alternet--2020-11-17--Biden's big mistake: Trump can't be allowed to escape legal consequences

President-elect Joe Biden is privately telling his advisers that he does n't want investigations of Donald Trump to dominate his presidency , according to NBC News .
Biden fears wide-ranging inquires would both serve as a distraction from his agenda and alienate Trump 's base at a time when Biden hopes to unify the country .
The discussions come amid growing pressure from some Democrats intent on launching investigations into Trump 's time in office , his many violations of law , and those who committed illegal acts at his direction .
To be clear , the potential violations are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infractions will almost certainly surface once Biden appointees take over the various agencies and get a look under the hood .
Other illegal activity also includes Trump 's conduct outside of government related to his family business , tax returns , and more .
Biden could potentially affect how rigorously Trump is investigated on several levels , including by seeking to set the tone for the Democratic House majority and his own Justice Department .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will also take part in shaping how much energy is devoted to reviewing Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority and competing factions within her caucus .
Whether Democrats manage to regain a majority in the Senate could also play a role in shaping House Democrats ' overall agenda .
Having a functional Democratically controlled Senate that might actually pass much of Biden 's agenda rather than simply leaving bills to die in the upper chamber would surely motivate the House caucus to focus more heavily on passing critical legislation that can actually help the country dig out of Trump 's COVID-19 recession hole .
But Biden has also signaled that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the White House and the Justice Department before Trump came in and decided the department was there to serve his every whim—be it defending him and his friends , threatening his political enemies , or fabricating investigations of his political rivals .
In some ways , it makes perfect sense that Biden does n't want his entire presidency consumed by probes into Trump , his minions , and an inevitable cycle of recriminations .
But Donald Trump so misused and abused the federal government that his entire tenure represents an assault on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of crimes against humanity , ranging from literally ripping children away from their parents and caging them to intentionally slaughtering hundreds of thousands of Americans through coronavirus denialism and weaponization of disinformation .
For those reasons , Trump and those who did his bidding must be held to account through both criminal inquiries and uncovering information that could mar the reputations of certain individuals for life .
This is absolutely critical to preserving the integrity of our republic moving forward .
Using the U.S. government to commit crimes against humanity can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden can preach unity all he wants , but it is incumbent upon the incoming administration to make it glaringly clear that efforts to subvert our democracy and use the federal government for malign political purposes carry with them a steep cost for everyone involved .
This is a fundamental part of safeguarding our democracy .
Otherwise , the next autocrat—who will surely be far more competent than Trump—wo n't think twice before trodding the same paths Trump did , but with greater efficacy and fervor .
Biden clearly wants to make his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that healing includes inoculating it against the fascist impulses that are pulsing through the conservative movement right now .
If House Democrats want to limit their number of inquiries by focusing on several key areas or specific transgressions , that 's a reasonable approach .
But do n't pull any punches in those investigations—they must be thorough , relentless , and unsparing .
As for the Justice Department , Biden should simply pick good people and get out of their way—as most American presidents have done for centuries .
Both the criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be allowed to follow the trail of Trump-era transgressions unfettered by Biden 's political agenda .
Just like Trump was wrong to so explicitly give his Justice Department marching orders , the same will be true for Biden even if his guidance is in the service of restraint .
But no matter what happens , the ongoing investigations of Trump and his family business at the state level by the Manhattan DA and New York attorney general will continue .
Biden 's wishes should and must have zero impact there .

President-elect Joe Biden is privately telling his advisers that he doesn't want investigations of Donald Trump to dominate his presidency, according to NBC News. Biden fears wide-ranging inquires would both serve as a distraction from his agenda and alienate Trump's base at a time when Biden hopes to unify the country.
The discussions come amid growing pressure from some Democrats intent on launching investigations into Trump's time in office, his many violations of law, and those who committed illegal acts at his direction. To be clear, the potential violations are too numerous to even list and more infractions will almost certainly surface once Biden appointees take over the various agencies and get a look under the hood. Other illegal activity also includes Trump's conduct outside of government related to his family business, tax returns, and more.
Biden could potentially affect how rigorously Trump is investigated on several levels, including by seeking to set the tone for the Democratic House majority and his own Justice Department. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will also take part in shaping how much energy is devoted to reviewing Trump's tenure with a scaled down Democratic majority and competing factions within her caucus.
Whether Democrats manage to regain a majority in the Senate could also play a role in shaping House Democrats' overall agenda. Having a functional Democratically controlled Senate that might actually pass much of Biden's agenda rather than simply leaving bills to die in the upper chamber would surely motivate the House caucus to focus more heavily on passing critical legislation that can actually help the country dig out of Trump's COVID-19 recession hole.
But Biden has also signaled that he intends to reestablish the wall that existed between the White House and the Justice Department before Trump came in and decided the department was there to serve his every whim—be it defending him and his friends, threatening his political enemies, or fabricating investigations of his political rivals.
In some ways, it makes perfect sense that Biden doesn't want his entire presidency consumed by probes into Trump, his minions, and an inevitable cycle of recriminations. But Donald Trump so misused and abused the federal government that his entire tenure represents an assault on American democracy itself, not to mention a series of crimes against humanity, ranging from literally ripping children away from their parents and caging them to intentionally slaughtering hundreds of thousands of Americans through coronavirus denialism and weaponization of disinformation.
For those reasons, Trump and those who did his bidding must be held to account through both criminal inquiries and uncovering information that could mar the reputations of certain individuals for life. This is absolutely critical to preserving the integrity of our republic moving forward. Using the U.S. government to commit crimes against humanity cannot be tolerated at any level.
Biden can preach unity all he wants, but it is incumbent upon the incoming administration to make it glaringly clear that efforts to subvert our democracy and use the federal government for malign political purposes carry with them a steep cost for everyone involved. This is a fundamental part of safeguarding our democracy. Otherwise, the next autocrat—who will surely be far more competent than Trump—won't think twice before trodding the same paths Trump did, but with greater efficacy and fervor.
Biden clearly wants to make his presidency about healing our nation. Part of that healing includes inoculating it against the fascist impulses that are pulsing through the conservative movement right now. If House Democrats want to limit their number of inquiries by focusing on several key areas or specific transgressions, that's a reasonable approach. But don't pull any punches in those investigations—they must be thorough, relentless, and unsparing.
As for the Justice Department, Biden should simply pick good people and get out of their way—as most American presidents have done for centuries. Both the criminal and civil divisions of the department must be allowed to follow the trail of Trump-era transgressions unfettered by Biden's political agenda. Just like Trump was wrong to so explicitly give his Justice Department marching orders, the same will be true for Biden even if his guidance is in the service of restraint.
But no matter what happens, the ongoing investigations of Trump and his family business at the state level by the Manhattan DA and New York attorney general will continue. Biden's wishes should and must have zero impact there.


alternet--2020-11-17--MSNBC host torches Trump adviser as 'responsible for more death than any single policymaker in recen

MSNBC host torches Trump adviser as 'responsible for more death than any single policymaker in recent memory'

Dr. Scott Atlas , President Donald Trump 's most prominent adviser on the coronavirus crisis , has been an aggressive proponent of a `` herd immunity '' approach — essentially , letting COVID-19 infect as many people as possible .
MSNBC 's Chris Hayes slammed Atlas 's approach to the pandemic this week on his `` All In '' show , denouncing him as a leading cause of the United States ' recent surge in COVID-19 infections .
Hayes declared , `` COVID 's best ally in the White House outside the president : Scott Atlas — a name that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no doubt .
A right-wing radiologist with zero public health expertise who… .
managed to take over the nation 's entire COVID strategy and push the entire country towards an approach in which the virus would be left to burn through the populace . ''
The liberal MSNBC host showed a clip of Atlas , on August 31 , saying that while `` high-risk '' Americans needed to be protected , `` the goal of policy is absolutely not to stop all spread of COVID-19 to asymptomatic or very low-risk individuals . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' approach has been a failure , saying , `` Guess what 's happening to the high-risk people right now .
Who do you think is in those hospitals and in those long-term care facilities ?
Who do you think constitutes the names of the dead , over 1000 , day after day ?
Scott Atlas — I mean , this guy is probably more responsible for our record cases and hospitalizations , for a spike in deaths , than any other policymaker in America . ''
Hayes also laid-out a `` strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thread :

Dr. Scott Atlas, President Donald Trump's most prominent adviser on the coronavirus crisis, has been an aggressive proponent of a "herd immunity" approach — essentially, letting COVID-19 infect as many people as possible. MSNBC's Chris Hayes slammed Atlas's approach to the pandemic this week on his "All In" show, denouncing him as a leading cause of the United States' recent surge in COVID-19 infections.
Hayes declared, "COVID's best ally in the White House outside the president: Scott Atlas — a name that will live in infamy, I have no doubt. A right-wing radiologist with zero public health expertise who…. managed to take over the nation's entire COVID strategy and push the entire country towards an approach in which the virus would be left to burn through the populace."
The liberal MSNBC host showed a clip of Atlas, on August 31, saying that while "high-risk" Americans needed to be protected, "the goal of policy is absolutely not to stop all spread of COVID-19 to asymptomatic or very low-risk individuals."
Hayes, however, stressed that Atlas' approach has been a failure, saying, "Guess what's happening to the high-risk people right now. Who do you think is in those hospitals and in those long-term care facilities? Who do you think constitutes the names of the dead, over 1000, day after day? Scott Atlas — I mean, this guy is probably more responsible for our record cases and hospitalizations, for a spike in deaths, than any other policymaker in America."
Hayes also laid-out a "strong case" against Atlas in a Twitter thread:


alternet--2020-11-17--Trump's brash pre-election prediction has proven wrong — can he take COVID seriously now?

In the weeks leading up to the election , Donald Trump made a promise : That `` on Nov. 4 , you wo n't hear '' anything more about what he sarcastically called `` COVID COVID COVID . ''
He loved this line and repeated it over and over again at rallies , to raucous cheers from crowds of conservatives who , despite rising rates of coronavirus infection and death , wanted dearly to believe the pandemic was being overblown to hurt Trump 's re-election chances — or even that the whole thing has been a hoax from the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his followers believe , of course , this was not true .
The election came and went — and Trump lost , whether or not he admits it — but the coronavirus pandemic remains in the news as pretty much the top story , is as jaw-dropping new records in transmissions are set nearly daily and hospitals are overflowing .
In fact , the U.S. had over a million transmissions in one week , meaning that nearly one in 10 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 did so just in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health experts believe things will get much worse , as many Americans ignore the warnings not to travel or socialize over the holidays .
The election is over .
Trump 's promise that the coronavirus would miraculously evaporate after the election has been proved false .
One major question remains : Will Republicans finally start taking this pandemic seriously , now that there are no political points to score with continued denial ?
Trump 's approach was n't just cynical , it was sociopathic .
But there was no doubting his purpose .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and holding large , maskless rallies to reinforce that illusion , Trump hoped to trick voters into believing all was well and he had done his job in protecting the nation .
The months he spent discouraging his supporters from wearing masks or social distancing were meant to hide the realities of the pandemic and turn basic concern for public health into another culture-war flashpoint .
The whole exercise was deeply immoral , but it was calculated to serve the selfish ends of Trump and his base by getting him re-elected .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no material gain for the right .
It 's not going to get Trump a second term .
With the winter surge upon us , now would be an excellent time for conservatives to drop the act , admit the pandemic is real , and start taking measures to mitigate risks for themselves and the larger community .
There can be little doubt that the real reason much of the American right developed a skeptical attitude about COVID-19 was out of loyalty to Trump , and a collective faith in his plan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yes , there were some efforts to make a larger ideological argument against taking the coronavirus seriously , usually some incoherent ramblings about `` personal freedom , '' but in the end that was glossing over the reality : This was all about helping Trump .
No one falls in line like lemmings the way right-wingers do .
Unfortunately , eight months into the pandemic , coronavirus denialism has taken on a life of its own .
People started to believe their own half-baked arguments against public health measures .
The idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' took hold .
Most of all , conservatives ' refusal to wear masks , maintain social distance or even admit that the pandemic is real turned out to be an excellent way to `` trigger the liberals . ''
Liberals do get fussy when you 're threatening their health , after all .
Since `` triggering the liberals '' is the entire reason for identifying as `` conservative '' these days , that kind of negative attention only made Trump 's followers more determined to deny that the coronavirus is a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has evolved from being a Trump campaign tool into an identity .
Once a behavior becomes linked to expressing one 's identity , it 's far harder to dissuade people from engaging in it .
On Nov. 4 , the pandemic did not go away .
It got worse that day , and every day since then — much worse than we could have imagined , even in the spring .
But Nov. 4 was an important day nonetheless .
That was the day coronavirus denialism became a vestigial phenomenon .
It now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it lingers on , not only useless to its hosts but actively threatening their health .
Because right now , the only thing denial buys for its loyalists is an increased chance of illness and death .
No political benefit is even possible .
The good news is there are small signs of hope that , without a Trump campaign to prop up with coronavirus denialism , the allure of this deadly form of right-wing identity-signaling may actually recede .
Before the election , for instance , Iowa 's Republican Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling them a `` feel-good '' measure that would n't actually help .
( This , needless to say , is false . )
On Monday , she changed course , issuing a three-week mask mandate while admitting that the state 's health care system has been `` pushed to the brink . ''
Reynolds is just the latest in a group of Republican governors who , with the election safely in the rear-view mirror , suddenly developed a strong interest in admitting the pandemic is serious and taking measures to curtail it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West Virginia , for instance , Republican governors discovered a newfound enthusiasm for public health in the past week and a half .
So not only was Trump lying when he said that `` COVID COVID COVID '' would disappear from the public conversation after Nov. 4 , the opposite happened : The election freed up some Republican officials to admit that this is a real problem .
It 's easy to imagine a situation where the Republican base follows the lead of the governors , dropping coronavirus denialism in favor of whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of them next .
Unfortunately , Trump himself is trying to keep this from happening , threatening Republican politicians who take the pandemic seriously with primary challenges .
( Trump 's post-election motives for keeping up coronavirus denialism are n't hard to figure out — he 's angry at Americans for refusing to re-elect him , and wants to kill them . )
For whatever reason , Fox News continues to lean hard into the right wing death cult , even though , again , there 's no reason to think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now or in the future .
So it 's frustratingly likely that conservatives will cling to this vestigial denialism , refusing to wear masks and spreading disease to make some `` point '' that is increasingly incoherent .
( `` Screw liberals if they want to live '' is all they seem to have left . )
So far , the culture wars have not led to the full-on civil war some were anticipating , but the death toll will be astonishingly high nonetheless .

In the weeks leading up to the election, Donald Trump made a promise: That "on Nov. 4, you won't hear" anything more about what he sarcastically called "COVID COVID COVID." He loved this line and repeated it over and over again at rallies, to raucous cheers from crowds of conservatives who, despite rising rates of coronavirus infection and death, wanted dearly to believe the pandemic was being overblown to hurt Trump's re-election chances — or even that the whole thing has been a hoax from the start.
Like most things that Trump says and his followers believe, of course, this was not true. The election came and went — and Trump lost, whether or not he admits it — but the coronavirus pandemic remains in the news as pretty much the top story, is as jaw-dropping new records in transmissions are set nearly daily and hospitals are overflowing. In fact, the U.S. had over a million transmissions in one week, meaning that nearly one in 10 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 did so just in the last seven days or so. Public health experts believe things will get much worse, as many Americans ignore the warnings not to travel or socialize over the holidays.
The election is over. Trump's promise that the coronavirus would miraculously evaporate after the election has been proved false. One major question remains: Will Republicans finally start taking this pandemic seriously, now that there are no political points to score with continued denial?
Trump's approach wasn't just cynical, it was sociopathic. But there was no doubting his purpose. By pretending that the pandemic was over and holding large, maskless rallies to reinforce that illusion, Trump hoped to trick voters into believing all was well and he had done his job in protecting the nation. The months he spent discouraging his supporters from wearing masks or social distancing were meant to hide the realities of the pandemic and turn basic concern for public health into another culture-war flashpoint.
The whole exercise was deeply immoral, but it was calculated to serve the selfish ends of Trump and his base by getting him re-elected.
With the election over, coronavirus denialism provides no material gain for the right. It's not going to get Trump a second term. With the winter surge upon us, now would be an excellent time for conservatives to drop the act, admit the pandemic is real, and start taking measures to mitigate risks for themselves and the larger community.
There can be little doubt that the real reason much of the American right developed a skeptical attitude about COVID-19 was out of loyalty to Trump, and a collective faith in his plan to win the election by minimizing the virus. Yes, there were some efforts to make a larger ideological argument against taking the coronavirus seriously, usually some incoherent ramblings about "personal freedom," but in the end that was glossing over the reality: This was all about helping Trump. No one falls in line like lemmings the way right-wingers do.
Unfortunately, eight months into the pandemic, coronavirus denialism has taken on a life of its own. People started to believe their own half-baked arguments against public health measures. The idea that wearing a mask is "unmanly" took hold. Most of all, conservatives' refusal to wear masks, maintain social distance or even admit that the pandemic is real turned out to be an excellent way to "trigger the liberals." Liberals do get fussy when you're threatening their health, after all. Since "triggering the liberals" is the entire reason for identifying as "conservative" these days, that kind of negative attention only made Trump's followers more determined to deny that the coronavirus is a problem.
In other words, coronavirus denialism has evolved from being a Trump campaign tool into an identity. Once a behavior becomes linked to expressing one's identity, it's far harder to dissuade people from engaging in it.
On Nov. 4, the pandemic did not go away. It got worse that day, and every day since then — much worse than we could have imagined, even in the spring.
But Nov. 4 was an important day nonetheless. That was the day coronavirus denialism became a vestigial phenomenon. It now serves no practical propaganda purpose. Still, it lingers on, not only useless to its hosts but actively threatening their health. Because right now, the only thing denial buys for its loyalists is an increased chance of illness and death. No political benefit is even possible.
The good news is there are small signs of hope that, without a Trump campaign to prop up with coronavirus denialism, the allure of this deadly form of right-wing identity-signaling may actually recede.
Before the election, for instance, Iowa's Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds disparaged mask mandates, sneeringly calling them a "feel-good" measure that wouldn't actually help. (This, needless to say, is false.) On Monday, she changed course, issuing a three-week mask mandate while admitting that the state's health care system has been "pushed to the brink."
Reynolds is just the latest in a group of Republican governors who, with the election safely in the rear-view mirror, suddenly developed a strong interest in admitting the pandemic is serious and taking measures to curtail it. In Utah, North Dakota and West Virginia, for instance, Republican governors discovered a newfound enthusiasm for public health in the past week and a half.
So not only was Trump lying when he said that "COVID COVID COVID" would disappear from the public conversation after Nov. 4, the opposite happened: The election freed up some Republican officials to admit that this is a real problem.
It's easy to imagine a situation where the Republican base follows the lead of the governors, dropping coronavirus denialism in favor of whatever shiny new culture-war object is dangled in front of them next.
Unfortunately, Trump himself is trying to keep this from happening, threatening Republican politicians who take the pandemic seriously with primary challenges. (Trump's post-election motives for keeping up coronavirus denialism aren't hard to figure out — he's angry at Americans for refusing to re-elect him, and wants to kill them.) For whatever reason, Fox News continues to lean hard into the right wing death cult, even though, again, there's no reason to think that doing so helps Republicans' electoral fortunes now or in the future.
So it's frustratingly likely that conservatives will cling to this vestigial denialism, refusing to wear masks and spreading disease to make some "point" that is increasingly incoherent. ("Screw liberals if they want to live" is all they seem to have left.) So far, the culture wars have not led to the full-on civil war some were anticipating, but the death toll will be astonishingly high nonetheless.


alternet--2020-11-17--Trump allies fear Giuliani may be conning the president into a doomed legal fight: report

No attorney has done more to fight the results of the 2020 presidential election than former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani , who has been claiming that President Donald Trump — not President-elect Joe Biden — is the real winner .
He says Trump was deprived of a victory by rampant voter fraud , which Giuliani has offered no credible proof of .
The fees that Giuliani charges as Trump 's personal attorney are not cheap , and according to New York Times reporters Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman , Giuliani recently asked for $ 20,000 per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The request stirred opposition from some of Mr. Trump 's aides and advisers , who appear to have ruled out paying that much… .
A $ 20,000-a-day rate would have made Mr. Giuliani , the former New York City mayor who has been Mr. Trump 's personal lawyer for several years , among the most highly compensated attorneys anywhere . ''
Giuliani , however , flatly denies asking for that amount .
The Trump attorney told the Times , `` I never asked for $ 20,000 .
The arrangement is , we 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' And Giuliani insists that anyone who told the Times that he wanted $ 20,000 per day `` is a liar , a complete liar . ''
Trump 's campaign has been fighting the election results in Pennsylvania , Georgia , Arizona , Michigan and other battleground states that Biden won .
And Schmidt and Haberman note that `` there is little to no prospect of any of the remaining legal cases being overseen by Mr. Giuliani altering the outcome in any of the states where Mr. Trump is still fighting in court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R. Biden Jr. 's Electoral College and popular vote victory . ''
But some Trump allies , the Times journalists report , believe that `` Giuliani is encouraging the president to continue a spurious legal fight because he sees financial advantage for himself in it . ''
According to Schmidt and Haberman , `` Mr. Giuliani had sought compensation for his work dating back to the day after Election Day , when Mr. Trump began publicly claiming that he won despite the results , according to people familiar with the request , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussions .
At $ 20,000 a day , Mr. Giuliani 's rate would be above the top-of-the-line lawyers in Washington and New York who can charge as much as $ 15,000 a day if they are spending all their time working for a client . ''
Despite Trump and Giuliani 's bogus claims of widespread voter fraud , Biden 's victory over Trump was decisive .
In addition to winning the popular vote by more 5 million , Biden won 306 electoral votes .

No attorney has done more to fight the results of the 2020 presidential election than former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has been claiming that President Donald Trump — not President-elect Joe Biden — is the real winner. He says Trump was deprived of a victory by rampant voter fraud, which Giuliani has offered no credible proof of. The fees that Giuliani charges as Trump's personal attorney are not cheap, and according to New York Times reporters Michael S. Schmidt and Maggie Haberman, Giuliani recently asked for $20,000 per day.
Schmidt and Haberman report, "The request stirred opposition from some of Mr. Trump's aides and advisers, who appear to have ruled out paying that much…. A $20,000-a-day rate would have made Mr. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who has been Mr. Trump's personal lawyer for several years, among the most highly compensated attorneys anywhere."
Giuliani, however, flatly denies asking for that amount. The Trump attorney told the Times, "I never asked for $20,000. The arrangement is, we'll work it out at the end." And Giuliani insists that anyone who told the Times that he wanted $20,000 per day "is a liar, a complete liar."
Trump's campaign has been fighting the election results in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan and other battleground states that Biden won. And Schmidt and Haberman note that "there is little to no prospect of any of the remaining legal cases being overseen by Mr. Giuliani altering the outcome in any of the states where Mr. Trump is still fighting in court, much less of overturning President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s Electoral College and popular vote victory." But some Trump allies, the Times journalists report, believe that "Giuliani is encouraging the president to continue a spurious legal fight because he sees financial advantage for himself in it."
According to Schmidt and Haberman, "Mr. Giuliani had sought compensation for his work dating back to the day after Election Day, when Mr. Trump began publicly claiming that he won despite the results, according to people familiar with the request, who asked for anonymity to speak about sensitive discussions. At $20,000 a day, Mr. Giuliani's rate would be above the top-of-the-line lawyers in Washington and New York who can charge as much as $15,000 a day if they are spending all their time working for a client."
Despite Trump and Giuliani's bogus claims of widespread voter fraud, Biden's victory over Trump was decisive. In addition to winning the popular vote by more 5 million, Biden won 306 electoral votes.


alternet--2020-11-17--Trump's flailing attempts to claim the election was rigged draw withering response from experts

As President Donald Trump continues to spread unfounded misinformation about widespread voter fraud , voting security experts are pushing back and condemning his claims .
In response to Trump 's claims , 59 of the world 's most prominent computer science experts on electronic voting technology released a letter on Monday firing back at the president claiming the voter fraud allegations `` have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent . ''
The letter debunked multiple claims that have been circulating on social media .
`` Anyone asserting that a US election was 'rigged ' is making an extraordinary claim , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and verifiable evidence , '' the computer scientists wrote .
`` Merely citing the existence of technical flaws does not establish that an attack occurred , much less that it altered an election outcome .
It is simply speculation . ''
While the group did acknowledge the possibility of `` security weaknesses '' in the United States ' election infrastructure , they made it clear that these occurrences would not contribute to widespread voter fraud as Trump is perpetuating : The presence of security weaknesses in election infrastructure does not by itself tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromised .
Technical , physical , and procedural safeguards complicate the task of maliciously exploiting election systems , as does monitoring of likely adversaries by law enforcement and the intelligence community .
Altering an election outcome involves more than simply the existence of a technical vulnerability .
The group 's letter came just days after Trump tweeted a manipulated video that appeared to show voter machines being hacked .
The president also attacked Dominion voting machines claiming that more than 2.7 million of his votes had been deleted across the country .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` REPORT : DOMINION DELETED 2.7 MILLION TRUMP VOTES NATIONWIDE .
DATA ANALYSIS FINDS 221,000 PENNSYLVANIA VOTES SWITCHED FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BIDEN .
941,000 TRUMP VOTES DELETED .
STATES USING DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS SWITCHED 435,000 VOTES FROM TRUMP TO BIDEN . ''
However , this was another dangerous claim the president did not have evidence to support .
Trump 's dangerous conspiracy garnered reactions from many different experts .
In addition to the scientists that expressed concern , the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council also released a `` strongly worded '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican state and local officials , along with election directors , have also pushed back against the president 's unfounded claims .

As President Donald Trump continues to spread unfounded misinformation about widespread voter fraud, voting security experts are pushing back and condemning his claims.
In response to Trump's claims, 59 of the world's most prominent computer science experts on electronic voting technology released a letter on Monday firing back at the president claiming the voter fraud allegations "have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent." The letter debunked multiple claims that have been circulating on social media.
"Anyone asserting that a US election was 'rigged' is making an extraordinary claim, one that must be supported by persuasive and verifiable evidence," the computer scientists wrote. "Merely citing the existence of technical flaws does not establish that an attack occurred, much less that it altered an election outcome. It is simply speculation."
While the group did acknowledge the possibility of "security weaknesses" in the United States' election infrastructure, they made it clear that these occurrences would not contribute to widespread voter fraud as Trump is perpetuating:
The presence of security weaknesses in election infrastructure does not by itself tell us that any election has actually been compromised. Technical, physical, and procedural safeguards complicate the task of maliciously exploiting election systems, as does monitoring of likely adversaries by law enforcement and the intelligence community. Altering an election outcome involves more than simply the existence of a technical vulnerability.
The group's letter came just days after Trump tweeted a manipulated video that appeared to show voter machines being hacked. The president also attacked Dominion voting machines claiming that more than 2.7 million of his votes had been deleted across the country.
Last Thursday, Trump tweeted, "TRUMP: "REPORT: DOMINION DELETED 2.7 MILLION TRUMP VOTES NATIONWIDE. DATA ANALYSIS FINDS 221,000 PENNSYLVANIA VOTES SWITCHED FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BIDEN. 941,000 TRUMP VOTES DELETED. STATES USING DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS SWITCHED 435,000 VOTES FROM TRUMP TO BIDEN."
However, this was another dangerous claim the president did not have evidence to support. Trump's dangerous conspiracy garnered reactions from many different experts. In addition to the scientists that expressed concern, the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council also released a "strongly worded" statement regarding voter infrastructure. Democratic and Republican state and local officials, along with election directors, have also pushed back against the president's unfounded claims.


alternet--2020-11-17--Choosing death over democracy

Choosing death over democracy

I get why some do not get why 72 million Americans voted for Donald Trump .
The covid pandemic has killed nearly a quarter million people in this country .
It has brought the US economy to the brink of collapse .
The president is a lying , thieving , philandering sadist .
How could so many Americans say : `` Yeah , I 'm good with that '' ?
I get why that 's hard to believe , but the thing we have to do , if we hope to move our country forward , is get over this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions favor or tolerate organic homegrown fascism .
It 's time to believe millions voted against their material self-interests .
It 's time to believe they will kill themselves before admitting a mistake .
America is no more exceptional than any other nation .
We can and will eat ourselves .
I do n't mean to sound hopeless .
I mean we ca n't solve the problem till we see it clearly .
There 's probably no better illustration of this than Jodi Doering 's interview on CNN this morning .
Doering is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days , she sees a lot of death .
She said nearly all of her small town is dead from the new coronavirus .
Doering sees patients who are denying the reality of the covid even as they are dying from it .
When people would rather believe they 're dying from lung cancer than from the covid—that 's what Doering reported to CNN—what can you do as a nurse ?
Nothing , except get `` sad and mad and frustrated . ''
What can you do as a citizen ?
Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not expect cooperation from people who believe cooperation is defeat , who will hurt themselves to hurt you , and who deny reality as they lay dying .
You can not expect a free and equal exchange from them .
You ca n't expect democracy from them .
All you can do is persuade as many people as you can to take the side of reason .
That 's what Joe Biden did when he won more votes than anyone ever .
That does n't mean the nation is ready for healing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all 's not lost .
It 's hard seeing fellow citizens as dangerous .
That difficulty amounts to an incentive to find a reason , any reason , to explain why they 're killing themselves .
Some might say , `` They must have been duped—by Fox News , by Russian disinformation , or by Donald Trump . ''
Or : `` These people are idiots .
They do n't know what 's good for them .
They ca n't make rational choices . ''
There 's something to these , but only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plainest .
This is who they are .
To look for other answers , as Jodi Doering said , is to look for `` magic answers . ''
They are choosing their fates .
Dying is n't even the hard part .
( Lung cancer is OK. ) The hard part is conceding to the truth .
We have to rearrange our expectations .
During the election , it was believed that voters would move toward Biden the more the covid and its economic fallout moved into their communities .
It was believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open people 's eyes .
Turns out , it had the opposite effect .
According to last week 's analysis of election results by Buzzfeed , `` COVID-19 deaths and unemployment had surprisingly little influence over the swings that happened at the county level .
If anything , Trump did better in counties where more people have died of COVID-19 . ''
We have to rethink our political thinking , too .
It 's often presumed Americans resist wearing face masks and other pandemic precautions due to the depth of their faith in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kristi Noem gave voice to this when she said recently , `` My people are happy , and they 're happy , because they 're free . ''
Our heritage is rife with heroes choosing death over tyranny .
`` Live free or die , '' for instance .
See also : `` Do n't tread on me . ''
But nowhere is there a hero choosing death over democracy .
We must reconsider the credit we give .
In places like South Dakota , individual liberty is being perverted in the interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of the collective , so that individual life , far from being sacred , is expendable .
This is the collectivism we must face .
This is the alternative to democracy we must fight .
Winning the presidency means there 's still hope .
There 's work to be done but we must first believe the unbelievable .

I get why some do not get why 72 million Americans voted for Donald Trump. The covid pandemic has killed nearly a quarter million people in this country. It has brought the US economy to the brink of collapse. The president is a lying, thieving, philandering sadist. How could so many Americans say: "Yeah, I'm good with that"?
I get why that's hard to believe, but the thing we have to do, if we hope to move our country forward, is get over this disbelief. It's time to believe millions favor or tolerate organic homegrown fascism. It's time to believe millions voted against their material self-interests. It's time to believe they will kill themselves before admitting a mistake. America is no more exceptional than any other nation. We can and will eat ourselves. I don't mean to sound hopeless. I mean we can't solve the problem till we see it clearly.
There's probably no better illustration of this than Jodi Doering's interview on CNN this morning. Doering is a nurse in South Dakota. These days, she sees a lot of death. She said nearly all of her small town is dead from the new coronavirus. Doering sees patients who are denying the reality of the covid even as they are dying from it.
People are still looking for something else, and they want a magic answer, and they won't want to believe that covid is real. … It wasn't one particular patient. It's a culmination of so many people. Their last dying words are, "This can't be happening. This is not real." When they should be spending time Facetiming with their families, they're filled with anger and hatred. It made me really sad. I just can't believe those are going to be their last thoughts and words. … (italics are mine)
In the bigger picture, when you're trying to reason with people, "Can I call your family, your kids, your wife, your friend, your brother," and they say, "No, because I'm going to be fine," (and they're dying), "it just makes you sad and mad and frustrated, and then you know you're going to come back and do it over again.
When people would rather believe they're dying from lung cancer than from the covid—that's what Doering reported to CNN—what can you do as a nurse? Nothing, except get "sad and mad and frustrated." What can you do as a citizen? Well, pretty much the same thing. You cannot expect cooperation from people who believe cooperation is defeat, who will hurt themselves to hurt you, and who deny reality as they lay dying. You cannot expect a free and equal exchange from them. You can't expect democracy from them. All you can do is persuade as many people as you can to take the side of reason. That's what Joe Biden did when he won more votes than anyone ever. That doesn't mean the nation is ready for healing. It only means for now that all's not lost.
It's hard seeing fellow citizens as dangerous. That difficulty amounts to an incentive to find a reason, any reason, to explain why they're killing themselves. Some might say, "They must have been duped—by Fox News, by Russian disinformation, or by Donald Trump." Or: "These people are idiots. They don't know what's good for them. They can't make rational choices." There's something to these, but only something. The best explanation is the plainest. This is who they are. To look for other answers, as Jodi Doering said, is to look for "magic answers." They are choosing their fates. Dying isn't even the hard part. (Lung cancer is OK.) The hard part is conceding to the truth.
We have to rearrange our expectations. During the election, it was believed that voters would move toward Biden the more the covid and its economic fallout moved into their communities. It was believed imminent sickness, joblessness and/or death would open people's eyes. Turns out, it had the opposite effect. According to last week's analysis of election results by Buzzfeed, "COVID-19 deaths and unemployment had surprisingly little influence over the swings that happened at the county level. If anything, Trump did better in counties where more people have died of COVID-19."
We have to rethink our political thinking, too. It's often presumed Americans resist wearing face masks and other pandemic precautions due to the depth of their faith in individual liberty. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem gave voice to this when she said recently, "My people are happy, and they're happy, because they're free." Our heritage is rife with heroes choosing death over tyranny. "Live free or die," for instance. See also: "Don't tread on me." But nowhere is there a hero choosing death over democracy.
We must reconsider the credit we give. In places like South Dakota, individual liberty is being perverted in the interest of the group, of the tribe, of the collective, so that individual life, far from being sacred, is expendable. This is the collectivism we must face. This is the alternative to democracy we must fight. Winning the presidency means there's still hope. There's work to be done but we must first believe the unbelievable.


alternet--2020-11-17--Ivanka Trump’s ex-best friend reveals an appalling example of her past bigotry

Lysandra Ohrstrom is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist .
She is also someone who , according to an in-depth article she wrote for Vanity Fair , considered Ivanka Trump her best friend when they were growing up in New York City .
And Ohrstrom 's piece , published this week , is full of anecdotes about their interactions in the past — including times when the now-White House senior adviser expressed bigoted anti-Islam views .
`` Ivanka Trump was my best friend growing up , '' Ohrstrom explains .
`` We first met when I joined her seventh-grade class at Chapin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Upper East Side that had a reputation for attracting a blue blood , feminine , but ambitious cohort of young girls — not unlike its most famous alumnus , Jackie O .
After spending the previous four years in social isolation in the suburbs , I was eager to land on the popular side of the classroom , ruled over by Ivanka and about five other wild , entitled , precocious preteens . ''
Ohrstrom goes on to say that `` Ivanka and I really bonded the July before our freshman year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chapin girls went to Paris for a language program in what would be the first of many trips she and I took together . ''
Yet in adulthood , the journalist explains , `` The gulf between us became increasingly apparent . ''
Ohrstrom spent time in Lebanon , and Trump expressed anti-Islam views .
`` My pro-Palestinian stance began to chafe , '' Ohrstrom writes .
`` Since 2007 , I 've worn a necklace with my name written in Arabic , and Ivanka grew increasingly irritated by it .
Sometimes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate that thing . '
'' Ohrstrom adds , `` Then one night in the middle of dinner , she glanced at the necklace and said , 'How does your Jewish boyfriend feel when you are having sex and that necklace hits him ( in ) the face ?
How can you wear that thing ?
It just screams terrorist . '
'' Ohrstrom also remembers when , during a conversation about the exorbitant rents in Manhattan , Trump said something along the lines of , `` I ca n't talk about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really turned into a Marxist . ''
The journalist makes it clear how vehemently she disagrees with the politics of President Donald Trump 's administration , noting that she voted for President-elect Joe Biden .
And Ohrstrom wraps up her Vanity Fair article with some thoughts on what Ivanka Trump 's future might be like after her father leaves office .
`` The damage the Trump family has done is unforgivable , even if perpetrated by my childhood best friend , '' Ohrstrom writes .
`` I expect Ivanka will find a soft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) … .
where casual white supremacy is de rigueur and most misdeeds are forgiven if you have enough money .
It 's the perfect spot for her to lie low , shielded from the economic and social consequences of the policies she pursued for the past four years , the backlash against them , and from having to interact with her MAGA following . ''

Lysandra Ohrstrom is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist. She is also someone who, according to an in-depth article she wrote for Vanity Fair, considered Ivanka Trump her best friend when they were growing up in New York City. And Ohrstrom's piece, published this week, is full of anecdotes about their interactions in the past — including times when the now-White House senior adviser expressed bigoted anti-Islam views.
"Ivanka Trump was my best friend growing up," Ohrstrom explains. "We first met when I joined her seventh-grade class at Chapin, an all-girls' school on Manhattan's Upper East Side that had a reputation for attracting a blue blood, feminine, but ambitious cohort of young girls — not unlike its most famous alumnus, Jackie O. After spending the previous four years in social isolation in the suburbs, I was eager to land on the popular side of the classroom, ruled over by Ivanka and about five other wild, entitled, precocious preteens."
Ohrstrom goes on to say that "Ivanka and I really bonded the July before our freshman year of high school when a group of Chapin girls went to Paris for a language program in what would be the first of many trips she and I took together." Yet in adulthood, the journalist explains, "The gulf between us became increasingly apparent." Ohrstrom spent time in Lebanon, and Trump expressed anti-Islam views.
"My pro-Palestinian stance began to chafe," Ohrstrom writes. "Since 2007, I've worn a necklace with my name written in Arabic, and Ivanka grew increasingly irritated by it. Sometimes, she would randomly say, 'I hate that thing.'"
Ohrstrom adds, "Then one night in the middle of dinner, she glanced at the necklace and said, 'How does your Jewish boyfriend feel when you are having sex and that necklace hits him (in) the face? How can you wear that thing? It just screams terrorist.'"
Ohrstrom also remembers when, during a conversation about the exorbitant rents in Manhattan, Trump said something along the lines of, "I can't talk about this stuff with you anymore because you've really turned into a Marxist."
The journalist makes it clear how vehemently she disagrees with the politics of President Donald Trump's administration, noting that she voted for President-elect Joe Biden. And Ohrstrom wraps up her Vanity Fair article with some thoughts on what Ivanka Trump's future might be like after her father leaves office.
"The damage the Trump family has done is unforgivable, even if perpetrated by my childhood best friend," Ohrstrom writes. "I expect Ivanka will find a soft landing in Palm Beach, (Florida)…. where casual white supremacy is de rigueur and most misdeeds are forgiven if you have enough money. It's the perfect spot for her to lie low, shielded from the economic and social consequences of the policies she pursued for the past four years, the backlash against them, and from having to interact with her MAGA following."


alternet--2020-11-17--Georgia secretary of state: Witnesses heard Lindsey Graham urge me to ‘throw out’ absentee ballots

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a conservative , has been coming under fire from fellow Republicans who are furious that President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia in the 2020 presidential election .
One of those Republicans is Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina .
And according to Raffensperger , Graham demanded to know why he is n't doing more to get absentee ballots thrown out .
Graham has claimed that Raffensperger mischaracterized their conversation , but the Georgia secretary of state says that two members of his staff can back him up .
Raffensperger told CBS News , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the envelopes and then throw out the ballots for counties who had the highest frequency error of signatures . ''
Graham , who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee , denies telling Raffensperger that .
But at a press conference this week , Raffensperger told reporters , `` That 's just ridiculous .
If he feels threatened by that conversation , he 's got a problem .
I actually thought it was a good conversation . ''
Raffensperger told the Wall Street Journal that two staff members who heard his phone conversation with Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senator 's statements .
According to WSJ reporter Alexa Corse , `` Mr. Raffensperger said that when he was contacted by Mr. Graham ( on ) Friday , he thought the senator was calling about the state 's two Senate races .
After an initial conversation , Mr. Graham called back again and brought up the idea of invalidating absentee ballots from counties with higher rates of signature errors , Mr. Raffensperger said , adding that he had staffers with him on that call .
Mr. Raffensperger and his staffers agreed not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggestions , he said .
'We have laws in place , ' he said . ''
Corse notes that Raffensperger has `` come under public criticism from President Trump and his supporters over the recount process '' and that two GOP senators from Georgia , Sen. David Perdue and Sen. Kelly Loeffler , have been calling for his resignation .
Trump supporters have been slamming Raffensperger as a RINO : Republican in Name Only .
But the Georgia secretary of state told the Journal , `` I am absolutely Republican .
I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would I go ? ''
CNN reporters Wes Bruer and Marshall Cohen cite Gabriel Sterling , an election implementation manager in Georgia , as a witness who can back up Raffensperger 's description of his phone conversation with Graham .
Sterling told CNN , `` What I heard was basically discussions about absentee ballots and… .
if there was a percentage of signatures that were n't really , truly matching , is there some point we could get to , we could say somebody ( who ) went to a courtroom could say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ) all these ballots because we have no way of knowing because the ballots are separated . '
'' Sterling went on to say , `` The president is going to continue to fight , his supporters continue to fight .
Our job is to continue to follow the law , and we were answering process questions… .
That 's what we were doing on the call . ''
After Georgia was called for Joe Biden , the president-elect reached a total of 306 electoral votes .

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a conservative, has been coming under fire from fellow Republicans who are furious that President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia in the 2020 presidential election. One of those Republicans is Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. And according to Raffensperger, Graham demanded to know why he isn't doing more to get absentee ballots thrown out. Graham has claimed that Raffensperger mischaracterized their conversation, but the Georgia secretary of state says that two members of his staff can back him up.
Raffensperger told CBS News, "Sen. Graham implied for us to audit the envelopes and then throw out the ballots for counties who had the highest frequency error of signatures." Graham, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, denies telling Raffensperger that. But at a press conference this week, Raffensperger told reporters, "That's just ridiculous. If he feels threatened by that conversation, he's got a problem. I actually thought it was a good conversation."
Raffensperger told the Wall Street Journal that two staff members who heard his phone conversation with Graham can back up his account of the senator's statements.
According to WSJ reporter Alexa Corse, "Mr. Raffensperger said that when he was contacted by Mr. Graham (on) Friday, he thought the senator was calling about the state's two Senate races. After an initial conversation, Mr. Graham called back again and brought up the idea of invalidating absentee ballots from counties with higher rates of signature errors, Mr. Raffensperger said, adding that he had staffers with him on that call. Mr. Raffensperger and his staffers agreed not to act on any of Mr. Graham's suggestions, he said. 'We have laws in place,' he said."
Corse notes that Raffensperger has "come under public criticism from President Trump and his supporters over the recount process" and that two GOP senators from Georgia, Sen. David Perdue and Sen. Kelly Loeffler, have been calling for his resignation.
Trump supporters have been slamming Raffensperger as a RINO: Republican in Name Only. But the Georgia secretary of state told the Journal, "I am absolutely Republican. I have never voted for a Democrat. Where would I go?"
CNN reporters Wes Bruer and Marshall Cohen cite Gabriel Sterling, an election implementation manager in Georgia, as a witness who can back up Raffensperger's description of his phone conversation with Graham.
Sterling told CNN, "What I heard was basically discussions about absentee ballots and…. if there was a percentage of signatures that weren't really, truly matching, is there some point we could get to, we could say somebody (who) went to a courtroom could say, 'Well, let's throw (out) all these ballots because we have no way of knowing because the ballots are separated.'"
Sterling went on to say, "The president is going to continue to fight, his supporters continue to fight. Our job is to continue to follow the law, and we were answering process questions…. That's what we were doing on the call."
After Georgia was called for Joe Biden, the president-elect reached a total of 306 electoral votes.


alternet--2020-11-17--Congresswoman-elect Cori Bush wore a face mask in honor of Breonna Taylor. Republicans thought it wa

Congresswoman-elect Cori Bush wore a face mask in honor of Breonna Taylor. Republicans thought it was her name

When Democratic Congresswoman-elect Cori Bush wore a Breonna Taylor face mask during an orientation session for new members of the U.S. House of Representatives , she did so in memory of a victim of police overreach and the War on Drugs .
And upon seeing that mask , some Republican members of Congress assumed that Bush 's name was Breonna Taylor and addressed her as `` Breonna . ''
Appearing on CNN 's `` OutFront '' on Monday night , November 16 , Bush told host Erin Burnett that she was sad to see those Republicans did n't even know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26-year-old frontline health worker in Louisville , Kentucky , was unarmed when she was killed by police during a botched no-knock drug raid in March .
And activists for Black Lives Matter and other proponents of police reform have been citing Taylor 's death as a glaring and tragic example of how horribly the War on Drugs has failed .
No drugs were found in Taylor 's apartment .
The progressive Bush — whose campaign was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont , Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when a Republican member of Congress addressed her as `` Breonna , '' it `` did not seem like they were being malicious . ''
But Bush told Burnett that after more Republicans called her by that name during the orientation session , `` I really started to feel hurt .
Because I 'm like , 'This has been a national movement .
The reports are : somewhere between 15 and 26 million people protested up to July— from June into July .
How do you not know ? '
'' The progressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to be leaders .
We have to know what 's happening in our communities — and not only our communities , but what 's happening in other communities .
Because that 's how we keep our people safe . ''
Burnett was shocked , telling Bush , `` It is saying something — they really did not even know who she was ?
And what was their reaction ?
Did you try to explain ? ''
Bush responded , `` Yeah , I did — to each person who called me 'Breonna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breonna , how are you ?
I 'm such and such . '
It was , 'Oh , you must be Breonna Taylor . '
And with each one , I explained who she was…..
It was just like this blank look .
But it gave me an opportunity to teach .
And so now , they know who Breonna Taylor is . ''
Bush , a 44-year-old native of St. Louis , pulled off a major upset in Missouri 's 1st Congressional District when , in August , she narrowly defeated ten-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary .
And Bush went on to win the general election on November 3 , defeating Republican nominee Anthony Rogers by more than 60 % .

When Democratic Congresswoman-elect Cori Bush wore a Breonna Taylor face mask during an orientation session for new members of the U.S. House of Representatives, she did so in memory of a victim of police overreach and the War on Drugs. And upon seeing that mask, some Republican members of Congress assumed that Bush's name was Breonna Taylor and addressed her as "Breonna."
Appearing on CNN's "OutFront" on Monday night, November 16, Bush told host Erin Burnett that she was sad to see those Republicans didn't even know who Taylor was. Taylor, a 26-year-old frontline health worker in Louisville, Kentucky, was unarmed when she was killed by police during a botched no-knock drug raid in March. And activists for Black Lives Matter and other proponents of police reform have been citing Taylor's death as a glaring and tragic example of how horribly the War on Drugs has failed. No drugs were found in Taylor's apartment.
The progressive Bush — whose campaign was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City and the group Justice Democrats — told Burnett that when a Republican member of Congress addressed her as "Breonna," it "did not seem like they were being malicious." But Bush told Burnett that after more Republicans called her by that name during the orientation session, "I really started to feel hurt. Because I'm like, 'This has been a national movement. The reports are: somewhere between 15 and 26 million people protested up to July— from June into July. How do you not know?'"
The progressive Missouri Democrat continued, "We signed up to be leaders. We have to know what's happening in our communities — and not only our communities, but what's happening in other communities. Because that's how we keep our people safe."
Burnett was shocked, telling Bush, "It is saying something — they really did not even know who she was? And what was their reaction? Did you try to explain?"
Bush responded, "Yeah, I did — to each person who called me 'Breonna.' It was, 'Hi, Breonna, how are you? I'm such and such.' It was, 'Oh, you must be Breonna Taylor.' And with each one, I explained who she was….. It was just like this blank look. But it gave me an opportunity to teach. And so now, they know who Breonna Taylor is."
Bush, a 44-year-old native of St. Louis, pulled off a major upset in Missouri's 1st Congressional District when, in August, she narrowly defeated ten-term incumbent Rep. Lacy Clay in a Democratic primary. And Bush went on to win the general election on November 3, defeating Republican nominee Anthony Rogers by more than 60%.


alternet--2020-11-17--‘Masks are oppressive’: Marjorie Taylor Greene condemns mask-wearing during new member orientation f

‘Masks are oppressive’: Marjorie Taylor Greene condemns mask-wearing during new member orientation for Congress

Republican Congresswoman-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene is already at the center of controversy following her recent condemnation of masks amid the raging coronavirus pandemic .
Greene , a known QAnon conspiracy theorist , took to Twitter on Friday to offer her take on masks .
The newly elected Georgia lawmaker shared details about the first congressional orientation session as she falsely claimed that masks are `` oppressive '' and used the hashtag # FreeYourFace .
She tweeted , `` Our first session of New Member Orientation covered COVID in Congress .
Masks , masks , masks ... .
I proudly told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In GA , we work out , shop , go to restaurants , go to work , and school without masks .
My body , my choice . ''
Currently , Washington D.C. , Mayor Muriel Bowser ( D ) has a mask mandate in place which requires masks be worn in the Capitol as well as any other area around the city .
For months now , Greene has pushed back against coronavirus mitigation guidelines while continuing to spread misinformation perpetuated by QAnon believers .
However , House Minority Leader Kevin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denounced QAnon .
While speaking with reporters on Thursday , McCarthy said , `` The only thing I would ask of the press is to give these new members , give them an opportunity before you claim what you believe they had done what they will do . ''

Republican Congresswoman-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene is already at the center of controversy following her recent condemnation of masks amid the raging coronavirus pandemic.
Greene, a known QAnon conspiracy theorist, took to Twitter on Friday to offer her take on masks. The newly elected Georgia lawmaker shared details about the first congressional orientation session as she falsely claimed that masks are "oppressive" and used the hashtag #FreeYourFace.
She tweeted, "Our first session of New Member Orientation covered COVID in Congress. Masks, masks, masks.... I proudly told my freshman class that masks are oppressive. In GA, we work out, shop, go to restaurants, go to work, and school without masks. My body, my choice."
Currently, Washington D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has a mask mandate in place which requires masks be worn in the Capitol as well as any other area around the city. For months now, Greene has pushed back against coronavirus mitigation guidelines while continuing to spread misinformation perpetuated by QAnon believers. However, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) claims Greene has denounced QAnon.
While speaking with reporters on Thursday, McCarthy said, "The only thing I would ask of the press is to give these new members, give them an opportunity before you claim what you believe they had done what they will do."


alternet--2020-11-17--Top government ethics expert accuses Lindsey Graham of ‘conduct that threatens the foundation of our

Top government ethics expert accuses Lindsey Graham of ‘conduct that threatens the foundation of our republic’

U.S .
Senator Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) just faced his greatest fight for re-election by a top Democratic challenger .
He won that battle and kept his seat on Election Day , but the Chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee is now facing a controversy so dangerous he could lose it .
`` The allegation that the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee pressured the Georgia Secretary of State to throw out lawfully cast votes describes conduct that threatens the foundation of our republic by one of the government 's most senior officials , '' says Walter Shaub , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office of Government Ethics .
`` It must be investigated . ''
On Monday Georgia 's Secretary of State accused Chairman Graham of pressuring him to throw out all ballots from certain counties .
Graham denies he pressured Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger but the Republican elections official told The Washington Post he was `` stunned '' when it happened .
Other legal or ethics expert are denouncing Graham 's actions and calling for action .
`` There is more than sufficient predication here to open a federal investigation , '' says former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MSNBC legal analyst and a law professor at the University of Alabama School of Law .
`` Georgians & all Americans deserve to know what happened , not just be left to speculate over a matter so serious . ''
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner is calling for a grand jury investigation : '' For the chairman of the Senate committee charged with oversight of our legal system to have reportedly suggested that an election official toss out large numbers of legal ballots from American voters is appalling , '' says Citizens for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Noah Bookbinder .
`` Not only is it wrong for Senator Graham to apparently contemplate illegal behavior , but his suggestion undermines the integrity of our elections and the faith of the American people in our democracy , '' Bookbinder adds .
`` Under the guise of rooting out election fraud , it looks like Graham is suggesting committing it .
That is unacceptable , and Senator Graham should step down from his chairmanship immediately . ''
Voting rights expert Ari Berman says `` Lindsey Graham should be expelled from the Senate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Senator Graham , who has a moderately active Twitter feed , has n't tweeted since last week .

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) just faced his greatest fight for re-election by a top Democratic challenger. He won that battle and kept his seat on Election Day, but the Chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee is now facing a controversy so dangerous he could lose it.
"The allegation that the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee pressured the Georgia Secretary of State to throw out lawfully cast votes describes conduct that threatens the foundation of our republic by one of the government's most senior officials," says Walter Shaub, the former director of the United States Office of Government Ethics. "It must be investigated."
On Monday Georgia's Secretary of State accused Chairman Graham of pressuring him to throw out all ballots from certain counties. Graham denies he pressured Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger but the Republican elections official told The Washington Post he was "stunned" when it happened.
Shaub adds that Graham's actions were "inherently coercive."
And he calls Graham's response "a damning admission":
Other legal or ethics expert are denouncing Graham's actions and calling for action.
"There is more than sufficient predication here to open a federal investigation," says former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance, now an MSNBC legal analyst and a law professor at the University of Alabama School of Law. "Georgians & all Americans deserve to know what happened, not just be left to speculate over a matter so serious."
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner is calling for a grand jury investigation:
"For the chairman of the Senate committee charged with oversight of our legal system to have reportedly suggested that an election official toss out large numbers of legal ballots from American voters is appalling," says Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington Executive Director Noah Bookbinder.
"Not only is it wrong for Senator Graham to apparently contemplate illegal behavior, but his suggestion undermines the integrity of our elections and the faith of the American people in our democracy," Bookbinder adds. "Under the guise of rooting out election fraud, it looks like Graham is suggesting committing it. That is unacceptable, and Senator Graham should step down from his chairmanship immediately."
Voting rights expert Ari Berman says "Lindsey Graham should be expelled from the Senate for trying to subvert free & fair elections."
Senator Graham, who has a moderately active Twitter feed, hasn't tweeted since last week.


alternet--2020-11-17--Donald Trump Jr. appears to concede that Biden defeated his father via campaign text message

Donald Trump Jr. and his siblings have been vocal — incorrectly — about their supposed belief that President Donald Trump won the election .
But a new campaign text message suggests he is well aware of the fact that his father actually lost the race to President-elect Joe Biden .
On Monday , the National Republican Senatorial Committee ( NRSC ) sent out a text message as the organization campaigns for the upcoming Georgia runoff where two Senate seats are on the line , reports Mediaite .
Without those two seats , the Republican Party would lose control of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise awareness about that in his text .
However , he also appeared to acknowledge something else : the 2020 presidential election is a loss they will have to move on from .
`` It 's Don Jr .
If the Democrats win the runoffs in Georgia , they take control of the Senate .
We can not afford to let that happen .
We need 2 more patriots in your area to join us .
You could put us over the top ! ''
the text message read .
Trump Jr. 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forbes editorial titled `` Trump Victory Claims Erode As More Republican Senators Acknowledge Biden Win . ''
Based on that editorial , columnist Andrew Solender noted that Trump Jr. 's text appears to imply `` Democrat Kamala Harris will be the tie-breaking vote and thus that Biden is president-elect . ''
Although the outcome of the election is apparent and Trump Jr. appears to have also suggested it , the president is still refusing to back down and concede despite having no path to 270 electoral votes .

Donald Trump Jr. and his siblings have been vocal — incorrectly — about their supposed belief that President Donald Trump won the election. But a new campaign text message suggests he is well aware of the fact that his father actually lost the race to President-elect Joe Biden.
On Monday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) sent out a text message as the organization campaigns for the upcoming Georgia runoff where two Senate seats are on the line, reports Mediaite. Without those two seats, the Republican Party would lose control of the Senate — and Trump Jr. aimed to raise awareness about that in his text. However, he also appeared to acknowledge something else: the 2020 presidential election is a loss they will have to move on from.
"It's Don Jr. If the Democrats win the runoffs in Georgia, they take control of the Senate. We cannot afford to let that happen. We need 2 more patriots in your area to join us. You could put us over the top!" the text message read.
Trump Jr.'s quote has also been included in a Forbes editorial titled "Trump Victory Claims Erode As More Republican Senators Acknowledge Biden Win." Based on that editorial, columnist Andrew Solender noted that Trump Jr.'s text appears to imply "Democrat Kamala Harris will be the tie-breaking vote and thus that Biden is president-elect."
Although the outcome of the election is apparent and Trump Jr. appears to have also suggested it, the president is still refusing to back down and concede despite having no path to 270 electoral votes.


alternet--2020-11-17--Watch: Sherrod Brown tells off Alaska Republican for refusing to wear face mask on the Senate floor

Wearing a protective face mask in public places during a deadly pandemic that has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide ( according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore ) seems like standard fare for most .
But for much of the Republican Party , not wearing a mask in public has become synonymous with standing up for far-right ideology — and on Monday night , November 16 , Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Republic Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska got into a heated argument on the Senate floor over the importance of masks .
Sullivan was presiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Brown told him , `` I 'd start by asking the presiding officer to please wear a mask as he speaks . ''
Sullivan quickly became defensive , telling Brown , `` I do n't wear a mask when I 'm speaking like most senators… .
I do n't need your instruction . ''
Brown did n't hesitate to tell Sullivan off , and he was equally critical of President Donald Trump — telling the Alaska Republican , `` I know you do n't need my instruction , but there clearly is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health .
We have a president who has n't shown up at the coronavirus task force meeting in months . ''
The Ohio Democrat went on to say , `` Mr. President , the American people sent a clear message in this election .
They voted for stability .
They rejected an administration that has failed them in the middle of a public health crisis and an economic crisis .
People want a government that works for them and is on their side… .
I know some of you feel like you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to make excuses for him . ''
But other Twitter users were in total agreement with Brown .
Here are some of their responses :

Wearing a protective face mask in public places during a deadly pandemic that has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide (according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore) seems like standard fare for most. But for much of the Republican Party, not wearing a mask in public has become synonymous with standing up for far-right ideology — and on Monday night, November 16, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Republic Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska got into a heated argument on the Senate floor over the importance of masks.
Sullivan was presiding over the Senate on Monday night, and Brown told him, "I'd start by asking the presiding officer to please wear a mask as he speaks." Sullivan quickly became defensive, telling Brown, "I don't wear a mask when I'm speaking like most senators…. I don't need your instruction."
Brown didn't hesitate to tell Sullivan off, and he was equally critical of President Donald Trump — telling the Alaska Republican, "I know you don't need my instruction, but there clearly isn't much interest in this body in public health. We have a president who hasn't shown up at the coronavirus task force meeting in months."
The Ohio Democrat went on to say, "Mr. President, the American people sent a clear message in this election. They voted for stability. They rejected an administration that has failed them in the middle of a public health crisis and an economic crisis. People want a government that works for them and is on their side…. I know some of you feel like you have to humor the outgoing president, continue to make excuses for him."
Far-right Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas rushed to Sullivan's defense, tweeting:
But other Twitter users were in total agreement with Brown. Here are some of their responses:


alternet--2020-11-17--Embattled GOP senator suggests Trump's presidency is over during private campaign meeting with Karl

Embattled GOP senator suggests Trump's presidency is over during private campaign meeting with Karl Rove

While President Donald Trump is fighting to keep his post-election legal battle , embattled Sen. David Perdue ( R-GA ) is turning his focus to his own run-off under the assumption that the president 's election battle may already be over .
A report published by The Washington Post reveals Republican lawmakers are now concerned about how Trump 's influence could impact the outcome of the Georgia runoff .
Without the last two seats up for grabs , Republicans will lose control of the Senate .
During a campaign strategy meeting with Karl Rove , Perdue suggested that he and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now `` standing out here alone . ''
The Republican senator also touched on Trump 's pending lawsuits as he stressed the importance of keeping voter moral high .
`` We 're assuming that we 're going to be standing out here alone , '' Perdue said , referring to Trump 's election loss .
`` And that means that we have to get the vote out , no matter what the outcome of ... some lawsuits . ''
Perdue also mulled over the possibility of voters being less motivated to head back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss , which they still believe was rigged due to the president 's spread of misinformation .
`` What we 're going to have to do is make sure we get all the votes out from the general and get them back out , '' Perdue said of core Republican voters .
`` That 's always a hard thing to do in a presidential year , particularly this year , given that President Trump , it looks like now , may not be able to hold out . ''
Despite Trump 's ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I ca n't wait for that , '' Perdue said , according to leaked audio of the campaign strategy meeting , per the Washington Post .
The Georgia run-off is set for January 5 .

While President Donald Trump is fighting to keep his post-election legal battle, embattled Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) is turning his focus to his own run-off under the assumption that the president's election battle may already be over.
A report published by The Washington Post reveals Republican lawmakers are now concerned about how Trump's influence could impact the outcome of the Georgia runoff. Without the last two seats up for grabs, Republicans will lose control of the Senate.
During a campaign strategy meeting with Karl Rove, Perdue suggested that he and Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) are now "standing out here alone." The Republican senator also touched on Trump's pending lawsuits as he stressed the importance of keeping voter moral high.
"We're assuming that we're going to be standing out here alone," Perdue said, referring to Trump's election loss. "And that means that we have to get the vote out, no matter what the outcome of... some lawsuits."
Perdue also mulled over the possibility of voters being less motivated to head back to the polls due to Trump's loss, which they still believe was rigged due to the president's spread of misinformation.
"What we're going to have to do is make sure we get all the votes out from the general and get them back out," Perdue said of core Republican voters. "That's always a hard thing to do in a presidential year, particularly this year, given that President Trump, it looks like now, may not be able to hold out."
Despite Trump's ongoing legal battle Perdue said, "Kelly and I can't wait for that," Perdue said, according to leaked audio of the campaign strategy meeting, per the Washington Post.
The Georgia run-off is set for January 5.


alternet--2020-11-17--How embracing Trumpism and the far right won NY's Elise Stefanik a fourth term — even as the preside

How embracing Trumpism and the far right won NY's Elise Stefanik a fourth term — even as the president lost

Although President Donald Trump lost to President-elect Joe Biden by double digits in New York State in the 2020 presidential election , it was n't because of New York 's 21st Congressional District — where Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik won a fourth term .
That rural district of upstate New York favored Trump over Biden , and The Atlantic 's Russell Berman outlines the ways in which Trumpism helped the 36-year-old congresswoman and Albany native get reelected even when Trump himself was being voted out of office .
Had Stefanik been running against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in heavily Democratic areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stridently pro-Trump campaign would have resulted in a massive defeat .
But Stefanik , as Berman explains in an article published in The Atlantic , is in a much more rural and conservative district — and in that area , Trumpism was a plus for her .
`` While a slim majority of Americans nationwide cast their ballots for Joe Biden , the overwhelming majority of voters in New York 's Twenty-First — nearly 60 % , at last count — went for Trump , '' Berman notes .
`` And an even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stefanik , who by her third term in the House , had locked down her constituency so tightly that the national Democratic Party barely contested her reelection this year . ''
Berman goes on to describe New York 's 21st Congressional District , noting how different it is from New York City .
`` Nearly as big as Vermont and New Hampshire combined , the Twenty-First is one of the largest districts east of the Mississippi River , '' Berman points out .
`` The district 's southern edge is 200 miles north @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its northern tip is just an hour 's drive from Montreal .
The Adirondack Mountains sit in the middle , and its only population centers — the small cities of Watertown , Plattsburgh and Glens Falls — are spread hundreds of miles apart , like three points on a triangle . ''
Berman stresses that although the U.S. on the whole rejected Trumpism on Election Day , Stefanik won a fourth term by doubling down on it .
`` In winning so definitively , '' Berman explains , `` Stefanik has become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country as a whole , but for the Republican Party , which like the New York representative , has redoubled its support for an unpopular president and somehow bolstered its standing in Congress and state capitols even as it lost the White House . ''
Stefanik was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014 .
She was always conservative , but she went from co-chairing the Tuesday Group and supporting less extreme conservatives like former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich ( now an outspoken Never Trumper ) to being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` took up the president 's defense with unexpected gusto . ''
And Stefanik has embraced Trump 's over-the-top rhetoric , describing Biden as someone with `` far-left socialist policies ; '' The decidedly centrist Biden is n't even a liberal , left alone `` far-left . ''
`` Seemingly overnight , a rising star in Paul Ryan 's Republican Party had been reborn as a star in Donald Trump 's , '' Berman recalls .
`` Stefanik did not look back . ''
Frances Kerr , who owns a print shop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an `` opportunist '' — telling The Atlantic , `` I never saw a Republican flip so far . ''
But even if Stefanik sold her soul to the far right and Trump 's MAGA base , it paid off for her on Election Night in both 2018 and 2020 .
`` The election proved Stefanik right once again , '' Berman argues .
`` She bet on Trump — and though the president lost , her constituents rewarded her . ''

Although President Donald Trump lost to President-elect Joe Biden by double digits in New York State in the 2020 presidential election, it wasn't because of New York's 21st Congressional District — where Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik won a fourth term. That rural district of upstate New York favored Trump over Biden, and The Atlantic's Russell Berman outlines the ways in which Trumpism helped the 36-year-old congresswoman and Albany native get reelected even when Trump himself was being voted out of office.
Had Stefanik been running against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in heavily Democratic areas of Queens and the Bronx, her stridently pro-Trump campaign would have resulted in a massive defeat. But Stefanik, as Berman explains in an article published in The Atlantic, is in a much more rural and conservative district — and in that area, Trumpism was a plus for her.
"While a slim majority of Americans nationwide cast their ballots for Joe Biden, the overwhelming majority of voters in New York's Twenty-First — nearly 60%, at last count — went for Trump," Berman notes. "And an even higher percentage in the North Country backed Stefanik, who by her third term in the House, had locked down her constituency so tightly that the national Democratic Party barely contested her reelection this year."
Berman goes on to describe New York's 21st Congressional District, noting how different it is from New York City.
"Nearly as big as Vermont and New Hampshire combined, the Twenty-First is one of the largest districts east of the Mississippi River," Berman points out. "The district's southern edge is 200 miles north of liberal New York City, while its northern tip is just an hour's drive from Montreal. The Adirondack Mountains sit in the middle, and its only population centers — the small cities of Watertown, Plattsburgh and Glens Falls — are spread hundreds of miles apart, like three points on a triangle."
Berman stresses that although the U.S. on the whole rejected Trumpism on Election Day, Stefanik won a fourth term by doubling down on it.
"In winning so definitively," Berman explains, "Stefanik has become a kind of bellwether herself — not for the country as a whole, but for the Republican Party, which like the New York representative, has redoubled its support for an unpopular president and somehow bolstered its standing in Congress and state capitols even as it lost the White House."
Stefanik was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. She was always conservative, but she went from co-chairing the Tuesday Group and supporting less extreme conservatives like former Ohio Gov. John Kasich (now an outspoken Never Trumper) to being a "vocal Trump loyalist" who "took up the president's defense with unexpected gusto." And Stefanik has embraced Trump's over-the-top rhetoric, describing Biden as someone with "far-left socialist policies;" The decidedly centrist Biden isn't even a liberal, left alone "far-left."
"Seemingly overnight, a rising star in Paul Ryan's Republican Party had been reborn as a star in Donald Trump's," Berman recalls. "Stefanik did not look back."
Frances Kerr, who owns a print shop in Stefanik's district, slammed her as an "opportunist" — telling The Atlantic, "I never saw a Republican flip so far."
But even if Stefanik sold her soul to the far right and Trump's MAGA base, it paid off for her on Election Night in both 2018 and 2020.
"The election proved Stefanik right once again," Berman argues. "She bet on Trump — and though the president lost, her constituents rewarded her."


alternet--2020-11-17--An alarming number of Republicans are 'pressuring state legislators to override the election results

An alarming number of Republicans are 'pressuring state legislators to override the election results': report

An alarming number of Republican lawmakers are still backing President Donald Trump 's `` rigged election '' conspiracy and are `` pressuring Republican state legislators to override the election results in their state and appoint pro-Trump representatives to the Electoral College , '' New York magazine reports .
According to the publication , several prominent Republican including Judicial Watch 's Tom Fitton , Sean Hannity , Mark Levin , Ken Starr , and even lawmakers like Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis , and Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) have also made similar suggestions .
Although Trump 's lawsuits have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of evidence , Republican lawmakers are still enabling the president by entertaining his baseless claims of election fraud .
`` They are not merely giving oxygen to Trump 's fantastical claims that Joe Biden stole the election — a suspicion that will preemptively delegitimize Biden 's presidency and fire up the Republican base against him , to the party 's benefit .
They are endorsing the logical follow-on step of abrogating the supposedly fraudulent results . ''
The latest report comes as Graham faces backlash over his recent attempt to intervene in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Brad Raffensperger on Monday revealed Graham suggested he toss out legal mail in ballots .
During an interview with CNN 's Wolf Blitzer on `` The Situation Room '' , Raffensperger recalled his conversation with Graham .
`` He asked if the ballots could be matched back to the voters , '' Raffensperger said on Monday evening , adding , `` And then he , I got the sense it implied that then you could throw those out for any , if you look at the counties with the highest frequent error @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impression that I got . ''
He later added , `` It was just an implication of , 'Look hard and see how many ballots you could throw out . '
'' So far , Trump 's legal battle has not proven to be effective in any of the states where he has questioned the integrity of the election .

An alarming number of Republican lawmakers are still backing President Donald Trump's "rigged election" conspiracy and are "pressuring Republican state legislators to override the election results in their state and appoint pro-Trump representatives to the Electoral College," New York magazine reports.
According to the publication, several prominent Republican including Judicial Watch's Tom Fitton, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Ken Starr, and even lawmakers like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have also made similar suggestions. Although Trump's lawsuits have been dismissed in multiple states due to lack of evidence, Republican lawmakers are still enabling the president by entertaining his baseless claims of election fraud.
"They are not merely giving oxygen to Trump's fantastical claims that Joe Biden stole the election — a suspicion that will preemptively delegitimize Biden's presidency and fire up the Republican base against him, to the party's benefit. They are endorsing the logical follow-on step of abrogating the supposedly fraudulent results."
The latest report comes as Graham faces backlash over his recent attempt to intervene in the Georgia recount.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Monday revealed Graham suggested he toss out legal mail in ballots. During an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room", Raffensperger recalled his conversation with Graham.
"He asked if the ballots could be matched back to the voters," Raffensperger said on Monday evening, adding, "And then he, I got the sense it implied that then you could throw those out for any, if you look at the counties with the highest frequent error of signatures. So that's the impression that I got."
He later added, "It was just an implication of, 'Look hard and see how many ballots you could throw out.'"
So far, Trump's legal battle has not proven to be effective in any of the states where he has questioned the integrity of the election.