alternet--2020-11-09--Progressives to Joe Biden: Don't you dare 'cooperate' with Mitch McConnell

Near the end of his well-crafted victory speech Saturday night , Joe Biden decried `` the refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another . ''
He went on to say that `` we can decide to cooperate .
And I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people .
They want us to cooperate .
That 's the choice I 'll make .
And I call on the Congress—Democrats and Republicans alike—to make that choice with me . ''
If Biden chooses to `` cooperate '' with Mitch McConnell , that choice is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the new administration and the Democratic Party 's progressive base .
After the election , citing `` people familiar with the matter , '' Axios reported that `` Republicans ' likely hold on the Senate is forcing Joe Biden 's transition team to consider limiting its prospective Cabinet nominees to those who Mitch McConnell can live with . ''
Yet this spin flies in the face of usual procedures for Senate confirmation of Cabinet nominees .
`` Traditionally , an incoming president is given wide berth to pick his desired team , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source close to McConnell tells Axios a Republican Senate would work with Biden on centrist nominees but no 'radical progressives ' or ones who are controversial with conservatives .
.
.
.
This political reality could result in Biden having a more centrist Cabinet .
It also gives Biden a ready excuse to reject left-of-center candidates , like Sens .
Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders , who have the enthusiastic backing of progressives . ''
Let 's be clear : The extent to which Biden goes along with such a scenario of craven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has shafted progressives before his presidency has even begun .
And let 's be clear about something else : Biden does n't have to defer to Mitch McConnell on Cabinet appointees .
Biden has powerful leverage—if he wants to use it .
As outlined in a memo released days ago by Demand Progress and the Revolving Door Project , `` President Biden will be under no obligation to hand Mitch McConnell the keys to his Cabinet . ''
The memo explains that Biden could fill his Cabinet by using the Vacancies Act—which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fill Senate-confirmed positions on a temporary basis when confirmations are delayed . ''
In addition , `` Biden can adjourn Congress and make recess appointments '' —since Article II Section 3 of the Constitution `` gives the President the power to adjourn Congress 'to such time as he shall think proper ' whenever the House and Senate disagree on adjournment '' —and after 10 days of recess , Biden could appoint Cabinet members .
In other words , if there 's a political will , there would be ways to overcome the anti-democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden really have the political will ?
McConnell is the foremost practitioner of ruthless right-wing hardball on Capitol Hill .
During the last two administrations , the Senate 's majority leader has done enormous damage to democracy and the lives of many millions of people .
Why in the hell should Biden be vowing to cooperate with the likes of McConnell ?
Eighteen months ago , campaigning in New Hampshire , Biden proclaimed : `` The thing that will fundamentally change things is with Donald Trump out of the White House .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epiphany occur among many of my Republican friends . ''
It was an absurd statement back then .
Now , it 's an ominous one .
Anyone who 's expecting an epiphany from McConnell after Trump leaves the White House is ignoring how the Senate majority leader behaved before Trump was in the White House—doing things like refusing to allow any Senate consideration of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland during the last 10 months of the Obama administration .
McConnell has made it crystal clear that he 's a no-holds-barred ideologue who 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thwart democracy and social progress .
Cooperating with him would be either a fool 's errand or an exercise in capitulation .
And , when it comes to congressional workings , Biden is no fool .
Yes , Republicans are likely to have a Senate majority for at least the next two years .
But President Biden will have a profound choice : to either fight them or `` cooperate '' with them .
If Biden 's idea of the art of the deal is to shaft progressives , he and Kamala Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurrection on their hands .
The young voters and African-American voters who were largely responsible for Biden 's win did not turn out in such big numbers so he could turn around and cave in to the same extremist Republican Party that propelled much of their enthusiasm for voting Biden in the first place .
Overall , as polling has made clear , it was abhorrence of Trump—more than enthusiasm for Biden—that captivated Biden voters .
A CNBC poll , released last week , found that 54 percent of swing-state Biden voters `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' rather than in favor of Biden .
For Biden to embark on his presidency by collaborating with the party of Trump would be more than tone-deaf .
It would be a refusal to put up a fight against the very forces that so many Biden voters were highly motivated to defeat .
Progressives are disgusted when Democratic leaders set out to ask Republicans for part of a loaf and end up getting crumbs .
If Joe Biden is willing to toss aside the progressive base of his own party in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the new president will be starting a fierce civil war inside his own party .

Near the end of his well-crafted victory speech Saturday night, Joe Biden decried "the refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another." He went on to say that "we can decide to cooperate. And I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people. They want us to cooperate. That's the choice I'll make. And I call on the Congress—Democrats and Republicans alike—to make that choice with me."
If Biden chooses to "cooperate" with Mitch McConnell, that choice is likely to set off a political war between the new administration and the Democratic Party's progressive base.
After the election, citing "people familiar with the matter," Axiosreported that "Republicans' likely hold on the Senate is forcing Joe Biden's transition team to consider limiting its prospective Cabinet nominees to those who Mitch McConnell can live with." Yet this spin flies in the face of usual procedures for Senate confirmation of Cabinet nominees.
"Traditionally, an incoming president is given wide berth to pick his desired team," Axios noted. But "a source close to McConnell tells Axios a Republican Senate would work with Biden on centrist nominees but no 'radical progressives' or ones who are controversial with conservatives. . . . This political reality could result in Biden having a more centrist Cabinet. It also gives Biden a ready excuse to reject left-of-center candidates, like Sens. Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, who have the enthusiastic backing of progressives."
Let's be clear: The extent to which Biden goes along with such a scenario of craven capitulation will be the extent to which he has shafted progressives before his presidency has even begun.
And let's be clear about something else: Biden doesn't have to defer to Mitch McConnell on Cabinet appointees. Biden has powerful leverage—if he wants to use it. As outlined in a memo released days ago by Demand Progress and the Revolving Door Project, "President Biden will be under no obligation to hand Mitch McConnell the keys to his Cabinet."
The memo explains that Biden could fill his Cabinet by using the Vacancies Act—which "provides an indisputably legal channel to fill Senate-confirmed positions on a temporary basis when confirmations are delayed."
In addition, "Biden can adjourn Congress and make recess appointments"—since Article II Section 3 of the Constitution "gives the President the power to adjourn Congress 'to such time as he shall think proper' whenever the House and Senate disagree on adjournment"—and after 10 days of recess, Biden could appoint Cabinet members.
In other words, if there's a political will, there would be ways to overcome the anti-democratic obstructionism of Mitch McConnell. But does Biden really have the political will?
McConnell is the foremost practitioner of ruthless right-wing hardball on Capitol Hill. During the last two administrations, the Senate's majority leader has done enormous damage to democracy and the lives of many millions of people. Why in the hell should Biden be vowing to cooperate with the likes of McConnell?
Eighteen months ago, campaigning in New Hampshire, Biden proclaimed: "The thing that will fundamentally change things is with Donald Trump out of the White House. Not a joke. You will see an epiphany occur among many of my Republican friends."
It was an absurd statement back then. Now, it's an ominous one.
Anyone who's expecting an epiphany from McConnell after Trump leaves the White House is ignoring how the Senate majority leader behaved before Trump was in the White House—doing things like refusing to allow any Senate consideration of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland during the last 10 months of the Obama administration.
McConnell has made it crystal clear that he's a no-holds-barred ideologue who'll stoop as low as he can to thwart democracy and social progress. Cooperating with him would be either a fool's errand or an exercise in capitulation. And, when it comes to congressional workings, Biden is no fool.
Yes, Republicans are likely to have a Senate majority for at least the next two years. But President Biden will have a profound choice: to either fight them or "cooperate" with them. If Biden's idea of the art of the deal is to shaft progressives, he and Kamala Harris are going to have a colossal party insurrection on their hands.
The young voters and African-American voters who were largely responsible for Biden's win did not turn out in such big numbers so he could turn around and cave in to the same extremist Republican Party that propelled much of their enthusiasm for voting Biden in the first place. Overall, as polling has made clear, it was abhorrence of Trump—more than enthusiasm for Biden—that captivated Biden voters.
A CNBC poll, released last week, found that 54 percent of swing-state Biden voters "said they are primarily voting against Trump" rather than in favor of Biden. For Biden to embark on his presidency by collaborating with the party of Trump would be more than tone-deaf. It would be a refusal to put up a fight against the very forces that so many Biden voters were highly motivated to defeat.
Progressives are disgusted when Democratic leaders set out to ask Republicans for part of a loaf and end up getting crumbs. If Joe Biden is willing to toss aside the progressive base of his own party in order to cooperate with the likes of Mitch McConnell, the new president will be starting a fierce civil war inside his own party.


alternet--2020-11-09--Breitbart editor mocked for saying Biden wouldn’t have won popular vote without California: 'Bad poi

Breitbart editor mocked for saying Biden wouldn’t have won popular vote without California: 'Bad point, nice try'

President-elect Joe Biden not only won the electoral vote in the United States ' 2020 presidential election — he won @ @ @ @ @ , defeating President Donald Trump by at least 4.2 million votes ( according to the @ @ @ @ @ News editor Joel Pollak , on Twitter , argued that Biden 's victory in the @ @ @ @ @ so decisive if one excluded California — and he is being mocked unmercifully for his @ @ @ @ @ had a historically large turnout .
According to the Associated Press , Biden won at @ @ @ @ @ compared to at least 70.5 million for Trump .
AP 's figures for California show @ @ @ @ @ 31 % in that state , with at least 4.8 million California votes going to @ @ @ @ @ million California votes going to Biden .
Twitter users have had a lot to say @ @ @ @ @ Here are some of their reactions :

President-elect Joe Biden not only won the electoral vote in the United States' 2020 presidential election — he won the popular vote as well, defeating President Donald Trump by at least 4.2 million votes (according to the Associated Press). Breitbart News editor Joel Pollak, on Twitter, argued that Biden's victory in the popular vote wouldn't be so decisive if one excluded California — and he is being mocked unmercifully for his post.
The 2020 election had a historically large turnout. According to the Associated Press, Biden won at least 74.8 million votes nationwide compared to at least 70.5 million for Trump. AP's figures for California show that Biden defeated Trump by 31% in that state, with at least 4.8 million California votes going to Trump and at least 9.3 million California votes going to Biden.
Pollak tweeted that California gave Biden a "popular vote margin":
Twitter users have had a lot to say about Pollak's post. Here are some of their reactions:


alternet--2020-11-09--COVID-19 reveals how obesity harms the body in real time — not just over a lifetime

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the obesity epidemic once again into the spotlight , revealing that obesity is no longer a disease that harms just in the long run but one that can have acutely devastating effects .
New studies and information confirm doctors ' suspicion that this virus takes advantage of a disease that our current U.S. health care system is unable to get under control .
In most recent news , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 73 % of nurses who have been hospitalized from COVID-19 had obesity .
In addition , a recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine .
I am an obesity specialist and clinical physician working on the front lines of obesity in primary care at the University of Virginia Health System .
In the past , I often found myself warning my patients that obesity could take years off their life .
Now , more than ever , this warning has become verifiable .
Initially physicians believed that having obesity increased only your risk of getting sicker from COVID-19 , not your chance of being infected in the first place .
Now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does obesity increase your risk of being sicker and dying from COVID-19 ; obesity increases your risk of getting infected in the first place .
In March 2020 , observational studies noted hypertension , diabetes and coronary artery disease as the most common other conditions – or co-morbidities – in patients with more severe COVID-19 disease .
But it was the editors of Obesity journal who first raised the alarm on April 1 , 2020 that obesity would likely prove to be an independent risk factor for more severe effects of COVID-19 infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 patients have shown that patients who have both COVID-19 and obesity have a higher risk of death at days 21 and 45 compared to patients with a normal body mass index , or BMI .
And a study published in September , 2020 reported higher rates of obesity in COVID-19 patients who are critically ill and require intubation .
It is becoming overwhelmingly evident from these studies and others that those with obesity are facing a clear and present danger .
Obesity is an interesting disease .
It is one that many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their patients can not prevent or reverse it with the oversimplified treatment plan that we have been taught in our initial training ; “ Eat less and exercise more . ''
It is also a disease that causes problems physically , such as sleep apnea and joint pain .
It also affects one 's mind and spirit due to societal and medical professionals ' bias against those with obesity .
It can even adversely affect the size of your paycheck .
Can you imagine the outcry if the headline read “ Patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
We doctors and researchers have understood for quite some time the long-term consequences of excess weight and obesity .
We currently recognize that obesity is associated with at least 236 medical diagnoses , including 13 types of cancer .
Obesity can decrease one 's lifespan by up to eight years .
Despite knowing this , U.S. physicians are not prepared to prevent and reverse obesity .
In a recently published survey , only 10 % of medical school deans and curriculum experts feel that their students were “ very prepared '' in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the medical schools responded that expanding obesity education was a low priority or not a priority .
An average of 10 hours total was reported as dedicated to obesity education during their entire training in medical school .
And doctors sometimes do n't know how or when to prescribe medications for patients with obesity .
For example , eight FDA-approved weight loss medications are on the market , but only 2 % of eligible patients receive prescriptions for them from their physicians .
What goes on in the body So , here we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obesity epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic .
And a question I find patients asking me more and more : How does obesity create more severe disease and complication from COVID-19 infection ?
There are many answers ; lets start with structure .
Excess adipose tissue , which stores fat , creates a mechanical compression in patients with obesity .
This limits their ability to take in and completely release a full breath of air .
Breathing takes more work in a patient with obesity .
It creates restrictive lung disease , and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hypoventilation syndrome , which can cause a person to have too little oxygen in their blood .
And then there is function .
Obesity results in an excess of adipose tissue , or what we colloquially call “ fat . ''
Over the years , scientists have learned that adipose tissue is harmful in and of itself .
One may say that adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ all its own .
It releases multiple hormones and molecules that lead to a chronic state of inflammation in patients with obesity .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of low-grade inflammation , it releases cytokines , proteins that fight inflammation .
They keep the body on guard , simmering and ready to fight disease .
That 's all well and good when they are kept in check by other systems and cells .
When they are chronically released , however , an imbalance can occur that causes injury to the body .
Think of it like a small but contained wildfire .
It 's dangerous , but it 's not burning the entire forest .
COVID-19 causes the body to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is obese has COVID-19 , two small cytokine wildfires come together , leading to the raging fire of inflammation that damages the lungs even more so than patients with normal BMI .
Additionally , this chronic state of inflammation can lead to something called endothelial dysfunction .
In this condition , instead of opening up , blood vessels close down and constrict , further decreasing oxygen to the tissues .
In addition , increased adipose tissue may have more ACE-2 , the enzyme that allows the coronavirus to invade cells and begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has shown an association of increased ACE-2 in adipose tissue rather than lung tissue .
This finding further strengthens the hypothesis that obesity plays a major role in more serious COVID-19 infections .
So in theory , if you have more adipose tissue , the virus can bind to and invade more cells , causing higher viral loads that stay around longer , which can make the infection more severe and prolong recovery .
ACE-2 can be helpful in counteracting inflammation , but if it otherwise bound to COVID-19 , it can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
The novel SARS COVID-19 virus has forced the medical profession to face the reality that many U.S. physicians inherently know .
When it comes to prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity , the U.S. health care system is not performing well .
Many insurers reward physicians by meeting metrics of treating the effects of obesity rather than preventing it or treating the disease itself .
Physicians are reimbursed , for example , for helping patients with Type 2 diabetes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a set blood pressure goal .
I believe is time to educate physicians and provide them with resources to combat obesity .
Physicians can no longer deny that obesity , one of the strongest predictors for COVID-19 and at least 236 other medical conditions , must become public enemy number one .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Cate Varney, University of Virginia
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the obesity epidemic once again into the spotlight, revealing that obesity is no longer a disease that harms just in the long run but one that can have acutely devastating effects. New studies and information confirm doctors' suspicion that this virus takes advantage of a disease that our current U.S. health care system is unable to get under control.
In most recent news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 73% of nurses who have been hospitalized from COVID-19 had obesity. In addition, a recent study found that obesity could interfere with the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine.
I am an obesity specialist and clinical physician working on the front lines of obesity in primary care at the University of Virginia Health System. In the past, I often found myself warning my patients that obesity could take years off their life. Now, more than ever, this warning has become verifiable.
More damage than believed
Initially physicians believed that having obesity increased only your risk of getting sicker from COVID-19, not your chance of being infected in the first place. Now, newer analysis shows that not only does obesity increase your risk of being sicker and dying from COVID-19; obesity increases your risk of getting infected in the first place.
In March 2020, observational studies noted hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease as the most common other conditions – or co-morbidities – in patients with more severe COVID-19 disease. But it was the editors of Obesity journal who first raised the alarm on April 1, 2020 that obesity would likely prove to be an independent risk factor for more severe effects of COVID-19 infection.
Additionally, two studies including nearly 10,000 patients have shown that patients who have both COVID-19 and obesity have a higher risk of death at days 21 and 45 compared to patients with a normal body mass index, or BMI.
And a study published in September, 2020 reported higher rates of obesity in COVID-19 patients who are critically ill and require intubation.
It is becoming overwhelmingly evident from these studies and others that those with obesity are facing a clear and present danger.
Stigma and lack of understanding
Obesity is an interesting disease. It is one that many physicians talk about, often in frustration that their patients cannot prevent or reverse it with the oversimplified treatment plan that we have been taught in our initial training; “Eat less and exercise more."
It is also a disease that causes problems physically, such as sleep apnea and joint pain. It also affects one's mind and spirit due to societal and medical professionals' bias against those with obesity. It can even adversely affect the size of your paycheck. Can you imagine the outcry if the headline read “Patients with high blood pressure earn less"?
We doctors and researchers have understood for quite some time the long-term consequences of excess weight and obesity. We currently recognize that obesity is associated with at least 236 medical diagnoses, including 13 types of cancer. Obesity can decrease one's lifespan by up to eight years.
Despite knowing this, U.S. physicians are not prepared to prevent and reverse obesity. In a recently published survey, only 10% of medical school deans and curriculum experts feel that their students were “very prepared" in regards to obesity management. Half of the medical schools responded that expanding obesity education was a low priority or not a priority. An average of 10 hours total was reported as dedicated to obesity education during their entire training in medical school.
And doctors sometimes don't know how or when to prescribe medications for patients with obesity. For example, eight FDA-approved weight loss medications are on the market, but only 2% of eligible patients receive prescriptions for them from their physicians.
What goes on in the body
So, here we are, with a collision of the obesity epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. And a question I find patients asking me more and more: How does obesity create more severe disease and complication from COVID-19 infection?
There are many answers; lets start with structure.
Excess adipose tissue, which stores fat, creates a mechanical compression in patients with obesity. This limits their ability to take in and completely release a full breath of air.
Breathing takes more work in a patient with obesity. It creates restrictive lung disease, and in the more serious cases, lead to hypoventilation syndrome, which can cause a person to have too little oxygen in their blood.
And then there is function. Obesity results in an excess of adipose tissue, or what we colloquially call “fat." Over the years, scientists have learned that adipose tissue is harmful in and of itself. One may say that adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ all its own. It releases multiple hormones and molecules that lead to a chronic state of inflammation in patients with obesity.
When the body is in a constant state of low-grade inflammation, it releases cytokines, proteins that fight inflammation. They keep the body on guard, simmering and ready to fight disease. That's all well and good when they are kept in check by other systems and cells. When they are chronically released, however, an imbalance can occur that causes injury to the body. Think of it like a small but contained wildfire. It's dangerous, but it's not burning the entire forest.
COVID-19 causes the body to create another cytokine wildfire. When a person who is obese has COVID-19, two small cytokine wildfires come together, leading to the raging fire of inflammation that damages the lungs even more so than patients with normal BMI.
Additionally, this chronic state of inflammation can lead to something called endothelial dysfunction. In this condition, instead of opening up, blood vessels close down and constrict, further decreasing oxygen to the tissues.
In addition, increased adipose tissue may have more ACE-2, the enzyme that allows the coronavirus to invade cells and begin to damage them. A recent study has shown an association of increased ACE-2 in adipose tissue rather than lung tissue. This finding further strengthens the hypothesis that obesity plays a major role in more serious COVID-19 infections. So in theory, if you have more adipose tissue, the virus can bind to and invade more cells, causing higher viral loads that stay around longer, which can make the infection more severe and prolong recovery.
ACE-2 can be helpful in counteracting inflammation, but if it otherwise bound to COVID-19, it cannot assist with this.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
The novel SARS COVID-19 virus has forced the medical profession to face the reality that many U.S. physicians inherently know. When it comes to prevention of chronic diseases such as obesity, the U.S. health care system is not performing well. Many insurers reward physicians by meeting metrics of treating the effects of obesity rather than preventing it or treating the disease itself. Physicians are reimbursed, for example, for helping patients with Type 2 diabetes to attain a certain A1C level, or a set blood pressure goal.
I believe is time to educate physicians and provide them with resources to combat obesity. Physicians can no longer deny that obesity, one of the strongest predictors for COVID-19 and at least 236 other medical conditions, must become public enemy number one.
Cate Varney, Clinician Physician, University of Virginia
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-10--'It's not a good look': Military voters fume as Trump campaign challenges Nevada votes

The Trump campaign is truly grasping at straws in its attempts to pretend Donald did n't lose fair and square last week .
In Nevada , where President-elect Joe Biden has a margin of more than 30,000 votes , Trump campaign lawyers are making a giant fuss over 3,000 votes they say were cast by people who do n't really live in the state .
Problem is—aside from the fact that 3,000 votes wo n't change the result—officials say it 's not uncommon for people who are Nevada residents to have their absentee ballots sent to another state .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question may be from members of the military who have been transferred to other states but still consider Nevada home .
`` It 's very apparent when you look at the list that there 's a lot of people on there who are affiliated with the military , '' one such voter , who voted in Nevada after going to New Mexico with her husband when the Air Force transferred him , told The Wall Street Journal .
`` It 's not a good look . ''
`` It 's shocking that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminals for exercising their right to vote , '' said another .
Since Nevada has two Air Force bases and a naval air station , hundreds of voters on the Trump campaign 's list appear to fall into this category .
There are plenty of other reasons people legitimately registered in Nevada might have had a ballot sent to another state : college students away at school , for instance , or people whose work takes them to other states regularly but for whom Nevada is home base .
According to Joe Gloria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters , `` It 's not out of the ordinary at all for somebody not to live here , but be eligible to vote here . ''
The huge gulf between the number of votes the Trump campaign is disputing and the number of votes by which Trump trails Biden , though , shows that the campaign does n't actually think it 's going to overturn Biden 's Nevada win .
The plan is to keep Trump supporters believing that this election was stolen and that Biden 's win—and therefore his presidency—is n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim will work for too many of them .

The Trump campaign is truly grasping at straws in its attempts to pretend Donald didn't lose fair and square last week. In Nevada, where President-elect Joe Biden has a margin of more than 30,000 votes, Trump campaign lawyers are making a giant fuss over 3,000 votes they say were cast by people who don't really live in the state. Problem is—aside from the fact that 3,000 votes won't change the result—officials say it's not uncommon for people who are Nevada residents to have their absentee ballots sent to another state. In fact, many of the votes in question may be from members of the military who have been transferred to other states but still consider Nevada home.
"It's very apparent when you look at the list that there's a lot of people on there who are affiliated with the military," one such voter, who voted in Nevada after going to New Mexico with her husband when the Air Force transferred him, told The Wall Street Journal. "It's not a good look."
"It's shocking that the Trump campaign would call these military members criminals for exercising their right to vote," said another. Since Nevada has two Air Force bases and a naval air station, hundreds of voters on the Trump campaign's list appear to fall into this category.
There are plenty of other reasons people legitimately registered in Nevada might have had a ballot sent to another state: college students away at school, for instance, or people whose work takes them to other states regularly but for whom Nevada is home base. According to Joe Gloria, Clark County's nonpartisan registrar of voters, "It's not out of the ordinary at all for somebody not to live here, but be eligible to vote here."
The huge gulf between the number of votes the Trump campaign is disputing and the number of votes by which Trump trails Biden, though, shows that the campaign doesn't actually think it's going to overturn Biden's Nevada win. The plan is to keep Trump supporters believing that this election was stolen and that Biden's win—and therefore his presidency—isn't legitimate. This kind of ridiculously false claim will work for too many of them.


alternet--2020-11-10--Key witness for Giuliani's ill-fated Four Seasons press conference is convicted sex offender

Just when you think you 're done laughing at the totally humiliating ending of Rudy Giuliani 's career as Donald Trump 's personal attorney , it keeps getting more embarrassing for Giuliani and the Trump campaign .
Like most of Trump 's unqualified appointees in government , apparently the Trump campaign did n't closely screen who they were putting in front of worldwide cameras in the parking of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping lot .
Which I still ca n't even believe I 'm typing , but that was a real thing that happened .
To recap , on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyers would be having a press conference at the upscale Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia .
That tweet was quickly replaced with one saying the location was the Four Seasons Total Landscaping company in Philadelphia , located in an industrial area next to the Fantasy Island adult store and a crematorium .
As if that were n't bad enough , Politico reports New Jersey political reporters instantly recognized one of Rudy Giuliani 's key `` witnesses '' as Daryl Brooks , a New Jersey man who went to prison in 1988 after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of exposing himself to two girls , ages 7 and 11 years old .
Brooks ran for Congress in 2004 as the Green Party candidate in New Jersey 's 12th District , along with a slew of other campaign runs since as a libertarian and Poor People 's Campaign candidate .
At the Four Seasons Total Humiliation event , Brooks claimed to have moved to Philadelphia two years ago , but Politico was not able to verify that .
Brooks has run for office several times in New Jersey and elected officials there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman 's office also recognized Brooks .
Chief of Staff James Gee added context , noting that Brooks had worked his way into being a poll watcher for the Clinton campaign in 2016 .
The campaign has never fully explained why they chose this location , but the most obvious answer is someone from the campaign just straight-up screwed up and they all went with it to save face .
Take a look at some of the Trump supporters who turned out at the landscaping company next to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crematorium .
What a way for this to end , huh ?

Just when you think you're done laughing at the totally humiliating ending of Rudy Giuliani's career as Donald Trump's personal attorney, it keeps getting more embarrassing for Giuliani and the Trump campaign.
Like most of Trump's unqualified appointees in government, apparently the Trump campaign didn't closely screen who they were putting in front of worldwide cameras in the parking of the Four Seasons Total Landscaping lot. Which I still can't even believe I'm typing, but that was a real thing that happened.
To recap, on Saturday Donald Trump announced via Twitter that his lawyers would be having a press conference at the upscale Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia. That tweet was quickly replaced with one saying the location was the Four Seasons Total Landscaping company in Philadelphia, located in an industrial area next to the Fantasy Island adult store and a crematorium.
As if that weren't bad enough, Politico reports New Jersey political reporters instantly recognized one of Rudy Giuliani's key "witnesses" as Daryl Brooks, a New Jersey man who went to prison in 1988 after a sex offender conviction. He was convicted of exposing himself to two girls, ages 7 and 11 years old.
Brooks ran for Congress in 2004 as the Green Party candidate in New Jersey's 12th District, along with a slew of other campaign runs since as a libertarian and Poor People's Campaign candidate.
At the Four Seasons Total Humiliation event, Brooks claimed to have moved to Philadelphia two years ago, but Politico was not able to verify that. Brooks has run for office several times in New Jersey and elected officials there were surprised to see him.
"I started watching it and all of a sudden I was like, 'there's New Jersey's perennial candidate claiming to live in Philadelphia and Giuliani claiming him to be a poll watcher and Philadelphia resident," Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora said in a phone interview.
New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman's office also recognized Brooks. Chief of Staff James Gee added context, noting that Brooks had worked his way into being a poll watcher for the Clinton campaign in 2016.
"Yeah, I know Daryl. It's so fitting that he would be there," Gee said.
Gee said he believed Brooks was hired for Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016.
"People don't pay attention to who they hire. They're just trying to get bodies, particularly if it's a white organizer," said Gee, who's Black. "And this time apparently, I guess he was on the Republican side of the watchers."
The campaign has never fully explained why they chose this location, but the most obvious answer is someone from the campaign just straight-up screwed up and they all went with it to save face. Take a look at some of the Trump supporters who turned out at the landscaping company next to the adult store and across the street from the crematorium.
What a way for this to end, huh?


alternet--2020-11-10--William Barr boosts Trump's rhetoric of voting 'irregularities' — even though they can't find any

Trump 's personal attorney general , the one American taxpayers are paying to pursue whatever legal actions are necessary to Not Make Donald Sad , is finally making his presence known after keeping a low , low profile in the days both before and after the election .
The Associated Press reports William Barr has sent a memo to federal prosecutors `` authorizing '' them to pursue `` substantial allegations '' of voting irregularities—of which there are currently , nationwide , exactly zero .
Sounds ominous , yes ?
In fact , the actual memo obtained by the AP tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors that investigations `` may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that , if true , could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State . ''
In other words , Barr is reiterating a power prosecutors already have to investigate , `` if '' credible allegations were to surface .
Since Trump 's collection of dildo-adjacent landscaping fetishists have , time and time again , made allegations about irregularities that they have been completely unable to find evidence of and which they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in each would-be case getting laughed out of their still Zoom-based courtrooms , the statement is meaningless .
What it does mean is that William Barr is willing to put the weight of his crooked office behind Trump 's anti-democratic , autocratic blabberings about supposed vote fraud against him .
He 's willing to put out a memo to please Dear Leader , using Dear Leader 's terminology , to create a news cycle in which the Department of Justice is investigating nothing , for no larger apparent purpose than making sure Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
There are no fraud claims .
None .
Trump 's quasi-legal teams have been able to produce no evidence of election-bending fraud , or even of election-inconveniencing fraud .
The claims are entirely based on Trump 's unwillingness to face reality , his sycophants ' unwillingness to force him to do so , and the rampaging fascist tendencies of a Republican Party willing to delegitimize American democracy itself rather than accept election losses .
It 's not surprising William Barr is willing use the powers of his office to add to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why Trump hired him .

Trump's personal attorney general, the one American taxpayers are paying to pursue whatever legal actions are necessary to Not Make Donald Sad, is finally making his presence known after keeping a low, low profile in the days both before and after the election. The Associated Press reports William Barr has sent a memo to federal prosecutors "authorizing" them to pursue "substantial allegations" of voting irregularities—of which there are currently, nationwide, exactly zero.
Sounds ominous, yes? In fact, the actual memo obtained by the AP tells a less dramatic story. Barr tells prosecutors that investigations "may be conducted if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State." In other words, Barr is reiterating a power prosecutors already have to investigate, "if" credible allegations were to surface. Since Trump's collection of dildo-adjacent landscaping fetishists have, time and time again, made allegations about irregularities that they have been completely unable to find evidence of and which they cannot explain to federal judges, resulting in each would-be case getting laughed out of their still Zoom-based courtrooms, the statement is meaningless.
What it does mean is that William Barr is willing to put the weight of his crooked office behind Trump's anti-democratic, autocratic blabberings about supposed vote fraud against him. He's willing to put out a memo to please Dear Leader, using Dear Leader's terminology, to create a news cycle in which the Department of Justice is investigating nothing, for no larger apparent purpose than making sure Trump doesn't fire him for not doing it.
There are no fraud claims. None. Trump's quasi-legal teams have been able to produce no evidence of election-bending fraud, or even of election-inconveniencing fraud. The claims are entirely based on Trump's unwillingness to face reality, his sycophants' unwillingness to force him to do so, and the rampaging fascist tendencies of a Republican Party willing to delegitimize American democracy itself rather than accept election losses.
It's not surprising William Barr is willing use the powers of his office to add to that din of propaganda. That's why Trump hired him.


alternet--2020-11-10--'Trump has not lost': Lindsey Graham makes wild, unsubstantiated claims that dead people voted in el

'Trump has not lost': Lindsey Graham makes wild, unsubstantiated claims that dead people voted in election

Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , urged President Donald Trump not to concede and Republicans to `` keep fighting '' for victory as claimed without evidence on Fox Business that dead people had voted in Pennsylvania .
To be clear , there is no evidence of substantive or widespread voter fraud .
As of Sunday , the Trump campaign was 0 for 10 in its legal attempts to challenge the results of the election .
Moreover , victories in recounts are virtually impossible .
Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo kicked off her interview with Graham on Sunday by asking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence you have of dead people voting . ''
`` Number one , this is a contested election .
The media does n't decide who becomes president .
If they did , you would never have a Republican president for forever .
We 're discounting them , '' Graham said , even though the media network he was appearing on had already called the presidential race for Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
`` So what happened — the Trump team has canvassed all early voters with absentee mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were dead , but 15 people that we verified to have been dead who voted , '' Graham claimed , without providing evidence to substantiate the claims .
`` But here 's the one that gets me : Six people registered after they died and voted in Pennsylvania .
I guess you 're never out of it . ''
Graham , who last week promised Fox News host Sean Hannity that he would donate $ 500,000 to the Trump campaign 's legal fund , did not specify the party affiliation of the alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inquirer was able to track down the name of a 74-year-old woman in Allegheny County who was apparently mailed a ballot on Oct. 24 — two days after she died .
The elections board said the ballot was returned , and it was received on Nov. 2 .
It was marked `` recorded , '' though reports said it was unclear whether that means the ballot had officially been tallied .
`` My parents are not people who do voter fraud , '' the woman 's daughter , who helped her mother fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` My parents are n't people who break the law .
My dad never even paid a bill late in his life . ''
The woman said she asked her father , who is 77 , if he had returned the ballot , but he could not recall .
She added that her mother did not keep up with politics , but she had planned to vote for Trump .
The ballot was among about 350,000 cast in Allegheny County .
In the Fox interview , Graham , who won his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there will `` never be another Republican president elected again '' if the GOP does not change the electoral system .
He urged President Trump not to back down .
`` If Republicans — if we do n't challenge and change the U.S. election system , there 'll never be another Republican president elected again .
President Trump should not concede , '' he said .
`` We 're down to less than 10,000 votes in Georgia .
He 's going to win North Carolina .
We 've gone from 93,000 votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with more votes to be counted .
There are allegations of system failure , fraud . ''
The margin in Georgia stands at little more than 10,000 votes , according to the New York Times running tally .
`` John James : Do not concede , '' Graham continued , referring to the Republican vying to unseat Democrat incumbent Gary Peters in Michigan 's senate race .
`` These computers in Michigan do not pass the smell test .
Keep fighting for every legal and live vote . ''
But a Michigan judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging the administering of the election in the state last week .
Bartiromo , who saw a tweet flagged by Twitter last week for spreading election disinformation , asked Graham about another alleged instance of voter fraud .
`` You were briefed by the campaign yesterday , and one thing that we spoke about over the phone this weekend is this postal worker who has a sworn affidavit saying that supervisors were backdating ballots , '' she said .
`` What can you tell us about that ? ''
`` The FBI is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our committee will be talking to this gentleman .
I do n't know where that goes , '' Graham , who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee , responded .
`` But I do know that we have evidence of six people in Pennsylvania registering after they died and voting after they died , and we have n't looked at the entire system .
We have to fight back , or we will accept our fate . ''
The allegation from the postal worker originated out of Traverse City , Mich. Local election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan only counts ballots that arrive by 8 p.m .
ET on Election Day — not ones postmarked by Election Day .
`` We already counted all the ballots received by 8 p.m. , and they 're all secured .
So we 're not counting any late ballots .
So it does n't even matter if they did that , because it 's not going to affect anything , '' Bonnie Scheele , Grand Grand Traverse County Clerk , told the Traverse City Record-Eagle .
But Graham continued to undermine the reliability of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence .
`` Explain how they died and voted .
Explain the software .
A lot of shenanigans going on here , '' he said .
`` I 'd take all this to court .
Mail-in balloting is a nightmare for us .
The post office is the new election center . ''
A postal worker pleaded guilty this spring to election fraud after he changed party registration on a handful of ballot request cards from Democrat to Republican .
Graham concluded the interview by again declaring that the election was not over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said before making a direct plea to the president .
`` Do not concede , Mr. President , fight hard . ''
You can watch the clip below via Fox Business :

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., urged President Donald Trump not to concede and Republicans to "keep fighting" for victory as claimed without evidence on Fox Business that dead people had voted in Pennsylvania.
To be clear, there is no evidence of substantive or widespread voter fraud. As of Sunday, the Trump campaign was 0 for 10 in its legal attempts to challenge the results of the election. Moreover, victories in recounts are virtually impossible.
Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo kicked off her interview with Graham on Sunday by asking the senator to "tell us about the evidence you have of dead people voting."
"Number one, this is a contested election. The media doesn't decide who becomes president. If they did, you would never have a Republican president for forever. We're discounting them," Graham said, even though the media network he was appearing on had already called the presidential race for Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
"So what happened — the Trump team has canvassed all early voters with absentee mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania, and they found over 100 people they think were dead, but 15 people that we verified to have been dead who voted," Graham claimed, without providing evidence to substantiate the claims. "But here's the one that gets me: Six people registered after they died and voted in Pennsylvania. I guess you're never out of it."
Graham, who last week promised Fox News host Sean Hannity that he would donate $500,000 to the Trump campaign's legal fund, did not specify the party affiliation of the alleged dead voters. However, the Philadelphia Inquirer was able to track down the name of a 74-year-old woman in Allegheny County who was apparently mailed a ballot on Oct. 24 — two days after she died. The elections board said the ballot was returned, and it was received on Nov. 2. It was marked "recorded," though reports said it was unclear whether that means the ballot had officially been tallied.
"My parents are not people who do voter fraud," the woman's daughter, who helped her mother fill in her ballot application before she died said. "My parents aren't people who break the law. My dad never even paid a bill late in his life."
The woman said she asked her father, who is 77, if he had returned the ballot, but he could not recall. She added that her mother did not keep up with politics, but she had planned to vote for Trump.
The ballot was among about 350,000 cast in Allegheny County.
In the Fox interview, Graham, who won his fiercely contested Senate election handily, warned that there will "never be another Republican president elected again" if the GOP does not change the electoral system. He urged President Trump not to back down.
"If Republicans — if we don't challenge and change the U.S. election system, there'll never be another Republican president elected again. President Trump should not concede," he said. "We're down to less than 10,000 votes in Georgia. He's going to win North Carolina. We've gone from 93,000 votes to less than 20,000 votes in Arizona with more votes to be counted. There are allegations of system failure, fraud."
The margin in Georgia stands at little more than 10,000 votes, according to the New York Times running tally.
"John James: Do not concede," Graham continued, referring to the Republican vying to unseat Democrat incumbent Gary Peters in Michigan's senate race. "These computers in Michigan do not pass the smell test. Keep fighting for every legal and live vote."
But a Michigan judge tossed the Trump campaign's multi-pronged lawsuit challenging the administering of the election in the state last week.
Bartiromo, who saw a tweet flagged by Twitter last week for spreading election disinformation, asked Graham about another alleged instance of voter fraud.
"You were briefed by the campaign yesterday, and one thing that we spoke about over the phone this weekend is this postal worker who has a sworn affidavit saying that supervisors were backdating ballots," she said. "What can you tell us about that?"
"The FBI is investigating along with the postal inspector, and our committee will be talking to this gentleman. I don't know where that goes," Graham, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, responded. "But I do know that we have evidence of six people in Pennsylvania registering after they died and voting after they died, and we haven't looked at the entire system. We have to fight back, or we will accept our fate."
The allegation from the postal worker originated out of Traverse City, Mich. Local election officials dismissed it as immaterial, because Michigan only counts ballots that arrive by 8 p.m. ET on Election Day — not ones postmarked by Election Day.
"We already counted all the ballots received by 8 p.m., and they're all secured. So we're not counting any late ballots. So it doesn't even matter if they did that, because it's not going to affect anything," Bonnie Scheele, Grand Grand Traverse County Clerk, told the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
But Graham continued to undermine the reliability of the U.S. Postal Service, without evidence.
"Explain how they died and voted. Explain the software. A lot of shenanigans going on here," he said. "I'd take all this to court. Mail-in balloting is a nightmare for us. The post office is the new election center."
A postal worker pleaded guilty this spring to election fraud after he changed party registration on a handful of ballot request cards from Democrat to Republican.
Graham concluded the interview by again declaring that the election was not over.
"Trump has not lost," he said before making a direct plea to the president. "Do not concede, Mr. President, fight hard."
You can watch the clip below via Fox Business:
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com


alternet--2020-11-10--Top DOJ elections official resigns in protest over Bill Barr's latest 2020 gambit: report

Richard Pilger , the director of the Election Crimes Branch in the Justice Department , resigned his position in protest on Monday , according to the New York Times , after Attorney General Bill Barr inserted the agency into the 2020 election in a disturbing way .
Barr sent a letter to prosecutors on Monday authorizing them to pursue investigations into `` substantial allegations '' of voter fraud , despite no significant evidence that it had any major role in the election .
He even said he had authorized some investigative steps ; the Times reported that these steps related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from out of state and an allegation that mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania were improperly post-dated , though these claims remain highly dubious .
Barr drew an instant backlash when his memo was revealed publicly , as many commentators saw it as yet another effort to support President Donald Trump 's attacks on democracy .
As the Times reported , it violated the department 's own policy of refraining from interfering in election processes .
The attorney general 's actions are particularly disturbing given his history as an enthusiastic defender of some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear partisan animosity toward Democrats and the political left wing generally .
`` Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications … I must regretfully resign from my role as director of the Election Crimes Branch , '' Pilger wrote in response to Barr 's memo , according to the Times .
It indicated he will stay on at the department in a non-supervisory role .
Justice Department policies prohibit federal prosecutors from taking overt steps , like questioning witnesses or securing subpoenas for documents , to open a criminal investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results have been certified to keep their existence from spilling into public view and influencing either voters or local election officials who ensure the integrity of the results .
`` Public knowledge of a criminal investigation could impact the adjudication of election litigation and contests in state courts , '' the Justice Department 's longstanding election guidelines for prosecutors say .
`` Accordingly , it is the general policy of the department not to conduct overt investigations . ''
Mr. Barr 's memo allows U.S. attorneys to bypass that career prosecutor and take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , effectively weakening a key safeguard that prevents political interference in an election by the party in power .
The Times noted that there 's very little reason to believe that anything the Justice Department could find would actually affect the results of the election .
Though fraud occurs , it 's exceedingly unlikely it could take place on a scale to swing an election .
And it seems even Barr believes this , despite his disturbing moves : Mr. Barr has privately told department officials in the days since the election that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the campaigns themselves , according to three people briefed on the conversations .
He has said that he did not see massive fraud , and that most of the allegations of voter fraud were related to individual instances that did not point to a larger systemic problem , the people said .

Richard Pilger, the director of the Election Crimes Branch in the Justice Department, resigned his position in protest on Monday, according to the New York Times, after Attorney General Bill Barr inserted the agency into the 2020 election in a disturbing way.
Barr sent a letter to prosecutors on Monday authorizing them to pursue investigations into "substantial allegations" of voter fraud, despite no significant evidence that it had any major role in the election. He even said he had authorized some investigative steps; the Times reported that these steps related to allegations of people in Nevada voting from out of state and an allegation that mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania were improperly post-dated, though these claims remain highly dubious.
Barr drew an instant backlash when his memo was revealed publicly, as many commentators saw it as yet another effort to support President Donald Trump's attacks on democracy. As the Times reported, it violated the department's own policy of refraining from interfering in election processes. The attorney general's actions are particularly disturbing given his history as an enthusiastic defender of some of the president's most outrageous claims and his clear partisan animosity toward Democrats and the political left wing generally.
"Having familiarized myself with the new policy and its ramifications … I must regretfully resign from my role as director of the Election Crimes Branch," Pilger wrote in response to Barr's memo, according to the Times. It indicated he will stay on at the department in a non-supervisory role.
The Time report explained:
Justice Department policies prohibit federal prosecutors from taking overt steps, like questioning witnesses or securing subpoenas for documents, to open a criminal investigation into any election-related matter until after voting results have been certified to keep their existence from spilling into public view and influencing either voters or local election officials who ensure the integrity of the results.
"Public knowledge of a criminal investigation could impact the adjudication of election litigation and contests in state courts," the Justice Department's longstanding election guidelines for prosecutors say. "Accordingly, it is the general policy of the department not to conduct overt investigations."
...
Mr. Barr's memo allows U.S. attorneys to bypass that career prosecutor and take their requests to his office for approval, effectively weakening a key safeguard that prevents political interference in an election by the party in power.
The Times noted that there's very little reason to believe that anything the Justice Department could find would actually affect the results of the election. Though fraud occurs, it's exceedingly unlikely it could take place on a scale to swing an election. And it seems even Barr believes this, despite his disturbing moves:
Mr. Barr has privately told department officials in the days since the election that any disputes should be resolved in court by the campaigns themselves, according to three people briefed on the conversations. He has said that he did not see massive fraud, and that most of the allegations of voter fraud were related to individual instances that did not point to a larger systemic problem, the people said.


alternet--2020-11-10--St. Louis gun couple thinks they're the real victims — and are suing a photographer for 'emotional d

St. Louis gun couple thinks they're the real victims — and are suing a photographer for 'emotional distress'

The last time we saw Mark and Patricia McCloskey , they had cleaned themselves up to give an impassioned re-branding speech at the Republican National Convention .
In that speech they warned America that the Democratic Party would `` abolish suburbs . ''
Very on-brand for the couple whose singular claim to fame is coming outside of their expensive St. Louis home to threaten peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters with guns .
They received some felony charges for that .
Now , WTHR 13 reports that the St. Louis duo , who are still facing those felony charges , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they claim `` trespassed to capture an image of the confrontation . ''
The one where the McCloskeys came out of the home with guns and threatened the peaceful protesters .
That confrontation .
Why are they suing this photographer ?
Well , the aggro Missouri marital team say that United Press International ( UPI ) photographer Bill Greenblatt 's images have added to the `` significant national recognition and infamy '' of the two McCloskeys .
According to the McCloskeys , among other issues , Greenblatt 's photos have been used in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , using their likeness without consent .
More importantly , the couple says that these images and their accompanying meme-ing has caused them `` humiliation , mental anguish , and severe emotional distress . ''
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the lawsuit also casts the couple as the real victims here , alleging that the photographer and press agency `` acted outrageously and beyond all reasonable bounds of decency , with their conduct regarded as atrocious and intolerable by any member of a civilized society . ''
The couple is looking for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any capacity , as well as demanding damages .
Being a bunch of litigious snowflakes is very much a part of the McCloskey family crest .
They have a long history of being tremendous assholes , horrific neighbors , and legal bullies

The last time we saw Mark and Patricia McCloskey, they had cleaned themselves up to give an impassioned re-branding speech at the Republican National Convention. In that speech they warned America that the Democratic Party would "abolish suburbs." Very on-brand for the couple whose singular claim to fame is coming outside of their expensive St. Louis home to threaten peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters with guns. They received some felony charges for that.
Now, WTHR 13 reports that the St. Louis duo, who are still facing those felony charges, have filed a lawsuit against a photographer whom they claim "trespassed to capture an image of the confrontation." The one where the McCloskeys came out of the home with guns and threatened the peaceful protesters. That confrontation. Why are they suing this photographer?
Well, the aggro Missouri marital team say that United Press International (UPI) photographer Bill Greenblatt's images have added to the "significant national recognition and infamy" of the two McCloskeys. According to the McCloskeys, among other issues, Greenblatt's photos have been used in Redbubble merchandising of t-shirts and coffee mugs, using their likeness without consent. More importantly, the couple says that these images and their accompanying meme-ing has caused them "humiliation, mental anguish, and severe emotional distress."
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the lawsuit also casts the couple as the real victims here, alleging that the photographer and press agency "acted outrageously and beyond all reasonable bounds of decency, with their conduct regarded as atrocious and intolerable by any member of a civilized society." The couple is looking for the image to cease being used in any capacity, as well as demanding damages.
Being a bunch of litigious snowflakes is very much a part of the McCloskey family crest. They have a long history of being tremendous assholes, horrific neighbors, and legal bullies


alternet--2020-11-10--There's a telling admission in the fine print of Trump's demand for donations to his election lawsui

There's a telling admission in the fine print of Trump's demand for donations to his election lawsuits

The Trump campaign has solicited donations from supporters to fund lawsuits challenging the results of the presidential election in a flurry of fundraising pitches , but at least half of the money will go toward paying down its debt , according to the fine print .
Trump refuses to concede his loss as he pushes a number of legally dubious challenges in several states which narrowly voted for President-elect Joe Biden .
Judges in Georgia , Michigan , Nevada and Pennsylvania have already dismissed multiple legal challenges from the campaign , though Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani teased up to 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the parking lot of a Philadelphia landscaping company adjoining a porn store and a crematorium .
The Trump campaign has relentlessly flooded supporters with appeals for donations to pay for the legal effort , reportedly firing off more than a dozen emails on Sunday alone .
The emails for the `` official election defense fund '' warned supporters that it was imperative to `` PROTECT the Election . ''
`` This is your FINAL NOTICE , '' one pitch said .
`` So far , you 've ignored all our emails asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ELECTION .
You 've ignored Team Trump , Eric , Lara , Don , the Vice President AND you 've even ignored the President of the United States . ''
The emails linked to a donation page with a disclaimer advising that 50 % of the donations would be used to retire the campaign 's debt , The Wall Street Journal first reported .
Other emails asking for help to `` protect the integrity of this election '' led to a donation page for Trump 's `` Make America Great Again '' committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would go toward retiring campaign debt and the other 40 % would go to the Republican National Committee ( RNC ) , according to The Journal .
Though President-elect Joe Biden is also raising money to fend off legal challenges , there is no disclaimer about retiring campaign debt in his pitches .
His campaign did note that most of the donations would go to the Democratic National Committee , and both parties would likely play a `` prominent role in financing election legal proceedings , '' according to the report .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disclaimer advising that 50 % of the donations would be used to retire the campaign 's debt , The Wall Street Journal first reported .
Other emails asking for help to `` protect the integrity of this election '' led to a donation page for Trump 's `` Make America Great Again '' committee , which said 60 % of donations would go toward retiring campaign debt and the other 40 % would go to the Republican National Committee ( RNC ) , according to The Journal .
Though President-elect Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal challenges , there is no disclaimer about retiring campaign debt in his pitches .
His campaign did note that most of the donations would go to the Democratic National Committee , and both parties would likely play a `` prominent role in financing election legal proceedings , '' according to the report .
`` It is an indication that they 're not super serious about pursuing one and that their announcements are mostly for show , '' The Post 's James Hohmann said .
Trump 's campaign raised more than $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly blew through that money early in the campaign , prompting the ouster of campaign manager Brad Parscale .
Whereas Biden began October with more than $ 177 million in the bank , Trump 's campaign had only $ 63 million .
Trump has continued to push unfounded claims about `` irregularities '' and `` fraud , '' even though no significant evidence supports his claims .
Meagan Wolfe , the director of the Wisconsin Elections Commission , told reporters last week that she had `` not received any reports of any irregularities.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Republican , told CNN on Monday that `` we 've not seen any credible examples '' of fraud or irregularities .
The Republican leaders of the Pennsylvania legislature also said in a Friday statement that they had not received any reports of `` voter fraud '' or `` any other misdeeds . ''
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford , a Democrat , on Friday said the campaign 's fraud allegations were `` garbage , '' and neither the `` Republican secretary of state '' nor `` 17 county registrars '' had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal challenge in a specific state could theoretically swing the election , as did the recount and litigation surrounding the 2000 presidential election in Florida , Trump is on track to lose in so many must-win states that his legal efforts are effectively futile .
Biden , who already has 290 electoral votes , is on track to win Georgia , which would raise his tally to 306 votes .
`` Trump 's biggest emerging problem is that he 'd need to overturn the results in multiple states , '' Blake wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do so in at least three states , as things currently stand . ''
The fundraising efforts amid the seemingly doomed legal moves suggests that Trump may be pushing fabricated claims of fraud to milk his supporters for additional cash .
`` Part of the reason Trump wo n't concede is narcissism .
But it 's also about money , '' Popular Info 's Judd Legum wrote .
`` He can raise a lot of money convincing millions of people that he needs cash to expose the biggest fraud in American history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is over . ''

The Trump campaign has solicited donations from supporters to fund lawsuits challenging the results of the presidential election in a flurry of fundraising pitches, but at least half of the money will go toward paying down its debt, according to the fine print.
Trump refuses to concede his loss as he pushes a number of legally dubious challenges in several states which narrowly voted for President-elect Joe Biden. Judges in Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania have already dismissed multiple legal challenges from the campaign, though Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani teased up to 10 additional election-related lawsuits after a press conference in the parking lot of a Philadelphia landscaping company adjoining a porn store and a crematorium.
The Trump campaign has relentlessly flooded supporters with appeals for donations to pay for the legal effort, reportedly firing off more than a dozen emails on Sunday alone.
The emails for the "official election defense fund" warned supporters that it was imperative to "PROTECT the Election."
"This is your FINAL NOTICE," one pitch said. "So far, you've ignored all our emails asking you to join us in DEFENDING THE ELECTION. You've ignored Team Trump, Eric, Lara, Don, the Vice President AND you've even ignored the President of the United States."
The emails linked to a donation page with a disclaimer advising that 50% of the donations would be used to retire the campaign's debt, The Wall Street Journal first reported.
Other emails asking for help to "protect the integrity of this election" led to a donation page for Trump's "Make America Great Again" committee, which said 60% of donations would go toward retiring campaign debt and the other 40% would go to the Republican National Committee (RNC), according to The Journal.
Though President-elect Joe Biden is also raising money to fend off legal challenges, there is no disclaimer about retiring campaign debt in his pitches. His campaign did note that most of the donations would go to the Democratic National Committee, and both parties would likely play a "prominent role in financing election legal proceedings," according to the report.
The emails linked to a donation page with a disclaimer advising that 50% of the donations would be used to retire the campaign's debt, The Wall Street Journal first reported.
Other emails asking for help to "protect the integrity of this election" led to a donation page for Trump's "Make America Great Again" committee, which said 60% of donations would go toward retiring campaign debt and the other 40% would go to the Republican National Committee (RNC), according to The Journal.
Though President-elect Joe Biden is also raising money to fend off legal challenges, there is no disclaimer about retiring campaign debt in his pitches. His campaign did note that most of the donations would go to the Democratic National Committee, and both parties would likely play a "prominent role in financing election legal proceedings," according to the report.
"It is an indication that they're not super serious about pursuing one and that their announcements are mostly for show," The Post's James Hohmann said.
Trump's campaign raised more than $1 billion earlier this year, but it quickly blew through that money early in the campaign, prompting the ouster of campaign manager Brad Parscale. Whereas Biden began October with more than $177 million in the bank, Trump's campaign had only $63 million.
Trump has continued to push unfounded claims about "irregularities" and "fraud," even though no significant evidence supports his claims.
Meagan Wolfe, the director of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, told reporters last week that she had "not received any reports of any irregularities. "
Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Republican, told CNN on Monday that "we've not seen any credible examples" of fraud or irregularities.
The Republican leaders of the Pennsylvania legislature also said in a Friday statement that they had not received any reports of "voter fraud" or "any other misdeeds."
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, on Friday said the campaign's fraud allegations were "garbage," and neither the "Republican secretary of state" nor "17 county registrars" had reported any widespread fraud.
While a legal challenge in a specific state could theoretically swing the election, as did the recount and litigation surrounding the 2000 presidential election in Florida, Trump is on track to lose in so many must-win states that his legal efforts are effectively futile. Biden, who already has 290 electoral votes, is on track to win Georgia, which would raise his tally to 306 votes.
"Trump's biggest emerging problem is that he'd need to overturn the results in multiple states," Blake wrote. "In fact, he'd need to do so in at least three states, as things currently stand."
The fundraising efforts amid the seemingly doomed legal moves suggests that Trump may be pushing fabricated claims of fraud to milk his supporters for additional cash.
"Part of the reason Trump won't concede is narcissism. But it's also about money," Popular Info's Judd Legum wrote. "He can raise a lot of money convincing millions of people that he needs cash to expose the biggest fraud in American history. If he concedes, that grift is over."


alternet--2020-11-10--Ben Carson is 6th official to test positive for COVID-19 after going maskless at White House party

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tested positive for COVID-19 after attending President Donald Trump 's election night party at the White House , his office said .
Carson is `` in good spirits '' after testing positive on Monday morning , his deputy chief of staff told ABC News .
The secretary `` feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery , '' reporter Katherine Faulders tweeted .
Andrew Hughes , Carson 's chief of staff , said in an email to staff that `` anyone who was in contact with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & precautions are being taken , '' according to Faulders .
Carson , a longtime medical doctor who is part of the White House coronavirus task force , has repeatedly flouted health guidelines recommending the use of a mask indoors .
He did not wear a mask at last week 's election night party , which ended with President Donald Trump falsely declaring victory after 2 a.m. on Wednesday morning .
Carson 's diagnosis came only three days after White House chief of staff Mark Meadows , who has also refused to wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 .
Meadows reportedly tried to hide his diagnosis from the public .
Carson is the sixth White House official to test positive since the election .
Vice President Mike Pence 's office also had an outbreak last month , which Meadows tried to hide from the public .
President Donald Trump , first lady Melania Trump , their son Barron and more than a dozen other attendees earlier tested positive after attending the superspreader event in the White House Rose Garden announcing Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett 's nomination .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading up to the election , even after former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died from complications of the coronavirus after attending a Trump rally without a mask in in Tulsa , Okla. '' It 's emblematic of the national failure to control Covid , '' Tom Frieden , the former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , told The New York Times after the latest outbreak .
The U.S. on Monday became the first nation to surpass 10 million confirmed coronavirus cases .
The average number of new daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and experts warned the country may be entering `` the pandemic 's worst phase yet , '' The Washington Post reported .
The White House has been `` increasingly secretive '' about its outbreaks , according to The Los Angeles Times .
Many White House officials and party attendees were `` kept in the dark about the diagnoses , unaware until they were disclosed by the media . ''
`` The administration was cavalier about the risks of the virus for themselves and for the country , '' Dr. Joshua Sharfstein , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told the outlet .
`` And that 's one reason why we have so many cases . ''
Those remarks echo what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , said last month after the first outbreak .
`` I have n't actually been to the White House since August the 6th , because my impression was their approach to how to handle this is different from mine and what I insisted that we do in the Senate , which is to wear a mask and practice social distancing , '' McConnell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more aggressively respond to the virus after Meadows admitted last month that the Trump administration was not even trying to `` control the pandemic . ''
Biden 's transition team announced its COVID-19 task force on Monday would include Rick Bright , the Health and Human Services whistleblower who objected to the White House response , and former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy , who was fired by the Trump administration in 2017 after he refused to resign .
The task force includes numerous scientists and experts , such as former Food and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , former Obama adviser Zeke Emanuel and Yale Prof. Marcella Nunez-Smith .
Trump , meanwhile , has increasingly turned to discredited TV talking heads for his medical advice .
`` Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is one of the most important battles our administration will face , and I will be informed by science and by experts , '' Biden said in a statement .
`` The advisory board will help shape my approach to managing the surge in reported infections ; ensuring vaccines are safe , effective and distributed efficiently , equitably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tested positive for COVID-19 after attending President Donald Trump's election night party at the White House, his office said.
Carson is "in good spirits" after testing positive on Monday morning, his deputy chief of staff told ABC News. The secretary "feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery," reporter Katherine Faulders tweeted.
Andrew Hughes, Carson's chief of staff, said in an email to staff that "anyone who was in contact with the Secretary last week is being notified & precautions are being taken," according to Faulders.
Carson, a longtime medical doctor who is part of the White House coronavirus task force, has repeatedly flouted health guidelines recommending the use of a mask indoors. He did not wear a mask at last week's election night party, which ended with President Donald Trump falsely declaring victory after 2 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
Carson's diagnosis came only three days after White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who has also refused to wear a mask at events, tested positive for COVID-19. Meadows reportedly tried to hide his diagnosis from the public. Carson is the sixth White House official to test positive since the election.
Vice President Mike Pence's office also had an outbreak last month, which Meadows tried to hide from the public.
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, their son Barron and more than a dozen other attendees earlier tested positive after attending the superspreader event in the White House Rose Garden announcing Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett's nomination.
Trump continued to hold largely maskless rallies leading up to the election, even after former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died from complications of the coronavirus after attending a Trump rally without a mask in in Tulsa, Okla.
"It's emblematic of the national failure to control Covid," Tom Frieden, the former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The New York Times after the latest outbreak.
The U.S. on Monday became the first nation to surpass 10 million confirmed coronavirus cases. The average number of new daily infections has topped 100,000 for days, and experts warned the country may be entering "the pandemic's worst phase yet," The Washington Post reported.
The White House has been "increasingly secretive" about its outbreaks, according to The Los Angeles Times. Many White House officials and party attendees were "kept in the dark about the diagnoses, unaware until they were disclosed by the media."
"The administration was cavalier about the risks of the virus for themselves and for the country," Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, a public health professor at Johns Hopkins University, told the outlet. "And that's one reason why we have so many cases."
Those remarks echo what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said last month after the first outbreak.
"I haven't actually been to the White House since August the 6th, because my impression was their approach to how to handle this is different from mine and what I insisted that we do in the Senate, which is to wear a mask and practice social distancing," McConnell said.
President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to more aggressively respond to the virus after Meadows admitted last month that the Trump administration was not even trying to "control the pandemic."
Biden's transition team announced its COVID-19 task force on Monday would include Rick Bright, the Health and Human Services whistleblower who objected to the White House response, and former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who was fired by the Trump administration in 2017 after he refused to resign.
The task force includes numerous scientists and experts, such as former Food and Drug Commissioners David Kessler and Luciana Borio, former Obama adviser Zeke Emanuel and Yale Prof. Marcella Nunez-Smith. Trump, meanwhile, has increasingly turned to discredited TV talking heads for his medical advice.
"Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is one of the most important battles our administration will face, and I will be informed by science and by experts," Biden said in a statement. "The advisory board will help shape my approach to managing the surge in reported infections; ensuring vaccines are safe, effective and distributed efficiently, equitably and free; and protecting at-risk populations."