truthout--2020-11-11--Far Right Militias Are Recruiting Vets. We Must Organize Against This Trend.

After nearly four years of Donald Trump , far right and white supremacist forces are emboldened in the United States .
As a war veteran , I know very well that veterans are far from immune to this problem — in fact , the war machine conditions vets to embrace white supremacy .
Meanwhile , the military carries out racist practices of recruitment , targets working-class communities of color and carries out inherently racist wars abroad , feeding the connection further .
Killing another human being is the most unnatural thing a person can do , which is why the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and energy researching ways soldiers can overcome their instinct to avoid killing .
In order for soldiers to kill , racist indoctrination needs to be part of the training .
The otherization of the enemy that happens through military training is how many soldiers ultimately come to squeeze the trigger on combatants and innocent civilians .
Most people can ’ t kill another human unless they feel they have some sort of moral imperative for doing so .
Racism is one of the ways the U.S. military compels soldiers to kill — by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human .
I saw it myself when I was in the military .
The people of Afghanistan were never referred to as Afghans .
They were only mentioned in the most derogatory terms .
We never discussed Afghans in a positive light .
We focused only on the extreme and violent acts committed by a microscopic percentage of the Afghan population .
Of course , there was zero acknowledgment of the exponentially larger atrocities the U.S. military has committed throughout American history .
The results of this training have been devastating .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll among active-duty soldiers .
Soldiers identified white nationalism as a “ national security threat on par with al-Qaida and the Islamic State Group , and more worrisome than the danger posed by North Korea , Afghanistan or Iraq.
” This same Military Times poll reported that 57 percent of troops of color have personally experienced some form of racist or white supremacist behavior ; and that one-third of all active-duty soldiers see signs of white supremacist or racist ideology in the ranks .
Vets returning home from deployments , oftentimes to dire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the COVID pandemic , are primed to be manipulated by far right hate groups and militias .
We are seeing this play out .
The numbers are disturbing .
Veterans make up 25 percent of all militia members in the U.S. , according to a recent report from The New York Times .
The Oath Keepers is one of the largest far right anti-government organizations in the country , with tens of thousands of members according to the Southern Poverty Law Center .
The Oath Keepers see vets as critical to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War .
And when we talk about far right paramilitary groups that vets are drawn to , police departments are the largest among them .
Police departments , evidenced by their overwhelming support for Trump and their disproportionate targeting of Black and Brown people , reinforce the racist indoctrination these vets were exposed to in the military .
Research done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that there are twice as many police and prison guards as there are auto workers in the U.S .
Seven percent of the population are veterans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all police .
This reality makes the decision to sign up for the police force an all too convenient option for returning vets .
However , active-duty troops and veterans are not a homogeneous body .
Some of the fiercest anti-racists I know are veterans .
Thousands of them participate in groups like Veterans for Peace and About Face : Veterans Against the War .
Many sign up to fight with noble intentions .
They believe they are defending freedom and democracy .
They , too , are victims of the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disillusioned by the day-to-day reality of the military , and they return home ready to share their experiences and fight systematic oppression .
And there are hundreds of thousands of Black and Brown active-duty soldiers and vets .
The left should embrace vets willing to renounce their training .
Veterans can be incredibly effective in the fight against white supremacy , not only because they have proven that they are willing to sacrifice for a cause greater than themselves , but also because they have an understanding of how deep and sophisticated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not only domestically but also abroad .
The problem lies in ignoring the increasing minority of vets who gravitate toward white supremacist groups .
Radical policy changes need to be enacted if we hope to push back on the growth of white supremacy among vets .
Challenging U.S. imperialism and combating white supremacy are part of the same struggle .
We challenge U.S. imperialism by providing alternatives for high-school age students who see the military as their only option after graduation .
We fight for the development of programs like the Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for thousands of returning vets currently stationed in one of the 800 military bases around the world .
We organize for student debt abolition and free education .
Too many high-school age students sign up for the military because they can ’ t afford college .
And we work to defund and abolish the police and prison-industrial complex — agents of white supremacy that suck in veterans as both employees and prisoners .
The far right and the influence it has over some vets will not go away under a Biden administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our profit-based system , enthusiastically endorsed by Biden , is incapable of solving the economic crisis now facing this country .
Organized and widespread pressure needs to be imposed on the next administration if we ever hope to see real change .
If we fail to come together on these issues over the next four years , the stage will be set for someone even more dangerous than Trump in 2024 .
Such a person will undoubtedly mobilize sympathetic , military-trained followers .

After nearly four years of Donald Trump, far right and white supremacist forces are emboldened in the United States. As a war veteran, I know very well that veterans are far from immune to this problem — in fact, the war machine conditions vets to embrace white supremacy. Meanwhile, the military carries out racist practices of recruitment, targets working-class communities of color and carries out inherently racist wars abroad, feeding the connection further.
Killing another human being is the most unnatural thing a person can do, which is why the U.S. government has spent so much time and energy researching ways soldiers can overcome their instinct to avoid killing. In order for soldiers to kill, racist indoctrination needs to be part of the training. The otherization of the enemy that happens through military training is how many soldiers ultimately come to squeeze the trigger on combatants and innocent civilians. Most people can’t kill another human unless they feel they have some sort of moral imperative for doing so. Racism is one of the ways the U.S. military compels soldiers to kill — by declaring their targets to be less than human.
I saw it myself when I was in the military. The people of Afghanistan were never referred to as Afghans. They were only mentioned in the most derogatory terms. We never discussed Afghans in a positive light. We focused only on the extreme and violent acts committed by a microscopic percentage of the Afghan population. Of course, there was zero acknowledgment of the exponentially larger atrocities the U.S. military has committed throughout American history. The results of this training have been devastating.
This summer, the Military Times conducted a poll among active-duty soldiers. Soldiers identified white nationalism as a “national security threat on par with al-Qaida and the Islamic State Group, and more worrisome than the danger posed by North Korea, Afghanistan or Iraq.” This same Military Times poll reported that 57 percent of troops of color have personally experienced some form of racist or white supremacist behavior; and that one-third of all active-duty soldiers see signs of white supremacist or racist ideology in the ranks.
Vets returning home from deployments, oftentimes to dire employment situations, now only made worse by the COVID pandemic, are primed to be manipulated by far right hate groups and militias. We are seeing this play out. The numbers are disturbing. Veterans make up 25 percent of all militia members in the U.S., according to a recent report from The New York Times.
The Oath Keepers is one of the largest far right anti-government organizations in the country, with tens of thousands of members according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Oath Keepers see vets as critical to their organization as they actively prepare for Civil War.
In order for soldiers to kill, racist indoctrination needs to be part of the training.
And when we talk about far right paramilitary groups that vets are drawn to, police departments are the largest among them. Police departments, evidenced by their overwhelming support for Trump and their disproportionate targeting of Black and Brown people, reinforce the racist indoctrination these vets were exposed to in the military.
Research done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that there are twice as many police and prison guards as there are auto workers in the U.S. Seven percent of the population are veterans; yet vets make up 19 percent of all police. This reality makes the decision to sign up for the police force an all too convenient option for returning vets.
However, active-duty troops and veterans are not a homogeneous body. Some of the fiercest anti-racists I know are veterans. Thousands of them participate in groups like Veterans for Peace and About Face: Veterans Against the War. Many sign up to fight with noble intentions. They believe they are defending freedom and democracy. They, too, are victims of the U.S. war machine and propaganda. Many become disillusioned by the day-to-day reality of the military, and they return home ready to share their experiences and fight systematic oppression. And there are hundreds of thousands of Black and Brown active-duty soldiers and vets.
The left should embrace vets willing to renounce their training. Veterans can be incredibly effective in the fight against white supremacy, not only because they have proven that they are willing to sacrifice for a cause greater than themselves, but also because they have an understanding of how deep and sophisticated the white supremacist project runs in this country, not only domestically but also abroad.
The Oath Keepers see vets as critical to their organization as they actively prepare for Civil War.
The problem lies in ignoring the increasing minority of vets who gravitate toward white supremacist groups.
Radical policy changes need to be enacted if we hope to push back on the growth of white supremacy among vets. Challenging U.S. imperialism and combating white supremacy are part of the same struggle. We challenge U.S. imperialism by providing alternatives for high-school age students who see the military as their only option after graduation. We fight for the development of programs like the Green New Deal, which would provide jobs for thousands of returning vets currently stationed in one of the 800 military bases around the world. We organize for student debt abolition and free education. Too many high-school age students sign up for the military because they can’t afford college. And we work to defund and abolish the police and prison-industrial complex — agents of white supremacy that suck in veterans as both employees and prisoners.
The far right and the influence it has over some vets will not go away under a Biden administration. Racism thrives in desperate economic situations, and our profit-based system, enthusiastically endorsed by Biden, is incapable of solving the economic crisis now facing this country. Organized and widespread pressure needs to be imposed on the next administration if we ever hope to see real change. If we fail to come together on these issues over the next four years, the stage will be set for someone even more dangerous than Trump in 2024. Such a person will undoubtedly mobilize sympathetic, military-trained followers.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-11-11--Trump’s Coup Attempt Will Hurt US Democracy in the Long Run

As President Trump continues to launch baseless accusations of widespread voter fraud in the presidential election , Democratic and Republican election officials across the United States have told The New York Times they uncovered no evidence to support Trump ’ s claims .
Despite his electoral defeat , Trump has not conceded , and his administration is proceeding as though it will continue into a second term , blocking President-elect Joe Biden from accessing government funding and other resources for a smooth transition .
“ The entire country is trying to figure out : Is this just going to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior editor at Slate magazine .
“ Or are we really in this slow-rolling denialist attempt to give this man a second term ?
” This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , finally , in these last few minutes , I wanted to go back to Dahlia Lithwick .
You talk about President Trump ’ s refusal to concede the election , which will bear on everything from Medicare for All to war and peace to climate change .
Your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Real Threat of Trump ’ s Ridiculous Coup Attempt.
” Can you talk about what ’ s happening right now ?
You have Secretary of State Pompeo saying he ’ s all for a peaceful transition — to a second Trump administration .
You have world leaders calling to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden , but the Republican leadership refuses to concede .
Talk about what ’ s happening right now , Dahlia .
DAHLIA LITHWICK : It ’ s such — it ’ s just a paradox , Amy , because you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s either a really truly terrible Peter Sellers movie about the Republican Party getting together to mollify somebody who is either a narcissist or totally devoid of a sense of reality , and so they ’ re all trying to pander to him and make him feel good , right ?
Senator Chris Coons reported that , off the record , all sorts of Republicans are congratulating him and saying , you know , “ We just can ’ t say it out loud , because the president hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s the kind of Peter Sellers scenario .
And then there ’ s the one that you ’ ve just described , where there is a really quite alarming level of denialism and these claims that this handful of lawsuits in Michigan and Pennsylvania are going to change the results of the election .
That ’ s not possible , I think we can stipulate .
Each of those are talking about a handful of votes .
And then you see these really disturbing actions — cleaning house at the Pentagon ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haspel ; as you said , Pompeo either joking or not joking about whether there ’ s going to be a transition , refusing to turn over briefing books to the transition team , that Biden ’ s team needs in order to prepare for national security disasters .
So , we ’ re living with this split screen .
And I think the entire country is trying to figure out : Is this just going to go away ?
Are the credits going to roll , and we get at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow-rolling denialist attempt to give this man a second term ?
And I think that we kind of toggle between those two realities every day .
But I think my point was , we just do need to take seriously the reality that , if anything , we ’ ve seen the GOP harden behind these claims that the election was stolen and that maybe Donald Trump wins a second term .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And we just have about 30 seconds , but your sense of this Hail Mary pass of Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the count and get the intervention of the Supreme Court before the electors have to meet in mid-December to actually vote in the Electoral College ?
DAHLIA LITHWICK : My sense is that the lawsuits are trivial and ridiculous .
There is , I think , no vehicle that would get to the Supreme Court that would overturn tens and thousands of votes in multiple states .
This is not a few hundred votes from Bush v. Gore .
I do think the effort to poison the waters , to muddy the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Hey , maybe your legislature could just send some electors that are not won in the popular election , ” that is still in question .
I think that ’ s the thing to look at .
The lawsuits are a joke .
But I think the real question is : Does this turn into something that is hardened into an attempt to end this thing ?
AMY GOODMAN : We have to leave it there , Dahlia Lithwick .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .

As President Trump continues to launch baseless accusations of widespread voter fraud in the presidential election, Democratic and Republican election officials across the United States have told The New York Times they uncovered no evidence to support Trump’s claims. Despite his electoral defeat, Trump has not conceded, and his administration is proceeding as though it will continue into a second term, blocking President-elect Joe Biden from accessing government funding and other resources for a smooth transition. “The entire country is trying to figure out: Is this just going to go away?” says Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate magazine. “Or are we really in this slow-rolling denialist attempt to give this man a second term?”
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, finally, in these last few minutes, I wanted to go back to Dahlia Lithwick. You talk about President Trump’s refusal to concede the election, which will bear on everything from Medicare for All to war and peace to climate change. Your new piece for Slate is titled “The Real Threat of Trump’s Ridiculous Coup Attempt.” Can you talk about what’s happening right now? You have Secretary of State Pompeo saying he’s all for a peaceful transition — to a second Trump administration. You have world leaders calling to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden, but the Republican leadership refuses to concede. Talk about what’s happening right now, Dahlia.
DAHLIA LITHWICK: It’s such — it’s just a paradox, Amy, because you have to live in this world where it’s either a really truly terrible Peter Sellers movie about the Republican Party getting together to mollify somebody who is either a narcissist or totally devoid of a sense of reality, and so they’re all trying to pander to him and make him feel good, right? Senator Chris Coons reported that, off the record, all sorts of Republicans are congratulating him and saying, you know, “We just can’t say it out loud, because the president hasn’t quite gotten there.” So, that’s the kind of Peter Sellers scenario.
And then there’s the one that you’ve just described, where there is a really quite alarming level of denialism and these claims that this handful of lawsuits in Michigan and Pennsylvania are going to change the results of the election. That’s not possible, I think we can stipulate. Each of those are talking about a handful of votes. And then you see these really disturbing actions — cleaning house at the Pentagon; threatening to fire Chris Wray and Gina Haspel; as you said, Pompeo either joking or not joking about whether there’s going to be a transition, refusing to turn over briefing books to the transition team, that Biden’s team needs in order to prepare for national security disasters.
So, we’re living with this split screen. And I think the entire country is trying to figure out: Is this just going to go away? Are the credits going to roll, and we get at the end? Or are we really in this slow-rolling denialist attempt to give this man a second term? And I think that we kind of toggle between those two realities every day. But I think my point was, we just do need to take seriously the reality that, if anything, we’ve seen the GOP harden behind these claims that the election was stolen and that maybe Donald Trump wins a second term.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And we just have about 30 seconds, but your sense of this Hail Mary pass of Donald Trump to somehow run out the clock on the count and get the intervention of the Supreme Court before the electors have to meet in mid-December to actually vote in the Electoral College?
DAHLIA LITHWICK: My sense is that the lawsuits are trivial and ridiculous. There is, I think, no vehicle that would get to the Supreme Court that would overturn tens and thousands of votes in multiple states. This is not a few hundred votes from Bush v. Gore. I do think the effort to poison the waters, to muddy the question, to maybe signal to states, “Hey, maybe your legislature could just send some electors that are not won in the popular election,” that is still in question. I think that’s the thing to look at. The lawsuits are a joke. But I think the real question is: Does this turn into something that is hardened into an attempt to end this thing?
AMY GOODMAN: We have to leave it there, Dahlia Lithwick. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-11-11--Pompeo Blasted for Pledging “Smooth Transition” to “Second Trump Administration”

Trump administration officials made clear Tuesday that the White House is still not willing to recognize President-elect Joe Biden as the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election , as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he is preparing for a peaceful transition , but only to President Donald Trump ’ s second term—a comment that ignited a fresh storm of disgust , condemnation , and warnings .
“ There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration , ” Pompeo said in a news briefing Tuesday , in what Kristen Clarke of the Lawyers ’ Committee for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ astounding and tyrannical statement.
” Pompeo ’ s comments came a day after the White House directed federal agencies not to cooperate with Biden ’ s team .
The General Services Administration ( GSA ) , headed by Trump appointee Emily Murphy , has been instructed not to sign paperwork releasing $ 6.3 million in resources which would give Biden ’ s transition officials access to federal agencies .
Other agencies have followed suit , with the Veterans Affairs Department , USAID , and the EPA all telling the Washington Post Monday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An EPA spokesperson told the Post that a transition to the Biden administration was “ inappropriate for us to discuss as votes are still being counted.
” With Trump ’ s electoral vote count standing at 214 and Biden ’ s at 290 , votes are indeed still being counted in Arizona , Georgia , North Carolina , and Alaska—but the results of the election in those states would not change the outcome that was declared Saturday by nearly every major news outlet in the country .
It is not unusual for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after an election , contrary to Republicans ’ claims of malfeasance .
The president has also initiated several legal challenges to the election results , including one accusing Pennsylvania officials of running an unfair , “ two-tiered ” election system by allowing mail-in ballots to be counted after Election Day .
Several legal experts have said the lawsuit has no standing .
Pompeo ’ s remarks , which included baseless allegations that “ illegal votes ” were cast , sparked outrage on social media on Tuesday .
“ Real comforting to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and elections as a joke , ” tweeted Rep. Mark Pocan ( D-Wis. ) of the video of Pompeo ’ s briefing , in which he laughed after commenting on transition to Trump ’ s second term .
Shortly after Pompeo ’ s press conference , the Post reported that the White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare the Trump administration ’ s budget proposal for the next fiscal year , which begins on October 1 , 2021 — months after Trump is set to leave office .
The move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue a budget proposal in February as the White House usually does .
“ They ’ re pretending nothing happened , ” a Trump administration official told the Post .
“ We ’ re all supposed to pretend this is normal , and do all this work , while we know we ’ re just going to have to throw it away.
” Few Republican elected officials have acknowledged Biden ’ s victory in the election , and on Tuesday , Sen. Ron Johnson ( R-Wis. ) briskly told reporters that he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ nothing to congratulate him about.
” “ Trump is declaring his intent to stay in office—despite having decisively lost the election , ” tweeted foreign policy analyst Rula Jebreal .
“ The response from Republicans : ‘ Let ’ s give this a chance and see what happens . '
” “ This is a war against America ’ s democracy and against 75 million American voters , ” she added .

Pompeo’s comments came a day after the White House directed federal agencies not to cooperate with Biden’s team.
Trump administration officials made clear Tuesday that the White House is still not willing to recognize President-elect Joe Biden as the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election, as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he is preparing for a peaceful transition, but only to President Donald Trump’s second term—a comment that ignited a fresh storm of disgust, condemnation, and warnings.
“There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration,” Pompeo said in a news briefing Tuesday, in what Kristen Clarke of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law called an “astounding and tyrannical statement.”
Pompeo’s comments came a day after the White House directed federal agencies not to cooperate with Biden’s team. The General Services Administration (GSA), headed by Trump appointee Emily Murphy, has been instructed not to sign paperwork releasing $6.3 million in resources which would give Biden’s transition officials access to federal agencies.
Other agencies have followed suit, with the Veterans Affairs Department, USAID, and the EPA all telling the Washington Post Monday that they have not commenced the transition process.
An EPA spokesperson told the Post that a transition to the Biden administration was “inappropriate for us to discuss as votes are still being counted.”
With Trump’s electoral vote count standing at 214 and Biden’s at 290, votes are indeed still being counted in Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Alaska—but the results of the election in those states would not change the outcome that was declared Saturday by nearly every major news outlet in the country.
It is not unusual for votes to still be counted for several days after an election, contrary to Republicans’ claims of malfeasance. The president has also initiated several legal challenges to the election results, including one accusing Pennsylvania officials of running an unfair, “two-tiered” election system by allowing mail-in ballots to be counted after Election Day. Several legal experts have said the lawsuit has no standing.
Pompeo’s remarks, which included baseless allegations that “illegal votes” were cast, sparked outrage on social media on Tuesday.
“Real comforting to see the GOP continue to take our democracy and elections as a joke,” tweeted Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) of the video of Pompeo’s briefing, in which he laughed after commenting on transition to Trump’s second term.
the amount of contempt and disdain for the public it takes to make a “joke” like pompeo’s is itself noteworthy — b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) November 10, 2020
.@JoeBiden is the next President of the United States. Election is over. Donald Trump lost.@SecPompeo is undermining the rule of law and democracy here at home and around the world. https://t.co/i5Ks4Bn0yx — Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) November 10, 2020
Keep thinking these people are joking around. Whether or not they’d be able to pull off an actual coup may not be the point. They are toying with unstable forces among their base for the purposes of maintaining power, and they do not care who gets hurt. https://t.co/03ZbgbtdbR — Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) November 10, 2020
Dictators around the world rejoice. Next time we scold them for not respecting the results of a democratic election, they will point to this moment. https://t.co/0tDKIACAxJ — Catherine Rampell (@crampell) November 10, 2020
Shortly after Pompeo’s press conference, the Post reported that the White House budget office is instructing federal agencies to prepare the Trump administration’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2021 — months after Trump is set to leave office.
The move suggests that the administration is planning to issue a budget proposal in February as the White House usually does.
“They’re pretending nothing happened,” a Trump administration official told the Post. “We’re all supposed to pretend this is normal, and do all this work, while we know we’re just going to have to throw it away.”
Few Republican elected officials have acknowledged Biden’s victory in the election, and on Tuesday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) briskly told reporters that he has not yet congratulated the president-elect because there is “nothing to congratulate him about.”
Reporter: “Senator, have you congratulated Vice President Biden yet?” Sen. Ron Johnson: “No.” Reporter: “Why not?” Johnson: “Nothing to congratulate him about.” pic.twitter.com/Is7APE2frx — The Hill (@thehill) November 10, 2020
“Trump is declaring his intent to stay in office—despite having decisively lost the election,” tweeted foreign policy analyst Rula Jebreal. “The response from Republicans: ‘Let’s give this a chance and see what happens.'”
“This is a war against America’s democracy and against 75 million American voters,” she added.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-11-11--Georgia GOP Senators Heading for Run-offs Demand GOP Election Chief Resign

Georgia ’ s two Republican senators called on the state ’ s Republican secretary of state to resign over unspecified “ failures ” as they echoed President Donald Trump ’ s baseless claims sowing doubt in the results of the election .
Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , who face run-offs in January after they both failed last week to clinch 50 % of the vote needed to win their elections outright , said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a fellow Republican who was repeatedly praised by Trump , “ has failed the people of Georgia ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , which Raffensperger called “ laughable , ” came as numerous top elections officials refuted claims pushed by Trump and enabled by Republican leaders .
“ The management of Georgia elections has become an embarrassment for our state .
Georgians are outraged , and rightly so , ” the senators said .
“ We have been clear from the beginning : every legal vote cast should be counted .
Any illegal vote must not .
And there must be transparency and uniformity in the counting process .
This isn ’ t hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is American .
We believe when there are failures , they need to be called out — even when it ’ s in your own party.
” Raffensperger said last week “ there will be a recount ” of the ballots cast in the presidential election .
Though the secretary of state vowed that his office would investigate any reports of irregularities , he pushed back on baseless claims of fraud .
Without citing any evidence , the senators calling on Raffensperger to resign claimed that there had been “ too many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections this year .
“ While blame certainly lies elsewhere as well , the buck ultimately stops with the secretary of State , ” they said .
“ The mismanagement and lack of transparency from the secretary of state is unacceptable .
Honest elections are paramount to the foundation of our democracy .
The secretary of state has failed to deliver honest and transparent elections.
” Raffensperger responded to the call for his resignation by telling the Republican senators “ that is not going to happen.
” “ I know emotions are running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , ” he said in a statement .
“ If I was Senator Perdue , I ’ d be irritated I was in a runoff .
And both senators and I are unhappy with the potential outcome for our president .
But I am the duly elected secretary of state .
One of my duties involves helping to run elections for all Georgia voters .
I have taken that oath , and I will execute that duty and follow Georgia law.
” Raffensperger said that the allegation about a lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election a “ resounding success.
” Though Raffensperger believes there were some votes cast illegally , he added that it was “ unlikely ” the total rose to the “ numbers or margin necessary to change the outcome.
” “ As a Republican , I am concerned about Republicans keeping the U.S. Senate , ” he added .
“ I recommend that Senators Loeffler and Perdue start focusing on that.
” President-elect Joe Biden is on track to win the state , which would mark the first time a Democrat carried Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was always expected to head to a run-off , will face off against Rev .
Raphael Warnock , a Democrat , after placing second in the state ’ s open primary .
Perdue appeared headed for a win on Tuesday night before his total fell just short of the 50 % needed to outright defeat Democrat challenger Jon Ossoff after mail-in votes in the Atlanta area were counted .
The two races are expected to determine control of the Senate if Democrats lose the outstanding Senate elections in Alaska and North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations about fraud without citing any evidence , Georgia ’ s Republican officials have forcefully pushed back on the claim that anything was amiss about the result , where Biden leads Trump by about 11,400 votes .
Raffensperger said in his statement that his office had been extraordinarily transparent , and the reporting process had been orderly .
He said his office had investigated allegations of illegal voting and sent a monitor to oversee elections in Fulton County , which includes much of Atlanta .
Lt. Gov .
Geoff Duncan , a fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had seen no evidence of widespread fraud .
“ We ’ ve not had any sort of credible incidents raised to our level yet , ” he said , “ and so we ’ ll continue to make sure that the opportunity to make sure every legal ballot is counted is there.
” Gabriel Sterling , the head of the voting system for Raffensperger ’ s office , told reporters on Monday that the baseless allegations about the state ’ s elections were “ disinformation ” and “ fake news.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Don ’ t buy into these things .
Find trusted sources.
” Even as top election officials pushed back , Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp , another Trump ally , appeared to echo the president ’ s unfounded claims sowing doubt in the count .
But he stopped short of criticizing Raffensperger .
“ Given the close outcome and the record number of mail-in and absentee ballots cast in this election , this needs to be a wake-up call to the secretary of state ’ s office to take a serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations that have been made , ” his office said in a statement .
“ Georgians deserve to have every legal vote counted in order to have full confidence in the outcome of our elections.
” Republicans , including senior Trump advisers , acknowledged to the Associated Press that finding “ proof ” to back his fabricated allegations “ isn ’ t really the point.
” Republicans privately admit that “ they are in a tough spot , wary of crossing Trump and his most ardent supporters ” and say they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and space he needs to come to grips with the election results , ” according to the AP .
A Politico/Morning Consult poll released on Monday showed that 70 % of Republican voters do not think the election was free and fair as Trump has continued to push lawsuits , many of which have already been quickly rejected by judges in multiple states .
While some Republicans believe that enabling Trump to sow doubt in the election is key to holding on to his voter base ahead of two Senate-deciding run-off elections , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major long-term damage .
“ Trump is gon na cost the GOP the Senate , ” conservative commentator Erick Erickson wrote .
“ His supporters are internalizing that the election in Georgia was stolen so why bother even trying.
” Longtime Republican election lawyer Barry Richard , who represented George W. Bush in the 2000 Florida recount , said the groundless allegations pushed by Trump and his allies did little but undermine the system .
“ Nothing that I ’ ve seen regarding the election raises a legal issue that could succeed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he told the AP .
“ When these kind of lawsuits are filed it just breeds contempt for the whole legal system .
”

Georgia’s two Republican senators called on the state’s Republican secretary of state to resign over unspecified “failures” as they echoed President Donald Trump’s baseless claims sowing doubt in the results of the election.
Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, who face run-offs in January after they both failed last week to clinch 50% of the vote needed to win their elections outright, said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican who was repeatedly praised by Trump, “has failed the people of Georgia” and “should step down.” The statement, which Raffensperger called “laughable,” came as numerous top elections officials refuted claims pushed by Trump and enabled by Republican leaders.
“The management of Georgia elections has become an embarrassment for our state. Georgians are outraged, and rightly so,” the senators said. “We have been clear from the beginning: every legal vote cast should be counted. Any illegal vote must not. And there must be transparency and uniformity in the counting process. This isn’t hard. This isn’t partisan. This is American. We believe when there are failures, they need to be called out — even when it’s in your own party.”
Raffensperger said last week “there will be a recount” of the ballots cast in the presidential election. Though the secretary of state vowed that his office would investigate any reports of irregularities, he pushed back on baseless claims of fraud.
Without citing any evidence, the senators calling on Raffensperger to resign claimed that there had been “too many failures” in the state’s elections this year.
“While blame certainly lies elsewhere as well, the buck ultimately stops with the secretary of State,” they said. “The mismanagement and lack of transparency from the secretary of state is unacceptable. Honest elections are paramount to the foundation of our democracy. The secretary of state has failed to deliver honest and transparent elections.”
Raffensperger responded to the call for his resignation by telling the Republican senators “that is not going to happen.”
“I know emotions are running high. Politics are involved in everything right now,” he said in a statement. “If I was Senator Perdue, I’d be irritated I was in a runoff. And both senators and I are unhappy with the potential outcome for our president. But I am the duly elected secretary of state. One of my duties involves helping to run elections for all Georgia voters. I have taken that oath, and I will execute that duty and follow Georgia law.”
Raffensperger said that the allegation about a lack of transparency was “laughable” and called the election a “resounding success.” Though Raffensperger believes there were some votes cast illegally, he added that it was “unlikely” the total rose to the “numbers or margin necessary to change the outcome.”
“As a Republican, I am concerned about Republicans keeping the U.S. Senate,” he added. “I recommend that Senators Loeffler and Perdue start focusing on that.”
President-elect Joe Biden is on track to win the state, which would mark the first time a Democrat carried Georgia since Bill Clinton in 1992. Loeffler, who was always expected to head to a run-off, will face off against Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, after placing second in the state’s open primary. Perdue appeared headed for a win on Tuesday night before his total fell just short of the 50% needed to outright defeat Democrat challenger Jon Ossoff after mail-in votes in the Atlanta area were counted. The two races are expected to determine control of the Senate if Democrats lose the outstanding Senate elections in Alaska and North Carolina.
Though Trump has pushed baseless allegations about fraud without citing any evidence, Georgia’s Republican officials have forcefully pushed back on the claim that anything was amiss about the result, where Biden leads Trump by about 11,400 votes.
Raffensperger said in his statement that his office had been extraordinarily transparent, and the reporting process had been orderly. He said his office had investigated allegations of illegal voting and sent a monitor to oversee elections in Fulton County, which includes much of Atlanta.
Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a fellow Republican, told CNN on Monday that he had seen no evidence of widespread fraud.
“We’ve not had any sort of credible incidents raised to our level yet,” he said, “and so we’ll continue to make sure that the opportunity to make sure every legal ballot is counted is there.”
Gabriel Sterling, the head of the voting system for Raffensperger’s office, told reporters on Monday that the baseless allegations about the state’s elections were “disinformation” and “fake news.”
“Hoaxes and nonsense,” Sterling said. “Don’t buy into these things. Find trusted sources.”
Even as top election officials pushed back, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, another Trump ally, appeared to echo the president’s unfounded claims sowing doubt in the count. But he stopped short of criticizing Raffensperger.
“Given the close outcome and the record number of mail-in and absentee ballots cast in this election, this needs to be a wake-up call to the secretary of state’s office to take a serious look at any and all voting irregularity allegations that have been made,” his office said in a statement. “Georgians deserve to have every legal vote counted in order to have full confidence in the outcome of our elections.”
Republicans, including senior Trump advisers, acknowledged to the Associated Press that finding “proof” to back his fabricated allegations “isn’t really the point.”
Republicans privately admit that “they are in a tough spot, wary of crossing Trump and his most ardent supporters” and say they’re “trying to give Trump the time and space he needs to come to grips with the election results,” according to the AP.
A Politico/Morning Consult poll released on Monday showed that 70% of Republican voters do not think the election was free and fair as Trump has continued to push lawsuits, many of which have already been quickly rejected by judges in multiple states.
While some Republicans believe that enabling Trump to sow doubt in the election is key to holding on to his voter base ahead of two Senate-deciding run-off elections, others believe the party is self-inflicting potentially major long-term damage.
“Trump is gonna cost the GOP the Senate,” conservative commentator Erick Erickson wrote. “His supporters are internalizing that the election in Georgia was stolen so why bother even trying.”
Longtime Republican election lawyer Barry Richard, who represented George W. Bush in the 2000 Florida recount, said the groundless allegations pushed by Trump and his allies did little but undermine the system.
“Nothing that I’ve seen regarding the election raises a legal issue that could succeed. There is just is nothing there,” he told the AP. “When these kind of lawsuits are filed it just breeds contempt for the whole legal system.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-11-11--Trump’s Frivolous Lawsuits Are the Tip of the Iceberg in His Refusal to Concede

As masses of people poured into the streets to celebrate the end of Donald Trump ’ s fascist rule , the lame duck president ’ s lawyers were filing frivolous lawsuits in an attempt to nullify Joe Biden ’ s victory .
But none of these suits , even if successful , would change the results of the election .
Shortly after CNN called the election for Biden , Trump said in a statement , “ Beginning Monday , our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutors prosecute cases — in criminal court .
Private litigants in civil cases are called plaintiffs .
And second , anyone who has the money to hire a lawyer can bring a lawsuit about anything .
Thousands of legal actions are filed every day , but very few are taken seriously by judges .
It ’ s unclear whether Trump is even paying his hired guns ; Rudy Giuliani once said he works for Trump without pay .
For months , Trump has mounted a concerted strategy to preemptively discredit the election results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with mail-in ballots .
Republicans and the Trump campaign have filed myriad lawsuits , even before the election , all seeking to erect obstacles to voting .
Mindful that many more people than usual would vote by mail to protect themselves from the coronavirus , Trump sowed the seeds of doubt about the validity of mail-in ballots .
With no evidence whatsoever , he fabricated claims of massive voter fraud .
With no regard for the health risks , Trump encouraged his minions to vote in person , insisting the election results must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s supporters obliged and most voted at the polls .
It was therefore no surprise that the overwhelming number of mail-in ballots were cast by Democrats .
Early Wednesday morning , as his putative lead began to evaporate , Trump tweeted , “ We ’ ll be going to the U.S. Supreme Court .
We want all voting to stop.
” Trump had said in no uncertain terms that he wanted Amy Coney Barrett installed on the Supreme Court to decide the election in his favor .
But although counting of mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Tuesday .
“ If you count the legal votes , I easily win .
if you count the illegal votes , they can try to steal the election from us , ” Trump falsely claimed Thursday night .
But as retiring Rep. Paul Mitchell ( R-Michigan ) tweeted , “ a legally cast vote does not become ‘ illegal ’ simply because a candidate does not like the vote.
” The same night , in a White House briefing , Trump said , again falsely , “ We were winning in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually .
And then our number started miraculously getting whittled away in secret.
” The tabulations were not conducted in secret ; they were witnessed by both Republican and Democratic poll watchers .
Moreover , on election night , the count appeared to favor Trump since most Democrats cast mail ballots , which take longer to count .
Some states , including Pennsylvania , forbid the counting of any ballots until Election Day .
A Democratic-sponsored bill in Pennsylvania would have allowed mail-in ballots to be opened and counted before Election Day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
But Republicans in the Pennsylvania legislature defeated the bill .
Since Trump ’ s strategy was to declare victory on election night , the GOP forces likely sought to prevent mail-in ballots from diluting Trump ’ s apparent early lead .
Furthermore , election workers didn ’ t even open mail ballots until November 4 , since several counties required all workers to conduct the election on November 3 .
This explains why it took longer to report the vote counts in Pennsylvania .
On Saturday morning , Trump erroneously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by a lot.
” At the time , Biden was leading in the electoral vote — 253 to 214 — and he had received 4,250,184 more popular votes than Trump .
It was Pennsylvania that put Biden over the top in electoral votes .
CNN and other news outlets called Biden the winner on Saturday morning .
Trump falsely tweeted about “ …Pennsylvania , which everyone thought was easily won on Election Night , only to see a massive lead disappear , without anyone being allowed to OBSERVE , for long intervals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also tweeted , “ Tens of thousands of votes were illegally received after 8 P.M. on Tuesday , Election Day , totally and easily changing the results in Pennsylvania and certain other razor thin states.
” There was nothing illegal about counting ballots that were postmarked by , but received after , Election Day .
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ruled that ballots could be counted if received by Friday , November 6 .
Trump ’ s challenge to mail-in ballots received in Pennsylvania between November 3 and 6 is the only case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and even that is unlikely , since those ballots would not alter the election results .
Twice before the election , Republican state legislators and the Republican Party of Philadelphia asked the high court to halt Pennsylvania ’ s three-day extension for receipt of mail-in ballots .
Twice they were rebuffed .
The first time , the Court deadlocked 4-to-4 , leaving the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in place .
Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three remaining liberals — Stephen Breyer , Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — to uphold the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clarence Thomas , Samuel Alito , Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh voted to block the ballots .
Although the Supreme Court refused to review the case for lack of time , Alito , Gorsuch and Thomas wrote a statement on October 28 , suggesting the Court could still hear the case after the election .
They described the plaintiffs ’ request as a “ last ditch attempt to prevent the election in Pennsylvania from being conducted under a cloud.
” Barrett has not yet participated in this case .
On Saturday , Alito @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to segregate , and separately count , mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day .
The Pennsylvania attorney general affirmed that the state had already segregated them .
But the number of ballots in contention is so small it would not affect the outcome of the election .
The Court is thus not likely to review this case .
Trump ’ s spate of frivolous lawsuits will not reverse the results of the election .
In spite of Trump ’ s pattern of lies about massive fraud from mail-in ballots , his cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judges have dismissed Trump ’ s lawsuits in Georgia and Michigan for lack of any evidence to support fraud allegations .
The cases Trump has won involve primarily technicalities involving small numbers of ballots .
Trump ’ s cases include closer access of election observers , signature verification on mail ballots , nonresident voting and the mixing of a small number of ballots .
Trump ’ s forces are seeking a recount in Wisconsin , which is unlikely to change the results in that state .
Trump probably thinks the Supreme Court , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his court challenges by handing him the presidency .
That won ’ t happen .
But his flurry of lawsuits is also designed to cast doubt on the integrity of the election .
As Robert Reich noted , “ Trump backers are trying to push Republican-controlled state legislatures to appoint their own slates of Trump electors .
That ’ s why the campaign has launched empty legal challenges to perfectly normal vote counts – trying to sow enough doubt to give the state legislatures political cover to appoint their own electors.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can expect Trump to pull out all the stops in the next two-and-a-half months before Inauguration Day .
He plans large rallies to rile his gun-toting base .
He has enlisted most Republican leaders , including Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham , to collaborate with his attempted theft of the election .
Since the election , Attorney General William Barr told department officials that he didn ’ t see massive voter fraud or a systemic problem .
But on Monday , under pressure from Trump , Barr authorized federal prosecutors to investigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tabulation irregularities.
” He limited the investigations to what he described as “ clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that , if true , could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.
” Weeks before the election , the department had removed its prohibition on voter fraud investigations prior to an election .
In response to Barr ’ s directive , Richard Pilger , the Justice Department official directing voter fraud investigations , immediately stepped down from his job in protest .
Barr ’ s authorization will give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oppose Biden ’ s victory .
Trump is mounting a full-court press to steal the election from Joe Biden .
The refusal to accept the election results by Trump and his congressional and Justice Department accomplices , coupled with his obstruction of the transition process , do not bode well for a peaceful transfer of power .

None of Trump’s lawsuits risk changing the results of the election, but his refusal to concede does not bode well.
Part of the Series Human Rights and Global Wrongs
As masses of people poured into the streets to celebrate the end of Donald Trump’s fascist rule, the lame duck president’s lawyers were filing frivolous lawsuits in an attempt to nullify Joe Biden’s victory. But none of these suits, even if successful, would change the results of the election.
Shortly after CNN called the election for Biden, Trump said in a statement, “Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.”
First of all, only prosecutors prosecute cases — in criminal court. Private litigants in civil cases are called plaintiffs. And second, anyone who has the money to hire a lawyer can bring a lawsuit about anything. Thousands of legal actions are filed every day, but very few are taken seriously by judges. It’s unclear whether Trump is even paying his hired guns; Rudy Giuliani once said he works for Trump without pay.
For months, Trump has mounted a concerted strategy to preemptively discredit the election results, spewing unsupported allegations of voter fraud with mail-in ballots. Republicans and the Trump campaign have filed myriad lawsuits, even before the election, all seeking to erect obstacles to voting.
Mindful that many more people than usual would vote by mail to protect themselves from the coronavirus, Trump sowed the seeds of doubt about the validity of mail-in ballots. With no evidence whatsoever, he fabricated claims of massive voter fraud. With no regard for the health risks, Trump encouraged his minions to vote in person, insisting the election results must be known on Election Day. Trump’s supporters obliged and most voted at the polls. It was therefore no surprise that the overwhelming number of mail-in ballots were cast by Democrats.
Early Wednesday morning, as his putative lead began to evaporate, Trump tweeted, “We’ll be going to the U.S. Supreme Court. We want all voting to stop.” Trump had said in no uncertain terms that he wanted Amy Coney Barrett installed on the Supreme Court to decide the election in his favor. But although counting of mail-in ballots continued, no votes were cast after Tuesday.
“If you count the legal votes, I easily win. if you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us,” Trump falsely claimed Thursday night. But as retiring Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-Michigan) tweeted, “a legally cast vote does not become ‘illegal’ simply because a candidate does not like the vote.”
Judges have dismissed Trump’s lawsuits in Georgia and Michigan for lack of any evidence to support fraud allegations.
The same night, in a White House briefing, Trump said, again falsely, “We were winning in all the key locations by a lot, actually. And then our number started miraculously getting whittled away in secret.” The tabulations were not conducted in secret; they were witnessed by both Republican and Democratic poll watchers.
Moreover, on election night, the count appeared to favor Trump since most Democrats cast mail ballots, which take longer to count. Some states, including Pennsylvania, forbid the counting of any ballots until Election Day. A Democratic-sponsored bill in Pennsylvania would have allowed mail-in ballots to be opened and counted before Election Day in light of the anticipated surge due to the pandemic. But Republicans in the Pennsylvania legislature defeated the bill. Since Trump’s strategy was to declare victory on election night, the GOP forces likely sought to prevent mail-in ballots from diluting Trump’s apparent early lead. Furthermore, election workers didn’t even open mail ballots until November 4, since several counties required all workers to conduct the election on November 3. This explains why it took longer to report the vote counts in Pennsylvania.
On Saturday morning, Trump erroneously asserted, “I won this election, by a lot.” At the time, Biden was leading in the electoral vote — 253 to 214 — and he had received 4,250,184 more popular votes than Trump.
The Pennsylvania Case
It was Pennsylvania that put Biden over the top in electoral votes. CNN and other news outlets called Biden the winner on Saturday morning. Trump falsely tweeted about “…Pennsylvania, which everyone thought was easily won on Election Night, only to see a massive lead disappear, without anyone being allowed to OBSERVE, for long intervals of time.”
Again falsely, Trump also tweeted, “Tens of thousands of votes were illegally received after 8 P.M. on Tuesday, Election Day, totally and easily changing the results in Pennsylvania and certain other razor thin states.”
Trump is mounting a full-court press to steal the election from Joe Biden.
There was nothing illegal about counting ballots that were postmarked by, but received after, Election Day. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ruled that ballots could be counted if received by Friday, November 6.
Trump’s challenge to mail-in ballots received in Pennsylvania between November 3 and 6 is the only case that the U.S. Supreme Court might review, and even that is unlikely, since those ballots would not alter the election results.
Twice before the election, Republican state legislators and the Republican Party of Philadelphia asked the high court to halt Pennsylvania’s three-day extension for receipt of mail-in ballots. Twice they were rebuffed. The first time, the Court deadlocked 4-to-4, leaving the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in place. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three remaining liberals — Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — to uphold the state court’s decision. Right-wingers Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh voted to block the ballots.
Although the Supreme Court refused to review the case for lack of time, Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas wrote a statement on October 28, suggesting the Court could still hear the case after the election. They described the plaintiffs’ request as a “last ditch attempt to prevent the election in Pennsylvania from being conducted under a cloud.” Barrett has not yet participated in this case.
On Saturday, Alito ordered Pennsylvania’s secretary of state to segregate, and separately count, mail-in ballots that arrived after Election Day. The Pennsylvania attorney general affirmed that the state had already segregated them. But the number of ballots in contention is so small it would not affect the outcome of the election. The Court is thus not likely to review this case.
Trump’s spate of frivolous lawsuits will not reverse the results of the election. In spite of Trump’s pattern of lies about massive fraud from mail-in ballots, his cases don’t allege widespread fraud. Judges have dismissed Trump’s lawsuits in Georgia and Michigan for lack of any evidence to support fraud allegations. The cases Trump has won involve primarily technicalities involving small numbers of ballots. Trump’s cases include closer access of election observers, signature verification on mail ballots, nonresident voting and the mixing of a small number of ballots. Trump’s forces are seeking a recount in Wisconsin, which is unlikely to change the results in that state.
Trump probably thinks the Supreme Court, with his three appointees, will respond to his court challenges by handing him the presidency. That won’t happen. But his flurry of lawsuits is also designed to cast doubt on the integrity of the election. As Robert Reich noted, “Trump backers are trying to push Republican-controlled state legislatures to appoint their own slates of Trump electors. That’s why the campaign has launched empty legal challenges to perfectly normal vote counts – trying to sow enough doubt to give the state legislatures political cover to appoint their own electors.”
In his desperation to maintain power, we can expect Trump to pull out all the stops in the next two-and-a-half months before Inauguration Day.
He plans large rallies to rile his gun-toting base. He has enlisted most Republican leaders, including Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, to collaborate with his attempted theft of the election.
Since the election, Attorney General William Barr told department officials that he didn’t see massive voter fraud or a systemic problem. But on Monday, under pressure from Trump, Barr authorized federal prosecutors to investigate “substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities.” He limited the investigations to what he described as “clear and apparently-credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual State.” Weeks before the election, the department had removed its prohibition on voter fraud investigations prior to an election.
In response to Barr’s directive, Richard Pilger, the Justice Department official directing voter fraud investigations, immediately stepped down from his job in protest.
Barr’s authorization will give McConnell and other GOP leaders ammunition to oppose Biden’s victory.
Trump is mounting a full-court press to steal the election from Joe Biden. The refusal to accept the election results by Trump and his congressional and Justice Department accomplices, coupled with his obstruction of the transition process, do not bode well for a peaceful transfer of power.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-11-11--Days After Hopeful Pfizer Vaccine News, 82% of Doses Bought by Richest Nations

Campaigners in the United Kingdom on Wednesday warned that just two days after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer shared positive early results of its coronavirus vaccine trial , mass purchases of the vaccine by the world ’ s richest countries have left more than 85 % of the global population — namely , the world ’ s poorest — without any way to access it .
Pfizer says it can produce 1.35 billion doses of the vaccine , which was shown according to Pfizer ’ s first formal review to be 90 % effective at preventing coronavirus infection in patients who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of 2021 .
More than one billion of those doses — 82 % of the supply — have already been purchased by wealthy countries .
The U.S. has purchased 100 million doses with an option to buy 500 million , enough to potentially immunize its entire population against the coronavirus with hundreds of millions of doses left over .
Since Monday Pfizer has also sold 40 million doses to the U.K. and 200 million doses to the E.U.
, with an option to buy 100 million more .
In a statement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted that Pfizer ’ s partner in the development of the vaccine , German manufacturer BioNTech , has received financing of €375 million ( $ 441 million ) from the German government and €100 million ( $ 117 million ) from the European Investment Bank .
“ Pfizer claims not to have had any state support , but the advance purchase of a billion doses of an unproven drug , not to mention the tax breaks and direct public funding of Pfizer ’ s partner suggests their claim is misleading at best , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dearden .
“ Unless we break the stranglehold of these massive corporations over our medicines , the injustice will continue.
” Global Justice Now noted that Pfizer is likely to give some doses to developing countries through the World Health Organization ’ s Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility ( COVAX ) .
However , those doses are expected to make up a small fraction of those produced by Pfizer , leaving billions of people without access to the vaccine .
COVAX has been undermined by the refusal of some wealthy countries , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the global effort to ensure vaccine access , and now by mass purchases by some of those same countries .
“ You couldn ’ t get a clearer example of how unequal the pharmaceutical system is — some make billions of pounds , while many others die because they can not afford treatments or there are no more left for them to buy , ” Dearden said .
“ It ’ s got to change.
” Global Justice Now repeated its call from earlier this week for the suspension of global patent rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to develop generic versions of Pfizer ’ s vaccine .
South Africa and India last month proposed that the World Trade Organization suspend the rules on intellectual property for vaccines and treatments related to Covid-19 .
“ It is imperative that we end the vaccine nationalism and that sufficient supply is made available to all , on a fair basis , as a matter of urgency , ” said Dearden .
“ That can be helped by supporting governments like South Africa and India who are trying to suspend intellectual property rules at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ”

Mass purchases of the vaccine by the richest countries have left more than 85% of the global population without access.
Campaigners in the United Kingdom on Wednesday warned that just two days after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer shared positive early results of its coronavirus vaccine trial, mass purchases of the vaccine by the world’s richest countries have left more than 85% of the global population — namely, the world’s poorest — without any way to access it.
Pfizer says it can produce 1.35 billion doses of the vaccine, which was shown according to Pfizer’s first formal review to be 90% effective at preventing coronavirus infection in patients who have never had the virus, by the end of 2021. More than one billion of those doses — 82% of the supply — have already been purchased by wealthy countries.
Over 80% of #Pfizer’s vaccine doses have already been bought by the richest governments (= only 14% of global population). This shows just how screwed the pharma system is, and how empty the promises of western leaders like Johnson. #PeoplesVaccine Now! https://t.co/BiHlvfASvg — Nick Dearden (@nickdearden75) November 11, 2020
The U.S. has purchased 100 million doses with an option to buy 500 million, enough to potentially immunize its entire population against the coronavirus with hundreds of millions of doses left over. Since Monday Pfizer has also sold 40 million doses to the U.K. and 200 million doses to the E.U., with an option to buy 100 million more.
In a statement, the British campaign group Global Justice Now noted that Pfizer’s partner in the development of the vaccine, German manufacturer BioNTech, has received financing of €375 million ($441 million) from the German government and €100 million ($117 million) from the European Investment Bank.
“Pfizer claims not to have had any state support, but the advance purchase of a billion doses of an unproven drug, not to mention the tax breaks and direct public funding of Pfizer’s partner suggests their claim is misleading at best,” said Global Justice Now director Nick Dearden. “Unless we break the stranglehold of these massive corporations over our medicines, the injustice will continue.”
Global Justice Now noted that Pfizer is likely to give some doses to developing countries through the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX). However, those doses are expected to make up a small fraction of those produced by Pfizer, leaving billions of people without access to the vaccine.
COVAX has been undermined by the refusal of some wealthy countries, including the U.S., to take part in the global effort to ensure vaccine access, and now by mass purchases by some of those same countries.
“You couldn’t get a clearer example of how unequal the pharmaceutical system is — some make billions of pounds, while many others die because they cannot afford treatments or there are no more left for them to buy,” Dearden said. “It’s got to change.”
Global Justice Now repeated its call from earlier this week for the suspension of global patent rules to make it possible for poor countries to develop generic versions of Pfizer’s vaccine. South Africa and India last month proposed that the World Trade Organization suspend the rules on intellectual property for vaccines and treatments related to Covid-19.
“It is imperative that we end the vaccine nationalism and that sufficient supply is made available to all, on a fair basis, as a matter of urgency,” said Dearden. “That can be helped by supporting governments like South Africa and India who are trying to suspend intellectual property rules at the WTO during this global emergency.”
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