freebeacon--2020-07-17--Iran Threatens War With Israel as Mysterious Explosions Rock Iranian Nuke Sites

Iranian military leaders on Friday issued fresh threats against Israel amid a series of mysterious explosions at Iranian nuclear and military sites that many believe were conducted by the Jewish state .
Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi , spokesman for Iran 's armed forces , lashed out at Israel in new remarks , threatening the country with catastrophic military attacks .
`` We warn the Zionist liars and their puppeteers that if they continue their prattle , they will see the upper hand of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the resistance front in action , '' Shekarchi was quoted as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The threats were issued on the heels of several explosions across Tehran targeting the country 's military and nuclear infrastructure .
While no one has claimed responsibility for the strikes , which Iranian officials have tried to dismiss as accidents , regional experts say Israel is likely responsible .
At least one of the explosions hit a facility known to house Iran 's advanced centrifuges , which are used to enrich uranium , the main component in an atomic weapon .
Two Iranian power plants and a missile factory also have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these strikes have fueled speculation that Israel is seeking to dismantle key aspects of Iran 's nuclear program ahead of the November U.S. elections .
Shekarchi 's remarks were issued after Israel admitted this week that it had bombed Iranian positions in Syria .
Meanwhile , Iran and China are making moves to formalize their increasingly close military relationship .
China is poised to sell Iran advanced weaponry and other military hardware as part of an economic pact .
The Trump administration has been working overtime at the United Nations to prevent this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embargo on Iran is lifted in October , China , Russia , and other rogue regimes will be legally permitted to arm Tehran .
The United States has been urging its allies at the U.N. Security Council to extend the embargo indefinitely .
If this effort fails , the United States could petition the body to reimpose all international economic sanctions that were lifted as part of the nuclear accord .

Iranian military leaders on Friday issued fresh threats against Israel amid a series of mysterious explosions at Iranian nuclear and military sites that many believe were conducted by the Jewish state.
Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for Iran's armed forces, lashed out at Israel in new remarks, threatening the country with catastrophic military attacks.
"We warn the Zionist liars and their puppeteers that if they continue their prattle, they will see the upper hand of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the resistance front in action," Shekarchi was quoted as saying in the country's state-controlled press.
The threats were issued on the heels of several explosions across Tehran targeting the country's military and nuclear infrastructure. While no one has claimed responsibility for the strikes, which Iranian officials have tried to dismiss as accidents, regional experts say Israel is likely responsible. At least one of the explosions hit a facility known to house Iran's advanced centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium, the main component in an atomic weapon. Two Iranian power plants and a missile factory also have been hit in recent weeks. All of these strikes have fueled speculation that Israel is seeking to dismantle key aspects of Iran's nuclear program ahead of the November U.S. elections.
Shekarchi's remarks were issued after Israel admitted this week that it had bombed Iranian positions in Syria.
Meanwhile, Iran and China are making moves to formalize their increasingly close military relationship. China is poised to sell Iran advanced weaponry and other military hardware as part of an economic pact.
The Trump administration has been working overtime at the United Nations to prevent this from happening. If an international arms embargo on Iran is lifted in October, China, Russia, and other rogue regimes will be legally permitted to arm Tehran. The United States has been urging its allies at the U.N. Security Council to extend the embargo indefinitely. If this effort fails, the United States could petition the body to reimpose all international economic sanctions that were lifted as part of the nuclear accord.


freebeacon--2020-07-17--Socialist Bowman Defeats Top Pelosi Ally

Bronx middle school principal and self-described socialist Jamaal Bowman has officially defeated longtime Democratic congressman Eliot Engel ( N.Y. ) , in a primary victory for the socialist wing of the Democratic Party .
The Associated Press called the race Friday after weeks of vote-counting .
The primary occurred on June 23 , and counting absentee and mail-in ballots delayed the result , although early returns indicated Bowman had a commanding lead .
Bowman received support from the far-left Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party , as well as from progressive lawmakers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders ( I. , Vt. ) and Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass. )
.
Engel , who has served in Congress for more than 30 years , had the support of party leadership , including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) , Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) , and Hillary Clinton , the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee .
Bowman moved to Engel 's left on key issues , including support for defunding the police .
He also advocated passing the Green New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I support the defunding of the police , '' Bowman said at a debate .
`` If we reinvest in jobs there wo n't be a need for as large of a police force as we have and there wo n't be a need for the militarization of the police .
The whole country is rising up because we 're tired of waiting . ''
Engel has been a stalwart supporter of Israel during his time in Congress , while Bowman expressed a more qualified support of the Jewish state .
Bowman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sanctions movement but has also criticized Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu .
Bowman will face a candidate from the Conservative Party in the general election for the 16th Congressional District , since the Republican Party canceled its primary .

Bronx middle school principal and self-described socialist Jamaal Bowman has officially defeated longtime Democratic congressman Eliot Engel (N.Y.), in a primary victory for the socialist wing of the Democratic Party.
The Associated Press called the race Friday after weeks of vote-counting. The primary occurred on June 23, and counting absentee and mail-in ballots delayed the result, although early returns indicated Bowman had a commanding lead.
BREAKING: Jamaal Bowman wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in New York’s 16th congressional district, defeating 16-term U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel. #APracecall at 11:09 a.m. EDT. #Election2020 #NYprimary https://t.co/n6R7Rw3aYT — AP Politics (@AP_Politics) July 17, 2020
Bowman received support from the far-left Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party, as well as from progressive lawmakers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.). Engel, who has served in Congress for more than 30 years, had the support of party leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), and Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.
Bowman moved to Engel's left on key issues, including support for defunding the police. He also advocated passing the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.
"I support the defunding of the police," Bowman said at a debate. "If we reinvest in jobs there won't be a need for as large of a police force as we have and there won't be a need for the militarization of the police. The whole country is rising up because we're tired of waiting."
Engel has been a stalwart supporter of Israel during his time in Congress, while Bowman expressed a more qualified support of the Jewish state. Bowman said he opposed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement but has also criticized Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bowman will face a candidate from the Conservative Party in the general election for the 16th Congressional District since the Republican Party canceled its primary.


freebeacon--2020-07-17--NRA Rallies Behind Trump

NRA Rallies Behind Trump

The National Rifle Association 's political action committee announced on Thursday that it will back President Donald Trump for reelection in 2020 .
The gun-rights group 's Political Victory Fund praised the Republican incumbent in a letter , saying that he has `` done more than any president '' to safeguard the Second Amendment .
NRA leader Wayne LaPierre and PAC chairman Jason Ouimet credited Trump for appointing conservative judges to federal courts , as well as for standing behind the gun industry throughout the coronavirus pandemic .
The administration 's decision to declare gun businesses `` essential '' led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders .
`` On behalf of America ’ s five million NRA members , the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund ( NRA-PVF ) is proud to endorse your reelection as president of the United States of America , '' the letter said .
`` You have done more than any president to protect the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms .
The NRA stands behind you and your administration . ''
Presumptive Democrat nominee Joe Biden has advocated for aggressive gun-control measures for decades .
Since starting his presidential campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a national gun registry , a ban on the popular AR-15 rifle , and even a ban on all guns that do not employ `` smart gun '' technology—a concept that remains only theoretical at this point .
One of the former vice president 's surrogates also said he would not have labeled gun stores `` essential businesses '' like Trump did in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic which has seen Americans buying guns at a record pace .
Gun-rights voters and groups played a significant role in Trump 's election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million to boost the Republican in 2016 .
LaPierre and Ouimet said Trump has lived up to his promises to defend gun rights in `` extraordinary ways . ''
`` You promised to defend the Second Amendment and stand tall for the constitutional freedoms in which our members believe , '' the letter said .
`` You recognize the Second Amendment is about liberties that belong to all Americans . ''

The National Rifle Association's political action committee announced on Thursday that it will back President Donald Trump for reelection in 2020.
The gun-rights group's Political Victory Fund praised the Republican incumbent in a letter, saying that he has "done more than any president" to safeguard the Second Amendment. NRA leader Wayne LaPierre and PAC chairman Jason Ouimet credited Trump for appointing conservative judges to federal courts, as well as for standing behind the gun industry throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The administration's decision to declare gun businesses "essential" led some states and localities to lift shutdown orders.
"On behalf of America’s five million NRA members, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is proud to endorse your reelection as president of the United States of America," the letter said. "You have done more than any president to protect the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The NRA stands behind you and your administration."
Presumptive Democrat nominee Joe Biden has advocated for aggressive gun-control measures for decades. Since starting his presidential campaign he has come out in favor of a national gun registry, a ban on the popular AR-15 rifle, and even a ban on all guns that do not employ "smart gun" technology—a concept that remains only theoretical at this point. One of the former vice president's surrogates also said he would not have labeled gun stores "essential businesses" like Trump did in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic which has seen Americans buying guns at a record pace.
Throughout his career, Biden has painted the NRA as his enemy and 2020 has been no different. Biden's campaign website declares he "will defeat the NRA."
Gun-rights voters and groups played a significant role in Trump's election. The NRA spent more than $30 million to boost the Republican in 2016. LaPierre and Ouimet said Trump has lived up to his promises to defend gun rights in "extraordinary ways."
"You promised to defend the Second Amendment and stand tall for the constitutional freedoms in which our members believe," the letter said. "You recognize the Second Amendment is about liberties that belong to all Americans."


freebeacon--2020-07-17--Disgraced Dem Congressman Released From Prison Without Explanation

The United States Bureau of Prisons released a disgraced Democratic ex-congressman Thursday without explaining why he should not be out of prison with more than five years left on his sentence .
Former Pennsylvania representative Chaka Fattah was convicted on charges of bribery and corruption connected to his failed Philadelphia mayoral campaign , in which he accepted an illegal $ 1 million loan .
But the Bureau of Prisons has not offered an explanation for the release , according to the Philadelphia Inquirer .
Fattah 's time in Congress came to an end in 2016 when he , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racketeering and influence peddling charges .
Fattah resigned from his seat in Congress following the indictment .
A federal judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison on a wide range of charges including money laundering , racketeering , and bank fraud .
The sentence is the second-longest prison sentence ever given to a congressman , and Fattah appealed the decision twice in an effort to shorten his prison time .
He successfully got his bribery charges overturned by an appeals court , but a federal judge kept his original 10-year sentence intact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release is the concern over a coronavirus outbreak at the prison , according to the Inquirer .
He was supposed to be released in August 2025 .
Prior to his imprisonment , Fattah served in the House representing Pennsylvania 's 2nd Congressional District for more than two decades from 1995 to 2016 .
While in prison , Fattah still received taxpayer-funded federal pensions .

The United States Bureau of Prisons released a disgraced Democratic ex-congressman Thursday without explaining why he should not be out of prison with more than five years left on his sentence.
Former Pennsylvania representative Chaka Fattah was convicted on charges of bribery and corruption connected to his failed Philadelphia mayoral campaign, in which he accepted an illegal $1 million loan. But the Bureau of Prisons has not offered an explanation for the release, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Fattah's time in Congress came to an end in 2016 when he, along with several associates, was indicted on federal racketeering and influence peddling charges. Fattah resigned from his seat in Congress following the indictment. A federal judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison on a wide range of charges including money laundering, racketeering, and bank fraud.
The sentence is the second-longest prison sentence ever given to a congressman, and Fattah appealed the decision twice in an effort to shorten his prison time. He successfully got his bribery charges overturned by an appeals court, but a federal judge kept his original 10-year sentence intact.
One potential reason for his early release is the concern over a coronavirus outbreak at the prison, according to the Inquirer. He was supposed to be released in August 2025.
Prior to his imprisonment, Fattah served in the House representing Pennsylvania's Second Congressional District for more than two decades from 1995 to 2016.
While in prison, Fattah still received taxpayer-funded federal pensions.


freebeacon--2020-07-17--Ruth Bader Ginsburg Has Been Undergoing Cancer Treatment Since May

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg announced Friday that she has been undergoing chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer since May , but has no plans to retire .
The justice 's health is much-watched ahead of the November general election , as her departure would prompt an abrupt ideological tilt on the right-leaning Court .
The 87-year-old jurist began a course of chemotherapy on May 19 after a biopsy revealed lesions on her liver , according to a statement the High Court released at noon on Friday .
Ginsburg said she delayed disclosing the disease until settling on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam , '' Ginsburg said .
`` I remain fully able to do that . ''
There are no rules governing medical disclosures that bind the justices .
Friday ’ s announcement keeps with a pattern of major health announcements from Ginsburg that appear only after treatment is well under way .
More is known about Ginsburg ’ s health as compared to most of her colleagues .
Initial treatment via immunotherapy proved unsuccessful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the statement .
The justice said she is tolerating treatment well and was encouraged by a July 7 scan showing `` significant reduction '' of the liver lesions .
Recent hospitalizations for gall stones and treatment of an infection were unrelated to her cancer diagnosis .
Bi-weekly chemotherapy will continue to keep the cancer at bay , and the justice is optimistic she can maintain an active routine .
Ginsburg has undergone other cancer treatments during her tenure on the bench .
She was treated for colon cancer with both chemo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again completed several weeks of focused radiation treatment when a tumor was detected on her pancreas in August 2019 .
Other surgeries were performed in 2009 and 2018 to address cancerous growths in her lungs and pancreas .
All told , the latest diagnosis makes for Ginsburg ’ s fifth bout with cancer .
The justice has been prompt in disclosing short-term hospitalizations for minor health problems .
However , she has tended to put off announcing her cancer diagnoses until more is known about the course forward .
For example , Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` fine '' during an event on Dec. 15 , 2018 at the Museum of the City of New York .
Less than one week later on Dec. 21 , surgeons successfully performed a pulmonary lobectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to remove cancerous nodules from her left lung .
The procedure was disclosed that same day , and indicated that pre-surgical scans showed no evidence of remaining disease .
Similarly , Ginsburg did not announce that she underwent radiation therapy related to a pancreatic tumor in 2019 until after the regiment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks and was disclosed the day it concluded .
Doctors said the growth was treated `` definitively '' at that time .
The approach might be considered responsible from an institutional perspective , since uncertainty would inflame morbid speculation .
Gabe Roth , the executive director of non-partisan judicial watchdog Fix the Court , told the Washington Free Beacon that he is glad Ginsburg is forthcoming about her hospital stays .
`` I believe it ’ s important for the justices to be forthcoming about any major health issues so the public can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Roth told the Free Beacon .
`` Though I 'm saddened that Justice Ginsburg has had yet another bout with cancer , I 'm pleased that she 's at ‘ full steam , ' is responding to treatment and unlike at least one colleague , is open about her hospitalizations . ''
Chief Justice John Roberts , on the other hand , did not announce an overnight hospital stay in June until the Washington Post inquired about it in July .
Roberts was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital after he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured his head .
Update 2:46 p.m. : This post has been updated with additional information .

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg announced Friday that she has been undergoing chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer since May, but has no plans to retire.
The justice's health is much-watched ahead of the November general election, as her departure would prompt an abrupt ideological tilt on the right-leaning Court.
The 87-year-old jurist began a course of chemotherapy on May 19 after a biopsy revealed lesions on her liver, according to a statement the High Court released at noon on Friday. Ginsburg said she delayed disclosing the disease until settling on a course of treatment.
"I have often said I would remain a member of the Court as long as I can do the job full steam," Ginsburg said. "I remain fully able to do that."
There are no rules governing medical disclosures that bind the justices. Friday’s announcement keeps with a pattern of major health announcements from Ginsburg that appear only after treatment is well under way. More is known about Ginsburg’s health as compared with most of her colleagues.
Initial treatment via immunotherapy proved unsuccessful, prompting a Gemzar-based chemotherapy regiment, according to the statement. The justice said she is tolerating treatment well and was encouraged by a July 7 scan showing "significant reduction" of the liver lesions. Recent hospitalizations for gall stones and treatment of an infection were unrelated to her cancer diagnosis.
Bi-weekly chemotherapy will continue to keep the cancer at bay, and the justice is optimistic she can maintain an active routine.
Ginsburg has undergone other cancer treatments during her tenure on the bench. She was treated for colon cancer with both chemo and radiation therapy in 1999. She again completed several weeks of focused radiation treatment when a tumor was detected on her pancreas in August 2019. Other surgeries were performed in 2009 and 2018 to address cancerous growths in her lungs and pancreas.
All told, the latest diagnosis makes for Ginsburg’s fifth bout with cancer.
The justice has been prompt in disclosing short-term hospitalizations for minor health problems. However, she has tended to put off announcing her cancer diagnoses until more is known about the course forward.
For example, Ginsburg told an interviewer that her health was "fine" during an event on Dec. 15, 2018, at the Museum of the City of New York. Less than one week later on Dec. 21, surgeons successfully performed a pulmonary lobectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to remove cancerous nodules from her left lung. The procedure was disclosed that same day and indicated that pre-surgical scans showed no evidence of remaining disease.
Similarly, Ginsburg did not announce that she underwent radiation therapy related to a pancreatic tumor in 2019 until after the regimen was complete. The treatment lasted three weeks and was disclosed the day it concluded. Doctors said the growth was treated "definitively" at that time.
The approach might be considered responsible from an institutional perspective, since uncertainty would inflame morbid speculation.
Gabe Roth, the executive director of nonpartisan judicial watchdog Fix the Court, told the Washington Free Beacon that he is glad Ginsburg is forthcoming about her hospital stays.
"I believe it’s important for the justices to be forthcoming about any major health issues so the public can have continued faith in their abilities," Roth told the Free Beacon. "Though I'm saddened that Justice Ginsburg has had yet another bout with cancer, I'm pleased that she's at 'full steam,' is responding to treatment and, unlike at least one colleague, is open about her hospitalizations."
Chief Justice John Roberts, on the other hand, did not announce an overnight hospital stay in June until the Washington Post inquired about it in July. Roberts was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital after he fell at a Maryland country club and injured his head.
Update 2:46 p.m.: This post has been updated with additional information.


freebeacon--2020-07-18--Democratic Senator Claims, Without Evidence, That The FBI Ran ‘Fake’ Kavanaugh Tip Line During Confi

Democratic Senator Claims, Without Evidence, That The FBI Ran ‘Fake’ Kavanaugh Tip Line During Confirmation Battle

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse ( D. , R.I. ) accused the FBI of running a bogus tip line while investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against Justice Brett Kavanaugh , the latest in a sequence of serious but unsubstantiated claims the Rhode Island Democrat has made about Kavanaugh and his confirmation process .
The senator spoke Wednesday by Zoom to an Ohio chapter of the American Constitution Society ( ACS ) , a progressive judicial group .
Three attendees told the Washington Free Beacon that Whitehouse twice asserted that the FBI operated a `` fake '' tip line while purporting to investigate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a top lawyer to then-Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley ( R. , Iowa ) , denied any such wrongdoing on the part of the FBI .
Davis now leads an outside group that supports President Donald Trump 's judicial nominees .
`` Senator Whitehouse needs to get his head checked , '' Davis told the Free Beacon .
`` Like all other senators , Whitehouse had access to the FBI 's printed reports with detailed summaries of the tips it received .
These FBI reports were provided to the Senate as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) background investigation of Justice Kavanaugh 's character and fitness over his 25+ years in public service . ''
The ACS told the Free Beacon that video of the event will not be available , and the senator 's office did not reply to the Free Beacon ‘ s requests for comment .
The FBI declined to comment .
The accusation is the latest in a series of serious claims or questions Whitehouse has raised about Kavanaugh , sometimes obliquely , without clear evidence .
Whitehouse himself was a conduit for at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviewed .
The senator 's office relayed a tip from a constituent , Jeffrey Catalan , that accused Kavanaugh of assaulting an unnamed woman on a boat in Newport , prompting a physical altercation .
The witness later recanted and admitted the tip was fabricated .
Committee Republicans referred him to the Justice Department for prosecution , as lying to congressional investigators is a federal crime .
Whitehouse said Catalan was owed an apology .
`` They 're trying to throw him under the bus , I think as a demonstration that other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very roughly , '' the senator told the Providence Journal .
The paper also reported that the senator 's office gave a reporter 's contact information to Catalan .
Whitehouse has elsewhere raised questions that implicate Kavanaugh in dodgy doings .
In a written supplement to his committee testimony , Whitehouse asked Kavanaugh a sequence of questions that imply the justice has an undisclosed gambling problem .
Among other things , the senator asked Kavanaugh whether he had ever sought treatment for gambling addiction , accrued debts in New Jersey casinos , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also pressed Kavanaugh for details on a game of dice referenced in a 2001 email with colleagues in the George W. Bush administration .
Kavanaugh denied any such failings , and there is no public evidence that he has a sordid history with gambling .
Certain aspects of Kavanaugh 's family finances also drew the senator 's scrutiny in the supplemental questions .
Whitehouse asked Kavanaugh about the purchase of his home in Maryland , worth about $ 1.2 million , as well as the family 's membership in the Chevy Chase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington elite whose initiation fee is said to approach $ 100,000 .
The senator did not give reasons for his interest in these particulars .
The Kavanaughs are both career public employees , and the justice had previously listed credit card debts on financial disclosure forms .
Kavanaugh has supplemented his income considerably , however , by teaching law school courses on an annual basis , and he collected a six-figure backpay award for delayed cost of living adjustments to his salary in 2014 .
The justice 's father , Everett Edward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Washington trade association .
During Kavanaugh 's second appearance before the Judiciary Committee , the pair had a spirited colloquy about the justice 's high school yearbook caption , which is replete with risqué jokes and other indiscretions .
Speaking ahead of a committee vote on Kavanaugh 's nomination , Whitehouse said he did not believe the justice 's explanations for certain entries .
For example , Whitehouse intimated that a reference to `` the devil 's triangle '' alluded to a lewd sex act and not a drinking game as Kavanaugh @ @

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.) accused the FBI of running a bogus tip line while investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the latest in a sequence of serious but unsubstantiated claims the Rhode Island Democrat has made about Kavanaugh and his confirmation process.
The senator spoke Wednesday by Zoom to an Ohio chapter of the American Constitution Society (ACS), a progressive judicial group. Three attendees told the Washington Free Beacon that Whitehouse twice asserted that the FBI operated a "fake" tip line while purporting to investigate the justice.
Mike Davis, formerly a top lawyer to then-Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa), denied any such wrongdoing on the part of the FBI. Davis now leads an outside group that supports President Donald Trump's judicial nominees.
"Senator Whitehouse needs to get his head checked," Davis told the Free Beacon. "Like all other senators, Whitehouse had access to the FBI's printed reports with detailed summaries of the tips it received. These FBI reports were provided to the Senate as part of the FBI's supplement (7th) background investigation of Justice Kavanaugh's character and fitness over his 25+ years in public service."
The ACS told the Free Beacon that video of the event will not be available, and the senator's office did not reply to the Free Beacon's requests for comment. The FBI declined to comment.
The accusation is the latest in a series of serious claims or questions Whitehouse has raised about Kavanaugh, sometimes obliquely, without clear evidence.
Whitehouse himself was a conduit for at least one false allegation of misconduct congressional investigators reviewed. The senator's office relayed a tip from a constituent, Jeffrey Catalan, that accused Kavanaugh of assaulting an unnamed woman on a boat in Newport, prompting a physical altercation.
The witness later recanted and admitted the tip was fabricated. Committee Republicans referred him to the Justice Department for prosecution, as lying to congressional investigators is a federal crime. Whitehouse said Catalan was owed an apology.
"They're trying to throw him under the bus, I think as a demonstration that other people who come forward will be treated very roughly," the senator told the Providence Journal. The paper also reported that the senator's office gave a reporter's contact information to Catalan.
Whitehouse has elsewhere raised questions that implicate Kavanaugh in dodgy doings.
In a written supplement to his committee testimony, Whitehouse asked Kavanaugh a sequence of questions that imply the justice has an undisclosed gambling problem. Among other things, the senator asked Kavanaugh whether he had ever sought treatment for gambling addiction, accrued debts in New Jersey casinos, or declared gambling losses to the IRS. He also pressed Kavanaugh for details on a game of dice referenced in a 2001 email with colleagues in the George W. Bush administration.
Kavanaugh denied any such failings, and there is no public evidence that he has a sordid history with gambling.
Certain aspects of Kavanaugh's family finances also drew the senator's scrutiny in the supplemental questions. Whitehouse asked Kavanaugh about the purchase of his home in Maryland, worth about $1.2 million, as well as the family's membership in the Chevy Chase Club, a private enclave favored by the Washington elite whose initiation fee is said to approach $100,000. The senator did not give reasons for his interest in these particulars.
The Kavanaughs are both career public employees, and the justice had previously listed credit card debts on financial disclosure forms. Kavanaugh has supplemented his income considerably, however, by teaching law school courses on an annual basis, and he collected a six-figure backpay award for delayed cost of living adjustments to his salary in 2014. The justice's father, Everett Edward Kavanaugh, was the longtime president of a Washington trade association.
During Kavanaugh's second appearance before the Judiciary Committee, the pair had a spirited colloquy about the justice's high school yearbook caption, which is replete with risqué jokes and other indiscretions. Speaking ahead of a committee vote on Kavanaugh's nomination, Whitehouse said he did not believe the justice's explanations for certain entries. For example, Whitehouse intimated that a reference to "the devil's triangle" alluded to a lewd sex act and not a drinking game as Kavanaugh maintained.


freebeacon--2020-07-18--This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 2

This Week In Campus Insanity Vol. 2

Welcome back to Campus Insanity , a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation 's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education .
6 .
Emory University Approves New ‘ Race and Ethnicity ' Course Requirement | Campus Reform Emory University announced that all general education students will be required to take a racial and ethnicity course in order to graduate .
University of Connecticut 's student government president-elect and vice president-elect resigned from their positions because they are white .
`` I feel that it is my duty to step down from my position to make space for [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color ] voices to truly rise and be heard , '' the student president-elect said .
George Washington University is urging students to read Conservatism and Racism , and Why in America They Are the Same in an effort to educate students about the dangers of stereotypes and bigotry .
3 .
Students and Professors Sign Petition to Remove ‘ Offensive ' White Man Symbol From Crosswalk Signs | Campus Reform A prankster thought that student activists could not possibly condemn crosswalk signs as a white supremacist symbol .
He thought wrong .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the term `` low-hanging fruit '' a microaggression because it reminds black people of lynching .
1 .
Petition to Fire NYC Professor Accused of Sleeping During Anti-Racist Meeting Gathers 2,000 Signatures | Newsweek Nearly 2,000 people signed a petition to demand the firing of a Marymount Manhattan College professor who did not show sufficient enthusiasm during an anti-racism Zoom call .
Petition organizers accused theater professor Patricia Simon of nodding off during the call .
Sleep is an act of white supremacy , according to the woke .
Want more Campus Insanity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy @ freebeacon.com & nester @ freebeacon.com .

Sleep is an act of white supremacy, according to the woke
Welcome back to Campus Insanity, a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education.
6. Emory University Approves New 'Race and Ethnicity' Course Requirement | Campus Reform
Emory University announced that all general education students will be required to take a racial and ethnicity course in order to graduate.
5. UConn Student Government Leaders Resign, Citing Whiteness | The Daily Campus
University of Connecticut's student government president-elect and vice president-elect resigned from their positions because they are white.
"I feel that it is my duty to step down from my position to make space for [black, indigenous, and people of color] voices to truly rise and be heard," the student president-elect said.
4. University's Anti-Bigotry Reading List Includes Book That Equates Conservatism With Racism | Washington Free Beacon
George Washington University is urging students to read Conservatism and Racism, and Why in America They Are the Same in an effort to educate students about the dangers of stereotypes and bigotry.
3. Students and Professors Sign Petition to Remove 'Offensive' White Man Symbol From Crosswalk Signs | Campus Reform
A prankster thought that student activists could not possibly condemn crosswalk signs as a white supremacist symbol. He thought wrong.
VIDEO: Students sign petition to remove "offensive" white man symbol from crosswalk signs... pic.twitter.com/2xVXLjDATT — Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) July 13, 2020
2. Professor: Term 'Low-Hanging Fruit' is a Microaggression | The College Fix
A professor at Elgin Community College dubbed the term "low-hanging fruit" a microaggression because it reminds black people of lynching.
1. Petition to Fire NYC Professor Accused of Sleeping During Anti-Racist Meeting Gathers 2,000 Signatures | Newsweek
Nearly 2,000 people signed a petition to demand the firing of a Marymount Manhattan College professor who did not show sufficient enthusiasm during an anti-racism Zoom call. Petition organizers accused theater professor Patricia Simon of nodding off during the call. Sleep is an act of white supremacy, according to the woke.
Want more Campus Insanity? Read Vol. 1 here.
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy@freebeacon.com & nester@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-07-17--NC Teachers’ Union Demands Universal Health Care, Welfare for Illegal Immigrants to Reopen Schools

A North Carolina teachers ' union is calling for the implementation of universal health care and welfare benefits for illegal immigrants in order to reopen schools in the fall .
Just days after the Durham Association of Educators ( DAE ) issued a statement railing against the school district 's reopening plan , Durham Public Schools voted unanimously to hold all classes virtually for at least the first nine weeks of the school year .
Included in the DAE statement was a call to adopt a variety of far-left policy goals before holding in-person classes , including Medicare for All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration status . ''
`` There are concrete policies that have permitted other countries to flatten the curve and return to public life : moratoriums on rent and mortgage , universal health care , direct income support regardless of immigration status , '' the statement reads .
`` We must fight together , collectively , for changes that will permit our communities to thrive during this pandemic and beyond . ''
The union 's statement also calls for a full shutdown of the state , saying `` until that is done , remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The district did not respond to a request for comment .
The 2020-2021 school year has become a hot-button issue in recent weeks amid an aggressive push from President Donald Trump to reopen campuses .
On July 8 , he threatened to cut federal funding for schools that fail to reopen in the fall , sparking pushback from teachers ' unions at the local , state , and national levels .
Some health experts have emphasized the need for students to attend in-person classes moving forward .
The American Academy of Pediatrics released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that warned parents and policymakers of the `` considerable risk of morbidity and , in some cases , mortality '' associated with `` lengthy time away from school . ''
In addition , a JAMA Pediatrics review of 18 studies found that most children who contract coronavirus `` generally required supportive care only , and typically had a good prognosis and recovered within one to two weeks . ''
In its statement , the DAE acknowledged that `` all children are suffering without school—some without enough food to eat , others without sufficiently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without internet access , and others with too much mindless screen time . ''
The union , however , claimed that the Trump administration 's reopening push was aimed at `` protecting wealth and big business . ''
North Carolina GOP spokesman Tim Wigginton criticized the union 's stance .
He noted that the state 's top public health official , Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen , said that she plans to send her daughters back to school for in-person instruction .
`` Once again , teachers ' unions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda that puts special interests first and kids last , '' Wigginton said at a July 16 briefing .
`` We need to do what 's best for our children , and according to the pediatricians , that 's letting them return to school . ''
The DAE is a direct affiliate of the North Carolina Association of Educators ( NCAE ) , and former DAE president Bryan Proffitt was elected NCAE vice president in April .
Proffitt has decried the school-choice and charter-school movements , as well as online education .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They 're going to push online education , they 're going to push charters , they 're going to push [ the narrative ] we did n't need teachers in the first place , '' Proffitt said in April .
`` Our side has to be willing to fight back just as hard . ''
Neither DAE nor NCAE responded to requests for comment .
Durham Public Schools planned to hold in-person classes for elementary , middle , and `` exceptional '' high school students before the union spoke out .
It cited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youngest and most vulnerable students '' as `` one of the reasons for choosing this approach . ''
The district reversed course on Thursday , however , opting for remote classes only .
The decision will last for a minimum of nine weeks , meaning district leaders may permit in-person classes starting just weeks before the November election .
The DAE is not the first local union to tie school reopenings to far-left policies .
A Los Angeles teachers ' union included a call to defund police in its list of school reopening @ @

A North Carolina teachers' union is calling for the implementation of universal health care and welfare benefits for illegal immigrants in order to reopen schools in the fall.
Just days after the Durham Association of Educators (DAE) issued a statement railing against the school district's reopening plan, Durham Public Schools voted unanimously to hold all classes virtually for at least the first nine weeks of the school year. Included in the DAE statement was a call to adopt a variety of far-left policy goals before holding in-person classes, including Medicare for All and "direct income support regardless of immigration status."
"There are concrete policies that have permitted other countries to flatten the curve and return to public life: moratoriums on rent and mortgage, universal health care, direct income support regardless of immigration status," the statement reads. "We must fight together, collectively, for changes that will permit our communities to thrive during this pandemic and beyond."
The union's statement also calls for a full shutdown of the state, saying "until that is done, remote learning should remain the default."
The district did not respond to a request for comment.
The 2020-2021 school year has become a hot-button issue in recent weeks amid an aggressive push from President Donald Trump to reopen campuses. On July 8, he threatened to cut federal funding for schools that fail to reopen in the fall, sparking pushback from teachers' unions at the local, state, and national levels.
Some health experts have emphasized the need for students to attend in-person classes moving forward. The American Academy of Pediatrics released a set of reopening guidelines in June that warned parents and policymakers of the "considerable risk of morbidity and, in some cases, mortality" associated with "lengthy time away from school." In addition, a JAMA Pediatrics review of 18 studies found that most children who contract coronavirus "generally required supportive care only, and typically had a good prognosis and recovered within one to two weeks."
In its statement, the DAE acknowledged that "all children are suffering without school—some without enough food to eat, others without sufficiently supportive adult and peer relationships, many without internet access, and others with too much mindless screen time." The union, however, claimed that the Trump administration's reopening push was aimed at "protecting wealth and big business."
North Carolina GOP spokesman Tim Wigginton criticized the union's stance. He noted that the state's top public health official, Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen, said that she plans to send her daughters back to school for in-person instruction.
"Once again, teachers' unions are distorting the facts to accomplish their agenda that puts special interests first and kids last," Wigginton said at a July 16 briefing. "We need to do what's best for our children, and according to the pediatricians, that's letting them return to school."
The DAE is a direct affiliate of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), and former DAE president Bryan Proffitt was elected NCAE vice president in April. Proffitt has decried the school-choice and charter-school movements, as well as online education.
"The privatizers are hungry right now. They're going to push online education, they're going to push charters, they're going to push [the narrative] we didn't need teachers in the first place," Proffitt said in April. "Our side has to be willing to fight back just as hard."
Neither DAE nor NCAE responded to requests for comment.
Durham Public Schools planned to hold in-person classes for elementary, middle, and "exceptional" high school students before the union spoke out. It cited "the need for childcare for our youngest and most vulnerable students" as "one of the reasons for choosing this approach." The district reversed course on Thursday, however, opting for remote classes only. The decision will last for a minimum of nine weeks, meaning district leaders may permit in-person classes starting just weeks before the November election.
The DAE is not the first local union to tie school reopenings to far-left policies. A Los Angeles teachers' union included a call to defund police in its list of school reopening requirements.


freebeacon--2020-07-19--Virginia Mandates Slavery Lessons for Kindergarteners

Virginia kindergarten students will learn about institutional racism alongside the alphabet , according to a new curriculum created for the upcoming school year .
Loudoun County is adding `` social justice '' to the mission of teaching elementary school students reading , writing , and arithmetic .
The Washington , D.C. , suburb—the richest county in the country—has teamed up with the Southern Poverty Law Center 's ( SPLC ) education arm Teaching Tolerance to develop its new curriculum .
The proposed lesson plan will restructure history and social studies classes to emphasize slavery as fundamental to American society for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Sugarcoating or ignoring slavery until later grades makes students more upset by or even resistant to true stories about American history , '' the curriculum reads .
`` Long before we teach algebra , we teach its component parts .
We should structure history instruction the same way . ''
Not every Loudoun County educator is on board with the administration 's direction .
A longtime elementary school teacher , who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution , said that the school system had always taught students about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the fourth grade .
She said the administrative focus to push racial politics on students who do not yet know how to read is motivated by politics , rather than education .
`` I teach lower grades in elementary school.… [ Never before ] did I have to teach about slavery , '' the teacher said .
`` Our standards were always [ to ] teach about famous Americans , George Washington , Martin Luther King Jr. , people like that .
But , it was all very general and the bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The new Teaching Tolerance kindergarten curriculum requires teachers to explain social justice theories to five-year-olds .
The Loudoun County elementary school teacher believes this curriculum will prove divisive for children who lack the maturity to deal with the subject .
`` What they 're really trying to do is divide people as early as they can , starting now with kindergarteners .
They 're really going to be inciting hate , '' the teacher said .
`` They 're pointing out that there 's ‘ whiteness ' and ‘ blackness ' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about that in school… .
We learn about how to get along with one another and be kind and respect others .
But now , with this new curriculum that they 're adding , it 's going to do the total opposite . ''
The curriculum was first introduced by the Virginia Department of Education 's superintendent .
When asked how the SPLC guidelines were funded and whether the guidelines were mandatory across the state , the state 's education department deflected .
`` The state Board of Education approves content standards and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' a state education department spokesman said .
`` Local school boards are responsible for developing or adopting curriculum aligned with the state standards and framework . ''
Loudoun County 's school board did not respond to multiple requests for comment .
The guide encourages educators to create opportunities for kindergarten , first , and second grade students to learn about `` activism and action civics . ''
`` Students should study examples of role models from the past and present , and ask themselves , ‘ how can I make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` These conversations [ about slavery ] should lead into discussions about current injustices—particularly those that continue to disenfranchise and oppress the descendants of enslaved people—and possibilities for activism and reform . ''
Max Eden , an education policy expert at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute , said the curriculum 's focus on political activism and the horrors of slavery is not suitable for kindergarten students .
He said the movement to inject politics into elementary school classrooms has gained momentum since the New York Times launched its controversial 1619 Project .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five years old to develop a nuanced sense of history and political processes , and pros and cons of different side effects , and unintended consequences , '' Eden said .
`` What the real goal of this is , by introducing [ slavery ] this young , is to try to get the left-wing , Nikole Hannah-Jones , [ SPLC ] meta-political narrative into kids ' heads as soon as possible , which is basically trying to compel them to believe that because slavery happened , therefore , America is evil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … how we need to overturn power in society . ''
Parents are also upset that social justice would explicitly be taught in a public elementary school .
A Loudoun County parent of two—who also spoke on the condition of anonymity—told the Free Beacon he was disappointed in the school district .
`` SPLC is pushing Marxist ideology more or less .
They 're really pushing those concepts of ‘ revolution ' and ‘ dismantling the system ' that we have , '' the father said .
`` So rather than everyone coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's about destroying what 's been built . ''
The school board is asking parents concerned about the `` social justice '' curriculum to fill out a survey requesting the board reconsider instructional materials .
SPLC did not respond to a request for comment .

Virginia kindergarten students will learn about institutional racism alongside the alphabet, according to new curriculum recommendations created for the upcoming school year.
Loudoun County is adding "social justice" to the mission of teaching elementary school students reading, writing, and arithmetic. The Washington, D.C., suburb—the richest county in the country—has teamed up with the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) education arm Teaching Tolerance to develop its new curriculum. The proposed lesson plan recommends restructuring history and social studies classes to emphasize slavery as fundamental to American society for students from kindergarten to the fifth grade.
"Sugarcoating or ignoring slavery until later grades makes students more upset by or even resistant to true stories about American history," the documents say. "Long before we teach algebra, we teach its component parts. We should structure history instruction the same way."
Following parent complaints, a district spokesman told the Washington Free Beacon on Monday that the changes are optional.*
"The Teaching Tolerance resources are optional," spokesman Rob Doolittle said. "Parents who have queried LCPS about those resources have been informed that they are optional.
Not every Loudoun County educator is on board with the administration's direction. A longtime elementary school teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said that the school system had always taught students about the reality of slavery—lessons that typically begin in the fourth grade. She said the administrative focus to push racial politics on students who do not yet know how to read is motivated by politics, rather than education.
"I teach lower grades in elementary school.… [Never before] did I have to teach about slavery," the teacher said. "Our standards were always [to] teach about famous Americans, George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., people like that. But, it was all very general and the bigger picture, we highlighted their accomplishments."
The new Teaching Tolerance kindergarten curriculum urges teachers to explain social justice theories to five-year-olds. The Loudoun County elementary school teacher believes this curriculum will prove divisive for children who lack the maturity to deal with the subject.
"What they're really trying to do is divide people as early as they can, starting now with kindergarteners. They're really going to be inciting hate," the teacher said. "They're pointing out that there's 'whiteness' and 'blackness' and that's crazy. We never taught about that in school.... We learn about how to get along with one another and be kind and respect others. But now, with this new curriculum that they're adding, it's going to do the total opposite."
The curriculum was first introduced by the Virginia Department of Education's superintendent. When asked how the SPLC guidelines were funded and whether the guidelines were mandatory across the state, the state's education department deflected.
"The state Board of Education approves content standards and curriculum frameworks for history and social studies," a state education department spokesman said. "Local school boards are responsible for developing or adopting curriculum aligned with the state standards and framework." Loudoun County's school board did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The guide encourages educators to create opportunities for kindergarten, first, and second grade students to learn about "activism and action civics."
"Students should study examples of role models from the past and present, and ask themselves, 'how can I make a difference?'" the guide says. "These conversations [about slavery] should lead into discussions about current injustices—particularly those that continue to disenfranchise and oppress the descendants of enslaved people—and possibilities for activism and reform."
Max Eden, an education policy expert at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute, said the curriculum's focus on political activism and the horrors of slavery is not suitable for kindergarten students. He said the movement to inject politics into elementary school classrooms has gained momentum since the New York Times launched its controversial 1619 Project.
"Students aren't prepared when they're five years old to develop a nuanced sense of history and political processes, and pros and cons of different side effects, and unintended consequences," Eden said. "What the real goal of this is, by introducing [slavery] this young, is to try to get the left-wing, Nikole Hannah-Jones, [SPLC] meta-political narrative into kids' heads as soon as possible, which is basically trying to compel them to believe that because slavery happened, therefore, America is evil and you must follow the leftist idea of ... how we need to overturn power in society."
Parents are also upset that social justice would explicitly be taught in a public elementary school. A Loudoun County parent of two—who also spoke on the condition of anonymity—told the Free Beacon he was disappointed in the school district.
"SPLC is pushing Marxist ideology more or less. They're really pushing those concepts of 'revolution' and 'dismantling the system' that we have," the father said. "So rather than everyone coming together and building something great together, it's about destroying what's been built."
The school board is asking parents concerned about the "social justice" curriculum to fill out a survey requesting the board reconsider instructional materials.
SPLC did not respond to a request for comment.
*UPDATE: July 20, 2020 3:10 p.m.
This piece has been updated with new comments from the Loudon County School District


freebeacon--2020-07-19--Review: ‘Unacceptable: Privilege, Deceit & the Making of the College Admissions Scandal’

Jancen Power was a pole vaulter at Water Valley High School .
Disappointed after finishing sixth in the Texas state championship in 2015 , he decided to work harder for the title the next year , `` [ practicing ] around his volunteer gig '' and `` [ driving ] 90 miles each way '' for lessons .
His hard work paid off as he cleared 14 feet to win the state title in 2016 .
The victory featured a photo of him clearing the bar for the win .
Rick Singer , the mastermind behind the Varsity Blues college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Power would be perfect to photoshop to make the children of his clients appear as student-athletes—all in an effort to help get them into the school of their choice .
Just like that , as the authors of Unacceptable : Privilege , Deceit & the Making of the College Admissions Scandal put it , `` Jancen 's year of sweat and sacrifice were stolen . ''
To be sure , when the story first broke in 2019—implicating more than 30 parents in a $ 25 million conspiracy to bribe and cheat their children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But many at the time preferred to view it as an anomaly .
In Unacceptable , authors Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz refuse to let their readers believe that .
What they make clear is that many parents would have done the same if given the opportunity .
But they also show how the scandal hurt students like Power .
Korn and Levitz chronicle the rise of college ranking systems , like the U.S. News & World Report , and how parents began to use their children 's college acceptances as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This coincided with schools wanting to diversify their campuses .
Many rich white parents began to worry about how their children could separate themselves without being diverse .
Singer , who was a coach before becoming a college counselor , offered a guarantee for parents who wanted their kids to get into a prestigious school but were afraid their children would be rejected .
Rankings also helped schools attract students .
Northeastern University , for example , undertook a huge recruitment effort to rise in the power rankings .
In 2014 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , catapulting it into the top 50 in U.S. News .
Northeastern became competitive overnight and remains prestigious enough for wealthy parents .
Unfortunately , as Korn and Levitz explain , these parents do n't always exercise the best judgment .
Take Devin Sloane and his son Matteo .
Sloane was an entrepreneur who lived in Bel Air .
Matteo was a good student , but Sloane lied to Matteo about fixing his college admissions test .
When Matteo found out , he questioned his dad , `` Why did n't you believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son Adam was struggling with mental health .
Semprevivo thought that if Singer could get Adam into Georgetown , it would make his son happy .
Instead , his GPA and mental health plummeted .
Unacceptable is full of examples like this , where parents misread their children 's needs .
Rather than help , these parents only made things worse for their children .
Toward the end of the book , Korn and Levitz describe the first annual National Association for College Admission Counseling ( NACAC ) conference after the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first opportunity for counselors to reconvene and admit their fault in the scandal .
Instead , then-NACAC president Stefanie Niles said that while she was shocked by the participants in the scandal , she was dismayed to hear that `` a significant portion '' of people believe that the college admissions process is unfair .
While the individual stories of the students and parents are troubling , what is worse is that those who need to take the most responsibility are thus far refusing to do so .
The Varsity Blues scandal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it 's likely something similar will happen again .
Unfortunately , it seems that the people who most needed to learn from the scandal did not .
Korn and Levitz write that many people involved in this case have tried and will continue to abdicate responsibility .
Their book forces many parents and administrators to reckon with their actions .
The college admissions process is unfair , and those with the power to change things need to recognize this .
As long as these pressures and gaps in college admissions remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to gain advantages for their clients .
This case is not an anomaly .
If anything , it is just the start .

Jancen Power was a pole vaulter at Water Valley High School. Disappointed after finishing sixth in the Texas state championship in 2015, he decided to work harder for the title the next year, "[practicing] around his volunteer gig" and "[driving] 90 miles each way" for lessons. His hard work paid off as he cleared 14 feet to win the state title in 2016. The victory featured a photo of him clearing the bar for the win.
Rick Singer, the mastermind behind the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, decided the photo of Power would be perfect to photoshop to make the children of his clients appear as student-athletes—all in an effort to help get them into the school of their choice. Just like that, as the authors of Unacceptable: Privilege, Deceit & the Making of the College Admissions Scandal put it, "Jancen's year of sweat and sacrifice were stolen."
To be sure, when the story first broke in 2019—implicating more than 30 parents in a $25 million conspiracy to bribe and cheat their children into elite universities—there was plenty of outrage. But many at the time preferred to view it as an anomaly. In Unacceptable, authors Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz refuse to let their readers believe that. What they make clear is that many parents would have done the same if given the opportunity. But they also show how the scandal hurt students like Power.
Korn and Levitz chronicle the rise of college ranking systems, like the U.S. News & World Report, and how parents began to use their children's college acceptances as a way to compare and evaluate themselves. This coincided with schools wanting to diversify their campuses. Many rich white parents began to worry about how their children could separate themselves without being diverse. Singer, who was a coach before becoming a college counselor, offered a guarantee for parents who wanted their kids to get into a prestigious school but were afraid their children would be rejected.
Rankings also helped schools attract students. Northeastern University, for example, undertook a huge recruitment effort to rise in the power rankings. In 2014, the Boston school's applications rose to 50,000, catapulting it into the top 50 in U.S. News. Northeastern became competitive overnight and remains prestigious enough for wealthy parents.
Unfortunately, as Korn and Levitz explain, these parents don't always exercise the best judgment. Take Devin Sloane and his son Matteo. Sloane was an entrepreneur who lived in Bel Air. Matteo was a good student, but Sloane lied to Matteo about fixing his college admissions test. When Matteo found out, he questioned his dad, "Why didn't you believe in me?" Stephen Semprevivo's son Adam was struggling with mental health. Semprevivo thought that if Singer could get Adam into Georgetown, it would make his son happy. Instead, his GPA and mental health plummeted. Unacceptable is full of examples like this, where parents misread their children's needs. Rather than help, these parents only made things worse for their children.
Toward the end of the book, Korn and Levitz describe the first annual National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) conference after the end of the Varsity Blues case. It was the first opportunity for counselors to reconvene and admit their fault in the scandal. Instead, then-NACAC president Stefanie Niles said that while she was shocked by the participants in the scandal, she was dismayed to hear that "a significant portion" of people believe that the college admissions process is unfair.
While the individual stories of the students and parents are troubling, what is worse is that those who need to take the most responsibility are thus far refusing to do so. The Varsity Blues scandal may be out of the public consciousness, but it's likely something similar will happen again. Unfortunately, it seems that the people who most needed to learn from the scandal did not. Korn and Levitz write that many people involved in this case have tried and will continue to abdicate responsibility. Their book forces many parents and administrators to reckon with their actions.
The college admissions process is unfair, and those with the power to change things need to recognize this. As long as these pressures and gaps in college admissions remain, others like Rick Singer will continue to try to gain advantages for their clients. This case is not an anomaly. If anything, it is just the start.


freebeacon--2020-07-20--UCal Snubs Local Students To Woo Chinese Elite, Lawsuit Alleges

The University of California has used a loophole to fill classrooms with underqualified international students while turning away some of California 's brightest high schoolers , according to multiple state reports and interviews with current and former faculty members .
Two state reports now at the center of a civil lawsuit against the U.C .
system say the U.C .
administrators are using a loophole to get around a state requirement to admit the top 9 percent of California high school graduates .
The main beneficiaries have been international students , with the number rising to 13.9 percent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent a decade earlier , according to admissions data .
Chinese international students , who represent about 75 percent of the international student population , have reaped the largest benefit .
The reports say that the increasing number of international students , who pay full tuition , has come at the expense of state residents .
`` Over the past several years , the university has undermined its commitment to residents in an effort to increase its revenue by recruiting and enrolling nonresidents , '' state auditor Elaine Howle wrote in 2016 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that foreign students pay substantially more than their California peers but argued that its admissions practices are not intended to hurt California residents .
University spokesman Stett Holbrook said the university caps out-of-state enrollment at 18 percent and that all qualified in-state students are offered a spot at one of the U.C .
schools , even if not their top choice .
Holbrook argues that international students actually underwrite in-state residents .
`` Tuition and fees for international students are about $ 30,000 more than the tuition and fees paid by California residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher tuition and fees paid by out-of-state students—about two-thirds of which are international students—help to support and to subsidize the cost of a U.C .
education for California residents . ''
But the reports , now at the center of a civil suit against the university system , argue that U.C .
administrators are denying admission to in-state residents to make room for the international students .
Filed by the California mother of two college students , the lawsuit accuses the U.C .
system of discriminating against local students , with the plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were denied admission over the last decade and pushed to more expensive out-of-state schools .
`` I do n't think [ the admissions office stops ] to think about how it affects these kids , '' Dawn Urbanek , the mother behind the lawsuit , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` These kids are slapped in the face right out the door and it 's just heartbreaking . ''
The California Office of Civil Rights denied her complaint in June , arguing that the plaintiffs could not point to a particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now appealing the decision .
The U.C .
system previously guaranteed admissions to the top 12.5 percent of California residents , but as the Great Recession set in , the number was pushed down to 9 percent .
Urbanek 's complaint alleges that the university took advantage of the so-called referral process , in which Californian teens are denied admission to a top-choice school but offered a seat at a less-desirable institution .
The state auditor found in 2016 that all of the referred applicants were directed to the bottom-ranked U.C .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted students enroll at another school .
A current U.C .
faculty member who requested anonymity to speak freely told the Free Beacon that administrators have systematically lowered standards to boost out-of-state enrollment in order to pad their bottom line .
A former UCLA faculty member , Tim Groseclose , recalled that a frustrated administrator involved with budgeting told him , `` They 're trying to run a champagne university on a beer budget . ''
Groseclose said the increased number of international students dates back to the 2008 economic collapse , describing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state budget cuts .
Administrators told the Free Beacon that , at least in 2019 , the international student body was simply superior to in-state residents , arguing that they had higher GPAs and SAT scores .
The auditor recommended that administrators reform the admissions problem because the current system `` not-so-subtly '' pushes students out of state by sending them to the least prestigious state schools .
A 2019 state report found that more than 10,000 highly qualified Californian students were referred to Merced , almost all of whom turned down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system is shortchanging the taxpayers who bolster state schools .
`` You work hard and you do the right thing , and you are supposed to get rewarded for your hard work , '' she said .

The University of California has used a loophole to fill classrooms with underqualified international students while turning away some of California's brightest high schoolers, according to multiple state reports and interviews with current and former faculty members.
Two state reports now at the center of a civil lawsuit against the U.C. system say the U.C. administrators are using a loophole to get around a state requirement to admit the top 9 percent of California high school graduates.
The main beneficiaries have been international students, with the number rising to 13.9 percent of the total student body in 2017 from 4.8 percent a decade earlier, according to admissions data. Chinese international students, who represent about 75 percent of the international student population, have reaped the largest benefit.
The reports say that the increasing number of international students, who pay full tuition, has come at the expense of state residents. "Over the past several years, the university has undermined its commitment to residents in an effort to increase its revenue by recruiting and enrolling nonresidents," state auditor Elaine Howle wrote in 2016.
A spokesman for the university system acknowledged that foreign students pay substantially more than their California peers but argued that its admissions practices are not intended to hurt California residents. University spokesman Stett Holbrook said the university caps out-of-state enrollment at 18 percent and that all qualified in-state students are offered a spot at one of the U.C. schools, even if not their top choice. Holbrook argues that international students actually underwrite in-state residents.
"Tuition and fees for international students are about $30,000 more than the tuition and fees paid by California residents," Holbrook said. "The higher tuition and fees paid by out-of-state students—about two-thirds of which are international students—help to support and to subsidize the cost of a U.C. education for California residents."
But the reports, now at the center of a civil suit against the university system, argue that U.C. administrators are denying admission to in-state residents to make room for the international students. Filed by the California mother of two college students, the lawsuit accuses the U.C. system of discriminating against local students, with the plaintiffs demanding financial compensation for 110,000 in-state applicants who were denied admission over the last decade and pushed to more expensive out-of-state schools.
"I don't think [the admissions office stops] to think about how it affects these kids," Dawn Urbanek, the mother behind the lawsuit, told the Washington Free Beacon. "These kids are slapped in the face right out the door and it's just heartbreaking." The California Office of Civil Rights denied her complaint in June, arguing that the plaintiffs could not point to a particular student hurt by the policies. Urbanek is now appealing the decision.
The U.C. system previously guaranteed admissions to the top 12.5 percent of California residents, but as the Great Recession set in, the number was pushed down to 9 percent.
Urbanek's complaint alleges that the university took advantage of the so-called referral process, in which Californian teens are denied admission to a top-choice school but offered a seat at a less-desirable institution. The state auditor found in 2016 that all of the referred applicants were directed to the bottom-ranked U.C. Merced, which sees 99 percent of admitted students enroll at another school.
A current U.C. faculty member who requested anonymity to speak freely told the Free Beacon that administrators have systematically lowered standards to boost out-of-state enrollment in order to pad their bottom line.
A former UCLA faculty member, Tim Groseclose, recalled that a frustrated administrator involved with budgeting told him, "They're trying to run a champagne university on a beer budget." Groseclose said the increased number of international students dates back to the 2008 economic collapse, describing it as the university's response to state budget cuts.
Administrators told the Free Beacon that, at least in 2019, the international student body was simply superior to in-state residents, arguing that they had higher GPAs and SAT scores.
The auditor recommended that administrators reform the admissions problem because the current system "not-so-subtly" pushes students out of state by sending them to the least prestigious state schools. A 2019 state report found that more than 10,000 highly qualified Californian students were referred to Merced, almost all of whom turned down the admissions offer.
For Urbanek, the system is shortchanging the taxpayers who bolster state schools. "You work hard and you do the right thing, and you are supposed to get rewarded for your hard work," she said.


freebeacon--2020-07-20--Heller Weighing Another D.C. Gun Suit

Heller Weighing Another D.C. Gun Suit

The man at the center of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that struck down major gun-control laws may be back in court to challenge Washington , D.C. 's handling of Second Amendment rights .
Dick Heller , whose lawsuit led the Supreme Court to declare blanket handgun bans unconstitutional , told the Washington Free Beacon that he may sue the city for hindering his right to bear arms in the face of long wait times for purchases .
Heller has been waiting since mid-April for police to process a transfer for a .32 caliber handgun he purchased in Pennsylvania .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet .
`` It 's a bureaucracy and they 're understaffed , '' Heller told the Free Beacon .
`` They could n't care less .
They are noticeably not in a hurry . ''
Residents who wish to purchase guns must go through the Metropolitan Police Department ( MPD ) , the only federally licensed gun dealer in the city—an arrangement unique to the nation 's capital .
In neighboring Virginia , as with many states across the country , handgun transfers and the background checks that accompany them generally take minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Free Beacon that record demand was to blame for the delays .
`` In less than three months that MPD has been handling this service , the Department has received about half of the guns that the prior Federal Firearms Licensee received in all of 2019 , '' department spokeswoman Alaina Gertz said .
`` We are currently reexamining processes to try to identify additional efficiencies . ''
Heller 's experience is not unique .
Sam , who asked not to be identified for fear of facing backlash at his job on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting to pick up the pistol he purchased on May 29 .
Christian , a former schoolteacher and civilian contractor in Afghanistan , has also been unable to retrieve his legally purchased guns after a months-long wait .
As dissatisfied residents pile up and experts question the legality of MPD 's unique role as a federally licensed gun dealer , the city may soon face yet another lawsuit over its restrictive gun laws .
Heller , who has already filed three lawsuits against the city—including the landmark 2008 case that bears his name—is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit over the delays .
`` They want to spend the money on lazy [ staff ] instead of giving service to the people that pay taxes , '' Heller said .
MPD is already nearly booked for handgun-transfer processing appointments through the end of the month .
`` In the meantime , while most appointment slots in July have been reserved , there are plenty available in August , '' Gertz said .
She declined to comment about whether the agency intended to assign more staff to deal with the backlog .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ highs Gun transfers were previously handled by a private dealer , but when proprietors shuttered the business , the department assumed responsibility for legally transferring guns purchased outside the city .
In the years following the Supreme Court 's Heller decision , real estate agent Elby Godwin has transferred a number of weapons through both the private dealer and the police department .
After a seven-week wait , Godwin left the police office on Wednesday with a pair of handguns .
He is convinced that the department employees did not understand how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't know what they 're doing and are still trying to figure it out .
… There 's still a lot of people working there that do n't know the process in place , '' Godwin said .
`` If they 'd been responsive from the get-go and had the one-day registration back in place it could have taken half as long . ''
The office was overflowing with weapons awaiting transfer orders , according to Godwin .
He said gun cases fell out of safes as police employees opened them and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boxes inside .
Christian also described the scene as chaotic , saying that some MPD staff did not know what paperwork was needed to legally transfer the weapons .
`` One of the cops I spoke to when I finally got through seemed to have little clue about the process .
As if she were just thrown into something , '' he said .
`` I asked about bringing in all the forms .
… I had them all printed and mostly filled out .
I might [ as well ] have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't know the form numbers or the process . ''
Sam , who shared the receipt for his Glock 19 with the Free Beacon , said he feels the system for obtaining a handgun as a D.C. resident is `` creating an intentional bottleneck . ''
`` You have to go to this appointment , do the background check , get fingerprinted , pay an additional $ 170+ for all the fees , then you have to COME BACK LATER , '' he said in an email .
`` You actually have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the future once your application is ‘ approved . '
Only then can you take possession of property you have bought months ago . ''
Heller , whose lawyer sent a letter to Democratic mayor Muriel Bowser demanding a fix to the system at the end of April , said he wants things to change .
`` Whatever is required to eliminate what the citizens are calling denial of service through bureaucracy , '' he said .

The man at the center of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that struck down major gun-control laws may be back in court to challenge Washington, D.C.'s handling of Second Amendment rights.
Dick Heller, whose lawsuit led the Supreme Court to declare blanket handgun bans unconstitutional, told the Washington Free Beacon that he may sue the city for hindering his right to bear arms in the face of long wait times for purchases.
Heller has been waiting since mid-April for police to process a transfer for a .32 caliber handgun he purchased in Pennsylvania. He accused city authorities of dragging their feet.
"It's a bureaucracy and they're understaffed," Heller told the Free Beacon. "They couldn't care less. They are noticeably not in a hurry."
Residents who wish to purchase guns must go through the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the only federally licensed gun dealer in the city—an arrangement unique to the nation's capital. In neighboring Virginia, as with many states across the country, handgun transfers and the background checks that accompany them generally take minutes instead of months. The department told the Free Beacon that record demand was to blame for the delays.
"In less than three months that MPD has been handling this service, the Department has received about half of the guns that the prior Federal Firearms Licensee received in all of 2019," department spokeswoman Alaina Gertz said. "We are currently reexamining processes to try to identify additional efficiencies."
Heller's experience is not unique. Sam, who asked not to be identified for fear of facing backlash at his job on Capitol Hill, said he is still waiting to pick up the pistol he purchased on May 29. Christian, a former schoolteacher and civilian contractor in Afghanistan, has also been unable to retrieve his legally purchased guns after a months-long wait.
As dissatisfied residents pile up and experts question the legality of MPD's unique role as a federally licensed gun dealer, the city may soon face yet another lawsuit over its restrictive gun laws. Heller, who has already filed three lawsuits against the city—including the landmark 2008 case that bears his name—is consulting with lawyers about filing a new suit over the delays.
"They want to spend the money on lazy [staff] instead of giving service to the people that pay taxes," Heller said.
MPD is already nearly booked for handgun-transfer processing appointments through the end of the month. "In the meantime, while most appointment slots in July have been reserved, there are plenty available in August," Gertz said. She declined to comment about whether the agency intended to assign more staff to deal with the backlog.
Background checks in D.C. are at all-time highs
Gun transfers were previously handled by a private dealer, but when proprietors shuttered the business, the department assumed responsibility for legally transferring guns purchased outside the city. In the years following the Supreme Court's Heller decision, real estate agent Elby Godwin has transferred a number of weapons through both the private dealer and the police department. After a seven-week wait, Godwin left the police office on Wednesday with a pair of handguns. He is convinced that the department employees did not understand how to handle transfers.
"Many of them don't know what they're doing and are still trying to figure it out. ... There's still a lot of people working there that don't know the process in place," Godwin said. "If they'd been responsive from the get-go and had the one-day registration back in place it could have taken half as long."
The office was overflowing with weapons awaiting transfer orders, according to Godwin. He said gun cases fell out of safes as police employees opened them and dozens of others were stacked in shipping boxes inside. Christian also described the scene as chaotic, saying that some MPD staff did not know what paperwork was needed to legally transfer the weapons.
"One of the cops I spoke to when I finally got through seemed to have little clue about the process. As if she were just thrown into something," he said. "I asked about bringing in all the forms. ... I had them all printed and mostly filled out. I might [as well] have been speaking in Mandarin to her. She didn't know the form numbers or the process."
Sam, who shared the receipt for his Glock 19 with the Free Beacon, said he feels the system for obtaining a handgun as a D.C. resident is "creating an intentional bottleneck."
"You have to go to this appointment, do the background check, get fingerprinted, pay an additional $170+ for all the fees, then you have to COME BACK LATER," he said in an email. "You actually have to schedule another appointment at some time in the future once your application is 'approved.' Only then can you take possession of property you have bought months ago."
Heller, whose lawyer sent a letter to Democratic mayor Muriel Bowser demanding a fix to the system at the end of April, said he wants things to change.
"Whatever is required to eliminate what the citizens are calling denial of service through bureaucracy," he said.
Charles Fain Lehman contributed to this report.


freebeacon--2020-07-20--German States Ask Congress Not to Remove U.S. Troops

The leaders of four German states wrote to Congress asking for a halt to Washington 's troop withdrawal plan from the country , Reuters reported Sunday .
The premiers of the four states—all of which have U.S. bases—addressed their letters to 13 members of Congress , including Sens .
Mitt Romney ( R. , Utah ) and Jim Inhofe ( R. , Okla. ) .
Inhofe chairs the Armed Services Committee , while Romney is a leading member of the Foreign Relations Committee .
`` We therefore ask you to support us as we strive not to sever the bond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to secure the U.S. presence in Germany and Europe in the future , '' the ministers of Bavaria , Baden-Wuerttemberg , Rhineland-Palatinate , and Hesse wrote .
The German officials wrote that the troops `` form the backbone of the U.S. presence in Europe and NATO 's ability to act . ''
Current plans offered by President Donald Trump would cut back the U.S. military presence in Germany by 9,500 troops , reducing the total American footprint to 25,000 .
The White House proposed the drawback in troops after citing a one-sided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last month , the Defense Department said the rollback of the American military presence would `` enhance Russian deterrence , strengthen NATO , [ and ] reassure Allies . ''
A longstanding cornerstone of the transatlantic alliance , NATO has faced significant criticism that some member states are unwilling to contribute to the collective defense system proportionately .
Germany spent 1.36 percent of its GDP on defense in 2019 , compared with the United States ' 3.42 percent—the most among NATO countries .
Many , however , remain hopeful for the institution 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endured because it is a community of shared values—of democracy , freedom , market economics , solidarity , and mutual respect , '' wrote George W. Bush Institute director Lindsay Lloyd .
`` The United States and our partners share a strong interest in preserving this partnership—it has worked to our common benefit for 70 years and continues to do so today . ''

The leaders of four German states wrote to Congress asking for a halt to Washington's troop withdrawal plan from the country, Reuters reported Sunday.
The premiers of the four states—all of which have U.S. bases—addressed their letters to 13 members of Congress, including Sens. Mitt Romney (R., Utah) and Jim Inhofe (R., Okla.). Inhofe chairs the Armed Services Committee, while Romney is a leading member of the Foreign Relations Committee.
"We therefore ask you to support us as we strive not to sever the bond of friendship but to strengthen it, and to secure the U.S. presence in Germany and Europe in the future," the ministers of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Hesse wrote.
The German officials wrote that the troops "form the backbone of the U.S. presence in Europe and NATO's ability to act."
Current plans offered by President Donald Trump would cut back the U.S. military presence in Germany by 9,500 troops, reducing the total American footprint to 25,000. The White House proposed the drawback in troops after citing a one-sided relationship on trade and defense spending.
Last month, the Defense Department said the rollback of the American military presence would "enhance Russian deterrence, strengthen NATO, [and] reassure Allies."
A longstanding cornerstone of the transatlantic alliance, NATO has faced significant criticism that some member states are unwilling to contribute to the collective defense system proportionately. Germany spent 1.36 percent of its GDP on defense in 2019, compared with the United States' 3.42 percent—the most among NATO countries. Many, however, remain hopeful for the institution's future.
"Fundamentally, NATO has endured because it is a community of shared values—of democracy, freedom, market economics, solidarity, and mutual respect," wrote George W. Bush Institute director Lindsay Lloyd. "The United States and our partners share a strong interest in preserving this partnership—it has worked to our common benefit for 70 years and continues to do so today."


freebeacon--2020-07-20--St. Louis Couple Charged with Felony for Pointing Guns at Black Lives Matter Crowd

The armed St. Louis couple at the center of a June standoff with a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters outside their home was charged with felonies on Monday , according to the city 's circuit attorney .
St. Louis Democratic circuit attorney Kimberly M. Gardner said she is bringing felony charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey for brandishing weapons at protesters who gathered outside their property .
She accused the couple of trying to intimidate protesters by pointing firearms at them during the ordeal , which was captured on a viral video .
`` Today my office filed charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident involving peaceful , unarmed protesters on June 28th , '' Gardner said in a statement .
`` It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest , and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force , this type of conduct is unacceptable in St .
Louis . ''
Joel J. Schwartz , who is representing the McCloskeys , said the charges were unwarranted because the crowd trespassed on the couple 's private property and even destroyed the gate to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said the McCloskeys are protected under Missouri 's defense-of-property law .
`` The charges filed today against my clients , Mark and Patricia McCloskey , are disheartening as I unequivocally believe no crime was committed , '' Schwartz said in a statement .
`` I , along with my clients , support the First Amendment right of every citizen to have their voice and opinion heard .
This right , however , must be balanced with the Second Amendment and Missouri law , which entitle each of us to protect our home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police seized the guns the McCloskeys used in the incident last week .
The couple 's actions have become a political lightning rod , sparking condemnation even after they voiced support for the Black Lives Matter movement .
Others have defended the McCloskey family .
On Friday , President Donald Trump hosted the couple at a virtual campaign event .
Gardner said her motivations in charging the couple were not political .
The day before she filed charges against the McCloskeys , her office charged a Black Lives Matter protester with assault after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a statue of King Louis IX .
`` We must protect the right to peacefully protest , and any attempt to chill it through intimidation will not be tolerated , '' she said .
`` As I mentioned in my initial statement on June 29th about protecting the rights of protesters , this was not the only disturbing incident that occurred the same weekend . ''
Schwartz lamented the heightened focus the incident has received , saying that people were attempting to `` try this case in the media . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter due to the current political environment , I don ’ t believe it is prudent to comment any further , at this time , or to try this case in the media , '' he said .
Gardner said she would prefer to pursue a diversion program for the couple , rather than jail time .
Schwartz said he will defend his clients against the allegations .

The armed St. Louis couple at the center of a June standoff with a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters outside their home was charged with felonies on Monday, according to the city's circuit attorney.
St. Louis Democratic circuit attorney Kimberly M. Gardner said she is bringing felony charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey for brandishing weapons at protesters who gathered outside their property. She accused the couple of trying to intimidate protesters by pointing firearms at them during the ordeal, which was captured on a viral video.
"Today my office filed charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey following an incident involving peaceful, unarmed protesters on June 28th," Gardner said in a statement. "It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis."
Joel J. Schwartz, who is representing the McCloskeys, said the charges were unwarranted because the crowd trespassed on the couple's private property and even destroyed the gate to the private street the couple lives on. He said the McCloskeys are protected under Missouri's defense-of-property law.
"The charges filed today against my clients, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, are disheartening as I unequivocally believe no crime was committed," Schwartz said in a statement. "I, along with my clients, support the First Amendment right of every citizen to have their voice and opinion heard. This right, however, must be balanced with the Second Amendment and Missouri law, which entitle each of us to protect our home and family from potential threats."
Police seized the guns the McCloskeys used in the incident last week.
The couple's actions have become a political lightning rod, sparking condemnation even after they voiced support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Others have defended the McCloskey family. On Friday, President Donald Trump hosted the couple at a virtual campaign event.
Gardner said her motivations in charging the couple were not political. The day before she filed charges against the McCloskeys, her office charged a Black Lives Matter protester with assault after he allegedly attacked people praying in front of a statue of King Louis IX.
"We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation will not be tolerated," she said. "As I mentioned in my initial statement on June 29th about protecting the rights of protesters, this was not the only disturbing incident that occurred the same weekend."
Schwartz lamented the heightened focus the incident has received, saying that people were attempting to "try this case in the media."
"Given the heightened attention focused on this matter due to the current political environment, I don’t believe it is prudent to comment any further, at this time, or to try this case in the media," he said.
Gardner said she would prefer to pursue a diversion program for the couple, rather than jail time. Schwartz said he will defend his clients against the allegations.