freebeacon--2020-11-26--Supreme Court Blocks Cuomo’s Limits On Synagogues, Churches in Thanksgiving Ruling

The Supreme Court sided with a coalition of Orthodox Jewish groups and the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn Thursday in an emergency appeal that alleged New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo 's ( D. ) COVID-related worship restrictions discriminate against Jews and violate the First Amendment .
The vote in the early Thanksgiving morning ruling was five to four , with Chief Justice John Roberts and the liberal trio in dissent .
`` Statements made in connection with the challenged rules can be viewed as targeting the ‘ ultra-Orthodox Jewish ' community .
But even if we put those comments aside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as neutral because they single out houses of worship for especially harsh treatment , '' the majority wrote in an unsigned opinion .
Cuomo 's contested regulations establish three kinds of hotspot zones with corresponding restrictions .
In red zones , where transmission is highest , church attendance is capped at 10 .
In less severe orange zones , that number is 25 , while houses of worship in yellow zones may open at 50 percent attendance .
A portion of Brooklyn and about half of Queens are currently in yellow zones .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , while the pandemic poses many grave challenges , there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches , synagogues , and mosques , '' Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in defense of the ruling .
The Thursday morning decision marks a potential turning point in a long-running legal battle over limits on worship during the pandemic .
The justices turned away challenges to church attendance caps from California , Illinois , and Nevada over the summer .
Those turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local leaders grappling with COVID .
Justice Amy Coney Barrett has since replaced the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , and on Thursday she played a pivotal role , giving a fifth vote for closer scrutiny of frontline response .
Emergency appeals touching religious liberty and the pandemic have divided the justices .
Chief Justice John Roberts has joined with the liberal bloc to leave house of worship regulations in place .
In a brief May opinion he wrote that elected leaders , and not judges , ought to calibrate public health rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed , drew multiple dissents from the Court 's conservatives .
Justice Samuel Alito broached those controversies in a pointed speech to the Federalist Society on Nov. 12 , faulting the Court for leaving Nevada 's strict limits on church attendance in place , even as its casinos are operating at 50 percent capacity .
Roberts in dissent noted the houses of worship in Thursday 's cases are now in yellow zones , even if they were once in red or orange zones .
He said the Court should have stayed its hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities at half occupancy .
He added that the plaintiffs could return to the Court if Cuomo reinstates the numerical restrictions .
`` None of us are rabbis wondering whether future services will be disrupted as the High Holy Days were , or priests preparing for Christmas , '' Gorsuch countered in a separate opinion .
Agudath Israel of America , an umbrella group of Orthodox Jews , led Thursday 's challenge joined by two synagogues in Brooklyn and Queens .
In recent weeks , many Orthodox synagogues , yeshivas , and businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The plaintiffs say Cuomo 's office rigged red zone lines to encircle separate Orthodox communities into a single red zone .
When Cuomo first issued the new restrictions , he did not include any criteria for triggering inclusion in a hotspot zone , the plaintiffs claim .
That 's more evidence that the state is targeting Jewish communities , they argue .
They also highlighted statements from the governor at press conferences as evidence of discrimination .
Cuomo characterized a recent COVID outbreak as an `` ultra-Orthodox cluster '' and blamed increased transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor ’ s repeated statements singling out the Orthodox Jewish community — matched by his clear gerrymandering to encircle primarily Orthodox communities and synagogues — are sufficient to render this order unconstitutional , '' lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in court filings .
Lawyers for the state said that gets things exactly backwards .
In legal papers , they said Cuomo 's order actually treats houses of worship more favorably than comparable secular businesses .
Venues that draw large numbers of people into a closed space , like movie theaters or concert halls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But churches and synagogues can remain open , subject to certain limitations .
`` Religious gatherings are treated more favorably , '' New York solicitor general Barbara Underwood wrote .
`` They are allowed in red and orange zones , subject to size limits , even though they commonly present an outsized risk of transmitting the virus , whereas the secular activities that present similar transmission risks are banned entirely . ''
The Roman Catholic diocese of Brooklyn filed a separate appeal challenging Cuomo 's restrictions for reasons other than discrimination .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo and No .
20A90 Agudath Israel of America v. Cuomo .

The Supreme Court sided with a coalition of Orthodox Jewish groups and the Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn Thursday in an emergency appeal that alleged New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D.) COVID-related worship restrictions discriminate against Jews and violate the First Amendment.
The vote in the early Thanksgiving morning ruling was five to four, with Chief Justice John Roberts and the liberal trio in dissent. "Statements made in connection with the challenged rules can be viewed as targeting the 'ultra-Orthodox Jewish' community. But even if we put those comments aside, the regulations cannot be viewed as neutral because they single out houses of worship for especially harsh treatment," the majority wrote in an unsigned opinion.
Cuomo's contested regulations establish three kinds of hotspot zones with corresponding restrictions. In red zones, where transmission is highest, church attendance is capped at 10. In less severe orange zones, that number is 25, while houses of worship in yellow zones may open at 50 percent attendance. A portion of Brooklyn and about half of Queens are currently in yellow zones.
"It is time—past time—to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues, and mosques," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in defense of the ruling.
The Thursday morning decision marks a potential turning point in a long-running legal battle over limits on worship during the pandemic. The justices turned away challenges to church attendance caps from California, Illinois, and Nevada over the summer. Those turned on whether judges should referee state and local leaders grappling with COVID. Justice Amy Coney Barrett has since replaced the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and on Thursday she played a pivotal role, giving a fifth vote for closer scrutiny of frontline response.
Emergency appeals touching religious liberty and the pandemic have divided the justices. Chief Justice John Roberts has joined with the liberal bloc to leave house of worship regulations in place. In a brief May opinion he wrote that elected leaders, and not judges, ought to calibrate public health rules. That decision, and others which followed, drew multiple dissents from the Court's conservatives. Justice Samuel Alito broached those controversies in a pointed speech to the Federalist Society on Nov. 12, faulting the Court for leaving Nevada's strict limits on church attendance in place, even as its casinos are operating at 50 percent capacity.
Roberts in dissent noted the houses of worship in Thursday's cases are now in yellow zones, even if they were once in red or orange zones. He said the Court should have stayed its hand now that the plaintiffs can open their facilities at half occupancy. He added that the plaintiffs could return to the Court if Cuomo reinstates the numerical restrictions.
"None of us are rabbis wondering whether future services will be disrupted as the High Holy Days were, or priests preparing for Christmas," Gorsuch countered in a separate opinion.
Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella group of Orthodox Jews, led Thursday's challenge joined by two synagogues in Brooklyn and Queens. In recent weeks, many Orthodox synagogues, yeshivas, and businesses were subject to red zone regulations. The plaintiffs say Cuomo's office rigged red zone lines to encircle separate Orthodox communities into a single red zone.
When Cuomo first issued the new restrictions, he did not include any criteria for triggering inclusion in a hotspot zone, the plaintiffs claim. That's more evidence that the state is targeting Jewish communities, they argue. They also highlighted statements from the governor at press conferences as evidence of discrimination. Cuomo characterized a recent COVID outbreak as an "ultra-Orthodox cluster" and blamed increased transmission on Jewish religious practices.
"The governor’s repeated statements singling out the Orthodox Jewish community -- matched by his clear gerrymandering to encircle primarily Orthodox communities and synagogues -- are sufficient to render this order unconstitutional," lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in court filings.
Lawyers for the state said that gets things exactly backwards. In legal papers, they said Cuomo's order actually treats houses of worship more favorably than comparable secular businesses. Venues that draw large numbers of people into a closed space, like movie theaters or concert halls, are closed outright under the restrictions. But churches and synagogues can remain open, subject to certain limitations.
"Religious gatherings are treated more favorably," New York solicitor general Barbara Underwood wrote. "They are allowed in red and orange zones, subject to size limits, even though they commonly present an outsized risk of transmitting the virus, whereas the secular activities that present similar transmission risks are banned entirely."
The Roman Catholic diocese of Brooklyn filed a separate appeal challenging Cuomo's restrictions for reasons other than discrimination.
The cases are No. 20A87 Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo and No. 20A90 Agudath Israel of America v. Cuomo.


freebeacon--2020-11-27--Natan Sharansky and the Meaning of Freedom

Natan Sharansky has been a computer scientist , a chess player , a refusenik , a dissident , a political prisoner , a party leader , a government minister , a nonprofit executive , and a bestselling author .
He never expected to be a school counselor .
But the coronavirus dashes expectations .
In early March , when the virus began to appear in Jewish communities outside New York City , Sharansky found himself online , in an unaccustomed position .
He began to share with students and parents whose schools were closed how he had coped during years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it seemed absurd , even obscene , '' Sharansky writes in his latest book , Never Alone , coauthored with the historian Gil Troy .
`` How could my experience of playing chess in my head in my punishment cell compare to being cooped up in gadget-filled homes wired to the internet—with computer chess—especially because this isolation is imposed to protect people , not break them ? ''
What Sharansky realized is that the costs of lockdowns do not depend on the reasons behind them .
The sudden and seemingly arbitrary interruption of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causes psychological harm .
Sharansky recorded a brief YouTube video for the Jewish Agency—you can watch it here—offering his five tips for quarantine .
Recognize the importance of your choices and behavior , Sharansky advised .
Understand that some things are beyond your control .
Keep laughing .
Enjoy your hobbies .
Consider yourself part of a larger cause .
`` Surprisingly , '' Sharansky writes , `` this short clip went viral , reaching so many people all over the world within a few days that it made me wonder why even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaction was another example of his droll and often self-deprecating wit .
The video , however helpful it may be , does not match the power and wisdom of Never Alone .
Part autobiography , part meditation on Jewish community , the book ties together the themes of Sharansky ’ s earlier work , from his prison memoir , Fear No Evil ( 1988 ) , to his defense of cultural particularity , Defending Identity ( 2008 ) .
It is a moving story of emancipation and connection , of freedom and meaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ukrainian city of Stalino .
His given name was Anatoly .
His parents were educated professionals who downplayed their Jewish identity .
They did not want to risk political and social reprisal .
`` The only real Jewish experience I had was facing anti-Semitism , '' he writes .
The precocious youth spent his early years playing chess .
He learned to navigate a Soviet system that maintained its rule through fear .
He became captive to doublethink .
He repeated official lies and myths not because it was the right thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safe thing to do .
Sharansky enrolled in the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology .
`` I dived into the republic of science , '' he writes .
`` This world seemed insulated from the doublethink I had mastered at home . ''
Israel ’ s victory in the Six-Day War prompted him to discover his heritage .
`` Realizing how little I knew about this country that so many people were now asking about made me hungry to learn more . ''
Sharansky studied representations of Biblical scenes hanging from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He came across a samizdat copy of Leon Uris ’ s Exodus , a potboiler historical fiction that describes Israel ’ s founding .
`` It drew me into Jewish history , and Israel ’ s history , through my Russian roots .
It helped me see myself as part of the story . ''
The following year the Soviet nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov wrote his `` Reflections on Progress , Peaceful Coexistence , and Intellectual Freedom . ''
Sakharov argued for freedom of inquiry .
He demanded the protection of human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life in a dictatorship offers two choices : either you overcome your fear and stand for truth , or you remain a slave to fear , no matter how fancy your titles , no matter how big your dacha , '' Sharansky writes .
`` Ultimately , I couldn ’ t escape myself or my conscience . ''
Inspired by Sakharov , Sharansky applied for a visa to immigrate to Israel in 1973 .
He was rejected .
He was unable to leave the Soviet Union .
That made him a refusenik .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which I had consciously begun at age five the day Stalin died , was over .
The professional world I had built for myself , my castle of science , collapsed instantly .
Now , I could say what I thought , do what I said , and say what I did . ''
The twin concerns of Sharansky ’ s life—identity and freedom—became fused .
`` Democracy—a free life in a free society—is essential because it satisfies a human yearning to choose one ’ s path , to pursue one ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Identity .
`` It broadens possibilities and provides opportunity for self-advancement .
Identity , a life of commitment , is essential because it satisfies a human longing to become part of something bigger than oneself .
It adds layers of meaning to our lives and deepens the human experience . ''
Freedom offers choice .
Identity provides direction .
It would be a while before Sharansky could enjoy his own freedom .
By 1975 , he was working with Sakharov .
The next year he formed the Moscow Helsinki Group to pressure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had made in basket three of the Helsinki Accords .
The KGB arrested him in 1977 .
`` I spent the next nine years in prison and labor camp , '' he wrote in Fear No Evil , `` mainly on a special disciplinary regime , including more than 400 days in punishment cells , and more than 200 days on hunger strikes . ''
In prison he played chess games in his head .
`` I always won . ''
He would tease the guards with anti-Soviet jokes .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him in jail ?
He communicated with his fellow inmates through morse code .
They would drain the toilets and speak to one another through pipes .
He read Soviet propaganda esoterically , between the lines .
He figured out what was actually going on by determining what the authorities had omitted .
Sharansky was in prison when he heard that President Ronald Reagan had called the Soviet Union the `` Evil Empire . ''
The year was 1983 .
Reagan had uttered the famous—and controversial—words in a speech to the National Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most important , freedom-affirming declarations , and we all instantly knew it , '' Sharansky said in a 2004 interview .
`` For us , that was the moment that really marked the end for them , and the beginning for us .
The lie had been exposed and could never , ever be untold now .
This was the end of Lenin ’ s ‘ Great October Bolshevik Revolution ’ and the beginning of a new revolution , a freedom revolution—Reagan ’ s Revolution . ''
Sharansky and his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Israel the day after they married in 1974 .
Throughout his imprisonment she worked tirelessly on his behalf , and on behalf of other refuseniks and dissidents .
She found an ally in Israel ’ s U.N. ambassador , Benjamin Netanyahu .
She met with Reagan , who began asking Soviet leaders to release Sharansky .
Gorbachev freed him on February 11 , 1986 .
He was reunited with Avital in Frankfurt Airport .
They flew to Israel .
`` ‘ It was just one long day , ’ Avital sighed later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Jerusalem .
‘ I arrived in Israel in the morning .
You arrived in the evening .
It was just one very , very long day in between.
’ '' He became Natan .
He entered Israeli politics .
He helped resettle one million immigrants from the former Soviet Union .
He opposed the Oslo peace accords .
He resigned from Ariel Sharon ’ s government over the policy of unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip .
His work as an activist was devoted to building what Reagan had described as `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distinguished between free societies and fear societies .
`` The structural elements that enable democratic societies to respect human rights—independent courts , the rule of law , a free press , a freely elected government , meaningful opposition parties , not to mention human rights organizations—were all glaringly absent in fear societies , '' he wrote in The Case for Democracy ( 2004 ) .
Sharansky ’ s career resists summary .
It offers lessons in courage , freedom , justice , belonging , and hope .
What makes his example especially relevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , liberty and tribe , are not just compatible but codependent .
`` To have a full , interesting , meaningful life , '' he writes in Never Alone , `` you have to figure out how to be connected enough to defend your freedom and free enough to protect your identity . ''
The same puzzle confronts nations .
`` Benefiting from the best of liberalism and the best of nationalism , together we can champion the joint mission to belong and to be free as both central to human happiness .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But identity must come from below .
The most positive and enduring sources of identity are not found in politics .
They are located in civil society .
The institutions of family , faith , and community tell us who we are , what we want , where we should turn .
People are antecedent to government .
And they must remain so , if democracy is to survive .
This is the unforgettable teaching of Natan Sharansky , hero and champion of freedom .

Natan Sharansky has been a computer scientist, a chess player, a refusenik, a dissident, a political prisoner, a party leader, a government minister, a nonprofit executive, and a bestselling author. He never expected to be a school counselor.
But the coronavirus dashes expectations. In early March, when the virus began to appear in Jewish communities outside New York City, Sharansky found himself online, in an unaccustomed position. He began to share with students and parents whose schools were closed how he had coped during years in confinement.
"At first, it seemed absurd, even obscene," Sharansky writes in his latest book, Never Alone, coauthored with the historian Gil Troy. "How could my experience of playing chess in my head in my punishment cell compare to being cooped up in gadget-filled homes wired to the internet—with computer chess—especially because this isolation is imposed to protect people, not break them?"
What Sharansky realized is that the costs of lockdowns do not depend on the reasons behind them. The sudden and seemingly arbitrary interruption of individual plans, movements, and relationships causes psychological harm. Sharansky recorded a brief YouTube video for the Jewish Agency—you can watch it here—offering his five tips for quarantine. Recognize the importance of your choices and behavior, Sharansky advised. Understand that some things are beyond your control. Keep laughing. Enjoy your hobbies. Consider yourself part of a larger cause.
"Surprisingly," Sharansky writes, "this short clip went viral, reaching so many people all over the world within a few days that it made me wonder why even bother writing this book." His reaction was another example of his droll and often self-deprecating wit. The video, however helpful it may be, does not match the power and wisdom of Never Alone. Part autobiography, part meditation on Jewish community, the book ties together the themes of Sharansky’s earlier work, from his prison memoir, Fear No Evil (1988), to his defense of cultural particularity, Defending Identity (2008). It is a moving story of emancipation and connection, of freedom and meaning.
Sharansky was born in 1948 in the Ukrainian city of Stalino. His given name was Anatoly. His parents were educated professionals who downplayed their Jewish identity. They did not want to risk political and social reprisal. "The only real Jewish experience I had was facing anti-Semitism," he writes. The precocious youth spent his early years playing chess. He learned to navigate a Soviet system that maintained its rule through fear. He became captive to doublethink. He repeated official lies and myths not because it was the right thing to do, but because it was the safe thing to do.
Sharansky enrolled in the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. "I dived into the republic of science," he writes. "This world seemed insulated from the doublethink I had mastered at home." Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War prompted him to discover his heritage. "Realizing how little I knew about this country that so many people were now asking about made me hungry to learn more."
Sharansky studied representations of Biblical scenes hanging from the walls of Moscow’s galleries. He came across a samizdat copy of Leon Uris’s Exodus, a potboiler historical fiction that describes Israel’s founding. "It drew me into Jewish history, and Israel’s history, through my Russian roots. It helped me see myself as part of the story."
The following year the Soviet nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov wrote his "Reflections on Progress, Peaceful Coexistence, and Intellectual Freedom." Sakharov argued for freedom of inquiry. He demanded the protection of human rights. "Sakharov was warning that life in a dictatorship offers two choices: either you overcome your fear and stand for truth, or you remain a slave to fear, no matter how fancy your titles, no matter how big your dacha," Sharansky writes. "Ultimately, I couldn’t escape myself or my conscience."
Inspired by Sakharov, Sharansky applied for a visa to immigrate to Israel in 1973. He was rejected. He was unable to leave the Soviet Union. That made him a refusenik. "My life as a doublethinker, which I had consciously begun at age five the day Stalin died, was over. The professional world I had built for myself, my castle of science, collapsed instantly. Now, I could say what I thought, do what I said, and say what I did."
The twin concerns of Sharansky’s life—identity and freedom—became fused. "Democracy—a free life in a free society—is essential because it satisfies a human yearning to choose one’s path, to pursue one’s goals," he wrote in Defending Identity. "It broadens possibilities and provides opportunity for self-advancement. Identity, a life of commitment, is essential because it satisfies a human longing to become part of something bigger than oneself. It adds layers of meaning to our lives and deepens the human experience." Freedom offers choice. Identity provides direction.
It would be a while before Sharansky could enjoy his own freedom. By 1975, he was working with Sakharov. The next year he formed the Moscow Helsinki Group to pressure the Soviets to live up to the commitments they had made in basket three of the Helsinki Accords. The KGB arrested him in 1977. "I spent the next nine years in prison and labor camp," he wrote in Fear No Evil, "mainly on a special disciplinary regime, including more than 400 days in punishment cells, and more than 200 days on hunger strikes."
In prison he played chess games in his head. "I always won." He would tease the guards with anti-Soviet jokes. He was not afraid. What could they do—put him in jail? He communicated with his fellow inmates through morse code. They would drain the toilets and speak to one another through pipes. He read Soviet propaganda esoterically, between the lines. He figured out what was actually going on by determining what the authorities had omitted.
Sharansky was in prison when he heard that President Ronald Reagan had called the Soviet Union the "Evil Empire." The year was 1983. Reagan had uttered the famous—and controversial—words in a speech to the National Association of Evangelicals. "It was one of the most important, freedom-affirming declarations, and we all instantly knew it," Sharansky said in a 2004 interview. "For us, that was the moment that really marked the end for them, and the beginning for us. The lie had been exposed and could never, ever be untold now. This was the end of Lenin’s ‘Great October Bolshevik Revolution’ and the beginning of a new revolution, a freedom revolution—Reagan’s Revolution."
Sharansky and his wife Avital had been apart since her immigration to Israel the day after they married in 1974. Throughout his imprisonment she worked tirelessly on his behalf, and on behalf of other refuseniks and dissidents. She found an ally in Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Benjamin Netanyahu. She met with Reagan, who began asking Soviet leaders to release Sharansky. Gorbachev freed him on February 11, 1986. He was reunited with Avital in Frankfurt Airport. They flew to Israel. "‘It was just one long day,’ Avital sighed later that night, in our new home in Jerusalem. ‘I arrived in Israel in the morning. You arrived in the evening. It was just one very, very long day in between.’"
He became Natan. He entered Israeli politics. He helped resettle one million immigrants from the former Soviet Union. He opposed the Oslo peace accords. He resigned from Ariel Sharon’s government over the policy of unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. His work as an activist was devoted to building what Reagan had described as "the infrastructure of democracy." Sharansky distinguished between free societies and fear societies. "The structural elements that enable democratic societies to respect human rights—independent courts, the rule of law, a free press, a freely elected government, meaningful opposition parties, not to mention human rights organizations—were all glaringly absent in fear societies," he wrote in The Case for Democracy (2004).
Sharansky’s career resists summary. It offers lessons in courage, freedom, justice, belonging, and hope. What makes his example especially relevant is his insistence that freedom and identity, liberty and tribe, are not just compatible but codependent. "To have a full, interesting, meaningful life," he writes in Never Alone, "you have to figure out how to be connected enough to defend your freedom and free enough to protect your identity." The same puzzle confronts nations. "Benefiting from the best of liberalism and the best of nationalism, together we can champion the joint mission to belong and to be free as both central to human happiness."
Governments establish the conditions of liberty. But identity must come from below. The most positive and enduring sources of identity are not found in politics. They are located in civil society. The institutions of family, faith, and community tell us who we are, what we want, where we should turn.
People are antecedent to government. And they must remain so, if democracy is to survive. This is the unforgettable teaching of Natan Sharansky, hero and champion of freedom.


freebeacon--2020-11-27--Big Labor Readies for Major Concession from Biden

A Joe Biden White House could be a boon for union activists as the Democrat seeks to implement a controversial California labor law nationwide .
House Democrats passed the PRO Act in February 2020 in a mostly party-line vote .
The bill empowers the National Labor Relations Board to fine employers for violations of employee rights and allows the classification of independent contractors as employees .
It also weakens right-to-work laws in more than half of the states in the country .
Michael Lotito , co-chair of Littler 's Workplace Policy Institute ( WPI ) , said that the adoption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level would be one of the most dramatic labor reforms in American history .
`` It 's like putting 100 Christmases together as a gift to labor , '' he told the Washington Free Beacon in a phone interview .
The bill is similar to California 's Assembly Bill 5 , passed last year .
AB5 created a three-step test to limit the employers ' ability to classify their employees as independent contractors .
A report from Littler 's Workplace Policy Institute suggests a Biden administration could adopt similarly pro-union standards in 2021 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some as an attempt to restore organized labor 's role in Democratic Party policymaking , '' the WPI report states .
`` The act 's future depends on the two Senate races in Georgia that will determine control of the Senate . ''
`` If Republicans maintain control , the PRO Act will almost certainly fail to advance , '' the report continues .
`` In that case , the Biden administration would have to shape labor policy by other means , including by flipping the National Labor Relations Board majority and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's first year in office . ''
On his campaign website , Biden called for implementing California 's employer-classification standards to target the gig economy and other industries that rely on independent contractors .
Federal labor laws would be more difficult to challenge in court than state labor laws , Lotito said .
`` On a nationwide scale , the ABC test , or the situation in California , then becomes the law of the land in all 50 states , '' he said .
`` The independent contractor model is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ABC test . ''
The adoption of the principles of AB5 on a national scale in the PRO Act would have widespread impact on how employees are classified .
The California law is already being challenged in state and federal courts by small-business owners and franchise operations .
Kerry Jackson , a California Studies fellow at the Pacific Research Institute , said the policies have already hindered the Golden State 's economy and could do even more damage if applied federally .
`` AB5 has already wrecked the personal finances of many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom , '' Jackson told the Free Beacon .
`` It 's also a threat to any business that relies on independent contractors to be profitable .
On a national basis , the damage would be even worse . ''
A Biden presidency would be able to accomplish reforms through executive orders .
Biden , who did not respond to request for comment , stressed his commitment to supporting worker unionization by saying he would impose `` a personal price '' on business leaders who resist attempts to unionize .
`` I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for interfering with workers who are attempting to unionize .
It 's not enough just to have their corporations pay a fine .
If they 're part of the problem , they are going to pay a personal price , '' he said .
Labor unions donated more than $ 1 million to Biden 's presidential campaign , and 87 percent of unions ' total contributions went to Democratic candidates or causes .
Jackson said that Biden does not need control of Congress to enact regulations that will harm employers .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as the courts will allow him to , '' Jackson said .
`` His boss of eight years was not shy about using his pen and phone to make rules he could n't legitimately get out of Congress . ''

A Joe Biden White House could be a boon for union activists as the Democrat seeks to implement a controversial California labor law nationwide.
House Democrats passed the PRO Act in February 2020 in a mostly party-line vote. The bill empowers the National Labor Relations Board to fine employers for violations of employee rights and allows the classification of independent contractors as employees. It also weakens right-to-work laws in more than half of the states in the country.
Michael Lotito, co-chair of Littler's Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), said that the adoption of the PRO Act on the federal level would be one of the most dramatic labor reforms in American history. "It's like putting 100 Christmases together as a gift to labor," he told the Washington Free Beacon in a phone interview.
The bill is similar to California's Assembly Bill 5, passed last year. AB5 created a three-step test to limit the employers' ability to classify their employees as independent contractors. A report from Littler's Workplace Policy Institute suggests a Biden administration could adopt similarly pro-union standards in 2021.
"The PRO Act is viewed by some as an attempt to restore organized labor's role in Democratic Party policymaking," the WPI report states. "The act's future depends on the two Senate races in Georgia that will determine control of the Senate."
"If Republicans maintain control, the PRO Act will almost certainly fail to advance," the report continues. "In that case, the Biden administration would have to shape labor policy by other means, including by flipping the National Labor Relations Board majority and appointing a Democratic general counsel during President-elect Biden's first year in office."
On his campaign website, Biden called for implementing California's employer-classification standards to target the gig economy and other industries that rely on independent contractors. Federal labor laws would be more difficult to challenge in court than state labor laws, Lotito said.
"On a nationwide scale, the ABC test, or the situation in California, then becomes the law of the land in all 50 states," he said. "The independent contractor model is going to be destroyed as a result of the ABC test."
The adoption of the principles of AB5 on a national scale in the PRO Act would have widespread impact on how employees are classified. The California law is already being challenged in state and federal courts by small-business owners and franchise operations. Kerry Jackson, a California Studies fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, said the policies have already hindered the Golden State's economy and could do even more damage if applied federally.
"AB5 has already wrecked the personal finances of many in California and stripped workers of their freedom," Jackson told the Free Beacon. "It's also a threat to any business that relies on independent contractors to be profitable. On a national basis, the damage would be even worse."
A Biden presidency would be able to accomplish reforms through executive orders. Biden, who did not respond to request for comment, stressed his commitment to supporting worker unionization by saying he would impose "a personal price" on business leaders who resist attempts to unionize.
"I'm going to hold company executives personally liable for interfering with workers who are attempting to unionize. It's not enough just to have their corporations pay a fine. If they're part of the problem, they are going to pay a personal price," he said.
Labor unions donated more than $1 million to Biden's presidential campaign, and 87 percent of unions' total contributions went to Democratic candidates or causes.
Jackson said that Biden does not need control of Congress to enact regulations that will harm employers.
"I imagine he'll use executive orders as much as the courts will allow him to," Jackson said. "His boss of eight years was not shy about using his pen and phone to make rules he couldn't legitimately get out of Congress."


freebeacon--2020-11-28--Summer Protests Led to Violence Across the Country, Top Cop Group Says

Violence erupted nearly 600 times during protests in America 's largest cities this past summer , resulting in the injury of more than 2,000 police officers .
Those are the findings of a recently released survey of the Major Cities Chiefs Association , the professional association representing the police chiefs in America 's 68 largest cities .
MCCA agencies reported some 8,700 protests between the death of George Floyd on May 25 and the end of July , with some cities seeing over a thousand protests in that two-month period .
The report offers one of the first estimates of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation in June and July , as well as the impact it had on police departments .
`` The sheer volume of protests , '' the report explains , `` combined with the level of civil disobedience and existence of some ultra-violent events , created an extraordinarily challenging environment for law enforcement agencies . ''
That environment likely also contributed to nationwide spikes in violent crime , as well as a wave of police retirements and resignations across cities big and small .
And it has yet to abate : Eighty-five percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Of the protests its member cities saw , the MCCA estimates that roughly 7 percent were violent , confirming a previous estimate from Wisconsin-based nonprofit the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project .
But that violence was widespread , with reporting agencies seeing violence at an average of 10 percent of protests .
Violence was particularly common when out-of-state protesters appeared at protests , and from `` far left '' protesters , whom 78 percent of departments reported seeing .
A further 42 percent were classified as nonviolent civil disobedience .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of danger , including `` the takeover of a freeway or roadway , blocking traffic , and refusing to cooperate with lawful orders . ''
These actions , the MCCA reports , `` still posed a danger to innocent bystanders '' and sometimes `` resulted in confrontations and violence . ''
Many of those harmed were officers on duty .
Seventy-two percent of agencies saw officers injured between May and July , totaling over 2,000—one agency saw 50 injured in a single week .
MCCA members reported the widespread use of rocks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poles , and bats to assault officers .
Ninety-seven police cars were also burned .
By comparison , agencies reported using nonlethal methods of crowd control in just 2 to 3 percent of protests , less than half of the number of protests that turned violent .
The protests did lead to widespread arrests : more than 16,000 , including 2,735 for felonies .
But half of agencies reported that their local district attorneys mostly refused to prosecute protesters , even those engaged in felonies .
And the money poured into bail funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporarily jailed , allowing them to attend the next protest and reoffend .
This situation has likely contributed to two major trends : a collapse of police morale and a rise in violent crime .
The MCCA found that 55 percent of agencies reported low or very low officer morale .
That , along with widespread budget cuts , explains why half of America 's big cities have seen officers or chiefs retire or resign since the beginning of the year .
The resource demands of continued , massive protests are likely also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent crime spike some cities saw over the summer .
In Minneapolis , the onset of protests corresponded with a rise in gun violence and a steep drop in police stop-and-frisk activity .
And in New York City , arrest rates plummeted following the protests , allowing a similar shooting problem to go unrestrained .

Violence erupted nearly 600 times during protests in America's largest cities this past summer, resulting in the injury of more than 2,000 police officers.
Those are the findings of a recently released survey of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the professional association representing the police chiefs in America's 68 largest cities. MCCA agencies reported some 8,700 protests between the death of George Floyd on May 25 and the end of July, with some cities seeing over a thousand protests in that two-month period.
The report offers one of the first estimates of the scale of the disorder that swept the nation in June and July, as well as the impact it had on police departments. "The sheer volume of protests," the report explains, "combined with the level of civil disobedience and existence of some ultra-violent events, created an extraordinarily challenging environment for law enforcement agencies."
That environment likely also contributed to nationwide spikes in violent crime, as well as a wave of police retirements and resignations across cities big and small. And it has yet to abate: Eighty-five percent of departments reported protests are still ongoing.
Of the protests its member cities saw, the MCCA estimates that roughly 7 percent were violent, confirming a previous estimate from Wisconsin-based nonprofit the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. But that violence was widespread, with reporting agencies seeing violence at an average of 10 percent of protests. Violence was particularly common when out-of-state protesters appeared at protests, and from "far left" protesters, whom 78 percent of departments reported seeing.
A further 42 percent were classified as nonviolent civil disobedience. But those acts were not necessarily free of danger, including "the takeover of a freeway or roadway, blocking traffic, and refusing to cooperate with lawful orders." These actions, the MCCA reports, "still posed a danger to innocent bystanders" and sometimes "resulted in confrontations and violence."
Many of those harmed were officers on duty. Seventy-two percent of agencies saw officers injured between May and July, totaling over 2,000—one agency saw 50 injured in a single week. MCCA members reported the widespread use of rocks, bricks, frozen bottles, fireworks, poles, and bats to assault officers. Ninety-seven police cars were also burned. By comparison, agencies reported using nonlethal methods of crowd control in just 2 to 3 percent of protests, less than half of the number of protests that turned violent.
The protests did lead to widespread arrests: more than 16,000, including 2,735 for felonies. But half of agencies reported that their local district attorneys mostly refused to prosecute protesters, even those engaged in felonies. And the money poured into bail funds across the country freed many of those temporarily jailed, allowing them to attend the next protest and reoffend.
This situation has likely contributed to two major trends: a collapse of police morale and a rise in violent crime. The MCCA found that 55 percent of agencies reported low or very low officer morale. That, along with widespread budget cuts, explains why half of America's big cities have seen officers or chiefs retire or resign since the beginning of the year.
The resource demands of continued, massive protests are likely also a driving factor in the homicide and violent crime spike some cities saw over the summer. In Minneapolis, the onset of protests corresponded with a rise in gun violence and a steep drop in police stop-and-frisk activity. And in New York City, arrest rates plummeted following the protests, allowing a similar shooting problem to go unrestrained.


freebeacon--2020-11-28--Pompeo Passes Torch to Biden Admin Touting a Fundamentally Realigned Globe

ABU DHABI—As the Trump administration finishes its final weeks in office , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opened up about his two-and-a-half years as America ’ s top diplomat , telling the Washington Free Beacon that the incoming Biden administration will inherit a fundamentally realigned globe .
During an interview with the Free Beacon in Abu Dhabi , where Pompeo was finishing the final stop in a 7-country , 10-day jaunt—likely his last major tour in office—Pompeo pulled the curtain back on his efforts to align the globe against adversarial regimes such as China and Iran .
Many of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achievements—from crushing the Iranian regime with sanctions to moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem—were met with fierce pushback from world leaders , as well as Democrats and sometimes Republicans in Congress .
Pompeo was quickly billed by the American press as dangerous—criticism that Pompeo says is devoid of reality .
Take his latest trip , for instance : Pompeo stopped in France , Turkey , Israel , Georgia , the United Arab Emirates , Qatar , and Saudi Arabia .
From these places he generated headlines for offending world leaders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign policy that the Biden administration is more than likely to buck .
Pompeo says , however , the policies laid down by the Trump administration—be it the administration ’ s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel ’ s capital or its tight-knit relationship with Gulf Arab nations—will reverberate well into President-elect Joe Biden ’ s first term in office .
`` These were just facts that everyone knew but refused to acknowledge and we ripped the band-aids , said these are the right things to do , and we got America and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Pompeo said .
`` I think the American people get it .
I think the people in Europe get it .
I know the people throughout the Middle East get it , that this realism … rests on a set of foundations that are unassailable . ''
In France , Israel , and other Middle Eastern countries , Pompeo focused on Iran and its continued efforts to procure a nuclear weapon .
Though the Biden administration is angling to reenter the landmark nuclear deal—paving the way for Tehran to revive its ailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go along willingly .
Pompeo spent much of his term solidifying ties with regional Arab players such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE , who share the United States ' hardline position on Iran .
`` Iran is more isolated than it has ever been , [ and ] the Gulf states are now working together in ways that literally four years ago I don ’ t think anybody would have believed was possible , '' Pompeo said .
Trump administration policies toward Israel are also likely to remain in place .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo became the first U.S. official in history to visit a West Bank winery and the contested Golan Heights area , which Israel seized in 1967 .
Biden ’ s State Department will not easily overturn these policies .
These policies make sense to Israel and their Gulf partners , Pompeo said .
`` It fits with their understanding of the risk to their people , '' Pompeo said .
`` So whether it ’ s in the Gulf states or Israel , I think they have come to appreciate that the policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ones that are best for them , for their relationship and partnership with the United States of America . ''
`` I ’ m confident more will follow , '' Pompeo said of other Arab nations likely to make peace with Israel .
The peace accords also are a sign of deeper U.S. ties with Israel ’ s traditional enemies , Pompeo said .
The UAE , for example , is in line to receive more than $ 20 billion in U.S. weapons , including 50 F-35 Lighting II aircraft , MQ-9B @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military package that only would have been approved for Israel in years past .
While Pompeo was assailed in the media for stepping foot in disputed areas of Israel , peace talks with Arab nations continued .
The BBC , for instance , wrote , `` Trumplomacy : Mike Pompeo eyes history on Israel swansong trip . ''
The article accused Pompeo of inflaming Palestinian leaders and positioning himself as a contender in the 2024 presidential election .
Asked about these critics , Pompeo described the reports as `` longing for a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact , I think the world has moved away from that understanding that the lefties at the BBC hold so dearly . ''
Pompeo said he is not focusing on what is to come next year , but spending his final months in office ensuring President Donald Trump ’ s `` America First '' policies continue to challenge the conventional foreign policy establishment .
`` We didn ’ t spend any time talking about what the—what might happen in January of next year , '' Pompeo said .
`` We spent a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ought to do in November of this year and how we ought to continue—collectively , not just the United States , but continue collectively—to increase security in the region and get an even broader coalition . ''

ABU DHABI—As the Trump administration finishes its final weeks in office, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo opened up about his two-and-a-half years as America’s top diplomat, telling the Washington Free Beacon that the incoming Biden administration will inherit a fundamentally realigned globe.
During an interview with the Free Beacon in Abu Dhabi, where Pompeo was finishing the final stop in a 7-country, 10-day jaunt—likely his last major tour in office—Pompeo pulled the curtain back on his efforts to align the globe against adversarial regimes such as China and Iran.
Many of the Trump administration’s signature foreign policy achievements—from crushing the Iranian regime with sanctions to moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem—were met with fierce pushback from world leaders, as well as Democrats and sometimes Republicans in Congress. Pompeo was quickly billed by the American press as dangerous—criticism that Pompeo says is devoid of reality.
Take his latest trip, for instance: Pompeo stopped in France, Turkey, Israel, Georgia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. From these places he generated headlines for offending world leaders and leaning into a hardline pro-Israel, anti-Iran foreign policy that the Biden administration is more than likely to buck. Pompeo says, however, the policies laid down by the Trump administration—be it the administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital or its tight-knit relationship with Gulf Arab nations—will reverberate well into President-elect Joe Biden’s first term in office.
"These were just facts that everyone knew but refused to acknowledge and we ripped the band-aids, said these are the right things to do, and we got America and the Middle East in a better place," Pompeo said. "I think the American people get it. I think the people in Europe get it. I know the people throughout the Middle East get it, that this realism ... rests on a set of foundations that are unassailable."
In France, Israel, and other Middle Eastern countries, Pompeo focused on Iran and its continued efforts to procure a nuclear weapon. Though the Biden administration is angling to reenter the landmark nuclear deal—paving the way for Tehran to revive its ailing economy—Gulf Arab partners are not likely to go along willingly. Pompeo spent much of his term solidifying ties with regional Arab players such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who share the United States' hardline position on Iran.
"Iran is more isolated than it has ever been, [and] the Gulf states are now working together in ways that literally four years ago I don’t think anybody would have believed was possible," Pompeo said.
Trump administration policies toward Israel are also likely to remain in place. While in the Jewish state last week, Pompeo became the first U.S. official in history to visit a West Bank winery and the contested Golan Heights area, which Israel seized in 1967. Biden’s State Department will not easily overturn these policies.
These policies make sense to Israel and their Gulf partners, Pompeo said.
"It fits with their understanding of the risk to their people," Pompeo said. "So whether it’s in the Gulf states or Israel, I think they have come to appreciate that the policies that this administration put in place are the ones that are best for them, for their relationship and partnership with the United States of America."
"I’m confident more will follow," Pompeo said of other Arab nations likely to make peace with Israel.
The peace accords also are a sign of deeper U.S. ties with Israel’s traditional enemies, Pompeo said. The UAE, for example, is in line to receive more than $20 billion in U.S. weapons, including 50 F-35 Lighting II aircraft, MQ-9B drones, and advanced munitions systems—a massive military package that only would have been approved for Israel in years past.
While Pompeo was assailed in the media for stepping foot in disputed areas of Israel, peace talks with Arab nations continued. The BBC, for instance, wrote, "Trumplomacy: Mike Pompeo eyes history on Israel swansong trip." The article accused Pompeo of inflaming Palestinian leaders and positioning himself as a contender in the 2024 presidential election.
Asked about these critics, Pompeo described the reports as "longing for a time that is based on fantasy, when in fact, I think the world has moved away from that understanding that the lefties at the BBC hold so dearly."
Pompeo said he is not focusing on what is to come next year, but spending his final months in office ensuring President Donald Trump’s "America First" policies continue to challenge the conventional foreign policy establishment.
"We didn’t spend any time talking about what the—what might happen in January of next year," Pompeo said. "We spent a lot of time thinking about what we ought to do in November of this year and how we ought to continue—collectively, not just the United States, but continue collectively—to increase security in the region and get an even broader coalition."


freebeacon--2020-11-28--This Week in Campus Insanity Vol. 21

This Week in Campus Insanity Vol. 21

Welcome back to Campus Insanity , a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation 's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education .
An Indiana University satellite campus sent an email to students advertising a new course called `` Defund the Police ?
Race , Policing , and Criminal Justice Reform . ''
5 .
University of Virginia Student Newspaper : Stand Up to ‘ Racist ' Family at Thanksgiving | Breitbart An opinion columnist at the University of Virginia 's student newspaper called on fellow students to `` stand up '' to their `` racist '' family members during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Threaten Peers Who Voted Against Disarming the Police | Washington Free Beacon Cornell University activists threatened student government representatives who voted against disarming the campus police .
3 .
Harvard Creates New ‘ Antiracist ' Librarian Job with $ 240,300 Salary | The College Fix Harvard University created a new librarian position called an `` Associate University Librarian for Antiracism '' with a salary grade listed between $ 133,300 and $ 240,300 .
2 .
Columbia Faculty Member Wants to ‘ Cancel ' Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree | The Blaze A Columbia University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree , claiming that the tree exemplifies the `` absolutely toxic relationship '' humans have with nature .
1 .
Students Want to Change Thanksgiving to ‘ Thanks-taking ' or ‘ Thanks-killing ' | Campus Reform The student government at Santa Rosa Junior College in California discussed changing the name of Thanksgiving because it 's `` dangerous '' and `` offensive , '' arguing that `` Thanks-taking '' or `` Thanks-killing '' would be more `` honest '' names for the holiday .
Want more Campus Insanity ?
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy @ freebeacon.com & nester @ freebeacon.com .

Welcome back to Campus Insanity, a weekly roundup of the craziest developments at our nation's 4,000-plus institutions of higher education.
6. Indiana University Promotes 'Defunding the Police' Class | Campus Reform
An Indiana University satellite campus sent an email to students advertising a new course called "Defund the Police? Race, Policing, and Criminal Justice Reform."
5. University of Virginia Student Newspaper: Stand Up to 'Racist' Family at Thanksgiving | Breitbart
An opinion columnist at the University of Virginia's student newspaper called on fellow students to "stand up" to their "racist" family members during Thanksgiving dinner.
4. Cornell Activists Threaten Peers Who Voted Against Disarming the Police | Washington Free Beacon
Cornell University activists threatened student government representatives who voted against disarming the campus police.
3. Harvard Creates New 'Antiracist' Librarian Job with $240,300 Salary | The College Fix
Harvard University created a new librarian position called an "Associate University Librarian for Antiracism" with a salary grade listed between $133,300 and $240,300.
2. Columbia Faculty Member Wants to 'Cancel' Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree | The Blaze
A Columbia University faculty member called for an end to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, claiming that the tree exemplifies the "absolutely toxic relationship" humans have with nature.
1. Students Want to Change Thanksgiving to 'Thanks-taking' or 'Thanks-killing' | Campus Reform
The student government at Santa Rosa Junior College in California discussed changing the name of Thanksgiving because it's "dangerous" and "offensive," arguing that "Thanks-taking" or "Thanks-killing" would be more "honest" names for the holiday.
Want more Campus Insanity? Read Vol. 20 here.
If you have any suggestions for our Top 6 stories please email chrissy@freebeacon.com & nester@freebeacon.com.


freebeacon--2020-11-29--Trump Asks Supreme Court To Keep Illegal Immigrants Out Of Redistricting

The Trump administration will press its bid to exclude illegal aliens from the population baseline for awarding House seats on Monday in the Supreme Court , a move that would shift political clout away from states with large undocumented populations .
President Donald Trump 's July order to exclude illegal aliens from the apportionment could be one of his most consequential acts in office .
States like California , where approximately 6 percent of the population is undocumented , will lose out on congressional seats and untold millions in federal funds if the administration prevails .
Blue states losing even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House 's thin Democratic majority even more precarious .
Congressional analysts suggest Democrats will lose the House in 2022 on the basis of reapportionment alone , since red states with growing populations are expected to gain seats .
But right-leaning states like Florida and Texas could each pick up one seat fewer as a result of the order , according to the Pew Research Center .
The dispute is moving at a fast clip .
Census figures are by law due to the White House from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Dec. 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Congress by Jan. 10 , 2021 .
The Constitution requires the government to conduct a census every 10 years .
A three-judge court in New York blocked Trump 's order after a coalition of blue states , cities , and civil-rights groups sued the administration .
The court said Trump 's directive violates the federal census laws .
Another court in California went further and said Trump 's order violates the Constitution .
The Constitution and a federal statute provide that House seats are awarded based on `` the whole number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key phrase in the case .
In court filings , acting solicitor general Jeffrey Wall argues that phrase covers the `` inhabitants '' of each state .
It 's reasonable to say a person who `` lacks permission to be in this country '' is not an inhabitant , Wall wrote , adding that the president has discretion to determine who counts as an inhabitant .
In a 1992 case , the Supreme Court allowed the first Bush administration to include overseas Defense Department personnel in their home state populations for the census @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the `` ultimate decision-maker concerning the contents of the decennial census , '' Wall wrote .
But the justices may not need to get into the census laws to dispense with the case .
Wall argues the plaintiffs lack a legal basis , called standing , to bring their challenge .
The New York court said Trump 's order could deter marginalized groups from answering questions from census field workers , which would hurt the accuracy of the count and harm the plaintiff cities and states .
But field data collection ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no longer occurring .
That could fatally undercut the plaintiffs .
The blue state coalition , led by New York solicitor general Barbara Underwood , counters that the key phrase covers all people `` who usually reside here , '' including illegal aliens .
And the census laws also make clear that the reapportionment must be based solely on the bottom-line outcome of the count .
The president ca n't shade certain people out of that final tabulation , Underwood wrote in a response to the administration .
A trio of former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blue states .
They say the agency 's usual practice going back to the founding is to count all residents , regardless of immigration status .
That settled practice should count for a lot , they say .
`` The longstanding implementation of the constitutional and statutory provisions at issue here is a practice of the government that represents an exposition of the Constitution , '' their brief reads .
The government has not developed a precise method for sifting illegal aliens out of the reapportionment baseline .
The administration tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that move faltered in the face of legal challenges .
The president then directed federal agencies to use administrative records to identify non-citizens , but in legal papers the Justice Department conceded that census officials have n't worked out the finer points .
`` The Census Bureau is still evaluating the extent to which , as a practical matter , administrative records pertaining to immigration status can be used to identify and exclude illegal aliens from the apportionment population count and is currently formulating a methodology for potentially accomplishing that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is No .
20-366 Trump v. New York .

The Trump administration will press its bid to exclude illegal aliens from the population baseline for awarding House seats on Monday in the Supreme Court, a move that would shift political clout away from states with large undocumented populations.
President Donald Trump's July order to exclude illegal aliens from the apportionment could be one of his most consequential acts in office. States like California, where approximately 6 percent of the population is undocumented, will lose out on congressional seats and untold millions in federal funds if the administration prevails.
Blue states losing even a handful of seats would make the House's thin Democratic majority even more precarious. Congressional analysts suggest Democrats will lose the House in 2022 on the basis of reapportionment alone, since red states with growing populations are expected to gain seats. But right-leaning states like Florida and Texas could each pick up one seat fewer as a result of the order, according to the Pew Research Center.
The dispute is moving at a fast clip. Census figures are by law due to the White House from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on Dec. 31. President Trump must transmit a reapportionment to Congress by Jan. 10, 2021. The Constitution requires the government to conduct a census every 10 years.
A three-judge court in New York blocked Trump's order after a coalition of blue states, cities, and civil-rights groups sued the administration. The court said Trump's directive violates the federal census laws. Another court in California went further and said Trump's order violates the Constitution.
The Constitution and a federal statute provide that House seats are awarded based on "the whole number of persons in each state," a key phrase in the case. In court filings, acting solicitor general Jeffrey Wall argues that phrase covers the "inhabitants" of each state. It's reasonable to say a person who "lacks permission to be in this country" is not an inhabitant, Wall wrote, adding that the president has discretion to determine who counts as an inhabitant.
In a 1992 case, the Supreme Court allowed the first Bush administration to include overseas Defense Department personnel in their home state populations for the census. The Court recognized that the president is the "ultimate decision-maker concerning the contents of the decennial census," Wall wrote.
But the justices may not need to get into the census laws to dispense with the case. Wall argues the plaintiffs lack a legal basis, called standing, to bring their challenge. The New York court said Trump's order could deter marginalized groups from answering questions from census field workers, which would hurt the accuracy of the count and harm the plaintiff cities and states. But field data collection ended in October, so the alleged injury is no longer occurring. That could fatally undercut the plaintiffs.
The blue state coalition, led by New York solicitor general Barbara Underwood, counters that the key phrase covers all people "who usually reside here," including illegal aliens. And the census laws also make clear that the reapportionment must be based solely on the bottom-line outcome of the count. The president can't shade certain people out of that final tabulation, Underwood wrote in a response to the administration.
A trio of former Census Bureau chiefs filed a brief supporting the blue states. They say the agency's usual practice going back to the founding is to count all residents, regardless of immigration status. That settled practice should count for a lot, they say.
"The longstanding implementation of the constitutional and statutory provisions at issue here is a practice of the government that represents an exposition of the Constitution," their brief reads.
The government has not developed a precise method for sifting illegal aliens out of the reapportionment baseline. The administration tried to include a citizenship question on census forms, but that move faltered in the face of legal challenges. The president then directed federal agencies to use administrative records to identify non-citizens, but in legal papers the Justice Department conceded that census officials haven't worked out the finer points.
"The Census Bureau is still evaluating the extent to which, as a practical matter, administrative records pertaining to immigration status can be used to identify and exclude illegal aliens from the apportionment population count and is currently formulating a methodology for potentially accomplishing that," the filing reads.
The case is No. 20-366 Trump v. New York.


freebeacon--2020-11-29--Ossoff Embraces Bernie in Georgia Runoff

Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff said he welcomes socialist senator Bernie Sanders 's ( I. , Vt. ) support in the state 's upcoming Senate runoff election .
`` I welcome his support , '' Ossoff said during a Sunday CNN appearance .
`` Again , look , I think that his advocacy for ensuring that health care is a human right in this country … is welcome , is necessary , is appreciated .
And so is his support . ''
Ossoff 's praise for Sanders could undermine the Georgia Democrat 's ability to distance himself from the far-left senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed he does not support Medicare for All and the Green New Deal , both of which Sanders has championed .
Ossoff 's comments came one day after Sanders endorsed the Georgia Democrat in his bid to unseat Republican senator David Perdue .
Perdue 's campaign accused Ossoff of `` casually praising radical socialists and their dangerous agendas . ''
`` [ Ossoff ] thinks the elimination of private health insurance and taking coverage away from millions of Georgians is worthy of admiration , '' Perdue spokesman John Burke said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radicalism , he 's telling us who he really is .
We should believe him . ''
Ossoff on Sunday also evaded a question on whether he would support Sanders 's appointment as labor secretary in the incoming Biden administration .
The Georgia Democrat left open the possibility of a future campaign rally with Sanders , saying he has n't `` had that discussion '' with the Vermont senator .

Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff said he welcomes socialist senator Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) support in the state's upcoming Senate runoff election.
"I welcome his support," Ossoff said during a Sunday CNN appearance. "Again, look, I think that his advocacy for ensuring that health care is a human right in this country ... is welcome, is necessary, is appreciated. And so is his support."
Ossoff's praise for Sanders could undermine the Georgia Democrat's ability to distance himself from the far-left senator's progressive policies. Ossoff has repeatedly claimed he does not support Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, both of which Sanders has championed.
Ossoff's comments came one day after Sanders endorsed the Georgia Democrat in his bid to unseat Republican senator David Perdue. Perdue's campaign accused Ossoff of "casually praising radical socialists and their dangerous agendas."
"[Ossoff] thinks the elimination of private health insurance and taking coverage away from millions of Georgians is worthy of admiration," Perdue spokesman John Burke said in a statement. "Ossoff isn't hiding his radicalism, he's telling us who he really is. We should believe him."
Ossoff on Sunday also evaded a question on whether he would support Sanders's appointment as labor secretary in the incoming Biden administration. The Georgia Democrat left open the possibility of a future campaign rally with Sanders, saying he hasn't "had that discussion" with the Vermont senator.


freebeacon--2020-11-30--American High Schools Go Woke

American High Schools Go Woke

In July , the leadership of Los Angeles 's elite Harvard-Westlake School issued a 20-page confessional about the school ’ s role in perpetuating `` racism and injustice '' and promised changes .
The school , which sends dozens of kids to the Ivy League every year , will now teach 11th-grade U.S. history from a `` critical race theory perspective . ''
And diversity consultancies , which routinely charge six figures for their services , will facilitate the school 's transformation at every step .
On the East Coast , the wealthy Fairfax County public school district shelled out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical-race commentator Dr. Ibram X. Kendi .
At one school in the district , faculty went further , disseminating `` anti-racist '' reading lists to parents and organizing students into `` equity '' committees .
Dozens of schools across the country , both public and private , have taken similar steps .
The perceived need to announce sweeping changes in leadership and curricula has been a boon to the growing diversity-consulting industry , which is designed to profit from racial discontent .
A list of `` anti-racism '' resources , compiled just days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ featuring such writers as Kendi , Dr. Robin DiAngelo , and the authors of the New York Times ‘ s controversial 1619 project , was shared widely by colleges and high schools across the country .
At Fairfax 's Justice High School , emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show one of the school 's `` equity leads '' shared the list in an impassioned email to her colleagues .
It was subsequently posted to the school 's website with the principal 's approval and shared in multiple community-wide emails .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Free Beacon the list `` represented the diversity of our families and students '' and was posted `` during a time of broad discussion of these issues in our community and in our society . ''
Meanwhile , the tony Connecticut boarding school Loomis-Chaffee has introduced mandatory Diversity , Equity , and Inclusion training for students and now requires faculty members to read Kendi 's Stamped from the Beginning and DiAngelo 's White Fragility for `` professional development . ''
San Diego 's public schools have overhauled grading for fear of racist impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow .
The KIPP Schools , long a model for charter school excellence , have dumped their `` Work hard .
Be nice '' slogan , claiming that `` working hard and being nice is not going to dismantle systemic racism . ''
These ostensibly progressive changes often enable bigotry .
The aforementioned list includes the work of prominent anti-Semite Toni Morrison and was assembled by organizers of the Women 's March , a group that has demonstrated deeply ingrained anti-Jewish sentiment .
That 's in line with the `` woke '' anti-Semitism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fieldston Ethical and Baltimore 's Park School , where alumni activists have declaimed the Jewish-founded school 's `` wealth hoarding '' and `` tolerance of Zionism . ''
Such witch hunts have become commonplace as students , faculty , and alumni across the country have devoted themselves to ferreting out racism in their own communities .
Many have taken to Instagram , launching `` Black at [ school name ] '' pages and encouraging their peers to share anonymous accusations of racism , bigotry , and other misconduct .
Other accounts , dedicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial bias or insensitivity , are `` popping up left and right , '' one student told the New York Times .
`` I 'm not trying to target freshmen or middle schoolers , but people who are about to go to college need to be held accountable for what they say , '' the administrator of one page told the Times .
`` People who go to college end up becoming racist lawyers and doctors .
I do n't want people like that to keep getting jobs . ''
These changes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rather , they are built on an existing infrastructure of diversity , equity , and inclusion ( DEI ) administrators .
Positions like `` director of diversity '' emerged in the early 2000s , Exeter DEI chief Stephanie Bramlett told the prestigious school 's alumni magazine .
As far back as 2007 , the journal Educational Leadership was emphasizing the need for administrators to confront `` issues of social dominance and social justice . ''
Portland Public Schools created its `` office of equity '' in 2011 .
Holy Name High School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added a director of diversity and inclusion in 2018 .
Justice High School already had diversity advisers on the payroll , and Harvard-Westlake 's new commitments add to a five-woman diversity team and a diversity conference held annually since 2018 .
Harvard-Westlake did not respond to a request for comment .
As schools hire more and more diversity experts , however , accusations of racism and bigotry only grow—fueling further demands for new positions and pricier consultants .
Nearly every top private school has promised to bring on outside help to address rampant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least four : Blink Consulting , Jones Inclusive , the Grading for Equity Project , and the Glasgow Group .
Loomis-Chaffee plans to hire a `` third party facilitator '' to assess the `` inclusivity climate . ''
New York-based Grace Church School is bringing in an `` outside consultant '' for an `` independent review into the ways that racism persists at Grace , '' while Virginia 's Episcopal High School will hire `` independent outside experts '' to `` identify biases inherent in school structures . ''
Such consultancies review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in progressive pedagogy .
Grading for Equity 's Joe Feldman , for example , has argued that practices such as averaging grades over a semester or grading homework unacceptably perpetuate inequality .
That sort of insight does not come cheap .
In Fairfax 's neighboring Loudon County , also among the richest counties in the country , taxpayers have shelled out over $ 400,000 to fund diversity trainings since 2018 .
Three-hundred-fourteen-thousand dollars of that went to the California-based consultancy the Equity Collaborative , including $ 90,000 in salary for an `` equity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of focus groups .
This fall has just boosted profit opportunities .
The Glasgow Group , which did not respond to multiple interview requests , launched a guide for independent schools on what to do if they are facing social media accusations of racism .
Steps include hiring a `` diversity professional on the senior management team '' with `` adequate budget '' and `` invest [ ing ] '' in trainings for faculty on `` implicit bias , anti-racism , whiteness , privilege and power . ''
Another step is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies , programs , and curriculum to uncover any racial inequities , insensitivities , or discriminatory behaviors '' —audits best carried out by diversity professionals like those at the Glasgow Group .
Glasgow is typical of such firms .
Founded in 2016 by Dr. Rodney Glasgow , the group employs 11 different `` principal consultants , '' almost all of whom , including Glasgow , have day jobs in diversity or leadership positions at independent schools .
In other words , teachers who agitate for progressive reforms at their schools can make a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the side—implementing those same reforms elsewhere .
This is the logic powering the woke turn in America 's high schools .
Teachers and administrators press an increasingly progressive line , agitating students into demanding ever more change .
In return , they balloon their own budgets and line the pockets of consultants , whose ranks they hope someday to join .

In July, the leadership of Los Angeles's elite Harvard-Westlake School issued a 20-page confessional about the school’s role in perpetuating "racism and injustice" and promised changes. The school, which sends dozens of kids to the Ivy League every year, will now teach 11th-grade U.S. history from a "critical race theory perspective." And diversity consultancies, which routinely charge six figures for their services, will facilitate the school's transformation at every step.
On the East Coast, the wealthy Fairfax County public school district shelled out $20,000 for an hourlong speech from critical-race commentator Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. At one school in the district, faculty went further, disseminating "anti-racist" reading lists to parents and organizing students into "equity" committees.
Dozens of schools across the country, both public and private, have taken similar steps. The perceived need to announce sweeping changes in leadership and curricula has been a boon to the growing diversity-consulting industry, which is designed to profit from racial discontent.
A list of "anti-racism" resources, compiled just days after the death of George Floyd and featuring such writers as Kendi, Dr. Robin DiAngelo, and the authors of the New York Times's controversial 1619 project, was shared widely by colleges and high schools across the country.
At Fairfax's Justice High School, emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show one of the school's "equity leads" shared the list in an impassioned email to her colleagues. It was subsequently posted to the school's website with the principal's approval and shared in multiple community-wide emails. A representative of principal Maria Eck told the Free Beacon the list "represented the diversity of our families and students" and was posted "during a time of broad discussion of these issues in our community and in our society."
Meanwhile, the tony Connecticut boarding school Loomis-Chaffee has introduced mandatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training for students and now requires faculty members to read Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning and DiAngelo's White Fragility for "professional development." San Diego's public schools have overhauled grading for fear of racist impact, and New York City wants to follow. The KIPP Schools, long a model for charter school excellence, have dumped their "Work hard. Be nice" slogan, claiming that "working hard and being nice is not going to dismantle systemic racism."
These ostensibly progressive changes often enable bigotry. The aforementioned list includes the work of prominent anti-Semite Toni Morrison and was assembled by organizers of the Women's March, a group that has demonstrated deeply ingrained anti-Jewish sentiment. That's in line with the "woke" anti-Semitism at schools such as New York's Fieldston Ethical and Baltimore's Park School, where alumni activists have declaimed the Jewish-founded school's "wealth hoarding" and "tolerance of Zionism."
Such witch hunts have become commonplace as students, faculty, and alumni across the country have devoted themselves to ferreting out racism in their own communities. Many have taken to Instagram, launching "Black at [school name]" pages and encouraging their peers to share anonymous accusations of racism, bigotry, and other misconduct. Other accounts, dedicated to naming and shaming students accused of racial bias or insensitivity, are "popping up left and right," one student told the New York Times.
"I'm not trying to target freshmen or middle schoolers, but people who are about to go to college need to be held accountable for what they say," the administrator of one page told the Times. "People who go to college end up becoming racist lawyers and doctors. I don't want people like that to keep getting jobs."
These changes are profound, but they are not new. Rather, they are built on an existing infrastructure of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) administrators.
Positions like "director of diversity" emerged in the early 2000s, Exeter DEI chief Stephanie Bramlett told the prestigious school's alumni magazine. As far back as 2007, the journal Educational Leadership was emphasizing the need for administrators to confront "issues of social dominance and social justice." Portland Public Schools created its "office of equity" in 2011. Holy Name High School in tiny Parma Heights, Ohio, added a director of diversity and inclusion in 2018. Justice High School already had diversity advisers on the payroll, and Harvard-Westlake's new commitments add to a five-woman diversity team and a diversity conference held annually since 2018.
Harvard-Westlake did not respond to a request for comment.
As schools hire more and more diversity experts, however, accusations of racism and bigotry only grow—fueling further demands for new positions and pricier consultants.
Nearly every top private school has promised to bring on outside help to address rampant racism. Harvard-Westlake is doing business with at least four: Blink Consulting, Jones Inclusive, the Grading for Equity Project, and the Glasgow Group. Loomis-Chaffee plans to hire a "third party facilitator" to assess the "inclusivity climate." New York-based Grace Church School is bringing in an "outside consultant" for an "independent review into the ways that racism persists at Grace," while Virginia's Episcopal High School will hire "independent outside experts" to "identify biases inherent in school structures."
Such consultancies review curricula and conduct workshops on the latest in progressive pedagogy. Grading for Equity's Joe Feldman, for example, has argued that practices such as averaging grades over a semester or grading homework unacceptably perpetuate inequality.
That sort of insight does not come cheap. In Fairfax's neighboring Loudon County, also among the richest counties in the country, taxpayers have shelled out over $400,000 to fund diversity trainings since 2018. Three-hundred-fourteen-thousand dollars of that went to the California-based consultancy the Equity Collaborative, including $90,000 in salary for an "equity leadership coach" and funding to conduct a series of focus groups.
This fall has just boosted profit opportunities. The Glasgow Group, which did not respond to multiple interview requests, launched a guide for independent schools on what to do if they are facing social media accusations of racism.
Steps include hiring a "diversity professional on the senior management team" with "adequate budget" and "invest[ing]" in trainings for faculty on "implicit bias, anti-racism, whiteness, privilege and power." Another step is auditing the school's "practice, policies, programs, and curriculum to uncover any racial inequities, insensitivities, or discriminatory behaviors"—audits best carried out by diversity professionals like those at the Glasgow Group.
Glasgow is typical of such firms. Founded in 2016 by Dr. Rodney Glasgow, the group employs 11 different "principal consultants," almost all of whom, including Glasgow, have day jobs in diversity or leadership positions at independent schools. In other words, teachers who agitate for progressive reforms at their schools can make a pretty penny later in their career—or on the side—implementing those same reforms elsewhere.
This is the logic powering the woke turn in America's high schools. Teachers and administrators press an increasingly progressive line, agitating students into demanding ever more change. In return, they balloon their own budgets and line the pockets of consultants, whose ranks they hope someday to join.


freebeacon--2020-12-01--Ga. Secretary of State Investigating Warnock-Led Voter Registration Group

A voter registration group that was led by Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock until earlier this year is under investigation for allegedly sending ballot applications to non-residents , the Georgia secretary of state announced on Monday .
The New Georgia Project , where Warnock served as CEO until February , is one of four voter sign-up groups being probed for improper registration activities , Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger said in a press conference .
The announcement comes as Democrats have praised Raffensperger , a Republican , for pushing back against President Donald Trump 's allegations of election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , Warnock , who is engaged in a heated race that could determine party control of the Senate , dismissed past investigations of voter fraud against the group as `` alarmist . ''
While Raffensperger said he has not seen indications of systemic fraud , he said there is evidence of `` third-party groups working to register people in other states to vote here in Georgia . ''
Raffensperger said the New Georgia Project `` sent voter registration applications to New York City , '' in a potential violation of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are not a resident of Georgia is a felony , '' said Raffensperger .
`` These third-party groups have a responsibility to not encourage illegal voting .
If they do so , they will be held responsible . ''
Warnock was listed as CEO of the New Georgia Project from 2017 until Feb. 21 , 2020 , according to the group 's corporate filings .
He has been identified as the New Georgia Project 's chairman and spokesman in media reports and has said he organized voter mobilization drives for the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new minority voters in 2014 .
His campaign did not respond to a request for comment about the ongoing investigation .
Walter Jones , a spokesman for the Georgia secretary of state 's office , said he was not aware of Warnock 's connection to the New Georgia Project and declined to provide additional details on the allegations , citing the ongoing investigation .
The New Georgia Project is a `` nonpartisan effort to register and civically engage Georgians , '' according to its website .
The group , which was founded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered `` nearly 400,000 people from underrepresented communities to vote in Georgia , '' its website claims .
Warnock , a pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta , is headed into a runoff election against incumbent senator Kelly Loeffler ( R. , Ga. ) on Jan. 5 .
The race is one of two in Georgia that will determine party control of the Senate next year .
The New Georgia Project was the subject of a prior voter fraud probe by the secretary of state 's office in 2014 , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of forging voter registration applications .
The case was referred to law enforcement in 2017 , but charges were never brought .
Supporters of the New Georgia Project criticized the 2014 investigation as an attempt at voter suppression .
`` Using the word voter fraud is alarmist , and it was totally unnecessary , '' said Warnock in 2017 , arguing that the lack of charges against the group showed that it has `` excellent internal controls and that we have followed the law . ''
Raffensperger said on Monday that three other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by his office .
One of the organizations , America Votes , allegedly sent `` absentee ballot applications to people at addresses where they have not lived since 1994 , '' said Raffensperger .
A group called Vote Forward is accused of registering a dead Alabama voter in Georgia , and another , Operation New Voter Registration Georgia , is accused of encouraging college students to temporarily change their residency for the purpose of voting in the state .

A voter registration group that was led by Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock until earlier this year is under investigation for allegedly sending ballot applications to non-residents, the Georgia secretary of state announced on Monday.
The New Georgia Project, where Warnock served as CEO until February, is one of four voter sign-up groups being probed for improper registration activities, Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger said in a press conference.
The announcement comes as Democrats have praised Raffensperger, a Republican, for pushing back against President Donald Trump's allegations of election fraud in Georgia during the presidential election. Meanwhile, Warnock, who is engaged in a heated race that could determine party control of the Senate, dismissed past investigations of voter fraud against the group as "alarmist."
While Raffensperger said he has not seen indications of systemic fraud, he said there is evidence of "third-party groups working to register people in other states to vote here in Georgia."
Raffensperger said the New Georgia Project "sent voter registration applications to New York City," in a potential violation of state law.
"Voting in Georgia when you are not a resident of Georgia is a felony," said Raffensperger. "These third-party groups have a responsibility to not encourage illegal voting. If they do so, they will be held responsible."
Warnock was listed as CEO of the New Georgia Project from 2017 until Feb. 21, 2020, according to the group's corporate filings. He has been identified as the New Georgia Project's chairman and spokesman in media reports and has said he organized voter mobilization drives for the group, including a push to register 80,000 new minority voters in 2014. His campaign did not respond to a request for comment about the ongoing investigation.
Walter Jones, a spokesman for the Georgia secretary of state's office, said he was not aware of Warnock's connection to the New Georgia Project and declined to provide additional details on the allegations, citing the ongoing investigation.
The New Georgia Project is a "nonpartisan effort to register and civically engage Georgians," according to its website. The group, which was founded by failed gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, has registered "nearly 400,000 people from underrepresented communities to vote in Georgia," its website claims.
Warnock, a pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, is headed into a runoff election against incumbent senator Kelly Loeffler (R., Ga.) on Jan. 5. The race is one of two in Georgia that will determine party control of the Senate next year.
The New Georgia Project was the subject of a prior voter fraud probe by the secretary of state's office in 2014, when contractors working for the group were accused of forging voter registration applications. The case was referred to law enforcement in 2017, but charges were never brought.
Supporters of the New Georgia Project criticized the 2014 investigation as an attempt at voter suppression. "Using the word voter fraud is alarmist, and it was totally unnecessary," said Warnock in 2017, arguing that the lack of charges against the group showed that it has "excellent internal controls and that we have followed the law."
Raffensperger said on Monday that three other voter registration groups are also under investigation by his office. One of the organizations, America Votes, allegedly sent "absentee ballot applications to people at addresses where they have not lived since 1994," said Raffensperger.
A group called Vote Forward is accused of registering a dead Alabama voter in Georgia, and another, Operation New Voter Registration Georgia, is accused of encouraging college students to temporarily change their residency for the purpose of voting in the state.


freebeacon--2020-11-30--Max Baucus: Israel’s Assassination of Iran’s Nuclear Mastermind Is Evidence of ‘Nefarious Ulterior M

Max Baucus: Israel’s Assassination of Iran’s Nuclear Mastermind Is Evidence of ‘Nefarious Ulterior Motive’

Following the assassination of Iran ’ s top nuclear scientist , Barack Obama 's former China ambassador Max Baucus on Monday accused Israel of having `` nefarious '' motives in the Middle East .
On Fox News 's Bill Hemmer Reports , Baucus said Israel likely assassinated Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in order to sabotage President-elect Joe Biden 's ability to reenter the Iran Nuclear Deal , which President Donald Trump pulled out of in 2018 .
`` [ Israel 's ] nefarious ulterior motive is to complicate matters in the Mideast and make things difficult for Biden to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Baucus said .
Baucus , a former Montana senator who endorsed Biden for president , served as ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017 .
After Trump took office , Baucus drew attention for giving interviews on Chinese propaganda networks in which he praised China and compared Trump to Hitler .
On Monday Baucus also downplayed the importance of the landmark peace deals between Israel and Arab states over the past six months , which Israel 's critics in the Obama administration had declared impossible unless Israel made peace with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] did not include the Palestinians , and the Palestinians are going to have to be included in some kind of resolution that has any chance of being durable and peaceful in the long run , '' Baucus said .
Israel has not released an official statement on Fakhrizadeh 's death last Friday , while Iranian state media accounts have been contradictory .
Initially , authorities said that the death involved a truck exploding and the exchange of gunfire between assailants and Fakhrizadeh 's bodyguards , but the story changed to include remote-controlled @ @

Following the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Barack Obama's former China ambassador Max Baucus on Monday accused Israel of having "nefarious" motives in the Middle East.
On Fox News's Bill Hemmer Reports, Baucus said Israel likely assassinated Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in order to sabotage President-elect Joe Biden's ability to reenter the Iran Nuclear Deal, which President Donald Trump pulled out of in 2018.
"[Israel's] nefarious ulterior motive is to complicate matters in the Mideast and make things difficult for Biden to try to reenter the Iran nuclear accord," Baucus said.
Baucus, a former Montana senator who endorsed Biden for president, served as ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017. After Trump took office, Baucus drew attention for giving interviews on Chinese propaganda networks in which he praised China and compared Trump to Hitler.
On Monday Baucus also downplayed the importance of the landmark peace deals between Israel and Arab states over the past six months, which Israel's critics in the Obama administration had declared impossible unless Israel made peace with the Palestinians.
"[The peace deals] did not include the Palestinians, and the Palestinians are going to have to be included in some kind of resolution that has any chance of being durable and peaceful in the long run," Baucus said.
Israel has not released an official statement on Fakhrizadeh's death last Friday, while Iranian state media accounts have been contradictory. Initially, authorities said that the death involved a truck exploding and the exchange of gunfire between assailants and Fakhrizadeh's bodyguards, but the story changed to include remote-controlled weapons.