washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Task force members support removing Confederate monument

ASHEVILLE , N.C. ( AP ) - A majority of task force members appointed to consider the fate of a Confederate monument in a North Carolina city said they support removing it .
Nine of the Vance Monument Task Force ’ s 12 members said so ahead of their Thursday vote regarding the monument honoring Zebulon Baird Vance , who served as North Carolina ’ s governor during the Civil War , the Asheville Citizen-Times reported .
That vote will serve as a recommendation to the Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners .
The obelisk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 50 feet tall , with the name “ Vance ” carved into its base .
It was erected more than 120 years ago by the United Daughters of the Confederacy .
“ If this monument is left in its original form , rather than completely removed or its materials altered beyond recognition , it will continue to serve as a symbol of white supremacy to those most affected by its presence , ” said task force co-chair Oralene Simmons said .
Other members , including co-chair Deborah Miles , said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed interest in taking the monument , and some other new location might become a pilgrimage site for white supremacy , the newspaper reported .
Two task force members have called for repurposing it somehow .
One of those members , Shirley Whitesides , said Asheville can “ teach other communities that we ’ ve got to learn to tell the truth and weave it into a work of art.
” “ The monument has not bothered me as much as seeing crosses burning in my neighborhood growing up in Rocky Mount by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
But Miles said repurposing it won ’ t remove its meaning .
“ If it is renamed and a few words removed and others put on , it will always be the Vance Monument in a vestige of a period in our community story that promoted white supremacy and white control of all major institutions , ” Miles said .
Task force members were appointed amid the national protests over racial injustice that led to Confederate symbols being toppled across the South .
Other monuments in Asheville have been taken down @

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - A majority of task force members appointed to consider the fate of a Confederate monument in a North Carolina city said they support removing it.
Nine of the Vance Monument Task Force’s 12 members said so ahead of their Thursday vote regarding the monument honoring Zebulon Baird Vance, who served as North Carolina’s governor during the Civil War, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported.
That vote will serve as a recommendation to the Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. The obelisk, made of rough stone blocks, stands more than 50 feet tall, with the name “Vance” carved into its base. It was erected more than 120 years ago by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
“If this monument is left in its original form, rather than completely removed or its materials altered beyond recognition, it will continue to serve as a symbol of white supremacy to those most affected by its presence,” said task force co-chair Oralene Simmons said.
Other members, including co-chair Deborah Miles, said they oppose relocation, because no museum has expressed interest in taking the monument, and some other new location might become a pilgrimage site for white supremacy, the newspaper reported.
Two task force members have called for repurposing it somehow. One of those members, Shirley Whitesides, said Asheville can “teach other communities that we’ve got to learn to tell the truth and weave it into a work of art.”
“The monument has not bothered me as much as seeing crosses burning in my neighborhood growing up in Rocky Mount by the Ku Klux Klan,” Whitesides said.
But Miles said repurposing it won’t remove its meaning.
“If it is renamed and a few words removed and others put on, it will always be the Vance Monument in a vestige of a period in our community story that promoted white supremacy and white control of all major institutions,” Miles said.
Task force members were appointed amid the national protests over racial injustice that led to Confederate symbols being toppled across the South. Other monuments in Asheville have been taken down.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Utah bill may exonerate some who injure protesters

SALT LAKE CITY ( AP ) - A Utah state representative has proposed a bill that may exonerate drivers who accidentally kill or injure protesters while fleeing in fear for his or her life .
The legislation advanced by Republican Rep. Jon Hawkins Tuesday would also make obstructing traffic during a riot into a third-degree felony .
The bill applies to drivers fleeing from a riot “ under a reasonable belief ” that he or she is in danger of serious injury or death , the Salt Lake Tribune reported .
The motorist must also be taking “ due care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s bill said .
State statute considers a riot to be a group of people who are engaging in “ tumultuous or violent conduct ” that can cause public alarm .
Defense attorney Mark Moffat told lawmakers that a broad interpretation of this statute could encompass almost any protest .
“ They often involve hundreds , sometimes thousands , of individuals who are marching down the street in protest of a particular event that occurred in our community or nationally , ” Moffat said .
“ Every single one of those people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prosecutors , defense attorneys and civil liberty advocates are all opposing the measure .
Members of those groups also said the law could criminalize one of the defining features of protesting .
“ Marching in the streets back even before Selma , Alabama , included blocking traffic as part of the protest , ” said William Carlson , chief criminal justice policy adviser for the Salt Lake County District Attorney ’ s Office .
Carlson said the proposed criminal defense for motorists that injure protesters calls to mind the deadly car attack that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prosecuting the driver who plowed his car into a crowd of protesters would be much more difficult under the provisions that Hawkins wants to enact , Carlson said .
Proponents of the new law said it would protect against violence from mobs .
“ We respect the right of the people to peacefully assemble , ” Hawkins told the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee , which voted in support of the bill .
“ That ’ s not what we ’ re trying to change here in this bill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ assembly , that ’ s what we ’ re trying to determine and to enhance the penalties on .
”

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Utah state representative has proposed a bill that may exonerate drivers who accidentally kill or injure protesters while fleeing in fear for his or her life.
The legislation advanced by Republican Rep. Jon Hawkins Tuesday would also make obstructing traffic during a riot into a third-degree felony.
The bill applies to drivers fleeing from a riot “under a reasonable belief” that he or she is in danger of serious injury or death, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The motorist must also be taking “due care” at the time, the lawmaker’s bill said.
State statute considers a riot to be a group of people who are engaging in “tumultuous or violent conduct” that can cause public alarm. Defense attorney Mark Moffat told lawmakers that a broad interpretation of this statute could encompass almost any protest.
“They often involve hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individuals who are marching down the street in protest of a particular event that occurred in our community or nationally,” Moffat said. “Every single one of those people could be charged with a felony.”
Prosecutors, defense attorneys and civil liberty advocates are all opposing the measure. Members of those groups also said the law could criminalize one of the defining features of protesting.
“Marching in the streets back even before Selma, Alabama, included blocking traffic as part of the protest,” said William Carlson, chief criminal justice policy adviser for the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
Carlson said the proposed criminal defense for motorists that injure protesters calls to mind the deadly car attack that occurred during the 2017 protests in Charlottesville. Prosecuting the driver who plowed his car into a crowd of protesters would be much more difficult under the provisions that Hawkins wants to enact, Carlson said.
Proponents of the new law said it would protect against violence from mobs.
“We respect the right of the people to peacefully assemble,” Hawkins told the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee, which voted in support of the bill. “That’s not what we’re trying to change here in this bill. When that peaceable assembly becomes a violent assembly, that’s what we’re trying to determine and to enhance the penalties on.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Bill Weir, CNN correspondent, accused of 'outrageous sexism' for Kelly Loeffler marriage comment

A CNN correspondent was accused Wednesday of “ outrageous sexism ” after he suggested that Sen. Kelly Loeffler ’ s success was based on her marriage .
CNN climate correspondent Bill Weir ’ s comment came after the Georgia Republican tweeted that she had “ lived the American dream .
I went from the farm to the Fortune 500.
” “ I want Georgians to have the same freedom & opportunities I had , ” Ms. Loeffler said in a Wednesday post .
“ And it won ’ t be possible if we go down the road to socialism.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Good news , Georgia !
If you live on a farm , you now qualify to marry the Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange !
” He referred to her 2004 marriage to Jeffrey Sprecher , the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange .
Ms. Loeffler joined Intercontinental Exchange in 2002 after stints with Citibank , William Blair & Company , and the Crossroads Group .
Sen. Joni Ernst , Iowa Republican , accused the CNN reporter of “ outrageous sexism , ” while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this is amazingly sexist , but if it ’ s channeled towards a conservative I guess that ’ s OK. ” “ Kelly Loeffler is significantly more accomplished than Bill Weir by a factor of about 1 billion with or without marriage , but demean her success story anyway … it ’ s what CNN does , ” Mr. Trump said .
National Republican Senatorial Committee senior advisor Matt Whitlock tweeted , “ Are you serious with this take ?
Are you actually suggesting that her success just came from marriage ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit more.
” Mr. Weir has not commented publicly on the allegations of sexism .
Ms. Loeffler , 49 , who grew up on a corn and soybean farm in Illinois , earned her undergraduate marketing degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her MBA at the DePaul University Kellstadt Graduate School of Business .
After being appointed in December 2019 to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Johnny Isakson , she is running to keep the seat in the Jan. 5 run-off against Democrat Raphael Warnock .

A CNN correspondent was accused Wednesday of “outrageous sexism” after he suggested that Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s success was based on her marriage.
CNN climate correspondent Bill Weir’s comment came after the Georgia Republican tweeted that she had “lived the American dream. I went from the farm to the Fortune 500.”
“I want Georgians to have the same freedom & opportunities I had,” Ms. Loeffler said in a Wednesday post. “And it won’t be possible if we go down the road to socialism.”
Mr. Weir responded with a sarcastic tweet: “Good news, Georgia! If you live on a farm, you now qualify to marry the Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange!”
He referred to her 2004 marriage to Jeffrey Sprecher, the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange. Ms. Loeffler joined Intercontinental Exchange in 2002 after stints with Citibank, William Blair & Company, and the Crossroads Group.
Sen. Joni Ernst, Iowa Republican, accused the CNN reporter of “outrageous sexism,” while Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, “Well, this is amazingly sexist, but if it’s channeled towards a conservative I guess that’s OK.”
“Kelly Loeffler is significantly more accomplished than Bill Weir by a factor of about 1 billion with or without marriage, but demean her success story anyway … it’s what CNN does,” Mr. Trump said.
National Republican Senatorial Committee senior advisor Matt Whitlock tweeted, “Are you serious with this take? Are you actually suggesting that her success just came from marriage? Because it sounds like you should read a bit more.”
Mr. Weir has not commented publicly on the allegations of sexism.
Ms. Loeffler, 49, who grew up on a corn and soybean farm in Illinois, earned her undergraduate marketing degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her MBA at the DePaul University Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
After being appointed in December 2019 to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Johnny Isakson, she is running to keep the seat in the Jan. 5 run-off against Democrat Raphael Warnock.
Well, this is amazingly sexist, but if it’s channeled towards a conservative I guess that’s OK.
Kelly Loeffler is significantly more accomplished than Bill Weir by a factor of about 1 billion with or without marriage, but demean her success story anyway… it’s what CNN does. https://t.co/0QNDrMGhIG — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 18, 2020
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--4 indicted in scheme to allegedly influence Speaker Madigan

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Four people , including an associate of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan , were indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on charges they orchestrated a bribery scheme with Commonwealth Edison .
The alleged scheme provided do-nothing jobs to Madigan loyalists in exchange for the speaker ’ s help with state legislation .
Those charged with bribery and conspiracy included Michael McClain , 73 , of Quincy ; former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggirore , 62 , of Barrington ; lobbyist and former ComEd executive John Hooker , 71 , of Chicago ; and Jay Doherty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the City Club if Chicago .
In addition to jobs and contracts , the defendants are accused of conspiring to have ComEd hire a law firm favored by Madigan and to accept into ComEd ’ s internship program students who resided in Madigan ’ s 13th Ward , even though some didn ’ t meet its requirements , according to the indictment .
McClain served with Madigan in the House in the 1970s and early 1980s before McClain became a lobbyist who had ComEd as a client .
Pramaggiore and Doherty denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There were no immediate comments from McClain and Hooker .
ComEd admitted in a deferred prosecution agreement signed with the U.S. attorney for the northern district of Illinois in July that its top administrators offered no-work lobbyist jobs and sub-contracts to allies of Madigan in exchange for favorable legislation .
Madigan is identified in the document only as House speaker .
Madigan hasn ’ t been charged in connection with the alleged scheme and denies any wrongdoing .
But he was singled out earlier this year when prosecutors announced ComEd would pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal that requires the utility to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation .
The case prompted a legislative probe of Madigan ’ s dealings with ComEd and raised questions about whether Madigan will be able to hold onto power .
Three of Illinois leading Democrats , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth , have called on Madigan to step down as state party chairman .
Madigan has denied wrongdoing or personal knowledge of the bribery scheme .
He has said he never expected someone to be hired for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he took .
“ Helping people find jobs is not a crime , ” Madigan wrote in a letter to House colleagues earlier this year .
Former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez pleaded guilty to bribery in September , agreeing to cooperate with federal prosecutors .

CHICAGO (AP) - Four people, including an associate of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, were indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on charges they orchestrated a bribery scheme with Commonwealth Edison.
The alleged scheme provided do-nothing jobs to Madigan loyalists in exchange for the speaker’s help with state legislation.
Those charged with bribery and conspiracy included Michael McClain, 73, of Quincy; former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggirore, 62, of Barrington; lobbyist and former ComEd executive John Hooker, 71, of Chicago; and Jay Doherty 67, a consultant and former head of the City Club if Chicago.
In addition to jobs and contracts, the defendants are accused of conspiring to have ComEd hire a law firm favored by Madigan and to accept into ComEd’s internship program students who resided in Madigan’s 13th Ward, even though some didn’t meet its requirements, according to the indictment.
McClain served with Madigan in the House in the 1970s and early 1980s before McClain became a lobbyist who had ComEd as a client.
McClain’s defense attorney, Patrick Cotter, said the charges against his client were the result of a misguided investigation and driven by a desire to find a way to criminally implicate Madigan. Attorneys for Pramaggiore and Doherty also rejected allegations of wrongdoing by their clients. There were no immediate comments from Hooker.
ComEd admitted in a deferred prosecution agreement signed with the U.S. attorney for the northern district of Illinois in July that its top administrators offered no-work lobbyist jobs and sub-contracts to allies of Madigan in exchange for favorable legislation. Madigan is identified in the document only as House speaker.
Madigan hasn’t been charged in connection with the alleged scheme and denies any wrongdoing. But he was singled out earlier this year when prosecutors announced ComEd would pay $200 million under a deferred prosecution deal that requires the utility to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
The case prompted a legislative probe of Madigan’s dealings with ComEd and raised questions about whether Madigan will be able to hold onto power. Three of Illinois leading Democrats, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, have called on Madigan to step down as state party chairman.
Madigan has denied wrongdoing or personal knowledge of the bribery scheme. He has said he never expected someone to be hired for a job in exchange for an action he took.
“Helping people find jobs is not a crime,” Madigan wrote in a letter to House colleagues earlier this year.
Former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez pleaded guilty to bribery in September, agreeing to cooperate with federal prosecutors.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--3 weeks on, Alabama waits on federal relief for Zeta damage

MOBILE , Ala. ( AP ) - More than three weeks after Hurricane Zeta barreled across the Southeast and left destruction in its wake , Alabama is still waiting on a federal disaster declaration and the emergency relief that comes with it , according to state and federal agencies .
Al.com reported Wednesday that a Federal Emergency Management Agency official said Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey ’ s office had not made an official disaster declaration request connected to the Oct. 28 storm .
The Republican governor ’ s office referred comments to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EMA official confirmed Tuesday that a damage assessment was in process for 18 Alabama counties affected by the storm .
A conference call update was scheduled for Wednesday , officials said .
Millions of people were left without power and at least six were dead by Oct. 29 after Zeta slammed into Louisiana and moved across the South into Mississippi , Alabama and Georgia , shattering buildings and downing trees .
A request for a major disaster declaration that would go toward reimbursement for debris cleanup was submitted “ in the days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greg Robinson told Al.com .
But he said the state agency was continuing to work with local jurisdictions to complete damage assessments and send them to the federal level .
“ This is a normal part of the process , ” he said .
Meanwhile , the Mobile County Commission voted Monday to send a letter to federal officials encouraging federal disaster assistance , Al.com reported .
“ I don ’ t understand what the holdup is , ” Al.com quoted Commissioner Connie Hudson as saying .
“ We have people with debris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not being picked up .
We ’ re turning to our federal legislators for help and support in this.
” The state ’ s initial request did not supply enough data to FEMA for the agency to act , said U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne , of Fairhope .
The Republican legislator said he was still in contact with federal and state groups to get additional data submitted .
“ The state of Alabama hasn ’ t been able to pull this all together because some of the areas are smaller and rural @ @ @ @ @

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - More than three weeks after Hurricane Zeta barreled across the Southeast and left destruction in its wake, Alabama is still waiting on a federal disaster declaration and the emergency relief that comes with it, according to state and federal agencies.
Al.com reported Wednesday that a Federal Emergency Management Agency official said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s office had not made an official disaster declaration request connected to the Oct. 28 storm.
The Republican governor’s office referred comments to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, the news outlet reported, and a state EMA official confirmed Tuesday that a damage assessment was in process for 18 Alabama counties affected by the storm.
A conference call update was scheduled for Wednesday, officials said.
Millions of people were left without power and at least six were dead by Oct. 29 after Zeta slammed into Louisiana and moved across the South into Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, shattering buildings and downing trees.
A request for a major disaster declaration that would go toward reimbursement for debris cleanup was submitted “in the days after the storm,” Alabama EMA spokesman Greg Robinson told Al.com. But he said the state agency was continuing to work with local jurisdictions to complete damage assessments and send them to the federal level.
“This is a normal part of the process,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Mobile County Commission voted Monday to send a letter to federal officials encouraging federal disaster assistance, Al.com reported.
“I don’t understand what the holdup is,” Al.com quoted Commissioner Connie Hudson as saying. “We have people with debris sitting out there wondering why it’s not being picked up. We’re turning to our federal legislators for help and support in this.”
The state’s initial request did not supply enough data to FEMA for the agency to act, said U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, of Fairhope. The Republican legislator said he was still in contact with federal and state groups to get additional data submitted.
“The state of Alabama hasn’t been able to pull this all together because some of the areas are smaller and rural,” he said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--GOP elections chief mum as Democrats defend Nevada vote

LAS VEGAS ( AP ) - While President Donald Trump has escalated his legal battle over the election in Nevada and sought to contest its results , the Republican official in charge of supervising the state ’ s vote has stayed quiet .
Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske , who has kept a low profile since Trump launched a series of legal challenges in Nevada , has not issued any statements since the president ’ s campaign contested the results of the state ’ s vote Tuesday .
Her office said Wednesday that she was unavailable for an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Trump asking a judge to overturn or throw out the Nevada results , along with claims from his lawyers that the results “ lacked integrity.
” Cegavske spokeswoman Jennifer Russell said the secretary of state would not comment because of the lawsuit .
Other elected officials , all Democrats , defended the election process .
State Attorney General Aaron Ford said evidence shows Nevada held fair , safe and secure elections and that there was no widespread voter fraud .
Ford said in a statement that his office would prosecute “ any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ford said Trump ’ s team never filed an official complaint and supporting evidence with his office , despite being explicitly invited to do so .
The Trump campaign has filed multiple lawsuits in Nevada to try to stop the widespread mailing of ballots and then the counting of mailed ballots , but none have succeeded .
The battle escalated Tuesday , when campaign lawyers filed a lawsuit and declared to reporters that Trump won Nevada despite results showing he lost to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden by 33,596 votes .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that when the law and the facts are clearly adjudicated in this matter , that it will be very clear that once all the voting happened , once everything occurred , the results were unreliable because of the irregularities and the fraud , ” campaign attorney Jesse Binnall said .
Despite challenges to vote counts nationwide from Trump ’ s campaign and his allies , there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election .
The issues they have pointed to are typical in every election : problems with signatures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots , as well as the potential for a small number of ballots miscast or lost .
With Biden leading Trump by wide margins in key battleground states , none of those issues would have any impact on the outcome of the election .
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen , a Nevada Democrat , pushed back on the Trump campaign ’ s claims .
“ The results from the election are clear : Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came out ahead in Nevada , and President Trump will not be able to overturn the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfounded lawsuits like this one , ” Rosen said in a statement .
“ Our democratic elections are safe , fair , and secure , with no credible evidence of voter fraud.
” The lawsuit rehashes some arguments that judges in Nevada and elsewhere have rejected .
It claims that votes were cast on behalf of dead people , that election observers weren ’ t allowed to witness “ key points ” of processing and that people on American Indian reservations were illegally given incentives to vote .
Binnall said he can prove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an optical scanning machine to process ballots in the Las Vegas area and by voting machine malfunctions and that illegal ballots were cast by people living out of state or not registered voters .
He didn ’ t immediately offer any evidence .
Trump ’ s campaign previously claimed it had identified more than 3,000 people who “ improperly ” cast ballots in Nevada because they live elsewhere , but voting rights activists say hundreds of people on the list appear to be linked to the U.S. military .
A hearing on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a judge in Carson City .
Time is short , with the state Supreme Court scheduled Tuesday to certify the Nevada election .
Meanwhile , all 17 Nevada counties certified canvasses of their votes by a Wednesday deadline set by state law , according to Cegavske ’ s office .
Before the lawsuit was announced , Cegavske said in a news release that her role certifying election returns is ministerial and that after the state high court certifies the count as complete , Democratic Gov .
Steve Sisolak will certify the election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing was scheduled for Friday in Las Vegas in a lawsuit from conservative former state lawmaker Sharron Angle and her Election Integrity Project seeking to block statewide certification of the election .

LAS VEGAS (AP) - While President Donald Trump has escalated his legal battle over the election in Nevada and sought to contest its results, the Republican official in charge of supervising the state’s vote has stayed quiet.
Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, who has kept a low profile since Trump launched a series of legal challenges in Nevada, has not issued any statements since the president’s campaign contested the results of the state’s vote Tuesday.
Her office said Wednesday that she was unavailable for an interview and declined to respond to emailed questions about Trump asking a judge to overturn or throw out the Nevada results, along with claims from his lawyers that the results “lacked integrity.”
Cegavske spokeswoman Jennifer Russell said the secretary of state would not comment because of the lawsuit.
Other elected officials, all Democrats, defended the election process.
State Attorney General Aaron Ford said evidence shows Nevada held fair, safe and secure elections and that there was no widespread voter fraud. Ford said in a statement that his office would prosecute “any isolated and substantiated incidents of voter fraud.”
Ford said Trump’s team never filed an official complaint and supporting evidence with his office, despite being explicitly invited to do so.
The Trump campaign has filed multiple lawsuits in Nevada to try to stop the widespread mailing of ballots and then the counting of mailed ballots, but none have succeeded.
The battle escalated Tuesday, when campaign lawyers filed a lawsuit and declared to reporters that Trump won Nevada despite results showing he lost to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden by 33,596 votes.
“We’re quite confident in the fact that when the law and the facts are clearly adjudicated in this matter, that it will be very clear that once all the voting happened, once everything occurred, the results were unreliable because of the irregularities and the fraud,” campaign attorney Jesse Binnall said.
Despite challenges to vote counts nationwide from Trump’s campaign and his allies, there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. The issues they have pointed to are typical in every election: problems with signatures, secrecy envelopes and postal marks on mail-in ballots, as well as the potential for a small number of ballots miscast or lost. With Biden leading Trump by wide margins in key battleground states, none of those issues would have any impact on the outcome of the election.
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Nevada Democrat, pushed back on the Trump campaign’s claims.
“The results from the election are clear: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came out ahead in Nevada, and President Trump will not be able to overturn the will of Nevada’s voters with unfounded lawsuits like this one,” Rosen said in a statement. “Our democratic elections are safe, fair, and secure, with no credible evidence of voter fraud.”
The lawsuit rehashes some arguments that judges in Nevada and elsewhere have rejected. It claims that votes were cast on behalf of dead people, that election observers weren’t allowed to witness “key points” of processing and that people on American Indian reservations were illegally given incentives to vote.
Binnall said he can prove votes were tainted by the use of an optical scanning machine to process ballots in the Las Vegas area and by voting machine malfunctions and that illegal ballots were cast by people living out of state or not registered voters. He didn’t immediately offer any evidence.
Trump’s campaign previously claimed it had identified more than 3,000 people who “improperly” cast ballots in Nevada because they live elsewhere, but voting rights activists say hundreds of people on the list appear to be linked to the U.S. military.
A hearing on the new lawsuit was not immediately set by a judge in Carson City. Time is short, with the state Supreme Court scheduled Tuesday to certify the Nevada election.
Meanwhile, all 17 Nevada counties certified canvasses of their votes by a Wednesday deadline set by state law, according to Cegavske’s office.
Before the lawsuit was announced, Cegavske said in a news release that her role certifying election returns is ministerial and that after the state high court certifies the count as complete, Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak will certify the election.
In a separate legal challenge, a hearing was scheduled for Friday in Las Vegas in a lawsuit from conservative former state lawmaker Sharron Angle and her Election Integrity Project seeking to block statewide certification of the election.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Charles Yu novel, Malcolm biography win National Book Awards

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Charles Yu ‘ s “ Interior Chinatown , ” a satirical , cinematic novel written in the form of a screenplay , has won the National Book Award for fiction .
Tamara Payne and her father the late Les Payne ’ s Malcolm X biography , “ The Dead Are Arising , ” was cited for nonfiction and Kacen Callender ’ s “ King and the Dragonflies ” for young people ’ s literature .
The poetry prize went to Don Mee Choi ’ s “ DMZ Colony ” and the winner for best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Tokyo Ueno Station , ” translated from Japanese by Morgan Giles .
Honorary medals were given Wednesday night to mystery novelist Walter Mosley and to the late CEO of Simon & Schuster , Carolyn Reidy , who died in May at age 71 .
The children ’ s author and current US Youth Ambassador for young adult literature Jason Reynolds served as emcee , and along with Bob Woodward and Walter Isaacson was among the Simon & Schuster writers who appeared in a taped tribute to Reidy .
Because of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-profile gatherings was streamed online , with presenters and winners speaking everywhere from New York to Japan .
The traditional dinner ceremony is the nonprofit National Book Foundation ’ s most important source of income and is usually held at Cipriani Wall Street , where publishers and other officials pay thousands of dollars for tables or individual seats .
The foundation instead has been asking for donations of $ 50 or more .
As of Wednesday evening , just over $ 490,000 had been pledged from 851 donors .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scared we wouldn ’ t be able to do this show , ” said foundation executive director Lisa Lucas , speaking online from the children ’ s room of the Los Angeles Public Library .
Executive director since 2016 , she will depart at the end of the year to become publisher for the Penguin Random House imprints Pantheon and Schocken .
Her successor has not been announced .
Along with the pandemic and the presidential election , diversity has been an ongoing theme in the book world this year and remained so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work at transforming a historically white industry to the winners themselves .
Yu ’ s novel is a sendup of Chinese stereotypes and of the immigrants ’ conflict between wanting to assimilate and asserting their true selves .
“ DMZ Colony ” combines poetry , prose and images in its exploration of the history between the United States and South Korea .
Mosley , the first Black man to win the medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters , spoke of his debt to such literary heroes as Ishmael Reed , John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ award for “ The Dead Are Arising ” is the second time in a decade a Malcolm X biography has received a high honor for nonfiction and the second time the honor was , at least in part , posthumous .
The scholar Manning Marable died right before the 2011 publication of “ Malcolm X , ” which went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and receive a National Book Award nomination .
Les Payne , a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist , died in 2018 .
“ This is such a bittersweet moment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ award Wednesday night .
“ I really wish my father was here for this.
” Few references were made to the recent election , though politics did help inspire Yu , whose previous books include the story collections “ Third Class Superhero ” and “ Sorry Please Thank You.
” He had struggled with “ Interior Chinatown , ” wondering if there was a reason to tell an immigration story , until the surprise victory of Donald Trump in 2016 .
“ Before then , I felt it lacked a real reason for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press in a recent interview .
“ It seemed that reference to things in the past like the Chinese Exclusion Act ( a racist law passed in 1882 ) had relevance .
I started thinking , ‘ This does still matter .
This is a story you should try to tell.
” Winners in each of the competitive categories receive $ 10,000 , and other finalists $ 1,000 , with the money divided equally between the author and translator for best translated book .
Roxane Gay , Rebecca Makkai and Dinaw Mengestu were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the publishing community who as awards judges selected finalists from more than 1,600 books - many of them read digitally because of the pandemic .

NEW YORK (AP) - Charles Yu’s “Interior Chinatown,” a satirical, cinematic novel written in the form of a screenplay, has won the National Book Award for fiction.
Tamara Payne and her father the late Les Payne’s Malcolm X biography, “The Dead Are Arising,” was cited for nonfiction and Kacen Callender’s “King and the Dragonflies” for young people’s literature. The poetry prize went to Don Mee Choi’s “DMZ Colony” and the winner for best translated work was Yu Miri’s “Tokyo Ueno Station,” translated from Japanese by Morgan Giles.
Honorary medals were given Wednesday night to mystery novelist Walter Mosley and to the late CEO of Simon & Schuster, Carolyn Reidy, who died in May at age 71. The children’s author and current US Youth Ambassador for young adult literature Jason Reynolds served as emcee, and along with Bob Woodward and Walter Isaacson was among the Simon & Schuster writers who appeared in a taped tribute to Reidy.
Because of the pandemic, one of publishing’s most high-profile gatherings was streamed online, with presenters and winners speaking everywhere from New York to Japan. The traditional dinner ceremony is the nonprofit National Book Foundation’s most important source of income and is usually held at Cipriani Wall Street, where publishers and other officials pay thousands of dollars for tables or individual seats. The foundation instead has been asking for donations of $50 or more. As of Wednesday evening, just over $490,000 had been pledged from 851 donors.
“It’s hard in a pandemic. We were scared we wouldn’t be able to do this show,” said foundation executive director Lisa Lucas, speaking online from the children’s room of the Los Angeles Public Library. Executive director since 2016, she will depart at the end of the year to become publisher for the Penguin Random House imprints Pantheon and Schocken. Her successor has not been announced.
Along with the pandemic and the presidential election, diversity has been an ongoing theme in the book world this year and remained so Wednesday night, from Lucas urging publishers to work at transforming a historically white industry to the winners themselves.
Yu’s novel is a sendup of Chinese stereotypes and of the immigrants’ conflict between wanting to assimilate and asserting their true selves. “DMZ Colony” combines poetry, prose and images in its exploration of the history between the United States and South Korea. Mosley, the first Black man to win the medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, spoke of his debt to such literary heroes as Ishmael Reed, John Edgar Wideman and Ralph Ellison.
The award for “The Dead Are Arising” is the second time in a decade a Malcolm X biography has received a high honor for nonfiction and the second time the honor was, at least in part, posthumous. The scholar Manning Marable died right before the 2011 publication of “Malcolm X,” which went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and receive a National Book Award nomination. Les Payne, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, died in 2018.
“This is such a bittersweet moment,” Tamara Payne said upon accepting the award Wednesday night. “I really wish my father was here for this.”
Few references were made to the recent election, though politics did help inspire Yu, whose previous books include the story collections “Third Class Superhero” and “Sorry Please Thank You.” He had struggled with “Interior Chinatown,” wondering if there was a reason to tell an immigration story, until the surprise victory of Donald Trump in 2016.
“Before then, I felt it lacked a real reason for being,” Yu told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “It seemed that reference to things in the past like the Chinese Exclusion Act (a racist law passed in 1882) had relevance. I started thinking, ‘This does still matter. This is a story you should try to tell.”
Winners in each of the competitive categories receive $10,000, and other finalists $1,000, with the money divided equally between the author and translator for best translated book. Roxane Gay, Rebecca Makkai and Dinaw Mengestu were among the authors, booksellers and others in the publishing community who as awards judges selected finalists from more than 1,600 books - many of them read digitally because of the pandemic.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--5 shot, 2 fatally, in Houston domestic violence case

HOUSTON ( AP ) - Five people were shot Wednesday , two fatally , in what investigators say was a @ @ @ @ @ western Houston , police said .
Officers went to a house in response to a @ @ @ @ @ shooter ” about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday and arrived to find the body of a man @ @ @ @ @ house he ’ s believed to have owned , Assistant Police Chief Larry Satterwhite said @ @ @ @ @ found a wounded man with a gun beside him , whom police suspect was the @ @ @ @ @ woman believed to have been the complainant , Satterwhite said .
Upstairs , they found @ @ @ @ @ and the other wounded .
A 3-month-old child appeared unharmed .
All involved appeared to @ @ @ @ @ another , Satterwhite said , but no motive was immediately determined .

HOUSTON (AP) - Five people were shot Wednesday, two fatally, in what investigators say was a case of domestic violence in western Houston, police said.
Officers went to a house in response to a report of an “active shooter” about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday and arrived to find the body of a man in the driveway of the house he’s believed to have owned, Assistant Police Chief Larry Satterwhite said.
Upon entry, they found a wounded man with a gun beside him, whom police suspect was the gunman, and a wounded woman believed to have been the complainant, Satterwhite said. Upstairs, they found two women, one dead and the other wounded. A 3-month-old child appeared unharmed.
All involved appeared to have been related to one another, Satterwhite said, but no motive was immediately determined.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Inside the Beltway: Emily Murphy holds the line against outcry to declare Joe Biden win

Let us all pay attention to General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy , who has been accused of blocking presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden ’ s potential transition into the White House by not declaring him the winner of the election .
As in now , right this second .
The pivotal decision would free up funds for the transition , and establish a pathway for Biden personnel to make their presence known at federal agencies .
The media is vexed by this , of course — and irate coverage of the matter has gone on for a week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Ms. Murphy led national trends on Twitter on Tuesday .
A few headlines from the past 24 hours offer an update : “ Emily Murphy , do your job ” ( CNN ) ; “ GSA official blocking Biden ’ s transition appears to privately plan post-Trump career ” ( ABC News ) ; “ The self-inflicted agony of Emily Murphy ” ( Washington Post ) ; “ The Trump appointee blocking Biden ’ s transition is reportedly trying to line up a new job for 2021 ” ( Vanity Fair ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the transition vault , and of course , is not cooperating ” ( Esquire ) ; “ Murphy ’ s choice : Fed official has say on transition launch ” ( Associated Press ) ; and “ Trump ’ s GSA chief is ‘ saboteur assaulting democracy ’ unless she allows Biden transition : Ex-ethics czar ” ( Newsweek ) .
“ Twitter has gone off the rails when it comes to censoring President Trump and his campaign account .
But meanwhile , Joe Biden and his campaign accounts remain untouched , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ editor for the Media Research Center .
“ The president ’ s account and the account of Team Trump received 83 labels on their tweets between Nov. 9 and Nov. 16 , ” she says , noting that the condemned tweets include statements from figures like X Strategies CEO Alexander Bruesewitz , Fox political analyst Gregg Jarrett , and actors Kevin Sorbo and Jon Voight .
The censoring practice is picking up speed .
“ Between Nov. 2 and Nov. 9 , Trump ’ s personal Twitter had been censored 36 times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s personal account received 64 labels .
This marks a 77 % increase in censorship over the previous week .
By contrast , none of Joe Biden ’ s tweets have been given any sort of label , ” Ms. Weaver advises .
Rep. Steve Scalise will once again serve as Republican whip in the U.S. House , and he ’ s been thinking much about the near future .
During a press stakeout Wednesday , Mr. Scalise said that the GOP is now “ united behind a bold conservative vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the socialist agenda which continues to brew across the aisle .
The Louisiana Republican also had a forecast for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi .
“ Over the next two years we know what this fight for the future direction of our country is going to be about .
It ’ s truly a battle between freedom and socialism .
Voters across the country in all kinds of districts reject the socialist agenda that Speaker Pelosi pushed for these last two years .
She ’ s going to have a tough decision to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most radical far-left elements of our conference ?
Or does she work with Republicans to get things done for hard-working families ?
” asks Mr. Scalise .
“ It ’ s going to be a choice she ’ ll have to make as speaker .
But we ’ re not going to stop fighting for those hard-working families that make America work — that still are counting on us to work together for them , ” he continues .
“ We ’ re going to continue battling for those hard-working families and fighting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made America the greatest country in the history of the world.
” The U.S. Agency for Global Media — the independent federal agency that operates Voice of America and four other international broadcast sources — has revealed the size of its typical weekly audience — and it ’ s huge .
The five networks together reached a record-breaking 354 million people in a typical week during fiscal 2020 — and it is “ the biggest audience ever ” for the agency , which broadcasts in 100 countries , and in 62 languages .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million since last year .
“ People around the world crave independent , unbiased news and I ’ m so proud that our federal networks and grantees were able to deliver it , especially during COVID-19 when there was so much disinformation , ” says Michael Pack , CEO of the agency .
His broadcasters and journalists “ work to report the truth to people who need it the most , ” Mr .
Pack noted in an annual report to Congress released Tuesday .
“ The agency endeavors to counter disinformation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues from politics to economics to entertainment .
During the COVID-19 pandemic , record numbers tuned into the agency ’ s networks at a time when foreign governments were manufacturing disinformation and propaganda , ” he said in the report .
Those networks include the aforementioned Voice of America , Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty , the Office of Cuba Broadcasting , Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks .
All deliver news and programming via radio , television and the internet .
Online , the overall audience has grown by 32 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 83 % in the last year .
Some programming literally skyrocketed — such as content in Mandarin , where overall audience numbers increased by 400 % while views of video content shot up by 800 % in the last year .
Overall audience growth occurred in several “ key markets ” — particularly Iraq , Venezuela , and the Democratic Republic of Congo .
The federal broadcaster also reached “ large audiences in countries of key U.S. national security and foreign affairs interest.
” China is first on that list with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Russia are also in the top 10 .
⦁ 58 % of U.S. adults say they would get a vaccine against coronavirus ; 42 % overall would not get the vaccine .
⦁ 37 % of those who would not cited “ concerns about a rushed timeline ” for the vaccine .
⦁ 26 % want to wait to confirm it is safe .
⦁ 10 % want to wait to see how effective it is .
Source : A Gallup poll of 2,985 U.S. adults conducted Oct. 19-Nov. 1 and released @ @

ANALYSIS:
Let us all pay attention to General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy, who has been accused of blocking presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden’s potential transition into the White House by not declaring him the winner of the election. As in now, right this second.
The pivotal decision would free up funds for the transition, and establish a pathway for Biden personnel to make their presence known at federal agencies.
The media is vexed by this, of course — and irate coverage of the matter has gone on for a week.
The outcry is intensifying, however, and Ms. Murphy led national trends on Twitter on Tuesday. A few headlines from the past 24 hours offer an update:
“Emily Murphy, do your job” (CNN); “GSA official blocking Biden’s transition appears to privately plan post-Trump career” (ABC News); “The self-inflicted agony of Emily Murphy” (Washington Post); “The Trump appointee blocking Biden’s transition is reportedly trying to line up a new job for 2021” (Vanity Fair); “Emily Murphy holds the key to the transition vault, and of course, is not cooperating” (Esquire); “Murphy’s choice: Fed official has say on transition launch” (Associated Press); and “Trump’s GSA chief is ‘saboteur assaulting democracy’ unless she allows Biden transition: Ex-ethics czar” (Newsweek).
TWITTER BIAS
“Twitter has gone off the rails when it comes to censoring President Trump and his campaign account. But meanwhile, Joe Biden and his campaign accounts remain untouched,” reports Corinne Weaver, an assistant editor for the Media Research Center.
“The president’s account and the account of Team Trump received 83 labels on their tweets between Nov. 9 and Nov. 16,” she says, noting that the condemned tweets include statements from figures like X Strategies CEO Alexander Bruesewitz, Fox political analyst Gregg Jarrett, and actors Kevin Sorbo and Jon Voight.
The censoring practice is picking up speed.
“Between Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, Trump’s personal Twitter had been censored 36 times. Between Nov. 9 and Nov. 16, Trump’s personal account received 64 labels. This marks a 77% increase in censorship over the previous week. By contrast, none of Joe Biden’s tweets have been given any sort of label,” Ms. Weaver advises.
A PREDICTION FOR PELOSI
Rep. Steve Scalise will once again serve as Republican whip in the U.S. House, and he’s been thinking much about the near future. During a press stakeout Wednesday, Mr. Scalise said that the GOP is now “united behind a bold conservative vision” — and ready to rumble against the socialist agenda which continues to brew across the aisle.
The Louisiana Republican also had a forecast for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“Over the next two years we know what this fight for the future direction of our country is going to be about. It’s truly a battle between freedom and socialism.
Voters across the country in all kinds of districts reject the socialist agenda that Speaker Pelosi pushed for these last two years. She’s going to have a tough decision to make. Does she continue catering to the most radical far-left elements of our conference? Or does she work with Republicans to get things done for hard-working families?” asks Mr. Scalise.
“It’s going to be a choice she’ll have to make as speaker. But we’re not going to stop fighting for those hard-working families that make America work — that still are counting on us to work together for them,” he continues.
“We’re going to continue battling for those hard-working families and fighting for those free-market ideas that have always made America the greatest country in the history of the world.”
A TRULY BIG BROADCAST
The U.S. Agency for Global Media — the independent federal agency that operates Voice of America and four other international broadcast sources — has revealed the size of its typical weekly audience — and it’s huge.
The five networks together reached a record-breaking 354 million people in a typical week during fiscal 2020 — and it is “the biggest audience ever” for the agency, which broadcasts in 100 countries, and in 62 languages. The mammoth audience has increased by 4 million since last year.
“People around the world crave independent, unbiased news and I’m so proud that our federal networks and grantees were able to deliver it, especially during COVID-19 when there was so much disinformation,” says Michael Pack, CEO of the agency.
His broadcasters and journalists “work to report the truth to people who need it the most,” Mr. Pack noted in an annual report to Congress released Tuesday.
“The agency endeavors to counter disinformation and propaganda with accurate reporting on local in-country issues from politics to economics to entertainment.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, record numbers tuned into the agency’s networks at a time when foreign governments were manufacturing disinformation and propaganda,” he said in the report.
Those networks include the aforementioned Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. All deliver news and programming via radio, television and the internet.
Online, the overall audience has grown by 32% while social media engagement is up by 83% in the last year. Some programming literally skyrocketed — such as content in Mandarin, where overall audience numbers increased by 400% while views of video content shot up by 800% in the last year.
Overall audience growth occurred in several “key markets” — particularly Iraq, Venezuela, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The federal broadcaster also reached “large audiences in countries of key U.S. national security and foreign affairs interest.” China is first on that list with a typical audience of 65.4 million; Iran and Russia are also in the top 10.
POLL DU JOUR
⦁ 58% of U.S. adults say they would get a vaccine against coronavirus; 42% overall would not get the vaccine.
⦁ 37% of those who would not cited “concerns about a rushed timeline” for the vaccine.
⦁ 26% want to wait to confirm it is safe.
⦁ 15% cite “some other reason.”
⦁ 12% don’t trust vaccines generally.
⦁ 10% want to wait to see how effective it is.
Source: A Gallup poll of 2,985 U.S. adults conducted Oct. 19-Nov. 1 and released Wednesday.
⦁ Kindly follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Tim Walz coronavirus shutdown draws Minnesota Republicans' ire

Minnesota Republicans on Wednesday ripped Democratic Gov .
Tim Walz after he issued a four-week prohibition on social gatherings , fitness centers and in-person dining at restaurants and bars , saying he was hurting small businesses .
Mr. Walz announced that the shutdown restrictions would kick in at 11:59 p.m. Friday and remain in effect until Dec. 18 as novel coronavirus cases continue to rise and deaths surpassed 3,000 statewide .
“ We are at a breaking point , ” Mr. Walz said in a statement .
“ As hospitals near the crisis of turning away new patients , continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The actions announced today will help prevent more families from losing a loved one and ensure our hospitals can treat those who fall ill. ” Republican Party of Minnesota Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan said that the governor ’ s “ unilateral decisions to shut down our economy again is disconcerting , especially as we enter the holiday season.
” “ This has already been a difficult year for Minnesota ’ s small businesses and Governor Walz is not even giving them a fighting chance , ” said Ms. Carnahan .
She noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut down , which she called “ probably the worst decision Walz has made throughout the pandemic.
” “ The data shows that youth sports aren ’ t responsible for the spread of the virus , ” Ms. Carnahan said .
“ Given the mess that public schools are in right now , sports is the only normal thing that a lot of kids have in their lives .
This decision will set off a cascade of unintended consequences for an entire generation of Minnesotans.
” The Minnesota Department of Health on Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s total to 242,053 .
State cases are expected to exceed 300,000 cases at some point next week .
Multiple Democrat-led states , including Michigan , New Mexico , Oregon and Washington , have reenacted shutdown orders as the holiday season approaches in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 .
• The Associated Press contributed to this report .

Minnesota Republicans on Wednesday ripped Democratic Gov. Tim Walz after he issued a four-week prohibition on social gatherings, fitness centers and in-person dining at restaurants and bars, saying he was hurting small businesses.
Mr. Walz announced that the shutdown restrictions would kick in at 11:59 p.m. Friday and remain in effect until Dec. 18 as novel coronavirus cases continue to rise and deaths surpassed 3,000 statewide.
“We are at a breaking point,” Mr. Walz said in a statement. “As hospitals near the crisis of turning away new patients, continuing as things are is simply not sustainable. The actions announced today will help prevent more families from losing a loved one and ensure our hospitals can treat those who fall ill.”
Republican Party of Minnesota Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan said that the governor’s “unilateral decisions to shut down our economy again is disconcerting, especially as we enter the holiday season.”
“This has already been a difficult year for Minnesota’s small businesses and Governor Walz is not even giving them a fighting chance,” said Ms. Carnahan.
Dear @GovTimWalz,
Your tyranny is destroying my niece’s love and participation of their dance classes. They are now 100% Republican for life, when they weren’t before. You are awful. I sincerely hope voters kick you to the curb in 2022. pic.twitter.com/hE2ZLVRcYN — Jennifer Carnahan (@jkcarnah) November 19, 2020
She noted that adult and youth sports would also be shut down, which she called “probably the worst decision Walz has made throughout the pandemic.”
“The data shows that youth sports aren’t responsible for the spread of the virus,” Ms. Carnahan said. “Given the mess that public schools are in right now, sports is the only normal thing that a lot of kids have in their lives. This decision will set off a cascade of unintended consequences for an entire generation of Minnesotans.”
The Minnesota Department of Health on Wednesday reported 5,102 confirmed new cases, pushing the state’s total to 242,053. State cases are expected to exceed 300,000 cases at some point next week.
Multiple Democrat-led states, including Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington, have reenacted shutdown orders as the holiday season approaches in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19.
• The Associated Press contributed to this report.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Report finds Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghans

WELLINGTON , New Zealand ( AP ) - A shocking Australian military report into war crimes has found evidence that elite Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners , farmers and civilians .
Australian Defence Force Chief Gen. Angus Campbell said Thursday the shameful record included alleged instances in which new patrol members would shoot a prisoner in order to achieve their first kill in a practice known as “ blooding.
” He said the soldiers would then plant weapons and radios to support false claims the prisoners were enemies killed in action .
Campbell told reporters in Canberra the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the majority occurring in 2012 and 2013 .
He said some members of the elite Special Air Service encouraged “ a self-centered , warrior culture.
” The chief was announcing the findings of a four-year investigation by Maj. Gen. Paul Brereton , a judge and Army reservist who was asked to look into the allegations and interviewed more than 400 witnesses and reviewed thousands of pages of documents .
Brereton recommended 19 soldiers be investigated by police for possible charges , including murder .
“ To the people of Afghanistan , on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sincerely and unreservedly apologize for any wrongdoing by Australian soldiers , ” Campbell said .
He said he ’ d spoken directly to his Afghan military counterpart to express his remorse .
“ Such alleged behavior profoundly disrespected the trust placed in us by the Afghan people who had asked us to their country to help them , ” Campbell said .
“ It would have devastated the lives of Afghan families and communities , causing immeasurable pain and suffering .
And it would have put in jeopardy our mission and the safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As well as the 39 killings , the report outlines two allegations of cruel treatment .
It says that none of the alleged crimes were committed during the heat of battle .
Only parts of the report have been made public .
Many details , including the names of alleged killers , remain redacted .
The report said a total of 25 current or former troops were involved as perpetrators or accessories in 23 separate incidents , with some involved just once and a few multiple times .
It said some Australian troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - things like foreign pistols , radios and grenades that they could plant on those they killed so the Afghan civilians would appear like combatants in photographs .
The report said most of the alleged crimes were committed and concealed at a patrol commander level by corporals and sergeants , and that while higher-level troop and squadron commanders had to take some responsibility for the events that happened on their watch , they weren ’ t primarily to blame .
The report recommended 19 soldiers be referred to federal police for criminal investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the report ’ s recommendations .
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has already announced a special investigator will help pursue possible prosecutions because the workload would overwhelm existing police resources .
Many troops are also likely to be stripped of their medals and the defense force will undergo significant structural changes .
The report says that where there is credible evidence of unlawful killings , Afghan families should be compensated immediately by Australia without waiting for the criminal cases to proceed .
“ This will be an important step in rehabilitating Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Afghanistan , and it is simply the right thing to do , ” the report states .

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A shocking Australian military report into war crimes has found evidence that elite Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and civilians.
Australian Defence Force Chief Gen. Angus Campbell said Thursday the shameful record included alleged instances in which new patrol members would shoot a prisoner in order to achieve their first kill in a practice known as “blooding.” He said the soldiers would then plant weapons and radios to support false claims the prisoners were enemies killed in action.
Campbell told reporters in Canberra the illegal killings began in 2009, with the majority occurring in 2012 and 2013. He said some members of the elite Special Air Service encouraged “a self-centered, warrior culture.”
The chief was announcing the findings of a four-year investigation by Maj. Gen. Paul Brereton, a judge and Army reservist who was asked to look into the allegations and interviewed more than 400 witnesses and reviewed thousands of pages of documents. Brereton recommended 19 soldiers be investigated by police for possible charges, including murder.
“To the people of Afghanistan, on behalf of the Australian Defence Force, I sincerely and unreservedly apologize for any wrongdoing by Australian soldiers,” Campbell said.
He said he’d spoken directly to his Afghan military counterpart to express his remorse.
“Such alleged behavior profoundly disrespected the trust placed in us by the Afghan people who had asked us to their country to help them,” Campbell said. “It would have devastated the lives of Afghan families and communities, causing immeasurable pain and suffering. And it would have put in jeopardy our mission and the safety of our Afghan and coalition partners.”
As well as the 39 killings, the report outlines two allegations of cruel treatment. It says that none of the alleged crimes were committed during the heat of battle.
Only parts of the report have been made public. Many details, including the names of alleged killers, remain redacted.
The report said a total of 25 current or former troops were involved as perpetrators or accessories in 23 separate incidents, with some involved just once and a few multiple times.
It said some Australian troops would regularly carry “throw downs” - things like foreign pistols, radios and grenades that they could plant on those they killed so the Afghan civilians would appear like combatants in photographs.
The report said most of the alleged crimes were committed and concealed at a patrol commander level by corporals and sergeants, and that while higher-level troop and squadron commanders had to take some responsibility for the events that happened on their watch, they weren’t primarily to blame.
The report paints a picture of a toxic culture in which soldiers were competing against those from other squadrons, accounts of deaths were sanitized or embellished, and many procedures to ensure safety and integrity had broken down.
“Those who wished to speak up were allegedly discouraged, intimidated and discredited,” Campbell said.
The report recommended 19 soldiers be referred to federal police for criminal investigation. Campbell said he’s accepting all the report’s recommendations.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has already announced a special investigator will help pursue possible prosecutions because the workload would overwhelm existing police resources.
Many troops are also likely to be stripped of their medals and the defense force will undergo significant structural changes. The report says that where there is credible evidence of unlawful killings, Afghan families should be compensated immediately by Australia without waiting for the criminal cases to proceed.
“This will be an important step in rehabilitating Australia’s international reputation, in particular with Afghanistan, and it is simply the right thing to do,” the report states.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Ski areas can remain open under new coronavirus restrictions

DENVER ( AP ) - Ski areas in Colorado counties that are listed at Level Red , or “ severe risk , ” will be allowed to keep their lifts turning when new restrictions take effect Friday , according to state health officials .
Summit County , where Keystone , Arapahoe Basin and Breckenridge have already opened , is one of 15 counties across Colorado that will move to Level Red on Friday , The Denver Post reported .
Copper Mountain , also in Summit County , is scheduled to open in two weeks .
The new dial level announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ does not affect ski resort on-mountain operations specifically , ” according to an email sent Wednesday evening by the Colorado State Joint Information Center .
Ski areas in Level Red counties can operate their lifts according to their approved plan but must suspend indoor dining .
Facilities “ essential for health and safety like restrooms ” can remain open , and families also can go indoors for warmth or shelter from inclement weather .
Loveland ski area is in Clear Creek County , which also will be at Level Red .
Winter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is at Level Orange .

DENVER (AP) - Ski areas in Colorado counties that are listed at Level Red, or “severe risk,” will be allowed to keep their lifts turning when new restrictions take effect Friday, according to state health officials.
Summit County, where Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Breckenridge have already opened, is one of 15 counties across Colorado that will move to Level Red on Friday, The Denver Post reported. Copper Mountain, also in Summit County, is scheduled to open in two weeks.
The new dial level announced by Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday “does not affect ski resort on-mountain operations specifically,” according to an email sent Wednesday evening by the Colorado State Joint Information Center. Ski areas in Level Red counties can operate their lifts according to their approved plan but must suspend indoor dining.
Facilities “essential for health and safety like restrooms” can remain open, and families also can go indoors for warmth or shelter from inclement weather.
Loveland ski area is in Clear Creek County, which also will be at Level Red. Winter Park is in Grand County, which is at Level Orange.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Investigation accuses former Utah agency head of wrongdoing

SALT LAKE CITY ( AP ) - A Utah investigation into the state Department of Agriculture and Food under former Commissioner Kerry Gibson has identified issues with the agency ’ s former practices .
The investigation released Wednesday found that Gibson took state cars on personal vacations , improperly upgraded his hotel rooms and airplane seats and asked the department to reimburse him for costs he ’ d already charged to his state purchase card .
The auditors said they were also concerned with how the agency awarded eight lucrative licenses to grow medical marijuana .
The investigators also accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and agriculture programs , Natalie Callahan , and his former public information officer , Sasha Seegmiller Clark , of doing work for their public relations firm while they were working for the state agency .
The investigation found four instances in which the two former Gibson surrogates worked for their private clients while on the clock with the state Department of Agriculture , the Salt Lake Tribune reported .
Investigators said Gibson gave Callahan and Seegmiller Clark thousands of dollars in bonuses as they were leaving the department with no detailed written justification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being accused of approving significantly more overtime pay for Callahan than those in her same position , including one week when she logged down 90 hours of work .
In a prepared statement , lawyers for Callahan and Seegmiller Clark said their clients had responded in full to state auditors , but that the final report does not include their side of the story .
“ Our clients ’ responses to the written questions fully refute the report ’ s findings as to our clients , ” their lawyers Rick Van Wagoner and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gibson was the subject of a criminal investigation by the Ogden Police Department when he was a Weber County commissioner , The Tribune reported .
That investigation closed with no charges filed .
Gibson is currently in a legal battle to prevent the public from seeing the details of that closed investigation .
He did not return a request for comment via phone call on Wednesday .
Gov .
Gary Herbert ’ s office had ordered Gibson to either terminate Callahan and Seegmiller Clark or require them to leave the public relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herbert also directed the commissioner to stop unnecessary travel , the improper use of state vehicles and other measures to curb his behavior .
Herbert ’ s office put Gibson on administrative leave after the agency head did not comply , the audit states .
Gibson resigned in January and launched his campaign in the Republican primary for the 1st Congressional District .
Gibson lost the primary race to Blake Moore .

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Utah investigation into the state Department of Agriculture and Food under former Commissioner Kerry Gibson has identified issues with the agency’s former practices.
The investigation released Wednesday found that Gibson took state cars on personal vacations, improperly upgraded his hotel rooms and airplane seats and asked the department to reimburse him for costs he’d already charged to his state purchase card. The auditors said they were also concerned with how the agency awarded eight lucrative licenses to grow medical marijuana.
The investigators also accused Gibson’s former director of operations and agriculture programs, Natalie Callahan, and his former public information officer, Sasha Seegmiller Clark, of doing work for their public relations firm while they were working for the state agency. The investigation found four instances in which the two former Gibson surrogates worked for their private clients while on the clock with the state Department of Agriculture, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Investigators said Gibson gave Callahan and Seegmiller Clark thousands of dollars in bonuses as they were leaving the department with no detailed written justification as to why. Gibson is also being accused of approving significantly more overtime pay for Callahan than those in her same position, including one week when she logged down 90 hours of work.
In a prepared statement, lawyers for Callahan and Seegmiller Clark said their clients had responded in full to state auditors, but that the final report does not include their side of the story.
“Our clients’ responses to the written questions fully refute the report’s findings as to our clients,” their lawyers Rick Van Wagoner and Sam Alba said in the written statement.
Gibson was the subject of a criminal investigation by the Ogden Police Department when he was a Weber County commissioner, The Tribune reported. That investigation closed with no charges filed. Gibson is currently in a legal battle to prevent the public from seeing the details of that closed investigation. He did not return a request for comment via phone call on Wednesday.
Gov. Gary Herbert’s office had ordered Gibson to either terminate Callahan and Seegmiller Clark or require them to leave the public relations firm after the state investigation began. Herbert also directed the commissioner to stop unnecessary travel, the improper use of state vehicles and other measures to curb his behavior.
Herbert’s office put Gibson on administrative leave after the agency head did not comply, the audit states. Gibson resigned in January and launched his campaign in the Republican primary for the 1st Congressional District. Gibson lost the primary race to Blake Moore.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Wolves select Edwards with No. 1 pick in delayed NBA draft

Anthony Edwards paid tribute to his mother and grandmother .
Onyeka Okongwu recalled his brother .
Obi Toppin thought about coming home .
Tears flowed freely for those and many more players Wednesday night when their long-awaited , repeatedly delayed NBA dreams were finally realized .
Edwards was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No .
1 pick in an NBA draft delayed multiple times because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Commissioner Adam Silver announced the pick from ESPN headquarters in Bristol , Connecticut .
The draft was originally scheduled for June 25 before multiple delays caused by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its usual home at Barclays Center in Brooklyn .
Boxes of hats were shipped to the top prospects to put on the one they needed after their name was called .
Edwards watched while seated next to portraits of his late mother and grandmother .
They both died of cancer and he was emotional after his name was announced .
“ As far as just being excited and just being happy and ready to go and ready to work and ready to get there as soon as possible , those emotions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being there , ” Edwards said .
“ I mean , it was just a dream come true and just a blessing.
” And though there wasn ’ t the usual family table in the green room and trip on stage to meet the commissioner , some players still were outfitted in fashionable attire - perhaps none more than No .
12 pick Tyrese Haliburton of Sacramento , whose blue , floral suit had the words “ Black Lives Matter ” on the inside .
They celebrated with family , friends , coaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case , even celebrity fans .
Movie director Spike Lee jumped up and down with his family when Orlando took Anthony , whose father , Greg played for the Knicks , at No .
15 .
Some moments triggered deeper emotions .
Okongwu , taken No .
6 by Atlanta , recalled his older brother , Nnamdi , who died after a skateboarding accident in 2014 .
Toppin , the national player of the year last season at Dayton , struggled to speak after the New York Knicks took him at No .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his hometown .
“ I ’ m from New York , that ’ s why it ’ s important , ” Toppin said .
“ Me repping my city , it ’ s amazing.
” Edwards became the 11th straight one-and-done player to be the No .
1 pick , coming in a year where there was no clear obvious choice .
He averaged 19.1 points for the Bulldogs , tops among all freshman .
The Golden State Warriors , stung by the news that Klay Thompson sustained another leg injury earlier Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second pick .
They stumbled to the bottom of the league while Thompson missed the entire season with a torn ACL in his left knee .
The severity of his injury had not been revealed as the draft began but it didn ’ t persuade the Warriors to take another guard .
Instead they went with the 7-foot-1 center who arrived as the No .
1 recruit out of high school and averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in three games before he was suspended for eligibility reasons and eventually left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LaMelo Ball then went to the Charlotte Hornets , the next stop on a lengthy basketball journey that sent the guard from high school in California to stops as a professional in Lithuania and Australia .
He joined brother Lonzo , taken No .
2 by the Lakers and now in New Orleans , to give the Balls two brothers taken in the top three picks .
The newcomers will have precious little time to prepare for their debuts and need to knock off months of rust or more - Wiseman hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year - without the benefit of summer league .
Training camps open in early December and the 72-game 2020-21 season is set to begin on Dec. 22 .
“ This draft process has been the longest for me , so I ’ ve just been working on my game , ” Wiseman said .
“ I ’ ve actually been playing pickup games with pros already , so I ’ ve been getting a lot of experience .
But really just focusing on myself .
I ’ m truly ready to play with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evaluate prospects without benefit of the usual draft combine in Chicago or the ability to invite them to their facilities for workouts and meetings .
And with the coronavirus shutting down the sports world in March , there was no NCAA Tournament for the players to make a final impression before entering the draft .
That helped contribute to perhaps more questions than usual surrounding the draft , with little feel for how the top few picks would play out .
The Chicago Bulls took Patrick Williams of Florida State , the ACC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freshman , at No .
4 .
Cleveland followed with Auburn ’ s Isaac Okoro , another freshman , to round out the top five .
The latter half of the top 10 featured a couple highly regarded international players in France ’ s Killian Hayes , taken by Detroit at No .
7 , and Deni Avdija , the highest player to come from Israel when Washington picked him at No .
9 .

Anthony Edwards paid tribute to his mother and grandmother. Onyeka Okongwu recalled his brother. Obi Toppin thought about coming home.
Tears flowed freely for those and many more players Wednesday night when their long-awaited, months-delayed NBA dreams were finally realized.
Edwards was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 1 pick in an NBA draft delayed multiple times because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Commissioner Adam Silver announced the pick from ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. The draft was originally scheduled for June 25 before multiple delays caused by the virus pushed it back and out of its usual home at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Boxes of hats were shipped to the top prospects to put on the one they needed after their name was called.
Edwards watched while seated next to portraits of his late mother and grandmother. They both died of cancer and he was emotional after his name was announced.
“As far as just being excited and just being happy and ready to go and ready to work and ready to get there as soon as possible, those emotions were overwhelming with just my mother and grandmother being there,” Edwards said. “I mean, it was just a dream come true and just a blessing.”
And though there wasn’t the usual family table in the green room and trip on stage to meet the commissioner, some players still were outfitted in fashionable attire - perhaps none more than No. 12 pick Tyrese Haliburton of Sacramento, whose blue, floral suit had the words “Black Lives Matter” on the inside.
They celebrated with family, friends, coaches - and in Cole Anthony’s case, even celebrity fans. Movie director Spike Lee jumped up and down with his family when Orlando took Anthony, whose father, Greg played for the Knicks, at No. 15.
Some moments triggered deeper emotions. Okongwu, taken No. 6 by Atlanta, recalled his older brother, Nnamdi, who died after a skateboarding accident in 2014.
Toppin, the national player of the year last season at Dayton, struggled to speak after New York took him at No. 8, bringing the Brooklyn-born forward to his hometown.
“I’m from New York, that’s why it’s important,” Toppin said. “Me repping my city, it’s amazing.”
Edwards became the 11th straight one-and-done player to be the No. 1 pick, coming in a year where there was no clear obvious choice. He averaged 19.1 points for the Bulldogs, tops among all freshman.
The Golden State Warriors, stung by the news that Klay Thompson sustained another leg injury earlier Wednesday, took Memphis center James Wiseman with the second pick. They stumbled to the bottom of the league while Thompson missed the entire season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
The severity of his injury had not been revealed as the draft began but it didn’t persuade the Warriors to take another guard. Instead they went with the 7-foot-1 center who arrived as the No. 1 recruit out of high school and averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in three games before he was suspended for eligibility reasons and eventually left the program to prepare for the draft.
LaMelo Ball then went to the Charlotte Hornets, the next stop on a lengthy basketball journey that sent the guard from high school in California to stops as a professional in Lithuania and Australia. He joined brother Lonzo, taken No. 2 by the Lakers and now in New Orleans, to give the Balls two brothers taken in the top three picks.
After all his travels, Ball is eager to make a home playing for Michael Jordan’s team in Charlotte.
“I feel like I can go out there and play basketball,” Ball said. “I feel like I was born to do this.”
The newcomers will have precious little time to prepare for their debuts and need to knock off months of rust or more - Wiseman hasn’t played an organized game in a year - without the benefit of summer league. Training camps open in early December and the 72-game 2020-21 season is set to begin on Dec. 22.
“This draft process has been the longest for me, so I’ve just been working on my game,” Wiseman said. “I’ve actually been playing pickup games with pros already, so I’ve been getting a lot of experience. But really just focusing on myself. I’m truly ready to play with these great guys.”
Teams had to evaluate prospects without benefit of the usual draft combine in Chicago or the ability to invite them to their facilities for workouts and meetings. And with the coronavirus shutting down the sports world in March, there was no NCAA Tournament for the players to make a final impression before entering the draft.
That helped contribute to perhaps more questions than usual surrounding the draft, with little feel for how the top few picks would play out.
The Chicago Bulls took Patrick Williams of Florida State, the ACC sixth man of the year as a freshman, at No. 4. Cleveland followed with Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, another freshman, to round out the top five.
The latter half of the top 10 featured a couple highly regarded international players in France’s Killian Hayes, taken by Detroit at No. 7, and Deni Avdija, the highest player to come from Israel when Washington picked him at No. 9.
The setting wasn’t the only thing unusual about the draft. Duke didn’t have a player picked in the first round after having 39 since the league went to a two-round draft in 1989.
And the San Antonio Spurs picked in the lottery for the first time since 1997, when they drafted Tim Duncan No. 1. The Spurs picked Devin Vassell at No. 11, giving Florida State two first-round selections for just the second time in school history.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Navajo Nation reports 135 new COVID-19 cases, 8 more deaths

WINDOW ROCK , Ariz. ( AP ) - Navajo Nation health officials on Wednesday reported 135 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and eight additional deaths .
The latest figures bring the total number of known cases to 13,880 with 613 known deaths .
Tribal health officials said 141,751 people have been tested for COVID-19 since the pandemic started and 8,011 have recovered .
On Monday , the Navajo Nation reinstated a stay-at-home lockdown for the entire reservation .
Under the order , tribal offices will be closed and new closures and safety measures will be required for businesses .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a health advisory warning to residents about the uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus that has affected 29 communities throughout the reservation , which spans more than 27,000 square miles ( 70,000 square kilometers ) in parts of Arizona , New Mexico and Utah .
Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms with the coronavirus , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
But for some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , @ @ @

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) - Navajo Nation health officials on Wednesday reported 135 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and eight additional deaths.
The latest figures bring the total number of known cases to 13,880 with 613 known deaths.
Tribal health officials said 141,751 people have been tested for COVID-19 since the pandemic started and 8,011 have recovered.
On Monday, the Navajo Nation reinstated a stay-at-home lockdown for the entire reservation. Under the order, tribal offices will be closed and new closures and safety measures will be required for businesses.
The Navajo Nation Department of Health previously issued a health advisory warning to residents about the uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus that has affected 29 communities throughout the reservation, which spans more than 27,000 square miles (70,000 square kilometers) in parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms with the coronavirus, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.
But for some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Bill Belichick wades into Armenian conflict

FOXBOROUGH , Mass .
— New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday called on the U.S. government to take @ @ @ @ @ for “ unprovoked and violent attacks against Armenians.
” In his media availability , Belichick @ @ @ @ @ ve seen when humanitarian crisis and things like that , like ethnic cleaning , go @ @ @ @ @ to happen .
I hope that we can put a stop to that.
” Belichick @ @ @ @ @ pin during his 2015 visit to the White House , reportedly at the urging of @ @ @ @ @ ’ s director of football/head coach administration , who is of Armenian descent .
Belichick @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Christopher Miller , who sent out a letter to all Defense Department employees this @ @ @ @ @ ” and calling on them to heed his catchphrase : “ Do your job.
” @ @ @ @ @ by the reference and then brought up the Armenian conflict “ while we ’ re @ @ @ @ @

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday called on the U.S. government to take action against Turkey and Azerbaijan for “unprovoked and violent attacks against Armenians.”
In his media availability, Belichick said: “We’ve seen when humanitarian crisis and things like that, like ethnic cleaning, go unpunished, they just continue to happen. I hope that we can put a stop to that.”
Belichick also wore an Armenian flag pin during his 2015 visit to the White House, reportedly at the urging of Berj Najarian, the team’s director of football/head coach administration, who is of Armenian descent.
Belichick was responding to Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, who sent out a letter to all Defense Department employees this week calling Belichick “incomparable” and calling on them to heed his catchphrase: “Do your job.”
Belichick said he was flattered by the reference and then brought up the Armenian conflict “while we’re on the subject.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--Patriots' Belichick wades into Armenian conflict

FOXBOROUGH , Mass .
( AP ) - New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday called on the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ Turkey and Azerbaijan for “ unprovoked and violent attacks against Armenians.
” In his media @ @ @ @ @ “ We ’ ve seen when humanitarian crisis and things like that , like ethnic @ @ @ @ @ they just continue to happen .
I hope that we can put a stop to @ @ @ @ @ an Armenian flag pin during his 2015 visit to the White House , reportedly at @ @ @ @ @ , the team ’ s director of football/head coach administration , who is of Armenian @ @ @ @ @ to Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller , who sent out a letter to all Defense @ @ @ @ @ Belichick “ incomparable ” and calling on them to heed his catchphrase : “ Do @ @ @ @ @ he was flattered by the reference and then brought up the Armenian conflict “ while @ @ @ @ @ subject .
”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday called on the U.S. government to take action against Turkey and Azerbaijan for “unprovoked and violent attacks against Armenians.”
In his media availability, Belichick said: “We’ve seen when humanitarian crisis and things like that, like ethnic cleaning, go unpunished, they just continue to happen. I hope that we can put a stop to that.”
Belichick also wore an Armenian flag pin during his 2015 visit to the White House, reportedly at the urging of Berj Najarian, the team’s director of football/head coach administration, who is of Armenian descent.
Belichick was responding to Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, who sent out a letter to all Defense Department employees this week calling Belichick “incomparable” and calling on them to heed his catchphrase: “Do your job.”
Belichick said he was flattered by the reference and then brought up the Armenian conflict “while we’re on the subject.”
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL


washingtontimes--2020-11-18--California telemarketer fined $10M by FCC over political ad

SAN DIEGO ( AP ) - A San Diego-based telemarketer was fined nearly $ 10 million on Wednesday for making tens of thousands of spoofed robocalls in 2018 in a California Assembly race , the Federal Communications Commission announced .
The FCC said Kenneth Moser and his company , Marketing Support Systems , sent out 47,610 unlawful robocalls on May 30 and May 31 , 2018 , about a week before a primary election for the 76th Assembly District .
The calls mentioned accusations by a woman that candidate Philip Graham tried to grope and kiss her in a bar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Department investigation concluded that the allegations were false and the woman who made them later pleaded guilty to filing a false report .
“ Vote carefully on June 5 , ” the robocalls said .
“ We don ’ t need any more creeps in Sacramento.
” Graham is the stepson of former California Gov .
Pete Wilson .
The FCC said Moser violated the federal Truth in Caller ID Act by manipulating caller ID information to make it appear the recorded calls were coming from another firm called HomeyTel - a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email , Moser included his June response to the FCC about the allegations in which he said the $ 800 order the company received to send out the recorded calls was placed before Graham had been exonerated .
Moser also said that he believed HomeyTel had been out of business for years and used its information because his client wished to remain anonymous .
Moser says he doesn ’ t believe the fine can be enforced without the FCC referring the case to the U.S. Department of Justice .
“ However I doubt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecution like this about purportedly harming either a defunct corporation or voters by transmitting someone ’ s political message not of my making , ” Moser wrote .

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A San Diego-based telemarketer was fined nearly $10 million on Wednesday for making tens of thousands of spoofed robocalls in 2018 in a California Assembly race, the Federal Communications Commission announced.
The FCC said Kenneth Moser and his company, Marketing Support Systems, sent out 47,610 unlawful robocalls on May 30 and May 31, 2018, about a week before a primary election for the 76th Assembly District.
The calls mentioned accusations by a woman that candidate Philip Graham tried to grope and kiss her in a bar. A San Diego County Sheriff’s Department investigation concluded that the allegations were false and the woman who made them later pleaded guilty to filing a false report.
“Vote carefully on June 5,” the robocalls said. “We don’t need any more creeps in Sacramento.”
Graham is the stepson of former California Gov. Pete Wilson.
The FCC said Moser violated the federal Truth in Caller ID Act by manipulating caller ID information to make it appear the recorded calls were coming from another firm called HomeyTel - a process known as spoofing.
In an email, Moser included his June response to the FCC about the allegations in which he said the $800 order the company received to send out the recorded calls was placed before Graham had been exonerated. Moser also said that he believed HomeyTel had been out of business for years and used its information because his client wished to remain anonymous.
Moser says he doesn’t believe the fine can be enforced without the FCC referring the case to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“However I doubt they would want to touch a political prosecution like this about purportedly harming either a defunct corporation or voters by transmitting someone’s political message not of my making,” Moser wrote.