shareblue--2020-06-14--McEnany's mission: Defend Trump no matter what

He summoned her , after all , to be his fourth White House press secretary and to his side last week at the steps of St. John 's Church after the military forcefully cleared away peaceful protesters .
Everything around them spoke of faith and the nation 's suffering : the boarded-up `` church of presidents '' and the Bible in Trump 's hand .
The pepper spray in the air .
The crucifix , peeking out from McEnany 's collar .
But Trump did not speak of spirituality or the health and racial crises wracking the country he leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest country in the world '' would come back on his watch .
At Trump 's left , McEnany gave a nod and did not budge until he did , confirming that while she 's got a new title , she serves a familiar role as Trump 's most visible political advocate .
`` In past White Houses , it was possible to reliably distinguish the transcript of a statement by the White House press secretary from that of the spokesperson for that president 's reelection campaign , '' said Kathleen Hall Jamieson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center at the University of Pennsylvania .
`` It is increasingly difficult to do so . ''
With poise and preparation , McEnany has made clear from her first briefing that she 's willing to defend her boss 's view of himself as well as his most flagrant misstatements .
In exchange , she frequently cites her proximity to Trump — the coin of the realm in Washington — as evidence that she can speak credibly to his thinking and intent .
`` I 'm around the president , '' she told reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always to give truthful information to the American people . ''
And to punch back .
When his photo op at St. John 's Church generated condemnations even from some Republicans , Trump rumbled on Twitter that his critics `` got it wrong ! ''
`` People liked my walk to this historic place of worship ! ''
he tweeted in part .
A day later , McEnany filled in the `` why . ''
It was , McEnany suggested , a `` leadership moment '' akin to Winston Churchill 's famed inspections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Like Churchill , we saw him inspecting the bombing damage and it sent a powerful message of leadership to the British people , '' she said .
Trump holding up the Bible , she added , `` was a very important symbol for the American people to see that we will get through this , through unity and through faith . ''
The separation between White House press secretary and campaign spokesperson is traditionally rooted in the idea that taxpayers should not pay the salary of a political advocate .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell the president 's story in the most advantageous way possible , including by `` telling the truth slowly , '' as Mike McCurry , President Bill Clinton 's spokesman , wryly described the job .
For presidents , there 's always a reelection at stake — if not theirs , then their allies ' on Capitol Hill and elsewhere .
But the truth is always presumed to be part of the press secretary 's message .
`` As White House press secretary you 're going to spin , you 're going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light , you 're going to kick aside questions that you do n't want to answer , '' McCurry said in an interview .
`` But at the same time , people have to have some reliance that they 're getting accurate information when it really counts . ''
During a testy exchange with reporters last month over Trump 's false claims about voter fraud , McEnany also showed how she 's polished up and systemized Trump 's fondness for casting himself as a victim of a hostile and biased media .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject-changing practice known as `` whataboutism . ''
Asked about Twitter 's move to fact check Trump 's tweets , McEnany flipped through her briefing book and recited prepared examples of mistakes made by prominent news outlets .
`` So if anyone needs to be fact-checked , '' McEnany concluded , `` I think it should be the media . ''
McEnany , 32 , is an alumnus of Catholic school in Tampa , Florida , the University of Miami , and Harvard Law Schools , and was a familiar face on CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also an author .
The dedication of her 2018 book , `` The New American Revolution : The Making of a Populist Movement , '' reveals another influence : the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 .
The book is dedicated in part to Rachel Scott , a Christian and the first person murdered there .
In the dedication , McEnany thanks Scott for `` making the faith my parents had taught me real in my own life . ''
She also writes of the effect that images from Columbine had on her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the day that I saw evil and realized that it was alive in the world . ''
McEnany 's approach has won plaudits from Trump and his staff , according to three aides and Republicans close to the White House who spoke on condition to discuss internal matters .
She and communications director Alyssa Farah were brought in by new chief of staff Mark Meadows , who wanted to bolster the press shop after it flagged under press secretary Stephanie Grisham .
Trump signed off , having admired McEnany 's work on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was eager for a more robust press operation to defend him .
With her camera-ready appearance , McEnany has told aides that she wanted to both defend Trump on TV and also emulate the tenure of Sarah Sanders , who had close access to Trump and became one of his most trusted advisers .
McEnany meets with Trump more than a dozen times a day .
Some White House officials believe that McEnany has a strong feel for Trump 's base and , unlike others who have worked in the West Wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a more conventional chief executive .
McEnany also keeps an eye on the politics .
For example , Trump initially signaled his support for Georgia reopening its economy in April , only to be talked out of it by Dr. Deborah Birx , the coronavirus task force coordinator .
When Trump prepared to brief the press a short time later , McEnany urged him to be tough on Georgia , saying he did not want to be associated with any rise in infections , according to one of the officials .
Aides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to improve the responsiveness of the press shop but also sees the job — and particularly the briefings — as an attempt to go on offense .
That means not just pushing the White House perspective , but also at times criticizing news coverage and individual reporters .
McEnany declined to comment .
But Meadows sang her praises .
`` No one is ever better prepared to handle a wide range of questions at any given time , '' he said .

Kayleigh McEnany is standing with Donald Trump.
He summoned her, after all, to be his fourth White House press secretary and to his side last week at the steps of St. John’s Church after the military forcefully cleared away peaceful protesters. Everything around them spoke of faith and the nation’s suffering: the boarded-up “church of presidents” and the Bible in Trump’s hand. The pepper spray in the air. The crucifix, peeking out from McEnany’s collar.
But Trump did not speak of spirituality or the health and racial crises wracking the country he leads. He instead promised that “the greatest country in the world” would come back on his watch. At Trump’s left, McEnany gave a nod and did not budge until he did, confirming that while she’s got a new title, she serves a familiar role as Trump’s most visible political advocate.
“In past White Houses, it was possible to reliably distinguish the transcript of a statement by the White House press secretary from that of the spokesperson for that president’s reelection campaign,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “It is increasingly difficult to do so.”
With poise and preparation, McEnany has made clear from her first briefing that she’s willing to defend her boss’s view of himself as well as his most flagrant misstatements. In exchange, she frequently cites her proximity to Trump — the coin of the realm in Washington — as evidence that she can speak credibly to his thinking and intent.
“I’m around the president,” she told reporters last month. “His intent is always to give truthful information to the American people.”
And to punch back. When his photo op at St. John’s Church generated condemnations even from some Republicans, Trump rumbled on Twitter that his critics “got it wrong!”
“People liked my walk to this historic place of worship!” he tweeted in part.
A day later, McEnany filled in the “why.” It was, McEnany suggested, a “leadership moment” akin to Winston Churchill’s famed inspections of bomb-damaged London during World War II.
“Like Churchill, we saw him inspecting the bombing damage and it sent a powerful message of leadership to the British people,” she said. Trump holding up the Bible, she added, “was a very important symbol for the American people to see that we will get through this, through unity and through faith.”
The Churchillian comparison elicited some ridicule.
The separation between White House press secretary and campaign spokesperson is traditionally rooted in the idea that taxpayers should not pay the salary of a political advocate. In fact, all White House press secretaries tell the president’s story in the most advantageous way possible, including by “telling the truth slowly,” as Mike McCurry, President Bill Clinton’s spokesman, wryly described the job. For presidents, there’s always a reelection at stake — if not theirs, then their allies’ on Capitol Hill and elsewhere.
But the truth is always presumed to be part of the press secretary’s message.
“As White House press secretary you’re going to spin, you’re going to present the president in the best possible light, you’re going to kick aside questions that you don’t want to answer,” McCurry said in an interview. “But at the same time, people have to have some reliance that they’re getting accurate information when it really counts.”
During a testy exchange with reporters last month over Trump’s false claims about voter fraud, McEnany also showed how she’s polished up and systemized Trump’s fondness for casting himself as a victim of a hostile and biased media. And she’s added new dimension to the subject-changing practice known as “whataboutism.”
Asked about Twitter’s move to fact check Trump’s tweets, McEnany flipped through her briefing book and recited prepared examples of mistakes made by prominent news outlets.
“So if anyone needs to be fact-checked,” McEnany concluded, “I think it should be the media.”
McEnany, 32, is an alumnus of Catholic school in Tampa, Florida, the University of Miami, and Harvard Law Schools, and was a familiar face on CNN as a conservative commentator. She’s also an author. The dedication of her 2018 book, “The New American Revolution: The Making of a Populist Movement,” reveals another influence: the Columbine High School massacre in 1999.
The book is dedicated in part to Rachel Scott, a Christian and the first person murdered there. In the dedication, McEnany thanks Scott for “making the faith my parents had taught me real in my own life.” She also writes of the effect that images from Columbine had on her, at age 11: “It was the day that I saw evil and realized that it was alive in the world.”
McEnany’s approach has won plaudits from Trump and his staff, according to three aides and Republicans close to the White House who spoke on condition to discuss internal matters.
She and communications director Alyssa Farah were brought in by new chief of staff Mark Meadows, who wanted to bolster the press shop after it flagged under press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Trump signed off, having admired McEnany’s work on TV and for his reelection campaign. Trump was eager for a more robust press operation to defend him. With her camera-ready appearance, McEnany has told aides that she wanted to both defend Trump on TV and also emulate the tenure of Sarah Sanders, who had close access to Trump and became one of his most trusted advisers.
McEnany meets with Trump more than a dozen times a day. Some White House officials believe that McEnany has a strong feel for Trump’s base and, unlike others who have worked in the West Wing, does not try to reshape Trump into a more conventional chief executive.
McEnany also keeps an eye on the politics. For example, Trump initially signaled his support for Georgia reopening its economy in April, only to be talked out of it by Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus task force coordinator. When Trump prepared to brief the press a short time later, McEnany urged him to be tough on Georgia, saying he did not want to be associated with any rise in infections, according to one of the officials.
Aides have pointed out that she is trying to improve the responsiveness of the press shop but also sees the job — and particularly the briefings — as an attempt to go on offense. That means not just pushing the White House perspective, but also at times criticizing news coverage and individual reporters.
McEnany declined to comment. But Meadows sang her praises.
“No one is ever better prepared to handle a wide range of questions at any given time,” he said.


shareblue--2020-06-14--Black Lives Matter: 'One of the most brilliant and creative phrases of our generation'

For much of its seven-year existence , the Black Lives Matter movement has been seen by many Americans as a divisive , even radical force .
Its very name enraged its foes , who countered with the slogans `` Blue Lives Matter '' and the racist `` All Lives Matter . ''
Times have changed — dramatically so — as evidenced during the wave of protests sparked by George Floyd 's death at the hands of Minneapolis police .
Black Lives Matter has gone mainstream — and black activists are carefully assessing how they should respond .
A few examples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romney , a Republican stalwart , joined a Black Lives Matter march .
Some NASCAR drivers , whose fan base includes legions of conservative whites , embraced the phrase .
So did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell , baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and executives of all 30 major league teams .
The mayor of Washington ordered the words painted in large letters on a street near the White House .
Now , Black Lives Matter Plaza turns up in driving directions from Google Maps .
Like many black activists , Sakira Cook is pleased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She and others worry that businesses and politicians will hijack the slogan without any real commitment to doing the hard work needed to fight racism .
`` Black Lives Matter is not just a rallying cry , '' said Cook , director of the Justice Reform Program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .
`` It actually means you have to start to interrogate the systemic racism and inequalities that exist in our society and help to dismantle them .
You must make sure you 're not co-opting this for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lives Matter movement emerged amid anger over the acquittal of George Zimmerman , the Florida man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012 .
As a slogan , `` Black lives matter '' soon became as widely heard at protests as `` No justice , no peace . ''
Nationally , the phrase was praised for its clarity and attacked as strident and hostile toward police .
But support grew as the list of slain black people got longer : Eric Garner , Michael Brown , Freddie Gray , Walter Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` When we started Black Lives Matter , it was really to have a larger conversation around this country about its relationship to black people , '' said Patrisse Cullors , one of three black women who founded the Black Lives Matter Global Network , with chapters throughout the United States and in Britain and Canada .
`` What keeps happening , time and time again , is we 're witnessing black people die on camera , and there is little to no accountability . ''
While large donations poured into the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , prominent figures within the movement were subjected to years of rebukes and threats from police , their unions and elected officials .
Cullors said she and others were dismissed as too militant to be taken seriously by many of the individuals and corporations in the mainstream that now embrace their message .
In 2018 , news reports revealed that the FBI 's counterterrorism division had begun tracking anti-police threats from black activists in the wake of deadly ambushes on police officers in New York , Texas and Louisiana .
Many Black Lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Cointelpro era , when the FBI illegally conducted surveillance and sabotage against civil rights groups and other organizations suspected of having links to the Communist Party in the 1950s and '60s .
Today , the Black Lives Matter movement boasts a following of millions across social media platforms .
A coalition known as the Movement for Black Lives , formed in 2014 , now includes more than 150 affiliate organizations that have organized around such causes as defunding police departments and reinvesting in struggling black communities .
Its agenda focuses heavily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of force and the punishment of rogue officers .
The movement is also pressing to erase economic inequality and disparities in education and health care .
`` There are hundreds of thousands of black visionaries around the world that are doing the work that people keep saying , 'Oh , that 's never going to happen .
... Not in this lifetime , ' '' Cullors said .
`` And look what happened .
Something gets unlocked , and because we 've already laid the seeds , we 've already had the conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bear the fruit . ''
Although the current surge of support for the movement is vindicating , it 's not sufficient to realize the original vision , Cullors said .
Malik Shabazz , president of Black Lawyers for Justice , praised `` Black lives matter '' as `` one of the most brilliant and creative phrases of our generation , '' one that has won acceptance well beyond the movement .
`` There 's a danger it will become co-opted and mainstreamed , '' he said .
`` But right now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people are using it . ''
Shabazz said it is important for black people to remain at the forefront of the movement , even as more Americans of other races voice support .
`` It 's up to us that we do n't get happy with a couple of weeks of protest and demonstrations , '' he said .
`` This is a good start .
We just have to dig in and stay for the long haul.
`` Khalilah Brown-Dean , a political science professor at Quinnipiac University who has written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said uttering the slogan is easy .
What comes next matters more .
`` It 's much more important for public officials and policymakers to inculcate that belief into the very fabric of how they lead and govern , '' she said .
`` Painting a street , marching in a rally , or wearing kente cloth are only useful if these symbolic acts translate into substantive action . ''
The counter-slogans that emerged in 2014-15 — `` Blue Lives Matter '' and `` All Lives Matter '' — have surfaced only sporadically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a Blue Lives Matter rally in Las Vegas were scrapped after the city 's police department refused to help promote it .
`` All Lives Matter , '' from the start , angered some black activists who said it minimized the entrenched racism faced by black people .
Last week , longtime Sacramento Kings TV broadcaster Grant Napear resigned after tweeting `` ALL LIVES MATTER '' when asked his opinion on the Black Lives Matter movement .
On Saturday , the top editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer resigned amid a furor over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

For much of its seven-year existence, the Black Lives Matter movement has been seen by many Americans as a divisive, even radical force. Its very name enraged its foes, who countered with the slogans “Blue Lives Matter” and the racist “All Lives Matter.”
Times have changed — dramatically so — as evidenced during the wave of protests sparked by George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Black Lives Matter has gone mainstream — and black activists are carefully assessing how they should respond.
A few examples of the changed landscape:
Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican stalwart, joined a Black Lives Matter march. Some NASCAR drivers, whose fan base includes legions of conservative whites, embraced the phrase. So did NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and executives of all 30 major league teams. The mayor of Washington ordered the words painted in large letters on a street near the White House. Now, Black Lives Matter Plaza turns up in driving directions from Google Maps.
Like many black activists, Sakira Cook is pleased by such developments but also cautious. She and others worry that businesses and politicians will hijack the slogan without any real commitment to doing the hard work needed to fight racism.
“Black Lives Matter is not just a rallying cry,” said Cook, director of the Justice Reform Program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
“It actually means you have to start to interrogate the systemic racism and inequalities that exist in our society and help to dismantle them. You must make sure you’re not co-opting this for your own purposes.”
The Black Lives Matter movement emerged amid anger over the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the Florida man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012.
As a slogan, “Black lives matter” soon became as widely heard at protests as “No justice, no peace.”
Nationally, the phrase was praised for its clarity and attacked as strident and hostile toward police. But support grew as the list of slain black people got longer: Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, Walter Scott, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile.
“When we started Black Lives Matter, it was really to have a larger conversation around this country about its relationship to black people,” said Patrisse Cullors, one of three black women who founded the Black Lives Matter Global Network, with chapters throughout the United States and in Britain and Canada. “What keeps happening, time and time again, is we’re witnessing black people die on camera, and there is little to no accountability.”
While large donations poured into the new, loose-knit group of black-led grassroots organizations, prominent figures within the movement were subjected to years of rebukes and threats from police, their unions and elected officials.
Cullors said she and others were dismissed as too militant to be taken seriously by many of the individuals and corporations in the mainstream that now embrace their message.
In 2018, news reports revealed that the FBI’s counterterrorism division had begun tracking anti-police threats from black activists in the wake of deadly ambushes on police officers in New York, Texas and Louisiana. Many Black Lives Matter activists feared it was a repeat of the Cointelpro era, when the FBI illegally conducted surveillance and sabotage against civil rights groups and other organizations suspected of having links to the Communist Party in the 1950s and ’60s.
Today, the Black Lives Matter movement boasts a following of millions across social media platforms. A coalition known as the Movement for Black Lives, formed in 2014, now includes more than 150 affiliate organizations that have organized around such causes as defunding police departments and reinvesting in struggling black communities.
Its agenda focuses heavily on overhauling police training, the use of force and the punishment of rogue officers. The movement is also pressing to erase economic inequality and disparities in education and health care.
“There are hundreds of thousands of black visionaries around the world that are doing the work that people keep saying, ‘Oh, that’s never going to happen. … Not in this lifetime,'” Cullors said. “And look what happened. Something gets unlocked, and because we’ve already laid the seeds, we’ve already had the conversations, the people doing the work get to bear the fruit.”
Although the current surge of support for the movement is vindicating, it’s not sufficient to realize the original vision, Cullors said.
Malik Shabazz, president of Black Lawyers for Justice, praised “Black lives matter” as “one of the most brilliant and creative phrases of our generation,” one that has won acceptance well beyond the movement.
“There’s a danger it will become co-opted and mainstreamed,” he said. “But right now, anyone in our struggle would be happy more people are using it.”
Shabazz said it is important for black people to remain at the forefront of the movement, even as more Americans of other races voice support.
“It’s up to us that we don’t get happy with a couple of weeks of protest and demonstrations,” he said. “This is a good start. We just have to dig in and stay for the long haul. ”
Khalilah Brown-Dean, a political science professor at Quinnipiac University who has written about inequality and criminal justice reform, said uttering the slogan is easy. What comes next matters more.
“It’s much more important for public officials and policymakers to inculcate that belief into the very fabric of how they lead and govern,” she said. “Painting a street, marching in a rally, or wearing kente cloth are only useful if these symbolic acts translate into substantive action.”
The counter-slogans that emerged in 2014-15 — “Blue Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter” — have surfaced only sporadically in the past two weeks. Plans for a Blue Lives Matter rally in Las Vegas were scrapped after the city’s police department refused to help promote it.
“All Lives Matter,” from the start, angered some black activists who said it minimized the entrenched racism faced by black people.
Last week, longtime Sacramento Kings TV broadcaster Grant Napear resigned after tweeting “ALL LIVES MATTER” when asked his opinion on the Black Lives Matter movement. On Saturday, the top editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer resigned amid a furor over the headline “Buildings Matter, Too.”


shareblue--2020-06-15--House investigators demand to know which companies got coronavirus loans

A House subcommittee investigating billions of dollars in coronavirus aid is demanding that the Trump administration and some of the nation 's largest banks turn over detailed information about companies that applied for and received federal loans intended for small businesses .
The requests Monday came after Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin told Congress last week that the names of loan recipients and the amounts disbursed as part of the $ 600 billion-plus Paycheck Protection Program are `` proprietary information '' and do not have to be made public .
Democrats say there is nothing proprietary or confidential about businesses receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask the banks , Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration for a complete list of applicants for loans , whether they were approved and details on the guidance Treasury has issued .
The subcommittee is also asking for communications between the government and the banks .
Democrats say they are not receiving enough information about the loan disbursements and fear the Treasury Department has favored large , well-funded companies over smaller businesses in underserved communities .
In the letters , the Democrats on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure that remaining PPP funds are allocated to those businesses truly in need . ''
In the letter to Mnuchin and Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza , the Democrats urged more transparency `` so American taxpayers can understand whether federal funds are helping vulnerable businesses and saving jobs , or are being diverted due to waste , fraud , and abuse . ''
The committee , which is headed by Rep. James Clyburn , D-S.C. , sent the letters to executives of some of the largest lenders in the program , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Bancorp , Bank of America , PNC Bank and Citigroup .
In the 10 weeks after the Paycheck Protection Program was launched , the SBA says it has processed 4.5 million loans worth $ 511 billion .
But it has yet to reveal the recipients of taxpayer aid .
The agency has only provided general information , such as the total amounts of loans awarded in a given time period .
The loans can be forgiven if businesses use the money to keep employees on payroll or rehire workers who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fargo says the San Francisco-based bank `` continues to work as quickly as possible to prepare and submit Paycheck Protection Program applications from our small business customers to the U.S. Small Business Administration . ''
As of May 31 , 168,000 PPP applications have received SBA guarantees through Wells Fargo totaling $ 10.2 billion , spokeswoman Jennifer Dunn said .
More than 80 % of funding is for companies with less than 10 employees and more than 50 % of the loans are for $ 25,000 or less , she said .
Louisiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 House Republican and the senior GOP member on the coronavirus subcommittee , said Democrats were `` asking questions that have already been answered , '' and trying to make that `` look like real oversight to hurt President Trump in an election year . ''
Lawmakers already know that financial institutions were able to process applications from existing clients more quickly than new clients because of vetting requirements under existing law , Scalise said .
The banking industry warned Congress this would happen before the program was approved , he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is working for American businesses , '' Scalise said .
`` It was designed to get money out the door and into workers ' paychecks quickly , and that 's what it has been doing . ''

A House subcommittee investigating billions of dollars in coronavirus aid is demanding that the Trump administration and some of the nation’s largest banks turn over detailed information about companies that applied for and received federal loans intended for small businesses.
The requests Monday came after Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin told Congress last week that the names of loan recipients and the amounts disbursed as part of the $600 billion-plus Paycheck Protection Program are “proprietary information” and do not have to be made public. Democrats say there is nothing proprietary or confidential about businesses receiving millions of taxpayer dollars.
The letters ask the banks, Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration for a complete list of applicants for loans, whether they were approved and details on the guidance Treasury has issued. The subcommittee is also asking for communications between the government and the banks.
Democrats say they are not receiving enough information about the loan disbursements and fear the Treasury Department has favored large, well-funded companies over smaller businesses in underserved communities. In the letters, the Democrats on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis request that the banks “take immediate steps to ensure that remaining PPP funds are allocated to those businesses truly in need.”
In the letter to Mnuchin and Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza, the Democrats urged more transparency “so American taxpayers can understand whether federal funds are helping vulnerable businesses and saving jobs, or are being diverted due to waste, fraud, and abuse.”
The committee, which is headed by Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., sent the letters to executives of some of the largest lenders in the program, including JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp, Bank of America, PNC Bank and Citigroup.
In the 10 weeks after the Paycheck Protection Program was launched, the SBA says it has processed 4.5 million loans worth $511 billion. But it has yet to reveal the recipients of taxpayer aid. The agency has only provided general information, such as the total amounts of loans awarded in a given time period.
The loans can be forgiven if businesses use the money to keep employees on payroll or rehire workers who have been laid off.
A spokeswoman for Wells Fargo says the San Francisco-based bank “continues to work as quickly as possible to prepare and submit Paycheck Protection Program applications from our small business customers to the U.S. Small Business Administration.”
As of May 31, 168,000 PPP applications have received SBA guarantees through Wells Fargo totaling $10.2 billion, spokeswoman Jennifer Dunn said. More than 80% of funding is for companies with less than 10 employees and more than 50% of the loans are for $25,000 or less, she said.
Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican and the senior GOP member on the coronavirus subcommittee, said Democrats were “asking questions that have already been answered,” and trying to make that “look like real oversight to hurt President Trump in an election year.”
Lawmakers already know that financial institutions were able to process applications from existing clients more quickly than new clients because of vetting requirements under existing law, Scalise said. The banking industry warned Congress this would happen before the program was approved, he added.
“The indisputable fact is that PPP is working for American businesses,” Scalise said. “It was designed to get money out the door and into workers’ paychecks quickly, and that’s what it has been doing.”


shareblue--2020-06-15--Supreme Court rejects Trump's attempt to throw out California immigration law

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration 's bid to throw out a California immigrant-sanctuary law that limits local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities .
The justices ' order leaves in place lower court rulings that upheld the law .
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voted to hear the administration 's appeal .
The administration said the 2017 state immigrant-sanctuary measure conflicts with federal immigration law and makes it harder to deport people who are in the country illegally .
California argued that encouraging local police to participate in federal immigration enforcement is counterproductive because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they believe they 'll be deported for doing so .
The case is at the heart of long-running tensions between the state and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement .
California adopted the measure — which bars local law enforcement from collaborating with immigration enforcement agents except in cases involving more serious crimes — shortly after Donald Trump took office and stepped up efforts to deport immigrants in the country without legal permission .
Local law enforcement was split on the law .
Some felt it tied their hands and allowed criminals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deported , while others welcomed being able to sever themselves from the administration 's immigration crackdown to preserve the trust of immigrant communities .
On Monday , California 's Attorney General Xavier Becerra said decisions concerning public safety are best made in California , not by the administration , and ensuring residents can trust police is critical .
`` The last thing we need to do is to erode that trust , '' Becerra said in a statement .
`` Today , America is experiencing the pain and protest that occurs when trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment was left for Immigration and Customs Enforcement .

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s bid to throw out a California immigrant-sanctuary law that limits local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The justices’ order leaves in place lower court rulings that upheld the law. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voted to hear the administration’s appeal.
The administration said the 2017 state immigrant-sanctuary measure conflicts with federal immigration law and makes it harder to deport people who are in the country illegally.
California argued that encouraging local police to participate in federal immigration enforcement is counterproductive because it makes people less likely to report crimes if they believe they’ll be deported for doing so.
The case is at the heart of long-running tensions between the state and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement. California adopted the measure — which bars local law enforcement from collaborating with immigration enforcement agents except in cases involving more serious crimes — shortly after Donald Trump took office and stepped up efforts to deport immigrants in the country without legal permission.
Local law enforcement was split on the law. Some felt it tied their hands and allowed criminals to re-offend who previously might have been deported, while others welcomed being able to sever themselves from the administration’s immigration crackdown to preserve the trust of immigrant communities.
On Monday, California’s Attorney General Xavier Becerra said decisions concerning public safety are best made in California, not by the administration, and ensuring residents can trust police is critical.
“The last thing we need to do is to erode that trust,” Becerra said in a statement. “Today, America is experiencing the pain and protest that occurs when trust is broken.”
A message seeking comment was left for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


shareblue--2020-06-15--Republicans like telemedicine now — just not for abortions

During the coronavirus pandemic , the GOP has been very open to increasing the availability of telemedicine , the practice of providing medical services via video or telephone rather than in person .
At the same time , it remains opposed to allowing people to receive medication abortion services via telemedicine .
Republicans across the board have backed telehealth expansion during the pandemic .
Trump even bragged about the expansion at a press briefing back in March .
Relaxing restrictions on the use of telemedicine even appears in the most recent Senate Republican version of a new COVID-19 economic stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell .
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services waived restrictions on reimbursing doctors for telehealth services starting on March 17 .
Previously , Medicare only paid for telemedicine when someone was in a `` designated rural area '' and went to a `` designated location '' — somewhere away from their home — to receive telemedicine .
Now , with restrictions waived , people everywhere who rely on Medicaid can take advantage of telemedicine to obtain vital health care without having to travel to a doctor 's office , which health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the coronavirus .
The GOP 's newfound acceptance of telehealth does not , however , extend to abortion .
Long before the pandemic , anti-abortion activists and state legislators had worked to ban telemedicine for the procedure .
Ohio 's GOP-controlled Senate passed such a ban earlier this year .
Late last year , Pennsylvania tried to enact comprehensive telehealth legislation , but state Republicans attached an amendment that would prohibit the use of telemedicine for abortion .
Seventeen other states have existing bans that require a clinician to be physically in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drug for a medication abortion .
The Guttmacher Institute , which examines reproductive health laws and policies , has said these laws are `` effectively banning the use of telehealth '' in those states .
Medication abortion is one of the safest medical procedures available .
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation , medication abortion has a complication rate of only 0.4 % and a mortality rate of only 0.00064 % .
In contrast , knee replacement has a complication rate of around 2 % .
States that do allow the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased access , and patients have been able to obtain abortions sooner than they would have otherwise .
In 2011 , Alaska and Hawaii started offering telemedicine abortions , and Guttmacher found this both increased patient choice and `` resulted in patients being seen sooner and closer to home . ''
The same is true for Iowa , which saw increased access to abortions when telehealth was offered .
Guttmacher reported that this was particularly true for people who lived over 50 miles away from the nearest clinic .
Access to telemedicine may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not required to travel to a distant clinic , they are not required to make multiple trips to a clinic in states with waiting periods , and they are not obliged to find child care during those trips .
And , of course , in-person visits present a special risk during the pandemic .
Eight states enacted or attempted to enact bans on abortion during the pandemic .
Litigation over the status of those bans led to confusion about access to the procedure .
As litigation continued back and forth , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to reports , it also likely resulted in people needing to travel out of state to obtain abortions .
A clinic in New Mexico saw a three- to four-fold increase in patients coming from Texas .
Clinics in Colorado and Nevada also saw an uptick in patients from Texas .
The ACLU points out that lengthy travel for abortions , coupled with the fact abortions later in pregnancy can cost significantly more , can entirely prevent people from getting an abortion .
Had telehealth procedures been more widely available during these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs associated with later abortions could possibly have been avoided .
The pandemic jump-started a shift to telehealth , one that can make a real difference in providing care to patients , particularly in rural areas .
Given that access to abortion can be difficult , with 89 % of counties having no abortion provider , allowing telehealth visits for medication abortions could reduce many of the costs and obstacles associated with obtaining an abortion later in pregnancy .
Published with permission of The American Independent .

During the coronavirus pandemic, the GOP has been very open to increasing the availability of telemedicine, the practice of providing medical services via video or telephone rather than in person.
At the same time, it remains opposed to allowing people to receive medication abortion services via telemedicine.
Republicans across the board have backed telehealth expansion during the pandemic. Trump even bragged about the expansion at a press briefing back in March.
Relaxing restrictions on the use of telemedicine even appears in the most recent Senate Republican version of a new COVID-19 economic stimulus bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services waived restrictions on reimbursing doctors for telehealth services starting on March 17.
Previously, Medicare only paid for telemedicine when someone was in a “designated rural area” and went to a “designated location” — somewhere away from their home — to receive telemedicine.
Now, with restrictions waived, people everywhere who rely on Medicaid can take advantage of telemedicine to obtain vital health care without having to travel to a doctor’s office, which health experts say could potentially increase their exposure to the coronavirus.
The GOP’s newfound acceptance of telehealth does not, however, extend to abortion.
Long before the pandemic, anti-abortion activists and state legislators had worked to ban telemedicine for the procedure. Ohio’s GOP-controlled Senate passed such a ban earlier this year. Late last year, Pennsylvania tried to enact comprehensive telehealth legislation, but state Republicans attached an amendment that would prohibit the use of telemedicine for abortion.
Seventeen other states have existing bans that require a clinician to be physically in the same room when giving a patient the drug for a medication abortion. The Guttmacher Institute, which examines reproductive health laws and policies, has said these laws are “effectively banning the use of telehealth” in those states.
Medication abortion is one of the safest medical procedures available. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, medication abortion has a complication rate of only 0.4% and a mortality rate of only 0.00064%. In contrast, knee replacement has a complication rate of around 2%.
States that do allow the use of telemedicine in medication abortions have seen increased access, and patients have been able to obtain abortions sooner than they would have otherwise. In 2011, Alaska and Hawaii started offering telemedicine abortions, and Guttmacher found this both increased patient choice and “resulted in patients being seen sooner and closer to home.”
The same is true for Iowa, which saw increased access to abortions when telehealth was offered. Guttmacher reported that this was particularly true for people who lived over 50 miles away from the nearest clinic.
Access to telemedicine may also decrease costs. Individuals needing care are not required to travel to a distant clinic, they are not required to make multiple trips to a clinic in states with waiting periods, and they are not obliged to find child care during those trips. And, of course, in-person visits present a special risk during the pandemic.
Eight states enacted or attempted to enact bans on abortion during the pandemic. Litigation over the status of those bans led to confusion about access to the procedure. As litigation continued back and forth, there were reports of clinics having weekslong backlogs.
According to reports, it also likely resulted in people needing to travel out of state to obtain abortions. A clinic in New Mexico saw a three- to four-fold increase in patients coming from Texas. Clinics in Colorado and Nevada also saw an uptick in patients from Texas.
The ACLU points out that lengthy travel for abortions, coupled with the fact abortions later in pregnancy can cost significantly more, can entirely prevent people from getting an abortion. Had telehealth procedures been more widely available during these bans, travel delays and the increased costs associated with later abortions could possibly have been avoided.
The pandemic jump-started a shift to telehealth, one that can make a real difference in providing care to patients, particularly in rural areas. Given that access to abortion can be difficult, with 89% of counties having no abortion provider, allowing telehealth visits for medication abortions could reduce many of the costs and obstacles associated with obtaining an abortion later in pregnancy.
Published with permission of The American Independent.


shareblue--2020-06-15--These generals fought against the US. Trump wants to keep honoring them.

As much as Donald Trump enjoys talking about winning and winners , the Confederate generals he vows will not have their names removed from U.S. military bases were not only on the losing side of rebellion against the United States , but some were n't even considered good generals .
The 10 generals include some who made costly battlefield blunders ; others mistreated captured Union soldiers ; some were slaveholders ; and one was linked to the Ku Klux Klan after the war .
Trump has dug in his heels on renaming , saying the bases that trained and deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become part of a Great American Heritage , a history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom . ''
However , there is growing support in the GOP-led Senate to remove the Confederate names and from former U.S. military leaders such as retired four-star Gen. David Petraeus , who wrote last week that the bases are named `` for those who took up arms against the United States , and for the right to enslave others . ''
Trump administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson , who is Black , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was done in post-war reconciliation efforts and to change them now would have `` exactly the opposite effect '' — and that society needs to stop looking for history to be offended by .
`` We have to recognize that we have a history and to try to hide that history is probably not a smart move , '' Carson told Chris Wallace on `` Fox News Sunday . ''
Long revered in much of the South , Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee has often been a flashpoint for opponents of honoring Confederates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of thousands of Americans on U.S. soil in some of the bloodiest fighting ever seen .
Trump paid tribute to Lee as `` a great general '' in an impromptu Civil War history lesson during a 2018 rally in Lebanon , Ohio , saying Abraham Lincoln developed `` a phobia '' about trying to defeat Lee before turning to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant of nearby Point Pleasant , Ohio , for success .
While Lee 's early victories put the Union Army on the defensive , his failure at the decisive battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disastrous Pickett 's Charge into Union fire , was the turning point of the war .
Lee has been portrayed in the South as a gentlemanly hero , but he had been a slaveholder in his native Virginia , and at least one of his former slaves testified that Lee had him whipped brutally .
Gen. Braxton Bragg , namesake of the famed North Carolina Army base , was also a slaveholder and an unpopular general who resigned his command after defeat in 1863 at Chattanooga .
On ABC 's `` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. James Lankford ( R-OK ) if it 's time to stop having military bases named after Confederate generals like Bragg .
Lankford indicated agreement , comparing it to names of schools and saying that children should be able to have their school 's namesake as a role model .
`` You would have that on a military base as well , '' Lankford said .
`` So , if you have a military base that is named after someone that actually rebelled against the United States government , then you would want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at that name .
That should be a pretty basic principle . ''
Gen. John Bell Hood , namesake of the Texas base , and his other commanders slept at Spring Hill , Tennessee , after a long day of mostly successful fighting in 1864 , allowing Union soldiers to get away on a road so close to the sleeping Confederates that some reportedly used the rebels ' campfires to light their pipes .
He followed with defeat at Franklin , Tennessee , and the late historian Shelby Foote wrote in `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` Hood had wrecked his army , top to bottom . ''
Gen. A.P .
Hill , namesake of a base in Virginia , was killed in battle in 1865 but is remembered for actions after the Battle of the Crater in 1864 , where some rebel troops were enraged by the North 's use of black units .
Some soldiers wrote letters describing rebels executing defenseless black soldiers .
Historians say Hill ordered white Union prisoners to be mixed with black soldiers to be paraded through the city of Petersburg to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia base namesake Gen. George Pickett , the big loser at Gettysburg , had 22 Union soldiers executed and later fled to Canada .
Gen. John Brown Gordon , an effective commander , became governor of Georgia after the war but was suspected of being a Klan leader in the state .
Some scholars of the South , such as history professor Ted Ownby , say it 's not clear how renaming the bases would play politically .
He said that people in the communities around the bases might take offense , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not as much fascination or identification with Confederate leaders as in older generations .
`` What Southern means and who Southerners are has expanded to be much more ... being Southern is n't rooted in support or respect for the Confederacy , '' said Ownby , of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi .

As much as Donald Trump enjoys talking about winning and winners, the Confederate generals he vows will not have their names removed from U.S. military bases were not only on the losing side of rebellion against the United States, but some weren’t even considered good generals.
The 10 generals include some who made costly battlefield blunders; others mistreated captured Union soldiers; some were slaveholders; and one was linked to the Ku Klux Klan after the war.
Trump has dug in his heels on renaming, saying the bases that trained and deployed heroes for two World Wars “have become part of a Great American Heritage, a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom.”
However, there is growing support in the GOP-led Senate to remove the Confederate names and from former U.S. military leaders such as retired four-star Gen. David Petraeus, who wrote last week that the bases are named “for those who took up arms against the United States, and for the right to enslave others.”
Trump administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, who is Black, said Sunday that naming bases after Confederate generals was done in post-war reconciliation efforts and to change them now would have “exactly the opposite effect” — and that society needs to stop looking for history to be offended by.
“We have to recognize that we have a history and to try to hide that history is probably not a smart move,” Carson told Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.”
Long revered in much of the South, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee has often been a flashpoint for opponents of honoring Confederates, who triggered a war that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans on U.S. soil in some of the bloodiest fighting ever seen.
Trump paid tribute to Lee as “a great general” in an impromptu Civil War history lesson during a 2018 rally in Lebanon, Ohio, saying Abraham Lincoln developed “a phobia” about trying to defeat Lee before turning to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant of nearby Point Pleasant, Ohio, for success.
While Lee’s early victories put the Union Army on the defensive, his failure at the decisive battle of Gettysburg in 1863, capped by the disastrous Pickett’s Charge into Union fire, was the turning point of the war.
Lee has been portrayed in the South as a gentlemanly hero, but he had been a slaveholder in his native Virginia, and at least one of his former slaves testified that Lee had him whipped brutally.
Gen. Braxton Bragg, namesake of the famed North Carolina Army base, was also a slaveholder and an unpopular general who resigned his command after defeat in 1863 at Chattanooga.
On ABC’s “This Week” Sunday, George Stephanopoulos asked Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) if it’s time to stop having military bases named after Confederate generals like Bragg.
Lankford indicated agreement, comparing it to names of schools and saying that children should be able to have their school’s namesake as a role model.
“You would have that on a military base as well,” Lankford said. “So, if you have a military base that is named after someone that actually rebelled against the United States government, then you would want to be able to go back and look at that name. That should be a pretty basic principle.”
Gen. John Bell Hood, namesake of the Texas base, and his other commanders slept at Spring Hill, Tennessee, after a long day of mostly successful fighting in 1864, allowing Union soldiers to get away on a road so close to the sleeping Confederates that some reportedly used the rebels’ campfires to light their pipes. He followed with defeat at Franklin, Tennessee, and the late historian Shelby Foote wrote in “The Civil War: A Narrative” that “Hood had wrecked his army, top to bottom.”
Gen. A.P. Hill, namesake of a base in Virginia, was killed in battle in 1865 but is remembered for actions after the Battle of the Crater in 1864, where some rebel troops were enraged by the North’s use of black units. Some soldiers wrote letters describing rebels executing defenseless black soldiers. Historians say Hill ordered white Union prisoners to be mixed with black soldiers to be paraded through the city of Petersburg to hear racist jeers from the townspeople.
Virginia base namesake Gen. George Pickett, the big loser at Gettysburg, had 22 Union soldiers executed and later fled to Canada. Gen. John Brown Gordon, an effective commander, became governor of Georgia after the war but was suspected of being a Klan leader in the state.
Some scholars of the South, such as history professor Ted Ownby, say it’s not clear how renaming the bases would play politically. He said that people in the communities around the bases might take offense, but that in today’s South, there’s not as much fascination or identification with Confederate leaders as in older generations.
“What Southern means and who Southerners are has expanded to be much more … being Southern isn’t rooted in support or respect for the Confederacy,” said Ownby, of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi.


shareblue--2020-06-15--Bolton agrees to tell-all interview on Trump after refusing to testify about him

During the impeachment investigation into Donald Trump 's conduct with Ukraine , Trump 's former national security adviser , John Bolton , refused to testify under oath about his knowledge of Trump 's actions .
At the time , Bolton said he needed a subpoena from the House Intelligence Committee to legally compel his testimony — which his lawyer then threatened to fight .
After the inquiry concluded and the House voted to impeach , Bolton then said he would be willing to testify during the Senate 's impeachment trial .
But Republicans blocked the Democratic impeachment managers from calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his knowledge of Trump 's interactions with Ukraine .
But on Monday , ABC News ' Martha Raddatz announced that she sat down with Bolton for an interview in which `` no question '' was `` off limits '' — blatantly contradicting Bolton 's previous claims that he needed a subpoena in order to publicly reveal any information he possessed about Trump 's conduct .
`` He 's the man the president does n't want you to hear , '' Raddatz tweeted , along with a photo showing Bolton speaking to her during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sat down with John Bolton , Pres .
Trump ’ s former trusted adviser , for an exclusive one-on-one interview—with no question off limits.Watch the special event Sunday at 9/8c on ABC . ''
Bolton has been roundly criticized for his behavior during Trump 's impeachment .
And those criticisms are once again surfacing as Bolton prepares to publish a tell-all about his time in the Trump administration — which he will be paid at least $ 2 million for .
`` Never forget : At the critical moment , John Bolton chose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving his country .
He now criticizes the Trump presidency .
In fact , he personifies everything wrong with it , '' Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney ( D-NY ) tweeted on Saturday .
According to Politico , Bolton 's book will make serious allegations against Trump , including that Trump committed multiple impeachable offenses similar to the Ukraine scheme .
Trump has tried to block Bolton 's book from being published , claiming Bolton included classified material .
While Bolton and his publisher have denied the book contains any classified material , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 in order to comb through the book one more time and allow the White House to review the manuscript once again before publishing .
The White House is set to return a manuscript with redactions by June 19 , four days before the book is slated for publication , the New York Times reported .
It 's unclear how much of the book the White House will demand to be redacted .
But ABC News reported that the Trump administration may again try and block the release of the book , possibly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
Rep. Mike Quigley ( D-IL ) , a member of the House Intelligence Committee that led the impeachment inquiry into Trump 's conduct , slammed Bolton for speaking freely in a book that will earn him a hefty paycheck but refusing to speak to Congress — where the information could 've made a difference in the impeachment proceedings .
`` At the time the country needed him most , and history will reflect , he chose to sell books , '' Quigley told Politico .
`` It was n't a question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he should talk about it .
It 's whether or not he should profit from talking about it .
Not exactly 'Profiles in Courage . '
'' Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

During the impeachment investigation into Donald Trump’s conduct with Ukraine, Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, refused to testify under oath about his knowledge of Trump’s actions.
At the time, Bolton said he needed a subpoena from the House Intelligence Committee to legally compel his testimony — which his lawyer then threatened to fight. After the inquiry concluded and the House voted to impeach, Bolton then said he would be willing to testify during the Senate’s impeachment trial. But Republicans blocked the Democratic impeachment managers from calling witnesses, and Bolton never publicly revealed his knowledge of Trump’s interactions with Ukraine.
But on Monday, ABC News’ Martha Raddatz announced that she sat down with Bolton for an interview in which “no question” was “off limits” — blatantly contradicting Bolton’s previous claims that he needed a subpoena in order to publicly reveal any information he possessed about Trump’s conduct.
“He’s the man the president doesn’t want you to hear,” Raddatz tweeted, along with a photo showing Bolton speaking to her during an on-camera interview. “I just sat down with John Bolton, Pres. Trump’s former trusted adviser, for an exclusive one-on-one interview—with no question off limits.Watch the special event Sunday at 9/8c on ABC.”
Bolton has been roundly criticized for his behavior during Trump’s impeachment. And those criticisms are once again surfacing as Bolton prepares to publish a tell-all about his time in the Trump administration — which he will be paid at least $2 million for.
“Never forget: At the critical moment, John Bolton chose to make millions for himself instead of serving his country. He now criticizes the Trump presidency. In fact, he personifies everything wrong with it,” Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) tweeted on Saturday.
According to Politico, Bolton’s book will make serious allegations against Trump, including that Trump committed multiple impeachable offenses similar to the Ukraine scheme.
Trump has tried to block Bolton’s book from being published, claiming Bolton included classified material. While Bolton and his publisher have denied the book contains any classified material, they delayed the March release date until June 23 in order to comb through the book one more time and allow the White House to review the manuscript once again before publishing.
The White House is set to return a manuscript with redactions by June 19, four days before the book is slated for publication, the New York Times reported.
It’s unclear how much of the book the White House will demand to be redacted. But ABC News reported that the Trump administration may again try and block the release of the book, possibly seeking an injunction from a court on Monday.
“This is a transparent attempt to use national security as a pretext to censor Mr. Bolton, in violation of his constitutional right to speak on matters of the utmost public import,” Bolton’s lawyer, Chuck Cooper, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. “This attempt will not succeed, and Mr. Bolton’s book will be published June 23.” Democrats say Bolton should’ve fought this hard when the House sought his testimony during the impeachment inquiry. Trump was impeached for his conduct with Ukraine, but Senate Republicans voted to acquit him.
Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), a member of the House Intelligence Committee that led the impeachment inquiry into Trump’s conduct, slammed Bolton for speaking freely in a book that will earn him a hefty paycheck but refusing to speak to Congress — where the information could’ve made a difference in the impeachment proceedings.
“At the time the country needed him most, and history will reflect, he chose to sell books,” Quigley told Politico. “It wasn’t a question in his mind of whether or not he should talk about it. It’s whether or not he should profit from talking about it. Not exactly ‘Profiles in Courage.'”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-15--FDA pulls authorization for Trump's unproven 'miracle' drug

The Food and Drug Administration this week pulled emergency use authorizations for two drugs Donald Trump touted as COVID-19 cures , despite evidence that they may lead to death or cause other health complications .
The FDA ended its emergency approvals for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine — two anti-malarial drugs being examined as possible treatments for the coronavirus — on Monday based on multiple tests .
According to Politico , the agency withdrew the authorizations `` after reviewing new information from large clinical trials '' that showed the drugs were largely ineffective .
`` Today 's request to revoke is based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data results , that have led [ the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ] to conclude that this drug may not be effective to treat COVID-19 [ Coronavirus Disease 2019 ] and that the drug 's potential benefits for such use do not outweigh its known and potential risks , '' FDA chief scientist Denise Hinton wrote in a letter Monday .
Under the emergency authorization , providers had temporarily been able to use the two medications in `` emergency situations '' without FDA approval .
As Politico noted , the FDA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency use authorizations , which some saw as `` caving to political pressure '' imposed by the Trump administration .
Trump himself has repeatedly touted the drugs ' effectiveness , ignoring concerns that they were ineffective or dangerous and suggesting they be used to treat COVID-19 patients .
`` HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN , taken together , have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine , '' Trump tweeted in March .
He praised the FDA 's emergency authorization , saying the agency `` has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In April , Trump recounted a conversation with a COVID-19 patient who said they felt better after taking hydroxychloroquine .
`` The way she spoke , '' Trump told reporters , `` it was like a miracle .
And this was not a fan of mine , but she 's a fan of my now . ''
Trump acknowledged that the drug was not a panacea , but urged people to try the unproven remedy regardless .
`` What do you have to lose ? ''
he asked at another event that month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a warning that the medication should not be used for COVID-19 out of hospital or clinical trial settings `` due to risk of heart rhythm problems . ''
That did not stop Trump from announcing in May that he was taking the hydroxychloroquine himself , as a prophylaxis .
`` I started taking it , because I think it 's good , '' he told reporters .
Three large studies have so far shown little benefit from the medication as a coronavirus treatment .
Several smaller studies have reached similar results .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Translational Science Institute , told Science Magazine at the time that Trump 's `` obsession '' with the drug was problematic .
`` It just seems like we are ignoring signal after signal , '' he said .
`` We ’ d be better off shifting our attention to drugs that might actually work . ''
Trump , for his part , has dismissed any negative studies of the drug as biased against him personally .
`` If you look at the one survey , the only bad survey , they were giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bad shape , they were very old , almost dead .
It was a Trump enemy statement , '' he said in May regarding a study of Veterans Administration hospital patients that showed more deaths among those who took the drug than those who did not .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

The Food and Drug Administration this week pulled emergency use authorizations for two drugs Donald Trump touted as COVID-19 cures, despite evidence that they may lead to death or cause other health complications.
The FDA ended its emergency approvals for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine — two anti-malarial drugs being examined as possible treatments for the coronavirus — on Monday based on multiple tests. According to Politico, the agency withdrew the authorizations “after reviewing new information from large clinical trials” that showed the drugs were largely ineffective.
“Today’s request to revoke is based on new information, including clinical trial data results, that have led [the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority] to conclude that this drug may not be effective to treat COVID-19 [Coronavirus Disease 2019] and that the drug’s potential benefits for such use do not outweigh its known and potential risks,” FDA chief scientist Denise Hinton wrote in a letter Monday.
Under the emergency authorization, providers had temporarily been able to use the two medications in “emergency situations” without FDA approval.
As Politico noted, the FDA had been criticized previously for allowing the emergency use authorizations, which some saw as “caving to political pressure” imposed by the Trump administration.
Trump himself has repeatedly touted the drugs’ effectiveness, ignoring concerns that they were ineffective or dangerous and suggesting they be used to treat COVID-19 patients.
“HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine,” Trump tweeted in March.
He praised the FDA’s emergency authorization, saying the agency “has moved mountains – Thank You!”
In April, Trump recounted a conversation with a COVID-19 patient who said they felt better after taking hydroxychloroquine. “The way she spoke,” Trump told reporters, “it was like a miracle. And this was not a fan of mine, but she’s a fan of my now.”
Trump acknowledged that the drug was not a panacea, but urged people to try the unproven remedy regardless. “What do you have to lose?” he asked at another event that month.
On April 24, the FDA issued a warning that the medication should not be used for COVID-19 out of hospital or clinical trial settings “due to risk of heart rhythm problems.”
That did not stop Trump from announcing in May that he was taking the hydroxychloroquine himself, as a prophylaxis. “I started taking it, because I think it’s good,” he told reporters.
Three large studies have so far shown little benefit from the medication as a coronavirus treatment. Several smaller studies have reached similar results.
Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, told Science Magazine at the time that Trump’s “obsession” with the drug was problematic.
“It just seems like we are ignoring signal after signal,” he said. “We’d be better off shifting our attention to drugs that might actually work.”
Trump, for his part, has dismissed any negative studies of the drug as biased against him personally.
“If you look at the one survey, the only bad survey, they were giving it to people that were in very bad shape, they were very old, almost dead. It was a Trump enemy statement,” he said in May regarding a study of Veterans Administration hospital patients that showed more deaths among those who took the drug than those who did not.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-15--GOP says people too easily 'offended' — while getting upset about 'Paw Patrol' jokes

Republican officials are offended that people are too easily offended .
But many of the same people are also offended by protests against racism .
In recent days , several GOP lawmakers have criticized decisions by media outlets to stop showing programs that lionize police officers or are based on racist stereotypes .
`` 'Live P.D . '
and 'Cops ' have been cancelled [ sic ] .
Even Nickelodeon 's cartoon 'Paw Patrol ' is n't safe , as Cancel Culture acolytes called to euthanize Chase , the show 's police dog , on social media , '' Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
`` Canceling TV shows , movies , Disney rides , Paw Patrol , Washington , Jefferson ... How many more examples do you need to demonstrate that liberalism has lost its way ? ''
Rep. Dan Crenshaw ( R-TX ) wrote on Saturday .
`` What will they cancel next ? ''
`` Cancel culture has claimed @ CopsTV .
@ OfficialLivePD .
'Gone with the Wind . '
Christopher Columbus , '' Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R-FL ) tweeted on Thursday .
`` Is @ pawpatrol next ?
? ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wind ' from its streaming service because it glorifies slavery .
The kids show 'Paw Patrol ' is under attack because it glorifies cops .
The reality show 'Cops ' is being cancelled [ sic ] because of its depiction of police tactics .
Where will these cancellations end ? ''
Rep. Pete King ( R-NY ) lamented on Saturday .
Television networks have been rethinking programs with idealized depictions of law enforcement as concerns grow over systemic racism and police violence , but `` Paw Patrol '' has not been canceled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rumors about the cartoon series stemmed from `` tongue-in-cheek social media posts . ''
The complaints come at the same time that many in the Republican Party have been upset that people are just too sensitive .
`` The woke mob never misses an opportunity to be offended , '' Cotton wrote on Thursday .
King argued that offensive things should not be removed , recalling that his `` Irish grandmother '' was `` offended by and railing against the classic film 'The Quiet Man ' because she felt it focused on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' ( Days before , King had demanded Amazon remove anti-police shirts he deemed offensive ) .
`` We 've reached a point in our society where we dissect everything and try to ascribe some nefarious notion to it , '' Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson told ABC News on Sunday .
`` We need to move away from being offended by everything , of going through history and looking at everything , you know , of renaming everything . ''
Many Republican lawmakers have bucked protests against racism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
King wrote two weeks ago that protesters in New York `` hijack the memory of George Floyd for their perverse causes .
These anti-police riots attack the NYPD which has done more than anyone to save and protect African-Americans . ''
`` I 'll be on @ LouDobbs to discuss the protests continuing across America , the left 's radical anti-police agenda , and more , '' Gaetz tweeted last Monday .
Most Republicans infamously took offense to peaceful protests started in 2016 by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other athletes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they claimed players ' decision to take a knee was unpatriotic and hurtful .
`` Here 's a peaceful protest : never buy another shoe , shirt , or jersey of rich spoiled athletes who dishonor our flag , '' Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) tweeted at the time .
`` You know , it 's sad when you see rich , spoiled athletes that do n't recognize what an incredible blessing this country is , '' he told TMZ .
`` You know , it 's very easy when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars to disrespect this country . ''
King tweeted in 2018 that the protests were `` premised on lies [ against ] police '' and comparable to `` players giving Nazi salutes or spew [ sic ] racism . ''
Just last week , Gaetz complained about the U.S. national soccer team participating in such a symbolic act .
`` I 'd rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that wo n't stand for the National Anthem , '' he tweeted .
`` You shouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our national team if you won ’ t stand when it is raised , '' he wrote on Thursday .
The same day , he said on his podcast : `` Cancel Culture is in its ultimate zenith .
We are living in the renaissance of cancel culture . ''
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Republican officials are offended that people are too easily offended. But many of the same people are also offended by protests against racism.
In recent days, several GOP lawmakers have criticized decisions by media outlets to stop showing programs that lionize police officers or are based on racist stereotypes.
“‘Live P.D.’ and ‘Cops’ have been cancelled [sic]. Even Nickelodeon’s cartoon ‘Paw Patrol’ isn’t safe, as Cancel Culture acolytes called to euthanize Chase, the show’s police dog, on social media,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) tweeted on Thursday.
“Canceling TV shows, movies, Disney rides, Paw Patrol, Washington, Jefferson… How many more examples do you need to demonstrate that liberalism has lost its way?” Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) wrote on Saturday. “What will they cancel next?”
“Cancel culture has claimed @CopsTV. @OfficialLivePD. ‘Gone with the Wind.’ Christopher Columbus,” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) tweeted on Thursday. “Is @pawpatrol next??”
“HBO is pulling ‘Gone With the Wind’ from its streaming service because it glorifies slavery. The kids show ‘Paw Patrol’ is under attack because it glorifies cops. The reality show ‘Cops’ is being cancelled [sic] because of its depiction of police tactics. Where will these cancellations end?” Rep. Pete King (R-NY) lamented on Saturday.
Television networks have been rethinking programs with idealized depictions of law enforcement as concerns grow over systemic racism and police violence, but “Paw Patrol” has not been canceled. The fact-checking website Snopes wrote that the rumors about the cartoon series stemmed from “tongue-in-cheek social media posts.”
The complaints come at the same time that many in the Republican Party have been upset that people are just too sensitive.
“The woke mob never misses an opportunity to be offended,” Cotton wrote on Thursday.
King argued that offensive things should not be removed, recalling that his “Irish grandmother” was “offended by and railing against the classic film ‘The Quiet Man’ because she felt it focused on the Irish stereotypes of drinking and brawling.” (Days before, King had demanded Amazon remove anti-police shirts he deemed offensive).
“We’ve reached a point in our society where we dissect everything and try to ascribe some nefarious notion to it,” Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson told ABC News on Sunday. “We need to move away from being offended by everything, of going through history and looking at everything, you know, of renaming everything.”
Many Republican lawmakers have bucked protests against racism and police brutality, claiming they are anti-cop.
King wrote two weeks ago that protesters in New York “hijack the memory of George Floyd for their perverse causes. These anti-police riots attack the NYPD which has done more than anyone to save and protect African-Americans.”
“I’ll be on @LouDobbs to discuss the protests continuing across America, the left’s radical anti-police agenda, and more,” Gaetz tweeted last Monday.
Most Republicans infamously took offense to peaceful protests started in 2016 by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other athletes. While those protests were about police brutality, they claimed players’ decision to take a knee was unpatriotic and hurtful.
“Here’s a peaceful protest: never buy another shoe, shirt, or jersey of rich spoiled athletes who dishonor our flag,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) tweeted at the time.
“You know, it’s sad when you see rich, spoiled athletes that don’t recognize what an incredible blessing this country is,” he told TMZ. “You know, it’s very easy when you’re sitting there rolling in millions of dollars to disrespect this country.”
King tweeted in 2018 that the protests were “premised on lies [against] police” and comparable to “players giving Nazi salutes or spew [sic] racism.”
Just last week, Gaetz complained about the U.S. national soccer team participating in such a symbolic act. “I’d rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that won’t stand for the National Anthem,” he tweeted.
“You shouldn’t get to play under our flag as our national team if you won’t stand when it is raised,” he wrote on Thursday.
The same day, he said on his podcast: “Cancel Culture is in its ultimate zenith. We are living in the renaissance of cancel culture.”
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-15--Trump expected to hold rally for candidate running against Jeff Sessions

Donald Trump is expected to travel to Alabama next month ahead of the July 14 Republican Senate primary runoff to campaign against his former Attorney General Jeff Sessions , CNN 's Kaitlan Collins reported .
Sessions is running to reclaim the Senate seat he vacated to join the Trump administration in 2017 .
He already faces long odds to return , having come in second in the March 28 Republican primary to former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville .
Tuberville topped Sessions 33.4 % to 31.6 % .
But because Tuberville did not garner at least 50 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Sessions , who was the second-place finisher in the seven-candidate field .
Trump has endorsed Tuberville in the runoff .
And polls show Tuberville with a commanding lead over Sessions , with one survey from early May showing Tuberville leading Sessions 55.1 % to 31.8 % .
Even though Tuberville is the favorite to win the runoff , Trump is still making the trip to Alabama during the COVID-19 pandemic to campaign against Sessions .
What 's more , Collins reported that Trump will hold the rally in the same stadium where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February 2016 , when he become one of the first members of Congress to back Trump 's candidacy .
Trump despises Sessions , who as attorney general recused himself from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
Trump believes Sessions ' recusal paved the way for special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation , which preoccupied Trump for the first two years of his term .
Sessions has tried to win back Trump 's approval , running ads praising his former boss .
`` When I left President Trump 's Cabinet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
No ! ''
Sessions said in one ad .
`` Did I go on CNN and attack the president ?
Nope !
Have I said a cross word about our president ?
Not one time . ''
But Trump has rejected those overtures , even sending Sessions a letter in April telling him to stop making the `` delusional assertion that you are President Trump 's # 1 supporter . ''
`` 3 years ago , after Jeff Sessions recused himself , the Fraudulent Mueller Scam began .
Alabama , do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Country down .
That 's why I endorsed Coach Tommy Tuberville ( @ TTuberville ) , the true supporter of our # MAGA agenda ! ''
Trump tweeted on May 22 .
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation .

Donald Trump is expected to travel to Alabama next month ahead of the July 14 Republican Senate primary runoff to campaign against his former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reported.
Sessions is running to reclaim the Senate seat he vacated to join the Trump administration in 2017.
He already faces long odds to return, having come in second in the March 28 Republican primary to former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville.
Tuberville topped Sessions 33.4% to 31.6%. But because Tuberville did not garner at least 50% of the vote, a runoff was triggered with Sessions, who was the second-place finisher in the seven-candidate field.
Trump has endorsed Tuberville in the runoff. And polls show Tuberville with a commanding lead over Sessions, with one survey from early May showing Tuberville leading Sessions 55.1% to 31.8%.
Even though Tuberville is the favorite to win the runoff, Trump is still making the trip to Alabama during the COVID-19 pandemic to campaign against Sessions.
What’s more, Collins reported that Trump will hold the rally in the same stadium where Sessions endorsed Trump’s presidential bid in February 2016, when he become one of the first members of Congress to back Trump’s candidacy.
Trump despises Sessions, who as attorney general recused himself from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Trump believes Sessions’ recusal paved the way for special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, which preoccupied Trump for the first two years of his term.
Sessions has tried to win back Trump’s approval, running ads praising his former boss.
“When I left President Trump’s Cabinet, did I write a tell-all book? No!” Sessions said in one ad. “Did I go on CNN and attack the president? Nope! Have I said a cross word about our president? Not one time.”
But Trump has rejected those overtures, even sending Sessions a letter in April telling him to stop making the “delusional assertion that you are President Trump’s #1 supporter.”
“3 years ago, after Jeff Sessions recused himself, the Fraudulent Mueller Scam began. Alabama, do not trust Jeff Sessions. He let our Country down. That’s why I endorsed Coach Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville), the true supporter of our #MAGA agenda!” Trump tweeted on May 22.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


shareblue--2020-06-15--Supreme Court rules that civil rights law protects LGBT workers

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a landmark civil rights law protects LGBT people from discrimination in employment , a resounding victory for LGBT rights from a conservative court .
The court decided by a 6-3 vote that a key provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 known as Title VII that bars job discrimination because of sex , among other reasons , encompasses bias against LGBT workers .
`` An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role in the decision , exactly what Title VII forbids , '' Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court .
`` The Court tries to convince readers that it is merely enforcing the terms of the statute , but that is preposterous .
Even as understood today , the concept of discrimination because of 'sex ' is different from discrimination because of 'sexual orientation ' or 'gender identity , ' '' Alito wrote in a dissent that was joined by Thomas .
The outcome is expected to have a big impact for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country because most states don ’ t protect them from workplace discrimination .
An estimated 11.3 million LGBT people live in the United States , according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA law school .
The cases were the court ’ s first on LGBT rights since Justice Anthony Kennedy 's retirement and replacement by Kavanaugh .
Kennedy was a voice for gay rights and the author of the landmark ruling in 2015 that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the United States .
Kavanaugh generally is regarded as more conservative .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama administration , which supported LGBT workers in their discrimination claims under Title VII .
During the Obama years , the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had changed its longstanding interpretation of civil rights law to include discrimination against LGBT people .
The law prohibits discrimination because of sex , but has no specific protection for sexual orientation or gender identity .
In recent years , some lower courts have held that discrimination against LGBT people is a subset of sex discrimination , and thus prohibited by the federal law .
Efforts by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far failed .
The Supreme Court cases involved two gay men and a transgender woman who sued for employment discrimination after they lost their jobs .
The federal appeals court in New York ruled in favor of a gay skydiving instructor who claimed he was fired because of his sexual orientation .
The full 2nd U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 10-3 that it was abandoning its earlier holding that Title VII did n't cover sexual orientation because `` legal doctrine evolves . ''
The court held that `` sexual orientation discrimination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by sex and is thus a subset of sex discrimination . ''
That ruling was a victory for the relatives of Donald Zarda , who was fired in 2010 from a skydiving job in Central Islip , New York , that required him to strap himself tightly to clients so they could jump in tandem from an airplane .
He tried to put a woman with whom he was jumping at ease by explaining that he was gay .
The school fired Zarda after the woman 's boyfriend called to complain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Switzerland in 2014 .
In a case from Georgia , the federal appeals court in Atlanta ruled against Gerald Bostock , a gay employee of Clayton County , in the Atlanta suburbs .
Bostock claimed he was fired in 2013 because he is gay .
The county argues that Bostock was let go because of the results of an audit of funds he managed .
The 11th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Bostock 's claim in a three-page opinion that noted the court was bound by a 1979 decision that held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Title VII . ''
Aimee Stephens lost her job as a funeral director in the Detroit area after she revealed to her boss that she had struggled with gender most of her life and had , at long last , `` decided to become the person that my mind already is . ''
Stephens told funeral home owner Thomas Rost that following a vacation , she would report to work wearing a conservative skirt suit or dress that Rost required for women who worked at his three funeral homes .
Rost fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court of Appeals in Cincinnati , Ohio , ruled that the firing constituted sex discrimination under federal law .
This article was updated with additional information about Monday 's Supreme Court ruling .

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a landmark civil rights law protects LGBT people from discrimination in employment, a resounding victory for LGBT rights from a conservative court.
The court decided by a 6-3 vote that a key provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 known as Title VII that bars job discrimination because of sex, among other reasons, encompasses bias against LGBT workers.
“An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court.
Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas dissented.
“The Court tries to convince readers that it is merely enforcing the terms of the statute, but that is preposterous. Even as understood today, the concept of discrimination because of ‘sex’ is different from discrimination because of ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity,'” Alito wrote in a dissent that was joined by Thomas.
The outcome is expected to have a big impact for the estimated 8.1 million LGBT workers across the country because most states don’t protect them from workplace discrimination. An estimated 11.3 million LGBT people live in the United States, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA law school.
The cases were the court’s first on LGBT rights since Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement and replacement by Kavanaugh. Kennedy was a voice for gay rights and the author of the landmark ruling in 2015 that made same-sex marriage legal throughout the United States. Kavanaugh generally is regarded as more conservative.
The Trump administration had changed course from the Obama administration, which supported LGBT workers in their discrimination claims under Title VII.
During the Obama years, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had changed its longstanding interpretation of civil rights law to include discrimination against LGBT people. The law prohibits discrimination because of sex, but has no specific protection for sexual orientation or gender identity.
In recent years, some lower courts have held that discrimination against LGBT people is a subset of sex discrimination, and thus prohibited by the federal law.
Efforts by Congress to change the law have so far failed.
The Supreme Court cases involved two gay men and a transgender woman who sued for employment discrimination after they lost their jobs.
The federal appeals court in New York ruled in favor of a gay skydiving instructor who claimed he was fired because of his sexual orientation. The full 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 10-3 that it was abandoning its earlier holding that Title VII didn’t cover sexual orientation because “legal doctrine evolves.” The court held that “sexual orientation discrimination is motivated, at least in part, by sex and is thus a subset of sex discrimination.”
That ruling was a victory for the relatives of Donald Zarda, who was fired in 2010 from a skydiving job in Central Islip, New York, that required him to strap himself tightly to clients so they could jump in tandem from an airplane. He tried to put a woman with whom he was jumping at ease by explaining that he was gay. The school fired Zarda after the woman’s boyfriend called to complain.
Zarda died in a wingsuit accident in Switzerland in 2014.
In a case from Georgia, the federal appeals court in Atlanta ruled against Gerald Bostock, a gay employee of Clayton County, in the Atlanta suburbs. Bostock claimed he was fired in 2013 because he is gay. The county argues that Bostock was let go because of the results of an audit of funds he managed.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed Bostock’s claim in a three-page opinion that noted the court was bound by a 1979 decision that held “discharge for homosexuality is not prohibited by Title VII.”
Aimee Stephens lost her job as a funeral director in the Detroit area after she revealed to her boss that she had struggled with gender most of her life and had, at long last, “decided to become the person that my mind already is.” Stephens told funeral home owner Thomas Rost that following a vacation, she would report to work wearing a conservative skirt suit or dress that Rost required for women who worked at his three funeral homes. Rost fired Stephens.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio, ruled that the firing constituted sex discrimination under federal law.
Stephens died last month.
This article was updated with additional information about Monday’s Supreme Court ruling.