washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Victims, feminists take over Mexico human rights office

MEXICO CITY ( AP ) - A group of feminists and crime victims has taken over the offices of Mexico ’ s governmental Human Rights Commission , leading to a stand-off Tuesday in which both sides expressed worries about rights violations .
The dozens of activists who seized the offices last week have refused to leave , and vow to turn the commission ’ s historic building in Mexico City ’ s colonial-era downtown into a shelter for victims .
They said they took over the building because the government has been slow to protect or support women who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missing loved ones .
The activists have taken framed paintings of Mexican heroes from the building ’ s walls and defaced them with graffiti , drawing the ire of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador .
They also emptied a freezer case of expensive steaks and displayed them , claiming they showed that rights officials enjoyed luxuries , something López Obrador has campaigned against .
The rights commission , for its part , has voiced concern about the safety of case files kept in the building .
The names and locations of victims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there are worries that revealing them could put those people in danger .
The commission is funded by the government but has a measure of independence .
It can make recommendations to government agencies , which are usually followed .

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A group of feminists and crime victims has taken over the offices of Mexico’s governmental Human Rights Commission, leading to a stand-off Tuesday in which both sides expressed worries about rights violations.
The dozens of activists who seized the offices last week have refused to leave, and vow to turn the commission’s historic building in Mexico City’s colonial-era downtown into a shelter for victims. They said they took over the building because the government has been slow to protect or support women who have suffered abuse or help them find their missing loved ones.
The activists have taken framed paintings of Mexican heroes from the building’s walls and defaced them with graffiti, drawing the ire of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. They also emptied a freezer case of expensive steaks and displayed them, claiming they showed that rights officials enjoyed luxuries, something López Obrador has campaigned against.
The rights commission, for its part, has voiced concern about the safety of case files kept in the building. The names and locations of victims of rights abuses are contained in many files, and there are worries that revealing them could put those people in danger.
The commission is funded by the government but has a measure of independence. It can make recommendations to government agencies, which are usually followed.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Navajo Nation reports no new coronavirus cases, but 4 deaths

WINDOW ROCK , Ariz. ( AP ) - Navajo Nation health officials on Tuesday reported no new confirmed cases of @ @ @ @ @ .
The latest numbers increases the total number of people infected to 9,903 with 527 @ @ @ @ @ officials said the case total includes two previously unreported positive cases from July .
They @ @ @ @ @ tested for COVID-19 and 7,157 have recovered .
Officials reported one new coronavirus case Monday @ @ @ @ @ Much of the Navajo Nation has been closed since March as the coronavirus swept through @ @ @ @ @ into New Mexico , Utah and Arizona .
Tribal officials are extending partial weekend lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ to help control the spread of the coronavirus .
The majority of people who are @ @ @ @ @ For some people it causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough .
@ @ @ @ @ the virus , especially those who are older or have underlying health conditions , it @ @ @ @ @ and death .

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) - Navajo Nation health officials on Tuesday reported no new confirmed cases of coronavirus but four additional deaths.
The latest numbers increases the total number of people infected to 9,903 with 527 known death.
Tribal health officials said the case total includes two previously unreported positive cases from July.
They said 97,644 people have been tested for COVID-19 and 7,157 have recovered.
Officials reported one new coronavirus case Monday and no additional deaths.
Much of the Navajo Nation has been closed since March as the coronavirus swept through the vast reservation that extends into New Mexico, Utah and Arizona.
Tribal officials are extending partial weekend lockdowns and daily curfews through September to help control the spread of the coronavirus.
The majority of people who are diagnosed with COVID-19 recover. For some people it causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough.
But for others who contract the virus, especially those who are older or have underlying health conditions, it can cause more severe illness and death.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Trump says movement against Confederate statues is aimed at America's 'guts'

President Trump told a Southern audience on Tuesday night that the Left ’ s cancel culture is wrong to eradicate Confederate statues , vowing “ they ’ ll never take away our past.
” Speaking to thousands of supporters at the Winston-Salem airport in North Carolina , Mr. Trump said U.S. schoolchildren deserve “ a patriotic education.
” “ The first thing they [ liberals ] do is they want to take your history away , ” Mr. Trump said .
“ That ’ s why the monuments and the statues , they want to knock them down .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your guts .
They take away your statues , they take away your heroes , they take away your great generals , they take away your past.
” He went on , “ And I said it was going to happen .
I said … they started off with generals , and colonels and others that nobody ever heard of , and I thought that was bad .
And then they went up a little bit , and I said , ‘ someday it ’ s going to be Robert E. Lee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington .
Someday it ’ s going to be Lincoln , someday it ’ s going to be Jefferson , someday it ’ s going to be Benjamin Franklin , ’ it ’ s all of them.
” “ It ’ s all of them — they take away your past , ” Mr. Trump said .
Then he vowed , “ They ’ re never taking away our past .
We ’ ll teach our children to love our country , honor our history and always respect our great American flag .
@

President Trump told a Southern audience on Tuesday night that the Left’s cancel culture is wrong to eradicate Confederate statues, vowing “they’ll never take away our past.”
Speaking to thousands of supporters at the Winston-Salem airport in North Carolina, Mr. Trump said U.S. schoolchildren deserve “a patriotic education.”
“The first thing they [liberals] do is they want to take your history away,” Mr. Trump said. “That’s why the monuments and the statues, they want to knock them down. The first thing they do is take away your guts. They take away your statues, they take away your heroes, they take away your great generals, they take away your past.”
He went on, “And I said it was going to happen. I said … they started off with generals, and colonels and others that nobody ever heard of, and I thought that was bad. And then they went up a little bit, and I said, ‘someday it’s going to be Robert E. Lee, someday it’s going to be Washington. Someday it’s going to be Lincoln, someday it’s going to be Jefferson, someday it’s going to be Benjamin Franklin,’ it’s all of them.”
“It’s all of them — they take away your past,” Mr. Trump said.
Then he vowed, “They’re never taking away our past. We’ll teach our children to love our country, honor our history and always respect our great American flag.”
The crowd roared its approval.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Oscars set inclusion standards for best picture category

In an historic move , the Oscars are raising the inclusion bar for best picture nominees starting with the 96th Academy Awards in 2024 .
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday laid out sweeping eligibility reforms to the best picture category intended to encourage diversity and equitable representation on screen and off , addressing gender , sexual orientation , race , ethnicity and disability .
The film academy has established four broad representation categories : On screen ; among the crew ; at the studio ; and in opportunities for training and advancement in other aspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release .
Each standard has detailed subcategories as well .
To meet the on-screen representation standard , a film must either have at least one lead character or a significant supporting character be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group , at least 30 % of secondary roles must be from two underrepresented groups or the main storyline , theme or narrative must be focused on an underrepresented group .
According to the academy , underrepresented groups include women , people of color , people who identify as LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed out to the producers of a film , is the one category which every film academy member can vote for .
Earlier this year , the South Korean film “ Parasite ” became the first non-English language film to win the award .
All other categories will be held to their current eligibility requirements .
“ The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them , ” said Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting , essential change in our industry.
” The second category addresses the creative leadership and crew composition of a film .
In order to meet the standard a film must have either at least two leadership positions or department heads be from an underrepresented group and at least one be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group ; at least six other crew be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group ; or at least 30 % of the film ’ s crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third category deals with paid internship and apprenticeship opportunities as well as training opportunities for below-the-line workers , and the fourth category addresses representation in marketing , publicity and distribution teams .
The inclusion standards form will be confidential and will not be required for best picture hopefuls for the 94th and 95th Academy Awards .
The inclusion standards were developed by a task force led by academy governors DeVon Franklin and Jim Gianopulos and in consultation with the Producers Guild of America .
They also took into account diversity standards used by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Academy of Film and Television Awards .
These changes will also not affect the 93rd Academy Awards , although the academy has had to make a few alterations because of COVID-19 ’ s effects on the movie business , including pushing the ceremony back two months to April 25 , 2021 and allowing films that debuted on a streaming service to be eligible for best picture .

In an historic move, the Oscars are raising the inclusion bar for best picture nominees starting with the 96th Academy Awards in 2024. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday laid out sweeping eligibility reforms to the best picture category intended to encourage diversity and equitable representation on screen and off, addressing gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and disability.
The film academy has established four broad representation categories: On screen; among the crew; at the studio; and in opportunities for training and advancement in other aspects of the film’s development and release.
Each standard has detailed subcategories as well. To meet the on-screen representation standard, a film must either have at least one lead character or a significant supporting character be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, at least 30% of secondary roles must be from two underrepresented groups or the main storyline, theme or narrative must be focused on an underrepresented group. According to the academy, underrepresented groups include women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities
The best picture award, which is handed out to the producers of a film, is the one category which every film academy member can vote for. Earlier this year, the South Korean film “Parasite” became the first non-English language film to win the award.
All other categories will be held to their current eligibility requirements.
“The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them,” said Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson in a written statement. “We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry.”
The second category addresses the creative leadership and crew composition of a film. In order to meet the standard a film must have either at least two leadership positions or department heads be from an underrepresented group and at least one be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group; at least six other crew be from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group; or at least 30% of the film’s crew be from an underrepresented group.
The third category deals with paid internship and apprenticeship opportunities as well as training opportunities for below-the-line workers, and the fourth category addresses representation in marketing, publicity and distribution teams.
The inclusion standards form will be confidential and will not be required for best picture hopefuls for the 94th and 95th Academy Awards.
The inclusion standards were developed by a task force led by academy governors DeVon Franklin and Jim Gianopulos and in consultation with the Producers Guild of America. They also took into account diversity standards used by the British Film Institute and the British Academy of Film and Television Awards.
These changes will also not affect the 93rd Academy Awards, although the academy has had to make a few alterations because of COVID-19’s effects on the movie business, including pushing the ceremony back two months to April 25, 2021 and allowing films that debuted on a streaming service to be eligible for best picture.
___
Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Mexico threatens charges over auction of historic papers

MEXICO CITY ( AP ) - Federal prosecutors in Mexico threatened Tuesday to bring criminal charges against a local auction @ @ @ @ @ of historical documents including letters from the country ’ s Independence heroes .
The Attorney @ @ @ @ @ just hours before the planned auction that the sale was illegal and that it could @ @ @ @ @ said the documents were part of Mexico ’ s historical legacy .
The Morton auction @ @ @ @ @ letters signed by Miguel Hidalgo and other leaders of the 1810-1821 independence struggle .
The @ @ @ @ @ a request for comment , but the online auction indicated that the Hidalgo letter had @ @ @ @ @ .
Prosecutors said that while private individuals can own such documents , they can ’ @ @ @ @ @ that the auctioneers could face fines or criminal charges .

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Federal prosecutors in Mexico threatened Tuesday to bring criminal charges against a local auction house for a planned sale of historical documents including letters from the country’s Independence heroes.
The Attorney General’s office said just hours before the planned auction that the sale was illegal and that it could seize the lots. It said the documents were part of Mexico’s historical legacy.
The Morton auction house said the documents included letters signed by Miguel Hidalgo and other leaders of the 1810-1821 independence struggle. The company did not respond to a request for comment, but the online auction indicated that the Hidalgo letter had been withdrawn from the sale.
Prosecutors said that while private individuals can own such documents, they can’t sell them, and that the auctioneers could face fines or criminal charges.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Honolulu mayor extends stay-at-home order by 2 weeks

HONOLULU ( AP ) - Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Tuesday he would extend the city ’ s stay-at-home order @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus but will modify the rules to allow solo activity at beaches , parks @ @ @ @ @ order will be kept in place through Sept. 24 .
Individuals will be able to @ @ @ @ @ and trails to run , sit or eat by themselves beginning Thursday .
Caldwell said @ @ @ @ @ the number of new COVID-19 cases hadn ’ t declined as much as he wanted @ @ @ @ @ .
He said he wants to discuss over the next two weeks how to cautiously @ @ @ @ @ said the city relaxed restrictions too quickly when it lifted the previous stay-at-home order , @ @ @ @ @ cases .
The mayor said he wants to avoid that outcome this time .
The @ @ @ @ @ 66 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday , a lower figure than in recent days @

HONOLULU (AP) - Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Tuesday he would extend the city’s stay-at-home order for two weeks to control the coronavirus but will modify the rules to allow solo activity at beaches, parks and trails.
The stay-at-home order will be kept in place through Sept. 24. Individuals will be able to go to beaches, parks and trails to run, sit or eat by themselves beginning Thursday.
Caldwell said he extended the order because the number of new COVID-19 cases hadn’t declined as much as he wanted to loosen rules more significantly.
He said he wants to discuss over the next two weeks how to cautiously reopen more activities. Caldwell said the city relaxed restrictions too quickly when it lifted the previous stay-at-home order, contributing to a surge in cases.
The mayor said he wants to avoid that outcome this time.
The state Department of Health reported 66 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, a lower figure than in recent days.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Sean Feucht Ministries holds 'worship protest' in street after Seattle barricades park

Seattle shut down a park on Labor Day to stop a Christian prayer rally , so the Sean Feucht Ministries moved the event to the streets , renaming it a “ worship protest.
” Hundreds of worshipers turned up Monday night to the “ Let Us Worship ” rally , which Mr. Feucht held on a blocked-off street and parking lot after Seattle barricaded Gas Works Park , the original venue , citing the risk to public health .
Mr. Feucht blamed the city ’ s decision on “ bias , ” given that at least three protests were held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday melee that saw demonstrators throw rocks , bottles and homemade explosives outside the Seattle Police Officers Guild building on Fourth Avenue South .
“ It ’ s so wild because yesterday they had on Fourth Avenue in Seattle , they had Antifa rioters throwing Molotov cocktails at policemen , and yet the city focused their energy on our peaceful worship and prayer rally in Gas Works Park , ” said Mr. Feucht on “ Fox & Friends.
” He said Gas Works Park was fenced off , adding , “ I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars were wasted on that.
” “ They were blocking us out from gathering to worship , ” said Mr. Feucht .
“ They just said anticipated crowding from an event .
We were the only event that was planned .
We were the only rally planning to be there , so it was obviously a targeting and a discrimination toward believers in this city.
” Mr. Feucht has held 21 worship rallies in two months , including a Sunday event that he said drew about 12,000 people to the California state capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just continuing to build momentum.
” He accused elected officials of targeting religious activity in their novel coronavirus public-health orders , saying the restrictions have produced a backlash .
“ Last night we just pivoted , we called it a worship protest , so now technically it ’ s legal , and we just went to the streets , ” said Mr. Feucht .
“ But what we ’ re experiencing now across America , especially with the churches being closed and these godless politicians that are taking aim at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a backlash that ’ s growing.
” Rachel Schulkin , communications manager for Seattle Parks and Recreation , said in a Tuesday email that the park was closed off for the day “ to prevent public health concerns related to park use.
” “ The City received information that a large public gathering would take place on Monday , September 7 in Gasworks Park , ” she said .
“ The organizer of the planned event had previously held an event in a Seattle park that violated multiple public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unmasked , in large numbers , and in close proximity.
” She said the decision was made without regard to the content of the event .
“ This action was unrelated to the nature of the planned event , and was consistent with other parks closures and modified hours for several parks across the system for the same reasons , ” she said .
“ The Parks Department has made it clear that crowded parks will lead to closed parks.
” Seattle police arrested 22 people in the Fourth Avenue rioting on charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to disperse .
Police also recovered “ intact Molotov cocktails ” dropped at the scene , according to the SPD blotter .
“ There ’ s just a bias , ” said Mr. Feucht .
“ It ’ s the height of hypocrisy right now that they ’ re letting these cities succumb to rioting and burning and pillaging , and yet they ’ re targeting Christians.
” A video posted on Mr. Feucht ’ s YouTube account showed both masked and unmasked attendees at the rally , which featured a worship band @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least one baptism .
“ People need hope , especially right now during the craziness of life , ” Jenny Pund of Puyallup told the Seattle Times .
“ The government is not going to give you hope , seemingly .
Jesus is the answer .
”

Seattle shut down a park on Labor Day to stop a Christian prayer rally, so the Sean Feucht Ministries moved the event to the streets, renaming it a “worship protest.”
Hundreds of worshipers turned up Monday night to the “Let Us Worship” rally, which Mr. Feucht held on a blocked-off street and parking lot after Seattle barricaded Gas Works Park, the original venue, citing the risk to public health.
Mr. Feucht blamed the city’s decision on “bias,” given that at least three protests were held over Labor Day weekend, including a Monday melee that saw demonstrators throw rocks, bottles and homemade explosives outside the Seattle Police Officers Guild building on Fourth Avenue South.
“It’s so wild because yesterday they had on Fourth Avenue in Seattle, they had Antifa rioters throwing Molotov cocktails at policemen, and yet the city focused their energy on our peaceful worship and prayer rally in Gas Works Park,” said Mr. Feucht on “Fox & Friends.”
He said Gas Works Park was fenced off, adding, “I don’t even know how much tax dollars were wasted on that.”
“They were blocking us out from gathering to worship,” said Mr. Feucht. “They just said anticipated crowding from an event. We were the only event that was planned. We were the only rally planning to be there, so it was obviously a targeting and a discrimination toward believers in this city.”
Mr. Feucht has held 21 worship rallies in two months, including a Sunday event that he said drew about 12,000 people to the California state capitol in Sacramento, and that “it’s just continuing to build momentum.”
He accused elected officials of targeting religious activity in their novel coronavirus public-health orders, saying the restrictions have produced a backlash.
“Last night we just pivoted, we called it a worship protest, so now technically it’s legal, and we just went to the streets,” said Mr. Feucht. “But what we’re experiencing now across America, especially with the churches being closed and these godless politicians that are taking aim at the church, people are rising up. There’s a backlash that’s growing.”
They can close down the park, but will never silence the church of Seattle!!!#LetUsWorship https://t.co/e8lvWSWtsx — Sean Feucht (@seanfeucht) September 8, 2020
Rachel Schulkin, communications manager for Seattle Parks and Recreation, said in a Tuesday email that the park was closed off for the day “to prevent public health concerns related to park use.”
“The City received information that a large public gathering would take place on Monday, September 7 in Gasworks Park,” she said. “The organizer of the planned event had previously held an event in a Seattle park that violated multiple public health standards in Washington State — participants were unmasked, in large numbers, and in close proximity.”
She said the decision was made without regard to the content of the event.
“This action was unrelated to the nature of the planned event, and was consistent with other parks closures and modified hours for several parks across the system for the same reasons,” she said. “The Parks Department has made it clear that crowded parks will lead to closed parks.”
Seattle police arrested 22 people in the Fourth Avenue rioting on charges that included arson, obstruction and failure to disperse. Police also recovered “intact Molotov cocktails” dropped at the scene, according to the SPD blotter.
Images of Molotov cocktails recovered outside SPOG office. pic.twitter.com/uxlYG5OXg2 — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) September 8, 2020
“There’s just a bias,” said Mr. Feucht. “It’s the height of hypocrisy right now that they’re letting these cities succumb to rioting and burning and pillaging, and yet they’re targeting Christians.”
A video posted on Mr. Feucht’s YouTube account showed both masked and unmasked attendees at the rally, which featured a worship band, dancing, cheering, and at least one baptism.
“People need hope, especially right now during the craziness of life,” Jenny Pund of Puyallup told the Seattle Times. “The government is not going to give you hope, seemingly. Jesus is the answer.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Washington state schools provide devices for remote learning

BREMERTON , Wash. ( AP ) - School districts in Washington state have distributed thousands of computers and other devices to students to assist them with remote learning during the pandemic , but many families are still facing connectivity issues in rural parts of the state .
Families in Kitsap County raised concerns about digital access as schools reopened online for the year to limit the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the risk of in-person schooling , the Kitsap Sun reported .
“ Supply disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly delayed a shipment we placed last spring , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on its website Aug. 28 regarding delays in delivered devices .
“ Until we receive that shipment , we ask families who already have devices in their homes to wait before requesting a district Chromebook.
” IT Director Deborah Bryan said it is affecting the supply across the entire United States , adding that shipments would be delayed until at least the beginning of October .
District spokesman David Beil said the order for 5,900 devices is part of the district ’ s routine replacement cycle , and the shipment delay has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who need them .
The IT department distributed 1,000 Chromebooks for students to take home last spring , and another 2,500 leading up to the start of school year Sept. 2 .
The district has had a one-to-one device initiative for the past five years , with students in K-5 using devices in schools and those in 6-12 bringing them home .
“ We initially began working with a list of 1,600 families that may not have internet access .
From that list we were able to identify approximately 100 families that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We are working with these families to connect them with an internet provider.
” Most local districts reported they were working to support the initial demand for devices during the pandemic and have already started working toward assigning devices to students , including in the South Kitsap School District and North Kitsap School District .

BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) - School districts in Washington state have distributed thousands of computers and other devices to students to assist them with remote learning during the pandemic, but many families are still facing connectivity issues in rural parts of the state.
Families in Kitsap County raised concerns about digital access as schools reopened online for the year to limit the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the risk of in-person schooling, the Kitsap Sun reported.
“Supply disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly delayed a shipment we placed last spring,” the Central Kitsap School District said on its website Aug. 28 regarding delays in delivered devices. “Until we receive that shipment, we ask families who already have devices in their homes to wait before requesting a district Chromebook.”
IT Director Deborah Bryan said it is affecting the supply across the entire United States, adding that shipments would be delayed until at least the beginning of October.
District spokesman David Beil said the order for 5,900 devices is part of the district’s routine replacement cycle, and the shipment delay has not affected its ability to provide devices to those who need them.
The IT department distributed 1,000 Chromebooks for students to take home last spring, and another 2,500 leading up to the start of school year Sept. 2.
The district has had a one-to-one device initiative for the past five years, with students in K-5 using devices in schools and those in 6-12 bringing them home.
“We initially began working with a list of 1,600 families that may not have internet access. From that list we were able to identify approximately 100 families that did need internet access,” Beil said. “We are working with these families to connect them with an internet provider.”
Most local districts reported they were working to support the initial demand for devices during the pandemic and have already started working toward assigning devices to students, including in the South Kitsap School District and North Kitsap School District.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--E. Jean Carroll lawsuit: Justice Department seeks to defend Donald Trump

The Justice Department on Tuesday moved to intervene in a defamation lawsuit filed by author E. Jean Carroll , who claims President Trump sexually assaulted her in the 1990s .
The federal government cited the Federal Tort Claims Act to argue that the Justice Department should sub in to defend Mr. Trump , who was sued in his personal capacity .
The department said Mr. Trump was acting within the scope of his office “ at the time of the incidents out of which the Plaintiff ’ s defamation claim rose.
” Ms. Carroll has accused Mr. Trump of assaulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store in the 1990s .
The president flatly denied the allegations , saying last year that the incident never happened and that “ she ’ s not my type.
” In November , Ms. Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit after the president ’ s denial .
The move to intervene could put U.S. taxpayers on the hook to pay out any damages to Ms. Carroll in the case , though it is exceedingly difficult to prove a defamation case against the federal government .
Robbie Kaplan , an attorney for Ms. Carroll , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be required to produce a DNA sample and documents and sit for a deposition as part of the case .
He called the Justice Department ’ s legal reasoning “ shocking ” and said it offends him as a lawyer and a citizen .
NEW YORK — The U.S. Justice Department is seeking to take over President Donald Trump ’ s defense in a defamation lawsuit from a writer who accused him of rape , and federal lawyers asked a court Tuesday to allow a move that could put the American people on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be awarded .
After New York state courts turned down Trump ’ s request to delay E. Jean Carroll ’ s suit , Justice Department lawyers filed court papers Tuesday aiming to shift the case into federal court and to substitute the U.S. for Trump as the defendant .
That means the federal government , rather than Trump himself , might have to pay damages if any are awarded .
The filing complicates , at least for the moment , Carroll ’ s efforts to get a DNA sample from the president as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions under oath .
Justice Department lawyers argue that Trump was “ acting within the scope of his office ” when he denied Carroll ’ s allegations , made last year , that he raped her in a New York luxury department store in the mid-1990s .
She says his comments — including that she was “ totally lying ” to sell a memoir — besmirched her character and harmed her career .
“ Numerous courts have recognized that elected officials act within the scope of their office or employment when speaking with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal matters , ” the DoJ attorneys wrote .
“ It offends me as a lawyer and offends me even more as a citizen , ” she said in a statement .
Carroll , meanwhile , said the developments illustrated “ that Trump will do everything possible , including using the full powers of the federal government , ” to try to stop the case .
It will be up to a federal judge to decide whether to keep the case in federal court and to allow the U.S. to become the defendant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNA sample from Trump to see whether it matches as-yet-unidentified male genetic material found on a dress that she says she was wearing during the alleged attack and didn ’ t don again until a photo shoot last year .
Her suit seeks damages and a retraction of Trump ’ s statements .
The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly .

The Justice Department on Tuesday moved to intervene in a defamation lawsuit filed by author E. Jean Carroll, who claims President Trump sexually assaulted her in the 1990s.
The federal government cited the Federal Tort Claims Act to argue that the Justice Department should sub in to defend Mr. Trump, who was sued in his personal capacity.
The department said Mr. Trump was acting within the scope of his office “at the time of the incidents out of which the Plaintiff’s defamation claim rose.”
Ms. Carroll has accused Mr. Trump of assaulting her in a New York City Department store in the 1990s.
The president flatly denied the allegations, saying last year that the incident never happened and that “she’s not my type.”
In November, Ms. Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit after the president’s denial.
The move to intervene could put U.S. taxpayers on the hook to pay out any damages to Ms. Carroll in the case, though it is exceedingly difficult to prove a defamation case against the federal government.
Robbie Kaplan, an attorney for Ms. Carroll, said Mr. Trump was soon going to be required to produce a DNA sample and documents and sit for a deposition as part of the case.
He called the Justice Department’s legal reasoning “shocking” and said it offends him as a lawyer and a citizen.
NEW YORK — The U.S. Justice Department is seeking to take over President Donald Trump’s defense in a defamation lawsuit from a writer who accused him of rape, and federal lawyers asked a court Tuesday to allow a move that could put the American people on the hook for any money she might be awarded.
After New York state courts turned down Trump’s request to delay E. Jean Carroll’s suit, Justice Department lawyers filed court papers Tuesday aiming to shift the case into federal court and to substitute the U.S. for Trump as the defendant. That means the federal government, rather than Trump himself, might have to pay damages if any are awarded.
The filing complicates, at least for the moment, Carroll’s efforts to get a DNA sample from the president as potential evidence and to have him answer questions under oath.
Justice Department lawyers argue that Trump was “acting within the scope of his office” when he denied Carroll’s allegations, made last year, that he raped her in a New York luxury department store in the mid-1990s. She says his comments — including that she was “totally lying” to sell a memoir — besmirched her character and harmed her career.
“Numerous courts have recognized that elected officials act within the scope of their office or employment when speaking with the press, including with respect to personal matters,” the DoJ attorneys wrote.
Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, called their argument “shocking.”
“It offends me as a lawyer and offends me even more as a citizen,” she said in a statement.
Carroll, meanwhile, said the developments illustrated “that Trump will do everything possible, including using the full powers of the federal government,” to try to stop the case.
It will be up to a federal judge to decide whether to keep the case in federal court and to allow the U.S. to become the defendant.
Carroll is trying to get a DNA sample from Trump to see whether it matches as-yet-unidentified male genetic material found on a dress that she says she was wearing during the alleged attack and didn’t don again until a photo shoot last year.
Her suit seeks damages and a retraction of Trump’s statements.
The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-08--Officer on leave, 2 pulled from duty following arrest video

LAFAYETTE , La .
( AP ) - A police officer in Louisiana has been placed on administrative leave and two others have been temporarily pulled from their regular duties after videos posted on social media showed an officer punching a Black teen during an arrest .
Lafayette police spokesman Sgt .
Wayne Griffin told news outlets that police were called to a bowling alley in Lafayette on Saturday night regarding a person with a gun in the parking lot .
Officers who arrived at the scene did not find a person who matched the caller ’ s descriptions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said the officers came back to the same parking lot about 30 minutes later for an unrelated traffic stop and saw a teen who matched the prior caller ’ s description .
Griffin said the teen was cooperative when officers patted him down for a weapon , which he did not have on him .
It is during this interaction that Griffin says another teen “ may have approached ” the officers and “ got into their personal space.
” “ Then it turned physical , ” Griffin said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into details of who swung first or anything like that.
” The family of the arrested teen has since hired Ronald Haley , a lawyer who is also representing the family of Trayford Pellerin , The Daily Advertiser reported .
Pellerin , a Black man , was fatally shot by police last month in Lafayette .
Haley said Monday that the Saturday incident involved 16-year-old twins .
It is not clear what happened between the time the teen approached the officers and the physical altercation ensued .
One of the videos posted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an officer .
The officer then says “ get off me ” and shoves the teen twice .
Another video of the arrest shows the teen being restrained on the ground by two officers as a third officer punches him .
The officers then put a handcuff on the teen and take him to a patrol car .
“ I saw a police officer attack a 16-year-old child and shove him 5 feet , and then , once he was on the ground , begin to punch him in the head repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Advocate .
“ Making a Black man out to be the aggressor in that situation is , to me , an attempt to cast doubt and give cover to police officers that act reprehensibly.
” The teen was arrested and booked on counts of interference , resisting arrest and battery of an officer , Griffin said .
He was released to his parents after the arrest .
Haley said he wants more information about Saturday ’ s arrest , including the body camera footage and the recording of the 911 call .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haley said at a news conference on Monday .
“ They ’ re not threats .
They are children .
They are children morally , and they are children in the eyes of the law , and they should be protected as such .
”

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - A police officer in Louisiana has been placed on administrative leave and two others have been temporarily pulled from their regular duties after videos posted on social media showed an officer punching a Black teen during an arrest.
Lafayette police spokesman Sgt. Wayne Griffin told news outlets that police were called to a bowling alley in Lafayette on Saturday night regarding a person with a gun in the parking lot. Officers who arrived at the scene did not find a person who matched the caller’s descriptions and left the scene, according to Griffin.
He said the officers came back to the same parking lot about 30 minutes later for an unrelated traffic stop and saw a teen who matched the prior caller’s description.
Griffin said the teen was cooperative when officers patted him down for a weapon, which he did not have on him.
It is during this interaction that Griffin says another teen “may have approached” the officers and “got into their personal space.”
“Then it turned physical,” Griffin said. “I’m not going to go into details of who swung first or anything like that.”
The family of the arrested teen has since hired Ronald Haley, a lawyer who is also representing the family of Trayford Pellerin, The Daily Advertiser reported. Pellerin, a Black man, was fatally shot by police last month in Lafayette.
Haley said Monday that the Saturday incident involved 16-year-old twins.
It is not clear what happened between the time the teen approached the officers and the physical altercation ensued.
One of the videos posted on social media shows the teen walking up to an officer. The officer then says “get off me” and shoves the teen twice.
Another video of the arrest shows the teen being restrained on the ground by two officers as a third officer punches him. The officers then put a handcuff on the teen and take him to a patrol car.
“I saw a police officer attack a 16-year-old child and shove him 5 feet, and then, once he was on the ground, begin to punch him in the head repeatedly,” community activist Jamal Taylor told The Advocate. “Making a Black man out to be the aggressor in that situation is, to me, an attempt to cast doubt and give cover to police officers that act reprehensibly.”
The teen was arrested and booked on counts of interference, resisting arrest and battery of an officer, Griffin said. He was released to his parents after the arrest.
Haley said he wants more information about Saturday’s arrest, including the body camera footage and the recording of the 911 call.
“They’re boys,” Haley said at a news conference on Monday. “They’re not threats. They are children. They are children morally, and they are children in the eyes of the law, and they should be protected as such.”


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--HealthPartners suspends recruiting in COVID-19 vaccine trial

BLOOMINGTON , Minn. ( AP ) - A Minnesota health care provider has suspended its successful recruitment of participants in a coronavirus vaccine trial while its maker investigates whether a recipient ’ s “ potentially unexplained ” illness is a side effect of the shot .
The trial led by AstraZeneca and Oxford University was suspended while a review is underway of a participant in the United Kingdom who became ill. HealthPartners , based in Bloomington , filled about 1,000 of its 1,500 slots in the national trial in 24 hours last week .
Interest from Minnesotans helped crash the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Star Tribune reported .
An AstraZeneca spokesperson confirmed the pause in vaccinations covers studies in the U.S. and other countries .
Late last month , AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the U.S. for its largest study of the vaccine .
Temporary holds of large medical studies aren ’ t unusual , and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing .
AstraZeneca pointed out that it ’ s possible the problem could be a coincidence as illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of @ @

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) - A Minnesota health care provider has suspended its successful recruitment of participants in a coronavirus vaccine trial while its maker investigates whether a recipient’s “potentially unexplained” illness is a side effect of the shot.
The trial led by AstraZeneca and Oxford University was suspended while a review is underway of a participant in the United Kingdom who became ill.
HealthPartners, based in Bloomington, filled about 1,000 of its 1,500 slots in the national trial in 24 hours last week. Interest from Minnesotans helped crash the recruitment website at one point, the Star Tribune reported.
An AstraZeneca spokesperson confirmed the pause in vaccinations covers studies in the U.S. and other countries. Late last month, AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the U.S. for its largest study of the vaccine.
Temporary holds of large medical studies aren’t unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing. AstraZeneca pointed out that it’s possible the problem could be a coincidence as illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of people.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--North Carolina home of Nina Simone gets permanent protection

TRYON , N.C. ( AP ) - The childhood home of iconic musician and civil rights activist Nina Simone will be indefinitely preserved in North Carolina .
The National Trust for Historic Preservation ’ s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund , in partnership with World Monuments Fund and Preservation North Carolina , recently secured permanent protection of the singer-songwriter ’ s childhood home in Tryon , the trust announced in a statement Tuesday .
Advocacy organization Preservation North Carolina was granted a preservation easement for the home .
The legal agreement binds all current and future owners to permanently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ character.
” The house can be renovated , but it can not be demolished .
Simone taught herself to play piano in the wooden cottage as a young girl in the 1930s , The National Trust said .
Nearly 90 years later , the three-room , 660-square foot ( 61-square-meter ) clapboard house had fallen into disrepair when four Black artists purchased the property in 2017 to ensure its legacy .
A crowdfunding campaign launched last year raised money for a rehabilitation effort that was scheduled to continue this fall .
Simone ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including jazz and R & B ; , helped define the civil rights movement .
She died in 2003 at the age of 70 .

TRYON, N.C. (AP) - The childhood home of iconic musician and civil rights activist Nina Simone will be indefinitely preserved in North Carolina.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, in partnership with World Monuments Fund and Preservation North Carolina, recently secured permanent protection of the singer-songwriter’s childhood home in Tryon, the trust announced in a statement Tuesday.
Advocacy organization Preservation North Carolina was granted a preservation easement for the home. The legal agreement binds all current and future owners to permanently protecting the building’s “authentic character.” The house can be renovated, but it cannot be demolished.
Simone taught herself to play piano in the wooden cottage as a young girl in the 1930s, The National Trust said. Nearly 90 years later, the three-room, 660-square foot (61-square-meter) clapboard house had fallen into disrepair when four Black artists purchased the property in 2017 to ensure its legacy.
A crowdfunding campaign launched last year raised money for a rehabilitation effort that was scheduled to continue this fall.
Simone’s music, which spanned several genres including jazz and R&B, helped define the civil rights movement. She died in 2003 at the age of 70.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Dr. Anthony Fauci: 'Unfortunate' AstraZeneca had to pause vaccine trial

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday said it ’ s unfortunate that AstraZeneca had to pause its Phase 3 clinical trial for a leading coronavirus vaccine candidate , but said it ’ s standard operating procedure when companies are moving through the trial stage .
“ It ’ s really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials , ” Dr. Fauci said on “ CBS This Morning .
“ It ’ s unfortunate that it happened .
Hopefully , they ’ ll work it out and be able to proceed along with the remainder of the trial.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all , ” he said .
“ This is an example of the kind of thing that you do to make sure we ’ re dealing with a product that ’ s safe.
” AstraZeneca , which is developing a vaccine with the University of Oxford , said Tuesday it was pausing its Phase 3 study because of a suspected adverse reaction in a trial participant in the UK .
At least two other major vaccine candidates that have backing from the Trump administration are currently in Phase 3 or Phase 2/3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as Moderna Inc. , have partnered with the federal government as part of the administration ’ s “ Operation Warp Speed ” to develop a vaccine by next year .
Dr. Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said he ’ s sticking with his projection that officials will likely know if there ’ s a safe and effective vaccine by the end of the year .
“ I think the more likely scenario is that we will know by the end of this calendar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hopefully , we ’ ll be able to start vaccinations in earnest as we begin 2021 .
”

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday said it’s unfortunate that AstraZeneca had to pause its Phase 3 clinical trial for a leading coronavirus vaccine candidate, but said it’s standard operating procedure when companies are moving through the trial stage.
“It’s really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials,” Dr. Fauci said on “CBS This Morning. “It’s unfortunate that it happened. Hopefully, they’ll work it out and be able to proceed along with the remainder of the trial.”
“It’s not uncommon at all,” he said. “This is an example of the kind of thing that you do to make sure we’re dealing with a product that’s safe.”
AstraZeneca, which is developing a vaccine with the University of Oxford, said Tuesday it was pausing its Phase 3 study because of a suspected adverse reaction in a trial participant in the UK.
In a written statement Wednesday, the company said the voluntary pause will allow researchers to review safety data after “a single event of an unexplained illness.”
“This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials,” AstraZeneca said.
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins said the pause “ought to be reassuring” amid a debate about whether speed and political pressure is overriding safety protocols.
When scientists say they’re serious about ensuring safety, “Here is Exhibit A,” Dr. Collins told the Senate Health Committee.
At least two other major vaccine candidates that have backing from the Trump administration are currently in Phase 3 or Phase 2/3 trials.
Pfizer and Germany-based BioNTech, as well as Moderna Inc., have partnered with the federal government as part of the administration’s “Operation Warp Speed” to develop a vaccine by next year.
Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he’s sticking with his projection that officials will likely know if there’s a safe and effective vaccine by the end of the year.
“I think the more likely scenario is that we will know by the end of this calendar year,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to start vaccinations in earnest as we begin 2021.”
• Tom Howell Jr. contributed to this article.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Delaware investigating slight increase in coronavirus cases

WILMINGTON , Del .
( AP ) - The state of Delaware is investigating what might be behind a slight increase in coronavirus cases over the past week or so .
The cities of Wilmington , New Castle , Newark and Dover are particularly seeing a rise in cases .
The News Journal reported Tuesday that Gov .
John Carney said that the state has made progress but still needs to do more .
“ We have an upper hand , but we ’ re not completely winning , ” Carney said .
“ We ’ re not hammering down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that just requires everybody to lean in just a little bit more and to wear that mask when you ’ re in public.
” Carney said the focus of the outbreaks are the young adults who are less concerned about the virus and have a “ sense of invincibility.
” He pointed to parties on college campuses as well as bars and restaurants .
Dr. Karyl Rattay , director of the Delaware Division of Public Health , said that the University of Delaware has reported 41 cases since Sept. 3 .
Investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point of exposure .
But they found that many of the people who contracted the virus are in group-living situations or involved in off-campus social activities .

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - The state of Delaware is investigating what might be behind a slight increase in coronavirus cases over the past week or so. The cities of Wilmington, New Castle, Newark and Dover are particularly seeing a rise in cases.
The News Journal reported Tuesday that Gov. John Carney said that the state has made progress but still needs to do more.
“We have an upper hand, but we’re not completely winning,” Carney said. “We’re not hammering down this virus like we need to. And that just requires everybody to lean in just a little bit more and to wear that mask when you’re in public.”
Carney said the focus of the outbreaks are the young adults who are less concerned about the virus and have a “sense of invincibility.” He pointed to parties on college campuses as well as bars and restaurants.
Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of the Delaware Division of Public Health, said that the University of Delaware has reported 41 cases since Sept. 3.
Investigators have been unable to find a single point of exposure. But they found that many of the people who contracted the virus are in group-living situations or involved in off-campus social activities.
.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Government agreed, Montenegro to keep pro-Western course.

PODGORICA , Montenegro ( AP ) - The leaders of the three main opposition groups in Montenegro signed a coalition agreement Wednesday to form the next government and sought to alleviate fears that they would steer the small Balkan state off its pro-Western course and back toward traditional allies Serbia and Russia .
The agreement says that Montenegro will abide by all international obligations undertaken by the previous government , including strengthening ties with NATO and speeding up “ all necessary reforms ” for membership of the European Union .
Although Montenegro ’ s long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , the coalition of the three opposition parties together narrowly won the most seats in the 81-seat parliament , enough for them to form the next government .
“ This is a proof that the new democratic government will be pro-European , pro-Western and pro-Montenegrin , ” said the leader of the “ Peace is Our Nation ” group , Aleksa Becic , after the signing of the coalition agreement .
“ There will be no change , just the strengthening of the country ’ s foreign policy path , ” Becic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the priority of the new government will be economic development and the fight against endemic corruption which has been one of the main burdens of previous governments .
Tensions soared in the deeply divided nation days after the vote when thousands of opposition party supporters staged boisterous victory celebrations throughout the country .
Participants waved Serbian flags and chanted derogatory slogans against Montenegro President Milo Djukanovic , despite appeals by opposition party leaders to refrain from provocations .
Djukanovic , who heads the outgoing DPS party , has accused Serbian leaders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election that was held after months of protests by supporters of the Serbian Orthodox Church upset over a property rights dispute in Montenegro .
Djukanovic , who has ruled Montenegro for 30 years either as president or prime minister , has been a key Western ally in pushing the volatile Balkans toward a more pro-Western orientation .
Djukanovic defied Russia in 2017 to lead his country into NATO after gaining independence from much larger Serbia in 2006 .
He has three more years in power before the next presidential election .
AP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Belgrade , Serbia

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) - The leaders of the three main opposition groups in Montenegro signed a coalition agreement Wednesday to form the next government and sought to alleviate fears that they would steer the small Balkan state off its pro-Western course and back toward traditional allies Serbia and Russia.
The agreement says that Montenegro will abide by all international obligations undertaken by the previous government, including strengthening ties with NATO and speeding up “all necessary reforms” for membership of the European Union.
Although Montenegro’s long-ruling Democratic Party of Socialists won the most votes in the Aug. 30 election, the coalition of the three opposition parties together narrowly won the most seats in the 81-seat parliament, enough for them to form the next government.
“This is a proof that the new democratic government will be pro-European, pro-Western and pro-Montenegrin,” said the leader of the “Peace is Our Nation” group, Aleksa Becic, after the signing of the coalition agreement.
“There will be no change, just the strengthening of the country’s foreign policy path,” Becic said.
The coalition party leaders said that the priority of the new government will be economic development and the fight against endemic corruption which has been one of the main burdens of previous governments.
Tensions soared in the deeply divided nation days after the vote when thousands of opposition party supporters staged boisterous victory celebrations throughout the country. Participants waved Serbian flags and chanted derogatory slogans against Montenegro President Milo Djukanovic, despite appeals by opposition party leaders to refrain from provocations.
Last weekend, tens of thousands Djukanovic’s supporters staged a massive “patriotic” rally chanting anti-opposition slogans.
Djukanovic, who heads the outgoing DPS party, has accused Serbian leaders and their powerful state propaganda of interfering in the election that was held after months of protests by supporters of the Serbian Orthodox Church upset over a property rights dispute in Montenegro.
Djukanovic, who has ruled Montenegro for 30 years either as president or prime minister, has been a key Western ally in pushing the volatile Balkans toward a more pro-Western orientation. Djukanovic defied Russia in 2017 to lead his country into NATO after gaining independence from much larger Serbia in 2006. He has three more years in power before the next presidential election.
___
AP writer Dusan Stojanovic contributed to this story from Belgrade, Serbia


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Dellwood man arrested in shooting death of another man

DELLWOOD , Mo .
( AP ) - Police have arrested a man on suspicion of murder in the shooting death earlier this week of another man in the St. Louis suburb of Dellwood .
Timothy Lee Jr. , 37 , of Dellwood , was arrested hours after the shooting death early Monday of Mark Ford , 30 , of Breckinridge Hills , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported .
Lee was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder , armed criminal action and possession of a gun by a felon .
He is being held in the St. Louis County Jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not released other details on what led to the shooting .
Lee was convicted in 2001 of a felony charge of property damage motivated by race .
In that case , Lee and another man pulled up to a car that was occupied by a Black teenage passenger and a Hispanic teenage driver at gas station .
The Post-Dispatch reported that Lee and the other man used racial slurs aimed at the driver , poured a beer on the Black teen and hit the car ’ s hood and fender with a @ @

DELLWOOD, Mo. (AP) - Police have arrested a man on suspicion of murder in the shooting death earlier this week of another man in the St. Louis suburb of Dellwood.
Timothy Lee Jr., 37, of Dellwood, was arrested hours after the shooting death early Monday of Mark Ford, 30, of Breckinridge Hills, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Lee was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and possession of a gun by a felon. He is being held in the St. Louis County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
Police have not released other details on what led to the shooting.
Lee was convicted in 2001 of a felony charge of property damage motivated by race.
In that case, Lee and another man pulled up to a car that was occupied by a Black teenage passenger and a Hispanic teenage driver at gas station. The Post-Dispatch reported that Lee and the other man used racial slurs aimed at the driver, poured a beer on the Black teen and hit the car’s hood and fender with a shovel.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Commission: Maryland casino revenue still relatively strong

BALTIMORE ( AP ) - Maryland ’ s casinos are operating at 50 % capacity .
But the Maryland Lottery @ @ @ @ @ are still relatively strong despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic .
The Baltimore Sun @ @ @ @ @ s casinos made $ 149.5 million in revenue in August .
That ’ s about @ @ @ @ @ revenue than what casinos made in August 2019 .
Casinos in the state had been @ @ @ @ @ in a limited capacity in June .
The commission said that August 2020 was the @ @ @ @ @ the Maryland casino program ’ s history .
August 2019 was the fourth-best month for @ @ @ @ @ revenue .

BALTIMORE (AP) - Maryland’s casinos are operating at 50% capacity. But the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Commission said revenues are still relatively strong despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday that Maryland’s casinos made $149.5 million in revenue in August. That’s about $4.7 million less in revenue than what casinos made in August 2019.
Casinos in the state had been forced to close before reopening in a limited capacity in June.
The commission said that August 2020 was the eighth-best month of revenue in the Maryland casino program’s history. August 2019 was the fourth-best month for the state’s casino revenue.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--EU says Britain must respect Brexit deal down to the letter

BRUSSELS ( AP ) - The European Union is warning Britain that any breach , even the most minor detail @ @ @ @ @ both sides signed , would break international law and undermine the little trust that is @ @ @ @ @ a future post-Brexit trade agreement .
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisted the @ @ @ @ @ agreements must be kept ” continues to apply and called the principle “ the foundation @ @ @ @ @ She said if the U.K. follows through on indications that it ’ s prepared to @ @ @ @ @ EU-British relations , it “ would break international law and undermines trust.
” On Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ Lewis appeared to admit as much when he told lawmakers that legislation to be published @ @ @ @ @ the Brexit withdrawal agreement between the U.K. and the EU .

LONDON (AP) - Prospects of a trade deal between Britain and the European Union appeared to dim Wednesday, with the EU saying that even the most minor U.K. breach of the Brexit withdrawal treaty would undermine what little trust is left between the two sides.
The warning came as Britain pushed ahead with legislation that it admits breaks international law by overriding parts of the legally binding withdrawal agreement that both Britain and the EU signed up to.
“Breaking international law is not acceptable and does not create the confidence we need to build our future relationship,’″ EU Council President Charles Michel said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the age-old diplomatic cornerstone of “agreements must be kept” was “the foundation of prosperous future relations.”
WHY IS BRITAIN CHANGING THE LAW?
Britain left the political structures of the EU on Jan. 31 and will make an economic break when an 11-month transition period ends on Dec. 31. The two sides are trying to strike a new trade deal by then, but talks have bogged down.
The U.K. government says its Internal Market Bill is a “safety net” designed to prevent disruption to internal U.K. trade in the event that there is no agreement by the end of the year.
The withdrawal agreement includes measures to ensure there are no barriers to trade or travel between Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K., and EU member Ireland. To do that, Britain has agreed that Northern Ireland will continue to follow some EU rules even after the rest of the U.K. goes it is own way. That means there will be checks and tariffs on some goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K., with Britain and the EU jointly deciding what goods they apply to.
The U.K. legislation, if passed by Parliament, will remove the EU’s power to impose checks and tariffs in the event that there is no EU-U.K.-agreement, giving that power instead to the British government.
The British government says trade barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. could undermine Northern Ireland’s place within the U.K. and destabilize the peace settlement that ended decades of violence.
Johnson told lawmakers on Wednesday that the legislation was needed to protect against “extreme or irrational interpretations of the (Irish) protocol that could lead to a border down the Irish Sea.”
WHY IS IT CONTROVERSIAL?
Critics say reneging on a legally binding international commitment will trash Britain’s reputation for upholding law and order.
Opposition parties and EU officials were astonished when Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis acknowledged in Parliament on Tuesday that the legislation “does break international law in a very specific and limited way.”
“The withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation and that we expect that the letter and the spirit of the withdrawal agreement will be fully respected,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said.
Sefcovic said he was seeking an urgent meeting of the joint EU-U.K. committee on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The U.K. government said it welcomed such a meeting.
Some members of Johnson’s Conservative Party are uneasy, too. Lawmaker Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the House of Commons Defense Committee, said that “to unilaterally ignore any treaty in its obligations which we’ve signed and submitted to the United Nations would actually go against everything we believe in.”
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Britain’s move threatens to scuttle already deadlocked talks on a free trade deal between Britain and the bloc.
EU and U.K. trade negotiators are meeting in London this week, with both sides gloomy about a breakthrough on the key differences: competition rules and fishing rights. Johnson has said Britain will walk away if there is no agreement by Oct. 15.
Johnson says the U.K. wants a deal but insists a no-deal exit would be “a good outcome,” even though it would see tariffs and other impediments slapped on trade with the EU, which accounts for almost half of the U.K.’s total trade.
Without a deal, British freight firms have warned there could be logjams at ports and supplies of key goods in Britain could be severely disrupted starting Jan. 1.
Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said Wednesday there was an 80% chance of “chaos in Kent,” the English county that contains the major Channel port of Dover, on Jan. 1, even with a trade deal.
He said work to build new customs facilities and border technology was behind schedule.
“The devil is in the detail, and some of the fundamental things that need to change and some of the things that need to be invested in are simply not happening fast enough,” he told Parliament’s Brexit committee.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--What slowdown? Amazon seeks to hire 33,000 people

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Amazon is on a hiring spree .
In the latest sign of how it ’ s prospering while others are faltering during the pandemic , Amazon said Wednesday it is seeking to bring aboard 33,000 people for corporate and tech roles in the next few months .
It ’ s the largest number of job openings it ’ s had at one time , and the Seattle-based online behemoth said the hiring is not related to the jobs it typically offers ahead of the busy holiday shopping season .
Amazon can afford to grow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the few companies that has thrived during the coronavirus outbreak .
People have turned to it to order groceries , supplies and other items online , helping the company bring in record revenue and profits between April and June .
That came even though it had to spend $ 4 billion on cleaning supplies and to pay workers overtime and bonuses .
Demand has been so high , Amazon has struggled to deliver items as fast as it normally does and had to hire 175,000 more people to help pack and ship orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also seen sales soar during the pandemic .
But other retailers have had a rougher time .
J.C. Penney , J.Crew and Brooks Brothers have all gone bankrupt .
And Lord & Taylor , which has been in business for nearly 200 years , recently said it will be closing its stores for good .
Companies across other industries have announced layoffs , including Coca-Cola and American Airlines .
Amazon said the jobs will be centered around Amazon ’ s offices across the country , including Denver , New York , Phoenix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new hires will work from home at first , but the company said it does want employees to return to the office eventually .
Ardine Williams , Amazon ’ s vice president of workforce development , said plans to build a second headquarters near Washington , D.C. , are going as planned , despite the pandemic , with 1,000 workers already hired .
To fill the 33,000 jobs , Amazon said will hold an online career fair Sept. 16 to collect resumes and give people a chance talk to a recruiter .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can also get resume help , the company said .
At a similar career fair last year , about 17,000 people showed up in person and Amazon said it received more than 200,000 applications for 30,000 jobs .
In July , the company said its workforce topped 1 million worldwide for the first time , making it the second-biggest U.S.-based private employer behind Walmart Inc .

NEW YORK (AP) - Amazon is on a hiring spree.
In the latest sign of how it’s prospering while others are faltering during the pandemic, Amazon said Wednesday it is seeking to bring aboard 33,000 people for corporate and tech roles in the next few months.
It’s the largest number of job openings it’s had at one time, and the Seattle-based online behemoth said the hiring is not related to the jobs it typically offers ahead of the busy holiday shopping season.
Amazon can afford to grow its workforce: It is one of the few companies that has thrived during the coronavirus outbreak. People have turned to it to order groceries, supplies and other items online, helping the company bring in record revenue and profits between April and June. That came even though it had to spend $4 billion on cleaning supplies and to pay workers overtime and bonuses.
Demand has been so high, Amazon has struggled to deliver items as fast as it normally does and had to hire 175,000 more people to help pack and ship orders in its warehouses. Walmart and Target have also seen sales soar during the pandemic.
But other retailers have had a rougher time. J.C. Penney, J.Crew and Brooks Brothers have all gone bankrupt. And Lord & Taylor, which has been in business for nearly 200 years, recently said it will be closing its stores for good. Companies across other industries have announced buyouts or layoffs, including Coca-Cola and American Airlines.
In August, the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 8.4% from 10.2% the month before, but hiring growth slowed, with the country adding 1.4 million jobs last month compared to 1.7 million in July.
Others are hiring, too. UPS said Wednesday that it plans to bring in 100,000 people to help it deliver packages during the busy holiday season, which is about the same amount of people it hired last year.
Amazon said its corporate and tech jobs, whose average pay is $150,000 a year, will be centered around Amazon’s offices across the country, including Denver, New York, Phoenix and its hometown of Seattle. The new hires will work from home at first, but the company said it does want employees to return to the office eventually.
Ardine Williams, Amazon’s vice president of workforce development, said plans to build a second headquarters near Washington, D.C., are going as planned, despite the pandemic, with 1,000 workers already hired.
To fill the 33,000 jobs, Amazon said will hold an online career fair Sept. 16 to collect resumes and give people a chance talk to a recruiter. Those not interested in a job at Amazon can also get resume help, the company said.
Jane Oates, president of the nonprofit WorkingNation and a former assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor, said that Amazon is different from other companies in that it’s thinking about its future workforce. For example, it announced a program last year to retrain 100,000 of its workers for tech jobs by 2025.
“They’re not only looking for the jobs that need to be done today, they’re also looking at what’s next,” she said.
At an in-person Amazon career fair last year, about 17,000 people showed up and the company said it received more than 200,000 applications for 30,000 jobs.
In July, the company said its workforce topped 1 million worldwide for the first time, making it the second-biggest U.S.-based private employer behind Walmart Inc.
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Follow Joseph Pisani at http://twitter.com/josephpisani


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Two killed in head-on crash in Vermont

Two killed in head-on crash in Vermont

CHARLOTTE , Vt. ( AP ) - Two people have died in a head-on crash in Charlotte , Vermont State @ @ @ @ @ happened on Route 7 late Tuesday afternoon when a 16-year-old driver from Atlanta , Georgia @ @ @ @ @ and hit an oncoming car , police said .
The driver of the other car @ @ @ @ @ of Ferrisburgh , was taken to University of Vermont Medical Center , where he was @ @ @ @ @ passenger , 72-year-old Connie Hawkins , was pronounced dead at the scene .
The driver @ @ @ @ @ taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries , police said .

CHARLOTTE, Vt. (AP) - Two people have died in a head-on crash in Charlotte, Vermont State Police said.
The crash happened on Route 7 late Tuesday afternoon when a 16-year-old driver from Atlanta, Georgia, crossed the center line and hit an oncoming car, police said. The driver of the other car, 73-year-old Chester Hawkins, of Ferrisburgh, was taken to University of Vermont Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. His passenger, 72-year-old Connie Hawkins, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the other car was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Cranston police release name of homicide victim

CRANSTON , R.I. ( AP ) - Police have released the identity of the victim of Cranston ’ s first @ @ @ @ @ Jamal Vasquez , 24 , of Providence , was found dead of an apparent gunshot @ @ @ @ @ at about 4 a.m. Tuesday with a stolen handgun on the ground next to him @ @ @ @ @ .
Officers responded to an area at the intersection of Harris Avenue and Cranston Street @ @ @ @ @ No arrests have been announced but the shooting does not appear to be random , @ @ @ @ @ was a house party near where the victim was found and police are investigating whether @ @ @ @ @ Police are also looking at surveillance video from nearby businesses .
The suspect or supects @ @ @ @ @ in a dark-colored sedan .

CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) - Police have released the identity of the victim of Cranston’s first homicide in 18 months.
Jamal Vasquez, 24, of Providence, was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound on a city sidewalk at about 4 a.m. Tuesday with a stolen handgun on the ground next to him, Chief Michael Winquist said.
Officers responded to an area at the intersection of Harris Avenue and Cranston Street after neighbors heard gunshots.
No arrests have been announced but the shooting does not appear to be random, the chief said.
There was a house party near where the victim was found and police are investigating whether there is a connection. Police are also looking at surveillance video from nearby businesses.
The suspect or supects may have left the area in a dark-colored sedan.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Ted Cruz doubts Congress will pass new coronavirus relief before election

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Wednesday said he doubts Congress will authorize another round of coronavirus relief between now and Election Day in November .
“ I don ’ t think Congress is going to end up passing anything between now and Election Day , ” the Texas Republican said on CNBC .
He said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer have made a political decision with less than two months to go until the election .
“ They don ’ t want a deal .
They don ’ t want to pass anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Schumer have calculated that if they maximize economic pain … that benefits their party and helps Joe Biden.
” Senate Republicans on Tuesday rolled out a $ 500 billion package that would partially reinstate boosted unemployment benefits through late December and provide additional money for small businesses and schools .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell teed things up for a test vote on the measure this week , though Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer rejected it even before it was formally introduced .
Democrats are pushing a nearly $ 3.5 trillion package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend a $ 600-per-week boost in unemployment benefits through January and provide nearly $ 1 trillion for cash-strapped states and localities , which Republicans have dismissed as a nonstarter .
Senate Republicans also introduced a $ 1 trillion package in July that never got a vote and likely would not have gotten majority support in the U.S. Senate , where the GOP holds an effective 53-47 majority .

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Wednesday said he doubts Congress will authorize another round of coronavirus relief between now and Election Day in November.
“I don’t think Congress is going to end up passing anything between now and Election Day,” the Texas Republican said on CNBC.
He said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer have made a political decision with less than two months to go until the election.
“They don’t want a deal. They don’t want to pass anything,” he said. “Pelosi and Schumer have calculated that if they maximize economic pain … that benefits their party and helps Joe Biden.”
Senate Republicans on Tuesday rolled out a $500 billion package that would partially reinstate boosted unemployment benefits through late December and provide additional money for small businesses and schools.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell teed things up for a test vote on the measure this week, though Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer rejected it even before it was formally introduced.
Democrats are pushing a nearly $3.5 trillion package the House passed in May that would extend a $600-per-week boost in unemployment benefits through January and provide nearly $1 trillion for cash-strapped states and localities, which Republicans have dismissed as a nonstarter.
Senate Republicans also introduced a $1 trillion package in July that never got a vote and likely would not have gotten majority support in the U.S. Senate, where the GOP holds an effective 53-47 majority.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--Ex-Portland detective demoted for misuse of car suing city

PORTLAND , Ore. ( AP ) - A former Portland police detective who left the bureau last year after he was demoted for misusing his police car is suing the city of Portland , alleging racial discrimination .
Robert N. Hollins III had racked up nearly 100,000 miles in three years on the car , including more than 15,600 miles in under five months , according to a police summary of the findings released earlier this year .
He also left a police surveillance assignment to take care of family affairs out of town without telling a supervisor , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suit that the high mileage resulted from the extensive amount of overtime he worked and the fact that he was regularly on call for 24 hours at a time , according to the suit .
He seeks $ 960,000 in damages , arguing that his demotion has hindered his ability to obtain another investigative job , The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
A unanimous Police Review Board in April 2019 recommended Hollins be fired for “ untruthfulness ” for not being honest about what led to the excessive mileage on his unmarked police car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree that Hollins was untruthful and instead demoted him .
The demotion became effective last Sept. 7 , 2019 , and Hollins left the bureau at the end of that month .
City attorney Tracy Reeve and Police Bureau spokesman Officer Derek Carmon both declined comment on the lawsuit .

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A former Portland police detective who left the bureau last year after he was demoted for misusing his police car is suing the city of Portland, alleging racial discrimination.
Robert N. Hollins III had racked up nearly 100,000 miles in three years on the car, including more than 15,600 miles in under five months, according to a police summary of the findings released earlier this year. He also left a police surveillance assignment to take care of family affairs out of town without telling a supervisor, the summary report disclosed.
Hollins said in the suit that the high mileage resulted from the extensive amount of overtime he worked and the fact that he was regularly on call for 24 hours at a time, according to the suit.
He seeks $960,000 in damages, arguing that his demotion has hindered his ability to obtain another investigative job, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
A unanimous Police Review Board in April 2019 recommended Hollins be fired for “untruthfulness” for not being honest about what led to the excessive mileage on his unmarked police car. Then-Chief Danielle Outlaw didn’t agree that Hollins was untruthful and instead demoted him.
The demotion became effective last Sept. 7, 2019, and Hollins left the bureau at the end of that month.
City attorney Tracy Reeve and Police Bureau spokesman Officer Derek Carmon both declined comment on the lawsuit.


washingtontimes--2020-09-09--GOP attacks Harris amid battle for Catholic voters' support

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - Soon after Joe Biden tapped Kamala Harris as his running mate , some conservatives began trying to portray her as anti-Catholic - a line of attack that President Donald Trump ’ s campaign continues to amplify as Democrats court Roman Catholic voters .
The charge stems in part from questions Harris posed in 2018 to a federal judicial nominee about his membership in the Knights of Columbus , a lay Catholic fraternal organization .
Harris asked the nominee if he agreed with the anti-abortion views of the group ’ s leader , views that broadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It inflamed Republicans at the time , with one senator authoring a resolution to affirm the constitutional ban on religious tests for federal officials and state that membership in the Catholic group is not “ disqualifying.
” Now that Harris is Biden ’ s running mate , conservatives are replaying the moment to try to chip at the pro-abortion-rights Democratic ticket ’ s appeals to religious voters .
As Biden ’ s campaign launched its Catholic voter outreach effort last week , the Trump campaign blasted Harris ’ questioning as “ anti-Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stance on abortion “ clashes strongly with Catholic pro-life beliefs.
” It used similar language to refer to Harris alongside an online ad it rolled out last month .
The criticism of Harris , who attends a progressive Black Baptist church - and by extension , criticism of Biden - is a sign that Republicans see his leftward shift on abortion as a vulnerability with some devout swing voters who might otherwise be lukewarm on Trump , particularly Catholics and evangelicals .
It also plays upon the fact that Harris ’ approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that of Biden , whose lifelong Catholic faith is a touchstone of his political identity .
“ We hope that Biden and Kamala Harris talk a lot about these issues , ” said Richard Mouw , president emeritus at Fuller Theological Seminary , who signed a July letter from Christian leaders urging Democrats to take a friendlier stance toward abortion critics .
“ Because even though some of us disagree about Biden ’ s policies related to these positions , we think he understands us.
” Mouw praised Harris ’ selection , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her that she ’ s ready to “ keep talking ” and “ keep listening ” to evangelicals and conservative Catholics disillusioned with Trump .
The attacks on Harris also play on a broader question being raised by some Christian voters , not all of them conservatives , about how strongly Biden would push to end longstanding limits on federal funding of abortion .
Biden came out against those limits last year during the early months of his campaign , after years of supporting them .
Chris Crawford , a Catholic anti-abortion advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tweeted recently that while GOP attacks on Biden ’ s faith are unlikely to gain traction , “ the attack that he won ’ t govern in line with ( his faith ’ s ) values has a chance of sticking.
” Crawford urged Biden to “ find common ground on abortion that separates him from his party ’ s extreme stance.
” Stephen Schneck , a self-described “ pro-life Catholic ” and member of the Catholics for Biden group that kicked off last week , said he is “ hopeful ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common-ground initiatives on areas related to prenatal health and women ’ s health and care for young children.
” Harris ’ questioning of the judicial nominee was largely in line with standard practice for vetting nominations , Schneck said .
Natalia Imperatori-Lee , a religious studies professor at Manhattan College , said the Biden campaign can also make a case to Catholic voters that goes beyond the debate over abortion ’ s legality .
In 2017 the number of U.S. abortions fell to its lowest level since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broader availability of contraception under the Affordable Care Act passed during the Obama administration .
“ A lot of Catholics share the goal of wanting to see lower future abortions , and fewer of them think the road to that is repeal of Roe , ” Imperatori-Lee said .
She added that political debate about “ center-right Catholics ” can often omit that they are largely white , while Latino and Black Catholics lean distinctly leftward .
Indeed , Harris ’ presence on the ticket could pay off with Black Catholics , less-conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aligned with her policy proposals .
One sign of Harris ’ potential to appeal to those Catholic voting blocs came last month when Catholic News Service quoted a Black staffer at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops describing herself as “ so elated ” by Biden ’ s choice of running mate .
While that staffer spoke in a personal rather than professional capacity , the appearance of pro-Harris sentiment created by the comment drew a public clarification from the bishops ’ conference , which asserted its neutrality by noting that employees do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates .
Meanwhile the Vatican newspaper L ’ Osservatore Romano has covered Harris prominently and favorably since she was picked by Biden .
Pope Francis ’ differences with Trump on a range of issues from immigration to climate change are well known , though the president ’ s anti-abortion stance is in line with the Catholic church ’ s views .
Harris , for her part , is adopting Biden ’ s listen-first approach to religious outreach , meeting with 100 leaders from multiple Christian denominations the first Saturday after joining the ticket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign ’ s faith director .
Harris told the leaders that “ she is going to be fighting for values important to them , ” Dickson said .
Associated Press reporters Amanda Seitz and Nicole Winfield contributed to this report .
Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation .
The AP is solely responsible for this content .

WASHINGTON (AP) - Soon after Joe Biden tapped Kamala Harris as his running mate, some conservatives began trying to portray her as anti-Catholic - a line of attack that President Donald Trump’s campaign continues to amplify as Democrats court Roman Catholic voters.
The charge stems in part from questions Harris posed in 2018 to a federal judicial nominee about his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a lay Catholic fraternal organization. Harris asked the nominee if he agreed with the anti-abortion views of the group’s leader, views that broadly align with the church’s stance.
It inflamed Republicans at the time, with one senator authoring a resolution to affirm the constitutional ban on religious tests for federal officials and state that membership in the Catholic group is not “disqualifying.” Now that Harris is Biden’s running mate, conservatives are replaying the moment to try to chip at the pro-abortion-rights Democratic ticket’s appeals to religious voters.
As Biden’s campaign launched its Catholic voter outreach effort last week, the Trump campaign blasted Harris’ questioning as “anti-Catholic bigotry” and said the Democrats’ stance on abortion “clashes strongly with Catholic pro-life beliefs.” It used similar language to refer to Harris alongside an online ad it rolled out last month.
The criticism of Harris, who attends a progressive Black Baptist church - and by extension, criticism of Biden - is a sign that Republicans see his leftward shift on abortion as a vulnerability with some devout swing voters who might otherwise be lukewarm on Trump, particularly Catholics and evangelicals. It also plays upon the fact that Harris’ approach to religious outreach is less fully formed than that of Biden, whose lifelong Catholic faith is a touchstone of his political identity.
“We hope that Biden and Kamala Harris talk a lot about these issues,” said Richard Mouw, president emeritus at Fuller Theological Seminary, who signed a July letter from Christian leaders urging Democrats to take a friendlier stance toward abortion critics. “Because even though some of us disagree about Biden’s policies related to these positions, we think he understands us.”
Mouw praised Harris’ selection, adding that he hopes to see signals from her that she’s ready to “keep talking” and “keep listening” to evangelicals and conservative Catholics disillusioned with Trump.
The attacks on Harris also play on a broader question being raised by some Christian voters, not all of them conservatives, about how strongly Biden would push to end longstanding limits on federal funding of abortion. Biden came out against those limits last year during the early months of his campaign, after years of supporting them.
Chris Crawford, a Catholic anti-abortion advocate who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, tweeted recently that while GOP attacks on Biden’s faith are unlikely to gain traction, “the attack that he won’t govern in line with (his faith’s) values has a chance of sticking.”
Crawford urged Biden to “find common ground on abortion that separates him from his party’s extreme stance.”
Stephen Schneck, a self-described “pro-life Catholic” and member of the Catholics for Biden group that kicked off last week, said he is “hopeful” for action from the Democrats on “common-ground initiatives on areas related to prenatal health and women’s health and care for young children.”
Harris’ questioning of the judicial nominee was largely in line with standard practice for vetting nominations, Schneck said.
Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a religious studies professor at Manhattan College, said the Biden campaign can also make a case to Catholic voters that goes beyond the debate over abortion’s legality. In 2017 the number of U.S. abortions fell to its lowest level since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, a trend attributable in part to broader availability of contraception under the Affordable Care Act passed during the Obama administration.
“A lot of Catholics share the goal of wanting to see lower future abortions, and fewer of them think the road to that is repeal of Roe,” Imperatori-Lee said.
She added that political debate about “center-right Catholics” can often omit that they are largely white, while Latino and Black Catholics lean distinctly leftward. Indeed, Harris’ presence on the ticket could pay off with Black Catholics, less-conservative Catholic women and other Catholic voters more aligned with her policy proposals.
One sign of Harris’ potential to appeal to those Catholic voting blocs came last month when Catholic News Service quoted a Black staffer at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops describing herself as “so elated” by Biden’s choice of running mate.
While that staffer spoke in a personal rather than professional capacity, the appearance of pro-Harris sentiment created by the comment drew a public clarification from the bishops’ conference, which asserted its neutrality by noting that employees do not speak on their behalf regarding political candidates.
Meanwhile the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano has covered Harris prominently and favorably since she was picked by Biden.
Pope Francis’ differences with Trump on a range of issues from immigration to climate change are well known, though the president’s anti-abortion stance is in line with the Catholic church’s views.
Harris, for her part, is adopting Biden’s listen-first approach to religious outreach, meeting with 100 leaders from multiple Christian denominations the first Saturday after joining the ticket, according to Josh Dickson, the campaign’s faith director.
Harris told the leaders that “she is going to be fighting for values important to them,” Dickson said.
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Associated Press reporters Amanda Seitz and Nicole Winfield contributed to this report.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.