alternet--2020-12-22--Here's how Biden can handle Putin

Here's how Biden can handle Putin

by Amelie Theussen , University of Southern Denmark and Dominika Kunertova , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich When Vladimir Putin faced the world 's media recently for his annual end-of-year press conference , he was characteristically aggressive .
Asked by a BBC journalist whether , as Russia 's president for 20 years , he accepted any responsibility for the current “ woeful state of relations '' between his country and the west or whether the Russian authorities were “ always white and fluffy '' ( a Russian expression for squeaky clean ) , he was scathing in his reply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freeze in relations between Russia and the west that has been developing over some years .
This prompted a group of former US , European and Russian diplomats , generals , researchers and political figures , supported by the European Leadership Network ( ELN ) , to write a letter to the UK 's Times newspaper on December 8 to call for action in Moscow and for Nato to restore talks on how to impose limits on military activity in Europe .
This has become increasingly urgent over the past few years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't agree to extend New START ( as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty is known ) by February 5 2021 , there will be no legally binding treaty that would set verifiable limits on their nuclear weapons which make up 90 % of the world 's nuclear arsenal , for the first time since the 1970s .
How to handle relations with Russia will be one of Biden 's top foreign policy priorities when he moves into the Oval Office after his inauguration on January 20 .
During the recent election campaign the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat to America right now in terms of breaking up our security and our alliances '' .
Nato-Russia relations have been in the deep freeze since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea .
Russia 's provocative behaviour since has included a build-up of Russian military forces and impromptu exercises in the Baltic and Black Sea regions .
Nato member states , meanwhile , have continued their policies of sanctions , strengthening the alliance 's eastern defence posture and limiting diplomatic relations with Russia .
The security dilemma has only worsened in Europe since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August 2019 due to repeated Russian violations .
The ELN experts recommend a series of measures suggesting that “ these steps can contribute to an atmosphere , in which resolution of those difficult political issues becomes more achievable '' .
But this requires Nato to overcome three crucial obstacles .
Nato solidarity must be repaired after four years in which criticism by the outgoing US president Donald Trump has called the transatlantic partnership into question .
There needs to be renewed political will in both Washington and Moscow for restoring arms control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the west 's relationship with Russia must address Russia 's precarious dilemma , caught in stagnation after the collapse of the Soviet Union but hungry for recognition of its great power status .
These steps are key if diplomacy is to have a chance .
Here , Biden 's election could reverse the some of the more worrisome tendencies in US foreign policy under outgoing president Donald Trump .
Under Biden , the US will follow a “ hang tough , but keep talking '' policy towards Russia , based on more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's European members .
There is hope that a more coherent US policy will increase the chances of renewing the Russia-Nato dialogue .
This would provide the opportunity to cooperate with Moscow on issues such as climate change , coronavirus , counterterrorism , and Iran 's nuclear programme .
Biden can also help Nato to again become an effective platform for negotiations .
But this is only possible if Washington changes its rhetoric and remains interested in issues of European security as well as arms control .
Trump 's confrontational rhetoric needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are strong incentives to reduce the risk of escalation , misperceptions and potential misunderstandings .
Nato could start by addressing Russia 's long-term fears dating back to the end of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 .
The US could reassure the Russians by allowing them to inspect Nato missile defence sites in Romania and Poland .
Discussions in 2021 for the updating of the Vienna Document – the politically binding agreement that provides for the exchange and verification of information about armed forces and military activities – will also be very important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence '' .
And allies of the US must keep emphasising the importance of the Open Skies Treaty , something that Biden has said he supports .
All of this will not be secured overnight .
Patience is necessary , as well as a willingness to see common ground to make the relationship between Russia and Nato functional ; but also a dose of realism , and especially transatlantic cooperation and predictability .
Amelie Theussen , Assistant Professor , Department of Political Science and Public Management , University of Southern Denmark and Dominika @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Studies , ETH Zurich , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

by Amelie Theussen, University of Southern Denmark and Dominika Kunertova, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
When Vladimir Putin faced the world's media recently for his annual end-of-year press conference, he was characteristically aggressive.
Asked by a BBC journalist whether, as Russia's president for 20 years, he accepted any responsibility for the current “woeful state of relations" between his country and the west or whether the Russian authorities were “always white and fluffy" (a Russian expression for squeaky clean), he was scathing in his reply:
About us being “white and fluffy". In comparison with you, yes we are … We heard you promise that Nato is not going to expand to the east – but you didn't keep your word.
Putin's words reflect a general freeze in relations between Russia and the west that has been developing over some years. This prompted a group of former US, European and Russian diplomats, generals, researchers and political figures, supported by the European Leadership Network (ELN), to write a letter to the UK's Times newspaper on December 8 to call for action in Moscow and for Nato to restore talks on how to impose limits on military activity in Europe.
This has become increasingly urgent over the past few years. If the United States and Russia don't agree to extend New START (as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty is known) by February 5 2021, there will be no legally binding treaty that would set verifiable limits on their nuclear weapons which make up 90% of the world's nuclear arsenal, for the first time since the 1970s.
How to handle relations with Russia will be one of Biden's top foreign policy priorities when he moves into the Oval Office after his inauguration on January 20. During the recent election campaign the president-elect identified Russia as the “biggest threat to America right now in terms of breaking up our security and our alliances".
Nato-Russia relations have been in the deep freeze since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. Russia's provocative behaviour since has included a build-up of Russian military forces and impromptu exercises in the Baltic and Black Sea regions.
Nato member states, meanwhile, have continued their policies of sanctions, strengthening the alliance's eastern defence posture and limiting diplomatic relations with Russia. The security dilemma has only worsened in Europe since the US terminated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in August 2019 due to repeated Russian violations.
Positive steps
The ELN experts recommend a series of measures suggesting that “these steps can contribute to an atmosphere, in which resolution of those difficult political issues becomes more achievable".
But this requires Nato to overcome three crucial obstacles. Nato solidarity must be repaired after four years in which criticism by the outgoing US president Donald Trump has called the transatlantic partnership into question. There needs to be renewed political will in both Washington and Moscow for restoring arms control agreements. And renewed attempts at diplomacy in the west's relationship with Russia must address Russia's precarious dilemma, caught in stagnation after the collapse of the Soviet Union but hungry for recognition of its great power status.
These steps are key if diplomacy is to have a chance. Here, Biden's election could reverse the some of the more worrisome tendencies in US foreign policy under outgoing president Donald Trump. Under Biden, the US will follow a “hang tough, but keep talking" policy towards Russia, based on more international engagement and better cooperation with Nato's European members.
There is hope that a more coherent US policy will increase the chances of renewing the Russia-Nato dialogue. This would provide the opportunity to cooperate with Moscow on issues such as climate change, coronavirus, counterterrorism, and Iran's nuclear programme.
More diplomacy needed
Biden can also help Nato to again become an effective platform for negotiations. But this is only possible if Washington changes its rhetoric and remains interested in issues of European security as well as arms control. Trump's confrontational rhetoric needs to give way to confidence-building measures where there are strong incentives to reduce the risk of escalation, misperceptions and potential misunderstandings.
Nato could start by addressing Russia's long-term fears dating back to the end of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002. The US could reassure the Russians by allowing them to inspect Nato missile defence sites in Romania and Poland.
Discussions in 2021 for the updating of the Vienna Document – the politically binding agreement that provides for the exchange and verification of information about armed forces and military activities – will also be very important to “restoring trust and increasing mutual confidence". And allies of the US must keep emphasising the importance of the Open Skies Treaty, something that Biden has said he supports.
All of this will not be secured overnight. Patience is necessary, as well as a willingness to see common ground to make the relationship between Russia and Nato functional; but also a dose of realism, and especially transatlantic cooperation and predictability.
Amelie Theussen, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark and Dominika Kunertova, Senior Researcher, Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-12-21--Trump's coup is failing — but a similar effort backed by the US already succeeded

In recent weeks , Donald Trump has been ridiculed , slathered with contempt , and repeatedly branded a `` liar , '' as well as an existential threat to democracy in the United States , by the biggest media outlets in the country .
This is in response to his attempts to reverse the results of the U.S. presidential election , and claiming—without evidence—that it was stolen .
He still clings to these allegations , but he will be leaving the White House on January 20 .
But just over a year ago , a similar effort was launched in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The country 's democratically elected president , Evo Morales , was toppled three weeks after the October 20 vote , before his term was finished .
He left the country after the military `` asked '' him to resign .
The similarities are remarkable .
Leaders of the Bolivian opposition indicated before the votes were counted , as Trump did , that they would not accept the result if they lost .
Like Trump , they had no evidence for their allegations of fraud when the votes were counted .
And as with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was obvious from day one .
Some readers may question the relevance of the comparison with a developing country whose democratic institutions have a shorter history , and are in important ways weaker than those in the U.S. government .
But the Bolivian right would not have succeeded , where Trump has failed , if not for another important difference : the Bolivian right had powerful help from outside the country in pulling off their coup .
Not surprisingly some of this help came from the Trump administration , which stated the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departure preserves democracy and paves the way for the Bolivian people to have their voices heard . ''
Even more important help came from the Organization of American States ( OAS ) , which , not coincidentally , gets 60 percent of its funding from the United States .
The OAS also currently has a leader , Luis Almagro , who at the time of Bolivia 's election needed the support of Trump and his allied right-wing governments in the Americas in order to be reelected as the head of the organization .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the election , expressing `` deep concern and surprise at the drastic and hard-to-explain change in the trend of the preliminary results . ''
This allegation turned out to be `` false , '' as the New York Times would later report ; but as the Times noted , this false allegation `` changed the South American nation 's history . ''
It changed history because it served as the political foundation for the military coup on November 10 , 2019 .
Another similarity : remember when Trump and his Republican allies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stealing '' the election here because the later , mostly mail-in votes were coming in overwhelmingly from Democrats ?
Of course this was false ; the truth was simply that more Democrats than Republicans were voting by mail .
The OAS allegation in Bolivia was the same : for various reasons—including geography—votes in the pro-Morales areas came in later than those for the opposing candidates .
This was obvious from the day after the election by simply looking at the areas where the earlier and later votes were coming from ; the data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's why 133 economists and statisticians from various countries—the majority from the United States—signed a letter demanding that the OAS retract its false statements .
That 's why four members of the U.S. Congress asked the OAS if they ever considered the possibility—which amazingly was not mentioned in three more OAS reports—that the later-reporting precincts were politically different from the earlier ones .
It 's been a year , and the OAS still has n't answered .
In October , the de facto government , which took power after last year 's coup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice .
Luis Arce , Evo Morales 's economy minister for 13 years , won by a margin of more than 26 percentage points .
But the people killed by the post-coup government , including at least 22 people killed in two massacres committed by security forces , can not be brought back to life .
The victims were all Indigenous .
Like the effort of Trump in the United States—as seen in the recent Republican attempt to throw out hundreds of thousands of votes from Detroit , Michigan , where nearly 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy in Bolivia is also tied to systemic racism .
Evo Morales is the first Indigenous president in a country with the largest percent of Indigenous population in the Americas , who have overwhelmingly supported him and his party ; the leaders of the coup are infused with white supremacists and seek to restore the dominance of the mostly white elite who ruled the country before Morales was first elected in 2005 .
U.S .
Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Jesus `` Chuy '' Garcia , both of Chicago , have called for Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Bolivia following the 2019 election .
This is vitally important , because the coup , and the violence and political repression that followed , might never have happened without the OAS 's pivotal role .
Perhaps most importantly , the OAS had an enormous impact on the international and domestic media , with many journalists mistakenly believing that the OAS Electoral Observation Mission was impartial , and that therefore their allegations were true .
But the Bolivian coup is not the first time that the OAS has abused its authority as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a U.S.-backed effort to topple a democratically elected government .
This happened in Haiti between 2000 and 2004 .
And also in Haiti , the OAS did something in 2011 that perhaps no election observers had ever done : they reversed the results of a first-round presidential election , without even a recount or a statistical analysis .
The OAS and its leadership must be held accountable , or these crimes will keep happening .
Mark Weisbrot is co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington , D.C .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` Experts '' Got Wrong About the Global Economy ( Oxford University Press , 2015 ) .
This article was produced in partnership by the Center for Economic and Policy Research and Economy for All , a project of the Independent Media Institute .

In recent weeks, Donald Trump has been ridiculed, slathered with contempt, and repeatedly branded a "liar," as well as an existential threat to democracy in the United States, by the biggest media outlets in the country. This is in response to his attempts to reverse the results of the U.S. presidential election, and claiming—without evidence—that it was stolen. He still clings to these allegations, but he will be leaving the White House on January 20.
But just over a year ago, a similar effort was launched in Bolivia, and it actually prevailed. The country's democratically elected president, Evo Morales, was toppled three weeks after the October 20 vote, before his term was finished. He left the country after the military "asked" him to resign.
The similarities are remarkable. Leaders of the Bolivian opposition indicated before the votes were counted, as Trump did, that they would not accept the result if they lost. Like Trump, they had no evidence for their allegations of fraud when the votes were counted. And as with Trump, the falseness of their charges was obvious from day one.
Some readers may question the relevance of the comparison with a developing country whose democratic institutions have a shorter history, and are in important ways weaker than those in the U.S. government. But the Bolivian right would not have succeeded, where Trump has failed, if not for another important difference: the Bolivian right had powerful help from outside the country in pulling off their coup.
Not surprisingly some of this help came from the Trump administration, which stated the day after the coup that "Morales's departure preserves democracy and paves the way for the Bolivian people to have their voices heard."
Even more important help came from the Organization of American States (OAS), which, not coincidentally, gets 60 percent of its funding from the United States. The OAS also currently has a leader, Luis Almagro, who at the time of Bolivia's election needed the support of Trump and his allied right-wing governments in the Americas in order to be reelected as the head of the organization. The OAS issued a statement the day after the election, expressing "deep concern and surprise at the drastic and hard-to-explain change in the trend of the preliminary results."
This allegation turned out to be "false," as the New York Times would later report; but as the Times noted, this false allegation "changed the South American nation's history." It changed history because it served as the political foundation for the military coup on November 10, 2019.
Another similarity: remember when Trump and his Republican allies were saying that the Democrats were "stealing" the election here because the later, mostly mail-in votes were coming in overwhelmingly from Democrats? Of course this was false; the truth was simply that more Democrats than Republicans were voting by mail.
The OAS allegation in Bolivia was the same: for various reasons—including geography—votes in the pro-Morales areas came in later than those for the opposing candidates. This was obvious from the day after the election by simply looking at the areas where the earlier and later votes were coming from; the data was all on the web. That's why 133 economists and statisticians from various countries—the majority from the United States—signed a letter demanding that the OAS retract its false statements.
That's why four members of the U.S. Congress asked the OAS if they ever considered the possibility—which amazingly was not mentioned in three more OAS reports—that the later-reporting precincts were politically different from the earlier ones.
It's been a year, and the OAS still hasn't answered.
In October, the de facto government, which took power after last year's coup, held elections, after postponing them twice. Luis Arce, Evo Morales's economy minister for 13 years, won by a margin of more than 26 percentage points.
But the people killed by the post-coup government, including at least 22 people killed in two massacres committed by security forces, cannot be brought back to life. The victims were all Indigenous.
Like the effort of Trump in the United States—as seen in the recent Republican attempt to throw out hundreds of thousands of votes from Detroit, Michigan, where nearly 80 percent of residents are Black—the assault on democracy in Bolivia is also tied to systemic racism.
Evo Morales is the first Indigenous president in a country with the largest percent of Indigenous population in the Americas, who have overwhelmingly supported him and his party; the leaders of the coup are infused with white supremacists and seek to restore the dominance of the mostly white elite who ruled the country before Morales was first elected in 2005.
U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, both of Chicago, have called for Congress to investigate the role of the OAS in Bolivia following the 2019 election.
This is vitally important, because the coup, and the violence and political repression that followed, might never have happened without the OAS's pivotal role. Perhaps most importantly, the OAS had an enormous impact on the international and domestic media, with many journalists mistakenly believing that the OAS Electoral Observation Mission was impartial, and that therefore their allegations were true.
But the Bolivian coup is not the first time that the OAS has abused its authority as an electoral observer, in order to support a U.S.-backed effort to topple a democratically elected government. This happened in Haiti between 2000 and 2004. And also in Haiti, the OAS did something in 2011 that perhaps no election observers had ever done: they reversed the results of a first-round presidential election, without even a recount or a statistical analysis.
The OAS and its leadership must be held accountable, or these crimes will keep happening.
Mark Weisbrot is co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C. He is the author of Failed: What the "Experts" Got Wrong About the Global Economy (Oxford University Press, 2015).
This article was produced in partnership by the Center for Economic and Policy Research and Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute.


alternet--2020-12-23--Ex-US attorney unleashes on Trump for pardoning Blackwater war criminals — and demands further inves

Ex-US attorney unleashes on Trump for pardoning Blackwater war criminals — and demands further investigation

Some of the men pardoned by President Donald Trump Tuesday evening were involved in a horrific act against innocent civilians in Iraq during the war .
Former President George W. Bush took the U.S. into a war in Iraq based on false intelligence , saying that the country was developing nuclear weapons .
Among the people who served in the war were paid mercenaries of the Defense Contract firm owned by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos ' brother Erik Prince .
Blackwater , which changed its name to Academi after a slew of scandals , hired men who opened fire on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children .
In one case , one of the men was told `` ceasefire '' multiple times but ignored it .
He refused to stop shooting people until someone pulled their weapon on him and threatened to kill him .
The case in the Washington , D.C. federal court was part of a major case in the Justice Department where prosecutors brought Iraqis to the United States to testify against the men .
The men killed 17 total people , including one mother who was trying to escape with her infant child .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's clear if someone does something for Trump then they get something back .
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner was furious , specifically mentioning those he knew in the Justice Department who fought to ensure the war criminals from Academi were put in jail .
`` It seems like there is no line Donald Trump wo n't cross , '' Kirschner explained .
`` I will say , to this old prosecutor , it feels like what he just did was like an indiscriminate drive-by on the rule of law .
I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the FBI .
As part of the Russia probe .
He pardons Republicans who were either steal from their donors , committing campaign finance violations or engaged in insider training . ''
What `` galls '' him the most , he said , was the war criminals because it hits home with him personally .
`` The Blackwater/Academi pardons of these four Blackwater contractors who slaughtered innocent , unarmed , Iraqi men , women , and children , '' he continued .
`` That was prosecuted -- that case , three times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Attorney 's Office for the District of Columbia .
The lead prosecuteor , a gentleman named Pat Martin is somebody I tried murder cases with .
He poured his heart and soul into fighting for justice for those Iraqi victims .
Ali , my office would bring the victims over from Iraq and their surviving family members of the 17 who were murdered over and over and over again for these three trials and I can tell you that those Iraqi citizens were equal parts heartened that the American criminal justice system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the time , energy , and effort , we poured into holding those Blackwater/Academi killers accountable for what they did . ''
He closed by saying that it was his proudest achievement in his office while working as a U.S. attorney .
He said it was important to `` hold the men accountable for the way that they ravaged , murdered , victimized , those Iraqi citizens . ''
`` Now Donald Trump has killed that justice we achieved in a very real sense , '' he lamented .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims ' rights I saw my 30 years as a prosecutor . ''
See the video below :

Some of the men pardoned by President Donald Trump Tuesday evening were involved in a horrific act against innocent civilians in Iraq during the war.
Former President George W. Bush took the U.S. into a war in Iraq based on false intelligence, saying that the country was developing nuclear weapons. Among the people who served in the war were paid mercenaries of the Defense Contract firm owned by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' brother Erik Prince.
Blackwater, which changed its name to Academi after a slew of scandals, hired men who opened fire on hundreds of Iraqi men, women and children. In one case, one of the men was told "ceasefire" multiple times but ignored it. He refused to stop shooting people until someone pulled their weapon on him and threatened to kill him.
The case in the Washington, D.C. federal court was part of a major case in the Justice Department where prosecutors brought Iraqis to the United States to testify against the men.
The men killed 17 total people, including one mother who was trying to escape with her infant child.
MSNBC host Ali Velshi said that it's clear if someone does something for Trump then they get something back.
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner was furious, specifically mentioning those he knew in the Justice Department who fought to ensure the war criminals from Academi were put in jail.
"It seems like there is no line Donald Trump won't cross," Kirschner explained. "I will say, to this old prosecutor, it feels like what he just did was like an indiscriminate drive-by on the rule of law. I mean, he pardons people who are lying to the FBI. As part of the Russia probe. He pardons Republicans who were either steal from their donors, committing campaign finance violations or engaged in insider training."
What "galls" him the most, he said, was the war criminals because it hits home with him personally.
"The Blackwater/Academi pardons of these four Blackwater contractors who slaughtered innocent, unarmed, Iraqi men, women, and children," he continued. "That was prosecuted -- that case, three times, by my former office, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. The lead prosecuteor, a gentleman named Pat Martin is somebody I tried murder cases with. He poured his heart and soul into fighting for justice for those Iraqi victims. Ali, my office would bring the victims over from Iraq and their surviving family members of the 17 who were murdered over and over and over again for these three trials and I can tell you that those Iraqi citizens were equal parts heartened that the American criminal justice system cared about their victimization and shocked at all of the time, energy, and effort, we poured into holding those Blackwater/Academi killers accountable for what they did."
He closed by saying that it was his proudest achievement in his office while working as a U.S. attorney. He said it was important to "hold the men accountable for the way that they ravaged, murdered, victimized, those Iraqi citizens."
"Now Donald Trump has killed that justice we achieved in a very real sense," he lamented. "This is perhaps the single greatest affront to victims' rights I saw my 30 years as a prosecutor."
See the video below:


alternet--2020-12-23--Trump's cabal of desperate conspirators is more dangerous than ever — but mainstream media tells us

Trump's cabal of desperate conspirators is more dangerous than ever — but mainstream media tells us to move on

In the original `` Star Wars '' film — now known as `` Episode IV : A New Hope '' — Obi-Wan Kenobi , Luke Skywalker and the droids R2-D2 and C-3P0 are stopped by a group of stormtroopers , the elite troops of the evil Empire .
The stormtroopers demand to see Luke and Obi-Wan 's identification .
With a wave of his hand , Obi-Wan Kenobi uses the mystical power of the Force to dispel their suspicions .
Without doubt or hesitation , the stormtroopers say , `` You can go about your business .
Move along .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their mission .
The stormtroopers behave as though nothing unusual has happened .
When Luke Skywalker asks Obi-Wan for an explanation , the wizened Jedi knight explains that the Force can have a powerful influence on the weak-minded .
In their efforts to downplay the dangers of Donald Trump 's ongoing coup against democracy , too many members of the commentariat and other `` professional smart people '' are attempting to use a form of the Jedi mind trick on the American people .
Based on the lack of broad public outrage about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 election , it would appear that many Americans may in fact be vulnerable to such a ploy .
Over the last few days , the Trump regime 's coup attempts have escalated into an ever more desperate and dire stage .
The New York Times reported that a cabal of Trump 's conspirators met in the Oval Office last Friday where they had a `` discussion '' about how to overturn the 2020 presidential election by invoking martial law , using a special counsel to invalidate the election , and seizing voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` irregularities . ''
Of course , the intended result of any such `` investigation '' would be to manufacture Trump 's `` re-election . ''
It should have been the headline in every newspaper and other news media outlet in the United States .
But it was buried on page A28 of the print edition of the New York Times , and was also not a leading story in the online edition .
Predictably , Trump raged on Twitter that there were no such discussions and this was all another example of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evening , the Washington Post also reported on Trump 's cabal , observing that the president `` has turned to a ragtag group of conspiracy theorists , media-hungry lawyers and other political misfits in a desperate attempt to hold on to power after his election loss . ''
Trump 's `` unofficial election advisory council now includes a felon , adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory , a White House trade adviser and a Russian agent 's former lover . ''
Once again , this report was not among the leading stories in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so serious that on Friday Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville felt compelled to issue a statement that there `` is no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of an American election . ''
This is not the first time during Trump 's reign that military leaders have publicly said they will not interfere in elections .
As with most other things about Trump 's presidency , such an announcement has no obvious precedent in American history .
Why have the chattering classes with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's coup attempt ?
It is easier to mock and deride the Trump regime 's coup attempt as being `` lazy , '' `` failed '' or `` incompetent , '' or to describe it in some other liberal-schadenfreude language than to speak of an on-going national emergency .
Likewise , calling Trump 's coup attempt just a `` grift '' or a `` con job '' also minimizes the danger to the country and ignores the kleptocratic aspects of authoritarian and fascist regimes .
Moreover , it is comforting for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glow of Joe Biden 's victory and the absence of widespread of political violence and then to declare that democracy endures and Trump 's coup attempt is a joke .
By necessity , such high-minded talk excludes Trump and his allies ' efforts to suppress the votes of nonwhite people , slow down the mail and otherwise interfere with democracy .
Members of the `` Church of the Savvy '' and other hope-peddlers and stenographers of current events have an instinctive revulsion to speaking too much truth to power .
As a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accurately describe Donald Trump and his regime as being fascistic or authoritarian .
Likewise , the mainstream news media and other public voices have been reluctant to state that Donald Trump is a compulsive liar .
Instead , they have used euphemisms : The president `` misspoke , '' or `` distorted '' or `` misrepresented '' the facts .
Despite abundant evidence , these same voices still refuse to consistently describe Donald Trump as a racist or a white supremacist .
All of this reflects a desperate desire to return to perceived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incoming Biden administration .
Part of this `` normalcy bias '' is a function of legitimate fear and anxiety , and an instinct for self-preservation given Trump and his movement 's violent threats against reporters and journalists .
This is an example of `` organized forgetting '' : The Trump regime and this version of American neofascism have traumatized not just the American people but many of the country 's elites as well .
Both groups , albeit in different ways , are deeply invested in reassuring fictions about our `` healthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Thus , the compulsion to rapidly forget the horrors of the Trump regime and embrace the hopeful possibilities of the Biden administration .
In practice , this means that the rot in our civic , political , and cultural institutions that produced the Trump regime remains , but has been whitewashed over .
For the mainstream news media , this organized forgetting also involves a rewriting of history in which journalists did not consistently fail in their responsibilities as guardians of democracy by normalizing Trump 's politically aberrant behavior , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democracy by his movement .
As a practical matter , when the country 's mainstream political voices finally started speaking some truth to power during the final months of Trump 's first term , they sounded insincere .
Where were those criticisms before ?
Why are they suddenly speaking up now , after Biden has been elected ?
What explains this sudden `` courage , '' or the force of revelation about the dangers of Trumpism ?
In many ways , the American media is stuck in a feedback loop of credibility failure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created .
The Age of Trump was merely a tipping point that exposed long-standing institutional problems .
As media scholar Eric Alterman observes at The Nation : Ultimately , the mainstream media 's refusal to highlight the true danger of Trump 's ongoing coup attempt , and the depths of the country 's democratic crisis more generally , are a symptom of a much broader denial of truth in our society .
In his latest column for Scheerpost — republished by Salon — Chris Hedges warns : There is less than a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
These next weeks , however , will be some of the most unpredictable and dangerous in the country 's history .
As time winds down for Donald Trump , he and his cabal will become even more desperate , dangerous and destructive .
Like other authoritarians and fascist leaders , Trump will attack the country and its people as revenge for being `` disloyal '' to him .
The American media in this moment of crisis can choose to tell the truth , which may at least help to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reclaim the country 's democracy .
Or it can remain in denial about the long struggle ahead to rehabilitate our democratic institutions and public life .
The first choice could also begin to address the American news media 's crisis of legitimacy .
The second will make that crisis exponentially worse .

In the original "Star Wars" film — now known as "Episode IV: A New Hope" — Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and the droids R2-D2 and C-3P0 are stopped by a group of stormtroopers, the elite troops of the evil Empire.
The stormtroopers demand to see Luke and Obi-Wan's identification. With a wave of his hand, Obi-Wan Kenobi uses the mystical power of the Force to dispel their suspicions. Without doubt or hesitation, the stormtroopers say, "You can go about your business. Move along." The heroes escape to continue with their mission. The stormtroopers behave as though nothing unusual has happened.
When Luke Skywalker asks Obi-Wan for an explanation, the wizened Jedi knight explains that the Force can have a powerful influence on the weak-minded.
In their efforts to downplay the dangers of Donald Trump's ongoing coup against democracy, too many members of the commentariat and other "professional smart people" are attempting to use a form of the Jedi mind trick on the American people.
Based on the lack of broad public outrage about Trump's continuing effort to overturn the 2020 election, it would appear that many Americans may in fact be vulnerable to such a ploy.
Over the last few days, the Trump regime's coup attempts have escalated into an ever more desperate and dire stage. The New York Times reported that a cabal of Trump's conspirators met in the Oval Office last Friday where they had a "discussion" about how to overturn the 2020 presidential election by invoking martial law, using a special counsel to invalidate the election, and seizing voting machines to "inspect them" for "irregularities." Of course, the intended result of any such "investigation" would be to manufacture Trump's "re-election."
It should have been the headline in every newspaper and other news media outlet in the United States. But it was buried on page A28 of the print edition of the New York Times, and was also not a leading story in the online edition.
Predictably, Trump raged on Twitter that there were no such discussions and this was all another example of "fake news."
Axios added this additional reporting:
A senior administration official said that when Trump is "retweeting threats of putting politicians in jail, and spends his time talking to conspiracy nuts who openly say declaring martial law is no big deal, it's impossible not to start getting anxious about how this ends."
"People who are concerned and nervous aren't the weak-kneed bureaucrats that we loathe," the official added. "These are people who have endured arguably more insanity and mayhem than any administration officials in history."
On Monday evening, the Washington Post also reported on Trump's cabal, observing that the president "has turned to a ragtag group of conspiracy theorists, media-hungry lawyers and other political misfits in a desperate attempt to hold on to power after his election loss." Trump's "unofficial election advisory council now includes a felon, adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory, a White House trade adviser and a Russian agent's former lover."
Once again, this report was not among the leading stories in the online edition.
Matters have become so serious that on Friday Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville felt compelled to issue a statement that there "is no role for the U.S. military in determining the outcome of an American election."
This is not the first time during Trump's reign that military leaders have publicly said they will not interfere in elections. As with most other things about Trump's presidency, such an announcement has no obvious precedent in American history.
Why have the chattering classes with a few notable exceptions, continued to minimize Trump's coup attempt?
It is easier to mock and deride the Trump regime's coup attempt as being "lazy," "failed" or "incompetent," or to describe it in some other liberal-schadenfreude language than to speak of an on-going national emergency. Likewise, calling Trump's coup attempt just a "grift" or a "con job" also minimizes the danger to the country and ignores the kleptocratic aspects of authoritarian and fascist regimes.
Moreover, it is comforting for the mainstream news media to bask in the glow of Joe Biden's victory and the absence of widespread of political violence and then to declare that democracy endures and Trump's coup attempt is a joke.
By necessity, such high-minded talk excludes Trump and his allies' efforts to suppress the votes of nonwhite people, slow down the mail and otherwise interfere with democracy.
Members of the "Church of the Savvy" and other hope-peddlers and stenographers of current events have an instinctive revulsion to speaking too much truth to power. As a group they have refused until very recently to accurately describe Donald Trump and his regime as being fascistic or authoritarian. Likewise, the mainstream news media and other public voices have been reluctant to state that Donald Trump is a compulsive liar. Instead, they have used euphemisms: The president "misspoke," or "distorted" or "misrepresented" the facts.
Despite abundant evidence, these same voices still refuse to consistently describe Donald Trump as a racist or a white supremacist. All of this reflects a desperate desire to return to perceived "normalcy," as embodied by the incoming Biden administration.
Part of this "normalcy bias" is a function of legitimate fear and anxiety, and an instinct for self-preservation given Trump and his movement's violent threats against reporters and journalists.
This is an example of "organized forgetting": The Trump regime and this version of American neofascism have traumatized not just the American people but many of the country's elites as well. Both groups, albeit in different ways, are deeply invested in reassuring fictions about our "healthy institutions" and "the democratic system." Thus, the compulsion to rapidly forget the horrors of the Trump regime and embrace the hopeful possibilities of the Biden administration.
In practice, this means that the rot in our civic, political, and cultural institutions that produced the Trump regime remains, but has been whitewashed over.
For the mainstream news media, this organized forgetting also involves a rewriting of history in which journalists did not consistently fail in their responsibilities as guardians of democracy by normalizing Trump's politically aberrant behavior, and by downplaying the threat posed to American democracy by his movement. As a practical matter, when the country's mainstream political voices finally started speaking some truth to power during the final months of Trump's first term, they sounded insincere. Where were those criticisms before? Why are they suddenly speaking up now, after Biden has been elected? What explains this sudden "courage," or the force of revelation about the dangers of Trumpism?
In many ways, the American media is stuck in a feedback loop of credibility failure, one which its leading figures largely created. The Age of Trump was merely a tipping point that exposed long-standing institutional problems.
As media scholar Eric Alterman observes at The Nation:
We know that our democracy is at stake and that the country may be on the precipice of significant political violence. If ever the mainstream media needed to shake its self-destructive addiction to false equivalence, now is the time....
Now those same network executives need to decide which side they are on: democracy or fascist rebellion. Network bookers should refuse to amplify the words of anyone who denies Biden's victory without immediately pointing out that that person is a liar. Nothing is "disputed." Nothing is "controversial." Nothing is "lacking in evidence." There is only truth or lies….
This should be simple. The news divisions of the major networks, together with CNN (and to a lesser extent, the liberal-branded MSNBC), have all sacrificed much of their credibility during the Trump presidency. They should welcome the opportunity to win it back.
Ultimately, the mainstream media's refusal to highlight the true danger of Trump's ongoing coup attempt, and the depths of the country's democratic crisis more generally, are a symptom of a much broader denial of truth in our society.
In his latest column for Scheerpost — republished by Salon — Chris Hedges warns:
One of the lessons I learned from covering wars and revolutions as a foreign correspondent is that the political, economic and cultural systems that are erected by any society are very fragile…. We cannot use the word hope if we refuse to face the truth. All hope rooted in self-delusion is fantasy. We must lift the filter from our eyes to see the danger before us. We must heed the warnings of our own prophets. We must destroy the centers of power that lure us and our children, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, to certain doom. The walls, daily, are closing in around us. The radical evil we face is as real under Trump as it will be under Biden. And if this radical evil is not smashed, then the world ahead will be one of torment and mass death.
There is less than a month remaining before Joe Biden becomes president of the United States. These next weeks, however, will be some of the most unpredictable and dangerous in the country's history. As time winds down for Donald Trump, he and his cabal will become even more desperate, dangerous and destructive. Like other authoritarians and fascist leaders, Trump will attack the country and its people as revenge for being "disloyal" to him.
The American media in this moment of crisis can choose to tell the truth, which may at least help to prepare the public for the struggle necessary to reclaim the country's democracy. Or it can remain in denial about the long struggle ahead to rehabilitate our democratic institutions and public life.
The first choice could also begin to address the American news media's crisis of legitimacy. The second will make that crisis exponentially worse.


alternet--2020-12-23--Secret service has no resolution in place if Trump refuses to leave the White House, insiders say

Could an autogolpe happen in the United States next month ?
With President Donald Trump 's level of unpredictability , top government officials are on edge as they brace for what he could possibly do next .
However , insiders have reported that the Secret Service has no plan of counteraction in place if President Donald Trump refuses to leave the White House in January , according to The Daily Beast .
The publication recently pressed a number of top officials consisting of `` Secret Service presidential details , agency heads , and military planners '' for a rundown on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well come to fruition given Trump 's record of pursuing the `` unbelievable . ''
Many refused to speak publicly for fear they would `` encourage President Donald Trump to cross a line that authorities have n't conceived of . ''
However , top-ranking government officials laid out two problematic scenarios that may arise in January : `` One is : Will there be a question about who the president really is ?
The other : What happens if , in a fit of pique , the former president simply will not vacate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What if he sits down at the Resolute Desk and dares someone to physically remove him ?
What if he occupies a couch in the residence ?
The harm here is real , beyond how ridiculous the performance would look to the rest of the world : A functional president requires a functioning office . ''
One former Secret Service official , who opted to remain anonymous , shared where he would begin to approach the issue .
`` I 'd have a conversation with the chief of staff , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other kids , and say , it 's going to be your job to make sure he 's gone . ''
Another alternative could be to use his staff against him , according to one former official .
`` When the staff leaves on January 19 , do n't let them back into the complex the next day , another former official said .
`` He ca n't do anything without his staff . ''
`` I really think it would be up the Republican Party if he were to try something like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` The Service and the military would just not want to get involved .
It 's not our role . ''
A former Secret Service agent disagreed , noting Trump 's refusal to leave the White House would make him , by law , `` a trespasser . ''
`` We 'd have to escort him out , '' they said .

Could an autogolpe happen in the United States next month? With President Donald Trump's level of unpredictability, top government officials are on edge as they brace for what he could possibly do next. However, insiders have reported that the Secret Service has no plan of counteraction in place if President Donald Trump refuses to leave the White House in January, according to The Daily Beast.
The publication recently pressed a number of top officials consisting of "Secret Service presidential details, agency heads, and military planners" for a rundown on the seemingly impossible scenarios that could very well come to fruition given Trump's record of pursuing the "unbelievable."
Many refused to speak publicly for fear they would "encourage President Donald Trump to cross a line that authorities haven't conceived of."
However, top-ranking government officials laid out two problematic scenarios that may arise in January: "One is: Will there be a question about who the president really is? The other: What happens if, in a fit of pique, the former president simply will not vacate the seat of American government."
"What if he sits down at the Resolute Desk and dares someone to physically remove him? What if he occupies a couch in the residence? The harm here is real, beyond how ridiculous the performance would look to the rest of the world: A functional president requires a functioning office."
One former Secret Service official, who opted to remain anonymous, shared where he would begin to approach the issue. "I'd have a conversation with the chief of staff, and then the family, Ivanka, and the other kids, and say, it's going to be your job to make sure he's gone."
Another alternative could be to use his staff against him, according to one former official. "When the staff leaves on January 19, don't let them back into the complex the next day, another former official said. "He can't do anything without his staff."
"I really think it would be up the Republican Party if he were to try something like that," a second former official said. "The Service and the military would just not want to get involved. It's not our role."
A former Secret Service agent disagreed, noting Trump's refusal to leave the White House would make him, by law, "a trespasser."
"We'd have to escort him out," they said.


alternet--2020-12-23--Bill Barr accused of arresting impeachment witnesses to shield Trump: court filing

Lev Parnas , a former business associate of Rudy Giuliani , made explosive allegations against outgoing Attorney General Bill Barr in a federal court filing on Tuesday .
Parnas , who is under indictment for campaign finance violations and fraud charges , has accused Barr of timing his arrest last fall in order to prevent him from testifying at House impeachment hearings last fall .
The motion was filed in the Southern District of New York by attorneys for Parnas , a Ukrainian-born businessman who in 2018 and 2019 ran political errands in Ukraine on behalf of Giuliani and Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October was part of an intervention by Barr `` to protect the President and thwart [ Parnas ' ] potential testimony in the impeachment inquiry . ''
Parnas filed his complaint as reports broke that federal prosecutors in New York have discussed with Justice Department officials in Washington seeking a warrant for Giuliani 's electronic communications , and , according to a person familiar with the case , at least one of the former New York mayor 's cell phones .
Approval from higher-ups at Justice is required before prosecutors may request a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be protected by attorney-client privilege .
It is unclear whether such approval has been granted in this case .
According to multiple reports and individuals familiar with the case , Giuliani 's business dealings abroad have been part of a federal probe led by the FBI and the Southern District of New York — the very office Giuliani once led as U.S. attorney .
Those investigations grew out of the arrest last October of Parnas and business partner Igor Fruman , who were detained at Dulles International Airport outside Washington as they waited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two men were arrested just hours after meeting with Giuliani at the Trump International Hotel in Washington .
According to the court filing , Giuliani was originally supposed to join Parnas and Fruman on their trip to Ukraine , but canceled earlier that day .
Two other Giuliani associates also slated to make the trip had canceled a few days earlier , according to the document .
Prosecutors charged Parnas and Fruman , along with two other associates , with conspiring to make campaign donations on someone else 's behalf and violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources .
A superseding indictment this September added fraud charges in connection with their company , Fraud Guarantee , which contracted with Giuliani to do promotional work .
Giuliani has not been charged in connection with any aspect of the case .
Parnas and Fruman have both pleaded not guilty .
In the new filing , Parnas lays out a series of events that he believes Barr helped engineer to secure his silence .
In late September , Parnas received a letter from House investigators asking him to preserve documents and prepare for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about this , he was directed to attorney John Dowd , who had previously represented President Trump in connection with Robert Mueller 's investigation of Paul Manafort , the former Trump campaign chair now serving time in prison .
After securing the president 's personal approval , Dowd took Parnas as a client .
On Oct. 8 , a Tuesday , Dowd sent an email to a number of attorneys affiliated with Trump 's defense team , calling the president `` Boss '' and promising that Dowd would `` eliminate any doubt '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before Congress .
Dowd then sent a letter to House investigators informing them that Parnas and Fruman would not appear for their scheduled deposition on Thursday , Oct. 10 .
The next day , Parnas and Fruman were arrested .
Two of the attorneys copied on Dowd 's email were the same people who had been scheduled to fly with them to Europe .
That night , Barr , who had been informed about the indictment in advance , met Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch for dinner in New York .
The attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following morning on what aides described as a `` routine '' visit .
At the time of the arrest , however , the federal investigation into Parnas was not over , and did not in fact conclude for 11 more months , until a grand jury returned the fraud charges .
It is not entirely clear why an immediate arrest was deemed necessary , although Parnas was described as a flight risk — on a trip the president 's personal attorney was supposed to make with him .
Days after the arrest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jon Sale , a prominent Miami lawyer Giuliani said he had retained for impeachment defense .
Giuliani previously told Salon that Sale had been the person who first connected him with Parnas in 2018 .
He and Sale also shared a significant client : Venezuelan financier Alejandro Betancourt , who was under investigation in a multibillion-dollar money laundering probe and also knew Parnas .
Within a few weeks of these events , Parnas fired Dowd , after what he later described in a TV interview as a jailhouse loyalty shakedown .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And I started seeing in the process of the bail stuff , the way things were going on ...
I did n't feel they were trying to get me out , '' Parnas told MSNBC 's Rachel Maddow in January .
`` John Dowd , instead of comforting me and trying to calm me down and telling me I 'm going to be OK , he started talking to me like a drill sergeant . ''
`` Were they telling you to sacrifice yourself to protect the president ? ''
Maddow asked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Parnas replied .
He dismissed Dowd along with Kevin Downing , another former Manafort attorney .
In subsequent months , Parnas apparently turned over evidence to House impeachment investigators , but was never called to testify , likely because of his tarnished reputation following the arrest .
Parnas ' motion seeks to convince the court to turn over numerous documents about the circumstances surrounding his investigation and arrest , as well as the investigation ( or lack thereof ) of other people associated with the Ukraine affair .
To make his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improperly intervened in the indictment .
His filing cites numerous instances of the attorney general improperly inserting himself on Trump 's behalf in other legal matters , such as the cases of former national security adviser Michael Flynn , longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone and Trump sexual-assault accuser E. Jean Carroll .
Parnas must also show that he and his associates were singled out for these campaign finance violations where others involved , such as the people who actually made the donations , were not .
The court filing quotes a voicemail Giuliani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second half of which was apparently captured accidentally after Giuliani forgot to hang up .
In the message , Giuliani asks whether it 's possible to speak with or about Parnas , and leaves his number .
After a pause , according to the transcript , Giuliani can be heard telling his attorney , who apparently was also present , `` That 's the soon-to-be-gotten-rid-of number . ''
The two carry on a short conversation , then the voicemail ends .

Lev Parnas, a former business associate of Rudy Giuliani, made explosive allegations against outgoing Attorney General Bill Barr in a federal court filing on Tuesday. Parnas, who is under indictment for campaign finance violations and fraud charges, has accused Barr of timing his arrest last fall in order to prevent him from testifying at House impeachment hearings last fall.
The motion was filed in the Southern District of New York by attorneys for Parnas, a Ukrainian-born businessman who in 2018 and 2019 ran political errands in Ukraine on behalf of Giuliani and Trump. Parnas argues that his indictment last October was part of an intervention by Barr "to protect the President and thwart [Parnas'] potential testimony in the impeachment inquiry."
Parnas filed his complaint as reports broke that federal prosecutors in New York have discussed with Justice Department officials in Washington seeking a warrant for Giuliani's electronic communications, and, according to a person familiar with the case, at least one of the former New York mayor's cell phones. Approval from higher-ups at Justice is required before prosecutors may request a search warrant for any materials that may be protected by attorney-client privilege. It is unclear whether such approval has been granted in this case.
According to multiple reports and individuals familiar with the case, Giuliani's business dealings abroad have been part of a federal probe led by the FBI and the Southern District of New York — the very office Giuliani once led as U.S. attorney. Those investigations grew out of the arrest last October of Parnas and business partner Igor Fruman, who were detained at Dulles International Airport outside Washington as they waited to board an overseas flight. The two men were arrested just hours after meeting with Giuliani at the Trump International Hotel in Washington. According to the court filing, Giuliani was originally supposed to join Parnas and Fruman on their trip to Ukraine, but canceled earlier that day. Two other Giuliani associates also slated to make the trip had canceled a few days earlier, according to the document.
Prosecutors charged Parnas and Fruman, along with two other associates, with conspiring to make campaign donations on someone else's behalf and violating the federal prohibition on soliciting donations from foreign sources. A superseding indictment this September added fraud charges in connection with their company, Fraud Guarantee, which contracted with Giuliani to do promotional work. Giuliani has not been charged in connection with any aspect of the case. Parnas and Fruman have both pleaded not guilty.
In the new filing, Parnas lays out a series of events that he believes Barr helped engineer to secure his silence.
In late September, Parnas received a letter from House investigators asking him to preserve documents and prepare for a deposition. When Parnas told Giuliani about this, he was directed to attorney John Dowd, who had previously represented President Trump in connection with Robert Mueller's investigation of Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chair now serving time in prison. After securing the president's personal approval, Dowd took Parnas as a client.
On Oct. 8, a Tuesday, Dowd sent an email to a number of attorneys affiliated with Trump's defense team, calling the president "Boss" and promising that Dowd would "eliminate any doubt" that Parnas and Fruman would answer questions before Congress. Dowd then sent a letter to House investigators informing them that Parnas and Fruman would not appear for their scheduled deposition on Thursday, Oct. 10.
The next day, Parnas and Fruman were arrested. Two of the attorneys copied on Dowd's email were the same people who had been scheduled to fly with them to Europe. That night, Barr, who had been informed about the indictment in advance, met Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch for dinner in New York. The attorney general visited the Southern District offices the following morning on what aides described as a "routine" visit.
At the time of the arrest, however, the federal investigation into Parnas was not over, and did not in fact conclude for 11 more months, until a grand jury returned the fraud charges. It is not entirely clear why an immediate arrest was deemed necessary, although Parnas was described as a flight risk — on a trip the president's personal attorney was supposed to make with him.
Days after the arrest, Giuliani parted ways with his own attorney, Jon Sale, a prominent Miami lawyer Giuliani said he had retained for impeachment defense. Giuliani previously told Salon that Sale had been the person who first connected him with Parnas in 2018. He and Sale also shared a significant client: Venezuelan financier Alejandro Betancourt, who was under investigation in a multibillion-dollar money laundering probe and also knew Parnas.
Within a few weeks of these events, Parnas fired Dowd, after what he later described in a TV interview as a jailhouse loyalty shakedown.
"I called Dowd to come there. And I started seeing in the process of the bail stuff, the way things were going on ... I didn't feel they were trying to get me out," Parnas told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow in January. "John Dowd, instead of comforting me and trying to calm me down and telling me I'm going to be OK, he started talking to me like a drill sergeant."
"Were they telling you to sacrifice yourself to protect the president?" Maddow asked.
"That's the way I felt," Parnas replied. He dismissed Dowd along with Kevin Downing, another former Manafort attorney. In subsequent months, Parnas apparently turned over evidence to House impeachment investigators, but was never called to testify, likely because of his tarnished reputation following the arrest.
Parnas' motion seeks to convince the court to turn over numerous documents about the circumstances surrounding his investigation and arrest, as well as the investigation (or lack thereof) of other people associated with the Ukraine affair.
To make his case, Parnas must show that Barr improperly intervened in the indictment. His filing cites numerous instances of the attorney general improperly inserting himself on Trump's behalf in other legal matters, such as the cases of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone and Trump sexual-assault accuser E. Jean Carroll. Parnas must also show that he and his associates were singled out for these campaign finance violations where others involved, such as the people who actually made the donations, were not.
The court filing quotes a voicemail Giuliani left with Parnas' attorney, the second half of which was apparently captured accidentally after Giuliani forgot to hang up. In the message, Giuliani asks whether it's possible to speak with or about Parnas, and leaves his number. After a pause, according to the transcript, Giuliani can be heard telling his attorney, who apparently was also present, "That's the soon-to-be-gotten-rid-of number." The two carry on a short conversation, then the voicemail ends.


alternet--2020-12-23--Pence tells Trump supporters to 'stay in the fight' — but admits it’s 'futile'

Alarm bells rang Tuesday when Pence continued the Trump team 's false election fraud rhetoric – even after no evidence was obtained through various investigations .
`` Stay in the fight , '' he urged .
It is federal law that Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open the sealed certificates from each state containing a record of their electoral votes .
At that time , bipartisan representatives from both chambers read the results out loud and conduct an official count .
The president of the Senate , in this case Vice President Mike Pence , then presides over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official tally .
This is how it 's historically happened , but what if Pence makes the decision not to announce the winner as President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ?
Then it gets dicey .
`` The role of the vice president as presiding officer is often an awkward one , as it will be for Pence , who will be charged with announcing Biden 's victory — and his own defeat — once the electoral votes are counted .
It will be especially tense for the former Indiana congressman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to concede , '' the Associated Press reported in their explainer piece .
`` I think there comes a time when you have to realize that , despite your best efforts you 've been unsuccessful , '' Texas Sen. John Cornyn told reporters , saying he hopes anyone entertaining the idea of an objection would realize that it `` would be futile and it 's unnecessary . ''
Watch the video below to see Pence 's remarks from a news conference on Tuesday .

Alarm bells rang Tuesday when Pence continued the Trump team's false election fraud rhetoric – even after no evidence was obtained through various investigations. "Stay in the fight," he urged.
It is federal law that Congress must meet Jan. 6 to open the sealed certificates from each state containing a record of their electoral votes. At that time, bipartisan representatives from both chambers read the results out loud and conduct an official count.
The president of the Senate, in this case Vice President Mike Pence, then presides over the session and declares the winner from the official tally.
This is how it's historically happened, but what if Pence makes the decision not to announce the winner as President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris? Then it gets dicey.
"The role of the vice president as presiding officer is often an awkward one, as it will be for Pence, who will be charged with announcing Biden's victory — and his own defeat — once the electoral votes are counted. It will be especially tense for the former Indiana congressman as his boss, Trump, has refused to concede," the Associated Press reported in their explainer piece.
"I think there comes a time when you have to realize that, despite your best efforts you've been unsuccessful," Texas Sen. John Cornyn told reporters, saying he hopes anyone entertaining the idea of an objection would realize that it "would be futile and it's unnecessary."
Watch the video below to see Pence's remarks from a news conference on Tuesday.


alternet--2020-12-23--Trump’s personal bankers abruptly resign from Deutsche Bank

President Donald J. Trump 's personal bankers , Rosemary Vrablic and Dominic Scalzi , have resigned from Deutsche Bank .
@ @ @ @ @ the Trump Organization more than $ 300 million over the years .
`` Rosemary Vrablic @ @ @ @ @ their resignations to Deutsche Bank effective as of year-end , which was accepted by the @ @ @ @ @ , a spokesman for the bank said in a statement .
CNN Business reported Monday @ @ @ @ @ worked closely together for years since joining Deutsche Bank 10 years ago .
Vrablic was @ @ @ @ @ Trump Organization and Kushner and assumed the bank 's lending relationship with Trump in the @ @ @ @ @ after the commercial lending division stopped doing business with Trump .
`` I 've chosen @ @ @ @ @ the bank effective December 31 and am looking forward to my retirement , '' Vrablic @ @ @ @ @ The Manhattan District Attorney 's office and New York Attorney General have both subpoenaed Deutsche @ @ @ @ @ with the Trump Organization .

President Donald J. Trump's personal bankers, Rosemary Vrablic and Dominic Scalzi, have resigned from Deutsche Bank. The financial institution has loaned the Trump Organization more than $300 million over the years.
"Rosemary Vrablic and Dominic Scalzi have tendered their resignations to Deutsche Bank effective as of year-end, which was accepted by the bank," Daniel Hunter, a spokesman for the bank said in a statement.
CNN Businessreported Monday that Vrablic and Scalzi have worked closely together for years since joining Deutsche Bank 10 years ago. Vrablic was a trusted contact to the Trump Organization and Kushner and assumed the bank's lending relationship with Trump in the private side of the bank after the commercial lending division stopped doing business with Trump.
"I've chosen to resign my position with the bank effective December 31 and am looking forward to my retirement," Vrablic said in a statement.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office and New York Attorney General have both subpoenaed Deutsche Bank about its lending relationship with the Trump Organization.


alternet--2020-12-23--MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace slams Chris Christie to his face for 'trying to clean the Trump stink off'

On Tuesday 's edition of MSNBC 's `` Deadline : White House , '' anchor Nicolle Wallace took former Gov .
Chris Christie ( R-NJ ) to task for the GOP 's enabling of Trump 's attacks on science and democracy .
`` I think people like Dr. Fauci ... were undermined by Donald Trump every step of the way , '' said Wallace .
`` And speaking of Donald Trump , I want to ask you about his conduct , not just over the last four years but over the last 40 days .
Why are n't there more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lungs that he 's doing damage to our democracy ? ''
`` I think all of the folks make their own decisions and I ca n't read minds , '' said Christie .
`` I could just tell you that I felt , and I know you heard this and others on Election Night , when he gave his speech at 2:30 in the morning , what he was saying was wrong .
And that if you 're going to accuse the election of being fraudulent , at the moment you do that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you have an obligation to present the evidence that backs up your statement . ''
`` It is my sense , and I know you said in an interview with Hugh Hewitt , you have n't ruled out a run in 2024 , '' said Wallace .
`` I do n't remember you coming out and forcefully pushing back against Donald Trump 's comments on the 'Access Hollywood ' tape ...
I did n't hear you , after he called African nations bleep-hole nations .
I did n't hear you distance yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the target for his ire and lawlessness was the democracy you have n't ruled out leading in four years .
Are you simply making a political calculation that you could clean the Trump stink off you faster than Marco Rubio or some of the other competitors ? ''
Nicolle Wallace challenges Chris Christie on GOP failure to stop Trump 's attacks on democracy

On Tuesday's edition of MSNBC's "Deadline: White House," anchor Nicolle Wallace took former Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) to task for the GOP's enabling of Trump's attacks on science and democracy.
"I think people like Dr. Fauci ... were undermined by Donald Trump every step of the way," said Wallace. "And speaking of Donald Trump, I want to ask you about his conduct, not just over the last four years but over the last 40 days. Why aren't there more Republicans screaming at the top of their lungs that he's doing damage to our democracy?"
"I think all of the folks make their own decisions and I can't read minds," said Christie. "I could just tell you that I felt, and I know you heard this and others on Election Night, when he gave his speech at 2:30 in the morning, what he was saying was wrong. And that if you're going to accuse the election of being fraudulent, at the moment you do that, as president of the United States, you have an obligation to present the evidence that backs up your statement."
"It is my sense, and I know you said in an interview with Hugh Hewitt, you haven't ruled out a run in 2024," said Wallace. "I don't remember you coming out and forcefully pushing back against Donald Trump's comments on the 'Access Hollywood' tape ... I didn't hear you, after he called African nations bleep-hole nations. I didn't hear you distance yourself from this president at any point until the target for his ire and lawlessness was the democracy you haven't ruled out leading in four years. Are you simply making a political calculation that you could clean the Trump stink off you faster than Marco Rubio or some of the other competitors?"
Watch how Christie responds below:


alternet--2020-12-23--Why a new coronavirus mutation has some scientists worried

Earlier this week British scientists announced that they had identified a mutated version of the novel coronavirus , or SARS-CoV-2 , with the new strain appearing to be more contagious than other variants of the virus that have run rampant throughout the planet .
But is that alone reason for alarm ?
Scientists have mixed opinions .
The virus mutation does not seem to be more deadly — although coronavirus is already comparatively far more deadly than other very contagious pathogens like flu and cold viruses .
So what does this mutation mean , and how will it affect our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's what we know .
The many variants of SARS-CoV-2 Far from the only mutation , there are actually many variants of SARS-CoV-2 that have emerged throughout the world .
Yet the discovery of this mutant strain — which apparently has abounded in southern England and existed in samples collected from as early as September — is more concerning .
That 's because the new strain , known as B.1.1.7 , has a relatively larger number of mutations ( 23 ) .
In addition , because B.1.1.7 has spread with unusual virulence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made the virus more contagious .
The virus is `` just twice as infectious — which makes it very infectious , '' Dr. Alfred Sommer , dean emeritus and professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , told Salon by email .
`` And some suggestions it might primarily increase infection in children , who are far less likely to become seriously ill. '' His view was echoed by Dr. Monica Gandhi , an infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine at the University of California–San Francisco , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ variant seems to be more efficient at spreading from person-to-person although this increases in transmissibility is still being evaluated .
Of note , this particular strain does not seem to have more virulence or make people more sick , although it likely spreads faster . ''
What does this mutation mean for vaccines ?
Presently , it does not seem like this mutation will make the recent vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna less effective .
The reason is that those vaccines defeat the novel coronavirus in a way that the new mutations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moderna and Pfizer candidates are mRNA vaccines , which use synthetic version of mRNA ( a single-stranded RNA molecule that complements one of the DNA strands in a gene ) so that cells produce proteins similar to those in a given virus and can train the immune system to fight it .
In the case of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines , they train the body to recognize and fight a SARS-CoV-2 protein called Spike , which is visible as the little points that stick out of the sphere of the virus like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines produce antibodies that target several parts of the Spike protein , '' Dr. Russell Medford , Chairman of the Center for Global Health Innovation and Global Health Crisis Coordination Center , wrote to Salon .
`` To evade immunity , the [ coronavirus ] would have to develop a variant with multiple mutations targeting these same specific locations of the Spike protein .
There is no evidence that this is occurring , or is likely to occur , in B.1.1.7 or other variants . ''
Still , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worrisome .
Dr. Andrew Rambaut , a molecular evolutionary biologist at the University of Edinburgh , told Science Magazine that out of the 17 mutations that B.1.1.7 was able to develop all at once , eight are in the gene that encodes the Spike protein on the viral surface .
Two of them are particularly troubling to Rambaut : N501Y , which increases how tightly the protein binds to the enzyme that helps the virus enter human cells , and 69-70del , which has been discovered in other versions of the virus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immune systems of patients who are immunocompromised .
Pfizer/BioNTech also expressed concern that the increased contagiousness of the English virus could mean that more people will need to be vaccinated to halt its spread .
And about those vaccines ...
The vaccines are still being distributed throughout the United States , although thanks to President Donald Trump missing out on an offer from Pfizer/BioNTech , it is likely that only 50 million Americans will be able to receive its vaccine before the summer of 2021 .
Priority is currently being given to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care facilities and essential professionals whose jobs require them to interact with the public and therefore put them at greater risk of infection .
At the time of this writing , more than 77 million people have been diagnosed worldwide , including more than 18 million in the United States .
More than 1.7 million people have died worldwide , including more than 320,000 in the United States .

Earlier this week British scientists announced that they had identified a mutated version of the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, with the new strain appearing to be more contagious than other variants of the virus that have run rampant throughout the planet.
But is that alone reason for alarm?
Scientists have mixed opinions. The virus mutation does not seem to be more deadly — although coronavirus is already comparatively far more deadly than other very contagious pathogens like flu and cold viruses.
So what does this mutation mean, and how will it affect our own lives and public health? Here's what we know.
The many variants of SARS-CoV-2
Far from the only mutation, there are actually many variants of SARS-CoV-2 that have emerged throughout the world. Yet the discovery of this mutant strain — which apparently has abounded in southern England and existed in samples collected from as early as September — is more concerning. That's because the new strain, known as B.1.1.7, has a relatively larger number of mutations (23). In addition, because B.1.1.7 has spread with unusual virulence in southern England, epidemiologists believe the mutations have made the virus more contagious.
The virus is "just twice as infectious — which makes it very infectious," Dr. Alfred Sommer, dean emeritus and professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Salon by email. "And some suggestions it might primarily increase infection in children, who are far less likely to become seriously ill."
His view was echoed by Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine at the University of California–San Francisco, who wrote to Salon that "this variant seems to be more efficient at spreading from person-to-person although this increases in transmissibility is still being evaluated. Of note, this particular strain does not seem to have more virulence or make people more sick, although it likely spreads faster."
What does this mutation mean for vaccines?
Presently, it does not seem like this mutation will make the recent vaccines developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna less effective. The reason is that those vaccines defeat the novel coronavirus in a way that the new mutations do not appear to change. The Moderna and Pfizer candidates are mRNA vaccines, which use synthetic version of mRNA (a single-stranded RNA molecule that complements one of the DNA strands in a gene) so that cells produce proteins similar to those in a given virus and can train the immune system to fight it.
In the case of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, they train the body to recognize and fight a SARS-CoV-2 protein called Spike, which is visible as the little points that stick out of the sphere of the virus like spines on a sea urchin.
"The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines produce antibodies that target several parts of the Spike protein," Dr. Russell Medford, Chairman of the Center for Global Health Innovation and Global Health Crisis Coordination Center, wrote to Salon. "To evade immunity, the [coronavirus] would have to develop a variant with multiple mutations targeting these same specific locations of the Spike protein. There is no evidence that this is occurring, or is likely to occur, in B.1.1.7 or other variants."
But...
Still, this does not mean the mutation is not worrisome. Dr. Andrew Rambaut, a molecular evolutionary biologist at the University of Edinburgh, told Science Magazine that out of the 17 mutations that B.1.1.7 was able to develop all at once, eight are in the gene that encodes the Spike protein on the viral surface. Two of them are particularly troubling to Rambaut: N501Y, which increases how tightly the protein binds to the enzyme that helps the virus enter human cells, and 69-70del, which has been discovered in other versions of the virus that have managed to avoid being targeted by the immune systems of patients who are immunocompromised.
Pfizer/BioNTech also expressed concern that the increased contagiousness of the English virus could mean that more people will need to be vaccinated to halt its spread.
And about those vaccines...
The vaccines are still being distributed throughout the United States, although thanks to President Donald Trump missing out on an offer from Pfizer/BioNTech, it is likely that only 50 million Americans will be able to receive its vaccine before the summer of 2021. Priority is currently being given to health care workers, residents at elderly care facilities and essential professionals whose jobs require them to interact with the public and therefore put them at greater risk of infection.
At the time of this writing, more than 77 million people have been diagnosed worldwide, including more than 18 million in the United States. More than 1.7 million people have died worldwide, including more than 320,000 in the United States.


alternet--2020-12-23--Nancy Pelosi calls Trump's bluff as he loses it and threatens to derail Congress's massive spending

Nancy Pelosi calls Trump's bluff as he loses it and threatens to derail Congress's massive spending bill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called President Donald Trump 's bluff on Tuesday night as he threatened to derail the massive deal on government spending that had finally been reached between Democrats and Republicans at the beginning of the week .
In a video filled with lies posted to his Twitter account , the president suggested he might block the legislation , which included continued funding for much of the government and the COVID-19 relief deal that has been at the center of extensive congressional negotiations for months .
One of the main planks of the relief deal was a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority of Americans , as well as expanded unemployment insurance payments , funding for key services , and financial support for businesses impacted by the pandemic .
Throughout the negotiations , which really began in May when Democrats passed a $ 3 trillion relief bill in the House , Republicans have consistently fought to spend less money .
Occasionally , Trump would suggest he wanted to see more in direct payments to individuals , but he never took serious steps toward making this happen .
But now , with members of Congress getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending bill passed through both chambers of Congress after fierce debate , Trump demanded that changes be made .
In his video he demanded that the direct payment be increased to $ 2,000 per person : Though Trump did n't explicitly use the word `` veto , '' in the video , he demanded amendments be made to the bill .
In theory , Congress passed the spending bill with far more than enough votes to override a presidential veto .
But if Trump were to veto the bill , that may change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it 's not guaranteed it would still have the two-thirds support needed to make the legislation law without the president 's support .
Trump 's actions could cause a government shutdown and prevent relief funds from getting to families .
Sending the video was a particularly erratic move , even for Trump , since administration officials have been involved in the negotiations and had insisted he would sign the final deal .
But Pelosi decided to call his bluff on Tuesday .
In a reply to his video sent shortly after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks .
At last , the President has agreed to $ 2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent .
Let 's do it ! ''
Washington Post reporter Mike DeBonis reported that she is being entirely serious : The problem for Trump is , though , that Democrats generally favor high direct spending .
It 's the Republicans who want to block the higher amount .
That means if Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's almost certainly going to be Republicans who block it .
That puts the GOP in a particularly bad spot heading into the Georgia runoffs on Jan. 5 , which could determine control of the Senate for the next two years .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was clearly anxious to pass some form of COVID-19 relief , including the $ 600 checks , which he hoped would bouy the chances of Georgia Republican Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue .
But now Trump is undermining their ability to campaign on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president is calling insufficient .
That makes it much harder for Perdue and Loeffler to claim they 've delivered for their constituents .
And with Pelosi agreeing to put $ 2,000 checks up for a vote , a vote the GOP will likely block , Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , who are running to replace Perdue and Loeffler , will have a stronger argument to make that their party deserves control of Congress .
Of course , in the video , Trump did n't just complain about the insufficient amount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also listed a litany of complaints about various forms of government spending , even though little of it was out of the ordinary and he did nothing to oppose it during Congress 's negotiations .
So he and his fellow Republicans could still claim Pelosi and the Democrats are n't really solving his objections to the bill with the extra $ 2,000 .
In addition to the video , though , Trump is also lashing out at Senate Republicans .
He targeted South Dakota Sen. John Thune , who recently dismissed Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Congress counts the Electoral College votes on Jan. 6 : And the direct spending portion of the bill has been the most salient in the media coverage and public discussion of the bill .
Ossoff and Warnock have made it a big part of their campaigns .
Trump might have just given them and the rest of the Democrats the best opportunity they could hope for to bring this message home .
McConnell must not be too pleased .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called President Donald Trump's bluff on Tuesday night as he threatened to derail the massive deal on government spending that had finally been reached between Democrats and Republicans at the beginning of the week.
In a video filled with lies posted to his Twitter account, the president suggested he might block the legislation, which included continued funding for much of the government and the COVID-19 relief deal that has been at the center of extensive congressional negotiations for months. One of the main planks of the relief deal was a plan to send $600 checks to the majority of Americans, as well as expanded unemployment insurance payments, funding for key services, and financial support for businesses impacted by the pandemic.
Throughout the negotiations, which really began in May when Democrats passed a $3 trillion relief bill in the House, Republicans have consistently fought to spend less money. Occasionally, Trump would suggest he wanted to see more in direct payments to individuals, but he never took serious steps toward making this happen.
But now, with members of Congress getting ready for the Christmas vacations and the spending bill passed through both chambers of Congress after fierce debate, Trump demanded that changes be made. In his video he demanded that the direct payment be increased to $2,000 per person:
Though Trump didn't explicitly use the word "veto," in the video, he demanded amendments be made to the bill. In theory, Congress passed the spending bill with far more than enough votes to override a presidential veto. But if Trump were to veto the bill, that may change the minds of many congressional Republicans, and it's not guaranteed it would still have the two-thirds support needed to make the legislation law without the president's support. Trump's actions could cause a government shutdown and prevent relief funds from getting to families.
Sending the video was a particularly erratic move, even for Trump, since administration officials have been involved in the negotiations and had insisted he would sign the final deal.
But Pelosi decided to call his bluff on Tuesday. In a reply to his video sent shortly after he posted it, the speaker tweeted out: "Republicans repeatedly refused to say what amount the President wanted for direct checks. At last, the President has agreed to $2,000 — Democrats are ready to bring this to the Floor this week by unanimous consent. Let's do it!"
Washington Post reporter Mike DeBonis reported that she is being entirely serious:
The problem for Trump is, though, that Democrats generally favor high direct spending. It's the Republicans who want to block the higher amount. That means if Democrats take the proposal to the floor, it's almost certainly going to be Republicans who block it.
That puts the GOP in a particularly bad spot heading into the Georgia runoffs on Jan. 5, which could determine control of the Senate for the next two years. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was clearly anxious to pass some form of COVID-19 relief, including the $600 checks, which he hoped would bouy the chances of Georgia Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.
But now Trump is undermining their ability to campaign on the $600 checks, which the president is calling insufficient. That makes it much harder for Perdue and Loeffler to claim they've delivered for their constituents. And with Pelosi agreeing to put $2,000 checks up for a vote, a vote the GOP will likely block, Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who are running to replace Perdue and Loeffler, will have a stronger argument to make that their party deserves control of Congress.
Of course, in the video, Trump didn't just complain about the insufficient amount of direct spending on families and individuals. He also listed a litany of complaints about various forms of government spending, even though little of it was out of the ordinary and he did nothing to oppose it during Congress's negotiations. So he and his fellow Republicans could still claim Pelosi and the Democrats aren't really solving his objections to the bill with the extra $2,000.
In addition to the video, though, Trump is also lashing out at Senate Republicans. He targeted South Dakota Sen. John Thune, who recently dismissed Trump's hopes of overturning the 2020 election when Congress counts the Electoral College votes on Jan. 6:
And the direct spending portion of the bill has been the most salient in the media coverage and public discussion of the bill. Ossoff and Warnock have made it a big part of their campaigns. Trump might have just given them and the rest of the Democrats the best opportunity they could hope for to bring this message home.
McConnell must not be too pleased.