truthout--2020-11-09--Progressives Tell Biden: Don’t “Cooperate” With McConnell in Choosing Cabinet

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

Joe Biden must not be willing to toss aside progressives in order to cooperate with the likes of McConnell.
Near the end of his well-crafted victory speech Saturday night, Joe Biden decried “the refusal of Democrats and Republicans to cooperate with one another.” He went on to say that “we can decide to cooperate. And I believe that this is part of the mandate from the American people. They want us to cooperate. That’s the choice I’ll make. And I call on the Congress — Democrats and Republicans alike — to make that choice with me.”
If Biden chooses to “cooperate” with Mitch McConnell, that choice is likely to set off a political war between the new administration and the Democratic Party’s progressive base.
After the election, citing “people familiar with the matter,” Axios reported that “Republicans’ likely hold on the Senate is forcing Joe Biden’s transition team to consider limiting its prospective Cabinet nominees to those who Mitch McConnell can live with.” Yet this spin flies in the face of usual procedures for Senate confirmation of Cabinet nominees.
“Traditionally, an incoming president is given wide berth to pick his desired team,” Axios noted. But “a source close to McConnell tells Axios a Republican Senate would work with Biden on centrist nominees but no ‘radical progressives’ or ones who are controversial with conservatives…. This political reality could result in Biden having a more centrist Cabinet. It also gives Biden a ready excuse to reject left-of-center candidates, like Sens. Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, who have the enthusiastic backing of progressives.”
Let’s be clear: The extent to which Biden goes along with such a scenario of craven capitulation will be the extent to which he has shafted progressives before his presidency has even begun.
And let’s be clear about something else: Biden doesn’t have to defer to Mitch McConnell on Cabinet appointees. Biden has powerful leverage — if he wants to use it. As outlined in a memo released days ago by Demand Progress and the Revolving Door Project, “President Biden will be under no obligation to hand Mitch McConnell the keys to his Cabinet.”
The memo explains that Biden could fill his Cabinet by using the Vacancies Act — which “provides an indisputably legal channel to fill Senate-confirmed positions on a temporary basis when confirmations are delayed.”
In addition, “Biden can adjourn Congress and make recess appointments” — since Article II Section 3 of the Constitution “gives the President the power to adjourn Congress ‘to such time as he shall think proper’ whenever the House and Senate disagree on adjournment” — and after 10 days of recess, Biden could appoint Cabinet members.
In other words, if there’s a political will, there would be ways to overcome the anti-democratic obstructionism of Mitch McConnell. But does Biden really have the political will?
McConnell is the foremost practitioner of ruthless right-wing hardball on Capitol Hill. During the last two administrations, the Senate’s majority leader has done enormous damage to democracy and the lives of many millions of people. Why in the hell should Biden be vowing to cooperate with the likes of McConnell?
Eighteen months ago, campaigning in New Hampshire, Biden proclaimed: “The thing that will fundamentally change things is with Donald Trump out of the White House. Not a joke. You will see an epiphany occur among many of my Republican friends.”
It was an absurd statement back then. Now, it’s an ominous one.
Anyone who’s expecting an epiphany from McConnell after Trump leaves the White House is ignoring how the Senate majority leader behaved before Trump was in the White House — doing things like refusing to allow any Senate consideration of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland during the last 10 months of the Obama administration.
McConnell has made it crystal clear that he’s a no-holds-barred ideologue who’ll stoop as low as he can to thwart democracy and social progress. Cooperating with him would be either a fool’s errand or an exercise in capitulation. And, when it comes to congressional workings, Biden is no fool.
Yes, Republicans are likely to have a Senate majority for at least the next two years. But President Biden will have a profound choice: to either fight them or “cooperate” with them. If Biden’s idea of the art of the deal is to shaft progressives, he and Kamala Harris are going to have a colossal party insurrection on their hands.
The young voters and African-American voters who were largely responsible for Biden’s win did not turn out in such big numbers so he could turn around and cave in to the same extremist Republican Party that propelled much of their enthusiasm for voting Biden in the first place. Overall, as polling has made clear, it was abhorrence of Trump — more than enthusiasm for Biden — that captivated Biden voters.
A CNBC poll, released last week, found that 54 percent of swing-state Biden voters “said they are primarily voting against Trump” rather than in favor of Biden. For Biden to embark on his presidency by collaborating with the party of Trump would be more than tone-deaf. It would be a refusal to put up a fight against the very forces that so many Biden voters were highly motivated to defeat.
Progressives are disgusted when Democratic leaders set out to ask Republicans for part of a loaf and end up getting crumbs. If Joe Biden is willing to toss aside the progressive base of his own party in order to cooperate with the likes of Mitch McConnell, the new president will be starting a fierce civil war inside his own party.
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.
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truthout--2020-11-09--Pervasive Racial Bias in Courts Requires Transformative Social Change

A new report commissioned by New York State Courts found substantial racism throughout the state ’ s court system .
The report recalls egregious stories of racial bias , such as white court officers posting racist images on social media , using the n-word or referring to Black people as “ monkeys , ” or judges mistaking Black attorneys for criminal defendants .
This report reflects a growing chorus of state courts throughout the country grappling with how to best address systemic racism .
While the revelations in the New York report may feel like a splash of cold water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others — ultimately , it only scratches the surface of the pervasive racism in our judiciary .
The judicial branch of government is supposed to be unbiased , fair and impartial .
After all , it is the nonpolitical branch of government .
But what if it is not ?
The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020 , followed by the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court , has spotlighted the deeply consequential role of the judiciary in challenging or perpetuating systemic racism .
Indeed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law also requires the federal and state court systems , more broadly , to confront the reality of systemic racism and to take action .
Over the past decade , a growing number of state courts have created anti-bias initiatives for state court judges , court officers and juries .
At the same time that anti-bias trainings have become more commonplace in the United States , the Trump administration is set on reversing course by fervently attacking anti-racist public discourse .
On September 22 , President Trump signed an executive order barring federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gender bias , or that teach critical race theory .
Despite the efforts of the Trump administration to restrict anti-racist discourse , state courts all across the U.S. have issued statements acknowledging institutional racism , implicit bias and the need for collective action .
In fact , the New York report on racial bias in the courts was commissioned by New York State Chief Judge Janet DiFiore precisely in response to the Black uprisings in 2020 .
The revelations in the report show a pattern of bias that pervades the court system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report interviewed almost 300 people throughout the court system .
Unsurprisingly , similar accounts of pervasive bias exist in other jurisdictions .
In California , the Commission on Judicial Performance documents a vast compilation of judicial misconduct involving rampant bias .
For example , a California judge referred to a court reporter of Japanese heritage as “ little Buddha head.
” Another judge referred to a Black defendant as a “ good boy.
” And another judge told a defense attorney who was born in Ecuador to “ lose the accent.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break the misconception that bias is aberrational or isolated to a single individual , courthouse or state .
As important as identifying and challenging interpersonal bias in the courts is , systemic racism is more than simply interpersonal bias or prejudice between individuals .
One of critical race theory ’ s most significant critiques of traditional anti-discrimination law is of how narrowly the law defines racism and racialized harm , and what are legally permissible remedies for that harm .
Legal scholar Alan Freeman calls this the perpetrator perspective — a perspective that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but as actions , or series of actions , inflicted on the victim by the perpetrator.
” It ignores the conditions that produce discrimination to begin with .
In contrast , Freeman provides an alternative view of discrimination called the victim perspective , where “ racial discrimination describes those conditions of actual social existence as a member of a perpetual underclass.
” The victim approach to racial discrimination suggests that the problem will not be solved until the conditions associated with it have been eliminated .
This approach individualizes racism as harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Similarly , Kimberlé Crenshaw , a founding critical race theorist and law professor , wrote in “ Race , Reform , and Retrenchment : Transformation and Legitimation in Antidiscrimination Law that civil rights laws need to address the “ societal commitment to the eradication of the substantive conditions of Black subordination.
” While the New York report gestures to some of the institutional dimensions of racism in the courts , it just does not go far enough .
Specifically , the report acknowledges how under-resourced and overburdened the courts are , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and criminal courts in New York City , whose litigants are disproportionately people of color .
The report will even use words like “ dehumanizing ” and “ second-class system of justice ” to describe the experience for litigants of color in court .
But the scope of the report is largely focused on issues of bias and addressing incidents of interpersonal discrimination , and its recommendations are limited to anti-bias trainings and developing protocols for bias complaints .
We must be clear that court reforms to address interpersonal racial bias only scratch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important as anti-bias trainings and developing complaint protocols are , like increasing judicial diversity , such measures only address the symptoms but not the root causes of systemic racial inequality .
The solutions we need require changing the conditions that reproduce racial inequality — this includes changing laws and policies , and the redistribution of resources away from policing and prisons to investment in housing , education , jobs and health care for directly impacted communities .
In criminal court , what were the conditions that precipitated the defendant ’ s arrest ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment in policing to prosecution and in every step of the criminal legal system .
There is racially disparate policing for all kinds of offenses like fare evasion , and more recently , social distancing .
Until we reckon with racist policing of Black and Latinx communities and criminalization of poverty , nothing will change .
Court reforms to address interpersonal racial bias only scratch the surface of systemic racism .
In housing court , what were the conditions that precipitated a tenant ’ s rental arrears ?
How does the racial wealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and employment opportunities , and pay disparities on the basis of race and gender affect housing insecurity ?
And even during this pandemic , there are higher deaths , more layoffs and unemployment among communities of color .
The economic consequences of these conditions are what produce disproportionate housing insecurity and homelessness for Black and Brown communities .
This analysis can be applied to other courts and legal proceedings that disproportionately regulate the lives of low-income communities of color .
Until we address the systemic nature of racism in our society , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our courts alone .
Kimberlé Crenshaw once said : “ When there ’ s no name for a problem , you can ’ t see a problem .
When you can ’ t see a problem , you can ’ t solve it.
” Exposing racial bias in the courts is important work , and we must duly reckon with explicit and implicit bias of judges , attorneys , juries and court officers .
Simultaneously , we must see that systemic racism in our courts go beyond interpersonal bias .
Racism operates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pervasive and systemic nature of racism in our society at large .
Only by confronting the full reality of systemic racism can we craft recommendations and implement solutions that address the root causes of racism and not simply mitigate its symptoms .

Racial bias in the courts is one more avatar of the pervasive, systemic racism that exists in our society at large.
A new report commissioned by New York State Courts found substantial racism throughout the state’s court system. The report recalls egregious stories of racial bias, such as white court officers posting racist images on social media, using the n-word or referring to Black people as “monkeys,” or judges mistaking Black attorneys for criminal defendants. This report reflects a growing chorus of state courts throughout the country grappling with how to best address systemic racism. While the revelations in the New York report may feel like a splash of cold water to some — and generate eye-rolls from others — ultimately, it only scratches the surface of the pervasive racism in our judiciary.
The judicial branch of government is supposed to be unbiased, fair and impartial. After all, it is the nonpolitical branch of government. But what if it is not? The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020, followed by the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court, has spotlighted the deeply consequential role of the judiciary in challenging or perpetuating systemic racism. Indeed, the pursuit of equal justice under the law also requires the federal and state court systems, more broadly, to confront the reality of systemic racism and to take action.
Over the past decade, a growing number of state courts have created anti-bias initiatives for state court judges, court officers and juries. At the same time that anti-bias trainings have become more commonplace in the United States, the Trump administration is set on reversing course by fervently attacking anti-racist public discourse. On September 22, President Trump signed an executive order barring federal contractors from workplace trainings that discuss racial and gender bias, or that teach critical race theory. Despite the efforts of the Trump administration to restrict anti-racist discourse, state courts all across the U.S. have issued statements acknowledging institutional racism, implicit bias and the need for collective action.
In fact, the New York report on racial bias in the courts was commissioned by New York State Chief Judge Janet DiFiore precisely in response to the Black uprisings in 2020. The revelations in the report show a pattern of bias that pervades the court system. The legal team that prepared the report interviewed almost 300 people throughout the court system.
Unsurprisingly, similar accounts of pervasive bias exist in other jurisdictions. In California, the Commission on Judicial Performance documents a vast compilation of judicial misconduct involving rampant bias. For example, a California judge referred to a court reporter of Japanese heritage as “little Buddha head.” Another judge referred to a Black defendant as a “good boy.” And another judge told a defense attorney who was born in Ecuador to “lose the accent.” The totality of these cases of racial bias break the misconception that bias is aberrational or isolated to a single individual, courthouse or state.
As important as identifying and challenging interpersonal bias in the courts is, systemic racism is more than simply interpersonal bias or prejudice between individuals. One of critical race theory’s most significant critiques of traditional anti-discrimination law is of how narrowly the law defines racism and racialized harm, and what are legally permissible remedies for that harm. Legal scholar Alan Freeman calls this the perpetrator perspective — a perspective that sees “racial discrimination not as conditions, but as actions, or series of actions, inflicted on the victim by the perpetrator.” This approach individualizes racism as harm committed by a perpetrator against a victim. It ignores the conditions that produce discrimination to begin with.
State courts all across the U.S. have issued statements acknowledging institutional racism, implicit bias and the need for collective action.
In contrast, Freeman provides an alternative view of discrimination called the victim perspective, where “racial discrimination describes those conditions of actual social existence as a member of a perpetual underclass.” The victim approach to racial discrimination suggests that the problem will not be solved until the conditions associated with it have been eliminated. Similarly, Kimberlé Crenshaw, a founding critical race theorist and law professor, wrote in “Race, Reform, and Retrenchment: Transformation and Legitimation in Antidiscrimination Law ” that civil rights laws need to address the “societal commitment to the eradication of the substantive conditions of Black subordination.”
While the New York report gestures to some of the institutional dimensions of racism in the courts, it just does not go far enough. Specifically, the report acknowledges how under-resourced and overburdened the courts are, especially in the housing, family, civil and criminal courts in New York City, whose litigants are disproportionately people of color. The report will even use words like “dehumanizing” and “second-class system of justice” to describe the experience for litigants of color in court. But the scope of the report is largely focused on issues of bias and addressing incidents of interpersonal discrimination, and its recommendations are limited to anti-bias trainings and developing protocols for bias complaints.
We must be clear that court reforms to address interpersonal racial bias only scratch the surface of systemic racism. As important as anti-bias trainings and developing complaint protocols are, like increasing judicial diversity, such measures only address the symptoms but not the root causes of systemic racial inequality. The solutions we need require changing the conditions that reproduce racial inequality — this includes changing laws and policies, and the redistribution of resources away from policing and prisons to investment in housing, education, jobs and health care for directly impacted communities.
In criminal court, what were the conditions that precipitated the defendant’s arrest? There is racial profiling and racially disparate treatment in policing to prosecution and in every step of the criminal legal system. There is racially disparate policing for all kinds of offenses like fare evasion, and more recently, social distancing. Until we reckon with racist policing of Black and Latinx communities and criminalization of poverty, nothing will change.
Court reforms to address interpersonal racial bias only scratch the surface of systemic racism.
In housing court, what were the conditions that precipitated a tenant’s rental arrears? How does the racial wealth gap, ongoing racial discrimination in hiring and employment opportunities, and pay disparities on the basis of race and gender affect housing insecurity? And even during this pandemic, there are higher deaths, more layoffs and unemployment among communities of color. The economic consequences of these conditions are what produce disproportionate housing insecurity and homelessness for Black and Brown communities. This analysis can be applied to other courts and legal proceedings that disproportionately regulate the lives of low-income communities of color.
Until we address the systemic nature of racism in our society, on all fronts, nothing will substantially change in our courts alone. Kimberlé Crenshaw once said: “When there’s no name for a problem, you can’t see a problem. When you can’t see a problem, you can’t solve it.” Exposing racial bias in the courts is important work, and we must duly reckon with explicit and implicit bias of judges, attorneys, juries and court officers. Simultaneously, we must see that systemic racism in our courts go beyond interpersonal bias. Racism operates in the court system because of the pervasive and systemic nature of racism in our society at large. Only by confronting the full reality of systemic racism can we craft recommendations and implement solutions that address the root causes of racism and not simply mitigate its symptoms.
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--2020-11-09--Far Right Extremism Finds Footing in Some States Following Election

“ President Trump has the votes , ” Greene tweeted in the wee hours of Wednesday morning .
“ Stop the Steal !
” She encouraged followers to retweet if they agreed .
Former Trump adviser and convicted felon Roger Stone has long been associated with the hashtag # StopTheSteal , which some Twitter users have used to cast doubt on the process of counting votes .
A “ Stop the Steal ” group linked to Stone emerged in the lead-up to the 2016 election , targeting potential vote-counting measures then .
One America News Network correspondent Jack Posobiec , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has promoted the hashtag # StopTheSteal during the runup to the 2020 election .
Posobiec is an associate of Stone ’ s .
Ali Alexander ( aka Ali Akbar ) , another far-right political operative known for using social media to spread disinformation , has also repeatedly promoted the # StoptheSteal hashtag on Twitter .
Greene and other candidates with extremist ties — including the newly elected governor of Montana — prevailed in their races .
Despite having disavowed QAnon on Fox News , Greene ’ s previous beliefs in it will no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an umbrella term for a sprawling web of right-wing internet conspiracy theories with antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ elements .
Believers falsely claim the world is run by a secret cabal of pedophiles who worship Satan and are plotting against President Trump .
Greene was “ Teflon-proof ” during her entire campaign , said Mickey Tuck , a Republican from Floyd County who volunteered with the campaign of John Cowan , Greene ’ s opponent in the primary election .
“ She ran pretty much a populist campaign and evidently QAnon up here was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she believed that or not while she was campaigning — you ’ ve seen the videos.
” Republican party leaders in Washington , D.C. , criticized Greene for her QAnon association , with Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana citing her “ disgusting comments ” about Black people , George Soros and Muslims .
Greene weathered the storm and eventually prevailed .
“ She kept to her talking points , you know : ‘ I support Trump , I support the wall .
I ’ m against socialism.
’ She never got off those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greene and newly elected Colorado District 3 Congresswoman Lauren Boebert are the only two candidates known to have ties to QAnon to win seats in Congress .
A newcomer to politics , Boebert also distanced herself from QAnon conspiracy theories after facing criticism .
A month before the primary , she said of QAnon : “ I hope that this is real .
… Because it only means that America is getting stronger and better , and people are returning to conservative values , ” according to The Denver Post .
The newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and American Patriots Three Percenters before her primary .
Boebert defeated Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush and will represent the western half of Colorado .
Other Key Races Involving Candidates With Apparent Ties to Extremist Groups Former Irving , Texas , Mayor Beth Van Duyne , who became a favorite of anti-Muslim activists and right-wing pundits in 2015 , still holds a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Candace Valenzuela , though no official winner has been declared .
Van Duyne shot into the headlines in 2015 when she fought for an anti-Sharia law City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setting up a dispute-resolution practice based on Sharia at the Islamic Center of Irving sparked the move .
Van Duyne claimed the imams were setting up America ’ s first Sharia law court .
PolitiFact researched the claim and determined it was false .
U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins , the Republican incumbent from Louisiana ’ s Third Congressional District , with ties to the antigovernment militia group the Oath Keepers , knocked off three challengers in Louisiana ’ s open primary .
Higgins , who is based in Lafayette , Louisiana , won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke at a rally in June 2017 before a crowd of white supremacists and neo-fascists in Washington , D.C. At the rally , headlined by white nationalist Richard Spencer , Higgins addressed the antigovernment militia group the Oath Keepers .
At a campaign event in 2018 , as documented by the newspaper The Advocate , Higgins sold shirts featuring the logo of the Three Percenters movement .
The Oath Keepers website has a page dedicated to Higgins ’ speeches and comments .
In one video , Higgins , dressed in his Lafayette , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , politicians and “ the threats we face.
” On Twitter , Higgins posted on Oct. 23 that his wife — who he says has premonitions — dreamt of “ Federal squads ” in their home “ seizing guns , knives ” and other items .
“ They said we had been ‘ reported.
’ Becca awoke crying , ” Higgins wrote .
“ What happened to our freedom ?
She asked .
What indeed.
” BuzzFeed reported that Facebook pulled two posts by Higgins deemed threatening to a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death of Breonna Taylor , who was shot and killed by police in Louisville , Kentucky , while she slept in her home .
“ If this shows up , we ’ ll consider the armed presence a real threat , ” Higgins , a former law enforcement officer , posted in September on his personal , verified Captain Clay Higgins Facebook page along with a picture of an armed Black militia group that has protested the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd .
“ We don ’ t care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t care if you ’ re left or right .
If you show up like this , if We recognize threat… you won ’ t walk away.
” Republican Greg Gianforte , who has served as Montana ’ s U.S. representative from the state ’ s at-large district since 2017 , was elected governor with 54 % of the vote to Democratic opponent Mike Cooney ’ s 42 % .
Gianforte was first elected to Congress in a special election that was held when President Trump appointed Ryan Zinke , the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He made national news the night before that election when he body-slammed a reporter from The Guardian and was charged with misdemeanor assault .
Gianforte is also known for donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to anti-LGBTQ organizations through his family foundation , including almost $ 300,000 to anti-LGBTQ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom ( ADF ) and other donations to anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council ( FRC ) , whose action PAC endorsed his candidacy in February .
In 2014 , Gianforte opposed an ordinance in Bozeman , Montana , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in housing and employment .
Gianforte claimed the ordinance would discourage Christian businesses from coming to the city , and worked with ADF to propose language to provide a defense for religious businesses and organizations if they discriminated in public accommodations and employment .
The ordinance passed in June of that year .
Arizona state Senate candidate Justine Wadsack , a QAnon-aligned Republican , lost her bid for the state Senate District 10 seat .
Wadsack took just under 40 % of the vote , falling to Democrat Kirsten Engel for the seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Wadsack has a history of tweeting out QAnon hashtags .
On April 12 , Wadsack tweeted a thread about QAnon , complete with a link to a site that hosts original posts about the conspiracy theory , seeking to back the credibility of the mysterious “ Q , ” who periodically drops messages to followers .
“ To prove that Q ’ s following isn ’ t merely a few thousand baby-boomers in America ’ s Heartland ( as the media claim ) , # Qanon occasionally posts messages of support from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Incumbent Florida state Rep. Anthony Sabatini , a Republican from suburban Orlando , won his race for the state house despite being called the worst person in the state legislature by the Orlando Sentinel newspaper .
He drew the ire of colleagues when he tweeted out a picture of a semi-automatic rifle popular with militia groups .
The tweet came in the wake of national protests over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota at the hands of police officers .
“ Attention potential ‘ protesters ’ coming near Lake County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this will be a very common sight upon illegal entry at any Lake County business — FYI !
” Sabatini tweeted .
Sabatini tweeted a link in May to a site that collects “ Q ” posts .
Sabatini is a “ public QAnon believer ” who has been mentioned in one of the sprawling conspiracy theory ’ s posts , which are billed as secret , coded messages from the anonymous user “ Q , ” according to the website The Daily Dot .
Sabatini also has engaged in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Florida and around the nation in terms of gender reassignment is really sort of the Wild West , ” Sabatini told Miami New Times .
“ There are no real valid , serious diagnoses given to a child before they go down the path of changing their gender and their sexual identity.
” In pushing legislation that would have criminalized the prescription of hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery for minors in February , Sabatini cited support from the American College of Pediatricians , a fringe group that pushes junk science about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in committee .
Idaho state Rep. Christy Zito , who has appeared publicly at events involving conspiracy theorists and militia members , won state Senate District 23 .
Zito , a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from Hammett , spoke at a rally called “ Freedom is the Cure ” in August , the Twin Falls , Idaho , Times-News reported .
The John Birch Society , a long-standing antigovernment conspiracist group , inspired the name of the rally , and the Real Three Percenters of Idaho militia appeared .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Idaho Second Amendment Alliance ” with antigovernment activist Ammon Bundy , who is known for his participation along with his family in two prolonged standoffs with law enforcement .
In 2014 , Ammon ’ s father Cliven Bundy and his supporters engaged in an armed confrontation with federal agents at Cliven ’ s ranch in Bunkerville , Nevada , over his refusal to pay grazing fees to the Bureau of Land Management , and in 2016 , Ammon Bundy led a group of far-right extremists in an armed occupation of the Malheur Wildlife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Real Three Percenters Idaho militia , Eric “ EJ ” Parker , lost his bid for the Idaho State Senate .
Parker , the Republican candidate for Idaho state Senate District 26 , got 44 % of the vote in challenging incumbent Democrat Michelle Stennett .
Parker came onto the antigovernment scene in 2014 , when he joined the Bundy family at Bunkerville .
Parker , of Hailey , Idaho , pleaded guilty in 2017 to failing to comply with officers ’ orders to leave his armed position on an overpass during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a featured speaker at the August “ Freedom is the Cure ” event , and his militia group apparently provided event security .
As his campaign for the south-central Idaho district heated up , Parker has toned down some of the antigovernment rhetoric .
NPR reported that during a Sept. 17 debate , Parker pledged to obey the law , but left himself an out as well .
“ An unjust law is an illegal law per the Constitution , ” he told the audience .
Lindsay Schubiner of the Western States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that tracks militia activity in the region , said Parker and his group always carry the potential of violence .
“ Parker is still the leader of an armed paramilitary movement that is not accountable to any civil or government authority , ” Schubiner told NPR .
“ That ’ s incredibly dangerous.
” Idaho state Rep. Heather Scott , a Republican from Blanchard , won re-election to the state House seat she ’ s held since 2015 , taking 68 % of the vote against Democrat Gail Bolin .
Scott has taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oath Keepers and spoke at the “ Liberate America ” rally in Coeur d ’ Alene , Idaho , in June , where Oath Keepers provided security .
Scott has called COVID-19 regulations “ draconian ” and an “ over-response , ” touching on themes popular among far-right activists claiming that the government is tyrannical and impeding on citizens ’ civil liberties .
“ And every death , no matter what the reasoning , is COVID , ” Scott told rallygoers , falsely claiming the Covid-19 death toll is manufactured .
Scott said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow Republican , imposed restrictions under “ martial law , ” using phrasing from a long-standing conspiracy theory on the far-right about the government repressing citizens .
“ His edicts have come under martial law , ” Scott said at the rally .
“ He has essentially repealed laws.
” The legal citation given by Scott — Idaho statute 46.601 — allows the governor to call up the state and National Guard as well as “ the organized militia ” during a state of emergency .
The law does not give the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new ones unilaterally .
Scott also has close ties to antigovernment activist Ammon Bundy , and outgoing Washington state Rep. Matt Shea , who an investigation found helped Bundy and his followers pre-plan a standoff with the federal government at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016 .
Republican Tammy Nichols , who has made public appearances with right-wing conspiracy theorists , won a seat in the Idaho legislature with almost 80 % of the vote .
Nichols defeated Democrat Edward Savala .
Nichols told the Twin Falls Times-News that conservatives can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The media is not our friend , ” she said .
“ They are out there spewing information that is not correct.
” Two years earlier , as Nichols sought her first term in the state House , she appeared at a gun rights rally with Erich Pratt , a spokesman for Gun Owners of America , an extremist antigovernment organization that once put forth the baseless conspiracy theory that the Obama administration planned to buy up ammunition , confront American citizens and establish a dictatorship .
Nichols also appeared at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Incumbent Republican Chad Christensen defeated his Democratic opponent Bill Leake , garnering 75 % of the vote .
Christensen has associated with The Real Three Percenters Idaho militia group .
Earlier this year , he spoke at an event where Eric Parker ( of Real Three Percenters ) was a featured speaker .
Christensen has additional ties to extremist groups .
According to a poster on Facebook , Christensen was scheduled to speak at the August “ Freedom is the Cure ” rally where Eric Parker of the Real Three Percenters also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security .
Based on Christensen ’ s voter and government pages , he is a member of Oath Keepers , Gun Owners of America , and John Birch Society .
Hatewatch staff writers Brett Barrouquere and Michael Edison Hayden contributed to this report .

“President Trump has the votes,” Greene tweeted in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. “Stop the Steal!” She encouraged followers to retweet if they agreed.
Former Trump adviser and convicted felon Roger Stone has long been associated with the hashtag #StopTheSteal, which some Twitter users have used to cast doubt on the process of counting votes. A “Stop the Steal” group linked to Stone emerged in the lead-up to the 2016 election, targeting potential vote-counting measures then.
One America News Network correspondent Jack Posobiec, a far-right extremist and disinformation peddler, has promoted the hashtag #StopTheSteal during the runup to the 2020 election. Posobiec is an associate of Stone’s. Ali Alexander (aka Ali Akbar), another far-right political operative known for using social media to spread disinformation, has also repeatedly promoted the #StoptheSteal hashtag on Twitter.
Greene and other candidates with extremist ties — including the newly elected governor of Montana — prevailed in their races.
Despite having disavowed QAnon on Fox News, Greene’s previous beliefs in it will no doubt follow her to Washington. QAnon is an umbrella term for a sprawling web of right-wing internet conspiracy theories with antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ elements. Believers falsely claim the world is run by a secret cabal of pedophiles who worship Satan and are plotting against President Trump.
Greene was “Teflon-proof” during her entire campaign, said Mickey Tuck, a Republican from Floyd County who volunteered with the campaign of John Cowan, Greene’s opponent in the primary election.
“She ran pretty much a populist campaign and evidently QAnon up here was part of her game plan, whether she believed that or not while she was campaigning — you’ve seen the videos.”
Republican party leaders in Washington, D.C., criticized Greene for her QAnon association, with Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana citing her “disgusting comments” about Black people, George Soros and Muslims. Greene weathered the storm and eventually prevailed.
“She kept to her talking points, you know: ‘I support Trump, I support the wall. I’m against socialism.’ She never got off those talking points,” Tuck said.
Greene and newly elected Colorado District 3 Congresswoman Lauren Boebert are the only two candidates known to have ties to QAnon to win seats in Congress. A newcomer to politics, Boebert also distanced herself from QAnon conspiracy theories after facing criticism. A month before the primary, she said of QAnon: “I hope that this is real. … Because it only means that America is getting stronger and better, and people are returning to conservative values,” according to The Denver Post. The newspaper said she rallied with the Proud Boys and American Patriots Three Percenters before her primary. Boebert defeated Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush and will represent the western half of Colorado.
Other Key Races Involving Candidates With Apparent Ties to Extremist Groups
U.S. Congressional District 24, Texas
Former Irving, Texas, Mayor Beth Van Duyne, who became a favorite of anti-Muslim activists and right-wing pundits in 2015, still holds a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Candace Valenzuela, though no official winner has been declared.
Van Duyne shot into the headlines in 2015 when she fought for an anti-Sharia law City Council resolution. A group of imams setting up a dispute-resolution practice based on Sharia at the Islamic Center of Irving sparked the move.
Van Duyne claimed the imams were setting up America’s first Sharia law court. PolitiFact researched the claim and determined it was false.
U.S. Congressional District 3, Louisiana
U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, the Republican incumbent from Louisiana’s Third Congressional District, with ties to the antigovernment militia group the Oath Keepers, knocked off three challengers in Louisiana’s open primary.
Higgins, who is based in Lafayette, Louisiana, won 68% of the vote.
Higgins spoke at a rally in June 2017 before a crowd of white supremacists and neo-fascists in Washington, D.C. At the rally, headlined by white nationalist Richard Spencer, Higgins addressed the antigovernment militia group the Oath Keepers. At a campaign event in 2018, as documented by the newspaper The Advocate, Higgins sold shirts featuring the logo of the Three Percenters movement.
The Oath Keepers website has a page dedicated to Higgins’ speeches and comments. In one video, Higgins, dressed in his Lafayette, Louisiana, City Marshal uniform, attacks Washington, D.C., politicians and “the threats we face.”
On Twitter, Higgins posted on Oct. 23 that his wife — who he says has premonitions — dreamt of “Federal squads” in their home “seizing guns, knives” and other items.
“They said we had been ‘reported.’ Becca awoke crying,” Higgins wrote. “What happened to our freedom? She asked. What indeed.”
BuzzFeed reported that Facebook pulled two posts by Higgins deemed threatening to a group planning to attend protests in Lafayette over the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police in Louisville, Kentucky, while she slept in her home.
“If this shows up, we’ll consider the armed presence a real threat,” Higgins, a former law enforcement officer, posted in September on his personal, verified Captain Clay Higgins Facebook page along with a picture of an armed Black militia group that has protested the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. “We don’t care what color you are. We don’t care if you’re left or right. If you show up like this, if We recognize threat… you won’t walk away.”
Montana Governor’s Race
Republican Greg Gianforte, who has served as Montana’s U.S. representative from the state’s at-large district since 2017, was elected governor with 54% of the vote to Democratic opponent Mike Cooney’s 42%. Gianforte was first elected to Congress in a special election that was held when President Trump appointed Ryan Zinke, the previous officeholder, Secretary of the Interior.
He made national news the night before that election when he body-slammed a reporter from The Guardian and was charged with misdemeanor assault. Gianforte is also known for donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to anti-LGBTQ organizations through his family foundation, including almost $300,000 to anti-LGBTQ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and other donations to anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council (FRC), whose action PAC endorsed his candidacy in February.
In 2014, Gianforte opposed an ordinance in Bozeman, Montana, that sought to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing and employment. Gianforte claimed the ordinance would discourage Christian businesses from coming to the city, and worked with ADF to propose language to provide a defense for religious businesses and organizations if they discriminated in public accommodations and employment. The ordinance passed in June of that year.
Arizona State Senate District 10 Race
Arizona state Senate candidate Justine Wadsack, a QAnon-aligned Republican, lost her bid for the state Senate District 10 seat. Wadsack took just under 40% of the vote, falling to Democrat Kirsten Engel for the seat representing parts of Tucson and Pima county.
Wadsack has a history of tweeting out QAnon hashtags.
On April 12, Wadsack tweeted a thread about QAnon, complete with a link to a site that hosts original posts about the conspiracy theory, seeking to back the credibility of the mysterious “Q,” who periodically drops messages to followers.
“To prove that Q’s following isn’t merely a few thousand baby-boomers in America’s Heartland (as the media claim), #Qanon occasionally posts messages of support from around the world,” Wadsack tweeted.
Florida State House District 32
Incumbent Florida state Rep. Anthony Sabatini, a Republican from suburban Orlando, won his race for the state house despite being called the worst person in the state legislature by the Orlando Sentinel newspaper.
Sabatini defeated Democrat Stephanie Dukes in House District 32.
He drew the ire of colleagues when he tweeted out a picture of a semi-automatic rifle popular with militia groups. The tweet came in the wake of national protests over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota at the hands of police officers.
“Attention potential ‘protesters’ coming near Lake County, FL. This is an AR-15 — this will be a very common sight upon illegal entry at any Lake County business — FYI!” Sabatini tweeted.
Sabatini tweeted a link in May to a site that collects “Q” posts. Sabatini is a “public QAnon believer” who has been mentioned in one of the sprawling conspiracy theory’s posts, which are billed as secret, coded messages from the anonymous user “Q,” according to the website The Daily Dot.
Sabatini also has engaged in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. “What’s happening right now in Florida and around the nation in terms of gender reassignment is really sort of the Wild West,” Sabatini told Miami New Times. “There are no real valid, serious diagnoses given to a child before they go down the path of changing their gender and their sexual identity.”
In pushing legislation that would have criminalized the prescription of hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery for minors in February, Sabatini cited support from the American College of Pediatricians, a fringe group that pushes junk science about the LGBTQ community. The bill died in committee.
Idaho State Senate District 23
Idaho state Rep. Christy Zito, who has appeared publicly at events involving conspiracy theorists and militia members, won state Senate District 23.
Zito won 76% of the vote, defeating Democrat Laura Bellegante, a hospital volunteer coordinator.
Zito, a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from Hammett, spoke at a rally called “Freedom is the Cure” in August, the Twin Falls, Idaho, Times-News reported. The John Birch Society, a long-standing antigovernment conspiracist group, inspired the name of the rally, and the Real Three Percenters of Idaho militia appeared.
In 2018, Zito appeared at an “Idaho Second Amendment Alliance” with antigovernment activist Ammon Bundy, who is known for his participation along with his family in two prolonged standoffs with law enforcement. In 2014, Ammon’s father Cliven Bundy and his supporters engaged in an armed confrontation with federal agents at Cliven’s ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada, over his refusal to pay grazing fees to the Bureau of Land Management, and in 2016, Ammon Bundy led a group of far-right extremists in an armed occupation of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.
Idaho State Senate District 26
The founder of the Real Three Percenters Idaho militia, Eric “EJ” Parker, lost his bid for the Idaho State Senate.
Parker, the Republican candidate for Idaho state Senate District 26, got 44% of the vote in challenging incumbent Democrat Michelle Stennett.
Parker came onto the antigovernment scene in 2014, when he joined the Bundy family at Bunkerville.
Parker, of Hailey, Idaho, pleaded guilty in 2017 to failing to comply with officers’ orders to leave his armed position on an overpass during the standoff.
In 2020, Parker was a featured speaker at the August “Freedom is the Cure” event, and his militia group apparently provided event security.
As his campaign for the south-central Idaho district heated up, Parker has toned down some of the antigovernment rhetoric. NPR reported that during a Sept. 17 debate, Parker pledged to obey the law, but left himself an out as well.
“An unjust law is an illegal law per the Constitution,” he told the audience.
Lindsay Schubiner of the Western States Center, a Portland-based civil rights nonprofit that tracks militia activity in the region, said Parker and his group always carry the potential of violence.
“Parker is still the leader of an armed paramilitary movement that is not accountable to any civil or government authority,” Schubiner told NPR. “That’s incredibly dangerous.”
Idaho State House Seat 1A
Idaho state Rep. Heather Scott, a Republican from Blanchard, won re-election to the state House seat she’s held since 2015, taking 68% of the vote against Democrat Gail Bolin. Scott has taken a pledge to the antigovernment militia group Oath Keepers and spoke at the “Liberate America” rally in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in June, where Oath Keepers provided security.
Scott has called COVID-19 regulations “draconian” and an “over-response,” touching on themes popular among far-right activists claiming that the government is tyrannical and impeding on citizens’ civil liberties.
“And every death, no matter what the reasoning, is COVID,” Scott told rallygoers, falsely claiming the Covid-19 death toll is manufactured.
Scott said Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a fellow Republican, imposed restrictions under “martial law,” using phrasing from a long-standing conspiracy theory on the far-right about the government repressing citizens.
“His edicts have come under martial law,” Scott said at the rally. “He has essentially repealed laws.”
The legal citation given by Scott — Idaho statute 46.601 — allows the governor to call up the state and National Guard as well as “the organized militia” during a state of emergency.
The law does not give the governor the power to repeal laws or impose new ones unilaterally.
Scott also has close ties to antigovernment activist Ammon Bundy, and outgoing Washington state Rep. Matt Shea, who an investigation found helped Bundy and his followers pre-plan a standoff with the federal government at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016.
Idaho State House Seat 11B
Republican Tammy Nichols, who has made public appearances with right-wing conspiracy theorists, won a seat in the Idaho legislature with almost 80% of the vote. Nichols defeated Democrat Edward Savala.
Nichols told the Twin Falls Times-News that conservatives can’t get a fair shake.
“The media is not our friend,” she said. “They are out there spewing information that is not correct.”
Two years earlier, as Nichols sought her first term in the state House, she appeared at a gun rights rally with Erich Pratt, a spokesman for Gun Owners of America, an extremist antigovernment organization that once put forth the baseless conspiracy theory that the Obama administration planned to buy up ammunition, confront American citizens and establish a dictatorship.
Nichols also appeared at a 2020 rally with antigovernment activist Ammon Bundy.
Idaho State House Seat 32B
Incumbent Republican Chad Christensen defeated his Democratic opponent Bill Leake, garnering 75% of the vote. Christensen has associated with The Real Three Percenters Idaho militia group. Earlier this year, he spoke at an event where Eric Parker (of Real Three Percenters) was a featured speaker.
Christensen has additional ties to extremist groups. According to a poster on Facebook, Christensen was scheduled to speak at the August “Freedom is the Cure” rally where Eric Parker of the Real Three Percenters also spoke and Parker’s group provided security.
Based on Christensen’s voter and government pages, he is a member of Oath Keepers, Gun Owners of America, and John Birch Society.
Hatewatch staff writers Brett Barrouquere and Michael Edison Hayden contributed to this report.