usatoday--2020-05-28--Mississippi mayor faces backlash for George Floyd comments: 'I didn't see anything unreasonable'

HATTIESBURG , Miss .
– A post by Petal , Mississippi , Mayor Hal Marx has sparked backlash , but he says his words were misinterpreted by some .
On Tuesday Marx tweeted `` Why in the world would anyone choose to become a police officer in our society today ? ''
The mayor was referring to the police officers who were fired Tuesday , a day after 46-year-old George Floyd died after being pinned to the ground by one of the officers .
Jason A. Darby , another Twitter user , responded by saying , `` Would be nice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand reasonable force , when it ’ s needed , and don ’ t give the rest of them a bad reputation . ''
What followed was a response by Marx that ignited backlash on Twitter : '' If you are talking about the incident in MN , I didn ’ t see anything unreasonable .
If you can say you can ’ t breathe , you ’ re breathing .
Most likely that man died of overdose or heart attack .
Video doesn ’ t show his resistance that got him in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The tweet and his account have since been deleted .
What Marx meant , he said , was no one knows for sure how Floyd died or what the circumstances were before he was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer .
`` I think that people are so quick to judge the police before they have all the facts , '' he said .
`` I ca n't say whether a crime was committed or whether they did anything right or wrong , all I 'm saying is do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you see in that video . ''
George Floyd video adds to trauma : 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online ? '
What we know : Minneapolis mayor calls for peace amid protests , fires , looting and anger erupt after George Floyd 's death Marx , who was first elected in 2009 , said he was asking people to wait until all the facts were out before throwing stones at the police .
`` I 've seen too many cases before where the police were judged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye but later were found to be not guilty under the law , '' he said .
`` For sending that , all of a sudden I 'm called racist , I need to have a knee put on my neck – all kinds of hateful stuff simply for having an opinion and asking people to get all the facts before they judge . ''
Regardless of Marx 's intent , Clarence Magee , president of the Forrest County NAACP in Mississippi , said the mayor 's remark was uncalled for .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor or anybody is very troubling , '' he said .
`` What we saw was disgusting on the part of the officer .
It leaves me with mixed emotions .
Believing and thinking that we have not gone far enough in this day and time with social media and all that kind of stuff – nobody should condone that .
Everybody should condemn it , including the mayor .
Skin color had nothing to do with it . ''
Magee said the loss of a human life should be the most important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message to people who are barbarian , who are terrorists , you are saying it 's OK .
But it 's not OK , '' Magee said .
`` That was somebody 's son .
Somebody 's father .
Somebody 's brother .
If the shoe was on the other foot , would he have the same statement to make ? ''
Marx said he was n't trying to make a statement .
He said people have interpreted his words how they want to without considering his intent .
`` They 've already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` If you 've got a different opinion , then you are somehow a horrible person .
There is nothing I said that is factually incorrect or racist or has anything to do with race at all . ''
Floyd 's story gained national attention through news reports and a video taken at the scene .
A bystander videotaping what happened documented Floyd on the ground , pleading with an officer as the officer keeps his knee pressed into Floyd ’ s neck .
Eventually Floyd stops talking .
About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becomes unresponsive .
Floyd was pronounced dead later at a local hospital .
Protesters took to the streets , marching from where Floyd was pinned to a police precinct more than 2 miles away .
Some protesters damaged windows , a squad car and spraying graffiti on the building .
A line of police in riot gear eventually confronted the protesters , firing tear gas and other projectiles .
George Floyd video adds to trauma : 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online ? '

Mississippi mayor refuses to resign after facing backlash for George Floyd comments: 'I didn't see anything unreasonable'
Show Caption Hide Caption FBI investigates death of George Floyd who died after police restraint The FBI is investigating the death of George Floyd after he was restrained by police in Minneapolis. USA TODAY, Storyful
Hal Marx, the mayor of Petal, Mississippi, rejected calls for his resignation after his comments in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis sparked controversy.
The Petal Board of Aldermen on Thursday held a special meeting seeking to persuade Marx to step down.
He refused.
"I will never surrender to the mob mentality," said Marx, adding that he and his family had received death threats.
Residents, with emotions running high, called for his resignation. Protests, sparked by his comments, are planned over the next three days.
The dispute started Tuesday when Marx tweeted "Why in the world would anyone choose to become a police officer in our society today?"
The mayor was referring to the police officers who were fired Tuesday, a day after Floyd died after being pinned to the ground by one of the officers.
Marx received backlash, but he says his words were misinterpreted by some.
Jason A. Darby, another Twitter user, responded by saying, "Would be nice to get a few in there that understand reasonable force, when it’s needed, and don’t give the rest of them a bad reputation."
What followed was a response by Marx that ignited criticism on Twitter:
"If you are talking about the incident in MN, I didn’t see anything unreasonable. If you can say you can’t breathe, you’re breathing. Most likely that man died of overdose or heart attack. Video doesn’t show his resistance that got him in that position. Police being crucified."
The tweet and his account have since been deleted.
What Marx meant, he said, was no one knows for sure how Floyd died or what the circumstances were before he was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer.
"I think that people are so quick to judge the police before they have all the facts," he said. "I can't say whether a crime was committed or whether they did anything right or wrong, all I'm saying is don't rush to judgment based on what you see in that video."
George Floyd video adds to trauma: 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online?'
What we know: Minneapolis mayor calls for peace amid protests, fires, looting and anger erupt after George Floyd's death
Marx, who was first elected in 2009, said he was asking people to wait until all the facts were out before throwing stones at the police.
"I've seen too many cases before where the police were judged to be guilty in the public's eye but later were found to be not guilty under the law," he said. "For sending that, all of a sudden I'm called racist, I need to have a knee put on my neck – all kinds of hateful stuff simply for having an opinion and asking people to get all the facts before they judge."
Regardless of Marx's intent, Clarence Magee, president of the Forrest County NAACP in Mississippi, said the mayor's remark was uncalled for.
"To hear that statement made by a mayor or anybody is very troubling," he said. "What we saw was disgusting on the part of the officer. It leaves me with mixed emotions. Believing and thinking that we have not gone far enough in this day and time with social media and all that kind of stuff – nobody should condone that. Everybody should condemn it, including the mayor. Skin color had nothing to do with it."
Magee said the loss of a human life should be the most important concern.
"You're sending a message to people who are barbarian, who are terrorists, you are saying it's OK. But it's not OK," Magee said. "That was somebody's son. Somebody's father. Somebody's brother. If the shoe was on the other foot, would he have the same statement to make?"
Marx said he wasn't trying to make a statement. He said people have interpreted his words how they want to without considering his intent.
"They've already got their minds made up," he said. "If you've got a different opinion, then you are somehow a horrible person. There is nothing I said that is factually incorrect or racist or has anything to do with race at all."
Floyd's story gained national attention through news reports and a video taken at the scene.
A bystander videotaping what happened documented Floyd on the ground, pleading with an officer as the officer keeps his knee pressed into Floyd’s neck. Eventually Floyd stops talking. About four minutes into the video, Floyd becomes unresponsive.
Floyd was pronounced dead later at a local hospital.
George Floyd remembered as 'gentle giant': Family calls his death 'murder'
George Floyd video adds to trauma: 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online?'


usatoday--2020-05-28--House passes PPP bill giving small businesses more time, flexibility to access small business loans

WASHINGTON – Thousands of restaurants , nail salons and other small businesses unable to take full advantage of the financial lifeline provided through the federal Paycheck Protection Program would get some needed flexibility under a bipartisan bill the House overwhelmingly passed Thursday .
The bill , now headed to the Senate , loosens some key rules regarding loan repayment and spending restrictions of the PPP .
The program , created in March as part of the CARES Act , has already provided more than 4.4 million small businesses with an infusion of cash to keep their workers on the payroll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. economy and upended daily life .
The $ 660 billion program , enacted as part of Congress ' response to the coronavirus crisis , provides businesses employing up to 500 workers forgivable loans of as much as $ 10 million .
But many businesses said the program 's structure is too rigid to accommodate different types of small businesses , especially restaurants whose rent-heavy expenses do not fit well in a program that prioritizes rehiring of employees .
The new changes would : • Lower to 60 % from 75 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that must be spent on payroll .
The rest must be spent on rent , utilities and other business-related expenses .
• Extend from eight to 24 weeks the amount of time the loan can cover .
• Extend from two to five years the time new PPP loans must be paid back if the amount provided does n't convert into a grant .
New York Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez , who chairs the House Small Business Committee , said the changes are needed to address an evolving pandemic which has led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to keep many businesses shut or far below capacity .
`` Small businesses continue to have a tough road ahead and they need flexibility in how they use this emergency capital , '' she said on the House floor before the chamber voted 417-1 to adopt the legislation .
The National Federation of Independent Businesses has endorsed the bill , saying it would clear up some of the confusion surrounding the program 's rules and give mom-and-pop enterprises more time and flexibility to open .
`` Local and state government shutdown orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act was enacted on March 27 , 2020 , making re-opening small businesses and re-hiring employees challenging , '' Kevin Kuhlman , NFIB 's vice president of Federal Government Relations wrote in a letter to lawmakers urging them to support the measure .
Republicans who control the Senate could take up the bill as early as next week .
They have shown an openness to addressing some changes to PPP .
Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio , who chairs the Senate Small Business Committee , has said he expects most of those proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Senate .
One possible disagreement could emerge over the House provision extending the loan amount to 24 weeks , Senators have discussed a short period , such as 16 weeks .
The House passed the measure on the second day that many members were able to vote by proxy , a historic change that allows one member to designate another as their `` proxy '' and cast floor votes on their behalf .
While the goal was to allow lawmakers to have a voice if they could not travel to Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House Republicans have argued that the rule does not abide by the Constitution and filed a lawsuit Tuesday evening challenging it .
Republicans argue any measure passed under this format , especially one where proxies cast the deciding vote , could be challenged legally , a point House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy echoed when it came to the small business legislation on Thursday .
“ I think everything taken up breathes the doubt of whether it 's constitutional or not , ” the California Republican said at his weekly press conference .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's about the constitutionality of anything they want to move forward .
”

House passes PPP bill giving small businesses more time, flexibility to access small business loans
Show Caption Hide Caption Coronavirus: Death toll reaches 100k people in the U.S. America hit a somber benchmark in the coronavirus pandemic, with the U.S. death toll reaching 100,000. USA TODAY, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON – Thousands of restaurants, nail salons and other small businesses unable to take full advantage of the financial lifeline provided through the federal Paycheck Protection Program would get some needed flexibility under a bipartisan bill the House overwhelmingly passed Thursday.
The bill, now headed to the Senate, loosens some key rules regarding loan repayment and spending restrictions of the PPP. The program, created in March as part of the CARES Act, has already provided more than 4.4 million small businesses with an infusion of cash to keep their workers on the payroll during the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated the U.S. economy and upended daily life.
The $660 billion program, enacted as part of Congress' response to the coronavirus crisis, provides businesses employing up to 500 workers forgivable loans of as much as $10 million. But many businesses said the program's structure is too rigid to accommodate different types of small businesses, especially restaurants whose rent-heavy expenses do not fit well in a program that prioritizes rehiring of employees.
Next round: House passes $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus plan, faces pushback in Republican-led Senate
The new changes would:
Lower to 60% from 75% the minimum portion of the PPP loan that must be spent on payroll. The rest must be spent on rent, utilities and other business-related expenses.
Extend from eight to 24 weeks the amount of time the loan can cover.
Extend from two to five years the time new PPP loans must be paid back if the amount provided doesn't convert into a grant.
New York Democratic Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who chairs the House Small Business Committee, said the changes are needed to address an evolving pandemic which has led to widespread adoption of social distancing measures that continue to keep many businesses shut or far below capacity.
"Small businesses continue to have a tough road ahead and they need flexibility in how they use this emergency capital," she said on the House floor before the chamber voted 417-1 to adopt the legislation.
The National Federation of Independent Businesses has endorsed the bill, saying it would clear up some of the confusion surrounding the program's rules and give mom-and-pop enterprises more time and flexibility to open.
"Local and state government shutdown orders have extended beyond expectations when the CARES Act was enacted on March 27, 2020, making re-opening small businesses and re-hiring employees challenging," Kevin Kuhlman, NFIB's vice president of Federal Government Relations wrote in a letter to lawmakers urging them to support the measure.
Republicans who control the Senate could take up the bill as early as next week. They have shown an openness to addressing some changes to PPP.
Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, who chairs the Senate Small Business Committee, has said he expects most of those proposed changes from the House to be acceptable to the Senate. One possible disagreement could emerge over the House provision extending the loan amount to 24 weeks, Senators have discussed a short period, such as 16 weeks.
The House passed the measure on the second day that many members were able to vote by proxy, a historic change that allows one member to designate another as their "proxy" and cast floor votes on their behalf.
While the goal was to allow lawmakers to have a voice if they could not travel to Washington safely due to the coronavirus pandemic, House Republicans have argued that the rule does not abide by the Constitution and filed a lawsuit Tuesday evening challenging it.
Republicans argue any measure passed under this format, especially one where proxies cast the deciding vote, could be challenged legally, a point House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy echoed when it came to the small business legislation on Thursday.
“I think everything taken up breathes the doubt of whether it's constitutional or not,” the California Republican said at his weekly press conference. “It is a legitimate question. It's about the constitutionality of anything they want to move forward.”
Contributing: Christal Hayes


usatoday--2020-05-28--Sen. Tim Kaine says he and his wife Anne Holton tested positive for coronavirus antibodies

WASHINGTON — Sen. Tim Kaine , D-Va. , announced Thursday he and his wife Anne Holton tested positive for coronavirus antibodies after experiencing flu-like symptoms in March and April , meaning they could have contracted the novel coronavirus .
Kaine said he had tested positive for the flu earlier in the year and received treatment from his doctors , but at the end of March , Kaine said he experienced new symptoms he thought were flu remnants and a pollen reaction .
Holton , the interim president of George Mason University , then `` experienced a short bout of fever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually a cough . ''
Their doctors thought it was possible they had mild cases of coronavirus , so they stayed home and self-isolated at their home in Richmond , Virginia , until they were symptom-free in mid-April .
Neither was tested for coronavirus at the time because of a shortage of tests .
`` Thx to stay-at-home guidance , we didn ’ t expose our vulnerable family , friends and colleagues , '' Holton wrote on Twitter .
Kaine was back in the Senate at the beginning of May as it returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More : House pulls FISA bill , will work with Senate on fixes after Trump says he would veto legislation More : Coronavirus antibody tests are available around the country .
Here 's why they may provide a false sense of security .
Kaine and Holton tested positive for coronavirus antibodies this month , Kaine said .
`` While those antibodies could make us less likely to be re-infected or infect others , there is still too much uncertainty over what protection antibodies may actually provide , '' he said .
CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive antibody test results do not necessarily indicate immunity from the virus .
False-positive results are also possible .
`` Serologic test results do not indicate with certainty the presence or absence of current or previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 , '' the CDC writes .
Want to talk more about politics ?
: Join our Facebook group : ‘ Across the Aisle , Across the Nation .
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Sen. Tim Kaine says he and his wife Anne Holton tested positive for coronavirus antibodies
Show Caption Hide Caption How antibodies in recovered COVID-19 patients could treat coronavirus The secret to fighting COVID-19 could be in recovered patients. Here's how antibodies could lead to a treatment for those fighting coronavirus. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., announced Thursday he and his wife Anne Holton tested positive for coronavirus antibodies after experiencing flu-like symptoms in March and April, meaning they could have contracted the novel coronavirus.
Kaine said he had tested positive for the flu earlier in the year and received treatment from his doctors, but at the end of March, Kaine said he experienced new symptoms he thought were flu remnants and a pollen reaction. Holton, the interim president of George Mason University, then "experienced a short bout of fever and chills, followed by congestion and eventually a cough."
Their doctors thought it was possible they had mild cases of coronavirus, so they stayed home and self-isolated at their home in Richmond, Virginia, until they were symptom-free in mid-April. Neither was tested for coronavirus at the time because of a shortage of tests.
"Thx to stay-at-home guidance, we didn’t expose our vulnerable family, friends and colleagues," Holton wrote on Twitter.
Kaine was back in the Senate at the beginning of May as it returned to work on nominations and pending legislation.
More: House pulls FISA bill, will work with Senate on fixes after Trump says he would veto legislation
More: Coronavirus antibody tests are available around the country. Here's why they may provide a false sense of security.
Some personal news: my husband @timkaine and I recently tested positive for COVID antibodies. We had mild symptoms in late March and early April. Thx to stay-at-home guidance, we didn’t expose our vulnerable family, friends and colleagues🙏🏽https://t.co/y3Pmeyqypk — Anne Holton (@AnneHolton) May 28, 2020
Kaine and Holton tested positive for coronavirus antibodies this month, Kaine said.
"While those antibodies could make us less likely to be re-infected or infect others, there is still too much uncertainty over what protection antibodies may actually provide," he said.
CDC guidelines on coronavirus antibody tests note that positive antibody test results do not necessarily indicate immunity from the virus. False-positive results are also possible.
"Serologic test results do not indicate with certainty the presence or absence of current or previous infection with SARS-CoV-2," the CDC writes.
Want to talk more about politics?: Join our Facebook group: ‘Across the Aisle, Across the Nation.’


usatoday--2020-05-28--Texas Supreme Court: Lack of coronavirus immunity doesn't qualify voters for mail-in ballots

Rejecting claims raised by state Democrats , the Texas Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a lack of immunity to the coronavirus does not entitle voters to a mail-in ballot under state law .
Texas election law limits mail-in ballots to specific categories of voters , such as those with a disability that prevents them from safely traveling to a polling place .
Backing arguments made by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , the state ’ s highest civil court said the law ’ s definition of disability applies to a `` sickness or physical condition , '' not a generalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Disabled '' normally means being incapacitated by an injury or illness , Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote in an opinion joined by six other justices , including Justice Debra Lehrmann , who announced last week that she and her husband had contracted COVID-19 despite taking numerous precautions .
`` In no sense can a lack of immunity be said to be such an incapacity , '' he wrote .
`` Accordingly , we conclude that a lack of immunity to COVID-19 is not itself a physical condition for being eligible to vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , rejected Paxton ’ s request to order county election clerks to reject applications for mail-in ballots from voters who fear exposure to the coronavirus .
Election 2020 and COVID-19 : Republicans sue to block California Gov .
Newsom from mailing ballots to all voters County officials lack the authority to question or investigate claims of disability , Hecht noted , adding that clerks are expected to faithfully convey the ruling ’ s outcome to voters .
`` The Clerks have assured us that they will fully discharge their duty to follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will follow the guidance we have provided here , '' Hecht wrote .
`` Accordingly , we conclude that ( ordering ) them to do so is unwarranted . ''
The Texas Democratic Party , which has filed state and federal lawsuits to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic , criticized the ruling by the all-Republican court , noting that it followed oral arguments held in an online forum last week – instead of inside the Supreme Court ’ s Austin courtroom – over concerns about coronavirus exposure .
`` This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago failed to serve Texans ’ needs and interests , '' state party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said .
`` Now , it is up to the federal court to ensure basic constitutional rights still exist in Texas and ensure that Texans have a right to vote safely and not put their health at risk . ''
More : Republicans , Democrats push ahead on absentee voting even as Trump blasts Michigan over it '' Election officials have a duty to reject mail-in ballot applications from voters who are not entitled to vote by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In-person voting is the surest way to maintain the integrity of our elections , prevent voter fraud and guarantee that every voter is who they claim to be . ''
Fear of contracting COVID-19 is a normal emotional reaction , Paxton said , but it does not amount to an actual disability that qualifies a voter to receive a ballot by mail .
In addition to canceling in-person oral arguments , the Supreme Court issued an emergency order Tuesday extending requirements that most lower-court hearings be held remotely over concerns about the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until at least Aug. 1 .

Chuck Lindell, Austin American-Statesman

Texas Supreme Court: Lack of coronavirus immunity doesn't qualify voters for mail-in ballots
Show Caption Hide Caption 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
Rejecting claims raised by state Democrats, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a lack of immunity to the coronavirus does not entitle voters to a mail-in ballot under state law.
Texas election law limits mail-in ballots to specific categories of voters, such as those with a disability that prevents them from safely traveling to a polling place.
Backing arguments made by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state’s highest civil court said the law’s definition of disability applies to a "sickness or physical condition," not a generalized fear of contracting a deadly disease.
"Disabled" normally means being incapacitated by an injury or illness, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote in an opinion joined by six other justices, including Justice Debra Lehrmann, who announced last week that she and her husband had contracted COVID-19 despite taking numerous precautions.
"In no sense can a lack of immunity be said to be such an incapacity," he wrote. "Accordingly, we conclude that a lack of immunity to COVID-19 is not itself a physical condition for being eligible to vote by mail."
The court, however, rejected Paxton’s request to order county election clerks to reject applications for mail-in ballots from voters who fear exposure to the coronavirus.
Election 2020 and COVID-19: Republicans sue to block California Gov. Newsom from mailing ballots to all voters
AP-NORC Poll: Virus woes push mail voting approval Americans’ support for mail-in voting jumps amid safety concerns during the virus pandemic. As Ohio holds its virtually all-mail primary Tuesday, a new AP-NORC poll finds Dems more likely than the GOP to support elections exclusively by mail. (April 27) AP
County officials lack the authority to question or investigate claims of disability, Hecht noted, adding that clerks are expected to faithfully convey the ruling’s outcome to voters.
"The Clerks have assured us that they will fully discharge their duty to follow the law. We are confident that they will follow the guidance we have provided here," Hecht wrote. "Accordingly, we conclude that (ordering) them to do so is unwarranted."
The Texas Democratic Party, which has filed state and federal lawsuits to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic, criticized the ruling by the all-Republican court, noting that it followed oral arguments held in an online forum last week – instead of inside the Supreme Court’s Austin courtroom – over concerns about coronavirus exposure.
"This is reflective of Texas Republican leadership that long ago failed to serve Texans’ needs and interests," state party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said. "Now, it is up to the federal court to ensure basic constitutional rights still exist in Texas and ensure that Texans have a right to vote safely and not put their health at risk."
More: Republicans, Democrats push ahead on absentee voting even as Trump blasts Michigan over it
Paxton praised the ruling.
"Election officials have a duty to reject mail-in ballot applications from voters who are not entitled to vote by mail," he said. "In-person voting is the surest way to maintain the integrity of our elections, prevent voter fraud and guarantee that every voter is who they claim to be."
Fear of contracting COVID-19 is a normal emotional reaction, Paxton said, but it does not amount to an actual disability that qualifies a voter to receive a ballot by mail.
In addition to canceling in-person oral arguments, the Supreme Court issued an emergency order Tuesday extending requirements that most lower-court hearings be held remotely over concerns about the coronavirus. The order also banned jury trials until at least Aug. 1.
'Draconian'? 'House arrest'?: Coronavirus lockdowns prompt raft of lawsuits against states
USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll: Americans overwhelmingly support vote-by-mail push, but Republicans more wary


usatoday--2020-05-28--Several Republican lawmakers criticize Trump's claims about Joe Scarborough

Several Republican lawmakers criticized President Donald Trump 's attempts to spread unfounded claims about MSNBC host Joe Scarborough 's connections to the death of his former congressional staffer .
Trump has not backed down from his attacks against Scarborough , and Twitter has refused to take down the president 's tweets about the topic despite an impassioned letter from the staffer 's husband Timothy Klausutis to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey .
The staffer , Lori Klausutis , 28 , died in 2001 after fainting and hitting her head while working in a Florida regional office for Scarborough , then a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , who was the Republican Party 's presidential nominee in 2012 , called Trump 's claims `` vile '' and `` baseless '' and said for the sake of Klausutis ' husband , `` enough already . ''
Rep. Liz Cheney , R-Wyo , the third-highest-ranking House Republicans told reporters outside the Capitol Wednesday she believed Trump should `` stop tweeting about Joe Scarborough . ''
More : Widower of late Scarborough staffer asks Twitter to remove Trump tweets , Twitter says no “ We ’ re in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the commander in chief of this nation , and ( it ’ s ) causing great pain to the family of the young woman who died , so I would urge him to stop it , '' she said .
Rep. Peter King , R-N.Y. , who served in the Houe of Representatives at the same time as Scarborough , told reporters despite his differences with him , attacks like Trump 's were `` out of bounds '' and there was `` no evidence '' for the claims .

Several Republican lawmakers criticize Trump's claims about Joe Scarborough
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump may seek alternative RNC convention location President Donald Trump is weighing his options after threatening to pull the Republican National Convention out of North Carolina in August. Two Republican governors have offered up their states as alternatives. (May 27) AP
Several Republican lawmakers criticized President Donald Trump's attempts to spread unfounded claims about MSNBC host Joe Scarborough's connections to the death of his former congressional staffer.
Trump has not backed down from his attacks against Scarborough, and Twitter has refused to take down the president's tweets about the topic despite an impassioned letter from the staffer's husband Timothy Klausutis to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
The staffer, Lori Klausutis, 28, died in 2001 after fainting and hitting her head while working in a Florida regional office for Scarborough, then a congressman.
In a Twitter post, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who was the Republican Party's presidential nominee in 2012, called Trump's claims "vile" and "baseless" and said for the sake of Klausutis' husband, "enough already."
I know Joe Scarborough. Joe is a friend of mine. I don't know T.J. Klausutis. Joe can weather vile, baseless accusations but T.J.? His heart is breaking. Enough already. — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) May 27, 2020
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo, the third-highest-ranking House Republicans told reporters outside the Capitol Wednesday she believed Trump should "stop tweeting about Joe Scarborough."
More: Widower of late Scarborough staffer asks Twitter to remove Trump tweets, Twitter says no
“We’re in the middle of a pandemic, he’s the commander in chief of this nation, and (it’s) causing great pain to the family of the young woman who died, so I would urge him to stop it," she said.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who served in the Houe of Representatives at the same time as Scarborough, told reporters despite his differences with him, attacks like Trump's were "out of bounds" and there was "no evidence" for the claims.
Contributing: David Jackson


usatoday--2020-05-29--Partisan divide over coronavirus concern grows since April, new survey shows

As Americans slowly emerge from two months of coronavirus quarantine , partisan divides are emerging – and growing – right along with them , according to a recent survey .
Majorities on both sides of the aisle say they 're somewhat or very concerned about the pandemic , according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project .
But the partisan split over that concern mirrors political leadership .
Robert Griffin , research director for the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group , said Americans are `` receiving signals from their political leaders about whether they should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' President Donald Trump has struck an optimistic tone about the country 's recovery from coronavirus as he pushes to reopen after lockdown orders to limit the spread of the disease shut down much of the country 's economy .
Among Republicans , 76 % were concerned about the coronavirus in the United States , a 14 percentage point drop from April ( 90 % ) .
But among Democrats , concern is relatively flat , according to an analysis from Nationscape Insights , a project of Democracy Fund , UCLA and USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in opening up the country .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a Wednesday press conference the path to reopening the economy ran through `` testing , tracing , treatment , and isolation , if necessary . ''
Ninety-four percent of Democrats said they were concerned about the coronavirus in the United States compared with 96 % in April .
The Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project is a large-scale study of the American electorate .
Throughout the 2020 election cycle , the researchers aim to conduct 500,000 interviews about policies and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans was conducted the week of May 14 .
There is a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points .
Skepticism growing among both Democrats and Republicans Compared to the beginning of April , more Americans are also expressing skepticism about news relating to the pandemic .
When asked if the threat of the coronavirus was exaggerated for political reasons , 46 % of all Americans said that statement was probably or `` definitely '' true compared with 35 % at the beginning of April .
Griffin said the survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening , '' and the skepticism was a measure of how much they trusted the media , political authorities , and other sources of information .
More : Wear a mask in public ?
Sure .
Majority of Democrats , Republicans say they have , survey shows The skepticism about the severity of the pandemic was more pronounced among partisan lines .
Among Republicans , a majority ( 64 % ) said the threat was being exaggerated .
That is a 20 percentage point jump compared to 44 % in April .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the threat had been exaggerated for political purposes , up slightly from 28 % in April , according to the survey .
Americans on both sides of the aisle also said they believed it was definitely or probably true the country was concealing the true number of coronavirus deaths .
Sixty percent of Americans said they believed the true number of deaths was concealed , up from 48 % percent of Americans surveyed at the beginning of April .
Again , there was a split among Democrats and Republicans , though both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats said they believed the true number of deaths was concealed , up from 54 % in April .
And 52 % of Republicans said they believed the true number of deaths was concealed , up from 38 % in April .
According to several dashboards tracking the coronavirus death toll , the United States reached 100,000 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday .
More : Coronavirus live updates : US hits 100,000 deaths from coronavirus as states continue to cautiously reopen The survey also found increased numbers of Americans believing the coronavirus came from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among Republicans .
Some American politicians and conservative news outlets have claimed the coronavirus was man-made in a lab in Wuhan , China , but the majority of research on the coronavirus suggests it came from nature before jumping to humans .
Among all Americans , a slim majority ( 54 % ) now say it was likely the coronavirus came from a lab up from 44 % in April .
Among Republicans , 70 % said they believed the virus came from a lab up 20 percentage points from 50 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller , with 43 % reporting they believed the virus came from a lab , up from 37 % in April .
More : Fact check : Coronavirus not man-made or engineered but its origin remains unclear The margin of error for questions asked in April was +/- 2.2 percentage points .

Partisan divide over coronavirus concern grows since April, new survey shows
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
As Americans slowly emerge from two months of coronavirus quarantine, partisan divides are emerging – and growing – right along with them, according to a recent survey.
Majorities on both sides of the aisle say they're somewhat or very concerned about the pandemic, according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project. But the partisan split over that concern mirrors political leadership.
Robert Griffin, research director for the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group, said Americans are "receiving signals from their political leaders about whether they should be concerned and responding to those signals."
President Donald Trump has struck an optimistic tone about the country's recovery from coronavirus as he pushes to reopen after lockdown orders to limit the spread of the disease shut down much of the country's economy. Among Republicans, 76% were concerned about the coronavirus in the United States, a 14 percentage point drop from April (90%).
But among Democrats, concern is relatively flat, according to an analysis from Nationscape Insights, a project of Democracy Fund, UCLA and USA TODAY.
Democrats have generally urged caution in opening up the country. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a Wednesday press conference the path to reopening the economy ran through "testing, tracing, treatment, and isolation, if necessary." Ninety-four percent of Democrats said they were concerned about the coronavirus in the United States compared with 96% in April.
The Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project is a large-scale study of the American electorate. Throughout the 2020 election cycle, the researchers aim to conduct 500,000 interviews about policies and the presidential candidates. This survey of 6,663 Americans was conducted the week of May 14. There is a margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
Skepticism growing among both Democrats and Republicans
Compared to the beginning of April, more Americans are also expressing skepticism about news relating to the pandemic.
When asked if the threat of the coronavirus was exaggerated for political reasons, 46% of all Americans said that statement was probably or "definitely" true compared with 35% at the beginning of April.
Griffin said the survey showed "people are distrustful about what is happening," and the skepticism was a measure of how much they trusted the media, political authorities, and other sources of information.
More: Wear a mask in public? Sure. Majority of Democrats, Republicans say they have, survey shows
Coronavirus: Death toll reaches 100k people in the U.S. America hit a somber benchmark in the coronavirus pandemic, with the U.S. death toll reaching 100,000. USA TODAY, USA TODAY
The skepticism about the severity of the pandemic was more pronounced among partisan lines.
Among Republicans, a majority (64%) said the threat was being exaggerated. That is a 20 percentage point jump compared to 44% in April.
But among Democrats, just 33% said the threat had been exaggerated for political purposes, up slightly from 28% in April, according to the survey.
Americans on both sides of the aisle also said they believed it was definitely or probably true the country was concealing the true number of coronavirus deaths. Sixty percent of Americans said they believed the true number of deaths was concealed, up from 48% percent of Americans surveyed at the beginning of April.
Again, there was a split among Democrats and Republicans, though both groups saw growth.
Sixty-seven percent of Democrats said they believed the true number of deaths was concealed, up from 54% in April. And 52% of Republicans said they believed the true number of deaths was concealed, up from 38% in April.
According to several dashboards tracking the coronavirus death toll, the United States reached 100,000 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday.
More: Coronavirus live updates: US hits 100,000 deaths from coronavirus as states continue to cautiously reopen
The survey also found increased numbers of Americans believing the coronavirus came from a lab, with a large increase among Republicans.
Some American politicians and conservative news outlets have claimed the coronavirus was man-made in a lab in Wuhan, China, but the majority of research on the coronavirus suggests it came from nature before jumping to humans.
Among all Americans, a slim majority (54%) now say it was likely the coronavirus came from a lab up from 44% in April.
Among Republicans, 70% said they believed the virus came from a lab up 20 percentage points from 50% in April. The increase among Democrats was smaller, with 43% reporting they believed the virus came from a lab, up from 37% in April.
More: Fact check: Coronavirus not man-made or engineered but its origin remains unclear
The margin of error for questions asked in April was +/- 2.2 percentage points.


usatoday--2020-05-29--Re. Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr address crowd where George Floyd died

Rev .
Al Sharpton , alongside the mother of Erica Garner , Gwen Carr , addresses a crowd of mourners @ @ @ @ @ where George Floyd died .

Rev. Al Sharpton and Gwen Carr address crowd where George Floyd died
Rev. Al Sharpton, alongside the mother of Eric Garner, Gwen Carr, addresses a crowd of mourners and activists on the corner where George Floyd died.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-05-29--Kayleigh McEnany outlines case behind Trump's social media executive order

Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany outlines why President Trump found it necessary to issue an executive order for Twitter to not @ @ @ @

Kayleigh McEnany outlines case for Trump's Twitter executive order
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany outlines why President Trump found it necessary to issue an executive order for Twitter to not fact-check his tweets.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-05-29--Mississippi mayor refuses to resign after facing backlash for George Floyd comments: 'I didn't see a

Mississippi mayor refuses to resign after facing backlash for George Floyd comments: 'I didn't see anything unreasonable'

Hal Marx , the mayor of Petal , Mississippi , rejected calls for his resignation after his comments in the wake of George Floyd 's death in Minneapolis sparked controversy .
The Petal Board of Aldermen on Thursday held a special meeting seeking to persuade Marx to step down .
`` I will never surrender to the mob mentality , '' said Marx , adding that he and his family had received death threats .
Residents , with emotions running high , called for his resignation .
Protests , sparked by his comments , are planned over the next three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marx tweeted `` Why in the world would anyone choose to become a police officer in our society today ? ''
The mayor was referring to the police officers who were fired Tuesday , a day after Floyd died after being pinned to the ground by one of the officers .
Marx received backlash , but he says his words were misinterpreted by some .
Jason A. Darby , another Twitter user , responded by saying , `` Would be nice to get a few in there that understand reasonable force , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t give the rest of them a bad reputation . ''
What followed was a response by Marx that ignited criticism on Twitter : '' If you are talking about the incident in MN , I didn ’ t see anything unreasonable .
If you can say you can ’ t breathe , you ’ re breathing .
Most likely that man died of overdose or heart attack .
Video doesn ’ t show his resistance that got him in that position .
Police being crucified . ''
The tweet and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marx meant , he said , was no one knows for sure how Floyd died or what the circumstances were before he was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer .
`` I think that people are so quick to judge the police before they have all the facts , '' he said .
`` I ca n't say whether a crime was committed or whether they did anything right or wrong , all I 'm saying is do n't rush to judgment based on what you see in that video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trauma : 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online ? '
What we know : Minneapolis mayor calls for peace amid protests , fires , looting and anger erupt after George Floyd 's death Marx , who was first elected in 2009 , said he was asking people to wait until all the facts were out before throwing stones at the police .
`` I 've seen too many cases before where the police were judged to be guilty in the public 's eye but later were found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` For sending that , all of a sudden I 'm called racist , I need to have a knee put on my neck – all kinds of hateful stuff simply for having an opinion and asking people to get all the facts before they judge . ''
Regardless of Marx 's intent , Clarence Magee , president of the Forrest County NAACP in Mississippi , said the mayor 's remark was uncalled for .
`` To hear that statement made by a mayor or anybody is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What we saw was disgusting on the part of the officer .
It leaves me with mixed emotions .
Believing and thinking that we have not gone far enough in this day and time with social media and all that kind of stuff – nobody should condone that .
Everybody should condemn it , including the mayor .
Skin color had nothing to do with it . ''
Magee said the loss of a human life should be the most important concern .
`` You 're sending a message to people who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are saying it 's OK .
But it 's not OK , '' Magee said .
`` That was somebody 's son .
Somebody 's father .
Somebody 's brother .
If the shoe was on the other foot , would he have the same statement to make ? ''
Marx said he was n't trying to make a statement .
He said people have interpreted his words how they want to without considering his intent .
`` They 've already got their minds made up , '' he said .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then you are somehow a horrible person .
There is nothing I said that is factually incorrect or racist or has anything to do with race at all . ''
Floyd 's story gained national attention through news reports and a video taken at the scene .
A bystander videotaping what happened documented Floyd on the ground , pleading with an officer as the officer keeps his knee pressed into Floyd ’ s neck .
Eventually Floyd stops talking .
About four minutes into the video , Floyd becomes unresponsive .
Floyd was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
George Floyd video adds to trauma : 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online ? '


usatoday--2020-05-29--2020 Republican convention: RNC sends Gov. Roy Cooper 'safety protocols' for Charlotte event

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee sent North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper a letter Thursday evening specifying `` safety protocols '' they want him to approve for their party 's convention this August amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The letter , obtained by USA TODAY , comes after Cooper , a Democrat , said earlier Thursday that RNC organizers had yet to provide written plans for how they envisioned to safely hold the convention in Charlotte .
More : Trump 's social media order to have agencies review whether Twitter , Facebook can be sued for content RNC Chairman Ronna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously discussed , it is our shared goal to host the Republican Nation Convention in Charlotte and to showcase the Queen City , and all of the Carolinas , to the entire world in August.
” The RNC told Cooper 's office they want a response by June 3 .
President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he wanted to know “ within a week ” whether the convention could be held in North Carolina .
“ We don ’ t have much time , ” Trump told reporters in the Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t tell us very soon , unfortunately we ’ ll have no choice .
The people want it.
” More : Trump wants to know 'within a week ' if North Carolina will host Republican convention More : Texas GOP says it would welcome Republican National Convention if NC falters There is no mention of wearing face masks or social distancing in the letter , which are both currently the state 's guidelines .
Some of the procedures listed in the letter , that are now waiting to be approved by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Pre-travel health surveys through the RNC partnership with local health care providers .
• Anti-bacterial gel will be widely available .
• Planned transportation buses will be dropped off at the Charlotte Convention Center which will act as a mandatory hub for a final health care screening by health care officials .
• All attendees would have to pass a clean health check prior to entering dedicated chute to the Spectrum Arena - where all attendees would then be processed through normal United States Secret Service screening with normal event queue lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be subject to food service guidelines similar to any other restaurant . ''
“ If there are any additional guidelines to what is outlined above that we will be expected to meet , you need to let us know , '' the letter continued .
`` Time is of the essence.
” In a statement provided to USA TODAY in response , the governor 's spokesperson Sadie Weiner said , “ We are still waiting for a plan from the RNC , but our office will work with state health officials to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tomorrow.
” More : Pennsylvania state lawmaker rips GOP members for silence after testing positive for coronavirus The GOP convention is scheduled for the week of Aug. 24 .
North Carolina , which is undergoing a phased reopening of the state , does not allow gatherings of more than 10 people indoors .
The Republican convention is expected to draw up to 50,000 to Charlotte , the state 's largest city .
Trump has stressed wanting to be able to `` fully occupy '' the convention space , and has threatened to potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We don ’ t know what our situation is going to be regarding COVID-19 in North Carolina .
We have to have options . ''
'This report is ... a joke ' : House Democrats blast CDC over racial disparity data amid coronavirus More : Democrats take step to allow virtual voting by delegates for 2020 convention Cooper has maintained that he will rely upon health officials to decide how the GOP convention would be managed .
He said Tuesday , `` I hope that we can find some kind of reasonable accommodation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sacrifice the health and safety of North Carolinians , and that 's the bottom line . ''
The Democratic National Convention , after delaying their convention by about a month , have been exploring potentially `` creative '' alternatives to holding a traditional national meeting in Milwaukee this August , including perhaps virtual aspects , depending on the status of the coronavirus pandemic .
The letter was first reported by the New York Times .

2020 Republican convention: RNC sends Gov. Roy Cooper 'safety protocols' for Charlotte event
Show Caption Hide Caption Trump may seek alternative RNC convention location President Donald Trump is weighing his options after threatening to pull the Republican National Convention out of North Carolina in August. Two Republican governors have offered up their states as alternatives. (May 27) AP
WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee sent North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper a letter Thursday evening specifying "safety protocols" they want him to approve for their party's convention this August amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter, obtained by USA TODAY, comes after Cooper, a Democrat, said earlier Thursday that RNC organizers had yet to provide written plans for how they envisioned to safely hold the convention in Charlotte.
More: Trump's social media order to have agencies review whether Twitter, Facebook can be sued for content
RNC Chairman Ronna McDaniel wrote, “As we have previously discussed, it is our shared goal to host the Republican Nation Convention in Charlotte and to showcase the Queen City, and all of the Carolinas, to the entire world in August.”
The RNC told Cooper's office they want a response by June 3. President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he wanted to know “within a week” whether the convention could be held in North Carolina.
“We don’t have much time,” Trump told reporters in the Rose Garden. “If the governor can’t tell us very soon, unfortunately we’ll have no choice. The people want it.”
More: Trump wants to know 'within a week' if North Carolina will host Republican convention
More: Texas GOP says it would welcome Republican National Convention if NC falters
There is no mention of wearing face masks or social distancing in the letter, which are both currently the state's guidelines.
Some of the procedures listed in the letter, that are now waiting to be approved by the governor's office, include:
"Pre-travel health surveys through the RNC partnership with local health care providers.
Daily health care questionnaires delivered via an app.
Thermal scans of mandatory attendees prior to boarding sanitized, pre-arranged transportation.
Anti-bacterial gel will be widely available.
Aggressive sanitizing protocol for all public areas.
Planned transportation buses will be dropped off at the Charlotte Convention Center which will act as a mandatory hub for a final health care screening by health care officials.
All attendees would have to pass a clean health check prior to entering dedicated chute to the Spectrum Arena - where all attendees would then be processed through normal United States Secret Service screening with normal event queue lines.
Media suites and hospitality areas will be subject to food service guidelines similar to any other restaurant."
“If there are any additional guidelines to what is outlined above that we will be expected to meet, you need to let us know," the letter continued. "Time is of the essence.”
In a statement provided to USA TODAY in response, the governor's spokesperson Sadie Weiner said, “We are still waiting for a plan from the RNC, but our office will work with state health officials to review the letter and share a response tomorrow.”
More: Pennsylvania state lawmaker rips GOP members for silence after testing positive for coronavirus
The GOP convention is scheduled for the week of Aug. 24.
North Carolina, which is undergoing a phased reopening of the state, does not allow gatherings of more than 10 people indoors. The Republican convention is expected to draw up to 50,000 to Charlotte, the state's largest city.
Trump has stressed wanting to be able to "fully occupy" the convention space, and has threatened to potentially move the convention, saying, "We don’t know what our situation is going to be regarding COVID-19 in North Carolina. We have to have options."
'This report is ... a joke': House Democrats blast CDC over racial disparity data amid coronavirus
More: Democrats take step to allow virtual voting by delegates for 2020 convention
Cooper has maintained that he will rely upon health officials to decide how the GOP convention would be managed. He said Tuesday, "I hope that we can find some kind of reasonable accommodation. But we’re not going to sacrifice the health and safety of North Carolinians, and that's the bottom line."
The Democratic National Convention, after delaying their convention by about a month, have been exploring potentially "creative" alternatives to holding a traditional national meeting in Milwaukee this August, including perhaps virtual aspects, depending on the status of the coronavirus pandemic.
The letter was first reported by the New York Times.
Contributing: John Fritze, Maureen Groppe USA TODAY
Read the letter here.


usatoday--2020-05-29--'An enormous red flag': After George Floyd's death, some call for a broader federal investigation

WASHINGTON – The death of George Floyd , a black man who was captured in a viral video lying face down on the ground while a white officer presses his left knee into his neck , was not the first police killing to rile Minneapolis .
Two years ago , Thurman Blevins was shot and killed as he ran away from two officers with what appeared to be a gun in his hand .
Six months ago , Chiasher Fong Vue was killed in a massive shootout .
Authorities said he fired the first shot , prompting nine officers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was n't the first time someone raised questions about the Minneapolis Police Department 's practices .
The Justice Department did so in 2015 , after the then-police chief asked for a review of the agency 's policies in preventing misconduct .
Their report found systemic weaknesses in the department 's ability to identify and correct troubling behavior .
It found that the community believed officers treated people of color unfairly .
A majority of citizen complaints were dismissed .
Now five years later , Floyd 's death – now remembered by his last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' – has not only renewed criticisms of a police department that has yet to gain the trust of the community it polices , but has also cast a spotlight on what police accountability looks like under the Trump administration .
While the Justice Department still investigates individual police officers , it has significantly scaled back its investigations of police agencies .
One of the last actions of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was to curtail the use of consent decrees , which are enforcement tools the department had long relied on to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr has kept the same policy , leaving civil rights advocates to worry that systemic abuse is left unchecked .
Since Floyd 's death – and as protests erupted in Minneapolis and other cities – the Justice Department has launched a federal civil rights investigation of Derek Chauvin , the officer seen with his knee on Floyd ’ s neck , and the three other officers who were involved .
One of the officers can be seen in the video standing nearby as Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd 's neck for about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the video `` harrowing '' and `` deeply disturbing , '' said the federal investigation is `` proceeding quickly . ''
`` I am confident justice will be served , '' Barr said .
But advocates and lawmakers have urged the department to launch a broader investigation into whether the incident is part of a pattern of unconstitutional police practices and unlawful use of force by the agency .
“ The fact that you have one officer engaged in this really horrible conduct , but the other officers were standing around … exposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the department , '' said Jonathan Smith , a former Justice Department lawyer who supervised investigations of police agencies under the Obama administration .
`` Even if you don ’ t have a history of problems in this police department , when you see an officer does this , when you see other officers stand around and not intervening to prevent it , that ’ s an enormous red flag that this is a systemic problem.
” In a letter to Barr and Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband , who heads the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd 's death and other recent officer-involved killings should force the Justice Department to rethink its policy .
`` The police killing of George Floyd – and countless other police-caused fatalities throughout the country – warrant the Department of Justice reversing course on pattern-or-practice investigations , '' said Kanya Bennett , senior legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union .
`` The Minneapolis Police Department has earlier been criticized for unlawful and failed police practices and this Department of Justice should have intervened there well before the murder of George Floyd .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader investigation and say that what the Justice Department is doing is enough , at least for now .
`` I think the investigation of the officers involved is warranted .
I think you should do that first ... look at the actions of the officers first , see if their actions are criminal and civil rights violations , '' Chuck Wexler , executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum .
`` If you have a situation where it looked like the police department was in denial , I think you 'd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police Chief Medaria Arradondo immediately fired Chauvin and the three other officers : Thomas Lane , Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng .
Chauvin has been arrested and charged in Hennepin County , Minnesota with third-degree murder and manslaughter .
George Floyd : Experts say knee-to-neck restraint is dangerous .
Minneapolis allows it The swift action by local officials suggests there might not be a need for a broader , federal investigation of the police department , said Arthur Rizer , a former Justice Department lawyer and senior fellow at the public policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said such action is warranted `` if we see that the local government authorities dropped the ball or we feel there ’ s an unfair skewing of an investigation . ''
Christy Lopez , a former Justice Department lawyer who investigated the Ferguson Police Department under the Obama administration , said it 's difficult to say whether Minneapolis police should be the subject of a consent decree absent more information .
Racial tension : George Floyd 's death another wound for Minneapolis ' black community : 'Why ca n't I just be black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` On the one hand , there have been a lot of incidents involving this police department for many years , '' she said .
`` On the other hand , you have the mayor and the chief responding very quickly , very aggressively on their own . ''
Jon Shane , a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice , cautions against having a `` mob mentality . ''
He warns that the swift actions of Minneapolis officials maybe hasty .
`` It seems highly unlikely that the police department conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the officers , '' Shane said .
`` I have no problem whatsoever terminating everybody that ’ s been given due process ... Justice that proceeds too swiftly is efficient , but it is not effective . ''
Prosecution will not 'prevent the next tragedy' Even if the Justice Department ultimately charged the officers , securing a federal conviction is difficult , experts say .
Prosecutors must show that the officers intended to deprive Floyd of his constitutional rights .
`` That 's an extremely high standard .
It 's difficult to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guy 's intent , '' said Smith , the former Justice Department lawyer who 's also executive director of the Washington Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs .
And even if the prosecution is successful , it would not address the systemic issues that allowed such misconduct to happen in the first place , Smith said .
`` That 's not going prevent the next tragedy . ''
In the past , the Justice Department has intervened when controversies and scandals rocked local law enforcement agencies .
Under President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use-of-force policies of several agencies , including the Miami , Detroit and Austin police departments .
Under President Barack Obama , the Justice Department launched probes of police departments mired in racial tensions with the communities they policed .
It investigated the Maricopa County Sheriff 's Office for unlawfully detaining Hispanics during raids of local businesses .
It investigated the Chicago Police Department after the death of LaQuan McDonald , a black teen who was shot by a white officer as he appeared to be turning away from police .
It found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pattern of bias against the LGBT community .
The Trump administration has not launched any investigations of police agencies .
In 2018 , Sessions directed the Justice Department to `` exercise special caution '' before resorting to consent decrees , saying they can be a burden on state and local budgets and can deprive local officials of control over their own agencies .
Last year , the Justice Department decided not to bring federal charges over the death of Eric Garner , who six years ago gasped `` I ca n't breathe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have become a symbol of anger and frustration in the black community – as a New York City police officer held him around the head and neck .
'Police know better than that' The officers involved in Floyd 's death were the subjects of a combined 13 complaints since 2012 .
They were repeatedly accused of treating victims of crimes with callousness or indifference , failing to file a report when a crime was alleged and , in at least one case , using an unnecessary amount of force .
The Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader problems within the agency .
The most common types of citizen complaints against officers involved not treating residents with respect , using unprofessional behavior and lack of sensitivity to different cultures , according to the report .
Experts say the Justice Department should look more deeply into that history .
Floyd 's death also underscores the need to train officers on how to stop a colleague from using excessive force , said Lopez , the former Justice Department lawyer who 's now a professor at Georgetown University .
Police departments in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been undergoing such training .
In Floyd 's case , had one of the officers intervened , Floyd would have gotten medical treatment sooner , and the incident may have been perceived differently , Lopez said .
Troubling history : Minneapolis police at center of George Floyd ’ s death had a history of complaints Across the country , Floyd 's death has prompted a chorus of condemnation from law enforcement officials and experts .
`` It ’ s hard to watch this video and not feel tremendous despair and outrage because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has come so far .
And yet you see this and you just say , 'How could this have happened ? '
'' said Wexler , of the Police Executive Research Forum .
`` In 2020 , police know better than that .
...
This is not what professional policing looks like in 2020 . ''
Steven Casstevens , president of the International Association of Police Chiefs , said there 's no `` exact science '' in determining whether an agency should be the subject of a consent decree .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : In the business world , everybody says the customer is always right .
In the law enforcement world , that 's not the reality .
The people we deal with are usually wrong , '' said Casstevens , police chief in Buffalo Grove , Illinois .
`` However , the customer is allowed to be wrong with dignity .
If my officers stop you , I expect them to treat you with respect regardless of the fact that you 've done something wrong . ''

'An enormous red flag': After George Floyd's death, some call for a broader federal investigation
Show Caption Hide Caption FBI investigates death of George Floyd who died after police restraint The FBI is investigating the death of George Floyd after he was restrained by police in Minneapolis. USA TODAY, Storyful
WASHINGTON – The death of George Floyd, a black man who was captured in a viral video lying facedown on the ground while a white officer presses his left knee into his neck, was not the first police killing to rile Minneapolis.
Two years ago, Thurman Blevins was fatally shot as he ran from two officers with what appeared to be a gun in his hand. Six months ago, Chiasher Fong Vue was killed in a massive shootout. Authorities said he fired the first shot, prompting nine officers to fire back.
Floyd's death also wasn't the first time someone raised questions about the Minneapolis Police Department's practices.
The Justice Department did so in 2015, after the then-police chief asked for a review of the agency's policies in preventing misconduct.
Their report found systemic weaknesses in the department's ability to identify and correct troubling behavior. It found that the community believed officers treated people of color unfairly. A majority of citizen complaints were dismissed.
Now, five years later, Floyd's death – now remembered by his last words, "I can't breathe" – has not only renewed criticisms of a police department that has yet to gain the trust of the community it polices, but has also cast a spotlight on what police accountability looks like under the Trump administration.
While the Justice Department still investigates individual police officers, it has significantly scaled back its investigations of police agencies.
One of the last actions of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions was to curtail the use of consent decrees, which are enforcement tools the department had long relied on to reform police agencies. Current Attorney General William Barr has kept the same policy, leaving civil rights advocates to worry that systemic abuse is left unchecked.
Since Floyd's death – and as protests erupted in Minneapolis and other cities – the Justice Department has launched a federal civil rights investigation of Derek Chauvin, the officer seen with his knee on Floyd’s neck, and the three other officers who were involved. One of the officers can be seen in the video standing nearby as Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd's neck for about eight minutes.
Floyd's death: Former police officer Derek Chauvin arrested, charged with murder
Barr, who called the video "harrowing" and "deeply disturbing," said the federal investigation is "proceeding quickly."
"I am confident justice will be served," Barr said.
But advocates and lawmakers have urged the department to launch a broader investigation into whether the incident is part of a pattern of unconstitutional police practices and unlawful use of force by the agency.
“The fact that you have one officer engaged in this really horrible conduct, but the other officers were standing around … exposed real weaknesses in the supervision and culture of the department," said Jonathan Smith, a former Justice Department lawyer who supervised investigations of police agencies under the Obama administration.
"Even if you don’t have a history of problems in this police department, when you see an officer does this, when you see other officers stand around and not intervening to prevent it, that’s an enormous red flag that this is a systemic problem.”
Surveillance: George Floyd's first contact with police Surveillance video in Minneapolis shows the first moments of George Floyd's police interaction. USA TODAY
In a letter to Barr and Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, who heads the Civil Rights Division, Democratic lawmakers said Floyd's death and other recent officer-involved killings should force the Justice Department to rethink its policy.
"The police killing of George Floyd – and countless other police-caused fatalities throughout the country – warrant the Department of Justice reversing course on pattern-or-practice investigations," said Kanya Bennett, senior legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. "The Minneapolis Police Department has earlier been criticized for unlawful and failed police practices and this Department of Justice should have intervened there well before the murder of George Floyd."
Some urge caution
Still, some caution against a broader investigation and say that what the Justice Department is doing is enough, at least for now.
"I think the investigation of the officers involved is warranted. I think you should do that first ... look at the actions of the officers first, see if their actions are criminal and civil rights violations," Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum. "If you have a situation where it looked like the police department was in denial, I think you'd have a different case."
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo immediately fired Chauvin and the three other officers: Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng. Chauvin has been arrested and charged in Hennepin County, Minnesota, with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
George Floyd: Experts say knee-to-neck restraint is dangerous. Minneapolis allows it
George Floyd: Attorney Mike Freeman promises justice after video Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman promises to "not rush to justice" in the George Floyd case. USA TODAY, Wochit
The swift action by local officials suggests there might not be a need for a broader, federal investigation of the police department, said Arthur Rizer, a former Justice Department lawyer and senior fellow at the public policy research firm R Street Institute.
He said such action is warranted "if we see that the local government authorities dropped the ball or we feel there’s an unfair skewing of an investigation."
Christy Lopez, a former Justice Department lawyer who investigated the Ferguson Police Department under the Obama administration, said it's difficult to say whether Minneapolis police should be the subject of a consent decree absent more information.
Racial tension: George Floyd's death another wound for Minneapolis' black community: 'Why can't I just be black in the state of Minnesota?'
"On the one hand, there have been a lot of incidents involving this police department for many years," she said. "On the other hand, you have the mayor and the chief responding very quickly, very aggressively on their own."
Jon Shane, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, cautions against having a "mob mentality." He warns that the swift actions of Minneapolis officials maybe hasty.
"It seems highly unlikely that the police department conducted a thorough internal affairs investigation before firing the officers," Shane said. "I have no problem whatsoever terminating everybody that’s been given due process ... Justice that proceeds too swiftly is efficient, but it is not effective."
Prosecution will not 'prevent the next tragedy'
Even if the Justice Department ultimately charged the officers, securing a federal conviction is difficult, experts say. Prosecutors must show that the officers intended to deprive Floyd of his constitutional rights.
"That's an extremely high standard. It's difficult to go in front of a jury to prove the guy's intent," said Smith, the former Justice Department lawyer who's also executive director of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.
And even if the prosecution is successful, it would not address the systemic issues that allowed such misconduct to happen in the first place, Smith said: "That's not going prevent the next tragedy."
In the past, the Justice Department has intervened when controversies and scandals rocked local law enforcement agencies.
Under President George W. Bush, the department investigated the use-of-force policies of several agencies, including the Miami, Detroit and Austin police departments.
Under President Barack Obama, the Justice Department launched probes of police departments mired in racial tensions with the communities they policed.
It investigated the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office for unlawfully detaining Hispanics during raids of local businesses. It investigated the Chicago Police Department after the death of LaQuan McDonald, a black teen who was shot by a white officer as he appeared to be turning away from police. It found that the New Orleans Police Department had a pattern of bias against the LGBT community.
Trump condemns protesters: President says violent protests dishonor George Floyd’s memory
Obama reacts: Former president says George Floyd's death shouldn't be 'normal'
The Trump administration has not launched any investigations of police agencies. In 2018, Sessions directed the Justice Department to "exercise special caution" before resorting to consent decrees, saying they can be a burden on state and local budgets and can deprive local officials of control over their own agencies.
Last year, the Justice Department decided not to bring federal charges over the death of Eric Garner, who six years ago gasped "I can't breathe" – the same three words that have become a symbol of anger and frustration in the black community – as a New York City police officer held him around the head and neck.
'Police know better than that'
The officers involved in Floyd's death were the subjects of a combined 13 complaints since 2012. They were repeatedly accused of treating victims of crimes with callousness or indifference, failing to file a report when a crime was alleged and, in at least one case, using an unnecessary amount of force.
The Justice Department's 2015 report on Minneapolis police suggests broader problems within the agency. The most common types of citizen complaints against officers involved not treating residents with respect, using unprofessional behavior and lack of sensitivity to different cultures, according to the report.
Experts say the Justice Department should look more deeply into that history.
Floyd's death also underscores the need to train officers on how to stop a colleague from using excessive force, said Lopez, the former Justice Department lawyer who's now a professor at Georgetown University. Police departments in New Orleans and Washington, D.C., have been undergoing such training.
In Floyd's case, had one of the officers intervened, Floyd would have gotten medical treatment sooner, and the incident may have been perceived differently, Lopez said.
Troubling history: Minneapolis police at center of George Floyd’s death had a history of complaints
Across the country, Floyd's death has prompted a chorus of condemnation from law enforcement officials and experts.
"It’s hard to watch this video and not feel tremendous despair and outrage because we’ve come so far. Policing has come so far. And yet you see this and you just say, 'How could this have happened?'" said Wexler, of the Police Executive Research Forum. "In 2020, police know better than that. ... This is not what professional policing looks like in 2020."
Steven Casstevens, president of the International Association of Police Chiefs, said there's no "exact science" in determining whether an agency should be the subject of a consent decree.
"I think what it comes down to is this: In the business world, everybody says the customer is always right. In the law enforcement world, that's not the reality. The people we deal with are usually wrong," said Casstevens, police chief in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. "However, the customer is allowed to be wrong with dignity. If my officers stop you, I expect them to treat you with respect regardless of the fact that you've done something wrong."
Analysis: Trump's tweet injects civil rights era into presidential race, protests of George Floyd's death
Contributing: Kelley Benham French, Kevin Crowe and Katie Wedell


usatoday--2020-05-29--Reps. Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley introduce resolution condemning  police brutality after George Flo

WASHINGTON –Reps .
Ilhan Omar , D-Minn. , and Ayanna Pressley , D-Mass.
, introduced a resolution Friday asking the House of Representatives to condemn `` police brutality , racial profiling and the excessive use of force '' following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police officers .
Floyd , a black man , died in Minneapolis police custody this week after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee .
His death has sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial discrimination in cities across the United States .
Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Louisville Metro Police in March while they were executing a search warrant at her apartment as part of a narcotics investigation .
Taylor 's boyfriend said he did not hear officers announce themselves and fired a single shot , striking Sgt .
Jonathan Mattingly in the femoral artery .
In turn , Mattingly and other officers shot more than 20 rounds , striking Taylor at least eight times .
She died in the hallway of her apartment .
“ For too long , Black and brown bodies have been profiled , surveilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutalized and murdered at the hands of police officers , ” said Pressley .
“ We can not allow these fatal injustices to go unchecked any longer .
There can be no justice for George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , or any of the human beings who have been killed by law enforcement , for in a just world , they would still be alive .
There must , however , be accountability.
” More : What to know about the investigations into the police shooting of Breonna Taylor More : FBI opens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman killed in her apartment Omar , who represents the district that includes all of Minneapolis , and Pressley partnered with Reps. Barbara Lee , D-Calif. , and Karen Bass , D-Calif. , who is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus .
The resolution calls for policies and reforms `` at all levels of government , '' including improvements to independent investigations `` to hold individual law officers and police departments accountable ; '' calling on DOJ to reaffirm its statutory authority for such investigations ; and adopting `` sound and unbiased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of force that disproportionately impact `` Black and Brown people and other historically marginalized communities . ''
' A country with an open wound ' : Biden says he spoke with George Floyd 's family , promises 'justice' Omar wrote , “ From slavery to lynching to Jim Crow , Black people in this country have been brutalized and dehumanized for centuries.
” “ The murder of George Floyd in my district is not a one-off event .
We can not fully right these wrongs until we admit we have a problem .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House of Representatives must acknowledge these historical injustices and call for a comprehensive solution .
There are many steps on the path to justice , but we must begin to take them , ” she continued .
Separately , Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter Thursday calling on the U.S. Justice Department to investigate whether there ’ s a “ pattern or practice ” in the conduct of police officers involving the death of Floyd .
They also called for the agency to look into patterns in the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shot and killed by two white men , and Taylor .
“ The fair , transparent , and equal administration of justice is a bedrock principle for citizens to maintain the trust required to govern themselves in an ordered society , ’ ’ they wrote .
Bass said the caucus will also address “ these renewed attacks ’ ’ against communities of color , including at a town hall next week , along with press conferences and resolutions .
“ It is really unprecedented the attacks across our communities , ’ ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Experts say knee-to-neck restraint is dangerous , but Minneapolis allows it More : Minneapolis police at center of George Floyd ’ s death had a history of complaints On the House floor Thursday , Rep. Hakeem Jeffries , chairman of the Democratic Caucus , said he respected police officers protecting their communities .
“ But we can not tolerate police violence and we can not tolerate police brutality .
George Floyd was murdered by an out-of-control police officer , ’ ’ he said .
“ When will it end ?
’ ’ Jeffries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were not found guilty .
“ Congress must do everything in its power to stop this type of tragedy from ever happening again , ” he said .

Reps. Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley introduce resolution condemning police brutality after George Floyd death
Show Caption Hide Caption Demonstrators in Minneapolis where George Floyd died Demonstrators gather on the corner where George Floyd died after being pinned to the ground by a police officer. Zach Boyden-Holmes, DesMoines
WASHINGTON –Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., introduced a resolution Friday asking the House of Representatives to condemn "police brutality, racial profiling and the excessive use of force" following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police officers.
Floyd, a black man, died in Minneapolis police custody this week after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee. His death has sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial discrimination in cities across the United States.
More: Trump says violent Minneapolis protests dishonor George Floyd’s memory, Twitter labels ‘shooting’ tweet as ‘glorifying violence’
Taylor was a 26-year-old emergency room technician who was shot and killed by Louisville Metro Police in March while they were executing a search warrant at her apartment as part of a narcotics investigation. Taylor's boyfriend said he did not hear officers announce themselves and fired a single shot, striking Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the femoral artery. In turn, Mattingly and other officers shot more than 20 rounds, striking Taylor at least eight times. She died in the hallway of her apartment.
“For too long, Black and brown bodies have been profiled, surveilled, policed, lynched, choked, brutalized and murdered at the hands of police officers,” said Pressley. “We cannot allow these fatal injustices to go unchecked any longer. There can be no justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or any of the human beings who have been killed by law enforcement, for in a just world, they would still be alive. There must, however, be accountability.”
More: What to know about the investigations into the police shooting of Breonna Taylor
More: FBI opens investigation into fatal police shooting of Louisville woman killed in her apartment
Omar, who represents the district that includes all of Minneapolis, and Pressley partnered with Reps. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., and Karen Bass, D-Calif., who is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Soon after the congresswomen announced their resolution, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced his committee would hold a hearing on police use of force, saying, they intend "to call a wide variety of witnesses on the topics of better policing, addressing racial discrimination regarding the use of force, as well as building stronger bonds between communities and police.
“We intend to shine a bright light on the problems associated with Mr. Floyd’s death, with the goal of finding a better way forward for our nation,” he continued.
The resolution calls for policies and reforms "at all levels of government," including improvements to independent investigations "to hold individual law officers and police departments accountable;" calling on DOJ to reaffirm its statutory authority for such investigations; and adopting "sound and unbiased law enforcement policies" to reduce uses of force that disproportionately impact "Black and Brown people and other historically marginalized communities."
'A country with an open wound': Biden says he spoke with George Floyd's family, promises 'justice'
Omar wrote, “From slavery to lynching to Jim Crow, Black people in this country have been brutalized and dehumanized for centuries.”
“The murder of George Floyd in my district is not a one-off event. We cannot fully right these wrongs until we admit we have a problem. As the People’s House, the House of Representatives must acknowledge these historical injustices and call for a comprehensive solution. There are many steps on the path to justice, but we must begin to take them,” she continued.
More: Obama says George Floyd's death shouldn't be 'normal'
We must end the targeting of black and brown bodies by our law enforcement. Today, I introduced a resolution to condemn police brutality, racial profiling and excessive use of force with my sister in service @RepPressley. https://t.co/wegblwfLJ2 pic.twitter.com/opBxVFsR2a — Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) May 29, 2020
Separately, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter Thursday calling on the U.S. Justice Department to investigate whether there’s a “pattern or practice” in the conduct of police officers involving the death of Floyd. They also called for the agency to look into patterns in the case of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, who was shot and killed by two white men, and Taylor.
“The fair, transparent, and equal administration of justice is a bedrock principle for citizens to maintain the trust required to govern themselves in an ordered society,’’ they wrote.
Bass said the caucus will also address “these renewed attacks’’ against communities of color, including at a town hall next week, along with press conferences and resolutions.
“It is really unprecedented the attacks across our communities,’’ said Bass.
George Floyd death: Experts say knee-to-neck restraint is dangerous, but Minneapolis allows it
More: Minneapolis police at center of George Floyd’s death had a history of complaints
On the House floor Thursday, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chairman of the Democratic Caucus, said he respected police officers protecting their communities.
“But we cannot tolerate police violence and we cannot tolerate police brutality. George Floyd was murdered by an out-of-control police officer,’’ he said. “When will it end?’’
Jeffries named other black men killed by police who were not found guilty. “Congress must do everything in its power to stop this type of tragedy from ever happening again,” he said.
Contributing: Deborah Berry


usatoday--2020-05-29--President Donald Trump formally cuts ties with World Health Organization

President Donald Trump said his administration would withdraw from the World Health Organization and he would formally end the U.S. @ @

Donald Trump cuts ties with World Health Organization
President Donald Trump said his administration would withdraw from the World Health Organization and he would formally end the U.S. relationship.
Associated Press, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-05-29--Obama says George Floyd's death shouldn't be 'normal'

Former President Barack Obama said Friday the death of George Floyd , a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody this week after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee , `` should n't be 'normal ' in 2020 America . ''
Floyd 's death has sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial discrimination in cities across the United States .
Some protests turned violent , including some in Minneapolis Thursday evening , where some looted buildings and a police precinct was set on fire .
Obama , the nation 's first black president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends over the past several days about Floyd 's killing .
A middle-aged African American businessman told Obama he cried when he saw the footage of the death , with the `` knee on the neck '' a metaphor for a system holding black people down .
The anguish over Floyd 's death , Obama wrote , was `` shared by me and millions of others . ''
And although many Americans wished the world could return to `` normal '' amid the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis , Obama wrote that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differently on account of race is tragically , painfully , maddeningly 'normal ' — whether it 's dealing with the health care system , or interacting with the criminal justice system . ''
`` If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its ideals , we can and must do better , '' Obama wrote .
Ensuring justice for Floyd , Obama wrote , will fall mostly on the investigations by Minnesota officials , but he implored every American — including those in law enforcement — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' in which the legacy of bigotry and unfair treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts . ''
More : 'Graduate Together ' : Barack Obama tells class of 2020 , 'This is your generation 's world to shape' On Friday , Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz promised `` swift '' justice for the police involved in Floyd 's killing and told reporters the justice would be take in a `` timely manner , that it will be fair . ''
Obama also weighed in on incidents of police brutality and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
`` You know , if I had a son , he 'd look like Trayvon , '' he said after the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012 .
`` The fact is , in too many parts of this country , a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color .
Some of this is the result of the legacy of racial discrimination in this country , '' he said in 2014 after a grand jury in Ferguson , Missouri , decided not to indict police officer Darren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And after the shooting deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in 2016 , he said , `` These are not isolated incidents .
They are symptomatic of a broader set of racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system . ''

Obama says George Floyd's death shouldn't be 'normal'
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
Former President Barack Obama said Friday the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody this week after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee, "shouldn't be 'normal' in 2020 America."
Floyd's death has sparked demonstrations against police brutality and racial discrimination in cities across the United States. Some protests turned violent, including some in Minneapolis Thursday evening, where some looted buildings and a police precinct was set on fire.
Obama, the nation's first black president, shared parts of conversations he had with friends over the past several days about Floyd's killing.
A middle-aged African American businessman told Obama he cried when he saw the footage of the death, with the "knee on the neck" a metaphor for a system holding black people down.
The anguish over Floyd's death, Obama wrote, was "shared by me and millions of others."
More: Former President Barack Obama delivers virtual message to 2020 graduates
More: US coronavirus response a 'chaotic disaster,' Obama tells former staffers in call
And although many Americans wished the world could return to "normal" amid the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis, Obama wrote that for many Americans, "being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal' — whether it's dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system."
My statement on the death of George Floyd: pic.twitter.com/Hg1k9JHT6R — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 29, 2020
"If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its ideals, we can and must do better," Obama wrote.
Ensuring justice for Floyd, Obama wrote, will fall mostly on the investigations by Minnesota officials, but he implored every American — including those in law enforcement — to work towards a "'new normal' in which the legacy of bigotry and unfair treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts."
More: 'Graduate Together': Barack Obama tells class of 2020, 'This is your generation's world to shape'
On Friday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz promised "swift" justice for the police involved in Floyd's killing and told reporters the justice would be take in a "timely manner, that it will be fair."
Obama also weighed in on incidents of police brutality and killings of black men when he was president.
"You know, if I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon," he said after the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012.
"The fact is, in too many parts of this country, a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color. Some of this is the result of the legacy of racial discrimination in this country," he said in 2014 after a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, decided not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for the killing of Michael Brown.
And after the shooting deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in 2016, he said, "These are not isolated incidents. They are symptomatic of a broader set of racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system."