washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Donald Trump, Joe Biden Labor Day messages clash

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden showcased his union support Monday while President Trump touted the rebounding economy , his get-tough policy on China and the rapid development of a coronavirus vaccine as the campaigns sought to woo American workers .
The competing Labor Day messages came as both campaigns sought to win over blue-collar workers , an increasingly important demographic in the pivotal battleground states of Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin .
For Mr. Biden , that meant emphasizing his close ties to the labor movement .
He promised to be “ the strongest labor president you ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his “ Build Back America ” platform , which would boost union organizing by passing “ card check ” legislation , raising the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour and reversing the Trump tax cuts .
“ I ’ ve never been afraid to say the word ‘ union , ’ not when I was growing up , not when I grew up , not today , and you can be sure you ’ ll be hearing that word union plenty of times when I ’ m in the White House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town hall hosted by the AFL-CIO .
“ The words of a president matter .
Union.
” Meanwhile , Mr. Trump pointed to the economic recovery after the COVID-19 shutdown , noting that 1.4 million jobs were added in August , making it 10.6 million more jobs since May for “ a record that ’ s not even close , ” he said .
“ We ’ re currently witnessing the fastest labor-market recovery from an economic crisis in history , world history , ” Mr. Trump said at a White House press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presided over the weakest and the slowest recovery since the Great Depression.
” He repeated his belief that a coronavirus vaccine could be available by October and accused his political opponents of “ endangering lives ” by questioning whether shots approved by his administration would be safe .
“ The vaccine will be very safe , ” Mr. Trump said .
“ You could have a very big surprise coming up.
” Multiple vaccine candidates are steeped in phase three trials as Mr. Trump scrambles to stamp out a pandemic that has killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devastated the economy with shutdowns of major industries .
Experts say it ’ s a stretch to think a vaccine would be ready and approved by Election Day — Nov. 3 — given the time it takes to enroll 30,000 people in each trial , give them doses and wait to see what kind of immune response it produces and who gets sick or not .
They say November or December is more likely , though Mr. Trump said Monday : “ Could even have it during the month of October.
” He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatality rate , which has dropped 85 % since April .
Mr. Biden blasted the Trump administration for its coronavirus response , saying it failed to give adequate support to public workers .
“ I want to thank every public employee watching for your courage .
I mean that sincerely , ” said Mr. Biden .
“ For the past three months , you ’ ve fought the daily pandemic without supplies or support from your government .
The whole country owes you.
” Mr. Biden held his virtual meeting with AFL-CIO President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while collecting union endorsements from the Laborers ’ International Union of North America , the International Union of Elevator Constructors , and the National Federation of Federal Employees .
He continued to push for the HEROES Act , the $ 3 trillion relief package that passed the House in May , and called for an end to state right-to-work laws , which prevent workers from being required to join a union or pay its dues as a condition of employment .
“ People are dying , out of work , afraid for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr. Biden said .
“ We have to give workers the power to make their families whole and make them whole now .
People are getting killed figuratively and literally across the board.
” His running mate , Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California , toured an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers training facility in Milwaukee and held a private meeting with the family of Jacob Blake , the Black man shot seven times by a White police officer in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
“ Strong unions built the American middle class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to paid leave was because of workers who organized and fought , ” Ms. Harris tweeted .
“ And when @ JoeBiden and I are in the White House , advancing worker rights will be a priority.
” At the other end of the state was Vice President Mike Pence , flanked by electrical workers as he spoke to a crowd of about 250 at the Dairyland Power Cooperative in Lacrosse .
He called Mr. Trump “ the best friend American workers have ever had.
” “ When this president stands up every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs , jobs , jobs , we stand with President Donald Trump , ” Mr. Pence said .
At the White House , Mr. Trump raised the possibility of separating the U.S. and Chinese economies , known as decoupling .
“ So when you mention the word decouple , it ’ s an interesting word , ” said Mr. Trump .
“ We lose billions of dollars , and if we didn ’ t do business with them , we wouldn ’ t lose billions of dollars .
It ’ s called decoupling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it.
” He took a swing at Mr. Biden ’ s pledge last month to “ shut it down , ” referring to the economy , if scientists said it was necessary to control the coronavirus .
“ Biden wants to surrender our country to the virus , he wants to surrender our families to the violent left-wing mob , and he wants to surrender our jobs to China , ” Mr. Trump said .
“ Our jobs and our economic well-being .
I ’ ve taken billions and billions of dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done ” that by imposing tariffs .
Ms. Harris suggested Sunday that she would have to think twice before taking the vaccine .
“ I think that ’ s going to be an issue for all of us .
I will say that I would not trust Donald Trump , ” she told CNN ’ s “ State of the Union.
” The president dismissed such criticism and accused Democrats of sowing mistrust of vaccines at a critical time .
“ It ’ s political rhetoric .
That ’ s all it is @ @ @ @ @ @

Tom Howell Jr., Valerie Richardson and Valerie Richardson, Tom Howell Jr.

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden showcased his union support Monday while President Trump touted the rebounding economy, his get-tough policy on China and the rapid development of a coronavirus vaccine as the campaigns sought to woo American workers.
The competing Labor Day messages came as both campaigns sought to win over blue-collar workers, an increasingly important demographic in the pivotal battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
For Mr. Biden, that meant emphasizing his close ties to the labor movement. He promised to be “the strongest labor president you’ve ever had” as his campaign trumpeted his “Build Back America” platform, which would boost union organizing by passing “card check” legislation, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and reversing the Trump tax cuts.
“I’ve never been afraid to say the word ‘union,’ not when I was growing up, not when I grew up, not today, and you can be sure you’ll be hearing that word union plenty of times when I’m in the White House,” Mr. Biden said on a virtual town hall hosted by the AFL-CIO. “The words of a president matter. Union.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump pointed to the economic recovery after the COVID-19 shutdown, noting that 1.4 million jobs were added in August, making it 10.6 million more jobs since May for “a record that’s not even close,” he said.
“We’re currently witnessing the fastest labor-market recovery from an economic crisis in history, world history,” Mr. Trump said at a White House press conference. “By contrast, Biden presided over the weakest and the slowest recovery since the Great Depression.”
He repeated his belief that a coronavirus vaccine could be available by October and accused his political opponents of “endangering lives” by questioning whether shots approved by his administration would be safe.
“The vaccine will be very safe,” Mr. Trump said. “You could have a very big surprise coming up.”
Multiple vaccine candidates are steeped in phase three trials as Mr. Trump scrambles to stamp out a pandemic that has killed nearly 190,000 people in the U.S. and devastated the economy with shutdowns of major industries.
Experts say it’s a stretch to think a vaccine would be ready and approved by Election Day — Nov. 3 — given the time it takes to enroll 30,000 people in each trial, give them doses and wait to see what kind of immune response it produces and who gets sick or not.
They say November or December is more likely, though Mr. Trump said Monday: “Could even have it during the month of October.”
He emphasized the good news about the COVID-19 fatality rate, which has dropped 85% since April. Mr. Biden blasted the Trump administration for its coronavirus response, saying it failed to give adequate support to public workers.
“I want to thank every public employee watching for your courage. I mean that sincerely,” said Mr. Biden. “For the past three months, you’ve fought the daily pandemic without supplies or support from your government. The whole country owes you.”
Mr. Biden held his virtual meeting with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, while collecting union endorsements from the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the International Union of Elevator Constructors, and the National Federation of Federal Employees.
He continued to push for the HEROES Act, the $3 trillion relief package that passed the House in May, and called for an end to state right-to-work laws, which prevent workers from being required to join a union or pay its dues as a condition of employment.
“People are dying, out of work, afraid for their children, the clock is ticking,” Mr. Biden said. “We have to give workers the power to make their families whole and make them whole now. People are getting killed figuratively and literally across the board.”
His running mate, Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California, toured an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers training facility in Milwaukee and held a private meeting with the family of Jacob Blake, the Black man shot seven times by a White police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“Strong unions built the American middle class — everything from a 40-hour work week to paid leave was because of workers who organized and fought,” Ms. Harris tweeted. “And when @JoeBiden and I are in the White House, advancing worker rights will be a priority.”
At the other end of the state was Vice President Mike Pence, flanked by electrical workers as he spoke to a crowd of about 250 at the Dairyland Power Cooperative in Lacrosse. He called Mr. Trump “the best friend American workers have ever had.”
“When this president stands up every day and fights for American workers and jobs, jobs, jobs, we stand with President Donald Trump,” Mr. Pence said.
At the White House, Mr. Trump raised the possibility of separating the U.S. and Chinese economies, known as decoupling.
“So when you mention the word decouple, it’s an interesting word,” said Mr. Trump. “We lose billions of dollars, and if we didn’t do business with them, we wouldn’t lose billions of dollars. It’s called decoupling, so you’ll start thinking about it.”
He took a swing at Mr. Biden’s pledge last month to “shut it down,” referring to the economy, if scientists said it was necessary to control the coronavirus.
“Biden wants to surrender our country to the virus, he wants to surrender our families to the violent left-wing mob, and he wants to surrender our jobs to China,” Mr. Trump said. “Our jobs and our economic well-being. I’ve taken billions and billions of dollars from China. No other president has done” that by imposing tariffs.
Ms. Harris suggested Sunday that she would have to think twice before taking the vaccine.
“I think that’s going to be an issue for all of us. I will say that I would not trust Donald Trump,” she told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
The president dismissed such criticism and accused Democrats of sowing mistrust of vaccines at a critical time.
“It’s political rhetoric. That’s all it is,” Mr. Trump said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com. • Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--California sets record with 2M acres burned so far this year

SHAVER LAKE , Calif. — Wildfires have burned more than 2 million acres in California this year , setting a state record even as crews battled dozens of growing blazes in sweltering temperatures Monday that strained the electrical grid and threatened power outages for millions .
The most striking thing about the record is how early it was set , with the most dangerous part of the year ahead , said Lynne Tolmachoff , spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection , or Cal Fire .
“ It ’ s a little unnerving because September and October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ It ’ s usually hot , and the fuels really dry out .
And we see more of our wind events.
” The previous high was 1.96 million acres ( 793,184 hectares ) burned in 2018 .
Cal Fire began tracking the numbers in 1987 .
Firefighters struggled to corral several dangerous blazes ahead of dry , hot winds predicted to raise fire danger to critical levels in the coming days .
Evacuation orders were expanded to more mountain communities as the largest blaze churned through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t home when the order came to evacuate her hometown of Auberry , just northeast of Fresno .
Sheriff ’ s deputies went to her ranch property to pick up her 92-year-old mother , Shirley MacLean .
They reunited at an evacuation center .
“ I hope like heck the fire doesn ’ t reach my little ranch , ” Rios said .
“ It ’ s not looking good right now .
It ’ s an awfully big fire.
” Mountain roads were filled with cars and trucks leaving the town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in steep terrain saved the tiny town of Shaver Lake from flames that roared down hillsides toward a marina .
About 30 houses were destroyed in the remote hamlet of Big Creek .
“ About half the private homes in town burned down , ” resident Toby Wait said .
“ Words can not even begin to describe the devastation of this community .
And it is a very close-knit community.
” An elementary school , church , library , historic general store and a major hydroelectric plant were spared in the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fresno Bee .
Sheriff ’ s deputies went door to door to make sure residents were complying with orders to leave .
Officials hoped to keep the fire from pushing west , possibly toward Yosemite National Park .
The blaze dubbed the Creek Fire has charred more than 114 square miles ( 295 square kilometers ) of timber after breaking out Friday .
The 850 firefighters on the scene had yet to get any containment .
On Saturday , rescuers in military helicopters airlifted 207 people to safety after flames trapped them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fresno .
In Southern California , crews scrambled to douse several fires that roared to life in searing temperatures , including one that closed mountain roads in Angeles National Forest .
Cal Fire said a blaze in San Bernardino County called the El Dorado Fire started Saturday morning and was caused by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used by a couple to reveal their baby ’ s gender .
A fire in the Angeles National Forest forced the evacuation of Mount Wilson Observatory .
In eastern San Diego County , a fire destroyed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles ( 41.44 square kilometers ) and prompting evacuations near the remote community of Alpine .
Daytime temperatures in fire zones neared or exceeded triple digits .
Downtown Los Angeles reached 111 degrees ( 44 Celsius ) on Sunday and a record-shattering high of 121 degrees ( 49.4 Celsius ) was recorded in the nearby Woodland Hills neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley .
It was the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County , according to the National Weather Service .
Meanwhile , downtown San Francisco set a record for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 37.7 Celsius ) on Sunday , smashing the previous mark by 5 degrees .
The exceptionally hot temperatures were driving the highest power use of the year , and transmission losses because of wildfires have cut into supplies .
The California Independent System Operator that manages the state ’ s power grid warned that up to 3 million people could lose power Sunday if the if residents didn ’ t curtail their electricity usage .
None have yet to occur .
The weather forecast called for more heat Monday and the grid operators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooler temperatures were expected Tuesday but the weather change also was expected to bring winds that could fan wildfires .
Pacific Gas & Electric , the state ’ s largest utility serving customers in Central and Northern California , warned customers that it might cut power starting Tuesday because of the increased fire danger .
Some of the state ’ s largest and deadliest fires in recent years have been sparked by downed power lines and other utility equipment .
Cal Fire said 14,800 firefighters were battling 23 major fires in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 15 , many of them started by an intense series of thousands of lightning strikes .
There have been eight fire deaths and more than 3,300 structures destroyed .

SHAVER LAKE, Calif. — Wildfires have burned more than 2 million acres in California this year, setting a state record even as crews battled dozens of growing blazes in sweltering temperatures Monday that strained the electrical grid and threatened power outages for millions.
The most striking thing about the record is how early it was set, with the most dangerous part of the year ahead, said Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
“It’s a little unnerving because September and October are historically our worst months for fires,” she said. “It’s usually hot, and the fuels really dry out. And we see more of our wind events.”
The previous high was 1.96 million acres (793,184 hectares) burned in 2018. Cal Fire began tracking the numbers in 1987.
Firefighters struggled to corral several dangerous blazes ahead of dry, hot winds predicted to raise fire danger to critical levels in the coming days. Evacuation orders were expanded to more mountain communities as the largest blaze churned through the Sierra National Forest.
Debra Rios wasn’t home when the order came to evacuate her hometown of Auberry, just northeast of Fresno. Sheriff’s deputies went to her ranch property to pick up her 92-year-old mother, Shirley MacLean. They reunited at an evacuation center.
“I hope like heck the fire doesn’t reach my little ranch,” Rios said. “It’s not looking good right now. It’s an awfully big fire.”
Mountain roads were filled with cars and trucks leaving the town of about 2,300 people.
Firefighters working in steep terrain saved the tiny town of Shaver Lake from flames that roared down hillsides toward a marina. About 30 houses were destroyed in the remote hamlet of Big Creek.
“About half the private homes in town burned down,” resident Toby Wait said. “Words cannot even begin to describe the devastation of this community. And it is a very close-knit community.”
An elementary school, church, library, historic general store and a major hydroelectric plant were spared in the community of about 200 residents, Wait told the Fresno Bee.
Sheriff’s deputies went door to door to make sure residents were complying with orders to leave. Officials hoped to keep the fire from pushing west, possibly toward Yosemite National Park.
The blaze dubbed the Creek Fire has charred more than 114 square miles (295 square kilometers) of timber after breaking out Friday. The 850 firefighters on the scene had yet to get any containment.
On Saturday, rescuers in military helicopters airlifted 207 people to safety after flames trapped them in a wooded camping area northeast of Fresno.
In Southern California, crews scrambled to douse several fires that roared to life in searing temperatures, including one that closed mountain roads in Angeles National Forest. Cal Fire said a blaze in San Bernardino County called the El Dorado Fire started Saturday morning and was caused by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device used by a couple to reveal their baby’s gender.
A fire in the Angeles National Forest forced the evacuation of Mount Wilson Observatory.
In eastern San Diego County, a fire destroyed at least 10 structures after burning 16 square miles (41.44 square kilometers) and prompting evacuations near the remote community of Alpine.
Daytime temperatures in fire zones neared or exceeded triple digits. Downtown Los Angeles reached 111 degrees (44 Celsius) on Sunday and a record-shattering high of 121 degrees (49.4 Celsius) was recorded in the nearby Woodland Hills neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley. It was the highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County, according to the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, downtown San Francisco set a record for the day with a high of 100 (37.7 Celsius) on Sunday, smashing the previous mark by 5 degrees.
The exceptionally hot temperatures were driving the highest power use of the year, and transmission losses because of wildfires have cut into supplies. The California Independent System Operator that manages the state’s power grid warned that up to 3 million people could lose power Sunday if the if residents didn’t curtail their electricity usage. None have yet to occur.
The weather forecast called for more heat Monday and the grid operators again urged people to conserve power. Cooler temperatures were expected Tuesday but the weather change also was expected to bring winds that could fan wildfires.
Pacific Gas & Electric, the state’s largest utility serving customers in Central and Northern California, warned customers that it might cut power starting Tuesday because of the increased fire danger. Some of the state’s largest and deadliest fires in recent years have been sparked by downed power lines and other utility equipment.
Cal Fire said 14,800 firefighters were battling 23 major fires in the state. California has seen 900 wildfires since Aug. 15, many of them started by an intense series of thousands of lightning strikes. There have been eight fire deaths and more than 3,300 structures destroyed.
• Weber reported from Los Angeles.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--US couple found dead in well in northern Mexico

MEXICO CITY ( AP ) - Authorities have identified bodies found in a well in northern Mexico as two missing tourists from the United States , officials said Monday .
The Baja California state prosecutor ’ s office said in a statement that the victims were identified as retirees Ian Hirschsohn and Kathy Harvey .
Their disappearances were reported to authorities Sept. 2 , the statement said .
Investigators searching an unpopulated area south of Ensenada spotted human remains at the bottom of the well the following day .
They were recovered Friday and Saturday , the statement said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or motive was provided .
The case remains under investigation .
Authorities did not provide their hometowns , but local media reported they both lived in southern California .
Meanwhile , at the southern end of the Baja Peninsula , the Baja California Sur state prosecutor ’ s office said the body of 65-year-old Craig Harrison was found on the beach in Cabo Pulmo Saturday evening .
An autopsy determined that he had been stabbed in the chest before ending up in the ocean .
Harrison , a citizen of South Africa and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been missing since Aug. 29 .
According to his real estate website , Harrison settled in Cabo San Lucas in 1997 after working as an accountant and a wine importer in Canada .

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Authorities have identified bodies found in a well in northern Mexico as two missing tourists from the United States, officials said Monday.
The Baja California state prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the victims were identified as retirees Ian Hirschsohn and Kathy Harvey. Their disappearances were reported to authorities Sept. 2, the statement said.
Investigators searching an unpopulated area south of Ensenada spotted human remains at the bottom of the well the following day. They were recovered Friday and Saturday, the statement said.
No information regarding the cause of death or motive was provided. The case remains under investigation. Authorities did not provide their hometowns, but local media reported they both lived in southern California.
Meanwhile, at the southern end of the Baja Peninsula, the Baja California Sur state prosecutor’s office said the body of 65-year-old Craig Harrison was found on the beach in Cabo Pulmo Saturday evening. An autopsy determined that he had been stabbed in the chest before ending up in the ocean.
Harrison, a citizen of South Africa and Canada who settled in Mexico, had been missing since Aug. 29. According to his real estate website, Harrison settled in Cabo San Lucas in 1997 after working as an accountant and a wine importer in Canada.
He ran a vacation rental business in Cabo.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Last 2  journalists working for Australian media leave China

CANBERRA , Australia ( AP ) - The last two journalists working for Australian media in China have left the country after police demanded interviews with them , the Australian government and Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported on Tuesday .
ABC ’ s Bill Birtles and The Australian Financial Review ’ s Michael Smith landed in Sydney after flying from Shanghai on Monday night , ABC reported .
Both had sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds in recent days .
Chinese police arrived at Birtles ’ doorstep last week , demanded he submit to questioning and told him he was banned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Australian and Chinese officials negotiated for the travel ban to be lifted if Birtles spoke to police .
The journalists left after Australia revealed last week that Australian citizen Cheng Lei , business news anchor for CGTN , China ’ s English-language state media channel , had been detained .
Foreign Minister Marise Payne confirmed that her government had provided consular support to the two journalists to assist their return to Australia .
“ Our embassy in Beijing and Consulate-General in Shanghai engaged with Chinese government authorities to ensure their wellbeing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Australia ’ s travel warning of the risk of arbitrary detention in China “ remains appropriate and unchanged , ” she added .
ABC new director Gaven Morris said Birtles was brought back to Australia on the Australian government ’ s advice .
“ This bureau is a vital part of the ABC ’ s international newsgathering effort and we aim to get back there as soon as possible , ” Morris said .
“ The story of China , its relationship with Australia and its role in our region and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all Australians and we want to continue having our people on the ground to cover it , he added .
Relations between China and Australia were already strained by Australia outlawing covert interference in politics and banning communications giant Huawei from supplying critical infrastructure .
They have worsened since the Australian government called for an independent inquiry into the origins of and international responses to the coronavirus pandemic .
Birtles told reporters at Sydney airport that his departure was a “ whirlwind and … not a particularly good experience.
” “ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave under those circumstances and it ’ s a relief to be back in a country with genuine rule of law , ” Birtles said .
Smith said at the airport he had felt “ a little bit ” threatened in China .
“ It ’ s so good to be home , so happy , I can ’ t say any more at the moment , it ’ s such a relief to be home , so really happy , ” Smith said .
“ It was a complicated experience but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he added .

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - The last two journalists working for Australian media in China have left the country after police demanded interviews with them and temporarily blocked their departures, marking a further twist in China’s increasingly troubled relationship with the foreign media.
The absence of Australian media from China for the first time in four decades comes during a low point in the two countries’ relations, and the events that led to the journalists’ departures were seen as evidence of an increasing risk to foreign journalists working in China.
Australian Broadcasting Corp.’s Bill Birtles and The Australian Financial Review’s Michael Smith landed in Sydney on Tuesday after flying from Shanghai on Monday night, both news outlets reported.
Both journalists had sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds in recent days.
They left after Australia revealed last week that Australian citizen Cheng Lei, a business news anchor for CGTN, China’s English-language state media channel, had been detained.
Both journalists were told they were “persons of interest” in an investigation into Cheng, The Australian Financial Review reported. Seven uniformed police visited each journalist’s home in Beijing and Shanghai at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, the newspaper said.
Birtles said he knew Cheng, “but not especially well,” and Smith had met her once in his life.
“I believe the episode was more one of harassment of the remaining Australian journalists rather than a genuine effort to try and get anything useful for that case,” Birtles said from his Sydney pandemic quarantine hotel room.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters Tuesday that Cheng was “suspected of carrying out criminal activities endangering China’s national security.”
“Compulsory measures have been imposed on Cheng and she has recently been investigated by relevant authorities,” Zhao said at a daily briefing.
As part of that investigation and in accordance with the law, China’s “relevant authority” demanded to question Birtles and Smith “which is normal law enforcement,” Zhao said.
He had no details on the circumstances of the departure of the two Australians, but said China protected the legitimate rights and interests of news gathering staff and they have the obligation to comply with the laws and regulations in China.”
“As long as foreign journalists conduct news reporting in accordance with laws, they should have nothing to worry about,” Zhao said.
Australian Embassy officials in Beijing told Birtles last week that he should leave China, ABC reported.
Birtles was due to depart Beijing on Thursday and was holding a farewell party on Wednesday when police came to his apartment and told him he was banned from leaving the country, ABC said. He was told he would be contacted on Thursday to organize a time to be questioned about a “national security case,” his employer said.
Birtles went to the Australian Embassy, where he spent four days while Australian and Chinese officials negotiated. Smith had similarly holed up at the Australian Consulate in Shanghai.
Birtles and Smith both agreed to give police a brief interview in return for being allowed to leave the country.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Cheng’s detention was part of the reason her government had advised the journalists to leave. She declined to detail all the reasons.
“It is disappointing that after many years, Australia will not have a media organisation present in China for some period of time,” Payne said.
She said Australia would not retaliate by revoking the visas of Chinese journalists working in Australia.
“Australia operates according to law and in our national interests and unless individuals are breaching laws in Australia, then that would not be an approach that we would take,” Payne said.
Australia’s travel warning of the risk of arbitrary detention in China “remains appropriate and unchanged,” she added.
ABC news director Gaven Morris said Birtles was brought back to Australia on the Australian government’s advice.
“This bureau is a vital part of the ABC’s international news-gathering effort and we aim to get back there as soon as possible,” Morris said.
“The story of China, its relationship with Australia and its role in our region and in the world is one of great importance for all Australians and we want to continue having our people on the ground to cover it,” he added.
The newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Michael Stutchbury, and editor, Paul Bailey, described the situation as “disturbing.”
“This incident targeting two journalists, who were going about their normal reporting duties, is both regrettable and disturbing and is not in the interests of a co-operative relationship between Australia and China,” they said in a statement.
Relations between China and Australia were already strained by Australia outlawing covert interference in politics and banning communications giant Huawei from supplying critical infrastructure. They have worsened since the Australian government called for an independent inquiry into the origins of and international responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
Australia’s journalist union, Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said China was no longer safe for foreign reporters.
“These outrageous attacks on press freedom place any foreign correspondents reporting from China at risk,” union president Marcus Strom said.
Birtles told reporters at Sydney’s airport that his departure was a “whirlwind and … not a particularly good experience.”
“It’s very disappointing to have to leave under those circumstances and it’s a relief to be back in a country with genuine rule of law,” Birtles said.
Smith told his newspaper: “The late-night visit by police at my home was intimidating and unnecessary and highlights the pressure all foreign journalists are under in China right now.”
Smith said at the airport that he had felt “a little bit” threatened in China.
“It’s so good to be home, so happy, I can’t say any more at the moment, it’s such a relief to be home, so really happy,” Smith said.
“It was a complicated experience but it’s great to be here,” he added.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China strongly condemned what it called the government’s “unprecedented harassment and intimidation” of the two.
“This effort to keep foreign journalists in China against their will marks a significant escalation of an ongoing, sustained Chinese government assault on media freedoms,” the club said in a statement Tuesday.
China expelled a record 17 foreign journalists in the first half of 2020 and recently delayed renewing the press cards of five others working for U.S. outlets - putting them at risk of expulsion - in tit-for-tat retaliation for Washington’s limits on Chinese reporters operating in the U.S. and delays in renewing the visas of others.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Firearms sales rose 94% from 2019

Firearms sales rose 94% from 2019

Americans are arming themselves more than ever , confronted with daily scenes of rioting across the country and lingering uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic .
Firearms sales rose 94 % for the March-to-July period from a year earlier , according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation , the gun industry ’ s trade group .
About 40 % of those sales went to first-time gun owners .
One of the nation ’ s largest gun makers , Smith & Wesson , said it will boost production after record-breaking sales .
The company reported a 140 % increase in gun sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of July .
“ Consumer demand for our products during the quarter still exceeded our internal manufacturing capacity levels , ” Mark Smith , Smith & Wesson president and CEO , told investors in a call last week .
“ We ’ re continuing to ramp up We ’ re going to go to maximum capacity.
” The biggest increase in gun ownership by demographic group is among Black people — 58 % .
Public polling is unclear whether the concern about safety and self-defense plays to the political benefit of either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R. Biden .
Mr. Trump says Mr. Biden would allow left-wing mobs to control the streets ; Mr. Biden says the current unrest is happening on Mr. Trump ’ s watch .
An ABC News/Washington Post national poll conducted in mid-August found that White voters in the suburbs were 20 percentage points more likely to say Mr. Biden would make them less safe than to say Mr. Trump would .
But a Quinnipiac University poll last week found that 50 % of likely voters say having Mr. Trump as president makes them feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it makes them feel more safe .
Asked about Mr. Biden , 42 % of respondents said having him as president would make them feel more safe , 40 % said less safe .
In a CNN poll last week , 71 % of female respondents said they were concerned about the coronavirus pandemic , while 45 % said they were concerned about the risk of crime .
Rick Green , who teaches gun safety and self-defense courses through his nonprofit group Constitution Coach in Austin , Texas , said demand for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the surge is due to both the pandemic and the rioting .
“ We have five times as many people as normal — it ’ s off the charts , ” Mr. Green said in an interview .
“ It ’ s people from every walk of life , young , old .
More than half are females .
It ’ s unfortunate that it ’ s driven by fear , but it is .
They ’ re watching people be attacked , and not just in the streets , but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more people to say , ‘ I need to be ready.
’ ” In his courses , which normally cost $ 1,000 but he is offering free this year , Mr. Green covers the Constitutional rights of self-defense , how to take care of weapons and the proper way to display firearms in a confrontation ( including , he said , that you never point the muzzle at someone unless you intend to fire ) .
He said the civil unrest this year is causing more Americans to believe they need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for protection .
“ I think the burden is just shifting from , ‘ I ’ m going to count on government to do all this for me , ’ to ‘ Wait a minute , I am the government .
We the people , we ’ re in charge .
And I have a duty and responsibility , ’ ” he said .
“ I am encouraged by that .
It ’ s a healthy thing for the country , ” he said .

Americans are arming themselves more than ever, confronted with daily scenes of rioting across the country and lingering uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic.
Firearms sales rose 94% for the March-to-July period from a year earlier, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the gun industry’s trade group. About 40% of those sales went to first-time gun owners.
One of the nation’s largest gun makers, Smith & Wesson, said it will boost production after record-breaking sales. The company reported a 140% increase in gun sales from the beginning of May through the end of July.
“Consumer demand for our products during the quarter still exceeded our internal manufacturing capacity levels, ” Mark Smith, Smith & Wesson president and CEO, told investors in a call last week. “We’re continuing to ramp up We’re going to go to maximum capacity.”
The biggest increase in gun ownership by demographic group is among Black people — 58%.
Public polling is unclear whether the concern about safety and self-defense plays to the political benefit of either President Trump or Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden. Mr. Trump says Mr. Biden would allow left-wing mobs to control the streets; Mr. Biden says the current unrest is happening on Mr. Trump’s watch.
An ABC News/Washington Post national poll conducted in mid-August found that White voters in the suburbs were 20 percentage points more likely to say Mr. Biden would make them less safe than to say Mr. Trump would.
But a Quinnipiac University poll last week found that 50% of likely voters say having Mr. Trump as president makes them feel less safe, while 35% say it makes them feel more safe. Asked about Mr. Biden, 42% of respondents said having him as president would make them feel more safe, 40% said less safe.
In a CNN poll last week, 71% of female respondents said they were concerned about the coronavirus pandemic, while 45% said they were concerned about the risk of crime.
Rick Green, who teaches gun safety and self-defense courses through his nonprofit group Constitution Coach in Austin, Texas, said demand for his lessons has skyrocketed this year. He said the surge is due to both the pandemic and the rioting.
“We have five times as many people as normal — it’s off the charts,” Mr. Green said in an interview. “It’s people from every walk of life, young, old. More than half are females. It’s unfortunate that it’s driven by fear, but it is. They’re watching people be attacked, and not just in the streets, but in the suburbs now. It caused more and more people to say, ‘I need to be ready.’”
In his courses, which normally cost $1,000 but he is offering free this year, Mr. Green covers the Constitutional rights of self-defense, how to take care of weapons and the proper way to display firearms in a confrontation (including, he said, that you never point the muzzle at someone unless you intend to fire).
He said the civil unrest this year is causing more Americans to believe they need to rely on themselves, rather than police, for protection.
“I think the burden is just shifting from, ‘I’m going to count on government to do all this for me,’ to ‘Wait a minute, I am the government. We the people, we’re in charge. And I have a duty and responsibility,’” he said.
“I am encouraged by that. It’s a healthy thing for the country,” he said.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--2 women drop sex abuse case against Costa Rica ex-president

SAN JOSE , Costa Rica ( AP ) - Two women who had lodged sexual abuse complaints against Nobel Peace @ @ @ @ @ Rican President Oscar Arias have withdrawn those complaints .
The prosecutors office said Monday that @ @ @ @ @ not to continue the criminal process.
” The decision to drop the complaints means that @ @ @ @ @ charges , given that it appears prosecutors have no other evidence to rely on in @ @ @ @ @ no immediate explanation for the victims ’ decisions .
Rafael Rodríguez , a lawyer for @ @ @ @ @ Morales , who filed one of the complaints , said he could not comment on @ @ @ @ @ .
Rodriguez simply said “ for us , this is over on the legal level.
@ @ @ @ @ not respond to text messages seeking comment .
In 2019 , Arias met with prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ the two criminal complaints against him which alleged sexual assault and sexual abuse in 2014 @ @ @ @ @ Peace Prize winner denied the first accusation when it surfaced earlier that year .

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) - Two women who had lodged sexual abuse complaints against Nobel Peace Prize laureate and two-time Costa Rican President Oscar Arias have withdrawn those complaints.
The prosecutors office said Monday that “the two victims decided not to continue the criminal process.”
The decision to drop the complaints means that a court could drop the charges, given that it appears prosecutors have no other evidence to rely on in the case.
There was no immediate explanation for the victims’ decisions.
Rafael Rodríguez, a lawyer for former Miss Costa Rica Yasmín Morales, who filed one of the complaints, said he could not comment on the decision to drop it. Rodriguez simply said “for us, this is over on the legal level.”
The other woman did not respond to text messages seeking comment. In 2019, Arias met with prosecutors to give a statement in the two criminal complaints against him which alleged sexual assault and sexual abuse in 2014 and 2015.
The 1987 Peace Prize winner denied the first accusation when it surfaced earlier that year.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Peter Strzok downplays dossier his Trump probe relied on

Former FBI agent Peter Strzok , who headed the probe into President Trump and his campaign , is now distancing himself from the infamous dossier on which his team greatly relied .
In an interview with The Atlantic , the fired agent who famously texted he would “ stop ” a Trump presidency seemed to confirmed Republicans ’ complaints about the Democratic Party-financed dossier .
Its creator , British ex-spy Christopher Steele , filled 17 memos with false felony allegations against the president and his allies .
“ The Steele report was a problem for the investigation , because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wild goose chases , ” Mr. Strzok told interviewer Anne Applebaum .
One example of a wild-goose chase : Mr. Steele asserted that campaign manager Paul Manafort and volunteer Carter Page conspired with the Kremlin to interfere in the 2016 election .
In fact , the two men did not know or speak with each other .
Mr. Steele said Trump attorney Michael Cohen secretly traveled to Prague to meet with aides of Russian President Vladimir Putin and provided cash to cover up the campaign ’ s role in computer hacking .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those “ wild goose chases.
” It concluded such a trip never happened .
Mr. Strzok repudiated the dossier with this assessment : “ The report was very typical of information that the FBI often receives .
It comes from several sources , including some suspect sources .
Some of it is b––- , and some of it is rumor , and some of it is disinformation.
” The former FBI agent , who was kicked off the special counsel ’ s team in 2017 for his texted anti-Trump tirades , bemoaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dossier to sully the bureau .
“ So some people have sought to use the weaknesses of the Steele reporting to try and cast aspersions against the entirety of the FBI ’ s massive investigation , ” Mr. Strzok said .
“ These efforts have been very disingenuous , very distorting , and very successful.
” Mr. Strzok is still targeting Mr. Trump .
His memoir , “ Compromised : Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump ” is to be published Tuesday .
He is the third high-ranking FBI official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two other fired FBI officials — Director James B. Comey and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe .
Mr. Strzok told “ CBS Sunday Morning ” that FBI mistakes in the Trump investigation were “ inexcusable ” but resulted from an overworked staff .
“ I don ’ t think at all that it ’ s anything improper , ” Mr. Strzok said .
“ You get people who are overworked , who make mistakes — and don ’ t get me wrong , inexcusable mistakes.
” Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliance on Mr. Steele to obtain four wiretap warrants lasting a year on Mr .
Page .
Without the dossier , there was not sufficient evidence to go before a federal judge , the IG reported .
The FBI misled Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) judges 17 times by providing either incorrect information or withholding critical evidence .
For example , Mr .
Page told FBI informant Stefan Halper that he had never spoken to Manafort .
Mr. Strzok ’ s team knew this but never told FISA judges , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrative .
Mr. Steele ’ s main source , Russian national Igor Danchenko , was located by the FBI .
He told agents that his flow of information was “ just talk ” and not worth a “ grain of salt.
” Again , the FBI did not relay this to judges .
Besides wiretaps , here are other ways Mr. Strzok and higher-ups embraced the unverified dossier : • Mr. Comey took the material to President-elect Trump and to President Obama .
• The FBI accepted a steady flow of dossier memos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fusion GPS , through a Justice Department intermediary .
• The FBI agreed to pay Mr. Steele to continue probing Mr. Trump in an October 2016 meeting in Rome , even though they had yet to confirm any of his investigation .
• Mr. Comey insisted that the CIA include the dossier in its official history of Russian election intervention .
The CIA refused , calling it “ internet rumor.
” As a compromise , agencies made it an appendix in the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that contained the most stunning claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proved false .
Special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s final report said he did not establish that there was a conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump team .
The Atlantic ’ s Ms. Applebaum complained during the interview that Mr. Mueller did not investigate all of Mr. Trump ’ s ties to Russia .
However , it is unclear from the Mueller report whether the special counsel did or did not .
An international businessman , Mr. Trump had visited Russia three times and briefly discussed building a Trump Tower in Moscow in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Trump Organization has yet to build anything in Russia .
Cohen testified to Congress that he knows of no Russian money coming to the Trump Organization .
Mr. Strzok remains unapologetic for his actions .
He filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Attorney General William Barr , arguing that he was wrongly dismissed .
The Justice Department filed in court a copy of a “ personal ” August 2018 letter to Mr. Strzok disclosing that the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility had issued findings against him .
It included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ text messages on your FBI-issued cell phone ” and “ failed to diligently pursue a significant investigative lead , ” which amounted to “ dereliction of supervisory responsibility.
” ( This came in the Hillary Clinton email probe , which he also headed . )
The hearing officer recommended that Mr. Strzok be demoted and suspended 60 days .
The FBI deputy director opted to fire him .

Former FBI agent Peter Strzok, who headed the probe into President Trump and his campaign, is now distancing himself from the infamous dossier on which his team greatly relied.
In an interview with The Atlantic, the fired agent who famously texted he would “stop” a Trump presidency seemed to confirm Republicans’ complaints about the Democratic Party-financed dossier. Its creator, British ex-spy Christopher Steele, filled 17 memos with false felony allegations against the president and his allies.
“The Steele report was a problem for the investigation, because it sent people off on a series of wild goose chases,” Mr. Strzok told interviewer Anne Applebaum.
One example of a wild-goose chase: Mr. Steele asserted that campaign chairman Paul Manafort and volunteer Carter Page conspired with the Kremlin to interfere in the 2016 election. In fact, the two men did not know or speak with each other.
Mr. Steele said Trump attorney Michael Cohen secretly traveled to Prague to meet with aides of Russian President Vladimir Putin and provided cash to cover up the campaign’s role in computer hacking. The FBI found the claim to be one of those “wild goose chases.” It concluded such a trip never happened.
Mr. Strzok repudiated the dossier with this assessment: “The report was very typical of information that the FBI often receives. It comes from several sources, including some suspect sources. Some of it is b———-, and some of it is rumor, and some of it is disinformation.”
The former FBI agent, who was kicked off the special counsel’s team in 2017 for his texted anti-Trump tirades, bemoaned to The Atlantic how critics had used the dossier to sully the bureau.
“So some people have sought to use the weaknesses of the Steele reporting to try and cast aspersions against the entirety of the FBI’s massive investigation,” Mr. Strzok said. “These efforts have been very disingenuous, very distorting, and very successful.”
Mr. Strzok is still targeting Mr. Trump. His memoir, “Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump” is to be published Tuesday.
He is the third high-ranking FBI official to write a Trump-deriding book, following two other fired FBI officials — Director James B. Comey and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
Mr. Strzok told “CBS Sunday Morning” that FBI mistakes in the Trump investigation were “inexcusable” but resulted from an overworked staff.
“I don’t think at all that it’s anything improper,” Mr. Strzok said. “You get people who are overworked, who make mistakes — and don’t get me wrong, inexcusable mistakes.”
Justice Department Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz found great fault in the FBI’s reliance on Mr. Steele to obtain four wiretap warrants lasting a year on Mr. Page. Without the dossier, there was not sufficient evidence to go before a federal judge, the IG reported.
The FBI misled Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) judges 17 times by providing either incorrect information or withholding critical evidence. For example, Mr. Page told FBI informant Stefan Halper that he had never spoken to Manafort. Mr. Strzok’s team knew this but never told FISA judges, who only had Mr. Steele’s false narrative.
Mr. Steele’s main source, Russian national Igor Danchenko, was located by the FBI. He told agents that his flow of information was “just talk” and not worth a “grain of salt.” Again, the FBI did not relay this to judges.
Besides wiretaps, here are other ways Mr. Strzok and higher-ups embraced the unverified dossier:
• Mr. Comey took the material to President-elect Trump and to President Obama.
• The FBI accepted a steady flow of dossier memos from the Democratic Party opposition research firm Fusion GPS, through a Justice Department intermediary.
• Agents used dossier allegations to target Trump allies.
• The FBI agreed to pay Mr. Steele to continue probing Mr. Trump in an October 2016 meeting in Rome, even though they had yet to confirm any of his investigation.
• Mr. Comey insisted that the CIA include the dossier in its official history of Russian election intervention. The CIA refused, calling it “internet rumor.” As a compromise, agencies made it an appendix in the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment that contained the most stunning claims about Mr. Trump, all of which proved false.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s final report said he did not establish that there was a conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump team.
The Atlantic’s Ms. Applebaum complained during the interview that Mr. Mueller did not investigate all of Mr. Trump’s ties to Russia.
However, it is unclear from the Mueller report whether the special counsel did or did not. An international businessman, Mr. Trump had visited Russia three times and briefly discussed building a Trump Tower in Moscow in 2015 and early 2016. To date, the Trump Organization has yet to build anything in Russia. Cohen testified to Congress that he knows of no Russian money coming to the Trump Organization.
Mr. Strzok remains unapologetic for his actions. He filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Attorney General William Barr, arguing that he was wrongly dismissed.
The Justice Department filed in court a copy of a “personal” August 2018 letter to Mr. Strzok disclosing that the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility had issued findings against him. It included: “made inappropriate political comments in text messages on your FBI-issued cell phone” and “failed to diligently pursue a significant investigative lead,” which amounted to “dereliction of supervisory responsibility.” (This came in the Hillary Clinton email probe, which he also headed.)
The hearing officer recommended that Mr. Strzok be demoted and suspended 60 days. The FBI deputy director opted to fire him.
• Rowan Scarborough can be reached at rscarborough@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Man charged with killing dog at Connecticut condo complex

CROMWELL , Conn. ( AP ) - A man faces charges of animal cruelty and other offenses after police say @ @ @ @ @ at a Connecticut condominium complex as its owners tried to catch it and two children @ @ @ @ @ Aurilio of Cromwell told WTNH that her boyfriend ’ s 1-year-old German shorthaired pointer Ally @ @ @ @ @ a bird Sunday morning .
As she and her boyfriend ran after the dog , @ @ @ @ @ lives at the complex pulled out a gun and shot the dog with Aurilio ’ @ @ @ @ @ Bardsley Monfilston , 31 , was charged Sunday with unlawful discharge of a firearm , @ @ @ @ @ of child endangerment , police said .
He was released on $ 10,000 bond to @ @ @ @ @ appearance .
It was unclear if he has a lawyer to comment .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ for my daughter and my son as well , ” said Aurilio .
“ No @ @ @ @ @ around anyone with a gun in broad daylight in the neighborhood .
”

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) - A man faces charges of animal cruelty and other offenses after police say he fatally shot a dog at a Connecticut condominium complex as its owners tried to catch it and two children watched in horror.
Jessica Aurilio of Cromwell told WTNH that her boyfriend’s 1-year-old German shorthaired pointer Ally jumped a gate to chase a bird Sunday morning. As she and her boyfriend ran after the dog, Aurilio said a man who lives at the complex pulled out a gun and shot the dog with Aurilio’s two children present.
Bardsley Monfilston, 31, was charged Sunday with unlawful discharge of a firearm, animal cruelty and two counts of child endangerment, police said. He was released on $10,000 bond to await a Dec. 1 court appearance. It was unclear if he has a lawyer to comment.
“It was a very traumatizing experience for my daughter and my son as well,” said Aurilio. “No child should have to be around anyone with a gun in broad daylight in the neighborhood.”


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Koch network launches ad campaign for key Senate races

The Koch network is mobilizing a massive advertising campaign and ground game to boost Republican candidates in key Senate races in November , bursting onto the scene after flying under the radar for most of the 2020 cycle following David Koch ’ s death .
The influential right-leaning political group , which remains staunchly anti-President Trump but isn ’ t working to defeat him , has homed in on the battle for the Senate .
Americans for Prosperity Action , the main political advocacy arm of the Koch network , jumped into the final two-month sprint of the campaign season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital ads for GOP Senate candidates in Colorado , Georgia , Kansas , Montana , North Carolina and Texas .
The total amount of cash the Koch network intends to spend is far higher , however , and will reach $ 11 million in North Carolina alone , said Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips .
Americans for Prosperity also is deploying the largest ground effort in its history after discovering that the coronavirus pandemic created an unexpected boon for in-person canvassing .
Door-knockers found swing voters are much more willing to talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of potential voters who answer the door and engage is up 17 % from before the pandemic , the group says .
“ Normally , swing voters , they do not feel that politics and what happens in Washington , D.C. , has that big of an impact on their lives .
They pay attention , therefore , only sporadically , ” Mr. Phillips said .
“ They have other priorities .
This year is fundamentally different .
This year you have , or they have , the pandemic , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s history , and now a cultural clash , civil unrest that ’ s occurring as well.
” Americans for Prosperity is responding to the increased interest in in-person conversations by hiring dozens of part-time staffers in Colorado to supplement its activist network ’ s footprint .
The group plans to add similar workers in other states in the coming months .
Americans for Prosperity began testing voters ’ reception to door-knocking in June and then resumed its operations in July .
Mr. Phillips ‘ team is finding there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ What ’ s going to determine these Senate races and I think probably the presidential [ race ] as well is not any one issue — it ’ s the answer to a question , ” Mr. Phillips said .
“ The question is : Which candidate gives me the best chance to get my normal life back ?
I think the candidates that answer that best are going to win.
” The Koch network ’ s new normal was forever altered last year when David Koch , the first chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the influential Koch brothers duo , died .
Mr. Phillips said Koch ’ s death was a “ blow ” but the group has worked to maintain the mission that Koch envisioned .
In 2020 , that means ducking the presidential race entirely and rushing to the aid of vulnerable Republican-held Senate seats , such as Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado and candidate Roger Marshall in Kansas .
The decision to stay out of some of 2020 ’ s biggest fights has led to other groups , primarily the Club for Growth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside group helping conservatives win elective office as Republicans .
Whereas the Koch network has traditionally acted alone and sought to distance itself from partisan politics , the Club for Growth works closely within the GOP tent and has expanded its agenda beyond free-market economics to a wide variety of issues including school choice .
Club for Growth President David McIntosh said he decided to make the group the “ biggest and the best political operation for the conservative movement inside the Republican Party ” when he took it over in 2015 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tea Party insurgency to a group serving conservatives willing to work with GOP leadership is now complete .
When the club decided to engage in congressional races in 2020 , it coordinated with super PACs aligned with GOP leadership in both the House and the Senate .
“ We can ’ t talk to the [ Republican ] party because we ’ re an independent expenditure group , but we can coordinate super PAC to super PAC , ” Mr. McIntosh said .
“ When we ’ re engaged in a race , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t just say , ‘ Hey we ’ re doing this and you do what you think is best.
’ We talk it through and then mutually decide.
” Mr. McIntosh said the same dynamic exists at the presidential level , where the Club for Growth is mindful of what super PACs such as the pro-Trump group Preserve America are running on-air so they each don ’ t waste resources .
He said he thinks the group ’ s investments in Arizona and Wisconsin may have made a difference in improving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling .
In states where conservative groups are stepping on the gas pedal , the Koch network is hitting the brakes .
Americans for Prosperity is staying out of Arizona , despite the vulnerability of incumbent GOP Sen. Martha McSally , and is only assisting Sen. David Perdue in Georgia , while waiting to see which Republican emerges in an anticipated runoff for the other Georgia Senate seat after November .
Kansas is the rare exception where past elections spooked the group and have left it not wanting to take anything for granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a difference in six Senate races , 18 House races and nearly 200 state legislative seats as well as in New Hampshire Republican Gov .
Chris Sununu ’ s reelection .
“ We will focus on these six states and what we ’ re doing , frankly , no one else is doing and that ’ s literally hundreds of thousands of individual conversations with our field staff and local activists in these states , laser-beamed just on these Senate candidates that we ’ re supporting , ” Mr. Phillips said .

The Koch network is mobilizing a massive advertising campaign and ground game to boost Republican candidates in key Senate races in November, bursting onto the scene after flying under the radar for most of the 2020 cycle following David Koch’s death.
The influential right-leaning political group, which remains staunchly anti-President Trump but isn’t working to defeat him, has homed in on the battle for the Senate.
Americans for Prosperity Action, the main political advocacy arm of the Koch network, jumped into the final two-month sprint of the campaign season with a $5 million wave of digital ads for GOP Senate candidates in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Montana, North Carolina and Texas.
The total amount of cash the Koch network intends to spend is far higher, however, and will reach $11 million in North Carolina alone, said Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips.
Americans for Prosperity also is deploying the largest ground effort in its history after discovering that the coronavirus pandemic created an unexpected boon for in-person canvassing.
Door-knockers found swing voters are much more willing to talk amid the social distancing restrictions, and the number of potential voters who answer the door and engage is up 17% from before the pandemic, the group says.
“Normally, swing voters, they do not feel that politics and what happens in Washington, D.C., has that big of an impact on their lives. They pay attention, therefore, only sporadically,” Mr. Phillips said. “They have other priorities. This year is fundamentally different. This year you have, or they have, the pandemic, the greatest economic dislocation and crisis in our nation’s history, and now a cultural clash, civil unrest that’s occurring as well.”
Americans for Prosperity is responding to the increased interest in in-person conversations by hiring dozens of part-time staffers in Colorado to supplement its activist network’s footprint. The group plans to add similar workers in other states in the coming months.
Americans for Prosperity began testing voters’ reception to door-knocking in June and then resumed its operations in July. Mr. Phillips’ team is finding there’s far less competition visiting voters’ doorsteps.
“What’s going to determine these Senate races and I think probably the presidential [race] as well is not any one issue — it’s the answer to a question,” Mr. Phillips said. “The question is: Which candidate gives me the best chance to get my normal life back? I think the candidates that answer that best are going to win.”
The Koch network’s new normal was forever altered last year when David Koch, the first chairman of the AFP Foundation and one-half of the influential Koch brothers duo, died. Mr. Phillips said Koch’s death was a “blow” but the group has worked to maintain the mission that Koch envisioned.
In 2020, that means ducking the presidential race entirely and rushing to the aid of vulnerable Republican-held Senate seats, such as Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado and candidate Roger Marshall in Kansas.
The decision to stay out of some of 2020’s biggest fights has led to other groups, primarily the Club for Growth, establishing a new foothold as the prominent outside group helping conservatives win elective office as Republicans.
Whereas the Koch network has traditionally acted alone and sought to distance itself from partisan politics, the Club for Growth works closely within the GOP tent and has expanded its agenda beyond free-market economics to a wide variety of issues including school choice.
Club for Growth President David McIntosh said he decided to make the group the “biggest and the best political operation for the conservative movement inside the Republican Party” when he took it over in 2015.
Its shift from a group for the Tea Party insurgency to a group serving conservatives willing to work with GOP leadership is now complete. When the club decided to engage in congressional races in 2020, it coordinated with super PACs aligned with GOP leadership in both the House and the Senate.
“We can’t talk to the [Republican] party because we’re an independent expenditure group, but we can coordinate super PAC to super PAC,” Mr. McIntosh said. “When we’re engaged in a race, we talk to them, and we don’t just say, ‘Hey we’re doing this and you do what you think is best.’ We talk it through and then mutually decide.”
Mr. McIntosh said the same dynamic exists at the presidential level, where the Club for Growth is mindful of what super PACs such as the pro-Trump group Preserve America are running on-air so they each don’t waste resources. He said he thinks the group’s investments in Arizona and Wisconsin may have made a difference in improving Mr. Trump’s performance in recent polling.
In states where conservative groups are stepping on the gas pedal, the Koch network is hitting the brakes. Americans for Prosperity is staying out of Arizona, despite the vulnerability of incumbent GOP Sen. Martha McSally, and is only assisting Sen. David Perdue in Georgia, while waiting to see which Republican emerges in an anticipated runoff for the other Georgia Senate seat after November. Kansas is the rare exception where past elections spooked the group and have left it not wanting to take anything for granted.
The group thinks it can make a difference in six Senate races, 18 House races and nearly 200 state legislative seats as well as in New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s reelection.
“We will focus on these six states and what we’re doing, frankly, no one else is doing and that’s literally hundreds of thousands of individual conversations with our field staff and local activists in these states, laser-beamed just on these Senate candidates that we’re supporting,” Mr. Phillips said.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Portland protesters use new, old tactics against police

Shield walls have been used on battlefields from ancient Sparta to Hastings in 1066 — and now on the streets of Portland , Oregon .
Protesters come nightly carrying homemade shields and protective armor , forming a wall in the streets , ready to test police officers who stand between the demonstrators and their targets for mayhem .
But the protesters also combine the Space Age with the medieval , arming themselves with lasers , used to dazzle cameras and distract police officers .
Green lasers are most common , but blue lasers are the most dangerous .
They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to police , to scorch an officer ’ s skin .
The tactics of protest have evolved greatly since the peaceful marches of the civil rights era and the more violent days of the 1970s .
They also have gone worldwide , with anti-police protesters in Portland and Seattle learning from the anti-communist protests in Hong Kong and others elsewhere .
That means black clothing , which helps create anonymity in the crowd , making it tough for authorities to pin a particular act on a particular person .
Umbrellas are used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke are deployed to confuse .
Even leaf blowers have a use : to push tear gas away from protesters .
All those tactics got their start elsewhere but have been used to great effect on the streets of the U.S. “ I haven ’ t done a systematic analysis yet , but clearly there is a lot of diffusion happening , particularly in terms of defense against less lethal weapons , ” said Lesley Wood , a sociologist at York University in Canada who studies protest movements and policing .
The vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. have been peaceful .
Dana R. Fisher , a sociology professor at the University of Maryland who studies protest movements , conducted a survey of the crowd reliving Martin Luther King Jr. ’ s historic march on Washington on Aug. 28 .
She found that only a third said they had engaged in “ direct action ” demonstrations over the past year .
In Portland , while thousands have marched for racial justice , those committed to chaos number only a couple of hundred , though they turn out night after night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s usually easy to tell who they are .
“ Folks who are expecting to get arrested , they gear up , they write numbers for people to bail them out on their arm , ” Ms. Fisher said .
Some of the gear has been standard for decades , such as bottles filled with gasoline and covered with a wick — the Molotov cocktail .
Throwing rocks from the street has been a mainstay of protests for far longer .
Police say they also have confiscated stun guns , batons , knives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who deployed agents and officers to Portland , reported facing sledgehammers , metal pipes and improvised explosive devices .
Balloons filled with urine or feces also have been lobbed .
And then there are the lasers .
Most are green .
Although they are sold as laser pointers , they are often powerful enough to injure the eyes .
The Department of Homeland Security said its agents and officers deployed to Portland have sustained more than 100 eye injuries .
Federal prosecutors last week charged Hugo Ryan Berteau-Pavy , 26 , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Center during a June 13 demonstration .
An officer on the roof of the center tracked Mr. Berteau-Pavy through the crowd , according to court documents , and then watched as he and other protesters marched to Mayor Ted Wheeler ’ s home and shone the laser at his residence and other homes in the neighborhood .
Mr. Berteau-Pavy was arrested with a green laser in his pocket .
Local prosecutors did not pursue the case , so federal officers stepped in .
The local district attorney did pursue charges in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a blue laser into officers ’ eyes as protesters broke into Portland City Hall in late August .
“ Law enforcement found the laser was so powerful that it would burn through paper and cause dry material to catch fire , ” the district attorney ’ s office said .
Prosecutors said Mr. Kelley admitted he knew the laser was advertised as capable of “ burning , ” and he knew it could damage eyes .
Protests and mayhem continued in Portland this weekend with what police described as a “ large fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street near a police station and demonstrators chanting “ Burn it down.
” When the fire became a danger , police alerted protesters that they were bringing in the fire department .
Most demonstrators made way for the firefighters to extinguish the blaze .
During the evening , 15 people were arrested .
Police described the equipment they confiscated , including a stun gun , a baton , body armor , a sling shot and a prepared Molotov cocktail — a dish detergent bottle with a wick taped to the top , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portland police regularly say the unruly crowd is full of people wearing body armor and gas masks or goggles and carrying homemade shields , seemingly singling them out from more mundane protesters .
Ms. Wood , the professor at York University , said there is a long history of police trying to divide “ good ” and “ bad ” protesters .
“ Unfortunately , this perception of ‘ bad ’ protesters relies on stereotypes and assumptions — often targeting young , Black , countercultural activists , and those who won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The Washington Times .
“ In an atmosphere of distrust and polarization , many more protesters may be unwilling to cooperate and are thus perceived as ‘ bad , ’ escalating the conflict , ” she said .
On Sunday , police in Portland said they tried to deescalate the situation by , for example , pulling back officers after the fire was extinguished .
Protesters say that is not always the case .
They complain of hair-trigger responses by officers and use Twitter to identify those they believe are more likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typical evening will start with the committed demonstrators gathering at a park and picking a destination for the evening .
Police stations and public buildings have been prominent targets , but so was the Portland mayor ’ s apartment building .
Police , through a loudspeaker , will tell the protesters to remain peaceful and stay off certain property or fences .
But protesters will rattle a fence or encroach on the off-limits property .
Officers respond either by marching in force or by deploying less-lethal weapons , sometimes including tear gas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ dance between protesters and law enforcement , ” said Ms. Fisher , the University of Maryland professor .
A key moment comes when protesters lob rocks or toss tear gas canisters back at officers .
“ Once something ’ s been thrown at police , things escalate from there , ” she said .
Ms. Fisher said the mayhem sometimes is a miscalculation .
Fireworks aren ’ t used intentionally to set fires , but it can happen , and “ once something gets on fire , everything escalates.
” The weaponry can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When rioters targeted the federal courthouse in downtown Portland , federal agents and officers were quick to deploy tear gas .
A group dubbed the Portland Dads soon brought leaf blowers to push the tear gas cloud back toward the police .
When coordinated , the strategy worked perfectly .
The officers were limited by their need to defend a specific piece of ground , making them vulnerable to the retaliation .
Within a couple of days , though , federal authorities brought leaf blowers of their own to control the direction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some moves such as the Wall of Moms , a group of self-proclaimed mothers who stood as a first line of protesters , singing lullabies and hoping to serve as protection for those behind them .
Ms. Fisher said she could see that tactic spreading to other protests .
Tactics are shared online , sometimes through social media posts but also through websites such as CrimethInc.com , which serves as a kind of Consumer Reports guide with articles such as “ A Demonstrator ’ s Guide to Helmets ” and “ Protocols for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When you ’ re choosing a leaf blower , make sure it has a good fan and a wireless power source , ” the site advises .
“ Leaf blowers work well in combination with umbrellas and shields .
While the shields protect demonstrators against impact munitions , the leaf blowers keep the gas moving away from protesters until someone can run up and extinguish the canister or throw it back at the assaulters who shot it .
Teamwork !
” CrimethInc.
, which calls itself “ a decentralized network pledged to anonymous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how to hold a shield to absorb a police charge and how to use a lacrosse stick to pick up and fire tear gas canisters back at police .
One irony of the protests is that demonstrators , whose stated goal was to draw attention to policing tactics , have brought much scrutiny on their own moves .
They debate tactics among themselves , even in the heat of a protest , arguing with one another over megaphones over whether to attempt some action such as tearing down a fence .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After this weekend ’ s arrests in Portland — Saturday ’ s 59 arrests was a one-day record during the 100 days of mayhem — the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front questioned why protesters always marched straight at police .
“ Instead of marching straight to the riot line , head-first into clouds of tear gas and violent arrests , let ’ s move AWAY from the cops , ” the outfit said in a Twitter post .
It also suggested picking other targets : “ There are certainly hundreds of corporations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisons , ICE , etc.
, that haven ’ t received enough attention at protests.
” Ms. Fisher said police in Portland , including federal officers , used confrontational tactics to disperse crowds and hoped to dissuade people from coming out to protest .
“ In times when people are feeling really outraged and upset , that doesn ’ t actually work , ” she said .
“ Research shows us when a crowd has hit a certain boiling point with dissatisfaction with the status quo , if you try to disperse by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with larger crowds .
”

Shield walls have been used on battlefields from ancient Sparta to Hastings in 1066 — and now on the streets of Portland, Oregon.
Protesters come nightly carrying homemade shields and protective armor, forming a wall in the streets, ready to test police officers who stand between the demonstrators and their targets for mayhem.
But the protesters also combine the Space Age with the medieval, arming themselves with lasers, used to dazzle cameras and distract police officers. Green lasers are most common, but blue lasers are the most dangerous. They are hot enough to ignite paper and, according to police, to scorch an officer’s skin.
The tactics of protest have evolved greatly since the peaceful marches of the civil rights era and the more violent days of the 1970s. They also have gone worldwide, with anti-police protesters in Portland and Seattle learning from the anti-communist protests in Hong Kong and others elsewhere.
That means black clothing, which helps create anonymity in the crowd, making it tough for authorities to pin a particular act on a particular person. Umbrellas are used to block cameras, and fireworks and smoke are deployed to confuse. Even leaf blowers have a use: to push tear gas away from protesters. All those tactics got their start elsewhere but have been used to great effect on the streets of the U.S.
“I haven’t done a systematic analysis yet, but clearly there is a lot of diffusion happening, particularly in terms of defense against less lethal weapons,” said Lesley Wood, a sociologist at York University in Canada who studies protest movements and policing.
The vast majority of demonstrations this year in the U.S. have been peaceful.
Dana R. Fisher, a sociology professor at the University of Maryland who studies protest movements, conducted a survey of the crowd reliving Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic march on Washington on Aug. 28. She found that only a third said they had engaged in “direct action” demonstrations over the past year.
In Portland, while thousands have marched for racial justice, those committed to chaos number only a couple of hundred, though they turn out night after night prepared to battle police. It’s usually easy to tell who they are.
“Folks who are expecting to get arrested, they gear up, they write numbers for people to bail them out on their arm,” Ms. Fisher said.
Some of the gear has been standard for decades, such as bottles filled with gasoline and covered with a wick — the Molotov cocktail. Throwing rocks from the street has been a mainstay of protests for far longer.
Police say they also have confiscated stun guns, batons, knives and the occasional firearm. Federal authorities, who deployed agents and officers to Portland, reported facing sledgehammers, metal pipes and improvised explosive devices.
Balloons filled with urine or feces also have been lobbed.
And then there are the lasers.
Most are green. Although they are sold as laser pointers, they are often powerful enough to injure the eyes. The Department of Homeland Security said its agents and officers deployed to Portland have sustained more than 100 eye injuries.
Police have nabbed some laser operator suspects.
Federal prosecutors last week charged Hugo Ryan Berteau-Pavy, 26, with firing a laser at the Multnomah County Justice Center during a June 13 demonstration.
An officer on the roof of the center tracked Mr. Berteau-Pavy through the crowd, according to court documents, and then watched as he and other protesters marched to Mayor Ted Wheeler’s home and shone the laser at his residence and other homes in the neighborhood. Mr. Berteau-Pavy was arrested with a green laser in his pocket.
Local prosecutors did not pursue the case, so federal officers stepped in.
The local district attorney did pursue charges in a case accusing Bryan M. Kelley of firing a blue laser into officers’ eyes as protesters broke into Portland City Hall in late August.
“Law enforcement found the laser was so powerful that it would burn through paper and cause dry material to catch fire,” the district attorney’s office said.
Prosecutors said Mr. Kelley admitted he knew the laser was advertised as capable of “burning,” and he knew it could damage eyes.
Protests and mayhem continued in Portland this weekend with what police described as a “large fire” set Sunday night on mattresses in the street near a police station and demonstrators chanting “Burn it down.”
When the fire became a danger, police alerted protesters that they were bringing in the fire department. Most demonstrators made way for the firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
During the evening, 15 people were arrested.
Police described the equipment they confiscated, including a stun gun, a baton, body armor, a sling shot and a prepared Molotov cocktail — a dish detergent bottle with a wick taped to the top, ready to be lit and thrown.
Portland police regularly say the unruly crowd is full of people wearing body armor and gas masks or goggles and carrying homemade shields, seemingly singling them out from more mundane protesters.
Ms. Wood, the professor at York University, said there is a long history of police trying to divide “good” and “bad” protesters.
“Unfortunately, this perception of ‘bad’ protesters relies on stereotypes and assumptions — often targeting young, Black, countercultural activists, and those who won’t cooperate quickly with police,” she told The Washington Times.
“In an atmosphere of distrust and polarization, many more protesters may be unwilling to cooperate and are thus perceived as ‘bad,’ escalating the conflict,” she said.
On Sunday, police in Portland said they tried to deescalate the situation by, for example, pulling back officers after the fire was extinguished.
Protesters say that is not always the case. They complain of hair-trigger responses by officers and use Twitter to identify those they believe are more likely to become aggressive with demonstrators.
A typical evening will start with the committed demonstrators gathering at a park and picking a destination for the evening. Police stations and public buildings have been prominent targets, but so was the Portland mayor’s apartment building.
Police, through a loudspeaker, will tell the protesters to remain peaceful and stay off certain property or fences. But protesters will rattle a fence or encroach on the off-limits property. Officers respond either by marching in force or by deploying less-lethal weapons, sometimes including tear gas.
“It’s almost like a dance between protesters and law enforcement,” said Ms. Fisher, the University of Maryland professor.
A key moment comes when protesters lob rocks or toss tear gas canisters back at officers.
“Once something’s been thrown at police, things escalate from there,” she said.
Ms. Fisher said the mayhem sometimes is a miscalculation. Fireworks aren’t used intentionally to set fires, but it can happen, and “once something gets on fire, everything escalates.”
The weaponry can spur a kind of arms race.
When rioters targeted the federal courthouse in downtown Portland, federal agents and officers were quick to deploy tear gas. A group dubbed the Portland Dads soon brought leaf blowers to push the tear gas cloud back toward the police.
When coordinated, the strategy worked perfectly. The officers were limited by their need to defend a specific piece of ground, making them vulnerable to the retaliation.
Within a couple of days, though, federal authorities brought leaf blowers of their own to control the direction of the gas cloud.
Portland has pioneered some moves such as the Wall of Moms, a group of self-proclaimed mothers who stood as a first line of protesters, singing lullabies and hoping to serve as protection for those behind them. Ms. Fisher said she could see that tactic spreading to other protests.
Tactics are shared online, sometimes through social media posts but also through websites such as CrimethInc.com, which serves as a kind of Consumer Reports guide with articles such as “A Demonstrator’s Guide to Helmets” and “Protocols for Common Injuries From Police Weapons.”
“When you’re choosing a leaf blower, make sure it has a good fan and a wireless power source,” the site advises. “Leaf blowers work well in combination with umbrellas and shields. While the shields protect demonstrators against impact munitions, the leaf blowers keep the gas moving away from protesters until someone can run up and extinguish the canister or throw it back at the assaulters who shot it. Teamwork!”
CrimethInc., which calls itself “a decentralized network pledged to anonymous collective action,” also gives advice on how to hold a shield to absorb a police charge and how to use a lacrosse stick to pick up and fire tear gas canisters back at police.
One irony of the protests is that demonstrators, whose stated goal was to draw attention to policing tactics, have brought much scrutiny on their own moves.
They debate tactics among themselves, even in the heat of a protest, arguing with one another over megaphones over whether to attempt some action such as tearing down a fence.
Other times, the debate happens online.
After this weekend’s arrests in Portland — Saturday’s 59 arrests was a one-day record during the 100 days of mayhem — the Pacific Northwest Youth Liberation Front questioned why protesters always marched straight at police.
“Instead of marching straight to the riot line, head-first into clouds of tear gas and violent arrests, let’s move AWAY from the cops,” the outfit said in a Twitter post.
It also suggested picking other targets: “There are certainly hundreds of corporations that fund or profit off of policing, prisons, ICE, etc., that haven’t received enough attention at protests.”
Ms. Fisher said police in Portland, including federal officers, used confrontational tactics to disperse crowds and hoped to dissuade people from coming out to protest.
“In times when people are feeling really outraged and upset, that doesn’t actually work,” she said. “Research shows us when a crowd has hit a certain boiling point with dissatisfaction with the status quo, if you try to disperse by being more aggressive, you end up with larger crowds.”
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Atlanta United wraps up Martinez sale to Saudi Arabian club

ATLANTA ( AP ) - Atlanta United finalized the sale of midfielder Pity Martinez to Saudi Arabia ’ s Al-Nassr on Monday .
A former South American player of the year , Martinez failed to meet expectations during his time in Major League Soccer .
The 27-year-old had been expected to replace attacking midfielder Miguel Almirón , who left for England ’ s Newcastle .
Martinez came to Atlanta with high expectations after leading River Plate to the 2018 Copa Libertadores title .
He joined a United team that had won the MLS Cup championship .
The transfer opened both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spot on United ’ s roster .
“ He will forever be a part of Atlanta United ’ s history after playing an integral part in our 2019 season in which we lifted two trophies , ” Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a statement .
“ We ’ ll look to be diligent in our efforts to fill that roster spot during this window.
” Martinez had five goals and nine assists in league play last year and was selected a MLS All-Star .
Martinez has four goals and four assists @ @ @

ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta United finalized the sale of midfielder Pity Martinez to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr on Monday.
A former South American player of the year, Martinez failed to meet expectations during his time in Major League Soccer.
The 27-year-old had been expected to replace attacking midfielder Miguel Almirón, who left for England’s Newcastle. Martinez came to Atlanta with high expectations after leading River Plate to the 2018 Copa Libertadores title. He joined a United team that had won the MLS Cup championship.
The transfer opened both a designated player spot and an international spot on United’s roster.
“He will forever be a part of Atlanta United’s history after playing an integral part in our 2019 season in which we lifted two trophies,” Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra said in a statement. “We’ll look to be diligent in our efforts to fill that roster spot during this window.”
Martinez had five goals and nine assists in league play last year and was selected a MLS All-Star. Martinez has four goals and four assists this year.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
b


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Suspect held in slaying of man in Billings

BILLINGS , Mont .
( AP ) - Police said Monday they ’ ve taken a suspect into custody on @ @ @ @ @ weekend death of a man in Billings .
The Billings Police Department said the male @ @ @ @ @ a vehicle in an alley behind the Rodeway Inn on Sunday morning .
He had @ @ @ @ @ arm .
Investigators believe he was injured at a Hardee ’ s restaurant earlier that @ @ @ @ @ the alley before he died .
The 25-year-old suspect was being held at the county @ @ @ @ @ of deliberate homicide .
The suspect and victim were associates , police said .

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Police said Monday they’ve taken a suspect into custody on suspicion of murder in the weekend death of a man in Billings.
The Billings Police Department said the male victim was found dead in a vehicle in an alley behind the Rodeway Inn on Sunday morning. He had a large laceration on his arm.
Investigators believe he was injured at a Hardee’s restaurant earlier that morning and drove himself to the alley before he died.
The 25-year-old suspect was being held at the county jail and faces a charge of deliberate homicide.
The suspect and victim were associates, police said.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Arkansas reports 350 new cases of COVID-19, 14 more deaths

LITTLE ROCK , Ark .
( AP ) - Arkansas was reporting 350 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus .
The Arkansas Department of Health @ @ @ @ @ s total number of reported cases so far is at 65,727 .
There have so @ @ @ @ @ the state due to COVID-19 .
The true number of cases in Arkansas is likely @ @ @ @ @ not been tested , and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick @ @ @ @ @ the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and a cough @ @ @ @ @ to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health @ @ @ @ @ more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Arkansas was reporting 350 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday and 14 additional deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
The Arkansas Department of Health said that the state’s total number of reported cases so far is at 65,727. There have so far been 908 deaths in the state due to COVID-19.
The true number of cases in Arkansas is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-09-07--Trump open to inquiry into DeJoy and campaign contributions

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - President Donald Trump says he ’ s open to an investigation of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy following published reports that former employees of DeJoy , a major donor to Trump and other Republicans , said they felt pressured to make campaign contributions to GOP candidates .
The president also said Monday that DeJoy should lose his job if campaign finance irregularities are uncovered while describing the GOP fundraiser as a “ very honest guy.
” Trump replied “ sure , sure ” when asked at a news conference whether he would support an investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Congress for U.S .
Postal Service changes that some fear will slow delivery of mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 elections .
Asked if DeJoy should lose his job if a campaign finance scheme is uncovered , Trump replied : “ Yeah , if something could be proven that he did something wrong , always .
Always.
” The Washington Post reported online Sunday that several ex-employees of DeJoy ’ s former business , New Breed Logistics , said DeJoy or his aides urged them to make political contributions .
Others told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigger bonuses to reimburse for the contributions .
Such an arrangement would be illegal .
Monty Hagler , a spokesperson for DeJoy , told the Post that DeJoy was unaware that any workers felt pressure to make donations .
Hagler also said DeJoy believes he has always complied with campaign fundraising laws and regulations .
DeJoy was put in charge of the Postal Service in June after a career in logistics and set in motion a series of policy changes that have delayed mail and sparked concern over the agency ’ s ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected this fall due to coronavirus fears .
The House Oversight Committee recently subpoenaed DeJoy for records about widespread mail delivery delays that have pushed the Postal Service into the political spotlight .
He has appeared before Congress twice in recent weeks to testify about the changes , some of which he said he has put on hold until after the elections .

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump says he’s open to an investigation of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy following published reports that former employees of DeJoy, a major donor to Trump and other Republicans, said they felt pressured to make campaign contributions to GOP candidates.
The president also said Monday that DeJoy should lose his job if campaign finance irregularities are uncovered while describing the GOP fundraiser as a “very honest guy.”
Trump replied “sure, sure” when asked at a news conference whether he would support an investigation into DeJoy. DeJoy already faces unrelated scrutiny from Congress for U.S. Postal Service changes that some fear will slow delivery of mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 elections.
Asked if DeJoy should lose his job if a campaign finance scheme is uncovered, Trump replied: “Yeah, if something could be proven that he did something wrong, always. Always.”
The Washington Post reported online Sunday that several ex-employees of DeJoy’s former business, New Breed Logistics, said DeJoy or his aides urged them to make political contributions. Others told the newspaper that DeJoy would later give bigger bonuses to reimburse for the contributions.
Such an arrangement would be illegal.
Monty Hagler, a spokesperson for DeJoy, told the Post that DeJoy was unaware that any workers felt pressure to make donations. Hagler also said DeJoy believes he has always complied with campaign fundraising laws and regulations.
DeJoy was put in charge of the Postal Service in June after a career in logistics and set in motion a series of policy changes that have delayed mail and sparked concern over the agency’s ability to process a flood of mail-in ballots expected this fall due to coronavirus fears.
The House Oversight Committee recently subpoenaed DeJoy for records about widespread mail delivery delays that have pushed the Postal Service into the political spotlight.
He has appeared before Congress twice in recent weeks to testify about the changes, some of which he said he has put on hold until after the elections.