theroot--2020-09-06--Trump Hired a Fake Barack Obama So He Could Belittle Him, and Other Revelations in Michael Cohen's N

Trump Hired a Fake Barack Obama So He Could Belittle Him, and Other Revelations in Michael Cohen's New Book

It ’ s pretty well-known that Donald Trump is deeply obsessed with Barack Obama , probably because he is the first Black president and a person who is objectively intelligent and generally well-loved—two things that will never describe the current president .
Now Trump ’ s former right-hand guy and clean-up lawyer Michael Cohen has revealed how deep this fixation runs , in his book Disloyal : A Memoir which CNN has shared some excerpts from ahead of its publication next week .
Putting aside how gross it is that the many complicit actors in Donald Trump ’ s reign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books to further profit from their proven lack of morality , Cohen ’ s account paints a picture of flagrantly racist president who lashed out at everyone from Obama to Nelson Mandela .
Before Donald Trump ever sought the Oval Office , he was preoccupied by its occupant President Barack Obama , publicly questioning his birthplace and privately describing him as “ a Manchurian candidate ” who obtained his Ivy League degrees only by way of affirmative action , according to a new book by Trump ’ s former attorney , Michael Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was so extreme that he took his fixation a step further , according to Cohen : Trump hired a “ Faux-Bama ” to participate in a video in which Trump “ ritualistically belittled the first black president and then fired him.
” Ranting about Obama after he won office in 2008 , Trump said , “ Tell me one country run by a black person that isn ’ t a sh*thole ...
They are all complete f*cking toilets , ” according to Cohen .
After Nelson Mandela died , Trump allegedly said of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole country up .
Now it ’ s a sh*thole .
F*ck Mandela .
He was no leader.
” Cohen , who is now serving a three year federal sentence in home confinement after being convicted of fraud and perjury in 2018 , added that Trump had a low opinion of all Black people was often vocal about his disdain for people of color in general .
“ I will never get the Hispanic vote , like the blacks , they ’ re too stupid to vote for Trump .
They ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump saying .
Like the recent revelations about Trump calling American soldiers “ suckers ” and “ losers , ” nothing about these latest quotes about the things he says around his chosen company feels surprising or unbelievable—its all par for the course in terms of things Trump has said publicly before .
What continues to surprise me about these reveals is how the people sharing them , in full knowledge of how outrageous they are , continued to hang around with Trump .
For example , the Washington Post reports that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments about Cohen ’ s daughter—then 15-years-old—IN FRONT OF HIM .
“ Look at that piece of ass , ” Trump said , according to Cohen , after his daughter finished a tennis match .
“ I would love some of that.
” As previously hinted at , Cohen also shares that he and Trump went to a Las Vegas strip club with two Russian oligarchs in 2013 and watched two strippers on stage simulate urinating on each other and drinking it , which apparently left Trump “ delighted.
” It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cohen ’ s book comes out on Tuesday , though I will not be purchasing it —I already feel like I need a shower after reading these few sentences , and def initely not the golden kind .

It’s pretty well-known that Donald Trump is deeply obsessed with Barack Obama, probably because he is the first Black president and a person who is objectively intelligent and generally well-loved—two things that will never describe the current president.
Now Trump’s former right-hand guy and clean-up lawyer Michael Cohen has revealed how deep this fixation runs, in his book Disloyal: A Memoir which CNN has shared some excerpts from ahead of its publication next week.
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Putting aside how gross it is that the many complicit actors in Donald Trump’s reign of horror keep trotting out with tell-all books to further profit from their proven lack of morality, Cohen’s account paints a picture of flagrantly racist president who lashed out at everyone from Obama to Nelson Mandela.
From CNN:
Before Donald Trump ever sought the Oval Office, he was preoccupied by its occupant President Barack Obama, publicly questioning his birthplace and privately describing him as “a Manchurian candidate” who obtained his Ivy League degrees only by way of affirmative action, according to a new book by Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen. Trump’s disdain for Obama was so extreme that he took his fixation a step further, according to Cohen: Trump hired a “Faux-Bama” to participate in a video in which Trump “ritualistically belittled the first black president and then fired him.” Ranting about Obama after he won office in 2008, Trump said, “Tell me one country run by a black person that isn’t a sh*thole...They are all complete f*cking toilets,” according to Cohen. After Nelson Mandela died, Trump allegedly said of South Africa that “Mandela f*cked the whole country up. Now it’s a sh*thole. F*ck Mandela. He was no leader.”
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Cohen, who is now serving a three year federal sentence in home confinement after being convicted of fraud and perjury in 2018, added that Trump had a low opinion of all Black people was often vocal about his disdain for people of color in general.
“I will never get the Hispanic vote, like the blacks, they’re too stupid to vote for Trump. They’re not my people,” Cohen recalls Trump saying.
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Like the recent revelations about Trump calling American soldiers “suckers” and “losers,” nothing about these latest quotes about the things he says around his chosen company feels surprising or unbelievable—its all par for the course in terms of things Trump has said publicly before.
What continues to surprise me about these reveals is how the people sharing them, in full knowledge of how outrageous they are, continued to hang around with Trump.
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For example, the Washington Post reports that in his book Cohen says Trump made sexual comments about Cohen’s daughter—then 15-years-old—IN FRONT OF HIM.
“Look at that piece of ass,” Trump said, according to Cohen, after his daughter finished a tennis match. “I would love some of that.”
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As previously hinted at, Cohen also shares that he and Trump went to a Las Vegas strip club with two Russian oligarchs in 2013 and watched two strippers on stage simulate urinating on each other and drinking it, which apparently left Trump “delighted.”
It’s weird and disturbing all the way around. Cohen’s book comes out on Tuesday, though I will not be purchasing it —I already feel like I need a shower after reading these few sentences , and def initely not the golden kind.


theroot--2020-09-06--New York Attorney General Letitia James Says She Will Form Grand Jury to Investigate Daniel Prude's

New York Attorney General Letitia James Says She Will Form Grand Jury to Investigate Daniel Prude's Death

NY Attorney General Letitia James is forming a grand jury to investigate the death of Daniel Prude , a Black man who died in March after Rochester police put a hood over his head , which suffocated him .
The state prosecutor made the announcement on Saturday and said the grand jury will be part of an “ exhaustive investigation , ” reports AP .
The Attorney General ’ s office has been investigating the incident since April , but this week ’ s public release of body-cam footage from the altercation , as well as four nights of protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent developments in the case .
On Thursday , Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren suspended seven police officers who were involved in the detainment of Prude .
Under New York law , deaths of unarmed people in police custody are often turned over to the attorney general ’ s office , rather than handled by local officials .
Police union officials have said the officers were strictly following department training and protocols .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo earlier this week called on James to expedite the probe .
“ Today , I applaud Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisive action in empaneling a grand jury , ” Cuomo said in a statement Saturday .
“ Justice delayed is justice denied and the people of New York deserve the truth.
” “ The Prude family and the Rochester community have been through great pain and anguish , ” James said in her announcement about moving to form a grand jury to probe the circumstances of his death .
The victim ’ s brother had called the police for help because Prude was exhibiting erratic behavior and went missing from his home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Chicago .
Video footage show that the responding officers apprehended Prude and covered his head with a “ spit hood , ” shortly after which he went unresponsive on the ground—while they laughed at him and mocked him .
Prude ultimately had to be put on life support but died a week later from complications of asphyxia while being restrained , according to a medical examiner ’ s report .
“ I placed a phone call for my brother to get help .
Not for my brother to get lynched , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday .

NY Attorney General Letitia James is forming a grand jury to investigate the death of Daniel Prude, a Black man who died in March after Rochester police put a hood over his head, which suffocated him.
The state prosecutor made the announcement on Saturday and said the grand jury will be part of an “exhaustive investigation,” reports AP.
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The Attorney General’s office has been investigating the incident since April, but this week’s public release of body-cam footage from the altercation , as well as four nights of protests in Rochester, have likely contributed to recent developments in the case. On Thursday, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren suspended seven police officers who were involved in the detainment of Prude.
From AP:
Under New York law, deaths of unarmed people in police custody are often turned over to the attorney general’s office, rather than handled by local officials. Police union officials have said the officers were strictly following department training and protocols. Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this week called on James to expedite the probe. “Today, I applaud Attorney General Tish James for taking swift, decisive action in empaneling a grand jury,” Cuomo said in a statement Saturday. “Justice delayed is justice denied and the people of New York deserve the truth.”
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“The Prude family and the Rochester community have been through great pain and anguish,” James said in her announcement about moving to form a grand jury to probe the circumstances of his death.
The victim’s brother had called the police for help because Prude was exhibiting erratic behavior and went missing from his home in upstate NY, where Prude was visiting from Chicago. Video footage show that the responding officers apprehended Prude and covered his head with a “spit hood,” shortly after which he went unresponsive on the ground—while they laughed at him and mocked him.
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Prude ultimately had to be put on life support but died a week later from complications of asphyxia while being restrained, according to a medical examiner’s report.
“I placed a phone call for my brother to get help. Not for my brother to get lynched,” Joe Prude said at a press conference on Wednesday.


theroot--2020-09-07--Colorado School Suspends and Calls Resource Officers on Black 12-Year-Old Over Toy Gun Seen During V

Colorado School Suspends and Calls Resource Officers on Black 12-Year-Old Over Toy Gun Seen During Virtual Class

Oh , how America loves to criminalize Black children .
On August 27 , 12-year-old Isaiah Elliott was attending his virtual art class as a seventh-grader at Grand Mountain School in Colorado Springs , Co. Isaiah ’ s mother , Dani Elliott , told BuzzFeed News in a recent interview that at one point during the session , Isaiah picked up a “ neon green toy gun ” and moved it from one side of his computer screen to the other .
And for that—for the simple , instinctive act of moving an obviously non-threatening inanimate object from one space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
house.—Elliot said her Black son was suspended and resource officers were called to the home .
Elliott said that Isaiah often has trouble concentrating during classes because he has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) .
She said that the school “ had been made well aware ” of her son ’ s ADHD diagnosis and that Isaiah has an IEP ( Individualized Education Program ) plan on file .
After the class concluded , Elliott said that she received an email from her son ’ s art teacher in which the teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distracted , ” during the lesson .
The teacher wrote that there had been “ a very serious issue with waving around a toy gun , ” which she had reported to the school ’ s vice principal , according to Elliott .
Soon after getting the email , Elliott said that she received a call from Grand Mountain School Vice Principal Keri Lindaman informing her that she had called school resource officers from the El Paso County Sheriff ’ s Office to conduct a health and wellness check on Isaiah at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already explained to the teacher that it was a toy , ” Elliott said .
“ I told [ Lindaman ] that it was a toy .
She admitted that she knew it was a toy but Isaiah ’ s safety was of the utmost importance.
” “ An hour and a half after receiving [ the teacher ’ s ] email , I found out that the police were on their way , ” she continued .
According to BuzzFeed , a redacted copy of the incident report says that Isaiah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assumed it was a toy gun but was not certain.
” If this story doesn ’ t already have you pissed off enough , prepare yourself to take a look at what this damn gun looks like .
Isaiah ’ s father , Curtis Elliott , was reportedly the first of his parents to see footage of the incident when resource officers who had recorded it on their body cameras after watching it in the vice principle ’ s office showed up to the family ’ s home .
“ It was really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parent , especially as the parent of an African-American young man , especially given what ’ s going on in our country right now , ” Curtis told Fox 31 .
Meanwhile , Dani , who at the time still hadn ’ t seen the video , told BuzzFeed that she wasn ’ t aware that class sessions were being recorded and that she would have contested that if she had known .
Grand Mountain posted a statement to Facebook on Thursday addressing the recording of classes ... and little else .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident that took place during distance learning .
There are also several inaccuracies being spread on social media .
While we can not get into details due to privacy laws , we want to clear up a few misconceptions .
We never have or ever will condone any form of racism or discrimination .
Safety will always be number one for our students and staff .
We follow board policies and safety protocols consistently , whether we are in-person or distance learning .
We utilize our School Resource Officers , who are trusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools with our children , to ensure safety .
The platforms we use for distance learning have the feature to record classes for educational purposes .
During our first week of school , we were still becoming familiar with the platform .
It is not our current practice to record classes at this time .
Parents will be notified if that changes .
We will continue to support all families in our school to make sure they feel safe , respected , and educated .
But see ... nah .
I really need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re ensuring the safety of anyone from anything by calling the police to a Black family ’ s home because ( and y ’ all are just going to have to excuse my caps lock on this one ) , THROUGH A MOTHER FUCKING COMPUTER SCREEN , a teacher caught a glimpse of a bright-ass green non-gun that is obviously a toy .
Then there ’ s this from BuzzFeed : Isaiah ’ s official notice of suspension , which Elliott provided to BuzzFeed News , said that he was guilty of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures ” and “ behavior on or off school property which is detrimental to the welfare , safety , or morals of other pupils or school personnel.
” “ Isaiah displayed and waved a firearm facsimile during a virtual classroom on Aug. 27 , 2020 , ” the document said .
Even though the incident occurred at their home , Elliott said that the suspension notice was written in a way that made it sound like Isaiah had brought the toy gun to school and had disrupted his class .
“ This could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything that ’ s going on in the world today , ” Eliott said .
“ God forbid something happens to my son down the road , people could look at this and decide he doesn ’ t deserve justice .
I know that sounds extreme ... it ’ s a very real reality for us.
” At the end of the day , Black children are disproportionately vulnerable to harsh discipline for petty offenses and are by far the most likely to have resource officers called on them when they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ d be safe from that kind of implicit bias when attending class from the confines of their own homes .
But it seems we ’ re just adding another thing to the list of things you can ’ t do while Black .

Oh, how America loves to criminalize Black children.
That’s it. That’s the lede.
On August 27, 12-year-old Isaiah Elliott was attending his virtual art class as a seventh-grader at Grand Mountain School in Colorado Springs, Co. Isaiah’s mother, Dani Elliott, told BuzzFeed News in a recent interview that at one point during the session, Isaiah picked up a “neon green toy gun” and moved it from one side of his computer screen to the other. And for that—for the simple, instinctive act of moving an obviously non-threatening inanimate object from one space to another in. his. own. house.—Elliot said her Black son was suspended and resource officers were called to the home.
From BuzzFeed:
Elliott said that Isaiah often has trouble concentrating during classes because he has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She said that the school “had been made well aware” of her son’s ADHD diagnosis and that Isaiah has an IEP (Individualized Education Program) plan on file. After the class concluded, Elliott said that she received an email from her son’s art teacher in which the teacher said that Isaiah had been “extremely distracted,” during the lesson. The teacher wrote that there had been “a very serious issue with waving around a toy gun,” which she had reported to the school’s vice principal, according to Elliott. Soon after getting the email, Elliott said that she received a call from Grand Mountain School Vice Principal Keri Lindaman informing her that she had called school resource officers from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to conduct a health and wellness check on Isaiah at the family’s home.
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“I had already explained to the teacher that it was a toy,” Elliott said. “I told [Lindaman] that it was a toy. She admitted that she knew it was a toy but Isaiah’s safety was of the utmost importance.”
“An hour and a half after receiving [the teacher’s] email, I found out that the police were on their way,” she continued.
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According to BuzzFeed, a redacted copy of the incident report says that Isaiah’s teacher told Lindaman “she assumed it was a toy gun but was not certain.”
If this story doesn’t already have you pissed off enough, prepare yourself to take a look at what this damn gun looks like.
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*Stares in Tamir Rice*
Isaiah’s father, Curtis Elliott, was reportedly the first of his parents to see footage of the incident when resource officers who had recorded it on their body cameras after watching it in the vice principle’s office showed up to the family’s home.
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“It was really frightening and upsetting for me as a parent, especially as the parent of an African-American young man, especially given what’s going on in our country right now,” Curtis told Fox 31.
Meanwhile, Dani, who at the time still hadn’t seen the video, told BuzzFeed that she wasn’t aware that class sessions were being recorded and that she would have contested that if she had known. Grand Mountain posted a statement to Facebook on Thursday addressing the recording of classes...and little else.
We understand there are many questions regarding an incident that took place during distance learning. There are also several inaccuracies being spread on social media. While we cannot get into details due to privacy laws, we want to clear up a few misconceptions. We never have or ever will condone any form of racism or discrimination. Safety will always be number one for our students and staff. We follow board policies and safety protocols consistently, whether we are in-person or distance learning. We utilize our School Resource Officers, who are trusted and trained professionals who work in our schools with our children, to ensure safety. The platforms we use for distance learning have the feature to record classes for educational purposes. During our first week of school, we were still becoming familiar with the platform. It is not our current practice to record classes at this time. Parents will be notified if that changes. We will continue to support all families in our school to make sure they feel safe, respected, and educated.
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But see...nah. I really need these people to explain how they’re ensuring the safety of anyone from anything by calling the police to a Black family’s home because (and y’all are just going to have to excuse my caps lock on this one), THROUGH A MOTHER FUCKING COMPUTER SCREEN, a teacher caught a glimpse of a bright-ass green non-gun that is obviously a toy.
Then there’s this from BuzzFeed:
Isaiah’s official notice of suspension, which Elliott provided to BuzzFeed News, said that he was guilty of “violation of district or building policies or procedures” and “behavior on or off school property which is detrimental to the welfare, safety, or morals of other pupils or school personnel.” “Isaiah displayed and waved a firearm facsimile during a virtual classroom on Aug. 27, 2020,” the document said. Even though the incident occurred at their home, Elliott said that the suspension notice was written in a way that made it sound like Isaiah had brought the toy gun to school and had disrupted his class. “This could potentially impact his future... look at everything that’s going on in the world today,” Eliott said. “God forbid something happens to my son down the road, people could look at this and decide he doesn’t deserve justice. I know that sounds extreme... it’s a very real reality for us.”
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At the end of the day, Black children are disproportionately vulnerable to harsh discipline for petty offenses and are by far the most likely to have resource officers called on them when they’re physically in school. You would think they’d be safe from that kind of implicit bias when attending class from the confines of their own homes. But it seems we’re just adding another thing to the list of things you can’t do while Black.


theroot--2020-09-07--'Every 24 Hours It's Pain': Jacob Blake Speaks Out for the First Time Since Kenosha Police Shooting

One of the most interesting and fortunate things about the case of Jacob Blake is that , unlike most high-profile victims of police violence who have become the subject of protests and civil unrest , Blake is alive not only to tell his side of the story but to remind us that behind all the politics , drama and sensationalism is a person ... a human being .
In a video posted to Twitter Saturday by civil rights attorney Ben Crump , Blake is seen from his hospital bed speaking publicly for the first time since he was shot in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Wis. , police officer .
“ Your life , and not only just your life , your legs , something you need to move around and forward in life , can be taken from you like this , ” Blake said adding that for him “ Twenty-four hours , every 24 hours it ’ s pain , nothing but pain .
It hurts to breathe , it hurts to sleep , it hurts to move from side-to-side , it hurts to eat.
” The 29-year-old father of six also urged Black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money , make everything easier for our people out there , man , because there ’ s so much time that ’ s been wasted.
” In the video , Blake doesn ’ t speak on the police accounts of what happened the night he was shot or the criminal charges he is currently facing , but again , at least he ’ s alive to be heard from on these things .
From the Associated Press : Blake , who had an outstanding arrest warrant when he was shot , pleaded not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexually assaulting a woman in May and waived his right to a preliminary hearing .
Blake appeared remotely via video conference from his Milwaukee hospital bed , wearing a dress shirt and tie .
He spoke only to respond to the judge ’ s questions .
The state Justice Department has said a knife was recovered from Blake ’ s vehicle , but it has not said whether he was holding it when officers tried to arrest him .
The man who made the widely seen cellphone video of the shooting , 22-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scuffling with three officers and heard them yell , “ Drop the knife !
Drop the knife !
” before gunfire erupted .
He said he didn ’ t see a knife in Blake ’ s hands .
The Kenosha police union said Blake had the knife and refused orders to drop it .
Blake fought with police , including putting one officer in a headlock , the union said .
Police twice used a Taser , which did not stop Blake .
White America is used to having a dead Black police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a narrative of its choosing .
This time , it isn ’ t that simple and that ’ s fortunate regardless of what the truth turns out to be .

One of the most interesting and fortunate things about the case of Jacob Blake is that, unlike most high-profile victims of police violence who have become the subject of protests and civil unrest, Blake is alive not only to tell his side of the story but to remind us that behind all the politics, drama and sensationalism is a person...a human being. In a video posted to Twitter Saturday by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Blake is seen from his hospital bed speaking publicly for the first time since he was shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha, Wis., police officer.
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“Your life, and not only just your life, your legs, something you need to move around and forward in life, can be taken from you like this,” Blake said adding that for him “Twenty-four hours, every 24 hours it’s pain, nothing but pain. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to sleep, it hurts to move from side-to-side, it hurts to eat.”
The 29-year-old father of six also urged Black people to “Stick together, make some money, make everything easier for our people out there, man, because there’s so much time that’s been wasted.”
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In the video, Blake doesn’t speak on the police accounts of what happened the night he was shot or the criminal charges he is currently facing, but again, at least he’s alive to be heard from on these things.
From the Associated Press:
Blake, who had an outstanding arrest warrant when he was shot, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges accusing him of sexually assaulting a woman in May and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Blake appeared remotely via video conference from his Milwaukee hospital bed, wearing a dress shirt and tie. He spoke only to respond to the judge’s questions. The state Justice Department has said a knife was recovered from Blake’s vehicle, but it has not said whether he was holding it when officers tried to arrest him. The man who made the widely seen cellphone video of the shooting, 22-year-old Raysean White, said he saw Blake scuffling with three officers and heard them yell, “Drop the knife! Drop the knife!” before gunfire erupted. He said he didn’t see a knife in Blake’s hands. The Kenosha police union said Blake had the knife and refused orders to drop it. Blake fought with police, including putting one officer in a headlock, the union said. Police twice used a Taser, which did not stop Blake.
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White America is used to having a dead Black police shooting victim who can be painted with a narrative of its choosing. This time, it isn’t that simple and that’s fortunate regardless of what the truth turns out to be.