants as they look for employment without “constant fear of deportation.” And although the ruling on workplace equality will not automatically provide a welcoming work environment for LGBTQ immigrants, it is a much needed protection for these workers.
“While the ruling on Aimee Stephens’ case does not provide the cultural competency that it will take for all queer and trans folks to feel safe being out in the workplace, it’s a start,” Chavez said.
“It’s also critical to point out that while today’s DACA SCOTUS ruling provides immigrant youth some much-needed relief, it is a temporary victory because the Trump administration may continue to fight DACA, and we need to continue to push for a permanent solution to ensure Dreamers are protected and never have to be concerned about being separated from their families again.”
It costs nearly $500 for to renew DACA status. Some nonprofits raise money to help people to apply for the program.
Chavez said the administration needs to begin immediately accepting DACA renewals and new applications and restore the program to provide protections immediately for the thousands of people who could benefit from it.
On Sunday, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said that the administration still plans to end DACA, which he called “an unlawful program.”
Other policies are needed to protect the safety and well-being of undocumented immigrants in the United States. The ACLU’s Chavez said that despite the ruling, for example, many people at the intersection of multiple marginalized communities, including LGBTQ undocumented immigrants, will continue to be criminalized for sex work.
Chavez said that until sex work is decriminalized, those who do such work will be put in dangerous situations, which, in turn, “can land them into the criminal justice system, and further put them in a deportation pipeline.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-23--Florida governor upset other states may follow his lead and quarantine visitors

Gov .
Ron DeSantis of Florida is not happy with Gov .
Andrew Cuomo of New York .
The reason ?
Cuomo is considering imposing quarantines on travelers to New York from out of state to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
However , the measure is one that the Florida Republican had previously instituted in his own state .
DeSantis signed an executive order on March 24 requiring 14-day quarantines of visitors to Florida from New York , Connecticut , and New Jersey .
Cuomo said last week that he is `` fearful '' that people might travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in places like Florida .
While Cuomo did not announce a quarantine on visitors , he said he was closely monitoring the situation .
`` So if we start to see a large influx of people coming from one of the states that has a high transmission rate , that would be a cause for concern , '' Cuomo said .
`` And we 're watching it day to day .
There 's no deadline on it .
You know , we 're reacting to the facts as they develop . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they need to do , '' DeSantis said at a news conference in response .
`` I would just ask them if that 's done , just please do not quarantine any Floridians in the nursing homes in New York . ''
A high number of coronavirus deaths in New York earlier in the pandemic occurred among residents of nursing homes .
But Florida has now experienced spikes in the number of virus deaths , including among people in long-term care facilities .
As of last week , more than half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state were linked to nursing homes .
Connecticut Gov .
Ned Lamont and New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy are also reportedly considering imposing quarantines on visitors from states experiencing spikes in numbers of virus cases .
As the pandemic began to spread across the United States in March , New York and its neighbors were initially among the hardest hit .
Rather than issue stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the virus in Florida or shut down beaches being swarmed by spring break visitors from states with outbreaks , DeSantis responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitors with quarantines .
The order , which was extended earlier this month , requires anyone arriving in Florida from Connecticut , New Jersey , or New York to `` isolate or quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into Florida or the duration of the individual 's presence in Florida , whichever is shorter . ''
The number of new cases in the tri-state area of Connecticut , New York , and New Jersey has recently dropped significantly .
Each has seen a decline in the weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , DeSantis rushed to reopen Florida , despite the state not meeting federal criteria for opening back up .
`` The only thing we have to fear is letting fear overwhelm our sense of purpose and determination , '' he said at the time .
Since then , Florida has become a hot spot for the virus .
The average positive test rate has increased over the past two weeks from 5 % to 9.7 % , according to analysis published by Politico on Monday .
Last week , Florida set a one-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 4,049 .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is not happy with Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York.
The reason? Cuomo is considering imposing quarantines on travelers to New York from out of state to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
However, the measure is one that the Florida Republican had previously instituted in his own state.
DeSantis signed an executive order on March 24 requiring 14-day quarantines of visitors to Florida from New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
Cuomo said last week that he is “fearful” that people might travel to New York to escape coronavirus spikes in places like Florida. While Cuomo did not announce a quarantine on visitors, he said he was closely monitoring the situation.
“So if we start to see a large influx of people coming from one of the states that has a high transmission rate, that would be a cause for concern,” Cuomo said. “And we’re watching it day to day. There’s no deadline on it. You know, we’re reacting to the facts as they develop.”
“I think governors are going to do what they need to do,” DeSantis said at a news conference in response. “I would just ask them if that’s done, just please do not quarantine any Floridians in the nursing homes in New York.”
A high number of coronavirus deaths in New York earlier in the pandemic occurred among residents of nursing homes.
But Florida has now experienced spikes in the number of virus deaths, including among people in long-term care facilities. As of last week, more than half of the over 3,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the state were linked to nursing homes.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy are also reportedly considering imposing quarantines on visitors from states experiencing spikes in numbers of virus cases.
As the pandemic began to spread across the United States in March, New York and its neighbors were initially among the hardest hit.
Rather than issue stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the virus in Florida or shut down beaches being swarmed by spring break visitors from states with outbreaks, DeSantis responded by issuing the executive order targeting the visitors with quarantines.
The order, which was extended earlier this month, requires anyone arriving in Florida from Connecticut, New Jersey, or New York to “isolate or quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into Florida or the duration of the individual’s presence in Florida, whichever is shorter.”
The number of new cases in the tri-state area of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey has recently dropped significantly. Each has seen a decline in the weekly number of new cases.
In May, DeSantis rushed to reopen Florida, despite the state not meeting federal criteria for opening back up. “The only thing we have to fear is letting fear overwhelm our sense of purpose and determination,” he said at the time.
Since then, Florida has become a hot spot for the virus. The average positive test rate has increased over the past two weeks from 5% to 9.7%, according to analysis published by Politico on Monday.
Last week, Florida set a one-day record for new cases with a total of 4,049.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-23--Texas governor concerned about virus spike but won't enforce safety rules

Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott thinks the record number of new coronavirus cases in his state is `` unacceptable . ''
But he has not taken meaningful action to curb the virus 's spread .
`` To state the obvious , COVID-19 is now spreading at an unacceptable rate in Texas , and it must be corralled , '' the Republican said at a press conference on Monday .
`` We must find ways to return to our daily routines as well as finding ways to coexist with COVID-19 , '' Abbott said , suggesting an increase in testing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again will always be the last option . ''
But despite Abbott 's somber new tone , he continues to block some of the most basic steps to reduce transmission .
While he encouraged Texans to wear face masks , he said he would not require it because `` maintaining a level of flexibility is important in a state the size of Texas . ''
Last week , Abbott let some local officials begin issuing fines to those who refuse to wear face coverings when they ca n't maintain social distancing .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locally imposed face mask requirements .
In an executive order he issued on April 27 allowing restaurants , cinemas , and stores to reopen , he wrote , `` No jurisdiction can impose a civil or criminal penalty for failure to wear a face covering . ''
Just a few days ago , Abbott suggested that the only reason for spiking numbers of COVID-19 cases in Texas was the behavior of 20-somethings .
`` They are not wearing face masks , they 're not sanitizing their hands , they 're not maintaining social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And as a result , they are contracting COVID-19 at a record pace in the state of Texas . ''
But Abbott had earlier sent a message to Texans that they need not take social distancing requirements seriously .
Last month , a Dallas salon owner was sentenced to a week in jail and fined for reopening her business in violation of Abbott 's stay-at-home order and several court orders .
After she turned down a chance to avoid jail if she agreed to close the salon until the expiration of the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eliminate jail time as a punishment for violations and had her released .
He rushed to reopen the state 's economy in May , even though cases numbers were already climbing and the state had not met federal criteria for reopening .
In a private call with state legislators early in the month , Abbott acknowledged that `` pretty much every scientific and medical report '' predicted reopening would `` lead to an increase in spreads . ''
Texas reached a daily record of 4,430 new positive cases on Saturday — its fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its ninth consecutive daily record for most hospitalizations .
While Abbott suggested last week that the increased positive tests were just a sign of increased testing , public health experts have debunked the claim .
Murray Côté , a professor at Texas A & M , told Time magazine : `` I think it 's a true increase in the number of cases .
It 's not just attributable to testing .
... the rates are indicative of the relaxation . ''
According to the state 's Department of State Health Services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and about 2,200 deaths due to the coronavirus in Texas .
A week after Abbott bragged of `` abundant '' hospital capacity and a `` laser-focus '' on maintaining it , some Texas communities are now struggling to meet the need for hospital beds .
On Monday , Texas Children 's Hospital announced that it would admit adult patients to help address the rapidly growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Houston area .
`` We are moving very fast and we are moving very fast in the wrong direction , '' Houston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The course that we are currently on is not in the best interest of our city or state . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott thinks the record number of new coronavirus cases in his state is “unacceptable.” But he has not taken meaningful action to curb the virus’s spread.
“To state the obvious, COVID-19 is now spreading at an unacceptable rate in Texas, and it must be corralled,” the Republican said at a press conference on Monday.
“We must find ways to return to our daily routines as well as finding ways to coexist with COVID-19,” Abbott said, suggesting an increase in testing in hot spots. “Closing down Texas again will always be the last option.”
But despite Abbott’s somber new tone, he continues to block some of the most basic steps to reduce transmission. While he encouraged Texans to wear face masks, he said he would not require it because “maintaining a level of flexibility is important in a state the size of Texas.”
Last week, Abbott let some local officials begin issuing fines to those who refuse to wear face coverings when they can’t maintain social distancing. But that came after he had banned other locally imposed face mask requirements.
In an executive order he issued on April 27 allowing restaurants, cinemas, and stores to reopen, he wrote, “No jurisdiction can impose a civil or criminal penalty for failure to wear a face covering.”
Just a few days ago, Abbott suggested that the only reason for spiking numbers of COVID-19 cases in Texas was the behavior of 20-somethings. “They are not wearing face masks, they’re not sanitizing their hands, they’re not maintaining social distancing,” he said. “And as a result, they are contracting COVID-19 at a record pace in the state of Texas.”
But Abbott had earlier sent a message to Texans that they need not take social distancing requirements seriously.
Last month, a Dallas salon owner was sentenced to a week in jail and fined for reopening her business in violation of Abbott’s stay-at-home order and several court orders. After she turned down a chance to avoid jail if she agreed to close the salon until the expiration of the governor’s order, Abbott amended it to eliminate jail time as a punishment for violations and had her released.
He rushed to reopen the state’s economy in May, even though cases numbers were already climbing and the state had not met federal criteria for reopening. In a private call with state legislators early in the month, Abbott acknowledged that “pretty much every scientific and medical report” predicted reopening would “lead to an increase in spreads.”
Texas reached a daily record of 4,430 new positive cases on Saturday — its fourth new record in five days — and its ninth consecutive daily record for most hospitalizations. While Abbott suggested last week that the increased positive tests were just a sign of increased testing, public health experts have debunked the claim.
Murray Côté, a professor at Texas A&M, told Time magazine: “I think it’s a true increase in the number of cases. It’s not just attributable to testing. … the rates are indicative of the relaxation.”
According to the state’s Department of State Health Services, there have been more than 114,000 cases and about 2,200 deaths due to the coronavirus in Texas.
A week after Abbott bragged of “abundant” hospital capacity and a “laser-focus” on maintaining it, some Texas communities are now struggling to meet the need for hospital beds.
On Monday, Texas Children’s Hospital announced that it would admit adult patients to help address the rapidly growing number of COVID-19 cases in the Houston area.
“We are moving very fast and we are moving very fast in the wrong direction,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner warned on Monday. “The course that we are currently on is not in the best interest of our city or state.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-23--Reason for firing of US attorney investigating Trump associates remains unclear

A day before Geoffrey S. Berman was axed from his job as head of the U.S. Attorney 's office in Manhattan , he refused to sign onto a letter crafted by senior officials in Washington lambasting New York 's mayor for putting COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings .
Berman 's refusal did n't directly contribute to his ouster .
But it was another example of the ways in which he appeared to run afoul of Attorney General William Barr and other high-ranking officials at the Justice Department .
According to several people familiar with their relationship , Berman , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and charged some of his allies , was n't a team player .
He operated outside Washington leadership , and won praise from Trump critics as an independent thinker .
And he had refused to even alert Washington to cases his high-profile department was working on .
The people were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity .
As a result , Berman 's job often appeared to be in jeopardy .
He was never formally nominated to the post by Trump , despite having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump himself .
Instead , he was installed by a federal court .
As this year wore on in the wake of the prosecution of Rudy Giuliani 's associates and the probe of the former mayor , his allies in the prosecutor 's office were surprised each time Berman returned from Washington with his job intact .
`` The most surprising thing is that he 's held on as long as he has , '' said Danya Perry , a former Manhattan federal prosecutor who represented California lawyer Michael Avenatti in his recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berman and the Justice Department reached a breaking point Friday , when Barr issued a surprise press release saying Berman had resigned and would be replaced by the Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton , a lawyer who has virtually no experience as a federal prosecutor .
Berman refused to step down , and went into work Saturday .
He eventually consented to leave after Barr said Trump had officially fired him and the second in command of the office would take over .
One of Berman 's final acts was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Mayor Bill de Blasio for allowing massive police reform protests even though he had cracked down in April on a group of thousands of mourners at a funeral for a Hasidic leader whose death was reportedly linked to the coronavirus , the people said .
The Hasidim are an insular , ultra-orthodox Jewish sect in Brooklyn .
It is a powerful voting bloc that favored Trump in 2016 .
`` The message to the public from New York City 's government appears to favor certain secular gatherings and disfavor religious gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dreiband .
Ensuring religious liberty has been a top priority for Barr , whose office has weighed in on several lawsuits around the country seeking to reopen religious gatherings during the pandemic .
The Justice Department sent separate letters last month to the governors of Nevada and California warning that religious gatherings should be held to the same standard as similar secular gatherings when it comes pandemic-related public health orders .
The letter sent to California Gov .
Gavin Newsom was signed by all four U.S. attorneys in the state .
The final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murky .
Justice Department officials insisted the de Blasio letter played no role and Barr did n't know about Berman 's refusal to sign it when he sent out the statement .
They said Berman was offered other positions , including running the Justice Department 's Civil Division , but declined them .
New Yorkers close to Berman were mystified , especially because the probe into Giuliani is ongoing , and no indictments were imminent .
White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany said Trump holds Clayton in high regard and wanted to nominate him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in government , since he planned to move to New York .
`` Barr was working on a smooth transition , and when Berman chose to respond in the way that he did , he came to the president , and the president agreed and fired this individual , Mr. Berman , as Mr. Clayton now will , in time , get to that position , '' she said .
Berman initially vowed to stay on the job until a replacement was confirmed .
He changed his mind late Saturday after he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would allow the second in command , Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss , to become acting U.S. attorney .
Among the most high-profile investigations he was overseeing was into Giuliani 's business dealings , including whether he failed to register as a foreign agent .
The Southern District has also prosecuted a number of Trump associates , including Trump 's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen , who served a prison sentence for lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes .
Berman has overseen the prosecution of two Florida businessmen , Lev @ @ @ @ @ @ @ associates of Giuliani and tied to the Ukraine impeachment investigation .
The men were charged in October with federal campaign finance violations , including hiding the origin of a $ 325,000 donation to a group supporting Trump 's reelection .
And only days ago , allegations surfaced from former Trump national security adviser John Bolton that Trump sought to interfere in an investigation by Berman 's office into the state-owned Turkish bank in an effort to cut deals with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan .
Berman 's removal has raised questions among congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Barr is politicizing the Justice Department .
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler ( D-NY ) is prepared to subpoena Barr if he does n't agree to testify before the committee next week , according to a committee aide .

A day before Geoffrey S. Berman was axed from his job as head of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan, he refused to sign onto a letter crafted by senior officials in Washington lambasting New York’s mayor for putting COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings.
Berman’s refusal didn’t directly contribute to his ouster. But it was another example of the ways in which he appeared to run afoul of Attorney General William Barr and other high-ranking officials at the Justice Department.
According to several people familiar with their relationship, Berman, a political donor to Donald Trump who investigated and charged some of his allies, wasn’t a team player. He operated outside Washington leadership, and won praise from Trump critics as an independent thinker. And he had refused to even alert Washington to cases his high-profile department was working on. The people were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
As a result, Berman’s job often appeared to be in jeopardy. He was never formally nominated to the post by Trump, despite having been personally interviewed for the job by Trump himself. Instead, he was installed by a federal court.
As this year wore on in the wake of the prosecution of Rudy Giuliani’s associates and the probe of the former mayor, his allies in the prosecutor’s office were surprised each time Berman returned from Washington with his job intact.
“The most surprising thing is that he’s held on as long as he has,” said Danya Perry, a former Manhattan federal prosecutor who represented California lawyer Michael Avenatti in his recent fraud trial defense.
The tensions between Berman and the Justice Department reached a breaking point Friday, when Barr issued a surprise press release saying Berman had resigned and would be replaced by the Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton, a lawyer who has virtually no experience as a federal prosecutor. Berman refused to step down, and went into work Saturday. He eventually consented to leave after Barr said Trump had officially fired him and the second in command of the office would take over.
One of Berman’s final acts was to refuse to sign onto a letter criticizing New York Mayor Bill de Blasio for allowing massive police reform protests even though he had cracked down in April on a group of thousands of mourners at a funeral for a Hasidic leader whose death was reportedly linked to the coronavirus, the people said.
The Hasidim are an insular, ultra-orthodox Jewish sect in Brooklyn. It is a powerful voting bloc that favored Trump in 2016.
“The message to the public from New York City’s government appears to favor certain secular gatherings and disfavor religious gatherings,” wrote Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband.
Ensuring religious liberty has been a top priority for Barr, whose office has weighed in on several lawsuits around the country seeking to reopen religious gatherings during the pandemic.
The Justice Department sent separate letters last month to the governors of Nevada and California warning that religious gatherings should be held to the same standard as similar secular gatherings when it comes pandemic-related public health orders. The letter sent to California Gov. Gavin Newsom was signed by all four U.S. attorneys in the state.
The final straw for Berman, though, remains murky. Justice Department officials insisted the de Blasio letter played no role and Barr didn’t know about Berman’s refusal to sign it when he sent out the statement. They said Berman was offered other positions, including running the Justice Department’s Civil Division, but declined them. New Yorkers close to Berman were mystified, especially because the probe into Giuliani is ongoing, and no indictments were imminent.
White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany said Trump holds Clayton in high regard and wanted to nominate him to the job so he could stay in government, since he planned to move to New York.
“Barr was working on a smooth transition, and when Berman chose to respond in the way that he did, he came to the president, and the president agreed and fired this individual, Mr. Berman, as Mr. Clayton now will, in time, get to that position,” she said.
Berman initially vowed to stay on the job until a replacement was confirmed. He changed his mind late Saturday after he was formally fired, and Barr said he would allow the second in command, Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss, to become acting U.S. attorney.
Among the most high-profile investigations he was overseeing was into Giuliani’s business dealings, including whether he failed to register as a foreign agent.
The Southern District has also prosecuted a number of Trump associates, including Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who served a prison sentence for lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes.
Berman has overseen the prosecution of two Florida businessmen, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who were associates of Giuliani and tied to the Ukraine impeachment investigation. The men were charged in October with federal campaign finance violations, including hiding the origin of a $325,000 donation to a group supporting Trump’s reelection.
And only days ago, allegations surfaced from former Trump national security adviser John Bolton that Trump sought to interfere in an investigation by Berman’s office into the state-owned Turkish bank in an effort to cut deals with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Berman’s removal has raised questions among congressional leaders, further fueling accusations from Democrats that Barr is politicizing the Justice Department. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) is prepared to subpoena Barr if he doesn’t agree to testify before the committee next week, according to a committee aide.


shareblue--2020-06-23--'I don't kid': Trump lashes out at claim he was 'joking' about slowing virus testing

Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was not kidding when he said he wanted to slow down COVID-19 testing because too many tests were coming back positive .
`` I do n't kid , let me just tell you , let me make it clear , '' Trump said before leaving the White House on a trip to Arizona .
Trump made the original comments on Saturday during a campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
`` When you do testing to that extent , you 're going to find more people , you 're going to find more cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'Slow the testing down , please , ' '' Trump told the half-empty arena .
That comment led to a torrent of criticism , as early on in the COVID-19 pandemic coronavirus tests were hard to come by .
Public health experts say the lack of testing possibly led to further spread of the virus , as experts were unable to trace the source of outbreaks to slow the spread .
In fact , experts say more testing is needed to prevent asymptomatic cases from further spreading the virus and causing more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to open up again .
To diffuse the criticism , Trump aides claimed he was just `` joking '' when he made that remark .
Trade adviser Peter Navarro said Sunday that Trump was `` obviously kidding , '' White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the next day that Trump 's comment was made `` in jest . ''
But Trump undercut that defense on Tuesday , when CBS News ' Weijia Jiang asked whether his aides were right in saying he was merely joking .
It 's a tactic his team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to excuse Trump 's offensive comments .
By confirming that he was not joking about slowing down testing , Trump also showed he does n't understand why testing is important , instead viewing the large number of positive cases through a political lens and how it looks bad for his administration .
`` By having more cases , it sounds bad , but actually what it is , we 're finding people , many of those people are n't symptoms , very little , they may be young people , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump also sought to defend his desire to see less testing .
`` Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country , and ever expanding .
With smaller testing we would show fewer cases ! ''
Trump tweeted .
That claim is also wrong .
Public health experts do n't look at the raw number of positive tests , but rather the percentage of tests that come back positive .
The higher the positive rate , the more concerning it is for public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which Trump is visiting Tuesday , are seeing a large positivity rate and a high number of intensive care unit beds occupied — a worrisome sign .
To date , more than 2.3 million people in the United States have been infected by the coronavirus , and 120,345 have died , according to the New York Times .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was not kidding when he said he wanted to slow down COVID-19 testing because too many tests were coming back positive.
“I don’t kid, let me just tell you, let me make it clear,” Trump said before leaving the White House on a trip to Arizona.
Trump made the original comments on Saturday during a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“When you do testing to that extent, you’re going to find more people, you’re going to find more cases. So I said to my people, ‘Slow the testing down, please,'” Trump told the half-empty arena.
That comment led to a torrent of criticism, as early on in the COVID-19 pandemic coronavirus tests were hard to come by. Public health experts say the lack of testing possibly led to further spread of the virus, as experts were unable to trace the source of outbreaks to slow the spread.
In fact, experts say more testing is needed to prevent asymptomatic cases from further spreading the virus and causing more waves of outbreak as the country starts to open up again.
To diffuse the criticism, Trump aides claimed he was just “joking” when he made that remark.
Trade adviser Peter Navarro said Sunday that Trump was “obviously kidding,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the next day that Trump’s comment was made “in jest.”
But Trump undercut that defense on Tuesday, when CBS News’ Weijia Jiang asked whether his aides were right in saying he was merely joking. It’s a tactic his team has used numerous times in the past to try to excuse Trump’s offensive comments.
By confirming that he was not joking about slowing down testing, Trump also showed he doesn’t understand why testing is important, instead viewing the large number of positive cases through a political lens and how it looks bad for his administration.
“By having more cases, it sounds bad, but actually what it is, we’re finding people, many of those people aren’t symptoms, very little, they may be young people,” Trump told Jiang.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump also sought to defend his desire to see less testing.
“Cases are going up in the U.S. because we are testing far more than any other country, and ever expanding. With smaller testing we would show fewer cases!” Trump tweeted.
That claim is also wrong.
Public health experts don’t look at the raw number of positive tests, but rather the percentage of tests that come back positive. The higher the positive rate, the more concerning it is for public health officials.
States such as Arizona, which Trump is visiting Tuesday, are seeing a large positivity rate and a high number of intensive care unit beds occupied — a worrisome sign.
To date, more than 2.3 million people in the United States have been infected by the coronavirus, and 120,345 have died, according to the New York Times.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-23--Trump to celebrate just 3 new miles of border wall on trip to Arizona

Donald Trump is headed to Arizona on Tuesday , where he 'll hold a photo-op commemorating the 200th mile of southern border wall constructed under his administration .
However , a closer look at the numbers shows that Trump has made little progress on his signature campaign promise of building 1,000 new miles of border wall between the United States and Mexico .
Since January 2017 , when Trump was inaugurated , the Trump administration has built just 216 miles of wall , according to CNN .
Of those 216 miles , a paltry three are new miles of wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest simply replaced existing structures .
With six months to go before the end of the year , the administration is also far short of the 450 miles of border wall his administration said it would build by the end of 2020 , CNN reported .
And that is also far short of the 1,000 miles of physical border wall Trump promised to build between the United States and Mexico when he campaigned for office in 2016 .
`` As far as the wall is concerned , we 're going to build a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a border .
We 're going to let people in , but they 're going to come in legally ... and it 's something that can be done , and I get questioned about that , '' Trump said at a GOP primary debate in October 2015 .
He added , `` They built the Great Wall of China .
That 's 13,000 miles .
Here , we actually need 1,000 because we have natural barriers .
So we need 1,000 . ''
Trump also promised that Mexico would pay for the wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five months to go before Election Day , Trump now appears to be claiming victory .
Trump has held photo-ops at the border before .
In April 2019 , he traveled to California to visit a rebuilt section of border wall affixed with a plaque that had his name in large capital letters .
The wall was not new , but rather replaced a section that had been built during the Vietnam War .
Trump 's border wall has run into numerous road blocks over the years .
First , Congress refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to use his emergency powers to raid funding lawmakers had designated for other projects .
And it 's sparked legal battles , as the Trump administration has tried to seize property from landowners through eminent domain .
Trump 's visit to Arizona notably comes as the state sees a spike in coronavirus cases .
It 's led officials to worry that the visit could further spread the virus in the state , where cases have doubled over the past two weeks , according to NBC News .
`` We 're not going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming here , because I think it causes more problems , and not sure of the legality of it , '' Rep. Ruben Gallego ( D-AZ ) told NBC .
`` But for God 's sake , when you 're in that crowd and everyone is next to each other , please be responsible .
Wear a mask . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump is headed to Arizona on Tuesday, where he’ll hold a photo-op commemorating the 200th mile of southern border wall constructed under his administration.
However, a closer look at the numbers shows that Trump has made little progress on his signature campaign promise of building 1,000 new miles of border wall between the United States and Mexico.
Since January 2017, when Trump was inaugurated, the Trump administration has built just 216 miles of wall, according to CNN.
Of those 216 miles, a paltry three are new miles of wall where no wall existed before. The rest simply replaced existing structures.
With six months to go before the end of the year, the administration is also far short of the 450 miles of border wall his administration said it would build by the end of 2020, CNN reported.
And that is also far short of the 1,000 miles of physical border wall Trump promised to build between the United States and Mexico when he campaigned for office in 2016.
“As far as the wall is concerned, we’re going to build a wall. We’re going to create a border. We’re going to let people in, but they’re going to come in legally…and it’s something that can be done, and I get questioned about that,” Trump said at a GOP primary debate in October 2015.
He added, “They built the Great Wall of China. That’s 13,000 miles. Here, we actually need 1,000 because we have natural barriers. So we need 1,000.”
Trump also promised that Mexico would pay for the wall. Mexico refused.
With less than five months to go before Election Day, Trump now appears to be claiming victory.
Trump has held photo-ops at the border before. In April 2019, he traveled to California to visit a rebuilt section of border wall affixed with a plaque that had his name in large capital letters.
The wall was not new, but rather replaced a section that had been built during the Vietnam War.
Trump’s border wall has run into numerous road blocks over the years.
First, Congress refused to appropriate funds for the wall, forcing Trump to use his emergency powers to raid funding lawmakers had designated for other projects.
And it’s sparked legal battles, as the Trump administration has tried to seize property from landowners through eminent domain.
Trump’s visit to Arizona notably comes as the state sees a spike in coronavirus cases.
It’s led officials to worry that the visit could further spread the virus in the state, where cases have doubled over the past two weeks, according to NBC News.
“We’re not going to try to ban the president from coming here, because I think it causes more problems, and not sure of the legality of it,” Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) told NBC. “But for God’s sake, when you’re in that crowd and everyone is next to each other, please be responsible. Wear a mask.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-23--Americans nearly unanimous in support for criminal justice reform

Americans overwhelmingly want clear standards on when police officers may use force and consequences for officers who do so excessively , according to a new poll that finds nearly all Americans favor at least some level of change to the nation 's criminal justice system .
The new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also finds there is strong support for penalizing officers who engage in racially biased policing .
Americans are more likely now than five years ago to say that police violence against the public is a very serious problem and that officers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are treated too leniently .
`` For me , as a Black person , I 'm like , this has been happening , '' said Kevin Richardson , 38 , of Charlotte , North Carolina .
`` We should 've been knowing it , we should 've been seeing this and so now what 's happened is , I 'll be honest , white people are seeing it and saying , 'This is wrong . '
'' The survey of American adults took place after weeks of mass demonstrations against police violence and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` defund '' departments in response to the death of George Floyd , a Black man who died in custody after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes .
Americans are largely united behind the idea that action is required : 29 % think the criminal justice system needs `` a complete overhaul , '' 40 % say it needs `` major changes , '' and 25 % say it needs `` minor changes . ''
Just 5 % believe no changes are necessary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Washington , said the protests have forced her to think about these issues in a way she had the luxury , as a white person , of previously ignoring .
`` I had never really given much thought to police use of force .
I 'm white .
I 've never had a bad encounter with a police officer , '' she said .
`` The last few months have brought to light more of this for me , and now I am educating myself . ''
Nearly 6 in 10 Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a complete overhaul , compared with about a quarter of white Americans who said the same .
About 4 in 10 white Americans say major changes are needed ; 3 in 10 prefer minor changes .
While Democrats are more likely than Republicans to think the system needs an overhaul , 44 % to 12 % , Americans across party lines are nearly unanimous in thinking at least some change is necessary .
Another 44 % of Democrats think major changes are necessary .
Among Republicans , 34 % call for major changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The poll finds overwhelming support for changes in how police departments operate : requiring officers to wear body cameras , establishing clear standards for use of force , prosecuting officers who use excessive force , and requiring officers to report misconduct by their peers .
Despite their popularity , body cameras have not always proved to be the fix reformers hoped .
But Kimberly Jones , 52 , of New York City , said they are at the top of her list .
`` You need more seeing what 's going on as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
`` You need to know from the start so you can stop something bad from happening . ''
Majorities of Democrats and Republicans alike strongly support establishing clear standards for use of force , requiring officers to wear video cameras and requiring officers to report misconduct by their peers .
There also is bipartisan support for prosecuting officers who use excessive force and penalizing officers for racially biased policing , though more Democrats than Republicans intensely favor these policies .
Brian Bernard , 54 , a Republican and retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the bystander video of Floyd 's death was like watching a `` 9-minute murder . ''
But he said the problem is one of a bad cop , not a bad system .
Banning chokeholds or requiring retraining wo n't make a bad officer better , he said .
`` Democrats and liberals seem to have a problem of only fixing symptoms , '' he said .
`` They can never see the actual problem , and the problem is just a bad cop . ''
While chants of `` defund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cry at some protests , the survey found that only 25 % of Americans favor reducing law enforcement funding .
Democrats are somewhat more likely to support than oppose doing so , 41 % to 33 % , while Republicans are overwhelming opposed .
Bob Haines , 75 , a pilot from Oklahoma City who supports Donald Trump , said he thinks police officers do an excellent job .
`` Just like in my profession , most of us do a good job , but there are a few bad pilots , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incidents have happened , and all of a sudden the sky 's falling , you know ? ''
Democrats and Republicans divide on whether the justice system should reduce the focus on policing and prosecuting low-level offenses , with 63 % of Democrats and 30 % of Republicans in favor .
Overall , Americans are more likely to be in favor than opposed , 46 % to 25 % .
To prevent police violence , most Americans also favor requiring all officers to participate in more extensive racial bias training .
Majorities of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use deadly force against a Black person and that Black Americans are generally treated less fairly by police .
Peckhold , who favors moderate changes in the criminal justice system , said those changes should be targeted at chipping away at systemic racist behavior .
`` I do n't think Americans really understand how police are taught these tactics to begin with , '' she said .
`` Understanding the details more will help us make smarter changes . ''
The AP-NORC poll of 1,301 adults was conducted June 11-15 using a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Panel , which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population .
The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points .

Americans overwhelmingly want clear standards on when police officers may use force and consequences for officers who do so excessively, according to a new poll that finds nearly all Americans favor at least some level of change to the nation’s criminal justice system.
The new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also finds there is strong support for penalizing officers who engage in racially biased policing. Americans are more likely now than five years ago to say that police violence against the public is a very serious problem and that officers who cause injury or death on the job are treated too leniently.
“For me, as a Black person, I’m like, this has been happening,” said Kevin Richardson, 38, of Charlotte, North Carolina. “We should’ve been knowing it, we should’ve been seeing this and so now what’s happened is, I’ll be honest, white people are seeing it and saying, ‘This is wrong.'”
The survey of American adults took place after weeks of mass demonstrations against police violence and calls from some politicians and activists to “defund” departments in response to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in custody after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
Americans are largely united behind the idea that action is required: 29% think the criminal justice system needs “a complete overhaul,” 40% say it needs “major changes,” and 25% say it needs “minor changes.” Just 5% believe no changes are necessary.
Megan Pecknold, 33, of Spokane, Washington, said the protests have forced her to think about these issues in a way she had the luxury, as a white person, of previously ignoring.
“I had never really given much thought to police use of force. I’m white. I’ve never had a bad encounter with a police officer,” she said. “The last few months have brought to light more of this for me, and now I am educating myself.”
Nearly 6 in 10 Black Americans think the criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul, compared with about a quarter of white Americans who said the same. About 4 in 10 white Americans say major changes are needed; 3 in 10 prefer minor changes.
While Democrats are more likely than Republicans to think the system needs an overhaul, 44% to 12%, Americans across party lines are nearly unanimous in thinking at least some change is necessary. Another 44% of Democrats think major changes are necessary. Among Republicans, 34% call for major changes and 47% for minor changes.
The poll finds overwhelming support for changes in how police departments operate: requiring officers to wear body cameras, establishing clear standards for use of force, prosecuting officers who use excessive force, and requiring officers to report misconduct by their peers.
Despite their popularity, body cameras have not always proved to be the fix reformers hoped. But Kimberly Jones, 52, of New York City, said they are at the top of her list.
“You need more seeing what’s going on as they’re pulling up on people,” she said. “You need to know from the start so you can stop something bad from happening.”
Majorities of Democrats and Republicans alike strongly support establishing clear standards for use of force, requiring officers to wear video cameras and requiring officers to report misconduct by their peers. There also is bipartisan support for prosecuting officers who use excessive force and penalizing officers for racially biased policing, though more Democrats than Republicans intensely favor these policies.
Brian Bernard, 54, a Republican and retired IT worker from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said the bystander video of Floyd’s death was like watching a “9-minute murder.” But he said the problem is one of a bad cop, not a bad system. Banning chokeholds or requiring retraining won’t make a bad officer better, he said.
“Democrats and liberals seem to have a problem of only fixing symptoms,” he said. “They can never see the actual problem, and the problem is just a bad cop.”
While chants of “defund the police” have become a rallying cry at some protests, the survey found that only 25% of Americans favor reducing law enforcement funding. Democrats are somewhat more likely to support than oppose doing so, 41% to 33%, while Republicans are overwhelming opposed.
Bob Haines, 75, a pilot from Oklahoma City who supports Donald Trump, said he thinks police officers do an excellent job.
“Just like in my profession, most of us do a good job, but there are a few bad pilots,” Haines said. “A couple of incidents have happened, and all of a sudden the sky’s falling, you know?”
Democrats and Republicans divide on whether the justice system should reduce the focus on policing and prosecuting low-level offenses, with 63% of Democrats and 30% of Republicans in favor. Overall, Americans are more likely to be in favor than opposed, 46% to 25%.
To prevent police violence, most Americans also favor requiring all officers to participate in more extensive racial bias training. Majorities of Americans think that police are more likely to use deadly force against a Black person and that Black Americans are generally treated less fairly by police.
Peckhold, who favors moderate changes in the criminal justice system, said those changes should be targeted at chipping away at systemic racist behavior.
“I don’t think Americans really understand how police are taught these tactics to begin with,” she said. “Understanding the details more will help us make smarter changes.”
___
The AP-NORC poll of 1,301 adults was conducted June 11-15 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.


shareblue--2020-06-23--Trump threatens to jail people for 10 years for removing racist statues

Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened arrest and harsh punishment for protesters who deface or destroy monuments .
`` I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument , statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison , per the Veteran 's Memorial Preservation Act , or such other laws that may be pertinent , '' Trump tweeted Tuesday morning .
`` This action is taken effective immediately , but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused .
There will be no exceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators in Washington , D.C. , tried to take down a statue of Andrew Jackson .
The seventh president of the United States , Jackson was a wealthy pro-slavery populist who signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830 , used to force Native Americans from their land .
Trump has also condemned protesters for calling for the removal of monuments to Confederate figures across the country .
Calls for the removal of monuments to Confederate soldiers and other racist memorials are not new .
However , they have increased along with racial justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the hands of white police officers .
And the statues are now coming down .
Memorials to Confederate figures have been toppled across the country .
Congress is considering changing the names of military bases named after Confederates .
Statues of Christopher Columbus are also being targeted for removal .
Trump has been criticized and accused of racism for saying that removing the monuments and renaming the bases would remove `` part of a Great American Heritage . ''
Last week , after protesters in Washington , D.C. , toppled a statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted his outrage .
`` The D.C. Police are not doing their job as they watch a statue be ripped down & burn .
These people should be immediately arrested .
A disgrace to our Country ! ''
Trump tweeted .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened arrest and harsh punishment for protesters who deface or destroy monuments.
“I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent,” Trump tweeted Tuesday morning. “This action is taken effective immediately, but may also be used retroactively for destruction or vandalism already caused. There will be no exceptions!”
Trump’s threat came after demonstrators in Washington, D.C., tried to take down a statue of Andrew Jackson. The seventh president of the United States, Jackson was a wealthy pro-slavery populist who signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, used to force Native Americans from their land.
Trump reveres Jackson.
Trump has also condemned protesters for calling for the removal of monuments to Confederate figures across the country.
Calls for the removal of monuments to Confederate soldiers and other racist memorials are not new. However, they have increased along with racial justice protests of the deaths of Black people at the hands of white police officers.
And the statues are now coming down.
Memorials to Confederate figures have been toppled across the country. Congress is considering changing the names of military bases named after Confederates.
Statues of Christopher Columbus are also being targeted for removal.
Trump has been criticized and accused of racism for saying that removing the monuments and renaming the bases would remove “part of a Great American Heritage.”
Last week, after protesters in Washington, D.C., toppled a statue of Confederate Gen. Albert Pike, Trump tweeted his outrage.
“The D.C. Police are not doing their job as they watch a statue be ripped down & burn. These people should be immediately arrested. A disgrace to our Country!” Trump tweeted.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


Cartoon: TikTok Agitators

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

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


shareblue--2020-06-23--Former prosecutor to testify Barr intervened in case of Trump pal to please Trump

A career federal prosecutor will testify on Wednesday that Attorney General William Barr explicitly intervened in the sentencing of Donald Trump associate Roger Stone on Trump 's behalf — a bombshell allegation that comes amid investigations into political interference at the Department of Justice .
Stone was convicted in federal court in November 2019 on all seven counts of the indictment against him , including obstruction of justice , witness tampering , and lying to Congress .
Aaron Zelinsky , a former prosecutor on Stone 's case , will tell the House Judiciary Committee in a hearing on Wednesday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other defendant because of his relationship to the president . ''
Zelinsky resigned from the Stone case in November 2019 after Barr intervened to recommend a lighter sentence after prosecutors had sent their recommendation according to established guidelines .
Trump had publicly criticized the proposed sentence .
Hours after that criticism , the department announced it was going to recommend a shorter sentence for Stone , leading Zelinsky and three other prosecutors to withdraw from the case .
`` In the many cases I have been privileged to work on in my career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play any role in prosecutorial decision making .
With one exception : United States v. Roger Stone , '' Zelinsky will tell the committee .
According to prepared testimony released by the Judiciary Committee , Zelinsky will tell the hearing : `` I was explicitly told that the motivation for changing the sentencing memo was political , and because the U.S. Attorney was 'afraid of the President . '
'' The focus of the hearing is `` political interference and threats to prosecutorial independence '' at the Justice Department .
Zelinsky , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigators into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election , is one of two people who have been subpoenaed to testify before the committee ; the other is John Elias , an official of the Justice Department 's antitrust division .
Barr has intervened in a number of Justice Department matters to force decisions favorable to Trump .
He lied about the contents of Mueller 's report on Russian interference and spun the contents to appear more favorable to Trump .
He backed up Trump 's baseless claims that the Mueller investigation was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that allegation was false .
Barr has also bolstered Trump 's debunked allegation that former President Barack Obama spied on Trump 's 2016 campaign .
He also intervened to get the department to drop charges against Trump 's former national security adviser , Michael Flynn , who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI .
And just last week he fired a U.S. attorney who was investigating Trump ally Rudy Giuliani and looking into allegations of misconduct in Trump 's inaugural committee .
Democrats and former Justice Department employees , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Judiciary Committee hearing on political interference at the Department of Justice will be held at noon EDT on Wednesday .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

A career federal prosecutor will testify on Wednesday that Attorney General William Barr explicitly intervened in the sentencing of Donald Trump associate Roger Stone on Trump’s behalf — a bombshell allegation that comes amid investigations into political interference at the Department of Justice.
Stone was convicted in federal court in November 2019 on all seven counts of the indictment against him, including obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and lying to Congress.
Aaron Zelinsky, a former prosecutor on Stone’s case, will tell the House Judiciary Committee in a hearing on Wednesday that Stone was “treated differently from any other defendant because of his relationship to the president.”
Zelinsky resigned from the Stone case in November 2019 after Barr intervened to recommend a lighter sentence after prosecutors had sent their recommendation according to established guidelines.
Trump had publicly criticized the proposed sentence.
Hours after that criticism, the department announced it was going to recommend a shorter sentence for Stone, leading Zelinsky and three other prosecutors to withdraw from the case.
“In the many cases I have been privileged to work on in my career, I have never seen political influence play any role in prosecutorial decision making. With one exception: United States v. Roger Stone,” Zelinsky will tell the committee.
According to prepared testimony released by the Judiciary Committee, Zelinsky will tell the hearing: “I was explicitly told that the motivation for changing the sentencing memo was political, and because the U.S. Attorney was ‘afraid of the President.'”
The focus of the hearing is “political interference and threats to prosecutorial independence” at the Justice Department.
Zelinsky, who worked on Robert Mueller’s team of investigators into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, is one of two people who have been subpoenaed to testify before the committee; the other is John Elias, an official of the Justice Department’s antitrust division.
Barr has intervened in a number of Justice Department matters to force decisions favorable to Trump.
He lied about the contents of Mueller’s report on Russian interference and spun the contents to appear more favorable to Trump. He backed up Trump’s baseless claims that the Mueller investigation was illegitimate, even though his own department said that allegation was false.
Barr has also bolstered Trump’s debunked allegation that former President Barack Obama spied on Trump’s 2016 campaign.
He also intervened to get the department to drop charges against Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
And just last week he fired a U.S. attorney who was investigating Trump ally Rudy Giuliani and looking into allegations of misconduct in Trump’s inaugural committee.
Democrats and former Justice Department employees, have called on Barr to resign.
The House Judiciary Committee hearing on political interference at the Department of Justice will be held at noon EDT on Wednesday.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.