alternet--2020-11-29--‘We will exterminate you’: Proud Boys and other right-wing Trump diehards confront counter-protester

‘We will exterminate you’: Proud Boys and other right-wing Trump diehards confront counter-protesters at Raleigh rally

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A band of COVID deniers , neo-Confederates and pro-Trump diehards , augmented by a 50-strong Proud Boy security detail , marched around the Governor 's Mansion in downtown Raleigh on Saturday , firing up a far-right coalition to carry on the fight as their president faces the reality of leaving office .
The post-Thanksgiving rally was co-organized by Joshua Flores of Stop the Steal NC and Latinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NC to help him promote it on Facebook .
But the Proud Boys — referenced by Flores as his `` private security '' in a Facebook Live video two days prior to the event — took the most prominent position in the rally as they spread out along a block of East Jones Street and taunted antifascist counter-protesters .
Flores had promoted the Thanksgiving potluck as a family-friendly event , and urged attendees to not engage with counter-protesters , warning that they would be asked to leave if they failed to honor the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Proud Boys '' would also `` have the authority to kick you out . ''
He also suggested , `` Try not to use major cuss words , if you do n't mind . ''
The request was almost farcical considering the Proud Boys ' history of inciting conflict through profanity-laced taunts that are often barbed with misogyny and homophobia .
True to form , a Proud Boy named Jeremy Bertino picked up a bullhorn a couple minutes after the official 11:30 a.m. start time and addressed the counter-protesters across the street .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation — never ! ''
Bertino said as fellow Proud Boys lined the sidewalk wearing tactical vests and trademark yellow and black gear .
`` Your side will lose .
We will exterminate you like the rats you are… .
Exterminate you ! ''
Another Proud Boy wore a patch with the letters `` S-B-S-B , '' a reference to Trump 's infamous election-debate directive : `` Proud Boys — stand back and stand by . ''
Bertino wore a patch with the letters `` R-W-D-S '' — short for `` right-wing death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponents is a theme widely promoted by Proud Boys and other far-right extremists who celebrate Chilean dictator Augosto Pinochet 's grisly practice during the 1970s of disappearing opposition activists by dropping them out of helicopters .
Previewing the in-real-life showdown on Saturday , Bertino posted a photo of North Carolina antifascist Lindsay Ayling on the Parler social media platform , encouraging followers to make a contest out of Photoshopping her image , while making a violent and misogynistic claim that `` she has an affinity for alpha males and helicopters '' and hash-tagging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raw Story he was merely `` trolling '' Ayling , but the Proud Boys ' goofball presentation — naming cereals during their initation rite , for example — conveniently provides plausible deniability for any expressed fantasies of violence .
Bertino also denied that his `` extermination '' remarks were personally directed at the counter-protesters , although his own words say otherwise .
Throughout the four-hour event , unidentified men with bullhorns stood behind the Proud Boys and excoriated the counter-protesters .
`` You guys are making lists , '' one of the men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too . ''
He added a reference to `` 9mm '' ammunition that was otherwise inaudible .
Another time , the man addressed the counter-protesters , saying , `` You are in a very dangerous position .
You are in the vast minority . ''
Bertino told Raw Story he did not hear the comment and could not identify the speaker .
Another unidentified man told the counter-protesters : `` Donald Trump has stirred the pot .
You think you 've captured him .
But all you 've done is woken us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ na end ?
No ! ''
The speaker also called the counter-protesters lazy and accused them of not understanding Christianity .
The right-wing group , which broadly expressed defiance of COVID restrictions and loyalty to Donald Trump , out-numbered counter-protesters almost two to one .
Drawn from Raleigh activists who have been protesting against police brutality since late May , along with antiracists and antifascists who are veterans of efforts to remove Confederate monuments , the counter-protesters responded in kind with taunts toward the Proud Boys .
One sign held by a counter-protester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21st Century Nazi Brown Shirts . ''
Another showed a depiction of a Confederate flag , a swastika and the name `` Trump , '' concluding , `` 3 generations of losers . ''
`` For individuals to still be conducting 'Stop the Steal ' protest/rallies essentially 25 days after Election Day even after Gov .
[ Roy ] Cooper has been declared the winner is in the same vein as the Confederate supporters still showing up places waving Confederate flags , '' Kerwin Pittman , a field organizer with Emancipate NC , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't accept the fact they lost .
They must be called out on their denial and confronted when they attempt to sow seeds of intimidation in any community . ''
Pittman was appointed by Cooper , a Democrat , to serve on the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice .
Pittman served time in prison for first-degree murder , and he has been open about his past .
All the same , North Carolina neo-Confederates never miss an opportunity to loudly confront him about his record , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jeered Pittman , daring him to say the name of the man he killed .
Around 1 p.m. , Tara LaRosa , an MMA fighter , led an advance team of Proud Boys into the street , with Bertino and others acting as marshals as the larger group of right-wing activists marched around the governor 's residence .
It 's unclear whether they had a permit for the march .
The marchers chanted `` Reopen NC , '' `` No more masks , '' `` We are the republic , '' and `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader Ashley Smith and her husband , Adam Smith , addressed the crowd with a bullhorn at the entrance of the Governor 's Mansion as the right-wing activists held the street , with tight security from the Proud Boys .
At the direction of one of the co-organizers , the Proud Boys ejected two reporters , from Raw Story and INDY Week .
The right-wing activists staked out an alternate reality , with one woman insisting to reporters : `` Donald Trump won the election . ''
Jay Thaxton , a North Carolina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camera .
He said , `` When you guys start writing real news , we wo n't have a problem with you . ''
A couple wearing shirts promoting QAnon — a conspiracy theory that posits Trump as a hero working beyond the scenes to vanquish an elite global cabal of pedophiles — strolled through the cordon of Proud Boys to join the rally .
The man , who declined to give his name , told a reporter : `` I pray that God would help you see both sides of the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have a Bill of Rights . ''
Earlier in the rally , before the right-wing activists broke out covered dishes for their defiant potluck , Reopen NC leader Ashley Smith addressed them .
`` I 'm just so thankful to see so many patriots and people who love freedom and love America , '' she said .
`` Yes , we are here once again to stand in the face of tyranny and all that would destroy everything that we hold dear and love .
And I 'm here again to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my America .
You can not have my North Carolina . '
`` Right now , we 're going to have some food , '' Smith continued .
`` We 're gon na hug our neighbors and say the Pledge [ of Allegiance ] . ''
In anticipation of Thanksgiving , on Nov. 10 , Gov .
Cooper issued an executive order limiting the number of people at indoor gatherings to no more than 10 .
On Nov. 23 , he followed up with another executive order requiring masks in all public indoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the most recent executive order cited record high COVID-19 daily case counts and hospitalizations in North Carolina .
`` We are at a critical point , and I am writing to update you on the worsening surge of COVID cases in our community and health system , and to share the actions we are taking , '' wrote Cone Health Chief Operating Officer Mary Jo Cagle in a memo to staff on Nov. 20 .
Cone Health serves Greensboro , North Carolina 's third largest city .
Cagle said that during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients in the hospital system leapt by almost 50 percent , from 95 to 142 .
She warned that the Green Valley facility , Cone 's special COVID hospital , was nearing capacity .
Like the Proud Boys , Adam Smith , the husband of the Reopen leader , has expressed a willingness to resort to violence to uphold his belief system .
In May , he carried a rifle through downtown Raleigh while marching alongside a boogaloo-inspired group that flouted North Carolina 's law against carrying dangerous weapons during a demonstration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Second Amendment hardliners , including a neo-Nazi , an avowed anarchist and self-described constitutionalists .
One of the armed men who participated in the walks , Benjamin Ryan Teeter , is now facing federal charges of attempting to provide material support to Hamas .
In May , Adam Smith posted a Facebook Live video saying that people must be willing to kill , if necessary , to resist emergency orders — or what he described as `` tyranny . ''
`` But are we willing to kill people ?
Are we willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he asked .
`` We have to say , 'Yes . '
We have to say , 'Yes . '
Is that violence .
Is that terrorism ?
I 'm not trying to strike fear in people by saying , ' I 'm going to kill you . '
I 'm gon na say , 'If you bring guns , I 'm gon na bring guns .
If you 're armed with this , we 're going to be armed with this . '
'' On Saturday , Lindsay Ayling , the antifascist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boy point her out to Smith .
Then , she said , Smith said , `` Lindsay , I 'm going to kill you . ''
Smith responded by text to Raw Story : `` Of course I did n't say that !
… That 's ridiculous . ''
Ayling insisted that she heard the statement clearly and confirmed with another person that they heard it , too .
She posted a video on Twitter showing Smith pointing in her direction and then wiggling his fingers in a motion that suggests pulling a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bertino at the time , and just before making the gesture , Smith yelled , `` We are the people .
We are the power . ''
As Trump 's political and legal options for hanging onto the presidency evaporate , the Raleigh event and other rallies at state capitols are helping to maintain the tenuous alliance of violent nationalists , Christian-right extremists and conspiracy-mongers that are intent on preventing a left turn as Biden takes office .
At the moment , much of that energy is focused on a planned pro-Trump rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's election is made official as states cast their electoral votes .
The Proud Boys have promoted the event through their Telegram account , and the gathering is expected to be a reprise of the chaotic Millions for MAGA march on Nov. 14 , which Proud Boys and other far-right groups treated as a moment of triumph .
Bertino stood at the side of Proud Boys Chairman Enrique Tarrio at the Washington Monument that night as Tarrio exulted after a clash with left-wing opponents .
`` I mean , we practically cleaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting at BLM Plaza , '' Tarrio said .
`` They 're corralled in , and there 's like a hundred of 'em , when usually there 's thousands of 'em .
And you know who we have to thank for that ?
`` All of us , '' he continued .
`` And this right here shows you the power when we the right-wing unite , and we get together .
And we do n't bicker about stupid shit . ''

This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers. Not a subscriber? Try us and go ad-free for $1. Prefer to give a one-time tip? Click here.
A band of COVID deniers, neo-Confederates and pro-Trump diehards, augmented by a 50-strong Proud Boy security detail, marched around the Governor's Mansion in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, firing up a far-right coalition to carry on the fight as their president faces the reality of leaving office.
The post-Thanksgiving rally was co-organized by Joshua Flores of Stop the Steal NC and Latinos for Freedom, who brought in Reopen NC to help him promote it on Facebook. But the Proud Boys — referenced by Flores as his "private security" in a Facebook Live video two days prior to the event — took the most prominent position in the rally as they spread out along a block of East Jones Street and taunted antifascist counter-protesters.
Flores had promoted the Thanksgiving potluck as a family-friendly event, and urged attendees to not engage with counter-protesters, warning that they would be asked to leave if they failed to honor the request, and adding that "the Proud Boys" would also "have the authority to kick you out." He also suggested, "Try not to use major cuss words, if you don't mind."
The request was almost farcical considering the Proud Boys' history of inciting conflict through profanity-laced taunts that are often barbed with misogyny and homophobia.
True to form, a Proud Boy named Jeremy Bertino picked up a bullhorn a couple minutes after the official 11:30 a.m. start time and addressed the counter-protesters across the street.
"America will never be a communist nation — never!" Bertino said as fellow Proud Boys lined the sidewalk wearing tactical vests and trademark yellow and black gear. "Your side will lose. We will exterminate you like the rats you are…. Exterminate you!"
Proud Boys at COVID-denial/pro-Trump rally in Raleigh, NC youtu.be
Bertino kicked off a chant of, "Fuck antifa."
Another Proud Boy wore a patch with the letters "S-B-S-B," a reference to Trump's infamous election-debate directive: "Proud Boys — stand back and stand by."
Bertino wore a patch with the letters "R-W-D-S" — short for "right-wing death squads." Mass killing of political opponents is a theme widely promoted by Proud Boys and other far-right extremists who celebrate Chilean dictator Augosto Pinochet's grisly practice during the 1970s of disappearing opposition activists by dropping them out of helicopters.
Previewing the in-real-life showdown on Saturday, Bertino posted a photo of North Carolina antifascist Lindsay Ayling on the Parler social media platform, encouraging followers to make a contest out of Photoshopping her image, while making a violent and misogynistic claim that "she has an affinity for alpha males and helicopters" and hash-tagging the post #antifawhore.
Bertino told Raw Story he was merely "trolling" Ayling, but the Proud Boys' goofball presentation — naming cereals during their initation rite, for example — conveniently provides plausible deniability for any expressed fantasies of violence.
Bertino also denied that his "extermination" remarks were personally directed at the counter-protesters, although his own words say otherwise.
Throughout the four-hour event, unidentified men with bullhorns stood behind the Proud Boys and excoriated the counter-protesters.
"You guys are making lists," one of the men said. "We're making lists, too." He added a reference to "9mm" ammunition that was otherwise inaudible. Another time, the man addressed the counter-protesters, saying, "You are in a very dangerous position. You are in the vast minority." Bertino told Raw Story he did not hear the comment and could not identify the speaker.
Another unidentified man told the counter-protesters: "Donald Trump has stirred the pot. You think you've captured him. But all you've done is woken us up. You think this is gonna end? No!" The speaker also called the counter-protesters lazy and accused them of not understanding Christianity.
The right-wing group, which broadly expressed defiance of COVID restrictions and loyalty to Donald Trump, out-numbered counter-protesters almost two to one.
Drawn from Raleigh activists who have been protesting against police brutality since late May, along with antiracists and antifascists who are veterans of efforts to remove Confederate monuments, the counter-protesters responded in kind with taunts toward the Proud Boys. One sign held by a counter-protester read, "Proud Boy Thugs: 21st Century Nazi Brown Shirts." Another showed a depiction of a Confederate flag, a swastika and the name "Trump," concluding, "3 generations of losers."
"For individuals to still be conducting 'Stop the Steal' protest/rallies essentially 25 days after Election Day even after Gov. [Roy] Cooper has been declared the winner is in the same vein as the Confederate supporters still showing up places waving Confederate flags," Kerwin Pittman, a field organizer with Emancipate NC, told Raw Story. "They just can't accept the fact they lost. They must be called out on their denial and confronted when they attempt to sow seeds of intimidation in any community."
Pittman was appointed by Cooper, a Democrat, to serve on the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice. Pittman served time in prison for first-degree murder, and he has been open about his past. All the same, North Carolina neo-Confederates never miss an opportunity to loudly confront him about his record, and on Saturday a detractor from Alamance County jeered Pittman, daring him to say the name of the man he killed.
Around 1 p.m., Tara LaRosa, an MMA fighter, led an advance team of Proud Boys into the street, with Bertino and others acting as marshals as the larger group of right-wing activists marched around the governor's residence. It's unclear whether they had a permit for the march.
The marchers chanted "Reopen NC," "No more masks," "We are the republic," and "Silent no more."
Reopen NC leader Ashley Smith and her husband, Adam Smith, addressed the crowd with a bullhorn at the entrance of the Governor's Mansion as the right-wing activists held the street, with tight security from the Proud Boys. At the direction of one of the co-organizers, the Proud Boys ejected two reporters, from Raw Story and INDY Week.
The right-wing activists staked out an alternate reality, with one woman insisting to reporters: "Donald Trump won the election."
Jay Thaxton, a North Carolina Proud Boy, blocked a reporter's camera. He said, "When you guys start writing real news, we won't have a problem with you."
A couple wearing shirts promoting QAnon — a conspiracy theory that posits Trump as a hero working beyond the scenes to vanquish an elite global cabal of pedophiles — strolled through the cordon of Proud Boys to join the rally. The man, who declined to give his name, told a reporter: "I pray that God would help you see both sides of the issue, not being right or left. We have a Bill of Rights."
Earlier in the rally, before the right-wing activists broke out covered dishes for their defiant potluck, Reopen NC leader Ashley Smith addressed them.
"I'm just so thankful to see so many patriots and people who love freedom and love America," she said. "Yes, we are here once again to stand in the face of tyranny and all that would destroy everything that we hold dear and love. And I'm here again to say, 'No, you cannot have my America. You cannot have my North Carolina.'
"Right now, we're going to have some food," Smith continued. "We're gonna hug our neighbors and say the Pledge [of Allegiance]."
In anticipation of Thanksgiving, on Nov. 10, Gov. Cooper issued an executive order limiting the number of people at indoor gatherings to no more than 10. On Nov. 23, he followed up with another executive order requiring masks in all public indoor settings.
As justification for the restrictions, the most recent executive order cited record high COVID-19 daily case counts and hospitalizations in North Carolina.
"We are at a critical point, and I am writing to update you on the worsening surge of COVID cases in our community and health system, and to share the actions we are taking," wrote Cone Health Chief Operating Officer Mary Jo Cagle in a memo to staff on Nov. 20.
Cone Health serves Greensboro, North Carolina's third largest city. Cagle said that during the previous week, the number of COVID patients in the hospital system leapt by almost 50 percent, from 95 to 142. She warned that the Green Valley facility, Cone's special COVID hospital, was nearing capacity.
Like the Proud Boys, Adam Smith, the husband of the Reopen leader, has expressed a willingness to resort to violence to uphold his belief system.
In May, he carried a rifle through downtown Raleigh while marching alongside a boogaloo-inspired group that flouted North Carolina's law against carrying dangerous weapons during a demonstration. The politically varied group included an array of Second Amendment hardliners, including a neo-Nazi, an avowed anarchist and self-described constitutionalists. One of the armed men who participated in the walks, Benjamin Ryan Teeter, is now facing federal charges of attempting to provide material support to Hamas.
In May, Adam Smith posted a Facebook Live video saying that people must be willing to kill, if necessary, to resist emergency orders — or what he described as "tyranny."
"But are we willing to kill people? Are we willing to lay down our lives?" he asked. "We have to say, 'Yes.' We have to say, 'Yes.' Is that violence. Is that terrorism? I'm not trying to strike fear in people by saying, 'I'm going to kill you.' I'm gonna say, 'If you bring guns, I'm gonna bring guns. If you're armed with this, we're going to be armed with this.'"
On Saturday, Lindsay Ayling, the antifascist activist, said she observed a Proud Boy point her out to Smith. Then, she said, Smith said, "Lindsay, I'm going to kill you."
Smith responded by text to Raw Story: "Of course I didn't say that!… That's ridiculous."
Ayling insisted that she heard the statement clearly and confirmed with another person that they heard it, too. She posted a video on Twitter showing Smith pointing in her direction and then wiggling his fingers in a motion that suggests pulling a trigger. Smith was standing next to Bertino at the time, and just before making the gesture, Smith yelled, "We are the people. We are the power."
As Trump's political and legal options for hanging onto the presidency evaporate, the Raleigh event and other rallies at state capitols are helping to maintain the tenuous alliance of violent nationalists, Christian-right extremists and conspiracy-mongers that are intent on preventing a left turn as Biden takes office. At the moment, much of that energy is focused on a planned pro-Trump rally on Dec. 12, two days before Biden's election is made official as states cast their electoral votes. The Proud Boys have promoted the event through their Telegram account, and the gathering is expected to be a reprise of the chaotic Millions for MAGA march on Nov. 14, which Proud Boys and other far-right groups treated as a moment of triumph.
Bertino stood at the side of Proud Boys Chairman Enrique Tarrio at the Washington Monument that night as Tarrio exulted after a clash with left-wing opponents.
"I mean, we practically cleaned the streets right there where they're sitting at BLM Plaza," Tarrio said. "They're corralled in, and there's like a hundred of 'em, when usually there's thousands of 'em. And you know who we have to thank for that?
"All of us," he continued. "And this right here shows you the power when we the right-wing unite, and we get together. And we don't bicker about stupid shit."


alternet--2020-11-29--Biden's national security nominees want back in after cashing out of government service

The incoming Biden administration is facing a major test of transparency and ethics after the New York Times reported Saturday that three former government officials tapped to run President-elect Joe Biden 's national security team have been stakeholders at a private equity firm which is promising investors big profits off government business because of its ties to those officials .
Pine Island Capital Partners lists former Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy and retired General Lloyd Austin as a DC Partners in the firm , and lists former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken as a DC Partner on leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flournoy , also founded WestExec Advisors , a `` strategic advisory firm '' that does n't disclose its clients , after leaving the Obama administration and ahead of Biden 's 2020 campaign .
Good government advocates have raised questions about the structure of the organization , which—unlike lobbying shops—does not have to register with the government .
Flournoy and Austin are reportedly among the leading candidates being considered for secretary of defense , and Blinken is Biden 's designated nominee for secretary of state .
Pine Island 's chairman is John Thain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the company paid out huge executive bonuses as it began to collapse during the financial crisis .
`` ...
The consulting firm , WestExec Advisors , and the investment fund , Pine Island Capital Partners , call themselves strategic partners and have featured an overlapping roster of politically connected officials — including some of the most prominent names on President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. 's team and others under consideration for high-ranking posts . ''
Now the Biden team 's links to these entities are presenting the incoming administration with its first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two firms are examples of how former officials leverage their expertise , connections and access on behalf of corporations and other interests , without in some cases disclosing details about their work , including the names of the clients or what they are paid .
And when those officials cycle back into government positions , as Democrats affiliated with WestExec and Pine Island are now , they bring with them questions about whether they might favor or give special access to the companies they had worked with in the private sector .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts say , just because the officials cut their ties to their firms and clients , as the Biden transition team says its nominees will do .
WestExec 's founders include Antony J. Blinken , Mr. Biden 's choice to be his secretary of state , and Michèle A. Flournoy , one of the leading candidates to be his defense secretary .
Among others to come out of WestExec are Avril Haines , Mr. Biden 's pick to be director of national intelligence ; Christina Killingsworth , who is helping the president-elect organize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ratner , who is helping organize the Biden transition at the Pentagon ; and Jennifer Psaki , an adviser on Mr. Biden 's transition team .
After the story in the Times , The Daily Poster 's David Sirota reported : In Securities and Exchange Commission filings , Pine Island describes one of its investment vehicles as `` a newly organized blank check company incorporated in Delaware '' that will use its connections to top officials to take advantage of rising government expenditures on the national security agencies that Flournoy and Blinken could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the investment vehicle were made in September—the same month Biden suggested that he will not push for significant reductions in Pentagon expenditures , which have reached record levels .
`` This is so explicit that it 's astonishing Pine Island even put it on paper , '' said David Segal of Demand Progress , a grassroots group pressing Biden to reject cabinet appointments tied to corporations .
`` This is not an example of people who happen to work at a big company—these are partners at a firm whose stated business model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and connections gained from time in government . ''
Flournoy would become the first woman to lead the Department of Defense .
`` She represents the epitome of what is worst about the Washington blob , the military-industrial complex 's revolving door , '' says CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin .
`` Her whole history has been one of going in and out of the Pentagon … where she supported every war that the U.S. engaged in , and supported increases in the military budget . ''

The incoming Biden administration is facing a major test of transparency and ethics after the New York Times reported Saturday that three former government officials tapped to run President-elect Joe Biden's national security team have been stakeholders at a private equity firm which is promising investors big profits off government business because of its ties to those officials.
Pine Island Capital Partners lists former Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy and retired General Lloyd Austin as a DC Partners in the firm, and lists former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken as a DC Partner on leave of absence. Blinken, together with Flournoy, also founded WestExec Advisors, a "strategic advisory firm" that doesn't disclose its clients, after leaving the Obama administration and ahead of Biden's 2020 campaign. Good government advocates have raised questions about the structure of the organization, which—unlike lobbying shops—does not have to register with the government.
Flournoy and Austin are reportedly among the leading candidates being considered for secretary of defense, and Blinken is Biden's designated nominee for secretary of state. Pine Island's chairman is John Thain, the former top executive at Merrill Lynch when the company paid out huge executive bonuses as it began to collapse during the financial crisis.
The New York Timesreports:
"...The consulting firm, WestExec Advisors, and the investment fund, Pine Island Capital Partners, call themselves strategic partners and have featured an overlapping roster of politically connected officials — including some of the most prominent names on President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s team and others under consideration for high-ranking posts."
Now the Biden team's links to these entities are presenting the incoming administration with its first test of transparency and ethics.
The two firms are examples of how former officials leverage their expertise, connections and access on behalf of corporations and other interests, without in some cases disclosing details about their work, including the names of the clients or what they are paid.
And when those officials cycle back into government positions, as Democrats affiliated with WestExec and Pine Island are now, they bring with them questions about whether they might favor or give special access to the companies they had worked with in the private sector. Those questions do not go away, ethics experts say, just because the officials cut their ties to their firms and clients, as the Biden transition team says its nominees will do.
WestExec's founders include Antony J. Blinken, Mr. Biden's choice to be his secretary of state, and Michèle A. Flournoy, one of the leading candidates to be his defense secretary. Among others to come out of WestExec are Avril Haines, Mr. Biden's pick to be director of national intelligence; Christina Killingsworth, who is helping the president-elect organize his White House budget office; Ely Ratner, who is helping organize the Biden transition at the Pentagon; and Jennifer Psaki, an adviser on Mr. Biden's transition team.
After the story in the Times, The Daily Poster's David Sirota reported:
In Securities and Exchange Commission filings, Pine Island describes one of its investment vehicles as "a newly organized blank check company incorporated in Delaware" that will use its connections to top officials to take advantage of rising government expenditures on the national security agencies that Flournoy and Blinken could oversee. Pine Island's first filings about the investment vehicle were made in September—the same month Biden suggested that he will not push for significant reductions in Pentagon expenditures, which have reached record levels.
"This is so explicit that it's astonishing Pine Island even put it on paper," said David Segal of Demand Progress, a grassroots group pressing Biden to reject cabinet appointments tied to corporations. "This is not an example of people who happen to work at a big company—these are partners at a firm whose stated business model is to profit from the revolving door and connections gained from time in government."
Flournoy would become the first woman to lead the Department of Defense. "She represents the epitome of what is worst about the Washington blob, the military-industrial complex's revolving door," says CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin. "Her whole history has been one of going in and out of the Pentagon … where she supported every war that the U.S. engaged in, and supported increases in the military budget."


alternet--2020-11-29--Trump left with ‘fringy of the fringe’ lawyers as campaign attorneys revolt against his fraud claims

Trump left with ‘fringy of the fringe’ lawyers as campaign attorneys revolt against his fraud claims: report

According to the Washington Post 's in-depth look at Donald Trump 's strategy to save his presidency with accusations of massive election fraud , the report notes that the president 's legal options were impacted when lawyers working for the campaign fled rather than implement the president 's plans .
The report notes that the president and his team started game-planning out a strategy to contest election results back in June with the expectation that he was looking at a tight election and plans were worked out to have Trump declare himself the winner the night of the election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Vice President Joe Biden that evening , those plans fell apart which led to an all-hands-on-deck meeting to come up with a new approach .
According to the report , that led to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani 's ill-fated press conference held in a landscape maintenance company 's parking lot which set in motion an exodus of legal expertise .
The Post reports that the president 's inner circle , `` briefed Trump on a potential legal strategy for the president 's approval .
They explained that prevailing would be difficult and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could stretch into December .
They estimated a ' 5 to 10 percent chance of winning , ' one person involved in the meeting said .
Trump signaled that he understood and agreed to the strategy . ''
The report goes on to note , `` some lawyers around Trump began to suddenly disappear from the effort in what some aides characterized as an attempt to protect their reputations .
Former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi , who had appeared at a news conference with Giuliani right after the election , ceased her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to one campaign insider , `` Literally only the fringy of the fringe are willing to do pressers , and that 's when it became clear there was no 'there ' there . ''
Giuliani 's widely-derided press conference then led to a gulf `` between the outlooks of most lawyers on the team and of Giuliani , who many of the other lawyers thought seemed 'deranged ' and ill-prepared to litigate , according to a person familiar with the campaign 's legal team .
Some of the Trump campaign and Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Giuliani and his team .
When asked for evidence internally for their most explosive claims , Giuliani and Powell could not provide it , the other advisers said . ''
According to the report , Giuliani 's claims that he could win the case led to a shouting match between the former New York City mayor and Trump deputy campaign manager Justin Clark during a conference call where Clark `` called Giuliani an expletive and said he was feeding the president bad information .
The meeting ended without a clear path , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The report goes on to note that `` the next day , a Saturday , Trump tweeted out that Giuliani , [ Jenna ] Ellis , [ Sydney ] Powell and others were now in charge of his legal strategy .
Ellis startled aides by entering the campaign 's Arlington headquarters and instructing staffers that they must now listen to her and Giuliani . ''
Powell has since been fired by the president for making claims about voter fraud that even the president found too farfetched .
You can read more @ @

According to the Washington Post's in-depth look at Donald Trump's strategy to save his presidency with accusations of massive election fraud, the report notes that the president's legal options were impacted when lawyers working for the campaign fled rather than implement the president's plans.
The report notes that the president and his team started game-planning out a strategy to contest election results back in June with the expectation that he was looking at a tight election and plans were worked out to have Trump declare himself the winner the night of the election.
However, after Fox News called Arizona for Vice President Joe Biden that evening, those plans fell apart which led to an all-hands-on-deck meeting to come up with a new approach.
According to the report, that led to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani's ill-fated press conference held in a landscape maintenance company's parking lot which set in motion an exodus of legal expertise.
The Post reports that the president's inner circle, "briefed Trump on a potential legal strategy for the president's approval. They explained that prevailing would be difficult and involve complicated plays in every state that could stretch into December. They estimated a '5 to 10 percent chance of winning,' one person involved in the meeting said. Trump signaled that he understood and agreed to the strategy."
The report goes on to note, "some lawyers around Trump began to suddenly disappear from the effort in what some aides characterized as an attempt to protect their reputations. Former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, who had appeared at a news conference with Giuliani right after the election, ceased her involvement after the first week."
According to one campaign insider, "Literally only the fringy of the fringe are willing to do pressers, and that's when it became clear there was no 'there' there."
Giuliani's widely-derided press conference then led to a gulf "between the outlooks of most lawyers on the team and of Giuliani, who many of the other lawyers thought seemed 'deranged' and ill-prepared to litigate, according to a person familiar with the campaign's legal team. Some of the Trump campaign and Republican Party lawyers sought to even avoid meetings with Giuliani and his team. When asked for evidence internally for their most explosive claims, Giuliani and Powell could not provide it, the other advisers said."
According to the report, Giuliani's claims that he could win the case led to a shouting match between the former New York City mayor and Trump deputy campaign manager Justin Clark during a conference call where Clark "called Giuliani an expletive and said he was feeding the president bad information. The meeting ended without a clear path, according to people familiar with the discussion."
The report goes on to note that "the next day, a Saturday, Trump tweeted out that Giuliani, [Jenna] Ellis, [Sydney] Powell and others were now in charge of his legal strategy. Ellis startled aides by entering the campaign's Arlington headquarters and instructing staffers that they must now listen to her and Giuliani."
Powell has since been fired by the president for making claims about voter fraud that even the president found too farfetched.
You can read more here.


alternet--2020-11-29--The last time an outgoing president refused to work with an incoming one, a civil war broke out in t

The last time an outgoing president refused to work with an incoming one, a civil war broke out in the aftermath

After President Donald Trump allowed General Services Administration head Emily W. Murphy to begin a transition into the administration of President-elect Joe Biden on Monday , the Biden team reported that the White House has also begun to schedule a meeting between the former vice president 's people and those of the outgoing administration .
Biden has described the Trump team 's efforts as `` sincere . ''
I certainly hope that this is true and , if so , that Trump continues making sure Biden is ready to lead America when he takes over on Jan 20 .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he reverts back to his earlier practice of not cooperating with Biden on the pandemic , historians will likely rank him along with James Buchanan as one of the worst presidents of all time .
More to the point , Trump and Buchanan have one big historical similarity : both men refused to accept the results of elections that did not favor them , instead punishing the American people during a period of great crisis by refusing to work with their successors .
Most forebodingly : In Buchanan 's case , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak of the Civil War .
And Trump 's parallels with Buchanan — who is regularly ranked as one of the worst presidents of all time — are particularly striking .
Let 's compare the two situations , starting with Trump .
As of today , Trump continues to deny that Biden legitimately defeated him in the 2020 election and makes numerous claims of voter fraud , all of which are without merit .
As part of this unwillingness to accept the voters ' verdict , Trump 's administration has up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team when it comes to addressing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
At the time of this writing that pandemic has infected nearly 12.6 million people in the United States with the novel coronavirus and led to roughly 260,000 fatalities from the disease it causes , COVID-19 .
A recent study projects that the number of people who develop COVID-19 could nearly double between now and Biden 's inauguration .
Even if Trump had n't shirked his responsibility to work with Biden 's people in responding to the pandemic , his post-election behavior would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone among sitting presidents who were denied an additional term by voters in refusing to accept the election results .
How does this compare to Buchanan ?
Buchanan , though not up for reelection himself in 1860 , was deeply unhappy with the fact that Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln prevailed in that contest over his own vice president , Southern Democratic nominee John Breckinridge , or one of the other major candidates .
Unlike Lincoln , who had been elected on a platform of restricting the expansion of slavery in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the antislavery state of Pennsylvania .
During his presidency Buchanan inappropriately encouraged the Supreme Court to rule in the notorious Dred Scott decision that African Americans held no rights of any kind ( which it did ) , packed his Cabinet full of unapologetic racists who argued slavery was good for America , and repeatedly sided with the South when it advocated for imperialist wars ( which would help slavery ) and tried to expand their evil institution throughout the country .
When the South rejected Lincoln 's election by threatening to secede @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incoming administration to assuage their fears .
Indeed , quite to the contrary , Buchanan took the position that the federal government should not intervene if a state decides to secede from the Union .
While Lincoln believed that secession was illegal and slavery was immoral , Buchanan declared in his December 1860 State of the Union message that attempts to stop slavery were actually wrong , and argued that if the North refused to allow slave states to have their way , `` the injured States , after having first used all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would be justified in revolutionary resistance to the Government of the Union . ''
From that point on Buchanan did as little as he could get away with while state after state seceded to form the Confederacy , ultimately leaving Lincoln with no option but to wage the Civil War by the time he took office .
Until Trump refused to work with Biden on the coronavirus pandemic , Buchanan was the only president to ever behave this badly in his administration 's final lame-duck months .
Sure , there had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral repudiations : Both John Adams and John Quincy Adams refused to attend their successors ' inaugurations out of spite , while Herbert Hoover wasted time clashing with Franklin Roosevelt about how to address the Great Depression .
But only Buchanan matches Trump when it came to a combined refusal to work with an incoming administration in order to save lives and a bitterness over an election result that ( directly or indirectly ) rejected them .
These are n't the only parallels between Buchanan and Trump .
Both administrations were packed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were thus riddled with corruption , although Buchanan himself was able to narrowly avoid being impeached .
Each one was overtly racist ( obviously ) and both abused their executive powers to violate the rights of racial justice advocates , whether it was Trump sending secret police to kidnap protesters in Portland or Buchanan tacitly supporting violence against abolitionists in Kansas and trying to extort lawmakers into taking pro-slavery positions .
Each inherited a good economy and then failed to bring about recovery when there was an economic crash .
And , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty of treason , with many Buchanan officials actively supporting the Confederacy after he left office .
( The only president to indisputably commit treason is John Tyler , who as a former president sided with the Confederacy and was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives . )
This is n't to say that the analogy between Buchanan and Trump is perfect .
While both men were incompetent presidents , Buchanan actually had extensive prior government experience as a congressman , senator , diplomat and secretary of state .
In addition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past his term ( although this was easier for him since he was not on the ballot in 1860 ) .
By contrast , whatever else may be said of Trump , he at least theoretically has an opportunity to redeem himself between now and the end of his term .
His team 's decision to work with Biden on addressing the pandemic could be an early sign of precisely that .
Indeed , by working with Biden on the pandemic and other important transition-related matters , ending his public displays of bitterness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his previous violent rhetoric to guarantee a peaceful transition of power , Trump could avoid a Buchanan-esque reputation .
There 's even an uncanny parallel in that each one-term presidents ' missteps wrought hundreds of thousands of deaths : 235,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 ( so far ) ; 600,000 Americans died during the Civil War .
If there is any silver lining here , it is that Trump 's actions up to this point have not been entirely unprecedented .
The republic survived Buchanan and it can survive Trump too .

After President Donald Trump allowed General Services Administration head Emily W. Murphy to begin a transition into the administration of President-elect Joe Biden on Monday, the Biden team reported that the White House has also begun to schedule a meeting between the former vice president's people and those of the outgoing administration. Biden has described the Trump team's efforts as "sincere."
I certainly hope that this is true and, if so, that Trump continues making sure Biden is ready to lead America when he takes over on Jan 20. Trump is nothing if not mercurial, and if he reverts back to his earlier practice of not cooperating with Biden on the pandemic, historians will likely rank him along with James Buchanan as one of the worst presidents of all time. More to the point, Trump and Buchanan have one big historical similarity: both men refused to accept the results of elections that did not favor them, instead punishing the American people during a period of great crisis by refusing to work with their successors.
Most forebodingly: In Buchanan's case, his pigheadedness during his lame duck period heralded the outbreak of the Civil War. And Trump's parallels with Buchanan — who is regularly ranked as one of the worst presidents of all time — are particularly striking.
Let's compare the two situations, starting with Trump. As of today, Trump continues to deny that Biden legitimately defeated him in the 2020 election and makes numerous claims of voter fraud, all of which arewithout merit. As part of this unwillingness to accept the voters' verdict, Trump's administration has up to now refused to work with Biden's team when it comes to addressing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. At the time of this writing that pandemic has infected nearly 12.6 million people in the United States with the novel coronavirus and led to roughly 260,000 fatalities from the disease it causes, COVID-19. A recent study projects that the number of people who develop COVID-19 could nearly double between now and Biden's inauguration.
Even if Trump hadn't shirked his responsibility to work with Biden's people in responding to the pandemic, his post-election behavior would be unprecedented. Indeed, he is alone among sitting presidents who were denied an additional term by voters in refusing to accept the election results.
How does this compare to Buchanan? Buchanan, though not up for reelection himself in 1860, was deeply unhappy with the fact that Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln prevailed in that contest over his own vice president, Southern Democratic nominee John Breckinridge, or one of the other major candidates. Unlike Lincoln, who had been elected on a platform of restricting the expansion of slavery in the United States, Buchanan was pro-slavery despite hailing from the antislavery state of Pennsylvania. During his presidency Buchanan inappropriately encouraged the Supreme Court to rule in the notorious Dred Scott decision that African Americans held no rights of any kind (which it did), packed his Cabinet full of unapologetic racists who argued slavery was good for America, and repeatedly sided with the South when it advocated for imperialist wars (which would help slavery) and tried to expand their evil institution throughout the country. When the South rejected Lincoln's election by threatening to secede, Buchanan refused to work with the incoming administration to assuage their fears.
Indeed, quite to the contrary, Buchanan took the position that the federal government should not intervene if a state decides to secede from the Union. While Lincoln believed that secession was illegal and slavery was immoral, Buchanan declared in his December 1860 State of the Union message that attempts to stop slavery were actually wrong, and argued that if the North refused to allow slave states to have their way, "the injured States, after having first used all peaceful and constitutional means to obtain redress, would be justified in revolutionary resistance to the Government of the Union."
From that point on Buchanan did as little as he could get away with while state after state seceded to form the Confederacy, ultimately leaving Lincoln with no option but to wage the Civil War by the time he took office.
Until Trump refused to work with Biden on the coronavirus pandemic, Buchanan was the only president to ever behave this badly in his administration's final lame-duck months. Sure, there had been outgoing presidents who responded petulantly after stinging electoral repudiations: Both John Adams and John Quincy Adams refused to attend their successors' inaugurations out of spite, while Herbert Hoover wasted time clashing with Franklin Roosevelt about how to address the Great Depression. But only Buchanan matches Trump when it came to a combined refusal to work with an incoming administration in order to save lives and a bitterness over an election result that (directly or indirectly) rejected them.
These aren't the only parallels between Buchanan and Trump. Both administrations were packed with officials who had conflicts of interest and were thus riddled with corruption, although Buchanan himself was able to narrowly avoid being impeached. Each one was overtly racist (obviously) and both abused their executive powers to violate the rights of racial justice advocates, whether it was Trump sending secret police to kidnap protesters in Portland or Buchanan tacitly supporting violence against abolitionists in Kansas and trying to extort lawmakers into taking pro-slavery positions. Each inherited a good economy and then failed to bring about recovery when there was an economic crash. And, most notably, each was at best allegedly guilty of treason, with many Buchanan officials actively supporting the Confederacy after he left office. (The only president to indisputably commit treason is John Tyler, who as a former president sided with the Confederacy and was elected to the Confederate House of Representatives.)
This isn't to say that the analogy between Buchanan and Trump is perfect. While both men were incompetent presidents, Buchanan actually had extensive prior government experience as a congressman, senator, diplomat and secretary of state. In addition, Buchanan never threatened to stay in power past his term (although this was easier for him since he was not on the ballot in 1860). By contrast, whatever else may be said of Trump, he at least theoretically has an opportunity to redeem himself between now and the end of his term. His team's decision to work with Biden on addressing the pandemic could be an early sign of precisely that.
Indeed, by working with Biden on the pandemic and other important transition-related matters, ending his public displays of bitterness over the election results and walking back his previous violent rhetoric to guarantee a peaceful transition of power, Trump could avoid a Buchanan-esque reputation.
There's even an uncanny parallel in that each one-term presidents' missteps wrought hundreds of thousands of deaths: 235,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 (so far); 600,000 Americans died during the Civil War.
If there is any silver lining here, it is that Trump's actions up to this point have not been entirely unprecedented. The republic survived Buchanan and it can survive Trump too.


alternet--2020-11-29--Watch: GOP voters corner RNC chair on why they should turn out in Georgia runoff 'when it's already

Watch: GOP voters corner RNC chair on why they should turn out in Georgia runoff 'when it's already decided'

Saturday , at a campaign stop in Marietta , GA , Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel struggled to explain to voters why they should cast ballots in the upcoming Senate runoffs when , as one voter expressed , `` it 's already decided . ''
McDaniel was appealing to voters to return to the polls on January 5 and cast their ballots for incumbent Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler .
If Democrats defeat those candidates in Georgia , the party will control the House , Senate and White House at the onset of President-elect Joe Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've faced an ongoing effort by President Donald Trump and his allies to delegitimize the results of the 2020 election , cornered McDaniel about the alleged vote rigging the leader of her party has continuously insisted occurred .
One voter pressed McDaniel about `` switching the votes '' as she took questions from the crowd .
`` We go there in crazy numbers and they should have won— '' the attendee said .
`` Yeah , we have n't seen that in the audit , '' McDaniel replied .
`` That evidence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll wait to see on that . ''
`` How are we going to spend money and work when it 's already decided ? ''
Another demanded .
`` It 's not decided ! ''
McDaniel insisted .
`` This is the key .
It 's not decided . ''
`` How do we know ? ''
another asked .
The event highlighted a key issue Republicans face as the president digs in his heels on his refusal to acknowledge Biden 's victory .
As the party hopes to maintain control of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very system that will allow them to do so .
`` Well , I told [ Perdue and Loeffler ] today , I think you 're dealing in a very fraudulent system , '' Trump said during a press conference Thursday .
`` I 'm very worried about that . ''
Saturday , McDaniel attempted to tamp down the president 's complaints about the electoral system , urging voters `` to focus on the mission at hand '' and promising to deal with the allegations of widespread voter fraud in the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on January 5th right now , '' McDaniel said .
`` We can deal with those other things later . ''
You can watch the clip below :

Saturday, at a campaign stop in Marietta, GA, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel struggled to explain to voters why they should cast ballots in the upcoming Senate runoffs when, as one voter expressed, "it's already decided."
McDaniel was appealing to voters to return to the polls on January 5 and cast their ballots for incumbent Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. If Democrats defeat those candidates in Georgia, the party will control the House, Senate and White House at the onset of President-elect Joe Biden's presidency.
But Republican voters, who've faced an ongoing effort by President Donald Trump and his allies to delegitimize the results of the 2020 election, cornered McDaniel about the alleged vote rigging the leader of her party has continuously insisted occurred.
One voter pressed McDaniel about "switching the votes" as she took questions from the crowd.
"We go there in crazy numbers and they should have won—" the attendee said.
"Yeah, we haven't seen that in the audit," McDaniel replied. "That evidence, I haven't seen, so we'll wait to see on that."
"How are we going to spend money and work when it's already decided?" Another demanded.
"It's not decided!" McDaniel insisted. "This is the key. It's not decided."
"How do we know?" another asked.
The event highlighted a key issue Republicans face as the president digs in his heels on his refusal to acknowledge Biden's victory. As the party hopes to maintain control of the Senate, the president continues to undermine the very system that will allow them to do so.
"Well, I told [Perdue and Loeffler] today, I think you're dealing in a very fraudulent system," Trump said during a press conference Thursday. "I'm very worried about that."
Saturday, McDaniel attempted to tamp down the president's complaints about the electoral system, urging voters "to focus on the mission at hand" and promising to deal with the allegations of widespread voter fraud in the future.
"We've got to focus on January 5th right now," McDaniel said. "We can deal with those other things later."
You can watch the clip below:


alternet--2020-11-29--GOP congressman casts doubt on his own legitimacy with failed lawsuit to overturn PA election result

GOP congressman casts doubt on his own legitimacy with failed lawsuit to overturn PA election results

A Republican congressman from Pennsylvania has cast doubt on his own legitimacy to serve in Congress with his failed lawsuit attempting to overturn the 2020 election results .
Rep. Mike Kelly ( R-PA ) attempted to have the courts block certification of the 2020 election results , but his effort was rejected by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Saturday .
`` The PA Supreme Court dismisses the case brought by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly that sought to overturn last year 's law creating no-excuse mail voting and to throw out those mail ballots cast in this election , '' Philadelphia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This is the case the Commonwealth Court had earlier blocked certification in . ''
Marc Elias , the top Democrat fighting lawsuits by Republicans seeking to overturn the vote , believes the lawsuit may have brought into question the legitimacy of Rep. Kelly serving in Congress .
`` Congressman Mike Kelly has asked a PA judge to block certification of his own election .
Even after this lawsuit is dismissed , the US House should refer his credentials to the Admin Committee prior to seating .
If he does n't think he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take note , '' Elias argued on Wednesday .
Following the Supreme Court rejecting the lawsuit , Elias followed up on his argument .
`` I stand by this , '' Elias wrote .
`` Even thought the PA Supreme Court dismissed this lawsuit , Congressman Mike Kelly 's effort to block certification of his own election warrants a review by House Admin .
If he does n't think his election should be certified , the House should not seat him . ''
The House Administration Committee is chaired by Rep. Zoe Lofgren @ @ @ @

A Republican congressman from Pennsylvania has cast doubt on his own legitimacy to serve in Congress with his failed lawsuit attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) attempted to have the courts block certification of the 2020 election results, but his effort was rejected by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Saturday.
"The PA Supreme Court dismisses the case brought by U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly that sought to overturn last year's law creating no-excuse mail voting and to throw out those mail ballots cast in this election," Philadelphia Inquirer correspondent Jonathan Lai reported Saturday. "This is the case the Commonwealth Court had earlier blocked certification in."
Marc Elias, the top Democrat fighting lawsuits by Republicans seeking to overturn the vote, believes the lawsuit may have brought into question the legitimacy of Rep. Kelly serving in Congress.
"Congressman Mike Kelly has asked a PA judge to block certification of his own election. Even after this lawsuit is dismissed, the US House should refer his credentials to the Admin Committee prior to seating. If he doesn't think he should be certified, the House should take note," Elias argued on Wednesday.
Following the Supreme Court rejecting the lawsuit, Elias followed up on his argument.
"I stand by this," Elias wrote. "Even thought the PA Supreme Court dismissed this lawsuit, Congressman Mike Kelly's effort to block certification of his own election warrants a review by House Admin. If he doesn't think his election should be certified, the House should not seat him."
The House Administration Committee is chaired by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).


alternet--2020-11-29--'Massive grift': GOP rep says party's refusal to acknowledge Biden win is 'just money-making for the

'Massive grift': GOP rep says party's refusal to acknowledge Biden win is 'just money-making for the 2024 election'

Rep. Denver Riggleman ( R-VA ) said he 's `` sick '' of his own party 's refusal to acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden 's win over President Donald Trump in the 2020 election , calling the move a `` massive grift '' that 's `` just money-making for the 2024 election . ''
`` I 'm so damn sick of it , '' Riggleman said .
`` I 'm sick of it . ''
In an interview with Forbes published Saturday , Riggleman took aim at Trump , the GOP and General Services Administration head Emily Murphy for holding up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ego and appeal to the Republican base .
`` She should 've done this well before she did it , '' Riggleman said of Murphy 's delay in authorizing funds for the Biden transition .
According to Forbes , Riggleman said the move was made out of `` fear of losing your tribe . ''
`` Really speaks to where your intelligence level is… to believe in that type of operation , '' Riggleman said of Trump 's `` true believers '' who parrot the president 's unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ desperate to retain power that he forgot he was serving people and not himself , '' Riggleman said .

Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) said he's "sick" of his own party's refusal to acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden's win over President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, calling the move a "massive grift" that's "just money-making for the 2024 election."
"I'm so damn sick of it," Riggleman said. "I'm sick of it."
In an interview with Forbes published Saturday, Riggleman took aim at Trump, the GOP and General Services Administration head Emily Murphy for holding up the Biden transition to soothe Trump's ego and appeal to the Republican base.
"She should've done this well before she did it," Riggleman said of Murphy's delay in authorizing funds for the Biden transition. According to Forbes, Riggleman said the move was made out of "fear of losing your tribe."
"Really speaks to where your intelligence level is… to believe in that type of operation," Riggleman said of Trump's "true believers" who parrot the president's unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud.
"[Trump] got so desperate to retain power that he forgot he was serving people and not himself," Riggleman said.


alternet--2020-11-29--Mysterious monolith in US desert reportedly disappears

A mysterious metal monolith found in the remote desert of the western United States , sparking a national guessing game @ @ @ @ @ , has apparently disappeared , officials said.The Bureau of Land Management in Utah said Saturday @ @ @ @ @ reports '' that the object had been removed `` by an unknown party '' on @ @ @ @ @ not remove the structure which is considered private property , '' it said in a @ @ @ @ @ not investigate crimes involving private property which are handled by the local sheriff 's office @ @ @ @ @ triangular pillar which protruded s ...

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