washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Walz: Minnesota attorney general to take lead in Floyd case

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz said Sunday that the state ’ s attorney general will take the lead in any prosecutions related to the death of George Floyd , a black man who was in handcuffs when a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck as he pleaded that he couldn ’ t breathe .
Walz ’ s decision to have Attorney General Keith Ellison take the lead comes after requests from activists , some City Council members and a civil rights group , who said putting Ellison on the case would send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vigorously pursued .
Walz said Ellison has the experience needed to lead the prosecution .
Earlier Sunday , Freeman said that he had asked Ellison to help him in the case , and Ellison agreed they would be full partners .
“ There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable , ” Freeman said .
He did not elaborate .
Derek Chauvin , 44 , was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
The three other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged , though Freeman and Ellison have said additional charges are possible .
Chauvin and the three other officers were fired last week .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday that the state’s attorney general - and not the county prosecutor - will take the lead in any prosecutions related to the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in handcuffs when a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck as he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe.
Walz’s unusual decision to put Attorney General Keith Ellison in the lead was a win for local civil rights activists, who say the longtime prosecutor does not have the trust of the black community needed to handle a case that has sparked widespread unrest and a national focus on racism in the criminal justice system.
Ellison, who was a vocal progressive congressman before winning state office in 2018, has the experience and community confidence for the job, Walz told reporters Sunday.
“Keith Ellison, our attorney general of Minnesota, needs to lead this case,” Walz said, adding that he made the decision after talking to the Floyd family.
“They wanted the system to work for them. They wanted to believe that there was trust, and they wanted to believe that the facts would be heard and justice would be served.”
Walz made the announcement shortly after Freeman released a statement saying he asked Ellison to “assist” him in the case in a “joint effort.”
“There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable,” Freeman said.
Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers who were involved have not been charged, though Freeman and Ellison have said additional charges are possible. Floyd’s death has triggered calls for police reforms, peaceful protests, as well destruction and violence in Minneapolis and cities across the country.
Ellison, who is black, said he and Freeman, who is white, will be working together. Both men have sought to set expectations in a case certain to be closely scrutinized.
“Let me also note a dose of reality, prosecuting police officers for misconduct, including homicide, murder, is very difficult,” Ellison said Sunday. “We’ll come under attack as we present this case to a jury or a fact finder. And we need to make sure that we are absolutely prepared. We intend to be absolutely prepared.”
Calling in an outside prosecutor is extremely rare, and typically only reserved for cases in which the prosecuting office has a conflict of interest.
The move followed days of criticism from activists, who view Freeman as part of the system they want reformed. He served as Hennepin County attorney in the 1990s and was elected to the post again in 2006. While leading the office, he has charged only one officer in a fatal shooting - and that was in the case of Mohamed Noor, a black officer who killed Justine Ruszczyk Damond, who was white.
It took four days for Freeman to bring charges against Chauvin, a delay criticized by activists. More than 100 people gathered outside Freeman’s home Sunday, calling for a special prosecutor, the arrests of all four officers and for Freeman’s resignation.
“We want somebody who’s on our side. Mike Freeman is not on our side,” said Sharaunta Beach, a protester. “We have to have people who are for the truth and what’s right.”
In a letter to Walz, Ellison and Freeman, the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Sunday that having Freeman investigate the police, which his office works with daily, “fosters distrust and suspicion in the community.” The letter urged that the case be transferred to Ellison’s office, where an attorney qualified to handle such cases could be appointed.
“Doing so would send a strong message to the community that a third party … will vigorously pursue justice and police accountability,” Minnesota ACLU president John Gordon wrote.
Several Minneapolis City Council members also called on Walz to appoint Ellison, who as attorney general helped form a working group on reducing police-involved deadly force incidents.
But Ellison also has a national political profile likely to draw partisan criticism. He rose to national prominence as the first Muslim elected to Congress and served as deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
After he decided to run for attorney general, an ex-girlfriend accused him of abuse, saying he dragged her off a bed during an argument. An investigation commissioned by Minnesota Democrats ruled the accusation was “unsubstantiated.”
As Ellison was discussed for the Floyd case, a January 2018 tweet resurfaced, showing a picture of him holding up the book “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.” Ellison tweeted that the book would strike fear in the heart of President Donald Trump. Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Federal officials have suggested the group may be involved in the wave of protests this week.
When asked about that on Sunday, Ellison said: “It means nothing. I was in a bookstore. I saw a book. And I think it’s just a complete diversion.”
It’s not clear whether Ellison’s involvement will quiet the concerns of activists.
Before news that Ellison would take the lead on the case, Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights activist and former head of the Minneapolis NAACP, was among those calling for a special prosecutor, but she did not endorse Ellison for the job. Criminal justice reforms were not his priority when he was a congressman in Minneapolis’ 5th District, she said.
“There needs to be a completely independent special prosecutor,” she said.
___
Associated Press Writer Stephen Groves contributed from Minneapolis.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Alaska has largest one-day increase of new coronavirus cases

ANCHORAGE , Alaska ( AP ) - Alaska on Sunday reported 27 new coronavirus cases , the largest one-day increase reported since the start of the pandemic .
Cases have spiked since Gov .
Mike Dunleavy , a Republican , loosened restrictions put into place to guard against the virus ’ spread .
The state on April 24 began easing restrictions on businesses .
Most restrictions on businesses were lifted May 22 , though some local governments opened later .
Dunleavy said at the time that he expected case numbers would rise and that the state would respond to any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count was the most single-day cases since 22 were reported April 6 .
This comes after 13 new cases were reported Thursday , which was the state ’ s first double-digit increase in cases in six weeks .
The state now has a total of 460 cases involving residents .
The state ’ s death count remains at 10 , and a death attributed to COVID-19 hasn ’ t been recorded since May 5 .
Of the 27 news cases , 12 are in Anchorage .
Wasilla has four cases , while Kenai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homer reported two new cases , with one each in Soldotna , Anchor Point and the last reported generally in the Kenai Peninsula Borough .
For most people , the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and death .
The vast majority of people recover .

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Alaska on Sunday reported 27 new coronavirus cases, the largest one-day increase reported since the start of the pandemic.
Cases have spiked since Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, loosened restrictions put into place to guard against the virus’ spread. The state on April 24 began easing restrictions on businesses. Most restrictions on businesses were lifted May 22, though some local governments opened later. Dunleavy said at the time that he expected case numbers would rise and that the state would respond to any spikes or clusters.
Sunday’s count was the most single-day cases since 22 were reported April 6. This comes after 13 new cases were reported Thursday, which was the state’s first double-digit increase in cases in six weeks. The state now has a total of 460 cases involving residents.
The state’s death count remains at 10, and a death attributed to COVID-19 hasn’t been recorded since May 5.
Of the 27 news cases, 12 are in Anchorage. Wasilla has four cases, while Kenai and Eagle River have three each. Homer reported two new cases, with one each in Soldotna, Anchor Point and the last reported generally in the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Louisiana lawmakers near end of session, ready for another

BATON ROUGE , La .
( AP ) - Louisiana lawmakers worked through a final stack of bills Sunday as they neared the end of a regular session upended by the coronavirus outbreak , agreeing to a broad expansion of the state ’ s medical marijuana program and closing a budget gap created by the pandemic .
A rapid succession of final votes sent to Gov .
John Bel Edwards measures to loosen Louisiana ’ s restrictions on guns in church , to grant a public records exemption for school blueprints , to create a license plate commemorating Louisiana State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to move the state closer to fantasy sports betting .
One of the most important tasks of any regular session , the crafting of the annual state budget , won ’ t be concluded Monday evening when the session wraps up .
The House and Senate instead will finish that $ 30 billion-plus spending plan in a 30-day special session that starts one minute after the current session adjourns .
But lawmakers Sunday night put the finishing touches on a plan to rebalance this year ’ s budget , closing a shortfall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax collections and a steep decline in oil prices .
They used federal coronavirus aid to plug holes and to increase spending on certain areas , in a plan worked out with Gov .
John Bel Edwards .
A unanimous House vote sent the measure to the Democratic governor .
With a 74-16 vote , the House also gave final passage to legislation that will remove most restrictions on which patients can receive medical marijuana from their doctors .
The bill by Rep. Larry Bagley , the Republican chairman of the House health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who hasn ’ t taken a position on the proposal .
Louisiana allows cannabis to treat a long list of diseases and disorders , such as cancer , seizure disorders , epilepsy , glaucoma , post-traumatic stress disorder and Parkinson ’ s disease .
Bagley ’ s legislation instead authorizes therapeutic cannabis for any condition that a doctor “ considers debilitating to an individual patient.
” The bill also loosens medical marijuana restrictions on doctors .
Doctors will no longer need to register with and receive authorization from the Louisiana State Board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients .
The Senate unanimously sent the governor a bill by Democratic Sen .
Troy Carter that exempts from public release any blueprints or floor plans that show the interior of a public school building , a measure described as a response to school shootings around the nation .
With another unanimous Senate vote , Edwards received a measure by Democratic Sen. Regina Barrow that prohibits most health insurers from denying coverage for a coronavirus test ordered by a doctor .
The companies also couldn ’ t require patients to pay a portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A 76-20 House vote gave final passage to a bill by Republican Rep. Tanner Magee creating a regulatory framework for fantasy sports betting .
Voters in 47 parishes agreed in 2018 to legalize the competitions for online cash prizes , but the betting can ’ t start until regulations and tax rates are set .
The taxes will be considered in the upcoming special session .
Lawmakers in the House also sent Edwards legislation to make it easier to carry a concealed handgun in church .
The measure by Republican Rep. Bryan Fontenot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handgun permit holder to bring a gun in church only if church authorities inform their congregations .
It also would do away with a provision allowing church authorities to require anyone wishing to carry into the facilities to take an extra eight hours of tactical training each year .
But church authorities still will have to agree before allowing concealed handguns in a place of worship , under a Senate change that House lawmakers adopted in a final 75-20 vote .
The regular session began on March 9 , but was quickly derailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the New Orleans area became one of the nation ’ s COVID-19 disease hot spots .
Lawmakers temporarily adjourned and didn ’ t return until May 4 , giving them four weeks to work through hundreds of bills .

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana lawmakers worked through a final stack of bills Sunday as they neared the end of a regular session upended by the coronavirus outbreak, agreeing to a broad expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program and closing a budget gap created by the pandemic.
A rapid succession of final votes sent to Gov. John Bel Edwards measures to loosen Louisiana’s restrictions on guns in church, to grant a public records exemption for school blueprints, to create a license plate commemorating Louisiana State University’s 2019 football national championship and to move the state closer to fantasy sports betting.
One of the most important tasks of any regular session, the crafting of the annual state budget, won’t be concluded Monday evening when the session wraps up. The House and Senate instead will finish that $30 billion-plus spending plan in a 30-day special session that starts one minute after the current session adjourns.
But lawmakers Sunday night put the finishing touches on a plan to rebalance this year’s budget, closing a shortfall caused by the virus’ hit to tax collections and a steep decline in oil prices. They used federal coronavirus aid to plug holes and to increase spending on certain areas, in a plan worked out with Gov. John Bel Edwards.
A unanimous House vote sent the measure to the Democratic governor.
With a 74-16 vote, the House also gave final passage to legislation that will remove most restrictions on which patients can receive medical marijuana from their doctors. The bill by Rep. Larry Bagley, the Republican chairman of the House health care committee, heads next to Edwards, who hasn’t taken a position on the proposal.
Louisiana allows cannabis to treat a long list of diseases and disorders, such as cancer, seizure disorders, epilepsy, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder and Parkinson’s disease. Bagley’s legislation instead authorizes therapeutic cannabis for any condition that a doctor “considers debilitating to an individual patient.”
The bill also loosens medical marijuana restrictions on doctors. Doctors will no longer need to register with and receive authorization from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to recommend cannabis for patients.
The Senate unanimously sent the governor a bill by Democratic Sen. Troy Carter that exempts from public release any blueprints or floor plans that show the interior of a public school building, a measure described as a response to school shootings around the nation.
With another unanimous Senate vote, Edwards received a measure by Democratic Sen. Regina Barrow that prohibits most health insurers from denying coverage for a coronavirus test ordered by a doctor. The companies also couldn’t require patients to pay a portion of any test costs through 2021.
A 76-20 House vote gave final passage to a bill by Republican Rep. Tanner Magee creating a regulatory framework for fantasy sports betting. Voters in 47 parishes agreed in 2018 to legalize the competitions for online cash prizes, but the betting can’t start until regulations and tax rates are set. The taxes will be considered in the upcoming special session.
Lawmakers in the House also sent Edwards legislation to make it easier to carry a concealed handgun in church.
The measure by Republican Rep. Bryan Fontenot would repeal a law allowing a concealed handgun permit holder to bring a gun in church only if church authorities inform their congregations. It also would do away with a provision allowing church authorities to require anyone wishing to carry into the facilities to take an extra eight hours of tactical training each year.
But church authorities still will have to agree before allowing concealed handguns in a place of worship, under a Senate change that House lawmakers adopted in a final 75-20 vote.
The regular session began on March 9, but was quickly derailed a week later by the virus outbreak as the New Orleans area became one of the nation’s COVID-19 disease hot spots. Lawmakers temporarily adjourned and didn’t return until May 4, giving them four weeks to work through hundreds of bills.
___
Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Cyprus to launch SMS campaign to stem migrant arrivals

NICOSIA , Cyprus ( AP ) - Cyprus is launching a multilingual SMS campaign to head off more migrant arrivals by dispelling the mistaken belief the European Union member country is a gateway to the continent , the Cypriot interior minister said Sunday Nicos Nouris told the Associated Press the text-message blitz aims to counter “ disinformation ” propagated by people traffickers that securing asylum status in Cyprus will grant would-be migrants a “ passport ” to other EU countries .
Nouris said arriving migrants are effectively “ trapped ” in Cyprus because the island nation isn ’ t part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European nations that have abolished their borders and permit unrestricted travel between them .
The minister said Cyprus , with a population of roughly 880,000 , has “ by a wide margin ” the largest number of migrants relative to its population in the 27-member bloc .
He said 3.8 % of those living on Cyprus are asylum seekers , while that number is under 1 % in other front-line EU states , like Greece , Italy , Spain and Malta .
It ’ s estimated that 25-30 % of all migrants currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According Asylum Service Statistics , Syrians filled the most asylum applications last year , followed by people from Georgia , India , Bangladesh , Pakistan , Cameroon , Vietnam , Egypt , Nigeria and Sri Lanka .
Nouris had previously said that most migrants arrive to ethnically divided Cyprus ’ breakaway north and cross a United Nations-controlled buffer zone to seek asylum in the internationally recognized south .
Meanwhile , Nouris said around 700 migrants will remain confined to a reception center on the outskirts of the capital Nicosia until a small scabies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister said he expects confinement measures to be lifted “ soon ” after all those with scabies have been treated .
The migrants were confined to the center since late March when the government enacted a strict , stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
Those restrictions were lifted May 23 , but the migrants weren ’ t allowed to leave the center .

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Cyprus is launching a multilingual SMS campaign to head off more migrant arrivals by dispelling the mistaken belief the European Union member country is a gateway to the continent, the Cypriot interior minister said Sunday
Nicos Nouris told the Associated Press the text-message blitz aims to counter “disinformation” propagated by people traffickers that securing asylum status in Cyprus will grant would-be migrants a “passport” to other EU countries.
Nouris said arriving migrants are effectively “trapped” in Cyprus because the island nation isn’t part of the Schengen area - those 26 European nations that have abolished their borders and permit unrestricted travel between them.
The minister said Cyprus, with a population of roughly 880,000, has “by a wide margin” the largest number of migrants relative to its population in the 27-member bloc.
He said 3.8% of those living on Cyprus are asylum seekers, while that number is under 1% in other front-line EU states, like Greece, Italy, Spain and Malta.
It’s estimated that 25-30% of all migrants currently in Cyprus are refugees fleeing conflict.
According Asylum Service Statistics, Syrians filled the most asylum applications last year, followed by people from Georgia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cameroon, Vietnam, Egypt, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.
Nouris had previously said that most migrants arrive to ethnically divided Cyprus’ breakaway north and cross a United Nations-controlled buffer zone to seek asylum in the internationally recognized south.
Meanwhile, Nouris said around 700 migrants will remain confined to a reception center on the outskirts of the capital Nicosia until a small scabies infestation there is completely eliminated.
The minister said he expects confinement measures to be lifted “soon” after all those with scabies have been treated.
The migrants were confined to the center since late March when the government enacted a strict, stay-at-home order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Those restrictions were lifted May 23, but the migrants weren’t allowed to leave the center.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Truck drives through George Floyd protesters on Minneapolis interstate

MINNEAPOLIS — Officials in Minnesota say no protesters appear to have been hit after a semitrailer drove into a crowd @ @ @ @ @ downtown Minneapolis .
The Minnesota State Patrol says in a tweet that the action appeared @ @ @ @ @ the driver was injured and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries .
Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ is out of the hospital and in police custody .
It wasn ’ t clear @ @ @ @ @ .
TV footage showed protesters swarming the truck , and then law enforcement quickly moving @ @ @ @ @ showed the tanker truck moving rapidly onto the bridge and protesters appearing to part ahead @ @ @ @ @ Commissioner John Harrington said traffic cameras appear to show the truck was already on the @ @ @ @ @ in place to shut it down at 5 p.m .
The protesters were demonstrating against @ @ @ @ @ .

MINNEAPOLIS — Officials in Minnesota say no protesters appear to have been hit after a semitrailer drove into a crowd demonstrating on a freeway near downtown Minneapolis.
The Minnesota State Patrol says in a tweet that the action appeared deliberate. The patrol says the driver was injured and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Gov. Tim Walz says the driver is out of the hospital and in police custody.
It wasn’t clear how the driver was hurt. TV footage showed protesters swarming the truck, and then law enforcement quickly moving in.
Other TV footage showed the tanker truck moving rapidly onto the bridge and protesters appearing to part ahead of it.
Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said traffic cameras appear to show the truck was already on the freeway before barricades were put in place to shut it down at 5 p.m.
The protesters were demonstrating against the death of George Floyd.
BREAKING: a gaint tanker truck just plowed into peaceful protesters in Minneapolis. The protesters were being escorted by police with no problems until the truck arrived-there are reports of people being hit. pic.twitter.com/nX18BCG8ZG — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) May 31, 2020


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Herbert Stempel, TV quiz show whistleblower, dies at 93

NEW YORK ( AP ) - Herbert Stempel , a fall guy and whistleblower of early television whose confession to deliberately losing on a 1950s quiz show helped drive a national scandal and join his name in history to winning contestant Charles Van Doren , has died age 93 .
Stempel ’ s former wife , Ethel Stempel , told The Associated Press on Sunday that he died at a New York nursing home on April 7 .
She cited no specific cause of death .
Stempel ’ s long life was changed and defined by a TV face-off late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doren smoothly executed a fraudulent display of knowledge , gaps in knowledge and sportsmanship on “ Twenty-One , ” part of a wave of programs that offered big prizes for trivia experts .
Confessions by Stempel and others badly tainted the young medium , helped lead to Congress ’ banning what had been technically legal - rigging game shows - and to the cancellation of “ Twenty-One ” among others .
Interest was revived by the 1994 movie “ Quiz Show , ” directed by Robert Redford and starring John Turturro as Stempel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died last year .
The undoing of “ Twenty-One ” was set off by declining ratings , and a producer ’ s refusal to uphold a dirty bargain .
Stempel , born in New York City and the son of Jewish immigrants , would boast of a “ retentive memory ” that had made him a quiz show star since childhood and a natural for “ Twenty-One.
” Hosted by Jack Barry , the program placed two contestants in isolation booths on opposite sides of the stage and challenged them on everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Stempel , identified by Barry as a 29-year-old G.I .
Bill college student from Queens , had prevailed for six straight weeks and accumulated $ 69,500 .
But audiences were apparently bored and advertisers worried .
Producer Dan Enright ’ s solution was to have Stempel lose to a more charismatic opponent , Van Doren , scion of a prominent scholarly family and himself a rising star at Columbia University .
Stempel later said he agreed when Enright promised to make him a question consultant for “ Twenty-One , ” get him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Show ” and allow him to compete on a future quiz program .
Stempel and Van Doren were an obvious contrast : The fair-haired and handsome Van Doren , and the relatively plain Stempel , a stocky , dark-haired man with glasses and a flat , nasally accent .
Each duly played their parts : looking down , blinking nervously , wiping their foreheads and pretending to think out loud as they responded to such challenges as “ Name the three heavyweight champions immediately preceding Joe Louis ” and “ Name the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wives of Henry VIII and describes their fates.
” Stempel retained a wry sense of humor , responding “ They all died ” when asked about Henry VIII ’ s wives .
But one wrong answer was personally painful : Which movie received the Oscar for best picture in 1955 ?
As Stempel would explain , he knew the winner was “ Marty , ” the low-key drama starring Ernest Borgnine .
He had seen it three times and related to its story of a lonely butcher in New York City .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Waterfront , ” the Oscar winner of 1954 , and a film , ironically , about a boxer who throws a fight .
With tens of millions looking on , Stempel muttered “ I don ’ t remember ” three times , shook his head and weakly guessed , “ On the Waterfront ?
” Upon Van Doren ’ s eventual victory , the contestants smiled and shook hands at center stage .
Stempel , who still had nearly $ 50,000 in winnings , thanked Barry and the show ’ s staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courtesy.
” Barry in turn praised Stempel ’ s “ courage ” and “ fighting spirit.
” Van Doren would continue winning for months , and was celebrated in a Time magazine cover story as “ TV ’ s own health-restoring antidote to ( Elvis the Pelvis ) Presley.
” Stempel , meanwhile , found himself shut out entirely .
He would acknowledge his decision to speak out wasn ’ t a matter of conscience , but revenge .
When he tried to get back in touch with Enright , he realized that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He just completely forgot I ever existed , ” Stempel later told the Archive of American Television .
“ He had a picture of Charles Van Doren in his office when I walked in there and all he could do was praise Charles Van Doren , tell me what a great contestant is.
” Stempel ’ s public declarations were initially dismissed , but as contestants on other shows made similar statements , authorities began to take action .
A grand jury was convened in New York in 1958 and Congressional hearings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Van Doren both testifying and acknowledging their complicity .
Van Doren , who had no further comment on the scandal until a 2009 essay in The New Yorker , was among those given suspended sentences for lying to the grand jury .
Stempel would endure being “ treated like a pariah ” by his relatives and losing much of his prize money in an investment scam .
For years , he lived quietly in Queens with his second wife , Ethel ( his first wife , Toby , died in 1980 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public school teacher and on the litigation support unit of the New York City Department of Transportation .
He reemerged as a public figure in the 1990s , when “ Twenty-One ” was featured in a Julian Krainin documentary and in Redford ’ s movie , for which Stempel served as a consultant .
He would say “ Quiz Show ” distorted his life and personality .
“ I was a little miffed at the portrayal .
I was showed to be a nerd , a square and a hyper little guy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , remembering a humorous encounter with Turturro at a screening .
“ John walked over to me and he said to me , ‘ If you punch me in the nose I would understand why .
… And I didn ’ t want any trouble .
I realized he played me over the top and so forth .
He ’ s an actor .
He ’ s told by the director , Redford , to play me in a certain way , and that ’ s how he played it .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything ’ s cool.
’ “ And my wife , Ethel , is a very feisty woman , and she said , ‘ Step aside , Herb , I want to take a crack at him .
’ ”

NEW YORK (AP) - Herbert Stempel, a fall guy and whistleblower of early television whose confession to deliberately losing on a 1950s quiz show helped drive a national scandal and join his name in history to winning contestant Charles Van Doren, has died age 93.
Stempel’s former wife, Ethel Stempel, told The Associated Press on Sunday that he died at a New York nursing home on April 7. She cited no specific cause of death.
Stempel’s long life was changed and defined by a TV face-off late in 1956, when he and Van Doren smoothly executed a fraudulent display of knowledge, gaps in knowledge and sportsmanship on “Twenty-One,” part of a wave of programs that offered big prizes for trivia experts. Confessions by Stempel and others badly tainted the young medium, helped lead to Congress’ banning what had been technically legal - rigging game shows - and to the cancellation of “Twenty-One” among others.
Interest was revived by the 1994 movie “Quiz Show,” directed by Robert Redford and starring John Turturro as Stempel and Ralph Fiennes as Van Doren, who died last year.
The undoing of “Twenty-One” was set off by declining ratings, and a producer’s refusal to uphold a dirty bargain.
Stempel, born in New York City and the son of Jewish immigrants, would boast of a “retentive memory” that had made him a quiz show star since childhood and a natural for “Twenty-One.” Hosted by Jack Barry, the program placed two contestants in isolation booths on opposite sides of the stage and challenged them on everything from modern sports to Civil War history. Stempel, identified by Barry as a 29-year-old G.I. Bill college student from Queens, had prevailed for six straight weeks and accumulated $69,500. But audiences were apparently bored and advertisers worried. Producer Dan Enright’s solution was to have Stempel lose to a more charismatic opponent, Van Doren, scion of a prominent scholarly family and himself a rising star at Columbia University. Stempel later said he agreed when Enright promised to make him a question consultant for “Twenty-One,” get him an appearance on “The Steve Allen Show” and allow him to compete on a future quiz program.
Stempel and Van Doren were an obvious contrast: The fair-haired and handsome Van Doren, and the relatively plain Stempel, a stocky, dark-haired man with glasses and a flat, nasally accent. Each duly played their parts: looking down, blinking nervously, wiping their foreheads and pretending to think out loud as they responded to such challenges as “Name the three heavyweight champions immediately preceding Joe Louis” and “Name the second, third, fourth, and fifth wives of Henry VIII and describes their fates.”
Stempel retained a wry sense of humor, responding “They all died” when asked about Henry VIII’s wives. But one wrong answer was personally painful: Which movie received the Oscar for best picture in 1955? As Stempel would explain, he knew the winner was “Marty,” the low-key drama starring Ernest Borgnine. He had seen it three times and related to its story of a lonely butcher in New York City. But he was told to guess “On the Waterfront,” the Oscar winner of 1954, and a film, ironically, about a boxer who throws a fight.
With tens of millions looking on, Stempel muttered “I don’t remember” three times, shook his head and weakly guessed, “On the Waterfront?” Upon Van Doren’s eventual victory, the contestants smiled and shook hands at center stage. Stempel, who still had nearly $50,000 in winnings, thanked Barry and the show’s staff for their “kindness” and “courtesy.” Barry in turn praised Stempel’s “courage” and “fighting spirit.”
Van Doren would continue winning for months, and was celebrated in a Time magazine cover story as “TV’s own health-restoring antidote to (Elvis the Pelvis) Presley.” Stempel, meanwhile, found himself shut out entirely. He would acknowledge his decision to speak out wasn’t a matter of conscience, but revenge. When he tried to get back in touch with Enright, he realized that the producer no longer was interested.
“He just completely forgot I ever existed,” Stempel later told the Archive of American Television. “He had a picture of Charles Van Doren in his office when I walked in there and all he could do was praise Charles Van Doren, tell me what a great contestant is.”
Stempel’s public declarations were initially dismissed, but as contestants on other shows made similar statements, authorities began to take action. A grand jury was convened in New York in 1958 and Congressional hearings began the following year, with Stempel and Van Doren both testifying and acknowledging their complicity. Van Doren, who had no further comment on the scandal until a 2009 essay in The New Yorker, was among those given suspended sentences for lying to the grand jury. Stempel would endure being “treated like a pariah” by his relatives and losing much of his prize money in an investment scam.
For years, he lived quietly in Queens with his second wife, Ethel (his first wife, Toby, died in 1980), working as an office manager, public school teacher and on the litigation support unit of the New York City Department of Transportation. He reemerged as a public figure in the 1990s, when “Twenty-One” was featured in a Julian Krainin documentary and in Redford’s movie, for which Stempel served as a consultant. He would say “Quiz Show” distorted his life and personality.
“I was a little miffed at the portrayal. I was showed to be a nerd, a square and a hyper little guy,” he told the Television Academy archive, remembering a humorous encounter with Turturro at a screening. “John walked over to me and he said to me, ‘If you punch me in the nose I would understand why. … And I didn’t want any trouble. I realized he played me over the top and so forth. He’s an actor. He’s told by the director, Redford, to play me in a certain way, and that’s how he played it. And I said, ‘No, John, everything’s cool.’
“And my wife, Ethel, is a very feisty woman, and she said, ‘Step aside, Herb, I want to take a crack at him.’”


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Atlanta mayor: 2 officers fired in 'excessive force' arrests

ATLANTA ( AP ) - Two police officers have been fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during a protest arrest incident involving two college students , Atlanta ’ s mayor said Sunday .
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a news conference that she and police Chief Erika Shields made the decision after reviewing body-camera footage of a Saturday night incident that first gained attention from video online and on local news .
“ Use of excessive force is never acceptable , ” Bottoms told reporters .
Shields called the footage “ really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown on TV as captured by local reporters , shows a group of police officers in riot gear and gas masks surround a car being driven by a man with a woman in the passenger seat .
The officers pull the woman out and appear to use a stun gun on the man .
They use zip-tie handcuffs on the woman on the ground .
The couple did not appear to be fighting police .
TV reporters said the police had earlier broken glass on the car and flattened the tires .
Bottoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She said the man was released , too , and she ’ s ordering the charges against him dropped .
She didn ’ t specify what charges he faced .
She didn ’ t identify the students or the officers .
She said she ’ d delayed the news conference several hours to review all the body-camera footage because she and Shields wanted to be certain about what happened .
“ I really wanted to believe that the body-worn camera footage would provide some larger view that could better rationalize why we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ And having spent most of the afternoon with the mayor , reviewing the footage exhaustively , I knew that I had only one option , and that is to terminate the employees.
” Bottoms said she had spoken to leaders at Spelman College and Morehouse College , where she said the the young people were students .
She said she ’ d also spoken to representatives for the students but hadn ’ t yet spoken directly to them .
Shields offered an apology and said she knows the officers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Sometimes the best thing , the only thing you can do as a police chief is come in and clean up the mess that ’ s before you , ” Shields said .
“ When wrong is wrong , we have to , as law enforcement , start dealing with it in the same manner that we would deal with it with non-law enforcement , ” Shields said .
“ For some reason , we ’ ve fallen into a gray area where there ’ s a separate set of rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to get out of this space that we ’ re in now we have to change how we manage internally.
” Shields said she experienced a broad range of emotions as just a few hours before she saw the video , another of her officers was seriously injured .
A preliminary investigation indicates the officer was in an intersection on foot to block traffic from passing into an area where there were protesters when a person on an ATV approached at a high rate of speed and hit him .
The officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained in the intensive care unit Sunday evening , Shields said , adding that she hopes he ’ ll be able to walk again .
The ATV rider was taken into custody at the scene and to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries .
Police were investigating the cause of the collision .
Bottoms imposed a 9 p.m. curfew for Saturday and Sunday .
Gov .
Brian Kemp authorized up to 3,000 National Guard troops to be deployed in cities across the state to respond if needed to protests over the deaths of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastal Georgia .
Atlanta police said Sunday they had arrested more than 150 people as protesters threw rocks at officers and broke windows in the downtown area .
The curfew was initially imposed after demonstrations Friday night turned violent with people setting fires and smashing windows at businesses and restaurants .

ATLANTA (AP) - Two police officers have been fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during a protest arrest incident involving two college students, Atlanta’s mayor said Sunday.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a news conference that she and police Chief Erika Shields made the decision after reviewing body-camera footage of a Saturday night incident that first gained attention from video online and on local news.
“Use of excessive force is never acceptable,” Bottoms told reporters. Shields called the footage “really shocking to watch.”
Police on Sunday night identified the fired officers as Investigator Ivory Streeter, who was hired in December 2003, and Investigator Mark Gardner, who was hired in August 1997.
Bottoms said the woman, Taniyah Pilgrim, was released without charges. She said the man, Messiah Young, was released, too, and she’s ordering the charges against him dropped. She didn’t specify what charges he faced. A police report says Young was charged with attempting to elude police and driving with a suspended license.
Dramatic body camera video that police released Sunday night shows police taking another young man into custody in a downtown street alongside a line of stopped cars. The man is pleading with police to let him go, saying he didn’t do anything.
Young, sitting in the driver’s seat of a car stopped in the street holds up his phone, appearing to shoot video as an officer approaches and pulls the driver’s side door open. Young pulls the door shut and says repeatedly, “I’m not dying today.” He urges the officers to release the other man and let him get in the car as the dark sedan advances a bit.
The car gets stuck in traffic and officers run up to both sides of the car shouting orders. An officer uses a stun gun on Pilgrim as she’s trying to get out of the car and then officers pull her from the vehicle.
Another officer yells at Young to put the car in park and open the window. An officer repeatedly hits the driver’s side window with a baton, and another officer finally manages to break it.
As the glass shatters, an officer uses a stun gun on Young and officers pull him from the car as officers shout, “Get your hand out of your pockets,” and, “He got a gun. He got a gun. He got a gun.” Once he’s out of the car and on the ground, officers zip tie Young’s hands behind his back and lead him away.
Police reports do not list a gun as having been recovered.
The mayor said she had delayed the news conference several hours to review all the body-camera footage because she and Shields wanted to be certain about what happened.
“I really wanted to believe that the body-worn camera footage would provide some larger view that could better rationalize why we got to this space,” Shields said. “And having spent most of the afternoon with the mayor, reviewing the footage exhaustively, I knew that I had only one option, and that is to terminate the employees.”
Bottoms said she had spoken to leaders at Spelman College and Morehouse College, where she said the the young people were students. She said she’d also spoken to representatives for the students but hadn’t yet spoken directly to them.
Shields offered an apology and said she knows the officers’ behavior was unacceptable and caused further fear.
“Sometimes the best thing, the only thing you can do as a police chief is come in and clean up the mess that’s before you,” Shields said.
“When wrong is wrong, we have to, as law enforcement, start dealing with it in the same manner that we would deal with it with non-law enforcement,” Shields said. “For some reason, we’ve fallen into a gray area where there’s a separate set of rules for law enforcement, and if we want to get out of this space that we’re in now we have to change how we manage internally.”
Shields said she experienced a broad range of emotions as just a few hours before she saw the video, another of her officers was seriously injured. A preliminary investigation indicates the officer was in an intersection on foot to block traffic from passing into an area where there were protesters when a person on an ATV approached at a high rate of speed and hit him.
Officer Maximilian Brewer suffered significant injuries to his legs and remained in the intensive care unit Sunday evening, Shields said, adding that she hopes he’ll be able to walk again. The ATV rider was taken into custody at the scene and to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police on Sunday night identified the driver of the ATV as 42-year-old Avery Goggans. He has been charged with DUI, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, possession of marijuana and several other traffic charges, police Sgt. John Chafee said in an email.
Bottoms imposed a 9 p.m. curfew for Saturday and Sunday. Gov. Brian Kemp authorized up to 3,000 National Guard troops to be deployed in cities across the state to respond if needed to protests over the deaths of George Floyd in Minnesota and Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia.
Atlanta police said Sunday they had arrested more than 150 people as protesters threw rocks at officers and broke windows in the downtown area. The curfew was initially imposed after demonstrations Friday night turned violent with people setting fires and smashing windows at businesses and restaurants.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Keisha Bottoms, Atlanta mayor, police officers fired over excessive force use

ATLANTA – Atlanta ’ s mayor says two police officers have been fired and three placed on desk duty pending @ @ @ @ @ force during a protest incident Saturday night .
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a @ @ @ @ @ and police Chief Erika Shields made the decision after reviewing body-camera footage .
Shields called @ @ @ @ @ watch.
” Officials say the incident came to light via video that circulated online .
@ @ @ @ @ police officers in riot gear and gas masks surround a car being driven by a @ @ @ @ @ the passenger seat .
The officers pull the woman out and appear to use a @ @ @ @ @ .
They use zip-tie handcuffs on the woman on the ground .
Local reporters , @ @ @ @ @ incident , said the police had earlier broken the glass on the car .
A @ @ @ @ @ the tires .
The city is under curfew again Sunday night .

ATLANTA – Atlanta’s mayor says two police officers have been fired and three placed on desk duty pending review over excessive use of force during a protest incident Saturday night.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a news conference Sunday that she and police Chief Erika Shields made the decision after reviewing body-camera footage. Shields called it “really shocking to watch.”
Officials say the incident came to light via video that circulated online.
It shows a group of police officers in riot gear and gas masks surround a car being driven by a man with a woman in the passenger seat. The officers pull the woman out and appear to use a stun gun on the man. They use zip-tie handcuffs on the woman on the ground.
Local reporters, who captured footage of the incident, said the police had earlier broken the glass on the car. A reporter said police also flattened the tires.
The city is under curfew again Sunday night.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Inside the Beltway: Journalists on riot duty

Journalists have been in harm ’ s way before .
They were embedded with the U.S. military in recent wartime conflicts , most notably in Iraq and Afghanistan .
Some 800 journalists went to Afghanistan in fact , toting gas masks and learning to report on that war for better or worse .
Some members of the media were asked by the Pentagon to attend a military-style boot camp to prepare them to cover a war in Iraq , this after troops complained of having to wait for “ flabby , unfit journalists to keep up with them , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , the news organization noted that “ would-be war correspondents ” learned how to board helicopters carrying their own gear , take a 5-kilometer tactical road march and get friendly with “ survival-level navigation skills.
” Which brings us to journalists now on riot duty following George Floyd ’ s death a deeply disturbing event that sparked rioting in some 27 major cities in the last 72 hours .
Journalists have been both attacked and arrested — prompting the Society of Professional Journalists to speak up .
Based in Indianapolis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists .
On Sunday , the group sent an open letter on behalf of journalists to both police and protestors , asking them to “ please let us do our jobs ” as public unrest continues .
“ Let us not forget , reporters , producers , videographers and photographers are humans too .
Trying to make a living .
Trying to flesh out the truth .
We should not be put in any danger for doing our jobs .
As you well know , journalists have a constitutional right to cover these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know what is happening in their backyards , ” the organization said .
“ Please do not target , intimidate , humiliate or block our efforts from reporting the news during this historic time .
Before taking any aggressive actions toward us , take a moment , take a breath , and decide to do the right thing and let us do our jobs , ” the group advised .
Many Republicans and conservatives wonder how many barriers will be thrown at President Trump and his administration as the election nears , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news media or canny political strategists .
It just might be all for naught , however .
“ President Trump ’ s prospects of winning a second term in office will be closely tied to the level of his job approval rating .
Historically , all incumbents with an approval rating of 50 % or higher have won reelection , and presidents with approval ratings much lower than 50 % have lost , ” writes Gallup analyst Jeffrey M. Jones .
And ?
Gallup ’ s current job approval rating for Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the president ’ s 1,409th day in office in mid-May .
Meanwhile , George Floyd ’ s death continues to resonate around the nation for many reasons , some of them faith-based .
“ Violent demonstrators from Minneapolis to Atlanta continue to storm city streets in the worst nationwide breakout of civil disobedience in decades , while in the middle of a global pandemic over the novel Wuhan coronavirus , ” writes Tristan Justice , a staff writer at The Federalist .
“ As churches remain shut down in much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the ruthless rioting paid no mind to the ongoing public health emergency that has prompted large-scale lockdowns changing modern life as we know it and wrecking the world economy in the process , ” Mr. Justice notes .
Attorney General William Barr now cites the influence of anarchists and “ groups of outside radicals and agitators ” in what should have been peaceful protests following the aforementioned death of George Floyd .
“ Our existing laws , at both the federal and state levels , are more than adequate to the task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Justice Department and the FBI , including the bureau ’ s Joint Terrorism Task Forces ( partnerships with police authorities in major cities throughout the country ) , are highly experienced and adept in this area , and they have the resources to get the job done , ” writes Fox News contributor Andrew McCarthy , in an essay .
“ The job needs doing .
The ravaging of our major cities right now is a violation of the rights of peace-loving Americans , both those who are legitimately exercising their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who are going about their lives expecting the governmental protection to which the Constitution entitles them , ” Mr. McCarthy continues .
“ For society to flourish , the rule of law must assert itself .
Justice must be done , which means bringing anti-American domestic terrorists to heel .
Rioters can and will do immense damage if , as some foolishly suggest , we wait for them to exhaust themselves .
The failure to confront radicals only increases their energy and appetite to do harm .
Order does not happen spontaneously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the laws , ” he concludes .
Quarantines and social distancing continue as usual .
Consumer culture and advertising related to the coronavirus pandemic are evolving , however .
“ I ’ ve noticed that the TV commercials have gone from lachrymose , piano-dribbling quarantine themes to something more open and optimistic , ” writes Glenn Reynolds , founder of Instapundit , the political and culture news site .
• 60 % of likely Democratic voters say it is important for presidential hopeful Joseph R. Biden ’ s running mate to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic voters favor Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California as his running mate .
• 12 % favor former Georgia gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams , 9 % want “ some other candidate.
” • 8 % favor both Michael R. Bloomberg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota ; 6 % favor Pete Buttigieg .
Source : A Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 likely U.S. voters conducted May 26-27 .
Respondents were given a list of running mates to choose from .

NEWS AND OPINION:
Journalists have been in harm’s way before. They were embedded with the U.S. military in recent wartime conflicts, most notably in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some 800 journalists went to Afghanistan in fact, toting gas masks and learning to report on that war for better or worse. Some members of the media were asked by the Pentagon to attend a military-style boot camp to prepare them to cover a war in Iraq, this after troops complained of having to wait for “flabby, unfit journalists to keep up with them,” noted The Guardian in 2002.
At the time, the news organization noted that “would-be war correspondents” learned how to board helicopters carrying their own gear, take a 5-kilometer tactical road march and get friendly with “survival-level navigation skills.”
Which brings us to journalists now on riot duty following George Floyd‘s death a deeply disturbing event that sparked rioting in some 27 major cities in the last 72 hours. Journalists have been both attacked and arrested — prompting the Society of Professional Journalists to speak up. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, the organization represents about 6,000 journalists. On Sunday, the group sent an open letter on behalf of journalists to both police and protestors, asking them to “please let us do our jobs” as public unrest continues.
“Let us not forget, reporters, producers, videographers and photographers are humans too. Trying to make a living. Trying to flesh out the truth. We should not be put in any danger for doing our jobs. As you well know, journalists have a constitutional right to cover these stories and the public has a right to know what is happening in their backyards,” the organization said.
“Please do not target, intimidate, humiliate or block our efforts from reporting the news during this historic time. Before taking any aggressive actions toward us, take a moment, take a breath, and decide to do the right thing and let us do our jobs,” the group advised.
THE NUMBERS WARM UP
Many Republicans and conservatives wonder how many barriers will be thrown at President Trump and his administration as the election nears, including push-back and challenges delivered by the news media or canny political strategists. It just might be all for naught, however.
“President Trump’s prospects of winning a second term in office will be closely tied to the level of his job approval rating. Historically, all incumbents with an approval rating of 50% or higher have won reelection, and presidents with approval ratings much lower than 50% have lost,” writes Gallup analyst Jeffrey M. Jones.
And? Gallup’s current job approval rating for Mr. Trump now stands at 49% — as of the president’s 1,409th day in office in mid-May.
A BRIEF REALITY CHECK
Meanwhile, George Floyd‘s death continues to resonate around the nation for many reasons, some of them faith-based.
“Violent demonstrators from Minneapolis to Atlanta continue to storm city streets in the worst nationwide breakout of civil disobedience in decades, while in the middle of a global pandemic over the novel Wuhan coronavirus,” writes Tristan Justice, a staff writer at The Federalist.
“As churches remain shut down in much of the country for the sake of social distancing, the ruthless rioting paid no mind to the ongoing public health emergency that has prompted large-scale lockdowns changing modern life as we know it and wrecking the world economy in the process,” Mr. Justice notes.
LEGAL EAGLE
Attorney General William Barr now cites the influence of anarchists and “groups of outside radicals and agitators” in what should have been peaceful protests following the aforementioned death of George Floyd.
Mr. Barr prompted one thoughtful observer to make a recommendation.
“Our existing laws, at both the federal and state levels, are more than adequate to the task of dealing with terrorism and seditionist violence. The Justice Department and the FBI, including the bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces (partnerships with police authorities in major cities throughout the country), are highly experienced and adept in this area, and they have the resources to get the job done,” writes Fox News contributor Andrew McCarthy, in an essay.
“The job needs doing. The ravaging of our major cities right now is a violation of the rights of peace-loving Americans, both those who are legitimately exercising their First Amendment rights to protest, and those who are going about their lives expecting the governmental protection to which the Constitution entitles them,” Mr. McCarthy continues.
“For society to flourish, the rule of law must assert itself. Justice must be done, which means bringing anti-American domestic terrorists to heel. Rioters can and will do immense damage if, as some foolishly suggest, we wait for them to exhaust themselves. The failure to confront radicals only increases their energy and appetite to do harm. Order does not happen spontaneously. It takes a commitment to enforce the laws,” he concludes.
CORONAVIRUS CULTURE: MAKING HEADWAY
Quarantines and social distancing continue as usual. Consumer culture and advertising related to the coronavirus pandemic are evolving, however.
“I’ve noticed that the TV commercials have gone from lachrymose, piano-dribbling quarantine themes to something more open and optimistic,” writes Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit, the political and culture news site.
POLL DU JOUR
• 60% of likely Democratic voters say it is important for presidential hopeful Joseph R. Biden‘s running mate to be a woman.
• 18% of likely Democratic voters favor Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California as his running mate.
• 17% favor Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, 14% favor Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
• 12% favor former Georgia gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams, 9% want “some other candidate.”
• 8% favor both Michael R. Bloomberg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; 6% favor Pete Buttigieg.
Source: A Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 likely U.S. voters conducted May 26-27. Respondents were given a list of running mates to choose from.
• Helpful information to jharper@washingtontimes.com
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-05-31--Liga to resume with Real Madrid playing at training center

MADRID ( AP ) - The Spanish league is resuming in less than two weeks with Real Madrid playing its games at the club ’ s training center .
Madrid will host Eibar on June 14 at the 6,000-capacity Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium , a venue used mostly by the club ’ s “ B ” team at the Ciudad Real Madrid center on the city ’ s outskirts .
Madrid is not stopping renovation work at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium as all remaining league games are likely to be played without fans because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times of the first two rounds of matches to be played after the competition was stopped mid-March because of the pandemic .
The first game will be the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis on June 11 at 10 p.m. local time ( 2000 GMT ) .
Defending champion Barcelona , which has a two-point lead over Real Madrid after 27 rounds , will resume at Mallorca on June 13 , while Atlético Madrid visits Athletic Bilbao the following day .
The league has announced that every game will include an “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ heroes who are fighting to overcome ” the pandemic .
Pre-recorded applause uploaded in videos by fans will be played in the 20th minute of matches .
“ We have created this initiative to help fans be a part of La Liga ’ s return and also as an opportunity for them to show their support for the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic , ” said league president Javier Tebas , who gave his weekly interview to league broadcaster Movistar on Sunday .
“ We want them to feel close to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in the stadiums cheering them on , and for players to feel the support of their fans.
” Most games will be played late in the day to take into account high temperatures in Spain , but some will be brought forward based on favorable weather forecasts .
There will be a couple of matches at 1 p.m. local time in the first weekend .
The second division will resume June 11 with the second half of the game between Rayo Vallecano and Albacete , which was suspended at halftime in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subjected to Nazi taunts by opposing fans .
The match was tied 0-0 .
Clubs in the first and second divisions are scheduled to begin full squad training on Monday .

MADRID (AP) - The Spanish league is resuming in less than two weeks with Real Madrid playing its games at the club’s training center.
Madrid will host Eibar on June 14 at the 6,000-capacity Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium, a venue used mostly by the club’s “B” team at the Ciudad Real Madrid center on the city’s outskirts.
Madrid is not stopping renovation work at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium as all remaining league games are likely to be played without fans because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The league on Sunday confirmed the dates and times of the first two rounds of matches to be played after the competition was stopped mid-March because of the pandemic. The first game will be the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis on June 11 at 10 p.m. local time (2000 GMT).
Defending champion Barcelona, which has a two-point lead over Real Madrid after 27 rounds, will resume at Mallorca on June 13, while Atlético Madrid visits Athletic Bilbao the following day.
The league has announced that every game will include an “applause to infinity” tribute to the “heroes who are fighting to overcome” the pandemic. Pre-recorded applause uploaded in videos by fans will be played in the 20th minute of matches.
“We have created this initiative to help fans be a part of La Liga’s return and also as an opportunity for them to show their support for the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said league president Javier Tebas, who gave his weekly interview to league broadcaster Movistar on Sunday. “We want them to feel close to their team, even if they cannot be in the stadiums cheering them on, and for players to feel the support of their fans.”
Most games will be played late in the day to take into account high temperatures in Spain, but some will be brought forward based on favorable weather forecasts. There will be a couple of matches at 1 p.m. local time in the first weekend.
The second division will resume June 11 with the second half of the game between Rayo Vallecano and Albacete, which was suspended at halftime in December after Ukrainian Roman Zozulia of Albacete was subjected to Nazi taunts by opposing fans. The match was tied 0-0.
Clubs in the first and second divisions are scheduled to begin full squad training on Monday.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--Semi driver arrested after rolling into Minneapolis protest

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) - The driver of a semitrailer who rolled into the midst of thousands of people marching on a closed Minneapolis freeway over the death of George Floyd has been arrested on suspicion of assault , authorities said .
It appeared no one was hurt Sunday , authorities said , but some witnesses said a handful of people who were on Interstate 35W near downtown Minneapolis sought medical attention on their own .
Authorities said they could not confirm that .
“ He wasn ’ t stopping .
He was beeping loudly and driving into a crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a special education teacher , told the Star Tribune .
“ That ’ s the same kind of malice that brought us here .
It ’ s a callous disregard for someone ’ s humanity.
” The freeway was among many shut down in the Minneapolis area for the second night in a row as officials imposed an 8 p.m. curfew and sought to make it more difficult for protesters to move around .
Minneapolis has been the center of protests - some peaceful , some violent - for days over the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died last week after a white Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into his neck as he pleaded for air , and ignored his “ I can ’ t breathe ” cries .
Bystander video showed the crowd parting seconds before the semi rolled through , then the tanker truck gradually slowed and demonstrators swarmed the truck .
“ Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W , inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators , ” the state patrol tweeted .
The driver was taken to a hospital for injuries after being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly released and was in police custody on probable cause for assault .
In a Sunday evening news conference , Gov .
Tim Walz described footage of the truck driving into the crowd as a “ horrifying image ” and said that it underscores the “ volatile ” nature of the situation .
“ I don ’ t know the motives of the driver at this point in time , ” he said .
“ But at this point in time to not have tragedy and many deaths is an amazing thing.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that between 5,000 and 6,000 people were on the bridge at the time , and it initially appeared from traffic camera footage that the semitrailer was already on the freeway before barricades were set up at 5 p.m. State Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell said at a later briefing , however , that the truck went around a traffic barrier to stay on the road .
Officer Derek Chauvin , and the three others who were arresting Floyd .
have been fired but only Chauvin has been charged .
He faces counts of third-degree @ @ @ @

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The driver of a semitrailer who rolled into the midst of thousands of people who had gathered on a closed Minneapolis freeway to protest George Floyd’s death was apparently confused and didn’t mean to injure anyone, Gov. Tim Walz said Monday.
It appeared no one was hurt Sunday, authorities said, but some witnesses said a handful of people who were on Interstate 35W near downtown Minneapolis sought medical attention on their own. Authorities said they could not confirm that.
“He wasn’t stopping. He was beeping loudly and driving into a crowd of people,” Drew Valle, a special education teacher, told the Star Tribune. “That’s the same kind of malice that brought us here. It’s a callous disregard for someone’s humanity.”
Walz said Monday he was “breathless” as he watched the scene unfold and he thought he was going to see “dozens or hundreds” of people killed. But he said preliminary information suggests the driver somehow got ahead of traffic officials as they were closing the freeway down in sections. He noted the driver braked as he rolled past protesters.
“The driver was frustrated,” Walz said. “They close in sections and he got ahead of people.”
Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said traffic cameras show the driver was already on the freeway before it was closed.
“From what we can tell in our interviews, we have not had any information that makes this seem like this was an intentional act,” Harrington said. “It wasn’t that he went around barricades to get at the protest.”
The freeway was among many shut down in the Minneapolis area for the second night in a row as officials imposed an 8 p.m. curfew and sought to make it more difficult for protesters to move around. Minneapolis has been the center of protests - some peaceful, some violent - for days over the death of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died last week after a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee into Floyd’s neck as he pleaded for air and cried “I can’t breathe.”
Bystander video showed the crowd parting seconds before the semi rolled through, then the tanker truck gradually slowed and demonstrators swarmed the truck.
Harrington said Sunday that between 5,000 and 6,000 people were on the bridge at the time, and it initially appeared from traffic camera footage that the semitrailer was already on the freeway before barricades were set up at 5 p.m.
The driver was taken to a hospital for injuries after being pulled from the cab, but was quickly released and was in police custody on probable cause for assault.
Officer Derek Chauvin and the three others who were arresting Floyd have been fired but only Chauvin has been charged. He faces counts of third-degree murder and manslaughter.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--Park rangers discover human remains on North Carolina island

HARKERS ISLAND , N.C. ( AP ) - Authorities in North Carolina are trying to identify human remains that were @ @ @ @ @ Sunday afternoon , according to officials .
Cape Lookout National Seashore rangers found the remains @ @ @ @ @ Banks , news outlets quoted the seashore ’ s superintendent as saying .
The remains @ @ @ @ @ medical examiner ’ s office , the National Park Service said in a statement Sunday @ @ @ @ @ comment further .

HARKERS ISLAND, N.C. (AP) - Authorities in North Carolina are trying to identify human remains that were discovered on a barrier island Sunday afternoon, according to officials.
Cape Lookout National Seashore rangers found the remains around 3:30 p.m. on Shackleford Banks, news outlets quoted the seashore’s superintendent as saying.
The remains were turned over to the medical examiner’s office, the National Park Service said in a statement Sunday.
The agency did not comment further.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--Louisville chief: Police and National Guard enforcing curfew fatally shot a man after someone in a g

LOUISVILLE , Ky. ( AP ) - Louisville chief : Police and National Guard enforcing curfew fatally shot a man @ @ @ @ @ fired at them .

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Louisville chief: Police and National Guard enforcing curfew fatally shot a man after someone in a group fired at them.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--Vermont's Smuggler's Notch briefly closed due to rock slide

CAMBRIDGE , Vt. ( AP ) - Vermont Route 108 through Smugglers Notch is open for traffic again after a @ @ @ @ @ boulder in the roadway .
The slide , which took place about noon on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ but there were no injuries .
Police closed the highway that links Stowe and Cambridge @ @ @ @ @ Cones were placed around the boulder that fell partially into the travel lane .
There @ @ @ @ @ on how highway crews plan to move the boulder out of the roadway .

CAMBRIDGE, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Route 108 through Smugglers Notch is open for traffic again after a rock slide deposited a giant boulder in the roadway.
The slide, which took place about noon on Sunday, damaged several cars, but there were no injuries.
Police closed the highway that links Stowe and Cambridge for about an hour. Cones were placed around the boulder that fell partially into the travel lane.
There’s no immediate word on how highway crews plan to move the boulder out of the roadway.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--National Guard deployed as Philadelphia protest turn violent

PHILADELPHIA ( AP ) - National Guard members remained in place early Monday in Philadelphia to protect city hall and @ @ @ @ @ a day after officials closed off many areas after peaceful protests over George Floyd ’ @ @ @ @ @ night of destruction .
Store windows were smashed Sunday night near City Hall , merchandise @ @ @ @ @ police and other vehicles and structures were set afire .
City leaders said dozens of @ @ @ @ @ that looters overwhelmed police , at times out numbering them 10 to one .
People @ @ @ @ @ stores in Northeast Philadelphia , well outside the city center , and emerging with merchandise @ @ @ @ @ a predominantly black neighborhood also far from the city center , police fired tear gas @ @ @ @ @ from at least one store with goods and other police cars were ablaze or otherwise @ @ @ @ @ scene shows people smashing police car windows , rifling through the empty vehicles and pushing @ @ @ @ @

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Hundreds of people protesting the police treatment of black people spilled onto an interstate highway in the heart of Philadelphia on Monday afternoon just before a curfew took effect, leading law enforcement to fire nonlethal bullets and tear gas and halting traffic during the evening rush hour.
The crowds on Interstate 676 also led to the closure of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, the main link from downtown Philadelphia to New Jersey suburbs. Some climbed a steep embankment and scaled a fence as police acted.
More than two dozen were arrested as a few hundred other protesters moved to block the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a grand thoroughfare leading from downtown to the city’s imposing art museum.
The confrontation came after the National Guard stationed vehicles outside City Hall and other downtown buildings, officials curtailed public transit, and city leaders put a curfew in effect for a third day Monday after a weekend of destruction that led to over 400 arrests.
A few hundred protesters were forced down Benjamin Franklin Parkway toward City Hall after the interstate demonstration. Many went to the Police Department headquarters known as the Round House on Arch Street, where a line of National Guard members and police officers stood watch on the stairs.
Shortly before 7 p.m., a little more than half decided to take a knee as a sign to protesters. Many cheered and video taped the officers on one knee at the top of the stairs. Afterward, many of the protesters left, but others unsure of what to do, slowly milled about outside the station.
The Monday curfew was 6 p.m., the same as the day before and two hours earlier than Saturday. The city closed most services and business in the center city, including a noon shutdown of all downtown bus, trolley and subway stops.
Several videos posted on social media showed a group of mostly men walking through the Fishtown neighborhood, armed with bats. They said they were there to defend themselves from people stealing from businesses, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The crowd, also made up of neighbors arguing with the group, left after receiving a final warning from police, the newspaper said.
Protesters - like others across the country, inspired by the death last week of George Floyd, a black man who was pinned by a Minneapolis officer who put his knee on the handcuffed man’s neck - chanted “Let him go” after an arrest that was captured in videos posted online as relations between a crowd and police near Philadelphia’s convention center grew tense.
On a call with governors Monday before the confrontation on the interstate, President Donald Trump singled out Philadelphia, where as of Monday morning destruction had been on par with that in some other major cities.
“Philadelphia is a mess. Philadelphia, what happened there is horrible. And that was on television. They’re breaking into stores and nobody showed up to even stop them,” Trump said.
Mayor Jim Kenney responded, saying Trump has not been helpful during the protests. Kenney also said he wasn’t prepared to speculate on whether the protests and their aftermath would change the city’s plan to ease restrictions on businesses and other stay-at-home-orders by entering into the state’s “yellow phase” of coronavirus recovery Friday.
“I’m not saying no, but I’m not saying yes either,” Kenney said.
About 50 National Guard members arrived in the city early Monday, and about 50 more were expected soon, U.S. Attorney William McSwain said.
Protests also erupted across the state, including in Lancaster, Erie, Reading, Chambersburg and Bethlehem.
Lancaster officials said Monday that they had evidence white nationalists had instigated the violence at a weekend rally there that had a few instances of bottles of cayenne pepper and other projectiles thrown at police.
McSwain’s office is investigating whether any crimes would fall under his federal jurisdiction, he and U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican, said at a news conference.
“We are looking into who are the real agitators,” McSwain said.
Police in Erie charged eight people after attacks on police and attempts to set fires at three downtown businesses Saturday.
The Erie Times-News reported that assaults or attempted assaults on police involved bricks, frozen water bottles, fireworks and a Molotov cocktail.
In Philadelphia, a fire late Sunday that appeared to have started at a Rent-A-Center in the Kensington neighborhood caused parts of several stores and apartment buildings to collapse, Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said.
Nearly two dozen police officers were injured over two nights, including one who was hit by a fleeing vehicle and is hospitalized with broken ribs and a broken arm, said John McNesby, president of a Philadelphia police union.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said police made 429 arrests from Saturday to early Monday, a number expected to grow. The city normally gets about 3,000 calls for police service, Kenney said, but got about 18,000 on Sunday.
“We have been sitting on a powder keg for some time and it has burst,” Outlaw said.
___
Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo and Marc Levy in Harrisburg contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--NJ cities lift curfews imposed after protests turn violent

TRENTON , N.J. ( AP ) - Curfews that were imposed in New Jersey ’ s capital city and Atlantic @ @ @ @ @ over the death of George Floyd later devolved into violence were lifted Monday morning , @ @ @ @ @ were reported in the disturbances Sunday night , but authorities said there were instances of @ @ @ @ @ .
It wasn ’ t clear how many arrests were made overall .
Speaking at @ @ @ @ @ Trenton Police Director Sheilah Coley said the the destruction would not bring back Floyd and @ @ @ @ @ city eager to attract more businesses .
Floyd , a black man , died Monday @ @ @ @ @ officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing .
Protests have rocked @ @ @ @ @ with nightfall continually bringing a break in peaceful activity .

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Good Samaritans carrying brooms, dustpans and shop vacuums joined hired crews Monday in New Jersey’s capital to clear broken glass and other debris after vandalism and looting followed protests of the Minneapolis death of George Floyd.
A similar effort took place in Atlantic City, where young people from a church helped clear a shopping district that saw smashed windows and looting.
Chris DeLeon, 34, of Trenton, carried a push broom and said he arrived at 8 a.m. with dozens of other people to sweep up broken glass.
At least three banks downtown, along with other business, had windows smashed. DeLeon said he attended the protest and saw live videos showing the vandalism after he left. He decided to come back to help clean.
“It just goes to show there’s at least as many good people as there are other folks out there,” he said.
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small apologized to businesses for vandalism and looting that affected more than 20 businesses Sunday, most of them in The Walk, a shopping district.
Seventeen people were arrested in connection with the looting, the mayor said, and six were Atlantic City residents.
Small imposed a 7 p.m. curfew for the coming week. Trenton also has a 7 p.m. curfew, which lifts at 6 a.m.
The violence is unacceptable, Small said.
“You can’t go anyplace else and do that,” he said. “You can’t go anywhere else and have people accept that.”
Teenagers from a church were among those helping clean up vandalism, Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz said.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora toured the West State Street business corridor Monday morning and said police determined some of the vandals were from out of town. But he also called on young people in Trenton to take responsibility.
“This is definitely a step backward,” he said. “Yesterday was also peaceful for the most part. A productive dialog took place, but then once it turned dark, things go ugly. We had agitators from out of town who should have stayed out of town, and unfortunately we have a lot of youth from Trenton that have to take ownership of the damage downtown.”
No injuries were reported in the disturbances Sunday night in Atlantic City and Trenton.
State Police Superintendent Col. Pat Callahan said there were 27 arrests in Trenton related to the vandalism and 12 in Atlantic City. It’s unclear why state police reported a different figure than Atlantic City officials.
There were 28 protests stemming from Floyd’s death over the weekend in New Jersey, and only those in Trenton and Atlantic City ended with vandalism.
Floyd, a black man who was in handcuffs at the time, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer kept a knee pressed on his neck even after he had stopped breathing. Protests have rocked U.S. communities ever since, with nightfall discontinuing peaceful activity.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--Melvin Carter, St. Paul mayor: Accountability needed for four officers 'responsible' for George Floy

St. Paul , Minneapolis , Mayor Melvin Carter on Monday said he ’ s not sure why all four police officers he said were responsible for George Floyd ’ s death last week are not yet facing criminal charges .
Mr. Carter said the focus should be on the death of Floyd , a black man who died while in police custody last week after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes and whose death has sparked nationwide protests .
“ All four of those officers who [ were ] responsible for his killing , as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are complicit and should be held accountable , ” he said .
Mr. Carter said he ’ s not an attorney but that based on video of the incident , he ’ s not sure why the other three officers have not been charged .
In an interview that aired on CNN Sunday evening , Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo suggested that all four officers involved were complicit .
“ Being silent or not intervening , to me , you ’ re complicit , ” Chief Arredondo said .
“ So I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any different .
… Mr. Floyd died in our hands , and so I see that as being complicit.
” Derek Chauvin , the former officer , was charged on Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter .
The other three officers at the scene have also been fired and could face charges .
“ We have deep work to do to address this systemic racism that exists in our community , ” Mr. Carter said .

St. Paul, Minneapolis, Mayor Melvin Carter on Monday said he’s not sure why all four police officers he said were responsible for George Floyd’s death last week are not yet facing criminal charges.
Mr. Carter said the focus should be on the death of Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody last week after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes and whose death has sparked nationwide protests.
“All four of those officers who [were] responsible for his killing, as the Minneapolis police chief has now said, are complicit and should be held accountable,” he said.
Mr. Carter said he’s not an attorney but that based on video of the incident, he’s not sure why the other three officers have not been charged.
In an interview that aired on CNN Sunday evening, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo suggested that all four officers involved were complicit.
“Being silent or not intervening, to me, you’re complicit,” Chief Arradondo said. “So I don’t see a level of distinction any different. … Mr. Floyd died in our hands, and so I see that as being complicit.”
Derek Chauvin, the former officer, was charged on Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The other three officers at the scene have also been fired and could face charges.
“We have deep work to do to address this systemic racism that exists in our community,” Mr. Carter said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--Curfews issued in Florida as peaceful protests turn violent

MIAMI ( AP ) - Police officers fired tear gas on demonstrators who temporarily blocked Interstate 4 in downtown Orlando on Sunday night as several cities and counties across Florida issued nighttime curfews to curb the large crowds gathering to protest the latest killings of black people by police .
In Miami-Dade , the state ’ s most populous county , Mayor Carlos Gimenez said he would postpone the reopening of the county ’ s beaches , which had been scheduled to reopen on Monday for the first time since March when they were closed to stem the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfews would continue until the threats of protests turning violent subside .
In Miami , Fort Lauderdale , West Palm Beach , Jacksonville , Orlando and Tampa , peaceful protests turned more violent at times over the weekend , with some people throwing objects at law enforcement officers dressed in riot gear .
At times , police used tear gas to back the crowds up .
Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina said during a Sunday news conference that just 13 of the 57 people arrested live in the city of Miami .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of letting someone from outside suck you in to destroy our city , ” he said .
But Miami-Dade Department of Corrections records show 30 of those arrested have Miami-Dade County addresses .
Eleven others were from South Florida ’ s Broward and Palm Beach counties , while seven were listed as non-Florida residents and six were homeless .
“ It ’ s important to understand that just because their drivers license says one address , doesn ’ t mean they live there , ” corrections spokesman Juan Diasgranados told the Miami Herald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an address registered out of state and be going to school down here.
” Protesters were demanding justice for George Floyd , a black man who died after pleading for air as a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed a knee on his neck last week .
The officer was charged , but that hasn ’ t stemmed the protests happening in cities nationwide .
Many protests were largely peaceful across the state Sunday with thousands gathering in Daytona Beach , Jacksonville , Stuart and Tampa .
Some organizers intensified efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Tampa , Black Lives Matter organizers had nearly 100 safety marshals in fluorescent vests patrolling their march , trained in de-escalation tactics and ordered to be on the lookout for antagonists .
The group also had medics , used walkie-talkies to quickly squelch outbursts .
“ We wanted to be able to provide a safe space for their voice and rage to be heard within a controlled environment .
It ’ s part of their amendment rights for them to be able to express themselves , ” said Chaikirah Parker , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veteran activist said they purposely held the event early Sunday , despite sweltering heat , because it brought a more peaceful demographic .

FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) - Fort Lauderdale police suspended an officer after video showed he pushed a kneeling black woman to the ground during protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, escalating a clash where bottles were thrown and tear gas was fired.
Also in Fort Lauderdale, the state attorney’s office fired a prosecutor Monday for calling demonstrators “animals” at the zoo in a quickly deleted Facebook post.
In the officer’s case, colleagues quickly pushed him away from the woman and down the street Sunday. Police and city officials said it happened as a peaceful demonstration attended by about 1,000 people was dispersing, and smaller groups broke some store windows and sprayed graffiti.
Police Chief Rick Maglione did not defend the actions of Officer Steven Pohorence, but said Monday that Pohorence pushed the woman after he and other officers had just rescued one colleague who had become surrounded and another from a patrol car that people began jumping on.
Maglione said Pohorence’s actions will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement before an internal investigation is conducted.
Maglione said he understands why some believe the shove provoked the crowd to throw bottles, but he said there were people in the crowd with bricks, bottles, fireworks and other weapons who were hoping to start a fight with officers.
“I don’t think (Pohorence’s) action created what occurred,” the chief said. But he said Pohorence’s actions “could have added to what was going on,” and he commended Officer Krystle Smith who pushed Pohorence away from the woman.
“She did what you are supposed to do: When you see either adrenaline or emotion or some kind of interaction going south … that is our job to do, is intervene,” he said. Police declined to make Smith available for an interview Monday.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he felt the Pohorence’s actions were “offensive,” and he’s happy the department has suspended him.
Demonstrator Samantha Sweeting Davis said she didn’t see the shove, but heard yelling, then saw about six police cars arrive with sirens on. Then she saw bottles being thrown at officers, heard an explosion, and tear gas burned her eyes and throat.
It was upsetting to see that kind of behavior from an officer who is supposed to “protect and serve,” the 29-year-old high school counselor from Fort Lauderdale said. “Suspension is a great first step, but honestly I want to see the officer de-badged.”
The Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents the city’s officers, declined comment Monday.
Meanwhile, the State Attorney’s Office in Broward County, fired prosecutor Amy Bloom for writing on Facebook: “Act civilized and maybe things will change. I’ve never seen such animals except at the zoo.” She said her description applied to protesters regardless of race. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Bloom quickly deleted the post, but someone copied it and it eventually reached her bosses.
The State Attorney’s Office confirmed the firing in a statement, saying her views are “entirely inconsistent” with its “ideals and principles.”
Bloom said Monday on Facebook that she realized the post could be misinterpreted, deleted it within seconds and that “I believe in justice for all and that ALL lives matter.”
A curfew remains in effect in Broward County.
Elsewhere in Florida, mostly peaceful protests were held over the weekend, but some Miami police cars were burned and storefronts damaged. That led Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez to postpone Monday’s reopening of the county’s beaches after a coronavirus shutdown.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that 700 national guard troops and 1,300 Florida Highway Patrol troopers are being deployed to help local law enforcement.
“Florida has zero tolerance for violence, rioting and looting. George Floyd’s murder was appalling, and the Minnesota perpetrators need to be brought to justice, but this cannot be used as a pretext for violence in our Florida communities,” DeSantis said in a statement to media and on Twitter.
In Orlando, Police Chief Orlando Rolon said Monday that officers had to fire tear gas Sunday night after some demonstrators started throwing objects found at a highway construction site. He said his officers made 30 arrests Sunday night, including some who broke into stores.
At one point during Sunday’s protests, Rolon and Orange County Sheriff John Mina knelt in solidarity with protesters outside the Orlando Police Department.
In Tampa on Monday, six members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity prayed outside two businesses, Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant and Champs Sports, that were destroyed by arson on Saturday.
Pastor James Gallon said the people who were destructive were from elsewhere.
“Then they leave and drive away on the interstate,” he said.
___
Associated Press reporters Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami; Freida Frisaro Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Tamara Lush in Tampa, Florida; and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed to this report.


washingtontimes--2020-06-01--Jeh Johnson: Donald Trump lacks authority to designate Antifa as a terrorist group

Jeh Johnson , former President Barack Obama ’ s homeland security secretary , on Monday said President Trump doesn ’ t have the authority to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization .
“ First of all , Antifa is a movement — it is not a discernible group of people , ” Mr. Johnson said on CNN .
“ Second , the State Department has the authority to designate a foreign terrorist organization as such , like al Qaeda or the Islamic State , which brings about all sorts of sanctions and other things.
” “ But there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or the Constitution to designate a domestic movement as a terrorist organization , ” he said .
Mr. Johnson also said the president does not have “ unlimited powers ” “ to unleash the military here in the United States to make arrests.
” Mr. Trump on Sunday had said the U.S. would designate Antifa , the left-wing anti-fascist street movement , as a terrorist group amid widespread protests following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minnesota while in police custody .
Attorney General William P. Barr on Sunday said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been “ hijacked ” by “ violent radical elements.
” “ The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly , ” Mr. Barr said .

Jeh Johnson, former President Barack Obama’s homeland security secretary, on Monday said President Trump doesn’t have the authority to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization.
“First of all, Antifa is a movement — it is not a discernible group of people,” Mr. Johnson said on CNN. “Second, the State Department has the authority to designate a foreign terrorist organization as such, like al Qaeda or the Islamic State, which brings about all sorts of sanctions and other things.”
“But there is no legal authority in the United States Code or the Constitution to designate a domestic movement as a terrorist organization,” he said.
Mr. Johnson also said the president does not have “unlimited powers” “to unleash the military here in the United States to make arrests.”
Mr. Trump on Sunday had said the U.S. would designate Antifa, the left-wing anti-fascist street movement, as a terrorist group amid widespread protests following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minnesota while in police custody.
Attorney General William P. Barr on Sunday said the voices of peaceful and legitimate protests have been “hijacked” by “violent radical elements.”
SEE ALSO: Donald Trump: U.S. to designate Antifa as terrorist organization
“The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly,” Mr. Barr said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.