inquisitr--2020-04-15--Donald Trump Threatens To Adjourn Congress: ‘It’s A Scam’

President Donald Trump is threatening to adjourn the United States Congress .
Per The Hill , during a press briefing on Wednesday , Trump threatened to use executive power to adjourn both the Democratic-controlled House and the GOP-controlled Senate .
Suggesting that Congress is abdicating its duties , the commander-in-chief complained that he is unable to make appointments , which he claims is more necessary than ever due to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ The Senate should either fulfill its duty and vote on my nominees or it should formally adjourn so I can make recess appointments .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come into government .
And now more so than ever before because of the virus and the problem , ” he said .
Trump has been unable to make recess appointments because both chambers are on recess until May 4 .
Both the House and the Senate have been conducting so-called pro forma sessions .
The president argued that he can use his “ constitutional authority ” to adjourn Congress .
“ It is a scam , what they do .
It ’ s a scam .
And everybody knows it and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long time , ” Trump said , arguing that appointments are necessary , and noting that no president has ever done what he wants to do .
“ Perhaps it ’ s never been done before , nobody ’ s even sure if it has .
But we ’ re going to do it .
We need these people here , ” he stated .
As the publication notes , Article II , Section 3 of the United States Constitution grants Trump the power to adjourn both chambers in “ extraordinary occasions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the situation is fairly complex .
In order for Trump to be able to suspend both chambers , the Senate would have to adjourn .
However , the Democrats in the upper chamber would likely be able to block the move .
According to Trump , in order for the federal government to be able to handle the response to the coronavirus pandemic , vacancies need to be filled .
According to reports , 150 of 749 crucial positions are vacant because Trump has mostly relied on officials in acting capacities , instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hill notes , Trump has taken advantage of the coronavirus crisis to wage political battles against Congress .
Notably , he blasted Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and warned Democrats in both chambers against launching “ partisan ” probes during the pandemic .
Furthermore , the president appears to be using the crisis to advance his foreign policy agenda .
On Tuesday , Trump ordered his administration to temporarily halt funding to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , accusing the agency of refusing to hold China accountable .

President Donald Trump is threatening to adjourn the United States Congress.
Per The Hill, during a press briefing on Wednesday, Trump threatened to use executive power to adjourn both the Democratic-controlled House and the GOP-controlled Senate. Suggesting that Congress is abdicating its duties, the commander-in-chief complained that he is unable to make appointments, which he claims is more necessary than ever due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Senate should either fulfill its duty and vote on my nominees or it should formally adjourn so I can make recess appointments. We have a tremendous number of people that have to come into government. And now more so than ever before because of the virus and the problem,” he said.
Trump has been unable to make recess appointments because both chambers are on recess until May 4. For now, both the House and the Senate have been conducting so-called pro forma sessions. However, the president argued that he can use his constitutional authority to adjourn Congress.
“It is a scam, what they do. It’s a scam. And everybody knows it and it’s been that way for a long time,” Trump said, arguing that appointments are necessary, and noting that no president has ever done what he wants to do.
“Perhaps it’s never been done before, nobody’s even sure if it has. But we’re going to do it. We need these people here.”
As the publication notes, Article II, Section 3 of the United States Constitution grants Trump the power to adjourn both chambers in “extraordinary occasions,” but the legal reality of the situation is fairly complex. In order for him to be able to suspend both chambers, the Senate would have to adjourn. However, the Democrats in the upper chamber would likely be able to block the move.
According to Trump, vacancies need to be filled so that the federal government can handle the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Per reports, 150 of 749 crucial positions are vacant because the president has mostly relied on officials in acting capacities, instead of nominating full-time appointees.
As The Hill notes, Trump has taken advantage of the coronavirus crisis to wage political battles against Congress. Notably, he blasted Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and warned Democrats in both chambers against launching “partisan” probes during the pandemic.
Furthermore, the president has been seen as using the crisis to advance his foreign policy agenda. On Tuesday, Trump ordered his administration to temporarily halt funding to the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing the agency of refusing to hold China accountable.


inquisitr--2020-04-15--White House Reportedly Raced To Find Masks For Officials While Discouraging Public Use

Early on during the coronavirus outbreak , government health officials advised the public not to wear face masks .
But a new report from the Washington Post reports that at the same time , the government was scrambling to find enough masks to protect the staff serving in the White House .
In mid-March , it reportedly became apparent that there would be a shortage of personal protective equipment in the United States .
To prevent government employees from being impacted by the shortage , the National Security Council turned to Taiwan on March 14 to secure hundreds of thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An anonymous source says that while a majority of the masks went to the national stockpile for use around the country , but 3,600 were set aside for White House staff and officials .
“ While the administration had detailed pandemic response plans , somehow those did not include maintaining a supply of masks for White House personnel , ” the source said .
“ That was a lesson learned .
We did look at buying some , but couldn ’ t find available supply.
” When Taiwan announced that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t mention that thousands were set aside for the White House .
Even while the government was securing masks for personnel , they were advising people not to use masks in public because they should be reserved for medical workers who needed them most .
At the time , employees weren ’ t instructed to use the masks , though some experts within the NSC argued that they should be used by employees and the public .
Two weeks later , the Trump administration began advising people to wear masks whenever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , federal and local officials have advised using masks .
On Wednesday , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo mandated that all New Yorkers wear masks in public .
It isn ’ t clear why the NSC asked a foreign government for supplies , but it illustrates the debate within the White House , with some health experts calling for mask use since the virus began to spread , while others – including the president – have opted not to wear them .
Still , regardless of whether they are currently being used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on hand to protect government leaders and their support staff .
“ While we would never discuss the specifics about safety and security measures at the White House , the Medical Unit and Military Office have the needed supplies to execute on long-standing continuity of government plans that essential personnel are protected by and briefed on as soon as they arrive — and quite frankly , it ’ s ignorant , naive or intentionally dishonest for anyone to suggest otherwise , ” a spokesperson for the White House said .
About three-quarters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home , while essential workers are still showing up every day at the White House .

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inquisitr--2020-04-15--Barack Obama’s Former UN Ambassador Slams Donald Trump’s WHO Funding Cut: ‘Sheer Madness’

Samantha Power , the former ambassador to the United Nations ( UN ) under former President Barack Obama , appeared on CNN ’ s New Day on Wednesday and slammed President Donald Trump ‘ s decision to halt funding to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
“ If I had to sum it up , I would say sheer madness , ” Power said , per Fox News .
According to Power , Trump made the decision to divert attention from his performance dealing with the coronavirus pandemic .
Power called the decision “ tragic , ” noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a phase ” where it is funneling its resources into averting “ catastrophe ” from the COVID-19 crisis that is affecting the developing world .
Per Mediaite , Power also pointed out that Trump attempted to slash WHO funding before the coronavirus swept the globe .
She claimed that his determination for such cuts stems from a desire to “ ignore the warnings ” being voiced by public health professionals .
As others have done , Power acknowledged that some of Trump ’ s criticisms of the WHO — such as its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But she added that all of Trump ’ s criticisms of the organization could be turned on himself .
“ The problem is , his very criticisms are ones that you could levy just as easily at him — overreliance on China , flattery of China , sucking up to China to put it in an undiplomatic way , ” she said .
According to Trump , the WHO funding is indefinitely halted as the U.S. waits for the results of an investigation into the organization ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO appeared to support China ’ s early claims that no evidence suggested human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 was possible , which turned out to be wrong .
From 2018 to 2019 , the U.S. paid almost $ 900 million to the WHO ’ s budget , which is approximately one-fifth of its total for this period .
In response to Trump ’ s decision , CNN reported that WHO said it remains focused on its response to the spread of the virus , which the publication called the “ worst global pandemic in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the organization is working to fill all of its financial gaps by working with its remaining partners .
According to Ghebreyesus , the end goal is to ensure the organization ’ s work “ continues uninterrupted .
”

Samantha Power, the former ambassador to the United Nations (UN) under former President Barack Obama, appeared on CNN’s New Day on Wednesday and slammed President Donald Trump‘s decision to halt funding to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“If I had to sum it up, I would say sheer madness,” Power said, per Fox News.
According to Power, Trump made the decision to divert attention from his performance dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s obscene. It’s strictly political, really — an attempt to divert from what we all know has been a gross mismanagement of the prevention phase of this in the United States, and the response phase. “
Power called the decision “tragic,” noting that the WHO is currently “moving into a phase” where it is funneling its resources into averting “catastrophe” from the COVID-19 crisis that is affecting the developing world.
Per Mediaite, Power also pointed out that Trump attempted to slash WHO funding before the coronavirus swept the globe. She claimed that his determination for such cuts stems from a desire to “ignore the warnings” being voiced by public health professionals.
As others have done, Power acknowledged that some of Trump’s criticisms of the WHO — such as its kowtowing to China — are valid. But she added that all of Trump’s criticisms of the organization could be turned on himself.
“The problem is, his very criticisms are ones that you could levy just as easily at him — overreliance on China, flattery of China, sucking up to China to put it in an undiplomatic way,” she said.
Donald Trump has stopped funding the WHO – saying the organisation has "mismanaged" coronavirus. On January 30 the WHO declared a public health emergency. The same day Trump said the disease was "under control" and then travelled to Mar-a-Lago to play golf. pic.twitter.com/SCyYZfn5MT — PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) April 15, 2020
According to Trump, the WHO funding is indefinitely halted as the U.S. waits for the results of an investigation into the organization’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. As critics have noted, the WHO appeared to support China’s early claims that no evidence suggested human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 was possible, which turned out to be wrong.
From 2018 to 2019, the U.S. paid almost $900 million to the WHO’s budget, which is approximately one-fifth of its total for this period. In response to Trump’s decision, CNN reported that WHO said it remains focused on its response to the spread of the virus, which the publication called the “worst global pandemic in decades.”
In a briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the organization is working to fill all of its financial gaps by working with its remaining partners. According to Ghebreyesus, the end goal is to ensure the organization’s work “continues uninterrupted.”


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Nancy Pelosi Says It’s ‘Shameful’ That Donald Trump Ordered His Signature Printed On Coronavirus Rel

Nancy Pelosi Says It’s ‘Shameful’ That Donald Trump Ordered His Signature Printed On Coronavirus Relief Checks

Nancy Pelosi said it is “ shameful ” that Donald Trump has ordered that his signature be printed on coronavirus relief checks , a decision that will reportedly delay the distribution of the first checks to Americans suffering from the economic fallout of the pandemic .
The House speaker released a statement on Wednesday criticizing what she saw as a selfish decision and a reflection of Trump ’ s misguided priorities in response to the coronavirus .
“ Delaying direct payments to vulnerable families just to print his name on the check is another shameful example of President Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the urgency it demands , ” Pelosi said in a statement , via The Hill .
As The Inquisitr had reported , the president ’ s name will appear on the memo line of the checks as his name could not legally appear on the signature line .
Several IRS officials told The Washington Post that the stimulus checks will be delayed because of the extra time it will take to issue them .
The report noted that the IRS ’ s information technology team had to rush to make a programming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signature to appear .
Paper checks will only be mailed to Americans who do not have banking information on file with the IRS .
All others will receive funding by direct deposit .
It was not immediately clear when paper checks would start to arrive , but some Americans have already received stimulus funds deposited in their accounts .
Pelosi ’ s criticism of Trump ’ s decision came just a day after she wrote a letter to House Democrats faulting Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus crisis , saying he wasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he should have been making preparations .
As The Inquisitr reported , Pelosi said that the coronavirus crisis is “ an unbearably sad time for Americans ” who are dealing with simultaneous trauma of losing loved ones , fearing for their own health and safety , and dealing with lost jobs and other economic impacts .
She said that in order to move forward , there needs to be a clear understanding of what put Americans in this position , which includes poor leadership from Trump .
“ The truth is that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , ignored those warnings , took insufficient action and caused unnecessary death and disaster , ” she wrote , adding that Trump told his “ most loyal followers ” that the pandemic was a hoax that would magically disappear , ultimately putting more lives in danger .

Nancy Pelosi said it is “shameful” that Donald Trump has ordered that his signature be printed on coronavirus relief checks, a decision that will reportedly delay the distribution of the first checks to Americans suffering from the economic fallout of the pandemic.
The House speaker released a statement on Wednesday criticizing what she saw as a selfish decision and a reflection of Trump’s misguided priorities in response to the coronavirus.
“Delaying direct payments to vulnerable families just to print his name on the check is another shameful example of President Trump’s catastrophic failure to treat this crisis with the urgency it demands,” Pelosi said in a statement, via The Hill.
As The Inquisitr had reported, the president’s name will appear on the memo line of the checks as his name could not legally appear on the signature line. Several IRS officials told The Washington Post that the stimulus checks will be delayed because of the extra time it will take to issue them. The report noted that the IRS’s information technology team had to rush to make a programming change that would allow Trump’s signature to appear.
Paper checks will only be mailed to Americans who do not have banking information on file with the IRS. All others will receive funding by direct deposit. It was not immediately clear when paper checks would start to arrive, but some Americans have already received stimulus funds deposited in their accounts.
Pelosi’s criticism of Trump’s decision came just a day after she wrote a letter to House Democrats faulting Trump’s response to the coronavirus crisis, saying he wasted valuable time by downplaying the virus when he should have been making preparations.
As The Inquisitr reported, Pelosi said that the coronavirus crisis is “an unbearably sad time for Americans” who are dealing with simultaneous trauma of losing loved ones, fearing for their own health and safety, and dealing with lost jobs and other economic impacts. She said that in order to move forward, there needs to be a clear understanding of what put Americans in this position, which includes poor leadership from Trump.
“The truth is that in January Donald Trump was warned about this pandemic, ignored those warnings, took insufficient action and caused unnecessary death and disaster,” she wrote, adding that Trump told his “most loyal followers” that the pandemic was a hoax that would magically disappear, ultimately putting more lives in danger.


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Stacey Abrams: ‘I Would Be An Excellent Running Mate’

In an interview with Elle published on Wednesday , former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said that she would be an “ excellent ” running mate for former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic White House nominee .
Speaking with the magazine ’ s Melissa Harris-Perry , Abrams said she “ would be honored ” to be selected as a vice-presidential nominee , explaining why she is the best person for the job .
“ If I am selected , I am prepared and excited to serve , ” Abrams added , noting that she has “ spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abrams spoke highly of Biden , saying that the former vice president has a “ truly sincere sense of humor.
” Biden ’ s “ charming gregariousness isn ’ t just an affect , ” she said .
Insisting that she is qualified for the role of vice president , Abrams explained to Elle that she understands how important the job is , emphasizing her own experience .
Pointing to her 2018 gubernatorial campaign , the Georgia Democrat said that her résumé should not be reduced to her loss to Republican Brian Kemp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effectively as a partner , to execute a vision , and to serve the vision of the president , ” she said .
Abrams discussed a variety of pressing issues with Harris-Perry .
Notably , she praised Democratic governors across the nation for the way they have been handling the coronavirus pandemic , suggesting that she is pleased with how the Democratic Party , as a whole , has been dealing with the crisis .
The Georgia Democrat opined that it is necessary to ensure a high level of voter participation in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balloting or not .
Even if it does , she said , the rules pertaining to vote-by-mail need to be clear so that all communities have equal access to vote .
Abrams ’ emphasizing of her experience in government comes on the heels of reports that Biden is looking for a seasoned politician , someone would be able to “ take over ” if necessary .
The presumptive Democratic nominee has vowed to pick a woman as running mate , but Abrams is reportedly no longer one of the top contenders for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , herself a former White House hopeful , is reportedly the front-runner for vice presidential nominee .
Sens .
Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Kamala Harris of California , and Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer are reportedly high on Biden ’ s list as well .

In an interview with Elle published on Wednesday, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said that she would be an “excellent” running mate for former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic White House nominee.
Speaking with the magazine’s Melissa Harris-Perry, Abrams said she “would be honored” to be selected as a vice-presidential nominee, explaining why she is the best person for the job.
“I would be an excellent running mate. I have the capacity to attract voters by motivating typically ignored communities. I have a strong history of executive and management experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.”
“If I am selected, I am prepared and excited to serve,” Abrams added, noting that she has “spent 25 years” studying foreign policy.
Abrams spoke highly of Biden, saying that the former vice president has a “truly sincere sense of humor.” Biden’s “charming gregariousness isn’t just an affect,” she said.
Insisting that she is qualified for the role of vice president, Abrams explained to Elle that she understands how important the job is, emphasizing her own experience. Pointing to her 2018 gubernatorial campaign, the Georgia Democrat said that her résumé should not be reduced to her loss to Republican Brian Kemp. “I am able to stand effectively as a partner, to execute a vision, and to serve the vision of the president,” she said.
Abrams discussed a variety of pressing issues with Harris-Perry. Notably, she praised Democratic governors across the nation for the way they have been handling the coronavirus pandemic, suggesting that she is pleased with how the Democratic Party, as a whole, has been dealing with the crisis.
The Georgia Democrat opined that it is necessary to ensure a high level of voter participation in November, whether the country switches to mail-in balloting or not. Even if it does, she said, the rules pertaining to vote-by-mail need to be clear so that all communities have equal access to vote.
Abrams’ emphasizing of her experience in government comes on the heels of reports that Biden is looking for a seasoned politician, someone would be able to “take over” if necessary. The presumptive Democratic nominee has vowed to pick a woman as running mate, but Abrams is reportedly no longer one of the top contenders for the position.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, herself a former White House hopeful, is reportedly the front-runner for vice presidential nominee. Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Kamala Harris of California, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are reportedly high on Biden’s list as well.


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Says Rallying Around Joe Biden Is ‘An Issue Of Life And Death’

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on Wednesday ’ s edition of The View and spoke about Donald Trump ‘ s administration and its response to the coronavirus pandemic .
As reported by Breitbart , the progressive congresswoman believes that it ’ s crucial for Democrats — even former Bernie Sanders supporters — to rally behind Joe Biden , the party ’ s presumptive nominee .
At one point , co-host Whoopi Goldberg asked Ocasio-Cortez if she would be following in Sanders ’ footsteps and endorsing Biden .
“ Yeah , absolutely , ” she said .
“ I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now just the stakes are too high when it comes to another four years of Trump .
” The 30-year-old politician noted the destruction that her community has allegedly faced due to Trump ’ s policies .
She then claimed that supporting Biden is “ an issue of life and death.
” Although Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Sanders and campaigned with the Vermont senator , she noted that one of the eventual party nominees is going to run the country .
While some Sanders supporters are refusing to vote for Biden , who is unsupportive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s platform , Ocasio-Cortez suggested the difference between a Biden and Trump presidency when it comes to the impact on vulnerable communities is significant .
Before Sanders dropped out , Ocasio-Cortez claimed that Sanders would have a better chance of taking on Trump in the industrial Midwest due to his supposedly more robust support with Independent voters .
Given this purported advantage , the congresswoman claimed that the Vermont lawmaker was better suited to defeat Trump in 2020 than Biden .
She made it a point to claim that her sentiments stemmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ overlapping political beliefs .
In a recent interview with the Associated Press , Sanders expressed similar sentiments as his former campaign trail partner and appeared to distance himself from his campaign ’ s former national press secretary , Briahna Joy Gray , who refused to endorse Biden .
He suggested that it is “ irresponsible ” of people not to be involved with the Democratic Party simply because they disagree with the former vice president .
Others , such as progressive commentator Krystal Ball , who was an outspoken advocate of Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Gray — which she likened to “ trashing his own supporters ” — is the reason he lost the primary .
“ He was more committed to maintaining power for Dems than claiming it for his own movement , ” she tweeted .

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on Wednesday’s edition of The View and spoke about Donald Trump‘s administration and its response to the coronavirus pandemic. As reported by Breitbart, the progressive congresswoman believes that it’s crucial for Democrats — even former Bernie Sanders supporters — to rally behind Joe Biden, the party’s presumptive nominee.
At one point, co-host Whoopi Goldberg asked Ocasio-Cortez if she would be following in Sanders’ footsteps and endorsing Biden.
“Yeah, absolutely,” she said. “I think, you know, I think right now just the stakes are too high when it comes to another four years of Trump. ”
The 30-year-old politician noted the destruction that her community has allegedly faced due to Trump’s policies. She then claimed that supporting Biden is “an issue of life and death.”
“We have had kids in cages. We have had a pandemic response that happened way too late that has cost us lives. We have people that don’t have access to critical care that they need. I think it’s really important that we rally behind our Democratic nominee in November.”
Although Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Sanders and campaigned with the Vermont senator, she noted that one of the eventual party nominees is going to run the country. While some Sanders supporters are refusing to vote for Biden, who is unsupportive of the majority of his former rival’s platform, Ocasio-Cortez suggested the difference between a Biden and Trump presidency when it comes to the impact on vulnerable communities is significant.
Before Sanders dropped out, Ocasio-Cortez claimed that Sanders would have a better chance of taking on Trump in the industrial Midwest due to his supposedly more robust support with Independent voters. Given this purported advantage, the congresswoman claimed that the Vermont lawmaker was better suited to defeat Trump in 2020 than Biden. She made it a point to claim that her sentiments stemmed from data and not her and Sanders’ overlapping political beliefs.
In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Sanders expressed similar sentiments as his former campaign trail partner and appeared to distance himself from his campaign’s former national press secretary, Briahna Joy Gray, who refused to endorse Biden. He suggested that it is “irresponsible” of people not to be involved with the Democratic Party simply because they disagree with the former vice president.
Others, such as progressive commentator Krystal Ball, who was an outspoken advocate of Sanders, suggest that his approach to people like Gray — which she likened to “trashing his own supporters” — is the reason he lost the primary.
“He was more committed to maintaining power for Dems than claiming it for his own movement,” she tweeted.


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Donald Trump Jr. Says His Father Is ‘Fascinated’ At The Possibility Of Pardoning Joe Exotic

In a Tuesday question-and-answer session on Facebook , Donald Trump Jr. revealed he spoke with his father , President Donald Trump , about pardoning Tiger King star Joe Exotic , who is imprisoned for trying to have animal rights activist Carole Baskin killed .
As reported by Raw Story , Trump Jr. noted the idea was first floated on the SiriusXM radio show of comedians Jim Norton and Sam Roberts .
Afterward , it made its way into a press briefing , and finally , Trump Jr. said the possibility was discussed during a private phone call with the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that night .
He was still in the Oval Office and was like , ‘ So what ’ s with this ? '
” Trump Jr. said .
According to Trump Jr. , the fascination may have come from a meme he posted .
He believes that his father ’ s wife , Melania Trump , likely showed the president the image .
Trump previously suggested he would look into Exotic ’ s case after he was pressed about the possibility during last week ’ s Coronavirus Task Force press conference .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of petitions have been started to secure Exotic ’ s early release , including one that has nearly 3,000 signatures out of its goal of 5,000 , PopCulture reported .
Exotic , whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage , wrote a letter to the president , asking him to look into the conviction , which centers around an alleged assassination plot as well as violations of the Endangered Species Act and the falsification of wildlife records .
“ Here in America we use [ sic ] to take the swearing of Oath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter reads .
“ These days it means nothing to anyone , not even the Department of Justice or the U.S Attorney ’ s Office.
” Exotic said the trial he received was not about “ truth ” but a “ win for the prosecutors.
” He also claimed to be able to prove every alleged lie surrounding the case and accused the U.S Attorney ’ s Office of ignoring evidence that would have served “ real justice.
” Erik Cowie , a zookeeper who worked at Exotic ’ s animal park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Exotic deserves to stay in prison until death , Canoe reported .
Saff , another former staffer at Exotic ’ s animal park , said she doesn ’ t believe he deserves to die in prison .
However , she appeared to agree with the sentence and said she thinks justice had been served .

In a Tuesday question-and-answer session on Facebook, Donald Trump Jr. revealed he spoke with his father, President Donald Trump, about pardoning Tiger King star Joe Exotic, who is imprisoned for trying to have animal rights activist Carole Baskin killed.
As reported by Raw Story, Trump Jr. noted the idea was first floated on the SiriusXM radio show of comedians Jim Norton and Sam Roberts. Afterward, it made its way into a press briefing, and finally, Trump Jr. said the possibility was discussed during a private phone call with the president.
“He actually called me late that night. He was still in the Oval Office and was like, ‘So what’s with this?'” Trump Jr. said.
“So, we had a couple of seconds before him sort of checking in and getting back to work, you know, he was fascinated.”
According to Trump Jr., the fascination may have come from a meme he posted. He believes that his father’s wife, Melania Trump, likely showed the president the image.
“It was like Donald Trump’s face with a Tiger King mullet, which was pretty epic.”
Trump previously suggested he would look into Exotic’s case after he was pressed about the possibility during last week’s Coronavirus Task Force press conference. After the president’s comment, a number of petitions have been started to secure Exotic’s early release, including one that has nearly 3,000 signatures out of its goal of 5,000, PopCulture reported.
Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, wrote a letter to the president, asking him to look into the conviction, which centers around an alleged assassination plot as well as violations of the Endangered Species Act and the falsification of wildlife records.
“Here in America we use [sic] to take the swearing of Oath seriously to tell the truth,” the letter reads. “These days it means nothing to anyone, not even the Department of Justice or the U.S Attorney’s Office.”
Exotic said the trial he received was not about “truth” but a “win for the prosecutors.” He also claimed to be able to prove every alleged lie surrounding the case and accused the U.S Attorney’s Office of ignoring evidence that would have served “real justice.”
Erik Cowie, a zookeeper who worked at Exotic’s animal park and appeared in Tiger King, claimed Exotic deserves to stay in prison until death, Canoe reported. Saff, another former staffer at Exotic’s animal park, said she doesn’t believe he deserves to die in prison. However, she appeared to agree with the sentence and said she thinks justice had been served.


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Republican Trey Hollingsworth Says Allowing More Coronavirus Deaths Is Preferable To Keeping Economy

Republican Trey Hollingsworth Says Allowing More Coronavirus Deaths Is Preferable To Keeping Economy Closed

Republican Rep. Trey Hollingsworth believes the American economy needs to reopen , even if it means the risk of more people dying from the coronavirus .
The Indiana lawmaker told a radio station this week that the country must end its isolation policies and move toward reopening the economy , calling it the “ lesser of two evils ” compared to the sickness and death that the coronavirus would bring .
As Vanity Fair noted , Hollingsworth told host Tony Katz that it will be up to Congress to tell Americans that the government is making the best decisions for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the answer to that is unequivocally to get Americans back to work , to get Americans back to their businesses , ” he said .
When Katz pressed Hollingsworth that critics will call him anti-science and say he is going to get people killed , Hollingsworth made it clear that reopening the American economy was the bigger priority .
“ It is policymakers ’ decision to put on our big boy and big girl pants and say , ‘ This is the lesser of these two evils .
And it is not zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these evils , and we intend to move forward in that direction.
’ That is our responsibility , and to abdicate that is to insult the Americans that voted us into office , ” he said .
Hollingsworth ’ s statement comes as other top Republicans have suggested moving forward to reopen the American economy , even as public health experts warn that doing so would allow the virus to start spreading rapidly again and put Americans in danger .
As Vanity Fair noted , White House National Economic Council chairman Larry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , saying that “ the cure can ’ t be worse than the disease , ” a line that Donald Trump later repeated .
Trump has spoken openly about a desire to reopen the economy and had previously predicted that it might happen by Easter .
He has since backed off the initial suggestions and has said distancing guidelines will remain in place through April at least .
There is disagreement on whether reopening the American economy during an ongoing pandemic would be beneficial .
Paul Krugman of The New York Times noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cronies , ” not economists , pushing for the economy to reopen sooner .
He noted that a survey of economists found unanimous support for tolerating a long contraction of economic activity in order to significantly drop the spread of coronavirus infections .
“ So where is this coming from ?
I ’ ve seen some people portray it as a conflict between epidemiologists and economists , but that ’ s all wrong .
Serious economists know what they don ’ t know — they recognize and respect experts from other disciplines @ @ @ @ @


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Stimulus Checks Could Be Delayed After Treasury Department Orders Donald Trump’s Name Be Added To Th

Stimulus Checks Could Be Delayed After Treasury Department Orders Donald Trump’s Name Be Added To Them

Millions of Americans may have to wait a bit longer before they ’ ll see their stimulus checks , The Washington Post reports , so that President Donald Trump ’ s name can be printed on them .
Congress passed a measure to give millions of Americans $ 1,200 stimulus checks to help them during the unprecedented economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Reportedly , some sources say that those checks could be delayed after the Treasury Department ordered the Internal Revenue Service to add Trump ’ s name to them .
Trump ’ s name will likely be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checks since his name can ’ t legally appear on the signature line .
Several IRS officials say that the decision will likely cause the paper checks to take more time to be issued .
The IRS reportedly now needs to make a programming change before the checks can go to the Bureau of Fiscal Service for printing and mailing .
Reportedly , Trump had said that he would like to sign the checks , asking Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to let him do so .
But , as the sources say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign legal disbursements made by the Treasury .
Instead , the checks will be signed by an official with the Fiscal Service .
While the decision to add Trump ’ s name has been in process for weeks , the change could lead to a delay of several days .
Chad Hooper , a quality control manager and president of the IRS ’ s Professional Managers Association , confirmed that it could likely mean payments will take longer .
Read This : 10 Items You Can ( And Should ) Buy On Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treasury Department denied there will be any delay .
“ Economic Impact Payment checks are scheduled to go out on time and exactly as planned — there is absolutely no delay whatsoever , ” they said .
Paper payments are slated to start mailing out next week , with the first payments going to lower-income individuals .
“ In fact , we expect the first checks to be in the mail early next week which is well in advance of when the first checks went out in 2008 and well in advance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Checks will continue to go out through September , with 5 million being issued each week .
Trump has purportedly sought to put himself at the center of the economic stimulus efforts as his campaign for reelection ramps up .
But some people say that Trump ’ s name appearing on the check violates the nonpolitical nature of taxes .
“ Taxes are supposed to be nonpolitical , and it ’ s that simple , ” said one expert .
“ It ’ s absolutely unprecedented.
” In recent days , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaced that he refused to sign the economic stimulus package if it included support for the postal service .


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Donald Trump’s Allies Are Looking For Scapegoats In Case Reopening The Economy Causes More Deaths, R

Donald Trump’s Allies Are Looking For Scapegoats In Case Reopening The Economy Causes More Deaths, Report Says

A report published in The Washington Post on Tuesday claims the White House is currently trying to devise a strategy to allow Donald Trump to reopen the economy on May 1 amid the coronavirus pandemic , while protecting him from any “ political fallout.
” According to the report , the primary fear is how the public will react to the loss of lives .
Two former Trump administration officials familiar with the efforts claim advisers are attempting to gain the support of economists , business executives , and “ other prominent figures ” to ensure the blame for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Some executives are wary the White House plan could backfire if it proves premature and leads to a public health catastrophe , according to three people familiar with the effort , ” the report reads .
“ Some also are concerned that under federal law , the contents of the meetings would have to become public , should the body meet a certain number of times.
” The Washington Post covers one idea that has allegedly been discussed among conservative advocacy groups supporting the White House ’ s push to relax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ liability shield ” for businesses .
Two people allegedly familiar with internal White House discussions said this shield would protect such companies from lawsuits if their employees contract COVID-19 while on the job .
Given the risks , Trump is reportedly considering a reopening that would be staggered based on geography .
The article comes after reports that Trump ’ s second coronavirus task force , which focuses on reopening the economy , has sparked confusion in the White House .
The team is allegedly led by White House chief of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steven Mnuchin , Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross , and National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow .
The president also claims the team will include top leaders in business , religion , and various other professions .
As reported by CNN , Dr. Anthony Fauci — America ’ s top coronavirus expert — again warned Trump against reopening the economy too soon .
According to Fauci , the U.S. needs a reliable and efficient system to control the spread of coronavirus before considering such an option .
As of now , he claims the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool .
Fauci specifically pointed to the May 1 reopening goal and suggested it was too optimistic , given the state of many regions of the country .
However , the renowned doctor indicated such a reopening date could be accomplished with a staggered rollout , echoing Trump ’ s sentiments .


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Kellyanne Conway Attacks WHO After Donald Trump Halts Funding: ‘This Is COVID-19, Not COVID-1’

During a Wednesday appearance on Fox & Friends , Donald Trump ‘ s White House counselor , Kellyanne Conway , attacked the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , Raw Story reported .
The criticism comes after the president announced on Tuesday that he is ending funding to the organization amid an investigation into its handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Unsurprisingly , Conway was supportive of Trump ’ s decision and suggested that the WHO failed in its handling of the pandemic that continues to wreak havoc around the world .
“ We have every right to know because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this global pandemic , but there ’ s another reason , some of the scientists and doctors say that there could be other strains later on , this could come back in the fall in a limited way , ” she said .
Despite the implication of Conway ’ s comment — that the number at the end of COVID-19 means it ’ s the 19th strain — Media Matters for America researcher Bobby Lewis pointed out that the number refers to the year of the virus ’ discovery , 2019 .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists claim there are currently eight different variations spreading across the world , none more harmful than the other .
The WHO has faced criticism for its relationship with China .
As The Inquisitr previously reported , author Matt Stoller noted that the organization echoed China ’ s initial suggestion that there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus .
He also claimed that the Chinese Communist Party controls the organization and suggested that it is mired in corruption .
Read This : 10 Items You Can ( And Should ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House ’ s cut in funding , China has urged the United States to reverse its decision , Bloomberg reported .
During a briefing in Beijing on Wednesday , China ’ s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian addressed the move .
“ This U.S. decision will weaken the WHO ’ s capabilities and undermine international cooperation , ” he said .
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded to Trump ’ s criticism by providing a timeline of the organization ’ s response to the pandemic .
“ Please quarantine politicizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the “ unity ” of the United States will be essential in combating COVID-19 .
Despite the criticism of the WHO , it declared the virus a public health emergency in late January , CTV News reported .
The warning sparked billionaire Bill Gates ’ pledge of up to $ 100 million to combat the virus ’ spread .
According to Trump , the U.S. provides $ 400 to $ 500 million to the WHO each year .
Conversely , China allegedly donates approximately $ 40 million .


inquisitr--2020-04-15--Nancy Pelosi Blasts Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Response In Letter: ‘A Weak Person Blames Others’

Nancy Pelosi is blasting Donald Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus in a letter to Democrats , saying that his decision to ignore warnings about the pandemic and refusal to take responsibility have been costly to Americans and the economy .
The House speaker shared the letter on her official website on Tuesday , calling the ongoing coronavirus crisis “ an unbearably sad time for Americans ” who are grieving the loss of loved ones while fearing for their own health and dealing with the economic impact of the pandemic .
She added that in order to move forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ the truth of what has put us in this position , ” noting that it was poor leadership from Trump that exacerbated the crisis .
Pelosi blamed the president for dismantling the federal infrastructure meant to plan for and respond to a pandemic , which she said resulted in “ unnecessary deaths and economic disaster.
” “ The truth is that in January Donald Trump was warned about this pandemic , ignored those warnings , took insufficient action and caused unnecessary death and disaster , ” she wrote , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” that the pandemic was a hoax and that it would magically disappear , which put more lives in danger .
Because of those poor decisions , the strong economy handed to Trump has become a “ disaster , ” Pelosi wrote .
She went on to call out Trump for failing to take responsibility .
“ The truth is a weak person , a poor leader , takes no responsibility , ” she wrote .
Read This : 10 Items You Can ( And Should ) Buy On Amazon Right Now This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has delivered harsh criticism toward Trump for his handling of the coronavirus .
As The Inquisitr reported , she blasted Trump in an interview last month , saying his initial denials regarding the severity of the virus were “ deadly.
” “ As the president fiddles , people are dying , ” she told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper during an appearance on State of the Union .
Trump has forcefully pushed back against criticism that he failed to properly prepare for the virus outbreak , lashing out this week at a reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration took after first putting in place travel restrictions from China .
After Trump showed a video at Monday ’ s briefing compiling his actions to address the outbreak and criticizing the media , CBS reporter Paula Reid asked what they did during the month of February .
Trump said the question was unfair , calling Reid “ disgraceful ” and “ a fake ” for asking the question .

Nancy Pelosi is blasting Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus in a letter to Democrats, saying that his decision to ignore warnings about the pandemic and refusal to take responsibility have been costly to Americans and the economy.
The House speaker shared the letter on her official website on Tuesday, calling the ongoing coronavirus crisis “an unbearably sad time for Americans” who are grieving the loss of loved ones while fearing for their own health and dealing with the economic impact of the pandemic. She added that in order to move forward, there first must be an understanding of “the truth of what has put us in this position,” noting that it was poor leadership from Trump that exacerbated the crisis.
Pelosi blamed the president for dismantling the federal infrastructure meant to plan for and respond to a pandemic, which she said resulted in “unnecessary deaths and economic disaster.”
“The truth is that in January Donald Trump was warned about this pandemic, ignored those warnings, took insufficient action and caused unnecessary death and disaster,” she wrote, adding that Trump told his “most loyal followers” that the pandemic was a hoax and that it would magically disappear, which put more lives in danger.
Because of those poor decisions, the strong economy handed to Trump has become a “disaster,” Pelosi wrote. She went on to call out Trump for failing to take responsibility.
“The truth is a weak person, a poor leader, takes no responsibility,” she wrote.
“A weak person blames others.”
This is not the first time that Pelosi has delivered harsh criticism toward Trump for his handling of the coronavirus. As The Inquisitr reported, she blasted Trump in an interview last month, saying his initial denials regarding the severity of the virus were “deadly.”
“As the president fiddles, people are dying,” she told CNN’s Jake Tapper during an appearance on State of the Union.
Trump has forcefully pushed back against criticism that he failed to properly prepare for the virus outbreak, lashing out this week at a reporter who questioned him on what steps the administration took after first putting in place travel restrictions from China. After Trump showed a video at Monday’s briefing compiling his actions to address the outbreak and criticizing the media, CBS reporter Paula Reid asked what they did during the month of February.
Trump said the question was unfair, calling Reid “disgraceful” and “a fake” for asking the question.


inquisitr--2020-04-14--Donald Trump Unveils Program For Hospitals To Share Unused Ventilators With Areas Of Highest Need

Donald Trump unveiled a new program that would allow hospitals with unused ventilators to share them with areas hit harder by the coronavirus , thus helping address a national shortage .
As The Hill reported , the public-private partnership was announced on Tuesday at a White House meeting with health care executives .
Called the Dynamic Ventilator Reserve , the program aims to rapidly move ventilators from hospitals where they are not being used to regions seeing a spike in coronavirus hospitalizations and in greater need of the critical medical equipment .
Trump said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators and would step in when more are needed .
“ Hospitals throughout the country currently have 60,000 unused ventilators , ” the president said .
“ Through this initiative , your hospitals are committing to lend unused surplus ventilators to other hospitals if they have an immediate need , and you ’ ve been doing that .
We appreciate it.
” Similar programs had already been proposed in some of the hardest-hit areas , with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signing an executive order allowing the state to move ventilators from areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being used to regions where they were in greater need .
The metro New York City area had become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States , with hospitals at times struggling to keep up with the high number of cases .
Many states are expected to reach a peak in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations over the coming week , including New York , where the rise in cases has begun to level off after several weeks of steady increases .
Experts have said that social distancing measures will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin to drop , with some measure of distancing in place until a vaccine is created and widely available .
Trump has taken steps to address the lack of ventilators , using the Defense Production Act to compel companies to begin manufacturing the equipment .
He had faced some criticism for failing to do so early enough , with critics saying the Trump administration wasted weeks in January and February when they could have been preparing by building up the reserve of ventilators and other needed medical items .
Many state leaders also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states to compete with one another for supplies , and often outbidding them for medical supplies and equipment .
Trump has also drawn controversy for statements that he has authority over when states will ease restrictions and begin to reopen their economies .


inquisitr--2020-04-14--Fox News Host Says ‘Conservatives’ Heads Would’ve Exploded’ If Barack Obama Claimed He Had ‘Total Au

Fox News Host Says ‘Conservatives’ Heads Would’ve Exploded’ If Barack Obama Claimed He Had ‘Total Authority’

Donald Trump claimed this week that he has “ total authority ” over states ’ decisions on when to begin re-opening economies amid the coronavirus crisis .
However , Fox News host Bret Baier said conservatives would have not handled it too well if it were Barack Obama making that controversial suggestion .
As The Daily Beast reported , Trump drew controversy for the statement at Monday ’ s coronavirus briefing saying that he was the one with the final say on when states will begin reopening parts of their economies as the peak of coronavirus cases has started to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisted that as president , he has the last word when it comes to easing social distancing guidelines , a point that was rebuked by legal experts who pointed out that the office of the presidency holds no such power over states .
Baier , the chief political anchor for Fox News , took issue with Trump ’ s statement and the seeming lack of outrage from conservatives who often pushed back against perceived power grabs from Obama .
He said that the U.S. Constitution is clear that it is not the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of state and local leaders who will make the decision of when to start reopening some non-essential services .
“ I think that there ’ s hypocrisy here in that , one , if President Obama had said those words that you heard from President Trump , that the authority is total with the presidency , conservatives ’ heads would ’ ve exploded across the board , ” he said .
As The Daily Beast wrote , Baier also called out Trump ’ s critics on the left , noting that many had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national stay-in-place order but contending that he had no such power to advise states on when to reopen economies .
While Trump has posited that he has the authority to make decisions on states easing restrictions , a group of governors has begun working together on their own plan .
As CNN reported , the governors of West Coast states have worked together , with California Governor Gavin Newsom outlining a framework for the state to begin reopening its economy .
Newsom has not yet announced a specific date , and there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 3 , with a longer one for Los Angeles .
As the report noted , the California governor pushed back against Trump ’ s idea that he has the authority on making this decision .
“ There is no light switch here , it ’ s more like a dimmer , ” Newsom said .
“ I know you want the timeline , but we can ’ t get ahead of ourselves and dream of regretting .
Let ’ s not make the mistake of pulling the plug too early , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Donald Trump claimed this week that he has “total authority” over states’ decisions on when to begin re-opening economies amid the coronavirus crisis.
However, Fox News host Bret Baier said conservatives would have not handled it too well if it were Barack Obama making that controversial suggestion.
As The Daily Beast reported, Trump drew controversy for the statement at Monday’s coronavirus briefing saying that he was the one with the final say on when states will begin reopening parts of their economies as the peak of coronavirus cases has started to pass for many of them. He insisted that as president, he has the last word when it comes to easing social distancing guidelines, a point that was rebuked by legal experts who pointed out that the office of the presidency holds no such power over states.
Baier, the chief political anchor for Fox News, took issue with Trump’s statement and the seeming lack of outrage from conservatives who often pushed back against perceived power grabs from Obama. He said that the U.S. Constitution is clear that it is not the president’s power, but rather that of state and local leaders who will make the decision of when to start reopening some non-essential services.
“I think that there’s hypocrisy here in that, one, if President Obama had said those words that you heard from President Trump, that the authority is total with the presidency, conservatives’ heads would’ve exploded across the board,” he said.
As The Daily Beast wrote, Baier also called out Trump’s critics on the left, noting that many had called him out for not instituting a national stay-in-place order but contending that he had no such power to advise states on when to reopen economies.
While Trump has posited that he has the authority to make decisions on states easing restrictions, a group of governors has begun working together on their own plan. As CNN reported, the governors of West Coast states have worked together, with California Governor Gavin Newsom outlining a framework for the state to begin reopening its economy.
Newsom has not yet announced a specific date, and there is a statewide stay-at-home order that lasts through May 3, with a longer one for Los Angeles. As the report noted, the California governor pushed back against Trump’s idea that he has the authority on making this decision.
“There is no light switch here, it’s more like a dimmer,” Newsom said. “I know you want the timeline, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves and dream of regretting. Let’s not make the mistake of pulling the plug too early, as much as we want to.”


inquisitr--2020-04-14--James Gray To Seek Libertarian Party’s Presidential Nomination

James P. Gray announced his intention to seek the Libertarian Party ’ s nomination in the 2020 presidential election .
The former Orange County Superior Court justice — who was the Libertarian Party ’ s vice presidential nominee during the 2012 election — announced he had joined the fray via his email list , according to Reason .
Gray , 75 , made the decision to join the race following the withdrawal of Lincoln Chafee , which the former Rhode Island governor announced last week via Facebook .
Gray had previously been a supporter of Chafee ’ s candidacy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place by Chafee staffers .
Although he was initially hesitant to become a candidate himself , Gray received positive response about the possibility when consulting with high-ranking party members around the country , he wrote in the newsletter .
Gray also had the luxury of a potential running mate in Larry Sharpe , the former Libertarian gubernatorial candidate for New York in 2018 .
When Sharpe expressed a willingness to join Gray on the ticket , the decision to enter the contest became easier .
“ During the discussion , I told Larry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mate , I would throw my hat in the ring .
On Friday , April 10 he agreed .
So that afternoon we had a Zoom meeting of Governor Chafee ’ s staff , along with the campaign manager of Riverside County Board of Supervisor Jeff Hewitt ’ s campaign where we introduced ourselves to each other and then started planning our campaign.
” Formerly a member of the Republican Party , Gray officially joined the Libertarian ’ s cause in 1998 after a failed bid for the congressional seat in California ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to run for the United States Senate in 2004 and was a keynote speaker at the Libertarian National Convention that same year .
Eight years later , he joined former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson ’ s presidential bid in which the Libertarian candidate receiving nearly 1 percent of the popular vote .
It was the best turnout to date for the Libertarians in the general election .
Along with running mate Bill Weld , Johnson would eventually surpass that performance in 2016 .
In addition to his history within the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-drug war activist may serve him in currying the favor of Libertarian voters .
In 2001 , he authored the book Why Our Drug Laws Have Failed and What We Can Do About It – A Judicial Indictment of the War on Drugs .
Later , he was the co-sponsor of an initiative that aimed to have cannabis production and consumption regulated like wine in California .
The Libertarian Party will select its presidential nominee at the 2020 Libertarian National Convention .
That event is scheduled to take place from May 21-25 in @ @ @ @


inquisitr--2020-04-14--Noam Chomsky Says Donald Trump Is The ‘Most Successful Con Man In American History’

American philosopher and linguist Noam Chomsky recently spoke to Labor Notes and took aim at Donald Trump while he explained his perception of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the president ’ s approaches to running the Republican Party .
According to Chomsky , McConnell is the “ evil genius ” behind ensuring that all of the party ’ s most reactionary policies remain intact .
Specifically , he pointed to McConnell ’ s staffing of the judiciary with “ young , mostly unqualified , ultra-reactionary justices ” that can oppose the desires of the country at will .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority party , ” Chomsky said .
Chomsky claims that Trump is a “ genius ” at appealing to such issues for the benefit of the wealthy .
Although Chomsky claims that the purported Grand Old Party ( GOP ) strategy will fall apart at some point , he noted that it appears to be “ maintaining itself ” at this time .
According to Chomsky , Trump and the Republican Party are attempting to dismantle as many facets of democracy as they can to maintain their grip on power .
Chomsky ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day that Trump claimed that the president ’ s authority is “ total , ” which caused pushback from many of his critics .
As reported by Global News , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo pushed back on Trump ’ s comment and claimed it was inaccurate .
He pointed to the U.S. Constitution , which provides all unmentioned powers to the states within the union .
In his Labor Notes interview , Chomsky listed many of the other world leaders he claims to have the same agenda as Trump and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s President Jair Bolsonaro is the worst offender and is only eclipsed by Trump because of the U.S. ’ s far-reaching power .
Nevertheless , Chomsky claims that such figures are trying to create the landscape for the “ next world , ” a pursuit he suggests is part of the class war they are trying to win .
If they win , Chomsky says , the lower classes will cease to exist .
In a recent interview on Democracy Now !
, Chomsky again attacked Trump and his administration and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular , he pushed back against the notion that the president didn ’ t have any indication that a pandemic was expected and could pose a danger to the country .

American philosopher and linguist Noam Chomsky recently spoke to Labor Notes and took aim at Donald Trump while he explained his perception of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the president’s approaches to running the Republican Party.
According to Chomsky, McConnell is the “evil genius” behind ensuring that all of the party’s most reactionary policies remain intact. Specifically, he pointed to McConnell’s staffing of the judiciary with “young, mostly unqualified, ultra-reactionary justices” that can oppose the desires of the country at will.
“Republicans know that they’re a minority party,” Chomsky said.
“There’s no way to get votes on their actual programs. That’s why they have to appeal to so-called cultural issues—gun rights, abortion and so on—not their actual policies, which are fill the pockets of the rich. That’s the actual policy.”
Chomsky claims that Trump is a “genius” at appealing to such issues for the benefit of the wealthy.
“Have to admire him. With one hand he says, ‘I’m your savior, I’m working for the poor working guy.’ On the other hand he’s stabbing him in the back. It’s pretty impressive. He’s most certainly the most successful con man in American history, ever.”
Although Chomsky claims that the purported Grand Old Party (GOP) strategy will fall apart at some point, he noted that it appears to be “maintaining itself” at this time. According to Chomsky, Trump and the Republican Party are attempting to dismantle as many facets of democracy as they can to maintain their grip on power.
Chomsky’s interview was released on the same day that Trump claimed that the president’s authority is “total,” which caused pushback from many of his critics. As reported by Global News, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed back on Trump’s comment and claimed it was inaccurate. He pointed to the U.S. Constitution, which provides all unmentioned powers to the states within the union.
In his Labor Notes interview, Chomsky listed many of the other world leaders he claims to have the same agenda as Trump and the GOP. According to Chomsky, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro is the worst offender and is only eclipsed by Trump because of the U.S.’s far-reaching power. Nevertheless, Chomsky claims that such figures are trying to create the landscape for the “next world,” a pursuit he suggests is part of the class war they are trying to win. If they win, Chomsky says, the lower classes will cease to exist.
In a recent interview on Democracy Now!, Chomsky again attacked Trump and his administration and their response to the coronavirus pandemic. In particular, he pushed back against the notion that the president didn’t have any indication that a pandemic was expected and could pose a danger to the country.


inquisitr--2020-04-14--Donald Trump’s Second Coronavirus Task Force Is Reportedly Causing Confusion: ‘It’s A Mess’

Last week , President Donald Trump announced a second coronavirus task force focusing on reopening the economy .
According to a report from CNN , the announcement has created confusion in the White House .
One official who spoke to CNN claims that the details of the committee , titled “ Opening the Country Council , ” have changed several times in recent days alone .
Another unnamed person supposedly in close contact with the White House described the purported disorganization of the situation .
“ It ’ s a mess right now , ” they said .
CNN claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meadows is planned to lead the new group .
Other members of the team allegedly include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin , National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow , Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross , as well as the heads of the departments of Transportation , Energy , Agriculture and Labor , and Housing and Urban Development .
Along with White House officials , Trump claims that the force will include top names in business , professions , and religion .
“ These are the greatest names , the people I think probably know the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to be speaking to them very soon and we want them to have , if it ’ s questions or statements , we want them to have that for us.
” Despite Trump ’ s comments , a source who advises chief executives told CNN that it ’ s unlikely business leaders will become formal members of the new COVID-19 task force .
According to the source , they will likely provide occasional advice to Mnuchin .
“ They aren ’ t going to say ‘ no , ' ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outlet .
Contrary to the reported confusion surrounding the team , Trump has painted a different picture of the group .
On Monday , he said he expects that committee will “ soon ” began providing recommendations as to how to reopen the United States economy .
David McIntosh , the Club for Growth President and a Mike Pence ally , has pushed back against the idea of having a coronavirus task force and predicted the chaos it is allegedly causing .
In particular , he claimed that the move would likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stifle the decision-making process .
Instead , McIntosh believes that adding more business advisers to the original COVID-19 task force would be the most effective path forward .
According to Mnuchin , he and Trump have examined a list of over 100 business people to join the new group .
However , CNN claims it ’ s unclear how many — if any — will join in a formal capacity .


inquisitr--2020-04-14--Donald Trump Invokes ‘Mutiny On The Bounty’ When Referencing Democratic Governors

Donald Trump continued his very public feud with a small group of state governors on Twitter Tuesday morning .
The president invoked the classic movie , Mutiny on the Bounty and said someone should tell “ the Democrat governors ” it ’ s one of his favorite films .
Trump ended the tweet by saying “ too easy , ” though it ’ s not entirely clear what that comment meant .
The post is just the latest in what has been an escalating back and forth between the president and several governors regarding who has the power to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states .
Earlier this week , Trump declared he had the absolute right to tell states when they needed to lift the restrictions put in place to help mitigate the coronavirus pandemic .
Several governors disagreed with his assertion , explaining they had the ultimate authority over the restrictions they themselves implemented in their own states .
The argument spread on social media , causing the 10th Amendment to trend on Twitter for a time on Monday .
That amendment concerns the power of the states , stating any powers not specifically granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reserved for the states .
The disagreement between the governors and the president continued during Trump ’ s daily press briefing on the coronavirus .
Several reporters asked him about the authority he claimed he had , wondering where he thought the power came from .
At one point , a reporter asked whether or not any governors agreed with the president ’ s assertion .
He responded he hadn ’ t asked anyone because he didn ’ t have to .
Earlier Tuesday , Trump specifically called out New York governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor had been calling and begging him for things .
He added Cuomo had talked about wanting independence , but didn ’ t seem to really want it .
As for his comparing the argument between himself and various governors to a movie , some of Trump ’ s followers were quick to point out the analogy might not be the best .
One user asked whether he had seen the end of the film .
At the end of Mutiny on the Bounty , the British court technically exonerates Captain Bligh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never been named captain of the HMS Bounty in the first place .
Social media users were quick to point out a direct correlation of that ending would hint people had decided Trump wasn ’ t fit for the presidency .


inquisitr--2020-04-14--Donald Trump Slammed For Airing ‘Propaganda’ Video During Coronavirus Press Conference

During Monday ’ s White House coronavirus press briefing , Donald Trump aired a video slamming the press and touting his job addressing the pandemic — a move that has garnered criticism from those who say the video was “ propaganda.
” At the press conference — which was covered by NBC and can be viewed on their YouTube channel — Trump attacked the press , saying The New York Times and others would go out of business because he won ’ t be around for them to write about in the future .
He then stepped away from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media coverage downplaying the intensity of the virus .
The video then transitioned to a segment made to show the steps Trump has taken to address the COVID-19 pandemic , followed by a segment showing governors like Florida ’ s Ron DeSantis and New York ’ s Andrew Cuomo praising the president ’ s actions and thanking him for his assistance to the states .
As the video aired , Trump looked at the assembled press in the room and gestured to the video , smiling .
After it ended , he claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people praising him , but didn ’ t want the press conference to go on too long .
But , he added , the media wasn ’ t covering him fairly .
He continued to say he had given the states all the medical equipment they needed and criticized New York for requesting 40,000 ventilators .
The video appeared to be in response to a piece published in The New York Times over the weekend that claimed Trump downplayed the seriousness of the virus and didn ’ t act aggressively enough in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Critics lashed out at the president ’ s video , saying it was propaganda .
“ That was propaganda .
That was not just a campaign video .
That was propaganda aired at taxpayer expense in the White House briefing room .
And it was selective , cherry-picking information , ” CNN ‘ s John King said , according to Yahoo News .
MSNBC cut away from the video as it aired .
“ We are going to avoid airing any more of this White House briefing until it returns to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was a coronavirus task force providing medical information , ” MSNBC ’ s Ari Melber said .
“ What we just saw… was a video the White House put out which suggests they are spending their precious time right now making videos that defend the president ’ s record and tenure , rather than provide the much-needed emergency medical information.
” During the press conference , the president argued the video was necessary in order to correct the “ fake news ” being published .


inquisitr--2020-04-14--Barack Obama Reportedly Encouraged Bernie Sanders To Drop Out Of Race

Former President Barack Obama had several meetings with Senator Bernie Sanders during which he reportedly urged the Democratic presidential nominee to step out of the race .
According to The New York Times , Obama urged frontrunner Joe Biden to “ accelerate the endgame ” in order to focus on the general election .
According to people close to Sanders , it was Obama ’ s urging that helped impact his thinking on whether or not to leave the 2020 race after a series of disappointing primary results .
Obama has appeared to stay fairly neutral during the Democratic primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president being in the race .
But now that seems to have changed .
After it became clear that Biden would likely nab the party ’ s nomination , Obama had at least four lengthy conversations with Sanders in order to apparently encourage the senator to end his bid for president .
He also encouraged him to put his support behind Biden .
“ In late March , Mr. Obama reached out to Mr. Sanders .
The two men would talk at least three more times , with the former president reassuring Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what he had set out to do , moving the party — and Mr. Biden — substantially to the left , according to two people with knowledge of their interactions , ” The New York Times reports .
When it comes to the other potential Democratic presidential nominees , it appears Obama didn ’ t encourage any of them to support one candidate over another .
However , he did tell former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg that he would experience a good deal of political leverage on the day he quit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went on to endorse Biden .
Sanders has also placed his support behind Biden .
In a deviation from the 2016 Democratic primary , Sanders hasn ’ t levied any accusations against Obama for trying to rally the Democratic establishment behind Biden .
In 2016 , he claimed party leaders were trying to rally Democrats around failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton instead of allowing for a fair competition between the two primary candidates .
It seems this time around , Sanders has reportedly been grateful that Obama chose to remain neutral during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has reached out to Obama several times in recent months to discuss his campaign , though he has kept the content of those conversations private .
“ Mr .
Sanders , for his part , is intent on protecting his open line of communication with the former president .
When asked for a readout during an interview on MSNBC shortly after dropping out last week , he replied , ‘ They ’ re private conversations , ’ waving a don ’ t-even-ask-me-about-it hand at the camera , ” The New York Times reported @

Former President Barack Obama had several meetings with Senator Bernie Sanders during which he reportedly urged the Democratic presidential nominee to step out of the race. According to The New York Times, Obama urged frontrunner Joe Biden to “accelerate the endgame” in order to focus on the general election.
According to people close to Sanders, it was Obama’s urging that helped impact his thinking on whether or not to leave the 2020 race after a series of disappointing primary results.
Obama has appeared to stay fairly neutral during the Democratic primary, despite his friend and former vice president being in the race. But now that seems to have changed.
After it became clear that Biden would likely nab the party’s nomination, Obama had at least four lengthy conversations with Sanders in order to apparently encourage the senator to end his bid for president. He also encouraged him to put his support behind Biden.
“In late March, Mr. Obama reached out to Mr. Sanders. The two men would talk at least three more times, with the former president reassuring Mr. Sanders that he had already accomplished much of what he had set out to do, moving the party — and Mr. Biden — substantially to the left, according to two people with knowledge of their interactions,” The New York Times reports.
When it comes to the other potential Democratic presidential nominees, it appears Obama didn’t encourage any of them to support one candidate over another. However, he did tell former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg that he would experience a good deal of political leverage on the day he quit the race. Buttigieg dropped out and went on to endorse Biden.
Sanders has also placed his support behind Biden.
In a deviation from the 2016 Democratic primary, Sanders hasn’t levied any accusations against Obama for trying to rally the Democratic establishment behind Biden. In 2016, he claimed party leaders were trying to rally Democrats around failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton instead of allowing for a fair competition between the two primary candidates.
It seems this time around, Sanders has reportedly been grateful that Obama chose to remain neutral during the primary campaign, and the Vermont senator has reached out to Obama several times in recent months to discuss his campaign, though he has kept the content of those conversations private.
“Mr. Sanders, for his part, is intent on protecting his open line of communication with the former president. When asked for a readout during an interview on MSNBC shortly after dropping out last week, he replied, ‘They’re private conversations,’ waving a don’t-even-ask-me-about-it hand at the camera,” The New York Times reported.


inquisitr--2020-01-07--Bernie Sanders Takes The Gloves Off, Hammers Joe Biden: Democrats Need ‘Energy’ To Defeat Donald Tru

Bernie Sanders Takes The Gloves Off, Hammers Joe Biden: Democrats Need ‘Energy’ To Defeat Donald Trump

With multiple candidates fading away in the polls , the Democratic primary race once again looks like a two-way contest between former Vice President Joe Biden and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders .
Now , with less than 30 days until the Iowa caucuses , both candidates are drawing contrasts and aggressively pitching themselves to voters .
In a new interview with CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper on Monday , Sanders took the gloves off , hammering his closest competitor , according to The Hill .
Contrasting his record with Biden ’ s , Sanders attacked the central premise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : perceived electability .
For months , Biden has been pitching himself to voters as the most electable candidate ; the only Democrat in the race capable of beating President Donald Trump .
Nothing could be further from the truth , according to Sanders , who hammered away at Biden ’ s support for offensive wars and opposition to welfare programs .
“ Joe Biden voted and helped lead the effort for the war in Iraq , the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in the modern history of this country , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden supported NAFTA , a trade agreement that cost the United States “ millions of jobs , ” before moving on to the former vice president ’ s opposition to numerous entitlement programs .
“ Joe Biden has been on the floor of the Senate talking about the need to cut Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid , ” Sanders said , in an apparent attempt to appeal to seniors supportive of the Delaware Democrat .
The Vermont independent then went after Biden for supporting a 2005 bankruptcy bill , which — critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinary Americans .
The bill , Sanders said , “ has caused enormous problems for working families.
” Because of his voting record , Sanders concluded , Biden would be unelectable in key battleground states the Democratic Party needs to win back in order to defeat Trump .
“ Do you think that ’ s going to play well in Michigan , Wisconsin or Pennsylvania ?
” he asked .
On the campaign trail , Biden has made a conscious effort to defend his voting record , alternating between acknowledging his mistakes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was confronted about his support for the Iraq War , only to claim to have opposed former President George W. Bush ’ s military effort from the “ very moment ” it began .
As fact-checks have shown , Biden strongly supported the war before and after it began .
Having surged in early state polls and raised more money than anyone else in the race , Sanders now reportedly faces strong opposition from the Obama wing of the Democratic Party , which remains supportive of Biden .

With multiple candidates fading away in the polls, the Democratic primary race once again looks like a two-way contest between former Vice President Joe Biden and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Now, with less than 30 days until the Iowa caucuses, both candidates are drawing contrasts and aggressively pitching themselves to voters.
In a new interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday, Sanders took the gloves off, hammering his closest competitor, according to The Hill. Contrasting his record with Biden’s, Sanders attacked the central premise of the former vice president’s candidacy: perceived electability.
For months, Biden has been pitching himself to voters as the most electable candidate; the only Democrat in the race capable of beating President Donald Trump. Nothing could be further from the truth, according to Sanders, who hammered away at Biden’s support for offensive wars and opposition to welfare programs.
“Joe Biden voted and helped lead the effort for the war in Iraq, the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in the modern history of this country,” he began.
Sanders also pointed out that Biden supported NAFTA, a trade agreement that cost the United States “millions of jobs,” before moving on to the former vice president’s opposition to numerous entitlement programs.
“Joe Biden has been on the floor of the Senate talking about the need to cut Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid,” Sanders said, in an apparent attempt to appeal to seniors supportive of the Delaware Democrat.
The Vermont independent then went after Biden for supporting a 2005 bankruptcy bill, which — critics claim — favored credit card companies over ordinary Americans. The bill, Sanders said, “has caused enormous problems for working families.”
Because of his voting record, Sanders concluded, Biden would be unelectable in key battleground states the Democratic Party needs to win back in order to defeat Trump.
“Do you think that’s going to play well in Michigan, Wisconsin or Pennsylvania?” he asked.
“I just don’t think that that kind of record is going to bring forth the kind energy we need to defeat Trump.”
On the campaign trail, Biden has made a conscious effort to defend his voting record, alternating between acknowledging his mistakes and denying them. This Saturday, Biden was confronted about his support for the Iraq War, only to claim to have opposed former President George W. Bush’s military effort from the “very moment” it began. As fact-checks have shown, Biden strongly supported the war before and after it began.
Having surged in early state polls and raised more money than anyone else in the race, Sanders now reportedly faces strong opposition from the Obama wing of the Democratic Party, which remains supportive of Biden.


inquisitr--2020-01-07--Sanders, Biden, Yang Lead New Mexico Democratic Primary In New Emerson Poll

A new Emerson poll of the New Mexico Democratic primary puts Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the lead in New Mexico with 28 percent support , trailed by former Vice President Joe Biden with 27 percent support .
In third place is businessman Andrew Yang with 10 percent support .
Everyone else is in single digits , with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in fourth place with 8 percent support and South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg in fifth with 7 percent support .
“ It appears if Sanders and Biden are able to emerge as the top two candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close showdown in New Mexico – but the race is still fluid as a majority of voters , 52 % , say they could change their mind , ” explained Spencer Kimball , Director of Emerson College Polling .
Sanders ’ lead follows a recent CBS News Battleground Tracker poll that put him in first place in New Hampshire and tied for first with Biden and Buttigieg in Iowa .
The 78-year-old politician has been surging in recent polls amid sources claiming that he is being considered a viable contender for the nomination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notable as media coverage of Sanders has been notoriously dismissive throughout the primary , echoing his treatment during his 2016 run .
Although Biden has been the frontrunner in the primary for most of the race and still leads in overall average polling , a Rasmussen Reports report claims he is at his lowest level of support to date .
The survey put the 77-year-old politician at 30 percent support among Likely Democratic Voters , a decline from 37 percent in the previous iteration of the poll conducted at the beginning of December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted along with YouGov — Yang received 2 percent in each state , in conflict with the campaign ’ s internal polling that suggested he is on the rise nationally .
The results led to pushback from supporters that noted a previous survey from YouGov that had the candidate at 11 percent before the pollster claimed the sample ’ s quality was compromised .
Before the pair of polls , the aforementioned Rasmussen Reports survey put the 44-year-old serial entrepreneur at 6 percent among national Democratic likely voters .
The pollster also addressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lack of qualifying polls for the January debate , noting that their previous analysis found that the majority of DNC-approved polls failed to predict Trump ’ s win in 2016 .

A new Emerson poll of the New Mexico Democratic primary puts Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the lead in New Mexico with 28 percent support, trailed by former Vice President Joe Biden with 27 percent support. In third place is businessman Andrew Yang with 10 percent support. Everyone else is in single digits, with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren in fourth place with 8 percent support and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg in fifth with 7 percent support.
“It appears if Sanders and Biden are able to emerge as the top two candidates, they are set up for a close showdown in New Mexico – but the race is still fluid as a majority of voters, 52%, say they could change their mind,” explained Spencer Kimball, Director of Emerson College Polling.
Sanders’ lead follows a recent CBS News Battleground Tracker poll that put him in first place in New Hampshire and tied for first with Biden and Buttigieg in Iowa. The 78-year-old politician has been surging in recent polls amid sources claiming that he is being considered a viable contender for the nomination from Democratic insiders. The reports are notable as media coverage of Sanders has been notoriously dismissive throughout the primary, echoing his treatment during his 2016 run.
#NEW: Emerson College poll finds New Mexico Democratic primary voters split between Sen. Bernie Sanders & fmr VP Joe Biden: Sanders 28%
Biden 27%
Yang 10%
Warren 8%
Buttigieg 7%
Bloomberg 3%
Klobuchar/Booker/Gabbard 2%
(MOE +/- 4.6%) pic.twitter.com/uP47JId62l — Jenn Franco KESQ (@jennfranconews) January 7, 2020
Although Biden has been the frontrunner in the primary for most of the race and still leads in overall average polling, a Rasmussen Reports report claims he is at his lowest level of support to date.
“Joe Biden still leads the Democratic presidential pack, but as the campaign season begins in earnest, he has fallen to his lowest level of support to date.”
The survey put the 77-year-old politician at 30 percent support among Likely Democratic Voters, a decline from 37 percent in the previous iteration of the poll conducted at the beginning of December.
In the same CBS polls — conducted along with YouGov — Yang received 2 percent in each state, in conflict with the campaign’s internal polling that suggested he is on the rise nationally. The results led to pushback from supporters that noted a previous survey from YouGov that had the candidate at 11 percent before the pollster claimed the sample’s quality was compromised. Before the pair of polls, the aforementioned Rasmussen Reports survey put the 44-year-old serial entrepreneur at 6 percent among national Democratic likely voters. The pollster also addressed Yang’s supporters on Twitter amid a lack of qualifying polls for the January debate, noting that their previous analysis found that the majority of DNC-approved polls failed to predict Trump’s win in 2016.


inquisitr--2020-01-07--Republican Congressman Tweets Fake Photo Of Barack Obama With Iranian Leader, Attacks Critics Who Ca

Republican Congressman Tweets Fake Photo Of Barack Obama With Iranian Leader, Attacks Critics Who Call Him Out

A Republican congressman has shared a fake photo of Barack Obama shaking hands with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani , then attacked critics and reporters who pointed out to him that it was not real .
The doctored image was shared by Arizona Republican Paul Gosar , who posted it on his official Twitter account on Monday with the message , “ The world is a better place without these guys in power.
” As Business Insider noted , the photo could have never taken place as Obama and Rouhani never met , and the latter is actually still in power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ original shot of the former U.S. president was taken with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , who was edited out and replaced by an image of Rouhani .
Though many attacked Gosar for sharing a fake image , he shot back at critics and implied that he knew the upload was fake and meant to share it anyway .
In response to a reporter who pointed out the post ’ s inaccuracy , Gosar posted a message claiming he was not trying to portray an accurate image but instead voice his displeasure with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witted reporters like @ dmedin11 : no one said this wasn ’ t photoshopped .
No one said the president of Iran was dead .
No one said Obama met with Rouhani in person , ” he wrote .
“ The tweet says : ‘ the world is a better place without either of them in power.
’ ” Gosar did not address the fact that Rouhani is still in power , and it was not clear if he understood that the Iranian leader was not only alive but still the president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to echo the arguments from the Trump administration blaming Obama for the quickly unraveling situation with Iran .
After Trump ordered a military strike that killed a top Iranian military leader , the country has vowed retribution and Iraqi allies are calling for the United States to withdraw troops from the country .
On Sunday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed that Obama planted the seeds for the conflict when he tried to appease Iran and said without evidence that the Iran nuclear deal ended up funding regional terrorism .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what was the Obama administration ’ s appeasement of Iran , ” Pompeo said on ABC News ’ This Week , via USA Today .
“ This is a regime that has been acting against America for an awfully long time .
And we are suffering from eight years of neglect and we ’ re trying to push it back .
We ’ re trying to contain them , ” he added .
After the American strike this week , Iran said it would no longer comply with the nuclear deal .

A Republican congressman has shared a fake photo of Barack Obama shaking hands with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, then attacked critics and reporters who pointed out to him that it was not real.
The doctored image was shared by Arizona Republican Paul Gosar, who posted it on his official Twitter account on Monday with the message, “The world is a better place without these guys in power.”
As Business Insider noted, the photo could have never taken place as Obama and Rouhani never met, and the latter is actually still in power as the president of Iran. The original shot of the former U.S. president was taken with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was edited out and replaced by an image of Rouhani.
Though many attacked Gosar for sharing a fake image, he shot back at critics and implied that he knew the upload was fake and meant to share it anyway. In response to a reporter who pointed out the post’s inaccuracy, Gosar posted a message claiming he was not trying to portray an accurate image but instead voice his displeasure with Barack Obama.
“To the dim witted reporters like @dmedin11: no one said this wasn’t photoshopped. No one said the president of Iran was dead. No one said Obama met with Rouhani in person,” he wrote. “The tweet says: ‘the world is a better place without either of them in power.’ ”
Gosar did not address the fact that Rouhani is still in power, and it was not clear if he understood that the Iranian leader was not only alive but still the president of his country.
The attack against Obama appeared to echo the arguments from the Trump administration blaming Obama for the quickly unraveling situation with Iran. After Trump ordered a military strike that killed a top Iranian military leader, the country has vowed retribution and Iraqi allies are calling for the United States to withdraw troops from the country.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed that Obama planted the seeds for the conflict when he tried to appease Iran and said without evidence that the Iran nuclear deal ended up funding regional terrorism.
“We’re trying to correct for what was the Obama administration’s appeasement of Iran,” Pompeo said on ABC News’ This Week, via USA Today.
“This is a regime that has been acting against America for an awfully long time. And we are suffering from eight years of neglect and we’re trying to push it back. We’re trying to contain them,” he added.
After the American strike this week, Iran said it would no longer comply with the nuclear deal.