occupydemocrats--2020-02-28--Ted Cruz challenges AOC on science knowledge and gets owned by his creationism

Americans are understandably concerned about Donald Trump ’ s decision to name Vice President Mike Pence the czar in charge of America ’ s coronavirus response .
While Governor of Indiana , Pence failed to prevent a terrible HIV outbreak which naturally makes him the president ’ s choice for czar since incompetence is rewarded rather than punished in this administration .
Meanwhile , the president himself is downplaying the seriousness of the coronavirus even as the World Health Organization ( WHO ) upgrades its threat assessment to its most drastic level of “ very high.
” The White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the virus are nothing more than an attempt by the media to hurt the president ’ s reelection chances .
In short : the federal government ’ s response to the crisis is being hamstrung right out of the gate .
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) was quick to condemn the naming of Pence as czar by pointing out that the vice president “ literally does not believe in science , ” which is a characterization that frankly describes most members of this climate change-denying administration .
AOC slammed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reasonably predicted that it could end up costing lives , much as Pence ’ s past decisions have .
Senator Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) , a man with an adversarial relationship to science and truth much like Pence , retweeted Ocasio-Cortez and mockingly called her the “ oracle of science.
” He asked her to tell him what a Y chromosome is , presumably in reference to the congresswoman ’ s defense and advocacy for transgender individuals .
It was a complete non-sequitur on Cruz ’ s part and a crude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking points into the coronavirus discourse .
Cruz also injected the topic of abortion into the conversation and implied that the United States is already doing enough to fight climate change .
All in all , it was the pathetic move made by a grown man looking for attention on social media .
Ocasio-Cortez , never one to back down from a Republican challenge , responded by calling out Cruz for judging people ’ s intelligence by “ the lowest income they ’ ve had , ” presumably a reference to the frequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply because she worked as a bartender before joining Congress .
AOC defended herself by pointing out the awards she received from MIT Lincoln Lab and other institutions for her work in microbiology .
Add your name to tell the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump ’ s corruption !
She ended the tweet with a barb about Cruz ’ s evolution denial , something which—like climate denial—is rampant on the right and proves that as a movement they are thoroughly and fundamentally anti-science .
Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in order to do that , they ignore basic scientific facts about the world .
Next time , the senator from Texas should think twice before hurling one of his bad faith attacks at the Congresswoman .
He is clearly no match for her .
What do you think ?

Americans are understandably concerned about Donald Trump’s decision to name Vice President Mike Pence the czar in charge of America’s coronavirus response. While Governor of Indiana, Pence failed to prevent a terrible HIV outbreak which naturally makes him the president’s choice for czar since incompetence is rewarded rather than punished in this administration.
Meanwhile, the president himself is downplaying the seriousness of the coronavirus even as the World Health Organization (WHO) upgrades its threat assessment to its most drastic level of “very high.” The White House is trying to convince Americans that the concerns about the virus are nothing more than an attempt by the media to hurt the president’s reelection chances. In short: the federal government’s response to the crisis is being hamstrung right out of the gate.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was quick to condemn the naming of Pence as czar by pointing out that the vice president “literally does not believe in science,” which is a characterization that frankly describes most members of this climate change-denying administration. AOC slammed the Pence appointment as “utterly irresponsible” and reasonably predicted that it could end up costing lives, much as Pence’s past decisions have.
Mike Pence literally does not believe in science. It is utterly irresponsible to put him in charge of US coronavirus response as the world sits on the cusp of a pandemic. This decision could cost people their lives. Pence’s past decisions already have. https://t.co/NhMPOusOWm — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 27, 2020
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), a man with an adversarial relationship to science and truth much like Pence, retweeted Ocasio-Cortez and mockingly called her the “oracle of science.” He asked her to tell him what a Y chromosome is, presumably in reference to the congresswoman’s defense and advocacy for transgender individuals. It was a complete non-sequitur on Cruz’s part and a crude attempt to shoehorn regressive conservative culture war talking points into the coronavirus discourse.
As you are speaking as the oracle of science, tell us, what exactly is a Y chromosome? https://t.co/t4XVVzWr3A — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 27, 2020
Cruz also injected the topic of abortion into the conversation and implied that the United States is already doing enough to fight climate change. All in all, it was the pathetic move made by a grown man looking for attention on social media.
2/x And at what age of gestation does science tell us that an unborn child feels physical pain? — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 27, 2020
3/x And, of the 195 countries on planet Earth, which country produced the greatest total reduction in CO2 emissions in 2019? — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 27, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez, never one to back down from a Republican challenge, responded by calling out Cruz for judging people’s intelligence by “the lowest income they’ve had,” presumably a reference to the frequent GOP efforts to dismiss her as stupid simply because she worked as a bartender before joining Congress. AOC defended herself by pointing out the awards she received from MIT Lincoln Lab and other institutions for her work in microbiology.
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
She ended the tweet with a barb about Cruz’s evolution denial, something which—like climate denial—is rampant on the right and proves that as a movement they are thoroughly and fundamentally anti-science. Republicans pander to fanatical evangelicals to win votes and in order to do that, they ignore basic scientific facts about the world.
Next time, the senator from Texas should think twice before hurling one of his bad faith attacks at the Congresswoman. He is clearly no match for her.
Sen. Cruz, while I understand you judge people’s intelligence by the lowest income they’ve had, I hold awards from MIT Lincoln Lab &others for accomplishments in microbiology. Secondly, I’m surprised you’re asking about chromosomes given that you don’t even believe in evolution. https://t.co/vOIwJhpl7q — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 28, 2020
Sincerely,
an Intel global finalist,
a fmr multi-year intern for Sen. Kennedy,
a cum laude dual major in Economics & International Relations,
a fmr Educational Director for national organization,
Who to you is “just a bartender,”
And also your colleague.https://t.co/9ktAgXFXDE — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 28, 2020
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-02-28--Trump and his Chief of Staff dismiss coronavirus fears as media plot to take him down

As the coronavirus continues to spread around the world it ’ s becoming disturbingly clear that President Trump is completely unprepared to deal with the growing emergency .
He ’ s given Vice President Mike Pence—a man who oversaw a terrible HIV outbreak during his tenure as Governor of Indiana—the role of coronavirus czar and Pence , in turn , has brought in economic hacks like Larry Kudlow to join his team .
Trump himself was reportedly enraged at a Center for Disease Control official for simply doing her job by warning Americans that they should prepare for the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration is far more worried about the effects of the virus on the stock market and how this sudden , sharp downturn could hurt the president ’ s reelection prospects than they are about the health of the country .
They are prioritizing politics over the safety of Americans even as the World Health Organization ( WHO ) upgrades its threat assessment of the coronavirus to “ very high.
” Just last night , Trump blasted out tweets whining that he is getting blamed for failing to do more about the outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has stayed on top of the issue by closing borders and ending flights .
His claim is strongly refuted by his behavior and the lack of attention he is devoting to the issue .
Yesterday , instead of spending all of his time reviewing protocols and working with CDC officials he hosted a slew of right-wing D-list celebrities at the White House .
There is simply no proof that he is taking this outbreak seriously enough .
Add your name to tell the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump also targeted the “ Do Nothing Democrats ” and said they wasted time on an “ Immigration Hoax ” and efforts to make the Republican Party “ look bad.
” He repeated his claim about the border and flight closings and insisted that we are “ way ahead in our battle ” with the virus despite the manner in which every new report to emerge indicates the exact opposite .
The grim truth is that Trump is botching our response to the virus and rather than course correct to save lives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Hill reports that acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney tried to do more PR damage control today at the Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) .
He admitted that schools are likely to shut down and public transportation affected but insisted that the administration is doing a better job than reports would lead one to believe .
In true Trumpian fashion , he attacked the media for allegedly ignoring the virus until now because they were so focused on the impeachment process and ridiculously stated that the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope it will be what “ brings down the president.
” “ Why didn ’ t you hear about it ?
The press was covering their hoax of the day because they thought it would bring down the president , ” said Mulvaney .
He acknowledged that the coronavirus is “ real ” as if such a thing were ever in doubt , downplayed the risks it poses and likened it to the flue .
“ We know how to handle this , ” he said .
At this point , no American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House says at face value .
This administration is packed with liars who are solely interested in safeguarding their own grip on power .
Concerned Americans would be wise to listen to the CDC and tune out the statements coming from Trump and his staff .
It very well could save lives .
What do you think ?

As the coronavirus continues to spread around the world it’s becoming disturbingly clear that President Trump is completely unprepared to deal with the growing emergency. He’s given Vice President Mike Pence—a man who oversaw a terrible HIV outbreak during his tenure as Governor of Indiana—the role of coronavirus czar and Pence, in turn, has brought in economic hacks like Larry Kudlow to join his team.
Trump himself was reportedly enraged at a Center for Disease Control official for simply doing her job by warning Americans that they should prepare for the virus to spread throughout the country.
The administration is far more worried about the effects of the virus on the stock market and how this sudden, sharp downturn could hurt the president’s reelection prospects than they are about the health of the country. They are prioritizing politics over the safety of Americans even as the World Health Organization (WHO) upgrades its threat assessment of the coronavirus to “very high.”
Just last night, Trump blasted out tweets whining that he is getting blamed for failing to do more about the outbreak. He blamed China and said that he has stayed on top of the issue by closing borders and ending flights. His claim is strongly refuted by his behavior and the lack of attention he is devoting to the issue. Yesterday, instead of spending all of his time reviewing protocols and working with CDC officials he hosted a slew of right-wing D-list celebrities at the White House. There is simply no proof that he is taking this outbreak seriously enough.
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
Trump also targeted the “Do Nothing Democrats” and said they wasted time on an “Immigration Hoax” and efforts to make the Republican Party “look bad.” He repeated his claim about the border and flight closings and insisted that we are “way ahead in our battle” with the virus despite the manner in which every new report to emerge indicates the exact opposite. The grim truth is that Trump is botching our response to the virus and rather than course correct to save lives, he’s looking for a scapegoat.
So, the Coronavirus, which started in China and spread to various countries throughout the world, but very slowly in the U.S. because President Trump closed our border, and ended flights, VERY EARLY, is now being blamed, by the Do Nothing Democrats, to be the fault of “Trump”. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2020
The Do Nothing Democrats were busy wasting time on the Immigration Hoax, & anything else they could do to make the Republican Party look bad, while I was busy calling early BORDER & FLIGHT closings, putting us way ahead in our battle with Coronavirus. Dems called it VERY wrong! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2020
The Hill reports that acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney tried to do more PR damage control today at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). He admitted that schools are likely to shut down and public transportation affected but insisted that the administration is doing a better job than reports would lead one to believe.
In true Trumpian fashion, he attacked the media for allegedly ignoring the virus until now because they were so focused on the impeachment process and ridiculously stated that the media is only covering the virus because they hope it will be what “brings down the president.”
“Why didn’t you hear about it? The press was covering their hoax of the day because they thought it would bring down the president,” said Mulvaney. He acknowledged that the coronavirus is “real” as if such a thing were ever in doubt, downplayed the risks it poses and likened it to the flue. “We know how to handle this,” he said.
Here's Mike Mulvaney at CPAC characterizing coronavirus coverage as "an attempt to bring down the president" and blaming the media for the stock market stump pic.twitter.com/a747Inf2ky — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 28, 2020
Mulvaney downplays the coronavirus, saying it’s “not ebola,” but then adds, “are you gonna see some schools shut down? Probably. Will you see impacts on public transportation? Sure.” pic.twitter.com/y2V5WdBpm6 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 28, 2020
At this point, no American should take a single thing this White House says at face value. This administration is packed with liars who are solely interested in safeguarding their own grip on power. Concerned Americans would be wise to listen to the CDC and tune out the statements coming from Trump and his staff. It very well could save lives.
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-02-29--Wrong again!: Trump misidentifies first coronavirus victim as a woman during White House press confe

Wrong again!: Trump misidentifies first coronavirus victim as a woman during White House press conference

Donald Trump made a big show of proving that — despite his and other members of his administration ’ s spending copious amounts of time attending political rallies and Conservative Political Action Conferences — he was on top of the U.S. response to the coronavirus outbreak that has rapidly spread across the globe and sent stock markets tumbling down .
Even after calling the concern about the pandemic a “ hoax ” concocted by Democrats to damage him politically at his South Carolina rally last night , the death of the first victim of the virus to succumb to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call a press conference to concede that the disease was likely to infect more people in our nation while boasting that he and his incredible team had everything under control .
Trump offered his condolences to the family of the first U.S. victim of the pandemic whom he described as a “ wonderful woman ” who was a “ medically high-risk patient ” in her late 50s , during his remarks at the press conference .
Unfortunately for his mission of trying to establish the credibility and competence of his administration in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t even get the gender of the deceased coronavirus patient correct .
According to The Washington Post , Jeffrey Duchin , the chief health officer for Seattle and King County where the fatality occurred , was forced to later explain that the patient was not in fact a woman , but a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions .
If Trump and his squad of science-denying compadres want the American people to trust that they have the ability to manage the growing health crisis and the subsequent economic fallout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least exhibit the competence to get their facts straight .
Perhaps Trump should spend some time in a remedial education program to teach him the basics of biology and observable physical gender differences .
Might we suggest locking him in a barn with a cow and a bull so he could learn the differences firsthand in animals before allowing him to see if he can tell the difference in humans ?
Or maybe it would be best putting him in a cage the size that his ICE immigration enforcers have placed so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ male and female lion ( preferably a pair that hasn ’ t been fed for a while ) since the length of their manes might make it easier for him to distinguish between them in a classic gender difference .
No , that would make us as cruel as he himself is .
And given his stated proclivity for grabbing women ’ s genitals , he likely already has some familiarity with the differences between humans of different genders .
It ’ s just that his aged and failing brain is not quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be .
What do you think ?

Donald Trump made a big show of proving that — despite his and other members of his administration’s spending copious amounts of time attending political rallies and Conservative Political Action Conferences — he was on top of the U.S. response to the coronavirus outbreak that has rapidly spread across the globe and sent stock markets tumbling down.
Even after calling the concern about the pandemic a “hoax” concocted by Democrats to damage him politically at his South Carolina rally last night, the death of the first victim of the virus to succumb to the disease on American soil inspired Trump to call a press conference to concede that the disease was likely to infect more people in our nation while boasting that he and his incredible team had everything under control.
Trump offered his condolences to the family of the first U.S. victim of the pandemic whom he described as a “wonderful woman” who was a “medically high-risk patient” in her late 50s, during his remarks at the press conference.
Unfortunately for his mission of trying to establish the credibility and competence of his administration in their handling of the crisis, the president couldn’t even get the gender of the deceased coronavirus patient correct.
According to The Washington Post, Jeffrey Duchin, the chief health officer for Seattle and King County where the fatality occurred, was forced to later explain that the patient was not in fact a woman, but a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions.
If Trump and his squad of science-denying compadres want the American people to trust that they have the ability to manage the growing health crisis and the subsequent economic fallout, one would hope that they could at least exhibit the competence to get their facts straight.
Perhaps Trump should spend some time in a remedial education program to teach him the basics of biology and observable physical gender differences. Might we suggest locking him in a barn with a cow and a bull so he could learn the differences firsthand in animals before allowing him to see if he can tell the difference in humans?
Or maybe it would be best putting him in a cage the size that his ICE immigration enforcers have placed so many immigrant children into along with a male and female lion (preferably a pair that hasn’t been fed for a while) since the length of their manes might make it easier for him to distinguish between them in a classic gender difference.
No, that would make us as cruel as he himself is. And given his stated proclivity for grabbing women’s genitals, he likely already has some familiarity with the differences between humans of different genders. It’s just that his aged and failing brain is not quite up to the task as it used to be.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
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--2020-02-29--Trump forced to face reality of first US coronavirus death hours after labeling crisis a Democratic

Trump forced to face reality of first US coronavirus death hours after labeling crisis a Democratic “hoax”

While Donald Trump may get away with spinning his political fantasies and pretending that they resemble reality — fooling some of the people some of the time — in ordinary circumstances , the outbreak of the coronavirus has put him in the position where reality is fighting back so hard that no amount of spin will go unchallenged by facts .
The contrast between Trump ’ s ranting at his South Carolina hate-festival ( or rally as the Trump campaign refers to them ) last night — where he called the virulent disease a new “ hoax ” being politicized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his administration — and the White House press conference the president and his emergency response team held this afternoon can largely be attributed to the fact that after the first death from the disease on U.S. soil has taken place , the reality of the danger and the spread of the disease is impossible to credibly refute .
Just hours after his “ hoax ” claim , Trump was forced to walk back his premature downplaying of the risks that the coronavirus poses to the health and safety of the average American citizen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to face more outbreaks of the disease .
With the death of a “ medically high-risk patient ” in her late 50s who had returned from a trip to South Korea to her home in Washington State now confirmed as the first domestic coronavirus fatality — as well as new cases reported in all three states on the West Coast among people who have not traveled to countries with existing outbreaks — the denial of the seriousness of the current situation was impossible for the president to maintain .
“ Additional cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unhealthy-looking Trump said to reporters in the White House briefing room .
“ But healthy individuals should be able to fully recover , and we think that will be a statement that we can make with great surety now that we ’ ve gotten familiar with this problem .
They should be able to recover , should they contract the virus .
So healthy people , if you ’ re healthy , you will probably go through a process , and you ’ ll be fine , ” he continued , still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
With the president reportedly furious that the global pandemic has created a massive sell-off in the stock market that could jeopardize his re-election chances as the markets factor in the economic disruptions that the coronavirus outbreak will cause , many Americans fear that they can ’ t trust this administration to accurately report news about the spread of the disease and about our government ’ s preparedness to respond to it .
Such is the legacy of squandered presidential credibility that Trump has created through his record-setting lack of truthfulness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the spread of the disease in this country , the president refused to drop his own politicization of the growing epidemic , explaining away his previous evening ’ s comments calling the coronavirus concerns a “ hoax ” by instead claiming that he was referring to the Democrats ’ accusations that his administration was handling the response to the crisis in an incoherent and incompetent manner as being the hoax .
Add your name to tell the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the wake of the news yesterday in The Washington Post that “ officials at the Department of Health and Human Services sent more than a dozen workers to receive the first Americans evacuated from Wuhan , China , the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak , without proper training for infection control or appropriate protective gear , according to a whistleblower complaint.
” The fact that Trump has appointed Vice President Mike Pence to coordinate the government response to the outbreak has also concerned many Americans , given the poor track record that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Indiana while a crisis involving the growing spread of HIV was unfolding in that state .
One brave reporter dared to ask Trump about the wisdom of that decision and whether he could guarantee that no political or ideological considerations would interfere with the government response to this health emergency .
Trump quickly avoided the question and praised his vice president , before forcing him to the mic to defend his record as governor , still ignoring the basic question regarding a non-political , evangelical-judgment-free , policy .
With the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. healthcare system amidst continuing Republican efforts to weaken and repeal Obamacare , the Trump administration ’ s handling of the pandemic as it grows may prove to be one of the most crucial aspects of the president ’ s bid to remain in the White House .
With concerns about health coverage comprising one of the main drivers of the Democrats ’ “ Blue Wave ” recapture of the majority in the House of Representatives in the 2018 mid-term elections , the timing of new healthcare woes may wind up being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitive end to the Trump presidency as voters opt for a president possessing both the credibility and the competency to navigate a crisis like the coronavirus .
What do you think ?

While Donald Trump may get away with spinning his political fantasies and pretending that they resemble reality — fooling some of the people some of the time — in ordinary circumstances, the outbreak of the coronavirus has put him in the position where reality is fighting back so hard that no amount of spin will go unchallenged by facts.
The contrast between Trump’s ranting at his South Carolina hate-festival (or rally as the Trump campaign refers to them) last night — where he called the virulent disease a new “hoax” being politicized by Democrats to specifically destroy him and his administration — and the White House press conference the president and his emergency response team held this afternoon can largely be attributed to the fact that after the first death from the disease on U.S. soil has taken place, the reality of the danger and the spread of the disease is impossible to credibly refute.
Just hours after his “hoax” claim, Trump was forced to walk back his premature downplaying of the risks that the coronavirus poses to the health and safety of the average American citizen and acknowledge that the country was likely to face more outbreaks of the disease.
With the death of a “medically high-risk patient” in her late 50s who had returned from a trip to South Korea to her home in Washington State now confirmed as the first domestic coronavirus fatality — as well as new cases reported in all three states on the West Coast among people who have not traveled to countries with existing outbreaks — the denial of the seriousness of the current situation was impossible for the president to maintain.
“Additional cases in the United States are likely,” an unhealthy-looking Trump said to reporters in the White House briefing room. “But healthy individuals should be able to fully recover, and we think that will be a statement that we can make with great surety now that we’ve gotten familiar with this problem. They should be able to recover, should they contract the virus. So healthy people, if you’re healthy, you will probably go through a process, and you’ll be fine,” he continued, still trying to minimize the threat of the outbreak.
With the president reportedly furious that the global pandemic has created a massive sell-off in the stock market that could jeopardize his re-election chances as the markets factor in the economic disruptions that the coronavirus outbreak will cause, many Americans fear that they can’t trust this administration to accurately report news about the spread of the disease and about our government’s preparedness to respond to it.
Such is the legacy of squandered presidential credibility that Trump has created through his record-setting lack of truthfulness.
Despite having to scale down his reassurances about the spread of the disease in this country, the president refused to drop his own politicization of the growing epidemic, explaining away his previous evening’s comments calling the coronavirus concerns a “hoax” by instead claiming that he was referring to the Democrats’ accusations that his administration was handling the response to the crisis in an incoherent and incompetent manner as being the hoax.
REPORTER: You used the word "hoax" to talk about this last night. Do you regret that? TRUMP: "No no no. 'Hoax' referring to the action [Dems] take to try and pin this on somebody, because we've done such a good job." pic.twitter.com/ffiCnLskxe — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 29, 2020
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
It was a weak rejoinder in the wake of the news yesterday in The Washington Post that “officials at the Department of Health and Human Services sent more than a dozen workers to receive the first Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, without proper training for infection control or appropriate protective gear, according to a whistleblower complaint.”
The fact that Trump has appointed Vice President Mike Pence to coordinate the government response to the outbreak has also concerned many Americans, given the poor track record that Pence exhibited during his time as governor of Indiana while a crisis involving the growing spread of HIV was unfolding in that state.
One brave reporter dared to ask Trump about the wisdom of that decision and whether he could guarantee that no political or ideological considerations would interfere with the government response to this health emergency. Trump quickly avoided the question and praised his vice president, before forcing him to the mic to defend his record as governor, still ignoring the basic question regarding a non-political, evangelical-judgment-free, policy.
Trump completely punts on a question about the Russia-Turkey conflict, seems unfamiliar with what's going on in Syria pic.twitter.com/KY7gfUiqjU — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 29, 2020
With the coronavirus outbreak likely to further expose the flaws in the U.S. healthcare system amidst continuing Republican efforts to weaken and repeal Obamacare, the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic as it grows may prove to be one of the most crucial aspects of the president’s bid to remain in the White House.
With concerns about health coverage comprising one of the main drivers of the Democrats’ “Blue Wave” recapture of the majority in the House of Representatives in the 2018 mid-term elections, the timing of new healthcare woes may wind up being just the last straw that puts a definitive end to the Trump presidency as voters opt for a president possessing both the credibility and the competency to navigate a crisis like the coronavirus.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Matthew Chapman at RawStory.
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--2020-02-29--Trump reaches astounding new milestone — surpassing 3,000 conflicts of interest during his presidenc

Trump reaches astounding new milestone — surpassing 3,000 conflicts of interest during his presidency

As a perpetual braggart with little regard for the truth , Donald Trump can hardly utter a sentence without declaring himself to be the best , the greatest , or some other superlative in one aspect of his existence or another .
The president with such an elevated opinion of his own self-worth finally has a real accomplishment that he can claim , although it ’ s not one that any sane person would want to boast about .
The Washington DC-based government watchdog group , Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics ( CREW ) announced yesterday that Trump has achieved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his inauguration , reaching a total of 3,000 documented conflicts of interest between his businesses and his government employment .
CREW Research Director Robert McGuire celebrated the unholy occasion by tweeting a handy infographic detailing some of the major violations of government ethics — and the Consitution ’ s emoluments clause — that Trump has blithely and corruptly committed during his tenure to date , according to the watchdog group ’ s findings .
Add your name to tell the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compiling reports that reveal the unethical relationships between the president , his commercial enterprises from which he never divested his ownership , and those trying to influence the federal government—including lobbyists , foreign governments , and even members of Congress .
The Executive Director of CREW , Noah Bookbinder described the now enormous round number of conflicts of interest as “ disgraceful.
” “ Every one of the more than 3,000 conflicts of interest that President Trump has incurred through his businesses raises new questions about whether he is making decisions in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own bottom line , ” said Bookbinder in a statement .
“ Not only does he appear to be profiting from the presidency daily , but he is constantly facing new temptations to use his office for his own benefit.
” While Trump likes to exploit the support of his evangelical followers , he apparently completely ignores the line in the Lord ’ s Prayer about leading us not into temptation and instead dives headfirst in its pursuit .
By refusing to divest his business interests and temporarily handing control of the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , CREW says in their report that the president showcases “ the president ’ s willingness to blend his personal gain with his professional responsibilities.
” Among the ethical violations cited in the latest CREW report are these conflicts that generated beaucoup bucks for Trump ’ s personal fortune : In total , Trump has reached a level of corruption previously unimaginable at the highest levels of the U.S. government , averaging more than two conflicts of interest for every day that he has served in office .
It will be interesting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one ignominious accomplishment that he actually managed to achieve in reality .
Will he deny CREW ’ s findings and denounce the organization as liars trying to bring down his presidency for political purposes ?
Will he pick a Democrat to accuse of conflicts of interest in his typical game of projection , blaming his enemies for being guilty of that which he openly does ?
Or will he simply ignore the accusations and continue pocketing every cent of taxpayer , lobbyist , and foreign government money that he can ?
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do all of the above .
What do you think ?

As a perpetual braggart with little regard for the truth, Donald Trump can hardly utter a sentence without declaring himself to be the best, the greatest, or some other superlative in one aspect of his existence or another.
The president with such an elevated opinion of his own self-worth finally has a real accomplishment that he can claim, although it’s not one that any sane person would want to boast about.
The Washington DC-based government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) announced yesterday that Trump has achieved a new record in the days since his inauguration, reaching a total of 3,000 documented conflicts of interest between his businesses and his government employment.
CREW Research Director Robert McGuire celebrated the unholy occasion by tweeting a handy infographic detailing some of the major violations of government ethics — and the Consitution’s emoluments clause — that Trump has blithely and corruptly committed during his tenure to date, according to the watchdog group’s findings.
As of this week, world-renowned anticorruption crusader Donald Trump has racked up more than 3,000 conflicts of interest as president, with no signs of letting up https://t.co/GnTuReL2zm pic.twitter.com/szOC1UNdPz — Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) February 28, 2020
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
CREW has been compiling reports that reveal the unethical relationships between the president, his commercial enterprises from which he never divested his ownership, and those trying to influence the federal government—including lobbyists, foreign governments, and even members of Congress.
The Executive Director of CREW, Noah Bookbinder described the now enormous round number of conflicts of interest as “disgraceful.”
“Every one of the more than 3,000 conflicts of interest that President Trump has incurred through his businesses raises new questions about whether he is making decisions in the interest of the American people or his own bottom line,” said Bookbinder in a statement. “Not only does he appear to be profiting from the presidency daily, but he is constantly facing new temptations to use his office for his own benefit.”
While Trump likes to exploit the support of his evangelical followers, he apparently completely ignores the line in the Lord’s Prayer about leading us not into temptation and instead dives headfirst in its pursuit.
By refusing to divest his business interests and temporarily handing control of the Trump Organization to his two equally despicable sons, CREW says in their report that the president showcases “the president’s willingness to blend his personal gain with his professional responsibilities.”
Among the ethical violations cited in the latest CREW report are these conflicts that generated beaucoup bucks for Trump’s personal fortune:
55 members of Congress have visited Trump’s resort properties 78 times.
Cabinet members have patronized Trump hotels and resorts and attended events with special interest lobbyists or wealthy political donors at least 30 times.
Entities tied to foreign governments have held 13 events at Trump properties, and at least 134 foreign dignitaries have visited one of Trump’s properties in violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause.
Since Trump took office, special interest groups have sponsored 117 events at Trump properties.
In total, Trump has reached a level of corruption previously unimaginable at the highest levels of the U.S. government, averaging more than two conflicts of interest for every day that he has served in office.
It will be interesting to see how the president tries to spin the one ignominious accomplishment that he actually managed to achieve in reality. Will he deny CREW’s findings and denounce the organization as liars trying to bring down his presidency for political purposes? Will he pick a Democrat to accuse of conflicts of interest in his typical game of projection, blaming his enemies for being guilty of that which he openly does? Or will he simply ignore the accusations and continue pocketing every cent of taxpayer, lobbyist, and foreign government money that he can?
Our bet is that he’ll probably do all of the above.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Common Dreams at AlterNet.
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--2020-02-29--Federal judge puts a stop to Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” immigrant cruelty policy

From his first day in office , the Trump administration ’ s immigration policies have been exercises in deliberate cruelty .
Crafted by white nationalists advisors like Stephen Miller , their plans have been specifically designed to inflict as much suffering , trauma , injury , and loss of life as they possibly can on the vulnerable and innocent immigrants who risk life and limb to seek their chance at the American dream .
A three-judge federal appeals court panel has abruptly put a stop to the Trump administration ’ s latest efforts to put immigrants in the most dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named “ Migrant Protection Protocols ” program — also known as “ Remain In Mexico ” — revolves around sending immigrants to Mexico to await the outcome of their hearings and has predictably created a humanitarian crisis .
ACLU lawyer Judy Rabinovitz announced that “ The court forcefully rejected the Trump administration ’ s assertion that it could strand asylum seekers in Mexico and subject them to grave danger.
” Specifically , District Judge William A. Fletcher said the policy “ violates the “ non-refoulement ” principle in international and U.S. law of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may face persecution , and that a 1996 law the administration has been citing to defend the legality of the program does not allow officials to return all asylum-seekers to countries that border the U.S. like Mexico , ” according to CBS News .
59,000 immigrants have been deposited in dangerous Mexican border towns , overburdening local services which can not provide shelter , food , water , or protection for all of them .
Many vulnerable migrants are rendered homeless and become easy prey for the cartel gangsters which run wild in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sixty thousand migrants , there have been at least 816 confirmed murders , rapes , and kidnappings amongst them , including 201 kidnappings or attempted kidnappings of children .
1 in 4 migrants report being threatened with violence .
With no legal representation and no prospects , some abandon their claims and return to their home countries , preferring to risk their lives again and return to the chaos that drove them away in the first place than remain in hellish limbo .
The consequences of leaving , especially in El Salvador , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migrants have been reported to have been killed or abused upon returning .
The MPP policy , which began in January 2019 , is the demonic successor to the Trump administration ’ s horrifying 2018 “ child separation policy , ” in which immigrant families were deliberately separated from their children before being incarcerated in border concentration camps in a monstrous effort to intimidate immigrants into not attempting to cross the border .
5,500 children were separated from their families and caged with other children ; another two to three thousand may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ zero tolerance ” policy .
No preparations were made to eventually reunite the families with their children , who were placed in overcrowded detention centers and subjected to abuse , exploitation , and dehumanizing conditions by private prison contractors and the jack-booted thugs of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency .
Thousands of children and adults alike have been sexually abused in the camps .
The Trump team bowed to public outcry and political pressure and ended the policy in June 2018 after permanently traumatizing thousands of immigrant children .
Six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Remain in Mexico ” policy , shifting the onus of cruelty off of ICE and giving it to the cartel gangsters of northern Mexico .
Confusion is now breaking out at the border as immigrants plead for asylum with the news that the MPP program has been declared illegal .
Unfortunately , the administration is expected to appeal the decision and can likely count on the conservative-strangled Supreme Court to rubber-stamp it once and for all .
What do you think ?

From his first day in office, the Trump administration’s immigration policies have been exercises in deliberate cruelty. Crafted by white nationalists advisors like Stephen Miller, their plans have been specifically designed to inflict as much suffering, trauma, injury, and loss of life as they possibly can on the vulnerable and innocent immigrants who risk life and limb to seek their chance at the American dream.
A three-judge federal appeals court panel has abruptly put a stop to the Trump administration’s latest efforts to put immigrants in the most dangerous situation they possibly can. The deviously named “Migrant Protection Protocols” program — also known as “Remain In Mexico” — revolves around sending immigrants to Mexico to await the outcome of their hearings and has predictably created a humanitarian crisis.
ACLU lawyer Judy Rabinovitz announced that “The court forcefully rejected the Trump administration’s assertion that it could strand asylum seekers in Mexico and subject them to grave danger.”
Specifically, District Judge William A. Fletcher said the policy “violates the “non-refoulement” principle in international and U.S. law of not returning asylum-seekers to places where they may face persecution, and that a 1996 law the administration has been citing to defend the legality of the program does not allow officials to return all asylum-seekers to countries that border the U.S. like Mexico,” according to CBS News.
59,000 immigrants have been deposited in dangerous Mexican border towns, overburdening local services which cannot provide shelter, food, water, or protection for all of them.
Many vulnerable migrants are rendered homeless and become easy prey for the cartel gangsters which run wild in northern Mexico. Out of the nearly sixty thousand migrants, there have been at least 816 confirmed murders, rapes, and kidnappings amongst them, including 201 kidnappings or attempted kidnappings of children. 1 in 4 migrants report being threatened with violence.
With no legal representation and no prospects, some abandon their claims and return to their home countries, preferring to risk their lives again and return to the chaos that drove them away in the first place than remain in hellish limbo. The consequences of leaving, especially in El Salvador, can be fatal; hundreds of deported migrants have been reported to have been killed or abused upon returning.
The MPP policy, which began in January 2019, is the demonic successor to the Trump administration’s horrifying 2018 “child separation policy,” in which immigrant families were deliberately separated from their children before being incarcerated in border concentration camps in a monstrous effort to intimidate immigrants into not attempting to cross the border.
5,500 children were separated from their families and caged with other children; another two to three thousand may have been separated before the official beginning of the “zero tolerance” policy.
No preparations were made to eventually reunite the families with their children, who were placed in overcrowded detention centers and subjected to abuse, exploitation, and dehumanizing conditions by private prison contractors and the jack-booted thugs of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Thousands of children and adults alike have been sexually abused in the camps.
The Trump team bowed to public outcry and political pressure and ended the policy in June 2018 after permanently traumatizing thousands of immigrant children. Six months later, they began the “Remain in Mexico” policy, shifting the onus of cruelty off of ICE and giving it to the cartel gangsters of northern Mexico.
Confusion is now breaking out at the border as immigrants plead for asylum with the news that the MPP program has been declared illegal.
More immigrants in MPP are showing up at the bridge. They’re unsure of what to do or what’s going to happen. They say people at the camp are also restless and desperate for information. pic.twitter.com/BBmWD8ugkU — Adolfo Flores (@aflores) February 28, 2020
Unfortunately, the administration is expected to appeal the decision and can likely count on the conservative-strangled Supreme Court to rubber-stamp it once and for all.
Original reporting by Camilo Montoya-Galvez at NBC News.
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--2020-03-01--Trump Sunday tweet roundup — Pandemics and politics, Fake News and FISAGATE dominate his mind

Whether it ’ s the fact that his body clock is still recovering from his recent trip to India and the reported sleepless journey home or that he ’ s just so consumed with applying hand sanitizer to ward off coronavirus that his tiny fingers are too slippery to type properly , Donald Trump ’ s social media post schedule has been thrown off-kilter from his typical pattern of a barrage early morning tweets .
While the president did wake up early enough today to post a cheap shot at Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg , announce a new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertise a MAGA-friendly taco shop , he took a mysterious five-hour break before resuming his addiction to oversharing his brain farts .
His first post naturally was one of self-praise as he cited a poll that he erroneously attributed to The New York Post but is actually a two-week-old Gallup survey that claims 77 % of Americans have confidence in his administration ’ s ability to handle the coronavirus pandemic .
While for once Trump is accurately reporting the numbers contained in an opinion poll , he fails to mention that the survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease began spreading extensively in this country , before the first death from the virus occurred here , and before the administration ’ s early missteps in handling the outbreak were publicly disclosed .
Add your name to tell the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump ’ s corruption !
The president next moved on to his controversial re-nomination of Congressman John Ratcliffe ( R-TX ) to be his next Director of National Intelligence .
Trump had previously nominated Ratcliffe to the same position last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas representative withdraw his name from consideration after opposition from the Senate over concerns by former intelligence officials that Ratcliffe might politicize intelligence and after media reports criticized his record in prosecuting terrorism and immigration cases .
Now that Trump has been acquitted by a compliant , Republican-controlled Senate of the impeachment charges he faced , he likely feels that he can get them to roll over at his command and confirm anyone he nominates , no matter how partisan and unqualified for the sensitive position that they may be as he attempts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the intelligence community .
Apparently the primary qualification for a nomination to become the nation ’ s lead intelligence official is not actual intelligence or experience , but a willingness to buy into whatever paranoid lunatic conspiracy theory the president is peddling on any given day .
Of course , a day can not pass in the Bizzaro World universe of Trump ’ s Twitter posts without an attack on the media as an unreliable source of information since it is only the words that come from the mouth of the president himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about what ’ s happening in the world and how it should be interpreted .
Trump lists the most credible news sources in America and proceeds to gaslight the nation by describing them with a term much more suited as a description of his own actions since taking office as so many of his policies have demonstrated — THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE !
Perfectly fulfilling the mission of dividing and weakening America that Russian President Vladimir Putin so presciently predicted that Trump would be able to efficiently accomplish when he threw the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the Republican candidate in the last presidential election , Trump continues to try to erode public trust in any news source besides what appears on his Twitter feed or his defacto state media arm , Fox News .
The realization that we still have a president in office who is this ignorant , vindictive , and malicious is an extremely depressing thought that can often remind one of the lyrics of the late Canadian singer/songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen in his song “ Dress Rehearsal Rag ” : “ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , Yes it ’ s come to this , And wasn ’ t it a long way down , Wasn ’ t it a strange way down ?
” At times like this , music can provide some solace , but the sad truth of Cohen ’ s lyrics won ’ t erase the reality that we must face and change as soon as we can in our efforts to get America back to being the land of the free and the home of the brave instead of the dystopian nightmare that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think ?

Whether it’s the fact that his body clock is still recovering from his recent trip to India and the reported sleepless journey home or that he’s just so consumed with applying hand sanitizer to ward off coronavirus that his tiny fingers are too slippery to type properly, Donald Trump’s social media post schedule has been thrown off-kilter from his typical pattern of a barrage early morning tweets.
While the president did wake up early enough today to post a cheap shot at Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Bloomberg, announce a new coronavirus screening procedure at U.S. airports, and advertise a MAGA-friendly taco shop, he took a mysterious five-hour break before resuming his addiction to oversharing his brain farts.
His first post naturally was one of self-praise as he cited a poll that he erroneously attributed to The New York Post but is actually a two-week-old Gallup survey that claims 77% of Americans have confidence in his administration’s ability to handle the coronavirus pandemic.
A Poll in today’s New York Post says that 77% of “U.S. adults have confidence in their government’s ability to handle the Coronavirus (Number One), compared to other health threats.” 64% for Zika, 58% for Ebola. Others way down on list. Our professionals are doing a great job! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020
While for once Trump is accurately reporting the numbers contained in an opinion poll, he fails to mention that the survey was completed two weeks ago, before the disease began spreading extensively in this country, before the first death from the virus occurred here, and before the administration’s early missteps in handling the outbreak were publicly disclosed.
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
The president next moved on to his controversial re-nomination of Congressman John Ratcliffe (R-TX) to be his next Director of National Intelligence.
Trump had previously nominated Ratcliffe to the same position last summer, only to have the conservative Texas representative withdraw his name from consideration after opposition from the Senate over concerns by former intelligence officials that Ratcliffe might politicize intelligence and after media reports criticized his record in prosecuting terrorism and immigration cases.
Now that Trump has been acquitted by a compliant, Republican-controlled Senate of the impeachment charges he faced, he likely feels that he can get them to roll over at his command and confirm anyone he nominates, no matter how partisan and unqualified for the sensitive position that they may be as he attempts to install loyalists at the top of the intelligence community.
“Who better than @RepRatcliffe, who got to the bottom of the FISAGATE & RUSSIAGATE HOAX. It makes a lot of sense to put John Ratcliffe in there (DNI).The Senate should quickly approve him. @DevinNunes @MariaBartiromo John will do a great job for the American people! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020
Apparently the primary qualification for a nomination to become the nation’s lead intelligence official is not actual intelligence or experience, but a willingness to buy into whatever paranoid lunatic conspiracy theory the president is peddling on any given day.
Of course, a day cannot pass in the Bizzaro World universe of Trump’s Twitter posts without an attack on the media as an unreliable source of information since it is only the words that come from the mouth of the president himself that contain the “real” truth about what’s happening in the world and how it should be interpreted.
People are disgusted and embarrassed by the Fake News Media, as headed by the @nytimes, @washingtonpost, @comcast & MSDNC, @ABC, @CBSNews and more. They no longer believe what they see and read, and for good reason. Fake News is, indeed, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020
Trump lists the most credible news sources in America and proceeds to gaslight the nation by describing them with a term much more suited as a description of his own actions since taking office as so many of his policies have demonstrated — THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!
Perfectly fulfilling the mission of dividing and weakening America that Russian President Vladimir Putin so presciently predicted that Trump would be able to efficiently accomplish when he threw the support of his hackers and propaganda machine behind the Republican candidate in the last presidential election, Trump continues to try to erode public trust in any news source besides what appears on his Twitter feed or his defacto state media arm, Fox News.
The realization that we still have a president in office who is this ignorant, vindictive, and malicious is an extremely depressing thought that can often remind one of the lyrics of the late Canadian singer/songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen in his song “Dress Rehearsal Rag”:
“That’s right, it’s come to this,
Yes it’s come to this,
And wasn’t it a long way down,
Wasn’t it a strange way down?”
At times like this, music can provide some solace, but the sad truth of Cohen’s lyrics won’t erase the reality that we must face and change as soon as we can in our efforts to get America back to being the land of the free and the home of the brave instead of the dystopian nightmare that Trump has rendered it.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
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--2020-03-01--Court smacks down Trump’s appointment of acting immigration chief Ken Cuccinelli as illegal

A federal judge just ruled that Donald Trump ’ s appointment of Ken Cuccinelli — the controversial former Virginia Attorney General with ties to an anti-immigrant hate group and a reputation as a promoter of white nationalist , anti-LGBTQ , and misogynistic beliefs — as his acting Director of the U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services was illegal , in another defeat for the president ’ s misguided anti-immigrant crusade before the courts .
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss issued a 55-page decision that concluded that “ Cuccinelli was not lawfully appointed to serve as the acting Director of USCIS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined that the policies that the improperly appointed acting Director mandated regarding the treatment of asylum seekers “ must be set aside.
” With Trump now regularly avoiding the constitutional requirement that his senior administration officials be confirmed by the Senate — despite the fact that the upper chamber of Congress is controlled by his fellow Republicans who have already demonstrated that they are too fearful of his vengeful wrath and potential primary challenges to dare defy his will — by appointing “ acting ” heads in key positions , Judge Moss ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president that the constitutional requirement of “ advice and consent ” is not something that he is allowed to ignore .
In his opinion , Judge Moss wrote that Senate confirmation of senior executive branch office holders is “ more than a matter of ‘ etiquette or protocol ’ ; it is among the significant structural safeguards of the constitutional scheme.
” Trump has been rightfully criticized for picking his recent appointees more for their personal loyalty to himself than for any particular competency for the jobs to which he assigns them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director in question in this case demonstrates .
Cuccinelli was appropriately raked over the coals for the cluelessness he displayed with that tweet by citizens convinced that the government should employ senior officials who at least know how to navigate an internet paywall and demonstrate an IQ at least within the minimum normal range .
While it ’ s likely that the Trump administration will appeal the ruling and ask for an emergency stay of the Judge ’ s order to rescind the directives made during Cuccinelli ’ s tenure to date , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still a few judges left outside of the raft of politically-motivated new judges that Trump has nominated to the federal judiciary who are willing to maintain the rule of law in the face of the president ’ s constant assaults on precedent , proper procedure , and the Constitution .
Original reporting by David Badash , The New Civil Rights Movement at RawStory .
What do you think ?

A federal judge just ruled that Donald Trump’s appointment of Ken Cuccinelli — the controversial former Virginia Attorney General with ties to an anti-immigrant hate group and a reputation as a promoter of white nationalist, anti-LGBTQ, and misogynistic beliefs — as his acting Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was illegal, in another defeat for the president’s misguided anti-immigrant crusade before the courts.
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss issued a 55-page decision that concluded that “Cuccinelli was not lawfully appointed to serve as the acting Director of USCIS” and, even more crucially, determined that the policies that the improperly appointed acting Director mandated regarding the treatment of asylum seekers “must be set aside.”
With Trump now regularly avoiding the constitutional requirement that his senior administration officials be confirmed by the Senate — despite the fact that the upper chamber of Congress is controlled by his fellow Republicans who have already demonstrated that they are too fearful of his vengeful wrath and potential primary challenges to dare defy his will — by appointing “acting” heads in key positions, Judge Moss’ decision was a strong message to the president that the constitutional requirement of “advice and consent” is not something that he is allowed to ignore.
In his opinion, Judge Moss wrote that Senate confirmation of senior executive branch office holders is “more than a matter of ‘etiquette or protocol’; it is among the significant structural safeguards of the constitutional scheme.”
Trump has been rightfully criticized for picking his recent appointees more for their personal loyalty to himself than for any particular competency for the jobs to which he assigns them, as this recent tweet from the acting director in question in this case demonstrates.
Has the Johns Hopkins map of the coronavirus stopped working for other people, or just me? https://t.co/36uda8fm6P — Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli (@HomelandKen) February 24, 2020
Cuccinelli was appropriately raked over the coals for the cluelessness he displayed with that tweet by citizens convinced that the government should employ senior officials who at least know how to navigate an internet paywall and demonstrate an IQ at least within the minimum normal range.
Twitter was equally abuzz over today’s court ruling declaring Cuccinelli’s appointment illegal.
Cuccinelli’s USCIS appointment ruled unlawful in huge win by @DemocracyFwd @RAICESTEXAS @cliniclegal. Trump’s repeated circumvention of Constitution’s requirement that the Senate confirm top officials is dangerous assault on checks & balances. https://t.co/xy1Z8AgG8l — Ian Bassin (@ianbassin) March 1, 2020
Quite a ruling—on a Sunday, no less—from Judge Moss: https://t.co/Bj07jcfD4S — Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) March 1, 2020
That analysis turns entirely on a question of first impression about “first assistant.” Does it mean _anyone_ who is formally designated as such by the relevant authority—even perhaps an intern? Or does it mean someone who is functionally the deputy? Moss says it’s the latter. — Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) March 1, 2020
"the court concludes that Cuccinelli was not lawfully appointed" Byeeeeeee, @HomelandKen pic.twitter.com/vxMwrkx53p — RAICES (@RAICESTEXAS) March 1, 2020
While it’s likely that the Trump administration will appeal the ruling and ask for an emergency stay of the Judge’s order to rescind the directives made during Cuccinelli’s tenure to date, it’s encouraging that there are still a few judges left outside of the raft of politically-motivated new judges that Trump has nominated to the federal judiciary who are willing to maintain the rule of law in the face of the president’s constant assaults on precedent, proper procedure, and the Constitution.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement at RawStory.
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--2020-03-01--“The food is GREAT”: Amidst coronavirus crisis, Trump tweets out Yelp-like restaurant review

As the Trump administration stumbles and frantically attempts to assemble a coherent response to both the health crisis and the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic , Donald Trump himself is watching TV and tweeting out a politically-motivated Yelp review of a local restaurant in Phoenix — one that he ’ s never even been to — just because the folks on Fox and Friends told him that the Mexican-American owners were his supporters .
The president ’ s tweet is reminiscent of the type of low-budget TV commercial that one usually sees broadcast late at night on local TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s section of the ad break squeezed between spots for the nail salon down the street , the nearby jewelers , and ambulance-chasing lawyers .
Except that those ads typically at least correctly list the location of the business that they are promoting , which Trump decidedly did not , since Sammy ’ s Mexican Grill is actually north of Tucson , Arizona , over 100 miles southeast of Phoenix .
The notion of the President of the United States shilling for a taco joint simply because Fox News decided to feature its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a red flag waved in front of a bull to the many Americans who recall Trump ’ s description of Mexican immigrants as rapists and criminals and who believe that a real president would be spending his time during this pandemic reading crucial briefings on our country ’ s preparedness strategies and the myriad of other important issues facing the nation rather than watching TV and monitoring his public image .
The most vocal of these folks took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with Trump ’ s self-appointed role as restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump ’ s corruption !
While the Trump critics who disparaged the president for his inability to prioritize those presidential duties that involved protecting the health and safety of all Americans may be justified in expressing their outrage over his failure to meet their expectations of presidential competence , perhaps it ’ s best to look on the bright side of his focusing on such trivial , self-serving matters .
When Trump spends his time watching Fox News and tweeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least he ’ s not meddling in other areas where his incompetence can do so much more significant damage .
With his mental faculties in such obvious decline , it ’ s probably best if his handlers keep him occupied with TV and political vendettas and only trot him out to speak to the public when absolutely necessary .
Given his incoherence and zombified demeanor in his recent public appearances at the coronavirus press conference and at his CPAC address , it may be best to keep him quarantined in case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic the world now faces .
What do you think ?

As the Trump administration stumbles and frantically attempts to assemble a coherent response to both the health crisis and the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, Donald Trump himself is watching TV and tweeting out a politically-motivated Yelp review of a local restaurant in Phoenix — one that he’s never even been to — just because the folks on Fox and Friends told him that the Mexican-American owners were his supporters.
The food is GREAT at Sammy’s Mexican Grill in Phoenix, Arizona. Congratulations to Betty & Jorge Rivas on doing such a wonderful job. I will try hard to stop by the next time I am in Phoenix. Support Sammy’s! @foxandfriends — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020
The president’s tweet is reminiscent of the type of low-budget TV commercial that one usually sees broadcast late at night on local TV channels or in the cable operator’s section of the ad break squeezed between spots for the nail salon down the street, the nearby jewelers, and ambulance-chasing lawyers.
Except that those ads typically at least correctly list the location of the business that they are promoting, which Trump decidedly did not, since Sammy’s Mexican Grill is actually north of Tucson, Arizona, over 100 miles southeast of Phoenix.
The notion of the President of the United States shilling for a taco joint simply because Fox News decided to feature its owners as unlikely Latino Trump fans was like a red flag waved in front of a bull to the many Americans who recall Trump’s description of Mexican immigrants as rapists and criminals and who believe that a real president would be spending his time during this pandemic reading crucial briefings on our country’s preparedness strategies and the myriad of other important issues facing the nation rather than watching TV and monitoring his public image.
The most vocal of these folks took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with Trump’s self-appointed role as restaurant critic-in-chief.
https://twitter.com/ChrisJZullo/status/1234134722424557569?s=20
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
Instead of dealing with the worldwide pandemic or collapsing economy, this guy’s just tweeting out Yelp reviews now. — Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) March 1, 2020
"and some, I assume, are good people" — our president, ten seconds after calling Mexicans rapists — Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) March 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/lesleyabravanel/status/1234137375636414464?s=20
https://twitter.com/_ReaalAmerican_/status/1234140135496781827?s=20
He has already said hes afraid of germs and kicks people out of meetings if they cough. pic.twitter.com/5pN46RX9j7 — Lost Droids (@Lost_Droids) March 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/nancylevine/status/1234141759166238725?s=20
Ummm….Google it…wrong city. Good thing you're not giving out any IMPORTANT information. Oh……..wait. *&^$! — Byron Ricketts (@BJR3_Boston) March 1, 2020
Try the pander platter! — Em's Peach Mints (@kat_deville) March 1, 2020
There's a sandwich special today……….. pic.twitter.com/9UFiIzCfzZ — Justin Case (@JustinC41901859) March 1, 2020
Been there, done that pic.twitter.com/2RI852ncjF — Daniel Gump ☕ (@DSiPaint) March 1, 2020
While the Trump critics who disparaged the president for his inability to prioritize those presidential duties that involved protecting the health and safety of all Americans may be justified in expressing their outrage over his failure to meet their expectations of presidential competence, perhaps it’s best to look on the bright side of his focusing on such trivial, self-serving matters.
When Trump spends his time watching Fox News and tweeting about local businesses whose owners support him, at least he’s not meddling in other areas where his incompetence can do so much more significant damage. With his mental faculties in such obvious decline, it’s probably best if his handlers keep him occupied with TV and political vendettas and only trot him out to speak to the public when absolutely necessary.
Given his incoherence and zombified demeanor in his recent public appearances at the coronavirus press conference and at his CPAC address, it may be best to keep him quarantined in case his stupidity is as virulent as the pandemic the world now faces.
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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--2020-03-02--“Moron”: George Conway eviscerates Donald Trump with a single tweet

With his only discernible hobby these days — outside of golfing — being watching right-wing political commentators on Fox News handicap the 2020 Democratic electoral field , the winner of which will be competing with him for the presidency , Donald Trump has taken to providing his own running commentary on Twitter of the Democratic candidates as a warm-up exercise for when he has to campaign against the eventual nominee .
Today , Trump set his sights on former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg in a typically obnoxious tweet that betrayed his fear at facing a candidate that every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather see in the White House to oversee the American economy than himself or the current front runner in the delegate count , Bernie Sanders , a Democratic Socialist who has vowed to claw back the enormous wealth that the 1 % have extracted on the backs of the working and middle classes since the Reagan era .
Add your name to tell the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump ’ s corruption !
Trump criticizes Bloomberg for one of his many recent campaign ads wherein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City to its past glory after the city ’ s decline at the end of the 20th century and gives all the credit for the city ’ s resurgence to his predecessor , the man who is currently his personal attorney and unconfirmed secret foreign policy agent in charge of Ukrainian dirt-digging , Rudy Guiliani .
The president ’ s characterization of Bloomberg as an unpopular and “ boring ” mayor is easily refuted by the actual billionaire ’ s electoral record of being elected to three terms in office , initially as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
George Conway , Trump ’ s most vocal nemesis in the Republican party and the husband of his senior political advisor , Kellyanne Conway , saw Trump ’ s attack on Bloomberg and could not remain silent .
His response to the president was succinct in its delivery of the actual facts about Bloomberg ’ s popularity in his hometown and equally blunt in its assessment of New Yorkers ’ own opinions about the Queens-born , “ bridge and tunnel ” vulgarian whose primary contribution to the city ’ s culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the realm of acceptable decor among those with more money than taste .
As any current or former New Yorker can tell you , Conway ’ s claims about the feelings harbored by the vast majority of natives of the city are spot on , since they have had to deal with Trump ’ s vain-glorious ego and public tantrums for much longer than the country as a whole as had to .
If familiarity breeds contempt , then contempt for Trump has been around in New York City long enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As usual , Conway beats Trump at his own game on social media .
However , considering their relative intellects , it ’ s practically unsportsmanlike to allow Trump to go up against someone who so obviously belongs in a much more professional league than himself .
Still , seeing someone force Trump to confront his lies with the truth is always gratifying .
For the record , Trump lost the election by a massive percentage in his home city in 2016 , eclipsed by Hillary Clinton in every borough but the notoriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell us about who it is that the people of New York City can ’ t stand ?
What do you think ?

With his only discernible hobby these days — outside of golfing — being watching right-wing political commentators on Fox News handicap the 2020 Democratic electoral field, the winner of which will be competing with him for the presidency, Donald Trump has taken to providing his own running commentary on Twitter of the Democratic candidates as a warm-up exercise for when he has to campaign against the eventual nominee.
Today, Trump set his sights on former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg in a typically obnoxious tweet that betrayed his fear at facing a candidate that every Wall Street tycoon with any intelligence would rather see in the White House to oversee the American economy than himself or the current front runner in the delegate count, Bernie Sanders, a Democratic Socialist who has vowed to claw back the enormous wealth that the 1% have extracted on the backs of the working and middle classes since the Reagan era.
Mini Mike Bloomberg didn’t bring NYC back, as he said in his fake ad. It was @RudyGiuliani who brought NYC back and who also, with his endorsement, got Mini Mike elected (with barely a thank you). A boring mayor who the people couldn’t stand! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 2, 2020
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
Trump criticizes Bloomberg for one of his many recent campaign ads wherein he claims credit for restoring New York City to its past glory after the city’s decline at the end of the 20th century and gives all the credit for the city’s resurgence to his predecessor, the man who is currently his personal attorney and unconfirmed secret foreign policy agent in charge of Ukrainian dirt-digging, Rudy Guiliani.
The president’s characterization of Bloomberg as an unpopular and “boring” mayor is easily refuted by the actual billionaire’s electoral record of being elected to three terms in office, initially as a Republican, in a heavily Democratic city.
George Conway, Trump’s most vocal nemesis in the Republican party and the husband of his senior political advisor, Kellyanne Conway, saw Trump’s attack on Bloomberg and could not remain silent.
His response to the president was succinct in its delivery of the actual facts about Bloomberg’s popularity in his hometown and equally blunt in its assessment of New Yorkers’ own opinions about the Queens-born, “bridge and tunnel” vulgarian whose primary contribution to the city’s culture was the introduction of garish gilded toilets to the realm of acceptable decor among those with more money than taste.
Mayor Bloomberg was re-elected by nearly 20 points in 2005, which is more than you will ever be able to say, moron. And then he was re-elected again in 2009. It’s you whom the people of New York City can’t stand, @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/EuoaRjcPBo — George Conway (@gtconway3d) March 2, 2020
As any current or former New Yorker can tell you, Conway’s claims about the feelings harbored by the vast majority of natives of the city are spot on, since they have had to deal with Trump’s vain-glorious ego and public tantrums for much longer than the country as a whole as had to. If familiarity breeds contempt, then contempt for Trump has been around in New York City long enough to have spawned several generations of progeny.
As usual, Conway beats Trump at his own game on social media. However, considering their relative intellects, it’s practically unsportsmanlike to allow Trump to go up against someone who so obviously belongs in a much more professional league than himself. Still, seeing someone force Trump to confront his lies with the truth is always gratifying.
For the record, Trump lost the election by a massive percentage in his home city in 2016, eclipsed by Hillary Clinton in every borough but the notoriously conservative Staten Island. What does that tell us about who it is that the people of New York City can’t stand?
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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--2020-03-02--Trump says “a lot of very exciting things are happening” with the coronavirus

Confidence in the Trump administration ’ s ability to adequately respond to the coronavirus outbreak continues to crumble .
Close to 90,000 people worldwide have been infected to date and an estimated 3,000 have already died .
Rather than delegate the country ’ s preparation and response duties to someone competent , Trump has appointed Vice President Mike Pench as his coronavirus czar , this despite the fact that Pence proved himself incapable of handling crises like this when an HIV outbreak hit the state of Indiana while he was governor .
As if that weren ’ t enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump himself has been trying to paint fears about the virus as a hoax propagated by Democrats and the “ Fake News ” media .
By just about every metric we seem to be sleepwalking into disaster .
Earlier today , the president once again addressed the coronavirus and once again did little to allay concerns about his administration ’ s approach .
Speaking in incredibly vague terms that clearly indicate he has no idea what he ’ s talking about or can ’ t be bothered to learn details about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of things are happening , a lot of very exciting things are happening and they ’ re happening very rapidly.
” Add your name to tell the ABA : Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump ’ s corruption !
Not only does the complete lack of concrete details reveal that the president is floundering on this issue , his milquetoast assurances reveal his real priority .
He ’ s offering bland platitudes about how things will turn out fine in the end because he is terrified that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market again which could , in turn , damage his 2020 chances .
As usual , we find Trump valuing his own interests over the safety and welfare of the nation he swore to protect .
Moments like this perfectly encapsulate the dire consequences of electing a man as fundamentally unfit for office as Donald J. Trump .
We chose a complete ignoramus to run our country , it ’ s little surprise he ’ s handling things ignorantly .
The only way forward is to vote him out in November before he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think ?

Confidence in the Trump administration’s ability to adequately respond to the coronavirus outbreak continues to crumble.
Close to 90,000 people worldwide have been infected to date and an estimated 3,000 have already died. Rather than delegate the country’s preparation and response duties to someone competent, Trump has appointed Vice President Mike Pench as his coronavirus czar, this despite the fact that Pence proved himself incapable of handling crises like this when an HIV outbreak hit the state of Indiana while he was governor.
As if that weren’t enough to prove we are in stunningly incapable hands, Trump himself has been trying to paint fears about the virus as a hoax propagated by Democrats and the “Fake News” media. By just about every metric we seem to be sleepwalking into disaster.
Earlier today, the president once again addressed the coronavirus and once again did little to allay concerns about his administration’s approach. Speaking in incredibly vague terms that clearly indicate he has no idea what he’s talking about or can’t be bothered to learn details about the deadly outbreak Trump said that “a lot of things are happening, a lot of very exciting things are happening and they’re happening very rapidly.”
Add your name to tell the ABA: Disbar William Barr for abusing the Justice Department to abet Trump’s corruption!
Not only does the complete lack of concrete details reveal that the president is floundering on this issue, his milquetoast assurances reveal his real priority. He’s offering bland platitudes about how things will turn out fine in the end because he is terrified that the virus will negatively affect the stock market again which could, in turn, damage his 2020 chances. As usual, we find Trump valuing his own interests over the safety and welfare of the nation he swore to protect.
Moments like this perfectly encapsulate the dire consequences of electing a man as fundamentally unfit for office as Donald J. Trump. We chose a complete ignoramus to run our country, it’s little surprise he’s handling things ignorantly. The only way forward is to vote him out in November before he inflicts even more damage.
“A lot of things are happening, a lot of very exciting things are happening and they’re happening very rapidly” pic.twitter.com/4opyUDi0Ey — Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) March 2, 2020
Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-03-02--Trump’s crony in Homeland Security refuses to quit after judge rules he was illegally appointed

After a federal judge ruled in a rare Sunday decision that Ken Cuccinelli — the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security — was illegally appointed to his position , the partisan Trump appointee has said that he will refuse to leave his post despite the court ruling .
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss issued a 55-page decision yesterday that concluded that “ Cuccinelli was not lawfully appointed to serve as the acting Director of USCIS ” and , even more crucially , determined that the policies that the improperly appointed acting Director mandated regarding the treatment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Judge Moss based his decision on the evidence that the appointment of the former Virginia Attorney General and failed candidate for governor of that state did not meet the requirements of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 .
Cuccinelli told Fox and Friends today that he would simply ignore the judge ’ s decision while appealing the ruling .
“ The succession for the deputy secretary of homeland security ties back to my official position as the principal deputy at USCIS [ U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services ] , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at my current position , ” Cuccinelli told the Fox News morning hosts today after initially chortling at the news .
“ The only issue in the case is related to being the acting director at USCIS .
And this ruling is really something of an outlier .
This is a methodology that has been used in the past .
It ’ s been thought of as legal as — pretty broadly.
” “ You can expect to see those efficiently reissued … and that ’ s just as a precautionary measure as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be business as usual until it ’ s played all out , ” Cuccinelli said .
For Cuccinelli , “ business as usual ” includes continuing to amend , create , or end immigration-related policies in his acting role , despite the explicit instructions by Judge Moss that all of the policies that he ’ s approved while working in his current position must be rescinded .
Trump fired America ’ s pandemic response team .
Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately !
While the same methodology may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appoint people to an acting position , once a judge declares it illegal , it is , in fact , illegal , and a refusal to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the court could result in contempt charges against the improperly-named acting deputy secretary and his illegally-issued anti-immigrant policy proclamations .
The challenge to the legality of Cuccinelli ’ s appointment was spearheaded by , among others , the Democracy Forward Foundation , a Washington-based legal services organization that sued over Cuccinelli-backed policies that the group claimed made it much more difficult or even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their claims considered at southern border crossings .
Cuccinelli ’ s bold rejection of a legally binding court decision sent shivers down the spines of those people who believe that no matter what the margin of the Democratic victory in the 2020 presidential election , Donald Trump will declare that some unspecified irregularities should invalidate the results and will consequently refuse to vacate the White House while claiming a stolen election .
If public uproar over Cuccinelli ’ s blatant rejection of the rule of law doesn ’ t force him to comply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then Judge Moss should follow the advice that the president always suggests when he accuses his political opponents of any type of wrongdoing even before a judge has ruled on the validity of the charges he ’ s leveled and lock up the illegitimate acting deputy secretary for contempt of court .
Original reporting by Anna Giaritelli at The Washington Examiner .
What do you think ?

After a federal judge ruled in a rare Sunday decision that Ken Cuccinelli — the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security — was illegally appointed to his position, the partisan Trump appointee has said that he will refuse to leave his post despite the court ruling.
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss issued a 55-page decision yesterday that concluded that “Cuccinelli was not lawfully appointed to serve as the acting Director of USCIS” and, even more crucially, determined that the policies that the improperly appointed acting Director mandated regarding the treatment of asylum seekers “must be set aside.”
Judge Moss based his decision on the evidence that the appointment of the former Virginia Attorney General and failed candidate for governor of that state did not meet the requirements of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998.
Cuccinelli told Fox and Friends today that he would simply ignore the judge’s decision while appealing the ruling.
“The succession for the deputy secretary of homeland security ties back to my official position as the principal deputy at USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services], there’s not a problem with me at my current position,” Cuccinelli told the Fox News morning hosts today after initially chortling at the news. “The only issue in the case is related to being the acting director at USCIS. And this ruling is really something of an outlier. This is a methodology that has been used in the past. It’s been thought of as legal as — pretty broadly.” “You can expect to see those efficiently reissued … and that’s just as a precautionary measure as an appeal goes forward. It’ll be business as usual until it’s played all out,” Cuccinelli said.
For Cuccinelli, “business as usual” includes continuing to amend, create, or end immigration-related policies in his acting role, despite the explicit instructions by Judge Moss that all of the policies that he’s approved while working in his current position must be rescinded.
Trump fired America’s pandemic response team. Demand he reassemble it to confront the coronavirus pandemic immediately!
While the same methodology may have been used in the past to appoint people to an acting position, once a judge declares it illegal, it is, in fact, illegal, and a refusal to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the court could result in contempt charges against the improperly-named acting deputy secretary and his illegally-issued anti-immigrant policy proclamations.
The challenge to the legality of Cuccinelli’s appointment was spearheaded by, among others, the Democracy Forward Foundation, a Washington-based legal services organization that sued over Cuccinelli-backed policies that the group claimed made it much more difficult or even impossible for some asylum seekers to have their claims considered at southern border crossings.
Cuccinelli’s bold rejection of a legally binding court decision sent shivers down the spines of those people who believe that no matter what the margin of the Democratic victory in the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump will declare that some unspecified irregularities should invalidate the results and will consequently refuse to vacate the White House while claiming a stolen election.
If public uproar over Cuccinelli’s blatant rejection of the rule of law doesn’t force him to comply with the judge’s order, then Judge Moss should follow the advice that the president always suggests when he accuses his political opponents of any type of wrongdoing even before a judge has ruled on the validity of the charges he’s leveled and lock up the illegitimate acting deputy secretary for contempt of court.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Anna Giaritelli at The Washington Examiner.
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