usatoday--2020-06-01--'It's not lowering the temperature': Republican Gov. Hogan blasts Trump tweets on George Floyd prote

'It's not lowering the temperature': Republican Gov. Hogan blasts Trump tweets on George Floyd protests

Maryland 's Republican Gov .
Larry Hogan said Sunday that President Donald Trump 's comments in response to the violence that has broken out at anti-police brutality protests across America have not helped calm the situation .
Hogan said on CNN 'S `` State of the Union '' that `` one of the most important things that a leader can do right now '' is `` lower the temperature . ''
Cities across the U.S. have seen violent protests in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd , an African-American man who died after a Minneapolis police officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the back of his neck .
In his tweets , Trump has called for protesters to `` honor the memory of George Floyd '' by remaining peaceful , while also referring to those who acted unlawfully as `` thugs , '' threatening to unleash `` the unlimited power of our Military '' upon them and slamming Minnesota 's Democratic leaders for not being tough enough on them .
`` And that 's not helpful .
It 's not lowering the temperature , '' Hogan said .
`` It 's sort of continuing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's just the opposite of the message that should have been coming out of the White House . ''
Hogan , was governor in 2015 when peaceful protests in Baltimore turned violent after the death of Freddie Gray , an African-American man who died in police custody .
He is also a critic of Trump 's who considered challenging him in the Republican primary this year .
`` Inflammatory rhetoric , I just don ’ t think is helpful on either side , '' Hogan said Friday on NBC 's `` Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ve got to have law and order , that you ’ ve got to stop the burning and looting , but inciting violence with Twitter is not the way to go about it . ''
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Trump 's tweets have only helped to stoke the rage fueling the anti-police brutality protests that turned violent in multiple American cities .
`` There are times that you should just stop .
And this is one of those times .
He 's making it worse , '' Bottoms told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' on Sunday .
`` This is not about using military force .
This is about where we are in America .
We are beyond a tipping point in this country .
And his rhetoric only inflames that .
And he should just sometimes stop talking , '' Bottoms said .
'Riots , ' 'violence , ' 'looting ' : Words matter when talking about race and unrest , experts say Twitter slapped one presidential tweet – which said , `` when the looting starts , the shooting starts '' – with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules against `` glorifying violence . ''
The phrase was used by a Miami police chief more than 50 years ago about civil rights protesters , and some accused Trump of fanning racial division by evoking the brutal police tactics of that era .
Trump later tweeted the expression was `` spoken as a fact , not as a statement . ''
And he said `` nobody should have any problem with this other than the haters , and those looking to cause trouble on social media . ''
Bottoms said the tweets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump just made it worse , '' referring to his controversial comment that there were `` very fine people on both sides '' of a violent confrontation in 2017 between white supremacists marchers and counterprotesters in Virginia .
Other city leaders were also upset by the president 's tweets about the protests .
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot told reporters Friday she feels Trump 's `` goal is to polarize and destabilize local government and to inflame racists ' urges . ''
`` I think that the president has a responsibility to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start by not sending divisive tweets that are meant to hearken to the segregationist past of our country , '' Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday on NBC News ' `` Meet the Press . ''
`` It 's going to take community and government to heal the hurt that people are feeling , '' Bowser said .
So what you see in cities across our nations , what we saw last night , there are people who are angry and people who are hurting .
And some doing it in ways that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we still have to acknowledge that hurt and that anger . ''
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar , whose district includes Minneapolis , said Trump `` has failed in really understanding the kind of pain and anguish many of his citizens are feeling . ''
`` When you have a president who really is glorifying violence and was talking about the kind of vicious dogs and weapons that could be unleashed on citizens , it is quite appalling and disturbing , '' Omar said Sunday on ABC News ' `` This Week . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidents make those kind of statements , '' she added .
`` And we have to condemn our president at the highest sort of condemnation . ''
Bottoms told NBC News she would like to see leadership from Trump .
`` And I would like to hear a genuine care and concern for our communities and where we are with race relations in America , '' she said .
Bottoms said she would not object to Trump addressing the nation from the Oval Office about the protests .
`` But I am concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making matters worse . ''


usatoday--2020-06-02--President Trump calls for officials to 'dominate the streets' in response to protests

U.S. president Donald Trump said he would deploy the military if state officials did n't quell the violence amidst protests @ @ @ @ @ .

Trump: I'll send military if governors can't control protests
U.S. president Donald Trump said he would deploy the military if state officials didn't quell the violence amidst protests after George Floyd's death.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-06-01--Michael Flynn judge defends decision to challenge DOJ request to drop case; no 'rubber stamp'

The federal judge overseeing the fraught prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn Monday defended his decision to review the Justice Department 's effort to abandon the case , calling such a move `` unprecedented . ''
`` It is unusual for a criminal defendant to claim innocence and move to withdraw his guilty plea after repeatedly swearing under oath that he committed the crime , '' attorneys for U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said in documents filed in a D.C. appellate court .
`` It is unprecedented for an acting U.S. Attorney to contradict the solemn representations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and undermine the district court ’ s legal and factual findings , in moving on his own to dismiss the charge years after two different federal judges accepted the defendant ’ s plea . ''
Flynn 's lawyers asked the appeals court last month to force the dismissal of his case and to assign him to a different judge , asserting that Sullivan had abused his discretion .
They took special issue with Sullivan 's appointment of a retired judge to challenge the Justice Department 's move to abandon the prosecution and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perjury for declaring his innocence of a crime he had earlier admitted .
But Sullivan pushed back hard in court documents Monday , raising serious questions about the legitimacy of the government effort to abandon Flynn 's case .
`` That the government filed a 'lengthy motion and exhibits ' supporting dismissal does not conclusively establish that it 'acted properly , '' Sullivan attorney Beth Wilkinson argued .
Sullivan 's attorneys noted that the government 's motion to dismiss Flynn 's case was signed only by the acting U.S. attorney – not by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case – and did not include documents supporting its new factual allegations .
Abandoning a prosecution : DOJ drops case against former Trump adviser Michael Flynn in boldest step yet to undermine Mueller probe Another Flynn inquiry : FBI launches internal review of Michael Flynn investigation ; inquiry to focus on possible misconduct Wilkinson also defended Sullivan 's appointment of retired federal judge John Gleeson to challenge the government 's position , claiming that `` someone needs to fill the adversarial gap '' in a case where both the government and Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event , Judge Sullivan ’ s record shows that he will not blindly accept Judge Gleeson ’ s recommendations , '' Wilkinson said .
Contrary to Flynn 's assertions , federal district judges have the authority to appoint an amicus – a practice the Supreme Court has not called into question , particularly in cases where `` the adversarial process breaks down because the parties are aligned , '' Wilkinson argued .
The rules governing federal criminal cases do n't require Sullivan to `` serve as a mere rubber stamp , '' Wilkinson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Justice Department said that it was up to federal prosecutors –not a judge – to decide whether to pursue a criminal case .
`` Instead of inviting further proceedings , the court should have granted the government ’ s motion to dismiss , '' the government argued .
`` If the United States and the defendant agree that the indictment should be dismissed , there remains no dispute between the parties , there is no need for a court to impose judgment against the defendant , and there is thus no basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The legal clash at the appeals court represents the latest escalation in what has become a contentious , long-running prosecution of President Donald Trump 's former national security adviser .
Flynn , one of a half-dozen Trump campaign aides and allies who were prosecuted as a result of the special counsel Russia investigation , pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his communications with a former Russian ambassador .
He later reversed course , accusing Justice Department officials of trapping him into making false statements and not disclosing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Justice Department under Attorney General William Barr , who has tapped an outside prosecutor to review Flynn 's case , later announced its intention to abandon the prosecution .
The department said the January 2017 interview during which Flynn made false statements to the FBI was `` unjustified . ''
The interview did not have `` a legitimate investigative basis , '' making Flynn 's statements irrelevant `` even if untrue , '' the department argued .
Instead of granting the dismissal , Sullivan appointed retired federal judge John Gleeson to argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Flynn should be held in contempt for perjury .
Flynn 's attorneys said Sullivan did not have the authority to appoint a third party .
They also said the judge ca n't deny the motion to dismiss the case , saying the Justice Department has `` sole authority '' to drop its prosecution .
`` The district judge ’ s orders reveal his plan to continue the case indefinitely , rubbing salt in General Flynn ’ s open wound from the Government ’ s misconduct and threatening him with criminal contempt , @ @ @ @ @

Kevin Johnson and Kristine Phillips, USA TODAY

Michael Flynn judge defends decision to challenge DOJ request to drop case; no 'rubber stamp'
Show Caption Hide Caption Justice Department dropping its case against Gen. Michael Flynn The DOJ will drop the criminal case against Gen. Michael Flynn for lying to the FBI about contact with a Russian Ambassador. Flynn pleaded guilty. USA TODAY
The federal judge overseeing the fraught prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn Monday defended his decision to review the Justice Department's effort to abandon the case, calling such a move "unprecedented."
"It is unusual for a criminal defendant to claim innocence and move to withdraw his guilty plea after repeatedly swearing under oath that he committed the crime," attorneys for U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said in documents filed in a D.C. appellate court. "It is unprecedented for an acting U.S. Attorney to contradict the solemn representations that career prosecutors made time and again, and undermine the district court’s legal and factual findings, in moving on his own to dismiss the charge years after two different federal judges accepted the defendant’s plea."
Flynn's lawyers asked the appeals court last month to force the dismissal of his case and to assign him to a different judge, asserting that Sullivan had abused his discretion.
They took special issue with Sullivan's appointment of a retired judge to challenge the Justice Department's move to abandon the prosecution and to examine whether the former Army general committed perjury for declaring his innocence of a crime he had earlier admitted.
But Sullivan pushed back hard in court documents Monday, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of the government effort to abandon Flynn's case.
"That the government filed a 'lengthy motion and exhibits' supporting dismissal does not conclusively establish that it 'acted properly," Sullivan attorney Beth Wilkinson argued.
Sullivan's attorneys noted that the government's motion to dismiss Flynn's case was signed only by the acting U.S. attorney – not by any of the prosecutors who worked on the case – and did not include documents supporting its new factual allegations.
Abandoning a prosecution: DOJ drops case against former Trump adviser Michael Flynn in boldest step yet to undermine Mueller probe
Another Flynn inquiry: FBI launches internal review of Michael Flynn investigation; inquiry to focus on possible misconduct
Wilkinson also defended Sullivan's appointment of retired federal judge John Gleeson to challenge the government's position, claiming that "someone needs to fill the adversarial gap" in a case where both the government and Flynn have joined forces.
"In any event, Judge Sullivan’s record shows that he will not blindly accept Judge Gleeson’s recommendations," Wilkinson said.
Contrary to Flynn's assertions, federal district judges have the authority to appoint an amicus – a practice the Supreme Court has not called into question, particularly in cases where "the adversarial process breaks down because the parties are aligned," Wilkinson argued.
The rules governing federal criminal cases don't require Sullivan to "serve as a mere rubber stamp," Wilkinson said.
In a separate filing, the Justice Department said that it was up to federal prosecutors –not a judge – to decide whether to pursue a criminal case.
"Instead of inviting further proceedings, the court should have granted the government’s motion to dismiss," the government argued. "If the United States and the defendant agree that the indictment should be dismissed, there remains no dispute between the parties, there is no need for a court to impose judgment against the defendant, and there is thus no basis for the further exercise of judicial power."
The legal clash at the appeals court represents the latest escalation in what has become a contentious, long-running prosecution of President Donald Trump's former national security adviser. Flynn, one of a half-dozen Trump campaign aides and allies who were prosecuted as a result of the special counsel Russia investigation, pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about his communications with a former Russian ambassador.
He later reversed course, accusing Justice Department officials of trapping him into making false statements and not disclosing evidence that would've exonerated him.
Barr: Criminal probes of Biden, Obama unlikely Insisting the criminal justice system won't be used for political ends, Attorney General William Barr says he doesn't expect a review into the Russia investigation origins to lead to criminal probes of Joe Biden or former President Barack Obama. (May 18) AP
The Justice Department under Attorney General William Barr, who has tapped an outside prosecutor to review Flynn's case, later announced its intention to abandon the prosecution. The department said the January 2017 interview during which Flynn made false statements to the FBI was "unjustified." The interview did not have "a legitimate investigative basis," making Flynn's statements irrelevant "even if untrue," the department argued.
Instead of granting the dismissal, Sullivan appointed retired federal judge John Gleeson to argue against dropping the case and to assess whether Flynn should be held in contempt for perjury.
Flynn's attorneys said Sullivan did not have the authority to appoint a third party. They also said the judge can't deny the motion to dismiss the case, saying the Justice Department has "sole authority" to drop its prosecution.
"The district judge’s orders reveal his plan to continue the case indefinitely, rubbing salt in General Flynn’s open wound from the Government’s misconduct and threatening him with criminal contempt," the attorneys wrote.


usatoday--2020-06-01--Biden lead over Trump jumps 8 points in ABC News/Washington Post poll

Former Vice President Joe Biden 's lead over President Donald Trump among registered voters has increased by 8 percentage points since March as approval of Trump 's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has slipped , according to a poll released Sunday by ABC News and The Washington Post .
The presumptive Democratic nominee leads Trump 53 % -43 % among registered voters , the poll found .
On March 25 , the same survey showed a much tighter race , with Biden leading by just 2 percentage points , 49 % -47 % .
And Trump 's overall approval rating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which for the first time in his presidency found more Americans approving ( 48 % ) than disapproving ( 46 % ) of the job he was doing .
In May 's poll , his approval rating dropped 2 points to 46 % and his disapproval rating jumped 7 points to 53 % .
Democratic and Republican voters were firmly behind their party 's standard-bearers , 95 % and 94 % , respectively .
But Biden had a wide lead among registered independents , 56 % -39 % , after leading by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months ago .
The candidates ' support showed sharp divides by gender and race .
Trump led by 8 points among male voters ( 52 % -44 % ) and Biden held a 28-point advantage among female voters ( 62 % -34 % ) .
Trump led by 9 percentage points among white voters , 53 % -44 % , while Biden was backed by 89 % of black voters and 69 % of Hispanic voters .
Trump 's slide has coincided with the spread of the coronavirus across the U.S .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were fewer than 70,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and the death toll was under 1,300 .
There are now nearly 1.8 million confirmed cases in the U.S. and more than 104,000 people dead from the disease .
The poll of 1,001 Americans was conducted May 25-28 and therefore does not reflect the full impact of recent anti-police brutality protests on voters ' opinions .
The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points .
'The symmetry is remarkable ' : Wisconsin perfectly divided between 2 parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll found the majority of Americans ( 51 % ) approved of Trump 's handling of the outbreak , with 45 % disapproving .
Those numbers have virtually flipped in two months , with 53 % now saying they disapprove of his response to the crisis and 46 % saying they approve .
When asked who they trusted more to handle the government 's coronavirus response , 50 % said Biden and 42 % said Trump .
But they were evenly split 47 % -47 % when asked who they trusted more to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The lockdowns and stay-at-home orders meant to slow the spread of the virus have devastated the economy and driven unemployment to levels not seen since the Great Depression .
The weakened economy undermines a cornerstone of Trump 's reelection pitch , which has centered on a thriving stock market and low unemployment .
In a November 2018 ABC/Post poll , 65 % of Americans had a positive view of the economy and 34 % had a negative one .
Now , those numbers are inverted , with 34 % holding a positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a negative one .
Biden leads Trump 66 % -30 % among Americans who have been laid off or furloughed since the outbreak started .
A 52 % majority still approves of Trump 's handling of the economy , down from 57 % two months ago .
Many states are expanding mail-in and absentee voting in response to the outbreak .
Trump has strongly objected to those efforts , claiming , without evidence , that it would lead to massive election fraud .
Despite the president 's concerns , 65 % of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 % are opposed .
An area where Trump holds an advantage over Biden is in the enthusiasm of his supporters .
Eight-seven percent of the registered voters who said they favor Trump in the election said they will `` definitely '' vote for the president and 90 % said they were enthusiastic about doing so .
By contrast , 74 % of the voters who back Biden said they would definitely vote for him and 76 % were enthusiastic about it .
( Twelve percent were `` not at all '' enthusiastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among registered voters drops to 5 % among those who are both registered and say they are `` certain '' to vote .
Biden 's 46 % favorability rating was only slightly higher than Trump 's ( 42 % ) , and was down 7 points from September .
When it came to unfavorable ratings , the margin was wider , with 55 % of Americans saying they viewed the president unfavorably and 48 % saying the same of his opponent .
But that represented an 11-point increase in unfavorability for Biden since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump is a strong leader , compared with 43 % who said that of Biden .
But when it came to who they thought was honest and trustworthy , Biden bested Trump 48 % -35 % .
And 45 % said Biden `` understands the problems of people like you , '' while 35 % said Trump did .
Americans also thought Biden 's temperament was better suited for the job than Trump 's , with 53 % saying his personality fit the role compared to 38 % who thought that of Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also attacked the 77-year-old Biden as `` Sleepy Joe '' and implied age was sapping his cognitive ability .
But 51 % said Biden `` has the mental sharpness it takes to serve effectively as president , '' while 43 % said he did not .
On the other hand , a 52 % majority said Trump lacked the mental sharpness needed for the job , while 46 % said his mind was up for it .

Biden lead over Trump jumps 8 points in ABC News/Washington Post poll
Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump and Joe Biden are at odds over face masks Joe Biden and President Trump disagree on when and where masks should be worn. USA TODAY, USA TODAY
Former Vice President Joe Biden's lead over President Donald Trump among registered voters has increased by 8 percentage points since March as approval of Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic has slipped, according to a poll released Sunday by ABC News and The Washington Post.
The presumptive Democratic nominee leads Trump 53%-43% among registered voters, the poll found. On March 25, the same survey showed a much tighter race, with Biden leading by just 2 percentage points, 49%-47%.
And Trump's overall approval rating has slipped since the March 25 poll, which for the first time in his presidency found more Americans approving (48%) than disapproving (46%) of the job he was doing. In May's poll, his approval rating dropped 2 points to 46% and his disapproval rating jumped 7 points to 53%.
Democratic and Republican voters were firmly behind their party's standard-bearers, 95% and 94%, respectively. But Biden had a wide lead among registered independents, 56%-39%, after leading by just 1 point with those voters two months ago.
The candidates' support showed sharp divides by gender and race. Trump led by 8 points among male voters (52%-44%) and Biden held a 28-point advantage among female voters (62%-34%). Trump led by 9 percentage points among white voters, 53%-44%, while Biden was backed by 89% of black voters and 69% of Hispanic voters.
Trump's slide has coincided with the spread of the coronavirus across the U.S. When the previous poll was released, there were fewer than 70,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and the death toll was under 1,300. There are now nearly 1.8 million confirmed cases in the U.S. and more than 104,000 people dead from the disease.
The poll of 1,001 Americans was conducted May 25-28 and therefore does not reflect the full impact of recent anti-police brutality protests on voters' opinions. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
'The symmetry is remarkable': Wisconsin perfectly divided between 2 parties – and over Trump
Opinions flip on coronavirus response
The last ABC/Post poll found the majority of Americans (51%) approved of Trump's handling of the outbreak, with 45% disapproving. Those numbers have virtually flipped in two months, with 53% now saying they disapprove of his response to the crisis and 46% saying they approve.
When asked who they trusted more to handle the government's coronavirus response, 50% said Biden and 42% said Trump. But they were evenly split 47%-47% when asked who they trusted more to manage the economic recovery from the pandemic.
The lockdowns and stay-at-home orders meant to slow the spread of the virus have devastated the economy and driven unemployment to levels not seen since the Great Depression. The weakened economy undermines a cornerstone of Trump's reelection pitch, which has centered on a thriving stock market and low unemployment.
In a November 2018 ABC/Post poll, 65% of Americans had a positive view of the economy and 34% had a negative one. Now, those numbers are inverted, with 34% holding a positive view of the economy and 65% a negative one.
Biden leads Trump 66%-30% among Americans who have been laid off or furloughed since the outbreak started. A 52% majority still approves of Trump's handling of the economy, down from 57% two months ago.
Many states are expanding mail-in and absentee voting in response to the outbreak. Trump has strongly objected to those efforts, claiming, without evidence, that it would lead to massive election fraud. Despite the president's concerns, 65% of Americans support an increase in voting-by-mail-in, while 30% are opposed.
An enthusiasm gap between Trump, Biden
An area where Trump holds an advantage over Biden is in the enthusiasm of his supporters. Eight-seven percent of the registered voters who said they favor Trump in the election said they will "definitely" vote for the president and 90% said they were enthusiastic about doing so.
By contrast, 74% of the voters who back Biden said they would definitely vote for him and 76% were enthusiastic about it. (Twelve percent were "not at all" enthusiastic.) And Biden's 10-point lead among registered voters drops to 5% among those who are both registered and say they are "certain" to vote.
Biden's 46% favorability rating was only slightly higher than Trump's (42%), and was down 7 points from September. When it came to unfavorable ratings, the margin was wider, with 55% of Americans saying they viewed the president unfavorably and 48% saying the same of his opponent. But that represented an 11-point increase in unfavorability for Biden since September.
George Floyd: Biden meets with black leaders at local church amid unrest
Elections 2020: Mail-in voting could decide next president Many states are planning on drastically different elections this year and mail-in ballots could be a big game changer. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Fifty percent of Americans said Trump is a strong leader, compared with 43% who said that of Biden. But when it came to who they thought was honest and trustworthy, Biden bested Trump 48%-35%. And 45% said Biden "understands the problems of people like you," while 35% said Trump did. Americans also thought Biden's temperament was better suited for the job than Trump's, with 53% saying his personality fit the role compared to 38% who thought that of Trump.
The president and his supporters have also attacked the 77-year-old Biden as "Sleepy Joe" and implied age was sapping his cognitive ability. But 51% said Biden "has the mental sharpness it takes to serve effectively as president," while 43% said he did not.
On the other hand, a 52% majority said Trump lacked the mental sharpness needed for the job, while 46% said his mind was up for it.


usatoday--2020-06-01--Supreme Court declines to take up Bernie Sanders supporters' lawsuit

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The Supreme Court is declining to revive a lawsuit by supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ Committee in 2016 over claims officials improperly tipped the scales for Hillary Clinton during the @ @ @ @ @ said Monday they would not take up the lawsuit .
As is usual the court @ @ @ @ @ away the case .
The lawsuit was filed after leaked DNC emails suggested Democratic party @ @ @ @ @ the Vermont senator during the primaries .
The emails were posted on the document disclosure @ @ @ @ @ not say who provided the material , but 12 Russian military intelligence officers were ultimately @ @ @ @ @ DNC hack and hacking of the Clinton presidential campaign .
According to special counsel Robert @ @ @ @ @ the release was part of a sweeping conspiracy by Russia to meddle in the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced her resignation following the leaks .
The lawsuit by Sanders supporters @ @ @ @ @ stage and an appeals court had upheld the dismissal .

Supreme Court declines to take up Bernie Sanders supporters' lawsuit
Show Caption Hide Caption Bernie Sanders endorses Biden in remote meet-up: 'We need you' in WH During a livestream event, Senator Bernie Sanders explains to former Vice President Joe Biden why he's endorsing him for president. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is declining to revive a lawsuit by supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders who sued the Democratic National Committee in 2016 over claims officials improperly tipped the scales for Hillary Clinton during the nominating process.
The justices said Monday they would not take up the lawsuit. As is usual the court did not comment in turning away the case.
The lawsuit was filed after leaked DNC emails suggested Democratic party officials had favored Clinton over the Vermont senator during the primaries.
The emails were posted on the document disclosure website WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks did not say who provided the material, but 12 Russian military intelligence officers were ultimately indicted in connection with the DNC hack and hacking of the Clinton presidential campaign.
According to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, the release was part of a sweeping conspiracy by Russia to meddle in the 2016 U.S. election.
DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced her resignation following the leaks.
The lawsuit by Sanders supporters was dismissed at an early stage and an appeals court had upheld the dismissal.


usatoday--2020-06-01--Consoler in chief or confronter in chief? Combination of crises tests Trump's leadership: Analysis

At times of national trauma , commanders in chief have often seen themselves as consolers in chief : Barack Obama after the Sandy Hook massacre .
George W. Bush after 9/11 .
Bill Clinton after the Oklahoma City bombings .
FDR during the Great Depression .
In the middle of the busiest intersection of disasters in modern times , President Trump on Sunday presented himself more as the confronter in chief .
He denounced the media as “ FAKE NEWS ” and labeled protesters in the streets – some peaceful and some not – as “ Radical Left Anarchists ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guard .
His model was more like Richard Nixon , whose unyielding law-and-order stance against Vietnam War protesters helped him win the White House in 1968 .
Now the combination of crises has overshadowed even that historically tumultuous year .
The moment has underscored the power of the White House as a bully pulpit and the difficulty of any other voice to fill the role of national unifier if the president does not .
Instead , on display Sunday were America 's divisions at a time of death , fear and violence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one calamity has been stacked on top of another : The COVID-19 pandemic with a deadly toll that has topped 100,000 Americans .
The economic consequences of responding to the health emergency that has thrown an astonishing 40 million out of work .
The death of a handcuffed black man in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck , a brutal reminder of an long-standing injustice .
The video of George Floyd pleading for breath prompted protests in Minneapolis and across the country that began largely peacefully and then exploded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including in the streets around the White House .
The protests in downtown Washington started after Trump tweeted words with a racist history : `` When the looting starts , the shooting starts . ''
Mayors in Chicago and Atlanta scolded the protesters , and governors in at least a dozen states and the District of Columbia called up the National Guard to restore order .
Religious leaders prayed for calm .
But not even Joe Biden , Trump ’ s presumptive Democratic opponent in this fall 's presidential election , could clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a nation furious at injustice , '' the former vice president said in an emotional statement posted on Medium.com that decried both police brutality and violent protests .
Nor could a former president ; Barack Obama on Friday issued a statement saying he shares the `` anguish '' many feel about Floyd 's death .
No one has the platform of the president , or the power to set the tone of the national debate .
On Saturday , Trump issued a warning to protesters that they would face `` vicious dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extraordinary rebuke from the mayor of the town in which he lives , Muriel Bowser .
`` There are no vicious dogs & ominous weapons , '' the mayor of Washington , D.C. , said in a tweet Sunday .
In one more sign of the anger and contempt in the national conversation , she added , `` There is just a scared man .
Afraid/alone . ''
At the White House , the president 's advisers reportedly were divided over whether he should deliver an address to the nation , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times .
In March , Trump himself had delivered an 11-minute Oval Office address on the coronavirus , although independent fact-checkers said the speech was filled with misleading information and it was blamed for travel chaos and a stock-market plunge that followed .
“ Whether he has an address from the Oval or he speaks to the press , '' national security adviser Robert O'Brien said on CNN 's State of the Union , `` he ’ s accessible and will continue to be accessible to the country and give his views on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country.
” Indeed , Trump was giving his views on these events on his favorite communications channel , his Twitter feed .
They seemed designed not to unify but to sharpen the cultural divide and stoke his partisan base .
“ Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arrived in Minneapolis , Minnesota , last night , ” he said , saying “ ANTIFA led anarchists , among others , were shut down quickly.
” He posted another tweet that said : “ The United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Terrorist Organization , '' a reference to a loosely affiliated movement of anti-facist provocateurs .
And another : “ The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy , ” he tweeted .
“ As long as everybody understands what they are doing , that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda , we can easily work through them to GREATNESS.
” That tweet followed attacks on reporters by protesters in Detroit , Minneapolis , Phoenix and elsewhere .
Police officers fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demonstrations in Louisville and arrested journalists in Minneapolis and Las Vegas .
For the first time , Twitter itself added warning labels to two tweets by Trump and the White House about the Minneapolis protests , saying they glorified violence .
Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan , a Republican , described Trump 's rhetoric as `` not helpful . ''
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms , a Democrat , issued a public plea to the president .
`` There are times that you should just stop , and this is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBS ' Face the Nation .
`` He 's making it worse . ''
Wars , recessions , pandemics and civil unrest have left scars in American history that that change the country 's course , sometimes for better , sometimes for worse .
The challenges of today will surely reverberate through the year and beyond in ways that are impossible at the moment to predict .
Not to mention through November 's election .
Court review : Legal immunity for police misconduct may get Supreme Court review

Consoler in chief or confronter in chief? Combination of crises tests Trump's leadership: Analysis
At times of national trauma, commanders in chief have often seen themselves as consolers in chief: Barack Obama after the Sandy Hook massacre. George W. Bush after 9/11. Bill Clinton after the Oklahoma City bombings. FDR during the Great Depression.
Not Donald Trump.
In the middle of the busiest intersection of disasters in modern times, President Trump on Sunday presented himself more as the confronter in chief. He denounced the media as “FAKE NEWS” and labeled protesters in the streets – some peaceful and some not – as “Radical Left Anarchists” who should be crushed by the National Guard. His model was more like Richard Nixon, whose unyielding law-and-order stance against Vietnam War protesters helped him win the White House in 1968.
Now the combination of crises has overshadowed even that historically tumultuous year.
The moment has underscored the power of the White House as a bully pulpit and the difficulty of any other voice to fill the role of national unifier if the president does not. Instead, on display Sunday were America's divisions at a time of death, fear and violence.
Analysis: Trump's tweet injects civil rights era into presidential race, protests of George Floyd's death
In the space of a few months, one calamity has been stacked on top of another: The COVID-19 pandemic with a deadly toll that has topped 100,000 Americans. The economic consequences of responding to the health emergency that has thrown an astonishing 40 million out of work. The death of a handcuffed black man in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck, a brutal reminder of an long-standing injustice.
The video of George Floyd pleading for breath prompted protests in Minneapolis and across the country that began largely peacefully and then exploded Saturday night into arson and vandalism, including in the streets around the White House. The protests in downtown Washington started after Trump tweeted words with a racist history: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts."
Mayors in Chicago and Atlanta scolded the protesters, and governors in at least a dozen states and the District of Columbia called up the National Guard to restore order. Religious leaders prayed for calm.
But not even Joe Biden, Trump’s presumptive Democratic opponent in this fall's presidential election, could clearly break through the din. "We are a nation furious at injustice," the former vice president said in an emotional statement posted on Medium.com that decried both police brutality and violent protests. Nor could a former president; Barack Obama on Friday issued a statement saying he shares the "anguish" many feel about Floyd's death.
No one has the platform of the president, or the power to set the tone of the national debate. On Saturday, Trump issued a warning to protesters that they would face "vicious dogs and ominous weapons." That brought an extraordinary rebuke from the mayor of the town in which he lives, Muriel Bowser.
"There are no vicious dogs & ominous weapons," the mayor of Washington, D.C., said in a tweet Sunday. In one more sign of the anger and contempt in the national conversation, she added, "There is just a scared man. Afraid/alone."
Experts: 'Perfect storm' of civil unrest following George Floyd's death unique, effective
At the White House, the president's advisers reportedly were divided over whether he should deliver an address to the nation, as his predecessors have sometimes done at difficult times. In March, Trump himself had delivered an 11-minute Oval Office address on the coronavirus, although independent fact-checkers said the speech was filled with misleading information and it was blamed for travel chaos and a stock-market plunge that followed.
“Whether he has an address from the Oval or he speaks to the press," national security adviser Robert O'Brien said on CNN's State of the Union, "he’s accessible and will continue to be accessible to the country and give his views on these events, which are tragic for the country.”
Indeed, Trump was giving his views on these events on his favorite communications channel, his Twitter feed. They seemed designed not to unify but to sharpen the cultural divide and stoke his partisan base.
“Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arrived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night,” he said, saying “ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly.” He posted another tweet that said: “The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization," a reference to a loosely affiliated movement of anti-facist provocateurs.
And another: “The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy,” he tweeted. “As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS.”
That tweet followed attacks on reporters by protesters in Detroit, Minneapolis, Phoenix and elsewhere. Police officers fired pepper spray at journalists who were covering the demonstrations in Louisville and arrested journalists in Minneapolis and Las Vegas.
For the first time, Twitter itself added warning labels to two tweets by Trump and the White House about the Minneapolis protests, saying they glorified violence.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, described Trump's rhetoric as "not helpful." Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, issued a public plea to the president. "There are times that you should just stop, and this is one of those times," she said on CBS' Face the Nation. "He's making it worse."
Wars, recessions, pandemics and civil unrest have left scars in American history that that change the country's course, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. The challenges of today will surely reverberate through the year and beyond in ways that are impossible at the moment to predict.
Not to mention through November's election.
Court review: Legal immunity for police misconduct may get Supreme Court review


usatoday--2020-06-02--'Law and order.' Trump returns to 2016 theme as violence spreads after George Floyd death

WASHINGTON – As he stood on stage at the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday , President Donald Trump reflected the depth of the crises facing his administration : Acknowledging `` pain '' felt by millions of Americans , he called for `` healing , not hatred . ''
Forty-eight hours later , peaceful protesters were cleared from a park near the White House as the president stood in the Rose Garden describing himself as `` your president of law and order '' and demanding that local officials `` dominate the streets '' – or else .
The whipsaw shift in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the White House and its conservative allies : The increasingly confrontational demonstrations taking place across the USA , observers said , have given Trump an opportunity to reprise his get-tough approach to law enforcement from 2016 .
`` We ’ re not going to solve our issues of racial inequality or feelings of economic hopelessness brought on by the coronavirus pandemic overnight , but we can stop the riots and protests with bold , definitive and unapologetic action , '' said Jason Miller , who served as a senior communications adviser to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brandished that message with a high degree of drama Monday , appearing in the Rose Garden on short notice as Secret Service and military police swiftly cleared an adjacent park of protesters – their tear gas and flash-bang canisters punctuating his words .
Trump then strolled through the park to stand outside a historic church within view of the White House that had been vandalized the night before .
`` I swore an oath to uphold the laws of our nation , and that is exactly what I will do , '' Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not call up the National Guard to quell the violence he would do it for them .
`` We will end it now . ''
Trump 's walk to St. John 's Episcopal Church , which sustained fire damage a day earlier as protests turned violent , followed reports that he had been hurried into an underground bunker at the White House as protests began to build on Friday – an episode that drew a storm of criticism .
Trump wanted to pay his respects to the church but also wanted to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not `` in the bunker , '' said one official who requested anonymity to discuss the president ’ s strategy .
But the display drew fierce criticism from Democrats , who noted that at the exact moment the president was describing himself as an `` ally '' of peaceful protesters , military police were clearing a park of protesters who were demonstrating without incident .
Several Democratic lawmakers dismissed the event Monday as a `` photo-op . ''
`` The fascist speech Donald Trump just delivered verged on a declaration of war against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wyden , D-Oregon .
`` I fear for our country tonight and will not stop defending America against Trump ’ s assault . ''
Trump 's speech was short on specific action : Many of the governors in states affected by violence already had activated the National Guard .
But it coincided with a push by the White House to ramp up the `` law and order '' rhetoric that Trump embraced in the 2016 campaign and during his inauguration , when he vowed to end `` American carnage . ''
In 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law and order candidate '' at a time when the nation was wrestling with many of the same questions about police use of force and the targeting of African Americans as it is now .
`` We must maintain law and order at the highest level or we will cease to have a country , '' Trump said in the summer 2016 during an address in Virginia .
The president returned to that message in a call with governors Monday , calling them `` weak '' and arguing they needed to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` anarchists '' he said were behind the violence .
Using blunt language , Trump urged the governors to crack down hard on the protests that have turned violent in dozens of cities .
In another example of that more aggressive messaging , White House officials said Monday that the president was considering invoking an 1807 federal law that would allow him to deploy active-duty U.S. troops to respond to protests in cities .
Known as the Insurrection Act , it was last used in 1992 for the Rodney King riots in Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tools available , '' White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said .
`` Whether the president decides to pursue that , that 's his prerogative .
Right now we 're looking at a focus on the National Guard .
That 's where it currently stands . ''
Trump did not mention the act in his remarks .
Though Trump 's core supporters embraced the more combative approach , outside observers noted that it carries significant risk .
Federal and state officials traditionally seek to lower the temperature when unrest breaks out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's remarks could further escalate the demonstrations .
Trump has also largely side-stepped the underlying issues driving the protests : The death of George Floyd , the unarmed back man who died in police custody in Minneapolis .
Trump said the nation is `` sickened and revolted '' by Floyd 's death – and he promised justice for the family – but stopped short of addressing the systemic concerns of racism and disparate use of force that have sparked the anger .
`` I am not convinced that running on a platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do much for him politically , '' said Democratic strategist Jim Manley .
`` His base will love it but given his propensity to overreach he will just turn off the swing voters in the suburbs . ''
Matt Mackowiak , a GOP political consultant , was one of several Republicans who suggested Trump could bind the nation 's wounds with a formal address , perhaps from the Oval Office .
Mackowiak spoke with USA TODAY before the president 's remarks .
`` I believe a national address would be helpful if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senseless Floyd killing and urged calm and nonviolent protest , '' he said .
`` I believe the silent majority sympathizes with anger over the Floyd killing while they are also horrified at the rioting and looting . ''
Some Republican lawmakers have sharpened their criticism of the president 's tone during the unrest .
Sen. Pat Toomey , R-Pa. , said some of Trump 's `` tweets have not been helpful . ''
Sen. Susan Collins , a Republican from Maine who is facing a tough re-election , said the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to work on the underlying racial injustice in this country , but we need to do so in a peaceful manner . ''
But administration officials indicated Monday that Trump believes he has spoken sufficiently on the topic , and that his goal would be to take actions to promote security .
That approach is more in Trump 's wheelhouse : Setting up fights not only with those protesters who are causing trouble but also Democratic mayors in the besieged cities .
Through the highs and lows of his presidency , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a conventional wisdom that most Americans have already made up theirs mind about him .
It 's not clear that Trump could `` heal '' a highly polarized nation , several observers said , even if he wanted to .
`` This is heartbreaking .
The divide in our homes and among our friends is now on the streets , '' veteran GOP consultant Frank Luntz told USA TODAY before Trump 's visit to St. John 's .
`` But politically , I understand why he 's remained quiet .
The people he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear him , and his base is appalled at the looting . ''
The unrest and angst , much of it driven by racial tension , has prompted comparisons to 1968 , when Richard Nixon ran for president in part on a `` law and order '' platform following race riots prompted by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Matt Dallek , a political historian at George Washington University who has studied social crises , said that the comparison to the 1960s works only to a point .
Americans , he noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's handling of Vietnam .
`` I do think there ’ s an interesting echo in that Lyndon Johnson was in many ways the author of his own defeat , '' Dallek said .
But Johnson had already removed himself from the race in 1968 .
And Trump , Dallek noted , has already run a campaign focused on law and order .
`` What ( Trump ) really promised was a restoration of order and what we 've seen is really the opposite , '' Dallek said .
`` In many ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

John Fritze and David Jackson, USA TODAY

'Law and order': Trump returns to 2016 theme as violence spreads after George Floyd death
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump: I'll send military if governors can't control protests U.S. president Donald Trump said he would deploy the military if state officials didn't quell the violence amidst protests after George Floyd's death. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – At the Kennedy Space Center over the weekend, President Donald Trump reflected the crises facing his administration: Acknowledging the "pain" felt by millions of Americans, he called for "healing, not hatred."
Forty-eight hours later, as peaceful protesters were cleared from a park near the White House, the president stood in the Rose Garden, described himself as "your president of law and order" and demanded local officials "dominate the streets" – or else.
The whipsaw shift in tone underscored a change of direction from the White House and its conservative allies: The increasingly confrontational demonstrations taking place across the USA, observers said, have given Trump an opportunity to reprise his get-tough approach to law enforcement from the 2016 campaign.
"We’re not going to solve our issues of racial inequality or feelings of economic hopelessness brought on by the coronavirus pandemic overnight, but we can stop the riots and protests with bold, definitive and unapologetic action," said Jason Miller, who served as a senior communication adviser to Trump's 2016 campaign.
The president brandished that message with a high degree of drama and controversy Monday, appearing in the Rose Garden as Secret Service and police swiftly cleared an adjacent park of protesters. Trump then strolled through the park to stand outside historic St. John's Church, which had been vandalized the night before.
On Twitter Tuesday, Trump touted what he said was "overwhelming force" and "domination" of protesters in D.C.
Critics, including some Republicans, described the visit to St. John's church as a "photo-op" and a "stunt" designed to give the president an image of walking through Lafayette Square that was widely shared by his supporters on social media. Though there has been violence and rowdiness in the same park in recent days, reporters observing the events and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said the demonstrations were calm for hours leading up to their abrupt removal.
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., who occasionally criticizes Trump, slammed the president not only for clearing the park but also holding up a Bible when he arrived at St. John's Episcopal Church near the White House.
"There is no right to riot, no right to destroy others’ property and no right to throw rocks at police," Sasse said. "But there is a fundamental – a constitutional – right to protest, and I’m against clearing out a peaceful protest for a photo op that treats the Word of God as a political prop."
Sasse was not alone in that assessment.
"Anybody that protests something like that peacefully should not be impeded either," said Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind. "So that it's a tough call because you're in the moment and it all gets a little blurry but we got to do better at that."
Many Trump supporters viewed the walk across Lafayette Square as a moment of strength and a demonstration of the president's resolve to end the violence ripping through American cities. They questioned media coverage of the park's clearing and, in particular, reporting that tear gas was deployed.
The U.S. Park Police said in a statement Tuesday that its officers issued three warnings over a loudspeaker to alert demonstrators to evacuate the area. As many of the protestors became more combative, continued to throw projectiles and attempted to grab officers’ weapons, the statement said, officers used smoke canisters and pepper balls. No tear gas was used by the Park Police or other law enforcement to close the area around Lafayette Park, the agency said.
Trump's walk to St. John's, which was damaged by fire a day earlier as protests turned violent, followed reports that he had been hurried into an underground bunker at the White House as protests built Friday – an episode that drew a storm of criticism. Trump, who frequently describes his political opponents as "weak" and who uses the 1978 song "Macho Man" in the playlist at campaign and official events, wanted to pay his respects to the church but also wanted to leave the White House to prove he was not "in the bunker," said one official who requested anonymity to discuss the president’s strategy.
Trump's display drew fierce criticism from Democrats, who noted that at the exact moment the president was describing himself as an "ally" of peaceful protesters, military police were clearing a park of protesters who were demonstrating without incident.
The criticism did not deter Trump from visiting a Catholic shrine across town Tuesday, a trip that was slammed by a top church official, Washington Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory.
“I find it baffling that and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree,” Gregory said in a statement.
In 2016, Trump repeatedly described himself as "the law and order candidate" as the nation was wrestling with many of the same questions about police use of force and the targeting of African Americans as it is now.
"We must maintain law and order at the highest level, or we will cease to have a country," Trump said in the summer of 2016 during an address in Virginia.
The president returned to that message in a call with governors Monday, calling them "weak" and arguing they needed to "dominate" the "radicals" and "anarchists" he said were behind the violence. Using blunt language, Trump urged the governors to crack down hard on violent protests in dozens of cities.
In another example of that more aggressive messaging, White House officials said this week that the president was considering invoking an 1807 federal law that would allow him to deploy active-duty U.S. troops to respond to protests in cities. Known as the Insurrection Act, it was last used in 1992 in response to the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles.
Though Trump's core supporters may embrace the more combative approach, outside observers noted that it carries risk. Federal and state officials traditionally seek to lower the temperature when unrest breaks out, not raise it. It's possible Trump's remarks could escalate the demonstrations. Washington officials reported more than 300 arrests Monday, most for curfew violations.
Trump has largely side-stepped the protests' underlying issues. He said the nation is "sickened and revolted" by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis – and he promised justice for Floyd's family – but he stopped short of addressing the systemic concerns of racism and disparate use of force that sparked the anger.
"You have an upset nation," said James Williams, 49, an African American who attended the demonstration Monday at Lafayette Square, along with his wife and 14-year-old son. Williams, an engineer from suburban Virginia – a battleground area in the presidential election – also participated in Sunday's protest.
"I came to see how everyone else feels about the injustice that is being done to African American people," Williams said, adding that the country's law enforcement system is "not the same for African Americans as it is for white Americans."
Democratic strategist Jim Manley said he was not convinced that running on a platform of law and order was necessarily going to help Trump much. "His base will love it, but given his propensity to overreach, he will just turn off the swing voters in the suburbs."
Matt Mackowiak, a GOP political consultant, was one of several Republicans who suggested Trump could bind the nation's wounds with a formal address, perhaps from the Oval Office. Mackowiak spoke with USA TODAY before the president's remarks Monday.
"I believe a national address would be helpful if the president spoke to the intense anger over the senseless Floyd killing and urged calm and nonviolent protest," he said. "I believe the silent majority sympathizes with anger over the Floyd killing while they are also horrified at the rioting and looting."
Some Republican lawmakers sharpened their criticism of the president's tone during the unrest. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said some of Trump's "tweets have not been helpful." Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who faces a tough reelection, said the president should highlight "the fact that we need to work on the underlying racial injustice in this country, but we need to do so in a peaceful manner."
Administration officials indicated Monday that Trump believes he has spoken sufficiently on the topic and that his goal would be to take actions to promote security. That approach is more in Trump's wheelhouse: setting up fights not only with those protesters who are causing trouble but also Democratic mayors in the besieged cities.
Through the highs and lows of his presidency, Trump's polling has remained consistent – underscoring a conventional wisdom that most Americans have made up their mind about him. It's not clear that Trump could "heal" a highly polarized nation, several observers said, even if he wanted to.
"This is heartbreaking. The divide in our homes and among our friends is now on the streets," veteran GOP consultant Frank Luntz told USA TODAY before Trump's visit to St. John's. "But politically, I understand why he's remained quiet. The people he needs to address don't want to hear him, and his base is appalled at the looting."
The unrest and angst, much of it driven by racial tension, has prompted comparisons to 1968, when Richard Nixon ran for president in part on a "law and order" platform after race riots prompted by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Matt Dallek, a political historian at George Washington University who has studied social crises, said the comparison to the 1960s works only to a point.
Americans, he noted, were also angry with President Lyndon Johnson's handling of Vietnam.
"I do think there’s an interesting echo in that Lyndon Johnson was in many ways the author of his own defeat," Dallek said.
But Johnson had already removed himself from the race in 1968. And Trump, Dallek said, has already run a campaign focused on law and order.
"What (Trump) really promised was a restoration of order, and what we've seen is really the opposite," Dallek said. "In many ways, he's inflamed an already bad situation."
Contributing: Caren Bohan, Christal Hayes, Nicholas Wu


usatoday--2020-06-02--A June Super Tuesday? Everything you need to know about today's primaries

WASHINGTON – There are multiple presidential primary elections taking place around the country Tuesday as election season chugs forward amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Think of it as the `` Super Tuesday '' of postponed elections .
Several states delayed or made changes to their scheduled primary plans due to the outbreak , and have been postponing their upcoming contests since mid-March .
Many have expanded vote-by-mail options , as well .
The elections also come as protests have engulfed the nation after the death of George Floyd in police custody .
Former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was charged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed him kneeling on Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes .
More : More than a dozen states have delayed their primaries due to coronavirus Here are the states hosting primary elections , what you need to know and the latest regarding the widespread protests affecting polling places : Voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia will cast ballots in presidential primary elections .
Originally scheduled to host primaries on Tuesday were : Meanwhile , the states that postponed their elections to Tuesday due to COVID-19 crisis are : More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to watch as Democrats , Republicans vie for House , Senate nods Who is on the ballot ?
While there are still presidential primaries on the calendar , former Vice President Joe Biden is the Democratic Party 's presumptive nominee .
All other candidates have exited the race .
More : Donald Trump 's 2020 campaign app gets a boost with Phunware partnership , one day after Twitter fact-check However , in some states former Democratic primary contenders will still appear on the ballot , including Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. After ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned to stay on the ballot in the remaining primary states to earn delegates .
He and Biden reached a deal that while Sanders-won delegates will shift to Biden , their delegate slots will be filled by Sanders supporters .
Additionally , President Donald Trump already has the delegates to clinch the Republican nomination .
Former Massachusetts Gov .
Bill Weld , the last Republican who challenged Trump in the Republican primary , ended his longshot bid in March .
Tuesday 's primaries are a test run of several state 's mail-in voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting might look on Election Day , which is Nov. 3 .
One reason : Biden is not technically the nominee until a majority of delegates have voted to make it so at the Democratic convention .
Some states , like Connecticut and New York , allow primaries to be canceled if there is only one candidate remaining on the ballot .
However , New York tried this , and a federal judge in Manhattan ruled the state must hold its primary , which is on June 23 .
Additionally , while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which citizens can vote in on Tuesday , there are down-ballot primaries for House and Senate seats or runoffs , as well .
'Battle against the swamp ' : Steve King fighting for his political life in competitive primary Would there have been a different outcome if states would had voted on their original day ?
Sanders dropped out April 8 .
That 's after Indiana , Maryland , Pennsylvania and Rhode Island , along with other states , all postponed their primaries in mid- or late March .
His exit followed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the primary election cycle , causing his momentum to fizzle , particularly after the South Carolina primary on Feb. 29 , when black voters backed Biden in large numbers .
That primary foreshadowed struggles Sanders would have with a key Democratic constituency going into Super Tuesday three days later .
Sanders won the biggest Super Tuesday prize – California .
But he lost 10 other states to Biden that night , including Texas , a state in which Sanders had invested a lot of time and energy .
After that , he never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to definitively know whether Sanders could have made a roaring comeback in the states that delayed their contests due to COVID-19 , but he was 300 delegates behind Biden when he left the race , and is now more than 500 behind .
Biden has 1,566 delegates and needs 1,991 to seal the nomination .
In the states that were rescheduled to June 2 , Sanders won half in 2016 against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton .
Sanders took Indiana and Rhode Island , while Clinton won Maryland and Pennsylvania .
Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the states voting on Tuesday have seen a huge increase in absentee ballot requests .
More : Conway compares waiting in line to vote to standing in line at Georgetown Cupcake , which is delivery-only Several states , plus D.C. , changed the rules of how to run their elections to include guidelines for social distancing , as well as promoting increased mail-in voting .
And despite the president 's hammering against mail voting , some Republican-leaning states , like Indiana , have encouraged voters to cast their ballots by mail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties the option of holding the primary election by mail-in ballot due to coronavirus concerns , and as of early last week roughly 35 % of the total ballots mailed to residents had been returned to the state .
More : State of Montana says 35 % of mail-in ballots returned so far for June primary election In Indiana , according to the South Bend Tribune , more than a half-million registered voters are plan to participate in the primary by using mail-in ballots , which would be the highest number in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report issues with absentee ballots that could exclude votes in upcoming primary Rep. Ben Ray Luján , of New Mexico , is urging his state 's Secretary of State to extend the deadline for turning in absentee ballots due to previous mail delays .
Luján , the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House , said his office has heard reports of “ some ballots that are missing altogether.
” Kathy Boockvar , Pennsylvania 's secretary of the state , said Monday that more than a million voters already have cast ballots by mail .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be delays in counting .
Tuesday 's primary will be a test to see whether widespread remote voting may be doable for November 's general contest .
The death of George Floyd has sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial discrimination in cities across the United States .
Floyd , an unarmed black man , died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25 after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee .
Before his death , video captured Floyd desperately telling the officer , who had his knee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could n't breathe .
'Most of you are weak ' : Trump rails at the nation 's governors , urges crackdown on violence Police cars and government buildings burned , the National Guard was deployed , and some of the country 's largest cities instituted curfews .
USA TODAY reached out to the states hosting primaries on Tuesday regarding potential demonstrations and protests .
Miguel Nunez , deputy director of elections of Rhode Island , said election officials are in communication with the Department of Homeland Security and the Rhode Island State Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or other demonstration that could affect voting .
He said they haven ’ t gotten indication of any so far .
He said Rhode Island has not changed any election protocols to deal with the possibility of rioting during voting , but he stressed “ that situation could change , ” particularly in and around Providence , the state ’ s largest city and capital .
Nunez said each voting sites in Providence , East Providence and Cranston had already planned to be staffed with one police officer apiece to ensure the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More : Trump briefly taken to underground bunker as protests grew outside White House '' Over the weekend , several cities and communities across PA saw tensions turn into civil unrest and looting following peaceful protests .
Gov .
Wolf activated the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center at ( Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency ) , '' Wanda Murren , director for the Office of Communications and Press for the Pennsylvania Department of State , told USA TODAY .
`` DOS is closely in touch with PEMA and our other state and federal election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties impacted , and are monitoring and tracking these events and disturbances closely .
We will inform the public if we have any information that could impact pre-election operations or on Election Day , '' she continued .
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced on Monday that he would extend his city 's curfew order for an additional night , beginning at 8 p.m. Monday and ending at 4 a.m. Tuesday , which was two hours earlier than the first order , because of voting starting at 6 a.m. His order also includes an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that curfew for “ election-related activities.
” More : Fires started near White House as DC curfew kicks in following a day of protests In D.C. on Monday , following protests Sunday night , Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a curfew starting at 7 p.m. Monday that would last two days .
However , Bowser said it will not impact Tuesday ’ s primary in D.C. , and that voters will be allowed to vote until the polls close at 8 p.m .

A June Super Tuesday? Everything you need to know about today's primaries
Show Caption Hide Caption Difference between caucus and primary, explained The 2020 election is nearing and with that, comes the caucuses and primary elections. But what’s the difference? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – There are multiple presidential primary elections taking place around the country Tuesday as election season chugs forward amid the coronavirus pandemic. Think of it as the "Super Tuesday" of postponed elections.
Several states delayed or made changes to their scheduled primary plans due to the outbreak and have been postponing their contests since mid-March. Many have expanded vote-by-mail options, as well.
The elections also come as protests have engulfed the nation after the death of George Floyd in police custody. Former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter after bystander video showed him kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.
More: More than a dozen states have delayed their primaries due to coronavirus
Here are the states hosting primary elections, what you need to know and the latest regarding the widespread protests affecting polling places:
Which states states are holding primary contests?
Voters in seven states plus the District of Columbia will cast ballots in presidential primary elections.
Originally scheduled to host primaries on Tuesday were:
New Mexico
South Dakota
Washington, D.C.
Montana
Meanwhile, the states that postponed their elections to Tuesday due to the COVID-19 crisis are:
Indiana, rescheduled from May 5
Maryland, rescheduled from April 28
Pennsylvania, rescheduled from April 28
Rhode Island, rescheduled from April 28
More: June 2 primaries: 6 races to watch as Democrats, Republicans vie for House, Senate nods
Who is on the ballot?
Although there are still presidential primaries on the calendar, former Vice President Joe Biden is the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. All other candidates have exited the race.
More: Donald Trump's 2020 campaign app gets a boost with Phunware partnership, one day after Twitter fact-check
However, in some states former Democratic primary contenders will still appear on the ballot, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. After ending his campaign, Sanders said he planned to stay on the ballot in the remaining primary states to earn delegates. He and Biden reached a deal that while Sanders-won delegates will shift to Biden, their delegate slots will be filled by Sanders supporters.
Additionally, President Donald Trump already has the delegates to clinch the Republican nomination. Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, the last Republican who challenged Trump in the primary, ended his longshot bid in March.
Tuesday's primaries are a test run of several state's mail-in voting systems and offer a glimpse at how voting might look on Election Day, which is Nov. 3.
Why host these primaries?
One reason: Biden is not technically the nominee until a majority of delegates have voted to make it so at the Democratic convention.
Some states, like Connecticut and New York, allow primaries to be canceled if there is only one candidate remaining on the ballot. However, New York tried this, and a federal judge in Manhattan ruled the state must hold its primary, which is on June 23.
Additionally, while the presidential primaries are the highest-ranking contest in which citizens can vote Tuesday, there are down-ballot primaries for House and Senate seats or runoffs, as well.
'Battle against the swamp': Steve King fighting for his political life in competitive primary
More: Obama says George Floyd's death shouldn't be 'normal'
Would there have been a different outcome if states would had voted on their original day?
Sanders dropped out April 8. That's after Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, along with other states, postponed their primaries in mid- or late March.
His exit followed a string of losses to Biden earlier in the primary election cycle, causing his momentum to fizzle, particularly after the South Carolina primary on Feb. 29, when black voters backed Biden in large numbers. That primary foreshadowed struggles Sanders would have with a key Democratic constituency going into Super Tuesday three days later.
More: Will mail-in voting decide America’s next president?
Sanders won the biggest Super Tuesday prize – California. But he lost 10 other states to Biden that night, including Texas, a state in which Sanders had invested a lot of time and energy. After that, he never regained his footing.
It's impossible to definitively know whether Sanders could have made a roaring comeback in the states that delayed their contests due to COVID-19, but he was 300 delegates behind Biden when he left the race, and is now more than 500 behind. Biden has 1,566 delegates and needs 1,991 to seal the nomination.
In the states that were rescheduled to June 2, Sanders won half in 2016 against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Sanders took Indiana and Rhode Island, while Clinton won Maryland and Pennsylvania.
More: Biden lead over Trump jumps 8 points in ABC News/Washington Post poll
Are most people voting by mail?
Almost all of the states voting Tuesday have seen a huge increase in absentee ballot requests.
More: Conway compares waiting in line to vote to standing in line at Georgetown Cupcake, which is delivery-only
Several states, plus D.C., changed the rules of how to run their elections to include guidelines for social distancing, as well as promoting increased mail-in voting.
And despite the president's hammering against mail voting, some Republican-leaning states, like Indiana, have encouraged voters to cast their ballots by mail.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock gave counties the option of holding the primary election by mail-in ballot due to coronavirus concerns, and as of early last week roughly 35% of the total ballots mailed to residents had been returned to the state.
More: State of Montana says 35% of mail-in ballots returned so far for June primary election
In Indiana, according to the South Bend Tribune, more than a half-million registered voters plan to participate in the primary by using mail-in ballots, which would be the highest number in the state's history.
More: Residents report issues with absentee ballots that could exclude votes in upcoming primary
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico is urging his state's Secretary of State to extend the deadline for turning in absentee ballots due to previous mail delays. Luján, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, said his office has heard reports of “some ballots that are missing altogether.”
Kathy Boockvar, Pennsylvania's secretary of the state, said Monday that more than a million voters already had cast ballots by mail.
Some states have urged patience as there could be delays in counting. Tuesday's primary will be a test to see whether widespread remote voting may be doable for November's general contest.
Will curfews from protests impact Tuesday's primary?
The death of George Floyd has sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial discrimination in cities across the United States.
Floyd, an unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25 after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee. Before his death, video captured Floyd desperately telling the officer, who had his knee on Floyd's neck, that he couldn't breathe.
'Most of you are weak': Trump rails at the nation's governors, urges crackdown on violence
Police cars and government buildings burned, the National Guard was deployed, and some of the country's largest cities instituted curfews.
USA TODAY reached out to the states hosting primaries on Tuesday regarding potential demonstrations and protests.
Miguel Nunez, deputy director of elections in Rhode Island, said election officials are in communication with the Department of Homeland Security and the Rhode Island State Police about possible planned protests at election sites or other demonstration that could affect voting. He said they haven’t gotten indication of any so far.
George Floyd: Biden meets with black leaders at local church amid unrest
He said Rhode Island has not changed any election protocols to deal with the possibility of rioting during voting, but he stressed “that situation could change,” particularly in and around Providence, the state’s largest city and capital.
Nunez said each voting site in Providence, East Providence and Cranston already had planned to be staffed with one police officer to ensure the coronavirus pandemic's social distancing requirements are followed.
More: Trump briefly taken to underground bunker as protests grew outside White House
"Over the weekend, several cities and communities across PA saw tensions turn into civil unrest and looting following peaceful protests. Gov. Wolf activated the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center at (Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency)," Wanda Murren, director for the Office of Communications and Press for the Pennsylvania Department of State, told USA TODAY.
"DOS is closely in touch with PEMA and our other state and federal election security partners, as well as the counties impacted, and are monitoring and tracking these events and disturbances closely. We will inform the public if we have any information that could impact pre-election operations or on Election Day," she continued.
More: Indianapolis extends curfew through Tuesday morning
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced on Monday that he would extend his city's curfew order for an additional night, beginning at 8 p.m. Monday and ending at 4 a.m. Tuesday, which was two hours earlier than the first order, because of voting starting at 6 a.m.
His order also includes an exception of permitting people to travel during that curfew for “election-related activities.”
More: Fires started near White House as DC curfew kicks in following a day of protests
In D.C. on Monday, following protests Sunday night, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a curfew starting at 7 p.m. Monday that would last two days. However, Bowser said it will not impact Tuesday’s primary in D.C., and that voters will be allowed to vote until the polls close at 8 p.m.
Contributing: Rebecca Morin, Joey Garrison, Ledyard King, USA TODAY; Candy Woodall, York Daily Record; Phil Drake, Great Falls Tribune.


usatoday--2020-06-02--George Floyd protests: How to avoid disinformation and misinformation on Facebook and Twitter

George Floyd is not really dead .
Billionaire philanthropist George Soros is supplying bricks to protesters .
Hoaxes , conspiracy theories and other falsehoods like these are surging on Facebook and Twitter following Floyd ’ s death in police custody in Minneapolis .
Bad actors exploit large-scale events dominating the national conversation to sow chaos and fear and deepen distrust and division , disinformation experts say .
In this case , they ’ ve seized on America ’ s rawest political division – race – and the growing furor over police brutality to hijack protests across the country .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sustained attention and most of all just deep existing divisions that make it a perfect confluence of events for disinformation from a range of actors who are known to spread it , '' says Graham Brookie , director of the Atlantic Council 's Digital Forensic Research Lab .
'Nowhere to be found ' : Governors blast Trump after he tells them they are 'weak ' on phone call And these campaigns could intensify following President Trump ’ s threat late Monday to deploy the military to stop “ acts of domestic terror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be out-of-context images of the military .
There will be rumors about military presence that maybe isn ’ t happening .
It ’ s very easy for people to do .
They just google images of the military near a protest and circulate those pictures and say : ‘ This is whatever city tonight , ’ '' says Peter Adams , senior vice president of education at the News Literacy Project .
`` They hope some of it will stick and go viral .
And it takes time for fact checkers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we are already more susceptible to false claims .
So how can we stop falling for and spreading bogus information ?
Do your homework before sharing What 's making it tougher to discern fact from fiction : Protests are hyper local events .
“ Every afternoon and every evening brings different protests and different degrees of unrest in different cities .
Because social media collapses those distances and brings those images and those video clips together , it can be very hard for people to understand what ’ s authentic and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Take a few minutes to research each piece of information before passing it on .
Ask yourself : Who is the person publishing this information ?
Is this person reliable ?
What else has this person posted ?
Does the person publishing this information have something to gain ?
Are the claims in the post being backed up by reputable sources ?
`` Consider the source , which guards you against disinformation , the intentional spread of false information , and consider the source ’ s source , which guards you against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information , '' Brookie advises .
Watch out for posts that make your blood boil Beware social media posts that deliberately incite fear , strain credulity or play on your emotions .
Ask yourself : Why is someone trying to make me feel this way ?
“ People just have to remember to pause and don ’ t react too fast .
Don ’ t share something you don ’ t know is authentic , even if it ’ s outrageous to you or strikes a strong emotional cord , ” Adams says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know has been verified in some way.
” Disinformation preys on our biases and our behavior to gain traction , especially in a crisis .
We are much more likely to share something that fits our world view .
So check your bias , Brookie advises .
And remember , he says : `` Not everything needs to be tweeted . ''
Do n't trust everything you see We instinctively trust images and video , but they can be taken out of context , edited or digitally manipulated .
Some `` live '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media is on a loop , for example .
So check with sources you trust .
“ What ’ s extra challenging about this situation is that there is a lot of important footage and imagery being shared by folks on the ground who are documenting this , ” Adams says .
“ They are producing images and video that are part of the story but they need to be verified.
” Do n't forget your – or someone else 's – humanity .
We tend to dehumanize the person whose political views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heightened tensions .
`` Do n't make a fight out of being right , '' advises Brookie .
`` Give others the space in order to find facts for themselves and come to their own conclusions . ''
Disinformation needs a crowd – the bigger the better .
Effective campaigns thrive by recruiting unsuspecting members of the public who don ’ t realize they are amplifying and legitimizing posts seeking to inflame tensions or disrupt American life .

George Floyd protests: How to avoid disinformation and misinformation on Facebook and Twitter
Show Caption Hide Caption George Floyd remembered as 'a gentle giant' Friends and family of George Floyd express how they want him to be remembered. USA TODAY
George Floyd is not really dead. Billionaire philanthropist George Soros is supplying bricks to protesters.
Hoaxes, conspiracy theories and other falsehoods like these are spreading on Facebook and Twitter following Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis.
Bad actors exploit large-scale events dominating the national conversation to sow chaos and fear and deepen distrust and division, disinformation experts say. In this case, they’ve seized on America’s rawest political division – race – and the growing furor over police brutality to hijack protests across the country.
"Protest" has surged to become the most mentioned category of misinformation, overshadowing COVID-19, according to public health nonprofit Public Good Projects' misinformation tracking tool Project RCAID.
“We are seeing a rapidly evolving situation, sustained attention and most of all just deep existing divisions that make it a perfect confluence of events for disinformation from a range of actors who are known to spread it," says Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab.
'Nowhere to be found': Governors blast Trump after he tells them they are 'weak' on phone call
Medical examiner and family-commissioned: George Floyd's death was a homicide
And these campaigns could intensify following President Donald Trump’s threat late Monday to deploy the military to stop “acts of domestic terror."
“No doubt tonight there will be out-of-context images of the military. There will be rumors about military presence that maybe isn’t happening. It’s very easy for people to do. They just google images of the military near a protest and circulate those pictures and say: ‘This is whatever city tonight,’" says Peter Adams, senior vice president of education at the News Literacy Project. "They hope some of it will stick and go viral. And it takes time for fact checkers to debunk it.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are already more susceptible to false claims. So how can we stop falling for and spreading bogus information?
Do your homework before sharing
What's making it tougher to discern fact from fiction: Protests are hyperlocal events.
“Every afternoon and every evening brings different protests and different degrees of unrest in different cities. Because social media collapses those distances and brings those images and those video clips together, it can be very hard for people to understand what’s authentic and what’s not,” Adams says.
Josh Russell, an independent researcher who tracks foreign and domestic trolling operations, says to be on the lookout for fake antifa or Black Lives Matter accounts. "Right-wing trolls like to create them to scare people," Russell says.
Take a few minutes to research each piece of information before passing it on. Ask yourself: Who is the person publishing this information? Is this person reliable? What else has this person posted? Does the person publishing this information have something to gain? Are the claims in the post being backed up by reputable sources?
Be wary of viral tweets from Twitter accounts that are new and have very little identifying information, Russell says. And check if screenshots of tweets you share on Facebook are authentic.
"Consider the source, which guards you against disinformation, the intentional spread of false information, and consider the source’s source, which guards you against the unintentional or inadvertent spread of false information," Brookie advises.
Watch out for posts that make your blood boil
Beware social media posts that deliberately incite fear, strain credulity or play on your emotions. Ask yourself: Why is someone trying to make me feel this way?
“People just have to remember to pause and don’t react too fast. Don’t share something you don’t know is authentic, even if it’s outrageous to you or strikes a strong emotional cord,” Adams says. “Only share information that you know has been verified in some way.”
Check your bias
Disinformation preys on our biases and our behavior to gain traction, especially in a crisis. We are much more likely to share something that fits our world view.
So check your bias, Brookie advises. And remember, he says: "Not everything needs to be tweeted."
Don't trust everything you see
We instinctively trust images and video, but they can be taken out of context, edited or digitally manipulated. Use Google Image search to verify images.
For example, side-by-side photos began circulating online, one of Adolf Hitler, the other of Trump, each holding a bible after Trump appeared in front of St. John’s Church in Washington, D.C. The original 1935 photo of the Nazi German Fuhrer actually shows him saluting a crowd.
"Avoid video footage that has not been vetted by a journalist," Russell says. "People like to edit videos to match their political agenda."
And always check with sources you trust. “What’s extra challenging about this situation is that there is a lot of important footage and imagery being shared by folks on the ground who are documenting this,” Adams says. “They are producing images and video that are part of the story but they need to be verified.”
Be empathetic
Don't forget your – or someone else's – humanity. We tend to dehumanize the person whose political views we reject, especially during periods of heightened tensions.
"Don't make a fight out of being right," Brookie advises. "Give others the space in order to find facts for themselves and come to their own conclusions."
Don’t join the crowd
Disinformation needs a crowd – the bigger, the better. Effective campaigns thrive by recruiting unsuspecting members of the public who don’t realize they are amplifying and legitimizing posts seeking to inflame tensions or disrupt American life.