washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Big Tech Section 230 legal immunity fight to continue after Trump

Social media platforms and other Big Tech companies won ’ t be out of the government ’ s crosshairs in the post-Trump Washington .
The federal government ’ s battle over TikTok ’ s Chinese ownership and its antitrust case against Google are set to continue .
And just like President Trump , President-elect Joseph R. Biden backs an overhaul of legal protections long afforded to social media companies .
Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden have called for stripping Facebook , Twitter and other social media giants of their Section 230 legal immunity from lawsuits over what users post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next administration will do , some tech executives are watching Bruce Reed , a top tech adviser to Mr. Biden who previously served as Mr. Biden ’ s chief of staff when he was the vice president in the Obama White House .
Mr. Reed co-authored an essay that argued technology companies ’ legal immunity , which is codified in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act , hurts children .
He said social media platforms should be viewed as complicit in damage caused by harmful content online .
“ If they sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they should be considered complicit in the harm .
Likewise , if their algorithms promote harmful content , they should be held accountable for helping redress the harm .
In the long run , the only real way to moderate content is to moderate the business model , ” wrote Mr. Reed , who wrote the essay with children ’ s advocate Jim Steyer .
The stinging rebukes from both the left and the right have Big Tech critics feelings optimistic about a crackdown with new legislation or regulation in 2021 .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is encouraged by the bipartisan anger and hopes a new federal agency forms to audit and regulate social media companies , similar to the regulatory regime facing the financial services sector .
Mr. Dhar said lawmakers need to understand that the social media companies do not have consistent political biases so that the legislators do not get distracted from their legislative priorities for reining in Big Tech .
“ Facebook doesn ’ t care whether it ’ s the Democrats or Republicans , they just care about what maximizes revenue , so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The danger I see that I wish , that I hope lawmakers will avoid is turning this into a partisan thing , saying that these platforms lean left or right .
They don ’ t lean any way , they basically lean green.
” Regulations likely are coming but the federal government needs to hurry up and decide what those regulations will be , said Aron Solomon , senior digital strategist at NextLevel Studios , an organization dedicated to a high-tech makeover of the legal profession .
“ How many times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to go in front of the Senate — 30 , 50 , 80 ?
” Mr. Solomon said .
“ At some point , you either have to leave the guy alone , right , which you probably may as well just do , or you ’ ve got to be like , hey , guess what it ’ s not going to be like a $ 10 million fine it ’ s going to be a $ 10 billion fine.
” Still , some tech experts think the appetite for major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America ’ s rearview mirror .
“ My intuition is that we ’ re probably not going to see much there other than maybe some minor revisions and changes because centrists tacking , there ’ s a core group of moderates from both parties that I think are not going to want to dramatically overhaul Section 230 , ” said Gus Hurwitz , director of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center .
“ The groups from each party that do want to have substantial change are coming from completely different perspectives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that there ’ s a compromise that could actually happen that would bring factions that do want dramatic change together.
” While tech experts and analysts view the Biden administration ’ s plans for Section 230 as an open question , they believe that it is much easier to predict the incoming administration ’ s actions involving individual disputes with platforms such as Google and TikTok .
Mr. Hurwitz said Google ’ s strategy of not fighting the Department of Justice ’ s antitrust case on every possible ground before the legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more difficult for the Biden administration to amend the lawsuit to tailor it more to its liking .
“ It ’ s pretty rare for the federal government agencies to drop litigation adopted by the prior administration once that litigation has commenced with the exception if there ’ s an opportunity to drop it without losing face , ” Mr. Hurwitz said .
Similar to the feud with Google , the government ’ s dispute with TikTok likely will persevere under Mr. Biden .
“ I think that too many Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — that TikTok has received over the past 18 months , I think to back off would not be politically expedient , ” said Mr. Solomon of NextLevel Studios .
TikTok ’ s sudden growth and the Trump administration ’ s aggressive posture have led to other platforms developing tools similar to TikTok ’ s .
Those competitors are looking to establish a foothold in the market , including Twitter ’ s new “ Fleets ” and LinkedIn ’ s stories that offer users a similar ability to post video messages .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platforms also will be shaped by Georgia ’ s two runoff elections for Senate on Jan. 5 , which will determine which party controls the upper chamber .
“ So much depends on the Republicans ’ and Democrats ’ respective strategies for 2022 and 2024 , ” Mr. Hurwitz said .
“ If [ Senate Majority Leader Mitch ] McConnell decides , ‘ Look , the way to win big in 2022 is to appear to be willing to work with the Biden administration , ’ that ’ s going to lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he decides , ‘ look the way for us to do well in 2022 is to be the opposition party and obstruct.
’ And the same goes for the Biden administration and Senate Democratic leadership .
”

Social media platforms and other Big Tech companies won’t be out of the government’s crosshairs in the post-Trump Washington.
The federal government’s battle over TikTok’s Chinese ownership and its antitrust case against Google are set to continue. And just like President Trump, President-elect Joseph R. Biden backs an overhaul of legal protections long afforded to social media companies.
Both Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden have called for stripping Facebook, Twitter and other social media giants of their Section 230 legal immunity from lawsuits over what users post.
To try to predict what the next administration will do, some tech executives are watching Bruce Reed, a top tech adviser to Mr. Biden who previously served as Mr. Biden’s chief of staff when he was the vice president in the Obama White House.
Mr. Reed co-authored an essay that argued technology companies’ legal immunity, which is codified in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, hurts children. He said social media platforms should be viewed as complicit in damage caused by harmful content online.
“If they sell ads that run alongside harmful content, they should be considered complicit in the harm. Likewise, if their algorithms promote harmful content, they should be held accountable for helping redress the harm. In the long run, the only real way to moderate content is to moderate the business model,” wrote Mr. Reed, who wrote the essay with children’s advocate Jim Steyer.
The stinging rebukes from both the left and the right have Big Tech critics feelings optimistic about a crackdown with new legislation or regulation in 2021.
New York University professor Vasant Dhar said he is encouraged by the bipartisan anger and hopes a new federal agency forms to audit and regulate social media companies, similar to the regulatory regime facing the financial services sector.
Mr. Dhar said lawmakers need to understand that the social media companies do not have consistent political biases so that the legislators do not get distracted from their legislative priorities for reining in Big Tech.
“Facebook doesn’t care whether it’s the Democrats or Republicans, they just care about what maximizes revenue, so they lean green,” Mr. Dhar said. “The danger I see that I wish, that I hope lawmakers will avoid is turning this into a partisan thing, saying that these platforms lean left or right. They don’t lean any way, they basically lean green.”
Regulations likely are coming but the federal government needs to hurry up and decide what those regulations will be, said Aron Solomon, senior digital strategist at NextLevel Studios, an organization dedicated to a high-tech makeover of the legal profession.
“How many times does [Facebook CEO] Mark Zuckerberg need to go in front of the Senate — 30, 50, 80?” Mr. Solomon said. “At some point, you either have to leave the guy alone, right, which you probably may as well just do, or you’ve got to be like, hey, guess what it’s not going to be like a $10 million fine it’s going to be a $10 billion fine.”
Still, some tech experts think the appetite for major changes will dissipate with the 2020 elections in America’s rearview mirror.
“My intuition is that we’re probably not going to see much there other than maybe some minor revisions and changes because centrists tacking, there’s a core group of moderates from both parties that I think are not going to want to dramatically overhaul Section 230,” said Gus Hurwitz, director of the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center.
“The groups from each party that do want to have substantial change are coming from completely different perspectives and poles and so I don’t know that there’s a compromise that could actually happen that would bring factions that do want dramatic change together.”
While tech experts and analysts view the Biden administration’s plans for Section 230 as an open question, they believe that it is much easier to predict the incoming administration’s actions involving individual disputes with platforms such as Google and TikTok.
Mr. Hurwitz said Google’s strategy of not fighting the Department of Justice’s antitrust case on every possible ground before the legal battle hits the courtroom has made it much more difficult for the Biden administration to amend the lawsuit to tailor it more to its liking.
“It’s pretty rare for the federal government agencies to drop litigation adopted by the prior administration once that litigation has commenced with the exception if there’s an opportunity to drop it without losing face,” Mr. Hurwitz said.
Similar to the feud with Google, the government’s dispute with TikTok likely will persevere under Mr. Biden.
“I think that too many Americans, given the press — fair or not — that TikTok has received over the past 18 months, I think to back off would not be politically expedient,” said Mr. Solomon of NextLevel Studios.
TikTok’s sudden growth and the Trump administration’s aggressive posture have led to other platforms developing tools similar to TikTok’s. Those competitors are looking to establish a foothold in the market, including Twitter’s new “Fleets” and LinkedIn’s stories that offer users a similar ability to post video messages.
The regulatory and legislative landscape for social media platforms also will be shaped by Georgia’s two runoff elections for Senate on Jan. 5, which will determine which party controls the upper chamber.
“So much depends on the Republicans’ and Democrats’ respective strategies for 2022 and 2024,” Mr. Hurwitz said. “If [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell decides, ‘Look, the way to win big in 2022 is to appear to be willing to work with the Biden administration,’ that’s going to lead to a very different set of outcomes than if he decides, ‘look the way for us to do well in 2022 is to be the opposition party and obstruct.’ And the same goes for the Biden administration and Senate Democratic leadership.”
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Sparks hit-and-run suspect sought after woman hit by car

SPARKS , Nev. ( AP ) - Sparks police are looking for a hit-and-run suspect who fled the scene after @ @ @ @ @ by a car while walking in a marked crosswalk Thursday near an intersection just north @ @ @ @ @ say the woman was taken to a local hospital where she was being treated for @ @ @ @ @ whose name has not been released was crossing the street at Pyramid Way and C @ @ @ @ @ when she was struck , police said .
The suspect vehicle appears to be an @ @ @ @ @ door Toyota Tercel or similar type vehicle , police said .
It has black rims @ @ @ @ @ , and may have suffered hood or bumper damage , they said .
Anyone with @ @ @ @ @ Police Dispatch at ( 775 ) 353-2231 or Secret Witness at ( 775 ) 322-4900 @

SPARKS, Nev. (AP) - Sparks police are looking for a hit-and-run suspect who fled the scene after a 64-year-old woman was hit by a car while walking in a marked crosswalk Thursday near an intersection just north of Interstate 80.
Police say the woman was taken to a local hospital where she was being treated for serious injuries.
The woman whose name has not been released was crossing the street at Pyramid Way and C Street at noon on Thursday when she was struck, police said.
The suspect vehicle appears to be an older white or silver four door Toyota Tercel or similar type vehicle, police said. It has black rims and a black front bumper, and may have suffered hood or bumper damage, they said.
Anyone with information should contact the Sparks Police Dispatch at (775) 353-2231 or Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Japan's emperor acknowledges virus hardship in video message

TOKYO ( AP ) - Japan ‘ s Emperor Naruhito expressed gratitude to medical professionals and acknowledged the hardship caused by the coronavirus in a New Year ’ s Day message shared by video instead of the usual public speech in front of large crowds at the palace .
The emperor and his wife Empress Masako sat side by side , next to a sculpted bonsai plant in the video .
Naruhito expressed his “ deep respect and gratitude ” to doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients and offered empathy to those who lost loved ones , lost their jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over this past year , we have all faced many problems and hardships over the spread of this unknown coronavirus that for most of us living in this age have never experienced on such a scale , ” he said .
He also said he was worried about the discrimination suffered by those who had been sick or worked in the medical field , a phenomenon widespread in conformist Japan .
“ I look forward with all my heart to be able to meet with all of you again , face to face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his prayers for world peace .
Japan has had more than 3,000 deaths from COVID-19 .
Worries are growing about another surge in cases , reaching a daily record of 1,337 new infections for the capital Tokyo on Thursday .
The Imperial Palace in central Tokyo opens to the public each New Year ’ s Day and crowds on the grounds cheer the imperial family ’ s appearance .
The Imperial Household Agency said last month a video message will be released instead because of the pandemic .
The bigger anticipation in Japan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She has tended to be reclusive , suffering what has been described as a stress-related condition , but has appeared in more public events in recent years .
Masako said “ Happy New Year , ” at the start of the message and spoke for the last 30 seconds of the nearly seven-minute message .
Her beige suit matched the color of Naruhito ’ s tie .
“ I am praying from the bottom of my heart that this year will be as gentle a year as possible for all of you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy snow in some areas earlier than usual , and so please everyone do stay healthy , ” Masako said .
The video message was Naruhito ‘ s first .
His father Emperor Emeritus Akihito did two , after the tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan in 2011 and when he announced his abdication in 2016 .
The emperor does not have political power in Japan but holds symbolic significance for many people .
Even Naruhito ’ s grandfather , Hirohito , the wartime emperor , was seen as a gentle man who loved @ @ @ @ @

TOKYO (AP) - Japan’s Emperor Naruhito expressed gratitude to medical professionals and acknowledged the hardship caused by the coronavirus in a New Year’s Day message shared by video instead of the usual public speech in front of large crowds at the palace.
The emperor and his wife Empress Masako sat side by side, next to a sculpted bonsai plant in the video.
Naruhito expressed his “deep respect and gratitude” to doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients and offered empathy to those who lost loved ones, lost their jobs or were struggling with loneliness.
“Over this past year, we have all faced many problems and hardships over the spread of this unknown coronavirus that for most of us living in this age have never experienced on such a scale,” he said.
He also said he was worried about the discrimination suffered by those who had been sick or worked in the medical field, a phenomenon widespread in conformist Japan.
“I look forward with all my heart to be able to meet with all of you again, face to face,” he said, after offering his prayers for world peace.
Japan has had more than 3,000 deaths from COVID-19. Worries are growing about another surge in cases, reaching a daily record of 1,337 new infections for the capital Tokyo on Thursday.
The Imperial Palace in central Tokyo opens to the public each New Year’s Day and crowds on the grounds cheer the imperial family’s appearance.
The Imperial Household Agency said last month a video message will be released instead because of the pandemic. The bigger anticipation in Japan had turned to whether Masako would appear. She has tended to be reclusive, suffering what has been described as a stress-related condition, but has appeared in more public events in recent years.
Masako said “Happy New Year,” at the start of the message and spoke for the last 30 seconds of the nearly seven-minute message. Her beige suit matched the color of Naruhito’s tie.
“I am praying from the bottom of my heart that this year will be as gentle a year as possible for all of you. This winter has been harsh with heavy snow in some areas earlier than usual, and so please everyone do stay healthy,” Masako said.
The video message was Naruhito’s first. His father Emperor Emeritus Akihito did two, after the tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan in 2011 and when he announced his abdication in 2016.
The emperor does not have political power in Japan but holds symbolic significance for many people. Even Naruhito’s grandfather, Hirohito, the wartime emperor, was seen as a gentle man who loved nature in postwar years.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Albuquerque man, 21, charged with attempted bank robbery

ALBUQUERQUE , N.M. ( AP ) - A 21-year-old New Mexico man has been charged with attempted bank robbery after @ @ @ @ @ a teller at an Albuquerque bank ’ s drive-through window then fled the scene , @ @ @ @ @ Daniel Hansen of Albuquerque is accused of entering the Bank of Albuquerque on Coors Blvd @ @ @ @ @ Dec. 16 before a teller told him that transactions must be handled at the drive-up @ @ @ @ @ criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court .
Hansen then approached the window on foot @ @ @ @ @ and pen before returning the withdrawal slip with a written demand for money .
The @ @ @ @ @ the security alarm , the complaint .
Hansen returned to the vehicle in which he @ @ @ @ @ scene , prosecutors said .
They said he later was identified as a suspect through @ @ @ @ @ incident .
It ’ s not clear if he has a lawyer or will be @ @ @ @ @ , he faces up to 20 years in prison .

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A 21-year-old New Mexico man has been charged with attempted bank robbery after he allegedly demanded money from a teller at an Albuquerque bank’s drive-through window then fled the scene, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Daniel Hansen of Albuquerque is accused of entering the Bank of Albuquerque on Coors Blvd. around 3:45 p.m. on Dec. 16 before a teller told him that transactions must be handled at the drive-up window, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
Hansen then approached the window on foot and obtained a withdrawal slip and pen before returning the withdrawal slip with a written demand for money. The tellers backed away and activated the security alarm, the complaint.
Hansen returned to the vehicle in which he had arrived and fled the scene, prosecutors said. They said he later was identified as a suspect through his involvement in an unrelated incident.
It’s not clear if he has a lawyer or will be appointed one. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Trump demand to ax Section 230 could alter Americans' online lives

President Trump ’ s demand for Congress to eliminate Big Tech ’ s legal liability protection would not only punish companies such as Twitter and Facebook but also fundamentally alter Americans ’ online life .
Exposure to lawsuits would prompt social media to crack down on a wider swath of content , websites such as Wikipedia would no longer rely on everyone ’ s input , and small businesses could face retribution for reviews and comments that visitors post on their websites .
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales so fears how eliminating the protection could undo his website that he is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save the protection , commonly referred to as Section 230 , and his website by extension .
“ Are you a grassroots conservative ?
You depend critically on section 230 to make grassroots possible , ” Mr. Wales tweeted .
“ Are you liberal ?
Leftist ?
Communist ?
Religious ?
Section 230 is for you .
“ Do you love my work ?
Do you believe in a kind and thoughtful fact-based dialog as the most wonderful thing about being human ?
Then fight for Section 230 .
It matters .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want the legal protection stripped from companies such as Twitter and Facebook so that they can swing back at social media platforms that they believe censor or diminish conservative speech online .
But removing the protection contained in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act would give Twitter and Facebook greater latitude to enforce broader restrictions because failing to do so could result in heavy fines and expensive legal disputes .
Eliminating the legal protection would make Twitter liable for all of the content in users ’ tweets , make Facebook liable for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Instagram , and make Wikipedia liable for whatever edits users make and the content they post .
The biggest tech companies can afford to lawyer up against the ensuing onslaught of complaints in a manner that their smaller competitors can not , and they would move quickly to change the boundaries of what is acceptable to publish online .
While some Americans have grown tired of alarmism about regulating the Internet , U.S .
Naval Academy assistant professor of cybersecurity law Jeff Kosseff is warning Americans that undoing Section 230 would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seeing some takes along the lines of : ‘ fine , repeal Section 230 and see what happens , and if it ’ s really bad , Congress can fix it later.
’ I don ’ t think that is really possible , because platforms will need to revamp their operations pretty quickly to adjust to the new legal rules , ” Mr. Kosseff tweeted .
Mr. Kosseff , author of a history of Section 230 titled , “ The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet , ” tweeted that regardless of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal liability , the platforms ’ reactions would restrict more controversial user content .
Bipartisan appetite for altering the legal protection is strong in Washington , but an outright repeal of the legal protection through end-of-year brinksmanship has many opponents .
Mr. Trump said eliminating Section 230 is a national security issue in vetoing a major defense policy bill .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Kentucky Republican , then linked repealing the provision to $ 2,000 coronavirus relief checks for Americans .
“ I think we need to address 230 , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right way to do it , ” said Sen. Jon Cornyn , Texas Republican , about linking it to the stimulus payments .
“ I think we need to take it up to the Judiciary Committee .
It ’ s a complex topic .
So , I am in favor of doing something , but not this week , not on this bill .
”

President Trump’s demand for Congress to eliminate Big Tech’s legal liability protection would not only punish companies such as Twitter and Facebook but also fundamentally alter Americans’ online life.
Exposure to lawsuits would prompt social media to crack down on a wider swath of content, websites such as Wikipedia would no longer rely on everyone’s input, and small businesses could face retribution for reviews and comments that visitors post on their websites.
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales so fears how eliminating the protection could undo his website that he is pleading with anyone who will listen to save the protection, commonly referred to as Section 230, and his website by extension.
“Are you a grassroots conservative? You depend critically on section 230 to make grassroots possible,” Mr. Wales tweeted. “Are you liberal? Leftist? Communist? Religious? Section 230 is for you.
“Do you love my work? Do you believe in a kind and thoughtful fact-based dialog as the most wonderful thing about being human? Then fight for Section 230. It matters. A lot.”
Mr. Trump and his supporters want the legal protection stripped from companies such as Twitter and Facebook so that they can swing back at social media platforms that they believe censor or diminish conservative speech online.
But removing the protection contained in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act would give Twitter and Facebook greater latitude to enforce broader restrictions because failing to do so could result in heavy fines and expensive legal disputes.
Eliminating the legal protection would make Twitter liable for all of the content in users’ tweets, make Facebook liable for all the content across its various platforms including Instagram, and make Wikipedia liable for whatever edits users make and the content they post.
The biggest tech companies can afford to lawyer up against the ensuing onslaught of complaints in a manner that their smaller competitors cannot, and they would move quickly to change the boundaries of what is acceptable to publish online.
While some Americans have grown tired of alarmism about regulating the Internet, U.S. Naval Academy assistant professor of cybersecurity law Jeff Kosseff is warning Americans that undoing Section 230 would be a point of no return.
“Seeing some takes along the lines of: ‘fine, repeal Section 230 and see what happens, and if it’s really bad, Congress can fix it later.’ I don’t think that is really possible, because platforms will need to revamp their operations pretty quickly to adjust to the new legal rules,” Mr. Kosseff tweeted.
Mr. Kosseff, author of a history of Section 230 titled, “The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet,” tweeted that regardless of the intent of those aiming to scrap the legal liability, the platforms’ reactions would restrict more controversial user content.
Bipartisan appetite for altering the legal protection is strong in Washington, but an outright repeal of the legal protection through end-of-year brinksmanship has many opponents.
Mr. Trump said eliminating Section 230 is a national security issue in vetoing a major defense policy bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, then linked repealing the provision to $2,000 coronavirus relief checks for Americans.
Rank-and-file Republicans want a more deliberative approach.
“I think we need to address 230, but I just think this is not the right way to do it,” said Sen. Jon Cornyn, Texas Republican, about linking it to the stimulus payments. “I think we need to take it up to the Judiciary Committee. It’s a complex topic. So, I am in favor of doing something, but not this week, not on this bill.”
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Gov. warns businesses not to reopen, defy COVID-19 orders

SALEM , Ore. ( AP ) - Gov .
Kate Brown issued a warning to Oregon businesses Thursday that defy her executive orders meant to reduce the spread of the coronavirus .
The warning comes as some business owners say they plan to reopen Jan. 1 .
Brown said she has directed Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to deploy all available resources to ensure businesses are in compliance .
Businesses could face fines or closure notices .
Some Oregon mayors are also appealing to the governor to change how she categorizes counties by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners to reopen , KATU-TV reported .
“ It ’ s unfortunate and irresponsible that some local politicians are choosing to willfully mislead business owners into jeopardizing public health and risking fines , instead of working with their communities to help stop the spread of COVID-19 so that we can reopen businesses , schools , and more quickly return to normal life , ” Brown said .
East of Portland , Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam is encouraging his business owners to reopen even though state health officials have deemed Clackamas County and 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for spreading the coronavirus .
The designation bans all indoor dining , gym openings and indoor entertainment .
In a written statement to KATU , Pulliam disputed how the county portrays COVID-19 case numbers and without evidence accused the county of manipulating data to make it look like “ the numbers are out of control.
” He wrote Brown a letter earlier this month saying starting Jan. 1 members of a coalition in counties labeled “ Extreme Risk ” will voluntarily comply with less restrictive “ High Risk ” measures , which will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significantly reduced capacity .
The letter also said the coalition will “ follow with one level below the state mandate until the risk levels change to reflect our compromise.
” “ The only way for my family and my staff to survive is to not comply with the executive order , ” Westside Local restaurant owner Amber Amos in Redmond told Oregon Public Broadcasting .
“ Help is on the way for struggling businesses , ” Brown said in the statement .
“ I proposed new resources for rent relief for businesses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect a new round of federal aid to be delivered soon .
We can ’ t waiver in our response to the virus now , when the end is finally in sight and resources are on the way.
” The Oregon Health Authority on Thursday said nine more Oregonians had died of COVID-19 , raising the state ’ s death toll to 1,477 .
The authority also reported 1,682 new cases on Thursday , bringing the state total to more than 113,900 since the pandemic began .

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Gov. Kate Brown issued a warning to Oregon businesses Thursday that defy her executive orders meant to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The warning comes as some business owners say they plan to reopen Jan. 1.
Brown said she has directed Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to deploy all available resources to ensure businesses are in compliance. Businesses could face fines or closure notices.
Some Oregon mayors are also appealing to the governor to change how she categorizes counties by risk and backing the plans of business owners to reopen, KATU-TV reported.
“It’s unfortunate and irresponsible that some local politicians are choosing to willfully mislead business owners into jeopardizing public health and risking fines, instead of working with their communities to help stop the spread of COVID-19 so that we can reopen businesses, schools, and more quickly return to normal life,” Brown said.
East of Portland, Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam is encouraging his business owners to reopen even though state health officials have deemed Clackamas County and 23 other counties an “extreme risk” for spreading the coronavirus. The designation bans all indoor dining, gym openings and indoor entertainment.
In a written statement to KATU, Pulliam disputed how the county portrays COVID-19 case numbers and without evidence accused the county of manipulating data to make it look like “the numbers are out of control.”
He wrote Brown a letter earlier this month saying starting Jan. 1 members of a coalition in counties labeled “Extreme Risk” will voluntarily comply with less restrictive “High Risk” measures, which will allow restaurants and gyms to open at significantly reduced capacity. The letter also said the coalition will “follow with one level below the state mandate until the risk levels change to reflect our compromise.”
“The only way for my family and my staff to survive is to not comply with the executive order,” Westside Local restaurant owner Amber Amos in Redmond told Oregon Public Broadcasting.
“Help is on the way for struggling businesses,” Brown said in the statement. “I proposed new resources for rent relief for businesses in the third special session, and I expect a new round of federal aid to be delivered soon. We can’t waiver in our response to the virus now, when the end is finally in sight and resources are on the way.”
The Oregon Health Authority on Thursday said nine more Oregonians had died of COVID-19, raising the state’s death toll to 1,477. The authority also reported 1,682 new cases on Thursday, bringing the state total to more than 113,900 since the pandemic began.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--MF Doom, masked rapper known for complex lyrics, dies at 49

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) - MF Doom , a masked rapper who awed hip-hop fans and fellow musicians with intricate wordplay , has died .
He was 49 .
The British-born rapper rarely appeared in public in recent years without his signature mask , modeled after the Marvel Comics villain Doctor Doom .
His death was confirmed Thursday by Doom ’ s representative , Richie Abbott .
Jasmine Dumile said in a statement that her husband - whose real name is Daniel Dumile - died Oct. 31 .
The cause of death has not been released .
Jasmine Dumile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a heartfelt message on his Instagram pag e. She called him the “ greatest husband ” and father and thanked him for showing her how not to be “ afraid to love.
” “ Thank you for teaching me how to forgive beings and give another chance , not to be so quick to judge and write off , ” she wrote .
“ My world will never be the same without you.
” Dumile was born in London and raised in New York .
He began his rap career in the late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of the group KMD , which included his younger brother DJ Subroc .
The group released two albums : “ Mr .
Hood ” in 1991 and “ Black Bastards ” two years later .
Subroc died shortly before the release of the second album .
Dumile took a step back from the public eye , then returned in the late 1990s under his MF Doom persona .
In 1999 , he released his self-produced debut album “ Operation : Doomsday.
” Dumile released six studio albums under different stage names @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He collaborated with producer Madlib on the 2004 album “ Madvillainy , ” which was considered his most celebrated release .
Dumile ’ s last solo studio album , “ Born Like This , ” was released in 2009 .
His most recent album was a 2018 collaboration with the group Czarface : “ Czarface Meets Metal Face.
” Dumile ’ s death , three years after the death of his 14-year-old son , shocked the hip-hop world .
“ Someone just stabbed all my chakras , ” rapper Pharoahe Monch wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angry .
I ’ m hollering and I ’ m crying.
” “ RIP to another Giant your favorite MC ’ s MC .. MF DOOM !
!
crushing news… , ” producer and rapper Q-Tip wrote on social media .
Music industry executive Dante Ross , who signed KMD to its first record deal , said Dumile ’ s “ life force was a metaphor for black men in this world .
You took all the ( bad things ) sent your way and created beautiful art with it .
Tragedy was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theatrics of the mask was a technically proficient lyricist .
With a monotone delivery that concealed deceptively complex lyrics and rhyme schemes , Doom evolved into a wordsmith that hip-hop ’ s top lyricists deeply admired .
Each verse could require multiple listens to decipher the hidden or multiple meanings of words .
In an interview last year with Spin magazine , Dumile compared his songwriting to “ gymnastics on paper ” and achieving “ triple word scores ” in Scrabble .
“ How many words repeat in a bar , or two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use that still make sense in a song ?
” Dumile said .
“ The quality of the rhyming word : phonetically , how the tone is , in the pronunciation of the word .
Regardless of language … As long as the word itself rhymes , you still get points for that word .
… How many references can you cross and still stay on topic ?
And still rhyme ?
The more complex the subject matter and wordplay is , that ’ s where you get your points .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for points .
”

LOS ANGELES (AP) - MF Doom, a masked rapper who awed hip-hop fans and fellow musicians with intricate wordplay, has died. He was 49.
The British-born rapper rarely appeared in public in recent years without his signature mask, modeled after the Marvel Comics villain Doctor Doom. His death was confirmed Thursday by Doom’s representative, Richie Abbott. Jasmine Dumile said in a statement that her husband - whose real name is Daniel Dumile - died Oct. 31.
The cause of death has not been released.
Jasmine Dumile posted a photo of the rapper and a heartfelt message on his Instagram pag e. She called him the “greatest husband” and father and thanked him for showing her how not to be “afraid to love.”
“Thank you for teaching me how to forgive beings and give another chance, not to be so quick to judge and write off,” she wrote. “My world will never be the same without you.”
Dumile was born in London and raised in New York. He began his rap career in the late 1980s under the name Zev Love X as part of the group KMD, which included his younger brother DJ Subroc.
The group released two albums: “Mr. Hood” in 1991 and “Black Bastards” two years later. Subroc died shortly before the release of the second album.
Dumile took a step back from the public eye, then returned in the late 1990s under his MF Doom persona. In 1999, he released his self-produced debut album “Operation: Doomsday.”
Dumile released six studio albums under different stage names, including King Geedorah and Viktor Vaughn. He collaborated with producer Madlib on the 2004 album “Madvillainy,” which was considered his most celebrated release.
Dumile’s last solo studio album, “Born Like This,” was released in 2009. His most recent album was a 2018 collaboration with the group Czarface: “Czarface Meets Metal Face.”
Dumile’s death, three years after the death of his 14-year-old son, shocked the hip-hop world. “Someone just stabbed all my chakras,” rapper Pharoahe Monch wrote on Instagram. “I’m angry. I’m hollering and I’m crying.”
“RIP to another Giant your favorite MC’s MC .. MF DOOM!! crushing news…,” producer and rapper Q-Tip wrote on social media.
Music industry executive Dante Ross, who signed KMD to its first record deal, said Dumile’s “life force was a metaphor for black men in this world. You took all the (bad things) sent your way and created beautiful art with it. Tragedy was your fuel for reinvention.”
Behind the theatrics of the mask was a technically proficient lyricist. With a monotone delivery that concealed deceptively complex lyrics and rhyme schemes, Doom evolved into a wordsmith that hip-hop’s top lyricists deeply admired. Each verse could require multiple listens to decipher the hidden or multiple meanings of words.
In an interview last year with Spin magazine, Dumile compared his songwriting to “gymnastics on paper” and achieving “triple word scores” in Scrabble.
“How many words repeat in a bar, or two bars? How many syllables can you use that still make sense in a song?” Dumile said. “The quality of the rhyming word: phonetically, how the tone is, in the pronunciation of the word. Regardless of language … As long as the word itself rhymes, you still get points for that word. … How many references can you cross and still stay on topic? And still rhyme? The more complex the subject matter and wordplay is, that’s where you get your points. I’m a rhymer, so I go for points.”


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Thousands of cannabis cases expunged due to legalization

CHICAGO ( AP ) - Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday the forgiveness and expungement of about 500,000 criminal cannabis cases .
Pritzker said he issued pardons for 9,210 low-level cannabis convictions , while Illinois State Police have wiped clean more than 492,000 non-felony cannabis-related arrest records .
The actions by Pritzker and state police is mandated by the Illinois law that legalized the licensed sale of marijuana starting in 2020 .
The intent of the law is to reduce the impact of the war on drugs on minorities , who were disproportionately arrested and locked up for cannabis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to fully remedy the depth of that damage , ” Pritzker said .
“ But we can govern with the courage to admit the mistakes of our past and the decency to set a better path forward.
” The law requires 47,000 cannabis-related arrest records created between 2013 and 2019 be expunged by Friday .
With the expungement of all 492,129 cannabis arrest records , state police officials said they are ahead of the January 2025 deadline for completing automatic expungements at the state level .
Arrest records from DuPage , Kane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McLean , Peoria , Rock Island , Will and Winnebago counties have been expunged .
The remaining counties have four years to expunge arrest records .

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday the forgiveness and expungement of about 500,000 criminal cannabis cases.
Pritzker said he issued pardons for 9,210 low-level cannabis convictions, while Illinois State Police have wiped clean more than 492,000 non-felony cannabis-related arrest records.
The actions by Pritzker and state police is mandated by the Illinois law that legalized the licensed sale of marijuana starting in 2020. The intent of the law is to reduce the impact of the war on drugs on minorities, who were disproportionately arrested and locked up for cannabis crimes.
“We will never be able to fully remedy the depth of that damage,” Pritzker said. “But we can govern with the courage to admit the mistakes of our past and the decency to set a better path forward.”
The law requires 47,000 cannabis-related arrest records created between 2013 and 2019 be expunged by Friday. With the expungement of all 492,129 cannabis arrest records, state police officials said they are ahead of the January 2025 deadline for completing automatic expungements at the state level.
Arrest records from DuPage, Kane, Knox, Lake, McHenry, McLean, Peoria, Rock Island, Will and Winnebago counties have been expunged. The remaining counties have four years to expunge arrest records.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Trump efforts to end 'forever wars' fall short

President Trump in early December ordered the withdrawal of the roughly 700 U.S. troops stationed in Somalia to battle the al-Shabaab terror network , a key milestone in his drive to end American military involvement in what he dubbed foreign “ endless wars.
” Less than three weeks later , however , the Pentagon dispatched 5,000 fresh sailors and Marines off the coast of the Horn of Africa to act as a deterrent and to provide logistical support while the original 700 troops moved to their ultimate destinations : other military bases in East Africa , where officials say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The entire episode — a “ withdrawal ” that brings virtually no troops home and even spurs a temporary surge of forces in the region — serves as perhaps the clearest example of how Mr. Trump ’ s quest to drastically reduce U.S. entanglement in foreign conflicts he inherited has been , at best , a disappointment .
Most of the troops in question , critics contend , are not coming home but are simply being moved to other locations , often in the same dangerous corners of the world and sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration has had little if any measurable success in cutting the overall amount of American military commitments around the world , and the president ’ s expectation that waves of battle-weary , victorious troops would finally return home to their families has simply not materialized .
Mr. Trump gets credit , analysts say , for asking tough questions about the purpose and expense of U.S. overseas military missions , many dating to World War II .
But a look at the hard numbers finds that Mr. Trump ’ s rhetoric — and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always produced the results he wanted .
“ Trump ’ s reputation for ending endless wars , as the slogan goes , is not well earned .
He frequently employs these themes in his rhetoric , but it never really showed up in policy , ” said John Glaser , director of foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute .
“ He tends to make a big public stink about withdrawals , and then hopes the public doesn ’ t do the homework it actually takes to discover these withdrawals aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just being shuffled around the region to continue the endless war from a different location.
” Mr. Trump can point to at least some operations that are pulling back in his final weeks in office .
The Pentagon announced Thursday that more than 5,000 sailors and Marines with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group , which most recently had been providing operational support for forces in Somalia , are now headed home after a 10-month deployment .
“ The sacrifices and services of the sailors , Marines , and their families is greatly appreciated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were in the finest traditions of the U.S. naval service .
We are glad that we can conclude 2020 by announcing these warriors are headed home , ” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement .
While Somalia is the most recent and glaring instance , a similar situation has unfolded in the Middle East , where American forces have been fighting nonstop for nearly two decades .
The overall number of U.S. troops in the region appears larger today than it was when the president came into office .
The administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed through plans to reduce the number of combat forces in Afghanistan and Iraq , despite some strong reservations from some of his military commanders .
Further cuts are expected before President-elect Joseph R. Biden assumes office in January .
Defense Department officials say the number of troops in each country will be down to 2,500 by Jan. 15 .
In Afghanistan , a diplomatic deal between Mr. Trump and the Taliban paves the way for all American forces to eventually leave the country , though there are questions about whether that agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence .
Just last February , there were more than 12,000 troops in Afghanistan , making the nation the clearest example of the president at least partially fulfilling his promise .
Over the objections of Pentagon leaders , the president also has decreased the number of American forces in Syria from 2,000 to about 500 .
His personnel moves in Syria led to the resignation of former Defense Secretary James N. Mattis , who has gone on to become one of Mr. Trump ’ s harshest critics .
For Mr. Trump , reducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a central pillar in his unconventional political platform , and his policy served as a clear break with the neoconservative thinking that had dominated the Republican Party in the post-9/11 era .
In 2016 and again in 2020 , Mr. Trump campaigned hard on the issue .
He seemed to never waver in his conviction that the U.S. should have fewer troops overseas , and he routinely clashed with powerful members of his own party who warned his approach would embolden al Qaeda , the Islamic State and other terrorist groups that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensed that he was running into institutionalized resistance in the Pentagon or in Congress , or suspected that military leadership may be slow-walking his orders , he even resorted to unexpected declarations on Twitter in a brute-force effort to turn his goals into reality .
“ We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas !
” Mr. Trump tweeted in October , which caught the Pentagon leadership by surprise , though ultimately his promise was only partially realized .
Shortly after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Mark T. Esper , who was privately opposed to many of Mr. Trump ’ s plans for troop drawdowns .
In his place , Mr. Trump installed Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller , who quickly made clear he supported the president ’ s proposals .
“ We are not a people of perpetual war — it is the antithesis of everything for which we stand and for which our ancestors fought , ” Mr. Miller said in his inaugural message to the military .
“ All wars must end .
Ending wars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenge ; we gave it our all .
Now , it ’ s time to come home.
” But Mr. Trump ’ s passion and Mr. Miller ’ s commitment to the big-picture policy won ’ t tangibly shrink America ’ s footprint in the Middle East , which actually appears greater now than it was in January 2017 .
Over the past several years , Mr. Trump has deployed or redeployed thousands of troops to American military bases in Bahrain , Kuwait , Qatar and elsewhere , framing those deployments as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its regional allies .
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been high throughout Mr. Trump ’ s tenure and the Pentagon has repeatedly sent more troops to the region whenever it appeared that conflict might erupt .
The result : a surge of American troops in the Middle East under Mr. Trump ’ s watch .
The U.S. now has at least 42,000 troops in the region , according to a recent analysis by Defense Priorities , a Washington based think tank that advocates a more restrained foreign policy .
Thousands more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tense theater .
The Pentagon has stopped releasing official troop counts in war zones , so nailing down specific figures is difficult .
But all evidence seems to show that the number of new troops sent to the Middle East during Mr. Trump ’ s tenure has greatly outweighed the number of men and women brought home , raising questions about both the intent and effectiveness of the president ’ s approach .
“ You can ’ t come to any other honest assessment than to say it ’ s been completely pointless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daniel Davis , now a Defense Priorities senior fellow .
“ We ’ ve actually increased [ troop presence ] in the region , ” Lt. Col. Davis said .
“ I actually thought that what President Trump would do would be to make a final push to make good on his campaign promise and actually end some of these forever wars .
I thought he would press hard and get it done , and be out of Afghanistan , be out of Iraq , be out of Syria .
Instead he just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything.
” Mr. Trump ’ s tenure has seen the reshuffling of troops elsewhere around the world .
The Pentagon in 2020 rolled out a long-awaited repositioning of troops in Europe , moving more than 10,000 service members from Germany to other locations — though the majority of those troops remain stationed overseas and have not returned home .
The White House also reportedly considered rethinking the U.S. military commitment along the demilitarized zone separating North Korea and South Korea .
While Washington and Seoul have had heated disagreements over how much South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the American military presence has remained and a revised cost-sharing agreement remains in diplomatic limbo .
Specialists say that neither Mr. Trump nor any other president will be capable of changing the broader dynamic until there ’ s a fundamental rethinking of the U.S. role in the world .
“ What needs to change is the well-established policy — virtually uncontested in Washington , D.C. — of maintaining a permanent global military presence .
It is that presence , the associated treaty obligations , and the political establishment ’ s commitment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endless wars in the first place , ” Mr. Glaser said .
“ I don ’ t think Trump ’ s motivation to actually alter American foreign policy in this direction was ever that deep , or even genuine .
I think it probably helped him politically to employ these themes in his rhetoric , but that ’ s a separate issue .
”

President Trump in early December ordered the withdrawal of the roughly 700 U.S. troops stationed in Somalia to battle the al-Shabaab terror network, a key milestone in his drive to end American military involvement in what he dubbed foreign “endless wars.”
Less than three weeks later, however, the Pentagon dispatched 5,000 fresh sailors and Marines off the coast of the Horn of Africa to act as a deterrent and to provide logistical support while the original 700 troops moved to their ultimate destinations: other military bases in East Africa, where officials say they will continue waging war against extremist groups.
The entire episode — a “withdrawal” that brings virtually no troops home and even spurs a temporary surge of forces in the region — serves as perhaps the clearest example of how Mr. Trump’s quest to drastically reduce U.S. entanglement in foreign conflicts he inherited has been, at best, a disappointment.
Most of the troops in question, critics contend, are not coming home but are simply being moved to other locations, often in the same dangerous corners of the world and sometimes with the same mission. The Trump administration has had little if any measurable success in cutting the overall amount of American military commitments around the world, and the president’s expectation that waves of battle-weary, victorious troops would finally return home to their families has simply not materialized.
Mr. Trump gets credit, analysts say, for asking tough questions about the purpose and expense of U.S. overseas military missions, many dating to World War II. But a look at the hard numbers finds that Mr. Trump’s rhetoric — and even his direct orders — haven’t always produced the results he wanted.
“Trump’s reputation for ending endless wars, as the slogan goes, is not well earned. He frequently employs these themes in his rhetoric, but it never really showed up in policy,” said John Glaser, director of foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute. “He tends to make a big public stink about withdrawals, and then hopes the public doesn’t do the homework it actually takes to discover these withdrawals aren’t really happening. … The troops are just being shuffled around the region to continue the endless war from a different location.”
Mr. Trump can point to at least some operations that are pulling back in his final weeks in office.
The Pentagon announced Thursday that more than 5,000 sailors and Marines with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, which most recently had been providing operational support for forces in Somalia, are now headed home after a 10-month deployment.
“The sacrifices and services of the sailors, Marines, and their families is greatly appreciated by the entire Department of Defense and were in the finest traditions of the U.S. naval service. We are glad that we can conclude 2020 by announcing these warriors are headed home,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement.
While Somalia is the most recent and glaring instance, a similar situation has unfolded in the Middle East, where American forces have been fighting nonstop for nearly two decades. The overall number of U.S. troops in the region appears larger today than it was when the president came into office.
New approach
The administration has had some successes.
Mr. Trump pushed through plans to reduce the number of combat forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, despite some strong reservations from some of his military commanders. Further cuts are expected before President-elect Joseph R. Biden assumes office in January. Defense Department officials say the number of troops in each country will be down to 2,500 by Jan. 15.
In Afghanistan, a diplomatic deal between Mr. Trump and the Taliban paves the way for all American forces to eventually leave the country, though there are questions about whether that agreement will hold in light of continued Taliban violence. Just last February, there were more than 12,000 troops in Afghanistan, making the nation the clearest example of the president at least partially fulfilling his promise.
Over the objections of Pentagon leaders, the president also has decreased the number of American forces in Syria from 2,000 to about 500. His personnel moves in Syria led to the resignation of former Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who has gone on to become one of Mr. Trump’s harshest critics.
For Mr. Trump, reducing America’s military role abroad formed a central pillar in his unconventional political platform, and his policy served as a clear break with the neoconservative thinking that had dominated the Republican Party in the post-9/11 era.
In 2016 and again in 2020, Mr. Trump campaigned hard on the issue. He seemed to never waver in his conviction that the U.S. should have fewer troops overseas, and he routinely clashed with powerful members of his own party who warned his approach would embolden al Qaeda, the Islamic State and other terrorist groups that could threaten national security.
When Mr. Trump sensed that he was running into institutionalized resistance in the Pentagon or in Congress, or suspected that military leadership may be slow-walking his orders, he even resorted to unexpected declarations on Twitter in a brute-force effort to turn his goals into reality.
“We should have the small remaining number of our BRAVE Men and Women serving in Afghanistan home by Christmas!” Mr. Trump tweeted in October, which caught the Pentagon leadership by surprise, though ultimately his promise was only partially realized.
Shortly after the November election, the president fired then-Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, who was privately opposed to many of Mr. Trump’s plans for troop drawdowns. In his place, Mr. Trump installed Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller, who quickly made clear he supported the president’s proposals.
“We are not a people of perpetual war — it is the antithesis of everything for which we stand and for which our ancestors fought,” Mr. Miller said in his inaugural message to the military. “All wars must end. Ending wars requires compromise and partnership. We met the challenge; we gave it our all. Now, it’s time to come home.”
‘Completely pointless’
But Mr. Trump’s passion and Mr. Miller’s commitment to the big-picture policy won’t tangibly shrink America’s footprint in the Middle East, which actually appears greater now than it was in January 2017.
Over the past several years, Mr. Trump has deployed or redeployed thousands of troops to American military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and elsewhere, framing those deployments as a warning to an increasingly aggressive Iran and its regional allies. Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been high throughout Mr. Trump’s tenure and the Pentagon has repeatedly sent more troops to the region whenever it appeared that conflict might erupt.
The result: a surge of American troops in the Middle East under Mr. Trump’s watch. The U.S. now has at least 42,000 troops in the region, according to a recent analysis by Defense Priorities, a Washington based think tank that advocates a more restrained foreign policy. Thousands more are aboard U.S. warships in the same tense theater.
The Pentagon has stopped releasing official troop counts in war zones, so nailing down specific figures is difficult. But all evidence seems to show that the number of new troops sent to the Middle East during Mr. Trump’s tenure has greatly outweighed the number of men and women brought home, raising questions about both the intent and effectiveness of the president’s approach.
“You can’t come to any other honest assessment than to say it’s been completely pointless,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, now a Defense Priorities senior fellow.
“We’ve actually increased [troop presence] in the region,” Lt. Col. Davis said. “I actually thought that what President Trump would do would be to make a final push to make good on his campaign promise and actually end some of these forever wars. I thought he would press hard and get it done, and be out of Afghanistan, be out of Iraq, be out of Syria. Instead he just reduced — or didn’t do anything.”
Mr. Trump’s tenure has seen the reshuffling of troops elsewhere around the world. The Pentagon in 2020 rolled out a long-awaited repositioning of troops in Europe, moving more than 10,000 service members from Germany to other locations — though the majority of those troops remain stationed overseas and have not returned home.
The White House also reportedly considered rethinking the U.S. military commitment along the demilitarized zone separating North Korea and South Korea. While Washington and Seoul have had heated disagreements over how much South Korea should pay to support those deployments, the American military presence has remained and a revised cost-sharing agreement remains in diplomatic limbo.
Specialists say that neither Mr. Trump nor any other president will be capable of changing the broader dynamic until there’s a fundamental rethinking of the U.S. role in the world.
“What needs to change is the well-established policy — virtually uncontested in Washington, D.C. — of maintaining a permanent global military presence. It is that presence, the associated treaty obligations, and the political establishment’s commitment to constant interventionism that get us into these endless wars in the first place,” Mr. Glaser said. “I don’t think Trump’s motivation to actually alter American foreign policy in this direction was ever that deep, or even genuine. I think it probably helped him politically to employ these themes in his rhetoric, but that’s a separate issue.”
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Tommy Raskin, Jamie Raskin son, dies

Tommy Raskin, Jamie Raskin son, dies

TAKOMA PARK , Md .
— Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said his son has died .
Raskin announced the @ @ @ @ @ Raskin , 25 .
No cause of death was given .
The younger Raskin was @ @ @ @ @ School and a graduate of Amherst College .
“ Tommy was pure magic .
His @ @ @ @ @ bounds .
He passionately loved his family , friends , and animals , and was @ @ @ @ @ the global poor .
We are devastated and demolished to be without him , ” @ @ @ @ @ , Sarah Bloom Raskin , said in a statement .
Rep. Raskin is a Democrat @ @ @ @ @ Congress in 2016 .
He represents Maryland ’ s eighth district , which includes Montgomery @ @ @ @ @ counties .

TAKOMA PARK, Md. — Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said his son has died.
Raskin announced the death Thursday of Tommy Bloom Raskin, 25. No cause of death was given.
The younger Raskin was a student at Harvard Law School and a graduate of Amherst College.
“Tommy was pure magic. His brilliance and compassion knew no bounds. He passionately loved his family, friends, and animals, and was devoted to the cause of the global poor. We are devastated and demolished to be without him,” Jamie Raskin and his wife, Sarah Bloom Raskin, said in a statement.
Rep. Raskin is a Democrat who was first elected to Congress in 2016. He represents Maryland’s eighth district, which includes Montgomery, Carroll, and Frederick counties.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Navajo Nation casinos to lay off more than 1,100

FLAGSTAFF , Ariz. ( AP ) - Casinos run by the Navajo Nation plan to temporarily lay off more than 1,100 workers on New Year ’ s Day because of prolonged closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
The tribe ’ s Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise announced the decision Thursday night , saying it was left with no choice but to move ahead with the layoffs because of lack of revenue caused by the closures .
“ Due to the extended closure , since March 17 , 2020 , our business operations have been severely impacted and as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and personnel decisions , ” Brian Parrish , the tribal casino operation ’ s Interim CEO , said in a statement .
The tribe operates four casinos in Arizona and New Mexico and together they employ more than 1,200 people , including more than 775 tribal members .
The Gaming Enterprise plans to keep 165 employees on the payroll to ensure essential functions are maintained at the casinos .
Officials had repeatedly warned that layoffs would become necessary if the casinos weren ’ t allowed to reopen at least with limited capacity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ closure of the entire operation is possible by the end of January if casinos are not allowed to reopen or if more funding isn ’ t allocated to keep the operation running .
The tribe allocated nearly $ 25 million in federal virus relief funding to the casino operation in August but that money has run out .
The tribe invested $ 460 million in the casinos and that would be lost if they closed .
Closure would also lead to ongoing yearly losses of about $ 220 million in revenue and economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he believes it ’ s possible to safely reopen with reduced capacity even amid the pandemic .
“ The Nation ’ s vision took years to build but the Nation has been successful , ” Navajo Gaming Board Chairman Quincy Natay said .
“ If it allows its gaming industry to fail , a permanent closure will cause a long-term setback for Navajo economic development , even if it eventually reopens.
” The Navajo Nation spans parts of Arizona , New Mexico and Utah .

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - Casinos run by the Navajo Nation plan to temporarily lay off more than 1,100 workers on New Year’s Day because of prolonged closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The tribe’s Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise announced the decision Thursday night, saying it was left with no choice but to move ahead with the layoffs because of lack of revenue caused by the closures.
“Due to the extended closure, since March 17, 2020, our business operations have been severely impacted and as a result, we must make very difficult financial and personnel decisions,” Brian Parrish, the tribal casino operation’s Interim CEO, said in a statement.
The tribe operates four casinos in Arizona and New Mexico and together they employ more than 1,200 people, including more than 775 tribal members. The Gaming Enterprise plans to keep 165 employees on the payroll to ensure essential functions are maintained at the casinos.
Officials had repeatedly warned that layoffs would become necessary if the casinos weren’t allowed to reopen at least with limited capacity.
But officials also warned Thursday that permanent closure of the entire operation is possible by the end of January if casinos are not allowed to reopen or if more funding isn’t allocated to keep the operation running. The tribe allocated nearly $25 million in federal virus relief funding to the casino operation in August but that money has run out.
The tribe invested $460 million in the casinos and that would be lost if they closed. Closure would also lead to ongoing yearly losses of about $220 million in revenue and economic activity, Parrish said. He said he believes it’s possible to safely reopen with reduced capacity even amid the pandemic.
“The Nation’s vision took years to build but the Nation has been successful,” Navajo Gaming Board Chairman Quincy Natay said. “If it allows its gaming industry to fail, a permanent closure will cause a long-term setback for Navajo economic development, even if it eventually reopens.”
The Navajo Nation spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Police: Oklahoma officer shot man who approached with weapon

MCaLESTER , Oklahoma ( AP ) - A 40-year-old Oklahoma man was hospitalized in critical condition Thursday after police shot him when he moved toward officers with a weapon , state investigators said .
Police in McAlester , a city 130 miles ( 209 kilometers ) southwest of Oklahoma City , received a call Thursday about Nicholas Halkias trying to hurt himself , according to a statement from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation .
Officers found Halkias at an intersection near a railroad crossing in the city of about 18,00 people .
He was armed with a weapon and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , the statement said .
When Halkias began moving toward the officers , one of them opened fired hitting him , investigators said .
He was initially take to a local hospital and subsequently moved to hospital in Tulsa , where he ’ s being treating for a gunshot wound and ″numerous self-inflicted injuries , ″ according to the statement The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation ’ s statement did not specify what type of weapon Halkias had when he was shot , how he hurt himself nor identify the officer who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureau did not respond to subsequent questions .
The McAlester police referred questions from The Associated Press to the state agency , which is investigating the shooting .
Police Chief Kevin Hearod told the McAlester News-Capital that none of his officers were hurt and the one who shot Halkias has been put on paid leave .

MCaLESTER, Oklahoma (AP) - A 40-year-old Oklahoma man was hospitalized in critical condition Thursday after police shot him when he moved toward officers with a weapon, state investigators said.
Police in McAlester, a city 130 miles (209 kilometers) southwest of Oklahoma City, received a call Thursday about Nicholas Halkias trying to hurt himself, according to a statement from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Officers found Halkias at an intersection near a railroad crossing in the city of about 18,00 people. He was armed with a weapon and refused the officers’ orders to drop it, the statement said. When Halkias began moving toward the officers, one of them opened fired hitting him, investigators said. He was initially take to a local hospital and subsequently moved to hospital in Tulsa, where he’s being treating for a gunshot wound and ″numerous self-inflicted injuries,″ according to the statement The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s statement did not specify what type of weapon Halkias had when he was shot, how he hurt himself nor identify the officer who shot him. A spokeswoman for the bureau did not respond to subsequent questions.
The McAlester police referred questions from The Associated Press to the state agency, which is investigating the shooting. Police Chief Kevin Hearod told the McAlester News-Capital that none of his officers were hurt and the one who shot Halkias has been put on paid leave.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--US Rep. Raskin of Maryland announces death of son Tommy, 25

TAKOMA PARK , Md .
( AP ) - U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said his son has died @ @ @ @ @ Thursday of Tommy Bloom Raskin , 25 .
No cause of death was given .
@ @ @ @ @ student at Harvard Law School and a graduate of Amherst College .
“ Tommy was @ @ @ @ @ and compassion knew no bounds .
He passionately loved his family , friends , and @ @ @ @ @ to the cause of the global poor .
We are devastated and demolished to be @ @ @ @ @ Raskin and his wife , Sarah Bloom Raskin , said in a statement .
Rep. @ @ @ @ @ was first elected to Congress in 2016 .
He represents Maryland ’ s eighth district @ @ @ @ @ Carroll , and Frederick counties .

TAKOMA PARK, Md. (AP) - U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said his son has died.
Raskin announced the death Thursday of Tommy Bloom Raskin, 25. No cause of death was given.
The younger Raskin was a student at Harvard Law School and a graduate of Amherst College.
“Tommy was pure magic. His brilliance and compassion knew no bounds. He passionately loved his family, friends, and animals, and was devoted to the cause of the global poor. We are devastated and demolished to be without him,” Jamie Raskin and his wife, Sarah Bloom Raskin, said in a statement.
Rep. Raskin is a Democrat who was first elected to Congress in 2016. He represents Maryland’s eighth district, which includes Montgomery, Carroll, and Frederick counties.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Man critical after shooting outside historic hotel in Gallup

GALLUP , N.M. ( AP ) - One man is in critical condition and police are searching for two others @ @ @ @ @ historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup .
Gallup police officers who were in the area @ @ @ @ @ at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday , KOB-TV reported Thursday .
The officers said they saw @ @ @ @ @ and ordered him to get onto the ground where he was handcuffed .
They then @ @ @ @ @ shot in the right torso and began rendering medical aid .
Police determined the man @ @ @ @ @ others in the hotel parking lot , who also were armed and returned fire .
@ @ @ @ @ a white , newer-model , extended cab Toyota Tundra , police said .
The injured @ @ @ @ @ in critical condition Thursday at a local hospital .
His name has not been released @

GALLUP, N.M. (AP) - One man is in critical condition and police are searching for two others following a shooting outside the historic El Rancho Hotel in Gallup.
Gallup police officers who were in the area heard numerous shots being fired at about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, KOB-TV reported Thursday.
The officers said they saw a man reloading a firearm and ordered him to get onto the ground where he was handcuffed. They then realized the man had been shot in the right torso and began rendering medical aid.
Police determined the man had been firing at two others in the hotel parking lot, who also were armed and returned fire. They fled the scene in a white, newer-model, extended cab Toyota Tundra, police said.
The injured man who was detained was in critical condition Thursday at a local hospital. His name has not been released.


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--COVID-19 toll linked to Belgian party for elderly hits 27

BRUSSELS ( AP ) - The death toll of a virus outbreak in a care home linked to a Saint @ @ @ @ @ last month has reached 27 .
The Mol care center in northern Belgium had organized @ @ @ @ @ beloved saint who usually spreads mirth and presents , but there is a possibility the @ @ @ @ @ super spreader of COVID-19 unbeknownst to himself .
The municipality said on New Year ’ @ @ @ @ @ person had died but the outbreak was finally stabilizing .
Belgium , a nation of @ @ @ @ @ badly hit by the pandemic with 19,441 deaths so far , many of them in @ @ @ @ @ municipality said two weeks ago the party would have been barred had the local crisis @ @ @ @ @ At the last count , the care home had 88 infections , including 42 among @ @ @ @ @ the actor had been pinpointed as the source of the outbreak , but subsequent scientific @ @ @ @ @ conclusive .

BRUSSELS (AP) - Authorities in Belgium say a 27th elderly person has died in an outbreak at a nursing home from a super-spreading St. Nick party last month but they hope the situation is now under control.
The Hemelrijck home in the northern Belgium city of Mol had organized a Dec. 4 visit from a troupe playing the beloved saint who usually spreads mirth and presents. But the city and families of some of the deceased have complained that the nursing home should never have organized the party when restrictive measures on events were in place throughout the country to contain the pandemic.
The Mol municipality said “the event was not coordinated with the crisis cell,” and if they had heard about it beforehand they would have stopped it.
The municipality said on New Year’s Eve that a 27th person had died.
At the Hemelrijck nursing home, no one was available for comment Friday. At last count, the home had 88 infections among residents and 42 among staff.
Lily Lenaerts, whose sister Angele, 85, was the first to die after the outbreak, is upset at how the nursing home is treating family members.
“I still have not received a condolence card (from the nursing home) and I have been visiting for four years,” she told the Het Laatste Nieuws.
St. Nicholas is the traditional Dec. 6 day to give presents and is much more important to children in Belgium than Santa Claus on Dec. 25, which is primarily a family gathering.
Initially, one of the actors of the St. Nick group had been thought to be the source of the outbreak, but subsequent research could not be fully conclusive.
Belgium’s eminent virologist, Marc Van Ranst, said it could “not be said with 100% certainty that he introduced it in the care home.” He added “the man was a volunteer in the care home and theoretically could have been infected by a resident or a staff member.”
The city said the outbreak was finally stabilizing.
“The health condition of the residents has shown a marked improvement,” the city said in a statement.
Belgium, a nation of 11.5 million, has been badly hit by the pandemic with 19,528 confirmed virus deaths so far, many of them in nursing homes.
___
Follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-12-31--Mike Pence wants Louie Gohmert lawsuit over election turned aside: DOJ lawyers say

Vice President Mike Pence , through the Justice Department , asked a federal court on Thursday to turn aside a lawsuit a Texas congressman filed against him seeking to empower Mr. Pence to overturn President-elect Joseph R. Biden ’ s win in the 2020 election .
The Justice Department said Rep. Louie Gohmert , Texas Republican , and other plaintiffs sued the wrong person .
“ The relief that plaintiffs request does not properly lie against the Vice President , ” DOJ lawyers said in a court filing on Thursday .
Mr. Pence designated Deputy Assistant Attorney General John V. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr. Gohmert had argued in the lawsuit filed this week that Mr. Pence , who oversees the Electoral College tally in Congress on Jan. 6 , has the power to choose alternate slates of electors that could tip the election to President Trump .
Mr. Pence ’ s counsel said if Mr. Gohmert has a grievance , he should sue the U.S. House and Senate because they are actively involved in affirming the Electoral College tally .
“ By contrast , a suit to establish that the Vice President has discretion over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President , is a walking legal contradiction , ” DOJ lawyers said .
Mr. Gohmert and Arizona voters asked U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle to give Mr. Pence the sole discretion to decide which electors to choose .
As president of the Senate , Mr. Pence will preside over a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6 and announce the Electoral College results .
The role is generally ceremonial , with the vice president tasked with announcing the state-by-state results as they come in .
Mr. Biden defeated Mr. Trump by a 306-232 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win the presidency .
Douglas N. Letter , counsel for the U.S. House , also filed a friend-of-the-court brief on Thursday seeking to get the lawsuit thrown out .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Mr. Gohmert ‘ s lawsuit “ yet another sabotage of our democracy.
” House Republicans and at least one U.S. senator plan to lodge objections to the election results .
Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene , Georgia Republican , told The Washington Times recently that Mr. Pence is “ on board ” with the push .

Vice President Mike Pence, through the Justice Department, asked a federal court on Thursday to turn aside a lawsuit a Texas congressman filed against him seeking to empower Mr. Pence to overturn President-elect Joseph R. Biden’s win in the 2020 election.
The Justice Department said Rep. Louie Gohmert, Texas Republican, and other plaintiffs sued the wrong person.
“The relief that plaintiffs request does not properly lie against the Vice President,” DOJ lawyers said in a court filing on Thursday.
Mr. Pence designated Deputy Assistant Attorney General John V. Coghlan as his attorney in the case.
Mr. Gohmert had argued in the lawsuit filed this week that Mr. Pence, who oversees the Electoral College tally in Congress on Jan. 6, has the power to choose alternate slates of electors that could tip the election to President Trump.
Mr. Pence’s counsel said if Mr. Gohmert has a grievance, he should sue the U.S. House and Senate because they are actively involved in affirming the Electoral College tally.
“By contrast, a suit to establish that the Vice President has discretion over the count, filed against the Vice President, is a walking legal contradiction,” DOJ lawyers said.
Mr. Gohmert and Arizona voters asked U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle to give Mr. Pence the sole discretion to decide which electors to choose.
As president of the Senate, Mr. Pence will preside over a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6 and announce the Electoral College results.
The role is generally ceremonial, with the vice president tasked with announcing the state-by-state results as they come in.
Mr. Biden defeated Mr. Trump by a 306-232 tally. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
Douglas N. Letter, counsel for the U.S. House, also filed a friend-of-the-court brief on Thursday seeking to get the lawsuit thrown out.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Mr. Gohmert’s lawsuit “yet another sabotage of our democracy.”
House Republicans and at least one U.S. senator plan to lodge objections to the election results.
Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, told The Washington Times recently that Mr. Pence is “on board” with the push.
• Dave Boyer contributed to this report.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.