freebeacon--2020-10-13--Barrett Critics Can’t Find a Single Law School Colleague to Oppose Her

Faculty from Notre Dame unveiled an open letter demanding Amy Coney Barrett refuse her nomination to the Supreme Court , but the letter attracted zero signers from the law school .
The letter , published by the progressive group Teacher-Scholar-Activist , was touted by some in the media as a revolt of Barrett 's `` colleagues , '' but the professors who signed the letter teach subjects such as anthropology and gender studies , not law .
They argued the confirmation process is `` rushed '' and tainted by `` anti-democratic machinations , '' constituting an `` injury to [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memory . ''
`` Your nomination just days after Ginsburg ’ s death was unseemly and a repudiation of her legacy , '' they wrote .
The letter comes as Democrats and the media have struggled to settle on a message to oppose Barrett , who received the `` well qualified '' rating from the American Bar Association , its top rating .
After facing backlash for critiques of Barrett 's faith , Democrats shifted the focus on the possibility she could rule against Obamacare , something legal experts consider unlikely .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are `` asking a lot , '' but they promised Barrett that she `` would earn the respect of fair-minded people everywhere '' if she listened to them and withdrew from the nomination process .
In addition , they said withdrawing `` would provide a model of civic selflessness '' that `` might well inspire Americans of different beliefs toward a renewed commitment to the common good . ''

Faculty from Notre Dame unveiled an open letter demanding Amy Coney Barrett refuse her nomination to the Supreme Court, but the letter attracted zero signers from the law school.
The letter, published by the progressive group Teacher-Scholar-Activist, was touted by some in the media as a revolt of Barrett's "colleagues," but the professors who signed the letter teach subjects such as anthropology and gender studies, not law. They argued the confirmation process is "rushed" and tainted by "anti-democratic machinations," constituting an "injury to [former Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's] memory."
"Your nomination just days after Ginsburg’s death was unseemly and a repudiation of her legacy," they wrote.
The letter comes as Democrats and the media have struggled to settle on a message to oppose Barrett, who received the "well qualified" rating from the American Bar Association, its top rating. After facing backlash for critiques of Barrett's faith, Democrats shifted the focus on the possibility she could rule against Obamacare, something legal experts consider unlikely.
The writers of the Notre Dame letter admitted they are "asking a lot," but they promised Barrett that she "would earn the respect of fair-minded people everywhere" if she listened to them and withdrew from the nomination process. In addition, they said withdrawing "would provide a model of civic selflessness" that "might well inspire Americans of different beliefs toward a renewed commitment to the common good."


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Peters Silent on UAW Corruption Arrests

Peters Silent on UAW Corruption Arrests

Sen. Gary Peters ( D. , Mich. ) has remained silent on whether he will return the thousands of dollars in donations that he received from the United Auto Workers after federal authorities arrested the union 's top leaders for corruption .
UAW 's PAC has donated more than $ 105,000 to Peters 's joint-fundraising committee .
The committee in turn funneled $ 71,200 to Peters 's campaign and $ 278,800 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee , according to financial disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission .
The PAC 's donation made up roughly one-in-four dollars raised by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by far the largest donor to the entity .
Peters 's campaign did not respond to a Washington Free Beacon inquiry about whether the senator will return the funds in light of recent revelations about widespread corruption within the union , which has so far led to guilty pleas from at least 11 union officials , including Gary Jones , the union 's former president .
Peters has a long history of working closely with UAW leaders , many of whom are now going to jail for embezzling union funds , conspiracy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UAW president Dennis Williams , who served in that position from 2014 to 2018 , endorsed Peters during his first Senate run in 2014 and personally appeared in a rally to support his candidacy .
Since then , a wide-ranging FBI probe found that Williams used union funds to pay for his personal expenses , including boxes of cigars and high-end alcohol .
Peters 's campaign continued to accept tens of thousands of dollars in donations from union coffers even after the FBI went public with corruption indictments against senior labor officials beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotly contested Senate race against Republican challenger John James .
James , previously considered a long-shot candidate by election observers , has narrowed the gap with the incumbent in the last few months of the race , trailing Peters by only one point in the latest polling .
The six-figure donations from the union are helping Peters edge out a slight fundraising advantage over his rival .
The Michigan senator has raised nearly $ 22 million to James 's $ 20 million .
The union 's PAC has also funneled $ 1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) .
The Senate Majority PAC in turn has spent more than $ 6 million in independent expenditures to oppose James .
The PAC donations are not the only union money that Peters has received .
The Peters campaign has also received $ 12,951 from individuals affiliated with the union in the 2020 election cycle , according to the Center for Responsive Politics .
Despite the mounting guilty pleas , Peters has continued to lean into his close ties with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other labor groups in September .
The Democratic senator appeared alongside UAW secretary-treasurer Ray Curry for the roll call during the Democratic National Convention in August—one week before authorities arrested Williams .
Neither the union nor Senate Majority PAC responded to requests for comment .

Sen. Gary Peters (D., Mich.) has remained silent on whether he will return the thousands of dollars in donations that he received from the United Auto Workers after federal authorities arrested the union's top leaders for corruption.
UAW's PAC has donated more than $105,000 to Peters's joint-fundraising committee. The committee in turn funneled $71,200 to Peters's campaign and $278,800 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to financial disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission. The PAC's donation made up roughly one-in-four dollars raised by the joint-fundraising committee, making the union by far the largest donor to the entity.
Peters's campaign did not respond to a Washington Free Beacon inquiry about whether the senator will return the funds in light of recent revelations about widespread corruption within the union, which has so far led to guilty pleas from at least 11 union officials, including Gary Jones, the union's former president.
Peters has a long history of working closely with UAW leaders, many of whom are now going to jail for embezzling union funds, conspiracy, and other acts of corruption. Former UAW president Dennis Williams, who served in that position from 2014 to 2018, endorsed Peters during his first Senate run in 2014 and personally appeared in a rally to support his candidacy. Since then, a wide-ranging FBI probe found that Williams used union funds to pay for his personal expenses, including boxes of cigars and high-end alcohol. Peters's campaign continued to accept tens of thousands of dollars in donations from union coffers even after the FBI went public with corruption indictments against senior labor officials beginning in 2019.
Peters is in a hotly contested Senate race against Republican challenger John James. James, previously considered a long-shot candidate by election observers, has narrowed the gap with the incumbent in the last few months of the race, trailing Peters by only one point in the latest polling. The six-figure donations from the union are helping Peters edge out a slight fundraising advantage over his rival. The Michigan senator has raised nearly $22 million to James's $20 million.
UAW told the Free Beacon that local unions "start the endorsement process" to decide which candidate or campaign committee should receive their political donations.
"Our members meet with and study the candidate positions and they then begin the process of who to endorse. The decision starts at the local level," union spokesman Brian Rothenberg said. "So any candidacy that receives donations from the UAW, are receiving money raised voluntarily to candidates—from members in the plant to those campaigns they support."
The union's PAC has also funneled $1 million to the Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.). The Senate Majority PAC in turn has spent more than $6 million in independent expenditures to oppose James. The PAC donations are not the only union money that Peters has received. The Peters campaign has also received $12,951 from individuals affiliated with the union in the 2020 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Despite the mounting guilty pleas, Peters has continued to lean into his close ties with the UAW, which endorsed him alongside other labor groups in September. The Democratic senator appeared alongside UAW secretary-treasurer Ray Curry for the roll call during the Democratic National Convention in August—one week before authorities arrested Williams.
The Senate Majority PAC did not respond to a request for comment.
Update 10/14/2020 8:03 p.m.: This article was updated with comment from the United Auto Workers.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Joe Biden Still Not Sure How Many Grandchildren He Has

By all scientific and legal standards , former vice president Joe Biden has seven grandchildren .
For whatever reason , the Democratic candidate has consistently gotten that number wrong on the campaign trail , and did so again on Tuesday .
`` How many of you have been unable to hug your grandkids in the last seven months ? ''
Biden said during a campaign event in Florida .
`` I got six of 'em . ''
FACT CHECK : Biden does not have six of 'em .
He has seven of 'em .
Biden 's deceased son Beau had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's troubled son , Hunter , has five children : Naomi , Finnegan , and Maisy with his first wife ; a son Beau with current wife Melissa Cohen ; and a son identified in Arkansas court documents as `` NJR . ''
According to the results of a DNA test , which were announced last year on Joe Biden 's 77th birthday , it is a `` scientific certainty '' that Hunter was the father of `` NJR . ''
Those results ultimately helped settle a legal dispute between Hunter and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roberts , who previously worked as a stripper under the stage name `` Dallas . ''

By all scientific and legal standards, former vice president Joe Biden has seven grandchildren. For whatever reason, the Democratic candidate has consistently gotten that number wrong on the campaign trail, and did so again on Tuesday.
"How many of you have been unable to hug your grandkids in the last seven months?" Biden said during a campaign event in Florida. "I got six of 'em."
FACT CHECK: Biden does not have six of 'em. He has seven of 'em.
Biden's deceased son Beau had two children: Natalie and Robert. Biden's troubled son, Hunter, has five children: Naomi, Finnegan, and Maisy with his first wife; a son Beau with current wife Melissa Cohen; and a son identified in Arkansas court documents as "NJR."
According to the results of a DNA test, which were announced last year on Joe Biden's 77th birthday, it is a "scientific certainty" that Hunter was the father of "NJR." Those results ultimately helped settle a legal dispute between Hunter and the child's mother, Lunden Alexis Roberts, who previously worked as a stripper under the stage name "Dallas."
https://twitter.com/TeamTrump/status/1197257754404118530


freebeacon--2020-10-13--U.S. Slams U.N. for Electing China, Russia, Cuba to Human Rights Council

The United States rebuked the United Nations Tuesday for electing several of the world 's top human-rights abusers to sit @ @ @ @ @ .
The United States withdrew from the council in 2018 , citing its anti-Israel bias @ @ @ @ @ that violate human rights .
It continued those gestures Tuesday , when it elected China @ @ @ @ @ as members .
`` These elections only further validate the U.S. decision to withdraw and @ @ @ @ @ to protect and promote universal human rights , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said @ @ @ @ @ The United States has urged U.N. member states to take immediate action to reform the @ @ @ @ @ .
Unfortunately , those calls went unheeded . ''
As U.N. members , authoritarian nations @ @ @ @ @ the international organization to paper over systematic human-rights abuses .

The United States rebuked the United Nations Tuesday for electing several of the world's top human-rights abusers to sit on its Human Rights Council.
The United States withdrew from the council in 2018, citing its anti-Israel bias and decision to welcome countries that violate human rights. It continued those gestures Tuesday, when it elected China, Russia, and Cuba as members.
"These elections only further validate the U.S. decision to withdraw and use other venues and opportunities to protect and promote universal human rights," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "The United States has urged U.N. member states to take immediate action to reform the council before it became irreparable. Unfortunately, those calls went unheeded."
As U.N. members, authoritarian nations such as China have pushed the international organization to paper over systematic human-rights abuses.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Democrats: Republicans Are the Real Court Packers

Democrats are using a coordinated talking point to accuse Republicans of `` packing '' courts with ideologically allied nominees , @ @ @ @ @ who have called for actually packing the Supreme Court with extra justices if they take @ @ @ @ @ Rutz is senior writer at the Washington Free Beacon .
He was previously a sports @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta and has done freelance sports reporting for the Washington Post .
He graduated from @ @ @ @ @ lives in Marietta , Ga. His Twitter handle is @ DavidRutz .
He can be @ @ @ @ @ .

Democrats are using a coordinated talking point to accuse Republicans of "packing" courts with ideologically allied nominees, even though it's Democrats who have called for actually packing the Supreme Court with extra justices if they take power in 2021.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Repressive Regimes Elected to UN Human Rights Council

Countries that routinely abuse human rights and attack American interests won seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council Tuesday .
United Nations General Assembly president Volkan Bozkir welcomed China , Cuba , Russia , and Pakistan , among other countries , to their council seats in a congratulatory tweet .
The vote to extend membership to the countries took place Tuesday afternoon .
All five countries have committed human-rights abuses , including limited religious freedom , political suppression , and genocide .
Many of them , meanwhile , have worked together to oppose American interests and defend each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have engaged in a reciprocal relationship , calling out so-called American imperialism to deflect criticism of their own human-rights violations .
China 's Communist regime has committed genocide against its Uighur people , while Cuba 's government has oppressed its citizens and refused to cooperate with American counterterrorism efforts .
The welcome to China comes despite human-rights groups ' fervent opposition .
The council 's initiatives have disproportionately targeted Israel but done little to examine member-states ' practices .
Under the Trump administration , the United States withdrew from the body in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has provided cover , not condemnation , for the world 's most inhumane regimes , '' former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said in 2018 .
While the Trump administration has begun to rethink American commitments to international organizations that defend dictatorships , a Joe Biden administration may not think the same way .
In its 2020 national platform , the Democratic Party calls for the United States ' rejoining the Human Rights Council and other U.N.-sponsored organizations that target Israel and promote Chinese domestic interests .
Biden 's campaign platform , meanwhile , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tibet until a Washington Free Beacon report was published in August .

Countries that routinely abuse human rights and attack American interests won seats on the United Nations Human Rights Council Tuesday.
United Nations General Assembly president Volkan Bozkir welcomed China, Cuba, Russia, and Pakistan, among other countries, to their council seats in a congratulatory tweet. The vote to extend membership to the countries took place Tuesday afternoon.
All five countries have committed human-rights abuses, including limited religious freedom, political suppression, and genocide.
Many of them, meanwhile, have worked together to oppose American interests and defend each other. China and Cuba, for example, have engaged in a reciprocal relationship, calling out so-called American imperialism to deflect criticism of their own human-rights violations. China's Communist regime has committed genocide against its Uighur people, while Cuba's government has oppressed its citizens and refused to cooperate with American counterterrorism efforts.
The welcome to China comes despite human-rights groups' fervent opposition.
The council's initiatives have disproportionately targeted Israel but done little to examine member-states' practices. Under the Trump administration, the United States withdrew from the body in 2018.
"The Human Rights Council has provided cover, not condemnation, for the world's most inhumane regimes," former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said in 2018.
While the Trump administration has begun to rethink American commitments to international organizations that defend dictatorships, a Joe Biden administration may not think the same way.
In its 2020 national platform, the Democratic Party calls for the United States' rejoining the Human Rights Council and other U.N.-sponsored organizations that target Israel and promote Chinese domestic interests. Biden's campaign platform, meanwhile, did not condemn Chinese human-rights violations in Tibet until a Washington Free Beacon report was published in August.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Whitehouse Cites Group Funded by Dark Money to Attack Dark Money

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse ( D. , R.I. ) on Tuesday savaged conservative dark-money groups , citing the work of a left-wing group funded by dark money in his attacks .
In an exchange with Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett that Whitehouse used to deliver a soliloquy attacking `` dark money '' —groups that do not disclose their donors—Whitehouse cited research from the Center for Media and Democracy , a group funded by anonymous left-wing donors .
The Center for Media and Democracy received $ 520,000 in 2011 from the Schwab Charitable Fund , which conceals the sources of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 percent of the group 's 2011 revenue .
Though the group says it lists `` foundations that have provided at least one grant of $ 5,000 or more , '' it does not disclose the contribution from the Schwab Charitable Fund .
It is not the first time that White House has attacked right-wing groups bankrolled by anonymous donors while partnering with left-wing groups that do the same .
Just three months ago , the Rhode Island senator spoke at an event hosted by the American Constitution Society , a dark-money group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His appearance at the event came weeks after the Democrat introduced a bill requiring dark money judicial groups to disclose their donors with the Federal Election Commission .
Whitehouse has also been a top ally of Demand Justice , a left-wing dark money judicial group founded by former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon in 2018 .
The group is part of an intricate dark money network spearheaded by Arabella Advisors , a consulting firm that serves as a `` pass through '' outfit for wealthy Democratic donors wishing to make anonymous contributions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Demand Justice more than $ 2.5 million after Fallon appeared at a 2018 conference held by the Democracy Alliance , a wealthy liberal donor network that funnels millions to progressive activist groups .
Fallon called Whitehouse a `` hero for everyone who cares about saving our courts from Trump and McConnell '' in a June interview with the Hill .
`` Sheldon Whitehouse understands that Democrats ca n't play by an old rulebook that Republicans long ago tore up , '' Fallon said .

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.) on Tuesday savaged conservative dark-money groups, citing the work of a left-wing group funded by dark money in his attacks.
In an exchange with Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett that Whitehouse used to deliver a soliloquy attacking "dark money"—groups that do not disclose their donors—Whitehouse cited research from the Center for Media and Democracy, a group funded by anonymous left-wing donors.
The Center for Media and Democracy received $520,000 in 2011 from the Schwab Charitable Fund, which conceals the sources of its funding. That contribution alone made up 60 percent of the group's 2011 revenue. Though the group says it lists "foundations that have provided at least one grant of $5,000 or more," it does not disclose the contribution from the Schwab Charitable Fund.
It is not the first time that White House has attacked right-wing groups bankrolled by anonymous donors while partnering with left-wing groups that do the same. Just three months ago, the Rhode Island senator spoke at an event hosted by the American Constitution Society, a dark-money group that does not disclose its donors. His appearance at the event came weeks after the Democrat introduced a bill requiring dark money judicial groups to disclose their donors with the Federal Election Commission.
Whitehouse has also been a top ally of Demand Justice, a left-wing dark money judicial group founded by former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon in 2018. The group is part of an intricate dark money network spearheaded by Arabella Advisors, a consulting firm that serves as a "pass through" outfit for wealthy Democratic donors wishing to make anonymous contributions. Liberal billionaire George Soros reported sending Demand Justice more than $2.5 million after Fallon appeared at a 2018 conference held by the Democracy Alliance, a wealthy liberal donor network that funnels millions to progressive activist groups.
Fallon called Whitehouse a "hero for everyone who cares about saving our courts from Trump and McConnell" in a June interview with the Hill.
"Sheldon Whitehouse understands that Democrats can't play by an old rulebook that Republicans long ago tore up," Fallon said.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Two Coronavirus Cases Linked to Biden Campaign Events in Minnesota

Two confirmed cases of coronavirus were traced to campaign events for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in Minnesota .
Though the former vice president gives speeches in crowdless rooms and hosts socially distanced events , one Minnesotan contracted the virus at a Biden event in Duluth on Sept. 18 , according to state health officials .
Another who was diagnosed with the virus said they attended a Biden campaign event outside of Minneapolis on Sept. 22 .
Despite having two coronavirus cases linked to his own events , Biden—whose campaign stopped hosting rallies in June to slow the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events in swing states on Monday .
Biden has attacked President Donald Trump for his response to the coronavirus pandemic , recently tweeting that the president is the `` worst possible leader '' to deal with the crisis .
A handful of Republican leaders , including the president , tested positive for the virus after the Rose Garden event where Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his pick to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
The president returned to the campaign trail on Monday with a rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Biden is polling ahead of Trump in Minnesota by 9 percentage points , according to the most recent RealClearPolitics data .
Trump lost the state by 1.5 points in 2016 to former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton .

Two confirmed cases of coronavirus were traced to campaign events for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in Minnesota.
Though the former vice president gives speeches in crowdless rooms and hosts socially distanced events, one Minnesotan contracted the virus at a Biden event in Duluth on Sept. 18, according to state health officials. Another who was diagnosed with the virus said they attended a Biden campaign event outside of Minneapolis on Sept. 22.
Despite having two coronavirus cases linked to his own events, Biden—whose campaign stopped hosting rallies in June to slow the spread of the coronavirus—kicked off a week of in-person events in swing states on Monday. Biden has attacked President Donald Trump for his response to the coronavirus pandemic, recently tweeting that the president is the "worst possible leader" to deal with the crisis.
A handful of Republican leaders, including the president, tested positive for the virus after the Rose Garden event where Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his pick to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The president returned to the campaign trail on Monday with a rally in Florida after twice testing negative for the virus.
Biden is polling ahead of Trump in Minnesota by 9 percentage points, according to the most recent RealClearPolitics data. Trump lost the state by 1.5 points in 2016 to former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--ANALYSIS: Liberal ‘Journalists’ Keep Getting ‘Hacked’

The social media accounts of liberal journalists are routinely targeted by malicious hackers , a Washington Free Beacon analysis has found .
Steve Scully , the C-SPAN host who was slated to moderate the now-canceled second presidential debate this week , claimed his Twitter account was `` hacked '' after he had appeared to ask former White House communications adviser and prominent Biden supporter Anthony Scaramucci for advice on how to `` respond '' to President Donald Trump .
Twitter and the FBI are reportedly investigating the hacking allegation , which was first communicated by Frank Fahrenkopf , a co-chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaking of the FBI , it is not entirely clear if the bureau has completed its investigation into the alleged hacker who retroactively planted homophobic , Islamophobic , and anti-Semitic posts on Joy Reid 's old blog .
The MSNBC personality , who was recently promoted to replace the disgraced host Chris Matthews , has refused to admit that her hacking allegations were simply made up—something even her most partisan colleagues in the media know to be true .
Oddly enough , just hours after Scully 's account was allegedly hacked , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Welker was suspiciously deactivated last week .
Welker is scheduled to moderate the final presidential debate on Oct. 22 .
Additionally , the Twitter account of left-wing publishing baron Jeff Bezos , owner of the Washington Post , was allegedly hacked in an effort to fraudulently obtain donations in Bitcoin .
The most prominent lib to allege his social media accounts had been compromised is Anthony Weiner , the disgraced former congressman who falsely claimed he had been `` hacked '' after he accidentally tweeted a photo of his crotch .

The social media accounts of liberal journalists are routinely targeted by malicious hackers, a Washington Free Beacon analysis has found.
Steve Scully, the C-SPAN host who was slated to moderate the now-canceled second presidential debate this week, claimed his Twitter account was "hacked" after he had appeared to ask former White House communications adviser and prominent Biden supporter Anthony Scaramucci for advice on how to "respond" to President Donald Trump.
Twitter and the FBI are reportedly investigating the hacking allegation, which was first communicated by Frank Fahrenkopf, a co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Speaking of the FBI, it is not entirely clear if the bureau has completed its investigation into the alleged hacker who retroactively planted homophobic, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic posts on Joy Reid's old blog. The MSNBC personality, who was recently promoted to replace the disgraced host Chris Matthews, has refused to admit that her hacking allegations were simply made up—something even her most partisan colleagues in the media know to be true.
Oddly enough, just hours after Scully's account was allegedly hacked, the Twitter account of NBC News correspondent Kristen Welker was suspiciously deactivated last week. Welker is scheduled to moderate the final presidential debate on Oct. 22.
Additionally, the Twitter account of left-wing publishing baron Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, was allegedly hacked in an effort to fraudulently obtain donations in Bitcoin.
The most prominent lib to allege his social media accounts had been compromised is Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former congressman who falsely claimed he had been "hacked" after he accidentally tweeted a photo of his crotch.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Americans Willing to Take Risks to Defend Allies Against China, Poll Says

Americans are overwhelmingly willing to take military risks in defending allies from China , according to a new poll from the Center for Strategic and International Studies .
On a scale of 1 to 10—where 10 means one is willing to take significant risk—the American public averages a score of 6.77 when asked if it would be willing to take risks to defend allies and partners against military threats from China .
The countries listed in the poll were Japan , Australia , Taiwan , South Korea , and an unspecified South China Sea partner .
Members of the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an even higher average of 8.24 for the same scenarios .
`` We ’ re seeing a more enduring rivalry , and not one which will shift with a shift in administrations here in the United States , '' said Jude Blanchette , chair of China studies at CSIS .
Bonnie Glaser , director of CSIS 's China Power Project , added that the poll 's results reflect growing knowledge among Americans about the threats allies face from China .
`` It is a function of the growing awareness about Taiwan in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This is something that is a major shift we have now seen . ''
In recent months , collaboration with allies against China has become a major feature of the Trump administration ’ s foreign policy .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has rallied transatlantic and Asian allies to form security and economic agreements that either isolate or defend against China .
The results are also indicative of a higher-order view of China ’ s growing security threat .
The poll shows that a majority of Americans—54 percent—see China as the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States .
Americans also score high for their interest in certain policy priorities to counter the growing Chinese threat , showing high favorability toward both shutting the door to Chinese tech giant Huawei and taking on China for its abuses of human rights .
The shift in views on China among Americans corresponds to a sea change in China strategy from the Trump administration .
Breaking with a consensus on economic engagement with China going back decades , the current administration has geared the Pentagon , economic policy , and a renewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to China ’ s desire to rewrite the rules of the current world order .

Americans are overwhelmingly willing to take military risks in defending allies from China, according to a new poll from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
On a scale of 1 to 10—where 10 means one is willing to take significant risk—the American public averages a score of 6.77 when asked if it would be willing to take risks to defend allies and partners against military threats from China. The countries listed in the poll were Japan, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, and an unspecified South China Sea partner.
Members of the national security community polled by CSIS scored at an even higher average of 8.24 for the same scenarios.
"We’re seeing a more enduring rivalry, and not one which will shift with a shift in administrations here in the United States," said Jude Blanchette, chair of China studies at CSIS.
Bonnie Glaser, director of CSIS's China Power Project, added that the poll's results reflect growing knowledge among Americans about the threats allies face from China. "It is a function of the growing awareness about Taiwan in the United States," Glaser said. "This is something that is a major shift we have now seen."
In recent months, collaboration with allies against China has become a major feature of the Trump administration’s foreign policy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has rallied transatlantic and Asian allies to form security and economic agreements that either isolate or defend against China.
The results are also indicative of a higher-order view of China’s growing security threat. The poll shows that a majority of Americans—54 percent—see China as the country that poses the greatest challenge to the United States.
Americans also score high for their interest in certain policy priorities to counter the growing Chinese threat, showing high favorability toward both shutting the door to Chinese tech giant Huawei and taking on China for its abuses of human rights.
The shift in views on China among Americans corresponds to a sea change in China strategy from the Trump administration. Breaking with a consensus on economic engagement with China going back decades, the current administration has geared the Pentagon, economic policy, and a renewed commitment to human rights toward standing up to China’s desire to rewrite the rules of the current world order.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--ANALYSIS: Media Coverage of Amy Coney Barrett Flagrantly Violates Anti-Sexism Guidelines

Days before Joe Biden chose Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) to be his historic running mate in 2020 , a coalition of liberal anti-sexism experts , including former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett , distributed media guidelines for reporting on female candidates .
The media seemed more than willing to abide by the expert recommendations , which advised against reporting on certain topics , such as a female candidate 's `` ambition , '' `` likability , '' and whether she is `` qualified '' for the job .
`` Reporting , even as asides in a story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , weight , tone of voice , attractiveness and hair is sexist news coverage unless the same analysis is applied to every candidate , '' the experts warned .
Alas , the media quickly ran afoul of the guidelines as soon as Kamala Harris made a series of `` iconic '' footwear choices .
The professional journalists assigned to cover the VP candidate objectively proceeded to wet themselves with glee upon seeing Harris disembark from private jets wearing Chuck Taylor All-Stars or Timberland boots , aka `` Timbs . ''
For the record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not applied to Vice President Mike Pence .
The media has continued to ignore expert recommendations for anti-sexist reporting in its coverage of Amy Coney Barrett 's confirmation hearing .
The Daily Beast , for example , engaged in sexist reporting on Barrett 's choice of clothing on Monday , publishing an article that would never have been written about a male nominee .
`` The justice picked a very nice outfit for her first confirmation hearing , '' the Daily Beast ‘ s Alaina Demopoulos wrote , sexistly .
`` Too bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rotten process . ''
The Washington Post published an article on Barrett 's large ( and very diverse ) family that even the paper 's left-wing columnist Jennifer Rubin denounced as `` grotesquely sexist . ''
The Post ‘ s Robin Givhan violated numerous anti-sexist guidelines in the piece , which described Barrett as `` unleashing her ambition '' despite her `` prolific motherhood . ''
Slate also violated the anti-sexism experts ' prohibition on critiquing female `` ambition '' by painting Barrett as `` a shameless , cynical careerist '' who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nine most powerful judges in the country . ''
As the liberal experts made clear in their reporting guidelines , such reporting is sexist because `` the very nature of seeking political office , or any higher job for that matter , '' is by definition a `` mission of ambition '' that women should be allowed to pursue as readily as their male counterparts .
The Economist , meanwhile , flagrantly ignored the expert sanctions against reporting on a woman 's `` likability '' by describing her as `` the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history . ''
This is obviously sexist , the coalition of anti-sexists argued , because likability is `` a subjective metric at best , '' and is `` never considered a legitimate news story '' when applied to men .
We are not even halfway through Barrett 's confirmation process , which means the sexist media coverage is bound to continue .
The behavior thus far of our nation 's foremost professional journalists—ignoring the expert guidelines and embracing sexism at the expense of the truth—has been regrettable .

Days before Joe Biden chose Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) to be his historic running mate in 2020, a coalition of liberal anti-sexism experts, including former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, distributed media guidelines for reporting on female candidates.
The media seemed more than willing to abide by the expert recommendations, which advised against reporting on certain topics, such as a female candidate's "ambition," "likability," and whether she is "qualified" for the job. "Reporting, even as asides in a story, on a woman’s looks, weight, tone of voice, attractiveness and hair is sexist news coverage unless the same analysis is applied to every candidate," the experts warned.
Alas, the media quickly ran afoul of the guidelines as soon as Kamala Harris made a series of "iconic" footwear choices. The professional journalists assigned to cover the VP candidate objectively proceeded to wet themselves with glee upon seeing Harris disembark from private jets wearing Chuck Taylor All-Stars or Timberland boots, aka "Timbs." For the record, this same "analysis" was not applied to Vice President Mike Pence.
The media has continued to ignore expert recommendations for anti-sexist reporting in its coverage of Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing. The Daily Beast, for example, engaged in sexist reporting on Barrett's choice of clothing on Monday, publishing an article that would never have been written about a male nominee.
"The justice picked a very nice outfit for her first confirmation hearing," the Daily Beast's Alaina Demopoulos wrote, sexistly. "Too bad it was curated for such an ugly, rotten process."
The Washington Post published an article on Barrett's large (and very diverse) family that even the paper's left-wing columnist Jennifer Rubin denounced as "grotesquely sexist." The Post's Robin Givhan violated numerous anti-sexist guidelines in the piece, which described Barrett as "unleashing her ambition" despite her "prolific motherhood."
Slate also violated the anti-sexism experts' prohibition on critiquing female "ambition" by painting Barrett as "a shameless, cynical careerist" who is "bent on making herself one of the nine most powerful judges in the country." As the liberal experts made clear in their reporting guidelines, such reporting is sexist because "the very nature of seeking political office, or any higher job for that matter," is by definition a "mission of ambition" that women should be allowed to pursue as readily as their male counterparts.
The Economist, meanwhile, flagrantly ignored the expert sanctions against reporting on a woman's "likability" by describing her as "the least popular Supreme Court nominee in recent history." This is obviously sexist, the coalition of anti-sexists argued, because likability is "a subjective metric at best," and is "never considered a legitimate news story" when applied to men.
We are not even halfway through Barrett's confirmation process, which means the sexist media coverage is bound to continue. The behavior thus far of our nation's foremost professional journalists—ignoring the expert guidelines and embracing sexism at the expense of the truth—has been regrettable.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Delaware Dem Pardoned Man Charged in Plot to Abduct Governor Whitmer

Delaware 's Democratic governor John Carney pardoned one of the men who was allegedly involved in the plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer ( D. ) , Delaware 's News Journal reported .
Carney , who once worked in Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden 's Senate office , pardoned Barry Gordon Croft Jr. in April 2019 for a series of felony charges he received in the mid- to late-1990s .
Federal authorities arrested Croft in New Jersey last week .
He is one of six men facing federal conspiracy charges after FBI investigators found they had hatched a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Though he dismissed older charges against Croft—including those for possessing a firearm while commissioning a felony , assault , and burglary—Carney called the latest charges against Croft `` disturbing '' and said he should be punished `` to the fullest extent of the law . ''
`` The charges brought in Michigan are disturbing , and everyone charged in this plot should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law , '' a statement from Carney 's office reads .
`` This is also another warning sign about the growing threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The FBI charged Croft and five others on Oct. 8 for an abduction conspiracy after finding the group had met throughout the summer and planned to abduct Whitmer at her vacation home .
The affidavit listing the charges named Croft in particular for allegedly constructing an explosive to use during the nefarious mission .
State officials also charged seven others involved in the plot who are associated with the anti-government Wolverine Watchmen group .
Croft served a three-year prison sentence in a Delaware prison from 1997 to 2000 after pleading guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applied to Delaware 's Board of Pardons in 2018—the same year the Justice Department 's Bureau of Justice Statistics released a special report on state prison recidivism rates , which found that 83 percent of those who served time in state prisons were re-arrested within the first nine years of release from their first prison sentence .
Carney approved Croft 's pardon in 2019 .
Mat Marshall , a spokesman for Delaware attorney general Kathy Jennings ( D. ) , said the state Board of Pardons recommended Croft 's pardon because the charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old .
In a statement , Marshall told the Journal that state prosecutors thought Croft had `` gotten himself on the right track '' but now regret their decision and said prosecutors would not have pardoned him if they had known `` what the future held . ''
Carney was one of the first to endorse Biden for his 2020 presidential run .
Biden has also twice endorsed Carney for his gubernatorial race , first in 2016 and again this week .

Delaware's Democratic governor John Carney pardoned one of the men who was allegedly involved in the plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer (D.), Delaware's News Journal reported.
Carney, who once worked in Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's Senate office, pardoned Barry Gordon Croft Jr. in April 2019 for a series of felony charges he received in the mid- to late-1990s. Federal authorities arrested Croft in New Jersey last week. He is one of six men facing federal conspiracy charges after FBI investigators found they had hatched a plan to abduct Whitmer from her summer home.
Though he dismissed older charges against Croft—including those for possessing a firearm while commissioning a felony, assault, and burglary—Carney called the latest charges against Croft "disturbing" and said he should be punished "to the fullest extent of the law."
"The charges brought in Michigan are disturbing, and everyone charged in this plot should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," a statement from Carney's office reads. "This is also another warning sign about the growing threat of violence and radicalization in our politics."
The FBI charged Croft and five others on Oct. 8 for an abduction conspiracy after finding the group had met throughout the summer and planned to abduct Whitmer at her vacation home. The affidavit listing the charges named Croft in particular for allegedly constructing an explosive to use during the nefarious mission. State officials also charged seven others involved in the plot who are associated with the anti-government Wolverine Watchmen group.
Croft served a three-year prison sentence in a Delaware prison from 1997 to 2000 after pleading guilty to a felony firearm charge. He applied to Delaware's Board of Pardons in 2018—the same year the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics released a special report on state prison recidivism rates, which found that 83 percent of those who served time in state prisons were re-arrested within the first nine years of release from their first prison sentence.
Carney approved Croft's pardon in 2019. Mat Marshall, a spokesman for Delaware attorney general Kathy Jennings (D.), said the state Board of Pardons recommended Croft's pardon because the charges against him were more than 20 years old. In a statement, Marshall told the Journal that state prosecutors thought Croft had "gotten himself on the right track" but now regret their decision and said prosecutors would not have pardoned him if they had known "what the future held."
Carney was one of the first to endorse Biden for his 2020 presidential run. Biden has also twice endorsed Carney for his gubernatorial race, first in 2016 and again this week.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Biden Tells Majority of Voters Not to Vote for Him

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said something is wrong with the 56 percent of respondents who told Gallup they are better off now than they were in the last year of Barack Obama 's presidency .
`` Well , if they think that , they probably should n't [ vote for me ] , '' Biden told WKRC Cincinnati on Monday when asked about the poll .
`` Their memory is not very good , quite frankly . ''
Biden has repeatedly responded to voters and journalists by telling them not to vote for him .
In May , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual assault allegation against him should not vote for him , even though a Harvard-Harris poll published that month showed a majority of voters at least partially believed Reade .
Biden went on to attack President Donald Trump for disagreeing with voters ' `` values , '' lacking honesty , and flouting public health guidelines , and then he pivoted to a blanket encouragement to vote .
`` Whatever they believe , they should go out and vote , '' he said .
The Gallup poll also showed that a plurality of voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has presidential qualities , but an equal plurality aligns with Trump on the issues .

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said something is wrong with the 56 percent of respondents who told Gallup they are better off now than they were in the last year of Barack Obama's presidency.
"Well, if they think that, they probably shouldn't [vote for me]," Biden told WKRC Cincinnati on Monday when asked about the poll. "Their memory is not very good, quite frankly."
Biden has repeatedly responded to voters and journalists by telling them not to vote for him. In May, he said voters who believed Tara Reade's sexual assault allegation against him should not vote for him, even though a Harvard-Harris poll published that month showed a majority of voters at least partially believed Reade.
Biden went on to attack President Donald Trump for disagreeing with voters' "values," lacking honesty, and flouting public health guidelines, and then he pivoted to a blanket encouragement to vote.
"Whatever they believe, they should go out and vote," he said.
The Gallup poll also showed that a plurality of voters, 49 percent, say Joe Biden has presidential qualities, but an equal plurality aligns with Trump on the issues.


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Washington Secures Three New Arms Deals With Taiwan

The Trump administration has secured three new arms deals with Taiwan , Defense News reported Monday .
Under the three agreements , Washington will provide truck-mounted rocket systems , precision-strike missile systems , and supporting technology for Taiwanese fighter jets .
The White House will reportedly notify Congress about providing Taiwan with additional weapons , such as large drones , anti-ship missiles , and underwater mines , in coming weeks .
All are key to Taiwan 's defense against a potential Chinese attack .
News of the deals comes only weeks after this summer 's high-level diplomatic engagement between Taiwanese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused Beijing to send a dozen fighter jets over Taiwanese airspace in an attempt to deter further U.S.-Taiwan dialogue .
Since then , China has escalated its anti-Taiwan rhetoric to new levels .
Editorials from Chinese media regularly hint at armed conflict , and recent propaganda even simulates Chinese strikes against Taiwan .
In response to Beijing 's threats , Washington policymakers are starting to rethink the United States ' Taiwan strategy .
Last week , Sen. Tom Cotton ( R. , Ark . )
announced his support of `` strategic clarity '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' longtime policy of ambiguity on taking action if Beijing invades the island .
Though Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden 's Taiwan record is limited , he may not share the Trump administration 's staunch commitment to the country .
In 2001 , Biden criticized President George W. Bush ’ s unqualified support of Taiwan in the case of Taiwanese invasion , later writing a Washington Post editorial on the subject .
Biden deflected on supporting the democratic nation but worried that support could `` draw us into a war across the Taiwan @ @ @

The Trump administration has secured three new arms deals with Taiwan, Defense News reported Monday.
Under the three agreements, Washington will provide truck-mounted rocket systems, precision-strike missile systems, and supporting technology for Taiwanese fighter jets. The White House will reportedly notify Congress about providing Taiwan with additional weapons, such as large drones, anti-ship missiles, and underwater mines, in coming weeks. All are key to Taiwan's defense against a potential Chinese attack.
News of the deals comes only weeks after this summer's high-level diplomatic engagement between Taiwanese leadership and American officials. The meetings caused Beijing to send a dozen fighter jets over Taiwanese airspace in an attempt to deter further U.S.-Taiwan dialogue.
Since then, China has escalated its anti-Taiwan rhetoric to new levels. Editorials from Chinese media regularly hint at armed conflict, and recent propaganda even simulates Chinese strikes against Taiwan.
In response to Beijing's threats, Washington policymakers are starting to rethink the United States' Taiwan strategy.
Last week, Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) announced his support of "strategic clarity" on Taiwan—a departure from the United States' longtime policy of ambiguity on taking action if Beijing invades the island.
Though Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's Taiwan record is limited, he may not share the Trump administration's staunch commitment to the country.
In 2001, Biden criticized President George W. Bush’s unqualified support of Taiwan in the case of Taiwanese invasion, later writing a Washington Post editorial on the subject. Biden deflected on supporting the democratic nation but worried that support could "draw us into a war across the Taiwan Strait."


freebeacon--2020-10-13--Barrett Says Original Meaning Will Dictate Approach to 2nd Amendment Cases

Judge Amy Coney Barrett said Tuesday she would stick to the original meaning of the Second Amendment in gun cases if she were confirmed to the Supreme Court .
At Barrett 's confirmation hearing , Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D. , Calif. ) made a case for stricter gun regulations and asked how Barrett would rule on gun cases .
Barrett responded that her approach is to abide by the `` original meaning '' of the Second Amendment .
She pointed to her dissent in Kanter v. Barr ( 2018 ) when she argued that only those proven to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their gun rights—not nonviolent felons .
`` I spent a lot of time in that opinion looking at the history of the Second Amendment and looking at the Supreme Court 's cases , '' Barrett told Feinstein .
`` So , the way in which I would approach the review of gun regulation is in that same way : to look very carefully at the text , to look carefully at what the original meaning was . ''
Sen. Dick Durbin ( D. , Ill. ) took issue with Barrett 's determination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonviolent felon presents a danger to society before stripping his or her gun rights .
Durbin argued it was `` totally impractical '' to go `` case by case '' in removing felons ' gun rights and that a categorical approach was appropriate .
Barrett said the government should need to `` make a showing of dangerousness '' before taking away a person 's gun rights , since things such as selling pigs without a license and redeeming too many bottle caps can be felonies .
`` I think we could all agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that because someone is a felon they lose any of their individual rights , '' Barrett told Durbin .
Experts recently told the Washington Free Beacon that Barrett 's adoption of what 's referred to as a `` text , history , and tradition '' standard for reviewing gun cases could have a dramatic effect not just on the High Court but throughout the entire federal court system .
Still , Barrett told Feinstein the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller , which found the Second Amendment was an individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulations . ''
She said the Second Amendment does not prevent governments from disarming people proven to be dangerous through due process of law .
`` The original meaning of the Second Amendment—and I went through a lot of detailed history in [ Kanter v. Barr ] —does support the idea that governments are free to keep guns out of the hands of the dangerous , '' Barrett said .
`` So , for example , the mentally ill , others who would be likely to misuse guns . ''
When asked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) to further explain her view on how to determine the original meaning of the Second Amendment , Barrett said `` its original public meaning , not the intent of any particular drafter '' that ultimately matters .
`` The law is what the people understand it to be , not what goes on in any individual legislator 's mind , '' Barrett told Lee .
`` I respect you , Senator Lee , but what passes both houses , that 's the law , not any private intentions you have . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lindsey Graham ( R. , S.C. ) she owns a gun but that her personal opinions will have no bearing on how she would rule in cases before the Court .

Judge Amy Coney Barrett said Tuesday she would stick to the original meaning of the Second Amendment in gun cases if she were confirmed to the Supreme Court.
At Barrett's confirmation hearing, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) made a case for stricter gun regulations and asked how Barrett would rule on gun cases. Barrett responded that her approach is to abide by the "original meaning" of the Second Amendment. She pointed to her dissent in Kanter v. Barr (2018) when she argued that only those proven to be a danger to others should be stripped of their gun rights—not nonviolent felons.
"I spent a lot of time in that opinion looking at the history of the Second Amendment and looking at the Supreme Court's cases," Barrett told Feinstein. "So, the way in which I would approach the review of gun regulation is in that same way: to look very carefully at the text, to look carefully at what the original meaning was."
Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) took issue with Barrett's determination that governments should have to prove a nonviolent felon presents a danger to society before stripping his or her gun rights. Durbin argued it was "totally impractical" to go "case by case" in removing felons' gun rights and that a categorical approach was appropriate. Barrett said the government should need to "make a showing of dangerousness" before taking away a person's gun rights, since things such as selling pigs without a license and redeeming too many bottle caps can be felonies.
"I think we could all agree that we ought to be careful of saying that because someone is a felon they lose any of their individual rights," Barrett told Durbin.
Experts recently told the Washington Free Beacon that Barrett's adoption of what's referred to as a "text, history, and tradition" standard for reviewing gun cases could have a dramatic effect not just on the High Court but throughout the entire federal court system. Still, Barrett told Feinstein the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, which found the Second Amendment was an individual right, "leaves room for gun regulations." She said the Second Amendment does not prevent governments from disarming people proven to be dangerous through due process of law.
"The original meaning of the Second Amendment—and I went through a lot of detailed history in [Kanter v. Barr]—does support the idea that governments are free to keep guns out of the hands of the dangerous," Barrett said. "So, for example, the mentally ill, others who would be likely to misuse guns."
When asked by Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah) to further explain her view on how to determine the original meaning of the Second Amendment, Barrett said "its original public meaning, not the intent of any particular drafter" that ultimately matters.
"The law is what the people understand it to be, not what goes on in any individual legislator's mind," Barrett told Lee. "I respect you, Senator Lee, but what passes both houses, that's the law, not any private intentions you have."
The answers came after Barrett told Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) she owns a gun but that her personal opinions will have no bearing on how she would rule in cases before the Court.


freebeacon--2020-10-14--S.C. Democrat Who Railed Against Lobbying Lobbied for Posh Florida Yacht Club

Democratic congressman Joe Cunningham ( S.C. ) , who has railed against lobbyists for placing a `` stranglehold over American politics , '' lobbied on behalf of a posh Florida yacht club to thwart local environmentalists .
Cunningham joined Florida-based engineering consulting firm Turrell , Hall & Associates in May 2005 , according to his LinkedIn profile .
The Democrat quickly registered as a lobbyist in Collier County on May 26 , 2005 , documents reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon show .
Roughly two years later , Cunningham appeared before the Marco Island City Council to represent Marco Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two large boat docks in the Marco River .
The project was opposed by then-city planner Bryan Milk , who argued that the docks could `` put too much strain on the area 's manatee population '' and would create `` too imposing a presence on both the Marco River and the Chestnut Waterway , '' according to the Naples Daily News .
Cunningham pushed back , arguing that the docks `` would not be too cumbersome . ''
City councilmembers eventually approved the proposal in March 2008 , with the Daily News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Marco Island City Clerk 's Office told the Free Beacon that it does not require lobbyists to register with the city , meaning Cunningham did not officially disclose his council lobbying activities on behalf of the yacht club .
He did , however , register as a lobbyist for the yacht club with Collier County in September 2008 as he worked to move the project forward at the county level , local filings and internal emails obtained by the Free Beacon show .
Cunningham did not respond to a request for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the more vulnerable House Democrats in the country , routinely attacked lobbyists during his 2018 congressional campaign against Republican Katie Arrington .
The Democrat pledged to be `` accountable to you and you alone '' in an October 2018 Facebook post , saying that `` lobbyists and corporations have had a stranglehold over American politics for far too long . ''
Cunningham has also opposed similar projects for environmental reasons as a federal lawmaker .
When a county in his district rejected a plan to build a resort on Bay Point Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment , '' the South Carolina Democrat celebrated the decision and promised to `` continue to fight to preserve this beautiful and sacred plot of land . ''
Cunningham was removed from Turrell , Hall & Associates 's lobbyist list in April 2010 , three months after his LinkedIn profile says he left the consulting firm .
The Democrat 's tenure at the firm was subject to scrutiny during his 2018 campaign .
Cunningham released an October 2018 television ad saying that `` as an ocean engineer , '' he 's `` always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparked a complaint with the state 's labor department , as it is illegal to use the title `` engineer '' without being registered as one in South Carolina .
Cunningham worked three-and-a-half years as an unlicensed engineer intern at Turrell , Hall & Associates before receiving his Florida engineering intern license in December 2008 .
He has never received an engineering license in South Carolina .
Cunningham is now running against state lawmaker Nancy Mace , who won her June primary by roughly 32 points .
Mace is endorsed by a slew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina governor and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley , Sen. Mike Lee ( R. , Utah ) , House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R. , Calif. ) , and Rep. Elise Stefanik ( R. , N.Y. ) .

Democratic congressman Joe Cunningham (S.C.), who has railed against lobbyists for placing a "stranglehold over American politics," lobbied on behalf of a posh Florida yacht club to thwart local environmentalists.
Cunningham joined Florida-based engineering consulting firm Turrell, Hall & Associates in May 2005, according to his LinkedIn profile. The Democrat quickly registered as a lobbyist in Collier County on May 26, 2005, documents reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon show. Roughly two years later, Cunningham appeared before the Marco Island City Council to represent Marco Island Yacht Club, which planned to construct two large boat docks in the Marco River.
The project was opposed by then-city planner Bryan Milk, who argued that the docks could "put too much strain on the area's manatee population" and would create "too imposing a presence on both the Marco River and the Chestnut Waterway," according to the Naples Daily News. Cunningham pushed back, arguing that the docks "would not be too cumbersome."
City councilmembers eventually approved the proposal in March 2008, with the Daily News calling the decision "controversial." The Marco Island City Clerk's Office told the Free Beacon that it does not require lobbyists to register with the city, meaning Cunningham did not officially disclose his council lobbying activities on behalf of the yacht club. He did, however, register as a lobbyist for the yacht club with Collier County in September 2008 as he worked to move the project forward at the county level, local filings and internal emails obtained by the Free Beacon show.
Cunningham did not respond to a request for comment.
Cunningham, who is considered one of the more vulnerable House Democrats in the country, routinely attacked lobbyists during his 2018 congressional campaign against Republican Katie Arrington. The Democrat pledged to be "accountable to you and you alone" in an October 2018 Facebook post, saying that "lobbyists and corporations have had a stranglehold over American politics for far too long."
Cunningham has also opposed similar projects for environmental reasons as a federal lawmaker. When a county in his district rejected a plan to build a resort on Bay Point Island, citing a "sensitive barrier island environment," the South Carolina Democrat celebrated the decision and promised to "continue to fight to preserve this beautiful and sacred plot of land."
Cunningham was removed from Turrell, Hall & Associates's lobbyist list in April 2010, three months after his LinkedIn profile says he left the consulting firm.
The Democrat's tenure at the firm was subject to scrutiny during his 2018 campaign. Cunningham released an October 2018 television ad saying that "as an ocean engineer," he's "always opposed offshore drilling." The claim sparked a complaint with the state's labor department, as it is illegal to use the title "engineer" without being registered as one in South Carolina. Cunningham worked three-and-a-half years as an unlicensed engineer intern at Turrell, Hall & Associates before receiving his Florida engineering intern license in December 2008. He has never received an engineering license in South Carolina.
Cunningham is now running against state lawmaker Nancy Mace, who won her June primary by roughly 32 points. Mace is endorsed by a slew of prominent Republicans, including former South Carolina governor and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Mike Lee (R., Utah), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.).


freebeacon--2020-10-14--Barrett Shredded for Saying ‘Sexual Preference’ But Biden, Democrats Have Said It for Years

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett came under fire from Sen. Mazie Hirono ( D. , Hawaii ) Tuesday for using the term `` sexual preference , '' but presidential candidate Joe Biden , late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , and other prominent liberals have said it during their careers .
`` I 'm going to need you to help this time rebuild the backbone of this country , the middle class , but this time bring everybody along regardless of color , sexual preference , their backgrounds , '' Biden said during a virtual roundtable on May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2010 when discussing the Senate repeal of the `` Do n't Ask , Do n't Tell '' policy in the military and during his failed 2008 presidential campaign .
`` We will not be squandering the abilities of combat soldiers , as well as interpreters who happen to have a different sexual preference , who happen to be gay or happen to be lesbian , '' Biden said , according to a Defense Department document .
Ginsburg , the liberal favorite whose seat Barrett would fill if confirmed , used the term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our society has come to respect people , whatever their sexual preference , '' Ginsburg said .
Hirono lauded Ginsburg as a liberal icon and `` our champion '' during her Judiciary Committee remarks on Monday .
Sen. Richard Blumenthal ( D. , Conn. ) also used the term in a 2012 floor speech , as did Sen. Dick Durbin ( D. , Ill. ) in 2010 .
Both are current members of the Senate Judiciary Committee .
Hirono said Tuesday the phrase is an `` outdated and offensive term , '' echoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Barrett of deliberately saying it .
`` Sexual preference … is used by anti-LGBTQ activists to suggest that sexual orientation is a choice .
It is not , '' she said .
`` Sexual orientation is a key part of a person 's identity .
If it is your view that sexual orientation is merely a preference , as you noted , then the LGTBQ should be rightly concerned whether you would uphold their constitutional right to marry . ''
Barrett apologized , saying she `` did not mean to imply that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s solely a matter of preference . ''

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett came under fire from Sen. Mazie Hirono (D., Hawaii) Tuesday for using the term "sexual preference," but presidential candidate Joe Biden, late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and other prominent liberals have said it during their careers.
"I'm going to need you to help this time rebuild the backbone of this country, the middle class, but this time bring everybody along regardless of color, sexual preference, their backgrounds," Biden said during a virtual roundtable on May 7.
Biden also used the term in 2010 when discussing the Senate repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military and during his failed 2008 presidential campaign.
"We will not be squandering the abilities of combat soldiers, as well as interpreters who happen to have a different sexual preference, who happen to be gay or happen to be lesbian," Biden said, according to a Defense Department document.
Ginsburg, the liberal favorite whose seat Barrett would fill if confirmed, used the term during an interview in 2017.
"Our society has come to respect people, whatever their sexual preference," Ginsburg said.
Hirono lauded Ginsburg as a liberal icon and "our champion" during her Judiciary Committee remarks on Monday.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) also used the term in a 2012 floor speech, as did Sen. Dick Durbin (D., Ill.) in 2010. Both are current members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Hirono said Tuesday the phrase is an "outdated and offensive term," echoing liberal commentators on Twitter, and she accused Barrett of deliberately saying it.
"Sexual preference ... is used by anti-LGBTQ activists to suggest that sexual orientation is a choice. It is not," she said. "Sexual orientation is a key part of a person's identity. If it is your view that sexual orientation is merely a preference, as you noted, then the LGTBQ should be rightly concerned whether you would uphold their constitutional right to marry."
Barrett apologized, saying she "did not mean to imply that it was not an immutable characteristic or that it’s solely a matter of preference."


freebeacon--2020-10-14--U.S. Sanctions Have Caused ‘Serious’ Damage to Iran, Tehran Says

Iran 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that American sanctions `` have caused serious monetary and financial damages to Iran , '' Radio Farda reported .
Saeed Khatibzadeh , spokesman for Iran 's foreign ministry , said that Washington 's `` maximum pressure '' campaign has created a shock effect on Iran 's financial stability .
He also said that Tehran will pursue legal recourse by filing for compensation from the United States via the International Court of Justice .
`` The United States must make up for all the damage it has done to Iran , '' Khatibzadeh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt that we will cash compensation for all damages cent by cent . ''
In recent years , American sanctions have decimated the Iranian economy .
The rial—Iran 's chief currency—has seen its value drop by over a third since June and now sits at an all-time low .
Last week , the Treasury Department further isolated Iranian financial networks by hitting 18 Iranian banks with sanctions .
`` Our sanctions programs will continue until Iran stops its support of terrorist activities and ends its nuclear programs , '' Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to allow for humanitarian transactions to support the Iranian people . ''
In response to Washington 's crippling sanctions regime , Iran has reached out to American adversaries like Russia and China for support .
While Tehran reaches out to Moscow and Beijing , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to affirm bilateral ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia and combat Iranian malign activity .
`` We are both committed to counter and deter Iran 's destabilizing behavior , @ @ @ @ @

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday that American sanctions "have caused serious monetary and financial damages to Iran," Radio Farda reported.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, said that Washington's "maximum pressure" campaign has created a shock effect on Iran's financial stability. He also said that Tehran will pursue legal recourse by filing for compensation from the United States via the International Court of Justice.
"The United States must make up for all the damage it has done to Iran," Khatibzadeh said. "Iranian people should not doubt that we will cash compensation for all damages cent by cent."
In recent years, American sanctions have decimated the Iranian economy. The rial—Iran's chief currency—has seen its value drop by over a third since June and now sits at an all-time low.
Last week, the Treasury Department further isolated Iranian financial networks by hitting 18 Iranian banks with sanctions. "Our sanctions programs will continue until Iran stops its support of terrorist activities and ends its nuclear programs," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. "Today's actions will continue to allow for humanitarian transactions to support the Iranian people."
In response to Washington's crippling sanctions regime, Iran has reached out to American adversaries like Russia and China for support.
While Tehran reaches out to Moscow and Beijing, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to affirm bilateral ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia and combat Iranian malign activity.
"We are both committed to counter and deter Iran's destabilizing behavior," Al Saud said.


freebeacon--2020-10-14--California Mayoral Hopeful Admits to Domestic Violence Charges

A Democrat running for mayor of Vallejo , Calif. , admitted to serving prison time for domestic violence charges , the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday .
Hakeem Brown , a Vallejo city councilman , admitted this weekend that he had been arrested for drugs , criminal possession of a firearm , and having a `` scuffle '' with his first wife .
Documents uncovered by the Chronicle revealed that Brown was twice convicted of felony domestic violence for `` inflicting corporal injury '' on his first wife in the early 2000s .
He served four years in prison for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gun in connection with selling marijuana .
Brown , who allegedly violated a court order mandating that he stay away from his second wife in 2012 , said in a Facebook post that he made the `` mistakes '' in his 20s and now aspires to be a role model for his son and other black youth .
Brown started dating his first wife in 1999 , when he was 24 and she was 17 .
Court documents reveal that he served two months in jail for assaulting her in 2001 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ served 50 months in state prison for inflicting injury on his wife and carrying a gun in connection with a drug deal .
In 2012 , Brown faced two more charges of felony domestic violence against a second wife .
Those charges were ultimately dismissed .
While the domestic violence charges were widely unknown until Brown 's Facebook post , the Chronicle noted that the mayoral hopeful gained some prominence in 2016 after being found not guilty of possessing and selling marijuana .
He was elected to Vallejo city council two years later @

A Democrat running for mayor of Vallejo, Calif., admitted to serving prison time for domestic violence charges, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday.
Hakeem Brown, a Vallejo city councilman, admitted this weekend that he had been arrested for drugs, criminal possession of a firearm, and having a "scuffle" with his first wife.
Documents uncovered by the Chronicle revealed that Brown was twice convicted of felony domestic violence for "inflicting corporal injury" on his first wife in the early 2000s. He served four years in prison for the charges as well as for possessing a gun in connection with selling marijuana.
Brown, who allegedly violated a court order mandating that he stay away from his second wife in 2012, said in a Facebook post that he made the "mistakes" in his 20s and now aspires to be a role model for his son and other black youth.
Brown started dating his first wife in 1999, when he was 24 and she was 17. Court documents reveal that he served two months in jail for assaulting her in 2001.
He was again convicted in 2002 and served 50 months in state prison for inflicting injury on his wife and carrying a gun in connection with a drug deal.
In 2012, Brown faced two more charges of felony domestic violence against a second wife. Those charges were ultimately dismissed.
While the domestic violence charges were widely unknown until Brown's Facebook post, the Chronicle noted that the mayoral hopeful gained some prominence in 2016 after being found not guilty of possessing and selling marijuana. He was elected to Vallejo city council two years later.


freebeacon--2020-10-14--Latino Officers Association Slams de Blasio After High-Ranking Cop Retires

The National Latino Officers Association criticized New York City mayor Bill de Blasio ( D. ) and police commissioner Dermot Shea for undermining minority cops after the highest-ranking Hispanic police officer announced his retirement Tuesday .
Chief of Patrol Fausto Pichardo , who has served more than two decades in law enforcement , submitted his retirement paperwork to city officials Tuesday after a series of disputes with de Blasio , the New York Post reported .
Pichardo is one of thousands of NYPD officers who have retired following this year 's anti-police protests .
In a statement , the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration for failing to support Pichardo and other Hispanic law enforcement officers .
`` It is amazing that during these critical times the mayor and police commissioner fail to recognize the need for Hispanic representation in policy making positions , '' the statement said , according to ABC 7 New York .
`` The administration consistently fails to acknowledge the work and contributions of Hispanic law enforcement leadership .
Hispanic NYPD executives always suffer discrimination and retaliation . ''
Sources told the Post of the mayor 's frequent `` micromanagement '' of police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resignation will take effect within the next 30 days .
Pichardo took over as patrol chief in December 2019 .
NYPD retirements doubled after George Floyd 's death in May and the anti-police protests that followed , the New York Daily News reported .
In each of the four months preceding Floyd 's death , only around 200 officers retired .
In June , however , nearly 400 officers retired , and more than 400 officers retired in July , August , and September .
In total , 2,171 NYPD officers have retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of officers who retired during the same period last year .
Top cops across the country have turned in their badges after the past few months ' wave of anti-police protests .
Seattle police chief Carmen Best , the first black woman to serve in the position , retired in September following squabbles with the city council over police department budget cuts .
And Dallas police chief Ulysha Renée Hall announced her resignation last month after the city council criticized her handling of anti-police protests .

The National Latino Officers Association criticized New York City mayor Bill de Blasio (D.) and police commissioner Dermot Shea for undermining minority cops after the highest-ranking Hispanic police officer announced his retirement Tuesday.
Chief of Patrol Fausto Pichardo, who has served more than two decades in law enforcement, submitted his retirement paperwork to city officials Tuesday after a series of disputes with de Blasio, the New York Post reported. Pichardo is one of thousands of NYPD officers who have retired following this year's anti-police protests.
In a statement, the National Latino Officers Association criticized the de Blasio administration for failing to support Pichardo and other Hispanic law enforcement officers.
"It is amazing that during these critical times the mayor and police commissioner fail to recognize the need for Hispanic representation in policy making positions," the statement said, according to ABC 7 New York. "The administration consistently fails to acknowledge the work and contributions of Hispanic law enforcement leadership. Hispanic NYPD executives always suffer discrimination and retaliation."
Sources told the Post of the mayor's frequent "micromanagement" of police department leaders, including Pichardo, whose resignation will take effect within the next 30 days. Pichardo took over as patrol chief in December 2019.
NYPD retirements doubled after George Floyd's death in May and the anti-police protests that followed, the New York Daily News reported.
In each of the four months preceding Floyd's death, only around 200 officers retired. In June, however, nearly 400 officers retired, and more than 400 officers retired in July, August, and September.
In total, 2,171 NYPD officers have retired so far this year—72 percent more than the number of officers who retired during the same period last year.
Top cops across the country have turned in their badges after the past few months' wave of anti-police protests. Seattle police chief Carmen Best, the first black woman to serve in the position, retired in September following squabbles with the city council over police department budget cuts. And Dallas police chief Ulysha Renée Hall announced her resignation last month after the city council criticized her handling of anti-police protests.


freebeacon--2020-10-14--Democrats’ Health Care Message on Amy Coney Barrett Undermines Court-Packing Push

Democrats may be backing themselves into a trap with their singular focus on health care during Judge Amy Coney Barrett 's confirmation hearings .
Senate Democrats have cast Barrett as a determined opponent of the Affordable Care Act ahead of a challenge to the law the Supreme Court will hear on Nov. 10 .
But legal scholars spanning the ideological spectrum—including the architects of prior legal challenges to Obamacare—are skeptical the latest Republican attack on the ACA will succeed , even if Barrett is confirmed .
A decision from a right-leaning Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act would cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and undercut future efforts to restructure the judiciary .
Beyond the ACA , Democrats warn that a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court will undo much of their progressive policy agenda .
A ruling protecting the ACA would undermine the case for adding new seats to the bench or imposing term limits for justices , which took on new urgency with Ruth Bader Ginsburg 's death on Sept. 18 .
Public confidence in the Supreme Court is high to begin with .
Gallup data show that about two-thirds of respondents reported a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' of confidence in the Court this summer .
The same data show a majority of respondents substantively approve of the way the Court handled its job .
The Court 's approval rating has been above water almost continuously since 2000 , according to Gallup 's figures .
Worse still for Democrats is the deep opposition to court packing that has registered in recent surveys .
A Yahoo !
News/YouGov poll pegged support for court packing at just 21 percent , compared with 46 percent opposed .
That aligns with data from Morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court 47-24 .
Both surveys were conducted from Oct. 9 to Oct. 11 , just before Barrett 's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee .
The findings suggest that a successful campaign to pack the Court already faces forbidding odds in terms of popular support .
If , as many expect , the Supreme Court turns away the latest Republican attack on Obamacare , Democrats will find themselves in a narrative purgatory of their own construction .
Jay Schweikert , a policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute , is among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uphold at least the bulk of the Affordable Care Act .
He suggested that Senate Democrats wary of judicial reform may already anticipate this direction of events .
`` If the Court rejects the current ACA challenge , which I think is quite likely , that will take some wind out of the court-packing sails , '' he told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` It may be that some Democrats realize that .
Not many Democrats so far have officially come out in favor of court packing .
Senator Hirono is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has explicitly endorsed court packing .
It may be the case that the other senators understand the likely fallout . ''
Court-packing rhetoric may yet linger among Democrats in a bid to influence outcomes at the Court , as happened in a Second Amendment case the justices decided in the spring .
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse ( D. , R.I. ) and four other Senate Democrats submitted a legal brief in the case , New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. City of New York , that urged the justices to dismiss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote that a decision expanding gun rights could inflame interest in court packing .
`` The Supreme Court is not well .
And the people know it .
Perhaps the Court can heal itself before the public demands it be ‘ restructured in order to reduce the influence of politics , ' '' Whitehouse wrote .
In an unsigned decision in April , the Court determined the case was moot , over the dissent of Justices Samuel Alito , Clarence Thomas , and Neil Gorsuch .
Alito intimated the Whitehouse brief was at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision .
`` A prominent brief supporting the city went further .
Five United States senators , four of whom are members of the bar of this Court , filed a brief insisting that the case be dismissed .
If the Court did not do so , they intimated , the public would realize that the Court is ‘ motivated mainly by politics , rather than by adherence to the law , ' and the Court would face the possibility of legislative reprisal .
Regrettably , the Court now dismisses the case as @ @ @

Democrats may be backing themselves into a trap with their singular focus on health care during Judge Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearings.
Senate Democrats have cast Barrett as a determined opponent of the Affordable Care Act ahead of a challenge to the law the Supreme Court will hear on Nov. 10. But legal scholars spanning the ideological spectrum—including the architects of prior legal challenges to Obamacare—are skeptical the latest Republican attack on the ACA will succeed, even if Barrett is confirmed. A decision from a right-leaning Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act would cut against expectations Democrats themselves have set, and undercut future efforts to restructure the judiciary.
Beyond the ACA, Democrats warn that a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court will undo much of their progressive policy agenda. A ruling protecting the ACA would undermine the case for adding new seats to the bench or imposing term limits for justices, which took on new urgency with Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death on Sept. 18.
Public confidence in the Supreme Court is high to begin with. Gallup data show that about two-thirds of respondents reported a "great deal" or "fair amount" of confidence in the Court this summer. The same data show a majority of respondents substantively approve of the way the Court handled its job. The Court's approval rating has been above water almost continuously since 2000, according to Gallup's figures.
Worse still for Democrats is the deep opposition to court packing that has registered in recent surveys. A Yahoo! News/YouGov poll pegged support for court packing at just 21 percent, compared with 46 percent opposed. That aligns with data from Morning Consult/Politico, which found respondents opposed expanding the Supreme Court 47-24. Both surveys were conducted from Oct. 9 to Oct. 11, just before Barrett's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The findings suggest that a successful campaign to pack the Court already faces forbidding odds in terms of popular support. If, as many expect, the Supreme Court turns away the latest Republican attack on Obamacare, Democrats will find themselves in a narrative purgatory of their own construction.
Jay Schweikert, a policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, is among those who believe the High Court will uphold at least the bulk of the Affordable Care Act. He suggested that Senate Democrats wary of judicial reform may already anticipate this direction of events.
"If the Court rejects the current ACA challenge, which I think is quite likely, that will take some wind out of the court-packing sails," he told the Washington Free Beacon. "It may be that some Democrats realize that. Not many Democrats so far have officially come out in favor of court packing. Senator Hirono is the only member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who has explicitly endorsed court packing. It may be the case that the other senators understand the likely fallout."
Court-packing rhetoric may yet linger among Democrats in a bid to influence outcomes at the Court, as happened in a Second Amendment case the justices decided in the spring.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.) and four other Senate Democrats submitted a legal brief in the case, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. City of New York, that urged the justices to dismiss the case on technical grounds. Whitehouse wrote that a decision expanding gun rights could inflame interest in court packing.
"The Supreme Court is not well. And the people know it. Perhaps the Court can heal itself before the public demands it be 'restructured in order to reduce the influence of politics,'" Whitehouse wrote.
In an unsigned decision in April, the Court determined the case was moot, over the dissent of Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch.
Alito intimated the Whitehouse brief was at least one factor in the Court's decision.
"A prominent brief supporting the city went further. Five United States senators, four of whom are members of the bar of this Court, filed a brief insisting that the case be dismissed. If the Court did not do so, they intimated, the public would realize that the Court is 'motivated mainly by politics, rather than by adherence to the law,' and the Court would face the possibility of legislative reprisal. Regrettably, the Court now dismisses the case as moot."


freebeacon--2020-10-14--Twitter Blocks NY Post’s Hunter Biden Story, Locks Newspaper’s Account

Twitter blocked users from tweeting a New York Post report about Hunter Biden on Wednesday afternoon and soon after locked the Post ‘ s account , in a growing trend by predominantly left-wing technology companies to ban content with which they disagree .
`` @ Twitter has locked @ nypost , '' Sen. Josh Hawley ( R. , Mo . )
tweeted .
`` Has Twitter ever locked the account of a major news outlet ?
Why is Twitter attacking the free press ? ''
Hours before , Sen. Ted Cruz ( R. , Texas ) tweeted that Twitter had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denounced the social media platform for choosing to `` act as Biden 's PR team . ''
Other users who tried to click on the link were prevented and told the story might be `` potentially spammy or unsafe . ''
Twitter later told the Post the account was locked because the New York Post had broken the social network 's rules against `` distribution of hacked material . ''
`` In line with our Hacked Materials Policy , as well as our approach to blocking URLs , we are taking action to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the material in question on Twitter , '' a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement .
They also said the New York Post ‘ s reporting lacked corroboration .
Twitter currently employs the former press secretary of Joe Biden 's running mate , Kamala Harris , as its senior communications manager for `` political , policy , tech and media reporters . ''
The news comes after Facebook also moved to suppress the story before it was fact-checked .
`` While I will intentionally not link to the New York Post , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this story is eligible to be fact checked by Facebook 's third-party fact checking partners , '' Facebook communications director Andy Stone tweeted this morning .
`` In the meantime , we are reducing its distribution on our platform . ''
Stone defended the move , saying it was Facebook 's policy to `` temporarily reduce '' the reach of content that may be false .
The New York Post reported that emails from 2015 show Hunter Biden , who was on the board of a Ukrainian gas company , introduced an executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden , then the vice president .
The introduction took place a little less than a year before Joe Biden pressured Ukraine 's president and prime minister to fire a prosecutor who was investigating the company .
The report contradicts Joe Biden 's longstanding claim that he never discussed his son 's business dealings with him .
The Biden campaign responded to the report by saying the former vice president had no meetings with the executive on his `` official schedules . ''
Hawley announced in a subsequent tweet that he was asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move by the social media giant violated campaign finance or election laws .
And Sen. Ron Johnson ( R. , Wis. ) also announced investigations based on the report .

Twitter blocked users from tweeting a New York Post report about Hunter Biden on Wednesday afternoon and soon after locked the Post's account, in a growing trend by predominantly left-wing technology companies to ban content with which they disagree.
"@Twitter has locked @nypost," Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) tweeted. "Has Twitter ever locked the account of a major news outlet? Why is Twitter attacking the free press?"
.@Twitter has locked @nypost. Has Twitter ever locked the account of a major news outlet? Why is Twitter attacking the free press — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) October 14, 2020
Hours before, Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) tweeted that Twitter had disabled the link to the story and denounced the social media platform for choosing to "act as Biden's PR team."
TWITTER HAS DISABLED THE LINK to the @nypost story. @jack what the hell?? I don’t know if the allegations are true—Qs that deserve to be answered. It’s a serious news publication raising evidence of corruption at the highest levels.@twitter shouldn’t act as Biden’s PR team. https://t.co/1KiKCAJijD — Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 14, 2020
Other users who tried to click on the link were prevented and told the story might be "potentially spammy or unsafe."
https://twitter.com/HashtagGriswold/status/1316449280698318848
Twitter later told the Post the account was locked because the New York Post had broken the social network's rules against "distribution of hacked material."
"In line with our Hacked Materials Policy, as well as our approach to blocking URLs, we are taking action to block any links to or images of the material in question on Twitter," a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement. They also said the New York Post's reporting lacked corroboration.
Twitter currently employs the former press secretary of Joe Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris, as its senior communications manager for "political, policy, tech and media reporters."
The news comes after Facebook also moved to suppress the story before it was fact-checked.
"While I will intentionally not link to the New York Post, I want be clear [sic] that this story is eligible to be fact checked by Facebook's third-party fact checking partners," Facebook communications director Andy Stone tweeted this morning. "In the meantime, we are reducing its distribution on our platform."
Stone defended the move, saying it was Facebook's policy to "temporarily reduce" the reach of content that may be false.
The New York Post reported that emails from 2015 show Hunter Biden, who was on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, introduced an executive at the company to his father Joe Biden, then the vice president. The introduction took place a little less than a year before Joe Biden pressured Ukraine's president and prime minister to fire a prosecutor who was investigating the company. The report contradicts Joe Biden's longstanding claim that he never discussed his son's business dealings with him.
The Biden campaign responded to the report by saying the former vice president had no meetings with the executive on his "official schedules."
Hawley announced in a subsequent tweet that he was asking the Federal Election Commission to investigate whether the move by the social media giant violated campaign finance or election laws. And Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) also announced investigations based on the report.