cnbc--2020-06-09--IBM gets out of facial recognition business, calls on Congress to advance policies tackling racial i

IBM gets out of facial recognition business, calls on Congress to advance policies tackling racial injustice

SVP and Director at IBM Research Arvind Krishna speaks on stage during the 2016 Wired Business Conference on June 16 , 2016 in New York City .
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna called on Congress Monday to enact reforms to advance racial justice and combat systemic racism while announcing the company was getting out of the facial recognition business .
The decision for IBM to get out of the facial recognition business comes amid criticism of the technology , employed by multiple companies , for exhibiting racial and gender bias .
Amazon 's own use of facial recognition was put to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2.4 % of shareholders voting in favor of banning the sale of the technology to government agencies amid privacy and civil rights concerns '' IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology , including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors , for mass surveillance , racial profiling , violations of basic human rights and freedoms , or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency , '' Krishna wrote in the letter delivered to members of Congress late Monday .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies . ''
Krishna , who took over the chief executive role in April , has said he is focused on growing IBM 's cloud services , as it looks to catch up to Microsoft and Amazon , while still remaining active in the mainframe business .
Shares of the company are up a little over one percent over the year , giving it a market capitalization of $ 135 billion .
IBM decided to shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its decision as the death of George Floyd brought the topic of police reform and racial inequity into the forefront of the national conversation , a person familiar with the situation told CNBC .
It follows testimony from Joy Buolamwini , founder of Algorithmic Justice League , before Congress last year , about her research for MIT into the bias she found in facial recognition software .
IBM 's facial recognition business did not generate significant revenue for the company , the person familiar with the situation said , but the decision remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. government as a major customer .
The decision was both a business and an ethical one , the person familiar with the situation said .
The company heard in the past few weeks concerns from many constituencies , including employees , about its use of the technology , the person added .
`` Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool that can help law enforcement keep citizens safe .
But vendors and users of Al systems have a shared responsibility to ensure that Al is tested for bias , particularly when used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bias testing is audited and reported , '' Krishna wrote .
The letter was addressed to sponsors and co-sponsors of a sweeping police reform bill unveiled by Democrats Monday − Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass ( D-CA ) , House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jerry Nadler ( D-NY ) , Sen. Corey Booker ( D-NJ ) , Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-CA ) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries ( D-NY ) .
It supported many of the reforms included in Monday 's bill , including modifications to `` qualified immunity '' currently offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal registry of police misconduct .
Krishna also called on the Congressmen to consider legislation such as the Walter Scott Notification Act , sponsored by Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina , which would require states receiving federal funding to disclose more details around the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers to the Department of Justice .
The letter called for expanded training and education that Krishna said `` is key to expanding economic opportunity for communities of color . ''
That includes scaling `` P-Tech , '' the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for high school , college and the professional world .
There are currently 150,000 students in 220 schools in primarily `` educationally underserved areas . ''
Krishna also advocated for the expansion of Pell Grants — federal subsidies for students of need — beyond traditional four-year programs .

SVP and Director at IBM Research Arvind Krishna speaks on stage during the 2016 Wired Business Conference in New York on June 16, 2016.
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna called on Congress Monday to enact reforms to advance racial justice and combat systemic racism while announcing the company was getting out of the facial recognition business.
The decision for IBM to get out of the facial recognition business comes amid criticism of the technology, employed by multiple companies, for exhibiting racial and gender bias. Amazon 's own use of facial recognition was put to a shareholder vote last year, with 2.4% of shareholders voting in favor of banning the sale of the technology to government agencies amid privacy and civil rights concerns
"IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency," Krishna wrote in the letter delivered to members of Congress late Monday.
"We believe now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies."
Krishna, who took over the chief executive role in April, has said he is focused on growing IBM's cloud services, as it looks to catch up to Microsoft and Amazon, while still remaining active in the mainframe business. Shares of the company are up a little over one percent over the year, giving it a market capitalization of $135 billion.
IBM decided to shut down its facial recognition products and announce its decision as the death of George Floyd brought the topic of police reform and racial inequity into the forefront of the national conversation, a person familiar with the situation told CNBC. It follows testimony from Joy Buolamwini, founder of Algorithmic Justice League, before Congress last year, about her research for MIT into the bias she found in facial recognition software.
IBM's facial recognition business did not generate significant revenue for the company, the person familiar with the situation said, but the decision remains notable for a technology giant that counts the U.S. government as a major customer. The decision was both a business and an ethical one, the person familiar with the situation said. The company heard in the past few weeks concerns from many constituencies, including employees, about its use of the technology, the person added.
"Artificial Intelligence is a powerful tool that can help law enforcement keep citizens safe. But vendors and users of Al systems have a shared responsibility to ensure that Al is tested for bias, particularly when used in law enforcement, and that such bias testing is audited and reported," Krishna wrote.
The letter was addressed to sponsors and co-sponsors of a sweeping police reform bill unveiled by Democrats Monday − Black Caucus Chair Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), House Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Sen. Corey Booker (D-NJ), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
It supported many of the reforms included in Monday's bill, including modifications to "qualified immunity" currently offered to officers and the creation of a federal registry of police misconduct.
Krishna also called on the Congressmen to consider legislation such as the Walter Scott Notification Act, sponsored by Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, which would require states receiving federal funding to disclose more details around the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers to the Department of Justice.
The letter called for expanded training and education that Krishna said "is key to expanding economic opportunity for communities of color." That includes scaling "P-Tech," the school program backed by IBM that combines training for high school, college and the professional world. There are currently 150,000 students in 220 schools in primarily "educationally underserved areas."
Krishna also advocated for the expansion of Pell Grants — federal subsidies for students of need — beyond traditional four-year programs.


cnbc--2020-06-09--New York City police officer charged with assaulting George Floyd protestor in attack that was caugh

New York City police officer charged with assaulting George Floyd protestor in attack that was caught on video

A New York City police officer was charged with third-degree assault and other crimes Tuesday for viciously shoving to the street a 20-year-old woman who had been participating in a protest against police brutality .
Also Tuesday , the head of the New York Police Department said that another cop had been placed on modified duty and referred to disciplinary action for an incident in which he opened the door of a moving police car , hitting a protestor .
The cop charged Tuesday , Vincent D'Andraia , 28 , of the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville , already had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the May 29 incident , which was captured on a video widely shared on Twitter and other social media platforms .
The protest was one of many sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody .
That video shows D'Andraia hurling the protestor , Dounya Zayer , toward a curb on a street .
He then walked off , with a police supervisor directly behind him .
According to prosecutors , Zayer had been in the street when D'Andraia told her to move .
When Zayer asked why , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her hand and then shoved her down .
`` I am deeply troubled by this unnecessary assault .
We will now seek to hold this defendant accountable , '' Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement .
Gonzalez charged D'Andraia with fourth-degree criminal mischief , second-degree harassment and third-degree menacing , in addition to the assault count .
D'Andraia was released without bail after surrendering in Brooklyn Criminal Court , where a judge ordered him to have no contact with Zayer .
The incident was one of a number in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has led to complaints of police overreaction to demonstrations related to Floyd , who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes .
tIt is rare for an NYPD officer to be criminally charged in connection with their work , particularly in cases where they are accused of violence against a civilian .
`` I fully support the long-held American tradition of non-violent protest , '' Gonzalez said .
`` As District Attorney I can not tolerate the use of excessive force against anyone exercising this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true of those who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law , '' the top prosecutor added .
Zayer has said that she was treated for a seizure and a concussion at a hospital after D'Andraia shoved her .
`` He did this in front of his lieutenant and multiple other officers who watched me hit the ground .
One even looked back to make sure I was still on the ground , and they continued walking , '' Zayer said last week .
`` Not one officer tried to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop the officer who assaulted me . ''
Zayer 's lawyer , in a statement issued Tuesday , said , `` Officer D'Andraia 's arrest is not justice and accountability remains to be seen . ''
`` Dounya was assaulted for the very reason she was protesting- police brutality , '' said the lawyer , Tahanie Aboushi .
`` The NYPD has been allowed to engaged in this type of conduct with impunity for too long . ''
`` As Civil Rights attorney , I have litigated excessive force cases for over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video this would be business as usual for the NYPD .
No badge , privilege or special interest is above the law , '' Aboushi said .
The lawyer added , `` It is also concerning that no action has been taken against Commander Craig Edelmen who sanctioned D'Andraia 's misconduct by failing to intervene before , during and after his assault of Dounya .
He has simply been reassigned which puts another community at risk and sends the message that supervisors who encourage this behavior are exempt from accountability . ''
Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in which officers have engaged `` in racial bias , in excessive force , unacceptable behavior , unacceptable language , and many other mistakes . ''
`` I have said where officers have acted unprofessional , we will deal with that , I will deal with that , '' Shea said at the time .
The commissioner said then that there were a half-dozen or so videos showing possible police misconduct under review by the Internal Affairs Bureau .
On Tuesday , Shea issued a statement on the May 29 incident of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving unmarked police car , striking a protester on a Brooklyn street , saying the `` NYPD is taking action regarding an episode in recent days that raises serious concerns ... . ''
`` While the investigation is still ongoing , there is no doubt in my mind that based on the seriousness of what we 've seen in recent days , transparency is critical , '' Shea said .
The commissioner said that Internal Affairs investigators have concluded an investigation , and the unidentified officer is now on modified duty .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department Advocate for disciplinary action , '' the NYPD said in a statement .
`` There are other matters that we are actively investigating and we will continue to be transparent as the process continues . ''
The Police Benevolent Association , the union that represents NYPD officers , on Monday condemned the expected prosecution of D'Andraia , and accused Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD leaders of `` once again ... sacrificing cops to save their own skin . ''
`` They created the failed strategy for managing these demonstrations .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job with no support and no clear plan , '' said PBA President Patrick Lynch .
`` They should be the ones facing this mob-rule justice .
We will say it again : New York City police officers have been abandoned by our leadership .
We are utterly alone in our efforts to protect our city , '' Lynch said .
The four Minneapolis cops involved in Floyd 's arrest have all been fired .
The officer who knelt on his neck , Derek Chauvin , has been charged with murder and manslaughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been charged with aiding and abetting those crimes .
The four officers had been arresting Floyd on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill in a purchase .
Chauvin is being held in lieu of bail of up to $ 1.25 million .
The other three are being held in lieu of bail of up to $ 1 million .
Floyd 's funeral is scheduled to take place in Houston on Tuesday .

A New York City police officer was charged with third-degree assault and other crimes Tuesday for viciously shoving to the street a 20-year-old woman who had been participating in a protest against police brutality.
Also Tuesday, the head of the New York Police Department said that another cop had been placed on modified duty and referred to disciplinary action for an incident in which he opened the door of a moving police car, hitting a protestor.
The cop charged Tuesday, Vincent D'Andraia, 28, of the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville, already had been suspended by the New York Police Department for the May 29 incident, which was captured on a video widely shared on Twitter and other social media platforms. The protest was one of many sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.
That video shows D'Andraia hurling the protestor, Dounya Zayer, toward a curb on a street. He then walked off, with a police supervisor directly behind him.
According to prosecutors, Zayer had been in the street when D'Andraia told her to move. When Zayer asked why, the officer allegedly smacked her phone out of her hand and then shoved her down.
Tweet
"I am deeply troubled by this unnecessary assault. We will now seek to hold this defendant accountable," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. Gonzalez charged D'Andraia with fourth-degree criminal mischief, second-degree harassment and third-degree menacing, in addition to the assault count.
D'Andraia was released without bail after surrendering in Brooklyn Criminal Court, where a judge ordered him to have no contact with Zayer.
The incident was one of a number in New York and other U.S. cities that has led to complaints of police overreaction to demonstrations related to Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than 8 minutes.
tIt is rare for an NYPD officer to be criminally charged in connection with their work, particularly in cases where they are accused of violence against a civilian.
"I fully support the long-held American tradition of non-violent protest," Gonzalez said.
"As District Attorney I cannot tolerate the use of excessive force against anyone exercising this Constitutionally guaranteed right. This is especially true of those who are sworn to protect us and uphold the law," the top prosecutor added.
Zayer has said that she was treated for a seizure and a concussion at a hospital after D'Andraia shoved her.
"He did this in front of his lieutenant and multiple other officers who watched me hit the ground. One even looked back to make sure I was still on the ground, and they continued walking," Zayer said last week.
"Not one officer tried to help me, and not one officer tried to stop the officer who assaulted me."
Zayer's lawyer, in a statement issued Tuesday, said, "Officer D'Andraia's arrest is not justice and accountability remains to be seen."
"Dounya was assaulted for the very reason she was protesting- police brutality," said the lawyer, Tahanie Aboushi. "The NYPD has been allowed to engaged in this type of conduct with impunity for too long."
"As Civil Rights attorney, I have litigated excessive force cases for over a decade and if not for the video this would be business as usual for the NYPD. No badge, privilege or special interest is above the law," Aboushi said.
The lawyer added, "It is also concerning that no action has been taken against Commander Craig Edelmen who sanctioned D'Andraia's misconduct by failing to intervene before, during and after his assault of Dounya. He has simply been reassigned which puts another community at risk and sends the message that supervisors who encourage this behavior are exempt from accountability."
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea last week apologized for cases in which officers have engaged "in racial bias, in excessive force, unacceptable behavior, unacceptable language, and many other mistakes."
"I have said where officers have acted unprofessional, we will deal with that, I will deal with that," Shea said at the time. The commissioner said then that there were a half-dozen or so videos showing possible police misconduct under review by the Internal Affairs Bureau.
On Tuesday, Shea issued a statement on the May 29 incident of a cop opening a door from the moving unmarked police car, striking a protester on a Brooklyn street, saying the "NYPD is taking action regarding an episode in recent days that raises serious concerns ... ."
"While the investigation is still ongoing, there is no doubt in my mind that based on the seriousness of what we've seen in recent days, transparency is critical," Shea said.
The commissioner said that Internal Affairs investigators have concluded an investigation, and the unidentified officer is now on modified duty.
"This case has been referred to the Department Advocate for disciplinary action," the NYPD said in a statement. "There are other matters that we are actively investigating and we will continue to be transparent as the process continues."
The Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents NYPD officers, on Monday condemned the expected prosecution of D'Andraia, and accused Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD leaders of "once again ... sacrificing cops to save their own skin."
"They created the failed strategy for managing these demonstrations. They sent police officers out to do the job with no support and no clear plan," said PBA President Patrick Lynch.
"They should be the ones facing this mob-rule justice. We will say it again: New York City police officers have been abandoned by our leadership. We are utterly alone in our efforts to protect our city," Lynch said.
The four Minneapolis cops involved in Floyd's arrest have all been fired. The officer who knelt on his neck, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder and manslaughter, while the other three cops have been charged with aiding and abetting those crimes.
The four officers had been arresting Floyd on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill in a purchase.
Chauvin is being held in lieu of bail of up to $1.25 million. The other three are being held in lieu of bail of up to $1 million.
Floyd's funeral is scheduled to take place in Houston on Tuesday.


cnbc--2020-06-09--Protests against police brutality pop up in small towns in Trump-friendly regions

George Floyd 's death in the custody of a white Minneapolis police officer set off anger across the nation , leading to a series of well-attended protests in cities including New York , Los Angeles , Chicago and Philadelphia .
The outrage quickly spread past big cities and into more sparsely populated conservative strongholds .
Droves of people have been coming out in small towns across the country to protest the death of Floyd , a black man who was unarmed .
Some of the protests have been in towns where President Donald Trump overwhelmingly defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to the protests , which included a threat to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 , which would allow him to deploy military forces to contend with the unrest .
Black Lives Matter organizers and leaders of the American Civil Liberties Union responded by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for encroaching on and endangering the right to protest .
Many protesters in small towns and cities that backed Trump in 2016 showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and solidarity with Floyd and his family .
In the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller cities and regions including Wilmington , North Carolina ; New Bern , North Carolina ; Cedar City , Utah ; Bend , Oregon ; Crested Butte , Colorado ; Auburn , Alabama ; Odessa , Texas ; Chagrin Falls , Ohio ; Chehalis , Washington ; Bridgehampton , New York ; Havre , Montana ; Grand Forks , North Dakota ; Wellsville , New York ; and Grand Island , Nebraska .
Trump won in all those municipalities in 2016 , and they are represented in Congress by Republicans .
In Loganville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 12,000 that gave Trump 79 % of the vote in 2016 , more than 600 people came out to protest Floyd 's death Wednesday , according to Mayor Rey Martinez .
`` This was really the first protest that has taken place in our city that I can remember , and a lot of our residents were concerned that what has happened in so many other cities would happen in Loganville , '' Martinez , a Republican , told CNBC .
`` But the organizers were very passionate not only about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right way in the city they call home as well . ''
The turnout surprised Martinez , who said the `` chants were the loudest '' at the beginning of the demonstration .
`` It truly was a moving display of what our Founding Fathers likely had in mind when the First Amendment was written calling for the right to assemble peacefully , '' he said .
Rep. Jody Hice , a Republican whose district includes Loganville , backed Trump in his condemnation of looting during demonstrations in big cities .
Hice on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet from Trump that `` violated the Twitter rules about glorifying violence . ''
Trump in this tweet , now hidden behind the notice from Twitter , wrote , `` When the looting starts , the shooting starts , '' an echo of a phrase used by a Miami police chief in the 1960s , widely interpreted as a violent threat against protesters .
When asked for his thoughts on the protests in his district , Hice said he was `` very happy '' to see his constituents demonstrating peacefully .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must never be repeated , and that requires Americans to demand systemic change , '' Hice added .
`` I view the problem of racism in America through the lens of my experience as a pastor of 25 years .
I believe that America has a spiritual problem in our nation 's heart .
We must come together to restore our love for God and each other . ''
In Monroe , Georgia , about 10 miles from Loganville , protesters held multiple demonstrations last week , with each one doubling or tripling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first gathering , held last Monday , attracted about a dozen people , said attendee Ava Atkism .
During another event that night , 40 or 50 people came out in support of the cause .
And in an event on Tuesday , `` easily between 100-150 people , maybe even more '' protested , Atkism said .
In 2016 , Trump won the town , which has a population similar in size to Loganville 's , with 68 % , compared with 28 % for Clinton .
Still , protesters received support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stood by and supported the efforts , Atkism said .
`` It was very moving that some of the local pastors were out there for and with us .
A few of them have actually walked with us every single day , and have prayed with us , '' she said .
`` Our police department has blocked the roads off for us so we can cross safely and not worry about people that might try to be funny and harm us . ''
Several pizzeria owners donated food , water and snacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monroe demonstrated to Atkism that the sentiment against institutionalized racism transcends party politics .
`` This is totally against tradition , but this is n't about political parties , '' she said .
`` This all falls back on what 's wrong and what 's right .
You can only take so much until you say 'enough is enough . '
You need to take action before it hits home or hits close to you . ''
Across the country in Red Bluff , California , up to 250 people came out on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from attendee Kristin Hayworth .
The town has a population of more than 14,000 .
Organizers advised protesters to avoid obstructing roads and gave advice on how to remain safe in the event of violence , she said .
The event remained largely peaceful , however , and Hayworth `` was comfortable enough with the atmosphere to not only have my 9-year-old son with me , but to march with him . ''
But in a town like Red Bluff , where Trump garnered 58 % of the vote to Clinton 's 35 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes are denounced and shunned , Hayworth remained hyper-aware that most people `` likely '' would n't support the movement .
`` At no point did I forget that the crowd gathered across the street was n't likely to be sympathetic to our cause and the police , who had been informed of the protest and talked to the organizers , were stationed on the roof and driving around in unmarked cars , following us with a drone as we marched , '' Hayworth said in an email to CNBC .
Some store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ react if it broke out .
`` There was a guy in the doorway of one store who stood with his hand on his gun as we went past , like one of [ us ] was going to come at him out of the blue and he 'd have to quick-draw gun us down like it was a show down at the OK Corral , '' Hayworth said .
In Twin Falls , Idaho , where Trump defeated Clinton by a whopping 79 % to 11 % , more than 500 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a vigil last Tuesday , said Winnie Christensen , president of the Culture for Change Foundation , which organized the event .
The city has a population of about 50,000 .
Demonstrators ranged from age 8 to 80 and included African Americans , refugees , Native Americans and members of the Latino and LGBT communities , she said .
Additionally , law enforcement officers , city council members and local business owners were in attendance .
`` This event was not about politics about who is on the right or wrong .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mourn , to heal , find solace , stand together as one for what is right , '' Christensen said .
`` It was also about all of us standing against racism , and fighting [ for ] the cause that black lives do matter .
More so an open safe space for us to express our feelings . ''
Officers stood by those attending the vigil , according to Christensen .
She said the city 's chief of police apologized on behalf of the law enforcement agency and vowed to `` do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The most beautiful , sad and moving moments were after we lit the candles and almost every one took a knee for 8 minutes , 46 second moments of silence , '' she said .
That 's how long Floyd was pinned to the ground by former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin before dying during an arrest that was videotaped .
Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder in Floyd 's death , while the three former officers who were with him were charged with aiding and abetting murder .
`` And towards the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on cue .
The moment was so somber , those that held in their tears let go and one could hear the sniffles around the crowd .
It felt like we were kneeling forever , '' Christensen said .

Protesters rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Anna, Illinois, U.S., June 4, 2020. BRIAN MUNOZ | REUTERS
George Floyd's death in the custody of a white Minneapolis police officer set off anger across the nation, leading to a series of well-attended protests in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia. The outrage quickly spread past big cities and into more sparsely populated conservative strongholds. Droves of people have been coming out in small towns across the country to protest the death of Floyd, a black man who was unarmed. Some of the protests have been in towns where President Donald Trump overwhelmingly defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump has drawn criticism for his response to the protests, which included a threat to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807, which would allow him to deploy military forces to contend with the unrest. Black Lives Matter organizers and leaders of the American Civil Liberties Union responded by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for encroaching on and endangering the right to protest. Many protesters in small towns and cities that backed Trump in 2016 showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and solidarity with Floyd and his family.
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In the last week, protests also were held in smaller cities and regions including Wilmington, North Carolina; New Bern, North Carolina; Cedar City, Utah; Bend, Oregon; Crested Butte, Colorado; Auburn, Alabama; Odessa, Texas; Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Chehalis, Washington; Bridgehampton, New York; Havre, Montana; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Wellsville, New York; and Grand Island, Nebraska. Trump won in all those municipalities in 2016, and they are represented in Congress by Republicans. In Loganville, Georgia, a town of more than 12,000 that gave Trump 79% of the vote in 2016, more than 600 people came out to protest Floyd's death Wednesday, according to Mayor Rey Martinez. "This was really the first protest that has taken place in our city that I can remember, and a lot of our residents were concerned that what has happened in so many other cities would happen in Loganville," Martinez, a Republican, told CNBC. "But the organizers were very passionate not only about this event but about it being done the right way in the city they call home as well." The turnout surprised Martinez, who said the "chants were the loudest" at the beginning of the demonstration. "It truly was a moving display of what our Founding Fathers likely had in mind when the First Amendment was written calling for the right to assemble peacefully," he said. Rep. Jody Hice, a Republican whose district includes Loganville, backed Trump in his condemnation of looting during demonstrations in big cities.
Terrence Floyd (C) attends a vigil where his brother George Floyd was killed by police one week ago on June 1, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd called for peace and justice after his brother's death, thanking those who continue to protest and imploring people to cease the damage and destruction which has followed. Stephen Maturen | Getty Images
Hice on May 29 criticized Twitter for flagging a tweet from Trump that "violated the Twitter rules about glorifying violence." Trump in this tweet, now hidden behind the notice from Twitter, wrote, "When the looting starts, the shooting starts," an echo of a phrase used by a Miami police chief in the 1960s, widely interpreted as a violent threat against protesters. Tweet When asked for his thoughts on the protests in his district, Hice said he was "very happy" to see his constituents demonstrating peacefully. "The tragic and horrifying death of George Floyd must never be repeated, and that requires Americans to demand systemic change," Hice added. "I view the problem of racism in America through the lens of my experience as a pastor of 25 years. I believe that America has a spiritual problem in our nation's heart. We must come together to restore our love for God and each other." In Monroe, Georgia, about 10 miles from Loganville, protesters held multiple demonstrations last week, with each one doubling or tripling turnout from the previous demonstration. The first gathering, held last Monday, attracted about a dozen people, said attendee Ava Atkism. During another event that night, 40 or 50 people came out in support of the cause. And in an event on Tuesday, "easily between 100-150 people, maybe even more" protested, Atkism said. In 2016, Trump won the town, which has a population similar in size to Loganville's, with 68%, compared with 28% for Clinton. Still, protesters received support from law enforcement and community members who stood by and supported the efforts, Atkism said. "It was very moving that some of the local pastors were out there for and with us. A few of them have actually walked with us every single day, and have prayed with us," she said. "Our police department has blocked the roads off for us so we can cross safely and not worry about people that might try to be funny and harm us." Several pizzeria owners donated food, water and snacks to protesters. Such support in conservative Monroe demonstrated to Atkism that the sentiment against institutionalized racism transcends party politics. "This is totally against tradition, but this isn't about political parties," she said. "This all falls back on what's wrong and what's right. You can only take so much until you say 'enough is enough.' You need to take action before it hits home or hits close to you." Across the country in Red Bluff, California, up to 250 people came out on June 1, according to an estimate from attendee Kristin Hayworth. The town has a population of more than 14,000. Organizers advised protesters to avoid obstructing roads and gave advice on how to remain safe in the event of violence, she said. The event remained largely peaceful, however, and Hayworth "was comfortable enough with the atmosphere to not only have my 9-year-old son with me, but to march with him." But in a town like Red Bluff, where Trump garnered 58% of the vote to Clinton's 35% in 2016, and where liberal causes are denounced and shunned, Hayworth remained hyper-aware that most people "likely" wouldn't support the movement. "At no point did I forget that the crowd gathered across the street wasn't likely to be sympathetic to our cause and the police, who had been informed of the protest and talked to the organizers, were stationed on the roof and driving around in unmarked cars, following us with a drone as we marched," Hayworth said in an email to CNBC.
People hold up their fists after protesting near the spot where George Floyd died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police, on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images
Some store owners anticipated looting and were prepared to react if it broke out. "There was a guy in the doorway of one store who stood with his hand on his gun as we went past, like one of [us] was going to come at him out of the blue and he'd have to quick-draw gun us down like it was a show down at the OK Corral," Hayworth said. In Twin Falls, Idaho, where Trump defeated Clinton by a whopping 79% to 11%, more than 500 people of varying age and race came out to a vigil last Tuesday, said Winnie Christensen, president of the Culture for Change Foundation, which organized the event. The city has a population of about 50,000. Demonstrators ranged from age 8 to 80 and included African Americans, refugees, Native Americans and members of the Latino and LGBT communities, she said. Additionally, law enforcement officers, city council members and local business owners were in attendance. "This event was not about politics about who is on the right or wrong. This was a candlelight vigil, to mourn, to heal, find solace, stand together as one for what is right," Christensen said. "It was also about all of us standing against racism, and fighting [for] the cause that black lives do matter. More so an open safe space for us to express our feelings." Officers stood by those attending the vigil, according to Christensen. She said the city's chief of police apologized on behalf of the law enforcement agency and vowed to "do better and work harder." "The most beautiful, sad and moving moments were after we lit the candles and almost every one took a knee for 8 minutes, 46 second moments of silence," she said. That's how long Floyd was pinned to the ground by former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin before dying during an arrest that was videotaped. Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder in Floyd's death, while the three former officers who were with him were charged with aiding and abetting murder. "And towards the end the church bells rang, as if on cue. The moment was so somber, those that held in their tears let go and one could hear the sniffles around the crowd. It felt like we were kneeling forever," Christensen said.
Demonstrators confront secret service police and Park police officers outside of the White House on May 30, 2020 in Washington DC, during a protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Eric Baradat | AFP | Getty Images


cnbc--2020-06-09--As new data shows early signs of economic recovery, black workers are being left out

Markets cheered on Friday as new data showed a surprising decline in unemployment , but black workers have little to celebrate .
The black unemployment rate rose slightly in May despite a decline of nearly two percentage points for white workers , a grim but familiar reminder of economic inequality that could serve as an early warning sign for the recovery to come .
The new data comes as protests over the death of George Floyd , a black man killed in police custody in Minneapolis last week , continue in dozens of cities around the country .
While protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they have also pointed to systemic problems of income and wealth inequality , which were exacerbated during the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis .
White unemployment fell to 12.4 % from 14.2 % in April , while black unemployment rose to 16.8 % from 16.7 % .
President Donald Trump , who is up for reelection in November , has touted his record overseeing an economy in which black workers have prospered , noting that under his watch the unemployment rate for that group hit record lows while wages rose .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address the new economic data , Trump said he hoped that Floyd was looking down from heaven , pleased with what he saw .
`` It 's a great day for him , it 's a great day for everybody .
It 's a great day for everybody .
This is a great , great day , in terms of equality , '' Trump said .
The president refused to answer questions from reporters on the rise in the black unemployment rate .
While Trump paints a picture of a recovery where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more dour outcome could be in store .
Economists are warning that the devastation wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic , which has already killed disproportionate numbers of black Americans , could also inflict long lasting economic damage , undoing the gains made by African-Americans over the last decade .
`` The thing that disturbs me is how much longer it will take them to make up the gap , '' said Jared Bernstein , a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , who served on President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May sees biggest jobs increase ever of 2.5 million as economy starts to recover from coronavirus `` It took 10 years to make back what they 'd lost in the Great Recession , '' Bernstein said , referring to African Americans .
`` They lost that in two months , in March and April .
It 's the staircase up and the elevator down . ''
Bernstein warned that , for black workers , the recovery from the current downturn could take even longer than the recovery from the last crisis .
Though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its speed and severity , the trend of employment inequity along demographic lines is not new .
The unemployment rate has historically been twice as high for black workers as for white workers , a disparity seen in the data as far back as is available .
The unemployment rate , while widely cited as a key measure of U.S. economic health , is seen by some as a narrow definition that does not capture the full picture of the labor market .
This official rate published by the Bureau of Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a percentage of the labor force , '' which only includes those working or actively seeking work .
Americans who have given up on looking for a job or have a part-time job without benefits , such as an Uber driver or Instacart shopper , are not included in the measure .
For this reason economists also look at broader measures of unemployment such as the underemployment rate , also known as the U-6 rate , for a more complete picture of the employment level .
This measure includes those previously mentioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but have stopped searching and those who would work more if they could — in addition to those traditionally defined as unemployed .
Looking past the headline measure of unemployment paints an even bleaker picture for black workers .
While BLS does not publish monthly demographic data on underemployed workers , Bernstein estimates the underemployment rate for African Americans could now be above 30 % .
Economists point to a variety of factors to explain the racial employment gap , such as exclusive housing policies , unequal access to education , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generations .
But the conventional explanations may not tell the full story .
`` If you factor in all the things that you can explain using conventional economic tools — education , age , gender , experience — you will explain only a relatively small part of that difference , '' said Bernstein , who has advised apparent Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during the campaign .
`` So you have to ask yourself what are you left with , and the answer is discrimination . ''
Valerie Wilson , director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ethnicity , and the Economy , pointed to the same explanation .
`` I ca n't call it anything other than racial discrimination in the labor market , '' she said .
For Wilson , one of the strongest signals of discrimination is the racial disparity in unemployment rates by education level .
At every level of education , more black workers are unemployed than their white counterparts .
As the U.S. struggles to make its way past the damage done by the coronavirus pandemic , lawmakers are considering policies that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the near-term , such as an extension of the unemployment benefits supplied by the CARES Act , and a possible second round of stimulus checks .
For programs designed to provide temporary relief or make longer-term contributions to narrowing the employment gap , Wilson notes the importance of making sure policies actually hit their targets .
`` We really need to be aware and have to assume that no policy is race neutral because of all of these preexisting and underlying disparities generated by previous policy and legal decisions , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should always be an eye toward how it will impact different communities . ''
Many , particularly on the left , say that regardless of specific policies , change will require the recognition of systemic inequalities , a point that has been central in the protests over George Floyd 's death .
At Floyd 's Minneapolis memorial service held on Thursday , the civil rights leader Rev .
Al Sharpton made such a point by analogizing widespread systemic injustice against black Americans to the officer 's knee held against Floyd 's neck during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have alleged contributed to his death .
`` Ever since 401 years ago , the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck , '' Sharpton said , referring to 1619 , the year generally understood as the beginning of black slavery in the colonies that would become the United States .
He added : `` We could run corporations and not hustle in the street , but you had your knee on our neck .
We had creative skills , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do , but we could n't get your knee off our neck . ''
Nicole Smith , the chief economist at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce , said that it 's frustrating that `` most people recognize what it is , but are still reluctant to do anything about it . ''
`` And that 's because doing anything about it would really require us to engage in a serious conversation about social justice , '' she said .
On that point , Trump and Biden , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrasts .
While Trump has argued that an economic recovery will , on its own , benefit black Americans , Biden has pressed for specifically targeting black communities with economic assistance , and collecting data on the race and sex of beneficiaries of federal recovery programs .
During an address in Philadelphia on Tuesday , Biden , who has faced scrutiny over his record on race , said the `` moment has come for our nation to deal with systemic racism . ''
`` To deal with the growing economic inequality in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denial of the promise of this nation — to so many , '' Biden said .

A Dana assembly technician as she assembles axles for automakers, at the Dana plant in Toledo, Ohio, May 18, 2020. Rebecca Cook | Reuters
Markets cheered on Friday as new data showed a surprising decline in unemployment, but black workers have little to celebrate. The black unemployment rate rose slightly in May despite a decline of nearly two percentage points for white workers, a grim but familiar reminder of economic inequality that could serve as an early warning sign for the recovery to come. The new data comes as protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man killed in police custody in Minneapolis last week, continue in dozens of cities around the country. While protesters are directly responding to disparities in policing, they have also pointed to systemic problems of income and wealth inequality, which were exacerbated during the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. White unemployment fell to 12.4% in May from 14.2% the previous month, while black unemployment rose to 16.8% from 16.7%. President Donald Trump, who is up for reelection in November, has touted his record overseeing an economy in which black workers have prospered, noting that under his watch the unemployment rate for that group hit record lows while wages rose. During a White House event on Friday to address the new economic data, Trump said he hoped that Floyd was looking down from heaven, pleased with what he saw.
Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying, ‘This is a great thing that’s happening for our country.’ It’s a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody. It’s a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day, in terms of equality. Donald Trump President of the United States
"It's a great day for him, it's a great day for everybody. It's a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day, in terms of equality," Trump said. The president refused to answer questions from reporters on the rise in the black unemployment rate. While Trump paints a picture of a recovery where gains are equally shared, experts suggest a more dour outcome could be in store. Economists are warning that the devastation wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has already killed disproportionate numbers of black Americans, could also inflict long lasting economic damage, undoing the gains made by African-Americans over the last decade. "The thing that disturbs me is how much longer it will take them to make up the gap," said Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, who served on President Barack Obama's economic team. Read more: May sees biggest jobs increase ever of 2.5 million as economy starts to recover from coronavirus "It took 10 years to make back what they'd lost in the Great Recession," Bernstein said, referring to African Americans. "They lost that in two months, in March and April. It's the staircase up and the elevator down." Bernstein warned that, for black workers, the recovery from the current downturn could take even longer than the recovery from the last crisis. Though the most recent slide has been unique in its speed and severity, the trend of employment inequity along demographic lines is not new. The unemployment rate has historically been twice as high for black workers as for white workers, a disparity seen in the data as far back as is available.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
The unemployment rate, while widely cited as a key measure of U.S. economic health, is seen by some as a narrow definition that does not capture the full picture of the labor market. This official rate published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks the "number of unemployed as a percentage of the labor force," which only includes those working or actively seeking work. Americans who have given up on looking for a job or have a part-time job without benefits, such as an Uber driver or Instacart shopper, are not included in the measure. For this reason economists also look at broader measures of unemployment such as the underemployment rate, also known as the U-6 rate, for a more complete picture of the employment level. This measure includes those previously mentioned groups — people who want to work but have stopped searching and those who would work more if they could — in addition to those traditionally defined as unemployed. Looking past the headline measure of unemployment paints an even bleaker picture for black workers. While BLS does not publish monthly demographic data on underemployed workers, Bernstein estimates the underemployment rate for African Americans could now be above 30%.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
Economists point to a variety of factors to explain the racial employment gap, such as exclusive housing policies, unequal access to education, and a lack of wealth passed on from prior generations. But the conventional explanations may not tell the full story. "If you factor in all the things that you can explain using conventional economic tools — education, age, gender, experience — you will explain only a relatively small part of that difference," said Bernstein, who has advised apparent Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during the campaign. "So you have to ask yourself what are you left with, and the answer is discrimination." Valerie Wilson, director of the Economic Policy Institute's Program on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy, pointed to the same explanation. "I can't call it anything other than racial discrimination in the labor market," she said. For Wilson, one of the strongest signals of discrimination is the racial disparity in unemployment rates by education level. At every level of education, more black workers are unemployed than their white counterparts.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
"At least in theory, they're doing everything they were told they should do," said Wilson of black Americans with high levels of education. "Yet they still face significantly higher levels of unemployment and gaps in wages."
A long road to recovery
As the U.S. struggles to make its way past the damage done by the coronavirus pandemic, lawmakers are considering policies that may offer additional relief to disadvantaged workers in the near-term, such as an extension of the unemployment benefits supplied by the CARES Act, and a possible second round of stimulus checks. For programs designed to provide temporary relief or make longer-term contributions to narrowing the employment gap, Wilson notes the importance of making sure policies actually hit their targets. "We really need to be aware and have to assume that no policy is race neutral because of all of these preexisting and underlying disparities generated by previous policy and legal decisions," she said. "In making policy, there should always be an eye toward how it will impact different communities." Many, particularly on the left, say that regardless of specific policies, change will require the recognition of systemic inequalities, a point that has been central in the protests over George Floyd's death. At Floyd's Minneapolis memorial service held on Thursday, the civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton made such a point by analogizing widespread systemic injustice against black Americans to the officer's knee held against Floyd's neck during his Memorial Day arrest, which prosecutors have alleged contributed to his death. "Ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed of being is you kept your knee on our neck," Sharpton said, referring to 1619, the year generally understood as the beginning of black slavery in the colonies that would become the United States. He added: "We could run corporations and not hustle in the street, but you had your knee on our neck. We had creative skills, we could do whatever anybody else could do, but we couldn't get your knee off our neck." Nicole Smith, the chief economist at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, said that it's frustrating that "most people recognize what it is, but are still reluctant to do anything about it." "And that's because doing anything about it would really require us to engage in a serious conversation about social justice," she said. On that point, Trump and Biden, the former vice president, are a study in contrasts. While Trump has argued that an economic recovery will, on its own, benefit black Americans, Biden has pressed for specifically targeting black communities with economic assistance, and collecting data on the race and sex of beneficiaries of federal recovery programs. During an address in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Biden, who has faced scrutiny over his record on race, said the "moment has come for our nation to deal with systemic racism." "To deal with the growing economic inequality in our nation. And to deal with the denial of the promise of this nation — to so many," Biden said.
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cnbc--2020-06-10--Harvard professor indicted for allegedly making false statements about secret work in Wuhan

Charles Lieber , the chair of Harvard University 's chemistry and chemical biology department , is released from John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on Jan. 30 , 2020 .
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced the indictment of a Harvard professor after he allegedly made false statements to federal authorities regarding his work at Wuhan University of Technology in China .
Dr. Charles Lieber , 61 , the former Chair of Harvard University 's Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department , was arrested in January and is slated to be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison , three years of supervised release and a fine of $ 250,000 .
`` It is alleged that , unbeknownst to Harvard University , beginning in 2011 , Lieber became a 'Strategic Scientist ' at Wuhan University of Technology in China , '' the Justice Department said in a Tuesday statement .
`` He later became a contractual participant in China 's Thousand Talents Plan from at least 2012 through 2015 .
China 's Thousand Talents Plan is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to attract , recruit , and cultivate high-level scientific talent in furtherance of China 's scientific development , economic prosperity and national security , '' the statement added , saying that the Chinese would `` often reward individuals for stealing proprietary information . ''
Wuhan University of Technology allegedly paid Lieber a salary of up to $ 50,000 per month and covered his living expenses of approximately $ 158,000 .
He was also awarded more than $ 1.5 million to establish a research lab at the school .
In return , Lieber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than nine months out of a year .
At the same time , Lieber 's research firm received more than $ 15 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense .
These grants required the disclosure of all sources of research support , potential financial conflicts of interest and all foreign collaboration .
The coronavirus originated near the city of Wuhan in China 's Hubei province and has since triggered a global pandemic that has hit the U.S. harder than any other country .
More than 1.96 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far been counted in the U.S. , data from Johns Hopkins University show .

Charles Lieber, the chair of Harvard University's chemistry and chemical biology department, is released from John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on Jan. 30, 2020.
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced the indictment of a Harvard professor after he allegedly made false statements to federal authorities regarding his work at Wuhan University of Technology in China.
Dr. Charles Lieber, 61, the former Chair of Harvard University's Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, was arrested in January and is slated to be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date. The charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
"It is alleged that, unbeknownst to Harvard University, beginning in 2011, Lieber became a 'Strategic Scientist' at Wuhan University of Technology in China," the Justice Department said in a Tuesday statement.
"He later became a contractual participant in China's Thousand Talents Plan from at least 2012 through 2015. China's Thousand Talents Plan is one of the most prominent Chinese talent recruitment plans designed to attract, recruit, and cultivate high-level scientific talent in furtherance of China's scientific development, economic prosperity and national security," the statement added, saying that the Chinese would "often reward individuals for stealing proprietary information."
Wuhan University of Technology allegedly paid Lieber a salary of up to $50,000 per month and covered his living expenses of approximately $158,000. He was also awarded more than $1.5 million to establish a research lab at the school. In return, Lieber was obligated to work for no less than nine months out of a year.
At the same time, Lieber's research firm received more than $15 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense. These grants required the disclosure of all sources of research support, potential financial conflicts of interest and all foreign collaboration.
The coronavirus originated near the city of Wuhan in China's Hubei province and has since triggered a global pandemic that has hit the U.S. harder than any other country. More than 1.96 million cases and at least 111,375 deaths have so far been counted in the U.S., data from Johns Hopkins University show.


cnbc--2020-06-10--Trump's coronavirus response is a 'denial' of science, experts and facts, John Kerry says

The U.S. has `` reneged on its role as leader of the free world '' under President Donald Trump and failed in its response to the coronavirus crisis , according to former Secretary of State John Kerry .
Speaking to the CogX conference in London on Monday , Kerry slammed Trump 's `` reckless '' response to the Covid-19 pandemic , and said the U.S. had failed to show international leadership through the crisis .
`` The odds were against us in the beginning because you had China , which is always somewhat secretive and which clearly began to manage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you had the United States with a leader who has no ability to tell the truth , or face it , or to lead , '' he said .
Kerry served as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama from 2013 until 2017 .
He was the Democratic nominee for president in 2004 , and he is a surrogate for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden 's campaign this year .
`` The President 's early and decisive action to slow the spread of the coronavirus prevented about 60 million infections in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American lives , '' Sarah Matthews , special assistant to the president and deputy press secretary at the White House , told CNBC via email .
`` This administration will continue our science-based approach as we continue to safely reopen our economy . ''
The new strain of coronavirus has infected almost 2 million people in the U.S. and killed more than 112,000 across the country .
A study published on Monday by the University of California at Berkeley claimed that shutdown orders over the last two months helped to prevent almost 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kerry told delegates at the event on Monday that poor leadership in China and the U.S. , as well as Trump 's attacks on the WHO , `` significantly '' delayed the type of global response the pandemic had warranted , adding that there had also been a failure among world leaders in the handling of the crisis .
`` Any leader could have stood up within the G-20 and said 'we 're the most developed nations , we have the biggest resources , we 're going to be the most impacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therefore we 've got to move . '
And that did n't happen , '' he said .
However , Kerry acknowledged that there are `` some things that only the United States can do , '' recalling the Obama administration 's response to the West African Ebola outbreak in 2014 .
`` I will never forget sitting in the situation room being told that 1 million people were going to die over four months if something did n't happen , '' he said .
`` President Obama immediately deployed 4,000 troops to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we did n't know , but we knew we had to summon a global response .
So in the end with Ebola , 11,000 people died — 11,000 too many , it 's a tragedy , but it 's not a million . ''
Trump , on the other hand , had handled the current health crisis `` cavalierly '' and `` recklessly , '' Kerry claimed .
`` President Obama put together a playbook for any administration that followed us — it happened to be the Trump administration — and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` This was a denial of science .
It was a denial of experts .
It was a denial of facts and evidence by procrastinators , by deniers , by people who want to live with an alternative reality . ''
Under Trump 's leadership , Kerry said , the U.S. had surrendered its power to lead other nations on the values and principles that had been in place since the end of World War II .
`` The United States has obviously been very hurt in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership , and it has n't been present , '' he said .
`` The United States has reneged on its role as leader of the free world and today , frankly , there is no leader of the free world . ''
Trump has slumped in voter polls amid the Covid-19 outbreak , but the president has openly blamed the WHO and China for the spread of the virus , claiming they mishandled the initial outbreak .
The new strain of coronavirus is thought to have originated in a wildlife market , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Wuhan , where it was first recorded in late December .
China has since faced accusations that it withheld critical information on Covid-19 from the WHO and delayed reporting the new strain of coronavirus to the organization .
Although Chinese leader Xi Jinping has argued the country acted with transparency throughout the crisis , China is resisting complying with a WHO investigation into the global handling of the pandemic .
The Chinese ambassador to the U.K. told Sky News last month that China would allow an investigation into the outbreak — @ @ @ @ @ @

The U.S. has "reneged on its role as leader of the free world" under President Donald Trump and failed in its response to the coronavirus crisis, according to former Secretary of State John Kerry.
Speaking to the CogX conference in London on Monday, Kerry slammed Trump's "reckless" response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and said the U.S. had failed to show international leadership through the crisis.
"The odds were against us in the beginning because you had China, which is always somewhat secretive and which clearly began to manage the news in the beginning, and you had the United States with a leader who has no ability to tell the truth, or face it, or to lead," he said.
Kerry served as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama from 2013 until 2017. He was the Democratic nominee for president in 2004, and he is a surrogate for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden's campaign this year.
"The President's early and decisive action to slow the spread of the coronavirus prevented about 60 million infections in the United States and saved up to two million American lives," Sarah Matthews, special assistant to the president and deputy press secretary at the White House, told CNBC via email. "This administration will continue our science-based approach as we continue to safely reopen our economy."
The new strain of coronavirus has infected almost 2 million people in the U.S. and killed more than 112,000 across the country.
A study published on Monday by the University of California at Berkeley claimed that shutdown orders over the last two months helped to prevent almost 5 million additional U.S. coronavirus cases.
However, Kerry told delegates at the event on Monday that poor leadership in China and the U.S., as well as Trump's attacks on the WHO, "significantly" delayed the type of global response the pandemic had warranted, adding that there had also been a failure among world leaders in the handling of the crisis.
"Any leader could have stood up within the G-20 and said 'we're the most developed nations, we have the biggest resources, we're going to be the most impacted because of the way we live, therefore we've got to move.' And that didn't happen," he said.
However, Kerry acknowledged that there are "some things that only the United States can do," recalling the Obama administration's response to the West African Ebola outbreak in 2014.
"I will never forget sitting in the situation room being told that 1 million people were going to die over four months if something didn't happen," he said.
"President Obama immediately deployed 4,000 troops to West Africa. We didn't know what we didn't know, but we knew we had to summon a global response. So in the end with Ebola, 11,000 people died — 11,000 too many, it's a tragedy, but it's not a million."
Trump, on the other hand, had handled the current health crisis "cavalierly" and "recklessly," Kerry claimed.
"President Obama put together a playbook for any administration that followed us — it happened to be the Trump administration — and they threw it away, they ignored it," he said. "This was a denial of science. It was a denial of experts. It was a denial of facts and evidence by procrastinators, by deniers, by people who want to live with an alternative reality."
Under Trump's leadership, Kerry said, the U.S. had surrendered its power to lead other nations on the values and principles that had been in place since the end of World War II.
"The United States has obviously been very hurt in the last few years with respect to that leadership, and it hasn't been present," he said. "The United States has reneged on its role as leader of the free world and today, frankly, there is no leader of the free world."
Trump has slumped in voter polls amid the Covid-19 outbreak, but the president has openly blamed the WHO and China for the spread of the virus, claiming they mishandled the initial outbreak.
The new strain of coronavirus is thought to have originated in a wildlife market, or wet market, in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where it was first recorded in late December.
China has since faced accusations that it withheld critical information on Covid-19 from the WHO and delayed reporting the new strain of coronavirus to the organization.
Although Chinese leader Xi Jinping has argued the country acted with transparency throughout the crisis, China is resisting complying with a WHO investigation into the global handling of the pandemic.
The Chinese ambassador to the U.K. told Sky News last month that China would allow an investigation into the outbreak — "but not now."


cnbc--2020-06-10--Trump advisor Larry Kudlow says he doesn't think systemic racism exists in the U.S.

Larry Kudlow , director of the U.S. National Economic Council , speaks to members of the media at the White House in Washington , D.C. , U.S. , on Tuesday , April 7 , 2020 .
White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Wednesday that he does n't think systemic racism exists in the United States .
`` I do n't believe there is systemic racism in the U.S .
I 'm not going to go into a long riff on it , '' Kudlow , who is white , said when a reporter asked about the country 's black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the White House following an interview on CNBC 's `` The Exchange . ''
White unemployment fell to 12.4 % in May from 14.2 % in April , while black unemployment increased to 16.8 % from 16.7 % .
The country 's overall rate declined to 13.3 % from 14.7 % .
The existence of systemic racism in the United States has been widely acknowledged by experts and academics , as well as by lawmakers and corporate leaders .
Kudlow 's comments Wednesday came as protests against systemic racism and police brutality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in recent weeks following the killing of George Floyd , an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes .
Citigroup Vice Chairman Ray McGuire told CNBC earlier Wednesday that he believes the widespread demonstrations may ultimately lead to changes that reduce racial inequality in the U.S. '' I live through the crisis and the systemic racism every single day , but I say , 'Maybe George Floyd is different , ' '' said McGuire , one of the most prominent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We need to do whatever we can and commit every resource that we have ... to combat this 400 years of systemic racism across every one of the important areas : education , economics , criminal injustice and health care , '' said McGuire , who has been mentioned as a possible New York mayoral candidate in next year 's election .
A recent poll from Monmouth University found about 75 % of Americans believe racial and ethnic discrimination is a big problem in the U.S .
Experts also point to the disproportionate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans as evidence of racial inequality in the U.S. Kudlow made his remarks shortly before Trump tweeted that he does not want to rename military bases named after Confederate figures .
The Trump administration is expected Thursday to release its plan to respond to calls for police reform .
Kudlow , in trying to push back against the existence of systemic racism , touted efforts by the Trump administration on criminal justice reform and historically low unemployment figures for black and Hispanic workers last year .
Asked again by a reporter whether he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all '' in the U.S. , Kudlow said , `` I do not . ''
Kudlow said he believes the `` harm comes when you have some very bad apples '' in law enforcement , and he condemned Floyd 's death .
`` And I think everyone in this country agrees with me , '' he said .

Larry Kudlow, director of the U.S. National Economic Council, speaks to members of the media at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, April 7, 2020.
White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Wednesday that he doesn't think systemic racism exists in the United States.
"I don't believe there is systemic racism in the U.S. I'm not going to go into a long riff on it," Kudlow, who is white, said when a reporter asked about the country's black unemployment rate. Kudlow spoke to reporters at the White House following an interview on CNBC's "The Exchange."
White unemployment fell to 12.4% in May from 14.2% in April, while black unemployment increased to 16.8% from 16.7%. The country's overall rate declined to 13.3% from 14.7%.
The existence of systemic racism in the United States has been widely acknowledged by experts and academics, as well as by lawmakers and corporate leaders.
Kudlow's comments Wednesday came as protests against systemic racism and police brutality have filled U.S. cities of all sizes in recent weeks following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.
Citigroup Vice Chairman Ray McGuire told CNBC earlier Wednesday that he believes the widespread demonstrations may ultimately lead to changes that reduce racial inequality in the U.S.
"I live through the crisis and the systemic racism every single day, but I say, 'Maybe George Floyd is different,'" said McGuire, one of the most prominent black executives on Wall Street.
"We need to do whatever we can and commit every resource that we have ... to combat this 400 years of systemic racism across every one of the important areas: education, economics, criminal injustice and health care," said McGuire, who has been mentioned as a possible New York mayoral candidate in next year's election.
A recent poll from Monmouth University found about 75% of Americans believe racial and ethnic discrimination is a big problem in the U.S. Experts also point to the disproportionate impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on black Americans as evidence of racial inequality in the U.S.
Kudlow made his remarks shortly before Trump tweeted that he does not want to rename military bases named after Confederate figures. The Trump administration is expected Thursday to release its plan to respond to calls for police reform.
Kudlow, in trying to push back against the existence of systemic racism, touted efforts by the Trump administration on criminal justice reform and historically low unemployment figures for black and Hispanic workers last year.
Asked again by a reporter whether he believes there is systemic racism "at all" in the U.S., Kudlow said, "I do not."
Kudlow said he believes the "harm comes when you have some very bad apples" in law enforcement, and he condemned Floyd's death.
"And I think everyone in this country agrees with me," he said.


cnbc--2020-06-11--Trump says U.S. Army bases will keep Confederate names despite push after George Floyd death

Trump 's statement that `` we will not even consider '' changing the names came three days after a spokesman for the U.S. Army said , `` The secretary of the Army is open to having a bipartisan conversation regarding the renaming '' of 10 Army bases named after Confederate generals who had served in the U.S. Army , the nation 's oldest service branch .
`` Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with .
Respect our Military ! ''
Trump wrote in a tweet condemning the suggestion .
President Donald Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generals who fought for slave-holding states of the Confederacy in the Civil War will not change their names .
On Tuesday , retired Army Gen. David Petraeus , a former CIA director , wrote an article in The Atlantic calling for the removal of the Confederacy-linked names , which was topped by the words : `` It is time to remove the names of traitors ... from our country 's most important military installations . ''
A push to take the names of the Confederate general leaders off of U.S military bases has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death of George Floyd , a black man , after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes .
The Confederate states seceded from the United States in 1861 and fought a bloody , unsuccessful four-year war against the Union states in an effort to maintain the institution of using enslaved black men , women and children to perform labor .
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks and sign the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 in the Rose Garden of the White House on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post , rejected that idea , by contending that the Confederate names of the bases have become part of the nation 's great `` heritage . ''
`` It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases , such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina , Fort Hood in Texas , Fort Benning in Georgia , etc .
These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage , and a history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds , and won two World Wars .
Therefore , my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations , '' the president wrote .
The White House 's Twitter account later posted a video from Trump 's spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany to reiterate his position .
McEnany also told reporters , `` To suggest these forts are somehow inherently racist and their names need to be changed is a complete disrespect to the men and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of American land they saw ... and lost their lives , were these forts .
On Tuesday , Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said the Navy would bar the Confederate battle flag from being displayed in a variety of places .
`` The order is meant to ensure unit cohesion , preserve good order and discipline , and uphold the Navy 's core values of honor , courage and commitment , '' U.S. Navy Cmdr .
Nate Christensen , spokesman for Gilday , the chief of Naval Operations , wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Navy 's USS John C. Stennis supercarrier is named after a U.S. senator from Mississippi who was a zealous supporter of racial segregation .
A Navy spokesman had no immediate comment when asked if renaming the Stennis is being considered .
The Marines earlier in the week ordered the removal of Confederate flags from that service branch 's installations .
Trump 's top economic advisor , Larry Kudlow , told reporters on Wednesday that `` I do n't believe nowadays we have systemic racism '' in the United States .
But the NAACP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has called for removal of all symbols of the Confederacy , including the names of military bases , which it notes have been defended by `` Klansmen , neo-Nazis , and white nationalists ... as an innocent representation of their 'American Heritage . '
'' `` We know that these symbols glorify treason and a hateful history of white supremacy and black subjugation , '' the NAACP says on its website .
`` In order for our country to move forward – to become a nation united and free from inequity and bigotry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parks , schools , streets , counties , and military bases that define America 's landscape and culture . ''
At The Pentagon , the Defense Department 's massive headquarters , less obvious remnants of a racist history persist .
While the Pentagon was the first building in Virginia to be desegregated , its five-story , 34-acre compound was built years before with 284 bathrooms in order to keep white and black workers segregated .
Petraeus , in his Atlantic article , wrote , `` When I was a cadet at West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for [ Confederate ] Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson was widespread . ''
`` We were not encouraged to think deeply about the cause for which they had fought , at least not in our military-history classes .
And throughout my Army career , I likewise encountered enthusiastic adherents of various Confederate commanders , and a special veneration for Lee , '' Petraeus wrote .
He added that the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to this day `` honors Robert E. Lee with a gate , a road , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the last of which was built during the 1960s . ''
`` A portrait of Lee with an enslaved person adorns a wall of the cadet library , the counterpoint to a portrait of Grant , his Civil War nemesis , on a nearby wall . ''

Trump's statement that "we will not even consider" changing the names came three days after a spokesman for the U.S. Army said, "The secretary of the Army is open to having a bipartisan conversation regarding the renaming" of 10 Army bases named after Confederate generals who had served in the U.S. Army, the nation's oldest service branch.
"Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!" Trump wrote in a tweet condemning the suggestion.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that U.S. Army bases named after generals who fought for slave-holding states of the Confederacy in the Civil War will not change their names.
On Tuesday, retired Army Gen. David Petraeus, a former CIA director, wrote an article in The Atlantic calling for the removal of the Confederacy-linked names , which was topped by the words: "It is time to remove the names of traitors ... from our country's most important military installations."
A push to take the names of the Confederate general leaders off of U.S military bases has gained renewed force after the Memorial Day death of George Floyd, a black man, after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.
The Confederate states seceded from the United States in 1861 and fought a bloody, unsuccessful four-year war against the Union states in an effort to maintain the institution of using enslaved black men, women and children to perform labor.
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks and sign the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 in the Rose Garden of the White House on Friday.
Trump, in a multitweet post, rejected that idea, by contending that the Confederate names of the bases have become part of the nation's great "heritage."
"It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom," Trump wrote on Twitter.
"The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations," the president wrote.
Tweet1
Tweet
The White House's Twitter account later posted a video from Trump's spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany to reiterate his position.
White House tweet
McEnany also told reporters, "To suggest these forts are somehow inherently racist and their names need to be changed is a complete disrespect to the men and women, who, the last bit of American land they saw ... and lost their lives, were these forts.
On Tuesday, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said the Navy would bar the Confederate battle flag from being displayed in a variety of places.
Tweet
"The order is meant to ensure unit cohesion, preserve good order and discipline, and uphold the Navy's core values of honor, courage and commitment," U.S. Navy Cmdr. Nate Christensen, spokesman for Gilday, the chief of Naval Operations, wrote in a statement Tuesday.
However, the Navy's USS John C. Stennis supercarrier is named after a U.S. senator from Mississippi who was a zealous supporter of racial segregation.
A Navy spokesman had no immediate comment when asked if renaming the Stennis is being considered.
The Marines earlier in the week ordered the removal of Confederate flags from that service branch's installations.
Trump's top economic advisor, Larry Kudlow, told reporters on Wednesday that "I don't believe nowadays we have systemic racism" in the United States.
But the NAACP, a leading civil rights group, has called for removal of all symbols of the Confederacy, including the names of military bases, which it notes have been defended by "Klansmen, neo-Nazis, and white nationalists ... as an innocent representation of their 'American Heritage.'"
"We know that these symbols glorify treason and a hateful history of white supremacy and black subjugation," the NAACP says on its website.
"In order for our country to move forward – to become a nation united and free from inequity and bigotry – we must remove Confederate symbols from the parks, schools, streets, counties, and military bases that define America's landscape and culture."
At The Pentagon, the Defense Department's massive headquarters, less obvious remnants of a racist history persist.
While the Pentagon was the first building in Virginia to be desegregated, its five-story, 34-acre compound was built years before with 284 bathrooms in order to keep white and black workers segregated.
Petraeus, in his Atlantic article, wrote, "When I was a cadet at West Point in the early 1970s, enthusiasm for [Confederate] Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson was widespread."
"We were not encouraged to think deeply about the cause for which they had fought, at least not in our military-history classes. And throughout my Army career, I likewise encountered enthusiastic adherents of various Confederate commanders, and a special veneration for Lee," Petraeus wrote.
He added that the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to this day "honors Robert E. Lee with a gate, a road, an entire housing area, and a barracks, the last of which was built during the 1960s."
"A portrait of Lee with an enslaved person adorns a wall of the cadet library, the counterpoint to a portrait of Grant, his Civil War nemesis, on a nearby wall."


cnbc--2020-06-10--Trump advisor Larry Kudlow: 'Looks like we've hit a turning point' in the economy

Larry Kudlow , director of the National Economic Council , told CNBC on Wednesday that the U.S. economy appears to have reached its lowest point due to the coronavirus .
`` We still have a lot of hardship , and we have a lot of heartbreak in many areas .
The numbers are still way too high on the unemployment and so forth , '' Kudlow said on `` The Exchange . ''
`` But it looks like we 've hit a turning point . ''
Kudlow 's comments came after last week 's May jobs report showed a surprising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had expected another dramatic decrease .
The U.S. unemployment rate declined to 13.3 % , from April 's 14.7 % .
Kudlow said the small-business-focused Paycheck Protection Program `` led directly '' to May 's improved job landscape and argued additional people will be added back to payrolls in June as states further ease coronavirus-related restrictions on businesses .
`` Let 's hope that this thing bottomed way in April and we 're headed towards a terrific recovery in the second half of the year , '' said Kudlow , while also pointing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and increased Apple mobility data .
`` We are turning a corner .
We are transitioning . ''
Texas , among the first states to relax its statewide stay-at-home order , has seen three consecutive days of record-breaking coronavirus hospitalizations .
Kudlow , who in late February said the U.S. had contained the spread of Covid-19 `` pretty close to airtight '' before the disease killed 110,000 Americans , acknowledged it is true that Covid-19 cases are rising more significantly in `` certain areas . ''
Even so , he maintained that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its recovery without sizable virus-induced setbacks .
`` Our health experts have told me repeatedly , 'We have much more experience at dealing with hot spots .
We have much better equipment , PPE , testing and ... ventilators , and we will be able to fight some fires without closing down the economy , ' '' Kudlow said .

Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC on Wednesday that the U.S. economy appears to have reached its lowest point due to the coronavirus.
"We still have a lot of hardship, and we have a lot of heartbreak in many areas. The numbers are still way too high on the unemployment and so forth," Kudlow said on "The Exchange." "But it looks like we've hit a turning point."
Kudlow's comments came after last week's May jobs report showed a surprising gain in employment, when many economists had expected another dramatic decrease. The U.S. unemployment rate declined to 13.3%, from April's 14.7%.
Kudlow said the small-business-focused Paycheck Protection Program "led directly" to May's improved job landscape and argued additional people will be added back to payrolls in June as states further ease coronavirus-related restrictions on businesses.
"Let's hope that this thing bottomed way in April and we're headed towards a terrific recovery in the second half of the year," said Kudlow, while also pointing to a recovery in the housing market and increased Apple mobility data. "We are turning a corner. We are transitioning."
Texas, among the first states to relax its statewide stay-at-home order, has seen three consecutive days of record-breaking coronavirus hospitalizations.
Kudlow, who in late February said the U.S. had contained the spread of Covid-19 "pretty close to airtight" before the disease killed 110,000 Americans, acknowledged it is true that Covid-19 cases are rising more significantly in "certain areas." Even so, he maintained that the U.S. economy would be able to continue its recovery without sizable virus-induced setbacks.
"Our health experts have told me repeatedly, 'We have much more experience at dealing with hot spots. We have much better equipment, PPE, testing and ... ventilators, and we will be able to fight some fires without closing down the economy,'" Kudlow said.


cnbc--2020-06-10--DOJ committed 'gross abuse' of power in asking to drop case against ex-Trump advisor Michael Flynn,

DOJ committed 'gross abuse' of power in asking to drop case against ex-Trump advisor Michael Flynn, says former judge tapped to review request

A former federal judge on Wednesday blasted the U.S. Justice Department for what he called `` a gross abuse of prosecutorial power '' in seeking to drop its criminal case against Michael Flynn , President Donald Trump 's first national security advisor .
`` The Government has engaged in highly irregular conduct to benefit a political ally of the President , '' the ex-judge , John Gleeson , wrote in a scathing legal filing opposing the proposed dismissal .
Trump has strongly criticized the prosecution of Flynn .
Gleeson , who was assigned by the judge in Flynn 's case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also wrote that the retired Army lieutenant general `` has indeed committed perjury '' in his statements to the case judge during proceedings in the case , `` for which he deserves punishment . ''
But Gleeson added that while federal Judge Emmet Sullivan has the power to hold Flynn in criminal contempt for perjuring himself during a plea hearing and another hearing conducted by Sullivan , the judge should `` not exercise that authority . ''
`` Rather , [ Sullivan ] should take Flynn 's perjury into account in sentencing him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already admitted guilt , '' Gleeson wrote in a filing in U.S. District Court in Washington , D.C. Flynn in that same court twice admitted under oath to Sullivan that he lied to FBI agents about his discussions with Russia 's ambassador to the United States in the weeks leading up to Trump 's inauguration .
He has yet to be sentenced in the case .
The Justice Department had no immediate comment on Gleeson 's court filing .
Flynn 's lawyer , Sidney Powell , in an email said that the filing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result-driven to achieve the maximum possible punishment of an innocent man . ''
Gleeson was appointed by Sullivan to provide legal arguments against the Justice Department 's highly unusual request last month that the case be dismissed .
Sullivan also asked Gleeson to address whether Flynn should be punished for committing perjury by lying to Sullivan in his guilty pleas .
Flynn now says he is not guilty of that crime , raising the question of whether he lied under oath during court hearings when he admitted criminal conduct .
Flynn 's lawyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove Sullivan from the case because he has not promptly granted the dismissal requests by DOJ and Flynn 's defense team , because he asked Gleeson to file legal briefs and because the judge is allowing outside parties to make arguments in court filings on the dismissal bid .
The appeals court has yet to rule .
Gleeson , a lawyer in private practice who previously served on the federal bench in New York City , in his court filing Wednesday hammered on the Justice Department for seeking to drop the prosecution for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a filing seeking the dismissal , the then-interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia , Timothy Shea , argued that the FBI 's interview of Flynn was not justified by a counterintelligence investigation and that his lies about what he said to a Russian diplomat were not `` material '' to that probe .
Shea is a former advisor to Attorney General William Barr , the head of the Justice Department .

A former federal judge on Wednesday blasted the U.S. Justice Department for what he called "a gross abuse of prosecutorial power" in seeking to drop its criminal case against Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump's first national security advisor.
"The Government has engaged in highly irregular conduct to benefit a political ally of the President," the ex-judge, John Gleeson, wrote in a scathing legal filing opposing the proposed dismissal. Trump has strongly criticized the prosecution of Flynn.
Gleeson, who was assigned by the judge in Flynn's case to advise him on several questions, also wrote that the retired Army lieutenant general "has indeed committed perjury" in his statements to the case judge during proceedings in the case, "for which he deserves punishment."
But Gleeson added that while federal Judge Emmet Sullivan has the power to hold Flynn in criminal contempt for perjuring himself during a plea hearing and another hearing conducted by Sullivan, the judge should "not exercise that authority."
"Rather, [Sullivan] should take Flynn's perjury into account in sentencing him on the offense to which he has already admitted guilt," Gleeson wrote in a filing in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
Flynn in that same court twice admitted under oath to Sullivan that he lied to FBI agents about his discussions with Russia's ambassador to the United States in the weeks leading up to Trump's inauguration. He has yet to be sentenced in the case.
The Justice Department had no immediate comment on Gleeson's court filing.
Flynn's lawyer, Sidney Powell, in an email said that the filing was "predictable and wrong. Clearly result-driven to achieve the maximum possible punishment of an innocent man."
Gleeson was appointed by Sullivan to provide legal arguments against the Justice Department's highly unusual request last month that the case be dismissed.
Sullivan also asked Gleeson to address whether Flynn should be punished for committing perjury by lying to Sullivan in his guilty pleas.
Flynn now says he is not guilty of that crime, raising the question of whether he lied under oath during court hearings when he admitted criminal conduct.
Flynn's lawyers have asked a federal appeals court to remove Sullivan from the case because he has not promptly granted the dismissal requests by DOJ and Flynn's defense team, because he asked Gleeson to file legal briefs and because the judge is allowing outside parties to make arguments in court filings on the dismissal bid.
The appeals court has yet to rule.
Gleeson, a lawyer in private practice who previously served on the federal bench in New York City, in his court filing Wednesday hammered on the Justice Department for seeking to drop the prosecution for what Gleeson deemed baseless grounds.
In a filing seeking the dismissal, the then-interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Timothy Shea, argued that the FBI's interview of Flynn was not justified by a counterintelligence investigation and that his lies about what he said to a Russian diplomat were not "material" to that probe. Shea is a former advisor to Attorney General William Barr, the head of the Justice Department.