occupydemocrats--2020-08-26--White Florida woman charged with child abuse for slapping Black child and calling him the N-word

It ’ s always refreshing to see a bigot held legally accountable for one of their heinous displays of racism .
According to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel , a white woman has been arrested for slapping an 11-year-old Black child across the face at a go-kart track this past weekend .
The woman , 30-year-old Haley Erin Zager , also allegedly referred to the child by the n-word while recounting the incident to an employee of the establishment .
Zager was arrested for child abuse and is facing second-degree felony charges over the attack .
Three employees of the go-kart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occur .
Police officers found a metallic container full of assorted pills hidden in her underwear and added drug possession charges to the incident .
In 2018 , Zager was suspected of aggravated domestic battery but in the end , prosecutors declined to move forward with the case .
Clearly , this woman has violence issues .
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Zager told police that she only “ tapped ” the boy on the face and that she did it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind at “ full speed ” and then failed to apologize .
The victim ’ s father says that his son rear-ended Zager because another car behind him rammed into several carts , propelling him forward .
“ Tapped ” appears to be a very charitable description of Zager ’ s attack , as the boy ’ s cheek ended up so swollen that paramedics who arrived administered an ice pack to reduce the swelling .
In any case , the woman had absolutely no right to put her hands on a child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zager made her racial animus immediately clear after the assault .
“ That f*cking n***er hit me in the back , ” she allegedly said to an employee .
One witness stated that Zager referred to the child with the same racial slur several times while explaining what happened to another individual present .
Using the N-word at all is obviously a vile , inexcusable thing to do but using it to refer to a child is especially despicable .
What kind of person walks around , ready to explode with such hatred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were witnesses and it appears that Zager will be held accountable .
This attack should serve as a potent reminder that we all have a responsibility to stay vigilant and confront racism wherever and whenever it appears .
The racists are emboldened these days and they must be shamed back into hiding .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

It’s always refreshing to see a bigot held legally accountable for one of their heinous displays of racism. According to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a white woman has been arrested for slapping an 11-year-old Black child across the face at a go-kart track this past weekend. The woman, 30-year-old Haley Erin Zager, also allegedly referred to the child by the n-word while recounting the incident to an employee of the establishment.
Zager was arrested for child abuse and is facing second-degree felony charges over the attack. Three employees of the go-kart track claim to have seen the assault occur. Police officers found a metallic container full of assorted pills hidden in her underwear and added drug possession charges to the incident. In 2018, Zager was suspected of aggravated domestic battery but in the end, prosecutors declined to move forward with the case. Clearly, this woman has violence issues.
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
Zager told police that she only “tapped” the boy on the face and that she did it because he rammed into her cart from behind at “full speed” and then failed to apologize. The victim’s father says that his son rear-ended Zager because another car behind him rammed into several carts, propelling him forward.
“Tapped” appears to be a very charitable description of Zager’s attack, as the boy’s cheek ended up so swollen that paramedics who arrived administered an ice pack to reduce the swelling. In any case, the woman had absolutely no right to put her hands on a child.
According to the arrest report, Zager made her racial animus immediately clear after the assault. “That f*cking n***er hit me in the back,” she allegedly said to an employee. One witness stated that Zager referred to the child with the same racial slur several times while explaining what happened to another individual present.
Using the N-word at all is obviously a vile, inexcusable thing to do but using it to refer to a child is especially despicable. What kind of person walks around, ready to explode with such hatred on an innocent child? Thankfully, there were witnesses and it appears that Zager will be held accountable.
This attack should serve as a potent reminder that we all have a responsibility to stay vigilant and confront racism wherever and whenever it appears. The racists are emboldened these days and they must be shamed back into hiding.
We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
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occupydemocrats--2020-08-26--Alleged right-wing militaman opens fire at Jacob Blake protest, killing two. Police roll right past

Alleged right-wing militaman opens fire at Jacob Blake protest, killing two. Police roll right past him

Furious protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake continued to rage for a third night on Tuesday evening — and around midnight , they turned deadly .
After jackbooted riot cops forced the main body of protesters away from the courthouse with a vicious barrage of tear gas and rubber bullets , some protesters began heading towards a nearby gas station , where a confrontation occurred .
A young man who is believed to be a right-wing militia member allegedly “ protecting the property ” opened fire with an AR-15 rifle , killing two people and wounding one more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spark the first shooting , but video clearly shows the man running away from the scene of the crime as protesters chase him , yelling “ HE SHOT SOMEONE.
” The shooter trips and falls and is leapt upon by a protester , who the shooter fires upon .
Unconfirmed reports indicate the shooter is a man named Kyle Rittenhouse , who also goes by Kyle Lewis on social media .
His Facebook page is filled with “ Back the Blue ” pro-cop propaganda .
Stunningly , there have been no arrests made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shooter firing upon protestors and then literally walking towards the police right afterward , clearly holding a rifle — and they just roll right by him .
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Other videos suggest a disturbing amount of coordination and support between the police and the right-wing protesters ; some videos show the police distributing water to the militiamen while another shows an armed white man describes how the police told them that they were going to deliberately herd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hopes of provoking violence against the protesters that the police clearly feel nothing but contempt for .
Police are apparently “ searching ” for the shooter as of yet , but they appear to have deliberately let him walk away when he had the chance .
It is terrifying to consider , but this feels like it is only the beginning of something much , much darker .
It was only a matter of time before violence broke out between Black Lives Matter protesters and the right-wing defenders of white supremacy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine fearmongering about the lawless anarchists of “ antifa ” and a Republican National Convention which just gave a platform to the two psychos who pointed guns at protesters and turned them into heroes .
One can complain and fret about the optics and political vIaBilIty of movements to defund police organizations but at some point we have to accept that the all over the country , police are working with right-wing militia groups and providing cover for the violence that they inflict on American citizens expressing their right to protest — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something we are fundamentally okay with .

Furious protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake continued to rage for a third night on Tuesday evening — and around midnight, they turned deadly. After jackbooted riot cops forced the main body of protesters away from the courthouse with a vicious barrage of tear gas and rubber bullets, some protesters began heading towards a nearby gas station, where a confrontation occurred.
A young man who is believed to be a right-wing militia member allegedly “protecting the property” opened fire with an AR-15 rifle, killing two people and wounding one more. It is unclear what happened to spark the first shooting, but video clearly shows the man running away from the scene of the crime as protesters chase him, yelling “HE SHOT SOMEONE.” The shooter trips and falls and is leapt upon by a protester, who the shooter fires upon.
CONTENT WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
https://twitter.com/anoncatanoncat/status/1298483287250415621?s=20
Much clearer images of Kyle on the ground. At this point he had already admitted to shooting someone (in the head) next to all those cars. People were trying to subdue a gunmen that had already shot people. pic.twitter.com/5K4HXrSLda — Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 26, 2020
TW
These are the types of people Trump has emboldened: a member of a white supremacist militia called Boogaloo boys shoots people protesting against police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin. One of the core beliefs of boogaloo boys is that a new civil war is imminent in America. pic.twitter.com/3oiV7f8dYx — Admirim (@admirim) August 26, 2020
Unconfirmed reports indicate the shooter is a man named Kyle Rittenhouse, who also goes by Kyle Lewis on social media. His Facebook page is filled with “Back the Blue” pro-cop propaganda.
I have three ways to identify the Kenosha Shooter who has killed two people Kyle Rittenhouse/Kyle Lewis pic.twitter.com/GoIZsJmUk3 — Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof) (@hungrybowtie) August 26, 2020
https://twitter.com/tariqnasheed/status/1298548721152491521?s=20
Stunningly, there have been no arrests made in the killings. The videos show the shooter firing upon protestors and then literally walking towards the police right afterward, clearly holding a rifle — and they just roll right by him.
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
2 dead, 1 injured overnight after armed vigilantes showed up in Kenosha, WI. This @sarasidnerCNN live hit about the shooting is STUNNING. "He has his long gun strapped across his chest … he walks up to police officers … and literally 3 officers … rolled right past him." pic.twitter.com/24IIZXD7OI — The Recount (@therecount) August 26, 2020
Other videos suggest a disturbing amount of coordination and support between the police and the right-wing protesters; some videos show the police distributing water to the militiamen while another shows an armed white man describes how the police told them that they were going to deliberately herd the protesters towards the militiamen, seemingly in hopes of provoking violence against the protesters that the police clearly feel nothing but contempt for.
Here is your shooter being offered and tossed a bottled water out of a LEO vehicle. “We appreciate you guys being out here.” pic.twitter.com/63NtIOcdK2 — Nap Lajoie (@randomanne) August 26, 2020
“The cops said we’re gonna push them (the protestors) down by you ‘cause you can deal with them. Then we’re gonna leave.” pic.twitter.com/8dBYdvf5wk — Lauren Hough (@laurenthehough) August 26, 2020
Police are apparently “searching” for the shooter as of yet, but they appear to have deliberately let him walk away when he had the chance.
It is terrifying to consider, but this feels like it is only the beginning of something much, much darker. It was only a matter of time before violence broke out between Black Lives Matter protesters and the right-wing defenders of white supremacy, especially after two months of right-wing media machine fearmongering about the lawless anarchists of “antifa” and a Republican National Convention which just gave a platform to the two psychos who pointed guns at protesters and turned them into heroes.
One can complain and fret about the optics and political vIaBilIty of movements to defund police organizations but at some point we have to accept that the all over the country, police are working with right-wing militia groups and providing cover for the violence that they inflict on American citizens expressing their right to protest — and we must ask ourselves if this is something we are fundamentally okay with.
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-26--“Total honesty”: Melania Trump tells RNC that’s what America deserves from a president

Melania Trump headlined the Republican National Convention tonight at a lower volume and a more accented voice than that utilized by Kimberly Guilfoyle — her screeching future step-daughter — during the first night of this virtual celebration of Trumpiness .
Appearing in an olive green , quasi-military outfit , the First Lady gave her speech in front of a maskless crowd in the newly renovated White House Rose Garden that somehow managed to avoid the threatened thunderstorms in Washington DC .
Her remarks came after a fawning parade of GOP politicians and other members of the Trump family — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president for the previous hour and three quarters and provided fact checkers with enough work to last them until at least the start of tomorrow ’ s proceedings .
While Melania made it through the somewhat boring speech without any major gaffes or horribly embarrassing moments —aside from a few lines that defied credulity that we ’ ll discuss later — there were plenty of those to be found earlier in an evening that will likely be remembered most for its last minute cancellation of a scheduled speaker who was foolish enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a night when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was violating his own department ’ s protocols by appearing at a political convention with a segment recorded in Jerusalem .
The brazen defiance of federal regulations — such as the Hatch Act which makes using government property for a political campaign verboten — was a hallmark of an evening that started with a stunt pardon by the president of a former Nevada bank robber who turned his life around after getting out of prison .
With GOP luminaries such as Senator Rand Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kudlow on hand to attack Democrats with prepackaged lies , the much-touted positivity that the RNC was supposedly emphasizing was often difficult to find .
It was fittingly ironic that former Florida Attorney General and Trump impeachment lawyer Pam Bondi spent most of her speech at the convention attacking Joe Biden for nepotism involving his son Hunter on a night when Tiffany , Eric , and Melania Trump were all given featured speaking roles .
It was particularly egregious that Bondi ’ sfalsehood-laden speech was followed without pause by Tiffany Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as she apparently joins her half-brothers and sister as part of the family con job on America .
It was even more egregious coming a day after Eric Trump was called to testify by New York Attorney General Leticia James about alleged Trump Organization financial and tax fraud .
While the world hasn ’ t seen much of Tiffany during her father ’ s presidency , she showed herself to be a true Trump with her dad ’ s talent for passing off lies with a straight face .
Not long after Tiffany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president who has made his opposition to immigration a central tenet of his philosophy : a citizenship naturalization ceremony presided over by Donald Trump himself — ceremony likely illegal due to the presence of Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf whose tenure should have ended once he was nominated to a permanent position that is still awaiting Senate confirmation .
Eric Trump was up next , followed by Secretary Pompeo , both of whom delivered poisonously partisan attacks on Democrats while inflating the president ’ s accomplishments far beyond that which any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then it was time for the evening ’ s main event , the long awaited Melania speech that told you immediately that here was no Michelle Obama or Dr. Jill Biden .
With an accent that mocked her husband ’ s anti-immigrant rhetoric until you realize that Donald has little problem with European immigrants as long as they are “ model ” citiizens , Melania offered one of the few bits of compassion for victims of what her husband calls the “ China virus ” that you ’ ll hear at the RNC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American unity in a way that her husband could never bring himself to do with divisiveness and political polarization being the only modes in which his consciousness ever functions .
The most risable lines of the First Lady ’ s speech came towards the end , when she said — apparently without irony — that “ total honesty is what we deserve from our president ” and that her husband “ doesn ’ t waste time playing politics.
” Perhaps she ’ s been in a coma for the past thee and half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a political convention , for God ’ s sake !
With that , the second night of the Republican National Convention drew to a close as the president joined his First Lady to acknowledge the applause and stroll back into the White House to get ready for tomorrow ’ s propaganda festival .
It ’ s a difficult thing to watch without dangerously raising your blood pressure if you value truth at all , but it does provide a compelling motivation to rid the country of this scourge on our existence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has failed to combat effectively .
For that alone you may want to subject yourself to the suffering and tune in again tomorrow .

Melania Trump headlined the Republican National Convention tonight at a lower volume and a more accented voice than that utilized by Kimberly Guilfoyle — her screeching future step-daughter — during the first night of this virtual celebration of Trumpiness.
Appearing in an olive green, quasi-military outfit, the First Lady gave her speech in front of a maskless crowd in the newly renovated White House Rose Garden that somehow managed to avoid the threatened thunderstorms in Washington DC.
Her remarks came after a fawning parade of GOP politicians and other members of the Trump family — including Eric and Tiffany Trump — praised the president for the previous hour and three quarters and provided fact checkers with enough work to last them until at least the start of tomorrow’s proceedings.
While Melania made it through the somewhat boring speech without any major gaffes or horribly embarrassing moments —aside from a few lines that defied credulity that we’ll discuss later — there were plenty of those to be found earlier in an evening that will likely be remembered most for its last minute cancellation of a scheduled speaker who was foolish enough to tweet a link to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories on a night when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was violating his own department’s protocols by appearing at a political convention with a segment recorded in Jerusalem.
The brazen defiance of federal regulations — such as the Hatch Act which makes using government property for a political campaign verboten — was a hallmark of an evening that started with a stunt pardon by the president of a former Nevada bank robber who turned his life around after getting out of prison.
With GOP luminaries such as Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and economic advisor Larry Kudlow on hand to attack Democrats with prepackaged lies, the much-touted positivity that the RNC was supposedly emphasizing was often difficult to find.
Rand Paul has jokes pic.twitter.com/76TqXAmqez — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 26, 2020
It was fittingly ironic that former Florida Attorney General and Trump impeachment lawyer Pam Bondi spent most of her speech at the convention attacking Joe Biden for nepotism involving his son Hunter on a night when Tiffany, Eric, and Melania Trump were all given featured speaking roles.
It was particularly egregious that Bondi’sfalsehood-laden speech was followed without pause by Tiffany Trump’s rare appearance on behalf of her father as she apparently joins her half-brothers and sister as part of the family con job on America.
It was even more egregious coming a day after Eric Trump was called to testify by New York Attorney General Leticia James about alleged Trump Organization financial and tax fraud.
The business Trump still owns and profits from took in at least $446 million last year. Republicans are lying and misleading with impunity during the DNC. pic.twitter.com/3ipd6bLddM — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 26, 2020
While the world hasn’t seen much of Tiffany during her father’s presidency, she showed herself to be a true Trump with her dad’s talent for passing off lies with a straight face.
Tiffany Trump is speaking at Donald Trump's RNC, followed by Eric Trump, then Melania Trump. Donald Trump Jr spoke last night. pic.twitter.com/yGapc6E6u4 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 26, 2020
Not long after Tiffany came the most cynical ploy from a president who has made his opposition to immigration a central tenet of his philosophy: a citizenship naturalization ceremony presided over by Donald Trump himself — ceremony likely illegal due to the presence of Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf whose tenure should have ended once he was nominated to a permanent position that is still awaiting Senate confirmation.
Eric Trump was up next, followed by Secretary Pompeo, both of whom delivered poisonously partisan attacks on Democrats while inflating the president’s accomplishments far beyond that which any rational assessment would attribute to him.
Then it was time for the evening’s main event, the long awaited Melania speech that told you immediately that here was no Michelle Obama or Dr. Jill Biden.
Melania's speech is literally being met with crickets chirping — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 26, 2020
With an accent that mocked her husband’s anti-immigrant rhetoric until you realize that Donald has little problem with European immigrants as long as they are “model” citiizens, Melania offered one of the few bits of compassion for victims of what her husband calls the “China virus” that you’ll hear at the RNC.
She also gave a plea for American unity in a way that her husband could never bring himself to do with divisiveness and political polarization being the only modes in which his consciousness ever functions.
Trump looks like he's having a great time pic.twitter.com/In7uOKHxzV — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 26, 2020
The most risable lines of the First Lady’s speech came towards the end, when she said — apparently without irony — that “total honesty is what we deserve from our president” and that her husband “doesn’t waste time playing politics.”
Perhaps she’s been in a coma for the past thee and half years. She was giving a speech at a political convention, for God’s sake!
"He doesn't waste time playing politics" — Melania on [squints at notes] … … Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/eJFj1bzGCZ — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 26, 2020
With that, the second night of the Republican National Convention drew to a close as the president joined his First Lady to acknowledge the applause and stroll back into the White House to get ready for tomorrow’s propaganda festival.
It’s a difficult thing to watch without dangerously raising your blood pressure if you value truth at all, but it does provide a compelling motivation to rid the country of this scourge on our existence that is as deadly as the virus that he has failed to combat effectively.
For that alone you may want to subject yourself to the suffering and tune in again tomorrow.
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-25--Social media has a field day mocking Kimberly Guilfoyle’s ridiculous RNC speech

The standout moment from the first day of the Republican National Convention was inarguably the truly deranged speech delivered by erstwhile Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle .
Guilfoyle , who is currently dating First Son Donald Trump Jr. , delivered her remarks at the top of her lungs , screaming into an empty room for no discernable reason .
Part cryptofascist , part carnival barker , Guilfoyle quickly found herself the target of widespread mockery which , to be fair , is exactly what one deserves for speaking at an event devoted to a man as vile as President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Guilfoyle debacle and the consensus has been brutal .
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) and Republican operative Ana Navarro-Cárdenas both criticized Guilfoyle for implying that Puerto Ricans are not actual Americans .
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump ’ s sabotage of the post office !
On a far less serious note , Twitter has been awash in hilarious tweets and the hashtag # Guilfoylechallenge has exploded in popularity , with some users recording their own version of Guilfoyle ’ s extremely loud speech and others comparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movies .
While Guilfoyle has yet to respond to the backlash against her it seems most likely she is now aware of how badly she faceplanted yesterday .
What ’ s more , one can only imagine how displeased President Trump is himself over the reception to the first day of his RNC .
Rather than positive news coverage about the GOP ’ s talking points and his reelection campaign , he flipped on the television to find his son ’ s girlfriend screaming like a lunatic .
Things are not off to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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The standout moment from the first day of the Republican National Convention was inarguably the truly deranged speech delivered by erstwhile Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle. Guilfoyle, who is currently dating First Son Donald Trump Jr., delivered her remarks at the top of her lungs, screaming into an empty room for no discernable reason.
Kimberly Guilfoyle is ***!!!!!!!!!SCREAMING!!!!!!!!!*** pic.twitter.com/0gzoSPySQG — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 25, 2020
Part cryptofascist, part carnival barker, Guilfoyle quickly found herself the target of widespread mockery which, to be fair, is exactly what one deserves for speaking at an event devoted to a man as vile as President Trump.
Prominent figures have already weighed in on the Guilfoyle debacle and the consensus has been brutal. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Republican operative Ana Navarro-Cárdenas both criticized Guilfoyle for implying that Puerto Ricans are not actual Americans.
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
On a far less serious note, Twitter has been awash in hilarious tweets and the hashtag #Guilfoylechallenge has exploded in popularity, with some users recording their own version of Guilfoyle’s extremely loud speech and others comparing her to famous villains from cartoons and movies.
While Guilfoyle has yet to respond to the backlash against her it seems most likely she is now aware of how badly she faceplanted yesterday. What’s more, one can only imagine how displeased President Trump is himself over the reception to the first day of his RNC. Rather than positive news coverage about the GOP’s talking points and his reelection campaign, he flipped on the television to find his son’s girlfriend screaming like a lunatic.
Things are not off to a very good start for the Republicans.
https://twitter.com/ReesusP/status/1298274952156602372?s=20
https://twitter.com/sneakyriki/status/1298143012917108738?s=20
https://twitter.com/phutc7274/status/1298268272626765825?s=20
https://twitter.com/JohnJTerrible/status/1298296155021836288?s=20
https://twitter.com/cajsa_lisa/status/1298188922758090752?s=20
https://twitter.com/SusanGiuliani8/status/1298223992826994690?s=20
https://twitter.com/Nerienis/status/1298208667674836992?s=20
Kimberly Guilfoyle’s speaking voice pic.twitter.com/E1RfI5JDv0 — Ira Madison III (@ira) August 25, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-08-25--Ohio Republicans draw up impeachment articles for their GOP governor over COVID prevention

One of the few Republican governors who have garnered bipartisan kudos for their effective handling of the coronavirus pandemic is Ohio ’ s Mike DeWine .
Unlike GOP governors like Ron DeSantis in Florida , Brian Kemp in Georgia , Tate Reeves in Mississippi , Kaye Ivey in Alabama , and Kevin Stitt in Oklahoma , among many others , DeWine moved quickly to shut Ohio schools in early March before the virus had established a firm foothold in the state , likely slowing the spread of infections greatly with his swift actions .
He also had no problem establishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of July when cases were surging , following the best scientific advice available , ignoring political pressure from “ mask-holes ” who feel it ’ s their god-given right to infect anyone that they come across in their day to day business .
While DeWine ’ s savvy handling of the crisis likely lead to far fewer COVID-19-related deaths in Ohio than if he had emulated those Republican Governors more fearful of angering Donald Trump than facing grim death counts , no good deed goes unpunished .
Today comes word that three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Representatives have drafted articles of impeachment against Governor DeWine accusing him of violating the civil liberties of the state ’ s citizens with his public health orders .
An article on Cleveland.com details the 10 articles that the right-wing representatives list in their impeachment call , including the allegations that Governor DeWine : • Violated the separation of powers by having the Ohio Department of Health issue orders outside the scope of its authority that are “ tantamount to creating new laws ” • “ Conspired ” with Secretary of State Frank LaRose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citing a health emergency , then tried to reschedule it for June 2 without legislative approval ( the legislature subsequently passed a law setting an all-mail primary on April 28 ) • Unconstitutionally ordered the closure of businesses because of coronavirus fears , which “ resulted in record-high unemployment , causing not only increased poverty , increased depression , increased despair , and increased suicides , but also the necessity for state budget cuts impacting schools and social programs when they are needed most ” • “ Failed to anticipate or plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohioans who suffered the additional indignity of being unable to communicate with an overwhelmed Department of Job and Family Services to file claims , ” and “ demonstrated grotesque discrimination against the medical health and welfare of the general population by denying nonemergency healthcare ” • Ordered the shutdown of schools , “ a power that belongs exclusively to the State Board of Education.
” After schools reopened , DeWine “ ordered that all students wear face coverings , which violates students ’ civil liberties ” • “ Has repeatedly proven his incompetence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misleading COVID-19 data ; and committed misfeasance and malfeasance with his policy prescriptions , which have proven to be far worse than the virus itself.
” • Had his administration issue a “ stay-at-home ” order for Ohioans , which violated citizens ’ due-process rights and civil liberties .
• Required Ohioans to wear face masks in houses of worship , in violation of the First Amendment • Issued face-mask rule that “ promotes fear , turns neighbors against neighbors , and contracts the economy by making people fearful to leave their homes.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the general population wearing face coverings , people are more likely to infect themselves with COVID-19 ” ( Health officials generally agree that wearing a face covering provides more protection than not wearing a mask ) • Temporarily banned liquor sales to non-Ohio residents in six counties near the Pennsylvania border , in violation of the U.S. Constitution , which gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce .
The impeachment attempt faces an extremely high hurdle that the three legislative sponsors are unlikely to be able to overcome , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its Senate needing to approve the measure and convict DeWine .
A spokesman for the governor essentially said that he will be ignoring the impeachment resolution .
The chairperson of the Ohio Republican Party , Jane Timken , strongly condemned the effort by the maverick conservative representatives , saying that the resolution was “ a baseless , feeble attempt at creating attention for themselves.
” Even opposition Democrats defended the Republican governor ’ s pandemic performance while criticizing the Ohio GOP for putting politics over public health and condemning their decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the House to remain in the legislature even after he was arrested on federal corruption charges .
House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes ( D ) also weighed in on the internecine Republican battle .
“ Instead of working to rebuild the public ’ s trust or calling the House back from summer recess to address the very real public health and economic crises Ohio currently faces by focusing on protecting small businesses and slowing the spread of COVID-19 , Republicans continue to fight one another over political power , ” Sykes said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hope Republicans re-focus their attention towards the struggling Ohioans who need them to serve instead of enriching and promoting themselves , ” she continued .
As the national Republican party holds their convention , anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that their anti-science agenda is harmful to themselves personally and to society — and ultimately , the economy — as a whole .
All the more reason to acknowledge when a Republican governor actually bucks the peer pressure from their GOP colleagues and takes their public health responsibilities seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more reason to refuse to vote for any Republican candidate in the November elections to send a clear message that a party that doesn ’ t even recognise when one of its own is acting in the public interest doesn ’ t deserve an iota of support and must be overwhelmingly repudiated .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
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One of the few Republican governors who have garnered bipartisan kudos for their effective handling of the coronavirus pandemic is Ohio’s Mike DeWine.
Unlike GOP governors like Ron DeSantis in Florida, Brian Kemp in Georgia, Tate Reeves in Mississippi, Kaye Ivey in Alabama, and Kevin Stitt in Oklahoma, among many others, DeWine moved quickly to shut Ohio schools in early March before the virus had established a firm foothold in the state, likely slowing the spread of infections greatly with his swift actions.
He also had no problem establishing a statewide mandatory mask requirement at the end of July when cases were surging, following the best scientific advice available, ignoring political pressure from “mask-holes” who feel it’s their god-given right to infect anyone that they come across in their day to day business.
While DeWine’s savvy handling of the crisis likely lead to far fewer COVID-19-related deaths in Ohio than if he had emulated those Republican Governors more fearful of angering Donald Trump than facing grim death counts, no good deed goes unpunished.
Today comes word that three GOP legislators in the Ohio House of Representatives have drafted articles of impeachment against Governor DeWine accusing him of violating the civil liberties of the state’s citizens with his public health orders.
An article on Cleveland.com details the 10 articles that the right-wing representatives list in their impeachment call, including the allegations that Governor DeWine:
Violated the separation of powers by having the Ohio Department of Health issue orders outside the scope of its authority that are “tantamount to creating new laws”
“Conspired” with Secretary of State Frank LaRose to cancel the March 17 primary election, citing a health emergency, then tried to reschedule it for June 2 without legislative approval (the legislature subsequently passed a law setting an all-mail primary on April 28)
Unconstitutionally ordered the closure of businesses because of coronavirus fears, which “resulted in record-high unemployment, causing not only increased poverty, increased depression, increased despair, and increased suicides, but also the necessity for state budget cuts impacting schools and social programs when they are needed most”
“Failed to anticipate or plan for more than a million newly unemployed Ohioans who suffered the additional indignity of being unable to communicate with an overwhelmed Department of Job and Family Services to file claims,” and “demonstrated grotesque discrimination against the medical health and welfare of the general population by denying nonemergency healthcare”
Ordered the shutdown of schools, “a power that belongs exclusively to the State Board of Education.” After schools reopened, DeWine “ordered that all students wear face coverings, which violates students’ civil liberties”
“Has repeatedly proven his incompetence by providing wildly inaccurate forecasts and repeatedly misleading COVID-19 data; and committed misfeasance and malfeasance with his policy prescriptions, which have proven to be far worse than the virus itself.”
Had his administration issue a “stay-at-home” order for Ohioans, which violated citizens’ due-process rights and civil liberties.
Required Ohioans to wear face masks in houses of worship, in violation of the First Amendment
Issued face-mask rule that “promotes fear, turns neighbors against neighbors, and contracts the economy by making people fearful to leave their homes.” The resolution also states that “for the general population wearing face coverings, people are more likely to infect themselves with COVID-19” (Health officials generally agree that wearing a face covering provides more protection than not wearing a mask)
Temporarily banned liquor sales to non-Ohio residents in six counties near the Pennsylvania border, in violation of the U.S. Constitution, which gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.
The impeachment attempt faces an extremely high hurdle that the three legislative sponsors are unlikely to be able to overcome, with a majority of the Ohio House and two-thirds of its Senate needing to approve the measure and convict DeWine.
A spokesman for the governor essentially said that he will be ignoring the impeachment resolution.
“Gov. DeWine is focused on saving lives during the pandemic. He’s focused on the economy and getting Ohioans back to work,” spokesman Dan Tierney said. “That’s what he’s focused on — not this.”
The chairperson of the Ohio Republican Party, Jane Timken, strongly condemned the effort by the maverick conservative representatives, saying that the resolution was “a baseless, feeble attempt at creating attention for themselves.”
“It is despicable that anyone who considers themself to be conservative would make an attempt to impeach Governor DeWine. In a time of harsh political division, and an important election year, Republicans should be united. Ohio and the world have witnessed an unprecedented global pandemic – one that Governor DeWine has done a great job at leading us through.”
Even opposition Democrats defended the Republican governor’s pandemic performance while criticizing the Ohio GOP for putting politics over public health and condemning their decision to allow the state’s former Speaker of the House to remain in the legislature even after he was arrested on federal corruption charges.
“The Ohio GOP’s message to voters is clear — corruption and bribery are A-OK with us, but having the audacity to listen to public health experts during a global pandemic is an impeachable offense,” Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper said.
House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes (D) also weighed in on the internecine Republican battle.
“Instead of working to rebuild the public’s trust or calling the House back from summer recess to address the very real public health and economic crises Ohio currently faces by focusing on protecting small businesses and slowing the spread of COVID-19, Republicans continue to fight one another over political power,” Sykes said. “Ohioans deserve better leadership and I hope Republicans re-focus their attention towards the struggling Ohioans who need them to serve instead of enriching and promoting themselves,” she continued.
As the national Republican party holds their convention, anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that their anti-science agenda is harmful to themselves personally and to society — and ultimately, the economy — as a whole.
All the more reason to acknowledge when a Republican governor actually bucks the peer pressure from their GOP colleagues and takes their public health responsibilities seriously.
It’s also all the more reason to refuse to vote for any Republican candidate in the November elections to send a clear message that a party that doesn’t even recognise when one of its own is acting in the public interest doesn’t deserve an iota of support and must be overwhelmingly repudiated.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Jeremy Pelzer at Cleveland.com
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-28--UPenn professor requests investigation into Trump after Trump’s sister claims he cheated on his SATs

Mary Trump , the niece of our ignominious president , made major waves last month when she released her bombshell family memoir .
In it , she digs into the pathologies of her relatives and offers a unique , firsthand , and ultimately deeply unflattering portrait of Donald J. Trump and the “ twisted behaviors ” he has accumulated over the course of his life .
The title of Mrs. Trump ’ s book is : “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man , ” which should give one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect from the tome .
It offers a raw look at the man many of us have had to piece together an incomplete understanding of through his reality TV shenanigans , racist rhetoric , and unhinged tweets .
One particularly interesting segment of the book strikes a staggering blow against President Trump ’ s claim that he is a “ very stable genius ” with a “ very , very large brain.
” Mary Trump alleges that during his high school years , Donald cheated on his SAT by paying someone else to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his behalf .
That person ended up scoring well on the test , Trump claimed the score as his own and used it to gain admission to the world-renowned Wharton School of business within the University of Pennsylvania system .
The allegation is particularly embarrassing given the manner in which Donald regularly brags about his Wharton education .
“ I went to an Ivy League school .
I went to an Ivy League school .
I ’ m very highly educated .
I know words , I have the best words , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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The allegation was bolstered by recently released , secretly recorded tapes of Trump ’ s sister Maryanne Trump Barry .
She claimed that she used to do Donald ’ s homework .
“ I drove him around New York City to try to get him into college , ” stated Barry .
She also claimed her brother “ got into University of Pennsylvania because he had somebody take the exams.
” Now , Eric W. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Pennsylvania , is pushing for the school to investigate the SAT allegations against Trump .
Five other faculty members made a similar request over the summer , but Orts believes the Mary tapes will bolster their case .
Last month , the university ’ s provost stated that the alleged cheating was “ too far in the past ” for UPENN to launch a proper inquiry into it but said that if any “ new evidence ” emerged they could revisit the topic .
The Barry tapes have prompted Orts to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tapes constitute such evidence .
He has yet to hear back .
It ’ s unclear what kind of consequences if any Trump could face if the investigation goes forward but at the very minimum the American people deserve to know the truth .
While no one other than the most diehard of MAGA fanatics would have claimed that Trump is a staggering intellect , these accusations indicate he may be far less intelligent and far less scrupulous than the already subterranean low appraisals many of us already held .
This man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a caveman who would have never risen to his station in life if he hadn ’ t had his father ’ s money to grease the way .

Mary Trump, the niece of our ignominious president, made major waves last month when she released her bombshell family memoir. In it, she digs into the pathologies of her relatives and offers a unique, firsthand, and ultimately deeply unflattering portrait of Donald J. Trump and the “twisted behaviors” he has accumulated over the course of his life.
The title of Mrs. Trump’s book is: “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” which should give one a pretty clear picture of what to expect from the tome. It offers a raw look at the man many of us have had to piece together an incomplete understanding of through his reality TV shenanigans, racist rhetoric, and unhinged tweets.
One particularly interesting segment of the book strikes a staggering blow against President Trump’s claim that he is a “very stable genius” with a “very, very large brain.” Mary Trump alleges that during his high school years, Donald cheated on his SAT by paying someone else to go in and take the test on his behalf. That person ended up scoring well on the test, Trump claimed the score as his own and used it to gain admission to the world-renowned Wharton School of business within the University of Pennsylvania system.
The allegation is particularly embarrassing given the manner in which Donald regularly brags about his Wharton education.
“I went to an Ivy League school. I went to an Ivy League school. I’m very highly educated. I know words, I have the best words,” the president has bragged in the past.
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
The allegation was bolstered by recently released, secretly recorded tapes of Trump’s sister Maryanne Trump Barry. She claimed that she used to do Donald’s homework. “I drove him around New York City to try to get him into college,” stated Barry. She also claimed her brother “got into University of Pennsylvania because he had somebody take the exams.”
Now, Eric W. Orts, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, is pushing for the school to investigate the SAT allegations against Trump. Five other faculty members made a similar request over the summer, but Orts believes the Mary tapes will bolster their case. Last month, the university’s provost stated that the alleged cheating was “too far in the past” for UPENN to launch a proper inquiry into it but said that if any “new evidence” emerged they could revisit the topic. The Barry tapes have prompted Orts to reach out to the provost because he believes the tapes constitute such evidence. He has yet to hear back.
It’s unclear what kind of consequences if any Trump could face if the investigation goes forward but at the very minimum the American people deserve to know the truth. While no one other than the most diehard of MAGA fanatics would have claimed that Trump is a staggering intellect, these accusations indicate he may be far less intelligent and far less scrupulous than the already subterranean low appraisals many of us already held. This man is a conman with the instincts of a caveman who would have never risen to his station in life if he hadn’t had his father’s money to grease the way.
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occupydemocrats--2020-08-28--Police shoot and kill Black veteran on his porch who was “seeing ghosts” and hearing voices

One of the key tenets of the Black Lives Matter movement is the demand for a fundamental reconsideration of the role that the police play in American society and the need to begin reallocating public resources away from violent law enforcement to critical social services .
That demand was brought into sharp focus this week as yet another Black man was been failed by America ’ s disastrous mental health system and killed at the hands of a police force entirely unprepared to deal with his issues .
The family of Damian Lamar Daniels called the police on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having suicidal thoughts .
The police visited the home but received no answer .
Daniels himself called the police a few hours later , saying that he was “ seeing ghosts ” and “ hearing voices ” but did not let the officer into his home to check and see if anyone was there .
The next day , the police were again summoned twice to the house .
The second time , they arrived to find Daniels outside with a weapon on his person .
Deputies tried to speak to Daniels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an hour later they inevitably ended up in a struggle with him and felt forced to shoot him twice , killing him .
The police claim they begged him to drop the gun and did everything they could to try to de-escalate the situation .
The officers in question have been put on administrative leave pending an investigation .
Once again , a mentally ill man who was in need of help ends up dead at the hands of police — a story that plays itself out time and time again in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veteran and likely suffered from PTSD , but clearly could not get the help that he needed .
Having deprived all other social services of desperately needed funds and resources in order to fuel our cities ’ colossal police department budgets , American society , rather unreasonably , asks its police officers to pick up the slack .
They are expected to be social workers , mental health aides , family mediators in addition to “ law enforcement ” while receiving almost no training to do anything but fire a gun .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times more likely to die in an encounter with the police and are the victims in anywhere from one quarter to a half of all fatal police shootings .
Had the police bothered to call a properly trained social worker — or if there was one available — the situation could have been easily de-escalated and an innocent man would still be alive .
We owe it to Sgt .
Daniels and all those innocents killed by police to take a sledgehammer to the police department budget and start spending that money on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mentally ill , and improve their lives without violence .

One of the key tenets of the Black Lives Matter movement is the demand for a fundamental reconsideration of the role that the police play in American society and the need to begin reallocating public resources away from violent law enforcement to critical social services.
That demand was brought into sharp focus this week as yet another Black man was been failed by America’s disastrous mental health system and killed at the hands of a police force entirely unprepared to deal with his issues.
The family of Damian Lamar Daniels called the police on Monday, August 24th, saying that Daniels was having suicidal thoughts. The police visited the home but received no answer. Daniels himself called the police a few hours later, saying that he was “seeing ghosts” and “hearing voices” but did not let the officer into his home to check and see if anyone was there.
The next day, the police were again summoned twice to the house. The second time, they arrived to find Daniels outside with a weapon on his person. Deputies tried to speak to Daniels, who was not lucid, but half an hour later they inevitably ended up in a struggle with him and felt forced to shoot him twice, killing him.
The police claim they begged him to drop the gun and did everything they could to try to de-escalate the situation.
Yesterday in SA cops killed Sergeant Damian Lamar Daniels in front of his home. His family asked the Red Cross to get him to the VA. He had a legal gun on his hip that he never removed. He didn’t want to go and he struggled when they tried to force him. So they killed him. pic.twitter.com/q6U7OSXb6D — S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) August 27, 2020
The officers in question have been put on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Once again, a mentally ill man who was in need of help ends up dead at the hands of police — a story that plays itself out time and time again in the United States. Daniels was a combat veteran and likely suffered from PTSD, but clearly could not get the help that he needed.
Having deprived all other social services of desperately needed funds and resources in order to fuel our cities’ colossal police department budgets, American society, rather unreasonably, asks its police officers to pick up the slack. They are expected to be social workers, mental health aides, family mediators in addition to “law enforcement” while receiving almost no training to do anything but fire a gun.
That is why mentally ill Americans are sixteen times more likely to die in an encounter with the police and are the victims in anywhere from one quarter to a half of all fatal police shootings. Had the police bothered to call a properly trained social worker — or if there was one available — the situation could have been easily de-escalated and an innocent man would still be alive.
We owe it to Sgt. Daniels and all those innocents killed by police to take a sledgehammer to the police department budget and start spending that money on services designed to help people, especially the mentally ill, and improve their lives without violence.
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-28--Book insider claims Melania refused to move to White House until the Obamas’ toilet was replaced

There is an instinct in some parts of the media to treat first Lady Melania Trump with a benefit of the doubt that is not extended—for good reason—to the president himself .
Every time she gives a semi-coherent speech or engages in some form of benign PR event the praise pours in .
The truth is that this First Lady deserves no accolades and is fully culpable in Donald ’ s dismantling of our democracy .
Melania has repeatedly refused to denounce her husband ’ s racist rhetoric or steer him towards less destructive behavior and history will remember those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who eagerly spread the racist birther conspiracies about this country ’ s first Black president .
An impartial operator she is not .
With this reality about the First Lady in mind , she can be treated as fair game for criticism .
The new story in The Sun offers a perfect example of how to do just that .
According to an upcoming book from the First Lady ’ s former advisor Stephanie Winston Wolkoff , Melania refused to move into the White House until the residence had been drastically renovated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spilled the details to The Sun .
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“ Stephanie talks about how she took one look at her bedroom and bathroom and demanded a new shower and toilet , ” said the insider , who added that Melania refused to use the same bathroom as the Obamas .
“ She was not prepared to use the same bathroom as the Obamas or anyone else for that matter – it wouldn ’ t matter if it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the insider .
Melania insisted on fundamentally changing most of the decor of the residence because it wasn ’ t up to her standards , a surprising hangup on her part given the fact that she chose to marry a man who loves adorning his personal properties in hideous , gaudy gold trim .
The Trumps are the Platonic ideals of bad taste .
The insider added that Melania “ seemed to be much more concerned about the decor than she did about allegations of her husband ’ s alleged infidelity , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move into the White House until the bathroom was redone and her other demands for changes were carried out .
As The Sun points out , these petty demands cost American taxpayers $ 150,000 a day in security fees needed to keep the First Lady safe while she remained living in Trump Tower .
In other words , Melania is just as guilty of exploiting the American people as her odious husband .
The pair of them need to be thrown out of the White House this November .
Once we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be free to carry out her bizarre bathroom needs to her heart ’ s content .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

There is an instinct in some parts of the media to treat first Lady Melania Trump with a benefit of the doubt that is not extended—for good reason—to the president himself. Every time she gives a semi-coherent speech or engages in some form of benign PR event the praise pours in. The truth is that this First Lady deserves no accolades and is fully culpable in Donald’s dismantling of our democracy.
Melania has repeatedly refused to denounce her husband’s racist rhetoric or steer him towards less destructive behavior and history will remember those salient facts. This is a woman who eagerly spread the racist birther conspiracies about this country’s first Black president. An impartial operator she is not.
With this reality about the First Lady in mind, she can be treated as fair game for criticism. The new story in The Sun offers a perfect example of how to do just that. According to an upcoming book from the First Lady’s former advisor Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Melania refused to move into the White House until the residence had been drastically renovated to suit her tastes. A booker insider spilled the details to The Sun.
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
“Stephanie talks about how she took one look at her bedroom and bathroom and demanded a new shower and toilet,” said the insider, who added that Melania refused to use the same bathroom as the Obamas.
“She was not prepared to use the same bathroom as the Obamas or anyone else for that matter – it wouldn’t matter if it was the Queen of England,” said the insider.
Melania insisted on fundamentally changing most of the decor of the residence because it wasn’t up to her standards, a surprising hangup on her part given the fact that she chose to marry a man who loves adorning his personal properties in hideous, gaudy gold trim. The Trumps are the Platonic ideals of bad taste.
The insider added that Melania “seemed to be much more concerned about the decor than she did about allegations of her husband’s alleged infidelity, according to Stephanie.”
The First Lady refused to move into the White House until the bathroom was redone and her other demands for changes were carried out. As The Sun points out, these petty demands cost American taxpayers $150,000 a day in security fees needed to keep the First Lady safe while she remained living in Trump Tower.
In other words, Melania is just as guilty of exploiting the American people as her odious husband. The pair of them need to be thrown out of the White House this November. Once we are no longer paying for it, Melania will be free to carry out her bizarre bathroom needs to her heart’s content.
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occupydemocrats--2020-08-28--Rand Paul sparks mockery after complaining that he was “attacked” by hecklers after RNC

Last night , several prominent Republicans were confronted with protestors as they left the Republican National Convention .
Sen. Rand Paul ( R-KY ) , the man who singlehandedly held up a coronavirus relief bill so he could grandstand and has been a prominent defender of the president ’ s disastrous coronavirus response , found himself surrounded by angry citizens who took the opportunity to let him know how they felt about Paul ’ s attendance at the fascistic and egomaniacal spectacle the president held at the White House ( in violation of federal law , we might add ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the video that nothing happened to Senator Paul except some minor heckling and verbal harassment .
Of course , Senator don ’ t-tread-on-me-I ’ m-a-LIBERTARIAN hid behind a phalanx of cops and then whined on Twitter that he had been attacked !
by the unwashed mob who dared to make him , a United States Senator , feel some kind of discomfort and insecurity .
The true crime they committed , in his eyes , is feeding the existential fear that all rich and powerful politicians nurse in the back of their minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have to face actual consequences for the nihilistically cruel political decisions they make on behalf of the oligarch class and the suffering that those decisions heap upon the lower classes .
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump ’ s sabotage of the post office !
It is deeply ironic that someone who justifies his plutocratic ideology with laughably empty appeals to personal responsibility so upset at the idea of having to take some responsibility for himself .
Being catcalled and shouted at by the people whose lives are affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a society of free men , and if Rand Paul doesn ’ t like it , maybe he shouldn ’ t spend every vote trying to destroy the social safety net and funnel every last taxpayer dollar into the pockets of the wealthiest Americans .
Real violence is Rand Paul and his fellow Republicans in the U.S. Senate refusing to spend any money to bail out the 40 million Americans facing eviction on September 1st after blowing a trillion-dollar hole in the budget with tax cuts for the rich .
Of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be fearful of anything resembling a physical confrontation after his neighbor broke of his six ribs in a hilarious altercation over yard care .
Social media users were quick to roast the Senator for his weepy mewling about being “ attacked .
”

Last night, several prominent Republicans were confronted with protestors as they left the Republican National Convention.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), the man who singlehandedly held up a coronavirus relief bill so he could grandstand and has been a prominent defender of the president’s disastrous coronavirus response, found himself surrounded by angry citizens who took the opportunity to let him know how they felt about Paul’s attendance at the fascistic and egomaniacal spectacle the president held at the White House (in violation of federal law, we might add) last night.
Rand Paul just got chased by a crowd back to his hotel, after leaving the White House from Trump’s Republican Party Nomination #DC #DCProtests pic.twitter.com/h1kPcZG1jh — Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 28, 2020
You can see from the video that nothing happened to Senator Paul except some minor heckling and verbal harassment. Of course, Senator don’t-tread-on-me-I’m-a-LIBERTARIAN hid behind a phalanx of cops and then whined on Twitter that he had been attacked! by the unwashed mob who dared to make him, a United States Senator, feel some kind of discomfort and insecurity.
Just got attacked by an angry mob of over 100, one block away from the White House. Thank you to @DCPoliceDept for literally saving our lives from a crazed mob. — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) August 28, 2020
The true crime they committed, in his eyes, is feeding the existential fear that all rich and powerful politicians nurse in the back of their minds: the fear that someday, they might have to face actual consequences for the nihilistically cruel political decisions they make on behalf of the oligarch class and the suffering that those decisions heap upon the lower classes.
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
It is deeply ironic that someone who justifies his plutocratic ideology with laughably empty appeals to personal responsibility so upset at the idea of having to take some responsibility for himself.
Being catcalled and shouted at by the people whose lives are affected by your votes is our right in a society of free men, and if Rand Paul doesn’t like it, maybe he shouldn’t spend every vote trying to destroy the social safety net and funnel every last taxpayer dollar into the pockets of the wealthiest Americans.
Real violence is Rand Paul and his fellow Republicans in the U.S. Senate refusing to spend any money to bail out the 40 million Americans facing eviction on September 1st after blowing a trillion-dollar hole in the budget with tax cuts for the rich.
Of course, it’s understandable that Rand Paul might be fearful of anything resembling a physical confrontation after his neighbor broke of his six ribs in a hilarious altercation over yard care.
Social media users were quick to roast the Senator for his weepy mewling about being “attacked.”
No one laid a finger on Rand Paul last night and we get incessant crying from conservatives. Breonna Taylor was murdered in the middle of the night by plainclothes cops who lied to a judge to obtain a no knock warrant, and we get silence from conservatives. — Ana Kasparian (@AnaKasparian) August 28, 2020
Can we start with why Rand Paul and his wife didn’t use the car service provided but chose to walk the DC streets in the middle of a protest? Then let’s move to why he’s the sole holdout on the anti-lynching bill. Sounds like he was looking for “confrontation.” https://t.co/iSmRVeEsIA — April (@ReignOfApril) August 28, 2020
pic.twitter.com/ZCl2QkuuJA — CAPITALISM IS THE MOST BARBARIC OF ALL RELIGIONS (@EatYrselfFitter) August 28, 2020
Maybe it’s time to raise wages and defund the police. People seem to be angry about cops murdering citizens who are locked into poverty conditions by free market televangelists like you. — Aren R. LeBrun (@proustmalone) August 28, 2020
https://twitter.com/StrangeTimes10/status/1299235970408214529?s=20
Guess Rand would only approve if they were white armed militias or 17 year olds w assault rifles indoctrinated by the WH and Republicans. Protesters speaking their mind is an "attack" but domestic terrorists killing innocents is praised by these sycophants — Olga Lautman (@OlgaNYC1211) August 28, 2020
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-28--Melania appears to abruptly stop smiling and grimace as Ivanka walks past

While President Trump ’ s convention acceptance speech last night was by all accounts very low-energy and boring ( sad ! )
, there was one moment that took social media by storm .
Rumors have been swirling for months about the First Lady ’ s poor relationship with her stepdaughter and constant rival for her husband ’ s attention , Ivanka Trump , especially in the wake of one of her former staffers alleging that she had tapes of Melania trashing Ivanka Trump behind closed doors .
Those rumors are almost all but confirmed after a video of Melania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took social media by storm .
You don ’ t need to be a behavioral expert to read between the lines in that face !
Just a week ago , reporter Yashar Ali claimed that the First Lady ’ s former aid , Stephanie Winston-Wolkoff , had evidence that Melania made “ harsh comments ” about Ivanka .
“ It ’ s unclear what exactly Wolkoff is alleging that the First Lady said about the president and his adult children but two sources familiar with the contents of her book confirmed that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harsh comments about Ivanka Trump , the president ’ s eldest daughter and senior advisor .
It ’ s also unclear if Wolkoff reveals in the book that she was taping her conversations with the First Lady but I ’ m told by sources that the comments published in the book are based on audiotapes , ” wrote Ali .
Donald Trump is infamous for the creepy and wildly inappropriate comments he has made about his daughter Ivanka and her appearance .
While the First Lady hasn ’ t done much for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least she brought some drama to last night ’ s incredibly boring and trite spectacle .

While President Trump’s convention acceptance speech last night was by all accounts very low-energy and boring (sad!), there was one moment that took social media by storm.
Rumors have been swirling for months about the First Lady’s poor relationship with her stepdaughter and constant rival for her husband’s attention, Ivanka Trump, especially in the wake of one of her former staffers alleging that she had tapes of Melania trashing Ivanka Trump behind closed doors.
Those rumors are almost all but confirmed after a video of Melania Trump grimacing after Ivanka walks past her took social media by storm.
First Lady Melania Trump appeared to stop smiling as Ivanka, the US president's daughter, joined them on stage at the Republican convention. More from #RNC2020: https://t.co/w2PwFC2VsR pic.twitter.com/1RrFCsb18Z — SkyNews (@SkyNews) August 28, 2020
You don’t need to be a behavioral expert to read between the lines in that face!
Just a week ago, reporter Yashar Ali claimed that the First Lady’s former aid, Stephanie Winston-Wolkoff, had evidence that Melania made “harsh comments” about Ivanka.
“It’s unclear what exactly Wolkoff is alleging that the First Lady said about the president and his adult children but two sources familiar with the contents of her book confirmed that she reveals the details in her book including harsh comments about Ivanka Trump, the president’s eldest daughter and senior advisor. It’s also unclear if Wolkoff reveals in the book that she was taping her conversations with the First Lady but I’m told by sources that the comments published in the book are based on audiotapes,” wrote Ali.
Donald Trump is infamous for the creepy and wildly inappropriate comments he has made about his daughter Ivanka and her appearance.
While the First Lady hasn’t done much for the nation during her husband’s presidency, at least she brought some drama to last night’s incredibly boring and trite spectacle.
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occupydemocrats--2020-08-29--Newly unearthed video allegedly shows Kenosha shooter punching a woman

More details are emerging about the 17-year-old shooter who was caught on camera murdering two people and wounding a third in Kenosha , Wisconsin during the aftermath of a peaceful BLM protest in that city .
Kyle Rittenhouse — who left his home in Illinois , escorted by his mother , to bring his AR-15 to “ protect ” local businesses against looting and destruction , who was given water and encouragement by local police before his unjustified use of force — has been charged with homicide after the accounts of his actions went viral and he was finally arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stopped or even questioned by those same local law enforcement officers .
Now , footage of another violent incident allegedly involving Rittenhouse — in the same out-of-state city of Kenosha , Wisconsin — has been circulating on Twitter and people are accusing him of misogyny as well as racism after viewing the footage of him repeatedly punching a young woman .
In the video below , the person wearing red , white and blue shorts is alleged to be Rittenhouse .
With few details or context available to provide insight to the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to draw too much of a conclusion about Rittenhouse ’ s propensity for violence , but it ’ s likely that footage like this will be useful for prosecutors looking to discount any excuses of prior angelic behavior from the obviously troubled teenager with an apparently hair-trigger temper and access to powerful weapons of war .
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More details are emerging about the 17-year-old shooter who was caught on camera murdering two people and wounding a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin during the aftermath of a peaceful BLM protest in that city.
Kyle Rittenhouse — who left his home in Illinois, escorted by his mother, to bring his AR-15 to “protect” local businesses against looting and destruction, who was given water and encouragement by local police before his unjustified use of force — has been charged with homicide after the accounts of his actions went viral and he was finally arrested after returning home without even being initially stopped or even questioned by those same local law enforcement officers.
Now, footage of another violent incident allegedly involving Rittenhouse — in the same out-of-state city of Kenosha, Wisconsin — has been circulating on Twitter and people are accusing him of misogyny as well as racism after viewing the footage of him repeatedly punching a young woman.
In the video below, the person wearing red, white and blue shorts is alleged to be Rittenhouse.
For the record: The recorders of two videos of this fight confirmed for me that the person in the red-white-and-blue trunks is Rittenhouse. — Reporter Adam Rogan (@could_be_rogan) August 29, 2020
With few details or context available to provide insight to the incident pictured above, it would be hasty to draw too much of a conclusion about Rittenhouse’s propensity for violence, but it’s likely that footage like this will be useful for prosecutors looking to discount any excuses of prior angelic behavior from the obviously troubled teenager with an apparently hair-trigger temper and access to powerful weapons of war.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-29--“Sell it tonight on eBay, $10,000”: At Lake Charles event, Trump urges his fans to sell his autograp

“Sell it tonight on eBay, $10,000”: At Lake Charles event, Trump urges his fans to sell his autograph

If you ever needed an example of how Donald Trump sees the world through his own transactional-based values system , one need only look at footage of Trump at a press briefing in Lake Charles , Louisiana today , where the president appeared after touring some of the horrific damage caused by Hurricane Laura earlier this week .
At the end of the formal event — but before the cameras stopped rolling — the president was asked whether he ’ d be willing to offer a few autographs for his fans among the local attendees of his public relations appearance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still had some fans in the southern state that has been battered by both the COVID-19 pandemic as well this latest natural disaster , Trump readily agreed .
The president ’ s internal mindset was candidly exposed when he repeated the same dismissive “ joke ” after handing them a sharpie-inscribed rendition of his illegible scrawl .
As Trump called over his admirers — and his security staff attempted to prevent them from breaching a safe social distancing perimeter — he urged them closer saying “ I want a little power…I want them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He then gave his autograph to a patiently-waiting local law enforcement officer with a flourish saying “ her , sell this tonight on eBay , you ’ ll get $ 10,000.
” It was a message he repeated with each autograph he handed out as you can see in the video footage below .
Trump even went so far to advise one recipient that the autograph shouldn ’ t include any greeting other than the president ’ s name because it would depress the resale value of the autograph .
The entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checks eBay regularly to evaluate the current going rate for his signature like he checks the ratings of his TV appearances .
However , a simple perusal of the online auction site shows that his ego has inflated the value of his scribble by a hundredfold .
For a president accused of a lack of human empathy , this example provides a convenient explanation for his inability to relate to others on a human level .
When you ’ re entire worldview is based on monetary values rather than emotional and spiritual cornerstones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more sense .
In Trump ’ s mind , the only things that matter are money and how the individual he is interacting with can benefit his own interests .
America deserves better .
Register and vote Donald Trump out of office in November .
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If you ever needed an example of how Donald Trump sees the world through his own transactional-based values system, one need only look at footage of Trump at a press briefing in Lake Charles, Louisiana today, where the president appeared after touring some of the horrific damage caused by Hurricane Laura earlier this week.
At the end of the formal event — but before the cameras stopped rolling — the president was asked whether he’d be willing to offer a few autographs for his fans among the local attendees of his public relations appearance.
Apparently pleased to know that he still had some fans in the southern state that has been battered by both the COVID-19 pandemic as well this latest natural disaster, Trump readily agreed.
The president’s internal mindset was candidly exposed when he repeated the same dismissive “joke” after handing them a sharpie-inscribed rendition of his illegible scrawl.
As Trump called over his admirers — and his security staff attempted to prevent them from breaching a safe social distancing perimeter — he urged them closer saying “I want a little power…I want them over here. These are the guys.”
He then gave his autograph to a patiently-waiting local law enforcement officer with a flourish saying “her, sell this tonight on eBay, you’ll get $10,000.”
It was a message he repeated with each autograph he handed out as you can see in the video footage below.
Trump even went so far to advise one recipient that the autograph shouldn’t include any greeting other than the president’s name because it would depress the resale value of the autograph.
The entire encounter leads one to believe that Trump checks eBay regularly to evaluate the current going rate for his signature like he checks the ratings of his TV appearances.
However, a simple perusal of the online auction site shows that his ego has inflated the value of his scribble by a hundredfold.
For a president accused of a lack of human empathy, this example provides a convenient explanation for his inability to relate to others on a human level.
When you’re entire worldview is based on monetary values rather than emotional and spiritual cornerstones, such a lack of empathy makes much more sense.
In Trump’s mind, the only things that matter are money and how the individual he is interacting with can benefit his own interests.
America deserves better. Register and vote Donald Trump out of office in November.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-29--Trump administration limits intelligence briefings to Congress on election security

In a move sure to raise eyebrows and considerable ire among congressional Democrats , the Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe is telling the House and Senate Intelligence Committees that they will no longer be provided with in-person briefings about election security .
Congress will now be limited to written reports on the sensitive topic as the nation approaches the most monumental election in its history amidst unprecedented threats of foreign interference according to a report on CNN .
The loss of in-person briefings will deprive lawmakers with a crucial opportunity to question intelligence officials about the contents of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time when partisan tensions run high and trust in the administration is in justifiably short supply .
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump ’ s sabotage of the post office !
Given Donald Trump ’ s near-constant bleating about the dangers of mail-in ballots and the supposed rampant fraud that the president has been unable to provide an iota of proof of actually having taken place , the move raised suspicions among Democrats about the reasons for the sudden change of procedure .
Fears that Trump might be plotting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways — including by interfering with U.S .
Postal Service deliveries — for an election that polls have him badly trailing his opponent Joe Biden have likely caught the attention of members of the congressional intelligence committees who should by all rights have the opportunity to question intelligence agency officials about their findings .
This latest move against transparency and accountability should be roundly condemned by members of both parties , but let ’ s see if the GOP members of these committees raise a peep about a move that may in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you are incensed about the idea of interference in our elections , perhaps volunteering as a poll worker would be a smart move so that as many witnesses to actions taken at the polls are available to observe any repressive measures that those seeking to restrict access to voting rights may take .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
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In a move sure to raise eyebrows and considerable ire among congressional Democrats, the Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe is telling the House and Senate Intelligence Committees that they will no longer be provided with in-person briefings about election security.
Congress will now be limited to written reports on the sensitive topic as the nation approaches the most monumental election in its history amidst unprecedented threats of foreign interference according to a report on CNN.
The loss of in-person briefings will deprive lawmakers with a crucial opportunity to question intelligence officials about the contents of the election security reports that they receive at a time when partisan tensions run high and trust in the administration is in justifiably short supply.
DNI has informed the House and Senate Select Committees on Intelligence that they’ll no longer be briefing on election security issues, a senior administration official told CNN. It’ll provide written updates the official said. @jaketapper — Shimon Prokupecz (@ShimonPro) August 29, 2020
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
Given Donald Trump’s near-constant bleating about the dangers of mail-in ballots and the supposed rampant fraud that the president has been unable to provide an iota of proof of actually having taken place, the move raised suspicions among Democrats about the reasons for the sudden change of procedure.
Fears that Trump might be plotting ways to suppress voter turnout in myriad ways — including by interfering with U.S. Postal Service deliveries — for an election that polls have him badly trailing his opponent Joe Biden have likely caught the attention of members of the congressional intelligence committees who should by all rights have the opportunity to question intelligence agency officials about their findings.
This latest move against transparency and accountability should be roundly condemned by members of both parties, but let’s see if the GOP members of these committees raise a peep about a move that may in the end assist their own electoral prospects.
If you are incensed about the idea of interference in our elections, perhaps volunteering as a poll worker would be a smart move so that as many witnesses to actions taken at the polls are available to observe any repressive measures that those seeking to restrict access to voting rights may take.
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Original reporting by Matthew Chapman at RawStory.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-29--Trump goes for the jugular with his “unstable” niece and other “tell-all” authors in morning tweets

For someone who behaves as if he couldn ’ t care in the least what others think of him , Donald Trump is actually extremely sensitive about bad press .
Given his history of impersonating his own public relations agent early in his career , Trump has long tried to control what is written about himself in the media and immediately pursued any accurate , but negative , accounts of his actions with accusations of “ FAKE NEWS !
” and attempts to discredit whoever dared to reveal his true nature to the public .
While it ’ s fairly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reputation of little-known journalists toiling away at their jobs while having their facts disputed by someone much more powerful — if not more credible — then themselves , Trump faces more difficulty disputing the veracity of the stories published by administration insiders and members of his own family who have witnessed his behavior first-hand and subsequently spilled the beans .
That hasn ’ t stopped the president from trying .
This morning , Trump launched into a long jeremiad towards his niece Mary Trump , his former National Security Advisor John Bolton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all authors of books that have painted a devastating portrait of the presdient as a cruel and damaged man in over his head in a job for which he is so ill-suited that he has bumblingly led the nation to its current political , medical and economic crises .
As expected Trump denied all the accusations made against him in the various tomes written about him as “ lies ” and , of course , “ FAKE NEWS !
” Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump ’ s sabotage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember that only two letters distinguish Trump ’ s last name from that of Triumph , the Insult Comic Dog , although you could hardly tell any difference between their personas from this vicious tweet .
Trump is trying to dismiss all of the valid criticisms of his policies , behaviors , and personal psycholgical shortcomings as motivated by the greed , lies , and personal animosities of his detractors , but does so in an exceptionally ruthless and malevolent manner that only serves to reninforce the negative attributes that the authors universally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s malignant narcissism is on full display in his tweets , providing even more reason for working as hard as we can to ensure his defeat in November .
Register !
Vote any way you can !
Text VOTE to 30330 to get details on local voter information .
Trump must be sent packing and our national nightmare can begin to cease .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

For someone who behaves as if he couldn’t care in the least what others think of him, Donald Trump is actually extremely sensitive about bad press.
Given his history of impersonating his own public relations agent early in his career, Trump has long tried to control what is written about himself in the media and immediately pursued any accurate, but negative, accounts of his actions with accusations of “FAKE NEWS!” and attempts to discredit whoever dared to reveal his true nature to the public.
While it’s fairly easy for the president to besmirch the reputation of little-known journalists toiling away at their jobs while having their facts disputed by someone much more powerful — if not more credible — then themselves, Trump faces more difficulty disputing the veracity of the stories published by administration insiders and members of his own family who have witnessed his behavior first-hand and subsequently spilled the beans.
That hasn’t stopped the president from trying.
This morning, Trump launched into a long jeremiad towards his niece Mary Trump, his former National Security Advisor John Bolton, and legendary muckraking journalist Bob Woodward, all authors of books that have painted a devastating portrait of the presdient as a cruel and damaged man in over his head in a job for which he is so ill-suited that he has bumblingly led the nation to its current political, medical and economic crises.
As expected Trump denied all the accusations made against him in the various tomes written about him as “lies” and, of course, “FAKE NEWS!”
..Even whether it’s dumb warmongers like John Bolton, social pretenders like Bob Woodward, who never has anything good to say, or an unstable niece, who was now rightfully shunned, scorned and mocked her entire life, and never even liked by her own very kind & caring grandfather! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2020
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
One has to remember that only two letters distinguish Trump’s last name from that of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog, although you could hardly tell any difference between their personas from this vicious tweet.
Trump is trying to dismiss all of the valid criticisms of his policies, behaviors, and personal psycholgical shortcomings as motivated by the greed, lies, and personal animosities of his detractors, but does so in an exceptionally ruthless and malevolent manner that only serves to reninforce the negative attributes that the authors universally describe as his faults.
Trump’s malignant narcissism is on full display in his tweets, providing even more reason for working as hard as we can to ensure his defeat in November.
Register! Vote any way you can! Text VOTE to 30330 to get details on local voter information.
Trump must be sent packing and our national nightmare can begin to cease.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-08-30--Trump offered FBI Director job to John Kelly, but demanded “loyalty”

A new book provides an insightful portrayal of Donald Trump ’ s mindset immediately after he fired former FBI Director James Comey because of “ you know , this Russia thing with Trump and Russia , ” as he told NBC ’ s Lester Holt .
Written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times Michael Schmidt , the upcoming book Donald Trump v. The United States offers several previously undisclosed details of the behind-the-scenes maneuvering after Trump expelled his counter-intelligence investigation antagonist from the nation ’ s security apparatus .
Axios revealed the story in an advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tale of how Trump phoned General John Kelly , then still the Secretary of Homeland Security , to offer him Comey ’ s former job .
Using direct quotes from the yet to be published book , Axios tells of the conditions that the president attached to his job offer and Kelly ’ s incredulous and defiant reaction that led him to decline the offer .
“ But the president added something else — if he became FBI director , Trump told him , Kelly needed to be loyal to him , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Kelly immediately realized the problem with Trump ’ s request for loyalty , and he pushed back on the president ’ s demand , ” Schmidt writes .
“ Kelly said that he would be loyal to the Constitution and the rule of law , but he refused to pledge his loyalty to Trump , ” Axios reports Schmidt saying .
“ In addition to illustrating how Trump viewed the role and independence of senior officials who work for him , the president ’ s demand for loyalty tracked with Comey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schmidt writes .
Apparently none of this information came up in Kelly ’ s interview with Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller ’ s team which was limited to a single two-hour interview , according to the online publication .
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump ’ s sabotage of the post office !
Some additional devastating quotes from Donald Trump v. The United States include these : “ Throughout Kelly ’ s time working directly with Trump , Kelly was repeatedly struck by how Trump failed to understand how those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other top former generals — had interest in being loyal not to him , but to the institutions of American democracy.
” “ Kelly has told others that Trump wanted to behave like an authoritarian and repeatedly had to be restrained and told what he could and could not legally do.
” “ Aside from questions of the law , Kelly has told others that one of the most difficult tasks he faced with Trump was trying to stop him from pulling out of NATO — a move that Trump has repeatedly threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have been a seismic breach of American alliances and an extraordinary gift to Putin.
” “ Kelly has said that having to say no to Trump was like ‘ French kissing a chainsaw . '
” For more details of the revelations in Schmidt ’ s new book , check out the original Axios article here .
In the meantime , contemplate how much more imperative the defeat of this traitorous president with no respect for our nation ’ s democratic principles truly is after learning these new nuggets of truth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

A new book provides an insightful portrayal of Donald Trump’s mindset immediately after he fired former FBI Director James Comey because of “you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia,” as he told NBC’s Lester Holt.
Written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times Michael Schmidt, the upcoming book Donald Trump v. The United States offers several previously undisclosed details of the behind-the-scenes maneuvering after Trump expelled his counter-intelligence investigation antagonist from the nation’s security apparatus.
Axios revealed the story in an advance excerpt of the book today with the tale of how Trump phoned General John Kelly, then still the Secretary of Homeland Security, to offer him Comey’s former job.
Using direct quotes from the yet to be published book, Axios tells of the conditions that the president attached to his job offer and Kelly’s incredulous and defiant reaction that led him to decline the offer.
“But the president added something else — if he became FBI director, Trump told him, Kelly needed to be loyal to him, and only him,” one quote reads. “Kelly immediately realized the problem with Trump’s request for loyalty, and he pushed back on the president’s demand,” Schmidt writes. “Kelly said that he would be loyal to the Constitution and the rule of law, but he refused to pledge his loyalty to Trump,” Axios reports Schmidt saying. “In addition to illustrating how Trump viewed the role and independence of senior officials who work for him, the president’s demand for loyalty tracked with Comey’s experience with Trump,” Schmidt writes.
Apparently none of this information came up in Kelly’s interview with Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller’s team which was limited to a single two-hour interview, according to the online publication.
Sign the petition to tell Congress to stop Trump’s sabotage of the post office!
Some additional devastating quotes from Donald Trump v. The United States include these:
“Throughout Kelly’s time working directly with Trump, Kelly was repeatedly struck by how Trump failed to understand how those who worked for him — like Kelly and other top former generals — had interest in being loyal not to him, but to the institutions of American democracy.” “Kelly has told others that Trump wanted to behave like an authoritarian and repeatedly had to be restrained and told what he could and could not legally do.” “Aside from questions of the law, Kelly has told others that one of the most difficult tasks he faced with Trump was trying to stop him from pulling out of NATO — a move that Trump has repeatedly threatened but never made good on, which would have been a seismic breach of American alliances and an extraordinary gift to Putin.” “Kelly has said that having to say no to Trump was like ‘French kissing a chainsaw.'”
For more details of the revelations in Schmidt’s new book, check out the original Axios article here.
In the meantime, contemplate how much more imperative the defeat of this traitorous president with no respect for our nation’s democratic principles truly is after learning these new nuggets of truth.
Register & vote!
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Jonathan Swan at Axios.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts