freebeacon--2020-04-28--In Oracle Lawsuit, Labor Department Defends Agency Trump Admin Tried to Shut Down

A lawsuit now unfolding in a Washington , D.C. , federal court is putting the Trump administration in an awkward position , forcing government lawyers to defend an agency the White House has tried to shutter against a constitutional challenge from the tech giant Oracle .
Oracle is suing the Department of Labor and its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ( OFCCP ) , an agency that ensures companies that do business with the federal government comply with lofty equal opportunity and non-discrimination standards .
Oracle claims the agency 's enforcement process is unconstitutional .
The lawsuit stems from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company of pay discrimination and privileging Asian workers in recruitment .
If OFCCP finds that a federal contractor is violating the civil rights of its employees , it can bring an enforcement action against the offender in a trial before a Labor Department official .
If the agency prevails , it can force the contractor to make workers whole with remedies such as back pay .
Oracle and its attorneys say the process goes far beyond what Congress and the president have authorized .
They also object that the department effectively serves as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process .
The Labor Department 's defense of the agency is in tension with White House priorities , as OFCCP has been a persistent target for bloodletting by top administration officials .
The White House 's proposed budget for fiscal year 2018 axed the office altogether and assigned its duties to a different agency .
While that proposal was never adopted , the office 's operational capacities have significantly receded due to staffing cuts approaching 20 percent .
As a general matter , the administration has waged a concerted campaign to curb agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Oracle 's case .
A leading employment lawyer expressed disappointment in an interview with the Washington Free Beacon , saying the Labor Department 's position is disturbing `` in the face of Secretary [ Eugene ] Scalia 's commitment to the rule of law . ''
`` Many in the legal community had hoped for a more legally principled approach by this solicitor 's office , '' the source added .
The solicitor is the top legal officer at the Labor Department .
A coalition of labor unions and flagship civil rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the Southern Poverty Law Center are also supporting OFCCP against Oracle ’ s lawsuit .
In their own legal filings , those groups warn that the result the company seeks would have `` a devastating impact on OFCCP ’ s ability to achieve its anti-discrimination mission . ''
Though the OFCCP sounds like a backwater unit , its far-reaching mandate covers all federal contractors .
Those employers include marquee American companies such as Boeing , Google , and General Electric .
Federal contractors collectively employ one-fifth of the labor force or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under an executive order President Lyndon Johnson issued in 1965 .
Oracle argues that OFCCP 's enforcement process should be terminated because it has no basis in that order or federal law .
As Oracle tells it , the 1965 order gives the agency modest powers .
It can direct other departments to terminate a contract if it finds a contractor is discriminating against workers , publish the names of offending companies , and refer violators to the Department of Justice for a possible breach of contract suit .
What it ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violators before a DOL officer for a trial on alleged violations and force them to pay out damages .
`` Without authority from any act of Congress—indeed , in contravention of congressional legislation—a group of unelected , unaccountable , and unconfirmed administrative officials have cut from whole cloth this adjudicative agency-enforcement scheme , '' Oracle 's complaint reads .
In its own legal filings , the Trump administration said Oracle 's suit should be dismissed for technical reasons .
The enforcement process the company is challenging was established in 1977 , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal challenge has long since passed .
Even if such a case could proceed , the government says the company has to wait until this particular administrative proceeding is complete .
The government 's response is carefully crafted—by defending the agency on technical grounds , it sidesteps the substance of Oracle 's argument , which is likely to attract the sympathy of legal conservatives with whom the administration often makes common cause .
The government 's lead attorney on the Oracle case , Rebecca Kopplin , made headlines when she withdrew from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Act .
Kopplin withdrew from the ACA case after the administration decided it would no longer defend the law in court , in what was widely perceived as an act of protest .
OFCCP 's case against Oracle is one of a flurry of `` midnight '' lawsuits and regulatory actions begun in the waning days of the Obama administration .
Though Trump and congressional Republicans successfully quashed most of those late-breaking efforts , the Labor Department 's suit against Oracle has curiously survived .
The Department of Labor did not respond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by press time .
The case is Oracle America Inc. v. U.S. Department of Labor in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia .

A lawsuit now unfolding in a Washington, D.C., federal court is putting the Trump administration in an awkward position, forcing government lawyers to defend an agency the White House has tried to shutter against a constitutional challenge from the tech giant Oracle.
Oracle is suing the Department of Labor and its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), an agency that ensures companies that do business with the federal government comply with lofty equal opportunity and non-discrimination standards. Oracle claims the agency's enforcement process is unconstitutional. The lawsuit stems from an OFCCP enforcement action that accuses the company of pay discrimination and privileging Asian workers in recruitment.
If OFCCP finds that a federal contractor is violating the civil rights of its employees, it can bring an enforcement action against the offender in a trial before a Labor Department official. If the agency prevails, it can force the contractor to make workers whole with remedies such as back pay. Oracle and its attorneys say the process goes far beyond what Congress and the president have authorized. They also object that the department effectively serves as "judge and jury" during the process.
The Labor Department's defense of the agency is in tension with White House priorities, as OFCCP has been a persistent target for bloodletting by top administration officials. The White House's proposed budget for fiscal year 2018 axed the office altogether and assigned its duties to a different agency. While that proposal was never adopted, the office's operational capacities have significantly receded due to staffing cuts approaching 20 percent. As a general matter, the administration has waged a concerted campaign to curb agency power, the precise subject at issue in Oracle's case.
A leading employment lawyer expressed disappointment in an interview with the Washington Free Beacon, saying the Labor Department's position is disturbing "in the face of Secretary [Eugene] Scalia's commitment to the rule of law."
"Many in the legal community had hoped for a more legally principled approach by this solicitor's office," the source added. The solicitor is the top legal officer at the Labor Department.
A coalition of labor unions and flagship civil rights groups including the NAACP, the ACLU, and the Southern Poverty Law Center are also supporting OFCCP against Oracle’s lawsuit. In their own legal filings, those groups warn that the result the company seeks would have "a devastating impact on OFCCP’s ability to achieve its anti-discrimination mission."
Though the OFCCP sounds like a backwater unit, its far-reaching mandate covers all federal contractors. Those employers include marquee American companies such as Boeing, Google, and General Electric. Federal contractors collectively employ one-fifth of the labor force or about 32 million people.
OFCCP operates under an executive order President Lyndon Johnson issued in 1965. Oracle argues that OFCCP's enforcement process should be terminated because it has no basis in that order or federal law.
As Oracle tells it, the 1965 order gives the agency modest powers. It can direct other departments to terminate a contract if it finds a contractor is discriminating against workers, publish the names of offending companies, and refer violators to the Department of Justice for a possible breach of contract suit. What it can't do, Oracle claims, is haul violators before a DOL officer for a trial on alleged violations and force them to pay out damages.
"Without authority from any act of Congress—indeed, in contravention of congressional legislation—a group of unelected, unaccountable, and unconfirmed administrative officials have cut from whole cloth this adjudicative agency-enforcement scheme," Oracle's complaint reads.
In its own legal filings, the Trump administration said Oracle's suit should be dismissed for technical reasons. The enforcement process the company is challenging was established in 1977, the government notes, meaning the time for a legal challenge has long since passed. Even if such a case could proceed, the government says the company has to wait until this particular administrative proceeding is complete.
The government's response is carefully crafted—by defending the agency on technical grounds, it sidesteps the substance of Oracle's argument, which is likely to attract the sympathy of legal conservatives with whom the administration often makes common cause.
The government's lead attorney on the Oracle case, Rebecca Kopplin, made headlines when she withdrew from a case challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Kopplin withdrew from the ACA case after the administration decided it would no longer defend the law in court, in what was widely perceived as an act of protest.
OFCCP's case against Oracle is one of a flurry of "midnight" lawsuits and regulatory actions begun in the waning days of the Obama administration. Though Trump and congressional Republicans successfully quashed most of those late-breaking efforts, the Labor Department's suit against Oracle has curiously survived.
The Department of Labor did not respond to the Free Beacon's inquiry by press time.
The case is Oracle America Inc. v. U.S. Department of Labor in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.


freebeacon--2020-04-28--Biden Tells Clinton He Wishes She Was Running for Reelection

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden told twice-failed candidate Hillary Clinton Tuesday he wished he could be supporting her bid for reelection .
`` I wish this were us doing this and my supporting your reelection for president of the United States .
You won the majority of the vote , '' Biden said during a livestream conversation with Clinton , his party 's 2016 nominee .
Biden 's wish that he did n't have to run in 2020 against President Donald Trump comes after he effectively wrapped up the party 's nomination earlier this month .
He also appeared to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the 2016 election .
`` I think the way in which some of the states acted was just , anyway , '' he said , before praising how Clinton would have handled the crisis .
`` We 'd have problems , we 'd have the pandemic , but you would have already been prepared for it , '' he continued .
`` It still would have been hard , but you would have a lot to keep us from getting in such a dire strait . ''
Clinton endorsed Biden Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with `` the compassion , competence , and respect for science we need to save lives and revive the economy . ''
Clinton 's endorsement comes after former president Barack Obama announced his endorsement of Biden two weeks ago .
Nearly all of Biden 's former Democratic opponents in the primary race have also endorsed the former vice president .
Clinton also told Biden how she thinks she would be a better president than Trump in handling the pandemic .
`` One thing I would have done , Joe , which you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my daily intelligence briefings that were sounding the alarm since January , '' she said , laughing .
`` But apparently this president does n't do what we used to do . ''

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden told twice-failed candidate Hillary Clinton Tuesday he wished he could be supporting her bid for reelection.
"I wish this were us doing this and my supporting your reelection for president of the United States. You won the majority of the vote," Biden said during a livestream conversation with Clinton, his party's 2016 nominee.
Biden's wish that he didn't have to run in 2020 against President Donald Trump comes after he effectively wrapped up the party's nomination earlier this month.
He also appeared to speculate that some states engaged in misbehavior during the 2016 election.
"I think the way in which some of the states acted was just, anyway," he said, before praising how Clinton would have handled the crisis.
"We'd have problems, we'd have the pandemic, but you would have already been prepared for it," he continued. "It still would have been hard, but you would have a lot to keep us from getting in such a dire strait."
Clinton endorsed Biden Tuesday, claiming Biden would handle the coronavirus crisis with "the compassion, competence, and respect for science we need to save lives and revive the economy."
Clinton's endorsement comes after former president Barack Obama announced his endorsement of Biden two weeks ago. Nearly all of Biden's former Democratic opponents in the primary race have also endorsed the former vice president.
Clinton also told Biden how she thinks she would be a better president than Trump in handling the pandemic.
"One thing I would have done, Joe, which you know so well, I would have read my daily intelligence briefings that were sounding the alarm since January," she said, laughing. "But apparently this president doesn't do what we used to do."


freebeacon--2020-04-28--Stacey Abrams: The Thirstiest Candidate

Stacey Abrams: The Thirstiest Candidate

Failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is what the kids these days call `` thirsty AF . ''
For weeks , Abrams has been all but begging former vice president Joe Biden to pick her as a running mate .
Abrams 's thirst for power appears to know no bounds .
According to a Politico report published Tuesday , the former Georgia lawmaker has been waging an aggressive behind-the-scenes lobbying effort in addition to her public self-promotion campaign .
Abrams , who has repeatedly declared herself the winner of Georgia 's 2018 gubernatorial election despite receiving fewer votes than her Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic powerbrokers , asking them to tell Biden campaign officials that she should be vice president . ''
These private efforts to promote herself as the ideal candidate are in line with what Abrams has been saying in public .
In multiple interviews with major media outlets , Abrams has described herself as `` an excellent running mate '' with a `` strong history of executive and management experience , '' as well as expertise in international affairs gleaned from `` 25 years in independent study of foreign policy . ''
Though Abrams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` competence '' to do the job , she has also expressed `` concern '' about the possibility that Biden would choose a white running mate .
The former VP has already pledged to pick a woman .
Politico reports that Biden advisers are debating the importance of having an African American on the ticket as opposed to a `` progressive '' white candidate .
The report suggests that some Democrats have been turned off by Abrams 's `` overt campaigning '' for the vice presidential nomination .
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible ( white ) running mate , delivered a subtle jab at Abrams .
`` I just know that , you know , you do n't run for that , '' Whitmer said on Monday .
`` That is a selection of the top of the ticket , and everyone else should be just busy doing their jobs . ''
Politico contributing editor Bill Scher suggested on Twitter last week that Abrams should `` shut down all VP talk '' and focus her energy on challenging Gov .
Brian Kemp to a rematch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retweeted by Ronald Klain , a Biden supporter who served as the former VP 's chief of staff .
Biden is expected to announce a selection committee by May 1 , but the announcement of a running mate might come as late as July .
Meanwhile , the campaign faces heightened scrutiny surrounding the allegations of former Senate staffer Tara Reade , who has accused Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993 .
`` If Biden remains the Democratic nominee , whichever woman gets the nod to be his running mate will wind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Rebecca Traister wrote in New York magazine on Monday .
`` Because the promise to choose a woman ensures that whoever she is , she will be forced to answer—over and over again—for Biden 's treatment of other women , including the serious allegations of assault leveled by Tara Reade . ''

Failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is what the kids these days call "thirsty AF." For weeks, Abrams has been all but begging former vice president Joe Biden to pick her as a running mate.
Abrams's thirst for power appears to know no bounds. According to a Politico report published Tuesday, the former Georgia lawmaker has been waging an aggressive behind-the-scenes lobbying effort in addition to her public self-promotion campaign.
Abrams, who has repeatedly declared herself the winner of Georgia's 2018 gubernatorial election despite receiving fewer votes than her Republican opponent, has been "privately calling Democratic powerbrokers, asking them to tell Biden campaign officials that she should be vice president."
These private efforts to promote herself as the ideal candidate are in line with what Abrams has been saying in public. In multiple interviews with major media outlets, Abrams has described herself as "an excellent running mate" with a "strong history of executive and management experience," as well as expertise in international affairs gleaned from "25 years in independent study of foreign policy."
Though Abrams has touted her "capacity" and "competence" to do the job, she has also expressed "concern" about the possibility that Biden would choose a white running mate. The former VP has already pledged to pick a woman. Politico reports that Biden advisers are debating the importance of having an African American on the ticket as opposed to a "progressive" white candidate.
The report suggests that some Democrats have been turned off by Abrams's "overt campaigning" for the vice presidential nomination. Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, whom Biden is also considering as a possible (white) running mate, delivered a subtle jab at Abrams.
"I just know that, you know, you don't run for that," Whitmer said on Monday. "That is a selection of the top of the ticket, and everyone else should be just busy doing their jobs."
Politico contributing editor Bill Scher suggested on Twitter last week that Abrams should "shut down all VP talk" and focus her energy on challenging Gov. Brian Kemp to a rematch in 2022. Scher's advice was retweeted by Ronald Klain, a Biden supporter who served as the former VP's chief of staff.
Biden is expected to announce a selection committee by May 1, but the announcement of a running mate might come as late as July. Meanwhile, the campaign faces heightened scrutiny surrounding the allegations of former Senate staffer Tara Reade, who has accused Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993.
"If Biden remains the Democratic nominee, whichever woman gets the nod to be his running mate will wind up drinking from a poisoned chalice," Rebecca Traister wrote in New York magazine on Monday. "Because the promise to choose a woman ensures that whoever she is, she will be forced to answer—over and over again—for Biden's treatment of other women, including the serious allegations of assault leveled by Tara Reade."


freebeacon--2020-04-28--FLASHBACK: Potential Biden Running Mates Called for Sexual Assault Survivors to Be Heard, Believed

Several Democratic vice presidential contenders will have to reckon with their past statements about the # MeToo movement in light of a former aide 's accusation of sexual assault against presumptive nominee Joe Biden .
Biden has vowed to select a woman as his vice president , and many of the strongest candidates for the position have been outspoken in giving accusers the benefit of the doubt in cases of sexual misconduct .
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer , former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams , and Sens .
Kamala Harris ( Calif. ) , Elizabeth Warren ( Mass . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Catherine Cortez Masto ( Nev. ) all supported Christine Blasey Ford when she accused then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in 2018 .
These Democrats are now dodging questions or remaining silent about former Senate staffer Tara Reade 's claim that Biden assaulted her in a congressional hallway in 1993 .
Biden has denied the charge through a campaign spokesman .
Neither the Biden campaign nor the vice-presidential hopefuls returned requests for comment .
Whitmer , who has spoken publicly about being raped as a college freshman , said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to create a system where accusers are `` believed , period . ''
`` When we shine a light on it , we change the focus of the discussion and give women faith in a system that 's improving , '' Whitmer said .
`` With each part of the discussion you 're having here this week , we help create a system that tells women if they come forward , they 're going to be believed , period . ''
Whitmer asked her campaign manager , Keenan Pontoni , to resign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` inappropriate behavior '' with women at a past job .
`` That was not something I ever would tolerate , '' Whitmer told the Detroit Metro Times , without specifying the nature of the misconduct .
`` I just knew very clearly that there was no way I wanted to be associated with that . ''
Whitmer tweeted Sept. 27 , 2018 , the day Ford testified , that she believed Ford 's account .
Abrams tweeted , `` I believe women , '' the day after Ford testified .
While running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta Journal-Constitution it was important to `` give survivors a voice '' and know they have `` an advocate '' in office .
Harris , Warren , Klobuchar , and Cortez Masto strongly defended Ford and voted against Kavanaugh 's confirmation in 2018 .
`` To all of the women and men out there who have experienced this , we will hear you , we will see you , we will respect you , we will give you dignity , '' Harris said in a Senate floor speech at the time .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspect of it bully you into silence . ''
Warren said in a floor speech that people were `` tired of being ignored and silenced , '' adding that those who came forward deserved to be `` heard and treated with respect . ''
Klobuchar told CBS 's Face The Nation that Kavanaugh was undergoing a `` job interview '' rather than a criminal trial , suggesting that those seeking a high office faced more rigorous standards for exoneration than a typical defendant .
Harris , Warren , and Cortez Masto said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senator said , `` I stand with survivors '' in a statement .
Klobuchar called Ford credible and praised her `` graceful and dignified '' testimony .
Harris also penned Ford 's profile for TIME ‘ s 100 most influential people list in 2019 .
`` Through her courage , she forced the country to reckon with an issue that has too often been ignored and kept in the dark , '' she wrote .
Some of Biden 's potential running mates have toned down their supportive rhetoric when asked about Reade 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 16 they should read the `` very thorough '' New York Times investigation that called into question Reade 's credibility .
`` I think this case has been investigated , '' Klobuchar said .
`` I know the vice president as a major leader on domestic abuse .
I worked with him on that , and I think that , again , the viewers should read the article . ''
Whitmer told NPR that women should be able to `` tell their stories '' when an interviewer brought up the accusation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think that it is important that these allegations are vetted , from the media to beyond .
And I think that , you know , it is something that no one takes lightly , '' Whitmer said .
`` But it is also something that is , you know , personal .
And so it 's hard to give you greater insight than that , not knowing more about the situation . ''
Harris told the San Francisco Chronicle that Reade `` has a right to tell her story , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's work for women 's equality and rights .
Warren , Cortez Masto , and Abrams have not publicly commented on the allegations .

Several Democratic vice presidential contenders will have to reckon with their past statements about the #MeToo movement in light of a former aide's accusation of sexual assault against presumptive nominee Joe Biden.
Biden has vowed to select a woman as his vice president, and many of the strongest candidates for the position have been outspoken in giving accusers the benefit of the doubt in cases of sexual misconduct. Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, and Sens. Kamala Harris (Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) all supported Christine Blasey Ford when she accused then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in 2018. These Democrats are now dodging questions or remaining silent about former Senate staffer Tara Reade's claim that Biden assaulted her in a congressional hallway in 1993. Biden has denied the charge through a campaign spokesman.
Neither the Biden campaign nor the vice-presidential hopefuls returned requests for comment.
Whitmer, who has spoken publicly about being raped as a college freshman, said at a 2016 Detroit sexual assault summit she wanted to create a system where accusers are "believed, period."
"When we shine a light on it, we change the focus of the discussion and give women faith in a system that's improving," Whitmer said. "With each part of the discussion you're having here this week, we help create a system that tells women if they come forward, they're going to be believed, period."
Whitmer asked her campaign manager, Keenan Pontoni, to resign in 2018 after he faced allegations of "inappropriate behavior" with women at a past job.
"That was not something I ever would tolerate," Whitmer told the Detroit Metro Times, without specifying the nature of the misconduct. "I just knew very clearly that there was no way I wanted to be associated with that."
Whitmer tweeted Sept. 27, 2018, the day Ford testified, that she believed Ford's account.
I believe Dr. Ford — Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) September 27, 2018
Abrams tweeted, "I believe women," the day after Ford testified. While running for Georgia governor, she told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution it was important to "give survivors a voice" and know they have "an advocate" in office.
After the courageous and compelling testimony from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford yesterday, it is shameful that Kavanaugh's nomination is being rushed forward. I believe women, and I believe survivors of violence always deserve to be supported and to have their voices heard. https://t.co/rtT1PQr4Zq — Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) September 28, 2018
Harris, Warren, Klobuchar, and Cortez Masto strongly defended Ford and voted against Kavanaugh's confirmation in 2018.
"To all of the women and men out there who have experienced this, we will hear you, we will see you, we will respect you, we will give you dignity," Harris said in a Senate floor speech at the time. "Do not let this system or any aspect of it bully you into silence."
Warren said in a floor speech that people were "tired of being ignored and silenced," adding that those who came forward deserved to be "heard and treated with respect."
Klobuchar told CBS's Face The Nation that Kavanaugh was undergoing a "job interview" rather than a criminal trial, suggesting that those seeking a high office faced more rigorous standards for exoneration than a typical defendant.
Harris, Warren, and Cortez Masto said they believed Ford's story. The Nevada senator said, "I stand with survivors" in a statement. Klobuchar called Ford credible and praised her "graceful and dignified" testimony.
Let us never forget what courage looks like. pic.twitter.com/2bRD8s8sda — Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 15, 2019
Harris also penned Ford's profile for TIME's 100 most influential people list in 2019.
"Through her courage, she forced the country to reckon with an issue that has too often been ignored and kept in the dark," she wrote.
Some of Biden's potential running mates have toned down their supportive rhetoric when asked about Reade's allegation.
Klobuchar told MSNBC viewers on April 16 they should read the "very thorough" New York Times investigation published April 12 that called into question Reade's credibility.
"I think this case has been investigated," Klobuchar said. "I know the vice president as a major leader on domestic abuse. I worked with him on that, and I think that, again, the viewers should read the article."
Whitmer told NPR that women should be able to "tell their stories" when an interviewer brought up the accusation, but stressed the importance of vetting accusations.
"I think that it is important that these allegations are vetted, from the media to beyond. And I think that, you know, it is something that no one takes lightly," Whitmer said. "But it is also something that is, you know, personal. And so it's hard to give you greater insight than that, not knowing more about the situation." Harris told the San Francisco Chronicle that Reade "has a right to tell her story," but went on to praise Biden's work for women's equality and rights. Abrams told HuffPost that she believed "women deserve to be heard, and I believe that has happened here," going on to cite the "thorough investigation" by the New York Times. However, Business Insider reported Monday—15 days after the Times article was published—that a neighbor of Reade's said she had told her about the assault in the mid-1990s. Warren and Cortez Masto have not publicly commented on the allegations.


freebeacon--2020-04-28--Rep. Mucarsel-Powell’s Problematic Costume Choices Aren’t A Problem

Freshman representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell ( D. , Fla. ) appears to gain enjoyment from the appropriation of different cultures , and there 's absolutely nothing wrong with that .
Even Democrats deserve the right to culturally appropriate , so long as they are n't blatantly racist about it ( sorry , Ralph Northam ) .
Social media posts reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon appear to show Mucarsel-Powell successfully appropriating Indian culture .
The answer to your question is : Both .
One image shows Mucarsel-Powell enjoying a Bollywood-themed 40th birthday celebration in 2011 .
Yes , there 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cares ?
She looks great , and will only turn 40 once .
Congrats !
Another ( undated ) image shows the congresswoman posing in costume as the other kind of Indian—or indigenous person of North America , in the politically correct parlance of our times .
She looks very happy , and the feather in her headdress stands tall and firm like a beacon of freedom .
It turns out Democrats are capable of embracing and promoting freedom , even if their party opposes it on all fronts .
Mucarsel-Powell 's companion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is quite boring in comparison .
A ballerina has never been featured on U.S. currency , for example , and that 's probably for the best .
Mucarsel-Powell 's office did not respond to a request for comment .
The congresswoman has been the subject of media reports after her husband 's company , Fiesta Restaurant Group , received funding as part of the Paycheck Protection Program approved by Congress .
Fiesta got a $ 10 million `` small business '' loan despite employing more than 10,000 people and having a market cap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ endorsed Joe Biden for president in March , after Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D. , Mass . )
dropped out of the race .
Warren was forced to apologize after being caught culturally appropriating—in a bad way—having repeatedly misrepresented herself as a Native American throughout her professional career .
Mucarsel-Powell 's endorsement of Biden is a fitting choice , given that the former vice president has himself repeatedly appropriated nonwhite cultures—but in a goofy way that liberals ca n't get mad about now that he 's the Democratic nominee .
In 2006 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporter , `` You can not go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin ' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent . ''
On the campaign trail in 2012 , Biden attempted to criticize Mitt Romney for outsourcing American jobs by pretending to be a call-center employee speaking English in an Indian accent .
Mucarsel-Powell was elected in 2018 to represent Florida 's 26th Congressional District , which includes Key Largo , the island featured in the Beach Boys ' smash hit `` Kokomo . ''

Even Democrats deserve the right to culturally appropriate
Freshman representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D., Fla.) appears to gain enjoyment from the appropriation of different cultures, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Even Democrats deserve the right to culturally appropriate, so long as they aren't blatantly racist about it (sorry, Ralph Northam).
Social media posts reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon appear to show Mucarsel-Powell successfully appropriating Indian culture. The answer to your question is: Both.
One image shows Mucarsel-Powell enjoying a Bollywood-themed 40th birthday celebration in 2011. Yes, there's a dot on her forehead, but who cares? She looks great, and will only turn 40 once. Congrats!
Another (undated) image shows the congresswoman posing in costume as the other kind of Indian—or indigenous person of North America, in the politically correct parlance of our times. She looks very happy, and the feather in her headdress stands tall and firm like a beacon of freedom. It turns out Democrats are capable of embracing and promoting freedom, even if their party opposes it on all fronts.
Mucarsel-Powell's companion is dressed as a ballerina, which is quite boring in comparison. A ballerina has never been featured on U.S. currency, for example, and that's probably for the best.
Mucarsel-Powell's office did not respond to a request for comment.
The congresswoman has been the subject of media reports after her husband's company, Fiesta Restaurant Group, received funding as part of the Paycheck Protection Program approved by Congress. Fiesta got a $10 million "small business" loan despite employing more than 10,000 people and having a market cap of nearly $200 million.
Mucarsel-Powell endorsed Joe Biden for president in March, after Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) dropped out of the race. Warren was forced to apologize after being caught culturally appropriating—in a bad way—having repeatedly misrepresented herself as a Native American throughout her professional career.
Mucarsel-Powell's endorsement of Biden is a fitting choice, given that the former vice president has himself repeatedly appropriated nonwhite cultures—but in a goofy way that liberals can't get mad about now that he's the Democratic nominee. In 2006, for example, Biden told an Indian-American supporter, "You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent."
On the campaign trail in 2012, Biden attempted to criticize Mitt Romney for outsourcing American jobs by pretending to be a call-center employee speaking English in an Indian accent.
Mucarsel-Powell was elected in 2018 to represent Florida's 26th Congressional District, which includes Key Largo, the island featured in the Beach Boys' smash hit "Kokomo."


freebeacon--2020-04-28--Coronavirus Deals Fatal Blow to Boeing-Brazilian Aircraft Manufacturer Merger

Boeing 's announcement on Friday that it is withdrawing from a contract with Brazil 's Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica , known commonly as Embraer , is just the latest casualty of the coronavirus pandemic .
The contract cancellation means thousands of potential new jobs are now off the table .
It also means that ties between the United States and Brazil , which have been tense since it was revealed in 2013 that the Obama administration had tapped the personal mobile phone of then-Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff , are unlikely to improve .
`` It represents a U.S. corporate giant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excess baggage as soon as it becomes convenient to do so—and it is typical of the American disregard for us , '' one Brazilian aerospace executive told the Washington Free Beacon .
Boeing announced in 2018 that it would merge with the commercial division of Embraer , taking in 80 percent of the company 's operation in a $ 4.2 billion agreement .
The agreement would allow Boeing access to markets in which its aircraft were too large or too expensive .
Embraer , in turn , would gain access to Boeing 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and customer support centers .
The deal was teetering on the brink near the end of 2018 and into 2019 when Boeing 's finances were strained due to fatal crashes of its 737 MAX aircraft .
The crashes dented Boeing 's reputation and its finances , ultimately culminating in the firing of CEO Dennis Muilenberg .
But the fatal blow to the merger came as the coronavirus spread globally .
The near total ban on air travel in recent weeks has been a disaster for the airlines and the companies that supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placed before the outbreak precipitated border closures and quarantines have left planes parked at airports or canceled entirely .
By the second week in March , shares in Embraer fell 14 percent—giving it a market value of around $ 1.3 billion , less than a third of the value the company commanded when the Boeing deal was announced in 2018 .
`` It is inconceivable that Boeing will now still pay $ 4.2 billion for a company that today is only worth $ 1 billion , '' a Lockheed Martin representative said just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ withdrawing from the agreement between the two firms .
The now-canceled merger is the tip of the iceberg of the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus .
The airline industry that aircraft builders depend on in order to keep their factories running is collapsing—with airports closed and no start date to resumption of regular passenger routes in site .

Boeing's announcement on Friday that it is withdrawing from a contract with Brazil's Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica, known commonly as Embraer, is just the latest casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.
The contract cancellation means thousands of potential new jobs are now off the table. It also means that ties between the United States and Brazil, which have been tense since it was revealed in 2013 that the Obama administration had tapped the personal mobile phone of then-Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff, are unlikely to improve.
"It represents a U.S. corporate giant casting off this Brazilian company like some excess baggage as soon as it becomes convenient to do so—and it is typical of the American disregard for us," one Brazilian aerospace executive told the Washington Free Beacon.
Boeing announced in 2018 that it would merge with the commercial division of Embraer, taking in 80 percent of the company's operation in a $4.2 billion agreement.
The agreement would allow Boeing access to markets in which its aircraft were too large or too expensive. Embraer, in turn, would gain access to Boeing's global network of maintenance, spare parts, and customer support centers.
The deal was teetering on the brink near the end of 2018 and into 2019 when Boeing's finances were strained due to fatal crashes of its 737 MAX aircraft. The crashes dented Boeing's reputation and its finances, ultimately culminating in the firing of CEO Dennis Muilenberg.
But the fatal blow to the merger came as the coronavirus spread globally. The near total ban on air travel in recent weeks has been a disaster for the airlines and the companies that supply them with aircraft.
Embraer aircraft orders placed before the outbreak precipitated border closures and quarantines have left planes parked at airports or canceled entirely.
By the second week in March, shares in Embraer fell 14 percent—giving it a market value of around $1.3 billion, less than a third of the value the company commanded when the Boeing deal was announced in 2018.
"It is inconceivable that Boeing will now still pay $4.2 billion for a company that today is only worth $1 billion," a Lockheed Martin representative said just days before Boeing officially announced it was withdrawing from the agreement between the two firms.
The now-canceled merger is the tip of the iceberg of the economic devastation wrought by the coronavirus. The airline industry that aircraft builders depend on in order to keep their factories running is collapsing—with airports closed and no start date to resumption of regular passenger routes in site.


freebeacon--2020-04-29--Linda Sarsour Campaigns to Oust Pro-Israel Dem

A leftist candidate has enlisted the help of his friend and radical activist , Linda Sarsour , to oust Rep. Eliot Engel ( D. , N.Y. ) , the leading pro-Israel Democrat on the Hill .
Andom Ghebreghiorgis , an anti-Israel activist , cohosted a virtual town hall with Sarsour to attack Engel , the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee .
Engel has been a consistent defender of Israel during his 27-year tenure in Congress—a policy record that his left-wing primary challengers see as a vulnerability .
Ghebreghiorgis , who first met Sarsour while working as an English @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Engel an `` uncritical and reflexive supporter of Israel '' while painting himself as a loyal Palestine supporter aligned with Sarsour , a top anti-Israel activist .
`` [ Engel ] has said that conditioning military aid to Israel is one of the stupidest things ever .
To me , that is just a wild statement , '' Ghebreghiorgis said .
`` Those are actually integral parts of our campaign , ending military aid to not just Israel and Egypt but also Saudi Arabia , UAE , [ and ] the Philippines .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenger , telling viewers that `` the kids loved him '' while he taught overseas .
The controversial activist , who has faced accusations of anti-Semitism , also sharply criticized Engel 's pro-Israel stance as `` not acceptable for any member of Congress . ''
Engel has been a reliable defender of Israel on the Hill since he assumed office in 1993 and has broken with fellow Democrats to support the Jewish state on occasion .
The New York congressman praised the Trump administration for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has opposed blanket condemnations of Israeli settlements in contested territories and drafted a bill condemning a U.N. resolution that denounced Israeli settlements in 2017 .
While many congressional Democrats share Engel 's pro-Israel views , leftist candidates such as Ghebreghiorgis are banking that the party base does not .
Ghebreghiorgis has adopted radical anti-Israel policies as part of his campaign platform , opposing all Israeli settlements and demanding a suspension of military aid to Israel .
The activist is hoping that those liberal positions will appeal to voters in a district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a 53-point margin .
But while Engel 's district is reliably blue , it remains unclear whether it will support an anti-Israel agenda .
Nearly 12 percent of the district is Jewish , according to the Berman Jewish Databank , making it one of the most Jewish districts in the United States .
Ghebreghiorgis 's relationship with Sarsour might backfire since she has faced several accusations of anti-Semitism .
For example , Sarsour previously invoked an anti-Semitic trope by saying Israel is built on the idea that `` Jews are supreme to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan .
In a comment to the Washington Free Beacon , Ghebreghiorgis defended his position on Israel , saying `` the Israeli government must be held accountable for human rights abuses just like any other nation . ''
Ghebreghiorgis is not the only anti-Israel candidate seeking to dethrone Engel .
Jamaal Bowman , another progressive candidate running against Engel , has also vowed to cut all military aid to Israel .
Bowman currently leads Ghebreghiorgis in fundraising , hauling in $ 540,000 this cycle while Ghebreghiorgis has raised $ 202,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York primary is scheduled for June 23 .

A leftist candidate has enlisted the help of his friend and radical activist, Linda Sarsour, to oust Rep. Eliot Engel (D., N.Y.), the leading pro-Israel Democrat on the Hill.
Andom Ghebreghiorgis, an anti-Israel activist, cohosted a virtual town hall with Sarsour to attack Engel, the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Engel has been a consistent defender of Israel during his 27-year tenure in Congress—a policy record that his left-wing primary challengers see as a vulnerability.
Ghebreghiorgis, who first met Sarsour while working as an English teacher in the West Bank, called Engel an "uncritical and reflexive supporter of Israel" while painting himself as a loyal Palestine supporter aligned with Sarsour, a top anti-Israel activist.
"[Engel] has said that conditioning military aid to Israel is one of the stupidest things ever. To me, that is just a wild statement," Ghebreghiorgis said. "Those are actually integral parts of our campaign, ending military aid to not just Israel and Egypt but also Saudi Arabia, UAE, [and] the Philippines."
Sarsour lavished praise for the leftist challenger, telling viewers that "the kids loved him" while he taught overseas. The controversial activist, who has faced accusations of anti-Semitism, also sharply criticized Engel's pro-Israel stance as "not acceptable for any member of Congress."
Engel has been a reliable defender of Israel on the Hill since he assumed office in 1993 and has broken with fellow Democrats to support the Jewish state on occasion. The New York congressman praised the Trump administration for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem even as fellow Democrats criticized the decision. He has opposed blanket condemnations of Israeli settlements in contested territories and drafted a bill condemning a U.N. resolution that denounced Israeli settlements in 2017.
While many congressional Democrats share Engel's pro-Israel views, leftist candidates such as Ghebreghiorgis are hoping that the party base does not. Ghebreghiorgis has adopted radical anti-Israel policies as part of his campaign platform, opposing all Israeli settlements and demanding a suspension of military aid to Israel. The activist is hoping that those liberal positions will appeal to voters in a district that voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a 53-point margin.
But while Engel's district is reliably blue, it remains unclear whether it will support an anti-Israel agenda. Nearly 12 percent of the district is Jewish, according to the Berman Jewish Databank, making it one of the most Jewish districts in the United States. Ghebreghiorgis's relationship with Sarsour might backfire since she has faced several accusations of anti-Semitism. For example, Sarsour previously invoked an anti-Semitic trope by saying Israel is built on the idea that "Jews are supreme to everyone else" and refused to disavow noted anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan.
In a comment to the Washington Free Beacon, Ghebreghiorgis defended his position on Israel, saying "the Israeli government must be held accountable for human rights abuses just like any other nation."
Ghebreghiorgis is not the only anti-Israel candidate seeking to dethrone Engel. Jamaal Bowman, another progressive candidate running against Engel, has also vowed to cut all military aid to Israel. Bowman currently leads Ghebreghiorgis in fundraising, hauling in $540,000 this cycle while Ghebreghiorgis has raised $202,000, according to election filings.
The New York primary is scheduled for June 23.


freebeacon--2020-04-29--Southern Poverty Law Center Now Has $162 Million Stashed in Offshore Accounts

The Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) , which last year faced accusations of racism among its highest ranks , reported $ 162 million stashed in offshore investments and paid its disgraced former leaders over $ 1 million .
The controversial group has continued to build its massive war chest by tens of millions of dollars even after employees claimed that the group 's leadership allowed sexual harassment and racial discrimination against its minority staffers .
The ensuing media firestorm ultimately led to the ousting of cofounder Morris Dees , longtime president Richard Cohen , and legal director Rhonda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
New forms , covering a period beginning Nov. 1 , 2018 , and ending on Oct. 31 , 2019 , show that Cohen and Brownstein each received six-figure severance packages .
Critics of the SPLC in recent years have characterized the group as a money racket that labels conservative organizations as `` hate groups '' to fundraise , and its most recent financial forms may fuel that criticism .
The SPLC achieved numerous civil rights victories decades ago but has since veered far left , partnering with numerous tech and media giants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced a drastic uptick in assets even as its contributions and grants have declined .
Its most recent tax forms reported annual contributions of $ 97 million , down from the $ 132 million it reported in October 2017 .
Despite that decline , it reported $ 570 million in assets between its main organization and its action fund , a $ 52 million increase over what it reported the prior year .
The jump can largely be attributed to the SPLC 's vast investment portfolio , which now includes $ 162 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million more than the group previously reported .
The financial records also reveal that amid the cash influx , Dees , Cohen , and Brownstein collected over $ 1 million from the group despite being forced out early in the year over a workplace culture that allegedly fostered racial discrimination and sexual harassment .
Dees was paid $ 338,000 in base compensation and $ 35,000 in other reportable compensation , the tax forms show .
Cohen collected $ 373,000 in base compensation , nearly $ 10,000 in other reportable compensation , and received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brownstein was paid $ 233,062 in base compensation , given $ 2,000 in other reportable compensation , and received a severance payment of $ 131,283 .
The SPLC has long come under fire for labeling socially conservative organizations such as the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom as `` hate groups '' alongside groups like the Ku Klux Klan .
The SPLC 's designations have often been cited by mainstream media outlets , leading nearly 50 conservative nonprofit leaders to release a letter in 2017 calling on the media to stop citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letter called the SPLC `` an attack dog of the political left . ''
`` It appears that the SPLC 's legacy of fundraising by hysteria is paying off , '' said Lt. Gen .
( Ret . )
Jerry Boykin , the executive vice president of the Family Research Council , which was targeted by a gunman in 2012 after the SPLC included it on its list of `` hate groups . ''
`` For decades , the organization has used its direct-mail expertise and overt hostility to orthodox religious principles as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donors out of their donation dollars , '' Boykin said .
`` This discredited , partisan hate machine has been given carte-blanche credibility by partisan Silicon Valley social media giants . ''
The SPLC has expanded its influence by partnering with tech giants Amazon , Facebook , Google , Twitter , and PayPal to identify `` hate groups . ''
It is also part of a massive , unverified `` hate crime '' database that was initially bankrolled by liberal billionaire George Soros 's Open Society Foundations and is used by more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lab , the New York Times opinion page , and ABC News .
Tyler O'Neil , senior editor of PJ Media and author of Making Hate Pay : The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center , told the Washington Free Beacon , `` As it turns out , scaring people with exaggerations of ‘ hate ' is particularly profitable . ''
`` If the SPLC truly wanted to clean house and prove itself a changed organization , the least it could do is stop storing money offshore , '' O'Neil said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bolsters claims that the SPLC 's ‘ hate ' accusations are a fundraising scheme . ''
A former employee of the SPLC , Bob Moser , penned a piece last year in the New Yorker following the SPLC 's inner turmoil stating that employees at the organization would pass along articles warning newcomers what they were getting themselves into .
Female staffers were also warned about Dees 's `` reputation of hitting on young women . ''
`` But it was hard , for many of us , not to feel like we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many respects , a highly profitable scam , '' Moser wrote .
The SPLC did not respond to a request for comment about the $ 162 million it now holds in offshore accounts .

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which last year faced accusations of racism among its highest ranks, reported $162 million stashed in offshore investments and paid its disgraced former leaders over $1 million.
The controversial group has continued to build its massive war chest by tens of millions of dollars even after employees claimed that the group's leadership allowed sexual harassment and racial discrimination against its minority staffers. The ensuing media firestorm ultimately led to the ousting of cofounder Morris Dees, longtime president Richard Cohen, and legal director Rhonda Brownstein from the group in March 2019. New forms, covering a period beginning Nov. 1, 2018, and ending on Oct. 31, 2019, show that Cohen and Brownstein each received six-figure severance packages.
Critics of the SPLC in recent years have characterized the group as a money racket that labels conservative organizations as "hate groups" to fundraise, and its most recent financial forms may fuel that criticism. The SPLC achieved numerous civil rights victories decades ago but has since veered far left, partnering with numerous tech and media giants to expand its influence.
The SPLC experienced a drastic uptick in assets even as its contributions and grants have declined. Its most recent tax forms reported annual contributions of $97 million, down from the $132 million it reported in October 2017. Despite that decline, it reported $570 million in assets between its main organization and its action fund, a $52 million increase over what it reported the prior year. The jump can largely be attributed to the SPLC's vast investment portfolio, which now includes $162 million stashed in offshore accounts, $41 million more than the group previously reported.
The financial records also reveal that amid the cash influx, Dees, Cohen, and Brownstein collected over $1 million from the group despite being forced out early in the year over a workplace culture that allegedly fostered racial discrimination and sexual harassment.
Dees was paid $338,000 in base compensation and $35,000 in other reportable compensation, the tax forms show. Cohen collected $373,000 in base compensation, nearly $10,000 in other reportable compensation, and received a severance payment of $216,318. Brownstein was paid $233,062 in base compensation, given $2,000 in other reportable compensation, and received a severance payment of $131,283.
The SPLC has long come under fire for labeling socially conservative organizations such as the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom as "hate groups" alongside groups like the Ku Klux Klan. The SPLC's designations have often been cited by mainstream media outlets, leading nearly 50 conservative nonprofit leaders to release a letter in 2017 calling on the media to stop citing SPLC "hate" lists. The letter called the SPLC "an attack dog of the political left."
"It appears that the SPLC's legacy of fundraising by hysteria is paying off," said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin, the executive vice president of the Family Research Council, which was targeted by a gunman in 2012 after the SPLC included it on its list of "hate groups."
"For decades, the organization has used its direct-mail expertise and overt hostility to orthodox religious principles as the basis for bilking wealthy, gullible donors out of their donation dollars," Boykin said. "This discredited, partisan hate machine has been given carte-blanche credibility by partisan Silicon Valley social media giants."
The SPLC has expanded its influence by partnering with tech giants Amazon, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and PayPal to identify "hate groups." It is also part of a massive, unverified "hate crime" database that was initially bankrolled by liberal billionaire George Soros's Open Society Foundations and is used by more than 100 media partners, including Google News Lab, the New York Times opinion page, and ABC News.
Tyler O'Neil, senior editor of PJ Media and author of Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center, told the Washington Free Beacon, "As it turns out, scaring people with exaggerations of 'hate' is particularly profitable."
"If the SPLC truly wanted to clean house and prove itself a changed organization, the least it could do is stop storing money offshore," O'Neil said. "This kind of nefarious dealing only bolsters claims that the SPLC's 'hate' accusations are a fundraising scheme."
A former employee of the SPLC, Bob Moser, penned a piece last year in the New Yorker following the SPLC's inner turmoil stating that employees at the organization would pass along articles warning newcomers what they were getting themselves into. Female staffers were also warned about Dees's "reputation of hitting on young women."
"But it was hard, for many of us, not to feel like we'd become pawns in what was, in many respects, a highly profitable scam," Moser wrote.
The SPLC did not respond to a request for comment about the $162 million it now holds in offshore accounts.


freebeacon--2020-04-29--Police Investigating Death of Arizona Man From Chloroquine Phosphate

The Mesa City Police Department 's homicide division is investigating the death of Gary Lenius , the Arizona man whose wife served him soda mixed with fish tank cleaner in what she claimed was a bid to fend off the coronavirus .
A detective handling the case confirmed the investigation to the Washington Free Beacon on Tuesday after requesting a recording of the Free Beacon 's interviews with Lenius 's wife , Wanda .
Gary Lenius , 68 , died on March 22 .
Wanda , 61 , told several news outlets last month that both she and her husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aquariums after hearing President Donald Trump tout one of its ingredients , chloroquine phosphate , from the White House briefing room .
Detective Teresa Van Galder , the homicide detective handling the case for the Mesa City Police Department , confirmed that the investigation is ongoing but declined to provide additional details .
`` As this is an active investigation , I can not go into any details at this time regarding the case , '' Van Galder said .
The Free Beacon provided a recording of its interview last month with Wanda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes after a series of Free Beacon stories raised questions about the portrayal of the couple in the initial NBC News report that vaulted the story onto the national stage .
Though that report and others suggested the couple mindlessly followed the president 's medical advice to disastrous results , friends of Gary Lenius told the Free Beacon they were skeptical he would knowingly ingest fish tank treatment .
Rather , they described Lenius as a levelheaded retired engineer and recounted a troubled marital relationship that included a previous domestic assault charge against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately found not guilty .
The Free Beacon also reported that Wanda Lenius was a Democratic donor whose most recent contribution went to a `` pro-science '' super PAC .
`` What bothers me about this is that Gary was a very intelligent man , a retired [ mechanical ] engineer who designed systems for John Deere in Waterloo , Iowa , and I really ca n't see the scenario where Gary would say , ‘ Yes , please , I would love to drink some of that Koi fish tank cleaner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Free Beacon .
`` It just does n't make any sense . ''
Another source , who asked that all identifying information be withheld , told the Free Beacon earlier this month that Wanda Lenius `` would constantly berate Gary in public.… Everyone was embarrassed for him , but he outwardly did not seem to care much . ''
`` In our opinion , their marriage was seen outwardly to be as one-sided as a marriage possibly could be : Gary worshiped Wanda , '' this person said , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a doofus '' and humiliate him in public .
Wanda Lenius was charged with domestic abuse assault in 2001 after she allegedly hit her husband and swung a mounted birdhouse at him .
Gary Lenius declined to cooperate in the case , testifying that he was not injured or placed in fear of injury .
His wife was exonerated .
Wanda Lenius said in a phone interview with the Free Beacon last month that she and her husband had watched the president tout the virtues of chloroquine on the news , citing preliminary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promising treatment for coronavirus .
She remembered purchasing a container of `` chloroquine phosphate '' years before to clean a fish tank , she said .
The powder , which can be lethal if ingested , is sold by aquarium suppliers and used to treat viral outbreaks in large fish tanks .
She told the Free Beacon that she had mentioned this to her husband `` and he kind of laughed at me , you know .
It was just a regular conversation . ''
`` We were n't big supporters of [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they were using it in China and stuff , '' she said .
`` And we just made a horrible , tragic mistake . ''
Campaign finance records show that Wanda Lenius has given thousands of dollars to Democratic groups and candidates over the past two years , most recently to the 314 Action Fund .
The group bills itself as the `` pro-science resistance '' and has criticized the Trump administration 's response to the coronavirus pandemic , holding up the Lenius case to slam the White House .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Free Beacon that her husband had been planning to schedule a doctor 's appointment to have a leg injury looked at and the couple worried he might pick up coronavirus at the clinic .
That 's when , she said , she reached for the fish tank cleaner in her pantry .
Her husband 's response , she said , was , `` Is it still good ? ''
Wanda Lenius routinely prepared a `` vitamin cocktail '' for him , according to Gary Lenius 's friend .
Asked if she and Gary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chloroquine at that time , she told the Free Beacon : `` No .
I mean , it was really kind of a spur of the moment thing , '' adding that the couple ingested `` one teaspoon and some soda '' each , at least four times the lethal limit .

Mesa City PD opens investigation into death of Gary Lenius whose wife, Wanda, said she served him a deadly cocktail to ward off coronavirus
The Mesa City Police Department's homicide division is investigating the death of Gary Lenius, the Arizona man whose wife served him soda mixed with fish tank cleaner in what she claimed was a bid to fend off the coronavirus. A detective handling the case confirmed the investigation to the Washington Free Beacon on Tuesday after requesting a recording of the Free Beacon's interviews with Lenius's wife, Wanda.
Gary Lenius, 68, died on March 22. Wanda, 61, told several news outlets last month that both she and her husband had ingested a substance used to clean aquariums after hearing President Donald Trump tout one of its ingredients, chloroquine phosphate, from the White House briefing room.
Detective Teresa Van Galder, the homicide detective handling the case for the Mesa City Police Department, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing but declined to provide additional details.
"As this is an active investigation, I cannot go into any details at this time regarding the case," Van Galder said. The Free Beacon provided a recording of its interview last month with Wanda Lenius.
News of the police probe comes after a series of Free Beacon stories raised questions about the portrayal of the couple in the initial NBC News report that vaulted the story onto the national stage.
Though that report and others suggested the couple mindlessly followed the president's medical advice to disastrous results, friends of Gary Lenius told the Free Beacon they were skeptical he would knowingly ingest fish tank treatment.
Rather, they described Lenius as a levelheaded retired engineer and recounted a troubled marital relationship that included a previous domestic assault charge against his wife, of which she was ultimately found not guilty. The Free Beacon also reported that Wanda Lenius was a Democratic donor whose most recent contribution went to a "pro-science" super PAC.
"What bothers me about this is that Gary was a very intelligent man, a retired [mechanical] engineer who designed systems for John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa, and I really can't see the scenario where Gary would say, 'Yes, please, I would love to drink some of that Koi fish tank cleaner,'" one of his close friends told the Free Beacon. "It just doesn't make any sense."
Another source, who asked that all identifying information be withheld, told the Free Beacon earlier this month that Wanda Lenius "would constantly berate Gary in public.… Everyone was embarrassed for him, but he outwardly did not seem to care much."
"In our opinion, their marriage was seen outwardly to be as one-sided as a marriage possibly could be: Gary worshiped Wanda," this person said, adding that his wife "would routinely call him a doofus" and humiliate him in public.
Wanda Lenius was charged with domestic abuse assault in 2001 after she allegedly hit her husband and swung a mounted birdhouse at him. Gary Lenius declined to cooperate in the case, testifying that he was not injured or placed in fear of injury. His wife was exonerated.
Wanda Lenius said in a phone interview with the Free Beacon last month that she and her husband had watched the president tout the virtues of chloroquine on the news, citing preliminary studies that showed it may be a promising treatment for coronavirus.
She remembered purchasing a container of "chloroquine phosphate" years before to clean a fish tank, she said.
The powder, which can be lethal if ingested, is sold by aquarium suppliers and used to treat viral outbreaks in large fish tanks. She told the Free Beacon that she had mentioned this to her husband "and he kind of laughed at me, you know. It was just a regular conversation."
"We weren't big supporters of [Trump], but we did see that they were using it in China and stuff," she said. "And we just made a horrible, tragic mistake."
Campaign finance records show that Wanda Lenius has given thousands of dollars to Democratic groups and candidates over the past two years, most recently to the 314 Action Fund. The group bills itself as the "pro-science resistance" and has criticized the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic, holding up the Lenius case to slam the White House.
In the same interview, Wanda Lenius told the Free Beacon that her husband had been planning to schedule a doctor's appointment to have a leg injury looked at and the couple worried he might pick up coronavirus at the clinic. That's when, she said, she reached for the fish tank cleaner in her pantry. Her husband's response, she said, was, "Is it still good?"
Wanda Lenius routinely prepared a "vitamin cocktail" for him, according to Gary Lenius's friend.
Asked if she and Gary Lenius had a conversation about taking the chloroquine at that time, she told the Free Beacon: "No. I mean, it was really kind of a spur of the moment thing," adding that the couple ingested "one teaspoon and some soda" each, at least four times the lethal limit.
UPDATE, April 29, 11:17 A.M.: After publication, a spokesman for the Mesa City Police Department told the Free Beacon that it is "normal protocol" for the homicide department to investigate "all death cases (other than obvious natural causes)" and that the death "has not been ruled a homicide at this time."


freebeacon--2020-04-29--Joe Biden (Still) Hasn’t Faced A Single Question on Sexual Assault Allegations

Joe Biden has now done 19 interviews spanning nearly 4 hours in the 5 weeks since March 24 , the day a former staffer in his U.S. Senate office came forward to accuse him of sexual assault .
None of the 142 questions asked by his interviewers have been on the allegations .
Biden , from a studio in the basement of his Delaware home , has been interviewed by reporters from major networks including CNN and MSNBC , as well as local stations across the country since Tara Reade 's allegation was reported by the Intercept in March .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the accusation from Reade , who says the then-senator pinned her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers in 1993 when she was a staff assistant in his office .
In the past two weeks alone , Biden has sat for at least an additional 97 minutes and 16 seconds of taped interviews , according to a Free Beacon analysis .
The sexual assault allegation never came up .
MSNBC 's Mika Brzezinski asked Biden what he thought about President Donald Trump 's daily briefings .
CBS comedian James Corden asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' with something from his Delaware home .
CBS4 's Jim DeFede asked if the coronavirus made the case for a $ 15 minimum wage .
KDKA 's Jon DeLano asked what he thought of when he thinks of Pittsburgh and whether he 'd like Michelle Obama as his running mate .
The Biden campaign did not respond to an emailed interview request .
Though Biden continues to decline interviews on the topic , media interest in the allegation has picked up significantly—though CNN has not asked about Reade during its interviews with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories about her allegation on its website .
The uptick in interest comes as new information has emerged that appears to corroborate Reade 's allegation .
Late last week footage was unearthed of her mother calling into CNN 's Larry King Live and alluding to the incident , and Reade 's former neighbor told Business Insider that the aide confided in her about Biden 's assault in the mid 1990s .
Biden ’ s campaign has also stepped up its defense against the allegation .
The campaign privately circulated talking points to supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New York Times as evidence that the incident `` did not happen . ''
The talking points were met with immediate backlash , with the New York Times telling the Washington Free Beacon that the Biden campaign is `` inaccurately '' representing its findings and that it was not able to refute Reade ’ s claim .
Several of the local news segments only posted edited portions of longer interviews .
Pittsburgh Action News 4 and Local 4 Detroit , two of Biden 's recent interviews , largely edited out the questions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the segments they aired included 10 different answers from the former vice president on topics unrelated to the allegations .
While reporters have avoided the topic with Biden , they have pressed some of his potential running mates .
In an interview Tuesday with CNN , Stacey Abrams cited the New York Times investigation published April 12 as proof the assault `` did not happen , '' mirroring the talking points sent by Biden ’ s campaign .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) told MSNBC on April 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s issues and the Times had done a `` very thorough '' vetting of Reade 's claim .
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer ( D. ) and Sen. Kamala Harris ( D. , Calif. ) have also remained supportive of Biden when asked about the allegation .
Harris said that she believes Reade has the right to tell her story , but went on to praise Biden as an advocate for women .

Joe Biden has now done 19 interviews spanning nearly 4 hours in the 5 weeks since March 24, the day a former staffer in his U.S. Senate office came forward to accuse him of sexual assault. None of the 142 questions asked by his interviewers have been on the allegations.
Biden, from a studio in the basement of his Delaware home, has been interviewed by reporters from major networks including CNN and MSNBC, as well as local stations across the country since Tara Reade's allegation was reported by the Intercept in March. Biden has still not publicly commented on the accusation from Reade, who says the then-senator pinned her against a wall and penetrated her with his fingers in 1993 when she was a staff assistant in his office.
In the past two weeks alone, Biden has sat for at least an additional 97 minutes and 16 seconds of taped interviews, according to a Free Beacon analysis. The sexual assault allegation never came up. MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski asked Biden what he thought about President Donald Trump's daily briefings. CBS comedian James Corden asked him to play "show and tell" with something from his Delaware home. CBS4's Jim DeFede asked if the coronavirus made the case for a $15 minimum wage. KDKA's Jon DeLano asked what he thought of when he thinks of Pittsburgh and whether he'd like Michelle Obama as his running mate.
The Biden campaign did not respond to an emailed interview request.
Though Biden continues to decline interviews on the topic, media interest in the allegation has picked up significantly—though CNN has not asked about Reade during its interviews with Biden, the network now has two stories about her allegation on its website. The uptick in interest comes as new information has emerged that appears to corroborate Reade's allegation. Late last week footage was unearthed of her mother calling into CNN's Larry King Live and alluding to the incident, and Reade's former neighbor told Business Insider that the aide confided in her about Biden's assault in the mid 1990s.
Biden’s campaign has also stepped up its defense against the allegation. The campaign privately circulated talking points to supporters instructing them to use an investigation by the New York Times as evidence that the incident "did not happen." The talking points were met with immediate backlash, with the New York Times telling the Washington Free Beacon that the Biden campaign is "inaccurately" representing its findings and that it was not able to refute Reade’s claim.
Several of the local news segments only posted edited portions of longer interviews. Pittsburgh Action News 4 and Local 4 Detroit, two of Biden's recent interviews, largely edited out the questions asked by Biden’s respective interviewers, but the segments they aired included 10 different answers from the former vice president on topics unrelated to the allegations.
While reporters have avoided the topic with Biden, they have pressed some of his potential running mates. In an interview Tuesday with CNN, Stacey Abrams cited the New York Times investigation published April 12 as proof the assault "did not happen," mirroring the talking points sent by Biden’s campaign. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) told MSNBC on April 16 that Biden was a leader on women’s issues and the Times had done a "very thorough" vetting of Reade's claim.
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer (D.) and Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) have also remained supportive of Biden when asked about the allegation. Harris said that she believes Reade has the right to tell her story, but went on to praise Biden as an advocate for women.


freebeacon--2020-04-29--Pompeo Vows to Stop U.N. From Lifting Iranian Arms Embargo

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the Trump administration will not permit the United Nations to lift a ban on Iran 's purchase of advanced military technology later this year .
`` We 're not going to let that happen , '' Pompeo told reporters at the State Department .
Pompeo said the United States is laying the groundwork to stop U.N. member nations—primarily Russia and China—from lifting an international arms embargo on Iran that is set to expire under the terms of the landmark nuclear deal .
While President Donald Trump removed the United States from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it still has sufficient leverage at the U.N. to stop the arms embargo from lifting .
If these efforts fail , the Trump administration could petition the U.N. Security Council for what is known as snapback , the reimposition of all global sanctions on Iran that were lifted as part of the nuclear deal signed during the Obama administration .
`` The failures of the Iran nuclear deal are legion .
One of them is now upon us , '' Pompeo said .
`` It 's now just several months out where China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world can all sell significant conventional weapons systems to the Iranians in October of this year .
This is n't far off .
This is n't some fantasy by conservatives .
This is a reality . ''
Pompeo said it is clear Iran will immediately move to purchase a range of advanced military equipment once the embargo is lifted .
Russia and China , which have sold Iran military equipment in the past , have the most to gain if the embargo is removed , he said .
`` Does anybody think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terror campaigns by Lebanese Hezbollah or Iraqi Shia movements or firing military missiles into the air ought to be permitted to purchase conventional weapons systems in just a few months ? ''
Pompeo asked .
`` I think the world realizes that 's a mistake . ''
U.S. officials are currently working to convince their European counterparts the arms embargo remains critical to stopping Iran 's terrorism enterprise .
`` We 're urging our E3 partners ( France , Germany , and Italy ) to take action , which is within their capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 'll go—we 'll work with the U.N. Security Council to extend that prohibition on those arms sales .
And then in the event we ca n't get anyone else to act , the United States is evaluating every possibility about how we might do that . ''
While some nations have argued the United States has no right to sway the arms embargo debate since it abandoned the nuclear accord , Pompeo made clear the State Department rejects this view .
U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 , which codified the Joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the arms embargo and its subsequent expiration date—does not bar the United States from taking action .
`` We do n't have to declare ourselves a participant , '' Pompeo said .
`` It 's unambiguous and the rights that accrue to participants in the U.N. Security Council resolution are fully available to all those participants , '' he said .
`` We 're going to—we are going to make sure that come October of this year , the Iranians are n't able to buy conventional weapons that they would be given what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the world in that terrible deal . ''

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said the Trump administration will not permit the United Nations to lift a ban on Iran's purchase of advanced military technology later this year.
"We're not going to let that happen," Pompeo told reporters at the State Department.
Pompeo said the United States is laying the groundwork to stop U.N. member nations—primarily Russia and China—from lifting an international arms embargo on Iran that is set to expire under the terms of the landmark nuclear deal.
While President Donald Trump removed the United States from the nuclear accord, the administration maintains that it still has sufficient leverage at the U.N. to stop the arms embargo from lifting. If these efforts fail, the Trump administration could petition the U.N. Security Council for what is known as snapback, the reimposition of all global sanctions on Iran that were lifted as part of the nuclear deal signed during the Obama administration.
"The failures of the Iran nuclear deal are legion. One of them is now upon us," Pompeo said. "It's now just several months out where China, Russia, other countries from around the world can all sell significant conventional weapons systems to the Iranians in October of this year. This isn't far off. This isn't some fantasy by conservatives. This is a reality."
Pompeo said it is clear Iran will immediately move to purchase a range of advanced military equipment once the embargo is lifted. Russia and China, which have sold Iran military equipment in the past, have the most to gain if the embargo is removed, he said.
"Does anybody think that the nation that today is conducting terror campaigns by Lebanese Hezbollah or Iraqi Shia movements or firing military missiles into the air ought to be permitted to purchase conventional weapons systems in just a few months?" Pompeo asked. "I think the world realizes that's a mistake."
U.S. officials are currently working to convince their European counterparts the arms embargo remains critical to stopping Iran's terrorism enterprise.
"We're urging our E3 partners (France, Germany, and Italy) to take action, which is within their capacity to do," Pompeo said. "We'll go—we'll work with the U.N. Security Council to extend that prohibition on those arms sales. And then in the event we can't get anyone else to act, the United States is evaluating every possibility about how we might do that."
While some nations have argued the United States has no right to sway the arms embargo debate since it abandoned the nuclear accord, Pompeo made clear the State Department rejects this view.
U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which codified the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—including the restrictions on the arms embargo and its subsequent expiration date—does not bar the United States from taking action.
"We don't have to declare ourselves a participant," Pompeo said.
"It's unambiguous and the rights that accrue to participants in the U.N. Security Council resolution are fully available to all those participants," he said. "We're going to—we are going to make sure that come October of this year, the Iranians aren't able to buy conventional weapons that they would be given what President Obama and Vice President Biden delivered to the world in that terrible deal."


freebeacon--2020-04-29--Media Shocked, SHOCKED to Find Bias in Tara Reade Coverage

To the casual observer , it 's clear that the mainstream media operate under a default assumption when it comes to women who accuse political figures of sexual assault : The ones who accuse Republicans are inherently more credible than the ones who accuse Democrats .
This bias has become so obvious as the media struggle to handle Tara Reade 's credible allegation of sexual assault against former vice president Joe Biden—especially compared with the hysterical coverage surrounding Dr. Christine Blasey Ford 's allegation against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh—that even members of the media are beginning to notice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media 's handling of Reade 's allegations might have a point .
`` For Biden 's opponents on the right , the issue regarding Tara Reade does n't seem to be that they actually believe her .
In fact , I do n't know if they do , '' Sam Stein , politics editor at the Daily Beast , wrote on Twitter .
`` It 's that they feel the left is engaged in an insane degree of hypocrisy and political convenience over when to believe women . ''
Stein delivers this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a nerd watching sports for the first time and observing in his little nerd notebook that fans ' opinions of the referees can change dramatically depending on which team benefits from a given call .
The casual observer might have a different response .
`` No s— , '' for example .
Stacey Abrams , the failed gubernatorial candidate who is desperately trying to convince Biden to pick her as a running mate , opposed Kavanaugh 's nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018 because , she said at the time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed her tune during a Tuesday night appearance on CNN , a network that has interviewed Biden twice since Reade 's allegations surfaced but neglected to ask him about it .
In this case , Abrams believes the man .
She insisted that the assault Reade claims to have suffered in 1993 `` did not happen '' despite being supported by far more evidence than Ford 's allegation against Kavanaugh .
Abrams was regurgitating talking points distributed by the Biden campaign , which claimed a New York Times investigation had `` concluded '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen . ''
Except that 's not true .
At least the Times has pretended to be interested in covering Reade 's accusation fairly .
The Washington Post , on the other hand , has not .
When forced to report the fact that Reade 's former neighbor , a Biden supporter , confirmed that Reade discussed the alleged assault with her shortly after it happened , the Post ran the story under the following headline : `` Trump allies highlight new claims regarding allegations against Biden . ''
Where , indeed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the left is engaged in an insane degree of hypocrisy and political convenience '' when it comes to Tara Reade ?
Guardian columnist Owen Jones provided a more direct assessment of how the media—as well as the Democratic Party and liberal establishment , to the extent there is a difference—have handled the Tara Reade story .
`` The deafening silence over sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden is a genuine disgrace , '' Jones wrote on Twitter .
`` It 's sending a message that the allegations against Trump were taken seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rather than an alleged assaulter of women . ''

To the casual observer, it's clear that the mainstream media operate under a default assumption when it comes to women who accuse political figures of sexual assault: The ones who accuse Republicans are inherently more credible than the ones who accuse Democrats.
This bias has become so obvious as the media struggle to handle Tara Reade's credible allegation of sexual assault against former vice president Joe Biden—especially compared with the hysterical coverage surrounding Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's allegation against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh—that even members of the media are beginning to notice. They are shocked—SHOCKED!—that critics of the media's handling of Reade's allegations might have a point.
"For Biden's opponents on the right, the issue regarding Tara Reade doesn't seem to be that they actually believe her. In fact, I don't know if they do," Sam Stein, politics editor at the Daily Beast, wrote on Twitter. "It's that they feel the left is engaged in an insane degree of hypocrisy and political convenience over when to believe women."
Stein delivers this "insight" with the scientific self-confidence of a nerd watching sports for the first time and observing in his little nerd notebook that fans' opinions of the referees can change dramatically depending on which team benefits from a given call. The casual observer might have a different response. "No s—," for example.
Stacey Abrams, the failed gubernatorial candidate who is desperately trying to convince Biden to pick her as a running mate, opposed Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court in 2018 because, she said at the time, "I believe women." She changed her tune during a Tuesday night appearance on CNN, a network that has interviewed Biden twice since Reade's allegations surfaced but neglected to ask him about it.
In this case, Abrams believes the man. She insisted that the assault Reade claims to have suffered in 1993 "did not happen" despite being supported by far more evidence than Ford's allegation against Kavanaugh. Abrams was regurgitating talking points distributed by the Biden campaign, which claimed a New York Times investigation had "concluded" that the alleged incident "did not happen." Except that's not true.
At least the Times has pretended to be interested in covering Reade's accusation fairly. The Washington Post, on the other hand, has not. When forced to report the fact that Reade's former neighbor, a Biden supporter, confirmed that Reade discussed the alleged assault with her shortly after it happened, the Post ran the story under the following headline: "Trump allies highlight new claims regarding allegations against Biden."
Where, indeed, might Biden opponents get the idea that "the left is engaged in an insane degree of hypocrisy and political convenience" when it comes to Tara Reade?
https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY/status/1255501483665219584
Guardian columnist Owen Jones provided a more direct assessment of how the media—as well as the Democratic Party and liberal establishment, to the extent there is a difference—have handled the Tara Reade story.
"The deafening silence over sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden is a genuine disgrace," Jones wrote on Twitter. "It's sending a message that the allegations against Trump were taken seriously by liberals because he was a Republican, rather than an alleged assaulter of women."
Shocking, isn't it?


freebeacon--2020-04-29--Abrams, Who Tweeted ‘I Believe Women’ in 2018, Says Alleged Biden Assault ‘Did Not Happen’

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams said Tuesday that the sexual assault allegedly committed by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden `` did not happen , '' repeating talking points circulated by Biden 's campaign since the scandal broke .
Abrams , who has openly campaigned to be Biden 's running mate , said in a CNN interview the alleged 1993 assault never took place .
`` I believe Joe Biden , '' she said on CNN .
`` I believe that he is a person who has demonstrated that his love of family , his love of our community , has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a congressional leader and as an American leader .
I know Joe Biden and I think that he is telling the truth and that this did not happen . ''
Biden 's campaign has denied an allegation by former Senate aide Tara Reade that Biden assaulted her by penetrating her with his fingers in a congressional hallway in 1993 .
BuzzFeed reported Tuesday the Biden campaign has advised top surrogates to say the alleged assault `` did not happen . ''
Abrams tweeted `` I believe women '' in 2018 after Christine Blasey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexual assault , but Tuesday she simply said she believed women `` deserve to be heard . ''
Abrams cited a New York Times article published April 12 as proof that Reade 's claim had been properly investigated and found to not be credible—a claim that Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) , another vice presidential hopeful , also made .
The New York Times , however , has said its investigation made no such conclusions , pointing to potential corroborating evidence in the story , such as former colleagues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' at the time Reade claimed the assault took place .
`` Our investigation made no conclusion either way , '' the paper told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` The Times also spoke to a friend who said Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time ; another friend and Reade ’ s brother say she told them of a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden . ''
Since that story broke , a former neighbor has come out to say that Reade told her in the mid-1990s about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abrams .
`` The New York Times investigation does not support the accusations against the vice president , '' Abrams said .
`` I think that he will make women proud , that he will make America proud . ''
Abrams also falsely claimed that while Reade 's accusation was investigated , there was `` no investigation '' of Ford 's accusation against Kavanaugh .
An FBI investigation found no corroboration of the allegations by Ford or Deborah Ramirez against Kavanaugh .

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams said Tuesday that the sexual assault allegedly committed by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden "did not happen," repeating talking points circulated by Biden's campaign since the scandal broke.
Abrams, who has openly campaigned to be Biden's running mate, said in a CNN interview the alleged 1993 assault never took place.
"I believe Joe Biden," she said on CNN. "I believe that he is a person who has demonstrated that his love of family, his love of our community, has been made perfectly clear through his work as a congressional leader and as an American leader. I know Joe Biden and I think that he is telling the truth and that this did not happen."
Biden's campaign has denied an allegation by former Senate aide Tara Reade that Biden assaulted her by penetrating her with his fingers in a congressional hallway in 1993. BuzzFeed reported Tuesday the Biden campaign has advised top surrogates to say the alleged assault "did not happen."
Abrams tweeted "I believe women" in 2018 after Christine Blasey Ford accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, but Tuesday she simply said she believed women "deserve to be heard."
After the courageous and compelling testimony from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford yesterday, it is shameful that Kavanaugh's nomination is being rushed forward. I believe women, and I believe survivors of violence always deserve to be supported and to have their voices heard. https://t.co/rtT1PQr4Zq — Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) September 28, 2018
Abrams cited a New York Times article published April 12 as proof that Reade's claim had been properly investigated and found to not be credible—a claim that Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.), another vice presidential hopeful, also made. The New York Times, however, has said its investigation made no such conclusions, pointing to potential corroborating evidence in the story, such as former colleagues who "remembered Reade suddenly changing roles" at the time Reade claimed the assault took place.
"Our investigation made no conclusion either way," the paper told the Washington Free Beacon. "The Times also spoke to a friend who said Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time; another friend and Reade’s brother say she told them of a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden."
Since that story broke, a former neighbor has come out to say that Reade told her in the mid-1990s about the assault. Those developments have not swayed Abrams.
"The New York Times investigation does not support the accusations against the vice president," Abrams said. "I think that he will make women proud, that he will make America proud."
Abrams also falsely claimed that while Reade's accusation was investigated, there was "no investigation" of Ford's accusation against Kavanaugh. An FBI investigation found no corroboration of the allegations by Ford or Deborah Ramirez against Kavanaugh.